Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 17:52:26|Editor: zh Video Player Close Photo taken on Jan. 5, 2019 shows vintage cars running in the streets in Havana, capital of Cuba. More than 200 vintage cars took to the streets of Havana Saturday for a contest. (Xinhua/Joaquin Hernandez) HAVANA, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- More than 200 classic and vintage cars took over Havana's famous Malecon seawall avenue as part of a colorful competition that showed locals and foreigners Cuba's automotive heritage. Considered living antiques from the first half of the last century, these vehicles are now an indispensable part of the Cuban landscape, whether for sight-seeing or as so-called "almendrones," which means vintage taxis used by Cubans for daily transportation. Showcasing the country's best exponents was the goal of the First Classic Car Contest 2018 sponsored by Spanish hotel company Iberostar and the local club Amigos de Fangio. A total of 208 cars were entered in the competition, among which only 15 were given prizes for being the best preserved and original. The cars were chosen based on their technical condition, originality, external and internal condition, operation of the electrical system and other parameters. A green 1956 Plymouth, owned since 1983 by local Ramon Ventura, was the winner as the jury estimated that it has preserved 98 percent of its original condition. "I am very excited and the main thing of this competition is that it encourages us to keep the car as original as possible within the possibilities we have," Ventura told Xinhua after winning the prize. The engineer said his Plymouth only has a different paint color and upholstery from the original model. The rest are the same as manufactured. "It's a hobby that we have to dedicate a lot of time to. Since a few years ago, we can import the pieces from the United States, but they are extremely expensive," he added. The popularity prize, chosen through online voting on the Iberostar website, was awarded to Gabriel Sanchez, owner of an impressive 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air. "I spend a lot of my life fixing the car, keeping it in good condition and this award is the greatest satisfaction I can have in an event where there were very nice and competitive vehicles," said the 27-year-old. Guided by a 1948 Packard Clipper car, the imposing parade covered almost the entire seawall promenade and then entered the Paseo del Prado avenue reaching the Iberostar Grand Packard Hotel recently opened in the Cuban capital. Automobiles of U.S. brands such as Buick, Cadillac, Plymouth, Chevrolet, Pontiac and Ford, as well as the ones from emblematic European companies Mercedes Benz, MG and Austin-Healey, among others, were entered in the competition in an attempt to highlight the living and historical memory of the island. "For Cuba, classic cars mark their identity, it is one of the greatest values that it has besides its people, culture and history. Many of the tourists who come to Cuba today look for these old cars that are so well preserved," said Alejandro Barrios, director of the Iberostar Grand Packard Hotel. The Spanish hotel company, which operates 17 resorts in the country, sponsored the event to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the arrival of the first car in Cuba and the 500th anniversary of Havana that will be commemorated later this year. "For us it is a real privilege that after 25 years of Iberostar's presence in Cuba, we can host this colorful competition with cars that are real relics still roaming the streets of the city," he said. Hundreds of locals and foreigners came to photograph this unusual event that for many was the largest gathering of classic automobiles in Havana since vintage car clubs emerged 22 years ago. "The goal of this event is to encourage the conservation of these cars which are an intrinsic part of our surroundings and also to display the automobile heritage that we have because Cuba is the country where the most amount of vintage cars are rolling," said Pablo Alvarez, technical director of the competition. The car expert and owner of a 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air said there are so many varieties of classic cars in Cuba that it was difficult to choose a winner. "It was a close race with very original cars that are already part of our cultural heritage," he said. In Cuba, most of these cars are from the 1950s, the golden age in the manufacture of American vehicles. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 17:32:22|Editor: ZX Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The following are news highlights in Ethiopia's major media outlets on Sunday. -- Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said a proper emphasis is given in the comprehensive national reform to unleash the significant impact of education which is vital in transforming the country. A half-day National Teachers Conference, which was attended by about 3,700 primary, secondary and preparatory school teachers drawn from across the country, was held on Saturday. (Ethiopian News Agency/ENA) -- Professor Ephrem Yishak, a prominent scholar, has called on political parties (in Ethiopia) to shun all forms of conflict and pursue a peaceful way. He made the remark at a symposium organized to mark the 30th anniversary of the Ethiopian Peace and Development Association. (Fana Broadcasting Corporate/FBC) Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 17:27:21|Editor: ZX Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The following are news highlights in South African major news outlets on Sunday. -- Francis Hanekom, wife of Andre Hanekom, has accused Mozambican authorities of being corrupt and breaking the law in the case involving her husband. Hanekom, 63, is facing charges of murder, crimes against the state and inciting disobedience with two Tanzanian nationals in Mozambique as part of a jihadist terror group. (Eyewitness News) -- Two police officers have been seriously injured after being attacked by community members in Shellcross in Durban. KwaZulu-Natal provincial police spokesperson Thembeka Mbhele said officers in the K9 unit were investigating a drug-related matter when the officers were seriously assaulted by a group of people. (eNCA) -- The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) said on Saturday it will not tolerate any outside forces to continue to distort the party's message of a united South Africa. Newly elected PAC President Mzwanele Nyontso said it's more than ready for 2019 national and provincial elections. (South African Broadcasting Corporation) Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 16:57:16|Editor: zh Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- As the United States and China continue their trade talks, Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the U.S. Consumer Technology Association (CTA), said he would like to see a more "normalized" trade relationship with China, arguing that tariffs are not the right mechanism to solve the problems. Shapiro made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Xinhua ahead of the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which will be held in Las Vegas from Tuesday to Friday. The annual tech show was created by the association in 1967. "Tariffs on Chinese products are costing the U.S. tech industry and American consumers about a billion dollars a month," Shapiro said, noting that this is based on a comparison of data between October 2018 and October 2017. Shapiro said there is a sense among American companies that the U.S.-China trade relationship does need to change, but he thinks "there are other ways to deal with it," such as through bilateral and multilateral trade agreements. Shapiro has repeatedly spoken out against additional tariffs on Chinese imports. "We look forward to continued progress between the U.S. and China -- eliminating the current tariffs and not adding new trade taxes to even more products -- so we can keep our economy strong and our job creation growing," he said in a statement in early December. Despite the strain created by the trade discussions, the relationship between the CTA and the technology industry in China is "strong and important," Shapiro told Xinhua. When asked about how he views the U.S. Commerce Department's plan to control the exports of emerging technologies, Shapiro said he is "concerned" about the impact on U.S. innovation. The department said in November that it plans to impose export controls on 14 categories of emerging and foundational technologies that are "essential" to national security, including artificial intelligence (AI), advanced computing technology and biotechnology. "That will limit export opportunities or restrict the flow of information and the advancement of AI, especially in the U.S.," Shapiro said. "That is not something we favor." Public comments will be accepted by the department until Thursday. Shapiro said his association is planning to submit their comments before the deadline. For this year's CES tech show, almost 14 percent of the 2.9 million square feet (about 270,000 square meters) of exhibit space will be occupied by more than 1,200 China-related companies, Shapiro said, adding that the size and space are "roughly even" compared with last year. Companies such as Alibaba, Baidu and JD.com come to the CES to form partnerships and establish relationships, while companies including Haier and Hisense see the CES as a way to meet their sellers and buyers. "Every company is different," Shapiro said. "They are looking to build brand awareness here." Some major themes of the CES tech show this year include 5G, AI, voice interface, blockchain, augmented and virtual reality, digital health, smart cities and self-driving. This year's show is set to attract more than 4,400 exhibiting companies and host more than 1,200 startups. "This is the largest show ever," Shapiro said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 16:42:13|Editor: ZX Video Player Close KINSHASA -- The publication of the provisional results of the general election in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), initially expected to be announced on Sunday, has been postponed until next week, according to Corneille Nangaa, president of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) of the country. "It is not possible to publish the results on Sunday. We are progressing well but we do not have everything done yet," said Corneille Nangaa on Saturday without specifying the exact date scheduled for publication. (DR Congo-Election-Postponement) - - - - JAKARTA -- Indonesian search and rescue office has put the death toll of the landslides striking western parts days ago at 38 with another villager missing, rescuers said on Sunday. The rescuers have been attempting to find the last victim believed to be buried under soil which slid when the disaster struck a total of 29 houses in Sinaresmi village of Sukabumi district in West Java province, head of communication for media of the national search and rescue office Yusuf Latief told Xinhua via phone. (Indonesia-Landslides) - - - - BANGKOK -- Six people were killed and 54 others injured when a tour bus overturned on a slippery road on Bangkok's northern outskirts during a wee hour of Sunday, police said. The six dead included four females, a male and an infant while the 54 others were injured and rushed to nearby hospitals, said police inspector Pol. Lt. Col. Sarayuth Saengthong of Khlong Luang police station in central Pathum Thani province. (Thailand-Bus Accident-Death) - - - - WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that "not much headway" has been made in border wall funding and the ongoing partial government shutdown in an earlier meeting between senior White House officials and Democratic congressional staffers. "Second meeting set for tomorrow," Trump tweeted. "After so many decades, must finally and permanently fix the problems on the Southern Border!" (US-Trump-Gov't Shutdown) Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 16:17:09|Editor: zh Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli bus driver was wounded overnight between Saturday and Sunday in a shooting attack in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the military said on Sunday. The incident took place outside the settlement of Beit El, north of Ramallah. The army released a statement on Sunday morning, saying the shooter or shooters fled and soldiers were searching the area for them. A spokesperson for Israel's medical emergency service said the driver sustained light injuries and the bus was damaged. The violence was the latest incident amidst a resurging wave of Palestinian attacks in the West Bank over the past weeks. On December 13, two soldiers were killed in a drive-by shooting outside Givat Asaf, an illegal Israeli outpost northeast of Ramallah city. Elsewhere in the West Bank, forces with the army, Shin Bet security service, and the police arrested ten Palestinians during the weekend for "suspicion of involvement in terror activity," the army said in a statement. Israel occupied the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war and has controlled it ever since despite international criticism. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 15:52:04|Editor: zh Video Player Close BANGKOK, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Tropical storm Pabuk has claimed four lives in southern Thailand, police said on Sunday. A woman evacuated to a center providing shelter for villagers from the storm was found dead in a canal in southern Thailand's Surat Thani Province on Sunday morning. She was the fourth death from Pabuk, the decade's worst storm that has hitting the country's southern part since Friday. The woman, 57, was found floating face down in the canal with no wounds of physical attack on the body. Villagers said she left the evacuation center by motorbike on Saturday and never returned. Police believed she had fallen into the canal after an accident and she may have drowned for six hours. The tropical storm landed on Nakhon Sri Thammarat province at Friday noon, bringing torrential rains, strong winds and flash floods. It has moved over the western coast of Thailand where its ferocity has dropped. The storm left three deaths and hundreds of homes damaged previously. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 15:42:01|Editor: mmm Video Player Close Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) meets with his Gambian counterpart Mamadou Tangara in Banjul, capital of Gambia, Jan. 5, 2019. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai) BANJUL, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- China and Gambia have seen rapid development on all fronts in their relations since the resumption of diplomatic ties more than two years ago, said visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday. During the meeting with his Gambian counterpart Mamadou Tangara, Wang said China and Gambia have restored exchanges in various fields and achieved notable results in cooperation on major infrastructure projects, enabling the bilateral friendship to take root among the two peoples. Facts have proved that resuming bilateral diplomatic relations fully conforms with the fundamental interests of Gambia and its people, the universal consensus on the one-China principle and the common aspiration for unity and cooperation by the Chinese and African peoples, Wang said. The Chinese foreign minister said Gambia's reaffirmed commitment to the one-China policy will help lay a firm political foundation for a comprehensive and healthy development of bilateral ties. He said the two countries should further increase mutual trust as well as mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests. China and Gambia should step up communication and coordination to implement the major consensus between leaders of the two countries and the results from the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit, Wang said. In this respect, he suggested that Gambia combine the China-Africa cooperation initiatives proposed at the FOCAC Beijing Summit with its national development plans and find priorities, so as to push for progress in various fields of bilateral cooperation to benefit both sides. Wang noted that China-Africa cooperation in essence is South-South cooperation, and the China-Africa efforts towards common development and prosperity will help promote equality and peace in the world. China is willing to do everything within its power to help with the economic and social development in Gambia and other African countries based on Africa's realities and actual needs, he said. For his part, Tangara thanked China for its help in Gambia's economic development and improvement of people's livelihood while voicing the hope that Wang's visit would lead to a closer bilateral relationship. The Gambian foreign minister said Gambia firmly adheres to the one-China policy, and will support China on various international occasions as well as on issues of core interest, pushing further development of bilateral ties on the right track. He said Gambia is ready to strengthen communication with China at various levels, enhance mutual trust and promote cooperation in fields like economy, energy and technology. Tangara said the major cooperation initiatives proposed at the FOCAC Beijing Summit showed China truly addresses the concerns of African countries and supports their efforts to enhance their own capabilities in national development. While praising China as a leader in defending multilateralism and the interests of developing countries amid the headwinds of unilateralism in the world, the minister said his country is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China in various international affairs. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 15:36:59|Editor: mmm Video Player Close ZHENGZHOU, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The number of China-Europe freight trains has risen significantly in central China in 2018, authorities said. According to the Zhengzhou International Hub Development and Construction Co. Ltd, 752 such trains were launched between Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province, and foreign cities last year, up 50 percent year on year. The goods transported via the trains weighed about 350,000 tonnes, with a combined value of more than 3.2 billion U.S. dollars, according to the company. In less than six years, a total of 1,760 trains were launched between Zhengzhou and foreign cities, with about 850,000 tonnes of goods worth 8.5 billion U.S. dollars transported. In 2018, the trains mainly connected Zhengzhou and German cities like Hamburg and Munich and the Belgian city of Liege. The trains also connected Zhengzhou and Central Asian cities. The company plans to launch 1,300 trains in 2019. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 15:31:58|Editor: zh Video Player Close KABUL, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Two Taliban militants, including a local leader, were killed after Afghan Air Force launched an airstrike in the country's northern province of Faryab, Afghan Ministry of Defense said Sunday. "Mullah Ayatollah, Taliban deputy shadow district governor was killed with his man and a motorbike was destroyed in Afghan National Army (ANA) airstrike in Pashtun Kot district of Faryab province on Saturday," the ministry said in a statement. The province has been the scene of heavy clashes between security forces and Taliban militants for long. Afghan security forces, backed by the U.S.-led NATO coalition troops, have increased ground and air offensives against militants within the past few months as the Taliban militant group has been attempting to take territory and consolidate its positions ahead of winter in the Asian country. The militant group hasn't made a comment on the report yet. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 15:06:49|Editor: zh Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that "not much headway" has been made in border wall funding and the ongoing partial government shutdown in an earlier meeting between senior White House officials and Democratic congressional staffers. "Second meeting set for tomorrow," Trump tweeted. "After so many decades, must finally and permanently fix the problems on the Southern Border!" A Trump administration team led by Vice President Mike Pence on Saturday met with staffers for top Congressional Democrats without achieving any breakthrough in breaking a deadlock over funding for Trump's proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall or ending the prolonged government shutdown. A readout provided by Pence's office said "the conversation was productive" and both sides agreed to meet again on Sunday afternoon, adding that there was "no in-depth conversation about a dollar figure" for the wall money. In a tweet Saturday night, Trump said that on Sunday morning, he will go to Camp David, a presidential retreat in the state of Maryland, for meetings on "border security and many other topics" with senior White House staff. Trump is demanding over 5 billion U.S. dollars in border security to deliver his signature campaign promise to build a wall along the U.S. southern border with Mexico, which has been strongly rejected by Democrats. Their disagreement has led to a budget impasse and the partial government shutdown, which enters its 15th day Saturday, affecting nine cabinet-level departments and dozens of agencies as well as the jobs and paychecks of some 800,000 federal employees. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement Saturday that Democrats in the House, who now hold a majority, will take action next week to reopen the government by approving individual funding bills for agencies affected by the shutdown. The fate of those Democratic bills is unclear. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said the Republican-controlled upper chamber won't consider any bills without the president's support. Trump dug in on his proposal again Saturday, tweeting in the morning that "we are working hard at the Border, but we need a WALL!" The president and his conservative allies have insisted that the wall is essential to addressing illegal immigration and drug trafficking, while Democrats have slapped the proposal as an "inefficient, unnecessary and costly" solution to strengthening border security. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 15:01:47|Editor: mmm Video Player Close By Xinhua writer Zhang Zhongkai BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- For Tong Jun, a 32-year-old financial professional, price tags and brand names are no longer major concerns when making a purchase. Premium quality has the final say. Well-heeled but still calculating, Tong craves more bang for the buck when he spends. "Good things do not necessarily come at high prices," Tong believes. That is also the much-touted motto of China's burgeoning premium e-commerce platforms, which offer high-quality products at affordable prices to cater to a growing niche market nurtured by the country's rising middle-class consumers. NEW CONSUMPTION PHILOSOPHY Tong spent nearly 20,000 yuan (about 2,912.8 U.S. dollars) on online shopping last year, and most of the money went to homemade products instead of pricey big international brands. "Don't label me 'consumption downgrading,'" Tong said. "I just value quality over vanity now, and aesthetic and style also matter." Tong is one of the estimated 250 million new middle-class consumers by best-seller business writer Wu Xiaobo's definition. These consumers, most of whom are well-educated, are more rational in purchase decisions, putting more emphasis on the products' overall value than just their brands. Popular products in China usually feature local cultural elements, stylish appearances, premium quality and affordable prices, Wu said, calling it a "new consumption trend." GOLD HUNTERS Tong's purchases mostly came from two online stores: Xiaomi Youpin and NetEase Yeation, each being e-commerce platforms branched out by tech tycoons, who sell a wide range of products from smart TVs to electronic toothbrushes and feature styles such as normcore and simplicity. While selling products made within the Xiaomi group, Youpin also covers selected items from third-party manufacturers. Health and smart products and housewares such as fingerprint locks and wall-mounted washing machines were the best-selling products on Youpin last year. NetEase Yeation, on the other hand, mainly follows the factory-to-consumer (F2C) approach, or the original design manufacturer model, in which the company partner with makers of high-quality goods and sells directly to consumers, shortening the supply chain and cutting brand premium. Established e-commerce players like Taobao and JD.com also rolled out their own version of premium e-commerce platforms to gain a slice of the niche market. EVOLVING TREND Domestic internet market observer iiMedia Research forecasted that e-commerce players will gradually expand from online platforms to offline stores and integrate their strengths to offer consumers a smoother experience. Xiaomi Youpin opened its first brick-and-mortar store in the eastern Chinese city Nanjing last May. NetEase Yeation's first physical store opened in its headquarter Hangzhou last December. The latter even partnered with a start-up hotel to showcase its products. Premium e-commerce platforms are likely to encounter challenges in quality monitoring, after-sales service and products diversification as they grow, just as their traditional peers did, Cao predicted. "When it comes down to it, their future hinges on the development of Chinese consumers' preferences," Cao said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 14:31:40|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close BANGKOK, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Department of Internal Trade at Thai Ministry of Commerce has been preparing caravans filled with essential consumer goods including rice, eggs, cooking oil, canned fish, instant noodle and basic construction tools for victims affected by tropical storm Pabuk in southern part of the country. Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong made the announcement late Saturday after Pabuk claimed three lives and forced thands to flee home. Meanwhile, the Government Housing Bank (GHB) has offered people whose houses were damaged by Pabuk a fund of 1 billion baht (31,280,500 U.S. dollars). He said people could seek additional loans or new loans from the bank to build new houses if their houses are destroyed by the natural disaster. The Thai Meteorological Department said it is highly unusual for tropical storms to make landfall in Thailand. The last time a tropical storm made landfall in Thailand was in 1962 when tropical storm Harriet hit 12 provinces and claimed 900 lives. According to the Meteorological Department, no previous tropical cyclone had struck Thailand in January, February or March in records since 1951. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 12:56:23|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Three people were killed and four others injured in a shooting at the Gable House Bowl in the U.S. coastal city of Torrance near Los Angeles, the Torrance Police Department said Saturday. The shooting occurred shortly before midnight (0800 GMT Saturday), among the dead are 28-year-old Astin Edwards, 20-year-old Michael Radford and 28-year-old Robert Meekins. Several people on the scene told local media that there was a fight before the incident late Friday. One man said he heard "nine gunshots," the Los Angeles Times reported. "Three men were pronounced dead at the scene and two others were taken to a hospital for treatment of their injuries," Sgt. Ronald Harris of the Torrance Police Department was quoted as saying by the local news outlet City News Service. Two other men sought medical attention on their own, Harris added. Torrance police said they were still working to identify the suspected shooter or shooters. The cause for the fight is also unclear yet. Earlier, they tweeted there were reports of a shooting with "multiple victims down" and urged people to stay away from the area. Gable House Bowl described itself as "the premier destination for bowling in the South Bay" on its website, adding that it has "games that both kids and adults will enjoy." Torrance is located about 30 km southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The United States, with more than 300 million guns scattered nationwide, has long been plagued by gun violence. In November 2018, a former Marine opened fire in a crowded bar popular with college students in California, killing 12 people including a sheriff's deputy. In October 2018, at least 11 people were killed and six others were injured after a gunman opened fire inside a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 12:51:23|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed and four others injured in a shooting at the Gable House Bowl in the U.S. coastal city of Torrance near Los Angeles, the Torrance Police Department said Saturday. The United States has one of the highest gun-related death tolls in the world due to lax gun control laws, according to a study released in August 2018 by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington. The following is a chronology of the bloodiest and most notable mass shootings recorded in the United States in the past decade: -- THOUSAND OAKS, California, Nov. 7, 2018: A former Marine opened fire in a crowded bar popular with college students in Thousand Oaks, a suburb about 64 km northwest of Los Angeles, killing 12 people including a sheriff's deputy. -- PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, Oct. 27, 2018: At least 11 people were killed and six others were injured after a gunman opened fire inside a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. -- SANTA FE, Texas, May. 18, 2018: Ten people were killed and another ten wounded when a shooter opened fire inside Santa Fe High School in southeast Houston, Texas. -- PARKLAND, Florida, Feb. 14, 2018: A former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, opened fire with an assault-style rifle, killing 17 students and educators. -- SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas, Nov. 5, 2017: A gunman with an AR-15-style rifle barged into the First Baptist Church and killed 26 people, more than half of whom were children. -- LAS VEGAS, Nevada, Oct. 1, 2017: At least 59 people, including the alleged gunman himself, were killed and more than 500 others wounded when the attacker opened fire, sniper-style, on an open-air music festival in Las Vegas. It was the worst mass shooting attack in U.S. history. -- FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida, Jan. 6, 2017: Five people died and six others were injured in the shooting inside the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The gunman, Esteban Santiago, then laid down his weapons and surrendered to police. -- ORLANDO, Florida, June 12, 2016: A security guard wielding an assault-type rifle and a handgun killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando before he was shot dead by police. -- SAN BERNARDINO, California, Dec. 2, 2015: A couple declaring allegiance to the Islamic State killed 14 people and wounded 17 others at a social services center in San Bernardino City, California. Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik were pursued by police and died in the ensuing shootout. -- OREGON, Oct. 2, 2015: A gunman killed nine people at a community college in the state of Oregon before committing suicide after being wounded by police. The gunman, identified by U.S. media as 26-year-old Chris Harper Mercer, opened fire at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, about 290 km south of Portland, Oregon's largest city. -- CHARLESTON, South Carolina, June 17, 2015: A white man opened fire during a prayer meeting inside a historic black church in downtown Charleston, killing nine people in an assault that authorities described as a hate crime. Subsequently, the assailant, Dylann Roof, was sentenced to death in January 2017. -- CHICAGO, May 26, 2015: Twelve people were killed and more than 40 more wounded in shootings in Chicago during Memorial Day. -- WACO, Texas, May 17, 2015: Nine people were killed and several wounded after a shootout between rival biker gangs in Waco, Texas, with more gangs threatening to descend on the town after the violence. -- WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2013: A 34-year-old navy contractor employee opened fire inside the building at the Washington Navy Yard that serves as the headquarters of the Naval Sea System Command, killing 12 people before he was shot dead by police. -- NEWTOWN, Connecticut, Dec. 14, 2012: The Sandy Hook elementary school shooting stunned the nation after a gunman killed 20 children and six adults. The attacker, who killed his mother prior to the rampage, also died in the massacre. -- OAK CREEK, Wisconsin, Aug. 5, 2012: A white supremacist killed six people in a Sikh temple in Oak Creek before he was wounded by police and turned the gun on himself. -- AURORA, Colorado, July 20, 2012: Twelve people were killed and 59 others injured at a Batman movie premier, where a lone, heavily armed gunman burst into a packed theater in a suburb 10 miles (16 km) east of Denver. Local police identified the perpetrator as James Holmes, 24, who was given 12 life sentences for each victim, and an additional 3,318 years for those he tried to kill. -- TUCSON, Arizona, Jan. 9, 2011: A gunman opened fire at a public gathering outside a grocery in Tucson, Arizona, killing six people including a nine-year-old girl and wounding at least 12 others. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot point blank in the head, leaving her critically injured, but she recovered miraculously. The 22-year-old shooter, who was reported to be fixated on Giffords, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2012. -- FORT HOOD, Texas, Nov. 6, 2009: U.S. army psychiatrist Major Nidal Hasan opened fire at a military base in Fort Hood, leaving 13 dead and 42 others wounded. He was sentenced to death in 2013. -- BINGHAMTON, New York, April 4, 2009: A man shot dead 13 people at a civic center in Binghamton, where he had enrolled earlier to study English, before killing himself. -- CARTHAGE, North Carolina, March 30, 2009: A heavily-armed gunman shot dead seven patients and a nurse in a privately-owned nursing home in North Carolina, intending to kill his estranged wife who worked there. He was given multiple sentences, totalling over 179 years. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 12:21:19|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close KABUL, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- At least three Afghan security forces were wounded in a bomb attack in eastern side of Kabul on Sunday, an Interior Ministry spokesman said. "A sticky bomb struck a military vehicle in surrounding areas of Police District 16 at 07:30 a.m. local time. The blast caused three security forces injured," spokesman Najib Danish said. The injured were shifted to a hospital as they did not receive life-threatening wounds, he added. No group has yet to claim responsibility for the attack. Over the past a few months, Afghanistan, especially Kabul, has witnessed waves of terror attacks by the Islamic State (IS) and Taliban insurgents. Last month, 47 people were killed and 27 others wounded after five gunmen attacked two government offices near a diplomatic district in central Kabul. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 11:26:13|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close CHONGQING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Having diligently performed his duty as a primary-level official during the massive relocation for the Three Gorges Dam, Ran Shaozhi was honored as a Reform Pioneer by the central government last month when China commemorated its 40 years of reform and opening-up. Around 1.4 million people have been relocated between 1993 and 2010 to make way for the Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydropower project on the Yangtze River. Ran, former Party chief of Anping Township of Fengjie county, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, was in charge of the relocation of Santuo Village, the first village that was relocated for the construction of the mega project. It was hard to persuade 1,100 villagers living on the riverside mountains to move away from their homes. Ran, suffering from severe arthritis, visited every household to communicate with them within half a year, often trekking along harsh mountainous roads. He said at the beginning, the villagers were very opposed to the relocation plan, and some even cursed him because they found that their homes would be submerged forever once the construction of the Three Gorges Dam began. Chinese farmers value their tradition of staying on their homeland. People feel settled and safe when they are entitled to the property of land, and they hope to be buried on the land where their ancestors lived. Young villagers worried more about how they would make a living after moving to a new town. Ran proposed to renovate the hilly wasteland above the submerge line into arable land so that all the villagers could move to an area just three kilometers away from their original homes. "Relocation can only be successful if we can help the immigrants find jobs and make money," said Ran, who came up with ideas of developing the naval orange industry and transportation business with the newly opened roads. Meanwhile, Ran set up a strict supervision system to ensure no corruption occurs with the use of the 30 million yuan (about 4.4 million U.S. dollars) immigration fund for Anping township. Each appropriation of funds needs five signatures, including the project contractor, immigration official, accountant and head of the township government. "I openly addressed that anyone who was related to me could not contract any projects," Ran said. Ran's experience of developing local industries and fund supervision was learned in other regions where relocations were underway. In 1996, all of the 1,100 people in Santuo Village bid farewell to their dilapidated houses and moved to their new homes with access to tap water, roads and cable television. Yu Duxiang, 55, is thankful for the relocation, as she now lives a higher-quality life. "We can make more than 100,000 yuan (14,580 U.S. dollars) with over 300 navel orange trees," she said, adding that her son is running a transportation business in the town. The annual naval orange production capacity in Santuo Village reached 9,000 tons in 2018 with production value of over 45 million yuan. In December, 100 Chinese people, including Ran, were awarded Reform Pioneer medals, as they are "the creators of the great wonder of reform and opening-up" and "the source of power" to drive the campaign that started 40 years ago. Ran, 65, praised as "a pioneer in the exploration of Three Gorges immigrant resettlement," said the glory belongs to all his fellow villagers. "Relocating more than a million people for a single project is a miracle. I was lucky to be part of it," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 11:28:17|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close Kids present special zodiac stamps for the lunar year of the Pig in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 5, 2019. China Post on Saturday issued a set of special zodiac stamps in honor of 2019 Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Year of the Pig. The Year of the Pig starts from Feb. 5, 2019. (Xinhua/Sun Can) Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 10:46:08|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close YANGON, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities have seized illegally transported snakes in Hsenwi township, the country's northern Shan state, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Sunday. The confiscation was made by local police at Vepu check point in Hsenwi on Friday when a coordinated team searched for a suspected vehicle, finding 96 plastic boxes packed with snakes in a car. Two suspects have been filed by the Forest Department in accordance with the Protection of Wildlife and Wild Plants and Conservation of Natural Areas Law. The authorities said they are working to expose networks in relation to illegal buying, selling and transporting wild animals from the region. Poaching and illegal trade of wildlife have been growing in recent years in Myanmar. The Forest Department said the confiscated items of wildlife were destroyed to raise public awareness for law enforcement on illegal trade of wildlife. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 10:31:07|Editor: WX Video Player Close HELSINKI, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Finnish Consumer Disputes Board (CDB) has ordered Microsoft to compensate a Finnish man for unauthorized installation of Windows 10, local media reported on Saturday. In a decision reported by national broadcaster Yle on Saturday, the installation of Windows 10 had started when a computer owner was working with his computer in March 2016. Microsoft had not asked for permission and the person had not given an authorization. Following the installation, the computer started giving "at fault" messages. The board concluded that Microsoft had no right to install Windows 10 without permission. There was a mistake in the installation and that created a duty for Microsoft to compensate, it said. In its response Microsoft held the view that the man had obtained required help from its free customer support. Microsoft stated that it was not responsible for programs the computer owner had installed on his own for remote surveillance of an object. Noting that Microsoft did not deny that the new operating system could be installed without permission, the CDB stated that Microsoft did not deny the connection between the fault and the damage it cause. The board then decided that Microsoft must reimburse 1,100 euros (1,253 U.S. dollars) worth of spare parts and maintenance and travel costs. The board dismissed the owner's claims for lost work time, as it had not been specified in the complaint. The CDB members are appointed by the Ministry of Justice. Although the board decisions cannot be enforced through coercive measures, 80 percent of companies fined comply with its decisions. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 10:26:06|Editor: WX Video Player Close WELLINGTON, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's largest lobster exporter said on Sunday it is ready to face Chinese consumers directly by delivering lobsters to people's homes, part of the company's latest strategy to explore China's online market. As New Zealand's must-eat seafood, Kiwi lobster is considered the sweetest tasting and most succulent variety of lobster available and is highly sought at the Asian market, where it is the "lobster of choice" particularly at the Chinese dinner table. As New Zealand's largest exporter of live rock lobster, Fiordland Lobster Company Group General Manager Andrew Harvey said on Sunday that the company will explore China's digital channels in 2019. In 2018, the company's live lobsters were already in new retail stores of Hema, Alibaba's new offline retail store in China, Harvey said, adding that its lobsters will be sold directly through the company's own online connections with Chinese consumers in 2019. "There's a lot of work to be done understanding what our Chinese customers want from us in this channel, and we're looking forward to it," Harvey told Xinhua. The Fiordland Lobster Company contracts fishermen suppliers in Fiordland and other parts of New Zealand to provide catches of New Zealand red lobster for export to China and other key markets under the KiwiLobster brand, he said. "Live southern rock lobsters have been a very traditional business: wild lobsters are caught along remote coastlines, flown to the live seafood markets of China, and presented at celebrations in high end seafood restaurants," he added. The company started export to China in the 1990s. It currently has annual lobster catches about 1,000 tons, mainly catering the Chinese market. According to Harvey, this is the strict quota set by the New Zealand government and must not be exceeded so as to promote the sustainable development of New Zealand's fishery industry and protect the marine ecosystem. China is New Zealand's largest export market for lobsters, Harvey said, adding that wealthy lobster consumers are mainly from southern Chinese cities such as Shenzhen, Guangzhou where seafood consumption is traditionally large. Helicopters and insulated trucks are used to fly live lobster from the depots to one of the company's five export packing factories in New Zealand in order to keep lobsters fresh, Harvey said, adding that kiwi lobsters cannot be bred artificially and must be caught in remote sea areas. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 09:56:03|Editor: WX Video Player Close YANGON, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar is planning to implement digital marketing to develop the country's hotels and tourism sector, especially to increase promotional work to attract visitors from China's Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SAR), Myanmar News Agency reported Sunday. The move was discussed by Myanmar Minister of Hotels and Tourism U Ohn Maung and Chairman of Hong Kong Macao Myanmar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HKMMCCI) Dr. Lin Khin Wan in Nay Pyi Taw Saturday. Their discussions covered arranging training courses to increase information and communication technology experts in the ministry, providing required suggestions and technical assistance on establishing tourism web portals and arranging study tours by Hong Kong travel agencies to Myanmar. Myanmar will use appropriate digital technology to reduce manual system while carrying out the ministry's office work, which will reduce the use of paper. Myanmar has granted visa-on-arrival to travelers from China including those from Hong Kong and Macao SARs starting from Oct. 1 last year along with visa exemption to Japanese and South Korean visitors. Myanmar attracted over 2.84 million tourists as of October last year, according to the Hotel and Tourism Ministry. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 09:46:01|Editor: WX Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Kevin Sweeney, chief of staff of the U.S. Department of Defense, announced Saturday his resignation from the post. "After two years in the Pentagon, I've decided the time is right to return to the private sector," Sweeney said in a statement. His departure comes after former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis stepped down last month. Mattis, who worked with Sweeney when he led the U.S. Central Command, picked Sweeney to be his chief of staff in early 2017. Sweeney retired as a rear admiral from the U.S. Navy in 2014. Sweeney's decision is the latest by a senior official to leave the Pentagon. Earlier this week, Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White announced her departure. Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan is now acting U.S. secretary of defense. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 09:40:59|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close Gambian President Adama Barrow (R) meets with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Banjul, capital of Gambia, Jan. 5, 2019. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai) BANJUL, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Gambian President Adama Barrow said Saturday that Gambia has the strong political will to promote cooperation with China, which is the country's most important partner. Barrow made the remarks during talks with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Barrow said the first visit by a Chinese foreign minister to Gambia showed China's good faith in strengthening bilateral relations, and recalled his two visits to China within nine months, which showed he and the Gambian government attach great importance to and have confidence in closer ties with China. Gambia will adhere to the one-China policy and firmly support China's rightful stance in the United Nations and on other multilateral occasions, he said. Lauding the rapid, comprehensive development of relations since 2016 when the two countries restored diplomatic ties, Wang said that facts have proved the resumption of bilateral diplomatic relations is a right decision. The decision, he said, fully conforms with the fundamental and long-term interests of Gambia and its people, as well as the trend of the times. The Chinese foreign minister said China appreciates Gambia's reaffirmed stance on the one-China policy, and is willing to build mutual trust with the west African country. The two sides should firmly support each other on issues concerning their respective core interests so as to consolidate the political foundation for future development of their ties, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 09:30:57|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close RIO DE JANEIRO, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Former Brazil international forward Rafael Sobis has returned to his original club Internacional for the 2019 season, the Porto Alegre club said on Saturday. The 33-year-old, who has been capped eight times for Brazil, signed a 12-month contract with Internacional a day after parting ways with their Brazilian rivals Cruzeiro. "Rafael Sobis is back at the Beira-Rio [stadium]," Internacional said in a statement on the club's official website. The former Real Betis player began his professional career at Inter in 2004, scoring 40 goals in 131 matches over three seasons before joining Spain's Real Betis. He returned for a brief loan spell in 2010 and 2011, netting eight times in 36 games. Internacional finished third in the 2018 Brazilian Serie A standings, 11 points behind champions Palmeiras. People play after the first snowfall in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Jan. 5, 2018. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah) KABUL, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of overjoyed Kabul residents poured to the streets on Saturday to welcome and celebrate the first winter snowfall in the Afghan capital after long-lasting droughts in the war-battered country. Afghans believed that concerns about drought, water shortage and fatal air pollution would somehow be eased as they were joyfully watching the snow, with the capital's nearby hills and mountains covered with white snow blanket. Kabul residents seemed to worry less about the future of their country because of this snowfall and more snowfalls in the coming months, which is expected to end the drought and lead to higher groundwater level. "Continued snowfall causes ground water increase and help us grow various crops. In the past, people faced harsh problems regarding water shortage in the country," Rahimullah, a resident of Kabul's Qargha locality who seemed extremely happy with the natural bless, told Xinhua. Photo taken on Jan. 5, 2019 shows the snow scenery in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah) Apart from Kabul, some other provinces also witnessed promising snowfall in the last few days. Some poor households struggled to heat up their rooms as the snowfalls further brought down the temperature. Harsh winter and possible heavy snowfalls will affect thousands of displaced families, who mostly migrated to the capital from conflict-affected areas and live in tents in the freezing weather. Meanwhile, hundreds of Afghan social media users took pictures from various snow-covered landscapes and posted them on social media pages to share their joy and happiness. The daytime air pollution mixed with fog has recently increased in the capital city, triggering various diseases among the residents, particularly children. The long-awaited snowfall was expected to reduce air pollution in the densely populated city. Earlier, the Afghanistan Environmental Protection Authority warned that the growing air pollution would lead to a catastrophe unless the government takes measures to deal with it. In addition to the endemic insurgency and insecurity, hundreds of thousands of people have left their houses due to water shortage as many of their livestock have perished mostly in the countryside. "Snowfall is the source of water and water is the source of life. Therefore we celebrate today the first snowfall of the winter as a good omen to see the drought end in Afghanistan," Kabul resident Kamaludin said. Rakesh Hamal, Secretary of Safa Sunaulo Nepal (L) and Ven Maitri Mahasthavir, President of the National Association of Bhikkhus of Nepal (R) shake hands after signing documents during the foundation laying ceremony of reconstruction of historical Anandakuti Vidyapeeth school at Swayambhu in Kathmandu, Nepal, Jan. 4, 2019. (Xinhua/Sunil Sharma) KATHMANDU, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Nepal has started the reconstruction, with Chinese assistance, of a quake-damaged school building which carries a rich history of late Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai. The foundation stone laying ceremony of Karuna Building of Anandakuti Vidhyapeeth School was conducted on Friday in Kathmandu by Jhala Nath Khanal, Nepal's former prime minister, and Zhou Bingde, founding president of China's Enlai Foundation and niece of Zhou Enlai. The late Chinese premier had visited the school in 1957. With his support, the Buddhist Association of China later donated funds to construct the Karuna Building. The building was severely damaged in the earthquake in 2015, and will be reconstructed with Chinese assistance again. Jhala Nath Khanal said after the ceremony that he appreciated the assistance from China, adding that it will create bright future for the students. "Anandakuti Vidhyapeeth is the symbol of Nepal-China friendship, and it will forever recall our age-old friendship. We are not just neighbors but development partners. I am thankful to China for this love and support," the former Nepali prime minister said. The reconstruction project was initiated by the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, with the support of Enlai Foundation. Safa Sunaulo Nepal is the local partner to implement the project. The school, located near UNESCO world heritage site Swayambhunath Stupa, was established in 1952. Among over a dozen buildings, the building named Karuna, referring to compassion, has been regarded as the hope to revive the glorious history of the school. Nepal's former Prime Minister Jhalnath Khanal (2nd R) and President of Enlai Foundation Zhou Bingde (R) attend the foundation laying ceremony of reconstruction of historical Anandakuti Vidyapeeth school at Swayambhu in Kathmandu, Nepal, Jan. 4, 2019. (Xinhua/Sunil Sharma) According to the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, the new two-storey building will have six quake-resistant modern classrooms. "We are very glad to receive the assistance from China after many decades. We believe that it's a turning point for our school to revive its glory," Sujan Bajracharya, principal of Anandakuti Vidhyapeeth School, told Xinhua. Thirty-nine-year-old Bajracharya, who himself graduated from the same school, said they also planned to establish a language and cultural center in the school with China's support in future. On the occasion, Nepal's Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun sent a letter with his best wishes for the success of the project, terming it as a historical event. Speakers of the event expressed the hope that the school will serve the community by offering education and enabling students to have a bright future. Yang Shichao, political counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, said the school building reconstruction is a new chapter in China-Nepal relations. The event was attended by around 300 Chinese and Nepalese, including those who graduated from the school decades ago. One of the alumni, 75-year-old Professor Bhadra Man Tuladhar at Kathmandu University, shared his memory of welcoming Zhou Enlai back in 1957 when he was a student. Reconstruction of Karuna Building reflects the compassion of the late Chinese premier, said Tuladhar, adding that "I am hopeful that this step will create a bright future and livelihood for many students." Another alumni member Anoop Ranjan Bhattarai, now the president of the Organization for South Asian Regional Friendship and Cooperation with China, expressed gratitude for China's support. "I have so many memories with the school, which had produced capable manpower in different fields in the past. I hope this step will contribute to reviving the glory of our school," Bhattarai told Xinhua. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 07:55:47|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. scientists from University of California, Davis (UC Davis) have worked out "hot spot" maps of regions in the world that can help health authorities detect potential wildlife hosts of viruses mostly spread by mosquitoes and ticks. A study by UC Davis researchers, which was published recently in the journal Nature Communications, said the maps recorded information about wildlife species that have been identified as the most possible host of flaviviruses such as Zika, West Nile, dengue and yellow fever. These viruses are the known culprits of major epidemics and widespread illness and death across the globe. The UC Davis researchers examined all the published data on wildlife species tested positive for flaviviruses by establishing a machine-learning model that processed about 10,400 avian and 5,400 mammal species to figure out the most likely species to host viruses. The artificial intelligence (AI)-driven tool was so powerful that it recognized 138 previously unrecognized dengue virus out of 173 host species. "Tomorrow, if there's an outbreak anywhere in the world, we now know which wildlife species are most likely to be infected in addition to humans," said lead author Pranav Pandi, a scholar with the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis. The study identified Europe as one of the regions in the world that has very diversified varieties of potential Japanese encephalitis hosts, including many common bird species. It also predicted wildlife hosts in South America and Southeast Asia have the capabilities of spreading Zika virus in nature. UC Davis professor Christine Kreuder Johnson, co-leading author of the study, said the AI-powered model developed by the UC researchers has identified nine of 21 primate species to be host of yellow fever or Zika virus. Johnson said scientists hope to rely on the modeling technique to detect the most likely hosts for these viruses in their natural habitat, which is vital to global health and wildlife conservation. The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island ferry transports passengers on January 5, 2019, in New York, as the US governmentshutdown enters its third week. - New York state funds are being used to keep the attractions open during the shutdown which has affected U.S. National Parks. (Xinhua/AFP) WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Senior Trump administration officials and Democratic congressional staffers met Saturday without achieving any breakthrough in ending a partial government shutdown and breaking a deadlock over funding for a proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall. A readout provided by the office of Vice President Mike Pence, who led the administration's team, said "the conversation was productive" and both sides agreed to meet again Sunday afternoon. U.S. President Donald Trump is demanding over 5 billion U.S. dollars in border security to deliver his signature campaign promise to build a wall along the U.S. southern border with Mexico, which has strongly rejected by Democrats. Their disagreement has led to a budget impasse and a partial government shutdown, which enters its 15th day Saturday, affecting nine cabinet-level departments and dozens of agencies as well as jobs and paychecks of some 800,000 federal employees. The Pence readout said there was "no in depth conversation about dollar figure" for funding the wall but "the priorities for security." Pence also reiterated Trump's position that "we need funding for the border wall." Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and a senior White House adviser, also attended the meeting in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building along with Trump's acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. They were negotiating with senior staff for congressional Democratic leadership. Nielsen briefed the negotiators on the situation on the U.S.-Mexico border, according to the readout, adding that the Democratic side "requested further details in writing on the needs" of her department. Trump dug in on his proposal again Saturday morning, tweeting that "we are working hard at the Border, but we need a WALL!" The president said Friday after meeting with congressional Democratic leaders that he was prepared for a partial government shutdown to last for months or even years if they don't agree to provide funding for border security, including the wall. He also signaled a possibility of using emergency powers to build the wall without congressional approval and necessary funds. House Democrats passed a spending package earlier this week, including a stopgap bill to keep the Homeland Security Department funded at the current level until Feb. 8, and measures to fund the eight other cabinet departments affected by the shutdown through Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year. However, those measures are unlikely to be taken up by the Republican-held Senate or be signed by Trump as they do not provide money for Trump's border wall. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 07:40:45|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close TIRANA, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- A total of 700 passengers were compensated by airline companies operating in Albania due to delays or cancellations in 2018 and 1,200 are underway, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) published on Saturday. According to the published figures, there has been an increase in the number of compensation with 250 euros (around 285 U.S. dollars) to passengers who have completed the complaint forms. The Civil Aviation Authority said that Blue Panorama Airlines is the first company in terms of passenger compensations with a figure that goes up to 500 compensations. Ernest Airlines, also known as Fly Ernest, has performed 96 compensations. In 2018, the total number of compensations is 700, out of about 2,000 completed forms for complaints. Meanwhile, airline companies have agreed to compensate for 1,200 other passengers and have started compensation procedures, CAA said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 07:37:10|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Blind female musicians from the Al-Nour Wal Amal (meaning Light and Hope in Arabic) Chamber Orchestra stage a performance to celebrate the first UN-designated World Braille Day during a night show in Cairo, Egypt, on Jan. 5, 2019. To raise awareness of the importance of Braille for people living with vision impairment, the United Nations observed the first official World Braille Day on Jan. 4, 2019. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 06:40:35|Editor: WX Video Player Close New York, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- New York City has raised its minimum wage to 15 U.S. dollars an hour this year in an effort to fight against poverty. The new minimum wage, which is set at 15 dollars per hour for all businesses with 11 employees or more, went into effect on the last day of 2018. For businesses with 10 employees or less, the minimum wage they have to pay is 13.5 dollars per hour. By the end of this year, these businesses will also have to pay 15 dollars an hour to their employees. Approximately 1.5 million people will have seen their wages rise by the end of 2019, according to the New York city comptroller's office. The city mayor Bill de Blasio said on Twitter that "it wouldn't have happened without the working people who make this city run every single day demanding a raise they deserve." New York city's move to raise minimum wage is seen as a milestone achievement for the "Fight for $15" movement, which was once thought of as a pipe dream and was initiated by fast food workers six years ago. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 06:05:32|Editor: WX Video Player Close BRUSSELS, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Illegal border crossings at Europe's external borders in 2018 fell by a quarter to the lowest level in five years, according to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency. The number in 2018 was estimated at 150,000, 92 percent below the peak of the migratory crisis in 2015, said the agency, also known as Frontex, in the latest news release. The decline was due to the dramatic fall - 80 percent less than 2017 - in the number of migrants taking the Central Mediterranean route to Italy, said Frontex. Women accounted for 18 percent of all illegal border-crossings on entry from third countries to the European Union. Nearly one in five of the detected migrants claimed to be under the age of 18, with close to 4,000 unaccompanied minors reported on entry at the European Union external borders in 2018, said the release. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 06:00:32|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- The visit of Iraqi President Barham Salih to Turkey is expected to open a new page of better mutual relations as the region is witnessing complex developments, experts said. On Friday, a statement by the presidency office said Salih and his delegation ended their visit to Turkey, where the two sides held fruitful talks on boosting bilateral ties. During the visit on the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the two leaders agreed to "expand cooperation horizons ... (and) exchange views on the developments in the region," the statement said. Nadhum al-Jubouri, an Iraqi political expert and specialist in Iraqi, Turkish and Kurdish relations, shed light on the significance of Salih's visit to Turkey, particularly "after the surprise decision of U.S. President Donald Trump to withdraw the U.S. troops from neighboring Syria." "Iraq was keen to reach out to Turkey, an important ally of Washington and an NATO member, and Salih was eager to discuss terrorism issue as Iraq is still fighting the Islamic State (IS) remnants and endeavors to end spillover of unrest in its northern border with Turkey and in neighboring Syria," Jubouri told Xinhua. Another purpose of Salih's visit to Turkey is to ensure Iraq's share of water in the big rivers of Tigris and Euphrates originating from eastern Turkey, where Turkey has been building a massive irrigation and water-management project known as Southeastern Anatolia Project. The project has reduced the flow of the rivers, raising fears among Iraqis over a crisis of drinking water, reduction in agricultural lands and increasing desertification. "Iraq has frequently complained about acute shortage in its water share, and Salih was keen to clarify that such crisis would drag Iraq into turmoil," Jubouri explained. Meanwhile, Turkey is trying to make use of the U.S. withdrawal from Syria to deal a blow to the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party in northern Iraq and the Kurdish militants inside Syria, he said. It is also trying to exploit the U.S. sanctions on Iran to fill its vacuum in Iraq, as part of the sanctions' goals is to reduce the Iranian influence in Iraq, the Iraqi expert added. For Jamal Beirah, a Kurdish analyst, Salih's visit to Turkey came as the two countries are in urgent need for political and diplomatic coordination to address the regional political, economic and security tension. "Turkey is facing internal and external problems. Therefore, it needs to promote its relations with the neighboring countries, including Iraq which has border with Turkey in addition to significant political, economic and commercial interests," Beirah said. At a joint press conference with Erdogan, Salih highlighted the need for Iraq and Turkey to "work together to end the conflicts in the region." "Iraq and Turkey need a comprehensive agreement to end all pending issues. We have to cooperate to achieve common security to our countries," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 05:50:27|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close An ambulance is seen at the scene where the police fail to defuse a bomb near St. Mary and Abu Sefein Coptic Orthodox Church in Cairo's district of Nasr City, Egypt, Jan. 6, 2019. An Egyptian police officer was killed and another injured on Saturday while trying to defuse a bomb in a church in Cairo, state-run MENA news agency reported. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) CAIRO, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian police officer was killed and another injured on Saturday while trying to defuse a bomb in a church in Cairo, state-run MENA news agency reported. The incident happened two days ahead of Coptic Christmas which is observed by Coptic Egyptians. The bomb went off in the vicinity of St. Mary and Abu Sefein Coptic Orthodox Church in Cairo's district of Nasr City, while the officers were examining a bag containing the bomb. No groups claimed responsibility for the bombing. Copts, who make up 10 percent of Egypt's 100 million population, celebrate their Christmas on Jan. 7. Egypt's armed forces, in coordination with the Ministry of Interior, have intensified measures to ensure the security at Christmas nationwide. Egypt has been fighting against a wave of terror activities that killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the military toppled former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his currently blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood group. Terror attacks in Egypt had mainly targeted police and military personnel in North Sinai before spreading nationwide and targeting the Coptic Christian minority. Terrorists attacked two Coptic churches in the cities of Tanta and Alexandria in early April last year, killing 47 people and wounding 106 others. Most of the attacks were claimed by a Sinai-based group loyal to the Islamic State extremist group. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 04:55:18|Editor: yan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Libyan navy said on Saturday that it rescued a crew of 14 members on a cargo ship that drifted off Tripoli's port on Wednesday because of high waves and bad weather. "A cargo ship called Atlantis carrying a Liberian flag drifted as a result of sea disturbance and high waves while trying to enter the port of Tripoli," the navy's information office said in a statement. The ship hit rocks and water leaked into the engines, the statement said. All 14 crew members rescued are Indian nationals, it added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 03:20:00|Editor: yan Video Player Close TIRANA, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Albanian President Ilir Meta has decreed the dismissal of seven out of the eight ministers proposed by Prime Minister Edi Rama, the press office of the President informed on Saturday. The seven dismissed were Lindita Nikolla as Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Damian Gjiknuri as Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Arben Ahmetaj as Minister of Finance and Economy, Niko Peleshi as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sonila Qato as Minister of Entrepreneurship, and Mirela Kumbaro as Minister of Culture. According to the press release, Meta has not decreed yet the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ditmir Bushati. Moreover, Meta has decreed the appointment of Elisa Spiropali as State minister for relations with Parliament, Erjon Brace as Deputy Prime Minister, and Bledi Cuci as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. Meanwhile, the president has started decreeing other newly appointed ministers. The new ministers are expected to be sworn in at the Jan. 21 parliament session. According to local media reports, Prime Minister Edi Rama has visited the presidency on Friday and has handed the dismissals and new appointments for the presidential decree. On Dec. 28, Rama announced the changes in the government, including the dismissals of seven ministers and the deputy prime minister and the appointment of a new state minister for relations with parliament. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 03:09:57|Editor: yan Video Player Close MOSCOW, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Russia and the United States have not scheduled any direct contacts for the beginning of 2019 so far, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Saturday. "As for direct face-to-face meetings, no contacts are (planned) for the near future," he was quoted by Tass news agency as saying. In November, following the cancellation of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, the latter called off another previously scheduled meeting with his Russian counterpart on the sidelines of the Group of 20 in the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires. Ryabkov noted that Moscow and Washington have continued working contacts through correspondence and embassies, such as a recent telephone conversation between the chief of Russia's General Staff Valery Gerasimov and the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford. Putin has repeatedly said that he is ready to meet with Trump and discuss multiple issues on the bilateral and international agendas. The photo taken on Nov.14, 2006 shows the gold ingots of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York displayed at American Museum of Natural History in New York. (Xinhua/Zhao Peng) ULAN BATOR, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Bank of Mongolia's purchase of gold is expected to decrease in 2019, the central bank's spokesperson said Saturday. The 2014 amendments to the Minerals Law have played an important role in hiking gold sales to the Treasury Fund over the past five years, but the effective period of the law expired on Jan. 1, Ariun Dagva told Xinhua. "Thus, gold purchase of the central bank is expected to decline significantly in 2019. The bank has not yet set a goal on the amount of gold to buy this year," Ariun said. The bank purchased only 12.7 tons of gold in 2014. Thanks to the low royalty taxes on gold with the 2014 amendments, the central bank's annual gold purchase almost doubled in 2018, she said. The Bank of Mongolia bought a total of 22 tons of gold from legal entities and individuals in 2018, up 9.5 percent from the previous year. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 02:44:54|Editor: yan Video Player Close SKOPJE, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) accession protocol for Macedonia will be drafted immediately after the ratification of Prespa Agreement by both parties, Macedonian Defense Minister Radmila Sekerinska said Saturday. Sekerinska made the remarks while visiting the Macedonian Army troops deployed at the southern border. Macedonia is formally called the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) by the United Nations. Macedonia is also the name of a northern province in Greece. Athens is worried that the use of the same name by the neighboring state could lead to territorial claims. On June 17 last year, Macedonia and Greece signed the Prespa Agreement to resolve a decades-old name dispute. According to Sekerinska, the signing of NATO accession protocol will be drafted once Prespa Agreement on the name settlement is implemented and ratified by Macedonia and Greece. "This timeframe is several weeks, expecting the NATO protocol to be drafted after the deal's ratification in the Greek parliament, followed by the protocol's endorsement by Greek lawmakers," Sekerinska explained, adding that Macedonia will achieve its strategic objective as of February. On July 11, 2018, NATO leaders agreed to invite Macedonia to begin accession talks to become NATO's 30th member state, though its people must first back the deal with Greece in a referendum. Under an accord signed by Greece and Macedonia on June 17, the official name of the country will become the Republic of North Macedonia. The solving of the name row that has existed between Macedonia and Greece is seen as the main obstacle Macedonia has to overcome in order to make progress towards the European Union and NATO integration. LAS VEGAS, Jan. 06, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chefman , an innovative kitchen appliance company that takes the stress out of cooking, is changing the way consumers prepare meals with the beta release of its Chef IQ app (available for iOS and Android in the summer of 2019). The Chef IQ app allows home chefs to control appliances, monitor the cooking process and view step by step videos of select recipes. This first-of-its-kind cooking app connects through Bluetooth and WiFi to several Chefman smart appliances to guide users through recipes and will be demoed at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. We create with the user in mind, said VP of Marketing and Sales for Chefman, Pinny Kahana. Our products will do most of the work for you, but the personalization is so important. Chef IQ is designed to help home chefs at all skill levels create amazing meals and feel more comfortable in the kitchen. Chef IQ elevates the entire cooking experience, from prep to plate, and eliminates the pain points from the food prep process. Chef IQs most prominent features are the calculator and guided cooking feature. The calculator provides users with the exact cooking values they need to achieve perfect results and activates those values to the appliance being used. The guided cooking feature directs users through a recipe by using detailed videos of each step, all while integrating a cooking timer and temperature monitor. Chef IQ is compatible with several of Chefmans innovative kitchen appliances, including the Smart Sous Vide, Smart Pressure Cooker with Integrated Scale, Smart 6 Tray Dehydrator, Smart Toaster Oven Air Fryer. Along with the new Chef IQ app, Chefman will also be demoing its Digital Volcano Waffle Maker, the newest appliance to join the Chefman assortment, at CES. After reworking the original design, the waffle maker includes a digital countdown timer to make the perfect Belgian waffles, every time. The waffle maker also includes a patented, anti-leak volcanic design resulting in foolproof, mess-free waffles. In addition to these updates, the waffle makers Crunch Factora has four crunch settings to make waffles fluffy, classic, crispy or extra crispy. Chef IQ, the Digital Volcano Waffle Maker, and several Chefman favorites including the new Digital Electric Kettle, Conveyor Toaster Oven, air fryer assortment, tea and coffee maker assortment, and pressure cooker assortment are available for demos at CES at booth #40951 Tech West in the Sands Expo. Chefman will also be attending CES Unveiled on Jan. 6, and located at table 51. For more information on Chefman, visit www.chefman.com and follow the Chefman brand on Instagram , Facebook and Twitter . About Chefman: Cooking forward: At Chefman, our mission is to enhance the art of cooking using a seamlessly integrated ecosystem of innovative hardware, intuitive software, and incredible content to create, share & inspire mouth-watering results. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 01:29:47|Editor: yan Video Player Close TEHRAN, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Expediency Discernment Council (EDC) on Saturday approved a bill on joining a UN convention on Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT), official IRNA news agency reported. Gholam Reza Mesbahi Moqaddam, a member of the council, announced "the endorsement of the bill ... with new amendments." The bill will be sent back to the parliament speaker for a parliamentary vote, he said. The EDC is an assembly to resolve disputes between the parliament and the high legislative body of the Guardian Council of the Constitution. On Oct. 7, 2018, the Iranian lawmakers approved a bill on Iran's accession to CFT standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an inter-governmental body established in 1989 to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and threats to the integrity of the international financial system. However, the Guardian Council rejected the bill on joining the convention on the CFT in November 2018, citing the ambiguity of the CFT bill and its breach of the religious law and the Constitution. The bill was then sent to the EDC for arbitration. The final passage of the bill by the Iranian legislation will boost Iran's engagement in the international business and with financial bodies amid the U.S. re-imposition of sanctions against the Islamic republic over the past months. The FATF has set a deadline for Iran to complete reforms, which would "bring it into line with global norms or face consequences." The CFT treaty was adopted by the UN General Assembly on Dec. 9, 1999, and is designed to criminalize financing of terrorism, in addition promoting cooperation to prevent and investigate the financing of such acts. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-04 20:38:39|Editor: mmm Video Player Close BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- China's media and netizens applauded the country's space exploration program after the Chang'e-4 probe successfully landed on the far side of the moon Thursday. On the social network Weibo, hashtags like "Chang'e-4" and "far side of the moon" have been trending since Thursday. Netizens left comments and posted messages like "amazing" and "Proud of you, Chang'e-4." On popular short video sharing app Douyin, the video about Chang'e-4 got more than half a million views, making it to the list of hot topics. "Congratulations," Elon Musk, CEO and founder of U.S. private space company SpaceX, commented on Xinhua News Agency's tweet on the Chang'e-4 landing. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted, "This is a first for humanity and an impressive accomplishment. Comments like "Space has no borders" and "Our journey is the sea of stars" became hot topics on social networks. Xie Tao, CEO of Chinese private space company Commsat, told Xinhua that he believed China's commercial launch will also mark a "first for mankind" breakthrough someday. Baidu, China's largest search engine, created an animated logo doodle for the lunar mission: Chang'e-4 makes a soft landing on the far side of the moon, moon rover Yutu-2 leaves the first "footprint" on the lunar surface and images are sent back to the earth by relay satellite Queqiao. People's Daily published an extra of newsreel on its mobile app with a headline "First for Mankind" and a close-up photo of the landing site taken by Chang'e-4 probe. The picture quickly went viral on China's social network and was dubbed "Best picture of 2019" by thousands of netizens. The far side of the moon has been depicted as a place of dark mystery in pop culture. One Weibo message "Cleared! No aliens! No Decepticons! Only craters!" received almost 3,000 likes within minutes. Meme images based on the photo popped up on social networks, such as a panda or a husky on the moon crater. Zhang Meng, the mother of a 4-year-old boy, told Xinhua in Beijing that she was surprised to find that even her son knew about Chang'e-4's landing. "It is the most important news of the day and is even a topic even in kindergarten classrooms, she said. Late Thursday, China announced the chosen name Yutu-2 for the new moon rover. Yutu-2 touched the lunar surface at 10:22 p.m. on Thursday, leaving a trace on the loose lunar soil. Along with saying "hi" to Yutu-2, many netizens wish the rover a more stable and safe journey on the moon. "Little bunny, take it slow. Don't fall in that crater," said Weibo user "Small island Ye" Messages were also posted in memory of Yutu, China's first moon rover which ceased operation in 2016 after 972 days of service. "Rabbit, you have a house guest," writes "CoderLiu666" on Weibo. "Your brother is here. Although he is on the far side, you are not lonely anymore." TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Tuesday's inauguration will be the latest in Florida's history books. On Saturday, that history was shared through a special presentation at the Historic Old Capitol. FSU Professor Emerita Elizabeth Goldsmith told stories of notable gubernatorial inaugurations and compared them to the presidential ceremonies at the White House. The Fulbright Scholar said it's important to understand how the Sunshine State has handled this event year after year. "My theme today is history matters, that is always my theme. It matters to know and to understand, and every time you go by this building you will have different feelings about it," said Goldsmith. Goldsmith was invited to speak as part of pre-inaugural activities leading up to Tuesday's inauguration. (WTXL) - It's been more than two weeks since the partial government shutdown with no end in sight and WTXL took a look at how the impacts are reaching far beyond Washington D.C. and into our neighborhoods. A recent study by Wallethub shows that Florida and Georgia currently rank in the top 20 when it comes to states affected by the shutdown, but what's exactly being impacted? The answer could be right outside your window. The National Weather Service is continuing to inform Floridians, Georgians and the country despite not receiving a paycheck, saying, "In the event of a partial government shutdown, there will be no interruption in National Weather Service forecasts and life-saving warnings on operational websites and the agency's social media platforms." Another standstill from the shutdown is federal funding to certain programs. Local resource centers and domestic violence shelters are not getting the funding they need. "We operate on a shoestring budget, we're tiny and we do a lot of stuff and those dollars mean people we're not going to be able to serve," said Michelle Gomez, Executive Directer of the Oasis Center for Women and Girls. Gomez said in November she applied for a federal grant to fund programs for improving mental health for women in the community, however, due to the shutdown that funding is on hold. "Several of the grants that we would be eligible for their deadline is in January and February," said Gomez. "So in November we initiated a process, and I was waiting for an email from a federal employee that I'm not going to get." Gomez said she and her team will now have to find alternate ways to fund those programs. "When you say the phrase federal government it seems very far away until it's a phone call you need to make or an email you need answered and then you realize that not only do people and agencies in our community need these workers at these jobs, but they are people in our communities," said Gomez. Traditionally, Congress grants back pay to those federal employees, though not guaranteed for anyone. According to the Department of Justice, more than 800 federal employees are furloughed or forced to work without pay. FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) - Authorities say a man fatally shot on a busy Florida interstate has died from his injuries. Lee County Sheriff's officials say 30-year-old Ronald Green was shot on Interstate 75 on Dec. 16. Authorities are looking for witnesses and said it's unclear whether it was a random act or if Green was targeted. He died at the hospital this week. The shooting is being investigated as a homicide. Authorities shut down one side of the road for about 10 hours last month as they searched for clues. The Fort Myers News-Press reports that tipsters can remain anonymous and could receive up to a $3,000 cash reward. ___ Information from: The (Fort Myers, Fla.) News-Press, http://www.news-press.com (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) HAINES CITY, Fla. (AP) - Authorities have charged a man with killing his ex-girlfriend after she moved to Ohio to get away from him. Polk County Sheriff's officials say they found 66-year-old old Sandra Andrews on the porch of her Lake Wales home after midnight Saturday with a gunshot wound to her face. She said David Murdock shot her. Authorities found the body of 56-year-old old Lisa Bunce in a bedroom closet inside. She had been shot in the head. Friends told authorities Bunce and Murdock had ended their relationship a year ago and that she had moved to Ohio. The victim had returned to Florida to visit friends and was planning to head back to Ohio in a few days. Murdock faces charges including first-degree murder and attempted murder. He is being held in Polk County Jail without bond. It's unclear if he has retained an attorney. (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) New scheme aiming to steer offenders away from a life of crime set to launch in North Wales This article is old - Published: Sunday, Jan 6th, 2019 A new scheme aiming to divert low level offenders away from a life of crime is being launched in North Wales. The idea has been championed by North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones who says it will cut reoffending rates as well as reducing police and court time. Its anticipated part of the Checkpoint programme will be piloted in a selected area of North Wales in the New Year with the aim of rolling it out across the region over the next 12 months. The scheme, which has been developed by Cambridge University, has been successfully trialled in Durham. Offenders are offered the chance to avoid prosecution by seeking help from rehabilitation services in the community after signing a contract to say they will comply. Each offender will be supervised by a skilled navigator many of whom have successfully completed rehabilitation programmes the four-month period and they face prosecution if the contract is broken Durhams Checkpoint programme has already won a national award from the Howard League for Penal Reform and has achieved impressive results in reducing reoffending. Statistics from Durham showed only four per cent of those referred for support were re-convicted compared with 19 per cent who went down criminal justice routes. It is argued that the Checkpoint approach improves life chances because people avoid getting a criminal record, which can affect employment and education opportunities. Mr Jones, a former police inspector, says it may even save lives because criminalisation deters people from seeking help and encourages high risk behaviours. With the estimated cost of imprisoning someone now at 65,000 and 40,000 for every year after that, Mr Jones also argues that public savings could be substantial. Following a recent fact-finding visit to Durham, Mr Jones Jones said: Checkpoint is aimed at people who have committed a lower level of offences and rather than taking them to court we can intervene and use skilled navigators to direct them to the appropriate services. This will address the underlying causes of their offending and aim to reduce the risk of them re-offending. People are often motivated to commit crime due to underlying issues in their lives these could include drug or alcohol misuse, mental and physical health issues, housing or homelessness, or problems to do with money or relationships. Checkpoint offers eligible offenders a four-month long contract to engage as an alternative to prosecution. The contract offers interventions to address the underlying reasons why they committed the crime to prevent them from doing it again to somebody else. Serious offences such as rape, robbery or murder will not be eligible for Checkpoint. Neither will driving offences, cases of serious domestic abuse or serious hate crime. Checkpoint is not a soft option and it will be harder to complete than all of the current out of court disposals currently available , for example, a caution, or a fixed penalty notice. If the subject successfully completes the contract and does not reoffend, no further action will be taken against them. If they reoffend or fail to complete the contract they will be prosecuted and we will inform the courts of the circumstances of their failure to complete the contract. In Durham they have 12 navigators who currently deal with 300 offenders who have given an undertaken to seek help from services for four months and in return they will avoid prosecution but if they breach that condition then they will go to court. Durham Police, Crime and Victims Commissioner Ron Hogg, who invited Arfon Jones to come and see how the programme is working, said: Checkpoint demonstrates that traditional criminal justice sanctions are less effective in reducing reoffending than diversion schemes. Traditional criminal justice sanctions such as a caution or a fine do nothing to address the reasons why people offend and reduce reoffending. Its also important to adopt this kind of strategy as we face financial cutbacks and have to look at different ways of operating this will help us to cope. Theres scope for savings with regard to police, court, probation and prison time any cost will be outweighed by the savings. Serious offenders who commit serious crimes will not be offered this and will still go to prison. Checkpoint is a massive step forward for policing and for this force in general. Welcome to followthemedia.com The article or material you have chosen... Michael Hedges January 7, 2019 - The warning lights are flashing red. Still. Journalism and media freedom advocates see nothing but deep crimson in much of the world. The visible spectrum ends there. Invisible infrared takes over, which powers night vision goggles, good for field work. Beacons Of Understanding Mark The SpotMichael Hedges January 7, 2019 - Follow on Twitter The warning lights are flashing red. Still. Journalism and media freedom advocates see nothing but deep crimson in much of the world. The visible spectrum ends there. Invisible infrared takes over, which powers night vision goggles, good for field work. ...is available for restricted access. You may access this specific article or material for 4 If you are an ftm Member, please go to the home page HERE and log in ftm Members can access all site material at no additional charge. You can JOIN ftm here The ftm newsletter available at no charge to all with registration To register click here. Bliss, Irene Irene Bliss, 84, of Mayfield, passed away at 7:35 a.m. on Sunday, January 06, 2019 at Mills Health & Rehabilitation Center in Mayfield. Mrs. Bliss was a homemaker and was of the Baptist faith. Mrs. Bliss is survived by her husband, Nathan Bliss of Mayfield; a daughter, Joyce Williams of Mayfield; six grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Charlene Olive; three sisters; one brother; and her father, Amp Haley. A graveside service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, January 7, 2019 at Pilgrims Rest Cemetery in Graves County. There will be no visitation. Milner & Orr Funeral Home of Paducah is in charge of arrangements. You may leave a message or light a candle at www.milnerandorr.com The Kentucky State Police are selling raffle tickets for a chance to win a new 2019 Corvette Stingray Coupe to support their Trooper Island Camp for disadvantaged children. PHOTO:Kentucky State Police, courtesy KSP Raffling Corvette to Support Free Summer Camp By The Associated Press FRANKFORT - Kentucky State Police are raffling a Corvette to raise money for a free summer camp. Trooper Island Camp offers a chance for boys and girls ages 10 to 12 to spend time at Dale Hollow Lake in Clinton County. The camp is operated by state police and is financed entirely by donations. The program benefits children whose families cannot afford to send them to other camps. Each year, about 700 children attend the camp. It offers recreation, guidance and activities designed to build good citizenship and positive relationships with law enforcement officers. Raffle tickets for a chance to win the 2019 Corvette Stingray Coupe can be purchased for $10 each at any state police post or online . The winning ticket will be drawn Aug. 25 at the Kentucky State Fair. Mayfield Man Charged with Raping Wife By West Kentucky Star Staff MAYFIELD - A Mayfield man is facing a rape charge. According to the Mayfield Police Department, officers responded on Friday to a home in the 700 block of South 9th Street to investigate a reported domestic dispute. Officers arrived and spoke to a woman, who said her husband had grabbed her by the arms forcefully, and had pulled her hair. The woman also said she was forced to have sex with her husband withouth her consent. Thirty-two-year-old Jorge Flores was arrested on charges of 1st degree rape and 4th degree assault. He was also served an already existing arrest warrant for 4th degree assault. He was lodged in the Graves County Jail. Benton Man Injured in I-69 Crash By West Kentucky Star Staff GRAVES COUNTY - Wet roads are to be blame for a one-vehicle crash on Friday that left a Marshall County man injured. According to the Graves County Sheriff's Office, 30-year-old Caleb Hargrove of Benton, was traveling south on I-69, near the 25 mile marker, when his vehicle began to hydroplane during a heavy rain. Hargrove lost control, and his vehicle hit a concrete barrier and overturned. Hargrove was transported by ambulance to Jackson Purchase Medical Center for treatment of his injuries. Bomb Squad Recognized by KY Homeland Security By West Kentucky Star Staff PADUCAH - The Kentucky Office of Homeland Security has recently recognized the Paducah bomb squad. (Do you think that you have a tough job?)The Paducah Bomb Squad, founded in 1982, is one of five public safety bomb squads in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Serving 13 counties in Western Kentucky, the squad consists of four certified of bomb technicians and one specially trained paramedic. Responding to various types of hazardous device incidents such as suspected explosives, suspicious packages, hazardous chemicals, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and recovering military ordnance, the squad is always ready and prepared to serve with excellence in Kentucky.When people see that they are part of the bomb squad, they often say, dont cut the red wire! Of course, bomb squad work is far more complex than merely determining if a single wire will disable an explosive. Dangers in this field are constantly evolving. As technology improves, so must the squads skill set and training to stay a step of head of emerging threats. As the availability of online information becomes more prevalent, homemade improvised explosive devices provide serious threats to bomb technicians.Upon request, the squad additionally provides training to law enforcement and first responders for explosives awareness and response to hazardous devicesMany use the word hero often during recent times, these guys are no doubt the real deal simply based on their chosen profession, absolute amazing public servants. We are incredibly grateful for the hard work and bravery the Paducah Bomb Squad and the other four squads provide the Commonwealth, said KOHS Executive Director John Holiday. Their team faces some of the most daunting situations imaginable to improve the safety and security of Kentuckians and those in surrounding states.If you see anything suspicious please call The Paducah Police Department at 1-(270) 444-8513 or report it to the Kentucky Intelligence Fusion Center Suspicious Activity Hotline at 1-866-EYE-ON-KY (393-6659).For more information, please visit: http://paducahky.gov/bomb-squadOn the Net: Agencies Receive Grants to Preserve Local Records By West Kentucky Star Staff MCCRACKEN COUNTY - The Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA) within the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet has announced the recipients of the Local Records Grant Program funds to preserve and manage local government records. The Local Records Program helps to preserve, protect and make available records with continuing archival value and assist local agencies with records management through direct services, training and grant support. KDLA has awarded 15 grants statewide totaling $561,593 of fiscal year 2019 Local Records Grant Program funds. Funds are made available through fees enacted by the Kentucky General Assembly to preserve and retain local public records. Any local government agency may apply for this grant. The 2019 Local Records Grant Program funds have been awarded to the following recipients: McCracken County Public Schools - $36,080 Paducah Police Department - $23,974 Trigg County Clerk - $39,343 "These funds will allow local agencies to preserve, manage and provide access to records in a way that benefits both the agency and the public," KDLA Commissioner Terry Manuel said. "It is important to ensure that citizens have access to these local records now and in the future." With four regional administrators working with local officials, KDLA ensures professional archival and records management assistance in county and city offices, school districts, and health departments. Local Records Grant funds have supported work in microfilming, preservation, equipment, automated indexing, digital imaging systems and codification of ordinances. KDLA provides equitable access to quality library and information resources and services, as well as helps public agencies ensure that legislatively mandated documentation of government programs is created, efficiently maintained and made accessible. Murray Hospital-Wellness Center Plan Health Events By WestKyStar & Murray-Calloway County Hosptial Staff Center for Health & Wellness Holiday Special Going on until February 28, Join the Center for Health & Wellness with only a $10 Joining Fee and NO Contract. Membership includes: Group Fitness Classes, AquaFit Classes, Equipment for Cardio & Strength Training, Half Court Gymnasium, Exercise/Lap Pool. Health Assessment, Exercise Prescription, and access to health promotion programs and classes. Call 270-762-1348 for more information. Plan To Be Tobacco Free A free 1 hour educational one-time session that will help those interested in overcoming tobacco use and dependence, including a customized quit plan. pre-registration is required Tuesday, January 8th 5:30 6:30 pm Center for Health & Wellness Free Screening: Brookdale Senior Living Osteoporosis Screenings Friday, January 4 9 11 am No appointment required. Free Screening: Center for Health & Wellness Tuesday, January 8 8 am noon and 2 4 pm Center for Health & Wellness, Murray Blood Pressure, Body Mass Index, Osteoporosis Screening, Pulmonary Function Screening, Waist Circumference, Pulse, Pulse Ox By appointment only. Call 270-7621-348 to schedule. Free Screening: Calloway County Public Library Osteoporosis Screening Tuesday, January 22 8:30 10:30 am No appointment required. Free Screening: Marshall County Senior Center Body Mass Index (Height & Weight) and Waist Circumference Tuesday, January 22 9:30 11:30 am No appointment required. Free Screening: Wesley Living Body Mass Index (Height & Weight) Thursday, January 24 2 3 pm No appointment required. Free Screening: Mayfield Graves County YMCA Blood Pressure & Non-Fasting Glucose Tuesday, January 29 9 11 am No appointment required. Alzheimers Care Giver Support Group Thursday, January 3rd 10 am Weaks Senior Citizen Center For more information, call 270-753-0929 Bariatric Support Group Thursday, January 3rd 10 11 am Bariatric Office For more info call Bariatric Solutions @ 270-762-1547 ALS Support Group Thursday, January 10th 6 7 pm MCCH Board Room For more info call Mitzi Cathey at 270-293-1748 Bariatric Support Group Tuesday, January 8th 5 6 pm Center for Health & Wellness For more information call Bariatric Solutions, at 270-762-1547 Parkinson's Support Group Tuesday, January 8th Noon Weaks' Senior Citizen Center For more info call 270-753-0929 Breastfeeding Support Group Thursday, January 17th 4 5:30 pm Center for Health & Wellness For more info call Alycia Janow @ 270-226-4776 National Alliance on Mental Illness Thursday, January 17th 6:30 pm MCCH Education Building (Corner of 8th and Elm) For more info call 270-748-6133 Breast Cancer Support Group Tuesday, January 22 5:30 pm Culvers For more info call Evelyn @ 270-489-2462 Dialysis Support Group Thursday, January 24 4:30 5:30 pm Weak's Senior Citizen Center For more info call Tasha Mitchell @ 270-759-3080 Stroke and Head Injury Support Group Monday, January 28 5:30 7 pm Center for Health & Wellness For more info, call Cheryl @ 270-293-9442 For more information on programs or free screenings available from Murray-Calloway County Hospital, and the Center for Health and Wellness, call 270-762-1348. MURRAY - The Staff at Murray-Calloway County Hospital and the Center for Health & Wellness will be offering educational health promotion events during the month of January to community members, Wellness Center members and MCCH employees. Dr. Price Joins Women's Health in Murray By WestKyStar & Murray-Calloway Co. Hospital Staff Price comes to MCCH after working at Primary Care Medical Center since 2007. Dr. Price completed his undergraduate degree at Murray State University in Biology and Chemistry. He earned his M.D. from the University of Louisville College of Medicine in 2003 and continued with his residency in obstetrics and gynecology also at U of L. We are so proud to welcome Dr. Matt Price to Womens Health of Murray. He had offers to take his talent to many other places so retaining his services to take care of the women of our community was our priority. I see great things in the future of Womens Health of Murray, said Jerry Penner, CEO of MCCH. Dr. Price is married to Monica and they have three children, Kamden, 20, Kaitlyn, 16, and Korbin, 8. His wife Monica is the principal at East Elementary school. In his spare time he enjoys attending Murray State games and his childrens activities. Located in the Medical Arts Building in Suite 203 East, Womens Health of Murray offers routine and high risk pregnancy care, laparoscopic and minimally invasive surgical procedures, bladder control solutions, family planning, and annual exams for healthy living. For more information on Womens Health of Murray or to schedule an appointment, call 270.762.1562 or visit our website at www.MurrayHospital.org. MURRAY - Womens Health of Murray at Murray-Calloway County Hospital (MCCH) is proud to welcome Matthew Price, MD, as the newest OB/GYN joining Dr. Dawn N. Deeter, Anita Ross, CNM, MSN, and Nurse Practitioners Sherry Freeman and Lauren Easterwood. MEMORIAL DAY PARADE AND CEREMONY ONE TO REMEMBER: On a beautiful day, May 31, Our Town watched the parade along Washington and attended a meaningful ceremony at city hall that honored our fallen heroes. The gathering was among the largest in memory for this important day in Our Town. First, "A casual cross-country skier would want to go to Tower Falls" in Yellowstone, Wenk said. "If they suffer a heart attack - every year you have that - we wouldn't be able to quickly respond. You might be dramatically delayed. It's correct, people die in national parks all the time. If you can attribute [the shutdown] to people not being able to get to them for an hour and a half, that's another story." Register for a FREE account to keep reading! Register now for a FREE account to keep reading. No cost and no credit card required! Access up to 5 articles per month when you register, or get unlimited access to all of our content online starting at $1.99 now! Already registered? Click the log in link below Several injured in SF action on demonstrators in Tral Srinagar, Jan 5 (UNI) Several people were injured when security forces fired pellets in the air and burst teargas shells to disperse demonstrators who were trying to disrupt Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in Tral in Pulwama district on Saturday, official sources said. Mobile internet service of all Cellular companies, including Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), was suspended as a precautionary measure to prevent spread of rumours. People, mostly youths, hit the streets at several villages surrounding Aripal, Tral, where the operation against the militant was underway. However, when the demonstrators, raising slogans, tried to move towards the encounter site, security forces resorted to lathicharge and burst teargas shells which had no impact on demonstrators who were regrouping and pelting stones. 14 Algerians arrested over illegal migration attempt to Europe Rabat, Jan 3 (Xinhua) A total of 17 people, including 14 Algerian nationals, have been arrested in the northern city of Tangier for attempting to migrate illegally to Europe, the Moroccan police said in a statement on Thursday. According to the statement, policemen found the would-be immigrants in a house along with three people suspected of organizing illegal immigration operations and human trafficking activities. During the police raid, authorities seized Algerian passports and identity cards, lifejackets, a zodiac inflator, sums of money and two cars suspected of being used to transport would-be illegal immigrants, the source pointed out. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Education & Career UGC NET 2018 Result declared; 44001 qualify for Asst Prof, 3883 eligible for JRF The examination was conducted in 85 subjects. A total number of 956837 candidates registered for this examination New Delhi: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released on the UGC NET Official website ntanet.nic.in Saturday i.e. January 05, 2019 UGC NET 2018 Result. A total of 44001 candidates have qualified for Assistant Professor whereas 3,883 candidates have been declared eligible for JRF for Asst Professor, the NTA said. The First UGC NET Examination was conducted by NTA from 18th December, 2018 to 22nd December, 2018 on two shifts per day across 235 cities in the country. The examination was conducted in 85 subjects. A total number of 956837 candidates registered for this examination. "There were 598 examination centres across the country. A total number of 742 Observers, 295 City-Coordinators and 24 State Coordinators were deputed at these centres to oversee the smooth and fair conduct of examination. The results have been declared today", the NTA said. Steps to download NTA UGC NET December 2018 Result Click here to go to the official website: ntanet.nic.in. On the home page, click on the link "View Result UGC NET December 2018". Log in using Application No and Password or Date of Birth. Download the UGC NET Result 2018 Take a printout and save for future use. "As per the UGC policy, 6% of those candidates who appear in both the papers and obtain minimum qualifying marks in aggregate of both the papers are declared NET qualified. The certificates to the qualified candidates will be issued by UGC", the NTA said. The National Testing Agency (NTA) had released on the UGC NET Official website ntanet.nic.in UGC NET 2018 Answer Keys on December 30. The last date to challenge the UGC NET 2018 Answer Key was fixed as January 01, 2019. UGC National Eligibility Test (NET) is conducted twice a year to determine the eligibility of candidates for the posts assistant professor and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF). Candidates who qualify for the JRF are eligible to pursue research in the subject of their post-graduation or in a related subject and are also eligible to apply for the post of an assistant professor in Indian universities and colleges. The award of JRF and eligibility for assistant professors post depends on the performance of the candidate in all the three papers of NET. However, candidates qualifying exclusively for an assistant professor are not considered for JRF. Candidates who have scored at least 55% in their masters degree are eligible for NET. For all the latest News, Opinions and Views, download ummid.com App . Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home World Beijing outlines 5-year plan to make Islam "Chinese in character" The report comes at the backdrop of China detaining hundreds of thousands of Muslims in various detention camps Beijing: The Communist regime of Xi Jinping has outlined a five year plan to "Sinicize" Islam. By Sinicization the government meant making Islam - the fastest growing religion in the world, "Chinese in chracter". Representatives from local Islamic associations from eight provinces and regions, including Beijing, Shanghai, Hunan, Yunnan and Qinghai provinces, discussed a five-year (2018-22) outline on the sinicization of Islam at a seminar in Beijing on Saturday, according to China's main English newspaper, Global Times. Citing a statement published on the China Islamic Association's website, Global Times reported that the representatives agreed that the outline is the basic policy for Islamic sinicization for the next five years. Jin Rubin, Deputy Chairman of the China Islamic Association, told the Global Times on Sunday that the outline's content will soon be released to the public after further revisions, and has already been distributed to local Islamic associations. The outline's draft was passed in December 2017. Quoting Gao Zhanfu, a vice dean of the Beijing-based China Islamic Institute, Global Times in its report said that sinicization of Islam has "matured" since the concept was brought forward in 2015 by President Xi Jinping. "The sinicization of Islam is not about changing the beliefs, habits or ideology of Islam but to make them compatible with socialist society", Gao told the Global Times. The report comes at the backdrop of China detaining hundreds of thousands of Muslims in various detention camps. The United Nations had earlier revealed that more than one million Uighur Muslims are estimated to be held in internment camps where they are forced to denounce the religion and pledge allegiance to the officially atheist ruling Communist Party. The New York Times in its recent report has claimed that Muslims kept in the detention camps are also forced into labour on extremely low or no wages. The New York Times in another report claimed that the goal of keeping Muslims in detention camps is to rid them of devotion to Islam. China has rejected all these reports, saying it protects the religion and culture of its minorities. For all the latest News, Opinions and Views, download ummid.com App . Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. NGN International, a full-fledged systems integrator and IT consultant, said it has launched a new scheme aimed at training Bahraini graduates in the field of virtual reality. The programme, which is a first-of-its-kind in the kingdom, is being financed by the kingdom's labour fund Tamkeen. It will contribute to raising Bahrain's share in the global multi-billion-dollar virtual reality industry, it stated. The four-month programme will take place at the NGN Training Centre located in the East Tower of World Trade Centre in Manama. Two months of the program will be classroom training, while the remaining will be on-the-job training during which candidates will be engaged in projects related to the field, it added. Yaccob Al Awadhi, the chief executive of NGN, said the launch of this programme, comes along side NGNs efforts to support national efforts to provide job opportunities for Bahraini graduates who are seeking jobs in media and PR agencies, engineering contracting offices, design offices, property development companies and the industrial sector. It also aims to encourage youth in entrepreneurship and innovation, he added. Al Awadhi said these students will be trained to establish their own projects, providing quality VR content required by the market and the modern economy. "Our research has shown that there is a growing demand in the Bahraini market for virtual reality technologies and content development, with a significant increase in the number of organizations and institutions that will soon accept the use of this technology and its applications," he stated. "This Tamkeen-funded program is for Bahraini job seekers only, aiming at preparing young Bahrainis with necessary technical skills to be able to produce local VR content for the Industrial sector, Design Agencies and Engineering Offices, noted Al Awadhi. "This will provide the Bahraini labour market with Bahraini qualified professionals in the field of multimedia and virtual reality, and will encourage Bahraini youth towards entrepreneurship thus establishing Bahraini companies in the same field," he added. The VR Employment Program consists of 10 weeks of training on Introduction to VR/AR technology, 3D modeling, Programming Unity, project management and 8 weeks of on-job training.-TradeArabia News Service phephile@times.co.sz MBABANE Patients who use the private services of Eswatini Nazarene Health Institution (ENHI) are in for a shocker. The institution has announced a revision of fees for private out-patient, private in-patient and dental services. Some of the new prices have been increased by150 per cent, according to documents the Times SUNDAY has seen. According to their website www.snhiswaziland.com, the ENHI comprises the 350 bed Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital located in Manzini, and the 20 Nazarene Community Clinics operating in the four regions of Eswatini serving an aggregate population of 350 000 for RFM Hospital and 250 000 for all the clinics. The website states that ENHI is a major player in the health sector in Eswatini and ENHI is a mission organisation which also leads in patient volumes in the country with coverage of 40-50 per cent of the countrys population. These fees to be increaesd include the charge for seeing a specialist which has increased from E60 to E150. Others are surgical tooth extraction and restorations (fillings) which have all increased from E20 to E50. Using the RFMs public facility for out-patient costs E20 during the week, and E35 after hours and during the weekend. Public transport operators will also be in for a shock as obtaining medical forms for public driving has also increased by 140 per cent. The service previously cost E50, and will now cost E120 each. All in-patient services have been increased by 100 per cent. These include Private Ward 1, which will now cost E300 from E150, and Private Ward Lodging which has increased from E70 to E140 with meals, and E20 to E140 without meals. Good Shepherd Hospital charges E250 per day for patients in private wards. If you have a guardian, you pay E325 per day. The documents, which were written on December 19, 2018, state that the revised fees will be effected on Wednesday, January 9. The institutions website further explains that they have a private out-patient department for patients who can afford to pay a higher fee which has a booking system. It is further stated that the private services available at Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital are full fee paying services and are made up of four services. These are Medicine, Surgery (including Orthopedics), Pediatrics and Obstetrics & Gynaecology. There are in-patient and out-patient private services available, the website states. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Eswatini Nazarene Health Institutions, Benjamin Simelane, said the fees had been reviewed only in their Private Section to mitigate the costs for offering the healthcare service to private patients that has all along been below the costs. Considering the fact that the fees have not been revised in the past 20 years or so, that indicates that our fees are still much lower compared to other private facilities, Simelane said. He said they were determined to give private patients some private professional attention from their experienced medical professionals and staff. Mandla Ntshakala of the Swaziland Consumer Forum said this was bad news to consumers. He said the country was currently faced with high unemployment and poverty levels. He said the rate of the increase was too high to be affordable by emaSwati. He said recently, people could not access medication at hospitals, and had to fork out more to purchase them at pharmacies. A developing country should ensure that health access is free as it is a basic need, he said. He said there were many issues affecting consumers, and he hoped the new government would address them. Efforts to get a comment from the Ministry of health proved futile as the Principal Secretary, Dr. Simon Zwanes cellphone rang unanswered and the director of healths phone was off. MBABANE What would Eswatini do if China were to take over Taiwan? This is because Eswatini is Taiwans only official ally left in Africa. China President Xi Jinping said three days ago that his country reserved the right to use force to bring Taiwan under its control. He said he did not understand why the self-ruled island was uncooperative with them because its future would be bright under Chinese rule. The New York Times reported that Xi, the most powerful Chinese leader after Mao, reiterated in his speech that Beijing would use force if necessary to prevent Taiwan from seeking formal independence. According to the worlds leading newspaper, the president of China has been ramping up pressure on Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wens administration over her refusal to accept the so-called 1992 consensus - vague notion embraced by her predecessor, which posits that Taiwan and China were part of the same country, with each side allowed its own interpretation of what that China was. It is said that Beijing claimed the self-governing island was part of the Chinese territory, and this issue has emerged as one of the regions flash points. In his speech, Xi urged Taiwan to avoid a dead end and accept his offer of the one country, two systems framework under which Hong Kong has operated since Britain returned it to Chinese rule in 1997. But many people in Hong Kong and elsewhere not least in Taiwan, where the situation is closely watched believe that Hong Kongs promised freedoms have been eroding under Xis rule. Taiwans firm stance Meanwhile, the Taiwan President Tsai, who visited Eswatini last April to honour His Majestys 50th birthday, said she expected all of Taiwans political parties to clearly state, We reject one country, two systems. And theres no need to talk about the 1992 consensus anymore, because this term has already been defined by Beijing as one country, two systems, she said. Quoted by the New York Times, analysts said Tsai, both on Saturday and in a speech on Wednesday responding to Chinas Xi, had taken an unusually firm, unequivocal posture, marking a shift away from the cautious ambiguity she had previously deployed, apparently in hopes of avoiding unnecessary provocations. There is no doubt that Tsai has changed her tone, said Austin Wang, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who studies Taiwan. Tsai made a huge shift from not publicly accepting the 1992 consensus to directly rejecting it. Taiwans opposition Kuomintang party, which once ruled China, moved its government to the island in 1949, having lost the civil war to Maos Communists. Taiwan is still formally known as the Republic of China, the name under which the Kuomintang governed the mainland. The Kuomintang said Thursday that it was opposed to Taiwan independence a phrase it takes to mean the removal of vestiges of the Republic of China in favour of a Republic of Taiwan. But even the Kuomintang, which favours closer relations with Beijing than does Tsais Democratic Progressive Party, said after Xis speech that a Hong Kong-style arrangement would not be supported by most Taiwanese. An opinion article published last Saturday in the United Daily News, a Kuomintang-friendly news outlet, said Tsais response to Xi this past week, including several posts on her facebook page, had reversed her fortunes with much of the public. Eswatinis comment Percy Simelane, the Government Press Secretary, said Eswatini would, for starters, submit a big No to war anywhere in the world. He said wars have failed to bring the peace and order for which they were fought. Instead, Simelane said they brought misery to millions of people around the world, including innocent women and children. He recalled that 50 million people died during World War II, but the order for which that war was fought is still not here. Instead there is seemingly a need to fight a little bit more, said the government press secretary. What we will do if that happened is secondary (responding to the question on what Eswatini could do if China took over Taiwan). SNAT wants development Sikelela Dlamini, the Secretary General of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), said even though the issue required a political position, the teachers association wished Eswatini had relations with all countries that fostered development. He said the infrastructure in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Tanzania had greatly improved, and was gradually becoming one of the best in the world because of assistances from China. Individually, he said emaSwati had relations with China because they bought goods in bulk from that country. Vision 2022 would be possible if we had relations with China where products are affordable to buy, he said. It must be said that Taiwan, on a yearly basis, does make donations to the government. In 2014, the self-governing island presented government with E27 million to undertake four projects. In 2017, Taiwan donated E36 million to government to implement seven projects, which included, among others, construction of portable water supply and sanitation, completion of solar powered LED lighting system, and procurement of equipment and furniture for science laboratories at schools. In April last year, Tsais government donated E28 million to Eswatini. His Majesty the King called for Taiwans recognition and embracement by the United Nations. The King made the request during last years general assembly for the United Nations (UN) in New York, USA. There was no effort made to get hold of the officials from the Embassy of Taiwan to Eswatini as the story was sourced from news items late last night. An essay that has circulated widely on Taiwanese social media portrayed Tsai as a mother vowing to defend her child from a bully. Her more assertive tone is likely to be noticed in Washington. The United States broke ties with Taiwan in 1979 in order to establish full relations with Beijing, but Taiwan at that time had been under martial law for decades, and since it embraced democracy in the 1990s, many in Washington have seen it as a like-minded partner, as well as a bulwark against Chinas influence. US senator reacts to threat US Senator John Kennedy twitted that China threatening Taiwan with military force was reprehensible, counterproductive and just bad diplomacy. He said Chinas provocative approach toward Taiwan risked the stability of the region and displayed Chinas disrespect of democracies in the world. Last month, the New York Times reported that six senators three Republicans and three Democrats sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin; the National Intelligence Director, Dan Coats; and the F.B.I. Director, Christopher Wray, asking for an investigation into the Tsai administrations charges that Beijing tried to subvert the islands November elections. We encourage you to work closely with Taiwan authorities to thoroughly investigate these allegations and, if necessary, take swift action to deter future C.C.P. interference in elections in Taiwan or elsewhere across the globe, the senators wrote, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. Concerns that any Chinese attempts to subvert democracy in Taiwan could soon be repeated elsewhere are reasonable, said Lauren Dickey, an analyst at the Centre for Naval Analyses in Arlington, Va. It merits watching how Chinese tactics toward Taiwan have evolved and will likely continue to evolve as a way to analyse how Chinese efforts to coerce or influence may manifest in other countries, Dickey said. Ross Darrell Feingold, a political consultant based in Taipei, was quoted by the American newspaper to have said that the Taiwanese presidents firm stance toward China was likely to be seen favourably by American officials, in contrast to recent overtures toward Xi by President Moon Jae-in of South Korea and, to a lesser extent, by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan. The American government, whether its the executive or legislative branch, is looking for leaders around Asia who are clear and assertive in their reacting to Chinas aggressive behaviour in the region, Feingold said. I think the U.S. would like to see other leaders in the region responding similarly to Chinas aggressive actions. On the other hand, the Times of India said the situation had given the Taiwanese president a chance to position herself as the young democracys defender, both to the outside world and to voters who will decide next year whether she stays in office. MBABANE Its game on! That there is no love lost between Matsapha Town Council Mayor Sandlane Zwane and some councillors is in the public domain, but things are getting nastier by the day. While the councillors prepare for a vote-of-no-confidence against the mayor scheduled for Monday (tomorrow), Zwane is also launching counter-attacks against his detractors. In the firing line are Councillors Musa Ndzimandze and Mfanufikile Dlamini who are seconding the vote-of-no-confidence motion that is expected to be moved by Councillor Bongani Mamba another of Zwanes foes. Even though Zwane flatly denied to this publication that he was fighting fire with fire, it can be proven that he is making moves to oust Ndzimandze and Dlamini from council. Regarding Councillor Mfanufikile Dlamini, sources within the municipality said Zwane approached the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force, where the former is employed, to ascertain if they allowed employees to hold a parallel political position. approached Commander We have been told that he approached Army Commander Sobantu Dlamini and asked him about this, but we dont know if he was able to get what he wanted, said one of the sources. This has been confirmed by the army commander who said he met Zwane and he told him that members of the army were not allowed to participate in politics. Usually, issues of political positions require that permission be sought from ones superiors. Members of the army have to get permission to take up political positions and be relieved of their responsibilities in the army. You cannot hold two jobs at the same time. You cannot take up political position without permission from the army. Because councillors engage in politics, they have to leave the army uniform behind just like it happens with Parliament positions where they have to take leave of absence from their employment. They can return to the army once their political term of office comes to an end, the commander said. He said Councillor Dlamini has to ditch the army uniform if he wants to continue with the municipal position. I told Sandlane that soldiers cannot be councillors at the same time. If you hold two jobs, you will not execute both of them efficiently but you will do a shoddy job in one of them, said the army boss. MBABANE It seems gospel artist Nonhle Mthethwa had a merrier Christmas than most people in the country. The famous helping hand once again located her on December 24 and gifted her with a Nissan Elgrand worth E107 100. The maroon seven-seater car was delivered to her by a businessman, who asked not to reveal his identity as he was not looking for fame but doing Gods work. While speaking on behalf of the teenage musician, her father, Mabandla Mthethwa, said these were the rewards of her hard work in the music industry and spirit of giving in church. It is true, a businessman, who is a born-again Christian, presented the car to her to support her musical career. However, he asked not to be mentioned in the media. As we speak, my daughter is still over the moon. She came to us and thanked us for instilling the spirit of offering at church and believing in God, Mthethwa said. Using Nonhle wasted no time in using her pricey gift as the car was the one she used for her festive bookings around the country and outside our borders. On the crossover night, she used from travel from Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre to Mayaluka Stadium where she delivered performances. Mthethwa added that days after the crossover shows, Nonhle travelled with her musical family to Durban where they were invited to minister through song. We would like to thank Archbishop Lukhele, GNF founder and church members for supporting us in the industry and for encouraging us to always trust in God. We are happy to see Nonhle growing and not forgetting her roots or the teachings she got from us and the church. We will continue to give offerings, help families and also our communities because they made us who we are today, he added. Nonhle said she was excited about her new car and thanked God for blessing her even more. The energetic musician recently released another album titled loJehova Wayizolo and it is making waves in the music scene. The musician is not new to such gifts as she was also gifted with a seven-seater car worth E75 000 in September 2017. MBABANE - January or not, Mega Sound is always ready for a party! Mega Sound co-founder and award-winning DJ Zulu D is set to host a party dubbed Awards Appreciation on January 11, 2019 at Solanis Shisanyama. This party is a thank you gesture by the DJ to his fans for voting for him to scoop the MTN SWAMA Awards DJ of the Year award and also for supporting him in his shows last year. Hosted Last year was a shimmery year for the Mega Sound crew as they hosted a successful picnic at Malkerns Valley Country Club and brought Mlindo the Vocalist during last years festive season. Without Mega Sound Events supporters we would be nothing and this party is for them by us, said Zulu D. The countrys current best DJ said there will be a surprise act during the night. Also, performances that will be rendered will be special. We are bringing new and better ideas and renditions which will wow Eswatini, he said. In an interview with this publication after his big win he had hinted that he would host an appreciation party for fans. I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you guys who have supported the dream from day one. To God Almighty be the glory, the Megasound team. I would love to thank you for the unwavering support and encouragement. This award belongs to you all, he had said. MBABANE EEC has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to select a company that will provide professional and best possible services in successfully supplying and installing the Edwaleni high mast lighting. Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC) desires a lighting system from an entity with integrity that will provide a service that will give value for money to the company. In the RFP, it was explained that the eventual winner of the tender will be expected to supply the required equipment; deliver to site, install, test and be responsible for commissioning of the system. The contracted company should provide 12 months warranty from date of official handover, expressly stating the defect liability period. The contractor should also have and make available sufficiently qualified and competent personnel to satisfactorily carry out all aspects of the contract work. The tenderer will be expected to surrender all designs and drawings, schemes and manuals for maintenance of the new system. Ensuring conformity to healthy, safety and environmental requirements as stipulated by the laws of the country also forms part of the expectations by EEC. The evaluation will be separated into two parts. First will be the technical evaluation after which the financial evaluation will be done for those consultants that surpass the minimum accepted score for technical proposals, reads the RFP in part. The weights to be used for the evaluation are as follows: technical (60 per cent) and financial (40 per cent). It consists of the Hydro house where the hydro generators are located, diesel generators house, work shops, offices, switch rooms and switch yard where there are breakers as well as isolators. Due to the fact that the power station is in operation 24/7, there arises a need to have a more efficient lighting system for the employees to work safely during the night. Over the years the station lighting system has deteriorated such that some areas are no longer efficiently lit up. It was also pointed out that the power station has experienced several cases of theft and the provision of sufficient lighting will assist with security. Submissions The deadline for submissions will be January 25, 2019. Most recently, in its quest to be an efficient service provider, EEC presented a business opportunity to companies to come up with a billing system. The parastatal has issued an expression of interest for the custom development of a post-paid billing system. The deadline for submissions had earlier been slated for November 30, 2018 but has since been shifted to January 17, 2019. EEC was looking to work with a suitable and capable company, with a proven record of accomplishment in project management, business analysis, software development, software testing, system deployment and system documentation. The company is needed to develop a new billing system that will meet EECs current billing functionalities, address existing challenges and develop new functionality that will align with improvements in billing processes, read the Expression of Interest (EOI) in part. The Perspective Atlanta, Georgia January 6, 2019 President Donald Trump Trumps decision to withdraw US forces from Syria is extremely reckless and is bound to backfire in more than one way. To make such a decision, which has major implications that directly and adversely affect our allies in and outside the region, through a simple tweet and against the advice of his senior advisors is nothing short of outrageous. This is the most valuable New Years gift that Trump could possibly give Russia, Iran, Hezbollah, and Turkey. What on earth did he base his decision on, as from every angle we examine it there seems to be absolutely no good that could possibly come out of it. In fact, our forces should not only remain in Syria but be further augmented to secure our as well as our allies short- and long-term national interests throughout the region. The reasons for staying and even further boosting US forces in Syria are manifold. The pull out of US forces at a time when Iran is in the process of establishing several permanent military bases in Syria, loaded with medium and long-range missiles that can reach any part of Israel, is a recipe for war between Israel and Iran. The American withdrawal would motivate Iran to further destabilize the region, support extremist groups, especially Hezbollah, and accelerate its ballistic missiles program. More importantly, it will allow Iran to secure a contiguous landmass from the Gulf to the Mediterranean. Every military observer strongly suggests that the continued American military presence in Syria would force Tehran to think twice before it further entrenches itself in the country, fearing American retaliation that Iran cannot take lightly. For decades, our allies in the region (the Gulf states, Jordan, and Israel) have and continue to depend to various degrees on the US protection of their national security. The US military presence in Syria is central and without it, Russia, Iran, and Turkey would further destabilize the region and force Americas allies to suffer the consequences from the vacuum that we leave behind, which our adversaries will be quick to fill. Furthermore, Trumps claim that ISIS has been defeated and that our mission is accomplished is nothing but a bald-faced lie. ISIS is still very much alive and the US military presence in Syria has both practical and symbolic implications that cannot be ignored. It is estimated that between 15-20,000 fighters remain in the region, and scores of sleeper cells exist throughout the Middle East and Europe. But sadly, given Trumps domestic troubles, he is desperate for a win, however presumptuous and uncanny, just before the end of the year. Only a sick person, such as this president, will sell his country down the river to satisfy his inflated ego. More troubling than anything else, Trump shamelessly betrayed one of our closest allies in the fight against ISISthe Syrian Kurds (YPG). By his unconscionable decision, he left their fate to the butcher of AnkaraErdoganwho is determined to battle the Syrian Kurds into submission while aiming to establish a permanent presence in the country. Nothing will deter the main antagonistic players in Syriathe Assad regime, Russia, Iran, and Turkeyother than a robust American military presence. For these countries, the mere American presence sends a clear message that the US intends to play a weighty role in the search for a solution to the civil war in Syria that will protects its own national interests and those of its allies. Americas military absence is a factor, and no one who knows the dynamic of the conflict, the power plays, and the continuing volatility of the region can claim otherwise. Even a cursory review of the conflicts currently raging in the Middle East suggests that the US stature is diminishing, and we are much worse off today than we were in 2003. The absence of American military muscle in Syria would further marginalize the US while allowing Russia, Iran, and Turkey to disregard the US without suffering any consequences and give Russia an entirely free hand, making it the ultimate arbiter in the country. History is instructive, and the US, regardless of its global geostrategic national interests, cannot involve itself in every conflict. That said, the US must not be paralyzed by past misguided policies. But if we must withdraw our forces from any country, after 17 years it should be Afghanistan, where we are fighting a simply unwinnable war, no matter how much money and manpower we continue to dedicate to the war effort against the Taliban. The US cannot impact the development of events in Syria without a credible and strong military backing to deter any adversary from acting with impunity in any way deemed inconsistent with the US and our allies strategic interests. Trumps haphazard and thoughtless decision to withdraw forces from Syria points only to his abdication of the US moral responsibility, not to speak of its global leadership, which has been dangerously waning under his disastrous policies. About the Author: Dr. Alon Ben-Meir is a professor of international relations at the Center for Global Affairs at NYU. He teaches courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies. [email protected] Web: www.alonben-meir.com The flight of the generals is now complete with the resignation of General James Mattis the last of the four generals to depart, and the las Welcome back pirates! As you make your return to campus The East Carolinian has created a forum that centers around topics within the community where readers can express their experiences and concerns. With the new guidelines set in place by East Carolina University do you feel as these precautions will keep you safe? Survey made in the tri-states In our monthly Made in the Tri-States feature, we highlight some of the area's signature products. Watch for new installments on the first Sunday of each month. If you have a suggestion of a product for us to feature, send an email to jeff.montgomery@thmedia.com or ben.jacobson@thmedia.com. Letter to the Editor The efforts been renewed to bond for a new school. . Let me state the problem Everybody, including me, wants a new school, nobody wants to ... Changes to the SunCommercial's back end processing means the e-edition is getting a facelift. The biggest change is the e-edition, by default, is now presented in Text view. Teachers regularly crowdfund for basic supplies, and in this post-MSD world, schools have started to rely on crowdfunding for safety measures, too. The districts excuse is that Many of our buildings were designed and constructed at a time when schools were not targets for the violence we are currently witnessing. Yet its been 19 years since the tragedy at Columbine, and in that time, countless school shootings have occurred. This begs the question: what has our school board done in the last 19 years to improve the safety of our students and employees besides more of the same? "Now my baby has gotten justice," her grieving father, Christopher Cevilla, said at a news conference reported by the Houston Chronicle. "Now we can properly put her to rest. He said in an interview with The Associated Press that that he was feeling "a bit of relief" following the arrest. Another statement said Hacienda is "already conducting a comprehensive internal review of our processes, protocols, and people to ensure that every single Hacienda resident is as safe and well cared for as possible. Anything less than that is unacceptable to our team, our company's leaders and the communities we serve." According to an arrest affidavit, she said she had a vision of a bar or club with only one entrance and exit and that she planned to purchase an AR-15 "soonish." Im just worried if he is removed, who would be put in place by the new governor, she said. That new person is a little bit scary because you dont know what direction theyll take the agency. Ashtabula, OH (44004) Today A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Mainly clear. Low 59F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Mainly clear. Low 59F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Trump says US, N.Korea 'negotiating' on location for next Kim summit Washington, Jan 6 (AFP) Jan 06, 2019 US President Donald Trump said Sunday negotiations are underway on the location of his next summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, while remaining evasive on its timing. Trump, who held a historic summit with Kim in Singapore in June, said earlier in the week he had received a "great letter" from the North Korean leader but declined to reveal its contents. "We are negotiating a location," he told reporters before boarding a helicopter for the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland, where he said he would be discussing a trade deal with China. "It will be announced probably in the not too distant future," he said of a summit with Kim. "They do want to meet and we want to meet and we'll see what happens." "With North Korea, we have a very good dialogue," Trump added, saying he had "indirectly spoken" with Kim. The latest letter from Kim came after the North Korean leader warned in a New Year's speech that Pyongyang may change its approach to nuclear talks if Washington persists with sanctions. Trump said Sunday the sanctions remain "in full force and effect" and would do so until the United States saw "very positive" results. At the first summit between the longtime adversaries in June, Trump and Kim agreed to work toward the Korean peninsula's denuclearization but with little apparent agreement on what that means. The United States has been pressing for North Korea to get rid of its nuclear weapons before any easing of economic pressure. Kim, whose family has ruled North Korea with an iron fist for 70 years, wants immediate economic benefits and a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War. Trump has cast his first summit with Kim as a major diplomatic victory, and on Sunday repeated his claim that there would be war in Asia had they not sat down to talk. "Anyone else but me, you would have been at war right now ... You right now would have been at a nice big fat war in Asia with North Korea if I hadn't been elected president." But progress has stalled since the Singapore summit with the two sides disagreeing over the meaning of their vaguely-worded declaration, and the pace of US-North Korean negotiations has slowed, with meetings and visits cancelled at short notice. Culminating in late 2017, the North has carried out six atomic blasts and launched rockets capable of reaching the entire US mainland, but has now carried out no such tests for more than a year. Two British soldiers injured in Syria by IS missile Beirut, Jan 6 (AFP) Jan 06, 2019 Two British soldiers were wounded Saturday in eastern Syria by a missile fired by the Islamic State group, an NGO said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the pair were part of the the international anti-jihadist coalition, led by the United States. "The two British soldiers were transported by helicopter to receive medical care," the observatory's director Rami Abdel told AFP. A Kurdish fighter from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) died in the attack in the village of Al-Shaafa in Deir Ezzor province, one of the last pockets of territory still controlled by IS in the Euphrates River valley. The SDF, a coalition dominated by Kurdish fighters, has spearheaded the fight against IS, supported by several Western countries including the United Kingdom. The international alliance seized the key IS holdout of Hajin in December after months of fighting that has seen the jihadists launch vicious counter-attacks. IS, which once controlled swathes of Syria and Iraq, has been pounded by multiple offensives. Since September, more than 1,000 jihadists have been killed in the fighting compared with just under 600 SDF members while 15,000 people have fled Hajin, according to the Observatory. Last month US president Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of around 2,000 soldiers from Syria, deployed to support the SDF, claiming IS had been defeated. The Syrian war, which began in 2011, has caused more than 370,000 deaths and forced millions of people to flee their homes. US Congress to see push to regulate Big Tech in 2019 Washington, Jan 6 (AFP) Jan 06, 2019 The newly installed US Congress is expected to see a fresh effort to develop new regulations for big technology firms, with a focus on tougher enforcement of privacy and data protection. The wave of data scandals that have hit Facebook and other online platforms has prompted growing calls for action by lawmakers looking to curb abuses of how private information is used and give consumers more clarity. Significantly, most tech companies are pledging to willingly accept new regulations to set a uniform standard in the United States following a sweeping set of rules that went into effect in the European Union in 2018, although few have offered details. Federal regulations could pre-empt the enforcement of legislation enacted in California, which was modeled after the EU's General Data Protection Regulation. "Whether big tech and little tech like it or not, 2019 will be a year of regulation," said Doug Clinton of the investment firm Loup Ventures, in a recent blog post. The analyst said he expects the US to consider "the most important points" of GDPR including consent, access, portability and erasure of personal information. - Protecting data - Senator Brian Schatz and 14 other Democrats have endorsed a bill aimed at requiring online firms to safeguard personal information and stop the misuse of data. "People have a basic expectation that the personal information they provide to websites and apps is well-protected and won't be used against them," Schatz said in a statement last month. "Just as doctors and lawyers are expected to protect and responsibly use the personal data they hold, online companies should be required to do the same." Another proposal unveiled in December by the Center for Democracy & Technology, a digital rights group in Washington, in consultation with industry and activist groups, covers consumer rights to access and correct data held by online firms, data portability, and limits on third-party access to data. Significantly, it limits the kinds of data that companies can collect to what is needed for their services. "Many apps collect your location information even if it has nothing to do with the service they are providing," said Michelle Richardson, head of data and privacy for the organization. "We want to fundamentally change how companies collect and use data." Since the revelations over the hijacking of personal data of tens of millions of Facebook users by the political consultancy Cambridge Analytica, tech firms have come under heightened scrutiny from lawmakers and privacy activists. - Cooperation, or not? - Instead of pushing back, big tech firms have offered to cooperate with lawmakers on a national privacy bill -- although skeptics say this may be an effort to limit the reach of tougher state laws. Google chief executive Sundar Pichai told a hearing in mid-December, "I'm of the opinion that we are better off with more of an overarching data protection framework for users, and I think that would be good to do." Apple CEO Tim Cook early this year called for federal privacy legislation, while assailing the "weaponized" used of private data that is bought and sold online. Alan McQuinn, policy analyst at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a Washington think tank, said that following the passage of a California privacy law, "the tech sector is now trying to get out in front of having segmented privacy rules." Yet details of any new privacy bill are likely to be complex, with battles looming on how far legislation should go. McQuinn said there may be consensus on a need to boost transparency, consumer access and enforcement over misuse of personal data, but that many other issues are thorny. He said there may be consensus on need for more transparency, data portability and consumer access and new enforcement mechanisms for abuse of private data. But he maintained that GDPR has proven "incredibly burdensome" and caused some businesses to quit the EU or block their online presence. "People don't realize that legislation doesn't just affect the internet giants, it affects your local grocery store and creates costs throughout the system," McQuinn said. The analyst said requiring "opt in" consent for any type of data could have unintended consequences -- hurting innovation and strengthening the biggest firms that have the resources to comply. One possible solution is to create "tiers" of data categories requiring opt-in consent only for the most sensitive categories. Despite broad agreement on the need for privacy rules, McQuinn said a divided government and hyperpartisan political environment will mean "this will be a difficult process." "Farmers are a vote bank for Congress, and for us, farmers are our food providers. This is the difference between Congress and BJP," Prime Minister Modi said while addressing a gathering in Palamu. Palamu (Jharkhand): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the Congress party considers farmers as a vote bank and is misguiding them in the name of loan waiver. "There wouldn't have been a need for farmers to take loans had the previous Congress governments completed the projects that were meant to benefit farmers. First, they forced farmers to take loans, now they're misleading them in the name of loan waivers," he added. Talking about the initaive taken by his government Prime Minister Modi said that the Central Government has given 1 crore 25 lakh homes to the people in less than five years. "We didn't make Narendra Modi Awas Yojana, we didn't make Namo Awas Yojana, we didn't make Raghubar Das Awas Yojana, we made Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana so that the next Prime Minister can take the work forward," he said. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone of North Koel (Mandal Dam) project and Kanhar Stone Pipeline irrigation system. Press Release January 6, 2019 Koko: Take concrete action on dumping of foreign trash in PH "We're not someone else's dumping ground. The Philippines should assert its dignity and co-equal standing as a sovereign state in the community of nations. We should not be seen as a recipient, officially or unofficially, of waste material coming from other countries." Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III made the statement on Sunday after the Philippine government said that it will return to South Korea some 6,500 tons of waste that were dumped in Mindanao and tagged as originating from the East Asian country. The South Korean government has committed to take back the trash after an agreement was reached at a bilateral meeting between Filipino and Korean authorities last Dec. 27 and 28. According to officials of the Mindanao International Container Port, the waste materials will commence their return trip to South Korea on January 9. An initial 5,100 tons of garbage arrived at the Mindanao port in Misamis Oriental province in July last year. More waste in 51 additional containers was shipped in October and transferred to a local consignee's compound in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental. A subsequent inspection revealed that the shipment contained used dextrose tubes, soiled diapers, batteries, bulbs, and electronic equipment. The consignee, Verde Soko Industrial Corporation, had falsely reported that the container vans carried soft plastic and not garbage, claiming that the plastics were raw materials meant for furniture reprocessing. "We are thankful to the South Korean government for its commitment to resolve this matter and take back the misdeclared shipment. At the same time, it's very urgent that we direct our Bureau of Customs and related agencies to file the appropriate charges against those responsible for bringing in foreign trash through an illegal misdeclaration of cargo." "Let's ensure that this brazen act is not tolerated and in fact punished to the fullest extent of the law, particularly our Tariff and Customs Code and possibly the Toxic Substance and Hazardous Wastes and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990," Pimentel stressed. The senator from Mindanao added that the repeated dumping of foreign trash was an affront to the country's dignity. "If foreign-based entities and even foreign governments see and treat the Philippines as a final destination for their unwanted waste material, that speaks volumes of the way we are seen abroad. This should not be tolerated." The legislator likewise said he will seek an update on waste materials from Canada that were "dumped" in the country way back in 2013. "As far as I'm aware, as of January 2018, the matter has yet to be resolved. The Canadian Prime Minister promised to resolve the matter when he went here for the 31st ASEAN Summit in November 2017. There's been no follow through ever since. We need immediate and concrete action on this," Pimentel noted. Two Honduran teenagers killed in Tijuana are being remembered by their friends as young people who worried about whether or not their families would be proud of them and boys who had their whole lives ahead of them. Baja California Prosecutor Jorge Alvarez said the bodies of the two adolescents were found brutally beaten, strangled and stabbed on Dec. 15. They were wrapped in a blanket and dumped in a Tijuana alley in the Zona Central part of the city. Police sources and those close to the victims provided differing accounts about why the victims went with their attackers, but it is clear there was an agreement to exchange sex for money. It is unclear whether the victims planned to purchase sex or provide it in exchange for money. Desperate to raise the funds necessary to pay smugglers to cross into the United States, several other unaccompanied minors traveling with the Central American caravan, as well as adults, have said they planned to do so by selling the only thing they had left: their bodies. Advertisement In letters written by their fellow shelter roommates and shared with the San Diego Union-Tribune, other unaccompanied minors who knew the 16 and 17-year-old boys described their friendships. I met him in the shelter, and he also had a great dream, one of the letters says about, Jasson, one of the victims. The Union-Tribune is not using the full names of the adolescents because a third victim, closely associated with them, escaped with his life but still could be in danger, according to authorities. Although police said the Honduran victims were not targeted because of their affiliation with the migrant caravan, the incident highlights the dangers faced by young people traveling alone, and stuck in limbo in a dangerous city between the violence they fled in their homeland, and the United States, where they hoped to ask for asylum. In the letters written by fellow unaccompanied minors traveling with the Central American caravan, the deceased teenagers are described as quiet, respectful, kind and polite. The kids wrote these letters because they wanted people to know that they were not bad kids and that they had friends who cared for them, said Uriel Gonzalez, the director of the shelter where the boys were staying in Tijuana. They wanted to reflect on their lives, and the exercise helped take some of the stress away from the shock of this. According to the letters, most of the teenagers met recently when they arrived in Tijuana. He was a good friend. More than a friend, he was like a brother to all of us, another letter says about Jasson. He was a good person with a good heart, the writer adds. About Alex, his friends wrote he was like a little brother in the shelter, and he was also quiet and respectful. Advertisement From the moment we met, we ruled, one of the teenagers wrote. I liked to tell Alex he had his whole life ahead of him. He advised us and took care of us. He was super special. Alex, Jasson and another teenager left their shelter for unaccompanied minors on a Saturday last month and made their way to Benito Juarez, near the border, according to prosecutors. They missed their turn by one street, which lead them into a dangerous neighborhood, authorities said. Thats where they met some women who lured them to an area frequented by drug users, according to Alvarez, the prosecutor. The group then went to another location where they planned to have sex, Alvarez said, when two additional men arrived with the intention of robbing the boys. The victims hands were bound, and they were tortured, beaten with a hammer, strangled and stabbed, according to information presented in court. One of the boys was dressed in womens clothing. Advertisement Prosecutors charged Carlos Martinez Cazares, Esmeralda Garcia Carranza and Francisco Javier Zavala Niebla with the homicides. A judge ruled on Dec. 21 there was sufficient evidence to proceed to trial and the defendants will remain in jail as their criminal case proceeds. Gonzalez, the shelter director, found the series of events given by authorities questionable. One teenager wrote in her letter that she never saw the victims smoking or drinking. At the shelter, they never presented themselves as troublemakers of any kind. They were not drug users. They never showed any signs of misbehavior, Gonzalez said. Gonzalez said the teenagers went missing from the shelter after lunch the Saturday they died and they were unaccounted for at dinnertime. Staff believed they had probably walked to Benito Juarez to reconnect with some friends, he said. Advertisement Then, around midnight, the kid that survived the attack jumped the fence of the shelter. He was sobbing, Gonzalez said. He saw his friends murdered right in front of his eyes. He described how they did it and he himself had strangulation marks on his neck. Friends of Jasson and Alex wanted to remember them as they were in the shelter, Gonzalez said, and remove some of the stigma. I remember those smiles always in their faces, one of the letters said about both boys. One writer remembers how Jasson worried about his family. Advertisement He wanted his family to be proud of him and wanted to help his parents and he always had a big smile, the writer recalls. He was kind and polite and I want to send my best to the family of these great warriors who are now our angels. Another writer recalls knowing Jasson just a few short days, but having a stronger friendship with Alex. The only thing I wish is that he rests in peace, the letter says. While many federal workers go without pay and the government is partially shut down, hundreds of senior Trump political appointees are poised to receive annual raises of about $10,000 a year. The pay raises for Cabinet secretaries, deputy secretaries, top administrators and even Vice President Mike Pence are scheduled to go into effect beginning Jan. 5 without legislation to stop them, according to documents issued by the Office of Personnel Management and experts in federal pay. The raises appear to be an unintended consequence of the shutdown: When lawmakers failed to pass bills Dec. 21 to fund multiple federal agencies, they allowed an existing pay freeze to lapse. The pay freeze for top federal executives was enacted by Congress in 2013 and renewed each year since then. The raises will occur because that cap will expire on Saturday without legislative action, allowing raises to kick in that have accumulated over those years but never took effect. The raises start with paychecks to be issued next week. Cabinet secretaries would be entitled to a jump in annual salary from $199,700 to $210,700. Deputy secretaries would be entitled to a raise from $179,700 to $189,600. Others affected are under secretaries, deputy directors and other top administrators. Advertisement Pences pay is scheduled to rise from $230,700 to $243,500. He told reporters Friday afternoon he would turn down the raise. An administration official later said Pences staff believes he has to accept the raise during the shutdown and pay taxes on it, but will reimburse the Treasury or donate the pay to charity. It was unclear whether the White House had the authority to stop the increases. President Donald Trump was asked by a reporter Friday whether he would consider halting the raises, or halting them during the shutdown. I might consider that, Trump said. Thats a very good question. Later Friday, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said the pending pay raise is another unnecessary byproduct of the shutdown. The administration is aware of the issue and were exploring options to prevent this from being implemented while some federal workers are furloughed. Congress can easily take care of this by funding the government and securing our borders. However, the pay freeze has been an issue of dispute between Republicans and Democrats since at least October. Trump offered no raise to rank-and-file civil servants for 2019, prompting an outcry from Democrats and federal employee unions. Republicans offered to scrap the executive pay raise in return for agreeing to a 1.9 percent raise for civil servants. But those negotiations got stuck in a conference committee before the shutdown. The government payroll system has yet to implement the pay raise for executives including the vice president, a congressional aide said. But given the hardships the budget impasse imposes on the rest of the country, the optics of this are not pretty, said Jeffrey Neal, a former personnel executive at the Department of Homeland Security and now a senior vice president at ICF. Advertisement Some 800,000 federal employees, out of a workforce of 2.1 million, are in unpaid status because of the partial government shutdown that began last month. Of those, about 380,000 have been furloughed. Many others are working without pay, and just before the New Year, President Trump ordered a pay freeze for most federal workers, working or not. I suspect the president isnt aware of the disparity - that political appointees will get a pay raise and no one else will, said John Palguta, former career executive in the federal government for human resources. Its going to be seen as terribly unfair. The governments Office of Personnel Management did not respond to a request for comment. The Democrat-led House included a continuation of the executive pay freeze in a bill the chamber passed late Thursday to reopen parts of the government without the funding for a border wall Trump wants. But that legislation is said to be dead on arrival in the Senate, where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., says he will not vote on a bill the president will not sign. Advertisement House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., called the raises outrageous in a statement and called on McConnell to allow a Senate vote on the House measure, reopen government and provide retroactive pay to affected federal employees. The southern Maryland Democrat has more than 62,000 federal employees in his district. McConnells office did not provide comment on the issue Friday. The pay freezes expiration was discussed at length during a conference call Monday with officials at the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management, who are meeting regularly to discuss issues caused by the shutdown. Some officials on the conference call, which included acting OPM Director Margaret Weichert, were worried about the public perception of the raises and discussed how to respond to questions about them, according to one participant, who requested anonymity to talk about internal discussions. It was definitely a this is not going to look good situation, the participant said. Advertisement A senior administration official said the White House believes its likely Congress will act to reinstate the pay freeze when the federal government reopens. The raises would cost taxpayers $300 million over 10 years, according to the Senior Executives Association, which represents the governments approximately 7,000 highest-paid career officials. The groups executive director, Jason Briefel, called the freeze a politically driven policy that over time makes it harder to bring good folks to government and said extending it is detrimental to hiring top talent. But he acknowledged lifting it now is definitely a slap in the face to the rest of the federal workforce. At a time when more than 800,000 federal employees arent getting paid, it is absolutely outrageous that the Trump administration would even consider taking advantage of the shutdown to dole out huge raises to the vice president and its political appointees, Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., the new chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, said in an email. Advertisement The shutdown has infuriated the unions that represent federal workers. It is wonderful that the president has decided to lift the pay freeze for top executives and his political appointees: They deserve a pay adjustment, as do all the people who work under them, David Cox Sr., national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents 750,000 federal workers, said in an email. Leadership is about the principle that officers eat last. The administration should make sure that the rank and file receive a pay adjustment before their bosses do. The mechanics of getting the raises into appointees paychecks also is complicated by the shutdown, federal personnel experts said. The adjustments must be processed by each agencys human resources department, which depending on the agency, may not be staffed during the lapse. So some executives could see fatter paychecks starting next week while others would have to wait until the government fully reopens. Advertisement For a thing like this to happen, I dont believe in coincidences, said Randy Erwin, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees. It certainly smells fishy, just as the federal workforce is being furloughed. The options for Congress include taking no action and allowing the raises to occur, approving the legislation passed by the House Thursday or passing a standalone measure to retain the pay freeze. It looks like Trump has protected his own appointees, and everyone else gets screwed, Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., whose northern Virginia district has 77,000 federal workers, said in an interview. He suggested the president fix the problem by immediately issuing an executive order canceling the raises. While federal prison officers worked through the holidays without pay, the inmates they guarded were treated to special yuletide meals, union officials reportedly fumed. At the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex near Orlando, convicts dined on Cornish game hen and pie on Christmas and beef with black eyed peas and sweet desserts, according to USA Today. This is appalling, Joe Rojas, Colemans union chief, told the newspaper. Were not getting paid, and the inmates are eating steak. The inmates know whats going on; they know about the shutdown, and they are laughing at us. The usual fare at Coleman the nations largest federal prison is simple, like scrambled eggs and burgers, USA Today reported. Special meals are served by the Bureau of Prisons during the holidays to boost inmates spirits, the paper claims. Advertisement More than 90 % of the BOP 38,000 employees are being forced to work without pay as a result of the government shutdown, which began right before Christmas on Dec. 22, union officials told USA Today. It sickens me to know these politicians would play politics ... with our staffers livelihoods after working the most stressful job in America, the newspaper claims Eric Young, president of the national prison workers union, said. That really p----d off our people, said Young. You are seeing prisoners getting steak, roast beef and Cornish hens, and you cant put that kind of food on the table for your own family. That isnt right. President Donald Trumps national security adviser sought to reassure allies Sunday that the United States would be methodical about withdrawing troops from Syria, promising that the pullout would not occur until the Islamic State was fully eradicated from the country and Turkey could guarantee the safety of Kurdish fighters who have fought alongside American personnel. John Boltons comments, reported by the Associated Press, contradict Trumps mid-December promise to bring troops home from Syria now, an announcement that surprised allies and advisers, sparked an outcry from lawmakers, and prompted the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. It is also the clearest statement yet from any of the presidents surrogates about how they plan to slow the implementation of his pullout plans. There are objectives that we want to accomplish that condition the withdrawal, Bolton said while speaking to reporters in Jerusalem, on a trip intended to allay Israeli leaders concerns about Trumps announcement. The timetable flows from the policy decisions that we need to implement. Advertisement Trump touched off global confusion and panic when he announced via Twitter on Dec. 19 that he would order the withdrawal of the 2,000 troops stationed in Syria to help fight the Islamic State. Our boys, our young women, our men, theyre all coming back and theyre coming back now. We won, Trump said at thet time - a move that both allies and critics warned could upset the balance of power in the Middle East, emboldening Russia and Iran, and threaten what tenuous stability U.S.-aligned forces had been able to achieve in Syria. Boltons comments come amid reports that Trump had agreed to extend his initial 30-day deadline for withdrawal to four months. When asked whether Boltons comments would affect that timeline, a senior administration official said that there is no specific timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, and reports to the contrary are false. Nonetheless, the plans and assurances the national security adviser offered in Israel were confirmation that withdrawal plans are on hold until conditions on the ground match the presidents stated assessment of the situation in Syria. As part of his announcement, Trump said the United States had defeated ISIS there - a claim that his advisers and political allies have disputed. ISIS is an alternative acronym for the Islamic State. Trumps advisers and GOP allies have warned that pulling out U.S. troops would also leave Kurdish fighters - who had been vital U.S. allies - susceptible to attacks by Turkey, where leaders see the group as a threat to their nations sovereignty. In a Sunday news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Bolton said that the defense of Israel and other friends in the region is absolutely assured and that the United States would take care of those who have fought with us against ISIS and other terrorist groups. He also said that the withdrawal would take place but in a way to make sure ISIS is defeated and is not able to revive itself and become a threat again. But while Boltons comments may have come as a relief to some, a top House Democrat stressed that the priorities the national security adviser outlined were obvious - and simply highlighted how dangerous Trumps initial withdrawal announcement was. Advertisement We dont want ISIS to rise again and be a transnational terrorist threat, and we dont want our allies the Kurds to be slaughtered by Erdogan in Turkey. That was obvious, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., said Sunday on ABC News This Week. He was referring to Turkeys president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Smith added, Im pleased that John Bolton has recognized the national security interest, and thats what we want to have ... not a tweet going Eh, lets get out of Syria. Smith said he hoped to have Mattis testify before his panel, calling the former defense secretarys views invaluable. In his resignation letter, Mattis noted disagreements hed had with Trump over the presidents approach to U.S. allies and adversaries, and stated that Trump deserved a defense secretary whose views would be more aligned with his. Smith was more succinct in his assessment of Trumps approach to global relations, saying Sunday that our allies matter enormously and the president treats them like dirt. Democrats have lamented the departure of figures such as Mattis, whom they viewed as a tempering influence on Trump, and they worry about who will ultimately succeed them. Advertisement All of the adults are one by one being forced out of the room, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said Sunday on CNNs State of the Union. Anyone who had the standing or the independence to speak out ... has been pushed aside and now you have a lot of yes-people serving the president. Republicans, too, have worried about whether the president is listening to his advisers, warning him that the administrations actions in Syria will affect the United States reputation globally. At the time of Trumps announcement, some wondered openly whether he had simply agreed to get out of Syria to please foreign leaders whom the United States has traditionally regarded more warily, including Erdogan. Similar questions arose last week, after Trump offered a perplexing take on world history, incorrectly claiming that the Soviet Unions demise was a result of the Red Armys war in Afghanistan, which they apparently were forced to invade to address terrorist threats. New White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney distanced himself from Trumps comments Sunday, defending the advice that he and others were giving the president on matters of history, foreign relations and other policy. Advertisement The fact that he makes a decision that might be different than his advisers doesnt mean that hes getting bad information, it means hes relying on information other than what his advisers are giving him, Mulvaney said on CNN, stressing that he sees every single piece of information that goes to the presidents desk. Schiff shot back, accusing Trump of parroting a Kremlin talking point on Afghanistan. Mulvaney may review the documents on the presidents desk, the Democrat said. He doesnt review every phone call the president makes and whos whispering in his ear. The Washington Posts Missy Ryan contributed to this report. The next time the San Diego Fire-Rescue Departments bomb squad responds to a call, it could have new gadgets at its disposal: drones. The department received two new Aeryon SkyRanger drones in mid-December, and bomb squad members have been using them in simulations recently, a city official said last week. The drones are expected to be used the next time the specialized unit is called on to check out a potential threat. San Diegos fire department specifically its bomb squad is the only public safety agency in the city authorized to use drones, and can do so only on a limited basis, according to Tiffany Vinson, San Diegos homeland security coordinator. Under similarly narrow rules, the Chula Vista Police Department also began using drones in late October. The use of the devices by the two public safety agencies is part of the U.S. Department of Transportations Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program, which involves cities and government agencies around the country, and partnerships with leading technology companies, to develop best-use practices for commercial drones. Advertisement San Diego was one of 10 cities and agencies selected to participate in the pilot program last May. The other nine cities and agencies chosen include the city of Reno, Nevada, an Alaskan university, a Native American tribe in Oklahoma and several states transportation departments. Four times a year, the program participants submit reports to the Federal Aviation Administration. The experiences of the test agencies will help decide how the FAA will update its rules for drone usage. In San Diego, the three-year testing program is focused on five areas: international commerce and border security, medical delivery, smart city and autonomous vehicle inter-operability, package delivery and public safety. Vinson, who is heading up the local program, said companies like Uber, through its Uber Eats program, could use drones on certain fixed routes to deliver food as early as this summer. Plans are also in the works to use San Diego as a test site for Uber Elevate, the companys futuristic-sounding plan to use autonomous drones as flying taxis. But while many of the proposed uses for drones are still in the planning, research or development phases, the devices are expected to have a more immediate impact in the public safety sector. Chula Vista police began using the drones Oct. 22, and less than five days later had used drones to respond to 30 emergency calls that led to three arrests, including one on suspicion of felony domestic violence. The departments drones have to stay within a one-mile radius of police headquarters on Fourth Avenue while a trained pilot stands on the police stations roof. The drones are not supposed to leave the pilots line of sight. While Chula Vista police are using what Vinson described as off-the-shelf DJI drones, the San Diego Fire-Rescue bomb squad ordered the larger, more technical SkyRangers, which are specifically designed for public safety agencies. The SkyRangers have more powerful cameras to get to the level of fine detail a bomb technician would need, Vinson said. Advertisement Last month, city officials asked residents to share their thoughts and concerns about the use of drones in an online survey. Vinson said much of the feedback so far has centered on privacy and safety concerns. Those concerns echo the ones held by the American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego and Imperial Counties. Chloe Triplett, a policy advocate for the local ACLU chapter, said many members of the public see drones as a future tool for public surveillance. We dont disagree that drones have a lot of beneficial uses, like in mapping, search-and-rescue missions and scientific research, Triplett said. But if deployed without proper regulations and oversight, drones equipped with facial-recognition software and speakers capable of monitoring personal conversations could obviously cause a serious invasion of privacy rights. Advertisement Triplett said all city drone policies including what type of data they collect, and how it is retained need to be clear and open to the public. Basic transparency is key, Triplett said. Vinson said such privacy concerns were exactly why the Fire Departments use of drones will be so narrowly focused on the bomb squad, and why the San Diego Police Department is not involved in any way. We dont want to invade anyones privacy, Vinson said. Thats not smart, and more importantly, not legal. Advertisement Twitter: @Alex_Riggins Advertisement (619) 293-1710 alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com A man who was shot by deputies after he brandished a gun in a Lemon Grove restaurant later died, a sheriffs official said Sunday. Deputies were sent to the Del Taco on Broadway near state Route 94 about 8:30 p.m. Saturday after a customer called 911 saying a man in the restaurant had just pointed a gun at him, sheriffs Lt. Rich Williams said. Soon after deputies arrived, the man pulled out the weapon, and the deputies shot at him, Williams said. They treated the mans injuries until paramedics arrived and took him to a hospital where he died. He was not identified. Advertisement Williams said all three deputies who went to the restaurant shot at the man. No one in the taco shop and none of the deputies was injured. The deputies involved were not identified. Anyone with information about the shooting was asked to call investigators at (858) 285-6330 or (858) 565-5200 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at (888) 580-8477. Twitter: @LAWinkley Advertisement (619) 293-1546 lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com At least one sheriffs deputy shot a man who was reported to be pointing a gun inside a Lemon Grove Del Taco Saturday night, authorities said. The wounded man was taken to a hospital, but a sheriffs watch commander had no immediate information on his condition. Deputies went to the Del Taco on Broadway near Federal Boulevard about 8:45 p.m. to check reports of a man inside the restaurant pointing a gun at patrons, sheriffs Lt. Dustin Lopez said. A tweet from the Sheriffs Department said a family in the Del Taco felt threatened by the armed man, and that he confronted deputies. Advertisement One or more deputies fired at him. No deputies or others in the taco shop were injured. A homicide team was called in to investigate, as is routine for deputy-involved shootings whether the wounded person survives or not. The parking lot around the restaurant was blocked off for the investigation. pauline.repard@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @pdrepard Smithsonian museums are closed. There are no federal staffers to answer tourists questions at the Lincoln Memorial. And across the United States, national parks are cluttered with trash. Yet despite the federal government shutdown, a historic clock tower at the Trump International Hotel remained open Friday for its handful of visitors, staffed by green-clad National Park Service rangers. Were open! one National Park Service ranger declared around lunchtime, pushing an elevator button for a lone visitor entering the site through a side entrance to ride to the top of the 315-foot-high, nearly 120-year-old clock tower. The Trump administration appears to have gone out of its way to keep the attraction in the federally owned building that houses the Trump hotel open and staffed with National Park Service rangers, even as other federal agencies shut all but the most essential services. Amanda Osborn, a spokeswoman for the General Services Administration, which owns the building and leases it to the Trump Organization, said in an email that the shutdown exemption for the comparatively little-known clock tower was unrelated to the facilitys tenant the Trump business. The agency says the law that put it in charge of the site obligates it to keep it open, even as federal Washington closes around it. But the scene at the modest historic site at the Trump hotel building, where rangers often outnumber visitors, marked the latest episode in which Trumps business interests have overlapped with the work of the federal government, creating at least the appearance of a conflict of interest. A watchdog group, and frustrated tourists, questioned why a shutdown that had furloughed hundreds of thousands of workers and crippled many agencies was exempting a site within the Trump familys business empire. The shutdown began Dec. 22, born out of an impasse between congressional Democrats and President Donald Trump over funding for a southern border wall. Shutdown plans at the Interior Department, which includes the park service, mandated idling all but the most essential staff. A watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the GSA, seeking documents explaining why the tower was open, how it continues to be funded, and any communications between the agency and the Trump Organization, the presidents company. Trump gave up day-to-day management of the firm in 2017 but continues to receive earnings from its operations. At the very least, this smells funny. Said Noah Bookbinder, the groups executive director. We have not seen a satisfactory basis for why one park service property is opened when no others are, Bookbinder said. This raises tremendous questions about whether this property that intersects with the presidents business is getting special treatment. CREW is also involved in a federal lawsuit targeting the Trump hotel that could become the first test of whether presidents are restricted by the U.S. Constitutions emoluments provision, which bans gifts from foreign and U.S. state governments to federal officials. Completed in 1899, the Romanesque-style former post office is on the National Register of Historic Places. The GSA pays for the National Park Service to run the buildings clock tower for visits by the general public. The tower initially closed to the public after the shutdown started. The GSA noticed then that the deal under which the park service staffs the site had expired, and renewed it, and the park service reopened the tower this week, the agency said. The GSA, which helps other federal agencies operate, said it was using money from its building fund to keep the tower open and staffed. Up at the top of the clock tower, a single tourist walked in during a 10-minute visit. She stared out the windows at some of the capitals best views. With other federal sites closed to tourists or unstaffed in the shutdown, ranger Rob Lorenz said in the tower, business has been picking up as tour operators figure it out. A little more than a mile away at the Lincoln Memorial, a few hundred visitors hauled themselves up the stone steps and fell hushed as they wandered at the foot of the great statue of Abraham Lincoln. Husband and wife Kaicey and Neiman Manns, history buffs visiting from Roanoke, Virginia, expressed disappointment that Fords Theater and the national archives were both out for them, on this trip. Even though the clock tower was one of the few federal landmarks open and staffed in Washington, Neiman Manns said, hed pass. Me personally, the Trump Hotel? I dont see that as a real part of the history of the United States, he said. Anna Menezes, a newly arrived tourist from Maringa, Brazil, wasnt aware of the shutdown and wondered why federal museums were closed and the memorial unstaffed. Told she could visit the tower at the Trump hotel, Menezes arched an eyebrow. Interesting, she said. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. With a partial government shutdown grinding into a third week and its disruptive effects widening, Republicans and Democrats agreed on one thing after a weekend of inconclusive staff-level meetings: A breakthrough is probably not imminent. President Trump on Sunday pressed his demand for billions of dollars in funding to build a southern border wall something congressional Democrats again declared a non-starter and once more talked up the prospect of using emergency powers to begin construction. That drew warnings from Democrats that circumventing Congress in that manner would trigger, at the very least, an energetic court challenge. We have to build the wall, Trump told reporters as he left the White House for Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland, for staff meetings with border security on the agenda. He said he may decide a national emergency, depending on what happens over the next few days. Neither side reported any real progress in the separate talks held Saturday and Sunday at the White House between Vice President Mike Pence and representatives of House and Senate leaders of both parties. Even as the group was gathering again Sunday, Trump played down the likelihood of a break in the standoff, saying the very serious talks would start Monday. Advertisement In the meantime, he professed readiness to hold to his demands on the wall, a signature issue of his campaign, before hell agree to funding for the quarter of the government that is shuttered as a result of the impasse. This shutdown could end tomorrow, and it could also go on for a long time, the president said. With Congress set to reconvene Tuesday, Trump who said prior to the Dec. 22 start of the shutdown that he would be proud to trigger one over his wall demands said the onus was on Democrats to compromise. But new House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats have suggested that the shutdown struggle points to an overarching effort by the president to subordinate lawmakers to his wishes. The impression you get from the president: that he would like to not only close government, build a wall, but also abolish Congress so the only voice that mattered was his own, Pelosi said in an interview aired on CBS Sunday Morning. Democrats are seeking to put pressure on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to get affected government agencies up and running again. The Kentucky Republican has stayed on the sidelines of the shutdown fight, saying he would only take up appropriations measures that had Trumps advance approval. McConnells stance comes after he led the Senate last month to unanimously approve a government funding bill without the $5.7 billion in wall money the president seeks, only to have Trump reject it despite White House signals that he would go along and negotiate later. House Democrats plan to pass bills this week that would fund individual government agencies that are affected by the shutdown at levels the Senate previously approved but not the wall. Advertisement They already approved a measure to fund those agencies collectively on Thursday, but McConnell said the Senate wouldnt take it up. By putting individual agency appropriations up for a vote, one at a time, Democrats are seeking to force the Republican-controlled Senate to in effect shoulder the blame for preventing the agencies in question from carrying out basic functions. With the holidays over, the repercussions of the partial shutdown are about to be more widely felt if it persists. The Internal Revenue Service would be unable to issue income tax refunds that taxpayers will expect starting in February, millions of Americans soon will see cuts to food stamps and majestic national parks will continue to be despoiled with trash and human waste. Amid worsening conditions at the most popular parks, the Interior Department on the weekend told park managers to use entrance fees to hire help, according to the Washington Post, though Democrats said such fees are not supposed to go to operations and maintenance. What we ought to do is open up the government first, and thats what were going to do, House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, said on NBCs Meet the Press. I would hope that Senator McConnell would take the responsibility as the leader of the co-equal branch of government, the legislative branch, and send this to the president. With financial hardships taking hold among 800,000 federal workers going without pay, Trump said Sunday he understands their situation. Advertisement I can relate, and Im sure that the people that are on the receiving end will make adjustments. They always do, Trump said. And the president insisted, as he has previously, that his demand for wall funding has robust support within the ranks of the unpaid federal workers. Many of those people agree 100% with what Im doing, he said. Trump and his allies contend that backing away from a demand for a solid concrete border wall, in favor of one made of steel, amounts to a compromise, and that the Democrats should respond in kind. The barrier or the wall can be of steel instead of concrete, if that works better, the president said. He said he would ask steel executives for advice on a design. Advertisement Democrats, who say a physical barrier is a simplistic and ineffective measure, have proposed $1.3 billion in funding for border security and are pushing for high-tech methods of policing the frontier. Even as Trump continued to demand funding for the wall as a condition for ending the partial shutdown, his acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, said on CNNs State of the Union that Cabinet secretaries had been told to search for funds that we can legally use to defend the southern border. Mulvaney said Trumps authority to defend the nation would justify the use of emergency powers, including the expenditure of military and other funds, to move ahead with wall-building. But Rep. Adam Smith, the Washington state Democrat who now chairs the House Armed Services Committee, said such a step would leave the White House wide open to a court challenge. Smith added that such a move by Trump would be a terrible use of Department of Defense dollars. And Rep. Adam B. Schiff, a Burbank Democrat who became chairman of the House Intelligence Committee last week, dismissed the presidents proposal as an empty threat. Advertisement Look, if Harry Truman couldnt nationalize the steel industry during wartime, this president doesnt have the power to declare an emergency and build a multibillion-dollar wall on the border, Schiff said on State of the Union. Senate Republicans have largely refrained from any criticism of Trump over his hard line, but neither have many publicly cheered him on. And as the deadlock has dragged on, a couple Republican senators facing reelection next year have called for it to end. One, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, interviewed on NBCs Meet the Press, ventured a mild dissent. It is not a sign of weakness to try to figure out a middle ground, she said. Advertisement laura.king@latimes.com @laurakingLAT Dear Director, I am looking to get a position teaching English to students in the Islamic State. So began Warren Christopher Clark, a substitute teacher from Texas, in a cover letter written sometime after 2014 and later obtained by American researchers studying extremism. Clark wound up joining the extremist group in Mosul, Iraq, under the nom de guerre Abu Muhammad Ameriki The father of Muhammad the American. On Sunday, a U.S.-backed militia known as the Syrian Democratic Forces announced that it had captured Clark along with another American, an Irishman and two Pakistanis inside Syria. Advertisement A group of terrorists, who had been preparing to attack the civilians who were trying to get out of the war zone in masses, was detected, the Kurdish-dominated militia said in a statement. Following long-term technical and physical follow-up, an operation against the cell was carried out by our forces. Activists said the five had been caught near Kashmah, a small Syrian hamlet in the eastern province of Dair Alzour. The area, a small pocket of desert between the Euphrates River and the border with Iraq, is one of the last redoubts of Islamic State militants. For months, the militia has battled the jihadis for control there. Clark, 34, converted to Islam in 2004, according to local news reports. He graduated in 2008 from the University of Houston with a bachelors degree in political science and a minor in global business, then worked as a substitute teacher in Texas before teaching English in Saudi Arabia and Turkey. According to his cover letter, he considered working at the University of Mosul to be a great way of continuing my career. As my resume shows, I have a variety of skills as well as work experience in education, which I believe will make me an excellent English teacher, the letter continues. Please feel free to contact me at your convenience. Thank you for taking the time to consider me. The cover letter was found in a Mosul home after the Iraqi government regained control of the city in 2017 three years after the militants seized it and a large swath of Iraq and Syria and was published by the Program on Extremism at George Washington University in a lengthy report last year on 64 Americans who had joined Islamic State. Little information was immediately available about the other American captive, 35-year-old Ziad Abed Hamid. Advertisement If sent back to the U.S., he and Clark would be the 15th and 16th Americans known to have returned home after joining Islamic State, according to Seamus Hughes, the deputy director of the George Washington program. Though Clark had applied to be an English teacher, it is unclear whether that was his job for the terrorist group. In any case, he is likely to face terrorism charges if prosecuted in the U.S. The average prison sentence for the militants sent back to the U.S. is 10 years, according to the report on the returnees. Some received reduced sentences in exchange for information on the group. One former Islamic State member, who at one point had attended Columbia University in New York, avoided prison time by cooperating with prosecutors and providing them Islamic State documents. Advertisement Compared with recruits from Europe and the Middle East, Americans make up a tiny part of Islamic States foreign contingent, according to the report. Most appeared to have made contact with Islamic State online and not through entrenched networks like those found in Europe, it said. The foreigners capture comes as the Trump administration continues sending mixed signals on a timetable for its withdrawal of about 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria. On Sunday, when reporters asked President Trump how long the pullout would take, he replied: Its going quickly. Meanwhile, national security advisor John Bolton said during a briefing with reporters in Israel that there are objectives that condition the withdrawal. Advertisement One of those conditions is that Turkey not attack the Kurds, who since 2015 have become the local spearhead for the U.S. in the fight against Islamic State. But Turkey, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization ally, considers the Kurdish contingent of the Syrian Democratic Forces to be a proxy for its homegrown Kurdish insurgency and has long clamored for the U.S. to end its support for the group. nabih.bulos@latimes.com Twitter: @nabihbulos Russia downplayed the possibility of swapping a detained American held on espionage charges for a Russian national behind bars in the United States, its foreign ministry said Saturday. The remarks came after the disclosure of the arrest of a Russian citizen in the Northern Mariana Islands by U.S. officials and his transfer to Florida, deepening the complexity surrounding the mysterious arrest of American Paul Whelan last month in Moscow. An FBI spokeswoman declined to comment on the arrest of Dmitry Makarenko on Dec. 29, which Russias foreign ministry disclosed Saturday. U.S. court records show Makarenko, who lives in Russia, was indicted in Miami in 2017 on charges he broke American laws against exporting military equipment. He was also charged with money laundering. A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment on the case. Advertisement There has been widespread speculation that 48-year-old Whelan, who was arrested on Dec. 28 under the relatively broad charge of espionage with zero details on what he is accused of doing, would be exchanged for a Russian citizen. To speak about any kind of swaps at this stage is inappropriate and wrong, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Rybakov told the state-run RIA news agency. Whelans arrest came weeks after Russian national Maria Butina, 30, pleaded guilty in a U.S. court to acting as an agent for the Kremlin in conspiring with a senior Russian official to infiltrate conservative American circles ahead of the 2016 presidential campaign. Whelans case, which continues to zigzag as details about his past emerges, has further heightened tensions between Washington and Moscow: The United States and Russia are at loggerheads over a range of issues including election interference and the crises in Syria and Ukraine. Whelan, a Michigan resident who served in the Marines, was court-martialed and discharged for trying to steal thousands of dollars from the U.S. government. He also claims citizenship in Britain, Canada and Ireland. The Russian Embassy in Washington found out about Makarenkos detention from those close to him, not the U.S. government, violating the Vienna convention of giving notification within 72 hours of a foreign nationals arrest. This is not the first time the US does this, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The United States neglect of its international obligations has become the norm. Five days passed before Whelan was visited by U.S. government officials. The U.S. ambassador to Russia, Jon Huntsman Jr., met with Whelan on Wednesday in his cell at a Moscow detention facility. Neither Washington nor Moscow have provided a reason for the delay in that meeting. Russias security services arrested Whelan when he was in Moscow on a personal visit, his family and company have said. Advertisement U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington would demand his release if his detention is deemed inappropriate, while London has said its citizens should not be used as pawns. Barrett reported from Washington. First published in The Washington Post Just over two weeks after the Trump administration announced a new policy that would force asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for their turns in U.S. immigration court, there is no sign yet at the border that it has been implemented. Though the Department of Homeland Security said on December 20 that the change was effective immediately, advocacy groups all along the border continue to receive large numbers of migrant families who have been released from immigration custody into the U.S. Asylum seekers continue to move through the San Ysidro Port of Entry, which is, according to a recent study, the busiest port on the southwest border for asylum claims. Katie Waldman, DHS spokeswoman, assured the San Diego Union-Tribune that the change will happen. We are in the process of beginning implementation, Waldman said. We want to ensure an orderly, safe, and efficient process. Advertisement Under the policy, asylum seekers who come either to ports of entry or cross the border illegally would go through preliminary processing before heading back across the border with pieces of paper showing their next court hearing dates in the U.S. Mexico announced that it had decided to temporarily allow asylum seekers waiting for U.S. immigration court hearings to reenter the country and that it would provide humanitarian visas to allow asylum seekers to work while they wait. However, some top Mexican officials quickly said that was not possible. The head of Mexicos National Institute of Migration said that Mexico would have to change its laws in order to comply with such a policy. Since then, it has been unclear what will happen if and when the U.S. begins to implement the policy. It is not an agreement, but a unilateral measure by the U.S. government and, as such, the decision is entirely a domestic issue, said a spokeswoman for the Mexican Embassy in Washington when asked about the delayed implementation. As is its sovereign right, the government of Mexico will take appropriate measures in accordance with our legal framework. She said Mexican officials would be asking the U.S. for more information about what it plans to do. Besides the confusion in Mexico, the proposed change also brought a slew of logistical questions from immigration attorneys, advocates and others who work closely with the U.S. immigration system. How would the migrants get from the border to immigration court? Would immigration courts along the border be responsible for hearing all of the new asylum cases? How would attorneys meet with their clients before their hearings, or how would migrants even find attorneys to take their cases? Answers to these questions are still unknown. Advertisement For Everard Meade, director of the Trans-Border Institute at the University of San Diego, the delayed rollout is not entirely surprising. Its on pattern with almost everything theyve tried to do with immigration in the past two years, Meade said. They front-load policies that sound very harsh and decisive but also sound like theyre simple when in fact implementation is complicated and much more constrained by the law. For Peter Nunez, a former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California who supports lower levels of immigration, the lack of implementation reflected a different pattern. Im so jaded, so disappointed, so confused at the way things work these days where things that seem to be fairly straightforward and easily accomplished end up being not any of those things either because someone in the administration doesnt do it right, or if they do it right, theres immediately 10 lawsuits, Nunez said. Advertisement He believes that asylum seekers should be required to ask for protection in the first country they enter that is not their own, he said. He hadnt paid much attention to whether the new policy had gone into effect because of his dissatisfaction with the way things have been going overall, he said. I didnt have any expectations, bottom line, Nunez said. Its so frustrating that any attempt to do anything rational is thwarted either in Congress or the courts or both. Many expect advocates to challenge the Remain in Mexico policy in court if and when it is implemented. For Pedro Rios, director of the American Friends Service Committees U.S./ Mexico Border Program, the lack of implementation is a good thing. He worries about migrants safety if theyre forced to wait months or even years in Mexico and gave as an example the two Honduran teens who were recently killed in Tijuana. Advertisement Its somewhat of a relief that Mexico hasnt fully bought into the idea that they should be the waiting country for migrants who are having their asylum claims processed in the U.S., Rios said. Asylum seekers in Tijuana which has long had a backlog of people waiting to come into the U.S. for processing were initially stunned by the Trump administrations announcement. As time has passed without any sign of the change, those huddled around the tent in a corner of the Chaparral Plaza have continued to step forward eagerly when their names are called. Migrants organizing the list of people waiting said they hadnt seen or heard about anyone being brought back to Mexico to wait some more. What has changed is how many show up to hear their names. Since the line reached the part of the list with names of members from the most recent caravan, many names called into the cool morning air have received no response. Advertisement A Nicaraguan man who is among those in charge of the list said they think its because of how many caravan members decided to cross illegally not wanting to wait in the then-months-long line. Sixty people went in on Friday morning after more than 160 names were called. He expected that once the line got past the caravan members names, most who were called would show up again. As he spoke with newly arrived migrants wanting to be added to the list, families from Haiti and Cameroon stopped by the tent to find out how close the line was to calling their names. Advertisement Immigration Videos On Now New developments in family separation case 9:53 On Now A San Diego woman volunteered as a medic in Texas helping migrant families 2:35 On Now Immigration policy protests in Carlsbad nearly cancelled after permit issue 1:38 On Now When children are separated from their parents at the border, here is where they go next On Now Prospects of a deal for 'Dreamers' may hinge on separating Trump from hard-liners on his staff On Now What is DACA? On Now Border wall prototype contractors selected On Now Video: Ukrainian boxer wins asylum in U.S. On Now 30 apprehended after Border Patrol agents discover tunnel On Now Video: Kurdish diaspora prepare to vote on independence Follow me on Facebook for live updates about immigration news kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com, @bgirledukate on Twitter Ashley Powell was 25 and starting a new job when she moved into the Scripps Landing apartments, sight unseen. The first thing she noticed when she stepped inside was the carpet. Im not talking damp. I am talking soaking wet, said Powell, now married and known as Ashley Douthit. An earthy, muddy scent permeated the apartment, Douthit said. She was struck by sneezing fits and spied what looked like mold in the windows and closet. My lungs started closing up and I started developing breathing issues as well as breaking out in rashes all over my body, she said. Advertisement Douthit vacated the apartment within days and later filed a small-claims lawsuit to recover moving costs from her landlord, the H.G. Fenton Co. The case was dismissed, she said, because she had not thought to test for mold. Unless you have a mold report, you cant prove anything, she said. Douthit and Fenton are by no means the only tenants and landlords facing mold problems. According to court records and interviews, numerous San Diego developers and property managers have been sued for mold intrusions. Plaintiffs allege serious health problems and even death. Fenton says it responds to every situation appropriately and effectively. In our business, this (mold) is a serious subject, said Michael Neal, the Fenton president and chief executive officer. We try to go in and fix the problem -- not the surface, if you will. Mold is naturally occurring in the environment. It can grow as a result of leaky plumbing or windows and roofs that let moisture inside when it rains. Fenton said its response to moisture-related calls from tenants often exceeds industry standards. We regularly make improvements at our communities designed to reduce moisture-related problems, it said. Due to the many causes that can lead to mold-related issues, however, effective management requires that any issue brought to our attention by a resident be evaluated on an independent basis in order to find and resolve that specific situation. To be sure, any organization that manages thousands of apartments and millions of square feet of commercial space is destined to be the target of complaints by some tenants. Fenton properties in Tierrasanta and Mission Valley also have been the subject of mold-related lawsuits. Advertisement Fenton officials were aware that water damage and mold constitute a health hazard and can result in a breach of the implied warrant of habitability, a 2012 lawsuit against the company alleged. The case was filed by then-Fenton Tierrasanta resident Vanessa Terry, who claimed she was forced to evacuate her apartment after suffering toxic allergies and infections as a result of the mold. Terry claimed Fenton made cosmetic repairs but never fixed the source of the problem. Defendants were aware that the home suffered from long-term moisture intrusion and mold problems prior to renting it to plaintiff, the complaint said. However, defendant did not disclose these problems nor fully and properly repair them prior to plaintiff renting the home. Advertisement The Tierrasanta suit was dismissed the following year at the request of the plaintiff, court records show, meaning the case was likely settled privately. Michael Neal is president and chief executive officer at H.G. Fenton. The company has a maintenance shop with demonstration toilets, appliances, windows and mock drywall stations to help teach workers the science of leak detection and repair. (Jeff McDonald/ San Diego Union-Tribune) Health threat According to federal health officials, mold can cause asthma and other respiratory problems in healthy people -- and more severe symptoms in children and others with compromised immune systems. Establishing a definitive link between exposure to mold and ill health can be elusive. The adverse physiological effects can take years to turn up, and even when they do it is not always clear that mold is the culprit. Advertisement Fenton understands the threat and adheres to a strict protocol once mold is reported, said Neal, the company president. Property managers dispatch an in-house crew to respond to complaints within hours and bring in outside experts when need be, he said. The company willingly pays to move residents into hotels or alternate quarters through the course of any needed repairs, Neal said, but even their best practices do not prevent every moisture intrusion. We cant control the housekeeping aspect, he said. Although mold complaints represent less than 1 percent of its service calls, Fenton said moisture issues are not uncommon in residential communities because plumbing can leak, windows get left open or water otherwise makes it way inside. Advertisement To answer those calls expeditiously, the company runs a robust training program for its maintenance staff -- four hours for every new employee and remedial education for veteran workers. The classes are held monthly in a maintenance shop underneath Friars Road, just west of an underpass connecting Fentons Portofino Apartment Homes to the Fenton Marketplace shopping center. Inside, there are demonstration toilets, appliances, windows and mock drywall stations with holes cut through to expose copper piping -- instructional aids designed to help teach workers the science of leak detection and repair. Theres also a classroom area where workers are taught how to use equipment like HEPA vacuums, or high-efficiency particulate air filters, which help remove mold spores and other dangerous material from internal living spaces. Advertisement We put all new hires through the program and our recurring employees come back for refreshers, maintenance manager Benito Teran said during a recent tour. Mark Riedy, who directed the Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate at the University of San Diego for more than 20 years, said property owners who receive multiple mold complaints in the same building need to address the root cause of the intrusion. Common sense and a sense of responsibility would say you re-do the whole building, Riedy said. Repairs should be based on long-term outcomes -- not immediate costs, he said. Advertisement The best practice is you respond to a tenant problem and you fix the cause, Riedy said. That may be the most expensive, but if youve got an issue with a building that affects a lot of units you have to bite the bullet and fix the problem. Extremely distressed When Cynthia Norman reported mold in her Solana Highlands apartment, Fenton denied there was a problem, she said in a 2014 lawsuit. Then it hired a consultant who found no evidence of contamination. Norman, who had been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that qualified her for disability benefits and reduced-cost housing at the Solana Beach complex, said in her lawsuit that she was not the only one to register concern about the condition of the property. Many tenants have complained to defendants about the presence of mold in their apartments and illnesses consistent with exposure to mold and other indoor air pollutants, her lawsuit said. But the defendants denied there was a mold problem to manipulate plaintiff into believing that none existed. Advertisement Normans lawsuit said the experts Fenton hired conducted a sham investigation of her mold complaints and insisted the air quality within the residence was fine. Norman settled her complaint in 2016 for an undisclosed amount of money and agreed never to discuss the terms publicly. Emily Chiappara is another former Fenton tenant who was unhappy with her accommodations. According to a lawsuit she filed recently, Chiappara leased an apartment at Scripps Landing for herself and her three children in March. Within weeks she reported a leak to the manager and complained that her kids were showing symptoms of ill health, the lawsuit said. Advertisement Fenton paid to house the family in a hotel and called in experts but by early July, a lawyer for the company told Chiappara the remediation was finished and testing showed the apartment was habitable once again, according to letters she provided to the Union-Tribune. All results were within acceptable levels and the residence obtained clearance within industry standards, attorney J. Paul Lewis wrote to the tenant. Chiappara was not convinced. She hired her own inspector and got a different result. Mold Safe Solutions reported elevated levels of mold spore counts and dampness, Chiappara said in a sworn declaration. I have been extremely concerned about the health and wellness of my children and I. Advertisement Chiappara took her kids and moved to Poway, with her parents. Not only Fenton Fenton is not the only developer or property manager to confront mold complaints -- or litigation. San Diego Superior Court records are rife with allegations of landlords failing to properly respond to such reports, although a review by The San Diego Union-Tribune of complaints dating back 10 years found no other major developer with as many mold-related allegations as Fenton. The parents of a toddler in Escondido sued their landlord in 2014 after repeatedly complaining that mold was growing on the bedroom and bathroom walls in the unit they rented at the Citrus Court Apartments. Advertisement Defendants hired workers on their behalf who removed the mushrooms, but the mushrooms grew back, the complaint stated. Milorad and Ljiljana Vuckovich filed their lawsuit in December 2014, two months after their 3-year-old son, Danilo, died from a sickness his parents blamed on the mold. They said the landlords knew about the danger and rented to their family anyway. The defendants, owners 485 Citrus LLC, Starvest LP and David W. Yancey, among others, settled the case for $2.2 million in 2016, although they spent two more years in litigation over the various amounts each defendant would pay. Ana Duenas alleged in a lawsuit last year that her landlord and property manager knew about a mold problem in her unit at the Wildwood Apartments just off Palm Avenue in south San Diego when she moved in 2015. Advertisement In her complaint, Duanas said she grew more and more ill over the months, before requiring a surgery to remove sinus polyps. She found out later that a broken water heater had saturated the drywall of her unit and it had not been replaced. Owners Wildwood Apartments LLC and property managers Sunrise Management Co. denied any liability or negligence. The plaintiff filed a request for dismissal in April, usually indicating an out-of-court settlement. Starting over Susan Carre has been mired in a court scrum with Fenton since 2013. Carre lived at Solana Highlands for three years before leaving in 2013. According to her lawsuit, mold and asbestos inside her apartment made her sick and her oldest daughter even sicker. Advertisement On more than one occasion, defendants sent unqualified and improperly trained maintenance personnel to investigate and remediate the mold, her complaint alleged. The single mother obtained records in the discovery process that show she leased her unit just months after the former tenant complained of mold, then moved out. Her older daughter has experienced persistent health issues since she lived at Solana Highlands, the lawsuit said. Carre, who sued in 2013 and has been through several lawyers, is now litigating the case herself -- an effort that has turned into full-time work. She is awaiting a hearing in January. Despite rejecting allegations in the Carre lawsuit, Fenton is planning to demolish Solana Highlands and start over. Advertisement The company designed a whole new complex on the South Nardo Avenue property, 260 units scattered across two dozen two- and three-story buildings. The redevelopment includes 62 new apartments and will feature a clubhouse, pool and barbecue areas. With a handful of conditions, the Solana Beach City Council approved the project at a public hearing Dec. 17. jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald A GoFundMe campaign created to fund the U.S.-Mexico border wall has raised nearly $12 million in the days since it was created making it one of the most successful campaigns in the fundraising sites history. The campaign has out-raised a fund for the victims of Februarys Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Fla. The Stoneman Douglas Victims Fund has raised more than $10.1 million in 10 months. If building a border wall isnt of interest you, here are six other worthwhile campaigns. Advertisement Tommie Tough Tommie DeSantis, 4, was diagnosed with High Risk Neuroblastoma a rare and aggressive type of pediatric cancer on Dec. 9 and is about to begin treatment. In just 10 days, Tommie DeSantis GoFundMe raised $97,000. It was created to allow the girls family to focus on whats most important at this time being together as a family, not having to worry about anything else, the campaign description read. Desantis 18-month treatment plan will take place at the Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh. Camp Fire Fund The Camp Fire in California has killed at least 83 people, making it the deadliest in the states history. Advertisement Tri Counties Bank to set up a GoFundMe. Donations will help the victims in the town of Paradise and other areas. The campaign, which has raised about $558,000, is nearing its goal of $600,000. Save Yoel and Yael Advertisement Twins Yoel and Yael were about 5 months old when they were diagnosed with Canavan Disease in October. The disease is a rare neurological disorder that is highly progressive and causes brain degeneration. Gabi Ilinetsky, the twins mother, felt her life was over when she discovered the news, which has caused her double the burden, double the grief, double the pain, she explained in a GoFundMe campaign created Dec. 12. Advertisement Ilinetsky and her husband Zohar hope to raise enough funds to help pay for therapies, NeuroMovement and Gene Replacement, that may give the twins a chance at life. The fundraiser has raised over $112,000 in eight days. They hope to raise $2 million. The Kyle Hart Memorial Advertisement Kyle Hart, 33, was fatally shot by a Redwood City, Calif., police officer on Dec. 10, leaving behind his 32-year-old wife Kristin Hart, 2-year-old son, and 3-day-old daughter. The teacher allegedly charged at cops with a butcher knife during a suicide attempt, which led to his death, according to the Palo Alto Daily Post, The GoFundMe for Kyle, which has raised more than $235,000 will help the Hart family focus on living a happy and healthy life. Whether for diapers or a college tuition, your donation will make a significant difference in the lives of Kyles wife, son, and daughter, the campaign read. Advertisement Assist Woman Set on Fire in Tonawanda Jessica Cameron, 25, is in critical condition after a domestic violence attack left her drenched in flammable liquid and set on fire at a Tonawanda, N.Y., Tim Hortons. Her mother Christina Cameron set up GoFundMe campaign to help with medical costs and taking care of her daughters three children. Advertisement The campaign has raised $18,000 in three days. Cameron is on a ventilator and will undergo various surgeries over the upcoming days. Jessica is healing. She is in a medically induced coma to allow her body to be in a state that allows total regeneration, an update read Thursday, on the Jurassic JessEs Journey Facebook page. Advertisement Help Bryan Kidwell Walk Again Bryan Kidwell shattered his C5 and C6 vertebrae in his spinal cord after diving into a wave and hitting his head into a sandbar on Aug, 19. The accident left Kidwell unable to move his arms, legs, and torso. Due to his lack of health insurance, medical and rehabilitation costs will be costly. His fiance Sofia Lares set up a GoFundMe campaign a week after the accident. It has since raised over $112,000 of its $150,000 goal. Theater, dinner, bridge games and classroom lectures on art, politics or the black holes of the universe. Those are just a few of the activities at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, a program for seniors entering its 45th year at the University of California San Diego Extension. More than 150 people the largest crowd yet, organizers said attended an open house Saturday morning to learn more about the Osher Institute at the La Jolla campus. We are very different from any senior program youve ever encountered, said Mike McDade, a retired San Diego lawyer and the president of the institute, sometimes called OLLI for short. Advertisement The Osher program is entirely run by its members, all volunteers, using a single full-time employee and one part-time office worker. The members select the activities, classes and lecturers based on their own interests. We draw top-flight speakers, not only from UCSD, but from all over the country, said McDade, who joined in 2011. I found it absolutely delightful. Morning and afternoon classes are scheduled five days a week, 38 weeks of the year. Every other week has Live Music Friday, with performances at the UC San Diego Extension campus. There are occasional field trips and tours of museums and neighborhoods in San Diego, and an upcoming visit to The Getty Villa in Malibu. Steve Clarey, chair of the UC San Diego Osher Lifelong Learning Institute curriculum committee, pointing, leads a walking tour for people who attended the winter open house held at the UC San Diego Extension. (Howard Lipin/U-T) Bridge groups meet on Saturdays, and the institute has a long tradition of theater, with members playing or reading parts in two or three different performances every quarter. You dont have grades, said Carol Roberts, vice president of the institute. You dont have to do any assignments except for a little reading. Most of the classes are taught by university faculty members, who enjoy interacting with the older generation, she said. Advertisement The Osher students, many with long and interesting careers of their own behind them, are often more enthusiastic than the younger students on campus, she said. The seniors ask better questions and have more background knowledge on important historic events such as World War II. The speakers get as energized as the audience, Roberts said. Numerous studies show that intellectual activity, like staying physically fit, is an important part of aging well. Social interaction is also important to seniors, she said. Another way the institute addresses that is with its dining club, which meets regularly at local restaurants. Advertisement Those get sold out the minute they are announced, she said. Osher membership is open to anyone age 50 or older and costs $265 per year or $80 per month. Theres no fee for classes, but some activities include a charge for food, materials or additional services. Membership includes full access to UC San Diego libraries, but not to most regular classes. All of the lectures are recorded on videos, which are available free to all members and can be accessed by anyone else who purchases an affiliate membership for $25 a year. We consider ourselves a community of learners and actively engaged seniors, said Steve Clarey, a retired U.S. naval officer and chairman of the groups curriculum committee. Advertisement Lectures cover basic subjects such as music, medicine, economics and law, often with contemporary twists such as an upcoming speaker on The Rule of Law in the Age of Trump. You dont have to sign up for anything, you can just show up, said member Flossie Riesner. She and her husband sometimes spend a full day on the campus enjoying a variety of educational activities, she said. The Osher Institute started at UC San Diego in 1974 as the Institute for Continued Learning and initially met in members homes. It moved to the Extension campus in 1977. Advertisement In 2002, the institute received grants and an endowment totaling almost $1.4 million from the Bernard F. Osher Foundation, named after the Northern California businessman and philanthropist born in 1927 in Maine. Today, the San Diego program is part of a network of more than 120 programs across the United States. philip.diehl@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @phildiehl A junior-high teacher was found not guilty of animal cruelty after being accused of feeding an ill puppy to his Idaho classrooms snapping turtle last year. The determination was made Friday by a six-person jury to conclude a two-day trial, during which jurors heard a recording of the teacher, Robert Crosland, explaining his actions to an investigator. I honestly thought I was doing the right thing by putting it out of its misery, Crosland said in the recording, according to Idaho Falls news station KIFI. Crosland who teaches science at Preston Junior High School was charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty in June after being accused of feeding the sick canine to the turtle in front of students in March. Advertisement His attorneys claimed the puppy didnt suffer, while prosecutors contended the dog may have had a chance to live, according to CBS News. Among those who testified during the trial were students who said they saw the puppy fed to the reptile. Idaho authorities euthanized the turtle several weeks after the incident after determining it was a non-native species of snapping turtle. Crosland had faced up to six months behind bars had he been convicted. He also faced a $5,000 fine. The comedy film Napoleon Dynamite was set in Preston, which has a population of roughly 5,200 people. San Diego needs housing lots of it. But resistance to loading more density into urbanized neighborhoods and pressure to limit building in outlying, fire-prone areas is making the way forward increasingly difficult for local governments. Everyone wants more housing in the abstract. In reality, local lawmakers are going to upset someone influential by approving or denying projects, particularly those that call for a dramatic increase in units. Existing residents tend to like where they live and dont want development thats going to bring more people and traffic or change the character of their neighborhood. Those are voting constituents of the council and board members making the decisions. Advertisement Saying no to proposals for big suburban projects on open land isnt easy either. Housing is needed and the developers often have strong political ties to San Diego and they tend to make generous campaign contributions. Those dynamics are playing out in San Diego County and across California, where the woeful lack of housing has driven up rents and home-sale prices almost beyond belief. Its always the same good project, good goal, just not here, San Diego city Planning Commissioner James Whalen said last month to Clairemont residents who oppose a 450-unit affordable housing complex on Mt. Etna Drive. Lawmakers at the local and state level sound increasingly determined to break through the barriers that have stymied more expansive housing development. The question is whether the problem has reached the critical mass necessary to persuade the general public to accept something that, for the most part, it doesnt really want. For years, efforts to build more in San Diegos urban core has met with mixed results. Infill development became smart growth with a higher motive that emphasizes mass transit to help get people out of their cars and combat climate change. That all was supposed to curb leapfrog development, a yesteryear term that long ago largely gave way to urban sprawl. The battle continues and always will. But more local policies and statewide legislation are being put forward aimed at making housing more affordable with incentives, and possibly penalties. Much of the focus is on increasing density, along with boosting subsidies. Having experienced hurdles at the local level, housing advocates were downright euphoric when lawmakers introduced a blizzard of housing-related bills at the start of the California Legislatures new session in December. Advertisement Then they were doused with a bucket of cold water from an unexpected source: Gov. Jerry Brown, who leaves office Monday. He was pessimistic that housing affordability could ever be achieved. I dont think you can mandate lower prices because people want the value in their homes. I dont think you can build housing and pay for it by taxing hard-pressed middle-class people, among others, to pay for it, he told National Public Radio last month. If you want to come back and talk to me in four years, I assure you were going to have the same problem that we have today. In San Diego, real estate analyst Gary London said the region is short some 170,000 housing units. Compounding the problem, he added, is that the wrong kind of housing is being built, with too much focus on downtown and not enough on nearby communities. Pitched battles over big development on the far-flung fringes of the county have been common for years, as nearby residents complain about quality-of-life issues and, more recently, public safety concerns. Advertisement One of the latest disputes involves the proposed 2,135-home Newland Sierra project north of Escondido. The county Board of Supervisors backed the development in October, but it is now in limbo because opponents qualified a referendum for the 2020 ballot. Increasingly, such fights are taking place over whether more dense housing should be built in developed areas, including along transit corridors where experts say growth should be focused. One example is the plan for Morena Boulevard, where the city of San Diego has proposed increased housing density, particularly near two new trolley stations. Initially, the rezoning proposal called for a height limit of 45 feet except in two areas, where limits of 65 feet and 100 feet would be allowed. Following community opposition, city staff altered the proposal, keeping everything at the 45-foot limit, though the plan would still allow for more density, but probably not as much as the original proposal, according to a report by the Union-Tribunes David Garrick. The opposition is predictable and understandable. The plan called for big changes. Whether the opponents will continue to hold sway with the Planning Commission and City Council remains to be seen. Theyve been successful before. A proposal for six-story buildings in that same general area was defeated after community opposition in 2014. Advertisement Those opposed to the Morena Boulevard zoning changes have complained the initial plan would change the character of the area (and block their views), didnt include enough affordable housing and that more housing density shouldnt be build near the Rose Canyon fault. Clairemont residents expressed some different concerns about the 450-unit Mt. Etna Drive complex. Not only would it add to congestion, they argued, but it may well become a slum. Planning commissioners bristled at that, noting that teachers, police officers, young professionals and seniors all need affordable housing. Some of the commissioners lectured opponents about the need for affordable housing and, pointing to statistics, said Clairemont did not have its appropriate share. Further, they noted whats happening in Sacramento and warned that change is coming. The message was clear: Get on board and help shape these projects, or have them forced upon you. Advertisement Planning commissioners are appointees. The real test will be whether elected officials show that kind of resolve. Tweet of the Week Goes to San Diego expat Liam Dillon (@dillonliam) of the Los Angeles Times Sacramento bureau. One theme thats become clear in all the @JerryBrownGov exit interviews is that all the things he is criticized for not dealing with strongly housing affordability, tax revenue volatility, etc. he says are impossible to fix. A sea of blue lined the pews facing the flag-draped casket inside CrossPoint Community Church. Hundreds of law enforcement officers from across the country turned out Saturday to pay tribute to Newman Police Cpl. Ronil Singh, 33, who was fatally shot during a traffic stop in Stanislaus County last month by a man authorities say was in the country illegally. Newman Police Chief Randy Richardson grew emotional as he talked about Singh, his first hire in 2011 in what would become an 11-officer department. Singh, born in Fiji, immigrated to the United States as a teenager in 2003 and was proud to be an American, friends and family said. Advertisement He told me he came to this country with one purpose, and that purpose was to become a police officer, Richardson said. Amid somber reflections were memories that captured Singhs jovial spirit and prompted the room to break out in laughter. Singh was able to bring a smile to the faces of even those he arrested, Richardson said. We will say goodbye today, but you will always be in our hearts, the chief said. I love you. When Singhs brother, Reggie, took the stage, bathed in blue light, he thanked the officers who had arrested the suspected gunman, Gustavo Perez Arriaga, 32, who police said has known gang ties and had been arrested twice on suspicion of driving under the influence. Police believe Arriaga was driving drunk when Singh stopped him in the early morning hours of Dec. 26. Someone had tipped off the corporal to an intoxicated man in a silver pickup. A short time later, Singh radioed that he was pulling over a vehicle. Police officers salute family members of slain Newman Police Cpl. Ronil Singh. (Stephen Lam / Getty Images) Advertisement Minutes later, he called out shots fired. The officers who responded found Singh had been wounded, and the driver he stopped had fled. The corporal was taken to a hospital, where he died. His was the first death in the line of duty for the Newman Police Department. The motive in the shooting is not clear. After a four-day manhunt, authorities arrested Arriaga in the Lamont, Calif., area. Police believe he was trying to flee to his native Mexico. Advertisement Arriagas previous brushes with the law and his subsequent release by law enforcement prompted angry comments from Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson about Senate Bill 54, the states so-called sanctuary law. The law, which took effect in 2018, prohibits state and local police agencies from notifying federal officials in many cases when immigrants potentially subject to deportation are about to be released from custody. This is a criminal illegal alien with prior criminal activity that should have been reported to ICE, Christianson said. Law enforcement was prohibited because of sanctuary laws, and that led to the encounter with Officer Singh. President Trump, who has made immigration enforcement one of his top priorities, took to Twitter to comment on the case: Time to get tough on Border Security. Build the Wall! This week, Trump called Singhs wife, Amanika Mika Chand-Singh, Richardson and Christianson, praising Singhs service and offering condolences. Advertisement At the funeral service, Reggie Singh recounted that when his family first got their television, his older brother began watching the reality show Cops. He always wanted to become [a] law enforcement [officer] in America, Reggie Singh said. Ronil Singh began his career as a volunteer with the Modesto Police Department in 2005. He then worked as a cadet for the Turlock Police Department and later as a reserve deputy for the Merced County Sheriffs Department. He was hired by the Newman Police Department in 2011. Advertisement Ronil was very proud to become a police officer and deeply loyal to his department, said Modesto Police Det. Ra Pouv, a longtime friend of Singhs. Outside the church, blue bows were tied to lampposts and trees. The general public watched the proceedings in a chapel across the street. Among them was Gopal Ramaiya, a family friend who wore a beanie with a blue-line flag on it. Ramaiyas family is also from Fiji, and his son is a Walnut police officer. Advertisement Its heartbreaking what happened here, he said. Others did not know Singh but wanted to attend to show their support and appreciation for law enforcement. My heart really goes out to them. Theyre the ones who run in when we run out, said Barbara Harmony, who grew teary-eyed as she spoke. Its senseless. Inside the church, a tribute video flashed across the screen, in which Newman officers and others from across the county recounted memories of Singh. Advertisement Throughout the service, the corporals 5-month-old son cooed in his mothers arms. A family video showed the babys feet balanced on his fathers as the two walked together. Singh had been teaching his son to walk and talk. He was looking forward to hearing his son call him papa. brittny.mejia@latimes.com Twitter: @Brittny_Mejia Torrance police detectives Sunday were continuing to work to identify a suspect or suspects in a shooting at a bowling alley that left three people dead and four others injured. A brawl broke out at the Gable House Bowl shortly before midnight Friday as people were celebrating birthdays and friends convened to unwind after the first week of the new year. Its unclear what prompted the melee, but Torrance police Sgt. Ronald Harris told The Times on Sunday that the primary focus is for detectives to identify a suspect in the shooting. My goal is to meet with detectives later this evening to see if theres anything we can release or put out, he said. They have been working around the clock since this incident. Advertisement The victims included Robert Meekins and Astin Edwards, both 28, who were best friends. A third victim, Michael Radford, 20, also died at the scene. Two other men were injured and taken to a hospital, while two others sought medical attention on their own. Friends and family members of the victims held a candlelight vigil Saturday night in the parking lot of the bowling alley. On Sunday morning, dozens of candles, many still burning, were placed near the entrance of the bowling alley, some depicting la Virgen de Guadalupe or Jesus Christ on the cross. Seven balloons swayed in the light breeze, marked with the words, Youre so special. Tony Akins, 34, walked up to the memorial and bowed his head, making the sign of the cross. He lives near the bowling alley but has never been inside. I was shocked because I would never expect something like this to happen here, in my city, he said. It shouldnt have led to that. Video on social media and interviews show a chaotic scene after the fight broke out inside the bowling alley. Several women were fighting and rolling on the floor, according to witness Dana Scott. Security came up and next thing we know there were men fighting, Scott told ABC7. All we heard was pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop. In one video posted on social media, a man wearing a Security jacket can be seen attempting to break up the brawl, which involved at least a dozen men. Later he appears to use pepper spray. The video also shows a woman sitting over a man with gunshot wounds and sobbing. On Sunday, a sign with a message to visitors was taped to the front door of the bowling alley. Advertisement Gable House Bowl has been a member of the Torrance community for over 50 years, it read. We have always valued our relationship with our customers and are saddened by the events that transpired last night. Gable Houses thoughts and prayers go out to the victims, their family members and everyone affected by this senseless tragedy. Inside, it was business as usual. A mom played an arcade game called Crank It with her young son. People strolled in carrying bowling bags. Roseann Imbro, 75, discussed the shooting with friends as they finished practicing for their senior league. Imbro said shed gone to the 7 a.m. Mass at the nearby St. Lawrence Martyr Catholic Church, where the congregation prayed for victims of the shooting. She frequents the bowling alley several times a week. Advertisement Were a community, she said. Its nothing like what went on [the other] night here. She said shes never felt unsafe at Gable House. Im sad for the parents, she said. Poor families. And it was probably over a stupid thing. Gable House, with its distinctive blue sloping roof, opened in 1960 and has been a popular nightspot in the quiet suburb for decades. On Friday and Saturday nights, a glow-in-the-dark bowling event called Rock-n-Glow runs from midnight to 3 a.m. Advertisement In March 2015, a 27-year-old woman was killed in the parking lot when a fight escalated into a shooting. The suspects began shooting as soon as they pulled into the lot and never entered the building, the bowling alleys manager said at the time. Anyone with information about the Friday shooting is asked to contact the Torrance Police Department at (310) 328-3456. Despite his growing international stature, San Diego Symphony music director designate Rafael Payare is not the type to trumpet his achievements. But he is happy to toot the horn for the 29 trumpeters and three finalists who recently auditioned to fill a spot in the orchestra, which hell conduct for four concerts here this week before assuming his position with the symphony full-time this summer. Never mind that Payare couldnt actually see any of the trumpeters (unlike the two violin finalists who auditioned the day before, after being selected from an initial pool of more than 70 violinists). That is because, as is standard for major orchestras, the trumpeters performed behind screens to ensure they be judged solely on the quality of their performances. Each of the unseen trumpet finalists performed excerpts from the same four pieces by Beethoven, Mahler, Mussorgsky and Stravinsky. The two violin finalists played excerpts from different pieces by the same composers, plus from a Brahms violin concerto. While all 70-plus violinists initially performed behind a screen, the two finalists did not. Some of the same pieces cited above will, not coincidentally, be featured when Payare conducts the symphony here this Thursday through Sunday. Advertisement The featured soloist at all four performances will be his wife, acclaimed cellist Alisa Weilerstein, who at the Friday through Sunday concerts will be featured in the orchestra first-ever performance of Benjamin Brittens Symphony for Cello and Orchestra. All four shows are part of the symphonys eclectic, month-long Hearing the Future series, curated by 2018 MacArthur Foundation genius grant recipient Matthew Aucoin. Noted cellist Alisa Weilerstein will be thee featured soloist at all for San Diego Symphony concerts in the coming week. (Photo by Harald Hoffmann) Payare smiled when asked what qualities he listened for to differentiate the 29 trumpeters and three finalists from each other. (Because of his globe-trotting conducting schedule, he did not arrive in San Diego in time to hear the preliminary violin auditions, only the two finalists.) I listen for the sound, and if the sound is rich and has enough overtones, said Payare, who knows by heart all the pieces the auditioning musicians played and did not need a score to follow along. When you have a trumpet player that has enough overtones, they dont have to play as loud, but their sound will get richer. And, for this hall, that is so beautiful to hear, (because) it will get an embracing kind of sound to it. You also listen for personality and artistry. So those are the qualities that we are, all the time, trying to look for. Then you think: OK, lets see if (a trumpeter is) versatile enough to not only be able to play with power, but light ... A native of Venezuela, Payare lives in Berlin, Germany, with his wife and their young daughter. He spoke to the Union-Tribune during a fall interview at the symphonys Jacobs Music Centers Copley Symphony Hall. These are edited excerpts. Q: Did you ever audition behind a screen? A: Myself? Maybe. Yeah, I think so. Probably when I was a (French) horn player; I cant recall. I think you block that out! Advertisement Q: I was just wondering, what is it like, psychologically, when you know the people judging your playing can only hear you? A: I think for the player, it might be better. Because they could feel like they are alone. They dont need to worry: Am I looking at this jury member? Am I looking at the other? They could be a little bit more free, if they are not seeing what is happening, (because) everything is about the sound. Also, for the jury members its not like: Well, I know this person. So its a good system, I think. Q: One of the pieces youll be conducting here in January is Ravels arrangement of Mussorgskys Pictures at an Exhibition. What do you try to bring to music that audiences know very well? How reverent are you to the original? How much do you try to put your mark on it? A: Well, its both at the same time. Because I am very faithful (to how) the original was written. And, for some reason I dont know if it is the way it has been played (before), or not its the way that I could hear it in my head. Thats the way I try to do it. I cannot say (my way is) new, or its the truth, but thats the way I try to do it. ... There are many pieces I have also played (on French horn) in the orchestra, and have always wondered: Why was it done this way? If its this way, why dont (we) bring these (other) kind of colors out? Thats kind of the way I approach the music. Advertisement Q: How important is it you know the history of a specific composition or composer? A: For me, it matters a lot. Because lets say the first layer (of the music) is what you see on paper, then you try to dig into some things. When youre trying to do the analysis, sometimes you see how it may come to change (in) one place to another, and you start to wonder why. Why did it go in this direction? Why not the other? And when you have a little bit of knowledge of what was happening during the time, you could say: Ah! Maybe it was a reaction to this event that happened in (the composers) life ... Its like having more colors to use in your palette. Q: Tell me about the first time you conducted an orchestra in Venezuela. A: It was in 2007, and I think I was 26. The sensation was like, Finally! I had done some other things, conducting brass ensembles and things like that. But when I finally got to conduct the symphony orchestra and have a full program, the sensation was like when you discover air. You do not have any air and then, finally, (Payare inhaled deeply) its like: Yeah! This is what its about! Advertisement Q: When you perform with your wife, who decides how a piece of music should be played? Or do you both decide? A: We both decide. The thing is and this is why we love working with each other we respect and admire each other as artists. Our way of making music is very similar, regarding the passion and everything you do. We dont do things just because everybody else is doing it this way, so we want to make it different. If we make it different, its because we honestly think this is the way it should be done and thats the way we hear it. What I can say, because I have seen my wife play with other conductors and orchestras, is that of course she takes a lot more liberties with me than with any other conductor! San Diego Symphony presents Rafael Payare conducts Mozart and Tchaikovsky When: 8 p.m. Thursday Tickets: $20-$105, plus service charges (concert benefits the San Diego Symphonys Learning and Community Engagement programs) Advertisement Rafael Payare and Alisa Weilerstein When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m Sunday Tickets: $20-$100, plus service charges Where: Jacobs Music Centers Copley Symphony Hall, 750 B St., downtown Phone: (619) 235-0804 Advertisement Online: sandiegosymphony.org Twitter @georgevarga george.varga@sduniontribune.com Journey back in time to when San Diego was a Wild West boomtown with Nemesis: A Novel of Old California, a new historical tale by Joe Yogerst. Cheap land, new technology and murders are the hot topics of the 1888 provincial town. U.S. Marshal Cradoc Bradshaw must find whos killing the wealthy businessmen while journalist Nicholas Pinder is all too happy to publish the crimes. Historical figures like Wyatt Earp, Kate Sessions and Alonzo Horton make appearances. Yogerst grew up in Pacific Beach and lives in Carmel Valley with his family. He has written articles for the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, BBC Travel and Conde Nast Traveler. He has won the Lowell Thomas Award multiple times for travel writing, including his book about traveling through Vietnam, Land of Nine Dragons. He has worked in Hollywood developing television movies and wrote episodes for Silk Stalkings, a long-running murder mystery series. Q: Did growing up in San Diego influence this book? A: For sure. Even though I was born and raised in Pacific Beach, I spent a lot of time in Old Town, Point Loma, Balboa Park, the Embarcadero and downtown San Diego as a kid. My parents were big on weekend field trips to the far corners of the city and county. And I kept that up as a teenager after I got my license exploring San Diego with my high school friends. So from a pretty early age, I had a good feel for local history, geography and where I came from. I was particularly fascinated with the frontier period when San Diego was a mix of rowdy seaport and cowboy town and wondered why that era of local history wasnt more celebrated. Why did so few San Diegans seem to know about our Wild West days? Why werent there more books or movies? Somewhere along the line, I started to formulate my own story about early San Diego set against a backdrop of places I explored as a kid. Advertisement Q: Please explain why you picked the year 1888? A: It was a crucial year in local history. The real estate boom of the 1880s had just peaked and was starting a slow downward slide. Many of the neighborhoods we know today like Ocean Beach, Coronado and Hillcrest had just been created by real estate speculators. The railroad had recently come to town, linking San Diego with the rest of the nation and revolutionizing local life in terms of transportation and commodities. Law enforcement was in transition from an old-fashioned sheriffs department into a modern police force. Some of the famous names of the era, like Wyatt Earp and Lillie Langtry, either lived here or visited in 1888. There were lots of new inventions like the telephone, typewriter and photograph that people were bringing into their homes and businesses. A very exciting time in a town with a real buzz. Q: What did San Diego look like at this time? A: A miniature version of San Franciscos notorious Barbary Coast mixed with the typical elements of a prosperous Wild West town a waterfront crowded with sailing vessels like the Star of India and steamships, stately Victorian homes and bayside shanties, horseback riders and horse-drawn carriages plodding down unpaved streets. And not a lot of trees in those days it was basically desert meets the sea. And a wild mix of people: Hispanics, the Asian residents of San Diegos Chinatown and 30,000 immigrants from elsewhere in the United States, who arrived almost overnight when the railroad was finished. The population more than tripled in just a couple of years. Q: What was the Stingaree district? Why did the law allow it? A: The Stingaree was a notorious saloon, gambling and red-light district in an area bounded today by Market Street, Petco Park and the convention center. In other words, the lower half of todays Gaslamp Quarter. Even though prostitution and gambling were technically illegal at the time, local government and law enforcement figured they were impossible to eliminate and better practiced out in the open in a confined part of town that could be easily policed. A fairly progressive viewpoint by todays standards. By the early 20th century, more puritanical attitudes prevailed among the powers that be. Right before World War I, the city began a cleanup of the Stingaree that turned the once lively district into a rundown skid row that endured until the 1980s when the Gaslamp was redeveloped. Q: What technology was on the cutting edge in 1888? Is it important to your main character, Nicholas Pinder? A: First and foremost, the typewriter. It revolutionized Nicks work life and that of every other journalist in late 19th century America. The excitement of suddenly being able to compose your words with a machine rather than longhand must have been similar to what I felt earlier in my career when I first used a personal computer. Nick is one of the first people in San Diego to have a telephone installed at home, something he finds both useful and irritating. Horton Plaza had recently been illuminated by electric arc lights. Josie Earp introduces phonographic music as a way to entertain her patrons at the Oyster Bar. The technological changes taking place at that time were just as astounding as the ones weve faced in the Iinternet age. Advertisement Q: What San Diego real historical figures do you admire from this period? A: Sheriff Joe Coyne stands out more than anyone. At the age of 15, he left his home in Ohio, came out to California for the Gold Rush and ended up at the gold mines in Julian before his career as a lawman in San Diego. He served as both sheriff and the citys first police chief. And nearly a century later, his great granddaughter became a San Diego cop. Another person who intrigues me is George Marston, partially because I remember visiting his department store downtown when I was a kid. Also, he was our version of the renaissance man a successful businessman, politician and all around do-gooder who helped create four of my favorite places in San Diego: Balboa Park, Presidio Park, Torrey Pines State National Reserve and Anza-Borrego State Park. Q: Why did you want to include a historical postscript at the end? Advertisement A: I simply wanted readers to know who was real and who wasnt in long-ago San Diego. Part of my goal was to illuminate a period of our history that not a lot of people seem to know about. Q: Do you like writing fiction or nonfiction better? A: I enjoy both for different reasons. Although Ive largely made a living as a journalist and I certainly enjoy the opportunities for travel and adventure its afforded me over the years. Ive always had fictional stories and characters floating around in my head. Ive tinkered with fiction in the past, especially during the four years I spent writing murder mysteries for television. But that wasnt nearly as rewarding as the researching and writing that went into creating something about my hometown. Q: How many countries you have visited? Any favorites? Advertisement A: Ive visited around 130 independent countries and another 30 territories or colonial possessions. All of them are intriguing in their own way. The two that always come to mind as my favorites are Australia and Chile. I love big, wide-open spaces with a variety of landscapes, wildlife and outdoor adventures, and those two certainly fit the bill with places like Kakadu in Australia and Torres del Paine in Chile. They also have friendly people, great food and wine, and Im comfortable driving myself around either country. Q: In your opinion, what are two of the best places to visit in the U.S.? A: Besides San Diego? Like the world at large, there are so many to choose from. Two of my recent discoveries are Glacier National Park in Montana and the Adirondacks in upstate New York, which I got to know while researching my upcoming 100 Parks book and state parks video series for National Geographic. Q: What are some fun things you love to do in San Diego? Advertisement A: Last spring, my wife and I started taking what I call neighborhood walks to explore parts of San Diego we didnt know very well or that I may have lost touch with over the years. Some of our favorites are Missions Hills, Bird Rock and the La Playa waterfront trail in Point Loma. Im game for just about anything that happens in Balboa Park or Torrey Pines Reserve places where I went to summer camp as a kid. I like to kayak on Mission Bay, some of the local lakes and lagoons. And Im a huge craft beer fan. Q: Anything youd like to add? A: Theres a good chance that I wouldnt have become a writer if Id never gone to University High School in the 1970s. Creativity was stressed in a lot of my classes and we had a student newspaper moderator Mr. Danny Wilson who encouraged us to push the outside of the envelope when it came to writing and reach for the stars. A lot of my El Cid newspaper colleagues like Cameron Crowe, Cindy Luis, David Coddon and myself have been writing ever since. Nemesis: A Novel of Old California by Joe Yogerst Blank Slate Press, 406 pages. Advertisement Conversation with Joe Yogerst When: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21 Where: Warwicks, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla Phone: (858) 454-0347 (for reserved seating) Online: warwicks.com Advertisement Davidson is a freelance writer. CITY COUNCILS CARLSBAD The Carlsbad City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday in council chambers, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive, to consider a resolution denying an appeal and upholding the Planning Commission decision to allow 2,323 square feet of additions to a 573-square-foot commercial building, and allow the operation of a hot glass-blowing use at 3060 Roosevelt St. The council will also choose a mayor pro tempore. DEL MAR Advertisement There will be a briefing at 9 a.m. Monday on the Downtown Streetscape project at Del Mar Civic Center Town Hall, 1050 Camino del Mar. The project began last week with crews breaking up sidewalks and intersections on the east side of Camino del Mar between 13th and 15th streets. The city of Del Mar is requesting public input on plans to replace the 86-year-old Camino del Mar Bridge over the San Dieguito River. Construction is expected to begin in 2023. The replacement bridge will have one lane in each direction and bike lanes and sidewalks on both sides. To provide information and gather feedback, the city is hosting a public open house at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Del Mar Civic Center, 1050 Camino del Mar. Contact Deputy Public Works Director Mohsen Maali at mmaali@delmar.ca.us or (858) 704-3680. Visit the project webpage: https://www.delmar.ca.us/CDMBridge. ENCINITAS The Encinitas City Council is scheduled to meet in special session at 6 p.m. Wednesday in council chambers, 505 S. Vulcan Ave. OCEANSIDE The Oceanside City Council will meet in closed session to discuss labor negotiations at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at City Council Chambers, 300 N. Coast Highway. In regular session at 5 p.m., the council will appoint someone to the vacant city council position, and will also discuss how to fill the city clerk vacancy. The council will also consider a request to eliminate its 43-dwelling unit per acre density cap for areas designated for higher densities. POWAY The Poway City Council has scheduled a special meeting workshop at 7 p.m. Tuesday in council chambers, 13325 Civic Center Drive, to discuss water and sewer rates and charges. Advertisement SAN MARCOS The San Marcos City Council is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 1 Civic Center Drive, when it will introduce an ordinance amending the licensing, zoning and health and safety requirements for massage businesses and massage technicians. A closed session to discuss labor negotiations will follow. The city of San Marcos is looking for applicants to fill newly elected Mayor Rebecca Jones council seat. Those interested in applying must submit an application and a resume to the City Clerks office by 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, live in the city limits and be registered to vote in the city. All candidates who meet the criteria will be interviewed by the council during a special meeting at 6 p.m. Jan. 15 that is open to the public. Applicants may be asked to respond to questions from the council. For application materials, visit www.san-marcos.net/councilappointment or contact the city clerk at (760) 744-1050, ext. 3105. SOLANA BEACH Advertisement The Solana Beach City Council is scheduled to meet in closed session to discuss litigation at 5 p.m. Wednesday in City Council Chambers, 635 S. Highway 101. In regular session at 6 p.m., the council will consider approving a three-year agreement for greenhouse gas-free energy resources. The city of Solana Beach has several openings on its citizen commissions. These volunteers serve on behalf of the City Council. Applications are being accepted through Jan. 14 for these commissions: Budget & Finance (three vacancies), Climate Action (four), Parks & Recreation (four), Public Arts (three) and View Assessment (three). Applications and other information are at ci.solana-beach.ca.us or at Solana Beach City Hall, 635 S. Highway 101. VISTA The Vista City Council has canceled its meeting scheduled for Tuesday. Advertisement Beginning in 2019, the city of Vista will begin live webcast of the city council meetings. These webcasts will create a more direct link between Vistas elected representatives and the public in real time during the meetings. There will no longer be a delayed broadcast on the cable channels. To view a live council meeting in 2019, visit https://bit.ly/2Sn4LDI. The Vista City Council is seeking applicants for its 2019 scheduled vacancies on these boards and commissions: Central Vista Business Improvement District Advisory Board; Community Development Block Grant Advisory Committee; Community Safety Commission; Investment Advisory Committee; Parks & Recreation Commission; Planning Commission; Public Arts Commission; Sales Tax Oversight Committee; Senior Citizens Affairs Commission; Traffic Commission; and Youth Advisory Commission. Application deadline for incumbents is Jan. 31; for all other applicants, Feb. 10. Youth applications are due May 1. Applications are available from the City Clerks Office, 200 Civic Center Drive, or from the City Commissions, Boards & Committees web page at cityofvista.com. Contact City Clerk Kathy Valdez at (760) 643-5320 or kvaldez@cityofvista.com. SCHOOL DISTRICTS BONSALL Advertisement The Bonsall Unified School District board has scheduled a community meeting regarding proposed district maps for the new by-district elections at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Bonsall Community Center. The Bonsall Unified School District board is scheduled to meet in closed session at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Bonsall Community Center, 31505 Old River Road, and in regular session at 6 p.m. The board has switched its meeting day starting in 2019 to every second Wednesday instead of Thursday. CARLSBAD The Carlsbad Unified School District board will meet at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the district office, 6225 El Camino Real, for a study session and governance team workshop. Trustees will conduct a board self-evaluation as part of the workshop. This will include reviewing governance protocols and team norms. The updated Governance Team Handbook and annual Governance Calendar will be presented for approval at the Jan. 23 board meeting. Advertisement FALLBROOK The Fallbrook Union Elementary School District board will hold a special meeting to discuss proposed district maps at 6 p.m. Monday in Room 106 of the district office, 321 N. Iowa St. SAN MARCOS The San Marcos Unified School District is seeking applications from interested residents within the school districts boundaries to fill the balance of a four-year term on the board, which will be up for election in November 2020. A vacancy resulted after trustee Randy Walton was elected to the City Council. The appointment is expected to be filled immediately after interviews are conducted at a special meeting on Jan. 28. Applications are available at www.smusd.org or by contacting the Superintendents Office at (760) 752-1299. Applicants must be residents and registered voters of the school district and Trustee Area B. Application materials must be received by Jan. 22. Advertisement SAN PASQUAL The San Pasqual Union School District board is scheduled to meet in closed session at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Trussell Hall, 15305 Rockwood Road, Escondido, and in regular session at 6 p.m. An organizational meeting will take place at 5:30 p.m. VALLECITOS/RAINBOW The Vallecitos School District board is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the district office, 5211 Fifth St., Rainbow, to hear an audit report from the Taylion San Diego Academy Charter School for FY 2017-18. A closed session will follow to discuss labor negotiations and litigation. Advertisement VALLEY CENTER The Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District board is scheduled to meet in closed session to discuss personnel and labor negotiations at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Valley Center High School media center, 31322 Cole Grade Road. In regular session at 6 p.m., the board will receive the 2017-2018 Audit Report. The board will also will review the Governance Handbook and decide when to hold a strategic planning session. Advertisement laura.groch@sduniontribune.com Mark Bathens backyard is a tribute to some of mankinds greatest achievements. Theres a replica of the first lunar landing module, with Neil Armstrong in his spacesuit standing beside it. Instead of the moon, Armstrong looks out over Oceansides San Luis Rey River valley. Nearby are replicas of a World War I SPAD biplane, with ace pilot Eddie Rickenbacker in the cockpit, a B-25 bomber from World War II, and an X-15 rocket plane. The real X-15 reached an altitude of more than 50 miles and set a speed record of Mach 6.7, more than 4,500 mph, in 1967 that has never been exceeded by manned, powered flight. Theres also a Cobra attack helicopter, realistic down to the rivets. Its a tribute to the Marine Corps aviators who used the airships in Vietnam. Advertisement All are detailed scale models, some life-size or nearly so. They surround his backyard patio and spill out over the hillside, where they can be viewed from miles away. It all started with his first project, a fully rigged, tri-masted wooden ship, like something from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean. The ship is 33 feet long, but appears to be much longer, as if the bow is sailing out into the air over the valley. I created the illusion that you are looking at a full-scale frigate, Bathen said. You are tricking the viewer. Standing on the deck of the ship, a person has a clear view of the valley below and state Route 76 going through it. In the distance is the Pacific Ocean. Mark Bathen looks out over the San Luis Rey Valley from the deck of his whimsical sailing ship (Union-Tribune photo by John Gibbins) A lifelong artist, Bathen, 60, paints, sculpts, writes and plays the guitar. He owned and operated an art gallery in San Clemente, featuring the work of about 20 artists including his own, before he sold it and moved to Oceanside about 10 years ago. He began his backyard Disneyland about 2010 after a near-death experience. What was expected to be a routine surgery nearly killed him. The site of his surgery, to remove a benign cyst from the back of his hand, suddenly became infected, and he went into septic shock. Advertisement They didnt expect me to make it through the night, he said. I was blessed that I didnt lose my arm. His recovery was slow and difficult, and he slipped into depression. For a time, he thought he might never regain the full use of his hand. What that does to a person psychologically is terrible, he said. Then one day on a short walk he discovered some left-over lumber and other construction materials his neighbor had placed by the curb. That gave him an idea. Advertisement I said, Im building a pirate ship, Bathen recalled. That effort launched a series of whimsical backyard projects that have kept him occupied almost daily for years. Only recently has he shifted from construction to the maintenance of his work, and he plans to repaint everything when warm weather returns. I love ships, planes and trains, he said. On the other side of the yard I ended up building a full-sized steam locomotive. And then I kept on going. I went on down the hill and built a SPAD 13, a tribute to Eddie Rickenbacker. Mark Bathens 1894 Baldwin steam engine, complete with passenger car and a caboose. (Union-Tribune photo by John Gibbins) His hobby saved his life, he said. The sailing ship grew to include the buildings of a pirates cove, and the steam engine needed a ticket station. Advertisement It makes your day fun, he said. Even the doctor I went to was amazed that I have the use of my hand, Bathen said. It really, really changed my life. It brings me joy. He speaks rapidly and occasionally chuckles as he talks about his projects. He hops like a mountain goat up and down steep stairs and walks along narrow, but sturdy wooden walkways that connect the models. I do a lot of research, and I enjoy that part of it, too, he said. Advertisement His lunar landing module began with four small satellite dishes, the kind people use for television reception. He realized those could be the modules four feet. I said, Well shoot, Ive got the lunar landing module. Hes even made a Sputnik, mounted on a pole above the nearby aircraft and the landing module. Made from parts of an old barbecue, the gleaming silver satellite looks like the real thing. Thats 26 inches in diameter, he said. I think the original was 24 inches. Advertisement Sputnik was the worlds first artificial Earth satellite, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957. The Soviets success shocked Americans at the time and triggered the space race that led to the moon landing. And, in an offbeat tribute to the music that he loves, he has built a small yellow submarine. Yellow Submarine was a popular Beatles song first recorded in 1966, and a drawing of the submarine illustrated on the cover of an album released in 1969. Nearly all the material Bathen uses to make his models comes from the trash or things given to him by his neighbors. He got a pile of lumber from someone who tore down a fence, pallets that someone threw out, barrels, barbecues and grills that were discarded. His wife, Marilyn, also helps out, sometimes bringing home stuff he can use for his work. Advertisement My wife has been so patient and supportive, he said. His creations include a koi pond, with a fountain and a thriving population of colorful fish, alongside a patio with tables and chairs where he and his wife can sit and enjoy the view. philip.diehl@sduniontribune.com Advertisement Twitter: @phildiehl Aging has been traditionally considered an inevitable part of life, not a disease. But modern molecular biology is uncovering how aging affects the body beyond the wrinkles, gray hair and aching joints. Scientists have made great progress in fighting many of the illnesses more likely to afflict the elderly, including cancer and heart disease. But researchers have made very little progress against one of the most devastating age-related diseases: Alzheimers, which slowly robs patients of cognition and memory until they die. About 5 million Americans are estimated to have Alzheimers, according to the National Institutes of Health. Another 1 million have mild cognitive impairment, which puts people at elevated risk for developing full-blown Alzheimers. Researchers know a great deal about Alzheimers. They know how certain toxic proteins slowly destroy neurons and the brain. They can even see the telltale signs of Alzheimers in brain images that reveal these toxic proteins accumulating in the living brain. Advertisement But the drugs they have developed with this knowledge have failed to stop or even slow down the disease. At best, they can temporarily relieve symptoms. Faced with this lack of progress and great need, some scientists say we need to think entirely differently about Alzheimers. Instead of developing drugs to treat the disease itself, they advocate developing drugs that generally promote brain health. Specifically, they want to slow down the harmful changes in the brain that accumulate with age. Early this year, this idea will literally be put to the test. For the first time, humans will be given an Alzheimers drug developed to slow down harmful age-related changes in the brain. When given the drug, strains of mice that age rapidly preserved a youthful appearance longer, and performed better on cognitive tests such as running mazes. Abrexa Pharmaceuticals of San Diego has licensed the drug, developed by scientists at the Salk Institute. Privately held Abrexa recently received U.S. regulatory permission to begin human testing. The scientists at Salk and Abrexa have been working for years to raise money to put this drug candidate to the test. Although the company wont disclose financial details, its budget is a sliver of the billions spent by the pharmaceutical industry on discovering, developing and testing Alzheimers drugs. Any drug that generally protects against aging should also work against Alzheimers, said Salk Institute researcher Dave Schubert, who led the drugs development along with fellow Salk researcher Pamela Maher and other colleagues. Thats because age is the strongest predictor of Alzheimers risk. This drug, for now called J147, isnt presented as a fountain of youth or expected to be one. But even a modest effect in delaying age-related brain deterioration could add years of clear thinking and the ability to enjoy life. Ultimate success could be to simply delay the disease until those at risk of Alzheimers die of something else. Advertisement What is Alzheimers? The number of Americans with Alzheimers is projected to reach 15 million by 2060. And thats not even considering the impact on the millions more of their friends and family, who must watch their loved ones slowly die while technically remaining alive. Alzheimers represents about three-fourths of age-related dementias, the umbrella term for impaired cognition. Unusual and increasing lapses of memory, confusion, difficulty in finding the right words and altered emotional states are signs of possible dementia. Alzheimers disease causes dementia by physically attacking neurons. Its distinguished from other causes of dementia by the accumulation of toxic brain protein deposits, called beta amyloid and tau. Over the years, these protein deposits form harmful plaques that damage and then kill brain cells. In recent years, brain scans have been developed that can detect amyloid and tau in living people. This is now being used to select volunteers for clinical trials of Alzheimers drugs. Advertisement The ability to detect these toxic brain proteins is important because Alzheimers symptoms are similar to those produced by other conditions. Interactions between prescribed drugs can simulate dementia, for example. Adjusting prescriptions to remove the interactions can remove these symptoms. And other forms of dementia also can be easily mistaken for Alzheimers. For example, narrowing of blood vessels in the brain may precede a series of small strokes that damages the brain. This is called vascular dementia. It can be detected by brain imaging tests that identify areas of poor blood circulation or structural abnormalities. It is believed to account for about 10 percent of dementia cases. Another form, Lewy body dementia, involves abnormal deposits of a brain protein called alpha-synuclein. Some of its symptoms resemble those of Parkinsons disease, a movement disorder. Advertisement To make things even more complicated, dementia patients may have multiple forms, such as vascular dementia combined with Alzheimers. This is important because unlike Alzheimers, there are treatments for vascular dementia that may alleviate that source of cognitive decline. But Alzheimers itself is intractable, and newer research and ideas about the disease indicates why that may be so. Researchers now say Alzheimers begins long before symptoms emerge. In some cases, toxic protein deposits can be detected in people in their twenties. These people have normal cognition for decades before symptoms are detected. Advertisement In other words, when people show signs of Alzheimers, the disease has been at work for a long time. When symptoms emerge, the damage may be irreversible. However, the Salk scientists and others now say that the early to mid-stage cognitive deficits may be reversible. So the latest thinking is to attack toxic proteins as early as possible. Clinical trials of amyloid and tau drugs are now being tested in cognitively normal people whose brain imaging scans show the telltale signs that Alzheimers is at work. The great majority of scientists, including the Salks Schubert and Maher, accept that amyloid and tau can contribute to Alzheimers. But drugs developed to remove these toxic proteins to date havent been proven effective. The failures are numerous, expensive and heartbreaking. One drug in particular, called solanezumab, generated much hope as it was tested by Eli Lilly & Co. The drug removes the protein amyloid before it can stick together in plaques. Advertisement Some signs of potential efficacy for solanezumab were seen in midstage trials. But late-stage or phase 3 trials found no benefit. This pattern has been characteristic of Alzheimers drug development. However, some drugs have a limited effect against Alzheimers, even though they dont affect the underlying disease. Some temporarily relieve symptoms before the downward spiral begins again. These drugs, such as Aricept, Exelon and Namenda, affect chemicals produced by the brain called neurotransmitters. Moreover, the lag between the appearance of biochemical markers for Alzheimers and the emergence of symptoms suggests that the brain has the ability to compensate for the loss of function, up to a certain point. This is called cognitive reserve. Some evidence suggests that cognitive reserve can be increased by keeping the brain active during life. The brain is plastic, able to adapt to higher demands, and conversely functions may wither with disuse. Advertisement Such non-drug approaches to cushion the blow of Alzheimers or other dementias include various brain-training exercises like crosswords or Sudoku. A recent study in the journal BMJ found both good news and bad news about these exercises. The bad news is that they dont stop mental decline. The good news is that brain function is elevated, so those who practice these exercises lose function from a higher level. Advertisement Overall, findings suggest that high-performing adults engage and those that engage more (are) protected from relative decline, the study stated. Another path Salk scientists Schubert and Maher say such modest results indicate that a direct assault on the toxic proteins behind Alzheimers is unlikely to work for most cases, and that indirect approaches are needed. This is how they came up with the anti- brain aging drug, or J147. The amyloid/tau approach comes from a field called structure-based drug design. It begins by getting sophisticated understanding of diseases at the molecular level, then designing drugs that interfere with the disease process. Structure-based drug design has produced spectacular successes, such as effective drugs against HIV. Schubert and Maher turned to an older method for drug discovery. That is to sift through vast numbers of potential drugs to find those that reduce symptoms and physical signs of disease. The mechanism of action isnt important, just the effect. Scientists call this approach a phenotypic screen. Advertisement After discovering compounds with signs of effectiveness, scientists then do more research to understand how they work, and test variations of those compounds. Then the knowledge can be used to derive even more potent and safer drugs. The drug J147 that has been licensed to Abrexa is the product of phenotypic screens. It is a synthetic derivative of curcumin, a component of the curry spice turmeric. There is some anecdotal evidence that curry-consuming cultures, such as in India, have lower rates of Alzheimers. Maher led research into another potential drug, a natural component of strawberries called fisetin (pronounced FI-setin). Much like J147, it reduced signs of aging-related cognitive decline, brain inflammation and other symptoms of aging in a strain of mice that age prematurely. They have also been researching other potential anti-aging drugs, which they call geroprotectors. This geroprotective hypothesis aims to make sense of anti-aging discoveries made by other scientists. Advertisement In addition to J147 and fisetin, the Salk scientists have found anti-aging and Alzheimers disease modifying effects in two other synthetic compounds. A recent study led by Schubert and Maher found that these geroprotective compounds work by a similar mechanism to reduce the effects of aging. They published the results in the Nov. 13 issue of the journal Trends in Pharmacological Sciences. Schubert said these molecules work like two other drugs believed to have anti-aging properties, the diabetes drug metformin and the cancer drug rapamycin. Since these drugs converge on the same molecular pathway, large-scale research is warranted, he said. Advertisement Worth a try Two Alzheimers researchers said that the strategy outlined by Schubert and Maher that led to J147 is worth clinical testing. It makes sense to try different approaches for Alzheimers, and because aging is a risk factor for Alzheimers, it is possible that drugs that target pathways implicated in aging may have benefits, said Dr. Douglas Galasko, a UC San Diego neurologist who sees patients with dementias. It is hard to place bets on which type of anti-Alzheimers therapy will be best, and it may be that combinations of treatment may ultimately be needed, Galasko said. Gregory Cole, interim director of the Mary S. Easton Alzheimer Center in Los Angeles, said he likes the phenotypic screen as an alternative approach. Advertisement Developing Alzheimers disease involves a complex cascade of events, Cole said. Most of the field has targeted beta amyloid because the genetics teaches us that it plays an important role in initiating the disease. However, that single-cause theory doesnt match what occurs in real patients, Cole said. In one study, only 9 percent had pure Alzheimers disease, Cole said. The others also had vascular damage (at least one-third of the cases), or accumulation of other pathological proteins beyond beta amyloid and tau. Based on the multiple causes of cognitive decline and dementia, the phenotypic screen approach selecting for agents that are more broadly neuroprotective makes sense. Advertisement Schubert said money has been a limiting factor in putting these geroprotective drugs to the test. Just getting J147 to the clinical stage required extensive research and funding support over many years. Tests of the drug in mice have repeatedly demonstrated that the drug protects against aging of the brain, he said, so actual testing in people is the next logical step. Schubert said he would like to see testing of the other potential Alzheimeers drugs, but theres not enough money for now. Abrexa, the San Diego company that licensed J147, will begin early or phase 1 human clinical testing early this year said Abrexa CEO Ernie Villafranca. Drugs typically pass through three phases of testing. A successful phase 3 trial may qualify the drug for approval. Advertisement Were looking to see how much of the compound is absorbed into the blood, and then how long it lasts, how high the levels get, and also how safe it is, Villafranca said. The testing should take about six to eight months, he said. If testing goes well, Abrexa will need to fund a second, larger trial, to look for evidence of efficacy. To reach Abrexa for more information, email abrexa@abrexa.net. Related reading Advertisement A high-cardiovascular fitness level at midlife correlated with a delay in the diagnosis of dementia by as much as 9.5 years. Geroneuroprotectors: Effective Geroprotectors for the Brain Possible Alzheimers drug also slows aging $70 million Alzheimers grant funds new effort Advertisement Phenotypic screens as a renewed approach for drug discovery Aging signs delayed with new anti-senescence drugs Plant compound shows more evidence of cognition-protecting abilities, in animal testing Possible Alzheimers drug cut mice aging symptoms Advertisement Screen for disease, not targets Another look at Alzheimers drug study Alzheimers drug candidate reverses disease in mice Salk researchers discover potential Alzheimers drug Advertisement Salk finds possible way to fight Alzheimers Science Playlist On Now In a first, scientists rid human embryos of a potentially fatal gene mutation by editing their DNA On Now Space station flyovers visible from San Diego this week 0:55 On Now UCSD's 'ghost drivers' begin testing people's reaction seemingly empty cars 1:29 On Now 10 interesting facts about Mars On Now Kids can add years to your life On Now LA 90: SpaceX launches recycled rocket On Now Big passions, big giving: Malin Burnham 2:30 On Now Big passions, big giving: Darlene Shiley 2:40 On Now Big passions, big giving: Joan and Irwin Jacobs 2:45 On Now Ocean temperatures warming at rapid rate, study finds Advertisement bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1020 WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump held out little hope Sunday that another round of talks between top aides and congressional staff would produce meaningful progress toward ending the partial government shutdown, seeming to undercut his team by saying he needed to deal directly with Democratic leaders. "Ultimately, it's going to be solved by the principals," Trump told reporters at the White House before leaving for staff meetings at Camp David as the shutdown headed into its third week. A second round of discussions between administration officials and Capitol Hill aides was scheduled for Sunday afternoon. "I don't expect to have anything happen at that meeting," said Trump about the talks led by Vice President Mike Pence on the impasse over money for a U.S.-Mexico border wall. "But I think we're going to have some very serious talks come Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday." Pressure was mounting Sunday on Capitol Hill for a resolution to the standoff. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should take up bills the Democratic-led House will start sending over to re-open the government. "Let's get those reopened while the negotiations continue," Collins said on NBC's "Meet the Press." Collins who has long argued against shutdowns and tried to broker resolutions to past stalemates is one of several senators voicing discomfort with the prolonged closure. But Trump showed no signs of budging in his demand for $5.6 billion for the wall, which Democrats have refused to grant. Trump suggested Sunday that he, Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer could find compromise "in 20 minutes, if they want to. If they don't want to, it's going to go on for a long time." Trump reaffirmed that he would consider declaring a national emergency in an effort to circumvent Congress and spend money as he saw fit. Such a move would seem certain to draw legal challenges. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith said on ABC's "This Week" that the executive power has been used to build military facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan, but would likely be "wide open" to a court challenge for a border wall. Speaking on CNN's "State of the Union," Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff called the idea a "nonstarter." "Look, if Harry Truman couldn't nationalize the steel industry during wartime, this president doesn't have the power to declare an emergency and build a multibillion-dollar wall on the border," the California Democrat said on CNN's "State of the Union. Trump also asserted that he could relate to the plight of the hundreds of thousands of federal workers who aren't receiving paychecks, though he acknowledged they will have to "make adjustments" to deal with the shutdown shortfall. A day earlier, the president had tweeted that he didn't care that "most of the workers not getting paid are Democrats." He said he planned to call the heads of American steel companies in hopes of coming up with a new design for the barrier he contends must be built along the southern border. Trump had previously promised a concrete wall, but now says it could be made of steel slats. His administration has already spent millions constructing wall prototypes near the border in San Diego. Democrats said the White House did not budge on the president's demand for the wall money. The White House said money was not discussed in depth, but the administration was clear about the need for a wall and the goal of resolving the shutdown all at once, not piecemeal. Acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney told NBC's "Meet the Press" that he believes Democrats "think they're winning the PR battle and they're willing to drag this out because they think it hurts the president." Democrats familiar with the meeting said the White House position was "untenable." A White House official said the meeting included a briefing on border security by Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Democrats sought written details from the Department of Homeland Security on their budget needs; the White House said it would provide that. Mulvaney said Trump was willing to forgo a concrete wall for steel or other materials. "If he has to give up a concrete wall, replace it with a steel fence in order to do that so that Democrats can say, 'See? He's not building a wall anymore,' that should help us move in the right direction," Mulvaney told NBC. The president has suggested his definition of the wall is flexible, referring to slats and other "border things." Democrats have made clear they see a wall as immoral and ineffective and prefer other types of border security funded at already agreed upon levels. Trump had campaigned on the promise that Mexico would pay for the wall. Mexico has refused. He's now demanding the money from Congress. LAS VEGAS (AP) The CES 2019 gadget show, which kicks off Sunday, will showcase the expanding influence and sway of China's rapidly growing technology sector. But some of its firms are stepping back from the spotlight amid rising U.S. national-security concerns over Chinese tech and a trans-Pacific trade war launched by President Donald Trump. Last year, a top executive of the Chinese telecom firm Huawei delivered a CES keynote address critical of AT&T's abrupt cancellation of plans to sell a Huawei phone following espionage concerns raised by the U.S. government. This year, Huawei's chief financial officer was arrested in Canada at the behest of the U.S.; Meng Wanzhou, daughter of Huawei's founder, now awaits U.S. extradition . No Chinese technology executives will deliver CES keynotes in Las Vegas this week. There are fewer Chinese entrepreneurs buying up booth space to show off their latest technology more than 20 percent fewer exhibitors than last year, according to registration numbers tracked by the South China Morning Post. Chinese firms still account for more than a quarter of the conference's 4,500 exhibitors, second only to the U.S. in sheer numbers. But some of the biggest names are taking a more subdued approach. Internet company Baidu last year hosted a flashy event touting its self-driving software, but this year is sticking to a more conventional booth. E-commerce giant Alibaba is eschewing the big outdoor tent it helped erect last year in favor of quieter meetings marketing its voice assistant to business partners. The phone maker Xiaomi is simply skipping this year's event altogether. None of them are citing rising U.S.-China tensions, but it's hard to ignore the geopolitical backdrop even with a 90-day "cease-fire" on tariffs set to expire in March. The U.S. and China have imposed import taxes on hundreds of billions of dollars of each other's goods and Trump has threatened more to come, including tariffs that could make devices like iPhones more expensive. The U.S. is also exploring new export restrictions that would target industries where China is hoping to get ahead, such as artificial intelligence and robotics. And the Justice Department brought charges last month against two Chinese citizens it accused of stealing American trade secrets and other sensitive information on behalf of Beijing's main intelligence agency. Of course, plenty of Chinese entrepreneurs are still eager to show off their innovations. Hosts of the 52-year-old trade event have sought to downplay the tensions, noting that they've weathered previous trade tensions, such as those that roiled U.S.-Japan relations in the 1980s. "The Japanese presence used to be very big and it was similar in that the U.S. was in a panic about it," said Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association, which organizes CES. That ended when the Japanese "bubble" economy burst in 1991 and its tech industry began a long, slow decline. "Japanese innovation from those companies shrunk and those companies consolidated," Shapiro said. "These things are impermanent. So I don't lose that much sleep over it." Shapiro said the trade dispute with China and the Meng arrest in Canada aren't impacting attendance. CES organizers on Sunday wouldn't confirm numbers showing a sharp drop in Chinese exhibitors, but said a decline in small Chinese companies on the show floor was made up by expanded booth presence from bigger firms. Chinese tech firms are increasingly joining their American, South Korean and Japanese counterparts in using CES to build enthusiasm for up-and-coming electronics products, while also connecting with potential new international partners and suppliers. That's especially true for electronics firms like Hisense and TCL, which have increasingly sought to sell their TVs in North America, and Lenovo, which is already a big player in the U.S. laptop market but is pushing to sell other internet-connected devices. Hisense is making a splashier presentation this year as it invests in boosting its U.S. brand awareness, said Jim Ninesling, head of marketing for Hisense USA. Previously, the company, which has a large market share in China, mostly kept on the U.S. sidelines, branding some of its products under the name of the better-known Japanese firm Sharp. Chinese electric carmaker Byton, a startup backed by internet giant Tencent, on Sunday is promising to unveil what it calls the "world's most intuitive automotive interface," which, according to a tease on Twitter , involves a touchscreen mounted on the steering wheel. AI firm iFlytek sometimes described as China's Siri or Alexa is planning to showcase its latest advances in voice recognition and real-time translation services. And a startup expo co-hosted by the Chinese government features a bevy of gee-whiz innovations, from indoor delivery robots and portable karaoke headsets to "smart" suitcases aided by computer vision. In an ideal world, the tech industries in the two countries would be seen as complementary, said venture capitalist Kai-Fu Lee, who led Google's subsidiary in China before the company withdrew over censorship and other concerns. "The U.S. strength is deep technologists, universities, academics, people with superior experience," he said. "China's superiority is a larger market, more data, and very tenacious and hardworking entrepreneurs." Lee said his optimism for a more collaborative approach is now "merely a dream" because of the worsening trade dispute. But he said there could still be partnerships between U.S. firms and Chinese companies that, for now, mostly cater to Chinese consumers. "Google feels much, much more threat from Amazon than any Chinese company," he said. "That makes Tencent and Alibaba potential allies, especially when customer needs cross international boundaries." With the threat of the invasive Little Fire Ant (LFA) now at Samoas doorstep after being detected within our neighboring island, American Samoa (AS) Samoas biosecurity team is on high alert with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) leading the charge with various awareness campaigns. Samoa Quarantine has temporarily suspended permits allowing for the public to import plant or planting materials and all other agricultural fresh produces from all LFA host countries, explains the Assistant Chief Executive Officer of the Samoa Quarantine Services, Lupeomanu Pelenato Fonoti, in an interview with CI Samoa. In addition, low toxic insect sprays are being applied on most imported cargoes from AS and other countries hosting the LFA. These are clearly stressed in the current public notices, both in Samoan and English, which is currently out in the media. We are doing alright so far with the implementation of these measures but the only issue we anticipate is the behavior of the public in compliance with such notices. We also welcome any suspicious citing of any type of ant from the public so that we can seek identification as there are many other ants which do not cause serious problems compared to the LFA. But what exactly are invasive species and what makes this invasive LFA particularly threatening? According to David Moverley, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programmes (SPREP) Invasive Species Advisor; invasive species are organisms which are not native to an area but travel there through various means and have a crippling effect on environment ecosystems. One example of a crippling effect, explained by Mr. Moverley, is how the LFA may kill off birds and other insects which are needed for Samoas ecosystem to survive and once weakened by this invasive ant, the affected ecosystem may find it hard to recover. The LFA is a very bad invasive species and is probably within the top ten (priority level) of invasive species which should be eradicated and removed from any country, Mr. Moverley explained during an interview with CI Samoa. There are many reasons why they are such bad pests, and some of these reasons are; they basically impact all of the biodiversity and can really harm various animals by blinding or killing them (wild animals, livestock or even pets). They have a lot of traits that are very impactful, due to the way they live, which makes them a particularly bad invasive species. Furthermore, aside from indirect impacts on humans through the damaging of ecosystems, LFAs also directly harm people when they come into contact with them. For Samoa to stay on top of the LFA, the people need to be aware of what it looks like so they can recognize it, he said. The most common way they are detected is when someone gets bitten. The bad thing about these ants is that they are very small and they can live on top of trees or any other surrounding. On a windy day, you might find 20 of them landing on you and when you accidentally kill one, their defensive mechanism will make the rest attack you. They are very dangerous towards children and the elderly. So the people need to know what to look out for and to report them as soon as they are spotted. Mr. Moverley went on to explain that, once introduced into a new area, they breakout very quickly. Due to their tiny size, they may be carried by strong winds during cyclones or they can band together to form a raft and disperse by floating atop flood waters. But the most common way they spread is via humans. They hide in coolers, woven mats, crops, plant nurseries and so on, which houses them while people take them from one place to another. Until now, Samoa has been far away from places LFAs are found, Mr. Moverley said. Personally I wasnt expecting the LFA to be at Samoas doorstep anytime soon but since theyve arrived into AS, via Hawaii, the LFA is now a direct threat to us, if they havent arrived already. LFAs are also known to be detected late in their invasion-period and usually when they are already deep within a nations borders or when they have already spread too much to be controlled. The President of the Samoa Conservation Society (SCS), James Atherton, explains that controlling a species such as the LFA is a tough task which is why preventing them from entering the nation in the first place is the ideal solution. Prevention is better than the cure so it really is a biosecurity issue at the moment; MAF is the biosecurity agency in Samoa and they are, with the publics support, responsible for securing our borders and keeping new invasive species out, he explained. So at the moment MAF and MNRE, have started an awareness programme and the point of this response is to raise awareness of this threat and to give a bit of information on what it looks like. We dont want this particular ant here and they are called fire ants for a reason, their bite can give a real burning pain. So the first stage is to prevent it from coming in but if we fail to do that then we need to move onto stage two which is the emergency response stage. Samoas Invasive Species Emergency Response Plan (SISERP) is a document developed by MAF and MNRE, including MNREs Disaster Management Office, which details strategies and phases to eradicate new invasive species found in Samoa, but has yet to be endorsed by cabinet. Mr. Atherton is adamant that this document needs to be finalized as soon as possible in order to help better protect Samoa from new invasive species, such as LFA. Hopefully this potential threat of the invasive LFA will push the formal endorsement of the SISERP, so that we are ready to respond in a coordinated way, should the LFA be found within Samoas borders, he explained. The first line of any detection is the general public and we want the population of Samoa to be our early detectors of any invasive species threat as it is simply not possible for Government staff to be everywhere at all times to detect all new incursions. The public are best placed to spot new incursions or arrivals of invasive species and call them in. This is all under this emergency plan document which really needs to be endorsed and activated before training all the necessary people to undertake tasks against this issue. Furthermore, Mr. Atherton also explained that assisting the Government by helping to spread awareness and making sure the public is alert is one of the roles of Samoas environmental NGOs (such as SCS, CI Samoa and so on). It is also believed that there needs to be continued strong biosecurity between the two Samoas with regards to invasive species. With many of Samoas past invasive species outbreaks such as the taro leaf blight in the early 90s, the African snail in the mid 90s, and numerous sightings of cane toad throughout the 90S coming in from AS, the role of tight biosecurity between the two Samoas needs to be highlighted. So with this LFA threat lingering over our island nation, let us all band together and help keep the LFA and other invasive pests out by; taking note of all public notices, cooperate and follow quarantine measures currently in place, refrain from smuggling any planting materials and so on. The Ministries urge the public if they see any suspicious ants to please call MAF 20924 or 7767305 or MNRE 67200 or 7538881. Lomana Eteuati and Ioane Ioane will never forget January 5, 2019 it was the day they sealed their love before families and friends in holy matrimony. The couple tied the knot in a church service led by Father Muliau Stowers of the Catholic Church at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Mulivai. Thirty-three-year-old Mrs. Ioane said they have been in a relationship for 10 years before they decided to take the next step in their relationship. It was a rough journey in all honesty, there were times it was all happiness and joy and then there were other times it was not. But despite all that we went through, we ended up still accepting the love that we shared and here we are officially together. I love everything about him, his personality and attributes that make me admire the person that he is, she told the Samoa Observer in an interview. Mr. Ioane was overwhelmed by the occasion, saying his dreams had finally come true and he was now content. Happiness is making your dreams come true and I feel like my dreams have been made a reality, when I said I do. I am more than content now that I have her legally, but most importantly, we have been blessed before God, families and friends and the proof and reminder will be the ring on my finger. I am confident in our union because we understand and know each other from the length of time we spent together. I will always try my best to keep that beautiful smile on her face because if she is happy, I am also happy. I look forward to what the future holds for both of us, he said. Mrs. Ioane is the daughter of Eteuati and Siala Eteuati from Toamua and Mr. Ioane is the son of Naotala Ioane but was raised by his grandmother Tausoa Ioane at Fogapoa, Savaii. The care and love that the newly wedded husband has for his wifes family has also touched his wife, with Mrs. Ioane saying she was blessed to have him. My husband loves my family as well which is why I feel so fortunate to have him in my life. I am more than ready for the commitment that comes with marriage because we have been together for such a long time because I know everything about him. We are finally married today and I will always treasure this day for as long as I live, she added. A partnership between local medical professionals and the Chinese medical team has proven to be a success in knowledge and skills exchange. This was according to Dr. Zhang Zhiguo, a cardiologist from China, who is currently in Samoa as part of the Chinese medical team. Speaking during an interview with the Samoa Observer, Dr. Zhiguo shared his experience working in Samoa with local colleagues. I have always wanted to work as a volunteer and when given the opportunity to work in Samoa I was keen. I noticed that the English language plays an important role in the work that we do, because communication between the medical professionals in Samoa is important, so we can get the work done. The only challenge faced at the hospitals in Samoa is the limited resources, in reference to the equipment and medicine, thus making it difficult to treat patients. But I have learned a lot from the local doctors, because they worked so hard with the use of the resources available to them, he said. The 41-year-old said he usually did his rounds on patients with heart diseases, and if there were emergencies needing his advice, he would assist. I have been to the big island of Savaii at the Tuasivi hospital and I also checked the patients there. Samoa may have a high number of patients with diabetes, but diabetes is a complication of heart disease, and because there are so many uncontrolled diabetes which causes an increase in heart failure. For my line of work, I need a lot of equipment to help with my work, but it was not available here. For some of the patients they need to seek treatment overseas, closest which is New Zealand, due to the limited resources (in Samoa), he added. Lifestyle diseases is at a crisis level in Samoa, consequently Dr. Zhiguo recommended that people switch to organic food like vegetables as well as do regular exercise. Be careful of consuming junk food and processed foods, no salt and be careful with the amount of sugar being used instead focus on the local organic vegetables, fruits which are beneficial for the health. We have to control our body weight through regular exercise as well, he said. Overall, Dr. Zhiguo said his work experience in Samoa is valuable, as he will use the new knowledge he has gained to attend to patients back in China. When I go back home, I will use the knowledge that I have exchanged with local doctors on treating patients back home. Samoa has beautiful natural sites, good for holidays and resting plus the people are very kind. I have been a doctor for 14 years and having the capability to save a life makes me inspired to do better every time. Sometimes I am homesick, missing my wife and daughter back home, but I am relieved they are very supportive of my work, he added. The operator of controversial helicopter company Samoa Helicopters Limited has announced they will be back a month after their aircraft was auctioned off to local businessman Samoa Roy Lee. New Zealand resident and pilot Rodger McCutcheon was the founder and principal of the company, but he left Apia after the business which won the Samoa Governments support in 2016 to establish the countrys first medical evacuation and search and rescue operation went bust and folded. It is not known if it was Mr. McCutcheon who posted on the companys Facebook page last Friday to announce their return to Samoa, and to tell all on his abrupt exit from Samoa two years ago. Hello Samoa, and a very happy safe and prosperous 2019 to you all. There are some exciting new developments, and thank you for all your kind messages of encouragement. I look forward to being back in Samoa to assist getting the popular service up and flying again. I also have never spoken about why the service had to stop, and why I had to leave Samoa, perhaps I'll tell all when I'm back. However, the most important focus should be to get the life saving, and scenic flight operation back working for the people of Samoa, the company stated in its Facebook post last Friday. Samoa Helicopters Limited did not respond to questions from the Samoa Observer yesterday, including queries on whether the person who made the post was Mr. McCutcheon. The company also did not say whether Mr. McCutcheon who flew the helicopter in 2016 which the Ministry of Revenue auctioned in December last year will now work for successful bidder and local businessman Samoa Roy Lee. Members of the public responded positively to the announcement by Samoa Helicopters Limited last Friday with some expressing interest in doing helicopter tours of the island as well as inflight weddings. President of the Asian Development Bank (A.D.B.) and the chair of the Banks Board of Directors Takehiko Nakao will arrive today in his first ever visit to Samoa. He will meet with senior Government officials including Prime Minister Tuileape Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi to discuss the A.D.B. assistance program, and visit projects supported by the Manila-based multilateral financial institution before leaving the country on January 9. Mr. Nakao is also scheduled to is scheduled to join the Prime Minister to commission the Tafitoala and Fausaga Small Hydro Plant, which was established by the Samoa Renewable Energy Development and Power Sector Rehabilitation Project, which is co-financed by the A.D.B., the governments of New Zealand and Samoa, and the European Union. Tuileape and Mr. Nakao are then expected to hold a joint press conference where the A.D.B. President will also view the latest achievements of the A.D.B-financed renewable energy and agribusiness projects. The A.D.B. continues to play a significant role in assisting the Samoa Government to progress its its development goals. According to information from the banks website, poverty in Samoa has fallen in urban centers, child mortality has been reduced, and the Government has placed greater emphasis on environmental sustainability. Primary school education is now almost universal for children in Samoa, while gender disparity in both primary and secondary education has been eliminated. But with limited natural resources and a narrow economic base, Samoas economy remains vulnerable to external shocks. The A.D.B. has supported the Governments efforts to reform the economy, placing a focus on improving the business environment for private enterprise. The Pacific Approach 2016-2020, which is ADB's operational framework for the Pacific, serves as the country partnership strategy for Samoa and 10 other Pacific island countries. The country operations business plan (COBP) 2017-2019 is aligned with the Pacific Approach and ADB's midterm review of Strategy 2020. It is also aligned with the Strategy for the Development of Samoa, 2012-2016, which places priority on macroeconomic stability, sustainable tourism, a reinvigorated agriculture sector, revitalized exports and the provision of an enabling environment for business development. Improved public sector management and the private sector are seen as key drivers for growth, stated the website. Due to the increase in programmes focused on 11 Pacific island countries to enhance the impact of its growing program of assistance in the sub-region an office was opened in Samoa. The Banks overall assistance to the Pacific has doubled every five years since 2005, and now stands at $2.9 billion. Total assistance is expected to surpass $4 billion by 2020. In 2017 the Banks Board of Directors approved a loan of up to $2 million to develop solar energy capabilities and coverage in Samoa. Mr. Nakao and the Prime Minister will visit the solar energy facility. The second site visit will be to the Fiaga Powerplant. Samoa is the first country in the Pacific to install battery energy storage systems and micro grid controller. The $22.7 million facilities housed at the Fiaga Power Station compound, allows the storage of electricity that is automatically injected to the grid, when there is a sudden increase in demand or sudden loss of power generated. The micro grid controller is a computer-based system. It will automatically control and regulate the operation of not only the two new battery systems, but also all the Electric Power Corporation power plants and independent solar farms. The project is part of the Power Sector Expansion Project funded by the Asian Development Bank, Government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperative Agency (JICA), Government of Australia and Government of Samoa. Bad weather in Australia has thrown hundreds of passengers travel into disarray with flight cancellations leading to individuals and families sleeping at Sydneys Kingsford-Smith airport. Pictures circulated on social media showed women and children sleeping on the floor at the Kingsford-Smith airport terminal in Sydney, Australia. Florence Palamo, who was travelling to Samoa with her family, said they were initially scheduled to depart Sydney 11.30am yesterday for Samoa on a Samoa Airways flight but their departure was pushed back to 2.00pm, and they had been waiting to travel since Saturday. Wow, Samoa Airways for making your people look like fools at Sydney airport. Moving from A-H three times because we were told that we are checking in for 11.30am flight, then to find out that we are checking in at A (queue) while we were all in H queue. We have been here all night and when asked for food vouchers this morning (Sunday) you cant even give that to us, we were told to keep all receipts for our purchases? Why the hell didnt you bloody tell us this last night? Why make us suffer? Why make us sleep at the airport? We couldve arranged something for our elderly if you had told us we werent leaving until 2pm, she said. Samoa Airways released a media statement yesterday, saying their aircraft could not land at the Kingsford-Smith airport in Sydney on Saturday due to bad weather, and was diverted by Australian aviation authorities to Canberra airport. The unforeseen diversion took place while customers with confirmed bookings on the return flight (OL856) from Sydney to Apia were being processed through check-in and departure formalities. Whilst flight OL855 was eventually able to operate from Canberra to Sydney last night, it did so after 11:00pm local time meaning that the Sydney Airport curfew would be a factor. Despite the airlines best efforts for special dispensation to operate out of Sydney back to Apia after the curfew, unfortunately this was not possible and as a result, Samoa Airways Boeing 737-800 aircraft and crew had to make an unplanned overnight stopover in Sydney. As a result, the delay meant that flight OL856 out of Sydney had to be rescheduled along with the airlines other international flights for the period January 6-11. Flight OL856 was rescheduled to depart Sydney at 2:00pm today 6th January (yesterday), in accordance with the availability of aircraft bays, check-in counters and baggage carousels at Sydney Airport, the airline said in a statement issued yesterday. Ms. Palamo said it was heartbreaking seeing elderly people who were confirmed to travel on Samoa Airways stranded at the airport. My heart melted to see our elderly people stranded at the airport and Samoa airways cant even provide us with a hotel. We try to support our airline, but they dont treat us the way we should, especially our elderly they dont even have respect for them, she added. Samoa Airways, at the end of its media statement, apologised for the inconvenience caused as a result of the disruption. Tropical Cyclone Mona in Fiji, severe flooding in the Solomon Islands, flash floods in Papua New Guinea, unseasonal storms in Kiribati and Marshall Islands, and heavy rains and strong wind in Samoa we have entered 2019 with uncertainty and a cause for concern at the impact of these extreme weather on the lives of the people. These are times when State agencies, which are charged with the responsibility to respond in times of emergency, are expected to be on standby and ready to respond at short notice to calls for assistance. Ask an emergency doctor or physician and he or she will tell you that a faster response can equate to better patient outcomes, dig further and you will find out that a response time of 8 minutes or less is critical for what they term advanced life support (ALS) units to respond to life-threatening events facing a person and to save his or her life! But in Samoa, just like in other parts of the Pacific, authorities are often plagued by capacity issues (such as the absence of skilled medical personnel) and the lack of resources to effectively respond in times of emergency. Often, it can be impossible for the Samoa Fire and Emergency Services (FESA), to evacuate a person in a life-threatening situation to the hospital in 8 minutes or less. So with all that is happening in Samoa in recent days, staff at State-funded entities such as FESA need our support and understanding. Public information from the Ministry of Police or the Samoa Meteorological Service that is disseminated through the media on radio, television and social media should be taken seriously and passed on to our families, friends and other members of the public. Public recreational areas on Upolu and Savaii where the risk of injury could be high should be avoided at all cost. Businesses in the tourism sector, including hotels and guest houses, have a duty of care to their guests and patrons and should warn them to take precaution by staying indoors if required. The Samoa Meteorological Service advised at 6.00pm last night that its severe weather caution is still current for the country, due to Tropical Cyclone Mona in the northern part of Fiji Islands. Tropical Cyclone Mona Category 1 was located at 14.5S, 178.9E or 1,000 km West of Apia at 2:00pm today. The system is maintaining its southeast movement at 10 knots (20 kph) remains over the Northern parts of the Fiji Islands. TC Mona is expected to make landfall over Vanualevu tonight as per consensus track forecast and will not have a direct impact to Samoa, stated the Samoa Meteorological Service. And for Samoa, the Service said: Expect heavy rain, strong and gusty northerly wind flow from tonight into tomorrow. High developing Northerly swells is expected to affect coastal waters for today and tomorrow. Local flash-floods and landslides will be likely for vulnerable areas. On that note that we see the barrage of criticism that the national carrier Samoa Airways has come under in the last 24 hours, over the cancellation of its Sydney-Samoa flight last Saturday. And acknowledge the discomfort that some passengers had to experience at the Kingsford-Smith International Airport in Sydney last Saturday, after the aircraft was diverted by Australian aviation authorities to Canberra after Sydney was hit by extreme weather. Unfortunately, it was totally out of the hands of the aircraft crew and the airline and the criticism from some of the passengers was unwarranted knowing that passenger safety remains paramount for both local and international airlines. And with the country currently experiencing extreme weather, thanks to Tropical Cyclone Mona, we somewhat ironically note the announcement by controversial helicopter company Samoa Helicopters Limited of their return to Samoa after a two-year absence. Hello Samoa, and a very happy safe and prosperous 2019 to you all. There are some exciting new developments, and thank you for all your kind messages of encouragement. I look forward to being back in Samoa to assist getting the popular service up and flying again. I also have never spoken about why the service had to stop, and why I had to leave Samoa, perhaps Ill tell all when Im back. However, the most important focus should be to get the life saving, and scenic flight operation back working for the people of Samoa, the company stated in its Facebook post last Friday. Well, we can only hope for the best for Samoa, as the resumption of a medical evacuation and emergency service in the country will go a long way in saving lives as we intermitted earlier. So if it is to really happen, then do it properly this time and with the participation of all the relevant stakeholders. The job of saving lives should be taken seriously. What do you think Samoa? Write and let us know. Have a wonderful Monday and God bless. Christmas and the New Year is a time for giving. This rang true recently when the staff of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (S.P.R.E.P.) visited the Mapuifagalele Home for the Aged to hand over their donation collected from the S.P.R.E.P. staff and community. The donations, which consisted of a cash envelope of $1,000 and boxes of various food and other items collected by the staff, were presented to the sisters who tend to the elderly at Mapuifagalele, to help with the day to day running of the Home. This initiative is an opportunity for the organisation and staff to give back to the community, a statement posted on the organisations website said. Mapuifagalele is run by the Catholic Churchs Little Sisters of the Poor and is open to anyone regardless of their religious affiliations. The sisters rely mainly on donations from the Church and the public. Sr. Lucy of the Mapuifagalele Home received the donations with gratitude and thanksgiving, on behalf of the sisters, staff and residents. This year has been an extremely busy year for all. S.P.R.E.P. also celebrated its 25 years of service to the region in promoting a resilient Pacific environment in harmony with our culture and natural heritage. For the Secretariat staff and community, there was no better way to wrap up another great year than recognising and appreciating others in the community. The S.P.R.E.P. Director General, Leota Kosi Latu, and staff, take this opportunity to wish all of Samoa a Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2019. Kirk Murray and Laina Lilomaiava welcomed the New Year in style at the Orator Hotel by tying the knot. The small but intimate wedding held on Tuesday was attended by close friends and family where the pair promised to cherish each other for life. The wedding was the latest step in a romantic relationship that has blossomed over the years between the two. Kirk, who works for Sheraton Samoa Aggie Greys Hotel on Beach Road, is the son of Walter Richard Murray of Newcastle Australia and the late Maria Tupuola of Taufusi. His wife, Laina Lilomaiava, on the other hand is the daughter of Seulata and Rev. Saumani Lilomaiava of Vaitele-fou and Faleasiu. The newly married couple is grateful for their families, friends and everyone who has shown support to them along the way. They say they are excited about the new step in their lives and are looking forward to a life of happiness together. Member of Parliament, Aliimalemanu Alofa Tuuau, is a woman on a mission. Having achieved her dream of becoming a Member of Parliament for her constituency, her goal is to inspire and encourage more women to take the journey with her so there are more women in decision-making positions in Parliament. The Member of Parliament was one of 20 participants in the Transformational Leadership Development (T.L.D.P.) training last month. There is so much strength and experience in our women, she said, adding that many of them have the potential to real meaningful changes in their communities. But she said the transformational change must begin with women, themselves. Speaking about her experience, Aliimalemanu said her transformation to believing herself and her abilities to be the difference was liberating and moving. In moving forward to women leadership, I had my own fears, she said. These included fear of failing, fear of being criticised, laughed at and many others. But during her time in Parliament, she has learnt to overcome those fears. Now she is determined as ever to encourage other women to overcome their fears and give Parliament a try. I wanted to make a difference, she said. If we really want to make a difference in settling issues like ending violence against women and gender based equality, then women should take ownership of becoming those courageous leaders, that will initiate the movement. She added that to make a change, the change must begin with you. She explained to the Samoa Observer the need for more women to be leaders of the nation. The recent training targeted key community leaders, NGO representative and government personnel to develop a contextualised leadership programme to address the key womens representation issues in Samoa. These include the low representation of women on boards, in Parliament, in village development committees and women matais. Organised and facilitated by Women in Leadership Samoa (WILS) Project, a three year United Nations Joint project implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Women (UN Women) Agency, with funding from the Australian Government and the Government of Samoa. At the end of the training, the participants were able to design an initiative supporting women and their leadership in Samoa using the TLDP methodology. Amid rancorous politics on Rafale fighter jet issue, Union Minister Smriti Irani took a dig at Rahul Gandhi accusing him of telling "more lies" on the matter after he called Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharama a "liar", and alleged that Gandhi's brother-in-law Robert Vadra had a plush 1.9 million pound house in London, which is under the scanner of Enforcement Directorate. At a press briefing, Irani said even after the Defence Minister placed all the facts in Parliament, it took Rahul Gandhi "48 hours to wake up, only to spread more lies". Raising issue of Gandhi's brother-in-law Robert Vadra, Irani said the Congress' 'rashtriya damaad (national son-in-law)' made headlines on Saturday when the Enforcement Directorate, while seeking non-bailable warrants for Vadra's personal assistant Manoj Arora, informed a Delhi court that the plush house in London which is under the scanner belongs to Vadra. Irani also mentioned the Enforcement Directorate allegation that Vadra has close relations with controversial defence consultant Sanjay Bhandari who is now hiding in London. Citing some media reports, the Minister said: "The ED presented before the court and sought a non-bailable warrant against Manoj Arora. It is highlighted how digital evidence was procured during an Income Tax department raid on the premises of Sanjay Bhandari, a well-known arms dealer, who also happens to be a close friend of Robert Vadra." "The digital evidence procured during the raid reveals that Robert Vadra beneficially controls a house -- 12, Bryanston Square, London in UK valued at GBP 1.9 million. In the digital evidence, which found communication between Vadra and others, has shown that the London house procured by Vadra underwent renovation to the tune of 66,000 GBP". "Media reports again highlight how Vadra indicated that the said amount can be addressed, paid by his assistant Manoj Arora. Even after three summons issued by ED, Arora refused to join the investigation. The ED has requested the court to issue a non-bailable warrant in the fear that Vadra's personal assistant will flee justice," Irani said. "Today, it is upon us to request Vadra in the interest of justice to kindly tell his personal assistant to present himself before the ED," Irani added. The minister also said that the Congress President should "beseech his brother-in-law" to ensure that Arora presented himself before the authorities. Refering to media reports, the Minister further alleged that important, confidential and sensitive documents relating to the Defence Ministry were found from the premises of Bhandari during the raid by the agencies. "Since Vadra is a publicly known associate of Bhandari, he may also want to enlighten the nation as to how his arms dealer friend came to be in possession of sensitive defence documents," Irani said. By Reuters The Berlin headquarters of Zalando is seen during the final construction phase in this company photo released from Berlin, Germany on December 14, 2018. With technology changing how and where we work, property developers are tapping artificial intelligence to create more sustainable workplaces. Employees will not need a key to get into the office of the future when it opens in Berlin this year, featuring ample meeting space, plenty of copy machines always stocked with paper along with high-quality air processed to maximize worker health and minimize sick time. Their smartphones will help guide them around their new workplace and they may need the assistance because they will not have permanent desks. With technology changing how and where we work, property developers are tapping artificial intelligence to create more sustainable workplaces to help staff work more efficiently and comfortably. Fierce competition for talent is turbo-charging the trend in Berlin. While the city used to be a bit of a business backwater, in recent years it gained a reputation as a start-up hub. Office vacancy rates have tumbled to just 1.5 percent as rents are rocketing, making it an ideal place for developers to showcase these new offices. Property owners in Berlin are taking a cue from the Netherlands, home to several intelligent and sustainable office projects. Rapid growth of local start-ups such as Zalando and Delivery Hero is driving demand for office space in the German capital. Two new smart offices are under construction in the former no-mans land of the Berlin Wall, next to the citys main train station. The Cube, being built by Austrian real estate company CA Immo, will be completed by the end of 2019, and The Edge Grand Central by EDGE Technologies, a subsidiary of Dutch firm OVG Real Estate, is planned for 2020. The office building is the new company car. In my world, people do not want a car as a perk anymore. They look around and say, This would be a nice place to work, said Martin Rodeck, executive MD at EDGE Technologies Germany. Both offices are packed with a network of sensors that measure everything from motion, temperature and lighting to humidity and C02 and are connected to a cloud platform. In The Cube, the technology is dubbed the brain, a self-learning software that analyses all the data it receives and optimises how the building is run. For example, if part of a building is unoccupied, it can turn off the lights and heating systems. If a meeting room is crowded it can pump in more oxygen. Users access the building via a smartphone app that knows their schedules and may suggest sitting by a window or on a floor where a meeting is scheduled. The app can be used to book meeting rooms, order food and navigate the building. Workers will need the navigational aid to find their desk. The offices feature a hot-desking system in which employees do not have a permanent desk, but rather the appropriate workspace for the type of work they want to do. Lockers will be available to store belongings. Smart offices can also minimise daily frustrations such as the printer running out of paper or being unable to locate a colleague, Rodeck said. The printers work along the predictive maintenance model. In the same way that a car warns it is running out of fuel, printers send alerts to the buildings management system when a machine needs paper so someone can fill it up. But to take advantage of these benefits, users need to actively opt-in to be tracked, visible to their colleagues and their boss, while in the building. In doing so, they override the default setting to be hidden. Falling sick rates Studies show people work better in environments providing good air quality as well as comfortable noise and humidity levels. Comparing sick leave rates in older and new offices highlights the potential benefits of state-of-the-art buildings. When consulting firm Deloitte moved into OVG Real Estates landmark smart building The Edge in Amsterdam in 2015, the firm found sick rates fell drastically while the number of job applicants increased, Rodeck said. Before online fashion retailer Zalando designed new headquarters, the company asked staff to share opinions on existing workspace. Employees complained about too few meeting rooms and the challenge of concentrating due to noise. In its new headquarters, due to open in early 2019, workers can choose from a library for quiet work, telephone booths for private conversations as well as living rooms located on the open catwalks to encourage interaction. The important part is that we provide a work environment for everyone, said Zalandos vice-president for real estate Raimund Paetzmann. Zalando plans to install smart technology to make it easy to reserve a desk from home and take away the stress of arriving at the office and not knowing where to sit. While shifting to hot-desking can control costs, a survey by CCL consulting and property agents Savills found half of those aged under 34 and 60% of those over 35 did not want to give up their fixed desk. We all need our home, a haven and part of the office that belongs to us, said Franz Kuehmayer, a trend researcher at think-tank Zukunftsinstitut. Many employees question how they will organise their daily work life and where they can put pictures of their children. Issues of people with special needs are of special interest to political leadership : PM [06/January/2019] SANAA, Jan. 6 (Saba) - Prime Minister Dr. Abdulaziz bin Habtoor said that the generous donation of people with special needs in various fields of life is a strong proof that the real disability is not in the body and its senses, but in the mentality. This came during the PM's participation in the event organized by Al Noor Center for the Blind on Saturday in Sanaa, on the third anniversary of the bombing of the center by the US-Saudi-UAE-led aggression coalition aggression, under the slogan "Al Noor center is our light on our way toward the future". He affirmed that the issues of people with special needs are of interest to the leadership of the State, which was keen to involve them to play their important role in the success of the project to develop the national vision to continue and develop the structure of the modern state of Yemen and the project, which was adopted by the martyr ex-President Saleh al-Samad under the slogan " A hand protects the country ... and the other constructs it" . The Prime Minister added that "this project brings together all the Yemenis of all sects" Stressing that "people with special needs have an important presence with us in our broad national culture, " adding" and the people with special needs, including the blind segment will be part of this national strategy." Dr. Bin Habtoor pointed to the solidarity of the government with with the Center for the Blind, commemorating the third anniversary of the sinful aggression of the US-backed coalition and preparing to launch it in the fourth year, where its members became more strong and cohesive and determined to continue life in every sense of the word. He pointed out that this segment is an authentic and active part of the Yemeni society and a living example of steadfastness and presenting a wonderful model in attendance, participation and steadfastness. Pointing out that this is a message from the Yemenis and their various social segments affirming that they are present to defend the homeland and victory for its issues by all possible means. The Prime Minister added that this occasion is appropriate to remind the world that the countries of aggression did not limit their aggression in the face of those stationed on the fronts and in places where fighting, but targeted even the blind category of Yemen people. "They are looking and they think they will hit us in the weak range by targeting people directly a and we are proud, as well as this blessed group is out proud of this number of students, graduates and employees," he said. He called on everyone to learn from this group valuable meanings in perseverance, interaction with life and positive interaction with its events. The Prime Minister praised the center of Al Noor, is followers, who are filled with hope and optimism and radiate the light of science from their minds, breaking the barrier of silence of light, from which they were deprived and continue their careers with determination. In his speech, Dr. Ben Habtoor addressed the fierce and despicable attack carried out yesterday by the UAE occupier against the Al-Mahdhar family in Shabwa and the use of Apache and its mercenaries and all mechanisms for oppress the people in this region. He condemned the criminal act of aggression and the occupation of the US-backed saudi-led coalition and all the attacks on the safe in all the villages and cities of Yemen .. He said that we will support our people in this unequal battle in which the Apache was used against the Kalashnikov personal weapon and yet faced and fought as heroes men and destroyed mechanisms and killed many mercenaries. "From this rostrum we would like to thank our brethren who resisted this attack and fought for the souls of the martyrs who were martyred in this aggressive raid that killed more than 11 martyrs." The Prime Minister expressed thanks to all those who took part in preparing for the commemoration of this anniversary and keen to attend the participation of Al Noor Center. In conclusion, he directed the government agencies, including the capital Sanaa municipality and the relevant ministries, to provide support to this center and other centers that are active in this field. AA Saba Greenville, NC (27833) Today Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. US Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas): I understand from whats been testified to the Forest Service and the BLM [Bureau of Land Management], you want very much to work on the issue of climate change. We know theres been significant solar flare activity, and so is there anything that the National Forest Service or BLM can do to change the course of the moons orbit, or the Earths orbit around the sun? Obviously that would have profound effects on our climate. Jennifer Eberlein, associate deputy chief for the National Forest System, responded that she would have to follow up with you on that one, after a brief pause. Gohmert: Well, if you figure out a way that you in the Forest Service can make that change, Id like to know. The bodys immune system is incredibly complex and keeping it well-regulated relies on many factors including diet, exercise and sleep. How much alcohol an individual consumes is also a factor. When the body processes alcohol, multiple organs are affected in different ways all of which have negative impacts on the immune system. As more and more people turn to alcohol to cope with the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic, its important to understand the potential harmful impacts of alcohol on the bodys ability to fight off diseases. Aldi, E.ON to install 360 charging points for e-cars in Hungary Discount retailer Aldi and utility E.ON, both German-owned, signed a deal to install charging stations for electric cars in the parking lots of 123 Aldi stores and to add similar stations to most newly built Aldi stores in the future. The E.ON network opwning in Aldi parking lots means more than 360 new charging points nationwide, as most parking lots will offer two to four charging slots. The investment represents a big step forward in building e-mobility infrastructure, the companies said in a joint statement. E-mobility is a key area of the future that will take off in development at the speed of sound. The deal with Aldi entails the creation of a standardised nationwide network, which is a milestone achievement, E.ON board member Zsolt Jamniczky said. The e-car charging station network to be built and operated by E.ON will offer our customers an opportunity to recharge, thereby contributing to environmentally friendly transportation, said Bernhard Haider, managing director of ALDI Magyarorszag Elelmiszer Bt.The network will include both AC and DC chargers, depending on the individual Aldi store's location and nearby charging capacities available. The current deal is for 10 years, with an option to extend the agreement to a further five years. By COL (RTD) DR KIZZA-BESIGYE This write-up has been prompted by repeated misinformation and blame-game by Mr Museveni on Ugandas chronic energy crisis. This has been, especially, in an attempt to explain the very long delay in completing the Bujagali dam project. Its important, however, to look at the whole energy sector because this is the heart of a countrys economic growth. The sector has had major problems, both at the policy and the implementation levels. There was no energy policy at all between 1986 and 2002! Government only depended on annual policy statements made by the minister to accompany budget estimates. The renewable energy policy that encompasses our most vital resources was only made in 2007. This is the policy that deals with river dams, solar, biomass (agriculture and forestry products), underground heat (geothermal), wind, and peat (accumulation of partially decayed vegetation). For 20 years, there was no policy!! The energy policy of 2002 and the renewable energy policy 2007 are themselves significantly deficient in some parts and quite misdirected in others. However, I have no intention of delving into that now. The power sector was fundamentally reformed and largely privatised under the Electricity Act 1999 before there was any form of energy policy! This, of course, has been the standard practice of the cart pulling the horse. This was the law that facilitated the government to hand over the power sector to foreign government bodies, under the guise of privatisation. It is noteworthy that this colossal government failure occurred at a time when there was no political opposition in Parliament; when for most part, the president was the executive and speaker of Parliament. The biggest failure and sabotage of the energy sector, however, was in the conception/ misconception and implementation of power projects. The subversion and corruption evidenced in this sector vividly display Mr Museveni and his regimes unpatriotic and perfidious intentions. Ugandas energy resource Apart from hydroelectric power and biomass, Uganda has vast renewable energy resources in the form of solar, geothermal and wind. These also happen to be the most environmentally friendly sources of energy. Unfortunately, up to now, no evaluation of these resources has been done! By 2011, Kenya was already harnessing 280MW of geothermal power- far more than the famed Bujagali dam. What is more, Kenyas geothermal output is expected to grow to 800MW by 2018. Power projects Owen falls/ Nalubaale dam was the first power project. It was commissioned progressively from 1954 to 1968; when 10 units had been installed with a total capacity of 150MW. The project cost at the time was estimated at $63 million. This was at a time when Ugandas population was only six million. Over the turbulent years, output of the dam collapsed from the initial 150MW to about 60MW! The second power project constituted the rehabilitation of the Owen falls dam, up-rating its capacity from the original 150MW to 180MW, rehabilitation of the transmission and distribution lines; and capacity building for the defunct UEB. The project was approved in March 1985 and the project cost was $73.4 million. This is the project that was undertaken during the first years of the NRM regime. There is very little information regarding the implementation of this project, save for the fact that its reported to have been completed ten years later in 1996. The third project was initiated under the NRM regime. It had three main objectives, namely: improving the safety of the existing Owen Falls Dam/ Nalubaale, expanding power generation by building another dam (1km from the Owen Falls Dam) with a capacity of 102MW, later changed to 200MW and capacity building for Uganda Electricity Board (UEB). The planned project cost was $300 million and the project was launched in 1991. An appraisal that was undertaken before the project was started showed that there was a critical risk to the project from low water levels of Lake Victoria. This was tragically ignored! Government minister Hilary Onek [while Energy minister] has also publically stated that he advised government about the water level risk and the advice was ignored. Gibbs Company, who designed the Owen Falls Dam (1948), and a British Aid agency, Kennedy and Donkin, all advised that the extension of the project was not economically justified because of the low water levels. Its worth noting that a firm, Acres of Canada, which did the feasibility, detailed engineering and construction supervision of the project didnt go through competitive bidding. It was another bedroom appointment! In spite of all the concerns expressed about the low lake water levels, the original design of installing four turbines of 34MW each (total of 102MW) was changed to five turbines of 40MW each (total 200MW)! Eventually, only three out of the planned five (40MW) turbines were installed (financed by Norway). Due to the low water levels, only two of the three installed turbines were commissioned. The third is being used as a transformer for a private Jinja thermal plant. A company, SIETCO from China, which was potentially unqualified, and had presented easily verifiable false information, was awarded the tender to do the construction (civil) work. The firm didnt have money or technical competence to do the work. This was eventually terminated. The re-bidding process resulted in a four-year delay of the project and an additional expenditure of $26 million. The project was based on a plan to increase the price of electricity to levels that were clearly unrealistic for the market to bear. Electricity price was supposed to be doubled immediately (1991) to $4.8 cents/unit, to be trebled to $7.2 cents/Unit by January 1993. Thereafter it was supposed to increase 5% per year from 1994 till a price of $ 15 cents/Unit!! Between 1991 and 1993, the price of electricity for a typical consumer increased from Shs 10 per unit to Shs 86 per unit, because of the changed rate and the fluctuating dollar price. The government of Uganda signed onto these conditions, well-knowing that its citizens were among the poorest human beings on earth and that power was vital for human and economic development. As a result, by 1994, less than 25% of all the UEB bills were paid for. Between 1991 and 1997, unpaid electricity bills accumulated to Shs 71 billion ($6 m at the time). This spelt doom for UEB and provided the justification for winding it up. In spite of increasing electricity prices eight times and getting government capitalization of US$40 million, UEB could not meet its debt servicing! Under the 1999 Electricity Act that restructured the power sector, UEB was divided into three companies for power generation. There was the Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL) for generating power, the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) for transmission and the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) for distribution. Eskom, a South African government company, leased the asserts of UEGCL for 20 years; with a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) that compels the only Uganda government-owned company UETCL to purchase all power supplied by Eskom, irrespective of the Lake Victoria water levels. Eskom, together with a UK company, formed the company known as Umeme. Umeme has since entered into dubious agreements with government that have already caused a loss of hundreds of millions of dollars to Uganda since their takeover. The net effect of the third project was the following: That out of the 380MW capacity developed at Nalubaale/Owen (180MW) and Kiira dams (200MW), the actual power output of the two dams, now managed by a foreign company, is less than 100MW!! This means that the Kiira dam investment was a disastrous waste. Lake Victoria water levels have fallen to disastrous levels. The meteoric rise in the price of electricity to levels that is unaffordable by most people. An independent evaluation group of the World Bank (main funder) carried out in 2008 concluded that the outcome of the project (implemented over a 10- year period) was rated as UNSATISFACTORY, the second poorest rating. The winding up of UEB and handing over the strategic power sector to foreign control. The low power output at Nalubaale and Kiira dams led to a high shortage of electricity that prompted the contracting of thermal power (diesel engine generators) companies. This caused a further rise in the price of electricity. The rise was so high that government had to subsidise consumers from taxpayers money. It is estimated that government subsidy has been about $100 million per year although about 5% of the population consumes electricity. This is a direct contribution to growth of poverty. Foreign companies that took over electricity generation and distribution (sales) employ experts from their countries; undermining the development of domestic expertise. Mr Museveni blames opposition MPs for the countrys energy problems; saying they delayed the implementation of the Bujagali dam project. Before moving on to Bujagali, can Mr Museveni or anyone in government inform Ugandans who was responsible for the above disastrous developments and what action was taken on them? Bujagali dam project The Bujagali dam project was a total fiasco, the epitome of NRM regimes corruption and incompetence. The country will bleed from its effects for very many years. The project was conceived around 1994 as a public (government)-private partnership (PPP). In February 1996, government awarded and signed a contract with AES Nile Power Ltd without competitive bidding, with the project cost of $450 million. As usual, Mr Museveni was central in negotiating the deal. The contract included a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) that committed Uganda government to buy all the power to be produced at an agreed price. These agreements were a tightly guarded secret between government and AES Nile Power Ltd. All efforts by civil society organisations and Parliament to gain access to these agreements were rejected by government. AES Nile Power then embarked on mobilising the necessary funding for the project. Meantime, in December 1996, AES Nile Power adjusted the contract sum upwards to US$530 million, to which the Uganda government agreed. Right from the award of the contract, many local and international environmental NGOs presented serious concerns to the government, worried about the negative impact of the project. The following were their main concerns: The environmental cost was too high. This included the dangers of over draining Lake Victoria, absence of a cumulative impact assessment of the cascade of dams, especially since no environmental impact assessment was done for the second power project, destruction of the unique cascading Bujagali falls that was a national treasure for tourism among others, and destruction of habitats for fish and birds, with a serious impact on River Nile fisheries. Nalubaale (Owen falls) dam posed a potent threat to the proposed Bujagali dam because its projected lifespan had expired and it was known to be heavily cracked. A company of UK divers were contracted to assess the dams safety but the report was kept secret. If Nalubaale collapsed, the boulders and water released would wipe out the nearby Bujagali dam down the river. Neglect of other sources of energy- the bloated project had the effect of stifling development of viable renewable energy options. Lack of cost-benefit analysis- generation of power at any cost cannot be Ugandas pursuit. Some observed that Bujagali dam was a costly white elephant; that increased the nations debt load and produced little power that few Ugandans could afford. The PPA between Uganda and AES Nile Power Ltd was a closely-guarded secret. Again, this made it difficult to ascertain the impact of the dam on Ugandas economy. It is these NGOs concerns that attracted the attention and involvement of MPs, whom Mr Museveni has been aggressively and incessantly blaming for Ugandas power crisis. It ought to be clearly understood, however, that the involvement of the MPs didnt at all occasion the delay of the Bujagali dam project. Three developments caused the delay of Bujagali dam, namely: In 2002, a corruption/ bribery scandal broke out, where AES Nile Power Ltd officials were alleged to have corruptly influenced government officials. This led to an investigation by the US Justice Department (based on US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) and the World Bank Fraud and Corruption Unit. The World Bank financing was withheld from mid-2002 pending the outcome of the corruption investigations. Consequently, dam construction was suspended. In June 2003, two construction firms on the project, Veidekke and Skanska pulled out, citing bribery and environmental controversies. As the problems in Uganda were ongoing, AES Corp, the main shareholder of AES Nile Power, developed problems leading to a drastic collapse of its share value. In August 2003, AES Corp announced that it was discontinuing the construction and development of AES Nile Power project in Uganda. AES wrote off $75 million that it had already invested in Bujagali project. In June 2002, World Banks independent investigative unit found that the Bujagali project violated five operational policies of the bank! In November 2002, after the suspension of the project, the High court made a historic ruling which declared the PPA a public document and forced the government to make it public. An independent review of the PPA between Uganda government and AES Nile Power Ltd was carried out (after the forced release) by Prayas Energy Group. The review determined that the project cost was inflated more than double. The agreement would make the Ugandan people pay $20-40 million extra per year compared to similar projects in other parts of the world. The 2003 pull-out of the project by AES was, therefore, a blessing for Uganda- short-lived as it turned out to be. Bujagali dam was re-bidded in 2005. A consortium led by Industrial Promotions Services (IPS), a holding company of the Aga Khan was awarded the contract, ahead of three other consortia. It was reported that IPS lagged behind the others at the technical evaluation. Mr Museveni and State House were again very involved in deciding the contract award The project partners, IPS, Sithe Global Power (USA) and the government set up a new company- Bujagali Energy Ltd (BEL) to operate and run the project. IPS and BEL signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and an Implementation Agreement with government (UEGCL) respectively. These agreements were signed before Parliament approved the governments obligation as required by law. The project cost was put at $860 million!! The government advanced BEL $90 million to kick-start the project. The project also inherited the $75million asserts forfeited by defunct AES Nile Power Ltd. Construction work resumed in 2007 and was planned to be completed in three years. The Bujagali Power Project was inaugurated in October 2012, 16 years after the initial contract was signed!! At the inauguration, Mr Nazir Juma, the chairman of BEL, reported that the total project cost was $902 million! The investigation by a parliamentary ad-hoc committee on energy, chaired by Bududa South Jacob Oboth-Oboth showed that the actual cost of the dam project was $1.3 billion. The committee recommended a forensic audit of the project. Bujagali dam, even at the official $902 million, is the most expensive dam in the world today [given its limited power capacity]! Construction of hydropower plants in Africa and other continents cost between $1.0- 1.7 per MW capacity. Bujagali, at the officially declared project cost stands at $3.6 per MW. If the parliamentary committee findings are correct, this will go up to $5.2 per MW! Worse still, whereas the installed capacity of Bujagali dam is 250MW, due to the low water levels that were known to obtain, the actual output of the dam since inauguration has not exceeded 130MW on average! The total power generated by the three dams today is just a little more than what the upgraded Nalubaale/ Owen falls dam produced, yet its ten times more expensive and the country is saddled with debts from the white elephant projects. This is the latest scandal, whose extent is still unfolding. Karuma dam project is supposed to generate 600MW of power. It was conceived in the mid-1990s and has been on the drawing board since. Corruption allegations started even as the project was being drawn up. It may be recalled that a Norwegian company that had interest in getting the Karuma contract allegedly paid a Ugandan senior government official a $10,000 bribe. Karuma dam The bids for Karuma dam were eventually invited in August 2010. Eight major bidders were shortlisted. All the others except three companies (two Chinese and one Iranian) were eliminated at the pre-qualification stage. Immediately after this, allegations of bribery started. They were first published in The East African newspaper. It was alleged that the contracts evaluation committee received $1.2 million from the Chinese. Since then, court injunctions, official investigations, court cancellation and repetition of the evaluation process have crippled the procurement process. In March 2013, the IGG recommended (and government has accepted) that the project should be re-tendered! Nearly three years on, no contractor has been selected. In a Daily Monitor story of April 15, 2013, Mr Museveni is reported to have informed his cabinet that some of his ministers were demanding for a $200 million bribe from a Chinese firm aspiring to win the Karuma power dam construction contract. It has also been reported that Mr Museveni has now personally taken over the procurement process to fast-track it. Yes, hold your breath!! Conclusion Theft/ corruption and dysfunctional government systems and institutions in the Energy sector are responsible for the power crisis in Uganda. Mr Museveni/ State Houses hand is pervasive in all the project scandals. The Ugandan people are and will continue, paying heavily for the mega scandals in the Energy sector. This is clearly one of the most disempowering and impoverishing failures/ betrayals of the Museveni regime. Less than 5% of the population has access to electricity due to the high cost and a very tiny distribution network. Theres no end in sight to the power crisis in Uganda unless a more accountable, transparent and patriotic government takes charge What is presented here regarding the energy sector is certainly replicated in all sectors of government. This is why roads in Uganda are the most expensive to construct and take forever to complete yet they disintegrate in a very short time. This is why Uganda Railways collapsed, ICT development is poorest in the region; water dam reservoirs for dry areas of Uganda remain a fantasy. This is why, in spite of being in government for nearly 30 years and uncountable money spent, all social services are in shambles, agriculture has collapsed, Ugandans have no national IDs; etc. Recommendations Accordingly, recommendations need to target the pervasive failures, theft and corruption, subversion, and dysfunction of government and those that have colluded and abated its crimes. The following measures are recommended: Parliament should urgently institute a formal and public inquiry into the grave and glaring cases of corruption, abuse of office and misconduct in the implementation of the power projects in Uganda. The Auditor General should carry out a forensic audit of all the power projects. Parliament should initiate a probe into the role of the World Bank and associated institutions in supporting dubious projects that enslave Ugandans to paying huge debt burdens. Where these lenders have acted imprudently or illegally, a case should be made for non-payment of their loans. MPs should revive the impeachment proceedings against the president under Article 107 (a) and (b). They should start by drawing up the many, very clear, and incontrovertible charges of abuse of office and misconduct (including acts of commission and omission) as provided for in the constitution. Unless the mafia-like network in government is completely purged, the misery of Ugandans can only intensify. Let all Ugandans who are informed rally other citizens to say that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH and to demand a better government. Comments New Japan International Tourist Tax Starts Tomorrow There is a new Japan International Tourist Tax starting tomorrow. Effective tomorrow, 7th January 2019, International tourist to Japan will need to pay a new 1,000 Yen (RM 38) departure tax. This is similar to the Indonesia Departure Tax. The new Japan International Tourist Tax will be used to expand and enhance the countrys tourist infrastructure. Revenue from the International Tourist Tax will be allocated to the following three areas: Create a more comfortable, stress-free tourist environment. Improve access to information about a wide variety of attractions of Japan. Develop tourist resources taking advantage of the unique cultural and natural assets of respective regions. There will be exemptions for travellers who have the following criteria as below: Crew members Persons subject to deportation Persons leaving Japan by an official airplane or ship such as government plane Transit passengers who leave Japan within 24 hours after entry Passengers who planned to travel between third countries but happened to stop by Japan due to emergency condition such as inclement weather Passengers who planned to depart for a foreign country but happened to return to Japan due to emergency condition such as inclement weather Passengers under the age of 2 Certain foreign diplomats and military personnel dispatched to Japan departing for official purpose Source: https://www.nta.go.jp/english/taxes/indirect/basic_knowledge.htm If you purchase an air ticket issued before 7th January 2019, you will be exempted from paying the new Japan International Tourist Tax. Today is the last day for you to purchase the air ticket to Japan without paying the additional 1,000 Yen. The New Japan International Tourist Tax will be collected by airlines and cruises. If you purchase airline tickets or cruise tickets to Japan, you will have to 1,000 Yen more. We will be visiting Japan soon and remember to follow our blog, Youtube and Instagram for more Japan stories. Wilson Ng A Father and traveler who enjoys to eat, shop, travel and taking pictures with Samsung S21 Ultra. Im a full time blogger, youtuber and father for two. I travel around 17 International trips per year. Remember to follow us at www.instagram.com/placesandfoods and www.youtube.com/placesandfoods. For ads or features, contact me at [email protected] See author's posts The Wall Street Journals influential editorial board is known for being hard on presidents OK, just the even-numbered ones, in recent years. That would be Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. The bible of American finance whose conservative editorial writers never met a corporate tax cut they didnt like, or a Democrat that they did could be ruthless toward the 42nd and 44th presidents, even encouraging some of the loopier conspiracy theories of the Whitewater era. Thats why it was so jarring last week to see the Rupert Murdoch-owned broadsheet publish an editorial stating, We cannot recall a more absurd misstatement of history by an American President" when that president is a Republican, Donald Trump. The WSJ which maybe isnt as pro-Trump as that diner in southern Ohio that the New York Times has reported from 6,784 times now, but which generally likes POTUS 45 as long as hes reducing marginal tax rates or dropping napalm on the Environmental Protection Agency ripped the current commander in chief in a piece headlined, Trumps Cracked Afghan History. Yes, its a little weird that an editorial board that was nonplussed (or sometimes mildly concerned) about Trumps 7,000-plus other lies, firing of Jim Comey, shredding of the emoluments clause, etc., etc., would wig out about the presidents strange thoughts on an invasion exactly 40 years ago by a country, the USSR, that technically doesnt exist. But anticommunism both was, and is, central to the Wall Street Journal brand. Lets hear them out on this one. The editorial bashed Trump for asserting that Leonid Brezhnevs USSR was justified in 1979 when it invaded Afghanistan, a move that was so vehemently opposed by the U.S. government that Jimmy Carter imposed an Olympic boycott and reinstituted draft registration for 18-year-olds. That, the Journal argued, was ridiculous, adding: The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was a defining event in the Cold War, making clear to all serious people the reality of the communist Kremlins threat." Heres the thing. Trump says crazy stuff every day of his presidency. But the Journal was absolutely right to home in on the weirdness and disturbing nature of this particular statement. For one thing, its surprising that the usually assertively anti-intellectual Trump has deep albeit historically incorrect thoughts about foreign policy in the late 70s and 80s, the decade he was busy trying to promote Herschel Walker and bed Marla Maples. Second, not one other person on this side of the Atlantic Ocean holds that notion advanced by the president: that the USSR invasion of Afghanistan was justified or was about anything other than world domination. But now heres where it gets much, much weirder and much more disturbing. Because it turns out there is one prominent set of voices who just in the last few months started making the argument that the USSR was right to send those troops into Afghanistan, an action that even Russian higher-ups have conceded even before the USSRs 1991 collapse was a horrible mistake, politically and morally. That would be Vladimir Putin and his allies in the Russian government. Its doubtful that either you or Donald J. Trump read this online Washington Post opinion piece from Dec. 4 that outlines an otherwise little-reported push by Russian lawmakers allied with Putin for a resolution that would justify their countrys 1979 invasion and reverse an 1989 vote backed by then-USSR leader Mikhail Gorbachev that had condemned it. The Putinists goal is to pass the resolution by the 30th anniversary of the Soviet withdrawal, in February. OK, maybe its a coincidence that a babbling Trump who certainly gives the appearance of saying whatever pops into his mind just happened to make the same obscure argument as Putins minions halfway across the globe. But on Thursday night, I and a couple of other million folks saw a remarkable report by MSNBCs Rachel Maddow that tied together some wild threads (for which she credited other journalists such as Vladimir Kara-Murza, author of that Post op-ed, and New York Magazines Jonathan Chait, as well as her own Steve Benen). It turns out Trumps bizarre, historically incorrect Afghanistan riff is part of a pattern in which either the president or his administration has mimicked obscure foreign-policy points linked directly to Putin and/or Russian intelligence ops, and to virtually no one else certainly not anyone in the American diplomatic community. The most bizarre such episode happened early in Trumps presidency. When Mike Flynn who would later plead guilty to lying to the FBI about his phone calls with Russias ambassador was still Trumps national security adviser in the first weeks of the new administration, there was this little noticed report from the AP. According to one U.S. official, national security aides have sought information about Polish incursions in Belarus, an eyebrow-raising request because little evidence of such activities appears to exist, the AP reported. Poland is among the Eastern European nations worried about Trumps friendlier tone on Russia. Meanwhile, Putins interest in swallowing up Belarus possibly using the fake Polish incursions as a pretext has only intensified in the two years since the 45th president was sworn in. Then theres the strange matter of U.S. policy toward the tiny Balkan nation of Montenegro, which in 2017 became the first new member of NATO in a decade. A few weeks later, Trump caused a lot of head-scratching when he went on Fox News with Tucker Carlson and the president (echoed by Carlson) lashed out at the idea of defending his new NATO ally. You know, Montenegro is a tiny country with very strong people. They are very aggressive people," Trump said. They may get aggressive, and congratulations, youre in World War III. Actually, when it comes to Montenegro, Trump was arguably the aggressive one with the viral clip of POTUS shoving aside the Montenegrin prime minister at a summit meeting two months earlier. Most viewers watched the clip for a laugh. Whats not so funny is that Russian intelligence officers had been involved in a 2016 plot to assassinate Montenegros leader so determined was Putin to prevent the expansion of NATO. A goal that seems to have been shared by the current president of the United States. These obscure Putin-flavored U.S. maneuvers have happened amid the highly publicized probe by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is tasked with finding out if the Trump campaign somehow colluded with Russias spies as they sought to interfere with and alter the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. Although arguably a strong case for collusion has already been revealed, we wont know the full extent of what hes uncovered until later this year. None of Team Trumps arcane moves on Belarus, Montenegro or Afghanistan is conclusive proof of a vast Trump-Russia conspiracy, but Theres a famous scene in All the Presidents Men where Robert Redford as Bob Woodward says: If you go to bed at night and there is no snow on the ground, when you wake up there is snow on the ground, you can say it snowed during the night although you didnt see it, right?" When it comes to U.S. policy toward Russia under Trump, we are waking up to find 6-foot snow drifts outside. Beyond the bizarre echoes of Belarus, Montenegro and Afghanistan, weve watched the White House kowtow to Team Putin every chance it gets, from leaving Syria to dropping sanctions on Paul Manaforts favorite Russian oligarch. Thursdays Maddow report was so alarming because it revealed the deep extent to which Trump at least on Russia policy is acting as a kind of Manchurian Candidate inside Americas seat of power. We dont know the mechanics of how the Trump administration is receiving and absorbing these ideas like Polish incursions into Belarus" or aggressive Montenegro, but the fact that hes parroting the Putin line should be alarming enough. Its one more reason why the nightmare of the Trump presidency needs to end long before January 20, 2021. Look, I dont want to see another Cold War, nor do I believe thats necessary. That said, even those of us who prefer peace to rampant militarism can see that Putin keeps testing the limits of European expansionism the same kind of aggressive fantasies that brought disastrous consequences within the last century. Putin is also not as strong as he likes the world to think he is. His ambitions can be contained but only with U.S. policies that support our democratic allies and not the Russian dictator. If were not careful on this one, America could wake up from a long slumber with snow up to the second-floor windows, and then congratulations, youre in World War III. Were a bit of a broken record this morning. Just a week ago we wrote all about the continuing government shutdown and the tension that filled the Philly air as the Eagles faced a tough, must-win game Sunday afternoon. Today the government shutdown continues and, improbably enough, so does the Eagles' season with todays Wild Card playoff game. But, of course, its a new week (not to mention a new year) so there are plenty of fresh stories coming your way plus a conversation with food writer Michael Klein that might make foodies jealous. Aubrey Nagle and Ray Boyd (morningnewsletter@philly.com) The week ahead This weeks most popular stories Behind the story with Michael Klein You recently traveled to Las Vegas to visit Philly chef Marc Vetris new restaurant. What was the most interesting thing you learned from that trip? It actually was a sobering realization about restaurant economics. Even as Vetri and partner Jeff Benjamin were building an empire of popular restaurants and they were up to seven they were mortgaging their homes to finance it all. The Osteria they opened in Moorestown was a dud and nearly sank them altogether before Urban Outfitters bought them out of everything except for the flagship Vetri Cucina on Spruce Street. People think chefs are wealthy. Most are not. Its the restaurateurs many of whom have other business interests such as real estate who have the bucks. The Vegas restaurant is a management deal Vetri and Benjamin didnt have to pony up an investment but will work for a share of the income. How many new dishes or restaurants do you check out each month? And how do you organize it all? I visit at least a restaurant a day, and that is mainly to feed the Lets Eat newsletter with photos and descriptions. My iCloud helps keep a log of where I go, and I try to branch out geographically. A while back, I realized that while our readership is heaviest in the suburbs, the restaurant coverage from all local media was laser-focused on Center City and inner-ring neighborhoods. Thats understandable. Thats where the action is. But I want to also serve our readers who for whatever reason will never set foot in the city and seek a good experience and information they can use. It seems Phillys food scene is always evolving, especially over the past few years. What trends do you think are in store for 2019? Philadelphia is not really a center of trendy, which is a good thing. I think Korean food is gaining wider acceptance here. I also think that a slowdown in openings is coming, especially, sadly, with independent restaurants. The chains love our demographics and have money to spend on construction and rent. Some of the independent restaurants that took three- and five-year leases a few years ago are now facing sizable rent increases. This led to the recent closings of the Bufad and Slice pizzerias. Youve been writing about restaurants for the Philadelphia Inquirer for over 25 years, and for 10 years you wrote the INQlings column too. Did you take any tips or tricks from that work into your current role? I have been writing Table Talk, the restaurant column, since 1993. Seven years later, during the Republican National Convention, I launched INQlings, which was a mix of celeb news in a city with no celebs, vetted gossip (no blind items, etc.), and other newsy bits that might not otherwise be worthy of a full-blown article. That ran for 12 years before I went full time with food and restaurants. I learned early on to save every contact because food is really at the center of everything. You also write the Lets Eat newsletter each week, full of food and drink news. Whats the most challenging part of writing Lets Eat? Eating a bite or two, and not the whole thing. This might be a doozy, but do you have a favorite place to eat or drink in the Philly area? Gee, guys! Why dont you ask me which is my favorite child? It depends on mood, and it depends on how much money it will cost me. Contact Michael Klein at mklein@philly.com or on Twitter @PhillyInsider. Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly Thats a good question, @stormy_potato_dog. Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and well pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out! #CuriousPhilly: Have a question about your community? Ask us! Have you submitted a question to Curious Philly yet? We introduced the question-and-response service last year so you can submit your questions about the Philadelphia region. In 2018 we answered dozens of inquiries, like when I-95 construction will end, what Philly neighborhoods are really called, why the Eagles cant wear Kelly green, and so much more. Were excited to keep digging in 2019, so ask away. Were listening and doing our best to find answers to the things youre curious about. What were Comment of the week Battle tested team, peaking at just the right time, with Foles at the controls. Should be a win. Book it! acepilot, on the Eagles' chances to take down the Bears in their playoff showdown. A Daily Dose of | Art Years ago the Philadelphia School Districts collection of 1,200 paintings, sculptures, murals, tapestries, and other pieces was removed from schools. Soon the art will return to the public eye. A blaze that tore through a North Philadelphia rowhouse Saturday, killing a grandmother and two of her grandchildren, remained under investigation Sunday as the fire departments Community Action Team fanned out across the neighborhood to ensure homes were equipped with smoke alarms. Identities of the victims, a 60-year-old woman and two children under the age of 10, have not been released by authorities. Firefighters found their bodies in a cluttered room after battling through the inferno and its heavy smoke. About 40 rescue workers responded to the blaze on the 4200 block of North Reese Street in the citys Hunting Park section. We had to breach the door to get in," said Kathy Matheson, spokesperson for the Philadelphia Fire Department in an interview with the Inquirer and Daily News. After firefighters broke through the doors, she added, it was very hard to move around, because there were a lot of belongings everywhere. Matheson said the house had no smoke detectors. The Philadelphia Fire Department will install free smoke alarms for any city residents who request them through 311, Matheson said. That includes adaptive alarms for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. KINSHASA, Congo (AP) On the eve of the first expected results of Congo's long-delayed presidential election, President Donald Trump said military personnel had deployed to Central Africa to protect U.S. assets from possible "violent demonstrations," while the country's powerful Catholic church warned of a popular "uprising" if untrue results are announced. Congo faces what could be its first democratic, peaceful transfer of power since independence from Belgium in 1960, but election observers and the opposition have raised concerns about voting irregularities as the country chooses a successor to longtime President Joseph Kabila. The first results are expected on Sunday, and the United States and the African Union, among others, have urged Congo to release results that reflect the true will of the people. The U.S. has threatened sanctions against those who undermine the democratic process. Western election observers were not invited to watch the vote. While Congo has been largely calm on and after the Dec. 30 vote, Trump's letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said about 80 military personnel and "appropriate combat equipment" had deployed to nearby Gabon to support the security of U.S. citizens and staffers and diplomatic facilities. More will deploy as needed to Gabon, Congo or neighboring Republic of Congo, he wrote. The U.S. ahead of the vote ordered "non-emergency" government employees and family members to leave the country. The Catholic church, an influential voice in the heavily Catholic nation, caused surprise on Thursday by announcing that data reported by its 40,000 election observers deployed in all polling stations show a clear winner. As regulations say only the electoral commission can announce election results, the church did not give a name. The electoral commission on Friday said the church's announcement could incite an uprising. The church on Saturday, in a letter to the commission seen by The Associated Press, replied that releasing untrue results could cause the uprising instead. Congo's ruling party, which backs Kabila's preferred candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, has called the church's attitude "irresponsible and anarchist." Leading opposition candidate Martin Fayulu, a businessman and lawmaker, has accused Congolese authorities of impeding his campaign. His campaign manager, Pierre Lumbi, on Saturday accused the electoral commission of being "in the process of postponing the publication of the results." The commission's rapporteur, Jean-Pierre Kalamba, said "we will see tomorrow" and that 44 percent of the results had been compiled. At stake is a vast country rich in the minerals that power the world's mobile phones and laptops, yet desperately underdeveloped. Some 40 million people were registered to vote, though at the last minute some 1 million voters were barred as the electoral commission cited a deadly Ebola virus outbreak. Critics said that undermines the election's credibility. The vote took place more than two years behind schedule, while a court ruled that Kabila could stay in office until the vote was held. The delay led to sometimes deadly protests as authorities cracked down, and Shadary is now under European Union sanctions for his role in the crackdown as interior minister at the time. Kabila, who took office in 2001 after his father was assassinated, is barred from serving three consecutive terms but has hinted that he could run again in 2023. That has led many Congolese to suspect that he will rule from the shadows if Shadary takes office. Internet and text messaging services were cut off the day after the election in an apparent effort by the government to prevent social media speculation about the results. The United States has urged that internet service be restored, and a United Nations human rights spokeswoman has warned that "these efforts to silence dissent could backfire considerably when the results are announced." ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa (Bloomberg) China landed a probe on the far side of the moon on Thursday with remarkably little fanfare, yet the feat is one giant leap for a nation thats long been regarded as an also-ran in the space race. With Elon Musk tweeting pictures of starships and NASA targeting a manned mission to the Mars one day in the distant future, the moon might seem a less exciting destination. But space experts quickly applauded Chinas technical mastery in the probe landing, and said that while short-term opportunities to mine the moon for minerals might be minimal, long-term implications for space exploration are real. China thinks in decades, said Clive Neal, a lunar expert at the University of Notre Dame. The U.S. thinks in presidential terms. Last year, for the first time, China passed the U.S. in orbital launches, most of them for satellites. With the moon landing, its now positioned as a contender for exploration, communications and space commerce. The stated goal for the Change-4 sitting on the dark side: Collect samples and identify what minerals are there. Space observers said humanity was more likely to find gold, silver, iridium and platinum on asteroids. That doesnt rule out a moon-mining endeavor in the far future that could serve as a lunar gas station to the stars. The primary material on the moon is helium-3, which for now is too expensive to haul back to Earth. In theory, the non-radioactive isotope could be used as fuel for the next generations of spacecraft to explore deeper into space. Imagine driving from NYC to L.A. without gas stations along the way, said Peter Diamandis, the entrepreneur who founded the XPrize to encourage private spaceships. If you can get the fuel from space, it reduces the cost. As for those whod mine asteroids, the moon may be the better option if materials are discovered under the surface. Alex Ellery, of Carleton University, says the moons treasures are easier to retrieve because it has gravity and is close to Earth. The next step is bringing mankind back to the moon. Theres debate in the U.S. over whether to do a direct landing as soon as possible, or build a lunar base that takes longer. NASAs top administrator has committed to the latter option. Some people in the U.S. are saying, We want to get humans back there before China, according to David Todd, of space research firm Seradata. Other people are saying weve already run that race, and America needs to be careful of rushing up alleys. Todd said he expects there will be a genuine market for space tourism, and that the moon may win out. Elon Musk senses there could be government money involved and commercial opportunity, Todd said. I can see people going to the moon on a two-week holiday, but not to spend two years on Mars. China may be testing its ability for more sophisticated missions, according to Neal of Notre Dame. That poses the question of why China chose its particular landing place, at one of the moons oldest and deepest craters. The answer could be simple, he said. From the far side of the moon, Chinese scientists can see farther into space because Earths radio waves cant get in the way. To contact the reporter on this story: Hailey Waller in New York at hwaller@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: James Ludden at jludden@bloomberg.net, Ian Fisher 2019 Bloomberg L.P. A defense attorney in a murder case last year uncovered incriminating information against the detectives involved, so he called the District Attorneys Office and tried to make a deal for his client. For years, thats how negotiations have played out in Philadelphias criminal justice system. But instead of continuing discussions, District Attorney Larry Krasner filed a motion asking a judge to disqualify the attorney, accusing him of trying to conceal alleged illegal conduct by the officers because his firm often represents police and suggesting the detectives might face perjury charges. The DA has not spoken publicly about the case, but the actions he approved made for another stark reminder of what has become a staple during his first year in office: a willingness to challenge even well-established conventions. In public remarks, policy changes, and staffing decisions, Krasner, who campaigned on a pledge to curb mass incarceration, has sought to remake the culture of his agency, if not the system at large. He has personally led a national recruiting effort and turned over almost 30 percent of the offices staff, while unveiling directives that rethink charging decisions, bail requests, and sentencing recommendations. Together the steps taken by him and his 550 or so staffers have the potential to impact thousands of defendants, victims, advocates, and criminal justice employees across and beyond Philadelphia. Consider one measure: City prosecutors last year opened 6,500 fewer cases than the previous year, and half as many as the 73,000 the office filed in 2013, according to data it collected. The changes have thrilled supporters, such as Kris Henderson, executive director of the Amistad Law Project, a West Philadelphia public interest law center that focuses on issues including sentencing reform and prison abolition. We feel really positively about Mr. Krasners first year, Henderson said last week. Even just the re-haul of the attitude of the office. Still, Krasners inaugural year has not passed without dispute. A few judges have clashed with his office, rejecting plea offers or, in one extreme example, appointing a defense attorney as a special prosecutor. A Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice also said his offices bid to throw out a convicted killers death sentence had no support in the law. Victims and their relatives have complained about his office resolving cases without notifying them, sometimes in a violation of state law. The head of the police union has said Krasner is seeking to destroy criminal justice. And other top prosecutors including the regions U.S. attorney and Chester Countys DA have offered remarkable castigations of the policy decisions by a man considered their peer. Krasner declined an interview request to discuss his first year. After a news conference last month, he said that his office accomplished much in 2018, and that despite an uptick in city homicides and shootings, overall violent crime was down even as more people were being let out of city jails. We have challenges ahead, theres no question about that, and we take them very seriously, Krasner said. But what we are seeing in general is that modern policies do not do what our detractors claim: They do not cause crime. Devastating turnover or a stampede to join? Some critics caution against offering a comprehensive judgment of Krasners impact after just 12 months in office. But his mark can be seen in areas such as staff turnover. Krasner capped his first full week in office by forcing 31 prosecutors to resign. The exodus has since continued. According to office spokesperson Ben Waxman, 139 employees left in 2018, including 104 assistant district attorneys, while 155 people were hired, including 89 assistant district attorneys. New hires are about 28 percent of the staff. Krasners critics say turnover has damaged the offices institutional knowledge and professionalism, created confusion, and left inexperienced attorneys with few places to turn for help when they face challenges. Richard Sax, a vocal Krasner detractor who retired in 2017 after nearly four decades in the office, pointed to the near-total overhaul of the homicide unit, where he used to work. About two dozen prosecutors, including many veterans, worked there in 2017. Almost every one resigned, was transferred, or forced out last year, and Sax said many of their replacements have limited trial experience. It will take 10 to 20 years to rebuild that office into the strong prosecutors office that it always was," Sax said. The effects are devastating. In an interview last week, Lynne Abraham, Philadelphia DA from 1991 to 2010, knocked Krasner for his January purge, which occurred on a snow day, saying his actions were gutless and detrimental to morale. She also said turnover during her tenure was closer to 8 to 10 percent per year. Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, who was Philadelphia DA from 1978 to 1986, said Krasners turnover level seemed a little higher than most [years], but not shockingly high. Waxman rejected the notion that turnover had hurt the office, saying many skilled staffers have stayed on, and adding: We have a stampede of talent coming to this office right now. Krasner visited 25 law schools to recruit last year, his office said, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford his alma mater and every historically black law school. At the University of Southern California, he targeted students considering becoming public defenders his first job out of law school saying they were probably the right kind of people for a truly progressive prosecutors office, according to a video posted online. You have a chance to be in at the beginning of what I view as a 30-year arc of turning around the biggest civil rights issue of our time, Krasner told prospective hires. If you have the option to be a part of history as opposed to reading about it, misreported, then you should do it. A transformational leader In February, Krasner received national kudos for a policy memo that called for prosecutors to request shorter prison sentences upon conviction, limit the length of supervised release, and decline to prosecute some people suspected of prostitution or possessing marijuana. He also instructed his office to stop seeking cash bail for certain low-level offenses, including driving under the influence, resisting arrest, and some burglaries. Commentator Shaun King, writing for the Intercept in March, called Krasner a transformational leader who was showing the nation how to dismantle mass incarceration from the inside out. Court officials say that detailed year-end data about prosecutions and their resolutions would not be available for at least several weeks. Some of Krasners initiatives also were not implemented until months after he was sworn in. Still, the data supplied by Krasners office showed double-digit declines in felony, misdemeanor, and summary cases opened last year. The number of new misdemeanor cases alone dropped 25 percent from 2017. That downward trend, however, has been occurring since 2014, the data show, and the largest overall drop came in 2016, when the city agreed before the Democratic National Convention to decriminalize some nuisance offenses. Summary offenses that year dropped nearly in half. Criminal-justice reform efforts also cannot be limited to Krasners office. Eighteen months before he was elected, a MacArthur Foundation grant brought together agencies including the DAs Office, Police Department, First Judicial District, Defender Association, and Office of Criminal Justice to design programs that would reduce the number of people in city jails. As of last week, the inmate population had declined by 43 percent since July 2015 a drop that enabled the city to stop housing offenders at one jail. Chief Defender Keir Bradford Grey said collaboration has been key, and shes been proud to witness and play a role in the reforms. With Krasner, she said, there is a lot of commonality with the approach and understanding of what our system should be. Pushback from the system An undeniable aspect of Krasners first year has been that some of his decisions have generated controversy or pushback. In June, he fulfilled a campaign promise to not seek capital punishment by allowing the killers of Philadelphia Sgt. Robert Wilson III shot during a 2015 robbery at a video game store to plead guilty and receive a life sentence. The decision outraged Wilsons mother and sister, and sparked an extraordinary war of words between Krasner and the police union. Krasner has acknowledged the ride has at times been bumpy. In a July interview with MSNBCs Chris Hayes, Krasner compared himself to a pirate who had taken over a ship, saying: Its not easy to take an office that for decades has hired its own and fired people who felt differently. Its a real process to take those people and redirect them." He also told Hayes that friction in early months had come from many sources, including the Inquirer, which he said had clobbered his office in its coverage. It was not Krasners only complaint about the media during the year even though he frequently interacted with the press, hosting regular news conferences, granting interviews to a variety of local and national publications, and allowing a documentary film crew to follow him. The judiciary at times frustrated Krasners efforts as well. In April, his office filed a motion saying convicted killer Lavar Brown should leave death row and be resentenced to life without parole. The motion did not identify factual errors in Browns case, but cited prosecutorial discretion" as the reason for the change of heart, and said the courts should not second-guess the new agreement between the DAs Office and the man it sought to have executed in 2005. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court disagreed. In October, Justice Christine Donohue wrote in a majority opinion that a jury had approved the death penalty, and the DAs Office couldnt change that result based upon the differing views of the current office holder. In a concurring opinion, Justice Kevin Dougherty, formerly a Philadelphia judge, called the assertion by Krasners office a remarkable proposition, and one that finds no support in the law. Krasner has repeatedly said that he views himself as part of a criminal-justice reform movement sweeping across the nation. And there is evidence he may be right: Last week, reform-oriented prosecutors took office in at least eight jurisdictions, including Boston, Dallas, and southern Virginia. The new St. Louis prosecutor forced several staffers to resign on his first day, including one who failed to indict a Ferguson police officer for fatally shooting Michael Brown in 2014, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. It is not immediately clear what new policies or developments Krasner may seek to pursue next, but he has several major issues on his plate including, for the first time in nearly two decades, prosecuting an ex-cop for an on-duty shooting, and seeking new sentences for more juvenile lifers serving unconstitutional sentences. In a video posted Wednesday on his offices Instagram account, Krasner quickly highlighted a few initiatives from 2018 before saying: We are moving forward. Then he turned away from the camera and walked back to work. With rakes, brooms, and trash pickers in hand, more than a dozen young Muslim men took to Independence Mall on Saturday in the rain to clean up litter. It was their way of lessening the impact of the partial government shutdown, they said. Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, the Malls most famous occupants, have been closed to the public for the majority of the time since the shutdown began Dec. 22. That hasnt stopped passersby -- including tourists catching a glimpse of the Liberty Bell from outside its windowed housing -- from leaving their cigarette butts, gum wrappers, and other items of trash behind, or the wind, for that matter, from blowing some of the citys discards there. We just came out here because we thought its our responsibility as a Muslim community to help the neighborhood and help the community, Zubair Abaidullah, 17, said as he scooped up wet cigarette butts, plastic bags, and other litter. The young men also hoped their work would help dispel misconceptions about Muslims. Theres a lot of false things that are against Islam and how they teach hatred and to hate your neighbor, but were actually told to love our neighbor and to help the neighborhood around us, said Abaidullah, a junior at Father Judge High School in Philadelphia. He and the other young men who volunteered in Saturdays cleanup are members of Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, a national organization for Muslim youths with more than 50 chapters around the country. Other chapters were also planning cleanups Saturday and Sunday at various national parks. The federal shutdown began at 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 22 after budget negotiations, particularly President Donald Trumps demand for $5 billion to build a wall on the border with Mexico, failed. Departments affected by the shutdown include the National Park Service, Homeland Security, Transportation, and Agriculture. About 800,000 federal employees are affected by the shutdown, of which more than half are deemed essential and are working unpaid (though they will get back pay after the shutdown ends). An additional 380,000 employees, including more than 50,000 workers with the Internal Revenue Service, are furloughed and staying home without pay. Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Center closed on Dec. 22 but got a temporary reprieve. Visit Philadelphia donated about $32,000 to the National Park Service to cover the cost of keeping the two attractions open over the weekend between Christmas and New Years. Both sites once again became off-limits on Monday, Dec. 31, and have remained so since. Also on Independence Mall, the National Constitution Center, a nonprofit that does not rely on federal funding, remains open. Fraz Tanvir, the local Muslim groups leader, said volunteering and helping in the community are part of their faith. Saturdays actions were an extension of other community work they have previously done, he said. Not only do we plant trees, but with His Holiness guidance we maintain the trees, clean up our highways and parks, and all of this has led to clean up our national parks, Tanvir said. Tanvir said they werent the only ones with the idea to clean up Independence Mall. When the group arrived and checked in with a park ranger, the officer thought they were with another volunteer group that was also planning to clean. Its unfortunate whatever is happening with the government, but were just trying to do whatever we can, he said. WASHINGTON Frank Pallone has waited a long time for this moment. The Democratic congressman from the Jersey Shore passed on a chance to seize a Senate vacancy in 2002. He tried in 2013 but lost a primary race to Sen. Cory Booker. Now, more than 30 years after joining the U.S. House, he has landed one of the chambers most powerful positions, leading the Committee on Energy and Commerce. With a sprawling mandate that ranges from the environment to health care to interstate commerce, the committee handles around 6 in 10 House bills, Pallone said. The post will make the Monmouth County resident one of the regions most influential Democrats, with the power to shape debates on some of the most contentious issues of the day. Instead of being a minority Democrat in the Senate, now hes banging a gavel, said Bill Castner, a longtime Democratic lawyer who once interned for Pallone. Pallone laid out his agenda as Democrats took control of the House last week, saying he would call a hearing on climate change by the end of the month, followed by hearings on the Trump administrations sabotage of the Affordable Care Act and the presidents family separation policy at the southern border. Net neutrality regulations and gaming laws could also be priorities. Each will give Pallone, 67, a platform on national issues that have captivated progressives, but could also challenge him to balance the preferences of mainstream Democrats and a restive liberal base urging aggressive action. His new role has already invited pressure from liberal groups. The environment and health care have been signature issues for Pallone since he joined Congress in 1988. Being the chair of the committee that handles those issues is really the pinnacle of success for him, said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, based in the congressmans home county. Most Democratic bills, of course, have little chance of becoming law, with Republicans holding the Senate and President Donald Trump in the White House. But the bills that emerge from the committee could set the foundations for future legislation. It becomes a benchmark, said Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club. Pallone, who graduated from high school in 1969 and headed to Middlebury College in Vermont, has long been known as one of the most liberal lawmakers in a liberal state, beloved by environmentalists and labor unions. He made his name pushing to protect New Jersey beaches and to clean polluted Superfund sites, helped write portions of the Affordable Care Act, and then played a visible role defending it from GOP repeal attempts. His campaign logo features an ocean wave curling inside the "O" in his name. Yet a push from a new wave of liberals could undercut Pallones voice on the environmental issues that have long driven him. Their approach and unwillingness to bow to party seniority has already put Pallone at odds with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.), a new champion of the left. The different approaches reflect the broader potential for tension between pragmatic veteran Democrats, newcomers who represent moderate districts, and a bloc of freshmen pushing for a more radical style. Ocasio-Cortez threw her voice and following behind a proposal, the Green New Deal, calling for aggressive goals on climate change, including massive federal investments to push the United States to rely entirely on renewable energy within a decade. Pallone and Ocasio-Cortez reportedly clashed over the push internally, as the New Jerseyan and other senior Democrats sought to retain their jurisdiction on the issue and raised questions about whether the plan is realistic. In November, a group of young activists from the environmentally focused Sunrise Movement protested at Pallones office. If he wants to prove that he cares about young voters who just delivered the House to Democrats, he must back Ocasio-Cortezs plan, a spokesperson for the group said at the time. While party leaders refused to embrace the Green New Deal, which critics say lacks specific plans to reach its ambitious goals, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi did create a special committee to hold hearings on climate change. It didnt go as far as activists wanted, and wont have subpoena power or the ability to call votes, but could still compete with Pallones panel when it comes to setting the Democratic agenda. Hes been working on these issues since day one in Congress and some of these issues have now been taken away from him, Murray said. Pallone has criticized the new committee as unnecessary, and indicated that he doesnt plan to take a backseat. He said chairing Energy and Commerce gives him a chance to raise the climate issues that Republicans have long buried, to help make health care more affordable, and to provide oversight of the Trump administration. He can subpoena witnesses and push legislation. While the New Jersey Republican chairman, Doug Steinhardt, said Pallone should "dig into the hard work of making New Jersey more affordable and business-friendly, the congressman said the environment and health care directly affect peoples livelihoods. When you talk about climate change, many people think of it just like an environmental issue, but its not just that. Its a health issue, and its an economic issue, Pallone said, worrying that the United States is falling behind other countries that have sped up investments in renewable energy. You cant ignore the burgeoning markets for things like solar panels and wind turbines and the economic impact that these things have. He said the Green New Deal is something we will look into, Im not dismissing it, its just that some aspects of it, Im not sure if theyre technologically feasible. He pointed to the goal of ending a reliance on fossil fuels in 10 years, instead noting the 20- to 30-year timelines adopted in other Western countries. We have to have consensus within our Democratic caucus to move ahead, and then ultimately we have to get the support of Republicans if were going to accomplish things, Pallone said. Tittel, whose group supports the more aggressive goals but also hailed Pallone as an environmental leader, said the differences between the congressman and the new wave of activists is not in ideology, but approach. Pallone, who has been in public office since 1982 as a city councilman, state legislator, and congressman, is more methodical, Tittel said. Its not about substance, its more about style, he said. Some people rush forward. He kind of builds step-by-step. Said fellow U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D., N.J.): He does his homework before he opens his mouth. Hidden away for more than a decade, the vast collection of artwork that once hung on public school walls across Philadelphia will return to the public eye in school halls or traveling exhibits as soon as practical, the Philadelphia Board of Education recently promised. The collection of 1,200 paintings, sculptures, murals, tapestries, and other pieces once optimistically estimated to be worth $30 million was abruptly removed from schools in 2003 and 2004, when officials said the works were too valuable to hang unsecured. For years, the Philadelphia School District refused to say much about the works it yanked from school buildings, forcing advocates to go to court to find out exactly what was held in a location it refused to disclose. At different times, the powers that be contemplated selling all or part of the collection when financial crisis hit. That option is now officially off the table. The school board has pledged, in a new policy, to hold on to the artwork permanently and aims to get it in front of students. Some works could return to school walls if arrangements can be made to display the work safely and under proper conditions, and others might eventually show up in traveling exhibits. Annual reports accounting for the art inventory will be made public, and a committee will work to establish a charitable trust responsible for the preservation, management, and display of the collection. Board member Christopher McGinley has been concerned about the fate of the art since it was removed and mismanaged from schools. The removal, he said, deflated many schools. Artwork that was bought for schools was intended to be seen by students, said McGinley. The collection, now valued at about $2 million, may not have great monetary value, but it has great value to the community," he said. (The $30 million figure was cited during the administration of former schools chief Paul Vallas; officials now say that after evaluation by art experts, the real cash value is much lower.) The art includes works by Thomas Eakins, N.C. Wyeth, noted African American artists Henry Ossawa Tanner and Dox Thrash, and late 19th- and early 20th-century Pennsylvania impressionists Walter Baum and Edward Redfield. At the time they were removed by the district, some works were proudly displayed with gallery lighting and signs; other pieces were found stuffed in closets or boiler rooms. Officials had them removed from buildings, sometimes under cover of darkness, and said at the time that they would catalog and restore the art, if necessary, before figuring out how best to display the pieces. The collection remained concealed, however, save for 15 of the works briefly exhibited at the Michener Museum in Bucks County in 2017. A group of advocates, led by former Philadelphia educators, spent years trying to figure out exactly what was in storage and how to get it back in front of children. Other districts have wrestled with the same problem; some have formed nonprofits to handle their art, and others have partnered with museums to show it. Arlene Holtz, retired principal of Woodrow Wilson Middle School, which once had 72 significant oil paintings carefully framed and hung in its hallways, cheered when the board formalized its new policy in December. When the district removed the works from Wilson and other schools, we lost not just a treasure, we lost an idea that beautiful artwork belongs not just to the rich, it belongs to all our children regardless of where they live, Holtz said. Wilsons art collection was amassed by Charles Dudley, the schools first principal, who believed that exposing children to art would inspire good behavior and morals and make the school beautiful. He created a museum-like environment, directly appealing to such artists as Baum to sell him works at a good price. Dudley raised funds by charging a nickel to show visitors the collection. Another school, Laura Wheeler Waring Elementary, in Fairmount, used to display a work by Waring herself, the African American artist and teacher for whom the school is named. These collections are inexhaustible and are to be preserved and used to benefit the students and citizens of Philadelphia, the board policy declared. The School District of Philadelphias collections of art shall be held for educational purposes, research, or public exhibition for the community to enjoy or to generate funds for their preservation and not for financial gain. The new board policy is a victory, but a first step, said Holtz. The art has been cataloged and accounted for, but it remains in storage. While principals will now be able to ask for the return of artwork to their schools, the reality is that most schools are unable to guarantee that valuable artwork can be kept safe and in proper conditions. And few current school staff have memories of what art used to line their walls, though the district does have records of where each piece came from. Traveling exhibits or public shows at the districts central headquarters on North Broad Street are a possibility, McGinley said; so is an online teaching tool or other ways to make the art and its history part of the School Districts curriculum. There is an information-sharing responsibility on the part of the district, said McGinley. We have the ability and the responsibility to have periodic showings of the work. Owner of the now-defunct GN Bank, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom has reacted to his bank being downgraded to a Savings and Loan Company saying, his outfit is looking forward to an assurance by the Bank of Ghana (BoG), to help them retrieve monies owed them by government to strengthen their finances. The Bank of Ghana on Friday January 4, 2019 announced that GN failed to meet the mandatory minimum capital of 400 million by the deadline given. "Consequently, GN Bank has applied for, and the Bank of Ghana has approved the grant of a savings and loans company licence. The Bank of Ghana has also approved a transition plan submitted by GN for winding down aspects of its business which are not compatible with a savings and loans company licence, Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Ernest Addison revealed. Speaking on the turn of events on social media, Dr. Nduom disclosed that there were rife discussions between BoG and GN Bank to ensure the payment of all the monies Government owed the bank in order for the bank to meet its liquidity targets, but all such discussions failed to materialize. Dr. Nduom, however, refused to state how much money Government owes his bank. He was however of the view that the bank which is now a savings and loans company should be able to operate successfully, if government pays all the monies owed them. We have some money with the Government of Ghana and that money was coming rather slowly and it was not to argue with anyone, but we said if that is the case, we will rather wait for that money to come and if the money comes, we will be more strengthened than anything else. But what Im even more interested in, is the Bank of Ghana knowing that we have some monies to collect from the Government of Ghana, saying that it will assist us to even collect some of the monies quickly so that we will have the liquidity that we need in order to operate successfully," he added. Source: 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 Retirement, according to one dictionary definition, means the action of leaving ones job and ceasing to work. Apparently Reverend Robert Bailey did not get that memo. To be clear, he did retire in 2005. Well, at least he no longer served as the installed pastor of a congregation. But since his retirement he has served as an interim or vacancy pastor for eight different congregations. I think it is important to be interested in things, to have a variety of things to be interested in, Bailey mentions. Dont be a couch potato. Bailey states it is important to be involved and active in things you like. Ive always loved being a pastor, Im as happy as a lark, Bailey comments. He does take time for some hobbies. Bailey enjoys reading and he also has a model train track set up in his basement. I also want to stay active by mowing the lawn, Bailey shares. Bailey grew up on a farm near Chamberlain, South Dakota. He was the oldest of four children and has two brothers and a sister. One of his brothers is still involved with the farm. He graduated from Chamberlain High School and continued his education at the University of South Dakota where he earned two bachelor degrees. One degree was in musical education and the other was in classical languages, Greek and Latin. He gained his third bachelors degree at Concordia Seminary, Springfield, Illinois, and added a masters degree at Fort Wayne Seminary in Indiana. Both of those degrees were in exegesis, which is the interpretation of the Greek text of the Bible. It was during a four-year stint as a music theory instructor at the Naval School of Music in Washington D.C., when he met his future wife, Donna. She was singing in the church choir. The year was 1960. I was playing piano accompanying the church choir, Bailey says. I memorized the pieces so I could feast my eyes on her a little more. They got married two years later in Trinity Lutheran Church, Washington, D.C. Bailey became an ordained minister in 1969. His first call was as a missionary at large in Carlisle, Iowa, near Des Moines. Next he took on the role of an associate pastor in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. He then moved north in 1980 to become pastor at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Spring Lake Park, Minnesota. In addition to his pastoral duties, he also served as the secretary for the Minnesota South District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS). His next call came in 1985 and took him to Iowa City, Iowa, where he served Our Redeemer Lutheran Church until 1992. He then accepted his final call to Rapid City, South Dakota, and was the pastor at Peace Lutheran until his retirement in 2005. However, serving his local parishes was not the only thing keeping Bailey occupied. He was also a Chaplin in the Navy Reserve from 1980-1992. During this time he would serve two-week stints at various naval hospitals. One such stint had him serving at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, at a time when someone well known in the political world was there for treatment. While I was there (Bethesda), Barbara Bush had surgery on her hip, Bailey explains. Since I was a reserve, they appointed me to go and have devotions with them at the hospital. The them to whom Bailey refers included Mrs. Bush and former president George H. W. Bush. They were very gracious people, Bailey remarks. When retirement came in 2005 the Baileys settled down about 515 miles to the east of Rapid City. We moved to Albert Lea so we could be closer to our kids and grandkids. Bailey comments. We like to travel and visit our family. The Baileys have four children and seven grandchildren. When asked about his retirement life, Bailey replies, Well, I have the reputation of being the Interstate 90 vacancy pastor. He served his first vacancy after retirement at Blessed Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Sturgis, South Dakota, for one year. The next congregation he served was Zion Lutheran in Albert Lea which was also for one year. During the next four years Bailey spent a lot of time in Faribault County. He served as vacancy pastor for St. Pauls Lutheran Church and Immanuel Lutheran Church of Blue Earth for two years followed by two years at the Lutheran Church of Our Savior in Winnebago. Staying with the I-90 theme, he served one year at Holy Cross Lutheran in Austin as a mentor and vacancy pastor. His next stop was for three years at St. Johns Lutheran, also in Austin. St. Johns is the church where Bailey and his wife are members. He returned to Winnebago during October of 2018 and is one of three vacancy pastors currently serving the congregation of the Lutheran Church of Our Savior. Pastor Bailey preaches most Sundays but takes off one Sunday each month so he can a play string bass with the praise team at St. Johns. Steve Schonrock, the chairman of the church in Winnebago, says, His (Baileys) energy level is second to none, he has been awesome for our congregation. Music has certainly played an important part in Bailys life. In addition to the string bass and piano he also plays the accordion and organ. Bailey tells of an incident that occurred during his time as a student at the seminary in Springfield. I was one of several organists at the seminary and one of my fellow students challenged me to play Three Blind Mice as a postlude after a chapel service, Bailey explains. I thought about it and decided to take him up on it. Bailey tells how he began playing the melody very slowly in the lower register while embellishing the song with the upper register. There was one professor who caught it, the director of the choir, Bailey laughs. He looked over his glasses and said Tsk, tsk, tsk, right after another professor ahead of him in line had said, That was a wonderful postlude.' So will he ever retire from being a vacancy pastor? I think so, probably when I have to use a walker, Bailey says. I dont know, health-wise, we will have to see what happens. The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed satisfaction with the attack on the Odorkor Branch of the Glorious Word Power Ministries International Church of Reverend Isaac Owusu-Bempah. The angry youth besieged the premises of the church in Accra and vandalized properties following a prophecy by Rev. Owusu Bempah that the National Chief Imam of Ghana, Sheikh Nuhu Osmanu Sharubutu would die in 2019. The cleric, who is known for his annual prophecies, also prophesized during watch night service on December 31, 2018 that former presidents and a Vice President would need prayers. The pastors prophecy on the eve of New Year was not taken kindly by some Muslim youth. The irate youth destroyed Rev. Owusu Bempahs billboard, glass louvers and other items. There has been mixed reaction to the attack on the church, with some condemning the act while others have sought to justify it on social media. A release jointly signed by Efo Worlanyo, Brong Ahafo Regional Youth Organizer of the NDC and his two deputies, Kwaku Runnie and Owusu Ababio, stated that the Brong Ahafo Regional Youth Wing hereby congratulates the Muslim youth for their show of bravery on Owusu-Bempas premises. According to the statement, We are happy because the confident trickster called Owusu-Bempah has religiously terrorized this nation for a long time with his predictions which he calls prophecy. The statement indicated that Rev. Owusu-Bempah has over the years shown his hatred for former President John Mahama, predicting his death several times. It said, Today, his so-called prophecy has gone bad for him, predicting death for our peace-loving Chief Imam and His Majesty the Asantehene. Rev Owusu-Bempah, the youth said, has been profiting from his prophecy because the affected persons usually run to him for solution and he names his price. No wonder he targets the rich, celebrities, and politicians with names because he knows they are rich and full of milk. Arrest He is a threat to National security and must be arrested immediately. Our Muslim youth have done well and we wish to tell them that next time if it must be done, it must be done well. We know NPP Police will start hunting to shoot them but they dare not because the person who needs immediate arrest as a religious terrorist is Rev Owusu-Bempah,the statement added. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The family that first raised the alarm of possible blood contamination at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) blood bank has said the probe that cleared the hospital of claims that it gave out blood with HIV and Syphilis was not transparent. In a statement following the pronouncement by the five-member Independent Committee set up by the Ministry of Health on the matter, Evans Addo Kwabla, the son of the woman who was almost given the blood feared to be contaminated, said there was no transparency in the handling of the blood. He also said they were not part of the team who took the blood to Accra and were not involved in any investigation. The only instance was a time when he was invited by police with no agenda even upon several requests of what exactly the meeting was about on Thursday (6th December) and only to find out at police quarters that he was to meet a committee from Accra, the statement noted. Mr. Kwabla thus said, we do not associate with the results brought out by the committee. He said there would be a further press conference on the matter. Officials at the Kean Health Medical and Diagnostic Spa, the facility that tested blood samples from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital believed to be contaminated, came out to say they did not conduct a confirmatory test. The Medical Director at the Private facility, Dr. Kwodwo Eyeson, told Citi News the hospital only carried out a screening test which cannot be used as the final results. Find below the full statement PRESS RELEASE A CALL FOR FAIR TREATMENT ON ALLEGED KATH CONTAMINATED BLOOD SAGA The family of the patient at the Centre of the contaminated blood brouhaha would like to establish the following: 1. There was no transparency in the handling of the blood a. complainant was denied access to join the team that took the blood away to military hospital. b. complainant was not part of the team who took the blood to Accra and was not involved in any investigation. The only instance was a time when he was invited by police with no agenda even upon several request of what exactly the meeting was about on the Thursday (6th December) and only to find out at police quarters that he was to meet a committee from Accra. To this effect, meeting with committee was inconclusive. 2. Preliminary test that Kath claim proved negative was test done at same Kath lab. 3. We do not associate with the results brought out by the committee. (our opinion) 4. KATH has delayed in providing a medical report of our patient upon legally requesting for it a month ago. 5. Kean refused to take care of patient and all institutions involved (KATH, committee, CID etc) have neglected our patient to her fate. 6. There is an interesting untold story about this blood issue we are yet to unravel through a press conference. Signed Evans Addo Kwabla (Son of Patient) for Enquiries: 0208066060 Background Reports first emerged on social media suggesting that the blood had been issued to a patient of a private clinic. Two different blood bags from the hospital were said to have tested positive for HIV and Syphilis, according to Adolf Addo Kwabla. He told Citi News that his mother had been sick for some months, and the family had sought treatment at a private facility in Kumasi called the Kean Health Center. Without going into details, Adolf Addo said ahead of one of his mothers appointments at the health centre, she was asked to bring along some blood. When the blood was brought along on the day of the appointment, they took the blood and said they were doing tests. We sat waiting and later a lady came and told us the blood we had was contaminated; both of them. One had HIV and other had Syphilis, Adolf Addo recounted. KATH, in a statement following the claims, said it has a track record of stringent blood testing protocols and maintains the highest standards for blood safety. Source: citi Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The intrusion of eight Togolese soldiers into Ghana has been referred to Interpol, according to the Volta Regional Police Command DCOP Francis Ebenezer Doku. The Police chief said the case was referred to Interpol to allow for due diligence in line with international law. He explained that preliminary investigations indicated that the basis of the intrusion through Jasikan was not criminal. DCOP Francis Ebenezer Doku revealed that the Police did not err in releasing three out of the eight, who were in custody at Jasikan. Details On Tuesday January 1, 2019 eight military officers of the Republic of Togo crossed into Ghana through Jasikan District to arrest some persons believed to be dissidents. The mission of the military officers was not communicated to the Ghanaian authorities, thus making it an illegal operation at a community called Amoako. Residents, who were alarmed at the sight of the Togolese soldiers and their activities, arrested them and subjected them to severe beatings. In the process, five out of the eight escaped, leaving behind three of their comrades who were severely beaten, with one of them tied to a tree. The Police in Jasikan and the District Chief Executive (DCE), Lawrence Kwame Aziale were alerted and they quickly moved to rescue the three soldiers and put them in police custody. A resident told DAILY GUIDE that but for the intervention of the Police and DCE, the three would have been lynched. After further investigations, a deal was reached after a Togolese Unit Commander visited the Jasikan Police station to identify the men. The regional commander said they escorted the men beyond the border to prevent any further attacks. Interpol DCOP Francis Doku explained that since the case was not criminal, it was prudent to take diplomatic steps to ensure peaceful co-existence between the two countries. He said, We informed Ghana Interpol about the situation to ensure the Togolese officials observe the International Convention on the arrest of citizens outside their sovereign state. He added that Interpol Ghana was in talks with their Togolese counterparts to ensure that such breaches do not occur in future. The police boss also added that Togo should use the right procedures in arresting people in Ghana. Source: Daily Guide 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 PA Magistrate Court in Tema has ordered a psychiatric assessment of Francis Mugnania Nagbemado, 31, who allegedly murdered Rev. Dr. David Makrom Nagbemado, the Head Pastor of the Assemblies of God Church at Community 4, Tema. The magistrate on Wednesday ruled that Francis, a private security man, should be examined at the Pantang Psychiatric Hospital to determine whether he is fit to stand trial. After the psychiatric assessment, the accused person, who resides at Sakumono, might be provisionally charged with murder and arraigned before court. Meanwhile, the accused has been remanded into police custody to reappear January 17, 2019. His plea was not taken. According to reports, Francis, who was neatly dressed in black suit, stormed the church premises after drinking local gin. Reports said without any provocation, he pulled the dagger from the black briefcase and stabbed his uncle twice, who was busily going through his documents ahead of the sermon for the day. When one of the church elders appeared on the scene, the suspect directed him to immediately inform the security men of the death of the uncle. Immediately, the church elder raised the alarm which attracted other worshipers to the scene. The suspect, upon seeing the congregants, took to his heels and scaled the churchs main fence wall. Some residents, who became suspicious because of the dagger and blood, gave him a hot chase and arrested him around Site 7 Roundabout where he attempted to board a taxi to escape. Source: Daily Guide 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 Twenty-three commercial banks have met the GH400 million minimum capital requirement to escape the big axe of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) which has been sanitizing the countrys financial sector over the past 20 months. So far 11 banks, which were not able to cross the finishing line, have gone underground. Central Bank Governor Dr Ernest Addison, who announced this at a press conference in Accra yesterday, said as of 31st December, 2018, 16 banks had been able to recapitalise on their own, while the rest managed to get there through mergers, among others. Dr Addison said that from a total of 34, the banking sector now can now boast of 23 robust and well capitalised banks to undertake big ticket transactions of any kind. He gave the names of the 16 banks, which crossed the finishing line before the December 31st, 2018, deadline as Access Bank, Consolidated Bank, Bank of Africa, Barclays Bank, Cal Bank, Ecobank, FBN Bank, GCB Bank, GT Bank, Fidelity Bank, Republic Bank, Societe Generale, Stanbic Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, UBA and Zenith Bank. Dr Ernest Addison said banks that have merged included First Atlantic Merchant Bank Limited/Energy Commercial Bank, OmniBank Ghana Limited/Bank Sahel Sahara Ghana, as well as First National Bank/GHL Bank Limited. Bailout He also mentioned that some indigenous banks would benefit from the Ghana Amalgamated Trust (GAT) initiative proposed by some pension funds in the country. They include ADB, NIB, OmniBank/BSIC, Universal Merchant Bank and Prudential Bank. In the case of Bank of Baroda, the governor said it was exiting due to strategic reasons. Details Following the recapitalisation exercise that ended at the close of business on 31st December 2018, there are now 23 universal banks operating in Ghana. These banks have all met the new minimum paid-up capital of GH400 million. Sixteen banks have met the new minimum paid-up capital requirement of GH400 million mainly through capitalisation of income surplus and a fresh capital injection. The Bank of Ghana has approved three applications for mergers. Consequently, First Atlantic Merchant Bank Limited and Energy Commercial Bank have merged, Omni Bank and Bank Sahel Sahara have merged, and First National Bank and GHL Bank have merged. The three resulting banks out of these mergers have all met the new minimum capital requirement. He added that some private pension funds in Ghana have injected fresh equity capital in five indigenous banks through a special purpose holding company named Ghana Amalgamated Trust Limited (GAT). In addition to the state-owned banks (ADB, NIB) benefiting from the GAT scheme, the other beneficiary banks (the merged Omni/Bank Sahel Sahara, Universal Merchant Bank, and Prudential Bank) were selected by GAT on the basis of their solvent status and good corporate governance. More details about the GAT scheme will be provided by GAT and the Ministry of Finance. Recapitalisation, restructuring The government has notified the Bank of Ghana that it intends to restructure NIB through governance and management reforms, as well as streamline its business model to help refocus it as a bank to support industrialisation. To help ensure that these reforms succeed, the Bank of Ghana has today appointed an advisor for NIB, pursuant to section 101 (1) of the Banks and Specialized Deposit-Taking Institutions Act of 2016 (Act 930) to advise management of the bank with a view to helping improve the affairs of the bank. The Advisor will hold office until otherwise advised by the Bank of Ghana and will furnish the Bank of Ghana with a status report on the bank in three months and as frequently as the Bank of Ghana may require. GN Bank He said GN Bank (GN) was unable to comply with the minimum capital directive by 31st December 2018. Consequently, GN Bank has applied for, and the Bank of Ghana has approved the grant of a savings and loans company licence. Licence revocation Pursuant to Section 123 of the Banks and Specialised-Deposit-Taking Institutions Act, 2016 (Act 930), the Bank of Ghana has revoked the banking licences of Premium Bank Limited and Heritage Bank Limited with effect from the date of this Notice and has appointed Mr. Vish Ashiagbor of PricewaterhouseCoopers as Receiver for the two banks. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Government has announced a special programme to rescue five indigenous commercial banks that failed to reach the BoG's minimum capital requirement of GH400 million. The Finance Ministry in a statement issued today said a new entity called: the Ghana Amalgamated Trust (GAT) will support solvent and well-run indigenous banks, which were otherwise having difficulties meeting the new minimum capital requirement deadline, to meet their obligations. The beneficiaries of the GAT programme are Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), National Investment Bank (NIB), OmniBank Ghana Limited / Bank Sahel Sahara Ghana (OmniBank / BSIC), Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) and Prudential Bank. Read the full statement from the Finance Ministry below; SUPPORT FOR SOLVENT INDIGENOUS BANKS TO MEET NEW MINIMUM CAPITAL REQUIREMENT Accra, Saturday, 5th January 2019 Government has worked with an Advisor and selected Pension Funds to structure a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV): the Ghana Amalgamated Trust (GAT) to support solvent and well-run indigenous banks, which were otherwise having difficulties meeting the new minimum capital requirement deadline, to meet their obligations. 2. The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, concerned about the difficulties such well-run, solvent Ghanaian-owned banks were likely to face in raising capital on their own, set up a committee to explore various options available for these banks in order to retain and strengthen local interest in the banking sector. 3. Based on the Committees recommendation, an Advisor was appointed to facilitate the setting up of an SPV: the Ghana Amalgamated Trust (GAT), with the objective of raising funds from the private sector, mainly Pension Funds, to support eligible indigenous banks that successfully completed the due diligence process. Qualifying banks for GAT investment have been determined on the basis of their solvency, local ownership, minimum pre-investment capitalization of GHS120 million and an independent valuation by PwC. 4. GAT has committed funds from pension funds and other investors, through a bond programme, with proceeds of up to GHS2.0 billion to be used for equity investment in the eligible indigenous banks, as determined by the investors. The bonds issued to the Pension Funds will be listed on the Ghana Fixed Income Market (GFIM) for liquidity purposes. 5. The following banks are the beneficiaries of the GAT programme: Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), National Investment Bank (NIB), OmniBank Ghana Limited / Bank Sahel Sahara Ghana (OmniBank / BSIC), Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) and Prudential Bank. 6. In addition to providing capital for these banks, GAT also seeks to provide business development support in order to facilitate the strengthening of these banks both from a perspective of corporate governance and growth. 7. Government has worked with GAT to invest in NIB and ADB, which have faced significant challenges, to ensure their transformation. The plan is to strengthen both ADB and NIB and reform their operations to support Governments efforts in promoting industrialization and agribusiness, especially for small and medium scale enterprises. ADB and NIB will also benefit in 2019 from wholesale funds under the new National Development Bank initiative. 8. The NPRA, SEC and BoG have been consulted to ensure that GAT is working to support the aforementioned banks. 9. It must be noted that the GAT arrangement is to support solvent and strong indigenous banks to meet the new minimum capital requirement and is not a bailout programme for banks that have been resolved by the Bank of Ghana. 10. The Government and all regulators are committed to a strong and resilient financial sector and will remain vigilant to ensure that the public is protected and that confidence in all financial institutions that are licensed by the various regulators is restored. 11. Governments commitment to this initiative is to protect jobs, local enterprises, enhance the capacity of local banks and ensure strategic Ghanaian interests in the banking sector. 12. The Government expresses its gratitude to the transaction advisors: Algebra Securities Limited, KPMG, PwC, Ernst and Young, Bentsi-Entsill, Letsa and Ankomah and NTHC (the Nominee Shareholder). 13. With this support, alongside the comprehensive banking sector clean-up exercise that took place in 2018, Government is confident about the future of the banking sector in the country, with the assurance that all universal and specialized (ADB and NIB) banks in the country are stronger to support the Presidents transformation agenda towards a Ghana Beyond Aid. In addition, the Bank of Ghanas regulatory functions, under its new management have been greatly enhanced to ensure that the banking sector is safe for all citizens. END ISSUED BY PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT, MINISTRY OF FINANCE 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 Iran's Expediency Council passes law on combating money laundering 01/06/19 Source: Press TV Iran's Expediency Council has approved a domestic bill on combating money laundering. Iran's Expediency Council session (photo by Islamic Republic News Agency) Council member Gholam-reza Mesbahi Moghddam told Fars news agency on Saturday that the bill, which had been declared flawed by the Guardian Council, was finalized based on the constitution and would be sent to the parliament speaker for referral to the government. "The Expediency Council had accepted the viewpoints of the parliament in some cases and the Guardian Council in others," he added. The approved law has nothing to do with the controversial combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) bill, one of the four articles put forward by the government to meet standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Last November, the Guardian Council found "flaws and ambiguities" in the CFT. Guardian Council spokesman Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei said on Saturday that the CFT had once again been sent to the parliament. A house fire in Frost on Saturday afternoon, Dec. 29, left a family homeless. The house was the parsonage of United Lutheran Church in Frost, and was occupied by Rev. Arne and Debbie Halbakken and their daughter Laura. Both the Frost Fire Department and Bricelyn Fire Department, along with assistance from the Easton and Rake, Iowa, fire departments, battled the blaze. No injuries were reported. The Halbakken family lost most of their belongings in the blaze, according to reports. They moved in temporarily with Larry and Sonja Anderson and also Jeff and Sue Loge, of Frost, after the fire. Their plan is now to be housesitting for Don Amundson while he is in Arizona until April. Meanwhile, the congregation of United Lutheran is expected to vote on a permanent solution to the loss of the parsonage, after all the insurance numbers are available, which is expected to be soon. It is probable the church will rebuild the parsonage, but the final decision has not been made. The Halbakkens moved to Frost six years ago from Ellendale, Minnesota, where they had lived for 14 years. Rev. Halbakken had been the pastor at First Lutheran in Ellendale. Debbie Halbakken and her Caring Friends Project was one of the Good News stories in the annual Faribault County Register Good News edition three weeks ago. Oswego, NY (13126) Today Cloudy skies with a few showers after midnight. Low 58F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Cloudy skies with a few showers after midnight. Low 58F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Ida Eskamani recalled they were 13 when their mother died. We carry our mom with us every single day, she said. It hurts to talk about loss. That kind of loss that is very profound. When she passed away, I didnt know what life would look like without her. Here we are almost 15 years later You have all these amazing moments and you wish she was here. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., told This Week that nobody wants Trump to invoke the power. I dont believe the president wants to invoke it, she told Stephanopoulos. We all hoped, frankly, that once Speaker Pelosi had secured the votes to become speaker on the floor that her willingness to negotiate would be more evident, that she would be willing to come to the table to do whats right for the American people. Unfortunately, what weve seen over the last few days is shes very much just completely captive to the far left of her party. Members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which vote the prizes, tend to favor the biggest stars in each category. Theyve been known to follow the Emmys lead in TV categories, although the Globes usually nominate the trendiest series first. Globe voters also show affection for artists from outside the United States. The Winnebago Economic Development Authority heard a presentation by Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA) at their regular monthly meeting on Jan. 2. The purpose of the talk was to provide information on how CEDA might be able to assist Winnebago with economic development. Cris Gastner, senior vice president for CEDA, shared some background information on the company. Our organization is 32 years old and was originally founded as a grant writing organization, writing small cities development block grants for a lot of the communities in rural southeastern Minnesota, Gastner explained. The organization changed in the mid 1980s becoming more involved in economic development and striving to work in local communities instead of being located in a regional office, according to Gastner. The world of economic development has been changing a lot in recent history, Gastner noted. I think how we view economic development is changing because society is changing and becoming more mobile and much more global than it ever has before. In times past people would identify the job and company they wanted to work for, move there, work for 30 years and retire. That is not the model anymore; people are choosing where they want to live a lot of times before they are choosing where they want to work, because to be honest, people can live in Winnebago and work in Hong Kong because of the Internet and globalization. Gastner explained this has led to the lines between economic development and community development becoming more and more blurred. Conversations are now held about the importance of dog parks, bike trails, quality broadband and of a vibrant main street and downtown. In the past those conversations would have centered more on infrastructures and industrial parks. As an organization we have done a lot to adjust to that conversation changing as well, Gastner stated. Three years ago we introduced our expanded marketing program where we looked at new ways we can affect our communities and help them be as proactive as possible when it comes to their economic development. Three years ago CEDA began doing rural regional bus tours according to Gastner. Three or four CEDA communities are chosen for the tour. The bus is filled with a mixture of people with different backgrounds, including commercial and residential realtors, architects, developers on both the commercial and residential side, engineers and people representing educational institutions. A lot of these people (on the tour) are coming out of the metro area, or even Rochester, and they have no idea what is happening in rural communities, Gastner remarked. Joya Stetson, vice president of marketing and business development for CEDA, explained further that after the tour it is not necessarily a new facility gets built or a new housing development goes up, it is more of an awareness so these developers, architects, engineers and companies are familiar with these communities and know they exist. I tell people all the time that you cant be the answer if you are not an option, Stetson said. People want to know what makes your community special. Speaking about Winnebago in particular, Mary Kennedy, of the Blue Earth EDA, said, As far as the potential for CEDA to help out with special projects, we could be assisting with the Winnebago school redevelopment project, coordinating business networking sessions to facilitate community conversation, creating a community profile, facilitating grant writing and implementing a business appreciation program. Addressing day to day issues such as the childcare, housing and workforce shortage, which Winnebago, and the region in general are facing, is another area where CEDA could become involved, Kenney added. Our contracts are set up as a 12-month contract with each of our communities; we try and make the contracts as flexible as possible, Gastner said. The most important part for us, I think, is that there is a 30-day out in every one of our contracts. Gastner explained the reason for the 30-day out clause. If at the end of the day a community is not getting the return they are looking for with its investment in our organization, we dont want to make it a three to five year painful separation process, Gastner commented. He also said their contracts are very flexible, varying from being hired for one day every other week to five days a week. CEDA utilizes a team approach. Each community has a point person, such as Mary Kennedy in Blue Earth, Gastner explained, but what sets us apart is we have 24 other people behind that one person who have different experiences and different talents. The cost of hiring CEDA varies, the hourly rate goes down with the increase in hours they are contracted for. Gastner will be sending a rate sheet to the Winnebago EDA. In other business, all of the current officers were reelected to their positions on the board. Jeremiah Schutt will remain president, Melissa Engelby stays on as vice president and the secretary/treasurer remains Jean Anderson. What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 716-372-3121 or email nfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com. And yet Trump is succeeding in bringing about disruption in our nations public schools at a level that goes deeper than policy. Through words and actions, he is profoundly affecting how teachers see their role and influencing both how and what they teach. With those words and actions, he is posing immense challenges that educators across the country are having to reckon with. Manhattan: My friends in Flushing just got their first electric car for a reverse-commute to a job on Long Island. Their new acquisition, cheaper and easier to maintain than a gasoline-powered car and free of greenhouse emissions, is a small step toward fighting global warming, and for cleaner air for New Yorkers. Fortunately, they are not alone. More and more drivers are switching over to electric cars. With the transportation sector contributing nearly 30% of the total greenhouse emissions in the U.S., a switch to electric vehicles is critical. Gov. Cuomos 2020 vision includes battling climate change as a key element of his progressive agenda. While all the elements of his agenda are crucial, none will be relevant if our world warms to catastrophic levels. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio both need to step up their initiatives to bring more charging stations to New York city and state to make electric vehicle ownership easy and practical, and expand it to low- and moderate-income neighborhoods so that everybody can share in the benefits. Laurie Joan Aron In other words he is going to steal it or extort it obtaining it by extra legal means, wrote Dean, who served under President Richard Nixon. If he does so he should be impeached because it will be an unconstitutional undertaking. He cannot ignore the rules/law to get his vanity project done. The jogger, who has not been identified, was running when a mystery dog came upon her. Fearing she would be attacked, she shot pepper spray at the suspects dog, say officials. For the most part it is overwhelmingly positive and supportive. But of course, the negativity lurks, and appears constantly. I cant subject myself to that. Its hard enough knowing what I could have done differently that night, but when complete strangers tell me I have no right to get drunk, or my friend should have never left me, or that Ive made the whole thing up, well you can imagine how it might make me feel, Sicignano said. The sheriff said he enlisted county investigators to look into whether Wallace violated any state laws or agency policies and while it turns out he hadnt, the investigation was sent on to the prosecuting attorneys office for further review, and Wallace was ousted after first being placed on administrative leave. So what did the new Dems do the very first day they took control of part of one branch? Why, everything they could to destroy themselves and everyone around them. The new, green-green members of Congress got sworn in and immediately made the brats that came before them seem like a gathering of Solomons. In fact, the old hands are like grandparents living with their arrogant, foulmouthed, teenage grandkids who know everything about everything and know nothing about anything. Wed want to go because we were going to get stuff, recalled Short, who was between the ages of 8 and 12 when he took the trips. But on the bad side, youd have to close your eyes when he did the bad stuff. "This is the second time that it has come to the PBA's attention that the parole process has been ignored by these two parole commissioners who have prejudged the cases that they were to weigh," Lynch said. "Apparently, Commissioners Cruse and Shapiro haven't met a cop-killer or cop-shooter that they don't love. These commissioners must be neutral parties who will make decisions based on the facts in each case and the only the facts." The only call to the local precinct came from a New Jersey man who discovered someone had sideswiped his white van during the afternoon while it was parked at 150th St. and Macombs Place about seven blocks north of the firehouse. And the top accolade for best supporting actor went to Steve Yeun of "Burning," while Regina King of "If Beale Street Could Talk" nabbed best supporting actress. About 40 of the society's 64 members voted. China's new stealth drone the Sky Hawk conducts takeoff and landing test at an undisclosed location and time. Photo: China Central Television A video featuring China's flying saucer-like stealth drone, the Sky Hawk, was shown for the first time on China Central Television (CCTV) on Saturday, with leading military experts saying the technologies mastered by Chinese developers will allow the drone to fly faster, farther and avoid detection. Independently developed by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, the Sky Hawk conducted a test flight at an undisclosed location in China, the CCTV report said. The video showed the drone taking off and landing, marking the first time that the aircraft has been publicly seen in flight. The drone reportedly first flew in February, but no video was available before Saturday's broadcast. It was on display at Airshow China 2018 in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province in November but was never flown there. The step-by-step revelations mean the drone is being developed and manufactured on schedule, and that China considers the drone feasible, Song Zhongping, a military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Sunday. Featuring a "flying wing" aerodynamic design similar to the US B-2 stealth bomber, the Sky Hawk is a high-altitude, long-range and high-speed unmanned aerial vehicle capable of conducting reconnaissance and patrol missions in hostile environments, CCTV reported. Controlling an aircraft with a "flying wing" design is much more difficult than controlling an aircraft with conventional design, Song noted. A turbofan engine on a flying wing aircraft allows it to fly much faster and farther compared with traditional turboprop or piston engine aircraft, he said. Another Chinese stealth drone with a "flying wing" design, the CH-7, developed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, was also on display at the air show. Its 22-meter wingspan makes it significantly larger than the Sky Hawk, providing another choice for domestic and international users. The US has developed the X-47B stealth drone and run tests on aircraft carriers. Although the US project was suspended in favor of a stealth tanker drone, the US still has the edge in related technologies, Song said. The Sky Hawk will also operate on China's future aircraft carriers that will use electromagnetic catapults, said a military expert who requested anonymity. Electromagnetic catapults can launch a wide variety of aircraft, and since the Sky Hawk is smaller than the CH-7, it will be easier to use on an aircraft carrier, the expert told the Global Times. China's new strategic bomber, the H-20, is expected to also use a "flying wing" aerodynamic design to gain stealth capability and other benefits. Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by subscribing. Former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, on Sunday queried President Muhammadu Buharis wife, Aisha, over what had happened to... Former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, on Sunday queried President Muhammadu Buharis wife, Aisha, over what had happened to the cabal that she alleged had hijacked her husband and prevented him from performing in office. Fayose, who is the Southwest Coordinator of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council, said Aisha Buhari would be insulting the sensibilities of Nigerians by asking them to re-elect the same man she asked them to help her rescue from the cabal. The former governor, in a statement by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, said Nigerians would take the First Ladys campaign for the reelection of her husband seriously only if she could explain what had happened to the cabal that she said caused Buhari administrations failure. He said, In October 2016, the First Lady told Nigerians the truth about the incapacitation of her husband and went on to say that should things continue till 2019 like they were in 2016, she wont go out and campaign for him and ask any woman to vote. In December last year, she reinforced this position by claiming that a cabal controlling her husbands government made it fail. This is January 2019 and the question the First Lady must be asked is; what positive change has Buharis government made on Nigeria and its people between 2016 and now? Is the First Lady going to be campaigning to Nigerians to subject themselves to another four years of the country under the same cabal that she had accused of running her husbands government aground? Most importantly, what will Aisha Buhari be telling those women whose husbands and children were killed by rampaging herdsmen? What will she tell the women whose husband are among the over 12 million Nigerians that lost their jobs in the last three years? What will be her message to the women who can no longer feed their children owing to over 300 per cent increment in the price of food items? Rather than wasting public fund jumping up and down to seek the votes of Nigerians for a husband that is not in charge of his government, what the First Lady should do is to assist Buhari to pack his things in readiness for his exit from the Presidential Villa this year, Fayose stated. These babies are truly gifts from God but we are too poor to cater for them. Thats the truth. We have three babies already before their... Had it been that the babies were delivered at the State Specialist Hospital, Akure, the state capital, luck would have smiled at them as the wife of the governor, Betty Akeredolu, would have given a helping hand on behalf of the state government. The First Lady through her pet project, BRECAN possibly would also have showered the girls with gifts while the parents would have smiled home with some cash. However, not deterred, the parents have cried out to the first family in the state to give them succour as the responsibility of taking care of the triplets would be too much for them to shoulder. The bundles of joy, who were given birth to around 1:30am on January 1, weighed 1.7kg, 1.5kg and 1.6kg respectively. The mother of the triplets, Selimot, said that the scan result before the delivery, two months ago, showed that she was carrying triplets and she was preparing for Caesarean operation before she gave birth to the babies through normal delivery. The parents pleaded with Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and wife to come to their aid as they are too poor to cope with the responsibilities and taking adequate care of the children. Adeola-Adekanye said, We already have three children on ground. We cant cope with additional three. We equally solicit for assistance from the Management of Akoko North-East local government and well-to-do individuals and corporate organisations for the survival of the new triplets. Amongst those whose have rendered financial assistance to the parents of the babies are the National Organising Secretary, Ansar UD Deen Society of Nigeria, Alhaji Ibrahim Kilani, and wife, Alhaja Lateefat Kilani. Alhaja Kilani appealed to the state government, philanthropists and kind hearted Nigerians to help the parents for the survival of the gifts from God to them. The father of the babies was optimistic that God, who graciously blessed his family with the babies, would send help. He said he had been disturbed since the scan showed that the babies were triplets but had also trusted God for divine provision to cater for them. These babies are truly gifts from God but we are too poor to cater for them. Thats the truth. We have three babies already before their arrival, Adeola-Adekanye said. Adeola-Adekanye, a driver, and his petty trader wife, Selimot lyabo, were blessed with the female triplets as the first babies of the year in lkare Akoko Specialist Hospital. Taraba state police on Saturday paraded 25 suspected members of rival gangs between the ages of 18 and 25 years for breaching public pea... Taraba state police on Saturday paraded 25 suspected members of rival gangs between the ages of 18 and 25 years for breaching public peace in the space of three days within Jalingo metropolis. Spokesman of the Command, ASP David Misal who presented the suspects to Newsmen at the police headquarters in Jalingo, said innocent citizens caught up in the fracas sustained serious injuries. He said In the last three days, groups of recalcitrant youths of Sabon Gari community in Jalingo, have been involved in activities inimical to peace and tranquillity hitherto enjoyed in the metropolis. The youngsters from different cult groups between the ages of 18 and 25 who unleashed terror on law-abiding residents in the community not only inflicted serious injuries on themselves, but also on innocent residents. Misal who disclosed that the state Commissioner of Police, David Akinremi coordinated the operation for the manhunt and subsequent arrest of the suspects said the command will not tolerate any act of lawlessness from any group or persons. While warning criminal elements to desist from their nefarious acts, Misal also said operatives of the command are on red alert to deal decisively with any act inimical to public peace, especially hooliganism before, during and after the general elections. A former Minority Leader of the Nigeria Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, has advised politicians to run decent campaigns and stop politici... A former Minority Leader of the Nigeria Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, has advised politicians to run decent campaigns and stop politicising tragedies, as the general elections approach. Akpabio, who is also a former governor of Akwa Ibom, who now represents Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District, gave the advice on Sunday in Abuja. He said that the unity of Nigeria was more important than politics, adding that all Nigerians should take steps to maintain that unity. Nigerian politicians should learn to run decent campaigns and try to shy away from issues that can generate violence or further polarise our country as we approach the elections. They should stop jubilation whenever we experience set back in the war against insurgency, it is a collective responsibility to ensure that Nigeria is safe and we should all show commitment to that cause. The reason why we are contesting for political leadership in the first place is because there is a country called Nigeria; if Nigeria stops to exist today, our politics will become useless, he said. Akpabio also urged politicians to see the advantage in the size and diversity of Nigeria and work hard to maintain its unity. The reason why we are respected across the world is because of our population and our diverse ethnic configuration. Politicians are supposed to use these factors to further engender peace and unity in the country, instead of creating hatred and enmity amongst their followers, he said. The former governor also advised Nigerians to stop viewing dividends of democracy or political reward system in terms of appointment and contracts. Nigerians should ensure that they elect good and committed leaders at all elections, and stop expecting patronage in terms of appointments or contracts. Good governance and delivery of critical infrastructure are the best reward system that any leadership can give the citizenry, and any leader that does these deserves mass support, he said. Akpabio, a former member of Nigerias main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), decamped to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Aug. 8, 2018. The Oyo state police command on Sunday confirmed the arrest of 11 suspects in connection with the mayhem visited on some areas in Ibadan... The Oyo state police command on Sunday confirmed the arrest of 11 suspects in connection with the mayhem visited on some areas in Ibadan, Oyo state between Friday and early hours of Sunday. Our correspondent gathered that the hoodlums in their scores have been disturbing the peace of the city for days; setting houses, vehicles, shops ablaze and looting in many instances. Mostly affected areas were the Ojagbo in Ibadan North East; Oke-Ado in Ibadan South East and Idi-Arere, a suburb of the area where one million boys operated for weeks in 2018. In the latest attack on Idi-Arere and environs, some hoodlums suspected to be arsonists burnt down 30 shops and several houses located along the popular Beere-Molete road. The affected shops and houses included those located at Idi-Arere, Bode and up to the ones at Allelluyah Petrol station. The incident in Idi Arere like others in Oke-Ado and Ojagbo, occurred midnight when many of the residents of the affected areas were still sleeping, fueling suspicion that the attacks were being carried out by a notorious gang of the same group. According to a source, It is not up to Popoyemoja, it was only at Idi-Arere, Bode up to Alleluyah Petrol Station. It is a case of arsonists. They burnt houses and shops too. So, it was very late, though it happened in the midnight. It was when we woke up this morning that we saw everything. It is not up to Popoyemoja, it stopped at Idi-Arere. From that junction to Bode road. Though, I cant count the number of shops, but, it was a stretch from that junction up to Alleluyah petrol station. But, we are talking of about 10 to 15 shops on this side and 10 to 15 shops on the other side, totalling about 30 shops. The Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu who confirmed the incident said 11 suspects had been arrested. He said, Investigation to determine the cause and motive behind the incident is ongoing. Normalcy has been restored in the affected area. The state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Odude, has directed the policemen drafted to the area to carry out intensive patrol as well as 24 hours surveillance to avoid further breakdown of law and order. It came as a shock when top cinematographer and director, Tunde Kelani, recently announced his resignation as the chairman and member of... It came as a shock when top cinematographer and director, Tunde Kelani, recently announced his resignation as the chairman and member of the National Film and Video Censors Board. Kelani spoke on his plans after quitting NFVCB. He said, My plan is to continue working. Being a member of NFVCB wasnt a full-time job; we were just expected to hold meetings three times a year. As a matter of fact, there was no time I left my job as a filmmaker. But for the last four years, I have not released any new production. I have movies I can release but it wouldnt be wise to do that because it will be pirated within 24 hours. It is not sustainable to keep working for pirates because we invest a lot in our movies. The challenge in 2019, according to the director, is to look for other platforms that will make the industry more sustainable. He said, Piracy has affected the traditional DVD distribution network; so, we have to look towards technology and other platforms. This year, I think we will have solutions. The respected filmmaker also insisted that he resigned his position at NFVCB because he felt he could do more as a stakeholder. He said, Being a member of NFVCB wasnt financially rewarding as most thought; it was a service to the country. We were supposed to formulate policies that would support the movie industry. I resigned because I felt I could do more as a stakeholder. I felt I would be more useful to the industry if I was not part of the board. Gov. Amina Masari of Katsina State says Nigerians will not regret voting for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Feb. 16 and Marc... Gov. Amina Masari of Katsina State says Nigerians will not regret voting for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Feb. 16 and March 2 elections. Masari stated this in Matazu, Katsina State, on Sunday during his re-election campaign tour. He said that the President Muhammadu Buhari led-administration had recorded successes in the fight against corruption, road construction and infrastructure development. Masari said that the administration had also empowered millions of unemployed youths and business operators across the country from its inception to date. He further said the government also deserved commendation in the area of fight against insurgency in the country. "The government is up and doing in tackling insurgency and other problems bedeviling the peace and development of the country. Come out en mass to vote for APC candidates from top-to-bottom, you will not regret voting for the party, he said. The governor also said that his administration had fulfilled most of the promises he made to the people of the state during the 2015 electioneering campaign. According to the governor, the government is in the process of fulfilling the remaining few promises he made to the electorate. He said that his campaign team was taking note of peoples requests during the 2019 campaign tour across the 34 local government areas of the state. Masari noted that his administration had upgraded the General Hospitals in Katsina, Funtua and Daura for referral services. He also said that the General Hospitals in Kankia, Musawa, Malumfashi Duntsin-ma, Ingawa, among others, were rehabilitated and equipped with modern facilities to enhance healthcare delivery. The governor said that his administration had renovated over 2,000 schools, constructed some new ones, and equipped them with instructional materials to enhance teaching and learning. The state APC Chairman, Alhaji Shitu Shitu, received some PDP members who defected to the APC during the event. An unnamed man has taken marriage proposal to a whole new level after he proposed to his woman in the middle of a very narrow bridge ... An unnamed man has taken marriage proposal to a whole new level after he proposed to his woman in the middle of a very narrow bridgeThe boyfriend who proposed to his girlfriend of over 5 years in the middle of a wooden bridge during a recent adventure in Zimbabwe, disclosed that he has been waiting for years for the best moment. The proposal which was too much for the lady, left her in tears.WATCH VIDEO BELOW...This follows up report of pro skier, mountaineer, and Patagonia spokesmodel Caroline Gleich proposing to her boyfriend, fellow skier Rob Lea, on top of a mountain. A former governor of Oyo State, Rashidi Ladoja, on Saturday urged the people of Oke Ogun and other communities in the area to support hi... A former governor of Oyo State, Rashidi Ladoja, on Saturday urged the people of Oke Ogun and other communities in the area to support his partys governorship candidate, Sharafadeen Alli, in the next election. Ladoja recently defected from the African Democratic Congress to the Zenith Labour Party and he picked the Secretary to the State Government, during his tenure, Alli, as the governorship candidate of the party. The former governor said he retired from seeking political offices because he overworked himself while he was governor of the state and he deserved to rest. Ladoja spoke while featuring in a programme aired by Gravity FM, Igboho and monitored by our correspondent. He recounted his journey from Accord Party to the Zenith Labour Party and how candidates selection procedure forced him to leave the ADC. He added that the 2015 governorship election in the state was not free and fair, saying that was why his party filed a petition before the election petition tribunal. He said, We have done what we could do, but I have said I wont vie for any political office again. I almost neglected my family when I was in government because I gave my all to ensure good governance. I will only counsel Sharafadeen Alli when he becomes governor. I cant run his government for him. He would be the one to receive the praises or insults, so he will do well to heed to good advice. The former governor stated that he did not have any influence while he was in the ADC. Ladoja said, They started doing things they didnt tell us before we joined the party. They didnt tell us that some persons would be given automatic tickets. We questioned the integrity of those they wanted to give automatic tickets. What is the assurance that people will vote for them? When we saw that we couldnt persuade them to do the right thing, we decided to leave the party because we arent sure of its future. Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly are resuming tomorrow after recess amid the controversy trailing the delay in the present... Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly are resuming tomorrow after recess amid the controversy trailing the delay in the presentation of the 2019 Appropriation Bill by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. Budget presentation before the end of the year had been the tradition in the state. Reports had it that the state House of Assembly was yet to receive any letter of intention from the governor on when he would present the budget, despite assuring Lagos residents that the budget will cater for unfinished projects. Ambode had presented the 2018 budget on December 11, 20 days to its commencement. The budget, which was over N1 trillion, was applauded by experts as targeted at reducing infrastructural deficit caused by population explosion in Lagos. But civil servants were stunned after close of work on December 31 without any news on the budget from Ambode; rather, the number one citizen of the state spent the day inaugurating the Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, and six permanent secretaries. Even if the budget is presented when lawmakers resume tomorrow, the 2019 Appropriation Bill may not be available for signing until February considering the number of days the House of Assembly requires to deliberate before passing the bill for governors assent. However, following public outcry over the delay of the budget, the state government, said, last week, that the state House of Assembly was responsible for the lapse. It also disclosed that the 2019 budget forwarded to the House was N852.317 billion, a size lesser than N1.04 trillion signed into law for 2018 by N193.683 billion. The state Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Olusegun Banjo, in a statement, stressed that Ambode had taken steps to sustain the tradition on budget presentation, saying, however, that efforts had been punctured by taken lawmakers who claimed they could not form a statutory quorum for the activity to hold. According to him, the 2019 Budget was already before the state House of Assembly and was intended to be read on December 24, 2018. Banjo explained that the governor had sent verbal information to present the budget on the eve of Christmas after the State Executive Council approval on December 19, 2018, but the ceremony was postponed as the House was on recess and thereby could not form a quorum. Assembly reacts Meanwhile, the House of Assembly described the allegation by the state government as baseless and does not hold water. It was gathered that the state House of Assembly had been waiting for the budget since September 2018, and that the governor never communicated to the Assembly that he would bring the budget before the end of the year. Tim Joseph Pollard, 42, of St. Joseph, passed away Friday, January 4, 2019, at Mosaic Life Care. He was born September 10, 1976, in St. Joseph. He graduated from Mid-Buchanan High School, class of 1995, and Missouri Western State College in 2000, with a degree in Electronic Engineering. Tim married Heather Fry on January 4, 2003, and she survives of the home. He worked at Mastio & Company and Garmin. Tim was a very sweet and reliable man, who was a very loving husband, son and brother. He was known for his great sense of humor and for his very courageous strength throughout his lengthy fight with cancer. He was the recipient of two liver and one kidney transplants. He was a member of the Grace Evangelical Church. Survivors include: wife, Heather Pollard, of the home; mother, Thelma Pollard; father, Robert Pollard; brother, Jason Pollard, all of St. Joseph; half sister, Trisha; father-in-law, Ed Fry; sister-in-law, Stacey Unzicker (Richard Humbard); nephew, Greg Humbard; and Daddy to three dogs, Ernie, Reggie, and Hazel, and one cat, Tabber; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Everybody loved Tim. Funeral services: 10 a.m. Tuesday, January 8, 2019, at Grace Evangelical Church, Dr. Darrell Jones officiating. The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday, at the Rupp Funeral Home. The interment will be at the Faucett Cemetery. Memorials are requested, in lieu of flowers, to the American Cancer Society. Online condolences and obituary at www.ruppfuneral.com. As published in the St. Joseph News-Press. N.J. Waweru was hundreds of miles from the nearest ocean port when he stopped in St. Joseph to put fuel in his tractor-trailer. For truckers like Waweru, changes in the shipping industry threaten to end the ride of low diesel fuel prices that over-the-road haulers enjoyed last year. Thats because cargo ships, which use vast amounts of fuel, are expected to switch in large numbers to diesel in the coming years. That could mean tighter supplies and higher prices for truck drivers who, just like other motorists, have become accustomed to low fuel prices. Its working out good, said Waweru, who stopped at Deluxe Truck Stop on Highway 759 before taking a load of meat to Texas. Hopefully, they go lower or stay where they are. I cant complain. Few drivers complain about fuel these days. Motorists entered 2019 with retail gasoline prices at their lowest level in three years, with regular unleaded selling for $1.81 a gallon in St. Joseph while diesel goes for $2.73. Still, truckers have missed out on some of the benefits as retail gasoline prices dropped at a faster rate than diesel fuel, especially in the second half of last year. Diesel tends to cost more than unleaded blends, but the price difference widened from 50 cents a gallon to around 90 cents a gallon in St. Joseph during the year. A similar trend was noticed nationwide. Our norm has changed quite a bit, said Tom Crawford, president and chief executive of the Missouri Trucking Association. I remember diesel and gas used to be about the same price. Obviously, youre better off having a two in front, instead of a three. I dont know if well ever see a one again. Mike Right, vice president of AAA Missouri, said online sales during the holiday shopping season put greater demand on diesel-fueled trucks to make final deliveries to homes, stores and businesses. He believes that trend will continue to impact diesel fuel prices in 2019. I suspect its the deliveries with internet shipping, he said. Since October, we are seeing demand for diesel above what it was. On the flip side, demand for gasoline is down. The bigger problem for truckers could be looming on the horizon at major ocean ports. The United National International Maritime Organization directed cargo ships to reduce sulfur emissions starting in 2020. For shipping companies, that means installing expensive scrubbers or switching from a cheap, dirty blend called bunker fuel to cleaner-burning diesel to power cargo across the oceans. A survey for investment bank UBS found that 74 percent of shipping companies planned to switch to diesel fuel, according to Transport Topics magazine. That switch to diesel could drive up prices for other users. The changes create further implications for both refiners and vessel operators at a time of high uncertainty in future crude oil price, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in a report. Others are taking a wait-and-see approach. Crawford said fuel costs are second only to labor for trucking companies, which ultimately have to pass higher freight costs to customers. This industry impacts a lot of what you see on the store shelves, he said. A 33-year-old male was sent to the hospital with critical injuries early Sunday morning after being shot in the chest. Capt. Jeff Wilson with the St. Joseph Police Department said a disturbance between the victim and another individual resulted in the shooting at 817 Vine St. Police responded to Mosaic Life Care shortly after 1 a.m on a report of the shooting. As of 1:14 p.m the victim was in stable condition according to police. Police have identified a suspect but no one is in custody. The incident still is under investigation at this time. The number of law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in the United States increased from 2017 to 2018, according to a preliminary report. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund said 145 federal, state, local and territorial officers died in 2018, a 12 percent increase from the 129 who died in 2017. As a law enforcement officer, as an agency, its something you dont want to hear, said Sgt. Jake Angle with the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Its unfortunate. The number of fallen officers in 2017 marked a decline from 159 fatalities in 2016. Statistics show 53 officer deaths in 2018 were firearm-related. In 2017, 46 officers were fatally shot, marking a 15 percent increase. Its heartbreaking to see members of our community who are fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers and children, who try to keep everybody safe are heinously and savagely victimized, said Sheriff Bill Puett with the Buchanan County Sheriffs Office. The St. Joseph Police Department has seen a sharp uptick in violent crimes, namely shootings, over the past week, including one where a man was shot by two officers several times after the man threatened them with a firearm inside a residence. These are serious crimes. We are working hard with the members of our community and other agencies to try to decrease the amount were seeing, said Cpt. Jeff Wilson with the St. Joseph Police Department. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund reported 50 traffic-related officer deaths in 2018. Local law enforcement agencies said officers rely heavily on training with vehicles, firearms and defensive tactics. Were constantly searching for new trainings, new methods, new vehicle operations, everything we can do to keep them as safe as possible, Puett said. Three officer deaths were reported in Missouri in 2018. Clinton, Missouri, police officer Ryan Morton, 30, was fatally shot on March 6. Miller County Sheriffs Office deputy Sheriff Casey Shoemate, 26, was responding to a 911 call on April 20 when he was involved in a head-on collision. And Greene County Sheriffs Office deputy Aaron Paul Roberts, 35, was killed on Sept. 7 when his patrol car was washed off the road in Fair Grove. These unfortunate statistics are no secret to the men and women who carry out their duties in law enforcement. You accept that. You rely on your trainings, you rely each other, and you go out their every day and do your job, Angle said. The numbers collected by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund can be viewed at www.nleomf.org/facts/officer-fatalities-data/. The organization noted all data is preliminary and are subject to change. The Gallery at Sixth venue turned down the lights this evening for another edition of a vibrant form of yoga. More than 50 people came out for the Sixth Annual Glow Yoga benefit this evening, many came dressed in white or neon to get the full effect. In doing so, yoga enthusiasts were also able to support the Calvin Center food pantry by bringing non-perishable food items or monetary donations. We saw it happening in other cities and figured, well, if were gonna do this we should do it for a cause, Yoga Instructor Matt Todd said. Hosted by the Yoga Room, the event was relocated to Gallery at Sixth venue for the first time after turnout at last years event left the Yoga Room with little space. Four Yoga Room instructors: Emily Waddell-Fite, Matt Todd, Heather Hausman and Vickey Meyer helped lead the class consisting of subtle movements, chanting and meditation. Its pretty amazing to see the community support not only us and yoga but also our community, the great things that we can pull together as a community and fellow yogis, Instructor Heather Hausman said. Waddell-Fite said a lack of light in glow yoga actually creates to a more care-free and less self-conscious atmosphere for participants. MONDAY Total body workout, 8:15 a.m., Joyce Raye Patterson Senior Citizens Center, $3. Class is held at 8:15 a.m. on Wednesday and Friday as well. TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Chapter No. 0345 weight-loss and fitness group, 9 to 9:40 a.m. weigh-in, 9:45 a.m. meeting at East Hills Church of Christ, 3912 Penn St. TOPS assists with weight loss and healthy living. The public is invited to attend. For more information, call Donna McDonald 816-662-3395 or Pat Anderson 816-238-7533. Tai chi class, 9:30 a.m., Joyce Raye Patterson Senior Citizens Center, $3. Yoga, 10:45 a.m., Joyce Raye Patterson Senior Citizens Center, $3. Class is held at 9:15 a.m. on Wednesday as well. Get Up and Get Moving exercise class with Kelly Jarrett, 1 p.m., Joyce Raye Patterson Senior Citizens Center. Cost is $2 per person. Line dance lessons, 3 to 4 p.m., Joyce Raye Patterson Senior Citizens Center, $2. Line dance lessons, 6 to 7 p.m., couple pattern partner lessons, 7 to 9 p.m., Eagles Aerie No. 49, 2004 N. Belt Highway. Cost is $5 per person. For information, call 816-232-0526. Toastmasters, 7 p.m., Missouri Western State University, Blum Union, PDR Room (separate outside entrance under the awning on the southeast side). Provides a supportive environment to empower members to achieve personal growth in communication and leadership skills. Visitors always welcome. For more information, contact Lynn Hudson at 816-244-9466 or lhud@stjoelive.com, or Glen Drake at 816-232-6078. TUESDAY Joyce Raye Patterson Kitchen Band, 10 a.m., Joyce Raye Patterson Senior Citizens Center. Welcome Wagon Club lunch, 11:30 a.m. For location and more information, call Linda at 816-676-0554 or Marilyn at 660-890-4053. Salvation Army womens group, noon, 602 Messanie St., bring your own lunch. For more information, call 816-232-5824. Downtown Rotary Club, noon, Benton Club. Active and Retired Missouri State Employees (ARMSE), noon, Joyce Raye Patterson Senior Center. There will be a speaker. Bring a sack lunch if desired. Tri-Al-Anon family group, noon, Patee Park Baptist Church, 1107 S. 10th St. Mahjong Queens, 1 to 4 p.m., Joyce Raye Patterson Senior Citizens Center. Alzheimers disease and dementia caregivers support group, 5 p.m., Living Community of St. Joseph, 1202 Heartland Road. Group provides a safe opportunity for caregivers and family members to gain information, encouragement, coping strategies and connect with others. For information, call NW Missouri Regional Office of the Alzheimers Association at 816-364-4467. Midtown Neighborhood Watch, 5 p.m., Bartlett Center. Midtown area residents are encouraged to join in discussions and information sessions. Cardio body sculpting, 5:15 p.m., Joyce Raye Patterson Senior Citizens Center, $4. St. Joseph Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 30-7, 6:30 p.m. For location and information, call 816-454-3367 or 816-232-4063. Fleet Reserve Association 379, 7 p.m., VFW Post 6760. Saint Joseph, MO, Arthritis Support Network meeting, 7 p.m., Panera Bread, 1209 N. Belt Highway. Arthritis Support Network provides help and support to adults living with all types of arthritis and rheumatic diseases. WEDNESDAY Sunrise Optimist Club, 7 a.m., Dennys. East Side Lions Club, 8 a.m., Dennys. East Side Rotary Club, noon, Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art. St. Joseph Sertoma Club, noon, Golden Corral. Ideal Rebekah Lodge potluck and business meeting, noon, Hyde Valley United Methodist Church. Intermediate contract bridge, noon, Joyce Raye Patterson Senior Citizens Center, $.50. For more information or to participate call 816-695-5372. Beginner line dance lessons, 3 to 4 p.m., Joyce Raye Patterson Senior Citizens Center, $2. Line dance lessons, 7 to 9 p.m., Eagles Aerie No. 49, 2004 N. Belt Highway. Everyone is welcome. Cost is $5. For information, call 816-279-9302. THURSDAY East Hills Optimist Club, 7 a.m., Dennys, public invited. South Side Rotary Club, 11:45 a.m., King Hill Christian Church, 5828 King Hill Ave. Optimist Club of St. Joseph, noon, Whiskey Creek Steakhouse. For more information, contact Craig Sumner at 816-279-7450. Kiwanis Club, noon, Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art. St. Joseph Host Lions Club, 12:15 p.m., Benton Club. For more information, contact a club member or call 816-232-5120. Body sculpting, 5:15 p.m., Joyce Raye Patterson Senior Citizens Center, $4. Parkinsons support group, 5:30 p.m., Joyce Raye Patterson Senior Center. A guest speaker will present at each meeting. Open to anyone. Pony Express Composite Squadron, 6:30 p.m., Building 5 at Rosecrans International Guard Base, photo ID required. For more information, call 913-956-9745. RiverSong, a Sweet Adelines International Chorus rehearsal, 7 p.m., Wyatt Park Christian Church. Visitors welcome. For more information, call 816-233-0368 or log on to www.RiverSong Chorus.com. Bingo, 7 p.m., VFW 5531, Wathena, Kansas. For more information, call 785-989-3487. Tri-Al-Anon family group, 8 p.m., Patee Park Baptist Church, 1107 S. 10th St. FRIDAY South Side Sertoma Club, 6:45 a.m., Spanky and Buckwheats Catering. 10-point pitch card group, 1 p.m., Joyce Raye Patterson Senior Citizens Center. SATURDAY Tri-Al-Anon family group, noon, Patee Park Baptist Church, 1107 S. 10th St. Debtors Anonymous, 3:30 p.m., Alano Club, 401 S. 11th St. Having trouble with debt, payday loans and not enough money at the end of the month? Join us. For information, call 816-617-1145. A little piece of St. Joseph reached a new height recently when it went to top of one of the worlds highest mountains. Kristin Yantis, daughter of Barry Yantis, the CEO and president of Chase and Poe Candy Co., brought St. Josephs own Cherry Mash all the way to Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. She has a long relationship with the Midwests iconic cherry chocolate bar as her family has been involved in its production for years. I grew up in St. Joe and my family has operated the Chase Candy Co. since the mid 40s going back to my grandfather and his family she says. This is a part of my upbringing. I remember going to the original plant when I was younger. I have so many memories of Cherry Mash. Her love for the outdoors and hiking is the reason behind her recent seven-day trek to the mountain in Africa. Ive wanted to hike Mount Kilimanjaro for years and years, and finally you know you kind of say to yourself, Why wait any longer? she says. Her love for her father along with his love for Chase Candy Co. is what spurred Yantis to bring the iconic candy with her to the very top of the mountain. My dad has been running the candy company since the early 70s and so Ive grown up around this candy my whole life, and when I had the opportunity to go to Africa and climb Kilimanjaro, they suggested you bring some sort of special item once you get to the summit, Yantis says. The local candy also recently had a big anniversary, which played a key factor in its big hike. Knowing that it was Cherry Mashs 100th anniversary, I thought what a better way to celebrate and to surprise my family then doing something fun like that, Yantis says. She even enjoyed the candy thousands of miles away from its native St. Joseph once she reached the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, which stands 19,341 feet at its highest point. I took a bite once I reached the top of the mountain to fuel myself coming down, Yantis says. While Cherry Mash easily made it through international customs, Yantis explains she did leave a candy behind for people in Africa to try. Yantis is proud to have made her trip to Mount Kilimanjaro, but what was most special to her was surprising her dad in the process. I didnt quite have my PR hat on when I was thinking about taking Cherry Mash to the top, it was more my daughter hat on and thinking about how proud my dad would be and how happy he would be, says Yantis, who owns her own PR firm in Colorado. Chase and Poe Candy Co. has been in operation since 1876 when Dr. George Washington Chase made his first batch of candy. The Chase headquarters was built in 1922 and originally located Downtown at Fifth and Sylvanie streets. It moved to another plant in the 1960s due to growth. The company currently operates at its newest facility at 1307 S. 59th St. A Japanese sushi tycoon paid a record $3.1m for a giant tuna at the first predawn New Year auction in Tokyo's new fish market on Saturday. Self-styled "Tuna King" Kiyoshi Kimura forked over the whopping sum for a 278kg bluefin tuna, an endangered species that was caught off Japan's northern coast. "The tuna looks so tasty and very fresh, but I think I did too much," Kimura, who runs the popular Sushi Zanmai chain, told reporters. "The price was higher than originally thought, but I hope our customers will eat this excellent tuna." Kimura has been the highest bidder at the new year auction for several years. He paid the previous record of 155 million yen ($1.4m) for a fish in 2013. Although the auction prices were way above usual for bluefin tuna, wholesalers and sushi tycoons have been known to pay eye-watering prices for the biggest and best fish, especially at the first auction of the New Year. Later in the day, sushi chefs sliced up the giant fish with special knives resembling Japanese swords at Kimura's main restaurant. Hundreds of sushi lovers queued for a taste. A Japanese legislator is drawing criticism for his comment that "a nation would collapse" if everyone became LGBT. Remarks by Katsuei Hirasawa, a veteran lawmaker of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, were carried on Nippon News Network's national broadcast Friday. Outrage has been popping up on social media. Hirasawa told a crowd in Yamanashi Prefecture in central Japan on Thursday: "Criticizing LGBT would create problems, but if everyone became like them then a nation would collapse." He also said he didn't understand moves in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward and other local areas to recognize same-sex marriage. Same-sex marriages are not recognized in Japan nationally. Hirasawa, like many Japanese politicians, was lamenting the country's low birth rate, which has been blamed on a lack of child care and help for working women, as well as sentiments that tend to shift the burden of raising children on women. Two people died and 13 were injured in a fire early Friday at a lodging house in Yokohama, where many daily laborers stay, police said. A fire broke out at around 6:15 a.m. in a room on the fifth floor of the 10-story Ogiso Bekkan lodging house, which provides low-priced accommodation in a flophouse area. The blaze was contained about an hour after spreading to several rooms, local police and firefighters said. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. About 140 people were believed to have been staying at Ogiso Bekkan in Yokohama's Naka Ward when the fire occurred. All those killed or injured were likely to be lodging guests, the police said. After evacuating or being rescued from upper floors by a ladder truck, about 50 guests, some wrapped in blankets, watched developments from nearby. Heavy snow has forced cancellation of flights to and from Hokkaido, keeping holidaymakers from leaving the northern main island amid the peak of the "U-turn rush." Airline companies say almost all flights from New Chitose Airport near Sapporo bound for Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka were fully booked on Saturday. But the runway was intermittently closed while workers cleared it of snow after 20 centimeters fell for 6 hours through 11 PM. 60 incoming and 45 departing flights were cancelled. More than 1,000 passengers booked on the cancelled flights were forced to spend the night at the airport's terminal building that was kept open temporarily. 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. Community Perspective Send Community Perspective submissions by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Submissions must be 500 to 750 words. Columns are welcome on a wide range of issues and should be well-written and well-researched with attribution of sources. Include a full name, email address, daytime telephone number and headshot photograph suitable for publication (email jpg or tiff files at 150 dpi.) You may also schedule a photo to be taken at the News-Miner office. The News-Miner reserves the right to edit submissions or to reject those of poor quality or taste without consulting the writer. Letters to the editor Send letters to the editor by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707), by fax (907-452-7917) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Writers are limited to one letter every two weeks (14 days.) All letters must contain no more than 350 words and include a full name (no abbreviation), daytime and evening phone numbers and physical address. (If no phone, then provide a mailing address or email address.) The Daily News-Miner reserves the right to edit or reject letters without consulting the writer. Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community. Submit here (Newser) Round two, coming up? President Trump said Sunday that Washington is negotiating a location for another summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, CNN reports. Trump said his administration has a "very good dialogue" with Pyongyang, adding: "Now I say this, North Korea, we're doing very well. And again, no rockets. There's no rockets. There's no anything. We're doing very well." He noted that sanctions against North Korea will stay "in full force and effect" and said if anyone else had been elected presidentpresumably, Hillary Clinton"you'd be at war right now." In his words, "You would right now be in a nice, big fat war in Asia with North Korea if I wasn't elected president." story continues below The summit talk isn't exactly new: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in October that one was coming up, and CNN reported Wednesday that Trump's team was seeking locations for round two. Since Trump and Kim met in Singapore last June, the two seem to have exchanged letters. On Wednesday, Trump showed reporters what he deemed a "great letter" from Kim, and in August he mentioned other Kim "letters" that eased Trump's mind about letting Pompeo visit North Koreaa trip Trump had canceled at the last minute in August. "He wrote me beautiful letters," said Trump. "And they're great letters. We fell in love." Yet there has been little apparent progress in Washington's attempt to denuclearize North Korea, notes Channel News Asia. (Meanwhile, North Korea is said to be running at least 13 hidden missile bases.) (Newser) President Trump is confirming reports that the US has killed the mastermind behind the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, reports Fox News. "Our GREAT MILITARY has delivered justice for the heroes lost and wounded in the cowardly attack on the USS Cole," tweeted the president on Sunday. "We have just killed the leader of that attack, Jamal al-Badawi. Our work against al Qaeda continues. We will never stop in our fight against Radical Islamic Terrorism!" American military officials earlier confirmed that a "precision strike" occurred Tuesday in Yemen, notes the BBC, but were assessing the results. Al-Badawi had been indicted in 2003 by a federal grand jury on 50 counts of terrorism. (Read more USS Cole stories.) (Newser) There are a whopping 666 days to go until the 2020 presidential election, but potential candidate Elizabeth Warren was in Iowa this weekend and faced a question on the subject of her claim to Cherokee ancestry: "Why did you undergo the DNA testing and give Donald Trump more fodder to be a bully?" asked the first questioner on Saturday, per USA Today. Warren released test results in October that showed "strong evidence" of Native American ancestry; they were denounced by the Cherokee Nation as "inappropriate and wrong." Responded the Massachusetts senator, per CNN: "I am not a person of color. I am not a citizen of a tribe. ... Tribesand only tribesdetermine tribal citizenship, and I respect that difference" between ancestry and citizenship. story continues below She defended her decision to release the results, saying she wanted to "put it all out there." Both USA Today and CNN note that voters seemed less concerned with any affront to Native Americans and more concerned that Warren had set herself up as a bigger target for President Trump, who has mocked her as "Pocahontas." "It's just playing into his hands," said one voter. "It's getting onto his turf, and he knows how to handle his turf. And so I'm not sure she should have gotten into it, but anyway I hope she learned from it." (Trump, meanwhile, said he would love to run against Warren.) (Newser) Harold Brown, who as defense secretary in the Carter administration championed cutting-edge fighting technology during a tenure that included the failed rescue of hostages in Iran, has died at age 91. Brown died Friday, said the Rand Corp., the California-based think tank which Brown served as a trustee for more than 35 years. Brown was a nuclear physicist who led the Pentagon to modernize its defense systems with weapons that included precision-guided cruise missiles, stealth aircraft, advanced satellite surveillance, and improved communications and intelligence systems, the AP reports. He successfully campaigned to increase the Pentagon budget during his term, despite skepticism inside the White House and from Democrats in Congress. story continues below That turbulent period included the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan and the Iranian hostage crisis. An effort in April 1980 to rescue the hostages failed when one of the helicopters on the mission struck a tanker aircraft in eastern Iran and crashed, killing eight US servicemen. "I considered the failed rescue attempt my greatest regret and most painful lesson learned," Brown wrote in his book Star Spangled Security. Brown faced numerous obstacles when he took the job as Pentagon chief, including pressure to reduce the defense budget both from within the administration and from influential congressional Democrats. Wary of the growing Soviet threat, Brown sought to withstand the pressure to cut defense and, gradually, managed to increase spending. (Upon George HW Bush's passing, the media assessed his influence on the world.) What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 574-583-5121 or email cgrace@thehj.com. Reporter Noelle McGee is a Danville-based reporter at The News-Gazette. Her email is nmcgee@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@n_mcgee). One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 Rajesh Asnani By JAIPUR: The BJP high command may be mapping the Vijay Abhiyan 2019a two-month schedule to perk up the party morale in Rajasthan before the Lok Sabha polls, but the biggest challenge is balancing its politics to nominate the right person for the opposition leaders job, post the Assembly debacle. The scenario was muddled further with the BJP Parliamentary Board meeting last Thursday deciding not to nominate any of the chief ministers in any state where the party had lost the Assembly polls, although in the Rajasthan perspective former CM Vasundhara Raje Scindias clout continues despite her defeat and notwithstanding doubts over her capacity to lead in the RSS circle. The RSS is believed to be not in favour of Raje as the leader, though Raje loyalist Kalicharan Saraf recently claimed that she had the majority support. Former Vidhan Sabha speaker and party elder Kailash Meghwals opinion that the party should be left to take a final decision had forced internal bickering into the open recently. The RSS camp and Raje have had long-standing differences, with the former believing that voters were not angry with the party but with Raje-the reason for the defeat. With Lok Sabha polls ahead, she as the leader of Opposition might prove detrimental to the chances of the party in registering a better show, said a senior BJP leader. Rajes equation with national president Amit Shah has not been cosy, as was evident from the fact that she did not share the dais with him or the PM during the entire Assembly campaign. Shah had pitched for Jodhpur MP Gajendra Singh as party president, which Raje did not agree to. READ | BJP performance a face-saver for outgoing CM Vasundhara Raje After 72 days of the post remaining vacant due to the tussle, Raje loyalist Madan Lal Saini was appointed state president. The word in the political circles here is that Raje will be asked to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections However, a majority in the party do appear to believe that it will still be difficult to sideline Raje. Of the 73 elected legislators, over 50 are her loyalists. The RSS wants Meghwal, 85, as the Opposition leader, while former home minister Gulab Chand Katarias name is also doing the rounds. Rajendra Rathore, considered close to the Raje camp, is also in the running. Most believe Raje will definitely have a say in who finally gets nominated. At a recent motivational workshop organised at the BJP headquarters for workers and frontal organizations, posters of Raje and party president Madan Lal Saini were conspicuously absent. But of the 700 office-bearers invited, just around 300 attended, pointing again to dissensions within. ALSO READ | HC asks ED about action taken against Vasundhara Raje's son on money laundering allegations State party president Madan Lal Saini has also indicated that Raje may not be in the race for the post of Leader of Opposition. Earlier, whoever was in charge of the elections was given the post in case of defeat. But it may be different this time. Whatever changes are to be made will happen soon after consultations with all legislators. Meanwhile, the party has nominated Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and state party in- charge Avinash Khanna to observe a brainstorming session with each MLA individually to arrive at the majority choice for leader of opposition. Rajesh Asnani By JAIPUR: Urban India may not have seen the ugly face of caste system, but in rural areas untouchability remains prevalent even six decades after it was banned under the law. The district collector of Dholpur in Rajasthan was shocked to see a young mother bear the injustice during an inspection of an MGNREGA site in Basedi Panchayat on Friday. The collector, Neha Giri, found it odd when she saw a woman with a young child working hard as a labourer while a strongly built man was doing the easy job of serving water to the people. When Giri asked the reason, a villager told her that the woman was from Valmiki community and hence untouchable and that nobody would drink water offered by her. Outraged by the reply, Giri reprimanded the villagers for practising untouchability. To send out a strong message, she had water offered by the Dalit woman. The collector then asked her to serve water to the other labourers and everyone drank it. Discrimination is not a good thing, Giri said. According to the 2011 Census, Rajasthan has 17 per cent Dalit population. The Valmiki, being at the bottom of the hierarchy even among Dalits, are considered untouchables. Dalit activist Bhanwar Megwanshi said though the law banning untouchability was framed in 1955, the government lacks the will to abolish the practice. Be it mid-day meals, distributing water or jobs under MGNREGA or anganwadi programmes, the upper caste people are employed. We have always insisted that the government should involve Dalits in their schemes. Only then will this practice end. Ramananda Sengupta By Belying Pakistan s new Prime Minister Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi and his Army Chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwas repeated assertions that they wanted peace with India, Indian diplomats in Pakistan are reporting a major spike in incidents of harassment and intimidation by Pakistani agencies. At least three note verbales, or unsigned diplomatic notes, were issued to Islamabad by New Delhi in December alone. One sent on December 12 referred to the intermittent blocking of internet access to the high commission, and the blocking of Indian government sites, including the ministry of external affairs and one used by Pakistanis to apply for Indian visas. Another sent on December 23, referred to the intimidation of the deputy chief of mission JP Singh and three other Indian officials in Peshawar on December 21 by two motorcycle-borne agency goons, forcing them to return to Islamabad. Yet another sent on December 27 referred to a four-hour power outage at the residence of the Second Secretary Akhilesh Singh on Christmas, causing a lot of inconvenience to the family members (including children) of the officer...It was noted that there was no electrical fault at the residence... and power supply was cut off only at his residence. READ | Harassment of Indian diplomats in Pakistan: India not planning to scale down staff And despite the chest thumping in Pakistan over having decided to open the Kartarpur corridor for Sikh pilgrims from India, Indian consular officials, including High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria, were prevented on three occasions from meeting Sikh pilgrims visiting shrines in Pakistan. Then there are long-standing gas connections for residential housing complex opposite the chancery. We had applied for a gas connection 10 years ago with SUI gas limited. Over the years Islamabad has a piped gas system, and they have put in the pipes. But they are yet to turn on the tap, said a source. We have been pursuing this for three years, but it has become more urgent now because people have moved in, and they are dependent on this not just for cooking, but also for heating in winter, he said. All that is required is for the gas company officials to conduct a safety audit, and turn on the tap. But they are waiting for clearance from the Pakistan foreign office. Then theres the overall completion of the housing project, which was started 10 years ago to accommodate high commission officials, many of whom stayed outside in rented houses. Now the complex is ready, but there are still several issues. For instance, to install a security gate at the complex, the equipment has reached, but the company which supplied it from India now needs to send its technical staff to get the gate installed. Their visas are pending for over three years, said the source. When we pursued the case, they were again asked to apply for fresh visas. It was more than a few month ago, and nothing has moved. There have been several cases of people ringing the doorbells of officials at unearthly hours and running away. There is not even a legal occupancy certificate or a permanent power connection for the complex. They have provided a temporary connection, and this was disconnected in February last year, and it took a lot of persuasion from our side to get re-connected. But it is a temporary one, which can be disconnected at their whims, he said. More than 40 officials and their families now live in the new complex. After the Peshawar school attack, all children of Indian staff in Pakistan were brought back, but it is still a family posting for those without schooling requirements. Incidents of people following Indian staffers closely, including even those visiting toilets, and sitting close during meals outside the mission are routine. Some of them are quite aggressive. Visitors coming to meet Indian staffers are harassed and intimidated . As for Indian High Commission officials getting access to Sikh pilgrims visiting Pakistan as per diplomatic norms, they have barred it three times. But while in April and in June, they had simply insisted that our officials turn away and go back to Islamabad, in November, when our pilgrims were there as part of Guru Nanaks birth anniversary celebrations, the agency even threatened our diplomats... This despite our officials having acquired clear written permission from the Pakistan foreign office for these visits, he said. On the other hand, when Pakistani pilgrims came to India, their protocol officer received them at the border, were with them throughout the journey. With both the prime minister and the army chief having stated a desire to improve relations with India, one would have expected some changes on the ground. Instead we are seeing increasing harassment and intimidation, and the situation is worsening, the source said. Jose K Joseph By Express News Service TIRUCHY: A letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed to every household has evoked curiosity among rural people. They were taken by surprise as postmen delivered the letters to their doorsteps. Several postmen in central Tamil Nadu are pedalling for miles and working extra hours to deliver the letters. They have been tasked with delivering 26 lakh letters within this month. The letter explains some of the schemes of the Central government for disadvantaged sections like the poor, homeless, unemployed youth, women and finally, health insurance under the PM-JAY scheme. Illiterate people, particularly the elderly, are approaching their neighbours to read the letters for them and many are even asking the postmen to read out the contents. However, the postmen are pressed for time to deliver the letters and unable to oblige. For instance, a postman in a small village has to deliver around 3,000 letters within a few days. Moreover, he has to get the recipients signature as these letters have been sent through Speed Post. Postmen are facing an uphill task in finding the correct recipients and handing over the letters as they cannot be given to just anyone. A postman said, I have to get acknowledgement signatures from recipients or a family member. If a person has left the village and living in a neighbouring town, I have to find the person and deliver the letters. If I am unable to track them down, I have to keep their letters. Sources said the National Health Agency (NHA) collected the addresses from the public distribution system using ration cards. In the address column printed on the letter, `Family Head above the recipients name is mentioned. In a few Ariyalur district villages, some postmen have misguided people. Residents of a village told Express their postman asked them to keep the letter safely in their almirahs. The postman told us to take this letter along with the Aadhaar card to a neighbouring hospital in case of any health issues, they said. Some postmen said on seeing the letters, a few recipients were afraid they could be a government notice of some sort. "Apart from the PMs letter, we are delivering regular mail. So, we are travelling more miles and working extra hours. I alone have to deliver over 2,800 letters from the PM, said a postman. Currently, Cuddalore, Karur, Thanjavur, Ariyalur, Tiruchy, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Perambalur and Pudukkottai districts have received over two lakh letters each. Sources said some recipients in the cyclone-hit districts refused to accept these personalised letters, which has become a problem for postmen. Some people told the postmen the PM should have used money spent on printing these letters and the Speed Post charges for rehabilitation works in cyclone-affected areas. The minimum cost for Speed Post service is Rs.18 for a local delivery. The cost increases with distance. However, some recipients were excited to receive a letter from the Prime Minster of India. I am receiving a mail from a Prime Minister for the first time and I appreciate that he took the effort to interact with citizens in their respective language," said A Parvathinathan, a resident of Tiruchy district. Sinduja Jane By Express News Service CHENNAI: The incident in which a 23-year-old pregnant woman in Virudhunagar district contracted HIV after being transfused blood from an HIV+ blood donor, who had tested positive in 2016 but was not informed at the time, raised questions about how well Tamil Nadu has been adhering to safety protocols. Express found that as many as 23 voluntary blood donors whose blood tested positive for HIV during routine screening at blood banks slipped under the Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society (TANSACS) radar from 2015 to 2018. ALSO READ | 23 HIV+ donors not informed of their status since 2015 According to the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017, a person who has tested positive for HIV should be informed of his or her condition in person by counsellors or physician at the HIV Counselling and Testing Centres. State health department officials claim the persons who slip under the radar may not have come to the Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTC) after being summoned by the counsellor. However, the Act also says that the cases of those who have failed to show up must be followed up. This reveals a gap in the system that results not only in HIV+ persons losing out on treatment but also in unknowingly spreading the infection to others. TANSACS and the health department admit there is a problem but have few answers on how to fix these gaps. ALSO READ | Pregnant woman in Tamil Nadu gets HIV via blood transfusion due to government hospital negligence How the system should work According to the National HIV Counselling and Testing Services Guidelines of National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), it is the duty of the counsellor at the stand-alone ICTC to share the laboratory report of their blood tests with the individual, provide post-test counselling and stress the need for follow-up testing. Home visit to people living with HIV/AIDS with prior consent, is one of the outreach activities of the counsellor. The visit should be planned based on need, such as loss of contact, or non-compliance to the prescribed services. The counsellor reports to the medical officer in charge of the SA-ICTC. The medical officer in charge, lab technician and the counsellor at various levels of the ICTC are responsible for supportive supervision of a case. A counsellor at an SA-ICTC centre explained how various people were involved in the follow up of a case. The report of the person testing positive for HIV has to be submitted only after it has been reviewed by the medical officer in charge. ALSO READ: Doctors questioned in HIV+ blood transfusion incident The district project manager and district supervisor oversee the case to ensure that the case is followed up. We submit our reports on a daily basis to TANSACS and discuss the positive cases tested and follow-up status in the review meetings with the officials, the counsellor said. Unless we look into the history of every missed case, we cant comment on where this system has failed. However, the counsellor explained some of the stumbling blocks ICTC staff face in reaching persons who have tested positive. For instance, some people give fake addresses. Even after the commencement of treatment, some people disappear by changing their contact number. I have seen cases where the mobile number was changed. The ART (Antiretroviral Therapy) centre staff will contact me asking for the patients whereabouts. Of late, I have started casually asking for Aadhaar card or driving license so as to avoid being duped. Then, some people are willing to show up when called and others refuse, the counsellor said. Another counsellor said that counsellors would make a visit to the home of the HIV+ person, identifying as a health worker, if the person didnt turn up at the ICTC. They would also engage NGOs to track them down if the person has given a fake address or is a migrant worker. Despite this, we still miss some cases, the counsellor said. TANSACS project director Dr K Senthil Raj admitted that this was indeed the case. Over 95 per cent of people who test HIV positive are put on ART drugs. Only the remaining five per cent is lost in follow-up. In some cases, even when an NGO tried to find them, they couldnt be traced, he said. Whats the fix? ALSO READ: Another woman alleges contracting HIV after blood transfusion at government hospital Stressing that there was already a system in place and that NACO protocols were strictly followed, Senthil Raj said, in the wake of the Virudhunagar district incident, the government was thinking of strengthening the system further. After expert committee constituted to probe the Virudhunagar incident submits its report to the government, we will analyse and make rules and laws more stringent, he said, without going into specifics. However, he did not explain what was being done to close the gap between blood found testing positive for HIV and the donor being informed of their HIV status. Not the only problem In the Virudhunagar incident, the donor whose blood had tested positive for HIV in 2016 did not learn that he had the virus till 2018. Before he learnt of his HIV status, he had donated blood at a Sivakasi Government Hospital on November 30. His blood was somehow labelled HIV negative and transfused to a 23-year old pregnant woman on December 3 at the Sattur Government Hospital. On December 13, after learning of his HIV status, the 19-year-old donor informed the Sivakasi hospital but by then it was too late. The youth died on December 29 of complications related to his attempt to commit suicide. How had his blood been labelled HIV- has been the question on everyones minds. Increase in workload and shortage of lab technicians, medical experts said, have led to NACO guidelines remaining only on paper, even if officials insist they are strictly followed. According to the health department, over 8 lakh people donate blood annually in Tamil Nadu, 4 lakh in government hospitals alone. Over 12 lakh benefit from blood donations. ALSO READ: HIV positive blood donor, who attempted suicide, dies at hospital According to the Guidelines for Blood Donor Selection and Blood Donor Referral framed by the National Blood Transfusion Council in 2017, a blood donor counsellor should provide pre-donation information, pre-donation counselling, administer a donor questionnaire, ensure a health check-up, provide counselling during blood donation, and post-donation counselling to donors at blood banks or camps. A medical officer should review the donors health and perform a physical examination. It is the medical officer who takes the final decision on whether the person can donate blood. A regular blood donor told Express that he had never received any such counselling, nor had he ever been subjected to a physical examination prior to blood donation. In our college, many NGOs come and regularly conduct blood camps. They will check my haemoglobin count, blood pressure, ask what my weight is, make me fill up a questionnaire, take the blood, give one biscuit packet and juice after blood donation and send us off. I have never been counselled post-donation, said B Ramesh Lal, a 31-year-old faculty at a private college. During medical camps because of the crowd, it is difficult to give individual care to the donors. We give the questionnaire to fill and then take blood and later test it for HIV, Hepatitis B and C, syphilis and malaria, said a medical officer attached to a government hospital blood bank. These are the routine things done to those who donate blood at blood banks in government hospitals, said a blood bank laboratory technician at a government medical college hospital in Chennai. However, P Kousalya, president, Positive Women Network alleged, NACO guidelines are only on paper, in reality, there is no manpower to handle the increasing volume of donors. Also, reduction in fund allocation by the NACO is ruining the system slowly. In every district, there is a designated district blood transfusion officer who oversees day-to-day activities related to blood donation and transfusions in government as well as private hospitals. Every quarter, quality assessment of kits is being done by the technical team. Protocols are being followed, Senthil Raj, who is also member secretary of the State Blood Transfusion Council, said. He dismissed the allegations that there was a manpower shortage. Bijoy Pradhan By Express News Service BHUBANESWAR: Visit after visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems to be amplifying the state of confusion in Odisha BJP unit as also confounding the people. Their expectation of hard straight punches on the ruling BJD, which the State BJP is fighting hard to dislodge in the forthcoming elections, is being dashed as Modi has chosen to go soft on the rival. Tongues have been wagging over a tacit understanding between the BJP and BJD in the State after Modi refrained from naming both Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and his party even as he launched a scathing attack on the State Government during his address at Khurda 12 days back. While the approach of Modi had left the State party perplexed, it had sought refuge in his stinging attack on the Government on issues of corruption, health, education, agriculture and farmers welfare. The party picked up the PMs 10 posers to the State Government including the statement, who is feeding the demon of corruption in Odisha? and immediately launched a statewide campaign titled Jabab Maguchi Odisha (the State seeks an answer). As the Prime Minister has been launching a virulent attack on the Naveen Patnaik Government since his May visit to the State on the completion of four years of his Government at the Centre, the general expectation was high as to what will come next from the PM. At Baripada on Saturday, it was expected that Modi might target the State Government on chit fund scam as local MP Ramchandra Hansda was suspended from the BJD after his arrest by CBI in 2014. He was among the few BJD leaders having direct links with the ponzi scheme operators. In fact, Hansda was a founder member of Nava Diganta Capital Services Limited, one of the many chit fund companies under CBI scanner. But nothing of that sort happened. Modi did not even attempt to rake up the issue of corruption at Baripada. Interestingly, Hansda being the local MP was one of the guests and shared the dais with the Prime Minister who launched projects worth `4,500 crore from Baripada. The Prime Minister though targeted the State Government on its claims of women safety and welfare, and its inept handling of Pipli gang-rape case in Puri district, the attack lacked sting. As it has become a recently developed habit, he did not mention the name of BJD or Naveen Patnaik, who preferred to stay away from the PMs official programme. This has given enough fodder for the Opposition Congress to justify its claim of a tacit understanding between BJD and BJP. Alleging that the BJD and BJP have tacit understanding, OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik in a tweet said, He did not utter a word against his phone-in-friend @Naveen_Odisha. The people of Odisha now know the fight is between Congress and BJ-P-D. In his dull, boring and lacklustre speech, all the PM did was attack the Congress with his usual lies, Niranjan remarked. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The police have been on a statewide alert since Thursdays hartal. So far 1,286 cases have been registered in connection with the violence and 3,282 arrested. Pinarayi continued to point fingers at the Sangh Parivar for its deliberate attempt to create violence. Ruling out reports of failure on the part of the police, he warned of strict action against the culprits. CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan too came out against the RSS for planned violence. ALSO READ: Now, get ready for repercussions, BJP threatens Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan The BJP, on the other hand, is all set to strengthen its agitations against the state government. It plans to up the ante by bringing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the state. Senior BJP leader and MP V Muraleedharan, who had recently petitioned Rajnath on the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, told Express he expected the Union Home Ministry to take further action on the same. BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai, who welcomed the Centres move, expressed hope the state would take the Centres communication with all its seriousness. Kodiyeri urged CPM cadre to maintain peace and not get provoked by the BJP. The situation is gradually coming back to normal as district-level peace meetings have been held. The BJP bringing national leaders to the state wont give them any political gain on the Sabarimala issue, he told Express. Meera Bhardwaj By Express News Service BENGALURU: On Saturday morning, a herd of four adult elephants three females and one male were spotted by locals on NICE Road near Kengeri. With shrinking forest space, vanishing corridors and encroachment of wildlife habitats, herds of elephants are regularly being sighted on major roads on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Many commuters on this road panicked seeing the elephants so close by and immediately informed authorities concerned. Prashanth, Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF), Bannerghatta National Park, said there was no need for people to panic as the jumbos are in the reserve forests. In the evening, they will be led towards Bannerghatta National Park, as they have to be shown the direction. With heavy traffic, it is not possible to do this now. A team of forest officials from Kaggalipura territorial range and BNP are monitoring the situation, he said. Lone tusker causing panic Any elephant in a group (on NICE Road) is not a problem, it is the tusker on Ragihalli Road that is causing all the problems, forest officials say. A lone tusker has been creating panic among people on Ragihalli Road for the past few weeks. On December 29, a local, Ravi Nayak, was seriously injured when he was attacked by this elephant in Sevanayakanadoddi village. It has been sighted frequently in the morning, around 8-9 am. R Manjunath, chairman, Raghihalli panchayat, says, Sighting herds of elephants in our area is common. But this lone elephant targets people, like in the case of Ravi. We have appealed to the forest department to capture and relocate this pachyderm. A team of forest officials are now looking for the tuskers whereabouts and trying to isolate him. C Jayaram, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), said, We are monitoring and combing the area. Meanwhile, Ravi Nayak has been removed from ventilators and is recovering. The forest department had already paid `3 lakh for his treatment another cheque will be given as compensation. By Express News Service VISAKHAPATNAM: Test-tube technology is a scientific interpretation of the birth of Kauravas, said Prof G Nageswara Rao, the Andhra University vice-chancellor. He said that the Kauravas were test-tube babies, indicating that the technology was present thousands of years ago. This has however, raised several questions and doubts from atheists and mythology scholars. During his presentation at the 106th Indian Science Congress in Jalandhar on Science in Indian Way of Life, he spoke on how the present science is correlated to epics such as the Ramayan and the Mahabharata. If we interpret the birth of 100 babies during the Mahabharata time, when 100 eggs were fertilised and then divided into parts and put in earthen pots, its just like the current test-tube baby technology. There may be some kind of technology used during those days of which there is no evidence now. It is an extrapolation on the birth of Kauravas in the Mahabharata, said Rao while speaking to TNIE. During his presentation, he raised the question on how can a woman (Gandhari) give birth to 100 children in her lifetime, which actually happened in the Mahabharata. It is due to stem cell research and test tube technology, which is not exactly the same, but some kind of similar technology must have been there in the ancient times. Against this, the mythology scholars said that the idea of test-tube technology might have been taken from the ancient times, but the VC saying that Kauravas were test tube babies was completely wrong. Meanwhile, atheists say that such things cannot be just told without any evidence. They alleged that the test tube technology was experimented by scientists but not without any evidence. Prabhu Chawla By Dear Narendrabhai, The footsteps of history mark the memory lane of power. After ascending the heady pinnacle of power, promises made by leaders often vanish in the mists of pride. To some extent you are an exception. Soon after you were sworn in, I wrote a similar open letter in May 2014. Till today, Im not sure you read it. Nor am I certain it was brought to your notice by your well-equipped team of advisors and researchers. Youve given India admirable ideas like Swachh Bharat, Skill India, Make in India, Ujjwala, and Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. India also scored maximum GDP growth as against other economies. But now is the time to look within. Ive known you for over four decades. Ive been one of your few critical admirers. Im aware that you always speak from both the heart and the mind. You created history in 2014 when India plumped for an alternative leader and identity. Im sure you mustve done enough introspection on your gains and losses in your first term as the prime minister of the first single-party majority government in three decades. You effortlessly and majestically smashed the egos of those who had refused to shake your hand or break bread with you. On your visits to 90-odd countries, many global leaders broke protocol, trying to make amends for painting you a bigot. Youve been a preferred guest at the head table of almost every international gathering of heads of governments. Perhaps they saw a mammoth market in Mighty Modi. But they arent the direct participants in the next elections that will decide your second term. Left to them they would like a weaker Modi in office. Your next term depends on the masses, and not the classes who will celebrate on the streets if you are defeated. In your last interview you re-emphasized your contempt for the elitist Lutyens cult and culture. You couldnt join the chatteratti club, being from a non-privileged background. Yet, your opponents accuse you of pandering to the rich. After 55 months in power, the Indian elitist establishment has accepted you as the prime minister but not as a statesman who represents their concept of India and belongs to their exalted stratosphere. They gloat over your inability to curb and cut the omnipresent tentacles of the steel frame. Based on your powerful promise of providing Maximum Governance with Minimum Government, I had suggested the road map for Modi Mission in my previous epistle: Reduce the size of the Cabinet. The prime minister can appoint as Cabinet ministers up to 80 MPs or a maximum of 15 per cent of the total membership of both Houses of Parliament. Your predecessors have habitually packed the government with a huge mantra population. According to unofficial estimates, each one costs the taxpayer at least Rs 10 crore a year. Since you are a hands-on prime minister who singly generates ideas and rigorously monitors work, you were expected to ensure your promise was translated into reality. However, the ministerial herd is allowed to continue in spite of their inability or disinclination to deliver. Some of the small ministries have two MOS under a cabinet minister. At one point, your council of ministers numbered 83. Numerous MoS enjoy perks without power. Some of your ministers are seen as NPAs led by an exceedingly productive prime minister. Why retain these burdens of indolence? Like your orders on bad bank loans, exile your non-performing colleagues to IBM (Indian Bankruptcy Mechanism) land. Shrink the bureaucracy. The size of babudom sets the speed of governance. The more the number of officers, there will be more speed breakers in decision-making. Instead of reducing and rationalising the bureaucracy at the top levels, governments have created myriad sinecures for retired mandarins. You must reduce the number of secretaries from 150 to 50. For the past decade, babus have created over 200 post-retirement perches. They do little except randomly push files around. Manmohan Singh appointed over two dozen academics and corporates to head various commissions, gifting them Cabinet status. Most of them continued to nurture the business interests of companies in the very sector they had previously served. Instead of demolishing these cosy lounges of reincarnated officialdom, your government has created more avenues for babus and extended the tenures of some others. The Central expenditure on babudom is now 25 per cent higher than before 2014. Support a market-led economy with minimum government role. Your original karmabhumi of Gujarat was a successful model where markets shared a symbiotic role with the government. You must tax the rich by increasing the price of luxury cars, SUVs, private aircraft and import of luxury items, and use the money to provide affordable and safe public transport. Economic policies should create capital for the nation and not just for capitalists. Government data suggests that capital formation in the rural and urban economy is below expectations. The real estate sector is almost in the ICU. The manufacturing sector is growing at less than one per cent annually, and agrarian stress is escalating. Massive NPAs and inherited bank frauds have paralysed the informal economy, even though Indias ranking in ease of doing business has improved. Reform the education sector to boost citizens pride: You have sanctioned and started many new IITs, IIMs and AIIMSs. But these elitist and expensive institutions will not produce responsible and nationalist citizens. They will be clones of MIT and Harvard. Indian basic education is starved of funds, talent, skills and a healthy curriculum. Even after 75 years of Independence, our millennials have little connect with national pride. You need to invest more in primary education. Education isnt a business for profit. It should be a mission for New India. Resolve the Kashmir imbroglio. Since half of the J&K MPs are from the BJP, which also held a major share in the state government for a few months, you had the opportunity to bring the state on a par with the rest of the country. Instead, the BJPs misadventures harmed the partys credibility and plunged the state into a deeper abyss than it was in 2014. You dependence on the Lutyens luminaries to restore normalcy in Kashmir has betrayed you. The number of security personnel and civilians who have lost their lives in the recent past is more than before. Create 60 more smart cities to save existing metros from congestion and decay. Your idea was to create 100 smart cities. Yet, after over four years, not one has come up. Barring the installation of Wi-Fi and LED bulbs, most cities are still filthy if not worse than before. The desk jockeys in government have used up the allotted funds but havent improved the ambience and air quality of cities identified by the Centre. Life in almost every metro is miserable. The next generation faces a health crisis that will hobble the progressive nation you promised. Your concept of a Smart City has been reduced to adding a few stainless steel benches in Connaught Place, New Delhi and laying Internet cables. Swachh Bharat funds are spent mostly on constructing fancy toilets near shopping malls and luxury markets or splurged on sprucing up roads along which there are no offices. I have seen your ingeniously innovative TeamModi-300 for 2019 calendar, which lists the plethora of government schemes launched every month since 2014an impressive report card of governance and goodwill. As a victim of perverse perspicacity and provocative persecution since 2002, you have to win the battle of perception all over again this year. Though the opposition has no credible alternative leader in sight yet, you will have to rediscover yourself. The soil of the country is imprinted with your footsteps from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. Your every visit is resonant with hope that recalls the 1957 Macmillan maxim of Youve Never Had It So Good.' Modi 2.0 will need a new slogan for 2019one better than the Acche Din. Right now, the din of revisionary rhetoric is drowning the oration of your vision. T J S George By Now that a week has passed, we can reckon how many New Year resolutions have already been broken and how many are left to go down the drain. There is nothing here to feel guilty about. What are New Year resolutions for if not for breaking? Anyway, a brand new New Year will come soon enough, enabling us to make a whole new set of resolutions to be freshly broken. After all, the purpose of a new year is not to let us have a new year, as British thinker-writer G K Chesterton said. The New Year comes to tell us that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet and a new backbone, new ears and new eyes. If we absorb the spirit of that sound advice, in the first place, we wont make resolutions that bind us to exercise every morning for half an hour, to save ten rupees every day, to drink 12 glasses of water without fail, etcetera. We will be able to look at traffic jams, pickpockets and politicians with new eyes and a new nose, drink unsafe water and breathe poisonous air with a new backbone. In other words, we will be able to cope with what we cannot control. And what about resolutions that should be made but are not? Justice S R Sen of Meghalaya High Court recently showed us how to proceed in this area. He said that there should have been a resolution by the makers of modern India to declare the country a Hindu nation. He urged a new resolution that would allow non-Muslims of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to come to India and claim citizenship here. Any takers? The Union government, for its part, appears to have resolved to lease out islands in Andaman and Nicobar to private firms to build holiday homes for foreign tourists. These are islands the ecology of which is famously fragile. They are also considered important in terms of defence. Until recently there were restrictions, for strategic reasons, on visitors to Andaman and Nicobar. All caution is now gone as the islands are being opened for private firms. Which are these private firms and how private are the forces behind them? A resolution that should have been passed with some sense of urgency was one banning misinformation by the government. Since nothing of the sort was done, the Finance Ministry and the PMO itself have been feeding us with false claims and false statistics. The repeated claims about the success of the Swachh Bharat campaign are an example. This mission, with Mahatma Gandhis spectacle frame as its logo, grabbed headlines with a show of the prime minister sweeping a road. It describes itself as the worlds largest cleanliness drive, with 53,565 pledges taken, 26,565 activities done, 40,651 active participants. The campaign was launched in October 2014. At the end of four years, how clean is India? Of the 15 most polluted cities in the world, 14 are in India; the capital city of New Delhi hit the headlines in 2018 with the air going noxious. According to Lancet magazine, 1.2 million Indians died in 2017 due to air pollution problems. In the Environmental Performance Index, India ranked 141 out of 180 in 2016. In just two years, it slipped further down to become 177th out of 180. Lakes in Bangalore became a science curiosity by catching fire; accumulated filth had turned into poisonous white foam covering the surface of the water. In the Global Hunger Index, India stands 103rd out of 119. The highest number of malnutrition deaths in 2017 took place in India. The highest number of stunted children is also in India. Even the aftermath of the Union Carbide disaster 34 years ago received no attention from the authorities. The remains of the catastrophe that killed 4,000 people continue to poison groundwater in the area. This is how Swachh our Bharat is. The listing of failures can go on because attempts to deceive citizens have not worked. Ten million jobs were promised, for example, while only 1.4 million materialised, doubling of farm income promised, but only a 5 per cent rise materialised. But there is no need to go on because the picture is clear in spite of the usual tricks of denial. India has gone backward, not forward despite the new years that have come and gone. That reality will prevail even as new promises and new claims rain on us this election season. Happy New Year has lost its glamour. Its more relevant to wish Happy Old Years. Shankkar Aiyar By Rafale, of Spanish/Middle French etymology, denotes bursts of gunfire, gust of wind or a squall. Parliament this week was an amphitheatre of ricocheting accusations, venting of hot air and a squall of sordid politics. The indefensible state of delays that detain deterrence and defence strategy was buried underneath the rafale of rhetoric. The sordid saga of defence acquisitions is visible in many huesthe routine surrender of capital allocated, denial of essentials to the troops, and the pendency of modernisation. It has left a chasm between whats needed and what is made available. Whether it is bulletproof vests for the Indian Army, or modern equipment for the Indian Navy or the Indian Air Force, the brave hearts must live with promises and risk lives due to inadequacy. The delay in acquisition of Rafale jets represents systemic sloth. As early as in 1964-65, the First National Defence Plan determined that India needed to build up 45 squadrons for the Air Force to be effective. This estimation has apparently been described as less than optimal by two different committees, the Subrahmanyam Committee and the Tata Committee, which estimated that India needed 65 squadrons to deal with the twin threats. The aspiration of 65 squadrons is in dream on territory. Even the necessity of 45 squadrons awaits deliverance. The squadron strength required to deal with threats from China and Pakistan has been below par for decades. Reports of standing committees from the 13th to the 16th Lok Sabha reveal persistence of the gap between adequacy and availability. Till date the best score has been 39.5 squadrons, revealed in December 2000 to the Committee of Defence reviewing Modernisation of Indian Air Force. At the same time the IAF also warned that the force faces serious depletion of aircraft in the coming ten to twelve years as aging aircraft of the 1960s and 70s were nearing the end of their life. Interestingly, the need for 45 squadrons was trimmed to a sanctioned strength of 42 by 2009. The trim didnt matter. In April 2013, the Committee on Defence was told that the strength would be 31 squadrons by the end of the 12th Plan. In December 2014, the Committee on Defence was told by IAF officials: The IAF requires at least 45 fighter squadrons to counter a two-front collusive threat. The IAF today has 25 active fighter squadrons as against government-authorized strength of 42 squadrons. In March 2018, the reported strength was 31 squadrons. The angst was best expressed by Lok Sabha MP Harsh Vardhan in July 2010. He asked whether the number of squadrons has ever reached the level of sanctioned strength. The saga of Air Force modernisation is by no means unique. The affliction of apathy is visible across the three arms of the armed forces. In its report in May 2016, the Standing Committee on Defence led by Maj. Gen. B C Khanduri observed that the Army is operating with vintage equipment, the modernisation programme of the Indian Navy is postponed year to year, and the shortfalls in Indian Air Force were grave and unacceptable. Defence preparedness is plagued by poor policy approach and inefficient implementation. Over 50 years ago, K Subrahmanyam authored a seminal paper, Five Years of Indian Defence Effort in Perspective, dissecting systemic issues. He observed that budgets stated how much had been spent on what, but did not inform outcomes in terms of preparednessof divisions, squadrons and stockpiles. Our decision-making process and management structure are such that even within the government there is no readily available information system on output. That the observation made in June 1969 finds resonance in 2019 is a testimony to systemic lethargy. Allegation politics aggravates policy procrastination. From the jeep scandal, defence purchases have triggered politics of suspicion. In his biography, former President R Venkataraman recounts a courtesy call by J R D Tata. India was in the throes of the Bofors scandal. Discussing the payoff, he told Venkataraman that industrialists mentioned that since 1980 they had not been approached for funds, and the general feeling among them was that the party was financed by commissions on deals. Suspicions, though, have not translated into conviction. India ordered four HDW submarines from Germany at Rs 465 crore, to be delivered by 1987only two were delivered. Neither in HDW nor in Bofors or subsequent scams have the accused been caught. Political charge sheets exacerbate delays as the bureaucracy and political class stick to status quo and shun decisions. When in power, every party preaches that national security is sacrosanct, but fails to follow the doctrine while in opposition. There is no disputing that decisions concerning national security cannot be influenced by cash and carry politics. Equally, the security of the nation and the safety of those who defend it cannot afford abandonment. India needs an organising principle and a common sense of purpose across the political class on national security. There is an urgent need for political leaders to find a bipartisan approach towards transparency which enables decision-making. Democracy bestows rights and imposes obligations on those who practice politics. shankkar.aiyar@gmail.com By PTI MUMBAI: BJP ally Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut claimed Sunday the country was heading for a "fractured mandate", and Union minister Nitin Gadkari would be "waiting" for such an eventuality. Raut, the executive editor of the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana', also wrote in his Sunday column in the newspaper that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stature has "declined" while that of Congress president Rahul Gandhi has risen. "The country is heading for a fractured mandate and prime minister Narendra Modi is responsible for it," he said, adding that the full mandate Modi won in 2014 was "an opportunity wasted". Raut wrote that in 2014 there was a wave in Modi's support as voters were determined to defeat the Congress, but "the picture has changed today". "Modi's larger-than-life image has lost the shine now. Rahul Gandhi's leadership is not as towering as Modi's but he has gained importance as people are disappointed with the current government," the Sena MP said. "While senior leaders in the BJP are worried about its possible poor performance in coming elections, Nitin Gadkari's statements are an indication of which way the winds are blowing. A leader like Gadkari has equal acceptance in the RSS as well as among other BJP leaders," Raut said. "Political conspiracies" were hatched to deny Gadkari a second term when he was the BJP president (from 2009 to 2013)," he claimed. "He also faced several allegations in Purti group scam and a second term was denied to him. That memory still rankles with Gadkari," Raut said. "Gadkari is now waiting for the hung Lok Sabha of 2019," Raut added, suggesting, indirectly, that in that case the Union minister could become the consensus candidate for the top post. By PTI KOLKATA: Nobel laureate Amartya Sen on Sunday came out in support of Naseeruddin Shah, who recently stoked a controversy with his remark on mob violence and appeared in a video for the Amnesty India against alleged government crackdown on NGOs, and said attempts were being made to "disturb" the actor. In a 2.13-minute solidarity video for the human rights watchdog Amnesty, Shah had said on Friday that those who demand rights are being locked up. Asked by reporters on the veteran actor's comments, Sen said, "We must protest against such attempts to disturb the actor. What has been happening (in the country) is objectionable. It should stop." ALSO READ | Ashutosh Rana, Madhur Bhandarkar back Naseeruddin Shah's comment on Bulandshahr violence The 85-year-old economist said many institutions in the country are under attack, and their freedom is being encroached. "Even journalists are facing harassment". About troll attacks against personalities like Shah, he said, "Losing the ability to tolerate others is a serious cause for concern, it points to the losing of ability to think and analyse." Under the hashtag #AbkiBaarManavAdhikaar, the Amnesty had claimed that India has witnessed a massive crackdown on freedom of expression and human rights defenders. In his solidarity messsage in Urdu, Shah had said, "Artistes, actors, scholars, poets are all being stifled. Journalists too are being silenced. "In the name of religion, walls of hatred are being erected. Innocents are being killed. The country is awash with horrific hatred and cruelty." Last month, the 68-year-old had said the death of a cow had acquired more significance than that of a police officer in the country. He was speaking in the wake of a mob violence that broke out in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr on December 3 over alleged cow slaughter in the Mahaw village. The violence led to the death of two men, including a police inspector. The National Award-winning actor's visit to a literary fest in December was also cancelled following protests by Hindu outfits ober his comments on mob violence. By ANI KUSHINAGAR: A class 11 student of Mahatma Gandhi Inter College has been expelled for protesting against alleged molestation here in Kushinagar. When the victim reported to the school administration about the incident, they dismissed her complaint saying the incident occurred outside the campus and does not fall under their jurisdiction. Later, the school administration decided to expel her as the girl protested against their respond in the matter. According to an FIR made by the victim, the school principal stated at the prayer hall that "such girls" are not needed here as they spoil the school's image. Responding to the incident Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said, "Law is already there and we ensure that police will do its work and justice will be served to the victim." Talking to ANI about the incident, a woman activist from Hyderabad Varalakshmi said: "This is a shameful act as school authorities haven't taken any action against the accused. When the victim reported about the incident to school principal he said that we don't need such kind of girls here. The police have filed an FIR in the case but the accused hasn't been arrested." Another woman activist from Bengaluru Brinda Adige told ANI, "I'm very glad that police have finally registered a case in the matter but they should register a case on the principal for such a regressive, chauvinist and sexist behaviour because if these are the kind of people who are heading our educational institutions, we're not going to teach our children anything and India isn't going to shine." "The victim has talked about the molestation outside the school. The institution is equally responsible like every other agency over there. How dared they made statements that we cannot have such kind of girls in our school? What kind of boys you have? You don't have security for women. State government should either shut down the school or change the whole management," she added. By Online Desk This brave act of the Indian Army has left many wiping tears of gratitude. Indian soldiers on Saturday, in a massive rescue operation, saved more than 2,500 tourists stranded near East Sikkim's 17th Mile area, close to the India-China border, due to heavy snowfall. The tourists were returning from Nathu La pass and Tsomgo (Changu) Lake on Friday evening when it started snowing leading to blocked roads, leaving over 300 to 400 civilian vehicles stranded at various points on the Jawahar Lal Nehru Road, East Sikkim District Magistrate Kapil Meena told PTI. Aryan Ahmad, one of those who were rescued from the upper ridges of Darjeeling and Sikkim, wrote a heartfelt thank you letter: Words are not enough to thank them for what they have done for everyone, I just wanted the people here and across the country to know. I am really very grateful to them. He said the Army immediately swung into action and rescued the tourists. They were then brought to a camp in 17th Mile area and served food and medicines. "...They shared their bed, sleeping bag and all stayed outside in -9 just to keep us safe and alive," Ahmad wrote. #Relief #Rescue Operations. Heavy snowfall left many tourists stranded around 17 Mile & Nathu La, Sikkim. #IndianArmy offered spontaneous help to people providing warm clothing, shelter, hot meals, medical aid & carrying out physical rescue missions. #AlwaysWithYou pic.twitter.com/GZ9ptyZBVR ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) December 29, 2018 Among the tourists, including elderly people and children, more than 90 people took ill and were taken to safety in ambulances. #Relief #Rescue Operations. Heavy snowfall left many tourists stranded around 17 Mile & Nathu La, Sikkim. #IndianArmy offered spontaneous help to people providing warm clothing, shelter, hot meals, medical aid & carrying out physical rescue missions. #AlwaysWithYou, the Indian Army posted on Twitter a day later. #Relief #RescueOperation.#IndianArmy rescued more than 2500 civilians stuck in more than 400 vehicles around Nathula, Sikkim due to heavy snowfall. All were provided food, shelter & medical care last night. #AlwaysWithYou pic.twitter.com/FoaXnGNXQV ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) December 29, 2018 The jawans gave warm clothes to the rescued and also provided shelter in army quarters. They also helped in clearing up the road blockade. A tourist was in tears while saying thank you to the soldiers. Watch: A tourist burst into tears having saved by #IndianArmy when over 3000 tourists were stranded at Nathula due to heavy snowfall.The love & gratitude for our soldiers is something money cant buy. Jai Hind. Vande Mataram#FridayFeeling#FridayMotivationpic.twitter.com/iFvHIvp57c Geetika Swami (@SwamiGeetika) January 4, 2019 (With PTI inputs) By PTI NEW DELHI: Amid increasing bickering between the BJP and its ally Shiv Sena, the latter said Sunday it would oppose the Citizenship Amendment Bill in Parliament. The decision has been taken after the Asom Gana Parishad appealed to the Shiv Sena to oppose the legislation, party leader Sanjay Raut said in a statement. "We are determined to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 in Parliament," Raut said. The people of Assam, irrespective of their caste, religion and creed, oppose the proposed legislation, he said. The bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act to make illegal migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan eligible for citizenship on the basis of religion. ALSO READ | Citizenship bill glimmer of hope for Hindu, Sikh refugees from Afghanistan The Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the bill is slated to table it in Parliament on January 7. The Shiv Sena noted that the proposed legislation would "frustrate" the efforts made under the Assam Accord for safeguarding cultural, social and linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people. Secondly, the entire process of the National Register of Citizens monitored by the Supreme Court will be meaningless if the bill is passed, he added. ALSO READ: AGP threatens to quit alliance with BJP in Assam if Citizenship Bill is passed in Parliament With the Lok Sabha polls around the corner, the Shiv Sena has adopted a more aggressive posture against the BJP, with whom it has shared an uneasy relationship over the past four years. By PTI JAIPUR: An inter-department panel formed to look into the modalities of farm loan waiver in Rajasthan has decided to recommend Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to waive all loans of farmers who have committed suicide between 2014 and 2018. The decision was taken at the first meeting of the committee chaired by Urban Development Minister Shanti Dhariwal on Saturday. "Nearly 70 farmers committed suicide in the state from 2014 to 2018. We will recommend to the chief minister that their all loans, be it for farming or for other purposes, should be waived," Dhariwal said. He added, "This will be one of our recommendations to the chief minister. Details like financial burden will be discussed in the next meeting. " Industries Minister Parsadi Lal Meena, a member of the committee, said it will recommend waiver of loans be it from any bank and any amount. After forming a government, Gehlot had announced to waive entire short-term agriculture loans from cooperative banks and agriculture loans of up to Rs 2 lakh from nationalised and other banks for defaulting farmers on December 19. The committee was later setup to decide the modalities of the farm loan waiver. Next meeting of the committee will be held on January 11. Earlier, the meeting was scheduled to be held on January 10, but the chief minister has deputed the committee's chairman to attend the GST council meeting in New Delhi on that day. Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: The Mahagathbandhan seat-sharing exercise for Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections was confirmed, but the final shape of the alliance could not be thrashed out following Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) chief Mayawatis insistence on more seats, post a broad agreement to share seats equally at parleys with the Samajwadi Party (SP) in New Delhi on Friday. The BSP is learnt to have indicated that the apportioning of seats 37 each to lead players (SP and itself) does not suffice and that SP chief Akhilesh Singh Yadav could, perhaps, accommodate the allies from his own quota. Consequently, a final decision on the structure of the alliance stands deferred till January 15 at least. The larger consensus within both parties is to keep the Congress out of the anti-BJP tie-up, though sources said the final shape of the alliance was not yet firmed. The BSP and SP reportedly felt the Congress demand for up to 18 seats was not feasible. READ | Lok Sabha polls: Will enter fray all alone in UP, says Congress after SP-BSP snub Uttar Pradesh has 80 Lok Sabha seats, the highest in the country of which, the BJP had won 71 in 2015. Though negotiations for seat sharing between the partners are said to be concluding, the BSPs hard-nosed bargaining has caught the SP, which is still wary of finally closing the door on the Congress, off guard. A highly-placed functionary in one of the parties said, a formal announcement on the alliance is likely to be made in Lucknow by Mayawati and Akhilesh on January 15 and the Congress seems out of the equation for now. During their parleys in Delhi, Akhilesh and Mayawati apparently arrived at a broad understanding to fight on equal number of seats 37 each in Uttar Pradesh, leaving six to others, of which Amethi and Rae Bareli will be left to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, respectively. Neither SP nor BSP will field candidates in these seats. READ HERE | Withdraw Bharat Bandh cases: Mayawati threatens to end ties with Congress-governments in Rajasthan, MP They also decided that of the remaining four seats, two Baghpat and Mathura may be given to the Rashtriya Lok Dal, while other two will be kept aside to accommodate prospective allies like OP Rajbhars Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) and Apna Dal (Krishna Patel), if they join the alliance. Notably Rajbhar, a minister in the Yogi cabinet has expressed his desire to leave the NDA. Problem with Congress SP and BSP reportedly felt they could not give the Congress more than two seats. But an SP leader said Akhilesh is in constant touch with Rahul Gandhi. By PTI MUMBAI: An undergraduate student in Maharashtra's Amravati district has alleged that state Education Minister Vinod Tawde ordered his arrest when he was recording a conversation between him and a fellow student, a charge denied by the minister. The student, Yuvraj Dabad, also claimed that following the alleged order, the local police detained him for a couple of hours, seized his smartphone and returned it later. Tawde, however, refuted the allegation, saying he did not order the student's arrest and that "lies" were being spread against him. The alleged incident took place on Saturday after Tawde inaugurated an elocution competition at a college in Amravati, located around 680 km from here. The minister was leaving after his speech at the event when some students of a journalism course reached out to him near his vehicle, seeking his response on a free-education policy. Prashant Rathod, a student of the college, said, "I was told by Education Minister Vinod Tawde to start working somewhere if I could not afford the educational expenses. My question to him was whether the state could have a free-education policy. "Dabad was video-recording the interaction, when the minister "first asked him to stop the recording and later asked the police to arrest him", Rathod claimed while talking to reporters in Amravati on Saturday. Dabad said he declined the minister's order to stop the recording because "he (Tawde) was not answering our queries". "We were simply asking questions to him and seeking his views," he told reporters. "As Tawde ordered the police to arrest me, I was taken out of the college premises and detained for some time. My handset was returned after a couple of hours," Dabad said. Tawde later termed the allegations as "false". "It is some sort of a lie that is being spread against me. I did not order the arrest of any student in Amravati," he told PTI on Sunday. The minister said he had a "good interaction" with students at the college for almost two-and-a-half hours. By PTI MUMBAI: A 14-year-old Nepalese boy was reunited in Maharashtra's Raigad district with his family as part of the police's Operation Muskaan initiative, an official said Sunday. The boy, identified as Siraj Mumtaj Ali Shaikh, a resident of Sinamangal in Kathmandu, had left that country on January 1 and had landed in Maharashtra and was spotted on Friday by railway police at Roha station, over 120 kilometres from here, the official said. The teen told police his name and address and a mobile number belonging to his uncle, Maulana Haroon Shaikh, was also found in his luggage, he said. On being contacted, Shaikh told police about Siraj's disappearance from Tuesday and added that the teen's elder brother Sarfaraz, who was staying in Satara, would come here to take him back. The siblings were united on Saturday following which the runaway teen left for his native country, the official informed. Operation Muskaan is an initiative of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to rescue and rehabilitate missing children. Under the project, the Government Railway Police and Railway Protection Force are required to provide care and protection to children found in trains and railway premises. By PTI NEW DELHI: The final report of the joint parliamentary committee on the Citizenship Amendment Bill, which will be submitted in Lok Sabha on Monday, does not have the approval of at least four opposition parties whose members on the panel have moved dissent notes, sources said Sunday. Members of the Congress, TMC, CPI(M) and the Samajwadi Party have moved dissent notes to the JPC report on the bill, sources across these parties said. ALSO READ | Shiv Sena to oppose Citizenship Amendment Bill in Parliament: Sanjay Raut "As members of the joint committee on Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016, we can state that there was no consensus in the committee on the final report. We had been opposed to the bill as it brings out the ethnic divisions in the state of Assam," one of the notes said. Members of the committee from the Left and TMC said that the committee had visited Gujarat, Rajasthan and Assam where they faced major opposition to the bill. "In Assam it is more critical issue. During the Assam visit, the committee even faced demonstration. On behalf of the committee, we promised to visit the state again, to talk to more stakeholders about the issue and also assured them that unless we meet again we won't submit the report. Now, it's embarrassing," said a member from the Left. ALSO READ | Citizenship bill glimmer of hope for Hindu, Sikh refugees from Afghanistan The opposition parties said that they had an objection to the bill which they alleged links religion to citizenship. "This is the basic objection. So, delink religion from citizenship issue. This is against the spirit of our civilisation, culture and of our Constitution. Citizenship can't be linked with state, religion, caste, creed and be country specific. It should be universal," said another dissenting member. The members have also raised objections over the way the committee has functioned. They said that they had given amendments to Clause 2 of the bill seeking to eliminate the specific mention of six minority communities and also the names of neighbouring countries. This was to secularise the bill, the dissent note from the TMC said. The amendments were defeated in the committee in a vote by the show of hands. The ruling party mobilised all their members to defeat the amendments. "We are not happy about the functioning of the commission. Since three years of its formation, the sitting was occasion. During the session, the committee sits for three times a week. Sometimes no meeting for six months. So the chairman used to put the committee either in top gear or in neutral gear. It was not normal," a Left leader said. ALSO READ | NESO, AASU calls for North-East & Assam bandh on January 8 to protest citizenship bill The opposition leaders have also alleged the bill which seeks to amend the Citizenship Act of 1955 with the aim of granting citizenship to minority communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan - Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians - after six years of residence in India, instead of 11, could end up exposing the ethnic divisions in the state of Assam. "The opposition is united in opposing the bill. The report will be submitted tomorrow and then everyone will come to know," said a source in the Congress. While speaking in Silchar, Assam on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated the Centre's commitment to pass the Citizenship Amendment Bill. "The Citizenship Bill is an atonement of the wrong that was done during India's partition. I hope this bill is passed soon in Parliament. India will safeguard all who had been victims of partition," he said. "We feel that no names of genuine Indian citizens should have been deleted. We also strongly feel that the bill should not be passed by sheer majority since this is a political effort not necessitated by political realities in Assam and West Bengal," the TMC said in its note. By PTI NEW DELHI: After losing two of her sons in a civil war in Afghanistan, Jaswant Kaur had to flee the country 10 years ago with her family, but little did she know that her struggles for a life of dignity would begin in her "natural homeland", India. Kaur, her grandchildren and daughters in law are among the thousands of Hindus and Sikhs who escaped persecution in Afghanistan to find safety in India, but are now left running pillar to post for citizenship. The process to get citizenship is long with a wait of about 12 years or more. ALSO READ | Shiv Sena to oppose Citizenship Amendment Bill in Parliament: Sanjay Raut Rife with red-tapism and complicated procedures, one has to run office to office to complete requirements. The challenge is bigger for Kaur, in her early sixties, as her family is an all women household. Her third son was killed in a suicide bomb attack in Jalalabad in which prominent members of the Hindu-Sikh community in Afghanistan were also killed. "Compare this to the situation in Europe and western countries where Afghan refugees get residency in five years," Manohar Singh, Delhi President of Khalsa Diwan Society, said. Kaur lives in India on a visa which is to be renewed after a couple of years. Recently, the government had introduced a long-term visa but made the procedure even more complicated. The procedure now requires refugees to get guarantees of two Indian citizens who will be responsible if an applicant is caught in a crime or violation of regulations, Singh said. However, for Kaur all may not be lost. She may have a glimmer of hope with the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill that seeks to ease the citizenship process for people from minority communities in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who are coming to India in the wake of discrimination faced by them. Following the Jalalabad attack, the wife of Jaswant Kaur's third son, Thirpal Kaur also joined her mother-in-law in West Delhi with her four children four months back. A Joint Parliamentary Committee will submit its report on Monday in which it is likely to recommend introduction of the bill. The bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, to grant Indian nationality to people belonging to minority communities -- Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians -- in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12, even if they don't possess any proper document. The Congress, TMC, CPI(M) and a few other parties have been steadfastly opposing the bill claiming citizenship cannot be given on basis of religion. ALSO READ | AGP threatens to quit alliance with BJP in Assam if Citizenship Bill is passed in Parliament After the report is submitted in Lok Sabha on January 7, it is to be seen whether the bill could get through during the Winter Session of Parliament, which comes to an end on January 8, sources said. Various members from opposition parties are asserting that citizenship is a constitutional provision and cannot be based on religion, as India is secular. An opposition MP said if the bill in its present form comes into effect, then it will nullify the Assam Accord under which anyone entering the state illegally after March 1971 should be declared a foreigner and deported. A large section of people and organisations in the Northeast have opposed the bill, saying it will nullify provisions of the 1985 Assam Accord, which fixed March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date for deportation of illegal immigrants irrespective of religion. Even Meghalaya and Mizoram governments have strongly opposed the bill and adopted resolutions against it. "We don't want any compensation, monetary relief, house, jobs. We want a dignified life so that we can earn livelihood, go abroad for business, get good education. This is not possible without having Indian passport," Singh said. Khalsa Diwan Society is an effort by Sikhs and Hindus who have come to India from Afghanistan to make this country their home. Singh came to India in 1979 after Afghan president Mohammed Daoud assassination. It was the first major exodus of Sikhs. The second wave of Hindus and Sikhs left Afghanistan in 1992 after withdrawal of the USSR and arrival of Mujahideens. "The Afghanistan Constitution allows freedom of religion but Hindus and Sikhs face public discrimination, intimidation, harassment and violence for following their religious practices even in the matters like last rites," an official said requesting anonymity. From a vibrant population of 2.20 lakh in Afghanistan, the number of Hindus and Sikhs have now come down to 5,000 now, according to estimates of India security agencies. "About 25,000 Sikhs and Hindus managed to escape the violence during 1992 civil war with the help of the then Prime Minister P V Narsimha Rao and Finance Minister Manmohan Singh but only estimated 35 per cent have been able to get citizenship," Singh told PTI in an interview. In the absence of citizenship, these people are in an open jail. Despite being well qualified, they are not able to find jobs because of Afghan passports, he said. Unlike in the US and several European countries where children born get local passports, Afghan refugees have to get Afghan passports for their children even if they are born in India, Singh said. Extremists have stopped minority communities from trading and employment unless they convert to Islam, made to pay religious tax. Looting is rampant, women can move only in burkas, he alleged. Children face verbal assaults and attacks in schools, thus many left education in between, he claimed. Singh said they come to India with virtually nothing. Their properties are not purchased by others knowing they have no option but to leave. By PTI LUCKNOW: Hitting out at the BJP for showing its true colours, former CM and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the saffron party of misusing the CBI against him so as to stop him from clinching an alliance in UP while the Lok Sabha elections were round the corner. However, the SP chief made it clear that he was ready to face the investigation agency, whenever, it was required. Interacting with the media persons here on Sunday, a day after reports that he may be summoned by the premier probe agency in a 2012 case of illegal mining in Hamirpur district, the SP chief called it a design to stop him in his endeavour of cobbling up an anti-BJP alliance in Uttar Pradesh ahead of 2019. BJP may conspire in as many ways as it wants but now the people are ready to respond with their verdict, said the SP chief. He added that Samajwadi Party wanted to win maximum number of seats this time. But those, who want to stop us, have put CBI behind me, he maintained. If the CBI is conducting investigations and questions me, I will have to answer and I will respond to it, he averred. He said BJPs CBI card had made him happy as it would expose it. The saffron party should know that whatever they do, they will have to face the consequences of the same later, he asserted. Drawing a parallel between the Congress and the BJP, he claimed what Congress used to do during its rule, BJP was following the same.. "Earlier the Congress would send CBI and now the BJP has done the same," he added. The former CM refused to comment on the SP-BSP alliance and the seat sharing formula saying go and get the seat sharing figures also from the CBI. However, later he said that the formal announcement about the alliance would be made soon. Notably, the CBI had carried out searches at 14 locations on Saturday across Kanpur, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Lucknow, Noida and Delhi, in connection with its FIR against 11 persons including IAS officer B Chandrakala, Samajwadi Party MLC Ramesh Kumar Mishra and Sanjay Dixit (who unsuccessfully contested the 2017 assembly election on a BSP ticket) to probe alleged illegal mining of minor minerals in Hamirpur district during 2012-16. Minor minerals are like sand, gravels etc. "The role of the then mining ministers concerned during the relevant period may be looked into during the course of investigation of the case," the FIR said. Akhilesh Yadav, who was the chief minister of the state between 2012 and 2017, held the mining portfolio during 2012-13 may be summoned by the CBI, according to the FIR. He was succeeded by Gayatri Prajapati, who took charge as mining minister in 2013 and was arrested in 2017 in case of gang rape of a woman and molestation of her minor daughter residing in Chitrakoot. This is the third FIR pertaining to illegal mining cases which were registered by the agency on January 2, 2019, nearly two-and-a-half year after it was directed by the Allahabad High Court to probe the issue. The CBI was directed by the High Court on October 16, 2015 and it took over the case on July 28, 2016 to probe illegal mining in the state following which it had registered seven preliminary enquiries out of which two pertaining to Shamli and Kaushambi districts were converted into FIRs in 2017. Meanwhile, reacting to the CBI action and SP chiefs subsequent statement over it, BJP spokeman Dr Chandramohan sought Akhilesh Yadav to come clear on reported corruption prevalent in mining department during his regime. Uncontrolled illegal mining of minor minerals was going on in hamripur and other districts during SP rule even when the NGT had banned mining in Bundelkhand during his regime. The SP chief should clear the air on this, said the BJP spokesman. By Express News Service KOLKATA: After saying that Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee is currently the only one who has a chance of becoming the first Bengali prime minister of the country, Bengal BJP chief did a U-Turn on Sunday. Ghosh said that his remark on Banerjees prime ministerial prospects was made in jest, even as the opposition claimed that the statement betrayed a tacit understanding between the two parties. On Saturday, extending his birthday wishes to Banerjee, Ghosh said she needs to remain fit because she was currently the only one who had the chance of becoming the first Bengali prime minister of the country. When reporters asked whether I would like to make any comment on Mamata Banerjee, I just extended my best wishes to her. Whatever I said about her prime ministerial prospects was just a joke. I was joking, Ghosh said, adding that his remark should not be taken seriously. Anyone with a bit of political sense can very well say that Mamata Banerjee can never become the prime minister with the number of Lok Sabha seats she has. The BJP will return to power and Narendra Modi will be PM, he said. The Congress, however, said the statement was sort of an admission from the state BJP chief who probably knew that the chances of the saffron party returning to power at the Centre after this years general election were slim. The statement reflects two things a covert understanding between the BJP and the TMC, and that attempts to forge federal fronts are ploys to divide the opposition, senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Abdul Mannan said. CPI(M) said the tacit understanding between the TMC and BJP is now out in the open. By PTI WASHINGTON: An international team of scientists will begin the new year hunting for microbes and other living specimens in an unexplored lake far beneath the surface of the Antarctic ice sheet. ALSO READ | Seaweed eating microbes used to develop sustainable plastics Led by polar scientist John Priscu of Montana State University in the US, a team of 45 scientists, drillers and support staff will drill 4,000 feet to the bottom of the ice sheet that covers Mercer Subglacial Lake about 370 miles from the South Pole. The lake, which measures nearly 62 square miles, was discovered more than a decade ago through satellite images but has never before been explored. The expedition, known as SALSA (Subglacial Antarctic Lakes Scientific Access), hopes to shed light on what kind of life can survive in such remote regions and serve as an on-Earth comparison for habitats deep inside Mars or on the ice-covered moons of Jupiter and Saturn. ALSO READ | Gut bacteria defend your heart against high blood pressure While Mercer will be the second subglacial lake that humans have sampled directly, Fox wrote, it will be the first time scientists will use a remote vehicle to roam beneath the ice sheet, which leads the scientists to wonder if the submersible's three video cameras might capture images of animals that live in the dark water. This is the second such expedition for Priscu. In 2013, he and other MSU researchers published the discovery of microscopic life in Subglacial Lake Whillans in the journal Nature and received worldwide attention. Nandita Bose By Express News Service A 422-page book considerably shrinks the reviewers heart to a stringent timeline. Idle thoughts of trees and the environment waft. The heart toys with what is a well-known reviewer escapadewrite erudite reviews without reading the book. On her part, author Fatima Bhutto doesnt make it easier: On Netty Jetty, overlooking the mangroves that crawl thin just before the Arabian Sea, kites swarm the sky like a thick cover of clouds, waiting for lovers to throw chunks of meat to themor if the lovers cannot afford the bloody parcels sold on the bridge, the small doughy balls of bread. At the beginning, the narrative wobblesover-described and threadbare, even self-conscious. It seems to stall progress and spread sideways. The magic is, and here I must credit the writer, these unconnected lazy images begin to cohere. The novel educates as it rambles along, prompting a reenergised form of reading. The theme of the book is brave as it takes a visceral look at the crisis in Islam today viewed through three protagonists: Anita Rose/Layla and Monty from Pakistan and Sunny, a Portsmouth dude of Indian descent. Their lives, ambitions and concerns are in consonance with those of the secular young. And there is no way to write about this wasteland except with heart and beauty. The bravery extends in not shying away from the Ummah Movement, Mosul, radicalisation and the bloody experiences of these urban deluded in the harsh realities of the desert. The cast of supporting characters is stellar toowhether the Lucknowi immigrant Sulaiman Jamil, Sunnys Pa or his cousin the former radical Ozair now in a Reforming Radicals movement, Comrade Osama or the maalishwali Zenobia of Karachi. With ambition and an almost encyclopaedic sweep of a monumental tragedy (often too misinterpreted to even comment on), a beautiful argument for a wider, more humane view of the crisis is put forth via some sublime craft. She read them the same way she pored over school books, carefully turning the pages as though they might tear with force, memorising every word and expression, the way a map-reader traces lines, fearful of getting lost. Where the author excels is in the inner spaces of her characters: their loneliness, longings and loss. All of it weaves into a tale profound and resonant. Something the reader begins to cherish, hold on to and reread. By Online Desk The trailer of Mammootty's Peranbu is out and it is as intense and emotional as we expected from the promo released earlier last year. The title is loosely translated to 'exceptional love'. The film, which portrays the relationship between a father and his differently-abled daughter, has drawn attention with its world premiere at the 2018 International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) in January 2018. It was the only Indian film to make it to the top 20 in the Audience Award category at Rotterdam. The 2-minute long trailer is powerful and is packed with evocative imagery and poetic lines. Narrated by the lead protagonist (Mammootty), the trailer features some disturbing scenes involving a dead bird, a knife and a doll. Mammootty's powerhouse acting in the emotional scenes involving his child, is a treat to watch. The trailer ends with Mammootty's goosebumps-inducing lines that he is telling this story 'just so you realise how blessed your lives are.' (YouTube screengrab) Peranbu marks Mammootty's return to Tamil cinema after eight years. The Malayalam superstar plays Amudhavan and National Award winner Sadhna plays his daughter in the film. Actress Anjali, who was seen before in 'Kattradhu Tamil', plays Viji. The film also introduces Anjali Ameer, a transgender actor from Kerala. Samuthirakani and Suraj Venjaramoodu play important roles. READ | Director Mysskin lands in soup for flippant use of rape to praise Mammootty's acting in 'Peranbu' (YouTube screengrab) 'Peranbu', also titled 'Resurrection', is director Ram's fourth film and is reportedly set to release both in Tamil and Malayalam. Anjali in a previous interview with us said, "The film has come out really well. It's something new and completely different from what we've seen in Tamil cinema. Be it the places we shot it in, or the way the film has been shot, it's a very unique project by Ram sir. It's our answer to international cinema." Actress Anjali The writer-director's previous films have also received strong critical acclaim. His second film 'Thanga Meengal' won three awards at the 2013 National Film Awards. Meanwhile, Mammootty will mark his return to Telugu cinema after two decades with Mahi V Raghav's 'Yatra', based on the life of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister late Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy, popularly called YSR. (With inputs from Express News Service) Gopinath Rajendran By Express News Service In 2017, the Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC) formed a committee to come up with correctional measures for the industry, including keeping tabs on the number of releases each week to allow small budget films to get their due. A system was devised wherein release dates would be approved on a first-come-first-serve basis. Things seemed smooth for a while, but in November last year, Thimuru Pudichavan brought out skeletons from TFPCs closet as its release date changed. The Vijay Antony-starrer, which was produced by his wife, Fathima Vijay Antony, was originally scheduled for a Diwali release (November 6) along with (Ilayathalapathy) Vijays Sarkar. However, it released on November 16, which was allotted to Nakkhul-starrer Sei, Jyothikas Kaatrin Mozhi and Utharavu Maharaja (starring Udhaya and Prabhu). This caused a change in the number of theatres for Kaatrin Mozhi and Utharavu Maharaja, leaving very few screens for Sei, whose makers had to postpone its release to the following week. Udhaya in Utharavu Maharaja G Dhananjayan of BOFTA Media Works, which bankrolled Jyothikas Kaatrin Mozhi, says, Theres no cap on the number of films that can be released on a given day. In a chaotic industry such as Kollywood, order is necessary. There is no guarantee on how a film will fare. Given the uncertainty, at least knowing our competitors for that release date is helpful. However, internal guidelines cannot be considered rules. As Dhananjayan says, That contradicts the Monopolistic and Restrictive Trade Practices (MRTP) Act of 1969. So, it cannot be enforced as a rule and can only be a guideline. The producer claims to have lost more than a crore because of the sudden release of Thimuru Pudichavan. They took over 100 screens that were meant for us. We targeted 250 screens in Tamil Nadu, but ended up with 160. It was worse for Utharavu Maharaja. If we had known that they (Thimiru Pudichavan) were releasing on the same day, we would have made alternate plans. We cant file a complaint or ask for a ban on them, because thats not going to compensate us. Actor Udhaya, who recently resigned from the Executive Council of the TFPC, has been vocal about his film Utharavu Maharaja bearing the brunt of the date shuffling. When no big films release, distributors buy smaller films. But with Thimuru Pudichavan releasing that week, my distributors backed off. It was not at all sufficient considering we spent about 4 crore on it. Moreover, even the shows we got were morning and noon shows and not evening, which get more audiences, he laments. The actor, who also produced the film, says he is facing a loss of 2.5 crore. We spent a lot and roped in veterans such as Prabhu sir and Nasser sir. We made sure the content is enjoyable. But what are we to do if we cant reach the audience? Ive asked the council to re-release the film but havent received a reply. I would need compensation along with proper show timings once the film re-releases, says Udhaya. At the press meet for Sei, actor Nakkhul said that the council had given a letter with the green signal for a November 16 release. The actor added that his team was scheduled to have a meeting with TFPC members regarding the Thimuru Pudichavan release date issue. However, that meeting never materialised, and Seis release ended up being pushed to November 23. A visibly upset Nakkhul said, We were left in the dark. We tried approaching Vishal and other EC members but they werent reachable. Were very upset and I want my producer, who hails from Kerala, to get compensated. He wanted to make his debut with a Tamil film and was keen on following the rules, but now, hes shocked. Producer SR Prabhu, who is also the treasurer of TFPC, says its a case of a domino effect. There are instances where we would have agreed to let a film release on a particular date but the producer sometimes isnt able to organise the release. As they spend a lot on publicity, they try to get it released during the subsequent week. He believes producers dont really see beyond their own problems. Youll hear people saying that the council isnt functioning properly, but there werent any regulations before. Back then, they were mumbling their issues among themselves, but now, they have an organisation to blame. The council is trying to make things easier for everyone by bringing some order. However, he assures there will be repercussions for those who dont abide by regulations. As per the prescribed norms, the council will take action. Were already doing that with the makers of Thimuru Pudichavan. We will take into account the explanation for their change in dates too, which was actually an issue with the buyer. This month, two biggies, Rajinikanths Petta and Ajiths Viswasam, are scheduled to hit the screens for Pongal. Prabhu doesnt think it could cause a problem: Its a festival date; so big budget films have to share release dates. With the sheer volume of films produced every year, its impossible to regulate, he explains. Every year, 250-300 films are getting released, which is about six-seven per week. Other language films push the number to 10 per week. TFPC can regulate films for its members. But what about other bodies such as the Guild and the Film Chamber? They may release their films on the same day as ours. We cant regulate their films, can we? he asks. By PTI BENGALURU: After the much controversial trailer release of 'The Accidental Prime Minister', another film is all set to raise a storm in political circles ahead of Lok Sabha polls this year. The film is about the mysterious circumstances under which the second Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri died in Russia. Titled 'The Tashkent Files', the film is directed by Vivek Agnihotri. ALSO READ | Ive given an Oscar-worthy performance: Anupam Kher on 'The Accidental Prime Minister' Agnihotri said he made this film after many people including top political leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and George Fernandes had expressed the need for dealing with the mystery behind Shastri's death. "On January 10, 1966, Shastri had signed the Tashkent Agreement and hours later he died. A death mystery unsolved till date. Was it a heart attack or poison? The truth of the biggest coverup has been denied to his family and us," the director told PTI. Immediately after his death, the family members of Shastri officially requested a post-mortem to the then acting Prime Minister Gulzarilal Nanda, but to no avail, Agnihotri said. "The family also had requested former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, but was not heeded to once again," he added. Agnihotri also said it is strange that India, the biggest democracy in the world, has no information and document to uncover the mystery behind Shastri's death. "This issue has been raised in Parliament for the last 50 years and yet, we are trying to find out the truth. I picked up the gauntlet and tried finding the truth, and hence I filed RTIs, but I was shattered. The RTI said there is no information. Our beloved second prime minister dies and the biggest democracy in the world does not have any information and documents," he said. Agnihotri, however, hoped the film might have an answer. He believes the film will change the narrative about Indian politics. The film stars veteran actors Naseeruddin Shah and Mithun Chakraborty in pivotal roles. Agnihotri is planning to release 'The Tashkent Files' in last week on February or March. By PTI LONDON: Emma Watson has said that she feels optimistic about a "fairer future" for women courtesy the Time's Up campaign. ALSO READ | 'Harry Potter' co-stars Emma Watson and Tom Felton reunite for a skateboard ride On the first anniversary of the campaign, the actor took to Instagram on Saturday to express gratitude towards people who have been a part of the revolution. "From my sisters in the film industry to the activists and campaigners around the world who have supported us, I've been so inspired by the way people have reached out to each other, shared experiences and advice, and organised together as part of this movement for change. "Gender equality can only become a reality if we harness the transformative power of solidarity across professions and across borders," Watson wrote. The 'Harry Potter' alum said there is still a long way to go but "the achievements so far make me optimistic for a fairer future". ALSO READ | Emma Watson backs Kathua rape victim's lawyer Deepika Singh Rajwat "2018 was just the beginning," she said. A vocal feminist, Watson, in another post urged the masses to be a part of Time's Up UK chapter that launched the Justice and Equality Fund (JEF), which is the UK's version of the Legal Defence Fund. The JEF aims to support women who have experienced harassment and abuse, improve accountability, and prevent future abuses from occurring. "I hope that more people will be inspired by the #TIMESUP anniversary to give at home here in the UK, so the Justice and Equality Fund can reach even more under-resourced organisations and campaign groups in 2019," the actor wrote. Deena Theresa By Express News Service KOCHI: Twenty-seven-year-old Drew Binskys T-shirt says Just Go with a printed globe. And that, is his life, precisely. Drew is a travel vlogger, and mind you, like no other. He has covered 153/193 countries, has more than 1.5 million subscribers online, vlogs regularly on his Instagram, Facebook, YouTube handles under @drewbinsky, travels to uncommon places like Gabon and lives the dream. As part of his mission to visit every country on earth, Drew was in Kochi, part of his road trip in South India. The day consisted of Drew taking in the local sights, tasting authentic South Indian and meeting his fans at Wok & Grill. This is Drews first time in Kerala and the second time in India. A couple of years ago, he had gone on a solo backpacking trip across north India and had a near-death experience. It was an overnight bus from Udaipur to Jodhpur. Around 2 am, the bus driver slammed on the brakes and swerved; it slipped and turned over. Many people got injured and a couple of them didnt make it alive. That was rough, says the Arizona native. And yet, Drew is back in India. Undoubtedly, persistence is one of his strongest suits. I didnt own a video camera back then. And Ive got Indian followers repeatedly asking me to come back. So I thought it was about time. Ive been living in Asia and it took me just three hours to get here from Bangkok, he says. Nevertheless, south India is a whole new world from north India. Drew agrees. It feels like a different country. To be honest, Im enjoying it more than north India. And the climate in Kerala, its tropical. The place is relatively clean and I havent seen one cow yet, he laughs. How did it begin? I majored in Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I studied abroad, in Prague,Czech Republic. It was my first time abroad and I was like wow, this is cool. I had a lot of new experiences and met lots of people. I realised I didnt want a corporate job rather wanted to keep travelling. I got to teach English in Seoul, South Korea, and started a blog for my travel experiences. I worked hard on the blog for two years and struggled for sponsors. Two years ago, my girlfriend Deanna bought me a camera and told me to make videos instead of blogging. I made a couple of viral videos initially and found my passion of telling stories on camera, Drew says. And the most awaited answer, where does the money come from? Nothing happens overnight. Youve to network a lot and collaborate with brands. Three years ago, I made a minimal amount but it increased every year. Advertisements on Facebook and YouTube, brand sponsorships, they help a lot. Also, this takes hard work, dedication and passion, he says. After having seen and experienced a million experiences across the world, does every episode excite him? It does take some of the glory. For example, Ive been on 10-12 safaris in Africa. It was incredible the first time. Then it gets repetitive. But Im mostly connecting with the people. I like going to villages, listening to the locals stories and learning their culture, Drew quips. Lebanese-American writer, poet and visual artist Kahlil Gibran said, Travel and tell no one, live a true love story and tell no one, live happily and tell no one, people ruin beautiful things. Drew Binsky does not quite agree. Thats my favourite part to do, he says. Sharing my experiences with people and inspiring them to travel, he adds. By Express News Service KOCHI: The Select Committee on the Kerala Metropolitan Transport Authority (KMTA) Bill which held a sitting here on Saturday witnessed a plea from the Goshree Island residents demanding permission for buses, plying in their region, to enter the Kochi Corporation limits. Numerous suggestion about reforms to be brought in traffic and transportation were raised before the committee. The sitting was chaired by Transport Minister A K Saseendran who is also the chairman of the KMTA Committee. The associations and NGO raised a demand to extend the private bus service from Goshree Islands to various important places in Kochi City. Currently, the private buses from Goshree Islands operate till the High Court Junction. The residents from the islands have to alight at the High Court and catch other buses to reach different parts of the city. A demand for KMTA service to be provided to Goshree Islands was also raised. As these islands are located close to Kochi, it should be considered part of the city, they said. There were demands to construct ring roads and connectivity bridges to reduce traffic block in Kochi. Demands were raised for sanctioning a railway station ear Vytilla Mobility Hub which will reduce travel issues of people coming to the city to work on a daily basis. The residents raised demands to reduce charges at paid parking facilities and also called for a facility for cyclists to travel in Kochi. The other demands were for authorities to keep tabs on competitive driving by private buses, integration of bus schedules and reduction of service charges on the Smart Card. The absence of footpaths was also raised during the sitting. According to residents, pedestrians have to risk their lives to walk through the city. Crossing the road in the absence of a traffic signal near the Ponnurunni bridge was stated as a major challenge for pedestrians. The demand was raised to include water transport authority in KMTA and for public transport modes to be made disabled friendly. The traffic management, supervision, planning and regulation will be carried out by KMTA once it is formed. It will be an umbrella agency for coordination various transportation modes and will provide e-service including ticketing through smart cards. MLAs Hibi Eden, P T Thomas, John Fernandez, V Abdurahiman, T A Ahmed Kabir, C Divakaran, Mulakara Ratnakaran, C K Nanu are the other members of the committee who took part in the sitting. District Collector K Mohammad Y Safirulla, Kochi Metro MD Mohammed Hanish, Transport Commissioner K Padmakumar and Transport Department Principal Secretary K Jyothilal also attended. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Detailing the developmental plans proposed for the upcoming year, Prof S Ramachandram, Vice-Chancellor of the Osmania University, said that the focus of the varsity will be automation and digitisation, along with the utilisation of the `100 cr that it had received under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) 2.0 by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD). While 30 per cent of these funds will be used for the development of infrastructure like hostels, the remaining sum would be spent on the strengthening of research. As part of the Abhiyan, OU is also collaborating with the University of California and University of Pennsylvania and to facilitate faculty and student exchange programmes. Further, to provide an opportunity for students, researchers and teachers to turn into budding entrepreneurs by transforming their ideas into products or services, OU will set up an incubation centre called the Osmania Technology Business Incubator (O-TBI) this year. Being set up at an estimated cost of `6 cr, the incubator will come up at the Central Facilities for Research and Development (CFRD). Plans are also in the pipeline to set up the States first Centre for Cyber Security and Cyber Law for research and study. The Dr BR Ambedkar Research Centre, the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Studies, the Centre for Microbial Fermentation Technology, are also coming up on the campus under the RUSA and we plan to take up finish these works within next 17 months, said the VC. OU is one of the 10 universities in the country to have received the funding. What awaits the varsity After the conduction of all CETS in online format in 2018, the Osmania University, which is responsible for the admission for these courses, has decided to take the State Entrance Test (SET) this year on the computer mode too Massive Online Open Courses through SWAYAM will be introduced in 430 UG colleges affiliated to OU. In the last semester, this was introduced in its engineering colleges. The OU faculty will also create content for the portal Steps will be taken to turn the campus plastic-free By Express News Service NIZAMABAD: Demanding that the Nizamabad Municipal Corporation (NMC) authorities shift the garbage dumping yard, which is in their area, to some other location, residents of Nagaram residents blocked the road here on Saturday. A few years back, the Revenue department had allocated 50 acres of land to NMC in Nagaram, which is a residential area, to use it as a garbage dumping yard. Residents are complaining about various health issues due to air pollution and unhygienic environment. On a regular basis the garbage is burnt and because of it the entire air in the surrounding areas get polluted. Some elderly people in the area are suffering with breathing problems as well, said P Bhushanam, a resident of the area. The locals said that during the elections time they had brought the issue to the notice of district officials, but in vain. Meanwhile, NMC Commissioner Dr D John Samson said that they are using the land that was allotted to them for garbage dumping by the Revenue department. In the past the garbage was being dumped in non-allocated areas but now NMC staff are dumping the garbage in areas that are allocated to them, he said. By Express News Service BENGALURU: The nation-wide results for the Common Admission Test (CAT), conducted on November 25, for admissions to the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) were declared on Saturday. Of the two lakh candidates who appeared for the test, conducted by Indian Institute of Management (IIM Calcutta), a total of 11 candidates had perfect 100 percentile scores, including one from Karnataka. Six students from Bengaluru managed to score over 99 percentile marks. Kamal Karan (24) managed to secure 99.91 percentile marks and is one among the top scorers from the city. Other toppers who scored 99-plus percentile marks are Fahad Thasim (99.47), Mitali Seth (99.47), Ishaan Mudgal (99.6), Tushar Rawat (99.02) and Srikrishnan A (99.2). Speaking after the results, Kamal said he had been preparing for the CAT for the last one year. In between, I stopped my preparation and restarted only a few days before the test, he said. He added that he cracked all the mock papers, and listed out all his weak points, which helped him excel. Fahad (26) has a different story. He managed to crack the CAT while juggling an IT job. I started preparing seven months before the test by dedicating two hours a day, he said. Mitali, a student of MS Ramaiah engineering college, appeared for the exam just for the experience and has decided to join only if she gets a seat at IIM Ahmedabad. Those who have cleared CAT are eligible for admissions to various management courses, including PGP, PGDM, PGPEM, EPGP, PGPBM, PGPEX at the IIMs and other top management colleges in the country. IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Bangalore are planning to increase their intake by 805 seats from the next academic year, and a proposal has been submitted to the Ministry of Human Resource Development for the same. If it is cleared, then candidates looking for seats at these two institutes have more chance to get in. From this year on, it is said that even Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) will accept CAT scores for the July 2019 sessions. However, now various IIMs will release shortlists for subsequent processes, considering CAT scores and other criteria. More than 100 other non-IIM institutions also use CAT scores for admissions to their management programmes. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: An IndiGo plane flying from Chennai to Kolkata suffered a mid-air engine failure with a loud bang, and was forced to return mid-way on Thursday, prompting the government to order a review. The incident, on the Airbus A320neo aircraft, is the latest in a series of cases involving a Pratt & Whitney engine. The plane has been grounded at Chennai due to damaged engine blades, sources said. The crew followed the normal operating procedures and asked for a priority landing. There was no engine shutdown and no emergency landing was declared as per the report, IndiGo said in a statement. Once again, the Pratt & Whitney engine-powered Airbus A320neo plane of budget carrier IndiGo faced technical glitches mid-air. On Thursday, an IndiGo flight from Chennai to Kolkata suffered a mid-air engine failure and made a loud bang, followed by smoke and vibration in one of the two engines of the plane. No passengers were harmed and the plane returned to Chennai, where it has been grounded due to damaged engine blades. An IndiGo spokesperson said the flight 6E 923 (Neo) operating Chennai-Kolkata route on January 3, 2019, returned to Chennai after take-off due to a technical caution noted by the crew. The crew followed the normal operating procedures and asked for a priority landing. There was no engine shutdown and no emergency landing was declared. The governments apex aircraft investigation body Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) has rushed a team to Chennai to assess the incident and take a call on the probe. The bureau is already probing IndiGo Jaipur-Kolkata flight smoke incident on December 10. According to a PTI report, the Civil Aviation Ministry has taken serious note of the incident. Ministry has taken serious note (of the incident) and we will review it on Tuesday, said Civil Aviation Secretary R N Choubey. In India, two budget carriers, IndiGo and GoAir, operate Pratt & Whitney engine-powered Airbus A320 planes, while Air India and Vistara, which also operate these latest single-aisle planes, have CFM engines. IndiGo, which has been facing such issues in the A320neo planes powered by Pratt & Whitney engines since their induction in the fleet in 2016, has been compensated by both Airbus and the engine-maker for each grounding. However, Pratt & Whitney has failed to come up with any tangible solution to fix these issues, despite the frequent grounding incidents. Smoking engines In India, two budget carriers, IndiGo and GoAir, operate Pratt & Whitney engine-powered Airbus A320 planes, while Air India and Vistara, which also operate these latest single-aisle planes, have CFM engines. However, aircraft run by Pratt & Whitney engines have been facing glitches every now and then since their induction in the fleet by the two operators in 2016, with several instances of mid-air engine shutdowns. By Express News Service BHUBANESWAR/PURI: Riding on his nation-wide campaign on the reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies, Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik on Saturday announced a slew of incentives for women self-help groups (WSHGs) of the State, including interest-free loans up to Rs 3 lakh. Women constituents firm in his sight ahead of the General Elections, Naveen attended a massive convention of SHG members at Puri where he distributed seed money of Rs 15,000 per group to three lakh new SHGs. He also handed over a revolving fund of Rs 25 lakh to 338 block federations. Incentives of ` 500 per month for Anganwadi workers and Rs 200 for helpers were also announced at the Mission Shakti Convention. During the length of the event, instead of making speeches, Naveen chose to listen to the success stories of WSHGs even as about 50,000 women from various parts of the State attended the convention. There are about six lakh WSHGs operational in Odisha.I am glad to let you know that you (WSHGs) will be getting loans at zero per cent interest, the Chief Minister said, adding that the initiative would benefit about 70 lakh women. The CMs announcement came on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a dig at the Odisha Government at Baripada over the 2011 Pipili murder case and advised it to probe into the case again to ensure justice for the victim. Earlier, Naveen had decided to skip the PMs official programme at Baripada to attend the Mission Shakti Convention with a clear strategy to blunt the Opposition attack against his Government. The CM said Mission Shakti - launched in 2001 - has taken the form of a silent movement in the State during the last 18 years. In a bid to strengthen the programme, Odisha Government has decided to build Mission Shakti Home in each gram panchayat, he said. Naveen distributed financial assistance of Rs 3,000 each to six lakh WSHGs as part of the State Governments efforts to digitally empower women. During the Make in Odisha conclave in November last year, Naveen had promised smartphones to six lakh WSHGs. As it has become increasingly evident that agrarian distress and womens welfare will be two major issues in the next elections, Naveen is set to lead BJDs campaign against Modi Government over farmers welfare and demand an increase in minimum support of price of paddy at New Delhi on January 8. Sandeep Goyal By Express News Service It is that time of the year when everyone but everyone is wishing everyone else a very Happy New Year. Well, Honda did that too. Except that it wished all its rivals a Happy 2009! Yes, a Happy 2009!!! No typo, no mistake, that. A very clever tongue-in-cheek greeting to the rest of the industry catching up this year, for we introduced the combi-brake system back then. So, effectively communicating that Honda introduced the Equaliser Technology of the combi-brake way back in 2009, and ten-years-later the rest of the industry will hopefully catch up. Nice ad. Clever ad. Cheeky ad. But very UnJapanese, if I may say so. I have dealt with Japan and Japanese brands since 1994. Not in 25 years have I seen such a competitive ad from any Japanese brand. Challenging. Actually, mocking not just teasing. In-the-face. Aggressive. Running down competition, that too openly. Well, this is finally the advent to India of competitive renaissance as they now call it in Japan. No longer polite. No longer humble. Tongue-in-cheek ad issued by Honda Motorcyle and Scooter India The new aggression the Japanese are learning from the West. Contrary to years of their own cultural norms. Well, the new Honda ad could well be a trend-setter of sorts. Let us see what other Japanese do to either emulate Honda in the new year, or decide to stay wedded to a public humility that shies of deriding competition openly and overtly, whatever be the provocation or competition. Ranveer Singhs much-hyped Simmba which opened on the last weekend of the year, became the high-note of 2018 for brand endorsements, with as many as 5 out of Singhs 25 endorsed brands featuring in the film. On show were Saregama Carvaan, Chings Badnaam Chutney, Marathi newspaper Lokmat, Rupa Frontline and Goodyear tyres. While Lokmat and Rupa appeared unobtrusively as outdoor ads in various frames of the film captured by the camera as part of ongoing screen action, the camera focused on the tyre of the SUV when Ajay Devgn put in an appearance in his somewhat extended cameo, giving Goodyear its two-and-a half-seconds of visibility and fame. Ranveer is actually shown gifting (and later bragging about) digital music player Saregama Carvaan. So, a strong and pro-active endorsement there. To all the experts mocking @Honda need to understand that the Ad Says @Honda is using the technology since 2009 while industry reached to that now... in short they want to convey they are 10 years ahead compared to the industry. #HappyNewYear #MarketingStrategy pic.twitter.com/97rwLMYI40 Swapnil Pardhi (@Swapnil47305200) January 1, 2019 The portrayal of Chings Badnaam Chutney is a consumption shot where the brand is clearly visible. But only if you are looking carefully. A far cry from the larger-than-life 6-minutes long ad called 'Ranveer Ching Returns' in 2016 made by Rohit Shetty, Simmbas producer, with Ranveer and co-starring Tamannaah Bhatia. Made with an advertising and promotion budget of 75 crore, it was one of the most expensive ad films ever made. Well, this partnership has endured. The unexpected gainer in Simmba was the Mahindra Scorpio whose logo was clearly visible in one of the shots, but who did not pay to be featured. A good year-end bonus, for sure. The last year ended with the debut of dating app Bumbles #EqualNotLoose, a campaign that challenges the judgment that often accompanies a womans pursuit of independence and achieving professional and relationship goals. Priyanka Chopra Jonas, a partner and investor at Bumble, stars in the campaigns TV commercial with a message that champions gender equality and the everyday moments in a modern Indian womans life. Chopra Jonas features as a competent boss, a gal looking for love, a workout fan (who can shed her jacket for a sweat session) and an equal partner in domestic duties (he can cook, too!). With Lizzos you-go-girl anthem Good as Hell as the soundtrack, the ads captions try to drive home the point that women who pursue their careers are ambitious, not loose and those who date are curious, not loose. Competitor Tinder recently ran a campaign too displaying a maze of experiences that capture the spontaneity of youth and the joy of navigating this life stage. The Tinder campaign conveys that the maze is a metaphor for the world and discovering oneself and ones place in it. Dating is obviously hotting up! (The writer is an advertising veteran) More Coverage Shenango woman charged in baby's death A Shenango Township woman charged with criminal homicide in the death of her baby reportedly Charges against a Shenango Township woman accused of hiding her dead infant son under her porch are being held for prosecution in the Lawrence County Court of Common Pleas. Brittany Nicole Robinson, 24, of 3202 Ellwood Road waived her right to a preliminary hearing last month. She will face a formal arraignment at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 5 in the courtroom of President Judge Dominick Motto, after charges against her from an alleged 2017 incident were refiled Dec. 12 by state police in Butler County. Robinson is facing one count each of concealing the death of a child, abuse of a corpse and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. State police allege in a criminal complaint that Robinson had delivered her baby on Nov. 26, 2017, wrapped him in a black T-shirt, then a brown garbage bag, and hid him in a crawlspace under the front porch outside of her home at 3202 Ellwood Road on Nov. 26, 2017. Information she had given the police was that the baby was not breathing and had no pulse after she had given birth in her bathtub. The police allege in the complaint that Robinson, believing an official proceeding or investigation would be pending, tried to remove all of the blood and other birthing elements from her bathroom after the baby was born. Story continues below video The report states that Robinson's father had found the deceased baby under his porch while he was putting up Christmas lights that day. The investigating trooper reported that Robinson was at work at Big Lots when her father found the deceased. Robinson initially had been charged with criminal homicide and other offenses on Nov. 27, 2017. The charges later were withdrawn, then refiled in Nov. 14, minus the criminal homicide charge, because autopsy results and other forensic testing were inconclusive as to whether the baby had died before or after its birth, according to District Attorney Joshua Lamancusa. Lamancusa explained that the police and prosecutors had requested the state to convene a medical review board to consider all of the evidence in the case. The panel met about six months ago, when the county presented all of the information and evidence it had, he said, and the board concluded that there was no proof of whether the baby had been born dead or alive. The panel was comprised of seven doctors, who included pediatrics and forensic physicians. Thus, only the other two initial charges against Robinson were refiled, along with the new charge of concealing the death of a child. Robinson is being represented in court by assistant public defender Dennis Elisco. dwachter@ncnewsonline.com International Yellow vest protestors storm French ministry Tear gas is thrown by riot police as demonstrators wearing yellow vests try to cross a pedestrian bridge during march in Paris, Saturday. (AP) Paris, Jan 6 (Agencies) | Publish Date: 1/6/2019 11:38:09 AM IST Yellow vest protesters returned in force to the streets of France this weekend, clashing with police in several cities and smashing their way into a government ministry in Paris with the help of a forklift truck, AFP reported. The interior ministry put the number of protesters who took to the streets on Saturday at 50,000, compared with 32,000 on December 29 when the movement appeared to be weakening after holding a series of weekly Saturday protests since mid-November. Government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux, who was evacuated from his ministry in central Paris when a handful of protesters in high-visibility vests smashed down the large wooden door to the ministry compound, denounced the break-in as an unacceptable attack on the Republic. Some yellow vest protesters and other people dressed in black ... got hold of a construction vehicle which was in the street nearby and smashed open the entrance gate to the ministry, he told AFP. They briefly entered the courtyard where they smashed up two cars, broke some windows then escaped, he added, saying police were trying to identify them from security footage. President Emmanuel Macron did not specifically refer to the incident, but tweeted his condemnation of the extreme violence against the Republic, its guardians, its representatives and its symbols. Griveaux had on Friday criticised the yellow vest movement, describing those still involved as agitators who were seeking to overthrow the government. Police said some 3,500 demonstrators turned up on the Champs-Elysees on Saturday morning. Some then made their way south of the river to the wealthy area around Boulevard St Germain, where they set light to a car and several motorbikes and set up burning barricades, prompting police to fire tear gas to try and disperse them. Police said 35 people were arrested. Demonstrators took to the streets of several other cities across France, with up to 2,000 people in Rouen northwest of Paris, where some set up burning barricades. One protester was injured and at least two others were arrested, police said. Some 4,600 protesters hit the streets of the southwestern city of Bordeaux, with some hurling stones at police who answered with tear gas and water cannon. Five police were hurt and 11 people arrested, local authorities said, adding that several cars were torched and shop windows broken. Further south in Toulouse, 22 people were detained following clashes that erupted after 2,000 people turned out to demonstrate. And in the central-eastern city of Lyon, several thousands took to the streets, blocking access to the A7 motorway and causing traffic jams for those returning from Christmas holidays in the mountains. The yellow vest movement began in rural France over plans to increase fuel taxes. But it later ballooned into a wider revolt against Macrons pro-market policies and governing style, with 282,000 people joining the first Saturday rally on November 17. Macron initially refused to make any concessions, but in mid-December, after weeks of violence, he scrapped the planned fuel tax hike and promised extra cash for minimum wage earners as well as tax cuts for pensioners. The protests have turned into the biggest political crisis of Macrons 20-month presidency and brought his popularity ratings to an all-time low. Although public anger appeared to abate following his concessions and over the holiday period, the brief arrest on Wednesday of Eric Drouet, one of the leaders of the movement, appeared to rekindle resentment among his supporters. The latest opinion poll, published on Thursday by Odoxa Dentsu, indicated 55 percent support the protests -- a figure which, although lower than the 75 percent back in November, is still important enough to suggest the anti-austerity movement retains political clout. Former cinema icon Brigitte Bardot, who is known today for her rightwing views and animal rights activism, on Sunday said she understood what motivated the yellow vest movement. When I see the millions spent on incredibly trivial things, when I see politicians using private planes and chauffeur-driven cars to get around (...) all this money spent is unacceptable, she told the Midi Libre newspaper. It should be given instead to people in need. HORSHAM -- While the 45th annual Keith Valley Challenge looked a bit different this year, its tradition of being a culminating event for the Keith Valley Middle School eighth grade class held a lot of importance after the pandemic. ORELAND -- Alex Stevers-Radtke of Wyndmoor and Michael Mathews of Oreland recently reached the rank of Eagle Scout announced Orelands Troop 1. A ceremony will be held at the troops Hawk Mountain Camp in New Ringgold to recognize Alexs and Michaels accomplishments and to celebrate with fr HORSHAM -- As it is for high school seniors everywhere, commencement day with all of its pomp and circumstance and sense of accomplishment was a big deal for Sellersville resident Sam Gerhart. The US has made an official offer to Turkey for a $3.5 billion sale of American Patriot missile systems, but only under the condition that Ankara cancels its S-400 purchase from Russia, local media has reported. A US delegation visited the country midweek to present Washington's terms to Turkish defense and foreign ministry officials. The contract put together by the Americans included a prerequisite, according to which the Patriot missile defense systems will only be supplied to Ankara if it gives up its deal to buy Russian air defense systems, Yeni Safak reported. Also on rt.com Art of the deal? Turkey may turn US Patriot missiles into bargaining chip In December, the US State Department approved the sale of 80 Patriot missiles and 60 other missiles, along with launching stations, radars and other equipment, to Turkey, which it called an important ally. The Turkish government, which had been long trying to acquire the Patriots, got frustrated with the US for not selling them the missiles "when they were needed the most." Read more In 2017, Ankara signed a contract with Russia to buy the more advanced S-400 air defense systems. Their installation is expected to begin in Turkey in October this year. The move caused outrage in the US as Washington claimed that the use of Russian hardware by a NATO state like Turkey endangers the whole bloc. The US Congress delayed the shipment of 100 F-35 fighter jets to Turkey in retaliation. However, Ankara has been reluctant to give in to the American pressure. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insisted that the S-400 purchase was a "done deal" and that his country didn't need anybody's permission to strike deals essential for its security. When asked about the Patriot talks, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu reiterated that there were no plans to cancel the S-400 agreement with Moscow. "The purchase of the S-400 is to fulfill our country's urgent and short-term security needs. We will take the necessary measures so that this system can be used independently and will not harm F-35 and NATO systems. We are continuing our contacts with US authorities who are also sensitive about this issue," Cavusoglu said, as cited by Yeni Safak. READ MORE: US wont sanction India over S-400 deal with Russia just buy American F-16s reports Last year, the US threatened India with sanctions after it signed a $5.4 billion agreement on the purchase of five Russian S-400 systems. There were also reports that Washington told New Delhi that the punishment will be avoided if India agrees to cash out on American F-16 fighter jets. Tehran may not receive Russias Sukhoi SuperJet 100 airliners to boost its ageing air fleet due to US trade restrictions. The jets reportedly have more US-made parts than are allowed for export without Washingtons approval. Earlier, Russia and Iran sealed a deal for the delivery of 40 new twin-engine regional passenger aircraft of the latest version, Sukhoi Superjet 100R, for two Iranian airlines Iran Air Tours and Aseman Airlines. The deal is believed to be worth $2 billion and an even more ambitious agreement for 100 planes was being considered. Also on rt.com Forget sanctions? France wants to participate in jetliner project with Russia & China However, it appears that due to the lack of license issued by OFAC (the US Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control), the arrival of the planes is out of the question for now, Maqsoud Asadi Samani, who serves as the secretary of the Association of Iranian Airlines, told Iranian Labor New Agency (ILNA) on Tuesday. He was reportedly speaking about the purchase of 20 planes for Iran Air Tours, a subsidiary of national flag carrier IranAir, as well as a leasing deal drafted by another Iranian airline, according to the agency. The official did not mention Aseman Airlines, which ordered another 20 jets from Russia. Read more The problem is that more than 10 percent of the aircrafts components are US-produced, which means that approval from Washington is required, ILNA reported. The Russian producer earlier pledged to reduce the number of US parts. In March 2018, the head of Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, Alexander Rubtsov, told RIA Novosti that the company was trying to find both foreign and domestic suppliers of components for the newly designed Sukhoi SuperJet 100 (SSJ-100). The Islamic Republic has long been struggling with a shortage of modern planes after decades-long sanctions imposed by Western countries. The situation eased after world powers signed a nuclear deal with Iran back in 2015, allowing it to order new planes from industry giants such as Airbus and Boeing. However, the deals have been have been hampered after the US pulled out of the agreement with Iran and re-imposed economic restrictions against the country. Before US licenses for sales were revoked, the Iranian companies received only 16 planes out of some 200 aircraft that were ordered three from Airbus and 13 from Franco-Italian turboprop maker ATR. Facing delays to the modernization of its air fleet, Tehran turned to Moscow. Last month, the head of the Civil Aviation Organization, Ali Abedzadeh, said the large Iranian market needed some 500 aircraft and considered the Sukhoi SuperJet as one of the options to at least partly fill the gap. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section The US, Germanys closest strategic ally, came surprisingly close to the bogeyman Russia in the list of countries that the Germans fear the most, leaving North Korea and others lag behind, a new poll revealed. Incredibly, as many as 55 percent of Germans believe the US is almost an equal threat to their country as Russia, which scored 56 percent in the latest study by Forsa pollster, Bild reports. Other countries that usually dominate mainstream airwaves trail far behind. Also on rt.com Nearly two-thirds of Germans say Trump is more dangerous than Putin poll For instance, only 27 percent of Germans feel threatened by North Korea, which until recently was the main source of nuclear weapons-related news. The reclusive state is followed by Turkey (24 percent) and Saudi Arabia (23 percent). China is deemed a threat to only 16 percent of respondents. The US, Germanys long-standing NATO ally and main trading partner, mainly intimidates people of middle age, while the polled Germans saying Russia was a danger to international peace included younger respondents aged 18 to 29, as well as those in their 60s. The poll provides an interesting outline of respondents political sympathies. Rightwing voters with the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party being the sole exception tend to favor Washington and fear Moscow, while supporters of the left parties express opposite views. Germans have generally become less supportive of the US, as previous surveys show. In May last year, a poll by ZDF broadcaster found that 82 percent of German citizens deem the US an unreliable partner, with only 14 percent believing it is. The remaining four percent were unsure. Back in 2017, the United States trailed Russia by four percent in an ARD-Deutschlandtrend survey that examined what country Germans trusted the most. 71 percent said they could not trust Washington while 67 percent said the same of Moscow. Like this story? Share it with a friend! It seems like Sen. Elizabeth Warren will never be able to catch a break from being grilled about her presumed Cherokee heritage. During a campaign stop in Iowa, she defended her decision to undergo a DNA test. Warren addressed supporters in Sioux City on Saturday during her tour of Iowa, which is the first state to hold caucuses making it crucial in context of election season. She spoke about her working-class upbringing in Oklahoma and vowed to tackle corruption and inequality, arguing that "Washington works great for those with money but not for anyone else." Also on rt.com Ask her psychiatrist Trump on Warren believing she can win in 2020 However, the first question from the audience was not about her economic agenda, but about the same old topic her Native American lineage and controversial decision to take a DNA test that revealed it. The test performed by Stanford genetics professor, Carlos Bustamante, showed that Warren's DNA had segments that matched those of people native to Mexico, Peru and Colombia. "My question to you: Why did you undergo the DNA testing and give Donald Trump more fodder to be a bully?" a woman asked. Seemingly unperturbed by the question, Warren said that she was "glad for us to have a chance to talk about it." She then complained about her treatment by Republicans, who she said had "honed in on that part" of her history in the hope of making "a lot of hay out of it" since 2012. Warren said she was fed up with "racial slurs" and "a lot of ugly stuff" directed at her, so she decided to "put it all out there" to stop the talking. In an apparent attempt to set the record straight, Warren acknowledged that she was not a minority. "I am not a person of color. I am not a citizen of a tribe. Tribes and only tribes determine tribal citizenship," she said, adding that she understands a difference between having an "ancestry" and being a tribe member. Sioux City was the second stop of her four-city Iowa trip after Council Bluffs, where she kicked off her tour on Friday. Warren, who was repeatedly taunted by Trump as "fake Pocahontas," demanded that he dish out $1 million to a charity of her choice, as he had promised to do in July if she could prove that she is "an Indian." When confronted about the proposal, Trump told journalists that they had "better read [the transcript] again." While Warren may feel vindicated by the results of the DNA test she published in October, any hopes that her Cherokee saga is over have proven to be wishful thinking. What her test really did is draw the anger of the very same Cherokee, who accused her of trivializing tribal ancestry, bringing the topic back into the spotlight. Read more "Using a DNA test to lay claim to any connection to the Cherokee Nation or any tribal nation, even vaguely, is inappropriate and wrong," Cherokee Nation Secretary of State Chuck Hoskin Jr said at the time, accusing Warren of "undermining tribal interests." In fact, when Warren announced that she had formed an "exploratory committee" to consider a run for president, Twitter reacted with Pocahontas taunts and skepticism. Trump, who laughed off Warren's chances of beating him in 2020, recently tweeted an image featuring Warren's campaign logo, with 2020 changed to "1/2020th." The controversy about Warren's heritage stems from the 1980s and 1990s, when she listed herself as a minority in university records. A number of university officials referred to her as a Native American, with an article included in 1997 Fordham University Law Review calling her Harvard's "first woman of color," the New York Times reported back in 2012. Warren argued that it was not an attempt to advance her academic career, as suggested by some critics, insisting that she genuinely believed she was a distant descendent of Cherokee and Delaware tribes. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! The Caspian Sea will play host to fresh joint naval exercises currently being planned by the navies of Iran and Russia, a top Iranian naval commander said on Sunday. We have established a very good and lasting relationship with the countries in the Caspian Sea region, Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi told the Mehr news agency, saying that the wargames will be implemented in the near future. Read more Previous joint exercises held by both navies in the sea took place in 2015 and 2017. The Iranian commander added that tactical, rescue and anti-piracy scenarios would feature as part of the exercises, and noted that cooperation between both navies had strengthened in recent years. He ended by praising wider Caspian Sea cooperation as a model for guaranteeing peace, stability and friendship, and noted that all countries bordering the region are following the same approach. Enclosed by land and bordered by Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, the Caspian Sea is rich in offshore oil and gas deposits worth trillions of dollars. Pipelines leading from the sea connect Central Asia and the Caucasus region with the Mediterranean. In August, the Caspian 5 signed a historic agreement on trade, security, and the environment after 20 years of diplomatic wrangling. It also included agreements on joint military cooperation, as well as an agreement that no country from outside the region would be able to deploy troops or establish military bases on the seas shores. Also on rt.com Irans military kick starts five-day naval drill in Caspian Sea (VIDEO) The security deal was a blow to the interests of the US administration and NATO, who have now found themselves locked out of establishing any military presence in the region. They had previously set their sights on enlarging the defense bloc to include Azerbaijans neighbor, Georgia. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! to RT newsletter to get stories the mainstream media wont tell you. Brussels has still not introduced an independent payment channel to bypass American sanctions against Iran because of dollar dominance and the reliance of the European economy on the US, a top Iranian diplomatic official said. The European Union vowed to keep doing business with the Islamic Republic after the US withdrawal from the landmark nuclear agreement, signed between Tehran and major world powers, which prompted the re-introduction of punitive measures against Iran last year. The 28-nation bloc has been working on the creation of a clearing house, known as a special purpose vehicle (SPV), to facilitate financial transactions and non-dollar trade with Iran. In December, the EUs foreign policy chief said she expected the mechanism to be established before the end of 2018. However, no further significant progress has been made since then. Also on rt.com Iran has new potential buyers for its oil, defying US sanctions Meanwhile, Tehrans patience is wearing thin and it is time for Brussels to take its strategic decision, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi warned on Saturday. Dollar dominance as well as interconnection of the EU and US economies are among the reasons behind SPV delay, Qasemi said. He added that the bloc itself is a captive and hostage of the US economy and cited Washingtons threats to European companies as another key factor hampering the SPV progress, according to state-run IRNA news agency. Also on rt.com No volunteers: EU countries bow to US pressure over alternative payment channel for Iran Despite European politicians efforts to assure Tehran that they will stick to the deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), no country has volunteered to host the SPV so far. The EU also activated legislation to shield EU companies from re-imposed US economic restrictions on Iran. However, the measure failed to prevent European business giants, including Total, Volkswagen, Daimler, Peugeot, Renault and Siemens, from withdrawing from the country. The US was quick to put pressure on its European allies after they announced their intention to protect trade with the Islamic Republic. In November, US Special Envoy for Iran Brian Hook warned that European banks and firms that engage in the mechanism will be at risk from newly re-imposed US punitive measures. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section A ban on the Muslim and Jewish methods of ritually slaughtering animals has come into force in Belgium. Supporters of the move herald it as a humane development while critics have slammed it as an attack on religious freedom. The ban brings Belgium in line with European Union regulations that require animals to be stunned, so they cant feel pain, before slaughter. However, Jewish and Muslim religious laws require that animals are conscious when they are killed. Also on rt.com Nothing is being done about rising anti-Semitism in Europe, survey finds Kosher and Halal methods of slaughter involve the animal being killed with a single cut to the neck which severs critical blood vessels. Advocates claim the animal loses consciousness in seconds and it doesnt suffer during the process. Approximately 500,000 Muslims and over 30,000 Jews live in the small European country, which has a population of 11.3 million. Leaders of both communities have railed against the new law and are challenging it in Belgiums Constitutional Court. Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, the president of the Conference of European Rabbis, said the ban is proof that radical Islam has won. We are in the midst of an attack on the freedom of religion. The European capital has, with its laws and lack of tolerance for minorities, proven that radical Islam has won, he said, as cited by Israel National News. We managed to block many [similar pieces] of legislation in other countries in Europe and attempts to pass bills in the European Parliament and initiatives in the the EUs agencies. However, that stance was dismissed by animal rights activists. Ann De Greef, director of Global Action in the Interest of Animals, said that in Belgium the law is above religion. They want to keep living in the Middle Ages and continue to slaughter without stunning as the technique didnt yet exist back then without having to answer to the law, she said to the New York Times. Well, Im sorry, in Belgium the law is above religion and that will stay like that. READ MORE: Water cannon, firecrackers as thousands rally against UN migration pact in Brussels (PHOTO, VIDEO) Most EU countries have religious exceptions to the EUs stunning requirement. However, Belgium is joining Sweden, Denmark and Slovenia among the nations that do not make allowances; while in Germany and the Netherlands, the exceptions are very limited. The new law applies to the countrys Flanders region and a similar ruling will come into force in the Wallonia region in August, meaning the religious slaughtering practices will be outlawed across the country. Like this story? Share it with a friend! While Washington boasts about an unprecedented level of relations with Tel Aviv, Israel is reportedly seeking to seize upon the moment to secure recognition for its sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. "We now have the best US-Israeli relationship in our history," US National Security Advisor John Bolton said during a joint press conference with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He also said that Washington is "determined" to keep it that way because the two nations need a "strong bond" and "strong leadership" in increasingly tumultuous times for security. Washington would do its best to provide security to Israel and its other "friends in the region," Bolton told Netanyahu. "I would just say to any nation whether in this region or not in this region that has any doubt about America's support for Israel's self-defense: you'd better think about it again," he said. The US has recently indeed gone to some extraordinary lengths to assure Tel Aviv of its continuous support. Less than a week ago, the US State Secretary Mike Pompeo also reaffirmed to Netanyahu that the US would still stand by Israel's side and its commitment to the "protection" of the Jewish State remains unchanged despite its planned pullout from the neighboring Syria. Notably, the first bill to be rolled out by the US Senate in 2019 aims at protecting Israel from boycotts. Meanwhile, Tel Aviv apparently sees the present situation as a good moment to further its interests and particularly to solidify its grip over the Golan Heights it seized from Syria back in 1967. "The Golan Heights are tremendously important for our security," Netanyahu said during the press conference, adding that Israel "will never leave" the area. He then went even further and said that "it is important that all countries recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights," and that he had already discussed the matter with Trump. Some media reports suggested that the Israeli prime minister indeed openly asked the US president to recognize its sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and not just once. However, Washington seemed to be reluctant to address this issue as of yet. Also on rt.com America's last? First Senate bill of 2019 aims to protect Israel from boycott, report reveals While the Golan Heights have been internationally seen as occupied ever since Israel seized this territory, it is not unrealistic to expect recognition from the current US administration. In November 2018, the US already rejected a symbolic UN resolution calling on Israel to end its occupation of the Golan Heights for the first time ever. Even though the resolution still passed with 151 votes in favor, 14 abstentions and only two votes against it from the US and Israel itself the move still was met with thunderous applause in Tel Aviv. "Israel will remain forever on the Golan Heights, and the Golan Heights will forever remain in our hands," Netanyahu said at that time. In December 2018, Republican Senators Ted Cruz and Tom Cotton introduced a draft resolution to the Senate, which encouraged the US to officially recognize the status-quo in the area. "Israel gained possession over the Golan Heights in a defensive war over 50 years ago, and has responsibly controlled the area ever since. It's past time for the United States to recognize reality by affirming Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights," the text of the resolution said. Also on rt.com Golan Heights forever ours! Israel praises US for its vote against UN anti-occupation resolution The Trump administration is no stranger to controversy when it comes to Israel. In one of its most contentious moves, Washington recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and relocated the US embassy from Tel Aviv to the holy city, provoking a wave of indignation, particularly in the Middle East. Months following the move, US ambassador David Friedman actually hinted that Washington might recognize Israel's claims over the Golans as well. Like this story? Share it with a friend! With the start of the 2019 legislative session, one might hope the US Senate would prioritize ending the two-week government shutdown. Instead, the Senates first bill of the year reportedly aims to protect Israel from boycotts. According to The Intercept, the first piece of legislation to be rolled out by the 2019 GOP-controlled Senate will give the US government the authority to cut ties with companies that choose to boycott Israel. The not-very-America-first decree is part of a series of foreign policy-related measures which will make up S.1 the designation given to the symbolically important first bill of the session. The boycott-banning legislation has apparently taken precedence over the ongoing government shutdown already the third-longest on record, shuttering nine departments and leaving hundreds of thousands of government workers without paychecks. With Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida) as the lead sponsor, the Combating BDS Act is expected to receive bipartisan support. Coincidentally, punishing corporations and individuals who support the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement is a top legislative priority for AIPAC, the powerful pro-Israel lobby. The bill was previously introduced (but never passed) last year, and gave state and local governments the authority to refuse to do business with US firms participating in a boycott against Israel. Similar anti-BDS legislation has already been adopted in 26 states. So far, two federal courts have ruled that punishing companies or individuals who boycott goods produced in Israel violates constitutionally-protected rights under the First Amendment. S.1 is purportedly being specially drafted to avoid similar legal challenges but has already come under fire from civil liberties groups. In a comment provided to The Intercept, the ACLU said that the bill would weaken Americans First Amendment protections and sends a message to Americans that they will be penalized if they dare to disagree with their government or Israel, for that matter. Many on Twitter expressed disgust that senators were giving Israel priority over their own constituents. If the bill passes the Senate, it would then go before the Democrat-controlled House, where Nancy Pelosi may have to choose between her ardent support for Israel or freedom of speech. Like this story? Share it with a friend! White House national security adviser John Bolton added a new condition on Sunday to the U.S. withdrawal from Syria, saying Turkey must agree to protect the United States' Kurdish allies. President Donald Trump's abrupt decision to announce a U.S. pull-out from Syria left open many questions, chiefly whether Kurds fighters operating in northern Syria would now be targetted by their long-time enemy Turkey. Bolton, on a four-day trip to Israel and Turkey, said he would stress in talks with Turkish officials, including President Tayyip Erdogan, that the Kurds must be safeguarded. "We don't think the Turks ought to undertake military action that's not fully coordinated with and agreed to by the United States at a minimum so they don't endanger our troops, but also so that they meet the president's requirement that the Syrian opposition forces that have fought with us are not endangered," Bolton told reporters ahead of talks with Israeli officials. Bolton, who will travel to Turkey on Monday, said the United States will talk to Turkey to find out what its objectives and capabilities were. But Bolton said Trump's position is Turkey may not kill the Kurds and that the U.S. withdrawal would not take place without an agreement on that. Short link: 3 Afghan security forces wounded in Kabul sticky bomb attack 3 Afghan security forces wounded in Kabul sticky bomb attack At least three members of Afghanistans security forces were wounded after a so-called sticky bomb was placed on a military vehicle in Kabul. The injured were transported to a hospital where they received treatment for their non-life-threatening wounds. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. In recent months, Afghanistans capital has suffered from a surge of terrorist attacks carried out by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) and the Taliban. In December, 47 people were killed and more than two dozen were injured after gunmen stormed a government building in Kabul.Source : RT - Daily news Following the departure of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi from the cathedral, Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II leads mass to usher in a new year. 21:10 After making his way through the crowds who were reaching to shake hands with the president, El-Sisi welcomed Egypt's guests from Arab and foreign countries attending the Christmas celebration at the Nativity of the Christ Cathedral. The president then saluted the Egyptians who sacrificed their lives for their country. "I want to say that this moment is very important in our history, because when I was at St Mark's Cathedral a year ago, I told the pope that we would be celebrating the completion of the mosque and the cathedral, and here we are standing together with the promise fulfilled." "This occasion is a message that we will not allow anybody to come between us, and I do not like to use the term sectarian strife because Muslims and Christians in Egypt are one, and will stay one," El-Sisi said. "This occasion represents a tree of love which we have planted together, but this tree still needs attention and care so that its fruit reaches from Egypt to the whole world," El-Sisi said. "Strife will not end, but God saved Egypt and he will continue to do so for the sake of its people," he added. "In 2013, when many churches were attacked, the pope said at the time that "a country without churches is better than churches without a country," I will not forget these words from Pope Tawadros," the president said. "These words preserved our country and enabled us not only to repair what was damaged, but to build new 14 cities and megaprojects," the president said. "On this happy occasion I must stress that Egyptians should take care of their country with awareness and alertness." "Merry Christmas and happy New Year to all Egyptians. Long live Egypt." 20:55 El-Sisi enters the cathedral to a raucous applause and a festive atmosphere from thousands of attendees waving Egyptian flags. 20:45 The head of Al-Azhar the world's foremost institute of Sunni Islamic learning Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb said that this is a momentous occasion, as it is the first time in history that a mosque and a church are built and inaugurated at the same time. Speaking after the president unveiled the inauguration plaque, El-Tayeb said that "this is the embodiment of the soul of brotherhood and love." El-Tayeb also said that Islamic law dictates that Christian and Jewish houses of worship must be safeguarded to the same extent that mosques are protected. The grand Imam stressed that Egypt's coptic community and their churches have been both build and protected since the arrival of Islam. El-Tayyeb argued against misguided attempts to use fatwas issued in a completely different historical period, such as those defensive edicts issued during the crusades, in our modern world. The grand Imam finished his comments by thanking President El-Sisi and wishing Pope Tawadros II and Egyptian Christians a merry Christmas. 20:30 President El-Sisi arrives at the Nativity of the Christ Cathedral and unveils the inauguration plaque. 20:25 President El-Sisi, accompanied by Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II and other state officials, is set to arrive to the Nativity of the Christ Cathedral in the New Administrative Capital to attend its inauguration. The president will celebrate the Coptic Orthodox Christmas at the largest church in Egypt and the Middle East. Egypt's Christians number 10 to 15 percent of the country's 104 million population. Egyptian Copts celebrate Christmas on 7 January. 19:50 Following the President's tour and Pope Tawadros II's comments, El-Sisi, Palestinian President Abbas, the head of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayyeb, as well as other state officials and Muslim clerics pray Al-Ishaa prayer headed by Imam Osama El-Azhari at Al-Fattah Al-Alim Mosque. 19:40 "This is a day of joy as we see our beloved country write a new page in the history of civilisation," Pope Tawadros II said at the mosque's inauguration. "Today we celebrate an unprecedented occasion where the minarets of Al-Fattah Al-Alim Mosque are embracing those of the Nativity of the Christ Cathedral, opening a new horizon for our beloved country on this happy occasion, achieved through the Egyptian people's donations and efforts with sincerity and love," the pope said. "As an Egyptian citizen, I am happy to stand in the mosque to celebrate its opening with my Muslim brothers." Addressing President El-Sisi, Pope Tawadros II said, "in January of last year, you promised to build the mosque and the cathedral... it was a very hard mission to achieve but we are seeing the promise fulfilled on this great occasion." "We thank you Mr President and all the companies, engineers, and workers who contributed to the completion of these great projects," Pope Tawadros II said. The pope also extended special thanks to the Egyptian Armed Forces and the army's Engineering Authority for completing these projects in such a short timeframe. "We pray for our unity to continue as the world witnesses such tolerance and love in our country, God bless you all, long live Egypt," the pope concluded. 19:30 President El-Sisi inaugurates and tours Al-Fattah Al-Alim Mosque. The president is accompanied by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II, and local and international dignitaries. A senior army officer with the Armed Forces Engineering Authority briefed El-Sisi on the process of constructing the giant mosque. 18:30 President El-Sisi is expected to arrive at Al-Fattah Al-Alim Mosque in the New Administrative Capital after the muezzin calls for the Al-Ishaa prayer. The president will be inaguarating the mosque, the largest in the country and one of the largest in the Middle East. 18:20 The opening ceremony for the inauguration of the Nativity of Christ Cathedral and Al-Fattah Al-Alim mosque, which was held at the convention centre, ended with the national anthem, with festive fireworks launched from the top of the new capitals convention centre. Popular Egyptian singer Angham performed a song about national unity between Christians and Muslims. 18:10 In another documentary, Egyptian children, both Christian and Muslim, boys and girls, recalled the names of their best friends, expressed respect for each other's religion, and repeated one theme; No one can divide us. A group of children participated in a choir about Egyptians being unified, without discrimination. Muslim and Copt, next to his brother, how will they differentiate them? the children sung. 17:45 During the ceremony, a short documentary on the construction of both the cathedral and the mosque was played for the audience. The documentary reviewed the arduous process of constructing both the cathedral and the mosque. The engineering staff that worked on the construction, both men and women, Muslim and Christian, spoke of the solidarity and pride they shared while building the religious landmarks. 17:43 US President Donald Trump tweeted, "Excited to see our friends in Egypt opening the biggest Cathedral in the Middle East. President El-Sisi is moving his country to a more inclusive future!" 17:40 In a short video message aired before the attendees, Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, congratulated the Egyptian people, government and president on the inauguration of the new cathedral. 17:30 Following the moment of silence, the celebration on stage started with a live performance of Islamic chants and Christian hymns by various artists. 17:15 El-Sisi asked attendees to stand for a moment of silence for police officer Mostafa Ebeid, who was killed late on Saturday while attempting to defuse an improvised explosive device (IED) found near a church in Nasr City, Cairo. 17:10 The Egyptian president also receives Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is attending the ceremony along with other Arab leaders. 17:00 Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi arrived in the New Administrative Capital' convention center to attend a ceremony as he inaugurates the countrys largest cathedral and mosque on Sunday. ---------- The Nativity of Christ Cathedral in Egypt's New Administrative Capital, which occupies 30 percent of the 4.14-acre site allocated to the complex. The cathedral can accommodate 8,200 worshippers and the complex has been designed around a large central square. Al-Fattah Al-Alim Mosque, which holds more than 17,000 worshippers, is the largest mosque in the country and the Middle East. Short link: Two years earlier, when Clay had attempted to force the institution to recharter early, Jackson rejected the legislation in a strongly worded veto message. Then, in an effort to cripple the bank, he ordered Treasury Secretary William Duane to withdraw all federal government deposits from the institution. When Duane declined because this action would impair the functioning of an institution properly established by the federal government, he was fired. His replacement was also fired for failing to carry out Jackson's illegal bidding. Eventually, Roger Taney did what his predecessors would not. An incensed Clay drafted, and the Whig Senate adopted, a resolution declaring that Jackson had "assumed upon himself authority and power not conferred by the Constitution and laws, but in derogation of both." THE SALVATION ARMY CHILDRENS SERVICES, Allentown, needs energetic volunteers who want to make a difference in the lives of foster children and families in the Lehigh Valley by helping to plan the eighth annual Rock N Run 4 Kids. This is a 10K, 5K, and Kids Fun Run held in May at Coca-Cola Park. This is a flexible opportunity with the ability to do much of the work on your own time. Group meetings are once a month. Call Jessica Jacobs, 610-821-7706, jessica.jacobs@use.salvationarmy.org. That was the case with the opening song, Flight, which the group has played in recent years at Godfreys. It seemed far more muscular, and heavier, than before, with Weider going off on an excursion for the last minute of the four-minute song, earning roaring applause. The Fed IS the Ugly Truth This Fed thing just keeps going on, and it needs to stop. There is nothing in the discussion about the Federal Reserve these days that has any value other than it provides even more proof that the Fed has killed off the most essential elements of what once made the US economy function. All markets, stocks, bonds, housing markets, all price discovery, all murdered. No heartbeat. Pining for the fjords. And instead of addressing that, and Im not even talking about addressing fixing what is wrong, all I see is neverending stuff about Jay Powell using, or not using, terms such as patient or accommodative. Like any of it means anything coming from him and his ilk. Other than for making investors a quick buck. Like a quick buck could ever trump the survival of entire market systems. People discussing whether Jay Powell is doing a good job all miss the point. Because Powell should not be doing that job in the first place. The Fed should not have the power to manipulate the US economy anywhere near as much as it does. Because that power is perverting America like nothing else, and the US economy will never recover as long as the Fed holds that power. Is that clear enough? Do we understand that at least? Powell apparently changed his tune Friday in order to let the mirage that the stock market has become, live another day. Almost literally a day, since it will come crumbling down no matter what he does, just a day or so later. Its all some message hidden in his use of patience or accommodative. Nothing he does will have any effect in the medium or longer term, and he knows it. The entire US economy today is about the quick buck. Its about tomorrow morning only because nobody has the guts to look at 10 years from now. That makes Jay Powell and his whole Federistas staff worse than useless. It makes no difference if perhaps jobs are doing well; the pre-Powell Fed launched a bubble and that bubble will burst one day, a whole series of them will. The only good thing he can do is get out of the way and let the markets be the markets, to let them discover prices by letting people interact with people. But who exactly in the US has the power to make the Fed go away? If you were one of the people who thought Jerome Powell was different from the rest of the Fed head honchos, the ones who preceded him, and Im by no means just talking Greenspan, Bernanke and Yellen, you can now consider yourself corrected. Powell is not going to keep hiking rates if a bunch of zombie markets keep falling like they did in December 2018, even though thats just what we should want zombies to do, and even if hiking is the only way to resurrect a degree of normality and functionality into the markets. Greenspan, Bernanke and Yellen, by the way, like Powell, just serve(d) to give the beast a human face, and one that the actual power brokers can hide behind. Over the past nigh 106 years since the blinded wagons rode to Jekyll island, the individual brokers may have died their natural deaths, but the institution they represented and served blindly, never did. Seen in that light, the Fed was/is a kind of a forerunner of the 2010 Citizens United legislation that granted corporations the same rights as individual citizens. The -perverse- sense, that is, in which citizens do die, but corporations do not. So they are much more, and much more powerful, than citizens. Citizens Limited should have set a time limit, like the ones all corporations used to have, and the Fed should have had the shortest and strictest limit of all. And you were worried about Brett Kavanaugh being named to the Supreme Court Just as an example of how wrong we get these things these days, Lets turn to Sven Henrichs piece in MarketWatch this weekend. Henrich is the founder and lead market strategist of NorthmanTrader.com, and g-d bless him, Im sure he means well, but he gets things so upside down its not funny. He writes about that quick buck only, and doesnt see the future. Its like Danielle DiMartino Booth writing on Twitter Friday: In one word Powell CAVED to pressure 16 days after a taking hard line. The one thing he did do he should have done after last FOMC meeting was convey that the Fed would truly be data dependent going forward. Gradual needs to go. Winner: Stock Market. Loser: Powells Credibility. Danielle is great, and probably much smarter than I am, but shes also a former Fed employee, and that brings a shade of blindness with it. What are the odds that she will state anytime soon that the Fed can only, possibly, make things worse for the American economy? I dont think those odds are good. Back to Sven Henrich. In essence, its ridiculous that a news outlet like MarketWatch still has the guts to publish a piece like his, or that someone like him has the guts to write it. Because it means there still are people, perhaps the author(s) and editors among them, who havent yet understood what has happened, even after 10 years and change. They are people who think the Fed can do right, that they can fix things if only they find the right policies. We have to get rid of this illusion because the Fed will not, can not, fix what is wrong with the economy, or the markets for that matter. Quite the contrary, the Fed can only make things worse. We know this because the only way the markets can be fixed, brought back to life indeed, is to let them function, and the only way they can function is when they can discover what things, stocks, bonds, homes etc., are worth, without some unit with unlimited financial power interrupting. Central banks are founded for one reason only: to save banks from bankruptcy, invariably at the cost of society at large. Theyll bring down markets and societies just to make sure banks dont go under. Theyll also, and even, do that when these banks have taken insane risks. Its a battle societies cant possibly win as long as central banks can raise unlimited amounts of money and shove it into private banks. Ergo: societies cant survive the existence of a central bank that serves the interests of its private banks. is it $15 trillion, or is it 20, or 30? How much did China add to the total? And for what? How much of it has been invested in productivity? I bet you its not even 10%. The rest has just been wasted on a facade of a functioning economy. Those facades tend to get terribly expensive. Western economies would have shrunk into negative GDP growth if not for the $15-20 trillion their central banks injected over the past decade. And that is seen, or rather presented, as something so terrible you got to do anything to prevent it from happening. As if its completely natural, and desirable, for an economy to grow forever. It isnt and it wont happen, but keeping the illusion alive serves to allow the rich to put their riches in a safe place, to increase inequality and to prepare those who need it least to save most to ride out the storm they themselves are creating and deepening. And everyone else can go stuff themselves. And sure, perhaps a central bank could have some function that benefits society. Its just that none of them ever do, do they? Central banks benefit private banks, and since the latter have for some braindead reason been gifted with the power to issue our money, while we could have just as well done that ourselves, the circle is round and we aint in it. No, the Fed doesnt hide the ugly truth. The Fed is that ugly truth. And if we dont get rid of it, it will get a lot uglier still before the entire edifice falls to pieces. This is not complicated stuff, thats just what youre made to believe. Nobody needs the Fed who doesnt want to pervert markets and society, it is that simple. By Raul Ilargi Meijer Website: http://theautomaticearth.com (provides unique analysis of economics, finance, politics and social dynamics in the context of Complexity Theory) 2019 Copyright Raul I Meijer - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors. Raul Ilargi Meijer Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. Related Police officer killed while attempting to defuse IED in Cairo Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church mourned Sunday a police officer who was killed while defusing an improvised explosive device (IED) found near a church in Nasr City, Cairo. The church, in a statement, offered condolences to the family of the deceased, thanking the police for their efforts and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. According to security sources in Cairo, a police officer was killed Saturday while trying to defuse an improvised explosive device (IED) that was found in a slum area in Nasr City district near a church. The police officer was a bomb disposal expert in the Cairo security directorate. The IED, which was put in a bag, was placed on a building's roof in Ezzbet El-Hagana. A mosque imam reported to authorities that a suspicious bag was left on the roof of the building. Egypt's Orthodox Christians will celebrate Christmas in churches across the country Sunday evening. Short link: Melinda "Mindy" Kaye (Tweet) Tarleton, age 52, of Budapest, Hungary, originally of Leota, MN, graduated to heaven on June 12, 2021 in Mankato, MN. Funeral service will be 9 a.m. on Thursday, June 17, 2021 at Hosanna Lutheran Church in Mankato, lunch following. Visitation and concurrent memor Why it matters: A sacred pipe returned to the Dakota community establishes a notable link to the past that helps educate all of us about our history in southern Minnesota. A spate of brutal witch-hunts has plunged parts of Papua New Guineas highlands into a state of terror, as fearful tribes blame dark forces for their rapidly changing world. In one particularly horrifying incident, an elderly woman writhes and pleads hysterically as she is mercilessly beaten, raped and tortured on a hut floor, before her naked bodybloodied and nearly lifelessis dragged outside, where a village mob beats and burns her until movement ceases. Almost everyone joins in. No one bothers to obscure their face. No one tries to stop it. The crowd believe what they are doing is right: the only way to stop a non-human sorcerer who has killed their clansman and devoured his heart. The graphic scene was captured by cell phone video that was obtained by AFP. Dozens of similar videos have been gathered as evidence by the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary showing the brutal reality of modern-day witch-hunts. There have been at least 20 murders linked to sorcery accusations in this part of the highlands in the past few years, and dozens more violent attacks. In places like the remote Tsak Valley, attacks have spread like bushfire, said Senior Inspector Epenes Nili, even resulting in an attack on the countrys then chief justice. Belief in sorcery and witchcraft has long been common across Enga province and Papua New Guinea, but these lynchings are not some ancient rite or custom. This is a new phenomenon, insisted Anton Lutz, a Lutheran missionary who has spent his life in Enga Province and has rescued accused sorcerers, some as young as six. Other researchers say widespread lynchings are new in Enga, and the extreme brutality and sexual nature of the attacks is unheard of. We did have ancient beliefs about ghosts and ancient beliefs about stones that could talk and all kinds of interesting things, Lutz said. But this practice of accusing a woman of causing a death and torturing her sadistically and sexually for hours until she dies, that is a new thing. It began about five years ago, he said. We had a serious rise last year. It just seemed like there was an attack happening every week, every fortnight. According to Lutz, each spasm of violence seemed to begin with a death that locals found difficult to explain. Heart attacks, diabetes and HIV/AIDS are becoming more common, but are still not well understood. The death of an otherwise healthy person was more easily blamed on sorcery than cholesterol. Even a recent drunk driving crash that killed eight people prompted a violent witch-hunt, as people tried to explain why some passengers survived and others did not. The sheer number of people involved in the mob attacks ensures that news spreads quickly, as does fear, due to the widespread belief that witches dont act alone. The emergence of Glasmanopportunist diviners who travel the countryside detecting witches for money also exponentially increased the rate of killings. So too did tribally ordained retribution.Like the old woman in the video, 55-year-old mother-of-two Rachel, was accused of sangumasorcery. Her story shows how quickly suspicion can turn into violence. Her life changed suddenly in April 2017, when she went with her family to pay her respects at a funeral service for a member of a neighboring tribe.She was getting ready to leave, looking for her children, when she was grabbed by the dead mans son. Unbeknown to Rachel, another woman had been accused of involvement in his death and under torture named Rachel as part of a coven. Rachel pleaded innocence. But she was stripped and, like the murdered woman in the video, violated and burned with hot machetes, spades and rods for a full day by people she knew who were trying to make her return the heart of her victim. The pain was beyond endurance, she recalled, speaking to AFP as a crowd of localssome curious, others appearing suspiciousgathered near her hut. I thought I would die. With her mouth gagged, and the pain too much to bear, she managed only a silent prayer: You gave me the job of caring for my children, but if I die, who will care for them? Only a dispute among the mob, estimated at around a thousand people, saved her life.Across Papua New Guinea the specifics of witch-hunts are bafflingly different. In Enga, the victims of violence are almost exclusively women. But on Bougainville island they are almost always men. In Port Moresby, where violence linked to sorcery accusations has also increased, men and women are targeted. Researcher Miranda Forsyth at the Australian National University, who has studied hundreds of such cases, sees grim patterns emerging. She describes a script of violent responses to suspected sorcerers that is spreading across Enga. Part of the phenomenon is people trying to deal with high levels of uncertainty due to dramatic economic, social and cultural changes, Forsyth said. Authorities know the toxic brew will be difficult to remedy. In the meantime, fear has turned the whole place into a paranoid mess, said Lutz. Almost two years after Rachels attack, she can walk again and has returned to her village, although even among her own people, she still lives in fear. The situation is still tense, she said in a near whisper. The burns she sustained in the attack had only partially been treated when a mob came to the clinic where she was recuperating, forcing her to flee. She still complains of skin being tight and painful around her torso. Even though I still need surgery, I am afraid my attackers might kill me if I go. So I live with the pain. I hope that things will calm down so that I can go to the hospital, but for now, the way is closed. AFP In the worlds largest refugee camp, where 1.1 million Rohingya Muslim refugees reside, 105 families have been stranded caught in a war that was not theirs. Unlike the rest of the refugees, these families are Rohingya Hindus a small minority within a minority that had lived peacefully for generations in Myanmars western Rakhine state alongside Muslims and members of the Buddhist majority. In the violence that engulfed Rakhine beginning in August 2017 when Rohingya Muslim militants attacked police checkpoints and the army responded by killing or maiming thousands of Muslim civilians 99 Hindus were killed and burned in mass graves. The Hindu villages were attacked by members of a militant group called the Arakhan Rohingya Salvation Army, or ARSA, that was also responsible for the attacks against the police. (Los Angeles Times) Advertisement Hindus who survived fled in the only direction they could: across the Naf River and into Bangladeshs sprawling refugee camps meant for Rohingya Muslims, the very people they blame for the violence against them. Fifteen months into the crisis, the Hindus minority status has sharpened: While Rohingya Muslims have categorically rejected a plan that would repatriate the refugees, Hindus are ready to return to Myanmar, a view that has placed them at odds with the vast majority of people in the camps. In May 2018, the United Nations struck a deal with the Myanmar government under which refugees would be allowed to return to Rakhine, although not necessarily to their original villages, many of which have reportedly been razed or occupied by Buddhists. The deal was widely criticized for not meeting the Rohingya Muslims main demands: a restoration of citizenship rights that they have been denied for decades, freedom of movement and guarantees of safety. Within hours, the Hindu families were packed and ready to go. But many Muslim refugees protested the terms by striking from jobs they hold as teachers, health workers, translators and builders in the camps. Human rights group assailed the plan as unworkable. The United Nations refugee agency has shelved the plan a welcome move for the majority of refugees, but one that has pushed the Hindus to the edge of their endurance. We were told the repatriation process will begin Nov. 11, said 50-year-old Jushna Pal, a mother of five. We were told to be ready. Our bags have been packed since then. Jushna Pal, center, and her neighbors in the Hindu Camp in southern Bangladesh. (Amir Hamza / For The Times) Muslims make up the vast majority of the more than 1 million ethnic Rohingya who once lived in Rakhine. Although many families trace their ancestry in Rakhine back several generations, Myanmar regards Rohingya Muslims as Bangladeshis who migrated there illegally and has denied them citizenship, freedom of movement and other basic rights, and frequently subjected them to state-backed violence. Hindus, by contrast, still hold citizenship in Myanmar and enjoyed greater rights there. Advertisement On Aug. 25, 2017, the same day that militant attacks on police checkpoints left 12 officers dead, masked assailants attacked the Hindu village of Fakirabad in Rakhines Maungdaw township. An Amnesty International report found that the attackers robbed, bound, and blindfolded [villagers] before marching them to the outskirts of the village, where they separated the men from the women and young children. The report described the attackers as members of ARSA and said they later executed 53 Hindus, starting with the men. Another 46 Hindus were believed to have been killed in an attack in another village, Amnesty International said. Far more widespread massacres occurred in Muslim villages, leading the U.N. to declare the Myanmar military campaign as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing. More than 800,000 Rohingya fled across the border to Bangladesh, joining refugees who had fled earlier rounds of violence and swelling the populations of the makeshift camps along the southeastern border. In Bangladesh, the more than 400 Hindu refugees, most of them children, live in a settlement known as Hindu Camp just outside one of the 27 refugee settlements that make up the sprawling Kutupalong and Balukhali complex. The Bangladesh government segregated the Hindus, who live under around-the-clock security in the only camp to have a constant police presence. Advertisement Families living in Hindu Camp are suspicious of outsiders and cagey with journalists. They detest their Rohingya Muslim neighbors, blaming them for their losses, for spawning the ARSA group and for opposing the repatriation plan. The animosity is mutual: Many Rohingya Muslims accuse Hindus of benefiting from the violence, alleging that Hindu families that stayed behind took property and livestock that had belonged to Muslims. In September 2017, weeks after the mass arrivals into the camps, two Hindus were killed and nine admitted to hospitals after violence broke out between the refugees. It is terrifying to live like this, said Shishu Sheel, a 32-year-old leader in the Hindu Camp. We are under threat because we dont blame the Myanmar government for the violence. It goes against the testimonies given by Rohingya Muslims. Rohingya Hindu children from Myanmar attend school at a refugee camp in Bangladesh in November. (Dibyangshi Sarkar / AFP/Getty Images) Advertisement Bangladeshs Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commission, which is responsible for the camps, said repatriating Hindus and not Muslims is not an option. We treat all refugees the same way and will not be prioritizing repatriation of the Hindu refugees over Rohingya Muslims, said Shamimul Huq Pavel, the commission official who oversees the Hindu Camp. The Hindu families have appealed to the Indian government for help, but so far New Delhi has provided only humanitarian aid and words of concern. Prime Minister Narendra Modis government has also taken a tough line regarding Rohingya Muslims who fled to India, describing the estimated 40,000 refugees as a security threat and deporting a dozen of them back to Myanmar despite the threats against them. Officials in Indias foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment. Advertisement Sheel said the Hindu refugees expected more from Modi, a nationalist whose party has built a strong voter base by emphasizing the supremacy of Indias majority religion. India is a land for all Hindus. Mr. Modi is a Hindu. Why is he not helping us? Sheel said. The Hindu families say they are growing increasingly desperate and that if help doesnt come soon, they will consider trying to sneak back across the Naf River into Myanmar, despite their fears of leaving their camp and of being shot or captured at the border by Myanmar soldiers who might mistake them for Muslims. We cannot live like this any longer, said 35-year-old refugee Madhuram Pal. The Muslim families are being prioritized, but no one is telling us when we will be sent back. Advertisement Krishnan is a special correspondent. Times staff writer Shashank Bengali contributed to this report from Singapore. We enjoyed the resolution in the Dec. 23 On the Spot column (New Year, New Ways Ahead, by Catharine Hamm) about not arriving too early when you travel. We likewise leave plenty of time, as we have to drive about 125 miles over three freeways. We can easily imagine a minor problem turning into a missed flight. We would rather sit in the terminal waiting for a flight than sit in traffic, picturing our flight boarding without us, taking off and arriving at our destination with our empty seats. So we allow plenty of time to start our journey, sometimes too much. On our last trip, we encountered clear sailing all the way to LAX and made our way to check-in about five hours early. We joined a long line at the counter, eventually creeping to the head. Too early: The agent would not let us check in nor would he accept our bags. We found one restaurant on this side of the security gate and enjoyed a meal while counting the time until we could line up again. Still, we allow a lot of time to arrive at the airport and take care of business. We just see it as part of traveling. Advertisement Dave Middleton and Kathy Hudgins Rancho Mirage Kiwi surprises We just returned from a three-week trip to New Zealand. We tried not to overpack; we figured on finding a public laundromat at some point. We were pleasantly surprised to find that several hotels had a small laundry room with tokens available from the front desk for just a couple dollars, detergent included. Another pleasant discovery in New Zealand was that tips were not expected or even encouraged. We were reminded a few times by the locals that good service was a matter of pride in ones job and not dependent on tips. Lasse Poulsen Aliso Viejo Advertisement A window on the world Thanks for excavating the glowing memories of the strange and wonderful travel books of John L. Stoddard (A World Traveler by Proxy, Departure Points, by Lori Erickson, Dec. 23). I also rode on those magic carpets to exotic lands. My father was a construction worker and he sometimes brought home books that were being thrown away from demolished buildings. Among them was a box of Stoddards books, as Erickson described them, smelling of mold but charged with wonder. I treasured those images of faraway people and places, and they planted my life-long interest in journeys of self-discovery. The world is full of interesting connections, as you point out. Well done. Advertisement Chris Vogler Playa del Rey travel@latimes.com @latimestravel The eight-mile-long river of lava that poured down the slopes of Kilauea volcano on the island of Hawaii last spring destroyed nearly everything in its path roads, houses and cars. It upended lives and the tourism industry, scaring away about $480 million in business. But part of what it left behind offers a glimmer of hope for the battered land and economy: a new black sand beach. In early December, I visited the island to see what the destructive lava flow had done to the largest of the Hawaiian Islands and to visit the newly formed crescent beach at Isaac Hale Beach Park, also known as Pohoiki. (Lou Spirito For The Times) Advertisement When the lava flowed down the slopes of Kilaueas Lower East Rift Zone, many people assumed the beach park would be destroyed, but the lava stopped 230 feet from the boat ramp and emptied into the sea. Instead of destroying Pohoiki, it created a black sand beach, two surf breaks and three thermal ponds. As I was drove the narrow, two-lane highway known as the Red Road (Hawaii 137) around the rocky coastline of lower Puna, I was reminded that this wild, tropical terrain at the base of Kilauea is unlike anywhere else in the islands. Until recently, many visitors came here by land or sea hoping to catch a glimpse of molten lava. Now they are coming to see not what was destroyed but what was created. Gathering place This isnt the first time a black sand beach was produced during Kilaueas 35 years of ongoing eruptions, nor is it the only one born of last years eruption, but it is the largest black sand beach created in the islands in recent times. When word got out there was now a black sand beach at Pohoiki, visitors and residents hiked over a rugged lava field to be among the first to see it. Leomana Turalde, a native Hawaiian, traveled from Hilo with his younger brother and his daughter. The creation of a beach was a lesson for the younger family members, he said, about Hawaiian culture. I tell them Hawaiian language and culture lives through the chant and the dances and the songs that we have, so if we dont go out and experience things and record them and take note and just be the first here, then how do [they] expect the tradition that we carry to continue on? he said. Advertisement Pohoiki has served the community as a family gathering place for generations. When the lava was coming down, a lot of the community was sharing memories about certain spots, Turalde said. Those areas are gone, but its exciting for us now that we have this new beach a huge black sand beach we didnt have before. Pohoikis new black sand beach, in Puna, Hawaii. (Christine Hitt) How this beach came to be begins with hot lava and cold water, said Tina Neal, scientist in charge at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, which has temporarily relocated to Hilo from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Hot molten lava interacting with cold ocean water produces explosions, Neal said. Part of that is wave action breaking up the new lava. All of that produces a source of sand, and that sand is carried by the ocean current down the coastline to the places where it will naturally accumulate. Advertisement The long, wide beach is gorgeous, shaped like a crescent moon. The sand is a mix of textures, from fine grains to small, rough rocks, which, in time, will be ground down by the waves. The landscape reminded me of long-lost Kaimu Beach about 11 miles away near Kalapana. Its black sand was framed by a backdrop of palm trees and was thought to be Hawaiis most photographed black sand beach until it was overrun by lava in 1990. A new, smaller beach exists in its place. RELATED: Hawaii Island isnt itself anymore. Lava and quakes have transformed it in interesting ways Blessings and offerings I walked from one end of the beach to the other, my feet crunching in the sand, as I took it in. People of all ages were swimming in the largest of the newly created ponds, formed when the black sand beach surrounded the once popular Pohoiki Boat Ramp, used to launch small craft. Advertisement Tourists explore by a tide pool at Pohoikis new black sand beach, created by the recent lava flow in Puna, Hawaii. (Elyse Butler) Its unknown whether the Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources will dredge the sand blocking the boat ramp so it can be used, but for now, the place has become a popular swimming hole. Swimming in the ocean here isnt advised because of the strong currents and dangerous shore break, but that doesnt deter the handful of surfers who find a thrill in a new spot. Meanwhile, on the day of my visit, a kahu (priest) blessed the beach with prayers and Hawaiian oli (chants) and led a procession of cultural offerings. Advertisement Men, women and children lined up to leave leis and wrapped ti-leaf bundles on the beach as a sign of respect and gratitude. Those in the audience that have been tremendously hurt by the lava, this is a way that gives you a lot of feeling of goodness, Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim told the crowd. I ask all of us to take care of this place. It is a special place to a lot of people. Like other beaches, this one is at the mercy of erosion from the surf and other changes wrought by time. But as history has shown in this land ruled by Kilauea, change can come all too quickly, so its best to make memories now and cherish the time its here. Advertisement If you go Isaac Hale Beach Park, 13-101 Kalapana-Kapoho Road, Pahoa. Open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. No drinking water. No camping. travel@latimes.com @latimestravel Its unlikely two consecutive California governors have ever shared the multigenerational family connection that links Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom to his predecessor, Gov. Jerry Brown. But beware those looking for something deep: Any ties that bind together the two Democrats do so loosely. Its just not a normal political relationship, Newsom, who will be sworn in Monday, said in an earlier interview with The Times. Brown is a singular figure in Californias modern history, the scion of a political family whose meteoric rise in the 1970s gave way to failed efforts at the presidency and U.S. Senate before an electoral rebirth as a mayor, attorney general and governor. And it was Newsom, then a brash, young San Francisco mayor, who briefly stood in Browns way, launching an ambitious campaign for the 2010 governors race that fizzled almost a year before the election. But the story goes back much further: Brown and Newsom are members of a political fraternity that dominated their shared hometown of San Francisco for much of the 20th century. Advertisement On crime and punishment, Gov. Jerry Brown leaves behind revised rules and a new focus on redemption Former Gov. Pat Brown, the current governors late father, was elected that citys district attorney in 1943 after a campaign financed by three friends, including William A. Newsom II, the governor-elects grandfather and son of a prominent builder and bank investor. If they hadnt agreed to put up $5,000 [each], I wouldnt have been a candidate, Pat Brown said in a 1978 interview for UC Berkeleys oral history project. In 1960, Browns administration awarded a Squaw Valley concession contract to the elder Newsom, a deal panned by a legislative analyst as the state paying for everything and getting nothing. The two mens sons grew up alongside each other. William A. Newsom III, the governor-elects father, who died last month, was a few years older than Jerry Brown. Both graduated from San Franciscos St. Ignatius High School and Bill Newsom once briefly dated Browns sister, the governor told the crowd at her eulogy in 2015. During his first term as governor in 1975, Brown appointed Bill Newsom to the Superior Court in Placer County and then to a state appeals court. The governor-elects father once recounted how his interest in environmental law and preserving Lake Tahoe had intrigued Brown. I went up a couple of times when Gavin was a little boy, and we met with Jerry and talked about things at the lake, Bill Newsom said in his own oral history interview with UC Berkeley in 2009. Decades later, the young Newsom and an older Brown ended up on a political collision course. In 2011, frustrated with Browns slow pace for appointing members of an economic commission he chaired as lieutenant governor, Newsom drafted his own statewide proposal. Brown, deep into an effort to erase a $27-billion budget deficit, didnt look kindly on the effort and grabbed the issue for himself by appointing a statewide jobs czar. Advertisement Looking back, I wish I had a do-over, Newsom told The Times last spring. Hes dealing with triage and solvency. I would approach it differently. In the years since, Newsom has praised Browns fiscal philosophy for teaching that you do not have to be profligate to be progressive, a mantra to be tested once hundreds of bills with spending projections sure to run into the billions of dollars are sent to his desk by the Legislature. But on Monday, it will be Newsoms call on what to do, though few expect Brown now with plenty of time to offer advice to disappear altogether. At a campaign event last fall, already preparing to move to his Northern California ranch, he had a simple message for his successor: Im only an hour from Sacramento, he said. So, Gavin, do not screw up. Advertisement john.myers@latimes.com Follow @johnmyers on Twitter, sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter and listen to the weekly California Politics Podcast Multilateral naval drills dubbed "Red Wave-1" conclude in Saudi territorial waters Saturday, Egypt's armed forces announced. The drills, which started four days ago in Saudi Arabia, included as participants naval forces and special forces from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Djibouti, Sudan and Yemen. The drills included forming sailing formations for offensive and defensive purposes, addressing speedboat attacks, live fire training, repelling hostile air attacks, and bolstering inspection capacities. Egyptian naval special forces and frogmen units carried out a demonstration on coastline reconnaissance, opening gaps to secure landing areas for attacking forces, rapid landing by aircraft, launching attacks on naval units within ports, and defending coasts. Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces Mohamed Farid attended the main stage of the drills. Red Wave-1 was aimed at bolstering the participants' preparedness to carry out joint tasks in the Red Sea. The drills were also meant to strengthen the maritime security of countries on the Red Sea, enhancing military cooperation and exchanging combat experience. The exercises are part of a plan for the armed forces to deepen ties with fraternal and friendly countries and reach the highest levels of efficiency and combat readiness, the defence ministry said in a prior statement. Short link: Within an hour of being elected Californias 40th governor, Gavin Newsom cast the occasion as not just a win, but a watershed. As Californians, weve been granted the extraordinary opportunity to write historys next chapter, he told supporters on election night, with the ornate former Los Angeles Stock Exchange as a backdrop. And the extraordinary obligation to help every Californian write their own California story even from the darkest of circumstances. The soaring rhetoric was fitting for a man who had campaigned in all-caps and boldface, offering lofty promises to tackle healthcare, housing and other obstinate problems facing the state. Now, hell have to deliver. Advertisement When Newsom is sworn in as governor on Monday, hell do so with the wind at his back: a robust state economy and flush budget, a forceful electoral victory and a Capitol brimming with Democratic allies. With that good fortune comes great expectations for success, brought on by Newsoms something for everyone campaign that left key constituencies hungry for follow-through. It cant get much better for Newsom, and its almost certain to get worse. An economic contraction, a natural disaster, a rebellion among Democratic lawmakers all threaten the incoming governors footing. All governors have to be somewhat fatalistic, said former Gov. Gray Davis, who started his term in 1998 riding the dot-com boom and ended it in 2003 after he was recalled after the states energy crisis. Your fate is not entirely in your hands. Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom at his 2015 meeting with more than 1,000 registered nurses from California and cross the nation in Los Angeles. Newsom offered his support for California Nurses Assn. proposal for a universal healthcare system, and the nurses now expect him to deliver. (Nick Ut / Associated Press) Youll hold me accountable California progressives were euphoric following the November election and ascent of Newsom, who ran an unabashedly liberal campaign for the states top job. Today, California voters embraced our agenda for affordable health care, quality child care, and worker rights, and they rejected the politics of division and hate in overwhelming numbers, Roxanne Sanchez, president of SEIU California, the states largest labor union, said in an election night statement. Now, Newsoms allies are waiting to see whether his sweeping vows to build more houses, protect the environment and expand social services for the states youngest and oldest will result in actual investment in state dollars and political capital. Perhaps the one constituency that does not hold sky-high hopes for the incoming governor is the business community, which harbors fears that his pledges could explode state spending and require new taxes. Advertisement But Newsom has also taken pains to cast himself as a friend to industry, pointing to a multimillion-dollar hospitality venture as a sign of his entrepreneurial bona fides. Hes got legitimate businesses in this state, and Ive heard him say more than once to groups that he was mindful of how taxes and regulations can drive up costs, said Cassandra Pye, a political strategist and former deputy chief of staff to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who succeeded Davis. Expectations are particularly high for what the governor-elect will do about healthcare, which Newsom described on the campaign trail as an animating passion. He has pledged nothing short of an overhaul, with goals of expanding coverage, tamping down on prices and ensuring widespread access. But Newsom has been publicly coy on how, exactly, he would achieve those aims. The focus on healthcare earned him the backing of a varied group of prominent players in the field, including healthcare providers, insurance companies and labor unions worried about cost. But those supporters have diametrically opposed views on what they want to see in a new healthcare system. Advertisement For the California Nurses Assn., which endorsed Newsom for governor in 2015, the governor-elects swearing-in means a fresh chance at accomplishing its top priority: single-payer healthcare. We expect the governor-elect to deliver on his promise: Medicare for All for all Californians, said Stephanie Roberson, the unions government relations director. Newsom previously sided with the nurses in their push for 2017 legislation to establish a single-payer system. When Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) tabled the measure, Newsom said he thought the bill should continue through the legislative process to fill in key details, such as how to pay for it. One legislative estimate pegged the price tag at around $400 billion. In a meeting with the nurses union after the election, Newsom reiterated his support, Roberson said, telling the group that he would sign a Medicare for All-style bill if it reached his desk. But Roberson acknowledged that Newsom has close ties to other healthcare players including the physicians lobby that staunchly oppose that approach. Advertisement Were not Pollyanna-ish about all of the different groups and all of the different entities that are speaking to the governor, Roberson said. At the end of the day, the end product is what hes committed to and thats single-payer. But such a proposal would face pushback from another major Newsom backer, the California Medical Assn. The notion that hes going to come in and do the single-payer thing, thats where people need to check themselves, said Dustin Corcoran, who leads the physicians group. We should challenge ourselves. We should be creative. We should be ambitious but anchored in pragmatic reality of what we can get done. The price tag, coupled with a need for cooperation from the federal government, poses major barriers to the single-payer model, Corcoran said. The doctors lobby argued last year that the nurses proposal would drive physicians out of the state or into retirement, and lead to longer wait times for appointments and procedures. Instead, doctors expect the healthcare conversation in the Capitol to focus on a more achievable outcome: improving access to care. Advertisement Should Newsom decide to pursue an overhaul of healthcare, it will require a herculean feat of consensus-building or inevitable disappointment for at least one faction of supporters. Since he was elected, Newsom has tried to temper expectations on healthcare and other promises. Californians should not expect homelessness to be eradicated, the healthcare systems ills cured and an end to the housing crisis overnight, Newsom said during a December town hall forum in Fresno. Its a process that will unfold over a course of years, he told reporters after the event. But I wanted to set a tone and tenor of expectation, and Im going to do my best to meet it. Some areas I imagine well exceed it. Some areas well fall short. And youll hold me accountable. The incoming governor has a mandate Newsom secured nearly 62% of the vote in his race against Republican John Cox, the largest electoral win for a California governor since Earl Warren in 1950. He racked up commanding margins in urban hubs such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, narrowly led in the former GOP stronghold of Orange County and had respectable if not outright majority showings in the conservative-leaning Central Valley. Advertisement His win overlapped with victories for liberals up and down the ballot, resulting in Democrats building a supermajority and then some in both houses of the state Legislature. The incoming governor has a mandate, Pye said. Hes got a very good Legislature, but hes got a long list of promises to keep. All governors must navigate the power-sharing dynamic with the legislative branch, deciding how proactive they can be in pursuing their agenda versus reacting to the cascade of policy proposals from legislators. Hell have to make a decision about when to engage and when not to engage, said Dana Williamson, a former top advisor to Gov. Jerry Brown. Both of those are strategic decisions. Advertisement Brown almost never publicly weighed in on pending legislation, Williamson noted, adding that when he did, it was very purposeful. The effect was a tightly curated list of priorities that both voters and lawmakers could easily grasp. If you do too much, you can dilute the strength of your message, she said. Still, Williamson said she expects Newsom to be more engaged with legislators than Brown. Brown was largely seen as being able to coax or bend lawmakers to his will, but legislators are eager to reset the power dynamic on more equitable terms. Advertisement The Legislatures going to be quite a challenge, Brown said in a recent interview. And its going to be a challenge because, first of all, Ive been reasonably successful. And there is inherent tension between the executive and the legislative [branches]. And while Brown was the elder statesman in the Capitol, having served his first two terms as governor decades prior, now its the legislators, serving under longer term limits, who collectively have more experience than the states new chief executive. As [Newsom] prioritizes, hes going to have to negotiate with a Legislature that is now more powerful than ever, said Fabian Nunez, the former Assembly speaker. Leaders in both houses have years of experience in negotiating budgets under their belt. Obviously, Gov. Newsom does not. But a Capitol teeming with Democrats does not guarantee a glide path for liberal policies. Democratic victories in more moderate or conservative areas of the state were likely a reflection of the national political dynamic, Davis said, and not necessarily a mandate for progressivism. Advertisement A lot of Republican women decided to vote Democratic...because they couldnt stand Trump, Davis said. Does that mean theyre going to vote Democratic the rest of their life? Its a mistake to assume they will. One advantage for Newsom: The sheer number of Democratic votes means less arm-twisting on tough bills. Chris Tapio, a consultant to business-friendly Democrats in the Legislature, said the dynamic gives members in swing districts more freedom to lay off tax increases that might not sit well with their constituents. But if progressive lawmakers and Newsom pull too far left, centrist Democrats may take heat for the partys liberal policies, even if they didnt personally endorse the bills. Sometimes, regardless of a legislators position, theres a guilt by association, Tapio said. Advertisement Pye suggested Newsoms best strategy may be to strike quickly. In his first months in office, Schwarzenegger delivered a campaign promise to reduce the vehicle license fee in California to 0.65%, a move critics cast as a grievous financial mistake for the state. He also signed a bill in his freshman year to overhaul the states workers compensation system, cutting back costs for employers. Those opposed to the policies were caught off guard by how quickly the plans came together, Pye said. I think theres something to be said for coming into office and getting a big win, and leveraging that moment, she said. It helps you establish yourself with the Legislature and with interest groups that are floating around the Capitol. It helps you garner that press you need in case you make a run for national office. Advertisement For his first major policy proposal, Newsom is moving expeditiously to tackle a campaign promise with little political downside and wide support among California voters. The governor, who underscored his call for universal preschool in the final days of his bid for office, unveiled last week a nearly $2-billion proposal to expand access to early education and child-care programs. Its going to be a mess Unlike his predecessor, Newsom wont be greeted with dire fiscal conditions. He will take office after nearly a decade of nationwide economic expansion and with a healthy budget surplus. The Legislative Analysts Office in November declared that Californias budget outlook is in remarkably good shape, estimating the state will see $14.5 billion in extra revenue, even after it socks away money in the states rainy day fund. It is difficult to overstate how good the budgets condition is today, the report stated. By historical standards, this surplus is extraordinary. Advertisement But the report cautioned that Californias budget conditions can change quickly, especially if the country spins into another recession. Back in 2000, the state also predicted a massive surplus. Then the dot-com bust arrived. Within a year, California faced a $12.4-billion deficit. Brown has spent years prophesying that economic doom looms on the horizon, in part to keep spendthrift Democrats in the Legislature in check and also because history shows an eventual downturn is inevitable. Whats out there is darkness. Uncertainty. Decline and recession, Brown said after unveiling his final budget last year. So good luck, baby! Economist Christopher Thornberg, founding partner of Beacon Economics, is bullish on Californias economic outlook in the near term, saying all signs point to continued growth. But he expects a mild recession to hit at some point, saying it will deliver a devastating gut-punch to the state budget even with $15 billion in states reserves and Newsoms ambitious policy agenda. Advertisement Even with a modest downturn, youre going to have two years of $30-billion-plus deficits, Thornberg said. Its going to be a mess. Californias overwhelming reliance on personal income tax, including taxes on capital gains, makes the states revenue stream volatile. The highest earners provide a lopsided portion of the states personal income tax revenue, so when they do well, the state does well. When their investments tank, so does the states revenue. Chris Hoene, executive director of the California Budget and Policy Center, said the volatility can be dealt with if the states political leaders have the fiscal discipline to save money in good times, when there are surpluses, knowing that bad times are inevitable. The goal should not be reducing volatility, because that means you make the system less fair, Hoene said. Managing volatility is the problem. You need people who will make tough choices. Advertisement Economic uncertainty can wreak havoc on a governors standing with voters. When people feel their lives are getting better, theyre happy to support the incumbent governor. When they feel the opposite, theyre happy to oppose him, Davis said. In all, the charmed circumstances under which Newsom is taking office belie the difficult road ahead. I think this is going to be as tough as the Dickens, Pye said. This is a really tough state to run, and we have a lot of big problems right now. All of that coupled with the question of who will pay for it, you cant do anything but wish him luck and pray for him. Advertisement Coverage of California politics melanie.mason@latimes.com | Twitter: @melmason taryn.luna@latimes.com | Twitter: @TarynLuna phil.willon@latimes.com | Twitter: @philwillon It was nearly impossible to ignore California as a new Congress was sworn in. There was the moment House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield handed over the gavel to Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco on Thursday. And the spectacle of the states 53 House members filing into the chamber, some belting out the old jazz tune California, Here I Come, drawing chuckles from the crowd. Elsewhere on Capitol Hill, Californias seven new Democratic members, each of whom seized control of Republican-held seats in the midterms and had never previously been elected to public office, commanded attention of their own. Part of the biggest cohort in the largest freshman class in decades, they could wield outsize power for first-time members. On Thursday morning, Rep. Katie Hill (D-Agua Dulce) was trailed by family, several news cameras and a boom microphone. Her entourage turned heads as they barreled through the packed hallways of the Longworth House Office Building, down the steps and out into the crisp January air on their way to the Capitol. Advertisement Two passersby in suits wondered aloud who she was. New member from California. Either Katie Hill or [Rep.] Katie Porter [D-Irvine], one man said as she walked by. The freshman class of House Democrats is already making waves Outside, Hill paused to put on a pearl necklace a gift for the occasion from her mother over her navy dress, then stopped for a photo with members of Indivisible, the progressive movement that helped boost her bid for Congress. A few minutes later, even more cameras swarmed as she was peppered with questions about the partial government shutdown and the Democrats plans to act as a check on the Trump administration. The rising Democratic star, who was elected co-representative of her freshman class to the House majority, punctuated her answers with a smile. Earlier that week, she spent time juggling media interviews and was asked to fill in for Pelosi at an afternoon tea reception when the leader was held up at the White House with shutdown talks. But Hills first week in Washington was not without its growing pains. A mattress intended for her new home in the capital was twice delivered to California. Her staff hadnt yet figured out how to unlock the desks in her new office, where the only personal touch was a tiny glass vial of gold flakes from a park close to her home near Santa Clarita, where some accounts say the first California gold was discovered. Hill said shes ready for the work to begin. Advertisement I want to try to actually bring some new perspectives and restore hope for people who think our governments broken and cant be fixed, she said. Rep. Katie Porter (D-Irvine) is surrounded by her family as she takes a ceremonial oath with Speaker Nancy Pelosi. (David Butow / For The Times) Porter, a former law professor, is one of the few single mothers of young children to serve in Congress. Her two sons and daughter, ages 12, 10 and 7, joined their mother Thursday as they navigated the throngs of new members and their families. Porters staff counted off her children and lined them up as they moved from taking family portraits in Statuary Hall to the House subway nearby. Advertisement Weve lost a child, Porter called out to an aide, who went back to retrieve him. Im only down one, she said with a smile and a shrug to passing colleagues as they waited, issuing a stern Hey! when her other son began wandering ahead. For a mother trying to balance work and family, seeing Pelosi invite all the members children up to the dais for her swearing-in as speaker was a highlight, Porter said. Just to be in that room, to feel the energy, she said. I think it was a day to really remember the incredible responsibility that voters have entrusted me with. Rep. Mike Levin (D-San Juan Capistrano) walks in the tunnels beneath the Capitol building with his wife, Chrissy, and their two children. (David Butow / For The Times) Advertisement Rep. Mike Levin (D-San Juan Capistrano) also had his two young children in tow on the House floor Thursday. He intends to fly back to California every weekend to spend time with his family and keep a rigorous schedule of once-a-month town hall meetings in his district, the first of which is planned for the end of January. Levin, who succeeded longtime Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of Vista after he announced his retirement last year, has criticized his predecessor for holding few town halls with constituents. His campaign promises included a push for greater transparency and accessibility. Were going to do everything we can to engage with those who are traditionally not interested in politics, Levin told a gathering of supporters, many of whom had been regulars at the weekly protests outside Issas office for more than a year and traveled to Washington to see Levin sworn in. I was sent here by all of you and for all of you to get the peoples business done, he said. So we need to tell Donald Trump where he can put his wall. Advertisement Rep. Gil Cisneros (D-Yorba Linda), with aide Annie Campbell and his twin sons Alexander, second from left, and Christopher, walk to the swearing-in ceremony for House members. (David Butow / For The Times) At an open house that day, Rep. Gil Cisneros (D-Yorba Linda) mingled with more than a dozen family members and supporters in his office, its walls still bare. His parents and in-laws posed for photos and soaked in the excitement as Cisneros 4-year-old twins, Christopher and Alexander, dressed in suits and ties, bounced around the room. Despite the task ahead, Cisneros joked that he was most anxious that day about his boys rushing up to the dais uninvited. Im not nervous about the job or what we have to do, he said. We kind of came here with an agenda and what we want to focus on and well just go from there trying to make our mark. Advertisement Coverage of California politics Meanwhile, Rep. Josh Harder (D-Turlock), who ousted Republican incumbent Jeff Denham in the Central Valley, reflected on the sheer number of new members who had never run for or won office before. Theyre in Congress because they want to make a difference in their communities and thats why they ran, thats why I ran, Harder said in a Facebook Live video late Thursday, recapping his first day on the job. I think we have people in office for the right reasons, and Im really optimistic for what that means. Eager to get started, Harder expressed frustration with the pace of change, a sentiment many of his classmates seem to share. Advertisement A vote on any given issue, he said, took four or five time-consuming procedural votes. We have so many problems and issues that we campaigned on, and if it takes us five hours or a day just to get one done, I feel like we could be doing things a little bit better. His wife, Pam, sat on the couch beside him. Are you going to fix that, Josh? He said hed do what he can. Advertisement Im certainly rarin, Harder replied. Like, lets move on, lets get going. christine.maiduc@latimes.com Twitter: @cmaiduc Marylynn Leggio nodded excitedly as Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, pumping her fist from the small stage in a cramped room adjoining a western Iowa bowling alley, breathlessly excoriated billionaires and lobbyists. Im not ready to commit, but she was on fire, said Leggio, one of 300 people who made it inside to get a first look at the newest Democratic presidential candidate. Two hundred others stood outside waiting in the cold. Leggio, a 71-year-old retiree, was shopping early for a 2020 candidate with her teenage granddaughter Maggie Bashore. She displayed the well-founded confidence of a resident of Iowa the state with the first presidential nominating contest that she would get an opportunity to personally poke and prod every aspirant in a Democratic field that could grow to more than 20 contenders eager to take on President Trump. There are a lot of questions Id like to ask, but shell be back, Leggio said. Advertisement The Iowa party caucuses are more than a year away, but this weekend marked the unofficial start of the 2020 presidential campaign season. Warren on Monday became the first of the big-name candidates to form a presidential exploratory committee and then made an immediate foray to Iowa on Friday, scheduling five stops over three days across the farm state. Since Warren began planning to run for president over the last few months, the national spotlight has been harsh. Like candidates before her, shes counting on the locals here to discount the skeptics and make up their own minds. Critics, including many Democrats, have questioned whether Warren is too far to the left, too damaged by the controversy over her thin claims to Native American ancestry or incapable of connecting with average Americans. Her advisors see Iowa, where candidates audition before informal groups of party activists and curious voters, as an ideal place for her to prove the detractors wrong and remind the political class what made her such a formidable candidate in the first place. Eight years ago, she made a name for herself in precisely this type of environment dazzling small groups of Democratic Party activists in Massachusetts house parties when she was preparing for an eventual Senate campaign. One moment captured on video, when she explained why she thinks businesses and wealthy people should pay more taxes, went viral and helped cement her reputation with the partys left wing. Voters who show up to the early events here tend to be receptive but noncommittal and, occasionally, tough inquisitors. One woman at an event in Council Bluffs tried to get Warren to oppose legalized abortion, which Warren, long a strong supporter of abortion rights, declined to do. Another in Sioux City asked why she released her DNA test in October, giving the president who calls Warren Pocahontas more fodder to be a bully in mocking her claims to Native American heritage. Others asked whether she supports net neutrality, how she could win over moderate Republicans who dislike Trump, and whether she had done enough in the Senate to justify a White House run. Warren gamely took selfies with dozens of people at each event, and kept talking when the sound system in Council Buffs conked out for a few minutes. By Saturday morning, her voice was growing hoarse from a head cold, though she continued to bounce around the crowd. Advertisement She stuck to a rehearsed answer on the Native American question, repeating that her background came from family stories like a lot of folks have in her native Oklahoma, and that she was not claiming to be a member of a tribe or a person of color. (She had, in fact, previously listed herself as a minority in a national law directory, though a review by the Boston Globe found the issue was not a factor in her hiring as a law professor at Harvard University and elsewhere.) Im just gonna put it all out there, Warren said of her law school hiring records and DNA test, both of which are now online. I cant stop Donald Trump from what hes gonna do, she said. I cant stop him from hurling racial insults. But what I can do, she added, is I can be in this fight for all of our families. Advertisement Warren insisted that she was glad to get the question. Yet the issue continues to be among the sorest points in her political career. She was more eager to talk about other aspects of her biography, including the time her mother temporarily supported the family with a minimum-wage job, and the inexpensive college education that did not plunge Warren into debt. Though Warren is a senator and a former professor at the nations most elite university and has written dense textbooks on bankruptcy law, she salted her public speeches with tales of momma, daddy and folks, frequently dropping consonants at the end of her words to highlight her Oklahoma roots. Today, a minimum wage job in America full time will not keep a momma and a baby out of poverty and it is wrong and it is why Im in this fight, she said. In keeping with her familiar populism, Warren was also keen to lambaste oil companies, drug manufacturers and financial giants, who she said control Washington at the expense of working Americans. Many who came to see Warren four years ago supported Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a like-minded independent, for the Democratic nomination. Some said they were ready to move on, even if he enters the race. Though many voters here are checking out Warren, they are also mentioning other potential candidates, including former Vice President Joe Biden, former Rep. Beto ORourke of Texas, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and Sen. Kamala Harris of California. Advertisement Were hoping to get some better candidates this election, said Shauna Buckingham, a 28-year-old production supervisor from Cherokee who came to an event with her baby, Joshua. It wasnt too impressive last time around, said Chad Jorgensen, her boyfriend. Though some voters here lament the seemingly never-ending campaign cycle, there is a thirst among many Democratic activists to begin the vetting process, given their zeal to defeat Trump. Were going to pay attention. Its not going to happen again, said Jane Reynolds, a retiree from Sioux Falls, bitterly recalling 2016 nominee Hillary Clintons loss. Advertisement If we are going to have 20 people, we may as well get started, said Jeff Fossum, a 63-year-old retiree who wore a button that said Its Mueller Time using the beermakers logo to evoke Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel investigating Trump associates potential role in Russian interference in the 2016 election. Teri Copple, a 56-year-old mental health specialist, said the long primary season gives voters a chance to see whether candidates change their tempo and how they handle the long haul and react to dynamic world events. Questions are going to get harder, she said. Emotions are going to get stronger. Warren, who was known for avoiding impromptu questions from Senate reporters, is responding to reporters at most stops here. Her answers, however, are not always responsive. On Friday night, she refused to say whether Democrats should condemn Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a newly elected Democrat from Michigan who used profane language in vowing to impeach Trump. Warren was more willing to take an indirect shot at a couple of wealthy potential rivals for the Democratic nomination, Tom Steyer and Michael R. Boomberg, who are likely to self-fund their campaigns should they run. Advertisement Campaigns should not be for sale, she said, arguing that Democrats should base their efforts on the grass roots not having billionaires buy these campaigns. Political professionals expect Warrens move toward a full-blown presidential run to spark a rush of competition in coming weeks. She has already hired some of the most experienced political operatives in Iowa and has staffers collecting contact information from the people who have lined up to see her, to build a volunteer file. She has forced everybodys hand, said Mary Anne Marsh, a Democratic strategist and former advisor to former senator and 2004 presidential nominee John F. Kerry. If Im Bernie Sanders at this point, or anyone including Beto, I think you need to get in sooner than later. People are looking. People are already talking about it. Elizabeth Warren is traveling. Her early start and Democrats anticipated large field also increases the chances that candidates will trade places in its top tier much as Trump quickly upended the expected front-runners in Republicans crowded contest four years ago. Warren was a favorite of the left then, with people begging her to run. The enthusiasm seems muted now that shes in. Advertisement David Axelrod, the longtime political advisor to President Obama, cautioned against reading too much into quick judgments or early setbacks of the candidates. He said Warren can sound stilted and inauthentic, and he criticized her handling of the heritage issue. But, Axelrod added, she could well become the nominee, given her genuine claim to the populist base in the party that is really second to none. Follow the latest news of the Trump administration on Essential Washington noah.bierman@latimes.com Advertisement Twitter: @noahbierman To the editor: Ive grown up politically with Jerry Brown, first as a student during his first term as governor, and more recently as I tracked his status as the adult in the room. (As Gov. Jerry Brown leaves office, he seems unlikely to retire from the only profession hes ever known, Jan. 1.) Nothing will define his legacy more than his persistent warnings about climate change. I didnt always embrace his climate tactics, but I appreciated his passionate defense of the scientific consensus and his alarm at the Trump administrations environmental sabotage. Reversing the impacts of climate change will take more time than Brown had in office, but Im hoping his sense of urgency was contagious. David This, Brea Advertisement .. To the editor: I would submit that Brown did not get the credit he deserved for some of the poor policies he implemented. His environmental agenda and social engineering experiments have caused California to have some of the countrys highest housing costs, utility rates and fuel prices. And that is before we talk about water and the high-speed rail debacle. As a result, more citizens must rely on the government for support. Factoring in cost of living, California has the nations highest poverty rate. Lack of affordable housing as a result of poor government policy promoting high density and restrictive zoning is not something that will be easily overcome. California politicians are close to breaking the backs of taxpayers. Hopefully, at some point voters will wake up to this reality. Geoffrey B. King, Wasco, Calif. .. To the editor: Browns reflections in your article on his career are provocative, as he usually is. Advertisement We see again his signature style and humanity: Why are things the way they are? What changes can we make to improve our lives? As we start a new year, let us collectively resolve to likewise question the assumptions around us and attempt to find policies and solutions that benefit us all. Calvin Naito, Los Angeles .. Advertisement To the editor: Brown defends his criminal justice legacy which has spawned a backlash in the form of a 2020 ballot initiative to undo the governors reforms by stating: In my view, [the initiative is] deeply anti-Christian, because it denies redemption. And redemption is at the heart of our whole civilization. Wrong. The basis of our civilization is the rule of law in other words, law and order. Joel Anderson, Studio City .. Advertisement To the editor: As serious as the nose on your face: Jerry Brown 2020 David Reid, Hollywood Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Teachers in Los Angeles may be forced to strike on Jan. 10. The Los Angeles Unified School District has a record-breaking reserve of nearly $2 billion that should be spent on its resource-starved students. Yet Supt. Austin Beutner, a multimillionaire with experience in corporate downsizing but none in education, argues that the reserve is already accounted for in future spending, and that cuts should be made. He simultaneously refuses to talk about charter school regulations, calling the issue a shiny ball that distracts from the real issues. District officials have cast the impasse as a funding problem. But at its heart, the standoff between L.A. Unified and United Teachers Los Angeles is a struggle over the future of public education. Consider the conditions within the district. Class sizes often exceed 45 students in secondary schools; 35 students in upper elementary grades; and 25 students in lower elementary grades. Advertisement The district does not have nearly enough counselors, psychologists or librarians to give students the support they need, and 80% of schools dont even have full-time nurses. Unnecessary standardized testing is pushing the arts and ethnic studies out of the curriculum. The standoff between L.A. Unified and United Teachers Los Angeles is a struggle over the future of public education. Parents have little say over how funding is spent at their schools. Charter schools, which are operated mostly by corporate chains, have expanded by 287% over the last 10 years, draining more than $600 million from non-charter schools every year. Salaries for educators are low compared to surrounding districts, a significant disadvantage as L.A. Unified tries to recruit and retain teachers during a national shortage. With the vast majority of our students coming from low-income neighborhoods of color, there is no way to describe the persistence of such conditions other than racial discrimination. Working together with parents, the teachers union has put forward proposals to address many of these issues. Over 20 months of negotiations, the district has responded with inadequate counter-proposals. Meanwhile, Beutner has moved ahead with what we believe is his agenda to dismantle the district. Through an outside foundation, he has brought on firms that have led public school closures and charter expansion in some districts where they have worked, from New Orleans to Washington, D.C. This approach, drawn from Wall Street, is called the portfolio model, and it has been criticized for having a negative effect on student equity and parent inclusion. It is for many of these reasons that 98% of L.A. Unifieds educators voted to authorize a strike. Parents are actively supporting the teachers. There were many parents among the estimated 50,000 people who attended the UTLA March for Public Education on Dec. 15. Beutner has attempted to narrow the issues mainly to salary. Educators will not be bought off. We need a host of improvements for our students. Advertisement Beutner has also said that the district doesnt have reserves that will last longer than two to three years. The reality is that L.A. Unified had a reserve of $1.86 billion at the end of the 2017-18 school year. Its latest budget documents show the reserve growing to $1.97 billion in the 2018-19 school year. The district warns about a fiscal cliff, but its warnings ring hollow. Three years ago, district officials projected that the 2017-18 reserve would be $105 million. They were off by more than $1.7 billion. L.A. Unified has also overestimated its spending on books and other supplies over the last five years to the tune of hundreds of millions, meaning more money is available. The district has also failed to collect the full amounts owed by charters that are located on its campuses. My colleagues and I agree with Beutner on at least one thing: The real long-term solution is for Sacramento to increase statewide school funding. It is downright shameful that the richest state in the country ranks 43rd out of 50 when it comes to per-pupil spending. Advertisement Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion We have been working to change this. Beutner should help by supporting legislation to close the carried interest loophole, which has allowed hedge fund managers to inappropriately classify income as capital gains. This could bring hundreds of millions to schools annually. He should also build support among the wealthy for Schools and Communities First, which closes the corporate loophole in Proposition 13 and could bring up to $5 billion in new annual funding to public schools. This is on the 2020 ballot. United Teachers Los Angeles struggle for a fair contract is just one part of a broader movement for students, families and schools. We will engage in whatever talks are possible before Jan. 10 to avert a strike. But for talks to be successful, the district needs to commit to improve public schools. Advertisement I have taught in Compton and at Crenshaw High School. I have been in my own childrens classrooms. And I have visited hundreds of other schools. There is wonderful promise in the students at all of our schools. But although they are surrounded by wealth, students across the city are not getting what they deserve. Enough is enough. Invest in our students now. Alex Caputo-Pearl is president of United Teachers Los Angeles. He is an LAUSD parent and previously taught for 22 years in the Compton and Los Angeles school districts. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook With the House in the hands of Democrats and the Senate controlled by Republicans for the next two years, compromise will be essential to the passage of any legislation. But it wont come easily. We live in an age in which compromise is often interpreted as weakness and penalized at the next election. Our congressional districts, in which most seats are safe for one party or the other, reward candidates who appeal to the most uncompromising elements of their parties. This whole system has fostered a mind-set that makes politics war by other means. It wasnt always so. In the early years of the American republic, compromise was celebrated and rewarded. The story of that time, and of what happened to the republic when it ended, can offer sobering lessons for our current fractious age. In 1820 the United States confronted its first crisis over slavery. For decades, slavery had been broadly viewed as a blight on the republic, its violence and egregious inequality at odds with the ideals of the Declaration of Independence. Progress had been made: Slavery was prohibited in the North, and the import of slaves from Africa had been outlawed. But, as part of the bargaining that had made the Constitution ratifiable, states were given the right to choose whether to allow slavery, and the Southern states still clung to it. Henry Clay believed that the genius of American self-government was a knack for muddling through. Advertisement The Constitution, however, was silent on states not yet admitted to the Union. When Missouri applied for admission as a slave state in 1820, both Northerners and Southerners saw it as a test of the strength of their position and of whether slavery would be allowed to expand into the American West. Henry Clay of Kentucky, the speaker of the House, was well positioned to head negotiations. He was a slaveholder, but one who disliked the institution and sought its end. As a Westerner, he couldnt credibly be accused by either Northerners or Southerners of being in the pocket of the other side. Clay proceeded to engineer the Missouri Compromise: Missouri would enter the Union as a slave state, but the rest of the West would be divided into a free North and a slavery-allowing South. Getting the compromise through Congress required some clever maneuvering and one of the finest speeches of Clays illustrious oratorical career. Many in both the North and the South were furious, but Clay secured just enough support to let the nation move on to other matters. This was the heart of Clays strategy, for he believed that the genius of American self-government was a knack for muddling through. If the country could keep from getting hung up or torn apart by any single issue, it would advance on other fronts until that issue became more tractable. Clay was convinced that the same modernizing forces that had rendered slavery unprofitable in the North would erode its support in the South; all that was required was time. Clays skills at compromise were put to another test in the early 1830s. South Carolina objected to a tariff code that benefited Northern manufacturers at the expense of Southern planters. South Carolinians took steps to nullify the tariff law that is, to prevent its enforcement within their state. Should the federal government insist on enforcing the law, the South Carolinians said, they would secede from the Union. Clay, now in the Senate, once more stepped into the breach. He met with John Calhoun, the leader of the South Carolinians, and brokered a deal whereby the offending tariff was phased out while the South Carolinians withdrew their secession threat. Clay was condemned in the North for yielding to South Carolinas blackmail, and in the South for maintaining the principle of the tariff even as he retreated on its practice. Yet the Union held. The Great Compromiser, as Clay was called by this time, had one more mediating trick up his sleeve. In 1850, California, suddenly full of gold-seekers, applied for admission to the Union as a free state. Southerners dug in their heels, complaining that a free California would tip the balance in the Senate against their section. Clay offered them something they had long desired: a sterner fugitive slave law, one that would criminalize the common Northern practice of assisting slaves fleeing bondage. Again Clay was attacked from both sides. Southerners said he had doomed them to Northern domination; Northerners declared he was compelling them to betray their moral principles. But Clay was unrepentant, and he went to his grave, two years later, convinced that he had saved the Union for another generation. Advertisement He was too optimistic. With Clays death, the spirit of compromise that he embodied went out of American politics. His successors proved unwilling to acknowledge the right of their opponents to views at odds with their own. Abolitionists pushed harder than ever, even canonizing John Brown for his murderous raid against Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Southerners grew violently touchy on anything that infringed their states rights, most notably the right to own slaves. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion The 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln on a Republican platform opposing the expansion of slavery triggered the secession of seven Southern states, followed by another four after Lincoln launched a military campaign against the secessionists. The ensuing war killed more than 600,000. Today, one hopes that the country is not on track for anything similar. But the language and culture of our politics disturbingly echo that earlier time. Political opponents are cast as enemies; a winner-take-all environment treats compromise as surrender. Advertisement Until now, the rift in politics has been partisan rather than sectional, rendering geographic separation unlikely. But if the red states continue to grow redder, and the blue states bluer, this missing element of the 1850s recipe for disaster might be added to the unholy brew that constitutes much of our political discourse. Theres another path. We can channel the spirit of Henry Clay and revive the art of honorable compromise. We can acknowledge our opponents right to a seat at the table. We can remember that the reforms that last are those in which each side has a say and a stake. We can recall Clays guiding belief: that the fate of American democracy is more important than success on any transient issue. H.W. Brands teaches at the University of Texas at Austin. His new book is Heirs of the Founders: The Epic Rivalry of Henry Clay, John Calhoun and Daniel Webster. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook For Americas top diplomat, it will be a mission like no other: seeking to build a coalition among U.S. allies against Iran, while also defending a potentially historic disengagement of Washington from the Middle East. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo, starting this week, will swing through at least eight countries in eight days, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia and most of the Persian Gulf, in a bid to portray America as a force for good in the region, a senior State Department official said. His is one of two high-level U.S. officials trips to the region since President Trump abruptly announced the withdrawal of American troops from Syria on Dec. 19. As Pompeo heads to Arab capitals, a parallel mission has Trumps national security advisor, John Bolton, traveling to Israel and Turkey. Trump himself spent about 3 hours on a U.S. airbase near Baghdad visiting U.S. troops the day after Christmas. The withdrawal from Syria, which Trump ordered against the advice of aides and without warning allies, alarmed both Israel and the United States Persian Gulf allies who, under U.S. urging, have taken steps to unite in a maximum pressure campaign against Iran. Advertisement The removal of U.S. forces is likely to improve Irans position and ease the way for the Islamic Republic to expand the influence of the militia groups it backs to within striking distance of Israels border, U.S. and foreign experts agree. Other likely beneficiaries of a U.S. withdrawal are Russia and Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose removal from power was a principal goal of Western involvement in Syrias eight-year civil war. Trump seemed to cement his intention to disengage from the region when he said that Iranians can do what they want in Syria, as far as he was concerned, describing Syria as a country of sand and death. Critics from both political parties, as well as former and current diplomats and officials, said such comments underlined Trumps propensity for making bold, robust claims, but then not showing a willingness to back them up, or do the work and make the investment necessary to achieve them. Trump is trying to achieve maximalist objectives with minimal investment, said Colin Kahl, an international security expert at Stanford University and former Obama administration official, citing Trumps desire to hold Iran in check even as he scales back U.S. power in the region. That complicates Pompeos mission to explain U.S. intentions and reassure allies about the U.S. commitment to challenge Iran. The United States is not leaving the Middle East, a senior State Department official said, calling such suggestions false narratives. We are not going anywhere .... The policy of maximum pressure on Iran has not changed, said the official, one of several who briefed reporters ahead of Pompeos trip, which starts Monday, under rules requiring anonymity. The administrations recent actions, however, and especially those of Trump, have invited skepticism. Advertisement I dont see how any foreign government or leader can believe anything said by any of Trumps subordinates, said Charles Stevenson, an associate director of the foreign policy program at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Trump is missing opportunities to lead, Stevenson added, and disengaging to the point that others are acting ... to determine the narrative. Trumps desire to disentangle the United States from conflicts overseas, along with his disdain for multilateral institutions like the United Nations and for international treaties that he has abandoned, is in step with his broader doctrine of America first. Administration officials have repeatedly denied the slogan means America alone, but their denials have been needed because many foreign officials as well as domestic critics see it as precisely that. The approach is at its most stark in the Middle East, where for the seven decades following World War II, U.S. policy has been relatively consistent in seeking to be the regions dominant outside influence, favoring Israel, but also, in fits and starts, bent on finding a peaceful solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict and an independent state for a generation of displaced Palestinians. Advertisement The days of American dominance in the Middle East are over, Martin Indyk, a senior State Department official in Democratic and Republican administrations, said on Twitter shortly after Trumps announcement. All hail Putin, Erdogan (and Khameini), said Indyk, a two-time U.S. ambassador to Israel. He was referring to those who are seen to have most benefited from Trumps withdrawal decision: Russian President Vladimir Putin; Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is eager to attack U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters in Syria; and Irans supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. Others who have been supportive of many of Trumps policies and who are hawkish on Iran are also concerned that the Islamic Republic could readily step in to fill the void left by a U.S. withdrawal from Syria, as well as the presidents plans to sharply reduce the number of American troops in Afghanistan. During a time in the Middle East when Iranian resolve is on the rise, the U.S. appears to be slinking away, drawing down troops, closing consulates, and removing missile defenses, said Behnam Ben Taleblu, a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a conservative advocacy organization in Washington. Advertisement This sends all the wrong messages to Iran, and worse, to U.S. partners in the region like Israel and the GCC, he said, referring to the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council. Taleblu and others praised the administrations reimposition of tough economic sanctions on Iran. The sanctions had been lifted by Obama as part of the 2015 international Iran nuclear deal and were reinstated last year when Trump unilaterally withdrew from that accord. But, they said, the sanctions do not go far enough in pressuring Tehran. State Department officials, however, insisted that the maximum pressure campaign continues at full force and has had a punishing effect on the Iranian government and its economy. Sanctions have targeted individual Iranian leaders and military men as well as state companies, Irans central bank and numerous third-country parties who attempt to deal with Iran. Our military position may be changing, but our overall goals remain the same, the official said. Advertisement Pompeos trip marks his second to Saudi Arabia since the Oct. 2 killing of U.S.-based Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which the CIA concluded was orchestrated by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a darling of the Trump inner circle who is also the de facto ruler of the desert kingdom. In the first trip to Riyadh, two weeks after Khashoggi was slain inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, news photos showed Pompeo laughing and shaking hands with the crown prince, without a word of condemnation. Since then and to much outside criticism, Trump and Pompeo have indicated they accepted official Saudi explanations that the crown prince was not involved in the gruesome slaying. State Department officials said Friday they were not completely convinced by official Saudi accounts a departure from previous statements. The official version, that Khashoggi was killed by a rogue government hit squad gone wrong, has not yet hit the threshold of credibility and accountability, one of the State Department officials said. Regardless, Trumps high regard for the crown prince, as well as his decision to leave Syria, have had the effect of shoring up autocrats in the region, analysts say. Advertisement The crown prince, something of a pariah in much of the world after the Khashoggi killing, has consolidated his power. Assad, not long ago on the ropes and facing his demise, is winning his war, with Russias help, and is now being welcomed back into the bosom of the Arab world. And Egypts President Abdel Fattah Sisi, a brutal abuser of human rights, according to numerous independent accounts, is also in the good graces of Trump, who has shown much affinity for those to whom democracy is not necessarily a top priority. On his second stop, the State Department official said, Pompeo will meet with Sisi in Cairo to reinforce one of our longest-standing, deepest and broadest partnerships. tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com Advertisement For more on international affairs, follow @TracyKWilkinson on Twitter Rewriting the narrative of the fatal shooting of a 7-year-old girl, authorities in Houston said Sunday that they had arrested an African American man and that their original description of the suspect as white with blue eyes had been wrong. That description had led activists to conclude that racial hatred was the motive in the Dec. 30 killing of Jazmine Barnes, who was riding in her familys car near a Walmart when somebody opened fire on it. Jazmines mother, LaPorsha Washington, 30, was shot in the shoulder. On Sunday, the sheriff said the original suspect turned out to be an innocent driver fleeing the gunfire. Prosecutors have turned their attention to 20-year-old Eric Black Jr., who was arrested and brought in for questioning Saturday after sheriffs deputies found him in possession of marijuana during a routine traffic stop. Advertisement Black, who was charged with capital murder and jailed without bond, confessed to being the driver of a rented Kia sedan when his passenger opened fire on Jazmines familys car, prosecutors said Sunday at his first court appearance. Investigators said they found a 9-millimeter pistol at Blacks home and that it matched shell casings at the scene of the shooting and that Black also identified the alleged shooter from a booking photo. Prosecutors and a lawyer for Jazmines family, S. Lee Merritt, named the second suspect as Larry Woodruffe, 24, who is also black and was at the Harris County jail on Sunday on a drug possession charge. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez declined to identify the second suspect during a briefing Sunday, saying that person had not been charged. After the briefing, Jazmines father, Chris Cevilla, thanked investigators for finding my daughters killer and said he was pretty confident they had the right suspects. Jazmines great aunt, Elizabeth Perez, said she too was reassured, despite initial doubts that the description of the shooter could have been so wrong. At least we got closer to justice, she said, noting that she was awaiting news about the second suspect. Black activist John Marsden, who had joined the search for Jazmines attacker, said he had difficulty accepting that the suspect was black. Advertisement A lot of people are skeptical about that, said Marsden, 43, who dedicated his Facebook page to helping with Houston homicides after his 22-year-old son was killed in an unsolved shooting last year. A sketch of a white suspect was released by sheriffs investigators based on a description provided by Jazmines 13-year-old sister, who was in the car at the time of the attack and said the man was driving a red pickup truck. The killing quickly drew national attention as activist Shaun King and the familys attorney offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the suspect. Nearly a thousand people gathered Saturday for a rally at the scene of the shooting, where Jazmines parents and other relatives pleaded for leads. The sheriff who never called the shooting race-related said the traumatized familys description of the suspect had been sincere. Advertisement At this point, it does not appear to be related to race, Gonzalez said. One of the first suggestions that race was not the motive came last week, when King and Merritt received tips about the African American suspects and forwarded them to investigators. Our biggest problem with this lead was it was so inconsistent with witness statements, Merritt said. But he said investigators concluded that the red truck had merely passed by Jazmines family car just before the shooting. Advertisement Black was charged a few hours after the Sheriffs Office announced that its investigation had taken a new direction. Authorities said he told investigators that he and the shooter had not targeted Jazmines family and that they realized the attack was a mistake when they saw news reports about the girls death. The suspects were complete strangers to this family, Merritt said. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), who attended the rally Saturday, said those gathered had reason to fear the shooting was racially motivated based on available evidence, but credited them with not allowing that fear to incite racial tensions. There was no hysteria, she said, There was nothing but the orderly following of the law. Advertisement The shooting occurred in the northeast Houston neighborhood of Woodforest, which is middle-class and racially diverse. It wasnt about race for me, said one resident, Tammetta Mares, a 41-year-old teachers aide who is black and has three children, including a 7-year-old girl. We just wanted to get somebody caught. Thats all that matters to me: Theyre off the street. Dexy Neal, 58, who is also black, was shopping with her family at the Walmart near the shooting scene Sunday and praised investigators who she had seen canvassing the area. They did what they are supposed to do, she said. Advertisement Other Woodforest residents were troubled by the familys initial description of the shooter. Juanita Bell, who saw the arrest on the news, said her first thought was: Something is wrong. This dont feel right to me. Bell, 65, who is black, said she is not alone in her belief that the shooting was a hate crime and that the suspect who has been charged is a scapegoat. Bell, who drives her 7-year-old granddaughter to school and normally takes a route past the shooting scene, said the sheriff will have to release more information before she feels safe. Advertisement Theyre going to have to prove this to me, because I know how they can do to cover themselves, she said. When the new Congress convened last week, it included several historic firsts with its youngest elected member, its first two Muslim women and its first two Native American women among them. Women now make up about a quarter of Congress, while the Senate and House of Representatives together include more African Americans, Latinos and Asian Americans than ever before. But even as Congress takes steps toward reflecting the gender and racial makeup of the country, it lags significantly behind when it comes to religion, according to an analysis released last week. Using self-reported information about the religious affiliations of the 534 members of Congress, the Pew Research Center found that about 88% call themselves Christians. The number is a slight dip from the 115th Congress, in which 91% of members identified as Christians. The race in North Carolinas 9th District has not been certified amid allegations of electoral fraud, which is why Pews count is one short of all 535 seats in Congress. Advertisement While the number of self-identified Christians in Congress has ticked down, Christians as a whole and especially Protestants and Catholics are still overrepresented in proportion to their share in the general public, Pews report said. Indeed, the religious makeup of the new, 116th Congress is very different from that of the United States population. Overall, the U.S. population is about 70% Christian. People who are atheist, agnostic or identify with no religion make up close to 23% of the population, while Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and other religions together constitute about 6% of the U.S., according to Pew. The nonpartisan research groups report used data from Roll Call, which asked members of Congress which religious group, if any, they identified with as part of a larger questionnaire. Pew did not attempt to measure how religious members of Congress are or how religion influences their politics. Heres how the religious makeup of Congress breaks down: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is Catholic, stands among fellow freshmen members of Congress. (Melina Mara / Washington Post) Christians Data show that Congress has become slightly less Christian over the years. The new Congress has 14 fewer Christians than the previous one, and 20 fewer than the Congress that was in session in 2015 and 2016. Still, Christians dominate Congress. About 55% are Protestants, 30% are Catholics and 15% align themselves with unspecified or other Christian movements. The latter group includes those who said they were Christian, evangelical Christian, evangelical Protestant or Protestant but did not indicate a denomination. By themselves, Protestants make up a majority in both the House and Senate. Among them, Pew counted 72 Baptists and 42 Methodists. Among Presbyterians, Lutherans and Anglicans/Episcopalians, there were 26 members from each group. Ten members said they were Mormons and five identified as Orthodox Christian. Advertisement And while Christians are the majority in the Republican and Democratic memberships of Congress, they overwhelmingly make up the Republican side. Out of 253 Republicans, only two are not Christians. Reps. Lee Zeldin of New York and David Kustoff of Tennessee are Jewish. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema was the only person in Congress whom Pews study counted as having no religious affiliation. (Matt York / Associated Press) Not Christians The increase in non-Christian members of Congress is nearly completely among Democrats and independents. Jewish members make up the second-largest religious group at 6%. There are 34 Jewish members, an increase of four. The number is far from its highest; in 1993 there were 51 Jews in Congress. Advertisement Muslims and Hindus were the next biggest groups of non-Christians, with three members from each faith. Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan are the first Muslim women in Congress. They join Democratic Rep. Andre Carson of Indiana. The total number of Muslims is an increase of one over the previous Congress, when former Democratic Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota served. Among Hindus, all three are returning Democrats. They are Reps. Ro Khanna of California, Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois and Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii. There are two Buddhists, one less than before. Thats because former Democratic Rep. Colleen Hanabusa of Hawaii did not seek reelection and instead ran unsuccessfully for governor. The Buddhists currently serving are Rep. Hank Johnson of Georgia and Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, both Democrats. Advertisement Among Unitarian Universalists, there is one more in the new Congress for a total of two. Although the faith has roots in Christianity and some Unitarian Universalists identify as Christians, Pew does not categorize the tradition under Christianity. Its members in Congress, both California Democrats, are Reps. Ami Bera and Judy Chu. In a previous Roll Call survey, Chu did not answer the religion question. There is only one person in Congress that Pew counted as having no religious affiliation. That is Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who previously served three terms in the House. Democratic Rep. Jared Huffman of California said in 2017 that he was a humanist and unsure whether God exists, but Pew did not count him as a religiously unaffiliated member because Roll Call listed his religion as unspecified. A spokeswoman for Huffman said he is a nonreligious humanist. In addition, 17 other members of Congress did not identify their faith in the questionnaire. Advertisement More national headlines It was clear from the beginning that the Woolsey fire had the potential to be a monster. It broke out mid-afternoon Nov. 8 on Boeing property near the Santa Susana Pass, fueled by strengthening winds and burning toward populated areas. But during the critical first hours, the Woolsey fire took second priority. Ventura County firefighters were already engaged in a pitched battle with another blaze, called the Hill fire, about 15 miles to the west that had jumped the 101 Freeway and was threatening hundreds of homes and businesses. The Woolsey fire was growing but still far enough from subdivisions that it got fewer resources from Ventura County. Neighboring fire agencies sent some help, but it would take hours before they launched an all-out attack at the fire lines. These turned out to be fateful choices in what would become the most destructive fire in Los Angeles and Ventura county history. A Times review of hundreds of pages of public records and several hours of radio transmissions shows that first responders on the front lines of the Woolsey fire struggled during those first critical hours, stymied by communication breakdowns and a scarcity of air tanker support, equipment and firefighters. Los Angeles County Fire Department sent some firefighters to the front lines but decided early on to deploy dozens more several miles away in the Agoura Hills area, according to interviews, incident logs and planning reports obtained under the California Public Records Act. L.A. County Fire Capt. Tony Imbrenda said the department knew the fire was headed toward L.A. County and staged four strike teams 20 engines and 88 firefighters total in Agoura Hills to assess how the fire would affect homes and businesses once it reached the area. Imbrenda said the department didnt send the strike teams, each comprising five engines and 22 firefighters, directly to the Woolsey fire line because the fire hadnt crossed into L.A. County yet. These resources were all set up to protect L.A. County. Imbrenda said sending the strike teams to the fire line earlier would not have made a difference. There was no way, no engine, no apparatus, no aircraft in this world that could have possibly stopped that fire from making it to L.A. County, he said. The Los Angeles Fire Department, the citys fire agency, also sent engines toward the Woolsey fire, but its firefighters seemed to grow frustrated with the lack of a plan and resources on the scene, according to radio transmissions. Some firefighters said in radio transmissions they were hampered by a lack of water at the Boeing facility and by poor cellphone service, which forced them to move the command center to a Ventura County fire station. By 5 p.m., the L.A. city fire department had completed a map modeling how the Woolsey fire would burn, showing with a high degree of accuracy its ultimate path through Bell Canyon, the Santa Monica Mountains and Oak Park. Even as the Woolsey fire worsened through that first afternoon and evening, firefighters struggled to get more boots on the ground. By 7:30 p.m., the Hill fire was being battled by 400 personnel while only 150 firefighters from three agencies were on the Woolsey fire, according to incident updates released by fire officials. Over the next three days, the Woolsey fire made a devastating march to the Pacific Ocean, destroying more than 1,500 structures from Oak Park to Malibu, burning almost 97,000 acres and killing three people. The Hill fire, by contrast, destroyed just four structures and burned 4,500 acres. Derek and Linda Oliver watch smoke from the fast-moving Hill fire fill the skies in Thousand Oaks the afternoon of Nov. 8. Al Seib / Los Angeles Times A tale of two fires The Woolsey fire started at 2:24 p.m. on the site of the old Santa Susana test lab near Simi Valley, with a column of smoke visible on what was a clear day across eastern Ventura County. Do you have eyes on where that smokes coming from? a Ventura County firefighter asked another firefighter on his way. It would take almost 20 minutes for the first unit to arrive, a Ventura County engine carrying three firefighters, driving from their Simi Valley station about eight miles away, according to incident logs and interviews. When a helicopter from the Los Angeles County Fire Department arrived about 2:50 p.m., a crew member estimated the Woolsey fire to be about five acres with a rapid rate of spread and structures threatened. Over the dispatch, the crew member reported a southeast wind of about 25 to 30 miles per hour. Do you have eyes on where that smokes coming from? The area where the fire started, at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, is located near the Los Angeles and Ventura County line in a mutual threat zone, an area that the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Ventura County Fire Department and Los Angeles Fire Department have agreed, through a memorandum of understanding, to defend together because of the threat a fire there poses to each agencys communities. Each year, firefighters from the three departments train together in the Santa Susana area to prepare for a fire. Their most recent training was in June. The operating plan created and signed by the three agencies outlines the number of firefighters and amount of equipment theyll each send as part of their initial attack. On Nov. 8, as the fire started burning, the plan called for Ventura County Fire to send a full brush response, a team of firefighters that includes five to six fire engines, a bulldozer and a helicopter. Instead, within the first hour of the fire, Ventura County sent only two engines and about 12 firefighters. Thats because at 2:03 p.m., 21 minutes before the Woolsey fire started burning, a Ventura County helicopter spotted a fire burning in Santa Rosa Valley, north of the 101 between Camarillo and Newbury Park. This would become the Hill fire. The Hill Fire burns between Thousand Oaks and Camarillo on Nov. 8. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) The Woolsey fire burns in the hills above Thousand Oaks on the morning of Nov. 9. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Soon, there would be two fires in a county that had already experienced incredible tragedy just 15 hours earlier the shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, where 12 people were shot and killed. Ventura County officials say the Hill fire took priority over the Woolsey fire because it was an immediate threat to lives and homes. The Hill fire grew to 100 acres in the first 15 minutes. It jumped the 101 even sooner, in 12 minutes, and when the California Highway Patrol shut down the freeway, several drivers were trapped when they tried to go around the roadblock and drove directly into the blaze. Cal State Channel Islands was evacuated. Calls poured into the Ventura County dispatch center from residents who were older or with disabilities asking for help in evacuating. Sheriffs deputies got boxed in while trying to evacuate people and, at least once, needed helicopters to make water drops near them so they could escape. Carolina Heuel prepares to evacuate her Camarillo home after loading her two cats and a cockatiel into her car on Nov. 8. Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times Ventura County Fire Assistant Chief Dustin Gardner, who oversaw resources for the Hill and Woolsey fires, said it was clear from the beginning that the Hill fire was initially more dangerous. By 4:10 p.m., the Hill fire hit open space that had burned in 2013 during an earlier fire. It began to burn more slowly east of Camarillo and largely stopped sending embers downwind. For the next several hours, firefighters worked to curtail other sections of the blaze. About midnight, as the Woolsey fire began burning into Oak Park, the Hill fire danger had subsided enough that officials started diverting an army of resources from the blaze to the Woolsey, Gardner said. Gardner remembered the Hill fire commanders concern when he told them to pull every resource they could and send it to the Woolsey fire. We still have a 5,000-acre fire here, a commander responded. Gardner said although they knew the Hill fire could keep growing, the Woolsey fire was now threatening human lives. From just looking at it, it looks like the response to the Woolsey fire was less than the response to the Hill fire, Gardner said. Put it in a perspective of managing the area, of looking at the totality of both fires and doing the best you can with what you have at the time you have it. There was never any decision made that one fire was more important, per se, than another. The decisions were based on what was best for the most people with what we had at the time we were presented with it, he added. There was never any decision made that one fire was more important, per se, than another. Ventura County Fire Assistant Chief Dustin Gardner Both fires were driven by the same powerful Santa Ana winds. But at least at the beginning, the two fires behaved differently. Gardner said the origin of the Woolsey fire was in an area with topography that shielded it from some of the most powerful wind gusts, which were blowing at 37 mph when the blaze first began. This made it spread slower than the Hill fire at least at first, Gardner said. The Woolsey fire grew to 750 acres within its first two hours, compared to the Hill fire, which officials initially said scorched 8,000 to 10,000 acres in its first 30 minutes. Certain details of the first hour or so of the Woolsey fire remain a mystery. The fire began near a Southern California Edison substation that experienced issues shortly before the Woolsey fire started, and the utility has said its investigating whether its equipment sparked the blaze. It remains unclear what role, if any, Boeings firefighting and security staff had in dealing with the fire. Boeing has a private fire department on site at Santa Susana Field Laboratory, according to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control. Boeing has repeatedly declined to answer questions from The Times about its firefighters efforts. The company did not provide answers when asked how many firefighters work on the grounds, how many engines they have and what type of equipment they used to try to stop the fire. Instead, the company said in a statement that its fire and security personnel responded to the fire that began on November 8 and provided assistance to local municipal and county fire crews as they responded to the scene. Officials with Ventura County Fire Department said they didnt remember seeing or communicating with any Boeing firefighters. Los Angeles County Fire Department said in a statement that they had little to no interactions with any Boeing firefighters, as was the case for LAFD. I was at the incident command post, said LAFD Deputy Chief Trevor Richmond. I was there with Ventura County and L.A. County Fire, and I do not recall seeing anyone from Boeing, and I did not interact with anyone from Boeing. Because of the rocky, hilly terrain where the blaze started, aircraft had the potential to play an important role in fighting the Woolsey fire, making water and retardant drops on ridges which ground troops cannot reach. Ventura County had two helicopters that flew through the night on both fires. LAFD sent three of its helicopters capable of flying at night, but they had all returned from the Woolsey fire by 6:30 p.m. (An agency spokeswoman said the decision to send the helicopters home would have come from the team managing the fire, not LAFD.) L.A. County Fire initially sent three helicopters; a pair of Bombardier CL-415 air tankers that can each hold 1,620 gallons of water at one time commonly referred to as Super Scoopers; and an Erickson Helitanker, which has a 2,650-gallon water tank. A helicopter makes a water drop as L.A. County Fire battalion chiefs Dean Zipperman, left, and Jason Hing watch from the backyard of a home in Westlake Village on Nov. 9. Michael Owen Baker / For The Times However, once nightfall hit, their aircraft had limited effectiveness because of the high winds gusting over the region. Air attack resources were severely hampered by wind on the Woolsey fire, Imbrenda, a public information officer with L.A. County Fire, said in an email. Once we have sustained winds of 40 mph, air drops become ineffective. Firehawk helicopters flew in support of ground operations throughout the night on Nov. 8. All other air resources were grounded due to high winds. One of the additional challenges that the Woolsey incident commander faced was getting air tankers. Whereas helicopters are primarily used for direct attack, dropping water on active fire, air tankers are often used to drop pink retardant along ridges and mountainsides to create or improve control lines around the fire. On Nov. 8, air tankers which dont fly at night were in high demand, Gardner said. The deadly Camp fire had started in Northern California the same day at 6:33 a.m., and officials from all three fires were calling state emergency leaders asking them to send help. Gardner said he was repeatedly on the phone begging the state to send more tankers to Ventura County, arguing the Woolsey fire had the potential to hit Malibu, not realizing how bad the Camp fire had become. Within the first hour of the Hill fire, the incident commander doubled his order from four to eight air tankers. Soon after, a dispatcher asked him if they could divert one of his fires tankers to the Woolsey fire, which was potentially going to threaten homes and businesses in Simi Valley. You can divert one of the air tankers, Ventura County Fire Assistant Chief Chad Cook, the Hill fire incident commander, said. Well keep the rest of them here. About 40 minutes later, at 3:37 p.m., a dispatcher told the Hill fire incident commander two air tankers and two helitankers would soon arrive to fight the blaze. Only a few minutes later, the Woolsey incident commander was told by a dispatcher that the region had no more air tankers it could send, but that there were multiple helicopters available. About an hour later, the Woolsey incident commander seemed to be frustrated by his tanker requests going unfilled. I'd like to talk to my neighboring fire (commander) and see if I can get some from him, the Woolsey incident commander told his aerial coordinator over the radio at 4:26 p.m. Correct, sir, the aerial coordinator said. Weve been trying to negotiate resource sharing. Well see how that goes. But the Woolsey fire began spreading at a much faster pace with far fewer firefighters on the ground than were battling the Hill fire. A firefighter pulls a hose to keep embers from a burning house from spreading in Oak Park on Nov. 8. Stuart W. Palley / For The Times A question of resources With the Ventura County Fire Department consumed by the Hill fire, it was going to be up to neighboring agencies to help battle the Woolsey fire. And the location of the Woolsey fire seemed to make mutual aid achievable, with it burning along the Los Angeles County line not far from both L.A. city and county fire stations. The agency to send the most fire engines in the first hours of the Woolsey fire was LAFD. Richmond, the LAFDs Valley bureau commander, said in an interview that he, along with other fire leaders working the Woolsey fire, discussed early on that they knew this fire would get serious quickly. At the end of the day, the concern, from my perspective on this incident, is obviously (were) looking out for L.A. city and making sure that our assets and risks are protected, and if that means dropping water on a Ventura County fire, and it will help us down the road, thats what were going to do, Richmond said. Firefighters from LAFD started streaming in less than a half-hour after the fire began. Radio transmissions show, soon after they arrived, the firefighters started placing hoses around the fire, giving them quick access to water, and assessing the size and direction of the fire. Within an hour, 11 fire engines and two fire trucks had arrived. Were still coming up with a game plan. Shortly after they arrived, an LAFD firefighter with Engine 481 asked Engine 28 to drive over and help them establish a fire line. But Engine 28 responded that the winds were shifting and they needed to stay put. Theres no more resources where were at, an Engine 28 firefighter said. Roger that, the firefighter on Engine 481 responded. Well figure something else out. Repeatedly over the next hour, the crews battalion chief remarked that the fires leaders were still establishing a plan and noted, Were having issues with communications right now. The firefighters discussed how, because of a limited number of hydrants at the Boeing facility, they had to use trucks to keep shuttling water to each other to continue battling the blaze. L.A. County had about seven engines staging near the Boeing gate when the countys first strike team arrived about 3:30 p.m. and radioed in seeking orders. Were still coming up with a game plan, a fire leader responded. Gardner, the Ventura County assistant chief, said the plan referenced was fire leaders developing their control objectives and other advanced strategic decisions, but that this wouldnt have kept firefighters on the ground from actively fighting the fire. The LAFD continued to send more ground troops than L.A. County into the zone over the next few hours, according to state mutual aid data and incident logs. Meanwhile, the county fire department was amassing an army of engines at Fire Station 89 in Agoura Hills. By 4:33 p.m., four strike teams were in place there. Imbrenda said the strike teams were used to assess neighborhoods in L.A. County that county fire leaders believed would eventually be in the path of the Woolsey fire. Those assessments were used to create a firefighting strategy for the area, he said. L.A. Countys incident log, dispatch recordings and the state mutual aid data reviewed by The Times show those four strike teams did not arrive at the Woolsey fire line until just after 9 p.m. By then, the fire was approaching Oak Park, which is about three miles north of Fire Station 89. Firefighters battle the Woolsey fire in Oak Park on Nov. 9. (Stuart W. Palley / For the Times) The Woolsey Fire burns a tree off Lindero Canyon Road. (Stuart W. Palley / For The Times) A resident evacuates his home in Thousand Oaks on Nov. 9. (Stuart W. Palley / For the Times) Top, firefighters battle the Woolsey fire in Oak Park on Nov. 9. Bottom left, flames engulf a tree on Lindero Canyon Road. Bottom right, Masao Barrows evacuates his home in Thousand Oaks on Nov. 9. (Stuart W. Palley / For the Times) At 8:54 p.m., Ventura County Fire Capt. Jeff Pike, the Woolsey incident commander, told Ventura County Division Chief John McNeil over the radio that fire activity was picking up, and that he expected the blaze to reach Oak Park in about an hour. He said he wanted five strike teams to defend Oak Park, according to radio transmissions. Its my understanding we might have some L.A. County resources, staged at (Fire Station) 89, Pike said. If we could use those resources with the understanding that if L.A. County gets impacted, we can bump those resources back into the L.A. County area. About eight minutes later, at about 9:02 p.m., an L.A. County firefighter radioed to dispatchers that the four strike teams from Station 89 were responding to the blaze. The county fire department disputes this chronology, insisting the strike teams arrived hours earlier than the records indicate, and that the arrival time thats reflected in the records was a data entry error. But officials would not provide any further documentation of the teams exact arrival times. Imbrenda cautioned The Times that the radio transmissions it reviewed might not include all tactical communications and that the broadcast could include erroneous reports from civilians. Station 89 sits along the 101 Freeway. Radio transmissions indicate that just an hour after the Woolsey fire started, one of the L.A. County battalion chiefs overseeing the agencys Woolsey response wanted to place firefighters on the 101 to prevent the fire from jumping the freeway. His concern was understandable history has shown that, once a fire crosses the freeway, it can easily make a run for the beach communities. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl L. Osby defended his departments tactics, though he stressed he could not speak to specific actions, including when the strike teams arrived and how they were used. He said it made sense for firefighters to make a stand at the 101. Osby said the decision-making focused on protecting lives and property across the entire region and that there was no special focus on areas served by the L.A. County Fire Department. When we have fires in that area, were aware of the potential of it burning to the 101 Freeway and then the potential of it jumping the 101 Freeway, he said. We were aware of the possibility that it could get to the 101 Freeway, so we did all that we could to prevent that. We were aware of the possibility that it could get to the 101 Freeway, so we did all that we could to prevent that. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl L. Osby Around midnight, resources were beginning to flood into the Woolsey zone. Some came from the Hill fire, whose danger had lessened. From around midnight to 3 a.m., L.A. County alone sent about 12 more strike teams along with 10 more engines. Osby said he felt the strike teams arrived at the appropriate times and that his department had more firefighters assigned to the blaze than he could ever remember. Over half our department was allocated to this fire, which was really unprecedented practice in my career, and Ive been here for 30 years, he said. But by midnight, the Woolsey fire had grown more powerful and was almost impossible to control at 4,000 acres. Fueled by gusts topping 70 mph, the fire burned homes in Oak Park and forced thousands to evacuate. By 3 a.m., it was 8,000 acres, and at 5:15 a.m. it jumped the 101 Freeway and began its fateful run toward Malibu. Gardner, the Ventura County assistant fire chief, said he had no issues with the resources L.A. County and city fire provided, calling both agencies 100 percent supportive during the Woolsey fire. Smoke from the Woolsey fire billows behind buildings and palm trees along PCH in western Malibu. Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times Making a monster As far as the Woolsey fire moved that first night, the following day would be much worse. The fire ate into the Santa Monica Mountains, burning 88% of federal parkland. It became 14 miles wide at one point as it devastated Malibu neighborhoods. Veteran firefighters say it was a once-in-a-lifetime event. In my 30 years of experience, Ive never seen a fire that explosive, LAFDs Richmond said. Seeing how quickly that fire traveled to Agoura Hills and Oak Park and Thousand Oaks and jumped the freeway the next morning, and in four hours, its burning kelp beds in the Pacific Ocean thats pretty incredible. This one was the big one, he said. The question officials are facing now is whether different tactics would have stopped the fire sooner. Its clear that those fighting the fire in those first few hours didnt have the resources they thought they needed, according to radio transmissions. Its also clear tactics used by fire officials that day limited the number of firefighters on the front lines that afternoon and evening. At public meetings, some residents have complained about a lack of fire resources and what some claim was a flawed evacuation strategy. Both the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the Malibu City Council are creating panels to investigate how the fire was fought. Malibu Mayor Jefferson Wagner, who was injured in a futile attempt to save his home, put it this way: Part of the healing process includes understanding what happened and why it happened, and making improvements for the future. Times staff writers Paul Pringle, Matt Stiles and Richard Winton contributed to this report. Chronograph chronology Chronograph chronology Since the acclaimed premiere of the Datograph 16 years ago, the Saxon watch brand has continuously leveraged its expertise in this domain... Since the acclaimed premiere of the... A stretch of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu will remain closed until Monday as crews continue to clean up mud and debris from the highway after a winter storm moved through the area, triggering a mudslide and prompting flash flood warnings overnight in burn areas in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. The highway between Encinal Canyon Road in Malibu to Las Posas Road in Ventura County will remain closed until at least Monday, Caltrans said. The roadway was covered in mud and debris Saturday night. Three vehicles became stuck in mud up to 4 feet deep in some areas. Some drivers actually stopped by our fire station and rang our doorbell to tell us there was flooding and people were trapped, said Ventura County Fire Capt. Dennis OShea. Those folks just happened to be in the worst part of it, and they just got stuck. Advertisement An automated rain gauge in the western Santa Monica Mountains showed nearly three-quarters of an inch of rainfall in one hour, the National Weather Service. These are heavy rates, the service tweeted. A flash-flood watch was issued Saturday for the burn areas of the Woolsey and Hill fires and remained in effect through midnight. The fires burned more than 100,000 acres in November, destroyed about 1,600 structures and claimed three lives. A half-inch to 1 inches of rainfall fell along the coasts and valleys, with higher amounts along the foothills and mountains, according to the National Weather Service in Oxnard. Orange and San Diego counties were expected to see a quarter of an inch to 1 inch of precipitation in some cities over the weekend. The heaviest rain was expected to fall overnight, Stewart said. More rain and was expected to hit the region late Sunday night, with another storm predicted to hit Southern California next Friday. A sheriffs deputy works to free a patrol car from mud on a stretch of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu on Saturday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) Malibu officials are advising residents to prepare for potential flooding, mudslides, power outages, dangerous road conditions and possible evacuations. Advertisement City officials have released a map of burn areas that show where the potential for flooding and mudslides is greatest. The city is also providing free, empty sandbags at Malibu-area fire stations and pre-filled sandbags at the Zuma Beach lifeguard headquarters. Meanwhile, burn areas in the northern region of the state appeared to escape heavy rainfall as the chilly Pacific storm passed through the area Saturday. The Bay Area and Northern California saw mostly light rain, including about a half-inch in and around Paradise in Butte County where the states deadliest and most destructive fire burned in November, said Steve Anderson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. The Camp fire charred more than 153,000 acres, destroyed nearly 14,000 homes and killed at least 84 people. But the region seemed to sidestep another possible disaster on Saturday. Advertisement There are no reports of flooding. It is pretty light rain, Anderson said. The heaviest rain in the region about 2 inches fell around the Big Sur coast. A moderate El Nino weather pattern that is brewing in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean is bringing more precipitation to some regions of California. The weather outlook for the next several weeks indicates above-normal precipitation; in the next few months, the odds are looking good for above-average rainfall, weather experts said. ben.poston@latimes.com | Twitter: @bposton Advertisement javier.panzar@latimes.com | Twitter: @jpanzar More than two weeks after the Trump administration announced a new policy that would force asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for their turns in U.S. immigration court, there is no sign yet at the San Ysidro Port of Entry that it has been implemented. The Department of Homeland Security said on Dec. 20 that the change was effective immediately, but advocacy groups along the border continue to receive large numbers of migrant families who have been released from immigration custody into the U.S. Asylum seekers continue to move through San Ysidro, the busiest port on the southwest border for asylum claims, according to a recent study. Katie Waldman, DHS spokeswoman, said that the new policy will be implemented. We are in the process of beginning implementation, Waldman said. We want to ensure an orderly, safe, and efficient process. Advertisement Under the policy, asylum seekers who come either to ports of entry or cross the border illegally would go through preliminary processing before heading back across the border to Mexico with documents showing their next court hearing dates in the U.S. Hundreds of mostly Central American migrants fleeing violence or poverty in their home countries have gathered at the border and are waiting in Tijuana to apply for asylum in the U.S. Mexico announced that it had decided to temporarily allow asylum seekers waiting for U.S. immigration court hearings to reenter the country and that it would provide humanitarian visas to allow asylum seekers to work while they wait. However, some top Mexican officials quickly said that was not possible. The head of Mexicos National Institute of Migration said that Mexico would have to change its laws in order to comply with such a policy. Since then, it has been unclear what will happen if and when the U.S. begins to implement the policy. It is not an agreement, but a unilateral measure by the U.S. government and, as such, the decision is entirely a domestic issue, said a spokeswoman for the Mexican Embassy in Washington when asked about the delayed implementation. As is its sovereign right, the government of Mexico will take appropriate measures in accordance with our legal framework. She said Mexican officials would be asking the U.S. for more information about what it plans to do. Besides the confusion in Mexico, the proposed change also brought a slew of logistical questions from immigration attorneys, advocates and others who work closely with the U.S. immigration system. How would the migrants get from the border to immigration court? Would immigration courts along the border be responsible for hearing all of the new asylum cases? How would attorneys meet with their clients before their hearings, or how would migrants even find attorneys to take their cases? Answers to these questions are still unknown. Advertisement For Everard Meade, director of the Trans-Border Institute at the University of San Diego, the delayed rollout is not entirely surprising. Its on pattern with almost everything theyve tried to do with immigration in the past two years, Meade said. They front-load policies that sound very harsh and decisive but also sound like theyre simple when in fact implementation is complicated and much more constrained by the law. Peter Nunez, a former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California who supports lower levels of immigration, said he was not surprised by all the confusion or the fact that the new policy had not been implemented. I didnt have any expectations, bottom line, Nunez said. Its so frustrating that any attempt to do anything rational is thwarted either in Congress or the courts or both. Advertisement Nunez said he believes that asylum seekers should be required to ask for protection in the first country they enter that is not their own. Many expect immigrant advocates to challenge the Remain in Mexico policy in court if and when it is implemented. For Pedro Rios, director of the American Friends Service Committees U.S./Mexico Border Program, the lack of implementation is a good thing. He worries about migrants safety if theyre forced to wait months or even years in Mexico and gave as an example the two Honduran teens who were recently killed in Tijuana. Its somewhat of a relief that Mexico hasnt fully bought into the idea that they should be the waiting country for migrants who are having their asylum claims processed in the U.S., Rios said. Advertisement Asylum seekers in Tijuana which has long had a backlog of people waiting to come into the U.S. for processing were initially stunned by the Trump administrations announcement. As time has passed without any sign of change, those huddled around a tent in a corner of the Chaparral Plaza have continued to step forward eagerly when their names are called to apply for asylum. Migrants organizing the list of people waiting said they hadnt seen or heard about anyone being brought back to Mexico to wait. kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com Morrissey writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. The editor-publisher of Californias oldest weekly newspaper has rules for his publication: No children on the front page (I loathe children). No beauty pageants. No online presence. As long as Im running it, its on pulp, period, Don Russell said. The Mountain Messenger publishes Thursdays, so on a Wednesday, Russell, 67, sat down to write the front page. Thirty years ago this terrified him. But now Im like, Watch what I can do, he said with the chortle of a melodrama villain and a voice as deep as the color of his favorite bourbon. He was, however, facing seasonal difficulties. Advertisement Everyone is terminally well-behaved from October well into January around here, he said. Its hard on headlines. (Los Angeles Times) Russell covers school board meetings, federal land use and everything else in Sierra and Plumas counties some of the most rural areas of California. His tone ranges from head-shaking to finger-pointing outrage. He has never been sued: If I say its a fact, its a fact, damn it. I do my homework. But there have been a couple of times an irked politician drove around and bought all 200 copies as damage control. A self-described contrarian, Russell uses every edition to help him prove that a small towns strength is its common ground. He can call someone an idiot, disagree with their politics, question their good sense and still share a breakfast table or a drink. Breakfasts are busy at the Coyoteville Cafe on Fridays, when the latest Mountain Mess as many here call the paper is first out. Good ol Don Russell, hes quite the character. Hes so blunt and straightforward, but the funny thing is hell come in with someone on the same day hes bad-mouthing them, said Patrick Shannon, 38, who works in his mothers cafe and as a handyman, EMT and the towns water meter reader. Debra Moore, managing editor of a string of newspapers in neighboring Plumas County, said that Russell comes across as a crotchety newsman but that hes a sharp watchdog for the northern Sierra Nevada. Recently he exposed some county supervisors for double-dipping. They apologized and paid back the money. Advertisement He has a heart of gold, but hell take on anyone, she said. He is the last and the best of his kind. The walls of the newsroom where Russell simultaneously typed, smoked and readied the next days paper are layered with newspaper clippings, mementos and nicotine. Several pictures of Mark Twain, the Sierras most famous newsman (the papers slogan is Mark Twain Wrote Here), are on display, along with photos of Russell looking like Twain, but wearing a cowboy hat. I am exactly like Mark Twain, Russell said, continuing to type. Except he was famous, talented and worked hard. Raised in Detroit, Russell spent summers with family in east Tennessee. The draft board called when he turned 18, but Russell didnt answer. He figured hed rather spend five years in federal prison than Vietnam. Advertisement No one ever showed up to arrest him, so at 20 he headed west. He learned forestry in Californias gold country. Owned a fishing boat in Alaska. Bought into a small-town newspaper. Im proud that Ive managed to avoid honest work my whole life, he said. I worked in the woods. I fished. And now I write. The Mountain Messenger building in Downieville, Calif. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) He hired the papers one other employee, Jill Tahija, after a two-question interview: Can you type? Do you smoke? She said yes to both. Advertisement She puts together the inside pages, including a chart of the previous weeks weather sponsored by Grubstake Saloon and the most widely read feature, the sheriffs blotter. A recent highlight: Someone in Sierra City suspected they had been scammed. Tahija answers the phones. Russell delivers the paper. On a recent Thursday morning, Brutus, a 140-pound shepherd-chow-wolf mix, butted open the door to the newspaper office and walked in. Half an hour later, Scott McDermid, Brutus owner, arrived to help Russell pick up the Messenger from the printer and deliver it to general stores and news racks, where it sells for 50 cents. Russell pays McDermid two cigarettes for the help. Advertisement According to McDermid, he and Russell are an unusual pair of friends. Peace creeps and former Marines arent supposed to get along, but we do, said McDermid, who fought in Vietnam. He said it isnt always easy for him to be around people. Once youve had someones insides on your outsides, youre never the same. Never. Their paper route took them up over Yuba Pass. The Sierra Valley spread out in panoramic splendor, carved by the same forces that raised the towering mountains. Any weekly drive becomes routine, Russell said, but he always notices this view. Advertisement And a couple of times a year, it is a sight beyond magnificent, he said. McDermid agreed: They call it the hoarfrost, when every little blade of anything has ice sticking out like the fur on a ruffled cats tail. The whole valley turns into blinking lights. Its a little bit of wonderful. Scott McDermid loads freshly printed copies of the Mountain Messenger into the trunk of a car for distribution. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Looping through the hills, houses are few and more than half are empty the property of moneyed outsiders who rent them to tourists during the summer. The sawmills, logging and mining left years ago, taking most of the people with them. Advertisement There are about 3,000 residents in all of Sierra County. We are under no over-population pressures, Russell said. This is California. Here people want to visit the snow, not live in it. Delivery day, as always, ended in Downieville at the St. Charles, which residents just call the bar because there is only one in town. Give me a cheap bourbon with a beer back, Russell said. The bartender was pouring the drinks before he ordered. Advertisement Lee Adams, former Sierra County sheriff, walked through the door and made a beeline for Russell. Adams keeps a copy of a favorite front page in his wallet. In large, black letters it screamed one word an expletive for chicken manure. The story is about Adams. He wouldnt pull a deputy Russell had deemed too aggressive in patrolling Main Street. Adams said the headline made him laugh. Advertisement Im relieved to hear that, Russell said. I always felt bad about the timing, since that was a hard time for you personally. It was when Adams, now the first openly gay county supervisor, first came out. Russell didnt find that newsworthy. The only person around here who didnt know Lee was gay was Lee. Advertisement A live-and-let-live attitude has long persisted in the mountains, Russell said, dating back to the Gold Rush, when the world tipped and everything that wasnt bolted ended up in California. The ones who lost everything got stuck in these hills and learned to take each other as they came. The next night, Russell again was at the bar with McDermid and Jim Roos, who owns a small interest in the paper. Hes a Trumpster, Russell said of Roos. But I dont hold being a fool against anyone but that fool, Trump. In a decidedly blue state, this region is as red as a painted barn. President Trump won 14 California counties by more than 10 percentage points. All of them were in Northern California and the western Sierra. Advertisement Roos and Russell conceded that their little paper makes little money, hanging on only because of income generated from running legal notices. They said it wont survive many more years. We cant pass it on because the young ones who are smart enough to run it, we like too much to do that to, Russell said. When the paper does close, Russell said, he just might give fiction writing a shot. I was told by now-dead relatives that I ought to be a writer, he said. I remember from a very young age taking a certain pleasure in stringing words together. Advertisement He said his short stories would be set somewhere like Downieville. He thinks there are important things to observe about life in a small town. diana.marcum@latimes.com Twitter: @DianaMarcum The National Society of Film critics on Saturday chose The Rider, a cowboy drama directed by Chloe Zhao, as best picture of the year. Blending narrative and documentary film techniques, The Rider is set on South Dakotas Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and follows a Lakota cowboy after an accident derails his rodeo riding dreams. The Rider only Zhaos second film edged out Roma in the critics voting. Roma, the black-and-white Spanish language film about a Mexican family and their live-in nanny, won best foreign-language film. The society also awarded Alfonso Cuaron prizes for best director and for best cinematography. Inspired by Cuarons childhood memories, Roma already had taken home best picture honors from the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn., among others. In the national societys voting Saturday, Olivia Colman won best actress for her role as Queen Anne in the British period film The Favourite, beating Regina Hall in Support the Girls and Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me? Advertisement Ethan Hawke won best actor for playing a weary pastor in a small upstate New York church in First Reformed. Runners up included Willem Dafoe in At Eternitys Gate, Ben Foster in Leave No Trace and John C. Reilly in The Sisters Brothers and Stan & Ollie. Other winners included Regina King, who won best supporting actress for playing a family matriarch in the Barry Jenkins adaptation of James Baldwins 1974 novel, If Beale Street Could Talk, and Steven Yeun, who won best supporting actor for South Koreas mystery drama Burning, which also finished third in best-picture voting. Last year the society gave best-picture honors to Lady Bird, which went on to score five Oscar nominations but lost best picture to The Shape of Water. Composed of 62 members from across the country, the National Society of Film Critics considered any film that opened in the U.S. in 2018. A list of winners: Best picture: The Rider Best director: Alfonso Cuaron, Roma Best screenplay: Armando Iannucci, David Schneider and Ian Martin, The Death of Stalin Best cinematography: Alfonso Cuaron, Roma Advertisement Best actress: Olivia Colman, The Favourite Best actor: Ethan Hawke, First Reformed Best supporting actress: Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk Best supporting actor: Steven Yeun, Burning Advertisement Best foreign-language film: Roma Best nonfiction film: Minding the Gap Film heritage award: Team of producers, editors, restorers, technicians and cineastes who labored for decades to bring Orson Welles The Other Side of the Wind to completion for a new generation of movie lovers; Museum of Modern Art for restoring the 1923 Ernst Lubitsch film Rosita Special citation for a film awaiting U.S. distribution: A Family Tour (Ying Liang, Taiwan/Hong Kong/Singapore/Malaysia) Advertisement makeda.easter@latimes.com @makedaeaster Drugmaker Celgene Corp. agreed to invest an additional $30 million in a cancer-fighting start-up thats majority owned by Los Angeles biotech entrepreneur Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, the companies said Friday. Celgenes second-round funding would raise its overall investment in NantCell to $105 million, lifting its ownership in the firm to 2.8% and giving NantCell a total valuation of $4 billion, the companies said. The announcement came one day after Celgene itself agreed to be acquired by another major drug company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., for $74 billion. Celgene, based in Summit, N.J., produces drugs such as the blood-cancer therapy Revlimid. Privately held NantCell is part of Soon-Shiongs Culver City-based network of firms, called NantWorks, which is attempting to develop cancer treatments using the bodys own immune system. Advertisement The networks other two main entities, which are publicly held, are NantHealth Inc. and NantKwest Inc. Soon-Shiong also owns the Los Angeles Times. Soon-Shiong started NantCell in 2015 with the help of Celgenes initial $75-million investment. The company is trying to develop a vaccine to combat multiple types of tumors without requiring the patient to undergo high-dose chemotherapy. We are very pleased with Celgenes continued investment in the company and our shared vision of developing a chemotherapy free cancer vaccine, Soon-Shiong said in a statement. Mark Alles, Celgenes chief executive, said in a statement that NantCell had made significant clinical progress and that we are excited to extend this partnership. Celgene helped expand Soon-Shiongs fortune in 2010 when it purchased Soon-Shiongs Abraxis BioScience Inc. for about $3.6 billion. Abraxis business included the cancer drug Abraxane, which Soon-Shiong developed in the 1990s. james.peltz@latimes.com Twitter: @PeltzLATimes Inescapable. Its a constant stressor. I see no way out. What do professors, real estate agents, farmers, business executives, computer programmers and store clerks have in common? Advertisement Theyre not immune to the harsh reality of living paycheck to paycheck, according to dozens of people who responded to a Washington Post inquiry on Twitter. Theyre millennials, Gen Xers and baby boomers. They work in big cities and rural towns. Theyve tried to save but rent, child care, student loans and medical bills get in the way. National data on the paycheck-to-paycheck experience is flimsy, but a recent report from the Federal Reserve spotlights the prevalence of extra-tight budgets: 4 in 10 adults say they couldnt produce $400 in an emergency without sliding into debt or selling something, according to the 2017 figures. The partial government shutdown, which began Dec. 22 and is temporarily halting pay for some 800,000 federal workers, has touched off a heated discussion on Twitter about what it means to get by in the United States. (President Trump warned this closure could last a very long time if Congress doesnt meet his demands for billions of dollars for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.) Even brief income lapses can spell disaster for some households. My husband is a Park Ranger in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and he had to sign his furlough papers, one woman tweeted. We have a 4 yr. old and a 4-month-old, and we dont know when his next check will come. Mortgage is due, Christmas 2 days away. These and other #ShutdownStories took off online after Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) suggested last week that a gap in wages wouldnt be so bad. Whos living that theyre not going to make it to the next paycheck? he asked reporters, adding that most of those affected would qualify for back pay. Advertisement According to economists: A lot of people. Its astronomical what people need just to make it month to month, said Heidi Shierholz, a former chief economist at the Department of Labor who now studies how middle-class families spend their wages at the Economic Policy Institute, a Washington think tank that is funded by foundations and unions. Given the high cost of transportation, housing, healthcare. There is often no wriggle room. About 2,000 custodians, security guards, housekeepers and other federal building workers are losing money this holiday season because of the shutdown, according to 32BJ SEIU, an East Coast labor union and because such staffers are employed by contractors, they wont be eligible for makeup checks. My supervisor told me we wont be getting paid, one State Department cleaner told the Washington Post, so my bills wont be getting paid. Advertisement Beyond the federal labor sphere, workers across a variety of professions struggle to make ends meet. Sol Smith, chair of liberal arts at a college of art and design in Orange County, said he landed his job after earning three degrees. But with four daughters and mounting healthcare costs, he said, saving just isnt possible. I see no way out, he wrote in an email to the Post. I am 40, have built a strong career, have 17 years experience, and if something were to happen to me, my wife and kids would be homeless within a year when my life insurance ran out. Lani Harrison, 43, said she and her software engineer husband have trouble buying groceries after paying the $2,249 rent on their two-bedroom Los Angeles apartment. Theyre raising three young kids and rely on her husbands income, she said. Her work as a certified car seat installer earns her $40 per appointment, but the work isnt steady. Advertisement Each month, we have to stretch his paycheck to make things work, she said. We really dont have any savings. Many months we go under. Sometimes, she confides in trusted friends. Im often surprised that their stories are so similar to ours, she said. Dillon Holt, a housekeeping assistant at a Nashville hotel, said hes down to one piece of chicken in his freezer. His checking account often hovers around zero, and he is unable to put away any money for the future or an emergency. Advertisement I make $12.50, work 40 to 50 hours a week, he said. I still dont have a savings account. Emily Webb, 38, said she works full time as an arts administrator in Columbus, Ohio, and waits tables on the side. Staying afloat each month, she said, is a precarious dance. Its a scramble at the end of a paycheck to deposit my tips and make sure none of my automatic payments bounce, said Webb, who has a masters degree but cannot make her student loan payments. Shes grateful to work in her field, though, and loves her job. One big financial boost, she said, awaits her at the end of 2019. Advertisement I can finally pay off my 9-year-old car, Webb said. The plastic part of the back bumper was slowly sliding off the back of it. I got rear-ended by an uninsured driver two years ago, so I reattached it with zip ties. Jen Gotch, 47, is co-founder and chief creative officer for Ban.do, a 10-year-old lifestyle brand that, as Gotch describes it, sits at the intersection of fun and happiness. The Los Angeles company, which employs about 30 people, designs clothes, accessories and gifts, among other things. Products change often and can range from $3.95 for enamel pins and luggage tags to $279 for pink roller skates by Moxi, one of the third-party brands carried on Bando.com. Ban.dos own products can be found at more than 3,000 department stores and boutiques around the world in addition to the companys website. Advocacy Mental health advocacy is very important to Gotch. To that end, the company launched a collection of nameplate necklaces with jeweler Iconery that proclaim not a name or an astrology sign but a mental health issue such as anxiety or depression. The necklaces, which cost $48 apiece, have been a top seller, and all of the net proceeds go to a nonprofit called Bring Change to Mind, which promotes discussion and education about mental health. Its been really very exciting for us and personally very fulfilling for me, she said. A line of necklaces produced with jeweler Iconery about mental health issues has been a top seller. (Ban.do) Advertisement Finding her way Gotch obtained degrees in English and philosophy from Florida State University, graduating in 1993, but from there she struggled to find her niche. After three years of Latin with a goal of becoming a lawyer, Gotch decided that path was not for her. I didnt feel any camaraderie with the people in those classes, Gotch said. She wound up taking a few temporary jobs. That let me know I did not want to be a temp, Gotch said. Undiagnosed Mental health issues have been an important theme in Gotchs life, one that hit home with a serious episode not long after graduation, when she was 23 and living in Atlanta. I had my first experience with bipolar when I was 7, Gotch said. I just didnt have a name for anything that was going on until I was 23. I had experience with depression, anxiety. It was undiagnosed. Meaningful bottom Many people would have considered the timing horrible. Gotch looks back on it in a far different way. Every step along the way is a step in the right direction, Gotch said. I think losing it enough where I had to go home and deal with it and actually get really low set me on a really great course for the rest of my life. Getting to normal The New York natives business life had to develop alongside her search for the right mental health professional and the correct medications. I think the idea that something for depression is a happy pill is absolutely not what its supposed to be. The first time I got on something that worked, I just felt normal, Gotch said. I think I probably went from age 23 to 31 before I actually got the right combination of medications. An 8-foot-long sit-atop rainbow unicorn pool float costs $40.99 on Bando.com. (Ban.do) The big clue It was when she went to work for B-movie king Roger Corman in the late 1990s that something began to click. From set design, she went into prop styling. More than anything else I was beginning to create a personal aesthetic, Gotch said. It was about understanding how to execute on an idea that was in my head and turn it into something that other people could experience. Starting small With just $300 each, Gotch and co-founder Jamie Coulter started Ban.do in 2008. The pair, both stylists, scoured swap meets and estate sales for their original inspirations. It was all hair accessories, Gotch said. Some of them were like combs with flowers on them, some were headbands, some were wire halos. Help wanted A little more than three years into the business, Gotch said, the company had reached about $200,000 a year in sales; the fact that neither Gotch nor Coulter had training or experience in running a business was showing. I didnt really have a lot of people around me that were in the business field, Gotch said of those early years. And I didnt really know how to ask for help or what help we needed. Advertisement Mentors, and buyers Six years ago, the entrepreneurs sold Ban.do to Todd and Kim Ferrier, who run Lifeguard Press, a stationery and gift company that has produced and distributed products for licensed brands and artists such as Kate Spade, Lilly Pulitzer and Jonathan Adler. Todd especially became a huge mentor for me in business, Gotch said, because really at that point, we had a business, but it was really very small and it was more of a creative outlet than anything else. Creative space After the sale, Gotch was able to focus more on what interested her most. It wasnt about not wanting to run the company, but when we sold, the support that was brought in allowed me to lean into the creative side even more, and that is certainly where I am most comfortable. Advice Know your customers, Gotch said. In Ban.dos case, that means generally youngish shoppers (women 18 to 34) attracted to a product mix that leans toward colorful, sparkly, snarky and nostalgic. When youre a smaller business, you lead a lot of the decision making for your customer. As you grow, you learn about who youve attracted. You understand their likes and dislikes and what they respond to. And in order to fortify that relationship, you have to listen to them. Media platforms To connect with customers, Gotch spends a lot of time on podcasts and on social media, where she has more than 225,000 followers. I act as the primary brand ambassador, using platforms like my podcast, speaking engagements, my Instagram and my upcoming book to raise awareness about mental health, about Ban.do and me personally. Its sort of an autobiographical podcast about my dealings with mental health and creative entrepreneurship. Gotchs podcast, Jen Gotch Is OK Sometimes, can be found on Girlboss.com. With me its hard to tell a business story without a little bit of mental health just because theyre very intermingled. The first step into a posh new apartment building near Marina del Rey feels like a mistake. Theres no lobby instead the door opens to a lounge and kitchen. The idea is to encourage mingling, which is part of the appeal of a building where tenants have their own bedrooms but share common areas with people they dont know. But this is not your typical L.A. roommate situation. The bedrooms are spacious, the living rooms are furnished and the residents are often selected by the landlord. Welcome to co-living in a time of sky-high rents. Advertisement The shared economy has transformed how we get around, how we travel, who sits next to us at the office and, now, with whom we share our private spaces. Real estate developers like California Landmark Group, which owns apartment building C1, are pioneering a new way of living by primarily catering to young professionals and creative types who enjoy luxury digs but cant swing the rent in desirable neighborhoods such as the Marina. And while stretching out on a sofa with a stranger may strike many as unusual, it is not much of a leap to people already comfortable with Uber and Airbnb, said Ken Kahan, founder of the Los Angeles-based development company. People get in other peoples cars and sleep in other peoples beds, he said. This is a natural expansion of the housing market in the shared economy. Co-living has the benefit of offering renters in search of social connection the chance to bond with new acquaintances in similar situations, but its fundamental appeal may be economic. Individual tenants at C1 pay at least $2,000 a month in the nearly $40-million building, which just opened. But thats still cheaper than comparative singles in the neighborhood and $600 less than conventional studios also available for rent in the complex. Typically, a co-living renter has a private bedroom and can spring for a private bathroom, but shares the kitchen, living room and other communal spaces. Units are furnished sometimes at an Instagram-worthy level and the rent usually includes services that arent covered in other apartments, such as utilities and Wi-Fi. C1 even offers Netflix and maid services to head off squabbles over whose turn it is to vacuum the floor and scrub the sink. Advertisement Ken Kahan, founder and president of California Landmark Group, sits in a common living area in a C1 co-living unit. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Co-living complexes have grown fairly common in European cities such as Berlin, London and Dublin, Kahan said, and are now springing up in New York, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and other American urban areas. They come in different iterations. Some companies contract with landlords to refit entire buildings or carve up individual units so that a two-bedroom might fit additional tenants who squeeze into bunk beds or live in a partitioned living room. Developers such as Kahan are taking the next step: building from the ground up and foreseeing a time when co-living is a new property category, like assisting living complexes designed to serve the growing numbers of wealthy seniors. Advertisement A portfolio of buildings in an established property class can get funded by banks, purchased by pension funds and even securitized in real estate investment trusts. For now, though, co-living is still in its infancy and is considered somewhat experimental. But if the small developments emerging in trendy housing markets like Marina del Rey, Venice and Echo Park succeed, more will probably follow. The roof of the C1 apartment complex features a pool and lounge area. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Another co-living housing developer, Anil Khera, sees a link between co-living and the upmarket student housing complexes that have sprung up around campuses in recent years. Those have formed an established new property category that is a leap beyond the spartan dormitories and cracker-box apartments of college students a generation ago. Advertisement Complexes near USC and UC Irvine, for instance, offer such luxuries as 24-hour fitness centers, tanning booths, billiards, barbecues, and resort-style pools with cabanas. Furnished units come with granite countertops, big-screen HD television sets and ice makers. You have millennials who have grown up in pretty fancy purpose-built apartments, Khera said, and are unaccustomed to slumming it in old, unfurnished units once out of school. Co-living, he said, is the next step for graduates facing steep rents in desirable urban neighborhoods. The median rent for a vacant apartment in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco is one-third higher than it was in 2012. In November it hit $2,554 in Los Angeles, according to Zillow. Node bungalows in Los Angeles. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) Advertisement Khera, a former executive at global private equity real estate firm Blackstone, in 2016 founded a co-living company called Node as it became apparent that millennials valued travel, memorable events and friendships over possessions. The aspiration for the new generation growing up globally connected on Instagram is about experiences and connections, he said. Thats the stuff thats cool. Promotional materials for Nodes new Echo Park outpost boast that its two 1920s-vintage bungalow court complexes are Instagram ready, featuring curated furnished interiors with designer kitchens that include retro-looking Smeg Italian refrigerators that retail for about $2,000. The effect is indeed one of an apartment each unit looks different tricked out for a lifestyle magazine shoot, beyond the tastes and means of ordinary apartment dwellers left to their own decorating impulses. Advertisement Our concept is like creating a SOHO House to live in, said Khera, referring to a chain of members-only co-working clubs for people in creative fields known for chic interiors and sophisticated dining options. Node, based in London, looks to convert old housing representative of the historic architectural style of its locale, such as a brownstone in Brooklyn, a 200-year-old Georgian Square housing complex in Dublin and the bungalow courts in Los Angeles. Not all of the Echo Park units, which start at $2,850, are co-living. Many of them are meant for a single person or a couple. The close quarters of the bungalow court layout instill an aura of community, however, and Node envisions residents interacting with the encouragement of a community curator who will help people find roommates and arrange group events such as concerts and cookouts. The kitchen and dining area of a Node bungalow. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) Advertisement The notion of co-living is hardly new, housing expert Richard K. Green said, but there may be a market for the upscale version of it emerging now. A hundred years ago, people commonly lived in boarding houses, sharing a kitchen and a bathroom down the hall, said Green, director of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate. The country is wealthier now and people are less accustomed to cohabitating with non-relatives, but the market is still potentially vast about 16% of adults live with non-relatives such as roommates, Green said. Still, it remains to be seen whether the emerging co-living luxury model will generate substantial demand. Whether people will want to live this way in large numbers, I dont know, Green said. Advertisement Even Kahan of California Landmark, who funded C1 without institutional money, is taking baby steps. Only about 20% of the 68 units at the Marina del Rey complex are co-living; the rest are traditional singles and multi-bedrooms. Green said small-scale tests of the concept, such as the projects emerging today, could attract venture capital, and if it works you have an IPO and go from there. Starcity, one of the countrys largest co-living providers and the manager of California Landmarks C1 building, is betting that there is a big niche it can profitably fill as housing costs rise in job-rich urban centers. Starcity Chief Executive Jon Dishotsky launched the company in 2016 in San Francisco, where it developed its first co-living building, after polling young middle-income urbanites about how they were dealing with high housing costs. Advertisement The majority, he found, coped one of three ways: by commuting long distances from cheaper neighborhoods, by squeezing into small apartments with multiple roommates or by spending as much as 70% of their income on rent. There was no solution on the supply side of the equation to a hair on fire situation on the demand side, he said. Starcitys portfolio already has expanded to 300 units owned or managed, and it expects be operating 500 more units this year. An additional 3,000 are planned, mostly in San Francisco and Los Angeles County, Dishotsky said. The bedroom of a Node bungalow. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) The co-housing model has proved profitable for the company, because there is a large pool of renters who cannot afford market rates but are willing to squeeze into shared units for a break on the rent. In Venice and near Marina del Rey, monthly Starcity rents will be in the low $2,000 range compared with about $3,000 for a nice studio apartment in the area. Advertisement Aside from the recent college graduates or other young people early in their careers who view co-living as a lily pad to land on before working their way up to more expensive, conventional housing, the model attracts a second group, Dishotsky said. He calls them restarters people between 30 and 50 who might be coming out of a divorce or are otherwise launching a second act in their lives. Maybe they had a house and a family and want to be taken care of instead of taking care of other people. With either type, one of the challenges for managers of co-living arrangements is raising the probability that the tenants will get along. The renters tend to be a self-selecting group adaptable to harmonious group living, developers say, but they reserve the authority to relocate people who arent getting along to other units or to eject troublemakers. Activity directors who work for the owners try to smooth disputes before they get problematic. Advertisement Co-living developers also do what they can to minimize disagreements among tenants by providing services such as housekeeping that can be a point of conflict. And with a few taps on a phone app, residents at C1 can get stress-reducing services for a fee, such as having staff walk their dogs or tidy up their bedrooms because a special someone is coming over, Dishotsky said. A resident of Starcitys Venice property, Jen McConnell, likes the residences online community messaging system where people check in with one another and find out about group events such as meditation, tea tasting and a trivia contest. Its provided by Slack, the popular service that is displacing email in many offices. The Chicago-based financial advisor in her 30s wanted to stay near the beach during her stay of a few months and was attracted to the communal nature of the three-floor Venice complex in part because she has few friends in town. She likes the neighborhood and the rooftop deck with ocean views. Its maybe for people who are really focused on the location and the community, she said. Advertisement The next frontier may be providing co-living beyond the current model aimed primarily at single adults by bringing more parents with children into the fold. Were trying to figure out how to do this for families, Dishotsky said, such as providing more spaces conducive to youngsters play and rooms for relatives and nannies. There is a generational shift, said the developer, who at 34 is an older millennial. Do I need a house with a white picket fence? Maybe not. roger.vincent@latimes.com Advertisement Twitter: @rogervincent Kiyoshi Kimura (C), President of Japanese sushi chain Sushi-Zanmai, prepares to cut his 278 kilogram Bluefin tuna fish during the New Year 2019 first auction of the Toyosu Market at his head restaurant at Tsukiji in Tokyo, Japan, 05 January 2019. Kimura offered 333,600,000 Japanese yen, around 2.7 million euros, for the tuna on the Toyosu market, thus paying a new maximum price. EPA A Japanese sushi entrepreneur paid a record $3.1 million for a giant tuna Saturday as Tokyo's new fish market, which replaced the world-famous Tsukiji late last year, held its first pre-dawn New Year's auction. Bidding stopped at a whopping 333.6 million yen for the enormous 278-kilogramme (612-pound) fish an endangered species that was caught off Japan's northern coast. Self-styled "Tuna King" Kiyoshi Kimura paid the top price, which doubled the previous record of 155 million yen also paid by him in 2013. "It's the best tuna. I was able to buy a delicious, super fresh tuna," the sushi restaurant chain owner proudly told reporters. "The price was higher than originally thought, but I hope our customers will eat this excellent tuna," Kimura said after the auction. Tsukiji the world's biggest fish market and a popular tourist attraction in an area packed with restaurants and shops moved in October to Toyosu, a former gas plant a bit further east. President Kiyoshi Kimora and staff of Japanese sushi chain Sushi-Zanmai, show off a cut of the 278 kilogram Bluefin tuna fish during the New Year 2019 first auction of the Toyosu Market at his head restaurant at Tsukiji in Tokyo, Japan, 05 January 2019. Kimura offered 333,600,000 Japanese yen, around 2.7 million euros, for the tuna on the Toyosu market, thus paying a new maximum price. EPA Prospective buyers inspect the quality of tuna before the first auction of the year at the newly-opened Toyosu Market, new site of Tokyo's fish market, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Tokyo. AP By Jun Ji-hye KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu will participate in the International Business Council (IBC), which will take place on the occasion of the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos later this month, the Korean firm said Sunday. KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu The country's national telecommunication body has ordered mobile operators to offer free voice calls and internet for people in Nakhon Si Thammarat, a southern province assailed by the storm since Friday. All flights were cancelled at Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport, which was closed on Friday morning, while Surat Thani Airport was ordered shut on Friday afternoon. Both airports are scheduled to reopen at noon on Saturday (January 5). Ferry service from the mainland to Samui island has been halted as strong winds and heavy rains persist in many southern provinces. Offshore petroleum production in the Gulf of Thailand stopped on January 2, with more than 2,600 staff from nine oil and gas drilling companies evacuated from platforms. Tropical storm Pabuk landed in the country's southern part Friday noon, uprooting trees and power poles and swamping some places under water of 50 cm to 100 cm deep. The storm was packed with wind of 75 kph at its epic-center when it first made landfall in two coastal districts. Then it moves across the mainland towards Surat Thani province at a speed of 18 kph and would soon weaken into a depression, bringing torrential rains there, according to the meteorological department. A fishermen was killed and another went missing when their boat capsized off Pattani province in the south on early Friday. More than 100 foreign tourists were rescued on Friday from an island off Phuket. This Oct. 22 file photo shows the iPhone XS, from left, iPhone XR and the iPhone XS Max in New York. Apple warns that disappointing iPhone sales will cause a significant drop in its revenue compared to earlier projections. / AP-Yonhap By Jun Ji-hye Samsung Display and SK hynix are likely to suffer the most among Korean parts suppliers from Apple's shock revenue-guidance downgrade, analysts said Sunday. Other companies expected to receive a blow include LG Display, Samsung SDI and Samsung Electronics, they noted. "Concerns are growing over future performance of relevant parts companies as uncertainty grows over sales volume of iPhones," Hana Financial Investment analyst Kim Rok-ho said. On Wednesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook downsized his firm's earnings forecast for the first quarter of fiscal 2019 in a letter to investors, blaming the slowing of the Chinese economy. Trade tensions with the United States are seen hitting exports and growth. This is raising possibility for the U.S. company to curtail iPhone production in the first half of the year, dealing a blow to its parts suppliers. Samsung Display supplies small- and medium-sized organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) panels for the latest iPhone XS series, while Samsung Electronics and SK hynix supply memory chips for iPhones. Analyst Kim said SK hynix would suffer more of a blow compared to Samsung Electronics as the former's sales depend more on Apple. Samsung SDI and LG Display could also be negatively affected by Apple's impact as Samsung SDI's equity method gains reflect Samsung Display's performance, while LG Display supplies LCD panels for iPhones. Cook cut the company's sales forecast to $84 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2019, 60 days after he said Apple could earn as much as $93 billion in that quarter. "While we anticipated some challenges in key emerging markets, we did not foresee the magnitude of the economic deceleration, particularly in Greater China," he said in the letter to investors. "In fact, most of our revenue shortfall to our guidance, and over 100 percent of our year-over-year worldwide revenue decline, occurred in Greater China across iPhone, Mac and iPad." With Apple's stock tumbling 9.96 percent Thursday from the previous day, securities companies here are also rushing to cut their target prices for Samsung Electronics and SK hynix amid double trouble combined with the downturn in the global chip market. Mirae Asset Daewoo cut its target price for Samsung Electronics to 50,800 won ($45) from 63,000 won, and SK Securities' to 46,000 won from 60,000 won. Hana Financial Investment lowered its target price for SK hynix to 57,000 won from 62,000 won. "Operating profit of Samsung Electronics is expected to decrease 28 percent to 42.2 trillion won this year," Eugene Investment and Securities analyst Lee Seung-woo said. Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee, who has been hospitalized since 2014 after suffering a heart attack, is yet to recover consciousness although he is in a stable condition, sources said Sunday. The chairman of Samsung, South Korea's top conglomerate, was carried to a hospital on May 10, 2014, after suffering a heart attack at his home in central Seoul. He was rushed to Samsung Medical Center, where he received a stent placement, and has been staying in an exclusive area of the hospital. Sources said Lee is in a stable condition and is capable of breathing without medical instruments. Although Lee is still unable to communicate with people, he responds to sound and physical contact, they added. Lee is often taken on strolls in a wheelchair, sources said. Lee turns 77 on Wednesday, which will be his fifth birthday at the hospital. Samsung is expected to refrain from hosting official events to mark Lee's birthday. His family members, including heir-apparent Lee Jae-yong and his wife Hong Ra-hee, are anticipated to make a private visit. (Yonhap) Missionary residences in Gongju circa 1911. By Robert Neff The impressions of the American naval officer, George Foulk, of Gongju during his visit in November 1884 seem almost tame to those of William McGill, an American missionary in March 1904. While traveling in the Gongju region, he and his assistant encountered a large group of boys gathered along the side of the road. Curious as to what the boys were doing, they moved closer to observe them. "In the middle of the group were 8 beggar boys, carving & eating slightly cooked dog's meat. They had found a dead dog & building a fire of straw & sticks had partly cooked it then divided it among them. The other boys were watching them." According to McGill: "These little beggar boys sleep in the fire places at night to keep warm, & sometimes get burned. Their clothes are black & filthy. Some are orphans, some of their mothers married again & abandoned their children. They get used to begging & will not work." By Bill Emmott DUBLIN The March 29, 2019, deadline for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union is fast approaching, yet it remains far from clear how the departure is actually going to play out. Decision time will soon be unavoidable. This means that after two and a half years of drift and fulmination, it is time for those on all sides of the Brexit debate in the U.K. to start being honest. Though U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May has struck a deal with the EU, the chances that it will gain parliamentary approval by Jan. 14 the deadline she has set seem vanishingly slim, despite the extra month May gave herself to try to improve the odds. Instead, the U.K. increasingly seems to be opting for a choice between two extremes, each of which would likely involve another referendum. The first alternative favored by a growing number of MPs from the ruling Conservative Party, though not yet officially by the Labour opposition is to hold a second referendum on Brexit. The idea is that, having witnessed the political shambles and shenanigans since the June 2016 referendum produced a narrow victory (51.9 percent to 48.1 percent) for the "Leave" side, U.K. voters may decide that they do not want to go through with Brexit at all. But be that as it may, the wider idea is that if Parliament is deadlocked, the people must be asked again. The second, even more extreme option favored by some Conservative Party fundamentalists, including former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is a "no deal" Brexit, in which the U.K. would leave the EU with only minimal legal arrangements in place to manage future relations. This, they argue, would give the U.K. space to adopt the kind of free-market, deregulatory agenda they favor, and to negotiate new trade deals with the likes of the United States, Japan, and China. Some sort of time extension may still emerge to give the U.K. or, rather, British politicians more room to make its choice. But whether or not the clock is stopped (in the EU's time-honored way), it seems likely that one of these extremes will ultimately be selected. For those (including me) who advocate a new referendum in the hope of reversing Brexit, honesty means recognizing that just like the first time around a vote to "Remain" is far from a sure thing. Recent opinion polls suggest that, if asked to choose between staying in the EU and leaving under the sort of halfway-house deal May has negotiated, a clear majority of voters would favor staying. But those polls reflect the current political chaos, with the "Leave" side bitterly divided. That could change, especially if May's deal is definitively rejected, and the Brexiteers manage to unite around an alternative plan. The need for honesty is even stronger on the pro-Brexit side, and it, too, involves a referendum that could be lost. Brexit hard-liners are going to have to acknowledge that their preferred actions could result in the breakup of the U.K., with Northern Ireland choosing in a referendum to join the Republic of Ireland. The Brexiteers' biggest objection to May's deal is that it includes a guarantee, known as the "backstop," that the U.K. will essentially do whatever it takes to ensure that physical border checks are not reintroduced on the 300-mile-long land border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. For this to work in practice, post-Brexit Britain would have to keep its regulations for goods and agricultural products, not to mention its trade tariffs, closely aligned with those of the EU. And yet for hard-line Brexiteers, the real prize of Brexit is the restoration of the U.K.'s authority to set its own rules. Since the 2016 referendum, the debate about the Irish border has been deterred, delayed, and distorted by a series of fantasies, such as finding a technological solution that keeps the border relatively frictionless, or having the EU and the U.K. somehow act as each other's customs agents. But minimizing border checks is not enough. Northern Ireland escaped a three-decade-long civil war in 1998, after more than 3,000 deaths. To uphold a still-fragile peace, there must be no border at all. It is a stiff test, which none of the supposed solutions has passed. If hard-line Brexiteers aren't willing to do what it takes to maintain a frictionless border with the EU in Ireland, they need to acknowledge the likely consequences. Northern Ireland will then want to choose, in a referendum, whether to remain in the U.K. or to unify with the Republic of Ireland, an EU member. Such a step would be allowed under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which ended the civil war and included a promise from the U.K., Ireland, and the EU to keep regulations aligned across Ireland. Indeed, that deal leaves open the possibility of a reunified Ireland, if majorities in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland decide, by referendum, that that is what they want. In 2016, Northern Ireland voted by a clear margin of 56 percent-44 percent to remain in the EU. Though the minority Conservative government is being propped up by the 10 MPs representing Northern Ireland's pro-Brexit Democratic Unionist Party, an even larger majority of Northern Irish voters would probably choose the EU today. An honest Brexiteer should therefore admit that leaving the EU on their terms may well lead to the dissolution of the U.K. Irish reunification would almost certainly make another independence referendum in Scotland irresistible, though it is impossible to know which way it would go. Last June, when asked about business leaders' fears over Brexit, Johnson infamously declared, "Fuck business." If he were honest, he would apply the same crude dismissiveness to Northern Ireland and Scotland. At least then it would be clear where the Brexiteers actually stand. Bill Emmott, a former editor in chief of The Economist, is the author of "The Fate of the West." Copyright belongs to Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org). By Gwynne Dyer "Independence for Taiwan would only bring profound disaster to Taiwan," China's President Xi Jinping said in Beijing on Wednesday, and he ought to know. He is the one who would make sure the disaster happened. Speaking on the 40th anniversary of U.S. diplomatic recognition of the Chinese People's Republic, Xi said Taiwan was "sacred territory" for Beijing. He would never tolerate "separatist activities" there: "We make no promise to renounce the use of force and reserve the option of taking all necessary means." Well now, that would be exciting, wouldn't it? Start with Chinese air and missile strikes on Taiwan, presumably reciprocated by the Taiwanese forces. Probably no nukes, although China does have them, but the first major sea battle since World War II, followed by a Chinese assault landing on Taiwan involving several hundred thousand troops. Quite a lot of death and destruction, in fact. No? That's not what he meant? Okay, then, what did Xi mean by "all necessary means"? Harsh words and a trade embargo? Then why not say so? Is the Trump thing catching? There is a peculiar ambiguity to Beijing's official statements on Taiwan. On the one hand, nobody in the Communist regime is in a great rush to gather Taiwan back into the fold. It will happen eventually, they believe, and they can wait. On the other hand, the regime's credibility (such as it is) comes from only two sources: its nationalist posturing, and its ability to deliver rising living standards. With the latter asset rapidly depreciating the Chinese economy is heading south the nationalism becomes more important, so a bit of chest-beating is inevitable. Many people will therefore discount Xi's words as mere rhetoric that the Chinese Communist leader was obliged to use on a significant anniversary, but not a real threat to invade. After all, the deal made 40 years ago pretty much ruled out the use of force. The U.S. agreed in 1979 that there is only one China, and that it includes Taiwan. There just happened to be two rival Chinese governments at the time: the Communist one in Beijing that won the civil war in 1949 and has controlled mainland China ever since, and the previous Nationalist government that retreated to the island of Taiwan when it lost the war. Both of these governments agree that there is only one China. In practice, the one in Taipei can never regain control of the mainland, but it claims to be the legitimate government of China, not of Taiwan. Almost everybody else, including the United States, agrees that there is only "one China" and recognizes the Communist regime in Beijing as legitimate. The 1979 deal assumed this conflict would be resolved peacefully at some unspecified future time, and Beijing made some helpful comments about how Taiwan could enjoy a special status if it reunited with the motherland: democracy, a free press, the rule of law the same promises made to Hong Kong when Britain returned it to China in 1997. Then everybody settled down to wait for time to pass and the generations to roll over. Beijing assumed the Taiwanese would eventually see the light and rejoin the mainland. The Taiwanese assumed Communist rule on the mainland would eventually either mellow or just collapse. Either way, we'll all just get on with our lives in the meantime. It was a very sensible, moderate deal but those assumptions proved to be wrong. Communist rule in China has not collapsed, and Xi is the most powerful and authoritarian leader since Mao Zedong. Taiwan has not grown resigned to reunion with the "motherland"; on the contrary, a separatist Taiwanese nationalism has grown stronger with the years. At the moment, in fact, the party in power in Taipei is separatist, though it is careful not to say so explicitly. It can never happen: China has 1.3 billion people, Taiwan has 23 million. Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen takes positions that appeal to the local nationalist/separatists, but she's never going to declare independence. Xi Jinping threatens bloody murder if she declares independence, but he knows that she will never actually do that. What Xi is really trying to do with his fierce talk is reinforce the anxiety many Taiwan voters feel about defying China too openly. They don't want reunification, but they do want a quiet life. And his strategy is working: Tsai's party lost badly in the recent local elections, and may be voted out of power in the national elections next year. It's just a game, most of the time, and each player plays their allotted role safe in the knowledge that the script has not changed for decades. The status quo is more secure than it looks. But let just one player deviate from the script, and everybody would suddenly be in a new and very frightening world. It probably won't happen, but it could. Gwynne Dyer (gwynne763121476@aol.com) has worked as a freelance journalist, columnist, broadcaster and lecturer on international affairs for more than 20 years. He is the author of "Growing Pains: The Future of Democracy (and Work)." By Choi Shi-yong Once I am determined to go on a local trip, I expect to have an intriguing experience, and I worry I will be exposed to unexpected happenings. I heard that an American friend suffered from a ventral hernia. He will be having surgery in Seoul and seemed to be scared about that. He was hoping someone could be with him on the day of his surgery. I thought being alone in a private ward would be terrifying and he might feel totally alone. He needed someone by his side, so I decided to stay with my friend for as long as I could. When I arrived in Seoul, it was a chilly November morning. When I finally reunited with my longtime friend before he entered the operating room, he looked impatient. He told me he had just taken anti-anxiety medication. I started talking to him to alleviate the restlessness and conveyed the prayers of our mutual Gwangju friends. He was sorry he couldn't contact me when he was in the U.S. for several years. As his parents passed away, he couldn't focus on our friendship. He told me he had come back to Korea this year and gotten a university teaching job in Daejeon. The surgery for two hours might be a difficult burden for him. A doctor informed me it was successful. However, I was aware he was still in much pain. I resolved to be with him until dawn the following day until his distresses had subsided. He screamed that his stomach was queasy and he excessively wanted to drink water for his dry lips. As water can affect the internal organs badly, I put ice chips to his mouth. I cautioned that he must not swallow them. Besides this, I wiped his tired tongue with gauze soaked in water. I stuck to the bed beside him overnight until his suffering abated. I had to be available for the frequent calls he made to me. The temperature at 4 a.m. was ghastly. I left the hospital with assurances after I saw him fall into a deep sleep. I felt safe knowing another friend would visit and take care of him. I got on the 5 a.m. KTX back to Gwangju. I found a different view out the window when I woke up at 7:05 a.m. I felt weird and confirmed the train ticket. The arrival time was at 7 a.m. I had a critical appointment for a job interview downtown at 8 a.m. which would help me out of long employment. When I sighed for grief, I read the message. "I can't even begin to express the depth of my appreciation and gratitude. I am in your debt. I am overwhelmed by your love, generosity and friendship. You are the most loyal friend!" ) is a director of Dae Ha Seo English study center. The writer ( freddd@hanmail.net A captured image shows Rhyu Si-min, the chief of Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, in the first episode of his newly launched YouTube talk show "Rhyu Si-min's Alileo," Friday. / Yonhap By Park Ji-won YouTube is becoming a new battleground for Korean politicians as conservative and liberal bigwigs are opening their own channels to promote their ideas about current issues. Former Welfare Minister Rhyu Si-min, a popular liberal politician, and Hong Joon-pyo, former leader of the biggest conservative Liberty Korea Party (LKP), have found a following among Korean voters with their broadcasts. Rhyu released the first episode of his YouTube talk show titled "Rhyu Si-min's Alileo" under the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation's official channel and a podcast in Podbbang, Korea's leading podcast platform, on Saturday. He has been serving as the head of the foundation since October. In the first episode, Rhyu invited Moon Chung-in, mentor to President Moon Jae-in on foreign and North Korea affairs, and they discussed North Korean issues. The video went viral and was viewed about 1.54 million times as of Sunday. "Our channel will become a navigator to help people to find background and key information of policies," he declared in the video, adding he will likely invite more incumbent political heavyweights to his videos to promote his political agenda. The organization's channel, which had about 90,000 subscribers until recently, already attracted more than 422,000 subscribers in total as of Sunday and is quickly racking up numbers thanks to the release of Rhyu's first video. It has exceeded the number of subscribers of Hong's new YouTube channel with about 212,000. Rhyu's move is not only to publicize the Moon Jae-in administration's policies by using his popularity as a "celebrity" but also to secure popularity for the ruling camp ahead of the 2020 general election and 2022 presidential election, critics say. Chung Doo-un, former lawmaker of the Saenuri Party, said, "He didn't officially announce his bid for the presidency, but it is part of his political activities to attract support from broadcasting and YouTube." Rhyu also used the video to indirectly undermine his conservative rival Hong's channel "TV Hongka Cola" by saying, "We are going to think based on factual evidence (unlike that of Hong's channel)." Hong's channel is one of most popular channels among conservatives. Hong is also expanding his political presence on YouTube. He recently hired former MBC anchorwoman Bae Hyun-jin as chief producer of his channel. Bae, who joined the LKP last year to become a lawmaker, has quit her job as spokeswoman for the LKP's reform committee to join the channel. He still hasn't clearly declared his bid for the presidency, but critics expect he will run for president if he can secure enough conservatives' support on YouTube. The former LKP chief immediately commented on the release of Rhyu's video in one of his videos "If you are entering into the field of YouTube to be used by the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) or become a presidential nominee for the party, it will be a good fight (with me). Please come in. Let's do this." Seen above is an online letter from Thae Yong-ho, former North Korean deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom, Saturday. Thae wrote the message to Jo Song-gil, North Korea's acting ambassador to Italy who went missing in November. / Screen capture from Thae's online blog US, Italy have yet to confirm Jo Song-gil's whereabout By Lee Min-hyung Jo Song-gil, former North Korean acting ambassador to Italy A growing number of school-age North Korean defectors in the South say they have never attended school and are struggling to keep up with coursework in their new homeland. Among the more than 31,000 defectors living in the South, about 3,000 refugees are of school age, but their lack of exposure to education and difficulties in subjects like math and English are keeping them behind, South Korean newspaper Segye Ilbo reported Friday. The young North Koreans are also in a challenging and competitive educational environment, where students supplement mandatory schooling with extra classes at private institutes. Their parents, however, do not seek out expensive private education unlike their South Korean peers for economic reasons, according to the report. A survey from 2016 focused on North Korean teens and preteens show nearly half of respondents said "keeping up" with classes in the South posed the greatest challenge in their lives, followed by making friends, adjusting to South Korean culture and maintaining good relations with teachers. Half of the 857 respondents also said they had never attended school in the North. North Korean homeless children rose in number following the famine of the 1990s. Many families gave up their children and forced them to seek food and shelter on the streets, according to defector testimonies. The issue of defectors is a sensitive topic between North and South Korea. The two sides continue to meet, and on Friday the South's vice minister of unification Chun Hae-sung met with Kim Kwang Song of the North at the new liaison office in Kaesong, North Korea, Yonhap reported. The two sides spoke for 20 minutes and agreed to work for the establishment of peace on the peninsula, according to the report. (UPI) A photo of Yu Gwan-sun, a historic symbol of Korea's fight for independence from 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule. New York State assemblymen will propose a resolution at the joint session of the two Houses soon to designate March 1 "Yu Gwan-sun Day." March 1 is the day when a massive protest for independence began in 1919. The photo was taken when she was put into Seodaemun Prison by the Japanese authorities. / Yonhap By Jung Hae-myoung New York State is likely to commemorate Korea's independent movement from the 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule by designating a day for Yu Gwan-sun (1902-1920), a historic Korean woman who led one of the massive independence protests in 1919. According to the Korean-American Association of Greater New York (KAAGNY), a resolution to designate March 1 as "Yu Gwan-sun Day" will be passed at the joint session of New York State on Jan. 14. March 1 is when a massive independence protest took place in Seoul in 1919 and spread to many other parts of the country. Then 16-year-old Yu and her classmates took part in the Seoul protest and continued their fight by organizing another massive protest in her hometown of Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, about a month later. This year marks the 100th year of the March 1 Independence Movement. "This means New York State also understands the historical significance of the March 1 Movement," said Kim Min-sun, the head of the KAAGNY. "To commemorate the 100th anniversary, we will continue the work to remind people of the importance of the movement." Kim and other members of the association plan to visit New York State Capitol by bus, and be present at the moment significant for both Korea and the United States. The resolution will be proposed by politicians, all Democrats, including the Senator Toby Ahn Stavisky, Senator John Liu, as well as Ron Kim and Edward Braunstein, Democratic members of the New York State Assembly. The KAAGNY suggested the designation in avid support of Korean residents of New York. New York State has one of the largest ethnic Korean populations in the United States, with 143,305 Koreans. Last year, the New York Times also wrote an obituary for Yu, as one of the feature series articles of "Overlooked No More" which portrayed remarkable people who have been neglected in history. The newspaper introduced Yu's personal history, from her Christian family background to her academic background at Ewha Hakdang, which later became Ewha Womans University, and how she became a young activist to lead the independent movement against the Japanese occupation. The March 1 Movement "crystallized a sense of national unity and was a catalyst for the resistance," the New York Times wrote. Yu died in prison at the young age of 17 in 1920. The Department of Information Technology under the Ministry of Health has announced the conclusions of the Board of Review for the IBM Watson Oncology software used in supporting counselling for cancer treatment in Vietnam. The Council was established on November 14, 2018. After meetings to survey reports of the IBM software application in Phu Tho provincial General Hospital, the Hanoi-based K Hospital and Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital, the Council found that there is a similarity in the treatment regimen given by doctors and the one given by IBM artificial intelligence. The Council praised Phu Tho General Hospital for pioneering the implementation of IBM Watson for Oncology in counselling on the choice of cancer treatment regimens with positive results. In terms of the cost of using IBM artificial intelligence in counselling to help cancer doctors choose cancer treatment regimens for patients, the Council proposed that it be set at a suitable level for Vietnam's socio-economic conditions. Implementing units such as IBM representatives in Vietnam and Five9 Vietnam JSC should consider lowering the cost when deploying IBM artificial intelligence at hospitals. Meanwhile, it is recommended that the Ministry of Health soon consider building the roadmap for calculating cost of using artificial intelligence in advising on the selection of cancer treatment regimens, to be covered by health insurance, the Council concluded. IBM artificial intelligence software, built by IBM Corporation based on big data tools, has been implemented in 230 hospitals in 13 countries around the world, such as the US, China, India, the Republic of Korea and Thailand. The image from the South Korean Navy shows a Japanese patrol plane, inside the yellow circle, making a low-altitude flight. / Yonhap By Park Ji-won The South Korean defense ministry plans to release videos in eight languages to counter Tokyo's claims in a deepening radar row between the countries, ministry officials said Sunday. The Ministry of National Defense is making videos in Japanese, Chinese, French, Germany, Russian, Portuguese, Spanish and Arabic to counter Tokyo's claims that a South Korean naval ship used its fire-control radar on a Japanese P-1 patrol plane. The ministry claims Japan's low-altitude flight threatened Seoul's humanitarian rescue mission. A ministry source said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was reviewing the videos due to the sensitivity of the issue and that the videos would be released on YouTube soon. The move is in response to Japan's unilateral release of video footage in Japanese and English on Dec. 28, claiming the Korean vessel used fire control radar on Japan's surveillance plane. Foreign ministers from both countries agreed to hold working-level meetings soon to discuss the dispute. "Seoul's release of its own videos is expected to put pressure on Tokyo ahead of the bilateral working-level meetings," said Dankook University professor Cha Dong-gil. Seoul has been stepping up efforts to publicize the issue by reiterating its position using various channels, saying that Seoul was merely trying to help a North Korean ship and was not targeting Japan's plane. On Friday, the ministry uploaded two video clips in Korean and English on YouTube that include the audio recording received by the South's Gwanggaeto warship and video recorded by the Korea Coast Guard to dispute Tokyo's claim. In the clip, the ministry stressed that its Gwanggaeto the Great destroyer did not target Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force's P-1 plane, and that the vessel was trying to rescue a North Korean boat in distress in international waters of the East Sea. Korea again urged Japan to apologize for the great danger caused by the threatening flight and to work toward resolving the issue. On the same day, ministry spokeswoman Choi Hyun-soo said Tokyo's claim was "groundless" and that the defense ministry was waiting for an apology from Japan. Amid strained relations between Japan and South Korea over compensation issues related to Japan's wartime sexual slavery and Korean forced laborers during the 1910-45 Japanese occupation of the Korean Peninsula, the radar issue has created another source of contention. By Lee Min-hyung Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has failed to win a bid to export its Surion helicopters to the Philippines, the nation's defense procurement agency said Sunday. "Later last month, the Philippines government notified the South Korean embassy in the Philippines that it decided to import the U.S.' UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters," an official from Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Agency (DAPA) said. The Philippines made the notification sometime between Dec. 27 and 28, the official said. Sikorsky, the U.S.-based helicopter manufacturer, won the bid worth 250 billion won ($222.4 million) apparently due to its low-price bidding strategy, the DAPA official said. According to reports, the U.S. company offered to provide 16 Black Hawk helicopters at the same price for 10 Surion choppers. "A number of factors may have been considered, but KAI is likely to have failed to win the contract for the weak price competitiveness." By Jung Da-min, Park Si-soo A Korean-British human rights activist is among the recipients of 's Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE). Sokeel John Park, 34, South Korea country director for U.S.-based NGO Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), was honored for "services to U.K./Korea relations," the British government said in a statement. Park has contributed to LiNK's mission of helping North Koreans flee from the isolated country since 2010. More than 1,000 North Koreans have escaped with the NGO's help. The schedule for the awards ceremony is not fixed yet. "It is a massive honor, and very humbling, to receive an MBE in the New Year's Honors from Queen Liz," Park said in a statement on Jan. 4. "There are many unknown heroes making huge sacrifices sometimes even the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of the North Korean people's freedom, far from public recognition and sometimes even without their family's knowledge. It is to them that I dedicate this honor." He said North Korean refugees were not the "victims" but the "driving forces" to change the isolated state. "One day we shall overcome, and the North Korean people will gain the freedoms and basic rights that the rest of us take for granted, and they will amaze the world as their potential is unleashed," he said. Park co-directed "The Jangmadang Generation" last year, a documentary on North Korea's social and cultural chances from the perspective of 10 young North Koreans in their 20-30s. The film was released with subtitles in 10 languages. A former North Korean diplomat who defected to the South urged an ex-colleague missing in Italy to come and settle in Seoul Saturday, as the rare asylum bid makes global headlines. Jo Song Gil, the North's acting ambassador to Rome, went into hiding with his wife in November and is seeking asylum, according to Seoul's intelligence authorities. It would be the first high-profile defection of a North Korean diplomat since 2016 when the then deputy ambassador to London, Thae Yong Ho, switched sides to settle in Seoul. Jo has not contacted Seoul's spy agency since he went into hiding, suggesting he was seeking asylum in a third country in the West, possibly the US, according to several media reports. But Thae, who said he once worked with Jo at Pyongyang's foreign ministry, wrote an open letter urging his ex-colleague to come to the South instead and work together to help the two Koreas reunify. "I thought that I knew a lot about the South...through the Internet while serving overseas. But the South I actually experienced was far more democratic and economically prosperous than I imagined," Thae said in the letter posted on his blog. "Sure, the South is not exactly a paradise. But it is a place where you and I could achieve the dream we all have," he said. "Wouldn't it be our lifelong mission as diplomats to help the two Koreas reunify...and to pass the unified peninsula to our children?" Since coming to Seoul, Thae has become a public speaker giving speeches about the reality of his impoverished but nuclear-armed former homeland and about ways to narrow down differences between the two neighbours that technically remain at war. The 1950-53 Korean War that sealed the division of the two nations ended with an armistice instead of a peace treaty, with all civilian contacts across the border strictly banned. Thae described it a "duty, not a choice" for diplomats like him and Jo to come to the South, stressing, "if you come to the South, other colleagues of ours may follow suit, which will help expedite the day when the two Koreas reunify." "I will wait for you in Seoul!" he said. About 30,000 North Koreans have fled repression and poverty and settled in the capitalist South, mostly by secretly crossing over the increasingly porous border with China. Jo, who is in his 40s and known to be fluent in French and Italian as well as English, came to Rome in 2015. He became temporary acting ambassador in October 2017, after Italy expelled the then ambassador Mun Jong Nam in protest at a nuclear test Pyongyang staged a month earlier in violation of UN resolutions. Italy is an important diplomatic mission for Pyongyang, as it handles relations with the Rome-headquartered UN Food and Agriculture Organization and North Korea suffers from chronic food shortages. (AFP) Ssamzigil in Insa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, is a culture and shopping complex that has a unique design with a theme of path. "Gil" means path in Korean. Kang Min-hee, author "Bonjour Korean architecture" and 25 French architects visited 25 Korean modern architecture sites including Ssamzigil during their 10-day journey to Korea in fall 2013. Courtesy of Artbooks By Jung Da-min Korea's national image is often represented by some specific Korean foods, popular culture or ancient traditions such as pansori music. But the real life of Koreans is much broader than these representations, says Kang Min-hee, a Korean architect in Paris. Kang Min-hee, author of "Bonjour Korean architecture." Korea Times photo by Jung Da-min "A traditional pansori performance has been included at almost every cultural event commemorating Korea-France diplomatic relations and it was good, but made me wonder if we only had pansori to represent Korean culture," the architect, 37, told The Korea Times during an interview at her Seoul office on Jan. 3. "The popular K-pop group BTS or other K-dramas receive much attention from the younger generation, but as part of the generation in between, I don't empathize with it." Kang, now with YOAP architects, a three-member design band based in Seoul and Paris, studied architecture at Korea University and Ecole Nationale Superieure d'Architecture de ParisVal de Seine. In 2012, she discovered a way to offer a different visualization of Korea's image. "My then boss Helene Fricout-Cassignol talked to me about her two weeks in Korea and it struck me that this Korea was different from the one I knew as a native and with which I was familiar," Kang said. Kang was working at the office of Helene Fricout-Cassignol Architectes at the time. Fricout-Cassignol talked about staying at a temple in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. "The floor was hot inside the temple but she could feel the cool of the wind when she opened the window," Kang said. "It gave her the image of Korea being cool and hot, which is found among the people as well as in the architecture." Fricout-Cassignal recommended that the Maison de L'architecture d'Ile-de-France (MA), a government-funded organization of 10,000 architects in Paris and nearby areas, should choose Korea for its fifth annual overseas trip. After Korea was chosen, Kang was chosen to guide 25 architects from France around her home country. In October to November 2013, Kang and the delegation visited 24 styles of architecture around Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Jeju, designed by Korean and foreign architects. Most of their visits were to galleries or museums, but also included landmark places like Cheonggye Stream and Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul. In her book about their 10-day trip, published recently under the title "Bonjour Korean architecture," Kang said she wanted to present Korea's own dynamics and energy through modern architecture. Ahn Chung, 37, a freelance illustrator who studied architecture at Jeonnam University and Ecole Nationale Superieure d'Architecture de ParisVal de Seine, drew illustrations for the book published by Artbooks last November. Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul / Courtesy of Artbooks Cheonggye Stream in Seoul / Courtesy of Artbooks Twenty-five French architects visit Ewha Womans University in Seoul on Nov. 1, 2013. Courtesy of Kang Min-hee Richard Riff, a French delegate, is quoted in the book: "Foreigners coming to Seoul are not looking for vertical lights as in Hong Kong, nor will they come to see the mysterious Buddhist temple as in Bangkok. It is unstable but massive energy from the challenging city striving for a future that makes foreigners to come to Seoul." The group found that Korea's architecture had made harmony out of chaos, with a modernity that melted into its surroundings. Gangnam was a perfect example of such "planned chaos" as it sums up Korea's economic growth since the 1960s. The Anne Demeulemeester Shop in Gangnam, Seoul / Courtesy of Artbooks Yann Caclin, another delegate, said Seoul looked like "a future city that has run ahead of time." The most impressive place to Kang, the host, was the Biotopia museum that shows the beautiful nature of Jeju Island, represented by water, wind and stone. Korean-Japanese architect Itami Jun designed the building. The Water Museum is part of three art museums in Biotopia on Jeju Island designed by Itami Jun. Courtesy of Artbooks By Park Hyong-ki Cheong Wa Dae, policymakers and lawmakers have entered the rough-and-tumble arena of dirty politics, squabbling and claiming their own versions of the truth over Shin Jae-min's stories about state bonds. Shin, a former finance ministry worker, claimed in a Jan. 2 press briefing that Cheong Wa Dae abused its power and tried to pressure the finance ministry to issue bonds more than it was legally allowed to in November 2017. The opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) wants to launch a hearing on the matter through the National Assembly's finance committee as soon as possible to uncover the truth, saying President Moon Jae-in should "respond" to the allegations. It said this is becoming another government scandal equivalent to the one that had involved former President Park Geun-hye and her close associate Choi Soon-sil, comparing Koh Young-tae, a whistleblower of the Park-Choi scandal, to Shin. Shin Jae-min, a former finance ministry worker, holds a press briefing Jan. 2 accusing Cheong Wa Dae of pressuring the ministry to issue bonds more than its legal limit in Seoul. He tried to commit suicide afterwards. Yonhap Yun Chang-hyun, an economist at the University of Seoul, said if Shin's claims turn out to be true, then it will pose a serious problem to the government. "Also, it will increase policy risks," he said, noting it could further undermine sentiment even though the bonds did not have a huge effect on the market then. Cheong Wa Dae, the finance ministry and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) have been refuting Shin's claims, while trying to dent his credibility. The ministry filed a complaint with the prosecution against Shin for leaking state documents, right after Shin's Jan. 2 press conference. "Cheong Wa Dae did not pressure the ministry, and the ministry reached a decision not to issue bonds after consulting with the presidential office," the finance ministry said in a press statement on Jan. 1. If endorsed by the National Assembly, the government can issue those bonds mainly to raise funds to reduce its debt obligations by buying back existing bonds purchased by the central bank or institutional investors, and paying down interest owed to investors. Once so-called deficit-covering bonds are issued, they will be recorded as debts in state accounting. Should the debt grow, its finances will get worse, which will then affect its sovereign rating and foreign capital inflows. Shin claimed the finance ministry did not have to issue the bonds because the government was able to reduce its debt from higher-than-expected tax revenue in accordance with the law. The law clearly stipulates that if the government is able to collect a lot more taxes than it had expected, it will have to use the money to repay its debts. The Moon administration allegedly sought to issue more bonds with the purpose of making the increasing debt look like it was the former Park Geun-hye government's fault, Shin claimed. In the end, it did not issue additional bonds, nor did it buy back ones held by investors. Finance ministry officials head for the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office to file a complaint against Shin for a breach of confidentiality on Jan. 2. Yonhap Being close neighbouring countries, Vietnam and Laos have a time-honoured and intimate relationship. The traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, which were established by President Ho Chi Minh and Presidents Presidents Kaysone Phomvihane and Souphanouvong and have been nurtured by generations of the two countries leaders and people, have become a valuable treasure of both nations. This is also one of the important factors to ensure the success of the cause of national construction and defence in each country. The Vietnamese people always remember and are sincerely thankful for the great and precious support that the Lao Party, State and people have dedicated to the Party, State and people of Vietnam in the past struggles for national unification as well as in the current cause of national construction and defence. The Vietnamese people congratulate the Lao Party, State and people on the achievements that they have gained over the past few years. Laos is one of the countries posting the highest economic growth rate among ASEAN, with GDP growth ofroughly7% in recent years. Open investment mechanisms, expanded banking credit for agriculture and small businesses, and the development of special economic zones have helped Laos to attract foreign investors and promote its economic development. Laos is currently pursuing the foreign policy of peace, friendship, cooperation, independence, and multilateralism and is willing to be friends and partners with other countries, while strengthening cooperation with its neighbouring border countries and strategic partners. We are happy to see that the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos continue to be consolidated and deepened in all fields. Senior leaders of the two Parties and States hold regular meetings in various forms and the exchange of delegations at all levels is maintained frequently. Leaders of the two countries have paid due attention to the implementation of high-level agreements in 2018 to ensure the efficiency and schedule of agreements. Cooperation between Vietnam and Laos has been continuously promoted in a wide and effective manner in all fields, including security, defence, trade, investment, education - training, agriculture, culture, tourism, and others. During the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Solidarity Year 2017, the two countries organised diverse and meaningful cooperation and exchange activities, demonstrating the solidarity, trust, and special relationship between Vietnam and Laos. The two sides also actively exchanged information and closely coordinated and supported each other in regional and international cooperation forums, while continuing to strengthen their cooperation with ASEAN member countries to join hands to build the ASEAN Community and maintain solidarity and a consensus in ASEAN. The 41st meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee, which is held in Hanoi and co-chaired by the Prime Ministers of the two countries, aims to promote the bilateral cooperation in a deeper and more practical manner. At this meeting, the two sides will assess the implementation of high-level agreements between the two countries as well as discussing the cooperation direction and plans for 2019. We believe that, the participation of the Lao Prime Minister in the 41st meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee will contribute to strengthening the political trust between the senior leaders of the two countries and deepen the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and Laos for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world. Missouri's Capable Kids and Families program aims to reduce the cost of raising a special-needs child by loaning therapy equipment so parents don't have to buy it. (cpozarks.org) Less: Just look at London, Ont. Same: We hear more bad news. More: Canada is on the right path. Vote View Results Dominique Jacobs poses at her home in Greenfield Park, south of Montreal, Sunday, January 6, 2019. Quebec's human rights commission is recommending a suburb south of Montreal pay four members of a black family $86,000 and implement anti-discrimination training for its police officers following an alleged incident of racial profiling. The family members had filed complaints against the city of Longueuil and two of its police officers, alleging they were mistreated during a police intervention in November 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes Join Pakistan Army as Captain as Short Services Commission Latest Pakistan Army Army jobs Posts Rawalpindi 2021 Pakistan Army Rawalpindi, Government of Pakistan are required applications from Pakistani Nationals and Unmarried candidates for the posts of Captain, Officer, Army Officer, Farms Officer, Psychologist, Army Education Crops. How to Apply on Pakistan Army Job Advertisement Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online. Official Website: www.pakistanarmy.gov.pk Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If the employer asks you to pay money for any purpose including processing to shortlisting, do not pay at all and report us using our contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs cannot be applied online here. Error & omissions excepted. Heavy Driver & General Labor Jobs 2019 in Saudi Arabia Latest Aaqib Overseas Recruiting Agency Posts Saudi Arabia 2021 A well known and reputed oversea company requires the services of experienced and responsible persons for the posts of Heavy Driver & General Labor in Saudi Arabia. How to Apply on Aaqib Overseas Recruiting Agency Job Advertisement Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online. Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If the employer asks you to pay money for any purpose including processing to shortlisting, do not pay at all and report us using our contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs cannot be applied online here. Error & omissions excepted. Tep Ngorn, Standing Member of the Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) Central Committee, Senate Vice President and Vice President of the National Council of Solidarity Front for the Development of Cambodia Motherland, made the statement at a meeting with Secretary of the Party Central Committee member and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Tran Thanh Man in Hanoi on January 4. Earlier the same day, the Cambodian official attended a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the victory of the southwest border defence war and the joint victory of Vietnam and Cambodia over the Polpot genocidal regime (January 7). At the meeting, Man highlighted the importance of the ceremony as a reminder of a glorious memory shared between the two nations now and later. He congratulated Cambodia on its significant socio-economic, and defence-security achievements, adding that the delegation and experience exchanges between Vietnamese and Cambodian Party, State, and Front leaders have helped foster the two nations comprehensive and long-standing cooperation. Affirming that the VFF supports the role of the National Council of Solidarity Front for the Development of Cambodia Motherland, Man expected the two fronts continue boosting their ties through further delegation exchanges. He stressed that the Vietnamese Party, State and front and relevant agencies have created favourable conditions for Cambodian expatriates in Vietnam, and asked for similar treatment towards Vietnamese people in Cambodia. For his part, Tep Ngorn spoke highly of the ceremony, noting that images on display and speeches delivered at the event reflect the historical significance of the victory against the genocidal regime and the value of peace and independence regained by the two nations. The ceremony helped youths and international friends understand the period during which Vietnam and Cambodia together overcame difficulties and followed their tradition of fighting for independence, he added. The official further stated that the Cambodian Party, State and parliament always pay attention to reinforcing the traditional relations with Vietnam as well as the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam friendship. Presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, has asked the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mamoud Yakubu, to reverse the recent deployment of Mrs. Amina Zakari, one of its commissioners. It will be recalled that Zakari, who is well known as President Muhammadu Buharis relation, was on Thursday announced as the chairperson of INECs Results Collation Centre in the February 2019 elections. Reacting to her appointment, Ezekwesili, in a press statement on Saturday, said, The INEC chairman appears to have bowed to pressure from the Presidency. She described Zakaris appointment as political corruption, considering that having a relation of the President who is a contestant in the February 2019 presidential election amounts to an apparent Conflict-of-Interest situation. She said that such repugnant deployment of Zakari to the collation centres suggests a brazen attempt to ease rigging for the APCs candidate in the elections. To ensure peace and give all the candidates a level playing ground, the ACPN presidential candidate asked the INEC to restore confidence in the management of the collation process by reversing the appointment of Zakari as chairperson. Zakari can be assigned another task farther away from tasks that can hinder electoral integrity, Ezekwesili added. Her statement read, The INEC chairman has obviously bowed to President Buharis visible and increasingly brazen determination to not just rig but to steal the 2019 presidential election and throw the country into crisis. Or how else can one describe this repugnant action of placing the Presidents niece, Mrs Amina Zakari, at the head of the centre for collation of election results? The President and INEC chairman should know that this extremely repugnant and provocative act of political corruption that seeks to undermine our democracy and destabilise the country shall be resisted by all patriotic Nigerians. I caution the INEC chairman and the Presidency to reverse this shameful posting immediately and safeguard the integrity of the 2019 elections. Ezekwesili said that the latest development compounded doubts about the Presidents interest in presiding over a credible 2019 elections when he refused to assent to the Electoral Amendment Bill 2018. She said, Worse still, under President Buhari, the public has been alarmed at the gross misuse of security establishments to compromise elections in places like Osun and Ekiti states. Any attempt to repeat such abuse of state institutions in the 2019 elections for the benefit of the ruling APC must be averted to avoid throwing the country into political crisis. The President should lead a discussion among candidates and parties to set the rules that will guide the security forces in the 2019 elections. Ideally, the military and police establishments should be pulled out of the involvement in our elections, considering the damning evidences of how their personnel disenfranchised voters in Osun and Ekiti governorship elections. I call on the international community to join the Nigerian people and prevail on President Buhari to practise the Peace Accord, with exemplary actions, in order to build confidence in the process he ebulliently led. The President has remained adamant in his refusal to sign the Electoral Amendment Bill 2018 into law so as to build the confidence of all contestants and Nigerians in the conduct of the 2019 elections. The truth is that signing of the electoral bill into an Act is crucial for peaceful conduct of the election. Ezekwesili added, Nigerians want a new direction and the President must avoid actions that suggest he wishes to suppress the aspirations of the people in the 2019 elections. Any action of the President that aims at giving him an advantage in the February elections amounts to political corruption since he is using his political power for personal gain as a candidate. - Eight Togolese soldiers have illegally entered Ghana through the Volta region - They were however attacked by residents at Jasikan and three of them were arrested - All eight of them are set to be escorted back to the border in order to ensure their safety The Volta Regional police commander, DCOP Ebenezer Doku, has disclosed that eight military men from Togo have illegally entered Ghana. According to him, their mission was to pick up a Togolese dissident who was allegedly hiding at Amoako, a suburb of Jasikan in the Volta region. YEN.com.gh understands that the presence of the soldiers was not communicated to the Ghanaians authorities. Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul Source: Supplied Source: UGC READ ALSO: Late Agyarko's wife drags Boakye Agyarko and two other widows to court (Photo) Upon realising their presence, residents in the community set upon them and managed to arrest three of them. One of them was reportedly tied to a stake, and readied for execution, but this was not to be, as some people intervened. "The police together with the district chief executive of Jasikan managed to rescue the three Togolese soldiers at Amoako, and they were sent to the Jasikan police station for questioning, he disclosed. DCOP Doku added that in the process of interrogating them, there have been arrangements to also deport them. He added that as a result of the attack, there is need to escort them to the border, in order to ensure they are safe. He went on to say that Ghanas Interpol office has been notified, in order to get their Togolese colleagues to observe the international convention on the arrest of citizens outside their sovereign state. READ ALSO: Houses and other properties destroyed as violence erupts in the Northern region Yenkasa: Is Dumsor back? | #Yencomgh Click here to get the latest exciting English Premier League news. Get match highlights, reports, photos & videos all in one place. Source: Yen.com.gh Ghanaian Christians love their pastors. This is especially not surprising when one considers that ours is a country with a strong Christian majority. Most church leaders are charismatic personalities who cannot be separated from the flock they lead. This makes the leaders respected sometimes even beyond the confines of their church. However, some of the church leaders have been found in 2018 to have fallen foul of the law. Others have had bad publicity for somethings that they have said. YEN.com.gh. compiles the most embarrassing incidents for some of the most popular pastors in Ghana. READ ALSO: DJ Switch gets social media users angry after proposing to logo designers with 'hype' 1. Mensa Otabil's role in the banking crises The truth is that Dr Mensa Otabil is not the only popular Christian leader on the Ghanaian banking front. Rev Daniel Asiedu, formerly of Zenith Bank, also comes to mind. But when Capital Bank, the firm he used to preside over as board chairman was accused of embezzling state funds, Otabil found himself in deep waters. He is now try to defend himself in court. 2. Rev Isaac Owusu Bempah The founder and leader of the Glorious Word and Power Ministry International, Prophet Isaac Owusu Bempah, in rage, went to the studios of a radio station to vandalise equipment in early December. He has rendered an apology to the management of the station. 3. Lawrence Tetteh's insult at Ebony's memorial service Rev. Lawrence Tetteh was the pastor who preached at the funeral of late Ghanaian artiste Ebony. At this occasion, Tetteh took the time to unleash verbal assaults on those who had chastised the artiste while she was alive. Tetteh was heavily discussed on social media but he has managed to redeem himself. 4. Dag Heward-Mills saying depression is a result of demon activity Dag Heward-Mills is a medical doctor and by extension, a scientist. Yet the Qodesh leader alleged that depression and stress were caused by demon activity. READ ALSO: The top rising stars that 2018 gave to us 5. Bishop Obinim's "spiritual" antics In 2018, Ghanaians saw a spate of "spiritual" revelations from the famous Bishop Daniel Obinim. The Christian leader claimed a lot of things that many people found disrespectful and even annoying. Among other thungs, he claimed God was giving him lottery numbers, that he was an angel and that he was working out the "destiny" of some his church members in the spiritual realm. Ghana News Today: Samini Rocks Fans at Saminifest| #Yencomgh: Do you have a story to share with us? Inbox us on our Facebook page and we could feature your story. Source: Yen Vanguard THE Coalition of Non-Indigenes, CNI, in Ondo State says 18 of its members were rescued by the police when their vehicle was waylaid by kidnappers while travelling during the yuletide. Thisday Why we wont re-introduce incidence form Posting results at polling units mandatory, not optional The Sun Olagunju disclosed, God said Buhari has become a disappointment in His sight and He has sought and found a man after His own heart to replace him. Leadership Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has decried the manipulation of religion and ethnicity for political interests, saying that it is holding back the progress of Nigeria. Daily Trust The Federal Government says it will continue negotiation process with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday to resolve ongoing industrial action embarked by the striking lecturers. The Nation NATIONAL Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Hajiya Amina Zakari, yesterday joined in the controversy trailing her appointment as head of the election collation centre and declared that she is not President Muhammadu Buharis cousin as being speculated in some quarters. Tribune Sina Kawonise is the governorship candidate of Yes Electorates Solidarity (Yes Party) in Ogun State. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. Today Clear skies this evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies overnight. Low near 80F. Winds light and variable. Tonight Clear skies this evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies overnight. Low near 80F. Winds light and variable. Tomorrow Partly to mostly cloudy. Very hot. High 116F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. As wife of the President, Aisha Buhari flagged off her husbands re-election campaign in Kano on Saturday, several women stole the show, sporting Buhari-branded sunglasses. Inscribed on them is Sai Baba, the buzzword of Buharis campaign. Some of the women wore dangling earrings to boot, with President Buharis photograph making up the stud. The fashion statements were on the sidelines of the APC Zonal campaign for the north west in which Aisha Buhari called on women and youths of All Progressive Congress (APC) to ensure victory of the party in the forthcoming Presidential election. The rally took place at Sani Abacha Stadium, Kofar Mata, Kano State. Aisha said she was canvassing support for APC because of the partys various social intervention programmes. She said the programme being executed by the federal government won her over to campaign vigorously for the success of the party in the forthcoming election. The wife of the President who spoke in Hausa Language said, the APC in 2015 made some promises, which most of which have been fulfilled. The promises include school feeding programme for Primary school pupils, the N-Power programme where some unemployed graduates are being engaged and paid N30,000 monthly. The conditional cash transfer scheme which has been executed through the office of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo she said. Mrs Buhari expressed her commitment to ensure greater participation of women and youths in the next APC administration. Former Governor of Akwa Ibom, Sen. Goodwill Akpabio, said the state will be delivered to the APC in the forthcoming presidential election. Akpabio said that the social intervention programme, especially the N-Power programme, of the APC administration has gone a long way in supporting the unemployed youths. He also assured the wife of the President of his determination to mobilise women from South South States to ensure victory for President Buhari in the next election. Abdulmumin Jibrin, a member of the House of Representatives representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency of Kano State called on Nigerian youths to support the re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari. Jibril said: This election is about the future of Nigerian youths. So we are calling on Nigerian youths to compare what we have in the past and what is obtainable now, especially, the repairs that the President is doing to our damaged infrastructure and our damaged economy . Former Inspector General of Police Mr Suleiman Abba said the APC government has done a lot to improve the economic situation of Nigeria. Abba said the success recorded in the agricultural sector was made possible because of the focus and determination of President Muhammadu Buhari. He urged Nigerian women to support the re-election of President Buhari to enable him consolidate on the achievement so far recorded in road and rail projects. The event was attended by Governor of Kano State Umar Ganduje, Minister of Interior Abdulrahman Dambazau, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration, Dr Hajo Sani, retired Gen. Buba Marwa, some APC senators among others. Venice, FL (34285) Today Scattered thunderstorms in the morning, then cloudy skies late. High 86F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Cloudy. Low 79F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Israel will not be able to complete the F16 deal which was signed with Croatia last March, following Washington's restrictions on the sale deal, according to reports Sunday. Defense Ministry Director-General Udi Adam and Michel Ben-Baruch, the head of SIBAT, the International Defense Cooperation Directorate of the Israel Ministry of Defense, are scheduled to visit Croatia this week and inform the Croatian Ministry of Defense that the deal is cancelled. The Shin Bet released Sunday footage of Israeli teens suspected of Jewish terrorism acts burning an Israeli flag The suspects are five Israeli teenagers that were arrested as part of a police investigation into Jewish terrorism. They are suspected of causing the death of a Palestinian woman by hurling stones at the vehicle she was traveling in near the Tapuach junction in the West Bank. "During the investigation, findings were found that point to the suspect's anti-Zionist and extremist characteristics, as well as the danger they pose to society. The detention of the suspects was extended earlier Sunday. Israeli Air Force fighter jets attacked Sunday two observation posts belonging to Hamas in Gaza, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit confirmed Sunday. The attack was carried out in response to the launch of a styrofoam airplane carrying an explosive device from Gaza into Israel earlier on Sunday. Israel wants the US to recognize its sovereignty on the Golan Heights, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told American National Security Advisor John Bolton on Sunday, as the two met in Jerusalem for talks on the US plans for the Middle East. Netanyahu stressed Israel's right to the Golan at a joint press conference with Bolton, and vowed that the Jewish state would never give up its claim. Bolton arrived in Israel on Saturday, dispatched by US President Donald Trump to allay fears over the newly announced US withdrawal from Syria. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter "Tomorrow, if whether permits, we will go up to the Golan Heights, it is tremendously important for our security. When you are there, you'll be able to understand perfectly why we will never leave the Golan Heights and why it is important that all countries recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights...Welcome friend," the prime minister said. The Golan Heights, a plateau on the Syria-Israel border, was captured from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War, and effectively annexed by Israel in 1981. U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton (L) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Netanyahu also thanked the US for its unequivocal support of Israel. "Your visit has given us an opportunity to do two things," Netanyahu said to Bolton. "First, it has given us an opportunity to thank the Trump administration for their extraordinary support. Secondly, the president decided to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moved the embassy to Jerusalema historic decision which we welcome." "Third, you've unequivocally backed Israel at the United Nations, which is deeply appreciated by Israelis around the world. You have backed both in words and deeds Israel's right to defend itself," he added. As expected, Bolton conveyed the message that the United States has strong ties with Israel, claiming it's "the best US-Israel relationship in our history. "We've got the continuing threat of Iran's quest for deliverable nuclear deal, and despite getting out of the Iranian nuclear deal and despite the sanctions, we have little doubt that Iran is strategically committed to achieving deliverable nuclear weapons, United States and Israel are strategically committed to making sure that doesnt happen." U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton at the Western Wall X As for Washington's decision to pull all its troops from Syria, Bolton said he intends to discuss this issue further, but was confident that the U.S. administration will continue to protect Israel in the process. "We will be discussing the president's decision to withdraw and but make sure IS is defeated and. make sure the defense of Israel and our other friends in the regions is assured," he said. "Trump backs Israel's right to self defense; he says it publicly and unequivocally. Any nation...that has any doubt about American support for Israel's self defense it better think about it again," he added. Netanyahu and Bolton at a press conference, January 6, 2019 (: ) X The pullout announced before Christmas was initially expected to be completed within weeks, but the timetable has slowed as the president acceded to requests from aides, allies and members of Congress for a more orderly drawdown. Israeli officials have expressed alarm that a swift withdrawal of the roughly 2,000 troops could enable Iran to expand its influence and presence in Syria, wracked by a yearslong civil war and the Islamic State militancy. In addition, Trump's move has raised fears about clearing the way for a Turkish assault on Kurdish fighters in Syria who have fought alongside American troops against IS extremists. Turkey considers the Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, a terrorist group linked to an insurgency within its own borders. Bolton Bolton warned Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, not to use the U.S. drawdown as a pretext to use chemical weapons against Syrians, saying there is "no change" to the U.S. position that their use is a "red line." Trump has twice carried out airstrikes in Syria in response to apparent chemical attacks, with the intention of deterring Assad. Trump's announcement about the intended troop withdrawal was greeted by surprise and condemnation from many U.S. lawmakers and allies, and prompted the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and the U.S. special envoy for the anti-IS coalition in protest. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is following Bolton to the Mideast this coming week for an eight-country tour of Arab allies to shore up support for the administration's partners in the region. Before leaving for the Mideast, Pompeo said that them the administration has cultivated a relationship between Arab states and Israel in order to ensure a coalition to secure American security. "The previous administration decided that the biggest terror supporter in the world, Iran, would be its partner in the Middle East. We have categorically changed that... You heard the presidents declaration about the withdrawal from Syria, but with the help of our partners we will still be able to effectively combat the ISIS threat in the region and do it without the presence of 2,000 troops on the ground, he said. An Israeli Air Force fighter jet attacked Sunday an observation post in the southern Gaza Strip, near the Israeli border, Palestinian media reported Sunday. No injuries were reported. Syria's chief opposition negotiator said on Sunday he was surprised by countries rebuilding ties with the Syrian government and urged them to reverse their decision. Arab states, including some that once backed rebels against President Bashar al-Assad, are seeking to reconcile with him after decisive gains by his forces in the war, aiming to expand their influence in Syria at the expense of non-Arab Turkey and Iran. The United Arab Emirates re-opened its embassy in Damascus last month and Bahrain said its embassy there, and the Syrian diplomatic mission in Manama, had been operating without interruptions. "We do not have the power to stop this reconciliation," Nasr Hariri told reporters in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh, where he is based. "We still hope there is a possibility for (these countries) to revisit their decisions and realise that the real and solid relation should be with their brothers of the Syrian people not with the regime that has committed all these crimes," he said. "Bashar al-Assad will remain a war criminal even if thousands of leaders had a handshake with him." This isn't criticism of the justice system, which is legitimate. It's not about the struggle of one man, junior or senior, for his innocence; this struggle is legitimate as well. This is another kind of struggle, a dangerous one, which is all about playing with fire. Because Benjamin Netanyahu is fighting against the legitimacy of the justice system. "I am the state," said Louis XIV of France. "I am the law, the justice and the state," said Netanyahu. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter In a campaign propaganda video posted on Saturday , Netanyahu compares the decision on an indictment to the amputation of an arm. "Can anyone give him back his arm? Can anyone give you back the elections?" This is an idiotic comparison. Sixty-four percent of the citizens of Israel want the attorney general to make a decision about Netanyahu's pending corruption cases before the elections. It has nothing to do with support or opposition to Netanyahu. It has something to do with one fact only: The public wants and has the right to know. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: AP) Netanyahu's video points to one thing: he already knows there is going to be an indictment against him. If Netanyahu thought for even a moment that the attorney general's decision would be different, he would've thrown his full support behind it. The thing is, Netanyahu's threats join those of coalition head David Amsalem, who said millions will oppose the decision to file an indictment against the prime minister. There are no millions; there were no millions, and there will be no millions. But the danger remains. The threats and the efforts at delegitimization could cause a few thousand, or perhaps only hundreds, to hold support rallies for Netanyahu. And of them, one or two might do something about it. Netanyahu went on to claim that, "there haven't been so many people running amok in the history of Israeli justice, and even perhaps in the history of democratic nations" in order to file an indictment against him. This is a farfetched claim indeed. After all, the investigations have been going on for years under the supervision of the attorney general. Furthermore, Netanyahu knows the "Buzaglo test" (the obligation to enforce the law against a public official in the same way that it is applied to the "average Joe") doesn't apply to him, because throughout the investigations, he received endless leeway. He knows the attorney general is not a member of some leftist elite trying to overthrow him; he was once Netanyahu's cabinet secretary. Despite that, his reckless claims mark another low point in his delegitimization campaign against law enforcement authorities. It's unclear whether Netanyahu will end his political career with a criminal conviction. I hope not. But it's clear he is leading a dangerous campaign with reckless abandon and public corruption. This is sad, because there are two Netanyahus. There's the statesman, who only a few days ago returned from a successful visit to Brazil. And there is Bibi, who is trying to drag Israel into quicksandwe mustn't allow him to succeed. Pittsfield Police Hosting Expo on Law Enforcement Careers PITTSFIELD, Mass. Want to fight crime? Because the Pittsfield Police Department is looking for candidates to join the force. The department is holding a recruitment expo on Tuesday at Taconic High School to answer questions and demonstrate equipment for those who may be thinking of entering the profession. The expo is being held in anticipation of the next Civil Service test for police officers. The department has been hiring over the last few years as it looks to expand its ranks. The last test was done in 2017 and to get more candidates the department has suspended its residency requirement. The written examination to become an officer is administered by the Massachusetts Human Resources Division and is being held on Saturday, March 23. The deadline for registering for the exam, which costs $100, is Feb. 5. Candidates must be at least 19 years of age on or before March 23 to be eligible to take the exam, yet must reach age 21 to be appointed. Tuesday's expo will also provide potential recruits with information on the application, hiring, and training process. Representatives from various specialty units will be on hand. The demonstrations begin at 4 p.m. followed by a presentation at 6 on the hiring and training process. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's military secretary has been formally reprimanded for failing to pass on the order to stop last week's evacuation at the illegal outpost of Amona. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot learned that Netanyahu called Brig. Gen. Avi Blot at 1am on Wednesday night, and ordered him to stop the evacuation set to take place just a few hours later on Thursday morning. But despite receiving a direct order from the prime minister, Blot only informed the IDF of the decision at 6am Thursday, when Border Police forces were already on their way to Amona. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his military secretary Brig. Gen. Avi Blot (Photo: Koby Gideon/GPO) According to the IDF Spokesman's Office, the IDF chief stressed to Blot that he had erred in his handling of the situation by not informing the IDF of the prime minister's decision in real time. Blot told the IDF chief that he had made an error in judgment, and that he would draw the necessary conclusions from the incident. The brigadier general began his position in the Prime Minister's Office last August, after serving as the commander of the Oz special ops brigade. He previously served as the commander of the Paratroopers Brigade's 101st Battalion and was wounded during Operation Cast Lead, which began in late 2008. He was then appointed the commander of the Maglan Special Forces unit and later the commander of the Hebron Brigade, before being put in charge of the Oz Brigade. Shortly before his appointment as the prime minister's military secretary, Blot was reprimanded by the GOC Central Command, Maj. Gen. Nadav Padan, after classified documents were stolen from his car. Israeli forces evacuate settlers from Amona (Photo: TPS) The evacuation Thursday of the two illegal structures that settlers brought to Amona escalated into a violent confrontation with security forces, during which 23 police officers were hurt. The some 300 settlers barricaded themselves in the two structures at the former outpost, which was evacuated less than two years ago under a court order. They returned to the outpost last month in protest of a recent outburst of Palestinian terror attacks, which claimed the lives of two soldiers and prematurely born baby. Following criticism from the right, officials in the PMO said Netanyahu had asked his military secretary to stop the evacuation. Jewish Home MK Bezalel Smotrich, who was at Amona during the evacuation, cast doubt on Netanyahu's story on Saturday night. "At 6am, the evacuation hasn't started yet," Smotrich wrote on Twitter. "Police officers surrounded the structures but have not yet gone inside and have not started the evacuation of the people. If the IDF received the order to stand down and didn't stand down, someone needs be sent home. Blot's reprimand looks like a bad cover-up attempt." MK Bezalel Smotrich in Amona during the evacuation (Photo: TPS) Former defense minister Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beytenu) also slammed Netanyahu for failing to support his military secretary, and accused him of trying to evade responsibility for the chaotic scenes at Amona. "The prime minister's disgraceful attempt to put the blame for the evacuation of Amona on his military secretary, Brig. Gen. Avi Blot, is at the very least contemptible," Lieberman said. "I cannot help but see this as an attempt to shirk responsibility and a desperate attempt to find a scapegoat. Brig. Gen. Blot's resumewhich includes growing up in (the settlement of) Halamish, graduating from the pre-military prep school in Eli, and the sensitive role of the Hebron Brigade Commander, during which he received much appreciation from all of the residentsis a testimony to the kind of man he is and rules out any possibility of blaming him for the failures of the Amona evacuation. A disgrace!" Lieberman said. Gaza militants used a cluster of balloons to fly a styrofoam airplane carrying an explosive device into southern Israel on Sunday. The plane landed in a field in Sdot Negev Regional Council, near the Gaza border, and was neutralized by police sappers. The process caused the device to explode, but no damages or injuries were reported. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Israel Air Force helicopters struck a position belonging to the Hamas terror group in southern Gaza in response. Incendiary balloons land on a plane near Gaza border Around 10 days ago, a cluster of approximately 10 balloons with an explosive device attached landed on Moshav Kfar Maimon, also located in the Sdot Negev Regional Council, c lose to the fence of a kindergarten. The incident also prompted a police response, who arrived at the scene to neutralize the device. The police have called on members of the public to exercise extreme caution if they come across suspicious airborne objects, which may contain explosives or flammable materials that could endanger their safety. Israel Police also urged the residents of the Israeli communities near the Gaza border to immediately report any suspicious devices and leave the area at once, in order to let the sappers neutralize the objects and ensure the publics safety. Five Israeli teenagers arrested as part of a police investigation into Jewish terrorism are suspected of causing the death of a Palestinian woman by hurling stones at the vehicle she was traveling in near the Tapuach junction in the West Bank, according to details released when a gag order was lifted Sunday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Three months ago, Aisha al-Rawbi, 47, and her husband Aykube, 52, were driving through the junction with their nine-year-old daughter, on their way back from a family wedding in Hebron, when a big rock was thrown at their car, hitting Aisha in the head and killing her. The five teenagers arrested in the case are suspected of a series of severe terrorism offenses, including her murder. They are all under the age of 18 and have not been formally charged. Aisha al-Rawbi, right, and the passenger seat where she was sitting Three of the suspects were arrested on December 30 by the Shin Bet domestic security service and the Israel Police, while two others were arrested on Saturday. All five are students at the Pri Ha'aretz (fruit of the land) yeshiva in the West Bank settlement of Rehelim, which is close to the scene of the attack. Additional details from the investigation are still under gag order. Meanwhile, dozens of Hilltop Youth (extreme right Jewish settler youth) protested outside the Rishon LeZion Magistrate's Court, where a hearing was held for the suspects on Sunday. The protesters stood outside the window of the courtroom and made noise by shouting and blowing whistles in an effort to disrupt the hearing. Several of them held up signs saying "kippot and payot are not evidence" and "stop the out-of-control Shin Bet." Lawyers for the five suspects have said their clients were being held in isolation in a bid by the Shin Bet to force false confessions. The Shin Bet said in its statement the detainees had been questioned in accordance with the law. "Since the arrests began, the Shin Bet has identified an intentional and ongoing effort by interested parties to defame the agency and its personnel and delegitimize its activity. This attempt is reprehensible, and it will not dissuade the Shin Bet from continuing its activity to thwart any kind of terrorismJewish or Palestinian," the agency said. "The detainees in Shin Bet interrogations receive the full rights they are accorded under the law. The claims the detainees' rights were violated against the law are baseless and meant to divert the discussion from the serious suspicions under which they were arrested for questioning." American National Security Adviser John Bolton has toured the ancient tunnels beneath the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City. Bolton watched a virtual reality tour of the historic site on Sunday and dined there with his Israeli equivalent as well as U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and Israel's ambassador to the U.S., Ron Dermer. Visiting American officials typically avoid holding official meetings in parts of east Jerusalem, which is contested between Israelis and Palestinians. Trump himself, however, also toured the area in a previous visit. Israel captured the Old City from Jordan in the 1967 war. DUBAI - Iran's central bank has proposed slashing four zeros from the rial, state news agency IRNA reported on Sunday, after the currency plunged in a year marked by an economic crisis fuelled by U.S. sanctions. "A bill to remove four zeros from the national currency was presented to the government by the central bank yesterday and I hope this matter can be concluded as soon as possible," IRNA quoted central bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati as saying. Proposals to remove four zeros from the currency have been floated since 2008, but the idea has gained strength as the rial lost more than 60 percent of its value in 2018 despite a recent recovery engineered by the central bank in defiance of U.S. sanctions. The currency was trading at about 110,000 rials per U.S. dollar on the unofficial market on Sunday, according to foreign exchange websites. When they meet the press following their meeting on Sunday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US National Security Adviser John Bolton will certainly say that the unbreakable bond between the two countries is stronger than ever. When Netanyahu meets President Donald Trump at Davos later this month, the press will get a photo of the two, smiling and sharing a hearty handshake. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The two leaders are often viewed through a similar lens: each attacks their respective countrys media and justice system as they face legal challenges, not to mention, anything that feels foreign to them. Netanyahu and Trump (Photo: Reuters) But the bond between Israel and the United States, like any pact between free nations, can only endure if the deeds match the rhetoric and if they both radiate strength. This is not the reality here. With a series of statements, some out of ignorance and some of impulsiveness, Trump has positioned Israel in an inferior position in which the world can see that the White House is not embracing Israel or spreading its security umbrella over it. And in the violent Middle East, one can easily detect weakness. When the American president says that the Iranians can do as they please in Syria, contrary to Israels determination to prevent their entrenchment on its northern border, the message is heard loud and clear not only in Damascus and Moscow, but in Tehran as well. When the president says that he gives Israel $45 billion so that it can defend itself, he is not only stepping back from his commitment and throwing Israel under the bus. He is reinforcing US anti-Semitism and giving ammunition to many who are enraged at the massive military aid given by the American taxpayer to the Jewish state, thereby reigniting the discussion on why the US must fund Israels defense. When the president announced the withdrawal of American troops from Syria, the significance was more than symbolic. He is essentially leaving the Middle East to Russian President Vladimir Putin to do as he pleases, and on the way is abandoning the Kurdish allies who are fighting alongside the US against the jihadi forces in Syria. American troops in Syria (Photo: AFP) Words have power; words can sometimes destroy or kill. It is very nice to hear the president express words of affection towards Israel. Netanyahu will surely appreciate receiving an American embrace during the election campaign. He will surely be photographed with the most ridiculed president in the world, albeit one very popular in Israel where he has earned the monicker of a committed Zionist and the best friend Israel has ever had in the White House. Israel was blinded and charmed by Trump; the Netanyahu government failed to grasp that Trump primarily believes in America First. The implication is that he will bring about its isolation between the two oceans surrounding the American continent. Trump earned his political fame as the snake that bites those around him, including his allies and friends. In light of his Mideast policy change, the celebration following his election will turn into sobs; primarily because Netanyau placed all Israel's eggs in one basket, and burned the rest of the bridges in Washington. DUBAI - Iran and Russia are preparing to hold joint naval exercises in the Caspian Sea, including rescue and anti-piracy drills, the commander of the Iranian navy is quoted as saying. "Tactical, rescue and anti-piracy war games between Iranian and Russian naval forces are being planned and will be implemented in the near future," the semi-official news agency Mehr quotes Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi as saying. Iran and Russia have held several naval drills in the Caspian Sea, including in 2015 and 2017. The two countries have close ties, including in Syria where they both back President Bashar al-Assad in the country's civil war. CAIRO -- Egypt's Interior Ministry says a policeman was killed late Saturday as he was trying to defuse an explosive device near a church in a residential Cairo district. The ministry says the blast also wounded the commander of the bomb squad and another policeman. The device was in a suitcase concealed on the rooftop of a building close to the church in the Nasr City suburb in eastern Cairo, according to the ministry, which oversees the police. The blast came just two days before the Orthodox Coptic Church, the dominant denomination among Egypt's estimated 10 million Christians, celebrates Christmas. It also came a little more than a week after a roadside bomb hit a tourist bus near the Giza Pyramids, killing three Vietnamese tourists and their Egyptian driver. Palestinian health ministry said a man was seriously wounded by Israeli fire during violent clashes with IDF forces near Ramallah. Israeli security forces arrested over the weekend 10 Palestinians suspected of being involved in terror activity across the West Bank. They were taken in for questioning. An Egged bus number 140 came under fire shortly after midnight on Sunday while it was making its way from Jerusalem to Beit El in the Binyamin region of the West Bank. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The bus driver was lightly hurt from glass shards and damage was caused to the bus's windshield. IDF soldiers launched a search for the perpetrators in the roads leading to the nearby towns of Al-Bireh and Beitin, as well as in nearby parts of route 60. The windshield of the bus that came under fire near Beit El (Photo: TPS) In the wake of the attack, drivers of buses going to Beit El asked not to travel on that road, saying it does not have sufficient security. "We won't endanger ourselves. You go on this road, and you don't see any security personnel there," one driver said. The windshield of the bus that came under fire near Beit El (Photo: TPS) This is the fourth attack in the area over the past month. Some of the members of the terror cell behind the previous attacks have already been eliminated or captured. Over the weekend, the IDF and the Shin Bet continued the hunt for the remaining attackers behind at least two of the three previous shootings in the areaat the Givat Asaf Junction and the Ofra Junction. Israeli security forces are now investigating whether there is a connection between the latest attack and the previous three. Hundreds of people protested Saturday in front of Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem over the arrests of five Jewish minors in the West Bank, who are suspected of being involved in Jewish terrorism. Two protesters were detained by the police. The Knesset last week voted overwhelmingly in favor of a law to restrict the advertising and marketing of smoking paraphernalia in the country. The new legalization extends current tobacco-related restrictions to e-cigarettes, and limits advertising only to print media, under significant constraints. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The law, which will come into effect in a year, also mandates that all cigarette packagesincluding e-cigarettes by San Francisco-headquartered Juulbe painted with Pantone 448c, chosen as the worlds ugliest color in 2016 by market researchers. A muddy, greenish brown, the color is already in use on packages in several countries, including the UK, France, and Australia, where lawmakers hope it will reduce the brand appeal of cigarettes and deter people from smoking, on top of the grisly photos of smoking health damages some countries demand be printed on packages. Smoking teenagers (Photo: Shutterstock) In Israel, an attempt to mandate the same pictures fell through following an objection from Deputy Minister of Health Yaakov Litzman, who called them "unappealing," but a general standardization has been approved, and the size of the current required warn texts will be more than doubled. The law also sets in place regulation for the manufacturing and marketing of e-cigarettes with nicotine content higher than the European directive. In August, Israel banned the sale of Juul's pods in the country due to their high nicotine content, forcing the company to switch out its products for a lighter version. Juul, which controls most of the US e-cigarette market, launched in Israel in May with the same pods it sells in the US59 milligrams of nicotine a pod, equivalent to an entire pack of cigarettes. In the UK, one of Juul's only other markets besides the US, the company sells only 20 mg pods to comply with European Union regulations. Juul is contesting the decision in court and appealed to the Israeli Supreme Court seeking a temporary injunction to the ban, claiming other e-cigarette makers were allowed to sell pods with a higher nicotine content. The appeal was rejected. Former health minister Yael German of the centrist Yesh Atid party cast the single vote against the bill, protesting the exclusion of printed media advertising from the bill. Top Israeli model and TV personality Bar Refaeli could face charges for tax evasion, while her parents are under suspicion of money laundering, the State Prosecutor Office's tax department said Thursday. The final decision on charges will be made after a hearing. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The Tax Authority launched an investigation into Refaeli in 2015, on suspicion that between 2006 and 2007 she incorrectly claimed to the tax authorities that she was not an Israeli resident and also failed to mention income earned abroad. Bar Refaeli and her parents In 2009, Refaeli signed an agreement that she would pay taxes on NIS 6 million she earned between 2005 and 2007 both in Israel and abroad, but had failed to report to the Tax Authority. Refaeli is also suspected of purchasing and renting out apartments in Israel, but having her brother and mother sign the contracts to make it appear that she had no ties to Israel. The model also allegedly set up companies in Israel and deposited the earnings in foreign bank accounts. Refaeli's parents are accused of money-laundering as they allegedly claimed to own bank accounts that were in fact owned by their daughter. In addition, Refaeli allegedly falsely told the United States Internal Revenue Service that she lived in Israel and not in the U.S. It is suspected that this claim allowed the model to make upwards of millions of shekels between 2009 and 2012. Refaeli's attorney, Moshe Mizrahi, said in a statement: "I've been working on this case since 2013. In 2009, after two years of negotiations, my client signed an agreement to revoke her Israeli residency, which means Bar Refaeli has been non-resident for tax purposes since 2007. It is evident the Tax Authority denies such an agreement was signed. "Having signed this agreement, why would she scam the Tax Authority? Why would she lie? It just doesn't make sense. I am confident that the State Prosecutor's Office will find that there is no criminal case here. It has been completely blown out of proportion, and it wont be long before it is viewed as a civil case and not a criminal one," Mizrahi said. For the past 13 years, Dov Khenin served as the sole Jewish Knesset member for The Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash Party) and the sole Jewish MK for the Joint List during the last Knesset session. Khenin announced this week that he will not seek reelection and several candidates are expected to vie for the number three spot on the Hadash list, which is reserved for a Jewish member. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter A senior member of the party told Ynet that the leading candidates include Dr. Ofer Ksif, Dr. Yaela Raanan, Dr. Efraim Davidi and attorney Noa Levi. All are activists in Hadash and the Communist Party. Ksif is a senior member of the partys political board. Davidi, a history lecturer, is the deputy director of Hadash. Raanan is a social activist and Levi works as an attorney at the Public Committee Against Torture. MK Dov Khenin (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg) Dr. Yaela Raanan is a resident of Kibbutz Kisufim in the Gaza vicinity and lectures at the nearby Sapir College. She confirmed her candidacy to Ynet, saying: I want to do everything possible so that the state will be a more fair and just place, both with regards to ending the occupation as well as economically to transform the capitalist economic system. I know that currently these goals seem unreal I will try to create partnerships, even with people on the right. Yaela Ra'anan Regarding the makeup of the party, Raanan said: Hadash was always a Jewish-Arab party and as a citizen of Israel it bothers me that there is a divide between Jews and Arabs. We are all citizens and the divide is detrimental, especially to minorities. I see fit to be in a position of partnership and I am proud to be part of this partnership against the direction the state is trying to take us by force of seperation and discrimination, such as the Nation State Law. Dr. Ofer Ksif said that he is considering a run: Hadash Knesset members have always been prime advocates for equality, against the occupation, racism and violence and pro gay rights. I would be glad to step into these giant shoes Before Khenin we had excellent parliamentarians such as Meir Vilner, whom I served as an assistant. I will be honored if I am chosen in the partys primaries. Ofer Ksif Ksif was the subject of controversy when four years ago, as a lecturer at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, he called Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked a neo-Nazi following the passing of a law targeting left-wing NGOs. He also called her "filth" and a "partner to crimes against humanity." Last year, he called Jews who ascend the Temple Mount a cancer which must be eliminated. Meanwhile, the Joint List has not yet decided whether its constituent parties will run together again, and if so, who will lead. The Arab Movement for Renewal (Taal) Party, headed by Ahmad Tibi, called for a survey to be conducted to examine who will lead and how to divide the mandates. The Islamic United Arab List Party is demanding that it take the lead. Nonetheless, Hadash is still expected to be placed at number one but it is not yet clear whether MK Ayman Odeh will lead the list. Ayman Odeh (Photo: Motti Kimchi) In his farewell speech, Khenin, who himself placed Tamar Gozansky as the Jewish delegate of the party, said: In these difficult times, when the government deepens the gulf separating Jews and Arabs, I stand with my friends on the bridge connecting the two peoples, and I am convinced that this bridge is vital for the future of this country. I look back with satisfaction, but I cannot evade a difficult truth: I think Israel is going in a dangerous direction, and in the absence of any progress towards peace we will end up with another war. The occupation poisons the lives of both peoples, democracy is under attack. Our ship is speeding in the wrong direction. I am not abandoning the struggle. I have decided to not present my candidacy for the next Knesset, but politics isnt limited to the confines of the Knesset. I will continue my work in uniting struggles, unleashing imaginations, to show that we can do things better here. I am aware of the feeling of hopelessness on the left; it isnt justified, we can change I call on the people who oppose Netanyahu to go out and vote. The Arab population has recently seen a sharp spike in murder cases, with 17 Arab citizens, among them four women, being slain over the five weeks. Since 2018, 72 people have been murdered in the Arab sector, with one person slain every five days. In recent weeks, however, the violence has run rampant, with one person killed every two days. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said the incoming police commissioner would be tasked with reducing crime rates in the Arab sector. A new police commissioner, however, has yet to be appointed. At the end of December, 43-year-old Muhi Nasrallah was shot dead in Qalansawe, in the so-called "Arab triangle" in central Israel. He was killed just two days after his mother had passed away. Murder victims in Arab sector in 2018 "It was our last day in the mourners' tent after our mother died," Nasrallah's brother said. "After my brother left the tent we called him and he didn't pick up. Shortly afterwards we received calls saying he had been shot dead," he said. "Nobody threatened Muhi, and we don't know why he was murdered. I hope the police catch those who did it, and won't belittle the murder, like they do with many murder cases in Qalansawe and in the Arab society," he said. "Our lives are in danger, and I don't know who will be next. We constantly hear shotguns sounds and grenades exploding, and wonder how long this is going to last." Iman Ahmed Awad The women murdered in 2018 included Yara Ayub, 16, from Jish, a village in the Upper Galilee; Iman Ahmed Awad, 25, whose husband is suspected of stabbing her to death in their home in Acre; Shadia Moussati, 29, who was shot dead near her house in Ramle and Amena Asbarga, 37, from Lod, who was murdered with her husband still in their vehicle. Yara Ayub Aside from Moussati, three other people from Ramle were murderedHakam Abu Ghanem, 38, who was shot dead in Holon; Abado Shamshum, 25, who was killed while at his family business; and Ali al-Aasem, who was fatally wounded by a stray bullet in Lod. In addition, three Jaljulia residents have been in the same time frame: Hudeifa Hariri, 21, and his brother Kuakaa, 32, who were shot dead in shootout at Megiddo Junction, and Ahmed Salameh, 51, who was shot while at the entrace to his home. Fourteen-year-old teen Kerem al-Ja'ar was also shot dead by a stray bullet during an altercation in Rahat. He saved the lives of five people by donating his organs. Fahd al-Qasasi, 21, was also murdered in Rahat. Hudeifa and Kuakaa Hariri In response to the rising bloodshed, Abed Mahamim from Umm al-Fahm said that the situation had become so bad that people were afraid to leave the house. "We are sick of this violence. I don't feel safe and I'm afraid sending my children to school and to the grocery store alone," he said. "Many of the victims were not involved in any conflict. Unfortunately, every step taken to eradicate the phenomenon has been of no use. The demonstrations, marches and strikes have not stopped the violence, which only keeps spiraling." An unnamed young girl from Lod added: "Recently I feel terrified. I refuse to walk the streets, fearing I might be hurt. The atmosphere is terrifying, and even when I go to school I keep looking over my shoulder, thinking someone might start firing with no reason." Fahd al-Qasasi The police issued a statement saying they were making every effort to contain the violence, including rounding up weapons, increasing police numbers and making arrests. "Regrettably, shooting incidents occur too often in the Arab sector, most of which against a backdrop of internal conflict that lead to violence," the statement said. "Shootings and murder investigations are conducted by the police in a through and professional manner, while striving to uncover the truth and bring the perpetrators to justice, regardless of their and the victim's origins. "Over the past few years, the police seized an unprecedented number of weapons, in particular in the Arab sector. As part of this ongoing battle, 3,300 suspects were arrested since the beginning of 2018, and some 1,250 indictments were filed for possession, trade and use of weapons, most of which after an intensified intelligence activity of the police." The police also called on the local leadership to help crack down on the perpetrators of violence. "In recent years, the police in cooperation with the Public Security Ministry, have been implementing a multi-year plan to expand police activity in the Arab sector, while catering to the unique needs of the Arab society, investing tremendous resources in reducing crime and increasing the sense of security and trust in the police and the rule of law. "It is important to stress that the police operate within the boundaries of the law, and are unable to completely eradicate the unacceptable norm of using and owning guns without the cooperation of the Arab sector leadership and the law-abiding citizens in the Arab society. "The police will continue investing efforts to battle the violence within the Arab society and despite the many difficulties, will cooperate with Arab leadership officials, who are willing to act to eradicate this violence," the police said. El Buki Mayor y sus companeros de siempre se convierten en los primeros artistas latinos en debutar en uno de los estadios mas modernos y nuevos del pais. 7 day print subscribers enjoy unlimited access to yakimaherald.com Enter the LAST NAME and the 7 DIGIT phone number on your print subscription account to connect your print subscription to your yakimaherald.com account. By Jeff Mason and Ginger Gibson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump pledged on Sunday not to bend in his demand for a wall along the southern border with Mexico but said the barrier could be made of steel instead of concrete as a potential compromise with Democrats who refuse to fund it. Trump's comments came at the start of the third week of a partial government shutdown resulting from the dispute that has left hundreds of thousands of federal workers idled or without paychecks. Trump threatened again, without providing specifics on where the funding would originate, to declare a national emergency as an alternative way to build the wall, depending on the outcome of talks in the coming days. Democrats have declined to approve the $5.6 billion Trump wants to fulfill a 2016 campaign promise to curb illegal immigration. Led by new Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democrats passed a bill in the House of Representatives last week to reopen the government without wall funding. Pelosi has called a border wall immoral. "This is a very important battle to win from the standpoint of safety, number one, (and) defining our country and who we are," Trump told reporters at the White House before leaving for a short trip to the Camp David presidential retreat. "The barrier, or the wall, can be of steel instead of concrete, if that helps people. It may be better," he said. The White House painted that offer, which Trump floated previously, as an olive branch. Mick Mulvaney, Trump's acting chief of staff, told NBC's "Meet the Press" that agreeing to a steel barrier would allow Democrats to stick to their refusal to fund a wall. "That should help us move in the right direction," he said. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer did not show his hand when asked whether the White House offer to move away from a concrete structure was evidence of compromise. "It'll be discussed," he said on NBC. Vice President Mike Pence led a second round of talks with congressional aides on Sunday about the issue, but Trump said he did not expect those talks to produce results, noting that the principals - himself, Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer - were the ones who could solve it quickly. "If we don't find a solution, it's going to go on for a long time. There's not going to be any bend right here," Trump said. He later tweeted that the Pence talks were productive. But a Democratic aide familiar with the meeting said Democrats urged the White House to pass measures to reopen the government without wall funding and Pence said Trump would not do that. The aide said no progress was made and no further meetings of the group were scheduled. OTHER CONCESSIONS? Democrats could demand other concessions from the White House, such as protections for immigrants brought illegally to the United States as children, known as Dreamers, or changes to other spending provisions. Trump said he wanted to help on the Dreamer issue but preferred to wait for a Supreme Court ruling on it first. Democratic U.S. Senator Dick Durbin reacted coolly to Trump's suggestion of declaring a national emergency. "I don't know what he's basing this on, but he's faced so many lawsuits when he ignores the law and ignores tradition and precedent," Durbin said on CBS' "Face the Nation." Large chunks of the federal government were shut down on Dec. 22 after lawmakers and the president hit an impasse over Trump's demand that a bill to keep the federal government operational include money to help build a $23 billion wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. About 800,000 government workers are either furloughed or working without pay. "I can relate," Trump, a former New York businessman, said when asked if he could relate to the pain of federal workers struggling to pay their bills. "I'm sure that the people that are on the receiving end will make adjustments." Asked if workers would get paid on Friday, Trump said: "We'll see whether or not it's settled." Not all Republicans agree with Trump's insistence on keeping government agencies shuttered until the border debate is resolved. "It is not a sign of weakness to try to figure out a middle ground, and I think that both sides need to indicate a willingness to listen and to compromise, U.S. Senator Susan Collins of Maine said on NBC. She called the debate over using steel versus concrete "bizarre." House Democrats plan to pass a series of bills this week to reopen government, breaking up legislation they have already approved in a bid to get Republicans to agree to reopen certain agencies, Hoyer said on "Meet the Press." "We need to open up government and then negotiate. Not the other way around," he said. (Reporting by Jeff Mason and Ginger Gibson; Additional reportering by Amanda Becker; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Peter Cooney) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Jamal al-Badawi, wanted by the United States for his suspected role in the attack on the USS Cole 18 years ago, was killed in a precision strike in Yemen on Jan. 1, U.S. Central Command said on Sunday. Badawi was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2003 over his role in the October 2000 deadly bombing of the USS Cole, a Navy guided-missile destroyer. He escaped from prison in Yemen twice, once in 2003 and again in 2006. "U.S. forces confirmed the results of the strike following a deliberate assessment process," said Central Command spokesman Captain Bill Urban, two days after the Defense Department said U.S. forces had targeted Badawi in the strike. It is the latest blow to Yemen's al Qaeda branch, known as Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which has lost key leaders in U.S strikes in recent years. In 2018, U.S. officials said they believed that Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, once one of the world's most feared bombmakers, had been killed. Still, Katherine Zimmerman at the American Enterprise Institute conservative thinktank cautioned that AQAP had proven it will remain a threat. The group has benefited from the chaos of Yemen's civil war, although it has lost major strongholds, including the port city of Mukallah. "There is certainly a degradation of the leadership," Zimmerman said. "The big concern is that al Qaeda has always proven that its bench is much deeper and there is no clear strategy for stabilizing Yemen and setting the conditions where we don't have a new generation (of militants) coming forward." Yemen's conflict has pushed it to the verge of famine, with millions relying on food aid. The death of Badawi removes perhaps the last major figure in the USS Cole attack from the battlefield. U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted: "Our GREAT MILITARY has delivered justice for the heroes lost and wounded in the cowardly attack on the USS Cole." There was a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest. The Cole attack was a devastating blow to the U.S. Navy. On Oct. 12, 2000, two men in a small boat detonated explosives alongside the vessel as it was refueling in Aden, killing 17 sailors, wounding more than three dozen others and blasting a gaping hole in its hull. (Reporting by Mary Milliken and Phil Stewart; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Rosalba O'Brien) Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump said Friday he is confident Washington and Beijing will reach a deal to bring to a close the months-long trade dispute that has roiled global financial markets. "I think we will make a deal with China," Trump said at the White House, and noted that talks are underway with China "at the highest levels." With the Chinese economy slowing, "I really think they want to" reach an agreement, he told reporters. "I think they sort of have to." A US delegation is due to travel to Beijing to hold negotiations Monday, but Trump said he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping already have been actively engaged in the talks. "We have a massive trade negotiation going on with China. President Xi is very much involved, so am I. We're dealing at the highest levels and we're doing very well," he said. Trump and Xi agreed to a three-month cease fire after imposing steep tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars in two-way trade, which has raised fears of slowing economic growth and added to investor jitters worldwide. Trump repeated that the US has "taken in billions and billions of dollars in tariffs from China and from others," despite the fact import duties are increasing costs for American businesses and consumers. The New York Federal Reserve bank said in an analysis Friday that "higher import tariffs had immediate impacts on US domestic prices," raising the consumer and producer prices by 0.3 percentage points higher than they would otherwise have been. Deputy US Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish is due lead the team to China for the first face-to-face discussions, which will include officials from the Treasury, Commerce and Agriculture departments as well. The bruising trade war comes as China grapples with a slowing domestic economy. Growth is expected by the government to have eased to around 6.5 percent in 2018, down from 6.9 percent in 2017. The manufacturing sectors in both countries have been hit by the trade dispute, and Apple shares dropped sharply after reporting steeper-than-expected "economic deceleration" in the last quarter in China -- one of its largest overseas markets. Trump said he has urged Apple chief Tim Cook to "make your product in the United States" rather than China. Bangkok (AFP) - A Saudi woman held at Bangkok airport said she would be killed if she was repatriated by Thai immigration officials, who confirmed the 18-year-old was denied entry to the country on Sunday. The incident comes against the backdrop of intense scrutiny of Saudi Arabia over its investigation and handling of the shocking murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year, which has renewed criticism of the kingdom's rights record. Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun told AFP she was stopped by Saudi and Kuwaiti officials when she arrived in Suvarnabhumi airport and her travel document was forcibly taken from her, a claim backed by Human Rights Watch. "They took my passport," she told AFP, adding that her male guardian had reported her for travelling "without his permission". Qunun said she was trying to flee her family, who subjected her to physical and psychological abuse. "My family is strict and locked me in a room for six months just for cutting my hair," she said, adding that she is certain she will be imprisoned if she is sent back. "I'm sure 100 percent they will kill me as soon as I get out of the Saudi jail," she said, adding that she was "scared" and "losing hope". Qunun was stopped from entering Thailand when she flew in from Kuwait on Sunday, Thailand's immigration chief Surachate Hakparn told AFP. "She had no further documents such as return ticket or money," he said, adding that Rahaf was currently in an airport hotel. "She ran away from her family to avoid marriage and she is concerned she may be in trouble returning to Saudi Arabia. We sent officials to take care of her now," he said. He added that Thai authorities had contacted the "Saudi Arabia embassy to coordinate". - 'Can't escape' - But Qunun disputed his account, saying that she was only in transit to seek asylum in Australia, and was accosted by Saudi and Kuwaiti embassy representatives when she arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport. Story continues She took to Twitter to plead her case, creating a profile with an Arabic bio that reads "I just want to survive". During a video livestream showing her walking around a carpeted hallway, Qunun spoke in Arabic about how her father had told Saudi embassy officials she was a "psychiatric patient" who had to be returned, even though she had "an Australian visa". "I can't escape the airport," she said in the live video. "I tried but there's a security (official) watching me." In a sign of growing desperation over the last few hours, the woman live tweeted barricading her hotel room door with furniture. Immigration head Surachate said Qunun would be sent back to Saudi Arabia by Monday morning. "It's a family problem," he said of the case. But Human Rights Watch said Thai authorities must allow the teenager to make a refugee claim with UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency. "Saudi women fleeing their families can face severe violence from relatives, deprivation of liberty, and other serious harm if returned against their will," said Michael Page, HRW deputy Middle East director. "Thai authorities should immediately halt any deportation, and either allow her to continue her travel to Australia or permit her to remain in Thailand to seek protection as a refugee." - 'Family problem' - Abdulilah al-Shouaibi, charge d'affaires at the Saudi embassy in Bangkok, acknowledged the woman's father had contacted the diplomatic mission for "help" to bring her back. But in an interview with Saudi-owned channel Rotana Khalijial, he denied that her passport had been seized and that embassy officials were present inside the airport. Saudi Arabia has come under fierce criticism following the murder of dissident journalist Khashoggi inside the kingdom's Istanbul consulate on October 2 -- a case that stunned the world. The ultra-conservative kingdom has long been attacked for imposing some of the world's toughest restrictions on women. That includes a guardianship system that allows men to exercise arbitrary authority to make decisions on behalf of their female relatives. In addition to facing punishment for "moral" crimes, women can also become the target of "honour killings" at the hands of their families, activists say. burs/fa/boc David Axe Security, Europe What happenned to the Su-57? Russia's Air Force Is Getting Lots of New Aircraft (Just Not a Lot of Su-57s or Stealth) The Russian air force received around 100 new aircraft in 2018 and, under current plans, should get another 100 in 2019, the Kremlin announced. The steady acquisition of new warplanes and helicopters has helped the air force to boost to nearly two-thirds the proportion of its roughly 3,600 aircraft that it considers "modern," the Kremlin stated in a January 2019 announcement. But Russia is acquiring new military aircraft at a rate much lower than is its main rival the United States. And in stark contrast to America's own aircraft procurement, Russia's acquisitions include no radar-evading stealth aircraft. The new aircraft the Russian air force received in 2018 included Su-35S and Su-30SM fighters, Su-34 bombers, Ka-52 attack helicopters, Mi-8 transport helicopters, Yak-130 training aircraft and other types, the defense ministry stated. In addition to the air force, Russia possesses a small naval air arm operating around 300 aircraft. The Russian army doesn't have its own air arm. Instead, the air force supports the army with transports and attack helicopters and aircraft. The U.S. military's own aircraft holdings dwarf those of Russia. The U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Army and Coast Guard together operate around 13,500 aircraft, nearly 10,000 more than Russian armed forces possess, according to the 2018 edition of Flight Global's annual military aircraft survey. In 2018, the U.S. Defense Department acquired more than 300 aircraft as part of its overall $612-billion annual budget. For 2019 Congress gave the Pentagon $686 billion, some of which it spent buying another 300 aircraft. In recent years Russia's military has spent between $60 billion and $70 billion annually. A dollar buys more in Russia than it does in the United States, making it difficult directly to compare the two countries' budgets. Story continues But the raw numbers of new aircraft tell a story. As many military aircraft wear out after 30 or 40 years, armed force must replace between two and three percent of their planes and helicopters on average every year in order to maintain overall inventories over the long term. Both Russia and the United States lately have done exactly that -- purchased a number of new aircraft every year that's sufficient to replace two or three percent of their respective fleets. But Russia's new aircraft are less technologically advanced than America's are. All of the new fighters Moscow has bought in recent years are versions of the Su-27 that first entered service in the early 1980s. In 2018 Russia canceled mass production of its first new warplane in a generation, the stealthy Su-57. The Kremlin ordered its first dozen production-standard Su-57s in August 2018, hoping to form the first regular squadron some time in 2019. But with military budgets flat amid an economic slump, Moscow decided to not acquire the plane in large numbers. The Kremlin tried to spin the decision as good news. You know that today the Su-57 is considered to be one of the best aircraft produced in the world, Yuri Borisov, Russias deputy defense minister, told a T.V. audience. Consequently, it does not make sense to speed up work on mass-producing the fifth-generation aircraft. By contrast, the Pentagon steadily has been ramping up production of its own F-35 stealth fighter. The 2019 budget included 90 of the radar-evading fighters for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. The U.S. military plans to acquire as many as 2,300 F-35s through the 2040s, while also developing two new fighter types to replace the Air Force's 180 F-22 stealth fighter and the Navy's 600 F/A-18E/Fs. Even if the Kremlin reversed its decision prematurely to halt Su-57 production, it could take decades for Russia to acquire a few hundred of the planes -- by which time the United States might possess thousands of F-22s, F-35s and other stealth aircraft. So while Moscow might boast about the 100 new aircraft it bought in 2018 and plans to buy in 2019, in fact the Russian air force is managing only to maintain its overall aviation inventory with non-stealthy designs. The United States meanwhile is preserving its own, much larger force -- and with large numbers of the latest radar-evading aircraft. David Axe edits War Is Boring . He is the author of the new graphic novels MACHETE SQUAD and THE STAN. Image: Creative Commons. Read full article The Vargas family will be moving into this renovated Habitat for Humanity house on Rankin Nix shortly after the New Year when the last financial arrangements are complete with Habitat officials. The family members are, from left, mom Maria; youngsters Azul. 7; Evan, 5; and Brendan, 14 months; and dad Leo. LIMA (Reuters) - Mexico on Friday called on its peers to refrain from interfering in Venezuela's internal affairs, declining to back a regional declaration that urged Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro not to take office on Jan. 10. Mexico was the sole country in the 14-member Lima Group that opted not to sign a statement critical of Maduro, the first time Mexico has not backed a declaration by the group since it was created in 2017 to push for democratic reforms in Venezuela. Mexico was once among the most outspoken critics of Maduro. But ties with Venezuela have warmed under leftist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who invited Maduro to his inauguration last month. Maximiliano Reyes, Mexico's deputy foreign minister responsible for Latin America, said Mexico was concerned about the "situation regarding human rights" in Venezuela but would not comment on the legitimacy of its government. Instead, he asked the Lima Group to rethink its approach. "We call for reflection in the Lima Group about the consequences for Venezuelans of measures that seek to interfere in internal affairs," Reyes said in a statement following a Lima Group meeting in Peru. "Mexico believes the most effective way to achieve the objectives for which this group was created is through mediation and dialogue, not isolation," he added. The comments were a blow to regional efforts to ramp up pressure on Maduro ahead of his inauguration, which Venezuela's opposition hoped would be a watershed moment to highlight how he has undermined democracy and mismanaged the countrys once-booming economy. But diplomatic measures from neighboring countries remain timid, and Friday's communique added little to previous statements that urged Maduro to step down but offered few concrete mechanisms to make this happen. Peru said last month that it would propose ending diplomatic relations with Venezuela to Lima Group members. But no country has yet announced it would sever ties with Caracas. The 13 remaining countries in the Lima Group that signed Friday's statement, which include Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Colombia, called Maduro's new term "illegitimate" and urged him to hand power over to the National Assembly until democratic elections can be held. They also said they would seek to bar high-ranking Venezuelan officials from entering their territory or accessing their financial systems. "What's happening January 10 is a turning point," Peruvian Foreign Minister Nestor Popolizio told journalists. Venezuela's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Mitra Taj and Reuters TV; Additional Reporting by Dave Graham in Mexico City and Brian Ellsworth in Caracas, Editing by Richard Chang and James Dalgleish) Reuters A Canadian man who is accused of deliberately running over five members of a Muslim family with his truck, killing four of them, now faces terrorism charges in addition to counts of first-degree murder and attempted murder, prosecutors said on Monday. Nathaniel Veltman, 20, was arrested shortly after the June 6 attack in a parking lot in London, Ontario, a short distance from the city's oldest mosque. Due to a publication ban, details from a hearing in which Veltman appeared by Zoom on Monday from jail cannot be revealed. Vatican City (AFP) - Pope Francis on Sunday urged EU leaders to show "concrete solidarity" with 49 migrants stranded on NGO ships off the coast of Malta who have been refused permission to land. But both Italy and Malta, who have refused port access to the rescue vessels, on Sunday reiterated their positions. "Forty-nine migrants rescued in the Mediterranean by two NGO ships have been on board for several days now, waiting to be able to disembark," Francis told thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square in Rome. "I address a pressing appeal to European leaders that they show some concrete solidarity with respect to these people." The European Commission also urged EU member states to admit them earlier this week as concern grows over their plight, with some of the migrants stranded at sea for more than two weeks. This is not the first time the Argentinian pope, himself descended from Italian immigrants, has appealed to European leaders to open their borders. But there was no sign of Italy changing its policy. "In Italy, no more people are arriving," far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini told the Sunday paper Il Messaggero. "That's the line and it will not change." And he rammed the message home on Twitter, saying "Italy's ports are and will stay closed". While not quite as categorical, Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said Sunday he feared setting a "precedent". - 'Vomiting on each other' - There are 17 people on board the German NGO vessel Sea-Eye, with another 32 on the Sea-Watch. Among them are a one-year-old baby and two children aged six and seven. Some on board Sea Watch are being treated for dehydration caused by seasickness. They are "all crammed into a small room and literally vomit on each other", said Sea Watch spokeswoman Giorgia Linardi, who fears some of the passengers will self-harm. "The situation is becoming more unstable every day, the level of stress is rising," added Franck Doerner, a doctor on board, via a video message. Story continues If the small Mediterranean island state of Malta, which has a population of 450,000, allowed in migrants from the two rescue ships, "the bullies would have won," said the Maltese leader. "This is an issue that might set a precedent and we should be vigilant about it," Muscat told Malta's Radio One station. "It is easy to play the Christmas Saint with everyone, but then come January, February and the summer period we would be told to do the same." Relations between Italy and Malta have been strained since Salvini's decision to close Italian ports to the migrants, accusing the rights groups who rescue them of running a migrant "taxi service". Salvini has called on Malta to assume its responsibilities and take in the rescue boats, arguing they are the closest. Muscat said that Malta's own naval vessels had in recent days rescued 250 migrants, with the government saying some of them were pulled to safety closer to Italian waters. The Netherlands and Germany have already offered to take some of the migrants if their EU partners do the same. But the bloc's long-running deadlock over sharing responsibility for migrants has yet to be resolved. Doha (AFP) - Outgoing UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on Sunday said that peace in the war-wracked country could be won through a post-war "inclusive constitution". De Mistura is trying to set up a UN-backed constitutional committee for Syria that would include 50 members chosen by Damascus, 50 by the opposition and 50 by the United Nations, before stepping down later this month. "One can win territorially in conflict, especially if one has strong military support from friends, but the issue is can you win peace," he told an international conference in Doha. "We are getting into that phase," which includes reconstruction, rehabilitation and the return of refugees, de Mistura said. The planned constitutional committee was agreed at a Russia-hosted conference in January. The centrepiece of UN peace efforts in Syria, the committee would be tasked with negotiating a new post-war constitution that would pave the way to elections aimed at turning the page on seven years of devastating war. But it has run into objections from the Syrian government. The opposition has pushed for an entirely new constitution, but Damascus has said it will only discuss altering the current one. In October, Damascus rejected a list presented by de Mistura of 50 civil society representatives and technical experts. "You cannot win a war full stop," de Mistura stressed. But peace could be accomplished "through a credible inclusive constitution", he added. De Mistura, an Italian-Swedish diplomat who has been the UN's peace envoy since July 2014, was due to step down at the end of November, but he agreed to stay on for an extra month to lead a final push. Last month he said the UN is still hoping to send invitations to committee members by mid-December and convene a first meeting before December 31. Russia, Turkey, Germany and France have called for the committee to be formed by the end of the year. Istanbul (AFP) - The Istanbul-based Orthodox patriarch on Sunday handed over a formal decree confirming the creation of an independent Ukrainian church to its leader, Metropolitan Yepifaniy. The decree was signed at a landmark ceremony on Saturday, putting the formal stamp on a break with the Russian Orthodox church which has infuriated Moscow. The document was handed over by Patriarch Bartholomew during an Epiphany service at St George's Cathedral in Istanbul, an AFP correspondent said, completing the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople's recognition of the newly-independent Ukrainian church. Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko, who attended Saturday's signing ceremony, was also present for the mass. Known as a Tomos decree, the document grants autonomy to the Ukrainian Orthodox church which until now has been overseen by Moscow for more than 330 years. The decree opens the way for Ukraine's Orthodox Church to be recognised by other branches of orthodoxy and other churches. The Constantinople Patriarchate, based in modern-day Istanbul and considered the first among equals in the Orthodox world, first agreed to recognise the independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in October. Then in December a historic council of Orthodox bishops in Kiev created the independent body and chose 39-year-old Metropolitan Yepifaniy as its head, whose secular name is Sergiy Dumenko. He has been a long time critic of Moscow's religious influence in Ukraine. The move has dealt a huge blow to Moscow's spiritual authority in the Orthodox world, prompting it to cut all ties with the Constantinople Patriarchate in protest. Ukraine and Russia have been at loggerheads since 2014, when Kiev street protests calling for Ukraine's integration with Europe led to the fall of pro-Moscow president Viktor Yanukovych. Russia subsequently annexed Crimea and has supported Russian-speaking separatists in Ukraine's east in a conflict that has claimed the lives of more than 10,000 people. Ukraine is home to millions of believers who belong to the Orthodox Church, but their loyalties are divided between the Kiev and Moscow patriarchates. Analysts said the ceremony was "the first step in a long road", indicating it was not clear which of Ukraine's bishops would choose to join the new church. Sanaa (AFP) - Talks to address Yemen's failed economy could take place in Jordan's capital Amman, a rebel leader said Sunday after meeting UN envoy Martin Griffiths. Discussions on the war-torn country's economy "could take place in Amman... which I discussed with the UN envoy", Mohammed Ali al-Huthi, head of the rebel Higher Revolutionary Committee, told AFP. He added that the meeting may alternatively take place by video conference. The Huthi rebels later released a statement on Sunday clarifying that the official was referring to "economic meetings" that could take place and not a second round of peace negotiations between the rebels and the government. One month after hard-won peace talks on the Yemen conflict, the United Nations faces an uphill battle as it pushes to ensure the warring parties make good on a shaky truce deal. UN envoy Griffiths, who brokered the breakthrough last month in Sweden, returned to Yemen Saturday with a plan to expedite measures agreed between the government and Huthi rebels. Key among them is the redeployment of rival forces from Hodeida, the Red Sea port city crucial for aid and food imports. Griffiths, scheduled to see Yemeni government officials in the Saudi capital Riyadh after meeting the rebels, hopes to bring the warring sides together later this month -- possibly in Kuwait -- to follow up on progress made at December's talks. The UN envoy held talks Sunday with Huthi chief Abdelmalik al-Huthi, spokesman Mohammed Abdelsalam said in a statement carried by rebel Al-Masira TV. He said that the two addressed "preparations for the upcoming round of talks". Rebel-held Hodeida was for months the main front line in the Yemen war after government forces supported by Saudi Arabia and its allies launched an offensive to capture it in June. But a precarious calm has largely held in the city since a ceasefire agreement came into force on December 18. Under the deal, both the Iran-backed rebels and pro-government forces should withdraw from the area. Story continues UN spokesman Farhan Haq on Thursday confirmed the cessation of hostilities continued to hold in Hodeida, despite mutual accusations of violations by the rebels and Saudi-backed government. But there has not yet been progress on the redeployment of loyalist and rebel forces from Hodeida city. The UN Security Council is expected to hear a report from Griffiths next week, although no date has been set. The war between the Huthis and troops loyal to the internationally-recognised government escalated in March 2015, when President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi fled to Saudi and the Riyadh-led coalition intervened. The conflict has unleashed the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the UN, which says 14 million Yemenis are on the brink of famine. Jerusalem (AFP) - The Israeli army said Monday it had carried out further air raids against Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip in response to a rocket being fired over its border. The Israeli air defence system intercepted the rocket which was fired overnight from the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave, the army said. Planes and a helicopter gunship then raided "terror targets within the organisation's military camp in the northern Gaza Strip," the statement said. A Hamas security official in Gaza said that Israeli aircraft carried out three raids, targeting a position of the armed wing of the movement near Beit Lahia in the north of the Palestinian enclave without causing any casualties. The latest raids follow strikes by the Israeli army on two Hamas posts on Sunday, after balloons carried an explosive device over the border fence. The Gaza border has been relatively calm in recent weeks after a deal in which Israel allowed Qatar to provide millions of dollars in aid for fuel and salaries in the blockaded enclave. Following Sunday's strikes, the Israeli army statement said: "Earlier today, an explosive device attached to multiple balloons was launched on a model airplane from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory. "In response, (Israeli) attack helicopters targeted two Hamas military posts in the Gaza Strip." A Hamas security source said one strike occurred east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip and hit an observation point for Hamas's armed wing, while the second was east of Gaza City. The security source said no injuries had been reported. Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza have fought three wars since 2008. Since March, protests and clashes have occurred along the Gaza border fence. Protesters have been calling for Palestinian refugees to be allowed to return to their former homes now inside Israel. Israelis say that would mean the destruction of the Jewish state. At least 240 Palestinians have been killed since the demonstrations began, most of them by Israeli fire during border clashes but also by air and tank strikes. Two Israeli soldiers have been killed over the same period, one by a Palestinian sniper and another during an aborted special forces operation inside Gaza. Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli authorities confirmed Sunday that they have been holding Jewish minors suspected of a fatal stone-throwing attack on a Palestinian woman. The arrests had led to mounting speculation in the Israeli media, but authorities had refused to comment, citing a gag order on details of the case while the investigation continued. There was also a protest of several hundred people on Saturday night outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence over the detention of the Jewish minors. Israel's Shin Bet domestic security agency said in a statement that a number of suspects had been arrested on December 30, more than two months after Aisha Rabi was killed on October 12. "The suspects were arrested for serious terrorist offences, including murder," the Shin Bet statement said. It added that the stoning took place near the Jewish settlement of Rechalim, close to Rabi's village of Bidiya in the Israeli-occupied northern West Bank. Rabi, a mother of nine, was struck on the head in the attack and died later at a hospital in the city of Nablus, Palestinian official news agency WAFA reported at the time. Her husband, who was driving the car at the time, escaped with minor injuries, WAFA said. Palestinian witnesses and security sources cited by the news agency said the stones were thrown by Israeli settlers. The Shin Bet did not give the number or ages of suspects held, but said they were members of a Jewish seminary in Rechalim. Their parents and lawyers have been protesting since the arrests over what they said was their sons' detention in an undisclosed location without access to lawyers. Israeli investigations into "Jewish terrorism" -- as such cases are often referred to by Israeli media -- are highly sensitive. Israeli authorities have been accused by rights activists of dragging their feet in such cases in comparison to investigations into Palestinian attacks, while far-right Israelis say suspects have undergone coercement and torture. Herb Kelleher, chairman of Southwest Airlines, speaks at the company's annual shareholder meeting in Dallas. Photo: Jon Freilich/ Bloomberg News. Herbert Kelleher rose from a San Antonio lawyer for an upstart intra-Texas airline to become co-founder and head of Southwest Airlines, revolutionizing the industry along the way. On Thursday, Kelleher died at the age of 87. The airline made the announcement without giving a cause or place of death. Reared in New Jersey, Herbert David Kelleher graduated from New York University Law School and practiced on the East Coast before moving to San Antonio in 1962 to open his own law firm, according to his obituary written by Southwest. In 1967, Kelleher and his client, Rollin King, incorporated Air Southwest, Inc. with the idea of offering low-fare, intra-Texas service that would not be federally regulated. But it would take several years of legal battles with larger airlineswhich Kelleher wonbefore Southwest, with a name change, would take off in June 1971. One battle went to the U.S. Supreme Court, which upheld a Texas Supreme Court decision allowing Southwest to operate between Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. That was followed by a legal fight to keep Dallas Love Field open for Southwest operations, as other airlines relocated to the new Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The Dallas Morning News quoted Kelleher in his super lawyer mode in 1985 as saying: Southwest Airlines would not be in existence today had not the other carriers been so rotten, trying to sabotage us getting into business, and then trying to put us out of business once we got started. They made me angry. That's why Southwest is still alive. I'm not going to get beaten, and I'm not going to let anyone take advantage." As the legend goes, Kelleher drew up the idea for the airlines three-city service on a bar cocktail napkin. Today, Southwest is the country's largest domestic airline, with service to almost 100 destinations, and a 45-year history of profitability unrivaled in the industry. Stories in the Dallas newspaper and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram burnished his reputation as a maverick, pioneer and innovator, as well as a chain smoker with a penchant for Wild Turkey bourbon. The Morning News recounted how Kelleher agreed to an arm wrestling contest with the president of a South Carolina-based airline over which one had the right to use the slogan Just Plane Smart. In the highly publicized Malice in Dallas spectacle, Kelleher suffered a rare loss. But the other airline president had such a good time, earned such great publicity, and so appreciated Kelleher not going to court over the matter, that he let Southwest use the slogan too. Kelleher stressed exemplary customer service, believing, as Southwest put it, The business of business is People. His sense of humor spread to Southwests flight attendants. His vision for making air travel affordable for all revolutionized the industry, and you can still see that transformation taking place today, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said in a statement. But his legacy extends far beyond our industry and far beyond the world of entrepreneurship. He inspired people; he motivated people; he challenged peopleand, he kept us laughing all the way. The airline industry was deregulated by the federal government with the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978. Kelleher served as Southwest Airlines executive chairman from March 1978 to May 2008 and as president and CEO from September 1981 through June 2001. Fortune magazine, which has recognized Southwest among the worlds top 10 most admired companies, once said Kelleher might be the best CEO in America. He stepped down as chairman in 2008 after waging a successful campaign to lift a law that had constrained Southwests operations since the 1970s. The so-called Wright amendment protected competing Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport from losing business to Southwest, which operated from Dallas Love Field. The law, an amendment to the International Air Transportation Act of 1979, restricted passenger flights out of Love Field to locations within Texas and its four neighboring states. Southwest continued to list Kelleher as chairman emeritus. The airlines employees and customers took to Twitter to remember Kelleher @#HonoringHerb. As one tweet put it: Herbie got his wings today. Truly a sad day for @SouthwestAir. Southwest ended his obituary with the words, We miss you already, Herbie. By Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior Republican U.S. senator said he emerged from a White House meeting with President Donald Trump on Sunday reassured that Trump is committed to defeating Islamic State even as he plans to withdraw American troops from Syria. Senator Lindsey Graham had warned that removing all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria would hurt national security by allowing Islamic State to rebuild, betraying U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters of the YPG militia battling remnants of the militant group, and enhancing Iran's ability to threaten Israel. During a morning television interview, Graham said he would ask Trump to slow down the troop withdrawal, which was announced earlier this month and drew widespread criticism. An ally of Trump, although he has opposed some of his foreign policy decisions, Graham was more upbeat after the meeting. "We talked about Syria. He told me some things I didn't know that made me feel a lot better about where we're headed in Syria," Graham, an influential voice on national security policy who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told reporters at the White House. "We still have some differences but I will tell you that the president is thinking long and hard about Syria - how to withdraw our forces but at the same time achieve our national security interests," Graham said. Asked if Trump had agreed to any slowing down of the troop withdrawal, Graham said: "I think the president's very committed to making sure that when we leave Syria, that ISIS is completely defeated." He said Trump's trip to Iraq last week was an eye-opener and he understood the need to "finish the job" with Islamic State, also known as ISIS. "I think the president has come up with a plan with his generals that makes sense to me," Graham said. Graham said later on Twitter that Trump would make sure that any withdrawal from Syria "will be done in a fashion to ensure: 1)ISIS is permanently destroyed 2)Iran doesn't fill in the back end. And 3)our Kurdish allies are protected." The Pentagon says it is considering plans for a "deliberate and controlled withdrawal." One option, according to a person familiar with the discussions, is for a 120-day pullout period. KURDISH FORCES Graham told reporters that Trump was committed to making sure Turkey did not clash with the Kurdish YPG forces once U.S. troops leave Syria, and was assuring the NATO ally that it would have a buffer zone in the region to help protect its own interests. Turkey views the YPG as a branch of its own Kurdish separatist movement and is threatening to launch an offensive against the group, igniting fears of significant civilian casualties. U.S. commanders planning the U.S. withdrawal are recommending that YPG fighters battling Islamic State be allowed to keep U.S.-supplied weapons, according to U.S. officials. That proposal would likely anger Turkey, where Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, holds talks this week. Trump decided on the Syria withdrawal in a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, ignoring the advice of top national security aides and without consulting lawmakers or U.S. allies participating in anti-Islamic State operations. The decision prompted Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to resign. (Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu and David Lawder; Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Peter Cooney) If we are faithful, we should expect the reproaches of those who hate God to fall on us. In Read more Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) welcomes his Lao countepart Thongloun Sisoulith on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on ASEAN in Hanoi in September 2018 (Photo: VNA) The Lao PMs participation in the event reiterates the two countries consistent foreign priority of developing the traditional friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation. The meeting will also help enhance the mutual political trust and create a consistent channel for directing the implementation of high-level agreements to strengthen bilateral ties in the time ahead./. (Note: Expletive in seventh paragraph quote) By Richard Lough and Elizabeth Pineau PARIS (Reuters) - Rioters in Paris torched motorbikes and set barricades ablaze on the upmarket Boulevard Saint Germain on Saturday, as protests against high living costs and the perceived indifference of President Emmanuel Macron turned violent on the fringes. The latest "yellow vest" marches began peacefully but degenerated in the afternoon as protesters threw missiles at riot police blocking bridges over the Seine. Officers fired tear gas to prevent protesters crossing the river and reaching the National Assembly. One riverboat restaurant was set ablaze and a policeman was wounded when he was hit by a bicycle hurled from a street above the river bank. Two months after they started blocking roads, occupying highway tollbooths and staging sometimes-violent street protests in Paris, the yellow vests wanted to inject new momentum into a movement that weakened over the holidays. Macron's government, shaken by the unrest, had this week hardened its stance, branding the protesters agitators seeking to overthrow the government. Driving the unrest is anger, particularly among low-paid workers, over a squeeze on household incomes, and a belief that Macron is deaf to citizens' needs as he enacts reforms seen as favoring the wealthy. "They have no right to leave us in the shit like this," said protester Francois Cordier. "We're fed up with having to pay out the whole time, we've had enough of this slavery, we should be able to live on our salaries." Government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux escaped from his office through a back door after a small number of protesters broke into the compound and smashed up vehicles. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said about 50,000 people had protested in cities nationwide, including Bordeaux, Toulouse, Rouen and Marseille. The turnout was higher than last week but a small fraction of the numbers seen in the first weeks of the protests. "POWER TO THE PEOPLE" As darkness fell, officers dispersed scores of yellow vests gathered on Paris's Avenue des Champs-Elysees. Television images showed hooded youths setting a car alight on a side street, but there was no repeat of the scenes in November when shops were looted, banks vandalized and the Arc de Triomphe was defaced. Authorities have blamed the worst of the violence in recent weeks on anarchists, anti-capitalists and extreme groups on the fringes of the yellow vest movement. The protests come 18 months into Macron's tenure and his drive to reshape the economy, and have already forced him into concessions. Last month, Macron promised tax cuts for pensioners, wage rises for the poorest workers and the scrapping of planned fuel tax increases, at a cost to the Treasury of 10 billion euros ($11 billion). It was the first big U-turn for a president elected 18 months earlier on a platform to break with traditional French politics and liberalize the heavily regulated economy. In a New Year's Eve address, Macron vowed to press on with his reform agenda, saying: "We can't work less, earn more, cut taxes and increase spending." Faced with record low popularity ratings, Macron is expected soon to set out his plans for the coming months. These include a nationwide debate on ecological, fiscal and institutional questions, the results of which he says will feed into policy. ($1 = 0.8777 euros) (Reporting by Richard Lough, Elizabeth Pineau and Johnny Cotton; Writing by Richard Lough; Editing by David Evans and David Holmes) NEW YORK (AP) Authorities say a 37-year-old Maryland man faces manslaughter charges after a fiery, multi-car crash in lower Manhattan killed one person and injured others. The crash happened Saturday morning a block from the World Trade Center. Police say Sherman Harrison of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, lost control of his Audi on West Street, a major roadway along the Hudson River. The Audi hit a Honda, which flipped over and caught fire. Its driver, a woman, was killed. Police say the Audi hit two other vehicles, injuring two people, before striking two unoccupied parked cars. Police say Harrison was apprehended as he tried to flee with his dog. He was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and manslaughter. It could not be determined if he has a lawyer to comment. A federal investigation into the deadly multi-vehicle crash in Florida that killed seven people Thursday, including five children heading to Disney World, has been delayed due to the government shutdown over President Trumps demand for a border wall. Investigators for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) which is tasked with determining the cause of significant highway, railroad and aviation accidents are currently furloughed because of the partial government shutdown and will not be able to investigate the Florida crash until the shutdown has ended, ABC News reported. The crash occurred when a big rig and a passenger vehicle collided on a highway in north Florida, crossed the median and hit another big truck and passenger van traveling in the opposite direction, erupting in fire. Five children in a van traveling to Disney World from Louisiana were killed in the crash, along with two truck drivers. Six to eight people were transported to the hospital with injuries, authorities said Friday. A spokesperson for the NTSB did not respond to requests for comment on Friday. An automatic email response and answering machine message said that due to the lapse in appropriations, media relations staff have been furloughed and will not be releasing further information until the shutdown has ended. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The shutdown which began Dec. 22 has affected other NTSB investigations, including the probe into deadly gas explosions that caused dozens of house fires in Massachusetts in September. Several vehicle crashes, rail accidents and small-plane crashes that occurred during the past two weeks have also not yet been investigated by the NTSB, the Washington Post reported. Meanwhile, the Florida Highway Patrol is currently investigating the cause of Thursdays crash, which has been classified as a traffic homicide. Weve done what we normally do in our protocol, which is notify the NTSB. And were going to continue to do what our investigators do best. These are our experts, so were going to be open to whatever the NTSB needs. But its not going to change that what we do day in and day out under very difficult circumstances, Lt. Patrick Riordan of the Florida Highway Patrol said at a press conference on Friday, when asked about the delay of an NTSB investigation due to the shutdown. Our homicide investigators they do this on a daily basis. Theyre the best of the best, Riordan said. Theres no doubt in my mind theyre going to be able to conclude what transpired in this tragic event. Frankfurt am Main (AFP) - German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz on Sunday warned that the days when the country's tax revenues consistently overshot expectations were over as Europe's top economy loses momentum. "The good times in which the state kept taking in more taxes than expected are coming to an end," Scholz told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper. "For 2018, we will once again show a tax surplus. But now the fat years are over. From now on, I don't expect any more unforeseen additional income," he added. Solid economic growth, high wages and record-low unemployment have boosted Germany's tax take in recent years, helping the government notch up successive budget surpluses, in marked contrast with most of its EU partners. The 2017 budget surplus stood at 36.6 billion euros ($41.7 billion). But growth in the export-reliant powerhouse has slowed in recent months in the face of US-China trade tensions, problems in the crucial car industry, and concerns over a hard Brexit. In the third quarter of 2018, the German economy even contracted for the first time in more than three years. The government has since cut its growth forecast for 2018 to 1.5-1.6 percent, down from the 2.2 percent expansion the previous year. Germany, which also runs a massive trade surplus with the rest of the world, regularly comes under fire from the US, European peers and international institutions for not spending or investing enough of the proceeds of its wealth. After taking over from veteran finance chief Wolfgang Schaeuble last March, Scholz vowed to stick to his predecessor's "black zero" policy of not racking up new debt, while striving to lower Germany's public debt to less than 60 percent of gross domestic product, the EU ceiling. New Administrative Capital (Egypt) (AFP) - Egypt inaugurated a massive cathedral under heavy security on Coptic Christmas Eve Sunday, a day after a deadly bomb blast near a church in the country where jihadists have repeatedly targeted Christians. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi observed a moment of silence after Saturday's explosion on the eastern edge of Cairo killed a policeman who was trying to defuse the device and wounded two others. Security was tight as Sisi officially opened the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ in Egypt's New Administrative Capital, 45 kilometres (28 miles) east of Cairo, ahead of Christmas mass. Worshippers had to pass through three sets of metal detectors to access the event, while armoured vehicles and dozens of ambulances were stationed nearby. Sisi gave a brief speech saying the simultaneous opening of the cathedral and the major Al-Fattah Al-Alim mosque nearby carried a message of unity. "We are one and we will continue to be one," he said. "This moment is very important in our history." Egypt's top Muslim cleric Ahmed al-Tayeb told those gathered that "if Islamic law requires Muslims to protect mosques, it equally requires Muslims to protect churches". The cathedral's inauguration was hailed by US President Donald Trump, who wrote on Twitter that he was "excited to see our friends in Egypt opening the biggest Cathedral in the Middle East". "Sisi is moving his country to a more inclusive future," Trump said. Pope Francis extended greetings to Coptic Pope Tawadros II, saying in a video message that he "was able to give a true testimony of faith and charity, also in times of difficulties". Coptic Christians, who account for around 10 percent of Egypt's population, have been hit by a string of attacks by the Islamic State group in recent years. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast on Saturday. The bomb was hidden inside a bag that was placed on the rooftop of Al-Haq mosque near the Virgin Mary church in the Nasr City district of Cairo, religious officials and witnesses said. Story continues The incident occurred amid heightened security around churches ahead of Coptic Christmas which is celebrated on January 7. - 'Flagrant criminal act' - Massad Saad, the son of the prayer leader at Al-Haq mosque, told AFP he was inside the building when other worshippers noticed "a man going up to the roof carrying a bag" but when they followed him they found "two bags". "We informed the police," Saad, a 35-year-old baker, said in a phone interview. There was no immediate confirmation from officials. Government newspaper Al-Ahram reported Sunday that a bomb had been placed in a bag on the roof of a building in Ezzbat al-Haggan, but it did not mention the church or the mosque. On Sunday morning security forces were deployed around the neighbourhood keeping journalists at bay. The Grand Mufti of Egypt, Shawki Allam, denounced "the terrorist operation that targeted... the church", on his official Facebook page. He said "extremists" had planted "an explosive device on the roof of Al-Haq mosque... near the Virgin Mary church". Similarly, Al-Azhar, Egypt's highest institution of Sunni Islam, condemned the attack. "The targeting of worship places and killing of innocents is a flagrant criminal act that violates teachings of all religions," it said in a statement. It also voiced its solidarity with state institutions against "terrorism" which it said sought to spoil Coptic celebrations. - String of attacks - Sisi often presents himself as a defender of Christians against extremists but activists and some analysts accuse the state of discriminating against them and not providing enough protection. More than 100 Copts have been killed in jihadist attacks since December 2016. IS claimed an assault in early November in which six Copts and one Anglican died in the central province of Minya. The jihadists killed more than 40 people in twin church bombings in April 2017, and an IS gunman in December that year killed nine people in an attack on a church in a south Cairo suburb. Hundreds of police and soldiers have also been killed in attacks. In late December, three Vietnamese tourists and their Egyptian guide died when a roadside bomb hit their bus on the outskirts of Cairo. The country has been under a state of emergency since April 2017. In February the army launched a large-scale operation dubbed "Sinai 2018" to rid the Sinai Peninsula of jihadists after an attack on a mosque that killed more than 300 people. U.S. employers added the most workers in 10 months as wage gains accelerated and labor-force participation jumped, reflecting a robust job market that nevertheless faces mounting risks in 2019. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 312,000 in December, easily topping all forecasts, after an upwardly revised 176,000 gain the prior month, a Labor Department report showed Friday. Average hourly earnings rose 3.2 percent from a year earlier, more than projected and matching the fastest pace since 2009. Meanwhile, the jobless rate rose from a five-decade low to 3.9 percent, reflecting more people actively seeking work. The hiring and wage gains will support consumer spending and offer some respite after a spate of weak economic data and cuts in corporate revenue forecasts fueled stock-market jitters. Still, it may be hard to replicate such labor-market strength in 2019 amid the U.S.-China tariff war, softening manufacturing, a housing slowdown and a projected cooling in global growth. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is scheduled to speak later Friday morning in Atlanta. While the report is in line with the Feds view of a healthy job market and officials last month penciled in two interest-rate hikes for 2019, the central bank may need more evidence of strength before moving forward with the next increase following four in 2018. Before Fridays report, investors had begun betting that policy makers will instead end up cutting borrowing costs. The figures brought the 2018 payrolls gain to 2.64 million. Economists expect the pace of gains will ease this year, consistent with their forecasts that gross domestic product growth will moderate amid the trade war and a fading boost from the Trump administrations tax cuts. Broad Strength The labor strength spanned most industries, including the biggest gain in construction since February, and the most manufacturing jobs added in a year. Private service providers boosted payrolls by 227,000, the most in more than a year, amid gains in education and health services, leisure and hospitality, and retail. Story continues While the unemployment rate increased to a five-month high, it may not be much of a concern because the participation rate rose to 63.1 percent the highest since September 2017 from 62.9 percent. The jobless rate remains well below the level that central bankers consider sustainable in the long run. Average hourly earnings for all private workers rose 0.4 percent from the prior month following a 0.2 percent gain, the report showed. The annual increase followed a 3.1 percent advance. Another measure, average hourly earnings for production and non- supervisory workers, increased 3.3 percent from a year earlier.While worker pay has risen very gradually during most of the economic expansion, companies have been competing more vigorously in recent months to attract and retain workers. Get More Private payrolls rose by 301,000, well above the median estimate of 185,000. Government payrolls increased by 11,000. The employment-population ratio, another broad gauge of labor-market health, was unchanged at 60.6 percent. The average workweek increased to 34.5 hours from 34.4 hours in the prior month; a shorter workweek has the effect of boosting average hourly pay. The U-6, or underemployment rate, was unchanged at 7.6 percent. This measure includes part-time workers who want a full-time job and people who are less active in seeking work. In annual revisions to data based on the household survey, the unemployment rate for October was increased to 3.8 percent from 3.7 percent. Labor Department economic releases are proceeding as scheduled, as the agency isnt part of the partial federal- government shutdown. Walking to Chicano Park in San Diegos Barrio Logan neighborhood, I got the distinct impression that I was lost. According to my phones GPS, I was less than a block away from the seven acres that locals had described to me as a stronghold of the citys Mexican-American community. All I could see, however, was a colossal highway overpass a sea of highway overpasses, actually. It was hard to imagine that the thing Id come to San Diego hoping to understand how the city is continually shaped and reshaped by its standing on the border with Mexico would be revealed in what looked like an urban no-mans-land. But as I entered this imposing tangle of concrete, the atmosphere brightened. I saw majestic bands of color crawling up the gigantic pillars dozens of intricate murals painted with the aggression of graffiti and the precision of fine art. This near-mystical constellation framed sculptures, plantings of cacti and wildflowers, a skate park, and swaths of grass where children played and people lounged at picnic tables painted in the colors of the Mexican flag. From left: El Jardin co-owner Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins, a former Top Chef contestant, in the garden of her restaurant; a mural by Mario Torero in Chicano Park. | Misha Gravenor Chicano Park evolved from an act of protest. In 1970, residents of the predominantly Mexican-American neighborhood learned that the area, which had been promised to them for parkland, was set to be turned into a highway patrol station. Frustration had been mounting for decades among locals, who lost access to the waterfront when naval installations were built during World War II and, later, saw the neighborhoods integrity suffer when it was rezoned for industry. Tired of feeling marginalized, hundreds of people occupied the land for 12 days, demanding to be heard. They were; the city backed off of its plan. In 2017, the park, which contains one of the largest collections of outdoor murals in the country, was designated a National Historic Landmark. I didnt know this history as I walked around. But I could feel it. A cross-cultural vibrancy percolates through San Diego in ways that are thrilling and unexpected, if a little hard to uncover. This aspect of the city is particularly potent throughout Barrio Logan, still a Mexican-American stronghold but hardly a stagnant one, as younger immigrants and transplants are changing the neighborhood in compelling ways. Earlier that day, Id eaten a tasty lunch at Salud!, a boisterous, newfangled taco shop on the main stretch of Logan Avenue, where pinata shops and galleries showing Chicano art have been joined by places like the vintage-vinyl shop Beat Box Records and the white-cube gallery BasileIE. After hanging around Chicano Park, I made my way to Border X Brewing, a Mexican craft-beer tasting room with a punkish vibe, where the Horchata Golden Stout offered yet another taste subtle, delicious of the ways San Diego is rediscovering and reinterpreting its heritage. Story continues From left: Por Vida, a cafe in San Diegos Barrio Logan neighborhood; rare vinyl at Beat Box Records, also in Barrio Logan. | Misha Gravenor Prior to arriving, I hadnt given much thought to the idea of San Diego as a border town. I wasnt familiar with its longtime slogan Americas Finest City but thats more or less the impression I had of the place. I knew it had a fine zoo, fine beaches, fine surf breaks, a thirst for fine craft beer, a fine military presence, and some of the finest weather on the planet, which goes a long way toward explaining why its often talked about as a fine place to retire. There are American cities Ive never set foot in Nashville, say, or Boston that conjure up something more dynamic in my mind than San Diego, a sprawling metropolis of 1.4 million that Id actually been to twice before but somehow retained no memory of. It was so fine, in my limited understanding, as to verge on forgettable. Yet beneath that very fine facade is a singular culture built through crisscrossing. Lying between San Ysidro, the southernmost district of San Diego, and Tijuana, Mexico, is the busiest land border on the planet. Some 200,000 people cross there each day, for a multitude of reasons: Mexicans entering San Diego for work and school; Americans skipping into Tijuana for medical care, cheap groceries, and rollicking food and art scenes. The completion in 2015 of the Cross Border Xpress, a bridge linking San Diego to the Tijuana airport, has been a boon to tourism to the city and for San Diegans looking to travel throughout Latin America. While San Diego and Tijuana are two distinct cities in two distinct nations, they function more like a single megalopolis that happens to have an international border running through it. Of course, that border has become an incendiary topic over the past few years, thanks to the national debate over immigration and polarizing discussions about the wall. During my time in San Diego, where I stayed at the Pendry, a chic hotel in the Gaslamp Quarter, I got the impression that locals have responded by embracing an aspect of their city that in the past they might have taken for granted. The most interesting thing about San Diego is Mexico is a common refrainthe implication being not just that you could head to another country for a raucous evening or affordable dentistry but that the border is what makes San Diego more than just a sleepy seaside town. I came here to live the California dream beaches and sun without really thinking about Mexico, Toni Cass, a young musician from Florida, told me on my first night in town. Cass was my server at El Jardin, an inventive Mexican restaurant in the upscale Point Loma district. Now I think of here and Mexico as the same place, she went on, describing another country as if it were a neighborhood she was stoked to have discovered. Her girlfriend lives in Tijuana, and she spends time each week on both sides of the border. From left: A mural off Logan Avenue; Provisional, the restaurant at the Pendry San Diego hotel. | Misha Gravenor We were joined by the restaurants chef and co-owner, Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins, a former Top Chef contestant with tattooed arms and dark violet hair. She was born in San Diego, raised in Mexico, and grew up going back and forth. This restaurant is an extension of that, she told me, explaining that she regularly goes to Mexico to scour for ingredients unavailable in the U.S. Her food was outstanding crispy tuna carnitas, charred octopus sprinkled with pumpkin seeds and habanero pepper and representative of a new development in the citys culinary landscape. High-end Mexican is harder to do here than other places, Zepeda-Wilkins said. Theres still a perception that Mexican food in San Diego is supposed to be cheap. Id like to change that attitude, though its a challenge. That challenge speaks to San Diegos complicated relationship with its neighbor and the citys role as a microcosm of Americas ongoing reckoning with Mexico. If you are affluent and white, as many residents and visitors are, the border is easy to overlook. Whereas the density of Tijuana butts up against the gigantic wall that marks the border, the busiest parts of San Diego are 15 miles away, a geographic reinforcement that Mexico is the other. That San Diego is a big military town, with politics that have historically tilted conservative, further underpins this paradox. For years this meant that many San Diegans thought of Tijuana as a kind of lawless playground, and a visit as a rite of passage for spring breakers. In the wake of the drug-cartel violence that erupted between 2008 and 2011, residents came to view Tijuana in a darker light: as one of the worlds deadliest cities, with the border serving as a means of protection rather than a portal. But as the violence ebbed, creative young Tijuanans reclaimed their city, experimenting with food and culture in ways their counterparts in San Diego began to notice. The irony is that by the time America elected a leader who made the border synonymous with strife, San Diegans had begun to appreciate Mexico as never before. From left: Diners at El Jardin, a new Mexican restaurant in the Point Loma neighborhood; a suite at the Pendry San Diego. | Misha Gravenor If a restaurant like El Jardin aims to bridge the divide on a micro level, the citys cultural institutions are doing the same on a macro scale. When I was in town, the excellent Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, which has had a binational mandate since the mid 1980s, was showing an exhibition of works by 42 artists, half from San Diego, half from Tijuana. Since 2013, the museum, located in the heart of downtown, has operated a field trip program, taking locals and visitors into Mexico to visit artists studios and cultural institutions. The idea was to inspire San Diegans to go across the border, enjoy a day out, learn about people living the border life and, in turn, learn more about themselves and their city, Cris Scorza, the museums director of education and engagement, who cocreated the program, told me. Originally from Mexico City, she moved to San Diego from New York for the U.S.-Mexico hybrid life that you can only live here. The field trips, she explained, have empowered people who were once scared of Mexico to explore on their own. Thats my favorite part, she said. First they came with us, then they started going over in the evenings for dinner. The more time I spent in town, the more I came to understand the borders subtle influences. One of my most memorable meals was at Born & Raised, a lavish steak house in Little Italy that could double as the set of a Baz Luhrmann film: gaudy leather booths, green marble tables, glittery brass. Nothing about the experience seemed to exude a distinctly Mexican spirit. But this turned out to reflect my ignorance. I didnt realize that one of the menus signature items a Caesar salad made tableside could be traced back to Caesars, the Tijuana restaurant where the salad is said to have been invented. Similarly, had I not known better I would have thought the scene on Friday night at Bar Pink, in the trendy North Park neighborhood, could have been airlifted out of any American hipster enclave: loud music, dim lighting, twenty- and thirtysomethings shaking their bodies and sipping cheap beer. But the DJ was from Tijuana, and the night was part of a series called Grrrl Independent Ladies, which hosts female and nonbinary musicians from Tijuana, Los Angeles, and San Diego in venues in all three cities. It was created by Monica Mendoza, a laid-back and fiercely intelligent 34-year-old architect and musician who grew up in Tijuana and conceived of the series as a means of tapping into, and broadening, the cultural singularity of the surrounding region. Related: Free Things to Do in San Diego Im a frontera kid, Mendoza told me at the bar, using the Spanish for border, and explained that she started coming into San Diego as a child and then every day for school at 13. She got the idea for Grrrl Independent Ladies after hosting a festival in Tijuana. Im searching for a way to bridge Tijuana with San Diego and Los Angeles through music, Mendoza said. Obviously were not going to tear down the wall physically, but we can begin to tear it down through art. I have people come to a San Diego show and then Ill see them in Tijuana at the next. She paused for a moment, surveying the room, where an indie rock band from Los Angeles was preparing to take the stage. For all the activism behind the evening, it was also simply a whole lot of fun. Nights like this are when you almost forget the wall is there, Mendoza said. Its been amazing, especially in this political moment. From left: Tacos at Border X Brewing, a craft-beer tasting room in Barrio Logan; Stephen Kurpinsky, beverage director at Hundred Proof bar. | Misha Gravenor That same night I visited Hundred Proof, a bar on the edge of the University Heights neighborhood, where I met Stephen Kurpinsky, who was two weeks into his position as the beverage director. A bearded and sardonic dude from San Francisco, he recently helped open Nortico, an upscale speakeasy in Tijuana. Though he has lived in San Diego for 12 years, the experience changed his understanding of the region. Youve got southern Californian culture, which is basically L.A., right? he said, pouring me a split base Old-Fashioned of mezcal and bacanora, an agave-derived liquor. Were still a bit player compared to L.A., and we probably always will be. But when you start thinking of this place as Cali-Baha, thats when you realize how genuinely cool it is. Kurpinsky attributed his passion to his love of classic cocktails and his distaste for the political climate. I cant tell you how awesome it is to be involved in opening a bar in Mexico while we have a president trying to build a wall, he said. The craft cocktail scene is still so new thereit has that addictive kind of excitement. And its a two-way street. In Mexico, theres a showmanship to bartending, with old-school twirling of glasses and dramatic pours, which Ive started incorporating myself. I taught them about making classics. They taught me how to make a performance for the customer. He paused for a moment, before fixing me with a curious stare. Dude, he asked, have you gone over to Mexico yet? This had become something of a running theme during my visit: all this talk of the cross-cultural fluidity that makes San Diego unique, followed by the casual suggestion that I make a trip across the border. Id explain that, great as that sounded, I didnt think I had the time. What do you mean? Id invariably hear. You just take an Uber to the border and Uber around Mexico! On my last day in town, I spent the morning hiking at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, reveling in the pink-tinged cliffs and pristine coastline, then decided to drive south and venture across. Just before the border, a sign reminded travelers that marijuana, now legal in California, cannot be brought into Mexico, a nation long associated with the drug trade. While car traffic can bottleneck at certain hours, crossing by foot was no more of a hassle than picking up my rental car earlier in the week. I parked, walked to the border, flashed my passport, and was in Mexico less than half an hour after being on the beaches of San Diego. Related: T+L Summer Shortlist: What to Do in San Diego In Tijuana, I was met by Ruffo Ibarra, the gregarious chef and owner of Oryx Capital, a local gastropub. The restaurant houses Nortico, the bar that Kurpinsky had helped open. We spent the day doing what a lot of people go to Mexico to do: eating and drinking. We started off at Telefonica Gastro Park, a kind of bohemian collective of food trucks where the food ranges from Greek to Korean, before making our way to Plaza Fiesta, which has nearly a dozen craft-beer tasting rooms. In a sense, it reminded me of Chicano Park, an unexpected place where cultures braid to create something astonishing. The influence goes both ways, Ibarra told me as we sampled beers at Insurgente, a minimalist taproom. We gave San Diego the fish taco. They gave us craft beer! After dinner at his restaurant, and a few superb cocktails at Nortico, I caught an Uber back to the border, crossed, hopped in my car, and was soon back in the heart of downtown San Diego, where I entered the polished lobby of the Pendry. Sun-burnished guests jostled for drinks at the bar. The delicate thump of music could be heard from a pool party. It was a surreal moment. Here was the San Diego Id imagined before the trip a very fine place, indeed, though one made all the more fascinating because of what I now knew existed outside these walls. Waves crashing at La Jolla. | Misha Gravenor The New San Diego Allot three or four days to soak up the cross-cultural exchange enlivening the city and make sure to include a trip across the border. Getting There and Around Multiple carriers fly direct to San Diego International Airport. Ride-share apps are great for moving around town, but renting a car is ideal, given the citys sprawl. Lodging The Pendry San Diego (doubles from $268), located in the historic Gaslamp Quarter is hands down one of the most stylish. Theres plenty to do within walking distance, and the pool scene is perfect for a dose of pure SoCal glitz. For a touch of eccentricity, try the Lafayette Hotel (doubles from $129) in trendy North Park; its pool was designed in 1946 by Tarzan actor Johnny Weissmuller. Or for five-star indulgence try the palatial Fairmont Grand Del Mar (from $350). Eat and Drink Logan Avenue, in Barrio Logan, is home to an emerging food scene. I had a great lunch at Salud! (entrees $3$12), a fun taco shop. Border X Brewing specializes in Mexican craft beer, like a saison with traces of hibiscus. Por Vida, a cafe, makes a mean horchata latte. At El Jardin (entrees $19$42), in the Point Loma neighborhood, Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins channels her border-straddling upbringing with inventive dishes. If youre in search of a more decadent experience, plan an evening at Born & Raised (entrees $42$88), a steak house in Little Italy with lavish decor. Polite Provisions offers exquisite cocktails, while Bar Pink, in North Park, features DJs and live music. Shopping Logan Avenue is great for strolling and browsing. I enjoyed Beat Box Records, a no-frills vinyl outpost specializing in rare soul and funk, and Simon Limon, a shop that showcases housewares, jewelry, and crafts made by local artists. Art and Culture Chicano Park, in Barrio Logan, is a living monument to the citys Mexican-American heritage. Located under a highway overpass, it contains one of the largest collections of outdoor murals in the country. Around the corner, BasileIE, a gallery in a former grocery, focuses on emerging artists. Outdoor Experiences Theres no shortage of natural beauty in San Diego, from the white sands of Coronado Beach to Mission Bays pristine cove. But my top choice is Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, where a hike along the sandstone cliffs above La Jolla offers superb views of the Pacific. Crossing the Border No trip to San Diego is complete without a visit to Tijuana. The easiest way to enter is by foot. Take an Uber to the crossing or drive and park. My day trip was idyllic: lunch at Telefonica Gastro Park, a food truck collective; craft beers at the tasting rooms at Plaza Fiesta; and dinner at Oryx Capital (entrees $13$30), an upscale gastropub with a speakeasy-style bar. Photo credit: Courtesy of Paige Ferguson From Country Living After a two-foot fall from a queen-sized bed left her infant son in critical condition, one mom has taken to social media to share just how scary these types of accidents can be. Paige Ferguson and Blake Linton were at a friends house with their six-month-old son Colton when he dozed off, according to Babble. Like so many parents do, they placed him in the middle of their friends bed, surrounded him with pillows, then went just outside the room to sit down. But the situation quickly turned tragic when Colton rolled off the bed and fell two feet to the floor. He had a bump on his head. A bump, Ferguson wrote in a Facebook post on March 19 that has now been shared over 16 thousand times. "He was crying, acting alert and at one point even smiled. Because we are paranoid parents, we decided to get him evaluated." Because Paige and Blake had always heard that a bump that sticks out isn't as concerning as one that sinks in, and Colton had the former, they expected the doctor to give Colton a quick look over, say he was fine, and send them home. Instead, they found out that their sons injury was much worse than they originally thought. He fractured his skull and bled half of his entire blood volume into his brain," wrote Paige in her Facebook post. Before Paige knew it, a helicopter was on its way to rush Colton to a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee where he was put under the care of nearly 20 doctors and nurses. I knew something was wrong when I kept asking if he was going to be okay and everyone kept replying with We will do what we can, Paige told Babble. No one would simply say yes. Photo credit: Courtesy of Paige Ferguson As it turns out, the fall caused enough bleeding in Coltons brain that he went into cardiac arrest. Over the next month, Colton underwent surgery and an MRI revealed significant brain damage that doctors predicted would leave him in a vegetative state, if he survived at all. Paige tells GoodHousekeeping.com that she decided to share Colton's story to warn parents that even a small fall could leave a child fighting for his life. Story continues "I just want parents to take hits to the head seriously," she explains. "They need to understand that just because your kid looks 'okay' doesn't mean they are. Get them checked out. Demand a CAT scan and make sure. Just because a bump comes out instead of sinking in, doesn't mean it's okay. Also, don't leave your babies [on an adult bed] for even a second no matter how safe you think you are being." The scariest part about Paige's story is that it's easy for so many parents to relate to her situation. While theres no guaranteed way to stop your child from taking a fall, the Mayo Clinic recommends taking a few precautions at home to make tragic spills less likely, including installing safety gates at the top and bottom of staircases, installing window guards, never leaving a child unattended on any furniture like changing tables, installing safety rails on beds for toddlers, and always placing portable car carriers on the floor. Read the full list of recommendations here. Miraculously, Colton has taken a turn for the better since his fall. In April, he was able to open his eyes and doctors let him return home after a month in the hospital. However, he still uses a feeding tube and needs to take multiple medications for seizures. Paige says their lives are forever changed as a result of Colton's fall. "He's doing okay, as well as he can," says Paige. "He smiles at us, which is the best thing in the world. But, doctors have explained that we need to understand that Colton suffered a very significant brain injury and in most cases, kids with this injury do not live. He will have a very hard life." At the end of the day, Ferguson says she is just thankful her baby boy is alive and hopes other parents can learn from her story. Photo credit: Courtesy of Paige Ferguson "I don't want other parents going through this ... I don't want any kid to go through this. Please take any hit to the head seriously. I cant say this enough." ('You Might Also Like',) The New York Observer had a management shakeup Friday, with both the papers editor-in-chief, Ben Robinson, and executive editor, Adam Laukhuf, leaving the company, Ben Robinson is no longer with the organization and has stepped down as Editor-In-Chief of Observer. At this time, Observer is not replacing the Editor-In-Chief position, and will continue to execute our content strategy with our current editorial team along with continued executive direction, Observer Media president James Karklins told TheWrap in a statement Saturday. With our strong team in place and growing authoritative brand, Observer will continue to lead the conversation with its coverage of power players and premium thought leader content, Karklins concluded. Also Read: Donald Trump Applauds Ex-New York Times Editor for Calling Paper 'Unmistakably Anti-Trump' Robinson joined the paper in February 2018 and had been on the job for less than a year. The statement did not address the departure of Laukhuf, who TheWrap independently confirmed was also out. By Saturday the masthead was updated with the papers former Audience Engagement Manager, Mary von Aue, assuming the new title of Editorial Director. The move strongly suggests a new focus on SEO based content from the paper going forward. Once a must-read NYC society paper, documenting the Big Apples biggest events and parties, the New York Observer has fallen on hard times. In recent years it has been buffeted by digital headwinds and declining readership. In 2006, the paper was acquired by Jared Kushner, but his leadership has been sharply criticized by former employees, including past editor-in-chiefs Kyle Pope and Elizabeth Spiers. Kushner didnt remotely care about the content of the paper, wrote Pope for Columbia Journalism Review in 2017, who said Kushner viewed the paper more as a vehicle for settling scores and advancing his own business interests. I came to believe that Kushner wanted the Observer to succeed not because he believed in what it was, but because he needed it as a bullhorn for his own business interests, he said. Another former editor-in-chief, Ken Kurson, has been publicly accused of sexual harassment by a former employee. In 2016 the paper discontinued its print distribution, to focus on digital. After Kushners father-in-law, Donald Trump, became president, Jared stepped away from the paper, and entrusted it to his brother-in-law, Joseph Meyer, now listed as the Observers Chairman and publisher. Read original story New York Observer Drops Top Editors in Management Shakeup At TheWrap (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Clayton Cupit) Stratfor Worldview Security, Asia Welcome to World War III. How the United States Would Attack North Korea No other country can match the United States when it comes to projection of power. Should Washington decide to carry out a military strike against North Korea, even a limited one, the immediate impact would be devastating for Pyongyang. When considering military action, however, it is important to acknowledge the variables and intelligence gaps that inevitably complicate political and military decision-making. Even with the United States' advantage in training, coordination and equipment, complicating factors and uncertainty about the exact locations and dispositions of North Korean assets make complete mission success far from assured. It is important to consider the parameters of any operation; in this case, we are basing our assumptions on a scenario in which the United States conducts a limited, stealthy attack using a small number of specialized platforms and weapons systems. The United States has enormous force projection and deep-strike capabilities. In a surprise attack scenario, the primary tools for the task would be stealth aircraft and standoff cruise missiles launched from ships and submarines. The North Koreans have a dense and interlocked air defense network, but the force is obsolete and largely incapable of adequately defending against or even detecting full-spectrum stealth aircraft such as the U.S. B-2 bomber and F-22 tactical fighter. Because of their unique properties, these expensive, stealthy platforms would form the backbone of any anti-nuclear operations. Given enough time, the United States could assemble upward of 10 B-2 bombers for a deep-strike mission into North Korea. The shorter combat radius of the F-22 would limit the number of aircraft available for the task, necessitating the deployment of the fighter to regional airfields. This in turn could alert Pyongyang to upcoming offensive operations. Using airfields in Japan and South Korea and operating under a highly restrictive operational security environment, the U.S. Air Force could probably deploy 24 F-22 aircraft for the mission, remaining fairly confident that undue suspicions were not raised in the process. Story continues Each F-22 can be equipped with two 450-kilogram (1,000 pounds) GBU-32 JDAM bombs. The F-22 can actually carry a larger number of small diameter bombs instead of the bigger GBU-32, but the nature of the mission calls for more explosive heft. Unlike the multipurpose F-22, the B-2 Spirit is a designated bomber and can carry a lot more explosive weight per plane. Each B-2 would deploy with either 16 900-kilogram GBU-31 JDAMs or a pair of massive 13,600-kilogram GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators to reach deep underground bunkers. The Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) kit turns unguided bombs weighing up to 900 kilograms into smart munitions. An inertial guidance system uses GPS for targeting purposes, while a tail section controls flight. In addition to the guided bombs dropped by U.S. stealth aircraft, the United States can rely on large numbers of venerable BGM-109 Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles to fly in on the heels of the stealth aircraft and strike remaining targets. For the mission, the U.S. Navy (with enough time to prepare) can surreptitiously park two of its four Ohio-class cruise missile submarines off the North Korean coast. Together, these submarines can deploy more than 300 BGM-109 missiles. When combined with destroyers and cruisers from the 7th Fleet already in the area, the United States could use more than 600 cruise missiles for the mission. The Strike With a force of 10 Massive Ordnance Penetrators and 80 900-kilogram GBU-31 JDAMs, the U.S. B-2 bombers alone are more than enough to dismantle or at least severely damage North Korea's known nuclear production infrastructure, as well as associated nuclear weapons storage sites. The effectiveness of the B-2 first wave would enable the 24 F-22 fighters and the wave of 600 or so cruise missiles sharing the skies to focus on destroying North Korea's delivery vehicles. A single good hit from a JDAM or cruise missile is enough to knock out the nascent sea-based leg of North Korea's defensive triad. Hammering the Uiju and Changjin-up air bases, where North Korean H-5 bombers are based, would further reduce Pyongyang's most likely air delivery force for a nuclear weapon. The most difficult target to eliminate when it comes to delivery vehicles is the missile forces. North Korea has a fleet of approximately 200 transporter erector launchers (TEL) of varying size and type spread out across the country, so the intelligence picture would have to be very accurate. With enough information, however, the United States still has more than enough firepower in a single strike to severely reduce North Korea's TEL inventory. Complications In a world of perfect intelligence, the United States has the tools to dismantle the North Korean nuclear program, along with associated components, in a single, massive surprise strike. There are two huge unknowns, however, that prevent a truly accurate evaluation of the likelihood of a strike. First, we simply do not have a comprehensive or precise picture of the North Korean nuclear program, especially when it comes to the number of weapons and delivery vehicles we do not know for sure where they are located or how well they are protected. Second, we have no way of knowing just how good the U.S. intelligence picture really is when it comes to the North Korean nuclear program. Predicting the likelihood of a U.S. strike is difficult to do when the decision to carry out an attack would depend heavily on the degree of confidence the United States places in its intelligence. Even with a severely restricted intelligence picture, we can still make some pertinent observations. Most significant is that, unlike the Iranian nuclear program, the North Koreans in this evaluation are already known to possess nuclear weapons or at least weaponized devices. The destruction of North Korea's nuclear infrastructure is hardly enough to remove the deterrent. Therefore, though the United States can be reasonably certain of its ability to destroy the nuclear infrastructure in a single strike, it would require an extremely accurate intelligence picture far beyond what is likely for Washington to be reasonably certain of having hit and destroyed all available weapons and delivery vehicles. The longer the North Korean program evolves, the more this becomes a reality. Realistically, absent the use of nuclear weapons or the invasion and occupation of North Korea, the United States and its allies are already at a point where they cannot guarantee the complete removal of the threat of a North Korean nuclear attack. Editor's Note This is the third installment of a five-part series that originally ran in May 2016 examining the measures that could be taken to inhibit North Korea's nuclear weapons program. The purpose of this series is not to consider political rhetoric or noninvasive means of coercion, such as sanctions. Rather, we are exploring the military options, however remote, that are open to the United States and its allies, and the expected retaliatory response from Pyongyang. Part four can be found here. In the next installment of this series, we will explore Pyongyang's anticipated response to a U.S. strike. Part 1: Assessing the North Korean Hazard Part 2: Derailing a Nuclear Program by Force Part 3: What the U.S. Would Use to Strike North Korea Part 4: How North Korea Would Retaliate Part 5: The Cost of Intervention What the U.S. Would Use to Strike North Korea is republished with the permission of Stratfor Worldview, a geopolitical intelligence and advisory firm. Image: Flickr Read full article Spike Lees BlacKkKlansman premiered in August, on the one year anniversary of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. This was no accident. Lees film, based on the memoir of black police officer Ron Stallworth, who successfully infiltrated the David Duke-run KKK in the 1970s, had so many rhetorical parallels with what happened in Charlottesville, when white supremacist demonstrators marched to protest the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, and which resulted in the murder of counter-protester Heather Hayer, that they couldnt be ignored during the shoot. Lee cast John David Washington in the lead role, having known the Ballers star since Washington was a baby. It was the second time they worked together, after Washingtons childhood cameo as one of the kids who said, I am Malcolm X, at the end of Lees Malcolm X, which starred his father, Denzel. At the end of BlacKkKlansman, you play footage from the Charlottesville rally. How much did the movie become about what had happened at Charlottesville in your mind as you made it? Spike Lee: When our brother Jordan Peele called us, Charlottesville had not happened. Charlottesville happened August 11th, and we started shooting in the middle of September. Kevin Willmott, my co-writer, and I, we felt that we could make a hit filma contemporary filmthat takes place as a period piece in the past, but that we wouldnt have to dig long and deep to find things that connect what happened in the story with whats happening today. John David, you worked with Spike on Malcolm X when you were how old? John David Washington: Six years old. Lee: I knew him before he was born. Washington: My whole life. Weve always been a strong family unit, the Lees and the Washingtons. Lee: Lets add the Jacksons in there. Samuel Jackson, LaTanya and Zoe. Washington: The Jacksons too, yeah. Thats right. So you know, weve kept it pretty tight. But after my first experience of working for him, I didnt know if it was ever going to happen again. You know, I wanted it to. I was so excited when I got the text from him [about BlacKkKlansman]first to do a homework assignment and read the book. After I read it, I was so blown away by the storyan actual, true storyand I was ready to get to work. Story continues How old were you when you realized the reputation of Spike Lee? Washington: I mean, I knew that just from the talks I had with my parents. I wasnt allowed to see Mo Better Blues. Moms wouldnt let me see that. Lee: Pauletta was not having that! Washington: Yeah, she wasnt having that [laughs]. I watched his other movies growing up though. I never saw us look so royal. I never saw us look so good on screen, and the full range of personalities of the black community. Our story is usually the kind of stereotypical portrayal. So knowing the history of this legend, and knowing that I was going to be able to work with him again, I couldnt wait. Which was the first of his films you got to see? Washington: I was allowed to see Malcolm X. When I got older, I saw Mo Better Blues and School Daze. I actually saw School Daze late. I didnt see that until I was in college, and I think Im glad I waited because I went to an historically black college. Lee: Morehouse College. We both went there. Morehouse men, like the late Bill Nunn, who played Radio Raheem in Do the Right Thing, and Samuel Jackson. Washington: Yeah. Spike really nailed the experience. It was so accurate in its depiction of the experience of an African-American student in an historically black college. So were all connected in that way. I was proud of that, to be able to enjoy and connect to the experience of an historically black college in this country. Spike, when you cast him in Malcolm X, did you see the spark of talent? Lee: Yeah, if he chose to do that. Everyone has their own path. But it was really when I saw him in Ballers. Washington: I also worked with his wife Tonya. She produced a movie called Monster that I was in. So I must say, Spike picked me first, but I feel like Tonya believed in me first. She really fought for me to get the role, and it was a great role, to explore something totally different from myself. That experience; Im indebted to her for that. Lee: What year was Malcolm X? Washington: Right, but Tonya gave me more meat on the bone [laughs]. Lee: That was a hard line to do. My name is Malcolm X. Washington: It took about seven or eight takes. I had to get comfortable. You kept saying, Listen to Uncle Spike. Youre going to say the line, youre going to get up It took a lot of concentration. I was excited though. Id been on sets before, but never got to be in anything. Whats the first set you remember being on? Washington: I remember being on Glory. Lee: In Savannah? Washington: Yeah, I guess we were in Savannah. I think it was the final epic battle scene. I wasnt in that, but I wish I was. But I was there for that scene. I do remember my pops coming up out of the pit. It was just so dramatic in my mind. He came up after a take and he was like, You want to come down there? I looked at my mom, and she was like, No, he cant go. I was so pissed. There were all these explosions and loud noises, but we couldnt really see it because we were a ways away. That was my first set experience. Knowing that, and loving that movie. Pops playing the trumpet all day, every day BlacKkKlansman Set Lee: Dismissed! Washington: Thats it, baby. You got it [laughs]. I loved that film. From that, and being on the Malcolm X set, I was in heaven. Spike had to calm me down. I guess the last day of my shooting BlacKkKlansman, he had to calm me down also, when we finally got to the double dolly shot; the famous shot. I was a little kid. It was probably a rough day for you, Im sure. I didnt care, I was having a blast. I was not focused, you kept saying, John, cmon man, focus! Focus! I was like, Nope this is it, this is my moment. Has his process improved since the Malcolm X days, then? Washington: Please say yes. Lee: Yes [laughs]. I knew he could do this part as soon as Jordan gave me the six-word pitchone of the greatest pitches ever. Black man infiltrates Ku Klux Klan. Thats high concept. It was exciting, but at the same time I asked Jordan if it was true, and he said it was. I said, Ive seen this a million times; its the Dave Chappelle skit. He went, Nah, nah, this is real. Did you meet Ron Stallworth before you shot? Lee: We both met him, the first day at the readthrough. Washington: I was asking Spike, right after we talked and I read the book, when he told me, See you this summer. I was stalking Spike for Rons number, and he wouldnt give it to me. I think one time he said, Not yet. I dont know why you did that, but Im glad you did. Lee: You know why. Washington: I think it was beneficial for the performance; for the process of trying to figure out something like this in a film of Spike Lees. Lee: It was my thinking that he would meet Ron and want to walk like him, talk like him. It wasnt like Malcolm X. No one knew who Ron Stallworth was, and that gives you freedom. Theres a playful tone to the film. Washington: Ron said they had so much fun with it, during the actual investigation. They were laughing hysterically in some of these moments. Theres a blueprint there; the hilarity is based off how ridiculous the story is. But its all true. Lee: What was that word? Hilarity? I would add absurd. I think people like the film because theyre laughing. But Kevin and I, we werent sitting around writing jokes. The humor comes from the absurdity of the premise. Its so organic. The jokes are 100% organic. From the six-word pitch onward. And BlacKkKlansman isnt the first film in the history of cinema that injects humor into serious subjects. I mean, my favorite example, by one of my favorite filmmakers, is Stanley Kubricks Dr. Strangelove. It is a film about the end of humankind. But then you get Peter Sellers playing both these roles, and, Theres no fighting in the war room. So its been done before. But its a hard thing to do, because of balance. You have to get the right balance. You mention the Dr. Strangelove quote. Theres also so much humor in the rhetoric from David Duke and the KKK. What hes saying is absurd, but its also terrifying to think people out there believe this stuff. Lee: One of the great surprises for me came when we were doing the research, with my great researcher Judy Aley, who I work with on all my documentariesanything I do. I didnt know that David Duke was in Charlottesville. Judy found that footage of him. So we had the guywe had Topher [Grace] playing the guyand then we had the footage of Charlottesville, and the guy was there [laughs]. The guys there commenting. Co-signing his boy. You couldnt make it up. Who woulda thunk it? You have the line in the film, where Ron says, Theres no way in the world America would elect a person like David Duke. Lee: All of it. America First. The Klan was saying that in the 1920s about immigrants. This stuff is not new. Its all from the same playbook. Get a culprit; someone to blame it on. Washington: Thats whats scary to me too, though, is the resurgences of what you see displayed in the film. How it opens with Birth of a Nation, which was played in the White House. David Duke changed the face of hatred to what it is now, with the current administration. Changing the face of hate. Preying on the insecurethe lost souls who want to believe in something. Due to the research I got to do as well, I saw that. This kind of hatred is hard; its institutionalized. Youre being born like this. So seeing that history, and seeing the connection of all this language, generationally speaking, is really mindblowing. Lee: Some people said the Charlottesville footage [in the film] was too much. It was too on-the-head. Some people. And then what happens in Pittsburgh, with the synagogue, and the guy mailing bombs? It was not over-the-top. Its current. They said, Oh, Spikes so didactic. He doesnt know when to stop. Im sorry, but if I may just say this: these are dangerous times. The film had to end the way it did. History in only a couple of months has proven that to be true. Why pussyfoot about? A car, which became a murder weapon, went down a street and murdered Heather Heyer. That was a blatant display of homegrown American terrorism. Americans have been trippin, thinking the word terrorist has nothing to do with America. Its just ISIS, or some Muslims, Automatically, thats what they think terrorism is. We have to wake up. Were terrorizing ourselves. We dont need ISIS, were doing it to ourselves. When those letter bombs were being uncovered, there was a moment in the news cycle when the word was terrorism. But when they identify the suspect, it becomes deranged individual. Lee: What it is, which has been a part of this administration, is a false narrative. These human beings are on their way here to seek freedomfleeing their countries, for whatever reason. Thousands and thousands. They say, Also the middle-easterners are among them too. Its not true! This caravan, and the guy said all Mexicans were rapists and murderers. Were going to build a wall to keep you out, and youre going to pay for it. I never heard that before. Thats something new. You build it and you got to pay for it too, to keep yourselves out? So the ending of this movie had to be the way it was. It was not scripted, but when I saw that I said, This is the ending. First I had to call Susan Bro, who is Heather Heyers mother, and she gave me permission. John David, describe the experience of being directed by Spike. Washington: Well, its a lot like this interview. Colorful. Lee: Loud. Washington: Loud, but also quiet sometimes. What he didnt say to me was very helpful, and instrumental in my direction of taking the character where I did. But I also learned what a well-oiled machine of organized chaos looks like, feels like. Spike comes with a wealth of experience and knowledge that hes so open to share with you, too. Hes a great storyteller, whether it be in cinema or just sat at a table talking. Hes got a whole bunch of stories. Im ready to just listen. Lee: Let this crazy old man talk, right? Washington: Nah, not old. Maybe a little crazy. You also had Harry Belafonte around, too. Washington: That day, it was like magic. Lee: I told everybody that they had to wear a suit that day. I said, The Man is coming. Hes a freedom fighter. Back in the day, he was running with Dr. King, Sidney Poitier, Paul Newman, Marlon Brando, James Garner. Washington: Speak on it. Lee: They were all there. They werent just writing checks, they were side-by-side. They showed up, at a time where youd have to be crazy to think they werent being discouraged by their agents, managers, the studios. They didnt care. So theres a legacy there. Everything is politics. If youre an artist, and you make a decision that theres going to be no politics in your art, thats a political decision in itself. Washington: And the positive and negative effects of irresponsible art. Like, I mean, Birth of a Nation. It can be very dangerous. Lee: Its in the film, but the Klan was dormant until Birth of a Nation came, which led directly to black people being lynched. I have a very personal relationship with the two films we show, Birth of a Nation and Gone with the Wind. Im a product of the Brooklyn/New York public school system, from kindergarten to high school. Third or fourth grade, they rereleased Gone with the Wind. We had a class trip to go see it. There was no discussion beforehand. It was a mixed school, so there was no discussion about how the black students would feel with this imagery. Well, we didnt like it. Fast forward. My first year as an NYU grad at film school. The first film we see is Birth of a Nation. Very first film. Now, Im a person, like, I think we should show it. People think that because of the [word n-r, you cant read Huckleberry Finn. But thats one of the greatest American novels ever. So I think Birth of a Nation should be seen too. But it has to be put in its context. You cant just show it. You know who else was in my class? Ernest Dickerson and Ang Lee. We came in 79 and all of us graduated in 82. All we were told was that D.W. Griffith is the father of cinema, and came up with all these innovations that had never been done before. That was it. There was no mention of the socio-political aspects of the film. They did that for Triumph of the Will, by Leni Riefenstahl. They did that [laughs]! But they didnt do it for Birth of a Nation. Ill say one more thing. When they were going over the innovations of D.W. Griffith, I forgot that they talked about cutting back and forth between two scenes. Im talking specifically about BlacKkKlansman, and the scene with Harry Belafonte cut with you watching the initiation of the KKK. I forgot about that. It wasnt until I read AO Scotts review in the New York Times, where he mentioned that scene and said, Thats something DW Griffith came up with. Whats the word? Ironic. We used his own shit on him [laughs]. How many years later? I also didnt know until later on that the Klan does watch D.W. Griffith during initiations. I found that out after the film came out. What does having a man like Spike around your whole life teach you about the need to stand up? Lee: Well let me interject and say, he doesnt need me for that. Hes got his parents. He dont need me for that [laughs]. Washington: But the relationship is different, in that this man trusted me with this material. Just hearing him talk about the politics of it all, and where we are currently with social narratives Its a responsibility this man has taken on for decades with his art and his storytelling, and what does it mean to stand up and shout? A wise man told me, Dont get mad, get specific. Hes been able to do that through his films and through his ability as a storyteller. The fact that he trusted me with this important piece of American historyone that I think nobody else could have directed to be honest with you, because I think they would have gone for the low-hanging fruit of the comedy, which was already built inI learned about process, I learned about storytelling, and I learned about the importance of what we do as creatives. And the ultimate form of teamwork. Spike still thrusts themes of teamwork and trust. Lee: I keep piggybacking on my brother here, but because you brought up the word teamwork. This film, the teamwork was amazing. We were like the Golden State Warriors, or the New York Knicks. Washington: Im going to go ahead and say the Showtime Lakers, you know, being from LA. Lee: Right. We didnt have to sit around saying, Oh this is such an important film and we have to It wasnt even discussed. Everybody knew what we had to do. Washington: We did. Just get in position, man. Get in position. Straight up, thats it. Related stories AARP Movies For Grownups Nominations: 'Green Book' & 'Roma' Lead Field At The Box Office, All The Politics In Hollywood Matches One Good Horror Flick The Art Of Craft: Ruth E. Carter Breaks Down Series Of Early Sketches For 'Black Panther' Costumes Most Hungarians associate January 6 with a quite new custom taking down the Christmas tree decorated on December 24 (Twelfth Night tradition). However, the customs of this day root much deeper. January 6 not only ends the Christmastide on this, the Twelfth Day of Christmas, but it also marks the beginning of the carnival season (farsang). Up till the 4th century, the Christian church celebrated the birth of Christ on this day, and in connection to this, January 6 also commemorates the visit of the three wise men in Bethlehem at the crib of the Christchild (Three Kings Day). In Hungarian folk tradition, young boys would dress up as the kings, wearing decorated pointy hats, and holding up a star would go from house to house, enacting a Three Kings play (haromkiralyok). Since the baptism of Jesus was also remembered on this day (Theophany), holy water was consecrated on January 6, starting from medieval times. The Hungarian name of this day recalls this tradition Vizkereszt refers to baptizing the water. The holy water was believed to have miraculous power to heal, to keep the evil away, and also to bless the bride and the groom on their wedding day. Blessing of the homes (hazszenteles) was also customary on January 6. The priest would go to each house and sprinkle the doorways with holy water, then would write with chalk G + M + B and the current year above the door. (The letters stand for the initials of the Magi, Gaspar, Menyhert, Boldizsar or C + M + B: Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar). This blessing was said to protect the house from witches and lightning strikes. And finally, a non-Christian tradition linked to January 6 was predicting the weather. According to a saying connected to this day, "If water glints in the rut on Epiphany, short the winter will be" (ha Vizkeresztkor megcsillan a viz a kerekvagasban, nem lesz hosszu a tel). On the other hand, if it was cold on January 6, they hoped for an early spring. Source: puszta.com Republished with permission Clarksburg, WV (26301) Today Areas of patchy fog early. Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. High 76F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy. Low around 50F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Thank you for Reading. As a community service, our obituaries are always free to view. In order to better know our audience, we ask that you register to continuing viewing. Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please Log In . Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Log In. Update 01/07/19 10:25 a.m. Columbus police say two arrests were made shortly after Sunday's shooting incident. However, the charges do not appear to be related to the shooting incident. Aldoques Dooley | Photo: Columbus Police Department Aldoques Dooley | Photo: Columbus Police Department Demonte Harris | Photo: Columbus Police Department Demonte Harris | Photo: Columbus Police Department Aldoques Dooley, 39, of Starkville, was charged with possession, sale, transfer of a stolen firearm and failure to appear on a previous charge. Demonte Harris, 26, of Columbus, was charged with possession, sale, transfer of a stolen firearm. Police say the unnamed male victim was shot in the leg. He has since been treated and released from medical care. The case is still under investigation and additional charges are possible. See the original post below. COLUMBUS, Miss. (WTVA) - Columbus police are investigating a shooting after one person was shot early Sunday. Police Chief Fred Shelton confirms the shots fired call was reported at 12:44 a.m. at 15th Street and 7th Avenue. No information on a suspect has been released at this time. The victim's condition is unknown. A formal press release is expected to be made available on Monday. This is a developing story. ECRU, Miss. (WTVA) - The second case of Chronic Wasting Disease in Mississippi was confirmed in November 2018. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks is asking deer hunters to voluntarily submit samples of their deer meat. There will be a drop-off station on Jan. 6 at the Highway 465 and 61 junction at the Onward Store. Officials are urging the public to have their deer meat tested before consumption. Chronic wasting disease is a disease that affects deer and other deer-like animals," MDWFP Wildlife Biologist Rick Hamrick said. As of right now, there has been no confirmed link to any human health concern. But again, there is still a lot of things we dont know about the disease. So again, we urge caution. The number of people illegally crossing into Europe dropped last year to its lowest level in five years -- but there's been a spike in the number reaching Spain, figures show. An estimated 150,000 people entered the European Union through irregular crossings in 2018, border and coastguard agency Frontex said Friday. That represents the lowest total since 2013 and is 92% below the peak recorded during the migration crisis in 2015. The drop was due to a dramatic fall in the number of migrants taking the central Mediterranean route from Libya, Algeria or Tunisia to Italy, Frontex said. A little over 23,000 irregular crossings were detected on this route for the year, an 80% decrease compared to 2017. Italy's hardline Interior Minister Matteo Salvini closed the country's ports to migrant boats in June and the populist government has passed new anti-immigrant laws. Meanwhile, the number of arrivals in Spain via the western Mediterranean route, leaving from Morocco, doubled last year for the second year in a row to 57,000. Most of the migrants on this route originated from countries in sub-Saharan Africa, although the number of Moroccans has increased in recent months, Frontex said. Many also came from Guinea, Mali and Algeria. Spain's government has also allowed some ships carrying rescued migrants to dock in its ports after they were barred entry to Italy or Malta. Afghan, Syrian and Iraqi nationals made up the largest number of migrants entering Europe by the eastern Mediterranean route last year, Frontex said, with the total rising by nearly a third to 56,000. This increase was mainly caused by a higher number of migrants crossing the land border between Turkey and Greece, it added, many of them Turkish nationals. Immigration has become a hot-button issue across much of Europe, with many political parties promising to crack down on arrivals of migrants including refugees and asylum seekers. In the United Kingdom, Home Secretary Sajid Javid declared a "major incident" after several dozen people reached British shores over the Christmas period after a hazardous journey by boat across the English Channel. The Royal Navy has been called in to help the UK Border Force deter further migrant crossings from France. Italy's so-called "security decree," spearheaded by Salvini, came into force at the end of November. It abolished Italy's "humanitarian protection" category for migrants who don't meet the country's strict asylum criteria or are waiting for a response to their application, and made it easier to expel them. Under the new law, some migrants will lose their protected legal status and as a result will have to leave immigration centers, putting them into legal limbo -- without the prospect of a job, healthcare assistance or social integration. International rights groups have also highlighted the dangers faced by migrants who are returned to Libya after setting off from its coast for Italy. The EU has increasingly adopted a strategy of supporting the Libyan Coastguard to intercept migrants before they reach European shores. Meanwhile, non-governmental organizations have come under pressure to stop Mediterranean rescue operations for migrants, many of whom are crammed onto unseaworthy boats by people traffickers. While some have left poverty-stricken homes in search of a better life, others are fleeing war, violence and persecution. Women made up nearly a fifth of those detected making illegal border crossings into Europe last year, Frontex said. A similar proportion claimed to be under the age of 18, with nearly 4,000 unaccompanied minors reported. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) puts the number of migrants and refugees arriving in Europe last year at close to 142,000, most of whom made the perilous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea. The UN agency reported more than 2,200 migrants as missing or dead in the Mediterranean in 2018. Isaiah Gardenhire is accused of stabbing a 13-year-old girl to death and committing other crimes while out on bond. He is in the Isabella County jail on a litany of felony charges and was out on bond in a case in Mason County. LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) Glenn Rightsell, who was shot and killed by an Indiana State Police officer in Crawfordsville on Dec. 28, was laid to rest on Saturday in Lafayette. Nearly 200 friends, family and community members rode their motorcycles from the Soller-Baker funeral home to his grave site on Romney road. The motorcycle ride was a tribute to Rightsell. A family member said the amount of bikers that attended the tribute goes to show the impact Rightsell had on people. Rightsell's older sister, Sue Jordan, said she appreciates everyone coming together in support of her brother. The people that are here, a lot of it is in protest for the way that my brother was wrongfully murdered, said Jordan. Jordan said she is grateful for the neighbor that recorded the incident and she hopes it'll lead to justice for her brother. We don't want a cover up, we want this to never happen to somebody else and my brother not just be a number but that he meant something cause he meant something to all of these people and all the ones that are gonna go to Romney to lay him to rest today, said Jordan. The Rightsell family created a Go Fund Me to help pay for funeral expenses. SAN DIEGO (AP) - A decorated Navy SEAL pleaded not guilty Friday to charges of premeditated murder and other crimes in the stabbing death of a teenage Islamic State prisoner in Iraq last year and the shooting of unarmed Iraqi civilians. Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher will stand trial Feb. 19 before a jury that will be one-third enlisted personnel. Gallagher has been jailed since his arrest on Sept. 11, and a judge said he will determine next week whether the 19-year Navy veteran should be released before trial. The case is unusual because of the seriousness of the allegations against an elite special warfare operator and because prosecutors case includes the accounts of fellow Navy SEALs, an extremely tight-knit group even by military standards. At Fridays arraignment, prosecutors handed over 1,700 pages of documents, including text messages they say show Gallagher trying to intimidate witnesses. They say the information shows why he should not be released. His attorney, Phil Stackhouse, dismissed the documents as hearsay and double hearsay statements. He said Gallagher is being falsely accused by disgruntled SEALs who wanted to get rid of a demanding platoon leader and that several of the governments witnesses have now indicated they dont clearly remember what happened. He didnt murder anyone, Stackhouse told reporters outside the courtroom. He didnt shoot at innocent people in the street. Stackhouse told the judge that his client was venting when he sent text messages to friends that called the SEALs who reported the allegations liars and that since then he has learned coping skills after getting treatment for a traumatic brain injury last summer. Stackhouse suggested Gallagher be released with a protective order to stay away from witnesses. Navy prosecutors have painted a picture of a highly trained fighter and medic going off the rails on his eighth deployment, indiscriminately shooting at Iraqi civilians and stabbing to death a captured Islamic State fighter estimated to be 15 years old, then posing with the corpse, including at his re-enlistment ceremony. Defense attorney Colby Vokey said about 20 bodies were within sight at the ceremony in a war zone. Gallagher, who was awarded the Bronze Star twice, showed little emotion as he sat in the courtroom in a Navy dress uniform covered in medals. The judge asked defense attorneys to describe the awards at the start of the court-martial. If convicted, Gallagher faces a life sentence. At a two-day preliminary hearing at the Navy base in November, investigators said Gallagher stabbed the teen in the neck and body with a knife after he was handed over to the SEALs in the Iraqi city of Mosul to be treated for wounds sustained by the Iraqi Army and its prisoners during an airstrike in May 2017. Naval Criminal Investigative Service Special Agent Joe Warpinski told the court that a SEAL medic told him he believed he had just stabilized the teen when Gallagher walked up without saying anything at all and started stabbing him. Afterward, prosecutors say he took photos of himself with the corpse, holding up his knife in one hand and propping up the body by holding the head with his other hand and bragged, I got this one with my knife, with my hunting knife. Warpinski, who spoke to nine members of SEAL Team 7, said he was told Gallagher would fire into crowds of Iraqis. He is accused of shooting an elderly man carting a water jug in Mosul in June 2017 and a girl walking along a riverbank in the same area a month later. Prosecutors also have accused Gallaghers platoon commander, Navy Lt. Jacob Portier, of not acting on the allegations. His attorney, Jeremiah Sullivan, said Portier was the first to report them to superiors and did so as soon as he learned of them. His arraignment has not been scheduled yet. Several SEALs testified for the defense Friday that Gallagher had an outstanding reputation and they would want him with them on the battlefield. None had served under him or was on the 2017 deployment with him. Defense attorneys said they plan to call fellow SEALs on that deployment to testify at the trial. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. ROME, NY-- A 30-year-old Utica man is accused of raping a woman. According to the Rome Police Department, Wallis Flagg, of Utica, physically assaulted a female victim over several hours beginning on the evening of Jan. 2, and continuing into the early hours of Jan. 3. During the course of the assault police said Flagg had unwanted sexual intercourse with the victim. Flagg is charged with rape, assault and petit larceny. He has been sent to Oneida County Correctional Facility without bail. LOWVILLE-For the first time since the track was taken over by new management, the Adirondack Speedway held their first Slush Crush Derby. Gates opened at 10am and dozens of cars and their drivers arrived at the track. The entire derby benefitted the Backpack club at the Lowville Academy Central School District. The Backpack club provides food for families on days when kids are not in schools to receive meals. The cars that competed in the race were old cars that were originally meant for the junk yard. They were then repurposed for racing in today's derby race. Speedway General Manager Frank Nortz says events like these gives racers a fun event to participate in during the offseason. "The reason we did this was because we opened up with new management and we had some extra momentum going into next spring and we wanted to keep it going. The people out here in this type of area, this is what people enjoy, if they dont snow sled or are any kind of motor head, then they wanna go racing." "Its the middle of winter, I race in the spring and summer. Everybody has got that cabin fever and we got cars here that are junk so we strip them out, make them look pretty and have some fun with them." said racer Jeff Trap The 100-lap race had exciting battles for position. A lot of crashes as well, the race was stopped for a period of time do to a fire in one of the cars, nobody was injured during the race. Sponsor companies of the race contributed a total of $1000 dollars for the prize money for today's derby. The Speedway hopes that today's derby gives racers some excitement for the start of the race season this spring. Wall Street analysts have given SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Equipment & Services ETF a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but SPDR S&P Oil & Gas Equipment & Services ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Meritor, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, sells, services, and supports integrated systems, modules, and components to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and the aftermarket for the commercial vehicle, transportation, and industrial sectors. It operates through two segments, Commercial Truck; and Aftermarket and Industrial. The Commercial Truck segment supplies drivetrain systems and components, including axles, drivelines, and braking and suspension systems primarily for medium-and heavy-duty trucks and other applications; and various undercarriage products and systems for trailer applications. The Aftermarket and Industrial segment supplies axles, brakes, drivelines, suspension parts, and other replacement parts to commercial vehicle and industrial aftermarket customers. It also supplies drivetrain systems and various components, such as axles, drivelines, brakes, and suspension systems for military, construction, bus and coach, fire and emergency, and other applications. The company also 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 OEMs, their parts marketing operations, and their dealers, as well as other independent distributors and service garages in the aftermarket industry in North America, South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. 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. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Marsh & McLennan Companies: 8WORKS INC., 8WORKS LTD, A. Constantinidi & CIA. S.C., A.C.N. 000 951 146 Pty Limited, A.C.N. 001 572 961 Pty Limited, A.C.N. 076 935 683 Pty Limited, A.C.N. 102 322 574 Pty Limited, ACE Insurance Agents Limited, ACE Insurance Consultants Limited, ACE Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers Limited, AD Corretora de Seguros, AFCO Premium Acceptance Inc., AFCO Premium Credit LLC, Access Equity Enhanced Fund GP LLC, Admiral Holdings Limited, Agnew Higgins Pickering & Co. (Bermuda) Ltd, Aldgate Investments Limited, Aldgate Trustees Ltd, Alexander Forbes Group Holdings Limited, Alpha Consultants Limited, Alta SA, Altius Real Assets (GP) LLC, Amal Insurance Brokers Limited (in liquidation), Anda Insurance Agencies Pte Ltd, AssetVal Pty Ltd, Assur Conseils Marsh S.A., Assurance Capital Corporation, Assurance Services Corporation, Australian Insurance Brokers Pty Ltd, Australian World Underwriters Pty Ltd., BBPS Limited, Barney & Barney Orange County LLC, Beaumonts (Leeds) Limited (in liquidation), Beaumonts Insurance Brokers Limited (in liquidation), Beaumonts Insurance Services Limited, Beneficios Integrales Oportunos SA, Benefitfocus Inc., Blue Marble Micro Limited, Blue Marble Microinsurance Inc., Bluefin, Bluefin Insurance Group Limited, Bluefin Insurance Services Limited, Boulder Claims LLC, Bowring (Bermuda) Investments Ltd., Bowring Marine Limited, Bowring Marsh (Bermuda) Ltd., Bowring Marsh (Hong Kong) Limited, Bowring Marsh Asia Pte. Ltd., Bowring Marsh Corretora de Resseguros Ltda., Bowring Marsh Limited, Broderick Piller Pty Ltd, Broker 2 Broker Limited, BuildPay LLC, Burke Ford Trustees (Leicester) Limited, C.T. Bowring Limited, CMC-Belgibo NV, CPRM Limited, CPSG Partners LLC, Carpenter Marsh Fac Chile Corredores de Reaseguros Limitada, Carpenter Marsh Fac Colombia Corredores de Reaseguros S.A., Carpenter Marsh Fac Peru Corredores de Reaseguros S.A.C., Carpenter Marsh Fac Re LLC, Carpenter Turner Cyprus Ltd, Carpenter Turner S.A., Cascade International Holdings C.V., Cascade Regional Holdings Limited, Central Insurance Services Limited, Charter Risk Management Services LLC, Chartwell Healthcare Limited, Chronos Insurance Brokers Pty Limited, Claims and Recovery Management (Australia) Pty Limited, Clark Thomson Insurance Brokers Limited, Client Provide Limited, Colombian Insurance Broking Wholesale Limited, Consultores 2020 C.A., Cronin & Co Insurance Services Limited, DVA - Deutsche Verkehrs-Assekuranz-Vermittlungs GmbH, Dawson Insurance, DeLima Marsh S.A. - Los Corredores de Seguros S.A., Dovetail Insurance Corp., Dovetail Insurance Corp., Dovetail Managing General Agency Corporation, Dovetail Technology Service India Private Limited, Draw Connect Limited, Draw Create Limited, Draw Group London Limited, Eagle & Crown Limited, Echelon Australia Pty Limited, Echelon Claims Consultants Sdn Bhd, Echelon New Zealand Limited, EnBW Versicherungs Vermittlung GmbH, Encompass Insurance Agency Pty Ltd., English Pension Trustees Limited, Epsilon (US) Insurance Company, Epsilon Insurance Company Ltd., Eustis Insurance & Benefits, Evolution Management Ltd, Exchange Insurance Services Limited (in liquidation), Exmoor Management Company Limited, Faulkner & Flynn LLC, Freedom Trust Services Limited, GC Genesis LLC, GCube Insurance Services Inc, GCube Underwriting Limited, Gama Consultores Associados Ltda., Gem Insurance Company Limited, Global Premium Finance Company, GrECo International Holding AG, Gracechurch Trustees Limited, Gresham Pension Trustees Limited, Group Promoters Pty Limited, Guy Carpenter & Cia (Mexico) S.A. de C.V., Guy Carpenter & Cia. S.A., Guy Carpenter & Co. Labuan Ltd., Guy Carpenter & Company AB, Guy Carpenter & Company Corredores de Reaseguros Limitada, Guy Carpenter & Company Corretora de Resseguros Ltda., Guy Carpenter & Company GmbH, Guy Carpenter & Company LLC, Guy Carpenter & Company Limited, Guy Carpenter & Company Limited, Guy Carpenter & Company Ltd./Guy Carpenter & Compagnie Ltee, Guy Carpenter & Company Participacoes Ltda., Guy Carpenter & Company Peru Corredores de Reaseguros S.A., Guy Carpenter & Company Private Limited, Guy Carpenter & Company Proprietary Limited, Guy Carpenter & Company Pty. Ltd., Guy Carpenter & Company S.A., Guy Carpenter & Company S.A. (Uruguay), Guy Carpenter & Company S.A.S., Guy Carpenter & Company S.r.l., Guy Carpenter (Middle East) Limited, Guy Carpenter Bermuda Ltd., Guy Carpenter Broking Inc., Guy Carpenter Colombia Corredores de Reaseguros Ltda., Guy Carpenter Insurance Brokers (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Guy Carpenter Japan Inc., Guy Carpenter Mexico Intermediario de Reaseguro S.A. de C.V., Guy Carpenter Reasurans Brokerligi Anonim Sirketi, HAPIP GP 2009 LLC, HAPIP GP LLC, HSBC Insurance Brokers International (Abu Dhabi) LLC (in liquidation), Hamilton Bond Limited, Hansen International Limited, Hayward Aviation Limited, INSIA Europe SE, INSIA SK s.r.o., INSIA a.s., INSURANCE BROKERS OF NIGERIA LIMITED, IRC Asia Insurance Brokers Limited, InSolutions Limited, Industrial Risks Protection Consultants, Ingeseg S. A., Ingeseg S.A., Insbrokers Ltda., InsurTech Alliance LLC, Insure Direct (Brokers) LLC, Insure Direct (Brokers) LLC [BAHRAIN BRANCH], Insure Direct - Jardine Lloyd Thompson Limited, International Catastrophe Insurance Managers LLC, International Loss Control Services Limited, International Risk Consultants (Asia) Limited, Invercol Limited, Irish Pensions Trust Limited, Isosceles Insurance (Barbados) Limited, Isosceles Insurance Company Limited, Isosceles Insurance Ltd, Isosceles PCC Limited, J&H Marsh & McLennan Limited, J.W. Terrill Benefit Administrators Inc., JI Holdings Limited, JIB Group Holdings Limited, JIB Group Limited, JIB Holdings (Pacific) Limited, JIB Overseas Holdings Limited, JIB UK Holdings Limited, JL Marine Insurance-Brokers GmbH & Co. KG, JLM Verwaltungs GmbH, JLT (Insurance Brokers) Limited, JLT Actuaries and Consultants Limited, JLT Advisory Limited, JLT Affinity Colombia Solutions SAS, JLT Agencies Limited, JLT Asesorias Ltda, JLT Asia Holdings BV, JLT Asia Shared Services Sdn Bhd, JLT Belgibo, JLT Benefit Consultants Limited, JLT Benefit Solutions Limited, JLT Benefit Solutions SA (Pty) Ltd, JLT Bermuda Ltd, JLT Brasil Holdings Participacoes Ltd, JLT Chile Holdings SpA, JLT Colombia Retail Limited, JLT Colombia Wholesale Limited, JLT Consultants & Actuaries Limited, JLT EB Holdings Limited, JLT EB Services Limited, JLT Employee Benefits Holding Company (PTY) LTD, JLT Employee Benefits SA (Pty) Ltd, JLT Financial Planning Limited, JLT France Holdings, JLT Group Services Pty Limited, JLT Holdings (Barbados) Ltd, JLT Holdings (NZ) Limited, JLT Independent Insurance Brokers Private Limited, JLT Insurance Agencies Limited, JLT Insurance Brokers Co. Limited, JLT Insurance Brokers Co. Limited ( Shanghai Branch), JLT Insurance Brokers Co. Limited (Beijing Branch), JLT Insurance Brokers Co. Limited (Guangzhou Branch), JLT Insurance Brokers Ireland Limited, JLT Insurance Brokers SA, JLT Insurance Group Holdings Ltd, JLT Insurance Management Malta Limited, JLT Intellectual Property Limited, JLT Intellectual Property [UK Branch], JLT Interactive Pte. Ltd., JLT Investment Management Limited, JLT LATAM (Southern Cone) Wholesale Limited, JLT Latin American Holdings Limited, JLT Life Assurance Brokers Limited, JLT Management Services Limited, JLT Marine (Pty) Ltd, JLT Mexico Holdings Limited, JLT Mexico Intermediario de Reaseguro S.A. de C.V., JLT Netherlands BV, JLT Norway AS, JLT PLA, JLT Pension Trustees Limited, JLT Pensions Administration Holdings Limited, JLT Pensions Administration Limited, JLT Peru Reinsurance Solutions Limited, JLT Peru Retail Limited, JLT Peru Wholesale Limited, JLT QFM Services Limited, JLT RE Brasil Administracao e Corretagem de Resseguros Ltda, JLT Re (French Branch), JLT Re (Northern Europe) AB, JLT Re Argentina Corredores de Reaseguros S.A.U., JLT Re Labuan Limited, JLT Re Limited, JLT Re Pty Ltd, JLT Reinsurance Brokers GmbH, JLT Reinsurance Brokers Limited, JLT Reinsurance Brokers Limited [French Branch], JLT Risk Management Limited, JLT Risk Solutions AB, JLT Risk Solutions AB Branch - Germany, JLT SA IB Holdings Company (Pty) Limited, JLT SCK Affinity Administracao e Corretora de Seguros Ltda., JLT SCK Corretora e Administradora de Seguros, JLT Secretaries Limited, JLT Sigorta ve Reasurans Brokerlii A.., JLT Singapore Holdings Pte. Ltd., JLT Specialty France, JLT Specialty Insurance Broker A/S, JLT Specialty Limited, JLT Specialty Limited [DUBAI BRANCH], JLT Specialty Pte. Ltd., JLT Towner Insurance Management (Anguilla) Limited, JLT Trust Services (Barbados) Ltd, JLT Trustees (Southern) Limited, JLT Trustees Limited, JLT UK Investment Holdings Limited, JLT Vantage Risk and Benefit Consulting Private Limited, JLT Wealth Management Limited, JLT do Brasil Corretagem de Seguros Ltda, JLTPCS Holdings Pte. Ltd., JMIB Holdings BV, JSL Securities Inc., Japan Affinity Marketing Inc., Jardine IBR Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson (Proprietary) Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Asia Pte Ltd, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Australia Pty Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Canada Inc, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group Ltd, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc, Jardine Lloyd Thompson India Private Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson India Private Limited (UK Branch Office), Jardine Lloyd Thompson Insurance Consultants Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers Inc., Jardine Lloyd Thompson Ireland Holdings Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Ireland Unlimited Company, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Korea Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Limited [Macao Branch], Jardine Lloyd Thompson PCS (Dubai) Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson PCS Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson PCS Pte Ltd, Jardine Lloyd Thompson PCS SA, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Private Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Pty Limited, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Sdn Bhd, Jardine Lloyd Thompson Valencia y Iragorri Corredores de Seguros SA, Jardine Pension Trustees Ireland Limited, Jardine Risk Consulting Co. Limited, Jardine ShunTak Insurance Brokers Limited, Jardine ShunTak Insurance Brokers Limited [Macao Branch], Jardines PF- Consultoria Em Gestao De Risco Limitada, Jelf, Jelf Commercial Finance Limited, Jelf Financial Planning Limited, Jelf Insurance Brokers Limited, Jelf Limited, Jelf Risk Management Limited, Jelf Wellbeing Limited, John Lampier & Son Ltd, Johnson & Higgins (Bermuda) Limited, Johnson & Higgins Limited, KESSLER & CO AG, Kepler Associates Limited, Kessler & Co Inc., Kessler Consulting Inc., Kessler Prevoyance Inc., Key Underwriting Pty Limited, Kroll, Lambert Brothers Holdings Limited, Lambert Brothers Insurance Brokers (Employee Benefits) Limited, Lambert Brothers Insurance Brokers (Hong Kong) Ltd, Laterlife.com Limited (in liquidation), Lavaretus Underwriting AB, Lavaretus Underwriting AB (BRANCH - Denmark), Libra Insurance Services Limited (in liquidation), Lloyd & Partners Limited, Local Government Insurance Brokers Pty Limited, Lomond Macdonald Limited, Lynch Insurance Brokers Limited, M&M Vehicle L.P., M.P. Bolshaw and Company Limited, MAG JLT SpA, MERCER ALTERNATIVES LIMITED, MM Risk Services Pty Ltd (for dissolution), MMA Mid-Atlantic Employee LLC, MMA Securities LLC, MMB Consultores S.A., MMC (Singapore) Holdings Pte. Ltd., MMC 28 State Street Holdings Inc., MMC Borrower LLC, MMC Brazilian Holdings B.V., MMC Capital Inc., MMC Cascade Regional Holdings LLC, MMC FINANCE (EUROPE) LIMITED, MMC FINANCE HOLDINGS LTD, MMC Finance (Australia) Limited, MMC Finance (Singapore) Limited, MMC France Holdings (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., MMC GP III Inc., MMC Group Services sp. z o.o., MMC Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd, MMC Holdings (New Zealand) ULC, MMC Holdings (UK) Limited, MMC International Finance (Barbados) SRL, MMC International Holdings LLC, MMC International Limited, MMC International Treasury Centre Limited, MMC Middle East Holdings Limited, MMC Poland Holdings B.V., MMC Realty Inc., MMC Regional Asia Holdings B.V., MMC Regional Caribbean Holdings Ltd., MMC Regional Europe Holdings B.V., MMC Regional LATAM Holdings B.V., MMC Securities (Europe) Limited, MMC Securities LLC, MMC Treasury Holdings (UK) Limited, MMC UK Group Limited, MMC UK Pension Fund Trustee Limited, MMOW Limited, MMRC LLC, MOW Holding LLC, MPIP III GP LLC, MPIP IV GP LLC, MPIP V GP LLC, MPIP VI GP LLC, Mangrove Insurance Europe PCC Limited, Mangrove Insurance Solutions PCC, Mangrove Insurance Solutions PCC Limited, Manoel Management Services Ltd, Marchant McKechnie Insurance Brokers Limited, Marine Aviation & General (London) Limited, Marsh & McLennan (PNG) Limited, Marsh & McLennan Agencies AS, Marsh & McLennan Agencies Limited, Marsh & McLennan Agency A/S, Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC, Marsh & McLennan Agency Limited, Marsh & McLennan Agency Pty Ltd., Marsh & McLennan Argentina SA Corredores de Reaseguros, Marsh & McLennan Colombia S.A., Marsh & McLennan Companies Acquisition Funding Limited, Marsh & McLennan Companies Acquisition Limited, Marsh & McLennan Companies Asia Pacific Treasury Center Limited, Marsh & McLennan Companies BVBA/SPRL, Marsh & McLennan Companies Finance Center (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Marsh & McLennan Companies France S.A.S., Marsh & McLennan Companies Holdings (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc., Marsh & McLennan Companies Regional Holdings S.a.r.l., Marsh & McLennan Companies Services B.V., Marsh & McLennan Companies UK Limited, Marsh & McLennan Europe S.a.r.l., Marsh & McLennan GP I Inc., Marsh & McLennan Global Broking (Bermuda) Ltd., Marsh & McLennan Holding GmbH, Marsh & McLennan Holdings (Canada) ULC, Marsh & McLennan Holdings Inc., Marsh & McLennan Incorporated (for dissolution), Marsh & McLennan Innovation Centre Holdings II, Marsh & McLennan Innovation Centre Holdings S.a.r.l., Marsh & McLennan Innovation Centre Limited, Marsh & McLennan Insurance Services Limited, Marsh & McLennan Ireland Limited, Marsh & McLennan Management Services (Bermuda) Limited, Marsh & McLennan Risk Capital Holdings Ltd., Marsh & McLennan Servicios S.A. De C.V., Marsh & McLennan Shared Services Canada Limited, Marsh & McLennan Shared Services Corporation, Marsh (Bahrain) Company SPC, Marsh (Beijing) Risk Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Marsh (China) Insurance Brokers Co. Ltd., Marsh (Hong Kong) Limited, Marsh (Insurance Brokers) LLP, Marsh (Insurance Services) Limited, Marsh (Malawi) Limited, Marsh (Middle East) Limited, Marsh (Namibia) (Proprietary) Limited, Marsh (Pty) Ltd, Marsh (Risk Consulting) LLP, Marsh (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Marsh A/S, Marsh AB, Marsh AG, Marsh AS, Marsh Advantage Insurance Holdings Pty Ltd, Marsh Advantage Insurance Pty Ltd., Marsh Africa (Pty) Ltd, Marsh Argentina S.R.L., Marsh Associates (Pty) Ltd, Marsh Austria G.m.b.H., Marsh Aviation Insurance Broking Pty Ltd (for dissolution), Marsh B.V., Marsh Botswana (Proprietary) Limited, Marsh Brockman y Schuh Agente de Seguros y de Fianzas S.A. de C.V., Marsh Broker Japan Inc., Marsh Broker de Asigurare-Reasigurare S.R.L., Marsh Brokers (Hong Kong) Limited, Marsh Brokers Limited, Marsh Canada Limited/Marsh Canada Limitee, Marsh Company Management Services Cayman Ltd., Marsh Compensation Technologies Administration (Pty) Ltd, Marsh Corporate Services (Barbados) Limited, Marsh Corporate Services Isle of Man Ltd, Marsh Corporate Services Limited, Marsh Corporate Services Malta Limited, Marsh Corretora de Seguros Ltda., Marsh EOOD, Marsh Egypt LLC, Marsh Emirates Consultancy LLC, Marsh Emirates Insurance Brokerage LLC, Marsh Employee Benefits Limited, Marsh Employee Benefits Zimbabwe (Private) Ltd, Marsh Eurofinance B.V., Marsh Europe S.A., Marsh FJC International Insurance Brokers Limited, Marsh For Insurance Services S.A.E., Marsh Franco Acra S.A., Marsh GSC Servicos e Administracao de Seguros Ltda., Marsh GmbH, Marsh Holding AB, Marsh Holdings (Pty) Ltd, Marsh India Insurance Brokers Private Limited, Marsh Insurance & Investments LLC, Marsh Insurance Brokers, Marsh Insurance Brokers (Macao) Limited, Marsh Insurance Brokers (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Marsh Insurance Brokers (Private) Limited, Marsh Insurance Brokers AO, Marsh Insurance Brokers Limited, Marsh Insurance Consulting Saudi Arabia (in liquidation), Marsh Insurance and Reinsurance Brokers LLC, Marsh Intermediaries Inc., Marsh International Broking Holdings Limited, Marsh International Holdings II Inc., Marsh International Holdings Inc., Marsh Investment B.V., Marsh Ireland Brokers Limited, Marsh Ireland Brokers Limited (UK Branch), Marsh Ireland Holdings Limited, Marsh Israel (1999) Ltd., Marsh Israel (Holdings) Ltd., Marsh Israel Consultants Ltd., Marsh Israel Insurance Agency Ltd., Marsh Israel International Brokers Ltd. (in liquidation), Marsh JCS Inc., Marsh Japan Inc., Marsh Kft., Marsh Kindlustusmaakler AS, Marsh Korea Inc., Marsh LLC, Marsh LLC Insurance Brokers, Marsh LLC [Ukraine], Marsh Lda., Marsh Limited, Marsh Limited [Fiji], Marsh Limited [New Zealand], Marsh Limited [PNG], Marsh Ltd. [Wisconsin], Marsh Management Services (Bahamas) Ltd., Marsh Management Services (Barbados) Limited, Marsh Management Services (Bermuda) Ltd., Marsh Management Services (Dublin) Limited, Marsh Management Services (Labuan) Limited, Marsh Management Services (MENA) Limited, Marsh Management Services (USVI) Ltd., Marsh Management Services Cayman Ltd., Marsh Management Services Guernsey Limited, Marsh Management Services Inc., Marsh Management Services Isle of Man Limited, Marsh Management Services Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Marsh Management Services Malta Limited, Marsh Management Services Singapore Pte. Ltd., Marsh Management Services Sweden AB, Marsh Marine & Energy AB, Marsh Marine Nederland B.V., Marsh Medical Consulting GmbH, Marsh Mercer Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd, Marsh Nest Inc., Marsh Oman LLC, Marsh Oy, Marsh PB Co. Ltd., Marsh Philippines Inc., Marsh Privat A.I.E., Marsh Private Client Life Insurance Services, Marsh Pty. Ltd., Marsh Qatar LLC, Marsh RE S.A.C. Corredores de Reaseguros, Marsh Rehder Consultoria S.A. (MRC), Marsh Rehder S.A. Corredores de Seguros, Marsh Resolutions Pty Limited, Marsh Risk Consulting B.V., Marsh Risk Consulting Limitada, Marsh Risk Consulting Ltda., Marsh Risk Consulting S.L., Marsh Risk Consulting Services S.r.L., Marsh Risk and Consulting Services (Pty) Ltd, Marsh S.A. Corredores De Seguros, Marsh S.A. Mediadores de Seguros, Marsh S.A.S., Marsh S.p.A., Marsh SA [Argentina], Marsh SA [Belgium], Marsh SA [Luxembourg], Marsh SA [Uruguay], Marsh SIA, Marsh Saldana Inc., Marsh Saudi Arabia Insurance & Reinsurance Brokers, Marsh Secretarial Services Limited, Marsh Semusa S.A., Marsh Services Limited, Marsh Services Spolka z.o.o., Marsh Sigorta ve Reasurans Brokerligi Anonim Sirketi, Marsh Spolka z.o.o., Marsh Szolgaltato Kft., Marsh Takaful Brokers (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Marsh Treasury Services (Dublin) Limited (in liquidation), Marsh Treasury Services Limited, Marsh Tunisia S.a.r.l., Marsh UK Limited, Marsh USA (India) Inc., Marsh USA Borrower LLC, Marsh USA Inc., Marsh Uganda Limited, Marsh Venezuela C.A. Sociedad de Corretaje de Seguros, Marsh Vietnam Insurance Broking Company Ltd, Marsh Zambia Limited, Marsh Zimbabwe Holdings (Private) Limited, Marsh d.o.o. Beograd, Marsh d.o.o. za posredovanje u osiguranju, Marsh for Insurance Services - Jordan, Marsh i-Connect (Pty) Ltd, Marsh s.r.o., Matthiessen Assurans AB, Mercer (Argentina) S.A., Mercer (Australia) Pty Ltd, Mercer (Austria) GmbH, Mercer (Belgium) SA-NV, Mercer (Canada) Limited/Mercer (Canada) Limitee, Mercer (China) Limited, Mercer (Colombia) Ltda., Mercer (Danmark) A/S, Mercer (Finland) OY, Mercer (France) SAS, Mercer (Hong Kong) Limited, Mercer (Ireland) Limited, Mercer (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Mercer (N.Z.) Limited, Mercer (Nederland) B.V., Mercer (Norge) AS, Mercer (Polska) Sp.z o.o., Mercer (Portugal) Lda, Mercer (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Mercer (Sweden) AB, Mercer (Taiwan) Ltd., Mercer (Thailand) Ltd., Mercer (US) Inc., Mercer Administration Services (Australia) Pty Limited, Mercer Africa Limited, Mercer Agente de Seguros S.A. de C.V., Mercer Asesores de Seguros S.A., Mercer Asesores es Inversion Independientes S.A. de C.V., Mercer Broking Ltd., Mercer Career Unipessoal Lda, Mercer Consultation (Quebec) Ltee., Mercer Consulting (Australia) Pty Ltd, Mercer Consulting (Chile) Limitada, Mercer Consulting (France) SAS, Mercer Consulting (India) Private Limited, Mercer Consulting B.V., Mercer Consulting Group Inc., Mercer Consulting Holdings Sdn. Bhd., Mercer Consulting Limited, Mercer Consulting Middle East Limited, Mercer Consulting S.L.U., Mercer Consulting Venezuela C.A., Mercer Corredores de Seguros Limitada, Mercer Corretora de Seguros Ltda, Mercer Danismanlik Anonim Sirketi, Mercer Deutschland GmbH, Mercer Employee Benefits - Medicacao de Seguros Unipessoal Lda., Mercer Employee Benefits Limited, Mercer Financial Advice (Australia) Pty Ltd, Mercer Financial Services Limited, Mercer Financial Services Limited liability company, Mercer Financial Services Middle East Limited, Mercer Global Investments Europe Limited, Mercer Global Investments Management Limited, Mercer HR Consulting Borrower LLC, Mercer HR Services LLC, Mercer Health & Benefits (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Mercer Health & Benefits Administration LLC, Mercer Health & Benefits LLC, Mercer Holdings Inc., Mercer Holdings Inc. [Philippines], Mercer Human Resource Consulting Ltda, Mercer Human Resource Consulting S.A. de C.V., Mercer ICC Limited, Mercer Investment Consulting Limited, Mercer Investment Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Mercer Investment Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Mercer Investments (Australia) Limited, Mercer Investments (Hong Kong) Limited, Mercer Investments (Japan) Ltd, Mercer Investments (New Zealand) Limited, Mercer Investments LLC, Mercer Ireland Holdings Limited, Mercer Italia Srl Socio Unico, Mercer Japan Ltd., Mercer Korea Co. Ltd., Mercer LLC, Mercer Limited, Mercer MC Consulting Borrower LLC, Mercer Master Trustees Limited, Mercer Mauritius Ltd., Mercer Oliver Wyman Holding B.V., Mercer Outsourcing (Australia) Pty Ltd, Mercer Outsourcing S.L.U., Mercer Pensionsfonds AG, Mercer Pensionsraadgivning A/S, Mercer Philippines Inc., Mercer Private Investment Partners IV General Partner S.a.r.l., Mercer Private Markets AG, Mercer Private Markets Advisers (US) AG, Mercer Services Poland Sp. z.o.o., Mercer Sigorta Brokerligi Anonim Sirketi, Mercer South Africa (Pty) Limited, Mercer Superannuation (Australia) Limited, Mercer Switzerland Inc., Mercer System Services LLC, Mercer Technology Acquisitions Limited, Mercer Treuhand GmbH, Mercer Trust Company LLC, Mercer Trustees Limited, Mercer WorkforcePro LLC, Mercury Insurance Services Pty Ltd, Moola Systems Limited, Mountlodge Limited, Muir Beddal (Zimbabwe) Limited, NERA Australia Pty. Ltd., NERA Economic Consulting GmbH, NERA Economic Consulting Limited, NERA S.R.L., NERA SAS, NERA UK Limited, NERA do Brasil Ltda. (for dissolution), National Economic Research Associates Inc., NetComp Insurance Corp., Neuburger Noble Lowndes GmbH, Normandy Reinsurance Company Limited, Northern Alliance Brokers Limited (in liquidation), OWL Marine Insurance-Brokers GmbH & Co.KG, OWL Marine Verwaltungs GmbH, Oliver Wyman (Bermuda) Limited, Oliver Wyman (Hong Kong) Limited, Oliver Wyman AB, Oliver Wyman AG, Oliver Wyman Actuarial Consulting Inc., Oliver Wyman B.V., Oliver Wyman Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd, Oliver Wyman Consultoria em Estrategia de Negocios Ltda., Oliver Wyman Energy Consulting Limited, Oliver Wyman FZ-LLC, Oliver Wyman Group KK, Oliver Wyman Inc., Oliver Wyman LLC, Oliver Wyman Limited, Oliver Wyman Limited Liability Company, Oliver Wyman Limited/Oliver Wyman limitee, Oliver Wyman Ltd., Oliver Wyman Pte. Ltd., Oliver Wyman Pty. Ltd., Oliver Wyman S. de R.L. de C.V., Oliver Wyman S.A.S., Oliver Wyman S.L., Oliver Wyman S.r.l., Oliver Wyman SNC, Oliver Wyman SPRL/BVBA, Oliver Wyman Sdn. Bhd., Oliver Wyman Services Limited, Oliver Wyman Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Oliver Wyman sp. z o.o., Omega Indemnity (Bermuda) Limited, Organizacion Brockman y Schuh S.A. de C.V., Osbornes Insurances Oxford Limited (in liquidation), PFT Limited, PI Indemnity Company Designated Activity Company, PT JLT Reinsurance Brokers, PT Jardine Lloyd Thompson, PT Marsh Indonesia, PT Marsh Reinsurance Brokers Indonesia, PT Mercer Indonesia, PT Nexus Asia Pacific, PT Oliver Wyman Indonesia, PT Quantum Computing Services, PT Quantum Investments, PT Quantum Support Services, Pallas Marsh Servicos Ltda., Pavilion Alternatives Group (Singapore) PTE. Ltd, Pavilion Financial Corporation Holdings UK Limited, Pavilion U.S. Investments Holdco LLC, Pension Trustees Limited, Pensionsservice Benefit Network Sverige AB, Perils AG, Personal Pension Trustees Limited, Pet Animal Welfare Scheme Limited, Portsoken Trustees (No. 2) Limited, Portsoken Trustees Limited, Potomac Insurance Managers Inc., Premier Pension Trustees Limited, Premium Services Australia Pty Limited, Professional Claims Handling Limited (in liquidation), Profund Solutions Limited, Promerit AG, Promerit Hungary Kft, Promerit Schweiz AG, Pymetrics Inc., R G Ford Brokers Limited, R R B Beratungsgesellschaft fuer Altersversorgung mbh, R. Mees & Zoonen Holdings B.V., Renewable Energy Loss Adjusters LLC, Renewable Energy Loss Adjusters Limited, Resource Benefit Associates, Rightpath Reinsurance SPC Ltd., Risk Management Australia Pty Limited, Rivers Group Limited, Rockefeller Risk Advisors Inc., Rutherfoord International Inc., SAFCAR-Marsh, SBJ Holdings Limited, SCIB (Bermuda) Limited, SCM Global Real Estate Select GP LLC, SCM Infrastructure General Partner S.a r.l., SCM International Private Equity Select III GP LLC, SCM LT General Partner S.a.r.l., SCM PE General Partner S.a.r.l., SCM PE II GP Ltd., SCM PE II Scotland GP Ltd, SCM Strategic Capital Management (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., SICAR Marsh S.a.r.l., SME Insurance Services Limited, Sail Insurance Company Limited, Scalene Re Ltd, Seabury & Smith Borrower LLC, Seabury & Smith LLC, Secure Limited, Sedgwick (Holdings) Pty. Limited, Sedgwick Consulting Group Limited, Sedgwick Dineen Group Limited, Sedgwick Financial Services Limited, Sedgwick Forbes Middle East Limited, Sedgwick Group, Sedgwick Group (Australia) Pty. Limited, Sedgwick Group (Bermuda) Limited, Sedgwick Group (Zimbabwe) Limited, Sedgwick Group Limited, Sedgwick Internationaal B.V., Sedgwick Limited, Sedgwick Management Services (Barbados) Limited, Sedgwick Management Services (Singapore) Pte Limited, Sedgwick Noble Lowndes (UK) Limited, Sedgwick Noble Lowndes Group Limited, Sedgwick Noble Lowndes Limited, Sedgwick Overseas Investments Limited, Sedgwick Private Limited, Sedgwick Re Asia Pacific (Consultants) Pte Ltd (for dissolution), Sedgwick Trustees Limited, Sedgwick UK Risk Services Limited, Sedgwick Ulster Pension Trustees Limited, Settlement Trustees Limited, Shanghai Mercer Insurance Brokers Company Ltd., Shorewest Insurance Associates LLC, Sirota Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Sirota Consulting UK Limited, Smith Long Term Disability Management Group Inc., Societe d'Assurances et de Participation Guian SA, Software Underwriting Systems Limited (in liquidation), Southern Marine & Aviation Inc., Southern Marine & Aviation Underwriters Inc., Sudzucker Versicherungs-Vermittlungs GmbH, Sumitomo Life Insurance Agency America Inc., Sylvite Financial Services, TBX Solutions Limited, Talent Tech Labs LLC, The Benefit Express Holdings Limited, The Benefit Express Limited, The Carpenter Management Corporation, The Insurance Partnership Holdings Limited, The Insurance Partnership Services Limited, The Positive Ageing Company Limited, The Purple Partnership Limited, The Recovre Group Pty Ltd, Thomsons Online Benefits (HK) Ltd., Thomsons Online Benefits Inc., Thomsons Online Benefits Limited, Thomsons Online Benefits Pte Ltd., Thomsons Online Benefits S.R.L, Torrent Government Contracting Services LLC, Torrent Insurance Services LLC, Torrent Technologies, Torrent Technologies Inc., Tower Hill Limited, Tower Place Developments (West) Limited, Tower Place Developments Limited, U.T.E. AMG, U.T.E. Marsh - Caja Castilla La Mancha Junta de Comunidades, U.T.E. Marsh - Salvado Reus (in liquidation), U.T.E. Marsh - Salvado Reus 2012, U.T.E. Marsh - Salvado Vila-Seca 2010, UAD BB Marsh Lietuva, Vezina & Associes Inc., Vezina Assurances Inc., Victor Insurance Europe B.V., Victor Insurance Holdings Inc., Victor Insurance Italia S.r.l., Victor Insurance Managers Inc., Victor Insurance Managers Inc./Gestionnaires d'assurance Victor inc., Victor O. Schinnerer & Co. (Bermuda) Ltd., Victor O. Schinnerer & Company Limited, Victoria Hall Company Limited, Wellnz Limited, William M. Mercer (Canada) Limited/William M. Mercer (Canada) Limitee, William M. Mercer AB, William M. Mercer Comercio Consultoria e Servicos Ltda., Wortham Insurance & Risk Management, everBe SAS, and realright GmbH. The following companies are subsidiares of Danaher: AB SCIEX, AB Sciex Germany GmbH, AB Sciex LLC, AB Sciex LP, AB Sciex Pte Ltd., Accu-Sort Systems, Acme Cleveland Corporation, Advanced Vision Technology, American Precision Industries, Applied Biosystems, Applitek NV, Aquatic Infomatics ULC, Aquatic Informatics, Armstrong Tools, BC Distribution BV, Beckman Coulter, Beckman Coulter Australia Pty Ltd, Beckman Coulter Biotechnology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Beckman Coulter Biyomedikal Urunler Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited [irketi], Beckman Coulter Canada LP, Beckman Coulter Commercial Enterprise (China) Co. Ltd., Beckman Coulter France S.A.S., Beckman Coulter G.m.b.H., Beckman Coulter Genomics Inc., Beckman Coulter Hong Kong Limited, Beckman Coulter Inc., Beckman Coulter India Private Limited, Beckman Coulter International SA, Beckman Coulter International Shanghai Trading Co., Beckman Coulter Ireland Inc., Beckman Coulter K.K., Beckman Coulter Korea Ltd., Beckman Coulter Laboratory Systems (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Beckman Coulter Limited Liability Company, Beckman Coulter Mishima KK, Beckman Coulter Nederland B.V., Beckman Coulter Nippon GK, Beckman Coulter S.L.U., Beckman Coulter Saudi Arabia Co.Ltd., Beckman Coulter Srl, Beckman Coulter Taiwan Inc., Beckman Coulter United Kingdom Limited, Beckman Coulter de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Beckman Coulter do Brasil Ltda., Beckman Finance ApS, Beckman Holdings Ltd., BioTector Analytical Systems Ltd, Biosafe S.A., Blue Software LLC, Cepheid, Cepheid AB, Cepheid Europe SAS, Cepheid GmbH, Cepheid HBDC SAS, Cepheid UK Ltd., ChemTreat, ChemTreat Inc., ChemTreat International Inc., Cispus Hong Kong Holding Limited, Cytiva, Cytiva BioProcess R&D AB, Cytiva Biotechnology (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Cytiva Biotechnology (Hang Zhou) Co. Ltd., Cytiva Europe GmbH, Cytiva Sweden AB, Cytiva Sweden Holding AB, DH Europe Finance II Sarl, DH Europe Finance Sarl, DH Holding Italia SRL, DH Japan Finance Sarl, DH Life Sciences LLC, DH Netherlands BV, DH Technologies Development Pte Ltd., DHKAB Company AB, DTIL Ireland Holdings Ltd., Danaher (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Danaher Hong Kong Limited, Danaher Medical ApS, Delta Consolidated Industries, Devicore Medical Products Inc., Easco Hand Tools, Esko, Esko BV, Esko Finance BV, Esko Graphics BV, Esko Software BV, FHAB Company AB, Fluke, G. Lufft Mess- und Regeltechnik GmbH, GE Biopharma, Gelman Sciences Inc., Gendex, Genetix Group, Gilbarco Veeder Root, Gilzoni Ltd., Global Life Sciences Solutions Austria GmbH & Co. KG, Global Life Sciences Solutions Germany GmbH, Global Life Sciences Solutions Korea Ltd., Global Life Sciences Solutions Manufacturing UK Ltd, Global Life Sciences Solutions New Zealand, Global Life Sciences Solutions Operations UK Ltd, Global Life Sciences Solutions Singapore Pte Ltd, Global Life Sciences Solutions USA LLC, Global Life Sciences Technologies (Shanghai) Co Ltd., Global Life Sciences Technologies Japan KK, Hach Company, Hach Lange Finance GmbH, Hach Lange GmbH, Hach Lange Sarl, Hach Sales & Services Canada LP, Hach Ultra Japan KK, Hach Water Quality Analytical Instru. (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., HemoCue AB, HyClone Laboratories LLC, Hybritech Incorporated, Hyclone Life Sciences Solutions India Private Limited, IDBS Group, IRIS International, Imaging Sciences International, Immunotech SAS, Immunotech Sro, Intabio LLC, Integrated DNA Technologies, Integrated DNA Technologies BVBA, Integrated DNA Technologies Inc., Integrated DNA Technologies Pte. Ltd., Iris International Inc., Joslyn Holding Company LLC, KVHG GmbH, KaVo, KaVo Kerr, Kaltenbach & Voigt, Keithley Instruments, Kipp & Zonen BV, Kollmorgen, Labcyte Inc., Laetus, Leica Biosystems Imaging Inc., Leica Biosystems Melbourne Pty Ltd, Leica Biosystems Newcastle Limited, Leica Biosystems Nussloch GmbH, Leica Biosystems Richmond Inc., Leica Instruments (Singapore) Pte Limited, Leica Microsystems, Leica Microsystems (UK) Limited, Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH, Leica Microsystems Cambridge Limited, Leica Microsystems IR GmbH, Leica Microsystems Inc., Leica Microsystems Limited, Leica Microsystems Ltd. Shanghai, Leica Mikrosysteme Vertrieb GmbH, Life Sciences Holdings France SAS*, Lifschultz Industries, Linx Printing Technologies, Linx Printing Technologies Limited, MDS Analytical Technologies, Marconi Data Systems, McCrometer Inc., Microtest, Molecular Devices, Molecular Devices (Austria) GmbH, Molecular Devices LLC, Navman Wireless, Navman Wireless OEM Solutions, Nihon Pall Ltd., Nihon Pall Manufacturing Limited, Nobel Biocare, OTT Hydromet Corp, Pall, Pall (Canada) ULC, Pall (China) Co. Ltd., Pall (Schweiz) GmbH, Pall Aeropower Corporation, Pall Artelis BVBA, Pall Asia Holdings Inc., Pall Australia Pty. Ltd., Pall Austria Filter Ges.m.b.h, Pall Corporation, Pall Europe Limited, Pall Filtersystems GmbH, Pall Filtration Pte. Ltd., Pall Filtration and Separations Group Inc., Pall France SAS, Pall GmbH, Pall India Pvt. Ltd., Pall International Sarl, Pall Italia Srl, Pall Korea Ltd., Pall Life Sciences Belgium BV, Pall Life Sciences Puerto Rico LLC, Pall Manufacturing UK Limited, Pall Medistad BV, Pall Netherlands BV Irish Branch, Pall Technology UK Limited, PaloDEX, Pantone LLC, Pelton & Crane, Phenomenex, Phenomenex Inc., QHC Ireland Finance Limited, Radiometer, Radiometer Basel AG, Radiometer K.K., Radiometer Medical ApS, Radiometer Medical Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Radiometer Turku Oy, Raytek, Reytek Corporation, SH Switzerland Finance Sarl, Sea-Bird Electronics Inc., SenDx Medical Inc., Shanghai AB Sciex Analytical Instrument Trading Co. Ltd., Sutron, Sybron Dental Specialties, TCIL Ireland Finance Ltd., Tektronix, Thomson Industries, Tianjin Bonna-Agela Technologies Co. Ltd., Trojan Technologies, Trojan Technologies Group ULC, VSS Monitoring, Videojet Do Brasil Comercio de Equipamentos Para Codificacao Industrial Ltda., Videojet Technologies (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Videojet Technologies Europe B.V., Videojet Technologies Inc., Viridor Waste Management Limited, Vision Systems Limited, Willett International, X-Ray Optical Systems Inc., X-Rite, X-Rite Europe GmbH, X-Rite Incorporated, X-Rite Switzerland GmbH, XOS, Yukon Hong Kong Holding Limited, and Zhuhai S.E.Z. Videojet Electronics Ltd.. Adtalem Global Education Inc. provides educational services worldwide. It operates through two segments, Medical and Healthcare and Financial Services. The Medical and Healthcare segment operates Chamberlain University, which provides a pre-licensure bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program, registered nurse (RN)-to-BSN degree completion option, and graduate programs. The Chamberlain University offers educational services through its 22 campuses and online. This segment also operates medical and veterinary schools, such as American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Ross University School of Medicine, and Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. The Financial Services segment provides test preparation, certifications, conferences, seminars, memberships, and subscriptions to business professionals in the areas of accounting, anti-money laundering, banking, and mortgage lending. It operates an Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists that provides membership services, certified anti-money laundering specialist certification, conferences, risk assessment, training, and publications; and Becker Professional Education that prepares candidates for the Certified Public Accountant and Certified Management Accountant certification examinations, as well as professional education programs and seminars in accounting and finance. This segment also offers compliance training, mortgage licensure preparation, continuing education, and professional development in the banking and mortgage industries; and online and classroom programs in the areas of finance, accounting, and analytics. The company was formerly known as DeVry Education Group Inc. and changed its name to Adtalem Global Education Inc. in May 2017. Adtalem Global Education Inc. was incorporated in 1987 and is based in Chicago, Illinois. Read More We started putting it all together in fall of 2016," Loest said. "We broke ground in late fall of 2017 and continued the building process in spring and summer. We met every other week with the multiple trades and contractors, bringing all of the questions to the table and trying to put the best plan forward. There were a few hiccups along the way, but we dealt with them early on and there was nothing that we couldnt accommodate as part of our process. It all came together in the end, and people can see the great results when they attend our grand opening. A short 2005 Canadian Family Physician paper by William B. Strean, Ph.D., called Laughter Prescription tries to describe what needs to be done to study laughters medical effects. Laughter has been called the best medicine for centuries. The thought may stem from the Bible, Proverbs 17:22: A merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Strean quotes Charlie Chaplin: Laughter is the tonic, the relief, the surcease from pain. A recent piece in Psychiatric Times by Dr. Kavita Khajuria cited beneficial effects from laughing in breaking the cycle between pain, sleep loss, depression and immune system depression. It can lower blood pressure, stress hormones like epinephrine/adrenalin, and cortisone and sugar levels. It can produce a discharge of endorphins, the good stuff that produces some euphoric and calming effects. The study of humor is much broader. So far, medical researchers havent differentiated between or established the medical connection of humor and laughter. The reason to say that is because there are laughter therapists, no joke. They teach people laughter techniques. I recently spoke with a former hospital chaplain, who took a course in it, and used it especially with older dementia residents. He said one vehicle was the song If Youre Happy and You Know It. Dont clap your hands, but say hee-hee or ha-ha or ho-ho. He felt it enlivened those folks for a bit and allowed more lucid communication for a while. He was reporting from the trenches. LYON, France - A Catholic cardinal and five other people went on trial Monday accused of covering up for a pedophile priest who abused Boy Scouts France's most important church sex abuse case to date. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 6/1/2019 (890 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE - In this April 3, 2016 file photo, French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, Archbishop of Lyon, leads a mass for migrants in the Saint-Jean Cathedral, in Lyon, central France. The Roman Catholic Church faces another public reckoning when a French cardinal goes on trial Monday, Jan. 7, 2019 for his alleged failure to report a pedophile priest who confessed to preying on Boy Scouts and whose victims want to hold one of FranceAos highest church figures accountable. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani, File) LYON, France - A Catholic cardinal and five other people went on trial Monday accused of covering up for a pedophile priest who abused Boy Scouts France's most important church sex abuse case to date. The case poses a new challenge to the Vatican, amid growing demands in overwhelmingly Catholic France for a reckoning with decades of sexual abuse by the clergy. Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, 68, appeared in a Lyon court Monday along with other senior church officials accused of failing to protect children from alleged abuse by the Rev. Bernard Preynat. The top Vatican official in charge of sex abuse cases, Cardinal Luis Ladaria, is among the accused but won't appear in court because the Vatican invoked his diplomatic immunity. Nine people who said the priest abused them in the 1970s and 1980s brought the case to court, and hope it marks a turning point in efforts to hold the French church hierarchy accountable for hushing up abuse. The victims say top clergy were aware of Preynat's actions for years, but allowed him to be in contact with children until his 2015 retirement. Despite nationwide attention on the case, it may fall apart for legal reasons. Prosecutors initially threw out it out for insufficient evidence. Barbarin's lawyer says his client never obstructed justice because the statute of limitations had passed on the acts in question by the time Barbarin was informed. Cardinal Philippe Barbarin waits for the start of his trial at the Lyon courthouse, central France, Monday Jan. 7, 2019. Cardinal Barbarin and five others are going on trial in France accused of covering up for a pedophile priest who abused Boy Scouts. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani) "Accusing an innocent man doesn't advance a cause," lawyer Jean-Felix Luciani said. After the judge had read out the lengthy accusations, Barbarin took the stand to maintain his innocence. He said he had encouraged one of the alleged victims to get in contact with other victims and "thanks to that" evidence against Preynat was able to be built. If found guilty of failing to report the priest's actions, the defendants could face up to three years in prison and a 45,000-euro ($51,300) fine. Barbarin and some other defendants are also charged with failing to assist a person in peril. The case is a new test for Pope Francis, whose blind spot on clergy sex abuse has threatened his legacy and thrown the Catholic hierarchy into a credibility crisis. Francis has praised Barbarin as "brave" and said French justice should take its course. The priest Preynat, now in his 70s, wrote letters to some families confessing the abuse, and is to be tried separately on sexual violence charges involving several children. One of his alleged victims, Alexandre Hezez, hailed the trial as an effort to "move justice forward." Hezez, 44, spoke to the cardinal directly about Preynat and is among those who brought the case to trial. Barbarin sought counsel on how to handle abuse accusations against Preynat from the Vatican official, Cardinal Ladaria, who recommended disciplinary measures while "avoiding a public scandal." "Alexandre (Hezez) knew that I supported his moves... I sent his testimony to Rome to find out what I should do with Father Preynat. Rome told me to remove him from his parish," Barbarin said Monday. "I have never tried to hide facts and even less to cover these facts," he added. Numerous child sex abuse claims have been made against Catholic clergy in France since the 1990s, but there hasn't been a huge wave like those seen in the U.S., Ireland or some other countries. Barbarin is the highest-level French church figure accused of covering up abuse, and his case has cast a shadow over the diocese and the French Catholic Church. As a result, the Bishops of France last year created an ambitious commission aimed at shedding light on sexual abuse of minors in the church since 1950. A report is due in 2020. But the issue is divisive. An outspoken French priest, the Rev. Pierre Vignon, started a petition urging Barbarin to resign that garnered more than 100,000 signatures last year and Vignon says the effort has damaged his church career. Barbarin is among the most powerful figures in the Catholic Church, one of some 200 cardinals worldwide and archbishop of Lyon since 2002. Multiple cardinals have been accused in recent years of shielding abusers or committing abuse themselves, from Pennsylvania to Australia to Chile. Angela Charlton in Paris contributed. The yellow vest movement staged a rally Saturday by forming a convoy of trucks along the Trans-Canada Highway. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 5/1/2019 (891 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The yellow vest movement staged a rally Saturday by forming a convoy of trucks along the Trans-Canada Highway. Dozens of trucks started at about 11:30 a.m. in Virden and ended in Brandon. RCMP were on the scene to address any traffic issues and warned motorists to expect traffic delays. Motorists honked their horns and a small group of supporters held up placards as dozens of trucks rolled through Brandon later. The yellow vest protesters expressed frustration over a number of issues, including carbon taxes, illegal immigration and Liberal government policies they say hurt the oil industry. An online poster promoting a truck rally called for a total reform of Canadas electoral system and equalization payments, while cutting "wasteful spending in Ottawa." In immigration, it calls for Canadas withdrawal from the United Nations Global Compact for Migration, a non-binding intergovernmentally negotiated agreement that covers all dimensions of international migration. Kelly Saunders, Brandon University political science professor, called the movement "a flashpoint, I think, for just a number of frustrations that different pockets of Canadians might be feeling." The convoy was often split as drivers waited at intersections before proceeding, but their enthusiasm didnt wane, and their horns blared as they rolled through Brandon and headed back to the Trans-Canada Highway. As he waited at the staging area for the convoy to begin, Damen MacGillivray, a Brandon wealth-management consultant, said he organized the protest convoy to draw attention to federal government policies that have had a negative effect on Canadians. "These policies just dont help the average person," he said, pointing to the carbon tax, designed to cut carbon emissions, as one example. "Is the solution more taxation? Personally, I dont think so." As the rumble of diesel engines grew louder, MacGillivray said many of the truckers in the convoy depend on the oil industry for their livelihoods and they blame the government for their woes. The protestors take their name from the yellow vest movement that originated in France last fall and spurred mass demonstrations against high gas prices, taxation and business-friendly reform. Brandon Sun HALIFAX - The U.S. Coast Guard says 11 "non-essential" crew have been moved off of a large Halifax-bound container ship that's been burning far off the Nova Scotia coast. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 5/1/2019 (891 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. HALIFAX - The U.S. Coast Guard says 11 "non-essential" crew have been moved off of a large Halifax-bound container ship that's been burning far off the Nova Scotia coast. Chief Petty Officer 3rd Class Joshua Canup says the 11 have been moved to the Smit Nicobar, an offshore support tug from Belgium that arrived on the scene Friday night. He says the remaining 12 crew remain on board the Yantian Express and no injuries have been reported. The 320-metre container ship was travelling from Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Halifax on Thursday when a fire started inside a container on the ship's forward deck. The blaze then spread to several other containers, and coast guard officials in Boston received a call for help early Friday. Canup said earlier Saturday that poor weather continued to prevent crews from extinguishing the fire burning aboard the ship, which is located about 1,775 kilometres southeast of Halifax. "As it stands right now, they're just waiting for the heavy weather to subside," Canup said. Canup said a cargo ship from the Netherlands, the MV Happy Ranger, was on scene Friday to offer assistance, but left after the Smit Nicobar arrived. There were no reported injuries to the eight officers and 15 seafarers aboard the ship, which was built in 2002 and is capable of carrying 7,510 standard 20-foot containers. A spokesman for international shipping company Hapag-Lloyd, which owns the Yantian Express, said it's still too early to assess damage to the ship or cargo, and there is no estimate for when the ship will arrive in Halifax. "The weather and sea conditions are still difficult and further extinguishing work requires an improvement of these conditions," Tim Seifert said in an email. Seifert said the Smit Nicobar is equipped with fire monitors to assist with the fire extinguishing as soon as weather permits. This blog may be a labor of love for me, but it takes a lot of effort, time and money. For over 14 years and 30,000 articles I have been providing accurate, original news that would have remained unnoticed. I've written hundreds of scoops and sometimes my reporting ends up making a real difference. I appreciate any donations you can give to keep this blog going. The staff from the Perinatology Division at Greenwich Hospital is joining the Alzheimers Association in its campaign to end the disabling disease. They all donned purple T-shirts the official color of the national Alzheimers Association and emblazoned with the hashtag #ENDALZ. The staff members posted their photo (shown above) at the Greenwich Hospitals Facebook page, according to Dr. Caroline Stella, medical director of the Division of Perinatology. The group of medical professionals is supporting a friend, raising awareness as they honor Diana Fisbeck Madden, mother of Dr. Diana Adams, to raise awareness of Alzheimers disease. The Alzheimers Association encourages supporters to share their stories by joining its gallery by posting a photo on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtags #ENDALZ or #EndAlzheimers. Alzheimers, a chronic and ultimately fatal neurodegenerative disease, is the cause of 60 percent to 70 percent of dementia cases. To learn more about the fight to end the disease, visit www.alz.org/abam/overview.asp. The Perinatology Division provides specialized care for mothers and unborn babies considered at higher risk for complications. For more information on Greenwich Hospital, visit www.greenwichhospital.org. Keara Berisso of Riverside was among the students honored by the English Department at Eastern Connecticut State University at its semesterly celebration of student excellence last month. English Night featured an awards ceremony, induction into the Sigma Tau Delta international honor society and student presentations. Berisso, a member of the Class of 2019, was awarded the Alexander Sandy Taylor Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship was launched by family, friends and colleagues of Sandy Taylor, who was a scholar, Eastern professor and publisher. The award is for an English major, particularly someone who demonstrates a commitment to peace and human rights and who shows an interest in poetry. We have hosted English Night at the end of each semester for decades, said Barbara Little-Liu, professor and chair of the English Department. The various awards, scholarships and other forms of recognition give us a chance to celebrate all of our outstanding students, from freshmen to seniors. Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticuts public liberal arts university, serving more than 5,300 students annually at its Willimantic campus and satellite locations. Two local students at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., have been inducted into Pi Mu Epsilon, the national mathematics honorary society. The honored students are: Sarah E. Auch of Old Greenwich, a member of the Class of 2019 who is majoring in mathematics; and Laura E. Edson of Old Greenwich, a member of the Class of 2020 who is majoring in statistics and economics. Membership eligibility for Pi Mu Epsilon varies, but all students must have taken a qualifying number of mathematics courses and have achieved minimum grade-point averages in those courses, as well as overall. Founded in 1856, St. Lawrence University is a private, independent liberal arts institution of about 2,500 students. Kaley Goane, a exercise and sport science major from Greenwich, graduated from Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S.C. Goane earned a bachelors degree of science. Coastal Carolina held two commencement ceremonies on Dec. 14, with Barbara Blain-Bellamy, mayor of Conway, as the speaker. Articles Sorry, there are no recent results for popular articles. Images Sorry, there are no recent results for popular images. Jerusalem: Donald Trump's national security adviser has cast fresh doubt on the US President's announced withdrawal of American troops from Syria. US national security advisor John Bolton. Credit:AP The President's national security adviser John Bolton said on Sunday any withdrawal would be conditional on defeating the remnants of the Islamic State (IS) group and on Turkey assuring the safety of US-allied Kurdish fighters. Trump last month claimed that IS had already been defeated in Syria, a statement now at odds with is top security adviser. Bolton said there was no timetable for the pullout, but insisted the military presence was not unlimited. Through this, Yousafzai rose in prominence; she gave media interviews and was nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize. But in October 2012, while on a bus after taking an exam, 15-year-old Yousafzai and two other girls were shot by a Taliban gunman in an assassination attempt in retaliation for her activism. Malala Yousafzai's latest book, We Are Displaced, published in Australia by Hachette. Yousafzai is often quoted as saying she tells her story not because it is unique, but because its the story of many girls. In We Are Displaced she makes good on this sentiment. The first part of the book tells the story of Yousafzais family being uprooted and displaced from their Swat Valley home in paradise. The second part is devoted to powerful first-person stories from young refugee and internally-displaced girls from war-torn regions around the world. The reader is introduced to Marie Claire from the Congo, Najla from Iraq, Sabreen from Yemen and others, who tell stories of civil war, persecution and the death of family members through the eyes of girls. Yousafzai hopes it will encourage people to become more curious about refugees, their humanity and experiences. People and the media talk about millions of immigrants coming to 'our' countries, millions of refugees, she says. Its portrayed very negatively. But when I go and I sit with the refugee girls, these girls want to be journalists and teachers and astronauts and they have dreams and they have hopes. I thought it was crucial we told the stories of these incredible refugee girls. Every year, on her birthday on July 12, Yousafzai travels to a different country where girls and their issues need attention. So far these include Nigeria, Lebanon, Jordan, Kenya, Rwanda, Brazil and Iraq. Rohingya refugees during a protest against repatriation process at Unchiprang refugee camp near Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh in November. Credit:AP Their lives are miserable in these places [refugee camps], but theyre still hopeful, and still positive about their future, that one day things will get better for them. If this does not bring empathy, maybe our hearts are made of stone, she says. Perhaps one day her birthday mission will take her to one of Australias offshore processing centres. Yousafzai says she is shocked at the treatment of asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island, calling it unjust and cruel. She notes many asylum seekers make a significant economic contribution - pointing out Albert Einstein as an example. Written in simple, accessible language, her new book is likely to appeal to teens interested in understanding the human dimension to global geopolitical upheaval. But world-weary adults will also find succour in the sense of optimism within. Yousafzai says shes confident young people are passionate enough to want a sustainable future for the world. Its the adults she worries about: We need more from adults, especially from politicians, from governments, to be more welcoming and more open-hearted towards refugees. Sri Lankan refugee Sajeenthana, eight, who was detained on Nauru for five years before being medically evacuated to Brisbane. Credit:Lachlan Hinton A marked sense of longing for home permeates the stories in We Are Displaced, often for a place (or people) the girls can never return to, or that no longer exists. Maria, who was internally displaced because of the 50-year civil conflict in Colombia, speaks of her childhood on the family farm, a time before her father had been violently killed and her family had fled. Loading I have never felt at home in any other place than the one I keep alive in my head, from when I was a child, before my whole life changed, she writes. Yousafzai herself knows that even if displaced people do reach safe haven, and settle as well as they can, they often feel a part of their heart is missing. Her family were able to return to the Swat Valley last March and see family and friends for the first time in more than five years. The family home remained intact - her school books, drawings and trophies were dusty but untouched. Now in her second year of a philosophy, politics and economics degree at Oxford University, Yousafzai feels privileged to be studying at the 1000-year-old institution and proud to set an example by gaining an education. Her university commitments are balanced with her work for the Malala Fund, an international not-for-profit organisation focused on helping girls go to school. Employing a staff of 24, it brings in grants of about $4 million a year and uses the donations to support girls in places like Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Turkey and Brazil. These countries were chosen because of the glaring gender disparity when it comes to education access. There are particular groups, like Afro-Brazilian and indigenous populations, who face specific discrimination. A mother who left a child on the roof of her car for more than 10 minutes while she drove through Perth's south eastern suburbs allegedly had another young boy unrestrained inside the vehicle when she was spoken to by police. At 5.45pm on January 4, witnesses contacted police about a Holden Captiva on Tonkin Highway. The toddler on top of the car. Credit:9 News Perth Motorists said they saw the child, dressed only in a nappy, sitting upright on top of the car in a roof basket. The woman drove between Camillo and Harrisdale before motorists were able to get her attention and she stopped. Emergency anaesthetist Richard "Harry" Harris has retrieved children and adults from the worst of places including car wrecks, waterways and a Thai cave where he spent four days last year preparing a dozen young soccer players for their rescue. Now Dr Harris, a father of three adult children, wants to encourage young people to experience some of the "fabulous adventures" he has enjoyed. Dr Richard Harris (known as Dr Harry) with wife Fiona, daughter Millie and son Charlie, with the family's dogs Rubie and Alfie. Harry was the anesthesiologist who helped rescue 12 boys trapped in a cave in Thailand and has been nominated for 2019 Australian of the Year. Credit:Ben Searcy For a long time, he has been concerned about "helicopter parenting" and a culture where every child wins. "I understand the logic behind it, but I fear kids are losing some inner robustness that comes from being a loser." The downside of keeping kids "so incredibly safe" was they were not being presented with the "daily bumps, scrapes, challenges and adversity that they need to get through life later on". Trusted local news has never been more important, but providing the information you need, information that can change sometimes minute-by-minute, requires a partnership with you, our readers. Please consider making a contribution today to support this vital resource that you and countless others depend on. There are moments in every nations history when individuals and political leaders step forward and do the right thing. This is one of those moments for the DRC, said Robert Palladino. Those who undermine the democratic process, threaten the peace, security or stability of the DRC, or benefit from corruption may find themselves not welcome in the United States and cut off from the U.S. financial system. Iran hates ISIS more than we do if thats possible, he said, using an acronym for the militants. Russia hates ISIS more than we do. Turkey hates ISIS, maybe not as much as we do, but these are countries that hate ISIS, and they can do a little bit of the fighting in their neighborhood also because were fighting them in their neighborhood. In July 2014, 16-year-old Mohammed Abu Khdeir, a Palestinian resident of East Jerusalem, was kidnapped from outside his home, tortured and killed by three Israelis. The three, two of whom were minors, were later found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. In 2015, three members of the Dawabshe family, including a baby, were killed when Jewish terrorists firebombed their home in the Palestinian village of Duma. Three Israeli youths residing in settlements were charged in that attack. Dutch authorities estimate that 35,000 small and medium-size Dutch businesses do business with Britain but have no experience with customs, since they keep their commerce inside the E.U. They would either have to navigate the complicated new terrain or cut off ties to Britain. The government is trying to get them ready. It is as if Illinois businesses suddenly need to contend with an international frontier to trade with Indiana and have less than three months to figure out how to do so. The administration has also signaled that it would be willing to restore some version of an Obama-era program that allowed children in Central America to apply for U.S. asylum in their home countries, according to an official with knowledge of the proposal. The Central American Minors program, or CAM, was established during a 2014 border crisis, when unaccompanied minors were arriving in unprecedented numbers, often assisted by smugglers. The family is still really grateful that it seems law enforcement has identified the shooter, Merritt told The Washington Post on Sunday morning. However, all the information up until yesterday has been that the shooter was an older white male in a red truck, that came from not only one of the victims, 15-year-old Alexis, but from an eyewitness nearby. Theyre paying attention because they dont think this guy can be reelected, said Rep. John Delaney (D-Md.), who has already visited all 99 counties in his presidential bid. And the takeaway I hear from a lot of Democrats is that 2016 wasnt a good primary. It was about people going into their camps early. This year, its the opposite; Democrats are focused on how we beat this guy in 2020, and they come into the primary process with an open mind. The shooting took place at the Gable House Bowl, a bowling and gaming venue that stays open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, according to its website. Police have not specified what led to the shooting, which was reported just before midnight Friday, but witnesses told the Associated Press that it was preceded by a fight between two large groups. Ukraine's Orthodox Church splits from Russia: The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople presented a decree of independence to the head of the nascent Orthodox Church of Ukraine, formally severing it from the Russian Orthodox Church. Until the decree, the Orthodox church in Ukraine that was a branch of the Russian church was considered legitimate. Two others in Ukraine were regarded as schismatic. The new church unites the two formerly schismatic bodies. The push for a full-fledged Ukrainian church was bolstered by fighting in eastern Ukraine between government forces and Russian-backed rebels. Ive carried epinephrine since I was 7 years old. My friends are trained to inject it in my leg, the standard procedure for an emergency allergen exposure, although I luckily havent had to take a shot of it since I was 4. (Another child in my Montessori class had a peanut butter sandwich for lunch.) My mom also recalls another incident when she had to pick me up early from day care because the class was making peanut butter bird feeders. And I spent too many years of pre-adolescence eating lunch at the designated peanut-free table. Now, I can only dream of flying to visit my parents for Christmas without worrying about whether my seatmates snacks might induce anaphylaxis. And yes, kissing someone who has just eaten peanut butter would put my life in danger. I remember somebody said to me, What part of the fact dont you understand that we only make money on the cars we sell? Connelly said. I respectfully say most of the people who work for Ford do so because they love cars. And trying to say they wouldnt be universally loved in the future was saying their baby was ugly. It wasnt well received. One day about four years ago, when he was lying in that spot, a slug fell into his left eye and leaked liquid into it. At first, his eye just felt irritated. Then he began losing vision in it. Then the other eye began to go. Eventually he could see only a gray fog, his eyes shrouded in cataracts likely caused by years of welding and other traumas (and not the slug). Vasquez wasnt the only one to complain about the programs pace. Its requirements were a shock to most of the 18-year-olds in the program. Many received their high school diploma less than a week before the session started. Before students really knew what they agreed to, they surrendered their cellphones and were followed when they went to the bathroom during class. On just the third day, Marko Hernandez, from nearby Linden, N.J., said, It feels like its been a month. I graduated [high school] five days ago, and I feel like a different person. D.C. Council member Brianne K. Nadeau (D-Ward 1), who heads the Human Services Committee, acknowledged some of the barriers government can create and said the city has taken steps to address them. For instance, recent legislation would allow residents to recertify for the D.C. Healthcare Alliance, which provides medical assistance to low-income residents, over the phone instead of having to visit an office. Without funding, though, the mandate has yet to go into effect, she said. The charge of misconduct in office is a misdemeanor, Davitt said. There is no set sentence if convicted on that charge, he said. Even though its a misdemeanor, the state says the sentence is any penalty that is not cruel or unusual. That is for the court to determine. Davitt said the case would be set for a new trial in Worcester County Circuit Court. Todays Headlines The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Just last week, in a frigid, snow-dusted Washington, Cheney sat outside through the entire inauguration without so much as a hat and without suffering frostbite. And clearly, Cheney owns a proper overcoat. The world saw it during his swearing-in as vice president. Cheney treated that ceremony with the dignity it deserved not simply through his demeanor, but also through his attire. Would he have dared to take the oath of office with a ski cap on? People would have justifiably considered that an insult to the office, the day, the country. The document also describes Project Birmingham helping the unnamed write-in candidate gain new Twitter followers something Watson recalls as well, with 10,000 suddenly appearing on his account. He also gained some exposure with the help of the operator of the Facebook page, which the document claims acted as a media advisor helping to arrange interviews with news organizations. The document included an image of a Dec. 5 Washington Post story on Watson. The author of that piece, David Weigel, said he does not recall anyone arranging interviews for his story. The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives has passed legislation that would reopen the government without the border funding Trump is asking for, but the White House vowed to veto it. Trump reportedly said in a Friday meeting with lawmakers that he would be willing to keep the government shut down for months or even years to get money for the border wall. Zach Johnson, a fifth-generation farmer near Alexandria who also runs a popular YouTube channel on his life as a millennial farmer, recently signed up because he was curious. He was surprised by the disparities in what traditional companies charge for the same seed. I believe theres definitely been a lot of secrets and a lot of things that they have not been transparent about, he said. Stuff that would have been useful information to us. And I think that, at this point, its become obvious that theyve kept a lot of secrets and they sort of kept us out of the loop on that. Johnson isnt sure if he will buy seed directly from FBN, but he said he will use the price information as leverage with his local supplier. Ill be completely up front with him and say, Look, I know that I can get the same exact seed down the road for cheaper, and no hard feelings if you cant match that price, but Ill give you the chance to match it right now, he said. And you know if you cant do it, Im usually a pretty loyal guy, but at some point business is business. Farm finances are tight after several years of low crop prices, so the timing is right for Farmers Business Network and others trying to break into the market to succeed, said University of Minnesota ag economist Mike Boland. These meetings are open to the public, providing the opportunity for public comment. A copy of the agenda is available; call (402) 471-2676 or email to nikki.bentzinger@nebraska.gov /. Corn Growers accepting FLAGship applications The Nebraska Corn Growers Association is now accepting applications for the fourth class of the Future Leaders in Agriculture Scholarship Program. The FLAGship Program is a scholarship program for future ag leaders in Nebraska. The association will award up to five $2,000 scholarships to high school seniors or college freshman who are continuing their education in Nebraska. New this year, two of the scholarship will be open to non-ag majors, and three will be open to ag-only majors. Each time we look over applications for this program, the quality of applicants seems to get better and better, said Dan Nerud, President of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association. We are excited to open a portion of the scholarship program to non-ag majors this year. We know we will need friends in every field to keep the future of agriculture bright. Thanks were expressed and tales were told during Thursdays high-spirited swearing-in ceremonies for new McLennan County District Attorney Barry Johnson, which is as it should be. Given the allegations of cronyism and worse that prompted voters to oust his predecessor, Johnson will need all the best wishes he can corral as he seeks to return accountability, transparency and integrity to the district attorneys office. The banner at the Baylor Law School lecture hall where oaths of office were taken had it right: Justice and fairness for all. Johnsons instincts are on-target. Some folks believe a district attorneys success is measured by how many cases one prosecutes and how many bad guys he or she can put behind bars. But the role of the DA is widely misunderstood. While a defense attorney is obligated to do whatever he or she can on behalf of his or her client (within the bounds of justice and the law, of course), the district attorneys first priority is seeing justice served. And that doesnt mean prosecuting every case, even after indictment. Sometimes other options make more sense. Sometimes continuing investigations yield new revelations that grand juries didnt consider or even hear. That said, I am reminded of the 1994 New York governors race when George Pataki beat the three-term incumbent Mario Cuomo. Cuomo was wildly unpopular; Pataki was a little-known state senator. He was as anonymous a candidate for governor as could be. He never let himself become the issue and he could never be characterized as an extremist. Pataki won because he was the person on the ballot who was not Cuomo. In 2020, Democrats need to ask themselves if they will be better off having voters choose between two brawling candidates or if they want to try to let Trump beat himself. With Trump as unpopular as he is, it seems plausible that the Democrats nominee could practically go into hiding immediately after the July 2020 convention and let Trump be Trump at his own peril. That may be their plan if the Democrats dont pick a hostile lightning rod of a candidate who Trump could bait and pull into the gutter. Because there has been significant conversation at the state level around the interwoven issues of property taxes and school finance, these are key priorities for our Chamber. However, as the organization responsible for the economic development of the area, we also have state legislative priorities regarding competitive incentives, small business and entrepreneurship and trade and international competitiveness. We continue to support the Texas Enterprise Fund the states deal-closing incentive fund and we call on the Legislature to expand accessibility to the fund for existing businesses of all sizes throughout the state. The Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce is a membership-driven chamber, and there are issues across the board that impact the ability of our members to develop and grow their business. In our recent Chamber quarterly issue of Greater Waco Business (available at racks around town and at the Chamber building), we looked at the health-care sector in our community. As an example of our legislative priorities, we know access to a healthy workforce impacts day-to-day business operations. However, access to health care in Texas is limited. In fact, Texas has a rate of uninsured more than twice the national average (26 percent compared to 11 percent). Further, Texas is also experiencing both a physician and a nursing shortage. Half of Texas counties do not have sufficient physicians for their population and 35 counties have not a single physician. For that reason, our legislative priorities focused on health care include things like expanding access to health-care coverage; prioritizing preventative and behavioral health care; supporting robust nursing programs and allowing those nurses to practice within the scope of their expertise; and, given that doctors are most likely to work where they do their residency, prioritizing additional medical residency slot funding over new medical school funding. Abbott proposes mandating an annual 2.5 percent limit on property-tax revenue growth (down from the current 8 percent cap) for local taxing entities. Voter approval would be needed if local governments wanted to raise the cap further. Again, this does little to nothing to stop unfair appraisal practices, a legitimate concern. Needed instead: Closing loopholes allowing larger businesses to slip free of paying their fair share in property taxes and demanding more property-value transparency so that appraisal districts can do a better job. The problem of rising property values might be partially addressed if the state wasnt quietly slipping into its budgets the requirement that local property values rise to certain levels, thus allowing state leaders to devote less and less state money to funding public schools and leaving the growing burden to homeowners such as you and me. One analysis indicates the states share of public school funding has ebbed from nearly 50 percent in 2008 to 37 percent now. Some lawmakers such as Republican state Rep. Charles Doc Anderson, who represents much of the Waco area, say theyd like to see the state share get back to 50 percent, though Anderson is ambiguous about how long this might take lawmakers to effect. Nonetheless, fellow Republican state Rep. Charlie Geren of Fort Worth has filed House Joint Resolution 24 to demand just that through a constitutional amendment. It would require the state to pay at least 50 percent of the cost of maintaining and operating public schools and prohibit the state comptroller from certifying legislation containing an appropriation for public education unless this requirement is met. Freedom is so precious and its easy to lose, said Jerry D. Erdman, 72, of Waco. He knows what hes talking about. Erdman has been to some 20 countries and has seen first-hand the struggles of people caught under the grip of tyrannical dictators. He felt it was his duty to join the U.S. Navy. In fact, his parents and grandparents expected it. His grandparents told of their own hardships of breaking free and coming to America. We were encouraged by our parents and grandparents, who told us how blessed we are to live in this country, he said. Erdmans home life prepared him well for the Navy. He grew up on a farm, bailing hay, driving tractors and doing chores. By age 6, he was driving a tractor; sometimes he and his sister got up as early as 2 or 3 a.m. They raised all their own food and had beef, chicken, pork and the like. Their main crop was alfalfa. You grow up fast on a farm, he said. Erdman attended the local Catholic schools in his early elementary years, and then a boarding school (he wasnt a boarder) in nearby Amarillo. His last two years of high school were spent in his hometown of Canyon, Texas. The Mayborn Museums Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition is sailing on to its next destination, with two days left in the blockbuster show that is leaving organizers with smiles. The exhibit, which tells the story of the 1912 sinking of the passenger liner RMS Titanic through 150 items recovered from the sea floor, drew some 50,000 visitors and boosted overall museum attendance during its seven-month run, the Mayborns longest time to host a national touring exhibit. That increase and the expanded attention to the museum during the Titanics stay rewarded the extra expense, logistics and manpower needed for the show, museum Director Charlie Walter said. It was an outstanding experience for us and for our visitors, Walter said. You do something like this every three to five years because its hard on your institution and staff, but it shows the community what you can do. Museum spokesperson Rebecca Nall said anyone wanting a last-minute visit Saturday or Sunday should buy tickets online in advance or come early. The exhibits last entry time is 4:30 p.m. Sunday. The instrument is difficult to learn, but after some time, it just kind of clicks, and learning becomes easier, Hamm said. Hamm said he spent 11 years playing the trumpet, including four as part of the Texas A&M University marching band, and the two instruments are vastly different. You have to be breathing in and out and keeping yourself from passing out, which can happen. I havent done it but Ive gotten light headed learning, he said of the bagpipe. You have to keep the bag aired up and squeeze it at the right time, all while youre playing the scale or the notes. Theres three or four things going on, whereas with the trumpet it was breathe and play. Hamm said his wife is thrilled he is improving at his newfound hobby and not making the terrible noises I made when I was learning. History Herridge said he also started to learn the bagpipes as a way to keep his family heritage alive, and he has performed at hundreds of soldier memorials at Fort Hood, as well as weddings, parades and other social gatherings. Two of the most expensive ways to make Texas voters happy just happen to be the top priorities of the state leaders and legislators assembling next week in Austin. The states school finance system is out of balance when it comes to raising money for education, and out of date when it comes to distributing the money it raises. Its expensive to re-balance even when overall spending remains the same because it pits one set of taxpayers wholl be paying more against others wholl be paying less. And lowering property taxes a closely related but different financial puzzle is both expensive and elusive. Most modern attempts to cut property taxes have cost the state a lot of money and left most property owners wondering why the advertised savings never appeared. Texas school finance solution might not be about spending more money, though that was one of the recommendations in a new report from the Texas Commission on Public School Finance, formed to recommend a top-to-bottom rewrite of the state system for funding public education. If theres already enough money in the system, then the solution may be redistributing it more equitably. Businesses are bracing for the shutdown of Cecil Ashburn Drive in Huntsville as crews get ready to widen and upgrade the high-traffic road. Starting Monday, drivers will have to find detours connecting Hampton Cove and Jones Valley. The detours are expected to last until the end of the year. WAAY 31 spoke with business owners in Jones Valley. They said most of their customers from Hampton Cove come by Cecil Ashburn Drive. With the road shut down, some stores are opening other locations that are convenient for customers. "I'm trying to keep my customers on both sides of the mountain happy," said Chris Shiner. Chris Shiner owns Yogurt Mountain on both sides of Cecil Ashburn Drive. When he heard about the road project, he knew it would impact his business. "They're not going to drive the extra ten miles it's going to take to come over here to get a cup of yogurt, I would think," Shiner said. A year and a half ago, Shiner decided to open another location in Hampton Cove, that way customers won't have to fight traffic to get to the Jones Valley location. He's already making plans with his employees. "Half of my employees live on that side of the mountain and half live on this side of the mountain. It's worked out, with how we're going to schedule people and I've had to hire new employees to off set that and make it work well for everybody," Shiner said. Other business owners said they're concerned with customers having to take an alternate route. Sonia Pruett of Bruster's Ice cream said they're adding a satellite location. "That's to help our Hampton Cove customers and some of our customers that are over the Governors Drive end, to be able to access us without having to come from around the mountain," said Sonia Pruett Business owners said they're excited about the improvements coming to Cecil Ashburn Drive. "I think it'll help as the communities here are continuing to grow and expand. It needs to be done and needs to be fixed," Shiner said. "It will help in the way of just increasing traffic flow," Pruett said. Shriner also said when Grissom High School moved to its new campus, this hurt business at Yogurt Mountain, but with the Cecil Ashburn shutdown, they might actually see a surge at their Hampton Cove store. NEW DELHI - Two women who made history in India's southern Kerala state by entering one of Hinduism's holiest temples that barred women between the ages of 10 and 50 have been staying in hiding but say they are not fearful of reprisals. Bindu Ammini, a law lecturer and Kanaka Durga, a government employee, defied the hundreds of protesters who have blocked women from entering the temple after India's Supreme Court ruled that women have an equal right to pray at the shrine. Both women are in their forties. Kerala has been wracked with violence since they went into the shrine one person has been killed and thousands have been arrested across the state. Protesters beat an effigy of Pinarayi Vijayan, Chi Protesters beat an effigy of Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of the southern state of Kerala, during a protest against state government for allowing two women to enter the Sabarimala temple, in New Delhi, India, Jan. 3, 2018. Protesters beat an effigy of Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of the southern state of Kerala, during a protest against state government for allowing two women to enter the Sabarimala temple, in New Delhi, India, Jan. 3, 2018. Gender equality From an undisclosed location the two women told a handful of reporters they were not surprised by the backlash from those angered by their entry but were motivated by their determination to ensure respect for the court's judgment. "It was an important step for gender equality. That also upheld the validity of Supreme Court judgment," Ammini told local TV news channels. She says she is not bothered about her safety but believes in exercising her rights. "These two women were brave and willing to face consequence of their action," Prasad Amore, a psychologist who accompanied them into the shrine told VOA. The centuries-old tradition of not allowing women inside the shrine is born of the belief that the temple deity, Lord Ayappa, is a celibate. While tradition holds that menstruating women should not enter Hindu temples because they are unclean, Sabarimala is unusual in barring women in a broad age group. Ammini and Durga got a measure of the strong opposition from Hindu groups to women being allowed inside the shrine during a previous failed effort by them to access the temple in December. Like several other women who attempted to approach the shrine, they had to turn back as strident protesters on approach roads blocked them. That is why on January 2nd, they went in unobtrusively through a side entrance at night, taking care to merge with the devotees so that they were not noticed. "We walked very naturally among the crowd. Nobody expected that women will just walk into the crowd like that," says Amore, who was part of the group that planned their entry. "They had to be careful that time, they should not stare at anyone and attract attention." The two women had a plainclothes police escort. Amore says he accompanied the women into the shrine because he believes in gender justice. But while offering prayers at the shrine may have gone off unnoticed, the aftermath has been chaotic. Angry protesters led by right wing Hindu groups have denounced their entry as "carefully choreographed" and accused the state's left wing government of facilitating it to destroy Hindu traditions. They say courts cannot interfere in matters of deeply-held faith and charge that the women were not genuine devotees but activists. A priest closes the doors of sanctum sanctorum for A priest closes the doors of sanctorum for performing religious rituals following the entry of two women in Sabarimala temple in Pathanamthitta, India, Jan. 2, 2019. A priest closes the doors of sanctorum for performing religious rituals following the entry of two women in Sabarimala temple in Pathanamthitta, India, Jan. 2, 2019. Ammini and Durga deny that they are activists or have any political affiliations. They came together on an online group formed by a social activist, Shreyas Kanaran, to ensure that the court's ruling is implemented. "We cannot stick in medieval times," says Kanaran. "Every woman in our world should be an activist. An activist can be a devotee also, there is no such division." A third woman in her forties a Sri Lankan national -- is reported to have entered the shrine a day after them, but she says she had her uterus removed which means she could not menstruate. Temple authorities have denied she went in. Policemen stand guard during a march by Bharatiya Policemen stand guard during a march by Bharatiya Janata Party activists as part of a strike call by Sabarimala Karma Samithi, an umbrella organization of Hindu groups, in Thiruvananthapuram, capital of the southern Indian state of Kerala, Jan. 3, 2019. Policemen stand guard during a march by Bharatiya Janata Party activists as part of a strike call by Sabarimala Karma Samithi, an umbrella organization of Hindu groups, in Thiruvananthapuram, capital of the southern Indian state of Kerala, Jan. 3, 2019. Meanwhile Ammini and Durga have said they hope to get back to their normal lives soon, but it is not clear when that will happen as deep divisions continue to roil Kerala. With India headed for elections this year, the issue has become mired in political controversy right wing groups led by the Bharatiya Janata Party are supporting the protestors while the state's left-wing government says it is bound to ensure that the court's orders are not violated. Much of the violence has been sparked by clashes between the right wing and left wing groups. GENEVA - The World Food Program is calling for a biometric-based registration system in Yemen to prevent the theft of food rations meant for hungry people. A week ago, the World Food Program uncovered evidence that people entitled to food aid were not receiving their rations in the Yemeni capital Sanaa and in other parts of the country controlled by the Houthi rebels. A nurse looks as he weighs a malnourished girl at FILE - A nurse looks as he weighs a malnourished girl at a malnutrition treatment center in Sana'a, Yemen, Oct. 7, 2018. FILE - A nurse looks as he weighs a malnourished girl at a malnutrition treatment center in Sana'a, Yemen, Oct. 7, 2018. The Houthi leadership has since stated it would undertake an investigation. While welcoming this statement, WFP says concrete steps must be taken to make sure humanitarian assistance is not misused. It is calling for a biometric registration system of beneficiaries. WFP spokesman, Herve Verhoosel, tells VOA his agency has implemented such a system in Aden with the permission of the Yemeni government. He says the program has successfully weeded out people who were not entitled to food assistance. We have proposed since a few months to do the same to the Sanaa de facto authorities," he said. "For the moment, they have not accepted yet. But it is the best way to make sure that the support reaches the people who need to receive that support. About 20 Million Yemeni Citizens Are 'Food Insecure,' Report Says Up to 20 million Yemeni's two-thirds of the country's population are food insecure, primarily because of the war that has ravaged the impoverished country.A joint statement issued Saturday by the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization, UNICEF and the World Food Program said the conflict has contributed to the "world's worst humanitarian crisis."The agencies cited an analysis by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a food security survey that helps determine whether to declare Up to 20 million Yemeni's two-thirds of the country's population are food insecure, primarily because of the war that has ravaged the impoverished country.A joint statement issued Saturday by the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization, UNICEF and the World Food Program said the conflict has contributed to the "world's worst humanitarian crisis."The agencies cited an analysis by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a food security survey that helps determine whether to declare The United Nations warns about 14 million people in Yemen are on the brink of famine. The World Food Program provides food assistance to three million people a month in Yemen. The agencys monitoring system found that a local partner organization that distributes much of this aid was involved in misappropriating some of the food. WFP does not accuse the local organization itself of being corrupt. But it says individuals within the organization found to be involved in this illicit practice must be sacked. Yemen Rebels Accuse UN of Taking Sides After Aid Ultimatum Yemen's Houthi rebels on Tuesday said they were "surprised" by accusations from the United Nations food agency that they are stealing humanitarian aid and accused it of taking sides in the nearly four-year-old war. The World Food Program on Monday threatened to suspend some aid shipments to Yemen if the rebels did not investigate and stop theft and fraud in food distribution, warning that the suspension would affect some 3 million people. The Associated Press reported Monday that armed factions on Yemen's Houthi rebels on Tuesday said they were "surprised" by accusations from the United Nations food agency that they are stealing humanitarian aid and accused it of taking sides in the nearly four-year-old war. The World Food Program on Monday threatened to suspend some aid shipments to Yemen if the rebels did not investigate and stop theft and fraud in food distribution, warning that the suspension would affect some 3 million people. The Associated Press reported Monday that armed factions on The agency notes the misuse of food aid also happens in areas controlled by the Government of Yemen, but at a lower volume than in Houthi-held areas. It says WFP is not the only victim of larcenous practices. It says all aid agencies working in Yemen and in war zones everywhere are vulnerable to abuse and must remain vigilant. President Donald Trump's national security adviser said Sunday that U.S. withdrawal of its 2,000 troops in Syria will not be abrupt and also will be conditioned on Turkish assurances that it will not target Kurdish fighters allied with American forces. John Bolton, during a visit to Israel for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said there is no timetable for the troop withdrawal, but that the U.S. presence is Syria is also not unlimited. Bolton's comments were the first public confirmation that the withdrawal process has been slowed from an initial indication that it would be carried out within 30 days. Bolton said Trump "wants the ISIS caliphate destroyed," referring to Islamic State, which once claimed Raqqa in northern Syria as the capital of its religious territory in Syria and Iraq. The national security adviser said "the timetable flows from the policy discussions that we need to implement." Bolton Warns Syria Against Use of Chemical Weapons U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton warned the Syrian government that it should not see the impending U.S. military withdrawal from the country as an invitation to use chemical weapons. US Eyeing 'Conditions-Based' Approach to Syrian Exit More than two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump declared victory over the Islamic U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton warned the Syrian government that it should not see the impending U.S. military withdrawal from the country as an invitation to use chemical weapons. US Eyeing 'Conditions-Based' Approach to Syrian Exit More than two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump declared victory over the Islamic Trump overruled U.S. national security officials and surprised allies with his Dec. 19 announcement he was withdrawing the American troops from Syria, where they have carried out air attacks on Islamic State and Syrian positions and advised Kurdish fighters. Trump's action, meeting a long-time pledge of his to get U.S. troops out of Syria, drew widespread protests, including from Republican lawmakers. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned in protest. Turkey-US Tensions Threaten to Resurface Over Syria Tensions between the U.S. and Turkey are threatening to resurface following President Donald Trump's apparent walking back of his commitment to immediately withdraw U.S. troops from Syria and end support for a Syrian Kurdish militia. Washington's backing of the YPG Kurdish militia in its war against the Islamic State group pushed U.S.-Turkish relations to a breaking point. Tensions between the U.S. and Turkey are threatening to resurface following President Donald Trump's apparent walking back of his commitment to immediately withdraw U.S. troops from Syria and end support for a Syrian Kurdish militia. Washington's backing of the YPG Kurdish militia in its war against the Islamic State group pushed U.S.-Turkish relations to a breaking point. Bolton said the U.S. wants assurances from Turkey about the safety of Kurdish fighters allied with the United States before the U.S. military withdraws. "We don't think the Turks ought to undertake military action that's not fully coordinated with and agreed to by the United States at a minimum so they don't endanger our troops, but also so that they meet the president's requirement that the Syrian opposition forces that have fought with us are not endangered," Bolton told reporters. Bolton was meeting Sunday night with Netanyahu, who has voiced concern about the U.S. troop withdrawal and continued worries about the Iranian military buildup in Syria. White House national security adviser John Bolton White House national security adviser John Bolton (2nd R) wears virtual reality goggles during a visit to the Western Wall tunnel complex in Jerusalem's Old City, Jan. 6, 2019. White House national security adviser John Bolton (2nd R) wears virtual reality goggles during a visit to the Western Wall tunnel complex in Jerusalem's Old City, Jan. 6, 2019. The national security adviser is headed to Turkey on Monday, to find out what its objectives are in northern Syria and assurances that it will not kill Kurdish fighters. Turkey has carried out a three-decade fight against Kurds in southeastern Turkey. China has sounded a positive note ahead of trade talks this week with Washington, but the two sides face potentially lengthy wrangling over technology and the future of their economic relationship. Both sides have expressed an interest in settling their tariff fight over Beijing's technology ambitions. Yet neither has indicated its stance has changed since a Dec. 1 agreement by Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to postpone further increases. Envoys will have positive and constructive discussions during meetings Monday and Tuesday, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang. The American side is led by a deputy U.S. trade representative, Jeffrey D. Gerrish, according to the U.S. government. Neither side gave details of their agenda but Gerrish's delegation includes agriculture, energy, commerce, treasury and State Department officials. The Chinese government gave no details of who would represent Beijing. The talks are going ahead despite tensions over the arrest of a Chinese tech executive in Canada on U.S. charges related to possible violations of trade sanctions against Iran. Trump imposed tariff increases of up to 25 percent on $250 billion of Chinese imports over complaints Beijing steals or pressures companies to hand over technology. Beijing responded by imposing penalties on $110 billion of American goods, slowing customs clearance for U.S. companies and suspending issuing licenses in finance and other businesses. Washington, Europe and other trading partners complain Beijing's tactics violate its market-opening obligations. The clash reflects American anxiety about China's rise as a potential competitor in telecommunications and other technology. Trump wants Beijing to roll back initiatives like Made in China 2025, which calls for the state-led creation of global competitors in such fields as robotics and artificial intelligence. American officials worry those might erode U.S. industrial leadership. FILE - A robot entertains visitors at the booth of FILE - A robot entertains visitors at the booth of a Chinese automaker during the China Auto 2018 show in Beijing, China, April 26, 2018. Under President Xi Jinping, a program known as "Made in China 2025" aims to make China a tech superpower by advancing development of industries that in addition to semiconductors include artificial intelligence, pharmaceuticals and electric vehicles. FILE - A robot entertains visitors at the booth of a Chinese automaker during the China Auto 2018 show in Beijing, China, April 26, 2018. Under President Xi Jinping, a program known as "Made in China 2025" aims to make China a tech superpower by advancing development of industries that in addition to semiconductors include artificial intelligence, pharmaceuticals and electric vehicles. The ruling Communist Party is reluctant to give up initiatives it sees as a path to prosperity and global influence. China's leaders have tried to defuse complaints by emphasizing the country's potential as an export market. They have announced a series of regulatory changes over the past year to increase foreign access to their auto, finance and other industries. Some Chinese officials suggest the technology initiatives might be opened to foreign companies. But they have given no details, leaving it unclear whether that will satisfy Washington. Trump and Xi agreed to a 90-day postponement of additional tariff increases to take effect Jan. 1. But economists say that is too little time to settle all the disputes that bedevil U.S.-Chinese relations. They say Beijing's goal probably is to show enough progress to persuade Trump to extend his deadline. During that 90-day period, agreements may not be reached until the last day, said Tu Xinquan, director of the China Institute for World Trade Organization Studies at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing. This week's talks will focus on technical details before higher-level leaders make hard political decisions, Tu said. In the longer term, the final tariffs might remain for several years, Tu said. I don't think it will proceed that fast. It must take time. Cooling economic growth in both countries is turning up the pressure to reach a settlement. A Chinese man naps at a brokerage in Beijing, Chin FILE - A Chinese man naps at a brokerage in Beijing, China, Dec. 25, 2018. FILE - A Chinese man naps at a brokerage in Beijing, China, Dec. 25, 2018. Chinese growth fell to a post-global crisis low of 6.5 percent in the quarter ending in September. Auto sales tumbled 16 percent in November over a year earlier. Weak real estate sales are forcing developers to cut prices. The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 3.4 percent in the third quarter, and unemployment is at a five-decade low. But surveys show consumer confidence is weakening because of concern that growth will slow this year. Beijing has tried in vain to recruit France, Germany, South Korea and other governments as allies against Trump. They criticize his tactics but echo U.S. complaints about Chinese industrial policy and market barriers. The European Union filed its own challenge in the World Trade Organization in June against Chinese rules that the 28-nation trade bloc said hamper the ability of foreign companies to protect and profit from their own technology. For their part, Chinese officials are unhappy with U.S. curbs on exports of dual use technology with possible military applications. They complain China's companies are treated unfairly in national security reviews of proposed corporate acquisitions, though almost all deals are approved unchanged. Some manufacturers that serve the United States have shifted production to other countries to avoid Trump's tariffs. UBS said Friday that 37 percent of 200 manufacturers surveyed by the bank have shifted out of China over the past 12 months. The threat of U.S. tariff hikes was the dominating factor for nearly half, while others moved because of higher costs or tighter environmental regulation. Most firms expect the trade war to escalate, the bank said. GENEVA - The U.N. Human Rights office is calling on Bahrain to immediately release human rights defender Nabeel Rajab who has been in prison for two-and-a-half years after tweeting criticism about Saudi Arabia's airstrikes in Yemen and alleging torture inside Bahrain's Jau Prison. The U.N. agency says Rajab is being jailed for exercising his freedom of opinion and expression. Bahrain's highest court upheld Nabeel Rajab's conviction and five-year sentence last Monday for "spreading false news and rumors in time of war" and related charges. Last year, the U.N. Working Group of Arbitrary Detention declared Rajab's detention to be arbitrary. The U.N. human rights office accuses the Government of Bahrain of employing harsh measures to suppress the voices of its critics. Human Rights spokeswoman, Ravina Shamdasani, said the government will go to great lengths to keep human rights defenders from speaking out. She cited the case of Sayed Ahmed Al Wadaei who tried to participate in a session of the Human Rights Council in 2017. She told VOA the authorities prevented him from attending by arresting three of his family members in Bahrain on terrorism charges. "All three of them reportedly suffered torture and ill-treatment while in detention So, we have several emblematic cases that we are able to highlight. And, this, of course, leads to the concern that if even prominent human rights defenders are subjected to these kinds of intimidation and legal actions what can the less prominent ones be subjected to without international scrutiny," said the spokeswoman. This case is included in a report on reprisals issued by the U.N. secretary-general in September. The report highlights specific cases where activists and their families in Bahrain have suffered reprisals for seeking to engage with U.N. rights mechanisms. Shamdasani said the government of Bahrain is violating its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which it has ratified. As spokeswoman for the human rights office, she urged the government to stop criminalizing dissenting voices. Another work week begins in the U.S. Monday - but not for hundreds of thousands of federal employees forced to stay home because of the government shutdown. Hundreds of thousands of others will be on the job this week, but will not get a paycheck. President Donald Trump said Sunday he can "relate" to the hardship of not getting paid. But he is telling federal workers to "make adjustments" because he said he will not bend in his demand for $5 billion for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent illegal immigration. Watch related video by VOA's Michael Bowman: Congressional Democrats refuse to include money for a wall in the federal budget, with the standoff having prompted the Trump administration to order the partial shutdown. Trump said Sunday he could make a deal with Democratic leaders "in 20 minutes if they want to. If they don't want to, it's (the shutdown is) going to go on for a long time." He also said the barrier along the southern border could be a fence made of steel instead of a wall made of concrete if that will make people happier. A border patrol office inside his vehicle guards t A border patrol office inside his vehicle guards the border fence at the U.S. side of San Diego, Calif., as seen from Tijuana, Mexico, Jan. 2, 2019. A border patrol office inside his vehicle guards the border fence at the U.S. side of San Diego, Calif., as seen from Tijuana, Mexico, Jan. 2, 2019. But Republican Senator Susan Collins called the argument over whether the wall is steel or concrete "bizarre" and says reopening the government must be Congress' top priority. "I've never thought that shutdowns are an appropriate means of trying to achieve any kind of solution. This isn't a matter of one side or the other caving in. It's a matter of getting to a compromise and that is a sign of strength," Collins told NBC's Meet the Press. Trump says national security is his top priority and claims many federal workers are glad to give up their paychecks for a wall to stop drugs, terrorists and criminal gangs from crossing into the county from Mexico. The Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space The Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum is seen shuttered during the partial government shutdown, Jan. 4, 2019, in Washington. The Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum is seen shuttered during the partial government shutdown, Jan. 4, 2019, in Washington. Trump says he is considering declaring a national emergency which would allow him to build a wall without congressional approval - a move some Democrats say would be challenged in the courts. "Look, if [President] Harry Truman couldn't nationalize the steel industry during wartime, this president doesn't have the power to declare an emergency and build a multi-billion dollar wall on the border," Congressman Adam Schiff said on CNN. Democratic leaders call the idea of a wall an immoral wasteful pipe dream. They say they are interested in border security too, but believe there are better and more tangible ways toward that end. U.S. military officials have confirmed that a U.S. airstrike last week killed one of the alleged masterminds of the USS Cole bombing which killed 17 sailors in 2000. "Our GREAT MILITARY has delivered justice for the heroes lost and wounded in the cowardly attack on the USS Cole. We have just killed the leader of that attack, Jamal al-Badawi," Trump tweeted Sunday, adding that U.S. efforts against al-Qaida will continue. "We will never stop in our fight against Radical Islamic Terrorism!," he said. Our GREAT MILITARY has delivered justice for the heroes lost and wounded in the cowardly attack on the USS Cole. We have just killed the leader of that attack, Jamal al-Badawi. Our work against al Qaeda continues. We will never stop in our fight against Radical Islamic Terrorism! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2019 U.S military officials said a precision U.S. airstrike in Yemens Marib governorate Tuesday targeted al-Badawi, one of six al-Qaida operatives convicted of the bombing and a fugitive on the FBI Most Wanted Terrorists list. "Jamal al-Badawi was a legacy al Qaeda operative in Yemen involved in the USS Cole bombing. U.S. forces confirmed the results of the strike following a deliberate assessment process," said a statement Sunday from the U.S. Central Command. In October 2000, 17 American sailors from the guided-missile destroyer USS Cole died in a suicide bomb attack at Aden harbor. Dozens more sailors were wounded. Al-Qaida claimed responsibility. Al Badawi Poster Al-Badawi was arrested by Yemeni authorities in 2000, escaped from a prison in 2003, was recaptured by Yemeni authorities in 2004, and escaped again in 2006. Al-Badawi was charged with 50 counts of various terrorism offenses, including murder of U.S. nationals and murder of U.S. military personnel. In addition to his role in the bombing, he has been charged with attempting to attack a U.S. Navy vessel in January 2000. WASHINGTON - White House officials and congressional aides will meet again Sunday to continue discussions about how to end the partial government shutdown that has affected hundreds of thousands of federal workers and caused delays and inconvenience for Americans. The shutdown has entered its third week. The crux of the discussions is border security. President Donald Trump is adamant that he wants $5.6 billion to build a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico to block undocumented migrants trying to enter the U.S. Congressional Democrats have vowed not to give the U.S. leader any money for the wall. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called the wall immoral. Trump tweeted late Saturday that he is going to Camp David Sunday to discuss border security and other topics with senior staff. About the same time he tweeted this photo: U.S. congressional leaders and White House officials held talks Saturday in Washington in an effort to end the partial shutdown. Discussions ended a few hours later without any progress. White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, Homeland White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Vice President Mike Pence talk as they walk down the steps of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex, Jan. 5, 2019, in Washington. White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Vice President Mike Pence talk as they walk down the steps of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex, Jan. 5, 2019, in Washington. Senior White House adviser, and Trump son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen were involved in the meeting Saturday, with Nielsen briefing those in attendance on border security. Democrats asked DHS for written details about the agencys budget needs, which the White House said it would provide. Vice President Mike Pence, who also participated in Saturdays meeting, described the discussions as productive in a tweet. Productive discussion w/ Congressional leadership staff at @WhiteHouse. @SecNielsen gave a full presentation on crisis along Southern Border. We reaffirmed @POTUS commitment to secure the border, build the wall, keep Americans safe & reopen govt. Discussions continue tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/C7k9Sg8guY Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) January 5, 2019 Trump, however, tweeted shortly after Pence, saying, Not much headway made today. Second meeting set for tomorrow. After so many decades, must finally and permanently fix the problems on the Southern Border! Pelosi said in a statement released Saturday, The senseless uncertainty and chaos of the Trump Shutdown must end, now. Her statement said Democrats would begin passing individual appropriations bills to re-open all government agencies, starting with the appropriations bill that covers the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service. This action is necessary so that the American people can receive their tax refunds on schedule. Trump has threatened to bypass Congress and declare a national emergency in order to get the wall built. FILE - Vehicles roll into the Gateway National Rec FILE - Vehicles roll into the Gateway National Recreation Area-Sandy Hook near a sign at the entrance warning visitors of limited services such as closed restrooms during the partial government shutdown in Highlands, N.J., Jan. 3, 2019. FILE - Vehicles roll into the Gateway National Recreation Area-Sandy Hook near a sign at the entrance warning visitors of limited services such as closed restrooms during the partial government shutdown in Highlands, N.J., Jan. 3, 2019. About 800,000 federal workers have been furloughed or are working without pay. This is the fourth-longest government shutdown partial or full in the past 40 years. The president has said he is willing to continue the shutdown for years until there is funding for the wall that he promised Mexico would pay for during his successful presidential campaign. The shutdown has affected government services around the country and if it continues there could be dire consequences. Money for the food stamp program, which helps millions of low-income Americans buy food, will expire in March. Federal income tax refunds and tax return processing will also be delayed. Transportation Security Administration officers w Transportation Security Administration officers work at a checkpoint at Logan International Airport in Boston, Jan. 5, 2019. Transportation Security Administration officers work at a checkpoint at Logan International Airport in Boston, Jan. 5, 2019. Transportation Security Administration agents who screen travelers at the nations airports have begun calling in sick in apparent protest at being required to work without pay. Federal courts will run out of money Jan. 11, according to the administrative office of the U.S. courts. That could delay trials. The shutdown has already resulted in the suspension of issuing marriage licenses in Washington. The figure of a panda is seen behind a sign tellin The figure of a panda is seen behind a sign telling the public that the National Zoo is closed due to the partial government shutdown in Washington, Jan. 2, 2019. The figure of a panda is seen behind a sign telling the public that the National Zoo is closed due to the partial government shutdown in Washington, Jan. 2, 2019. The Smithsonian museums in Washington, including the National Zoo, are closed. Late Thursday, the Democrat-controlled House passed legislation to reopen the federal government and fund the Department of Homeland Security until early February. The measure did not include the $5.6 billion the president has demanded for the border wall. The Senate passed an identical bill last month, while Republicans still controlled both chambers of Congress. However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said last week he would not put any legislation to a vote in the Senate unless Trump supported it. He called the House plan to end the shutdown political theater. Democrats have said they will only discuss border security once the government is reopened. Trump, who was not part of the negotiations, spent Saturday morning tweeting about the partial shutdown and border wall. The Democrats could solve the Shutdown problem in a very short period of time. All they have to do is approve REAL Border Security (including a Wall), something which everyone, other than drug dealers, human traffickers and criminals, want very badly! This would be so easy to do! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2019 He also tweeted, without evidence, I dont care that most of the workers not getting paid are Democrats. Trump said, again without evidence, the 800,000 federal workers affected by the shutdown want him to keep going for border security. When asked Friday about how unpaid workers are expected to manage without a financial safety net, the president replied: The safety net is going to be having a strong border because were going to be safe. SYDNEY - As 2019 begins, communities in Queensland state in Australia are facing their seventh year of drought. Farmers are suffering. Regional towns are struggling. And local officials say more government relief is needed, including additional spending on roads and rail. Record-breaking rainfall may have soaked parts of northern Queensland in December, but nearly 60 percent of Australias second-largest state, which is 2 times the size of the U.S. state of Texas, is bone dry. Queensland Some regions are entering their seventh year of drought. For many farmers on the frontline of the so-called Big Dry, the lack of rain is causing financial distress. Agricultural profits in Queensland are expected to fall in 2019 by more than $13,000. Grain producers and dairy farms are predicted to be the hardest hit. Promise of funds In August, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison toured some of Queenslands worst drought-hit areas and later promised a $3.5 billion fund to help communities become more resilient against droughts. But some communities want more money to be devoted to improving road and rail links in isolated parts of the country. In the outback farming town of Boulia, 1,700 kilometers northwest of Brisbane, Mayor Rick Britton is warning the drought could ruin many farmers. If we go into another dry season, you know, a lot of those properties are going to close down, and I do not know what the long-term outcome is going to be after that, Britton said. It is not going to be pretty. If we do not get a season between now and April, I can just see a lot of those places, particularly the family-operated places, will be totally destocked. There will be just nothing left. The Queensland government has announced that 2019 will be the Year of Outback Tourism in a bid to aid drought-ridden communities. Land of extremes Australia is a land of extremes. A recent heat wave saw temperatures reach almost 49 degrees Celsius (120 Fahrenheit) in Western Australia, while a cyclone has menaced coastal areas in the Northern Territory. Bushfires have also blanketed the Tasmanian state capital, Hobart, with a threatening haze. In August, a drought was officially declared in the entire Australian state of New South Wales. Australia is the worlds second-driest continent. There is an average annual rainfall of less than 600 millimeters (24 inches) for more than 80 percent of the country. Andrew Pollack, the father of a teenage girl who was killed in a school shooting in Florida last year, was appointed to the state Education Board by outgoing Gov. Rick Scott. Scott appointed Pollack to the board Friday. Pollack, whose daughter Meadow was one of 17 people killed at a Parkland, Florida, high school, Feb. 14, 2018, still needs to be confirmed to the seat by the state Senate. Pollack, 52, who became a school safety activist after the shooting, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel, What I hope to accomplish is accountability at a local level, to hold school boards accountable and superintendents accountable. The governor, who will be stepping down from his post next week, was elected in November to the U.S. Senate. He had said during the campaign he would serve out his term as governor, which ends Jan. 9. Nikolas Cruz, a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, has been charged with killing 17 people. Police say he used a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle. The mass shooting caused a larger debate nationwide regarding gun control measures, and also led to a local investigation. Sheriff Scott Israel speaks to the Marjory Stonema Sheriff Scott Israel speaks to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission on Nov. 15, 2018, Sunrise, Florida. Sheriff Scott Israel speaks to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission on Nov. 15, 2018, Sunrise, Florida. ?Safety commission report Pollacks appointment to the Education Board came days after a report released by a special safety commission in Parkland that recommended arming teachers to secure schools. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission released more than 400 pages covering details of the shooting, identifying security problems and making recommendations. Among the recommendations was the expansion of a program that allows teachers and staff members to carry concealed firearms to defend students in the event of an active shooter. The state teachers union and PTA have voiced their opposition to the plan. School districts and charter schools should permit the most expansive use of the Guardian Program under existing law to allow personnel who volunteer, are properly selected, thoroughly screened and extensively trained to carry concealed firearms on campuses for self-protection and the protection of other staff and students, the report read. Armed Teachers More Common in Arkansas School districts are bringing guns into classrooms in response to a wave of school shootings While several states, including Texas, Missouri, Arkansas and Ohio, allow teachers to carry weapons, several others began to consider doing so after the Parkland shooting. Members of the National Education Association (NEA), the nations largest teachers union, overwhelmingly reject plans to arm them in school. Arming teachers The current Guardian Program, signed into law by Scott shortly after the shooting last year, currently only allows administrators or non-teaching staff to receive firearm training. In April 2018, the Broward County School Board voted against adopting the program, which would have given Broward County Schools more than $67 million to train and arm teachers, according to the Eagle Eye, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High Schools newspaper. This weeks report also recommended a full internal investigation of the Broward County Sheriffs office, which first responded to the shooting, to address all of the actions or inactions of personnel on Feb. 14, 2018. The committee, which includes sheriffs, state politicians, and parents of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas victims, among others, first met in April 2018, setting January 2019 as its deadline to submit a preliminary report. During the second half of 2018, the commission held monthly meetings interviewing witnesses and reviewing a massive amount of evidence, according to the report. Venezuela's opposition-controlled congress opened its first session of the year Saturday, installing a fresh-faced leader who struck a defiant tone and vowed to take up the battle against socialist President Nicolas Maduro. Juan Guaido, 35, assumes the presidency of a National Assembly stripped of power by Maduro, whose government is blamed for leading the once-wealthy oil nation into a historic political and humanitarian crisis. Speaking to legislators, Guaido named several opposition politicians and opponents of Maduro's government who have been jailed, driven into exile or killed. He said desperation has forced masses of citizens to flee abroad looking for work. "We are under an oppressive system,'' he said. "It's not just that it is miserable.'' Tall and youthful, Guaido represents the next generation of Venezuelan political opposition, taking up the assembly's leadership following Omar Barboza, 74. Guaido is an industrial engineer and former student leader from the same political party as Leopoldo Lopez, Venezuela's most popular opposition leader under house arrest. Government opponents consider him a political prisoner. 'Transitional' moment Guaido called Maduro a dictator whose legitimacy has run out. Venezuela is living a "dark but transitional'' moment of its history, he said, adding that among its first acts, congress will create a transitional body to restore constitutional order, but he offered no details. He addressed a hall filled only with opposition lawmakers as the government loyalists have long boycotted any sessions, saying the National Assembly has itself overstepped its authority. However, roughly 20 foreign diplomats from the United States, Canada, Japan, Italy and Germany attended the assembly's inaugural session in a show of solidarity. "The National Assembly should inspire hope in the Venezuelan people for a peaceful, prosperous and democratic future, even as the corrupt and authoritarian Maduro regime and its allies seek to deny Venezuelans that right,'' the State Department said in a statement. It added: "Every nation must take strong action to help the Venezuelan people reclaim their democracy.'' FILE - Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks FILE - Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks after voting in local elections in Caracas, Venezuela, Dec. 9, 2018. FILE - Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks after voting in local elections in Caracas, Venezuela, Dec. 9, 2018. The assembly opened days before Maduro's inauguration to a second, six-year term widely condemned as illegitimate after he declared victory in the May 20 election that many foreign powers considered a sham. Venezuela's socialist party boss, Diosdado Cabello, said Saturday that Maduro will be sworn in on Jan. 10 before the Supreme Court, which is stacked with government loyalists. This defies the constitution, which requires that a president take the oath before the National Assembly. Cede power, Maduro told As international pressure mounts, a dozen Latin American countries and Canada on Friday urged Maduro to hand power over to congress until a valid president is elected. Venezuelan officials accuse the coalition of taking orders directly from U.S. President Donald Trump, whom they frequently accuse of spearheading an economic war against Venezuela. "Those of us here are fighting every day to restore democracy,'' Guaido said. "We want the protection of the rule of law. We want the Venezuelans to be protected, because we believe in life.'' ROME - The leaders of the populist parties that formed Italy's government sparred Saturday over more migrants who are stranded on private rescue vessels in the Mediterranean Sea, exposing the widening cracks in their coalition's position on immigration. German humanitarian groups Sea-Watch and Sea Eye are seeking a port where two ships can disembark passengers who were picked up from unseaworthy smugglers' boats, 32 of them on Dec. 22 and 17 more in recent days. Malta allowed the aid boats to shelter from bad weather near its coast and to take on fresh crew, food and water. But the tiny island nation has refused to let any of those migrants step onto Maltese land, saying the rescues took place outside the country's search-and-rescue area. Italian Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio, who heads the 5-Star Movement, insisted Saturday that Malta had to allow the 49 people off the ships. De Maio said Italy was willing to take the 10 mothers on the aid vessels and their children. Strict policy Since the coalition government came to power in mid-2018, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, who heads the right-wing, anti-migrant League party, has made it strict policy that no private aid group receive authorization to transfer rescued migrants to land in Italian ports. Both he and Di Maio have likened private aid vessels to "taxi services" for Libya-based human traffickers. Amid criticism of the Italian government's new hard-line stance, they also have reminded other European Union nations that Italy has taken in hundreds of thousands of rescued migrants as asylum seekers in recent years. Di Maio stressed Saturday that Italy was offering to accept the limited number of women and children from the rescue ships to keep families together. Such a gesture, he said, would also give "a good moral slap" to EU nations that have ignored Italy's insistence that the burden of caring for rescued asylum seekers be shared. The migrant search and rescue ship Sea-Watch 3, op The migrant search and rescue ship Sea-Watch 3, operated by German NGO Sea-Watch, is seen off the coast of Malta in the central Mediterranean Sea, Jan. 3, 2019. The migrant search and rescue ship Sea-Watch 3, operated by German NGO Sea-Watch, is seen off the coast of Malta in the central Mediterranean Sea, Jan. 3, 2019. "We're not going backward on migration policy, which has allowed us to reduce disembarking considerably," Di Maio said. But Salvini contradicted his governing partner, telling journalists Italy intended to stick with its private rescue vessel ban and wouldn't be taking the 10 mothers and their children. "We opened our hearts and our wallets. Now, it's someone else's turn," Salvini said. As for any possible softening of Italy's immigration policy, Salvini also tweeted, "I'm not changing my mind." Both politicians slammed Malta for refusing to let the 49 disembark, but the EU nation retorted that it had rescued and permitted onto on its shores 250 migrants between Christmas and New Year's. 'Strain on our services' The recent rescues "are putting a strain on our services," Maltese Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia said, adding that Italian authorities had not articulated a clear position about the migrants on the aid boats because of the contradictory statements by Italy's leaders. Farrugia has said the EU's executive branch, the European Commission, was working on an ad hoc plan to find countries where the 250 migrants in Malta and the 49 on the aid boats could have asylum applications processed. While politicians squabbled, Sea-Watch appealed on Twitter for a rapid, "reasonable solution that guarantees a port, medical care and food to women, children and men at the mercy of the waves." Di Maio's opening to taking some of the migrants appeared calculated to placate a faction of his party uncomfortable with the government's rejection of rescued migrants. Championing that 5-Star faction is Roberto Fico, the speaker of the Italian Parliament's lower chamber. "We can't allow human beings, who are fleeing from pain, death and suffering, to be left in unacceptable conditions," he wrote on Facebook. ALGECIRAS, SPAIN - Germany has Alternative for Germany, France has the National Front, Italy has The League and Spain now has VOX, the latest far-right actor to emerge on Europes political scene after an unexpectedly strong showing in local elections last month in Andalusia, the Spanish southern region until now considered a Socialist bastion. Violent protests erupted following the Dec. 2 vote, as leftist leader Pablo Iglesias called for an anti-fascist mobilization. His followers camped out in front of the regional parliament in Seville, threatening to block access to VOX party representatives. Protesters set cars on fire and vandalized businesses. But the results were clear and the protests did not change the reality that the populist, anti-establishment fever had arrived in Spain. Spain's far-right Vox party President Santiago Aba Spain's far-right Vox party President Santiago Abascal takes part in a rally during regional elections in Andalusia, in Seville, Spain. Spain's far-right Vox party President Santiago Abascal takes part in a rally during regional elections in Andalusia, in Seville, Spain. ?Seats lost The Socialist party and its far left ally, Podemos, lost seats and could no longer muster a governing majority in the regional parliament. Support for the mainstream center-right Peoples Party and the Citizens party remained static while 11 percent of votes were swept up by VOX, whose support may be crucial to form a new regional government. While polls anticipated gains by VOX, these results have exceeded all expectations by wide margins, said Ignacio Jurado, a political science professor the University of York. VOX, he said, becomes for the first time a parliamentary force in Spain. VOX leader Santiago Abascal, a political upstart whose violent discourses against immigration, feminism and regional separatism have gained him a strong national following, declared he would go on to throw Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez out of the Moncloa, the palace that serves as the official residence. VOX votes in Andalusia rose from 18,500 in the 2015 elections to almost 400,000 last month, and analysts expect the numbers to multiply by similar proportions in other parts of Spain. A woman watches demonstrators taking part in a pro A woman watches demonstrators taking part in a protest outside a hotel where the newcomer to Spanish politics, the far-right Vox party holds a rally in Murcia, Spain, Nov. 14, 2018. Vox is reaching out to the neglected, working-class suburbs and rural areas with high unemployment, with polls predicting the Eurosceptic, anti-feminist and staunchly patriotic party on track to enter the countrys parliament in elections due before 2020. A woman watches demonstrators taking part in a protest outside a hotel where the newcomer to Spanish politics, the far-right Vox party holds a rally in Murcia, Spain, Nov. 14, 2018. Vox is reaching out to the neglected, working-class suburbs and rural areas with high unemployment, with polls predicting the Eurosceptic, anti-feminist and staunchly patriotic party on track to enter the countrys parliament in elections due before 2020. Unlike other populist movements that are sweeping Europe, Spains emerging rightists are not necessarily pushing for an exit from the European Union. Abascal said he wants to keep Spain in the European Union. He has in the past told VOA he instead seeks to change the bloc from within and is focusing his strategy on winning seats in the European Parliament elections set for May. Previously ignored, Europes leaders see this years poll as the most decisive ever: a de facto referendum on modern European liberal democracy. French far-right National Rally (Rassemblement Nat French far-right National Rally (Rassemblement National) party leader Marine Le Pen delivers her comeback speech in Frejus, France, Sept. 16, 2018. The backdrop reads "Nations will save Europe." French far-right National Rally (Rassemblement National) party leader Marine Le Pen delivers her comeback speech in Frejus, France, Sept. 16, 2018. The backdrop reads "Nations will save Europe." ?Far right parties At a meeting of far right parties in Belgium in December, French National Front leader Marine Le Pen called on like-minded forces to take control of the European parliament. She had earlier sent a message of congratulations to Abascal. Iglesias Podemos party had until now been the main beneficiary of disenchantment with the bipartisan status quo that had prevailed in Spain for the past half century. Iglesias provided key parliamentary support for Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to form a government earlier this year. But disdain for Spanish national symbols like the monarchy and the flag alienated many of the kingdoms traditionally minded voters. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, center, shak Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, center, shakes hands with the leader of the Podemos party, Pablo Iglesias, at the Moncloa Palace in Madrid, Oct. 11, 2018. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, center, shakes hands with the leader of the Podemos party, Pablo Iglesias, at the Moncloa Palace in Madrid, Oct. 11, 2018. Abascal says much of his support is driven by growing African immigration, which he blames on what he says are overly permissive government policies. Analysts say the issue was undoubtedly a factor in Andalusia, which has become a main landing zone for migrants crossing the Strait of Gibraltar from northern Africa. Voter resentment over the rising number of immigrants was palpable in the run-up to the elections. These people are better treated than we are, said one voter in the town of Jimena de la Frontera, pointing to a hotel that is being used to house migrants. Migrants gather on the deck of the Spanish NGO Pro Migrants gather on the deck of the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel after being rescued in the central Mediterranean Sea, Dec. 21, 2018, before disembarking in the port of Crinavis in Spain, Dec. 28, 2018. Migrants gather on the deck of the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel after being rescued in the central Mediterranean Sea, Dec. 21, 2018, before disembarking in the port of Crinavis in Spain, Dec. 28, 2018. Her sentiment is providing fertile ground for the populists. We will expel anyone who enters our house without permission, Abascal said before cheering multitudes recently. He pledged to ban the practice of Islam and shut down mosques. Abascal denies suggestions that his movement bears any resemblance to what Spain saw in the 20th century. The stigma attached to the far right over memories of the Franco dictatorship, Abascal said, are fading. Today, he claims, those memories are eclipsed by the seemingly endless corruption scandals plaguing the establishment at large, from the Socialists to the conservative Peoples Party. A controversial bid by Sanchez to exhume Francos remains from their resting place in a national mausoleum could be intended to distract public opinion from other issues, Abascal said. People want change, Abascal said. But he says there is no thirst for radical revolutions. They wont go the way of Castro Chavismo, he said, referring to the radical socialist regimes in the former colonies of Cuba and Venezuela, which Iglesias and other Spanish leftists have at times praised. People wave Spanish flags during a rally by the ri People wave Spanish flags during a rally by the right wing VOX party in Madrid, Dec. 1, 2018. VOX supporters waved Spanish flags as they gathered in Colon Square to listen to speeches from party leaders. People wave Spanish flags during a rally by the right wing VOX party in Madrid, Dec. 1, 2018. VOX supporters waved Spanish flags as they gathered in Colon Square to listen to speeches from party leaders. ?Wide following The Andalusian election results last month also indicate that VOX has a wide following, cutting across income groups. While Abascal received 30 percent of the vote in the wealthy province of Almeria, he also drew 14 percent of votes in the city of La Linea, which has one of the highest unemployment rates in Spain. Feminist leader Lidia Falcon says despite the electoral upset, Abascals support is limited. His opposition to a law targeting violence against women recently passed unanimously by Spains parliament has alienated women voters, Falcon said. The number of incidents in which male spouses abused their wives rose dramatically, by almost 18 percent, in 2017, according to a study by Spains high court. Differences over the law against gender violence has been a stumbling block in forming a governing coalition between VOX and the center-rightists in Andalusia. Analysts doubt Abascal can ever hope to score a majority in Catalonia or his native Basque region, whose autonomous governments he wants to abolish, he says, to streamline bureaucracy and create a more efficiently managed central state. But his polarizing message is securing the support of Spanish unionists in both regions who have lost confidence in the ability of mainstream parties to contain the separatists. It may also attract votes in poorer regions like Andalusia, which depends on revenues from the richer industrial north. Democratic Republic of Congo officials say they are delaying the announcement of the results of its presidential election until some time later this week. The commission is holding a meeting Sunday about the delay. Corneille Nangaa, head of the countrys electoral commission (CENI), said, It is not possible to publish the results on Sunday. We are making progress, but we do not have everything yet. Nangaa said the commission had received only 47 percent of ballots from polling stations across the vast Central African country, which lacks a well-developed road network. He also said the system of manually collecting and compiling vote totals is not helping the process. The electoral commission had planned to use the internet to collect vote totals. But it gave up those plans after the opposition alleged the system was vulnerable to fraud. Nangaa did not say when the results would be ready or released. Corneille Nangaa, the president of the independent Corneille Nangaa, the president of the independent electoral commission (CENI), leaves a meeting, Jan 2, 2018, with opposition candidates and African Union observers in Kinshasa, Congo. Corneille Nangaa, the president of the independent electoral commission (CENI), leaves a meeting, Jan 2, 2018, with opposition candidates and African Union observers in Kinshasa, Congo. Latest problem The delay is the latest problem in the chaotic Dec. 30 election to pick a successor to President Joseph Kabila. The 40 million eligible voters in the country chose from among 21 candidates to replace Kabila, who has ruled the country of 80 million since his father was assassinated in 2001. Pre-election polls indicated that opposition figure Martin Fayulu was the favorite to replace Kabila, who threw his support behind his former interior minister, Emmanuel Shadary. By law, only the electoral commission can announce election results in Congo. One Candidate Clearly Won DRC Election, Catholic Church Says Democratic Republic of Congo's Catholic bishops conference (CENCO) said on Thursday that results from Sunday's presidential election in its possession show that one candidate has clearly won, but did not say which one. Donatien Nshole, the CENCO secretary-general, in a press conference also called on the national electoral commission to publish accurate results. The commission says it will publish complete provisional results on Sunday at the earliest. More than a third of polling stations in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Catholic bishops conference (CENCO) said on Thursday that results from Sunday's presidential election in its possession show that one candidate has clearly won, but did not say which one. Donatien Nshole, the CENCO secretary-general, in a press conference also called on the national electoral commission to publish accurate results. The commission says it will publish complete provisional results on Sunday at the earliest. More than a third of polling stations in the The Catholic Church in Congo said Thursday that it had election results showing one candidate clearly winning, but did not say who it was. A senior church body called on the government to publish accurate results. The church warned of a popular uprising if results were not true to the verdict of the ballot box. On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump said 80 U.S. military personnel and appropriate combat equipment had been deployed to the Central African country of Gabon to protect U.S. assets from possible violent demonstrations. In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, he said more forces would deploy to Gabon, Congo or neighboring Republic of Congo if needed. US Sends Troops to Gabon to Watch for Congo Violence President Donald Trump said Friday that U.S. military personnel had deployed to Gabon in response to possible violent demonstrations in the Democratic Republic of Congo after a presidential election there.In a letter to congressional leaders, Trump said the first of about 80 military personnel arrived in Gabon on Wednesday in case they are needed to protect U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that U.S. military personnel had deployed to Gabon in response to possible violent demonstrations in the Democratic Republic of Congo after a presidential election there.In a letter to congressional leaders, Trump said the first of about 80 military personnel arrived in Gabon on Wednesday in case they are needed to protect U.S. ?Congo has never seen a peaceful transfer of power since winning independence from Belgium in 1960. Last weeks election was originally scheduled for 2016 but was delayed as Kabila stayed in office past the end of his mandate, sparking protests that were crushed by security forces, leaving dozens dead. Witnesses and voters wait for the Katendere voting Witnesses and voters wait for the Katendere voting center to open in Goma, Dec. 30, 2018. Voters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo went to the polls Sunday in elections that will shape the future of their vast, troubled country. Witnesses and voters wait for the Katendere voting center to open in Goma, Dec. 30, 2018. Voters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo went to the polls Sunday in elections that will shape the future of their vast, troubled country. ?Election marred Also Saturday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report that said widespread irregularities, voter suppression and violence significantly marred the Dec. 30 elections. The HRW report cited several instances of voter suppression, including the last-minute closure of more than 1,000 polling stations in Kinshasa, the capital, as well as issues with electronic voting machines and voter lists, and polling sites opening late. Official election results that suggest a falsified count could generate widespread protests, raising grave concerns of violent government repression, HRW said, adding that election officials should ensure results announced are accurate. HRW also cited in its report that the DRC shut down internet and text messaging throughout the country Dec. 31. It also cut the signal for Radio France Internationale (RFI) in Kinshasa and other cities, and withdrew the accreditation for RFIs special correspondent in Congo, who had to leave Congo on Jan. 3. Congolese voters showed they were determined to participate in the democratic process in the face of rampant election-day obstacles, Ida Sawyer, deputy Africa director at HRW, said in the report. The authorities should immediately restore all communications, allow independent media outlets to operate freely, and ensure that the vote count is carried out in a credible, transparent manner. Anita Powell in Johannesburg contributed to this report. Rear Adm. Kevin Sweeney, chief of staff to the secretary of defense, has resigned, according to a Department of Defense statement released Saturday. Sweeney had held the position since January 2017. "After two years in the Pentagon, I've decided the time is right to return to the private sector. It has been an honor to serve again alongside the men and women of the Department of Defense," Sweeney said in a statement. His resignation was the latest of several from the Defense Department. Secretary of Defense James Mattis, for whom Sweeney had served, announced his resignation in December and left his post earlier this month. Mattis announced his resignation in late December, shortly after President Donald Trump said the U.S. would be pulling out about 2,000 troops from Syria. In his letter, in which he did not mention Trump by name, Mattis outlined sharp differences between his views and those of the president, notably on the importance of allies and the use of U.S. power. FILE - President Trump gets a briefing from his se FILE - President Donald Trump gets a briefing from his senior military leaders, including then-Defense Secretary James Mattis, at left, in the Cabinet Room at the White House, Oct. 23, 2018. FILE - President Donald Trump gets a briefing from his senior military leaders, including then-Defense Secretary James Mattis, at left, in the Cabinet Room at the White House, Oct. 23, 2018. "We must be resolute and unambiguous in our approach to those countries whose strategic interests are increasingly in tension with ours," Mattis wrote, warning that Russia and China in particular "want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model gaining veto authority over other nations' economic, diplomatic and security decisions." Mattis said he would stay until the end of February, but on Dec. 23 Trump announced that Patrick Shanahan would become acting defense secretary on Jan. 1, speeding up Mattis' departure. Shanahan had been Mattis' deputy secretary of defense. Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White also resigned, leaving the department at the end of December. "I appreciate the opportunity afforded to me by this administration to serve alongside Secretary Mattis, our service members and all the civilians who support them. It has been my honor and privilege. Stay safe and God bless," White tweeted on Monday, according to a CNN report. On Tuesday, Charles Summers Jr. was named the new Pentagon spokesperson. Click here to log in and see all of our other subscription options for the Mesabi Tribune, including online only & auto-renewal subscriptions. By Vu Tan Cong Deputy general director, Vietnam Car Business and Industry Consultant Co., Ltd. In December 1958, the first made-in-Vietnam automobile, Chien Thang (Victory), rolled off the lines in the north. Down south, the first La Dalat-branded vehicles were launched in 1970. Thanks to the Law on Foreign Investment in 1987, two joint-venture companies, Mekong Auto Corporation and Vietnam Motors Corporation, were licensed. By the mid-1990s, many automobile giants such as Toyota and Ford had entered the market. By then, domestic automakers like Truong Hai Automobile Corporation (THACO), Vinaxuki, VINAMOTOR, and Hyundai Thanh Cong (HTC) were licensed. They concentrated on commercial vehicles (CVs) and special purpose vehicles, manufacturing and assembling through lower-level technology and simple production. Today there are 355 automobile-related enterprises in Vietnam. For over two decades, Vietnams automobile industry was limited to assembling level only. Due to the small market volume and unsuitable government policy, Vietnams localisation programme was unsuccessful. Currently, the auto localisation ratios are 10-12 per cent for passenger cars and 45-50 per cent for commercial vehicles and special purpose vehicles. It should be noted that most materials for auto part manufacturing are imported. In other words, Vietnam has virtually no automobile supporting industry. In addition, due to low volume, local part prices are higher than those produced by neighbouring countries. And due to small production volume, costs for manufacturing parts components (PCs) in Vietnam are about 20-22 per cent higher than those of the same vehicles in other ASEAN members. To address this, the Vietnamese government devised the Master Plan on Vietnam Automobile Industry Development through Decision No.1211/QD-TTg. This is supplemented by Decree No.116/2017/ND-CP on legal conditions for automobile manufacturers, importers and workshops. Additionally, the government has issued many regulations and incentives on the likes of corporate income tax and import duty to develop the automotive supporting industry. New names on Vietnams automaker map Throughout the evolution of the sector, some automakers have ceased operations. Vinaxuki has almost halted its operation, for example. At the first stage of development, Vinaxuki was fairly successful in the truck-assembling business with localisation ratios of about 30-50 per cent. Losses began with its ambitious project on Vietnam-branded PCs, with huge investments on body-stamping shops. In practice, investment in PC body manufacturing is profitable only when the production volume is big enough. However, Vinaxukis volume was not big enough to break even. In addition, high import taxes on steel plates for vehicle body stamping made vehicle body prices higher. These factors caused the loss of Vinaxukis PC body manufacturing project. Current automobile manufacturers in Vietnam can be sorted into two groups, domestic ones and those with foreign direct investment (FDI), with the majority of foreign-invested automakers having production bases in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. By January 1, 2018, in line with the ASEAN Free Trade Area Agreements (ATIGA), ASEAN-produced vehicles with in-bloc localisation ratios of 40 per cent or more enjoy import tax rates of zero when exported to other ASEAN markets. In consideration of Vietnams current situation and new conditions regulated by Decree 116, foreign-invested automakers will revise production plans in the country so as to maximise profits. The key point to develop Vietnams automobile industry is to develop an automotive supporting industry alongside. At present, there are three pioneers in the development of this sector. However, the likes of THACO, HTC and newly-established automobile manufacturer VinFast have their own varying methods to develop and produce its Vietnamese-branded vehicles. The VinFast automobile project has been recognised as the biggest-ever and most ambitious in Vietnam, Photo: Duc Thanh Increasing ratios THACO began its business with CV manufacturing and assembling from imported and locally-produced parts components. THACO also makes big investments in manufacturing auto parts for its CV production. At present, the localisation ratios for THACO-branded CVs are 40-45 per cent for trucks and up to 60 per cent for buses that meet regulations on made-in-Vietnam products by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) and meet the ASEANs in-bloc localisation ratio requirements. At the same time, THACO is manufacturing foreign-branded PCs with Mazda, Kia and Peugeot. These localisation ratios are gradually increasing, reaching 15-20 per cent according to 2017 data. The THACO-Mazda factory in the central province of Quang Nam is recognised as the most modern and largest of its kind in Southeast Asia. The challenge THACO may face is to localise its foreign-brand PCs. By sales volume, THACO is the largest automaker in Vietnam. Similar to THACOs strategy, HTC has been concentrating on manufacturing and assembling a full range of Hyundai-brand automobiles. According to their plan, Hyundai automobile localisation ratios will increase, on average, from 12-14 per cent in 2017 to 40 per cent next year, and HTC will become Hyundais key vehicle production base in Southeast Asia. To hit these targets, many South Korean automotive supporting industry enterprises have been investing and manufacturing auto components for HTC, which has targets on exporting products to ASEAN member states by 2020. The challenge HTC may face is to localise Hyundai-branded PCs. HTC is, by sales volume, the third-largest automaker in the country. In September 2017, VinFast held a groundbreaking ceremony on its manufacturing complex in the northern city of Haiphong. With about $5 billion investment over two stages, a 335-hectare facility area, production capacity of 500,000 units annually by 2025, and committed localisation ratios of up to 60 per cent by 2025, the VinFast automobile project has been recognised as the biggest-ever and most ambitious in Vietnam thus far. With funding into engine and vehicle body-stamping factories, VinFasts PCs localisation ratios can, on average, reach 25-26 per cent, assuming all materials for engine and vehicle body productions are locally-produced. Again, however, the lack of an automobile material industry in Vietnam presently puts these figures in doubt. Thanks to investment by many overseas organisations in VinFasts manufacturing complex in Haiphong, hopefully the business will reach its vehicle committed localisation ratios as planned. If so, VinFast vehicles will be recognised as made-in-Vietnam products, according to the current regulations by the MoST. Solutions on enhancing the competitiveness of the sector To increase these ratios and enhance on the competitiveness of Vietnams automobile industry, both the government and automakers themselves shall have to do their utmost and work together. Regarding the government side, it is suggested that it carries out the following: -Deploy policies on expanding local and overseas markets. By doing so, automotive supporting industry enterprises and automakers have more production volume to develop. -Promote policies on attracting more FDI in the automotive supporting industry, and develop incentives on promoting supporting industry enterprises to participate in the global supply chain. -Promulgate incentives to supporting industry enterprises in technology transfer, personnel training and quality certifications such as ISO 9001, SA 8000, OHSAS 18001, and ISO/TS 16949:2009. -Achieve incentive policies on using locally-produced PCs by local automakers, and cancel all unnecessary business conditions to promote enterprises on development. -Encourage and support establishment and development of automobile engineering institutes, universities, and research and development centres. It is recommended that the suggestions must see no violation on World Trade Organization and international conventions, and must remain clear and stable for at least 10 years, with a suitable implementation road-map. Regarding the responsibilities of businesses, both original equipment makers and their suppliers, it is recommended they achieve the following: -Improve in technology levels, human resources personnel and quality certifications. -Innovate in investment ideas towards participation in global auto part supply chains. -Further increase international co-operation to open regional markets, for both auto PCs and completely built-up vehicles, and attain technology transfers from foreign partners. The Promotional Products Association Internationals (PPAI) PPAI Expo 2019, the industrys largest and longest-running trade show, heads back to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas this January. As The PPAI Expo continues to build a lasting legacy, industry professionals from around the world will gather in one spot beginning January 13 to experience an extraordinary promotional products trade show along with educational sessions led by key stakeholders in the industry. Featuring more than 1,200 exhibitors, The PPAI Expo 2019 will offer attendees a content rich environment that boasts the latest trends in promotional marketing and advertising, incentives, recognition and awards as well as environmentally conscious and Made In The USA products. The PPAI Expo 2019 is a chance for promotional professionals to be exposed to new promotional marketing strategies and products, as well as the latest trends within the promotional products industry each year, said Paul Bellantone, CAE, president and CEO of PPAI. This years PPAI Expo will host the top manufactures and suppliers in the industry alongside newcomers who will have their first taste of the show floor. Our goal at The PPAI Expo is to present the best in class industry education as well as top trends to ensure industry professionals are confidently using promotional products to the advantage of the end user, in every way they can. Serving as a yearly launch pad for both suppliers and distributors, this years Expo will include two days of education which will offer more than 140 sessions across diversified tracks, followed by three days of exhibition which, for the first time at The PPAI Expo, will 0host a first-time exhibitor pavilion where companies new to the event will be housed, allowing attendees an exclusive chance to search for new products, suppliers and partners. With more than 750,000 show participants and 500,000 distributors over the years, The PPAI Expo proves to be an indispensible resource to members of the promotional products industry, and The 2019 PPAI Expo will surely follow suit. Valdosta, GA (31601) Today Mostly sunny early. Scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day. High 94F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. The Vescica Ileale Padovana (VIP) was first described in 1989 as a technique for total bladder replacement, and gained popularity due to technical simplicity and functional advantages. To report preliminary results and a detailed step-by-step surgical technique description of robot-assisted VIP (ra-VIP) that replicates the open technique principles. We report the data of 15 consecutive patients who underwent robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) and totally intracorporeal ra-VIP at our institution from April 2015 to March 2017. RARC, extended pelvic lymph-node dissection, and totally intracorporeal ra-VIP. An enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol was adopted in most cases. Perioperative outcomes (operating time, blood loss, transfusion rate, and hospital stay), readmission for early (30d) and late (90d) postoperative complications, pathological and oncological outcomes, and overall/cancer-specific survival were reported. The median (interquartile range) age was 60 (54-66)yr. The median body mass index was 24 (24-25). The median American Society of Anesthesiologists score was 2 (2-2). The operative time was 390 (284-470)min and the estimated blood loss was 300 (50-900) ml. No conversion to open technique was reported. The median hospital stay was 17 (12-23)d. Three patients received postoperative transfusions. Six patients had 90-d major complications. One patient was readmitted after discharge and reported a long-term sequela. One positive margin was reported. At a mean follow-up of 17 (13-25)mo, 14 (93%) patients were alive: one patient died from disease progression. Daytime continence rate at 12mo was 62%. Our preliminary results showed that ra-VIP appears to be a feasible technique for robot-assisted totally intracorporeal bladder replacement following robotic radical cystectomy. Vescica Ileale Padovana (VIP) was first described almost 30yr ago for bladder replacement after radical cystectomy. We report a step-by-step technique of robot-assisted VIP that follows the open surgical principles of detubularization and double folding, mixing the advantages of VIP with the benefits of the robotic approach. European urology. 2018 Nov 30 [Epub ahead of print] Giovanni E Cacciamani, Vincenzo De Marco, Marco Sebben, Riccardo Rizzetto, Maria A Cerruto, Antonio B Porcaro, Inderbir S Gill, Walter Artibani Department of Urology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; Urology Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: ., Department of Urology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy., Urology Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30509764 Go Beyond the Abstract and Read a Commentary by Giovanni Cacciamani, MD, and Walter Artibani, MD We may never know if a Manchester police officers act of kindness to a teen would-be shoplifter will make a difference in the teens life. But it certainly brightened the day of a lot of Manchester residents and others who read our story or saw the TV newscast about Officer George Morales. AFTER NINE PEOPLE were shot to death by a public transit worker, who then killed himself in San Jose, the latest mass murder in America, California Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke for many on the eve of this Memorial Day weekend. For full access, please log in, register your subscription or subscribe. Try for 99 a month for two months, cancel or pause anytime. The suspect was thought to be an ex-boyfriend of Buket Yldz. The man identified by the police in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv as the main suspect of killing two Turkish students on December 31 was caught by Turkish police in Istanbul on January 5. Husnu Can C., 20, thought to be ex-boyfriend of Buket Yldz, was detained by police in a cemetery in Istanbul's suburban district of Pendik, The Hurriyet Daily News, the oldest current English-language daily in Turkey, reported with reference to the Demiroren News Agency. Read alsoChief prosecutor Lutsenko: Circle of suspects in Sheremet assassination narrows The suspect went to Ukraine 10 days before the murders, according to security sources. The door of the apartment was not opened forcibly, making the police believe that the suspect had spare keys or Yldz invited him in. The murderer first killed Yldz, slitting her throat, according to findings. Then he came across her housemate Zeynep Husunbey, who was coming home from shopping, at the door and stabbed her to death. The bodies of Yldz and Husunbey were discovered on January 3 after one of the victims friends failed to reach them and went to the police. Husnu Can C. took a flight to Istanbul, the Ukrainian police told Turkish counterparts. An international arrest warrant was issued for him. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I handed the tomos of autocephaly (independence) over to leader of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Epifaniy in Istanbul on Sunday, January 6. Leader of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Epifaniy (Epiphanius) has called on Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and all local Orthodox churches to pray for peace in Ukraine and for the release of those who are held captive or illegally detained. "Together with the prayers of gratitude, we are also praying to God today for our Ukrainian people, who have been suffering for five years from the war brought from outside to our peaceful home," he said at St. George's Cathedral in Istanbul on Sunday, January 6, after an official ceremony during which Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I handed the tomos of autocephaly (independence) over to him. Read alsoPoroshenko: Tomos for Ukraine is another act of declaring independence "We ask Your Holiness [Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I], the entire mother church and all local churches to pray for fair peace for Ukraine and we believe that, as God heard our joint sincere prayers for peace and unity for our church and fulfilled what we had asked for, so the Lord will hear these prayers and give peace and unity to our state, and well-being and prosperity to the Ukrainian people," he said. "We especially ask for God's protection of those who, for their love for Ukraine, are now suffering from captivity, unfair imprisonment or persecution, suffering from war and enslavement," he added. As UNIAN reported, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I on January 5, 2019, signed the tomos in his residence in Istanbul, which proclaims the autocephaly of the newly formed Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The tomos says that the Ecumenical Patriarchate recognizes a canonical, autocephalous, self-governing Orthodox Church within the limits of the politically formed territory of Ukraine. The document also sets out the basic principles for the functioning of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. On January 7, the tomos will be exhibited for the public at St. Sophia's Cathedral in Kyiv. Such a reaction of Moscow also shows that it is weaker than many consider in the West. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has criticized Moscow's statements on alleged financial benefits that the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople has received from the entire procedure of granting the tomos, a decree of autocephaly (independence) of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. "In such statements there is nothing sound. They are evil as such. But honestly, after years of Russian aggression and our struggle to restore sovereignty and territorial integrity, we did not expect anything else from Moscow. One who recalls Russian stories about "green men" in Crimea, "vacationers" in Donbas, MH17 and Salisbury should not get into the Kremlin's trap once again," Poroshenko told the Greek newspaper TaNea. Read alsoPoroshenko: Tomos for Ukraine is another act of declaring independence "The Russian leadership is notorious for lies, deception and fake news. Many times they were caught red-handed, spreading lies, but they continue. The very nature of the war that Putin and his regime wage against the democratic world involves discrediting, labeling and counterfeiting," Poroshenko said. At the same time, the Ukrainian president noted that this fake, created by the Kremlin, is quite demonstrative, since it shows how Moscow perceives the world. "They believe that without a financial reward nothing is possible. I believe that when it comes to confidence and belief in God, especially the restoration of historical truth, there is no place for financial gain. Those who think differently or advocate such fake are servants of the Kremlin in its aspirations against Ukraine's independence and the free world as such," he said. "There is no money in the world that could buy such people as His All-Holiness Bartholomew. I think people in the Kremlin know this and, thus, try to falsify his motives. However, God and history know the truth. And those who spread lies, ultimately, will fail. If there is anything from which His All-Holiness gained benefits, it is from the true devotion of Ukraine to the power of faith and the power of God. The Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine will enrich the world Orthodoxy," the president said. According to the president, such a reaction of Moscow also shows that it is weaker than many consider in the West. "This is a great lesson. The Kremlin invests all efforts in its image, as if it is impeccable, invincible and omnipotent. This is just another fake. Therefore, Moscow is very angry at Constantinople, because it rejected any claims of Russia regarding Ukraine as its canonical territory," he said. He added that the Kremlin does not even conceal the fact that the Russian Orthodox Church is considered one of the key instruments of keeping Ukraine in orbit and within the "Russian world." "Moscow, the Kremlin got too used to making the church one of the tools in its hybrid aggression. Creating an independent Orthodox Church in Ukraine deprives them of these opportunities or severely restricts them," he said. "All Moscow's claims concern the authorities and control over the territory, not faith and love," Poroshenko said, adding that the situation in the Ukrainian Orthodoxy was discussed at the Russian Security Council under the chairmanship of the Russian president. "When the Russian President says that the collapse of the USSR became the main geopolitical catastrophe of the twentieth century for Russia, the independent Ukrainian church would become the second," he added. The Ukrainian president congratulated the Ukrainians on this important event in Ukraine's history. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says that the tomos, a decree of autocephaly (independence), which has been granted to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, is as important as the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine. "It will be the last stage of the establishment of the independence of the Ukrainian state. It will enhance religious freedom, inter-Orthodox peace, give more rights and freedoms to citizens, especially those who were excluded from the Ecumenical relations and who were unfairly called uncanonical," Poroshenko said after an official ceremony in Istanbul where Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I handed the tomos over to leader of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epifaniy (Epiphanius) of Kyiv and All Ukraine. The Ukrainian president congratulated the Ukrainians on this important event in Ukraine's history. "Dear Ukrainians! We've just witnessed a great historic event in which the Lord was with us and we, Ukrainians, were with the Lord! The autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine has received the tomos from the Ecumenical Patriarch, from the Mother Church," Poroshenko said. "The Lord saw the Ukrainian people fighting for independence. The Lord heard us praying. He rewarded us according to our deeds," he said. "It was with the Lord's plans that All Holiness Bartholomew I and the Synod of the Mother Church of Constantinople said the long awaited 'Yes!' to an independent church in Ukraine." According to him, today's event will remain on par with the Christianization of Kyivan Rus in 988 AD and the proclamation of independence of Ukraine in 1991, and "the Orthodox world will remember the day when the Church of Ukraine enjoying all the rights joined the family of the sister churches." "It was a long way for our country to see this day, and it was not for nothing that his All-Holiness [Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I] also mentioned our first Christian Princess Olha and Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Volodymyr the Great [who Christianized the Kyivan Rus] in his speech," Poroshenko said. Read alsoEcumenical Patriarch hands tomos of autocephaly over to leader of Orthodox Church of Ukraine (Video, photos) According to him, the Kyivan Christian tradition had been observed for more than a thousand years. "Today, our Orthodox Church is ready for independent existence. Ukrainian people thanks the Lord. What has happened is a real miracle due to God's will," he said. "We are pleased that the Ecumenical Patriarch as the spiritual guide of hundreds of millions of Orthodox people, as a figure of global scale, heard our voice and our requests. The tireless work of His Holiness in the spiritual field will forever remain in the history of the church and in the history of nations, especially Orthodox ones." Poroshenko noted that Bartholomew I especially emphasized the importance of resuming the communion of millions of Ukrainian believers with the world Orthodoxy. As UNIAN reported, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I on January 5, 2019, signed the tomos in his residence in Istanbul, which proclaims the autocephaly of the newly formed Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The tomos says that the Ecumenical Patriarchate recognizes a canonical, autocephalous, self-governing Orthodox Church within the limits of the politically formed territory of Ukraine. The document also sets out the basic principles for the functioning of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. On January 7, the tomos will be exhibited for the public at St. Sophia's Cathedral in Kyiv. Congolese expelled from Angola push a rented bicycle to transport their children and belongings to Tshikapa, near the border with Angola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Reuters/Giulia Paravicini UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is concerned by a fast-developing humanitarian situation in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo sparked by mass returns from Angola over the last two weeks. Congolese government officials estimate that some 200,000 nationals have arrived in Kasai Province alone, with more arrivals reported in neighbouring Kasai Central Province. Their arrivals follow an expulsion order by the authorities in Angola targeting migrants. The Congolese were working in the informal mining sector, in the northeast of Angola, before being asked to leave. UNHCR is appealing to the governments of Angola and the DRC to work together to ensure a safe and orderly population movement. Mass expulsions are contrary to obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and we ask both sides to respect the human rights of those affected. Without such cooperation the returns could easily create a humanitarian crisis in the already fragile Kasai region. There have been reports of violent clashes in some areas of Angola as law enforcement agents have attempted to enforce the leave order. The deadline for compliance with this order expired yesterday (Monday 15 October 2018). With the deadline having passed, thousands of returnees are on the Congolese side of the border. More were seen walking towards the DRC border or arriving by cars, bus, minibuses or trucks on the Angola side of the border from where they walk to cross taking their belongings with them. People have been arriving in DRC through different border points with whatever belongings they can bring. We have heard complaints of violence, including sexual violence and harassment, bodily frisking and theft of belongings, at the hands of security forces on both sides of the border. The Congolese are returning to a desperate situation, looking for safety and aid. With more arriving every day, thousands are reported to be stuck at and near the border, with limited means to travel onwards to their home places. In addition, many are likely to face difficulties due to destruction caused by recent conflict in the area. Ethnic tensions still run high since the Kasai conflict in 2016 and 2017. The town of Kamako in Kasai Province, on the border with Angola, is over-crowded with people staying overnight outdoors, in host families, church compounds, and on streets. UNHCR teams are currently working with UN and other partners in the region to assess humanitarian needs, trying to ensure those most at risk including unaccompanied children are taken care of. New arrivals need food, water, shelter and other basic services both at the border and once they arrive in their villages of origin. A primary need raised by new arrivals is transport to their homes. Local authorities in the region have requested international assistance. UNHCR is also concerned on the reports that the new arrivals may have included a small number of refugees, caught up in the mass movement and forced to return to the DRC. We are working to verify these reports. UNHCR is screening returnees at the border, working closely with the Government of Angola, to prevent forced refugee returns. Angola currently hosts some 68,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, primarily from DRC. For more information on this topic, please contact: Moldovan Prime Minister Pavel Filip hopes that Romania within its presidency of the Council of the EU will support the European integration processes of the Eastern Partnership countries, including Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia. The Moldovan prime minister said this in a letter addressed to Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, Ukrinforms correspondent reported from Moldova. We welcome Romanias intentions to support the EUs strategic partnership with the Eastern Partnership countries. Moldova is interested in deepening sectorial cooperation with eastern partners of the EU, in particular, with the three Eastern Partnership countries that have signed the Association Agreement [Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia], Filip noted. The head of the Moldovan government stressed that projects for the development of infrastructure and energy cooperation were of particular interest, as they would speed up the process of rapprochement with the European Union. From January 1, 2019, Romania has held the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union. Gov.-elect Kevin Stitt joined a Twitter chat among teachers and school administrators last week and asked how to measure education success. During his campaign, Stitt promised to put Oklahoma public schools in the Top 10 in the nation. But that was left undefined. Id love to read from #oklaed participants how youd like to see Oklahoma define #TopTen success in education, Stitt tweeted. Our suggestion starts with what is in the power of the governor and Legislature to accomplish: funding. Schools need adequate resources to recruit and retain the best educators and provide schools with resources from technology to class offerings. Oklahomas education funding formula, as it is written, does not provide incentives for local taxpayers to provide funding for teachers. So its up to the state to ensure all public school students receive a quality education. A literate and fun bunch, indeed. I asked if the glitch of the Pentagon rang a bell. Yes, it does, vaguely, but I cant remember who actually wrote it, she said. I asked if it was real, but she said she couldnt talk right then. I was reluctant to get off the line without an answer, but we scheduled a call for the next day. When we reconnected, Greenhall acknowledged that she had edited the entry. And then, with one word, confirmed the hunch that had launched an obsessive quest. Was the glitch a fake entry? Yes. She asked if I would like to be put in contact with the author. She thought it was Karen Tweedy-Holmes who, she informed me, was also the creator of Lillian Virginia Mountweazel. Tweedy-Holmes is now a professional photographer, and portions of her website bio read a bit like a mountweazel: Her images of the male nude were exhibited extensively to critical acclaim in the 1970s and are among the first art photographs of this subject by an American woman. Before we got to the big questions, I asked if she knew what fake encyclopedia entries are sometimes called now, and she said she didnt. Theyre called mountweazels, I said. Americans should find these numbers disturbing. They are a measure of how far we have fallen from the 1960s and 1970s, when CBS anchor Walter Cronkite was called the most trusted man in America. It was a time when Democrats and Republicans agreed on 90 percent of the issues and when the national media, along with other institutions, provided a foundation for our national motto e pluribus unum, out of many, one. How did this distrust of the media happen? Many on the left blame President Donald Trump, who has labeled what he calls fake media outlets an enemy of the American people. Others point to talk radio and Fox News pundits who have been critical of the national media for years. And still others point to the culture-altering influence of the internet, which enables people of any far-out political or social persuasion to find a like-minded online community. A massive MIT study found that a false story is far more likely than a true story to go viral on Twitter. All of these may be factors. Dots and dashes: 4th District Congressman Tom Cole will be the top-ranked Republican on the House Rules Committee in the 116th Congress, a position that keeps him in the inner circle of GOP leadership. ... Cole had some advice for fellow Republicans who are experiencing life in the minority for the first time. Smoke a lot; drink a lot, Cole ruefully told the New York Times. They are going to find out how good they had it in the majority, particularly when we had a Republican Senate, as frustrating as that could be. ... Cole signed on to Iowa Rep. Steve Kings bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act. ... Inhofe praised passage of the Modern Fish Act, which governs and provides for recreational fishing. You can take Jania Wester out of the schools, but apparently you cant take the schools out of Jania Wester. Wester (whose first name is pronounced Honya), spent 18 years in Tulsa Public Schools as a teacher and administrator before leaving to help care for her ailing mother. Now, Wester works with Communities in Schools of Mid-America, a nonprofit focused on dropout prevention, and was recently appointed to fill a vacancy on the Tulsa school board. She and Gary Copper are on the ballot Feb. 12 to fill the unexpired term. Much of her life reflects trends in Tulsas schools and neighborhoods over the past 20 years. She grew up in Puerto Rico and moved to Tulsa more than two decades ago to attend Oral Roberts University. She and husband Kirk Wester, a Broken Arrow native, moved into the Kendall-Whittier area in the 1990s, when she began teaching in the neighborhood school. They have witnessed the areas reawakening, in large part because of an influx of Hispanic families and businesses. Wester is also part of what seems to be a trend the growing role of non- and for-profit contractors and organizations in keeping kids in school who in the past have fallen by the wayside. The puppets are so much more advanced now. It is still the same in many ways. But there is so much more available to us to tell our stories. Most of the scripts are based on the Bible, and Asburys puppeteers have entertained children in various points around the globe. They go on many of the Asbury mission trips to entertain children. They have been going to some locations for so many years that they now have puppets that remain in some locations. That includes a mission in Monterrey, Mexico, where Asbury will send a group later this month. It is just easier to leave the puppets at the location, and we pick them up when we are there to do the shows, Meilner said. Needless to say, that is easier than having security go through your bags and see all of these puppets. The puppet closet at Asbury is home to about 100 puppets, some of them dating back to the 1970s. They use a three-tier puppet stage that can be altered to a two-tier stage when needed. It takes seven to nine people to do a performance. McKinley heads a group of missionaries that has been spectacularly unsuccessful in persuading the impoverished and oppressed residents of the local village to be converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, Elder McKinley has his own seemingly effective way of dealing with such disappointments along with all sorts of other negative or troubling emotions, such as his sexual predilections which he explicates in one of the shows major production numbers, the tap-dance-heavy Turn It Off. Hes something of a ticking time bomb, Jones said about the character. Hes dealing with a lot of personal demons that he really doesnt want to face. Its so obvious to the audience what hes going through, and its always fun to hear how the audience gets behind him as he begins to deal with those things. My life is very different from Elder McKinleys, but I can relate to his wanting to put on a happy and welcoming face, Jones said. I grew up in a very polite middle-class household, where it was important to make other people feel comfortable no matter what you were going through. So thats something I can relate to. Jones can also relate well to the tap dancing his big number requires. Kenyans have once again proven themselves the masters of savagery as they took on their Ugandan counterparts in a hilarious trolling challenge. The two East African countries are infamous for calling each other out online in hilarious fashion and most of the time, it is Kenyans who have emerged on top. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens Recently, Ugandans found the perfect ammo to attack Kenyans as they teamed up with sections of Tanzanians to attempt to fault Diamond Platnumz new lover Tanasha Donna. Looks like the beef has only began since for the better part of the week, hilarious memes have emerged which try to compare and contrast the Kenyan and Ugandan culture. READ ALSO: Willis Raburu admits he fell for gorgeous wife while he was engaged to another woman Of course it is all just for laughs, but that does not take away the fact that some of the shots fired are pure savagery. Ugandans have themselves had their own say in the challenge but with so many Kenyan online users present in the interwebs, there was only going to be one winner. READ ALSO: Hamisa Mobetto's mum leaves tongues wagging after partying all night alongside daughter Notably, Ugandans main point of mockery came in the form of Kenyas very own Akothee, whom they used in a number of their memes. TUKO.co.ke sampled just some of the hilarious memes which are bound to make your Sunday: READ ALSO: Lulu Hassan returns to TV 3 months after giving birth READ ALSO: Kericho girl in tears after missing Precious Blood High admission for lack of fees Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news | We are not guests in this country-Tuko TV: Source: Tuko.co.ke Hip hop hotshot Khaligraph Jones experienced quite a rare miss of an award as he was beaten to the prestigious Africa's Best Hip Hop artiste award courtesy of Soundcity. Khaligraph, who has gone out of his way to place Kenyan Hiphop on the world map, was narrowly beaten to the award by South Africas AKA who garnered more votes by Saturday, December 5. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Dennis Itumbi mocks Jubilee's vice chairman David Murathe for threatening to block Ruto's 2022 bid The Khali Cartel leader was favorite to clinch the award, especially because he had already stamped his authority in the Hiphop world in African after scooping the Best Rap Act of the Year award in the African Muzik Magazine Awards 2018 (Afrimma). It however looks like not many of his fans were aware of the ongoing voting process in the Soundcity award, since all the honors went to South Africa. READ ALSO: School girl caught on video in drunken stupor to be punished Like a true OG, Khaligraph did not have too much complains, but instead took to congratulate his South African counterpart who has notably been in African Hiphop mainstream for longer. "Congratulations to the big Hommie AKA for winning the MVP Best Hip Hop award, we Live to Win another day fam, to all those who voted for me thank you so much, lets keep the Ball rolling, Taking KE Hip Hop to heights that have never been witnessed before, he wrote. READ ALSO: Gospel star Willy Paul denies involvement in deaths of his two dancers who perished in accidents The fact that he promised Kenyans that this was just the beginning only goes to show the intent of the rapper who who released his much successful album Testimony 1960 in late 2018. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news | We are not guests in this country-Tuko TV: Source: Tuko - Raila Odinga traveled to Namibia on Friday, December 20, in the company of Mama Ida Odinga - He met officials of National Port Authority in Namibia - The Opposition leader was briefed on expansion works at Walvis Bay Container Terminal - Raila said port was integral part of infrastructure development in Southern African Development Community - His move comes after he ruled out he would contest for presidency in 2022 Opposition leader Raila Odinga has embarked on his new job as African Union envoy with a visit to Namibia. Raila was appointed as AU high representative for infrastructure and development on Saturday, October 20, in a move that was lauded by President Uhuru Kenyatta who said position would be beneficial to Kenya. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Uhuru's missing signature earns KDF soldier KSh 24 million Raila Odinga was appointed AU high representative of development and infrastructure. He met Namibia National Port Authority officials. Photo: Raila Odinga/Twitter. Source: Twitter READ ALSO: 3 Kajiado brothers wed the same day In a tweet seen by TUKO.co.ke, on Friday, December 28, Raila indicated he was meeting officials of the National Port Authority in Namibia to inspect expansion works at Walvis Bay Container Terminal. The envoy who traveled with wife Ida Odinga said Namibias port formed a vital part of Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Africa as a whole. Accompanied by Mama Ida Odinga we were delighted to meet officials of the National Port Authority in Namibia led by their acting CEO Elias Mwenyo, for a briefing and tour of the Walvis Bay Container Terminal Project, Raila said. The container has been projected to have a holding capacity of at minimum 750,000 Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) per year. TEU is used to measure a ship's cargo carrying capacity. Raila Odinga was accompanied by his wife Ida Odinga. He inspected construction works at Walvis Bay Container Terminal Project in Namibia. Photo: Raila Odinga/Twitter. Source: Twitter READ ALSO: I'm sure I can defeat Musalia Mudavadi in a presidential competition - MP Ole Sankok The terminal is being constructed on reclaimed land to increase the handling capacity of the port which forms an integral part of infrastructure development in the SADC region, he explained. Raila was also expected to inspect other infrastructure development projects in Namibia. His new appointment involves frequent traveling across the continent and saw him get offices in at least five countries across the continent. Since the appointment Railas political rivals prevailed on him to keep off from local politics and 2022 succession debate, a request that was resisted by his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) members. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Memorable moments during Uhuru's Kisumu Visit | Tuko TV. Source: Tuko.co.ke AAA Hudson Valley presents $5,000 check for the Veteran Connect Center. AAA Hudson Valley President and CEO Michele Van Epps, Ret. Brig. Gen. and Veteran Connect Center Board Chair Michael Swezey, Center for Economic Growth President and CEO Andrew Kennedy and AAA Hudson Valley Board Chair Robert Blackman. THE Leader of the Opposition stepped way over the line last Saturday in a media release in which she sought to make comparisons between the current situation regarding last Wednesdays failed mass vaccine roll-out, and the 1990 attempted coup. National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds says theres no secrecy surrounding a small gift of Pfizer vaccines given to the National Security Ministry by the United States government. In a telephone interview with the Express yesterday, the minister said the small vaccine gift of 80 vials of Pfizer amounted to about 400 doses of the vaccine. However, the arrival of these vaccines generated curiosity in the country as to exactly how the batch came to Trinidad and the handover process as well as who exactly will benefit from the shots. THE Ministry of Health was aware of an incoming donation of 80 vials of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine just prior to its arrival in the country, but the necessary documents for the United States gift to the Ministry of National Security were up to yesterday not yet sorted. pardeepdhull@gmail.com San Francisco, January 6 A California police officer who was killed in the line of duty was hailed on Saturday as a Fiji-born American hero who made the ultimate sacrifice for his adopted country. At a funeral held for Cpl Ronil (row-neel) Singh, mourners remembered the 33-year-old officer as a hard-working immigrant who worked his way up to become an officer in the small town of Newman. He stood so much for what is right in our world and yet unfortunately was taken too soon from us by what is wrong in our world, Modesto police Officer Jeff Harmon said at the service in a Modesto church. He probably more than anything else wanted to be home on Christmas night with his wife and his young son, but instead made a selfless choice to serve all of his community knowing that there are many more than just his own family that needed his protection that night. Singh was shot to death in the early hours of December 26 after he pulled over a suspected drunk driver. The gunman fled, and a two-day-long manhunt led to the arrest of a man who authorities said was in the country illegally and was preparing to flee to Mexico. Gustavo Arriaga Perez, also 33, has since been charged with murder. The case has rekindled a debate over Californias sanctuary law that limits cooperation by local authorities with federal immigration authorities. President Donald Trump has cited Singhs killing to call for tougher border security amid a fight with congressional Democrats over funding for a border wall. The impasse has forced a partial government shutdown that entered a 15th day Saturday. At his funeral, however, Singhs brother and colleagues focused on his achievements and playful personality. Singh grew up in a Fijian farming town and emigrated to central California in 2003. He joined the 12-member Newman police department in 2011 after attending police academy and serving as a volunteer, animal control officer and code enforcement officer at other agencies in the region. He told me he came to this country with one purpose, and that purpose was to become a police officer, Newman Police Chief Randy Richardson said. He told me about all the pride he had in America, and how much it meant to get this opportunity. Singh served as a K-9 officer before being promoted to a corporal at the Newman police department. He earned a bachelor degree in administration of justice two years ago with the goal of becoming a sergeant, said his friend, Modesto police Detective Ra Pouv. Ronil and I are both immigrants to a country we truly love, and we both view serving our country and community through law enforcement as important to who we are, said Pouv, who is from Cambodia. It is our way of giving back to a country that embraced us and our family. The Fijian ambassador to the United States, Naivakarurubalavu Solo Mara, said Singh made his mark in his adopted country and called him a Fiji-born American hero. Singhs widow was at the funeral but did not address mourners; his 5-month-old son can be heard cooing during the service. A slideshow shown during the service featured photos of the smiling officer posing for Christmas photos with his family, working with his colleagues and cuddling Sam, his black Labrador K-9 dog. On Friday, his casket was draped in an American flag and driven about 25 miles in a procession from Modesto into a theatre in the small town of Newman for a viewing. People lined up along the streets to honour the fallen officer. After Saturdays funeral, Singhs body was taken on a procession to its final resting place at Lakewood Memorial Park in the nearby town of Hughson. AP pardeepdhull@gmail.com Yangon, January 6 Rakhine insurgents killed 13 policemen and injured nine in attacks on four police posts in Myanmars Rakhine state on Friday as the country marked Independence Day, the official news agency said. Fighting resurged in Rakhine state in early December between government forces and the rebel Arakan Army, which wants greater autonomy for Rakhine, where the mainly Buddhist Rakhine ethnic group makes up the majority. The Arakan Army does not cite religion as a factor in its insurgency. It was also in the restive western state that a military-led crackdown in 2017, following attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents, prompted hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee westwards to neighbouring Bangladesh. The separate conflict between the military and Arakan Army rebels forced 2,500 civilians from their homes by the end of last year, according to the United Nations. The Arakan Army says it has been fighting for nearly a decade for self-determination in the land of Arakan, another name for Rakhine. An independent kingdom ruled in the coastal area until the 18th century. The Arakan Army is one of multiple armed groups fighting in the name of ethnic minorities in the rugged borderlands of Myanmar, a country once known as Burma where around 90 percent of people are Buddhists. The official Myanmar News Agency said four police posts in the Buthidaung area in northern Rakhine came under attack from hundreds of Arakan Army fighters after daybreak on Friday. Thirteen policemen were killed and nine injured as police were forced to abandon two of the posts, it said, adding that the military was now conducting a clearance of the area. Myanmar military spokesman Zaw Min Tun said the insurgents had hit police outposts near the border with Bangladesh. These police posts are there to protect the national races in the area so (Arakan Army rebels) shouldnt attack them, Zaw Min Tun said, referring to mostly Buddhist ethnic groups in the area who are, unlike Rohingya Muslims, considered Myanmar citizens. Arakan Army spokesman Khine Thu Kha confirmed the assault and said rebels later retrieved the corpses of seven enemies. He said later that rebels had freed at least 12 members of the security forces it detained in the fighting. The attacks, he added, came in response to a Myanmar military offensive against the Arakan Army in recent weeks that had also targeted civilians. The military has denied targeting civilians. The Myanmar military last month announced a four-month halt to fighting in the north and northeast of the country to kick-start peace talks with armed groups seeking autonomy, but that announcement excluded Rakhine state. The Myanmar police force said on Saturday it had opened cases against those involved in Fridays attack under Myanmars Counter-Terrorism Law and a weapons law. This is a carefully planned premeditated attack to harm the lives and property of the people and to further aggravate the instability in the Rakhine State, the English-language Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said on Saturday. Fridays violence erupted shortly after the national flag was raised across the southeast Asian country to mark 71 years since independence from Britain, but the Arakan Army spokesman denied any connection between the attacks and the anniversary. We are not independent yet. Today is not our Independence Day, Khine Thu Kha said. Last August, a U.N. report accused the Myanmar military of mass killings and rapes of Rohingya with genocidal intent in 2017 in an operation that drove more than 7,00,000 of them to flee to Bangladesh, according to U.N. agencies. Myanmar has denied the charges, saying its military launched a counter-insurgency operation after attacks on security posts by Muslim militants. Reuters pardeepdhull@gmail.com New York, January 6 The Phoenix Police on Saturday were investigating reports of a sexual assault after a woman who has been hospitalised in a vegetative state for the past decade gave birth. The woman, who was incapacitated in a drowning incident, was a patient at Hacienda Healthcare when she went into labour on December 29 and delivered a baby boy, according to local media. No one knew she was pregnant and healthcare staff were initially unsure why she was moaning, the reports said. This matter is currently under investigation by the Phoenix Police Department, Sergeant Tommy Thompson told Reuters when asked about the media reports. Hacienda spokesman David Leibowitz said the facility had recently become aware of a deeply disturbing incident involving one of its residents. He declined to say whether its staff were being asked to undergo DNA testing to identify a possible suspect, or whether the facility was taking any preventative measures to protect patients against a similar situation. While federal and state privacy laws prohibit us from publicly discussing a patients health or case, Hacienda has and will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement and all the relevant regulatory agencies regarding this matter, Leibowitz said by email. Victim advocate Tasha Menaker, chief strategy officer of the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, said it would be appropriate for police to run DNA tests on male employees at the facility. Hacienda HealthCare describes itself as Arizonas leading provider of specialized health care services for medically fragile and chronically ill infants, children, teens, and young adults as well as those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A spokesman for Arizona Governor Doug Ducey said the reports were deeply troubling and that the state was re-evaluating its contract and regulatory authority over Hacienda Healthcare to tighten up patient safety measures. Reuters pardeepdhull@gmail.com Islamabad, January 6 Pakistani authorities probing laundering of around Rs 220 billion through fictitious bank accounts recommended freezing all assets, including the US and Dubai properties, of former President Asif Ali Zardari and other individuals, media reports said. The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) submitted a report to the Supreme Court Saturday, recommending freezing the famous Bilawal House in Karachi and Lahore, and Zardari House in Islamabad, Geo News reported. It also sought freezing of Zardaris New York and Dubai properties along with all five plots of Bilawal House in Karachi. The case against Zardari and other individuals pertains to laundering of around Rs 220 billion through fictitious bank accounts, the report said. The investigation team recommended freezing all urban and agricultural lands owned by Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur, and the Zardari Group. Rejecting the allegations, Zardari and Talpur said the JIT report was based on speculation and targetted political victimisation. The JIT also moved the Supreme Court to order freezing of all assets of Omni Group, including sugar mills, agricultural companies and energy companies, the report said. Accusing Zardari and Omni groups of irregularities in loans and government funds, the investigation team said both the groups transferred money out of country through Hundi and Hawala, the report said. The JIT said the assets should remain frozen until a verdict is delivered in the case, expressing concern that these assets might be transferred out of country. Zardari established a benami company through his front man Iqbal Memon, the team said, adding that the company was frozen in 1998. Zardaris close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested in July 2018 in connection with the probe. His other close aide and Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed and his son Abdul Ghani Majeed were arrested in August 2018. Hundreds of benami accounts at some private banks were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 from where transactions worth billions of rupees were made, according to the investigation. The amount is said to be black money gathered from various kickbacks, commissions and bribes. PTI gspannu7@gmail.com Islamabad, January 6 Pakistan on Sunday said the UAE has almost finalised investment plan for the setting up of an oil refinery in the country as the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi met Prime Minister Imran Khan and discussed economic assistance to the cash-strapped country to bolster its foreign exchange reserves. Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, who was on a day-long visit to the country after nearly 12 years, was received by Khan upon his arrival at Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi and the prime minister who personally drove him to his residency for a welcome ceremony. He was given a guard of honour and a fly-past during the red carpet welcome. The prince and the prime minister held a one-on-one meeting, followed by delegation-level talks between the top officials of the two sides as Pakistan seeks economic assistance to bolster its foreign exchange reserves and the governments fiscal policies. Both delegations discussed bilateral relations and matters of mutual, regional and international interest. Pakistan, reeling under severe financial crisis, reached out to some friendly countries for economic assistance including Saudi Arabia, China and the UAE since Prime Minister Khan assumed office in August. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the UAE has already promised to provide USD 3 billion assistance and the Crown Prince also discussed investment to set up an oil refinery. The two sides have almost finalised investment for setting up of a refinery, he said. He said the two countries enjoyed traditional friendship and the Crown Prince said that he considered Pakistan as his second home. Foreign Office said this was the third interaction between the leadership of Pakistan and the UAE in less than three months, which is a testimony to the special nature of our brotherly relations with this important GCC country. The UAE is Pakistans largest trading partner in the Middle East and a major source of investments. It is home to more than 1.6 million expatriate community which contributes around USD 4.5 billion annually to the GDP, the foreign office said. It said Pakistan and the UAE are working closely to transform the existing special relations into a long-term strategic economic partnership, as agreed between the two leaders during Prime Minister Khans visit to the Emirates in November. It said that apart from a generous USD 3 billion support to help Pakistan overcome its balance of payment crisis, provision oil on deferred payment was also under discussion. Khan visited the UAE twice since August to seek economic assistance to ward off the countrys foreign exchange crisis. Pakistan and the UAE last week finalised the terms and conditions of a USD 6.2 billion support package for Islamabad to help address the balance of payments crisis. Pakistans all weather ally China has also pledged to provide a generous aid to Islamabad to overcome its financial woes. Beijing has not yet revealed the quantum of its financial support. Pakistan is negotiating a USD 8 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to overcome a severe balance-of-payments crisis that threatens to cripple the countrys economy. Pakistan apprehends the IMF will come with stringent conditions of austerity besides scrutiny of USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects whose terms till now remained confidential. The Trump administration is making all efforts to ensure that any IMF loan to Pakistan is not used to repay its Chinese debt. PTI Vibha Sharma Vibha Sharma in New Delhi The Narendra Modi governments much-hyped C2+50 minimum support price has failed to impress the farmers. Its other welfare measures for the farmers, for instance the Soil Health Card Scheme that the Prime Minister recounted in his New Year interview and the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, have not worked the way they should have. The community a huge cache of votes by all accounts is disgruntled. And all this does not bode well for Modi, certainly not in the election year. Ideologically, the BJP stands opposed to the electorally popular wooing formula of a loan waiver. But trapped it has been by Congress chief Rahul Gandhis superbly timed political dare. The party finds itself under pressure to announce some relief, some targeted scheme that can provide immediate succour to the farmers ahead of the General Election. Even the most die-hard of government supporters agree something will have to be done. In what form, how and when, is what senior functionaries in the PMO, the Finance Ministry, the Agriculture Ministry and the Niti Aayog are currently burning the midnight oil for. Time is running out, and there are just a few more days to go before Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presents his vote on account, and the country gets into an election mode. For the BJP, it is a tough situation. Each idea and model comes with a downside a cost burden adding to the countrys stressed-out economy. So, the model has to be one that keeps the farming community engaged with the BJP and also does not stress the economy amid falling GST collections, fiscal deficit, etc. The leadership also does not want the sops to be perceived as a sign of weakness or appeasement by another set of unhappy voters, the BJPs core bank: the middle class. Speculation has been rife that the announcement of the measures could be made anytime. However, the right time for any such move would have been the last full Budget Jaitley presented in 2018. Whether the party now launches a comprehensive programme by way of substantive intervention or a loan waiver at the central level, it may not make the right impact. Meanwhile, several models are under consideration. The government may tweak the MSP regime to make it more effective; perhaps extend the window of selling throughout the year to reduce stress on farmers. However, the support price on farm produce cannot be raised beyond a point. If it is not supported by demand, it then stands the chance of becoming distorted and unaffordable. There is speculation that the government may opt for a liberal scheme under which a farmer can get the difference between prevailing market rates and the support price, something on the lines of the Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana, a scheme initiated by the former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan. However, this model has its own issues. There have been cases of incentives being misused by middleman and cartels. A model focusing just on poor farmers and based on the Socio-Economic and Caste Census is another option. Politically, it might be more acceptable than a blanket kind of a farm-loan waiver. There is also talk of direct money transfer, something on the lines of Telanganas Rythu Bandhu scheme. However, apart from crunching funds, the absence of clear land records is a major challenge for the scheme. A large section of land is cultivated on what is called the patta system. A farmer actually in need of help may not get the assistance while a wealthy landowner sitting in Delhi or Mumbai may get the largesse in his account because, on records, he is the owner of the land. This has happened in many states such as Bihar where well-off farmers/landowners have been beneficiaries of the governments populistic schemes. Sources say the government is also considering doubling collateral-free loans under Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs) to Rs 2 lakh and tweaking the crop insurance scheme to enhance coverage and ensure faster settlement of claims. Whatever the government decides on, the help may be too little and too late, especially if the governments immediate aim is the 2019 General Election. It comes at an additional cost, at least Rs 70,000 to Rs 80,000 crore, and the promises will have to be implemented by the next government. Mulling over FS Aijazuddin FS Aijazuddin Had God been stronger on anatomy than on astronomy, he might have created Adam from the rib of Eve, thus resolving this timeless argument over gender equivalence. God encouraged all sentient beings to worship Him, Her or It in our own individual ways. Humans do, animals and plants may do too. Their manner differs, rituals may vary, but each prayer is like space probes aimed above at the firmament. No religion has yet advertised a segregated heaven with a separate eternity for men and a separate one for women. That distinction exists only on earth. We know that orthodox Jews construct a mechitza in their synagogues to keep men and women separate. Islam, honouring its Semitic paternity, demarcates two areas (usually at the back) in mosques for the two sexes. Orthodox Hindus go one step backwards: their temples prohibit the entry of women altogether. The recent commotion that has ensued at the Sabarimala temple in Kerala, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, has disturbed friends of India as much as it has agitated the management of the temple. Testing the verdict given by Indias Supreme Court four months ago, two women of menstruating age entered the Sabarimala temple. It was an act of defiance against unconscionable prejudice, as singular in significance as the tired black Rosa Parks refusal to yield her seat on the bus in Montgomery (Alabama) to a white man, and as brave as the juvenile Ruby Bridges police-escorted entry into an all-White elementary school in Louisiana. Sixty years have passed since those momentous events left their mark on modern history. The stain of irrational prejudice still persists. There will be many who support the right of the the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the Sabarimala temple, to determine who should be permitted entry. After all, restaurants, cinemas and clubs overtly reserve the right of admission. Others might query the defensibility of an argument in favour of the discrimination, i.e. to protect Lord Ayyappas purity as a Naishtika Brahmachari or eternal celibate. Celibacy is a tricky tenet in any religion. The Roman Catholic Church is still grappling with that unnatural stricture, 2019 years after its unmarried founders death. It is always easier to practice celibacy after one has been born. Legend has it that, in order to destroy the buffalo demoness Mahishi, a being had to be created from the union of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. To achieve this consummation, Vishnu manifested himself as Mohini. And thus was Lord Ayyappa born. One of the strongest dogmas in Hinduism is veneration of the Great Goddess in her numerous manifestations as Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kausiki, Ambika, Durga, Kali, and (to some) the supreme Devi showcased in the Devi-Mahatmya. In it, the description of her emergence is a faint echo of Eves creation from Adams rib: From the faces of Brahma and Shiva, and the bodies of all the other gods, Indra and the others, came forth a great fiery splendor, and it congealed into a single form that matchless splendor, born from the bodies of all the gods. Modern Indians like Abanindranath Tagore saw her as Mother India. Most would concur with art historian Vidya Dehejias conclusion in her tome on Devi: The Great Goddess (1999): As women increasingly adopt leadership roles, it may even become possible to challenge the long-established view of female gender as an ambiguous, limiting, and circumscribed category. India has seen a female president. The United States has yet to see one. Both have seen male and female astronauts (of Indian origin) propelled into outer space, together, without procreating in a confined space. Why should earthbound pilgrims be denied that level of equivalence? The writer is Pak-based historian Maj Gen Ashok K Mehta Maj Gen Ashok K Mehta This is the story of Maj Gen Nazir Husain Shah the cat with nine lives GoC 16 Infantry Division (Pakistan) in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. His Division was responsible for the northeast portion of East Pakistan, bound by Ganga and Jamuna rivers. The author was privy to a candid conversation Shah had with the CO of 2/5 GR (FF), Lt Col FN Billimoria. Establishing the road block at Pirgunj on December 7-8 and the battle that followed were pivotal in bisecting 16 Infantry Division, thereby isolating Rangpur (23 Infantry Brigade) in the north from the main force in the south at Bogra (205 Infantry Brigade). The successful insertion of battalion-level task force (2/5 GR and Squadron PT76 tanks) into East Pakistans waistline across the Karatoya river was a daring special operation that unhinged 16 Infantry Division defences and hastened the collapse and surrender of the army in East Pakistan. The Pirgunj battle, during which the Pakistani forces tried to break the road block from north and south, was a turning point of the war. Before the surrender, Shah had escaped capture by 2/5 GR, which, in the hindsight, was a big blunder by the battalion. Here are extracts from the conversation. Shah: On the day you were coming for Pirgunj, I took out a jeep heading for Rangpur. Billimoria: Yes, we captured your jeep and briefcase and searched for you. Shah: There was no question of search. You people never crossed the road. I was lying in a bamboo grove for three hours. At last light, I walked alone towards Rangpur till I found a car and told the occupants that the enemy had come and asked if the route to Rangpur was clear. At 2 oclock, my vehicles reached me and we drove to Rangpur. Billimoria: How did you come back? Shah: That was a miracle. On my way to Rangpur, I met Tejumal (Commander, 205 Infantry Brigade) coming from the Rangpur side. He had gotten away before your road block and was on his way back to break it up along with Nayeem (Commander, 23 Infantry Brigade). We were all driving with our lights off and Nayeems escort jeep came and hit my jeep head on (laughs). I told my ADC, who was driving this jeep which banged into me: Tumhara maa-baap achha hai? I am just out of a bloody ambush and there you are, my own ADC, trying to kill me! (Laughs again) Billimoria: Then from Rangpur, how did you work your way back? Shah: By chopper. Tejumal came by road to Bogra. He took a platoon escort in a Dodge and his wireless vehicle and joined one of your convoys at night (laughs). Kaun poochhta hai, bhai? If you give me a vehicle, I can go anywhere Nepal, Islampur but I wont do it. Earlier, he revealed another of his survival stories. Shah: A few days ago, I was going in a jeep, which I was driving myself. My driver told me: Sahib, peechhe se jahaz aa raha hai. I could see IAF jets come for me in a dive. There were two of them. I stopped the jeep. The first one dropped the bomb about 200 yards ahead. My driver shouted again: Doosra aa raha hai. I reversed the jeep 200 yards. Promptly, the second bomb fell where the jeep had been stopped earlier. I was nonplussed. I saw the aircraft return and, once again, dip into a dive. I took no further chance. I left the jeep and went into the sugarcane field, 100 yards across the road. The aircraft came, made no mistake and took out of the jeep. So you see, it is destiny. (Laughs) Shah had trained at Fort Leavenworth, America. His son-in-law was the military secretary to the Governor of Balochistan, who was once Shahs Commanding Officer. After he abandoned his jeep near Pirgunj, Shah was prematurely declared captured by Indian forces. I was very much back in my headquarters when this announcement was made a week before the surrender, he famously said, and laughed. editorial@tribune.com BN Goswamy The love of beauty has, of course, been the primary motivation behind our collecting. Beauty, to me, whether found in nature or in man-made objects, is ennobling and enriches the soul. It remains to me a kind of mystery, a concept somehow beyond the intellect. For example, one may feel that an object is beautiful whether or not one is aware of its place in history, its possible uniqueness, or its significance on a broader scale. It is here that intuition comes into play. Certainly Peggy and I both believe that our collecting and enjoyment of man-made objects of beauty have given us a saner, more balanced, and more joyful approach to our activities in every area of life. David Rockefeller (1915-2017) When early last year it became public knowledge that the collection of David and Peggy Rockefeller a collection they had assembled over long years was going to be up for auction, now that both of them had passed on, the market was abuzz with excitement and speculation. What was the extent of the collection that was going to go up? How much had the auction house committed as an estimate to the Rockefeller family? What part of the collection was likely to catch the bidders eyes the most? Nothing could be said with certainty, but when all details had been worked out, the excitement mounted even higher: the catalogue of the collection alone was going to consist of six volumes! Volume I was going to feature 19th and 20th century art; volume II dealt with English and European Furniture, Ceramics and Decorations; in volume III was listed Art of the American continents; volume IV had Fine Art; volume V featured the second part of English and European Furniture, etc.; and, volume VI brought up the rear, with Travel and Americana which included Islamic Art, and the Arts of India. Things had been building up for some time towards this. The auction house had taken the collection around and showed parts of it in three continents; around 80,000 people had seen it before the auction in New York actually began. By the time the auctions on successive days ended, nearly every one of the almost 900 lots had been sold. The sales added up to the staggering sum of 828 million US dollars and this did not include the online-only sales. A billion dollars is what the estimates might have possibly amounted to. Several factors contributed clearly to the landmark bustle and commotion that these auctions had caused, apart of course from the quality of the collection itself in which the presence of Cezanne, Picasso and Matisse and Kandinsky was palpable. For one thing, there was the Rockefeller name. After all, David Rockefeller had inherited many things: a storied name, as someone wrote, unimaginable wealth, an inquisitive mind, and a profound compulsion to collect. He was among the heirs of one of the richest individuals in American history, and both his parents had been into collecting for long years themselves. The provenance was thus impeccable. Then, there was the widely known fact that the collection was not going to be auctioned for personal gain: No individual, according to mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, had contributed more to the commercial and civic life of New York City over a longer period of time than David Rockefeller. In this case, David had pledged to direct the majority of his wealth to philanthropy and provide for the cultural, educational, medical, and environmental causes long supported by the couple. No one was therefore truly surprised by the sums that were realised. This apart, for me what is most absorbing is the candour with which David spoke of his career as a collector throughout his life. He started really young: I do not remember whether I started first with stamps or with beetles, but both collections must have been under way by the time I was ten years old, he wrote. Obviously, neither beetles nor stampsare directly cultural concerns, yet my interest in and curiosity about them set certain patterns that I suspect have influenced me. Art came into his life in a big way as he grew up. He shared his passion for collecting with his wife, Peggy, whom he had married in 1940. The first painting of any consequence we bought, he wrote disarmingly once, was a portrait of a handsome young gentleman, attributed (falsely, as it turned out) to Thomas Sully. We paid $10,000 for it in 1946, which was a great deal of money for us at the time [approximately $137,000 today]. We liked it very much, and for many years it hung over the living room mantel in New York. But then added: Collecting differs from mere acquisition in that it is an intensely personal experience, and Peggy and I and the other members of our family have been deeply involved in the process over the years. We have always been fascinated by the cultural history of works of art and by the circumstances under which they were created. Quite naturally, there was attraction in Egypt and Greece and Rome among the oldest of civilisations and cultures and pieces were picked from there; tribal art from Africa and Oceania entered their ken and some stunning pieces were gathered; the elegance of Japanese and Korean works, the fragile fluency of Islamic paintings, especially from Iran, the breath of history that clung to old Americana: there was seduction in everything. All this, of course, apart from the natural inclination towards modern European and American masters, in British furniture and ceramics which were part of the inherited interest of the family remained embedded. All, or nearly all of it, found their place in the six catalogues of the collection as it went up on sale this year. David Rockefellers own words We never bought a painting with a view towards forming a collection or to fill out a series, but simply because, in the end, we couldnt resist it were everywhere. editorial@tribune.com Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Gurdaspur, January 5 If Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the man who initiated the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan from Rajghat in 2014 with the widely publicised slogan na gandagee dalenge, na dalne denge, gets a chance to return to the venue where he addressed a rally on Thursday, he will find that his much-hyped flagship programme has been derailed by his own party men. Sources claim there are no chances of garbage being cleared immediately because of the lack of interest of BJP workers. Punjab BJP president Shwait Malik said, It was a massive gathering and such things are bound to happen no matter how hard we try to avoid them. I have instructed my workers to clear the junk so that out political opponents do not get a chance to make an issue out of it, he said. However, Malik is already too late to stop the BJPs arch rivals from making a statement because Congress men have launched a scathing attack on the campaign. Gurdaspur Congress MLA Barindermeet Singh Pahra, who took a round of the venue, said, It is the BJP which is in the forefront of taking forward the campaign but unfortunately the party does not seem to be listening to its own PM. Cabinet minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said he was dismayed when somebody sent him photographs showing trash littered all over the place. Clearly, four and a half years down the line, the drive remains unfruitful, he said. When the campaign started, Modi picked up a broom at a New Delhi neighbourhood to launch one of the most ambitious civic programmes but the Gurdaspur rally shows how insensitive the BJP is to its own leaders crusades, said Amardeep Singh Cheema, a Batala resident and former director of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR). Official figures prove that Rs 530 crore has been spent on the campaign on advertisements in the print and visual media. The campaign is nothing except a ploy to defraud tax payers of their hard earned money, he said. uttara@tribuneindia.com Jupinderjit Singh Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 6 Five months after breaking away from Aam Aadmi Party, Bholath MLA and former Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Khaira today resigned from the primary membership of the party, hinting that he may contest the Bathinda parliamentary seat presently held by Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal. He said he would decide whether or not to resign as MLA after consulting his confidants. Sources close to him claimed he intended to take on the Akalis in Bathinda as also Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal, who has been nurturing the constituency. Khaira said he would announce his candidature if cleared by the new party he was in the process of forming with like-minded politicians. The state AAP reacted sharply, calling Khaira an opportunist. Leader of the Opposition and Dirba MLA Harpal Singh Cheema said the party was taking legal opinion on Khairas membership in the Punjab Assembly. We may write to the Speaker. We are studying the relevant court orders, he said. Two days ago, Dakha legislator HS Phoolka too had resigned from AAP, saying he was disillusioned with the party functioning and was considering an Anna Hazare-like movement to usher in change. Phoolka and Khaira have so far not hinted at any collaboration. Phoolkas resignation from the Assembly is yet to be accepted. The state could see two byelections if the Speaker decides to cancel Phoolkas membership and that of Khaira. The latter, in his resignation letter to party convener Arvind Kejriwal, alleged that the party had deviated from its ideology and principles and was no different than any other party, with all powers vested in the central leadership. The turn of events in the run-up to the 2017 state elections further confirmed my belief that there was no inner-party democracy... I had strongly objected to the distribution of party ticket as we had received reports of money being exchanged, favouritism and nepotism. Khaira claimed that Kejriwal had erred by listening to two Delhi leaders: and later by tendering an apology to former SAD minister Bikram Singh Majithia on the issue of drug smuggling. ...Flirting with the Congress is yet another example of sheer political opportunism that has left the people bewildered, he added. Heres the full unedited text of Khairas resignation letter. I am constrained to forward my resignation from the primary membership of AAP, as the party has totally deviated from the ideology and principles on which it was formed post Anna Hazare movement. Needless to mention, the current political culture of traditional parties of the country stands badly decayed, due to which immense hope was generated by the formation of AAP. Like many other people across the globe even I was highly impressed by the emergence of AAP on the political spectrum of India, to cleanse the rampantly corrupt system. Punjabis worldwide motivated me to join your party so that we could improve the plight of our country and Punjab. But unfortunately after joining the party I realised that the hierarchy of AAP was no different from the traditional centralised political parties. The turn of events into the run up of 2017 Punjab elections further confirmed my belief, that there was no inner party democracy. If you remember I had strongly objected to the distribution of tickets for the Punjab assembly, as we had received reports of money exchange, favouritism and nepotism. You also failed to understand the psyche of Punjabis due to your overconfidence. You only listened to the two Subedars you had appointed to run Punjab and never bothered about the sentiments of AAP volunteers on the ground. By failing to project a Chief Ministerial face in Punjab, you further confounded the oft repeated allegations that an outsider will take over the reins in case of victory. A close perusal of the state history clearly indicates that the Punjabis have never accepted the authority of outsiders. As expected the party crashed to only 20 seats in the Vidhan Sabha from the often boasted 100 seats victory by your Subedars. The saddest part is that a party which vouched of transparency and accountability never bothered to hold any person or persons accountable for the shameful defeat. It is a matter of fact, that one of the arrogant Subedars is still running Punjab from behind the curtain despite a huge hue and cry against him. Your meek apology to the drug tainted former Minister Bikram Singh Majithia further revealed your double standards in politics. Your duplicity on the vital issue of Punjab river waters also puts you on the same pedestal of cunning leaders of India. You have blatantly gone back on the most important promise of Swaraj, by centralising all powers with yourself. You have also thrown to winds the constitution of the party merely to remain Convenor and continue your grip on the party. Your hobnobbing and flirting with the Congress is yet another example of sheer political opportunism, that has left the people of India bewildered. I am saddened to state that your dictatorial attitude has shattered the dreams of Indians and the Punjabis for a clean alternative to the decayed and rotten system. As a result of which almost all prominent leaders of the party beginning from Prashant Bhushan to Mr. H.S.Phoolka have either quit the party or you have thrown them out. We in Punjab aspire to turn the dream of a clean political alternative into a reality, which is impossible as long as I am a part of your highly centralised high command culture. Although you have already rewarded our good work by humiliatingly suspending me and Mr. Kanwar Sandhu from the party but still I want to formalise the disconnection with you and AAP, by quitting its primary membership. uttara@tribuneindia.com Archit Watts Tribune News Service Muktsar, January 6 Finance Minister Manpreet Badals father Gurdas Singh Badal has been referred to Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research after he complained of breathing problems on Sunday. Gurdas Singh Badal, the 87-year-old estranged brother of former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and a former Parliamentarian, was first taken to a private hospital in Bathinda after he complained of feeling uneasy at his residence in Badal village. His relative Jagjit Singh Honey Fattanwala described his health as stable. Gurdas Singh Badal lives a semi-retired life, remaining largely out of the public eye. After he cast his vote during panchayat elections on December 30, he told The Tribune: Im taking care of my health and prefer to stay mostly indoors. editorial@tribune.com Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Phagwara, January 5 Law and Justice and Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ravishankar Prasad today said the government would soon make it mandatory to link Aadhaar with the driving licence. Speaking at the 106th Indian Science Congress, Prasad, while claiming triumphs on the digital India policies of the Indian government and Aadhaar linkages with various schemes, said, We are soon going to bring a law which will make it mandatory to link Aadhaar to a persons driving licence. Prasad said, Presently what happens is that a person causes an accident and flees. He gets a duplicate licence and goes scot-free. However, with the Aadhaar linkage you can change your name but you cant change your biometrics, neither iris, nor fingerprints. So the moment you will go in for a duplicate licence, the system will say this gentleman already has a driving licence and should not be given another licence. This is how we are changing the quality of life in India. Profiling the digital India campaign, Prasad said, This is the digital profile of India 123 crore Aadhaar (cards), 121 crore mobile phones, 44.6 crore smart phones, 56 crore Internet users, 51 pc growth in e-commerce. There is 130 crore population in India. He said, Modi ki 4 saal ki sarkar mein humne itna mobile phone add kiya hai jitna France aur Italy ki jansankhya hai (in the four years of Modi government, we have added mobile phones equal to the population of France and Italy). He also claimed credit saying by the end of 2019 fibre optics cables would be laid across 2.5 lakh panchayats in the country. Presenting power-point presentations, Prasad, who eulogised the Aadhaar card as completely safe and central to Indias digital India policy, elaborated scheme after scheme with statistics. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Phagwara, January 5 A day after an preposterous (as top scientists claim) address by the Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University, G Nageshwar Rao, at the 106th Indian Science Congress here, an outraged scientific community is shaking its head in disbelief. One of the US-based cancer-biologists--visiting the Congress with a history in genetics, said, If I told my reproductive biology colleagues this back at the university, they would throw me out of the room. Rao had said yesterday that Kauravas were born due to stem cell and test tube technology and India also possessed knowledge about guided missiles thousands of years ago. Dr Manoj Chakrabarti, general president of the Indian Science Congress, said, What he (Rao) said is unfortunate. This shouldnt have been said. We will enquire what he said and on what basis he made the claims. And definitely ensure he shouldnt be invited to the Science Congress again. We only allow scientific statements that are backed by expertise. Chakrabarti said while top brains were being called for plenary sessions, Rao spoke at the Childrens Congress where they did not get abstracts (a summary of what the speaker will talk about). So, we had no idea what he would say that too in front of impressionable children. Such unfounded comments should not be highlighted. Prof Srikant Anant, cancer biologist at Kansas University, US, said, We are shocked, this mans statements are preposterous. IVF is merely 20 years old. I too have read scriptures but nowhere does Mahabharata mention what he said. gspannu7@gmail.com Thiruvananthapuram, January 6 Travel advisories issued by the US and the UK asking their citizens travelling to Kerala to be vigilant in the backdrop of the violent protests against womens entry to Sabarimala temple, was an insult to the southern state, Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said on Sunday. They have not said dont go. But said remain vigilant. That itself is insulting, Surendran told reporters here. It would impact the tourist arrivals to the state, he added. The protests being spearheaded by the BJP and the RSS, along with right-wing outfits has hit the tourism sector, the minister said. The advisory issued by the UK has warned its citizens to remain vigilant and avoid large public gathering in the wake of the violent protests in Kerala over the issue of women entering the Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), which regularly updates its advice for travel to different parts of the world, had on Friday said any British citizen planning to travel to Kerala should monitor media reports. According to media reports, the United States has also issued a similar advisory. Kerala has been rocked by violent protests by right-wing groups after two women of child bearing age trekked the holy hills and offered prayers at the shrine on January 2. Over 3,000 persons have been arrested till Friday night in connection with the violence. Keralas 10 per cent of the GDP comes from the tourism sector and the industry is worried that the frequent hartals and protests would severely impact the state which is slowly recovering from the massive devastation caused by the August floods. The tourism sector has been exempted from January 8-9 all India strike called by the central trade unions. PTI pardeepdhull@gmail.com Shahira Naim Tribune News Service Lucknow, January 5 With Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav meeting in New Delhi and reaching a broad agreement on seat-sharing, the suspense over a BSP-Samajwadi Party alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha elections is over. Sources said SP national president Akhilesh Yadav had a two-hour meeting with BSP chief Mayawati at her residence on Friday, where it was agreed that the two parties would contest 37 seats each. Of the remaining six seats, two were kept for Rashtriya Lok Dal and two for a likely partner, such as Om Prakash Rajbhars Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party. It was decided that no candidate would be fielded from Amethi, represented by AICC president Rahul Gandhi, and Rae Bareli, the seat held by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. If others such as Peace Party and Nishad Party joined the gathbandhan, the SP would allot seats to them from its own quota. The division of seats and names of candidates have largely been decided, said a leader. SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhury said a formal announcement was expected later this month. UP Congress chief Raj Babbar refused to comment, arguing Akhilesh and Mayawati had not issued any joint statement. Prior to the meeting, a series of closed-door meetings were held over the past several months, said sources. The SP-BSP alliance assumes significance as Uttar Pradesh sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. In 2014, the BJP and ally Apna Dal had won 73 seats. However, the BJP lost three crucial byelections in 2018. This encouraged regional parties to stitch a state-level alliance. pardeepdhull@gmail.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 6 Congress president Rahul Gandhi has accused Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of lying in Parliament that government orders worth Rs 1 lakh crore were provided to HAL, triggering a war of words with the minister. Gandhi, whose party the Congress has been targeting the government alleging that it denied the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) an offset contract under the Rafale fighter jets deal with France, said on Saturday the minister should either place the documents in support of her statement in the House or resign. Gandhis attack came after a media report claimed that not a single rupee of the said Rs 1 lakh crore has come to HAL, since not a single order, as claimed, has been signed till now. The media report cited senior HAL management officials in order to back its claim. The central government has been denying the Congress's charge of any wrongdoing in the Rafale deal. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has accused the Congress of not supporting HAL during its rule and asserted that the government is now strengthening the defence public sector undertaking. When you tell one lie, you need to keep spinning out more lies, to cover up the first one. In her eagerness to defend the PMs Rafale lie, the RM lied to Parliament, Gandhi tweeted. Tomorrow, RM must place before Parliament documents showing 1 Lakh crore of Govt orders to HAL. Or resign, he said. Gandhi had on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of weakening HAL to help his suit-boot friend. Gandhis attack on Saturday had come over a media report which claimed that HAL, grappling with low finances, was forced to borrow Rs 1,000 crore to pay salaries to its employees for the first time in years. Congresss chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted on Sunday: The Lying Defence Ministers Lies Get Exposed! Defence Minister claimed that procurement orders worth Rs 1 Lakh Crore provided to HAL! HAL says Not a SINGLE PAISA has come, as Not a SINGLE ORDER has been signed! For the first time, HAL forced to take a loan of ?1000 Cr to pay salaries!, he added. Sitharaman hits back Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman hit back at Congress president Rahul Gandhi accusing him of spreading lies. It's a shame that the president of @INCIndia is spreading lies nd (sic) misleading the country. HAL has signed contracts worth 26570.8Cr (Between 2014 & 2018) nd (sic) contracts worth 73000Cr are in the pipeline.Will @RahulGandhi apologise to the country from the floor of the house and resign? Sitharaman tweeted, using the official Twitter handle of the Defence Ministry. With PTI gspannu7@gmail.com Mumbai, January 6 BJP president Amit Shah attacked Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Sunday over a court order asking the publishers of the National Herald newspaper to vacate a premises in the national capital, saying those appropriating public property should not target Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Shah said while Gandhis entire family lineage was mired in corruption, there was not a single blot on Modi. He was speaking at a booth workers rally at Silvassa, where he also appealed to the people to give one more chance to the two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs from the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The Delhi High Court had last month asked the Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), the publisher of National Herald, to vacate the premises in the press enclave at ITO in the national capital. In its order, the single judge had said AJL had been hijacked by the Young Indian (YI), in which Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi were shareholders. Shah said, Those appropriating public property cannot target Modi. When Rahul Gandhi levels corruption charges against Modi, he should first open his eyes. His entire family lineage is mired in corruption charges and there is not a single blot on Prime Minister Modi. Pointing out that Rahul baba was asking the BJP-led government for its report card of its four-year performance, he said, He should first give the report card of his four generations, who ruled the country and did nothing. The government was carrying out infrastructure projects worth around Rs 5,000 crore in this Union Territory, Shah said. We are doing so much for people, so the Opposition is trying to divert the attention of people, he said. Throwing his weight behind the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise in Assam, where the government is planning to identify and deport illegal Bangladeshi migrants, Shah said, Infiltrators are like termites to our country. We will neither save them, nor allow you to save them. The members of the mahagathbandhan (the proposed anti-BJP alliance) are opposing the NRC because they think of a vote bank and we think of the safety of our country. We will detect them, delete them (from the voters list) and deport them, he said. PTI vinaymishra188@gmail.com Mumbai, January 5 A rebel BJP MLA in Maharashtra on Saturday alleged some state ministers belonging to the party had got EVMs hacked to win the local body polls held recently, a charge rubbished by the BJP. Anil Gote, who represents Dhule in Maharashtra Assembly and had recently announced his decision to quit the BJP as he was unhappy with the partys choice of candidates for civic polls, said at a press conference here that he had approached the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay HC on the alleged hacking issue. Gote questioned as to how wherever BJP minister Girish Mahajan was given responsibility by the partyDhule, Jamner, Jalgaonthe BJP won exactly the same number of seats as predicted by the minister. He also questioned the role of two other ministers. He alleged that some leaders in the BJP had managed to deploy people to hack EVMs. He also claimed that some of his party workers had got in touch with an agent of one of these hackers and had recorded the telephonic conversations. BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari refuted Gotes allegations, terming them as a cooked up story. PTI gspannu7@gmail.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 6 The Centre on Sunday issued a notification to set up a high-level committee to assess the quantum of seats to be reserved in the Assam Assembly and local bodies for the Assamese people, besides providing other safeguards. The move came amid strong protests in Assam against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on Friday that the Central Government would amend the Citizenship Act to provide non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Indian nationality. Major students' bodies, social and other organisations have called a 'bandh' in the Northeast on January 8 against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, which is expected to be discussed in Lok Sabha on Monday. According to the government notification, the high-level committee is constituted to implement effectively Clause 6 of the Assam Accord and laid out its broad mandate. Signed in 1985 after a six-year long agitation by the All Assam Students Union, the accord envisaged appropriate constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people. The committee will be headed by retired IAS officer and former Union tourism secretary MP Bezbaruah. The members include Subhash Das, IAS (retd.), Dr Nagen Saikia, former president, Assam Sahitya Sabha; Dhiren Bezbaruah, former editor of The Sentinel; Dr Mukunda Rajbangshi, educationalist; Ramesh Borpatragohain, Advocate General, Assam; Rongbong Terang, former president, Assam Sahitya Sabha; one representative of All Assam Students Union and Joint Secretary in the MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs). As per the terms and references notified, the high-level committee serviced by North East division of MHA will examine the effectiveness of actions taken since 1985 to implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. It will hold discussions with various stakeholders, including social organisations, legal and constitutional experts, and eminent persons from the field of art, culture and literature, conservationists, economists, linguists and sociologists. The committee will assess the appropriate level of reservation of seats in Assam Legislative Assembly and local bodies for the Assamese people. The committee will also suggest measures to be taken to protect Assamese and other indigenous languages of Assam, the notification adds. The committee will also recommend the appropriate level of reservations in employment under the Government of Assam for the Assamese people and suggest other measures towards meeting the purpose of the move. The committee has been asked to submit its report within six months. After the Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi cleared the committee on January 2, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had claimed that the long-standing demands of Assamese people and Bodo community would soon be met with. vinaymishra188@gmail.com New Delhi, January 5 Banking services are likely to be affected on January 8-9 as a section of PSU bank employees would go on a two-day strike in support of the nation-wide strike call given by 10 central trade unions against the governments alleged anti-worker policy. The All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and Bank Employees Federation of India has informed the Indian Banks Association (IBA) of the two-day nationwide strike on January 8-9, 2019, IDBI Bank said in a filing to the BSE. In a stock exchange filing, Allahabad Bank said the issues and demands are of industry level and strike call is also given at industry level. Therefore, if the strike takes place, the functioning of branches of the bank may be affected. The bank is taking all the necessary steps in terms of the existing guidelines for smooth functioning of banks branches/offices on the day of strike(s), in the event the strike materialises, it said. Public-sector Bank of Baroda said in the event of AlBEA and BEFI proceeding on strike on January 8-9, 2019, the functioning of banks branches/offices in some of the zones may be affected. Private sector Karur Vysya Bank said if the strike call materialises, the workmen of our bank may take part in the proposed strike on the said date, in which occasion the normal working of the branches/offices of the Bank may get affected during the day. Ten central trade unions have also called for a nationwide general strike on January 8-9 against what they call anti-people policies of the Centre and have placed a charter of 12 demands before the central government. Earlier on December 26, close to 1 million employees of various banks, including private lenders, had observed a one-day strike to protest against the proposed amalgamation of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank with Bank of Baroda. PTI 3 regional rural banks merged New Delhi: The government has amalgamated three Regional Rural Banks Punjab Gramin Bank, Malwa Gramin Bank and Sutlej Gramin Bank into a single RRB with effect from January 1. In a filing to the BSE, Punjab and Sind Bank said the Central government, after consulting the sponsor banks of the three RRBs, felt that in the interest of the banks and the areas served by them, they should be amalgamated into a single RRB. PTI vinaymishra188@gmail.com New Delhi, January 5 Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and another senior Samajwadi Party leader are likely to be summoned by the CBI which conducted searches on Saturday at 14 locations in connection with an illegal sand mining case, officials said. Among the prominent people whose premises were searched included 2008 batch IAS officer B Chandrakala, who became famous on social media for her alleged anti-corruption crusade. Her videos on social networking sites lashing government officials earned her a title of Lady Dabang (daring). The others mentioned in the FIR are Moinuddin, ex-Geologist, mining officer at Hamirpur, and Ram Ashrey Prajapati, mining clerk at Hamirpur. The names of private persons involved in mining are Ramesh Kumar Mishra, Dinesh Kumar Mishra, Ambika Tiwari alias Bablu Mishra, Sanjay Dikshit alias Sanjay Kumar Dikshit, Satyadev Dikshit, Ramavtar Singh, Karan Singh and Adil Khan. The searches were spread across multiple districts, including Jalaun, Hamirpur, Lucknow and also in the national capital, they added. Besides Yadav, the CBI is likely to question Gayatri Prajapati, who was arrested in 2017 following a complaint of rape by a woman residing in Chitrakoot. It is alleged that the public servants allowed illegal mining during 2012-16 and illegally renewed licences despite a ban by the National Green Tribunal on mining. Akhilesh was Chief Minister from 2012 to 2017. In 2016, he had sacked Prajapati and had taken additional charge of minor irrigation in which sand mining was also attached, sources said. In 2016, on the directions of the Allahabad High Court to probe the case of illegal mining of minor minerals, the CBI had filed seven preliminary enquiries. An FIR has been registered under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code against 11 individuals, unknown persons and public servants. TNS & PTI amansharma@tribunemail.com Bengaluru, January 6 After the much controversial trailer release of "The Accidental Prime Minister", another film is all set to raise a storm in political circles ahead of Lok Sabha polls this year. The film is about the mysterious circumstances under which the second Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri died in Russia. Titled "The Tashkent Files", the film is directed by Vivek Agnihotri. Agnihotri said he made this film after many people, including top political leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and George Fernandes, had expressed the need for dealing with the mystery behind Shastri's death. "On January 10, 1966, Shastri had signed the Tashkent Agreement... and hours later he died. A death mystery unsolved till date. Was it a heart attack or poison? The truth of the biggest coverup has been denied to his family and us," the director told PTI. Immediately after his death, the family members of Shastri officially requested a post-mortem to the then acting Prime Minister Gulzarilal Nanda, but to no avail, Agnihotri said. "The family also had requested former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, but was not heeded to once again," he added. Agnihotri also said it is strange that India, the biggest democracy in the world, has no information and document to uncover the mystery behind Shastri's death. "This issue has been raised in Parliament for the last 50 years and yet, we are trying to find out the truth. I picked up the gauntlet and tried finding the truth, and hence I filed RTIs, but I was shattered. "The RTI said there is no information. Our beloved second prime minister dies and the biggest democracy in the world does not have any information and documents," he said. Agnihotri, however, hoped the film might have an answer. He believes the film will change the narrative about Indian politics. The film stars veteran actors Naseeruddin Shah and Mithun Chakraborty in pivotal roles. Agnihotri is planning to release "The Tashkent Files" in last week on February or March. - PTI uttara@tribuneindia.com Srinagar, January 6 Though the minimum temperatures did not drop significantly in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday morning, people in Srinagar city and other towns restrained to venture out due to slippery roads. But the Met Office has forecast an improvement in the weather from Sunday till January 10. Traffic was not seen in the city and towns as people waited for the thaw to set in. Srinagar city recorded minus 1.2 degree Celsius, Pahalgam minus 7.9 degree and Gulmarg minus 9 degree as the minimum temperatures on Sunday. Leh town had minus 10.3 degree and Kargil minus 18.6 as the night's lowest temperatures. Jammu city had 7.4 degree Celsius, Katra 9.2, Batote minus 0.8, Bannihal minus 0.5 and Bhaderwah 1.3 as the minimum temperatures. IANS editorial@tribune.com Our Correspondent Anantnag, January 5 A CRPF man was injured during a gunfight which broke out in Aripal village of Pulwama districts Tral area around 9 am on Saturday. After a fierce exchange of fire between the two sides, the lone militant is believed to have escaped from the encounter site. The security forces blew apart the house in which the militant was holed up. While there has been no official confirmation on the turn of events, sources in the police said the debris of the house had been thoroughly searched and no body was found. The operation is going on and the cordon and search operation has been widened to track down the militant in case he has managed to escape, the police source said. We had specific inputs regarding the presence of a militant in a house. Acting on that a cordon and search operation was launched, said a senior police officer from Awantipora police district. He said the militant fired as the cordon and search operation was being launched, leaving a CRPF man injured. The police officer said the CRPF man was immediately evacuated to Srinagar for specialised treatment. The fire was retaliated and the exchange of fire continued for a few hours before the militant stopped to retaliate, the police officer said. The operation is on and we are searching for the body of the militant, he said. Local sources said the security forces had installed lights as the search operation continued in the area till late in the night. Meanwhile, intense clashes erupted in the area as hundreds of people tried to march to the gunfight site. Security forces used teargas shells and pellet guns to disperse the protesters, leaving two of them injured. One had a shell injury in the head and another had multiple pellet injuries. Both were shifted to Srinagar for treatment, a health official said. editorial@tribune.com Lalit Mohan Tribune News Service Dharamsala, January 5 With the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, being out of India since May 2017, the Himachal Pradesh Police has scaled down security at his Karma Kagyu sect monastery at Sidhbari in Dharamsala. The HP Police was providing a security cover of eight cops at the monastery. However, it has withdrawn four cops and just four are posted there now. Kangra SP Santosh Patial said since the Karmapa was not there for the past more than one and half years, keeping security at the place was wastage of manpower. So I had written to the higher authorities that the security at the monastery be reduced from eight to four personnel, he said. The Karmapa had arrived at Dharamsala on January 5, 2000, after his dramatic escape from Tibet. He was kept under strict surveillance by the Indian authorities and his movements were restricted. Despite his recognition by the Dalai Lama, the Karmapa could move outside his monastery in Sidhbari area of Dharamsala only after permission from security agencies. Even the people who wanted to meet him were scrutinised by security agencies. It was only in the recent past that the Karmapa was allowed to move to various parts of the country, except the Rumtek monastery in Sikkim. Many of the Tibetans blame the strict restrictions put on the Karmapa by the Indian Government for his extended stay outside India. However, since he was the tallest Tibetan spiritual leader besides the Dalai Lama outside Tibet, all of them want him to return to India. The Karmapa has now taken up citizenship of Dominica, a Caribbean island nation. The Indian Government has also hardened its stance against the Karmapa after he allegedly failed to fulfill his commitment of returning back to the country. The India Government, in the recent past, had maintained that it had never recognised Ogyen Trinley Dorje as the 17th Karmapa. With the Indian Government hardening its stance against the Karmapa, the chances of him returning back to the country in the near future have turned bleak. Sources said the Karmapas move of staying outside India was managed by his sister. He even kept his teachers from Karma Kagya lineage in dark about his intentions to take up the citizenship of Dominica. Indian Govt had restricted his movement editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 5 Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, on Saturday launched the litigation management system (LMS),designed and developed by the state government for departments, corporations, boards and other state bodies to monitor the status of cases related to them. URL for the website is http://lmshry.gov.in. After launching the LMS, the Chief Minister checked the functioning of the LMS and directed the officers to get the data of pending cases in courts of their respective departments entered into the system within the next 30 days. He also directed the administrative secretaries to study and review the nature of cases to know the reason behind their increasing number. The LMS was appreciated by the Chief Minister and the administrative secretaries besides various constructive suggestions were given by the Chief Minister and officers to make the system better. The Advocate General, Haryana, Baldev Raj Mahajan, said the LMS was a generic, integrated workflow -based system to be implemented in all departments, boards and corporations. The user departments of the LMS would enter their cases in the system. This software was integrated with the High Court for fetching out the data for cases related to different departments. The office of Advocate General, Haryana, would work as a state nodal office, he added. Deputy Advocate General, Haryana, Himmat Singh, has already been appointed as the State Nodal Officer. editorial@tribune.com AMRITSAR: Even four days after someone pickpocketed Algerian researcher Jubithhershko on the premises of the Golden Temple, the police are yet to find any clue. Galliara Chowki Inspector Bhagwan Singh said all of the CCTV cameras were thoroughly observed and no suspicious person was spotted. He said she complained that some unknown person stole a wallet from her handbag on January 1. The wallet contained a mobile and some documents. She was accompanied by her husband and a guide. The incidents of pickpocketing and thefts on the premises of the Golden Temple have been on the rise. Several such cases are being reported frequently and the residents want the authorities concerned to be more vigilant. TNS Sacrilege probe sought Amritsar: The SGPC has sought investigation into the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib at Ramgarh Gurdwara near Morinda. Flaying the action, SGPC chief Gobind Singh Longowal said the design and aim of these people must be exposed. He also demanded strict punishment against the accused. The SGPC chief slammed the killing of Sikh youth Simarjeet Singh of Pulwama district in the Kashmir Valley. He expressed grief and sent condolences to his family. TNS Five booked for cheating Tarn Taran: Five members of a family have been booked for allegedly defrauding a man of Rs 15 lakh. Sub-Inspector Kuldip Rai, investigating officer, said the accused had been identified as Satnam Singh, his father Natha Singh his sons Kashmir Singh and Sukhdev Singh of Udham Singh Nagar (Uttranchal). He said the accused took Rs 15 lakh in advance from complainant Harjinder Singh of Hardochak Baba (Patti) for selling their 26 kanal of land in Baghiari village two and a half years ago. The complainant said that the accused sold the land to someone else. Sections 420 and 120-B of the IPC have been slapped. OC 3 mobiles found in jail Amritsar: The Central Jail authorities recovered three mobiles from the jail premises during a routine check here on Friday. Gurdeep Singh, Assistant Superintendent, Central Jail, stated that he along with DSP Balwinder Singh was conducting patrolling when he came across a polythene containing a Vivo mobile without sim, a Samsung phone without sim and battery and another Samsung phone without sim and a battery lying nearby. A case has been registered. TNS Man robbed on Mall Road Amritsar: Two unidentified bikers robbed a man on Mall Road late on Friday yesterday. Victim Puneet Verma said he was returning from his in-laws house at around 9.15 pm when he was targeted near Dr Daljit Singh Hospital. Two bikers intercepted him, took out his Activa key and robbed him of Rs 15,000. The police have registred a case under Section 379-B of the IPC. TNS Man hurt in firing Tarn Taran: Owing to some old enmity, Jasbir Singh (27) was fired at by his kin on the Sachkandh road late on Saturday evening. The injured was admitted to the Civil Hospital from where he was referred to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Amritsar. He has sustained injuries on his throat and face. Jasbir said he was fired at by his cousin, accompanied by around 20 persons. OC Bid to break open ATM Amritsar: Unidentified miscreants vandalised an ATM here on Friday. Amarjit Singh of FIS Payment Solution and Services, who takes care of the ATM booths, said he visited the ATM at around 10.45 am near Division B police station and found it damaged. But the cash was intact as the miscreants couldnt reach the cash tray. A case under Sections 457, 380 and 511 of the IPC has been registered. TNS Stay up to date on COVID-19 Get Breaking News Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Sponsored By: Dorsett Automotive Johnstown, PA (15901) Today Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 70F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear skies. Low 48F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Police seek suspect in fatal shooting at 81st and Troost The Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department released two photos of the suspect in a fatal shooting Friday night in south Kansas City. Police said Airrin P. Scott, 23, was shot and killed during an argument outside a gas station around 8:30 p.m. in the 8000 block of Troost Ave. Look closely and it seems as if this dude was soon to enjoy some "Rap Snacks" -- The Migos sour cream with a dab of ranch chips in particular, which sounds DELICIOUS!!! . . . Now, local authorities would like to speak with the gentleman following a deadly shooting at the Troost Market.Read more: KCPD: Officers shoot, wound attempted carjacking suspect after struggle Kansas City police say an attempted carjacking suspect was shot by officers after a struggle Sunday morning. Officers were called to the area near the Redeemer Fellowship church in Westport around 9:15 a.m. in the 3900 block of Walnut. A woman told police that a man pulled a gun and tried to carjack her, however, church security intervened. Some claim that Westport doesn't have a prayer against rising violence in the urban core threatening to ruin so many transit and development schemes. While today's gunfire might be scary to neighborhood denizens of this party place, it also provides a bit of inspiration that community calling out crime will help to save victims.Read more: Crews battle fire producing plumes of smoke in KCK KANSAS CITY, KS (KCTV) -- Fire crews are battling a fire in Kansas City, Kansas this Saturday afternoon. The fire is in the 300 block of N. 10th Street and it began around 1:40 p.m. The fire department said the building used to be owned by USD 500. Saturday explanation of what looked like a good portion of the city going up in flames. Take a look at the source that was thankfully a much smaller blaze with nobody hurt thanks to 1st responders.Read more: Kansas City Top Doctors 2019 About Our Top Doctors Issue Upscale directory that contradicts the war against immigrants -- OR at least reminds us that so many healthcare workers with life saving skills are required to fill the growing ranks of medial professionals.An informative listing for both elective and more urgent needs . . . (Image credit: Acer) AMD is planting its flag deep into Chromebook territory. At the CES tech conference in Las Vegas today, Acer announced the Acer Chromebook 315, powered by an AMD APU with AMD Radeon graphics and arriving in North America this February starting at $279.99. Acer Chromebook 315 Specs CPU AMD A4-9120C or AMD A6-9220C Display 15.6 inches, Full HD, IPS RAM Up to 8GB Storage Up to 32GB (eMMC) Graphics AMD Radeon (integrated) Ports 2x USB Type-C2x USB 3.0Headphone/speaker jack Connectivity WiFi 802.11ac with 2x2 MIMO Bluetooth 4.2 Webcam HD Dimensions (WxDxH) 15 x 10.1 x 0.8 inches (380.5 x 256.3 x 20mm) Weight 3.8 pounds (1.7kg) Price Starts at $279.99 Although Chromebooks up until now have favored Intels lower-end CPUs, it seems Team Blue has some competition here with both Acer and HP announcing AMD-based Chromebooks today. The Acer Chromebook 315 will run on a dual-core, 7th generation AMD APU (basically a CPU with integrated graphics). Acer is offering two choices, the AMD A4-9120C with a 2.2-GHz clock speed and 2.5GHz turbo, or the newer and faster AMD A6-9220C at 2.5GHz, with a 2.9GHz turbo. In terms of graphics, the former has two GPU cores and AMD Radeon R3 graphics, while the latter has three GPU cores and AMD Radeon R5. The Chromebook rocks a 15.6-inch display with Full HD resolution, available as both a touchscreen or non-touchscreen. Acer chose an IPS panel for the display and says you can view the image from 178-degree angles. As a Chromebook, the machine will target basic productivity; memory goes up to 8GB, which is more than most computers running Google's OS. Maximum eMMC storage is 32GB. Acer claims the laptop's battery life will span up to 10 hours. Image 1 of 4 Image 2 of 4 Image 3 of 4 Image 4 of 4 The Chromebook also has two USB-C ports (one on each side) and a pair of USB 3.0 ports, plus a combo headphone and speaker jack. Other features include an HD webcam with an 88-degree field of view that Acer claims can handle group chats. Shoppers who opt for the touchscreen version will also get a full-sized, backlit keyboard. Sound is covered by two speakers on the each side of the keyboard that face upwards. We look forward to getting our hands on the AMD-packed Acer Chromebook 315 during our time here at CES this week. [January 06, 2019] Astrocast Launches IoT into Space (Consumer Electronics Show) -- Astrocast announced today the launch of 3 new pilots of its Low Earth Orbit Nanosatellite Network. The pilots with Actia, Marine Instruments, and Swiss Fresh Water highlight the power of satellite networks to deliver affordable communications to the world's most remote areas. Designed specifically for IoT, Astrocast's two-way system allows companies to monitor and control their remote assets, including over-the-air upgrades at lower latency and cost than existing satellite communications networks. Astrocast will showcase its satellites and Astronode communication module at CES (News - Alert) Unveiled January 6th and in the Westgate IoT Infrastructure Pavilion Booth 2221 January 8 - 11. "Our onboard telematic equipment is designed to support some of the toughest work, in the most remote areas of the world. Agriculture, construction and transportation companies are among the many companies relying on us to keep connected vehicles," said Philippe Cabon, CTO of Actia. "Astrocast will help us to connect vehicles everywhere." Currently only 10% of the world is covered by cellular networks and less than 1% of the world is covered by IoT networks like LoRaWAN or Sigfox. With the launch of its first L-Band, two-way communication nanosatellite in December, Astrocast plans to deliver global accessibility at an affordable price. Until today, satellite communications were cost prohibitive for most companies. Now, even small companies with a big impact, like Swiss Fresh Water that is bringing water purification to remote villages around the world,are able to monitor their machines from anywhere. "When we started this project, we knew we had the right tools and technology to bring clean water to the world. Our water stations are at the center of some very remote villages and are a lifeline to those communities," said Mr. Jean-Luc Mossier, Executive Chairman of Swiss Fresh Water. "With Astrocast we can make sure these treatment machines are producing clean drinking water and remotely perform maintenance to ensure their operations." Astrocast is a nanosatellite network of 64 cubesats specifically designed to transmit and receive low bandwidth data from IoT devices. Astrocast is the first complete solution to deliver: 100% coverage of the globe including remote areas Lowest latency low earth orbit network Two-way communications L-Band and S-Band frequencies Communication module smaller than a credit card designed in partnership with Airbus 256 bit encryption with multi-level security Web application for monitoring assets and subscription plan "It is very important for our customers to be able to track and monitor their marine buoys, especially deep at sea and in extreme conditions," said Francisco Pino, Co-Owner of Marine Instruments. "Our collaboration with Astrocast will make monitoring and controlling IoT devices in remote areas more feasible, especially when the area is hundreds of thousands of nautical miles wide." The Astrocast pilots will continue throughout Q1 of 2019. Companies interested in joining the Astrocast pilot program can email for more information. "The growth of IoT devices for commercial purposes is outpacing anything the analysts predicted. And in many cases these devices are performing tasks that are impacting the lives of entire populations," said Fabien Jordan, CEO of Astrocast. "Astrocast is helping make world changing new IoT applications possible." About Astrocast Astrocast SA, in partnership with the European Space Agency, Airbus, and Thuraya, is developing an advanced nanosatellite network for the Internet of things (IoT). Airbus and Astrocast have developed a low-cost ASIC and module that provides the most power efficient satellite modem for IoT applications. The constellation will consist of 64 CubeSat satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and will provide low latency global coverage. Astrocast was founded in 2014 by the developers of Swiss Cube, one of the longest lasting, operational nanosatellites in space. For more information visit www.astrocast.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190106005114/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [January 06, 2019] Global Electric Wheelbarrow Market 2019-2023| Growth of Global Construction Market to Boost Demand| Technavio Technavio analysts forecast the global electric wheelbarrow market to grow at a CAGR of over 2% during the forecast period, according to their latest market research report. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190106005086/en/ Technavio analysts forecast the global electric wheelbarrow market to grow at a CAGR of over 2% by 2023. (Photo: Business Wire) The growing popularity of non-marking tires is one of the major trends being witnessed in the global electric wheelbarrow market 2019-2023. Non-marking tires are used to eliminate black marks on warehouse floors. Mostly, grocery or food processing plants employ non-marking tires in their factories or warehouses because of concerns related to hygiene. Non-marking tires are available in solid, pneumatic, and cushion types. The common industrial tires are black in color. This is because soot is added to the natural rubber mix during the manufacturing process. The soot is used to increase the rubber's wear resistance, which absorbs heat and protects the tires from ultraviolet (UV) radiation. A factor that causes tires to age is UV radiation. In non-marking tires, silica or chalk is used to prevent wear. Furthermore, the addition of anti-oxidants to the rubber protects the tires from UV radiation. Subsequently, with the increased need for hygiene in warehouses and manufacturing floors of various industries, including pharmaceutical and food, there would be a need for warehouse vehicles, including electric wheelbarrows, with non-marking tires. This report is available at a USD 1,000 discount for a limited time only: View market snapshot before purchasing According to Technavio analysts, one of the key factors contributing to the growth of the global electric wheelbarrow market is the growth of the global construction market: Global electric wheelbarrow market: Growth of the global construction market The global construction market has experienced drastic changes in the past decade. Developed economies such as the US and the UK are currently facing the problem of aging infrastructure. Maintenance and restoration operations, along with the shift to sustainable building development and retrofitting practices, are driving the growth of the construction market in these countries. In addition, green and sustainable building developments have invited significant investments and technological innovations. The construction industry has provided huge opportunities for the global electric wheelbarrow market. Governments of various countries such as India, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are investing heavily in the development of smart cities. For instance, the Government of Saudi Arabia is planning to invest in the development the King Abdullah Economic City (smart city). The total project cost is estimated to be 90 billion USD. Therefore, these large-scale projects are expected to increase the demand for electric wheelbarrows in construction activities during the forecast period. According to a senior analyst at Technavio for research on agricultural equipment, "Apart from the growth of the global construction market, the growing demand for warehousing, the use of fuel systems for logistic equipment, and the increasing prominence for fork truck free movement are some other major aspects that are expected to boost the growth of the global electric wheelbarrow market during the forecast period." Global electric wheelbarrow market: Segmentation analysis The global electric wheelbarrow market research report provides market segmentation by product (electric lifting wheelbarrow and electric moving wheelbarrow), and by region (the Americas, EMEA, and APAC). It provides an in-depth analysis of the prominent factors influencing the market, including drivers, opportunities, trends, and industry-specific challenges. The APAC region held the largest share of the market in 2018, accounting for close to 39% share, followed by the EMEA and Americas respectively. During the forecast period, the EMEA region is expected to register the highest incremental growth. Looking for more information on this market? Request a free sample report Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Some of the key topics covered in the report include: Market Landscape Market ecosystem Market characteristics Market segmentation analysis Market Sizing Market definition Market size and forecast Five Forces Analysis Market Segmentation Geographical Segmentation Regional comparison Key leading countries Market Drivers Market Challenges Market Trends Vendor Landscape Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Competitive scenario About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 10,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190106005086/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] News Reporter Eddie Trizzino has been a reporter with the Times West Virginian since August of 2017, covering the entertainment, business and health beats. He spends most of his time listening to records, going to the movies and strolling through the town. Nellie Grace Spragg, 78, of Hundred, WV died Thursday, June 10, 2021 at her residence. She was born October 9, 1942 at Hundred, a daughter of the late James Herbert Strope and Iva Haines Strope. Nellie worked many years ago at Oneacre Drug Store and the Bank of Hundred. She loved her animals Camden, S.C. Tom Mullikin is that guy you know, the one who finishes Christmas dinner, then takes off to scale Mount Everest, conducting business by satellite phone to check progress on his plan to build an ocean reef upon his return. Yes, a reef. But first, Everest. If Mullikin succeeds in reaching the summit, he'll have met his "modest" goal of becoming the world's only human both to dive the planet's five oceans and scale its seven highest peaks. Why not? Mullikin himself is remarkably modest given the breadth of his interests and goals the aforementioned reef not the least of them. The idea, he explained to me over a recent lunch, is to create a coastline buffer that would help diminish the effects of flooding during severe weather. Anyone familiar with South Carolina's seashore and hurricane history knows that ought to be done. But what? To answer that question, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster authorized a state flood commission last October and named Mullikin its chair. In addition to being an adventurer, Mullikin is an avid environmentalist and eco-lawyer, a pro-business Republican (formerly a Reagan Democrat), as well as a former U.S. Army JAG and the recently retired commander of the South Carolina State Guard. He's also the creator and leader of Global Eco Adventures, a nonprofit educational organization through which Mullikin takes students and policymakers to ecologically fragile areas for a close-up perspective on global warming, a view best achieved, apparently, from the highest peaks and deepest dives. If you're exhausted, you'll find little sympathy from Mullikin a bald, cherub-faced, gung-ho straight-talk doer who long ago worked for then-Sen. Al Gore and later was a consultant to presidential candidate John McCain, whom he brought to Camden. When I mentioned Gore's apocalyptic vision of global warming in the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth," Mullikin responded with the title of his own documentary "The Whole Truth," based on his climate-change research expeditions to Africa's Namib Desert, Peru's Amazon River Basin and Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Mullikin is that rare conservative who knows that climate change is real and that human contribution is part of it. He also knows that there's no way to tackle the problem without a global approach. "We only have one atmosphere," he says. That China's toxic emissions have effects elsewhere may be an obvious observation. Less obvious, perhaps, is the State Department's findings that 70 percent of the mercury deposited in the U.S. comes from global sources. Although climate change isn't within his immediate purview, the state's increasing water problems are most certainly related to the increase in severe weather owing to rising temperatures on land and sea. Thus, it isn't surprising that Mullikin brings a global perspective to local problems. Rather than tackle only the state's 187-mile coastline, the Floodwater Commission composed of 10 task forces will approach the water problem comprehensively, addressing everything from shoreline plantings to ditches, canals, rivers, estuaries any place where water accumulates as well as beautification and development adjustments, such as permeable surfacing materials. Charleston, the state's largest city, has taken measures to prevent future damage to the historic peninsula by constructing a tunnel system beneath the streets to channel water and also, possibly, a seawall. But those efforts won't help other coastal and smaller inland communities that often suffer the worst flooding. The proposed artificial reef system is the most dramatic part of the mission, involving the sinking of defunct naval ships, among other ramparts, that would become the foundation for ocean ecosystems, while also reducing flood events through wave breaking and wave-energy dispersion. Other task forces comprised of a who's-who of South Carolina experts, policymakers, legislators, scientists and military leaders will address living shorelines, infrastructure, "smart rivers," grid security and, not least, national security. Perhaps most important is the task force on stakeholder engagement. The real makers and breakers of this particular deal are everyday people whose ideas and contributions will be sought by mayors and task-force leaders. All hands are needed on deck, says Mullikin, if the state is, indeed, to shift the tides or at least tame the waves. In the meantime, assuming Mount Everest's hospitality, Mullikin vows that South Carolina soon will be first in the nation in environmental protection. That guy. kathleenparker@ washpost. com Christopher Cevilla fought back tears Sunday as the news washed over him: An arrest had been made. A 20-year-old man was behind bars, and authorities were one step closer in the twisting path to bring his daughters killer to justice. Eric Black Jr. allegedly confessed to his role as the getaway driver and has been charged with capital murder in the drive-by shooting of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes, a crime that captivated the nation and drew tens of thousands of dollars in donations. He told police the shooting near the northeast Houston Walmart was a mistake, that the Barnes family was not the intended target. They soon learned they shot the wrong car on the news. Now my baby has gotten justice, Cevilla said outside the Harris County Jail. Now we can properly put her to rest without having to put her to rest and were still on a manhunt looking for a suspect. The grieving father was at ease and at times laughing with pastors in a Harris County Sheriffs Office hallway before those emotions were reduced to tears after law enforcement detailed their steps in tracking down one of the men suspected in his daughters Dec. 30 death. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez attributed the arrest to one tip in a sea of a 1,000-plus that followed a week of chasing down the wrong lead. Detectives spent six days working off an evolving description of a white man behind the wheel of a red pick-up truck as described by witnesses, even as the case threatened to inflame racial tensions with the looming specter of a hate crime. Ultimately, a tip passed from civil-rights activist Shaun King to Gonzalezs inbox during the middle of the week led investigators to Blacks Instagram account. The tip indicated that Black was driving the car with another man as a passenger. The suspects did not resemble the sickly thin man with blue eyes and hints of stubble depicted in a sketch composite compiled with the help of Jazmines sister. Both of the suspects were black. It didnt quite gel at the time, Gonzalez said of the tip, adding that his investigators continued looking for the man in the sketch. The investigation came to a head Saturday afternoon when authorities obtained new information to swoop in for the first arrest. Deputies pulled Black over in a rental vehicle at Woodforest and Beltway 8 for failing to use a turn signal. It wasnt until after investigators began grilling Black that he allegedly admitted to being involved in the shooting and revealed that the family was not the intended target. Police did not reveal the actual target. Handcuffed and wearing an orange jail jumpsuit, Black sat quietly in court just before dawn Sunday when a hearing officer remanded him without bail for his first known arrest in Harris County. During the court appearance, prosecutors partially identified Larry Woodruffe as the second suspect and the man who pulled the trigger during the drive-by assault. He has not been charged in connection with the shooting as of Sunday night. Our work is not finished, Gonzalez said in a statement beforehand, but I believe the people of Harris County can take comfort in knowing we have made great progress. Woodruffe, who has a lengthy rap sheet in Harris County, was allegedly a passenger in his car when he and Black spotted a vehicle they thought they recognized, prosecutors cited Black as telling authorities. He allegedly opened fire out the window as the pair drove by. The two men returned the rental car and picked up a different one - a gray Kia that Black was driving when deputies arrested him Saturday. After his confession, Black identified the alleged shooter from a booking photo and told investigators that the murder weapon a 9 mm pistol was at his house. Gonzalez declined to discuss Black and Woodruffes respective roles in the shooting during a press conference Sunday afternoon since charges have not yet been filed against the second suspect in the case. Woodruffe appeared in court Sunday morning on drug charges and was ordered held on a $100,000 bond. Neither the suspects nor the vehicle resembled those police had been searching for during the week. The suspects were in a rental car, not the red four-door pickup truck initially described by police and as seen in surveillance footage near the Walmart before the shooting. Gonzalez said he believes the witnesses were sincere and if anything, the girls may have been describing the truck driver they saw at a traffic light. We do not believe in any way that the family, as weve said from the beginning, that theyve been involved in anything nefarious, Gonzalez said. Its just went down very quickly. The gunfire erupted. Were talking about small children. They witnessed something very traumatic. Its likely the last thing they did see was indeed that truck and the driver in that truck. The driver of the pickup truck was likely a witness in the shooting who authorities would still like to come forward to shed light on what happened. Jazmines mother, LaPorsha Washington, declined to comment about the arrest when reached at her home Sunday morning while preparing a birthday party for another of her daughters. She was still wearing a sling from where she was shot in the arm during last weeks pre-dawn shooting. Washington, 30, was taking her four daughters to the shopping area around 6:50 a.m. when a gunman opened fire and riddled her car with bullets. She tried driving to a hospital but was forced to stop due to a shot-out tire. She called 911 when she realized her daughter, Jazmine, had a gunshot wound to the head and stopped breathing. More for you News Women are sending love letters to Colorado man serving... Lt. Christopher Sandoval recounted the hurt he and fellow first responders felt as her lifeless body was pulled from the car. He has spent most every waking moment since then working the case. When all this broke on the very first day, it became very apparent to us that this would be one of those cases that we would have to have all hands all deck, Sandoval said. He said six homicide investigators and more from other divisions were tasked with finding Jazmines killer. The investigation required the most man power and hours that he can recall in the two years serving as a commander on the homicide unit. This is the first time Ive seen such an investigation of this scale where everyone is involved, Sandoval said. Because the victim was under 10, the state can ask for a charge of capital murder. Black can be held just as culpable as the actual gunman under a controversial Texas law that holds accomplices equally responsible for slayings. Black is slated to return to court Monday before a judge in the 176th District Court. During the week, Gonzalez was careful not to pin a motive to the case, even as activists and family members feared the shooting to be racially motivated. The sheriff dismissed the possibility of a hate crime during the press conference. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, said at the press conference that she did not believe it irresponsible to suggest the childs death may have been the result of a hate crime. Nothing is irresponsible when it comes to the lost of a precious 7-year-old. As many in the community did, they expressed that it seemed to have the criteria of that, she said, applauding Houstons patience in awaiting arrests. King pushed a reward up to $100,000 for identification of the killer as the manhunt intensified. The money will be used to establish a foundation in Jazmine Barnes memory, family attorney Lee Merritt said. A funeral for Jazmine is scheduled for noon Tuesday at the Community of Faith Church. Gonzalez said that he was not aware of anyone being eligible for a $5,000 reward established through Crime Stoppers of Houston. Mayor Sylvester Turner thanked law enforcement for their work on the case. The authorities worked around the clock to find the individual who is allegedly responsible for the heinous and unspeakable act of violence against an innocent child, Turner said in a statement early Sunday. This should serve as a warning to all violent offenders who prey on our community: The color of your skin, how much money you make these things dont matter when law enforcement will find you, eventually. Maggie Gordon contributed to this report. Jeanne Calment died in 1997 in the southern French town in which she was born, and her death drew a flurry of attention. At 122, an age that had been certified by the Guinness World Records as well as public health researchers, she was the oldest documented person to ever have lived. But a Russian mathematician is casting doubt on her record. Nikolay Zak, of the Moscow Center For Continuous Mathematical Education, said in a report that he believes that Calment was actually Yvonne Calment, Jeanne's daughter, who had assumed her mother's identity to avoid inheritance taxes in the 1930s. That would have made her 99 when she died. The evidence produced by Zak in a paper published recently on the portal ResearchGate is not definitive. He points to studies that showed that Calment had lost less than an inch of her height by the time she was well into her hundreds, significantly less than what would have been expected; Yvonne was also taller than Jeanne, he says. A passport for Jeanne in the 1930s lists different eye colors for her than she had later in life. And he raises questions about other physical discrepancies in her forehead and chin. He also claims that Calment had destroyed photographs and other family documents when she had been requested to send them to the archives in Arles. The study has caused a global stir since it was issued. It has been covered by news media organizations around the world. Sample headline: "Jeanne Calment cheater?" France Inter radio asked. But it has been denounced by some scientists, including the Jean-Marie Robine, who validated Calment's age and wrote a book about her around the time of her death. "All of this is incredibly shaky and rests on nothing," Robine told Le Parisien. According to Smithsonian magazine, he said Jeanne answered questions when he interviewed her that only she would have known the answer to, like the name of her math teacher and housekeepers in her building at the time. "Her daughter couldn't have known that," he said. And he said that the whole town of Arles would have been in on the ruse. "Can you imagine how many people would have lied? Overnight, Fernand Calment [Jeanne's husband] would have passed his daughter for his wife and everyone would have kept silent?" Robine said. "It is staggering." Michel Vauzelle, who was the mayor of Arles when Calment died, has said the Russians' theory is "completely impossible and ridiculous." Nicolas Brouard, research director at France's National Demographics Studies Institute said that there are some in the research community who do "favour of exhuming the bodies of Jeanne and Yvonne Calment" because of Zak's study, according to French public radio broadcaster RFI. He also said that DNA testing could settle the debate. In an email, Zak told the Washington Post that he became convinced that Calment's age was suspicious in February while studying mortality patterns of people older then 105. He said he started to investigate her life in September. "I funded the work myself, it was a fascinating detective story in front of me," he said. "Those who criticize my work heavily are those who have a huge conflict of interest or those who didn't read it." He called critics of his report "dishonest," and released a document where he sought to rebut their rebuttals point by point. Still, he admitted to Reuters that he does not have "cast-iron proof." "I reviewed the whole situation," he said. "There are lots of small pieces of evidence." Guinness World Records said that it was aware of the report. "Extensive research is performed for every oldest person record title we verify, which is led by experts in the gerontology field, and they have been notified of the current situation," it said in a statement distributed by spokeswoman Rachel Gluck. Robine did not respond to a request for comment. A Washington Post story about Calment's 120th birthday describes the broad contours of her life. She was born in Arles, in southern France, on Feb. 21, 1875, before the invention of the lightbulb. She grew up to marry Fernand Calment at 21. "She dabbled in painting, played the piano in her parlor, rode her bicycle around town, hiked and hunted," reporter Dana Thomas wrote, buoyed by the success of her husband's fabric shop. She said she met Vincent van Gogh as a teacher when he came to Arles to paint in 1888, saying she found him "very ugly, ungracious, impolite, sick." "Pardon me, but we called him 'the madman.'" she said. She outlived much of her family. Yvonne died at 36 of pleurisy, Thomas wrote. Fernand died in 1942 at the age of 72 from eating tainted cherries. And her only grandchild, Frederic was killed in a car accident at 36 in 1963. Questions about age-related records are not uncommon. Shigechiyo Izumi, of Japan, was dubbed the world's oldest man when he died in 1986 at what was believed to be 120 years old. But research that came out later claimed that he was around 105. Others claiming ages as high as 125 and up have lacked the required documentation to prove their ages. And the secrets of an exceptionally long life remain elusive. Obituaries about Calment noted that she was known for her love of chocolate - she reportedly ate two pounds a week - treated her skin with olive oil and rode a bicycle until she was 100. She had only quit her two cigarettes a day habit a few years before her death - not for health, but because she could no longer light her own cigarette without asking for help, the Washington Post wrote. Under an obscure French system called viager, where a buyer purchases a home from an older person and begins paying its mortgage, and are only able to move in after they die, Calment had a man paying her mortgage for more than 30 years, The Post reported. She had signed the deal with him when she was 90. Tel Aviv, Israel The White House has sent national security adviser John Bolton on a mission to allay Israel's concerns about President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. The pullout announced before Christmas was initially expected to be completed within weeks, but the timetable has slowed as the president acceded to requests from aides, allies and members of Congress for a more orderly drawdown. Bolton planned to meet with Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and other officials on Sunday before traveling to Turkey. Israeli officials have expressed alarm that a swift withdrawal of the roughly 2,000 troops could enable Iran to expand its influence and presence in Syria, wracked by a yearslong civil war and the Islamic State militancy. Trump's move has raised fears about clearing the way for a Turkish assault on Kurdish fighters in Syria who have fought alongside American troops against IS extremists. Turkey considers the Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, a terrorist group linked to an insurgency within its own borders. A Trump administration official told reporters traveling with Bolton that Bolton intended to discuss the pace of the drawdown, as well as American troop levels in the region. Bolton was expected to explain that some U.S. troops based in Syria to fight IS will shift to Iraq with the same mission and that some American forces may remain at a key military outpost in al-Tanf, in southern Syria, to counter growing Iranian activity in the region. Bolton also was to convey the message that the United States will be "very supportive" of Israeli strikes against Iranian targets in Syria, according to the official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss Bolton's plans before the meetings and spoke on condition of anonymity to preview the talks. Bolton warned Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, not to use the U.S. drawdown as a pretext to use chemical weapons against Syrians, saying there is "no change" to the U.S. position that their use is a "red line." Trump has twice carried out airstrikes in Syria in response to apparent chemical attacks, with the intention of deterring Assad. "We've tried twice through the use of military force to demonstrate to the Assad regime the use of chemical weapons is not acceptable," Bolton said while en route to Israel. "And if they don't heed the lessons of those two strikes, the next one will be more telling." Trump's announcement about the intended troop withdrawal was greeted by surprise and condemnation from many U.S. lawmakers and allies, and prompted the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and the U.S. special envoy for the anti-IS coalition in protest. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is following Bolton to the Mideast this coming week for an eight-country tour of Arab allies to shore up support for the administration's partners in the region. While in Israel, Bolton planned to encourage officials to take a tougher stance against Chinese electronics manufacturers ZTE and Huawei. The U.S. has expressed concerns about potential cyber-penetration by those companies. Joining Bolton in Turkey will be the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph Dunford. In meetings with Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and other officials, they are expected to warn against an offensive targeting the Kurdish fighters in Syria. ALBANY State Police began quietly seizing license plates from unauthorized limousines following the Oct. 6 crash in Schoharie County in which 20 people were killed when a stretch limo that had been ordered taken off the road careened through an intersection and crashed head-on into a ditch. The crash, involving a converted 2001 Ford Excursion that wasn't certified to carry passengers, was the deadliest transportation accident in the United States in nearly a decade. A few weeks after the crash, state officials told the Times Union that police and motor vehicle investigators had lacked the authority to seize the Ford's license plates or to scrape its registration off the windshield last year when they had discovered on multiple occasions that it was being used to carry passengers. But at some point, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Motor Vehicles instituted what appears to be a significant policy change, and asked the State Police to pull the license plates off dozens of limousines across the state that didn't have proper authorization, sidelining them as a precaution against similar accidents. State Police spokesman Beau Duffy told the Times Union the DMV notified State Police to "seize the license plates of 59 vehicles owned by limousine companies with suspended registrations due to noncompliance with New York State Department of Transportation regulations. Troopers subsequently seized the plates of all 59 vehicles." Duffy would not say when the license plates were pulled by State Police, except to acknowledge that it occurred after the Oct. 6 crash. Under state transportation law, the DOT can fine certain limousine companies $5,000 for driving passengers without first getting the proper state certification, known as "operating authority." State law also allows the DOT to ask the DMV to suspend the vehicle registrations of limo companies that violate the regulation. Prestige Limousine, the Wilton company that owned the Excursion involved in the Schoharie County crash, did not have state operating authority, which is required for stretch limousines due to their size and the number of passengers they can carry. Stretch limousines, which DOT regulates much like school buses, also have to go through rigorous inspections by the DOT every six months. Prestige appears to have attempted to evade DOT oversight: Neither owner Shahed Hussain nor his son, Nauman Hussain, ever sought state operating authority. But DOT knew as early as a March 2018 roadside inspection that the Hussains were carrying passengers in the Excursion illegally. Having ordered the limo off the road following the March inspection, state officials caught the Hussains driving it after dropping off passengers in August. In September, another roadside inspection found the Ford had been driven more than 1,000 miles in the prior six months. Nothing in any of the resulting inspection reports suggests that that the license plates on the Excursion were ordered to be seized. Spokespeople for DMV and DOT both declined to say whether the agency had ordered State Police to seize the Excursion's plates before the Oct. 6 crash. DMV officials refused to answer several questions posed by the Times Union such as which limo companies had their license plates pulled by State Police, or why DMV hadn't taken such drastic action on unlicensed limo companies in the past. "In New York we have zero tolerance for any business that willfully puts its customers in danger," DMV spokesman Tim O'Brien said. "That is why, even as the investigation into the horrific Schoharie crash continues, we have taken immediate action, as we have done many times in the past, to do everything in our power to keep people safe." O'Brien declined to say whether the agency had asked State Police to seize license plates in the past from any limo companies that didn't have operating authority. He claimed the DMV was limited in what it could say because of the ongoing criminal investigation by the State Police and the Schoharie County district attorney's office. The crash is also being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board, which has complained recently that its access to the limousine was being blocked by law enforcement. (The NTSB's spokesman was not available for comment due to the ongoing federal shutdown.) Nauman Hussain, who goes by Arslan and operated the limo company for his father, was charged days after the crash with one count of criminally negligent homicide. Shahed Hussain, a former FBI informant, has remained in Pakistan since before the crash. "Due to this ongoing criminal prosecution and the NTSB investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further," O'Brien said. Joseph Morrissey, a DOT spokesman, declined to discuss details of their agency's post-crash actions, citing the ongoing criminal investigation. As it has done previously in the wake of tragic incidents involving irresponsible businesses that flout the law, the state is acting affirmatively to crack down on bad actors who put innocent New Yorkers in danger," he said in a statement. It's not clear whether seizing the license plates of the Hussains' limos would have prevented the owners from using the vehicles to carry passengers: The Excursion had different plates during its March DOT roadside inspection than it bore during the inspections that were done in August and September, when the Excursion was using the plate TOGALUX1. Nauman Hussain also operated the family's limo company under the name Saratoga Luxury Limousine, a name he registered with the Saratoga County clerk shortly after he and his father bought the 2001 Excursion in 2016 from an Albany limo company. DOT employee Chad Smith, who performed the March 21 roadside inspection of the 2001 Excursion, also found that the Hussains were using the wrong plates on a 2008 stretch Lincoln Town Car that was registered to Prestige Limousine. "Vehicle has wrong plates," the March 21 inspection by Smith states. "Vehicle registered with TOGALUX2 through NYS DMV. TOGALUX3 plates are displayed on vehicle." Atlanta Groundwater near Georgia military bases remains contaminated from a toxic firefighting foam used for decades by the U.S. Air Force, prompting fears among residents about their exposure to the chemicals. Recent tests at Georgia's three air bases show extensive environmental contamination of groundwater, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Environmentalists say that contamination from the foam exposed Georgia communities to chemicals linked to cancer and a variety of other health problems. The Air Force has said that Georgia's drinking water is safe for the thousands of people living around its installations. But experts and nearby residents question those findings, saying the military's review was too narrow and failed to test water off-base. "Given that there are concentrations of these compounds on site, over time they're going to move off of the site. That's just common sense," said Jamie DeWitt, an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at East Carolina University. "No contaminant obeys property lines." Nationwide, the Air Force has acknowledged contaminating drinking water in communities close to its bases in more than a dozen other states. In Georgia, Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Cobb County, Robins Air Force Base in Houston County and Moody Air Force Base in Lowndes County used the firefighting foam in training exercises It is also used to put out fires when planes crashed. The foam also sometimes leaked out of its storage tanks, the Journal-Constitution reported. Thousands of gallons of foam soaked into the ground or washed into creeks and wetlands, killing fish and imperiling those who use the affected waterways for fishing, swimming and boating, the newspaper reported. The contamination, which is linked to a class of chemicals known collectively as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, was laid out in a series of site inspection reports completed by the Air Force last year. Those reports concluded that despite high levels of groundwater pollution, there was no immediate risk to human health through contamination of drinking water. That claim was met with skepticism, particularly in rural areas where many people rely on wells for drinking and irrigation. "Everything in this area depends on groundwater," said John Quarterman, the Suwannee Riverkeeper in Lowndes County, where Moody is located. In a statement, the Air Force said its response is constrained by a lack of regulation for PFAS chemicals. The two that are the focus of most testing are known as PFOS and PFOA. "Because PFOS/PFOA are unregulated and Georgia or federal entities have not established standards for non-drinking water sources, we cannot expend government resources on those water sources," the Air Force said. Moody Air Force Base in south Georgia recorded the highest levels of groundwater contamination out of the three Georgia installations more than 5,000 times the screening level. The base, which started as a flight training facility during World War II, sits 14 miles northeast of Valdosta. It's bisected by Beatty Branch creek, which ultimately flows into the Withlacoochee River. Surface water from the base runs south into Grand Bay Swamp, a protected wildlife refuge and the state's second largest blackwater wetland after the Okefenokee Swamp, home to fish, alligators and migrating birds. Tests of Moody's drinking wells showed no reportable contamination. In a news release published last May, the base celebrated the fact that its drinking water had been deemed safe, emphasizing that its wells plunge down more than 400 feet into a protected aquifer. But local residents say their wells don't go nearly as deep, and the Lowndes County public water system has not been tested for the chemicals. "I'm very concerned, because I live practically adjacent to the base," said Debra Tann. Tann, an educator married to a retired Navy veteran with family ties to the area, lives less than a mile from Moody. Her well only goes down 230 feet (70 meters), which could make it more vulnerable to contamination. Tann added that her husband often fishes from local creeks and rivers that could have been polluted with cancer-causing chemicals. In response to questions, a spokesperson for the Air Force wrote that "since results showed no drinking water impacts on base and indicated there was not a pathway or proximity to off-base drinking water supplies, we did not sample outside the installations." Site inspections of Dobbins and Robins also found groundwater contamination and pollution of creeks that flow from the bases into the Chattahoochee and Ocmulgee Rivers. But, as was the case at Moody, the Air Force said it was only authorized to address drinking water, and it did not detect contamination in its own drinking water. Therefore, it did not test any water off-base. From The Buzz business column: Residents of Colonie, and especially the South Colonie Central School District, should pay very close attention to who buys Colonie Center. Related: Colonie Center is up for sale The current ownership group, which is led by the New York City buyout firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., would rather not pay any property taxes. In documents published this past summer related to bond anticipation notes it was issuing, the South Colonie Central School District said that the limited liability company that owns the mall (except for the Macy's and the former Sears spaces) asked to have its $65 million property tax assessment with the town reduced to $1 for 2017. If the town were to agree to that (it's very unlikely), the school district would have to return $1.7 million to the company, which goes by KRE Colonie Owner, LLC. That would be a huge hit for the district, which collects about $70 million a year in property taxes for its budget. The district has it covered, we think, and has a reserve of $1.03 million in place in case the school district has to refund some of that tax bill. Credit card rewards can be your ticket to a dream destination. But even if you've earned what you need to get to where you're going, the accommodations could be a different story. What do you do if you don't have enough points or miles left for lodging? You can slash those costs, too, if you're willing to get out of your comfort zone. That might mean couch surfing with locals, agreeing to a home exchange or signing up for housesitting. Websites and apps can help you connect with frugal options domestically and abroad. You may be able to stay for free, or nearly free, if you're flexible with dates and can abide by house rules. Couch surfing This option works for solo travelers or couples looking to make new friends over a few nights. Since you're staying in someone's home, you'll likely need to "check in and out" at reasonable hours and clean up after yourself For Alexander Salas, who runs the YouTube channel Alex Travelbum, giving up some freedom is worth it. He uses the app from Couchsurfing.com, which has allowed him to sleep in 15 countries for free. His trip to Naples, Italy, was the most memorable, he said. "I stayed with this woman who was just the most generous, nice person in the world, and we're still friends till this day," Salas said. "She made me all of this authentic Italian food and took me around town." Home exchanges This option offers more privacy since you'll swap your home temporarily with someone else. Melissa Conn, blogger at The Family Voyage, uses the GuestToGuest website. This service charges about $11 a night or around $147 annually (and you'll have to pay a damage deposit). The host may also include additional charges or requests. "Some hosts charge a cash cleaning fee," Conn said. Other places, "they'll just leave a list of the five things that they want you to do before leaving. And then some people just say, 'Leave it tidy.'" You can offset the costs of such services by cooking in the kitchen to save money on meals. Some homeowners even let you borrow their car, Conn said. Housesitting If you don't mind pets or a few chores while you travel, you can see the world for less. Nik and Angel Rowell, YouTubers at Roadtrip with Nik, have traveled to Costa Rica and several U.S. states, among other destinations. They frequently use Trustedhousesitters.com, which also has an app and charges $119 for an annual membership. They suggest considering the responsibilities of each housesit beforehand and how it might affect your stay. "If you have a weeklong housesit in Hawaii that included caring for a dog that needed to go out in the morning, afternoon and evening, you wouldn't be able to go explore the island all day long," Nik Rowell said. Wherever you stay, communicate with the host to match your expectations to the experience. If you need a kitchen or Wi-Fi, for example, ask whether you'll have access. Take precautions If you're staying with strangers, screen them first. Some subscription services have a verification process, but it's not always as robust as a traveler might like. Amanda Kelly, solo traveler and content creator at Amanda Round The Globe, generally seeks female hosts when she couch surfs. During a trip to Belgium, she said, she was deceived by a man pretending to be a female host. "After that experience, I did take a lot more precautions by checking the reviews a lot more," she said. Other best practices: Look for hosts who have several positive references, photos and detailed descriptions. See how your host behaves on social media. Set up a video meet-and-greet. Make sure you're on the same page with house rules and expectations of privacy. Tell a family member or friend where you're staying. Have a plan B in case the accommodations aren't a good fit. If that sounds like too much hassle or if you're not interested in a stranger's couch, house or chores consider ways to save on more traditional accommodations. Join a hotel loyalty program, for example, or consider applying for a hotel credit card The right one can earn you rewards toward future stays, and many cards offer a free anniversary night, usually in exchange for an annual fee. SCHENECTADY Ahmad Yusufi, the city's longtime fair housing coordinator, is the latest employee to claim that bullying by bosses at City Hall is a problem. He is awaiting the outcome of a grievance after his complaints against his boss Kristin Diotte and City Attorney Carl Falotico could not be substantiated by an investigator. Yusufi, who has 17 years on the job and previously served as treasurer to Mayor Gary McCarthy's campaign, claims he was disciplined without having his union representative present. "In my personal opinion, there is a culture of bullying in general that has to stop," he said. Yusufi described his recent experience less than a month after Falotico told city leaders the system in place to deal with allegations of bullying and harassment of municipal workers is working. Falotico also disputed allegations by union leaders for AFSCME 1037, which represents Schenectady's blue collar workers, that bullying is rampant. Yusufi told the Times Union that his problems began when a woman who applied for a home loan through the city demanded a meeting with him after learning the loan had been denied. During that Nov. 28 meeting, Yusufi said, he informed her that the Schenectady Housing Development Fund Corp. board would take a second look at the application if she gave them with new information to address their concerns over the size of her debt relative to income. Upset, the woman contacted Diotte, Yusufi's supervisor. He said he was summoned to Diotte's office on Nov. 29, where she questioned him thoroughly but apparently didn't not find his responses entirely forthcoming. That led to a meeting on Dec. 4 with Diotte, Falotico and Tiffany White, the city's human resources director, where Yusufi claims he was ordered to sign paperwork saying he had not answered all of Diotte's questions a charge he denies. Yusufi said he asked the trio for time to confer with the CSEA union, but that Falotico told him if he didn't sign the document he would be charged with insubordination and be suspended. In an email obtained by the Times Union that Yusufi sent to the Housing Development Fund, Yusufi said the "environment became hostile" but that he kept his cool even as the "picture of the journalist killed at Saudi embassy in Turkey traveled through my head," a reference to the murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi. "I was very scared of getting fired and not that I would be cut to pieces but scared that people I am surrounded by will do something harmful to my (career)," he wrote. On Friday, Falotico said Diotte has issues with Yusufi she "will ask him for information and he would get very defensive and not provide it." He stressed that the counseling notice they wanted Yusufi to sign was not disciplinary in nature but a way to come up an improvement plan and that signing it was an acknowledgment that the meeting held on that particular date. After speaking with the union, Yusufi signed the paper Dec. 5. He was sent home, returned to work the following day and filed a complaint against Falotico and Diotte under the city's workplace violence policy. He also filed a complaint against the woman who had applied for the loan, saying he was so scared that he had a co-worker in the office during the meeting with her. The city hired an independent investigator to look into the allegations against Falotico because his office, along with White in human resources, usually investigates workplace violence complaints, said Yusufi. Yusufi was placed on paid administrative leave on Dec. 12 while his complaint was being investigated, but returned to work Dec. 27 after the probe determined that his claims were unfounded. Yusufi said he wants to recoup the four hours of pay he lost when he was sent home on suspension, and wants to see the letter of reprimand for being insubordinate removed from his employee file. "I got blamed for the board's decision, which I had didn't have anything to do with," he said of the loan rejection. City Councilwoman Marion Porterfield, who also sits on board, declined to discuss the matter, but emphasized that it was the board and not Yusufi who rejected the application. In this case, Porterfield recused herself from the vote, because she knows the applicant. Judy Versocki, president of the CSEA Local 88, said Yusufi's grievance is being looked into. Tifton, GA (31794) Today Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 95F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Low near 70F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. The following companies are subsidiares of CVS Health: @Credentials Inc., 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 of California Inc., Aetna Better Health of Florida Inc., Aetna Better Health of Kansas Inc., Aetna Better Health of Michigan 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 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 (Bahamas) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Bermuda) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Europe) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Middle East) LLC, Aetna Global Benefits (Singapore) PTE. LTD., Aetna Global Benefits (UK) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits Limited (DIFC UAE), Aetna Global Holdings Limited, Aetna Health Holdings LLC, Aetna Health Inc., Aetna Health Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited, Aetna Health Insurance Company, Aetna Health Insurance Company of Europe DAC, 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 (Hong Kong) Limite, Aetna Insurance (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Aetna Insurance Company Limited, Aetna Integrated Informatics Inc., Aetna International Inc., Aetna Ireland Inc., Aetna Korea Ltd., Aetna Life & Casualty (Bermuda) Ltd., Aetna Life Assignment Company, Aetna Life Insurance Company, Aetna Medicaid Administrators LLC, Aetna Multi-Strategy 1099 Fund 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 Insurance Company, Allina Health and Aetna Insurance Holding Company LLC, American Continental Insurance Company, American Drug Stores Delaware L.L.C., American Health Holding Inc., 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. (R.C.S. Luxembourg), 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 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 Solutions 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 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 RS Arizona L.L.C., CVS Rx Services Inc., CVS SC Distribution L.L.C., CVS State Capital L.L.C., CVS TN Distribution L.L.C., CVS Transportation L.L.C., CVS Vero FL Distribution L.L.C., 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, Claims Administration Corp., 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 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 Workers Compensation 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 Rehabilitation Services Inc., Coventry Transplant Network Inc., D & R Pharmaceutical Services LLC, D.A.W. LLC, Delaware CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Delaware Physicians Care Incorporated, Digital eHealth LLC, 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 Inc., Express Pharmacy Services of PA L.L.C., FOCUS HealthCare Management Inc., First Health Group Corp., First Health Life & Health Insurance Company, First Script Network Services Inc., 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., Group Dental Service of Maryland Inc., Health Care Management Co. Ltd., Health Data & Management Solutions Inc., Health Re Inc., Health and Human Resource Center Inc., HealthAssuance Pennsylvania Inc., Healthagen LLC, 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 Life and Health Insurance Company, MHNet Specialty Services LLC, MHNet of Florida Inc., 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, MetraComp Inc., Minor Health Enterprise Co Ltd., MinuteClinic, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Alabama L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Arizona 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, Mississippi CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Missouri CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Montana CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., NCS Healthcare LLC, NCS Healthcare of Illinois LLC, NCS Healthcare of Iowa LLC, NCS Healthcare of Kansas LLC, NCS Healthcare of Kentucky Inc. (Oh, 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 Holdings Inc., NeighborCare Inc., NeighborCare Pharmacy Services Inc., NeighborCare Services Corporation, 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 Holding Company, Omnicare Inc., Omnicare Indiana Partnership Holding Company LLC, Omnicare Pharmacies of Pennsylvania East LLC, 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 Holdings Inc., 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., Pt. Aetna Global Benefits Indonesia, 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, Spinnaker Bidco Limited, Spinnaker Topco Limited, 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 L.L.C., 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. 'Scandal': Sir Vince Cable Sir Vince Cable has attacked the privatisation of the Green Investment Bank as 'one of the scandals of this Government' after it emerged that the firm is switching focus away from the UK. Accounts for GIB, filed at Companies House last week, revealed the plan to transform it into a global green investor. 'This is absolutely not what the GIB was for,' Cable said. 'It was doing excellent work promoting good green projects in the UK. It was never intended to be a global bank.' The Liberal Democrat leader founded the bank in 2012 when he was Business Secretary. It was sold last year for 1.6billion to Australian bank Macquarie which has renamed it the Green Investment Group as part of a plan for it to expand into the Middle East, Asia and North America. The Green Investment Group said: 'Our business is led from the UK and we continue to be highly active here.' The National Audit Office was critical of the Government's sale, suggesting it was sold too cheaply. A Government spokesman said the sale had removed the bank from the 'constraints of public ownership' and allowed it to expand overseas.' Lawyers are bracing themselves for an onslaught from warring couples whose relationships have reached the point of no return after the festive period. Today is dubbed Divorce Day because it is the beginning of the first full working week after the Christmas break when lawyers expect a flood of enquiries about arranging to separate. The Ministry of Justice last week revealed that an unlucky 13 people even applied for a divorce on Christmas Day using its online system, underlining the growing trend for a break-up following the festive break. Divorce Day: The 7th of January, when when lawyers expect a flood of enquiries about arranging to separate As the month progresses and credit card bills land on doormats as a reminder of overindulgent partners a further surge in requests will follow. Relationship counselling organisation Relate receives a 13 per cent rise in calls and a 58 per cent increase in visits to its website each January as quarrelling couples seek support. Divorce lawyer Vanessa Lloyd Platt says the annual surge is ignited by a series of flashpoints. She says: Spending too much time with a spouses relatives and even receiving disappointing gifts, perhaps an apron or socks can often tip couples over the edge. We call it sox syndrome because a partner sees such a gift as an insult and representative of a fractured relationship. Tempers can also fray because they see an unequal relationship over who looks after the children over the holiday. Alcohol can also loosen the tongue with frank opinions expressed. Lloyd Platt says that sometimes the enquiries are no more than a knee-jerk reaction. She says: Many people get in touch to ask whats involved in divorcing but go no further. About one in three we hear from do not proceed to divorce. But many do go ahead and split joining the 100,000 couples who end their marriages in Britain each year. With legal bills of up to 400 an hour to contend with, it is key that those consciously uncoupling put grievances aside to protect the familys finances. 'Flashpoints': Lawyer Vanessa Lloyd Platt DIY SPLIT Couples who are able to agree amicably on splitting assets and arrangements for any children can trim costs to the bone by divorcing online. The cheapest way in England and Wales is through the Governments website gov.uk/divorce. All you need is the husband or wifes full name and address and original marriage certificate or a certified copy. There is a court fee of 550, which may be reduced for those on state benefits. One of the hardest decisions for couples who agree to split but do not want to wait for two years of separation is deciding which of the grounds for divorce to put on their application. The current options are the somewhat unappealing adultery or unreasonable behaviour. The Ministry of Justice hopes its service, launched last April, will reduce the divorce process to three or four months. It has already processed 23,000 applications. The first legal hurdle is the decree nisi (the date a court of law says a marriage will end). This takes at least 43 days. Only then can the final step the decree absolute, marking the end of the marriage be issued. FIX THE PRICE Many legal services and solicitors now offer fixed fee divorces from about 300 excluding the 550 court fee. These are usually only available for uncontested divorces. One of the biggest providers is Co-operative Legal Services which provides a solicitor to guide customers through the process. If a case is contested which means one spouse does not want to divorce customers can opt for the firms fixed hourly fee starting at 210. FIND A LAWYER In a contested divorce, legal help may be unavoidable, costing on average 15,000 and taking 12 months to complete. Bills can spiral to ten times that if sizeable assets such as a pension need to be split or where negotiations drag on and court orders need to be arranged to formalise financial arrangements. A lawyer who can help avoid confrontation should keep a lid on costs. Consider a member of Resolution, a network of legal firms committed to a non-confrontational approach.Jane Keir is a divorce lawyer for London legal firm Kingsley Napley. She says divorce bills can be kept in check using a process of unbundling. Keir explains: Some couples want lawyers to do everything from start to finish. But those worried about cost can reduce bills by avoiding taking issues into the lawyers office that can be dealt with outside for example, financial preparations over the family home and pensions or arrangements for the children. CUT OUT SOLICITORS One cost-cutting arrangement gaining ground is the direct access system used in many cases that need to go to trial. In the past, divorcing couples needed to appoint a barrister through a solicitor with added costs but it is now possible to hire one direct. Find one via directaccessportal.co.uk CONSIDER MEDIATION Another money-saving route is through mediation which all couples are urged to try before heading for the courts. Neutral negotiators rather than expensive lawyers guide couples through agreements over children and money. This can cost from 300 to 1,500. Find out more at website familymediationcouncil.org.uk. Another option is arbitration where a third party looks at all the evidence and makes a decision. This might cost about 3,000. Find an arbitrator from the Institute of Family Law Arbitrators at ifla.org.uk. A third way is a new breed of divorce consultants who can assist with unbundling and the other non-legal elements, including how to handle any psychological fallout. Former barrister Laura Rosefield set up a divorce consultancy following her divorce in 2011. She says: Getting divorced involves a substantial number of non-legal tasks that can be stressful and time-consuming to undertake alone. Your lawyer can do them for you but this can be expensive. It can be more cost-effective to rely on a consultant for practical and emotional support and leave your solicitor to concentrate on the legal issues. Rosefield also advises on psychological challenges such as preparing clients for their experience in court. She says: Barristers can give people a hard time over such things as their budgeting. I can offer them and their lawyer tactical advice on how to deal with difficult personalities. She can also help prepare the dreaded Form E. This is the lengthy paperwork where each side must disclose all their finances from the value of their pension to the amount spent on hairdressing. She says: I can talk clients through it sitting at their kitchen table rather than in a stuffy office. Couples can also look online for financial help. The impartial Money Advice Service website has a calculator to help couples assess what money they have and how to split it. Standard Chartered faces an extra three months on probation with US authorities as it haggles over a 1.2billion fine for allegedly busting sanctions in Iran. The City bank will now be saddled with an independent monitor, who oversees its money-laundering controls, until the end of March. If it puts a foot wrong before then, StanChart could be hit with a criminal prosecution which would potentially see it stripped of its licence to handle dollars dealing a catastrophic blow to the business. Probation: StanChart could be hit with a criminal prosecution if it steps out of line The threat of a US prosecution has been hanging over StanChart since 2012, when it was found to have hidden 200billion of illicit deals with Iran which gave drug kingpins and terrorists access to the financial system. It was fined 415million by American regulators at the time and forced to sign a so-called deferred prosecution agreement, which required the bank to install an independent monitor to make sure the law was not broken again. The DPA had been due to finish last month, but has now been extended for three months as regulators investigate further allegations of wrongdoing between 2012 and 2014. StanChart said: The group continues to co-operate fully with an investigation by the US authorities into historical conduct and controls issues, which was first disclosed in 2014. The vast majority of the issues under investigation pre-date 2012, and none occurred after 2014. US investigators believe the banks Dubai branch worked with Iranians after the DPA was signed, violating sanctions meant to cut the country out of the financial system due to its support for terrorism. The US authorities are reportedly seeking a 1.2billion payment over the alleged breach, although the final fine could be lower. It is a fresh blow for chief executive Bill Winters, who has been trying to clean up since he took charge in 2015. He has hired a team of ex-spies and former FBI detectives to catch those breaking rules. StanChart is also under investigation for handling suspicious money transfers from clients in Indonesia. In March it was fined 3.1million for a money-laundering breach in Singapore. And the banks anti-corruption tsar quit last year after he was reportedly quizzed over claims he changed a performance review for a woman he was having an affair with. An entrepreneur from Wales is sitting on a paper fortune after striking a deal with Lloyds that values his zip wire company at 45million. Lloyds Development Capital is purchasing a minority shareholding in Zip World, which manages zip lines in the Snowdonia mountain range and runs alpine rollercoasters, treetop adventure courses and underground trails at three sites in North Wales. The firm was founded by Sean Taylor, 53, and Nick Moriarty, 51, five years ago. Wired: Penrhyn has the worlds fastest zip wire Sources said Taylor plans to use the funds to open new adventure parks across the UK. Taylor was born on the edge of Snowdonia and is a former Royal Marine Commando. He specialised in ski survival and jungle trekking, working in combat zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan before he retired in 2005. After a stint as a bodyguard, he returned to Wales in 2007 and went into business with Moriarty, who has since sold out of the firm. The companys first site was at Penrhyn Quarry, where it runs the worlds fastest zip wire, called Velocity 2, in which riders travel at more than 100mph. The business has grown rapidly since it was launched, and it now turns over more than 14million annually, with 400,000 customer visits a year to Zip World sites. Waitrose is expected to be revealed as the biggest festive loser in the battle of the supermarkets after families flocked to Lidl and Aldi for Christmas food. Part of the John Lewis Partnership, Waitrose has traditionally managed a strong performance over Christmas, with customers buying posher trimmings to treat friends and family. But trading updates this week from Tesco, Sainsburys, Morrisons, Marks & Spencer and Waitrose are expected to reveal that the employee-owned chain lagged behind rivals last month. Of companies listed on the stock market, analysts identified Sainsburys as their biggest concern. Big push: Discounters have left Waitrose trailing Supermarkets have already seen an indication of how their rivals have performed through weekly data from researchers at IGD and it is understood that Lidl is set to take the Christmas crown in terms of winning customers, with fellow discount store Aldi not far behind. One supermarket source told The Mail on Sunday: It will be the discounters year. Aldi and Lidl are likely to be the biggest winners, but Lidl will just be ahead. There wont be much between the others, but Waitrose will struggle. Lidl is scheduled to update investors on its trading figures later in the month. High street retailers have faced intense scrutiny over the past month as footfall has fallen. There are also concerns the supermarkets may have had a tough time too. Clive Black, retail analyst at Shore Capital, said: The market data for the British grocers through the autumn recorded a slowdown in momentum from what was a relatively strong spring and summer 2018. The wider retail scene in the UK seemingly endured a torrid time in October and November. We do not believe grocery was immune. Shoppers are believed to have flocked to Aldi and Lidl for their highly-rated wines and French brandy and premium Christmas desserts. Last month, Aldis UK chief executive Giles Hurley told The Mail on Sunday he expected one in five Christmas puddings sold in the UK to come from his stores. Waitrose sales in the final two weeks before Christmas were an improvement but this was partly due to heavy snow in December 2017, making the year-on-year comparison look better Sources at Waitrose point out it has been going through a major overhaul, scaling back its attempts to match prices with Tesco and focusing on profit margins over sales after poor results for the John Lewis Partnership in 2018. Its sales in the final two weeks before Christmas were an improvement but this was partly due to heavy snow in December 2017, making the year-on-year comparison look better. It last week reported a 0.8 per cent dip in sales in the 22 weeks to the end of December, but says it will provide a more meaningful update on Thursday. Morrisons, Sainsburys and Tesco are expected to be neck and neck when they reveal Christmas results on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday respectively although analysts are pointing out they are for different reporting periods. Morrisons will reveal sales for nine weeks, with an expected 0.5 per cent rise in retail sales, Sainsburys covers 15 weeks with analysts predicting a 0.2 per cent fall in like-for-like sales primarily due to poor clothing sales, which have already hit both high street and online fashion retailers. Tesco, which will reveal 19 weeks of trading, is predicted to be flat, although analysts at UBS think it could surprise the market with a 1.5 per cent Christmas sales increase. Tuesday also sees the latest supermarket sales data from analysts Kantar Worldpanel and Nielsen. Emma Walmsley is likely to receive a heros welcome when she meets GlaxoSmithKline shareholders for the first time since unveiling her Pfizer mega-deal. GSKs chief executive will make a presentation to investors on Tuesday at the annual JP Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, where the great and good of the pharmaceutical industry talk drugs and mergers. Walmsleys own deal to merge Glaxos consumer health business (which produces brands such as Sensodyne toothpaste and Beechams cold remedy) with that of US giant Pfizer and ultimately spin off the joint venture will be the talk of the town. GSK bosss Emma Walmsley has merged Glaxos consumer health business with that of Pfizer Its been a big year for deals in the sector. Shire was bought by Japans Takeda for 46 billion and just last week Bristol Myers-Squibb announced it was buying Celgene, a smaller American rival, for nearly 60billion. Walmsley also recently splashed out 4billion on US drug developer Tesaro. Perhaps other small American drugs firms will be queuing up for an introduction. Or should they chat to Pascal Soriot, the boss of British rival AstraZeneca, which has been absent from the industrys deal-making spree so far? Apple's shares fall Suffering from the January blues as you head back to work after the New Year? It could be worse spare a thought for the US investor who has lost billions of dollars this week on his stake in free-falling Apple. Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway owns around 258million shares in the iPhone maker, making it one of the tech giants largest shareholders. Their value on Monday, when the shares were $157.92 each, was about $40.7 billion. By the end of the week in which Apple shocked markets with weak iPhone sales, the shares were down 6 per cent and the stake had plunged by nearly $2.5 billion. Ted Baker scandal Clothing brand Ted Baker will reveal on Wednesday how Christmas sales fared and founder Ray Kelvin will be watching closely for more reasons than one. Chief executive Kelvin is on a leave of absence after allegations of inappropriate behaviour Chief executive Kelvin is on a leave of absence after allegations of inappropriate behaviour emerged last month. The trading update will give the first sign of whether shoppers ditched the brand over the scandal. The shares have been hit by the affair mainly over fears that Kelvin could leave the firm rudderless and so are unlikely to suffer another big slide. But if they do, it will cost Kelvin, who has a near-35 per cent stake, millions. Barclays investing in Atlas Mara?! Some late drama in the Stock Exchange on Friday evening a disclosure seemed to suggest that Barclays had taken a 5.8 per cent stake in Bob Diamonds Africa-focused bank Atlas Mara. Surely Diamond, dubbed the unacceptable face of banking as boss of Barclays before quitting in 2012, hadnt persuaded his former employer to invest in his new venture? Alas, no. Sources close to Atlas Mara, which Diamond set up in 2013, tell me that Barclays had in fact bought the shares on behalf of an unnamed client. Shame, it would have made a gem of a tale for the Citys chattering traders. Every week Toby Walne gives the low-down on the value of forgotten treasures that may be gathering dust in your attic. Music retailer HMV may have called in the administrators, but the historic brand is still valuable if you find it on a vintage record player. His Masters Voice (HMV) is named after an 1898 painting of a dog called Nipper listening to a phonograph of his owner while sitting upon a coffin. Rights to the picture were purchased by the Gramophone Company a year later. Big notes: A vintage HMV gramophone Find an early 20th Century horned gramophone player with Nipper on the unit and you may have a collectable worth 2,000. HMV moved the external horn to fit inside a wooden-panelled box in the Edwardian era to create a tasteful piece of furniture that looked like a drinks cabinet. A 1908 HMV Bijou Grand encased in walnut can sell for 800. In the 1920s and 1930s HMV turned to hand-cranked portables that could be taken on picnics. These originally cost 6 or three weeks wages. Today they are a relative bargain at 200. The management and independent board of Scottish Investment Trust are in ultra-cautious mode. The 800million international fund is sitting on some 80million of cash and there is currently little mood to invest the money. Alasdair McKinnon, the trust's manager, says the decision to hold such a big pot of cash was taken last August. Nothing yet, he says, has caused him or the board that oversees the trust to deploy the money in equity markets. The trust, managed out of Edinburgh, runs a tight portfolio of 54 stocks He says: 'Of course, we are still, at heart, equity investors but markets have had a good run and we do not push our luck as investment managers. 'I am comfortable with the decision we took, but I am aware that we need to get the money back into equities at some stage.' McKinnon says the decision to take a more defensive stance was triggered by three events high debt levels in emerging market economies; the over-valuation of the so-called 'Fang' stocks (Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Alphabet owner of Google); and the unsustainability of stock market performance worldwide. Until at least one of these issues is addressed, the cash holding will remain. Cash is not the only conservative step that McKinnon has taken. He has also built top ten holdings in gold mining companies Newcrest Mining and Newmont Mining. He says: 'Gold has a long history of retaining its real value and gold shares tend to perform better when markets wobble.' The gold price finished last year strongly and some experts believe the rally will continue. The trust, managed out of Edinburgh, runs a tight portfolio of 54 stocks. Although it has big stakes in some familiar British companies, such as GlaxoSmithKline, Tesco and Royal Dutch Shell, its modus operandi is investing in companies that others do not like and then waiting for them to become loved again. 'It is not necessarily a safe haven investment approach,' says McKinnon, 'but by taking such a contrarian stance, the odds of investment success tend to be in your favour.' Such a stance has prompted McKinnon to build stakes in some of the biggest retailers in the United States Macy's, GAP and discounter Target Corporation. He explains: 'These businesses have strong cash flows and have benefited from President Trump's tax cuts, putting more money in the pockets of consumers.' He adds: 'What is often overlooked is the fact that these are not just bricks and mortar retailers. Macy's, for example, has the sixth largest e-commerce business in the United States.' According to McKinnon, so-called 'bricks and clicks' retailers combining both stores and strong online operations are the 'future'. McKinnon says the year ahead will see a 'diminution of the hot money' theme which has seen the valuations of Fangs and other internet-based companies driven upwards to unsustainable extremes. He also believes that higher bond yields will diminish the case for holding equities. Despite the underlying pessimism, McKinnon continues to search out potential opportunities for the trust. He is currently in Shanghai assessing whether there is a case for investing in emerging markets. Scottish Investment Trust makes a solid long-term investment. Over the past five years, it has outperformed the FTSE All-Share Index 46 per cent compared to 20 per cent. It also has an unbroken dividend growth record going back 37 years. The ongoing charge is 0.52 per cent and the dividend yield 2.8 per cent. Stock markets may be riddled with uncertainty and economic storm clouds appear to be gathering both here and globally. But patient investors can still earn some compelling dividends from their investments. Although dividends are not guaranteed and are vulnerable when companies face challenging economic conditions, the countrys top 100 listed businesses are forecast to pay shareholders this year an income just short of five per cent. Looking ahead: To those investors willing to wait, funds can return at least 5% or more A tidy return far superior to that available from cash and a comfort blanket for those investors who have seen the value of portfolios reduced by retreating stock markets. Here, Mail on Sunday Wealth unearths five investment opportunities that will not necessarily protect investors from short-term market volatility but will pay a reassuring income of five per cent or more. MERCHANTS: 5.5% This 600million investment trust, managed by Allianz Global Investors, is set up to pay shareholders an above average income. It does this by investing primarily in dividend-friendly FTSE 100 companies such as Royal Dutch Shell, GlaxoSmithKline and HSBC. A big comfort as far as income investors are concerned is that the trust has grown its annual dividend payments for the past 36 years. It has done this by squirrelling away some income from investments in good times to pay out when company dividends are under pressure. Merchants has just short of a years income stored away to draw upon if dividends across UK plc come under pressure. Although some investment trusts have longer dividend growth records than Merchants, none matches its current dividend yield of 5.5 per cent. Over the past one and three years, the trust has outperformed the FTSE 100, although it has still meant paper losses for shareholders over the past 12 months. Ongoing annual charges are reasonable at 0.59 per cent. HENDERSON FAR EAST INCOME: 6.6% Although South East Asia has not always been a haven of dividend-friendly companies, times have changed. Big listed businesses across the Far East from China to South Korea and Australia now routinely pay shareholders a regular income. This 428million trust, managed by Michael Kerley at investment giant Janus Henderson, has a ten-year record of paying shareholders a rising annual dividend. Income is paid quarterly and the trust has just under a years income tucked away in reserves reassuring for shareholders in search of a growing income. Over the last year, the trust has recorded losses but its three and five-year investment records are more than respectable (overall returns of 36 per cent and 41 per cent). WOODFORD INCOME FOCUS: 6.3% Managed by Neil Woodford, this 540million fund is probably the least well known of the three he runs (the other two being Equity Income and Patient Capital). But it offers investors an attractive dividend yield in excess of six per cent with Woodford aiming to pay investors an income of 5p per share per annum. The shares are currently priced at around 84p. The fund is UK focused with the biggest holdings being tobacco giants Imperial Brands and BAT and financial company Provident Financial. Big name: The Woodford Income Focus fund is managed by Neil Woodford Of course, the attractive yield is in part a function of the funds poor performance with investors incurring losses over the last year (despite the income) of 20 per cent. So, if the funds performance picks up no guarantee there the yield will drop back. Ryan Hughes, fund specialist at investment platform AJ Bell, says: Woodford did not have a good year in 2018 at all, but he did build his career on stellar investment performance and has rebounded before. DUNEDIN INCOME GROWTH: 5.2% This trust is currently undergoing a mini-revamp with the managers intent on diversifying the portfolio away from a dependency on FTSE 100 companies. The result is a fund with nearly four fifths of its assets in the UK the balance being in overseas equities and fixed-income corporate bonds. Managed by financial behemoth Aberdeen Standard Investments, the trusts board is keen to grow the dividends paid to shareholders on a quarterly basis and it has done so for the past seven years. Focus: Nearly four fifths of Dunedin Income Growth fund's assets are based within the UK This year, expensive borrowings (priced at 7.875 per cent) will be paid off, removing an inhibitor on the trusts capital and income performance. More than a years income is currently tucked away in reserves a nice income buffer for shareholders. Ongoing annual charges are a modest 0.61 per cent. ARTEMIS HIGH INCOME: 5.7% This 1.3billion fund pays investors a monthly income attractive for investors in search of a regular income. It is invested primarily in a portfolio of Government bonds and corporate bonds (both UK the likes of National Grid and overseas). But it also has 17 per cent exposure to equities with the biggest holding being French pharmaceutical company Sanofi. Ongoing charges are 0.69 per cent. Over the past three and five years, the fund has delivered respectable overall returns of 12 per cent and 20 per cent respectively. Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below. M.T. writes: My company informed Barclays that merchant charges had not been taken from our Barclaycard account for the past six months. The bank accepted this was its error. We suggested paying arrears over 12 months as a one-off payment would damage the business. Barclays answered that we must pay the arrears over six months, or in full immediately. When we replied that we could not afford this, Barclays then held back all the customers' card payments that were due to us, a total of about 25,000 far more than the amount we owed. Visit: Mr T's firm co-sponsored the Giants event You have asked me not to identify your business as you do not want any hint that you might be in difficulties, which is no longer the case. But the fact is that when Barclaycard helped itself to 25,000 that was in the pipeline to you from customers, it really did put you in danger of being unable to pay your bills or staff. Worse still, your business was a big backer of the hugely publicised visit to Liverpool of the Giants, the massive puppets that attracted tens of thousands of visitors when they paraded through the city's streets a few months ago. You should have benefited from the support you gave to the event, and attracted customers through the publicity. Instead, you were left perilously short of cash at just the wrong moment. The damage did not stop there. Barclaycard kept on freezing new customers' payments until it was sitting on more than 50,000 of your money. This all happened because you spotted that Barclaycard had not kept back the percentage that was its slice of your card income, and you were honest enough to point this out. Staff at Barclaycard seem to accept that they made a mistake by turning down your offer to pay the arrears in 12 instalments. But they compounded this by freezing far more than they were ever owed. A spokesman told me: 'We have apologised to Mr T for the way we handled this case. It fell short of the level of service we strive to provide.' All your card payments have been unfrozen and the repayment plan you suggested has now been put in place. The bigger question is how Barclaycard can possibly make up for the damage it caused. You spent thousands of pounds to sponsor the Giants, which were a massive tourist attraction. You have told me this was a 'once in a lifetime opportunity' for your Liverpool business to benefit from that sponsorship, but instead you were left struggling to survive. Barclaycard has offered 930 'for the distress and inconvenience' it accepts it caused, plus a further 64 as interest on the money it froze. It told me: 'If Mr T is still unhappy with the decision, he has the opportunity to escalate his complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.' This shows how little Barclaycard knows of your business or of the Ombudsman's rules. Only individuals and small businesses with a modest turnover and fewer than ten employees can use the Ombudsman's services. You have 30 or so employees, so Barclays' suggestion is worthless. You are left with the option of suing a major bank. Even though Barclaycard has admitted its mistake, court action would be a gamble. You have been let down, and badly, by one of the biggest banks in the world that is reluctant to accept the amount of damage it caused. If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned. The internet has revolutionised the way people invest. No longer beholden to financial advisers or to investment companies, investors can now put their own portfolios together. Easy if done through an online investment platform where, at the click of a button and the entry of a password or two, they can review their investments under one umbrella. Indeed, they can log in to their account and buy or sell holdings in a couple of minutes. The emergence of the do-it-yourself investor is welcome. But such emancipation is not without its dangers. Constructing an 'appropriate' portfolio from the mass (thousands) of investment funds available can prove a daunting exercise. DIY investing: Most investment platforms have put together lists of 'best in class' funds Most investment platforms have recognised this problem by putting together lists of 'best in class' funds that investors can use to find ideas. But how good are these? Here, we rate those who rate investment funds. ii.co.uk - 4 stars out of 5 Interactive Investor has just launched its 'super 60' a list of 60 high-quality investments spanning funds, investment trusts and low-cost exchange traded funds. It says funds are rigorously appraised before getting on to its list. They must offer value for money in terms of charges and in the case of active managers have a proven record of delivering superior returns compared to their peers. In the case of funds that track the performance of a specific market, they must demonstrate little deviation from the index tracked. An internal committee of investment experts then boils down the selections (260) to 60. WHAT INTERACTIVE INVESTOR SAYS: Moira O'Neill, head of personal finance, says: 'The list is designed to offer a selection of investments appropriate for all investors, whether they are new to investing or experienced. Our objective is to provide a menu of high-quality choices across a variety of markets and investment types.' WHAT WE SAY: This list is inclusive because it embraces investment trusts and exchange traded funds. This makes great sense in specialist investment areas such as commercial property where an investment trust is more investor friendly in times of sliding property prices. Funds are categorised by sector with each given a description core, adventurous, income, low cost and smaller cap. Each super 60 choice is backed by performance data and comparative data with peers. Fidelity.co.uk - 3 stars out of 5 Terms you need to know Dividend: The income a company pays shareholders as a reward for investing in the business. Not guaranteed, usually paid half-yearly. Investment fund: Best way for most to invest in the stock market. Spreads risk by holding a basket of shares. Run by professional managers. Ongoing annual charge: The fees taken by an investment manager for running a fund. Lower the better above 0.75 per cent and eyebrows should be raised. Active management: Where a fund is managed by a human being. Index fund: A fund run by a robot. Aim? To match performance of a market. Platform: An online way to manage an investment portfolio. Fidelity provides a 50-strong list of 'select' fund choices that includes nine own branded investment funds. The list, compiled using a mix of quantitative and qualitative criteria, is put together by the investment manager's multi-asset investment team that claims it is 'expert in this field'. The choices are reviewed every six months although investment funds can be removed from the select list at any time. Three funds were removed last July. Its list contains well-established funds such as Lindsell Train UK Equity, Baillie Gifford Japanese and Fidelity Special Situations. There are also lesser known funds such as Maple-Brown Abbott Asia Pacific Excluding Japan as well as funds with a variety of investment strategies (absolute return, gold, investing in German equities). WHAT FIDELITY SAYS: 'For many investors, there is a tyranny of fund choice. Select 50 is our answer to this dilemma.' It does not claim funds will be the best-performers, but rather that they 'exhibit the characteristics that are likely to lead to good investment outcomes over time'. WHAT WE SAY: The list is succinct, information on each fund is to the point and charges (including any discounts Fidelity has managed to extract) are transparent. Investors can look at supporting performance graphs and are given the star rating awarded by fund scrutineer Morningstar. One drawback is that the selected funds do not include any stock market listed investment trusts. Fidelity says it would not rule out investment trusts if there was 'sufficient customer demand'. There is also only one passive fund (a property trust). The presence of nine Fidelity funds on the Select 50 could be interpreted as a form of nepotism. One nice touch is that investors can get broad exposure to Select 50 by investing in the Select 50 Balanced fund. It has at least 80 per cent of its assets invested in funds on the list. FundCalibre.com - 3 stars out of 5 Unlike rivals, FundCalibre is a fund ratings website only it does not provide a facility for investors to build a portfolio. Its objective is to provide a 'truly independent source of information to the public that they can trust'. More than 160 funds including a dozen investment trusts have earned FundCalibre's 'elite' badge. To get this award, a fund must pass its quantitative test which seeks to identify fund manager skill. FundCalibre also identifies 'radar' funds. These are usually newish investment funds which do not have a long enough performance record to merit an elite rating. WHAT FUNDCALIBRE SAYS: 'In a world of self-directed investors we provide help and guidance. Our ratings are not infallible but on average should give investors a head start.' WHAT WE SAY: FundCalibre's analysis of individually rated funds is well presented. It includes a pithy description of why the fund is liked and the individual and investment company behind it. All the key facts (including charges) are provided, plus a clock indicating the fund's riskiness. FundExpert.co.uk - 4 stars out of 5 FundExpert is alone in charging for fund ratings. The fee is 1 in the first month and then 29.20 a month for the next 11 with a promise of money back if investors do not feel they have received value for money. Once investors decide whether they are after income or growth and opt for their preferred asset allocation, FundExpert will provide them with the three top fund selections in each of the sectors chosen. It then prompts investors to review their holdings every six months to see whether they are still fit for purpose or if better funds are available. Investors can also apply stop-losses which means funds are automatically sold if they fall below an agreed price. WHAT FUNDEXPERT SAYS: Brian Dennehy, managing director, says: 'The fund rating services I encountered in the past were lacking to say the least. We have come up with a process that is underpinned by objectivity and clarity and so far has generated extra investment return. I don't know whether it is better than anyone else's but I have yet to find anyone else who matches our criteria for identifying top rated funds.' WHAT WE SAY: FundExpert's analysis, involving the rating of 3,500 funds across 35 sectors each month, is meticulous and methodical. It is also robotic. Some may baulk at its price while others may be disappointed that investment trusts do not get a look in. Bestinvest.co.uk - 3 stars out of 5 Bestinvest is best known for its 'spot the dog' analysis, highlighting investment funds that are not performing up to scratch. But it also publishes a half-yearly 'top-rated' funds report. Funds that get included must achieve a minimum three out of five-star rating. Some 100 funds passed muster last time around including both active and index- tracking funds. A research team of 30 analyse individual funds. A big emphasis is placed on meeting investment managers to get a clear idea of their investment approach. Although the report is published every six months, funds are added or removed throughout the year with investors informed via Bestinvest's website. WHAT BESTINVEST SAYS: Jason Hollands, a director of wealth manager Tilney that owns Bestinvest says: 'Providing clients with details of those funds we rate highly helps them navigate the huge amount of choice out there. 'The strength and integrity of a top-rated fund list depends on what process stands behind it. Ours is rigorous.' WHAT WE SAY: Bestinvest's top-rated funds report is slickly put together. As a result, it reads more like a marketing tool than a rigorous fund research document. Nice touches are details of both derated and new top funds. None of the choices are investment trusts. Invaluable or not? Opinion is divided on how appropriate the best buy lists are Youinvest.co.uk (AJ Bell) - 4 stars out of 5 AJ Bell has 76 'favourite funds' 55 are actively run (by a fund manager) with the rest passive (run by a computer and designed to track a specific market such as FTSE 100). The list has been compiled in-house since last September and funds are removed or added at any time. Fund choices are diverse. For example, for UK income seekers, it includes funds from boutiques Evenlode, Troy and Montanaro. WHAT AJ BELL SAYS: 'Our list offers a range of investment choices covering both active and passive investments. It is overseen by an experienced research team and looks to provide clear information on each of the funds included. Feedback from customers has been positive and this is evidenced by the usage of the investments that have made it on to our list.' WHAT WE SAY: AJ Bell allows investors to select funds according to a combination of their investment needs (growth or income), type of fund (active or passive) and sector (for example, UK, North America or Europe). The information provided on each fund is comprehensive, including a good explanation as to why it makes it on to the list. There is also easy access to key facts (charges for example) although some of the information is out of date. No investment trusts appear on the list (a minus) but to its credit a hefty smattering of low-cost passive funds are included even though some are AJ Bell-badged funds. AJ Bell is hoping that every favourite will soon be supported by a video explaining how the fund is invested. Hl.co.uk (Hargreaves Lansdown) Hargreaves Lansdown's Wealth 150 list was launched 15 years ago. It provides investors with details of its favourite funds both active and trackers in key fund sectors. Funds are included on the basis of rigorous research and 'unrivalled access' to managers. Key information on each fund is given including why Hargreaves likes it. Graphics allow users to view past investment returns. When a fund is removed from the Wealth 150, an email is sent to investors. WHAT HARGREAVES SAYS: Laith Khalaf says: 'We launched Wealth 150 to help do-it-yourself investors choose from the thousands of funds available and to identify active managers with long-term performance potential.' WHAT WE SAY: Hargreaves is announcing a revamp of the Wealth 150 in the next few days which include some 'big' changes. So a star rating based on the past is not fair. But it would be nice if its list was widened to include favoured investment trusts. M&S Bank is offering rates as low as 2.8 per cent on personal loans of 7,500 or more taken out over 12 to 36 months. The rate means someone borrowing 7,500 over 36 months will repay 217.32 a month and end up paying a total of 7,823.52. Loans over a longer period four to seven years will attract interest of 2.9 per cent. Competitive: Someone borrowing 7,500 over 36 months will repay 217.32 a month The deals are available to non-M&S Bank customers, but applicants must have annual income of at least 10,000. Anyone who has a blemish on their credit history may be offered a higher rate. Rate scrutineer Moneyfacts says the new prices are among the most competitive available. Over three years, only online bank Cahoot, part of Santander, matches M&S on price (for a 7,500 loan) while over five years, Cahoot is slightly cheaper (2.8 per cent, compared to M&Ss 2.9 per cent). M&S loan applications can be made online. MARISSA BERGEL, Wheeler softball, senior: Bergel hit a two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning to lift Wheeler past Holy Cross, 9-7, in the Class S state tournament. The hit was part of a five-run rally in the inning. JOEY GUARNIERI, Westerly track & field, senior: Guarnieri placed first in two sprints at the Southern Division championships. He won the 100 (11.19) and the 200 (22.73). JOSH MOONEY, Stonington track & field, sophomore: Mooney placed first in the 110 hurdles at the Class M state meet in 14.65. He also finished second in the 300 hurdles (39.87) and second in the javelin (160-0). MARGARET WEEDEN, Chariho track & field, junior: Weeden finished first in the high jump at the Southern Division championships. Weeden cleared 5-1 and also placed sixth in the triple jump at 31-5. Vote View Results Mathura, Jan 6 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya Sunday rejected former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav's allegation that the Centre was misusing the CBI. His reaction came as Yadav attacked the BJP a day after it emerged that the CBI may quiz him in a case of illegal mining. "I am happy that at least the BJP has shown its colours. Earlier, the Congress gave us the chance to meet the CBI, and this time it is the BJP, which has given us this opportunity," Yadav said in Lucknow. "There is lot of difference between the cultures of the BJP and the Congress," Maurya told reporters. He said both state and the Union governments were working with full impartiality and transparency. "If any political party thinks that there should be no probe prior to elections, it is not possible," Maurya said. PTI COR TIR TIR New Delhi, Jan 6 (PTI) The Delhi Police reunited a nine-month-old child with his family almost two months after he went missing from here, officials said Sunday. The child's mother, Pooja, stays on the footpath outside the Bangla Saheb Gurudwara and her husbands is a daily wage worker, they said. A month ago, a 19-year-old woman approached them and started feeding the child and later escaped with him, police said. The parents searched for their child and the woman, but failed to trace them, following which they approached the police, they said. Four days ago, a case was registered after which the New Delhi district police started looking for the child. In the meantime, Pooja learnt that the accused woman was living in disguise near Palika Bazar, a senior police officer said. Subsequently, she was nabbed, he said. During interrogation, she first tried to mislead the police. However, she later broke down and disclosed the exact location of the child and he was safely rescued from Firozpur in Punjab, he added. The accused further said she was childless so she abducted him and handed him over to a man, named Ajit Singh, at the Golden Temple in Amritsar telling him she will take him back after returning from Delhi, he said. On her instance, Ajit Singh was also arrested and the child was safely reunited with the family, police said. PTI AMP TIR Man dies after falling from DTC bus in Delhi's Nandnagri New Delhi, Jan 6 (PTI) A 29 year-old man died and another was injured after falling from a moving DTC bus in northeast Delhi's Nandnagri area, police said Sunday. The incident took place on Friday, they said. The victims were rushed to a nearby hospital, where Kishore succumbed to injuries during treatment, officials said. Investigation has revealed that the door of the bus was open when the accident took place, a police officer said. A case has been registered against the accused driver, he added. PTI AMP ********** Woman dead, husband injured after falling from flyover in Delhi New Delhi, Jan 6 (PTI) A woman died and her husband sustained injuries after falling off the Barapula flyover here Sunday, police said. The deceased, Nisha (30), and her husband, Sunny (30), are residents of Dwarka sector-7, they added. The couple were returning from a marriage function at Trilokpuri when they were allegedly hit by a car, following which, they fell off the flyover, a senior police officer said. The victims were rushed to a hospital, where Nisha was declared brought dead, the officer said. The car which hit the couple was being driven by Madhur (65), a resident of the Nizamiddin West area, police said. Sunny sustained injuries to his head and leg and was admitted at the AIIMS Trauma Centre, the officer said, adding that a case has been registered against the driver. PTI NIT ********** Minor boy dies after being hit by school van in Delhi's Mahendra Park New Delhi, Jan 6 (PTI) A 15-year-old boy was killed after being allegedly hit by a school van in the Mahendra Park area here, police said Sunday. The incident took place on Friday, they said, adding the deceased was identified as Sachin, a student of Class X. A school van driver rammed into Sachin and two of his friends while reversing his vehicle, a senior police officer said. Although his friends managed to escape, Sachin was trapped. It is alleged that the driver, instead of applying brakes, accelerated the vehicle, leading to Sachin's death, he said. The accused driver fled from the spot after the incident, the official added. PTI AMP IJT Jammu, Jan 6 (PTI) The Peoples Democratic Party Sunday asked National Conference patriarch Farooq Abdullah to make his party's position clear on issues like Ram Mandir and Article 35-A. Senior PDP leader and former minister Naeem Akhtar alleged that NC's contradictory positions in the two cases, which are being heard by the Supreme Court, "convey something more than what meets the eye". "Farooq Abdullah and his party should make their position clear over Ram Mandir and Article 35-A," he added. Akhtar said at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that the country will have to wait for the judicial process to end for construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya, Abdullah has "stuck his neck out and pleaded for circumventing the judicial process so that he is able to participate in the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Ram temple". "Dr Abdullah is entitled to his faith and to his position as a Ram bhakt but this involves not just the sentiments of one community but the entire country's law-abiding people who want this issue to be settled through the judicial process," he said. Abdullah had on Friday told the media in Delhi that the Ayodhya issue should be resolved through dialogue and the Ram temple should be built without delay. "It was ironic to find that while the NC president demands construction of Ram temple despite the case being sub-judice. He openly refused to comment over his stand on Article 35-A, stating that the case is being heard by the country's top court and he cannot take a stand on it," Akhtar said. PTI AB AQS AQS The 2019 WSOP International Circuit - Morocco will take place 12 January through 20 January . CLAIM YOUR SIGNUP BONUS UP TO $1000 - MILLION DOLLAR GUARANTEED ONLINE TOURNAMENTS This event will take place at Casino de Marrakech Kivernage. Buy-in for the main event is 30,000 Scroll Down For The 2019 WSOP International Circuit - Morocco Schedule Mathura, Jan 6 (PTI) Farmers protesting against the stray cattle menace here Sunday temporarily suspended their agitation after the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet empowered urban and rural civic bodies to run temporary shelters for stray animals. "On the assurance of the district administration, we have suspended the agitation for a fortnight," Raj Kumar Tomar, district president of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Tikait group) said. He said the agitation will be remain suspended till January 10, the deadline set by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for setting up of cowsheds. A few days back, residents of Mathura had locked up herds of stray animals, especially cows, in government schools because they were allegedly damaging crops. Subsequently, the district administration had made arrangements for over 3,000 bovines in different gaushalas. Later, the state cabinet approved the proposal for setting up cowsheds at the village-level. "We have not only made adjustment for over 4,000 cattle in different gaushalas, a meeting of 25 village pradhans, gaushala owners and NGOs running gaushalas has been called to find a permanent solution to the problem," District Magistrate (DM) Sarvagya Ram Mishra said. PTI Corr IJT Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 6 (PTI) Women will soon begin trekking Agasthyarkoodam, the second highest peak in Kerala, at Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary here after the state forest department lifted a long-standing ban following a high court order. The Kani tribe has claimed that they have been traditionally worshipping the idol of Agasthya Muni atop the hill and it was customary for women not to go near the idol. The peak has been named after the mythical Hindu sage Agasthya. The Kerala High Court had on November 30 last year ruled that no gender-based restrictions can be imposed on those who intend to trek Agasthyarkoodam, and lifted the unofficial ban on the entry of women to the peak. "In case permission is being granted for trekking in the year 2019, it is made clear that restrictions shall not be imposed only on the ground of the gender of the trekker," the high court had observed. The government had told the high court that no one had any vested right to trek to Agasthyarkoodam, which was a reserve forest and a UNESCO heritage site owing to its ecological diversity. It was further said that members of Kani tribe had no customary right of worship in the area as there was no temple there. The forest department permits a limited supervised trek to the 1,868-metre peak for registered persons every year. Though the guidelines of the department specifically permitted physically fit women above the age of 14 years to participate in the annual trek, there was opposition from some quarters to women entry. In 2015, a women's group noticed that forest officials had promulgated a notification excluding women and children below the age of 14 from making the two-day hike that included an overnight stay in a base camp at Athirumala. 'Pennoruma'', an organisation headed by M Sulfath, and 'Anweshi', led by former Naxalite leader K Ajitha, joined the Women Integration and Growth Through Sports, another organisation, and moved court to fight against the gender bias. Forest Minister K Raju had earlier told media that women were welcome but separate facilities for them were not possible owing to restrictions imposed in the ecologically sensitive zone. The issue of women's visit to the hill might trigger fresh controversy in Kerala, which has been under the grip of violence since the entry of two women of menstruating age into the Sabarimala temple following a Supreme Court verdict. PTI RRT UD SMN SMN Salem, Jan 6 (PTI) MGR Amma Deepa Peravai leader Deepa Jayakumar Sunday expressed willingness to ally with the AIADMK, saying her outfit belonged to the ruling party and even her followers were in favour of it. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of her party's general body meeting here, Deepa, who is the niece of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, said the decision was announced formally in the meeting. "It was initiated for AIADMK cadres. This is an organisation that belongs to the AIADMK, there is no doubt about it. I am clear about this right from the beginning...Even I would like to work with the AIADMK," she said, claiming that her stand was shared by others in her outfit. Earlier in the day, when asked about Deepa's comments, AIADMK coordinator and Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam had welcomed anyone who is willing to join the party. On the occasion of the 69th birth anniversary of her aunt Jayalalithaa, Deepa had launched the outfit MGR Amma Deepa Peravai in February last year. PTI CPB IJT By-poll to elect KMC mayor as councillor peaceful Kolkata, Jan 6 (PTI) By-poll to ward number 82 of Kolkata Municipal Corporation, from where West Bengal minister and city mayor Firhad Hakim is seeking election as a Trinamool Congress councillor, passed off peacefully on Sunday. Hakim, the state's Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister, had been elected as the Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on December 3 by a majority of KMC councillors, although Hakim himself was not a councillor then. According to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, which was amended in the winter session of the Assembly, a mayor would have to get elected by voters as a councillor within six months of being appointed to the post. BJP's Jiban Sen, Congress candidate Animesh Bhattacharya and Sisir Dutta from the CPI were the three other candidates but the main contest was between the TMC and the BJP. An estimated 64 per cent voters of the 33,567 strong electorate cast votes at the polling stations during voting hours from 7 AM to 3 PM, a senior officer of the State Election Commission said. Polling continued in one booth till 4 PM to allow the voters, who were still standing in queues, to exercise their franchise. The BJP candidate alleged no polling agent of the party, or other opposition parties could be deployed in the booths during voting, but this charge was denied by Hakim, who said the opposition had no organisational base in the area. By-poll to ward no 82 was necessitated after resignation of TMC councillor Pranab Biswas on health grounds. Election to the mayoral post became imperative following the resignation of Sovan Chatterjee from the post in November last year. Chatterjee, who was also the housing and fire services minister, had resigned from the state cabinet on November 20 and from the post of KMC Mayor on November 22. PTI SUS MM MM Chandigarh, Jan 6 (PTI) Rebel Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Punjab Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Sunday resigned from the party's primary membership, alleging that the party had "totally deviated" from the ideology and principles on which it was formed post the Anna Hazare movement. Khaira, who suspended from the party in November last year for indulging in "anti-party" activities, sent his resignation letter to AAP's national convener Arvind Kejriwal. The "current political culture of traditional parties of the country stands badly decayed, due to which immense hope was generated by the formation of AAP," the Bolath MLA said in his resignation letter, copies of which have been released to the media. "..unfortunately after joining the party I realised that the hierarchy of AAP was no different from the traditional centralised political parties..," Khaira said. He had been a vocal critic of AAP's leadership since he was removed as leader of opposition in Punjab Assembly in July last year. Following his removal, Khaira, along with seven supporters, formed a rebel group which sought autonomy for AAP's Punjab unit. PTI SUN VSD DIV DIV Shimla, Jan 6 (PTI) Cold wave conditions intensified in Himachal Pradesh as the state's higher reaches received snowfall from 5.30 pm on Saturday to 8.30 am on Sunday, the meteorological department said. Manali in Kullu district received 9 cm snowfall, whereas tribal districts Lahaul-Spiti's administrative centre Keylong and Kinnaur's Kalpa received 13 cm snowfall each during the period, MeT Centre Director Manmohan Singh said. Narkanda, Kufri and Shimla also received light snowfall. The skies in Shimla have been overcast since Friday evening, he said. The snowfall caused the mercury to dip, with Keylong, Kalpa, Kufri, Dalhousie and Manali reeling under sub-zero temperatures. The minimum temperature in Kufri was minus 3 degrees Celsius, it was minus 1.6 degrees Celsius in Dalhousie and minus 1.2 degrees Celsius in Manali during the period, Singh said. Keylong continued to be the coldest place in the state with a minimum temperature of minus 8.7 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature in Kalpa was minus 3.7 degrees Celsius, he added. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a warning of heavy snowfall, rain and hailstorm in Himachal Pradesh till January 6. It has also predicted snowfall and rain in some places of the state on Tuesday and Wednesday due to western disturbances. PTI DJI DIV DIV New Delhi, Jan 6 (PTI) The Congress on Sunday accused the BJP of instigating violence in Kerala over the Sabarimala issue and blamed the CPI(M) government for failing to maintain law and order in the state. In the wake of violence in Kerala over the entry of women in the reproductive age group into the Sabarimala shrine, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also said the BJP government should bring a law that marries the rights of women of Kerala to the long-held traditions of society there. Attacking the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala for allegedly "failing" to protect law and order in the state and the BJP for allegedly fomenting trouble, the Congress said the law was necessary to find a solution to the problem. Surjewala said Congress leader KC Venugopal had last week moved an adjournment motion in Lok Sabha demanding such a legislation. "While the BJP is creating trouble and the CPM has failed to maintain law and order in the state, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee is espousing the long held traditions of people of Kerala in a peaceful manner. "We believe that law and Constitution is supreme, but, belief and tradition of people, particularly the people of Kerala, have to be married in congeniality with the existing law and the constitution," he told reporters. The Congress leader said the faith of the people of Kerala cannot be segregated from the rigours of law and from the Constitution. "It is for this reason that the Congress suggested in Parliament that let the BJP government bring in a piece of legislation," he said. Surjewala said the idea was also suggested to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all MPs. "Let that legislation be debated, let rights of women be stated on the floor, let the traditions of Kerala, the practice that has carried on for centuries be also espoused and stated on the floor and let a path be found, which is bereft of violence yet acceptable to everyone," he said. The responsibility for finding a peaceful solution lies upon the Central government -- "which is only adding fuel to the fire rather than finding a solution" -- and on the CPM government in Kerala -- "which is only using muscle power and power of the State rather than the intrinsic power of conversation and dialogue to settle the issue", he charged. "The Congress party expresses its deep anguish and concern over the concerted violence that is being perpetuated by the RSS and the BJP cadre in the state, as also complete abdication of its duty to maintain law and order on part of the CPM government. "Between the CPM, the BJP and the RSS, they have thrown the peaceful society of Kerala into an endless cycle of violence. The CPM government unfortunately remains a mute and a mock spectator to the endless cycle of violence," he said. PTI SKC TIR TIR New Delhi, Jan 6 (PTI) Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg will arrive here on Monday on a three-day visit during which she will hold talks with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on a host of issues with an aim to expand the multi-faceted bilateral partnership. Solberg will deliver the inaugural address at the Raisina Dialogue and address India-Norway Business Summit during her visit. She will also call on President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, besides holding talks with Prime Minister Modi. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will also call on Solberg during her India visit. The upcoming visit of Prime Minister Solberg will provide an opportunity to the two sides to review the progress in bilateral cooperation and discuss ways to further expand the multi-faceted partnership in areas of common interest, the MEA had said in a statement. Ahead of the visit, Ambassador of Norway to India Nils Ragnar Kamsvag said this is the first visit to India by a Norwegian prime minister in a decade. "The visit has the potential of boosting bilateral trade between the two countries and further strengthen the already good relationship," he said. Norway is a leading ocean country, a key producer of maritime and sub sea technology and a major exporter of seafood, oil and gas, he said. "We thus think that Norway has a lot to offer and we are hopeful that the bilateral talks during the visit will focus on sustainable use of the oceans that benefits both countries in the long run," the envoy said. PTI ASK http://ptinews.com/images/pti.jpg We bring the World to you" Disclaimer : This e-mail message may contain proprietary, confidential or legally privileged information for the sole use of the person or entity to whom this message was originally addressed. Please delete this e-mail, if it is not meant for you. ANB ANB New Delhi, Jan 6 (PTI) The Congress on Sunday demanded documentary evidence of claims made by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on contracts given to HAL and said in its absence the party will demand her resignation in Parliament. Party spokesperson Manish Tewari said the Congress will press for her resignation in case she fails to substantiate her claim in Parliament that HAL was given contracts worth Rs one lakh crore. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has accused the defence minister of spinning lies in Parliament and said if she fails to provide the evidence on the claims made with regard to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, she should resign. When you tell one lie, you need to keep spinning out more lies to cover up the first one. In her eagerness to defend the Prime Minister's (Narendra Modi) Rafale lie, the RM lied to Parliament. Tomorrow, RM must place before Parliament documents showing 1 Lakh crore of Govt orders to HAL. Or resign, Gandhi tweeted. Defence Minister Sitharaman hit back at Gandhi for his remarks, saying read "the complete report" to "which you are referring". However, as the LS record shows, Sitharaman did not claim the orders were signed, saying they were in the works, Sitharaman tweeted, quoting from the media report to assert that she had not stated in Parliament that the orders to HAL had been signed. Tewari alleged that the problem with the BJP-led NDA government is that whenever they are confronted with facts, they try and resort to hair splitting. Chicanery rather than an assertion of the truth has been the syna qua non of this government. When the Congress president confronted the Defence minister that if you claim that you have given one lakh crore worth of contracts to HAL, then you need to list of those contracts as well as the date when they were signed on the floor of Parliament, he said during a press briefing here. The Congress leader said it is a strange situation that if a defence PSU like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has funds, why are they borrowing to pay salaries. The Congress will demand answers from the government in Parliament and if a reply does not come, it will take appropriate steps. If the defence minister does not provide documents and evidence of the claims made by her, then the Congress party will demand the resignation of the defence minister, he said. Tewari said Sitharaman will have to make a statement on the floor of Parliament. If the government is claiming that they have given contracts worth crores to HAL then why does that the PSU have to borrow in order to pay their staff. It just does not add up, he said. It is the most strange situation, where by a PSU under the Defence Ministry is challenging their ministers repeatedly on each and every assertion which the minister makes with regards to HAL. So, therefore we would expect that a complete list of those one lakh crore rupees contracts, which the defence minister ostensibly mentioned in her two hour long reply, where verbosity substituted itself for facts. The list of those contracts would be laid down on the table of the House otherwise as the Congress president has said the minister should step down, he said. She has to reply to the challenge of HAL and back her claims, the Congress leader said. Tewari also targeted the Modi government over job losses in the past year and cited a think-tank to say that India lost one crore jobs last year. The NDA government failed to fulfil ts promise of providing 2 crore jobs every year and said the country lost one crore jobs instead, as per a reputed think-tank, Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), he claimed. During 2014 elections, Mr. (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi had promised 'Acche Din', which included 2 crore jobs every year. In five years, this sums up to 10 crore. But recently, a reputed think-tank CMIE released a report on employment. It states that more than 1 crore people lost their jobs in just one year (2018), he said. The Congress leader said as per the report, in December 2017, 40.79 crore people were employed. In 2018, it was reduced to 39.07 crore. Which means more than 1 crore people lost their jobs. It's astonishing that more than 80 per cent of those unemployed were women and more than 90 per cent belonged to rural India, he said citing the report. Tewari also claimed that India's unemployment rate had increased to 7.4 pc in December 2018. This is the highest in a decade. Daily wage labourers and small businesses suffered the most. These are the same who were affected by Demonetisation, he said. Tewari said the Modi government has failed to understand that distress in society and smooth functioning of economy do not go hand in hand. PTI SKC ANB ANB New Delhi, Jan 6 (PTI) After losing two of her sons in a civil war in Afghanistan, Jaswant Kaur had to flee the country 10 years ago with her family, but little did she know that her struggles for a life of dignity would begin in her "natural homeland", India. Kaur, her grand children and daughters in law are among the thousands of Hindus and Sikhs who escaped persecution in Afghanistan to find safety in India, but are now left running pillar to post for citizenship. The process to get citizenship is long with a wait of about 12 years or more. Rife with red-tapism and complicated procedures, one has to run office to office to complete requirements. The challenge is bigger for Kaur, in her early sixties, as her family is an all women household. Her third son was killed in a suicide bomb attack in Jalalabad in which prominent members of the Hindu-Sikh community in Afghanistan were also killed. "Compare this to the situation in Europe and western countries where Afghan refugees get residency in five years," Manohar Singh, Delhi President of Khalsa Diwan Society, said. Kaur lives in India on a visa which is to be renewed after a couple of years. Recently, the government had introduced a long-term visa but made the procedure even more complicated. The procedure now requires refugees to get guarantees of two Indian citizens who will be responsible if an applicant is caught in a crime or violation of regulations, Singh said. However, for Kaur all may not be lost. She may have a glimmer of hope with the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill that seeks to ease the citizenship process for people from minority communities in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who are coming to India in the wake of discrimination faced by them. Following the Jalababad attack, the wife of Jaswant Kaur's third son, Thirpal Kaur also joined her mother-in-law in West Delhi with her four children four months back. A Joint Parliamentary Committee will submit its report on Monday in which it is likely to recommend introduction of the bill. The bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, to grant Indian nationality to people belonging to minority communities -- Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians -- in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12, even if they don't possess any proper document. The Congress, TMC, CPI(M) and a few other parties have been steadfastly opposing the bill claiming citizenship cannot be given on basis of religion. After the report is submitted in Lok Sabha on January 7, it is to be seen whether the bill could get through during the Winter Session of Parliament, which comes to an end on January 8, sources said. Various members from opposition parties are asserting that citizenship is a constitutional provision and cannot be based on religion, as India is secular. An opposition MP said if the bill in its present form comes into effect, then it will nullify the Assam Accord under which anyone entering the state illegally after March 1971 should be declared a foreigner and deported. A large section of people and organisations in the Northeast have opposed the bill, saying it will nullify provisions of the 1985 Assam Accord, which fixed March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date for deportation of illegal immigrants irrespective of religion. Even Meghalaya and Mizoram governments have strongly opposed the bill and adopted resolutions against it. "We don't want any compensation, monetary relief, house, jobs. We want a dignified life so that we can earn livelihood, go abroad for business, get good education. This is not possible without having Indian passport," Singh said. Khalsa Diwan Society is an effort by Sikhs and Hindus who have come to India from Afghanistan to make this country their home. Singh came to India in 1979 after Afghan president Mohammed Daoud assassination. It was the first major exodus of Sikhs. The second wave of Hindus and Sikhs left Afghanistan in 1992 after withdrawal of the USSR and arrival of Mujahideens. "The Afghanistan Constitution allows freedom of religion but Hindus and Sikhs face public discrimination, intimidation, harassment and violence for following their religious practices even in the matters like last rites," an official said requesting anonymity. From a vibrant population of 2.20 lakh in Afghanistan, the number of Hindus and Sikhs have now come down to 5,000 now, according to estimates of India security agencies. "About 25,000 Sikhs and Hindus managed to escape the violence during 1992 civil war with the help of the then Prime Minister P V Narsimha Rao and Finance Minister Manmohan Singh but only estimated 35 per cent have been able to get citizenship," Singh told PTI in an interview. In the absence of citizenship, these people are in an open jail. Despite being well qualified, they are not able to find jobs because of Afghan passports, he said. Unlike in the US and several European countries where children born get local passports, Afghan refugees have to get Afghan passports for their children even if they are born in India, Singh said. Extremists have stopped minority communities from trading and employment unless they convert to Islam, made to pay religious tax. Looting is rampant, women can move only in burkas, he alleged. Children face verbal assaults and attacks in schools, thus many left education in between, he claimed. Singh said they come to India with virtually nothing.Their properties are not purchased by others knowing they have no option but to leave. PTI SKL ABS ANB ANB This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. Sangma urges NE parties to leave BJP over citizenship bill, dares 'Judas' Sonowal to quit Shillong, Jan 6 (PTI) Former Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma of the Congress Sunday urged political parties of the Northeastern region to snap their partnership with the BJP following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement that the Citizenship Bill would be passed in the Parliament soon. Sangma also likened Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to Judas, a close disciple of Jesus Christ widely believed to have betrayed the Lord, after he the BJP led Assam government would not harm the people's interests. He also dared Sonowal to quit the BJP and his post to safeguard the interests of the indigenous people of Assam as the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre is moving ahead with The Citizenship Bill. The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955. It seeks to grant citizenship to people from minority communities - Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh after six years of residence in India instead of 12 even if they do not possess any proper document. The citizenship bill has been opposed by a large section of people and organisations in the Northeast. Urging leaders of parties in Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram and other states across the region where the BJP is part of the government to end their partnership with the saffron party, Sangma said, "We should send a strong signal if we love our people and if we care for the interest of the indigenous people." All the northeastern states are now ruled either by the saffron party or others supported by it. Sikkim's ruling SDF is also friendly with the BJP. Sangma said it is time for the regional parties to scrutinise the agenda of the BJP and their comrades if they all stand to protect the interest of the indigenous people. Training his guns at Sonowal, the leader of the opposition in Meghalaya Assemmbly said he was amused by the statement of Sarbananda Sonowal. After the prime minister's announcement about going ahead with the Bill raised a hue and cry, Sonowal said his government would never do anything to harm the interests of the people of Assam. "When the prime minister announced a policy, he is a silent spectator. Can he dictate terms to Modi? He should resign from the BJP, quit his post and say hey, look Mr Modi, I cannot be a party to anti-people decision," Sangma said. "In the name of the protecting the indigenous people of the region, these people have become Judas," he said. The senior Congress leader compared the Citizenship Bill with the Assam Accord, and asked, "Don't they know the history? The Assam Accord and the turmoil vitiated by it? We have paid for these kinds of situations before." This is the reason for further disintegration of the nation, he said adding that they cannot ignore North East. The BJP and its allies have set a target to win 21 out of the 25 parliamentary seats in eight states in the region and in Assam the party hopes to win at least 11 of the 14 seats. PTI JOP NN NN Mumbai, Jan 6 (PTI) BJP ally Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut claimed Sunday the country was heading for a "fractured mandate", and Union minister Nitin Gadkari would be "waiting" for such an eventuality. Raut, the executive editor of the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana', also wrote in his Sunday column in the newspaper that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stature has "declined" while that of Congress president Rahul Gandhi has risen. "The country is heading for a fractured mandate and prime minister Narendra Modi is responsible for it," he said, adding that the full mandate Modi won in 2014 was "an opportunity wasted". Raut wrote that in 2014 there was a wave in Modi's support as voters were determined to defeat the Congress, but "the picture has changed today". "Modi's larger-than-life image has lost the shine now. Rahul Gandhi's leadership is not as towering as Modi's but he has gained importance as people are disappointed with the current government," the Sena MP said. "While senior leaders in the BJP are worried about its possible poor performance in coming elections, Nitin Gadkari's statements are an indication of which way the winds are blowing. A leader like Gadkari has equal acceptance in the RSS as well as among other BJP leaders," Raut said. "Political conspiracies" were hatched to deny Gadkari a second term when he was the BJP president (from 2009 to 2013)," he claimed. "He also faced several allegations in Purti group scam and a second term was denied to him. That memory still rankles with Gadkari," Raut said. "Gadkari is now waiting for the hung Lok Sabha of 2019," Raut added, suggesting, indirectly, that in that case the Union minister could become the consensus candidate for the top post. PTI ND KRK TIR TIR (Eds: With additional quotes of Amit Shah) Silvassa, Jan 6 (PTI) BJP president Amit Shah attacked Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi Sunday over a court order asking the publishers of the National Herald newspaper to vacate a premises in Delhi, saying those appropriating public property should not target Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Without taking the name of Herald House, Shah alleged that the mother-son duo tried to evade Rs 600 crore in income tax and had sought to illegally register a public property worth crores in their name. The Delhi High Court had last month asked the Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), the publisher of National Herald in which Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi were shareholders, to vacate the premises in the Press Enclave at ITO in the national capital. Addressing a booth workers' rally here in Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli after inaugurating the new office of the BJP, Shah also said the BJP would work to flush out every infiltrator right from "Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Kamrup (Assam) to Kutch (Gujarat)" if the party returns to power again. Singling out Rahul, Shah said the Congress government "lacked courage" to raise income of farmers. Alleging "Rs 12-lakh crore corruption" under the erstwhile Congress-led UPA government, Shah said, "the mother-son duo of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi tried to evade Rs 600 crore in income tax and illegally registered a public property (Herald House in Delhi) worth crores in their name". Shah said while Gandhi's entire family lineage was "mired in corruption", there was not a single blot on Modi. "Those appropriating public property cannot target Modi. When Rahul Gandhi levels corruption charges against Modi, he should first open his eyes. His entire family lineage is mired in corruption charges and there is not a single blot on Prime Minister Modi," Shah said. He said the Modi government ensured that farmers got 1.5 times production cost. Shah reiterated his charge that the Congress was making "false allegations" over corruption in the Rafale fighter aircraft deal when there is none. "Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has silenced Rahul Baba with her 2.5-hour-long speech in Parliament during a debate on Rafale issue by offering all facts," he said. Shah said Rahul continued to spread falsehood despite a Supreme Court ruling in December. "I said let's have a debate in Parliament (over Rafale). It was debated in the Parliament. You all listen to the speech of Nirmala Sitharaman," Shah told the party workers. Pointing out that Rahul Gandhi was asking the BJP-led government for its "report card" of its four-year performance, he said, "He should first give the report card of his four generations, who ruled the country and did nothing". Shah said the Congress failed to implement the Swaminathan Commission report when it was in power. "These days Congress president is chanting about farmers. Why didn't you remember farmers in the 60 years of your rule? The Swaminathan Commission report was lying on your table since 2007, but you didn't have the courage to offer 1.5 times production cost to farmers," Shah said. He said the BJP government under Modi started offering 1.5 times estimated production cost to farmers across the country after coming to power. The security of the country was "set aside" by the erstwhile Congress government of "Sonia and Manmohan Singh", Shah alleged. "Congress government had compromised on the security of the country but we worked for the country's pride by conducting a surgical strike (on terrorists' launchpads across LoC in 2016) to avenge deaths of Indian soldiers killed in the Uri attack," he said. On National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, Shah said his government has pledged to detect, delete and deport "infiltrators" from the country. "Rahul Baba and company, including Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, DMK, Communist Party, got together asking why they (infiltrators) were being expelled, as if they were sons of their aunt," Shah said. "....Help us come back to power and we will work to expel each and every infiltrator right from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Kamrup to Kutch," he said. Infiltrators are like termites to our country. We will neither save them, nor allow you to save them, Shah said. Members of the 'Mahagathbandhan' (proposed anti-BJP alliance) are opposing the NRC as they think of a vote bank and we think of the country's safety," he said. Targeting the Congress chief, Shah said he should first give account of "four generations" of his party's rule before seeking account of Modi government four years. "You couldn't get rid of darkness, smoke, disease, illiteracy in four generations of your rule and could not offer connectivity. However, in last five years, we have tried to work in all these spheres," Shah said. He said the country witnessed "all-round development" under Modi because he understood poverty by virtue of being the son of a tea-seller. "Gandhi-Nehru family ruled the country for 60 years but they could not change the situation of the poor. BJP government is working as per the ideals of antyodaya. The government has worked hard and successfully, brought changes in condition of the poor," he said, listing welfare programmes of the NDA dispensation. The government is carrying out infrastructure projects of around Rs 5,000 crore in this UT, Shah said. "We are doing so much for people, so the opposition is trying to divert attention," he said, appealing for one more chance to the two BJP MPs from the UT. PTI CORR KA PD KA ND GK NSK ANB Peshawar, Jan 6 (PTI) Eight people, including five members of a family, died due to suffocation in two incidents in northwest Pakistan, police said. The incidents happened at Abbotabad district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. Five members, including three children, of a family died at Bandi Dhondian village in Abbotabad after they went to sleep, leaving the gas heater on. The gas from the heater filled up the house and all the five members were suffocated to death, police said. In a similar incident at a nearby area, three people died of suffocation when they left the gas heater on while going to bed, they said. PTI CORR SCY Kunduz, Jan 6 (AFP) At least 30 people were killed when a gold mine collapsed in northeastern Afghanistan on Sunday, officials said, in the latest tragedy to strike the war-torn country. Another seven were injured in the incident in Kohistan district of Badakhshan province, district governor Mohammad Rustam Raghi told AFP. Villagers had dug a 60-metre (200-feet) deep shaft in a river bed to search for gold. They were inside when the walls fell in. It was not clear why the shaft collapsed, but the provincial governor's spokesman Nik Mohammad Nazari told AFP the miners were not professionals. "The villagers have been involved in this business for decades with no government control over them," Nazari said. "We have sent a rescue team to the area, but villagers have already started removing bodies from the site." (AFP) PMS PMS Washington, Jan 6 (AP) White House officials and congressional aides emerged from talks aimed at ending a partial government shutdown over President Donald Trump's demands for border wall funding without a breakthrough Saturday, though they planned to return to the table the following day. Trump tweeted: "Not much headway made today." Democrats agreed there had been little movement, saying the White House did not budge on the demand for $5.6 billion and would not consider re-opening the government. The White House said funding was not discussed in-depth, but the administration was clear they needed funding for a wall and that they wanted to resolve the shutdown all at once. Accusations flew after the more than two-hour session led by Vice President Mike Pence. Acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, in an interview aired on CNN, accused Democrats of being there to "stall." Democrats familiar with the meeting said the White House position was "untenable." A White House official also said the meeting included a briefing on border security by Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Democrats sought written details from the Department of Homeland Security on their budget needs, which the White House said it would provide. The group plans to meet again Sunday. With talks stalled, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Saturday that House Democrats plan to start approving individual bills to reopen shuttered departments starting with Treasury to ensure Americans receive their tax returns. "While President Trump threatens to keep the government shut down for 'years', Democrats are taking immediate further action to re-open government, so that we can meet the needs of the American people, protect our borders and respect our workers," Pelosi said. Trump, who did not attend the discussions, spent the morning tweeting about border security. Showing little empathy for the hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed or working without pay, Trump declared without citing evidence that most are Democrats. He also asserted: "I want to stop the Shutdown as soon as we are in agreement on Strong Border Security! I am in the White House ready to go, where are the Dems?" One Democrat, Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, said in his party's weekly radio address that the shutdown "is part of a larger pattern of a president who puts his personal whims and his effort to score political points before the needs of the American people. ... He is pointing fingers at everyone but himself." Trump and Democratic leaders met for roughly two hours Friday, but gave differing accounts of the session. Democrats reported little progress; Trump framed the weekend talks as a key step forward. As the shutdown drags on, some Republicans are growing increasingly nervous. Some GOP senators up for re-election in 2020, including Cory Gardner of Colorado and Susan Collins of Maine, who has tried to broker deals to end past stalemates, have voiced discomfort with the shutdown in recent days. Sen Thom Tillis of North Carolina penned an op-ed for The Hill, arguing that Congress should end the shutdown and make a deal on border security and immigration reforms. In calling on Trump to reopen government while negotiations on border security continue, Democrats have emphasized families unable to pay bills due to absent paychecks. But Trump has repeatedly said he will not budge without money for the wall. Trump asserted on Friday that he could declare a national emergency to build the wall without congressional approval, but would first try a "negotiated process." Trump previously described the situation at the border as a "national emergency" before he sent active-duty troops; critics described that as a pre-election stunt. Trump said the federal workers who are furloughed or working without pay would want him to "keep going" and fight for border security. Asked how people would manage without a financial safety net, he said: "The safety net is going to be having a strong border because we're going to be safe." Democrats expressed scepticism Friday that there would be a breakthrough. "It's very hard to see how progress will be made unless they open up the government," said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York. Trump confirmed to reporters that he privately told Democrats, in the Friday meeting with congressional leaders, that the shutdown could drag on for "months or even years." A variety of strategies are being floated inside and outside the White House. Among them is the idea of trading wall money for a deal on immigrants brought to the country as young people and now here illegally. But Trump made clear during his news conference that talk on DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, would have to wait. AP RAX RAX New Delhi, Jan 6 (PTI) Following are the top foreign stories at 1700 hours: FGN7 NEPAL-INDIA-NOTES Nepal writes to RBI to declare banned new Indian currency notes legal Kathmandu: Nepal has asked the RBI to declare newly circulated Indian currency notes of denominations higher than Rs 100 legal tender in the country, according to media report on Sunday. FGN6 PAK-ABUDHABI-PRINCE Abu Dhabi Crown Prince visits Pak, meets Pak PM Imran Khan for talks on economic aid Islamabad: Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan met Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan here Sunday as the cash-strapped country seeks economic assistance to bolster its foreign exchange reserves and the government's fiscal policies. FGN5 PAK-ZARDARI-ASSETS Pak probe spells trouble for ex-prez Zardari; urges freezing all his assets for money laundering Islamabad: Pakistani authorities probing laundering of around Rs 220 billion through fictitious bank accounts recommended freezing all assets including the US and Dubai properties of former president Asif Ali Zardari and other individuals, media reports said. FGN4 PHILIPPINES-STORM-TOLL Death toll from Philippine storm, landslides climbs to 126 Manila: The death toll from a storm that devastated the Philippines shortly after Christmas rose to 126, authorities said Sunday, adding landslides caused by torrential rain were the top cause. (AFP) FGN3 US-LD SHUTDOWN-TALKS Trump says 'not much headway' in talks as shutdown drags on Washington: White House officials and congressional aides emerged from talks aimed at ending a partial government shutdown over President Donald Trump's demands for border wall funding without a breakthrough Saturday, though they planned to return to the table the following day. (AP) FGN2 US-CALIFORNIA-SHOOTING 3 killed, 4 injured in California bowling alley shooting Torrance: Three men were fatally shot late Friday and four injured when a brawl at a popular Los Angeles-area bowling alley and karaoke bar erupted into gunfire that had terrified patrons, some children, running for their lives. (AFP) FGN9 AFGHAN-MINE-LD COLLAPSE 30 killed in gold mine collapse in Afghanistan: officials Kunduz: At least 30 people were killed when a gold mine collapsed in northeastern Afghanistan on Sunday, officials said, in the latest tragedy to strike the war-torn country. (AFP) RUP RUP Washington, Jan 6 (AP) White House officials and congressional aides kicked off weekend talks aimed at ending a partial government shutdown that has dragged into a 15th day. Vice President Mike Pence, who led the conversation, described Saturday's session as "productive" on Twitter, although no breakthrough was reached. The White House aides and Democratic and Republican staffers planned to return to the talks on Sunday. Negotiations have been at an impasse over President Donald Trump's demands for $5.6 billion to fund a wall at the US-Mexico border. A White House official said the meeting included a briefing on border security by Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Democrats restated their request to reopen government while border security talks continue, which the White House rejected. Democrats also sought written details on Department of Homeland Security needs, which the White House said it would provide. Trump, who did not attend the discussions, spent the morning tweeting about border security. Showing little empathy for the hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed or working without pay, Trump declared without citing evidence that most are Democrats. He also asserted: "I want to stop the Shutdown as soon as we are in agreement on Strong Border Security! I am in the White House ready to go, where are the Dems?" One Democrat, Maryland Sen Chris Van Hollen, said in his party's weekly radio address that the shutdown "is part of a larger pattern of a president who puts his personal whims and his effort to score political points before the needs of the American people. ... He is pointing fingers at everyone but himself." Trump and Democratic leaders met for roughly two hours Friday, but gave differing accounts of the session. Democrats reported little progress; Trump framed the weekend talks as a key step forward. As the shutdown drags on, some Republicans are growing increasingly nervous. Some GOP senators up for re-election in 2020, including Cory Gardner of Colorado and Susan Collins of Maine, have voiced discomfort with the shutdown in recent days. Sen Thom Tillis of North Carolina penned an op-ed for The Hill, arguing that Congress should end the shutdown and make a deal on border security and immigration reforms. In calling on Trump to reopen government while negotiations on border security continue, Democrats have emphasized families unable to pay bills due to absent paychecks. But Trump has repeatedly said he will not budge without money for the wall. Trump asserted on Friday that he could declare a national emergency to build the wall without congressional approval, but would first try a "negotiated process." Trump previously described the situation at the border as a "national emergency" before he sent active-duty troops; critics described that as a pre-election stunt. Trump said the federal workers who are furloughed or working without pay would want him to "keep going" and fight for border security. Asked how people would manage without a financial safety net, he said: "The safety net is going to be having a strong border because we're going to be safe." Democrats expressed scepticism Friday that there would be a breakthrough. "It's very hard to see how progress will be made unless they open up the government," said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York. Trump confirmed to reporters that he privately told Democrats, in the Friday meeting with congressional leaders, that the shutdown could drag on for "months or even years." A variety of strategies are being floated inside and outside the White House. Among them is the idea of trading wall money for a deal on immigrants brought to the country as young people and now here illegally. But Trump made clear during his news conference that talk on DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, would have to wait. AP RAX RAX Dhaka, Jan 6 (PTI) A Hindu temple was vandalised in clashes between two groups in Bangladesh's central Tangail district, a media report said Sunday. The family of the temple's owner was also attacked by a group of eight to nine people in Batra village of the district Friday, Dhaka Tribune reported. Chitta Ranjan acquired the land and built a temple of lord Shiva over 20 years ago, it said. The group of miscreants, led by a local resident of the same village, tried to forcefully seize the land where the temple is situated by vandalising Ranjan's home and attacking his family members, the report said. Ranjan said people have been performing religious activities at the temple for more than 20 years. The accused had attempted to forcefully seize the land several times before as well, he claimed. Nagarpur police station Officer-in-Charge Alam Chand said that police visited the spot and ordered a probe. No one has been arrested in the case. PTI CPS Bengaluru, Jan 6 (PTI) After the much controversial trailer release of "The Accidental Prime Minister", another film is all set to raise a storm in political circles ahead of Lok Sabha polls this year. The film is about the mysterious circumstances under which the second Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri died in Russia. Titled "The Tashkent Files", the film is directed by Vivek Agnihotri. Agnihotri said he made this film after many people including top political leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and George Fernandes had expressed the need for dealing with the mystery behind Shastri's death. "On January 10, 1966, Shastri had signed the Tashkent Agreement... and hours later he died. A death mystery unsolved till date. Was it a heart attack or poison? The truth of the biggest coverup has been denied to his family and us," the director told PTI. Immediately after his death, the family members of Shastri officially requested a post-mortem to the then acting Prime Minister Gulzarilal Nanda, but to no avail, Agnihotri said. "The family also had requested former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, but was not heeded to once again," he added. Agnihotri also said it is strange that India, the biggest democracy in the world, has no information and document to uncover the mystery behind Shastri's death. "This issue has been raised in Parliament for the last 50 years and yet, we are trying to find out the truth. I picked up the gauntlet and tried finding the truth, and hence I filed RTIs, but I was shattered. "The RTI said there is no information. Our beloved second prime minister dies and the biggest democracy in the world does not have any information and documents," he said. Agnihotri, however, hoped the film might have an answer. He believes the film will change the narrative about Indian politics. The film stars veteran actors Naseeruddin Shah and Mithun Chakraborty in pivotal roles. Agnihotri is planning to release "The Tashkent Files" in last week on February or March. PTI BDN SHD SHD : - , - - "" : - , , - , ? : . , , , , , , . . , , . . , , . - , , , . : . : , , - . : ? : . , , . . , . , -, . , , - , , . , , - . , - , - , - . : 8 - , ? : , , , . 8 . - . - - . -, -, , , . New Delhi, Jan 6 (PTI) Vice President Venkaiah Naidu Sunday said political parties should focus on development instead of doling our freebies during the time of elections. Addressing a function organised by the textiles ministry, he said, "Rather than focusing on freebies that too at the time of election, we should focus on long term growth stories, developmental stories so that the people can stand on their own. These temporary things will be temporary lollipops only." Talking about the functioning of Parliament, particularly Rajya Sabha during the ongoing Winter Session, the Vice President and the Chairman of the Upper House said he is "pained by our inability to ensure convergence of different agendas into a national agenda". "Parliamentary institutions cannot be held captive to the competitive agenda. The Indian Parliament, Rajya Sabha, could not function for 14 days because of competition between two parties," Naidu said. The Vice President noted that civility of proceedings in the parliamentary institutions is a parameter of an aspiring nation finding its feet and fulfilling its quest. Stressing that before electing their political representatives people should look if "4 Cs" -- character, calibre, capacity and conduct -- are available, Naidu said unfortunately some politicians have brought in four other "Cs". "Caste, community, cash and criminality. If these things influence the society, it's a gone case. We must bring back the agenda to development," he said. Observing that discrimination on the basis of gender and social identities is prevalent even now, the Vice President called for a change in the mindset and commitment and go back to "our original roots where we used to give respect to women". Talking about the role of the agriculture, Naidu said a huge population of the country is engaged in the sector. He observed that the colonial rule created problems for india and the countrymen must let go of the colonial mindset. The Vice President exhorted people to go back to their roots and practice physical exercise, while promoting Indian heritage through their dressing sense. "Our forefathers had so much knowledge. Years of civilisation have taught us so many things. Our dress, our food habits, our lifestyle and so many things. Unfortunately, because of colonial mindset we have abandoned them. Now the time has come to go back to roots," he said. Observing that Yoga has now become an international attraction and brings unity between the body and the mind, Naidu said, "unfortunately, we have cynics in our country. What is Yoga, they are trying to connect it with religion, Yoga has no connection with any religion at all." Citing an example, he said a boy told him Yoga is very good but he has a problem with doing "Surya" Namaskar. Naidu said he told the boy to do "Chandra" Namaskar if he has a problem doing "Surya" Namaskar. "We have to change attitude. Merely bringing legislations, bringing new schemes alone will not suffice," Naidu said. Naidu said the continued growth of the textiles sector can drive the economy to new heights. However, he said, the sector has to improve supply chains and internal systems, focus on research and development, cost optimisation and command a higher share in export of top items traded in global markets. "I would like the sector to focus on improving quality and then tapping the opportunities in the global market to increase India's share in exports," he said. He urged the industry to discard outdated technology and focus on creating global brands. "I understand that India's export performance has not been up to expectations for a variety of reasons. It cannot be a business as usual and the industry has to rise to the occasion and ensure that the share of India's exports reaches double digits," the Vice President said. He urged the industry to diversify its products and tap newer markets, observing that the Indian textile industry is expected to reach USD 223 billion by 2021. PTI RSN TIR Islamabad, Jan 6 (PTI) Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan met Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan here Sunday as the cash-strapped country seeks economic assistance to bolster its foreign exchange reserves and the government's fiscal policies. Pakistan, reeling under severe financial crisis, reached out to some "friendly countries" for economic assistance including Saudi Arabia, China and the UAE since Prime Minister Khan assumed office in August. The Crown Prince, who is on a day-long visit to the country after nearly 12 years, was received by Khan upon his arrival at Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi, Dawn reported. He was given a guard of honour and a fly-past during the red carpet welcome. The high-level delegation will hold talks with the Pakistani side after the two leader's one-on-one meeting. Pakistan's Foreign Office said the visit is aimed at building on the fresh momentum in ties injected by recent contacts at the leadership level. Khan visited the UAE twice since August to seek economic assistance to ward off the country's foreign exchange crisis. Pakistan and the UAE last week finalised the terms and conditions of a USD 6.2 billion support package for Islamabad, which the crown prince is expected to announce during his visit, the report said, adding that the package is to help Islamabad address its balance of payment crisis. The report quoted a cabinet member as saying that the UAE package is exactly the same size and has the same terms and conditions as those given by Saudi Arabia. With the new package, Pakistan will save a total of about USD 7.9 billion on oil and gas imports from the UAE, accounting for over 60 per cent of the annual oil import bill amounting to roughly USD 12 to 13 billion, the news report said. This includes about USD 3.2 billion each of oil supplies on deferred payments from the UAE and Saudi Arabia and about USD 1.5 billion trade finance from the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), it said. The total financing support from the UAE and Saudi Arabia, including the ITFC's trade finance, is to be around USD 13.9 to 14 billion when cash deposits of USD 3 billion each from the two countries are also included, according to the cabinet member. Additionally, a deep-conversion oil refinery is to be set up by Parco a joint venture of Pakistan and Abu Dhabi worth USD 5 to 6 billion at Khalifa Point and an expected petro-chemical complex by Saudi Arabia at Gwadar Oil City. The Pakistani government has also started backchannel discussions with Qatar for some relief in terms of reduction in LNG prices or a relaxed payment schedule. Last month, the UAE said it will soon give USD 3 billion to Islamabad. Pakistan's all weather ally China has also pledged to provide a generous aid to Islamabad to overcome its financial woes. Beijing has not yet revealed the quantum of its financial support. Pakistan is negotiating a USD 8 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to overcome a severe balance-of-payments crisis that threatens to cripple the country's economy. Pakistan apprehends the IMF will come with stringent conditions of austerity besides scrutiny of USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects whose terms till now remained confidential. The Trump administration is making all efforts to ensure that any IMF loan to Pakistan is not used to repay its Chinese debt. PTI CPS Islamabad, Jan 6 (PTI) Pakistani authorities probing laundering of around Rs 220 billion through fictitious bank accounts recommended freezing all assets including the US and Dubai properties of former president Asif Ali Zardari and other individuals, media reports said. The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) submitted a report to the Supreme Court Saturday, recommending freezing the famous Bilawal House in Karachi and Lahore, and Zardari House in Islamabad, Geo News reported. It also sought freezing of Zardari's New York and Dubai properties along with all five plots of Bilawal House in Karachi. The case against Zardari and other individuals pertains to laundering of around Rs 220 billion through fictitious bank accounts, the report said. The investigation team recommended freezing all urban and agricultural lands owned by Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur, and the Zardari Group. Rejecting the allegations, Zardari and Talpur said the JIT report was based on speculation and targetted political victimisation. The JIT also moved the Supreme Court to order freezing of all assets of Omni Group, including sugar mills, agricultural companies and energy companies, the report said. Accusing Zardari and Omni groups of irregularities in loans and government funds, the investigation team said both the groups transferred money out of country through 'Hundi' and 'Hawala', the report said. The JIT said the assets should remain frozen until a verdict is delivered in the case, expressing concern that these assets might be transferred out of country. Zardari established a 'benami' company through his front man Iqbal Memon, the team said, adding that the company was frozen in 1998. Zardari's close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested in July 2018 in connection with the probe. His other close aide and Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed and his son Abdul Ghani Majeed were arrested in August 2018. Hundreds of 'benami' accounts at some private banks were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 from where transactions worth billions of rupees were made, according to the investigation. The amount is said to be black money gathered from various kickbacks, commissions and bribes. PTI CPS New Delhi, Jan 6 (PTI) Terming Aadhaar as a "game changer", Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Sunday said savings made through its implementation can fund three public welfare schemes of the magnitude of Ayushman Bharat -- the ambitious healthcare programme to provide free hospitalisation to millions of poor people. He also attributed the successful implementation of Aadhaar to the decisive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the Congress-led UPA remained "half-hearted" towards it because of its own contradictions and indecision. In a Facebook post titled 'Benefits of the Aadhaar - where it stands today', Jaitley said its use in the delivery of subsidies has helped saved Rs 90,000 crore in the last few years till March 2018 by eliminating several duplicate, non-existent and fake beneficiaries. The Digital Dividend Report prepared by the World Bank estimates that India can save Rs 77,000 crore every year by the use of Aadhaar, he said. "The savings through Aadhaar can fund three schemes of the size of Ayushman Bharat...Aadhaar is a game changer," Jaitley said. Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana aims to provide a coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family annually, benefiting more than 10.74 crore poor families for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation through a network of empanelled healthcare providers. Since its launch in September, nearly 7 lakh poor patients have been provided free hospital treatment. Jaitley said the UPA, because of its contradictions and indecision, remained half-hearted about Aadhaar. "Instead of taking credit for it, Congress lawyers challenged it in Court and appeared as the anti-technology, anti-Aadhaar faces. A decisive Prime Minister made it possible," he said. The total amount of subsidy transferred through Aadhaar now equals Rs 1,69,868 crore. "With the elimination of middlemen the benefits go directly to the bank accounts. This is a unique technology implemented only in India. The monies saved through Aadhaar is money fruitfully employed for the poor elsewhere," Jaitley said. Since The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill was passed in 2016, in the last 28 months over 122 crore Aadhaar numbers have been issued. About 99 per cent of the adult population of India above the age of 18 stands covered. He said 22.80 crore PAHAL and Ujjwala beneficiaries are given cooking gas subsidies through direct benefit transfer (DBT) in their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. Jaitley said 58.24 crore ration card holders stand linked and 10.33 crore MGNREGA card holders get wage payment through DBT in their bank accounts. So do the 1.93 crore beneficiaries of the national social assistance programme. The Income Tax Department has already linked 21 crore PAN card holders with their Aadhaar numbers. A total of 2,579 crore authentications have been undertaken till date. Everyday, 2.7 crore authentications are done. UIDAI has the capacity of 10 crore transactions to be authenticated per day. In most schemes, the direct benefit transfer takes place to the beneficiaries 63.52 crore bank accounts that had been linked with the unique identity as on December 15, 2018. The total number of subsidy transactions through Aadhaar are almost about 425 crore. Jaitley said a senior minister in the UPA government blocked the idea of Unique Identity Number (UID) conceived by Nandan Nilekani and it was a "divided house". "The Prime Minister was indecisive. The enrolment continued, though at a very moderate pace," he said. It was only a decisive Prime Minister Narendra Modi who decided to go ahead with the idea of Aadhaar after the formation of the NDA government in May 2014, he added. The UPA legislation, Jaitley said, was inadequate as it did not contain adequate safeguards on privacy and did not mention for which purpose the UID would be used. "The NDA Government re-examined the issue and the legislation was completely changed. The pith and substance of the new law was that Government spends a large part of the public resources in subsidising the poor. This subsidy became an indefinite amount which is given to an unidentified section of the people. "There are several cases of duplication and thus the unique identity based on biometrics would eliminate these aberrations and relief would travel only to the intended. This was the thrust of the new law," he said. Jaitley said the Supreme Court upheld the whole concept of unique identity and rejected the challenge that it violated the Right to Privacy. "It held that Aadhaar meets the concept of constitutional trust, limited government and good governance and empowers marginalised section of society. It also introduced several safeguards to ensure that it is not misused. The Judgement of the Supreme Court added balance to the concept of Aadhaar," Jaitley said. Two individuals deserve a special credit for Aadhaar, the minister said. "Shri Nandan Nilekani, who started it and Dr Ajay Bhushan Pandey, who subsequently provided it with the direction and expansion. He masterminded the Government strategy to repel the legal challenge," Jaitley added. PTI JD CS ABM ABM New Delhi, Jan 6 (PTI) The ministerial panel under Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi Sunday approved levy of 1 per cent 'calamity cess' by Kerala for a period of two years to fund rehabilitation work in the state hit by floods. The goods and services, which will attract the 1 per cent cess, would be decided by Kerala, Modi said, adding that if any other state wants to levy the 'calamity cess' it has to approach the GST Council for approval. Besides, the Group of Ministers under Modi has also suggested to the GST Council to allow additional borrowing over the permitted limit by states hit by natural calamity. "Kerala had asked the GST Council for levying cess to fund rehabilitation work. The GoM has recommended to the Council that Kerala be allowed to levy 1 per cent cess for two years. Also the Centre and states will together decide on increasing the borrowing limit under FRBM for funding natural calamity," Modi told reporters after the meeting of the GoM. The GST law provides for levy of special taxes for a specified period to raise additional resources during any natural calamity or disaster. Separately, another ministerial panel under Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla, on giving relief to MSMEs under the goods and services tax, deliberated on the exemption threshold for such businesses. Currently, businesses with turnover of up to Rs 20 lakh are exempt from the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Modi, who is a member of the panel on MSME relief, said the GoM was unanimous that the exemption limit for the MSMEs which are supplier of goods should be increased but there was no unanimity among states. Hence, it was left to the GST Council to decide. While Delhi suggested that the limit should be hiked to turnover of up to Rs 40 lakh, Bihar suggested it at Rs 50 lakh. Another suggestion was that for MSMEs with turnover between Rs 50 to Rs 60 lakhs, GST of Rs 5,000 be levied, and those between Rs 60-75 lakhs, it should be Rs 10,000-Rs 15,000. "Under the earlier excise duty regime, businesses with turnover of up to Rs 1.5 crore were exempt. So it was felt that there was a need to give relief to the MSMEs under GST," Modi said. The GST Council in its meeting on January 10 will discuss on the recommendations of the two ministerial panels. The Shukla-led GoM has also suggested to the Council to allow businesses with turnover of up to Rs 1.5 crore to avail composition scheme, up from the current Rs 1 crore. It also suggested that dealers under the composition schemes be allowed to file returns annually, even as they would continue to pay their taxes. Currently, composition scheme dealers file returns and pay taxes quarterly. Also, it suggested that composition scheme be extended to service providers with an annual turnover of up to Rs 50 lakh. Such service providers can pay GST at 5 per cent. The GoM has also suggested that businesses with turnover of up to Rs 1.5 crore be provided with a free accounting and billing software by the GST Network. While the GoM on MSME was constituted in August last year, the same for 'calamity cess' for set up in September. PTI JD MKJ MKJ Call for subsidy in Kolkata-NE cargo movement via waterways Kolkata, Jan 6 (PTI) Inland waterways cargo requires subsidy, at least till navigation in the protocol route via Bangladesh is smoothened to boost cargo movement to North East from Kolkata on the National Waterways-II, officials said. "We are asking for some subsidy support for using NW-II, at least for a short term, till navigation issues in Bangladesh like dredging and installation of night navigation infrastructure are sorted out," Summit Alliance Port East Gateway (SAPEL) COO Tushar Biswas told PTI. SAPEL is a Bangladesh-based port and shipping operator which has signed an agreement with Inland Waterways Authority of India for the operation and management of two terminals in Kolkata. Trial cargo of 1,000 tonnes TMT bars is proposed to be transported to Guwahati from Kolkata tentatively on January 15 along the Brahmaputra river that is categorised as NW-II. Currently it takes around 12 days of sailing for the 1700 km journey, but the time could be reduced to just seven days if the Bangaldesh stretch of 890 kms had the requisite draft and night navigation mechanism. Based on the current situation, the cost is coming to about Rs 3000 per tonne, which ideally needs to be brought down to Rs 2300-2500 per tonne to make it lucrative for corporates to use the waterway route, Summit Alliance Port AGM Sagar Khastagir said. Ernst & Young, the consultant for NW-II, was working on pricing, he said. Inland Waterways Authority of India could not be contacted on the issue. "The support or relief can be a direct subsidy or also be in the form of lower GST by putting ocean freight and inland waterways freight at par of 5 per cent tax slab against 18 per cent levied on inland waterways," he said. On October 25, 2018, India and Bangladesh signed milestone agreements to deepen their maritime relationship. Kolaghat (West Bengal) and Chilmari (Bangladesh) were declared as new ports of call. Meanwhile, the terminals GR Jetty-II and BISN of Inland Water Transport (IWT) had been handed over to SAPEL in October last year for modernising, operating with modern equipment and managing on a revenue sharing model for a period of 30 years. Biswas said, in November the terminals handled 42,000 tonne of cargo from 62 vessels and in December it handled 71 vessels with 55,000 tonne cargo. In a year, cargo handling will go up to 1 lakh tonne, three times of earlier average from these two terminals, Khastagir said. PTI BSM NN MM MM New entities got no benefit from parent co: CESC tells WBERC Kolkata, Jan 6 (PTI) RP Sanjiv Goenka group flagship company CESC Ltd has responded to the West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission (WBERC), clarifying that its recently demerged entities have not received any "benefit" from the parent company. The WBERC had in November last year asked CESC to submit an affidavit with the commission in this regard. "CESC has responded to the WBERC letter... The company in its response said that the demerged entities have not taken any benefit from its parent," industry sources told PTI. The commission will evaluate the power utility's response, and if required, could conduct an independent audit to verify its claims, they said. According to the demerger scheme, the non-power businesses and its subsidiaries have been transferred to two new entities - RP-SG Retail Ltd and RP-SG Business Process Services Ltd. CESC will retain only the power business. The company had gone ahead with a partial demerger, following a nod from the Kolkata bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), after the commission disapproved a power purchase agreement (PPA) for the proposed generation and distribution companies. WBERC chairman R N Sen, who retired in November 2018, had said that if the separated entities had benefited from CESC, there would be a need for a valuation exercise in the interest of consumers. Sen had also said that the NCLT nod does not qualify for "automatic approval" from the WBERC. The commission is yet to get a new chairman. PTI BSM RBT RBT DEATH AND RESURRECTION. One twin dies, the other is reborn. On a bleak, wintry day eight years ago, former Polish prime minister Jarosaw Kaczynski visited the air crash site where his beloved identical twin Lech, Polands serving president, was killed. People wept, but stone-faced Kaczynski shed not a tearat least not in public. Poisoning Europes waters from 2000 are the consequences of the dotcom bubble, the global financial crisis and then the Eurozone debt crisis. Polands political power-pair were soulmates, phoning each other a dozen times every day. Kaczynski refused to speak to the condoling Russian president Vladimir Putin. He suspected his brother was assassinated. A grieving Kaczynski stood strong and patriotic. A forceful national populist in the European Union was born. Zbigniew Mikolejko, philosopher of religion at the Polish Academy of Sciences, describes Jarosaw Kaczynski as the Chosen One. A trailblazing archetype, Kaczynski emblazons all the traits that subsequent EU strongmen would typifya right-wing demagogue defending conservative, traditional Christian values, nationalist, populist, Eurosceptic and anti-migrant; driven by a messiah complex to save people from foreign meddlers and their own corrupt elite. This new ism called national populism is sweeping across Europe and the United States. Explains Matthew Goodwin, professor of politics and international relations at the University of Kent: National populist movements provide political expression for the fears and frustrations of ordinary people, who feel excluded from mainstream politics, who are anxious about rapid societal, demographic and economic change. Like all EU populists, Kaczynski is divisive. His supporters see him as a crusader of Polish independence and identity. His English-speaking, liberal opponents regard him outdated, dangerous, polarising, anti-Semitic, homophobic and xenophobic. The EU strongmen are also seen as human rights violators, degrading democracy and perpetuating corruption to entrench themselves in power. To them, critics are traitors, dissent is subversive and opposition is anti-national. The EU is trying to put out the various fires lit by the strongmen, but nowhere more than in Poland. Kaczynski is at loggerheads with the EU over his judicial overhaul, which the EU regards as unacceptable political interference in the judiciary, violating the blocs sacrosanct rule of law. The European Court of Justice ruled against Poland and the EU invoked its nuclear optionArticle 7which can culminate in Poland losing its EU voting rights and facing sanctions if all the other 27 EU members agree. Nation first: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban with Czech Republic Prime Minister Andrej Babis | AFP But another EU strongman, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has already confirmed he will veto this EU move. Orban is in the same boat. His opponents call him Viktator and the European Commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, once greeted him: Hello, dictator. Orban faces the EUs ire for undermining the liberal media, judiciary, universities and NGOs. He is criticised for his Stop Soros law (targeting the Hungarian-American investor-philanthropist George Soros, who funds liberal causes). NGOs are not independent, accuses Orban, they are paid political activists who are attempting to enforce foreign interests hordes of implacable human rights warriors who have an unquenchable thirst to lecture and accuse us. Member of European parliament Judith Sargentini says these measures are a systemic threat to the EUs governing principles. Miklos Szantho, director of Hungarys Center for Fundamental Rights counters: EU measures are an unacceptable intrusion into Hungarian sovereignty. Many central and east European strongmen seem to carry the DNA of their former communist rulers. Yet, they have been winning elections all across Europein the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania. But World Bank statistics show that corruption has increased in the past decade in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The billionaire-turned-prime minister Andrej Babis is under investigation for alleged fraud. Its president Milos Zeman called journalists manure and hyenas who should be liquidated; his office claimed the last comment was a joke. No journalist in Europe is likely to meet Jamal Khashoggis fate. Yet, disturbingly, journalists investigating corruption were assassinated in Slovakia and Malta. A beautiful young Bulgarian television reporter was brutally raped and murdered. Organised crime is entrenched in Bulgaria. Nationalist strongmen are a worldwide phenomenon: Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi, Recep Tayip Erdogan, Rodrigo Duterte and Jair Bolsonaro. The EU takes the rise of strongmen seriously because it is a chilling reminder of the 1930s, when Adolf Hitler exploited peoples economic hardship with his ultranationalist, Jew-bashing demagoguery. Enemies are always strongmens oxygen. Says Micha Krzymowski, author of a Kaczynski biography, There is one constant thing in his politics: he has always had to have a defined enemy, to unite his electorate, his voters around him. Now migrants replace Jews. Confined behind the iron curtain under Soviet rule during the Cold War, central and east European countries were closed to outsiders. Thus, they preserved an ethnic, cultural and religious homogeneity. So, when refugees inundated Europe in 2015 following German Chancellor Angela Merkels ill-fated open door policy, these citizens were aghast. Populists stoked fear and prejudice. Refugees must be kept out, Kaczynski said, because they bring disease and parasites. Islamophobia thrives. In an interview with German newspaper Bild, Orban said We dont see these people as Muslim refugees. We see them as Muslim invaders. Barb-wiring his border to prevent asylum-sneakers, Orban said, Every single migrant poses a public security and terror risk refugees bring gangs hunting down our women and daughters. The refugee crisis fertilised far right movements across liberal Europe-Germany, France, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands and Sweden. The EU is another enemy. Across Europe, there is frustration that the almighty Brussels (the headquarters of the EU bureaucracy) is robbing national sovereignty, enforcing rules, imposing hardship and meddling in political, economic and cultural matters. Foreign enemy is always a rallying issue, especially in countries that have been subjugated for centuries by the Austro-Hungarians, Prussians and then the Russians. Now the EU, which they belong to, is the powerful, dictating outsider. Italys new coalition government comprising the far-right League and anti-establishment Five Star Movement is warring with the EU. Fulfiling its election manifesto, the coalition is hiking welfare spending, cutting taxes and lowering the retirement age. But the disciplinarian EU will not tolerate a rise in Italys deficit that impairs its ability to repay its gigantic debt. League leader and deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini attacked top EU officials as the enemies of the happiness of Europes people. So, why are Europes people electing these populists? Some blame Russias hybrid warfare of cyberattacks, hacking, propaganda and planted fake news for the rise of anti-liberal movements. But Russia can only fish in troubled waters. Poisoning Europes waters from 2000 are the consequences of the dotcom bubble, the global financial crisis and then the Eurozone debt crisis. Voters across Europe saw governments bailing out the perpetrators of the crisesbanks, big business and financierswhile punishing the ordinary people with austerity cuts and mass layoffs. The European socio-political contractin place since the end of World War IIruptured. The biggest grievance in Europe is the stagnating standard of living. Most youngsters cannot match their parents lifestyle. Struggling with low pay and temporary jobs, they cannot afford to own a house or build up a pension. Deindustrialisation, outsourcing and economic stagnation resulted in job losses. Inequality widened between those who reaped the benefits of globalisation and those who felt left behind. Disparity between the city elites and countryside commoners grew. Trust in mainstream politicians evaporated. Peoples anger, sense of injustice and fear of the future channelled in four directions as they sought new political choicesextreme left, green, far right and anti-establishment parties. In Germanys recent Bavarian election, the local ruling conservative partythe sister party of Merkels Christian Democratic Unionsuffered big losses, to the gain of the Green and far-right AfD (Alternative for Germany) parties. British political theorist Margaret Canovan, who died in June this year, had said, It can be argued that populism is good, it is a corrective, bringing ignored people and issues to the foreground. One leader who bucked the populist trend was the centrist Emmanuel Macron, who scored a spectacular victory in the French elections last year. His own break from the sclerotic mainstream parties was his allure. Yet, in one year, his popularity has sunk catastrophically to below 30 per cent because he is seen as pro-rich. Today, France is roiling under hundreds of riots and street protests, some of them violent. Macron is an extremely eloquent anti-nationalist. His passion stems from the catastrophic consequences of Nazism. But the lessons of the world wars, Hitler and Soviet invasion were different for different countries. In Poland, the Czech Republic and Lithuania, nationalism spurred freedom struggles from foreign occupation. Observes American academic Walter Russell Mead, Nationalism helped countries break out of the Soviet bloc and confirmed their belief that the cause of nationalism was the cause of freedom. Todays nationalists feel the multi-ethnic, elitist, bureaucratic and neo-imperial economic system benefits the internationalised rich at the expense of locals. European nationalists have been legitimised and emboldened by Donald Trump, a self-proclaimed nationalist. His ally and former White House official Steve Bannon travels across Europe to strengthen national populism. Trumps ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell provoked an uproar when he said that because of the failed socialist policies, he wants to empower rightwing populists in Europe to rise up. Disturbingly, the local police in countries like Germany and Italy have displayed extremism and racial bigotry. In a famous 2014 speech, Orban said a page had turned from 1989 when communism ended and Hungary adopted liberal values. The new point of departure is the financial crisis, he declared. This resonates powerfully, especially with the youth who are fearful of a jobless future. European mainstream leaders despise the strongmen, calling them dangerous, impractical, lying rabble-rousers. Yet, these strongmen have also risen from the embers of public disappointment, frustration and suspicion. While they have successfully aroused emotions, these strongmen have not presented a credible economic alternative. Kaczynski is now being challenged by his polar opposite, Robert Biedron, mayor of Supsk town. He is 42, gay, left-wing, atheist and pro-European. Without doubt, national populism has taken root in Europe. Predicts professor Goodwin, National populism is not a short-term protest. It is here to stay, it will be a permanent feature on our political landscape for a long time to come. He is not talking of eternity, but national messiahs do have a habit of staying on. Asked what his political ambitions were in an interview a quarter of a century ago, Kaczynski proclaimed: I would like to be the retired saviour of the nation. HandicapInternational is an independent and impartial aid and development organisationworking in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. We workalongside disabled and vulnerable people to help meet their essential needs,improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity andfundamental rights. Handicap International is outraged by the injustice facedby people with disabilities and vulnerable populations, we aspire to a world ofsolidarity and inclusion, enriched by our differences, where everyone can livein dignity. Crane Paper BagsLimited was founded in 2009, initially started in a highly competitive marketand over time capturing a large part of the market share becoming one of theleading manufactures within Uganda and East Africa for paper bags. We have beencontinuously gaining high market positions through adding new machines. Demandfor paper packaging was rapidly increasing and therefore a variety of differentproducts were introduced. EDWARDSVILLE The Madison County Boards Health Department Committee on Friday dabbled in discussing what members felt would be the effects of legalization of marijuana in Illinois. In their first meeting of 2019, the Health Department Committee reviewed a document called Protecting Public Health and Promoting Equity in Adult-Use Marijuana Legalization in Illinois, which was put together by Illinois Public Health Institute. The final paragraph of the summary of the document reads, Given the numerous concerns related to public health and safety published by states with legalization and commercialization policies, combined with opposition form major professional societies across medicine, behavioral health, addiction, road safety, law, and law enforcement, IPHI urges caution in determining whether to legalize or commercialize adult use marijuana in Illinois at this time. Review of the document sparked conversation and questions about what legalization would mean for those under the age of 21, or the age that would be required for purchasing legal marijuana. As a member of this health board, Im really concerned with the mental health of youth and how its affected by marijuana, Philip Chapman, R-Highland, said. Im not willing to sell our youth into addiction or slavery to a drug because our state need revenue. According to a study from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute, Illinois would generate $525 million in new tax revenues, including $505 million for the state and $20 million for local government if the state were to legalize. My concern is the gummy bears kids, the edibles, kids will see that, and they wont know that its harmful and if its readily available for adults, then its going to get into the wrong hands, said Chrissy Dutton, R-Bethalto. According to information from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, early exposure to cannabinoids in adolescent mice decreases the re-activity of brain dopamine reward centers later in adulthood. This could help explain the increased vulnerability for addition to other substances later in life for people who begin using marijuana at an early age, hence why some think of marijuana as a gateway drug. After about twenty minutes of back and forth discussion, conversations fizzled out and the meeting went back to their agenda. While the Madison County Board Health Department would not have direct input on policy in regards to marijuana legalization, the job of the committee is to provide liaison between the Madison County Board and other state and local government entities and other groups relative to issues concerning public health. Democratic Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker campaigned on the legalization of marijuana and its corresponding tax revenue boost. Democratic Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has also stated that he is on board with legalization and would support measures to legalize. Because of these factors and more, in recent article by Forbes, Illinois was declared one of the states most likely to legalize marijuana in 2019. The Illinois General Assembly begins its session on Wednesday, Jan. 9. Reach reporter Riley Newton at (618) 208-6460. CARLINVILLE One of Carlinvilles longest-running, and most recognizable, businesses is closing. Carls IGA, which has been a flagship of the community for decades, announced on Dec. 26 that it plans to go out of business. The final day of operation is tentatively set for Jan. 19. Owner Rob Brockmeier, who took over the business from his parents in 1995, is retiring, and thanked his customers for their loyal support. The roots of Carls IGA date to nearly a century. In the 1930s, the enterprise was operated by the Meno brothers as one of several Piggly-Wiggly outlets in the area. The Meno brothers moved to a new building on the north side of the Carlinville square in September 1950. The grocery was later operated by Doc Ricchiardi. Brockmeiers parents, Carl and Elaine, purchased the business from Ricchiardi in 1970. The store moved to its current location at 251 North Broad in the summer of 1983. Three generations of the Brockmeier family have worked in the store. Carlinville Mayor Deanna Demuzio expressed her appreciation to the Brockmeier family as the stores long run comes to an end. We hate anytime that we lose a business, and were certainly sad to see Carls IGA go, said Demuzio. The store has been such an important part of Carlinville for so long. Wed like to thank the Brockmeier family for all theyve done for the community over these many years, continued Demuzio, and we wish them nothing but the best in their retirement. Longtime shoppers were equally disheartened with the news. Im sad. This store has been here for such a long time, said Dana Yowell, a regular customer for years. I live just a little ways from here, and its so convenient. The store does not plan to restock, and is holding a liquidation sale to sell off all remaining inventory. The closure will force Carlinville consumers to shop for groceries either at convenience stores, Dollar General, or the local Walmart, which opened in 1981 and converted to a Supercenter at a new location in October 2007. That prospect offers little appeal to some customers of Carls. Now, well have to go all the way to Walmart, and I dont like that, said Yowell, adding, I know everyone who works here, and theyre all so friendly. I feel so bad for them. Carls IGA employs twenty-two people, some of whom have worked at the store for virtually all of their adult lives. Known for its meat department, Carls IGA was also recognized for the quality of its produce and shelf products. They were always consistent in the kind of products they offered, said Carls shopper Laura Mefford. I always liked that. You knew what you were getting. Carlinville becomes the latest community in Macoupin County to lose a grocery. In October 2017, Brighton was also left with no grocer after Toms Supermarket suddenly closed. Many, like Mefford, were sentimental over the end of Carls IGA. Ive been shopping here for 24 years, she said. Im really going to miss this place. Tom Emery may be reached at 217-710-8392 or ilcivilwar@yahoo.com. VANCOUVERRCMP officers have reportedly flooded towns in Northern B.C., putting members of the Wetsuweten nation on high alert as they brace for what they fear may be conflict and forcible removal Sunday in accordance with a court injunction from a pair of checkpoints set up to block entry to their traditional territories by an oil and gas company. Officers reportedly arrived in several towns by charter bus Saturday night, and took up rooms in hotels in Smithers, Burns Lake and Houston, according to sources including Jen Wickham, a member of the Casyex House of the Gidimten clan one of the five clans of the Wetsuweten Nation. An RCMP Emergency Response Team (ERT) unit a tactical team of highly trained RCMP members capable of employing specialized weapons, equipment and tactics to resolve extremely high-risk situations, according to the RCMP website was also believed to have arrived in the area, Wickham said. StarMetro reached out to B.C. RCMP by phone and email to verify that officers had been deployed to the area, but did not receive a response. Its definitely concerning for me, as someone who has family out there, Wickham said in an interview, adding the officers had been spotted receiving bagged lunches Saturday night, suggesting they would be deployed into the field Sunday. The government is saying that industry, this pipeline, is more important than us. More important than the people. But I think its concerning for us as a society. Wheres our humanity? Currently, members of the Wetsuweten nation maintain a pair of checkpoints in Northern B.C. where they have been able to prohibit passage by LNG company Coastal GasLink, which is developing a pipeline through the area to deliver natural gas to the proposed LNG Canada facility in Kitimat. Coastal GasLink is a subsidiary of TransCanada PipeLines Ltd. On Dec. 14, 2018, the B.C. Supreme Court ruled in favour of Coastal GasLink, granting a temporary injunction against the first checkpoint known as the Unistoten Camp to clear the way for further construction of the pipeline. The Unistoten are another House group within the five clans of the Wetsuweten Nation. Coastal GasLink had argued the original checkpoint effectively stalled construction on the pipeline project. The Unistoten Camp checkpoint was not dismantled or opened following the injunction, and the Gidimten clan of the Wetsuweten Nation set up the second checkpoint since the injunction was granted. Both checkpoints, Wickham said, are on traditional Wetsuweten territory, to which rights and title were never ceded or surrendered a claim affirmed by the 1997 Supreme Court of Canada ruling in Delgamuukw v. British Columbia. But according to Wickham, the issue at hand is about far more than court rulings and Wetsuweten rights and title. Severing the transmission of both local and more broad Indigenous knowledge has been the main goal of Canada since its inception, she said. Access to resources has always been the priority. So whether its removing people from the land onto the reserves, removing the children from their homes, or arresting people because they dont want their water polluted and their way of life destroyed, its all part and parcel of colonization. Wickham also pointed to Article 10 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which reads, Indigenous peoples shall not be forcibly removed from their lands or territories. The same article was referenced in a letter of support submitted to the RCMP on behalf of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) on Saturday. Aboriginal title means that Crown governments and others must obtain consent to use the land and that First Nations can exclude people from their land, and that to do otherwise would infringe on that constitutionally protected right, wrote BCCLA executive director Josh Paterson. The letter urged the Crown and RCMP to respect as law the land rights of the Wetsuweten. Wickham further pointed out the Wetsuweten House Chiefs unanimously supported the decision to block Coastal GasLink from entering their territories. Coastal GasLinks permission to construct a pipeline on those territories reflects governmental indifference both to decisions made in Western courts and to the governing framework of Wetsuweten law, she said. That disregard left Wetsuweten people little choice but to take control of their territory by occupying the land itself, she said. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... The reserve systems were legal, the residential schools were legal, the Sixties Scoop was legal, and removing Indigenous people from their lands to make a pipeline is legal, Wickham said. And just because something is legal, doesnt make it right. Supporters of the Wetsuweten are calling for a day of solidarity and action on Tuesday, when organizers plan to meet outside the B.C. Supreme Courts in Vancouver and march to Victory Square. With files from Cherise Seucharan. Read more about: What readers should know about us, Dec. 31 I avoid reading the Star because of its left-wing bias, but I was at my parents over the holidays and gave it a read. Not surprisingly, the swipes at U.S. President Donald Trump were fast and furious. In the Dec. 31 edition, you devoted a full page to your journalists trying to convince readers they are unbiased, and that they put aside their personal ideologies when reporting. Yet, on the facing page, an editorial listing journalists who were killed in 2018 began with an opening paragraph slamming Trump. A far better intro would have been to describe the perils these journalists faced in their countries, especially Afghanistan, Brazil and Mexico. The journalists killed in the U.S. were mostly victims of a man who held a grudge against a specific newspaper, so Im not sure why you would lead the discussion with Trump? Then you isolate the term fake news to Trump, as if he is the only one who has used that term. I could list the many instances of omission, reliable sources, opinions presented as fact, quotes out of context, etc., but we all know they exist. And then in the Jan. 1 edition, an article about people living in basement apartments incredibly managed to include yet another swipe at Trump, when there was absolutely no connection to him, other than your obvious dislike of him. David Reid, Toronto Read more about: KABULAt least 30 Afghan villagers searching for gold in a riverbed perished on Sunday in a flash flood in northeastern Badakhshan province, provincial officials said. Along with those killed, dozens were also injured as a landslide and flash flood engulfed the river in the morning in Kohistan district, an area about 110 kilometres, from Fayzabad, the capital of Badakhshan. Nek Mohammad Nazari, the spokesperson for the provincial governor, said the villagers had dug deep in the river, which had in the past been mined for gold, when they were caught in the flash flood. The casualty numbers could rise, he said. The victims were villagers who were mining for gold illegally, according to the official. Rescue teams have been dispatched to the area to help in recovering the bodies, Nazari said. Sanaullah Rohani, spokesperson for the police chief in Badakhshan, said seven of the injured were in critical condition. According to Rohani, there were about 50 people illegally looking for gold at the time of the landslide. Fawzia Kofi, a lawmaker form Badakhshan, gave a higher death toll for the tragedy, saying that 40 villagers were killed. Afghanistan is a mountainous, land-locked nation that has huge, largely untouched reserves of copper, iron ore, chromite, mercury, zinc, gems, including rubies and emeralds, as well as gold and silver. Mines are scattered across different provinces of the country, but still the government has not been able to achieve investments in this important sector or establish a thriving extraction industry. Read more about: MOSCOWThe brother of an American man being held in Moscow on suspicion of spying is raising the possibility that his sibling is being used as a pawn in a potential exchange for a Russian woman behind bars in the U.S. Paul Whelans brother told The Associated Press he cant help but question if the events are connected. You look at whats going on and you wonder if this is just a large game of pieces being moved around, David Whelan told the AP via Skype from Newmarket. You start to wonder if all of these things are connected. But at the same time, they could just be arbitrary events. Asked about the matter by reporters at the White House on Sunday, President Donald Trump said: Were looking into that. Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine who also holds Canadian, British and Irish citizenship, was detained in Moscow in late December. His arrest has led to speculation that Russia could be using him to bargain for a Russian woman who has pleaded guilty to acting as a foreign agent in the U.S. But Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Saturday that discussing a possible swap involving Whelan and Maria Butina would be premature because Whelan hasnt been formally charged, according to Russian news agencies. As to the possibility of exchanges of one sort of another, its impossible and incorrect to consider the question now when an official charge hasnt even been presented, Ryabkov was quoted as saying by state news agency RIA-Novosti. Charges will be presented in the near future, he said, according to the Interfax agency. Some Russian news reports earlier cited unnamed sources as saying Whelan had been indicted on espionage charges that carry a possible prison sentence of 20 years. Russian officials havent given details of Whelans suspected activities and he was initially identified only as an American. His concurrent Canadian, British and Irish citizenships became known on Friday. U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr. visited Whelan on Wednesday in Moscows Lefortovo Prison, a 130-year-old facility noted for strict conditions. Britain, Canada and Ireland have applied for consular access to him. Whelan, 48, was discharged from the Marines for bad conduct. He works as the global security director for a U.S. automobile parts manufacturer and lives in Michigan. His family has said he was in Moscow to attend a wedding. His brother, David, told the AP Whelan loves to travel and likes to interact with the people in the places that he goes, but that Whelan would be too conspicuous to be selected as a spy. David Whelan said his family had had no direct contact with Paul and had received no details about the alleged espionage charges from either the Russian or U.S. governments. He likes to go places and Russia happens to be a place where he knows people and when hes there, he does go and visit, David Whelan said. Paul Whelan established an account on VKontakte, a social media service similar to Facebook that is popular among Russians, which showed he had scores of contacts in Russia. Many attended universities affiliated with the military, civil aviation or technical studies. Many share his interest in sports and firearms. Also Saturday, the Foreign Ministry said it was seeking information about a Russian who was arrested Dec. 29 in Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. commonwealth in the Pacific. The ministry said Sergei Makarenko was sent to Florida after his arrest and it wants consular access to him. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... The Saipan Tribune reported that Makarenko was indicted in 2017 in Florida for the alleged illegal shipment of military goods to Russia. Konstantin Kosachev, head of the international affairs committee of the upper house of the Russian parliament, said Makarenkos arrest was the latest attack on a citizen of Russia outside the framework of international law, Interfax reported. Read more about: MONTREALThe packed holiday masses that took place as scheduled in the St-Antoine and Ste-Paule churches north of Montreal seemed extra special this year, given that a few months ago it looked like they might not happen at all. Thats because the churches were two of more than 30 that were on a list to be considered for closure as part of the Diocese of St-Jeromes tentative plan to radically slash its 54 churches by more than half. But amid the uproar that followed in the early months of 2018, the diocese reversed course and is now trying a different experiment: letting the congregations decide their own futures. Bishop Raymond Poisson, who was brought in from the neighbouring Joliette diocese this summer to help manage the file, said the fact remains that there are too many church buildings and not enough worshippers. However, he admitted that the original committees plan to unilaterally close and sell off churches with no input from their members was a mistake. These buildings are filled with emotions, he said. We cant do just anything with them. Poisson, who recently completed a tour of all the dioceses parishes, said no churches will be closed without the communitys consent. Instead, the diocese is asking each parish to provide building inspections and repair estimates for each church, as well as a report on attendance and finances. These reports, he said, will be shared with the community, who will collectively decide whether to close and merge with another church or develop a plan to stay open. While it seems unlikely a congregation will vote to close its own church, Poisson believes that church communities will be willing to make tough choices if given the right information. But at the same time, he said, money wont be the only factor. A church isnt (a business), its a family, and decisions arent made only based on money, he said. In a family, sometimes you make a decision that seems strange, but its out of love. Poisson said the rumours of impending closures was devastating to congregations, which saw their attendance decline and financial offerings drop by up to 25 per cent. But he said it also had a positive effect, as congregations and local communities formed citizens groups and brainstormed to find solutions. Gauthier Elleme, the priest at St-Antoine and Ste-Paules churches, also believes the threat of closures served as a wake-up call. The parishioners were shocked, because they saw the churches were closing, but at the same time they saw there was a problem, says Elleme, who helps co-ordinate activities in four parishes. In response to the bishops challenge, Elleme said the churches are looking at ways to raise revenue, including renting out rooms and forming more partnerships with community organizations. Church buildings are expensive to maintain, and some congregations will be faced with raising tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars for major repairs that have been put off too long. But most importantly, Elleme and other priests are asking the faithful to step up and become increasingly involved in welcoming new members into a living community that goes beyond the priest. He acknowledged that reversing a decades-long attendance decline will be difficult, and its not always easy for elderly churchgoers to change their ways. But nevertheless, he sees signs of hope. Elleme said that while the church is emerging from a dark period where many turned away, hes seeing a growing core of young members who are willing to embrace faith. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... And the 36-year-old priest has plenty of ideas on how to appeal to them, from redynamizing traditional church music to sermons that emphasize love and joyful living rather than the prohibition of sin. And while he said congregations will never rebound to the numbers they reached in the past, when many attended out of a sense of duty or obligation, he believes theyll live on in a smaller and maybe better way. People (who attend) will have made a choice, rather than submitting to social pressures, and as a priest I prefer that than to see churches full of people who didnt choose to come, he said. Whats worse: Too much oil, or too much gasoline? The government of Alberta, weighing the potential of a new refinery for the province, may be on its way to finding out. In 2018, surging crude production in the Canadian province ran into limited space on export pipelines, creating bottlenecks and sending the price of local oil to record lows relative to world benchmarks. Now Premier Rachel Notleys government wants to see if keeping more of the oil at home with a new refinery will make a difference. On Dec. 11, the government reported it was surveying private companies about building a new refinery. The goal: Free up space for crude on local pipelines by turning more of it into higher-value fuels such as gasoline and diesel. Analysts, though, say existing refineries in the province already produce more refined fuel than is needed. It's not a lot different than the issue they have with crude, Jason Parent, vice president of consulting at Kent Group Ltd, a downstream consultancy based in London, Ontario. You still have to ship that product to market. The province will accept submissions for refinery proposals until Feb. 8 and will consider greenfield projects and expansions at existing sites. At this point, the government is only seeking a sense of the projects companies may be considering and isnt yet ready to say how it would support those plans. Heavy Western Canadian Select, the type of crude produced in Alberta, fell to a $50 (U.S.) a barrel discount to West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark. The situation became so acute that Albertas government announced a mandatory, province-wide 8.7 per cent production cut to keep prices from falling further. New oil export pipeline projects including TransCanada Corp.s Keystone XL, and the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline to the Vancouver area have faced environmental opposition and court-imposed delays. Even Enbridge Inc.s Line 3 expansion, approved and scheduled to start operation in the second half of this year, is facing legal challenges from opponents. While building more refining capacity in the province would reduce the glut of crude oil, the provinces five existing refineries already produce more refined fuels including gasoline, diesel and jet fuel than is needed. And, as with crude oil, pipeline links for refined products to markets outside Alberta are limited. The 300,000 barrel-a-day Trans Mountain line transported 42,000 barrels a day of fuels to the Vancouver area for use by drivers in British Columbia. Enbridges Line 1 moves gasoline and diesel from Edmonton, Alberta, to third parties in Gretna, Manitoba, but none to the U.S. Alberta is already home to Canadas newest refinery. The North West Redwater Partnerships Sturgeon plant, which opened in 2018, produces 40,000 barrels a day of diesel as well as vacuum gas oil and propane and butane. But that project only came to fruition with government loans and a commitment by Alberta to process 37,500 barrels per day of royalty bitumen at the plant for a toll that helps cover construction costs, which have more than doubled since the project was first proposed to C$9.7 billion as of last year. Building refineries in Alberta isnt cheap. A single 100,000 barrel a day plant would cost $6.9 and $8.6 billion versus $2.9 to $3.6 billion in south China, IHS Markit said in a 2017 report. At the same time, a new refinery would compete in a North American market where fuel demand is flat or declining, and where refineries built decades ago are already supplying local markets with the fuel they need, according to Kevin Birn, IHS Markits director of North American crude oil markets. More Alberta-based refining was a no-brainer twenty or thirty years ago, said Gil McGowan, president of Alberta Federation of Labor and a supporter of building more refining capacity in Alberta. The economics are more challenging now. A new refinery would have to focus on exports, probably to Asia, he said. Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Refineries would free up some space on pipelines by displacing imported condensate thats diluted with bitumen to make the sticky oil flow, Birn said in a telephone interview. But imported condensate is already increasingly being displaced as local condensate production rises in the tight oil and gas formations of Western Canada. Building refineries in Alberta is not a solution to the current takeaway situation, Birn said in a telephone interview. By the time you get this facility on, you are looking four or five years down the line. If you cant get your egress solved by then, youve got a problem. Read more about: Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin. Rob Pegoraro Watertown Public Opinion Android users now have two new ways to read and write their text messages on their larger screens one from Google and the other from Microsoft. Thats an option that iPhone users have enjoyed since 2012s Mountain Lion release brought Apples iMessage system to Macs. But for years, Googles smartphone operating system had no answer for that short of using a Google Voice number instead of your regular wireless digits. Google began rolling out a better option this summer when it introduced a Web version of the Messages texting app it ships for Android 5.0 and newer releases. (If your Android phone includes a different texting app, such as Samsungs, youll need to switch from that to Googles.) To try that out, open Messages, tap its menu button, and select Messages for web. In your computers copy of Chrome, Safari, Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge, visit messages.android.com. Then pick up your phone and tap the Scan QR code button in the Messages app and point its camera at the code on that Web page; in a few moments, you should see your texts pop up on that page. Photos, however, dont appear with the same consistency as my correspondents words and emojis. You can set up multiple computers for this access, but only one can be active at a time. Your phone also needs to be online for this messages-to-Web link to stay up. More:Upgrading but don't want to spring for an iPhone? You have plenty of great Android options More:How to set up your new phone for iOS and Android -- and get used to Apple's X series iPhones Microsoft's offering Microsoft has been touting its own concept of phone-to-PC messages in Windows 10s October 2018 update but since it had the yank that release to quash some bugs before resuming that rollout in November, many Win 10 users have yet to see it. In this setup, you install Microsofts Your Phone app on your PC though built into the October update, you can download it for Aprils Win 10 release and on your Android device, provided it runs the 7.0 or newer release of Googles operating system. Open that Android app, sign in to your Microsoft account in it, and follow its prompts to pair it with your PC. Theyll include a request for permission to read and write your text messages; this Android app essentially acts as a remote control for your usual texting app. Your Phone doesnt show pictures attached to texts (although it does let you browse your mobile devices own photos and screenshots), and it shows only your most recent messages. Like Googles Messages, it also allows only one phone-to-computer pairing at a time. But its easier than Microsofts earlier method for putting your texts on your PC, a complicated system that required many more steps to set up. Things to consider Both Google and Microsofts efforts fall short of the integration Apple offers with iMessage not to mention Apples end-to-end encryption. But because they leave your wireless carrier in the loop instead of routing around it as Apple does, they also shouldnt incur the risk that switching to the wrong phone will leave friends texts disappearing, a common complaint of iMessage users. Note that all of these systems leave personal correspondence in more places. And if you use text messages as a two-step verification method, they raise the risk of a laptop theft leading to the compromise of your accounts. But the bigger risk there is probably of an attacker persuading your carrier to port your number to them. The fix for that isnt to confine your texts to your phone, but to switch to a Google Voice number or an app-based two-step system like Google Authenticator that cant be hacked by somebody calling up your carriers customer service line and pretending to be you. Rob Pegoraro is a tech writer based out of Washington, D.C. To submit a tech question, e-mail Rob at rob@robpegoraro.com. Follow him on Twitter at @robpegoraro. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: You can read your Android phones texts on your Mac or PC. Here's how Editors Watertown Public Opinion Government shutdown talks to continue The White House has invited congressional leaders to a meeting Friday to continue talks about ending the government shutdown that began Dec. 22. President Donald Trump and Democratic and Republican lawmakers will meet for the second time this week, but for the first time since Democrats reclaimed power in the House of Representatives and Nancy Pelosi took back the speaker's gavel. The House sought to end the shutdown Thursday by voting to fund eight of the nine shuttered departments. But Republicans dismissed the effort as pointless political theater and Trump is expected to veto the bill, which lacks border wall funding. Look to the sky for the Quadrantid meteor shower The Quadrantid (or Quads) meteor shower will light up the sky for a few hours early Friday morning, best seen from midnight to dawn. Good news: This year, the moon will be a small crescent sliver in the sky, allowing for a darker sky. The shower will be seen best by those in the Northern Hemisphere, since its radiant point is so far north on the skys dome near the famous Big Dipper. The most ideal viewing conditions will appear across parts of the central and southwestern U.S. Clouds and unsettled weather may limit viewing in the Northwest, while a large storm will disrupt skygazers' opportunities in much of the Southeast. Kevin Hart interview with Ellen Degeneres airs, post-Oscars controversy Almost one month after Kevin Hart stepped down as the host for the 2019 Academy Awards, Ellen Degeneres is airing an interview she describes as incredible and honest with the comedian on her eponymous talk show. Hart stepped down from hosting duties in December after he became involved in a spiraling social media battle over his past homophobic tweets and his steadfast refusal to apologize for them, despite an ultimatum from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He did eventually apologize on Twitter. "I'm sorry that I hurt people.. I am evolving and want to continue to do so, Hart tweeted. Sears could find out if $4.4 billion bid to keep retailer in business is viable Sears Holdings Chairman Eddie Lampert could find out whether his hedge funds multi-billion bid to keep the struggling retailer open for business has a shot. Transform Holdco LLC, an affiliate of ESL Investments, a fund controlled by Lampert, submitted a bid for substantially all of the assets of Sears Holdings, including 425 stores, which it says is valued at $4.4 billion. The bid, which doesn't guarantee that the business will be saved, came hours after Sears announced that it would close 80 more Sears and Kmart locations in late March. The long-embattled retailer, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October, is set to close 40 Sears and Kmart stores in February 2019. Sears and its advisers must determine by Friday whether the bid is "qualified." John Bobbitt recalls moment when Lorena Bobbitt cut off his penis The incident took place on June 23, 1993, and made headlines around the globe. John Bobbitt still vividly remembers the "nightmare" he woke up to more than 25 years ago when he realized his then-wife, Lorena Bobbitt, cut off his penis and tossed it in a field. In an interview with ABC News, set to air Friday, Bobbitt details the incident and said that a friend rushed him to a hospital after the attack. Lorena Bobbitt, who said that her then-husband had repeatedly sexually and physically abused her, was charged with malicious wounding but found not guilty by reason of temporary insanity. The interview will air less than a month before Lorena, a four-part documentary series for Amazon, will be previewed at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival in Utah. Contributing: Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Quadrantid meteor shower, government shutdown, Kevin Hart appears on 'Ellen': 5 things to know Friday Phuket calls for donations for Pabuk victims PHUKET: A mass effort to collect donations for victims of the Tropical Storm Pabuk is underway, with donations accepted at the Phuket Rajabhat University campus north of Phuket Town. weatherdisasters By The Phuket News Sunday 6 January 2019, 06:16PM The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University The donas are being collected at Phuket Rajabhat University, north of Phuket Town. Photo: Kunlawadee Panpadab The donas are being collected at Phuket Rajabhat University, north of Phuket Town. Photo: Kunlawadee Panpadab The donas are being collected at Phuket Rajabhat University, north of Phuket Town. Photo: Kunlawadee Panpadab The donas are being collected at Phuket Rajabhat University, north of Phuket Town. Photo: Kunlawadee Panpadab The first mission to deliver relief supplies to disaster-struck areas arrived today (Jan 6). Photo: Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University Donations of items including drinking water, rice as well as dried, packaged and canned food supplies, items of clothing and any useful household items are welcome at the Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University from now until Jan 8. The emergency relief centre has been set up at the 1st floor of the Student Activity Center at Phuket Rajabhat University. (See map below.) Cash donations are also being accepted through a relief fund set up especially to receive donations from the public. A mission to deliver the first supplies reached the disaster struck Tambon Bang Chak in Nakhon Sri Thammarats Muang District today. (See full gallery here.) More donations to provide assistance to those whose homes, farms and businesses were devastated by the flash floods are welcome. Destructive winds and severe floods saw over 34,000 villagers evacuated as tropical storm Pabuk lay waste to the region and plunged people into days of despair. Blackouts affected nearly 60,000 residents in Muang and Pak Phanang Districts alone. The Centre for Economic and Business Forecasting, the research arm of the University of Thai Chamber of Commerce, estimates the economic damage in the whole southern region at B3-5 billion. (See story here.) For more information about making donations to the Pabuk Storm Victims Center Phuket Rajabhat University, call 086-4780062, 093-5824897, 088-1687421 or 061-8680495 (available 24 hours). Alternatively, visit the official Facebook page, click here. Pabuk leaves trail of damage in wake BANGKOK: Seven provinces on the east coast in the lower South have suffered deadly destructive winds and severe floods, with over 34,000 villagers evacuated, as tropical storm Pabuk lay waste to the region and plunged people into days of despair before storming past Phang Nga out to the Andaman Sea yesterday (Jan 5). weatherdisasterseconomicstourismtransport By Bangkok Post Sunday 6 January 2019, 02:08PM Pak Phanang District in Nakhon Sri Thammarat remains flooded. Photo: Bangkok Post / Pattarapong Chatpattarasill Authorities in hardest-hit Nakhon Sri Thammarat said they could make only rough estimates of the damage as the number of uprooted trees and fallen electricity poles on many roads are considerable and they need time to assess what they described as flatten fruit plantations in all 16 districts. At least four people died three in Nakhon Sri Thammarat and one in Pattani when Pabuk crashed into the Pak Phanang district coastline and slammed its neighbouring provinces on Friday. Some farm animals were also heavily hit, but damage is still being examined. In Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Pharadon Ketchat, 35, was killed when a tree fell on his house in Chian Yai district while Pricha Chankaeo, 66, drowned in Pak Phanang. Even at an evacuation shelter in Hua Sai district, a 101-year-old man, Tun Phengchan, was declared dead due to heart failure. In Pattani, a fisherman was killed and his friend is still missing after their boat was capsized by large waves. The body of a man, believed to be a victim of tropical storm Pabuk, was found on the beach of Ban Pata Budi in tambon Laem Pho of Yaring district this morning. Olarn Bilson, the Yaring district chief, led administrative officials and police to the beach to examine the swollen corpse. It could not yet be determined whether the body was of a crew member of a fishing boat that capsized in the sea off Laem Tachi area in tambon Laem Pho on Friday. Of the six people on board the boat, four survived, one died and one went missing. The missing man was Chalong Chanthana. Relatives of the missing man and the owner of the boat had been called to identify whether the body was of Chalong, Mr Olarn said. The boat that capsized was salvaged and hauled to the pier of the marine office of Pattani. Nakhon Sri Thmmarat officials were kept busy yesterday (Jan 5) as they surveyed affected areas and braced for a mountain torrent which threatened to flood its municipality area, the latest target after municipalities in Pak Phanang and Pak Nakhon in Muang district were put under deep water on Friday due to an usually high tide. Electricity workers, meanwhile, tried to finish repairing damaged power poles, which caused blackouts and affected nearly 60,000 residents in Muang and Pak Phanang district on Friday. The number of fallen electricity poles is 32 in this province, Chayaphon Thitisak, chief of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said yesterday as he announced an initial estimate of the damage in the seven provinces. Nakhon Sri Thammarat's six seaside districts of Pak Phanang, Muang, Hua Sai, Khanom, Sichon and Tha Sala were hardest hit by severe gusty winds, he said. However, officials earlier tried to curb the impact by evacuating villagers out of risk areas. In these six districts alone, more than 30,000 people were taken to safety in just a few hours. They began to return homes yesterday after the Meteorological Department said Pabuk, which was downgraded to depression after making landfall, left the Phang Nga coast. But houses in parts of Nakhon Sri Thammarat's Muang district may not be completely safe as Nakhon Sri Thammarat Mayor Chaowat Senphong received a report of huge run-off looming outside the municipality area. The deluge was expected to reach the city last evening, but some roads had already encountered floods earlier in the day. The damage is believed to go beyond B150 million in Nakhon Sri Thammarat municipality alone where fierce winds destroyed at least 60 houses, Mr Chaowat said. Pak Phanang municipality also bore a heavy brunt as its 26,000 householders were all affected, its Mayor Phichet Klasukhon said. Weve encountered the first-ever severe flood which burst into all the houses and left them under deep water, he said. The Centre for Economic and Business Forecasting, the research arm of the University of Thai Chamber of Commerce, estimated the economic damage in the whole southern region should come to B3-5 billion. One impact can be seen in the tourism sector. Tourists have left popular resort islands both in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea in droves since getting word of the approaching storm. The situation continued yesterday when 1,500 air travellers flew out of Surat Thani, one of the seven provinces affected by the storm. Besides these two provinces, another five provinces Pattani, Songkhla, Yala, Phatthalung and Narathiwat were also hit hard, especially by destructive winds, according to Mr Chayaphon. Evacuation plans were carried out in most of the provinces to protect villagers. In total, nearly 2,000 houses were damaged by powerful winds, Mr Chayaphon said. Pabuk slowly left Thailand yesterday. At 3 pm, it was about 55 kilometres off Phang Ngas Takua Pa district and kept moving northwest in the Andaman Sea, the Thai Meteorological Department said. But its departure also caused rainfall in the upper southern region, including Prachuap Khiri Khan and Phetchaburi, department chief Phuwieng Prakhammintara said, adding even parts of Bangkok are shrouded with dark clouds. A fishing village in Prachuap Khiri Khans Bang Saphan district is among areas which were also severely affected by Pabuk. At least 20 houses in Tambon Mae Ramphueng were flooded by strong sea currents with water levels nearly reaching some house roofs, Bang Saphan district chief Loetyot Yaemphrai said. One fisher was wounded while fleeing her inundated home. The water surged and quickly reached my neck, said Bunsoi Sukprasoet. Pabuks impact was also felt in Trat and Rayong. According to officials, 50 seaside houses were flooded in Trats Khlong Yai district. A similar situation was also reported in some areas of Chang resort island off the Trat mainland. Chief of Mu Ko Chang Marine National Park on the island said a foreign tourist was washed out to the sea while swimming. Fortunately, he was rescued in time. Read original story here. Instant unlimited access to all of our content on thenewsguard.com. The News Guard E-Edition Newsletter emailed to you each week, the night before the paper hits the street! This subscription is for NEW or RENEWING online subscribers. (The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement) Jeri Hansen (wrapped in the blue and white blanket) talks to neighbors as firefighters from the Mt. Pleasant Fire Department clear the scene of the fire at her home at 1604 W. Michigan St. in Mt. Pleasant. Hansen's son reported the fire after smelling smoke and then seeing flames in the house's laundry room. Gratiot County Environmental study to take place at former St. Louis gas station Barnes Group Inc. provides engineered products, industrial technologies, and solutions in the United States and internationally. It operates in two segments: Industrial and Aerospace. The Industrial segment offers precision components, products, and systems used by various customers in end-markets, such as transportation, industrial equipment, automation, personal care, packaging, electronics, and medical devices. This segment also designs and manufactures hot runner systems, mold cavity sensors and process control systems, and precision high cavitation mold assemblies for injection molding applications; provides force and motion control solutions for various metal forming and other industrial markets; and designs and develops robotic grippers, end-of-arm tooling systems, sensors, and other automation components for intelligent robotic handling solutions and industrial automation applications. In addition, it manufactures and supplies precision mechanical products, including mechanical springs, and high-precision punched and fine-blanked components used in transportation and industrial applications, including mechanical springs, and high-precision punched and fine-blanked components. This segment sells its products primarily through its direct sales force and distribution channels. The Aerospace segment produces fabricated and precision machined components and assemblies for turbine engines; and nacelles and structures for commercial and defense-related aircraft. It also provides aircraft engine component maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for turbine engine manufacturers, commercial airlines, and defense market; and manufactures and delivers aerospace aftermarket spare parts. This segment serves original equipment manufacturing industry. The company was founded in 1857 and is based in Bristol, Connecticut. Read More . 26- - ... 18 hours ago | June 14th | 2021 7:00 AM Why Your Retirement Calculator Might Not Tell the Whole Story I got to thinking about the retirement calculators that automatically pop up when I check my retirement account balances. In my case, I always get a message that says, "You are XX% on track toward your retirement goals." When you check out an online calculator, you can use them, but remember that a retirement calculator could miss the boat A weekend in Ubud, Bali, could mean an array of leisurely activities; calming yoga, relaxing spa treatment by the river, savoring culinary treats and rafting at the Ayung River, just to name a few. But for The Jakarta Post, when visiting the area at the invitation of Four Seasons Bali, a chance to plant rice with local farmers seemed interesting. That morning, the Post and a fellow farmer for the day waited in the gym reception room of Four Seasons Bali in Sayan to meet Agus, the recreation attendant who would be guiding us on a walk through the rice fields, village and jungle paths before a breakfast by the river and then rice planting. While we knew that a simple, comfortable top and shorts or ankle-length pants would be the best outfits for the activity, we were unaware that the walking part required proper walking shoes. We only had on flip-flops, but it was not a problem as the resort had shoes available to rent, so we were good to go. The guided walk started from the resorts rice fields by the river. Then we climbed onto a narrow, slippery path lined with lush greenery on both sides. Our guide Agus was chatty and diligently taking photos of us using a pocket camera. Within minutes, we sensed that he was probably a naughty child from a neighboring village, and it was confirmed when he told us that he used to make fun of the resorts security guards from the top of the trees across the resorts backyard. The walk took us to a house surrounded by a dense population of trees, and Agus told us that one of the family members residing in that house worked at the resort. We sat for a while and took a sip of water before continuing the walk through the jungle path that Agus said was the villagers orchard. While making sure that we walked safely, he was always ready with a cold towel from his backpack. But before the walk exhausted us too much, we entered the resort again from a secret pathway. Prior to getting ourselves dirty in the muddy rice field, we were whisked away to a bale (pavilion) nestled between the greenery and the river, where a low table was already set for breakfast. What was offered to us as simple farmers breakfast turned out to be rather fancy-looking, served in colorful woven bamboo baskets. Among the offerings were sliced tropical fruits, wok-fried fresh rice noodles and traditional black rice pudding with pandan-scented coconut milk. Although lingering at the bale after breakfast was quite a temptation, we excitedly walked to a rice field instead. Two farmers stood waiting, and one of them, with the name B. Wirawan embroidered on his shirt, asked us why we chose to plant rice. Because we eat rice every day and want to learn how to plant it, we answered. The farmer then invited us to step into the 20-square-meter muddy field and taught us to flip the soil using a hoe. He told us that the black soil we were working on was the ideal type to grow rice. Soil-flipping completed, we had to flatten the flipped surface using a plow. And then it was time to plant the rice; we inserted the seeds, in the form of thin bouquets of grass, into the soil. There had to be a 20-centimeter gap between each bunch of grass, so that later when they grow, it would be easy to clear any weeds. While hoping that the mud soaking our legs and hands would somehow be good for our skin, we bore in mind that we could always have a manicure and pedicure at the resort afterward. Finally, with a lot of help from the farmers, we managed to plant all the seeds. Normally, it would take months and a lot of work for the rice to be ready for harvesting, and there is always a chance that the planting fails and no rice is produced. Farmer Wirawan, who hails from Tabanan regency where the UNESCO World Heritage site Jatiluwih rice terraces are located, said now that we knew how hard it was to plant rice, we may understand that many young people would rather make a living from other jobs than farming. But those who understand the importance of farming like himself may still devote themselves to the hard work. When my father wanted to sell our familys rice field, I protested harshly, Wirawan recalled. Read also: Healthy white rice may soon be on the menu We got out of the mud and cleaned our arms and legs using water from a hose, and a pile of towels had been provided to dry us out. Coconuts were then served and instead of drinking the coconut water through straws, we used some kind of pipes made of coconut leaves. Although a lot of coconut water dripped onto our clothes, it was a really fun way of drinking. To add to the excitement, the Four Seasons Balinese Farmer package also includes the Batu Kali River Stone Bathing Ritual at the spa. And before the range of treatments started, the clothes we wore for rice planting were picked up to be washed. The treatment began with a foot bath, followed with a body scrub, traditional hair treatment using cem-ceman oil (made of virgin coconut oil and various herbs and leaves to prevent gray hair and hair loss), a flower bath and finally, a combination of hot stone and Balinese massage that sent us to sleep. While the whole range of River Stone Bathing Ritual is completely relaxing, those who are not used to vigorous massages may suffer from overnight sores. But we could still smile with a post-activity surprise from the resort, and the pleasant scent of cem-ceman oil for our hair actually lasted for days after the treatment. Above all, taking part in this activity reminded us that rice planting is tremendously hard work that also takes a lot of time, so we should think again if we dont want to finish the rice we have on our plates. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Wed, November 21, 2018 16:40 936 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877d1ea45 2 SE Asia #Malaysia,#intolerance,Finns,arrested,Christian,pamphlets Free Four Finns have been arrested on a holiday island in Muslim-majority Malaysia for allegedly distributing pamphlets about Christianity, police said Wednesday, and may face up to five years in jail. Religion is a deeply sensitive issue in Malaysia, where more than 60 percent of the populaton is Muslim, and critics say rising conservatism has chipped away at a traditionally tolerant brand of Islam in recent years. Authorities detained the two men and two women on Tuesday after receiving complaints from members of the public that they were handing out Christian materials on the popular resort island of Langkawi, said local police chief Mohamad Iqbal Ibrahim. "Police have arrested four Finnish nationals in Langkawi for allegedly distributing religious material in a public place," he told AFP. "They were distributing pamphlets related to Christianity." The Finns, aged between 27 and 60, were arrested at a hotel and police seized pens, notebooks and a bag. They are accused of breaking laws that forbid people from disturbing religious harmony. If found guilty, they could be jailed for between two and five years. The suspects have been remanded in custody while police investigate. Langkawi, a jungle-clad island in northwest Malaysia, attracts millions of tourists to its palm-fringed beaches every year. Malaysia, home to about 32 million people, has sizeable ethnic Chinese and Indian communities who have long complained about rising Islamisation. In 2010, three churches were attacked with firebombs, causing major damage to one, as Muslims sought to prevent Christians from using the word "Allah". Issues related to race, religion and language are considered sensitive in Malaysia, which witnessed deadly riots between members of the majority Malay community and ethnic Chinese in 1969. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, January 6, 2019 18:51 890 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e59fa76 1 City murder-case,Green-Pramuka-City,apartment,crime,police,jakarta Free A woman suffering from several stab wounds who was found at the Green Pramuka City Apartments in Cempaka Putih district of Central Jakarta on Saturday has died. Tenants of the apartment complex found the victim, Nurhayati, 37,with stab wounds all over her body in the 16th floor hallway of the Chrysant Tower at 5.30 p.m. on Saturday. The residents reported their discovery to police and brought the victim, who was also a tenant, to the city-owned Cempaka Putih Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her body was later sent to Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital for a post-mortem examination. "There were 10 stab wounds on her body, Cempaka Putih Police chief Comr. Rosiana told kompas.com on Sunday. The police are questioning six witnesses from the apartment building's management and security staff while waiting for the autopsy results. (ars) Phoenix police on Saturday were investigating reports of a sexual assault after a woman who has been hospitalized in a vegetative state for the past decade gave birth. The woman, who was incapacitated in a drowning incident, was a patient at Hacienda Healthcare when she went into labor on Dec. 29 and delivered a baby boy, according to local media. No one knew she was pregnant and healthcare staff were initially unsure why she was moaning, the reports said. "This matter is currently under investigation by the Phoenix Police Department," Sergeant Tommy Thompson told Reuters when asked about the media reports. Hacienda spokesman David Leibowitz said the facility had recently become aware of a "deeply disturbing incident" involving one of its residents. He declined to say whether its staff were being asked to undergo DNA testing to identify a possible suspect, or whether the facility was taking any preventative measures to protect patients against a similar situation. "While federal and state privacy laws prohibit us from publicly discussing a patient's health or case, Hacienda has and will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement and all the relevant regulatory agencies regarding this matter," Leibowitz said by email. Victim advocate Tasha Menaker, chief strategy officer of the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, said it would be appropriate for police to run DNA tests on male employees at the facility. Hacienda HealthCare describes itself as Arizona's leading provider of specialized health care services for medically fragile and chronically ill infants, children, teens, and young adults as well as those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A spokesman for Arizona Governor Doug Ducey said the reports were "deeply troubling" and that the state was re-evaluating its contract and regulatory authority over Hacienda Healthcare to tighten up patient safety measures. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Gemma Holliani Cahya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, January 6, 2019 12:13 891 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e5964a6 1 Politics 2019-elections,2019-presidential-election,social-media,Facebook,Twitter,Instagram Free Dressed in Muslim attire and black peci (cap), Nurhadi puts on a serious face next to Aldo in many images appearing on social media, looking like the politicians who have flooded the internet ahead of the 2019 legislative and presidential elections. But they are not. Nurhadi says he is a 50-year-old traditional masseuse from Kudus, Central Java, while Aldo is a fictional character. He and a group of internet users have set up the prank presidential campaign of fictional ticket Nurhadi-Aldo since Christmas and New Year holiday, posting jokes alongside Nurhadis uptight posture with hands firmly placed on his chest. The slogan they created for the campaign is "Dildo for Indonesia". Dildo, of course, stands for Nurhadi and Aldo. In a social-media dependent society like Indonesia that has been gripped by the presidential campaign, the prank social media account instantly garnered hundreds of thousands of followers with many of their posts going viral. The hashtag #McQueenYaQueen (Becoming More Convinced) that they coined for the campaign, were among top trending topics on Twitter this week alongside those created by presidential campaign supporters such as #JokowiAminLebihBaik (Jokowi-Amin Is Better) and #PrabowoSandiSaja (Just Choose Prabowo-Sandi). One of the posts on the official Facebook page of Nurhadi-Aldo is a colorful poster uploaded on Saturday, in which the pair promised that once Nurhadi is elected as the president the farmers will be recruited as civil servants. That way the farmers will be prosperous and their children should not have to go to the city anymore. A Facebook user, Hamsah Al Pasai, commented on the post that there will come a time when Indonesian children dream of working as a farmer. I support you to serve the nation for 15 periods, sir. One of the initiators of the campaign, who refused to reveal his name, said the team behind the prank was eight youngsters who met in a community on Facebook. We have discussed this idea for months but we only started to work on the posters and content in June and finally realized it in December, the university student, who lives in Jakarta, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday. He said he and the team never personally met Nurhadi and only knew each other through Facebook. Nurhadi, who has been posting random jokes, already had many followers before they initiated the campaign. The idea came about because the group was concerned about the heated debate between the supporters of presidential candidates Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Prabowo Subianto on social media that often triggered hateful comments. Election day is just around the corner and we see more people fight against each other over their presidential candidates. We want to be here to reduce the tension. We can all gather and laugh together, said the 23-year-old. He denied that he is affiliated to any political party or presidential campaign team. Indonesia is one of the countries with the highest number of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter users in the world. The country will have legislative and presidential elections in April with more than 192 million people on the electoral roll. The Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) estimated that 42 percent of the voters aged 17 to 35 years old and familiar with internet, making social media a critical part of the election campaign that began in September. In another post, Nurhadi is seen with his quote, saying, "If Karl Marx dreams of a classless society, then where will we get to study [?]," in an attempt to play with the word "classroom" and the German philosopher's ideas. (Facebook/@DildoforIndonesia) Agus Sudibyo, the executive director of Indonesia New Media Watch, said the viral phenomenon was powered by a group of attention seekers who are trying to benefit from the presidential election campaign season. I doubt the motive and success of this whole movement in distracting people from joining the heated debates between presidential candidates. I cant see it changing anything about the rivalry between the candidates [supporters], he said. Nurhadi, who said he was just closing his massage practice when contacted by the Post on Saturday afternoon, said he did not mind that his image was being used for the prank campaign. The father of four children also seemed to enjoy the attention since he went viral. Many people visited his massage therapy clinic in Golantepus village to take pictures or make a video with him. I hope we can bring joy to everyone. Lets stop fighting. Anything that we choose on election day is our personal choice and we have to respect [others choices], he said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, January 6, 2019 12:39 890 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e597123 1 Politics Maruf-Amin,#2019PresidentialElection,Jokowi-Maruf,Joko-Widodo-Maruf-Amin,ahok,basuki-tjahaja-purnama,Blasphemy-Law Free A video of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodos running mate, Ma'ruf Amin, saying he regretted taking part in former Jakarta governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama being jailed for blasphemy went viral, sparking various public responses. Cawapres Maruf Amin menyatakan menyesal menjadi saksi sehingga memberatkan Ahok dan menyebabkan Ahok masuk penjara. Dia melakukan krn terpaksa. pic.twitter.com/8UAS3A3oR8 Terpaksa (@Mentimoen) January 1, 2019 "Yes, of course [I regret it]. I was forced to do it. I didnt want to imprison someone. I don't want it. But I have to. At that time, I was in the process of enforcing the law. I couldnt do anything even with sympathetic feelings toward him. I apologized right after that because I also didnt want to bother people, " Amin said in the 48-second interview with the IDN Times. His statement, on a touchy topic that is still controversial years after the fact, sparked a public debate on social media. Commenting on the video, historian JJ Rizal said Amins confession showed how dangerous the political play in Indonesia was. sedih en terpukul nontonnya ini contoh lenyapnya integritas, gagalnya menegakkan sikap demi membela yg benar, en hilangnya martabat serta kejujuran moral sungguh pengakuan yg terang untuk melihat betapa berbahayanya dunia politik kita https://t.co/wlFIvrKUjz JJ Rizal (@JJRizal) January 3, 2019 Im sad and devastated watching this. This is an example of a loss of integrity, a failure to defend what is right, and the loss of dignity and moral honesty. Its a very clear confession of how dangerous our political world is, he said in a tweet, which got 1,600 retweets and 1,200 likes since it was posted on Wednesday. However, some people disagreed. He said he was sorry. It was a law enforcement process and he had to do it. The analogy is the same as an executor who regrets killing people, but because it is law enforcement process, it still had to be done, Twitter user @Budipr4y1tn0 tweeted. Amins son, Ahmad Syauqi, said his father's confession was to make his position clear as chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) when he testified at Ahoks blasphemy trial. "The essence of his statement is that it was not his personal desire but a part of law enforcement, and he does not personally oppose Ahok. At the time, the law had to be enforced because of the violations, not Ahok as an individual, he said as quoted by tempo.co. A member of Jokowi's coalition, Hasto Kristiyanto, said Amins statement was to make his position as MUI chairman and as a cleric clear. "His statement really showed that he is a cleric who always answers journalists' questions, while [the Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno pair] has always been suspicious of reporters," he added. (ggq) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Tangerang Sun, January 6, 2019 13:10 890 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e599a0c 1 City murder-attempt,Tangerang,police,domestic-violence,divorce Free A nasi padang (Minang-style rice served with various side dishes) seller in Buaran Indah, Tangerang, was arrested by the police on Friday for allegedly trying to murder his wife. "The suspect was upset with the victim because she wanted to divorce him. He then allegedly stabbed the victim three times," Tangerang Police chief Comr. Ewo Samono told kompas.com on Saturday. It all began on Dec. 31, 2018 when Nawier invited Afriyanti to his stall to pick up the divorce letter. However, when she arrived and asked for the letter, he became upset and pulled a knife from his pocket. He then allegedly stabbed her in the right arm, shoulder and back. An unconscious and bleeding Afriyanti was taken to hospital by nearby residents. After receiving the report, the police investigated and arrested Nawier at a motorcycle workshop in Cipinang, East Jakarta, on Friday. Nawier tried to commit suicide by drinking battery acid. Police claim he failed because of their intervention. He said during questioning, according to police, he suspected that his wife had cheated on him, hence the divorce request. Nawier will be charged under Article 340 of the Criminal Code on premeditated murder in conjunction with Article 44 of Law No. 23/2004 on domestic violence. "We have taken the suspect to the Tangerang police station for further questioning," Ewo said.(mai) In 2018, fintech companies have raised massive funding rounds at very high valuations. These announcements have often let experts and analysts predict an Initial Public Offering as the natural next step for some of them. But an IPO is not eitheir in their plans or they are not so close to it. Given this, below, we present the current position of four companies which have been considered as the main candidates on the path to an IPO in 2019. Plans look different from what has been too easily predicted, actually. Have a look at them: Robinhood Palo Alto, California-based investment platform Robinhood revealed IPO plans during 2018. Launched in 2015 by Vlad Tenev and Baiju Bhatt, the company offers commission-free U.S. equity and options trading, as well as margin and extended hours trading (via a paid service called Robinhood Gold). The service already counts over six million users and billions of dollars in transaction volume. In addition to Robinhood Gold, for which it charges between $10 to $200 per month, the company makes money by collecting interest on capital its users store in their Robinhood accounts, as well as selling order flow to stock exchanges looking to secure more liquidity for their traders. Despite some regulatory issues coming out at the end of 2018 around its cash management program launching in 2019, the company seems not to have changed its plans. Robinhood is backed with $540m by DST Global, Index Ventures, NEA, and Thrive Capital, and was valued at $5.6 billion in 2018. Credit Karma Often predicted as the next IPO is San Francisco, CA-based personal finance technology company Credit Karma. Founded in 2007 by Kenneth Lin, Nichole Mustard and Ryan Graciano, the company offers a suite of products for members to monitor and improve their credit health and provides identity monitoring and auto insurance estimates. With more than 85m members in the US and Canada, including almost half of all millennials, Credit Karma leverages advanced data modeling to analyze and identify the best financial products for its members. To date, it has facilitated more than $40 billion in credit lines across financial products like credit cards, personal loans, mortgage refinancing, automotive financing and student loan refinancing. Anyways, expressely asked by Bloomberg, CEO Ken Lin said an IPO has never been a priority for the company. In 2018, Silver Lake acquired a significant minority stake in Credit Karma worth approximately $500m from existing equity holders through an organized secondary process. Stripe A company with no IPO in sight but growing fast is Stripe, the San Francisco, CA-based provider of a payments infrastructure platform which allows companies of every size from new startups to public companies to accept payments and manage their businesses online. Even if the company has not revealed any plan, we would be not surprised to see them on the IPO track. Led by CEO Patrick Collison, the company raised $245m in funding in September 2018 in a round that valued it at $20 billion! Stripe is now continuing to work to expand its international reach, scale its engineering talent around the world (in San Francisco, Seattle, Dublin, and Singapore), grow the capabilities of its global payments and treasury network, which lets businesses move money quickly anywhere in the world. The company is also building out its operations and enterprise features, as larger businesses move to its platform, which is today live in 25 countries. Stripe now powers millions of businesses worldwide, including recent new customers Google, Mindbody, Spotify, and Uber. Backers in the company include Tiger Global Management DST Global, Sequoia, Andreessen Horowitz, Kleiner Perkins, Khosla Ventures, General Catalyst, and Thrive Capital. Coinbase Next IPO plans have recently been denied by Asiff Hirji, Coinbase COO and President. Following its latest $300m Series E funding round, which valued the company at at $8 billion in October, the rumors about a possible IPO sparked. Founded in June of 2012 and led by Brian Armstrong, CEO, and Says, Coinbase is a digital currency wallet and platform which allows merchants and consumers to transact with new digital currencies like bitcoin, ethereum, ethereum classic, litecoin, and ZRX. The company, which has had 20M+ users and $150B+ traded to date, is continuing to explore the addition of new assets, such as Cardano, Aeternity, Aragon , Bread Wallet, Civic, Dai, district0x, EnjinCoin, EOS, Golem Network, IOST, Kin, Kyber Network, ChainLink, Loom Network, Loopring, Decentraland, Mainframe, Maker, NEO, OmiseGo, Po.et, QuarkChain, Augur, Request Network, Status, Storj, Stellar, XRP, Tezos, and Zilliqa. Mr Hirji said that Coinbases focus is on building a great business before thinking to go public. FinSMEs 06/01/2019 Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, January 6, 2019 14:19 890 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e59b8b1 1 City hospital,BPJS-Kesehatan,Greater-Jakarta,contract-extension,partnership,health-insurance,healthcare-services Free The Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) has terminated, as of this month, contracts with dozens of hospitals that have not yet received accreditation from the Hospital Accreditation Committee (KARS), including some in Greater Jakarta. However, the Health Ministry has asked the agency to extend its contract with recommended hospitals. The ministry has asked the agency to extend its contract with 20 unaccredited hospitals in Jakarta, seven in Bekasi and Bogor regencies, six in Tangerang, four in Depok and Serang, three in Tangerang regency, and two in South Tangerang and Bogor. BPJS Kesehatan spokesperson M. Iqbal Anas Maruf confirmed that it would sign new contracts with the recommended hospitals. "Hopefully, it will be completed this month," he said as reported by kompas.com. The acting head of the Jakarta Health Agency, Khafifah Any, said two of the terminated city-owned hospitals, Jatipadang and Kebayoran Lama, were due to be accredited in June. Jatipadang hospital director Rismasari said the hospital had applied for accreditation in November and was waiting on the KARS to evaluate it. "We are not the only hospital, there are many others that need accreditation," she added. Meanwhile, BPJS patients are being urged to visit accredited hospitals. Those who are patients at hospitals that are no longer BPJS Kesehatan partners have been asked to obtain new referrals from community health centers (Puskesmas) or clinics. The agency will still cover patients' hospitalization fees at the terminated hospitals prior to Jan. 1. (ars) Depok Police said an officer of the elite antiterror squad Densus 88, Brig. Matheus, whose dead body was found in Mutiara cemetery in Depok, West Java, on Dec. 31, had committed suicide. "Brig. Matheus killed himself. The bullet had damaged his upper brain tissue, which led to his death," Depok Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Didik Sugiarto said on Friday as quoted by kompas.com. The head of Kramat Jati Police Hospitals forensic unit, Comr. Edi Purnomo, confirmed on Tuesday that a bullet had penetrated the officer's skull. Matheus' official firearm was found next to his body. The police have identified the firearm as a Sig Sauer, according to Depok Police chief Didik Sugiarto. He added that gunshot residue had been found on Matheus' hands. The police also revealed that none of Matheus' belongings was missing. His motorcycle, two phones and wallet were found next to his body at the scene. CCTV footage, viewed by the police, showed the officer riding his motorcycle alone to the scene on Monday afternoon. (ars) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, January 5 2019 South Tangerang, Banten, saw an increase in divorce cases in 2018, with some 3,500 couples separating because of affairs that started through social media or financial woes. According to the Religious Affairs Ministrys South Tangerang branch, there were 3,000 divorces in 2017. The divorce rate represented nearly half of new marriages registered in South Tangerang, or 7,000 to 9,000 per year. Many of the couples split due to affairs with people they met on social media, branch head Abdul Rojak said as quoted by tempo.co on Thursday. The office plans to improve its premarital counseling program for future brides and grooms to prevent another increase in 2019, Abdul added. Couples who want to get married must first enroll in the program before acquiring marriage documents. We will also provide training for students to prevent early marriages... Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani and Kharisar Kahfi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, January 5 2019 The race is on: General Elections Commission (KPU) chairman Arief Budiman (center) poses with representatives from the two presidential candidates campaign teams during the ballot validation process at the KPU office in Jakarta on Friday.(JP/Seto Wardhana) As the General Elections Commission (KPU) enters a critical time in which it distributes material for the April general election, it has become the target of a false news campaign saying that ballots had been damaged. In the latest turn of the social media tug of war between presidential candidate supporters, Democratic Party executive Andi Arief tweeted unverified news that millions of ballots had arrived at Tanjung Priok Port, North Jakarta. Andi, whose party officially supports the Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno ticket, said the ballots had also been cast in favor of incumbent ticket Joko Jokowi Widod... An increasing number of people in younger generations in Japan, including women, now enjoy saunas. Saunas long had a set image as facilities for middle-aged men to endure humid rooms with temperatures of nearly 100 C. But recently, unconventional sauna facilities have been appearing. Some have lower temperatures and others are attached to working spaces. The new wave of sauna enthusiasts are called saunners. Mika Saito, 33, who works at a university in Tokyo, is one of them. She visits one of the public bathhouses in her neighborhood almost every day after coming home from work. She warms her body in a sauna room and takes a cold bath. She spends about an hour repeating this process several times. Not only is my body refreshed, but my mind is also renewed, she said. Saito has been posting messages related to saunas on Twitter for around three years. She feels the popularity of saunas is spreading, saying: Recently, there are an increasing number of word-of-mouth postings from women who love saunas. I sometimes go to saunas together with such women on my days off. Sauna facilities in Japan began appearing in the 1950s and 60s. A sauna facility was installed in the athletes village of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, attracting much attention. The number of saunas in the nation soared in the years that followed. Sota Harayama of the Japan Sauna Institute said: Many of them were only for men, as they were often attached to capsule hotels. So the image as facilities mainly for middle-aged and elderly men became stronger. But recently, more and more women have begun using saunas in gorgeous public bathhouses called super sento that have become places for family outings. Super sento have a variety of tubs, such as bubbling whirlpool baths. More and more saunas have lower temperatures than conventional ones, at 70 C to 80 C. New services in saunas also help rising popularity. They include loyly in which water is sprayed onto hot stones to make steam that helps users sweat, and aufguss in which users enjoy air currents created by a person waving a towel. There also are saunners among company employees. The Kokuyo group companies have a sauna club in which 37 members introduce their favorite saunas to one another and visit them. Naoki Kawata, an employee at the Tokyo-based Kokuyo Engineering and Technology Co., and the head of the sauna club, said, We can have new ties regardless of our job titles and companies or the divisions to which we belong. Tabi-Labo, a Tokyo-based internet media company, has partially subsidized sauna usage fees for its employees since August. About 80 percent of its employees use the system. An official of the company said: Our employees mind-sets can be switched on and off between working and private modes. Communication between them also became more active. It affects their jobs in a positive way. A sauna facility of Skyspa Yokohama, which is in a building near Yokohama Station, tries to attract businessmen. In November, part of its restaurant space was renovated into a facility called coworking space, where users can also do their work. The space has a small conference room that looks like a sauna and screens that display images from a personal computer. Read also: The secret rooms hotels dont tell you about In recent years, the number of saunas has been on the decline, partly due to the aging of many facilities. To expand the range of sauna users, an outdoor sauna event was held in December 2017 in Tokyos Shimokitazawa area, which is highly popular among young people. At the event, a large sauna tent and a swimming pool were set up, and music was played. The event offered a new style of enjoying sauna bathing targeted at young people. The event was produced by Daisuke Akiyama, who manages the fashion brand TTNE Pro Saunner, which is for people who love sauna bathing. He said emphatically, I want to totally renew the image of saunas and give a boost to the boom. Harayama of the Japan Sauna Institute said, Japan has a history of steam bathing. We want to demonstrate saunas also as a culture. OAKLAND, Calif. California inmates typically are granted parole by doing good deeds or showing they have been rehabilitated by becoming pastors, drug counselors or youth advocates. For Walter Earlonne Woods, the path to freedom was podcasting. Woods, 47, recently was released from San Quentin State Prison after California Gov. Jerry Brown commuted his 31-years-to-life sentence for attempted armed robbery. Brown, who leaves office on Monday, cited Woods leadership in helping other inmates and his work at Ear Hustle, a podcast he co-hosts and co-produces that documents everyday life inside the prison. Woods since has been hired as a full-time producer for the often funny and at times heart-wrenching podcast, which has been a smashing success since its launch in 2017. The shows roughly 30 episodes have been downloaded 20 million times by fans all over the world. Listeners have praised Ear Hustle online as eye-opening and incredibly humanizing. For Woods, one of the most meaningful reviews came from the governors office when they called with the good news. The one thing that the lady said, you know, she told me, We love the podcast in this office, Woods told The Associated Press of the commutation call from Browns office. I dont know if the governor listens, but people in his office listen. People really like what we do. During their podcast, Woods and fellow creator and outside co-host, prison volunteer Nigel Poor, give listeners a peek into the hardships and small joys of men incarcerated at the medium-security facility. In interviews with the hosts, inmates discuss struggles such as finding a compatible cellmate to share a 5- by 10-foot cell, share why they take care of frogs or black widow spiders as if they were pets, or describe the impact of solitary confinement or being on death row. Woods, an affable man with a quick smile and a sharp sense of humor, helps listeners understand prison life, while Poor brings an outsiders perspective, asking insightful questions that at times push inmates to reflect on what put them behind bars. The podcast offers listeners an intimate look into lives society doesnt spend much time thinking about, said Woods, who spent 21 years behind bars. People get to see the car chases. They get to see the trial. But they dont know what happens after you get to prison, Woods said. Weve been able to really humanize people, and people realize that those in prison are just people who made dumb decisions. Brown agreed and, in his commutation letter, issued the day before Thanksgiving, the governor said Woods has clearly shown that he is no longer the man he was when he committed this crime. He has set a positive example for his peers and, through his podcast, has shared meaningful stories from those inside prison, Brown wrote. The podcast project started after Poor, a San Francisco Bay Area artist who has volunteered at San Quentin since 2011, approached Woods. In 2016, Poor saw Public Radio Exchanges Radiotopia network was sponsoring a podcast talent contest, and she asked Lt. Sam Robinson, San Quentins spokesman, for permission to enter. Another co-creator, Antwan Williams, who is serving 15 years for armed robbery, came on board to do its sound design. Their pitch beat more than 1,500 contestants from 53 countries, and they received the backing of a group of radio professionals, Poor said. Everyone was shocked when we won, especially the prison. Lt. Robinson told me he let us enter because he never thought we would win, she said, laughing. Ear Hustle, eavesdropping, in prison slang has found international success, with fans sending cards and letters from as far away as New Zealand, Qatar in the Middle East, and Mauritius in East Africa. The free show also can be accessed in prisons throughout California and the United Kingdom. New episodes are posted every couple of weeks. Julie Shapiro, Radiotopia executive producer, describes the podcast as a roller coaster of emotions that challenges what people understand about life in prison. People dont expect to have something in common with those telling their stories from prison, but the details of their lives resonate with listeners because they hear these men encounter daily life in some of the same ways that we do, Shapiro said. The outpouring of love and appreciation for the show has grown since Woods announced on a Nov. 24 episode that Brown commuted his sentence. The first thing Woods did after walking through the prison gates on Nov. 30 was take in the view of the San Francisco Bay and of the ocean as far as the eye can see. An episode featured his first moments as a free man. Since then, hes been noticing new styles, like women everywhere in yoga pants, and people walking through the streets with their heads bowed. He quickly realized they were looking at their smartphones, which didnt exist when he started his sentence in 1997. Woods also has spent time people-watching at a high-end department store, visited Disneyland and recently made eggs for the first time in two decades. The fourth season of Ear Hustle, which will be released this summer, will feature stories of his re-entry to society and interviews with other inmates released after long sentences. He and Poor also plan to visit maximum-security prisons and tell the stories of prisoners there. Theres a lot of people thats in there that should be out, Woods said. I created a podcast, but Im not the exception. Larson, who lives in Burwell, told the crowd that freedom isnt free. It costs folks like you and me. The group of soldiers heading to the Middle East includes about 15 pilots. For those of you that dont know what we do, I would love to enlighten you, Larson said. As a cargo platform, our mission was originally designed to just haul troops and supplies to areas that could not be supplied by fixed wing. Since that time, the United States Army has realized our true capabilities and has capitalized on our abilities as aviators. We do absolutely everything that can possibly be imagined. From slinging M777 howitzers through dust clouds in remote locations to delivering barrel-chested, bearded freedom fighters with bad attitudes on deliberate operations to the front door of the enemy, we can truly do it all. The men sitting in the crowd with you are truly warriors, Larson said, continuing his speech. Most of the soldiers in Bravo Company have multiple deployments under their belt, but that doesnt make this one any easier. Families have continued to grow which means more birthdays are missed and makes holidays more difficult to endure while deployed to a foreign land. Crane Trust promotes four Brice Krohn has been promoted to president of the Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, also known as the Crane Trust. He will assume day-to-day operations and supervision of the Crane Trusts science and land management operations, as well as the Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center near the Alda exit along Interstate 80. Krohn replaces Chuck Cooper, who has been with the Crane Trust for nine years and will remain as the chief executive officer. Krohn has worked for the Crane Trust for seven years, most recently as vice president. Prior to that, he was with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Rainwater Basic Wetland Management District for 11 years. Tim Smith, Andrew Craven and Wendy Bailey have also recently been promoted by the Crane Trust. Smith is the new director of land management. He has been with the Crane Trust for four years, previously serving as land manager. Prior to that, he was with the Rainwater Basin Joint Venture for four years. Craven has been promoted to director of conservation research after four years of being the Crane Trusts lead biologist. Previously, he worked with the National Park Services Inventory and Monitoring Program. Lutz combines offices in new locations Lutz, a Nebraska-based business solutions firm, is merging its Grand Island North and Grand Island South offices into its new location at 3320 James Road, Suite 100, effective Monday. The teams at the South Locust and Lexington Circle offices will all be moved into the new facility. We are looking forward to uniting our teams under one roof, said Brad Fegley, Lutz Grand Island office president and consulting shareholder. Our combined offices will provide Lutz the opportunity to continue to invest in the community through additional employment and expanded opportunities. The new building includes more than 10,000 square feet of office space and a large training facility to host employee trainings, client events and educational seminars. Lutz, in conjunction with the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce, will be hosting a Business after Hours and ribbon cutting ceremony from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Jan. 24 at the new office. More information on the new office can be found at: http://info.lutz.us/business-after-hours. Herks Welding receives award from Reinke Regent Gail Spary opened the Dec. 11 meeting of Catholic Daughters Court Queen of Peace No. 2227 at Blessed Sacrament. Members signed cards to be sent to the members who are in nursing homes or live out of town. Spary reported that elections will be in January for the four delegates and up to eight alternates the group can have for the state convention in April in Lincoln. Red roses for baptism reported that there has been two to three baptisms every week, and that more volunteers are needed. Spary read from the book, Rediscover Jesus. At the end of the meeting, the group ate pizza and played a game of exchanging gifts. The next meeting will be Jan. 8, with a healing Mass at noon followed by a soup luncheon. Woman Denied Outback Steakhouse Trip Attacks Parents, Chases Dad With Knife A Florida woman was arrested after allegedly attacking her parents and chasing her father with a 12-inch knife for not taking her to the Outback Steakhouse. Deanne Seltzer, 28, of Palm Beach County, Florida, asked her mother and father to take her to dinner at the restaurant chain on Jan. 2, local news outlet CW12 reported. They refused, and she went into a rage, flipping over a table before punching her mother, the report said. A Lake Worth woman has been arrested for attacking her parents because they refused to take her to Outback restaurant Wednesday night. WPBF 25 News 201913 Her father got involved, and she scratched his body and face, reported WPBF. Then, she allegedly picked up the knife and chased her father around the house, saying, Im going to kill you, according to the report. The news outlet reported that her father was able to wrestle the blade away from her without sustaining further injury. Seltzer was arrested after police arrived at the home, charging her with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, domestic battery, and battery of a person 65 or older, CW12 reported. A judge ordered Seltzer to undergo a mental health evaluation within days of her release, according to the local station. She has since posted bond. Its not clear if Seltzer was under the influence of alcohol or drugs when she allegedly attacked her parents. In the incident, police responded to the 600 block of Grand Cypress Circle in Lake Worth. Violent Crime Down? The FBI said that both violent crime and property crime decreased in 2017 compared to 2016. Overall violent crime decreased 0.2 percent from 2016 to 2017, while property crime decreased 3 percent during that time, the agency said in September, releasing data from 2016. There were more than 1.2 million violent crimes reported to UCR nationwide in 2017. There was a 0.7 percent decrease in murders and a 4 percent decrease in robberies from 2016 to 2017. Aggravated assaults increased 1 percent in 2017. The FBI began collecting data solely on an updated rape definition last year, and 135,755 rapes were reported to law enforcement in 2017, the FBI said in its report. The report also showed there were more than 7.7 million property crimes last year. Burglaries decreased 7.6 percent and larceny-thefts decreased 2.2 percent. Motor vehicle thefts increased 0.8 percent from 2016 to 2017. These figures were compiled from more than 13,000 law enforcement agencies around the United States that submitted their crime data to the FBI. In Florida, the FBI said that Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Hialeah, Tallahassee, and St. Petersburg are the most violent cities, according to WTXL. Jacksonville recorded 106 murders in 2016, the last available data, Orlando had 84 murders, and Miami saw 55 murders. Meanwhile, Tallahassee is considered the 10th-worst city in the United States when it comes to property crime rates, the FBI said, reported FloridaPolitics in June 2018. There were 52 property crimes per 1,000 residents in the states capital city. Britain's Border Force carry an intercepted migrant dinghy off the Kent coast, Britain Dec. 31, 2018 in this picture obtained from social media. (Twitter/Susan Pilcher via reuters) UK and France Step Up Measures to Deter Migrants Illegally Crossing Channel The French government will deploy its Navy and use drones, radar, and CCTV to tackle an increase in the number of migrants trying to reach the UK in small boats. French interior minister Christophe Castaner said the tightened security would put an end to these crossings. He added that they were not only illegal, but also extremely dangerous. Crossing the water that separates the UK and France in a small, inflatable boat has been likened by police to crossing a highway at its busiest time on foot. That stretch of water is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. British Home Secretary Sajid Javid has declared the increase in migrants attempting to make the 21-mile journey across the English Channel as a major incident. Meanwhile, a Royal Navy ship was diverted from its routine operations to patrol the Strait of Dover on Jan. 4, to prevent migrants from making the crossing. The naval ship is an interim measure until two Border Force vessels return from the Mediterranean to survey the channel, to join the one already patrolling the waters, Javid said. A Spike in Numbers Official figures from the UK government show that hundreds of migrants have attempted to cross the channel from northern France to the southern coast of England in recent months. French authorities say most of those attempting the journey are Iranian nationals. In 2018, a total of 539 migrants tried to cross the channel, with 434 attempts, or 80 percent of those, made in the last three months of the year. A total of 40 tried to cross on Christmas Day. France intercepted 227 before they made it to the UK. While the number trying to cross in small boats, often dinghies, is tiny compared to the overall number of illegal immigrants who attempt to enter the UK, this route into England, through freezing cold waters, is particularly dangerous. Reasons leading to the rise are reported to include human traffickers exploiting the calmer seas over the holiday period, and heightened security at ferry ports and the Eurotunnel in France, making it more difficult for migrants to cross in lorries or trains. Ingrid Parrot, spokeswoman for French maritime authorities in the channel and the North Sea, spoke about the the Brexit effect to La Voix du Nord. She said that traffickers could be persuading more migrants to attempt the crossing before Brexit happens in March. Over the last three weeks of December, French authorities recovered at least 95 migrants, including nine children, and arrested seven people smugglers. On Jan. 2, an Iranian and a Briton were arrested in Manchester, England, in connection with people smuggling across the channel into the UK. Highly Dangerous Chris Hogben, who leads Project Invigor, the UKs Organised Immigration Crime Taskforce, described the method of crossing the channel to reach England as highly dangerous. He added, We know that there have been organized criminals with a complete lack of regard for human life involved in organizing many of them. However, it is also clear that some of them have been opportunistic and made by migrants themselves without the assistance of organized criminality. The French interior ministry said they would intensify their efforts to dismantle people-smuggling networks, with businesses at marinas and fishing ports also asked to be more vigilant. The prospect of Brexit does not alter the need for our two countries to strengthen our bilateral cooperation to implement concrete and coordinated measures to combat irregular immigration, said Castaner. Javid and Castaner have agreed to strengthen cooperation between British and French authorities and are putting together a joint action plan. They are set to meet in London in the coming weeks. Trump Points to Successes, Popularity Among Base as Wall Against Impeachment President Donald Trump laid out his argument against impeachment after a Democratic lawmaker re-introduced articles of impeachment against him Jan. 3 in the newly Democrat-controlled House of Representatives. How do you impeach a president who has won perhaps the greatest election of all time, done nothing wrong (no Collusion with Russia, it was the Dems that Colluded), had the most successful first two years of any president, and is the most popular Republican in party history 93%? Trump said in a Jan. 4 tweet. He elaborated when talking to media in front of the White House that day. You cant impeach somebody thats doing a great job. Thats the way I view it, he said. Ive probably done more in the first two years than any president, any administration in the history of our country. He gave examples of his tax cuts, deregulation, allowing veterans to choose health care providers, increased military spending, and a plethora of positive, and at times, record economic indicators. Unlikely Avenue Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) introduced the impeachment resolution in the first session of the new Congress. He and several other Democrats have introduced such resolutions four times before over the past year and a half, but the measures were either shelved or died in the House Judiciary Committee while the Republicans controlled the chamber. With Democrats taking over the House, there was some anticipation among far-left, progressive partisans to push the impeachment process forward. But, as Trump pointed out, the old guard Democrats led by new House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) have indicated an unwillingness to proceed with impeachment. Nancy said, Were not looking to impeach you. I said, Thats good, Nancy, thats good, Trump said after meeting leaders of congressional Democrats on Jan. 4. Pelosis office didnt respond to a request for confirmation and comment. Democrats are aware that the Republican effort to impeach President Bill Clinton in the 1990s appeared to backfire among voters. It could be that attempts to impeach Trump would fire up his base. Its exactly Trumps popularity with his base that has been pointed out as a major hindrance to impeachment. Shermans measure was referred to the Judiciary Committee, now chaired by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) who said that you should be very reluctant to initiate impeachment, partly because one wouldnt want to tear the country apart over it. You dont want half the country to say to the other half for the next 30 years, We won the election. You stole it from us, Nadler told MSNBCs Morning Joe in November. You have to be able to think at the beginning of the impeachment process that the evidence is so clear, or offenses so grave, that once youve laid out all the evidence, a good fraction of the opposition, the voters, will reluctantly admit to themselves They had to do it. Read More 4 Major Blows to the Credibility of the Steele Dossier Theres no sign of such a shift among Republicans, of whom 85 percent approved of Trumps handling the presidency in a Dec. 30-Jan. 1 YouGov poll (pdf). In his tweet, Trump was likely referring to his 93 percent approval among female Republican registered voters in a Dec. 9-Dec. 11 Fox News Poll. Moreover, Sherman said in a Jan. 3 tweet that his resolution was exactly the same as the one he introduced in July 2017. That suggests that after 18 months, he hadnt strengthened or expanded his argument with any new evidence that could potentially sway some Trump supporters. It also appears there were some issues with his evidence. Flynn Request The resolution only has one article, which argues that Trump obstructed justice. Sherman laid out his evidence in an October 2017 Huffington Post op-ed. [Then FBI Director James] Comey testified that in February [2017] the president threatened him in order to get him to curtail the investigation of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, Sherman said. But Comey has since provided additional testimony and, when pressed by GOP lawmakers, acknowledged that he didnt know what was Trumps intention. I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go, Trump had said, according to Comeys memo. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go. Comey said that Trump asked everybody else to leave the room before making the statement, which Comey found unusual. The trouble is, Trump denies Comeys account. In fact, Trump was under the impression at the time that Flynn wasnt under investigation, according to a February 2017 memo by White House Counsel Don McGahn, leaked to The New York Times. Only later that year was Flynn charged with lying to the FBI. Prosecutors recently recommended no prison time for Flynn in light of his help with several investigations. Comey Firing Sherman further alleged that Trump obstructed the FBI investigation of Russian interference into the 2016 election and that Trumps campaign aides may have colluded with the interference. In May, President Trump fired Director Comey and indicated that his purpose was to thwart the Russian collusion investigation, Sherman said. But Trump had indicated no such thing. As evidence, Sherman referred to Trumps May 2017 interview with NBC News Lester Holt. In the interview, Trump said he wanted the Russia investigation conducted properly but believed the collusion allegations to be false. He suggested Comey was more concerned with his own image than with running the bureau. Read More The SpyGate Scandal: What We Learned in 2018 Hes a showboat, hes grandstander, the FBI has been in turmoil, Trump said. You know that, I know that. Everybody knows that. You take a look at the FBI a year ago, it was in virtual turmoil, less than a year ago. It hasnt recovered from that. Indeed, there was a concern among the FBI rank-and-file that Comey and others in the FBI leadership were politicizing the bureau. Trump later said that he faced great pressure because of Russia but after Comeys firing, thats taken off, an unnamed official source told The New York Times. The White House responded by saying it was Comeys actions regarding the investigation, rather than the investigation itself, that was affecting Trumps diplomacy with Russia. By grandstanding and politicizing the investigation into Russias actions, James Comey created unnecessary pressure on our ability to engage and negotiate with Russia, then-White House spokesman Sean Spicer said. The investigation would have always continued, and obviously, the termination of Comey would not have ended it. Then-FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe confirmed in a congressional testimony that the investigation had not been impeded. Still, Comeys departure prompted the hiring of Special Counsel Robert Mueller who took over the probe. Comey previously said he thought his termination had to do with the Russia investigation but in his most recent congressional testimony, he said he didnt really know. The testimony suggested Comeys firing would have had little influence on the Russia investigation since he appeared to have been kept out of the loop or didnt remember major aspects of it. He replied I dont know, I cant remember, or I dont recall, at least 236 times during the testimony, according to the GOP lawmakers who interviewed him. Firing Mueller Lastly, Sherman argued that in July [2017], President Trump made comments to the New York Times, on the record and on audio tape, that were interpreted by many as threatening Special Counsel Robert Mueller for the purpose of preventing him from looking at Trumps financial dealings. Yet the published excerpts of the interview suggest that Trump was commenting on what would be in and out of Muellers purview. Last thing, if Mueller was looking at your finances and your family finances, unrelated to Russiais that a red line? reporter Michael Schmidt asked. Reporter Maggie Haberman added, Would that be a breach of what his actual charge is? I would say yeah. I would say yes, Trump replied. The law requires a Special Counsel to be provided with a specific factual statement of the matter to be investigated. Mueller has been provided with a clarified, and mostly classified, outline of whats in his purview. Theres no indication that Trumps family finances unrelated to Russia are on the list. As proven to be Muellers practice, he refers matters outside of his charge to relevant branches of the Justice Department. It has been Trumps position that the collusion investigation has been illegally orchestrated by certain people within the Democratic Party and the government. A plethora of evidence suggesting so has been unearthed since his election, including Democrats funding of the infamous Steele Dossier, a collection of unsubstantiated claims about Trump-Russia ties that were used by the FBI to obtain spying warrants on Trump campaign associates. Still, Trump has shown no intent to fire Mueller. Watch next: The Spygate Scandal: What We Learned in 2018 2018 proved to be a year of numerous revelations that provided clarity regarding events leading up toand followingthe 2016 presidential election. Yoana Petkova, who teaches piano, enjoyed Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Place des Arts - Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier on Jan. 5, 2019 in Montreal, Canada. (NTD television) MONTREALThe beauty of Shen Yun Performing Arts moved many in the audience at the Place des Arts Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier on Jan. 5, in Montreal, Canada, including many artists who were among the theatergoers. Yoana Petkova, a piano teacher who also practices traditional Bulgarian dance, enjoyed the performance. She said she felt moved throughout the performance. I think the first time I was moved was with the dance with the sleeves, she said. Sleeves of the Tang Palace illustrates the spirit of the Tang dynasty, a dynasty of high cultural civilization, through the movements and expression of the dancers in long silken sleeves. The colors with the music and the movements, it touched me. I wasnt expecting it, it really touched me, it was really pretty, she said. Petkova said she felt joy and contemplation. I contemplated something beautiful, and it moved me because it was beautiful, she said. This is medicine Raushana Asylbekova and Steven Zarbatany were also in attendance. Asylbekova has worked as a choreographer of classical ballet in Russia. Zarbatany is a musician. Asylbekova said she was moved the story Goodness in the Face of Evil, which depicts a network of prisons reminiscent of Soviet gulags in modern day China, used in the persecution of religious and spiritual people by the communist regime. I was almost crying, said Asylbekova. It is very brave to retell such a story, because in China its impossible [to freely depict this] really. Im from Russia, Im from the ex-Soviet Union. We had major things, similar, but not to this point, however. But its not only in China, not only in Russia, not only anywhere else. This whole humanity is facing destruction right now. Its like never before, we are in the age of destructionSo now we have to all combine together. Shen Yun Performing Arts was formed in 2006 in New York by artists who wanted to share the authentic traditional Chinese culture with the world. Asylbekova noted that dancers and musicians come to join Shen Yun from all over the world. And this is the best thing when they combine together their expertise to wake up our spirituality, our inner humanity, our emotions, and get in path of this beauty, this universe, planet, music, colors, she said. This is medicine, added Zarbatany. Asylbekova continued, This is the soul connection with your spiritual divine beginning, thats connected, not technology and evolution. So we have to save ourselves. We have to unite all humanity together and save ourselves. Shows like this make us better Roumen Petkov, an actor and director was also in attendance. Traditional Chinese culture is said to be divinely inspired, and Petkov said he could feel that divine aspect. All the time with all the multimedia effects, which are transmitted there, there is a term: deus ex machina. Thats the divine: the divine that always comes to participate in peoples lives. Petkov said this divine participation encourages the development of the mind, and he was affected by that. There were lots of reactions around me. The audience reacted emotionally, with ah!,oh!,bravo! Thats how it is as they participate and they really see a scene in reality. It was really great. Petkov experienced Shen Yun with his wife. When we finished the show, my wife said, I thank you very much, because shows like this make us better.' Petkov added, We become better because we see something that touches the human mind that is really more important than the material values. With reporting by NTD Television, Donna He, and Carrie Gilkison. The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006. Seven Victims Identified After Fatal Fiery Wreck on Florida Interstate Authorities have released the names of the victims of a multi-vehicle collision on a Florida highway, with five children among the seven dead. Two truck drivers and five adolescents were involved in the tragic Jan. 3 accident while traveling to Disney World on a church-sponsored trip. The victims were killed when a semi-trailer swerved into a car, then smashed through the center barrier to slam into the van carrying the children. The children were members of the Avoyelles House of Mercy congregation in Marksville, Louisiana. An unnamed church volunteer was cited by Fox8 as saying the congregation lost half of our babies in the crash. I am asking everyone to please keep the Marksville United Pentecostal Church in your prayers-pastor: Bro. Eric Descant! Alex Madrigal 201914 The Florida Highway Patrol identified the children as Joel Cloud and Jeremiah Warren, both 14; Cara Descant, 13; Brieana Descant, 10; and Cierra Bordelan, 9. The two truck drivers were also killed: Douglas Bolkema, 49, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Steve Holland, 59, of West Palm Beach, Florida. The other four children and two of the three adults who were on the van were seriously injured, as was the driver of the car. One of the injured women was pregnant. The injured parties have been identified as Amy Joffiron, 45, of Mansura, Louisiana, who was driving the church van; Karen Descant, 50, wife of the church pastor; Ali Laborde, 30, Noah Joffiron, 14, and Chelsea Laborde, 11, of Marksville; Trinity Woodward, 9, and Chance Bernard, 9, of Hessmer, Louisiana; and Robyn Rattray, 41, of Gainesville, who was driving the car which was the first vehicle hit. A statement on the United Pentecostal Church website reported on the welfare of some of the injured parties. Sister Karen Descant has seven broken ribs, a broken collarbone, multiple bruises, cuts, etc. Pastor Descants words were, She is pretty banged up. One of the ladies was pregnant, but we are told the baby is going to be all right. She too is pretty banged up. The other lady is not as severely injured, but is still in the hospital. The four children all have injuries, but the medical staff feel that all of them will heal and recover. Trucker Lost Control Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the accident which occurred around 3:30 p.m. on Jan 3. on a straight, flat section of Interstate 75 near Gainesville. Fox News reported that the semi-trailer driven by Steve Holland was heading north in the far right lane when it suddenly swerved to the left and collided with the car driven by Robyn Rattray. Both vehicles smashed through the guardrails dividing the north- and southbound sides of the Interstate. Holland truck then rammed the van driven by Amy Joffrion, causing it to flip several times. Several of the children were thrown out of the van and onto the highway, where another car ran over at least one of them. Hollands truck then struck the semi-trailer driven by Douglas Bolkema. Both trucks and Rattrays car burst into flames. Steve Holland has a history of traffic violations. Fox reported that he had received numerous citations between 2000 and 2014 in Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Virginia for violations such as speeding, driving an unsafe vehicle, driving an overloaded vehicle and not carrying proof of insurance. Douglas Bolkema had been cited once in 1997 for following too closely. Tragedy for a Small Town Marksville Mayor John Lemoine told the Gainesville Sun that the crash had caused turmoil throughout the tight-knit community around the church. We are a small community with 6,500 people in town, and most everybody knows everybody else. Its affected everybody. That is whats so terrible about this, Lemoine said. You have a horrible accident with kids going to Disney to enjoy themselves and this happens. Its just beyond belief. It just hasnt set in yet, to just finish the Christmas holidays and have a new year start off with such tragedy. Watch Next: Why is Falun Gong Persecuted? Although its freely practiced in over 70 countries, doing this in China can lead to unlawful arrest, imprisonment, torture, or even death. Suyney, Maeve, and James Benson attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Eisemann Center in Richardson, Texas, on Jan. 5, 2019. (Amy Hu/The Epoch Times) RICHARDSON, TexasProject manager James Benson took his wife, Suyney, and eldest daughter, Maeve, to see Shen Yun Performing Arts in Richmond, Texas on Jan. 5. Their verdict after watching the performance the first timethey loved it. James said he enjoyed the stories depicted by the dance company and was particularly impacted by the meaning behind some of the scenes portrayed on stage. It was nice to see people standing for their faith, he said I think their faith showed through [in] their performance. Standing Up For Faith Shen Yun Performing Arts, which performed at Eisemann Center in Richardson, Texas, as part of the North American leg of its 2019 world tour, is the premier classical Chinese dance company whose mission is to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture through music and dance. As well as presenting ethnic and folk dances and classical Chinese dance vignettes, Shen Yun tells stories from Chinas sprawling history through classical Chinese dance. These stories encapsulate the essence of traditional Chinese culture, speaking to values and virtues that ultimately stem from a deep faith in the divine. This traditional culture was transmitted uninterrupted in China until the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took control of the country in 1949. Chinas traditions and beliefs, including Buddhism and Taoism, were targeted through a series of political campaigns, culminating in the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s which sought to systematically destroy Chinese culture and replace it with atheist Communist dogma. Shen Yuns portrayal of the persecution of spiritual discipline Falun Gong in China represents how spirituality, which is inextricably linked to Chinese culture, is currently still suppressed under the communist regime. Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is spiritual practice consisting of meditation exercises and ancient teachings centered around the principles Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. The practice was banned by the CCP in 1999 after its popularity peaked to around 70 million in the 1990s, causing it to be perceived as a threat to the regimes one-party rule. Suyney was also inspired by the courage depicted in those stories. They [practitioners of Falun Gong] were standing up for what they believe, without fear, she said. This is not a possible thing for them to do in China. But they still find a way to stand up for their beliefs, and the courage to show off their faith. These modern-day tales moved both Suyney and Maeve, who were able to sense a message of hope despite the sometimes heavy content. It was a message of hope, especially the parts talking about communism, when they couldnt dance that in China and theyre able to do that here, said Suyney. Its a message of hope for other people that through dance and through music, the message could come across, she said. Tenth grader Maeve said, There was a sense of peace through the show, through all the trials theyre going through. Theyre able to overcome that and kind of celebrate it. Music and Dance Maeve, who is the champion harpist for Garland Independent School District near Dallas, Texas, said she was interested in Chinese music and enjoyed the unique Shen Yun orchestra that mixes both Western and Chinese instruments. Being able to hear the orchestra was really fun, but also hearing the more Chinese instruments, Maeve said. Ive listened to a lot of traditional Chinese music, and it was fun to see the blend between those. As she is also a dancer, Maeve said she was able to connect both the music and dance aspects. Her overall verdict for the performance: I absolutely loved it. It showed an amazing amount of technique in all the dance. And the music was very good. And the musicality they had was just amazing. With reporting by Amy Hu and Cathy He. The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006. Rikers Island jail complex in the Bronx borough of New York City, on Jan. 5, 2018. (John Moore/Getty Images) Prisoners Eat Steak While Guards Work for No Pay Inmates in federal prisons enjoyed succulent, gourmet meals over the holidays, while the partial government shutdown forced overstretched corrections staff to look on in frustrationand without pay. Prison staff at dozens of correctional facilities across the United States witnessed inmates enjoying special meals on Christmas and New Years Day, according to NBC News, while many employees not only had to work for no pay but were ordered to cut short vacations or face punishment. This is appalling, said Coleman prison union chief Joe Rojas, according to USA Today. Were not getting paid, and the inmates are eating steak. The inmates know whats going on; they know about the shutdown, and they are laughing at us. Prisoners incarcerated at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex skipped the usual scrambled egg or hamburger lunch, the news outlet reported, and instead enjoyed a Christmas meal consisting of herb-dusted Cornish game hens, cornbread dressing, gravy, rice pilaf, and assorted pies. Meals to Boost Morale Officials told USA Today that the Federal Bureau of Prisons has for years had a policy in place to prepare a special meal or offer special items to promote morale for the inmate population because they are separated from their families. But as staff members faced the threat of lost wages or suspensions if they refused requests to work during their holidays, the lavish meals have become a staff bugbear. Youre giving a gift to somebody who committed a crime, but yet you wont pay the people who are supervising them? said Sandy Parr, a food service foreman at Federal Medical Center in Rochester, Minn., according to NBC. Its frustrating and maddening. Cornish hen and Boston creme pie were on the menu at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, the news outlet reported, citing obtained documents, while on New Years Day, inmates at FCI Pekin in Illinois dined on shrimp and steak. That really [expletive] off our people, said Eric Young, president of the national prison union, according to USA Today. You are seeing prisoners getting steak, roast beef, and Cornish hens, and you cant put that kind of food on the table for your own family. That isnt right. Whats more, working inmateswho do jobs like meal preparation or facility maintenancealso pulled in federal government paychecks, adding to staff frustration. This is like kicking someone when they are down, Joe Rojas, president of The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 506 at the Federal Correctional Complex in Coleman, Florida, wrote in a letter to the Bureau of Prisons, seen by USA Today. We Are the Collateral Damage Young blamed political intrigue for the shutdowns spillover into the prison system, saying corrections staff are the collateral damage and becoming increasingly demoralized. Imagine doing that at a time when youve got staff who cant put food on the table or put gas in the car, Young said. You can imagine what that does to the morale. Dwayne Bautista, a correctional officer at FDC Honolulu and local union president, said the shutdown means skeleton crews are keeping facilities afloat, putting lives in danger. These guys are going to get burnt out and might make bad decisions, said Bautista. Working over 16 hours on a day-to-day basis is unhealthy. Im just hoping this government opens up. The shutdown has now gone into its 16th day. Democrats have bitterly fought against approving funding for the border wall, President Donald Trumps signature campaign promise. Meanwhile, Trump told reporters at a Jan. 4 press conference that he has appointed a team, led by Vice President Mike Pence, that will meet with a Democratic group over the weekend to resolve the border wall standoff that prompted the shutdown. Trump told reporters he hopes the shutdown doesnt go on even for a few more days. The president also reiterated his calls for $5.6 billion in funding for the U.S.Mexico border wall, describing the immigration situation at the southern border of the United States as a dangerous, horrible disaster. Trump called for a breakthrough in the deadlock, calling the temporary hardship of the shutdown doing what you have to do for the safety and the benefit of our country. Members of the Egyptian security forces form a perimeter for investigators gathered around the body of a suicide bomber, whose explosives detonated before reaching the Coptic Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary, in the eastern Mostorod neighbourhood of the district of Shubra al-Kheima on the northern outskirts of the capital Cairo, on August 11, 2018. - Egypt's state media reported that the alleged bomber, who was reportedly hiding the explosives under a fluorescent vest, was forced to detonate a suicide belt 200 metres away from the church as a result of the heavy police presence around it. Christian sites of worship across Egypt have been repeatedly targeted in attacks claimed by the Islamic State group. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP) (Photo credit should read STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images) Policeman Killed in Egypt Defusing a Bomb Near a Church CAIROAn Egyptian police officer was killed on Jan. 5 while attempting to defuse a bomb found near a Coptic Christian church in an eastern Cairo suburb, state television reported. Security sources said two policemen and an onlooker were also injured when the device exploded. Egyptian state media and multiple security sources reported that the explosive device was one of two found inside a bag on a nearby rooftop. The incident comes less than two days before Egypts Christians celebrate the Coptic Christmas. In a season that has been very hard for followers of Jesus Christ in the Middle East, Im deeply encouraged by the opportunity to experience John 17 unity Biblical, Christ-centered unity with my Coptic Orthodox and Protestant brothers in Egypt. #PrayForEgypt pic.twitter.com/mDmw7vrdtE Joel C. Rosenberg (@JoelCRosenberg) November 5, 2018 No group has claimed responsibility for setting the bombs. Extremists Target Coptic Christians Egyptian security forces have for years battled Islamist extremists who have attacked Coptic Christians, tourists, and security personnel. Security forces have stepped up their presence outside churches and other places of worship ahead of New Years Eve and Coptic Christmas, which is celebrated on Jan. 7. Copts are the largest Christian population in the Middle East and North Africa, making up about 10% of the population in Egypt. They have long complained of discrimination. Authorities have placed armed guards outside churches and monasteries in an attempt to protect them from jihadist attacks. In November, extremists killed seven people returning from baptizing a child at a Coptic monastery about 160 miles up the River Nile from Cairo. Pinot Grigio Continues to Rise The new Delle Venezie DOC sets a high standard for Italys biggest white Italy makes more wine than any other country. But for years, the prolific rustic bottlings of red and white table wine diverted attention from the countrys exceptional winemaking potential. Big, bold, ageable wines from Nebbiolo and Sangiovese grapes turned that around for reds. Italian whites have had to fight for legitimacyespecially the most exported Italian varietal, pinot grigio. Pinot grigio came to the United States in the late 70s, and by the mid-90s was one of the most imported varietals from Italy. The refreshing acidity served as counterpoint to the oaky, buttery Chardonnays dominating the American marketand fatiguing many palates. During the U.S. importation boom of the 90s, Italian producers took measures to meet demands, including cultivating less favorable vines in the plains and on valley floors. Pinot grigio production was up, but quality was down, resulting in many thin, watery offerings that gave the wine a bit of a bad rap. Its steadily been working to win back hearts and minds since. The culmination of this effort lies in the newly formed Consortium Delle Venezie DOC, now presiding over the northeastern Italian wine production of pinot grigio. Created in 2017, the Delle Venezie DOC fulfilled the need for an entity to manage, promote, and protect the production of pinot grigio, all of which now ships out of the region certified as DOC. Thats good for further enhancing the reputation of pinot grigio, and good for the consumer, whos assured the wine meets quality standards. The Biggest Pinot Grigio Vineyard in the World The new appellation accounts for 85 percent of Italys production of pinot grigio, spread over 60,500 acres across the regions of Trentino, Veneto, and Friuli Venezia Giulia. Diverse terroir, influenced by the Alps, Adriatic Sea, and Garda Lake, create a climate ideal for preserving the acidity of the grapes, an important and expected characteristic of the wine. The Delle Venezie DOC redefined quality standards for each production phase of wines produced under its purview. Stricter specifications eliminated lower-quality vineyard plots and reduce the permitted yield of wine per hectare (by 26 hectoliters), enforcing that only the best grape bunches make it to press. At the end of new production chain, each bottle passes through a professional oenologists evaluation and receives the Italian government seal. Bottling halted on wines regulated under the former governing body, signified by the IGT label, on Aug. 1, 2018, and now all bottles produced in the region and labeled DOC Delle Venezie meet the new qualitative parameters. Dont Shelve It! Pinot grigio is intended to be consumed young. Enjoy within the first year or two of the vintage, paired with vegetarian dishes and appetizers; mushrooms; fish and shellfish, particularly mussels; French fries; and of course, sweltering days. These 2017 offerings, bottled under the new appellation, are worth a try. Astoria Alisia ($12): Apple, pear, and straw on the nose, characteristic acidity with harmonious white fruits on the palate and crisp finish. Corte Moschina Granetto ($14): Strong nose of peaches and apple and notes of the same, and hints of grass on the palate. Fresh, almost dainty acidity. Enoitalia Gemma di Luna ($13): Another intense nose, this one of juicy apples and a pleasingly crisp, harmonic finish also reminiscent of apple. SIDEBOX: Pinot Grigio Primer Pinot grigio and pinot gris are interchangeable, as they are the same grape, but its useful to keep in mind that pinot grigio refers to a dry, crisp Italian style while pinot gris suggests the fruity French style. The grape varies from gray-blue to brownish-pink to green, sometimes all on the same bunch, and is a mutation of pinot noir. The quintessential pinot grigios of Italy are lauded for simplicity, clean and zesty yet carrying personality and sometimes even nuance. The best are mineral-driven and typically exhibit light pear, apple, and peach notes, along with citrus and that signature acidity. Such delicate noses and palates are well suited to their light to medium body. Italian pinot grigio is produced in stainless steel tanks and does not undergo malolactic fermentation, which preserves the wines acidity. Amanda Burrill sees through an adventurous lens, typically focused on culinary and travel. Her education includes a bachelors in archaeology, a masters in journalism, a culinary degree from Le Cordon Bleu, and wine and spirits credentials earned while living in Paris. She is a U.S. Navy veteran, Ironman triathlete, high-alpine mountaineer, and injury connoisseur who ruminates on UnchartedLifestyleMag.com Pictures Show Five Children Killed in Church Van Crash While Traveling to Disney World Truck driver in fatal crash had several tickets, including speeding Five children who died in a fiery Florida crash were traveling in a church van heading to Disney World, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Local news outlets published photos of the children. The Florida Highway Patrol named the five children as 14-year-old Joel Cloud, 14-year-old Jeremiah Warren, 9-year-old Cierra Bordelan, 13-year-old Cara Descant, and 10-year-old Brieanna Descant. I am asking everyone to please keep the Marksville United Pentecostal Church in your prayers-pastor: Bro. Eric Descant! Alex Madrigal 201914 According to News4Jax, they were traveling from Marksville, Louisiana, which is about 700 miles from Disney World. They were an hour away from the theme park when the crash occurred along Interstate 75 in Gainesville. The accident also left two truckers dead. Steve Holland of West Palm Beach, one of the truckers, was cited between 2000 and 2014 in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Florida for traffic violations, driving an unsafe vehicle, driving without proof of insurance, and driving an overloaded vehicle, reported WPBF. The station reported that he was driving north on Interstate 75 on Jan. 3 when he veered into another vehicle, lost control, and passed over the center divider, hitting the church van with children inside as well as another truck. The other truck driver that was killed, was identified as 49-year-old Douglas Bolkema of Albuquerque, New Mexico, WPBF reported. At least eight other people were injured, some seriously, in the crash, reported Florida Today. Several other children were injured seriously or critically. Photos and video footage showed a large fire engulfing several vehicles. It is a heartbreaking event, Lt. Patrick Riordan said Jan. 4. Truck driver in fatal I-75 crash has ties to West Palm Beach.http://bit.ly/2RbCCTw WPBF 25 News 201914 I didnt believe that it had happened, a friend of deceased 14-year-old victim Jeremiah Warren told First Coast News. I cried a little bit. The pastors wife is in critical condition and has broken ribs as well as a broken collarbone, the report said. Another injured woman from the church van was pregnant, according to the report. The unborn child is expected to be fine, the church said. The church asked for prayers following the accident, the report said. Disney World spokeswoman Jacquee Wahler expressed condolences to the victims families. There are no words to convey the sorrow we feel for those involved, she said, News4Jax reported. We extend heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones impacted by this tragic accident. The crash is still under investigation, said officials. Victims Identified The highway patrol identified the occupants of the five vehicles involved in the crash and listed their status: Steve Holland, 59, West Palm Beach, deceased Robyn Rattray, 41, Gainesville, seriously injured The Louisiana District United Pentecostal Church International has set up a fund where you can donate to the families upended by this tragedy. WJXT4 The Local Station / News4JAX 201914 Amy Joffiron, 45, of Mansura, Louisana, seriously injured Ali Laborde, 30, of Marksville, Louisana, seriously injured Karen Descant, 50, of Marksville, Louisana, critically injured Noah Joffiron, 14, Mansura, Louisana, seriously injured Chelsea Laborde, 11, of Marksville, Louisana, seriously injured Trinity Woodward, 9, of Hessmer, Louisana, seriously injured Chance Bernard, 9, of Hessmer, Louisana, seriously injured Joel Cloud, 14, of Marksville, Louisana, deceased Jeremiah Warren, 14, of Marksville, Louisana, deceased Cierra Bordelan, 9, of Marksville, Louisana, deceased Cara Descant, 13, of Marksville, Louisana, deceased Brieana Descant, 10, of Marksville, La., deceased Douglas Bolkema, 49, of Albuquerque, deceased Mark Houghtaling, 61, of Gainesville, uninjured Rear Adm. Kevin Sweeney is the third senior Pentagon official to resign in recent weeks. (Department of Defense) Pentagon Chief of Staff Resigns The Pentagons chief of staff to the secretary of defense resigned Jan. 6, becoming the third senior staff member of the department in recent weeks to depart following President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. Ive decided the time is right to return to the private sector, Rear Adm. Kevin Sweeney, who was in the position for two years, said in a short statement announcing his decision. Sweeney, who did not mention the president in his statement, paid tribute to the men and women of the Department of Defense, adding that it has been an honor to serve again alongside them. Sweeneys replacement has not yet been announced. His departure comes on the heels of another senior staff member, Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White, who stepped down at the end of December. Whites resignation came in the middle of an internal Defense Department investigation into her conduct after a number of complaints from other staff were filed against her. I appreciate the opportunity afforded to me by this administration, White said in a short Dec. 31 statement on Twitter. It has been my honor and privilege. Stay safe and God bless. Sweeneys resignation also comes just five days after Jim Mattis left his post as defense secretary on Jan. 1two months earlier than the previously planned February 2019 departure date. Trump named Patrick Shanahan as the Acting Secretary of Defense who has been serving in the post since Jan. 1. The four-star general highlighted policy differences he had with the president in his letter of resignation. He said Trump has the right to have a secretary of defense whose views are better aligned with yours. The presidents withdrawal of troops, one of his 2016 campaign promises, comes after he argued the United States should not be policing the Middle East. Trump also declared victory against the ISIS terrorist group, another reason he gave for the troop withdrawal. ISIS has lost all of the territory it once held in Iraq and controls only one percent of the territory it once held in Syria, according to a November report by the Department of Defense. Trump said in December that he would be slowing down the troop withdrawal process and reiterated his commitment to defeating ISIS. He also criticized the high cost of keeping troops in the war-torn country. ISIS is mostly gone, were slowly sending our troops back home to be with their families, while at the same time fighting ISIS remnants, he said. The United States has spent $6 trillion on post-9/11 wars in the Middle East, according to the Watson Institute of International and Public Affairs. Sweeney retired as a Rear Admiral from the U.S. Navy in 2014 following a two-year assignment as Commander of Carrier Strike Group TEN, according to his bio. A Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 777 is seen at Stockholm Arlanda International Airport, on Sept. 25, 2010. (Fredrik Persson/AFP/Getty Images) Pakistan International Airlines Tells Obese Cabin Crew to Lose Weight or Be Fired: Memo Pakistan International Airlines is drawing controversy after it reportedly told obese employees of its cabin crew to lose weight in 2019 or risk being fired. Pakistani news outlet ARY News, on Jan. 2 published a memo from the airliner, showing that management wants to gradually reduce waiver of 30 pounds excess weight to zero pounds in upcoming months for the cabin crew. It stipulated, any crew found above 30 pounds from the desired weight after 31st January, 2019, will be grounded and referred to Air Crew Medical Center for medical evaluation & treatment until weight is reduced up to desired standard/BMI, according to the news outlet. Pakistan International Airlines tells 'obese' cabin crew to lose weight or be groundedhttps://t.co/13tpMBGm8z Rob Christie (@RobChristie11) January 6, 2019 It added, Henceforth, weight check of all the cabin crew will be carried out at their base stations respectively and comprehensive data will be maintained for the perusal of management. According to USA Today, the memo was sent to 1,800 flight crew members by Aamir Bashir, the general manager of passenger handling services. Mashhood Tajwar, a spokesman for Pakistan International Airlines, told CNN the memo was a regular, routine situation. The airline sent it out to make sure the firm had slim, smart, and fit flight attendants after it apparently faced concerns about obese flight attendants. Tajwar also told Fox News that about 100 cabin crew members have to lose the weight by July 1. No one would like to have shabby crew in the aircraft, he added. In 2014, Indias civil aviation regulator said a body mass index (BMI) of between 18 and 25 is required for male cabin crew members. It also mandated a BMI of 18 to 22 for female crew members. Men with a BMI between 25 and 29.99 and women with a BMI of 22 to 27 are considered overweight, CNN reported. Pakistan International Airlines, meanwhile, also recently fired pilots with fake college degrees, AFP reported on Dec. 31. The news agency noted that the firm has been hammered by controversies and debt in recent years. Pakistani International Airlines is warning its cabin crew staffers to watch their weight. USA TODAY 201914 The airline has dismissed from service its 50 staffers including three pilots for holding fake high school degrees, Tajwar said of the firings. Six pilots were fired for the same reason, he added. In 2016, Pakistan International Airlines was criticized for sacrificing a goat next to one of its planes to prevent bad luck. It came weeks after one of its planes crashed, killing 47 people. Good move. Fresh mutton on flight menu, wrote Nadeem Farooq Paracha, a Dawn blogger and columnist, at the time, according to the BBC. In 2017, the firm was slammed for forgetting two dead bodies that were slated to be transported from Pakistan to New York. The airliner also faced drug-smuggling investigations after drugs were seized on a plane heading from Pakistan to Dubai in 2016. Mom Horrified After Woman in Vegetative State Gives Birth at Arizona Nursing Facility: Report The mother of a woman who has been in a vegetative state for 14 years and recently gave birth, issued a statement in the wake of the incident. A patient at Hacienda HealthCare in Phoenix went into labor and gave birth on Dec. 29, 2018. But the woman has been in a near-vegetative state after she was involved in a near-drowning incident from more than a decade, AZFamily.com first reported. Police are now investigating a likely sexual assault incident. In the report, a worker said nursing staff had no idea the unnamed woman was pregnant until she went into labor. The patient had no ability to communicate in any way. None of the staff were aware that she was pregnant until she was pretty much giving birth, the unidentified staff member told the outlet. Several staff members had access to the patient, who requires care 24 hours per day. The womans mother, Karina Cesena, told AZFamily on Jan. 5 that trust has been broken. A near-drowning incident at least a decade ago left the alleged victim in that condition and she's been a patient at a healthcare facility ever since, a source tells CBS affiliate, KPHO-TV. CBS News 201914 Trust has definitely been broken, she continued, adding that her daughter had lived at Hacienda Skilled Nursing Facility for several years. After the womans brain injury, she has several hundred seizures per day. Cesena said she was horrified to learn the new developments and is staying in her daughters room 24 hours per day until a suspect is found. I do not [know if my daughter was victimized], but I do ask her, and she can answer yes or no, Cesena told the outlet. She is not able to walk or talk yet, but she does understand. The first AZFamily.com report said the baby is healthy. Another parent of a patient at the facility said hes making changes to his sons room. A lot of people are mad, my family included, Gary Londer said of his son, who is in a coma. Hes now bringing a WiFi camera to his room. Im going to hook it up in a room and put on the door that this room is under video surveillance, he said. Londer and Cesena said the facility previously had one security guard, but now it has more since news broke about the assault. The said male staff are now required to have female staff with them when they go into a female patients room. Cesena said she is looking to move her daughter to another facility. We dont understand why something of this magnitude could happen, and then now everybody wants to be quiet about it, Cesena said. The New York Times reported that the facility was previously cited for privacy violations after patients complained that employees would walk in on them when they showered. In 2013, a male staffer was fired after there were complaints that he made sexually suggestive remarks to patients. The nursing facility houses 74 patients, and the Arizona Department of Health Services sent inspectors to check on the safety of the patients, the paper reported. New Statement A Hacienda HealthCare representative issued another statement after the story received national coverage from the Times, the Washington Post, and other news outlets. Hacienda HealthCare has been in business in Arizona for more than 50 years. In that time, we have reliably and safely served thousands of residents and their families. We are proud of our record and our position as an industry leader in caring for the intellectually and developmentally disabled, the statement read, AZFamily reported. It added: With that said, we have recently become aware of a deeply disturbing incident involving the health and safety of a Hacienda resident. While federal and state privacy laws prohibit us from publicly discussing a patients health or case, Hacienda has and will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement and all the relevant regulatory agencies regarding this matter. The statement then concludes: As an organization, Hacienda HealthCare stands fully committed to getting to the truth of what, for us, represents an unprecedented matter. We are already conducting a comprehensive internal review of our processes, protocols, and people to ensure that every single Hacienda resident is as safe and well cared for as possible. Anything less than that is unacceptable to our team, our companys leaders and the communities we serve. US Military Kills Leader of USS Cole Terror Attack, Trump Says The U.S. armed forces have killed Jamal al-Badawi, the man who led the deadly terrorist attack in 2000 on the USS Cole, according to President Donald Trump. The U.S. military said Jan. 4 that it carried out a strike in Yemen targeting al-Badawi, but the results were still being assessed at the time. Trump wrote on Twitter on Jan. 6 that al-Badawi was killed. Our GREAT MILITARY has delivered justice for the heroes lost and wounded in the cowardly attack on the USS Cole, Trump wrote on Twitter. We have just killed the leader of that attack, Jamal al-Badawi. Our work against al Qaeda continues. We will never stop in our fight against Radical Islamic Terrorism! U.S. Central Command said in a statement that the Jan. 1 strike in the Marib governorate of Yemen had targeted al-Badawi, who was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2003 and was wanted for his role in the USS Cole attack and an attempted attack on USS The Sullivans. Al-Badawi was captured in Yemen and sentenced to death in 2004. However, he escaped from prison in Yemen twiceonce in 2003 and again in 2006. There was a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest. On Oct. 12, 2000, two men in a small boat detonated explosives alongside the USS Cole, a guided-missile destroyer as it was refueling in Aden, Yemen. The terrorists blasted a gaping hole in its hull, killing 17 sailors, and wounding more than three dozen others. Two of the six terrorists involved in the USS Cole attack who were charged by Yemen were sentenced to death. In 2007, al-Badawi surrendered to Yemeni authorities as part of a deal with the al-Qaeda terrorist group. The Yemeni authorities freed himeven though he was wanted by the FBIin return for a promise that he wouldnt engage in violent al-Qaeda activity. During a state visit to Saudi Arabia in 2017, Trump positioned the fight against radical Islamic terrorism as the centerpiece of his foreign policy in the Middle East. In the past 30 days, radical Islamic terrorists have carried out 87 attacks in 23 countries, killing 732 people and injuring more than 400, according to a database maintained by TheReligionofPeace.com. Islamic terrorists have carried out more 34,000 deadly terror attacks since Sept. 11, 2001. Reuters contributed to this report. Man Dies of Heart Failure Just Hours After Being Turned Away From Hospital Police are investigating the death of a man who was suffering from heart problems just hours after he was turned away from a hospital, his wife said. Spendi Rusitovski, 46, died in the back of an ambulance after he crashed his vehicle into a ditch. But, the medical examiner said it wasnt the crash that killed him. Some are wondering if his death could have been avoided. A week before Christmas, Rusitovski and his wife went to Ascension SE Wisconsins hospital in Franklin because he was experiencing chest pains, the Journal Sentinel reported. There was reason to be worried. In July, the auto repair shop owner had surgery to insert stents, which are typically used to help open arteries and reduce the chance of a heart attack. During the Dec. 17 visit to the Franklin hospital, a sonogram test revealed an issue with Rusitovskis chest pains, and his primary doctor wanted to admit him to the hospital due to the serious nature of the sonogram results, according to police and medical examiner reports. But there was a problem as no beds were available. So Rusitovski was sent home. He was told that the hospital would call him when a bed was available, the report said. But that call would come too late. After the hospital visit, just blocks from his Oak Creek home, Rusitovskis vehicle went off the road, crashing into a telephone pole and coming to rest in the ditch. He was a quarter-mile from his home. I noticed the lights were coming more towards me, and I swerved, and I saw him go down in the ditch and hit the pole, Ashley Spitza who saw the crash said. When the police arrived, Rusitovski was still alive. As he sat trapped in his SUV, Rusitovski told the police officers on the scene he was feeling chest pains and needed to get to an emergency room, reports said. By the time he was freed from the SUV and moved to a gurney, Rusitovski had lost consciousness. Life support was unsuccessful. He was declared dead in the back of the ambulance. Rusitovskis cause of death was coronary artery disease, the medical examiner ruled. He arrived complaining of chest pains and was told he should go home and wait to hear from the hospital about a bed opening up. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 201914 Investigations Continue After the incident, Rusitovskis wife, Edina, retained an attorney to look into the cause of her husbands death. That investigation continues, her attorney, Benjamin Wagner of Habush Habush & Rottier, said on Jan. 4. We are further investigating the facts and circumstances preceding and surrounding the unfortunate and tragic demise of Mr. Rusitovski, Wagner said. When WISN 12 News asked an Ascension spokeswoman to verify that Rusitovski had been turned away from the hospital, her only reply was: Out of respect for each individuals right to privacy and to comply with applicable state and federal laws, Ascension Wisconsin is unable to comment. The Ascension facility in Franklin has the capacity to hold 52 beds. However, it currently only has 44 beds available, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. According to the companys website, the Franklin facility has an emergency department capable of providing early intervention for heart attacks and chest pain. Rusitovskis case raises multiple questions under federal regulation. Under the law, patients cannot be turned away or transferred from a hospital until they are stabilized. Called the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, or EMTALA, the law was passed in 1986 to prevent patient dumping, the practice of hospitals turning away patients because of poor insurance or inability to pay. Watch Next: How Doctors in China are Asked to Commit Murder Former Chinese surgeon Enver Tohti said he was turned into a killing robot while thinking he was working for a great cause. Malaysias King Abdicates After Two Years on Throne KUALA LUMPURMalaysias King Muhammad V abdicated on Jan. 6, the palace said, after two years on the throne, the first time a monarch has stepped down before completing their five-year tenure. The kings resignation took effect immediately, the National Palace said in a statement. No reason was given and palace officials did not respond to requests for comment. A week ago, the king, 49, had resumed duties after spending two months on medical leave. Images purporting to show him getting married in Russia appeared on social media in December. The palace did not respond to requests for comment on the photos or reports of a marriage. Last year it was reported that Malaysia king was married in #Russia to a beauty queen pic.twitter.com/gKM4Ii3lyv Guy Elster (@guyelster) January 6, 2019 Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy and the king assumes a largely ceremonial role. However, the kings assent is needed before the appointment of a prime minister or senior public officials. Malaysia has nine royal households, who typically take turns to sit on the throne, and the selection of the next king is decided by a vote in the Council of Rulers, made up of all nine royal households. The palace statement said the king, who took the throne in December 2016, was grateful for the opportunity given to him by the Council of Rulers and thanked the prime minister and government for their cooperation during his rule. JUST IN Sultan Muhammad V resigns as Yang DiPertuan Agong effective today (January 6) according to a statement by Istana Negara. More to follow on https://t.co/D6c0wGNOBO pic.twitter.com/TpxMwRIJVL malaysiakini.com (@malaysiakini) January 6, 2019 His Highness has worked towards fulfilling his responsibilities entrusted to him as the head of state, serving as a pillar of stability, source of justice, the core of unity for the people, the palace statement said. The New Straits Times reported there had been tensions between the palace and the government of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who led the opposition to an election win in May. Mahathir, known for challenging royalty during his past 22-year tenure as prime minister, said in a blog post last week that everyone from the Rulers to the Prime Minister and Ministers, to the civil servants and ordinary citizens are subject to the law. He did not elaborate. In June, the government and palace faced a near two-week impasse over a plan to appoint a non-Malay as attorney-general. The king eventually approved the appointment. By Joseph Sipalan Special counsel Robert Mueller (L) arrives at the U.S. Capitol for closed meeting with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington on June 21, 2017. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Judge Extends Term of Grand Jury in Mueller Probe A federal judge extended the term of the grand jury weighing evidence in the Russia investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller, the judges aide said Jan. 4. The U.S. District Court in Washington impaneled the grand jury in July 2017 for an 18-month term, the maximum term under federal rules. A federal judge can extend the term if the court determines that doing so is in the public interest. The term of the Mueller grand jury was set to expire Jan. 6. The extension is a sign that Mueller needs more time to wrap up the probe. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller in 2017 to investigate allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, as well as any matters that arise from the investigation. The special counsel hasnt brought forth any charges related to collusion. The Chief Judge has confirmed that the term of Grand Jury 17-01 has been extended, Lisa Klem, special assistant to Chief Judge Beryl Howell, said in a statement. Howell didnt confirm the length of the extension granted, Klem said. Peter Carr, the spokesman for the special counsel, declined to comment. Trump has repeatedly slammed the Mueller probe, calling it a witch hunt and saying that the real collusion was between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russia. The president is likely mentioning his 2016 election opponent because the Clinton campaign paid for the opposition research dossier on Trump that led to the probe. The dossier was compiled by a former British spy who used second- and third-hand sources with ties to the Kremlin. Moscow has denied all allegations of collusion. Mueller charged several Russians as part of the investigation but accused no Americans of colluding with Russia. The charges against Trump-campaign associates, including Paul Manafort and Michael Flynn, are also unrelated to the allegations of collusion. The full scope of the special counsel probe remains classified. Reuters contributed to this report. Migrants break through the U.S. border fence just beyond the east pedestrian entrance of the San Ysidro crossing in Tijuana, Mexico, on Nov. 25, 2018. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Highly Organized Migrant Caravans Draw Support From Taxpayer-Funded US Groups, UN Caravans are using women and children as human shields The migrant caravans now storming our borders arent spontaneous. Theyre highly organized and are being assisted by multiple agencies of the United Nations and numerous illegal alien-advocacy groups. In the recent rushes to overwhelm the border, migrants placed women and children in front as human shields while they pelted the Border Patrol with rocks. Two related Chicago-based organizations, Pueblo Sin Fronteras (People Without Borders), a project of La Familia Latina Unida (The United Latin Family), and Centro Sin Fronteras Community Services Network, were heavily involved in organizing the caravan. Reports claim there were at least 100 Pueblo Sin Fronteras workers embedded with the caravan. Emma Lozano, founder of both Centro and Pueblo, is a left-wing activist and a pastor at the Lincoln United Methodist Church in Chicago. She fights the deportation of illegals and wants Illinois to become an immigrant freedom zone. She has stated, We need to change America; we are all America. Lozano has been assisted by La Familia Latina Unida founder Elvira Arellano, an illegal alien who advocates for her fellow illegals. She was deported in 1997 but quickly returned. She was arrested again in 2002 for using a false Social Security number. She faced possible deportation but avoided it through the personal intervention of then-Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and community pressure. Both Lozano and Arellano work with another immigrant-advocacy group, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). Additional help was provided by the CARA Family Detention Project, which offers pro-bono legal help to illegals, and the Popular Assembly of Migrant Families, a Mexico-based group that organizes caravans. Reportedly, CARA has been coordinating caravan efforts with Pueblo Sin Fronteras from bases in the United States. Government Funding Centro Sin Fronteras also receives donations from foundations that get government funding. The Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) receives about 10 percent of its grant money from the government. CLINIC works closely with CARA, and distributes much of its grant money to Catholic Charities and other organizations specifically to assist immigrants in becoming citizens and to push for amnesty. CLINIC has received at least $2.2 million from George Soros Open Society Foundations since 2002. The Ford Foundation, probably the largest supporter of open borders, has provided $2.9 million since 2011, according to Foundation Search. Centro also received over $1.5 million from the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) between 2010 and 2012. ICIRR, in turn, gets 80 percent of its funding from the state of Illinois. From 2015 to 2017, ICIRR received $15.3 million from the Illinois Department of Human Services and other government sources, according to IRS returns. Some of the state money likely came from the federal governments Refugee and Entrant Assistance State Administered programs, one of numerous HHS grant programs for refugees and illegal aliens. During those same years, the Illinois DHS received $24.6 million through this program. ICIRR distributed $11,000 to $246,000 in government grant money to each of 59 separate organizations for Immigrant and Refugee Rights in 2017 alone. According to its 2015 tax return, ICIRR also provides comprehensive services to assist Illinois more than 325,000 legal permanent residents become U.S. citizens. Left-Wing Funding The National Immigration Forum has provided at least $60,000 to Centro Sin Fronteras. NIF describes itself as a conservative pro-immigrant organization, but gets its funding, $5.5 million in 2016, from liberal funders, including the Open Society Foundations. Another extreme Left organization helping out is the National Lawyers Guild, labeled a Communist front by Congress decades ago. Its a subsidiary of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, founded as a Soviet propaganda front. NLG has brought volunteer attorneys to help caravan migrants with their asylum applications. NLG is heavily involved in the open borders movement through its National Immigration Project, and gets ample funding from Soros and others who focus on immigration issues. The Ford Foundation has provided at least $1.3 million to NLG since 2002. The NLG partners with many open borders groups, for example, CASA de Maryland, an influential Maryland-based illegal alien-advocacy group that also receives government money. Dozens of Buses Many media reports focused on the mass of caravan migrants, estimated at anywhere between 4,000 and 12,000, walking doggedly on the 1,000-plus-mile journey to the border. But left unreported, the caravan made most of the trip by bus. Journalist and filmmaker Ami Horowitz reported directly from Mexico, where he was embedded with the migrants. Horowitz said that the migrants walked some of the way, but thatthey had chartered these almost luxury tour buses, just dozens of them. Horowitz said that what struck him most was the degree of organization and dollars involved. [The buses] didnt come from nothing, this isnt manna from Heaven. This was highly organized, chartered, and thats how they got this caravan 1,000 miles across Mexico, he said. Horowitz estimated just the cost of providing water to the caravan is almost $1 million. He added that the Mexican government didnt want the caravan in Mexico, so it was always under police escort. Poke Trump in the Eye Horowitz also revealed another major source of assistance: the United Nations. He said there were numerous U.N. organizations on the ground in Mexico, most prominently, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and UNICEF. These organizations provided an incredible degree of services, including mobile hospitals, childrens services and more. They also trained migrants how to speak to the press using words that would inspire sympathy, and gave powerpoint presentations explaining what to tell border agents in order to apply for asylum. According to Horowitz, in a phone interview, the UNHCR representative admitted that the UNHCR had been involved in the caravan from the beginning, and acknowledged that part of its purpose was to poke Trump in the eye. Horowitz said that the goal of all the groups involved was to degrade U.S. security degrade U.S. sovereignty and to create this manufactured crisis, which they did in order to push the agenda. Horowitz estimated the caravans to be comprised of about 90 percent men. Women and children were present, but they were a small minority, no doubt included to boost the sympathy factor. When caravan males tried to storm the San Ysidro border crossing in late November, and again on New Years Eve, the Border Patrol turned them back with tear gas. The presence of women and children caused an outcry in the media. But none reported that the men thrust women and children forward as human shields, while they pelted Border Patrol personnel with rocks. Every migrant interviewed by Horowitz said that they joined the caravan for economic reasons. None cited danger or violence at home. The migrant caravans are also complicating an already difficult job for border agencies. Preoccupied with those attempting to cross, the border agencies cant simultaneously protect the more remote areas of the border, leaving many opportunities for drug smugglers and terrorists to enter the United States. CAIR Supports In December of 2018, the Council on American-Islamic Relations announced it intended to assemble activists in San Diego to support the caravans: December 10, representatives of chapters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nations largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, will join hundreds of other faith leaders from around the nation at a solidarity action for asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego, as part of the Love Knows No Borders: A Moral Call for Migrant Justice mobilization, organized by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). (Emphasis theirs.) The AFSC is a nominally Quaker group with ties to the Communist Party USA and its Soviet overseers going back to the 1920s. AFSC has also formed an alliance with MEChA, the radical Latino group whose goal is to retake portions of the Southwest sold by Mexico to the United States in 1848. Even without the caravans, however, recent Southwest border apprehension statistics show that at least 10,000 to 12,000 are coming to the border every week separately. James Simpson is an economist, former White House budget analyst, businessman, and investigative journalist. His latest book is The Red-Green Axis: Refugees, Immigration and the Agenda to Erase America. Follow Jim on Twitter and Facebook. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Former Secretary of Defense Harold Brown at the White House on Jan. 5, 2006. The Rand Corp. said Brown, the defense secretary during the Carter administration, had died on Jan. 4, 2019. He was 91. (Ron Edmonds/AP Photo/File) Former Defense Secretary Harold Brown Dies at 91 WASHINGTONHarold Brown, who as defense secretary in the Carter administration championed cutting-edge fighting technology during a tenure that included the failed rescue of hostages in Iran, has died at age 91. Brown died Friday, Jan. 4, said the Rand Corp., the California-based think tank, which Brown served as a trustee for more than 35 years. His sister, Leila Brennet, said he died at his home in Rancho Santa Fe, California. Brown was a nuclear physicist who led the Pentagon to modernize its defense systems with weapons that included precision-guided cruise missiles, stealth aircraft, advanced satellite surveillance, and improved communications and intelligence systems. He successfully campaigned to increase the Pentagon budget during his term, despite skepticism inside the White House and from Democrats in Congress. That turbulent period included the Soviet Unions invasion of Afghanistan and the Iranian hostage crisis. An effort in April 1980 to rescue the hostages failed when one of the helicopters on the mission struck a tanker aircraft in eastern Iran and crashed, killing eight U.S. servicemen. I considered the failed rescue attempt my greatest regret and most painful lesson learned, Brown wrote in his book Star Spangled Security. Brown faced numerous obstacles when he took the job as Pentagon chief, including pressure to reduce the defense budget both from within the administration and from influential congressional Democrats. When I became secretary of defense in 1977, the military services, most of all the Army, were disrupted badly by the Vietnam War. There was general agreement that the Soviet Union outclassed the West in conventional military capability, especially in ground forces in Europe, he wrote later. Wary of the growing Soviet threat, Brown sought to withstand the pressure to cut defense and, gradually, managed to increase spending. The constant Cold War competition raged hot during the Carter administration and preoccupied me throughout the four years, Brown wrote. He noted later, The Defense Department budget in real terms was 10 to 12 percent more when we left than when we came in, which he said was not an easy accomplishment. And he cited the technological advances in defense systems, especially weapons systems such as precision-guided cruise missiles, stealth aircraft, and advanced satellite surveillance. Some of these came to visible fruition 10 years later during Desert Storm, which reversed Saddam Husseins occupation of Kuwait, he wrote. The Carter administration initiated and developed these programs, the Reagan administration paid for their acquisition in many cases, and the George H.W. Bush administration employed them. Brown later maintained that his extensive work with the Soviets on the arms race was not wasted. We also reached a specific strategic arms control agreement with the Soviet Union, he wrote. Though never formally ratified, the agreement was adhered to by both parties and limited Soviet threats that our other conventional and nuclear weapons programs were designed to counter. The acting defense secretary, Patrick Shanahan, said in a statement Saturday that Browns steady leadership piloted our nation through a consequential segment of the Cold War. His focus on deterrence through a strong nuclear triad facilitated long-term peace and stability in the United States and Europe. Shanahan praised Brown for his devoted leadership and lifetime of service. Brown was born in New York City on Sept. 19, 1927, attended public schools and went to Columbia University on an accelerated wartime schedule, receiving an undergraduate degree in physics in 1945 when I was not quite 18, then going to graduate school at Columbia, receiving a doctorate in physics. Not long after graduation he moved to California and went to work on projects that related to the development of plutonium. He then went to work at a nuclear weapons lab. He worked his way up to director of the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory at Livermore in 1960. In 1961, Defense Secretary Robert McNamara invited him to be director of defense research and engineering in the Kennedy administration. In 1965 he became secretary of the Air Force during the Johnson administration and, as he described it later, served in that role through some of the most difficult and divisive parts of the Vietnam War. After the 1968 election put a Republican, Richard Nixon, back in the White House, Brown accepted the position of president at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena serving until he went back into government work and was a delegate to the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks in the 1970sCarter nominated Brown to be defense secretary in 1977. He was quickly confirmed and served throughout Carters term. During the 1980 campaign, Brown actively defended the Carter administrations policies, speaking frequently on national issues in public. After leaving the Pentagon, he remained in Washington, joining the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies as a visiting professor and later the universitys Foreign Policy Institute as chairman. He remained active in matters of national security, including service on the Defense Policy Board, which meets quarterly to offer perspectives to the current secretary of defense. He served as a consultant to many corporations, often serving as a member of the board of directors. Carter awarded Brown the Presidential Medal of Freedom. President Bill Clinton gave him the Energy Departments Enrico Fermi Award for achievement in science and technology. At a farewell address from his job as defense secretary, Brown said, Most satisfying of all is that for four years our nation remained at peace despite the world tensions and turmoil that constantly pose challenges to our interest and peace. Facebook and Google Congressional Hearings: Meaningless Resolve and Phony Apologies Commentary In 2018, I was offered the opportunity to share important information regarding surveillance and data-mining business practices employed by Facebook and Google with the Senate and House Judiciary committees. I was able to participate in several conference calls with staffers, plus provide the staffers with important information pertaining to the congressional hearings involving Facebook Chairman/CEO Mark Zuckerberg (Senate Judiciary hearing held on April 10, 2018) and Google CEO Sundar Pichai (House Judiciary hearing held on Dec. 11, 2018). I submitted information to several senatorial and House Judiciary Committee staffers pertaining to violations of consumer law, plus civil liberty, privacy, cyber security, safety, and smartphone-user exploitation threats associated with the terms of use that support addictive, intrusive, and harmful content developed by Facebook and Google. The staffers included individuals who work for Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), plus the House Judiciary Committee. After watching the Facebook and Google hearings, I was appalled that they were more about politics than protecting citizens, teens, children, and business professionals from companies that employ harmful surveillance and data-mining business practices. Both hearings left numerous unanswered questions regarding the harmful business practices employed by both companies, which need to be addressed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), state attorneys general, and lawmakers. Additionally, the hearings ended with what amounted to empty apologies by both executives, while both companies continue to do business as usual. At the Facebook congressional hearing, what was laughable was that on several occasions, lawmakers actually suggested that Facebook help write future privacy-centric legislation meant to protect consumers of smartphones and connected technology. I have news for those lawmakers: Companies such as Google have their lobbyists write legislation, according to Eric Schmidt, the former chairman/CEO of Google and former chairman of Alphabet Inc. (Googles now-parent company): The average American doesnt realize how much of the laws are written by lobbyists to protect the incumbent interests, Schmidt told then-Atlantic editor James Bennet at the Washington Ideas Forum in 2010, while Schmidt was CEO at Google. Its shocking how the system actually works. Washington is an incumbent protection machine, Schmidt said. Technology is fundamentally disruptive.' I was to sadly learn that hardly any of the information pertaining to the violation of consumer laws and threats that I provided to the staffers was actually addressed by lawmakers during the hearings. Misleading Testimony During the congressional hearings that took place in 2018, Zuckerberg and Pichai implied that tech giants such as Facebook and Google dont sell their product users identifiable personal information to third-parties such as advertisers. Thats either a half-truth or a possible lie, according to Googles published (online) terms of use and the unpublished (hidden in the device) Android application legalese that supports Android apps, such as the Facebook app. Googles online terms of use state that Google doesnt sell or share identifiable personal information to third-parties, yet Googles Android application legalese clearly states that Google does share identifiable personal information to numerous third-parties that Google describes as others. Dont take my word for it. See for yourself: Googles published (online) privacy policy 2018: We may share non-personally identifiable information publicly and with our partnerslike publishers, advertisers, developers, or rights holders. For example, we share information publicly to show trends about the general use of our services. We also allow specific partners to collect information from your browser or device for advertising and measurement purposes using their own cookies or similar technologies. Android application legalese on a Samsung Galaxy Note smartphone supported by the Android OS: Your Personal Information app permission: Allows apps to read personal-profile information stored on your device, such as your name and contact information. This means apps can identify you and may send your profile information to others. Which is it? Google should have to explain the contradiction regarding its published (online) and unpublished (hidden in the device) terms of use to the FTC, FCC, state attorneys general, lawmakers, and members of the House Judiciary Committee. I submitted that to members of the House Judiciary Committee, prior to the Google congressional hearing on Dec. 11, 2018. During the hearing, which centered on Googles data collection methods, not a single lawmaker challenged Pichai when it came to the knowledge that Google, and its content developers such as Facebook, can, in fact, identify telecom and tech-product users by way of uncontrollable pre-installed Android content such as smartphone apps. Not only do intrusive Android apps enable Google and Android content developers to identify a smartphone user, but they also enable the identification of the users contacts, which include family, friends, business colleagues, plus other people who are listed in the users electronic address book. Heres another example of the legalese associated with the contacts (electronic address book) app on a Samsung Galaxy Note smartphone: Contacts app permission and application product warning: Allows the app to read data about your contacts stored on your phone, including the frequency with which youve called, emailed, or communicated in other ways with specific individuals. This permission allows apps to save your contact data, and malicious apps may share contact data without your knowledge. So, Google and Facebook can also track the way the smartphone user connects with his or her contacts, whether it be by phone, email, or other forms of communication. This is beyond creepy, especially considering the number of developers worldwide who develop Android content for Google, other than Facebook. Did you notice the Android contacts application legalese contains an application product warning regarding the fact that malicious apps may share your contact data without your knowledge? Selling Access to Product Users Zuckerberg and Pichai also implied that Facebook and Google product users have full control over their personal information and data, which is another half-truth or possible lie, because Facebook and Google sell access to their product users. In 2018 alone, Facebook, Google, and telecom providers have all been caught enabling data brokers and multinational companies, including nation-state companies from China, with the ability to indiscriminately surveil their product users while collecting surveillance data (e.g. location data) and sensitive user data (digital DNA) from smartphone, social media, and tech-product users. Smartphone and tech-product users are viewed by telecom and tech providers as uncompensated information producers who are to be exploited for financial gain by the companies that the user patronizes with their loyalty, trust, and hard-earned money. The FacebookCambridge Analytica scandal brought to light that tech giants such as Facebook sell access to their product users to bad actors, including data brokers such as Aleksandr Kogan, who created surveillance and data-mining technology in the form of a personality quiz app. He later sold the data of tens of millions of unsuspecting Facebook users to Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm. At the discretion of companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Facebook, any individual or company seems to be able to buy access to their product users by way of addictive, intrusive, and harmful technology in the form of a web browser, app, widget, or emoji. Apple isnt innocent, either. Apple CEO Tim Cook likes to present Apple over and above companies such as Google and Facebook when it comes to harmful surveillance and data-mining business practices, yet Apple sold out Apple product users to Google in a multi-billion dollar deal. This means that Google is enabled by Apple to monitor, track, and data-mine Apple product users for financial gain by way of Google apps. Many Apple product users bought Apple products years ago to get away from Googles predatory surveillance and data-mining business practices, only to find themselves on the Apple auctioning block to be sold to Google and exploited for financial gain. Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook product users are commodities to be sold to the highest bidder, whether or not the company that pays for access to the product user will misuse the personal and professional digital DNA acquired. Furthermore, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint also sold their telecom subscribers (paying customers) personal information to data brokers such as LocationSmart and Zumigo, as reported in numerous news reports in 2018. Content Developers or Hackers? Smartphone, social media, and tech-product users have no control over who is gaining access to their personal and professional digital DNA by way of surveillance and data-mining technology disguised as apps. These apps supported by misleading terms of use should be classified as a violation of consumer law regarding deceptive trade practices, since the intentions of the app developer often arent revealed within published (online) terms of use to the app user. The existence of addictive, intrusive, and harmful apps with misleading terms of use is something that I pointed out to the FTC, FCC, state attorneys general, and lawmakers on numerous occasions, including the Google and Facebook congressional hearings. Intrusive content developers such as Google and Facebook are nothing more than hackers who use harmful technology to exploit their product users for financial gain, even at the expense of the users safety, whether the user is an adult or a child. Dont take my word for it. Sean Parker, one of Facebooks co-founders, explains this clearly in an interview with Axios in November 2017: Its a social-validation feedback loop; its exactly the kind of thing that a hacker like myself would come up with, because youre exploiting a vulnerability in human psychology. The inventors, creatorsits me, its Mark [Zuckerberg], its Kevin Systrom on Instagram, its all of these peopleunderstood this consciously. And we did it anyway. God only knows what its doing to our childrens brains. Former Google product designer Tristan Harris also validated that Google uses addictive technology in order to exploit the Google product user for financial gain. The average person checks their phone 150 times a day. Why do we do this? Are we making 150 conscious choices? One major reason why is the No. 1 psychological ingredient in slot machines: intermittent variable rewards. Addictiveness is maximized when the rate of reward is most variable, he wrote in an essay on Medium. By shaping the menus we pick from, technology hijacks the way we perceive our choices and replaces them with new ones. But the closer we pay attention to the options were given, the more well notice when they dont actually align with our true needs. I pointed out the Facebook and Google admissions to the FTC, FCC, state attorneys general, and lawmakers, who to this day dont seem to care that Silicon Valley tech giants are using harmful technology to exploit their product users for financial gain, even at the expense of the users privacy and safety. News networks are still advertising smartphones, tablet PCs, and connected products that are supported by addictive, intrusive, and harmful content. Government Fails at All Levels to Protect Citizens The FTC, FCC, state attorneys general and lawmakers are failing to enforce existing consumer laws meant to protect citizens, teens, children, and business professionals from companies that employ harmful business practices supported by deceptive trade practices. Kogan, Zuckerberg, and other senior executives from Facebook and Cambridge Analytica should be indicted for putting Facebook users in harms way, rather than allowing senior executives such as Zuckerberg to make yet another empty apology to lawmakers, Facebook users, and the American public. Telecom providers also need to be held accountable for exposing paying customers to companies that employ harmful business practices. The public needs to ask why tech and telecom senior executives continue to get away with negligent, harmful, and deceptive trade practices that put citizens in harms way. Only after data brokers and other entities such as Cambridge Analytica are caught misusing personal and professional digital DNA do companies such as Facebook, Google, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint make phony apologies, while continuing to do business as usual with no consequences or government oversight. If you do file formal customer complaints with your telecom or tech providers such as Ive done, they simply respond with meaningless and nebulous information without addressing questions and concerns with detailed answers or resolve. As Ive stated before, it is bad enough to lose privacy but to be exploited for financial gain at the expense of your civil liberties, privacy, cybersecurity, and safety should be unacceptable and illegal. For every company that gets caught misusing digital DNA acquired from telecom and tech-product users, many other data brokers and other entities get away with misusing a persons personal digital DNA. The FCC, FTC, government officials, lawmakers, plus the public dont understand surveillance and data-mining business practices regarding tech giants selling access to their users rather than directly selling the users identifiable personal and professional information. According to existing consumer laws enforced at the state and federal level, its illegal to employ business practices supported by deceptive trade practices that can result in harm to the consumer. However, officials continue to turn a blind eye when it comes to harmful business practices employed by companies such as Facebook and Google. At this point, senior executives for the tobacco industry look innocent compared to telecom providers and tech companies that develop addictive, intrusive, and harmful content to exploit their paying customer for financial gain at the expense of the customers privacy and safety. At least tobacco products are sold to adults and not to teens and children. The Greatest Data Theft in the History of the World While apps provide convenience for the user, the app developer is robbing the user blind by collecting the users digital DNA to exploit for financial gain, at the expense of the product users civil liberties, privacy, cybersecurity, and safety. As Ive written before, a persons digital DNA is the most valuable commodity in the world, yet the FTC, FCC, and lawmakers simply allow telecom and tech providers to rip people off by way of addictive, intrusive, and harmful apps that are supported by misleading terms of use that are illegal, according to existing consumer laws. However, not a single member of the Senate or House Judiciary Committee challenged Zuckerberg or Pichai regarding the fact that the collective terms of use that support Facebook and Google products may be, in fact, illegal, as Ive written about before. People who dont care about personal privacy should care about being used and exploited for financial gain, at the expense of their civil liberties, privacy, cybersecurity, and safety, by the very telecom and tech providers they patronize with their loyalty, trust, and hard-earned money. After all, who wants to pay money to companies that exploit their customers like that? Google, Apple, Microsoft, Samsung, Amazon, Facebook, Baidu, and other telecom and tech providers are responsible for the greatest theft of personal and professional information in the world, because that content developed by all companies concerned is supported by misleading terms of use. The public at large needs to ask why officials are allowing these companies to get away with what amounts to theft regarding personal and professional information. We need to demand accountability from all parties concerned regarding harmful business practices employed by tech and telecom providers. Rex M. Lee is a privacy and data security consultant and Blackops Partners senior analyst and researcher. His website is MySmartPrivacy.com Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Voters queue to cast their ballot for the Democratic Republic of Congos general elections at the College St. Raphael polling station in Kinshasa, DRC, on Dec. 30, 2018. (Luis Tato/AFP/Getty Images) Congo Presidential Election Results Delayed NAIROBI, KenyaOfficials say that the preliminary results of the presidential poll in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) wont be ready by the deadline, adding more delays for announcing the results of an election that was originally supposed to be held in 2016. On Jan. 5, officials said that they wont announce the preliminary results by the Jan. 6 deadline, saying they would do so early in the week instead. The elections will replace President Joseph Kabila, who has remained in power for 18 years, succeeding his father who was assassinated in 2001. His term should have ended in 2016 according to the countrys constitution, but Kabila refused to hold elections for two years. Amidst international pressure, he eventually announced plans for a late 2018 vote. He also said he wont be seeking another term in power. In addition to repeated delays, the vote has been marred by security threats, malfunctioning voting equipment, fear of the spread of the Ebola virus, and heavy torrential rains. There also were cases reported of internet shutdowns and social media blackouts. The polls were initially scheduled to be held Dec. 23, but this was pushed back again. When the voting day finally came on Dec. 30, several areas affected by the deadly Ebola virus in the countrys eastern region were left out. According to The Associated Press, the government postponed polls in Beni and Butembo until March, long after Congos new leader is inaugurated in January, effectively canceling the votes from those two cities. London-based global affairs think-tank Chatham House says given Congos constitutional crisis, widespread insecurity, and humanitarian crisis, the polls hold high stakes for the countrys 40 million-plus eligible voters. The polls could potentially bring about the countrys first democratic transfer of power, but they also risk further destabilization if electoral credibility is undermined, the institute said after the elections. Internet Access Shut Off On Dec. 31, authorities in the vast central African nation allegedly shut down the internet to prevent what they dubbed rumor mongering about the election results. This was criticized by many observers as an alleged attempt to block discussions on social media platforms. The authorities in the DRC must immediately reopen all media outlets and reinstate all blocked communications channels, Joan Nyanyuki, Amnesty Internationals director for East Africa, the Horn, and the Great Lakes, said in a statement Jan. 3. People must be allowed to freely access and exchange information including online as they wait for election results, she said, adding the attack on freedom of expression risks exacerbating an already tense and volatile situation. On Jan. 1, authorities also cut off the signal of Radio France Internationale, an independent foreign radio station which is popular in the DRC. On Jan. 2, the signal of two TV channels belonging to opposition candidate Jean-Pierre Bemba, Canal Congo TV and Canal Kin TV, were cut off in the capital city Kinshasa. First Attempt at Peaceful Power Transition The December vote was Congos first ever attempt at a peaceful transition of power since its independence from Belgium in 1960. Top contenders include opposition chiefs Felix Tshisekedi and Martin Fayulu, and their main challenger, Kabilas preferred candidate former Interior Minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary. The official outcome will be declared on Jan. 15, with provisional results originally expected within days, according to the countrys electoral commission. However, the results may be delayed further due to logistical issues. According to the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based policy think tank, Kabilas term in office has been characterized by sectarian violence, corruption allegations, and increased crackdown on citizen dissent and the opposition. The International Crisis Group (ICG) says the just-concluded vote could mark a significant step forward: the first time Congo has experienceds a transfer of power from one elected president to another. But, it warns, an election lacking in fairness and credibility would do the precise opposite. The governments recent deployment of military reinforcements in several important cities, including Goma, Bukavu, Lubumbashi, and Kinshasa, suggests it is preparing a harsh response to any unrest, ICG stated, referring to the governments crackdown on protesters in the wake of the delayed polls. The TCL Mobile Communication Co. building in Huizhou City, Guangdong Province, China, on July 28, 2009. A TCL-developed weather app has been found to collect user data without permission. (LAURENT FIEVET/AFP/Getty Images) China-Made Smartphone Weather App Stole Data From 10 Million Global Users TCL, a Chinese producer of consumer electronics, has been collecting data without permission from mobile phones that have downloaded its free weather forecast smartphone app. This app has been downloaded more than 10 million times by users around the world since it was released in December 2016. TCL is a listed company on the Hong Kong and Shenzhen stock exchanges. It is a multinational electronics conglomerate, whose products include television sets, air conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators, and mobile phones. TCL Communication Technology Holdings, a subsidiary that manufactures smart devices and develops mobile apps, is one of TCLs core businesses. TCL Communication also owns French phone manufacturer Alcatel and Canadian phone brand Blackberry. In 2016, TCL sold 68.77 million cell phones in 160 countries and regions. The Wall Street Journal first reported Jan. 2 that Upstream Systems, a London-based security firm, discovered that TCLs weather app collects user data. The app in question is Weather ForecastWorld Weather Accurate Radar, which is designed for Googles Android system, and is a free download in the Google Play store. It provides weather predictions 21 days into the future, providing estimates on specific weather aspects such as humidity, wind speed, and visibility. According to App Annie, a smartphone app analytics and marketing data supplier, TCLs app is among the top five weather apps in about 30 countries, including the United Kingdom and Canada. In the United States, its among the top 20. Upstream Systems found that TCLs app collects users geographic locations, email addresses, and International Mobile Equipment Identity, a unique ID assigned to each authenticated cell phone, and keeps the data on TCL servers in China. The security firm also discovered that the weather app surreptitiously subscribed users of TCLs low-cost Alcatel smartphone in Brazil, Malaysia, Nigeria, and other developing countries to its paid virtual-reality services. About 100,000 Alcatel phones were automatically subscribed, which would have billed the users more than $1.5 million had the firm not discovered it. After the Wall Street Journal made inquiries to TCL, the company updated the weather app in November 2018. The app stopped automatically subscribing users, according to Upstream. But the data collection continues. China-Made Apps May Be Unsafe This isnt the first time that TCL products brought risks to its users. In November 2017, Alcatel updated a photo-editing app named Gallery (later named Candy Gallery), available for download on the Google Play store. Different from the previous version that only asked for access to files in the smartphone, the updated version asked for permission to access device ID information, SMS text messaging, Wi-Fi connection, and other information not related to photo-editing. Security concerns prompted U.S. company Inseego to terminate an agreement to sell its mobile internet solutions company, Novatel Wireless, to TCL in June 2017, after the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, an inter-agency government organization that reviews business deals for potential national security risks, flagged the deal. In December 2018, Google suspended two Chinese smartphone apps after an internal investigation. The two appsCM File Manager app developed by Cheetah Mobile Inc. and Keyboard app developed by Kika Tech Inc.allegedly exploited users permissions, allowing the developers to conduct an ad fraud scheme, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The Indian Times reported in Dec. 2017 that the Indian government asked all army personnel to uninstall 42 Chinese smartphone apps if they had previously installed them. The apps, available on both Android and iOS (iPhone) systems, collected user data and sent them back to China, according to Indian intelligence agencies. The apps also had the potential to carry out cyberattacks against Indians. The predecessor to TCL was founded in 1981 by a government mechanical bureau of Huiyang district in Huizhou City, located in Chinas Guangdong Province. TCLs headquarters is still in Huizhou City. The company was named TKK at the time. TKK produced cassette tapes that closely resembled those made by Japanese electronics firm, TDK. In 1985, TKK was sued by TDK and subsequently changed its name to TCL. Its product line then expanded into telephones and TV sets. US National Security Adviser John Bolton (L) listens as US President Donald Trump speaks to members of the US military during an unannounced trip to Al Asad Air Base in Iraq on Dec. 26, 2018. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images) Bolton Says US Withdrawal From Syria Conditional on Protection for Kurds The U.S. military withdrawal from Syria includes a requirement that Turkey may not attack Kurdish troops in the region, national security adviser John Bolton told reporters in Jerusalem on Jan. 6. Bolton detailed the condition, which hadnt been previously disclosed, in a briefing with the press during a four-day trip to Israel and Turkey. President Donald Trump ordered U.S. troops out of Syria last month but didnt provide a timeline. The exit of U.S. troops from the region opened the possibility that Turkey would attack Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, whom Ankara considers an enemy. Bolton told reporters he would stress in his talks with Turkish officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, that the Kurds must be protected. We dont think the Turks ought to undertake military action thats not fully coordinated with and agreed to by the United States at a minimum so they dont endanger our troops, but also so that they meet the presidents requirement that the Syrian opposition forces that have fought with us are not endangered, Bolton said ahead of talks with Israeli officials. Bolton, who will travel to Turkey on Jan. 7, said that Trumps position is that Turkey may not kill the Kurds and that the U.S. withdrawal is conditional on an agreement on the matter. Bolton also said that the withdrawal would be carried out in a manner that would make sure that the defense of Israel and our other friends in the region is absolutely assured, and to take care of those who have fought with us against ISIS and other terrorist groups. Not Going Anywhere Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also will travel to the Middle East in the coming days, primarily to assure allies in the region that the U.S. pullout from Syria doesnt mean that Washington is leaving the Middle East. Despite reports to the contrary and false narratives surrounding the Syria decision, we are not going anywhere, a senior State Department officials told reporters in a background call. The secretary will reinforce that commitment to the region and our partners. According to Trump, U.S. troops should return home because the international alliance in Syria had decimated the ISIS terrorist group. The president didnt provide a timeline, but said the withdrawal would take place over a period of time, rather than quickly. He also said the United States wanted to protect the Kurds, who have been vital to the U.S. campaign against ISIS. Trump campaigned on a promise to bring American troops home from the Middle East. The withdrawal from Syria is the first major exit from the region during his tenure. According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump has also ordered the withdrawal of half of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan. We have endless wars. Theyve been going on for 19 years in the area. But Im going to bring them home from Syria, Trump said Jan. 2. Kurds Seek Deal With Assad Syrian Kurdish leaders are aiming to secure a Russian-mediated political deal with Syrian President Bashar al-Assads government, regardless of U.S. plans to withdraw from their region, a senior Kurdish official told Reuters. The Kurdish-led administration that runs much of northern Syria presented a roadmap for an agreement with Assad during recent meetings in Russia. Badran Jia Kurd, a meeting attendee, said the administration is awaiting Moscows response. If such a deal could be accepted, it would piece back together the two biggest chunks of Syria, a country splintered by eight years of war, and would leave one corner of the northwest in the hands of anti-Assad rebels backed by Turkey. The immediate priority for the Kurdish leaders is to find a way to shield the region from Turkey, which views the Kurdish YPG militia as a national security threat. Turkeys Stance Turkey has already sent its army into Syria twice to roll back the YPG. But it has held off attacking the large Kurdish-controlled area of the northeast, where U.S. forces operate. In remarks that emerged after Boltons comments, Ibrahim Kalin, the spokesman for the Turkish president, said that Ankaras targets in Syria were the YPG, the PKK, and the ISIS terrorist group. One aim of Turkeys fight against the PKK and its Syrian extensions is to rescue the Kurds from the cruelty and oppression of this terrorist group, Kalin said, according to state-owned Anadolu news agency. Turkey will continue decisively its efforts to end the war, provide security, and implement the process of political transition, without discriminating between our Syrian brothers on the basis of religion, ethnicity or sect, Kalin said. Reuters contributed to this report. The house where a 6-year-old child posted pictures of her deceased father on Facebook. (Screenshot/Google Maps) 6-Year-Old Posts Photos of Dead Father on Facebook; A Plea for Help Mount Morris Township Police Department (MMTPD) in Michigan rescued a 6-year-old girl who posted photos her dead father and unconscious stepmother on Facebook. The little girls resourcefulness was credited with saving the life of her stepmother, the police said. The incident took place on Jan. 3, on the 1200 Block of Oleander Drive, according to the Detroit Free Press (DFP) and the MMTPD. Police Chief Terence Green told the Detroit Free Press (DFP), that, they think, her actions saved a life. This 6-year-old went through a traumatic eventand she saved a life, he added. The childs grandfather, who lives more than 400 miles away in Tennessee, learned about the incident when he saw the pictures the 6-year-old posted on Facebook, in a plea for help. Her grandfather then contacted the police. Police Suspect Narcotics Authorities believe that narcotics were involved, as it appeared that the parents had overdosed on something. It was also found that the fathers face was mauled by a pit bull in the home. If this is drugs, I mean, it just epitomizes the problem we have with drugs, Green told WNEM. Especially, I mean this is how children, is what I would describe are caught in the crossfire. The 36-year-old unconscious stepmother of the child was taken to a hospital. She did not suffer any bites from the dog and is stable but in intensive care. The biological mother now has custody of the child. According to DFP, the girl woke up early on Jan. 3 and thought that her parents were asleep, she told authorities. After she tried to wake them up and got no response, she splashed water in their faces, but even then, they wouldnt wake up. The father was unconscious for at least 24 hours. For about 24 hours or more, the child had nothing to eat. Green told WNEM that this all could have been avoided if her previous caretakers had simply shown better judgment. Left Alone After Overdose Last year in Boynton Beach, Florida, two children were left unattended in an apartment after their parents overdosed on heroin, according to the Sun Sentinel. At 5 p.m., the father managed to call the police, telling them that he was overdosing, but couldnt provide more information than that. When the police arrived, they entered the unlocked apartment and found the parents on the floor of their bedroom unresponsive. The two children were crying and screaming inside. Inside, officers found heroin and fentanyl, along with hypodermic needles and baggies, reported the Sun Sentinel. One of the investigating officers said that one of the children said he hadnt eaten in several days. The Palm Beach Post (TPBP) confirmed that the father pleaded guilty to child neglect and the mother, as a first-time offender, was given pretrial diversion to avoid a conviction. Workers from the Florida Department of Children and Families removed the children from the apartment, reported TBBP. $16,000 First Class Seats Accidentally Drop 95% After Cathay Pacific Error A New Years travel glitch resulted in a luxury flight from Vietnam to New York City being priced with a massive discount of $15,000. In an unexpected move, the airline has decided to honor the discounted ticket fair. Flying business or first class from Vietnam to North American cities on Cathay Pacific would normally set one back more than ten thousand dollars, but for a few short hours on New Years Day, business class tickets from Vietnam to New York priced at $675 rather than the usual $16,000. In a surprise move, the airline owned up to the mistake and also promised to honor the tickets. Happy 2019 all, and to those who bought our goodVERY good surprise special on New Years Day, yeswe made a mistake, but we look forward to welcoming you onboard with your ticket issued, the Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific airlines tweeted Wednesday, Jan. 2. Hope this will make your 2019 special too. Happy 2019 all, and to those who bought our good VERY good surprise special on New Years Day, yes we made a mistake but we look forward to welcoming you on board with your ticket issued. Hope this will make your 2019 special too! .#promisemadepromisekept #lessonlearnt Cathay Pacific (@cathaypacific) January 2, 2019 The glitch was first spotted by Gary Leff, a travel expert who runs the blog View From the Wing. Wow! Hurry, this wont last, he wrote. You can fly from Vietnamthe cheapest fares originate in Da Nang, but other cities work as wellto Cathay Pacifics US gateways starting at $675. However, he warned his readers to be careful, since we dont know for certain how Cathay will feel about such a deep discount airfare sale, whether they might get sellers remorse, Id wait a few days after buying additional travel or making additional non-refundable plans around the fare, Leff wrote. It turns out, the few hours of cheap fares on New Years Day wasnt Cathay Pacific feeling generous, but rather the result of a glitch. According to Scotts Cheap Flights, a website that tracks cheap flights, a mistake fare is when an airline, or online travel agency (OTA) sells a ticket for significantly less than they intended. Mistake fares are usually the product of technology issues, communication problems, foreign currencies, or route-specific fees. In fact, the site was started in 2013, after the founder discovered a roundtrip nonstop flight from New York City to Milan for just $130. In another blog, One Mile at a Time, reported a trip from Hanoi to New York cost just $1,100 in business class and a first-class seat from Hanoi to Vancouver cost $988. Glitch or not, Cathay decided to honor flights sold at the steep discount. The airline did not respond to requests for comment about the number of flights sold at the discounted price. However, it has removed all business and first-class flights for Augustthe month of the cut-price faresfrom its websites, but the same flights in September are listed for $16,000, reported The Guardian. The Cathay instance wasnt the first time an airline accidentally cut ticket prices. Hong Kong airlines made the same mistake last summer and also honored the errors. But its not standard practice for airlines to honor the errors. The Department of Transportation ruled in 2015 that airlines arent legally obligated to honor mistake fares, although canceling the seemingly marvelous deals will usually result in a customer uproar. That same year, United Airlines canceled hundreds of tickets it sold for $100 by mistake. United said it would not honor the fares because the error was caused by a third-party software provider. Cathay Pacific seems to be having quite a year, as a few months ago, back in 2018, the airline had to repaint one of its jets after customers noticed the airline had spelled its name wrong. Emblazoned on the Boeing 777-367 were the words Cathay Paciic. That time, too, Cathay Pacific owned up to the mistake, tweeting: Oops this special livery wont last long! Shes going back to the shop! Oops this special livery wont last long! Shes going back to the shop! (Source: HKADB) pic.twitter.com/20SRQpKXET Cathay Pacific (@cathaypacific) September 19, 2018 While the cheap fares from Cathay Pacific might have ended, there are still several sites that scan for the next time mistake fares drop from the sky. January 20, 1964 - December 15, 2018 Janene Elizabeth (Pulley) Fowler, age 54, went peacefully to join her heavenly Father on December 15, 2018 from her home in The Woodlands, Texas. A memorial celebration of Janene's life is planned for January 12, 2019 at 11:00 am at Christ Church UMC in The Woodlands with a reception to follow. She was born on January 20, 1964 in Stillwater, Oklahoma to Gene and Jane (Hawkins) Pulley. She married Bruce Fowler on June 17, 1989. They began their marriage and service to the Lord as teachers, with Janene teaching junior high science for 31 years. Janene was science department chair for McCullough Junior High, where she was deeply loved. She was especially passionate about science fair and was the coordinator for Conroe ISD. "Historically we've only focused on law enforcement response and readiness, but we knew that we wanted with this nonprofit status to think of what we can do for the public," Fleeger said. He hopes to speak at church groups, local clubs and nonprofits, and in local schools. Not only can people help their community by getting familiar with missing children' cases, he said, but they can empower themselves by learning the correct way to react if a child disappears. For example, Fleeger noted, AANBV hopes to spread awareness that there is no need to wait 24 or 48 hours to report a missing person, which is a commonly held assumption. Rather, police can respond to such a report immediately, and authorities are required to file an individual who is unaccounted for into a missing persons database within no more than two hours after accepting the report. The AANBV is prepared to assist police on the scene of a missing person's investigation. When College Station PD first searched for local toddler Hazana Anderson in October, members of the AANBV were on scene to provide manpower for investigators. Additionally, AANBV representatives are able to assist any local person needing guidance in reporting a missing child. "We can kind of walk them through the process of working with law enforcement, because it will be a very unique process," Fleeger said. Your Holiday Shopping Magazine to Emporia and area businesses. Also visit ShopEmporiaKansas.com to shop Emporia businesses who are online. Start your online shopping here. VIEW NOW Melanie joined The Daily Times in the early 90s and has served as the Life section editor since 1993. A William Blount and UT alum, Melanie is generally the early arriver who turns on the lights in the newsroom. Follow Melanie Tucker 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 This is the temporary subscription pass for users returning from the Vision Data subscription process. Your subscription will be updated within 24 hours, after your information is verified. Please click the button below to get your pass. Growing up in rural Missouri, Andrew Goossen never guessed hed one day wind up 1,500 kilometres north, running his own small business. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 5/1/2019 (891 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Growing up in rural Missouri, Andrew Goossen never guessed hed one day wind up 1,500 kilometres north, running his own small business. As its name suggests, the path to Trails End Coffee, Goossens one-man roasting operation near Elma, is a long one. "I called it Trails End Coffee because that was kind of a nickname for an area on our farm," explained Goossen, 33, in a slight Midwestern accent. Goossen was raised near Rich Hill, a town of 1,400 south of Kansas City. Its there he first developed an interest in roasting green coffee beans. It wasnt until he married a Manitoban and settled near Elma in 2012 that he began turning the hobby into a business, one that has grown over the last five years to supply online customers as well as a number of local retail outlets and cafes. Goossen roasts out of a shed next to his residence along Highway 11. The small space contains a bean grinder and packaging counter, but is dominated by a large propane-powered commercial roaster Goossen purchased with an income tax refund. The machine can produce four three-kilogram batches of freshly roasted beans per hour. A nearby laptop measures the roasters internal temperature and exhaust air to ensure consistency. "Every person has to learn their machine, how it roasts," he explained. In a typical month, Goossen will roast, package, and ship about 200 kilograms of beans. A cabinetmaker by day, he and his wife, Loretta, who met at a wedding, moved to Elma after an economic downturn in Missouri made work hard to come by. But before they left Rich Hill, they tried running a cafe. One day, while placing a bulk coffee order, Goossen noticed the supplier also sold green coffee beans. Reminded of a friend who roasted his own beans over a gas grill, and inspired by a tour of a large Idaho operation with its huge, gleaming drum roasters, Goossen decided to plug in an electric popcorn popper and give roasting a try. "I just did a little studying, and I just started roasting a little bit, experimenting," he said. He quickly learned to roast near his kitchen range hood, to whisk away the smoke produced during the roasting process. "It did smell the house up a bit," the father of three recalled. Today, he produces 11 different roasts, including single-origin, blends, decaf, and seasonal offerings. "The Christmas Spice is a real big hit," he said, so much so hes considering adding pumpkin spice next fall. Trails End Coffee is now poured in Whitemouths Spicy Radish Cafe, Big Fellas Family Restaurant in Beausejour, and The Orange Toad in Flin Flon, whose large order helped make November Goossens biggest sales month yet. Bagged beans are also sold at retailers in Elma, Whitemouth, and Beausejour. Goossen sources his green beans from importers based in Toronto and Minneapolis. His Minneapolis supplier, Cafe Imports, arranged for Goossen to visit coffee farmers in Costa Rica last February. He marveled at the labour involved in harvesting ripe coffee pods by hand. "We visited quite a few farms," he said. "Youre able to get an insight on the work thats put into making the coffee. It makes you appreciate what youre drinking a little more." "I definitely plan on going on other trips." Back in Elma, Goossen said his favourite part of the job is meeting satisfied customers, some of whom have become quite loyal. "Ive had people actually switch from other coffees to my coffee." With sales increasing, Goossen is managing by himself, but said he may one day seek help with sales and deliveries to allow him to focus on roasting. "Right now, Im just taking one step at a time. The business is growing, its getting busier." He hasnt joined the Reynolds and Whitemouth District Chamber of Commerce, but said he feels supported by the "buy local" ethos of the area, and enjoys being a rural entrepreneur who can grow his business at his own pace, away from city pressures. "I think a rural area is great. I grew up in a rural area." While 2019 is shaping up to be a big year for sales, Goossen said hes also looking forward to becoming a Canadian citizen after taking the exam last year. Mitsubishi Motors welcomes Westgate Triad Mitsubishi into growing dealer network CYPRESS, Calif. Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) today announced a new addition to the North American dealer network Westgate Triad Mitsubishi in Graham, N.C. The dealership opened its doors and welcomed the community in on November 6. It marks the second Mitsubishi dealership owned and operated by Raleigh, N.C.-based Westgate Auto Group, LLC., the other being located in Raleigh itself. The expansion in Graham is part of a plan to help improve customer loyalty and bring the brand into areas that do not have a strong Mitsubishi presence. Mitsubishi also recently expanded its field operations network from two zones to four by adding new offices in Fla. and Calif. in an effort to reinforce sales support for dealers. "I'm excited to enter the fast-growing Triad marketplace," said Ehsan A. Khani, owner and manager of Westgate Auto Group. "Mitsubishi Motors is the oldest of the major car companies in Japan having produced their first vehicle in 1917 and their first commercial vehicle in 1932. The brand offers superior quality at an affordable price and we will showcase the full line-up of Mitsubishi vehicles at Westgate Triad Mitsubishi." With two all-new vehicles introduced in 2018, the Outlander PHEV and Eclipse Cross, MMNA is strengthening the brands dynamic CUV lineup and attracting new and different buyers. "Westgate sees the value of association with Mitsubishi, establishing its second store in North Carolina," said Kimberly McKee, Southeast Regional Dealer Network manager, MMNA. "We are excited to add Westgate Triad Mitsubishi to our team and are looking forward to working towards strengthening the health and profitability of our dealers in North America." Westgate Triad Mitsubishi is located at 327 Auto Park Drive, Graham N.C. 27253. For more on Mitsubishi Motors and the dealer network, please visit media.mitsubishicars.com. About Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. Through a network of approximately 355 dealer partners across the United States, Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) is responsible for the sales, research and development, marketing and customer service of Mitsubishi Motors vehicles in the U. S. 2018 marked the brand's sixth consecutive year of sales growth. Located in Cypress, Calif., MMNA is a part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, the largest automaker alliance in the world. Mitsubishi continues to lead the way in the development of highly efficient, affordably priced new gasoline-powered automobiles, while using its industry-leading knowledge in battery-electric vehicles to develop future EV and PHEV models. For more information on Mitsubishi vehicles, please contact the Mitsubishi Motors News Bureau at (888) 560-6672 or visit media.mitsubishicars.com. Infiniti QX Inspiration: SUV for the Electrified Era LONDON - January 6, 2019: INFINITI will unveil its new QX Inspiration concept at the 2019 North American International Auto Show this month, previewing the brands electrified future. The new concept represents INFINITIs plans for high-performance electrified vehicles, offering complete range confidence, while signalling a new era for INFINITI design enabled by new technology. Infused with Japanese DNA, a refreshed form language hints at the potency and character of the brands future electrified powertrains. Development of new electric vehicle platforms enables the formation of spacious, lounge-like interiors. In the case of the QX Inspiration concept, the cabin has been hand-crafted using traditional techniques and a choice of materials inspired by a subtle Japanese sensuality. The new interior technology follows the Japanese hospitality principle of omotenashi, creating a welcoming environment, while assisting drivers and connecting occupants to the world around them. Karim Habib, Executive Design Director for INFINITI describes the QX Inspiration as the beginning of a new era for INFINITI, and an illustration of where the brand wants to go. New technology gives the opportunity to evolve INFINITIs design philosophy and the new vehicle communicates the serene strength at our core. INFINITIs new concept will be revealed in Detroit on 14 January 2019. Los Angeles: A trash collection device deployed to corral plastic litter floating in the Pacific Ocean between California and Hawaii has broken apart and will be hauled back to dry land for repairs. The Ocean Cleanup, a floating boom to corral plastic litter in the Pacific Ocean, is assembled in Alameda, California. Credit:AP Boyan Slat, who launched the Pacific Ocean cleanup project, told NBC News last week that the 600-metre long floating boom will be towed 1300 kilometres to Hawaii. If it can't be repaired there, it will be loaded on a barge and returned to its home port of Alameda, California. The boom broke apart under constant wind and waves in the Pacific. Paris: The first Yellow Vest demonstration of the new year reached a new level of violence Saturday as a government ministry building was attacked and the minister evacuated out the back door. What started two months ago as a protest over fuel taxes has turned into a more general attack on the French government. The minister, the chief government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux, told French television that Yellow Vest protesters and "men dressed in black" the so-called casseurs, or "breakers", who have latched onto the movement commandeered a construction vehicle and broke down the door of the Left Bank building. They then entered a courtyard and broke several windows, he said. Demonstrators wearing yellow vests stands next to a burning bicycle at the Champs Elysees avenue during a protest in Paris on Saturday. Credit:AP The rare intrusion the last such attack on a government building by protesters was in 1999 took place on a day of protests throughout France that started peacefully but degenerated into violence. Some 50,000 took part in Yellow Vest demonstrations all over France, officials said Saturday, up from last weekend's 29,000. Over 3000 turned out in Paris. The numbers were down sharply from the protest's first weeks, but still represent a significant national turnout, especially as a majority of French continue to support the movement, despite repeated outbreaks of violence. Budapest: Union leaders in Hungary have called for a national strike and protests on January 19 to oppose labour code changes they see as a "slave law" harmful to workers. A crowd of at least 10,000 people gathered outside the Hungarian parliament building to protest a law approved in December that allows employers to request up to 400 hours of overtime a year from employees. Hungarian Trade Union Federation President Laszlo Kordas said the unions are demanding the repeal of the "slave law", higher wages, increased workers' rights and a more flexible retirement system. They plan to present them to Prime Minister Viktor Orban and if the government refuses to negotiate, the unions will hold the strike, he said. "The government has abandoned us," Kordas said. "The country must come to a halt at the same time on the same day." Istanbul: An independent Ukrainian Orthodox church has been created at a signing ceremony in Turkey, formalising a split with the Russian church it had been tied to since 1686. The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, signed the "Tomos" in Istanbul in front of clerics and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Saturday, forming the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Metropolitan Epiphanius, the head of the independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church attends a religion service during a meeting to sign "Tomos" decree of autocephaly for the Ukrainian church at the Patriarchal Church of St. George in Istanbul, Turkey, on Saturday. Credit:AP It forces Ukrainian clerics to pick sides between the Moscow-backed Ukrainian churches and the new church as fighting persists in eastern Ukraine between government forces and Russia-backed rebels. "The pious Ukrainian people have awaited this blessed day for seven entire centuries," Bartholomew I said in his address. The body which represents the 39 Australian universities offering teaching degrees has rejected Labor's call for a marked increase in the ATAR entry levels of would-be teachers, saying there is no evidence that such a "quick fix" would work. The president of the Australian Council of Deans of Education, Professor Tania Aspland, called on Labor to avoid confrontation with universities over the issue, saying: "I don't think vice-chancellors prefer to work like that". Deputy Federal Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek at a press conference in Rosberry on Sunday. Credit:James Alcock "Our brief is always to go to politicians, have the discussion and try and reach a consensus because we all actually want the same outcome" she told the Herald yesterday. Labor's shadow minister for Education Tanya Plibersek has threatened to cap the numbers of students universities can recruit into teaching degrees unless entry standards are raised so that trainee teachers are drawn from the top 30 per cent or so of high school graduates. This would equate to an ATAR cut-off of around 80 for trainee teachers. Mr Culvahouse has a lengthy and fascinating history as a lawyer in Washington, having started in 1973 as a legal researcher assisting moderate Republican senator Howard Baker on the Senate Watergate committee and, later, on the Church committee as it investigated illicit activities of the Central Intelligence Agency. While President Donald Trump might be unconventional at best as well as erratic, unreliable and prone to conveying demonstrable falsehoods it is anticipated that his man on the ground here will fit the more orthodox template of an informed and intelligent diplomat. That is because Mr Culvahouse is consummately experienced in White House matters, having been a Washington insider for decades, and he enjoys strong bipartisan support as an astute and steady operative. Last week, the US Senate foreign relations committee formally confirmed the appointment of Tennessee lawyer Arthur Culvahouse as US ambassador to Australia. The confirmation, coming more than two years after John Berrys three-year tenure as ambassador ended, is both long overdue and warmly welcomed. In early 1987, when then president Ronald Reagan was under pressure to reveal what he knew about the Iran-Contra affair, Mr Culvahouse was appointed the senior lawyer inside the White House. In recent years, he has served on several high-level strategic advisory committees and assisted in vetting vice-presidential candidates for the Republicans. Throughout, he has been a senior partner and chairman of the well-known US corporate law firm OMelveny & Myers, which has offices in several key Asian cities. His knowledge of this region is already sound. Mr Culvahouse has described the Australia-US relationship as strategically critical, and few here would disagree. While the bilateral relationship is as strong as it has ever been, and Mr Culvahouse has expressed support for the so-called Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, a four-way strategic alliance between the US, Australia, Japan and India, we hope he will further encourage the US under Mr Trump to engage closely with Asia, including Australia. In a speech just before he left Australia, Mr Culvahouses predecessor suggested the so-called Pivot to Asia foreign policy advocated by the Obama administration in 2012 was the new norm. Mr Berry proffered an idyllic goal of 27 regional countries, including China, united for a peaceful, prosperous and principled co-existence. It is certainly not that simple. More than two years down the track from such musings, the peaceful and principled idealists are still grappling with Chinas aggressive military posturing and Mr Trumps snappish, often pugnacious destabilisation of trade and diplomatic relationships. This is the time for the US to have judicious, well-informed and alert representatives in key postings. At the heart of the US-Australia relationship is categorical trust. That is founded on a deeply shared commitment to democratic values and human rights that has manifested itself through a shared vow of mutual support in times of war and peace. Military co-operation; vital intelligence and joint law-enforcement work; the extension and reinforcement of sincere and abiding cultural ties; and free trade initiatives that are pursued with vigour and not mutilated by domestic politicking will strengthen the United States relationship with this region further. When it comes to the issue of women in Australian politics, the Liberal Party is not the only party with a problem. A headcount of which party has more women is not what we need. Emma Husar talks to the media outside court after her defamation case against Buzzfeed in Sydney in December. Credit:Janie Barrett Politics in 2018 was a "shocker" for the treatment of women, and the people we represent are quite rightly fed up with the point-scoring and back-stabbing. Im not going to sugarcoat what is an uncomfortable conversation for some. Enough with the merit debates no, the new wave is political candidates who dont look, sound or feel like their predecessors. Theyre not going to compare, so stop trying. We should instead give them a go and set them up for success in representing their communities. Women have been given a seat at a table but not at every table. The power structures, backroom deals and faceless men, that exist away from the carefully crafted colourful photos, are alive and well and dominate decisions as to which tables were invited to sit at, when and with whom. In response, protesters chanted "Nazi scum off our beach" and "Africans welcome, racists are not". Far-right activists in St Kilda on Saturday. Credit:Darrian Traynor The "Reclaim St Kilda" rally was organised by convicted criminals Blair Cottrell and Neil Erikson, who arrived with Mr Anning. The Queensland senator recently sparked anger when he cited "the final solution" in his maiden speech, while his Twitter feed contains a litany of anti-African and anti-Islamic messages, as well as calls for the legalisation of weapons. Mr Morrison took to social media to thank Victoria Police for their efforts, saying "intolerance does not make Australia stronger". "Australia is the most successful migrant country in the world," he wrote Sunday morning on Twitter. "This has been achieved by showing respect for each other, our laws and values and maintaining sensible immigration policies. Lets keep it that way, it makes Australia stronger." Immigration Minister David Coleman also called out the racist conduct in St Kilda. "There is no place for racism in our nation. We are the most successful multi-cultural society in the world, and we have achieved that by working together to build a stronger Australia," he tweeted. Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the PM should rule out support from Mr Anning in the upper house. "The government should refuse to take Fraser Annings vote in the Senate after he has shown again he is unfit to be in the Parliament," she tweeted Saturday night. "Hanging out and supporting with neo-Nazi who are inciting violence is inexcusable." Derryn Hinch also took to social media to strongly condemn his fellow crossbench senator. I have chastised Fraser Anning in the Senate for his racism, anti-abortion clinic exclusion zones and Hitlers Final Solution, he tweeted. His appearance in support of the neo-nazis in St. Kilda today topped his calumny. In the lower house, the independent member for Wentworth warned the rally came amid a rise in anti-semitism and neo-Nazism around the world. Kerryn Phelps appeared on the ABC to call on political leaders to take a stronger stand against the emergent far-right. "I think we need political leadership to call this out for what it is, as right wing extremism," she said. "I don't believe it has any place in Australian society." Dr Phelps praised those who turned out to oppose the far-right protest. "We have, certainly, historic lessons about this and I believe that we should do whatever we can to combat this and I was very pleased to see that there was a counter-protest by people who said, 'not in our country, this is not what Australia stands for'". Federal opposition leader Bill Shorten released a statement lamenting the "corrosive and fragmented climate of public debate", saying "right-wing extremists" were using "vile terms" to attack the less powerful. "What makes a good Australian is what is in your heart," he wrote. Fraser Anning sparked anger when he cited 'the final solution' in his maiden speech. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Mr Anning was elected on the back of 19 first preference votes at the last federal election. He entered the upper house in late 2017 after One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts was disqualified from Parliament for failing to renounce his British citizenship. Mr Anning was third on One Nation's Queensland Senate ticket, but promptly quit the party one hour after being sworn in. Right wing protestors rallied in St Kilda on Saturday. Credit:Darrian Traynor He was later expelled from Katter's Australian Party after a dalliance of several months with the party of the maverick Queenslander. Saturday's clash is the latest in a string between far-right and so-called "anti-fascist" groups in Melbourne. In December 2017, hundreds of left and right-wing protesters clashed outside an event hosted by alt-right British provocateur Milo Yiannopoulous at the Melbourne Pavilion in Kensington. Riot police stormed the protest and used pepper spray to subdue the crowd. Organisers were billed $50,000 to foot the expense of law enforcement. In July, Victoria's Police Minister Lisa Neville revealed Yiannopoulos and the organisers behind the tour were yet to foot the bill six months after they were ordered to do so. Victoria Police said they would not comment on the number of officers or the cost involved in Saturday's event "due to operational reasons". Race Discrimination Commissioner Chin Tan said criminal law enforcement was a matter for police, but added that he continued "to be briefed by police on racist activities and threats to our community harmony". Two 15-year-old Sydney boys, Orlando Read and Milo Taylor-Westermann, couldn't be further from the average teenager who, a study found, can't boil an egg or bake a potato. Even worse, only one in five teenagers had the kitchen skills to pour milk on cereal, according to the survey of more than 1000 parents of 12- to 18-year-olds by Pureprofile. One of Orlando Read's creations. Credit:Brendan Read In contrast, Orlando spends most weekends baking one-off towering cakes for special occasions that sell for anywhere from $150 to $200 each. Milo has a more diversified range, making and selling products from lemon aioli and wasabi mayo to almond, raspberry and peach cake and mini sticky date puddings to family and friends. North Broulee beach on the south coast was evacuated on Sunday after aerial surveillance spotted a great white shark. The Department of Primary Industries said the shark, about 2.2m long, was spotted at the Broulee spit at 12.29pm. The closure was the second on the south coast this month. North Head and South Head beaches at Moruya were closed on January 4, following the sighting of a group of sharks of unknown size and species near North Head about 7.30am. The beach was later reopened, before being closed again, after two sharks were spotted. Lifeguards Australia chief executive Stan Wall urged swimmers to keep to patrolled beaches and swim between the flags. Sydney rail commuters are suffering from more frequent delays caused by a greater reliance on older trains and the network's inability to recover from major incidents quickly enough to prevent disruptions spreading, an internal report reveals. In a stark assessment of the state of maintenance on the city's rail network, the public operator Sydney Trains also warns its decades-old trains such as the C and K Sets, and Xplorer regional trains, are in a "poor to unacceptable condition". Sydney Trains' "asset management plan", completed in September and obtained by the Herald using freedom of information laws, presents as a desperate plea for funding to improve the condition of trains, tracks, bridges and other infrastructure. Sydney Trains' older fleet has been deemed to be in 'poor to unacceptable condition'. Credit:Kate Geraghty The report says forecast growth in passengers and freight over the next decade will "significantly restrict" the ability to maintain and develop Sydney's 165-year-old rail network without a funding boost and a shake-up of maintenance. Sydney Trains' maintenance backlog blew out by 21 per cent to $434 million last financial year, from $359 million a year earlier. Good morning Canberra! Welcome to the first Canberra Now of the year. Commiserations if you're one of the countless Canberrans heading back to work today when you'd rather be at the coast. I feel you. We're set for a pleasant day with a top of 28 degrees. Here's what you need to know in Canberra today: NSW planning rejects Yass border buffer zone Criminologists could no doubt cite many reasons for the drop in New Orleans's murder rate, which coincides with a nationwide downward trend, but much credit must surely go to Michael Harrison's police department. The body count has always risen and fallen more or less in line with the quality of policing. The most dramatic proof of that came after our bloodiest year yet, 1994, when Marc Morial succeeded Sidney Barthelemy as mayor. By the time the year was over, 424 people had been murdered and Morial had put Richard Pennington in charge of clearing up a police department that had been as likely to hire a dangerous criminal as arrest one. A bunch of bank robbers, rapists, drug dealers and assorted riff-raff had to be weeded out from the ranks of New Orleans' finest, and two of the officers who were on the payroll when Pennington took over were convicted of first-degree murder. They remain on death row today. By 1999 the streets of the city had become must less dangerous, although, with 158 murders reported that year, joy was not unalloyed. Even after such a dramatic improvement, this was still a level of bloodshed that indicated something rotten in the state of a supposedly civilized society. Still, this was, in relative terms, such a triumph that Pennington became a folk hero, and there were reports of his receiving a standing ovation on entering a restaurant. A little of the gloss had left the Pennington miracle by the time he left town we had 231 murders in 2001, his last full year. By 2003 it was up to 274, and the town maintained more or less the same degree of hairiness for a couple of years thereafter. Then the numbers went way down 162 in 2006 but NOPD could hardly take credit for that. There were just many fewer people around to get shot, because they had decamped to Houston, and beyond, after Katrina. Indeed, the cops themselves were responsible for a couple of homicides when opening fire on unoffending civilians on the Danziger Bridge in the immediate aftermath of the storm. The murder rate has been declining again lately, and the 2018 tally of 146 has occasioned a certain amount of hoopla, being the lowest since 1971. The number that year, in a much more populous city, was 116; we have evidently developed new social pathologies since then. The latest number may be encouraging, but, per capita, Harrison still has a way to go before he can match Pennington's annus mirabilis. That year began with Dobie Gillis Williams receiving a lethal injection at Angola. He was one of 98 Americans executed in 1999, the highest annual total since capital punishment resumed in 1977. Those figures belie any claim that the death penalty is a deterrent, and more recent experience in Louisiana tells the same story. The last man executed in Louisiana waived appeals in 2010. The last involuntary execution was in 2002. There is no possibility of another one any time soon, on account of we can't get the drugs. How hard we are trying is hard to say, because the death penalty has fallen out of favor nationwide. It remains legal in about half the states, but those that haven't abolished it resort to it less and less often. The advent of DNA testing has exposed the fallibility of the system, with a succession of exonerated inmates released from death row. The death penalty retains some influential supporters; the state legislature will likely continue to spurn all attempts to repeal it, while Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry is gung-ho for the noose and the firing squad. But given that the death penalty does not work as a deterrent, its supporters presumably justify if as condign punishment. The years of ruinously expensive litigation it requires are a stiff price to pay for vengeance, however, and the statistics suggest that the death penalty is increasingly regarded as a pointless relic of a more barbarous age. Perhaps it will just fade away. Meanwhile, with murders down nationwide in recent years, smart policing will not be the only reason for New Orleans' improved numbers. But there has to be a connection. Email James Gill at Gill1407@bellsouth.net. The New Orleans Police officer shot during a confrontation late Friday in Treme has been released from the hospital and is recovering at home, according to authorities. +8 Man killed after NOPD officer shot at during reported suicide attempt Friday night in Treme New Orleans police fatally shot a man after he fired two bullets into an officer's body armor during a confrontation in Treme late Friday, aut The NOPD has not released the identity of the officer, but said he joined the force in 2017. The shooting happened around 10 p.m. in the 2300 block of Orleans Avenue when officers were responding to a reported suicide attempt. The man involved opened fire, striking the injured officer twice in his body armor. After being hit, the officer and three other responding officers at the scene returned fire, striking the man multiple times. He was later pronounced dead from his injuries, while the officer shot was taken to University Medical Center for treatment. Can't see video below? Click here. The NOPD's Public Integrity Bureau continues to investigate the shooting. Per protocol, the three officer's who were also on scene Friday night have been reassigned while the investigation is ongoing. Reverend Dr. Joe Connelly addresses the New Orleans City Council during a public comment period before voting on the Louisiana's Industrial Tax Exemption Program in New Orleans, La., Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018. The program incentivizes the creation of jobs paying at least $18 an hour in economically struggling areas by offering a tax break for those businesses. How much wealth the government should redistribute has divided us as a nation. According to the Tax Policy Center, 45 percent of Americans pay no federal income tax. The remaining 55 percent carry the load of buying food for one in eight of their fellow Americans. The 55 percent is asked to spend more than $70 billion a year on free food for others. This does not include the more than $16 billion for free school lunches or the $2 billion spent on the WIC program providing free food to women with infants and children. They say theres no free lunch? In America, that simply isnt true. In Louisiana, close to one in five get food stamps. Thats almost twice the national average. Of the states, Louisiana has the second-highest percentage of people on food stamps. Federal law currently limits those on food stamps to three months of benefits within a three-year period unless they work at least 20 hours per week, are looking for work, or are getting job training. But because the unemployment rate in Louisiana is at least 20 percent above the national average, the state uses a waiver to exempt those who are able-bodied, healthy, and without kids from such requirements. Republican President Donald Trump wants to change that. According to the Foundation for Government Accountability, a watchdog group, states like Louisiana have been abusing work waivers for years leading to able-bodied, healthy adults without kids getting food stamps, without having to work or even look for a job. Trumps secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, says he plans on prohibiting work requirement waivers for states unless they have an unemployment rate of at least 7 percent. Louisianas current unemployment rate sits at 5 percent, well below the proposed benchmark but above the national average of 3.7 percent. The changes would help move people from dependence into self-sufficiency, wrote Perdue in a tweet. Louisiana Republican John Kennedy was one of only 13 U.S. senators voting against the recently passed Farm Bill because it did not include tough enough work requirements for food stamp recipients. Too much of this bill is devoted to irresponsible food stamp distribution that fails to help people realize the dignity of work, Kennedy said. The remainder of Louisianas delegation voted in favor of the bill, including gubernatorial candidate U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham, R-Alto. Abraham said he voted for the bill because it gives Perdue more regulatory authority to clamp down on work requirement waivers. "Hopefully these provisions will lead to a reduction in waivers, because as it has been the work requirements didn't mean anything," Abraham said. Purdue says he also plans on changing the application process for food stamps from every two years to every year. Purdue claims the proposed changes could save taxpayers $15 billion every year. Youll remember this past summer Gov. John Bel Edwards warned us unless we raised state taxes Louisiana wouldnt have enough money to administer the federally funded food stamp program. The governor knows many have a soft spot for feeding the hungry and he used the program, along with other scare tactics, to help bluff his way to a tax increase. But how many on food stamps are genuinely hungry? Along with having the second highest percent of people on food stamps, Louisiana also has the highest rate of obesity. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, most of the poorest states are also the fattest. Some argue the poor are disproportionately obese because they live in so-called food deserts and dont have access to healthy food. Maybe so. City-parish leaders are spending hundreds of thousands in taxpayer dollars trying to lure grocery stores to North Baton Rouge. According to the USDA, 81 percent of those on food stamps nationally are elderly, disabled, or have children. They wont be impacted if Louisiana loses its work requirement waiver. Neither will the estimated 31 percent on food stamps with jobs. But those able-bodied, healthy, and unemployed will have to at the very least look for work or sign up for job training if they still want their food stamps. Clarification: Wednesday's column did not attribute the source of quotes from Jim Kelly, who heads Covenant House, and New Orleans City Councilwoman Kristin Gisleson Palmer. The quotes were from a story reported by nola.com. Email Dan Fagan at faganshow@gmail.com. Twitter: @FaganShow. Louisiana leaders are closely monitoring state services that have not yet but ultimately could be affected as the federal government shutdown continues with no end in sight. Imagine working for no pay ... that's life for Weather Service, TSA, others amid shutdown As punishing winds and storms lashed southeastern Louisiana this week, a full contingent of forecasters reported for duty each day to the Nati To date, no major disruptions have happened to crucial state programs, according to Division of Administration spokesman Jacques Berry. But officials are keeping tabs on what might ultimately happen if President Donald Trump and congressional leaders remain in a standoff over Trumps desire for funding for a wall along the nations southern border to curb illegal immigration. Obviously, we have no way of knowing what they will do, Berry said. Its not something thats affecting us yet. More than 40 percent of the states nearly $30 billion budget comes from the federal government. But despite being a state that relies heavily on federal funding, leaders say the state has mostly been insulated from the direct effects of the shutdown. Much of the state's federal funding is tied to the Medicaid health care program for the poor, which is protected during the partial shutdown. The Childrens Health Insurance Program is also safe from the shutdowns effects, as is the food stamps program. Officials have warned, though, that the longer the shutdown stretches, the more potential it has to affect other federally funded services on the state level. FEMA backtracks, says agency will allow renewals, new flood insurance policies amid shutdown The Trump administration reversed course Friday and said it will restart the sale and renewal of federal flood insurance policies amid an ongo On Friday, Trump said hes prepared to keep the government shut down for months or years, if it takes that long to get funding for the border wall. "I don't think it will, but I'm prepared," the president said during a news conference Friday. If federal funding dries up for programs, states could be forced to eliminate services or cover the costs on their own dime. Louisiana has in recent years faced multiple budget crises that forced cuts and prompted an increase in the sales tax from 4 percent to 4.45 percent, after a temporary period at 5 percent. The Division of Administration, which oversees state spending, will begin meetings in the coming days with all of the states agency heads in preparation for the new budget cycle that begins July 1. By law, Gov. John Bel Edwards is required to present an executive budget proposal to legislators this month to begin budget negotiations. Berry said because those meetings were already set to take place, the Division of Administration has also told agency heads to evaluate how they may be affected by a continued shutdown and present the information to the division to track. This has happened many times, and weve never had to cover federal money in any of the previous shutdowns, he said. They have to have a plan. Can't see video below? Click here. The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Catherine Heitman, spokeswoman for the Department of Children and Family Services that administers the food stamp program for the state as well as other safety nets for children and the poor, said the the federal government has assured the agency that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, known as food stamps, will continue through January, even if the shutdown isnt resolved. DCFS has not been made aware of any interruptions to any of our federally funded programs or services in the short term due to the federal government shutdown, she said, adding that the agency is awaiting further updates. Edwards, a Democrat who is seeking re-election this year, has urged Congress and the president to reach a solution that will reopen the government. "There are very real ramifications to this government shutdown, but there appears to be a lack of urgency in Washington to forge a compromise," he said in a statement on the impasse. "This is unacceptable, and its time for those in Congress and the administration to come together to find a bipartisan solution to end this shutdown." Helena Moreno: Federal government partial shutdown threatens services for victims of domestic violence Councilwoman At-Large Helena Moreno is warning that the partial shutdown of the federal government, which began at midnight, is putting fundin Some states have voiced concern over the impact to bonding capacity for major construction projects, but state Treasurer John Schroder said that's not a concern here. "We have no other bonds secured by federal funds, so there is no impact right now," he said. He also said the shutdown won't directly affect the state treasury's cash flow. Meanwhile, federal programs not linked to the state remain in limbo. Louisiana is home to about 6,000 federal employees whose jobs are not funded during the shutdown. The Louisiana Workforce Commission has had a few unemployment claims that have been identified as related to the federal government shutdown, as many federal employees have been furloughed until the government reopens, but it so far hasnt created issues for the state department. There has been virtually no impact to our normal claims load, spokesman Michael Key said. Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission Louisiana youth are vaping at an increasing pace, raising concerns among health experts that the search for nicotine might one day reverse a decades-long drop in cigarette consumption. Because vaping is relatively new, scientists don't know the full health impact of e-cigarettes over the long term, especially compared to smoking. The seemingly benign lure of fun flavors could develop into an insatiable nicotine addiction. Nikko Melancon, a young vaper, developed a fascination with smoking because of his grandparents. He recalls sneaking cigarettes from them as he grew up, but it wasnt until he was 14 and still in middle school in Baton Rouge that he became a regular smoker. Soon, he was burning up a pack a day. At 17, after striking out at two Baton Rouge high schools, he spent several months in Carville in the Louisiana National Guards Youth Challenge Program, hoping to accelerate his way out of school. He no longer had access to cigarettes and his body wasnt happy. It wasnt good, Melancon recalled. He decided to give up smoking entirely. Soon, in addition to coughing, he had the shakes from the nicotine withdrawal. After he left Carville, Melancon he saw friends using e-cigarettes. He soon left tobacco behind and now evangelizes for vaping. These are way healthier for your lungs and your mind and your skin and your teeth, he said. On a recent afternoon at the Perkins Road skate park, Melancon, now 18, took occasional drags on a modified e-cigarette known as a Vape Mod, as he watched other skaters. His friend John Covington, 18, watched with him and told a similar story. I smoked cigarettes and vaped, said Covington. But Ive made the transition to only vaping. He wasnt as big a user as his friend, only getting up to half a pack a day of cigarettes, but it was enough to have the occasional coughing bout. Like Melancon, he feels healthier these days. But he said vaping is just a better experience. I like the flavor and I feel the buzz more, its a lot cleaner, he said. Its straight nicotine instead of all those chemicals that make you sick, Melancon agreed. (Cigarettes) give you a headache after you smoke like two. But this you can hit constantly and youd only feel like a nicotine buzz. And its slight, its not like overpowering and the juice is still with you. The two say they are slowly ratcheting down the nicotine content of their e-cigarettes, with the idea of eventually eliminating nicotine entirely. But neither seems in a hurry. In Louisiana, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show combustible cigarette use as has fallen as e-cigarette use has skyrocketed. In 2017, about 13.5 percent of high school students reported smoking, down from 21.8 percent in 2011. But Dr. James Kent Treadway Jr., a New Orleans-based pediatrician, and other health experts fear people will jump from vaping to cigarettes, seeking a nicotine hit from wherever. "For kids already doing it, quitting tobacco is extremely difficult," he said. "We're trying to prevent that addiction from even happening." Louisiana teen vaping 'epidemic,' by the numbers: Concerning spike gives 'shock' to experts Health experts have called the recent surge in underage vaping an epidemic that threatens the long-term health of children and teens. The e-cigarettes various flavors have proven a draw for young smokers, allowing users to try graham cracker one week, green apple the next. Data outline their popularity: According to the Louisiana Youth Tobacco Survey, one out of every eight Louisiana high school students regularly used e-cigarettes in 2017, above the national average and up from one out of every 50 in 2011, the first year for which data are available. More recent national data suggest usage continues to surge. Among high school students, vaping jumped 78 percent in 2018 from a year earlier. Middle school vaping rose 48 percent over the same period, according to data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey. These data shock my conscience, Scott Gottlieb, commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, said in November, calling teen vaping an "epidemic." The jump in teen vaping this year represents the biggest one-year spike of any kind of drug use, even of opioids or marijuana, in 44 years, according to the Monitoring the Future survey, which focuses on addiction. The most popular e-cigarette recently has been the Juul, a sleek device shaped like a USB flash drive. Like other e-cigarettes, Juul is a battery-powered device that heats a nicotine-containing liquid to produce an aerosol, or vapor, or vape. Recently, Juuls accounted for more than 70 percent of e-cigarette sales in the U.S. and are becoming well known to teachers and other educators. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up H. Aaron Ambeau, a counselor at Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans, said he was first introduced to Juuls when he discovered one on the floor of the school's hallway. "Ive heard from a couple of schools that students are using them in the bathroom," Ambeau said. "Its just hard to monitor that. You cant have an adult hanging out in the bathroom all the time; its just impossible." While Juul Labs, the maker of Juul, and other e-cigarette makers insist that their focus is on helping adults quit smoking, theres plenty about e-cigarettes that appears enticing to children and teens. Convenience stores and vape shops are filled with e-juices containers festooned with cartoons and colorful lettering. They come with names like "Coco Pops" and "Crunch Time," which mimic Cocoa Puffs and Cap'n Crunch breakfast cereals. "Straw-burst" vaping liquid comes close to Starburst candy. For its part, Juul offers popular flavors like creme formerly creme brulee and cucumber formerly cool cucumber alongside traditional menthol and tobacco flavors. The variety of taste is clearly a big draw for vapers. This tastes amazing, Melancon said. When youre vaping, it tastes like juice and like fruits, vegetables, some of them taste like cotton candy. The FDA has taken notice. In his statement in November about Juul, Gottlieb said the sweet tastes and colorful advertisements were never aimed at heavily addicted adult smokers, but at teenagers and kids. He accused Juul of being particularly aggressive, saying the FDA planned to investigate whether the company intentionally targeted youth in its marketing. For its part, Juul says it is cooperating with the FDA. The company wants its product to serve as a way for smokers to drop cigarettes, it says, not the other way around. "We want to be part of the solution in keeping e-cigarettes out of the hands of young people," Juul Chief Executive Kevin Burns said in a September news release. The FDA intends to bar the sale of e-cigarette flavors from gas stations and other convenience stores, where teens might find them easily. Juul says it will produce only tobacco-, menthol- and mint-flavored products and drop popular flavors like mango and creme. The Louisiana Legislature has expanded a ban on smoking and vaping in elementary and secondary school buildings to include on-campus playgrounds and school buses, but concerns remain that teens aren't aware e-cigarettes contain as much nicotine as they do. A Juul cartridge can contain the same amount of nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. According to Treadway, regardless of the delivery method, the impact of that much nicotine on young peoples brains and bodies is disturbing. At the LA Vape & Beyond store on Perkins Road, you cant buy Juuls, but glass cases are filled with competing e-cigarettes in a wide variety of shapes and styles. And stacked high along the walls of the Baton Rouge store are long rows of e-juices with names like Peachy Rings and Blue Razz beckon consumers. Adjoining the shop is a vape lounge. Such lounges have grown in popularity in Baton Rouge after the city-parish in 2017 banned smoking, including e-cigarettes, in bars and casinos. Here padded seats surround two pool tables as flat screen TVs stare down from above. A small crowd of customers dragged on their e-cigarettes while rain poured down on rush hour traffic passing by slowly in the dark. Casey Vidrine, who works at the Baton Rouge store, said his store focuses on serious vapers, those who want to take advantage of the full range of options. A former smoker, he remembers the difference when he switched from cigarettes to vaping six years ago. I was pretty excited that I could taste my food, Vidrine said. That was a huge thing, breathing and actually tasting my food. Not coughing. No headaches in the morning. While he said, hes slowly lowered his nicotine to low levels, he has no plans to quit entirely: he said he just enjoys vaping too much. State law prohibits e-cigarette sales to those 18 and under and Vidrine said LA Vape has to turn away the occasional 17-year-old who tries their luck. The store even turns away older customers if theres something wrong with their legal ID, he said. But he knows thats little deterrent given how easy it is for underage customers to obtain e-cigarettes online or via older friends. Vidrine said teenagers are often are ill-informed about the differences in the available e-cigarettes and are often flying blind online: Sometimes you can have too much nicotine in a device. Its worrying. Lester Joseph, now 21, was still in high school when vaping was becoming popular, but I never knew anyone who did it. So, he took up dipping instead, a habit he took with him into the Marine Corps. Once in the military, though, he noticed more and more people vaping so he gave it a try. He said he wont go back. And his switch came with an unexpected benefit. Ill tell you this, a girl doesnt want to kiss you if you have (dip) in your mouth, Joseph said. But if you have a vape, they sometimes want to hit it with you. Advocate staff writer Nick Reimann contributed to this report. Questions about Alzheimer's disease or related disorders can be sent to Dana Territo, the Memory Whisperer, a volunteer ambassador with Alzheimer's Services of the Capital Area, at thememorywhisperer@gmail.com, or visit the organization at 3772 North Blvd., Baton Rouge. James Mustich Jr. has written '1,000 Books to Read Before You Die.' Says columnist Danny Heitman: 'I doubt I'll tackle his thousand books, or even a hundred of them, before I die. But in a new year, it's nice to dream.' A wild horse grazes in Spring Creek Basin under the gaze of the newly named Temple Butte. The landmark was named after Pati Temple. (Photo by TJ Holmes) Hy-Vee Pharmacies take part in putting an end to the national opioid epidemic that claims lives of thousands of Americans each year. In an official press release on Friday, Jan. 4, Hy-Vee, Inc. announced to the public that the company has changed prescription policies in a bid to help stop opioid abuse in the United States. Opioid Epidemic In The US Kristin Williams, the company's senior vice president and chief health officer for Hy-Vee, cited that more than 100 Americans die every day from substance abuse. Williams said Hy-Vee is taking some actions to assist fight this public health crisis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in 2017, more than 47,000 deaths were due to opioid abuse, the highest number ever recorded in a given year. Almost 50 percent of opioid overdose deaths have to do with a prescription opioid. New Prescription Opioid Policies Effective Jan. 1, Hy-Vee pharmacies are implementing new policies that will control substance prescription across eight states. Hy-Vee runs pharmacies in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Hy-Vee pharmacies now disallow requests for another fill of a Schedule II controlled substance or a refill of a Schedule III or Schedule IV controlled substance less than 72 hours after purchase without authorization from the prescriber. "Implementing this 72-hour policy is one more step toward combatting the opioid epidemic in communities throughout the eight states we serve," Williams said. Hy-Vee is not any more accepting GoodRx coupons for controlled substance prescriptions either. Naloxone As Medication Hy-Vee pharmacies are selling naloxone, in the form of nasal spray or injection, without the need for a prescription. Naloxone is a medication that blocks the effects of opioids. It is administered to people who have overdosed on a wide variety of opioids including morphine and heroin. This medication is accessible behind the counter. The price differs based on the form purchased and whether it is paid in cash or through insurance. Naloxone is not a cure for opioid overdose and it does not have an effect on a person who has not taken opioids. However, it can help to immediately reverse the effects of opioid drugs on the brain and respiratory system of the patient until medical attention becomes available. Pharmacists at Hy-Vee, Inc. also exert efforts to provide the information that helps patients and their families identify signs of opioid overdose and properly administer naloxone. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The 2018-2019 flu season is in full swing and, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of cases is rising in 19 U.S. states. That is more than twice the number of states affected from the week before. As of Dec. 29, the public health agency reported that influenza activity across the country has increased as Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, influenza A(H3N2), and influenza B viruses continue to spread. With a few more months left this season, officials are encouraging the public to get their flu shots as soon as possible. The 2018-2019 Influenza Season Report In the last week of December alone, 4.1 percent of all doctor visits in the United States was because of symptoms associated with the flu. According to the CDC, this is well above the national baseline, which is 2.2 percent. The Southern United States, from South Carolina to New Mexico and Utah, is the hardest hit thus far. High levels of flu activity were also reported in New York City and New Jersey. "It's too soon to say what direction it will go," said Lynette Brammer, head of the CDC, in a phone interview with Bloomberg. "We know right now we are going up, we just don't know when it will start coming back down." The flu season typically peaks around December to February. Number Of Children Death Linked To Flu Soars The CDC also revealed that the highest hospitalization rate is among children under the age of 5. Two pediatric deaths associated with the flu was also reported in the last week of December, bringing the death toll among children to 13. Children are particularly vulnerable to H1N1, the flu strain that is most dominant this season. Although the H1N1 strain, which is also known as swine flu, tends to cause milder illness, people under the age of 50 are more likely affected. A similar strain circulated about 40 to 50 years ago, giving older age groups residual protection. There is some good news, however. The death toll this season is nowhere near close to last year's, which reached 185 children dead from the flu. About 80 percent of the children who died last year did not receive a flu shot. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Facepalm: Following the launch of the iPhone X, almost every Android manufacturer rushed to implement facial recognition on their smartphones. Some like Samsung and Huawei have implemented hardware-based solutions, but others rely on the selfie camera to simply detect faces not such a good idea it turns out, with people faces plastered all over social media. Dutch non-profit Consumentenbond has worked with international partners to conduct an audit of 110 smartphones with facial recognition. Spoiler alert: 42 of them were unlocked with the kind of photo youd find on social media or capture on security cams. Passing the test (thankfully) are Samsungs high-end and mid-tier offerings from 2018, all the OnePlus phones, Huaweis Mate 20 series, Motorolas 2018 phones, and the latest flagships from Asus, Honor, HTC and Oppo. All iPhones passed the test as well. The LG G7, V35 and V40 passed the test on their highest security setting, but failed on the lower setting as did the Honor 7A. Failing the test is every single Sony phone, the Huawei P20 series, the Nokias, the Blackberries and all the budget offerings from Samsung, LG, Motorola, Xiaomi and Asus. The bottom line is, if you have one of these phones that also has a fingerprint scanner, then youd better stick to that. To see if your phone passes, check the full list here. In the modern age, its incredibly easy for a potential thief to get someones photo of social media or take one covertly with their own phone. Attempting a face unlock with a photo is the first and most common test anyone would apply, and if a face unlock system cant stand up to it, then its practically useless. Hopefully, companies will up their game for 2019. Seminole, FL (33772) Today Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms mainly in the morning. High 84F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 79F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. If you're a federal employee, contractor or Central New York resident affected by the partial government shutdown, we want to hear from you. About 800,000 government employees are not being paid as the federal shutdown entered its 14th day Friday amid an impasse in Congress over funding for President Donald Trump's border wall. What does that mean for you and Central New York? Some federal agencies are closed, and that's affecting more than employees. Some people who want to do business with the federal government, or even visit a national park, may have to wait until the shutdown is over. We'd like to hear your story. Contact Syracuse.com reporter Mark Weiner at mweiner@syracuse.com or 315-440-1163 if you've been affected by the partial shutdown or know of others who have been impacted by the closing. Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751 Facts are stubborn things, John Adams said. The fight over a border wall playing out in Washington, D.C., could benefit from application of facts about the current state of immigration and the consequences of elections. Then-candidate Donald Trump made a promise to voters he couldnt keep. He vowed to build a big, beautiful wall at the southern border with Mexico, and that Mexico would pay for it. When Mexico predictably balked, President Trump offered an implausible menu of other ways the wall would be built and paid for by the U.S. military (illegal) and through the unratified Mexico-Canada-U.S. trade agreement (nonsensical). Now, Trump wants you to pay for the wall. He has shut down parts of the federal government for two weeks, and counting, because Congress wont appropriate $5 billion for the border wall. Congress couldnt do it during the two years when Republicans had control of the House of Representatives and the Senate. It certainly wont do it now, with Democrats back in control of the House. There are cheaper and better ways to secure the southern border than a 2,000-mile wall across difficult terrain. For example, sensors, tracking technology, drones and artificial intelligence can detect people crossing the border and guide the deployment of Border Patrol agents to intercept them. Plus, a wall would not solve our real immigration problems. Consider these stubborn facts: The number of unauthorized immigrants in the United States is at its lowest level in a decade, according to new estimates from the Pew Research Center, declining from 12.2 million in 2007 to 10.7 million in 2016. Most of that drop is because 1.5 million Mexicans have returned to Mexico, either willingly or through deportation. Its true that more unauthorized immigrants are coming through Mexico from violence-plagued El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Most are trying to present themselves at the border as asylum-seekers, running into the Trump administrations clampdown on legal immigration . Meanwhile, Trump is threatening to cut U.S. aid to these countries that is designed to improve conditions so the people wont have to flee. Two-thirds of the 10.7 million unauthorized immigrants in the United States have been here for a decade or more, Pew reports. The wall will do nothing to bring them out of the shadows. In 2014, 42 percent of the undocumented population were people who overstayed their visas . That is roughly 4.5 million tourists, students, workers or others who came into the country legally, on a temporary basis, and did not return to their home countries when their visas ran out. A wall would not have kept them out, but better visa enforcement would make them leave. The partial government shutdown is hampering immigration enforcement . The governments E-Verify system, which employers use to check the immigration status of new hires, is offline. Immigration agents and Border Patrol staff are working without pay. The immigration courts are closed, adding to a years-long backlog of 800,000 cases. Finally, Washingtons political calculus has changed. The midterm elections put Democrats in control of the House. If the president wont cut a deal, the shutdown will drag on. Federal workers will miss mortgage payments. Taxpayers will wait longer for tax refunds. National parks will go to ruin. A year ago, the president had his chance to make a deal on immigration full funding for the wall in exchange for granting legal status to 800,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival recipients brought here illegally by their parents. He blew it up. Trump also had the chance to avert this latest shutdown by signing a budget continuing resolution passed by both the House and the Senate before the holidays. He blew that up, too. The president said Friday that hed keep the government closed for months or even years to get his way on the wall. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is just as adamant that Democrats will not approve funding for a wall. Both leaders need to find a compromise, declare victory and move on. A functioning federal government is the least Congress and the president can deliver to the American people. Syracuse.com editorials Editorials represent the collective opinion of the Advance Media New York editorial board. Our opinions are independent of news coverage. Read our mission statement. Members of the editorial board are Tim Kennedy, Trish LaMonte, Jason Murray and Marie Morelli. To respond to this editorial: Post a comment below, or submit a letter or commentary to letters@syracuse.com. Read our submission guidelines. If you have questions about the Opinions & Editorials section, contact Marie Morelli, editorial/opinion leader, at mmorelli@syracuse.com The heat stays on in the North Island as many people return to work today, while most of the east of the South Island has a cool break from recent sweltering weather that saw temperatures up near 34 degrees Celsius. Niwa Weather recorded 33.8C at Wakanui, southwest of Christchurch, on Saturday, which it said was the highest temperature of the summer so far. On Sunday, MetService recorded 33.2C at Blenheim and 32.9C at Picton Airport. Overnight Saturday was one of the hottest nights on record in Canterbury, with many places hovering around 24-25C through the dark hours, while the lowest it got at Christchurch Airport was 22.5C about 4am on Sunday. That made it the second warmest night at the airport since records started there in 1954. During last summer, which was the hottest on record, the highest temperature recorded was 38.7C at Alexandra on January 30. The highest temperature recorded in New Zealand is 42.4C at Rangiora on February 7, 1973. On Sunday, South Island temperatures had taken a bit of a dip as a result of a southerly, but by Wednesday temperatures were expected to be rising again, says MetService meteorologist Tui McInnes. Heading back to work tomorrow? A look how the week is shaping up in 30 seconds. Some highlights for the week: -Little/no rain for most of the NI -Any meaningful rain (generally) confined to the west coast of SI -Generally warm for the NI -Cool snap late week SI ~Chris pic.twitter.com/3XcRvd3eLw NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) January 6, 2019 "The North Island stays more consistent, although Tuesday has a bit of a dip because the southerly pushes up into the North Island." Wednesday and Thursday were looking warm, but it looked like another front would cool things down a bit from Friday, says Tui. "At the moment it looks like it pushes up the South Island and possibly into the North Island. It's hard to say how far up the North Island it goes." MetService is forecasting a high of just 21C in Christchurch on Monday, but the city is expected to be up to 28C by Wednesday and Thursday. It stays warm in the east of the North Island with Hastings expected to get to 29C, and Gisborne to 30C. Temperatures could drop a few degrees in the next couple of days, before lifting again on Thursday and Friday. Temperatures in the upper North Island look likely to stay in the mid to high 20s during the week. Niwa Weather says little or no rain was expected for most of the North Island during the week, while any "meaningful" rain would be generally confined to the West Coast. The lower South Island had some decent rain on Sunday, with MetService recording 33.2mm in Dunedin, which had reached 32C on Saturday. Alexandra had 31mm, Gore 40.2mm, and Milford Sound 168mm. MetService expects high pressure to dominate the country's weather during January, although more so for the first half of the month. "Into the second half of January the high pressure starts to recede into the north Tasman Sea, allowing south-westerly winds to bring healthier rain, particularly for lower parts of both islands," says the MetService monthly outlook for January. -Stuff/Michael Daly. Click the image above to watch the video In todays weather forecast we are expecting a fine day with westerlies. Its a one-clothing layer day today with a high of 29 and an overnight low of 16 degrees. Humidity is 76 per cent. High tide is at 8.50am and low tide at 3pm (Tay St). Theres a sea swell of 0.4m and sea temperature is 20 degrees. Sunset tonight is at 8.36pm. If youre going fishing the next best fish bite time is between 6.30 and 9.30pm. On this day in NZ history in 1931 there was a bumpy landing for the Tasmans first solo flyer. Australian Guy Menzies flight from Sydney ended awkwardly when he crash-landed in a swamp at Harihari on the West Coast. On this day in world history in 1540 Henry VIII of England married his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. The marriage lasted six months. In 1921 the U.S. Navy ordered the sale of 125 flying boats to encourage commercial aviation. In 1987 astronomers reported sighting a new galaxy 12 billion light years away. Today is the birthday of Joan of Arc, French Saint and national heroine. Born in 1412, she once said One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying. To get involved in activities around the Bay of Plenty, please check out our Whats on page. Have a great day! A cruise ship with a majestic nature is in port today, as passengers disembark to enjoy a sunny day at the Mount with a refreshing breeze. The Majestic Princess arrived from Wellington earlier this morning and is due to head to Auckland at 4.30pm. The cruise ship is registered to the United Kingdom with a gross tonnage of 144216. It can carry 3917 passengers and 1332 crew members. All those people, plus Tauranga and Mount residents, are going to enjoy another fine day with westerly winds today. According to the MetService, its going to be 29 degrees today with an overnight low of 16. It was already 20.1C at 7.30am. See what is happening in and around Tauranga below: Monday 7 January Alcoholics Anonymous Open meeting 10am. Tauranga Central Baptist Church,13th Ave/Cameron Rd. All welcome. Ph 0800 229 6757 Argentine Tango A close-embrace dance that will change your life! Come on guys meet friendly young dancers to walk this journey. Ph/Txt 020 4006 1340 Body + Soul Fitness For over 50s. Mon & Fri Greerton Hall, Tues Tauranga Senior Citizens Norris St, Wed Bethlehem hall 9:15am. Ph Dianne 027 431 4326 or 576 5031 Cards 500 Social, competitive & fun. Flexible evenings to suit. No cost. Ph Chris 572 3834 Chess At Mount Maunganui Mount RSA Chess Club, 544 Maunganui Rd, 6-7pm during school term. Late program 7pm onwards. Incl casual games. Noel 579 5412 Citizens Advice Bureau Tauranga Free confidential impartial information & advice. Dont know? Ask us! Ph or visit us at 38 Hamilton St Tauranga Mon-Fri 9am-5pm 07 578 1592 or 0800 367 222 Dutch Friendly Support Network Coffee morning (1st Monday of month) 10am-12noon. $3 entry. Vintage Car Club Rooms, Cliff Road, Tauranga. Ph Bernadette 572 3968 Harmony-A-Plenty Barbershop Chorus Our Chorus teaches you to sing & enjoy a great craft. Meets 7pm, 183 Moffatt Rd, Bethlehem. Ph Gordon 07 576 5008. Welcomes new members. Narcotics Anonymous Open meeting every Monday, 7-8pm, at Hillier Centre, 31 Gloucester Rd, Mt Maunganui. If using drugs is causing you problems ph 0800 NA TODAY Tauranga City Brass Band practise is 7-9pm at 10 Yatton St Greerton. All brass players & percussionists very welcome. Instruments available. Ph Jeremy 021 132 3341 Tauranga Creative Fibre Every Monday 9:30am, also 2nd & 4th Thursday 7pm. Learn/share spinning, weaving, felting, knitting, crochet & all things fibre. 177 Elizabeth St. Margaret 571 3483 Tauranga Senior Citizens Club CARDS 500 Mon & Thurs. INDOOR BOWLS Tues,Wed & Sat, 14 Norris St (behind Pak n Save) 12:45pm for 1pm start. Entry $2 includes afternoon tea. New members welcome. Tauranga Vision Friendship Club For retirees. Friendship, speakers, outings, social gatherings. Meets 4th Monday each month 10am at Citizens Club. Ph Bryan 570 2483 Katikati recently claimed the title of being New Zealands avocado capital and this years Avocado Expo at the Katikati A&P Show aims to showcase and celebrate this. The expo, being sponsored by Avoco, is returning to the show on Sunday, February 3, 2019, offering some serious advice to those in the industry but also some fun-filled activities to attendees wanting to know more about the fruit. Expo committee spokesperson Linda Flegg says show-goers wanting to learn more about avocados, to growers of the high-demand fruit wanting technical advice, can get some answers to their fruit-filled questions at the event. The expos main aim this year is to promote Katikati recently claiming the title of being New Zealands avocado capital, says Linda. And it is to inform people about the growing and servicing industry of avocados in the Bay of Plenty and to promote the fruit itself as a nutritional product. Its also there for growers to come and socialise, meet fellow industry representatives and ask any technical questions of the industry businesses on-site. The expo will be made up of a big marquee and wood-chopping demonstrations, also being sponsored by Avoco, along with trade sites highlighting avocado-related services and products. Here growers can talk with those industry representatives on all technical avocado topics including 2018s Young Grower of the Year Danni van der Heijden, who is part of Avocos technical team. The other part of the expo is pure avocado fun offering a range of competitions to join in or watch, and loads of activities for youngsters. There will be a tug-o-war competition and were encouraging packhouse workers to come along and participate, says Linda. For the kids, Katikati Open-Air Art is running colouring-in competitions, weve got avocado decorating where children can decorate avocados and avocado 500 race cars to race down a racetrack and we have avocado egg-and-spoon races. Linda says the expo is also an area where parents can have some downtime too while their children enjoy the activities a new caterer will be cooking up avocado dishes for people to purchase, and the very-popular avocado beer created and brewed by Stu Rocky Knob Brewing Company owner and brewer Stu Marshall will return for those interested in tasting it. Plus committee member Anne Rowland will have loads of nutritional information and avocado recipes to give away. The Katikati Avocado Expo is at Katikati A&P Show at Uretara Domain, Sunday, February 3. Gates open 9am. Aotearoa has entered 2019 with a week of stereotypical kiwi weather. To borrow an overused but dependable saying, weve had a week thats generally been wet in the west, dry in the east, says MetService meteorologist Tui McInnes. Windy conditions have persisted for lower parts of the country. There is a ridge of high pressure sitting over the North Island, which is helping to squeeze the air around any terrain, exacerbating gusty conditions. This weekend has also brought some heavier rain to eastern parts, with a heavy rain warning in place for Dunedin and Northern Otago. Heavy rain has also affected the Westland and Fiordland. Dont worry, says the MetService. High pressure builds over the South Island once again, paving the way for a more settled start to the week. There are a few hot spots around with a number of centres expected to reach the high twenties and even the low thirties today and tomorrow. Unfortunately, the prognosis is for another front to move in as the week progresses. Expect some cloudier and windier periods as well as some wetter weather for those in southern and western areas. "If youre in the upper half of the North Island, the outlook for the week is looking mighty fine! Johanna Lucille Bartlett, 85, passed away June 10, 2021 at her home in Stillwater. A celebration of life will be held Tuesday, June 15, 2021 at the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Stillwater at 2:00pm. www.dightonmarler.com. Why are the vast majority of terrorism deaths the result of Islamic radicalism? Worse, why is that form of terrorism most common in the Middle East among the Arabs, especially those from the Arabian Peninsula where Islam first appeared 1,500 years ago? Until recently it was difficult for people in most Middle Eastern countries to openly discuss this trend much less where it came from and what could be done about it. That has been changing over the last decade and accelerated in 2017 as Arab nations, especially the oil-rich ones in Arabia, openly developed closer ties with Israel (mainly for protection from Iranian threats). A side effect of that was that it has become possible for Arab journalists and officials to openly (in the media) discuss Israel and why it is a good idea for the Arab states, who have been in a state of war with Israel since the late 1940s, to now openly treat Israel as an ally. The main reason is obvious; Israel is the military superpower in the region, despite containing only two percent of the people in the Middle East. Worldwide, Islamic terrorism-related deaths have fallen by over 50 percent since 2014, when there were 35,000. Global deaths hit 19,000 in 2017 and under 14,000 for 2018. Since 2014 five nations (Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Syria and Pakistan) have accounted for most of these deaths. The largest source of Islamic terror deaths during that period was ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant), a more radical faction of al Qaeda that currently is where the most radical practitioners of Islamic terrorism are found. Islamic terrorists continue to be, as it has been since the 1990s, the main source of terrorism-related deaths, accounting for about 90 percent of the fatalities. The remainder of the terrorist-related deaths are ethnic (often tribal) conflicts in Africa and Asia. Purely political terrorism accounts for a fraction of one percent of all terrorist-related deaths and are outnumbered by terrorism deaths inflicted by common (often organized) criminals. Arabs dont like dwell on their key role in creating and sustaining this scourge of terrorism. At the same time their new allies, the Israelis, have a different list of notable accomplishments, including great success in dealing with Islamic terrorism. Arabs dont like to discuss why the Arabs and Israelis are different, at least not in public. But thanks to the Internet anyone curious about Israeli military capabilities can find out in private. What Arabs can discuss openly is the Israeli achievements in science and technology. It is no secret that Moslems, despite having a population 85 times larger than Jews, win one Nobel prize for every 33 awarded to Jews. Arab journalists place less emphasis on that and more on the fact that tiny Israel is one of the top creators of new inventions worldwide. Arabs attribute this to more effective educational institutions and policies. Arabs can now admit that their government have not been as pro-science/technology as the Israelis in particular and Jews in general. Some Arab leaders attribute the disparity to Arab engineers and scientists being lured to the West by better pay and fewer restrictions but the basic problem is there are more opportunities for engineers and scientists in the non-Moslem world. What is still avoided is a public discussion of the cultural crisis in the Arab world in particular and the Moslem world in general. The crisis is expressed by an abundance of corruption and a lack of economic, educational, and political progress and performance. By whatever measure you wish to use, Nobel prizes, literacy rates, patents awarded, books published or translated, GDP growth, the Arabs have fallen behind the rest of the world. Part of the problem is the Arab tendency to blame outsiders and to avoid taking responsibility. Tolerating tyranny and resistance to change doesn't help either. Those attitudes are shifting, ever so slowly. The exact nature of this lethal cultural miasma can best be described by enumerating the major components. Lets start with the fact that most Arab countries are a patchwork of different tribes and groups, and Arab leaders survive by playing one group off against another. Loyalty is to one's group, not the nation. Most countries are dominated by a single group that is usually a minority (Bedouins in Jordan, Alawites in Syria, Sunnis in Iraq, Nejdis in Saudi Arabia). All of which means that leadership jobs are assigned not by merit but by loyalty and tribal affiliation. Islamic schools favor rote memorization, especially of scripture. Most Islamic scholars are hostile to the concept of interpreting the Koran (considered the word of God as given to His prophet Mohammed). This has resulted in looking down on Westerners who will look something up if they don't know. Arabs prefer to fake it and pretend it's all in their head. While failure is accepted as the price of learning and success in the West that sort of thing is not an option for most Arabs. Improvisation and innovation are generally discouraged. Arab government organizations go by the book while Westerners are more likely to rewrite the book and thus be much more effective. Despite years of Western advice on this matter, many Arab officials stick with the old, less effective, traditions. There is little middle management (like NCOs in the military). The ruling class (owners, officers, or officials) and everyone else is treated like two different social castes and there is no effort to bridge the gap using what the West calls middle management. The people are treated harshly. Work accidents that would end the careers of Western managers, officers, or officials are ignored in the Arab world and nobody cares. This is slowly changing, with the steady growth of a proper NCO corps and middle management, plus better management attitudes towards their subordinates. But the old ways often return, with disastrous effects on the morale and effectiveness of the average Arab. Not surprisingly, in Arab cultures, the ruling class is despised by their subordinates, and this does not bother the leaders much at all. Many Arab leaders simply cannot understand how treating the subordinates (unless they are family) decently will have any benefit. This is another old tradition that dies hard. Paranoia prevents adequate training. This is made worse by the habit of Arab tyrants insisting that their subordinate organizations have little contact with each other, thus ensuring that no subordinate leader can become powerful enough to overthrow the top guy. Subordinate organizations are purposely kept from working together or communicating on a large scale. Arab subordinate leaders don't have as broad a knowledge of what their subordinate leaders do, as is the case with their Western counterparts. Promotions are based more on political reliability than proficiency and efficiency. Arab leaders prefer to be feared, rather than respected, by their subordinates. This approach leads to poorly trained populations and low morale. A few rousing speeches about "Moslem Brotherhood" before a national emergency boils over does little to repair the damage. Many, if not most, Arab leaders now know that the paranoia and parochialism are bad but ancient traditions are hard to abandon. Arab leaders often do not trust each other. While an American manager or officer can be reasonably confident that the others they work with will be competent and reliable, Arabs in similar situations seriously doubt that their peers will do their job on time or accurately. This is an inefficient and sometimes fatal attitude. It's been difficult getting Arab leaders to change when it comes to trust. Arab leaders consider it acceptable to lie to subordinates and allies in order to further their personal agenda. This had catastrophic consequences throughout Arab history and continues to make progress difficult. When called out on this behaviour, Arabs will assert that they were "misunderstood." This is still going on. While Western American middle managers (and Westerners in general) are only too happy to impart their wisdom and skills to others (teaching is the ultimate expression of prestige), Arabs try to keep any technical information and manuals secret. To Arabs, the value and prestige of an individual is based not on what he can teach but on what he knows that no one else knows. This destructive habit is still around, despite years of American advisors patiently explaining why this is counterproductive. While Westerners thrive on competition among themselves, Arab leaders avoid this as the loser would be humiliated. Better for everyone to fail together than for competition to be allowed, even if it eventually benefits everyone. This attitude is still a factor in the Arab world. Westerners are taught leadership and technology; Arabs are taught only technology and not nearly enough. Leadership is given little attention as Arab leaders are assumed to know this by virtue of their social status as appointed leaders. The new generation of Arab leaders have been taught leadership, but for too many of them, this is an alien concept that they do not understand or really know what to do with. Initiative is considered a dangerous trait in the Arab world. So subordinates prefer to fail rather than make an independent decision. Large-scale enterprises are micromanaged by senior leaders, who prefer to suffer defeat rather than lose control of their subordinates. Even worse, an Arab manager will not tell a Western counterpart why he cannot make the decision (or even that he cannot make it), leaving Western managers angry and frustrated because the Arabs won't make a decision. The Arab leaders simply will not admit that they do not have that authority. The new generation of Arab managers have been sent to Western management schools, but there's still not a lot of enthusiasm for initiative (which is often seen as a decadent and dangerous Western import). Lack of initiative makes it difficult for Arabs to maintain modern equipment. Complex modern devices require on the spot maintenance, and that means delegating authority, information, and tools. Arab cultures avoid doing this and prefer to use easier to control central repair shops. This makes the timely maintenance of equipment difficult. Entrepreneurs, often non-Arab Moslems, often handle a lot of the maintenance. This is still a problem throughout the Middle East, where the oil rich nations have most of their non-government operations staffed by foreigners. Security is maniacal. Everything even vaguely military or government related is top secret. While Western military and corporation promotion lists are routinely published, this rarely happens in Arab organizations. Officers and managers are suddenly transferred without warning to keep them from forging alliances or networks. Any team spirit among officials is discouraged. All these traits were reinforced, from the 1950s to the 1980s, by Soviet advisors and admiration for the success of Soviet socialism and management practices. To the Russians, anything government related was secret, subordinates were scum, there was no functional middle management system, and everyone was paranoid about everyone else. These were not "communist" traits but Russian customs that had existed for centuries and were adopted by the communists to make their dictatorship more secure from rebellion. Arab dictators avidly accepted this kind of advice but are still concerned about how rapidly the communist dictatorships all came tumbling down between 1989 and 1991. The Russian influence is still fondly remembered because the Russians had developed some highly effective police state methods. This made it easier for the police and military to control a country, even if despicable methods were used. While these Russian techniques can work to hunt down terrorists in a police state, it doesn't work in any other useful endeavours and thats the main reason the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. These counterproductive traits are ancient and predate Islam but the nature of Islamic theology has perpetuated them in Moslem nations. While the West eventually separated church and state (helped by a few useful bits of advice in the Christian bible) that is more difficult with Islam because the word Islam literally means submission and the Moslem scripture is quite specific about Islam being a way of life and a form of government as well as a religion. Most of these bad habits are ancient but they are not immune to change, even when Islam is involved. a quick look at the history of the Islamic world since World War II shows one constant; poor leadership. There are exceptions. Turkey, starting in the 1920s, sought to reform and modernize its governmental and cultural institutions, including a clear separation of church and state. Malaysia, after a chaotic beginning (in the 1950s), sorted itself out and created an efficient government (especially by Moslem standards) and adopted much of the English common law used when Britain was the colonial ruler of the area. This included a rather incorruptible, especially by local standards, judiciary. This gave Malaysia a big economic advantage, and led to rapid economic growth, despite some loud political squabbles. Islamic radicals never got a foothold in Malaysia, although some exist there. But Malaysians in general, and local counter-terrorism forces, in particular, are not hospitable to Islamic terrorists. These reforms are always under assault by Islamic conservatives. The Islamic party that has run the Turk government since 2003 has become increasingly paranoid about religion and anyone not Moslem. The Turkish president has been openly accusing the non-Moslem world of making war on Islam. This is the same attitude Islamic terrorists use to justify their attacks on non-Moslem targets. Yet Turkey has remained a member of NATO and taken strong measures to shut down Islamic terrorist groups inside Turkey. Since the 1920s Turkey has kept church and state separate but the current government wants to change that and is gradually doing so. One threat involved a proposal to undo the 1928 law that made the Roman alphabet the standard. This would be done by again teaching the Arabic alphabet in schools and eventually dropping the Roman alphabet completely. This proposal was defeated but the government did make it legal to teach the old Turkish documents using Arabic script in religious schools. In 1928 the adoption of the Roman alphabet linked Turkey more closely, culturally and economically, with the West and those connections are proving difficult to undo. Going back to the Arabic alphabet was very unpopular and the government quickly discovered that most Turks opposed this change. In response to this defeat, the government added more mandatory religious instruction (Islam only) in schools. To make matter worse, the Turkish Islamic politicians got elected to power on the promise of cleaning up the corruption that was increasingly hurting the economy as well as politics and life in general. For nearly a decade the Islamic politicians did reduce the corruption, but then evidence began to appear that many of the Islamic politicians had themselves had become corrupt in addition to threatening to end the separation of church and state as well. The Islamic government sought to silence those who were openly criticizing bad behaviour by pro-Islam politicians. This despite the fact that ISIL considers the current Turkish government un-Islamic and wants to replace it, by force if necessary, and make largely secular Turkey part of the new caliphate. Most Turks oppose ISIL, but most Turks dont want a civil war over the issue and are trying to settle the matter via with elections. That may or may not work depending on how many Islamic politicians agree to respect the democratic process. Yet Islamic radicals are quite certain the democracy, and many other Western customs (education for women, free speech) and un-Islamic and must be avoided. The constant in the current outbreak of terrorist violence is religion and particularly Islam. It is dangerous to point that out but, as the Arabs have discovered, even more, dangerous to try and ignore. As historians know, events of great significance are sometimes put into motion by some seemingly irrelevant occurrence. This weeks shot across the bow of the mainstream media by one of its erstwhile members probably wont trigger a stampede for the exits, but it did provide for a timely wake-up call. Although probably no more harmless than the fluttering of a butterflys wings deep inside the Amazon rainforest, news that veteran journalist William M. Arkin severed relations with NBC over its relentless pro-war, anti-Trump narrative was exactly the message the omnipotent media kings needed to hear as attacks on alternative (i.e. conservative) voices have reached totalitarian proportions. In a farewell letter to his colleagues, Arkin said he was alarmed at how quick NBC is to mechanically argue the contrary, to be in favor of policies that just spell more conflict and more war. We shouldnt get out Syria, he asked rhetorically, suggesting Trumps particular brand of foreign policy has not been a total flop. We shouldnt go for the bold move of denuclearizing the Korean peninsula? Even on Russia do we really yearn for the Cold War? For many, news of Arkin flipping his bosses the proverbial bird on the way out the door was the sort of salute many have dreamed of delivering to the Legacy Media ever since the conspiracy theory of Russia intervention in the 2016 election turned into a nice excuse for the hulking Orwell Brothers Google, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to start culling alternative media voices like hunters on the opening day of deer season. Although Arkins letter betrays some naivete at one point he says he believed, despite his experience with the Iraq War, that he was invited back to NBC in the midst of the 2016 presidential campaign to break through the machine of perpetual war acceptance and conventional wisdom to challenge Hillary Clintons hawkishness it is his frank admittance that the media has assumed the role as cheerleader for evermore military misadventures that strikes a nerve. I would assert that in many ways NBC just began emulating the national security state itself busy and profitable, he wrote. No wars won but the ball is kept in play. Reading Arkins letter forces one to question at what point the mainstream media stopped serving as the voice of reason and restraint and started shaking the pompoms on behalf of military conquest. It seems that something fundamentally changed in the American mindset following the 20-year Vietnam War, which was arguably the last time the Liberals displayed genuine disgust with war. Despite a plethora of global butchery today that warrants some serious criticism and debate, progressive Liberals from college campuses to Hollywood to the media establishment, institutions they essentially own lock, stock and barrel would rather devote their time to insanely personal issues instead (specifically, matters related to sexuality, political correctness, feminism and race). Although it may be argued that many millions of people did take to the streets around the world to protest the 2003 Iraq War, for example, those efforts are known today for what they failed to accomplish: halting the mad rush to war without UN approval against a country that played no role whatsoever in the attacks of 9/11. The fact that the media was overwhelmingly on the side of the hawks certainly did not help the campaign. In the New York Review of Books, writer Michael Massing ventured to ask members of the mainstream media tribe where were you all before the war? Why didnt we learn more about these deceptions and concealments [of the Bush administration with regards to what some had dubbed faith-based intelligence] in the months when the administration was pressing its case for regime changewhen, in short, it might have made a difference? Across the pond, meanwhile, the glaring disconnect that existed between the war-wary public and the pro-war press was summed up by Roy Greenslade of the Guardian: There is a genuine scepticism about the existence of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, a readiness to question America's warmongering leadership and an obvious unease at Tony Blair's zealous push for war, Greenslade wrote. Peopledo not seem to accept the views of President Bush and Blair that Saddam Hussein is a threat to world peace. Yet, and here is the rub, the vast majority of the British press certainly does. The situation today with regards to the media and its coverage of war is bad to the point of appalling. In the past, it was the generals and political leaders who geared up the nation for war while the journalists at least feigned to be the arbiters of common sense and caution. Today the calculus has flipped and we find the media openly and unashamedly agitating for bloodshed long before the military commanders have sounded the charge. Much of this lamentable situation underscores the hazards of allowing a small clique of super-influential media companies Comcast, Disney, AT&T, 21st Century Fox, CBS and Viacom to control the vast majority of what the public sees and hears. But I digress. It only requires a brief glimpse as to how the media responds to the promise of military aggression to understand that something has gone seriously awry with American journalism. What did it take for CNN to quickly shelve Russiagate and finally endorse Trump as POTUS more than a year after hed been in the White House? It took Trump launching a crack-of-dawn missile strike on Syria in April 2017. CNN analyst Fareed Zakaria could barely contain his jingoistic juices when he declared the morning after the bombardment, I think Donald Trump became President of the United States. I think this was actually a big momentTrump understands there is no need to go to a pesky Congress every time they want military force. Meanwhile, MSNBC anchor Brain Williams demonstrated far more enthusiasm for military hardware than could be considered healthy when he remarked while watching US missiles streaming towards Syria: I am tempted to quote the great Leonard Cohen, Williams said, I am guided by the beauty of our weapons, and they are beautiful pictures of fearsome armaments what is for them a brief flight over this airfield. Worse, Williams only ventured to ask a guest What did they hit? after this bombastic prelude. On the flip side, when Trump made the audacious announcement in late December that he would be pulling US troops out of Syria it came off as a Kleenex moment for the media mavens. Max Boot, neocon cheerleader on behalf of non-stop bloodshed wailed in the Washington Truth Dies in Darkness Post that We are at the mercy of an ignorant and impetuous president. At the same time, Rachel Maddow over at MSNBC showed consternation at the thought of US troops actually exiting some illicit military theater where we have no right to be in the first place. This is the sort of choice American viewers get when the question of war and peace is on the table. Amid such groveling behavior from so many loyal members of the mainstream media, I will wrap this up by saying hats off to William M. Arkin for having the courage to remind his media bosses about the real purpose of journalism, which is certainly not to parrot the official line when it comes to the prospect of war, or worse, push for military offensives on behalf of the military industrial complex. The duty of the journalist is to speak truth to power, even if it means forfeiting a paycheck in the process. Who and where From left: Dave and Jane Fay of St. Louis and Linda and Tony Valencia of Highland, Calif., in Pompeii, Italy, with Mount Vesuvius in the background. The trip The Fays took an anniversary trip to Italy and met up there with high school friend Linda Valencia and her husband. Travel tip Hire a guide to skip the very long line at the entrance and take you around to the most interesting places to see. Bring water, as it is very hot even in September. Contribute Email your photo to stlpost@gmail.com. Include the full names of everyone in the photo, including where they are from and where you are standing in the photo. Also include your address and phone number. Please also tell us a little about the trip and a travel tip. Were looking for interesting, well-composed, well-lighted photos. GET OUT OF TOWN with our weekly newsletter full of tips, tales and reviews. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Decades have passed since tiny Panama ranked among Washingtons big national security concerns. The 1989 U.S. invasion notwithstanding, the two nations have enjoyed largely cordial relations since the Panama Canal handover in December 1999. A boom in canal transits that include two-thirds of cargo ships traveling to or from the United States helped keep Panama and its globally strategic canal well within the U.S. sphere of influence. Until now. Under President Donald Trumps watch, Washington has stood idly as China rolled into Panama and established a major hemispheric foothold alongside a waterway essential to U.S. commerce and national security. Much as former President Jimmy Carter was blamed for negotiating the treaties that handed control of the U.S.-built canal to Panama, it was Trump who allowed China to sink its claws into this highly strategic asset. This might not seem like a major issue for folks here in the Midwest, but the vast majority of commercial products and farm commodities traded by local farmers pass through the Panama Canal. Access to the canal is vital for U.S. military vessels, including nuclear submarines. Few waterways carry higher strategic importance for the United States, which is why the U.S. militarily occupied Panama for nearly a century. A new law requires all new or renovated buildings in New York that have bathrooms used by the public to make changing tables available to both men and women. Change is coming to men's restrooms in New York -- and it's going to be a big help to fathers all over the state. A new law requires all new or renovated buildings in New York that have bathrooms used by the public to make changing tables available to both men and women. The rule, which passed in April 2018 but didn't go into effect until the new year, applies to restaurants, stores and movie theaters as well as state facilities such as parks and offices of the Department of Motor Vehicles. At least one changing table must be available to both genders on each floor of a building that is accessed by the public, according to the law. The legislation also states that building managers should post clear signs showing the location of the nearest available changing table. There was no previous state law that required changing tables in bathrooms used by the public, according to a statement from the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo when the legislation passed. Toxic lead coursed through Christopher Holland Jr.s body at two critical points in his life: as a toddler poisoned by lead paint and as a 20-year-old struck down by bullets. I saw how it affected his life with relationships, with his anger issues, always complaining that his head hurt, Christopher Holland Sr. said of the lead poisoning discovered when his son, known as Lil Chris, was 4 years old and living in north St. Louis. Lead poisoning cases have dropped dramatically since the 1990s, when Lil Chris was a child, but the problem hasnt gone away. The citys old housing stock still poses a danger to children in many neighborhoods. Last year in St. Louis, more than 2,600 children had measurable levels of lead in their blood, which can lead to stunted growth, learning disabilities, risky behavior and other health problems. There is no safe amount of lead in a body, and damage to developing brains is permanent. The main source of lead poisoning here is lead paint, banned in 1978 but too late for the nearly 90 percent of housing stock in St. Louis that was built earlier. City officials worry that demolition of old houses could reverse the years of progress in reducing lead poisoning. The renewed push to demolish vacant buildings, generally thought to be a positive step for decaying urban areas, could have unintended and long-term public health consequences. When the structures fall, heavy metals carried by dust can travel several blocks, drifting into open windows and settling into neighbors yards. Demolitions elsewhere have been blamed for a rise in lead-poisoned children, who in turn are at higher risk of criminal behavior as adults. My boys were my life Christopher Holland Sr. graduated from high school in 1988. Chris Jr. came along the next year, his brother Demontae in 1991. The family lived in a $210-a-month apartment on Ashland Avenue with those windows with the wooden frames with the paint chipping, Holland said. Even when houses are repainted, disturbing walls or opening windows can dislodge paint chips and dust to be ingested or inhaled by children. After both boys tested high for lead during a regular checkup as preschoolers, It was really tragic for me, being a young parent at that time with two kids. My boys were my life. For them to be sick like that, it was really on me, Holland said. Nearly 30 years later, old houses in St. Louis continue to poison children despite an aggressive anti-lead campaign by former Mayor Francis Slay, who vowed to eradicate lead poisoning in the city by 2010. The results of the campaign were impressive the number of elevated blood lead levels dropped from nearly 1 in 3 children in 2000 to about 1 in 50 for the last few years. But just as the city reduced its rates of lead poisoning, federal health authorities moved the goal line. In 2012, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lowered the definition for potential lead poisoning from 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood to 5, based on evidence that children can suffer harm from lower concentrations of lead. In 2017, there were 678 children ages 6 and younger in St. Louis with blood lead levels above 5 micrograms, and an additional 150 with a lead level above 10. State health records show 1,660 children tested at a level between 3 and 5, enough to cause developmental delays. We did a great job for 20 or 30 years, then weve kind of let our guard down, said Dr. Christina Gurnett, a Washington University pediatric neurologist. In a way its off our radar screens because the levels are so low that we cant on an individual basis detect whos being harmed by this low level of exposure. Lower concentrations of lead are more challenging to identify and treat because a child may not show immediate, obvious symptoms. And the lower the concentration in the blood, the harder it becomes to find the source of lead in the childs environment, Gurnett said. Demolitions as a health threat While living in a house with leaded paint is considered the primary pathway for lead poisoning, living near demolition sites has also been established as a risk factor. Building demolitions are known to disperse leaded dust through a neighborhood, and are blamed for a recent uptick in childhood lead poisoning in Detroit. The connection was made many years earlier in St. Louis. In 2002, the citys lead abatement teams reported to the health department that children living near demolition sites repeatedly tested high for lead. With money from the CDC, the city commissioned a study on proximity to demolition sites and lead poisoning. If you demolish an old house, you put up this cloud of dust that blows with the wind, deposits in your yard and creates a potential risk, said Felicia Rabito, an environmental epidemiologist from Tulane University and one of the authors of the study. The researchers mapped the houses of more than 10,000 children who had blood lead tests in 2001 and 2002 and the addresses of 990 demolitions completed in 2001 and 1,033 in 2002. Even when controlling for the age of houses, the team found a link between high lead levels and living within a quarter-mile of demolition sites. Tipping Point: A legacy of neglect A series looking at the consequences of decades of disinvestment in St. Louis. See all related stories at stltoday.com/tippingpoint Controlling ambient lead dust released during a demolition is important because it potentially can enter the residential environment on the soles of shoes, on the clothes of children, or through open windows and doors, thus increasing the likelihood of ingestion by children, the researchers concluded. Despite the known link between demolition dust and lead poisoning, there are no federal, state or local laws requiring the removal of lead in a building before a total demolition. Whats missing is the financial and political will to take the necessary precautions, Rabito said. There are lead-safe practices for demolitions of risky buildings, so do it, thats all were asking, she said. Its very frustrating. This stuff has been known for a really long time, and were still talking about it. I cant understand why childrens health isnt a primary priority. Best practices The safest way to demolish a house contaminated with lead is called the Baltimore protocol, named for an experiment in that city. Houses were covered in plastic before demolition and soaked down to diminish dust. The protocol worked lead in dust traveled less than 20 yards, compared to 191 yards in a dry demolition without any precautions. But across the country, and even in its namesake city, the Baltimore protocol is viewed as too costly and time-consuming. Buildings are mostly brought down under a requisite spraying of water, which still allows lead dust to settle across a 300-foot radius. Before September, St. Louis only required demolition companies to spray work sites with a hose a half measure that wasnt sufficient to reduce dust, said Patrick Brown, chief resilience officer and Mayor Lyda Krewsons senior policy adviser on vacancy and blight. Now contractors must use powerful misting fans to wet down buildings during a demolition. The city purchased two fans for about $100,000, and it rents them to contractors for $250 a day half the cost of the $500 fine for not using the fans. One contractor has been fined since the rule went into effect, Brown said. Wrapping a house in plastic before tearing it down could double the average demolition cost of $8,000 to $10,000, city officials said. The more that a demolition costs, the fewer buildings were going to be able to take down, Brown said. Brown added that city officials for the first time are having conversations about balancing the risks and rewards of demolitions to public health. The Economic Policy Institute estimates that every dollar invested in lead poisoning prevention saves $119 in tax revenue and reduced health care and legal costs. All the money and time and effort trying to reduce the blood lead levels in children, we do not want to reverse that because of demolition practice, said Frank Oswald, the citys building commissioner. St. Louis Development Corp., the citys economic development agency, is testing the alternative process of deconstruction, which takes buildings apart piece by piece to salvage materials and reduce health risks from dust and remaining debris. While the more expensive process is not financially feasible for all 12,000 city-owned vacant properties, officials are hopeful that the 30-building pilot project set for 2019 will expand. The extra costs upfront are worth it, said Roger Lewis, professor of environmental health at St. Louis University who oversees research on lead exposure. Whats the cost of the child who has developmental disabilities versus the cost of cleaning up this yard, making sure dust doesnt get in the air? Lewis asks. Its a moral question. Its an economic question. They have to find a better way of dealing with the demolition of buildings than they do now. There was lead everywhere The 20th Ward in south St. Louis, which includes the Gravois Park and Dutchtown neighborhoods, has the highest rates of lead poisoning in the city, at more than 14 percent of children. Alderman Cara Spencer attributes the high rates to a lack of renovated housing stock and a history of predatory landlords in the area. It is terrifying when your child is exposed to something that is totally irreversible, said Spencer, who encourages families in the ward to get their homes tested. Born in February 2017, Kendrick Brown was a healthy baby until he started crawling around his house on Potomac Street near Gravois Park, his mother, Kardedra Brown, said. He was barely eating. Everything slowed down for him, Brown said. When we went for his 1-year checkup, we found out that his (lead) levels were high. An initial inspection cleared the familys home for lead. But Kendricks levels kept rising until they hit 40 micrograms, requiring hospitalization for a few days last summer at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Childrens Hospital. A second inspection found the home was contaminated. There was lead on the stairs, in my room, downstairs in the kitchen. There was lead everywhere, Brown said. Kendricks lead levels, now tested every month, have dropped to 24 micrograms but are still too high. He takes iron supplements to help his body absorb nutrients, but his appetite hasnt returned. The family has had to move a few times after Browns fathers house in the city also tested high for lead. The toddler goes to follow-up appointments at Cardinal Glennons Knights of Columbus Developmental Center and so far is hitting milestones on time. Brown said she has other family members who have experienced learning delays after lead poisoning. It scares me to see that happen to him, she said. Its hard, and its frustrating because we dont have anywhere stable to go right now. Were still jumping from house to house. Links to crime The citys high rates of gun violence, opioid overdoses and sexually transmitted diseases all get more media attention. But a growing body of evidence, including research from St. Louis University, hints that some of those problems likely started with lead-poisoned babies. Lead, a neurotoxin, disrupts and damages the area of the brain that controls behavior, reasoning and intelligence. The toxin can cross the placental barrier, damaging the nervous system of a developing fetus. Exposure to lead in utero or in early childhood raises the risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, lowered IQ and learning disabilities. While no one has tracked lead-poisoned children in St. Louis over time, the long-term Cincinnati Lead Study found that children with high blood levels had higher arrest rates as adults. In Detroit, researchers found that lead-poisoned children were seven times more likely to drop out of high school. There is a fairly strong and consistent correlation between lead exposure and a variety of social issues and social problems, said Brian Boutwell, a criminologist at SLU. Nationwide, a decades-long decline in violent crime has been attributed in part to the removal of lead from gasoline and paint in the 1970s. Locally, SLUs research has shown a correlation between crime rates and lead exposure in St. Louis neighborhoods, even when controlling for socioeconomic factors. There was quite a bit of progress made in removing lead from gasoline and pipes and paint, but there are still places like St. Louis where exposure levels are high, Boutwell said. When you have aging houses that begin to decay, it is still a great benefit to society to remove those heavy metal toxins. A shortened, lead-poisoned life It took a couple of years for Christopher Holland Sr. to save up enough money to move out of the lead-tainted apartment on Ashland Avenue. After the family got out, they sued their landlord in 1995 for failing to resolve the lead contamination. Lil Chris, whose blood lead level was higher than his brother Demontaes, was awarded an $85,000 settlement to be paid in $5,000 annual installments after the boy turned 18, court records show. He received two payments before dying in 2010 at age 20 when a man he tried to rob on a Hazelwood street killed him in self-defense. Hazelwood police at the time said the shooting was justified, that Lil Chris died with his finger on the trigger of a .38-caliber revolver. He had two bullet wounds, one in his side and one in his back. His father paid the funeral expenses with the $18,000 left from the lead poisoning settlement after taking a penalty for cashing out early. Holland Sr. remembers Lil Chris as quick to get mad all the time. Demontae has problems with coping with life, too, impulse control and decision-making. A lot of that, I know it comes from lead. The fathers discussions with his children always involve making better choices, talking out their problems or walking away and controlling their anger, he said. When your kid hurts, you hurt, and Im like that, Holland said. I know I cant keep you from bumping your head and making mistakes, but Im trying my damndest to try to stop you from making mistakes. Holland knows he couldnt stop the boys from being poisoned, and it haunts him, wondering how different their lives could have been. Janelle ODea, Post-Dispatch data specialist and reporter, and Andrew Nguyen, newsroom developer, produced the accompanying graphics. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CLAYTON Supporters of President Donald Trump rallied Saturday in support of the president and his wall on the Mexican border. Holding Trump 2016 and 2020 signs, along with others saying the Wall is Moral and Make America Garrisoned Again, the crowd of at least 150 joined in chants of Build That Wall and applauded a series of speakers. Were here. Were citizens. And we want our voices to be heard, said Jim Hoft, one of the organizers and the founder of the Gateway Pundit website. Hoft said he and others planned the rally in the last week on a shoestring budget. Hoft said he supported Trump but warned that Trump would lose half of his base if he gave in to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Several speakers stressed that they did not oppose legal immigration. Incoming Missouri Rep. Dottie Bailey, R-Eureka, told the crowd that the rally was not against those who want to come to this country legally, but she railed against those who had been gathered from Honduras and other countries by globalists to be used as human capital. At a March 13 council meeting, county health officials confirmed that two dogs had died after an outbreak of canine parvovirus. Three days later, Stenger said Vesco-Mock had been fired. Katrina Utz, a policy advisor for Stenger, has been the centers interim director. Vesco-Mocks lawyer, Edwin C. Ernst IV, said then that his client planned to fight for her job through the countys civil service process, and for her reputation through a complaint filed with the Missouri Human Rights commission. Ernst claimed Stenger would not have disciplined Vesco-Mock if she were a man. And he said she never called anyone a gangbanger, but that she had told a group of employees, who were of different races, to quit gangbanging in a hallway and get back to work. He accused Stenger of using the situations to make himself appear tough on racism, noting that Stenger had also decried President Donald Trumps racist hate in a political ad. Mercer was a motorcycle gang leader in Kansas City convicted of raping and killing Karen Keeton, 22, a tavern waitress, in 1978. Here was our original coverage. JEFFERSON CITY Missouri's first execution in almost 24 years was carried out with swift, almost clinical precision within the first 10 minutes of Friday. Coughing and straining against the straps that bound him to a gurney, George C. "Tiny" Mercer died within minutes of the moment when fatal drugs were injected into his left arm. Adhering closely to their schedule, officials of the Corrections Department began administering the lethal injection at 12:03 a.m. By 12:05, Mercer lost consciousness, and at 12:09 he was pronounced dead by an attending physician. In his last. moments, Mercer focused his attention on the woman who had married him after he was imprisoned for the rape and murder of Karen Keeton in 1978. Mercer's wife, Christie, observed the execution with a friend through a window of what used to be the gas chamber of the Missouri Penitentiary. President Trump and congressional leaders on Friday emerged from a meeting to negotiate an end to the government shutdown with messages signaling that a deadlock remained over the presidents demand for a border wall. Gaps remained in some of the financing behind the plan. And the bid wouldn't have provided enough cash to cover costs incurred in the bankruptcy, the people said. It also undervalued inventory and other assets relative to what liquidators were promising to pay, the people said. Another key sticking point: much of Lampert's bid rested on him getting ownership of the reorganized business in exchange for the forgiveness of $1.3 billion of debt he holds. But the validity of those claims racked up in a series of spinoffs and other insider dealings has been challenged by a group of creditors. The bankers are concerned that the claims could leave the company exposed to future liabilities, the people said. Drain had said he would require ESL to provide a cash pledge that would backstop the credit piece of its bid. But the proposal didn't include that. ESL has said its liens are valid and came after the firm extended more than $2.4 billion of secured financing to keep Sears afloat. Lampert, whose plan would save up to 50,000 jobs, has been trying to shape the debate by emphasizing the potential for massive job losses. The consequences aren't lost on some lenders, who are wary of being blamed for the collapse of a big, iconic employer the way their peers were in last year's dismantling of Toys R Us Inc. Denise Sharrow, the front desk manager at Brookwood Inn in Statesville, decided to organize an Easter potluck in 2017 for the homeless families who were down on their luck and staying at the motel. She did the same thing for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and again into 2018. Dozens of families, including many with kids, came together over food Sharrow helped provide. By Thanksgiving 2018, the effort had become so big, and so expensive, that Sharrow decided to reach out for help. She never expected the overwhelming community response that followed. Business donations, media coverage and gifts from the Statesville Police Department turned her simple holiday meal into a full-blown Thanksgiving miracle. Sharrow said she couldnt believe it. Ive had people just stop by and say ... I want to give you this crock-pot, Sharrow said. Its been the whole community. Some families find themselves unable to secure permanent housing, and often turn to low-end motels for shelter. Sharrow estimated that about 25 families with around 45 children were there for Thanksgiving in November. Every family at Brookwood has at least one employed adult, Sharrow said, but the families are unable to find affordable housing in their budgets. Seeing the plight of these families has motivated Sharrow to provide a safe, family-friendly environment at the motel. Its an ongoing effort, but one she says she couldnt be working toward if it wasnt for help from the Statesville community. A NEW BEGINNING When Sharrows husband got a job in the area a few years ago repairing air conditioning units, the couple needed temporary housing and turned to Brookwood Inn on East Broad Street near Signal Hill Mall. For about a year, Sharrow thought about returning to Tennessee or going back to selling RVs somewhere. But in 2017, she heard Brookwood was looking for a front desk manager, so she submitted her resume. I never thought anything else about it, Sharrow said. I didnt know that I was the right fit. Then one day, the owner knocked on my (motel room) door and asked me if I wanted a job. She agreed, and immediately began working with Brookwoods owner, Mina Patel, to try and transform the motel into a more inviting place to stay. First, the team decided to stop renting rooms to many people who lived within 55 miles of Statesville. Sharrow said local guests who she says come for prostitution, drugs or parties tear up rooms. Brookwood allows exceptions and rents rooms for guests, including homeless families, who can explain why they need a room. Then Sharrow and Patel began renovating the rooms an easier investment to make because vandalism had dropped. The next thing was training the front desk staff to care more about who was here, Sharrow said. If they had to rent to somebody on a weekly basis, I told them they were like the neighborhood watch. Youre the first step in the neighborhood watch. Look at the person, speak with the person. Is that someone you want to live in your neighborhood? As Brookwood became cleaner and safer, local families without anywhere else to turn started to move in. A REALIZATION Sharrow said she didnt realize families with children lived at motels before she worked at Brookwood. But its more common than many realize. Tonya Reid, a social worker for Iredell-Statesville Schools, said its often easier for some families to come up with weekly rent for motels than it is to save up the estimated $1,500 needed for a deposit and first and last months rent for an apartment. Motels are also furnished. Sharrow said Brookwoods rooms have two beds, a nightstand, chair, desk, dresser, refrigerator, microwave, TV and maybe a table and wardrobe. They also have bathrooms. What it feels like when youre here is that youre an island all by yourself, Sharrow said. Its like youre isolated, youre by yourself, and nobody knows that youre here and nobody knows whats going on. Two-month Brookwood guest Danielle Buff moved into the motel with her fiance and two daughters when their Statesville landlord refused to fix the heat or a hole growing in their hallway, she said. Their place was too unsafe for their toddlers. Buffs fiance works nights at Leggett & Platt. She said the family was trying to find a more ideal living situation, but its hard to save enough to pay for a security deposit and first months rent. She and her fiance are having a hard time finding a place to rent in Statesville with things they need like a fridge and stove. Buff said living in a motel with her fiance and two daughters can be stressful. Mainly because its one room, Buff said. Youre all stuck in one room. Your family, youre all in one room all the time. Other than the microwave, cooking is limited to slow cookers, electric burners and toasters. Buff said she felt lucky to have those appliances and knew it was hard for people who didnt. Buff said she was thankful for Sharrow's help. The gifts and food provided by Sharrow and the community made it easier to get through the holidays. WHO HASNT MADE A MISTAKE? As more children came to live at Brookwood, Reid, the social worker, started coming by. Reid also acts as a liaison for the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education program, a federal program that guarantees homeless children an education. As Reid visited Brookwood guests, Sharrow got to know her. Sharrow would tell her when new children moved in. I go where my families are, to meet their needs outside the classroom, Reid said. Reid calls the children she helps her babies. Kids living in motels, recognized as homeless by the government, are included. There are 212 homeless children in Iredell-Statesville Schools right now, she said. Reid said most of the homeless students are living in a friends or relatives home without their own belongings around them, but others live in shelters and motels. While she doesnt know of any right now, in the past, families have lived in campgrounds or abandoned structures unfit for habitation. Families who live in motels may easily get behind on rent if a parent has to take time off work to care for a sick child. Many have trouble qualifying for government or community assistance too, Sharrow said. She claimed there is a stigma against families living in motels. Many aid programs have the misconception that people are here because of drugs, Sharrow said. It can be illness. It could be the loss of a job. Anything could cause them to be here. Some people made mistakes ranging from crime and addiction to poor money management, and those mistakes landed them at Brookwood, she said. But who hasnt made a mistake, she added? You cannot beat them up for the past, Sharrow said. They need to learn from it. But (we need to) find out what it is that got them here, what do they need to learn. Then help them go forward. Sharrow said she wants more organizations to understand that for some families, motels are home. However temporary it may be, this is where they live, Sharrow said. The other alternative for them is nothing to live on the street. Thats it. ACTS OF KINDNESS FAMILY ASSISTANCE In 2017, Sharrow paid for most of the food for the Thanksgiving potluck herself. So last year, as Sharrow began planning her second Thanksgiving potluck, she told Reid she needed help. Im like Mm-hmm. Im your black angel. Lets make this happen, Reid recalled. All she has to say is I need this. I want to do this. Ill link her to people I know in the community. Reid used her network and connected Sharrow to the Statesville Animal Hospital in east Iredell County. The business sent emails to all of its customers asking for donations, and Sharrow was able to provide a large dinner for the families. WANT TO DONATE? Donations for Acts of Kindness Family Assistance can be dropped off at Brookwood Inns front desk at 1505 E. Broad St. Donations for the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education program are collected at 5th Street Ministries at 1421 Fifth St. After that, Sharrows small movement to clean up a motel and care for the families gained momentum she didnt expect. She has named her movement Acts of Kindness Family Assistance. Laura Baker, an employee at Statesville Animal Hospital, suggested an angel tree for Christmas, so people could donate specific gifts to each child at Brookwood. A local book club donated pajamas and books as Christmas gifts. Law enforcement also gave children gifts at the motel. A South River Baptist Church Sunday school class provided breakfast and lunch for students during winter break. Sharrow was able to treat the children to pizza, cookies and stockings on Christmas Eve and provide guests a Christmas dinner. As amazing as this outpouring of generosity and support has been, Sharrow said she has goals beyond the holidays. Some people have already come forward to help her continue to make Brookwood a temporary haven for families down on their luck. A woman has offered to host a womens Bible study for Brookwood guests. Another woman with a background in finance offered budgeting classes. The book club donated a bookshelf and is slowly building a library. Sharrow has a vision for even more. She talks about monthly game nights, community potlucks, and an emergency fund to help a family that cant quite pay for their room one week. Each concept is part of the biggest goal: transitioning families into permanent housing. Id like to find a way to transition them out of here, but thats something I couldnt probably overtake because that would be changing the entire communitys, the entire citys, mind about what affordable housing is, Sharrow said. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Scottsbluff Police Department Dec. 12 2:31 a.m. At South Beltline Highway, an officer witnessed a vehicle with a headlight out and conducted a traffic stop. Russell Carlyle, 26, was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence. 8:10 a.m. In the 1400 block of Avenue L, Scottsbluff Police investigated a protection order violation. 10:17 a.m. Police investigated allegations of child abuse and determined allegations were unfounded. 10:20 a.m. Police took a report of a domestic assault which reportedly occurred in the 1200 block of Avenue H. A suspect was identified. No arrests or citations made as of the date of the report. 12:24 p.m. An officer assisted assist Gering Police Department with a search warrant at a residence in the 2000 block of Third Avenue. While assisting in searching the residence located items of evidence. 1:29 p.m. In the 00 block of Gary Street, officers arrested Codi Williams, 21, on a Scotts Bluff County warrant. Counting birds is combined with mapping and other modern technology to provide new details not available in the past. The data can help us understand what needs to be done for conservation of species and habitat, she said. The citizen science project has provided ornithologists vital information about native bird populations in winter. DeLara has been participating since 1996. I do it because I feel its important to contribute to the database, but mostly because I love going out and looking for birds, she said. You never know what you will find. The Scottsbluff counts center is near Dome Rock and includes Scottsbluff and Gering. Volunteers have been doing the Scottsbluff Count since 1953 and average 43 species each count. There are 16 count circles in Nebraska, including Scottsbluff, Crawford and Harrison. This year, we had 51 species, including a few species not normally seen for the count, she said. A Mountain Chickadee was spotted at a feeder in Gering, a Harris Sparrow was seen west of Scottsbluff and a Stellers Jay visited a feeder in the Wildcat Hills. We also had a record number of Bald Eagles with a count of 38 individuals, DeLara said. Wildcat Audubon has programs and field trips throughout the year. They are free and everyone is welcome to come. For more information visit https://wildcataudubon.org/ or visit their facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WildcatAudubon/. Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form SCOTTSBLUFF Community Christian School is looking for bakers and wingmakers to compete in the first Batter Just Wing It fundraiser on Jan. 20, sponsored by First State Bank. Rebecca Tompkins, CCSs fundraising chairperson, said the school typically raises funds throughout the year to help with general expenses. This is just an overall general support campaign, she said. As with any other private school, there always comes a funding gap and its gotten to the point that we need a little extra help from the community. This is the first time the school has held the cooking competition. To compete, people cook their favorite chicken wings or desert recipes. The public are then invited to attend and try out samples and vote for their favorites. The desert and wings with the most votes win, with the cooks winning a $75 cash prize in both categories and the recipes being featured as a limited-time menu item at Flyover Brewing Company. Each baker is asked to provide 75 sample-sized portions of their deserts, and cooks are asked to bring at least 48 wings. Tompkins added that competitors are welcome to bring more of their desserts or wings. LINCOLN The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, more widely known as the Farm Bill, will increase overall funding for conservation programs in Nebraska. In Nebraska, almost all wildlife habitat and therefore almost all habitat improvement work is located on privately owned lands, said Jim Douglas, director of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The Agricultural Improvement Act will help us do even more work with landowners, USDAs Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency, and our partner organizations to provide habitat essential for maintaining healthy wildlife populations in Nebraska. The act, which was passed by Congress last month and was signed by President Donald Trump on Dec. 20, includes the following provisions that will help Game and Parks and partner organizations implement programs working with USDA and private landowners to benefit wildlife conservation: n Increases the cap for the Conservation Reserve Program from 24 million to 27 million acres nationwide. CRP pays landowners in exchange for planting perennial cover on environmentally sensitive cropland. Pheasants, quail, deer, wild turkey, grassland songbirds and pollinators all rely on the valuable grassland habitat the CRP ensures remains part of the Nebraska landscape. Last November, I asked our human resources professional here at the Center, Carli Harris, to summarize personnel departures and arrivals across all facets of the UNL Panhandle District during the 12 previous months. Carli reported that 19 people left university employment and 21 people were hired during the same time. We currently have eight additional positions open. I realize that building human capital encompasses more than documenting employee turnover, but thought providing the numbers would be informative. Hiring and onboarding are time consuming, but are an important part of my job. There are a number of professional development opportunities within the university to build employees. I feel like we do well in this arena. Im fortunate to have 12 specialists and 15 extension educators who are bright, innovative and closely aligned in their professions at the local, state, national and international levels. Having a Research and Extension Center located in Scottsbluff is an asset to the region. This enables the university to locate off-campus Research and Extension Specialists with disciplines that are specific to needs of this location. One example of this is having faculty who, among other things, focus on agronomic aspects of sugar beets and dry beans, two primary crops in the Panhandle. Plus, I believe it is important to have enough specialists at our location for important academic collegiality among themselves, rather than being isolated by being off-campus. I believe my role as director is best described in what I have adopted as my motto, Create an environment in which people want to excel, then provide the tools, training and freedom to do it. Editors Note: The Star Democrat has made formal requests to Maryland State Police under the Maryland Public Information Act for the body camera footage from Greensboro Officer Thomas Webster IV, Anton Blacks autopsy report and investigation documents. The Star Democrat also has been formal requests under the Maryland Public Information Act to the Town of Greensboro for police policy and training documents. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription, or activate your access, to continue reading. Ogden jazz icon Joe McQueen may be gone, but his memory and legacy live on. One physical reminder of his life, McQueen's lifelong home at 3158 Grant Ave., has now become available for sale. The house received extensive remodeling, but as investor Richard Casperson has said, "Joe's energy is T he brother of a dual British-US citizen detained in Russia on suspicion of spying fears his sibling is being used in a large game between nations. Paul Whelan, a 48-year-old former US marine, has been held in Moscow accused of receiving a computer memory stick containing a list of secret Russian agents. His brother David now fears there is truth in the speculation he is being held so he can be exchanged for a Russian detained in the US. "You look at what's going on and you wonder if this is just a large game of pieces being moved around," David Whelan said. "You start to wonder if all of these things are connected. But at the same time, they could just be arbitrary events." The former US marine is a dual citizen with Britain / AFP/Getty Images Paul Whelan holds Canadian, British and Irish citizenship and was detained in Moscow in late December. He was in Moscow to help plan the wedding of another former Marine and had been to Russia several times before. Despite the rumours regarding the Russian citizen in the US, who pleaded guilty to acting as a foreign agent, Russia has brushed aside the notion such a swap could be made. Paul Whelan is being held at Lefortovo detention centre in Moscow / REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said talk of a trade of Mr Whelan and Maria Butina would be premature because Mr Whelan has not been formally charged, according to Russian news agencies. Mr Ryabkov. quoted by state news agency RIA-Novosti, said: "As to the possibility of exchanges of one sort of another, it's impossible and incorrect to consider the question now when an official charge hasn't even been presented. "Charges will be presented in the near future," he said, according to the Interfax agency. Paul Whelan has been detained in Moscow after being accused of espionage / FAMILY HANDOUT/AFP/Getty Images Some Russian news reports earlier cited unnamed sources as saying MR Whelan had been indicted on espionage charges. Those mentioned carry a possible prison sentence of 20 years. Officials have not given details of Mr Whelan's suspected activities and he was initially identified only as an American, before his dual nationality statuses were detailed on Friday. On Wednesday, US Ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr. visited Mr Whelan in Moscow's Lefortovo Prison, a 130-year-old facility noted for strict conditions. Britain, Canada and Ireland have also applied for consular access to him. Mr Whelan was discharged from the Marines for bad conduct and now works as the global security director for a U.S. automobile parts manufacturer while living in Michigan. His brother, David, said Mr loves to travel and likes to "interact with the people in the places that he goes," but that his sibling would be too "conspicuous" to be selected as a spy. T wo British soldiers have been seriously injured in Syria in an Islamic State attack, the Press Association is reporting. The two British Special Forces soldiers are understood to have been wounded by a missile near the town of Deir al-Zour. The Ministry of Defence told the Standard it did comment on the Special Forces. It is believed the incident happened this morning and the soldiers were airlifted from the scene by US forces for medical treatment. Rudaw news, a Kurdish outlet, reports that the British soldiers were injured in attack on a Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) base in the town of Deir al-Zour. It was also reported that a Kurdish fighter was killed. An SDF official told Rudaw: "Due to a smart missile attack by ISIS, a fighter of the YPG was killed and another wounded, in addition to two British soldiers." P resident Donald Trump has hailed the efforts of the US military as he claimed they had killed the leader of a fatal terror attack in 2000. The President took to Twitter following an airstrike which is suspected to have killed Jamal al-Badawi, who was said to be an Al Qaeda commander. He was convicted of helping plan the 2000 USS Cole bombing of a US naval vessel in Yemen which killed 17 American sailors, which Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for. Our GREAT MILITARY has delivered justice for the heroes lost and wounded in the cowardly attack on the USS Cole. We have just killed the leader of that attack, Jamal al-Badawi," President Trump said. Our work against al Qaeda continues. We will never stop in our fight against Radical Islamic Terrorism! It was reported previously that a precision air strike in Sanaa, Yemens capital, had killed al-Badawi. The US military said a coordinated hit had targeted a militant in Yemen believed to be one of the planners of a deadly bombing of the Navy destroyer USS Cole in 2000. Donald Trump said it was "justice" for those killed in the 2000 terror attack / AP However, it said the results of the strike were still being assessed on Friday. US Central Command said in a statement the strike on January 1, in the Marib governate of Yemen, had targeted al-Badawi. In 2003 he was indicted by a federal grand jury and was wanted for his role in the USS Cole attack. He escaped from prison in Yemen twice, once in 2003 and again in 2006. There is a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest. The USS Cole attack also injured 39 people alongside those killed. On October 12, 2000, two men in a small boat detonated explosives alongside the Navy guided missile destroyer as it was refueling in Aden. A teacher who fed a puppy to a snapping turtle in front of pupils has been cleared of animal cruelty. Robert Crosland had faced up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine after he fed the puppy to the animal in March. He had first tried to feed the dying puppy to a snake but failed so he dropped it into a tank with the turtle, which killed and ate it. The court heard a recording from Mr Crosland that the puppy was sick and likely to die and he thought killing it was doing the right thing by "putting it out of its misery." Mr Crosland's lawyer Shane Reichert told the Idaho State Journal "we didn't believe the facts amounted to a criminal offense when the law was applied." Mr Crosland, who still teaches at the same school, said he felt "a lot of relief" after the verdict. Several weeks after the turtle at the puppy, it was put down by state officials as it is deemed an invasive species. At the time a local animal activist said: "Allowing children to watch an innocent baby puppy scream because it is being fed to an animal - that is violence. A Saudi teenager has claimed she is trapped in Bangkoks main airport after trying to flee her family. Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, 18, has claimed her family have threatened to kill her on her return because she has renounced Islam. The young woman said she was on a trip to Kuwait with her family before she fled on a flight two days ago. It was hoped she could have made it to Australia, via Bangkok, to seek asylum. It is understood a relative reported Ms Mohammed al-Qunun for travelling without the company of a male guardian and she was detained at the airport. Ms Mohammed al-Qunun has described her ordeal on Twitter, claiming she has been followed around the airport by Saudi officials who have confiscated her passport. At about 1pm UK time, the teenager tweeted: My family is strict and locked me in a room for six months just for cutting my hair. Im sure 100 per cent they will kill me as soon as I get out of the Saudi jail. She added that she was scared and losing hope. Thailand officials have said she will be deported to Saudi Arabia tomorrow. Ms Mohammed al-Qunun also claimed she had been threatened by staff while being held. She wrote: 'I have been threatened by several staff from the Saudi embassy and the Kuwaiti airlines, and they said 'If you run, we will find you and kidnap you, then deal with you' I really don't know how they are going to behave in case I run. The teen also shared images of her passport and full name as she had nothing to lose now and because she wanted people to know that Im real and I exist. Thailand's immigration chief Surachate Hakparn told AFP: 'Rahaf Mohammed M Alqunun ran away from her family to avoid marriage and she is concerned she may be in trouble returning to Saudi Arabia'. He said: 'She had no further documents such as return ticket or money. Get 25% off of the regular $65 annual All Access rate. With this subscription you will get: Digital access to ElPasoInc.com and archives (value $45) Print subscription home or business delivered (value $65) Book of Lists (annual rate only, value $50) El Paso Inc. Magazine (value $20) El Paso Kids Inc. Special sections - OR - Get 15% off of the regular $45 annual Digital-only rate. With this subscription you will get: Complete digital access to ElPasoInc.com. W hite House officials and congressional aides are to resume urgent talks to kick-start the US government after no breakthrough was made yesterday. A quarter of the US government's operations have been shut down since December 22 in a legal impasse over Trump's demand for funds to pay for his wall between Mexico and the US. President Donald Trump tweeted yesterday: "Not much headway made today." Mr Trump is heading to his retreat at Camp David, Maryland, to discuss border security and other topics with senior staff. Yesteday's talks were led by Vice President Mike Pence / EPA Democrats agreed there had been little movement on Saturday, saying the White House did not budge on the president's key demand, 5.6 billion US dollars (4.4 billion) to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. The White House said funding was not discussed in-depth, but the administration was clear they needed funding for a wall and that they wanted to resolve the shutdown all at once. Accusations flew after the session led by Vice President Mike Pence. Acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, in an interview with CNN's State Of The Union, accused Democrats of being there to "stall". Democrats familiar with the meeting said the White House position was "untenable". A White House official said the meeting included a briefing on border security by Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Democrats sought written details from the Department of Homeland Security on their budget needs, which the White House said it would provide. With talks stalled, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that House Democrats plan to start approving individual bills to reopen shuttered departments starting with Treasury to ensure Americans receive their tax refunds. "While President Trump threatens to keep the government shut down for 'years', Democrats are taking immediate further action to re-open government, so that we can meet the needs of the American people, protect our borders and respect our workers," Ms Pelosi said. In an interview with NBC's Meet The Press, set to air Sunday, Mr Mulvaney argued that the administration was willing to deal. He said Mr Trump was willing to forgo a concrete wall for steel or other materials. "If he has to give up a concrete wall, replace it with a steel fence in order to do that so that Democrats can say, 'See? He's not building a wall anymore,' that should help us move in the right direction," Mr Mulvaney said. The president has already suggested his definition of the wall is flexible, referring to slats and other "border things". But Democrats have made clear they see a wall as immoral and ineffective and prefer other types of border security funded at already agreed upon levels. Mr Trump had campaigned on the promise that Mexico would pay for the wall. Mexico has refused. He is now demanding the money from Congress. A ustralian model Annalise Braakensiek has been found dead in her Sydney apartment. Police said there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding her death after officers and ambulance crews discovered her body on Sunday afternoon. Friends and family said the 46-year-old jewellery and lingerie designer had not been heard from for a few days, according to News.com.au. On December 4, she wrote on Instagram: Hanging in there by the hair on my chiny chin chin. Sheesh its been a challenging year for so many of us, am I right?!?! I am uber grateful for all the legends who have taken me under their wings this past year. In another post, on December 14, she said: Lifes challenges have been deep, dark, difficult, demanding and down right scary lately. For me and so many others I know. She moved into her home in Sydneys Potts Point in November last year. This came after splitting with her husband of 16 years, Danny Goldberg, in April 2018. At the time of moving into the apartment, she told the Sun-Herald she was focusing on her work and her pet cat Frankie and moving forward with her life. The 46-year-old had moved into her new home in 2018 / Getty Images As well as her successful modelling career, she also showcased her vegetarian cooking talent, was an animal rights activist and appeared on Play Your Cards Right in 2002. The high-profile model had fought with depression for years and was an ambassador for RUOK? Day in 2017. A futuristic Hyperloop transport system in the UK could slash journey times across the country with a trip from Edinburgh to London cut to just 29 minutes. The mode of transport, first proposed by Elon Musk in 2012, is a system of tubes through which a pod could travel at high speeds of up to 600-plus miles per hour. Some journeys, such as from Nottingham to London or Sheffield to London, would be ten times quicker if the UK had a Hyperloop system. Edinburgh to London, a 330-mile journey that typically takes around four hours and 20 minutes on the train, would take only 29 minutes on the Hyperloop. Hyperloop could drastically cut journey times across the UK / RS Components A journey from London to Birmingham would take approximately nine minutes, compared to an hour and 23 minutes on the National Rail service. The concept, which has been worked on by Tesla and SpaceX, was initially proposed to link Los Angeles and San Francisco. Hyperloop uses magnetic levitation to lift the pods, which are then carried by electric propulsion through low-pressure tubes, allowing them to travel at high speeds. Pods are capable of travelling at 300m a second, which equates to 600-plus miles per hour. The Hyperloop service propels passengers and freight in pods through low pressure tubes / PA Mr Musk has already built a Loop test tunnel underneath LA which could be converted into Hyperloop use. The two-mile tunnel stretches from the SpaceX office in Hawthorne, California, to an LA suburb, and cost $10 million. According to his Boring Company website, Loop is a high-speed underground public transportation system in which passengers are transported via compatible autonomous electric vehicles at up to 150 miles per hour. TBC currently uses Tesla Model Xs, modified with alignment wheels. It added: Hyperloop is an ultra-high-speed underground public transportation system in which passengers are transported on autonomous electric pods traveling at 600+ miles per hour in a pressurized cabin. Loop and Hyperloop are similar, with the major difference being that Hyperloop draws a vacuum inside the tube to eliminate air friction. Loop is used for shorter routes, when there is no technical need to eliminate air friction. Other suggested routes include between Chennai and Bengaluru, India, and a Paris to Amsterdam route proposed by Delft Hyperloop. T he Duke and Duchess of Cambridge braved the cold along with the Queen on the first Sunday in January to attend a church service at Sandringham. The monarch, wearing a fawn coat and hat, travelled to St Mary Magdalene Church by car but was joined by royals including Kate and Wills who walked to the service. The family were greeted by well-wishers hoping to catch a glimpse of the royals as they entered the church. The Duchess of Cambridge, wearing a blue coat and hat, was given flowers by onlookers after the couple left the church. Well-wishers greeted the royal couple / PA St Mary Magdalene is regularly used as a place of worship by the royal family, including for the Christmas Day service. The Queen arrives at church in Sandringham / Rex Features Each winter, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh head to the Norfolk estate, typically staying until February. A Scots Guardsman has said he plans to resign after his face was used on a controversial army recruitment poster that promises to transform 'snowflakes' into soldiers. Stephen McWhirter, 28, was clueless to the fact his face was going to be used on a poster stating snowflakes the army needs you and your compassion,according to the Mail on Sunday. He took to Facebook to express his annoyance after seeing his face plastered on the poster. He was bombarded with sarcastic messages from colleagues and he has accused the army of leaving him open to ridicule. The soldier, based at Wellington Barracks in London, raged over the 1.5million promotional push, in a discussion with fellow squaddies. One wrote: Imagine the army taking a photo of you and writing snowflake in massive bold letters above your head. Id be signed straight off. Guardsman McWhirter then replied: Dont f****** worry, mate, I am. In later posts he said he would resign at the soonest opportunity. He is reportedly able to do so in five months and has spoken of having no forewarning that the term would be used on posters using his image. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson defended the posters / AFP/Getty Images The term snowflakes is a negative phrase often used to describe what are deemed as over-sensitive young people and often millennials. The army poster campaign has been much-maligned since its public release and politicians have spoken out in defence of it. Based on the historic First World War poster, the billboards call out to class clowns", binge gamers", phone zombies", snowflakes" and selfie addicts" to say the Army needs their potential. Speaking in support of it, Conservative MP James Cleverly wrote on Twitter: People criticising the British Armys new snowflake recruitment campaign are missing the point. The army has always recruited from the society it serves and often from those who some describe as not up to the mark. It then turns those recruits into world-class soldiers. Defence secretary Gavin Williamson described the campaign as "a powerful call to action that appeals to those seeking to make a difference as part of an innovative and inclusive team". He said: It shows that time spent in the Army equips people with skills for life and provides comradeship, adventure and opportunity like no other job does. T heresa May has said the country would be in uncharted territory if MPs reject her Brexit deal in the looming Commons vote next week. Appearing on the BBC's Andrew Marr show the Prime Minister also insisted there can be no second vote on Brexit. Asked whether she would implement a second referendum if it was voted for in the Commons she said: "In my view there should not be a second referendum. "What we see in parliament is some people who are advocating a second referendum because they want to stop Brexit." She said a new vote would "divide our country" and she went on to say "you could not get a referendum in time for the 29th of March." "You would be talking about extending Article 50, we are already three years from the vote to leave the European Union. "I think we should be leaving the European Union and delivering on that vote." Mrs May repeatedly sidestepped questions about whether she would keep putting the deal back to MPs if it gets rejected, instead saying: "If the deal is not voted on, this vote that is coming up, then actually we are going to be in uncharted territory. "I don't think anybody can say exactly what will happen in terms of the reaction we will see in Parliament." She said Labour was "playing politics" and opposing any deal to create "the greatest chaos" possible. Sadiq Khan called for Article 50 to be withdrawn if her deal is rejected / PA "We have got people who are promoting a second referendum in order to stop Brexit, and we have got people who want to see their perfect Brexit. I would say don't let the search for the perfect become the enemy of the good because the danger there is that we end up with no Brexit at all." Her comments came as London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: "If Parliament rejects the Prime Minister's bad deal - the only sensible course of action is to withdraw Article 50 immediately. "People from every corner of our country continue to call for the British people get the final say - with the option to stay in the EU." The Commons vote on her deal is widely expected to be held on January 15. With rebels within her own party and DUP allies expected to oppose it, the Prime Minister hopes to win over some Labour MPs alarmed at the prospect of a no-deal Brexit. "MPs of every party will face the same question when the division bell rings," Mrs May said. "It is a question of profound significance for our democracy and for our constituents. "The only way to both honour the result of the referendum and protect jobs and security is by backing the deal that is on the table." Previously, former Cabinet minister Sir John Redwood said a no-deal Brexit "will work just fine" despite the "idiotic" warnings about fears of food shortages of food and lack of medicines. While pro-EU veteran Ken Clarke said Mrs May's deal is "dying" and he would be "amazed" if the mood of MPs had changed over the Christmas break. He also called for Brexit to be postponed until a way forward can be found. Officials are said to be drawing up a possible Commons amendment to the Brexit vote allowing Parliament the right to serve notice to the EU of an intention to quit the backstop after 12 months, should Brussels fails to agree a trade deal with the UK that would resolve the issue. T heresa May has blasted Jeremy Corbyns "cynical" stance on her Brexit deal as she urged MPs to back it. She lambasted the Labour leader, on the day before Parliament resumes after Christmas, claiming he rejected her plans before even reading them. Writing in the Mail on Sunday, she said: Our genius for pragmatism is a defining British trait. At moments of profound challenge, we always find a way forward that commands the confidence and consent of the whole community. This is such a moment. The approach of Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour leadership has been very different. Their Brexit policy is a cynical tissue of incoherence, designed to avoid difficult decisions. He did not even bother to read the deal before he came out against it. British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker / REUTERS In addition to this, she said the UK faced a critical moment as she made the plea. She warned critics of her deal on both sides of the Brexit divide they risked damaging the economy and trust in democracy should they reject her plan. Appealing to opponents on both the Remain and Brexiteer wings of the Commons, she said: "There are some in Parliament who, despite voting in favour of holding the referendum, voting in favour of triggering Article 50 and standing on manifestos committed to delivering Brexit, now want to stop us leaving by holding another referendum. "Others across the House of Commons are so focused on their particular vision of Brexit that they risk making a perfect ideal the enemy of a good deal. "Both groups are motivated by what they think is best for the country, but both must realise the risks they are running with our democracy and the livelihoods of our constituents." Jeremy Corbyn has frequently criticised her deal / Mario Cruz/EPA Officially slated for the week of January 14, the Commons vote is widely expected to be held on January 15. With rebels within her own party and DUP allies expected to oppose it, the Prime Minister hopes to win over some Labour MPs alarmed at the prospect of a no-deal Brexit. "MPs of every party will face the same question when the division bell rings," Mrs May said. Theresa May has warned of the issues should her deal not go through / Getty Images "It is a question of profound significance for our democracy and for our constituents. "The only way to both honour the result of the referendum and protect jobs and security is by backing the deal that is on the table." Previously, former Cabinet minister Sir John Redwood said a no-deal Brexit "will work just fine" despite the "idiotic" warnings about fears of food shortages of food and lack of medicines. While pro-EU veteran Ken Clarke said Mrs May's deal is "dying" and he would be "amazed" if the mood of MPs had changed over the Christmas break. He also called for Brexit to be postponed until a way forward can be found. Officials are said to be drawing up a possible Commons amendment to the Brexit vote allowing Parliament the right to serve notice to the EU of an intention to quit the backstop after 12 months, should Brussels fails to agree a trade deal with the UK that would resolve the issue. A 35-year-old man held on suspicion of murdering father-of-one Lee Pomeroy on a train is to receive a further 12-hour grilling from police. Detectives have been granted the extra time to question him and a 27-year-old women accused of assisting an offender following Fridays gruesome knife attack. Mr Pomeroy had been taking his only son, 14, to London for a day-trip ahead of his 52nd birthday. He was stabbed to death as his child looked on, on the 12.58pm service from Guildford to Waterloo, in what police called a pointless and horrific attack. A police officer aboard a train at Horsley station near Guildford, Surrey, following the fatal stabbing / Steve Parsons/PA According to police, he and his killer became locked in a three to four-minute row moving through the carriage and into another which escalated into an "unprovoked, violent attack". The killer allegedly fled the train at Clandon station while the service continued to Horsley station, where police and paramedics attended. Police at the scene after a fatal stabbing on board a train / Rex In a statement released by British Transport Police, Mr Pomeroy's family said: "Lee took his son on a trip to London hoping to spend some quality time with him which was cut short by an horrific and pointless attack. "Lee would have had his birthday today but did not get to see his presents. "He was an honest, bright person, who loved music very much. "He knew history and art and he was a bachelor of science in maths. "He was a devoted family man and did everything for his family. "He was a loving husband and father. He will be deeply missed by all his family." Tributes to Lee Pomeroy left at the station / PA Mr Pomeroy lived in Guildford with his 50-year-old wife Svetlana Pomeroy and their son. The couple both worked for Datronix Systems Limited, an IT consultancy. Mr Pomeroy is listed as a programmer and director of the company. The accused killer was detained after a manhunt led police to a flat in Willbury Road, Farnham, in the early hours of Saturday morning. Police have said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the killing, while detectives are continuing to appeal for information. A 35-year-old man has been charged with murdering father-of-one Lee Pomeroy on a train from Guildford to London. Darren Shane Pencille, of Willbury Road, Farnham, was charged after detectives were granted extra time to question him following his arrest. He was also charged with possession of an offensive weapon. He has been remanded in custody and will appear at Staines Magistrates' Court on Monday. A tribute left for Mr Pomeroy / PA Chelsea Mitchell, 27, of Willbury Road, Farnham, has also been charged with assisting an offender. She has been remanded in custody and will appear at Staines Magistrates' Court On Monday as well. Mr Pomeroy had been taking his only son, 14, to London for a day-trip ahead of his 52nd birthday, when he was stabbed to death on the 12.58pm service from Guildford to Waterloo on Friday. Police were called at 1.15pm to Horsley station and paramedics battled to save Mr Pomeroy, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Police were called to Horsley station on Friday / PA Following Mr Pomeroy's death, a number of British Transport Police officers remained in the Clandon area into the evening. Mr Pomeroy has been describd as a "devoted family man". In a statement, his family said: "He was an honest, bright person, who loved music very much, he knew history and art and he was a bachelor of science in Maths. A top detective who snared schoolgirl Milly Dowlers murderer Levi Bellfield has revealed the steps taken by police in their hunt for the serial killer. Retired Colin Sutton has told how his team found Bellfield hiding naked in the loft of his home during his arrest. "Sometimes a single moment can define your life and career. Mine came on a sharp autumn night, in the early hours of Monday, November 22, 2004, Mr Sutton wrote in the Mail on Sunday. He had assembled around 70 officers ready for this watershed moment. Cate Gillon/Getty Images He continued: It wasnt difficult to motivate them, or make them appreciate the gravity of what we were about to do. This was a moment we had spent months preparing for in painstaking detail: the arrest of Levi Bellfield, a terrifyingly dangerous man. He explained how officers believed him to be guilty for the murders of at least two women in South West London and, in researching that, also felt he was involved in the killing of Milly Dowler. His staff undertook several warrants at varying locations to find Bellfield eventually discovering him hidden naked in the loft of his West Drayton home, hiding under fibreglass insulation. Mr Sutton wrote: It was the first time Id set eyes on Bellfield in the flesh. He was larger than I had imagined, both taller and fatter, with a huge neck. His hair was shaved at the sides and his eyes were black as coal and devoid of expression. The overall impression was of a powerful, intimidating man, but this was softened instantly when he spoke in a high-pitched squeak. He was also scratching all over from the fibreglass. I am so glad that, in those moments, the last few minutes of freedom he would enjoy in his entire life, he was not only very uncomfortable but also utterly devoid of dignity. It is still much better than he deserved. Mr Sutton recounted how it took more than three years for Bellfield to be convicted of the murders of Marsha McDonnell and Amelie Delagrange as well as the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy. Marsha McDonnell, 19, who was killed by Levi Bellfield / Metropolitan Police It took almost seven years for him to face justice for abducting and murdering Milly Dowler. While he was senior Investigating officer in charge of one of the Met Police murder teams, they began to suspect Ms Dowlers death was linked to killings of other women. He explained a breakthrough in the case of Ms Delagrange when they realised her mobile phone, which had been taken by her killer, was used in Walton-on-Thames shortly after her death. This location is where Ms Dowler lived which cemented the idea of a link with Mr Sutton. Then, upon hours of trawling CCTV, they found a distinctive van believed to be involved in Ms Delagranges killing. It was near to the scene of her murder, at the time of the killing, and driven to Walton-on-Thames afterwards. Parents: Bob and Sally Dowler The news electrified me I would pursue this van with everything I could throw at it, wrote Mr Sutton. We worked every hour for weeks. The van was identified as a Ford Courier, manufactured between 1996 and 2000. There were 25,000 in the UK and I wanted to look at every single one. Shortly after this came a further breakthrough Bellfields former partner went to the police and suggested he could be Ms Delagranges killer. She spoke of Bellfield carrying a knife and balaclava in a hidden pocket as well as a magazine where all the photos of blonde woman had been defaced. Police then found he owned a van similar to what they were looking for before another incident would allow them to put Bellfield on 24/7 surveillance. A car, matching the description of Bellfields, had been deliberately run over a girl who was left for dead following the incident. Milly Dowler:The schoolgirl was murdered in 2002 / PA Police decided to search for his car, which he had sold in the wake of the incident, and in Mr Suttons words it didnt take an expert to notice the drivers door mirror was smashed. We had hit the jackpot, wrote Mr Sutton. While Bellfield was under this constant watch and further investigations ensued, a new link to the murder of Ms Dowler struck Mr Sutton. He wrote: It showed that, in 2002, Bellfield was living at 24 Collingwood Place, Walton-on-Thames where the van had headed after Amelies murder, and where her phone had last pinged. I got out an A-Z street map and saw it was virtually opposite Walton railway station. Instantly, I realised the implications. Milly Dowler had been abducted from Station Avenue, Walton-on-Thames and, although I had never worked on the case, I knew that the last sighting of her was at a nearby bus stop. I was transfixed. Staring at the map as the enormity of what I had found sunk in. Further damning revelations into Bellfields character ensued, as he was caught haranguing young girls at a bus stop, before his partner Emma Mills revealed a catalogue of abuse by the killer. Then, as she and former partners recounted his despicable behaviour, Ms Mills also detailed strange actions from him on the night of Ms Dowlers abduction. He had left early that day, taken her car and was uncontactable throughout. The couple had been dog-sitting at a friends house and when he returned at 11pm he had been home and changed into a tracksuit. When they returned to their own property Ms Mills found all the bedding removed from their bed with Bellfield stating their dog had soiled it and he had then thrown it away. In days, Ms Mills car which Bellfield had borrowed went missing and he claimed it had been stolen. He was charged for varying assaults against his ex-partners, but at that point Mr Sutton wrote: We were a long way from proving he was a killer. Continuing their pursuit, police arranged to have a slot on Crimewatch, showing the car used to run down Kate Sheedy. Mr Sutton wrote: The effect was immediate. Old acquaintances of Bellfields started to come forward and give statements, realising it would be unlikely he would be freed to take revenge. In later discussions with Ms Mills, they managed to place Bellfield in the area where Ms Delagrange was killed. Then, turning again to CCTV, they discovered a car he formerly owned was in the same area where another of his victims Ms McDonnell was abducted. A final key moment used to link Bellfield to Ms Dowlers murder was the discovery that an 11-year-old girl was approached by a man matching his description in the same area Ms Dowler was abducted. This was in the red car he had borrowed from his ex-partner and the incident came the day before Ms Dowlers kidnap and murder. After a painstaking culmination of these incriminating details, Bellfield would eventually face justice. Mr Sutton wrote: Bellfield was found guilty of Amelie and Marshas murders, and Kates attempted murder, in February 2008 at the Old Bailey and sentenced to life imprisonment. I wanted to see if there would at last be some reaction in those cold, unmoving eyes but, in the end, I couldnt look. I was thrilled when, in March 2010, he was finally charged with Millys murder. We had done it. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., floated a 60 to 70 percent tax rate on the richest Americans in an interview with CBS News's "60 Minutes" that was released Friday, arguing higher taxes on multimillionaires could help pay for the "Green New Deal" she and other left-wing members of the Democratic Party have proposed. Talking to Anderson Cooper, the new House member suggested the new tax rate apply to Americans earning more than $10 million a year, noting that similar rates existed in America a few decades ago. The top tax rate was above 90 percent during the 1950s, and while it has slowly descended, it remained as high as 50 percent for much of President Ronald Reagan's tenure in the 1980s. American households that earn more than $600,000 annually currently pay a 37 percent tax rate, down from the 39.6 percent rate they paid before the Republican tax law passed in 2017. Conservatives have pushed for lower taxes on the rich as a spur to economic growth, while liberals see potentially untapped revenue that could fund their key social spending priorities, such as Medicare for all and free college tuition. "There's an element where, yeah, people are going to have to start paying their fair share in taxes," Ocasio-Cortez told "60 Minutes." How much revenue could new taxes on the rich really raise? We looked at the numbers, enlisting the help of a number of tax experts, including Mark Mazur, a former Treasury Department official now at the Tax Policy Center, a centrist think tank; Joel Slemrod, a tax expert at the University of Michigan; and Ernie Tedeschi, an economist who served in President Obama's Treasury Department. 1. $720 billion/decade: Ocasio-Cortez's suggestion for nearly doubling taxes on people earning more than $10 million In 2016, the latest year for which government data is available, approximately 16,000 Americans earned more than $10 million each. These are not in fact "the 1 percent" many on the left like to talk about - they are a much smaller slice, fewer than 0.05 percent of all U.S. households. It's difficult to estimate precisely how much more in taxes the government could wring from this ultra-elite. Collectively, their total taxable income amounted to $405 billion in 2016, and they paid about $121 billion in federal income taxes. They also face state and local taxes, which raise their overall tax burdens. As she noted to "60 Minutes," Ocasio-Cortez's idea for a 70 percent tax rate on those earning more than $10 million would only kick in beyond the first $10 million in income. So, this new tax rate would do nothing to add to the amount of federal revenue on the first $160 billion (16,000 people multiplied by $10 million) in taxes this group paid. But that leaves about $244 billion in taxable income for those earning more than $10 million a year. If this entire pool was taxed at 70 percent instead of the 39.6 percent they paid in 2016, the federal government would bring in an additional $72 billion annually - or close to $720 billion over 10 years, according to Mazur. The real number is probably smaller than that, because wealthy Americans would probably find ways around paying this much-higher tax. "You'd certainly see some people under that system change their behavior to avoid the higher rate, which could significantly impact how much revenue it generates," Mazur said, adding that the effect would be hard to estimate. (The exercise also assumes capital gains would be taxed at this much higher rate.) This $720 billion in a decade is not nearly enough to fund Medicare for all, which has been estimated to increase government outlays by about $30 trillion over a decade (while also zeroing out premiums and deductibles paid by Americans). Still, it could fund a number of other measures. It could come close to funding the entirety of Sen. Bernie Sanders' free college tuition plan ($800 billion), fund President Barack Obama's plan to get close to universal prekindergarten ($75 billion over a decade), forgive more than half the student debt in America ($1.4 trillion), cover Democratic leaders' plan for boosting teacher pay and school funding ($100 billion), or come close to funding a $1 trillion infrastructure plan. And of course, higher income tax rates on the top 16,000 households is not the only way to raise taxes on rich Americans. 2. $3 trillion/decade: A wealth tax on the top 1 percent similar to those in Europe The American government currently raises tax revenue primarily through payroll taxes and income taxes, and gets a smaller chunk from estate taxes and corporate taxes. It has not adopted a kind of tax that exists in some European countries: a wealth tax, wherein the federal government takes a chunk based on household wealth rather than income. Norway, for instance, in 2016 taxed at a rate up to 0.70 percent for all wealth over 1.4 million kroner ($162,568). France's wealth tax in 2017 hit assets above 1.3 million euros ($1.4 million). Slemrod, of the University of Michigan, said in an email that the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans own roughly one-third of the $107 trillion in wealth in America. This group collectively holds about $20 trillion in wealth above $10 million per household. From there the calculation of wealth tax is simple: a 1 percent wealth tax on the wealthiest 1 percent of households above $10 million could raise about $200 billion a year, or $2 trillion over 10 years. Tedeschi, the former Obama official, found a 0.5 percent wealth tax on the top 1 percent could raise at most $3 trillion over 10 years. But this, too, would probably change Americans' behavior and perhaps lead them to try shifting their wealth overseas, and the economists say the actual amount of revenue is likely lower than their estimates suggest. And this is assuming there are no exemptions to what is considered wealth, such as housing assets. Plus, this approach would require Americans to give the Internal Revenue Service a full accounting of all the assets they own under law - something that could be required under law but may prove difficult to evaluate. In 1990, the federal government did try something similar by placing excise taxes on sales of yachts, expensive automobiles, jewelry and other things consumed by rich people. But that effort came right before a minor recession, leading to the repeal of the taxes. "The difficulties of monitoring and compliance are huge," Mazur said of the wealth tax. "But it could be done and raise a lot of money." 3. $3 trillion/decade: Doubling income taxes on the top 1 percent In 2012, the economists Peter Diamond of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Emmanuel Saez of the University of California at Berkeley published a paper arguing the optimal top tax rate is 73 percent. In 2018, that would raise the tax rate on income above $600,000 from 37 percent to 73 percent, but back then it meant increasing the top rate from 39.6 percent to 73 percent. The IRS says that Americans earning more than $600,000 annually compose the richest 0.9 percent of families, so we'll use that for shorthand for the 1 percent. In 2016, this richest 0.9 percent earned about $1.7 trillion in taxable income and paid about $530 billion in taxes. These Americans would have to pay an additional $320 billion every year in taxes if the top tax rate went up to 70 percent, according to calculations based on IRS data. Mazur, the former Treasury official, noted this estimate was probably high because the wealthy would probably find ways to try to shelter themselves from higher taxation, such as by buying tax-exempt bonds. Other economists found similar results. Tedeschi, the former Obama economist, put the number at about $300 billion annually. Meanwhile, raising tax rates for the top 1 percent to 57 percent would raise about $1.7 trillion over a decade, while raising it to 83 percent would raise $3.8 trillion over that period, Tedeschi found. "You can get a hell of a lot of a money from taxing the 1 percent," said Edward Wolff, a tax expert at New York University. The Congressional Budget Office also recently estimated that raising taxes on the two highest income brackets by 1 percentage point would net $123 billion over 10 years. That would be for everybody who earns more than $200,000 annually. The CBO also found that a 0.1 percent financial transactions tax on Wall Street would raise an additional $780 billion over 10 years, while returning the corporate tax rate to 35 percent would raise an additional $1 trillion over a decade. (The Republican tax law of 2017 lowered that rate from 35 percent to 21 percent.) But Americans outside the top 1 percent would probably pay at least part of both these taxes, Tedeshi said. Overall, just including a new wealth tax and significantly higher income taxes, the federal government could probably raise an additional $2 trillion to $3 trillion a decade by taxing the 1 percent alone, according to Tedeschi. Chahid El Hafed (Saharawi Refugee Camp), Jan 04, 2018 (SPS) - The president of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), Brahim Ghali, said Western Sahara cause has achieved remarkable progress by opening promising prospects for further victories and achievements, adding that 2019 will be marked by many challenges Western Sahara people can meet under the leadership of Sharawi people's liberation army . At the end of the third meeting of the Saharawi liberation army staff, the president of the SADR and secretary general of the Frente POLISARIO said the year 2018 was distinguished by "the many achievements and victories of the national cause, a matter of pride for Western Sahara people after a year of heroic fighting and resistance, wherever they are, in the occupied territories, in the south of Morocco, in the liberated territories, in the camps of honor and dignity (and in all countries worldwide)." "Western Sahara people will rise up to the challenges, as they are already united under the leadership of the Sahrawi People's Liberation Army and the Frente POLISARIO, determined to snatch independence and establish Saharawi State's sovereignty throughout its territories." The conference has also been an opportunity for SADR's president to greet the Saharawi Liberation Army which "will, as usual, live up to the hopes and expectations of Western Sahara people." SPS 125/090/700 One of the first test images from NASA's new Transiting Exoplanet Survey Telescope (TESS) shows a swath of the Milky Way galaxy. NASA scientists working on the TESS mission will not be able to present new science results at the 233rd meeting of the American Astronomical Society due to the government shutdown. The American Astronomical Society's biggest annual gathering, a conference dubbed the "Super Bowl of astronomy," kicks off in Seattle today (Jan. 6). But the team will be short a few hundred players this year, thanks to the government shutdown. Nearly 3,200 astronomers, astrophysicists and other scientists were scheduled to attend the 233rd meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS), which runs from Sunday through Thursday (Jan. 6-10) at the Washington State Convention Center. However, the AAS estimates that 300 to 450 of those registered will be unable to attend due to the government shutdown. More than 380,000 "nonessential" federal workers including 95 percent of NASA's employees are now entering their fourth week of furlough, or unpaid leave. This means that any NASA employees who planned to attend the conference and present science results will have to sit out the conference instead. [How the Government Shutdown Affects NASA] Some of the science that will be presented include early results from NASA's new Transiting Exoplanet Survey Telescope (TESS), which launched in April on a mission to look for alien worlds. Researchers will also be presenting new observations of black holes, supernova explosions, mysterious radio bursts detected in deep space, neutron-star collisions and gravitational waves. And this list only scratches the surface; more than 2,400 lectures, short talks and poster presentations are on the docket for the conference. However, the government shutdown will likely mean that not all of those talks and presentations will actually happen, because the federal employees responsible for them will still be barred from attending the conference. If federal funding it not restored, "there could be a lot of empty poster boards, missing oral talks," Kevin Marvel, AAS executive officer, told The Washington Post. "It's just going to be a mess." In a statement published on Facebook yesterday (Jan. 3), AAS officials said the government shutdown would be "highly detrimental to the meeting, but it is not going to be a devastating impact." To accommodate any furloughed researchers who cannot attend the meeting, the AAS will allow co-authors to give presentations, even though the rules have always required lead authors to do so. Plenary sessions will also be streamed live online for registrants who cannot attend. (Those webcasts are not open to the public, but the daily news conferences are. You can watch those here.) You can find more information about the AAS conference, including a full list of speakers, at aas.org/meetings/aas233. Email Hanneke Weitering at hweitering@space.com or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. Original article on Space.com. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan is greeted by reporters after arriving at the Pnetagon on Jan. 2, 2019. WASHINGTON Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan held his first national security meeting at the Pentagon on Wednesday (Jan. 2). On his second day on the job, Shanahan informed senior DoD leaders that he intends to stick with the national defense strategy that former Secretary James Mattis rolled out a year ago. The meeting, attended by the secretaries and undersecretaries of the military services and other top officials, is a routine gathering that the defense secretary conducts twice a week. According to a DoD official, Shanahan told attendees to focus on the national defense strategy and to "keep this effort moving forward." He also told them to "remember China, China, China." On Wednesday Shanahan also attended his first White House cabinet meeting. Shanahan, who became deputy secretary of defense July 19, 2017, was unexpectedly promoted to acting defense secretary. Former secretary Mattis turned in his resignation letter Dec. 20 and had intended to leave his post Feb. 28 over policy differences with President Trump. But Trump abruptly decided to accelerate Mattis' departure and Shanahan became acting secretary on Jan. 1. By law, he can remain in that capacity for 210 days before the White House has to nominate a permanent secretary of defense, who would have to be confirmed by the Senate. Pentagon Comptroller and Chief Financial Officer David Norquist for now will perform the duties of deputy secretary of defense, while also retaining duties as comptroller. The DoD official told reporters on Wednesday that Shanahan intends to keep the department motivated to prevail in "great power competition" much like Mattis was. He said China is a "major focus" but did not mention Russia. The 2018 National Defense Strategy says the United States is at risk of losing its military edge as Russia and China develop advanced precision-strike weapons, integrated air defenses, cruise and ballistic missiles cyber warfare and anti-satellite capabilities. Shanahan spokesman Joe Buccino said in a statement that the acting secretary of defense "continues to focus on implementation of the National Defense Strategy." His emphasis on the National Defense Strategy implies that Shanahan will press on with efforts to modernize the military and invest in advanced space technologies and hypersonic weapons to counter China. At a Dec. 13 meeting with executives from the National Defense Industrial Association, Shanahan said investments in hypersonic weapons are part of "what it takes to win" in a great power competition." He said he wants to see DoD field hypersonic missiles in large numbers. "We're going to set up an industrial base that drives innovation," Shanahan said. Underscoring China as a strategic competitor also could mean greater support for a space sensor layer that DoD is in the early stages of designing to counter Chinese and Russian hypersonic glide vehicles. Officials said these advanced weapons cannot be detected with current ground radar or missile warning satellites in geostationary-Earth orbit. The plan is to deploy sensors in low-Earth orbit to detect and track dimmer glide vehicles. Conflicts of interest Since the news broke that Shanahan would be taking over as defense secretary, critics have questioned whether his 30-year career at the Boeing Company would compromise his ability to make impartial decisions that could affect the company's business. Buccino said that under his ethics agreement, Shanahan has recused himself for the duration of his service in DoD from "participating in matters in which the Boeing Company is a party." Industry consultant Loren Thompson, of the Lexington Institute, told SpaceNews that Shanahan is likely to follow in the footsteps of previous defense industry executives who stepped into high level DoD posts and tried "too hard" to prove that they were not favoring their previous employers. "The danger is that he will try hard to prove he is not favoring Boeing and in the process put the company at a disadvantage," said Thompson, whose think tank receives funding from Boeing and other top defense contractors. Shanahan in his last job at Boeing was moved laterally, rather than promoted, to senior vice president of supply chain and operations. "Which is a way to say that he was not moving any higher in the company," said Thompson. That would give him a reason to not want to help the company even if he could, he added. "There is more of a danger that he will do something that is bad for Boeing because he's so concerned with not looking like he's conflicted." Shanahan would have to recuse himself from any matters that would affect Boeing's business, such as aircraft and satellite procurements, and space launch policy. Boeing and Lockheed Martin are co-owners of United Launch Alliance, a key competitor in national security space launch. "Any decision that Shanahan makes on space launch inevitably will have some bearing on Boeing's future business prospects," Thompson said. "Whether it's good or bad for Boeing, he's conflicted so he should stay out of it." Space Force reorganization Shanahan for the past year has been the Pentagon's point man in the reorganization of military space forces. Since June, he has been in charge of implementing Trump's order to stand up a new military branch for space. Thompson said Shanahan's role in carrying out the president's Space Force directive a reorganization that Mattis had opposed as too disruptive and costly earned him favor with the White House. "Policy people around the president like the idea of Shanahan being defense secretary, because he's not a policy guy. He's an engineer," Thompson said. This makes Shanahan a strong candidate for the nomination to become secretary of defense. A proposal to stand up a Space Force as a separate branch under the Department of the Air Force is expected to be submitted to Congress in February. "Shanahan will blow with the wind on this one. He'll just go do it," Thompson said. Budget analyst and space policy expert Todd Harrison, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, noted that Mattis "never really got engaged in the Space Force debate, so I don't think his departure will swing things one way or the other." Shanahan as deputy secretary "had no choice but to be the referee among competing factions. At this point I think it is really up to the White House and National Space Council to work the Space Force issue in terms finalizing the legislative proposal and working to build support on the Hill. Shanahan will certainly lead the rollout from the DoD side, but this has always been an issue that extends higher than just DoD." A Pentagon insider who has followed the Space Force debate said Shanahan most likely will delegate space reorganization responsibilities to Undersecretary of Defense for Policy John Rood and Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson. This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry. Staff reports South Bend Tribune Even as other states, including Michigan, our neighbor to the north, have legalized medical marijuana, Hoosiers had little reason to think Indiana would soon follow suit. After all, past legislative efforts to allow medical marijuana have failed. Just last year, Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour, filed a bill to legalize medical marijuana. The bill never got a hearing. And an interim committee tasked last fall with studying the legalization of medical marijuana couldnt decide how to proceed and couldnt even come to a consensus on whether to study the issue further. So, legalizing medical marijuana seems unlikely here in Indiana anytime soon. Still, Gov. Eric Holcombs recent comments on the issue went even further in effect, taking the issue off the table ... end of discussion, period. Holcomb told reporters last month that he is absolutely opposed to recreational marijuana in Indiana: Im just not willing to look at that. As for the potential benefits of medical marijuana, which 33 states have legalized, Holcomb says hes not unsympathetic to the idea. However, he thinks the federal government, not Indiana, should investigate the matter. Holcomb says as governor, he took an oath to uphold all the laws, including marijuana prohibition: Right now, its a crime. Im just not willing to look the other way. Last year, as governor, Holcomb signed into law Senate Enrolled Act 52, which legalized the sale, possession and use of cannabidiol, a marijuana derivative also known as CBD oil. Indiana lawmakers delivered a bill that ensures Hoosiers who benefit from CBD oil can access it, he said then. A 2016 poll found 73 percent Hoosiers surveyed supported medical marijuana, with Hoosiers older than 65 favoring legalization by 57 to 41 percent. The Old National Bank/Ball State University 2018 survey found 42 percent of Hoosiers said marijuana should be legal only for medicinal use, while 39 percent said marijuana should be legal for personal use. At a town hall rally last August at the Indiana State Library, medical marijuana advocates were joined by veterans and patients to discuss the benefits of medical cannabis. Some talked about how the substance had helped them overcome pain from chronic diseases and surgeries, some called it a healthier alternative to opioids. American Legion member Kent Morgan said medical marijuana could be another tool in the toolbox for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. All of which suggests that wherever you stand on the legalization of medical marijuana, this is an issue worth discussing, worth investigating. After the study committee failed to reach a consensus, state Sen. John Ruckelshaus, R-Indianapolis, said that This is not the last time we will be studying this issue. We would hope not. Given the potential benefits for Hoosiers and the actions taken by 33 other states Indiana should be taking a good, long look at the legalization of medical marijuana, not sitting on its hands and waiting for the federal government to do so. St. Joseph County has big plans for development near New Carlisle. A ditch is in the way. Bill Moor Columnist After my wife tore off the wrapping of one of her Christmas presents courtesy of me she couldnt open the protective case enveloping it. I couldnt, either. Not even with a screw driver. I had bought her a little gadget that fits on your key chain and helps you find things, like a purse or a cell phone or a claw hammer to break into something. Did you steal this? she finally asked. Its still in its security container. I guess it was. I picked up the gadget called a Tile Mate at Target and went through the self-checkout, not realizing I should have had the outer case removed by an employee. Have I mentioned before that Im not much of a shopper? When I left the store, an alarm sounded. But I assumed it wasnt for me, even though I was the only person exiting at that moment. I did stand outside the doorway for five seconds just in case somebody was going to come after me. When nobody did, I walked on to my car not even bothering to look over my shoulder. And that was that until my wife tried to open her present on Christmas morning. Youre going to have to take this back and have them open it, she said. I hope you kept the sales receipt. I had. It was right there in the little basket where I keep my keys, wallet, phone, checkbook and anything else that falls out of my pocket. Only it wasnt there. That started a frantic search of my other little cubbyholes. The last time I saw that receipt, it was by my checkbook from which my 9-year-old grandson had secretly written out a check to himself for 1 billion dollars. Hmm. The little ornery dude wouldnt do something with my receipts, too, would he? He was long gone by that point and I really didnt think he could be that devious. Or could he? Too bad I didnt already have one of those Tiles to let me know where that Target receipt was. To deal with this problem, I went to my usual strategy: procrastination. If I had a Tile to find my head, it would have been in the sand. My wife didnt lose her patience; she loses other things the reason for this particular gift. After three days, I met with my Friday lunch group and asked their opinion on what I should do. Three said I should just go to the store and explain. Three said I should not bother and just break it open. I got three different suggestions on how to do it: Vice, axe and seven iron. Kuz was in the bathroom and came back and broke the 3-3 deadlock. Take in your credit card and they should be able to look it up. If not, you can call me and Ill come bail you out of jail. So I headed right out to Target with the Tile and its bullet-proof-like box with Kuz on speed dial. As I approached the store, I saw three of its employees taking a break over in an outside corner. I headed right for them, almost scattering them. But Ann, Barbie and Dawn looked at me with amused looks as I began with Ive got a sad story to tell They listened and shrugged. We can take care of you, one of them said and the three of them together either done with their break or eager to be rid of me escorted me into the store, which immediately sent off an alarm. I worried for a moment that they might gang-tackle and hold me until security came. Instead, they walked me over to another worker who quickly freed my wifes Tile from its incarceration. I stood there for a moment before I realized I was free to go. As I exited, I didnt set off the alarm this time. My wife can now find her phone when she loses it as long as she doesnt also lose her keys with the Tile attached to them. The next day, I found the receipt in my sweatpants. It accompanied my grandsons 1 billion dollar check into our shredder. Mary Shown South Bend Tribune Since its Dec. 6 opening date, MOD Pizza in Elkhart has been busy, general manager Drae Haynes said. Every single day, we have had a line around these little corners, all the way leading up to the door, Haynes said. We have had great sales, every single day. What makes the pizza parlor so popular? It could be the customization options. Structured similarly to Blaze Pizza in South Bend, the Seattle-based MOD (which stands for made on demand) features handmade, personalized pizzas and salads. Customers can choose from nine classic pizza options and can pick and choose among 30 different topping options to make the pizza as customizable as possible, at no additional cost. It typically takes 10 minutes from the beginning of the assembly line to the end result of a fresh-baked pizza in hand, but customers can also order pizzas ahead of time on the go. Customers can also purchase craft beer and milkshakes as beverage options. So parents can have a little fun and the kids can get a little treat as well, Haynes said. We are definitely a family-friendly environment. But pizza isnt the only reason the restaurant, located at 285 County Road 6 East, has become so popular. In fact, if you ask Hayne his thoughts behind the popularity, hell tell you its because of the people. Its the pizza as well, but its our people because we are a people place, he said. If you look above, youll see our signature says this is not a pizza place, and that pretty much explains that we are more than just pizza we are our people and our people are us. Energetic employees welcome all customers who enter the restaurant with a resounding Hello, no matter how busy or quiet they may be. If the welcome is less than satisfactory, Haynes says theyll do it again until its right. We are fun and exciting and as soon as you come through the door, you feel all of this energy, he said. Finding and maintaining such an energetic employee base has been easy so far, Haynes said, which is somewhat of a feat especially in Elkhart County where other employment with good pay and benefits are somewhat easy to find nowadays. Once people find out exactly who we are as a company, they are typically on board with it, he said. Just as the community has had an initial energetic reaction since MODs opening, Haynes hopes to get involved in the community as well. Fundraisers such as partnering with Elkhart Education Foundation on the stores grand opening day have already occurred with hopes of more in the future. We want people to be full-bellied, fulfilled and happy (when the come here), Haynes said. We want them to be happy that they got the pizza they wanted, but also happy that they got to meet someone that was cool and fun and crazy just like them. The restaurant is open Sunday through Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Customers can call 574-696-4138 to order ahead. South Bend Hardees open After a long-time hiatus in Hardees locations in the area, a new restaurant officially opened last week. The restaurant, located at 223 W. Ireland Road, is part of a expansion in our area by parent company CKE Restaurants Holdings. In 2017, CKE announced plans to build six Hardees locations across five different Indiana markets South Bend, Mishawaka, LaPorte, Lafayette and Goshen. Construction at the southside South Bend location next to United Federal Credit Union began Sept. 4. The company is also planning to open another Hardees in the Michiana area, this one in Michigan City. Representatives from CKE said construction has not yet begun at the Franklin and Village streets location, but the company is hopeful the new restaurant also will open in early 2019. Have you heard? Saylors Pizza, located at 720 W. Sixth St. in Mishawaka, closed its doors Dec. 29. According to its social media accounts, the business was open for nearly 23 years and decided to move on and grow in different ways individually. On Tuesday, two area Ziker Cleaners locations will begin providing pickup and delivery service. Lightning Laundry includes a wash, dry and fold for all of your everyday clothing. Customers can sign up for the service at 207 S. Dixie Way in South Bend or 7424 Gumwood Road in Granger. Those who sign up on Tuesday will receive 50 percent off their first load of laundry and will be entered to win free laundry service for a year. Ziker will roll out the service at other area stores throughout 2019. Michigan-based SpartanNash closed its deal in purchasing local grocery chain Martins Super Markets last week. Officials from both companies said that the purchase likely wont result in many changes. Hydraulic Ale Works owners announced plans to open the new Elkhart brewery in spring or early summer 2019. The brewery will be located at 333 Nibco Parkway in Elkhart and will feature a family-friendly brewpub that can seat nearly 200. By Citizens Journal , Jan . 04, 2019 Election Integrity Project California, Inc. (EIPCa) today announced the settlement of its lawsuit that requires Dean Logan, Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, to immediately begin to follow federal mandates for identifying and removing deceased, moved and other ineligible registrants (as many as 1.5 million inactive registrants) from the LA County voter rolls. The settlement also requires Alex Padilla, California Secretary of State, to see that similar actions are taken by each County Registrar throughout California. Read More: Join us - become an Elderado today at: LarryElder.com Follow Larry Elder on Follow Larry Elder on Twitter "Like" Larry Elder on Facebook Michelle Singletary is a columnist for The Washington Post. Reach her at michelle.singletary@washpost.com or follow her on Twitter @SingletaryM. Kenneth Wayne Floyd, 72, of Vine Grove KY, passed away at his home on Saturday, June 5, 2021. He retired from the United States Army as a Sergeant First Class after honorably serving his country for over twenty years. He was preceded in death by his father, Kenneth Glen Floyd; mother, Mary M Rio de Janeiro: - Comments from Brazil's new President Jair Bolsonaro that he would be open to the United States operating a military base on Brazilian soil have not been well received by the country's armed forces, a senior army officer told Reuters on Saturday. Bolsonaro, who took office on January 1, said in a television interview on Thursday he might be willing to allow a US base in Brazil as a way to counter Russian influence in Venezuela, a move that would mark a sharp shift in direction for Brazilian foreign policy. Brazil's military would be against a US base in the country, the officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he has not been authorised to discuss the matter publicly. He added that the possibility of ceding territory for a base took officers by surprise in the Brazilian military, which has traditionally been a zealous guardian of national sovereignty. Oakland: A jogger was attacked by a dog in a California park, but police say it was the dog's owner who left bite marks on her arm. The jogger attempted to defend herself from the dog's attack with pepper spray in Oakland's Anthony Chabot Regional Park on Thursday morning, according to the East Bay Regional Park District Police Department. The dog's owner, identified by police as 19-year-old Alma Cadwalader, then "accosted" the jogger, sparking a physical altercation "where the victim was bitten by the suspect, causing significant injury," the department alleged. Authorities told NBC Bay Area that the bite on the jogger's forearm was definitely human. Rome: Matteo Salvini likes spreading Nutella on his morning bread. He winds down with a bowl of Barilla pasta and a glass of Barolo wine. He heeds the words of wisdom inside the wrappers of Perugina Bacio chocolates. He drinks Moretti beer. Italy knows these things because Salvini, the country's hard-line interior minister, deputy prime minister and leader of the anti-migrant League party, shares them on his many social media feeds. Just about every day. But Salvini's social media feeds are not really about product placement, or the musings of a proud culinary nationalist. Rather, say those who have worked closely with him, they are part of a carefully studied and remarkably successful strategy to sell his common-man brand in an anti-elite era. Matteo Salvini, the Italian interior minister, left, in Milan last month. His rise to power has become a parable of the modern social media age. Credit:AP A year after Salvini stormed Italian politics from the far right, his rise as Italy's most powerful politician far-eclipsing the influence of a prime minister many consider a puppet has become a parable of the modern social media age. He is the study of a politician, much like President Donald Trump, whose methods have shattered political norms, nearly all Italian politicians agree, whether they agree with his politics or not. London: British Prime Minister Theresa May says the UK faced a moment of "profound challenge" as she urged MPs to get behind her Brexit deal. May warned critics from both sides of the Brexit divide that they risked damaging the economy and trust in democracy by opposing her plan. On Friday May spoke to Jean-Claude Juncker, European Commission president, to plead for his help to avert defeat in the vote, but so far there is no indication of a breakthrough with Brussels. An anti-Brexit demonstrator wears a mask bearing stars of the European flag, during a protest outside the houses of Parliament in London last month. Credit:AP The Eurosceptic Sunday Telegraph is reporting that May could be preparing to delay the vote in parliament again. May has already postponed the vote once, in early December, when it became apparent she would not have the numbers. Kabul: The death toll after a collapse at a gold mine in Afghanistan has climbed to 35, a local official said. A worker carries a 28-kilogram gold bar. Credit:Bloomberg At least 12 others were injured in the accident on Sunday morning, provincial council member Abdullah Naji Nazari said. The number of victims could rise, he said. About 50 workers were trapped by the accident in what Nazari described as a locally dug mine with no safety standards in Kohistan district. The mine was next to a river, whose waters were apparently being used to help sift gravel to find the gold. Dakar: Preliminary results from the Democratic Republic of Congo's December 30 presidential election will be delayed past the expected deadline, the head of the election commission says. Corneille Nangaa has told Reuters the commission, known as CENI, has received only 47 per cent of vote tally sheets as of Saturday, and did not know when the results would be ready. Early results had been expected to be announced on Sunday. Congolese President Joseph Kabila arrives to cast his vote on December 30 in Kinshasa, Congo. . Credit:AP Earlier on Saturday, US President Donald Trump said military personnel had been deployed to central Africa to protect US assets from possible violent demonstrations. The McGowan Government has rebranded the controversial Safe Schools program, which was axed by the federal government in 2017, and made it available to all primary and secondary schools across WA. The $1.4 million Inclusive Education program which aims to make schools inclusive for same-sex attracted, intersex and gender diverse students has been paid for with existing education department funding, and fulfils an election promise made by Labor before the state election. Protesters defending the controversial Safe Schools program in Melbourne. Credit:Penny Stephens According to Inclusive Education's website, it runs gender diversity training sessions for teachers, provides support for transgender and gender-diverse students, and offers lesson plans to reduce homophobia and transphobia in schools. The program is not compulsory and schools can choose which parts to implement, if any. Fraser Anning and United Patriots Front leader Blair Cottrell at the event. Credit:AFR Mr Morrison used Twitter to describe the event as ugly racial protests and added that intolerance does not make Australia stronger. Mr Shorten tweeted a general statement lamenting the fact it had become unfortunately common for some to seek out attention by picking on minorities. Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young and independent MP Kerryn Phelps were among the other politicians to speak out. No government figure ruled out dealing with Senator Anning in future to pass legislation through the Senate. Ms Plibersek noted that Senator Anning has voted about 90 per cent of the time with the government and added that I would hate to think that this government owed Fraser Anning anything for the votes that he is providing them. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Senator Anning, who was elected as a One Nation senator but fell out with the party and was then expelled by Katter's Australian Party, has previously provoked controversy by using the phrase final solution in his maiden speech, though he later said he did not know it was associated with The Holocaust. He accused left-wing media of misrepresenting the St Kilda rally, saying it was really about African gang violence not a far-right event. Claiming he was there on parliamentary business, Senator Anning pointed to four recent violent incidents by offenders of African descent in Brisbane but in fact two were carried out by the same group of youths over two nights and one was a bungled carjacking in which the perpetrator failed to start the car. Police stood between far-right and anti-racism protesters at the St Kilda rally. Credit:Darrian Traynor Queensland police have recently raised concerns about those incidents but stressed it was a small number of offenders who did not constitute a gang. Senator Anning added that his presence should in no way be considered an endorsement by me of the views of other speakers or attendees. The rally was organised by Mr Cottrell and fellow far-right activist Neil Erikson, both of whom have been convicted of inciting serious contempt for Muslims. Blair Cottrell at the St Kilda rally on Saturday. Credit:Darrian Traynor Senator Anning however maintained he didnt see any people there who appeared to be radicals. The only people who were doing Nazi salutes were the far-left extremists 100 metres away who came to try to disrupt a peaceful rally, Senator Anning said. Loading Reporters from The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald saw people among the right-wing protesters giving the salute. The Age and The Herald, as well as other media outlets, have published pictures showing this. Jewish groups also condemned the event and Senator Anning. Jeremy Jones of the Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council said the best response was to affirm the unity of Australians. The most effective response is always to make it clear its the Australian people versus the racists. That starts at the very top. Leaders have to say over and over again, 'This is not the Australia we want to see. This is not the Australia that we are'. Loading Asked whether the government should deal with Senator Anning on legislation, he said: I would think they would want to have as little to do with him as possible. As is the case with the opposition. Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said Senator Anning should stand condemned for attending a rally organised by white supremacists who have openly professed neo-Nazi views. These groups exploit popular concerns about migration, crime and security to advance division, hatred and violence in the name of racial purity. They dont want to make Australia stronger or better. They want to rebuild our country in their own pathetic images, he said. Senator Fraser Anning, who plans to bill taxpayers more than $2800 for his flights and a Comcar to a far-right rally in Melbourne, should consider his position in Parliament, Acting Prime Minister Michael McCormack says. Senator Anning is charging taxpayers $2852.80 for his return flights ($1426.40 each way) to attend the St Kilda Beach rally, which was organised by convicted far-right activists Blair Cottrell and Neil Erikson and attended by about 100 of their supporters. The Queensland senator, who flew from Brisbane to Melbourne and returned the same day, also caught a Comcar from Melbourne Airport to St Kilda Beach. Senators are entitled to fly business class for official engagements. Senator Annings spokesman confirmed that he would bill the flights to taxpayers as part of his MPs travel allowance. Loading However many festivalgoers had been unaware the service was being offered. "We had little publicity and no signage because there was a late call, this one people will be more aware so we're expecting a higher level of patronage [if it goes ahead]," Mr Vumbaca said. Negotiations about the Canberra pill testing trial came down to the wire last year. While the ACT government, ACT Policing and venue the University of Canberra were all on board, Cattleyard only gave the green light for the trial to go ahead the Thursday before the Sunday festival. The promoter had been concerned about reputational damage if police began arresting punters, and wanted an iron-clad indemnity agreement from government, as well as police to give users of the pill testing service immunity from prosecution. However a spokeswoman for Cattleyard said in November that it would welcome pill testing at this year's event at Exhibition Park in Canberra. Mr Vumbaca said about 10 other promoters, some of whom organised multiple festivals, had been in contact after the recent drug deaths to ask about pill testing. Loading "We've been getting calls from promoters all around the country wanting us to do pill testing, there's been a change in momentum," Mr Vumbaca said. "They do a hell of a lot of work in maintaining patron safety and protecting the health of patrons. While program like ours is not a silver bullet, it's part of a suite of measures they'd like to have available. They know what we're offering will reduce harm, it certainly won't increase harm." But until more governments soften their opposition to drug testing, Mr Vumbaca said they can't offer the service. "We can't do much unless we have government cooperation. We've been encouraging governments interstate to contact the ACT government ministers and advisors, don't take our word for it on how we operate and how effective it is, take their word for it," he said. The ACT government was initially opposed to pill testing, but came around after a working group of police, health officials and drug and alcohol specialists concluded it could help reduce drug-related harm. However ACT Opposition legal affairs spokesman Jeremy Hanson said people would still take a pill when the test proved it contained an active quantity of the drug. "That's why they bought it and then you dont know what they effect of that pill is going to be on you. People die from dehydration, different amounts of drugs affect people differently, particularly dependent on their health and on their weight so thats a lot of the problem," he told ABC Radio on Friday. Loading Mr Hanson said he believed an educational campaign over Snapchat or Instagram would be more effective in preventing young people from taking drugs. However Ms Fitzharris said policy makers needed to listen to experts and the community and consider new approaches to prevent and reduce harm. "The conservative side of politics in Canberra continue to take a head in the sand approach to pill testing. It is of interest that their spokesperson on this issue is not the shadow health minister, but the shadow attorney-general, she said. "To be very clear to the Canberra Liberals, pill testing does not give a false sense of security. It is very clear in all the statements by the ACT government and material provided by Pill Testing Australia is that it is not safe to take these drugs. Former Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Palmer also disagreed that pill testing gave a green light to drug use. "This is happening now, there's no green light being given by drug testing at all and were failing miserably with the heaviest policing presence you could possibly muster," he told ABC Radio. He said he'd dealt with cases where heroin addicts had taken doses twice as potent as they normally would and died as a result. "They did what they normally did, had they been advised of the toxicity they probably would not have done it," Mr Palmer said. Victoria has become the noisiest, most active battleground for far right-wing groups in Australia, so why has the state largely regarded as Australia's most progressive become such a hot bed of this activity? Saturday's "Reclaim St Kilda" rally - organised by United Patriots Front leaders Blair Cottrell and Neil Erikson and attended by federal Senator Fraser Anning - is the latest headline-grabbing protest in a series of demonstrations by far-right groups in the state. Blair Cottrell at Saturday's rally at St Kilda beach. Credit:Darrian Traynor Loading While extreme right political activism has long existed in Australia, many on both sides of the debate trace the current, noisy iteration of far-right dissent in Victoria to national "Reclaim Australia" rallies at Federation Square in 2015, and then protests against building Bendigo's mosque later that year. The words etched on the white lines in the middle of the bike path look like graffiti at first. But as they form sentences that snake along whole city blocks, they begin to tell a different story. They are part of a 10-kilometre-long poem that runs the Upfield trail from inner-city Brunswick to Fawkner Cemetery in Melbourne's suburban north. The Narrow Road to the Deep North took more than one month for artists and couple Malcolm Angelucci and Majella Thomas to inscribe for Moreland Councils annual MoreArt show last month. Arthur B. Culvahouse jnr has been named the new US ambassador to Australia. Last week, the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee formally confirmed the appointment of Tennessee lawyer Arthur B. Culvahouse, as US ambassador to Australia. The confirmation, coming more than two years after John Berrys three-year tenure as ambassador ended, is both long overdue and warmly welcomed. That is because Mr Culvahouse is consummately experienced in White House matters, having been a Washington insider for decades, and he enjoys strong bipartisan support as an astute and steady operative. While US President Donald Trump might be unconventional at best as well as erratic, unreliable and prone to conveying demonstrable falsehoods it is anticipated that his man on the ground here will fit the more orthodox template of an informed and intelligent diplomat. Mr Culvahouse has a long and fascinating history as a lawyer in Washington, having started in 1973 as a legal researcher assisting moderate Republican senator Howard Baker on the US Senate Watergate Committee and, later, on the Church Committee as it investigated illicit activities of the CIA. Two men were rushed to hospital with stab wounds after a group of men fought in a Logan park on Sunday night. Police responded to reports of a brawl involving a group of men at Oates Park on Mary Avenue in Woodridge about 9.45pm on Sunday. A 22-year-old man suffered stab wounds to his back and underarm during the fight and when his 27-year-old friend came to his aid he was stabbed in the chest. Specialist critical care paramedics raced to the scene and took both men to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in serious conditions. Police said all the men knew each other and the others involved in the fight on the run. Thousands of glitter-clad millennials in see-through mesh flocked to Brisbanes Riverstage on Saturday for the sold-out FOMO festival. Unfortunately I missed the festival uniform memo. Festival goers will spend days cultivating the perfect outfit for their Instagram snaps. Having spent the past few years in outback Australia, I am more used to seeing the likes of Jimmy Barnes and Daryl Braithwaite, where the only requirements are an Akubra and a flannel shirt. A hip-hop electronic dance festival requires a different kind of wardrobe, I have now learnt. An alleged top-ranking Comanchero gang member is suing the publisher of The Daily Telegraph, claiming articles linking him to the murder of a fellow bikie embarrassed him and injured his reputation. Ali Bazzi has launched defamation proceedings against Nationwide News and journalist Emma Partridge in the Federal Court over stories that reported he met the men who were later charged with the murder of ex-Comanchero boss Mick Hawi prior to his shooting. Ali Bazzi (right) with Comanchero boss Mark Buddle in the Mediterranean. Buddle tasked Bazzi with taking charge of the gang in Australia. The Daily Telegraph alleged that Mr Bazzi is a close confidante of the Comancheros national president Mark Buddle, who fled to Europe in 2016 and is a suspect in several police investigations. Mr Hawi was gunned down outside a Rockdale gym in February last year and three men associated with the Lone Wolf bikie gang face charges relating to the murder. An old-guard of Parramatta Leagues Club members including local politicians and property players are pushing to re-install an elected board to control the club, against the wishes of its government-appointed administrator. Administrator Max Donnelly, who was appointed by the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority to administrate the conflict-riven leagues club in mid 2016, says he is looking for an opportunity to return control of the club, which provides support for the Parramatta Eels NRL team, to members. But with the leagues club considering a $150 million investment in a new hotel complex adjacent to the $300 million Western Sydney Stadium redevelopment, Mr Donnelly wants to first appoint a new board which would, over time, be progressively voted on by members. Max Donnelly, administrator of Parramatta Leagues Club. Credit:Anna Kucera I want to hand over but I want to hand over to the best possible board I can appoint, Mr Donnelly said. In my view that would be a skills-based board. NSW planning has rejected plans for a 5 kilometre no-development zone just north of the ACT border, in a win for landowners but a setback for Yass. The Yass Valley Council has now called a meeting of planning authorities in NSW and the ACT this month to persuade NSW to change its mind, describing the buffer as an essential element of its new settlement strategy. Arnold and Marchien Dekker on their hobby farm in the proposed 5 kilometre buffer zone on the ACT border where the Yass council wants to freeze housing development. Credit:Elesa Kurtz The council has been trying to impose a 20-year no-development zone at the border, something it says would prevent ribbon development up the Barton Highway and preserve the separate identities of Yass and Canberra. The Yass council is concentrating on subdivisions around Yass and Murrumbateman, and has also approved a big housing development on the border at Ginninderry. Ginninderry is exempt from the proposed 5 kilometre buffer zone, which opponents argue gives the housing estate an unfair advantage as the only allowed cross-border development. Ginninderry is a joint venture between the Corkhill brothers and the ACT government, which supports the buffer. Trail of broken hearts Every sailor on the deck of USS Archerfish threw his cap to a girl on the wharf when the submarine left Sydney. About 30 young women, many in tears, waved goodbye from Circular Quay as the submarine left for Guam. Captain Lieut Commander T R Eagye said the crew had left a trail of broken hearts. We certainly have some people in love on board. We wont dive for about a week, people in love often leave the front door open. TV equal to class lessons Tests had shown that educational programs properly presented on television were as effective as normal classroom teaching, the director of education for the ABC, Mr F Watts said. Mr Watts was giving a lecture on the first day of the summer school of Sydney Teachers College. It is generally taken now that anything that is taught by ordinary schoolroom methods can now be taught by television, he said. Century heat forecast Every night for some 40 years, Margaret Clark of Riverview had observed from her balcony hordes of bats headed south in the night sky. "This year, for the first time, most nights we have seen only the odd single bat flying north. A Google search 'bats this summer in Sydney' showed reports from the Herald that in both February 2017 and January 2018 Sydneys bats were decimated in heat waves. This may explain the decline in numbers this year, but why the change in direction?" Kim McKenzie of Rapid Creek (NT) suggests the following aid to understanding Australian life. "In the workplace, it is OK to watch cricket on television. However, watching any other program during work time could get you the sack." Numerous readers wrote in to add that Coles had hot cross buns on the shelves just after Christmas Day, long before they were a prominent feature of the Aldi catalogue (C8). Don Beresford of Surry Hills noted that: "Good Friday, on April 19, is late this year, and Lent does not begin until Ash Wednesday on 6 March. So, a very long season of hot cross bun availability." Luke Grey of Gloucester offers this (possibly best) solution: "Perhaps they should just bite the bullet and never stop baking them." On the topic of radio 'shows' (C8), Alasdair McDonnell of Glenbrook references media theorist Marshall McLuhan: "The medium is the message we 'hear' the written word, we 'see' the spoken word, and we 'feel' images. I love hearing Granny's mellifluous voice in the morning." The Attorney-General's office is contemplating tougher terror laws, after the state failed in a last-ditched bid to slap an extended supervision order on a convicted terrorism activity offender who had an obsession with the Islamic State. Mohamed Naaman, 43, has a well-documented history of violence, including brandishing a 35cm knife at two police officers in 2013 and attempting to slash a prison guard with a piece of glass in 2015. Mohamed Naaman. Credit:Nine News Naaman violated his parole for that offence in late 2016 by travelling to Lebanon, and was re-incarcerated when he returned to Australia in May last year. An interim supervision order was granted in August, but an extended order was rejected by the Supreme Court in October and the Supreme Court's Court of Appeal in late December - leading the NSW Attorney-General's office to consider changing the legislation. A mother has been left in debilitating pain months after the birth of her child after staff shortages at Canberra Hospital led to her induction being delayed. The claims were made in a submission to a committee inquiry into maternity services in the ACT, which is due to have public hearings this year. Submissions to the inquiry - which has heard from patients, staff and peak bodies - are open to the public until January 31. The inquiry was launched after midwives and staff at Canberra Hospital penned an anonymous letter to the government saying patients' lives were being put at risk due to understaffing and poor management. One submission from a Canberra couple said the mother still experienced regular and debilitating pain eight months after giving birth and had significant follow-up treatment. Canberra Hospital's adult mental health unit has been consistently overflowing since at least 2017, government data shows. The new government figures also showed Canberra's mental health patients, while making up a small proportion of those admitted to the emergency department, made up 40 per cent of patients staying more than 24 hours in the emergency department. Mental Health Minister Shane Rattenbury. Credit:Jamila Toderas Canberra Hospital's adult mental health unit was 106 per cent occupied during 2017-18, based on 37 funded beds. The average length of stay during that period was 13.6 days. The government does not expect the occupancy rate to significantly improve in 2018-19. It's sitting on 104 per cent and an average length of stay of 12.9 days. Two coal mines in Greater Sydney's catchment area are likely to be diverting millions of litres of water daily from reservoirs, an independent panel has found, prompting calls for a halt to further mining. The panel's "initial report", released before Christmas, found it "plausible" the Dendrobium underground mine between the Avon and Cordeaux dams was diverting 3 million litres a day into its workings. The nearby Metropolitan mine's inflows were put at half a million litres, diverted from Woronora Reservoir. Sydney Water's Cordeaux Dam near Wollongong , is losing water flows to a nearby underground coal mine. Credit:Nick Moir The panel endorsed the Berejiklian government's approach of approving expansion in the form of longwall mining on an "incremental basis" that allowed for adjustments according to emerging "knowledge gaps". The experts conceded that while understanding of impacts of mining in the Special Areas had "progressed substantially" over the past decade, remaining limits on monitoring and modelling means it remained "difficult" to confirm the mines had only "negligible consequences on surface water supplies" as claimed by miners. Ellen DeGeneres' attempt to clear comedian Kevin Hart's name and reinstate him as Oscars host did not go over well with critics online. The daytime host, who is openly gay and previously hosted the Academy Awards herself, was blasted for calling Hart's critics "haters" and "trolls," referring to those who unearthed the comic's past homophobic jokes that cost him the high-profile hosting gig. Hart had apologised for the jokes in the past but refused to do so again when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gave him an ultimatum to apologise once more or drop his hosting duties. He pulled the plug on the gig last month. Members of the LGBTQ community publicly characterised DeGeneres' endorsement of Hart on her show on Friday as a "betrayal," while others scolded her for seemingly belittling journalists and other knowledgeable critics for researching the incoming host's background. (Hart told DeGeneres he'll reconsider hosting now.) Special needs classes in public schools are heavily concentrated in the most disadvantaged parts of Sydney, with 92 in the Blacktown local government area alone but none in Hunters Hill, Lane Cove or Mosman. In the Liverpool and Campbelltown council areas there is an average of just over one class for students with disabilities per school, an analysis of NSW Department of Education figures by the Herald shows. Schools in disadvantaged areas have more special needs classes than those in affluent ones. Yet in the northern beaches, Ryde and Sydney council areas, there are half as many special needs classrooms as there are schools. In Hornsby there are nine special classrooms among 33 schools. Experts said the divide suggested socio-economically advantaged parents were better able to navigate medical systems and pay for early intervention services, such as speech pathology and occupational therapy, before their children began school. The Camp Fire leveled homes in the Ridgewood Mobile Home Park retirement community late last year in Paradise, California. The states largest utility, PG&E, may face billions in liability costs if its equipment is found to be responsible for igniting the fire. Photo: Noah Berger / AP By Eric Westervelt 4 January 2019 (NPR) Facing staggering liability costs for its potential culpability in a series of deadly wildfires, the parent company of Californias largest utility is exploring whether to sell off a major part of the company, NPR has learned. Internally, Pacific Gas & Electric has dubbed this strategy Project Falcon. Under the plan, the company would sell its natural gas division this spring. After years of deadly errors and safety violations, the utility giant is looking for ways to cover liability costs and avoid bankruptcy, a senior company official and a former employee with knowledge of the plan tell NPR. All net proceeds from the sale of PG&Es gas division would be used to set up a fund to pay billions of dollars in potential claims from wildfires, the sources said. They requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. The company also is exploring selling key real estate assets, including its San Francisco headquarters, and moving its operations elsewhere in the Bay Area, the sources say. On Friday, the company announced it would be reviewing structural options to best position the company to meet customer and operational needs. In addition, PG&E said it is searching for new directors for its board to augment its existing expertise in safety. [] In June, the states fire agency, Cal Fire, determined that PG&E power equipment was responsible for sparking at least a dozen major fires across Northern California in 2017. And now, regulators are investigating whether PG&E equipment sparked Novembers Camp Fire, the deadliest and most destructive in state history.The company could end up having to pay billions from legal action stemming from the 2017 and 2018 wildfire seasons. [] Insurance companies Allstate, State Farm and USAA have filed lawsuits against PG&E, blaming the utility for the Camp Fire. [] There is widespread anger in the state over PG&Es shoddy safety record. Protests broke out at recent public oversight meetings and at the companys San Francisco headquarters, where environmentalists and activists read the names of the more than 100 people combined who died in the Camp Fire and 2017s wildfires in Napa and Sonoma counties. At one customer service center, the company has installed bulletproof glass. [more] Devastating Wildfires Force Californias Largest Utility To Plan Sale Of Gas Assets Apple is famous for surprises. Under Steve Jobs, its mercurial founder and former chief, the company became known for theatrical product unveilings that astonished and delighted fans in equal measure. Apple's Tim Cook sent a letter to shareholders that rattled the markets. Credit:NEW YORK TIMES But last week, it had a different sort of surprise up its sleeve, and not one it had planned. In a letter to investors, Tim Cook admitted that the company had fallen short of revenue expectations by billions of dollars. Blaming a weak Chinese economy, Cook said that iPhone sales had disappointed, sending shock waves through the rest of the tech industry. The announcement sent shares in Apple plunging 10 per cent, the biggest one-day fall in more than five years, rattling already volatile global financial markets. Australian telecommunication companies and retailers expect to ride out the China-induced turbulence engulfing Apple arguing the appetite for phone upgrades alive and well in the local market. While Australian consumers are being more cautious with their choice of phones, suggestions that iPhone upgrades are slowing in developed markets could be a blessing for businesses like Optus and Vodafone. On January 2 Apple chief executive Tim Cook released an update to investors highlighting revenue for the December quarter would be at least $US5 billion lower than previous guidance, due to lower than expected iPhone revenue from China. While the update was focused on Chinese sales, Cook also observed that "in some developed markets, iPhone upgrades also were not as strong as we thought they would be". To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- A Muslim Staten Island firefighter who once threatened to kill colleagues he claimed ridiculed him for his faith during his tumultuous tenure at a Brooklyn firehouse has settled a discrimination lawsuit against the city and the FDNY, according court papers. Raheem Hassan, 31, will reportedly receive $224,000 from the city and another $1,000 from Lt. David Hughes, according to his attorney, Aymen Aboushi. Theres no question Mr. Hassan was subjected to a hostile work environment. And this settlement vindicates the allegations in the suit, said Aboushi. The borough resident filed a civil lawsuit in Brooklyn federal court last year alleging he was sexually harassed and discriminated against for being a black Muslim. Hassan claims his fellow firefighters at Engine 309/Ladder 159 tricked him into eating pork products that violated his religious beliefs, according to court records. Several of his coworkers at the Firehouse would deliberately ensure that Hassan consumed pork products by lying to him about the contents of the communal food so that he would consume pork products ... the complaint said. The suit alleges he endured being called a n----- and was asked to apologize for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. During the encounters with other minorities, Hassans co-workers allegedly told him you guys should stick together, you dont belong here, and why dont you transfer? "...Fellow firefighters would tell him that 'black firefighters are lazy and no one wants to work with them,' and anytime that plaintiff was around other firefighters of color, other white firefighters would call it a 'Vulcan meeting' (referring to the Vulcan club, a professional organization for firefighters of color)," the filing said. In addition to the religious discrimination, the borough resident alleges he was the subject of sexual misconduct, and feared he would be sexually assaulted. The firehouse, the complaint said, had a group chat called the F--- Shop where they called Hassan a rat and posted a picture of a firefighters exposed genitals in the face of a sleeping colleague. When Hassan complained to his superior, Lt. David Hughes, he was retaliated against and Hughes had him arrested on false charges, and then he was removed from the firehouse, the suit alleges. Hassan was arrested on Dec. 20, 2017 after he allegedly made a threatening call to Hughes, his supervising officer, according to allegations in the criminal complaint. "This is Hassan. I'm going to kill the guys in the firehouse," the suspect said, according to the complaint. Aboushi said the arrest was for retaliation for making the complaints. The case has since been dismissed. The city Law Department could not immediately be reached Saturday. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Move Forward Staten Island is planning a Rock n Roe concert next weekend at Flagship Brewery, Tompkinsville, to benefit Planned Parenthood of NYCs Staten Island Health Center, as well as the group. From our first public action marching together in the first Womens March in New York City in 2017, our postcard writing campaigns in support of the Reproductive Health Act and our social media awareness campaigns about violence against women and girls, womens rights have always been at the core of our work, said Julienne N. Verdi, chair and founder of Move Forward Staten Island. Were hosting Rock n' Roe because as the only borough without a city hospital, and as recently reported, the borough with the highest death rate among individuals with HIV/AIDS, we must support the organizations that provide critical health care to Staten Island, including Planned Parenthood of New York Citys Staten Island Health Center, she added. The Rock n Roe concert, which will be Jan. 12 from 1 to 5 p.m., will feature a varied lineup of Staten Island bands, including Wahoo Skiffle Crazies, Dolltits, Hegazy and Universe Ignore Her. Photographer Kristopher Johnson will host a pop up portrait studioat the event. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to create signage for the third annual Womens March NYC. Flagship Brewery is located at 40 Minthorne St. Rock n Roe is a follow-up to Move Forward Staten Islands other successful fundraisers. Friends with Benefits, which was held in April 2017, drew more than 200 people and raised over $5,000 for Planned Parenthood of NYC, said Verdi. Huddled Masses, which was held in January 2018, benefited Staten Island immigrant rights organizations La Colmena and El Centro, she said. Planned Parenthood of New York City provides sexual and reproductive health services to thousands of New Yorkers through their health centers located in all five boroughs. Tickets can be purchased in advance here. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It was a changing of guard for Staten Island politics. Congressman Max Rose (D-Staten Island/Brooklyn) took a ceremonial oath of office on Saturday at the St. George Theatre, joined on stage by dozens of other elected officials, with approximately 1,200 cheering supporters packing into the historic venue. Rose was officially sworn in Thursday on Capitol Hill, after the U.S. Army veteran pulled off a surprising upset this November by defeating incumbent Rep. Daniel Donovan in New Yorks 11th congressional district, which includes Staten Island and a portion of southern Brooklyn. The ceremony began with the Pledge of Allegiance, National Anthem and an interfaith invocation, followed by an introduction for the dozens of elected officials on hand. St. Phillips Heat Drumline put on a house-rocking performance, followed by the introduction of the events first speaker, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York). Schumer, who approached the podium to a thunderous standing ovation, talked about the hard work Rose had put in to get himself to this point and the dedication Rose has to fight for what he believes is right. He ran for Congress, no one thought he could win and he kicked butt," said Schumer. No one put a silver spoon in his mouth, no one plucked him out and anointed him. He got here the old-fashioned way. He earned it. They [Staten Islanders] dont need a congressman whos going to represent the rich and the powerful, the special interests, Schumer said. They need someone whos going to fight for working families. Whether its bringing the types of schools and healthcare and safety and parks that these communities need, or making sure that city and state agencies pay attention to this often neglected borough, you couldnt have found a better person to do that than Max Rose. Schumer was followed by Borough President James Oddo, who began with an anecdote about British and German troops ceasing fire on Christmas during World War I, in an event that highlighted the commonality between the two feuding sides. I tell this story because it seems like a profound example of commonality, said Oddo. Im not comparing our politics to trench warfare, even our modern day divisive and vitriol-filled politics, and Im not oblivious to the genuine policy and ideological differences that exist. Im not naive to think that selflessness will suddenly abound in Washington D.C. anytime soon or bipartisanship can be ushered in by the election of one House member. But Id like to take a moment to strike a blow for commonality, continued Oddo. Oddo concluded his speech by stating he was encouraged by the words and work of Congressman Rose to this point, and that he will do everything within his power to work collaboratively with him in the best interest of the borough. Following a dazzling performance by the CPC Dancers, Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore) made her way to the podium during the crowds second in a long line of standing ovations. During the last several months I, Debi Rose, have stood with Max, my brother from another mother. Some people have even called him my husband, Rose joked. But today I am so proud to call him my congressman. Staten Island has been searching for enlightened, caring leadership to help us steady and guide our nation. Max Rose is fit for duty, said Rose. After a Tottenville High School choir performance of Imagine by John Lennon, Councilman Justin Brannan (D-Brooklyn) spoke about Roses dedication not only to his country, but to the people of the 11th Congressional District. We both believe that good government is not just about being bright and having bold ideas, but its about getting things done and working hard on behalf of the hard-working people you represent," said Brannan. Max and I both believe that if you work hard and if you play by the rules, there should be nothing stopping you from getting ahead. And as elected officials we must, first and foremost, be champions of all people, Brannan added. District Attorney Michael McMahon offered some kind words to Congressman Rose before officiating the swearing in ceremony. We have a divided government so we need a man who will put politics aside and he will put virtue as his guiding North Star. A man who will put the honor of this country and its constituents above all. That is the man we are about to give the oath of office to. That is my friend, Max Rose, said McMahon. Congressman Rose then joined McMahon centerstage, where he repeated the following oath of office: I, Max Rose, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New York, and I will faithfully execute and discharge the duties of the office of Member of the United States House of Representatives to the best of my ability, so help me God. Congressman Rose speaks After another standing ovation and rousing round of applause, Congressman Rose addressed the crowd for the first time. It is my honor to come before you today as your Ccongressman, shouted Rose. First and foremost, I have to thank the voters and all of the supporters in this room, give yourselves a round of applause. Without you I would not be standing here today. Rose went on to discuss his fervent stance on eliminating corruption and minimizing the power that special interest groups have wielded over Washington D.C. for far too long. Ive been in D.C. for only a little bit but let me tell you something, Congress is a funny place, said Rose. The special interests who previously thought you had no shot at winning, they line up to shake your hand and they have one goal in mind, to take government away from you and put it to work for their clients. For far too long politicians on both sides of the aisle have said yes, maybe not the first time, maybe not the second time, but eventually they do because they need all the help they can get at election time, said Rose. Rose continued his attack on the current state of affairs in D.C., blasting the ongoing government shutdown. The system today, politics as it is today, not how it should be, is why for the last decade people havent been voting Democrat or Republican, theyve just been voting for change. To change the damn system, said Rose. Theyve been voting for D.C. to do their damn jobs, not shut down the government! During the course of this shutdown Im not taking one cent of salary, not one cent, Rose emphasized. If federal workers arent getting paid, then I aint either. Rose went on to discuss what will be his guiding principle throughout his term. My North Star as your congressman is going to be very simple; if it matters to you, then it matters to me, said Rose. I dont care if its a federal issue or a city issue or a state issue, Im going to have your back and if they want to ignore us then theyre going to have to deal with me and theyre going to have to deal with you too. Rose then discussed the major issues that will be at the center of his efforts in Congress, including commute times, the opioid epidemic, gun violence, education, religious prejudice, community health and environmental concerns. Now thats a big agenda and its an agenda shaped by a long, long, long campaign, said Rose. Im not going to lie to you, to tell you that we could solve these problems over the course of two years just by waving a magic wand. These problems have been decades in the making and this messed-up system was not built overnight," said Rose. We werent just in this, like I said on election night, to win an election, we are in this to change politics irrevocably and change it for the better. SUPPORTERS SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS Approximately 1,200 supporters showed up for Saturday afternoons ceremony, most of whom were excited to see a change in who would be representing Staten Island in Washington D.C. Hes something different, and someone different, said Mario Maurino of South Beach, who was surprised to see Rose win a historically Republican borough. You keep seeing the same guys over and over again, moving job to job like theyre career politicians. Hes definitely something different and with Trump in office, its nice to see some change in whos representing us in Congress, said Sabrina Fabozzi of Tottenville, who voted in her first election this past year. When asked about what theyd hope Rose could accomplish during his time in Congress, many supporters cited infrastructure, education and the opioid epidemic. Bringing money to education on Staten Island. Our roads that need to get repaved. How about our property taxes that need to get lowered? said Elizabeth Van Manen of Mariners Harbor. We really need to concentrate more on the high schools; we have to get the drugs out of those high schools. We need to try and protect our youth and get our youth to participate more in the city, to be more proactive amongst themselves and amongst the community, said Christina Salcido of Grasmere. SUPPORT FROM AN UNLIKELY SOURCE Salcido discussed that she was previously associated with the Michael Grimm campaign during the Republican Congressional Primary Election. However, when Grimm fell to incumbent Rep. Dan Donovan, Salcido moved her support to the other side of the aisle. When Grimm lost I knew Dan Donovan wasnt the right person for the job. I got to meet Max Rose personally. I asked him several questions, and I felt extremely comfortable with him, said Salcido. But what I find most impressive is that he seems to be honoring everything he committed to and said he would do. I said to him, You have my vote, under the condition that to thy own self be true,' said Salcido. And thats why Im here today to show my honor and respect for this man. I think he is a beacon of hope for Staten Island, for South Brooklyn and for the New York community." Sharon, PA (16146) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 73F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight A few clouds from time to time. Low 48F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. MEXICO CITY President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced an ambitious plan Saturday to stimulate economic activity on the Mexican side of the U.S.-Mexico border, reinforcing his countrys commitment to manufacturing and trade despite recent U.S. threats to close the border entirely. Mexico will slash income and corporate taxes to 20 percent from 30 percent for 43 municipalities in six states just south of the U.S., while halving to 8 percent the value-added tax in the region. Business leaders and union representatives have also agreed to double the minimum wage along the border, to 176.2 pesos a day, the equivalent of $9.07 at current exchange rates. Lopez Obrador, who took office on Dec. 1, said the idea is to stoke wage and job growth via fiscal incentives and productivity gains. President Trump has repeatedly complained that low wages in Mexico lure jobs from the U.S. Mexico committed to boost wages during last years negotiations to retool its free trade agreement with the U.S. and Canada. Speaking from Ciudad Juarez, a manufacturing hub south of El Paso, Texas, Lopez Obrador said Saturday he agrees with Trump that Mexican wages should improve. He decried, for instance, that Mexican auto workers earn a fraction of what their U.S. counterparts take home, topping out at just $3 an hour versus a typical wage of $23 an hour in the U.S. Yet the economic plan comes at a delicate moment for the border region. Trump threatened recently to close the U.S.-Mexico border entirely if Democrats refuse to allot $5.6 billion to expand the wall that separates the two countries. Economy Minister Graciela Marquez noted Saturday that the border region targeted for economic stimulus accounts for 7.5 percent of Mexicos gross domestic product. And in recent years, she said, the 43 municipalities included in the plan have boasted combined economic growth of 3.1 percent, above the national average of 2.6 percent for the six years through 2017. Much of that robustness owes to trade and proximity with the U.S., the worlds biggest economy. We have to take advantage of this locomotive that we have on the other side of the border, she said. Marquez expressed optimism that the stimulus plan will direct more Mexican and foreign investment into the border region. Amy Guthrie is an Associated Press writer. KINSHASA, Congo The government on Sunday postponed the release of the results of the Dec. 30 presidential election, fueling suspicions President Joseph Kabilas ruling party is maneuvering to cling to power. No new date for announcing the winner of the vote was given. Electoral officials have counted 53 percent of the ballots and will not release any information until all have been tallied, said Corneille Nangaa, head of the electoral commission. We handle sensitive data and have to handle it responsibly, he said. He asked Congos people to remain patient. We are aware this process has always been surrounded by distrust, he said, referring to calls from the Catholic Church, the African Union, the U.S. and others to announce accurate results. Kabila, who is stepping down after 18 years in power, had delayed the election for two years. The postponement in announcing the winner was seen by some Congolese as part of an effort by his party to manipulate the results to claim victory. The Catholic Church, an influential voice in the heavily Catholic nation, has turned up the pressure by saying it already knows there is a clear victor, based on data compiled by the churchs 40,000 election observers. Because Congos regulations say only the electoral commission can announce election results, the church did not name the winner. Congos ruling party, which backs Kabilas preferred candidate, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, called the churchs statement irresponsible and anarchist. The leading opposition candidate is Martin Fayulu, a businessman and lawmaker. For the past week, the government cut off internet access across the vast Central African country to prevent any speculation on social media about who won. Election observers and the opposition have raised concerns about voting irregularities. Western observers were not invited to watch the balloting, and the U.S. has threatened sanctions against those who undermine the democratic process. While Congo was largely calm during and after the voting, President Trump said about 80 U.S. military personnel and combat equipment had been deployed to neighboring Gabon to protect U.S. citizens and diplomatic facilities in Congo. Ahead of the vote, the U.S. ordered nonemergency government employees and family members to leave the country. Kabila, who took office in 2001 after his father was assassinated, is constitutionally barred from serving three consecutive terms but has hinted he may run again in 2023. That has led many Congolese to suspect that he will rule from the shadows if Shadary takes office. Mathilde Boussion and Saleh Mwanamilongo are Associated Press writers. WASHINGTON President Trumps national security adviser, John Bolton, on Sunday rolled back Trumps decision to rapidly withdraw from Syria, laying out conditions for a pullout that could leave U.S. forces there for months or even years. Bolton, making a visit to Israel, said U.S. forces would remain in Syria until the last remnants of the Islamic State group were defeated and Turkey provided guarantees that it would not strike Kurdish forces allied with the United States. He and other top White House advisers have led a behind-the-scenes effort to slow Trumps order and reassure allies, including Israel. We dont think the Turks ought to undertake military action thats not fully coordinated with and agreed to by the United States, at a minimum so they dont endanger our troops, Bolton said in Jerusalem, where he was traveling before a visit Tuesday to Turkey. Boltons comments inserted into Trumps strategy something the president had omitted when he announced Dec. 19 that the United States would depart within 30 days: any conditions that must be met before the pullout. The remarks also reflected the disarray that has surrounded the presidents decision, which took his staff and foreign allies by surprise and drew objections from the Pentagon that it was logistically impossible and strategically unwise. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned within hours of the announcement. While Bolton said Sunday that he expected U.S. forces to eventually leave northeastern Syria, where most of the 2,000 troops in the country are based for the mission against the Islamic State group, he began to lay out an argument for keeping some troops at a garrison in the southeast that is used to monitor the flow of Iranian arms and soldiers. In September, three months before Trumps announcement, Bolton had declared that the United States would remain in Syria as long as Iranians were on the ground there. The move to reverse course on Trumps promised swift withdrawal picked up in recent days, even as Bolton worked to avoid openly confronting the president the way Mattis did. On Friday, in a briefing for reporters about a forthcoming trip to the Middle East by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a senior State Department official said there was no fixed timetable for the U.S. withdrawal. David E. Sanger, Noah Weiland and Eric Schmitt are New York Times writers. The bears might be hibernating, but for many members of the animal kingdom, winter is a time to be on the move. Monarch butterflies are landing on the California Coast, while all sorts of birds vacation in New Mexico. In hardy mountain towns, wolves, elk, bison, and moose feed and play in the open valleys; in the Pacific Northwest, salmon chum lures a plethora of raptors, including bald eagles, to the rivers. Eureka will have its own Women's March after all. Last week, the Eureka Women's March organizers announced they were cancelling the event due to it being "overwhelmingly white." The community was divided; many, including the president of the Eureka chapter of the NAACP, were pleased it was being postponed. Others were angry. Swarthmore, PA (19081) Today Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 63F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 63F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. VALLEJO (BCN) Fire crews have contained a two-alarm fire at a mobile home park in Vallejo that has displaced nine people early Sunday morning, including six children, according to fire officials. The blaze was first reported around 4:08 a.m. at the Vallejo Mobile Estates Trailer Park in the 100 block of San Miguel Road, Vallejo Fire Department spokesman and firefighter Aaron Klauber said. According to Klauber, fire crews that arrived on scene requested a second alarm after seeing the proximity and the flammability of the trailers to one another. The fire was placed under control before 5 a.m., but Klauber said crews will be at the scene throughout the morning for salvage and overhaul. Nobody was injured in the fire that displaced three adults and six children. A fire investigator has been called to the scene, and the American Red Cross is assisting those that are displaced, Klauber said. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SANTA CLARA (BCN) A heavily armed man shooting randomly both inside and outside a Santa convenience store was fatally shot by officers Saturday morning, police said. The 55-year-old man, whose name was not released, was a resident of San Jose, police said. He was an employee at Rotten Robbie's store in Cupertino, at 19030 Stevens Creek Blvd., where he set fire to a cashier's kiosk before going to the Santa Clara store, according to police. When he arrived at the Santa Clara Rotten Robbie's, dispatchers were alerted by multiple 911 calls about a heavily armed man indiscriminately shooting in the parking lot and inside the store. "Officers arrived within minutes and could hear and see the suspect shooting inside the store. They confronted the lone suspect and shot him," according to a release from police. The suspect died at the scene. Although initial calls suggested that several victims were down, no one else was hurt, police said. The arson at the Cupertino store is being investigated by the Santa Clara County Fire Department. A joint investigation into the shooting is being conducted involving the District Attorney's Office. Anyone who may have witnessed this incident or has information pertaining to this incident is asked to contact Sergeant Alex Torke at (408) 615-4806. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SANTA ROSA (BCN) Police in Santa Rosa on Friday arrested two suspects in connection with a marijuana drug deal. Anthony Tyler Thomas Benavides, 22, of Santa Rosa, was arrested on suspicion of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, possession of an unregistered loaded firearm, furnish a minor with marijuana, carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle, possession of cannabis for sale and driving without a license, according to the Santa Rosa Police Department. A 17-year0old was also arrested on suspicion of obstructing or resisting a police officer. On Friday at 2:51 p.m., officers were in the 900 block of Aston Avenue when they saw a drug deal take place on a public driveway. Officers stopped the 17-year-old suspected buyer on his bicycle, and the juvenile was found to be in possession of marijuana, police said. Police said the juvenile initially refused to stop for officers. Officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle being driven by the suspected dealer. The suspect, identified as Benavides, was detained, and a search warrant was served on his vehicle and his residence. During the service of the search warrant, detectives located a loaded semi-automatic firearm, marijuana packaged for sale, scales and packaging paraphernalia in the vehicle, police said. At the residence, investigators located another firearm, a large sum of money, more marijuana, scales and packaging paraphernalia. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. BERKELEY (BCN) Three pedestrians have been seriously injured after being struck by vehicles in two separate incidents, Berkeley police said Saturday. Two women were critically injured shortly after midnight early Saturday morning when they were struck by a car as they crossed Martin Luther King Jr. Way near the corner of Stuart Street in South Berkeley near their home. Police on Saturday wouldn't confirm the names of those victims, but a Berkeley Unified School District statement Saturday said school board President Judy Appel, 53, and her wife Alison Bernstein, 54, an attorney, were the ones injured. "We are in the process of obtaining more information about their conditions," Berkeley schools Superintendent Donald Evans said Saturday. "We will be offering whatever support and assistance we can to the Appel-Bernstein family and invite the community to join with us in hopes and prayers for their recovery. Both women remained in a local hospital Saturday evening. The driver of the car that struck the two women, an 81-year-old Berkeley resident, stopped at the scene and is cooperating with police. A 69-year-old Berkeley woman was seriously injured when she was hit by a vehicle about 6:45 p.m. Friday as she crossed Sacramento Street at Lincoln Street in North Berkeley. The woman was taken to a local hospital, where police said she was listed in serious condition Saturday. The driver of that vehicle, a 69-year-old Piedmont man, was also cooperating with police investigators, officers said. Copyright 2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. PINOLE (BCN) Three burglary suspects in a Pinole break-in this week were tracked down after they crashed their getaway car in Martinez, police said. Pinole police were alerted to the burglary on Thursday by a resident who called shortly before 2 p.m. to report two people entering the backyard of his neighbor's home in the 3900 block of Ponderosa Trail, according to a news release from police. A 12-year-old boy got a needed hand Saturday from Santa Clara County Fire Department personnel who rescued him from being stuck in the mud on the south side of Lexington Reservoir south of Los Gatos, firefighters said. RELATED: Rapper's car among those trapped by Calif. mudslide Firefighters were dispatched at 6:12 p.m. to the southwest edge of the reservoir, near the intersection of Old Santa Cruz Highway and Wright Drive, where they found the boy stuck in knee-deep mud, according to Santa Clara County Fire Department statement. A total of 13 people from Santa Clara fire, Cal Fire, Santa Clara County EMS and Santa Clara County Parks responded to dig the boy out, and it took them about 45 minutes to do it, firefighters said. The boy was taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution. The understanding was that the two systems dont interact with each other or should not interact with other and they would only interact with each other in pathologies, said Jonathan Kipnis, head of the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The Russian Embassy in Washington found out about Makarenko's detention from those close to him, not the U.S. government, violating the Vienna convention of giving notification within 72 hours of a foreign national's arrest. "This is not the first time the US does this," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "The United States' neglect of its international obligations has become the norm." WASHINGTON The Food and Drug Administration is accusing Juul and Altria of reneging on promises they made to the government to keep e-cigarettes away from minors. Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the agencys commissioner, is drafting letters to both companies that will criticize them for publicly pledging to remove nicotine flavor pods from store shelves, while secretly negotiating a financial partnership that seems to do the opposite. He plans to summon top executives of the companies to FDA headquarters to explain how they will stick to their agreements given their new arrangement. Gottlieb was disconcerted by the commitments the companies made in the deal announced Dec. 19, under which Altria, the nations largest maker of traditional cigarettes, agreed to purchase a 35 percent $13 billion stake in Juul, the rapidly growing e-cigarette startup in San Francisco whose products have become hugely popular with teenagers. Public health officials, as well as teachers and parents, fear that e-cigarettes have created a new generation of nicotine addicts. Juul and Altria made very specific assertions in their letters and statements to the FDA about the drivers of the youth epidemic, Gottlieb said. Their recent actions and statements appear to be inconsistent with those commitments. In October, after meeting with Gottlieb, Altria had agreed to stop selling pod-based e-cigarettes until it received FDA permission or until the youth problem was otherwise addressed. In doing so, Howard Willard, Altrias chief executive, sent the FDA a letter agreeing that pod-based products significantly contribute to the rise in youth vaping. But the new deal commits the tobacco giant to dramatically expanding the reach of precisely those types of products, by giving Juul access to shelf space in 230,000 retail outlets where Marlboro cigarettes and other Altria tobacco products are sold. (Juul currently sells in 90,000 stores.) It is a development that startled the FDA, which in September had threatened to pull e-cigarettes off the market if companies could not prove within 60 days that they could keep the products away from minors. Altria, Juul and three tobacco companies sent the detailed plans spelling out how they would comply with the agencys request. Now, those plans appear in jeopardy, Gottlieb said. Im reaching out to both companies to ask them to come in and explain to me why they seem to be deviating from the representation that they already made to the agency about steps they are taking to restrict their products in a way that will decrease access to kids, Gottlieb said. It is possible that the FDA will pressure Altria to keep Juul flavor pods off its shelf space, but the tobacco company is not likely to consent. David Sutton, an Altria spokesman, said the company is merely a minority investor in Juul and does not control its business. We didnt buy Juul; we didnt merge with Juul, Sutton said. They are an independent company. Our commitment to preventing youth from using any tobacco product including e-vapor is unchanged. Chris Bostic, deputy director for policy at the Action on Smoking and Health, a nonprofit health advocacy group, was skeptical. This rings so many alarms, Bostic said. It seems like this goes counter to what Altria promised. Its certainly not a different company when you are a major owner. The requested meeting between Gottlieb and the companies is likely to take place as the agency releases guidelines for a tough new set of vaping industry restrictions that were first announced in November. Gottlieb has made ending the youth vaping epidemic the cornerstone of his term as commissioner. He also plans to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, and to reduce the amount of nicotine allowed in cigarettes to nonaddictive levels. Victoria Davis, a spokeswoman for Juul, said the company is sticking to its plan to curb youth vaping. We are as committed as ever to preventing underage use of e-cigarettes, including Juul devices, Davis said. We are moving full steam ahead on implementing our action plan to limit youth usage, and this is unchanged since we announced our plan in November. We will respond to the letter when we receive it and look forward to a constructive dialogue with FDA. The contretemps with the FDA is only the latest headache in Washington for Juul, a company that has had much more success capturing market share in an emerging industry than in navigating the government scrutiny that comes with it. Juul has quickly captured more than 70 percent of the nations e-cigarette business since its 2015 launch. But the company spent 2018 fending off federal regulators, lawmakers and parents who attacked Juul for the soaring rate of vaping and nicotine addiction among teenagers who have never smoked. According to the 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey, released in November, the number of middle and high school students who vape has risen to about 3.6 million. Juul has revamped its advertisements and said it would suspend retail sales of teen-friendly flavors such as mango, fruit and creme, restricting them to Juuls site, which has an age verification system. Kevin Burns, the chief executive, said Juul would continue to sell only its mint, tobacco and menthol flavors in stores. Although individual employees made political contributions earlier, the e-cigarette company first created a political action committee in 2018, and began making political contributions shortly thereafter. Preliminary data for last year show that Juul and its employees donated about $200,500 to federal candidates and political parties, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks campaign spending. The company also spent nearly $900,000 in 2018 on lobbyists and advisers to reposition itself as a public health company eager to disrupt the tobacco business. Thats a fraction of what large tobacco companies spend. Altria spent more than $7 million on lobbying last year, and early reports for the 2017-18 campaign cycle, which have not all been filed, showed the company and its employees donated more than $2.8 million to federal candidates and political party committees, mostly Republican. Juul had weak ties to the Trump administration and congressional Republicans and sought better connections. Now, Juul will have access to Altrias deep lobbying pockets and more experienced government relations team, but such support cuts both ways. Altria should be very careful about using its significant investment to influence Juul policy, said Marc Scheineson, a partner at Alston & Bird, whose clients at the firm include small tobacco companies. This development is likely to make FDA even more skeptical, he said, of products like Juul and other alternative nicotine delivery systems that are designed to wean smokers off combustible products and not create a new generation of dual-tobacco users. Indeed, sources within the public health community fear that the inserts that Altria has agreed to include in Marlboro and other cigarette packs, advertising Juul, might encourage smokers to use both products rather than quit. Sheila Kaplan is a New York Times writer. The Marine Corps found Paul Whelan, the American citizen detained by Russia on espionage charges, guilty of attempting to steal more than $10,000 worth of currency from the U.S. government while deployed to Iraq in 2006 and bouncing nearly $6,000 worth of checks around the same time, according to records obtained by The Washington Post. The details of the charges against Whelan from a special court-martial two years later, which resulted in his discharge for bad conduct, add to an increasingly complex picture of the 48-year-old former Marine, whom Russian officials have accused of spying. His case grew more perplexing on Friday after Ireland became the fourth nation to acknowledge him as a citizen and seek consular access. Since his arrest last week in Moscow, Whelan has rocketed onto the public radar, drawing international attention to his complex journey from the Marine Corps Reserve to a detention cell in Moscow's notorious Lefortovo Prison. People who served alongside Whelan said he was learning Russian and traveled to Moscow and St. Petersburg on vacation during the same deployment in which the Marine Corps accused him of attempted larceny. The Marines have not provided any additional information about the circumstances surrounding Whelan's crimes while serving in the armed forces. Russian authorities have not said what Whelan is accused of doing beyond the relatively broad charge of espionage which, if convicted, could land him between 10 and 20 years behind bars. Whelan served as an administrative chief during in the Marines - a job akin to office management that would have given him access to certain sensitive systems, likely including those the service uses to issue orders and hand out awards. In addition to convicting him for attempted larceny and bouncing checks, the Marine Corps also found Whelan guilty of falsely using another person's social security number to sign in the online training system Marines access to complete courses that can advance their rank and pay. The record of conviction says Whelan "proctored" an account on the system without permission. The Marines charged him with fraudulently opening electronic proctor accounts on the system, completing multiple examinations and grading his own examinations, which could have resulted in advancements in rank and pay. The special court-martial, however, found him not guilty of that charge. The special court-martial also found him guilty of willfully failing to report his leave on three occasions and going absent from his unit twice, in one case for two days. The court knocked him down two pay grades, restricted him to places of lodging, eating and worship for 60 days and discharged him from the Marine Corps for bad conduct. He appealed the ruling but the service upheld the conviction. The bad conduct discharge resulted in his rank being reduced to private after some fourteen years in the Marine Corps Reserve. Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, bouncing checks is a violation of an article designed to uphold discipline and good order and prevent conduct that brings discredit to the service. Broadly speaking, the military seeks to prevent officers from having outstanding debts that could offer adversaries leverage in espionage or blackmail. Whelan's brother David said he had no knowledge of the judicial proceedings or convictions in the Marine Corps. In a statement issued on behalf of the family on Friday, he urged Congress and the State Department to help secure his brother's release, and expressed gratitude to the U.S. ambassador to Russia, Jon Huntsman Jr., for his assistance. "Our focus remains on ensuring that Paul is safe, well treated, has a good lawyer, and is coming home," the statement said. Whelan's family has maintained he is innocent, and that the Michigan resident and former policeman was in Moscow for a friend's wedding when he was arrested by members of Russia's security services in an upscale hotel not far from the Kremlin. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said Washington would demand Whelan's release if his detention is not "appropriate." Whelan was visited by Huntsman inside his cell. Whelan's financial problems potentially would have made him a prime target for Russian intelligence services. Intelligence services routinely look for people in financial distress who they might recruit or blackmail. An active duty Marine traveling in Russia would have quickly caught the attention of Russian intelligence services, said Dan Hoffman, a former CIA officer who served as the chief of station in Moscow. Hoffman emphasized that he had no knowledge of whether Whelan was recruited or approached. He said that from the moment Whelan set foot in Russia, he was likely monitored, and that the intelligence services would have developed a profile of his comings and goings, and potentially his communications. The Russian government would have known that Whelan was coming when he applied for a visa. Whelan also had an active profile for years on the Russian social media platform VKontakte. That would have given the services a window into Whelan's contacts in Russia. "The Russians have a saying: 'What makes a person breathe?' " Hoffman said. The Russian government would have already known a lot about Whelan before his arrest in December, Hoffman added. "None of this was by chance. This was a chess game." Hoffman, like other former U.S. officials, has speculated that the Russians may want to trade Whelan for Maria Butina, a Russian woman and gun-rights activist who has pleaded guilty to acting as an agent of Russia in the United States. Whelan's Russian lawyer, who is a former Soviet government investigator, has indicated that he hopes his client might be traded for Butina, telling the Daily Beast that he wants to bring back "at least one Russian soul." Whelan began traveling to Russia at least two years before his discharge from the Marines. Those who served with him in Iraq in 2006 recalled that he was learning Russian for fun during the deployment and took a vacation to Moscow and St. Petersburg during their weeks off, when many of the Marines went home to visit family. A now-defunct website that Whelan maintained around that time is filled with musings about the Russians he befriended, Russian cultural icons such as the stuffed animal Cheburashka and places he visited in the nation. Together, the public pages form the sort of public profile someone engaging in espionage would be unlikely to keep. "Having grown up during the Cold War, it was a dream of mine to visit Russia and meet some of the sneaky Russians who had kept the western world at bay for so long!!" Whelan wrote. He met some of his Russian friends through tour agencies, online language sites and social media, according to those who spoke to The Washington Post. On his website, he posted photos of young Marines he served with in Iraq and recent graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy, as well as photos of Russians he counted as friends, some of whom he said were serving in the Russian military at the time. Any attempt by Whelan to make inroads with Russian active-duty soldiers while an active-duty Marine could potentially have put him on the radar of Russia's security services. None of the content on his website at the time, however, suggests an awareness of such a risk. On one page, he posted a photo of Lubyanka, the former KGB headquarters in central Moscow which is still the headquarters of the Federal Security Service, or the FSB. "This is "Lubyanka" where the KGB has our spies locked in the basement!!" Whelan wrote. Much of the website content is lighthearted, with photos of pets, stuffed animals and cartoons. He also details his political views, railing against American liberals. The details of Whelan's convictions in the Marine Corps come as Moscow copes with the diplomatic fallout of detaining a man who appears to be a citizen of four countries. In addition to demands by the Trump administration for greater details on Russia's claims against Whelan, three other nations are now in the mix. Whelan also carried passports from Canada, where he was born, as well as from Britain and Ireland. Whelan obtained the two European passports through family lineage. A person familiar with Whelan's case said he has a total of four passports. "He collected them as a game. There was an ongoing competition with his sister to see who could get the most," the person said, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity surrounding the situation. Both Britain and Ireland are now seeking consular access to Whelan, who is being held in a detention facility on the outskirts of Moscow. Britain and Russia's relationship sharply deteriorated last year after a former Russian double agent, Sergei Skripal, was poisoned in England with a nerve agent and spent months recovering. British authorities have blamed Russia for carrying out the attack - an assertion Moscow denies. The minimal amount of information provided by Russia - where many offices are closed until after Orthodox Christmas on Monday - has added to the intrigue. There has been no word from the Kremlin on Whelan's arrest. Questions have persisted about whether Whelan's arrest amounted to retaliation for the U.S. conviction of Butina. In December, Butina pleaded guilty to conspiring with a senior Russian official to infiltrate U.S. conservative groups. Butina, 30, is the first Russian national to be convicted of seeking to influence U.S. policy in the run-up to the 2016 election by acting as a foreign agent. Shortly before Butina pleaded guilty, Russian President Vladimir Putin said she was not known to any of his spy agencies. The Foreign Ministry has gone to great lengths to paint Butina as a political prisoner, notably by launching a wide-ranging social media campaign. "We don't agree with individuals being used in diplomatic chess games," British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told Sky News. "Because it is desperately worrying, not just for the individual but their families, and we are extremely worried about him and his family as we hear this news." The Washington Post's Julie Tate contributed to this report. Ferris-Rotman reported from Moscow. With the "Fleet of the Future" trickling onto BART tracks, and all the new cars projected to be in service by 2022, the transit system is now looking into just what to do with all its older trains. Luckily, riders have plenty of ideas. BART's twitter account announced Friday that BART's Board of Directors would meet next week to hear a presentation of proposals on how its "Legacy Fleet" of trains will be decommissioned. One deadline the board is facing happens in early 2020, when "BART's capacity to store the growing fleet for maintenance will be maxing out," according to a recent article BART published. TACO MAP: This might be the most creative solution to BART's limited coverage ever Mentioning options such as turning the trains into museums or pop-up food trucks via tweet, Twitter users responded with more suggestions, including turning the cars into play structures or housing. Another rider suggested re-purposing a BART train at the Oakland A's new ballpark (an idea enthusiastically endorsed by A's President Dave Kaval). One particularly enthusiastic rider took the housing idea and went so far as to create mock-ups of what they deemed "abartments" an apartment complex made of BART trains. A mock-up depicting the exterior of the fictional complex received hundreds of likes from other users. (See the photos in the gallery above.) Other suggestions are being turned down due to impracticality: one such rejected idea was turning the cars into an artificial reef in the ocean. Although the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has turned its own cars into a reef out in the Atlantic, BART has said the aluminum content of its cars would not be sensible in the water. READ ALSO: Australian tagger accused of vandalizing BART trains There are some admitted limits to what BART can do with its cars with certain criteria needing to be met, such as financial obligations to the Federal Transit Administration, before a car is cut loose. Riders are invited to attend the board meeting on Jan. 10. More details on the fleet retirement plan and meeting can be read here. Read Dianne de Guzman's latest stories and send her news tips at ddeguzman@sfchronicle.com. Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news. When Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom presents his first budget on Thursday, it will call for the state to make a second year of community college free to thousands of California students by waiving the $46-a-credit fee for two years instead of the current single year, according to a source close to the transition team. The plan would cost an additional $40 million, on top of the $46 million allocated by Gov. Jerry Brown for the states one-year program, which began in the fall. Only first-time college students who enroll full time would qualify for the fee waiver under Newsoms proposal thats about 28,000 students. Last month, Democratic lawmakers, including Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, introduced AB2, to extend the California College Promise law to two years. Newsoms plan mirrors that legislation. And its just similar enough to San Franciscos Free City program, which waives City College of San Francisco fees for all city residents, to raise questions about the fate of the popular city program if the state pays for a two-year program of its own. San Franciscos Free City, which is funded by a transfer tax on buildings that sell for at least $5 million, expires this year. On Dec. 18, city supervisors voted 7-1 to place a charter amendment on the November ballot to extend Free City for 10 years and set aside at least $15 million a year from the tax to pay for it. The tax raised about $28 million last year. Asked if San Francisco should pull the charter amendment off the ballot and save its money if the state extends its program, several local politicians, college trustees and faculty members spoke as one: No. I dont think there is an incompatibility between whatever may happen with the (governor-elects) proposal and continuing to pursue the charter amendment, said Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, a former president of the City College Board of Trustees. Thats because the programs are somewhat different: The states college subsidy is only for first-time, full-time students, while San Franciscos covers all city residents, no matter how many classes they take. Also, the city program covers books and supplies, as well as school transportation, if the state waives students college fees. For years, the state has waived fees for low-income students who maintain a 2.0 grade point average, and about 42 percent of community college students statewide paid no fee even before College Promise became law. There are other reasons Free City remains relevant, said Jenny Worley, president of the City College faculty union. We never know whats going to happen (financially) at the state level from year to year, Worley said, noting that the purpose of asking voters to extend Free City for the next decade is to stabilize the program so students know it will always be there. Alex Randolph, vice president of the City College Board of Trustees, called both programs very important investments in higher education (that) complement each other. Not everyone agrees. Supervisor Catherine Stefani the lone vote against the Free City ballot measure last month said that if the state is willing to spend more on college fee waivers, San Francisco should revisit the need to set aside money for a similar purpose. Stefani opposed the ballot measure because taxpayers end up paying students fees even when the students dont bother to apply for state and federal financial aid and because the charter amendment would create San Franciscos 20th budget set-aside, which mandates how money is spent. I am strongly supportive of increasing higher education opportunities for all Californians and am excited to see Gov.-elect Newsoms plan, she said. As I examine the details of the plan and how it impacts City College, I hope to revisit the proposed charter amendment for a Free City College set-aside to determine if this is the best path forward for Free City College. She has previously called set-asides a fiscally irresponsible practice that limits our ability to effectively run the government. Mayor London Breed is negotiating a memorandum of understanding with City College on how the Free City program could be funded through other means. The Board of Supervisors could still amend or pull the ballot measure in the coming months. Meanwhile, an unintended side effect of the states College Promise law is that the state will end up paying for some students college costs that the federal government would otherwise pick up. Many students can recover college fees by claiming the American Opportunity tax credit on their federal tax returns, for up to $2,500 a year spent on tuition, fees and books. Full-time community college fees are about $2,200 a year. But if a student accepts a state fee waiver, that tax credit no longer applies. Chronicle staff writer John Wildermuth contributed to this story. Trisha Thadani and Nanette Asimov are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com, nasimov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani, @NanetteAsimov Writing scientific reports can wait, says ecologist Malcolm North with the U.S. Forest Service. But his applications for funding cant. As one of the thousands of federal workers who have been furloughed during the government shutdown, North is worried that he wont be able to seek out the money necessary to continue his research on California wildfires. Hes studying how to keep fires from turning into deadly conflagrations, and his deadline for submitting a grant request is the end of the month. Were really trying to go after this question of how to reduce fuel loads in the forest with prescribed burns, said North, who wants to tap a new pot of state financing for fire research. But at this point, I cant participate anymore in the grant writing. If we dont make the grant deadlines, I really have no money to work with. Much of the U.S. governments sprawling scientific establishment has ground to a halt. The lapse in federal funding due to disagreement in Washington over President Trumps proposed border wall has meant that many employees are kept from doing their jobs. Besides freezing their paychecks, the result is that the crucial work of scientists on such subjects as wildfires, as well as water, climate, space exploration and more, is not getting done or soon wont be. The partial federal government shutdown is disrupting and delaying research projects and leading to increased uncertainty about the prospects for new research, said Rush Holt, chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a former New Jersey congressman, in an email. The budget stalemate between Congress and the White House, which is now in its third week, affects numerous federal agencies engaged in scientific endeavors. NASA has furloughed about 15,000 of its roughly 17,000 employees, including more than 1,000 at Ames Research Center in Mountain View. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has sent home about half of its 11,000 workers, including many at its coastal offices in California. The U.S. Geological Survey has excused most of its 8,000 employees, including several at its regional headquarters in Menlo Park. The departments of Energy, Defense and Health and Human Services are not affected by the shutdown since their budgets have already been approved, and employees at shuttered agencies whose work is deemed essential also remain on the job. The USGS continues to send alerts about earthquakes and tsunamis. NOAAs National Weather Service is still issuing weather forecasts. NASA continues to man its space missions. Work thats not getting done is considered nonessential, but its absence is still having an impact on American livelihoods, if not risking peoples lives, said Jay Famiglietti, former senior water scientist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. His onetime colleagues at NASA, he said, are not making their weekly contributions to the U.S. Drought Monitor, for example, resulting in a degradation of the weekly drought maps that local and state governments rely on for making decisions about water supplies. Most federal water research in the U.S. is now at a standstill, which is inconvenient at best, and dangerous at worst, said Famiglietti, who is now the executive director of the Global Institute for Water Security at the University of Saskatchewan. Famiglietti is the co-organizer of a workshop for the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine in Washington on aquifer recharge this month, but he doesnt know if the event will proceed, because many of those scheduled to attend are with NASA, NOAA and the USGS and they may not be coming. The federal government has already directed scientists to cancel travel plans for this weeks annual meeting of the American Meteorological Society. The conference, which is being held in Phoenix, is the worlds largest gathering of weather and climate researchers. Typically, hundreds of federal employees speak at the event. The American Astronomical Society is also expecting numerous no-shows at its annual meeting this week in Seattle. An untold number of smaller scientific gatherings already have been canceled because of the government shutdown, including a field tour of San Diego Countys Cedar Fire burn scar that was scheduled for this weekend. The event was organized by the U.S. Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service to help improve the scientific understanding of fire behavior and its impacts. This means that (scientists) cannot share their most recent research, said Famiglietti, who described the many meetings affected by the government shutdown as vital to the scientific community. It means that they will not be staying up to speed on the latest advances in forecasting, or engaging in important discussions with colleagues and collaborators. In laboratories and at field research plots across the nation, some science has simply stopped, or soon will, because of the shutdown. Jon Jarvis, who was director of the National Park Service under President Barack Obama, said that monitoring sites set up 20 years ago to make observations of soil, water, air and wildlife in federal parks are unlikely to continue operating. Its deeply concerning that youre missing this wisdom, said Jarvis, who now is the executive director of UC Berkeleys Institute of Parks, People and Biodiversity. You detect things like mercury in the water or the disappearance of amphibians. ... You cant say you can come back in March and measure it. Its different then. Interactive Vaccine Tracker: Latest developments Detailed information about the coronavirus vaccines as it becomes available. One immediate concern in Yosemite National Park is the lack of staff monitoring black bears, say Jarvis and others. With trash collection hampered by the government shutdown, bears that have not yet hibernated for the winter may try to fatten up on the rubbish, and increasingly come into contact with people. Ocean research along the West Coast is also being curtailed. NOAAs ship Reuben Lasker, scheduled to leave San Diego on Monday for a two-week science expedition, may be among the first casualties. A crew of federal, state and university researchers makes the quarterly voyage into the Pacific to track ocean conditions and marine life, helping inform fisheries management and climate science. But the boat is unlikely to leave the dock because of the budget impasse. Its a really valuable time series of data, said Brice Semmens, an associate professor of marine biology at UC San Diegos Scripps Institution of Oceanography and director of California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations. Its been going on for 70 years. When you drop a year or you drop a season, it can have a huge impact on the information in the series. Work thats not tied to the government, but reliant on federal money, also is threatened by the shutdown. The National Science Foundation, for example, one of the countrys top funders of scientific research in academia, has closed its offices in Alexandria, Va. Its expected to discontinue grant payments and consideration of new grant proposals until the government budget stalemate is over. Tessa Hill, a resident professor and researcher at UC Davis-Bodega Marine Laboratory, said even scientists who dont get federal money are dependent on the government. Only last week, when Hill returned to work after the holidays, did she recognize the full extent of the shutdowns impact, starting with not being able to retrieve data off of an unmaintained NOAA website. The field of oceanography and climate science is very integrated between universities and the government, she said. Essentially everywhere I turned, either I was trying to work on research, plan my class or call a colleague. I realized (how) reliant I am on these federal agencies. Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander Incoming Gov. Gavin Newsom is throwing himself a two-day swearing-in bash, with ticket packages running as high as $200,000 for the inaugural festivities and up to $1 million for champion corporate sponsorships to Sundays charity concert benefiting victims of Californias wildfires. Celebrations kick off Sunday morning with a private leadership circle luncheon at Sacramentos Crocker Art Museum, followed by a family inaugural celebration with a focus on children at the California State Railroad Museum. The main event comes at noon Monday, when Newsom takes the oath of office on the Capitol steps. Sponsor ticket packages to help pay for the inaugural parties range from $25,000 to $200,000. The $25,000 package comes with five general and two VIP tickets to Sundays family celebration, plus one seat at the leadership circle luncheon and a seat at the swearing-in. The $200,000 package gets you 40 general admission and 12 VIP tickets to the family event, along with eight leadership circle lunch tickets and eight seats at the swearing-in. The money will go to covering the cost the inauguration. We dont have a cost estimate yet, Newsom spokesman Nathan Click said, adding that all donations over $5,000 will be publicly reported. The big money event, however, is the fire victims relief concert at Sacramentos Golden 1 Arena featuring rappers Pitbull and Common, along with the X Ambassadors, Betty Who and Coldwater Sons, a band from Paradise, which was devastated by Novembers Camp Fire. Corporate sponsorships for the concert start at $25,000 for a patron package and climb to the $1 million champion package that gets the buyers logo up on the stage screens along with dozens of floor seats and 40 tickets to the VIP concert reception. There is a cheaper option: General admission tickets are $25. It will be the honor of a lifetime to take the oath of office as California governor, Newsom said by email. But it seems appropriate to use this moment to unite as a state stronger and more resilient than ever to do whatever we can to ensure all of our fellow Californians, especially those impacted by tragic wildfire, have the opportunity to build a brighter future and pursue their dreams. Not everyone can share in the dream. The inaugural committee is nixing any money from foreign governments or foreign principals, or from investment advisers and municipal bond brokers. Its big money, and if history is any indication many of the donations will come from people or interests who do business with the state. But its not taxpayer money. And its not the first time its been done this way. Outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown raised more than $500,000 when he returned to Sacramento in 2011. Being a well-known tightwad, Brown actually spent less than $100,000 on his swearing-in. The remainder of the money went into the Governors Residence Foundation of California to pay rent on a loft Brown and his wife, Anne Gust Brown, rented in Sacramento. Fire alarm: At the request of Mayor London Breed, the San Francisco Fire Commission is reopening its selection process for a new chief, after the firefighters union raised concerns that the number of in-house candidates with long firefighting experience was insufficient. According to Fire Commission President Ken Cleveland, the Human Resources Department forwarded 36 candidates to the commission, along with their answers to eight pages of questions on everything from management and budget issues to emergency medical and high rise fire procedures. They were divided into good, better and best, Cleveland said. We looked at them all and initially selected 11 to interview. At the end of the interviews the top names of three to five candidates were to be sent to the mayor for consideration. The new chief will replace retiring Chief Joanne Hayes-White. But no sooner did word of the 11 semifinalists get out than firefighters began raising questions about why experienced SFFD assistant chiefs and battalion chiefs failed to make the cut. In a Dec. 31 letter to Breed, Firefighters Union Local 798 President-elect Shon Buford said the Fire Commission may have unnecessarily rushed the selection process. Breed asked Cleveland to reconsider the process, and he agreed to add another eight candidates to the interview list. It was a reasonable request, given her position, Cleveland said. Breed is herself a former fire commissioner, and firefighters have been some of her earliest and biggest political backers, canvassing neighborhoods in her various elections. The union also served as a conduit for $840,000 in independent expenditure money to help get Breed elected in Junes special mayoral election. She wants to have a broad selection of candidates, said mayoral spokesman Jeff Cretan. She reviewed the selections herself and talked to a number of people in the community including Local 798, Cretan said. Its a big appointment for her, and she wants to make sure she gets it right. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Phil Matier appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX-TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call 415-777-8815, or email pmatier@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @philmatier Gavin Newsom starts his gubernatorial career as the political equivalent of a trust-fund baby. Hes been given a ton a budget surplus of more than $14 billion and a Democratic supermajority in the Legislature before his term even begins. But despite that head start, Newsom will face many challenges after he is sworn in as Californias 40th governor at 12:02 p.m. Monday. One of every 5 Californians lives in poverty, and 3 million dont have health insurance. Skyrocketing prices are putting homeownership out of reach for many, and the homeless population is spreading from cities to small towns. The public school system is among the most poorly funded in the country. Increasingly lethal wildfires threaten broad swaths of the state. Given what Newsom has been endowed with, and the entrenched quality of many of those problems, his biggest challenge could be focusing his energy and political capital. Those Democrats who dominate the Legislature are itching to spend after eight years of being held back by a tightfisted Gov. Jerry Brown. Newsom has promised not to stray from his predecessors fiscal responsibility. But hes also promised to back universal health care, expand state funding for preschools, make community colleges free and build 3.5 million housing units by 2025. He may have set expectations higher than what reality will allow, said Kim Nalder, a professor of government at California State University Sacramento. Among the incoming governors tasks: Paying for big ideas: Newsom says housing, homelessness and prekindergarten education are among his top initial priorities. None comes cheap. Start with Newsoms desire to have free preschool for all children whose families dont make enough to afford private alternatives. Expanding the program that now pays for preschool for 175,000 children could cost the state about $1.3 billion over three years to cover an additional 100,000 children, according to Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, who has proposed legislation to do just that. Then theres health care.Early in the campaign, Newsom told the California Nurses Association convention in San Francisco that you have my firm and absolute commitment as your next governor that I will lead the effort to get it done. We will get universal health care. The powerful nurses union has in mind a system in which the state would be the sole organizer of health care delivery, also known as the single-payer model or Medicare for all. But that ideadied in the Legislature in 2017 when no one could figure out how to pay its multibillion-dollar cost, and Newsom later tempered his enthusiasm for the approach, telling The Chronicle it would take years to get there. It is not an act that would occur by the signature of the next governor, he said. Instead, look for Newsom to start talking more about universal health coverage as an intermediate step toward a single-payer plan. It would be a cheaper option to implement, because it would involve covering the 3 million uninsured Californians, half of whom are undocumented immigrants. Crafting homeless policies could be equally tricky. Newsom has promised to appoint a homelessness czar, but hasnt said anything about creating an agency for that person to run, let alone how to pay for one. Anti-homelessness strategies are usually handled by counties and cities, said Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco. We need to try to figure out productive ways that the state can get involved. Is there anything we can do besides provide funding? And lawmakers will have their own priorities. Theyve introduced bills packing more than $40 billion in new spending in just the first few days of the new legislative session, far exceeding the expected $14.8 billion surplus. There will be some tension there, said Anthony Reyes, a top aide to former state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon. Legislators will feel emboldened after eight years of Gov. Brown reining them in. Working with the Legislature: Newsom knows policy backward and forward, but he isnt as adept at the schmoozing, back-slapping part of part of politics. Those who served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors when Newsom was mayor commonly described him as aloof. Newsom did little during his eight years as lieutenant governor to build alliances in the state Capitol. He spent much of his time working out of a shared space in San Franciscos South of Market neighborhood, 90 miles from Sacramento. Newsom says hes close to Ting and two other San Francisco Democrats, Assemblyman David Chiu and state Sen. Scott Wiener, as well as to state Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego. And Ting said Newsom has worked harder getting to know legislative Democrats in the past couple of years. It is something he was criticized for not having a strong relationship with the Board of Supervisors but hes definitely made a significant effort to reach out to legislators, said Ting, whom then-Mayor Newsom appointed in 2005 to be San Franciscos assessor-recorder. Newsom campaigned with legislative candidates up and down the state last fall, a strategy designed in part to build up favors that can one day be returned. And upon winning the election in November, the governor-elect began hiring people with bipartisan Sacramento experience. Anthony Williams, who was policy director for former Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, will be Newsoms legislative affairs secretary. Ana Matosantos, who served as finance director under Brown and GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, will be Newsoms Cabinet secretary. And Daniel Zingale, a veteran of the Schwarzenegger and Gray Davis administrations, will be his senior adviser on strategy and communications. He is staffing up with people who understand the Legislature and how it works, Reyes said. Browns parting gifts: Newsom inherits more than just a flush budget from Brown. The outgoing governor also left him two political time bombs in the form of his unfinished infrastructure projects: high-speed rail and the delta water tunnels. Neither is politically popular. High-speed rail has been plagued by cost overruns, and there are questions about the long-term viability of both projects. Hes got to decide: How much of his political capital does he want to invest in these projects? Ting said. Newsom also must decide how to focus his desire to reform the way things are done in Sacramento. Peter Wright, a political science professor at the University of San Francisco, said that one of Newsoms best qualities is that hes really ambitious thats what California likes. But hes got to rein that in. Its like going into a well-run company and wanting to change things immediately just to do so. He cant do that, Wright said. And thats going to be very hard for him. For more stories like this, check out The Chronicles weekly Travel newsletter! Sign up here. If you want to fly under the radar in 2019, set your wings to instead fly off the radar. For most who live from Marin County to Santa Cruz, on east to Sacramento, their radar beam for getaways is often a geographic band that spans across Tahoe to Yosemite. To fly off the radar, one answer is to escape that west-to-east zone, the farther away, the better. The Redwood Empire and a series of cabins can provide that escape portal. The first thing you need is the right mind-set. Some in my family call it living in reverse. Whatever everybody is doing, do the exact opposite to find your bliss. Without venturing into wilderness, the Redwood Empire and its remote location is about as far as you can get off the radar. Yet the recreation, getaways and landscape are stellar. You get trails through giant redwoods, gorgeous coastal rivers, herds of Roosevelt elk and pristine beaches that extend for miles without another soul. Theres also some irony when you calculate the distance for a trip to Humboldt and Del Norte counties. From the Bay Area and Sacramento, you rack up some long miles, over 300 one way, to get here. Yet you dont get the wild traffic, like Friday nights and late Sunday afternoons, to and from Tahoe. On the Redwood Highway, once you venture north of Santa Rosa, the roads open up. For many, with the lack of tension when driving, instead of push, push, push, you can find yourself instead slowing down, taking it all in, even stopping along the way when something inspires you to explore. Here are five cabins, all styles, to make your base and crown your trip: 1. Elk Meadow Cabins, Orick From the front window, you might look out in the morning and see a Roosevelt elk. Then, within minutes, you can venture to some of the best hiking trails in the Redwood Empire at adjacent Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (Humboldt County). These cabins were lodging for employees in the 1960s, and they were rebuilt, remodeled and opened to the public in 2007. In that span, they have become among the most-loved destination in the region. Rooms can sleep six (or more) and rates start at $169 per night. Its common for about a half dozen elk to roam within a mile of the cabins, and sometimes they show up right out front. Another sub-herd often is sighted in the meadow across from the campground at Prairie Creek Redwoods, and also along Davison Road. Hiking is spectacular at the park (see below). Elk Meadow Cabins, 866-733-9637, www.elkmeadowcabins.com. 2. Emerald Forest cabins, Trinidad In the past four years, new owners revamped this property, and the upgrades raised the bar above many other properties in the area. This is a privately operated site set on 12 acres of redwoods, located along Patricks Point Drive in Humboldt County. Youll find a line of cabins that front a campground circuit for RVs and tents. You are minutes from both Patricks Point State Park (see below) and Trinidad Head. At Trinidad Head, you get a gorgeous beachfront on one side, the Seascape Restaurant (known for crab omelets) at the foot of an old pier on the other, and a short hike (Tsauri Loop) on the headland with a few lookouts for an ocean panorama. Rates start at $99 per night. Emerald Forest, 707-677-3554, www.emeraldforestcabins.com. 3. Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park Jed Smith is located in Del Norte County on the pristine Smith River, which provides some of winters best prospects to fish for elusive giant steelhead. On the far side of the river (a short drive from Hiouchi, over the South Fork Bridge), you get access to the Stout Grove and the Boy Scout Tree Trail, or can drive on South Fork Road and beyond to the trailhead for the South Kelsey Trail. Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, 707-465-7335, www.parks.ca.gov. 4. Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park Prairie Creek, just north of Orick in Humboldt County, is one of the states best parks for both wildlife viewing and day hikes. On the meadow across from Elk Prairie Campground, Roosevelt elk are common, often right along the fence or the road. Nearby trailheads include the Lady Bird Johnson Grove of mammoth redwoods, Fern Canyon (walls of ferns), the Coastal Trail (miles of wilderness beach on one side, forest edged with small waterfalls on the other), the Skunk Cabbage Trail (great in spring when the vegetation leafs out), the James Irvine Trail (world-class redwoods, Douglas fir, hemlock and spruce), and many more. The ambitious can link some of the trails to make for all-day treks. Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, 707-488-2039, www.parks.ca.gov. 5. Patricks Point State Park The state park is perched on an extended coastal headland near Trinidad in Humboldt County. The Rim Trail is routed in and out of vegetation along the bluff top, with spurs to a series of great ocean lookouts. They include Patricks Point, Wedding Rock (overlook), Abalone Point and several others. A few routes lead 200 feet down to secluded beaches, where you can scramble down to Agate Beach and others. The northern end of the park has the regions best example of Octopus Trees. This is where Sitka spruce have sprouted from atop downed logs, and then sent their roots along the sides of the downed trees, kind of like octopus tentacles. Patricks Point State Park, 707-677-3570, www.parks.ca.gov. Tom Stienstra is The Chronicles outdoor writer. Email: tstienstra@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @StienstraTom Facebook: www.facebook.com/tomstienstraoutdoors Lenny Mendonca, an economist and former chairman of the Bay Area Council, has been selected as director of the states Office of Business and Economic Development by Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom. The appointment was one of several made by Newsom and outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown in advance of Newsoms inauguration Monday. Mendonca, a 57-year-old Half Moon Bay resident, will become the incoming governors top economic and business adviser. Hes a retired senior partner at McKinsey & Co., a management consulting firm, and a lecturer at Stanford Universitys business school. Mendonca is also co-chair of California Forward, a government reform group. In his new post, he will help ensure that California is rolling out the welcome mat to current and future California businesses and try to modernize the states approach to economic development across the states agencies, the governor-elects team said in a statement Saturday. What really makes Lenny stand out is that he is widely respected across a number of different communities in the state, said Micah Weinberg, president of the Bay Area Council Economic Institute, a business think tank where Mendonca served as chairman. He has been one of the states most important business leaders for decades, but hes also deeply committed to addressing issues of poverty and economic mobility. On Saturday, Newsom also named Julie Su as secretary of labor and workforce development. Su, a 2001 winner of a MacArthur Foundation genius grant, has been California labor commissioner since 2011. A Stanford graduate with a law degree from Harvard University, she co-founded the Sweatshop Watch coalition and served as litigation director for Advancing Justice LA, the nations largest nonprofit civil rights organization devoted to issues affecting the Asian American community. With his term winding down, Brown also made appointments that include former members of the Legislature and his administration: Tom Berryhill of Modesto, a former GOP assemblyman and state senator, was named as a director of the State Compensation Insurance Fund. His annual pay will be $58,633. Marty Block, a former San Diego-area assemblyman and state senator, was reappointed as chair of the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board, at an annual salary of $158,572. Anthony Cannella of Modesto, a former Republican state senator, was appointed to a nonpaying post on the California Travel and Tourism Commission. David Lanier of Davis also has been appointed as a director of the State Compensation Insurance Fund. Currently secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, he was Browns chief deputy legislative affairs secretary from 2011 to 2013. His annual pay will be $58,633. Ralph Lightstone of Sacramento was appointed to the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. He served as a deputy attorney general at the state Department of Justice when Brown was attorney general. His annual pay will be $153,689. John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth Thirty years after California voters told auto insurers to focus on a drivers safety record in setting rates, the states outgoing insurance commissioner has banned the apparently widespread practice of charging different rates for male and female drivers, regardless of their records. New regulations by Commissioner Dave Jones eliminate gender from the factors an auto insurance company can consider in setting rates. The rules took effect Jan. 1, but they allow companies until July 1 to submit gender-neutral rate plans, which would be implemented by the end of the year. The rules will change practices that vary widely among insurers and among regions in California, according to the Department of Insurance. It said some companies have found women to be a higher risk and thus charge them higher rates, while others find similarly situated men to pose higher risks. Nationally, a 2017 survey by the Consumer Federation of America in 10 cities, including Los Angeles, found that women ages 40 or 60 with perfect driving records were often charged more than men of similar ages, while 20-year-old women were often charged less than men of the same age with similar driving records. These regulations ensure that auto insurance rates are based on factors within a drivers control, rather than personal characteristics, Jones said in a statement. The termed-out commissioner leaves office this week and will be succeeded by fellow Democrat Ricardo Lara. The state gained control over auto and homeowners insurance rates in November 1988 when voters narrowly approved Proposition 103. The initiative required auto insurers to reduce their rates by 20 percent and submit future increases to the newly established insurance commissioner, who under court rulings was required to allow companies a fair rate of return on their investment. Prop. 103 also required insurers to base their rates on a drivers safety record, miles driven and years of driving experience. But it allowed the commissioner to adopt regulations letting insurers include other factors in deciding what risks a driver posed. Until now, those regulations have let the companies consider a drivers gender. Jones regulation deletes gender while leaving other optional factors in place, including marital status. Some groups of insurers opposed the change and argued that California should instead expand considerations of gender in rate-setting to include drivers who do not specify their gender, a category authorized on drivers licenses under a new state law. Oregon took that step in April, allowing insurers to charge different rates for three gender categories. Given the reasonable path Oregon has forged on this issue, we were surprised by Californias decision to ban a legitimate rating factor, the drivers gender, said Katie Pettibone, Western regional vice president of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association. There may be an impact felt by consumers in the state. Advocacy group Consumer Watchdog praised the new regulations and said Prop. 103 was always intended to eliminate discrimination in auto rates. Gender and sex have no more place in what we pay for auto insurance than race or ethnicity do, said the groups executive director, Carmen Balber. Racial and ethnic discrimination in insurance rates has long been forbidden by state law. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko TORRANCE, Los Angeles County Three men were fatally shot and four injured when a brawl at a popular bowling alley and karaoke bar erupted into gunfire that had terrified patrons running for their lives. Police in Torrance responded shortly after midnight Friday to calls of shots fired at the Gable House Bowl. They found seven people with gunshot wounds. Three men were pronounced dead at the scene, and two were hospitalized, Sgt. Ronald Harris said. Two other men were struck by gunfire but opted to seek their own medical attention. Authorities did not release details about what led to the shooting, but witnesses said it stemmed from a fight between two large groups. Investigators remained at the scene Saturday. Dwayne Edwards, 60, of Los Angeles, said he received a call from his nephew that his son Astin Edwards, 28, was one of those killed. His nephew told him his son was attempting to break up the fight. Im thinking this is a dream and Ill wake up, Edwards told the Orange County Register. He was a good kid. I dont understand it. A grieving mother told KABC-7 that her 28-year-old son, Robert Meekins, was among the victims killed. And the third victim was Michael Radford, 20, his sister Latrice Dumas told the Torrance Daily Breeze. Wes Hamad, a 29-year-old Torrance resident, was at the bowling alley with his niece and cousin when he saw a huge fight break out. Hamad said the brawl blocked the entrance and spiraled into complete chaos. I grabbed my niece and started running toward the far end of the bowling alley, he said. As we were running, we heard 15 shots. Scott Fain and Sophia Rosenbaum are Associated Press writer. At the request of Mayor London Breed, the San Francisco Fire Commission is reopening its selection process for a new chief, after the firefighters union raised concerns that number of in-house candidates with long firefighting experience was insufficient. According to Fire Commission President Ken Cleveland, the Human Resources Department forwarded 36 candidates to the commission, along with their answers to eight pages of questions on everything from management and budget issues to emergency medical and high rise fire procedures. They were divided into good, better and best, Cleveland said. We looked at them all and initially selected 11 to interview. At the end of the interviews the top names of three to five candidates were to be sent to the mayor for consideration. The new chief will replace retiring Chief Joanne Hayes-White. But no sooner did word of the 11 semifinalists get out than firefighters began raising questions about why experienced SFFD assistant chiefs and battalion chiefs failed to make the cut. In a Dec. 31 letter to Breed, Firefighters Union Local 798 President-elect Shon Buford said the Fire Commission may have unnecessarily rushed the selection process. Breed asked Cleveland to reconsider the process, and he agreed to add another eight candidates to the interview list. It was a reasonable request, given her position, Cleveland said. Breed is herself a former fire commissioner, and firefighters have been some of her earliest and biggest political backers, canvassing neighborhoods in her various elections. The union also served as a conduit for $840,000 in independent expenditure money to help get Breed elected in Junes special mayoral election. She wants to have a broad selection of candidates, said mayoral spokesman Jeff Cretan. She reviewed the selections herself and talked to a number of people in the community including Local 798, Cretan said. Its a big appointment for her, and she wants to make sure she gets it right. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Phillip Matier appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email pmatier@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @philmatier Thank you for reading! You have reached your 30-day limit of free access to SentinelSource.com, The Keene Sentinels website. If you would like to read two more articles for free at this time, please register for an account by clicking the sign up button below. We hope you find The Sentinels coverage of the Monadnock Region valuable. We rely on our subscribers to bring you strong local journalism and hope you will consider supporting our work by taking advantage of this special subscription offer here. You have permission to edit this image. Edit Close Christopher Cevilla fought back tears Sunday as the news washed over him: An arrest had been made. A 20-year-old man was behind bars, and authorities were one step closer in the twisting path to bring his daughters killer to justice. Eric Black Jr. allegedly confessed to his role as the getaway driver and has been charged with capital murder in the drive-by shooting of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes, a crime that captivated the nation and drew tens of thousands of dollars in donations. He told police the shooting near the northeast Houston Walmart was a mistake, that the Barnes family was not the intended target. They soon learned they shot the wrong car on the news. Now my baby has gotten justice, Cevilla said outside the Harris County Jail. Now we can properly put her to rest without having to put her to rest and were still on a manhunt looking for a suspect. The grieving father was at ease and at times laughing with pastors in a Harris County Sheriffs Office hallway before those emotions were reduced to tears after law enforcement detailed their steps in tracking down one of the men suspected in his daughters Dec. 30 death. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez attributed the arrest to one tip in a sea of a 1,000-plus that followed a week of chasing down the wrong lead. Detectives spent six days working off an evolving description of a white man behind the wheel of a red pick-up truck as described by witnesses, even as the case threatened to inflame racial tensions with the looming specter of a hate crime. Ultimately, a tip passed from civil-rights activist Shaun King to Gonzalezs inbox during the middle of the week led investigators to Blacks Instagram account. The tip indicated that Black was driving the car with another man as a passenger. The suspects did not resemble the sickly thin man with blue eyes and hints of stubble depicted in a sketch composite compiled with the help of Jazmines sister. Both of the suspects were black. It didnt quite gel at the time, Gonzalez said of the tip, adding that his investigators continued looking for the man in the sketch. The investigation came to a head Saturday afternoon when authorities obtained new information to swoop in for the first arrest. Deputies pulled Black over in a rental vehicle at Woodforest and Beltway 8 for failing to use a turn signal. It wasnt until after investigators began grilling Black that he allegedly admitted to being involved in the shooting and revealed that the family was not the intended target. Police did not reveal the actual target. Handcuffed and wearing an orange jail jumpsuit, Black sat quietly in court just before dawn Sunday when a hearing officer remanded him without bail for his first known arrest in Harris County. During the court appearance, prosecutors partially identified Larry Woodruffe as the second suspect and the man who pulled the trigger during the drive-by assault. He has not been charged in connection with the shooting as of Sunday night. Our work is not finished, Gonzalez said in a statement beforehand, but I believe the people of Harris County can take comfort in knowing we have made great progress. Woodruffe, who has a lengthy rap sheet in Harris County, was allegedly a passenger in his car when he and Black spotted a vehicle they thought they recognized, prosecutors cited Black as telling authorities. He allegedly opened fire out the window as the pair drove by. The two men returned the rental car and picked up a different one - a gray Kia that Black was driving when deputies arrested him Saturday. After his confession, Black identified the alleged shooter from a booking photo and told investigators that the murder weapon a 9 mm pistol was at his house. Gonzalez declined to discuss Black and Woodruffes respective roles in the shooting during a press conference Sunday afternoon since charges have not yet been filed against the second suspect in the case. Woodruffe appeared in court Sunday morning on drug charges and was ordered held on a $100,000 bond. Neither the suspects nor the vehicle resembled those police had been searching for during the week. The suspects were in a rental car, not the red four-door pickup truck initially described by police and as seen in surveillance footage near the Walmart before the shooting. Gonzalez said he believes the witnesses were sincere and if anything, the girls may have been describing the truck driver they saw at a traffic light. We do not believe in any way that the family, as weve said from the beginning, that theyve been involved in anything nefarious, Gonzalez said. Its just went down very quickly. The gunfire erupted. Were talking about small children. They witnessed something very traumatic. Its likely the last thing they did see was indeed that truck and the driver in that truck. The driver of the pickup truck was likely a witness in the shooting who authorities would still like to come forward to shed light on what happened. Jazmines mother, LaPorsha Washington, declined to comment about the arrest when reached at her home Sunday morning while preparing a birthday party for another of her daughters. She was still wearing a sling from where she was shot in the arm during last weeks pre-dawn shooting. Washington, 30, was taking her four daughters to the shopping area around 6:50 a.m. when a gunman opened fire and riddled her car with bullets. She tried driving to a hospital but was forced to stop due to a shot-out tire. She called 911 when she realized her daughter, Jazmine, had a gunshot wound to the head and stopped breathing. Lt. Christopher Sandoval recounted the hurt he and fellow first responders felt as her lifeless body was pulled from the car. He has spent most every waking moment since then working the case. When all this broke on the very first day, it became very apparent to us that this would be one of those cases that we would have to have all hands all deck, Sandoval said. He said six homicide investigators and more from other divisions were tasked with finding Jazmines killer. The investigation required the most man power and hours that he can recall in the two years serving as a commander on the homicide unit. This is the first time Ive seen such an investigation of this scale where everyone is involved, Sandoval said. Because the victim was under 10, the state can ask for a charge of capital murder. Black can be held just as culpable as the actual gunman under a controversial Texas law that holds accomplices equally responsible for slayings. Black is slated to return to court Monday before a judge in the 176th District Court. During the week, Gonzalez was careful not to pin a motive to the case, even as activists and family members feared the shooting to be racially motivated. The sheriff dismissed the possibility of a hate crime during the press conference. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, said at the press conference that she did not believe it irresponsible to suggest the childs death may have been the result of a hate crime. Nothing is irresponsible when it comes to the lost of a precious 7-year-old. As many in the community did, they expressed that it seemed to have the criteria of that, she said, applauding Houstons patience in awaiting arrests. King pushed a reward up to $100,000 for identification of the killer as the manhunt intensified. The money will be used to establish a foundation in Jazmine Barnes memory, family attorney Lee Merritt said. A funeral for Jazmine is scheduled for noon Tuesday at the Community of Faith Church. Gonzalez said that he was not aware of anyone being eligible for a $5,000 reward established through Crime Stoppers of Houston. Mayor Sylvester Turner thanked law enforcement for their work on the case. The authorities worked around the clock to find the individual who is allegedly responsible for the heinous and unspeakable act of violence against an innocent child, Turner said in a statement early Sunday. This should serve as a warning to all violent offenders who prey on our community: The color of your skin, how much money you make these things dont matter when law enforcement will find you, eventually. Maggie Gordon contributed to this report. A Bothell man who admitted to bilking his grandparents -- Holocaust survivors who'd put their finances in his care -- out of their life savings has been sentenced to community service for the thefts. Having pleaded guilty in July, Marc Kaye was sentenced Friday to 30 days of community service more than double the punishment requested by King County prosecutors. Still, Kaye, 37, wont serve any jail time for a theft that saw him purloin his grandparents Holocaust reparations checks while draining their savings and living in a home they'd bought. With the money, Bellevue investigators claimed, Kaye bought his family three jet skis, went skydiving and took expensive trips. "Marc had assumed responsibility over his grandparents' financial affairs but spent all their money on himself and his family using it to purchase luxury items such as jet skis, expensive trips and vacations for his family," Bellevue Detective Kevin Kliewer told the court. "At a minimum, Marc and his wife made purchases and took money from (Kaye's grandparents) without their knowledge, permission or authority," the detective continued. "Marc undertook such actions during a time when he had assumed responsibility over the financial affairs of his grandparents and was under a fiduciary duty to act on their behalf." The detective said Kaye began monitoring his grandparents' finances in late 2008 and soon came to control their finances entirely. By May 2009, Kliewer continued, Kaye and his wife had quit their jobs and were subsisting entirely on Kaye's grandparents' money. Kaye, his wife and their child moved into a Bothell home purchased by his grandparents after they sold their condo and moved into an apartment. According to charging documents, Kaye was expected to see that a caregiver was paid; by October 2009, Kaye was $3,300 behind in payments and moved his grandparents into an adult family home. By December 2009, Kaye was $31,700 behind in payments to the adult family home, Kliewer told the court, noting that he contacted Kaye later that month. In the time Kaye had control of his grandparents' credit cards, their debt increased from minimal levels to $53,600, Kliewer noted. The detective estimated that Kaye and his wife removed $134,000 from his grandparents' bank accounts, essentially draining them. Among the charges were $700 spent at a video game store, $3,200 used to purchase a jet ski and $4,200 spent at a furniture store, the detective told the court. Other cards were used to buy two more jet skis, to make payments on a car, skydiving lessons and to pay Kaye's uncle for remodeling services. Kliewer noted that Kaye had essentially drained all of his grandparents' bank accounts, spending thousands of dollars at a Vancouver, B.C., men's clothing store. During the year that he was involved in his grandparents' finances, Kaye and his wife reported a combined income of $22,662. Evidence also suggested Kaye also stole reparations checks due his grandparents for the harm the endured during the Holocaust. In charging documents filed in October, Kliewer took care to note the hard road Kaye's grandparents trod to financial security. Both survivors of the Holocaust, Kaye's grandparents emigrated from Poland to the United States in 1950 and settled in Bellevue. His grandfather, now 89, worked at a bottling plant and a salvage yard before becoming a clothing salesman and, later, shop manager. His grandmother, who also worked intermittently, died in September 2010 after suffering with dementia. Recounting a Jan. 19, 2010 interview with Kaye, Kliewer noted Kaye claimed to be working full time at a restaurant supply company. Pressed about a $30,000 withdrawal from one of his grandparents' accounts, the detective told the court, Kaye was at a loss. "Grandpa was with me at the bank when that money was withdrawn and he knows exactly where it went," Kaye said, according to the detective's account. Kaye had been charged with first-degree theft and first-degree identity theft. He pleaded guilty to the theft charge as part of a plea agreement that saw him receive a first-time offender waiver; previously convicted of 13 misdemeanor offenses, the theft was his first felony conviction. Court documents show King County Superior Court Judge Beth Andrus sentenced Kaye to 240 hours of community service. Prosecutors had previously sought a 100-hour sentence. Kaye has not been jailed in the case. He was also sentenced to one year of community supervision; as a convicted felon, he has lost his right to vote or possess a firearm. Check the Seattle 911 crime blog for more Seattle crime news. Visit seattlepi.com's home page for more Seattle news. Levi Pulkkinen can be reached at 206-448-8348 or levipulkkinen@seattlepi.com. Follow Levi on Twitter at twitter.com/levipulk. LAKE CITY, S.C. Nine hardy souls turned out Saturday morning at Lake City's lake and took the (polar) plunge for Florence County Disabilities. "We're going to go to the edge there where the police tape is, and we're going to run, and I'm not kidding. We're going to joggish run, joggish run under the dock, and then we're going to have to go under some tape," said Mary Kelley, executive director of the Greater Lake City Chamber of Commerce. "It's going to be five seconds of excitement, kind of like the Kentucky Derby. "Why would we not, first of all, use it? But use it for good," Kelley said of the lake, which was officially opened in April. Planners had asked to be able to jump into the lake, but county officials turned them down in favor of the running course. The course, which crossed under the gazebo that extends over the lake, included an area where participants would have to get more than knee deep to get through before they emerged on the other side. Erik Kulleseid of the Open Space Institute is Gov. Andrew Cuomo's choice to become new state parks commissioner. Danvers, MA (01923) Today Rain showers in the morning with scattered thunderstorms arriving in the afternoon. High 72F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Mostly clear skies. Low 57F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chandigarh: Sukhpal Khaira today resigned from primary membership of AAP. The copy of the letter sent by Khaira to Kejriwal is as under : To Sh. Arvind Kejriwal, Convenor AAP, New Delhi. Subject :- My resignation from the primary membership of AAP. Dear Kejriwal Ji, I am constrained to forward my resignation from the primary membership of AAP, as the party has totally deviated from the ideology and principles on which it was formed post Anna Hazare movement. Needless to mention, the current political culture of traditional parties of the country stands badly decayed, due to which immense hope was generated by the formation of AAP. Like many other people across the globe even I was highly impressed by the emergence of AAP on the political spectrum of India, to cleanse the rampantly corrupt system. Punjabis worldwide motivated me to join your party so that we could improve the plight of our country and Punjab. But unfortunately after joining the party I realised that the hierarchy of AAP was no different from the traditional centralised political parties. The turn of events into the run up of 2017 Punjab elections further confirmed my belief, that there was no inner party democracy. If you remember I had strongly objected to the distribution of tickets for the Punjab assembly, as we had received reports of money exchange, favouritism and nepotism. You also failed to understand the psyche of Punjabis due to your overconfidence. You only listened to the two Subedars you had appointed to run Punjab and never bothered about the sentiments of AAP volunteers on the ground. By failing to project a Chief Ministerial face in Punjab, you further confounded the oft repeated allegations that an outsider will take over the reins in case of victory. A close perusal of the state history clearly indicates that the Punjabis have never accepted the authority of outsiders. As expected the party crashed to only 20 seats in the Vidhan Sabha from the often boasted 100 seats victory by your Subedars. The saddest part is that a party which vouched of transparency and accountability never bothered to hold any person or persons accountable for the shameful defeat. It is a matter of fact, that one of the arrogant Subedars is still running Punjab from behind the curtain despite a huge hue and cry against him. Your meek apology to the drug tainted former Minister Bikram Singh Majithia further revealed your double standards in politics. Your duplicity on the vital issue of Punjab river waters also puts you on the same pedestal of cunning leaders of India. You have blatantly gone back on the most important promise of Swaraj, by centralising all powers with yourself. You have also thrown to winds the constitution of the party merely to remain Convenor and continue your grip on the party. Your hobnobbing and flirting with the Congress is yet another example of sheer political opportunism, that has left the people of India bewildered. I am saddened to state that your dictatorial attitude has shattered the dreams of Indians and the Punjabis for a clean alternative to the decayed and rotten system. As a result of which almost all prominent leaders of the party beginning from Prashant Bhushan to Mr. H.S.Phoolka have either quit the party or you have thrown them out. We in Punjab aspire to turn the dream of a clean political alternative into a reality, which is impossible as long as I am a part of your highly centralised high command culture. Although you have already rewarded our good work by humiliatingly suspending me and Mr. Kanwar Sandhu from the party but still I want to formalise the disconnection with you and AAP, by quitting its primary membership. Thanking you, Sukhpal Singh Khaira New Delhi: Stepping up his attack on the Modi government over the Rafale deal issue, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday urged all Indians to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ministers the questions he posed in Parliament on the fighter jet agreement with France. "RM (Raksha Marti) spoke for 2 hrs in Parliament, but she couldn't answer the 2 simple questions I asked her," Gandhi tweeted. He also posted a video of the two questions he posed to the defence minister in Parliament. Gandhi had asked who gave the offset contract to Anil Ambani and whether the defence ministry officials had raised an objection when the prime minister carried out a "bypass surgery" for the deal. He had asked Sitharaman to reply in a yes or no. Posting the video on his Twitter account, Gandhi said: "Watch & SHARE this video. Let every Indian ask the PM & his Ministers these questions." Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman With his tweet, Gandhi used the hashtag "2SawalDoJawab". Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while giving the government's reply on the Rafale deal discussion in Parliament on Friday, had accused the Congress of spreading "falsehood" on the issue and said while the Bofors scam brought the party down, Rafale will help Prime Minister Modi retain power. Wrapping up a rancorous debate in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman, in her over two-hour speech, also accused the Congress of stalling the contract during its rule because it "didn't get the money". The Congress has alleged irregularities in the deal for 36 aircraft and claimed that the Narendra Modi government is buying them at a price much higher than the one that was being negotiated by the previous government. The party has also been accusing the government of favouring Anil Ambani's firm in the deal. However, the government, as well as Ambani, have rejected all the allegations. The ODU report is light on ideas perhaps everyone is. It faults rural areas for an underinvestment in public education but then includes a section on how many rural areas are unable to pay more for schools. Nonetheless, the report says that improving the quality of education, including investments in physical infrastructure, is necessary to produce a workforce that can compete in an increasingly globalized economy, it says. That might be read as an implied endorsement of a proposal by state Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County, for the state to issue $4 billion or so in bonds to modernize outdated schools, many of which are in rural areas. In any case, the ODU report is yet another voice warning that unless Virginia can figure out a way to spread some of its economic growth around the state, rural areas are going to increasingly be a drag on the states finances. That alone should be enough to get legislators attention, but if its not, there are more warnings in this report. Heres another: More people are moving out of Virginia than into the state. The Internal Revenue started using tax returns to track migration patterns in 1978. For 34 straight years, Virginia was always a state that people moved to. Then in 2013, things reversed and more people moved out of the state than into it. Those out-migration trends have continued every year since. Disrupted logistics and lower shipping volume are some of the consequences of tolls. These consequences would lead to the kind of uncertainty thats problematic for any business, not just manufacturers making it more difficult to estimate logistics flows and costs when considering plans for expansion, renovations or other changes. Tolls will throw the corridors existing and future economy into flux. Tolls are an economic disadvantage to site selection checklists and will deter many important economic development opportunities for the western half of the state. In Pennsylvania, where the Volvo Groups Mack Trucks and Volvo Construction Equipment facilities are located, the state is experiencing tollers remorse. Gov. Tom Wolf recently stated that the ever-rising cost of turnpike tolls is driving business away from Pennsylvania. With the threat of tolls looming, companies may look elsewhere to locate large new manufacturing facilities. Tolls are an extra tax that can make a states business climate less attractive. The return of Americas prosperity is undeniable and is now clearly evident in almost every sector of the economy. President Trumps insistence on slashing burdensome regulations and cutting taxes has led to the lowest unemployment rate since 1969, and the economy is on pace to exceed 3 percent growth for the year the first time it has hit that milestone since 2005. The Presidents aggressive stance on international trade is also having a positive economic impact by ending unfair trade arrangements that gave foreign workers an advantage over Americans. Trumps critics call it a trade-war with our allies. Trump says were done with letting working Americans get screwed on bad trade deals, regardless of the geo-political alliance at hand. A bad deal is a bad deal. While the uni-party political establishment did nothing to address the challenges posed by the outdated NAFTA treaty, President Trump wasted no time in scrapping that agreement and replacing it with an updated trade deal, the USMCA, that finally gives American workers a level playing field. The President also made stunning progress in the decades-old trade dispute with China, sticking to a hard-line policy that recently forced Beijing to lower its tariffs on American-made cars by 25 percent. Since July, when bill prefiling began, and mid-day on Friday, Virginia legislators had submitted 749 bills for the General Assembly session that convenes this week. Lawmakers will continue filing bills until the Jan. 18 deadline. General Assembly members filed 2,778 pieces of legislation last session, excluding purely ceremonial resolutions. Of those, 919 passed, 1,530 were killed, and 209 were carried over to the 2019 session. Heres a look at some bills filed by lawmakers from Western Virginia. Elections Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Rockingham, filed a bill requiring localities to adjust lines after regular redistricting cycles so voting precincts are contained within a single congressional or state election district. He said split precincts can confuse people who arent sure where they are supposed to cast ballots. Sen. Mark Peake, R-Lynchburg, submitted similar legislation that would allow some split precincts. His bill provides that if localities cant resolve the split, they can apply for a waiver to allow a split precinct or create a new precinct with fewer voters than required. At one of those dog-and-pony shows in 2017, Vice President Mike Pence said: It is just the greatest privilege of my life is to serve as the as vice president to the president whos keeping his word to the American people and assembling a team thats bringing real change, real prosperity, real strength back to our nation. At the same meeting, then White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus piped up: We thank you for the opportunity and the blessing that youve given us to serve your agenda and the American people. Can you imagine Jim Webb groveling to Trump like that? Dave Mudcat Saunders, perhaps Webbs closest pal in Roanoke, cannot. Saunders played a key role in Webbs 2006 election to the Senate. Friday, I called Saunders to discuss the big rumor. He said hadnt spoken with Webb about the secretary of defense gig. But Saunders said this: Jim Webb is constitutionally incapable of kissing anyones a--. Heck, Jim Webb doesnt even know how to pander to the electorate. When he challenged incumbent U.S. Sen. George Allen in 2006, Webb was pretty stiff on the campaign trail. He won that race partly because of an off-the-cuff ethnic slur Allen made on camera, which dogged Allen during his re-election campaign. I think it is just going to make people that much more interested in the case and make the phone ring, Wilburn said. Its going to make people remember things and talk about things. And eventually, the right person is going to do the right thing, and were going to find out where shes at. For his part, Peterson said, I would just hope it could lead to the discovery of Ginas remains. Hall, a Radford University freshman from Wise County, was living with her older sister, Dlana, then 21, when she went missing on Saturday, June 28, 1980. Dlana Hall Bodmer had loaned Gina her brown Chevrolet to go dancing at the Blacksburg Marriott. Between 1 and 1:30 a.m., Gina called, waking her sister. She was telling me where she was. Shes letting me know, I see a lake, Bodmer has said. But she did not know where she was. She told Bodmer she was with Steve. Before hanging up, Gina told her sister: Ill be home soon. When Bodmer woke later that morning, Gina wasnt home. Neither was the car. I couldnt get the police to listen to me, Bodmer recalled. Finally, my friends go out and find the car. Once they find it, then the police get involved. Two inmates who escaped Saturday from a work detail in Pearisburg remain on the loose, but a government vehicle used in the escape was located Sunday. The car, described as a silver 2006 Ford Taurus, had been abandoned on Orchard View Drive in Patrick County, just a short distance outside of Carroll County, Carroll County Sheriff John Gardner wrote in an email. Before their escape, John Kenneth Johnny Haynes and Ronald Eugene Dalton II were being held in the New River Valley Regional Jail in Dublin, according to Giles County Sheriff Morgan Millirons. But they were on a work detail in 300 block of Thomas Drive, Pearisburg, when they escaped just before 9 a.m. on Saturday. Police continue to look for the fugitives. We are still searching all of the areas and people they have been known to hang out with in the past, Gardner wrote. Law Enforcement from several agencies and the [U.S. Marshals Service is] still searching the area where the car was located. Haynes, 45, of Cana has black hair and brown eyes, and is about 6 feet tall and 160 pounds and has a prosthetic leg. By the mid-1950s, the farm was selling to Kroger, which had advised the Johnsons to plant Red and Golden Delicious apples because their apples ripened 10 days to two weeks earlier than any place in the state due to the growing location. All of Danny Johnsons siblings were involved at some point with the family orchard. Today the farm is about 215 acres, 25 of them dedicated to fruit including apples, peaches, plums, nectarines and blackberries. Johnson would like to see the business stay in the family. I would like to see it continue the way it is going, he said. When we started things we didnt have any desire to conquer the world and be the biggest of anything. His grandsons, Jordon and Josh Johnson, are most likely to be seen working on the farm, and Jordon, 34, hopes at least one of his five children will see an interest in continuing the legacy. Jordon Johnson, whos farm manager at the orchard, said although the job comes with responsibility, he is grateful he has had his grandfather to teach him what works and what doesnt. He has been able to tell me where hes messed up and what doesnt work and to have that wealth of information to learn from, he said. Packages of drugs found washed up on two Playa del Carmen beaches Playa del Carmen, Q.R. Several bags of drugs were reported washed up on two different Playa del Carmen beaches on the same day. Photo: Secretaria de Marina-Armada de Mexico The first bag, which was identified as marijuana, was reported to 911 after being spotted on a beach area of Xcalacoco, north of Playa del Carmen. Police and members of the Mexican Navy arrived around 11:00 a.m. to find approximately 15 kilos of marijuana bricks that had washed up on the shore. Later the same day, a second report of drugs seen on a beach was also reported. The second report turned out to be approximately 5 kilos of drugs, also marijuana, on a beach area between Playacar and Xcaret, south of Playa del Carmen. All 20 kilos of the drugs were removed from the beaches and handed over to authorities. New Argentina consulate office to open in Playa del Carmen Playa del Carmen, Q.R. The Ambassador of Argentina for Mexico has arrived and offered his support in the opening of an Argentinian consulate in Playa del Carmen. Ezequiel Sabor, Ambassador of Argentina in Mexico, met with Solidaridad mayor Laura Beristain Navarrete to discuss Playa del Carmen and the opening of a consular office. The meeting was held to discuss opening an office due to the large number of Argentinians who arrive in Playa del Carmen as both tourists and residents. Beristain Navarrete pointed out that this is the first time in 25 years that the municipality of Solidaridad would have this new area to serve migrants. Sabor says It is important that we can work together between Argentina and this municipality to start a new stage of government with Laura Beristain at the front that characterizes the federal government led by Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. He says that an average of 450,000 Argentinians travel to the Mexican Caribbean each year, and enter through Cancun, but travel to Playa del Carmen, therefore, we have proposed to open a representation before the end of January, he explained. He says their decision to open a consulate office in Playa del Carmen was based on two factors, one because our compatriots are coming to this destination and second, because this is where we have the greatest number of residents. They are young people and they work here. They like the place and they stay and when they get sick or something happens to them, they have to be taken care of. Sabor says that the new consular officer will offer support to Argentinians since they travel and things happen to them. Their passport is lost, they suffer an accident, they die or a relative dies, things that happen to them in life. When your babies are born, you have to look for birth certificates and thats what the consulate is for. There was no location given for the new consulate, only that it is set to open by the end of January. Spanberger disclosed on her SF-86 that she had worked as a substitute advance placement English teacher beginning in 2002 at the Islamic Saudi Academy in Mount Vernon. The school, which is funded by the Saudi government, was thrust into the national spotlight in the mid-2000s and earned the nickname Terror High after the 2005 class valedictorian later admitted to joining al-Qaida and was sentenced to 30 years in prison for plotting to kill President George W. Bush. CLF suggested in its ads that Spanberger was sympathetic to terrorist elements due to her stint at the school. The New York Times reported in August that CLF had shared Spanbergers file with an Associated Press reporter, who then shared it with Spanberger and revealed CLF as the source. Spanbergers campaign initially questioned whether CLF and America Rising had obtained her file through illicit means. The day after the initial New York Times report, America Rising provided Roll Call with documentation showing that it had received the file in late June through a standard Freedom of Information Act request. The IG report released last month confirms the authenticity of those documents. Phoebe P. Hall, the first female public defender in the city of Richmond and the rector of the Virginia Commonwealth University board of visitors, died Friday. She was 77. She was one of the finest human beings I have known, worked with, and learned from, and she will be sorely missed by all of us who had the fortune to be her colleague and friend, VCU President Michael Rao wrote in a letter to the campus community. She was, in every way, a remarkable human being who dedicated her life to helping people discover the very best in themselves and each other. Mrs. Hall, of Richmond, was named last year to Virginia Lawyers Weeklys inaugural class of the Virginia Lawyers Hall of Fame, among other awards. She co-founded her familys law firm, Hall & Hall PLC, practicing family law, elder law and estate planning, according to Raos letter. My mother was the strongest woman I have ever known, her son, Franklin Hall, of Montana, said in an email Saturday. She was a feminist before her time and she instilled that value in all of us. She was the rock my father, sister and I depended upon her entire life. While her passing is heartbreaking, we are doing our best to focus on celebrating her life, her good fortune and the profound impact she had on so many people. For millennials, retirement may be more of a challenge than for prior generations. They are almost certain to live longer than their parents, so their money will have to last longer and clear more hurdles along the way. For starters, no one really knows what Social Security is going to look like in 30 or 40 years. No matter how Congress adjusts the system over the next decade, younger workers shouldnt count on receiving the same benefits as their parents. I tell younger investors to plan as if Social Security will be nonexistent when they retire, said Ryan Fuchs, a certified financial planner in Little Rock, Ark. I dont believe that will be the case. But if they can create a successful plan without it, then any money they do receive will be icing on the cake. In a 2017 survey from GOBankingRates, more than 60 percent of millennials reported having less than $1,000 in a savings account, and 46 percent of respondents ages 18 to 24 said they had nothing saved. When we meet with younger clients, well use simple calculations to show what saving a few hundred dollars a month can do for a portfolio when you extend that growth over 40 years, said Nate Creviston, a certified financial planner in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Standing in the crumbling foundations of the long-gone St. Joseph mission church, one can almost imagine hymns being sung fervently, if a little out of tune, by the immigrant farmers gathered in the tiny church atop a steep hill just over the county line into Holmes County. Standing at the head of the congregation was a man destined to inspire a great American novel. Jean Baptiste Lamy was born in the Auvergne region of southern France in 1814. Deeply religious, he felt a call to the ministry and was ordained as a priest at the age of 24. But Lamy was not content to do small things when there was bold work that needed done. At the age of 25, he left Europe to become a missionary on the American frontier. The diocese of Cincinnati had a perfect assignment for Father Lamy when he arrived in 1839: the second-oldest Catholic church in Ohio was in need of a priest. That church, St. Luke's, had been established in Danville in 1822, shortly after the community changed its name to that from the original Sapp's Settlement. The original church was a log cabin, and they didn't have a priest. In 1838, the church members started work on a frame church, but work was slow. With the arrival of Father Lamy, that changed. Young, energetic, and industrious, Lamy rose the money and labor needed to finish the new St. Luke's in Danville and was soon handling services on a circuit that included Loudonville, Coshocton, Newark, and Mount Vernon as well. One area that Father Lamy identified as needing pastoring was the influx of German and Alsatian settlers in southwest Holmes County, between Glenmont and Greer. It was hardly choice land, all the prime farm land of the county having been claimed earlier. But those settlers were hearty stock, and they were determined to eke a living from the steep hills. Father Lamy built a mission church, St. Joseph's, at the top of the first large hill over the county line. To find what remains of the mission, go south out of Greer on Brinkhaven Road (County Road 77), but instead of turning with the road to cross the Mohican River, go straight on Alum Rock Road and cross the county line from Knox into Holmes. Just a short way in, there is an intersection with Township Road 16. We'll come back to this intersection for another story in the future, but for now plunge up the steep hillside on the gravel road and watch for washouts. Near the top of Kaylor Ridge, Township Road 15 will go off to the left, but stay with Township Road 16 for another quarter mile or so, when the remains of the St. Joseph Mission are indicated by a church historical marker on the right. Father Lamy's church was small. The foundation rocks outline a main chamber that could have held, at most, about 50 people. Further away from the road is a smaller rectangle attached to the main rectangle. It isn't clear what the structure of the building would have been, so the small area is uncertain. If the church would have presumably faced the road, the entrance would have been on the north end of the precisely aligned building. If the entrance was here, those leaving the church may have once had a beautiful view down the gully across the road. Now wooded, the hillside doesn't boast any outstandingly old trees, so it may have been pasture land cleared by the early farmers. In this layout, the smaller rectangle may have been a sacristy where Father Lamy kept his robes for services. He certainly wouldn't have traveled in full priestly garb across the muddy frontier! Less likely, though not impossible, is that the small rectangle was a vestibule for an entrance on the south side of the church. This would seem odd, though, putting the main entrance of the church away from the road, and, what's more, opening the church into its own graveyard. The graveyard is documented on genealogical sources as having at least nine burials, but there are plainly more. The recorded burials may be the ones for which sandstone grave markers were carved. Many of those have now become illegible or have been broken off over the years. At least a dozen or more additional graves are marked by field stones, and depressions in the ground suggest that dozens more people are buried here. One early record describes the church as having been built out of logs, presumably perched atop the stone foundation. It probably had at least a few small windows. For comparison, there is an old log cabin in a remarkable state of preservation down the hill on County Road 17 (Alum Rock Road), that dates from the same period. Indeed, whatever Alsatian family lived in that cabin almost certainly attended this church. The mission operated throughout the 1840s, ministering to the farmers along and around Kaylor Ridge. At its height, the church saw a total of about 50 families in the area who at least occasionally attended, some of them never missed a service. According to records kept by the Columbus Diocese, St. Joseph's saw its peak activity in the late 1840s. There were four baptisms in 1845, with six each the following two years. The peak came in 1848 with a grand total of 10 baptisms and two marriages. Father Lamy continued his rounds throughout the region, working as the Catholic version of a circuit preacher, hitting the St. Joseph mission for mass on the first Monday of every month. Then he was reassigned to an area in Kentucky that needed organization, which he proving so brilliant at. Little did he know it, but his industry was much talked about in the Church, and word gradually made it to the top. Lamy was stunned in 1850 when he received word that Pope Pius IX had personally appointed him bishop for a mission in the far southwestern region of New Mexico, which had just come into the United States after the Mexican War. While there were a few haphazard churches in the region, Lamy was charged with expanding the network, standardizing their operations, and cleaning up some of the churches that had gotten a little wayward, allowing priests to have native concubines and such. Lamy was to be joined in his assignment by his friend, Father Joseph Machebeuf, the priest overseeing the church in Sandusky, infamous for tracking parishioners down to bars and flogging them with a whip for drinking. Both were regarded as outstanding missionaries and disciplinarians whose talents were needed out west. Lamy was able to leave more quickly, and began a flatboat expedition down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. His flatboat wrecked, destroying most of Lamy's goods and supplies. But he persevered and made his way overland to Santa Fe. Over the next three decades, Lamy and Machebeuf established and expanded the Catholic Church in the southwest, with Lamy serving as Bishop of Santa Fe and later Archbishop of the entire region. Machebeuf became Bishop of Denver. Lamy never wavered in his fighting against chaos and unorthodoxy, becoming one of the great organizers of the Church in the United States. He retired in the early 1880s, dying in 1885. But perhaps the reason Lamy is still so remembered and revered today is because the great American writer Willa Cather, famous for My Antonia and O Pioneers, decided to write a novel based on Lamy's adventures in the southwest. This 1927 book, Death Comes for the Archbishop, is regarded as Cather's masterpiece, and one of the greatest American novels. In Cather's book, Lamy becomes Father Latour, while Machebeuf is called Father Vaillant. The book has been named by the Modern Library as one of the 100 Best English-Language Novels of the 20th Century. The mission church on Kaylor Ridge continued on a few years without Father Lamy, at first seemingly thriving under Lamy's German successor, Father Christopher Grandeler. Grandeler pointed out that the German settlers were grateful to have a priest fluent in both German and English both difficult tongues for Father Lamy. But Grandeler, an older priest serving the missionary call, began to complain about what the Ohio winter did to his rheumatism and even went so far as buying a plot of land, assuming the church would allow him to become permanently attached to the St. Joseph mission. The Church allowed no such thing, as a small congregation of dirt poor farmers was in no way adequate to support a full-time priest. Grandeler soon began to rub his bosses even further the wrong way, being seen in the constant company of a woman during a business trip to Cincinnati and being heard in Newark making statements that he didn't see much difference between Protestants and Catholics. Father Grandeler was removed and the mission began to falter. In 1857, a substantial new stone Catholic Church was built in Glenmont, at the foot of the far side of the ridge. That congregation, the Church of Saints Peter & Paul, is still in operation today. The St. Joseph mission began to wind down. Its last paperwork records were filed in 1861. In the chaos of the Civil War, diocese records were haphazard in 1862 and 63. By 1864, no records were filed. Today, the Catholic churches of the region still thrive thanks at least in part to the vigorous foundation Father Lamy laid down before pursuing his destiny in the Old West. Death came for the Archbishop later, but it was preceded by a lot of living in rural central Ohio first. The U.S. military has killed one of the architects of the deadly attack on the destroyer USS Cole in Yemen in 2000, President Donald Trump has said. "Our great military has delivered justice for the heroes lost and wounded in the cowardly attack on the USS Cole," Trump tweeted on January 6. "We will never stop in our fight against Radical Islamic Terrorism!" he added. Al-Qaeda operative Jamal al-Badawi was killed in an air strike in Marib Province on January 1, U.S. Central Command later tweeted, two days after saying U.S. forces had targeted the militant in the strike. Seventeen American servicemen were killed and at least 40 people were wounded in the suicide attack that happened as USS Cole was refueling in the port of Aden on October 12, 2000. In 2003, a U.S. grand jury indicted Badawi for his role in the bombing, and the FBI offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest. Based on reporting by the BBC and AFP Authorities in the Russian city of Magnitogorsk plan to tear down two portions of the residential complex where 39 people were killed when one section collapsed on December 31. Officials said on January 6 that the remaining nine sections of the structure remain habitable. The seventh entrance of the building collapsed early on New Year's Eve in what authorities are investigating as a natural-gas explosion. The eighth entrance was also damaged and both entrances will be demolished. Officials also said that elevators in most of the remaining sections would be switched on later on January 6. On January 5, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed an order allocating 65 million rubles ($967,000) as compensation for victims of the disaster. Local authorities in Chelyabinsk Oblast have allocated 93 million rubles ($1.38 million). With reporting by TASS A Romanian engineer who saved 12 historic churches and other buildings from destruction under the reign of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu has died at the age of 89. The website of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Basilica.ro, reported on January 6 that Eugeniu Iordachescu died on January 4. No other details were reported. Between 1982 and 1988, the Ceausescu regime carried out a massive reconstruction and modernization of the capital, Bucharest, following the dictator's visit to North Korea. More than 40,000 buildings were demolished in the process. Iordachescu developed a unique system to place entire buildings on a structure similar to railroad tracks in order to move them away from areas slated for reconstruction. In 2016, the Romanian Orthodox Church awarded him the Patriarchal Cross, the church's highest honor for laypeople. He was given the sobriquet "the engineer of heaven." Based on reporting by AP, Descopera.ro, and Libertatea Russia and Iran are planning joint naval exercises in the Caspian Sea "in the near future," an Iranian naval official has said. Iran's Mehr news agency quoted Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi on January 6 as saying that the two countries are planning "tactical, rescue, and anti-piracy war games." Iran and Russia conducted naval drills in the Caspian Sea in 2015 and 2017. Khanzadi also said "all countries around the Caspian" oppose any military presence in the area by any non-littoral countries. Based on reporting by Reuters The United States has said its decision to withdraw all U.S. troops from Syria was conditional on Turkey ensuring the safety of Kurds in Syria, U.S. national-security adviser John Bolton has said. Bolton also said on January 6 during a visit to Israel that the U.S. withdrawal was conditioned on defeating remaining elements of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization in Syria. Bolton said there was no timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. forces. "The timetable flows from the policy decisions that we need to implement," he said. He added that President Donald Trump "wants the [IS] caliphate destroyed." Bolton added that Trump has stated he would not allow Turkey to attack the Kurds who worked with U.S. troops in Syria. "We don't think the Turks ought to undertake military action that's not fully coordinated with and agreed to by the United States," Bolton said. Turkey has charged that the Kurdish militias in Syria are allied with Kurdish fighters inside Turkey whom Ankara considers terrorists. Bolton said the United States has asked its Kurdish allies in Syria to refrain from seeking protection against Turkey from Russia or the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. "I think they know who their friends are," Bolton said. In a video message posted on Twitter on December 20, 2018, Trump said U.S. troops are "all coming back and they're all coming back now." "We have won against [IS]," he said. "We have beaten them, and we've beaten them badly." The withdrawal plan was originally expected to be completed in a matter of weeks, but Trump told reporters on January 6: "We're going to be removing our troops. I never said we were doing it that quickly." "We're pulling out of Syria... and we won't be finally pulled out until [IS] is gone," he added. Trump's defense secretary, Jim Mattis, resigned over the decision, while NATO allies, including France and Germany, said the drastic change of course by the United States put the fight against IS at risk and endangered the Kurdish militias fighting IS. Bolton's remarks were the first confirmation from the U.S. administration that the withdrawal plan, which was originally expected to be completed in a matter of weeks, has been delayed. With reporting by AP and Reuters At least 30 people have been killed in the collapse of a gold mine in northeastern Afghanistan, officials say. A police spokesman for Badakhshan Province, Sanaullah Rohani, said that at least seven people were also injured in the January 6 incident. Kohistan district Governor Mohammad Rustam said that locals were using an excavator to search for gold near a local river when the makeshift mine collapsed. The victims were villagers who were mining for gold illegally, according to provincial government spokesman Nik Mohammad Nazari. "The villagers have been involved in this business for decades with no government control over them," Nazari said. At least 50 people were reportedly on the scene at the time of the collapse and two rescue teams were dispatched to assist. President Ashraf Ghani ordered emergency aid for the victims and told authorities to immediately assist those who may still be under the rubble. The AFP news agency quoted a spokesman for the National Disaster Management Authority as saying that the families of the wounded will receive 10,000 afghanis ($133) in compensation, while those of the dead will get 50,000 afghanis ($664). The spokesman, Hashmat Bahaduri, said defense ministry helicopters had already been dispatched to deliver cash to the families and airlift the wounded to hospitals. Badakhshan is a remote, mountainous province bordering Tajikistan, Pakistan, and China. Illegal mining is common in resource-rich Afghanistan. Most of the countrys minerals remain untapped due to the conflict with the Taliban. With reporting by AFP, dpa, AP, and Reuters Moscow says it is too early to discuss a swap of individuals with Washington following the recent detentions of Russian and U.S. citizens in alleged espionage-related cases. Moscow said on January 5 that the United States detained Russian citizen Dmitry Makarenko in the U.S. Pacific territory of the Northern Mariana Islands on December 29 and that he has been transferred to the U.S. mainland to face conspiracy charges. That date would have put it one day after Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan in Moscow on spying charges. It remains unclear when respective government officials learned of the arrests of their citizens by the other country. The United States is also holding a Russian citizen, Maria Butina, in a high-profile case. Butina has pleaded guilty in a U.S. court to acting as an agent for the Kremlin and has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, leading to speculation of a possible swap. In the past, Russia has sometimes arrested foreigners with the aim of trading prisoners with other countries. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, however, said on January 5 that discussing a swap involving Whelan would be premature because Whelan hasn't been formally charged. "As to the possibility of exchanges of one sort or another, it's impossible and incorrect to consider the question now when an official charge hasn't even been presented," Ryabkov was quoted as saying by the state-run RIA-Novosti news agency. "Charges will be presented in the near future," he said, according to Interfax. The Russian news agency earlier reported that Whelan had been indicted on spying charges that carry a possible prison sentence of up to 20 years. Washington and Moscow are also holding other individuals who have been charged or convicted in criminal or espionage matters related to the other country. Asked about the matter at the White House on January 6, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters: "We're looking into that." In a statement quoted by Russian media on January 5, the Foreign Ministry said the United States detained Makarenko in the Northern Mariana Islands on December 29 and moved him to Florida. The ministry did not reveal the accusations against him but said U.S. authorities had failed to inform them of his arrest and they had only found out about it from his family. The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has yet to provide comment. The State Department and the FBI have also not commented. Papers filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida show Makarenko was accused in June 2017 by federal prosecutors of conspiring with another man, Vladimir Nevidomy, to export defense articles including night-vision scopes from the United States to Russia without U.S. approval. Makarenko, who was listed as a resident of Vladivostok, was declared a fugitive from U.S. justice in January 2018. Nevidomy, a resident of Hallandale Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty in June 2018 and was sentenced to 26 months in prison, the court papers showed. Whelan was arrested by the FSB on December 28. His family have said he is innocent and that he was in Moscow to attend a wedding. Relations between Russia and the United States are already strained over issues ranging from Russias alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and its annexation of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula and support for separatists in eastern Ukraine, to the poisoning of a double agent in Britain. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said this week that Washington had asked Moscow to explain Whelan's arrest and would demand his immediate return if it determined his detention was inappropriate. Whelan also holds Canadian, British, and Irish citizenship. Britain cautioned Russia on January 4 that individuals should not be used as diplomatic pawns. Butina pleaded guilty in a U.S. court to acting as an agent for the Kremlin. Moscow has denied that Butina is a Russian agent and has organized a social-media campaign to secure her release. With reporting by AFP, Reuters, TASS, and The Washington Post We would love for you to join us to share your memories of Daryl with family and friends. Daryls full obituary can be view at http://www.myersmortuary.com/ A celebration of life will be held from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM on 2021-06-27 at Fraternal Order of Eagles , 2140 N Lebanon St, Lebanon, IN 4 WATERBURY There were a lot of new things to celebrate at the last Confluencia of the year which was held in the Playbox Theater in November. Kate Pelletier, Associate Professor of English at NVCC, read from her recently self-published book, Little Waves: A Tiny Memoir. Also new to the poetry series is NVCC Professor of English and award-winning author Steve Parlato, who is taking the reins from previous moderator, Dr. Marianela Medrano. Medrano was honored in November with a Presidential Medal of Honor for leading the poetry series for the last decade. Throughout the last ten years, Confluencia has provided students, alumni, and community members, the opportunity to hear from dozens of the regions most notable and diverse voices in contemporary poetry as well as providing a place for attendees to perform in a an open-mic format. The event reflected the very real and profound connection between students, faculty, staff, and the community of creators that exists in the world of literature and art. We all share the human experience, and describe and relay it to others in unique ways. Confluencia is one of those special places where it is showcased and celebrated. I am so honored to have been invited to share my work, said Pelletier. The evening kicked off with refreshments and a live performance featuring the Colleges a cappella group, Fermata the Valley led by NVCC Music Director, Dr. Gilad Harel. NVCC Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D. along with NVCC student Irisa Hoxha, a member of the Presidents Circle and writer for student newspaper, The Tamarack, gave welcoming remarks. President De Filippis said, Confluencia/Confluence/ Confluenza, a gathering of voices to celebrate the power and significance of words, is one of the first initiatives undertaken during my presidency and one I am particularly appreciative of because of the generosity and talent of so many. I am grateful to Professor Steve Parlato, a poet, writer, painter, educator and mentor of many of our students for accepting willingly another responsibility. What an incredibly thoughtful and meaningful evening enjoyed by all! During the open mic, students performed original works of poetry along with recitations of works by poets such as Edgar Allan Poe and 13th-century Persian poet, Rumi. In a new format, the open mic readings were interspersed with readings by the evenings featured poets. Featured poets for the evening included: Ines Rivera Prosdocimi, who is author of the poetry collection, Love Letter to an Afterlife (Black Lawrence Press, 2018). Prosdocimi s work has appeared in Bellevue Literary Review, Cold Mountain Review, Kweli, Nimrod, Poet Lore, and Puerto de Sol. She holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of Maryland and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from American University. Currently, she teaches literature at the University of Hartford. Kate Pelletier, an Associate Professor of English at NVCC, is also a registered yoga teacher, owner and founder of Little Wave Yoga School and has earned teaching certifications in Yin, Trauma Recovery, and Restorative Yoga, and will complete her RYT 500 designation in March 2019. In addition, she teaches meditation, energy systems, philosophy, asana, and spirituality for yoga teacher training programs across the state, as well as in retreat and workshop settings. Pelletier read from her debut collection of stories Little Waves: A Tiny Memoir. Ashvini Hemanda Devi Persaud hails from Guyana and is a green poet, designer, artist and commercial banker. She and her mirror image twin, Ushvani, social worker, have been dabbling in creative things since kids. They are very close to finalizing their pop-up museum. She has performed for the ministry of her country and other international leaders and loves to engage community in art and live artistic performances. Im always impressed at the range, in voice and topic, covered by our open mic and featured readers. And its amazing how the featured readerswhile each uniquealways seem to magically connect, creating a sort of literary harmony. It was another successful evening, and I look forward to the next Confluencia in Danbury in March, said Parlato. Held twice a semester, Confluencia is a confluence celebrating a wide variety of voices. For more information, visit, nv.edu/confluencia. Naugatuck Valley Community College serves Beacon Falls, Bethel, Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Cheshire, Danbury, Middlebury, Naugatuck, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown, Oxford, Prospect, Roxbury, Sherman, Southbury, Thomaston, Washington, Waterbury, Watertown and Woodbury. The college is located on a 110-acre campus at 750 Chase Parkway, Waterbury, Conn., and in Danbury at 190 Main Street. The College is one of 17 institutions governed by the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education. Visit nv.edu for more information. WATERBURY The Seventh Annual Presidential Awards Ceremony recognized 20 students in the Advanced Manufacturing Technology program at Naugatuck Valley Community College in December. Hosted at NVCCs Technology Hall on the Waterbury campus and sponsored by the Smaller Manufacturers Association of Connecticut (SMA), the event is an annual tradition that celebrates excellence. The top ten students in the manufacturing program, based on GPA, are selected for additional free educational training in the field of Additive Manufacturing and Solid Works and 3-D printing. This mini one-week class is a highly-sought award. In addition, all students who have a B or better average are awarded an OSHA 10 safety training certification. According to NVCC President Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D., the awards program was started seven years ago as an incentive for AMTC Students to perform well in their studies by providing additional training at no-cost. All classes are held at the college. De Filippis and faculty and staff, along with industry partners and representatives from Thomaston Savings Bank, were present to commemorate the achievement. Stephen Lewis, President and CEO of Thomaston Savings Bank and colleague Kimberly Lebron, a Senior Vice President and Chief Loan Officer, presented a scholarship to one of the programs top-performing students. The bank has historically worked with many local manufacturers whom they saw struggling to find skilled help. As a result they have allocated funds to help build a pipeline of skilled workers by offering a scholarship in manufacturing. Thomaston Savings Bank is a proud supporter of small business manufacturers in our community. We are very pleased to award the $2,500 Manufacturing Education Scholarship to Melissa Day, a very deserving and hardworking NVCC student, said Lewis. I'm so honored to be the recipient of this year's $2,500 Thomaston Savings Bank scholarship. I've been going to NVCC for a few years. I went part-time and got my Associate's Degree in General Studies but I still didn't find anything that I really loved to do. After the first month of the Advanced Manufacturing program I knew that I wanted to do it for a career. I would go home every night so excited to tell my 13- year-old son what I did that day. I plan on using the scholarship to finish the next semester of the program and pay off the loan that I had to take out to pay for the first semester. I cant wait to get my first paycheck from a manufacturing job and go open my own Thomaston Bank savings account, said Day. Students who receive certificates in Advanced Manufacturing Machine Technology are qualified to work in machine technology and Computer Numerical Control (CNC) manufacturing environments. The certificate provides desired work skills by combining hands-on instruction, interactive lab experiences, theory, and possible on-site manufacturing internships. It is vital that we create the skilled work force needed to meet the manufacturing needs of companies such as Electric Boat, Pratt & Whitney and Sikorsky Aircraft, and the hundreds of smaller manufacturing companies over the next 5-10 years. We take this as our mission and believe we are well positioned to educate, train, and then provide the skilled workers to meet the growing demand. NVCCs Advanced Manufacturing Technology program stands committed to keeping manufacturing alive and well here in Connecticut for years to come, said Joseph DeFeo, Director of NVCCs Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center. NVCC has approximately 250 industry partners that support the program including Pratt & Whitney, Electric Boat, Praxair Corp, Branson, Kimberly-Clark, Memry Corp, EDAC Technologies, Stanley Engineering, and Medtronic Medical Corp. The program has a 100 percent job placement rate. The certificate curriculum is available at: nv.edu/amtc. Manufacturers or potential students interested in the program can contact Deirdre DAmore at 203-575-8014 or DDAmore@nv.edu to learn more about NVCCs manufacturing program in Waterbury. TORRINGTON The Sullivan Senior Center, 88 East Albert St., Torrington, is offering two Italian classes in January. Fee for each class: $85 seniors/ $100 for others. Intermediate Italian will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2:30-4:30 p.m. to April 9. There will be 14 sessions. This course is designed for those with knowledge of the basic verb tenses and a strong vocabulary. Required text: Italian Two and Three Years Workbook, 2nd edition, by Tursi and Cincinnato, available online. Advanced Italian, will begin on Friday, Jan. 11, 9:15-11:15 a.m., to April 12. There will be 14 sessions. This course is for those who have studied advanced grammar and have a strong vocabulary. Required Text: Da Capo by Moneti and Lazzarino, sixth edition, available online. There will also be a reader. Two Italian courses will be offered at St. Michael's Episcopal Church, South St., Litchfield. Basic Italian II will begin on Thursday, Jan. 10, 2:45-4:45 p.m., to April 11. There will be 12 sessions. This course is designed for those who have had an introduction to basic grammar and conversation. Required text: Italian Made Simple, 1960 edition by Jackson and Lopreato, ISBN: 0-385-00736-1, available online. Required reader: Sulla straada del contrabbando, EMC Publishing, ISBN: 0-8219-1020-5, available at applauselearning.com or online. Intermediate Italian will begin on Friday, Jan. 11, 1:30-3:30 p.m., to April 12. There will be 12 sessions. This course is for those with knowledge of the basic verb tenses and a strong vocabulary. Required text: Prego! An Invitation to Italian, 3rd edition, ISBN: 0-07-540865-1, available online. Required reader: I promessi sposi, abridged version (128 pages), ISBN: 88-530-0285-9, available at applauselearning.com or online. Fee for each class: $90 seniors/ $105 for others. The instructor for the classes is Dona Frauenhofer. For information, call 860-496-8041. Program addresses needs of local men, boys BURLINGTON The Men & Boys Fund of Main Street Community Foundation will host the third community briefing on the unmet needs of local men and boys, Wednesday, Jan. 30 at the Burlington Public Library. The public is invited to attend; RSVP is required to Julie Matthews at the Foundation by calling 860-583-6363. The 90-minute program will feature a discussion on the unmet needs of men and boys in Burlington as well as the story of a local man who struggled through foster care and school but found success with support from resources like this Fund. Our main speaker, Christopher Marinelli, is an example of just the type of person the Fund tries to help, said Rodger Stotz, the Funds Advisory Board Chair. Were always looking for ways to encourage boys and men to become more self-sufficient, gain work and life skills, and make a positive impact in their community. About two years ago a group of men came to Main Street Community Foundation with an overwhelming concern, said the Foundation President & CEO, Susan Sadecki. They were concerned about things like the need for more positive male role models, increased school achievement among boys, the growing number of single parent fathers, and more. We asked local town, school, and social service agency leaders to identify the unmet needs they observe and the Men & Boys Fund was established to help try to meet some of those challenges. The Fund has already provided more than $10,000 in program and immediate response grants to boys and men in the six towns the Fund covers. In 2018, the Men & Boys Fund awarded $6,000 in grants to four local nonprofits. Those grants support ongoing programs that teach high school students work and life skills, help single fathers improve their parenting skills, and engage young boys in activities that build character, leadership, and positive behavior. The Fund also awards immediate response grants for small needs that can make a big difference. Examples include paying a rental application fee for a homeless man, providing a high school graduate with clothes for his job interviews, and helping an aspiring student attend a national invention convention. Light refreshments will be served and community members are invited to come with questions and ideas. The snow date is Jan. 31. The Main Street Community Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for both present and future generations in the communities served by encouraging and promoting gift planning, prudent stewardship of assets, effective grantmaking and community leadership. A nonprofit public charity, created by private citizens, the foundation works with donors in Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and Wolcott who wish to build permanent charitable endowments to support their communities. Since its founding in 1995, the foundation has provided over $16.5 million in grants and scholarships. Stage company to hold auditions OAKVILLE Open auditions for Four Weddings and An Elvis at Phoenix Stage Company, Oakville, will be held on Sunday and Monday, Jan. 20-21, 7-9 p.m. at 133 Main St., Oakville. No appointments are needed. Those auditioning will be reading from the script and pages will be provided. The production is being directed by Lori Poulin with Stage Manager Debbie Cryan. Sandy, the four-times-married-three-times-divorced owner of a wedding chapel in Las Vegas, has certainly seen her fair share of matrimonies! In the hilarious Four Weddings and an Elvis, we witness four of her funniest: Bev and Stan, who are getting married, by the King himself, as revenge on their exes; Vanessa and Bryce, two arrogant aging stars who are tying the knot as a publicity ploy, and are vexed by an aging Elvis who doesn't know who they are; and Martin and Fiona, a gentle postal-worker and a tough ex-con trying to get married before the police arrive. However, the final wedding is the funniest all: Sandys fifth and final wedding which reveals a hilarious twist. Seven men and four women are needed. Actors of all ethnicities and experience levels are encouraged to audition. All roles are open. Performance dates for the show are March 16-30, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Actors must be available for all performance dates to be cast. Rehearsal dates are to be determined and will be available at auditions. Find more information at www.phoenixstagecompany.org or by calling 860-417-2505. The Chambers Government Relations Committee and the Chamber Board of Directors endorsed the 2019 Legislative Agenda, Balance & Stability. Here are the highlights: Fiscal Principals Fiscal predictability and reducing the increases in both the cost of living and doing business in CT are essential to reviving our economy. Government must prioritize services and deliver them more efficiently. Our spending policies must distinguish between wants and needs. The process for setting public sector employee contracts, including pensions and benefits, must be reformed with sustainability as the goal. Cost effective public-private partnerships or privatization should be encouraged for the provision for state and local services. Workforce Development and Education Achieve efficiencies in education. Address mandate relief and consolidation in areas such as administration, minimum budget requirements and binding arbitration. Adopt a new Education Cost Sharing formula that cost-effectively addresses the needs of all students, while maintaining funding for small towns. Support course offerings and programs by Northwestern Connecticut Community College that are crucial to our region's workforce. Support the growth and expansion of Oliver Wolcott Technical High School, which is vital to area businesses and serves the largest geographic region of any technical school. Transportation Explore public/private partnerships to improve transit options throughout Northwest Connecticut. Economic Hub Recognize Torringtons designation as a micropolitan area. The city is the economic and social center of Litchfield County with a population less than 50,000 while serving 180,000. Arts & Culture Support cost-effective culture and tourism initiatives in Northwest Connecticut that generate a return on investment. Reform the funding distribution formula for local economic drivers such as the Warner Theatre. Maintain the CT Office of the Arts and encourage a collaboration with the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council. Energy and Communications Continue capital and maintenance improvements to increase energy supply, capacity and transmission. Support Northwest CTs companies that create fuel cell, wind, solar, bioheat and other alternative energy innovations. Support efforts to increase the supply of natural gas in Connecticut. Support a new fiber-optic network for Northwest Connecticut, which is critical to the regions economic development, education and safety. Healthcare Further support community-based mental health services that address the growing demand for treatment, and in particular, measures that effectively counter the opioid crisis. Phase out the hospital provider tax and provide adequate funding through Medicaid to ensure financial viability of our hospitals, which are major employers and economic drivers. Adopt policies to assist recruitment and retention of skilled healthcare workers at all levels including primary care providers, CNAs and nurses to cover the current and projected shortage. Business Growth Oppose mandates and regulations that increase both the cost of living and the cost of doing business. Support policies that attract and retain businesses. Create policies that will result in a pro-business environment to encourage growth. Adopt common sense unemployment compensation reforms that will restore trust fund solvency. We encourage you to work with the Chamber and our legislative delegation in recognizing and acting upon these business concerns. You are also invited to the Chambers Government Relations Committee meeting on Jan. 10, where we will be discussing this agenda. JoAnn Ryan is President & CEO of the NW CT Chamber of Commerce. You can reach her by email: joann@nwctchamberofcommerce.org or phone: 860-482-6586. WASHINGTON Klemm Real Estate was recently notified that broker and firm president Graham Klemm is a recipient of 10 Best Real Estate Agent Award for Connecticut by the American Institute of Real Estate Professionals. The institute was created in 2014 with an innovative idea that the organization could save time, energy and effort for those who are looking for the most qualified Real Estate Agents in their area and at no cost to the consumer. Agents who are recognized by the American Institute of Real Estate Professionals are considered the best in the industry for client satisfaction, so the perspective new client will be able to take this knowledge and use it in making the tough decision on what Real Estate agent or firm to hire. It is the intent of American Institute of Real Estate Professionals to aid these prospective new clients by saving them time and effort in their own research. What a great honor to be recognized in this way. I am thrilled, Klemm said in a statement. Klemm Real Estate has offices located in Washington Depot, Woodbury, Litchfield, Roxbury, Lakeville/Salisbury and Sharon. Staffed by 40 associates serving Litchfield County for almost 35 years. For more information, call 860-488-6635, g@klemmrealestate.com; or www.klemmrealestate.com. Foundation, Geer Village award $5,000 grant TORRINGTON The Litchfield Hills/Northwest Elderly Nutrition Program recently received a $5,000 grant from Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation sponsored by Geer Village Senior Community to provide more home delivered meals to older adults in rural communities in the northwest area of Connecticut. These funds will cover the cost shortfall of 3,831 meals. Our program relies on state and federal grants and local businesses and community support as the Connecticut Home Care Program reimbursement rates have not kept pace with rising costs, said Joel Sekorski, Director of Services for the Elderly at Sullivan Senior Center in Torrington, in a written statement. This grant will provide more meals to seniors in our more rural communities, delivered right to their door. This is particularly important because we also provide a daily social contact to make sure everyone is well. The mission of the Elderly Nutrition Program is to provide low-income and homebound seniors with nutritious home delivered meals and establish daily social contact, enabling seniors to have quality of life while remaining at home. The use of centrally located sites such as senior centers, elderly housing units, churches and public or private facilities for congregate community cafes provide access to social and rehabilitative services. Home delivered meals are delivered in the 18-town region of the Litchfield Hills / Northwest section of Connecticut and provide daily social contact for clients who may not otherwise have social interaction. We are thrilled to help the Elderly Nutrition Program provide food and wellness to seniors in our community, by nominating them for this grant, said Stacie Nicholas, Development Director of Geer Village Senior Community. Our organizations regularly support one another and our older adults, and we are grateful to Harvard Pilgrim Foundation for helping enrich the lives of people in our community and strengthen their overall health and well-being. Located on more than 70 acres in historic Canaan, Geer Village Senior Community is a non-profit organization and community of independent seniors, residents, daily program participants, caregivers, family, staff, neighbors, and volunteers. Services include independent living apartments, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and rehabilitation, outpatient physical therapy, pharmacy services, adult day care, dial-a-ride, low-income housing and community gathering spaces. Eating healthy food and staying active can enhance the quality of life for people of all ages, said Jason Madrak, Vice President of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care in Connecticut. We are thrilled to see that our small investments in very local organizations can measurably improve access to nutritious meals to help older adults eat better. We are proud to partner with Geer Village and the Elderly Nutrition Program in making this happen. Created in 1980, The Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation supports Harvard Pilgrim's mission to improve the quality and value of health care for the people and communities we serve. The Harvard Pilgrim Foundation provides the tools, training and leadership to help build healthy communities throughout Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. In 2017, the Harvard Pilgrim Foundation awarded more than $2.3 million in grants to more than 900 nonprofit organizations in the region. Since its inception in 1980, the foundation has awarded $145 million in funds and resources throughout the four states. For more information, visit www.harvardpilgrim.org/foundation. xxx Litchfield Bancorp welcomes Christine Bascetta-Gath LITCHFIELD Thomas Villanova, President & CEO of Litchfield Bancorp, recently announced the appointment of Christine Bascetta-Gath as Senior Vice President and Commercial Lending Officer for the bank, as of December 10, 2018. Christine Bascetta-Gath began her banking career in 2010 and since then she has worked in multiple areas of commercial banking. Prior to Litchfield Bancorp, Christine was Vice President & Commercial/Wholesale Banker at United Bank. Prior to that, Christine was responsible for determining the lending needs and banking services for existing and potential customers, as well as aiding in a $30MM loan growth over a two year span at Torrington Savings Bank. Christine graduated from the University of Chicago with a MA degree and a BA from Clark University. She is also a graduate of Connecticut School of Finance and Management. We are pleased to have Christine join our team here at Litchfield Bancorp. Thomas Villanova said, in regards to the hiring of Christine Bascetta-Gath. Her experience and talents will be a great addition to our already outstanding group of lenders. Christine spends her free time outdoors, at the gym, and enjoying quality time with her family. Webster rated Best Overall Bank in the Northeast WATERBURY - Webster Bank was named best overall bank in the Northeast in Bank Directors annual RankingBanking study, released in December. The 2019 RankingBanking study identifies the top public U.S. retail and commercial banks between $10 billion and $250 billion in assets within each region - the South, the West, the Midwest and the Northeast. In addition to placing first overall in the Northeast, Webster was also the top bank in the Northeast in three key categories: Best Technology Strategy, Best Board and Best Small Business Strategy. This is another independent report showcasing our good work across the organization, and a great way to kick off 2019, said President and CEO John R. Ciulla. The rankings were calculated using Bank Directors proprietary algorithm, which incorporates more than 60 critical data points to measure banks relative strengths and weaknesses. The data points used were both qualitative and quantitative, including case studies and analyst opinions. Many factors went into Websters top rankings, including the banks high-level focus on digital banking and user experience, the diversity and expertise of its board and its small business loan growth and volume. We also noted Webster's robust selection of products and services tailored for small businesses, the fact that customers can apply for loan and deposit products online and Webster's ability to generate online loan decisions within 48 hours, said Emily McCormick, Bank Directors vice president of research. Bank Director is a leading information resource for the directors and officers of financial institutions across the nation. Source: Last updated on: January 06, 2019 21:07 IST Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged that defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman "lied" in Parliament that government orders worth Rs 1 lakh crore were provided to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, while demanding that she should either place the documents in support of her statement in the House or resign. Photograph: PTI Photo Sitharaman hit back at the allegation saying it is a matter of "shame" that the Congress chief was "misleading" the country without fully understanding the issue. Gandhi's attack came after a media report claimed that "not a single rupee of the said Rs 1 lakh crore has come to the HAL, since not a single order, as claimed, has been signed till now". The media report cited senior HAL management officials in order to back its claim. "When you tell one lie, you need to keep spinning out more lies, to cover up the first one. In her eagerness to defend the PM's Rafale lie, the RM lied to Parliament," Gandhi tweeted. "Tomorrow, RM must place before Parliament documents showing 1 Lakh crore of Govt orders to HAL. Or resign," he said. Suggesting that Gandhi jumped the gun while making the charges following a media report, Sitharaman's office tweeted that Gandhi should "start from ABCs" and read the complete report before commenting on it. "It's a shame that the president of @INCIndia is misleading the nation. HAL has signed contracts worth Rs 26570.8 Cr (Between 2014 and 2018) and contracts worth Rs 73000 Cr are in the pipeline. Will @RahulGandhi apologise to the country from the floor of the house?," Sitharaman tweeted from the defence minister's official handle. She also tweeted details of contract awarded to the HAL since 2014 when BJP came to power. According to her, the Rs 49,797 crore contract to the HAL for supply of 83 light combat aircraft Tejas to the Indian Air Force was at the stage of technical evaluation stage.Another contract, whose tentative size is Rs 20,000 crore, for supply of a batch of Kamov Ka 226 T helicopters was also in the similar stage. Sitharaman also pointed out that the media report said that "LS (Lok Sabha) record shows" that she did not claim the orders were signed and mentioned that they were in the works. Sitharaman made the remarks about HAL during her reply to debate on Rafale deal in Lok Sabha on Friday. The Congress has been targeting the government, alleging that it denied the HAL an offset contract under the Rafale fighter jets deal with France, a charge the government has denied. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government has accused the Congress of not supporting the HAL during its rule and asserted that the government is now strengthening the defence public sector undertaking. Gandhi had on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "weakening" the HAL to help his "suit-boot" friend. Gandhi's attack had come over a media report which claimed that the HAL, grappling with low finances, was forced to borrow Rs 1,000 crore to pay salaries to its employees for the first time in years. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said the Congress will press for Sitharaman's resignation in case she fails to substantiate her claim in Parliament that the HAL was given contracts worth Rs 1 lakh crore. Tewari said Sitharaman will have to make a statement on the floor of Parliament. If the government is claiming that they have given contracts worth crores to the HAL then why does that the PSU have to borrow in order to pay their staff, Tewari said. It just does not add up, he said. Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala earlier on Sunday tweeted: "The Lying Defence Minister's Lies Get Exposed! Defence Minister claimed that procurement orders worth Rs 1 Lakh Crore provided to HAL! HAL says Not a SINGLE PAISA has come, as Not a SINGLE ORDER has been signed!" "For the first time, HAL forced to take a loan of Rs 1000 Cr to pay salaries!," he added. Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma accused the defence minister of putting up a "theatrical performance" in the Lok Sabha. The defence minister is "who put up a theatrical performance in the LS, is presenting a pathetic picture by reducing her office into an apologist for Shri @narendramodi, who is personally complicit in the #RafaleScam," he tweeted. "2 days left for Parliament, challenge the PM answer our questions, Sharma said. "The Defence Minister is acting as a spokesperson of Ambani-Dassault JV by running down HAL to justify the denial of transfer of technology and the manufacture of 108 Rafale aircrafts in India. She is trying to win kudos from a PM who is already in the departure lounge," he tweeted. In a scathing attack at Gandhi, BJP leader and Union minister Smriti Irani accused him of "hurting" Parliament's and a woman minister's (Sitharaman) dignity by "winking" in the Lok Sabha as the defence minister replied to the Rafale debate on Friday. "We do not expect values from him but we do hope that he maintains the dignity of Parliament," Irani told a press conference. She was responding to questions about Gandhi's claim in a tweet Sunday that Sitharaman had "lied" in her reply and also about his another tweet, alleging that Modi is an "incompetent man". January 06, 2019 11:09 IST 'Some semi-literate lunkhead tweeting at Rs 2 per tweet from a dingy basement in Chennai or San Diego accomplishes nothing, but give hundreds of thousands of them a time, date, and talking points, and they can create a wall of sound -- a nonsensical wall, perhaps, but one that is heard, and that can occasionally prevail just because it's there,' says Mitali Saran. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com The biggest development the Bharatiya Janata Party has brought to India has been the online right-wing troll mob. Skip this whole column if you know all about it; it's for those who don't get what the fuss is about. The right-wing troll army is tasked with fanning Hindutva, and discrediting those parts of the news media and those individuals that haven't already discredited themselves by rolling over before the Narendra Damodardas Modi government. It does so through insult, misinformation, a spurious insistence on 'data', and straight up lies. Trolls trade on collective speech and collective unreason, deriving their strength purely from numbers. Think bees and ants, but less cuddly. Some semi-literate lunkhead tweeting at Rs 2 per tweet from a dingy basement in Chennai or San Diego accomplishes nothing, but give hundreds of thousands of them a time, date, and talking points, and they can create a wall of sound -- a nonsensical wall, perhaps, but one that is heard, and that can occasionally prevail just because it's there. We could all learn a thing or two from the organisational capability of these creatures -- backed and directed by the BJP's information technology cell, and encouraged, followed, and felicitated by directly by Modi and BJP President Amit Anilchandra Shah. Nodal trolls with tens or hundreds of thousands of supporters act either as original sparks to start a fire, or as petrol to throw on one when they are tagged by those with 182,000 tweets and 15 followers. Trolls work with discipline, follow orders, and execute the dark arts of psychological operations. They deflect substance and concentrate on reshaping public perception of their targets. Their messages to those who dissent or oppose the government fall into a few broad categories, ranging from trivial to dangerous. TROLLS 1. Looks: You look like a witch/prostitute/a man, and/or old. This level of trolling ricochets right off one's ugly old eyeball. 2. Dyspepsia: You can't 'digest' the fact that Mr Modi won. Health would include the peristalsis of compliance. Dissidents are just cranky invalids still sickened by a loss, and unable to think clearly. 3. Burnol: Trolls paint dissenters as people stewing in their own juices, frying in their own distress. Their recommendation to apply Burnol is shorthand for reducing opposition to wounded vanity, pain arising only from stinging humiliation or jealousy. 4. Elitism: Sour grapes! You miss the gravy train of your paymasters at 10 Janpath, and the perks of sipping champagne on former PM Manmohan Singh's plane. It doesn't matter whether you ever had it, you miss the freeloading high life, but your time is over, sucker. Dissent as the bile of deprivation segues nicely into: 5. Slavery: You are an Italian slave and a bonded mouthpiece, and you need to express these views to get your monthly cheque from your Congress paymasters. You refuse to bend because of Western brainwashing, and because you are already crawling before the Congress. This dovetails into: 6. Sold-out presstitute: You 'peddle' things for the highest bidder ('peddling' connotes a cheapened or purely mercenary ethics, and in the case of women, is bound up in misogyny). Never forget that it was the PM who came up with 'bazaaru media', and his Minister of State V K Singh who came up with 'presstitute'. 7. Spreading lies: The troll faculty at the 'University of WhatsApp' simply states that unflattering news reports are lies, and provide cherry-picked or utterly fictitious nonsense to prove the opposite. 8. Hatred of Modi: Criticism comes only from 'blind hatred' of Mr Modi himself. Saying that you're neither blind, nor hate the man, would be like reasoning with a landslide. This tiresome refrain blurs the distinction between critique and motivated hatred. 9. Hatred of Hinduism: A boring trope, especially to an atheist, but it's catnip to fundamentalist Hindus. Critique is religious and cultural insult. 10. Hatred of India: You're an anti-national, you're part of the 'tukde tukde gang' or the 'award wapsi gang', where the word 'gang' is suggestive of criminality. You're 'breaking India', you're part of the 'anti-India forces', you're defaming India, you should go to Pakistan, or live in Saudi Arabia, you should be jailed, or killed, or raped, you should be put on watchlists. Of all the frenzy a mob can whip up, this is the most dangerous, because it challenges the dissident's right to citizenship, safety, and liberty. Never forget that the PM publicly validated Vivek Agnihotri's malicious term 'urban Naxal', which slyly conflates privilege and sedition. Right-wing trolls began as a nuisance, swiftly graduated to an electoral leg-up, then propped up propaganda sites such as OpIndia and Postcard News as legitimate journalism, and are now a serious challenge to fact, history, and the public's right to know. They have so vitiated public perception of the media, under the benevolent guidance of the top BJP leadership, that one can only quote this twist on Martin Niemoller's warning: 'First they came for the journalists. We don't know what happened after that.' January 06, 2019 09:59 IST Saturday's mid-air engine failure on Indigo flight prompts scrutiny. Arindam Majumder reports. Airbus's most popular single-aisle jet model, A320Neo with Pratt & Whitney engines, faces fresh scrutiny from the government after IndiGo reported another incident of a mid-air engine failure on Saturday. A320Neo is the workhorse of IndiGo and GoAir. Together, they have over 500 such planes on order. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha has called a meeting to review the operations of the engines and to decide whether they pose any threat. The IndiGo aircraft which suffered the engine failure was flying to Kolkata from Chennai. It had to return mid-way. The aircraft has been grounded because of damaged engine blades. Sources said the regulator was contemplating a partial grounding of the fleet if the engine manufacturer, Pratt & Whitney, could not come up with an explanation. "The regulator has taken note of the incident and it will be reviewed on Tuesday," Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey said. Asked if the government was contemplating to halt the deployment of the A320Neo, he said, "We will review the incident, but no such direction has been given as of now." Pratt & Whitney and Airbus did not comment on the issue. Last year, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation grounded around 14 A320Neo planes after the European safety regulator, the European Aviation Safety Agency, raised an alarm about the engine. Sources said the Indigo aircraft's engine stalled mid-air, followed by a loud noise and an abnormal vibration in the engines. "The engine suffered damage to its blades. Currently, it is waiting for a replacement at Chennai airport," said a source. IndiGo confirmed the incident, but insisted that the pilot brought the engine to idle deliberately and followed the procedure. Pilots of A320Neo planes have been asked by the engine manufacturer to bring engine to idle mode whenever they notice any malfunction. In its idle mode, the engine uses minimum thrust and power. Though the problem has not been diagnosed, it is related to overheating of the compression chamber, according to sources. Preliminary investigation of the incident by the enginemaker has found that the temperature of the rear-end of the dry face seal is increasing more than the front end, as it is not getting lubricated adequately. So, Pratt is working on a modification of the seal that would increase the flow of oil, leading to higher lubrication in the rear end of the engine. The new design will be released to operators only in early 2019, said a person aware of the development. Record-Eagle/Tessa LightyTina Schuett applied for her medical marijuana license in October and just had her first contact from the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Scheutt, a local business owner, wants to open a medical marijuana dispensary, but needs preapproval by the state before the city's license lottery in May. Property details: Outdoor enthusiast dream location in the San Luis Valley, one of the highest and largest intermountain valleys in the world. You can fish in the Rio Grande River located just west of this property or visit the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve along with Mount Blanca to the north. Park your RV here or camp out for some great views all around you. This property is on a corner lot and the roads are maintained by the county so you have easy access.... Price: $ 2,600 Seller State of Residence: Georgia State/Province: Colorado Location: , San Luis, Co You will be redirected to eBay Nearby Colorado Property details: ATTENTIONTHIS PROPERTY IS OFFERED WITH OWNER FINANCEPLEASE REVIEW THE ENTIRE LISTING THOROUGHLY Here's an awesome 21 Acres of vacant land on Canary Lane in Termo (Lassen County), 30 miles north of Susanville.This area is rich in agriculture, good soil, and plenty of underground water.This is a ranch style community. Cattle and horses abound throughout the area. Alfalfa is the main farming product and it grows well here. Zoning allows one residence per 20 acres and you can also have secondary bui... Price: $ 12,500 Area Acreage (acres): 21.00 Property Address: Canary Lane State/Province: California Seller State of Residence: California Zip/Postal Code: 96132 Zoning: Residential, Agricultural City: Termo Type: Vacant Land Location: 961**, Termo, California You will be redirected to eBay Nearby Vacant Land Forty-five years ago, while running for governor of California the first time, Jerry Brown embraced a new book with a memorable title: Small Is Beautiful. It was written by E.F. Schumacher, an Oxford economist whod left his native Germany after Hitler came to power. Schumacher was an atheist as a young man, and a Marxist. He was a seeker throughout his life, however, who kept an open mind and heart. He helped the British government during World War II, and went to Asia after the war to contemplate the positive effect Buddhism might have on capitalism. Schumacher also delved deeply into Catholic social thought, finding answers there and converting to Catholicism. The subtitle to his book, which became an unlikely international bestseller, was A Study of Economics as If People Mattered. In the U.S., Schumacher was embraced by prominent Democrats. Jimmy Carter brought him to the White House two months after being inaugurated. The author was also befriended by Jerry Brown, Carters 1976 primary season rival. A former Jesuit seminarian who later went to Japan to study Buddhism, Brown spoke at Schumachers 1977 funeral. As governor, Brown tried to implement the small is beautiful ethos into state programs, touting a similar mantra: Less is more. Four decades later, with Democrats stacking up like planes over OHare to run against President Trump, its a good time for them to recall their New Age roots. Large fields of candidates are not beautiful. Fewer is better. Democrats need not hark back to the 1970s to see the wisdom of this idea. They only need to recall the last presidential election. How do they think an unqualified reality-TV star with a string of bankruptcies and broken marriages made off with the Republican Party nomination? When I say unqualified, I mean for the presidency. Donald Trump had never held or sought elective office. Hed not served in government or the military, and bragged about not reading books about past presidents -- or any topic. But he turned out to be well-qualified candidate at a time when grassroots voters had soured on political elites. Simply put, in a field with 17 mostly credible candidates, the bombastic demagogue with charisma and finely honed television skills is not easy to beat. Democrats dont believe this can happen to them. They attribute Trumps victory to white racism among Republicans, or sexism, or the ism du jour. They expect their voters to choose sagely no matter how many Democrats decide to run. Im skeptical. I see little evidence that the Democrats base is any more temperate than their Republican counterparts. I think a large field is perilous for the Democratic Party, and the country. We could easily get another Trump; or, at the least, a Democrat who will secure the nomination by being the most Trump-like candidate. That might bring us another four years of Trump himself. Its worth recalling how that happened. Remember in August 2015 when Fox News scheduled two presidential debates to kick off the campaign, instead of one? This started a precedent, and a meme, about the kids table debate featuring the second-tier candidates. But why should GOP luminaries such as Rick Santorum, Rick Perry, and Lindsey Graham be relegated to the undercard a non-prime-time debate seen by far fewer voters and mostly ignored by the media when Ben Carson, Mike Huckabee, and Rand Paul were in the main event? The answer was the same reason Donald Trump was at the big-kids table: polling numbers. But why not put them all on stage at once? The answer was simple math: A 90-miniute debate, divided by 17 candidates, would have come out to 5 minutes and 18 seconds apiece. Scarcely enough time, noted Michael Barone, for the oral equivalent of a few tweets. The large field warped the campaign in other ways. Each election cycle, an attractive young face emerges. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio fit that description last time, but if you count Mar-a-Lago he was only one of three GOP candidates who resided in Florida. Moreover, his rivals came at Rubio in waves: Jeb Bush dropped a cool $100 million in advertising, much of it negative attacks, on his onetime protege. Chris Christie launched a kamikaze attack on Rubio in New Hampshire. Trump finished the job with his primary win in Florida. Why were so many GOPers running for president anyway? The answer was that they all made the calculation that the Democrats were stuck with Hillary Clinton and that almost any Republican could beat her. The same dynamic is true now, which is why so many Democrats are lining up to run against Trump. They think they can whip him. Many also believe another lesson of 2016 is that experience is no longer valued by voters. If Trump can be president, anyone can. Nearly a dozen Senate Democrats are considering a run, with one them, Elizabeth Warren, already on the campaign trail. A passel of governors or former governors are making noises about running. House members, too! So even if the last House member to win the White House was James A. Garfield in 1880, nine House Democrats are eyeing the starting blocks. Mayors, too! City Hall is a launching pad that has never produced a president. But then again, neither had The Apprentice. We havent even started talking about potential candidates with Trump-like resumes -- private sector characters such as Tom Steyer, Howard Schultz, Oprah Winfrey, and Dwayne The Rock Johnson. Looking at the vast field taking shape and remembering 2016, you might think that this is unlikely to end well. Jerry Brown might have saved his party from Trump had he heeded my advice and run in 2016, but hell be 82 years old on Election Day 2020, so hes off the hook this time. As for Browns political party, theyve moved so far to the left during the Trump regime that Small Is Beautiful isnt nearly radical enough anymore. Todays Democrats are more inclined to heed the advice of a truly revolutionary thinker, one who proclaimed: Let a hundred flowers bloom. If they stay true to Mao, the Democrats are going to need three or four debate stages, not just two. The 2016 circus will seem tame by comparison, raising the obvious question: Is there any way this could work out for them? Perhaps, if they do one thing. Again, Californias politics of an earlier generation provides the inspiration. In 1966, as Ronald Reagan prepared to unseat Jerry Browns father, Gov. Pat Brown, he glided to the Republican gubernatorial nomination without ever criticizing his primary opponents. Not only that, but he forestalled the attacks of rivals on him by quoting then-state party Chairman Gaylord Parkinson, who coined the so-called 11th Commandment: Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican. Notwithstanding their ritual genuflections to Ronald Reagan, the 2016 Republicans did not remain true to these roots, violating the Parkinson-Reagan commandment at every turn. The 2020 Democrats could reprise this code of behavior, though theyd probably modify it. Their 12th Commandment might go something like this: Thou shalt not speak ill of any presidential contender other than Donald J. Trump. Who knows, it just might work. Last month, California police officer Ronil Singh was senselessly killed by an illegal immigrant who had entered the United States through our southern border. Mitt Romney is auditioning to be the conscience of the Republican Party and a leading critic of Trump. But his appeals to decency ring hollow from a politician who made his fortune dismantling companies and putting Americans out of work. CROATIA: The government has formally awarded incumbent national operator HZPP a public service obligation contract covering the operation of all passenger services for 10 years from January 1 2019. Women often experience unique warning signs of heart disease which can be mistaken for other issues or ignored completely by their doctors. Dr. Ernst von Schwarz says that women often experience unique warning signs of heart disease which can be mistaken for other issues or ignored completely by their doctors. This can be especially dangerous in younger women who may not realize that they are at risk. Fortunately, women can learn how to be better advocates for themselves when seeing their health care providers. ABC 7 news in Los Angeles interviewed Dr. von Schwarz and his patient in a story showing how heart disease in women is often misunderstood. Link to the story: https://youtu.be/hg_XGR1JWSg Tara, now 40, first learned that she had heart disease at age 29. Tara was misdiagnosed for several years although she complained of multiple symptoms including recurring chest pains and a racing heart. Tara was told by doctors that she was just "too stressed" or was "drinking too much coffee." Eventually Tara ended up in a hospital emergency room in shock from a pain medication she used for the first time. In the ER, Taras heart function was found to be "extremely low" and Dr. von Schwarz was called in to assess her. Tara ultimately underwent several procedures including having a pacemaker implanted and surgery to repair a damaged heart valve. About a year after her heart valve surgery Tara learned that she was pregnant. She was advised by her primary care physicians that her pregnancy would present a serious risk to her health, but Tara was determined to have at least one child with her husband. When her doctors were reluctant to care for her during her pregnancy she turned to Dr. von Schwarz who saw her through to term. Tara beat the odds, ultimately giving birth to healthy twin boys who are now 8 years old. Ernst von Schwarz, MD, PhD, is a triple board certified internist, cardiologist and heart transplant cardiologist. He practices in Los Angeles, Culver City, Beverly Hills and Murrieta / Temecula, CA For more information visit http://www.drernstschwarz.com. Auto Accident Collision coverage is extremely important to any driver. It covers a vast number of scenarios in which the car is damaged by other vehicles or structures. Drivers of valuable cars should purchase this policy, said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. Compare-autoinsurance.org has released a new blog post that presents the main events covered by collision car insurance. As the name suggests, the policy is intended to cover the damage caused by a collision. This collision may happen between 2 or more vehicles, a vehicle and a structure (fence, lamp post, street sign, trees) or when the car rolls over. Each situation is explained in this blog post. Whenever an accident happens, both parties must announce their insurers. Drivers that have this coverage will be reimbursed, no matter who caused the accident. The insurance company will reimburse the driver and will wait for the results of the investigation. Depending on these results, the company will seek reimbursement from the other drivers insurer or will raise its client premiums. Find out on how much is expected the premiums to be increased. And there are other unpleasant consequences that may be applied. Collision insurance also covers rollovers. Owners of SUVs should be aware that their vehicles are more likely to be involved in a rollover. More info on the blog post. Rollovers can be very expensive and often lead to the vehicle to be totaled. In this case, the insurance company will pay you the amount your car is worth prior to the accident. This value is mentioned as Actual Cash Value (ACV). For more information and free car insurance tips, please visit http://compare-autoinsurance.org Compare-autoinsurance.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. Elizabeth City, NC (27909) Today Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. ZF is using the Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC platform to handle real-time data aggregation, pre-processing, and distribution, as well as to provide compute acceleration for the AI processing in ZF's new AI-based electronic control unit. ZF selected this adaptable, intelligent platform because it provides the processing power scalability and flexibility essential for the ZF ProAI platform to be customized for each of its customer's unique requirements. "The unique selling proposition of the ZF ProAI is its modular hardware concept and open software architecture. Our aim is to provide the widest possible range of functions in the field of autonomous driving," explained Torsten Gollewski, head of ZF Advanced Engineering and general manager of Zukunft Ventures GmbH. This approach is unique compared to other systems on the market, which use a fixed combination of hardware and software architecture a solution that can potentially limit functionality and add more cost. "We are proud to partner with ZF on its ProAI platform and help solve the challenges associated with autonomous vehicle development," said Yousef Khalilollahi, vice president, core vertical markets, Xilinx. "By providing an adaptable hardware platform, ZF can design flexible and scalable systems that seamlessly incorporate AI compute acceleration and functional safety (FuSa) through diversity in processing engines. We look forward to expanding our collaboration with ZF to take autonomous and AI innovation to the next level." Xilinx has been selling chips to automakers and Tier 1 automotive suppliers for over 12 years. More than 160 million Xilinx devices are in automotive systems today, and approximately 55 million of these are used for ADAS alone. About Xilinx Xilinx develops highly flexible and adaptive processing platforms that enable rapid innovation across a variety of technologies from the endpoint to the edge to the cloud. Xilinx is the inventor of the FPGA, hardware programmable SoCs and the ACAP, designed to deliver the most dynamic processor technology in the industry and enable the adaptable, intelligent and connected world of the future. For more information, visit www.xilinx.com. About ZF Friedrichshafen AG ZF is a global leader in driveline and chassis technology as well as active and passive safety technology. The company has a global workforce of 146,000 with approximately 230 locations in some 40 countries. In 2017, ZF achieved sales of 36.4 billion and as such, is one of the largest automotive suppliers worldwide. ZF allows vehicles to see, think and act. The company invests more than six percent of its sales in research and development annually in particular for the development of efficient and electric drivelines and also in striving for a world without accidents. With its broad portfolio, ZF is advancing mobility and services for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology applications. For further press information and photos, please visit: www.zf.com Copyright 2019 Xilinx, Inc. Xilinx, the Xilinx logo, Zynq and other designated brands included herein are trademarks of Xilinx in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. PR Contact: Tara Sims [email protected] SOURCE Xilinx, Inc. Related Links http://www.xilinx.com SEATTLE, Jan. 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Impel NeuroPharma, a Seattle-based, privately-held biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative therapies for the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disorders, today announced positive results of a Phase 1 trial of INP105. INP105 is a drug-device combination which delivers an optimized formulation of olanzapine, the current gold standard of treatment for acute agitation, via Impel's proprietary Precision Olfactory Delivery, or POD, nasal delivery device. INP105 is being studied for the treatment of acute agitation in bipolar I disorder and schizophrenia. Results demonstrated that INP105 reached peak plasma levels (T max ) twice as fast as intramuscular olanzapine (Zyprexa), and ten-times faster than orally-disintegrating tablets (ODT, Zyprexa Zydis). Maximum and total plasma levels (C max and AUC) were similar to intramuscular delivery and exceeded the total plasma levels for ODT. Pharmacodynamic measures of sedation, including Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the Agitation and Calmness Evaluation Scale (ACES) and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) all showed a robust statistical significance compared to placebo. "The results of this trial are very encouraging and initial conversations with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have indicated the potential for a streamlined development program given the current unmet need for bipolar and schizophrenia patients who experience episodes of acute agitation," said Jon Congleton, President and Chief Executive Officer of Impel NeuroPharma. "We are excited that Impel NeuroPharma's drug-device clinical programs, including INP105, are progressing rapidly and we anticipate multiple data readouts and regulatory filings across the portfolio in the next 18-24 months." In the trial, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-and-active controlled, two-period crossover design, the overall safety and tolerability profiles of INP105 were similar to Zyprexa and Zyprexa Zydis. The most common adverse events (at least two events for any treatment) were dizziness (including postural), headache, nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, hypotension, orthostatic hypotension, fatigue, restlessness, nausea and orthostatic tachycardia. "Unfortunately, the mental health community still lacks an ideal pharmacological rescue treatment for acute agitation one with a non-invasive route of administration but with rapid onset, adequate duration and good tolerability," said Michael H. Allen, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry and Emergency Medicine at the University of Colorado. "These data are encouraging as they indicate that INP105 may be able to help patients maintain consciousness and return to a tranquil state so healthcare professionals can better assess and treat them in both hospital and outpatient settings." Acute agitation often manifests in people living with serious mental health conditions, such as bipolar I disorder or schizophrenia. Agitation episodes related to neuropsychiatric disorders account for approximately 1.7 million visits to the ER each year, placing a significant economic and resource burden on the healthcare system.1 An ideal medication for acute agitation, according to a 2005 expert consensus, is easy-to-administer, non-traumatically administered, provides rapid tranquilization without excessive sedation, has a swift onset of action with sufficient duration to prevent untimely recurrence, and has low risk for adverse events and drug interactions.2 Such an optimal medication could be suitable for administration earlier during an agitation episode, possibly avoiding the need for ER attendance, as well as reduce the need for injected drugs and the associated risks of needlestick injuries and assaults on healthcare staff. About the Trial The "SNAP 101" Trial (Safety and Tolerability of Intranasal POD-olanzapine) is evaluating the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) profile of INP105 at three ascending doses compared with two doses of Zyprexa intramuscular (5 mg and 10 mg) and orally disintegrating Zyprexa Zydis (10 mg) in 36 healthy volunteers. The aim of the SNAP 101 trial is to establish the safety and tolerability of INP105 while informing appropriate dosing for future studies based on the PK and PD profiles. Further details of the SNAP 101 (INP105-101) study can be found on ClinicalTrials.gov. About INP105 INP105 is a drug-device combination product being studied for the treatment of acute agitation associated with bipolar I disorder or schizophrenia. It is comprised of an intranasal formulation of olanzapine and Impel's proprietary Precision Olfactory Delivery, or POD, nasal delivery device. The POD device delivers olanzapine to the richly-vascularized upper nasal cavity offering rapid, consistent and optimized bioavailability that can be administered by the patient or a caregiver. Olanzapine is the most commonly used treatment for acute agitation, but its use is limited to intramuscular injection. INP105 is intended to be suitable for use in the hospital emergency room setting as well as early in an episode where it could be self-administered in the patient's home or supportive care setting. About Acute Agitation Acute agitation is defined as excessive motor activity associated with a feeling of inner tension, often manifesting from a number of serious underlying mental health conditions such as bipolar I disorder or schizophrenia. Agitation episodes related to neuropsychiatric disorders account for 1.7 million visits to the emergency room (ER) in the US each year.1 This places a significant burden on ERs, the healthcare system, and the friends and families of those afflicted, and is responsible for many healthcare staff assaults and injuries. The historic approach of "restrain and sedate" is being abandoned in favor of less coercive, more compassionate, de-escalation approaches that include less invasive pharmacologic interventions. An ideal medication for acute agitation, according to a 2005 expert consensus, is easy-to-administer, non-traumatically administered, provides rapid tranquilization without excessive sedation, has a swift onset of action with sufficient duration to prevent untimely recurrence, and has low risk for adverse events and drug interactions.2 About Impel NeuroPharma Impel NeuroPharma, Inc., is a privately-held, Seattle-based biotechnology company devoted to creating life-changing, innovative therapies for central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Impel NeuroPharma is currently investigating INP104 (POD-DHE) for acute migraine headache, INP103 (POD-levodopa) for reversal of OFF episodes in Parkinson's disease and INP105 (POD-olanzapine) for acute agitation in schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. Impel's products utilize its novel, nasal drug-delivery Precision Olfactory Delivery, or POD, device technology to deliver liquid or dry powder forms of drug to the upper nasal cavity in a consistent and predictable manner. IMPEL, POD and the IMPEL Logo are trademarks of Impel NeuroPharma, Inc. To learn more about Impel NeuroPharma, please visit our website at http://impelnp.com. Contact: Melyssa Weible Elixir Health Public Relations Ph: (1) 201-723-5805 E: [email protected] 1 Allen MH, Currier GW, Hughes DH et al. J Psychiatr Pract 2005. 11(Suppl 1); 5-108 2 The Diagnosis and Management of Agitation. Edited by Scott L. Zeller, Kimberly D. Nordstrom and Michael P. Watson. Cambridge University Press 2017, Page 1. SOURCE Impel NeuroPharma LONDON, Jan. 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Willingness to Develop Sustainable Practices Could See the Region Lead in Aquaculture, the Fastest-growing Food Production Sector Globally, as Marine Supplies Shrink and Ecosystems Become Increasingly Fragile Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5676501 This study provides an analysis of sustainability in the ASEAN aquaculture industry, with a specific focus on the current status of the three leading producers in the regionIndonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand. Aquaculture is the fastest-growing food production sector in the world, fuelled by stagnating global capture fisheries, rising global protein demand, and rapid population growth. At present, ASEAN is the second-largest aquaculture producing region in the world.Growth in ASEAN aquaculture is driven by the steady development of industries in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand. In order to maintain seafood supplies from ASEAN, aquaculture practices in the region will be required to address the challenges pertaining to feed and seed quality, minimise disease outbreaks, and mitigate the deleterious impacts of farming operations on the environment.Issues such as climate change, growing concerns on the environment and food safety amongst consumers, and security of supply and scarcity of raw materials are the key drivers for addressing sustainability challenges in ASEAN. As global marine supplies shrink and ecosystems become increasingly fragile, sustainable aquaculture will become increasingly important in the ASEAN region. ASEAN aquaculture producers are in a position to strategically implement sustainability protocols (environmental and social) as a unique selling point for their products in order to increase their value, particularly for exports. The most significant barriers to the sustainable management of ASEAN aquaculture industry are: lack of effective regulations, limited availability of resources and support services, and inability to leverage advanced technologies. Although efforts have been made to adopt policies and establish regulatory frameworks to properly develop and manage sustainable aquaculture practices, several countries in the region are still lagging behind.The implementation of more ecologically-sound management practices is fundamentally constrained by the lack of financial and skilled human resources. Thus, issues of poverty and urbanisation need to be addressed in order to effectively manage the sustainable development of ASEAN aquaculture. In order to achieve this, the public and private sectors will be required to work collaboratively to create effective and efficient sustainability solutions. The technologies currently available for sustainable aquaculture include: feed alternatives, hatchery produced seed, gene and breeding technology, biosecurity monitoring technologies, water purifying agents, holding systems, and advanced harvesting methods.However, the large-scale adoption of such biotechnological innovations in ASEAN is constrained, as their cost is exorbitant for small-scale farmers who continue to form the foundation of aquaculture in the region. The ongoing development of biotechnological innovations for aquaculture will depend on the willingness of the ASEAN aquaculture industry to work collaboratively with scientists and the international donor community on related research, capacity building, and infrastructure development. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5676501 About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: [email protected] Tel: +1 (718) 213 4904 Website: www.reportbuyer.com SOURCE ReportBuyer Related Links http://www.reportbuyer.com Media whipped up fake race-baiting narrative over tragic murder Paul Joseph Watson PrisonPlanet.com January 6, 2019 The investigation into the shooting of a 7-year-old girl in Houston, Texas that civil rights activists and left-wing media sites asserted was a white supremacist hate crime took an unexpected turn when it was revealed that the gunman was a 24-year-old black man. Jazmine Barnes was killed in the back of her mothers vehicle after the family were fired upon on the East Sam Houston Parkway feeder road near Wallisville Road at approximately 6:50 a.m. last Sunday. Jazmines sister described the shooter as a bearded white man in his 40s wearing a red hoodie, setting off a media narrative that the murder was a racist hate crime. Police subsequently released a sketch asserting that the suspect was a white man in his 30s or 40s. This is the man witnesses say murdered 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes on 12/30 as her family drove on the E. Sam Houston Pkwy frontage road at Wallisville Road. Thin white man, 30's-40's, in a red pickup. Call 713-221-6000 or @CrimeStopHOU at 713-222-TIPS #JusticeForJazmine #hounews pic.twitter.com/URR3w2Wxbm HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) January 3, 2019 Black Lives Matter activist Shaun King also offered up a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and arranged a rally to call for justice. Community activist Deric Muhammad claimed that the murder proved black people were being indiscriminately targeted by racist whites. Black people are being targeted in this country, black people are being targeted in this county, black people are being targeted in this city. So we are thoroughly convinced that the killing of Jazmine Barnes was race related, we believe that there is a white supremacist element in that area that needs to be trotted out, found and brought to justice, he said. Left-wing news outlets like Vox breathlessly reported the claims without question, asserting that Jazmine Barnes was killed when a white man fired into her familys car. Time Magazine also reported the assertion of the familys attorney Lee Merritt that the murder was a racist shooting, while the Washington Post amplified his demand that, We want to emphasize the racial nature of the attack and that hate-crime charges are appropriate. However, it now emerges that the gunman was black. Sources tell ABC13 Larry Woodruffe, 24, has been arrested as a second suspect in the case. Those sources say Woodruffe is believed to be the shooter, reported Jessica Willey and Deborah Wrigley. Willey tweeted a photograph of Woodruffe, who is clearly African-American. BREAKING: @HCSOTexas has identified 1st suspect in #JazmineBarnes murder as Eric Black, Jr. 20. I can also confirm a 2nd suspect as Larry Woodruffe, 24 (below). He is believed to be the shooter. No connection to Jazmine or her family, per sources. https://t.co/wnaXDXVOO0 #abc13 pic.twitter.com/YsYvUSZX4g Jessica Willey (@ImJessicaWilley) January 6, 2019 Sources say the alleged shooter is black, not white, and also that the shooting may have been gang-related, reports Fox 26. Another suspect who was thought to be driving the vehicle, Eric Black Jr., has also been arrested. He was also black. The killers of the beautiful 7-year-old who was murdered in Houston, Jazmine Barnes, turned out to be two gang members and the white man initially blamed was an innocent bystander trying to escape the shooting. Here are the 2 men arrested for her death. pic.twitter.com/RUm0rwu7Il Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) January 6, 2019 All week the media insinuated that the death of Jazmine Barnes was a hate crime committed by a white man. Now that its proven not to be a white man who killed her I notice that suddenly the race of her killers is not in the headlines anymore. This is why so few trust the media. pic.twitter.com/4FTSgORNBr Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) January 6, 2019 Despite Merritt asserting that there was no rationale for the attack other than hate, investigators now say that shooting was probably a result of mistaken identity. The ABC13 report that names the gunman as African-American notes that, The story has captured the attention of community members, celebrities and activists around the world, but fails to explain how they all got it monumentally wrong in order to push a divisive, race-baiting narrative. Note how CNN and other media outlets make no mention of the fake media narrative that circulated for a week that the tragic murder of Jazmine Barnes was some kind of racist hate crime. The gunman was black. Now expect this story to disappear quick. https://t.co/zQNmhv2SnY Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) January 6, 2019 Twitter users responded to developments by asking if there would be any follow up on the people who falsely claimed the shooting was a white supremacist hate crime. Are you going to investigate the person who lied to officers and said the shooter was a blonde haired, blue-eyed White guy? Giving false information to cops is a crime, said David Wohl. Hey Jess, Are you going to investigate the person who lied to officers and said the shooter was a blonde haired, blue-eyed White guy? Giving false information to cops is a crime. David Wohl (@DavidWohl) January 6, 2019 Theres no doubt that this is a tragedy. However, the ONLY reason that this story garnered as much national attention as it did, was because the family said the shooter was white. Which gave possible credence to this being a potential hate crime. Watch how quickly this disappears, remarked another user. Theres no doubt that this is a tragedy. However, the ONLY reason that this story garnered as much national attention as it did, was because the family said the shooter was white. Which gave possible credence to this being a potential hate crime. Watch how quickly this disappears That Todd guy with a beard (@rtm557) January 6, 2019 Shaun King was forced to admit that the white man was actually an innocent bystander who fled, actually fearing for his life as well. He was not the shooter. After Woodruff & Black shot & killed Jazmine Barnes, 4 credible independent eyewitnesses heard the shooting and saw a white man in a red truck speed off. It appears that man was an innocent bystander who fled, actually fearing for his life as well. He was not the shooter. Shaun King (@shaunking) 6 January 2019 SUBSCRIBE on YouTube: Follow on Twitter: Follow @PrisonPlanet Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paul.j.watson.71 ********************* Paul Joseph Watson is the editor at large of Infowars.com and Prison Planet.com. This article was posted: Sunday, January 6, 2019 at 10:38 am Print this page. Infowars.com Videos: Comment on this article Court to hear case against #fixthecountry convenors today The Criminal Division of the Accra High Court presided over by Justice Ruby CIMG admits 104 new members The Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG), has admitted 104 new Court to hear case against #fixthecountry convenors today The Criminal Division of the Accra High Court presided over by Justice Ruby Pan-African Parliament: Punches, kicks and death threats Founded with the noble ambition of uniting the continent, a session of the TUTAG begins strike today The leadership of the Technical Universities Teachers Association of Ghana CAPE MAY As the partial government shutdown continues, the U.S. Coast Guard training facility is asking organizations collecting goods for employees and enlistees working without pay to open their drive up to all federal workers. That would allow Coast Guard recipients to get around ethics rules that block them from accepting more than $20 worth of goods. Enlistees and civilian employees received pay on the first of the year, said John Edwards, spokesman for the facility, though the source of the allocated funds was not identified. Should the shutdown continue, workers will not receive a paycheck Jan. 15, the next pay cycle. Then the word need would really become applicable, he said. Furloughed Coast Guard employees limited in donations they can accept The American Legion in Wildwood and the Seaville Fire & Rescue Company are collecting fo The drive, led by the American Legion in Wildwood and the Seaville Fire & Rescue Company, has collected diapers, food, baby formula, cash and gift cards. It was started independent of the Coast Guard, Edwards said. We didnt start getting wind of the donations and the drives until we started fielding calls from the media, he said. The Chief Petty Officers Association has agreed to accept and disperse the collected goods, Edwards said, since they arent under the purview of the federal government. After seeing a decline in overdose deaths in 2017, state data shows the numbers of deaths have gone back up in 2018 in both Atlantic and Ocean counties. Overdose deaths for 2018 are not yet final and are subject to change. Atlantic County Sheriff Eric Scheffler said there are many out there working hard to get rid of the stigma attached to getting treatment in the hope that more people seek it. Theyre providing such things as the countys Hope One van, which partners with more than 20 other organizations and providers and can help bridge the gaps in access to care and education around addiction by meeting people where they are at in the community, he said. Since September, weve gotten about 100 people into treatment, Scheffler said. We cant be discouraged. Were trying to keep people alive so that they can get help. Going into 2019, Scheffler said, the coalition hopes to expand its team, add a newsletter distribution with stories of people in long-term recovery, increase awareness about its temporary ID program, provide more community training and get more people into treatment programs. PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. ATLANTIC CITY To help U.S. Coast Guard members working without pay during the government shutdown, The Iron Room will offer free dinners to active members and their spouses. The bar and restaurant on North Albany Avenue will offer active Coast Guard members and spouses free dinner Tuesday through Thursday between 4 and 10 p.m. The midweek special meal is valued at $19.95, which does not infringe on ethics rules that block individuals from accepting more than $20 worth of goods. The dedicated men and women who serve our country deserve the greatest respect and honor, Mark Callazzo, Iron Room owner, said in a statement. We have stations in both Atlantic and Cape May counties, and the least I can do is make sure they receive a delicious dinner while not getting paid. About 42,000 members across the Coast Guard are working without pay during the partial shutdown. This weeks midweek special is The Iron Room meatloaf with mushroom, pea and carrot hash in a porcini veloute sauce. All meals are made-to-order by executive chef Kevin Cronin. Coast Guard identification will be required for the free dinner, which is good for one visit per member. Drinks, cocktails, tax and gratuity are not included. For more information and to make a reservation, call 609-348-6400 or see ironroomac.com ATLANTIC CITY Ralph E. Hunter Sr. spends his hectic days dealing with people and making sure the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey locations here and in Newtonville keep operating. In Hunters spare time, he likes to hang out in his happy place, his living room, with its walls covered in art and photographs. I love art. Art has been a part of my life since I was a child. Having the opportunity to have my art around me when I come home after a long days work at the museum, its really, really peaceful, said Hunter, the museums founder and president. Photos of Hunters parents and grandparents hang on his walls along with art created by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Hunters walls contain works ranging from artists based in the resort and in the Villas to Richmond Garrick, an award-winning professional artist born in Sierra Leone on the continent of Africa. A statue of the Godfather of Soul, the late James Brown, sits on a table. It can dance, but it needs new batteries in order to move. Artistic renderings of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Ramona Africa, the only adult survivor of the 1985 MOVE bombing in Philadelphia, can be seen on Hunters walls. The Lagos State government has described as nonsensical the claims that it forcefully retired, at least, 21 permanent secretaries to make way for the emergence of the states new Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola. Jimi Agbaje, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who made the allegation said the compulsory retirements occurred within the past 11 months. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had, on December 31, announced the appointment of Mr Muri-Okunola, 46, as the 21st Head of Service of the states civil service. The newly appointed HOS was a personal aide to the former governor of the State, Bola Tinubu, in 2003 and was later appointed executive secretary on the states Land Use and Allocation Committee. Mr Agbaje in a statement last Thursday said the appointment of Mr Muri-Okunola was politics taken too far, adding that it was insensitive, unjust and disruptive of the civil service hierarchy. There is a sense of shock and injustice in all this. It is bound to create bad blood and injustice within the system, he said. These are seasoned personnel capable of fitting perfectly and effectively in that office. But in this era of impunity, they have been offloaded prematurely. Mr Agbaje said Mr Muri-Okunola was a part of the oligarchy controlling and monopolising all the levers of power in the state. He added that his previous position as the personal aide of Mr Tinubu gave him what he described as abnormal privileges. Muri-Okunola lacks broad-based exposure. Whoever becomes HoS is usually a civil servant with widespread exposure, as he must be abreast of all issues related to the bureaucracy and governance. But all these rules and traditions have been bent for this appointment, Mr Agbaje said It is befuddling to imagine how officers, who are 15 years older than the new HoS, will take orders and directives from him. Allegation nonsensical When contacted for comments on the allegation, Kehinde Bamigbetan, the commissioner for information, admitted that some permanent secretaries were retired before Mr Muri-Okunola was appointed HOS, but insisted the appointment was in line with civil service rule. He also suggested that those who were retired might be due for retirement after serving the statutory number of years allowed civil servants or may have been laid off for disciplinary reasons. The system does not work that way, Mr Bamgbetan told PREMIUM TIMES over the phone. You have to analyse, for example, how many of those who were retired were already in their retirement age. You either spend 35 years or you are up to 60 years. So, you first have to do the mathematics of subtracting those ones from it. And then you have to also take those who are under some sort of disciplinary purview, oversight. Those are secrets of the system that you are not likely to uncover, he said. He added that allegation was nonsensical because it was done after the fact. ADVERTISEMENT When asked if he did not think that people would find the retirement of 21 permanent secretaries over such a short span of time strange, Mr Bamigbetan said this report was helping to push an irrational narrative. Let me tell you. What you are trying to do is to push a very irrational and nonsensical argument, with due respect to you. PREMIUM TIMES is supposed to be a very rational and critical medium, but you dont now descend to the era of rumour mongering, he said. He urged this reporter to find out what happened to each retired permanent secretary before querying the decision of the government and did not disclose the reason for the retirements. I am just letting you know that the civil service system has been established for decades. It wasnt just created yesterday. It has its own internal system of operating. If people have been asked to leave for one reason or the other, unless if you go into the individual case to know the circumstances. Because there are many reasons. You have to look at the civil service rules and convince yourself that those who have to go before their age did not do anything that undermined or violated the civil service rules before you can make a clean case. No basis Mr Bamigbetan said the new head of service still had 13 years to make his statutory number of years in the civil service and, thus, there was no need for the rush to make him the HOS, assuming he was not qualified. There was no urgency. The person you are talking about has 13 years to go so there was no urgency, he said. Had it been that he had just two years and they allowed him to become HOS before his term expires that is where you will make a case. He is 46 he wont retire until he is 60, so he had 14 clear years. So, there is no urgency. There is no basis for the story. So why will anyone need to retire when the person that would have been the beneficiary have 14 good years ahead of him? The only reason where you can make that argument is if the person concerned has to taste that office before he leaves the system. So, where is the urgency? There is no urgency. So that defeats the argument. So, you ask yourself what would have been the motive. Is the person in a hurry? Would the person likely to be there for 14 years? If as HOS by the time he spends 10 years he may even bow out on his own voluntarily. t doesnt make sense. ADVERTISEMENT Some hoodlums suspected to be arsonists in the early hours of Sunday burnt down at least 30 shops and houses located along the popular Beere-Molete road in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital. The affected shops and houses, according to sources who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES, included those located at Idi-Arere, Bode up to Allelluyah petrol station, all in the heart of the ancient city. One of the residents of the area confirmed that parts of the affected structures included shops belonging to fashion designers, soft drinks sellers, houses, electronics shops, frozen foods shop and cooking materials sellers shops among others. Another resident who spoke with this newspaper confirmed that the incident occurred at around midnight when many of those who live in the affected areas were still sleeping. He said the hoodlums stormed the areas and burnt all the shops and houses located along the road. He said, It is not up to Popoyemoja, it was only at Idi-Arere, Bode up to Allekuyah petrol station. It is a case of arsonists. They burnt houses and shops too. So, it was very late, though it happened in the midnight. It was when we woke up this morning that we saw everything. It is not up to Popoyemoja, it stopped at Idi-Arere. From that junction to Bode road. Though, I cant count the number of shops, but, it was a stretch from that junction up to Alleluyah petrol station. But, we are talking of about 10 to 15 shops on this side and 10 to 15 shops on the other side. The state government said that there is security, but you can see this. The CCTV is not in Idi-Arere, the one at Beere cannot capture up to Oja-Oba, the one at Molete cannot capture up to Idi-Arere. The Oyo State police spokesperson, Adekunle Ajisebutu, who confirmed the incident to journalists said normalcy has returned to the affected areas. Mr Ajisebutu in a statement added that 11 suspects, including their leader, have been arrested. Police arrest 11 as suspected arsonists burn shops, houses in Ibadan The state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Odude, has directed the policemen drafted to the area to carry out intensive patrol as well as 24 hours surveillance to avoid further breakdown of law and order, he said. While directing that the 11 suspects including their ringleaders arrested be charged to court immediately after conclusion of investigation, he warned hoodlums and other criminal elements against wanton destruction of lives and property. ADVERTISEMENT Nigerias vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, on Saturday promised the people of Oke-Ogun zone in Oyo State that the federal government would establish a polytechnic in the area, after the re-election of the president, Muhammadu Buhari. Mr Osinbajo was addressing monarchs and other residents of Oke-Ogun at the Bagi of Saki palace in Saki town. We have been touring Oke-Ogun for a few days now. We have received all the requests from the people and we will address them, he said. Oke-Ogun deserves a federal institution, we will give you a federal polytechnic. We will also ensure that we see to the trans-border market in Saki. It will be part of our plans. Buhari is true to his words and we will do all weve promised. He praised the people of the area as he acknowledged the constant support the ruling All Progressives Congress has been receiving from the people of the area. He added, Oke-Ogun is not a place we belittle at all. They support us all the time. The first thing is that we selected a minister for the first time in this area. Mr Osinbajo urged the people of Oke-Ogun to ensure that good people are elected into office. If we do not vote the right people, we will only pray in vain. Our problem in this country is not lack of ideas, but corruption, he said. Every government has good ideas, but embezzlement would not allow them to actualize the ideas. ADVERTISEMENT The General Officer Commanding the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Abubakar Maikobi, has assured that the army would remain neutral, professional and totally apolitical during the Operation Python Dance III in the southeast zone. Mr Maikobi, a major-general, spoke in Abakiliki during a meeting with David Umahi, the governor of Ebonyi State and chairman of the South East Governors Forum. I have been mandated by the Chief Of Army Staff (COAS) to inform you as the states security officer, that the exercise would commence from January 1 and last till February 28, Mr Miakobi said. We have selected Ebonyi, under your purposeful leadership as the location for the step-up headquarters for the exercise. The army had launched the Operation Python Dance III Egwu Eke III nationwide to tackle already observed upsurge in security challenges ahead of the 2019 general elections. Earlier, Mr Umahi called on the officers and men of the Nigerian Army to be professional in the execution of their duties during the Operation Python Dance III in the zone. He charged the army to be professional, to win the confidence of the people in the face of heightened tension, occasioned by the 2019 general elections. The southeast zone has been greatly troubled by the armys presence, especially with its clash with members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The army should, therefore, remain neutral and maintain a high level of professionalism in the discharge of its duties while the operation lasts, he said. The governor urged the military to evolve workable policies that would earn the confidence of the zone and remain neutral in the coming elections. The zone will not have problems with any place the army chooses to establish its operational headquarters as long as it maintains its professional mandate of protecting the people. Ebonyi, and indeed the entire South East, will resist with vigour, any attempt to rig during the elections, using security agencies as tools. The only way Nigeria will exist beyond 2019 is for credible elections to hold where all security agencies would be seen to be neutral, he said. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT A former manager of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Ebonyi State district, has reportedly died in a hotel in Abakaliki while having sex with his lover, a nursing mother. The nursing mother, who resides at Nwojiji Street opposite St. Patrick Catholic Church, Abakaliki, operates a hair dressing saloon at 9 Bende Street Kpirikpiri within the capital city. The incident occurred in a hotel located along the ever busy Abakaliki/Enugu Expressway said to be owned by the wife of an influential politician in the state. A police source said the woman had just finished withdrawing money from an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) along Ezza Road Abakaliki when the deceased picked her up. The duo reportedly checked into the hotel and were having sex when, unexpectedly, the man started gasping for breath, slumped and reportedly died instantly. The source further revealed that on sensing danger, the woman immediately opened the door to run away but was stopped by the hotel management, who sensed trouble. They went with her to the room where they found his lifeless body on the bed. The hotel management alerted men of the Ebonyi State Police Command who rushed to the scene and arrested the suspect. When our reporter visited the office of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad where the suspect is currently being detained, the husband of the woman was seen carrying their little baby while other residents of the area were also seen in clusters, discussing the ugly incident. When contacted, the police spokesperson in the state, Loveth Odah, simply said the matter is before SARS, O/C SARS is handling it. ADVERTISEMENT The president of the Ogoni Central Indigenous Authority (OCIA), Goodluck Diigbo, has said the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) has been abolished, warning the public against impostors. Mr Diigbo gave the warning as the people marked the 27th Ogoni Day in Bori, Khana, Local Government Area of Rivers at the weekend. He said that MOSOP having achieved its primary objective has currently been abolished to pave way for an autonomous body that would oversee the implementation of MOSOPs demand which, he noted, was a collective concern of the Ogoni people. Mr Diigbo urged government at all levels and the international community to disregard any person or group parading as MOSOP as they were only using the platform for selfish gains. MOSOP is only a vehicle used by the Ogoni people to project their quest for self-government/resource control in Ogoniland. The fact that the MOSOPs struggle has been able to bring Ogoni to the limelight, especially as regards the demand for the clean-up as well as other demands to better the lot of the Ogoni people, the agenda of MOSOP is adjudged fulfilled. On Aug. 2, 2012, Ogoni people decided to press home a major demand by MOSOP which is self government within the framework of our country, Nigeria, and based on that demand the Ogoni Central Indigenous Authority (OCIA) was formed. I was elected president of OCIA because Im a lover of the Ogoni struggle and close confidant of the late Ken Saro-Wiwa our seasoned activist, and I look forward to tackling the challenge of resource control which is the main agenda of the Ogoni struggle. I will ensure that this body overrides the powers of some Ogoni politicians and brothers who are presently enriching themselves through the Ogoni struggle rather than protect the interest of the people. As I speak, some Ogoni politicians and sections of Ogoni people have sabotaged the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report implementation in Ogoniland. Infact there is no testimony on ground in Ogoni as regards Ogoni Clean-up and several sums of money associated with it, he said. Mr Diigbo also said for the UNEP report implementation to be achieved, there was an urgent need for a thorough review of the report and a robust stakeholders engagement in the entire process. If the Ogoni clean-up is anything to go by, then there is need for a joint review of the entire report and also a great need for stakeholders engagement in all ramifications. We all know that the report, endorsed several years ago by UNEP following the environmental challenge recorded in Ogoniland as a result of oil exploration, had over the years grown worse due to delayed implementation. As we speak today, the environmental degradation in Ogoni is worse than yesteryears when UNEP came up with that report, therefore, a thorough review of the entire report is very necessary if a clean-up must be achieved in Ogoniland, he said. Meanwhile, efforts by NAN to get reactions from current leadership of MOSOP, led Legbisi Pyagbara, failed as phone calls and text messages sent to him got no response. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT The police in Katsina State has killed a suspected armed robbery kingpin, Kane Mohammed, alias Dan mai-keke, 35, who has been on its wanted list. This is contained in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Gambo Isa, and made available to newsmen on Sunday in Katsina. Mr Isa, a superintendent of police, said the development occurred on January 4 at old market area, a notorious criminals hideout in Bakori Local Government Area when the police were on patrol. He said the patrol team was attacked by the hoodlums with dangerous weapons during which one police officer sustained injury. The police spokesperson added that the police shot the kingpin as a result of which he sustained an injury and died in a Bakori hospital, while receiving treatment. He noted that the suspect had been on the police wanted list for terrorising people in the Bakori and Funtua axis. He said that investigations were ongoing to arrest other members of the gang.(NAN) ADVERTISEMENT Aminu Shagari, the son of former Nigerian President, Shehu Shagari, has revealed how President Muhammadu Buhari disappointed him and his family before and after the death of his father. He made the revelation in an interview with Punch Newspaper. He said although his late father forgave his offenders, he never forgot their offences, referring to how Mr Buhari as an army officer betrayed and toppled Mr Shagari in 1983. Mr Shagari, who was president between 1979 and 1983, passed away on December 28, aged 93. He was removed in a military coup led by Nigerias current president, Muhammadu Buhari. Years after, Mr Buhari was elected as a civilian president in 2015 and is preparing to run for another tenure in 2019. President Buhari had on December 30 traveled to Sokoto to pay a condolence visit to the family of the former president. He also ordered that flags should be flown at half-mast for three days at all military formations and public places in the country. In the Punch interview published Sunday, Aminu Shagari was asked what lessons he learnt from the irony that the beneficiary of the coup that ousted his fathers administration praised him when he paid a condolence visit to his family. In his response, he expressed disappointment in Mr Buhari. He said his father did not get the kind of attention expected from the person who overthrew his administration. First, let me say that though our father forgave his offenders, one thing as human beings is that, no matter what, one cannot forget. Till he died, our father did not get the kind of attention expected from the person who overthrew his administration. After all investigations, he didnt find him culpable, he said. In our own little way, we supported the incumbent President and from the time he became president, I would not say there is any communication between us. I think we should have got more from the person who was close to our father but overthrew his government, Punch quoted him saying. He further explained that his expectations of President Buharis visit never materialised as none of them heard any words of comfort from the president. When he came, we expected to hear something from him like some words of comfort. But we didnt hear such because he didnt say anything. We gave him the condolence register. He only signed and put the date. Personally, I was very disappointed with that. I expected that at least, as Muslim, he would write, May Allah forgive him and may Allah forgive us when our time comes. That makes me extremely disappointed in him, he said. Mr Shagari who described his late father as a very humble, gentle, soft-spoken and extremely loving father, said his death was a great loss to him, his family and the country at large. The Presidency said he would be immortalised. The presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Obiageli Ezekwesili, has asked the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mamoud Yakubu, to reverse the recent deployment of Amina Zakari, one of its commissioners. Mrs Zakari, a niece of President Muhammadu Buharis, was on Thursday announced as the chairperson of INECs Results Collation Centre in the February 2019 elections. Many Nigerians have condemned the appointment with the opposition alleging a plan to rig the polls. The Presidency last week dismissed the concerns, pointing out that MRA Zakari was originally appointed to INEC by the former PDP government of Good luck Jonathan. Reacting to her appointment, Mrs Ezekwesili, in a press statement on Saturday, said, The INEC chairman appears to have bowed to pressure from the Presidency. She described Mrs Zakaris appointment as political corruption, considering that having a relation of the President who is a contestant in the February 2019 presidential election amounts to an apparent Conflict-of-Interest situation. She said that such repugnant deployment of Zakari to the collation centres suggests a brazen attempt to ease rigging for the APCs candidate in the elections. To ensure peace and give all the candidates a level playing ground, the ACPN presidential candidate asked the INEC to restore confidence in the management of the collation process by reversing the appointment of Mrs Zakari as chairperson. Zakari can be assigned another task farther away from tasks that can hinder electoral integrity, Mrs Ezekwesili added. Her statement read, The INEC chairman has obviously bowed to President Buharis visible and increasingly brazen determination to not just rig but to steal the 2019 presidential election and throw the country into crisis. Or how else can one describe this repugnant action of placing the Presidents niece, Mrs Amina Zakari, at the head of the centre for collation of election results? Amina Zakari The President and INEC chairman should know that this extremely repugnant and provocative act of political corruption that seeks to undermine our democracy and destabilise the country shall be resisted by all patriotic Nigerians. I caution the INEC chairman and the Presidency to reverse this shameful posting immediately and safeguard the integrity of the 2019 elections. Mrs Ezekwesili said the latest development compounded doubts about the presidents interest in presiding over a credible 2019 elections when he refused to assent to the Electoral Amendment Bill 2018. She said, Worse still, under President Buhari, the public has been alarmed at the gross misuse of security establishments to compromise elections in places like Osun and Ekiti states. Any attempt to repeat such abuse of state institutions in the 2019 elections for the benefit of the ruling APC must be averted to avoid throwing the country into political crisis. The President should lead a discussion among candidates and parties to set the rules that will guide the security forces in the 2019 elections. Ideally, the military and police establishments should be pulled out of the involvement in our elections, considering the damning evidences of how their personnel disenfranchised voters in Osun and Ekiti governorship elections. I call on the international community to join the Nigerian people and prevail on President Buhari to practise the Peace Accord, with exemplary actions, in order to build confidence in the process he ebulliently led. The President has remained adamant in his refusal to sign the Electoral Amendment Bill 2018 into law so as to build the confidence of all contestants and Nigerians in the conduct of the 2019 elections. The truth is that signing of the electoral bill into an Act is crucial for peaceful conduct of the election. Mrs Ezekwesili added, Nigerians want a new direction and the President must avoid actions that suggest he wishes to suppress the aspirations of the people in the 2019 elections. Any action of the President that aims at giving him an advantage in the February elections amounts to political corruption since he is using his political power for personal gain as a candidate. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The 20 caregivers who were kidnapped on December 23 in Jibya Local Government Area of Katsina State have regained their freedom, the Ulama council, the highest spiritual organ of the Jamaatu Izalatil Bida Waikamatis Sunnah has said. The council said the victims were released at about 2 a.m., on Saturday in Dauran town in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State. On December 31, the religious group announced the abduction of its caregivers on their way back to their destination in Zamfara State after attending a first aid camp in Dutse, the capital of Jigawa State. Sani Jingir, the National Chairman of the Ulama Council of the group, disclosed the release of the abductees to journalists on Sunday, at a press conference held at the headquarters of the group in Jos. According to Mr Jingir, the victims were released unhurt and without ransom. The 20 caregivers we informed you last week of their abduction have been released by their abductors. They were released at about 2 a.m. of yesterday ( Saturday). They were released in Dauran town in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State without ransom, and are in healthy condition, he said. The National Chairman added that it was unfortunate that people who gave their lives to humanity would be abducted for selfish reasons, appreciating the effort of security, sympathisers and all other stakeholders who have assisted in the release of the victims. Mr Jingir further called on the federal and state governments to intensify efforts to bring an end to the activities of kidnappers in the country, urging those engaged in such acts to seek other means of livelihood. Since the news of the abduction was announced by the group days ago, the police have not made any comment on it. When contacted for comments on the release of the abducted persons, the police spokesperson in Zamfara State, Muhammad Shehu, didnt respond to calls and text messages. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent a Freedom of Information request to Babatunde Fashola, the minister of power, works and housing, urging him to use his good offices and leadership position to urgently provide information on specific names and details of contractors and companies that allegedly collected money for electricity projects but failed to execute any projects, starting from the return of democracy in 1999 to 2018. According to SERAP, former Nigerias Vice President and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, reportedly blew the whistle on Channels TV when he said, Contractors were given some contracts for power projects and were paid hundred percent upfront. The money went down the drain. Up till now, we are not holding the contractors responsible. People have collected money upfront one hundred percent and have disappeared; and have not even done any work. SERAP said: The revelation by Alhaji Atiku is entirely consistent with SERAPs recent report titled: From Darkness to Darkness: How Nigerians are Paying the Price for Corruption in the Electricity Sector, which also revealed how over N11 trillion meant to provide regular electricity supply was allegedly squandered by politicians and contractors under successive governments. In the FOI request dated January, 4, 2019 and signed by SERAP senior legal adviser Bamisope Adeyanju, the organization said, By publishing the names of the contractors and their registration details, if any, Nigerians will be better able to hold them to account for allegedly absconding with public funds meant for electricity projects, thereby throwing the country into perpetual darkness and socio-economic stagnation as well as denying people their human rights. The organization also said: publishing the names will make it hard for contractors and companies to get away with complicity in grand corruption. If the requested information is not provided within 14 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions under the Freedom of Information Act to compel you to comply with our request. The FOI request read in part: It is important to show that your office and indeed this administration would not shield or allow ingrained wrongdoing by contractors and companies in the power sector to go unpunished. Unless the names of the contractors and companies are disclosed and widely published, alleged corrupt contractors and companies executing electricity projects will not be deterred and the victims of corruption that they committed will continue to be denied justice and effective remedies. SERAP urges you to publish the names of all contractors and companies that have been engaged in the power sector since the return of democracy in 1999 to date, details of specific projects and the amounts that have been paid to the contractors and companies, details on the level of implementation of electricity projects and their specific locations across the country. SERAP is concerned that to date no contractors or companies who allegedly collected money for electricity projects not executed or poorly executed have been investigated for corruption let alone prosecuted and fined. Senior public officials who apparently served as intermediaries for these contractors and companies continue to escape justice. We are concerned that allegations of corruption involving many contractors and companies in the power sector have continued to impair, obstruct and undermine the ability of successive governments to provide Nigerians with access to regular and uninterrupted electricity supply. Contractors and companies that allegedly disappeared with public funds meant for electricity projects may also be liable for aiding and abetting the commission of acts of grand corruption. SERAP also urges you to refer contractors and companies that allegedly collected hundred percent payment upfront to appropriate anticorruption agencies for further investigation, and where there is relevant admissible evidence, for them to face prosecution. Doing this will show your willingness to end a pattern of corruption in the power sector and to improve access of Nigerians to regular and uninterrupted electricity supply. It will also allow citizens to track the level of execution of electricity projects by contractors and companies and reduce impunity for corrupt acts in the sector. Failure to publish the names of alleged corrupt contractors and companies in the power sector will undermine the governments oft-expressed commitment to holistically fight grand corruption and improve access of Nigerians to regular and uninterrupted electricity supply. Similarly, failure to take punitive and dissuasive measures would allow corrupt contractors and companies to continue to undermine the rule of law and socio-economic development of the country, restricting access of disadvantaged and marginalized communities to regular and uninterrupted electricity supply. SERAP notes that the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party contains requirements of integrity and honesty in economic, financial or commercial activities-in the public and private sectors. It also imposes obligations on the government to ensure that sanctions imposed for corruption on natural and legal persons are effective, proportionate and dissuasive. We urge you to establish online national database for all contractors and companies, shareholders and others that might have any ownership interests in companies responsible for executing power projects in the country. We also urge you to disclose if there any on-going investigation or prosecution of allegedly corrupt contractors and companies in the electricity sector. By Section 1 (1) of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2011, SERAP is entitled as of right to request for or gain access to information, including information on alleged corrupt contractors and companies that have collected money for electricity projects and disappeared with public funds rather than executing the projects. By Section 4 (a) of the FOI Act when a person makes a request for information from a public official, institution or agency, the public official, institution or urgency to whom the application is directed is under a binding legal obligation to provide the applicant with the information requested for, except as otherwise provided by the Act, within 7 days after the application is received. ADVERTISEMENT The information being requested does not come within the purview of the types of information exempted from disclosure by the provisions of the FOI Act. The information requested for, apart from not being exempted from disclosure under the FOI Act, bothers on an issue of national interest, public concern, interest of human rights, social justice, good governance, transparency and accountability. According to our information, former Nigerias Vice President and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar blew the whistle on Channels TV when he said, We collected money from local, state and federal governments and others. Contractors were given some contracts and were paid hundred percent upfront. Up till now, we are not holding the contractors responsible. People have collected money upfront one hundred percent and have disappeared; and have not even done any work. ADVERTISEMENT Ahead of the 2019 general elections, the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Jerry Gana, on Saturday expressed concern over the 1,400 illegal entry points in the country. Mr Gana who secured the candidacy of his party through a court order, pushing out Donald Duke, said the development could threaten the peaceful conduct of the 2019 general elections. The former Minister of Information spoke in Abuja at his 2019 presidential stakeholders summit. We have every cause to be worried because there are about 1,400 illegal entry points in Nigeria. Some people are entering Nigeria any day, anytime, and anyhow. I am worried about this. And some people enter with all kinds of things. Insecurity is the major problem in Nigeria. He said the country had failed to make progress because of too much corruption in the land. I will take Nigeria by storm by winning the 2019 presidential election. On the second issue that Nigerians are worried about is the issue of poverty. It is very alarming that people find it difficult to feed especially for the ordinary Nigerians. He expressed the belief that Nigerians are tired of lies and deception and would not hesitate to vote SDP which stands for equity, justice and fairness into power in 2019. A party that is youth and women-friendly and have zero tolerance for corruption, he said. A party like the SDP, which is committed to the welfare and well- being of the masses is what Nigerians are looking for at this time to end all the impunity, gross abuse of due process and massive corruption ravaging this country to revamp the economy. The summit was attended by supporters and candidates of the SDP; Mr Ganas candidacy does not have the full support of all party leaders. The year 2018 ended on a rather subtle note with little noise from politicians, and the first week of the new year was no different. While political watchers anticipate a kick-off of major political events such as campaigns, other stories dominated the political world in the past week. Below are some major political stories from last week. Sunday President Muhammadu Buhari promised that the federal government would in due course institute a suitable memorial to immortalise the countrys first executive president, Shehu Shagari, who passed away on December 28, 2018, aged 93. He said this while paying a condolence visit to the Shagari family. The campaign organisations of the two main candidates in next years presidential election accused each others candidate of corruption. President Muhammadu Buharis team accused Atiku Abubakar of the PDP of not just being corrupt but also being so recognised internationally. A spokesperson of Mr Abubakar said Mr Buhari has a history of funneling looted funds. Paul Ibe said he was reacting to the allegation from Mr Buharis camp that Mr Abubakar was planning to smuggle in looted funds into the country just before the February 2019 elections. Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said President Muhammadu Buhari would be re-elected for a second term in 2019, for the sake of Nigeria. Mr Tinubu, who was speaking, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, during the flag-off of the APC presidential campaign, said Mr Buhari represents continuity of hope and continuity of development. Monday President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to ensure free, fair and credible elections in 2019. Mr Buhari, who is seeking re-election, stated this in his New Year message to Nigerians. Nigerias former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, advised the Igbos to be wary of the promise of the APC government to hand over power to them in 2023, noting that it was dangerous to take the APC government seriously. He said this during a stakeholders meeting held at the residence of a former minister of aviation, Mbazuluke Amechi, in Ukpor, Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State on Saturday. Former president Goodluck Jonathan denied claims that he offered $5 million to the governorship running mate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat. ADVERTISEMENT In a statement, Mr Jonathan described the claim as a blatant lie apparently concocted by a wannabe politician desperate for votes in a campaign season. Mr Hamzat, a former commissioner for works in Lagos State, had claimed he rejected a $5 million bribe from Mr Jonathan during the 2015 elections. The former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, cited reasons why Nigerians should give President Muhammadu Buhari another term of four years in office. He said Mr Buhari is refocusing the country and impacting on the lives of common Nigerians and the opposition against the president will be roundly defeated. The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, accused the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, of dancing on the graves of the innocent souls who died in the April 5, 2018, armed robbery attack in Offa. In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday by his media aide, Segun Adeyemi, the minister said Mr Saraki should stop playing politics with the unfortunate incident. Mr Sarakis spokesman, Yusuph Olaniyonu, however, dismissed the ministers comments as falsehoods. He insisted his principal donated N10 million for the treatment of victims of Offa Robert. Many hours later, Mr Mohammed said he is presenting to the public available evidence of how the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, lied that he donated N10 million to the victims of Offa bank robbery. Tuesday The Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, held an extraordinary security meeting to discuss the worsening security situation in the state. At the meeting, the governor admitted that the security situation in the troubled state was getting worse. He, however, said he could not blame President Muhammadu Buhari for the situation unlike how he blamed ex-President Goodluck Jonathan. First Lady Aisha Buhari was appointed the chairperson of the All Progressives Congress Women and Youths Presidential Campaign team for the 2019 election. The wife of the Vice-President, Dolapo Osinbajo, was also appointed as the co-chairperson of the campaign team. The national leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu, and the national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, were conspicuously absent when President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated a campaign team formed and led by Aisha Buhari. The President said he expects the women and youth presidential campaign team led by his wife to exhibit the same loyalty and support they gave him in 2015. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said voting decisions of Nigerians in the 2019 general elections will determine the future of the country. Uche Secondus, the partys National Chairman, stated this in his New Year message issued by his Media Aide, Ike Abonyi, in Abuja as he advised Nigerians to see 2019 as the restoration year for the country. Godwin Obaseki, the governor of Edo State, has called on Nigerians to sustain the achievements and progress recorded by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in the past four years with their votes, come February 2019. Wednesday A Rivers State senator insists he is the governorship candidate of Nigerias ruling party, APC, in Rivers and will emerge governor in 2019. Magnus Abe, who is in court asking to be declared the candidate of the APC, warned the APC headquarters not to recognise anyone else as its governorship candidate. The vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi, has again condemned the petrol subsidy policy of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. Mr Obi who spoke on Channels TV programme tagged: Politics Today on Tuesday said a serious government would rather divert the funds used for petrol subsidy to the provision of education and health care services for citizens. Thursday The Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, said that he is ready to vacate office if that is what is required to restore peace and security to the state. Zamfara has been bedevilled by armed bandits who kill villagers and also abduct some for ransom. He also said the policy of transfer of police officers as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari aids bandits in attacking villages in the state. Mr Yari said President Buhari recently instructed the Inspector General of the Police, Ibrahim Idris, to transfer any policeman who has spent more than three years in the state. A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, said that voters would elect candidates on their personal merit in 2019, unlike in 2015 when they voted one party all through. Mr Lawal stated this while speaking with journalists in Yola, the Adamawa State capital. The independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) appointed Amina Zakari, a controversial national commissioner who once headed the agency on an interim basis, as the head of its Collation Centre Committee. This was revealed during the swearing-in of the committee and another on logistics by INECs chairman, Mahmood Yakubu. The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of making a U-turn on its plan to use Smart Card Readers (SCR) in the upcoming 2019 elections. The commission, however, promptly denied the allegation, saying it was false. The Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Fulani Socio-Cultural Association has urged Nigerians to reject Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at February 16 polls. The National President of the Association, Bello Bodejo, made the call at a news conference in Abuja when accused Mr Atiku of trying to destabilise the country using the latest Amnesty International (AI)s report on the farmer/herders conflicts in some parts of the North. The PDP and CUPP rejected the appointment of Amina Zakari as the chairperson of INEC Advisory Committee and Presidential election Collation Center Committee. The party said it took the position because Mrs Zakari is President Buharis niece. The director of voter education and publicity at INEC, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, however, said Mrs Zakaris role as head of the collection center committee has nothing to do with the actual collation of votes. He said only the chairman of INEC, who is the returning officer for the presidential election, decides the validity of votes. President Muhammadu Buhari held a closed-door meeting with the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris. Following a siege at his residence by the police which lasted for eight days, the Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye. handed himself over to the authorities. He opened the door of the house himself on Friday afternoon in the presence of police operatives and some senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). While coming out of the house, the senator slumped to the floor and was later assisted onto his feet. He was thereafter taken to the office of the IGP Intelligence Response Squad (IRT) in Guzape, Abuja. Reacting to the surrender in a statement by its spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, the police said Mr Melaye is currently in police custody for investigation, and subsequently, taken to police hospital, Abuja for medical attention and he is in stable condition. The police said it would charge Mr Melaye to court on completion of investigation. Former governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, said there will be trouble if the ruling All Progressive Congress rigs the 2019 general election. He said Nigerians and the international community are anticipating an excellent election devoid of rigging. Friday President Muhammadu Buhari will on Monday, inaugurate the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for the 2019 General Elections. Chibuike Amaechi, Minister for Transportation and Director General (DG) of Buhari Campaign Organisation, said the opposition People Democratic Party (PDP) was responsible for the current challenges Nigerians were passing through. ADVERTISEMENT Garba Shehu, a spokesperson for Mr Buhari, on Sunday night announced the presidents directive. The Federal Government has directed the military to vacate the premises of @daily_trust and the order has been complied with, he said via a tweet on his handle @GarShehu. Issues between the military and the newspaper as they affect the coverage of the war in the Northeast will be resolved through dialogue. About two dozen armed soldiers in five Hilux vehicles Sunday invaded the headoffice of the newspaper at the Utako district of Abuja. They asked all the staff to leave after which they sealed the premises. The Army had earlier raided the Maiduguri regional office of the newspaper in a similar fashion and arrested the regional editor, Uthman Abubakar, and one of the papers reporters, Ibrahim Sawab. Daily Trust in a tweet said its regional office in Lagos was also been taken over by security agents while one of the editors at the newspaper also told PREMIUM TIMES that the mediums Kaduna office was also shut. The raids on Daily Trust happened hours after the newspaper published a report detailing how the Nigerian military assembled troops and equipment in preparation for a massive operation to retake Baga and five other towns in Borno from Boko Haram. Baga was seized in the last two weeks by members of the Islamic State in West African Province (ISWAP), the faction of Boko Haram affiliated to ISIS. Meanwhile, the International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria, has condemned in strong terms, the forceful closure of Daily Trust Newspapers head office in Abuja and the organisations Maiduguri office by military personnel on Sunday January 6, 2019. IPC considers this development as a fresh threat to freedom of the press as well as the freedom and individual liberties of journalists and other media professionals working in Daily Trust, IPC said in a statement by its director, Lanre Arogundade. The action of the military is also a threat to democracy with the presidential elections, less than two months away. The military is bound by the laws of the land and cannot in any circumstance be allowed to resort to extra judicial measures no matter its grievances. Armed soldiers on Sunday raided and sealed two offices of Daily Trust newspaper in Abuja and Maiduguri, Borno State. The soldiers arrested the regional editor, Uthman Abubakar, and one of the papers reporters, Ibrahim Sawab, during the raid. More than two dozens of armed soldiers in five pickup trucks sealed up the main office of the paper in the Utako District of Abuja, and seized computers and other items, witnesses said. In Maiduguri, armed soldiers, backed by agents of the State Security Services and the Civil Defence Corps, also sealed the papers regional office along Maiduguri-Baga Road. They arrested the two journalists named above. The raid happened hours after the newspaper published a report detailing how the Nigerian military assembled troops and equipment in preparation for a massive operation to retake Baga and five other towns in Borno from Boko Haram. Baga was seized in the last two weeks by members of the Islamic State in West African Province (ISWAP), the faction of Boko Haram affiliated to ISIS. Daily Trust, popular in the northern part of the country, reported that more towns were captured by the insurgents. They include Doron-Baga, Kross Kawwa, Bunduran, Kekeno and Kukawa after expelling their military defenders. Witnesses said the soldiers arrived the two offices in the afternoon and surrounded the properties disallowing staff from leaving as they searched for two journalists in Maiduguri and one in Abuja. They asked for Hamza Idris, the political editor of the paper; Mr Abubakar, the Maiduguri bureau chief; and Mr Sawab, a reporter. It was not immediately clear whether Mr Idris was arrested. The three journalists, PREMIUM TIMES learnt, shared bylines on a lead story that was published on the Sunday edition of the paper. The armed security personnel bundled them into one of the trucks and drove them off while directing other soldiers to seal off the premises, one staff of the newspaper said about his two arrested colleagues in Maiduguri. He asked that his name is protected for fear of his safety. The attack on the newspaper houses have alarmed journalists and reignited concerns about the governments tolerance of a free press. The chairman and secretary of the Borno State correspondents chapel, Haruna Dauda and Timothy Olanrewaju, in a statement, called on journalists to be calm. They said they were already on top of the matter, reaching out to the military command in Maiduguri. The spokesperson for the Army, Sani Usman, did not answer or return calls. The Editor-in-Chief of Daily Trust, Mannir Dan Ali, told PREMIUM TIMES the issue was being resolved. He spoke to this newspaper after the Maiduguri assault on his medium. Mr Dan Ali apparently did not know that the army would eventually descend on the Abuja headquarters of the paper. ADVERTISEMENT He said the military was merely using the papers current edition as an excuse to clamp down on the newspaper, but that it was clear authorities were unhappy with Daily Trusts coverage of the recent losses to Boko Haram. Government officials are trying to resolve the matter, he said. Mr Dan Ali also said, The military is not happy with our reporting of the Baga attacks by Boko Haram and is just using todays story as an excuse to clamp down on the newspaper. Nigerias transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi, has been heard in an audio recording to be expressing shocking pessimistic views about Nigeria and the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, whose re-election bid he leads. The recording was shared with PREMIUM TIMES by Phrank Shaibu, a spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar campaign. Mr Abubakar, billionaire former vice-president, of the Peoples Democratic Party, is the main challenger of Mr Buhari, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, in next months presidential election. The recording contains a portrayal of Mr Buhari as a dismal failure who has been unable to meet the expectations of various segments of the society, ending with a dismissal of Nigeria as a never-going-to-change hopeless nation. The transcript of the recording reads: These are not things you publish ooo. If you publish them, you will never sit with me any day. Three years of Buhari oo, everybody is crying, cryingpressmen are crying, farmers are crying, workers are crying, politicians are crying, students are crying, three years oo! The rate of poverty is very high. The people are hungry. Nigeria will never change! PREMIUM TIMES has not independently verified the recording. The claims, particularly regarding expectations, expressed in the recording may be correct. Governments own official information shows Mr Buhari has presided over a worsening national job situation, with the unemployment rate standing at 23.1 per cent by the third quarter of 2018 up from 18.8 per cent per cent by the end of 2017. However, government officials argue jobs are not dropping but that it is the number of people entering the working age bracket that is outpacing the existing opportunities in the labour market. Invariably, poverty, under Mr Buhari, also continues to soar, a crisis Nigeria has experienced for decades. According to the World Bank 2017 Atlas of Sustainable Development Goals, between 1990 and 2013, Nigeria added 35 million people to its poverty population, jumping from 51 million to 86 million (and now over 100 million). Of the 10 populous countries surveyed, Nigeria is the only country that failed to reduce poverty. By 2018, Nigeria has overtaken China and is only behind India, arguably, with the highest number of extremely poor people within one national territory. In an earlier recording also shared by the Atiku campaign, Mr Amaechi appeared to be describing Mr Buhari as a leader that does not listen and care. According to the recording: The president does not listen to anybody. He doesnt care. You can write what you want to write. The president doesnt care. Does he read? He will read, he will laugh. He will say come, come and see, they are abusing me here. In fact, there was one case of somebody in Onitsha, a trader in Onitsha who couldnt sell his goats during Sallah. And I was with Oga on the plane and the man was busy abusing Buhari. He said, Amaechi, come, what is my business with Onitsha goat seller? When contacted, David Iyofor, the spokesperson for Mr Amaechi, said the ministers team was still reviewing the recording and needed more time to do so before commenting on the matter. ADVERTISEMENT Meanwhile, Mr Shaibu said the leaked tape has shown that even the presidents appointees lacked confidence in his ability to transform the country. He said, The President should just quit honourably instead of wasting taxpayers monies on a failed reelection bid. The truth is that the other day, the President confessed that the economy had collapsed under his watch. On another occasion, the wife confessed to the fact that, the canal and not her dearest husband, President Buhari was in-charge of the country and now, the Director General Of his re-election campaign has confessed to the lack of capacity of President Buhari and the dismal failure of his administration. Truth is, the President has established a record of failures which probably no other President would ever equal or erase. Mrs Aishat Buhari was partially correct when she stated that two people are preventing her husband from performing well. With this audio tape, if the two dont include her husband then she is not completely being truthful. It is not the first time a minister would appear to be expressing no confidence in the leadership of Mr Buhari in a leaked recording. Former minister for women affairs, Aisha Alhassan, was in a recording which he admitted saying she preferred Mr Abubakar to Mr Buhari as president from 2019. ADVERTISEMENT The campaign team of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has released audio tapes which it described as that of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi. Mr Amaechi is a key political ally of President Muhammadu Buhari and the director-general of the Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign Organisation. But the tapes, which were made available to PREMIUM TIMES by Phrank Shaibu, the special assistant on public communication to the PDP candidate, are now portraying the minister as lacking confidence in the product (Mr Buhari) he was appointed to market. The clips, Mr Shaibu said, were made out of an informal interaction Mr Amaechi had with journalists covering his ministry. The transcript of one of the two tapes read, This country can never change, I swear. The only way this country can change is if everybody is killed. This country is going nowhere, I swear. Even if you divide the country into 10, it will still not change. Im not joking o. When Magnus (Abe) was my SSG, I told him that this country is hopeless and helpless. He said Oga, stop it now. Coming from a governor, dont be saying that. But two months in Abuja, Magnus said this country is hopeless and helpless. I said why? He said, you are right, the only thing they do in Abuja is share money, they dont work. The second tape said, The president does not listen to anybody. He doesnt care. You can write what you want to write. The president doesnt care. Does he read? He will read, he will laugh. He will say come, come and see, they are abusing me here. In fact, there was one case of somebody in Onitsha, a trader in Onitsha who couldnt sell his goats during Sallah. And I was with Oga on the plane and the man was busy abusing Buhari. He said, Amaechi, come, what is my business with Onitsha goat seller?' PREMIUM TIMES has not independently verified the authenticity of the tape. When contacted, David Iyofor, the spokesperson for Mr Amaechi, said the ministers team was still reviewing the recording and needed more time to do so before commenting on the matter. Meanwhile, Mr Shaibu said the leaked tape has shown that even the presidents appointees lacked confidence in his ability to tranform the country. He said, The President should just quit honourably instead of wasting tax payers monies on a failed reelection bid. The truth is that, the other day, the President confessed that the economy had collapsed under his watch. On another occasion , the wife confessed to the fact that, the cabal and not her dearest husband, President Buhari was in-charge of the country and now, the Director General Of his re-election campaign has confessed to the lack of capacity of President Buhari and the dismal failure of hid administration. Truth is, the President has established a record of failures which probably no other President would ever equal or erase. Mrs Aishat Buhari was partially correct when she stated that two people are preventing her husband from performing well. With this audio tape, if the two dont include her husband then she is not completely being truthful. Nigerias opposition politicians and sections of the public are up against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following the appointment of a national commissioner, Amina Zakari, as the chairperson of the national collation centre for Nigerias coming presidential election. INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, announced Mrs. Zakaris appointment on Thursday, sparking reactions from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, the Coalition of United Political Parties and members of the public who have separately questioned the readiness of INEC for a credible poll. The opposition to Mrs. Zakaris appointment to head the collation centre at the International Conference Centre where summing of results from the 36 states and the FCT and then return would be made is hinged on the purported blood tie between her and President Muhammadu Buhari, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress. It is now quite obvious that the @inecnigeria Chairman is making decisions that cannot at all be INDEPENDENT, tweeted Oby Ezekwesili of the ACPN Thursday night. How in the world can @inecnigeria (appoint) Amina Zakari niece of @MBuhari as its Head of Collation Center? Are the INEC Chairman &President ready for the grave consequence? Both PDP and CUPP have equally called Mrs. Zakari Buharis niece and described her new appointment as an outright manipulation and a plot by the INEC to rig the 2019 presidential election in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari. But whats the truth? Is Amina Zakari Muhammadu Buharis niece? Contrary to the claims by the opposition, there is no evidence that Mrs. Zakari is Mr. Buharis biological niece or that both persons share any blood tie. The applicable relationship between the duo, however, as available evidence show, is that of a step-niece and a step-uncle. Both individuals are deeply close, having a relationship spanning several decades; in fact, all their lives! Mrs. Zakari is a princess of Kazaure Emirate, Jigawa State. She was born in 1960 to the family of the late Emir of Kazaure, Husseini Adamu, also the father of the current Emir Najib Adamu and the current Minister for Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu. According to our findings based on interviews with persons with knowledge of the relationship, Mr. Buharis elder sister was married to the late Emir, the father of Mrs. Zakari. Mr. Buhari was said to have spent part of his childhood in the palace where her sister was married. However, Mrs. Zakari was no biological daughter of Mr. Buharis elder sister, but a stepdaughter. The elder Buhari raised Mrs. Zakari as well as his younger brother, the water resources minister, which then facilitated a deep, blood tie-like relationship between the two Kazaure royals and Mr. Buhari. Mrs. Zakari, a pharmacist, was a lead consultant with Afri-Project Consortium, the defunct firm, then, handling Petroleum Trust Fund projects under Mr. Buhari as the head. Between 1994 and 1999, Mrs. Zakari was in charge of the PTF health projects. President Muhammadu Buhari [Pix: Daily Post Nigeria] Similarly, her minister brother, Mr. Adamu, was also with Mr. Buhari at the PTF through the Afri-Project Consortium. The new Emir of Kazaure, Najib, was also the legal adviser at the PTF while Mr Buhari was head of the Fund under the former dictator, Sani Abacha. Mrs. Zakari was between 2004 and 2007 an assistant to President Olusegun Obasanjo, posted to the Federal Capital Territory Administration. In 2011, she was appointed a national electoral commissioner, representing the northwest, by President Goodluck Jonathan of PDP. When Attahiru Jega retired from INEC in 2015, the professor of political science who introduced the electronic accreditation process using PVC and smart card reader, handed over to Ahmed Wali. However, in a dramatic twist, Mr. Buhari intervened, overruling Mr. Jega, and appointing Mrs. Zakari acting INEC chairperson. The president would later appoint Mr. Yakubu as the substantive head of the electoral commission, buckling under public pressure. At least two persons have told this newspaper Mr. Buhari recommended Mrs. Zakari for Mr. Jonathan to appoint as a national commissioner in 2011. ADVERTISEMENT While it is not true that both the president and Mrs. Zakari share any blood tie, they have a deep relationship, which in many African family setting is as good in definition as biological relatives, even if it now appears more as a godfather-goddaughter relationship. What role is there for Mrs. Zakari in the election? From public reaction, it appears many, including the opposition, believe Mrs. Zakari would be in charge of results collation at the national collation centre. It is clear that the Presidency has successfully put a leash on the neck of the INEC Chairman and he has by this appointment relinquished a most critical element of his job as the Presidential election returning officer to an interested party, CUPP said. INEC, however, says Mrs. Zakaris role involves no more than heading facilities and welfare handling at the International Conference Centre, venue of the collation. In the words of the INEC chairman, Mr. Yakubu, the remit of Mrs. Zakaris committee is to handle facilities such as power, access to the internet, live transmission for national and international media, as well as accreditation for access to the ICC and security of the venue. By Nigerias law, Mr. Yakubu is the returning officer for the presidential election and so would be responsible for the collation of results from different states and the FCT. But analysts say even if Mrs Zakari does not take charge of the actual collation, it is an issue that INEC is surprisingly not sensitive knowing her relationship with Mr. Buhari, a candidate in the election, and the sentiments many have regarding Mrs. Zakari and the 2019 presidential poll. ADVERTISEMENT Adedayo, the son of the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, wedded his sweetheart, Ebunoluwa Oyedele, in Ibadan on Saturday. The wedding was held at Agbala Daniel Cathedral, Ojoo, while the reception held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan. The minister hosted several dignitaries including the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, and Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, at the high octane wedding. Other personalities at the occasion included Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, a former governor of Osun State, Olusola Adeyeye and Babafemi Ojudu, an aide of President Muhammad Buhari. In her message, the officiating minister, Dorcas Olaniyi, an Archbishop, urged the couple to embrace the Christian modest way of life. She also prayed for the couple and counseled them on sincere love, maturity and godliness in dealing with each other. Mr Ajimobi, who was the chairman at the reception, urged the couple to be faithful to each other and live with sincere love. He also commended the parents for giving their best in nurturing the newly wedded in becoming responsible stakeholders in the society. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, said the business of marriage was about companionship. He also urged them to always embrace patience, tolerance and godliness in their dealings, praying that the couple live long and peacefully. See photos from the event below Photo Credit: Tolani Alli ADVERTISEMENT Less than one week after the listing of shares from the almost $1 billion Merger between BUA Kalambaina Cement Company and Cement Company of Northern Nigeria where it also assumed majority stakes in the enlarged company, BUA Group has announced signing of another contract with worlds renowned cement manufacturing company, CBMI, for the construction of a new 3million metric tonnes per annum Kalambaina Cement Line 2 in Sokoto. This comes barely 90 days after the completion of another 3million MTPA BUA Obu Cement line 2 in Okpella, Edo State, Southern Nigeria and 7 months after the commissioning of its 1.5million MTPA Kalambaina Cement Plant line 1 in Sokoto state thus bringing BUA Cements total installed capacity to 11 million MTPA by the time the new project Is completed. Speaking at the contract signing ceremony for the plant in Sokoto, AbdulSamad Rabiu, Executive Chairman/CEO, BUA Group and Chairman of CCNN, disclosed that the construction of the new 3million mtpa kalambaina line was in line with BUA Cements strategic midterm expansion programme. According to Abdul Samad, the Nigerian market is still greatly underserved and with the projected growth in major infrastructure projects and spending over the next few years, it is important that local manufacturers are able to scale effectively to meet current and projected demand. Mr Rabiu added that this partnership between BUA and Sinoma CBMI is not the first as they were responsible for constructing the first BUA Kalambaina plant in Sokoto State. We are very confident that Sinoma CBMI possesses the necessary technical expertise given their track records in deploying cement plants across the world. Mr. Tong Laigou, Chairman of CBMI, signed on behalf of CBMI construction. On BUA becoming Nigerias second largest cement producer by volume, Mr Rabiu said that BUAs strategic cement expansion programme which focused on key regional and export markets has seen it become the second largest producer of cement by volume in Nigeria this year whilst solidifying BUA Cements leadership positions in the North West, South South and South East Markets of Nigeria. We will continue to deliver quality products which has earned us the King of Strength and King of Cement moniker amongst block makers who form the largest users of cement in Nigeria. It would be recalled that the Security and Exchange Commission had recently approved the merger of the Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc with BUAs KalambainaCement Company Limited of Nigeria that saw the enlarged CCNN become Nigerias 12th largest company by market capitalisation. BUA Groups current cement assets include the 6million MTPA Obu Cement I & II plants in Okpella, Edo State, the 500,000mtpa Edo Cement Plant, the 1.5million MTPA Kalambaina Cement Plant and the 500,000 Sokoto Cement Plant. The Group also owns over 90% stake in the publicly listed Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc and is widely acclaimed for its high capacity utilisation, efficiency and quality of its products. ADVERTISEMENT The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) on Saturday cautioned insurance operators against rate cutting in 2019. The Deputy Commissioner for Insurance, Technical, Sunday Thomas, issued the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. Mr Thomas explained that the industrys target of N1 trillion premium by 2020 may fail due to rate cutting by some operators. NAN reports that rate cutting is a process whereby a lower premium is accepted from an insurance policyholder than the amount stipulated by the insurance industry regulator, NAICOM. He said some operators might derail the N1 trillion target through the reduction of statutory premium. Mr Thomas said, there was a point that the third party Insurance premium was N5, 000, but some operators were charging N1,000. This made third party Gross Premium Written (GPW) to stand at N200 million that year. If the operators had charged the N5, 000 statutory premium, what is the market likely to produce? I am just telling you why we are not at N1trillion. Some operators violated NAICOMs directive, which also hurt their own businesses, he said. He, however, urged insurance operators to desist from violating the rules governing insurance practice in 2019. He urged NAICOM to be committed to pushing the industry to lofty heights, and also ensure government agencies pay the right premium to be able to make their claims. (NAN) PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-06 09:55:06 According to the latest market report published by Research Report Insights (RRI) titled Tissue Paper Converting Machines Market by 2027, Toilet rolls tissue paper converting machines segmentis expected to be the largest contributor to the global tissue paper converting machines market over the forecast period, 2017-2027.Globally, the revenue generated from sales of tissue paper converting machines has been estimated to be around US$ 1,123.8Mnin 2016, and is projected to increase at a CAGR of 5.0% during forecast period 2017-2027.Report For Sample with Table of Contents@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114938/Tissue-Paper-Converting-Machines-Market The globally rising urban population and increasing concern among the consumers regarding proper hygiene has propelled the market for tissue paper products. This inclination in the demand of tissue paper products has been recognised by the tissue paper converting firms across the globe. This has led to the expansion in the production capacity of multinational tissue paper products manufacturers by either adding machinery to the manufacturing facility or by acquiring the emerging small and regional tissue converting companies. The trend among tissue paper converting firms to expand the production capacity to meet the increasing demand of tissue paper products has fuelled the tissue paper converting machines market.Due to rapid expansion of global tissue paper products production capacity, the required production capacity to meet the global demand of tissue paper products has reached to around 80% of the present production capacity. Thus, the global overcapacity of tissue paper products production has restrained the growth of tissue paper converting machines market. Moreover, the slower acceptance of proper hygiene in developing countries of Asia Pacific is the reason for low per capita consumption of tissue paper, while the demand for the same is expected to rise at a considerable pace. China and India are the producers of low production capacity tissue paper converting machines at very low prices as compared to the machines manufactured by European and North American manufacturers. Thus, a large portion of tissue paper converting machines demand in the region is served by low cost machines produced by regional players. This fact has restrained the global revenue generated by the tissue paper converting machines market.Industry 4.0, which is the wireless connectivity among various machinery in the production line with the help of technology such as internet of things (IOT), cognitive computing, cyber-physical systems and others, is the trend impacting the tissue paper converting machines market players across the globe. Other than this, the tissue paper converting firms keep on innovating to improve the brand position in the global market. This leads to the demand of highly customized machines over the standard tissue paper converting solutions. To enhance the pace of production of tissue paper products, the key market players are focusing on developing the rewinding machine, which is highly responsible for the productivity of the complete converting line. Forte rewinder launched by PCMC, and Constellation technology based rewinder launched by Fabio Perini are trend setter for the tissue paper converting machines market.Request For Report Discount@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114938/Tissue-Paper-Converting-Machines-Market Although, the key global players of tissue paper converting market has made the market highly competitive for the small and emerging players to sustain in the market, the private label brands of tissue paper products are experiencing considerable growth. Thus, the increasing market for nationwide retail chains and their attraction towards the tissue paper market has created ample opportunities for the tissue paper converting machines market players. In terms of opportunity created by the geographical regions, North Africa is expected to create very high opportunity for the market. This is due to more than twice the demand of tissue paper than the tissue paper converting capacity of the region. Thus, North Africa creates a lucrative market for the global tissue paper converting firms to export to the region, and also for regional players to emerge in the region.Some of the players operating in the global tissue paper converting machines market include Fabio Perini S.p.A, Paper Converting Machine Company Italia S.p.A., Omet S.R.L., KawanoeZoki Co., Ltd., MtorresDisenosIndustriales Sau, BaoSuo Paper Machinery Manufacture Co., Ltd., A.Celli Group, United Converting S.R.L., Futura S.p.A., Dechangyu Paper Machinery Manufacture Co., Ltd., Gambini S.p.A, C.G. Bretting Manufacturing Co. Inc., Wangda Industrial Co., Limited, ZambakKagitSan.VeTic.Ltd.Sti ., Unimax Group Engineering & Development Corporation, Tissuewell S.R.L., 9. Septembar- Tissue Converting D.O.O., Maflex S.R.L., Hinnli Co., Ltd., and Chan Li Machinery Co., Ltd.Report Analysis@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114938/Tissue-Paper-Converting-Machines-Market Research Solution Insights presents professional and in-depth study of "Remote Patient Monitoring Device Market is estimated to reach US$ 1,502.9 Million revenue 2024". PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-06 18:40:21 Press Information RESEARCH SOLUTION INSIGHTS Research Solution Insights (RSI) 42 Joseph Street Port carling P0B 1J0 Muskoka, Ontario1 Phone - +44-1618508625 Website: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/ Email: sales@researchsolutioninsights.com Sagar Analyst 1618508625 email https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/ # 764 Words Research Solution Insights (RSI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +44-1618508625Website: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/Email: sales@researchsolutioninsights.comAnalyst1618508625 Today, there is an unprecedented economic pressure on clinical device manufacturers, payors as well as healthcare providers due to rapid radical change in the healthcare industry. Actually medical technology is experiencing a major shift from expensive healthcare innovation to enhanced productivity solutions, improved outcomes and cost reduction. Remote monitoring is the major element in this shift. The merging of pervasive cloud technology, noninvasive biosensors, wireless networks, and miniaturization is promptly introducing the patients monitoring concept. This kind of convergence proffers major price competences to the system. As per the Research Report Insights (RRI), the global remote patient monitoring devices market is anticipated to see a strong growth between 2017 and 2024. By 2024 end, the global remote patient monitoring devices market is estimated to reach US$ 1,502.9 Million revenue.Request For Report Sample: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/sample/230028-Remote-Patient-Monitoring-Device-Market From the bang of wellness applications to chronic illness management, industry leaders to start-ups and remote monitoring to innovative software solutions, healthcare innovation in healthcare industry is rushing to support a trade that is facing challenges related to rising tension among increasing demand and tightening capacity as well as growing care cost and new models of reimbursement aiming towards controlling costs.Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is an ambulatory healthcare allowing patient to perform his routine test and then send that data to healthcare professional by using mobile medical device. It is also known as homecare tele-health. It uses the base of digital technology for gathering medical and several other health data from people at different locations and communicating through electronic medical mobile device.Market DriversFactors that are boosting the revenue growth of the global market of remote patient monitoring device include rising availability of solutions that effective in treatment and growing expenditure on healthcare. Increase in the geriatric population who have chronic diseases are propelling the demand of RPM devices which in turn driving the market growth. Moreover, growing awareness among patients as well as doctors regarding RPM devices and chronic diseases diagnosis in rural areas based on opinions due to shortage of standard diagnostic tests is further fueling the revenue growth of the global RPM device market in the coming years.However, shortage of skilled professionals to help with RPM devices is hindering the market growth of remote patient monitoring device globally. Lack of awareness regarding RPM devices as well as insufficiency while maintaining the security and privacy of stored data and lack of regularity in functionality of device are the major factors hampering the global market of remote patient monitoring device.Request Report Discount: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/discount/230028-Remote-Patient-Monitoring-Device-Market Globally, the segmentation of RPM device market is based on product, application, end user and regions. Based on product, the global market of remote patient monitoring device is segmented as Respiratory Monitors, Cardiac Monitors and Hematological Monitors. On the basis of application, the global market of remote patient monitoring device is segmented as Diabetes, Chronic respiratory diseases, Cardiac Arrhythmia, Sleep apnea, Ischemic diseases, Hypertension and Hyperlipidemia. While based on end use, the global market of remote patient monitoring device is segmented as Long-term Care Centers, Hospitals and Homecare Settings.Regionally, the global market of remote patient monitoring device is segmented as APEJ, North America, Europe, Latin America and MEA. North America will dominate the global market of RPM device in terms of value and will exhibit revenue share of 31.4% by the end of 2016. While the Europe market is estimated to exhibit 22.8% revenue share of the global market of RPM device by the end of 2016.Major PlayersThe leading companies operating in the global remote patient monitoring device market are Medtronic, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Boston Scientific Corporation, St. Jude Medical, LifeWatch AG, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Nihon Kohden Corporation, and Abbott Laboratories.Report Analysis: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/analysis/230028-Remote-Patient-Monitoring-Device-Market About Us :Research Solution Insights is a U.S. based market research and consulting company. We are the best destination for your research and analytical solutions; simply because our primary and secondary sources of information are adroit to give one stop solutions.Company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services.We offer the comprehensive market research solution for all the industries by performing the in-depth study of industry trends, verticals globally. We believe in building an eternal bond with our customers through providing them inclusive research study both customized and syndicated based on their specific requirements.Contact Us:Research Solution Insights (RSI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +44-1618508625Website: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/ Email: sales@ researchsolutioninsights.com Follow me on: https://researchsolutioninsights.wordpress.com/ Research Solution Insights presents professional and in-depth study of "Pallet Market is expected to surpass to (US$ 971. Million) by 2024". PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-06 18:36:10 Press Information RESEARCH SOLUTION INSIGHTS Research Solution Insights (RSI) 42 Joseph Street Port carling P0B 1J0 Muskoka, Ontario1 Phone - +44-1618508625 Website: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/ Email: sales@researchsolutioninsights.com Sagar Analyst 1618508625 email https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/ # 737 Words Research Solution Insights (RSI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +44-1618508625Website: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/Email: sales@researchsolutioninsights.comAnalyst1618508625 The pallet industry in India is soaring at a brisk pace. A pallet is designed to endure heavy load, serving as a rigid base for goods during their transportation and are usually handled by pallet jacks and forklifts. Indias rising economy coupled with higher production volumes of goods is potentially generating business opportunities for pallet manufacturers in the country. In order to manage large scale imports and shipments of consumer goods, industries avail smart logistic services. Hence, the demand for pallets from shipping and logistic industry has significantly increased in the country. Due to the lumpy transport infrastructure in Indian sub-continent, usage of pallet during goods delivery and storage becomes more important.Request For Report Sample: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/sample/230031-Pallet-Market Boom in manufacturing sector of the country is fuelling the demand for pallets in the Indian market. Relentless support from the government and a blossoming business environment in the country is unveiling further market opportunities for the manufacturing sector. In addition, implementation of government policies such as Make in India is expected to ensure sustainability of the economic growth in the long run.These economic reforms are expected to bring some good news to the industrial sectors of the country, especially the manufacturing sector. Thus, the thrust to the manufacturing sector has also led to progression of the allied sectors such as hardware, logistics and transport. Off late, the country has witnessed establishment of large warehouses spreading in acres of land, these warehouses need several operational tools, pallets being a primary one. As production volumes in the country rise higher, it will have a direct impact on the demand for pallets. Moreover, stakeholders and manufacturers are strongly emphasizing on safer modules of transportation of materials and consumer goods, which is translating into the growth of the pallets market in India. The aforementioned factors are likely to drive the pallets market in India in the following years to come.Emergence of Logistics and Warehouse Business in India Responsible for the Bulk of Demand for PalletsNoticeably, several new startups are going into logistics, transportation and delivery service. Though the competition in the market is moderate, companies look forward to improve service offerings. Companies are focusing on developing advanced warehouse facilities with features such as auto temperature control and robotics. For instance, Gati Ltd a supply chain solution provider recently developed its first temperature controlled warehouse infrastructure in New Delhi. The warehouse facility is designed to meet the industry standards and will cater to various industry sectors such as pharmaceutical and food and beverage including dairy.Request Report Discount: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/discount/230031-Pallet-Market The latest warehouse infrastructures have extended capabilities and robust network ensuring enhanced supply chain solutions. This, in turn, is essentially helping businesses to expand significant levels and likewise supporting the growth of logistics industry in India.Warehouses provide storage services to a wide range of industries, operational tools such as pallet are important in managing goods and create sections and division between them. In additional, use of pallets allows stress-free movement of goods in bulk amount.TrendsProliferation of large retail or departmental stores in the country has led to a healthy demand for pallet from such outlets. Changing culture of retail business and an evolving market structure is expected to influence the market for pallets in India.ConclusionThe pallet market in India is anticipated to register a healthy growth rate in the coming years. By 2016 end, the pallet market in the country is expected to surpass INR 6,223 Cr, which is close to (US$ 971. Million) by 2024.Report Analysis: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/analysis/230031-Pallet-Market About Us :Research Solution Insights is a U.S. based market research and consulting company. We are the best destination for your research and analytical solutions; simply because our primary and secondary sources of information are adroit to give one stop solutions.Company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services.We offer the comprehensive market research solution for all the industries by performing the in-depth study of industry trends, verticals globally. We believe in building an eternal bond with our customers through providing them inclusive research study both customized and syndicated based on their specific requirements.Contact Us:Research Solution Insights (RSI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +44-1618508625Website: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/ Email: sales@ researchsolutioninsights.com Follow me on: https://researchsolutioninsights.wordpress.com/ Research Report Insights PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-06 17:59:05 Press Information Research Report Insights Research Report Insights 42 joseph street, Portcarling P0B 1J0, Muskoka, Ontario T: +1-631-721-4201 Vikas Bahurupi Manager 6317214201 email https://www.researchreportinsights.com # 606 Words Research Report Insights42 joseph street,Portcarling P0B 1J0,Muskoka, OntarioT: +1-631-721-4201Manager6317214201 Liquid ring vacuum pumps (LRVP) play an indispensable role in maintaining precise levels of pressure in a system. These pumps find their application across various environments, from larger industrial to home applications. With an extensive variety of sizes and shapes, liquid ring vacuum pumps enable industries and companies in meeting the demands of business operations.Global LRVP Market to Register a Steady Growth through 2024The global liquid ring vacuum pumps market is projected to register a steady growth at 5.2% CAGR during 2016 to 2024, according to a study by Release Report Insights (RRI). The market is estimated to reach revenues worth US$ 2,871.3 Mn by 2024. Liquid ring vacuum pumps are the best choice in seawater de-aeration, owing to their economical pricing, and corrosion resistant properties, rendering them immune to seawater. This has resulted in rising adoption of LRVP for seawater de-aeration, which in-turn is expected to propel the market growth of global LRVP market.Request For Report Sample with Table of Contents@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114944/Liquid-Ring-Vacuum-Pumps-Market Factors Influencing the Growth of the Global Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps Include Introduction to low water consuming pumps Increasing preferences for high-cost high-capacity liquid ring vacuum pumps Broadly expanding applications among general process and chemical industries Stringent regulations by EPA Lucrative opportunities in the regions of Asia Rising mergers & acquisitions between prominent market players Soaring demand from power, and oil & gas industries Continuous innovations by manufacturersHEI introduces Fifth Edition of Performance Standards for LRVPVacuum pump technology forms an essential ingredient across many industries. Versatility & ruggedness of LRVP renders it an ideal choice for several applications such as power generation equipment, petrochemical, food production, seawater de-aeration, vapor extraction, ground water remediation, and pharmaceutical. Adoption of liquid ring vacuum pumps includes adherence to performance standards. The Heat Energy Institute (HEI) recently released the fifth edition of performance standards for liquid ring vacuum pumps and compressors.The new edition depicts continuing program of HEI to update its standards for reflecting latest technological advancements in heat exchange equipment.The fifth edition of HEIs performance standards for liquid ring vacuum pumps and compressors encompasses factory testing. On the other hand, it may be utilized for field testing, considering availability of necessary equipment, as per HEI.Request For Report Discount@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114944/Liquid-Ring-Vacuum-Pumps-Market Benefits of Using LRVP Include Liquid ring vacuum pumps are manufactured based on ISO9001 standards LRVP require extremely low maintenance, which adds to their appeal LRVP are available in iron, stainless steel and bronze fitted materials LVRP possess the capability of ingesting huge quantities of soft solids & liquid without causing any mechanical damageTomlinson Hall Shortlisted for Pump Industry Awards 2017An award-winning manufacturer and distributor of pumps, Tomlinson Hall (Billingham) is on the run for two national awards. This company has been shortlisted for Pump Industry Awards 2017, in the category of Distributor of the Year, organized by British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA). Tomlinson Hall has been approved as a global distributor of several leading pump brands, offering total service to the industry. The company also manufactures an innovative LRVP, called Liquivac, capable of performing operations across a wide range of industries. Rolling out Energy Check Reports in the previous year with Grundfos Pumps, Tomlinson Hall offered customers to make substantial energy savings on pump systems.Report Analysis@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114944/Liquid-Ring-Vacuum-Pumps-Market key company profilesDekker Vacuum Technologies Inc., Busch Vacuum Technics Inc., Flowserve Corporation, Tsurumi Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Atlas Copco Airpower N.V., Gardner Denver Nash LLC, Tuthill Vacuum & Blower Systems, and Graham Corp. are some of the key players that constitute the competitive landscape of the global liquid ring vacuum pumps marketplace. Research Solution Insights presents professional and in-depth study of "Cocoa Market to account for US$ 14,572 Mn by 2026". PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-06 18:10:10 Press Information RESEARCH SOLUTION INSIGHTS Research Solution Insights (RSI) 42 Joseph Street Port carling P0B 1J0 Muskoka, Ontario1 Phone - +44-1618508625 Website: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/ Email: sales@researchsolutioninsights.com Sagar Analyst 1618508625 email https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/ # 597 Words Research Solution Insights (RSI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +44-1618508625Website: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/Email: sales@researchsolutioninsights.comAnalyst1618508625 In terms of value, the global cocoa market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 3.4 % during the forecast period and is expected to account for US$ 14,572 Mn by 2026 end. Demand for dark chocolates is high due to health benefits such as reducing hypertension, reducing symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, protecting against sunburn, promoting heart health etc. Dark chocolate is also a powerful source of antioxidants, which includes polyphenols, flavanols, catechins and others. These properties of dark chocolate is expected to drive the market growth over the forecast period. The global cocoa market is currently witnessing major opportunity like application of cocoa in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals industries. As a result of increasing awareness of healthy skin and health benefits of cocoa, application in these industries is expected to witness robust increase over the forecast period. Global cocoa market has been segmented by application which includes confectionery, functional food, bakery items, beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceutical. Among all the application segment confectionery segment is projected to account relatively high CAGR of 3.6% during the forecast period.Request For Report Sample: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/sample/230045-Cocoa-Market On the basis of product type, the global cocoa market has been segmented into cocoa powder, cocoa butter and cocoa liquor. Cocoa liquor segment is expected to represent largest share in terms of value. Revenue contribution of this segment to the global cocoa market is expected to increase at a CAGR of 3.1 % from 2016 to 2026.The global cocoa acid market is further segmented on the basis of process which includes Natural and Dutch. Among both the segments Dutch type was dominant in terms of value and it registered a significant value share of 73.9% in 2016. Awareness among adult consumers regarding the various health benefits associated with dark chocolate has been witnessing a significant rise in the recent past, and is projected to continue to drive revenues of the global cocoa market in future.Request Report Discount: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/discount/230045-Cocoa-Market On the basis of region, the global cocoa market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan, the Middle East & Africa and Japan. Among all the regions, the market in Western Europe recorded highest CAGR of 4.1% in terms of value and in terms of revenue share at 34.8 % in 2016, followed by North America. While APAC also gained normal market share owing to high demand from India and China that accounted for 14.1% market share in 2016 and is expected to grow up to 14.3 % market share by 2026.Key players in the cocoa market includes The Barry Callebaut Group, The Hershey Company, Nestle S.A., Cargill Incorporated, Puratos Group, Cemoi, Mars, Incorporated, Blommer Chocolate Company, Meiji Holdings Company, Ltd. Carlyle Cocoa, Jindal Cocoa and United Cocoa Processor.Report Analysis: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/report/analysis/230045-Cocoa-Market About Us :Research Solution Insights is a U.S. based market research and consulting company. We are the best destination for your research and analytical solutions; simply because our primary and secondary sources of information are adroit to give one stop solutions.Company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services.We offer the comprehensive market research solution for all the industries by performing the in-depth study of industry trends, verticals globally. We believe in building an eternal bond with our customers through providing them inclusive research study both customized and syndicated based on their specific requirements.Contact Us:Research Solution Insights (RSI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +44-1618508625Website: https://www.researchsolutioninsights.com/ Email: sales@ researchsolutioninsights.com Follow me on: https://researchsolutioninsights.wordpress.com/ PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-06 15:31:41 Press Information Research Report Insights Pvt Ltd 42 joseph street, Portcarling P0B 1J0 , Muskoka, Ontario, Canada Bisvjeet CEO 6317214201 email https://www.researchreportinsights.com/ # 686 Words 42 joseph street, Portcarling P0B 1J0 , Muskoka, Ontario, CanadaCEO6317214201 In a to a great extent divided worldwide compound sensors showcase, top five players held a small 19.8% of the general market in 2015. These organizations, in particular Emerson Electric Co., ABB Group, The Bosch Group, Honeywell International Inc., and Siemens AG are relied upon to clutch their predominant position sooner rather than later. Innovative work endeavors for presentation of novel items is what is helping these organizations to collect expansive offer in the market, expresses the creator of the examination.Companies in this market are also focusing on implementation of new technologies to add to thie business profile. This is likely to aid these companies bolster their position in the market.Some top companies operating in the global chemical sensors market include Alpha MOS, Delphi Automotive plc, Denso Corporation, Honeywell International Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., ABB Group, The Bosch Group, Emerson Electric Co., Halma plc., Siemens AG, and Yokogawa Electric Corporation.Request for Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114583/Chemical-Sensors-Market As per estimates of a market intelligence publication by Research Report Insights (RRI), the global chemical sensors market will be worth US$24.8 bn by 2024 from US$16.3 bn in 2015. This alludes to a CAGR of 5.0% over the forecast period starting in 2016 and ending in 2024. Among the various segments of the market based on end-use, the medical industry continues to remain at the fore. Continual uptake of technologically advanced devices is fuelling the medical end-use segment in the chemical sensor market. Product-wise, optical sensors are likely to continue to show an uptick in demand due to their increasing application in healthcare and medicine industry. North America is the leading regional market for chemical sensors; the growth of the automobile industry, development of new products, and increasing research activities are providing impetus to this market.Efficacy for Homeland Security Boosts GrowthThe growth of the chemical sensors market is mainly because of rising demand for chemical sensors across a host of industries such as food and beverages, medical, automotive, and agriculture. Further, rising number of oil and gas exploration and extraction undertakings are stoking demand for chemical sensors. Chemical sensors are increasingly being deployed as they help to identify the amount of hazardous chemicals present in the environment and quantify their impact through logical analysis. Initiatives undertaken by governments to ensure environmental safety is also predicted to boost the chemical sensors market in the years ahead.The chemical sensors market is also witnessing a spike in its revenue due to surging demand for homeland security. To serve this, chemical sensors are witnessing upswing in demand from the defense forces to detect harmful gases, explosives, and other chemicals used for chemical warfare. Apart from this, increasing investments for research and development of chemical sensors is serving to boost this market.Request for Report Discount: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114583/Chemical-Sensors-Market Fluctuating Prices to Hamper MarketOn the downside, poor lifecycle of chemical sensors is the only major factor restraining the growth of chemical sensors market. These sensors if exposed to varying temperature, humidity, air pressure, and other environmental contaminants can get damaged easily. Price fluctuations of chemical sensors despite their steady demand and extensive sales is projected to hamper this market in the future.The review presented is based on the findings of a RRI report, titled Chemical Sensors Market (Type - Optical Sensor, Electrochemical, and Catalytic Bead; by End User - Oil and Gas, Automotive, Medical, Environmental Monitoring, and Industrial) - Global Industry Analysis Size Share Growth Trends and Forecast 2016 2024.Report Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114583/Chemical-Sensors-Market The global chemical sensors market is segmented as follows;Global Chemical Sensors Market by TypeOptical sensorsElectrochemicalCatalytic BeadOthersGlobal Chemical Sensors Market by End Use IndustryOil and GasAutomotiveMedicalIndustrialEnvironmental MonitoringOthersGlobal Chemical Sensors Market by RegionNorth AmericaThe U.S.MexicoRest of North AmericaEuropeU.KGermanyFranceItalyRest of EuropeAsia PacificIndiaChinaJapanSouth KoreaRest of Asia PacificMiddle East and AfricaUAESaudi ArabiaSouth AfricaRest of Middle East and AfricaLatin AmericaBrazilArgentinaRest of Latin America The path to returning to the original automatic savings policy will be far from straightforward, however. This is because the same 2017 budget implementer bill that contained the new volatility cap also included a novel and untested method of handcuffing public decisions about our state budget, the bond lock. The bond lock is a contractual promise to Wall Street investors that the volatility cap, along with three other fiscal caps, will remain in effect, without amendment, through 2023. The bond lock also locks in a drafting error that will severely limit the states ability to fund infrastructure, including aid to towns that help them maintain roads and build and repair schools. The bond lock is written into every bond issued by the state so that, if Connecticut amends any of the fiscal restrictions, the state will open itself up to a lawsuit from bondholders. Vanuatu turns the Corner LETS USE THIS AS A SPRINGBOARD FOR THE FUTURE PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-06 15:22:51 Press Information Research Report Insights Pvt Ltd 42 joseph street, Portcarling P0B 1J0 , Muskoka, Ontario, Canada Bisvjeet CEO 6317214201 email https://www.researchreportinsights.com/ # 557 Words 42 joseph street, Portcarling P0B 1J0 , Muskoka, Ontario, CanadaCEO6317214201 Global bottled water market was valued at $198.4 million in 2017, and is expected to reach $307300 Million by 2024, expanding at a CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period 2024 End. Bottled water is packaged drinking water that is purified and free from contamination. It is available in plastic and glass water bottles, and is the most convenient way for the body to fulfill its hydration needs being easily available in nearby retail stores and supermarkets. The market driven by the rise in healthcare awareness about waterborne diseases such as malaria, typhoid, diarrhea, food poisoning, and others. Moreover, bottled water is more portable and convenient to use as it is handy, thus supporting the market growth. In addition, tap water is available at a lower cost, which also poses a restrain to market growth.Request for Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114577/Bottled-Water-Market Bringing about extensive innovations in bottled water manufacturing processes, and striving towards increasing awareness among masses regarding benefits of using recycled bottles are prime strategies implemented by businesses working in the global bottled water market. Many companies are developing advanced and cost-effective techniques of producing water bottles, so that they can efficiently function while causing least harm to the environment. Such businesses are also receiving tremendous support from most governments all over the globe. Mountain Valley Spring Company LLC, GroupeDanone, PepsiCo Inc, Icelandic Water Holdings, The Coca Cola Company, Nestle Waters, Unicer - Bebidas SA, Grupo Vichy Catalan, Suntori Beverage & Food Ltd, and CG Roxane, LLC, are key players operating in the global bottled water market.The continued increase in per capita consumption indicates that consumers see bottled water as a healthy alternative to other packaged beverages. Consistent with this view, sales revenues for the U.S. bottled water market in 2017 were nearly $16000 Million in wholesale dollars, a 7.4% increase over the previous year.Nearly all of the bottled water sold in the U.S. is sourced domestically. In fact, imported bottled water accounts for only 1% of the U.S. market. The vast majority of bottled water companies in the U.S. are small, community-based companies using local water sources and distributing their products within an average radius of 300 miles from their bottling facilities.Request for Report Discount: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114577/Bottled-Water-Market Segment Review:The global bottled water market is segmented based on type and geography. Based on type, it is classified into still water, carbonated water, flavored water, and functional water. In 2017, the still water segment held the largest market share, accounting for three-fifths of the total market share and is expected to maintain this trend during the forecast period. In terms of geographical analysis, in 2017, Asia-Pacific dominated the market, occupying 35.6% share, followed by Europe with 27.1%. Geographically, the market is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.The mounting concern of large carbon footprint of the manufacturing processes as flagged by environmentalists is another critical factor likely to negatively impact the market to an extent. Stricter imposing of unfavorable regulations is a key factor likely to hamper its production in some states. Nevertheless, the introduction of products that have a variety of health benefits and innovative flavors are key trends impacting the growth of the U.S. market. The growing popularity of mineral laced water and low-calorie flavored drink bodes well for the market.Report Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114577/Bottled-Water-Market PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-06 15:28:32 Press Information Research Report Insights Pvt Ltd 42 joseph street, Portcarling P0B 1J0 , Muskoka, Ontario, Canada Bisvjeet CEO 6317214201 email https://www.researchreportinsights.com/ # 519 Words 42 joseph street, Portcarling P0B 1J0 , Muskoka, Ontario, CanadaCEO6317214201 The report offers vital investigation of the worldwide body-worn temperature sensors market. The worldwide body-worn temperature sensors market has been sectioned based on types, mind setting, persistent statistic, applications and end-client ventures. Cross sectional investigation of the worldwide body-worn temperature sensors market crosswise over four noteworthy topographical portions have likewise been secured under the extent of the report. Expanding wellbeing mindfulness among all age bunches running from babies to the elderly populace is fundamentally driving the development of the market. Body-worn temperature sensors successfully screen and measure real exercises, for example, body temperature, heart rate and heartbeat rate among others. Besides, expanding utilizations of body-worn temperature sensors in various divisions, for example, medicinal services, wellness and wellbeing and assembling is additionally fuelling the development of the worldwide body-worn temperature sensors market. Because of expanded interest for wearable innovation alongside assist mechanical advancement of the sensors the application regions of body-worn sensors are foreseen to develop amid the estimate time frame. Another factor driving the development of the body-worn temperature sensors market is the conservativeness and versatility of body-worn temperature sensors. Expanding worry about interminable ailments combined with the rising market entrance of body-worn temperature sensors utilized as a part of the social insurance section are representing the fast development of this market. Thinking about these variables, the worldwide body-worn temperature sensors market is relied upon to ascend amid the estimate time frame from 2014-2020.Request for Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114582/Body-Worn-Temperature-Sensor-Market With headways in innovation and outline, wearable temperature sensors are giving unwavering quality and security crosswise over various divisions, extending from wellness following to wellbeing checking. There lies a colossal open door for the littler players to rise in the worldwide body-worn temperature sensors market sooner rather than later. The cost of wearable temperature sensors is required to diminish with an expansion in the quantity of players contending among themselves. The new participants are required to think of mechanically propelled substitute items at a lower cost. Nonetheless, high cost of temperature-based wearable sensors and slower acknowledgment of these items are the central point repressing the development of this market.Point by point investigation of the market elements, i.e., the market drivers, limitations and openings has been additionally incorporated into the report. The market progression are the elements which affect the development of the market and these components help to comprehend the continuous patterns in the market. Along these lines, the report offers a thorough examination of the worldwide body-worn temperature sensors market and furthermore gives the gauge from 2014 to 2020.Request for Report Discount: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114582/Body-Worn-Temperature-Sensor-Market A portion of the main players in the body-worn temperature sensors market are, Analog Devices Inc (Norwood, USA), STMicroelectronics N.V.(Switzerland), Texas Instruments Inc (Texas, USA), Maxim Integrated Products Inc (San Jose, USA) and Measurement Specialties Inc (Hampton, USA) among others.The worldwide body-worn temperature sensors market have been sectioned into :Body-Worn Temperature Sensors market, by Types: Motion Sensors Pressure Sensors Temperature Sensors Position Sensors Inertial Sensors Medical Based Sensors Image Sensors OthersReport Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114582/Body-Worn-Temperature-Sensor-Market PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-06 14:49:21 Press Information Research Report Insights Pvt Ltd 42 joseph street, Portcarling P0B 1J0 , Muskoka, Ontario, Canada Bisvjeet CEO 6317214201 email https://www.researchreportinsights.com/ # 937 Words 42 joseph street, Portcarling P0B 1J0 , Muskoka, Ontario, CanadaCEO6317214201 Biopesticides are derived from natural sources as animals, bacteria, plants, and certain minerals. Bt (Bacillus thruingiensis) containing products are the most common type of biopesticides but the plant-incorporated protectants (PIP) that come from adding genetic material to plants also fall in this category. The global biopesticides market has shown significant growth during the past few years. This trend is anticipated to continue during the forecast period due to increasing consumer awareness about the consumption of organic food and growing usage of biopesticides in order to minimize the environment pollution worldwide.Biopesticides are the key components of integrated pest management (IPM) programs, and are receiving much attention as a means of reducing the load of synthetic chemical products that are used to control plant diseases. The objective of improving the commercial feasibility of production and use of biopesticides is propelling market growth. Moreover, extensive and organized research has resulted in improved formulation techniques, enhanced application methods, and increased ability to produce biopesticides through mass production, and better storage and shelf life capabilities.Request for Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114574/Biopesticides-Market In this report, the global biopesticides market is categorized into five segments: (i) by product type; (ii) by active ingredients type, (iii) by crop type, (iv) by application and (v) by geography. Based on product type, the market has been categorized into bioinsecticides, biofungicides, bionematicides, and bioherbicides. Biopesticides are widely used for controlling various insects and disease-causing pathogens. Based on active ingredients, the biopesticides market is segregated into microbial pesticides, plant pesticides, and biochemical pesticides. Furthermore, the market is segmented into permanent crops and arable crops among others including forage & turf grasses and greenhouse crops by crop type. Based on application type, the biopesticides market is bifurcated into seed treatment application, on farm application, and post harvest application.Bioinsecticides, biofungicides, and bionematicides are rapidly growing market segments that are expected to fuel demand for biopesticides in the near future. The usage of biopesticides can greatly decrease the use of conventional pesticides without affecting crop yields in the Integrated Crop Management (ICM) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs. Globally, the demand for nature-based biopesticides is on the rise with increased environmental awareness and the pollution potential and health hazards from many conventional pesticides.Request for Report Discount: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114574/Biopesticides-Market Based on geography, the global biopesticides market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW). In 2014, North America held the largest share of the biopesticides market followed by Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World (RoW). North America is expected to maintain its leading position during the forecast period.Globally, the pesticide industry is highly regulated. Pesticide regulation has shifted from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Food and Drugs Administration to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA, in turn, has been encouraging the development and use of biopesticides in the U.S. Increasing demand for chemical-free crops and more organic farming is anticipated to propel the usage of biopesticides in North America. In addition, biopesticides are quickly biodegradable, are less toxic, and are more targeted to the specific pest that helps to control pest population to a manageable level. Increasing focus on research and development and production of environment friendly and safe pesticides by the industry is expected to boost the growth of the market.The report also covers the drivers, restraints, and opportunities (DROs) of the biopesticides market. The study highlights the current market trends and provides forecast for the period 2023 End. We have also covered the current market scenario for global biopesticides, and highlighted future trends that are likely to affect its demand.By geography, the market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW). Under the scope of the report, each region is further segregated into major country to highlight the respective market share of biopesticides in each country. The study covers major countries such as the U.S., and rest of North America; Japan, China, and India in Asia Pacific; the Spain, Italy, and France in Europe; and Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East in RoW. The size and forecast for these markets for the period from 2023 End has been provided in the report.Report Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114574/Biopesticides-Market Under the scope of this report, different influencing and hindering factors of the biopesticides market have been analyzed. The market attractiveness analysis provided in the report highlights the key investing areas in this industry. The report also provides the company market share analysis of key players operating in the biopesticides domain. Some of the key players in this market include Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, AgBiTech Pty Ltd, Becker Underwood Inc., BASF SE, Arysta LifeSciences, Valent Biosciences Corp, Bayer CropScience AG, Dow AgroSciences and Novozymes A/S among others.The scope of the study presents a comprehensive evaluation of the stakeholder strategies and winning imperatives for them by segmenting the global biopesticides market as below:Global biopesticides Market :By Product Type Bioinsecticide Biofungicide Bionematicides BioherbicidesBy Active Ingredients Type Microbial pesticides Plant-pesticides Biochemical pesticidesBy Crop Type Permanent Crops Arable Crops Others ( forage & turf grasses and greenhouse crops )By Application Type Seed Treatment Application On Farm Application Post Harvest ApplicationIn addition the report provides cross-sectional analysis of all the above segments with respect to the following geographical markets:Global biopesticides market, by geography : North AmericaU.S.Rest of North America EuropeSpainFranceItalyRest of Europe Asia-PacificChinaJapanIndiaRest of Europe Rest of the World (RoW)Latin AmericaMiddle EastAfricaOthers. PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-06 23:02:03 Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Goes Live with Wolters Kluwers OneSumX for Regulatory Reporting Paul Lyon Director of Global Corporate Communications, Banking & Regulatory Compliance Governance, Risk & Compliance Wolters Kluwer Office +44 20 3197 6586, Mobile +44 77 6539 1824 Paul.Lyon@wolterskluwer.com Bendigo and Adelaide Bank has completed its implementation of Phase 1 of Modernized Economic and Financial Statistical Reporting (EFS) using Wolters Kluwers OneSumX for Regulatory [..]. EFS is an ambitious regulatory change program, managed by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA). OneSumX Regulatory Reporting uses a single source of data to ensure consistency, reconciliation and accuracy and includes the firms Regulatory Update Service. This unique service is maintained by Wolters Kluwer experts who actively monitor regulation in approximately 30 countries, helping to ensure the solution is current at all times. Bendigo and Adelaide Bank specifically use the Regulatory Reporting functionality for its Authorised Deposit-Taking Institution in Australia. During our program Wolters Kluwers experts have assisted the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank implementation team, keeping within budget and delivering on schedule, said Patricia Zeitz, Divisional CFO, Consumer Banking, for Bendigo and Adelaide Bank. We look forward to delivering the APRA reporting automation in full and keeping ahead of future regulatory changes with assistance from this expert team. Using a number of Wolters Kluwer solutions to benchmark our submissions to regulators, the bank will continue to assist regulators by producing their required information in the most unified and expedient way possible. David Rule, Australia and New Zealand Account Manager at Wolters Kluwers Finance, Risk & Reporting (FRR) business, added: Working with the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank finance team has been a mutually rewarding experience for us all. Their professional and dedicated approach meant the first deliverables of the project were signed off and ready for production well ahead of time. Wolters Kluwer is now positioned to benchmark the banks reporting to our other clients across a wide range of regulators. Wolters Kluwer FRR, which is part of the companys Governance, Risk & Compliance division, is a global market leader in the provision of integrated regulatory compliance and reporting solutions. It supports regulated financial institutions in meeting their obligations to external regulators and their own board of directors. Wolters Kluwer FRR receives frequent independent recognition of its excellence and innovation. In mid-2018, Risk magazine awarded the company [..] and Central Banking magazine recently named [..]. Wolters Kluwer FRR is also this years Category Winner for Regulatory Reporting [..]. This comprehensive study of the worlds leading risk and compliance technology companies is compiled by Chartis Research. Notably, this is the seventh time in eight years that Wolters Kluwer FRR has achieved this honor. About Wolters Kluwer Governance, Risk & Compliance Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) is a division of Wolters Kluwer, which provides legal and banking professionals with solutions to ensure compliance with ever-changing regulatory and legal obligations, manage risk, increase efficiency, stay competitive and produce better business outcomes. GRC offers a portfolio of technology-enabled expert services and solutions focused on legal entity compliance, legal operations management, banking product compliance, and banking regulatory compliance. Wolters Kluwer N.V. (AEX: WKL) is a global leader in information services and solutions for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, risk and compliance, finance and legal sectors. Wolters Kluwer reported 2017 annual revenues of 4.4 billion. The company, headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands, serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries and employs 19,000 people worldwide. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190106005 PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-06 15:15:23 Press Information Research Report Insights Pvt Ltd 42 joseph street, Portcarling P0B 1J0 , Muskoka, Ontario, Canada Bisvjeet CEO 6317214201 email https://www.researchreportinsights.com/ # 676 Words 42 joseph street, Portcarling P0B 1J0 , Muskoka, Ontario, CanadaCEO6317214201 Today the market for any given product is governed by the awareness among the consumers. An average buyer concentrates on the personal priorities and needs, apart from the overall notoriety of the product. These factors often administer the commodities of personal hygiene like diapers to a great extent. The modern day parents analyse the products for the infants more soberly than ever before. The material, costing, comfortable level are significant factor for making a diaper brand popular. Thus research and development are imminent part of baby diapers manufacturing. Also, the market for baby diapers is rising at an enormous pace, following rise in global demand.In recent years, the demand for baby diapers has grown fixedly in various nations of East Africa.The report provides a thorough acument into the key market dynamics, emerging trends, recent design innovations, and competitive landscape. The study offers a detailed statistical analysis related to the market share and size of segments and analyzes the key factors configuring the competitive acts. Recent attempts by governments of various countries and private players in East Africa are highlighted and their impact on the costing strategies of vendors are evaluated.Request for Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114564/Baby-Diapers-Market East Africa Baby Diapers Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe East Africa baby diapers market is principally driven by a continuous slump in the toddler mortality rate in developing nations, an upswing in urban population with significant expendable incomes, and increasing awareness related to the hygiene of infants. Coupled with this, in-depth and persistent efforts made by several governmental and non-governmental organizations to create awareness among rural population have led to an increasing use of baby diapers to promote the healthy growth of infants.Increasing shift toward the use of eco-friendly and viable materials in manufacturing baby diapers has resulted in various product innovations. The onset of ultra-soft and hypoallergenic diapers made without the use of any supplements is expected to shoot the market over the forecast period. However, the growing run of parents embracing longer in-between changing times of diapers has resulted in skin rashes and bugs among babies. Various study reiterating the role of disposable diapers in causing testicular cancer among males are likely to hinder the growth of the market to an extent.East Africa Baby Diapers Market: Provincial VisionThe major countries considered in the research report are Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. Kenya becomes top lucarative market for baby diapers in East Africa. The dramatic demand for baby diapers in Kenya is driven by the significant rise in birth rate included a substantial decline in the infant mortality rate as compared to other developing nations of East Africa. After Kenya,Tanzania is the second largest revenue contributing country in the East Africa diapers market. Other Countries Involved are Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.Request for Report Discount: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114564/Baby-Diapers-Market East Africa Baby Diapers Market: Companies InvolvedLeading players are also establishing feasible products made with biodegradable materials to entice parents who are vigilant of the environmental brunt of adapting diapers. Major manufacturers are making product modernization and operating boosting their distribution channels to centralize their presence across major countries. Key players accomplishing in this market include Johnson and Johnson, INDEVCO Group Procter and Gamble, Unicharm Corporation, SCA Hygiene Products GmbH, Mega Soft (Fujian) Hygiene Products Co. Ltd., and Interconsumer Products Ltd.This report gives you approach to definitive data such as: Market growth drivers, Factors hindering market grwth, Current market trends and Market extensions for the coming decade.Report Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114564/East-Africa-Baby-Diapers-Market Key highlights of this reportOverview of key market forces propelling and forbiddingmarket growthUp-to-date analysis of market trends and technological advancementsPin-point analysis of market competition dynamics to offer you a competitive edgeAn analysis of strategies of major competitorsAn array of graphics and SWOT analysis of major industry segmentsDetailed analyses of industry trendsA well-defined technological growth map with an impact-analysisOffers a clear understanding of the competitive landscape and key product segments. A favorite ploy of the liberal press, when a Democrat does something incontestably stupid or immoral, is to try to make the story about the Republicans reaction when they, reasonably enough, criticize the Democrat. A classic formula in this genre is Republicans pounce. As Scott noted yesterday, newly-elected Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib shamed herself and her party by telling an audience of Democratic faithful, [W]ere gonna go in and impeach the motherfuckeri.e., President Trump. One struggles to imagine how the press would have responded in the 1990s if a Republican Congressman had fired up a Republican crowd by saying of Bill Clinton, Were going to impeach the motherfucker. Actually, I cant imagine. I think the world would have come to an end. Anxious to avert harm to its party, the New York Times swung into action with a story about pouncing Republicans: Actually, it doesnt take much painting. Is there any question about the fact that the Democrats are intent on destroying the Trump presidency? They express that intention proudly on a daily basis. In characterizing the Republicans pouncing, the Times descends disgracefully into race-baiting: Republicans, eager to portray Democrats as out to destroy Mr. Trumps presidency, piled on criticism of Ms. Tlaib some of it racially tinged. But the Times cites not a single instance of racially tinged criticism of Ms. Tlaib. Racially tinged is a phrase leftists use when they want to smear someone who hasnt said anything about race at all. Beyond that, the Times article reports on the Democrats efforts to sell the idea that they are judiciously awaiting the arrival of more evidencea third years worth of evidencebefore making a thoughtful and objective decision about whether to impeach President Trump. Right. It also takes seriously the claim that Trump has committed an impeachable offense. What might that be? Reducing minority unemployment to an all-time low? Facilitating the creation of millions of jobs? Advancing American interests in foreign policy? Trying, against the Democrats dogged opposition, to defend our nations borders? These are the real reasons the Democrats are so anxious to get rid of President Trump, but it is hard to describe them as high crimes and misdemeanors. So the Times falls back on an easily-discredited chestnut: Representatives Brad Sherman of California and Al Green of Texas formally introduced an article of impeachment on Thursday, charging that Mr. Trump had obstructed justice in firing James B. Comey, the F.B.I. director. Others are expected to follow. I continue to believe that obstruction of justice is the clearest, simplest and most provable high crime and misdemeanor committed by Donald J. Trump, Mr. Sherman said in a statement. The Director of the FBI serves at the pleasure of the President. Firing an incompetent, dishonest and treacherous FBI Director, who is colluding with enemies to destroy the administration he ostensibly serves, is a presidential duty, not an impeachable offense. If the Democrats want to try to sell their theory to the voters, go right ahead. I keep hearing that were on the verge of a serious economic downturn. This talk isnt necessarily just gloom-and-doom talk (or wishful thinking) by those who hate President Trump and his economic policies. Its been ten years since our last recession. Thats the longest recession-free period I can recall. But yesterdays economic news suggests that our strong economic run will continue for a while. Hiring surged, with 310,000 new jobs filled in December. 32,000 of these jobs were in manufacturing, capping off the best year for manufacturing job gains since 1997. As the Washington Post acknowledges, businesses typically dont add workers if they expect a significant economic slowdown. And Fed chairman Jerome Powell shares the business communitys optimism. He said the economy has good momentum. Its true that China is experiencing economic difficulty. But according to Kevin Hassett, Trumps chief economic adviser, less than 2 percent of U.S. corporate profits come from China. In addition to strong job creation, our economy is generating significant wage growth. In 2018, wages rose by 3.2 percent, the highest rate in nearly a decade. Most economists still seem to think that economic growth will be somewhat slower in 2019 than in 2018. But given the strong 2018 performance, this isnt cause for alarm. Indeed, it has long been expected. The administration reportedly is about to predict 3 percent growth in 2019. That would be fine. In response to the good economic news, the stock market shot up almost 750 points yesterday. Perhaps over the next few months it will recapture a decent portion of its recent losses, and become less volatile. Theres no apparent reason why it shouldnt, but with the stock market one never knows. Because its mission is enlightenment, the Washington Post investigated President Trumps assertion that Barack Obamas upscale home in the District of Columbia is protected by a 10-foot wall. The Posts story is accessible here via Outline. The Posts story generated numerous follow-on stories regurgitating the Posts investigation. You can see the roster here via Google. I would use the adjective countless rather than numerous to log the search results, though Google specifies 23,100,000. The Post disputed Trumps assertion. The Post only found elaborate security measures including security fencing, but nothing ten-feet high. The Washington Times quotes the Posts findings in its story. Joel Pollak also reviewed the Posts findings in a good story for Breitbart. A fair-minded reader would likely think that the Post is quibbling at best, but by their own lights the Post had caught out Trump in yet another whopper. The rest of the media rushed to clamber aboard and spread the good news. The competition is stiff, but a Pulitzer Prize may yet crown the Posts investigation. The Daily Callers Benny Johnson undertook a mission to fact check the Posts fact-check in IS THERE A 10-FOOT WALL OUTSIDE OBAMAS HOUSE? WE WENT THERE TO FIND OUT. It turned out to be mission impossible (video below). Johnson reports: We tried to find out. We even brought a tape measure. But we were stopped by all of Obamas other walls from even finding out. What wall? Obama does not have one wall. He has many. He has barricades. He has armed guards entirely blocking the suburban road where he lives. Multiple cement and iron barricades block the road leading up to the Obama mansion. A Secret Service car and agent keep people from entering the stretch of road on both ends approximately 1,000 feet in both directions. Its almost funny. Steve Hayward might appreciate this scrupulous correction that runs with the the Post story: Correction: A previous version of this article said Kalorama is home to Jeffrey P. Bezos [chairman and chief executive officer of Amazon and owner of the Post]. Bezos purchased a property in the neighborhood, but his primary residence is in the Seattle area. The Democrats hate Donald Trump, but do they hate his policies? In some cases, sure. But many elements of Trumpism are actually congenial to Democrats who want to run to Trumps leftor is it his right? A reader unpacks Elizabeth Warrens speech on A Foreign Policy that Works for All Americans. Setting the stage: Mistakes piled on mistakes. Reckless, endless wars in the Middle East. Trade deals rammed through with callous disregard for our working peopleWhy? Mostly to serve the interests of big corporations while ignoring the interests of American workers. We need to refocus our international economic policies so that they benefit all AmericansAt the same time, we must refocus our security policies by reining in unsustainable and ill-advised military commitments Straight-up Trumpism, literally almost word-for-word: Giant corporations have made money hand over fist. But our trade and economic policies have not delivered the same kind of benefits for Americas middle class. In fact, U.S. trade policy has delivered one punch in the gut after another to workers and to the unions that fight for them. For decades, the leaders of both parties preached the gospel that free trade was a rising tide that would lift all boats. Great rhetoric except that the trade deals they negotiated mainly lifted the yachts-and threw millions of working Americans overboard to drown. Policymakers were willing to sacrifice American jobs-not their own, of course-in return for boosting sales at Walmart and gaining access to consumer markets around the world. Washington had it all figured out. And this confidence spilled over into more than trade deals.They looked the other way as China manipulated its currency to advance its own interests and undercut work done here in America. Trumpier than Trump! On NAFTA: Theres no question we need to renegotiate NAFTA. The federal government has certified that NAFTA has already cost us nearly a million good American jobs and big companies continue to use NAFTA to outsource jobs to Mexico to this day. But as its currently written, Trumps deal wont stop the serious and ongoing harm NAFTA causes for American workers. It wont stop outsourcing, it wont raise wages, and it wont create jobs. Its NAFTA 2.0. For example, NAFTA 2.0 has better labor standards on paper but it doesnt give American workers enough tools to enforce those standards. Without swift and certain enforcement of these new labor standards, big corporations will continue outsourcing jobs to Mexico to so they can pay workers less. NAFTA 2.0 is also stuffed with handouts that will let big drug companies lock in the high prices they charge for many drugs. The new rules will make it harder to bring down drug prices for seniors and anyone else who needs access to life-saving medicine. Just beautiful! Perfect Trumpism. Keep out the cheap Asian and Mexican bras and panties, but you have a right to free trade in cheap Asian and Mexican drugs! We need MORE Trumpism! MORE Syndicalism, protectionism and lemon socialism: The President grabs headlines railing against GMs plans to axe thousands of American jobs in Ohio and Michigan but his actual policies arent stopping them or others like them from continuing to put corporate profits ahead of American workers. Its time for real change. We need a new approach to trade, and it should begin with a simple principle: our policies should not prioritize corporate profits over American paychecks. That should be true for NAFTA and true for every deal we cut. It all comes down to helping our companies with Industrial Policy: Investments at home strengthen the economy, but these investments also serve national security. A 21st century industrial policy, for example, would produce good jobs that provide dignity, respect, and a living wage, and it would also reinforce U.S. international economic power. We should be on the side of American businesses, protecting them from unfair practices abroad. That means aggressively targeting corruption and pay-to-play demands from unscrupulous governments. It means fighting back against the threat of forced technology transfer in exchange for market access. And it means penalizing the theft of American intellectual property. Except, of course, American intellectual property in drug patents! And dont forget neo-isolationism: A foreign policy that lifts the fortunes of all Americans must also take an honest look at the full costs and risks of our military actions. *** For nearly two decades, this country has been mired in a series of wars conflicts that sap American strength. The human costs of these wars has been staggering: more than 6,900 Americans killed, another 52,000 wounded. Many more who live every day with the invisible scars of war. And hundreds of thousands of civilians killed. The financial costs are also staggering. The U.S. has put more than a trillion dollars on a credit card for our children to pay, a burden that creates a drag on our economy that will last for generations. Meanwhile, Congress has shirked its responsibility to oversee these ever expanding conflicts. Despite Americas huge investment, these wars have not succeeded even on their own terms. 17 years later, the Middle East remains in shambles. And even with all the blood and money we have spilled, America still faces violent terrorist groups that wish to do us harm. Shes running asTRUMP! Hilarious! She has positioned herself to his left (or is it his right?) on free trade and NAFTA in particular. The new NAFTA isnt protectionist enough! We need Trumpism on steroids just without Trump and no dirty talk! Trumpist statism but with abortion, #MeToo, affirmative action and #BlackLivesMatter. But its not so clear on immigrants..Hmmmmm I was not a fan of Donald Trump during the primary process because I didnt think he was conservative enough. Many of his themes seemed borrowed from Democrats like Dick Gephardt. So in a sense, it isnt too surprising to hear left-wing (or is it right-wing?) Democrats sounding much like Trump across a pretty broad range of issues. Especially since Trumps policies have proved so successful. Still, much as Trump has governed in a more conservative fashion than I, and many others, expected, no doubt Elizabeth Warren and other Democrats would govern more from the left than their avowed Trumpism suggests. Still, it is striking how Warren seems to be channeling Trump on key issues. Yet, despite the fact that they are more likely to vote than their younger peers, Americans over the age of 50 aren't putting significant pressure on politicians to do something about age discrimination. Many seem to think it won't happen to them till it does. This likely has much to do with self-help shibboleths in American culture, a belief we personally can surmount greater economic and social forces. Articles abound advising older workers to "Be a lifelong learner," telling them "How to get a job if you are over 50" and suggesting they "Check Your Attitude." History William Howe, a Union soldier, sent to the gallows Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation@postregister.com for help creating one. Everywhere you go, there are signs that local government has neglected to put even the most basic upkeep of our public roads is on its to-do list. Read more With cracks visible around a door frame behind him, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson listens as U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal explains the reason for the crumbling foundation at the home of Maggie and Vincent Perracchio. Carson and Blumenthal were joined by U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (second from right) and Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman (far right) for a tour of the home. A mineral called pyrrhotite, used in the making of the concrete, is thought to be the cause of the deterioration of the foundation. (Cloe Poisson / Hartford Courant) Jamie Lovegrove is a political reporter covering the South Carolina Statehouse, congressional delegation and campaigns. He previously covered Texas politics in Washington for The Dallas Morning News and in Austin for the Texas Tribune. Assistant Columbia bureau chief Adcox returned to The Post and Courier in October 2017 after 12 years covering the Statehouse for The Associated Press. She previously covered education for The P&C. She has also worked for The AP in Albany, N.Y., and for The Herald in Rock Hill. Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. An armored personnel carrier is pushed into the ocean at an artificial fishing reef off the coast near Charleston in 2011. One man is proposing using reefs to protect the South Carolina coastline from storms and flooding. Accelerating the Pace, a 2018 report from The Columbia Group, seeks to spark education improvements in southern states. Community forums on education The Post and Courier is hosting a series of community events to discuss the challenges of a minimally adequate education and the direct impact is has on South Carolina's workforce. The forums will be: 4:30-6 p.m. Jan. 14, Riley Institute at Furman in Greenville. 6-7:30 p.m. Jan. 16, Columbia Chamber of Commerce. 4:30-6 p.m. Jan. 28, Francis Marion University in Florence. Each event is free and will feature a panel discussion followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience. For more information, join the South Carolina Education Reform group on The Post and Couriers Facebook page. Tickets can be secured at tickets.postandcourier.com/e/fixscschools/tickets. Abigail Darlington is a local government reporter focusing primarily on the City of Charleston. She previously covered local arts & entertainment, technology, innovation, tourism and retail for the Post and Courier. You are the owner of this article. The shootings happened as several police cars converged on a Toyota Paseo the officers believed had been used in local carjackings. Dowdell, 20, was driving; Tisdol, then 15, and Young, then 18, were passengers. A few police cars tried to box in the Toyota on Chapman Street, and at least two hit it at low speed. Tisdol appeared to raise his hands in surrender in the passenger seat, but Dowdell kept driving. The Toyota veered onto a sidewalk, where several officers who had been standing nearby hurriedly got out of the way and began firing at the car. Get the SC business stories that matter. Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free. 993 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Advertising Everybody knows that President Donald Trump has many enemies and detractors in the new Democratic-led House of Representatives. But its now becoming apparent that many Republican members of Congress are also not fond of the president or his policies, and are looking for ways to distance themselves from him. The reason, they say, is to try to assure their own political survival in the future. A new era of divided government has begun and Democrats have vowed to hold Trump accountable for all of his past, current and future misdeeds. And congressional Republicans who have been aiding and abetting the criminal president for the past two years know better than anyone what this means. According to NBC News: Advertising Cracks in the GOP ranks have already emerged as skittish Republicans, many of whom face difficult elections in 2020, have begun asserting their independence. Some Republicans in Congress are now siding with Democrats in efforts to reopen the government. GOP Senator Mitt Romney of Utah wrote a very critical op-ed about the president as soon as the new Congress was in session. In 2020, many Republicans will be up for re-election in blue or purple states and districts where voters generally are not fans of the president. In fact in these areas Trump is one of the least popular presidents in U.S. history. And of course Democrats are already planning to take advantage of Trumps unpopularity to win more elections and upset the GOPs agenda. Several House and Senate Republicans have broken ranks with Trump on the government shutdown by coming out in support of a Democratic proposal to re-open the government that does not include funding for the presidents border wall. Apparently these Republicans have looked at the opinion polls which show that both the border wall and the government shutdown are VERY unpopular with a large majority of American voters. And this is especially true in those purple and blue areas where many Republicans will face tough elections in 2020. As NBC News put it, this is an early indication that some Republicans will have a challenging two years navigating a president who governs toward the base of the party. Matt Gorman who was the National Republican Campaign Committee communications director for the 2018 elections, said this about the difficult situation facing congressional Republicans: Youre not just walking a tight rope, youre eating, sleeping, and breathing on it. Gorman said that its not too early for GOP candidates to be concerned about the next election. Unlike 2018, he said, 2020 will not be a referendum on Trump, itll be a choice. However, they need to be thinking about Election Day 2020 now. Eight House Republicans voted with Democrats on legislation that would have ended the government shutdown Thursday night. Two GOP Senators have said that the Senate should also vote on the same bills that passed in the House. Those bills, put together by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, would fund six of the seven remaining appropriations bills that had previously been approved by the Senate in the last Congress in December. The seventh bill to extend Department of Homeland Security funding until February 8 would give more time to reach a compromise on the border wall funding. Neither of the House-passed bills included any money for the presidents unpopular border wall. GOP Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado, who might have the most difficult race in in 2020, was the first Republican to come out publicly and say that the Senate should vote on the House bills to reopen the government. He said he was well aware of the dangers of opposing Trump but said that the president understands that he has to broaden his support if hes going to win re-election, which would in turn help Trump. The president also has to win the states he either barely carried or didnt carry to win re-election, Gardner told NBC News in an interview. While this (border funding fight) is maybe more a base-appealing measure, there are other issues hes going to have to do to broaden the base. GOP Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, another vulnerable senator up in 2020 wrote an op-ed in The Hill floating the idea that agreement on a border wall could be coupled with relief for Dreamers in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Other Republicans have also gone public with suggestions to provide a solution to the shutdown stalemate, but these involve compromises that neither Trump nor House Democrats appear ready to make. The Democrats plan is to put pressure on vulnerable Republicans by focusing on controversial issues. They will try to show that these GOP members of Congress have allied themselves with Trump, who has become extremely unpopular among all-important independent voters. And the shutdown is the perfect controversial issue for Democrats to use against Republicans right now. Those who stand by Trump now may regret it during their 2020 re-election campaigns. Democrats have already begun targeting potentially vulnerable Republicans like Gardner and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine. David Bergstein, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman, said: Senate Republicans own every miserable consequence of their pointless shutdown and those up for election this cycle have a choice: join Democrats in reopening the government by passing the legislation theyve already supported or give voters another reason to throw them out of office in 2020. And the vulnerable Republicans are not being helped by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell who wont even bring a bill to end the shutdown up for a vote in the Senate. Collins has said that shed support the House bills if McConnell brings them to the floor, telling reporters she sees no reason why the bills that are ready to go, on which weve achieved an agreement, should be held hostage to this debate over border security. Collins, Gardner and other Senate Republicans may find that their lack of action now to help end the shutdown may end up costing them in 2020. And if that happens, there is a realistic chance that Donald Trumps radioactivity among voters may lead to the Democrats regaining control of the U.S. Senate. 552 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Advertising Its been a long time coming, as many voting rights and progressive groups fought for years to make it happen. And on Tuesday it happens: one of the largest enfranchisements of U.S. citizens in the past century. Tuesday is the day that more than 1.4 million ex-felons in Florida will regain their voting rights. It truly is a cause for celebration in the Sunshine State which has for many years had the most restrictive rules in the country for restoring felons right to vote. In Tampa, one voting rights group has rented buses to carry groups to register en masse at the county elections office. Other celebrants will be livestreaming the event on Facebook as they march in. One affected person is Demetrius Jifunza, who was convicted as a teenager of armed robbery. He is now a father and pastor who is looking forward to being able to vote, and also wants to make his daughters proud. Advertising Itll be a joyous day, Jifunza said of the trip to the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections office. The restoration of his voting rights was made possible when voters in November overturned Floridas 1868 ban blocking residents with felony convictions from automatically having their voting rights restored once they served their sentences. Many organizations and thousands of volunteers worked for the past decade to pass the needed amendment to the state constitution. And as Tuesday approaches, they have been increasing their efforts to encourage ex-felons to quickly register to take advantage of their new rights. They have even set up a toll-free number, 877-MY-VOTE-0, and a website with tips on how to get the right to vote in Florida. Were kicking this into a higher gear now, said Neil Volz, political director of the bipartisan Florida Rights Restoration Coalition. Pro-bono attorneys will also be on call in case problems crop up in the coming weeks. After Republican Ron DeSantis was elected governor of Florida in November, he and other Republicans said that the voting rights restoration would require a vote by the Republican-dominated state legislature. In December, DeSantis said that the law should be put on hold until the Legislature passes implementing language. This suggestion that Amendment 4 would not take effect until the legislature reviewed it and approved it outraged many people who had fought for years to get the constitutional amendment approved. Legal experts, as well as supporter, say that the legislature does not need to do a thing. The amendment was written to be self-executing. It goes into effect on Jan. 8, and we can register that day, Volz stressed. He will be in line himself in Lee County, a dozen years after he pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal in Washington. My supervisor of elections assured me that my registration form will be accepted. Howard Simon, the former executive director of American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida, compared the completion of a prison sentence to other voter criteria, such as being an American citizen. Prospective voters dont need to bring their passport or birth certificate to register, Simon said. Then he added: People have a right to register to vote if they truthfully affirm the information they provide on the voter registration form. The onus is then on the government to find and flag any disqualifying factors. On Tuesday January 8, Amendment 4 to the Florida Constitution will become law. When it does, any disqualification from voting arising from a felony conviction shall terminate and voting rights shall be restored upon completion of all terms of sentence including parole or probation. And that will be a joyous day. 3.3k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Advertising Sarah Sanders started out all smiles in her Fox News Sunday interview, but things got ugly when Fox turned on her for making fake threats about the wall. Here is the exchange that really jumped out: On Fox News, Chris Wallace destroys Sarah Sanders. pic.twitter.com/SGGL4in8bG Will Saletan (@saletan) January 6, 2019 Video: Advertising Sanders whined that Democrats refused to let the president win. Wallace asked Sanders why Trump wont reopen the agencies that have nothing to do with the border wall, and the White House press secretary had no answer, but to build the wall. Wallace asked over and over again why Trump wont open government agencies. Sanders tried to claim that the White House doesnt like the budget numbers, and Wallace replied that those budget numbers were approved by Republicans. The Fox News Turn On Sanders Shows That The Shutdown Is Lost The interview was much more contentious than Sanders expected from Fox News Sunday. Wallace went through point by point and debunked the White House claim that terrorists are coming into the country illegally. Wallace was ready for Sanders to claim that 4,000 terrorists were coming into the country from the southern border. Trump has lost Fox, which means that he has lost the shutdown. It was telling that Sanders couldnt defend Trumps position on the shutdown beyond the fact that Trump is mad because Democrats wont let him win. Kellyanne Conway has failed in her recent interviews to successfully defend Trump, and Sarah Huckabee Sanders has spectacularly crashed and burned on the White House thought would be a friendly Fox News Sunday interview. Trump is claiming that government workers support his shutdown 100%, but the reality is that Republicans and even his favorite news network are bailing on him. Trump is increasingly isolated and has lost on the wall and the government shutdown. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook. 3.5k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Advertising Trump sent out a tweet touting the progress being made toward ending the shutdown. The problem is that none of it was true. Trump tweeted: V.P. Mike Pence and group had a productive meeting with the Schumer/Pelosi representatives today. Many details of Border Security were discussed. We are now planning a Steel Barrier rather than concrete. It is both stronger & less obtrusive. Good solution, and made in the U.S.A. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2019 Trumps tweet made it sound like progress was being made, but CNNs Manu Raju tweeted: Advertising Trump makes it sound like they are moving closer to a deal to reopen government, but multiple people in both parties say no real progress was made to a deal. And Dems continue to insist that govt be reopened first before any border deal, a strategy the WH rejects. https://t.co/uyMFBQBqxP Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 6, 2019 Democrats have rejected Trumps steel barrier as a non-starter, and are sticking with their position of no wall. Trump is lying because he is losing Fox News Sunday grilled Sarah Sanders over the shutdown/a>, and if Trump loses Fox, his base will soon follow. Trump has overestimated the support for his wall. He has overreached, and now he is toying with declaring a national emergency to build his wall because he has no other options left. Trump is trying to create false hope that the shutdown will end soon because the political pressure is getting to him. There is no progress. The White House will have to reopen the government before Democrats will talk money for border security, and that appropriation will not involve cash for the wall. Trump is losing, so he is spinning, but he cant hide the fact that his defeat is inevitable as long as he keeps demanding cash for his wall. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook. 9.2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Advertising Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said that one of his first acts as chair would be to turn over Russia witness transcripts to Robert Mueller. Schiff said on CNNs State Of The Union, We hope as one of our first acts to make the transcripts of our witnesses fully available to the Special Counsel for any purpose, including the bringing of perjury charges, if necessary, against any of the witnesses. But also to see the evidence that they contain and help flesh out the picture for the Special Counsel. We also really immediately went to work in reaching out to private institutions, to lay the foundation to get records as soon as our committee is constituted. Video: Advertising Chairman Schiff is bringing Trumps worst nightmare to life a parade of witnesses like Roger Stone and Donald Trump Jr. have lied to the House Intel Committee. The plan for Trump and his allies was always dependant on them getting away with crimes like perjury because Republicans controlled the House, and they would never face prosecution. Whether it was arrogance or hubris, the Trump people never saw the blue wave coming. Michael Cohen was already charged by the Special Counsel with lying to Congress, and there could be a whole host of Trump allies and family members that could soon join him in facing the same charge. Rep. Schiff is going to get records, and his committee with be sharing relevant information with the Special Counsel investigation. Trumps Russia firewall was the Republican-controlled House. His firewall is gone, and House Democrats are putting the pieces of the puzzle together that will lead to more criminal charges for those closest to this president. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook. 1k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Advertising By Alex Dobuzinskis (Reuters) Washington state will create a streamlined system to pardon people convicted of misdemeanor marijuana possession before the drug was legal, under an initiative launched on Friday by Governor Jay Inslee, who is considering a run for U.S. president. Voters in Washington state and Colorado in 2012 made their two states the first in the United States to legalize marijuana for recreational use. Since then, eight other states have followed suit, while more than 30 states allow the use of medical marijuana. Federal law still bans cannabis. We shouldnt be punishing people for something that is no longer illegal in Washington state, Inslee, a Democrat, said in a written statement. Advertising Under the governors so-called Marijuana Justice Initiative, anyone with a single misdemeanor marijuana conviction in Washington state between 1998 and 2012 could apply for a pardon. An estimated 3,500 people are eligible, according to Inslees office. Some people with past convictions have faced obstacles in applying for jobs and housing. Racial disparities in the prosecution of marijuana offenses have hurt African Americans and other minorities, and civil rights groups have pushed politicians to take up the issue. This (action by Inslee) is a necessary first step for repairing the racially disparate harms of marijuana prohibition, Jolene Forman, a senior staff attorney with the Drug Policy Alliance, which has long pushed for pot legalization, said in a statement. Since 2014, at least 10 states have passed laws to expunge certain marijuana convictions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. A measure in the Washington state legislature that would have erased certain misdemeanor marijuana convictions failed to pass last year. In the absence of that legislation, Inslee exercised his executive authority to create a pardon system, said his spokeswoman Jaime Smith. It applies only to people with a single conviction because officials did not want to be overwhelmed with applications, she said. Brad Klippert, a Republican member of the state House of Representatives, said he would have preferred the governor pardon only the most extreme cases. I personally think its a horrible idea because marijuana is a very dangerous drug and thats why its still illegal according to the federal government, he said. Washington state law, before legalization, had classified possession of less than 40 grams of marijuana as a misdemeanor, with larger amounts treated as a felony. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Editing by Dan Whitcomb and Rosalba OBrien) Steve Zucker (231) 439-9346 PETOSKEY Emmet Count Sheriff Pete Wallin was recently elected to the position of president for the Michigan Sheriffs Association for 2019. Wallin, who has previously served as the organizations secretary/treasurer, was elected to the presidents post at the associations fall board of directors meeting in October. The board of directors is comprised of sheriffs from the five districts of the association, covering all 83 counties in the state of Michigan. In the presidents role, Wallin will be responsible for representing the association at various meetings around the state and nationally. Its an honor to represent the other 82 sheriffs in Michigan, Wallin said. Ill do that both nationally and state-wide. As president, Ill pay particular attention to monitoring legislation that is being discussed in Lansing and any court decisions that might affect our law enforcement efforts and jail operations. He said his efforts for the sheriffs association wont take his attention away from his primary responsibility of overseeing the Emmet County Sheriffs Office. Wallin is entering his 17th year as sheriff of Emmet County. He has been with the Emmet County Sheriffs Office for more than 37 years. Prior to his service with the Emmet County Sheriffs Office, Wallin served as a patrol officer with the Charlevoix Police Department. Early on in his career with the Emmet County Sheriffs Office, Wallin served as a road patrol deputy, a state certified accident reconstructionist, and a DARE officer. He also served as Emmet Countys undersheriff from 1993 to 2002 when he was appointed to fill the sheriffs post following the death of then-sheriff Jeff Bodzick. Wallin was first elected to the sheriffs post in 2004 and has been re-elected three times since. Wallin has an associates degree from Oakland Community College and a bachelors degree in criminal justice from Ferris State University. He also graduated from the Ferris State University Police Academy in 1981. He is a certified police officer in the state of Michigan. Wallin is also a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving from 1974-1977 in active duty and 1977-1980 in reserve duty as an Equipment Operator Petty Officer 3rd class. Wallin is the third Emmet County Sheriff to serve as the president of the Michigan Sheriffs Association, following Sheriff John Kilborn (1952-53) and Sheriff Richard Zink (1975). Wallin and his wife Juli have been married for 37 years and they reside in Harbor Springs. They have one daughter, Melissa, and one son, Mitch. Association executive director, Sheriff Blaine Koops (Ret.) said, Sheriff Wallin is the consummate sheriff, he is well respected by his peer sheriffs. Many of his fellow sheriffs seek Pete out for his guidance and wisdom. As importantly, he enjoys strong support from his constituents in all corners of Emmet County. Congratulations, Pete, on your well-deserved presidency. As many of you know, on Friday morning, police officers on patrol discovered a swastika painted on the doors of the Cathedral of St. Augustine in Bridgeport, Caggiano wrote. "Though the police have yet to identify the perpetrator of this crime, I am appalled and outraged by this act of vandalism against the Mother Church of our Diocese and this brazen and disgusting display of anti-Semitism which is morally abhorrent and an affront to our Catholic faith." Growing up in Philadelphia and its close suburbs, Id never heard of The Farm Show before I moved to central Pennsylvania. I quickly realized, from all the buzz alone, that it was something very special. But it was my first visit to the world-famous agricultural exposition in the iconic Farm Show building that opened my eyes. I was mesmerized. Every exhibit fascinated me. The crowds were fun to watch. The food was delicious and the experience made me a fan forever. Today, Im a Farm Show groupie. Ill be there every day, and Ill enjoy every minute. As it is for so many Pennsylvanians its a tradition for me. Ill be especially happy to celebrate Pennsylvanias farming community and our agricultural economy. The economic power of Pennsylvania agriculture cant be understated. Its the biggest piece of our economy. A year-old study shows that the nearly 60,000 farms that are spread across our commonwealth produce an annual economic impact of more than $35 billion. They support 580,000 jobs, returning $27 billion in wages. Pennsylvania has more than 2,300 food-processing companies. We lead the nation in canned fruit, vegetable specialty products, chocolate and cocoa products and snack foods. We lead the nation in mushroom production. Agriculture is the cornerstone of the Keystone economy. The Farm Show is a full celebration of all that and much more. The largest indoor agricultural show in the nation, every January it opens its doors to half a million guests. Because the Farm Show is free of charge, theres no precise count and some estimates run even higher. Although William Penn hosted the first agricultural show in Pennsylvania in 1686, the currently constituted show has been running for more than a century. It began in 1917. Covering 24 acres under roof, the Farm Show complex covers 11 halls and three arenas. The show itself has more than 6,000 animals, 300 commercial exhibitors and 10,000 competitive events in just about every aspect of agriculture imaginable. From beef and dairy cattle to swine, sheep, horses, poultry and goats to plants, mushrooms, and corn to beer, wine and hard cider, there something for everybody, so see and enjoy. The Farm Show is also important to the region. The week-long trek of visitors to the area generates nearly $100 million for the local economy. Farm Show week is not a great time to celebrate our agricultural heritage and all that farming does for our quality of life, but also an opportunity to consider ways to improve the lives and fortunes of our farming community. Its not an easy life and there are many challenges. Strong pro-agriculture public policy helps. Its Farm Show week! Ill look forward to seeing you there. PennLive Opinion contributor Charlie Gerow is the CEO of Quantum Communications in Harrisburg. His work appears weekly. By Selena Ross MONTREAL - The legal cannabis stores that opened here last fall still look pristine. Curious customers file in, but the shelves they peruse are often bare. Supplies are so short the stores are shuttered three days a week. A few blocks from one outlet, though, a longtime pot dealer was receiving a stream of text alerts one afternoon this winter, a sign of booming business. When the government launched Canada's official recreational-pot market on Oct. 17, it was banking on the idea that many users would prefer to buy legally and that the black market would quickly begin to fade. It says things seem on track, with "early reports of a 65 percent reduction for illegally sourced products," according to a spokeswoman for the minister in charge of the cannabis file. But there are also signs things aren't going as expected. In a national poll Ipsos conducted for Global News a month after legalization, more than a third of Canadian cannabis users said they were still buying from their regular dealers and hadn't even tried the legal system. Five illegal sellers in Quebec told The Washington Post their sales are slightly up. To the black marketeers, the bare-bones legal supplies are "pretty much a running joke," said David, the busy Montreal dealer, who spoke on the condition that his last name not be used to avoid police attention. He finally saw one of the colorful boxes used as packaging in Quebec's government-run cannabis stores when a customer showed it to him during a purchase. "People are buying the containers so they can put their black-market weed in it," David said. Many researchers, politicians and investors see the state of the black market as an important gauge of the new policy's success. But if it doesn't shrink naturally, Canadian authorities face some tricky questions: Can they force it to shrink? And if their approach proves to have been flawed, is it too late to change course? "You've got to get the timing right," said Mark Kleiman, a New York University professor and expert on cannabis legalization. Illegal cannabis sales are notoriously hard to measure. In Washington state, for example, experts' best estimate six years after legalization is that there's still "a non-trivial black market," Kleiman said. Still, he noted, "it's clearly less than half the total market." In December, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, called for a serious look at legalizing recreational pot. In a Twitter town hall, Wolf said more and more states are successfully implementing marijuana legalization, and Pennsylvania should learn from their efforts. His comments were immediately criticized by leaders in the Republican-controlled General Assembly and sparked a debate around water-coolers, social media and on newspaper op-Ed pages. Canada, however, is taking a different approach than Washington or states such as Colorado, which also legalized recreational pot in 2012 and has made similar progress in reducing illicit sales. The government's most jolting decision, illegal dealers here said, was to structure the new industry in a way that tended to bar them from it. In 2015, when the government first committed to legalization, many of them planned to apply to open private shops. "All of us thought, 'OK . . . I'm going to be able to come out of the shadows and I'm going to be able to pay taxes,' " David said. "As time went on, it became clear that's not what they were after." In Quebec and several other Canadian provinces, all cannabis stores are government-run, leaving no path to legality for people like David, who has worked in the underground industry for more than a decade, operating his business full time for several years. Colorado and other U.S. jurisdictions, by contrast, gave many small-scale dealers a chance at a legal job. "That's a huge difference," said Lewis Koski, former director of the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division and now a consultant on legalization. "I can't think of a state here in the U.S. that has a government-control model similar to . . . Canada's." Even in provinces that do allow private shops or dispensaries, including Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, small businesses face high barriers. It costs almost $5,000 just to apply for a license, and if approved, $23,000 each year thereafter in regulatory fees, with provinces often adding their own charges. There's also a strict security-clearance requirement that looks at applicants' job history and associations. Even if David were willing to move to another province, and despite having no criminal record, he said, he would probably be disqualified. Small-scale growers hoping to join the legal system complain of similar hurdles. To some observers, these early decisions foreshadow long-term problems. Shutting out many in the black market has already triggered a vicious cycle, said Dan Malleck, an expert in drug and alcohol regulation from Brock University in Ontario. It helped ensure the initial undersupply of legal pot by preventing a huge volume of illicit pot from being folded in. The shortage is now driving customers back to the black market, further reinforcing it. "They should have not just stockpiled," Malleck said of authorities. "They should have created a mechanism that allowed illegal producers to move quickly into the legal producing system." Canadian provincial governments have also emphasized another strategy that wasn't popular south of the border: police crackdowns. Cracking down when legal supplies are still low and demand is therefore high for black-market pot hasn't generally been seen as useful, according to Kleiman. "There's no point," he said. Only after the first year or two, when legal supplies match market demand, should officials try "to vigorously drive the illicit guys out." In Quebec, police announced the creation of a 54-person anti-cannabis unit even before legalization. Unlike U.S. states that have legalized cannabis, Canadian authorities have also framed the crackdown in moral terms, arguing that even as the drug is declared a legal substance, fighting it on the black market is a matter of public safety. "Organized crime controls an important part of it," said Dany Dufour, the captain of Quebec's new cannabis unit. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have found that nearly half of national "high-threat" organized crime groups are still tied to black-market pot and that the revenue can fund other crime such as fraud and gun trafficking, a spokeswoman said. The force sees smaller dealers like David as part of the problem. "We also know that individuals can't sell without sanction from organized crime groups," she said. But David said he isn't connected to these groups. While bikers and other groups with ties to organized crime may be a problem in rural Quebec, another Montreal pot dealer said that those who grow and sell in the cities are mostly independent. "They're kind of, like, weed nerds," he said, "creative types, musicians, artists, people like that." On Canada's west coast, too, the crime-linked groups "pretty much pulled out a long time ago," after nearby Washington, Oregon, Colorado and California legalized cannabis, said Rob Gordon, a criminologist at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. The government spokeswoman said that many of the key decisions affecting options for people like David are made at the provincial level, not the federal one. But in interviews in December, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau minimized the problems, saying that the supply shortage would be resolved within months. David said he's skeptical about that. He also said he's not spooked by the police crackdown and predicts his black-market business will continue to thrive. I didnt intend to end up in this industry, but I did, and Im making the best of it, he said. And Im really good at it. Selena Ross is a reporter for The Washington Post, where this piece first appeared. The Maryland State Police are investigating a crash on Interstate 83 that killed a Pennsylvania man late Saturday. The man, whose identity has not yet been released, died after colliding his SUV with a tractor-trailer in the northbound lane just north of the Mount Carmel Road exit near Parkton, Md., police say. According to police, the crash occurred just before midnight after troopers were called to a report of an overturned, single vehicle crash in the northbound lane. That crash caused traffic to back up. However, a police investigating indicates the SUV driver didnt stop in time for the slowed crash traffic and hit a tractor-trailer. The SUV driver was trapped inside. When fire and EMS crews got him out, he was pronounced dead at the scene, police say. The tractor-trailer driver refused medical treatment. The driver of the overturned vehicle had been ejected. He was rushed to Hanover Hospital for treatment, and police say he is expected to survive. The highway was closed for more than four hours. The crash remains under investigation, and police say alcohol does not appear to be a factor. A crash that closed a portion of Route 22 near the Farm Show Complex has been cleared, and roadways are now open to traffic, PennDOT officials announced. Officials posted about the reopening about 3:17 p.m. on Twitter. CLEARED: Multi vehicle crash on US 22 eastbound at Maclay St/Cameron St Harrisburg. 511PA Harrisburg (@511PAHarrisburg) January 5, 2019 Earlier today, a crash occurred in Route 22s eastbound lane near Maclay and Cameron streets. At that time, an emergency dispatcher with Dauphin County 911 said eastbound lanes of Maclay Street at Cameron Street were closed. Heavy and stop-and-go traffic was reported. PennDOT officials have set up a live traffic webpage that shows routes into and out of the Farm Show complex. The page showed heavy traffic along some of those routes about 4 p.m. Saturday, the first official day of this years Farm Show AccuWeather CEO Barry L. Myers has stepped down as officer and director and sold all his interest in the company to move into a role leading the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Myers' departure was effective Jan. 1. He was nominated in October by President Donald Trump to become the undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and administrator of HOAA. He was approved by a Senate committee, and his nomination was forwarded to the full Senate for confirmation, but did not receive a vote before the 115th Congress expired. He will now need to be re-nominated by the president, according to a news release from AccuWeather. Myers' decision to divest himself of any interest in AccuWeather or any related company was done in accordance with the ethics pledge have gave the U.S. Office of Government Ethics and in his testimony and comments made to the U.S. Senate, AccuWeather said. Myers joined AccuWeather in 1989 and has served as CEO since 2007. "Barry has served AccuWeather expertly, helping me guide it from an idea at my kitchen table to the successful global company it is today," said a statement from Myers' brother, AccuWeather founder, President and Chairman Joel Myers. "I am very grateful for his significant contributions to AccuWeather, including his leadership, ideas, business acumen and his commitment to our global expansion. His presence will be missed." Prior to his appointment as CEO, Myers served as AccuWeather's executive vice president and general counsel; he also served as a tenured member of the graduate school faculty at Penn State University for 18 years and as a member of Penn State's Smeal College of Business, teaching and researching in areas related to environmental and planning law. In 2015, the American Meteorological Society (AMS) recognized Myers for his outstanding, highly principled leadership of the American weather industry over five decades. He was named a fellow of the society in 2016. He has served on the board of hte American Weather and Climate INdustry Association and the Weather Coalition, and has been advisor to five directors of the National Weather Service and to NOAA. In late December 2016 Patently Apple posted a report titled Korea's Antitrust Agency Hits Qualcomm with Record $865 Million Fine for Excessive Licensing Fees to Phone Makers. The report noted that the Korean agency accused Qualcomm of coercing mobile phone makers, including South Korea's Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics as well as Apple of U.S., to pay excessive licensing fees under unfair conditions set by the company. Korea's FTC said that Samsung, LG, Apple, Intel, MediaTek, China's Huawei Technologies, and Ericsson of Sweden, participated in its investigation of Qualcomm. Once that was established, the U.S. FTC sued Qualcomm for forcing Apple to use its chips in iDevices on January 17, 2017. That's the basic background of the Apple Qualcomm dispute through FTC Korea and US. Many additional lawsuits have since been filed by Apple since that time independently against Qualcomm. But the U.S. FTC is critical in breaking Qualcomm's "no license-no chips" tactic and all eyes are on the case that may be halted next week if the US government shutdown doesn't stop the trial dead in its heels. Some of the largest phone makers in the world have had Qualcomm's licensing gun put to their head. It's akin to the tatic used in the movie "The Godfather" when Marlo Brando's Character Vito Corleon says: "I made him an offer he couldn't refuse." The deal was either to put his signature on the line or his brains. What is a company like Apple, Huawai or Samsung to do at the last minute when Qualcomm put the gun to their head and said no license-no chips. While the US FTC started their lawsuit against Qualcomm with Apple as their key witness, it's now China's Huawei and Lenovo that are the star witnesses in the trial that began this week in California. Huawei was a key witness in Korea's FTC case and the first key witness to claim that Qualcomm is harming competition for smartphone components. Bloomberg reported on Friday that "Huawei Technologies Co. and Lenovo Group Ltd. provided testimony that the FTC argues proves that Qualcomm threatened to withhold chip supply unless they continued to pay technology licensing fees. The non-jury trial that started Friday is scheduled to run before U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh through Jan. 28 in San Jose, California. In 2013 negotiations over new chip-sets, Qualcomm allegedly informed Huawei that if it didnt extend the code division multiple access, or CDMA, license agreement, they would stop supplying the chips, Huawei General Counsel Nanfen Yu said in a video deposition played for the court. 'Everyone in the industry knows how Qualcomm operates. They make it very clear that we have to sign a license agreement in some form. We had no choice.'" In a video deposition played for the court, Ira Blumberg, vice president of intellectual property at Lenovo testified that 'Qualcomm has in the past retaliated against customers who have attempted to challenge its legal terms by either delaying, or cutting off supply of chips. We dont know if Qualcomm would follow through on their threat to cut off supply, but we cant take that risk.'" You could read more of the Bloomberg report here. The US FTC's First Wave of Testimony The FTC's statement in Friday's trial opening listed the brands that would be testifying in the coming days (beyond Huawei and Lenovo covered earlier). Here are just a few: Apple: One of the four types of behavior the FTC seeks to address is the exclusive deal Qualcomm used to have in place with the iPhone maker. Apple, too, is one of the companies the FTC says will testify that Qualcomm extracted supra-FRAND license fees. We learned on Friday that Apple allegedly referred to Qualcomm by the code name of "Eureka" in some internal documents and that Qualcomm was worried about Apple "whittling away" at its business model, potentially through seeking a judicial FRAND rate determination. Intel: According to Qualcomm's lead counsel, it would be "nuts" to think that companies like Intel at any point in time lacked the resources to compete with Qualcomm in the baseband chipset market. Qualcomm intends to present some evidence according to which Intel thought they were spending about the same amount of money on baseband chipset development as Qualcomm, but making less headway. Mr. van Nest claims Intel dropped out of the CDMA chipset business for that reason, and as a result wasn't ready to supply such chips when Apple needed them in 2013. Intel has filed amicus briefs, public interest statements etc. in various cases, and its representations about why it couldn't compete with Qualcomm more effectively sooner sound different. We'll need to hear both sides, as always. Samsung: Interestingly, both opening statements announced testimony from Samsung that would support their positions. The FTC named Samsung among roughly half a dozen companies whose testimony would prove that Qualcomm received supra-FRAND royalties by exercising its "no license-no chips" leverage. But Qualcomm's counsel said Samsung would confirm that licensing negotiations resulting in last year's new agreement between the two companies "were fair." I saw media reports before the trial that said the FTC had Samsung's support, a claim based on a (really great) amicus curiae brief submitted by Samsung in 2017 in support of the FTC's opposition to Qualcomm's motion to dismiss the complaint. However, at the time Samsung was also an active party to the Korean antitrust investigation, from which it withdrew after the aforementioned new deal (LG just joined instead). The relationship between Samsung and Qualcomm is complex and multifaceted (see this infographic). So let's wait and hear from them. MediaTek: Step by step the relevance of that company to the FTC case becomes clearer. On Friday, it was actually Lenovo's testimony that shed some more light on it. Apparently Lenovo does, or at least in 2013 did, buy chips from Qualcomm for high-end devices but from MediaTek for mid-range and lower-end devices. MediaTek had an agreement in place with Qualcomm, and Lenovo originally thought it was a license agreement that would also benefit MediaTek's customers, but under that contract MediaTek was "not authorized" to sell its chipsets to device makers that didn't have a license agreement with Qualcomm. Therefore, the worst-case scnario for Lenovo was that, after terminating or not renewing its license agreement with Qualcomm, it would neither get any more chips from Qualcomm for higher-end phones nor any from MediaTek, given that Qualcomm would have been in a position to enjoin MediaTek from supplying chips to an unlicensed Lenovo. Interestingly this is likely why MediaTek isn't a viable alternative chip supplier for Apple's iPhones. While the high stakes case is being reported on by many sources, Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents is reporting on the trial live on Twitter that resumes Monday at hashtag #ftcqcom. Although the case just got underway, Mueller's first impression of the first day of he trial was that the FTC gained initial control over the center of the chessboard. By following the live tweets (whenevery you have time), you'll be able to pick up on little details that most in the press won't bother reporting on. One example is learning that Qualcomm's Finance Executive David Wise revealed that Qualcomm's licensing accounts for two-thirds of their total value. It's now easier to understand why Qualcomm is willing to fight any company or government agency to the death that threatens its core business model. We also learned that under the gun during his testimony at the trial, David Wise refused to confirm Qualcomm's no-license-no deal policy. If he would have acknowledged that Qualcomm uses this tactic he's out of job and if he openly denies it, the FTC will catch him on perjury. Silence was his only option. If you love following legal cases like a soap opera, the FOSS Patent Live tweet coverage is for you. In addition, you could also read other FOSS Patent reports on this case here: (01, 02 and 03). ST. LOUIS While most of a $1.95-billion upgrade of the St. Louis-to-Chicago Amtrak corridor was finished a year ago, long-promised faster rail journeys on the route have yet to happen. Delays in installing and testing new GPS-related safety technology have kept Amtrak trains from hitting high speeds of 90 mph during 2018 as the Illinois Department of Transportation had predicted. Trains still are allowed to go no faster than 79 mph on the route. IDOT now projects that 90-mph speeds will be in place for Amtrak next summer from Alton, Ill., to south of Springfield, Ill., and along much of the remainder of the route by the end of next year. However, the agency is no longer saying when it believes the more significant speed target of 110 mph will be reached. IDOT says that would shave about an hour off the typical 5 1/2-hour Amtrak trip between St. Louis and Chicago. The 90 mph speeds would pare only about 15 minutes on average, the agency said. Last year, IDOT had said 110-mph speeds would be reached by 2019. An IDOT spokeswoman, Jessie Decker, said in an email last week that an early version of the safety technology, called positive train control, is in service on most of the 215-mile stretch of the 284-mile corridor solely owned by Union Pacific. Union Pacific also jointly owns 29 miles of the corridor. However, Decker said Union Pacific, which operates freight trains on the same tracks, is still working with state officials to test and commission a higher-level version at all crossings needed to allow the faster speeds. In addition, Decker said, Amtrak is upgrading software on its locomotives to communicate with the positive train control system. Work also is underway on segments of the corridor owned by other companies. As for when the 110 mph speeds will finally be authorized, it is difficult to give an estimate now, Decker said. Before that can happen, she said, further enhancements to the positive train control system will be needed. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. She said the timing also will depend on other factors, such as how soon a second needed stretch of track in a national prairie area south of Joliet can be built, she said. But she said IDOT is committed to working with its partners to get to 110 as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, Union Pacific spokeswoman Hannah Bolte said her railroad is 100 percent committed to doing whats necessary to achieve 110 on the route. In the end, Bolte said, the Federal Railroad Administration has to sign off on speed signal systems. Rick Harnish, executive director of a private group called the Midwest High Speed Rail Association, called the delays incredibly frustrating but said the testing takes a long time because the safety system is new. Positive train control helps monitor trains position and speed. Among other things, should a train engineer fail to respond to an upcoming signal, the train will take over controls itself and slow or stop a train to avoid a crash. The federal government has ordered passenger and freight railroads to implement positive train control this year but Union Pacific and other companies are expected to get extensions. The 90 and 110 speeds will be used only in the more open expanses of the route outside the St. Louis and Chicago metro areas. The 110 mph target speed for the project has been talked about by Illinois officials for more than 20 years. The project was funded largely by federal economic stimulus dollars allotted under then-President Barack Obama. The improvements already completed include new rails and concrete ties, new Amtrak stations in Alton, Carlinville and elsewhere and improved street crossing gates to keep vehicles from weaving around crossing bars. Also added were sidewalk gates barring pedestrians from crossing while a train is approaching and 3-foot-high pedestrian fences at crossings. Other improvements were aimed at reducing delays that sometime make trips longer than the usual 5 1/2 hours. To cut delays, second-track segments and sidings were added or lengthened so two trains could run simultaneously in more areas. Love 6 Funny 6 Wow 1 Sad 3 Angry 13 SPRINGFIELD Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Raymond Poe, who was in the Illinois House for two decades before being named to run the department in 2015, has retired. Gov. Bruce Rauner named Warren Goetsch to the $133,273-a-year director's job on a temporary basis as of Jan. 1, though Democratic Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker, who takes office Jan. 14, is expected to name a variety of new department directors as his administration begins. Poe, 74, served in the Illinois House from 1995 until Rauner tapped him to run the ag department in 2015. "I always promoted ag," Poe said of his years in public life. "A lot of times, it was just making sure the people around the state knew how important agriculture is to Illinois." When he was named by Rauner to run the department, he told the governor it would be time to retire after three years. Given his age, he said, "I think that means it's time to sort of enjoy the fruits of your labor all your life." Poe, a lifelong farmer, and his wife, Carol, have three children, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. They also have a condominium in Fort Myers, Fla. Poe said they could fit the mold of "snow birds" going to Florida when it's cold in Illinois. But he said they are "absolutely" keeping their Springfield-area home. Poe served on the Williamsville School Board from 1970-1991, including being president for five years. In the legislature, he said, he worked on issues including education and public employee benefits, such as pensions. He also said one of the best things he participated in was creating tax incentives for farmers to plant grass filter strips alongside fields to prevent soil erosion and chemical runoff. He said the idea was picked up up by states across the country. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. During this year's Illinois State Fair, Poe talked of his long relationship with that event that is under the Department of Agriculture umbrella. "I've actually been on the fairgrounds for over 50 years," he said then, adding that early on he worked at a stand selling cowboy boots and then worked the "manure crew." "And then I got elected and started spreading it," he joked at the time. He credited Rauner with directing $30 million in state funds toward repairs at the Springfield and Du Quoin state fairs and also for making a donation, with his wife, Diana, through their family foundation, of $1 million to the State Fair's foundation for repair work on the Springfield fairgrounds' Coliseum. "At least we got that on the right track," Poe said. Goetsch, also a Sangamon County resident, had been chief of staff at the ag department and was named acting director in September 2015, when both then-Agriculture Director Philip Nelson and then-State Fair Director Patrick Buchen, both left those jobs. Poe called Goetsch "very capable." "I would suggest anybody that gets that job to keep him," Poe said. Rauner also named two other acting department leaders as of Jan. 1: Matt Magalis of Springfield will be acting secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation, taking over for Randall Blankenhorn, and Jack King of Frankfort, as acting secretary of the Department of Innovation and Technology, taking over for Kirk Lonbom. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Airbnb collects the 15 percent hotel tax for the state and said earlier this year it paid $5.2 million to the state. The figures released by Airbnb are based on the calendar year, while the taxes Airbnb paid are based on the states fiscal year, which runs July 1 to June 30. For the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2017, Airbnb paid the state $2.4 million as part of an agreement between the company and the state Department of Revenue Services. Four months after the Oregon College Savings Plan switched plan administrators and promised snazzy, new service upgrades to its 109,000 accounts, the plans website still lacks some basic information and functionality, and some users claim the administrator is dropping the ball in processing transactions. Doug Boe, a Lake Oswego resident, says it took more than a month to process a deposit he made to his daughters college savings account in November. He says he spent seven hours last month much of it on hold trying to clear the funds and make a tuition payment for her study abroad program next semester. He said he ultimately received a check in the mail on Dec. 29, after specifically requesting an electronic funds transfer to expedite the process. By the time he made the tuition payment, it was two weeks overdue. He calls the episode as The Nightmare of Sumday a cheeky reference to the Bank of New York/Mellon subsidiary that is now managing the plan. But his questions are pointed: Whats the accountability for whomever is managing this for the state of Oregon? Why did they do this in the first place? Whats it costing? Are they actually addressing these issues? Oregon Treasurer Tobias Read says the buck stops with his team. Ultimately, we own the success and challenges that are part of this transition, he said. Im definitely not happy that people are not getting the customer experience they want and we want for them, and we are working hard to address that. In terms of switching administrators, Read said, the board was not happy with the previous administrator, both in terms of what it offered and the risks it exposed the plan to by using a vendor that was subcontracting nearly all its back office functions. The easiest course would have been to deal with the status quo and not make a change, he said. The board made that decision with a good awareness of some of the risks, but none of that is to say Im satisfied with where we are. From a technical perspective, it was a massive transition involving 109,000 accounts with $1.8 billion in assets, 65,000 account holders, multiple underlying vendors, hundreds of thousands of linked bank accounts and, in some cases, 18 years of historical information that had already been through one previous conversion. Michael Parker, executive director of the Oregon Treasurys 529 plan, says that when the enhancements are in place, customers should be very happy with the transition: Weve moved to a better system, a larger provider with better custody, better security. Were not tied to a particular mutual fund family. He acknowledges there have been bumps in the road since the September transition to Sumday from TIAA-CREF, the previous administrator. He says Sumday initially underestimated the number of calls it would get from Oregon account holders, for example. They noticed it and got eight to 10 hires up right away. Those folks went through training right away, but it took time to fully train them. That kind of responsiveness is one reason the switch was made, he said. There is absolutely no reason to think this program isnt running on all cylinders. John Lemmer thinks otherwise. For the past five years, the retired doctor has been contributing to seven college saving accounts for each of his grandchildren. Hes never been impressed with the transparency of the program, particularly the difficulty in getting historical fund performance data and expense ratios. But since transitioning to Sumday, he says, the situation has gotten worse. In short, it is currently not possible to obtain information regarding any contributions made prior to September of this year, he wrote in an email. That is, five years of financial transactions are not, and have not been, available to the owner of the account since the transition in September. He's correct. So far, Sumday hasnt been able to accurately load historical statements or information for account holders. No past balances, transaction information or individual performance data. Without the information, Lemmer says he was having difficulty doing year-end planning for the seven accounts, making sure he was equalizing contributions. The historical data also is crucial for tax planning, both because contributions and the educational expenditures out of the accounts can be tax deductible. This lack of transparency is, in my opinion, a serious failure of fiduciary duty for which the State of Oregon is ultimately responsible, Lemmer says. Indeed, neither the state nor Sumday has proactively communicated the problem, the reason or the timing of a possible solution to customers. When the transition took place in September, Treasury had already advised customers via email to download their historical statements. But that data was not immediately loaded onto Sumdays website, and Parker told The Oregonian/OregonLive at the time that it would be available in two weeks. This week, Parker said TIAA-CREF had given the state bad data that made it impossible to index individual accounts to their owners, hence the four-month delay. Sumday managing director Douglas Magnolia said there was exhaustive data testing prior to the actual conversion, and the account data that did come over was accurate. But TIAA-CREF declined to provide any of the historical data before it closed out the accounts. We cant beta test what we dont have, he said. When Sumday did get the data in September, there were numerous problems with it. Its not as simple as plugging it in and copying it over, Magnolia said. It takes weeks to test the files, sort them, index themThe primary objective is that the data is good and accurate. This is all highly confidential information. In the end, Magnolia said, Sumday didnt get clean data until after Christmas. He now hopes it will be up on the website in another 10 days in advance of tax season. Donna Loveland seemed to hit a wall when trying to process deposits and payments for her grandsons law school tuition. She says she made three deposits and initiated three payments in November that the plan said would be held and released in 6-10 business days. They were held 17, 18, and 25 days until the date sent to the school, she said, adding that shes still not sure Seattle University Law School received the money. These funds held by Sumday are transferred from a recognized credit union. There should be no reason to hold such transfers of money, unlike a personal check, other than the company makes some money in short-term investments. She says its also problematic that Sumday will only process one transaction at a time, meaning it can take two to three weeks to process several transactions. I have requested a copy of historical data, and it is sent, taking about 10 days to arrive, and each time it has been incomplete, she said. Magnolia says the 10-day hold on electronic transfers is inconvenient, but its the industry standard because thats how long her credit union or any financial institution has to claw back the money in case of fraud. He did not have an explanation for other specific delays but says there were numerous reasons that could have happened. In some cases, for example, banking information wasnt transferred over. David Bell, deputy director of the Oregon College Savings Plan, says the ability to complete multiple transactions at once was an oversight in the system specs laid out by Treasury, and an upgrade that will be available soon. It was an oversight. We absolutely need to fix it right away, he said. Were not where we want to be in terms of all the enhancements that are on the whiteboard in my office, but were excited because we have more control and authority over the group thats running the program. The saga continued for some account holders this week when they received an email from Sumday: You may have seen some unexpected activity in your account this morning and you may have received an email or two about a reversal in your account. Boe saw the activity when he logged into his account. With the reversal of the transactions by Sumday, he gained $13.90 on an account balance that was zero. His last activity was a mystery 40-cent purchase of the FDIC Guaranteed Portfolio bought on Dec. 31. Apparently, as Sumday and Treasury were planning for the upcoming tax season and the issuance of the 1099-Q forms on the accounts, We noticed that some of the data that was handed off during the conversion in September was inaccurate. That meant the cost basis for the funds, and any ensuing capital gains, would have been wrong on the 1099s. To correct the mistake, any subsequent withdrawals were reversed and reapplied with the correct cost basis and earnings. These transactions are only for book keeping purposes and no shares or money were actually moved, the email read. Rest assured, your account and information are safe. Every year, The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board issues its editorial agenda for the coming year, identifying the most pressing problems that leaders should address. While the board will write editorials on many other topics as well, our primary focus will be writing on education, the city of Portland, financial solvency and criminal justice. Transform education for students benefit: There is nothing like a great public education system to change futures and fortunes for children. The ability to access quality schools with dedicated teachers, challenging curriculum and attention to individuals needs is one of the most foundational pieces of an American dream that recognizes the potential of every student, regardless of race, ethnicity, family income or immigration status. That faith in the promise of education is the primary reason our editorial agenda year after year highlights the need to improve Oregons struggling schools. But we are more optimistic than in recent years that Oregon leaders will invest big in students in 2019. Our call to make transformational change in education structured around what students, not adults need comes at a time when foresight and pressure have created a rare window of opportunity for Oregon to act. For one thing, a legislative committee appointed by Senate President Peter Courtney and House Speaker Tina Kotek is laying the groundwork. The bipartisan group traveled the state last year in an exhaustive effort to learn about the needs and strategies for improving students success. The members are now honing the long list of pricey recommendations into a game plan for fixing Oregons schools. Gov. Kate Brown, too, is championing change, after a first term in which she showed little urgency to respond to the systems clear signs of distress. But her fight for re-election against Republican challenger Knute Buehler, who centered his campaign on the need for significant educational improvements, helped shine a spotlight on K-12s failings. During the campaign, Brown notably released a white paper outlining a vision for the educational system and is now using her position to generate support for a $2 billion infusion into education. And while educational excellence is an issue that crosses party lines, supermajorities in both chambers of the Legislature give the Democrats a lot of breathing room to push through their preferred fixes, meaning far less chance of gridlock. All of which sets 2019 up for enormous success or disappointing failure. In the coming year, we will support efforts to raise new tax revenue for schools, both in the K-12 system and higher education. For K-12, the additional investments should be targeted to produce specific outcomes much like Measure 98, in which the state issues extra money to high schools that produce detailed plans for using the funds for career and technical education, high-school dropout prevention and college-level courses. We will push for greater accountability throughout the system, from personnel to performance. Administrators and teachers unions alike must ensure that any educators accused of misconduct undergo a thorough investigation and, if merited, disciplinary action to ensure students are safe. Legislators should remove legal barriers to enforcing such oversight. On the performance, side, schools should show how they are helping students reach important benchmarks or develop a plan for improving their results. Students and their families should recognize the need for data including standardized test results to help inform decision-makers about whether strategies are working. We will also advocate for smart cost-cutting including reasonable changes to employee benefits to ensure that any infusion of new revenue goes to classroom instruction and student support rather than to cover skyrocketing employee pension contributions and health premiums. School advocates and community members should recognize that even with record budgets, some districts have actually slashed teaching positions or other needed personnel because employee benefits are far outpacing the revenue increases. With the economy slowing down and a possible recession on the horizon, districts must get these costs under control. And we will continue to press for an educational system that puts students needs first, whether its increasing instructional time, improving access to mental health services or keeping tuition affordable for community college or college. Keep Oregon solvent: Oregon leaders stubborn refusal to address the pension funding crisis affecting some 900-plus public employers seems to be an Aesops fable in the making. Even in a time of record revenue, increasing pension contributions have led schools to lay off employees, colleges to increase tuition and other agencies to make cuts, yet the state has made only modest steps in response. But Oregonians cant afford for leaders to wait for the next inevitable recession to hit before understanding the moral of the story. Prepare in good times to prevent panic during bad times. The pension debt, as massive as it is, is only one of several financial quagmires that trap Oregon in perennial budget crunches. The states revenue system, which relies on personal income taxes for about 85 percent of the General Fund, is in dire need of a revamp that shifts some of the burden onto businesses and helps smooth the wild ups and downs of the system. In addition, Oregonians are wedded to some irrational tax positions, such as their allergic reaction to a sales tax. Not only could it be structured to exempt necessities, a sales tax would hit both tourists and businesses, which buy products from vendors. With that as a backdrop, heres what we envision for our financial agenda item of Keep Oregon solvent: We will push for structural reforms in the Public Employees Retirement System that are legal and fair. Benefits that have already been earned which make up by far the bulk of the systems unfunded liability are untouchable, as the Oregon Supreme Court ruled in 2015. And that huge debt is one that Oregon must find the resources to cover. But that does not mean leaving the system as is. Rather, there are several proposals worth considering that affect future benefits, such as formulas to cap the salary used to calculate pension benefits or even doing away with a pension completely while bolstering employees existing 401(k) type plan. At the very least, lawmakers should revise a bill introduced in 2017 and require employees to redirect a significant percentage of their salary that now goes into the 401(k) type plan into the pension system instead. We will advocate for fair taxation that shifts some of the burden from individuals to corporations, while recognizing that at least some of that burden will likely get passed on to consumers. We will evaluate policies based on whether they help stabilize Oregons volatile revenue stream and whether the underlying rationale is sound. We will challenge tax proposals that exempt the politically powerful while targeting those who lack a voice in Salem. And we will encourage Oregonians to both demand results for their tax dollars while reminding them that public services and dedicated employees are well worth paying for. We will encourage Oregonians to support a constitutional change to eliminate the personal kicker. The rebate, issued to personal income tax filers when collections exceed revenue projections by more than 2 percent, was designed as a check on state spending. But in reality, its based on unrealistic expectations of economists accuracy and doesnt achieve what it was intended to do. Spending is a problem, but the kicker doesnt make lawmakers allocate dollars any more rationally. Working toward more evenhanded justice in Oregon: Oregon enters 2019 with the shameful distinction as the last remaining state in the nation that allows convictions by non-unanimous juries. In Oregon, murder is the only felony charge that requires a jurys unanimous vote for a guilty verdict. Voters in Louisiana came to their senses in November, dumping the Jim Crow-era practice by a wide margin. Oregons lower standard requires that only 10 of 12 jurors agree on a verdict for most felonies. The law, ratified in the states Constitution, creates a system that ignores the voices of minorities, who already face systemic disparities in Americas criminal justice system. The editorial board will continue to push for changing the law and will encourage work by district attorneys and state lawmakers who have pledged to put the issue before voters in hopes of providing a more fair system for all Oregonians. While this issue is one of the more vivid problems with our justice system, there are others that we will highlight throughout the year. Measure 11 mandates minimum sentences for certain crimes, such as rape, murder and robbery. And when juveniles are accused of committing those crimes, theyre scooped up as part of that tough-on-crime fervor and tried in an adult court. That can be a problem on many fronts. Its becoming clear that our justice system hasnt kept pace with an increasing amount of scientific understanding of how juveniles brains develop. And when judges have no power to consider youths background in the sentence they impose, youth aged 15 and over are dropped into a system without age-appropriate education and treatment. Further, young people facing such harsh consequences in adult court are often more likely to feel pressured into pleading guilty to lesser offenses rather than risk facing a longer prison sentence if convicted. A report issued early in 2018 called Oregons policy of treating juvenile offenders accused of serious crimes as adults harsh and costly. Well explore this aspect of Measure 11 in the coming year, as revisiting sentencing guidelines becomes a topic of bipartisan support at the national level. Since first taking office in 2015, Brown promised to continue her predecessors moratorium on enforcing the death penalty. It was a fine move supported by many Oregonians. Yet we continue to wait for the conversation about the need for the death penalty that former Gov. John Kitzhabers move was supposed to inspire. And theres no time like the present because as we wait, Oregonians continue to pay millions each year for a system that hasnt executed an inmate since 1997. The Oregon Justice Resource Center is making a compelling case that Brown should commute the sentences of those on Oregons death row to life without the possibility of parole, which she has the power to do. Yet theres also a solid argument to putting the issue back before voters, who reinstated the death penalty in 1984. Either way, we aim to continue the conversation in the coming year in which Oregon is likely to face a budget deficit, growing needs for basic services and an unfunded pension liability areas where those millions may be better spent. Putting Portland on the right track: Portland struggled last year in its growth as an innovative metropolis. For many Portlanders, the city feels fractured, unfocused and plagued by problems too large and systemic for our leaders to overcome. Residents war over how best to address the rampant homelessness problem. Protests have turned violent at times or sparked clashes with police. Outgoing City Commissioner Dan Saltzman even blamed the growing incivility within City Hall as a factor in his decision not to seek reelection. In a year that will test Portlands leaders, well call for a focus on providing core services and efficient policies, rather than establishing signature legislation that benefits small, but vocal, interest groups. In particular, we will encourage zoning changes that allow the construction of much-needed affordable housing units from apartment buildings to a duplex on one city lot in Portlands more established neighborhoods, where residents benefit from better parks, schools and other amenities. And, with Measure 102 approved by voters, well look for a steady uptick of units through Portlands bond, especially the permanent supportive housing that will help chronically homeless off the street. Well also support policies that will provide more data to decision-makers and more public records to citizens, such as Mayor Ted Wheelers recent announcement that crime victims will receive copies of their police reports more quickly and for free. Lastly, well advocate for moving away from the citys antiquated form of government that gives the mayor and commissioners both legislative and administrative powers. That means leaders pass laws like most legislative entities, but also serve as the top executive for their assigned bureaus. Combine that with the process by which city leaders are elected and its clear that Portlands government structure simply isnt working. We hope 2019 will move Portland closer to a system thats better prepared for handling the big city problems we face. - Laura Gunderson and Helen Jung for The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board Police were sent to a popular Southeast Portland pizza parlor catering to children Saturday afternoon to investigate reports of gunfire. When police arrived at Chuck E. Cheese, 9120 S.E. Powell Blvd., just before 4 p.m. they found neither suspects or victims. They did find a car parked on the west side of the business that appeared to have been damaged by gunfire. Police said there were no reports of anyone arriving at area hospitals with injuries as a result of a shooting. Anyone who saw this shooting or who has video surveillance footage of it is asked to contact Portland Police Bureau Tactical Operations Division Gun Violence Response Team (GVRT) at 503-823-4106. --Tom Hallman Jr. thallman@oregonian.com; 503 221-8224 @thallmanjr Looking Bela Bela! Minsk iGaming Affiliate Set to Launch in April Published January 6, 2019 by Lee R The possibilities will overflow from a new emerging economy as Smile-Expo launches a new conference in Minsk! Belarus is proud to welcome their own affiliate conference. The Conference The first inaugural Minsk iGaming Affiliate Conference is set to welcome regional as well as global affiliates, gaming operators, and SEO specialists on April 24, 2019. The Smile-Expo event dedicated to iGaming, affiliate marketing, and affiliate programs will be hosted by the Doubletree By Hilton Minsk, 9 Pobediteley Avenue, Minsk, 220004, Belarus. Key Legislation The topics at Minsk iGaming Affiliate Conference are going to be spurred by a piece of local legislation coming into effect April 1 called the Act On the improvement of the gambling business regulation permitting the organization and conduct of gambling activity online to provide Belarus' first regulated model. Topics Subjects of discussion center around the changes awaiting the local market and the best way to make use of them. Related topics of discussion include traffic arbitrage in iGaming; advertising; the subtleties of analyzing traffic and difficulties of choosing an offer; optimal use of content marketing for online casino promotion; proper segmentation; content personalisation and platforms for content placement; SEO promotion of online gambling websites; maximizing search results with SEO; how to use gamification to promote online casinos; blockchain technology in online gambling: cryptocurrency as a payments means at online casino; and the legal aspects of gambling business regulation. The Opportunity The practical value of Minsk iGaming Affiliate Conference will empower attendees to access beneficial partnership arrangements from affiliate networks and learn about new market trends. 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By https://www.lebron16s.com/ the time the film hits in February of next year, it will have been 15 years since Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson originated the Zoolander and Hansel roles. The movie has become a cult favorite, occupying a place within the modeling world that Waiting for Guffman holds for theatre folk an embarrassing reminder of how some of their members actually behave. I think uniforms should be mandatory for are schools simply because of how it affects the student. When you're wearing a school uniform, hopefully you are coveredenough to look decent. This eliminates a good deal of the worryabout clothing at school. My mother has always usd uniform to homeschool her kids, and it is much easier to focus on academics when you aren't worrying about that. Mamata Banerjee slams PM Modi, says he is playing 'Bengal card' in Bangladesh Will do according to principles: Bangladesh on Chinas warning against joining Quad Hindu Temple vandalised in Bangladesh during clashes International oi-Madhuri Adnal Dhaka, Jan 6: A Hindu temple was vandalised in clashes between two groups in Bangladesh's central Tangail district, a media report said Sunday. The incident took place in the upazila's Kokadair area on Friday. The family of the temple's owner was also attacked by a group of eight to nine people in Batra village of the district Friday, Dhaka Tribune reported. Chitta Ranjan acquired the land and built a temple of lord Shiva over 20 years ago, it said. Kolkata: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's bust vandalised in Narkeldanga The group of miscreants, led by a local resident of the same village, tried to forcefully seize the land where the temple is situated by vandalising Ranjan's home and attacking his family members, the report said. The accused had attempted to forcefully seize the land several times before as well, he claimed. There was a previous enmity that existed between Parimal and him over this land; Parimal had threatened him and attempted to forcefully seize the land several times before, he added. Zomato releases the list of most-ordered dish in India in 2018: Click here India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Jan 6: Online food aggregator, Zomato released some interesting food trends, not just in the online ordering space, but across the spectrum of varied services that the food delivery company is known for. The delectable slow-cooked meat and rice dish-chicken biryani- was the most ordered food by Indians on Zomato in 2018. Zomato revealed that North Indian dishes were the most preferred by customers all over the country, both while ordering in and eating out. After Zomato sacks delivery man for eating customer's food; Twitterati feel sorry Among tier-1 cities, Zomato received the highest number of orders from Delhi NCR, while Ahmedabad came out on top among tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Here's an infographic prepared by Zomato: Launched in August, Zomato Sneakpeek is a curated offering which helps users learn more about a restaurant. Our users spent 59,471,997 seconds, equivalent to almost two years, watching Sneakpeek videos. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 6, 2019, 15:50 [IST] Will have to tell CBI about UP seat sharing: Akhilesh Yadav amid raids India oi-Deepika S Lucknow, Jan 6: Amid reports that the CBI is likely to quiz Akhilesh Yadav in the illegal mining case, the Samajwadi Party chief on Sunday said he is ready to face the probe agency, but people are also ready to answer the BJP. Talking to reporters in Lucknow, he said the BJP is leaving a "culture", which may be used against it in the future. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the illegal mining that took place between 2012 and 2016 in Uttar Pradesh, may examine Akhilesh Yadav's role as he was the chief minister during this period and held the mining department for a year. "Samajwadi Party is making efforts to win maximum Lok Sabha seats. Those who want to stop us, have the CBI with them. Once the Congress did CBI probe, and I was questioned. If the BJP is doing all this, the CBI will question me, I will answer (them). But, the people are ready to give an answer to the BJP," Yadav said. Don't need Cong, Akhilesh-Mayawati strong enough to defeat BJP in UP: Samajwadi Party "Why is the CBI conducting raids. Whatever they want to ask, they can ask me. However, the BJP should remember that the culture it is leaving behind, it may have to face it in the future," he said. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister may face a probe by the CBI, according to the agency FIR made public Saturday, the day arch rivals SP and BSP indicated their intent to join hands to counter the BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Taking a swipe, Yadav said, "Now we have to tell the CBI as to how many seats we have distributed in the gathbandhan. I am happy that at least the BJP has shown its colours. Earlier, the Congress gave us the chance to meet the CBI, and this time it is the BJP, which has given us this opportunity." The SP chief also accused the BJP of ending 'political etiquette'. "The BJP wants that other political parties should behave in the same manner as it behaves. But, we will not change our political etiquette," he said. The CBI carried out searches at 14 locations on Saturday in connection with its FIR against 11 persons including IAS officer B Chandrakala, Samajwadi Party MLC Ramesh Kumar Mishra and Sanjay Dixit (who unsuccessfully contested the 2017 assembly election on a BSP ticket) to probe alleged illegal mining of minor minerals in Hamirpur district during 2012-16. Yadav, who was the chief minister of the state between 2012 and 2017, held the mining portfolio during 2012-13 apparently bringing his role under scanner, according to the FIR. He was succeeded by Gayatri Prajapati, who took charge as mining minister in 2013 and was arrested in 2017 following a complaint of rape by a woman residing in Chitrakoot. This is a third FIR pertaining to illegal mining cases which were registered by the agency on January 2, 2019, nearly two-and-a-half year after it was directed by the Allahabad High Court to probe the issue. OneIndia News (with PTI inputs) For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 6, 2019, 18:19 [IST] A 'ring of fire' solar eclipse will light up the sky today: Timings, visibility in India Solar Eclipse 2021: Common myths and superstitions that Indians believe In pics: Stunning images of ring of fire solar eclipse across the globe Two shot dead in separate incidents at Delhi India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Jan 6: Two men were shot dead on Saturday by unidentified assailants in separate incidents in Delhi, police said. In the first incident, the 28-year Anil Maan, a resident of Kheda Khurd village, was allegedly fired upon by unidentified persons in Rohini's KN Katju area, police said. The incident took place at 6 pm when Maan was coming out of his restaurant along with three of his friends, they said. J&K: Police officer shot dead in Rajpora village He was sitting next to the driver in his car, when a Baleno car came and intercepted them, police said. Some assailant from the car fired on him. Mann was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead, Rajneesh Gupta, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini), said. A case has been registered but the accused are yet to be arrested, he said. Maan had recently opened the restaurant in partnership with a friend. He himself had two cases registered against him including that of an attempt to murder, police said, adding further probe is underway. In another case, a 35-year-old man was shot dead by unidentified persons in the Jhilmil Industrial area of Shadara. The deceased has been identified as Hariom Sharma, a resident of Gokulpuri, they said. Investigations revealed that Sharma was a supervisor in a factory at friends colony, police said. UP: Motorcycle-borne assailants shoot chief warden of district jail in Pratapgarh dead Police are examining CCTV footage to identify the accused and ascertain the exact sequence of event, a senior police officer said. A case has been registered and the matter is being probed, the officer said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 6, 2019, 9:43 [IST] Suspected Lashkar member charged in money laundering case India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Jan 6: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a charge sheet in a Delhi court against Shabbir Ahmad Lone, a suspected member of the banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, for his alleged involvement in a money laundering case. The ED attached foreign currency, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), that was recovered from Lone which, it said, "was meant for the purpose of terrorist activities in India". Lone was arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi Police in 2007 from the Chandni Chowk area. Terror groups increasingly funding religious activity to set up sleeper cells "It may be recalled that police recovered one pistol of 9 mm calibre and seven live rounds of 9 mm calibre, foreign and Indian currencies along with other incriminating belongings from the possession of Lone and had arrested him. "On the instance of Lone, two loaded magazines of AK rifle with 60 live rounds, four hand grenades, one AK rifle, Rs one lakh cash was also recovered from a guest house in Azadpur area," the ED said in its submission made by special public prosecutor N K Matta. Police investigation had revealed, it said, "involvement of the accused in hatching criminal conspiracy with other LeT militants in order to wage war against the nation and also to carry out terrorist and disruptive activities in India." It said the Special Cell of Delhi Police filed charge sheet against Lone in the case under Section 121 (waging war against government of India), 122 (collecting arms with intention of waging war against the government of India), 123 (concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war), of IPC and under various sections of stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act and Explosive Substances Act. LeT commander behind killing of Army Major among two militants dead in Kashmir encounter He was convicted by a trial court here and sent to six years of imprisonment. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 6, 2019, 9:29 [IST] No proof of fraud against Srinivas, Gambhir: They were helping, Delhi Police tells HC Serial extortionist arrested in Delhi India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Jan 6: A 46-year-old alleged extortionist, who was wanted in numerous cases, was arrested by the sleuths of special cell of the Delhi Police, police said Saturday. The Delhi Police had declared a bounty of Rs 50,000 on him, they added. Surender Singh Sodhi alias Shammi of Shakarpur was arrested on Friday. One pistol and five live cartridges were been recovered from his possession, Pramod Kushwah, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell), said. Celebratory firing by father claims life of his son Shammi was infamous not only in Delhi but had several criminal cases registered against him in Mumbai and Haryana. He has been involved in criminal activities since school days, Kushwah said. "At 21 he was declared a bad character. He even killed a relative of underworld Don Chota Rajan in Mumbai," he said. Alok Khera, an aide of Rajan, was shot dead by Shammi in Mumbai in 2003, the DCP added. Shammi was involved with many gangsters of UP, Delhi and Haryana, who were killed by sleuths of Delhi in encounters. His associate Shriprakash Shukla was shot dead in 1998 in an encounter in a joint operation by the Delhi Police and UP Police, while another associate Bunty Gujjar was killed by special cell in 2000, the DCP said. Two shot dead in separate incidents at Delhi He was wanted in over a dozen cases in Delhi, Haryana and Mumbai. In September last year, he along with his nephew Veer Singh also started running a gang which was involved in crimes like extortion, land grabbing, the officer said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 6, 2019, 10:22 [IST] Odisha minister Pradeep Maharathy resigns over controversial remark India oi-Deepika S Bhubaneswar, Jan 6: Odisha agriculture minister and senior BJD leader Pradeep Maharathy, who had made a controversial statement on the acquittal of a murder and rape accused, resigned from Naveen Patnaik's government on Sunday. In the infamous Pipli gang-rape and murder case, a 19-year-old Dalit girl was raped in 2011 and died in a coma in 2012 sparking a state-wide furore over the incident. The two prime accused in the case were acquitted by Bhubaneswar Additional District Judge in December last year. Maharathy had commented on their acquittal by saying "my sympathy are with the victim, but I respect the court's verdict. The victim had got justice and truth has prevailed," sparking outrage and protests by women's wings of the two leading opposition parties Congress and BJP in the state. On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also accused the Naveen Patnaik-led Odisha government of not being serious about the welfare of women and girls and urged it to re-investigate the Pipili gang rape and murder case. "The system could not give justice to the girl. The government is not taking the matter seriously," Modi had alleged in his speech. Last month, Odisha Pradesh Mahila Congress members had hurled tomatoes and eggs at the residential quarters of Maharathy demanding his ouster from the Cabinet and the BJP women's wing workers had tried to gherao CM Patnaik's residence. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 6, 2019, 17:17 [IST] No change in RBI's view on cryptocurrencies, we have major concerns: Shaktikanta Das Nepal wants RBI to declare banned new Indian currency notes legal India oi-PTI Kathmandu, Jan 6: Nepal has asked the RBI to declare newly circulated Indian currency notes of denominations higher than Rs. 100 legal tender in the country, according to media report on Sunday. The Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the country's central monetary authority, wrote a letter on Friday to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), asking it to make Indian bank bills Rs. 200, Rs. 500 and Rs. 2,000 legal tender in Nepal, The Himalayan Times reported. The NRB has asked the India's central bank to issue a notification under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), which will make Indian bank notes of denomination more than Rs. 100 legal tender in Nepal and to provide the exchange facilities to get bills of such denominations, it said. Will the Rs 2,000 note be banned or phased out? The RBI has only allowed the circulation of Indian currency notes of Rs. 100 and less in Nepal and provides exchange facilities for bills of these denomination. Before the ban on notes of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 in November 2016, the RBI had issued a FEMA notification allowing Nepali citizens to carry Rs. 25,000 worth of such bank notes. After the demonetisation of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 Indian currency notes, circulation of new bank notes of denominations Rs. 200, Rs. 500 and Rs. 2,000 was started by the Indian government. The RBI did not issue the notification for the newly circulated bank notes, making their use illegal in Nepal. "As the RBI was not allowing the circulation of the higher denomination Indian notes, we had to ban their use in Nepal to protect our citizens," Chief of Foreign Exchange Management Department at the NRB. "However, after we received complaints from people in various sectors, especially those who have to visit India frequently, we asked the Indian central bank to make such bank notes legal tender in Nepal." The circulation of such notes in Nepal, according to Dhungana, will solely depend upon the RBI and Indian government''s will. Also the NRB, in the same letter, has asked the Indian central bank to provide exchange facility to Nepalis holding the banned Indian currency in the country. The central bank has said the country's banking system, including banks, financial institutions and NRB, hold Indian currency denominations of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 worth Rs. 48 million. But the actual stock of banned Indian bank notes is expected to be much more because Nepalis were previously allowed to carry Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 Indian bank notes worth up to Rs. 25,000. Also, those residing in areas bordering India usually stash Indian notes of larger denominations as they have to go to Indian markets frequently to buy goods. To make exchange facility available to Nepalis holding banned Indian currency, NRB has already prepared software to keep a database of names of people who sought exchange facility, serial number of bills of 100 and Rs. 1,000 submitted by the people, and their identification numbers, among others. But the Indian government is yet to take a decision, it said. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 6, 2019, 21:56 [IST] Coal Scam: Ex-PM Manmohan's plea to be heard by special bench, says SC Lawyers should not go on strike: SC SC notice to AG on plea if panchayat polls should be subject to qualifications National Herald case: Associated Journals moves double bench over eviction order India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Jan 6: Associated Journals Ltd. (AJL) on Sunday moved double bench of Delhi High Court challenging the single bench order which had directed to vacate Herald house. The Delhi High Court had ordered the Congress party to vacate the decades-old Herald House, which belongs to the party's mouthpiece National Herald. The government had previously sent an eviction notice to the Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the owner of National Herald, arguing that it had violated the lease agreement under which it was rented Herald House. Herald House sits on prime real estate in downtown Delhi's ITO neighbourhood. AJL had filed a petition seeking the eviction notice to be overturned. The Delhi High Court has refused to do so and has set a two-week deadline by when Herald House must be evicted. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 6, 2019, 11:50 [IST] Make Shivraj party chief, Gadkari deputy PM: BJP veteran Sanghpriya Gautam India pti-PTI Mumbai, Jan 6: Veteran BJP leader and one of the party's founding members Sanghpriya Gautam Sunday suggested radical changes within the organisation and the government if the saffron party wishes to retain power at the Centre after the Lok Sabha polls. The 88-year-old leader advocated making former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan the party chief, Union minister Nitin Gadkari the deputy prime minister and Home Minister Rajnath Singh the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. "If it is not done, it will difficult for Narendra Modi to come back as prime minister," the former Union minister told PTI over phone. His statements come in the backdrop of BJP facing electoral losses in three Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, besides failing to perform well in Telangana and Mizoram in recently held elections. 2019 Lok Sabha polls: Rajnath to head BJP's manifesto committee He counted some reasons for the party's and the government's "poor performance". "Talking about amending the Constitution, replacing the planning commission with the Niti Aayog, interfering with the working of the Supreme Court, the RBI, the CBI and decisions taken in the economic sector had adverse impact," he said. "Also, indulging in horse-trading for forming governments in Goa and Manipur, imposing President's Rule in Uttarakhand and forming government in Karnataka for one day were irrational decisions," according to the leader. Gautam said he wrote an open letter to the party on December 13 about these issues. In his letter he wrote that takin up issues of religion, "mandir-masjid politics", renaming cities and increase in violence in the name of cow protection, while "ignoring" the problem of corruption, price rise and black money led to the public "losing its faith" in the party, he said. "It is necessary for the BJP to come back to power and Modi to become prime minister once again. But alongside that changes in the party and government are also imperative. Change will fill the workers with trust," he said. PTI TSK25K marathon: AIFO India will run for a cause and the aim is to eradicate leprosy Leprosy is making a comeback in India: Report India oi-Chennabasaveshwar P Bengaluru, Jan 5: Fight against leprosy seems to be not yet over in India. The numbers tell a different story which is in contradiction with the Union Minister for Health and family Welfare statement issued last year. Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda had said that the country will be free of leprosy in 2018. However, a new report published in the data-journalism portal IndiaSpend raises serious doubts over the possibility of leprosy of India 2019-01-05 by 2018. According to an article by Ramesh Menon, of the new cases detected, nearly half (67,160) have been diagnosed at an advanced stage. And the number of new detections is high. For instance, in Telangana's Adilabad district, a village called Kushanpally with 250 houses (1,040 people) turned up 19 cases. SC orders massive awareness programme for leprosy patients Menon writes that there is no reliable pan-India study or survey on the incidence of leprosy, and he quoted activists saying that the government is reluctant to record new cases for fear of losing its 'elimination' status. The government hurriedly announced in 2005 that leprosy was eliminated--which implies that incidence is one case per 10,000 (0.01%) because India received funding from the WHO to tackle leprosy, it was under pressure to show progress, writes Menon. Activists who work with leprosy patients told IndiaSpend that the government is resisting documentation of new cases. After 2005, the number of new leprosy cases was deliberately kept within the elimination range (0.01% of India's 1.3 billion population). However, ministry of health and family welfare officials deny this, saying their own efforts have led to improved detection, and increase in the number of cases detected does not mean incidence is increasing. Odisha: Leprosy affected denied dignity, daughter, son carry body for funeral "No, leprosy is not rising in India, the numbers are rising because we are detecting more cases," IndiaSpend quoted Anil Kumar, deputy director general (Leprosy) at the ministry of health and family welfare, as saying. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 6, 2019, 8:21 [IST] Voting in favour of 'lotus' will mean dropping of nuclear bomb on Pak, says UP Dy CM Maurya Keshav Prasad Maurya mocks SP-BSP alliance, says people want to see Modi as PM again India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Jan 6: A day after Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) agreed to an alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2019, state deputy chief minister, KP Maurya, on Sunday said that people are with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Talking to news agency ANI, KP Maurya said, "Whether SP-BSP ally or not, we have nothing to say on it nor will we be affected. Country is firmly with Modi ji and people want to see him as the PM again." Earlier on Saturday, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party had agreed to an alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, an SP leader said Saturday. A formal announcement on the "gathbandhan" between the two Uttar Pradesh-based parties may take place later this month, SP's national spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary told PTI. Deal sealed: SP-BSP minus Congress to fight UP battle together In the last parliamentary elections in 2014, the BJP won 71 seats, securing 42.63 per cent of the votes. BJP ally Apna Dal bagged two seats. Samajwadi Party won five seats with a vote share of 22.35 per cent. The BSP did not win any seat while securing 19.77 per cent votes. Congress registered wins on two seats in 2014, bagging 7.53 per cent of the votes. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 6, 2019, 14:18 [IST] Irked by query, Maharashtra minister allegedly orders student's arrest India oi-Deepika S Mumbai, Jan 6: Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde faced flak after he was accused of ordering the "arrest" of an undergraduate student for recording a conversation between him and a fellow student. The student, Yuvraj Dabad, also claimed that following the alleged order, the local police detained him for a couple of hours, seized his smartphone and returned it later. The student, Yuvraj Dabad, also claimed that following the alleged order, the local police detained him for a couple of hours, seized his smartphone and returned it later. The minister was leaving after his speech at the event when some students of a journalism course reached out to him near his vehicle, seeking his response on a free-education policy. More than one Prime Minister from Maharashtra soon says Fadnavis Prashant Rathod, a student of the college, said, "I was told by Education Minister Vinod Tawde to start working somewhere if I could not afford the educational expenses. My question to him was whether the state could have a free-education policy." Dabad was video-recording the interaction, when the minister "first asked him to stop the recording and later asked the police to arrest him", Rathod claimed while talking to reporters in Amravati on Saturday. Dabad said he declined the minister's order to stop the recording because "he (Tawde) was not answering our queries". "We were simply asking questions to him and seeking his views," he told reporters. "As Tawde ordered the police to arrest me, I was taken out of the college premises and detained for some time. My handset was returned after a couple of hours," Dabad said. Tawde later termed the allegations as "false". "It is some sort of a lie that is being spread against me. I did not order the arrest of any student in Amravati," he told PTI on Sunday. The minister said he had a "good interaction" with students at the college for almost two-and-a-half hours. "The students, who have levelled charges against me, met me outside the hall and tried to ask some questions to me. They are the ones who are spreading lies about me. "Some of those students also came with pamphlets with 'Inquilab Zindabad' written on those and distributed them among the other students. They were the ones who alleged that I ordered the arrest. It is completely false," he said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 6, 2019, 17:54 [IST] 'If any Bengali has chance to become PM, it's Mamata', says state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh India oi-Madhuri Adnal Kolkata, Jan 6: BJP West Bengal president Dilip Ghosh on Saturday said that if any Bengali has a good chance of becoming the Prime Minister, it was Mamata Banerjee. Speaking to media, Ghosh said,''Mamata Banerjee's name is first in this list to become PM, it will be good that if a Bengali became PM, Jyoti Basu could not but Mamata Banerjee can.'' Asked if there was no Bengali from BJP who could be the Prime Minister he said, "That might happen later but at present she has a better chance. Jyoti Basu could have become but his party leaders didn't allow him. Pranab babu (Mukherjee) became the president and now there is a need for a Bengali Prime Minister." At a time when BJP is preparing to take on the ruling TMC head-on in the next Lok Sabha polls, Ghosh's comments have led to several state party leaders refraining from making any public statements. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 6, 2019, 9:00 [IST] Grand Alliances first meeting on seat sharing at Tejashwis house on Monday India oi-PTI Patna, Jan 6: The opposition Grand Alliance in Bihar is likely to hold its first formal deliberation on the upcoming Lok Sabha polls during a meeting on Monday at the residence of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav here. The meeting is likely to be attended by all constituents of the 'Mahagathbandhan' that comprises the RJD, the Congress, former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha's RLSP, former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's HAM and veteran socialist leader Sharad Yadav's LJD. Tejashwi Yadav is the leader of the opposition in the state assembly. According to sources in the Grand Alliance, the meeting will be marked by "broad discussions on the respective number of seats to be fought by each constituent, and identifying constituencies best suited for each alliance partner". How a jail meeting is giving shape to the Grand Alliance in Bihar They, however, added that a final agreement may be deferred till the release of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad serving sentences in fodder scam cases judgement on whose bail application has been reserved by the Jharkhand High Court. Moreover, leaders of the Grand Alliance have also been stating that a public announcement about the seat-sharing arrangements will be made only after January 14, when the inauspicious month of 'Kharmaas' comes to an end. Meanwhile, Jitan Ram Manjhi rubbished reports that have appeared in a section of the media, claiming that he was toying with the idea of a possible return to the NDA, as he was not getting his due in the Grand Alliance. "This is nonsense. Only on Saturday I was in Ranchi to meet Lalu Prasad. It is another thing that because of his poor health, I avoided getting into any detailed discussions on political matters," he told reporters. In an alliance, all constituents have to be ready to make some sacrifices, the former chief minister said. "We are not at all insistent on a particular number of seats in Lok Sabha polls, and though we maintain that we are in a good position in at least 20 out of 40 in the state, we will work for the 'Mahagathbandhan's' victory even if we end up fighting not a single seat," Manjhi asserted. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 6, 2019, 22:43 [IST] Full emergency declared at Kolkata airport after Air India plane leaked fuel India oi-Madhuri Adnal Kolkata, Jan 6: An emergency was declared at Kolkata airport on Saturday night after an Air India plane started leaking fuel, news agency ANI reported. The Air India flight AI-335 came from Bangkok and was going to Delhi. No one was injured, officials said. The flight took off from Bangkok on just after its scheduled time of 9.30 pm Saturday for the 4hour 10 minute flight to Delhi. Passenger strips mid-air on Air India Express flight; airline crew wraps him with blanket After flying for about half that time and on entering the Indian airspace, the technical problem was detected in the aircraft. The pilots then decided to land at Kolkata. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 6, 2019, 11:59 [IST] First phase of 2019 Lok Sabha polls likely to held in second week of April India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Jan 6: The Election Commission of India is likely to announce the dates for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in March. The ECI is in the process of collecting details of the dates of festivals and school examinations, following which it would finalise the schedule for the elections. While the date for the polls would be announced mid-March, the elections would be held in April and May. The polling is likely to be conducted in several phases across the country. The EC would ensure that the poll dates do not clash with the festivals in the states as well as the school examination. Election Commission may conduct polls for seven Assemblies along with General Elections A source informed that the first phase of the elections is likely to take place in the second week of April, while the last phase may take place in the second week of May 2019. In 2014, it may be recalled that in 2014, the polls were held in nine phases between April 7 and May 12. Dates for the several state elections will be announced by the EC. Polling would take place simultaneously in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Odisha and also Jammu and Kashmir. Polling in Haryana and Maharashtra would also be held in 2019. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 6, 2019, 8:02 [IST] State vs national issues: Key lessons for the BJP to learn in Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Haryana Deal sealed: SP-BSP minus Congress to fight UP battle together India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Jan 6: The deal is done and it is now confirmed that the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party would fight the elections in 2019 together. While the two parties have decided to come together to take on the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, it is also confirmed that the Congress would not be part of the coalition. The two parties have however decided not field candidates from Amethi and Rae Bareli. A formal announcement on the "gathbandhan" between the two Uttar Pradesh-based parties may take place later this month, SP's national spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary told PTI. SP-BSP pact: Cong looks to join as Akhilesh seeks more smaller parties He said Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati had given their "in-principle approval" to the alliance after a series of meetings between them. The two leaders also met Friday, he said. Talks are on with other parties as well, the spokesperson said. "There has been an in-principle approval for the gathbandhan. And there is a possibility that an announcement in this regard will be made this month," Chaudhary said. "A number of meetings between SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati have already been held. Yesterday too, both leaders met in Delhi." "Talks are going on to accommodate some smaller parties in the alliance," he said. He admitted that the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), which has a presence in western UP, is among these parties. When asked about the possible inclusion of Congress in the UP alliance, Chaudhary said, "This will be decided by Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati." But he added the alliance will not field candidates in Amethi and Raebareli, leaving the two Lok constituencies for Congress president Rahul Gandhi and United Progress Alliance chief Sonia Gandhi. Politically crucial Uttar Pradesh sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. The opposition parties defeated the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in three Lok Sabha bypolls last year. In the Kairana Lok Sabha by-elections in May last year, the BJP lost to the joint opposition candidate, RLD's Tabassum Hasan. 2019 Lok Sabha elections: Congress, NCP to share equal number of seats in Maharashtra? The seat had fallen vacant following the death of the BJP candidate Mriganka Singh's father Hukum Singh. Tabassum Hasan was supported by the Congress, the SP and the BSP. In March, the BJP lost the Lok Sabha bypolls in Gorakhpur and Phulpur. In the last parliamentary elections in 2014, the BJP won 71 seats, securing 42.63 per cent of the votes. BJP ally Apna Dal bagged two seats. Samajwadi Party won five seats with a vote share of 22.35 per cent. The BSP did not win any seat while securing 19.77 per cent votes. Congress registered wins on two seats in 2014, bagging 7.53 per cent of the votes. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 6, 2019, 8:11 [IST] Congress needs widespread reforms to show it's no longer in inertia: Kapil Sibal Trouble for Congress in Bihar? 13 MLAs could soon defect to JD(U) Congress-NCP deal done: Likely to contest equal number of seats in Maharashtra India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Mumbai, Jan 6: The deal between the Congress and NCP in Maharashtra for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections is almost done. There has been a consensus reached on 40 seats. "We are hoping to resolve the issue by tomorrow or at the earliest and are also talking with other splinter groups to join the grand alliance," said former Maharashtra Finance Minister and senior NCP leader Jayant Patil. There has been a disagreement on seats at Ahmednagar, Pune, Ratnagiri Sindhudurg, Nandurbar, Yavatmal, Aurangabad, Raver and Kolhapur. However Congress president Rahul Gandhi and NCP chief, Sharad Pawar have advised the state unit to resolve these differences. Deal sealed: SP-BSP minus Congress to fight UP battle together The two parties had parted ways in 2014, but decided to come together to take on the BJP in 2019. While an official announcement on the alliance is still awaited, there are clear indications that the two parties may contest an equal number of seats. In another development, the NCP is likely to field public prosecutor, Ujwal Nikam as its candidate. Nikam had prosecuted the suspects in the 1993 serial blasts case as well as the 26/11 attack case. NCP leader, Chaggan Bhujbal said that he is a bright lawyer and it would be good if he joins. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 6, 2019, 8:42 [IST] A 'ring of fire' solar eclipse will light up the sky today: Timings, visibility in India Solar Eclipse 2021: Common myths and superstitions that Indians believe In pics: Stunning images of ring of fire solar eclipse across the globe Celebratory firing by father claims life of his son India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Jan 6: A 42-year-old man was arrested Saturday for reportedly shooting to death his minor son during a celebratory firing in northeast Delhi's New Usmanpur, police said. The accused has been identified as Yasin, they said. The incident comes days after a woman architect died when a former JD(U) MLA fired celebratory shots in the air during a New Year's eve party at his farm house in Fatehpur Beri. J&K: Police officer shot dead in Rajpora village On December 31, New Usmanpur police station was informed that a person was shot in the area, police said. Rehan (8) was hit by a bullet on his right cheek during the celebratory firing, a senior police officer said. The child was rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead, the officer said. Subsequently, a case was registered, he said. "During the investigation, Yasin, father of the deceased, emerged as the prime suspect," Atul Kumar Thakur, Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast), said. UP: Motorcycle-borne assailants shoot chief warden of district jail in Pratapgarh dead The accused later confessed that he took the firearm from one Ravi Kashyap (21), a resident of Loni in Uttar Pradesh. He fired in the air and the bullet accidentally hit his son who was present at the celebration, the officer said. Kashyap has also been arrested, police said, adding the weapon has been found. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, January 6, 2019, 9:58 [IST] Bengal BJP livid after state chief Dilip Ghosh finds PM material in Mamata Banerjee India oi-Shubham Ghosh Kolkata, Jan 6: The BJP chief of West Bengal Dilip Ghosh on Saturday, January 5, praised state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on her 65th birthday and said if any Bengali has a chance to become the prime minister of the country, it is the latter. "We want her to be fit so that she can work well. She needs to remain fit because if there is any Bengali who has the chance to be the PM from this Bengal, then she is the one," Ghosh while extending birthday wishes to her. How dare PM teach us democracy: Mamata Banerjee The remark of the state BJP chief has left the BJP is a deep embarrassment since the saffron party is engaged in a fight to defeat Banerjee is her own state as well as the anti-Narendra Modi front across the state in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections due in some months. BJP MP from Bengal Babul Supriyo has said that Ghosh's remark has no connection with the reality and the state BJP feels such a remark when the general polls are approaching caused the party a great deal of damage. It has also been reported that a section of the party complained against Ghosh to the national president, Amit Shah. Mukul Roy, a former close aide to Banerjee who joined the BJP a few years ago, said Ghosh's remark had been distorted and that Banerjee has no capability of becoming the prime minister. A section of the media saw this as an indirect disapproval of Ghosh's statement by Roy, with whom he is considered to have a cold rivalry in the state chapter of the party. Congress ready to accept any non-RSS person as PM candidate Supriyo, who once had a spat with Ghosh in the open at a BJP programme, said though he also wished Banerjee over her birthday, he was not in favour of seeing a longer political career for the Trinamool Congress chief saying it would help the state as well as the country. Jyoti Basu & Pranab Mukherjee missed the chance of becoming PM closely No Bengali has ever become the prime minister of India. CPI(M) strongman Jyoti Basu had come closest to become the prime minister in 1996 but was pulled back by his own party which he termed as a "historic blunder". Senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee was also considered to become the PM a few times but eventually he was not to be, thanks to the decisions taken by the Gandhi-dominated party. Do not fall prey to BJP's promise of citizenship, Matuas told Will make Assam govt party to case against CAA in SC if voted Congress to power: Gaurav Gogoi After backing JPC probe into Rafale, Sena determined to oppose Citizenship Amendment Bill India pti-PTI New Delhi, Jan 6: Amid an increasing bickering between the BJP and its ally Shiv Sena, the latter said Sunday it would oppose the Citizenship Amendment Bill in Parliament. The decision has been taken after the Asom Gana Parishad appealed to the Shiv Sena to oppose the legislation, party leader Sanjay Raut said in a statement. "We are determined to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 in Parliament," Raut said. The people of Assam, irrespective of their caste, religion and creed, oppose the proposed legislation, he said. The bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act to make illegal migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan eligible for citizenship on the basis of religion. The Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the bill is slated to table it in Parliament on January 7. The Shiv Sena noted that the proposed legislation would "frustrate" the efforts made under the Assam Accord for safeguarding cultural, social and linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people. Secondly, the entire process of the National Register of Citizens monitored by the Supreme Court will be meaningless if the bill is passed, he added. With the Lok Sabha polls around the corner, the Shiv Sena has adopted a more aggressive posture against the BJP, with whom it has shared an uneasy relationship over the past four years. The University of Nebraska was founded 150 years ago thanks in part to an audacious promise made when President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the Morrill Act of 1862. Named for Vermont senator and education advocate Justin Morrill, the act set aside land for the establishment of public universities. The crafters of the Morrill Act made a promise that citizens would have access to learning opportunities through these new land-grant universities. On Feb. 15, 1869, taking advantage of the federal Morrill Land-Grant Act, the bill establishing the University of Nebraska unanimously passed both houses of the state legislature. Gov. David Butler signed the bill into law the same day. The university opened in Lincoln in 1871 with one functioning college Literature, Science and the Arts and students were taught a prescribed curriculum across a smattering of subject areas, but primarily the classics. The first building, University Hall, appears in early photos to have emerged out of nowhere, standing tall amid the prairie grass. An inauspicious start, perhaps, but it laid the foundation for decades of innovation. Kim Jong Un rang in the New Year stylishly in a dapper Western business suit and tie, albeit still sporting his odd signature haircut. But the new look did not alter his core message of late: He wants sanctions relief, he wants it now and he wants it before there can be any real movement on North Korean denuclearization. While he says he is willing to participate in another summit with President Donald Trump which he will backstop by meeting with Russias Vladimir Putin and Chinas Xi Jinping, of course he is rolling out vaguely ominous rhetoric about no choice but a new way to safeguard our sovereignty. What is the next move in the complex pas-de-deux between the U.S. and North Korea? Kim is clearly losing patience as the normal playbook of negotiations used so effectively by his father, Kim Jong Il, is not achieving any substantive results in improving the torpid economy of his dictatorship of some 25 million suffering souls. In previous rounds with the West, by now the Hermit Kingdom would have been given significant concessions: lighter sanctions, food and medicine shipments, access to Western technology, free trade zones with South Korea. The lack of tangible progress for Kim to show his population is starting to worry him, and even appearing on a global stage with the U.S. president cant increase his GDP. The Nebraska Legislature begins its 90-day long session on Wednesday. Serious, complex work lies ahead for the lawmakers on issues including property tax relief, state aid to K-12 schools, Medicaid expansion and much more. Above all, the state senators need to demonstrate that they can work together and be problem-solvers. Sure, honest disagreement over principles and policy will rightly arise in the 2019 session, but the Legislature needs to show that it can hold spirited debate without plunging into Congress-style ill will and stalemate. The past two years at the State Capitol have been marked too often by squabbling and political maneuvering rather than consensus-building and constructive agreement that produce results. State senators need to give Nebraskans confidence that members of our Legislature can keep their eyes on proper priorities and at the end of the day, get the job done. WARSAW, Poland Investigators in Poland on Saturday blamed a gas leak in a heating system at an "Escape Room" for a fire that killed five teenage girls and injured a man. The bodies of the 15-year-old victims were found Friday in Koszalin, in northern Poland, after firefighters extinguished a blaze in an adjacent room. Prosecutors said that carbon monoxide inhalation was the likely cause of the deaths. A 26-year-old man employed at the location was hospitalized with burns. Koszalin prosecutor Ryszard Gasiorowski said a leak in the bottled gas heating system at the location was a probable cause of the fire. Earlier, firefighters blamed faulty electric wiring and substandard security procedures. Gasiorowski said the fire probably broke out in the reception room and blocked the employee's way to evacuate the girls. Autopsies will be carried out to confirm the cause of the deaths. He said firefighters who put out the blaze and other witnesses were being questioned. The condition of the injured employee didn't immediately allow for his questioning. Earlier, national fire chief Leszek Suski said Saturday that electrical wiring at the location was makeshift and too close to flammable materials. The men and women who fought and bled in the Middle East wars of the past three decades are going to get a welcome home next May at an Omaha landmark that was once synonymous with veteran homecomings in Nebraska. The party for Purple Heart and valor award recipients of the Iraq, Afghanistan and Gulf Wars will take place May 24 at the Durham Museum, the former railroad station where thousands of their World War II predecessors returned from war zones. The event will follow a whirlwind 24 hours that will begin with a tribute dinner, continue with a pre-dawn flight to Washington, D.C., like earlier Honor Flights, and culminate in a trolley ride and parade through the Old Market to the Durham. With it being downtown, we think it will really add to the celebration of welcome home, said Evonne Williams, co-founder with her husband, Bill, of Patriotic Productions, the nonprofit that is putting together the event. We think people will embrace it come on downtown and wave the flags and the signs. Ricketts: Certainly Im willing to work with the Legislature on that. My priority for this year, though, is going to be property tax relief. Q: Speaking of fitting in the budget, theres Medicaid expansion. Voters approved that in November. How do you believe that should be paid for? Should it be paid for through budget cuts, either in existing Medicaid services or in other state programs? Ricketts: Its all got to fit within the existing budget. That means everybody else who is currently receiving state funds is going to have to make room for that. So whether its K-12 education, higher education, property tax relief. For everybody as a whole, there is going to be less money because weve got to make Medicaid expansion fit into the budget. Its all about setting priorities in the budget. Q: Another budget issue is the prison system. Prisons continue to be above capacity by a fairly significant amount. There continue to be problems hiring and retaining workers, despite the steps that you and (Corrections) Director (Scott) Frakes have taken so far. So what else should the state be doing to fix the corrections system? Thursday was a reunion of sorts for those involved. Two of the defendants Short and Perkins were back in the same courtroom where the half-baked idea allegedly began. Perkins had been a spectator in the back of Wheelocks courtroom at the start of Shorts trial on charges that he helped kill Deprecia Neelon and Garion Johnson in August 2015. According to testimony from Omaha police homicide detective Ryan Hinsley: As part of the weeklong jury selection for Shorts trial, the court clerks office supplied copies of the juror roster to the judge, prosecutors and defense team. Owen Thorsen, a jury administrator in Clerk John Friends office, told police he saw Short eyeballing the jury roster and sizing up the potential jurors. Videotape of Short just after jury selection on Friday, May 4, shows a folded up piece of paper in Shorts hand as his legs are cuffed. Douglas County Public Defender Tom Riley said he was sure Short never had a pen during jury selection. And he questioned whether the white object in Shorts hand could have been a tissue. Bruce Buchanan was so elated with Donald Trumps October vow to allow higher sales of corn-based ethanol that he carved a huge thank-you note in his Indiana cornfield. Now, though, the presidents actions have him worried. . Thats up from 10 percent allowed now. The increased sales would certainly be helpful. Farm income has dropped in five out of the last six years. And this season, growers have been hamstrung in selling their crops by an ongoing trade war with China. While Buchanan supports Trump on border security, the shutdown is troubling for a farming community thats clearly struggling, he said. Its not all fun and games out here, said Buchanan, a third-generation farmer from Fowler, Indiana, in a telephone interview. Its a daily challenge. The schedule for getting approval of the higher ethanol blend was already ambitious prior to the shutdown. The Environmental Protection Agency had promised to present a final rule in May, just four weeks before existing restrictions on 15 percent ethanol become binding. Now, though, the agency is largely inoperative. (CNN) Tropical Storm Pabuk has been downgraded to a depression and has left Thailand, the Thai Meteorological Department said Saturday. The storm made landfall Friday and killed at least three people in Thailand, according to the country's Disaster Management authorities. Two elderly people drowned in Nakhon Si Thammarat, and a third person died after his fishing boat capsized in Pattani. The storm, which swept through outlying islands off Thailand's Eastern coast Friday night had now reached the Andaman sea on the western side of the country, Spokesman Phuwieng Prakhammintara told reporters. Thai authorities had issued warnings and opened shelters fearing extensive damage from Tropical Storm Pabuk as it approached Thailand, which does not usually experience such harsh weather conditions. Pabuk made landfall Friday in the Pak Panang district of Nakhon Si Thammarat province around 3:30 p.m. (3:30 a.m. ET), with maximum sustained wind speeds of 95 kilometers per hour (59 mph), according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Some of the country's most popular tourist destinations, including Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao islands, along with islands in the Andaman Sea such as Phuket and Koh Phi Phi -- made famous by the movie "The Beach" -- were expected to be affected by the storm during what is peak holiday season. It is highly unusual for tropical storms and typhoons to make landfall in Thailand. The last time a tropical storm made landfall in Thailand was in 1962, when Tropical Storm Harriet claimed 900 lives. The only typhoon ever to make landfall in the Southeast Asian nation was Typhoon Gay in 1989. The Royal Thai Navy's only aircraft carrier has been deployed along with two other ships to assist with rescue and relief operations, according to broadcaster Thai PBS. It will reportedly take 15 hours for the ships to sail from their base to Nakhon Si Thammarat. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Storm kills 3 in Thailand, moves into Andaman Sea." I read a lot. I have since I first learned how; its not just an occupational hazard. Im usually juggling a print book and an eBook simultaneously different genres, of course, or it would get complicated. I come across so many things I want to read, but realistically know that I wont always have the time, so Ive started indulging in audiobooks. My first was the great young adult novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, written and read by Sherman Alexi. That was all it took Im hooked! My husband saw the CD case in my car and smirked. That doesnt count, you know, he said smugly, Its not reading. He and I have had a little book battle going since he recently started reading more fiction. He doesnt do a Goodreads challenge like I do (yet), but he keeps up with mine and was quick to voice his opinion on just listening to a story instead of reading it. Between you and me, I felt a little guilty about it at first, but theres been a lot of research on this topic over the years, so I decided to do some myself. Opelika-Auburn News paper carrier Eric Reynolds received a $300 gift from Auburn residents of the Woods at Prathers Lake as an expression of gratitude for his exceptional work. Erics been delivering to our neighborhood for a year, Ted Wilson said. When I met him for the first time, I said, Who are you? Give me a little background, so I kind of know who you are. "He has two jobs. He works at the Kia plant, and he lives in Columbus. He comes from there to Opelika-Auburn News to pick up the papers," Wilson added. "The paper is in the yard at 3 in the morning. A friendly bond Wilson, called by Prathers Lake residents as the extension of the paper service, assists the carrier by delivering the news to each neighbors doorstep, and Wilson and Reynolds developed a friendly bond. Then, one day, I went out to get my paper, and I get the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and the Opelika paper, Wilson said. I didnt get the 'USA Today,' but I didnt think too much about it. Lo and behold, I get a phone call from Eric that morning, and he said, Mr. Wilson, I want you to know I just missed delivering you that paper this morning. I got an extra one, and Im going to come back by and bring you USA Today. Latest News Lender passes on growth benefits by slashing prime rates There are still borrowers out there who want to enter this market Mortgage wars: ASB matches rivals with new home loan rates Moves complete main banks realignment of mortgage rates in 2021 For many New Zealanders, KiwiSaver will be the most important investment product they contribute to. According to Kiwi Wealth, the beginning of 2019 is the perfect time to take another look at clients KiwiSaver funds, and to ensure that they are doing everything to get the most out of the scheme. According to Joe Bishop, Kiwi Wealth general manager customer, product and innovation, KiwiSavers need to take five key things into account when looking at their product fund type, contribution rate, performance, retirement goals and diversification. He says switching out of default funds is important with long-term goals in mind, and that default funds are definitely not where you want to be in the long term. As a general rule, younger KiwiSaver members should opt for growth funds, while those closer to retirement age might look to manage risk or volatility with more conservative options, Bishop said. Given [default funds] are low risk, returns are generally commensurately lower than most other funds. Over time, that can equate to a lot of money an investor might miss out on having come retirement. Bishop says keeping your contribution in line with your salary is also important, as is keeping cool through any potential market downturns. Lifting how much youre regularly investing can have a compounding effect, he stated. If youre able to lift contributions without causing hardship, its an effective way to reach a goal faster. Ups and downs in the market can also represent opportunities, so staying the course may deliver rewards in the long term. Whats most important is to not panic or make rash decisions. Investment managers are always looking to balance risk and maximise returns given the conditions. Finally, Bishop says looking at global market opportunities may also be a good way to cushion against a domestic market crash, and looking at where your KiwiSaver invests its funds is a good way to assess your preferred approach. Your house, your job, your bank deposits these are already tied up in New Zealand-based investments, so considering where your KiwiSaver account is invested is important, Bishop explained. Having it invested in international shares can provide some protection against major shocks to the domestic economy. This means youre able to reduce risk by limiting investment exposure to a single market, as well as taking advantage of the opportunities available in massive global markets. For example, the New Zealand sharemarket represents just 0.2% of total OECD capitalisation. Theres a whole world of opportunities out there and thats what investors should want their KiwiSaver scheme provider looking out for, as well as those closer to home. JERUSALEM Several Jewish teenagers have been arrested in connection with the fatal stoning of a Palestinian woman in the West Bank, Israels internal security agency said on Sunday. The agency, the Shin Bet, said in a statement that the suspects, who were not identified because they are minors, were under investigation for grave terrorism offenses, including murder. The Palestinian woman, Aisha Rabi, who was in her 40s, was struck in the head by a stone as she rode in a car with her husband and two daughters near the settlement of Rehelim, in the occupied West Bank, on the night of Oct. 12. Her husband, Yaqoub Rabi, who was driving, said at the time that he believed the culprits were Jewish settlers and that he had heard them speaking Hebrew. The Shin Bet said Ms. Rabi was the mother of nine children. The five suspects are students of Pri Haaretz, a yeshiva high school for Orthodox boys in Rehelim, according to the authorities. The morning after the Friday night attack, the Shin Bet said, activists set out by car from the settlement of Yitzhar for Rehelim, where they briefed the students on how to prepare for, and deal with, Shin Bet interrogations. A 34-year-old man from Houston who is said to have sent a resume and cover letter seeking a job with the Islamic State has been seized on a battlefield in Syria, an American-backed militia fighting the militants said Sunday. Dear Director, I am looking to get a position teaching English to students in the Islamic State, the Texan, Warren Christopher Clark, is said to have written in a letter found in an Iraqi house once occupied by the militants. Mr. Clark once worked as a substitute teacher in the Fort Bend Independent School District in Sugar Land, Tex., according to his father, and seemed prepared to draw on that experience. I believe that a successful teacher can understand a students strengths and weaknesses, he wrote, and is able to use that understanding to help students build on their understanding of the English language. The remarks also reflected the disarray that has surrounded the presidents decision, which took his staff and foreign allies by surprise and drew objections from the Pentagon that it was logistically impossible and strategically unwise. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned within hours of the announcement, and the Pentagon chief of staff, Kevin M. Sweeney, said on Saturday evening that he was also leaving. While Mr. Bolton said on Sunday that he expected American forces to eventually leave northeastern Syria, where most of the 2,000 troops in the country are based for the mission against the Islamic State, he began to lay out an argument for keeping some troops at a garrison in the southeast that is used to monitor the flow of Iranian arms and soldiers. In September, three months before Mr. Trumps announcement, Mr. Bolton had declared that the United States would remain in Syria as long as Iranians were on the ground there. Asked on CBS Newss Face the Nation if Mr. Boltons comments amounted to an admission that Mr. Trump had made a mistake, Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who at times has been one of the presidents staunchest supporters, said, This is the reality setting in that youve got to plan this out. Mr. Graham, who described the dangers of making the announcement first and then considering the longer-term implications, added, The president is slowing down and is re-evaluating his policies in light of those three objectives: Dont let Iran get the oil fields, dont let the Turks slaughter the Kurds, and dont let ISIS come back. The move to reverse course on Mr. Trumps promised swift withdrawal picked up in recent days, even as Mr. Bolton worked to avoid openly confronting the president the way Mr. Mattis did. On Friday, in a briefing for reporters about a forthcoming trip to the Middle East by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a senior State Department official said there was no fixed timetable for the American withdrawal. ISTANBUL The spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodox Christians worldwide recognized the independence of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in a four-hour ceremony in Istanbul on Sunday, formalizing a split with the Russian church to which it had been tied for more than four centuries. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader, handed a Tomos of Autocephaly containing a decree of independence to the newly appointed Metropolitan Epiphanius of Ukraine, cleaving millions of Ukrainians from the Russian Orthodox Church. The independence effort outraged political and religious leaders in Russia. But for President Petro O. Poroshenko of Ukraine, who stood before an elevated throne throughout the ceremony in Istanbul, the occasion was an affirmation of independence from Russian influence in his embattled country and a boost ahead of elections in March. Tomos for us is actually another act of proclaiming Ukraines independence, Mr. Poroshenko said in an address. For Ukrainians, our own Church is a guarantee of our spiritual freedom. This is the key to social harmony. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia Sultan Muhammad V became the first monarch to abdicate in Malaysian history, cutting short his five-year term in an unexpected move after just two years on the throne. The palace said in a statement on Sunday that the 49-year-old ruler had resigned as Malaysias 15th king with immediate effect, but it provided no explanation for why he was stepping down. Muhammad V, the ruler of the northeast Kelantan State, took his oath of office in December 2016, becoming one of Malaysias youngest constitutional monarchs. He reportedly married a 25-year-old former Russian beauty queen in November while on a two-month medical leave. News outlets in Russia and Britain and posts on social media showed pictures of the wedding, which reportedly took place in Moscow. Neither the sultan, the palace nor the government officially confirmed the wedding. MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan More than two dozen villagers panning for gold in the northern Afghan province of Badakhshan were killed on Sunday after the makeshift tunnels where they were working collapsed following heavy snowfall, officials said. Muhammad Rustam Raghi, the governor of Kohistan district, said that police officers and villagers had pulled out 30 dead as well as seven wounded, and that the rescue efforts were continuing. Mr. Raghi said that about 10,000 people pan for gold along the river, often illegally digging tunnels as deep as 50 feet with simple machinery and then searching for gold with pans for about $7 a day. Afghanistan is believed to have vast mineral wealth, but continuing violence, a lack of strong state institutions and widespread corruption have meant that the sector contributes little to the countrys economy, which is still largely dependent on foreign donors. MARADI, Niger He didnt hit her. He didnt yell. He didnt cheat, as far as she knows. It was just that, less than two years into their marriage, Zalika Amadous husband had changed. Hed become far too neglectful and indifferent for a young woman who expected, well, more. Her mother, who had gotten married at 14 to a stranger twice her age, couldnt understand the fuss. Shed stuck with her husband for five decades until he died, and was appalled that young women these days didnt do the same. But for Ms. Amadou, who married at 16, simply having a husband was not enough. She never wanted to depend on a man in the first place. So, on a busy morning in Maradi, Niger, she sat in front of a judge at a crowded Islamic court on the sidewalk and asked for what young women across the region are seeking like never before: a divorce. For centuries, women have been expected to endure bad marriages in many conservative pockets of West Africa. Divorce happened, but most often the husbands were the ones casting off their partners. Tradition has bound women so tightly that spouses are sometimes chosen for babies in the womb. When the gunman in the Las Vegas mass shooting died, he left behind a hoard of guns and firearm accessories in his two Nevada homes and the hotel suite he used as a perch for his attack. All told, the gunman, Stephen Paddock, owned 50 guns, from pistols to high-powered long arms, and almost 40 firearm components including scopes, a red dot sight, bi-pods and rifle cases. A special administrator appointed by a state court judge to determine the value of Mr. Paddocks estate said in a recent report that the guns and equipment were worth about $62,340. Now, the main lawyer involved in passing on Mr. Paddocks nearly $1.4 million estate to the families of the 58 people he slaughtered at an outdoor country music festival is facing a quandary. Should the firearms be sold to raise as much money as possible for the bereaved, or would it be more appropriate to destroy the guns in an emblematic rejection of the kind of violence that Mr. Paddock carried out? The money that would come from selling the guns is not a huge amount, but it would help to make a difference in peoples lives, said Alice Denton, the lawyer for the special administrator in the estate case. WASHINGTON An American airstrike in Yemen last week killed one of the suspected plotters of the deadly Qaeda bombing of the United States Navy destroyer Cole in 2000, President Trump and military officials confirmed on Sunday. On Friday, the militarys Central Command said it had conducted a strike on Tuesday in the Marib Province of Yemen that targeted the militant, Jamal al-Badawi, but added that it was still assessing whether he had been killed. By Sunday, the military was confident that Mr. Badawi was dead, Capt. Bill Urban, a spokesman for the command, said in an email. Our GREAT MILITARY has delivered justice for the heroes lost and wounded in the cowardly attack on the USS Cole, Mr. Trump tweeted on Sunday before flying to Camp David for meetings with White House staff. We have just killed the leader of that attack, Jamal al-Badawi. Our work against al Qaeda continues. We will never stop in our fight against Radical Islamic Terrorism! Congresswoman Tlaib was elected to shake up Washington, not continue the status quo, her office said in a statement standing by her remarks even as President Trump was denouncing them, and her, on national television. In case it wasnt already clear, the insurgent freshmen who promised bold and uncompromising action, uninterested in and unbowed by the strictures of the status quo, are showing no signs of wavering. They appear determined to push their party to the left, even as more experienced lawmakers fear that their antics and programs could divide the party and empower Republicans. I think some lessons will be learned pretty quickly around here, Representative Dina Titus, Democrat of Nevada and a former professor of political science, said after Ms. Tlaibs profane outburst. You dont want to hand the gun for the other side to shoot you with. The 2019 freshmen are hardly the first incoming class to come in swinging. The Watergate babies of 1975 came in with a mandate to clean up government. Newt Gingrichs Republican Revolutionaries of 1995 and the Tea Party class of 2011 believed they had a mandate for conservative change; what they lacked in realism, they made up for in moxie. This new class has deeper ideological divisions, but its liberal wing is in the spotlight, thanks to the iPhone video-Instagram generation that powered its ascent. Its reach, as of yet, has gone only so far, though. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who took pains to welcome the freshmen and praise their victories, must also attend to the demands of more moderate lawmakers whose victories in Republican districts sealed the partys majority and whose re-elections are necessary to keep it. Rear Adm. Kevin M. Sweeney has resigned his post as chief of staff to the United States secretary of defense, the Defense Department said Saturday. Mr. Sweeney had become chief of staff to former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in January 2017, and his resignation comes soon after Mr. Mattiss own pointed departure in December. The two had known each other for years. Mr. Mattis said then that he had resigned in protest of President Trumps decision to withdraw American forces from Syria and in protest of the presidents rejection of international alliances. Mr. Mattis had originally said he would step down at the end of February, but angered by Mr. Mattiss criticism, Mr. Trump said he was removing Mr. Mattis from his post two months early. Jazmine was with her mother, LaPorsha Washington, and her sisters, including a 6-year-old and two teenagers, the authorities said. Ms. Washington, who was injured in the shooting, told CNN she did not see the gunman but her teenage daughter described him as a white man with blue eyes. This just went down very quickly, Sheriff Gonzalez said. When the gunfire erupted, we are talking about small children, they witnessed something very traumatic. And its very likely the last thing they did see was that red truck and the driver in that truck. Research has shown that stress levels and conditions at the time of a crime can undercut the accuracy of eyewitness identification. The sheriff and the family said the sun had not yet risen when the shooting happened. Image Eric Black Jr., 20, has confessed to taking part in Jazmines killing, the authorities said. Credit... Harris County Sheriff's Office Eyewitness testimony is the least reliable evidence you can have, said Lori Brown, a criminologist at Meredith College in North Carolina, who said that people generally try to understand how a traumatic event could have happened by using what they know about the world. Unfortunately, she said, we fill in the gaps. After Jazmines killing, the public mobilized to help the family. On Saturday, the day before the arrest was announced, nearly 1,000 people gathered at a rally in Houston, clutching banners and shouting for justice for Jazmine, who was in second grade at a Houston-area school. DeAndre Hopkins, a wide receiver for the Houston Texans, had pledged to donate his paycheck from this weekends playoff game, which amounts to $29,000, to help pay for Jazmines funeral. And Mr. King, a prominent racial justice activist and a columnist at The Intercept, had raised a $100,000 reward for information leading to the gunmans arrest. My career never recovered and never will, said Charlotte Brock, 39, a mother in Vienna, Va. When she had her first child eight years ago, she quit her job as a think tank analyst and moved in with her parents because she had no paid leave. Now an analyst at NASA, she is expecting twins, and has pieced together sick leave followed by part-time work. Her husband doesnt get paid parental leave either. People dont realize the recovery for women, even physically, is a lot longer than whats advertised in our culture, she said. And just in terms of the experience of bonding, the closeness, and breast-feeding is so much easier if you can do it without having to pump. The share of American women who are working has stalled, researchers say, hurting families incomes and the countrys economic output, even as that share has continued to climb in other rich countries. As employment has improved since the last recession, men have benefited more than women. Economists have pinpointed the lack of family-friendly policies as a big reason. In Canada, by comparison, some parents can stretch out their paid leave over 18 months, and in Britain, many parents can take one year. Both nations also provide subsidized child care. Because we refuse to acknowledge that people have families and care issues, were falling behind our economic competitors, said Heather Boushey, the executive director of the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, who advised Hillary Clinton on economic issues during her 2016 presidential campaign. If policies like paid parental leave and subsidized child care enabled more mothers to work, the United States could add five million prime-age workers to its labor force, according to a new economic letter from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Spending on child care makes the biggest difference in female employment, earnings and fertility, found a recent paper. The California policy would be the nations biggest test of the idea that longer leave, by encouraging parents not to quit their jobs and by delaying the need to pay for infant care, can help economic growth. Mr. Letteri is one of a growing number of venture capitalists rooting for a market dip to calm the overheated start-up scene. For the past few years, Silicon Valley tech start-ups have been awash in a stream of cash that has allowed them to expand quickly and sell or go public at high valuations. Yet that drove up the costs of deal making for venture capitalists, who often prefer to invest in young companies at lower prices in the hopes of making a bigger return later. Now some of these investors may get their wish for a market decline. Stocks tumbled late last year, led by tech giants such as Facebook and Apple, amid fears of slowing economic growth and a trade war with China. And so far this year, the stock market has swung wildly, whipsawed by confusing signals including Apples disappointing iPhone sales in China and American employers adding more jobs than expected last month. While it takes time for choppiness in the stock market to ripple out into the start-up market, many venture investors are already preparing for a downturn. Some are setting aside money to pounce on investments and are preparing to write bigger checks with the expectation that new investors who flooded in in recent years will flee. And they are keeping closer tabs on companies that were too expensive to invest in last year. We definitely want to take advantage of a market downturn, said Sandy Miller, a venture capitalist at IVP who projects that start-up valuations will fall by 10 percent to 40 percent this year. He said his Silicon Valley venture firm has set aside meaningful reserves to do more deals and to put more money into companies it has already invested in, though he declined to specify an amount. Times Insider delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how news, features and opinion come together at The New York Times. I was reporting in the West African nation of Niger when the Unicef workers I was traveling with suggested we make a side trip to a clinic that treats women suffering from fistula. Fistula occurs when the lining between the bladder and the vagina is punctured. It happens often to girls when they experience tears while delivering babies before their bodies are fully developed. The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof has written extensively about the condition, which often leaves the girls unable to control their bladders, viewed as dirty and ejected from their families. There was steady demand for treatment of fistula in Niger, a poverty-stricken nation with high rates of child marriage. The fistula facility we toured was near a leprosy clinic, a sign of just how stigmatized these patients are by society. It also treated girls who had been subjected to genital cutting, a practice that has been outlawed but still occurs in some places. The construction of a Casely-Hayford suit is a feat of engineering from the prominent chest with special internal darting to the shaped sleeve with high underarm point and natural sloping shoulders, said the journalist and friend of the family Mark C. OFlaherty. Joes lighter fabrics and ingenuity of cut let the wearer move in ways tailoring hadnt allowed before, whether that was on the street or on the stage. Mr. Casely-Hayford was nominated for a string of prestigious awards, and became the designer of choice for such high-profile bands as the Clash and U2. When Bono, U2s frontman, became the first man to appear on the cover of British Vogue, in 1992, he did so wearing a Casely-Hayford design. In 1993, Mr. Casely-Hayford became the first designer to collaborate with the mass-market retail giant Topshop; in 1995, the Princess of Wales sat in the front row at one of his runway shows. As his star rose, Mr. Casely-Hayford became a role model for other young black men in British fashion and arts, including Mr. Enninful, now of British Vogue; the fashion designer Ozwald Boateng; the artist Chris Ofili; and the architect David Adjaye, the lead designer of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington. Joe was one of the most extraordinary fashion designers, entrepreneurs and inspirational characters in London during the 1980s and 1990s, and was a source of deep admiration and impact on myself as a young man looking to find his place and understanding of self in the world, Mr. Adjaye said. He added, He had an incredible talent, and as a global African man with roots in Ghana, he helped me to understand how to negotiate the different terrains that I would need to deal with. [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] About 300 more people came forward to report they were raped last year in New York City than the previous year, a sharp increase that officials theorize was fueled in part by the #MeToo movement. While other violent crimes like murder and assault decreased or remained relatively flat, the police said reported rapes increased 22.4 percent to 1,795 in 2018, up from 1,467 from 2017. A broader category of sex crimes that includes groping and forcible touching also jumped 8.4 percent to 3,873 in 2018, from 3,573 in 2017, according to police statistics. Reported rapes in New York City have risen for 16 consecutive months since last fall, when allegations of sexual misconduct against the movie producer Harvey Weinstein ignited a global reckoning about sexual harassment and assault, especially in the workplace. The citys numbers reflect many, but not all of the sexual assaults reported to the police last year because of differences in how such crimes are classified under state and federal law. Though it is almost impossible to determine with certainty why more people are coming forward, police officials and advocates for victims said the publicity and outrage generated by the #MeToo movement has encouraged more victims to contact the police. [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] The #MeToo movement has swept across television and movie studios, investment banks and factory floors, fundamentally remaking the thinking around gender and harassment. Has it also swept into a corner of one of the countrys biggest celebrations of Irish heritage? For the first time since its founding shortly after the Revolutionary War, a group that puts on a formal dinner to raise money for charity just before the St. Patricks Day parade in New York City will allow women to attend. Specifically, the Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick in the City of New York is inviting the wives, daughters, sisters, mothers, aunts, nieces and female cousins, friends and colleagues of our members to its dinner at the New York Hilton. It has taken only 235 years. And it has only been 30 years since a woman led the St. Patricks Day parade as grand marshal for the first time. Zainabs parents estimated that their daughters illness began more than 10 months ago when they noticed that her temperament changed and her appetite waned. She developed fevers and constipation, and she wasnt urinating normally. Zainab was once an active, chubby child, but she lost weight and preferred to be on the bed instead of running around. Her condition seemed to worsen over the summer. The family recalled visiting relatives in Atlanta and attending a barbecue where Zainab was quiet and withdrawn. Everybody wanted to play with her, Mr. Mughal said. So there were a lot of other kids there. But she would not play with anybody. My wife kept telling me, she said, She is not O.K. She is not O.K. They brought Zainab to the pediatrician. I went to the doctor and I said to her over and over, She is not eating, Zainabs mother, Mariam Mehmood, recalled during the interview. When they learned that Zainab had cancer, it was devastating, Mr. Mughal said. At that time we were completely destroyed. Zainab had a tumor growing in her stomach, Mr. Mughal said, and a biopsy revealed that it was cancer. Doctors have characterized Zainabs neuroblastoma as high risk. Children in that category have a five-year survival rate of around 40 to 50 percent, according to the American Cancer Society. Soon after Zainab received her first blood transfusion, doctors realized that she was missing the Indian-B antigen, meaning that if her body receives blood that does have the antigen, her immune system will attack it. Good morning. It is the Feast of the Epiphany today, at least for those who celebrate the revelation of God incarnate as this poor little dude in a manger, visited by kings. Either way you could make Dorie Greenspans recipe for a galette des rois (above). The deliciousness is its own reward. That is a lot of work, of course, even for a Sunday. (A king cake of the sort they make in New Orleans for Mardi Gras is a good backup plan.) So keep it simple for dinner. Perhaps an omelet mousseline? I had a truly ethereal version at the restaurant Frenchette right before Christmas, the omelet lined with sea urchin roe and brushed with butter. At home you could try salmon roe in its place? Or maybe crab meat or nothing at all? On Monday night, I like the idea of this maple-and-miso-glossed sheet-pan salmon dinner with green beans. (Are you nervous about cooking the salmon? Heres our guide to the practice, life lessons hard-won.) For Tuesday, how about chicken braised in two vinegars, to serve over polenta? Agrodolce! As for Wednesday night, when its the hassle of all hassles to cook, you might improve your life greatly with baked skillet pasta with Cheddar and spiced onions. Or, failing that, with one of these 13 delicious recipes that are ready in 20 minutes or less. Its a tax that comes right off the bottom line, said EBWs president, Cory Steeby. It totally incentivizes you to move out of the United States and build either in Canada or Mexico. These are active conversations right now. Mr. Trump portrays his trade war as an unavoidable confrontation aimed at remedying decades of American victimization in the global marketplace. Pointing at trade deficits as indications that Americans have been ripped off a contention dismissed by many economists he has unleashed 25 percent tariffs on imports of steel and 10 percent on aluminum. He has trained special wrath on China, imposing tariffs reaching 25 percent on some $50 billion worth of Chinese imported goods, and 10 percent on an additional $200 billion worth of products. Barring a deal in the next two months or an extension of a fragile cease-fire, Mr. Trump has vowed to increase duties to 25 percent on the whole lot, while threatening to target an additional $267 billion in Chinese imports. The tariffs have been sold to Americans as a means of forcing multinational companies to make their products in the United States, abandoning China, Mexico and other low-cost centers of industry. But the tariffs are threatening jobs that are already here. Trade in components has grown in recent years, as American industrial prowess has become increasingly dependent on access to the global supply chain. Back in 2009, American factories imported some 20 percent of the electronic products and computers they folded into their operations, according to an analysis by the United States International Trade Commission. By 2016, the share had risen to 25 percent. Ireland this week began offering legalized abortion services, a historic shift in a country that for decades had some of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe. In a referendum last year, voters repealed a clause in Irelands Constitution that effectively outlawed abortion, and legislation passed at the end of 2018 allowed for unrestricted terminations of pregnancies up to 12 weeks. The legalization was immediately met by small-scale protests, with a demonstration at a clinic in Galway gaining national attention on Thursday after a handful of anti-abortion activists gathered outside the entrance with signs that read, Real doctors dont terminate their patients, and Say no to abortion in Galway. The protests set off calls for additional legislation to protect those seeking abortions and for the physicians providing them, including establishing exclusion zones that would restrict how close protesters could be to places providing abortions. HOUSTON Relatives of Jazmine Barnes, the 7-year-old Texas girl who was fatally shot inside a moving car, grieved on Saturday at an emotionally charged rally not far from where the gunman opened fire on a family that was out on a morning coffee run. Nearly 1,000 people gathered to honor Jazmine and to urge law enforcement to find the man who the police said attacked on Dec. 30 without provocation. Jazmine, who was black, was in the car with her mother and three sisters when a white man pulled his red pickup truck beside them and began shooting, the police said. A bullet struck Jazmine in the head and she died at the scene, the police said. The gunman was described as a man in his 30s or 40s wearing a hooded sweatshirt. Were going to find him no matter what corner we have to turn, said LaPorsha Washington, Jazmines mother, who was driving at the time of the attack. Were going to find you. ARTS & LEISURE An article on Page 1 about the artists Gillie and Marc Schattner, using information from the artists and the MetroTech BID, misidentifies the organization that secured The Last Three sculpture in Brooklyns MetroTech Commons. While MetroTech Commons is a privately operated space within the MetroTech BID, the BID did not secure the work. The error is repeated in a picture caption. The article also misstates Jennifer Lantzass position with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. She is its deputy director of public art, not its public arts coordinator. TRAVEL An article on Page 1 about Jada Yuans experiences traveling the world for The New York Times misstates the surname of a woman who was murdered in Washington last year. She was Wendy Martinez, not Marina. The article also misidentifies a farmer in Puerto Rico who told Ms. Yuan and a friend about a party. He is Elmer Sanchez, not Rafael. Because of an editing error, an article on Dec. 23 about the Dead Sea misstated the amount of money in dollars that the Israeli tourism ministry recently spent on improvements at the Ein Bokek resort area. It was $135 million, not $13 million. REAL ESTATE A photograph with the cover story last Sunday, about Manhattans housing market in 2018, was published in error. The picture showed 21 West End Avenue, not One West End Avenue, where several notable sales occurred. But in September, workers dismantling the east span heard a loud popping sound and soon discovered that the structure was unstable. Taking that part of the bridge apart piece by piece could lead to collapse, Tappan Zee Constructors, the company responsible for the demolition, determined. Through extensive engineering analysis, it has been determined that this is the safest method to proceed with lowering the span given its current state, the company said in a statement. After the demolition, only a portion of the west span, nearer Rockland County, will remain; it will continue to be dismantled piece by piece, according to Tappan Zee Constructors. The instability of the east span was discovered a day after Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo led a ceremony to open the second span of the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, the $4 billion structure named after his father. That bridge was built to replace the Tappan Zee, which opened in 1955. State Senator David Carlucci, a Democrat who represents Rockland County and parts of Westchester, said on Saturday that he was disappointed at the change of plans because engineers have known since September that the structure was not sound. These markets are booming, with trades each year in the tens of billions of dollars. But a potential pool of offsets has been largely left off the table offsets that represent carbon emissions avoided by not destroying tropical forests. These were difficult to value because there was no way to accurately quantify the carbon savings. Nor were there reliable, transparent systems to ensure these forests would remain standing or that proceeds would be returned to local communities. For those reasons, the European Union, which has the worlds largest system for trading carbon offsets, has not allowed offsets for whats known as avoided deforestation. Other carbon markets, like the one run by the California Air Resources Board, are considering it. The objections are now being addressed. In recent years, accurate and inexpensive techniques have been developed to quantify and verify carbon emissions that would be avoided by not destroying forests. Credible mechanisms for indemnifying offset credits (meaning, an acre of forest will always be protected even if the specific acre behind the credit is destroyed) and returning the proceeds from the sale of the offsets to local communities have also been devised. A new system that combines all of those components and biodiversity conservation, known as the Rainforest Standard, which we and 60 other scientists, lawyers and businesspeople have developed, is now being tested in South America to safeguard a 1.6-million-acre forest. Although this expanse is designated a protected area, it has only four guards. This is not unusual. In the Amazon and elsewhere, theres not enough money to adequately safeguard protected forests from threats like illegal logging and ranching. This is where forest offsets can make a real difference. Allowing them to be traded would give carbon reserves tangible value that could be sold for real money, which could be used to protect these biologically diverse forests. The added benefit is that saving a tropical forest of, say, a million acres would prevent roughly 367 million tons of carbon dioxide from escaping into the atmosphere, where some of it would remain for thousands of years. The whole country knows we have an issue on the Southern border, yet the Democrat's want to give the world more of our tax dollars despite the border security crises. For the past few years Congressman (Pete) Visclosky has voted against any legislation that enforces our immigration laws. The Congressman continually votes to increase guest worker visa's and refugee resettlement which only burdens taxpayers and increases business owners profits. I fail to see how the congressman champions himself as the working people's politician when his immigration position's burden the working class? We've experienced amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants before and it didn't work well for the working class American. If 45 states passed unconstitutional and unnecessary hate crimes legislation, should Indiana follow suit? No! And heres why! The Hate Crimes Bill (S.B. 12) singles out 14 separate identity groups for special protection. This clearly violates Indianas Constitution which says, The General Assembly shall not grant to any citizen, or class of citizens, privileges or immunities, which, upon the same terms, shall not equally belong to all citizens. (Art.1, Sec.23). The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution also grants equal rights, not special protection. It is unnecessary because, out of 384,382 crimes committed in Indiana in 2016, only 76 alleged bias incidents were reported which represents a minuscule 0.0002 percent of all crimes! For these reasons, Gov. Holcomb and our state senators and representatives must honor their oaths of office and vote NO on this unconstitutional and unnecessary bill. Cheree Calabro, Valparaiso Love 5 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Marc Chase Editor Marc Chase is a veteran investigative reporter, columnist and editor of more than two decades. He currently leads The Times news staff as local news editor. He can be reached at 219-933-3327. Follow Marc Chase 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 Somehow I got on the email list of Steve Novick, a Portland, Oregon, self-described progressive. Novick lost to the even more progressive (if that is possible) Sen. Jeff Merkley in the 2008 Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Novick was then elected to the Portland City Council, only to loose four years later to the even more progressive (if that is possible) Chloe Eudaly. In his latest email, Novick tells of a conversation with his mother about progressives prospects in the 2020 election. It seems his mother is worried that Democrats, fearing that progressives cant win in the general election, will opt for moderate candidates for Congress. But Novick is more optimistic. He points to the near success of progressive Andrew Gillum in the 2018 Florida gubernatorial election as evidence that ideology can have little effect on electability -- and to the election of Ronald Reagan, who everybody knew was far too right-wing to win. Why do I predict that the next four years will be challenging? Because the upcoming tax caps will take full effect in 2020 and will profoundly change the way cities and other government entities around Lake County do business. The tax revenue used to pay our police officers, firefighters and other city workers will suffer a big hit, with Hammond projected to lose over $5 million annually. That loss will leave a large hole in the budget that needs to be addressed with creativity and ingenuity. After 15 years as your mayor, I may be older, but I am also wiser, and that priceless experience will benefit our residents and our city. Keep in mind that our golden goose, casino gaming, is under attack as well. Our neighbor to the west (Illinois) is positioning itself to build a casino that will compete with Hammond's Horseshoe Casino (Indianas largest and most profitable gaming facility.) Also, our neighbor to the east (Gary) is asking the Indiana Legislature to permit them to build a land-based casino just off the 80/94 interstate. As mayor, I will continue to fight to make sure that Hammond continues to thrive in the gaming industry and continues to use its casino revenues wisely to support its infrastructure, public safety and education. On Thursday, after eight years in the minority, Nancy Pelosi returned to power as speaker of the House of Representatives. Her party controls 235 seats to the Republicans' 199. One contest, in North Carolina, has yet to be decided. The Democratic majority is a couple seats larger than the one Pelosi led more than a decade ago. Back then a Republican resided in the White House as well. By the seventh year of his presidency, when some 100 U.S soldiers were killed in Iraq every month and gas on average cost $2.80 per gallon, George W. Bush was about as popular as Donald Trump is today. And in 2007, as we all remember, Pelosi's Democrats set about enacting universal health care and ending the war in Iraq. Fooled you! Actually, the victories of the 110th Congress were much more modest: a minimum wage increase, lobbying reform, and a ban of incandescent light bulbs. Health care had to wait for a subsequent Congress and a Democratic president. So did withdrawal from Iraqthough retreat didn't work out as planned, and America returned, in much smaller numbers, in 2014. The history of Nancy Pelosi's tenure as speaker is a reminder of the limitations and tenuousness of political victories (and defeats). It isnt starting with a bang, but dont be deceived: The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is underway, and companies and institutions that ignore it will be overwhelmed by it. Individuals will adapt to it as best we can, as we always have. In short 4IR is the fusing of the digital, physical and biological spheres. Its the interconnection of everything, bringing change in companies, jobs, schools and eventually government. Government wont to be able to stand idly by when it sees traditional businesses upended and huge changes in how we work and study, and where. As 4IR moves ahead one can reasonably contemplate a time when body parts will be printed, robots will prepare restaurant food and drone taxis will take us to the airport, where departures will be handled without human intervention because you were verified through facial recognition when you bought your ticket on your smartphone, you wont need to do anything but walk through security and onto a plane, which has a cabin crew to look after you but no pilots. Trump did not think to let Mattis know before announcing, right after his summit with Kim on June 12 in Singapore, that he was canceling huge joint exercises with the South Korean armed forces. Nor did he consult with Mattis before saying the United States did not need so many troops in Korea, where the number is down to 28,500, and was spending too much on the defense of the South. It was not until Trump arbitrarily ordered withdrawal of the small U.S. force, about 2,500, from Syria that Mattis broke with him. Mattis was not alone on Syria. All manner of allies and analysts think the U.S. withdrawal from Syria opens the way for deeper Russian and Iranian ties with the cruel regime of Bashar al-Assad, whos stabilized his grip on power while subduing or at least holding his enemies at bay. Without Mattis around, theres no telling what precipitous decisions Trump will make on Korea. Operating from his gut, as he likes to say, he may agree on a severe reduction in U.S. strength as demanded by the North. Or he may end most of the sanctions imposed by the United States and United Nations as punishment for the Norths nuclear and missile tests, conducted most recently in September and November 2017. Indiana Manufacturers Association President Brian Burton dropped an alarming statistic: 45 percent of the Hoosier workforce will be retiring in the next decade as the Baby Boom generation heads into the sunset. Gov. Eric Holcomb calls it the "silver tsunami," with 10,000 American Baby Boomers retiring each week. Indiana will need to be filling a million jobs in the next 10 years. If you think finding nursing home employees or a good plumber is tough now, just wait. It's compounded by a dramatic fall in teen birth rates (a good thing), as well as those of Latinos and Asian Americans, and President Donald Trump's decision to clamp down on immigration, even those who seek to come here legally. The American experience, as many of your family elders can relate, has historically been fueled by waves of immigrants. This is a major issue and will be for a long time, Burton told me. We have two problems: skills and population. Our population is remaining flat. We are going to have to convince people to move to Indiana. Indiana gained only 31,000 people last year. According to National Public Radio, more than 3.8 million babies were born in the United States last year. But last year's drop in the nation's birth rate, about 2 percent overall, was the largest drop in a single year since 2010. A series of independent audits made public at the end of 2018 by the Indiana State Board of Accounts warned of financial stress in three Lake County charter schools. The three schools Thea Bowman Leadership Academy in Gary, the Higher Institute of Arts and Technology in Merrillville and East Chicago Urban Enterprise Academy were all found "likely to continue as a going concern," despite the schools' recent negative cash flows and declines in enrollment. The financial audits, compiled by Indianapolis-based Donovan CPAs, analyzed net assets, functional expenses and cash flows for the schools' financial years ending in June 2017 and June 2018. The audits enumerated likely factors contributing to each school's current financial state, as well as steps reported back to the auditing firm that each school is taking for a better 2018-19 report. Thea Bowman Leadership Academy Donovans audit found Thea Bowman, sponsored by Trine University, increased expenses by about $1.4 million last year despite losing about 70 students. The K-12 charter also saw its cash and certificate of deposit balances drop $1.1 million within the year and its expenses were found to exceed revenues by $995,000, according to the audit. When New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio skipped town to hobnob with Bernie Sanders and his fans in Vermont last month, he hoped to get a warm reception suiting someone at the vanguard of the countrys left wing. Instead, the vanguard ran over him. Progressive leaders who attended Sanders three-day summit in Burlington excoriated the mayor for negotiating in secret to lure Amazons second headquarters to Queens with $3 billion in tax incentives. Public advocate candidate Nomi Konst, who also attended the conference, told NY1 the deal was the antithesis of good for New York. And Joe Dinkin, whose Working Families Party has boosted de Blasio since the start of his political career in 2001, called the giveaways a slap in the face of New Yorkers. De Blasio defensively dismissed the criticism, telling WNYCs Brian Lehrer leftist advocates are never going to be satisfied by definition and he is not going to apologize for bringing in 25,000 jobs and tens of billions of dollars in tax revenue. The mayor has tried to position himself as an heir to Sanders, even having the Vermont senator swear him in last year. It is widely speculated that de Blasio hopes to one day run for president as the candidate of the Sanders wing of the Democratic Party. His friends claim hed even be happy as Democratic National Committee chairman. But the Amazon backlash is the latest instance of de Blasios efforts to build a national profile as a progressive champion failing or backfiring. Hes missing it with the grassroots. Theyre pissed off as hell about Amazon, one Sanders ally told City & State. Public Advocate Bill de Blasio would have protested Mayor Bill de Blasio 100 percent of the time. Its not just how he has let progressives down in City Hall: The mayors out-of-town travel and focus on national issues has led to the perception that he is inattentive to his day job a perception which could damage his reputation and future career, as he risks seeming more interested in progressive rhetoric than tangible accomplishment. The Vermont summit illustrates the problem well because de Blasio botched a personnel decision while he was in Burlington. He had asked Deputy Mayor Laura Anglin to fire Office of Emergency Management head Joe Esposito over his response during a November snowstorm - only Esposito refused unless the mayor told him so directly. That led to 72 hours of confusion in City Hall because no one could reach the mayor, leading The New York Times to question whether the mayor had lost focus." The newspaper, which is perhaps the most influential outlet among liberal leaders in the United States, noted the low and gradually shrinking number of days de Blasio spends at his office. When he returned home, de Blasio acknowledged that obviously something went wrong." The lure of the national stage is so strong that de Blasio began plotting his first trip to a presidential battleground state a mere six days into his first term writing in an email, I do want to project the progressive message nationally to reinforce my fellow progressives. Since his first inauguration five years ago, de Blasio has jetted to Iowa repeatedly, for everything from speaking at the Progress Iowa holiday party to canvassing for Hillary Clinton. Hes also gone around the country for such adventures as whipping votes for Democratic National Committee elections in Atlanta and speaking about climate change at a demonstration during a G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany. This past year, the mayor formed a federal political action committee to cover the costs of his and his wifes political travel and to raise funds for like-minded candidates. But de Blasios plunge into the national fray has not gone according to plan. His dithering over endorsing Clinton over Sanders backfired, leading to an embarrassingly early time slot at the Democratic National Convention. Iowa campaign volunteers didnt even recognize him. When he trekked to DNC meetings only to stand against a wall reading his cell phone, insiders questioned why he was there at all. He even had trouble giving away money. Many Democrats running for state legislative offices in 2018 declined his offers, since the last time de Blasio tried to funnel money to candidates it triggered a federal investigation. Each trip seems to induce a backlash for a crisis he avoided handling at home. He flew to Georgia after federal prosecutors questioned him for four hours as part of their corruption investigation into his campaign fundraising practices (they chose not to press charges). He took off for Europe after a police officer was ambushed and killed in the Bronx. And the mayor has moved too slowly to curb festering problems involving police brutality and living conditions at public housing complexes even as media coverage of both crises grows increasingly unflattering to his administration. That in turn causes de Blasio to complain about unfair coverage, which only invites the reporters to call him an anti-journalism whiner like President Donald Trump and the cycle of negative press continues. If de Blasios efforts to build a national brand are a lesson in what not to do, his intrastate rivals approach seems to have worked better. Gov. Andrew Cuomos out-of-state trips are less frequent and have lower stakes than the mayors. He barely left New York during his first term, skipping Democratic Governors Association meetings and avoiding appearances in early primary states for fear of generating presidential speculation. Instead, he held private high-dollar fundraisers in California and Florida, making five trips to Puerto Rico to promote New Yorks hurricane relief efforts, and scheduled same-day business trips to Washington to lobby lawmakers and President Trump for funding to renovate the regions airports and rail tunnels. Speaking of rail tunnels, Cuomo makes a fetish of being photographed personally inspecting key infrastructure projects. His most recent windbreaker close-up, a visit to the L-train tunnel that would be shut down for repairs, preceded his announcement of a rescue plan to avoid fully stopping service on the subway line. While he pivoted towards more aggressive anti-Trump rhetoric and was even caught doing multiple cable-TV hits on immigration policy when he could have been negotiating with the state Senate to renew expiring speed camera legislation Cuomo often ties federal issues to his own actions as governor. (He also later took charge of the speed camera issue by unilaterally reinstating the program.) Most recently, he kept the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island open during the federal government shutdown. Perhaps as a result of his carefully cultivated image as a capable manager, his profile is rising among Democratic insiders. In December, his gubernatorial colleagues elected him to serve on the National Governors Association as a vice chairman. Cuomo complains just as bitterly about the media as de Blasio does and has a much more strained relationship with reporters than a rising star from New York like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or a Washington insider like Hakeem Jeffries. The governor often responds to difficult questions with condescension or sarcasm. He also engages in non sequitur attacks, such as rebuffing questions from a NY1 reporter in August about straw donations by accusing NY1s parent company of defrauding the people of the state by not installing broadband in rural areas. But he frequently appears on cable news to demonstrate his hands-on brand of pragmatic progressivism. Despite being mistrusted by the left-wing activists and intellectuals, Cuomo rolled to a primary victory over de Blasio ally Cynthia Nixon by a 30-point margin by stepping up attacks against the presidents disaster response and immigration policies, all while touting his goals for New York in his next term. Cuomo certainly would be unpopular with parts of the Democratic base and he could be outshone by candidates like Cory Booker and Joe Biden if he ran this time. But his shift leftward and his ability to raise tens of millions of dollars gives him a chance of competing for moderate and mainstream voters if he ever runs in a national primary. At the same time, its only going to get harder for de Blasio to make his name on the national stage this year. Hell have to compete with a progressive chorus line that includes Sanders and Elizabeth Warren as well as two dozen other Democrats vying for attention from a beleaguered press corps. And if theres one thing the mayors tenure thus far has shown, its that trying too hard to get that attention may be the worst thing he can do. Cialdella said he was raised around addiction, had it in his genes. He started smoking pot as a teenager, got drunk on Jagermeister. He went into treatment for the first time at 16, when he was hooked on benzodiazepines. Still, he kept using. His dad, who was divorced from Nick's mom, refused to enable Nick, making him leave the house at 17. Around that time, Nick tried heroin, which, he said, "just brought me to my knees." He crashed cars, was robbed on the West Side of Chicago, became a convicted felon, overdosed multiple times. "I would have rather died than keep using," he said, "but I didn't know how to stay clean." One day in 2015, though, he remembers being in bed, with only enough energy to shoot up. That was as close to an epiphany as he was getting. He went back to treatment, with a different mindset. "I was no longer in denial about where my life was at I got out of being a victim," he said. He relapsed, but eventually sobered up. He worked in the trucking business for a while, until Wynn, who he knew from the recovery community, convinced him to come work for the Northwest Indiana startup. It took three or four tries, but Cialdella eventually joined the team. GARY - NIPSCO is investigating copper wire thefts that left three poles stripped, resulting in a loss of power. Police responded to the thefts at 9:51 p.m. Friday, according to Lake County Sheriff's Department police records. The three poles that were stripped were in the areas of 600 Tyler Street, 2500 Massachusetts Street, and 2500 Connecticut Street. One customer was reported as being without power as a result of the thefts, according to NIPSCO spokeswoman Denise Rodriguez. I was told this does happen time to time and the thefts are under investigation, Rodriquez said. At 5 p.m. Saturday Rodriguez said NIPSCO crews were at the scene repairing the poles and the customer's power will be restored in a matter of hours. City of Hammond sues suspected copper wire thieves for 1.5 million in damages +2 City of Hammond sues suspected copper wire thieves for $1.5M in damages HAMMOND The city has filed a civil lawsuit to recoup the hundreds of thousands of dollars Love 2 Funny 3 Wow 2 Sad 1 Angry 12 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. VALPARAISO Kim Olseker knows the power of volunteerism, of working together for a better community. That energy is the reason the United Way of Porter County established the Spirit Awards three years ago. "We know that it takes all of us working together to provide a stable and flourishing community," said Olseker, president and CEO of United Way of Porter County. "The Region has so many people who give time, talent and treasure every day to others who need it most and we want to be mindful of that. With these awards we look for those individuals who embody the spirit of volunteerism and model the importance of giving back." United Way of Porter County is partnering with The Times Media Co. to honor those people and celebrate the spirit of volunteerism with the third annual Spirit Awards. Nominations for the awards, which celebrate individuals who have displayed extraordinary service above self and served as an inspiration to others, will be accepted until noon Jan. 15. Seven selected individuals will be featured in The Times and honored at the United Way of Porter County annual Community Celebration in March at Duneland Falls Banquet & Meeting Center in Chesterton. Stained glass classes CHESTERTON Judy Gregurich and Mark Montgomery will be hosting stained glass classes from 7 to 9 p.m. Jan. 22. In Beginning Stained Glass Class, students will learn the art of copper foil stained glass, originally invented by Louis Tiffany. Tools and supplies are included. Limit four students. The cost for class is $260, with Chesterton Art Center members receiving a $30 discount. The Stained Glass Open Studio Class is designed for students who have taken a previous stained glass class at the Art Center. Open studio students will experiment with different types of textured clear glass, copper foil overlay and sandblasting (etching). Students may also work on their own projects at their own pace, with assistance from the instructors as needed. Students are expected to provide their own tools and supplies. Limit eight students. The cost is $105, with members receiving a $30 discount. Both classes are eight weeks long and take place 7 to 9 p.m. each Tuesday night, starting Jan. 22 at 115 S. Fourth St. All students must register and pay prior to the first class. For a full list of adult classes, see the website at www.chestertonart.com. Fish on in Portage The Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce is hosting the third annual Fish-On Portage, a fishing and outdoor show. The show will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 23 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 24 at Woodland Park, 2100 Willowcreek Road. All outdoor events to be showcased including hunting, fishing, snowshoeing, archery, kayaking, hiking, bird watching and more. The Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce is accepting vendors representing these activities or other activities involving the outdoors. Concessions will be available. There will be door prizes, a childrens area with Petey the Perch and other activities. Seminars will run throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $2 fore ages 7 to 18. There will be free parking. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. PORTAGE The Portage Marquette Yacht Club holds a weekly Friday fish fry from 5:30 to 8:45 at 1218 N. Crisman Road. There is lake perch, blue gill, walleye, shrimp, scallops, frog legs and all you can eat whitefish. PORTAGE American Legion Post 260 hosts a fish fry on the second and last Friday of the month, from 4 to 7:45 p.m. During lent; its every Friday. They serve North Atlantic cod, lake perch, jumbo shrimp, tilapia, catfish, AYCE Alaskan pollock and AYCE ocean perch. Carryouts are available. Call 219-762-3541. PORTER VFW Post 2511 holds a fish fry from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Friday at 1290 Wagner Road. All-you-can-eat pollock dinner is 5 to 8 p.m. There are also frog legs, lake perch, shrimp, burgers and steaks. Carryout orders available. Call 219-926-4441. SCHERERVILLE Halls of St. George holds fish fries every Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. at 905 E. Joliet St. The menu include Alaskan pollock, ocean perch, lake perch, salmon, orange roughy, shrimp, etc. There are also Serbian homemade dishes including cevaps and hamburgers, shish kebabs, potato salad, bean soup, crepes with Nutella and more. Call 219-865-9411. EAST CHICAGO Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana has been selected to receive a grant from ArcelorMittal in the second year of its special community investment initiative, Building Resilience: Investing in Nonprofit Sustainability. Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana is part of 14 nonprofit organizations that were awarded a total of $325,000. Launched in 2017 as a pilot program, the Building Resilience program extends ArcelorMittals corporate giving strategy to focus on the sustainability and resiliency of its existing nonprofit partners. The program invests in areas of nonprofit management that are traditionally underfunded by foundations and corporations yet could have a significant impact on the long-term sustainability of the nonprofit organization. ArcelorMittal received more than 55 applications for this years grant initiative. Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana has been a long-time partner with ArcelorMittal. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Lansing Christian School will hold its annual kindergarten and pre-K preview nights, providing an opportunity for parents and their children to experience the schools programs. The Kindergarten Preview Night is 6:30 p.m. Jan. 24 for parents and their children. Children can experience a mini-lesson from a teacher, and parents can explore both the English and Spanish Immersion programs. The English track is led by Alexa Groen and Spanish immersion by Sandy Tijerina. In both tracks, student learning is differentiated to grow students in their strengths and support any learning challenges. Both kindergarten programs feature small class sizes, which helps teachers to know each child. Class sizes range from 15-20 students and are capped at 20. The Spanish immersion track is designed for English speaking families who want their child to become fluent in Spanish. This program begins in kindergarten running through third grade, with kindergarten being the only entry point for students to gain admittance. The Pre-K Preview Night is at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 17 and is open to parents and their children. "It took us three or four years to get this done," Kil said, adding St. John's expenditures were only about $30,000 because many of the safety measures were already in place at crossings. Ton said the last time Chesterton received cost estimates, quieting trains at crossings would cost "in the high six figures" because crossings on Calumet, Fourth and Eighth streets would have to be upgraded with the newest technology and safety measures which would prevent drivers from going around downed gates. "It is not an apples to apples comparison," Chesterton Town Manager Bernie Doyle said, adding looking at the project as a corridor instead of individual crossing might be an easier approach. However, Doyle added, the town would likely have to work with the neighboring town of Porter and Porter County in the effort. Ton said the council had initially earmarked $30,000 for an engineering study of the issue in 2019, but the money was cut from the budget at the end. He said he still hopes the town can come up with some funds this year to pursue the issue. Valparaiso City Administrator Bill Oeding said his city should know in March how much it could cost to develop a quiet crossing or zone. INDIANAPOLIS A U.S. House-approved proposal to turn Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore into America's 61st national park, which failed to advance out of a Senate subcommittee, expired Thursday when the two-year term of the 115th Congress came to a close. But U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Gary, and other supporters of the plan to establish Indiana's first national park in the Region, are vowing to again push for the change during the 2019-20 federal legislative session. "As the 116th Congress begins, I will continue my efforts to rename the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore as a national park, so that we may further grow our regional economy and provide our lakeshore with the recognition it deserves," Visclosky said. On Nov. 1, 2017, the U.S. House unanimously approved H.R. 1488, legislation that would have applied the national park moniker to the 15,000 acres of federally held land stretching for 15 miles along the south shore of Lake Michigan. The proposal was co-sponsored by Visclosky and the eight other Democrats and Republicans representing Indiana in the House, and sought to put the federal Dunes property alongside the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Great Smoky Mountains and other natural wonders recognized as truly special places in the United States. BEVERLY SHORES The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore has identified a man who allegedly battered a woman at 9:25 a.m. Friday in the parking lot at Kemil Beach, according to a news release. The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore has not yet released the man's identity. A 47-year-old Michigan City woman told park rangers she was punched by a male subject. The male was described as 6 feet tall, white, with a gray mustache and beard. He was also wearing a black cap, mirrored sunglasses and a green vest. The man also had a black Labrador mix with him named Lucky, the release states. The incident allegedly was the result of a road rage spat on east State Park Boundary Road, the release states. Images of the male's vehicle were captured on video where the alleged battery took place. The vehicle was described as a mustard Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with Ohio license plates, the release states. Any information on the suspect or for additional inquiries, please contact the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Dispatch center at 219-395-1008 or email richard_eshenaur@nps.gov. Check back at nwi.com for updates. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 2 Sad 2 Angry 10 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Posted Friday, January 4, 2019 6:52 pm JAYNE POPPE, 86, Onalaska, died Tuesday, Dec. 25, at Sharon Care Center, Centralia. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, Jan. 11, at Peace Lutheran Church, Chehalis, a graveside service will follow at Claquato Cemetery. Arrangements are under the care of Cattermole Funeral Home, Winlock. WALTER J. FRANZ, 87, Winlock, died Saturday, Dec. 29, at his home. A funeral service will be held at Peace Lutheran Church, Chehalis, Monday, Jan. 7, at 11 a.m., with a luncheon to follow. A graveside service with Military honors will be at 2:00 p.m., at Winlock Cemetery. Arrangements are under the care of Cattermole Funeral Home, Winlock. CALEB J. BROWN, 25, Winlock, died Sunday, Dec. 30, at his workplace in Centralia. Service details are pending at this time. Arrangements are under the care of Cattermole Funeral Home, Winlock. MARIO A. TROCHE, 81, Winlock, died Tuesday, Jan. 1, at his home. Service details are pending at this time. Arrangements are under the care of Cattermole Funeral Home, Winlock. COLTON M. LINDBERG, 27, Toledo formerly of Forks, died Tuesday, Jan. 1, following an accident on US Hwy 12, Mossyrock. Services are being planned at this time. Arrangements are under the care of Cattermole Funeral Home, Winlock. JEANETTE E. DAVIS, 88, Winlock, died Thursday, Jan. 3, at Community Home Health and Hospice, Longview. Service details are pending at this time. Arrangements are under the care of Cattermole Funeral Home, Winlock. DAVID HAYES JR., 72, Winlock, died Thursday, Jan. 3, at Providence Centralia Hospital. Services are being planned at this time. Arrangements are under the care of Cattermole Funeral Home, Winlock. SHARON HENRIE, 83, Morton, died Friday, Jan. 4, at Heart of Gold Adult Family Home, Morton. Service details are pending at this time. Arrangements are under the care of Cattermole Funeral Home, Winlock. GENEVIEVE HILL, 88, Centralia, died Friday, Jan 4, at her home. Service details are pending at this time. Arrangements are under the care of Cattermole Funeral Home, Winlock. It was going to be a Christmas holiday filled with sorrow and not a lot of joy. Theresa Flamini and other family members were mourning the death of Theresas and her siblings mother. But then a radical notion electrified the Flamini family. Theresa Flamini recalls, We thought, instead of all our focus being on our loss, why not turn that energy into something that would help people in need? The Flamini Foundation was born. That was 10 years ago. Every Christmas since, the foundation has provided Comfort Bags for parents of children hospitalized in critical situations and for expectant mothers on medical bed rest. The effort has grown, with 1,000-plus Comfort Bags going to parents in 2018, many of them at Ronald McDonald houses where parents can stay while their child is hospitalized. Each bag has items including a blanket, travel-size toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, playing cards, crossword puzzle books, coloring books for adults, snacks, two bottles of water, a journal and more. For me, its not, give the stuff and Im out of there. Its more personal, Flamini says. Stop in at Cafe Fresco on Crown Points historic downtown square for a warming cup of cocoa and a look at the fun and whimsical artworks of Laurel Izard. Sketched onto vintage textbook pages, Izards drawings are individually water-colored, then cut out and collaged onto a monotype to create a background with textures and colors that contrast with the attached drawing. Finally, each 14-by-11-inch collage is mounted onto black cardboard that is ready to pop into a frame. The characters that Izard portrays in these works reflect her love of cats and her appreciation for their alien and sometimes goofy personalities. 219-663-1100 or www.cafefresco.weebly.com We love it when we can mix science with art, and Photograph 51 at the Court Theatre on the campus of the University of Chicago does just that. This award-winning play by Anna Ziegler focuses on the often-overlooked role of X-ray crystallographer Rosalind Franklin in the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA while working at King's College London. The title comes from the nickname given to an X-ray diffraction image taken by Raymond Gosling in May 1952 under Franklins supervision. Photograph 51 shares the complex story of an ambitious female scientist in a world of men, her pursuit of the secret of life, and her forgotten accomplishments. The one-act play runs Jan. 17 through Feb. 17. 773-753-472 or www.courttheatre.org Amazon is looking for a few good entrepreneurs to help deliver packages throughout Northwest Indiana. The online retail giant opened a warehouse in a former TradeWinds plant at 15th Avenue and Texas Street in Gary, right by the 15th Avenue exit on Interstate 65. Amazon Worldwide Transportation Public Relations Director Kelly Cheeseman said the company employs 500 workers in a mix of full-time and part-time positions at the new logistics hub in Gary, which is a "last-mile" delivery station for shipping packages to local customers. Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson said the company wants local residents to start up their own courier businesses to help get packages from the delivery station to customers' doorsteps, as part of a nationwide effort to reduce its dependency on the U.S. Postal Service. "The concept they have is for people to start their own businesses by being the delivery person," Freeman-Wilson said. "They will allow people to start their own courier services to deliver for Amazon specifically. A growth in small business and a growth in entrepreneurship can only help the city." Front Royal Police Department officer Olivia Meadows poses with her new K-9 partner, the 15-month-old black Labrador Maverick, who began duty Oct. 31. Jonah Goldbergs new book, Suicide of the West, is now available wherever books are sold. Email: goldbergcolumn@gmail.com Roseburg, OR (97470) Today Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 53F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 53F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Posted Friday, January 4, 2019 6:49 pm CENTRALIA POLICE DEPARTMENT Police Find Drugs During Warrant Arrest At 10:15 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to the 1000 block of North Scheuber Road and arrested Justin L. Emery, 30, of Centralia on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance. Emery was also arrested on a Department of Corrections warrant. Officers allege they found narcotics on Emery while arresting him on the warrant. Stolen Car Found in Parking Lot At 10:58 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to the 700 block of North Tower Avenue, where a caller advised their car had been stolen sometime between 1 and 10:30 a.m. The car was later found in a parking lot. Suspects Arrested for Criminal Trespass At 11:53 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to the 1200 block of Mellen Street and arrested Shannon K. Kilgore, 50, of Centralia on suspicion of first-degree criminal trespass. Kilgore allegedly went to a business where he had been previously trespassed. At 5:19 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to the 900 block of South Scheuber Road and arrested Juan A. Ramirez-Gonzalez, 32, of Cutler, California on suspicion of first-degree criminal trespass. Ramirez-Gonzalez allegedly refused to leave a business where he had previously been placed on trespass. At 9:17 a.m. Thursday, police responded to the 1100 block of Long Road and cited and released a 32-year-old Toledo resident on suspicion of criminal trespass. The person was allegedly found inside a building with posted no trespassing signs. Police Book Mischief Suspect At 2:37 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to the 100 block of South King Street and arrested David E. Pejrano-Knutz, 29, of Centralia on suspicion of third-degree malicious mischief. Pejrano-Knutz allegedly damaged another persons vehicle and was also booked on several warrants. Driver Cited, Released for Suspended License At 3:56 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to the 1500 block of North Pearl Street and cited a 23-year-old Centralia resident on suspicion of third-degree driving with a suspended license. Officers Investigate Vehicle Theft At 5:50 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to the 400 block of West Plum Street, where a caller advised their vehicle had been stolen. It was last spotted parked on the street outside the victims residence. Caller Discovers Identity Theft At 8:45 a.m. Thursday, a caller in the 1300 block of Crescent Avenue reported someone used their information to open a credit account. Man Booked for Violating Protection Order At 1:12 p.m. Thursday, police responded to Alder and Yew streets and arrested Martin W. Gallagher, 62, of Onalaska on suspicion of violating a protection order for allegedly getting into a dispute with a protected person. He was also booked for third-degree driving on a suspended license. Pedestrians Hurt During Collision At 1:16 p.m. Thursday, a vehicle struck a parked boat trailer in the 500 block of South Tower Avenue. The impact caused the trailer to strike nearby pedestrians who had minor injuries. Suspect Booked For Suspended License, Warrants At 9:19 p.m. Thursday, police responded to the 1100 block of Alexander Street and arrested Jennifer C. Lantau, 34, of Chehalis on suspicion of third-degree driving with a suspended license and for two misdemeanor warrants. Lantau was arrested during a traffic stop. Fake Bill Passed At Local Business At 2:24 a.m. Friday, a female customer passed a fake $100 bill at a business in the 1000 block of Belmont Avenue. Suspect Booked for Suspended License At 3:11 a.m. Friday, police responded to the 1200 block of Harrison Avenue and arrested Christian E. Meadors, 32, of Olympia on suspicion of third-degree driving with a suspended license. Meadors matched the description of a suspect spotted looking into vehicles with a flashlight in a businesss parking lot. CHEHALIS POLICE DEPARTMENT Suspect Booked For Unlawful Imprisonment At 9:02 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to the 300 block of Southwest Third Street and arrested Matthew E. Norman, 35, of Chehalis on suspicion of unlawful imprisonment, fourth-degree assault domestic violence and interfering with reporting domestic violence. Man Walks Down Street, Yells About Drugs At 11 p.m. Wednesday, police were requested in the 300 block of Northwest Chehalis Avenue, where a man was seen walking toward Centralia yelling: Who wants to get high? Caller Reports Trespasser At 8:58 a.m. Thursday, a caller in the 700 block of North National Avenue reported a trespasser sleeping on their property. Person Spotted Drinking in Public At 9:37 a.m. Thursday, someone in the 1500 block of Northwest Louisiana Avenue reported a male subject was behind a building drinking a beer. Caller Reports Home Burglary At 7:43 p.m. Thursday, a caller in the 500 block of Northwest Ohio Avenue reported there were items missing in his home, and whoever did it left some other items behind. LEWIS COUNTY JAIL STATISTICS As of Friday morning, the Lewis County Jail had a total system population of 228 inmates, with 194 in general population, 32 in the work ethic and restitution center and two on work release. Of general population inmates, 157 were male and 37 were female and of WERC inmates, 29 were male and three were female. A total of 29 inmates were booked through contracts outside Lewis County. By The Chronicle Staff Please call news reporter Cody Neuenschwander with news tips. He can be reached at 807-8208 or cneuenschwander@chronline.com Its not that tax burdens, state school aid formulas, corrections crises, water controversies and other complicated issues could have been solved in January or February. But that rules fight distracted senators from debating and disposing of minor bills, many of which are relatively simple to understand and limited in scope but nonetheless matter to people. Nebraskans expect their lawmakers, we believe, to take care of the routine matters while making progress on the more difficult ones starting with the mandatory public hearings on every bill this winter and continuing through the longer debate days in the spring. But in one odd-numbered year after another, Nebraskans start hearing We dont have time from their lawmakers before January is out. And they keep hearing it until the springtime of even-numbered years. Why? Partisanship, of course, to the degree Nebraskas unique lawmaking system permits it to influence the process. Human disagreements, naturally. Built-in rivalries between the executive and legislative branches that nonetheless ought to take back seats to the good of all. And, unquestionably, the complexity and especially the cost of untangling these major issues that most everyone agrees are major but are easy to procrastinate away. Nebraska voters later altered the state constitution to permit different valuation methods for different types of property, but efforts to apply it to agland have languished. Erdman said his last attempt in 2017 might have succeeded had Gov. Ricketts not rolled it into a larger bill that also would have cut state income-tax rates. That bill failed to gain traction, but Erdman said some urban senators told him if we had a chance just to vote on the agland valuation change by itself, they could vote for that. But though Erdman supports the income-potential approach, he doubts it will do more than slow down growth in either valuations or property tax bills. Supporters should not promote it as a property tax relief bill, because thats not what it is, he said. Meanwhile, Erdman has launched his second try at forcing state government to refund a large portion of property tax bills through state coffers. A new petition drive seeks to write an income-tax refund or credit equaling 35 percent of property owners total tax bills into the constitution, he said, but hell also introduce the same constitutional amendment in the Legislature. Apple may not be at CES this year; however, that hasnt stopped them poking fun at other companies who are likely to present at the show. A billboard that was almost certainly commissioned by the Cupertino giant had appeared on an exterior face of the Marriott Hotel in Las Vegas on January 5, 2019. It reads: What happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone, alongside a black-and-white outline of a 2018 Apple flagship mobile device. 4 Reviews , News , CPU , GPU , Articles , Columns , Other "or" search relation. 5G , Accessory , Alder Lake , AMD , Android , Apple , ARM , Audio , Business , Camera , Cannon Lake , Cezanne (Zen 3) , Charts , Chinese Tech , Chromebook , Coffee Lake , Comet Lake , Console , Convertible / 2-in-1 , Cryptocurrency , Cyberlaw , Deal , Desktop , Exclusive , Fail , Foldable , Gadget , Galaxy Note , Galaxy S , Gamecheck , Gaming , Geforce , Google Pixel , GPU , How To , Ice Lake , Intel Evo / Project Athena , Internet of Things (IoT) , iOS , iPad Pro , iPhone , Jasper Lake , Lakefield , Laptop , Launch , Linux / Unix , Lucienne (Zen 2) , MacBook , Mini PC , Monitor , MSI , OnePlus , Opinion , Phablet , Radeon , Renoir , Review Snippet , Rocket Lake , Rumor , Ryzen (Zen) , Science , Security , Smart Home , Smartphone , Smartwatch , Software , Storage , Tablet , ThinkPad , Thunderbolt , Tiger Lake , Touchscreen , Ultrabook , Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR) , Wearable , Windows , Workstation , XPS , Zen 3 (Vermeer) Ticker An Apple-themed billboard, which overlooks the Las Vegas Convention Center that is to house 2019s first major tech event, displays a legend that is a clear take-off of the old "What happens in Vegas..." cliche. It also includes the address of the Apple privacy website, and faces Google's own extensive external display promoting the Assistant line-up of products and services. This billboard was first publicized by the Engadget correspondent Chris Velazco, who had arrived in Vegas on the 5th to prepare for the international electronics showcase. The wall-sized ads clear message is that Apples ability to prioritize and conserve privacy is superior to that of other software- and information-providers. Needless to say, the ad does not name names in this respect. However, it is easy to imagine that it may be directed at other prominent data-handlers such as Google and Amazon. The latter has recently been involved in a scandal in which Alexa software assistants has sent data associated with one user to another by mistake. The former is generally associated with the accumulation of personal data to fuel its business model. On the other hand, Apple does not have an entirely positive track record in the privacy department itself. For example, the considerable relaxation in its standards that have been necessary for them to sell phones in China has resulted in reportedly increased vulnerability to scams for customers located in that country. Furthermore, recent reports indicate that stricter requirements elsewhere on Earth can lead to the sudden and unannounced withdrawal of apps from the App Store, regardless of whether users depend on them or not. Finally, drawing attention to itself and its recent stock-market and business woes may not be the best move for Apple at this point. North Augusta, SC (29841) Today Generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds. High around 95F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low 68F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Posted Friday, January 4, 2019 7:26 pm For the first time since 2004, the Lewis County Prosecutors Office filed more than 1,000 felony cases within a yearlong span a number indicative of a steadily climbing workload that puts pressure on other realms within the local criminal justice system. On Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, the prosecutors office filed its last case of the year, bringing the final tally to 1,046 cases. In 2004, 1,012 cases were filed. Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer acknowledged there are likely a number of contributing factor to the steady incline. Among them, he said, are fuller-staffed local law enforcement agencies, allowing more officers on patrol to catch more suspects. Another is recidivism, with people convicted of crimes being released and committing more offenses or at least being charged in the commission of crimes. But perhaps the biggest contributor is also the most obvious: drugs. Even if an offender isnt busted on a drug possession charge, said Meyer, illicit narcotics are tied to any number of other offenses as the fuel fanning the flames. Often times, he added, its seen in property crimes like theft, burglary or vehicle prowl, but is also seen as a contributor to sex or violent crimes. Theyre either trying to support their habit, or its such a disinhibitor, that all of the sudden it seems like thats a good idea, said Meyer. Meyer said he couldnt say why 2004 saw such a high number of felony cases, adding that he was a defense attorney during that time. The final count of 2018 felony cases didnt come as a surprise, with Meyer noting that halfway through the year, it had already been noted the county that was on pace to cross the dubious mile marker. In September there had been a 40 percent increase in felony cases since September 2015, 37 percent since that same time in 2016 and 18 percent since 2017. The prosecutors office has picked up three new deputy prosecutors in past months. One was hired to replace someone moved to another position in the office, another to replace one that left and the final was an approved hire from the board of commissioners. And while one deputy prosecutor can handle as many as 80 felony drug possession cases at a time, said Meyer, not all felonies are created equal. A homicide or complicated financial crime, like embezzlement, can consume all of a deputys duties for weeks at a time. While maintaining a full staff is in some ways a reactive response, Meyer said the office also works to be proactive, by taking part in crime-prevention programs in schools and the community. My goal every year is the same, and thats basically to work myself out of a job. Were never going to achieve it, but if we keep trying to figure out ways to reduce crimes in our community and sometimes the answer is putting people away. Sometimes the answer is directing them to some type of treatment whether its drug court, (Drug Offender Sentencing Alternative), (Special Sex Offender Sentencing Alternatives) for sex offenders, mental health alternatives, he said. Meanwhile, the Lewis County Jail is singing a similar song. Lewis County Sheriffs Office Corrections Chief Chris Sweet said the average jail population has climbed to 228 inmates from 206 at the end of 2017. A few times in recent months, the jail has gone on restrictive booking, meaning people charged with certain low-level misdemeanors wouldnt be booked. That happens any time the jail population hits 250, said Sweet, and remains in effect until the number can be whittled down. Currently, the jail is operating with a full staff 56 full-time employees. But that number comes with a caveat, said Sweet. In 2008, seven positions were cut at the jail, in response to a harsh economic climate. At that same time, the average daily population was 109 inmates. The staff size has remained the same ever since, said Sweet. As a result, staffers were moved to more vital areas, and certain jail programs were cut or left in fewer hands. The jail recently asked for two additional corrections deputies, but the request was denied by county officials, said Sweet. Funding for an additional nurse has been approved. Were basically status quo. We are not into the reserve tank yet. We are basically going to continue operations as it is going right now, and we can successfully do this. This is just the indication, and basically a warning, if we continue to increase, were going to have to look at our (full time employees) and the resources we have for our facility right now, because as the inmate population increases we will have to increase our infrastructure as well, said Sweet. Sweet said hes been clear that hell request additional positions in the future. Currently, there arent enough corrections deputies to fulfill a certain national standard relating to jail tower staffing. In the future, he said, the standard may become a requirement. Before that time hits, jail staff strive to boost their numbers to meet any upcoming national requirements. Thats the reason that we asked for the two deputies, not only for the increased population, but were at that time now that have to start asking for more (full time employees) to try to rebuild that seven that we lost, he said. But the intensely partisan showdown over the border wall cast a surreal shadow over the day. Smith later said he would vote against the Democrats spending bills with the lack of border wall funding because border security is important. While all members of the Nebraska delegation said they have asked that their pay be withheld during the shutdown, but at least a couple of Iowa lawmakers have chosen not to do so. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa District 4, said that he hadnt given any thought to having his pay withheld and that such a step is mostly for show, anyway. Does that mean theyre not working, because I am, King said in reference to members who donate their pay during shutdowns. I am working and Im keeping my word, and if I had my way this government would be open and wed have the wall built by now. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, also is opting not to have his pay withheld. Grassley spokesman Michael Zona noted that its only a partial government shutdown, so many agencies and departments are fully funded and operational. The law license for a former Council Bluffs assistant city attorney who was sentenced to probation in 2017 after he pleaded guilty to a felony drug charge in Nebraska federal court is being recommended for revocation by the Grievance Commission of Iowa Supreme Court, according to records filed Dec. 26. Don Bauermeister, 45, of Omaha pleaded guilty in October 2016 to conspiring to distribute about 13 pounds of marijuana. He was given five years of probation and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine. The grievance commissions filings shed new light on the case and Bauermeisters guilty plea to conspiring to possess and distribute a controlled substance. The overall scope of the conspiracy involved 13 to 20 pounds of a substance containing a detectable amount of marijuana, the record states. Beginning on or about Nov. 18, 2016 and continuing to or about Jan. 9, 2017, (Bauermeister) conspired with individuals to obtain the marijuana in Oregon for the purposes of selling it in Omaha, it said. Bauermeister agreed to fund the purchase of marijuana and to pay his co-conspirator, Gerald Wyzenski, 52, of Omaha, to travel from Omaha to Medford, Oregon to pick up the controlled substance and bring it back. A pedestrian was killed after being hit by two cars while walking along the Bayou Castine Bridge in St. Tammany Parish Saturday night (Jan. 5), according to a release from Louisiana State Police. A 37-year-old Mandeville man driving a 2005 Kia Amanti struck the pedestrian, who was wearing dark clothing while walking along the eastbound lane of U.S. 190 around 5:40 p.m., police said. The pedestrian, who has not yet been identified, landed in the center of the eastbound lane and was then struck by a 17-year-old Mandeville girl driving a 2001 BMW 528, which was behind the Kia Amanti. The pedestrian was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Lakeview Regional Medical Center. Witnesses told police that the pedestrian was staggering and was in the road before being struck by the Kia Amanti. Police described that part of the highway as having high concrete guardrails and no shoulder. Drivers of both cars were uninjured in the crash and submitted to breath samples, which showed no amount of alcohol present, according to State Police. The investigation is ongoing. U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise of Old Jefferson abruptly ended a Twitter debate with newcomer Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York early Sunday (Jan. 6) after three commenters made references to the June 2017 shooting in which Scalise and three other people were shot by a left-wing activist, Fox News reported. One Twitter user wrote snipe his a--, in support of Ocasio-Cortez, the news network reported. That user later denied that the post was a call for political violence, telling Fox News it referred only to a verbal sniping. Another Twitter user wrote shes got better aim than James Hodgkinson, thats for sure, comparing Ocasio-Cortezs Twitter responses to the marksmanship of the suspect in the Virginia shooting, a Bernie Sanders supporter who later died in a shootout with police, Fox news reported. Scalise, currently the House of Representatives' minority whip, was critically injured in the June 14, 2017 shooting in Alexandria, Virginia. Read the entire Fox News story here. Buddy Bolden is a towering yet enigmatic figure in American popular music. The cornet player was said to be the most popular jazz musician in New Orleans for a brief period in the early 20th century, before the homegrown genre was even known by that name. Bolden is sometimes credited as having single-handedly invented jazz, although the truth of its genesis is complicated. The bawdy Buddy Boldens Blues, AKA Funky Butt, remains a traditional jazz staple to this day. Tragically, the first king of jazz was debilitated by mental illness at what should have been the height of his career. After a series of arrests, he was committed to the Louisiana mental asylum in 1907. He lived out the rest of his life at the institution and died in obscurity. Bolden is believed to have made a wax cylinder recording around the turn of the century, but it has never been found, and the conventional wisdom is that it probably no longer exists. Limited details are known about Boldens life, and separating fiction from fact has often proven difficult. Much of what we do know has come from police and medical records and from interviews conducted years after his death with people who had known Bolden. Buddy Bolden's blues: The birth of a mad genius -- and of jazz During Boldens career, in the early decades of Jim Crow, newspapers in New Orleans rarely wrote about black people except to hold them up for ridicule or to document alleged criminal offenses. As a result, any contemporary slivers of information about Bolden have great significance to jazz historians. Don Marquis writes in his definitive Bolden biography, In Search of Buddy Bolden, that reports in the Daily Picayune and Item in late March of 1906 constituted the only newspaper coverage of the famed musician during his lifetime. But a third New Orleans newspaper, the Daily States, also wrote about the incident that is believed to have marked the beginning of Boldens downfall. For reasons that are unclear, it was lost to history until this December, when it was discovered by this writer on microfilm in the New Orleans City Archives. This newly unearthed report provides another perspective on beginning of the mental health crisis of the jazz pioneer, sharing details not addressed in the other newspapers or the police report, and offers a rare contemporary glimpse at the life of a tragic figure whose enduring fame exists at the intersection of madness and genius. Preserving Buddy Bolden's house remains on the back burner Bolden had become depressed and experienced severe headaches in March 1906, Marquis writes. He was confined to bed at his home at 2302 First Street, in whats now known as Central City, and it was in his bedroom that he struck a family member with a water pitcher on March 25. He was arrested on a charge of being insane and taken to the 12th Precinct police station. The reports on the incident from the Picayune and the Item identify Bolden as a musician and describe the attack on the woman; one discrepancy is that the Picayune describes the victim as Boldens mother-in-law, while the Item identifies the injured woman as Boldens mother. Perhaps the most notable element of the newly discovered story in the States published on March 28, 1906, is that it emphasizes Boldens alcohol abuse and cites it as the cause of his mental health problems. Alcoholic indulgence, is the all-caps main headline. Converts Negro Patient Into Dangerous Man, it says below it. Marquis, in his biography of the musician, notes that the state mental asylum listed alcohol as the cause of Boldens insanity, but that jazz historians and fellow musicians have debated without evidence -- whether the real cause had been venereal disease. Marquis suggests that perhaps the mental illness was the cause of the drinking i.e. that Bolden had been self-medicating. Another notable difference between the previously known reports on the March 1906 incident and the newly discovered story is the issue of medication. The Item and Picayune both say Bolden believed he was being drugged before he attacked the woman. Only the States, in the newly discovered report, goes to far as to note that Bolden actually was being administered a drug. Just what that medication was is unclear, although it seems likely that in 1906 a medication for depression or alcoholism could have done more harm than good and that an unwanted administration of it could be logically construed by the patient as unnecessary. Jazz pioneer Buddy Bolden and the Louisiana mental asylum band The States also has Bolden bedridden for weeks prior to the attack on the woman. The Item has him sick for some time, while the Picayune describes him as confined to his bed for three days. A negro named Charles Bolden, who had been ill abed for several weeks, developed a strange case yesterday and the attending physician has ordered his removal to a place of safety, the States writes in the newly discovered story. The intense suffering of two weeks completely deranged his mind, and yesterday when his aged mother entered the room to administer his medicine, he became frantic, and leaving the bed he took hold of a water pitcher and struck the old woman on the head. For several days he complained of being drugged by his parents. Last night the patient was removed and a strict watch will be kept on him. The doctors say that alcoholic indulgence caused The last few words are illegible on the microfilm. The sourcing on the story in the States is not clear, as was typical of the time. But it provides more details that the rudimentary arrest report from the New Orleans Police Department. Bolden probably was released from jail after a couple of days, Marquis writes. He was arrested twice more, in September 1906 and in March 1907. In April 1907 he was committed to the mental asylum. He arrived there on June 5, putting an end to his career as a musician, and is believed to have remained there until his death on Nov. 4, 1931. ******* James Karst is a writer and jazz historian in New Orleans. New Orleans Wizard World Comic Con appropriately leaned into the supernatural on Saturday (Jan. 5) for the longest day of the 3-day convention. Covington-native Ian Somerhalder appeared as a panelist in the Morial Convention Centers New Orleans Theater at 4 p.m., alongside a moderator and four other The Vampire Diaries stars, Zach Roerig, Paul Wesley, Daniel Gillies and David Alpay. Anna Hill of Livingston Parish received a Saturday ticket as a Christmas gift and sat through two hours of panels to secure a front-and-center floor seat for the The Vampire Diaries reunion event. She came with her mother Tara Hill and sister Libby Hill to see some of the stars from the series she has watched seven times over. Check out the cosplay at Wizard World New Orleans The family arrived around 10:30 a.m. Saturday to secure photos and autographs, Tara said. I think we made your life! she said of Anna. Brenda Lempe flew overnight Thursday (Jan. 3) from Washington state to attend the convention and see The Vampire Diaries crew. She, too, got pictures with several of the cast members. From her second-row seat, she balanced her phone for a video recording with a camera for additional pictures. And for that, she was definitely not alone. Around half of the fans in the floor seats of the panel held phones above their heads to record the five stars as they answered audience questions for about 45 minutes after a 15-minute introduction. By the time questions could be asked (What did you think of the ending? What was your funnest [sic] scene?), a line of nine approached a microphone, clogging the right aisle of floor seating. In the surrounding halfway-full bleachers, two additional lines of similar size formed behind other audience microphones. Somerhalder talked about his Ian Somerhalder Foundation, ISF, which he runs with his wife Nikki Reed (who is also known for her portrayal of a vampire but in the Twilight movie saga). The foundation focuses on environmental conservation and public outreach. Around the time Somerhalder started the organization after the BP oil spill, he said he noticed Louisiana ranked low in education and high in pollution so he wanted to flip those numbers. Gillies also asked the eager crowd to text Daniel for Oxfam a confederation of organizations that combats poverty. The group thanked the crowd for support, giving the fandom credit for the shows 8-year run and the creation of The Originals, a spin-off set in New Orleans. This intersection of media and the nonprofit sphere is very powerful, Somerhalder said. The ability of an actor to move information on these things is incredible. And because of the success of [The] Vampire Diaries weve been able to do tremendous amounts of things in the nonprofit space. At the end of the panel, Anna was satisfied with her great Christmas gift. Tara said it was hilarious to watch and agreed that its great that the actors can generate so much support for charities. But she was curious as to what the actors themselves thought of doing the panel and of their intense fandom. Tara said that the exposure to the actors they saw while saving their seats in panels before opened their eyes to shows they may not have otherwise been as likely to watch. Members of the cast of iZombie were in the theater at 2 p.m. and Mike Colter and Simone Missick of Luke Cage followed at 3 p.m. with an audience group dismayed with the shows cancellation but encouraged by the shows representation and diversity. Later in the evening at 6:30, Dave Schrader of Darkness Radio hosted New Orleans Nightmares & Terror Tales Of Louisiana with paranormal author Nikki Folsom and two locals of the paranormal community, Dark Waters and Bloody Mary. In the spirit of Voodoo City (the NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune podcast on which Bloody Mary is a guest), the panel discussed all things spooky and paranormal, including vampires, shadow men and more New Orleans-specific creatures like dogmen and the rougaru. Schrader said the event is receiving incredible interest at comic conventions around the country because of the increased prevalence of more supernatural series (enter The Vampire Diaries). At the end of the evening, contestants brought their best to the costume contest in the New Orleans Theater, where five best awards were given alongside four judges' awards. There was a Jon Snow of Game of Thrones," who made his own costume complete with riveted leather; a Doc Ock of Spider-Man whose extra robotic arms were made of a combination of copper wiring and pool noodles attached to a cutting board-backpack apparatus hidden under a coat; and couple Stephen Occhipinti and Rebecca Fox dressed as Seymour, Audrey and Audrey II (a puppet) from Little Shop of Horrors, which they watched on one of their first dates. Receiving one judges award was a robotic-looking Ninja Turtles costume that featured hand-painted action figures and a hodge-podge of disguised items, like a cheese puffs bucket. The best group award was given to a cast of Deadpool characters and the best villain was Halo Hunter, an impressively towering costume inspired by the video game and made and worn by a 6-foot-5 Brody Thibodeaux. Watch the full awards show below. Bill Crains arrest during a bear hunt on Oct. 8 his ninth arrest in as many years as he protested the hunt resulted in his third and longest sentence of 20 days in jail. And anti-bear hunt protesters arent letting their support for him dwindle as the new year begins. Dozens of activists attended a vigil on Saturday at the Keogh Dwyer Correctional Facility, where Crain began his sentence on Jan. 2, according to The BEAR Groups Facebook page. Crain, 75, was arrested for civil disobedience during the October bow hunt, along with three others. Vigil supporting the black bears and supporting Professor Bill Crain, who reported to jail on January 2 for an act of peaceful civil disobedience. Posted by The BEAR Group on Saturday, January 5, 2019 The rainy weather didnt stop activists who gathered at the Newton jail in support of the City College of New York professor, who turned himself in Monday morning, according to the group. The groups Facebook page featured video of his supporters, sporting rain jackets and umbrellas, holding signs that read The bears appreciate you Bill! and Mother Nature is crying for our hero Bill Crain." Protestors also chanted slogans along with a megaphone, including Release Bill Crain, shame on Fish and Game!" Many of the protesters are also angry with Gov. Phil Murphy, who campaigned to end bear hunting. In August, the governor signed an executive order limiting the bear hunt to private property. It drew criticism from protestors who want an outright ban, and hunters, with three hunting groups seeking to overturn it in court. About 40 percent of the 3,429 bears killed in the eight hunts under former Gov. Chris Christie were located on state land. Calls to Crains attorney, Doris Lin, were not returned Sunday. Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snietomunoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her at @snietomunoz. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips WASHINGTON A San Francisco lawyer, civil rights activist and former Stanford University classmate of U.S. Sen. Cory Booker is setting up a super political action committee and plans to raise at least $10 million to support the New Jersey Democrat if he runs for president. Steve Phillips, co-founder of the PowerPAC+ political committee that helped Booker win his initial election to the Senate in 2013, said he already has $4 million in pledges for Dream United, and said he expected to raise $10 million by March 31, the first campaign finance filing deadline for the 2020 presidential race. There is nobody who has a better chance of being the next president than Cory in terms of what the country needs, Phillips told NJ Advance Media. Combine that with Bookers appeal to his fellow African-Americans, a major voting bloc in Democratic primaries, and you have a combination similar to what helped elect Barack Obama in 2008, said Phillips, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, a Democratic-leaning research group that has hosted Booker on several occasions. Booker has yet to decide whether to run for president in 2020. Senator Booker continues to weigh with his family and friends whether he should run for president, and any effort to draft him into the race is outside of his control and will not affect his decision," Booker spokesman Jeff Giertz said. There has been no activity on his part or that of his team to organize or endorse the creation of a super PAC. Super PACs, a byproduct of the U.S. Supreme Courts Citizens United decision removing restrictions on corporate and union spending, can raise unlimited contributions from companies, unions and individuals, but must operate independently of candidates and cannot coordinate spending with them. Such PACs, with their ability to raise millions of dollars beyond a candidates own political committee, have become almost a necessity for presidential candidate. Former Gov. Chris Christie, for example, spent $8.4 million on his presidential campaign. His super PAC, America Leads, spent more than double that, $18.6 million, on his behalf, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington-based research group.. Even U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., propelled by a large network of small-dollar donations during his 2016 presidential race, benefited from $4.8 million in spending by the National Nurses United super PAC, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. But U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who already has entered the 2020 presidential race, said she will make an issue out of candidates raising large sums of money through super PACs. I think this is a moment for all of the Democratic candidates as they come into the race to say: In a Democratic primary, we are going to link arms and were going to grassroots funding," Warren said on MSNBC Dec. 31. We cannot allow billionaires & giant corporations to buy our Democratic primary. Tonight I told Rachel @Maddow: Every Democratic candidate for President in 2020 should link arms & pledge to run grassroots campaigns funded by the people. Disavow Super PACs & self funding. pic.twitter.com/7kElQv9shc Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) January 3, 2019 Booker already has faced criticism over his sources of campaign contributions, most notably his support from Wall Street donors and from employees of the pharmaceutical industry, which has a major presence in New Jersey. Phillips said that wont be an issue. I dont think at the end of the day, people are going to really look at whos backing a person, he said. Theyre going to look at the candidate. In the 2018 election, Phillips worked on an unsuccessful effort to elect two black statewide candidates, Stacey Abrams for Georgia governor and Mike Espy for U.S. Senate from Mississippi. Turning to 2020, Phillips said Americans want a president who can help heal the countrys racial divide, and Bookers talk of unity and love in his speeches will resonate with voters. This notion of bringing country back to public policy and leadership based upon love is very deep and Cory is uniquely positioned to tap into that hunger, Phillips said. Im a strong believer in Corys leadership, he said. He understands what the country needs right now." Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. Posted Friday, January 4, 2019 7:19 pm A driver fled from a Centralia police officer Thursday afternoon before striking a building and taking off on foot, managing to elude capture. Police have possible information on the suspect, said Sgt. Buddy Croy, who added police hope to stick the suspect with a charge of eluding a police officer and other traffic offenses. Croy said an officer was on South Pearl Street at around 2:10 p.m., investigating a report of a suspicious person. The cop was driving behind another vehicle, trying to identify the driver, when it sped away from the officer at a high rate of speed. The officer activated his cruisers emergency lights and followed the car, but never caught up, said Croy. The driver was observed taking a couple of turns other side streets. Shortly after, there was a report of a vehicle striking a building near Umpqua Bank. The suspects vehicle was found in an alley near Iron and Pine streets, said Croy. It had struck a metal building, dealing minor damage. The car was either stuck or stalled, and the driver had run away. Police looked around the area for the next 30 to 45 minutes, but couldnt find the suspect. A couple people in the area said they saw him on the move, and pointed out which direction he had gone. Croy said its an ongoing investigation, and theyre following up on possible information on the suspects identity. If identified, he said, they plan to refer him to the Lewis County prosecutors office on a charge of eluding a police officer and for various reckless driving charges. One great advantage of electing a governor as rich as Phil Murphy, we were told, is that he could not be bought. With his own chest full of gold coins, he would never need to scrape and beg for help from special interest groups seeking his favor. But it hasn't worked out that way. A month after his election, Murphy's senior political team opened a dark money fund and began soliciting donations. It came as a surprise, since Murphy had promised to bring new transparency to Trenton, and the identity of the new donors was kept secret, along with how much they gave. To quiet the critics, Murphy's campaign manager and senior advisor, Brendan Gill, who helps manage the fund, promised to come clean by the end of 2018 and reveal the identity of the donors. They just broke that promise. So, today, special interest groups are giving money to Murphy's cause -- no doubt because they expect him to do their bidding -- and the public has no clue who they are. Is the money coming from public worker unions who negotiate contracts with Murphy? Is it coming from marijuana firms that are scrambling to shape the law legalizing adult sales? Is it coming from law firms that have contracts with the state government? They won't say. It gets worse. Murphy himself has been soliciting money for this group, according to three sources with direct knowledge of his efforts. "He called me on Nov. 28 and asked me if I could contribute," said one of them, a union official who requested anonymity. The federal law governing this type of group, known as a 501c4, prohibits the governor from directly managing the organization. But that legal separation is farcical. Murphy has appeared in TV ads the group bought, and he solicits the money. The buck stops with him. On Friday, four days after this news broke, Murphy finally said he believes the donors should be revealed. But he would not confirm or deny that he has been soliciting donations. That's called stonewalling. What is Murphy hiding? He has to know that breaking this promise damages his reputation. So, his team must believe that opening these books would do even greater damage. The official explanation for the secrecy is ludicrous: "Our supporters have come under increased attacks from powerful special interests seeking to preserve the status quo in recent months," said Phil Swibinski, a spokesman for the organization, New Direction New Jersey. Really? They've come under attack, even though their names haven't been revealed? How does that work? This is another inexplicable rookie mistake by Murphy and his senior team. Until they come clean, they should at least spare us the happy talk about bringing a new brand of politics to New Jersey. This smells just like the old brand. More: Tom Moran columns Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com or call (973) 836-4909. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Sen. Cory Booker is running for president, even if it's not official yet. The visits to Iowa and New Hampshire are a dead giveaway. And why not? He's a rare talent, the field is wide open, and if a guy like Donald Trump can do the job, then Booker can do it with one hand. But he faces two big problems from the start. One is quirky and personal: He is a bachelor and America hasn't elected a bachelor since Grover Cleveland won in 1886. So perhaps his New Year's resolution should be to find a bride. (He's a vegan, too, but I have no scary stats on that.) The second is that Booker is among the top recipients of Wall Street money in Congress, and in some years he takes first place. "That's going to weigh down on him," says Julian Zelizer, a political science professor at Princeton. "That's been his vulnerability from the time he started to be floated as a candidate. He is a Democrat who has not shied away from connections to Wall Street. It's going to be a problem. Pre-2016 it might been less so, but I think Bernie Sanders showed that this sentiment is strong." The irony is that Booker is no friend of Wall Street, when you look at his policies. He opposes the infamous carried-interest provision of the tax code, which allows venture capitalists like Warren Buffett to pay a lower tax rate than his secretary. He supports the Dodd-Franks regulations, which Wall Street hates. And he wants higher taxes on the rich across the board. His ties to the drug industry are similar. He gets lots of money from the industry, but he does not dance for those dollars. He favors using Medicare to bargain for lower drug prices, a plan that big pharma fights with all its might. And he joined with Sen. Bernie Sanders to sponsor a bill allowing cheaper imports from Canada. To me, that matters. If Booker were selling his soul for this money, then he should pay a political price. But that's not what's happening. Sadly, all that stuff about policy substance might not matter much. Hillary Clinton took the same tough stances on Wall Street issues, but Sanders was able to convince a good share of primary voters that she was a shill for big money. It didn't help, of course, that she was politically blind enough to give eight speeches to big banks at $225,000 a clip. Booker has his own political millstone, an appearance on Meet the Press in 2012 when he defended the venture capital industry with enthusiasm and said that the Obama campaign's attacks on Mitt Romney over his leadership of Bain Capital left him "nauseated." "I'm not about to sit here and indict private equity," said Booker, then mayor of Newark and a surrogate for the Obama campaign. "To me, we're getting to a ridiculous point in America. If you look at the totality of Bain's record, they've done a lot to support businesses that grow businesses." For a populist candidate like Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who became the first Democrat to jump into the race this week, that stuff is gold. "That will be played in the primary many times over," Zelizer says. "Many people won't be able to get over it, regardless of what his record is." Booker's team argues that his high rank as a recipient of money from Wall Street and Big Pharma stems from geography. When an investment banker who lives in Westfield sends him a check, it counts as a donation from Wall Street. Campaign finance records show that Booker's Wall Street money comes almost entirely from individuals, not from the political action committees of Wall Street firms. In February, Booker announced that he would take no more money from the PACs at all. Still, how much can Booker explain in a 30-second TV spot? His Wall Street ranking, and his Meet the Press moment, can fit into that slot easily. "It's going to hurt him," says former Assemblyman John Wisniewski, who was chairman of Bernie Sanders' campaign in New Jersey. "It's a legitimate concern for voters. And on the left side of the party, several people are now trying to outdo each other as to who has the greater purity on money issues." Zelizer argues that voters have good reason to worry about the donations from Wall Street and Big Pharma, even though Booker has taken positions that are hostile to those industries. "It's a trust issue," he says. "If Democrats continue to rely on these relationships, ultimately many of their policy promises will never come true. There is a reality to that." So, would a President Booker push hard to increase taxes on venture capitalists? Or would that go onto the list of broken promises? I'd be surprised if we ever find out. At this stage, it's a long shot for any single candidate. And while the knock may be unfair, it is a political reality that will hurt. As for the absent wife, I'm not so sure that will count for much. We just elected a guy who bragged about sexually assaulting women on tape. To embrace a vegan bachelor seems quite tame by comparison. More: Tom Moran columns Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com or call (973) 836-4909. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Empirical evidence from fact-based statistical data is undeniable. Such evidence is very different from feelings, beliefs or suppositions that may be valid, but lack any real proof. Data-based evidence is a very powerful tool and can be a major step toward bringing about change to address critical issues. About a month ago, a team of NJ Advance Media journalists released "The Force Report," the culmination of a 16-month investigation. It created a database that tracks use of force by local police officers in New Jersey, compiled from data provided by their departments. The Force Report is comprehensive, well researched and well analyzed, packed with information on how our police departments engage citizens. The report, covering 2012-2016, validates the experiences of many in the minority community that there are too many biased, poorly trained police officers who have been allowed to use unnecessary force against citizens time and time again. The findings showed that 10 percent of police officers accounted for 38 percent of all use of force, that there were more than 250 officers who used force at more than five times the state average, and that black citizens are three times more likely to encounter force than whites. This demonstrates unequivocally that police officers throughout the state have sidestepped their own departmental policies regarding the use of force. The Force Report also shows that the New Jersey Attorney General's Office, at least since 2001, failed to do what they committed to do: collect and analyze use-of-force data in the way that NJ Advance Media has now done. Until now, I have been silent on The Force Report's disclosures, waiting to hear how officials or groups that would be expected to react regarding this critical issue had responded. A professional, dedicated, law-enforcement community plays a vital role in our society. We need -- and everyone should want -- police officers who are dedicated to serving the community fairly and impartially, while realizing that their use of force is sometimes necessary. But data revealing that a small group of officers whose elevated use of force often goes unchallenged, unaddressed, and even unreported by some departments, is a disturbing trend. Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, in office for less than a year, has stated that it was always in the attorney general's office's power to fix this situation; it just never had. It is a reasonable question to ask, as NJ Advance Media did, why one officer in Millville more used force more times than any other in the entire state. The answer may be because no one had eyes on what he was doing. Rutgers University criminal justice Professor Wayne Fisher, a former deputy director of the state Division of Criminal Justice, correctly described The Force Report report as an indicator of agencies and officers that deserve further scrutiny. Yet, few, if any, individuals or organizations have provided it. U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., has cited The Force Report on the Senate floor, but, as Congress begins begins its new term, I have not heard any House members from our region comment on it. If any state legislators, police chiefs, governing body members, mayors or police union officials in the southern part of the state have responded, I have not heard about it. Nor have I not heard any faith leaders in our area, nor any NAACP state or branch officials, respond. This muted reaction by clergy and advocacy groups appears to be a flawed strategy, one that is not in the best interest of the membership or the public. Reportedly, civil rights and faith leaders will conduct their own forums to document stories of people who say they were unfairly subjected to police force. Once the sessions are completed, a state NAACP official said the association would "deliver a strong message and plan to the attorney general and administration on our expectations moving forward." Really? If the NAACP believes that it is a leading civil rights organization, the time to speak up is right now. There is nothing to meet or talk about, no need to hear from anyone else. Doing so would be unnecessary and redundant. The Force Report says all that needs to be said. Now is the time to focus on the long-overdue steps to correct the problem. Those in law enforcement already know some of the solutions: better screening of potential officers with increased hiring standards; improved police academy training -- including courses taught by criminal justice and social science professionals -- not just police officers who can pass on their bad habits to recruits; and better supervision of current officers. The knowledge and ability to make law enforcement better exists. The will to do so appears to be lacking, as evidenced by the silence from too many regarding The Force Report. Milton W. Hinton Jr. recently retired as director of equal opportunity for the Gloucester County government, and is past president of the Gloucester County Branch NAACP. Email: miltonw@imap.cc Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. By Karen Haskin I am cautiously optimistic that its only a matter of time now before the Trump presidency will end, bringing other members of his administration down with him. When that day arrives, what happens to the Resistance?" After the presidential election of 2016, many people joined grassroots groups or social media conversations that became part of the anti-Trump resistance. Resisters share dismay at our current presidential administration and concern about the policies being enacted. Some, myself included, worry about the future of our democracy and the democratic structures on which our republic was founded. I have heard resisters say that once the Trump presidency ends, they are looking forward to getting their life back. I dont share that sentiment. I am fortunate to be in the leadership of a grassroots group that formed in December 2016: STAND Central NJ. We are a nonpartisan, pro-democracy group working to educate and empower New Jersey voters and residents. We formed in response to the election of Donald Trump, but we understand that New Jersey and the nations problems did not start with the election. When I look at the pre-Trump era, I am reminded of growing economic inequality, legally enforced racism, and socially enforced gender inequality. People were getting pulled over for driving while black before this president. The FBI documented that white supremacists worked in our police forces before Trump. Like the people who glorify the 1950s -- except for that pesky little Jim Crow problem -- the people who long for the pre-Trump era are speaking from positions of privilege. We need to start reckoning with the future. In my own local climate in central New Jersey, we see political powers that are trying to hold onto the past. Legislation to entrench gerrymandered districts and postpone the increase in the minimum wage for 11 years are being proposed by Democrats who control the New Jersey Legislature. We need to do more than resist these efforts. Instead we need to work across communities and organizations to build strong coalitions that will demand better from our representatives. We need to take into account the experiences of our marginalized communities. What kind of society do we want? One example of what we can do in New Jersey is our improved bail system, reducing the jail population by ending imprisonment for those unable to pay cash bail. That is huge step towards a fairer and more just state. Most agree we dont want a society that rips children from the arms of their parents as they try to immigrate to the United States. Can we envision an immigration policy for the future that takes into account historical inequalities and restorative justice? Most Americans have grown comfortable with gay marriage, but can we imagine a society that does not discriminate against anyone in the workplace or the courtroom? Many of us are likely to agree that we dont want our public education system dismantled, but what would a truly well-funded public school system look like where local property taxes were not the driver of school budgets and all children would have access to the high quality schools? We cannot solve all of these problems at once, but we can start educating and empowering New Jersey residents. Some strategies that STAND CNJ has used to empower our neighbors: Teach-ins, open to the public, called NJ Politics 101, with a panel of experts including Ingrid Reed of Rutgers' Eagleton Institute of Politics and advocates, including Dena Mottola Jaborska of NJ Citizen Action to help new activists understand New Jerseys political structures; Strategy meetings: Last February we hosted Organizing for the Midterms, which brought together leaders and volunteers from a range of Central Jersey grassroots groups -- such as Liz Glynn from NJ7 Forward and Analilia Mejia of the New Jersey Working Families Alliance -- to collaborate on strategies for Get Out the Vote efforts leading up to the 2018 midterms. Educational panels: We organized public sessions on a range of topics, including Voting Rights and Womens Reproductive Health. The panels included state policymakers, representatives from major advocacy organizations such as the ACLU and Planned Parenthood, and grassroots advocates. How did I learn about New Jersey politics and voting rights? I did not know much at all about state and local politics when I started volunteering with STAND CNJ. Along with my fellow volunteers, I learned by asking questions and listening to the experts who came to our events. I became knowledgeable by volunteering and participating. STAND CNJ has big plans for 2019: we are developing a New Jersey Activists' Toolkit, containing information, ideas, and guidance for voters and activists. As with all of our initiatives, this will be a collaborative project with a range of partners. I have found the last two years to be frightening (are we really deporting refugees from the Vietnam War?) and also exhilarating. Like the other volunteer leaders in STAND CNJ, I have a full-time job and a family also making demands on my time. As an all-volunteer organization, STAND CNJ gets its work done through the committed efforts of STAND CNJ's leaders and members, and collaboration with other groups. I have had the chance to meet and collaborate with amazing people across the state, like the smart and passionate activists from South Jersey Women for Progressive Change and the Women's March on New Jersey. So I dont want to stop resisting. And I dont want to get my life back. I want to continue practicing democracy: to build a more just and fair society where all people who live on our shores, regardless of race, immigration status, sex, or gender identity, can enjoy freedom and equality. Karen Haskin, of Lawrenceville, is president of STAND Central NJ. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Heres a question for the Congressional Democrats: If physical barriers dont work, then why did the emperor Hadrian bother to build one across the island of Britain back in the 2nd Century? (Not to mention the Great Wall of China, which is twice as long as our southern border.) Actually, they do work. We have that on the authority of none other than Chuck Schumer. In 2009, the senior senator from New York attended a conference on immigration at Georgetown University. During that conference he boasted about the progress that Congress had made on immigration. "Between 2005 and 2009, a vast amount of progress has been made on our borders and ports of entry," the New York Senator told the conference. Part of that progress was construction of 630 miles of border fence that create a significant barrier to illegal immigration on our southern land border. Videos of that speech are now circulating in conservative circles, with much of the attention devoted to Schumers assertion that Any immigration solution must recognize that we must do as much as we can to gain operational control of our borders as soon as possible. But the real news lies in the seven principles for immigration reform that Schumer advanced. When you boil them down, Schumer doesnt sound like he has all that much of a dispute with his fellow New Yorker in the White House. Trump has said repeatedly that he doesnt want to ban immigration but just wants to make sure all immigrants are here legally. So did Schumer. The American people are fundamentally pro-legal immigration and anti-illegal immigration, he said in that speech. Trumps not even opposed to Schumer on another key point, a path to citizenship for some of those already here. Thats gotten him labeled Amnesty Don by right-leaning Breitbart News. But there was one aspect of Schumers speech that really shows how close together the two sides are on the issue. That came when Schumer proposed a biometric-based employer identification system. That proposal is a staple at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington. The big-money corporate interests who fund the conference make a push for such a system every year. They would like nothing more than a simplified system for importing workers whenever theyre needed. Those corporate types invest heavily in both parties. If you doubt that, read the Politico piece from 2009 in which the reader learns that Schumers $1.65 million take from the financial services industry is nearly twice that of any other senators and more than five times what the industry gave to any single Republican senator. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also collects a lot of Wall Street campaign cash. So theres plenty of room for compromise on a plan that includes a border barrier as well as other reforms. Schumer has since cut down on his Wall Street contributions. And in the last 10 years he has also changed his mind about a border barrier. Democrats believe a border wall is an obtuse public policy, he said on the Senate floor Friday. Thats a good sound bite. But the reality is that the $5 billion Trump requests would build only 215 miles of wall or fence if you prefer most of it in heavily trafficked areas such as the San Diego sector and El Centro sectors in California. Theres a lot of empty desert where a wall need not be a priority, says Steve Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington. But theres still a problem in those sections of border near population centers. The best research is that total number of people successfully crossing illegally is somewhere around 200,000 per year, Camarota told me. If you dont intercept those EWIs Border Patrol jargon for Entrance Without Inspection - at the border, then you need some system for catching them within the country. But a significant number of Democrats, including newly minted U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, want to see ICE dismantled. Schumers proposal a decade ago for all immigrants to have some sort of biometric-based ID card makes a lot more sense. Of course, Schumer would first have to compromise with the guy who said this: We let people cross the borders, millions, who take jobs away from workers. Or in other words, hed have to compromise with himself. Thats not rabble-rouser Trump. Thats Schumer back when he was proposing that seven-point program for immigration reform. Now that the Democrats control the House, its up to them to come up with a comprehensive immigration plan. Back in 2009, a wise man told them how. Now lets see if they listen. ADD: The fence described by Schumer is the same one that is the subject of this documentary now showing on HBO. The makers of The Fence are highly critical of the project. But as you can see from the trailer cited above, they inadvertently reveal that the fence doesnt go far enough. There are spots where a 10-foot fence just ends in the middle of nowhere. All an immigrant has to do is walk around it. Trumps plan would fill a lot of those gaps. It would be nice to have a barrier-free southern border, but its not realistic. Our Mexican border is the sole border on the planet that connects a string of undeveloped countries with the leading economy on Earth. The alternative to a fence would be extremely intense interior enforcement consisting of frequent document checks at barriers along the highways. Guess which country does that? Yup. Mexico. Ive driven the length of the West Coast three times and every time I went through at least 10 document checks and searches, all by soldiers carrying rifles. Wise travelers made a point of stocking a pile of old Playboy magazines. When the soldiers got to them, Id tell them to take one. Theyd smile and stop the search. So if you dont want a fence, consider the alternative. ALSO: So much for the idea that immigrants to America dont engage in terrorism. Read this piece about two Americans who were apparently immigrants captured as members of ISIS in Syria. For years, my pastoral associate, Angela Maffei, has brought homemade pickle jars and jams made by the little Lutheran ladies from Secaucus to our rectory. And they are delicious. I thought it was time I visited their annual Christmas Bazaar this past December; there, I could see the secret ingredient to their goodies: love. Yes, they love St. Matthew Evangelical Lutheran Church and donate time and resources toward the bazaar, one of the major fundraisers for the active parish. They expected to raise about $2,000 that day, according to Teresa Santos, the new president of the Ladies Aid Society, which sponsors the day-long sale and Christmas dinner in the evening. The church hall was filled with all kinds of gifts for purchase, great prizes and a tricky tray of items for raffle. But the most tempting displays were the candies, cookies, pickles, jams and other baked goods. The prices are reasonable and most of the women have been a part of this event for decades. Florence Tarantino, who was born in Secaucus, even remembers the original church, where she married on Oct. 22, 1960. Two days later, it was demolished and parishioners worshiped in the church hall, where the bazaar was held this year, until the new church opened. The church is close knit and a family thing, said the 79-year-old, who remembers a much more crowded church. Today, there are about 150 registered families at St. Matthews, said Pastor Nancy Ruckert, 64, who has led the church for the past 11 years. About 25 attend each of the two Sunday services. Her biggest challenge, she said, is society, that is, there is so much going on with families that she has to adjust to their schedules to bring people in. Confirmation classes, for example, are held on Sunday afternoons. There are 35 children in Sunday school, which is held between the Sunday services. I love the diversity of the congregation, Ruckert, a west Pennsylvania native, said, adding that its about 50 percent Caucasian, which was evident of the men and women at the bazaar. She is especially proud of their thriving nursery school and loves to visit the children each day. She loves when the children greet her so joyfully. The parish can only afford to pay Ruckert part-time but she admits she practically works full-time. The bazaar is one of four annual events that raise most of the funds the church needs. The others are a St. Patricks dinner in March, a strawberry festival in June, and a celebration of Martin Luther in October. It has no endowment and just about makes ends meet. But that makes everyone work harder to sustain their close-knit congregation. And that has inspired Carol Link to make 50 pounds of butter cookies for the church every year since 1969, about 25 pounds of which wind up at the bazaar and sell out quickly. So I bought my tin for $7. I also learned a baking tip: Putting a slice of white bread in the tin keeps the cookies fresh for three days. Happily I never had to replace that slice of bread. The Rev. Alexander Santora is the pastor of Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph, 400 Willow Ave., Hoboken, 07030, FAX: 201-659-5833; Email: padrealex@yahoo.com; Twitter: @padrehoboken. Details ... St. Matthew Evangelical Lutheran Church is located at 800 Roosevelt Ave., Secaucus, NJ 07094. Sunday services are at 8 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday school is at 9:15 a.m. For information, call 201-865-4185. A raging house fire that killed two residents in East Hanover is not considered suspicious, officials said Saturday. Robert Dundermen, 78, and Cynthia Dundermen, 75, were found dead as emergency crews battled the flames at their Kimble Place home Friday night, according to authorities. Both deaths were ruled as accidental by the county medical examiners office, the Morris County Prosecutors Office said in a statement. The blaze originated in the living room of the single-family residence before spreading in the structure. Police officers arrived around 7:45 p.m. to find enormous flames shooting from the home, East Hanover Police Chief Christopher F. Cannizzo told reporters at the scene Friday. An officer kicked in the door but was thrown back about five feet. #EXCLUSIVE @EHPoliceDept Chief gives new details on Friday nights fatal fire at home on 12 Kimble Place in @easthanover_nj . Says the two found dead inside are believed to be the homeowners @CBSNewYork pic.twitter.com/qVywZjgarr Lisa Rozner (@LisaRoznerTV) January 5, 2019 Neighborhood resident Lawrence Conforti told the Daily Record he saw flames about 10 feet over the roof of the house. Authorities do not suspect foul play in the fatal inferno. The county prosecutors office, which investigates deadly fires, did not immediately disclose an exact cause of the blaze. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Its Thursday of the recent holiday-shortened week. It can be a lame-duck few days in many professions, the weekdays between Christmas and New Years, especially in politics and government. But Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora is at work in City Hall. His lunch, a gyro, sits in a takeout container on his desk, waiting for him when hes done speaking with this reporter. The piles of papers on his desk looks like the product of years on the job, not half of one. For an hour, in a nearby conference room, he talks about those first six months, and what he sees for Trenton in 2019. His tie is down. His new communications director, Santiago Melli-Huber, sits in. I like showing up, he says about working the short week. Its a conversation that is not dominated about having to pull the plug on his police director nominee, a stinging political loss that generated headlines for days. And it does not dwell on topics that continue to dog the city, and get attention in online chat groups, like the beleaguered Trenton Water Works, or crime and how the police interact with residents. Gusciora does bring up the water utility, though. Clean water is important. And hes working hard on it, hiring engineers and leaders hes confident will lessen the utilitys ongoing violations from the state, he insists. He does not even talk crime statistics, per se, a topic that at times can dominate residents concerns. But public safety also comes up. Again, he knows its important, especially with his next pick for police director. (Resumes are stacking up, he said.) Mainly, though, the mayor talks money. Big chunks too. Like, $13 million the citys applied for from the state, reaped from the 2016 gas tax bill. Camden has since received $24 million in aid from that tax. Trenton? Zero. The prior administration did not apply Gusciora has. We had to have shovel-ready projects, and weve submitted them, he said. And $6 million in federal Community Development Block Grant money his administration is working to regain after years of mismanagement, also by prior administrations. Its been an issue since 2011, and in 2017, the federal government reduced or froze millions headed to Trenton, citing the citys continual, sloppy record keeping. And the city put up no resistance, Gusciora says. Gusciora said four days after his swearing-in, his staffers started to untangle it. Its a big mess, he said. Those millions are not yet in the citys bank account yet, but the mayor discussed them in detail. He knew them intricately, and hardly looked at a sheet of notes before him. Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora outside his City Hall offices on Dec. 27, 2018. There were others: he says the citys recreation budget was a meager $300,000 when he took over, and his staff has secured $3 million in grants; the citys been awarded an innovative challenge grant for a brick-and-mortar education hub at Mercer County Community Colleges downtown campus the five colleges in Mercer County will participate. He also talked development, marketing the Chambersburgs neighborhood, and many other issues, from paving roads to some other new hires. He laid them out in an end-of-the-year letter to residents you can read here. Its not throwing money at the issues that vex the city, Gusciora says. Weve now got a full staff, and were starting to lay the groundwork for Trentons future and ensuring that Trenton get the recognition, and the money it deserves, he said a few days later. At times, Gusciora sounded like his predecessor, Eric Jackson, talking about getting more state transitional aid, shedding state Department of Community Affairs oversight, and luring more developers to the city, and repairing a broken municipal operation all standard moves. When pressed, he said, We want to move the ball forward, and bring back a confidence in Trenton. Were trying to change appearances, and change the city, he said. Gusciora said he loves showing up to work because after two decades as a state legislator, an office where he did not always see his work done his bills either dying in committee or on the governors desk hes been able to feel real change of the mayors office. Every day brings a new issue, challenge, or problem, but the chance to, as he put it, to do stuff. Here, the buck stops here you can get more results, he said. He knows some are waiting to pounce. Comes with the job. I am not going to please the critics, I just have to keep moving forward. Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook. EDITORS NOTE: Interested in the marijuana business industry? NJ Cannabis Insider is a new premium intelligence briefing that features exclusive weekly content geared toward entrepreneurs, lawyers and realtors. View a sample issue. Last year was big for cannabis in New Jersey, though not nearly as big as it could have been. The state saw a substantial increase in the size of the medical marijuana program, both in terms of patients and potentially the number of dispensaries. But New Jersey still missed out on recreational marijuana, when this time last year legalization seemed a real possibility. The next several weeks will be revelatory for the future of legal weed in the state. If lawmakers can sit down and hash out the finer details of legalization, its possible that Gov. Phil Murphy could sign a bill by February. But if the chasm between the governor and legislative leaders on marijuana keeps growing and the yes votes dont materialize, lawmakers could go deep into the year without legalizing weed. So where does New Jersey now stand on legal weed? There was a lot of debate From the time Murphy took office in January of 2018, the state seemed on the cusp on legalization. The governor had promised it in his campaign, his election gave Democrats control of all branches of state government, and state Sen. Nicholas Scutari, D-Union, introduced a bill early last year to legalize the possession and personal use of marijuana, as well as create a regulated market. As lawmakers and lobbyists took interest, different visions of legal weed began to emerge. Was it about social justice? Was it a cash cow? How quickly could it get done? Then came the delays. The budget got in the way in June and lawmakers didnt seriously return to legalization until the fall. They did make some progress By late November there was enough agreement on legal weed for the Scutari bill heavily amended throughout the year to pass legislative committees in both the state Senate and the Assembly. All it needed then was approval in the full chambers of the state Legislature and a signature from the governor. But there were still a couple of hang-ups. The governor and legislative leaders couldnt agree on how much tax to charge or on how to regulate the market, so the bill was never heard in the full legislature last year. So, thats where lawmakers pick up on legal weed in 2019. Whats the biggest issue? Its no secret one of the largest sticking points in the negotiations over the marijuana legalization bill is who controls the potentially multi-billion-dollar market. Murphy thinks it should be run by state government. State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, want to turn it over to a five-member independent commission they and the governor approve. The bill that passed the Senate and Assembly committees creates the Cannabis Regulatory Commission, which would control every aspect of the cannabis market from the medical program run by the Department of Health, to the licensing of providers and enforcement of rules. The latest version of the bill isnt acceptable to the administration, said a source inside the Murphy administration, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Despite the governors office shooting down the latest iteration of the commission, Scutari wrote an op-ed on NJ.com on Wednesday in favor of the five-person body, comparing it to the casino commission introduced in the state decades ago. Much like the casino industry of the 1970s, the new marijuana industry must be given unique and detailed attention, Scutari wrote. To promote public trust, private investment and market stability, we need to create a system of accountability, adaptability and full transparency." Where does it go from here? Legislative leaders are set to meet with Murphy on Thursday to discuss legal weed and other issues. If they can reach a compromise, its possible that the legislature could take up legalization by the end of the month. But compromise remains a big if. That has led some lobbyists and lawmakers to wonder if the state will be able to legalize marijuana through the legislature. Vermont is the only other state to do it that way, and lawmakers there didnt create a commercial market. More than a few people close to the legalization discussions have said they see a ballot question as an alternative, should legislation fail. Its still far too early to consider that as a likelihood, but heres a quick reminder about ballot questions in New Jersey: Unlike other states, where questions can be put on a ballot with a grassroots effort that yields a certain number of signatures, the New Jersey Legislature must vote to put a question on a ballot, which would be asking voters to approve a constitutional amendment. To get a question in front of voters this year, a 60 percent supermajority in the Legislature would have to approve it. If it passes with only a simple majority, the question couldnt make the ballot until 2020, assuming it was approved again next year. The concern for marijuana advocates is that if legalization is done by ballot question in New Jersey, it likely undoes much of the work done on the bill in 2018. If legalization is approved by New Jersey voters, legislators are required to make it law, with or without many of the provisions debated so far. Again, a ballot question is not the most likely scenario, but the farther we go in 2019 without action from the Legislature, the more traction a ballot question could get. In his op-ed, Scutari repeated his call for the Legislature to take its time on legal weed. Legalization of marijuana is just around the corner, Scutari wrote in his op-ed on NJ.com. The impact of legalization will be felt in all corners of the state and it is up to us to ensure the maximum possible benefit for the public. Legalization is coming, but it must be done right. Are you interested in the N.J. cannabis industry? Subscribe here for exclusive insider information from NJ Cannabis Insider. Payton Guion may be reached at PGuion@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaytonGuion. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. JERSEY CITY The owner of a brand new white Chevy Tahoe found all four of his tires stolen with the SUV propped up on cinder blocks in front of Riverview Fisk Park on Sunday. I parked it (Saturday) night, I walked my dog at 9:30 p.m. Everything was fine, the Palisade Avenue resident, who declined to be named, said. I came back this morning at 7:30 a.m. to walk the dog, and my tires are gone. I just got the car two weeks ago! he added. This is the second time in less than a month that tires have been stripped from an SUV on Ogden Avenue just a block from where Mayor Steve Fulop lives. In early December, an SUV sat on cinder blocks in the park for two days. It also had a plastic bag taped over a window that had been broken. A spokeswoman for the city and police department did not respond to an email and phone message seeking comment. Posted Friday, January 4, 2019 7:23 pm A Centralia woman who pleaded guilty last year to altering checks and wrongfully taking money from a man she cared for, now faces disciplinary action from the Washington State Department of Health. Cynthia Xiomara Essert, who is also listed in court documents as going by the name Cynthia Skogen, 46, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted forgery and a single count of third-degree theft all gross misdemeanors in October 2018, and was subsequently handed a sentence of 364 days, with 334 days suspended. Following the conviction, the Department of Health released a press release, saying the Nursing Assistant Program has charged Essert with unprofessional conduct. State law describes unprofessional conduct as: any act involving moral turpitude, dishonesty, or corruption relating to the practice of the persons profession. Essert has been a certified nursing assistant since 2003. The charge filed against her by the Nursing Assistant Program is separate from the criminal charges filed in Lewis County Superior Court. The latest charge regards the legality of her nursing license. State law also says that upon conviction of a crime the judgment and sentence is conclusive evidence at the ensuing disciplinary hearing of the guilt of the license holder of the crime described in the indictment or information, and the persons violation of the statute on which it is based. A statement of charges filed with the state DOH on Dec. 14, 2018, indicates Essert is given the option to defend herself against the charge, and faces disciplinary action if she fails to do so. According to court documents filed in Lewis County Superior Court, in May 2018, a Chehalis man and his daughter told Lewis County deputies that Essert, who was employed as the victims caretaker, had altered checks and taken money. The victim would give Essert checks to purchase groceries and on two occasions, she made the checks payable to herself the total loss of those two checks to the tune of $650. On other occasions, the victim gave Essert checks for her to cash out, with the intention of using the cash for purchases. Essert altered numbers on the checks to up the total cash received. Other checks were forged as well, making the total amount of money that Essert wrongfully took to be $1,550, according to court documents court documents. Documents also state Essert took an Alford plea, meaning she pleaded guilty though maintained her innocence, admitting that evidence would likely result in a conviction. Though initially charged with three felonies, she was sentenced to three gross misdemeanors. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) Parking in restricted areas and obstructing the road will cost erring motorists more starting Monday, January 7. After being halted, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is implementing higher fines for illegal parking. The fine for attended vehicles that are illegally parked will be raised from 200 to 1,000, while illegal parking for unattended vehicles will be up from 500 to 2,000. Public utility buses who violate the "yellow lane rule" on EDSA by leaving their designated lane will be fined 1,000 from 500. Meanwhile, motorists who obstruct roads will now be asked to pay 1,000 from 150. The agency was set to impose the new policy in December, but postponed it because of the holidays and adjustments in the ticketing system. MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago earlier said they have to prepare the tickets with the new rates first, as well as to arrange the payment centers. Although the MMDA already published the new rates of fines in November 2018, Pialago said the MMDA also saw the need to further inform the motorists about the new rates. "Talagang mas mataas ho ngayon, kaya kailangan ang information dissemination sa mga kababayan natin 100% completed and complied," she said. [Translation: The fines are really higher now that's why information dissemination is really important.] JERSEY CITY Some may have already taken down their Christmas trees and decorations, but for others the holiday season isnt over just yet. PACO the Puertorriquenos Asociados for Community Organization hosted its annual Three Kings celebration at St. Marys Church this afternoon. The three-hour event featured gifts for children, music and even a petting zoo. Three Kings Day, or El Dia de los Reyes in Spanish, is on Jan. 6 and wraps up the holiday season for Christians. It celebrates the gospel account of the three kings visiting baby Jesus and is especially celebrated in Latin America. Todays celebration stayed true to tradition as it held a reenactment of the three kings visit as well as providing traditional dishes. A petting zoo was also set up in the back of the church with a handful of goats that children were able to feed and pet. PACO, which works to provide affordable housing to low-and-moderate income families, also had a raffle with various prizes to end the holiday season. Click on the gallery above for a look at the event. JERSEY CITY The New Jersey Business & Industry Association and the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce have joined a lawsuit challenging the citys new payroll tax. The lawsuit, originally filed in December by real-estate developer Mack-Cali and some of its subsidiaries, targets a tax adopted by the City Council to help fund the school district. The tax amounts to 1 percent on a local business' total payroll, with the wages of Jersey City residents exempt. The tax went into effect on Jan. 1, but the city won't collect any revenue until April. "Hundreds of Jersey City businesses are members of NJBIA and will be burdened with yet another tax, so we are going to do everything we can to stop it," NJBIA President and CEO Michele Siekerka said. Hudson County Chamber of Commerce President Maria L. Nieves called the tax "shortsighted public policy" and added that the organization is joining the lawsuit "because it is the best means for us to continue advocating for the local business community and our nearly 700 members, the majority of which are located in Jersey City." "The payroll tax will stop the inflow of new jobs to Jersey City and cause current businesses to flee to places like Hoboken and New York City," she said. Other plaintiffs include two labor unions, as well as a city-created Exchange Place special improvement district. They are being represented by Weiner Law Group. City spokeswoman Ashley Manz did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but said previously that Jersey City "has acted properly with the tools provided by the state of New Jersey to protect our schools and we intend to fight on behalf of the schools." The payroll tax is seen by city officials as a way to offset funding cuts to Jersey Citys school district -- a result of changes made to state school funding that will lead to the elimination of a type of aid that would have brought the district $175 million this year. The cuts are expected to come gradually over the next seven years. Newark was the only other municipality in the state to adopt such legislation, but state lawmakers this summer approved legislation allowing Jersey City to collect one as well. Plaintiffs in their suit argue the tax is unlawful, represents unfair taxation, and that the ordinance adopted by the council has "overreaching provisions" and that the citys "booming" economy shows it does not need to collect an extra tax to fund schools. With the inclusion of organizations such as the NJBIA and Hudson County Chamber of Commerce, the business community is stating clearly that a tax on workers of small and large business that will do irreparable harm to the State of New Jersey, said Michael DeMarco, CEO of Mack-Cali. Safyre Maxwell has avoided passing a house on Brinkerhoff Street since Oct. 26. That night, her friend, Jade Saunders, 17, was gunned down while hanging out in the Jersey City buildings vestibule with friends. Its on purpose, she said of avoiding the area that would sharpen her grief. Saunders, a Lincoln High School senior, hoped to become a hairstylist after graduation. Instead, she is one of 22 homicide victims in Hudson County in 2018. The number represents a continued decline in the homicide rate over the past several years there were 25 killings in the county in 2017 but the impact of death has not waned. Maxwell said Saunders death weighed on her this Christmas but with my family and friends, we sort of got through it. She said she was devastated when her mother called to tell her Saunders was dead. Two Jersey City men have been charged with murdering Saunders in a hail of bullets in which three others were wounded. Saunders friends said she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maxwell said she doesnt know the men charged. Sadly, Saunders was just one of four Jersey City high school students whose lives were tragically cut short by gun violence in 2018. Angel Cruz, 18, a Lincoln High School student, was fatally shot on Wade Street on Jan. 29, 2018. Kahsaun Bell, 19, of Roselle, has been charged in the murder. He awaits trial. Jaydon Fondeur, 17, a Ferris High School student, was hanging out with friends at Old Bergen Road and Pamrapo Avenue on Sept. 19, 2018 when he was fatally shot. No arrests have been made. Judane Holmes, 16, a Snyder High School student, was shot by a masked man as he stepped away from the counter of a fried chicken restaurant on Martin Luther King Drive on Dec. 26. The case remains under investigation. Maryann Dickar, spokeswoman for the Jersey City school district, said Every time we lose a student, the whole Jersey City public school community feels the loss. When we lose a student to violence, we all feel more vulnerable, too. When a student is killed, the district provides counseling for staff members and students. Dickar said it can be hard to find the words to calm and soothe students. Whatever words we speak, our message is to let our students know how much each of them matters and how precious each one of them is, Dickar said. Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez, whose office investigates homicides in the county, declined to comment for this story. In 2018, there were 17 homicides in Jersey City, two in Union City and one each in Guttenberg, West New York and Harrison. In 2017 there were 20 homicides in Jersey City, two in Union City, and one each in Kearny, Hoboken and Guttenberg. Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said he is proud to see the continued decline in homicides in the city over recent years. The results are a direct result of us growing the police department from 769 to nearly 950 officers, providing more tools and technology, while at the same time adding more social service and recreation programs, the mayor said. Pamela Johnson, executive director of the Jersey City Anti-violence Coalition Movement, said sometimes statistics go up or down without any profound reason for the change. But Johnson said she does think that the Jersey City Police Department and its new leadership, the city and organizations on the ground, may be helping youths avoid the kind of lives that can lead to street violence and homicides. With help, some people may try to get out of gangs for instance, Johnson said. We are working together to make sure we have more kids getting out of the criminal justice system, staying in school and having happy lives. Five of the killings in 2018 have not yet resulted in arrests. Sheila Lee, of Atlanta, knows what its like to see the death of a loved one go unpunished. Her daughter, Janaya Lee, 25, was killed in a triple homicide in Jersey City in 2017. The case remains under investigation. Lee, Ishear Bailey, 26, and Quadel Chisolm, 31, were killed in what some have said was a robbery gone bad in a Fulton Avenue residence on Jan 18, 2017. Lee was the mother of a 7-year-old boy and was expecting her second child with Bailey. I still feel a whole lot of pain, Lee said, who is raising her daughters son. Im not eating right. My weight is going up and down. Its a mothers worst nightmare. My daughter was a working child. She was never a street kind of person in her life. Lee said it feels horrible that no arrest has been made and asked investigators to please handle this case as though it just occurred No one should be walking around here that has three bodies. She said she wished investigators would keep in touch with her. Homicides in 2018 included that of 23-month-old Brice Sparrow on Van Wagenen Avenue in Jersey City on July 17. His babysitter, Andrew Howard-French, 28, has been charged with beating Sparrow to death. He awaits trial. Also killed in 2018 was Lydiah Okongo, 40, who was shot multiple times in her Mina Drive home in Jersey City on March 5. Authorities say her husband Henry Okongo, 51, killed her before fatally shooting himself. One 2018 homicide has already resulted in a conviction. Tavon Rush, 35, pleaded guilty to the June 26 manslaughter of his cousin, Darrell Rush, 31, who was shot in the head on Martin Luther King Drive and Bidwell Avenue. He was sentenced to seven years in prison. Two women were hospitalized in critical condition Sunday morning after they were hit by a vehicle that then fled the scene, Newark police said. It happened around 2 a.m. on Verona Avenue and Broadway in Newark. Responding officers found the two women seriously injured and they were taken to an area hospital. The driver fled east on Verona Avenue toward Route 21, police said in a statement. The Newark Police Department is searching for a driver accused of hitting two female pedestrians early this morning before driving off. Theyre both in critical condition. Heres the latest on CBS New York and what the scene looked like overnight: Posted by Marc Liverman on Sunday, January 6, 2019 Authorities did not provide more information on the vehicles make and model. Police referred reporters to the Essex County Prosecutors Office for more information. A call there was not immediately returned Sunday morning. Anyone with information about the crash should call the Newark Police Departments 24-hour Crime Stopper tip line at 1-877-695-8477 or 1-877-695-4867. Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JBrandt_NJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips A Jersey City man was stabbed Saturday morning, but he was the one arrested at the hospital after receiving treatment for his wounds. Elias Guarcas, 31, was stabbed around 3 a.m. Saturday in Cliffside Park, borough spokesman Bill Maer said. He said authorities believe the person who stabbed Guarcas was acting in self-defense. The statement from the borough did not reveal any other details about the altercation or say if anyone else was charged. Guarcas was taken to Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck with minor wounds, Maer said in the statement. He was then discharged into police custody and arrested on weapons and theft charges. Guarcas was later released pending a court hearing. Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JBrandt_NJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. (AP) A raucous, nearly five-hour meeting, punctuated by a police response and multiple firings, started off the new year for a Borough Council that has been riven by political tensions for months. By the end of Thursday morning's meeting, the council had severed ties with the borough attorney and borough administrator, along with other professionals. Republican Mayor Mario Kranjac was repeatedly rebuffed as he tried to appoint people to borough jobs, for everything from attorney and administrator to posts in the Municipal Court and on the recreation board. Most were rejected by the council, which is now made up of five Democrats and just one Republican. The meeting got especially heated when, after the reappointment of Borough Attorney Anna Marie Rizzuto was rejected, Councilwoman Ellen Park moved to terminate Rizzuto's employment effective immediately. "The legal opinion you have given us in the past, whether correct or incorrect, has been completely biased," Park said. "I don't think you represent all of us. You've only represented a few." The vote to end Rizzuto's employment took more than 20 minutes to occur, because members of the public continued to speak out of turn. The uproar led Kranjac to press the emergency button under the dais to summon police. The scene was remarkable even for Englewood Cliffs, where clashes have erupted over issues including the naming of Borough Hall and stigma-free designations, and where lawsuits have been numerous. Multiple officers responded and wanted to know what the emergency was. Kranjac explained the situation, and Capt. Brian Murphy, who is facing disciplinary charges in the wake of the release of recordings made by Police Chief Michael Cioffi, told the mayor that the meeting was not an emergency. "My concern is my men coming in here for emergencies. That button is used for emergency purposes," Murphy said. "You have been told numerous times." Borough Administrator James Barberio's reappointment was also rejected. A resolution was passed to terminate him, effective immediately. Barberio pointed out that under his contract he gets paid for 90 days from the termination and would need to come back to clean out his office. "I've been a mayor and been a councilman," he said on his way out. "I know how this works." The council approved a new borough attorney, Albert Wunsch III, a fifth-generation Englewood Cliffs resident who has been practicing law in the area for 30 years. Among his clients are Palisades Park Councilman Henry Ruh, whose racist and sexist email chain letters were uncovered after a public records request by NorthJersey.com and the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey. Borough Clerk Lisette Duffy will serve as part-time administrator. Another point of contention was the proposed new bylaws for the borough presented by Park, Councilman Edward Aversa and Councilwoman Gloria Oh. They argued with Rizzuto and Kranjac about bringing the new bylaws forward during the organization as opposed to a regular meeting. Rizzuto also called the bylaws a clear "challenge of the mayor's authority." Ultimately a motion passed to present the bylaws as the first reading of an ordinance. New Councilman Jimmy Song abstained from the vote, while the rest of the Democrats voted yes. Councilman William Woo voted no. "I think it's an improper motion. We are changing the laws, the first document that governs our town, and we are doing that on a whim," he said. Before the annual organization meeting started, the council held a meeting to conclude business for the outgoing council, called a sine die. Kranjac spoke briefly about exiting council members Mark Park and Mary OShea, as well as Carrol McMorrow, who resigned in October. While Parks comments focused on the events and highlights of his time in office, OShea took the opportunity to bring up the surreptitiously recorded tapes made by Cioffi. "I have seen firsthand how Democratic councilpersons can put politics ahead of doing the right thing," she said. "They have tried to adopt incorrect minutes to ignore the wrongdoings of borough employees and Police Chief Cioffi." Recordings on which Cioffi can be heard insulting council members and saying he would "like to kill" McMorrow surfaced last year. Cioffi is on suspension and is scheduled to retire this month. State Assembly members Valerie Vainieri Huttle and Gordon Johnson were on hand to acknowledge the outgoing council members. During their turn at the microphone, Kranjac again brought up the tapes and asked them to condemn the behavior heard on them. Both demurred, saying they hadn't listened to them. "This is a reorganization meeting, so we are here to congratulate and thank the outgoing council members for their service," Huttle said. "I hope moving forward the tensions here will resolve themselves in an amicable way for the good of the people in Englewood Cliffs and for the interests of the residents." Johnson, who stayed to swear in Oh as council president, said, This is local government at work, and thats the way they do it, he said. They all have their own personalities and their own idiosyncrasies. Its no secret that there has been conflict here. David Lapp, 77, of the Town of Niagara, entered into eternal rest on December 13, 2020 at Niagara Hospice. Born in Niagara Falls, he was the son of Evelyn and John Lapp. Mr. Lapp was a CPA at his own firm in Niagara Falls. He had been Vice President of Finance for Sattler's Department Store 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. Contributed photo The Connecticut Food Bank presented its 2018 Commitment and Service Award to KeyBank Mail Assistant James Trimble, at a special celebration event held in KeyBanks New Haven Main branch Nov. 30. Trimble has served as a volunteer at the food bank since 2005; this year, he will complete over 50 personal volunteer hours at the nonprofit. In 2012 he was recognized by the food bank as a Volunteer Hunger Action Hero for his years of engagement with the food bank through volunteerism and food/fund drives. The following year, Trimble initiated the Super-Size Me food drive to help neighbors impacted by Super Storm Sandy. He has continued the effort annually for the past five years, raising more than $15,000 in cash donations and thousands of pounds of donated food for food-challenged neighbors in the community. From left are KeyBank Market President Jeff L. Hubbard; Connecticut Food Bank President and CEO, Bernie Beaudreau; Trimble; Trimbles manager Brenda Holman; and Connecticut Food Bank Corporate Development Manager Mia Freedenfeld. In the 13 years since John Cavaliere defied some of his friends warnings and bought a rundown antiques store on Whalley Avenue in the Westville neighborhood of New Haven, he has restored a historic theater there, taken up residence on a couch in the balcony and welcomed thousands of people into his home for eclectic performances. But now the place he transformed into a pleasure palace for himself and the public is for sale. Cavaliere, perhaps inevitably, cant afford to keep it all going. I never thought Id be selling the dream, he said. Ive worked so hard on this place. When you walk through it, you could easily imagine you have entered a small museum or grand old historic home. The furniture fixtures, almost all of them restored by Cavaliere, are mixed with fine paintings mounted on the walls. And then at the back of this you come upon the theater, replete with velvet curtains, an ornate white tin ceiling and a proscenium topping the small stage with gold laurel wreaths. This was originally the Westville Theater, also known as the West Rock Theater, showing silent films from 1913-16. For nearly a century, until Cavaliere brought it back to life, it had sat as silent as those old movies. I have been chronicling Cavalieres endeavors since January 2006, when he moved his Lyric Hall Antiques & Restoration across town from State Street to Westville. Like his friends and some business-minded people in New Haven, I wondered whether he could pull off such an amibitious project. But as he told me way back in 2006, When people say, You cant do it, I see red. I like a challenge. Cavaliere has devoted his life to that building ever since . This place has owned me since I was 41, he remarked when I visited him there last Wednesday afternoon. But the universe has told me its time to work on something new. Somebody else should take the torch. He is not sure what the something new will be and financial realities have forced him to pass that torch. As I reported four years ago, he started running into serious trouble at that time when the property was revaluated and his taxes doubled to about $8,000. But his network of friends and supporters helped him keep the doors open. The killer blow came recently when New Haven Health Department inspector Roslyn Hamilton informed him Connecticut has adopted the national FDA Food Code, requiring businesses serving food to abide by stricter regulations. These new rules would force Cavaliere to spend at least $60,000 to modernize his kitchen. (His current warming kitchen has a 1936 refigerator and a 1928 oven.) When he got this news, Cavaliere at first thought it was the push I needed. I was really excited. I hired a kitchen designer and an architect. Then one morning I woke up and said: Im about to own a restaurant! How can I possibly deliver my welcoming hospitality and do right in the gustatory sense? For Cavaliere, Lyric Hall is all about hospitality. When people walk in the door, they feel at home; they want to come back. When you make people feel welcome, in a warm, cozy setting, things happen. These high standards were what made Cavaliere decide not to go through with the restaurant. If I was going to serve food, I wanted it to be the very best food. My neighbors have dubbed me The Accidental Impresario. But The Accidental Restaurateur? No, thank you. If Im frayed and frazzled, I couldnt do a good job. This place has been successful because of the simplicity of it. In addition to his passion and drive, Cavaliere attributes his successful run to my many friends and neighbors who have encouraged me. I could never have done this alone. Meg Friedman, who moved to Westville in spring 2017 with her husband, reacalled the day she discovered Lyric Hall. We had just closed on our house, two blocks away. We went for a walk and came in there; I said, Oh my gosh! Here is this beautiful theater two blocks from where were going to live! A year later, she told her aunt, the filmmaker Hansi Oppenheimer, Theres a delightful theater near me which would be a good venue for your work. And so last December, Oppenheimers fangirl films were screened there, accompanied by karaoke singing and panel discussions. Asked her reaction to Lyric Hall being put on the market, Friedman said, I wish I had a half a million dollars lying around. (The asking price is $550,000.) As a neighbor and a fan of having this lively, unique asset, I hope the next owner and operator is as thoughtful and enthusiastic as John. New Haven has so many unique performing arts organizations. Itd be a shame if some combination of them didnt take over the space. Cavaliere is thinking along the same lines as he envisions the next owner. Im telling my friends: Listen, this could be the best thing to happen here if we attract the right buyer with the vision and resources. Connecticut is such a rich place; why cant a person with that vision come forward? How about a nonprofit or a foundation? When Cavaliere and I walked around the intimate theater, which has 60 seats, he reminisced about the varied acts performed on that stage. We went from chamber music to jazz, poetry, hip-hop, burlesque, cabaret, circus and drag shows. I told him I was there the night he screened a 1927 silent film called The Unknown, about a circus performer known as The Armless Wonder, played by Lon Chaney. Joan Crawford was his co-star. There was a live musical accompaniment. And the shows go on: a Wizard Rock show is booked for Jan. 11, featuring Harry Potter-inspired music by Draco and the Malfoys, Ludo Bagman and the Trash as well as Ashley Trix and the WZRDS. Its tied into the release of a new album by wizard rocker Ashley Hamel. Cavaliere agreed to take me up to the balcony and show me where he lives, Hes got a couch up there and a portable heater. I live a kind of ascetic existence but I love it. I get to read at all hours! Its my home theater, he said, looking at the chandelier and lit stage. Cavaliere has plenty of stories about what has gone on at his theater. Perhaps the best one is what happened the night of May 6, 2012, when the actress Celeste Holm came to Lyric Hall for a screening of the documentary Broads, about tough and venerable Hollywood women. She was celebrating her 95th birthday and came here in a wheelchair, Cavaliere said. But she was still glamorous, warm and lovely. She went into our bathroom, locked herself in and became very disoriented. She couldnt get out and was calling for help. I didnt have a key, so we tried to pry the door open. We told her, Celeste, just turn the lock. She was still stuck, so I took off my blazer and I gently cracked open the side window. She looked kind of terrified. I said, Celeste, Im here to rescue you. I have friends who, to this day, cant believe they hung out here with Celeste Holm. What will Cavaliere do with the rest of his life when Lyric Hall is sold? Where will he live? He smiled and said, Im reveling in all the options. My life has been regimented for so long. Now I feel like Im going AWOL and I really like it. He looked around. This entire place is a set piece and Ive set the stage. Its time for other people to be on that stage. Contact Randall Beach at 203-680-9345 or randall.beach@hearstmediact.com. Where do I began? A 12-year-old Bridgeport boy is dead, another urban black kid whose life was ended when a bullet tore through his chest and stole his future. Police said he was an innocent bystander who was simply standing outside his home; the target of the drive-by shooting had been his older cousin who also was standing outside the house. So, once again, the trajectory of a bullet has ended an innocent childs future with headlines, lit candles and wails of grief. I could curse and rant my way through this column about the unfairness of his life being cut short, but it will not make a bit of difference. Another mother is distraught, more brothers are grieving, and friends will never get a chance to say goodbye. And so it continues. More bullets. More deaths. More funerals. More press conferences. More arrests. More soundbites. The boys name was Clinton Howell; he was a charter-school student in the seventh-grade and teachers described him as bright and a joy to be around. He would have turned that magical age of 13 this month not that it really matters to anyone, except his family. As I have written before about other young black boys and men whose lives end on the concrete of urban streets, eventually the tranquillizer called time will settle in and only Clintons family will remember his face and his name. And like so many other black children who are victims of black-on-black crime, there will be no serious outrage from the black community for him. There will be no stampede of black parents in the streets demanding that something be done to protect their children. Al Sharpton wont come calling and leaders from blacklivesmatter wont stomp into the city. After all, Clinton wasnt shot by a cop. Had a cop shot him, hell would follow the fury in the headline. But he was allegedly shot by what has become a far more deadlier force for black men other black men. An 18-year-old illegal immigrant from Jamaica, Tajay Chambers, has been arrested for allegedly pulling the trigger in the drive-by shooting while in a stolen car. There were three other occupants in the car 16, 14, and 12 year old juveniles. But since there is no one but other blacks to blame, there will be nothing but pockets of anger and muted indignation about this deadly contagion that has infected young minds and torn asunder victims families and segments of black neighborhoods. And at least one of my readers who happens to be a police officer wants to know why. As he wrote in an email to me, if this kid was white, and killed a couple of miles away in Trumbull or Fairfield, the National Guard would be called out. If a police officer had shot the kid, every cable news outlet in the country would cover it 24/7! But black on black genocide is just expected behavior. He concluded his letter with THAT IS RACISM!! I am not so sure I disagree. Since 2001, more than 90 percent of black men killed were killed by other black men, according to the FBI. I am not confused here. I know that white men kill white men, black men kill black men, Hispanic men kill Hispanic men and so on. That is just the way it works. But the ages of those involved in these senseless killings are becoming younger. And I dont get it. It is not as if black people are not concerned about this. It is the topic of conversation in barber shops and black churches and every black man and woman I talk to is concerned about this menace where ending a life is an instruction that has no calculation. I have written so many times about this topic in my Sunday column that the column at times reads like a Sunday sermon from the print pulpit. But the bullets just keep on flying. Clinton Howell is dead and the faint outcry over his death from community to politicians reminds me of the response to Tyrick Keyes, a 14-year-old boy with no gang affiliation but big dreams, who was shot and killed two years ago in New Haven. There were headlines, vigils, tears shed and a reward for his killer has been posted. A street sign now bears his name, which must be a comfort to his mother that he wont be forgotten. But a street sign cant talk back, it cant hug back and it cant give back. For Clinton Howell, instead of being remembered for what he brought to his family and friends and what he could have brought to the world, he will be remembered in the annals as Bridgeports 11th homicide of 2018. That is an unimaginable end for a young boy who greeted classmates and teachers each morning with a smile and either a high-five, handshake or side hug We must find a way to bullet-proof these young boys and men. Their bodies must stop becoming the final resting place for bullets naked of allegiance. We are all to blame for this mess with poor government leadership at the head of the line with failure to provide the key ingredients for success: real jobs, safe housing and better opportunities but it is the black community that must lead the way out. Because if we dont, parents beware, we can only expect more bullets, more deaths, more funerals, more press conferences, more arrests and more soundbites ... ... and many more Clintons and Tyricks. Targets? The bullets just keep on flying. James Walker is the Registers senior editor. He can be reached at 203-680-9389 or james.walker@hearstmediact.com. Follow him on Twitter @thelieonroars Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology. Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels. A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements. RIDGEFIELD A three-lot subdivision on three acres of land at 28 Great Hill Road submitted under the states 8-30g affordable housing law was recently approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission. A 2,000-square-foot home will be built on each of the lots, one of which will be restricted to buyers earning 60 percent of the state median income. Two of the parcels will be about a half-acre in size, and the third will be about three-quarters of an acre in size. The remaining roughly one acre of land will be donated to the town as open space. Richard Szentkuti of CV Building Concepts, the Ridgefield developer who submitted the application, told the commission the affordable house will be built at a loss. Neighbors of the site, five of whom spoke during a recent hearing, voiced their disapproval of the project to the commission. We bought into two-acre zoning and were losing that, said Pam Taylor of Great Hill Road. So were having something taken away from us as opposed to having something given to us. Commissioner John Katz said that was the fault of the state regulations, not Szentkuti. I think 8-30g is an aberration, I think its dreadful, I wish we didnt have it, said Katz. But we do have it, and eventually it will provide more affordable housing in the town of Ridgefield, which is a good thing. Frankly, he could be building a hell of a lot more, Katz added. Szentkuti said the three houses would mimic the size and style of homes already there, and would not be cookie cutter developments that all look the same. I think its going to fit nicely within the character of the neighborhood, he added. Members of the commission noted that the town needs someone to handle the administrative work of managing all of the affordable housing units in town. Under 8-30g, someone who wants to live in the affordable house in Szentkutis subdivision will have to show that they make less than 60 percent of the state median income the amount is calculated to account for family size. Poland said a future homeowner attempting to resell the property might have a motive to falsely qualify a buyer if they were left with the responsibility. The affordability plan will be filed and the property will be deed restricted, said Szentkuti. It should not be the burden of the homeowner to qualify someone. Chairwoman Rebecca Mucchetti said the commission is still looking for someone to manage the affordable housing units. The commission later decided during deliberations on the application to ask the newly re-formed Affordable Housing Committee to consider taking on the job. Contributed Photo / Brookfield Police Department / Contributed Photo BROOKFIELD Town police are hoping the public can help them identify a female related to an ongoing investigation. Police did not provide much detail, only to say it was an ongoing criminal investigation. New Delhi: White House officials and aides emerged from talks aimed at ending a partial government shutdown over President Donald Trump's demands for border wall funding without a breakthrough on Saturday, though they planned to return to the table the following day. Trump tweeted: "Not much headway made today." Democrats agreed there had been little movement, saying the White House did not budge on the demand for $5.6 billion and would not consider re-opening the government. The White House said funding was not discussed in-depth, but the administration was clear they needed funding for a wall and that they wanted to resolve the shutdown all at once. ALSO READ | US has ridiculous immigration policy, says Trump! Click to know why Accusations flew after the more than two-hour session led by Vice President Mike Pence. Acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, in an interview aired on CNN, accused Democrats of being there to "stall." Democrats familiar with the meeting said the White House position was "untenable." Earlier, Donald Trump had threatened to "entirely close" the Southern border with Mexico and change the immigration laws if the opposition Democrats did not agree to his demand of funding for a border wall. The Trump administration is seeking more than US dollar 5 billion for the construction of the border wall. Trump also threatened to end all US aid to three Latin American countries--Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras-- arguing that these nations have done nothing to stop the flow of illegal immigrants into the US. Donald Trump made a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border to combat illegal immigration and drug trafficking a key campaign promise in the 2016 election when he said it would be paid for by Mexico. "We will be forced to close the Southern Border entirely if the Obstructionist Democrats do not give us the money to finish the Wall & also change the ridiculous immigration laws that our Country is saddled with. Hard to believe there was a Congress & President who would approve," Trump had said in a series of four tweets. ALSO READ | Ready for very long federal shutdown for years: US President Trump "The United States looses soooo much money on Trade with Mexico under NAFTA, over 75 Billion Dollars a year (not including Drug Money which would be many times that amount), that I would consider closing the Southern Border a 'profit making operation'," the US President had tweeted. "We build a wall or close the Southern Border. Bring our car industry back into the United States where it belongs. Go back to pre-NAFTA, before so many of our companies and jobs were so foolishly sent to Mexico. Either we build (finish) the Wall or we close the Border..," Trump had said. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A Syrian Kurdish official says negotiations are ongoing between the government in Damascus and Kurdish officials on how to fill the gap following the withdrawal of US troops from the country. The official, who spoke Saturday on condition of anonymity because of the talks' secrecy, said Syrian Kurdish officials have visited Russia which is sponsoring the talks between the government and the Kurd-led militia that control nearly a third of the country. The official said negotiations are ongoing and "the atmosphere is positive." ALSO READ | US-Mexico Border Row: Trump tweets 'not much headway' made in talks The main US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces has expressed concerns over the planned withdrawal as Turkey has threatened to launch a military operation against Kurdish fighters in Syria. Earlier, Donald Trump surprised the world and his country as well when he suddenly announced that the US is pulling out its troops from Syria. "In Syria, Erdogan said he wants to knock out ISIS, whatever's left, the remnants of ISIS. And Saudi Arabia just came out and said they are going to pay for some economic development. Which is great, that means we don't have to pay. We are spread out all over the world. We are in countries most people haven't even heard about. Frankly, it's ridiculous," Trump added. Trump's sudden decision sparked turmoil in his administration, prompting the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, as well as of Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the anti-IS coalition. Brett McGurk, the US envoy to the global coalition fighting the Islamic State group, resigned in protest over President Donald Trump's abrupt decision to withdraw US troops from Syria, a US official said, joining Defence Secretary Jim Mattis in an administration exodus of experienced national security figures. ALSO READ | US has ridiculous immigration policy, says Trump! Click to know why McGurk had said it would be "reckless" to consider IS defeated and therefore would be unwise to bring American forces home. McGurk decided to speed up his original plan to leave his post in mid-February. Appointed to the post by President Barack Obama in 2015 and retained by Trump, McGurk said in his resignation letter that the militants were on the run, but not yet defeated, and that the premature pullout of American forces from Syria would create the conditions that gave rise to IS. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington: Scientists have uncovered a cause of declining motor function and increased frailty in tiny ageing worms - and a way to slow it down. The findings, published in the journal Science Advances, identify a molecule that can be targeted to improve motor function and indicate that similar pathways may be at play in ageing mammals as well. As humans and animals age, our motor functions progressively deteriorate. Millimetre-long roundworms called nematodes exhibit ageing patterns remarkably similar to those of other animals, and they only live about three weeks, making them an ideal model system for studying ageing. ALSO READ | Scientists to start hunting for lives beneath Antarctic ice sheet "We previously observed that as worms age, they gradually lose physiological functions," said Shawn Xu, a professor at the University of Michigan in the US. "Sometime around the middle of their adulthood, their motor function begins to decline. But what causes that decline?" Xu said. To better understand how the interactions between cells changed as worms aged, Xu and his colleagues investigated the junctions where motor neurons communicate with muscle tissue. They identified a molecule called SLO-1 (for "slowpoke potassium channel family member 1") that acts as a regulator for these communications. The molecule dampens neurons' activity, slowing down the signals from neurons to muscle tissue and reducing motor function. The researchers manipulated SLO-1, first using genetic tools and then using a drug called paxilline. In both cases, they observed two major effects in the roundworms. Not only did they maintain better motor function later in life, they also lived longer than normal roundworms. "It's not necessarily ideal to have a longer lifespan without improvements in health or strength," said Xu. "But we found that the interventions improved both parameters -- these worms are healthier and they live longer," he said. The timing of the interventions drastically changed the effects on both motor function and lifespan. When SLO-1 was manipulated early in the worms' life, it had no effect on lifespan and in fact had a detrimental effect on motor function in young worms. However, when the activity of SLO-1 was blocked in mid-adulthood, both motor function and lifespan improved. ALSO READ | Ever thought what would happen if humans could hibernate? Deets inside Since the SLO-1 channel is preserved across many species, Xu hopes these findings will encourage others to examine its role in ageing in other model organisms. "Studying aging in organisms with longer lifespans is a major investment," he said. "But now we have identified a molecular target, a potential site and specific timing, which should facilitate further investigation," Xu said. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Muzaffarnagar: A 16-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her stepfather and his cousin, who also recorded a video of their act at Kandhla town in Shamli district, police said Sunday. According to Circle Officer Rajesh Kumar Tiwari, the incident took place on Saturday and the police had registered a case against Waseem, the victims stepfather, and his cousin Tanvir both absconding under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. According to the complaint lodged by the victims mother, her daughter was raped by the accused, who also recorded a video of their act and threatened to make it viral if the girl narrated her ordeal to anyone. Also Read | Father gets death penalty for raping, killing daughter in Madhya Pradesh The complainant had got married to Waseem, after her first husband passed away, in October last year. A hunt had been launched for the accused, Tiwari said. In another incident, a 16-year-old boy, who worked as the helper of a truck, was allegedly sexually assaulted by the driver of the vehicle and beaten up when he tried to put up a resistance. According to Circle Officer Ashok Kumar, the incident took place in Shamli district on Saturday and the police had arrested the accused truck driver. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: When Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaiks Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supported the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Harivansh Narayan Singh for the post of deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha in August last year, it seemed clear that he would, at least, not go against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, if not join hands. However, things have changed a lot since then and as the Lok Sabha elections come a little closer, the BJD supremo would now directly take on Modi in his maiden rally in the national capital on January 8. Patnaik will hold a farmers rally at Delhis Talkatora Stadium on Tuesday in protest against the Narendra Modi governments anti-farmer policies. The BJD has been demanding the ruling government to increase the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy by at least 50 per cent as promised by the party during the 2014 general elections. However, the BJD claims that the Modi government rejected its proposal to fix the MSP for paddy at Rs 2,930 a quintal. Also Read | Modi in Jharkhand: Farmers vote bank for Congress, food providers for BJP "Like the last few years, this year, too, the Odisha governments proposal for raising the MSP for paddy has been ignored by the central agriculture ministry," Pratap Jena, who is in charge of health, information and public relations in the Odisha cabinet, said in a press conference in Delhi. He said the farmers in the Odisha were not getting a reasonable price for their produce as the Centre fixed the MSP for paddy without considering the rising input costs. "As the MSP for paddy being fixed by the central government is not commensurate with the rising input costs, the farmers in Odisha are deprived of getting a reasonable price for their produce," the BJD leader said. By holding a farmers rally some 15,000 km away from his home turf, Patnaik would join the league of Opposition parties who are targeting the Modi government over the prevailing agrarian crisis in the country. Also, it is to be noted that the Assembly elections in Odisha are due to be held this year, concurrent with the general elections and Patnaik's rally against Modi could be very well keeping that in mind. Also Read | 'Chowkidar has become chor': Uddhav Thackeray takes a dig at PM Modi, questions Rafale and other deals Earlier when BJD voted in support of BJP-led NDA candidate in Rajya Sabha, experts thought Patnaik did it as he may need the saffron party's support if his party fell short of the majority in the state elections. Also, Patnaiks decision to take on Modi coincides with a string of recent opinion polls predicting significant gains for the BJP in national elections in Odisha. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lambasted Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, accusing the party of stabbing Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founder Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, famously known as NTR, in the back by allying with the Congress. Interacting with Andhra Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) booth workers via video conferencing, Modi termed NTR true icon of Telugu Pride and said that he never forgave the Congress for betraying the interests of Telugu people. NTR was a true icon of Telugu Pride. It was NTR who led the Congress Mukt Bharat movement with the anti-Congress National Front. Today his own son-in-law has bent his head before the Congress to save his power, the prime minister said. Also Read | You will be finished: Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu fumes at BJP workers for blocking his convoy The prime minister said that NTRs dream of "Swarna Andhra Pradesh" would be fulfilled with the development of all and not just one family. "NTR's dream of a Swarna Andhra Pradesh will be realized when every citizen of Andhra Pradesh enjoys the fruits of development and not just one family. Swarna Andhra Pradesh will be scripted by the Youth Power, of All Telugus," Modi said. NTR was the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh for seven years over three terms. He had founded the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on March 29, 1982, in Hyderabad to get Andhra Pradesh rid of the Congress rule. He established himself in the national politics by the formation of the anti-Congress alliance - National Front - at the Centre. The present TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, who was a part of the BJP-led ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) until March 2018. He broke away from the alliance over the issue of special category status for Andhra Pradesh. Also Read | These 11 parties left PM Narendra Modi since 2014 Lok Sabha elections Since the break up with the BJP, Naidu has constantly been attacking Modi for allegedly betraying the people of the state by not implementing the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. He had also been accusing the prime minister of trying to create a rift between the two Telugu states - Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The prime minister was scheduled to visit Andhra Pradesh on January 6 but his visit was canceled in wake of protests by the people over the issue of special status to the state. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: T Raja Singh, Telangana BJP MLA, on Sunday he will not take oath in front of AIMIM legislator Mumtaz Ahmed Khan, who would be acting as pro-tem Speaker, because the AIMIM "speaks against Hindus". "I don't want to take oath in front of a pro-tem speaker whose party wants to vanish Hindus. They never sing Vande Mataram and never say Bharat Mata ki Jai," news agency ANI quoted Singh as saying. MLAs would be taking oath on January 17, first day of the new Assembly's first session following the elections. In a video message, Singh, legislator from Goshamahal, demanded that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao review the decision to appoint Khan, a senior All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader, as pro-tem speaker. "Telangana chief minister who is a follower of Nizam (the erstwhile ruler of Hyderabad state) and MIM took a decision at night to make an MIM MLA pro-tem speaker...I will not go to the assembly and take oath in his presence. Other party leaders may go but I will not," Singh said. News agency PTI reported that Singh will consult legal experts on rules regarding oath-taking. Singh has been booked by the police in several cases including for delivering a hate speech and attacking a police constable while discharging his duty. Singh sparked a controversy once again on July 30, 2018 when he declared that he would shoot Bangladeshis living illegally in Assam if they did not leave. The first session of the newly-elected Assembly will be held from January 17 to 20. On January 16, Khan would take oath as pro-tem speaker at Raj Bhavan. When contacted, a spokesperson of the AIMIM said the party did not want to react to Singh's statement. On Saturday, Chandrasekhar Rao said it has been decided to commence the Assembly proceedings on January 17, during the 'Uttarayana' days, considered auspicious. The chief minister, who is allegedly a superstitious person, said the Assembly session will begin on 'Ekadasi' and continue till January 20. Khan is the senior most member of the Assembly and will take oath as pro-tem Speaker on January 16. (With agency inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Days after HS Phoolkas resignation, rebel Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Legislative Assembly Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Sunday quit the party, citing its national convenor Arvind Kejriwals dictatorial attitude as the reason. Khaira gave up AAPs primary membership. He, however, will not resign as an MLA from Bholath. Khaira, who was suspended from the AAP for being involved in anti-party activities in November last year, alleged that the party had totally deviated from the ideology and principals it was formed. The rebel AAP leader has been a critic of the partys top leadership at the Centre and the state, including Kejriwal. The current political culture of traditional parties of the country stands badly decayed, due to which immense hope was generated by the formation of AAP. Unfortunately, after joining the party, I realised that the hierarchy of AAP was no different from the traditional centralised political parties, he wrote in his resignation letter. Also Read | Advocate HS Phoolka resigns from AAP, says wants to dedicate time to social work In December last year, Khaira had announced to form his own political outfit the Punjab Democratic Alliance with suspended AAP MP Dharamvir Gandhi, the Lok Insaaf Party and other like-minded parties in the state. He had said his Punjab Democratic Alliance would work towards liberating the state from the clutches of corrupt politicians and feudal families. Reacting to the resignation of Khaira, top AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that he should only stay in the party if wanted to work for the country. If he wants to work for the nation, he should stay with us. But if he wants to work for his own interests, then he can go anywhere, how does it concern us? ANI quoted Sisodia as saying. Also Read | Ajay Maken resigns as Delhi Congress chief, thanks Rahul Gandhi, party workers for support The resignation of Khaira came days after senior Lawyer and AAP leader from Punjab HS Phoolka gave up the partys primary membership. Phoolka, who has been fighting for the victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots, said the biggest reason he quit the politics was that he wanted to dedicate his time to social work. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A was in love with B. Their love blossomed in school and they wanted to get marry just like other couples. Except, they couldnt as they knew that their parents and the society will not accept same-sex marriage. A came up with a plan of sex change surgery. After convincing As parents, both got married at a temple in Delhi last year. But all is not well now. B or the wife now wants out and has gone to her parents house. According to a Hindustan Times report, the husband feels that his in-laws are stopping his wife to come home and has filed a police complaint. The husband alleges that his wife had gone to her parents house to convince them. But when he went to meet her, his in-laws said that his wife doesnt want to go back with him. Both the girl and boy are major. The boy showed us the pictures of their wedding in Delhi, but the girl said she did not want to be with him and live with his family. Since she is a major, she has right to make the decision, Charkhi Dadri superintendent of police Smiti Chaudhary was quoted as saying by the HT. While the police say that they cant do anything, the husband and his parents say that they will seek legal advice. The case comes after the Supreme Court, in its landmark judgment, decriminalised gay sex in India. On September 6, 2018, A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court unanimously decriminalised part of the 158-year-old colonial law under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalises consensual unnatural sex, prompting joyous tears, hugs and dancing across the country. Activists, members of the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer) community, authors and politicians had welcomed the verdict -- which also said society cannot dictate a sexual relationship between consenting adults -- with many cutting cakes and unfurling the rainbow flag For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Shillong: The operations to rescue 15 miners trapped in a flooded coal mine in Meghalayas East Jaintia Hills district for the past 24 days got a shot in the arm Saturday when two high powered pumps started dewatering the main shaft. The pumps were operational 10 days after the Kirloskar Brothers Ltd offered to help and assist the state government in the rescue operations, officials said. But, since the pumps functioned only for one hour, the Navy divers did not go down to gauge the water level inside the shaft so that they could resume the search for the diggers. At about 3:30 pm on Saturday, a team from Kirloskar Brothers Ltd was able to start their pumps in the main shaft (where the miners are trapped)," operation spokesperson R Susngi said. He, however, said that since the pumps were operational for only one hour, the Navy divers did not go down to determine the water level inside the main shaft. Also Read | What are you doing to save miners? Supreme Court rebukes Meghalaya govt over tardy rescue operations The rescuers stop work at 5 pm daily with descend of the night darkness. The pump has to run at least 10 to 12 hours of continuous pumping before the water level will be determined, Susngi said. He said that on Sunday, the unmanned remotely operated vehicle will be sent down to check at the bottom of the shaft again. Meanwhile, a high-power submersible pump from Coal India and two other pumps from Odisha are engaged in dewatering the nearby abandoned mines, which might be interlinked and as much help in lowering of water in the main shaft, he said. Also Read | Meghalaya Mine Collapse: Why survivor thinks all trapped miners are dead Rescue divers from the Indian Navy and the NDRF are yet to be able to make any significant impact in their search and rescue operations as the water level is still beyond 100 feet, the safe diving capacity for the divers, the official said. The water level at the main shaft where the miners are trapped is about 160 feet, he said, adding that total depth of the main shaft is about 370 feet. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday accused Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of lying to Parliament about the procurement order worth Rs. 1 lakh crore for Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The Congress president demanded the defence minister to place documents of government orders before Parliament or submit her resignation. When you tell one lie, you need to keep spinning out more lies, to cover up the first one. In her eagerness to defend the PM's Rafale lie, the RM lied to Parliament. Tomorrow, RM must place before Parliament documents showing 1 Lakh crore of Govt orders to HAL. Or resign, the Gandhi scion tweeted. Congress spokesperson also joined his party president in calling the defence ministers bluff and claimed that not a single paisa has gone to the HAL and the defence manufacturer was forced to take a loan to pay the salaries of its employees. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi accuses PM Modi of 'weakening' HAL to help his 'suit-boot friend' The Lying Defence Ministers Lies Gets Exposed! Def Min claimed that procurement orders worth 1 Lakh Cr provided to HAL! HAL says Not a SINGLE PAISA has come, as Not a SINGLE ORDER has been signed! For the first time, HAL forced to take a loan of 1000 Cr to pay salaries! Surjewala said. On Friday, responding to the Congress partys allegations of corruption in the procurement deal of 36 Rafale fighter jets, Sitharaman had told Parliament that the Narendra Modi government had given contracts worth Rs 1 lakh crore to HAL. "The Congress is shedding crocodile tears for HAL. The Congress government gave 53 waivers to HAL... We have given contracts worth Rs. 1 lakh crore," the defence minister had said. The Congress party has been accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of bypassing the experienced state-run HAL to help his businessman friend get the offshore contract of the Rafale fighter jets. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi on Rafale: Congress will launch investigation if voted to power in 2019 Surjewala had slammed the Modi government on Saturday as well. Quoting a media report, the Congress leader said that under the Modi government Indias largest public sector defence unit was starving for cash and borrowed money for the first time in the 70 years. Under Modiji, Indias Largest Public Sector Defence Unit, HAL does not even have enough cash to pay salaries to its employees. For the first time in 70 years, they were forced to borrow 1000 Cr. Despite that, No Rafale contract for them! Apathetic! he had said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Kolkata: In the election year, every single statement by any politician has potential to impact the future course of events. So, when West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said Mamata Banerjee has the best chance to become Prime Minister, many saw it as a possible post-election scenario. Ghoshs statement ruffled a few feathers within his party when he said Trinamool Congress president and West Bengal Chief Minister has the best chance to become the first Bengali Prime Minister of the country. Extending birthday wishes to her, Ghosh said he prayed her good health and success in life "because the fate of our state depends on her success". "We want her to be fit so that she can work well. She needs to remain fit because if there is any Bengali who has the chance to be the PM from this Bengal, then she is the one," he said. Asked if anyone from his own party's Bengal unit had the chance to be the PM, Ghosh said that Mamata Banerjee was ahead in the race among Bengalis who can become Prime Minister. "We can surely have one from Bengal after her. But she has the first chance. We couldn't have Jyoti Basu as the first Bengali prime minister as his party did not allow him to be," Ghosh said. "We had Pranab Mukherjee from the state as the first Bengali to become President so now it's time to have a Bengali as PM," he added. The statement came as a shocker for the state BJP as it is engaged in a bitter fight against the TMC in the state. Later, Ghosh tried to play down his statement and said that, I wished the Bengal CM on her birthday. (I was) asked about her aspirations to become the Prime Minister, I said in distant future, if a Bengali becomes the PM, we will be happy. Our Prime Minister is Narendra Modihe will again become the PM after the polls. Reacting on the shocking statement, BJPs Rajya Sabha lawmaker Roopa Ganguly said that, Narendra Modi is our PM. I will not accept Mamata Banerjee and the TMC, who have murdered our workers, to lead the country. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Over 14 lakh "fake children" have been found registered across 1.88 lakh anganwadis in Uttar Pradesh, the Women and Child Development Ministry has said. In a meeting of the National Nutrition Council on January 3, the ministry was informed that about 14.57 lakh fake beneficiaries were registered with 1.88 lakh anganwadis in the state, a senior WCD official said. Anganwadis, a type of rural child care centres, were set up by the government to combat under nutrition and stunting among children below the age of six years. "The ghost children were identified after registration of beneficiaries with Aadhaar," the official said. There are total of 1.08 crore children enrolled in anganwadis of Uttar Pradesh and Rs 2,126 crore has been sanctioned for these centres till February 2018 in this fiscal, according to government data. The ministry gives Rs 4.8 and the state contributes Rs 3.2 for food per day for every child, the official said. "With the identification of the fake children, it has been found that about Rs 25 crore can be saved every month in Uttar Pradesh," he said. Another Women and Child Development (WCD) official said about 39 per cent of the total child population in India resides in Uttar Pradesh and so the number of children in the state is high. The identification and elimination of fake beneficiaries registered in various anganwadis across the country is an "ongoing process". The process was started in July after the Assam government during a physical identification of children found 14 lakh fake beneficiaries. Stating that many lapses have been found in the food distribution system, WCD Minister Maneka Gandhi had directed all state governments to verify the number of children who "really need to be fed." There are around 14 lakh anganwadis across the country and 10 crore beneficiaries, who include children under the age of six and pregnant women and lactating mothers. Gandhi in September said about one crore fake beneficiaries registered in various anganwadis have been identified and eliminated. The identification of fake beneficiaries is also being done through smartphones having Integrated Child Development Services-Common Application Software (ICDS-CAS) app. It has been distributed to about 1.2 lakh anganwadi centres and the ministry aims to increase its coverage to 14 lakh centres by the end of the year, officials said. The nutrition monitoring app has been developed under the Poshan Abhiyan also called the National Nutrition Mission, which aims to bring down stunting of children in the age group of 0-6 years from 38.4 per cent to 25 per cent by 2022. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A corruption scandal has rocked the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh. Following a sting operation by a news channel, secretaries of three Cabinet ministers have been arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Uttar Pradesh Police on the charges of corruption and bribery. The three secretaries were caught red-handed demanding bribery inside the premises of the State Legislative Assembly in the sting operation conducted Wednesday. The corruption scandal involving secretaries of Yogi Adityanaths handpicked cabinet ministers, which surfaced in an election season, prompted him to set up the SIT headed by Additional Director General (Lucknow zone) Rajiv Krishnan to probe the allegations. Of the three arrested secretaries, one was employed in the offices of Mining, Excise and Prohibition Minister Archana Pandey, another was in Backward Classes Welfare Minister OP Rajbhar and the third one was the secretary of Education Minister Sandeep Singh. Also Read | Yogi Adityanath orders immediate arrangements for proper care of stray cows in Uttar Pradesh In the sting, Om Prakash Kashyap - personal secretary of Rajbhar was seen demanding a bribe of Rs 40 lakh for a transfer. The other two secretaries - Santosh Awasthi and SP Tripathi - were trying to strike illicit deals on books and mining. Santosh Awasthi, personal secretary to the MoS Basic Education, Sandeep Singh, is seen "working out a deal" on a contract for books. The sting also shows him seeking his own commission in the deal. The minister Sandeep Singh is the grandson of former UP chief minister and Rajasthan governor Kalyan Singh. In the same sting operation, SP Tripathi - secretary of MoS (Mining) Archana Pandey - can be seen striking a deal with the undercover journalist for mining contracts in several districts. Interestingly, the Yogi government is probing the alleged mining scam took place during the erstwhile Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party government. PM Modi should be investigated for weakening national security, demands Rahul Gandhi Illegal mining and corruption in the distribution of mining contracts is a long-standing issue in Uttar Pradesh. The arrest of Mining ministers personal secretary is a big blow to Yogi Governments claims that it was working to flush out the corruption from the mining sector in the state. CM Yogi, who claims to achieve complete honesty in the functioning of his government, had repeatedly said that he will adopt zero tolerance policy towards corruption. However, the sting operation shows, the corruption was indeed taking place right under his nose. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Hours after Congress president Rahul Gandhi accused her of lying in Parliament about Rs 1 lakh crore government orders to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman came out with a defence that the contracts are in the pipeline and he misquoted her statement made in the Lok Sabha during the January 3 debate on the Rafale deal. "It's a shame that the president of @INCIndia is spreading lies and misleading the country. HAL has signed contracts worth Rs 26,570.8 Cr (Between 2014 & 2018) and contracts worth Rs 73,000 Cr are in the pipeline. Will Rahul Gandhi apologise to the country from the floor of the house and resign?" Sitharaman tweeted. On Friday, responding to the Congress partys allegations of corruption in the procurement deal of 36 Rafale fighter jets, Sitharaman had told Parliament that the Narendra Modi government had given contracts worth Rs 1 lakh crore to HAL. "The Congress is shedding crocodile tears for HAL. The Congress government gave 53 waivers to HAL... We have given contracts worth Rs. 1 lakh crore," the defence minister had said. Also Read | Nirmala Sitharaman to attend ASEAN Defence Ministers meeting in Singapore However, following her statement, media reports quoting HAL officials claimed that not a single rupee of the said Rs 1 lakh crore has gone to the defence manufacturers. HAL is a listed company now. You are free to verify our order books, where you will find not a single rupee of the said Rs 1 lakh crore has come to HAL, since not a single order, as claimed, has been signed till now. We have a responsibility to shareholders who cannot be led to believe we have orders when we dont, The Times of India quoted a senior HAL officer as saying. The report, which was last edited at 4:01 am (IST), also added that as per the Lok Sabha records, Sitharaman did not claim that the orders were signed. Quoting the report, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had dared the defence minister to place documents of government orders worth Rs 1 lakh crore to HAL before Parliament or submit her resignation. When you tell one lie, you need to keep spinning out more lies, to cover up the first one. In her eagerness to defend the PM's Rafale lie, the RM lied to Parliament. Tomorrow, RM must place before Parliament documents showing 1 Lakh crore of Govt orders to HAL. Or resign, Gandhi had said. Also Read | Rahul Gandhi on Rafale: Congress will launch investigation if voted to power in 2019 HAL, Indias largest public sector defence unit, is starving for cash and the company had recently taken a loan worth Rs 1,000 crore to pay salaries of its employees. The Congress party has been accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of bypassing HAL to favour his businessman friend Anil Ambani. In Rafale deal, the experienced HAL was not granted the offshore contract of the aircraft and instead, Anil Ambanis Reliance Defence, which was reportedly floated just 10 days before the deal was signed, got the deal. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday turned witty while responding to reports that the CBI may question the Samajwadi Party president in an illegal mining case, saying he was happy that the BJP has shown its colours and he has to tell the investigating agency as to how many seats his party has distributed in the gathbandhan. Talking to reporters in Lucknow, he said the BJP is leaving a "culture", which may be used against it in the future. Yadav also said he was ready to face the probe agency, but people are also ready to answer the BJP. Now, we have to tell the CBI as to how many seats we have distributed in the gathbandhan. I am happy that at least the BJP has shown its colours, he said. The SP chief targeted the BJP as well as the Congress over the reports on the CBI raids. The Samajwadi Party is making efforts to win maximum Lok Sabha seats. Those who want to stop us, have the CBI with them. Once the Congress did CBI probe, and I was questioned. If the BJP is doing all this, the CBI will question me, I will answer (them). But, the people are ready to give an answer to the BJP," Yadav said. "Why is the CBI conducting raids? Whatever they want to ask, they can ask me. However, the BJP should remember that the culture it is leaving behind, it may have to face it in the future," he added. Also Read | CBI raids IAS officer, SP leader, other places over Illegal sand mining; Akhilesh Yadav may be quizzed Yadav may face a probe by the CBI in the illegal mining case in the state, according to the agency FIR made public on Saturday, the day arch rivals SP and BSP indicated their intent to join hands to counter the ruling BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The CBI carried out searches at 14 locations on Saturday in connection with its FIR against 11 people, including IAS officer B Chandrakala, Samajwadi Party MLC Ramesh Kumar Mishra and Sanjay Dixit (who unsuccessfully contested the 2017 assembly election on a BSP ticket) to probe alleged illegal mining of minor minerals in Hamirpur district during 2012-16. Minor minerals are like sand, gravels etc. Chandrakala, who is on study leave now a days, is one the most talked about officers on social media because of her purported anti-corruption drive videos on various platforms. Her social media videos lashing out at government officials earned her a title of 'Lady Dabang' (daring). "The role of the then mining ministers concerned during the relevant period may be looked into during the course of investigation of the case," the FIR said. Yadav, who was the chief minister of the state between 2012 and 2017, held the mining portfolio during 2012-13 apparently bringing his role under scanner, according to the FIR. Also Read | Ready to go solo, says Congress amid reports of SP-BSP alliance for 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh He was succeeded by Gayatri Prajapati, who took charge as mining minister in 2013 and was arrested in 2017 following a complaint of rape by a woman residing in Chitrakoot. This was a third FIR pertaining to illegal mining cases which were registered by the agency on January 2, 2019, nearly two-and-a-half year after it was directed by the Allahabad High Court to probe the issue. The SP chief also accused the BJP of ending 'political etiquette'. "The BJP wants that other political parties should behave in the same manner as it behaves. But, we will not change our political etiquette," he said. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Kolkata: Nobel laureate Amartya Sen on Sunday came out in support of Naseeruddin Shah, who recently stoked a controversy with his remark on mob violence and appeared in a video for the Amnesty India against alleged government crackdown on NGOs. Being asked about the veteran actor's comments, Sen said, "We must protest against such attempts to disturb the actor... What has been happening (in the country) is objectionable. It should stop." The 85-year-old economist further claimed many institutions in the country are under attack, and their freedom is being encroached. "Even journalists are facing harassment". In a 2.13-minute solidarity video for the human rights watchdog Amnesty, Shah had said on Friday that those who demand rights are being locked up. About troll attacks against personalities like Shah, Sen said, "Losing the ability to tolerate others is a serious cause for concern, it points to the losing of ability to think and analyse". Read | There is freedom of speech in India: Emraan Hashmi on Naseeruddin Shah's Amnesty video Under the hashtag #AbkiBaarManavAdhikaar, the Amnesty had claimed that India has witnessed a massive crackdown on freedom of expression and human rights defenders. In his solidarity messsage in Urdu, Shah had said, "Artistes, actors, scholars, poets are all being stifled. Journalists too are being silenced. "In the name of religion, walls of hatred are being erected. Innocents are being killed. The country is awash with horrific hatred and cruelty." Last month, the 68-year Bollywood actor had said the death of a cow had acquired more significance than that of a police officer in the country. His statement came on the heels of the December 3 mob violence that broke out in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr over alleged cow slaughter in the Mahaw village. The violence led to the death of two men, including SHO Subodh Kumar Singh. Read | Anupam Kher slams Naseeruddin Shah: How much more freedom do you need in a country? Post that, the National Award-winning actor's visit to a literary fest in December was cancelled following massive protests by Hindu outfits over his comments on mob violence. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: With barely a few months to go for 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said that details of seat sharing deal with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh may be announced in a week or so. Yadav, however, has chosen to remain tight-lipped on the possibility of having any ties with the Congress. Earlier, statements made by Mayawati and Akhilesh have hinted that both the parties are not too keen to cede space to the Congress in the seat sharing deal in Uttar Pradesh. Yadav's latest statement came two days after he met BSP chief Mayawati in New Delhi to finalise the contours of the seat sharing agreement ahead of the general elections due by May. Speaking to news agency PTI, the Samajwadi Party chief said, "You will come to know about it (alliance) in a week or so", adding that the two leaders in the 'gathbandhan' will decide whether Congress will be there or not". Yadav refused to elaborate further, leaving the opposition parties guessing on whether the Rahul Gandhi-led party will be a part of this 'gathbandhan' in Uttar Pradesh. However, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), which has a stronghold in western UP, has also been accommodated in the alliance. Read | Ready to go solo, says Congress amid reports of SP-BSP alliance for 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh Though an official announcement is still awaited, speculations have been rife that both the SP and BSP have decided on an equal seat-sharing formula in the crucial poll state. Sources said the two parties would field candidates from 37 seats each, leaving just six seats for the other players of the Grand Alliance, including the Congress. There has been a tussle between the SP and the Congress ever since the grand old party has refused to include one of SP MLAs in the new Madhya Pradesh ministry headed by Kamal Nath. BSP leader Mayawati too has threatened to withdraw its support to the Congress if the cases against lower caste people lodged during a protest in 2018 are not taken back. In the recently concluded 2018 Assembly polls, the Congress managed to cross the majority mark in Madhya Pradesh with the support of SP, BSP, and Independents. While Congress, in a nerve-wracking see-saw battle with the BJP, bagged 114 seats, the SP, BSP and Independents got one, two and four seats respectively in the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Read | HD Deve Gowda asks Congress to treat regional parties well to forge alliance before 2019 elections However, the SP and the BSP have decided not to field candidates in Amethi and Raebareli, the Lok Sabha constituencies of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chief Sonia Gandhi. In 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, the Congress had won only these two seats from Uttar Pradesh. By joining hands, the opposition parties had defeated the BJP in three Lok Sabha bypolls last year in Uttar Pradesh. In the last parliamentary elections in 2014, the BJP won 71 seats in the state, securing 42.63 per cent of the votes. BJP ally Apna Dal bagged two more. The Samajwadi Party had won five seats with a vote share of 22.35 per cent. The BSP did not win any seat while securing 19.77 per cent votes. The Congress had registered wins in two seats, bagging 7.53 per cent of the votes. New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Sunday announced party's committees before the Lok Sabha elections 2019. While Union Home Minister will lead the manifesto committee, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has been made the in charge of publicity for the elections. The BJP formed 17 groups in preparation for the elections. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah announces following committees before the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections. pic.twitter.com/YLd4tu07Ol ANI (@ANI) January 6, 2019 Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Piyush Goyal and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shiraj Singh Chouhan are the other members of the committee tasked with preparing the party's manifesto, a statement said. Jaitley will also be a member of this committee. Union minister Nitin Gadkari will head a committee which will reach out to social and volunteer organisations, while his Cabinet colleague Sushma Swaraj will head a group that will produce literature for the polls, it added. Prasad will head the party's media group while Union minister Prakash Javadekar will lead the wing which will organise meetings of intellectuals. The Lok Sabha elections are expected to be held in April-May with the BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a re-election. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: The worlds biggest race, the Dakar Rally, will kick off on Sunday, with two teams from India participating in the 41st edition of the brutal terrain but challenging event. This years Dakar Rally will be hosted in Peru, South America, and is being held in only one country for the first time. The 2019 Dakar Rally will take the convoy of participants on a 5,000 km coil around Peru, starting and finishing in Lima over 10 days between January 6-17, through some of the most difficult regions, weather conditions and navigational challenges. CS Santosh, Joaquim Rodrigues and Oriol Mena are participating in the three-member Hero MotoSports Team, while Aravind KP will represent TVS. There will be a total of 3,000 kilometers of racing divided between 10 special stages, where 70 per cent of the terrain will be covered in sand. This will be Hero MotoSports' third consecutive Dakar Rally. The team has consistently improved its performance finishing in the Top-15 in 2017 bettering it to Top-10 in 2018. All three riders will ride on the Hero 450RR rally bike. "We are enthusiastic and absolutely ready for Dakar 2019. Looking at this high-octane event, which is expected to be even tougher than last year, our focus remains on finishing the Rally," Markus Braunsperger, Chief Technology Officer, Hero MotoCorp and Head of Hero MotoSports, had earlier said. Star biker Santosh said: "This will be my third Dakar with Hero MotoSports and fifth overall. It has been a very exciting three years and I'm geared up for yet another rendezvous with this unique event. I am satisfied with the preparations and look forward to delivering a solid performance. "It feels great to ride again, after my accident at Dakar 2018. The recovery has been tough. I have been training particularly hard with a focus on arriving at the finish line safely. This will be my third Dakar and I'm very excited to be riding with my team again and hopeful of delivering a good performance," Rodrigues said. Leading up to the Dakar 2019, THE Hero MotoSports team participated in many rallies across the globe on its 'Road to Dakar' initiative. The Team kicked off its campaign in April at the Merzouga Rally in Morocco, where it achieved a Top-15 finish. In August, the Team headed to the Atacama Rally in Chile, immediately following it up with a podium finish at the BAJA India Rally. It ended 2018 with a Top-15 finish at the Peru Desafio Inca Rally in September. (With PTI inputs) Shamokin, PA (17872) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 71F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low around 50F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. A transgender convicted rapist is begging to have gender reassignment surgery so she can move back to a women's prison. Karen White, 52, formerly known as David Thompson, was moved to the largest high-security prison in England HMP Wakefield after she sexually assaulted two of her female inmates at a nearby female prison. The Mirror reports White wrote letters from her Wakefield cell which read: "If I was to wait for the operation on the NHS I would be waiting for years. "I'm longing for the day the system sends me to a female prison again. "But the only way I will achieve this is if I become a woman. Then the system will have no option but to send me to a female estate." White, who is still legally a man, was jailed for life in prison in October after she admitted sexually assaulting women in prison and raping another two women outside of prison, the Guardian reports. The attacks happened after she was held in remand at the women's prison for attacking her elderly neighbour with a steak knife, The Mirror reports. After admitting the assaults she was transferred to Wakefield prison where she is serving time alongside some of Britain's worst criminals including child killer Stuart Hazell and murderer Robert Maudsley, who killed three men while in prison. Newshub. New Zealand's weather will be mixed for the end of summer holidays, as some centres enjoy more fine weather, while others face heavy rain. The North Island is looking fine with some cloudy periods for the central North Island and Wellington. Meanwhile things in the South Island, particularly the West Coast, Canterbury, Otago and Southland, are looking a bit damper, at least for Sunday evening. A heavy rain warning has been issued for Westland between Otira and Fox Glacier, as well as south of Fox Glacier, Fiordland, North Otago and Dunedin. The warnings all expire on Sunday between 2:00pm and 9:00pm. MetService warned about the cooler weather earlier in the week, saying the top of the South Island will feel it eventually. "The likes of Blenheim, Kaikoura, the northern part of the South Island will still be getting up to the high 20s, early 30s on Sunday," meteorologist Claire Flynn said. "But then on Monday will obviously be a bit cooler as that cold front makes its way to them." If course Auckland won't be seeing much of the bad weather. "Those fronts generally weaken as they go north, which means that Auckland won't be seeing too much rain as we head into the new week. Newshub. There should be more resources put into helping hazardous drinkers rather than punishing responsible ones, an alcohol advocacy group says. Robert Brewer, chief executive of Spirits New Zealand, says hazardous drinking has been falling for some time, and believes more resources should be put into helping those who struggle to consume in moderation. "The critical thing is to look at why that is happening and then to accelerate those behaviour changing things that are causing young people to drink less and more responsibly," he told Newshub. His comments came after Auckland DHB joined calls for tougher rules around alcohol, including around the legal drinking age. Other DHBs across the country have issued similar statements to Auckland. Alcohol Healthwatch spokesperson Dr Nicki Jackson says hospitals are under intense pressure from booze, telling Newshub they "suffer a huge financial burden from alcohol... and harm to staff and violence in EDs". An Auckland DHB spokesperson told NZME treating alcohol-related harm in hospitals "requires significant staff time and resources, including security". "Our ED staff often face physical abuse from intoxicated patients and visitors," the spokesperson said. "Other patients are impacted, as treatment of patients in less serious conditions is deprioritised." But Mr Brewer believes introducing stricter rules around alcohol consumption won't be helpful, telling Newshub if the price of alcohol increases, then it will be those who drink moderately that will "pay the price". "The minority who drink hazardously, they'll still continue to drink hazardously," he said. A report commissioned by Alcohol Healthwatch last year found that New Zealand had record alcohol consumption in the last three months of 2017. It found that more alcohol was available per person in the last quarter of 2017 than at any other time in the past five years. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern expressed concern when the report was released. The Ministry of Health estimates that over 780,000 adults are hazardous drinkers. And figures show the drinking habits for more than a third of people aged 18-24 could be potentially hazardous - regularly consuming six more drinks in a single session. But Mr Brewer believes more young consumers are increasingly choosing to drink moderately and responsibly, and that the real challenge is to ensure this trend not only continues but accelerates. "This can only be achieved by targeted programmes which understand and amplify the reasons why younger drinkers are choosing to drink better," he said last year. Dr Warwick Bagg, head of the medical programme at the University of Auckland, told Newshub education plays an important role in changing the public's perception around alcohol consumption. The Government said in December last year that no alcohol law changes are currently being considered. Newshub. An expert from the University of Auckland says the "meteor shower" many New Zealanders saw shooting across the sky last night was actually a piece of a Russian satellite. Theoretical cosmologist Professor Richard Easther, who heads up the physics department at the University of Auckland, suggested the theory on Twitter on Saturday night. Initially he said it could be any of three things, a meteor, bolide or space junk. He later confirmed based upon information online it appeared to be space junk. A police pursuit in Northland has ended with five people injured, two seriously. A car allegedly drove off from a police patrol stop near Awanui in the Far North at about 5:30pm on Saturday. It was chased for seven kilometres but the driver lost control near Kaingaroa, hitting a barrier, before swerving into another car. The 35-year-old female driver has been arrested and was found to have been breaching her conditions. She went through a roadside breath testing procedure and was taken to Kaitaia Hospital for a medical check and further blood alcohol testing. Police say more charges are likely. Her two passengers, both females in their 20s have been hospitalised with serious injuries. Two people from the oncoming vehicles have been treated for minor injuries. State Highway 10 was closed for some time while the serious crash unit investigated. It reopened around 10pm on Saturday. A police investigation into the incident has begun and the Independent Police Conduct Authority has been notified. "We want to remind drivers that if youre asked to pull over by Police, please stop. The risk of fleeing Police can result in serious injury or death, which we are trying to avoid," the New Zealand police said in a statement. "The risk of not stopping is not worth your safety, your passengers safety, or that of other road users." Newshub. Jeffersonville, IN (47130) Today Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. High 84F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low near 60F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. A holiday to honor the First Amendment? Only 45 words, but since Dec. 15, 1791, those few words have protected Americans freedom of religion, speech, assembly, press and right to petition their government. And that is why Dec. 15 should be declared a national holiday in honor of the 1st Amendment, especially as the precious freedoms that amendment has protected for so long do not exist outside the United States of America and are poorly understood by miseducated Generation Snowflake. New Years Day would be nothing to celebrate without our precious First Amendment. And brave Martin Luther King Jr. could never have rendered his country the inestimable service he rendered without being equipped with the five freedoms the First Amendment provided him. When on the third Monday of February we celebrate the birth of the Father of our Country, we would do well to remember George Washingtons sober warning: If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter. Memorial, Independence and Veterans days honor the men and women who fought and died to provide and preserve those indispensible five freedoms, the five freedoms upon which all our other blood-bought freedoms depend on for their continued survival. The source of the mysterious ozone-killing emissions CFCs was confirmed: China. In the investigations that had ensued, it was learned that at least 18 companies in 10 provinces found ways to dodge legal compliance, making CFCs into high-demand insulating foam. The troubling news doesnt end there: Beyond depleting the ozone layer, refrigerant CFCs and their legal replacement HFCs are powerful greenhouse gases. Each molecule of the gases has thousands of times more impact in trapping the suns heat and warming the planet than carbon dioxide does. Beginning in 2019, the production of HFO (Hydrofluro-Olefins) refrigerants with a much lessened global warming potential than its HFC alternatives will become available. While the best refrigerant HFO example is 335 times lower on the global warming potential scale, HFO blends of fluorinated greenhouse gases will be four times higher than standard carbon dioxide emissions, unfortunately, until it is corrected. Candidates will try to outdo each other with campaign resolutions aplenty. So, we need to pace ourselves. What we need is W.C. Fields. Really. I ran across a parody the comedian wrote that can lighten and enlighten our long campaign season. In Fields for President, he announces his candidacy and puts forth his thoughts about resolutions campaign and New Years. The year was 1940, and Franklin D. Roosevelt had just been elected to an unprecedented third term. A book nearly 80 years old, Fields for President is silly, often sexist and surprisingly on point. It was republished in 2016 with a forward by TV talk show host Dick Cavett. Fields, whose comedic persona was as a hard-drinking misanthrope, writes: Campaign resolutions are nothing more than overgrown New Years resolutions: They are thrown together hastily at the last minute, with never a thought as to how they may be gracefully broken. Now, I am a candidate with years of experience in the making and breaking of New Years resolutions, and what I can accomplish with those, I can certainly accomplish with campaign resolutions. Thats as good an explanation as Ive seen why campaign promises vanish into thin air. Eve Rynard, whose property borders the mobile home park, spoke against the request in a public hearing Thursday night. My concern as a neighbor to that property is that Mr. Fariss take care of whats currently on the property and make it not be a blight on Rustburg, she told supervisors. I dont want any more trailers in there. I want to see it all cleaned up. After hearing from Rynard, the sole commenter during the public hearing, supervisors expressed varied opinions about the rezoning. Good said as a private property owner, Fariss should be able to do what he wishes with the land. I wish the public, our citizens, would pay attention a little more to what our board does because I think this illustrates a classic case of the mentality that we know best as government and were going to tell citizens what to do, he said. Other supervisors were hesitant to perform spot zoning when the entire surrounding area is all zoned as business general commercial. Weve taken steps forward to have better planning in our counties, Rustburg Supervisor Jon Hardie said. I think we need to respect that. I think we need to respect our standardsI think we have a responsibility to do things at a high level in keeping with this standard. In Thursdays meeting, the board of supervisors also voted unanimously to add a day and a half to county staffs floating vacation days to align with the states holiday calendar. Staff now receive eight vacation days on observed holidays when county offices are closed and five and a half days of floating vacation to use at their discretion. Ferguson said the play reflected her own experience after her friend and Longwood classmate Denise Martin, 22, died suddenly last year. Ferguson said the festivals theme of living in the moment was inspired by Martins infectious personality. All of the plays really do embody living in the present and not in the past, she said. The festival was held over two nights at Legacy Wealth Management Group on English Tavern Road. Ferguson said the shows were attended by about 75 guests and that around $800 was raised throughout the weekend. Ten percent of the proceeds will go to fund the creation of The Denise Jolie Martin Scholarship at Longwood. Actress Camden Osborne, a Virginia Tech freshman who went to high school with Ferguson and other members of Unified, said she spent the majority of her winter break learning lines and rehearsing in the weeks running up to the festival. Osborne said the festival was a rare showcase of the Lynchburg regions young talent and an opportunity to meet up with old friends and to make news ones. Osborne portrayed an anthropomorphized version of depression in In Shambles and Margaret in The Forgotten Word, which follows her character as she watches her grandmother succumb to dementia. Frances Guill, a travel counselor at the Appomattox Visitor Information Center, said shes spoken with tourists who wanted to visit the park but werent able to have their desired experience because of the closure. They see it the best they can, she said. We try to apologize to them and say sorry they cant see what they want to see. They dont seem to be upset about it. They take it in stride. Guill worked for Appomattox Court House National Historical Park for 30 years and experienced several shutdowns during her time there. Its not really anything new, she said about the current shutdown. I hope they can get things settled and reopened quickly. We just have to wait. Snyder said once Congress and President Trump approve funding for the government, the park can reopen within 24 hours. It would be a quick turnaround to open the gate and let visitors back in, she said. We invite any visitors that were unable to visit the park during the time of this shutdown to come back and visit with us again in the future. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. To subscribe, click here. Already a subscriber? Click here. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. BRIDGEPORT Bridgeport Bishop Frank J. Caggiano said he was deeply disturbed and outraged at the swastika painted on the doors of a city church Friday. In a post on Facebook, Caggiano said police officers on patrol were the ones to discover the vandalism Friday morning on the doors of the St. Augustine Cathedral. Though the police have yet to identify the perpetrator of this crime, I am appalled and outraged by this act of vandalism against the Mother Church of our Diocese and this brazen and disgusting display of anti-Semitism which is morally abhorrent and an affront to our Catholic faith, Caggianos post said. Caggiano said hes on a retreat with other bishops across the nation in Mundelein, Illinois, and only learned of the incident Saturday afternoon. I am deeply disturbed and outraged that someone would violate the sanctity of our church, Caggiano said. To use a clearly anti-Semitic symbol is participating in an unspeakable evil. Caggiano said he condemns the incident and hopes the suspect will be found. My thoughts and prayers are with our Jewish brothers and sisters in the city of Bridgeport and beyond, he said. Police did not immediately comment on the incident. Anti-Semitic behavior was brought to the forefront after a mass shooting on Oct. 27, 2018, at a synagogue in Pittsburgh that left 11 people dead and six injured. And Fridays incident in Bridgeport wasnt the first of its kind in Connecticut in recent years. In mid-Nov. 2018, students at Amity Regional High School in Woodbridge reported they felt unsafe because of hate speech and anti-Semitic symbols popping up there. In 2017, Greenwich Country Day School headmaster Adam Rohdie found two swastikas in a hallway and in the ninth grade lounge. After the deadly incident at the Pittsburgh synagogue, Rohdie called a school-wide assembly to discuss how that incident was handled. In Aug. 2014, two 14-year-olds were arrested for allegedly painting swastikas on a vacant home, a tree and several public signs in the Wilkinson Avenue area. Schools in Stratford, Danbury, Greenwich, Ridgefield and Wilton have seen drawings of swastikas over the years. ANSONIA Early Saturday morning first responders rushed to the site of a crash, only to find a heavily damaged, unoccupied vehicle. Ansonia Rescue and Medical Services and fire units were dispatched to the area of Prindle Avenue and Pulaski Highway for a report of a crash where a car had gone off the road. Upon arrival, a heavily damaged vehicle was located int he woods and was unoccupied, said a Facebook post from ARMS. Fire (units) secured the scene and police are actively investigating. No patients were found in the area. But according to a comment on the ARMS Facebook post about the incident, the driver had already gotten in contact with police. Denise Marie, who said in one of several comments that she lives with the driver, who fell asleep at the wheel while driving home. His phone was dead so he walked home to charge (the phone) and call (police), one of her comments said. She said they live nearby so he didnt have to walk far. She said he was sore but not seriously injured by the crash. Police did not immediately return request for comment about the incident. Help support your local hometown newspaper/website. Independent local news reporting matters. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription, for as little as $3, so we can continue to provide independent local reporting on our communities. Manchester Police say a man accused of numerous crimes, including kidnapping and sexual assault, has been arrested in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. According to Vermont State Police, police from the Prospect Park Police Department in Pennsylvania were on an unrelated traffic stop Sunday afternoon when an automated license-plate recognition system identified a stolen Kia from New Hampshire. The car failed to stop for law enforcement, and a car chase ensued, police said. The Kia was found abandoned in the parking lot of a nearby apartment complex. Police established a perimeter and were searching for the suspect, when, about an hour later, a red Pontiac Vibe was reported stolen from the area. Upper Darby Township police located the car, and another pursuit began. It ended when the Vibe crashed into a telephone pole, police said. The operator was taken into custody and identified as Everett Simpson, 41, of St. Johnsbury, Vermont. He is being evaluated at a local hospital, police said. Simpson is expected to face federal charges in the District of Vermont related to car theft, kidnapping and sexual assault. He is also facing extradition to Vermont following his arrest in Upper Darby. The prosecution is being coordinated by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Burlington. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Vermont State Police and the Hartford Police Department announced Sunday they were searching for Simpson, calling him a dangerous man who was wanted for numerous crimes, including kidnapping and sexual assault. Simpson was last known to be driving a stolen 2014 silver Kia Forte sedan with New Hampshire license plate 396-7479. According to police, Simpson forced a woman and her child into their car, which was parked outside of the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester, and drove to Vermont. Simpson then forced the woman to rent a room at a hotel in White River Junction, where he proceeded to sexually assault the victim. The victim is a stranger who was targeted at random, police said. When Simpson left the hotel room, the victim and her child were able to reach safety and contact police. A police investigation led them to believe that Simpson had stolen a car and escaped from a substance-abuse rehabilitation facility in eastern Vermont three days earlier. Simpson has had previous interactions with police, including a September vehicle theft, high-speed pursuit and aggravated assault on a Vermont State Police trooper in Lyndonville, police said. According to Manchester police, the FBI is leading the investigation. Massachusetts collected $2.56 billion in taxes in December. That's 14.6 percent less than what the state took in during the previous December, and 17.1 percent below estimates for the month. Revenue Commissioner Christopher Harding said most categories of revenue continue to perform as expected, while estimated payments from individual taxpayers are lagging. He said the payments aren't due until Jan. 15, but in past years, many taxpayers paid in December to take advantage of federal deductions for state taxes. The 2017 federal tax reform reduced this incentive by placing a $10,000 limit on the deduction for state and local taxes. So far this fiscal year, revenues total $13.3 billion. That's about 1 percent below estimates, but 3 percent more than at the same time during the last fiscal year. Germany has agreed to one-time payments for survivors, primarily Jews, who were evacuated from Nazi Germany as children, many of whom never saw their parents again, the organization that negotiates compensation with the German government said Monday. The New York-based Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany said the government had agreed to payments of 2,500 euros ($2,800) to those still alive from among the 10,000 people who fled on the so-called "Kindertransport." This year is the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the transport of the children to Britain from Nazi Germany and elsewhere in Europe. About 1,000 survivors are thought to be alive today, with about half living in Britain, and the payment is seen as a "symbolic recognition of their suffering," Claims Conference negotiator Greg Schneider said. "In almost all the cases the parents who remained were killed in concentration camps in the Holocaust and they have tremendous psychological issues," Schneider told The Associated Press. Following the Nazis' anti-Jewish pogrom in November 1938 known as Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass, the British government agreed to allow an unspecified number of Jewish children as refugees from Nazi Germany or territories it had annexed. Jewish groups inside Nazi Germany planned the transports, and the first arrived in Harwich on Dec. 2, 1938, according to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The last transport from Germany left Sept. 1, 1939 the day World War II broke out with the Nazi invasion of Poland and the final transport from continental Europe left the Netherlands on May 14, 1940, the same day Dutch forces surrendered to the Nazis. In all, about 10,000 children from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia and Poland were taken to Britain, about 7,500 of whom were Jewish, according to the museum. About half were placed with foster families, while the others stayed in hostels, schools or farms. In addition to those who remained in Britain, many resettled in the U.S., Israel, Canada, Australia and elsewhere, Schneider said. Today, survivors are at least in their 80s and most continue to look back on their escape as the defining moment of their lives as they were put alone onto trains into the unknown, saying goodbye to parents and siblings often for the last time, Schneider said. "This money is acknowledgement that this was a traumatic, horrible thing that happened to them," he said. Some survivors already received small payments in the 1950s but that will not bar them from receiving the new benefit, the Claims Conference said. The Claims Conference carries out continuous negotiations with Germany to expand the number of people eligible for compensation. Since 1952, the German government has paid more than $80 billion to individuals for suffering and losses resulting from persecution by the Nazis. In 2019, the Claims Conference will distribute approximately $350 million in direct compensation to more than 60,000 survivors in 83 countries, the organization says. In addition, it will provide some $550 million in grants to social service agencies that provide home care, food, medicine and other services for Holocaust survivors. The stranger-than-sitcom American presidency opened 2018 with a big tease about mutual nuclear destruction from two leaders who then found "love" not war. It seems President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un were just playing hard to get. The presidency ends the year saturated in tumult, with the government in partial shutdown and Trump tweeting a video of himself warbling a parody of the theme song from "Green Acres," a television sitcom from the 1960s, to mark his signing of a farm bill. Throw in a beer-loving and very angry Supreme Court nominee, an unhappy departing defense secretary, Trump's parallel universe of facts and his zillion tweets, and you can see that the president's world this year was touched by the weird, the traumatic and the fantastical also known as WTF. There was no holding back the self-described "very stable genius" with the "very, very large brain." Some serious and relatively conventional things got done in 2018. There was a midterm election. Many more Democrats are coming to Congress and not quite all of them plan to run for president. Divided government dawns in January when Democrats take control of the House; Republicans retain their grip on the Senate. An overhaul of the criminal justice system was accomplished, and in an unusually bipartisan way, though it took a dash of reality TV's Kim Kardashian West to move it along. Gun control actually was tightened a bit, with Trump's unilateral banning of bump stocks. Trump shocked allies and lost Defense Secretary Jim Mattis over a presidential decision to pull U.S. troops out of Syria, quickly following up with indications that up to half the troops in Afghanistan might be withdrawn, too. Self-described "Tariff Man" started one trade war, with China, and headed off a second by tweaking the North American Free Trade Agreement and giving it an unpronounceable acronym, USMCA. He withdrew the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal, putting action behind his Twitter shout: "WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH." Trump placed his second justice on the Supreme Court in two years after Brett Kavanaugh, accused of alcohol-fueled sexual assault in his youth, raged against the allegations at a congressional hearing and acknowledged only: "I liked beer, I still like beer," but "I never sexually assaulted anyone." There were frustrations and fulminations aplenty for the president, particularly about the steaming-ahead Russia-Trump campaign investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller ("special councel" in some Trump tweets). Nor did he make much progress on his promised border wall ("boarder wall"), which he renamed "artistically designed steel slats" in December in what he regarded as a concession to wall-despising, concrete-cursing Democrats. The concession did not work: large parts of the government closed Saturday over the wall-induced budget impasse. He took heat for a zero-tolerance policy that forced migrant children from their parents until he backed off, inaccurately blaming Democrats for "Child Seperation." It was a very good year for jobs. It was a check-your-smartphone-right-now, pass-the-smelling-salts year for the stock market. Trump, who assailed the unemployment rate as a phony measure when he was a candidate, couldn't speak of it enough as Obama-era job growth continued on his watch. He went mum about the market, a prime subject for his boasting before it took a sustained dive. Trump's approval rating in polls was one of the few constants on this swiftly tilting planet: 42 percent approval and 56 percent disapproval in The Associated Press-NORC's latest and 38 percent-57 percent via Gallup, neither much different than in January. Through it all, the mainstreaming of the bizarre proceeded apace and North Korea's Kim set that tone right on Jan. 1 with his New Year cheer to Americans across the ocean: "It's not a mere threat but a reality that I have a nuclear button on the desk in my office. All of the mainland United States is within the range of our nuclear strike." Trump responded the next day with a tweet about size and performance. "I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!" Once they got that out of their system, things quickly improved, helped along by Kim's letters to Trump, which the U.S. president called "beautiful." There was no more talk about Trump being a "mentally deranged dotard" or Kim being a "maniac," the musty insults of an earlier time. In June, they held history's first meeting between a North Korean leader and a current U.S. president. "We fell in love," Trump later said at a West Virginia rally. Kim had previously vowed to visit "fire and fury" on the U.S. but the "Fire and Fury" that made Trump livid early this year was the book of the same name, Michael Wolff's insider account of the Trump White House. That was a different sort of missile. The president took particular exception to observations in the book by his former chief strategist, tweeting about "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!" They are said to be on better terms now. Over the course of the year, Trump spoke at more than 40 campaign rallies, kept up his Twitter barrage (40,000 tweets since 2009 on his @realDonaldTrump account) and answered plenty of questions in infrequent but lengthy news conferences and sit-down interviews. So what stands out in this blizzardy whiteout of unconventionality? How about this farewell to his secretary of state, Rex Tillerson? "He was dumb as a rock and I couldn't get rid of him fast enough. He was lazy as hell." (The president usually reserves "dumb as a rock" for journalists.) Or his description of Stormy Daniels, paid to stay quiet about their alleged affair, as "horseface?" Or this description of his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, as "scared stiff and Missing in Action," before Sessions was finally out in November? Will history long remember that in 2018 the president called Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff "little Adam Schitt" on Twitter and nations in Africa "shithole countries" in a private meeting? Or that he (correctly) predicted Hurricane Florence would be "tremendously wet" or told the AP: "I have a natural instinct for science?" In July, Trump appeared to side with Russian President Vladimir Putin when he stood by Putin's side at a Helsinki summit news conference and gave weight to Putin's denial that Russia meddled in the 2016 election, despite the firm conclusion of U.S. intelligence agencies that it had. "I don't see any reason why it would be" Russia, Trump said. But while it's been hardly noticed in a capital consumed by the shutdown drama, Mattis, Syria, steel slats and market convulsions, 2018 draws to a close as it started with warnings of a nuclear Armageddon, this time from Putin. Putin's prompt was Trump's intention to walk away from one arms control treaty and his reluctance to extend another. That, said Putin, "could lead to the destruction of civilization as a whole and maybe even our planet." Maybe he's just playing hard to get. AP polling director Emily Swanson, and AP writers Darlene Superville, Zeke Miller, Catherine Lucey, Jill Colvin, Jonathan Lemire and Nancy Benac contributed to this report. The partial government shutdown created a delicious irony at federal prisons inmates dining on lavish holiday meals in front of disgruntled staffers forced to work without pay. The striking dynamic played out at dozens of prisons across the country on Christmas and New Year's Day, several workers told NBC News, aggravating staffers who were already fretting about bills to pay and children to feed. Inmates at FCI Pekin in Illinois enjoyed a fancy meal of steak and shrimp on Jan. 1. Cornish hen and Boston Creme pie were on the menu at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. And the prisoners at a federal institution in Minnesota munched on heaping plates of chicken wings, according to staffers and documents obtained by NBC News. The shutdown marks the latest hardship for a group of roughly 36,000 federal employees who have been complaining about staff shortages and dangerous work conditions for months. A federal appeals court has ordered a fourth attempt at mediation in a long-running dispute over the state of Maryland's treatment of its historically black colleges. The black colleges say the state has underfunded them while developing programs at traditionally white schools that directly compete with them and drain prospective students away. In 2013, a judge found that the state had maintained an unconstitutional "dual and segregated education system." The judge said the state allowed traditionally white schools to replicate programs at historically black institutions, thereby undermining the success of the black schools. Despite three previous tries at mediation, the two sides have been unable to agree on a solution. On Wednesday, a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered Maryland's higher education commission and the coalition to begin mediation again to try to settle the 12-year-old lawsuit. "The Court is of the firm conviction that this case can and should be settled," the judges said in a written ruling. "Otherwise, the parties will likely condemn themselves to endless years of acrimonious, divisive and expensive litigation that will only work to the detriment of higher education in Maryland." The panel set an April 30 deadline to reach a mediated settlement and ordered monthly progress reports from the mediator. The litigation has dragged on for more than a decade. Last year, Gov. Larry Hogan said he was willing to spend up to $100 million to resolve the case. That would amount to $2.5 million annually for each of the state's four historically black universities over a 10-year period, not nearly enough to correct the problems, said Jon Greenbaum, a lawyer who represents the schools _ Bowie State University, Coppin State University, Morgan State University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. "We've never been close," Greenbaum said of past attempts to settle the case. "Hopefully, we'll get to the point where the state will view this case differently than it has up until now," he said. The coalition has previously proposed creating programming niches at each of the historically black colleges to attract students of all races. It also proposed creating or transferring approximately 100 programs offered at traditionally white schools to the historically black schools. Shareese DeLeaver-Churchill, a spokeswoman for Hogan, said the administration reached out to the coalition to try to resolve the case before the 4th Circuit's ruling. "We remain interested in reaching an agreement that will conclude the case in a way that is fair and equitable for Maryland's college students," she said in a statement. The man who was killed in a hit-and-run crash Saturday evening in the Midway District was identified Sunday as an 18-year-old Marine from Oak Park, Illinois, a Marine sergeant told NBC 7. Victor Molinar was a "poolee," someone who has enlisted but not yet gone through basic training, before he became a recruit in San Diego, a sergeant at the Oak Park Marines Recruiting Office told NBC 7. Police say Molinar was killed around 7 p.m. Saturday on Midway Drive between Rosecrans Street and Barnett Avenue near Paradise Lounge and Grill and Deja Vu. He was at one or both of the establishments with his friends and became separated from them, police said. His friends found him in the street and the debris trail suggested the victim was hit by one or more cars, police said. Molinar died at the scene. Police are still trying to determine a description of the vehicle involved in this collision. Investigators were checking the surveillance video at both establishments to see if either one captured what happened. Anyone with any information about the crash was urged to contact SDPD at (619) 531-2000 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. One of the advantages of being in government for 50 years, says California Gov. Jerry Brown, is "you get to make mistakes that you then get to correct." For Brown, one of those missteps was the criminal justice overhaul he oversaw as a young governor during two terms from 1975 to 1983. Now 80, he leaves office Monday after again reshaping the system during the past eight years. Get-tough sentencing laws during and after his first stint helped lead to the mass incarceration that crowded state prisons to the bursting point, spurring a federal takeover of many prison operations and a cap on the inmate population. The Democratic governor spent much of his second stint in office reducing criminal penalties and shuffling less-serious offenders to county jails instead of state lockups. "He has done an immense amount to advance smart approaches to justice," said Lenore Anderson, founder and executive director of the reform group Californians for Safety and Justice, calling it a "remarkable legacy." Brown said one of his biggest mistakes in his first two terms was signing the state's current sentencing law in 1977, letting judges instead of parole boards decide when most convicts should be released. He said he thought at the time sentencing rules were too uncertain and criminals needed "clear, certain punishment." A 1978 study by two University of California, Berkeley law professors called the California sentencing reform an "event of national significance" as it limited parole boards' "almost awesome freedom" with a "new philosophical approach." But it had the unintended consequence of dramatically lengthening prison sentences, particularly after lawmakers added hundreds of enhancements for things like using a gun, being a repeat offender or being involved in a gang while committing the underlying crime. "It was an enormous social experiment in criminal justice," recalled San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe, who started in the district attorney's office the year Brown first took office. "They've been saying the same thing about the last seven years. They were saying then, 'This is an experiment, this is a gamble, and we don't know how it's going to work.'" Brown's voter-approved 2016 ballot measure helped restore some of the flexibility that was lost 40 years ago by allowing most offenders to seek earlier parole hearings. Critics want to scale back the law with a ballot question in 2020 because they think it's too lenient. Among Brown's final acts as governor was to file a lawsuit to try to block the question. He also reduced criminal penalties and kept lower-level felons in county jails instead of state prisons. Voters separately eased sentences for career criminals, drug users and petty thieves. The result is about 25 percent fewer inmates in California prisons. "California has been a leader in criminal justice reform, in proposing large solutions, but also because it has had large problems," said Nazgol Ghandnoosh, a senior research analyst at The Sentencing Project, a Washington, D.C.-based reform group. The state's longest-serving governor also eclipsed records dating to at least the 1940s in granting pardons and commutations. His 284 commutations are nearly double the number granted by his eight most recent predecessors combined. His 1,736 pardons are more than triple the number issued by his next most prolific modern predecessor, Republican Ronald Reagan, and are 62 times greater than the last three governors combined. One of highest-profile pardons was of actor Robert Downey Jr. in 2015 for a 1996 drug conviction that sent the actor to prison for nearly a year. Many of Brown's changes since retaking office in 2011 were spurred by court orders, but his sister, Kathleen Brown, and niece, Kathleen Kelly, said they spring from the former Jesuit seminarian's deeply held views that people and society can change for the better. Kelly said Brown brings the same sense of urgency to criminal justice reform as to his more widely recognized concerns about climate change. Brown described his thinking in June while addressing an audience devoted to inmate rehabilitation. "You're trying to treat people like human beings that other human beings want to treat as animals and objects," he said. "But I can tell you from a practical point of view, from a public safety point of view, from a religious point of view, what we're endeavoring to do is the right thing to do." Former Gov. Gray Davis, who was Brown's chief of staff during his first two terms, said Brown also has reflected voters' changing views. "Jerry went from a pretty conservative period when people were generally concerned about their public safety to a time when courts were ordering him, without telling him exactly how to do it, to reduce the prison population," Davis said. Criminal Justice Legal Foundation president Michael Rushford, who advocates for crime victims, predicts changes by Brown and voters will spark a crime surge. In Brown's legislative decisions and judicial appointments, "he's doubled down," Rushford said. "He's done just as much damage as he did the first time around." One punishment Brown twice failed to change is executions. Decades ago, he vetoed a bill restoring the death penalty only to have lawmakers override his decision. He then appointed capital punishment opponents to the state Supreme Court, but voters ousted them. Dragged by voters and lawsuits, his administration moved to restart executions for the first time since 2006, though legal and practical barriers have pushed the issue to incoming Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. Overall, Brown created a culture shift for criminal justice, said Alex Mallick, executive director of the reform group Re:store Justice. She wants other states to follow California's example. "Jerry Brown really kind of popularized rehabilitation and the idea that people would get rehabilitated in prison," Mallick said. Philadelphia police are looking for a man suspected of assaulting several women over a 10-day period. Between Dec. 20 and Dec. 30, the man indecently assaulted one woman, tried to chase a second and then finally pushed a third one to the ground and covered her mouth as she tried to enter her home, Philadelphia Police Department spokeswoman Tanya Little said. The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 30 years old and standing around 5 feet, 8 inches tall. Police say he wore dark clothing during all three incidents. The first attack came around 1:40 a.m. Dec. 20, Little said. The man allegedly indecently assaulted a woman in the 700 South Street area. Eight days later, around 5:09 a.m., the suspect started approaching a woman while riding a bike as she was trying to enter her home on the 1300 block of Morris Street, Little said. The woman was able to get inside before the man got to her. Around 2:55 p.m. Dec. 30, the suspect, once again on a bike, rode up on a woman entering her home on the 200 block of Fitzwater Street. The man pushed the victim to the ground and covered her mouth before she was able to fight him off, Little said. Anyone with information is asked to call the department's Special Victims unit at 215-685-3252. Harold Brown, who as defense secretary in the Carter administration championed cutting-edge fighting technology during a tenure that included the failed rescue of hostages in Iran, has died at age 91. Brown died Friday, said the Rand Corp., the California-based think tank which Brown served as a trustee for more than 35 years. His sister, Leila Brennet, said he died at his home in Rancho Santa Fe, California. Brown was a nuclear physicist who led the Pentagon to modernize its defense systems with weapons that included precision-guided cruise missiles, stealth aircraft, advanced satellite surveillance and improved communications and intelligence systems. He successfully campaigned to increase the Pentagon budget during his term, despite skepticism inside the White House and from Democrats in Congress. That turbulent period included the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan and the Iranian hostage crisis. An effort in April 1980 to rescue the hostages failed when one of the helicopters on the mission struck a tanker aircraft in eastern Iran and crashed, killing eight U.S. servicemen. "I considered the failed rescue attempt my greatest regret and most painful lesson learned," Brown wrote in his book "Star Spangled Security." Brown faced numerous obstacles when he took the job as Pentagon chief, including pressure to reduce the defense budget both from within the administration and from influential congressional Democrats. "When I became secretary of defense in 1977, the military services, most of all the army, were disrupted badly by the Vietnam War. There was general agreement that the Soviet Union outclassed the West in conventional military capability, especially in ground forces in Europe," he wrote later. Wary of the growing Soviet threat, Brown sought to withstand the pressure to cut defense and, gradually, managed to increase spending. "The constant Cold War competition raged hot during the Carter administration and preoccupied me throughout the four years," Brown wrote. He noted later that "the Defense Department budget in real terms was 10 to 12 percent more when we left than when we came in," which he said was not an easy accomplishment. And he cited the technological advances in defense systems, especially weapons systems such as precision-guided cruise missiles, stealth aircraft and advanced satellite surveillance. "Some of these came to visible fruition 10 years later during Desert Storm, which reversed Saddam Hussein's occupation of Kuwait," he wrote. "The Carter administration initiated and developed these programs, the Reagan administration paid for their acquisition in many cases, and the George H.W. Bush administration employed them." Brown later maintained that his extensive work with the Soviets on the arms race was not wasted. "We also reached a specific strategic arms control agreement with the Soviet Union," he wrote. "Though never formally ratified, the agreement was adhered to by both parties and limited Soviet threats that our other conventional and nuclear weapons programs were designed to counter." The acting defense secretary, Patrick Shanahan, said in a statement Saturday that Brown's "steady leadership piloted our nation through a consequential segment of the Cold War. His focus on deterrence through a strong nuclear triad facilitated long-term peace and stability in the United States and Europe." Shanahan praised Brown for his "devoted leadership and lifetime of service." Brown was born in New York City on Sept. 19, 1927, attended public schools and went to Columbia University on an accelerated wartime schedule, receiving an undergraduate degree in physics in 1945 "when I was not quite 18," then going to graduate school at Columbia, receiving a doctorate in physics. Not long after graduation he moved to California and went to work on projects that related to the development of plutonium. He then went to work at a nuclear weapons lab. He worked his way up to director of the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory at Livermore in 1960. In 1961, Defense Secretary Robert McNamara invited him to be director of defense research and engineering in the Kennedy administration. In 1965 he became secretary of the Air Force during the Johnson administration and, as he described it later, "served in that role through some of the most difficult and divisive parts of the Vietnam War." After the 1968 election put a Republican, Richard Nixon, back in the White House, Brown accepted the position of president at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena serving until he went back into government work and was a delegate to the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks in the 1970s, Carter nominated Brown to be defense secretary in 1977. He was quickly confirmed and served throughout Carter's term. During the 1980 campaign Brown actively defended the Carter administration's policies, speaking frequently on national issues in public. After leaving the Pentagon, he remained in Washington, joining the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies as a visiting professor and later the university's Foreign Policy Institute as chairman. He remained active in matters of national security, including service on the Defense Policy Board, which meets quarterly to offer perspectives to the current secretary of defense. He served as a consultant to many corporations, often serving as a member of the board of directors. Carter awarded Brown the Presidential Medal of Freedom. President Bill Clinton gave him the Energy Department's Enrico Fermi Award for achievement in science and technology. At a farewell address from his job as defense secretary, Brown said: "Most satisfying of all is that for four years our nation remained at peace despite the world tensions and turmoil that constantly pose challenges to our interest and peace." What to Know A man wanted in connection with at least three sexual assaults in Manhattan has been arrested, the NYPD said Rashaun Kelley, 35, of Brooklyn, was arrested and charged in connection with three attacks dating back to 2014 and 2015 Police had linked the same man to at least two other sex attacks in the East Village, but Kelley hasn't been charged for those An attorney has been arrested and charged with three sexual assaults that took place in Manhattan more than three years ago, the NYPD said. Rashaun Kelley, 35, of Brooklyn, was arrested and charged Friday night in connection with three attacks in 2014 and 2015, police said. In the attacks, the women were grabbed, touched and, in one case, the woman's pants were pulled down. Kelley has his own Park Avenue law firm and previously was a partner in Carrion, Soto, Viruet and Kelley, said his lawyer and former partner, Christopher Carrion. "If this is true, it's the first I've heard of him behaving this way -- and we intend to mount a vigorous defense, Carrion told NBC 4 New York. Kelley was arraigned Saturday and bail was set at $200,000 cash or bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 10. Police say a 19-year-old girl was walking into an elevator in the lobby of an apartment building on Roosevelt Drive in the East Village after midnight on Dec. 16, 2014, when Kelley allegedly grabbed her buttocks and breasts and tried to kiss her. After a struggle, the girl managed to flee the elevator, according to police. Kelley allegedly grabbed her buttocks again before fleeing the building, police said. A day later, on Dec. 17, 2014, a 20-year-old woman was walking into her apartment building somewhere in the 30th Precinct, which includes Hamilton Heights, Sugar Hill and West Harlem, around 4:25 a.m. when Kelley allegedly went into the building behind her, covered her mouth and started touching her back and buttocks, the NYPD said. Kelley fled the scene after the attack, according to police. And on Jan. 14, 2015, a 31-year-old woman was opening the door to her apartment building somewhere in the 5th Precinct, which includes Chinatown, Little Italy and the Bowery, around 2:30 a.m. when Kelley allegedly approached her from behind, grabbed her waist and pulled her pants down, police said. Kelley pushed the woman away and fled the area when the woman screamed, according to police. Police say Kelley was wearing a black Yankees hat during all three of the attacks. Hes been charged with two counts of burglary and two counts of sex abuse for the Dec. 16 and Dec. 17, 2014, incidents, and attempted rape, burglary and sex abuse for the Jan. 14, 2015, incident. Police had previously linked Kelley to sexual assaults that took place in the East Village on Dec. 9 and Dec. 28, 2014, but Kelley had not been charged for those attacks as of Saturday morning, the NYPD said. ___ The Associated Press contributed to this report. The influx of asylum seekers into the county has filled local shelters, prompting some San Diegans to host asylum seekers in their own home. One of those generous hosts is Judy Eby. I just feel grateful. Grateful to be a part of this, Eby told NBC 7. Eby recently took in Nohemi, and her one-year-old daughter, Daniela. She is lovely and wonderful. The baby fills my heart, said Eby. Nohemi is trying to escape cartel violence and is due in immigration court at the end of January. Shes 18 years old, Eby said. Shes one of the best mothers Ive seen. Nohemi has a GPS monitoring device on her ankle while she waits for the result of her asylum request. In the meantime, Eby said she is willing to take in more migrant families. I had another family a couple of weeks ago, said Eby. While the humanitarian crisis at the border has led to a polarizing political debate in America, Eby is hoping the crisis will eventually bring people together. We are one people, she said. Eby is a member of the Border Angels, which has an adopt a family program. People who are interested in helping can go visit borderangels.org. Authorities are interviewing "persons of interest" in the Dec. 30 shooting death of a 7-year-old Houston girl, the Harris County Sheriff's Office tweeted late Saturday. The sheriff's office said it would release more details "as soon as possible." Jazmine Barnes was shot and killed, while she was in her family's car on Dec. 30, and her shooter is still at large. Saturday, hundreds of people who gathered at a rally for her and were asked to think of the victim as their own child, and to be part of an "army" that will help authorities catch the person who fatally shot her. The rally was held in the parking lot of a Walmart near where the shooting happened. During the rally, people held up balloons and stuffed animals, as well as signs that said "Justice for Jazmine." Organizers of the rally also led the crowd in chants that repeated the phrases, "What do we want? Justice. Who do we want it for? Jazmine." Jazmine's family believes her death was racially motivated. The girl was black and the alleged shooter is described as a white man in a red truck. Police have said they are pursuing various leads after a composite sketch of the suspect was released on Thursday. Investigators added that they have not yet determined a motive, including whether race might have played a role. Lee Merritt, a national civil rights attorney working with Jazmine's family, said there were no updates in the search on Saturday. In an emotional speech, Jazmine's aunt, Sharonica Watt, asked her niece's killer why he took the little girl's life. "We're asking you to turn yourself in right now, in the name of Jesus. We're asking you to give justice to me and my family," Watt yelled in between tears. Deric Muhammad, a community activist who helped organize Saturday's rally, told the crowd that everyone there had a role to play "in finding justice for this baby." "We all consider ourselves soldiers in Jazmine's army," he said. Jazmine's mother, LaPorsha Washington, also addressed the crowd, thanking them for their support. "We going to find him no matter what corner we have to turn. No matter what rock we have gotta go under, we are going to find you," Washington said. Various local and federal officials, including Houston Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, attended the rally. Houston-based rappers Paul Wall and Trae tha Truth asked the crowd to reach out to authorities if they have any information on the shooter. "At the end of the day, Jazmine is ours. She's my kid. She's your kid," Trae tha Truth said. "There's no excuse. It's no what I shoulda, what I coulda. At the end of the day it's simple. We all have to stand up." Lee said she planned to reach out to federal authorities to ask them to create a national manhunt for Jazmine's killer. The Harris County Sheriff's Office in Houston, which is leading the investigation, said it's already working with the FBI and other federal agencies. A $100,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest. Others at the rally discussed their belief that the shooting was racially motivated and was reflective of what they see as growing intolerance and attacks on minorities and immigrants in the United States. Community activists said the attack is similar to a 2017 incident in the area in which a suspect described as white shot into a vehicle carrying at least two black people. That shooting remains unsolved. "This is a disgrace to our nation and we want the hate to stop. We want love to rise up," said Bishop E. L. Usher, the pastor at the church attended by Jazmine's father. NBC 5's Chris Blake contributed to this report. From suggestions of "political synergy" and offers of business deals to contact with more than a dozen people in then-candidate Donald Trump's orbit, Russian outreach to the Trump campaign has a familiar and alarming pattern to experts in the intelligence field. The attempts by Russians to establish contact, which were laid out in the latest court filings by special counsel Robert Mueller, were persistent, apparently targeted and more frequent than would be expected during a typical presidential campaign, former officials said after reviewing the documents. "This pattern is what the Russians do everywhere else in the world," said Steven Hall, a former CIA official. "It's standard intelligence tradecraft." Mueller has been investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election for more than a year and has not revealed clear evidence of coordination between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. Much of the investigation is still under wraps, but the portrait emerging from court filings and other sources is striking to intelligence professionals. "It's all vintage Russian intelligence behavior," said Bruce Riedel, a former senior CIA officer and now a fellow at the Brookings Institution. Trump, who has repeatedly lashed out at the probe, insisted in a tweet again this week that there was "NO COLLUSION" between his campaign and Russia. And it's not unheard of for campaigns to be in contact at times with foreigners. What's "completely unusual" is the number of people involved, said Trevor Potter, who was general counsel for the late Sen. John McCain's 2000 and 2008 presidential campaigns. Typically, any such communications would be routed through the foreign policy team and the general counsel alerted, he said. Court filings and Associated Press reporting identified contacts between at least 14 people linked to the Trump campaign and Russian nationals. They include a Russian who reached out to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen in 2015 and offered "political synergy" between Russia and the Republican campaign. A person familiar with the matter confirmed that person is a former Russian Olympic athlete named Dmitry Klokov. Former intelligence officials say the pattern of Russian outreach emerging is similar to the early stage of a Russian intelligence operation. Russian agents or third parties will approach people offering to help improve U.S.-Russian relations or offering a business deal before talking politics, said Hall, a retired CIA chief of Russian operations. Russian contacts with the Trump campaign, which recent court filings from Mueller show, began within months of Trump announcing his candidacy in June, 2015. A number of the Russians initiating the contact or proposing business deals were obscure figures with ties to the country's military or powerful oligarchs. On Trump's side, Russians made contact with at least 14 individuals ranging from members of Trump's family and senior members of his campaign to mid- and low-level associates. The range of people in Trump's orbit contacted by Russian individuals suggest the operation was in its early stages and was casting a "wide net," Hall said. "This is how Russian intelligence approaches start, in an amenable way," Hall said, noting that the word "synergy" in the Mueller filing stood out to him in particular. Russian agents or third parties will approach people offering to help improve U.S.-Russian relations or offering a business deal before talking politics, he said. Mark Galeotti, an expert on the Russian security services, said from what has been revealed so far he is doubtful the contacts were part of a Kremlin-directed operation. "What I see are greedy and foolish people trying to do business in Russia and thinking it was still the wild 1990s where all you needed was a buck and a Western name to make money," said Galeotti, who is now a fellow at the Institute of International Relations Prague. Galeotti said it is likely most of the Russians who reached out to the Trump campaign were "self-motivated." "It's often that you will have a whole variety of different actors doing what they think the Kremlin would like them to do in the hope that they will be rewarded down the line," he said. Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul said he was surprised by the relative obscurity of many of the Russians identified by the Mueller investigation. "These are not the most prominent business people," McFaul said. "This is not how Boeing, for example, does business in Russia. It seems rather amateurish." Former U.S. intelligence officials say the "amateurish" nature of the Russians who contacted the Trump campaign could be by design. Russian intelligence agencies often use third parties to initiate contact. "That's why you're seeing this weird cast of characters," Hall said, explaining that individuals like Konstantin Kilimnik fit the profile of someone who would be used by a Russian intelligence agency as a low-level intermediary. Mueller believes Kilimnik who was born in Soviet Ukraine and served in the Soviet military before joining the International Republican Institute in Moscow as a translator has ties to Russian intelligence. Kilimnik has denied this. The emergence of Michael Cohen, Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer, as central to Russian contact with the campaign also fits the mold of a Russian intelligence operation. Cohen's large debt of over $14 million could be easily identified as a possible leverage point and by arranging the payment of hush money he demonstrated his willingness to undertake risky behavior. "The goal is assess vulnerability and access," Riedel said. "Cohen would be an obvious target on both counts." The White House has sent national security adviser John Bolton on a mission to allay Israel's concerns about President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. The pullout announced before Christmas was initially expected to be completed within weeks, but the timetable has slowed as the president acceded to requests from aides, allies and members of Congress for a more orderly drawdown. Bolton planned to meet with Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and other officials on Sunday before traveling to Turkey. Israeli officials have expressed alarm that a swift withdrawal of the roughly 2,000 troops could enable Iran to expand its influence and presence in Syria, wracked by a yearslong civil war and the Islamic State militancy. Trump's move has raised fears about clearing the way for a Turkish assault on Kurdish fighters in Syria who have fought alongside American troops against IS extremists. Turkey considers the Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, a terrorist group linked to an insurgency within its own borders. A Trump administration official told reporters traveling with Bolton that Bolton intended to discuss the pace of the drawdown, as well as American troop levels in the region. Bolton was expected to explain that some U.S. troops based in Syria to fight IS will shift to Iraq with the same mission and that some American forces may remain at a key military outpost in al-Tanf, in southern Syria, to counter growing Iranian activity in the region. Bolton also was to convey the message that the United States will be "very supportive" of Israeli strikes against Iranian targets in Syria, according to the official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss Bolton's plans before the meetings and spoke on condition of anonymity to preview the talks. Bolton warned Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, not to use the U.S. drawdown as a pretext to use chemical weapons against Syrians, saying there is "no change" to the U.S. position that their use is a "red line." Trump has twice carried out airstrikes in Syria in response to apparent chemical attacks, with the intention of deterring Assad. "We've tried twice through the use of military force to demonstrate to the Assad regime the use of chemical weapons is not acceptable," Bolton said while en route to Israel. "And if they don't heed the lessons of those two strikes, the next one will be more telling." Trump's announcement about the intended troop withdrawal was greeted by surprise and condemnation from many U.S. lawmakers and allies, and prompted the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and the U.S. special envoy for the anti-IS coalition in protest. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is following Bolton to the Mideast this coming week for an eight-country tour of Arab allies to shore up support for the administration's partners in the region. While in Israel, Bolton planned to encourage officials to take a tougher stance against Chinese electronics manufacturers ZTE and Huawei. The U.S. has expressed concerns about potential cyber-penetration by those companies. Joining Bolton in Turkey will be the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph Dunford. In meetings with Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and other officials, they are expected to warn against an offensive targeting the Kurdish fighters in Syria. Marijuana is a growing business in California and that could mean opportunities right here in San Diego. Dozens of people showed up Saturday for the inaugural San Diego Cannabis and Hemp Job Fair and Business Mixer at the Hilton San Diego Mission Valley Hotel. The event was organized by the San Diego Cannabis Farmers Market. "We decided that the community need to meet everybody that's involved in the industry," Joshua Caruso, the co-founder of the market, said. "With legalization and the recreation market going the way that it is also with hemp being legal now it's something that's thriving and we felt that San Diego needed that." Not all the jobs are about handling the actual plants, employers there said. There are opportunities in marketing and management. Caruso said the industry is becoming more professional, so cannabis entrepreneurs need professional people to help with those aspects. "There's a big stigma out there still, a negative stigma, and ... we're killing the stigma one resume at a time," he said. Now that the market has its license from the state, Caruso said his team is working on more events such as this one. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 6) A mayor, who was tagged as the mastermind behind the killing of AKO-BICOL Party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe, lost support from his political party. The LAKAS-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) said Sunday it has revoked its Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA) for Mayor Carlwyn Baldo as the party's official candidate for the Daraga town, Albay mayoralty race. "Please be informed that Lakas-CMD is revoking the CONA issued to Mr. Baldo. Hence, Mayor Baldo is no longer the official candidate of Lakas-CMD for the position of Mayor of Daraga," its statement released on Sunday said. This comes after the surrendered gunmen responsible for the killing of Batocabe revealed they were ordered to carry out the slay by Baldo. Batocabe, who, along with his escort, was shot and killed during a gift-giving event in Daraga, Albay on December 22, was the political rival of Baldo in the elections this year. Baldo earlier maintained his innocence amid the accusations. "I assert my innocence. Let us not forget that while I am being used as a convenient scapegoat, those who are truly responsible for the crime remain free and blameless. I am an easy target but that does not make me guilty of the crime," he said on January 3. The political party condemned the violence linked to their candidate. "Thus, LAKAS-CMD strongly condemns the killings of AKO-BICOL party-list Representative Rodel Batocabe and his security aide. Violence in any form and for whatever reason has no place in our democratic institutions," it said. Baldo and the six hired gunmen are facing double murder and six counts of multiple frustrated murder charges. Lakas-CMD is a major political party allied with President Rodrigo Duterte's party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan. U.S. troops will not leave northeastern Syria until Islamic State militants are defeated and American-allied Kurdish fighters are protected, a top White House aide said Sunday, signaling a pause to a withdrawal abruptly announced last month and initially expected to be completed within weeks. While U.S. national security adviser John Bolton said there is now no timetable, President Donald Trump reaffirmed his commitment to withdrawing U.S. troops, though he said "we won't be finally pulled out until ISIS is gone." Trump had said in his Dec. 19 withdrawal announcement that U.S. forces "have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency," and added in a video posted to Twitter, "Now it's time for our troops to come back home." Bolton said in Israel that the U.S. would pull out only after its troops had rooted out what's left of ISIS in Syria and after the administration had reached an agreement with Turkey to protect Kurdish militias who have fought alongside Americans against the extremists. In Washington, Trump told reporters at the White House that "we are pulling back in Syria. We're going to be removing our troops. I never said we're doing it that quickly." But in that Dec. 19 video, the president had said of the roughly 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria: "They're all coming back, and they're coming back now." And officials said at the time that while many details were yet to be finalized, they expected American forces to be out by mid-January. "I think this is the reality setting in that you got to plan this out," said U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. He told CBS' "Face the Nation" that "the bottom line here is we want to make sure we get this right, that ISIS doesn't come back. And I applaud the president for re-evaluating what he's doing. ... He has a goal in mind of reducing our presence. I share that goal. Let's just do it smartly." Trump's decision last month drew widespread criticism from allies, led to the resignation of U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and raised fears over clearing the way for a Turkish assault on the Kurdish fighters. Turkey considers the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, a terrorist group linked to an insurgency within its own borders. 'There are objectives that we want to accomplish that condition the withdrawal," Bolton told reporters in Jerusalem. "The timetable flows from the policy decisions that we need to implement." He was to be in Turkey on Monday, accompanied by the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford, for talks with government officials. Bolton said the U.S. wants its Kurdish allies in Syria protected from any planned Turkish offensive a warning to be delivered to Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "We don't think the Turks ought to undertake military action that's not fully coordinated with and agreed to by the United States," Bolton said. He said that in upcoming meetings with Turkish officials, he will seek "to find out what their objectives and capabilities are and that remains uncertain." Bolton said Trump has made clear he would not allow Turkey to kill the Kurds. "That's what the president said, the ones that fought with us," Bolton said. Bolton said the U.S. has asked the Kurds to "stand fast now" and refrain from seeking protection from Russia or Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government. "I think they know who their friends are," he added, speaking of the Kurds. Jim Jeffrey, the special representative for Syrian engagement and the newly named American special envoy for the anti-Islamic State coalition, is to travel to Syria this coming week in an effort to reassure the Kurdish fighters that they are not being abandoned, Bolton said. Turkey's presidential spokesman called allegations that his country planned to attack the U.S.-allied Kurds in Syria "irrational" and said Turkey was fighting terrorism for national security. In comments carried by the official Anadolu news agency, Ibrahim Kalin said the Kurdish fighters oppressed Syrian Kurds and pursued a separatist agenda under the guise of fighting ISIS. "That a terror organization cannot be allied with the U.S. is self-evident," he said. U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, the incoming chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, told ABC's "This Week" that the conditions raised by Bolton were "obvious," and Smith criticized the conflicting messages from the Trump administration. "We don't want ISIS to rise again and be a transnational terrorist threat and we don't want our allies, the Kurds, to be slaughtered by Erdogan in Turkey," said Smith, D-Wash. Bolton said U.S. troops would remain at the critical area of al-Tanf, in southern Syria, to counter growing Iranian activity in the region. He defended the legal basis for the deployment, saying it's justified by the president's constitutional authority. The U.S. is also seeking a "satisfactory disposition" for roughly 800 ISIS prisoners held by the U.S.-backed Syrian opposition, Bolton said, adding talks were ongoing with European and regional partners about the issue. Bolton was to have dinner with Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Sunday to discuss the pace of the U.S. drawdown, American troop levels in the region, and the U.S. commitment to push back on Iranian regional expansionism. Bolton was expected to explain that some U.S. troops based in Syria to fight ISIS will shift to Iraq with the same mission and that the al-Tanf base would remain. Bolton also was to convey the message that the United States is "very supportive" of Israeli strikes against Iranian targets in Syria, according to a senior administration official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss Bolton's plans before the meetings and spoke on condition of anonymity. The CES 2019 gadget show, which kicks off Sunday, will showcase the expanding influence and sway of China's rapidly growing technology sector. But some of its firms are stepping back from the spotlight amid rising U.S. national-security concerns over Chinese tech and a trans-Pacific trade war launched by President Donald Trump. Last year, a top executive of the Chinese telecom firm Huawei delivered a CES keynote address critical of AT&T's abrupt cancellation of plans to sell a Huawei phone following espionage concerns raised by the U.S. government. This year, Huawei's chief financial officer was arrested in Canada at the behest of the U.S.; Meng Wanzhou, daughter of Huawei's founder, now awaits U.S. extradition. No Chinese technology executives will deliver CES keynotes in Las Vegas this week. There are fewer Chinese entrepreneurs buying up booth space to show off their latest technology more than 20 percent fewer exhibitors than last year, according to registration numbers tracked by the South China Morning Post. Chinese firms still account for more than a quarter of the conference's 4,500 exhibitors, second only to the U.S. in sheer numbers. But some of the biggest names are taking a more subdued approach. Internet company Baidu last year hosted a flashy event touting its self-driving software, but this year is sticking to a more conventional booth. E-commerce giant Alibaba is eschewing the big outdoor tent it helped erect last year in favor of quieter meetings marketing its voice assistant to business partners. The phone maker Xiaomi is simply skipping this year's event altogether. None of them are citing rising U.S.-China tensions, but it's hard to ignore the geopolitical backdrop even with a 90-day "cease-fire" on tariffs set to expire in March. The U.S. and China have imposed import taxes on hundreds of billions of dollars of each other's goods and Trump has threatened more to come, including tariffs that could make devices like iPhones more expensive. The U.S. is also exploring new export restrictions that would target industries where China is hoping to get ahead, such as artificial intelligence and robotics. And the Justice Department brought charges last month against two Chinese citizens it accused of stealing American trade secrets and other sensitive information on behalf of Beijing's main intelligence agency. Of course, plenty of Chinese entrepreneurs are still eager to show off their innovations. Hosts of the 52-year-old trade event have sought to downplay the tensions, noting that they've weathered previous trade tensions, such as those that roiled U.S.-Japan relations in the 1980s. "The Japanese presence used to be very big and it was similar in that the U.S. was in a panic about it," said Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association, which organizes CES. That ended when the Japanese "bubble" economy burst in 1991 and its tech industry began a long, slow decline. "Japanese innovation from those companies shrunk and those companies consolidated," Shapiro said. "These things are impermanent. So I don't lose that much sleep over it." Shapiro said the trade dispute with China and the Meng arrest in Canada aren't impacting attendance. CES organizers on Sunday wouldn't confirm numbers showing a sharp drop in Chinese exhibitors, but said a decline in small Chinese companies on the show floor was made up by expanded booth presence from bigger firms. Chinese tech firms are increasingly joining their American, South Korean and Japanese counterparts in using CES to build enthusiasm for up-and-coming electronics products, while also connecting with potential new international partners and suppliers. That's especially true for electronics firms like Hisense and TCL, which have increasingly sought to sell their TVs in North America, and Lenovo, which is already a big player in the U.S. laptop market but is pushing to sell other internet-connected devices. Hisense is making a splashier presentation this year as it invests in boosting its U.S. brand awareness, said Jim Ninesling, head of marketing for Hisense USA. Previously, the company, which has a large market share in China, mostly kept on the U.S. sidelines, branding some of its products under the name of the better-known Japanese firm Sharp. Chinese electric carmaker Byton, a startup backed by internet giant Tencent, on Sunday is promising to unveil what it calls the "world's most intuitive automotive interface," which, according to a tease on Twitter , involves a touchscreen mounted on the steering wheel. AI firm iFlytek sometimes described as China's Siri or Alexa is planning to showcase its latest advances in voice recognition and real-time translation services. And a startup expo co-hosted by the Chinese government features a bevy of gee-whiz innovations, from indoor delivery robots and portable karaoke headsets to "smart" suitcases aided by computer vision. In an ideal world, the tech industries in the two countries would be seen as complementary, said venture capitalist Kai-Fu Lee, who led Google's subsidiary in China before the company withdrew over censorship and other concerns. "The U.S. strength is deep technologists, universities, academics, people with superior experience," he said. "China's superiority is a larger market, more data, and very tenacious and hardworking entrepreneurs." Lee said his optimism for a more collaborative approach is now "merely a dream" because of the worsening trade dispute. But he said there could still be partnerships between U.S. firms and Chinese companies that, for now, mostly cater to Chinese consumers. "Google feels much, much more threat from Amazon than any Chinese company," he said. "That makes Tencent and Alibaba potential allies, especially when customer needs cross international boundaries." A man who allegedly deserted the U.S. Army in 2000 had been living in a small western Indiana city under a fake name, didn't have a car and worked jobs that paid cash, according to police. Clinton officers recently discovered Robert Brodbeck, 46, had allegedly deserted the Army 18 years ago after he came into the police station to talk to them about an altercation with a co-worker, The Indianapolis Star reported. Officers became suspicious of Brodbeck when he gave a false name that didn't show up on any police databases, said Larry Keller, the Clinton Police Department's records clerk. Brodbeck eventually gave officers his real name, and they learned he had warrants out for his arrest in Texas and that he's been living under the radar in Clinton for 17 years, Keller said. The Indiana city, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) west of Indianapolis, has about 4,800 residents. "He worked jobs in things where he was paid in cash," Keller said. "Nothing that ever required a Social Security number. He lived in a low-rent apartment. He walked everywhere and never had a driver's license. He was really no trouble." When he voluntarily came into the Clinton police station, Brodbeck had been working as a dishwasher at an Italian restaurant, Keller said. Brodbeck is being held at Vermillion County Jail while awaiting extradition by the U.S. Marshals An oil painting that was stolen from Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe during World War II was recovered by federal agents in the D.C. area, the News4 I-Team has learned. At least two people traveled to the Washington, D.C. area to attempt to sell the painting last year, court filings reviewed by the I-Team show. The duo was scheduled to attend an auction in November 2017, but the plan was scuttled after a fine art researcher learned the painting was stolen and notified the FBI, according to the head of the auctions firm. The painting, "Secret Departure of Ivan the Terrible Before the Oprichina" by Mikhail N. Panin, was produced in 1911 and was the among the first works of art displayed in the collection of the Ekaterinoslav City Art Museum when it opened in 1914. The painting "disappeared during the occupation of the city during the Second World War," according to court filings. The museum was in a region of central Ukraine occupied by the Nazis between August 1941 and October 1943. Court filings from the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia said the painting is believed to have been held and displayed for decades in a Ridgefield, Connecticut home after World War II. The court filings said a Swiss citizen who emigrated to the United States in 1946 sold the home in 1962 and left the painting behind. The home was sold again in 1987, and the painting was left behind during that home sale as well, the court records said. The U.S. Attorney has formally asked a federal judge to allow the forfeiture of the picture to the U.S. government. Federal agents have already obtained records from the Embassy of Ukraine in D.C. to prove the authenticity of the painting. "The recovery of this art looted during World War II reflects the commitment of this office to pursue justice for victims of crime here and abroad," U.S. Attorney Jessie Liu said in a statement to News4. "The looting of cultural heritage during World War II was tragic, and we are happy to be able to assist in the efforts to return such items to their rightful owners." In their filings with the court, the U.S. Attorney said the painting was scheduled to be auctioned on Nov. 18, 2017, and was published in an auction house catalogue. The filings also said at least two people hired a company to transport the 7.5- by 8.5-foot painting to the D.C.-area for the attempted sale. Elizabeth Wainstein, owner of The Potomack Company auction house in Alexandria, told News4 that a fine arts researcher investigated the origins of the painting and found an article indicating it was once housed in a museum in the Ukraine. That article, however, indicated it had been "destroyed" during World War II, she said. "That was definitely a red flag," Wainstein told News4. She said the auction house reached out to the Dnepropetrovsk Art Museum, which responded with an urgent request to stop the sale. The museum's statement read: "Attention! Painting 'Ivan the Terrible' was in the collection of the Dnepropetrovsk Art Museum until 1941 and was stolen during the Second World War. The museum documentation confirms this fact. Please stop selling this painting at auction!!! According the international rules of restitution of stolen works of art, the picture should return to Ukraine," according to court filings. A 2016 report by the News4 I-Team found the FBI has recovered at least 2,650 missing pieces of art and historical artifacts since 2004. The agency has an Art Crime Team, a specialized unit of agents formed and trained to track art thefts. The FBI and the Ukraine Embassy in the United States did not immediately return requests for comment. Its not the first time Potomack Company has played a role in the recovery of stolen art. In 2012, Pierre-Auguste Renoir's painting "Paysage Bords de Seine" was set to be auctioned there, when a Washington Post reporter discovered it had been stolen from the Baltimore Museum of Art in 1951. Last week's magnitude 7.0 earthquake near Anchorage caused multiple problems at the sprawling Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, including damage to steel frameworks, ceilings, and sprinkler and heating systems, military officials said Friday. But as with the rest of the earthquake zone, there were no deaths, serious injuries or widespread catastrophic damage. In fact, Air Force Lt. Col. Jacob Leck, who is originally from Idaho, expected far worse in his first-ever earthquake, he said Friday during a news briefing on the impact of the Nov. 30 quake that struck 7 miles north of Anchorage. Such was the force felt during the quake, which has been followed by thousands of aftershocks. "I thought for sure that we had significant damage and that it was going to be a catastrophic loss of some facilities," said Leck, commander of the 773D Civil Engineer Squadron and director of the base emergency operations center. "And to this date, we have not found anything of the magnitude that I ever expected." The base was quickly ready to receive aircraft, with three C-130s landing within an hour after the quake, according to officials. The base is home to two F-22 Raptor fighter squadrons. None of the more than 40 F-22s on base was damaged in the earthquake, JBER spokeswoman Erin Eaton said. Damages at the base are still being assessed, with a subsurface assessment planned by an airfield pavement evaluation team heading to Alaska from Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, officials said. Base officials unveiled damage to a swimming pool room in a base fitness building during Friday's briefing. Ceiling panels were still missing, and the floor near the empty pool was littered with debris. The building is among several that remain closed at the base. The 123-square-mile base, located on Anchorage's north side, is home to about 1,000 buildings, plus another 3,200 housing units. Only one household was displaced, and that was because of a water outage. None of the seven bridges on base was damaged. The base has provided emotional support to those who need it, said Col. Michael Staples, commander of the 673D Civil Engineering Group. "The chaplain has been very busy," he said. The main earthquake-damaged structures over a wide swath of the temblor's impact zone area in Anchorage and beyond, disrupting power and cracking roads. As of early Friday afternoon, there had been more than 3,100 aftershocks, including 15 with a magnitude of 4.5 and above, said seismologist Natalia Ruppert with the Alaska Earthquake Center. Anchorage police warned Friday that rockfalls were still occurring along a 6-mile stretch of the cliff-lined Seward Highway. Leopards neglected due to focus on more iconic animals Daily Telegraph Pliocene and Eocene provide best analogs for near-future climates PNAS (abstract only). Geologically novel climates. A Terrifying Sea-Level Prediction Now Looks Far Less Likely The Atlantic The recovery is alive and well. How much longer will it be? WaPo Banks Emerging-Market Boom Leaves a Grim Legacy Bloomberg Exclusive: California utility PG&E explores bankruptcy filing sources Reuters Three benefits of electric vehicles, and how to unlock them World Economic Forum An Engineering Wunderkinds Ocean Plastics Cleanup Device Hits A Setback NPR (Furzy Mouse). Brexit John LeCarre was an optimist: So, the Institute for Statecraft's Integrity Initiative wants to ramp up the Russia threat to get the UK military removed from democratic oversight? Leaked minutes of private discussion between II's Chris Donnelly & Gen. Sir Richard Barrons https://t.co/U0VhI4GCKD pic.twitter.com/biDyjglfCd Ian Fraser (@Ian_Fraser) January 4, 2019 Syraqistan China? Is international scrutiny of Japans criminal justice system fair? Japan Times Backstory: A Once-In-Five-Years Chance for Media to Understand India and Its Politics The Wire New Cold War Looking ahead: what to watch in Russia in 2019 The Bell After the Crimean Consensus The American Interest Trump Transition Congressional Staffing for Dummies: The Pay Go Dispute Matt Stoller, Medium. Todays must-read. Now If Pay-Go Isnt Repealed It Will Be All Yertles Fault Down with Tyranny (MR). Democrats in Disarray Clinton meets individually with potential 2020 Dems: report The Hill Big Brother Is Watching You Watch Should we think of Big Tech as Big Brother? FT (DL). Throwing a flag on the Betteridges Law violation, here. Surveillance capitalists are not only able to monetise our data but can also use it to predict our behaviour and thereby modify it. In mechanical terms, they are no longer just sensors but actuators. Curbs on A.I. Exports? Silicon Valley Fears Losing Its Edge NYT. You say stunt the [AI] industry in the U.S. like thats a bad thing. Neoliberal Epidemics Why Gout Is Making a Comeback New York Magazine Guillotine Watch Class Warfare After Ultima Thule Flyby, New Horizons Hits Pause on Data Dump Space.com Contest models highlight inherent inefficiencies of scientific funding competitions PLOS Wielded by a Wizard LRB. Shelley (source of Labours for the many). Antidote du jour (MR): See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. By Lambert Strether of Corrente. Ive avoided writing about hospitals and other institutions, because my focus has always been on the patient, and whether they get, or dont get, health care under our horrid mixed system of Medicaid, private insurance, and Medicare (subject to a neoliberal infestation though it may be). However, as Medicare for All approaches the reality of House hearings and alternatives emerge to HR676 and S1804, the two bills now on the table, a greater focus on institutions beyond the health insurance industry becomes inescapable. One key difference between health care institututions is whether they are profit or non-profit (caveating that a non-profit institution can be profit-making in all but name). As Naked Capitalism readers know, on difference between HR676 and S1804, is that the latter bill, sponsored by Senator Bernie Sanders, allows investor-owned entities to be reimbursed for services delivered, like todays Medicare. The House bill, by contrast, does not. Since its likely that a combination of ideology, donor class speech, Congressional sausage-making, and liberal Democrat duplicity will bias the process toward investors, its worth asking whether we should incentivize institutional providers with profit, or not. Incentives matter, after all! I think doing so is bad idea, for three reasons: (1) Profiteering inflates costs; (2) Profiteering increases patient mortality; and (3) The goal of a health care system should be health care, not profit. (Note that, politically, this means opposing Sanders as, in essence, too much of a moderate). I will take up these points in order, but first let me give more details on payment systems proposed by the two bills we do have (since we have not seen how Representative Pramila Jayapal will rewrite HR676). From Stephanie Woolhandler and David Himmelstein in Health Affairs: While both bills would cover all Americans under a single, tax-funded insurance program, they prescribe different provider payment strategies. The Senate version largely adopts Medicares current payment mechanisms; the House bills is modeled on Canadas single-payer program, also called Medicare, which pays hospitals global budgets (much as a fire department is paid in the U.S.) and sharply constrains opportunities for investor-owned care. But these divergent payment strategies would create very different financial incentives for providers The Senate version would, like Medicare, pay hospitals and other institutional providers on a per-patient basis, intermixing payments for current operating expenses with funding for future capital investments and profits. As at present, hospitals success, and even survival, would depend on generating profits (surpluses in non-profit facilities). Hospitals with a favorable bottom line could invest and add new buildings and programs, while unprofitable ones couldnt modernize or expand, risking a downward spiral toward takeover or closure. In contrast, the House bill would abolish per-patient billing by hospitals and other institutions, and its global budget payments would cover only operating costs; hospitals would be prohibited from retaining surpluses, and capital investments would be funded through separate government grants . The bill would also explicitly proscribe payments to investor-owned facilities, and it calls for their conversion to non-profit status financed by issuing bonds. Summarizing, at least as far as the capital investment goes, S1804 puts markets first, where HR676 democratizes the process. So, as you can see with a little thought, these dry-as-dust provider payment strategies will really affect the quality of health care that you get under Medicare for All. Lets see how. Profiteering Inflates Costs Here again we turn to Woolhandler and Himmelstein, who compare and contrast the payment mechanisms for S1804 and HR676: Medicares payment approach requires hospitals to bill for and justify each hospitalization, a requirement that persists in value-based payment schemes like ACOs and would continue under S.1804. [Under S1804] hospitals would have to maintain much of their current wasteful billing, documentation, and internal cost-tracking systems . Instead of bundled payment arrangements tied to individual patients, the House version would substitute an institution-wide bundled payment, i.e., a global budget covering all operating costs . As noted above, that approach has streamlined hospital administration in other nations, which have been more effective than the United States at restraining overall costs. In contrast, ACOs have increased providers administrative costs by about $200 per patient annually, and have generated trivial or no savings after accounting for Medicares shared savings bonus payments. Similarly, Medicares (and other payers) pay-for-performance initiatives impose substantial administrative costs on providers, with no evidence that theyve improved patients outcomes in any setting. In sum, the financial viability of a single-payer reform turns on cutting administrative costs and minimizing incentives for financial gaming. Maintaining Medicares current payment strategies, as under S.1804, would be substantially costlier than adopting the non-profit global-budgeting strategy used in several other nations. (Note that the requirement to to bill for and justify each hospitalization enables upcoding; see NC here and here.) Profiteering Increases Patient Mortality A notorious recent article, Goldman Sachs asks in biotech research report: Is curing patients a sustainable business model? poses the question of profit-driven health care from the investor/owner perspective in a pleasingly open and direct manner. Nevertheless, the question of whether profit-driven institutions like hospitals increase mortality relative to non-profit institutions is an empirical one, and naturally highly contested; the best studies I could find indicate that it does (as will, I am sure, many anecdotes from readers here and from the literature generally; I remember my doctor, who and whose institution I actually rather like, trying to upsell me on tests for the sort of disease old codgers like me die with, and not of; he was quite excited about the technology, though I was not). Ill quote the studies in chronological order, and then give some caveats about them: 1) Janice Hopkins Tanne, Mortality higher at for-profit hospitals, BMJ. 2002 Jun 8: Patients in for-profit hospitals in the United States are more likely to die than those in non-profit hospitals, a new systematic review and meta-analysis says. The study, by researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and the University of Buffalo, New York, has been published in the [CMAJ]. The study compared mortality in private, for-profit and private, non-profit hospitals in the United States between 1982 and 1995. It reviewed 15 observational studies that included 26000 hospitals and 38 million patients . Patients treated at for-profit hospitals had a 2% increased risk of death (relative risk 1.020, 95% confidence interval 1.003 to 1.038), the report says. In the United States, said co-author Dr Holger Schonemann, assistant professor at the University of Buffalo, a 2% increased risk means that 14000 people die each year at for-profit hospitals who would have lived if treated at non-profit hospitals . The higher death rate at for-profit hospitals occurs for two reasons, Dr Devereaux said: Shareholders expect a 10% to 15% return and the hospitals have to pay taxes. Funding is fixed [from Medicare and other schemes in the United States and from national health insurance in Canada], so they cut corners on skills. Here is a methodological critique of the Devereaux study cited by Tanne: [T]he authors may, if anything, have weakened their case by generating a pooled estimate of the for-profit effect. Even without aggregation of the data, there are 3 compelling reasons to believe the overall result. First, the finding of excessive mortality associated with for-profit hospitals recurs in one study after another. It also recurs in most of the studies that were excluded and is evident with multiple modelling techniques. Second, these studies are not clustered in one time or place. Excess mortality associated with for-profit hospitals is evident in separate comparisons covering most of the United States, over more than a decade in which the US health care system underwent a major transformation in finance and organization. Third, the authors secondary findings lend strong plausibility to the overall conclusion. For example, individual study findings are consistent with the literature showing outcome advantages for teaching hospitals. The authors also astutely separated out variables that might be under the control of hospital administrators and found that adjustment for staffing levels diluted the advantage of the not-for-profit hospitals. Other research suggests that, ceteris paribus, excessive cuts to the number of skilled bedside nurses lead to an increase in adverse in-hospital outcomes. 2) Richard C Lindrooth, Tamara Konetzka, Amol S Navathe, Jingsan Zhu, Wei Chen, and Kevin Volpp, The Impact of Profitability of Hospital Admissions on Mortality, Health Serv Res. 2013 Apr: We modeled risk-adjusted 30-day mortality of patients discharged from 21 hospital service lines as a function of service line profitability, service line time trends, and hospital service line and year-fixed effects. We simulated the effect of alternative revenue-neutral reimbursement policies on mortality. Our sample included all Medicare discharges from PPS-eligible hospitals (1997, 2001, and 2005). The results reveal a statistically significant inverse relationship between changes in profitability and mortality . A $0.19 average reduction in profit per $1.00 of costs led to a 0.0100.020 percentage-point increase in mortality rates (p < .001). Mortality in newly unprofitable service lines is significantly more sensitive to reduced payment generosity than in service lines that remain profitable. Policy simulations that target service line inequities in payment generosity result in lower mortality rates, roughly 70013,000 fewer deaths nationally. 3) Manish Mittal, Chih-Hsiung E. Wang, Abigail H. Goben, Andrew D. Boyd, Proprietary management and higher readmission rates: A correlation, PLOS One, September 18, 2018: Multiple studies have shown that ownership structure of Health Care organizations (HCOs) affect the performance of providers and patient outcomes [714]. While hospitals are different than many other HCOs, we compare the literature to other HCO as few studies on HCO ownership have been published. Similar to our study, Horwitz et al. have reported higher readmission rates for patients at for-profit hospitals among the 4474 hospitals analyzed for Medicare beneficiaries from July 2013-July 2014 [16]. Daras et al. have reported higher readmission rate for rehabilitation patients in the for-profit IRFs (Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities) than the non-profit IRFs [8]. Although, the authors also reported geographical variation in their study with more readmission rates in IRFs in the South Atlantic and South Central regions than the New England, these readmissions were related to all cause-unplanned population which may have different mix of patients than what was observed in this study [8]. In another study, Devereaux et al. performed the meta-analysis of published and unpublished observational studies from 1973 to 1997, to compare the mortality rate of patients in for-profit vs not-for-profit dialysis centers, and reported significantly higher mortality risk associated with for-profit dialysis centers [9]. Another meta-analysis study based on 82 articles, performed by Comondore et al., from 19652003, reported higher quality of care in non-profit nursing homes compared to the for-profit facilities [10]. The non-profit nursing homes were associated with higher quality staffing and lower pressure ulcer prevalence compared to the for-profit nursing homes [10]. Hillmer et al. similarly reported better quality of care associated with non-profit nursing homes using qualitative systematic review of 38 studies from 19902002 [11]. Rosenau et al. reported that non-profits were judged 59% of the time superior, whereas for-profits were judged to be superior only 12% of the time [12]. Their study was based on the systematic review of two decades of articles published since 19802003 [12]. Some of the studies, however, have reported better care quality in for-profit institutions [1314]. Leleu et al., for instance, have shown reduced readmission in for-profit teaching and fully integrated hospitals than their counterparts [13]. Akintoye et al., have reported reduced mortality in for-profit hospitals among HF patient from 20132014 nationwide [14]. There could be multiple reasons ascribed to this discrepancy such as specificity to a particular disease category*, temporal differences or use of different database. NOTE * Or, more pointedly: concentration on the most lucrative services, such as elective cardiac and orthopedic services. And now some caveats: The meta-study with the largest n, #1, reviewed data from 1982 and 1995, although work from 2013 (#2) and 2018 (#3) reinforces both the institutional logic it reveals, and its conclusions. The point could be made that HMOs/AOCs, CMS regulations, and various quality initiatives render that data obsolete. In response, I would argue that we should therefore regard 19821995 as a state of nature, as it were, and that every kludge installed to mitigate that state highly-salaried leadership, for example falls under the heading of inflated costs, as outlined in the first section of this post. Its hardly a victory if you tame a market at high cost when the market doesnt need to exist in the first place. Finally, the two studies I found that contradict the material presented above have very small ns, and cover limited geographic areas (here; here). The Goal of a Health Care System Should be Health Care, not Profit David Graebers famous concept of everyday communism has some theoretical issues, to say the least, but I think at a pragmatic and intuitive level it makes a lot of sense. From Graebers On the Moral Grounds of Economic Relations (PDF). Ive helpfully added material in square brackets to make the relevance of Graebers passage more evident: Whenever action proceeds from each according to their abilities [doctor, health care institution], to each according to their needs [patient]even if it is between two peoplewe are in the presence of everyday communism. Almost everyone behaves this way when collaborating on a common project [the alleviation of suffering or restoration of health]. If someone fixing a broken water pipe [or bodily organ] says hand me the wrench [or scalpel], their co-worker will not usually say and what do I get for it? This is why in the immediate wake of great disastersa flood, a blackout, a revolution or economic collapse [or medical emergency]people tend to behave the same way [leaving aside health insurance administrators], reverting to a kind of rough-and-ready communism. Anyone who is not an enemy can be expected to respect the principle of from each according to their abilities at least to some extent: for example, if you need to figure out how to get somewhere [health], and they can give you directions [treatment], they will. Citizens and patients are used to our profit-driven health care system denying care, whether through lack of insurance, or through health insurance gatekeepers. Heck, thats what GoFundMe is for. They are not used to thinking of health care institutions and personnel doing the same thing. They imagine, that is, they when they ask a hospital for directions (treatment) the hospital wont send them deliberately astray (to Pain CIty as opposed to Happyville). But if profit is the driver, and there are investors to think of, it is in fact their fiduciary duty to do just that.[1] Conclusion In short, HR676 and S1804 propose two different modes of managing capital for hospitals, S1804 proposes that health care institutions accumulate profit and allocate it themselves. HR676 proposes that capital for health care institutions be treated as a public good and allocated by the government through our process of representative democracy. Because profiteering inflates costs, increases patient mortality, and renders the doctor-patient relationship morally suspect, I think that HR676 has the right approach. Representative Jayapal should retain that approach when she rewrites the bill. NOTES [1] Reputational damage? Dont make me laugh. Zimbabwes petrol price, which currently stands at $1.38/litre for petrol, is the highest in the region contrary to claims by Energy and Power Development minister Joram Gumbo. Gumbo claimed in an interview with a local daily this week that foreigners in transit are refuelling in Zimbabwe because the local petrol price is lower than that obtaining in most countries in the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) region. Our price is quite lower than in other countries in the region so they fill up in Zimbabwe while in transit, the Energy and Power Development minister was quoted as saying. But according to a survey of Sadc countries (excluding Zambia) by Wheels 24, a section of News24.com, an English-language South African online news publication, the Zimbabwean petrol price is the highest in the region. The survey by the online news publication reveals that the price of fuel in oil-producing Angola, where motorists pay $0,52/litre, is the lowest in the region. Elsewhere in the Sadc region, motorists are paying $0,87 in Botswana and Lesotho; $0,92 in in Swaziland and $0,93 in Namibia. Of all the countries surveyed, Zimbabwe, at $1,38/litre, has the highest petrol price followed by Mozambique where motorists pay $1,12/litre. The third highest petrol price is in South Africa where the inland price is $1,04/litre while the coast price is a dollar. Despite the high fuel prices, fuel shortages still persist. Gumbo attributed the fuel shortages to scarcity of foreign currency. He told State media that his ministry has asked the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to review its foreign currency allocation upwards. We have enough fuel stocks in the country but sometimes we do not have forex to pay for the fuel. We strike deals with oil companies to deliver a lot of fuel in the country in advance. However we can only access that fuel after paying for it and our forex shortages sometimes hinder us from getting your preferred supply. We cannot say there is no fuel because theres no forex. The fuel is there but the suppliers want forex up front. Our allocation is around $20 million per week for fuel so we receive it from the Reserve Bank. So if we are not allocated that forex, we may delay in accessing fuel. We made a proposal to the Reserve Bank to increase our weekly forex allocation from $20 million to $35 million per week, said the Energy minister. According to Wheels 24, Zimbabwe is the only country in the region which has not enjoyed a petrol price decrease. All Sadc countries saw a fuel decrease between November 2018 and January 2019 except for Zimbabwe drivers are still paying $1,38/litre for petrol since October last year, said the publication, adding that another fuel price drop is expected this month. The Automobile Association (AA) in South Africa has also predicted a price decrease this month. It said unaudited month-end fuel price data released by that countrys Central Energy Fund show a substantial drop across the board. Petrol is showing a reduction of around R1 a litre, with diesel down by R1.30 and illuminating paraffin dropping by R1,22. Should this decrease materialise it will amount to a more than R2 decrease in the fuel price since the beginning of December, bringing much-needed relief to consumers battered by considerable increases throughout the year. The main driver of these reductions has been sagging international petroleum prices, spurred on by the USA which is trending towards becoming a net exporter of oil. Should this ever come to pass, the power of the OPEC nations to influence petroleum prices would be reduced considerably, leading to increased oil price stability, the South African AA says. DailyNews Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News Econet founder Strive Masiyiwa has continued with his war of words with former G40 kingpin. Below is a full charge of the crimes he alleges were committed by Jonathan Moyo: Econet Boss Strive Masiyiwa has written down a full charge sheet of the crimes that exiled former G40 Kingpin Professor Jonathan Moyo committed. Below is the unedited full charge sheet: 1. I owned Zimbabwes largest daily independent newspaper. It was bombed with explosives when he was Minister of Information. He had threatened me and boasted about it earlier 2. When I re-opened the newspaper he introduced the harshest media laws and shut it down permanently 3. Prior to the closure of the paper, he arrested journalist almost every week. 4. He sent thugs to the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe to force the resignation of the entire bench. The thugs jumped on the benches and mocked judges. 5. He was part of a decision to lock up Senior Executives who were locked up in leg irons because I was accused of financing the opposition and free press in the country. 6. Jonathan Moyo organized farm invasions, theft of elections and violence against the opposition. He regularly called for my arrest and harm. Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News On the eve of the first expected results of Congos long-delayed presidential election, U.S. President Donald Trump said military personnel had deployed to the region for possible violent demonstrations, while the countrys powerful Catholic church warned of a popular uprising if untrue results are announced. Congo faces what could be its first democratic, peaceful transfer of power since independence from Belgium in 1960, but election observers and the opposition have raised numerous concerns about voting irregularities as the country chooses a successor to longtime President Joseph Kabila. The first results are expected on Sunday, and the United States and the African Union, among others, have urged Congo to release results that reflect the true will of the people. The U.S. has threatened sanctions against those who undermine the democratic process. Western election observers were not invited to watch the vote. The Catholic church, an influential voice in the heavily Catholic nation, caused surprise on Thursday by announcing that data reported by its 40,000 election observers deployed in all polling stations show a clear winner. As regulations say only the electoral commission can announce election results, the church did not announce a name. The electoral commission responded by saying the churchs announcement could incite an uprising. Congos ruling party, which backs Kabilas preferred candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, called the churchs attitude irresponsible and anarchist. Leading opposition candidate Martin Fayulu, a businessman and lawmaker who has accused Congolese authorities of impeding his campaign, has not commented. At stake is a vast country rich in the minerals that power the worlds mobile phones and laptops, yet desperately underdeveloped. Some 40 million people were registered to vote, though at the last minute some 1 million voters were barred as the electoral commission cited a deadly Ebola virus outbreak. Critics said that undermines the elections credibility. The Catholic churchs letter, seen by The Associated Press, dismisses the electoral commissions accusation that it acted illegally by making its earlier statement, saying its goal is to make the electoral process credible and stabilise the country. The Dec. 30 election took place more than two years behind schedule, while a court ruled that Kabila could stay in office until the vote was held. The delay led to sometimes deadly protests as authorities cracked down, and Shadary is now under European Union sanctions for his role in the crackdown as interior minister at the time. Kabila, who took office in 2001 after his father was assassinated, is barred from serving three consecutive terms but has hinted that he could run again in 2023. That has led many Congolese to suspect that he will rule from the shadows if Shadary takes office. With potential unrest a concern, internet and text messaging services were cut off the day after the election in an apparent attempt by Congolese authorities to calm speculation. The United States has urged that internet service be restored, and a United Nations human rights spokeswoman has warned that these efforts to silence dissent could backfire considerably when the results are announced. The outages have slowed the transmission of election data, and the release of the first results could be delayed. While Congo has been largely calm on and after election day, Trumps letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said about 80 military personnel and appropriate combat equipment had deployed to nearby Gabon to support the security of U.S. citizens and staffers and diplomatic facilities. More military personnel will deploy as needed to Gabon, Congo or neighbouring Republic of Congo, Trumps letter said. AFP Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News South African music legend Dan Tshanda of splash and Dalom Music has passed on. Speaking to The Voice Online in a telephonic interview, a family spokesperson linked his death to heart failure. Moudy Modzielwana told The Voice Online that the musical icon suffered the heart attack at around 1pm this afternoon (05/01/2019). He was rushed to hospital where he was certified dead upon arrival. The doctors confirmed that he passed on after a heart failure, he said. Pressed further on whether the Venda music star had a history of heart problems Modzielwana said No, he did not have such a medical history. He had just returned from a family vacation in Durban. He was just fine and did not show any signs that he was unfit. Asked about funeral arrangement the family spokesperson said because it is still new the family is yet to decide. In our culture we normally dont take long but because he was known by many people because of his craft, the arrangements may take a little longer but nothing has been decided yet, we will issue out a press statement, he said The Voice Online Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News San Antonio police say a family argument ended in a shooting Saturday night between a man and his girlfriend's son at a bowling alley parking lot on the Southeast Side. According to officers at the scene, authorities responded to the AMF Ponderosa Lanes at 2118 Goliad Road about 11:02 p.m. where they found a man shot in the ankle. Christopher Cevilla fought back tears Sunday as the news washed over him: An arrest had been made. A 20-year-old man was behind bars, and authorities were one step closer in the twisting path to bring his daughters killer to justice. Eric Black Jr. allegedly confessed to his role as the getaway driver and has been charged with capital murder in the drive-by shooting of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes, a crime that captivated the nation and drew tens of thousands of dollars in donations. He told police the shooting near the northeast Houston Walmart was a mistake, that the Barnes family was not the intended target. They soon learned they shot the wrong car on the news. Now my baby has gotten justice, Cevilla said outside the Harris County Jail. Now we can properly put her to rest without having to put her to rest and were still on a manhunt looking for a suspect. The grieving father was at ease and at times laughing with pastors in a Harris County Sheriffs Office hallway before those emotions were reduced to tears after law enforcement detailed their steps in tracking down one of the men suspected in his daughters Dec. 30 death. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez attributed the arrest to one tip in a sea of a 1,000-plus that followed a week of chasing down the wrong lead. Detectives spent six days working off an evolving description of a white man behind the wheel of a red pick-up truck as described by witnesses, even as the case threatened to inflame racial tensions with the looming specter of a hate crime. Ultimately, a tip passed from civil-rights activist Shaun King to Gonzalezs inbox during the middle of the week led investigators to Blacks Instagram account. The tip indicated that Black was driving the car with another man as a passenger. More for you News Women are sending love letters to Colorado man serving... The suspects did not resemble the sickly thin man with blue eyes and hints of stubble depicted in a sketch composite compiled with the help of Jazmines sister. Both of the suspects were black. It didnt quite gel at the time, Gonzalez said of the tip, adding that his investigators continued looking for the man in the sketch. The investigation came to a head Saturday afternoon when authorities obtained new information to swoop in for the first arrest. Deputies pulled Black over in a rental vehicle at Woodforest and Beltway 8 for failing to use a turn signal. It wasnt until after investigators began grilling Black that he allegedly admitted to being involved in the shooting and revealed that the family was not the intended target. Police did not reveal the actual target. Handcuffed and wearing an orange jail jumpsuit, Black sat quietly in court just before dawn Sunday when a hearing officer remanded him without bail for his first known arrest in Harris County. During the court appearance, prosecutors partially identified Larry Woodruffe as the second suspect and the man who pulled the trigger during the drive-by assault. He has not been charged in connection with the shooting as of Sunday night. Our work is not finished, Gonzalez said in a statement beforehand, but I believe the people of Harris County can take comfort in knowing we have made great progress. Woodruffe, who has a lengthy rap sheet in Harris County, was allegedly a passenger in his car when he and Black spotted a vehicle they thought they recognized, prosecutors cited Black as telling authorities. He allegedly opened fire out the window as the pair drove by. The two men returned the rental car and picked up a different one - a gray Kia that Black was driving when deputies arrested him Saturday. After his confession, Black identified the alleged shooter from a booking photo and told investigators that the murder weapon a 9 mm pistol was at his house. Gonzalez declined to discuss Black and Woodruffes respective roles in the shooting during a press conference Sunday afternoon since charges have not yet been filed against the second suspect in the case. Woodruffe appeared in court Sunday morning on drug charges and was ordered held on a $100,000 bond. Neither the suspects nor the vehicle resembled those police had been searching for during the week. The suspects were in a rental car, not the red four-door pickup truck initially described by police and as seen in surveillance footage near the Walmart before the shooting. Gonzalez said he believes the witnesses were sincere and if anything, the girls may have been describing the truck driver they saw at a traffic light. We do not believe in any way that the family, as weve said from the beginning, that theyve been involved in anything nefarious, Gonzalez said. Its just went down very quickly. The gunfire erupted. Were talking about small children. They witnessed something very traumatic. Its likely the last thing they did see was indeed that truck and the driver in that truck. The driver of the pickup truck was likely a witness in the shooting who authorities would still like to come forward to shed light on what happened. Jazmines mother, LaPorsha Washington, declined to comment about the arrest when reached at her home Sunday morning while preparing a birthday party for another of her daughters. She was still wearing a sling from where she was shot in the arm during last weeks pre-dawn shooting. Washington, 30, was taking her four daughters to the shopping area around 6:50 a.m. when a gunman opened fire and riddled her car with bullets. She tried driving to a hospital but was forced to stop due to a shot-out tire. She called 911 when she realized her daughter, Jazmine, had a gunshot wound to the head and stopped breathing. Lt. Christopher Sandoval recounted the hurt he and fellow first responders felt as her lifeless body was pulled from the car. He has spent most every waking moment since then working the case. When all this broke on the very first day, it became very apparent to us that this would be one of those cases that we would have to have all hands all deck, Sandoval said. He said six homicide investigators and more from other divisions were tasked with finding Jazmines killer. The investigation required the most man power and hours that he can recall in the two years serving as a commander on the homicide unit. This is the first time Ive seen such an investigation of this scale where everyone is involved, Sandoval said. Because the victim was under 10, the state can ask for a charge of capital murder. Black can be held just as culpable as the actual gunman under a controversial Texas law that holds accomplices equally responsible for slayings. Black is slated to return to court Monday before a judge in the 176th District Court. During the week, Gonzalez was careful not to pin a motive to the case, even as activists and family members feared the shooting to be racially motivated. The sheriff dismissed the possibility of a hate crime during the press conference. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, said at the press conference that she did not believe it irresponsible to suggest the childs death may have been the result of a hate crime. Nothing is irresponsible when it comes to the lost of a precious 7-year-old. As many in the community did, they expressed that it seemed to have the criteria of that, she said, applauding Houstons patience in awaiting arrests. King pushed a reward up to $100,000 for identification of the killer as the manhunt intensified. The money will be used to establish a foundation in Jazmine Barnes memory, family attorney Lee Merritt said. A funeral for Jazmine is scheduled for noon Tuesday at the Community of Faith Church. Gonzalez said that he was not aware of anyone being eligible for a $5,000 reward established through Crime Stoppers of Houston. Mayor Sylvester Turner thanked law enforcement for their work on the case. The authorities worked around the clock to find the individual who is allegedly responsible for the heinous and unspeakable act of violence against an innocent child, Turner said in a statement early Sunday. This should serve as a warning to all violent offenders who prey on our community: The color of your skin, how much money you make these things dont matter when law enforcement will find you, eventually. Maggie Gordon contributed to this report. It is time to get back to work for area students and teachers. Tuesday is back-to-school day for the second semester for Katy ISD students. Teachers are set to head back to campus a day earlier on Monday. Students and teachers have been off since Friday, Dec. 21, for the winter break. Area drivers are reminded to be aware of school zones and that it is illegal to pass a school bus with its red lights flashing. Area law enforcement is expected to be out in full force to protect area students and catch drivers who violate laws around school zones and buses. Texas forbids drivers from using handheld phones in school zones, and Texas law states that school bus drivers and all drivers under 18 must refrain from texting or making telephone calls while driving even with a hands-free device. The next day off for Katy ISD students is Monday, Jan. 21, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Book Buddies Jan. 7 is the first day applications can be obtained to participate in the Book Buddies program at Katy Branch Library. Book Buddies is a free program that brings children and adults together to share the joy of reading. It pairs trained adult volunteers (Big Buddies) with children in K-3rd grades (Little Buddies.) For 10 weeks, the Buddies meet once a week for 45 minutes of shared reading. Meetings will be at 5 p.m. Mondays Jan. 28, Feb. 4, Feb. 11, Feb.18, Feb. 25, March 4, March 18, March 25, April 1 and April 8. Contact Children's Librarian Misty Wright at misty.wright@hcpl.net for more information. Katy Area EDC awards Friday, Jan. 11, is the deadline to submit nominations to the Katy Area Economic Development Council for its annual Stan C. Stanley Eagle Leadership and Economic Development Awards. According to the Katy Area EDC, The annual award, which is in its third year, recognizes a volunteer in the Katy area who has made contributions in leadership and economic development to the Katy area. All persons volunteering (non-paid positions only) in the Katy area are eligible for nomination. Visit https://tinyurl.com/yac2558n for more information and nomination forms. Low-cost spay and neuter Citizens for Animal Protection is expanding its low-cost wellness and vaccination clinic to include spay and neuter services to the public. Thanks to a grant from the Moody Foundation, the CAP Cornelius Clinic will be able to provide the service to the community at an affordable price. Spay and neuter services are offered via first-come first-served appointment only at the CAP Cornelius Clinic on Wednesdays. Dogs, puppies, cats and kittens are welcome for spay and neuter services. The Cornelius Clinic, which provides low-cost wellness and vaccination services, is open every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Services include affordable vaccinations, nail trimming, microchipping, deworming, heartworm testing, and several other preventative and wellness services. The wellness clinic is walk-in only, so no appointment is needed. Visit www.cap4pets.org to learn more and to view the clinics policies, guidelines, and current pricing. Call the CAP Cornelius Clinic at 281-600-8500 to schedule a spay or neuter surgery. CAP is located at 17555 Katy Freeway (south of I-10 and just east of Barker Cypress). Women Helping Women 2 Network Katy Women Helping Women 2 Network Katy will meet at a new place this week when attendees gather at El Canton Firewood Pizzeria at 981 Mason Road. The meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9. For more information or to RSVP, go to https://tinyurl.com/ydbhoaqs. rkent@hcnonline.com Yosemite National Park View Photos Sonora, CA Mother Lode Congressman Tom McClintock is requesting that an emergency exception be enacted to allow for maintenance of national parks during the partial government shutdown. In a letter sent to Acting Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt on Friday, McClintock urged him to implement an emergency exception outlined in the Antideficiency Act. While praising the Yosemite National Park concessionaire for not only footing the bill, but also picking up the garbage and maintaining the restroom due to the lack of federal staffing, McClintock notes that the exception would allow for funding to the National Park Service to take over those duties once again due to a clear risk to public health and safety and to protect federal property. Citing reports outside Yosemite Valley of irresponsible individuals creating piles of trash and even human waste, McClintock went on to urgently request Bernhardt to invoke the act exception immediately so that the public can continue to exercise its right to access the public lands safely until appropriations can be made. Of note, as earlier reported here, Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau volunteers began handing out trash bags to Yosemite visitors today at the Big Oak Flat/Highway 120 entrance and some gateway community businesses have open their garbage bins to allow visitors to dump their trash when leaving the park. Read McClintocks entire letter below: January 4, 2019 The Honorable David Bernhardt Acting Secretary of the Interior U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C Street Northwest Washington, D.C. 20240 Dear Acting Secretary Bernhardt: I want to thank you for the diligent efforts that the administration has made to keep our national parks open to the public during the current government shutdown. This has been particularly important to visitors to Yosemite National Park and its gateway communities. Our concessionaire at Yosemite is Aramark, which has maintained the restrooms and garbage collection in the valley during the current shutdown at its own expense. Outside the valley, however, there are increasingly dire reports of irresponsible individuals who are producing uncollected buildups of garbage and even human waste. This has also been true at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, where the Delaware North Corporation has provided clean up at their facilities while conditions have deteriorated outside their jurisdiction. Park rangers at some sites believe this poses such a threat to public safety that they are closing portions of the public lands throughout the National Park System. The Antideficiency Act, which generally prohibits agencies from continued operation in the absence of appropriations, makes an exception for emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property. I believe these developments present a clear risk to public health and safety and to federal property. Accordingly, the collection of garbage and the servicing of restrooms certainly falls within the actions the Park Service can take during the current lapse of appropriations. I would therefore urgently request that you invoke this exception to the Antideficiency Act immediately so that the public can continue to exercise its right to access the public lands safely until appropriations can be made. Sincerely, Tom McClintock BLUFFS The village almost has the cost of a new police car covered through grants. The village has received a $5,000 grant from the railroad, a $5,000 grant from Ameren and a $500 grant from Walmart, Chief of Police Dorman Deeder said. Money expected from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and from a pipeline company is pending. The village also will receive a grant to pay for the installation of cameras in the vehicle. That means the villages cost for the $44,033 vehicle will be about $15,000. The vehicle is expected to be ready by February. The village also has received a trust of $41,760 from the estate of Jack Moore. Mayor Linda Sapp told board members that she would like to put up a large flag pole and flag in front of the village hall so people will be able to find the building easier. The flag would have a plaque in memorial of Moore. Board members voted to add a $50 deposit to the $50 rental fee for the senior building. The reason for the deposit is that bingo money has been stolen from the Bread of Love, renters have left the hall dirty or broken things, and some have not returned keys, Sapp said. Renters who clean up after themselves and return the key will be refunded their deposit. The village also is going to paint the inside of the building, fix the floors and change the locks on the building. MILAN The director of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence is urging Germany to return a Dutch masterpiece stolen by Nazi troops during World War II, dramatizing its absence by hanging a black and white photo of the work with the label Stolen in three languages. Eike Schmidt said in a New Years appeal that the still-life Vase of Flowers by Dutch artist Jan van Huysum is in the hands of a German family who hasnt returned it despite numerous appeals. Instead, intermediaries for the family have demanded payment for its return to Italy. The painting is already the inalienable property of the Italian State, and thus cannot be bought, Schmidt said. The oil painting had been hanging as part of the Pitti Palace collection in Florence from 1824 until the outbreak of World War II. It was moved for safety during the war but was stolen by retreating German troops. It didnt surface again until Germanys reunification in 1991, when the offers to sell it back to Italy began. This story is preventing the wounds inflicted by World War II and the horrors of Nazism from healing, said Schmidt, who is German. Germany should not apply the statute of limitations to works of art stolen during the war, and it should take measures to ensure that those works are restored to their legitimate owners. He called it Germanys moral duty to return to the artwork, adding, I trust that the German government will do so at the earliest opportunity, naturally along with every other work of art stolen by the Nazi Wehrmacht. Schmidt told The Associated Press in an email that German courts have so far refused to take up the case, citing statute of limitations. Several international treaties could be applied, including under UNESCO and the European Union, but technically there is the difficulty that there is no compulsion to apply them retroactively, he said. Germany has returned 16,000 objects to Holocaust survivors and their families under a 20-year-old international agreement on returning art looted by the Nazis. But Schmidt said the so-called Washington Principles apply only to public collections, not private ones. Facebook on Friday announced that it may allow former President Donald Trumps Facebook and Instagram accounts to be reinstated in January 2023. At that time, the social media company will re-evaluate whether the risk to public safety of allowing Trump back onto its services has receded. This two-year suspension will prevent Trump from using Facebook or Instagram to broadcast to his followers until after the 2022 U.S. midterm elections. Do you think tech giants like Facebook are using their power to censor political speech and manipulate U.S. politics? Choices are: You voted: Community Partner Program Now more than ever it is important to help local businesses thrive and keep our community informed. Herald/Review Media is offering a Community Partner Program to assist local businesses by getting their message in front of the largest audience in Cochise County! Click here to fill out form Discuss this article with your neighbors or join the community conversation. Click here to get access Rate of the day is what we consider the best value mortgage rate for a loan with a loan-to-value ratio below 80%, that is available to new and existing borrowers, and is not limited by the size of the loan. Lorain Shooting sends man to the hospital Man taken to hospital after being shot in Lorain, police investigate Former Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari (Image: Reuters) Pakistani authorities probing laundering of around Rs 220 billion through fictitious bank accounts recommended freezing all assets including the US and Dubai properties of former president Asif Ali Zardari and other individuals, media reports said. The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) submitted a report to the Supreme Court Saturday, recommending freezing the famous Bilawal House in Karachi and Lahore, and Zardari House in Islamabad, Geo News reported. It also sought freezing of Zardari's New York and Dubai properties along with all five plots of Bilawal House in Karachi. The case against Zardari and other individuals pertains to laundering of around Rs 220 billion through fictitious bank accounts, the report said. The investigation team recommended freezing all urban and agricultural lands owned by Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur, and the Zardari Group. Rejecting the allegations, Zardari and Talpur said the JIT report was based on speculation and targetted political victimisation. The JIT also moved the Supreme Court to order freezing of all assets of Omni Group, including sugar mills, agricultural companies and energy companies, the report said. Accusing Zardari and Omni groups of irregularities in loans and government funds, the investigation team said both the groups transferred money out of country through 'Hundi' and 'Hawala', the report said. The JIT said the assets should remain frozen until a verdict is delivered in the case, expressing concern that these assets might be transferred out of country. Zardari established a 'benami' company through his front man Iqbal Memon, the team said, adding that the company was frozen in 1998. Zardari's close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested in July 2018 in connection with the probe. His other close aide and Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed and his son Abdul Ghani Majeed were arrested in August 2018. Hundreds of 'benami' accounts at some private banks were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 from where transactions worth billions of rupees were made, according to the investigation. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) celebrates with most of the House Democratic women after a group photograph was taken of them all on the second day of the new (116th) Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, US. (Image: Reuters) A police officer wields his stick against the members of Kerala Students Union (KSU), the student wing of India's main opposition Congress party, outside a police station during a protest in Kochi, India. (Image: Reuters) People gather to commemorate victims of a recent explosion in an apartment block in Magnitogorsk, Russia. (Image: Reuters) Fallen electricity poles are seen along a road as tropical storm Pabuk approaches the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand. (Image: Reuters) An Afghan man pours water to extinguish a fire at a commercial market in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. (Image: Reuters) House Speaker-delegate Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) raises the gavel after being elected as House Speaker as the US House of Representatives meets for the start of the 116th Congress inside the House Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, US. (Image: Reuters) A couple walk between snowmen on Songhua River that displays 2019 snowmen as a part of annual ice festival, in the northern city of Harbin, Heilongjiang province, China. (Image: Reuters) A laundry man removes chair covers from a rope after a wash and dry at a Dhobi Ghat (washing place) in Karachi, Pakistan. (Image: Reuters) Narendra Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 6 said Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had given a "detailed response" to the "lies" on the Rafale deal in Parliament and had placed facts before the people. Modi was speaking to BJP workers from Anantapuramu, Kadapa, Kurnool, Narsaraopet and Tirupati Lok Sabha constituencies via video-conference. "Nirmala Sitharaman and Arun Jaitley had placed all facts related to the country's security in Parliament. They replied to each and every word of lies with facts and figures. After many years, Parliament witnessed such a detailed response of the government," he said, referring to last week's debate on Rafale fighter aircraft deal in Lok Sabha. The BJP and the Congress have been engaged in a bitter duel on the purchase of the Rafale fighter aircraft from France, with the latter alleging inflated prices and kickbacks and the former defending it as one conforming to rules. Tearing into the opposition parties, Modi said there were only two political teams in the country presently, the NDA led by the BJP and the other a "jamghat" (motley group) of dynasts. While the BJP's mantra was "na khaunga, na khane doonga", the mantra of others (opposition) was loot in the name of every scheme, he said. "We are the ones who protect each and every paisa of the country's money," Modi said. Noting there was "something special" about his party, Modi warned other parties against "underestimating the power" of BJP karyakartas (functionaries). "In some parties, what matters is one's family. In others, what matters is one's fortune. In some, both family and fortune matter. In BJP, what matters is the passion to work for the future of Bharat Mata, for the future of its 1.3 billion people," he told workers. "We are not connected with the reason of furthering a dynasty nor are we drawn by the temptation to make money. In BJP, our karyakartas are our family and they are our fortune. And they work for Indias fortune," he said. Responding to complaints made by BJP leaders of threats being issued by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to BJP workers, Modi said it was a "direct outcome" of "nervousness and insecurity" (of the TDP chief). "Nowadays in the country, those who are unable to get into the people's hearts, and whom the people are not ready to accept, are adopting a violent path. Everyday, our workers are getting killed in Kerala. But still, our workers are not deterred. In AP too, there are atrocities against BJP workers," Modi pointed out. In an apparent reference to the AP CM, Modi said, "When does a person lose his cool and become nervous? When does a person start threatening? Do you threaten someone or get angry at a political opponent if he does not matter at all? "The threat is a direct outcome of the nervousness and insecurity. The threat means, despite such huge machinery, those in power in AP are now afraid. The threat means the BJP workers are succeeding," the PM observed. "Remind those in AP, who underestimate the BJP, about Tripura. From zero (representation), we formed a government. The violence of the Communists (there) did not stop. Tell those in AP that the people have woken up. They have seen casteism, corruption, dynasty rule, muscle power and opportunism of the parties here," he exhorted the workers. Stating that the people of AP were looking for a change, Modi said his party had what it took to create a prosperous and progressive AP. "They (TDP government) are not able to complete development works and that's why their defeat is certain. The ruling TDP's poor governance record is totally exposed," he added. Responding to some party leaders complaining about a biased media, Modi said, "In India, everyone complains about the media. There are people whose lies appear everyday on the front page and prime time. Still these people complain about the media. And, if someone is not getting coverage, they also naturally complain about the media." "Don't think people do not appreciate the truth, whatever be the propaganda of others. Explain the facts to the people. Don't waste energy on those who spread falsehood because they have no other way than telling lies," Modi told the party workers. Noting that 2019 has begun on a positive note, PM Modi said he had seen a surge of efforts from people from all walks of life over the last few days to achieve one aim -- help BJP win maximum seats in the Lok Sabha election scheduled this year. "The same spirit that we showed in the run-up to the 2014 election is being seen across India. These blessings, this support makes our resolve even stronger to ensure our party wins as many seats and we continue to work for India," he added. BJP President Amit Shah waves to his party supporters during an election campaign ahead of the state Assembly elections, in Ajmer The Supreme Court on January 3 agreed to hear BJPs petition against the Calcutta High Courts decision, which denied the saffron party clearance to hold rath yatras in West Bengal. A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice SK Kaul has agreed to hear the plea and listed the matter for January 7. West Bengal BJP vice-president Jay Prakash Majumdar had challenged the December 21 order of the division bench of the Calcutta HC. With the issue relentlessly undergoing various levels of judicial scrutiny, lets take a look at what has happened so far: Timeline of Events December 6, 2018: One day ahead of the BJPs Rath Yatra in West Bengal, the Calcutta High Court denies permission to hold the rally, deferring them till January 9, 2019. December 15, 2018: The TMC government in West Bengal cites intelligence reports warning of possible incidents of communal violence in areas where the saffron party is planning to hold rallies. Hence, they deny permission to hold the Rath Yatra. December 20, 2018: A single bench of the Calcutta High Court sets aside the notification issued by the ruling Trinamool Congress, granting the state BJP permission to hold the Rath Yatra. Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty observes that the threat to public order must be real, not imaginary, or a likely possibility for denying permission to a public rally. However, he adds conditions abiding by the traffic order, informing the Superintendent of Police at least 12 hours prior to entering the area to his order. Justice Chakraborty notes that since the yatra was not for unlawful purposes, it cannot be totally prohibited unless there is an eminent threat of breach of peace. However, he adds that any loss of life or property will vicariously be the responsibility of the BJP. December 21, 2018: A division bench of the Calcutta High Court comprising Chief Justice Debasish Kargupta and Justice Shampa Sarkar stays the order of the single bench [Justice Chakraborty], asking them to re-examine the district intelligence reports which outlined the risks of carrying out such a yatra. The single bench ruling, which allowed the yatra, was challenged by Abhishek Manu Singhvi, also a member of the Congress party. December 24, 2018: The BJP seeks an urgent hearing in the Supreme Court after the division bench of the Calcutta High Court stays the ruling by the single bench allowing the BJP to take out Rath Yatras in West Bengal. December 25, 2018: The Supreme Court rejects the BJP's demand for an urgent hearing on the matter. January 3, 2019: The Supreme Court agrees to hear the matter on January 7. What is the Rath Yatra? The BJP was scheduled to flag off a 41-day Rath Yatra-cum-Save Democracy Rally on December 7, 2018 across the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal. The series of rallies was purported to begin from Cooch Behar and BJP biggies, including party national president Amit Shah, BJP national secretary and Bengal observer Kailash Vijayvargiya, and state president Dilip Ghosh were supposed to start campaigning December 7 onwards. What is the political significance of the Rath Yatra? The Rath Yatra seems to be an attempt by the saffron party to make inroads into the eastern state ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, scheduled to happen before May 2019. Incumbent Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees Trinamool Congress (TMC) is the dominating party in West Bengal with 34 seats out of a total of 42 in Lok Sabha. The TMC has been ruling the state for two consecutive terms. On the other hand, the saffron party won a meagre two seats from the state and are now sparing no efforts to establish a foothold in Bengal. Heavyweights from both parties engaged in war of words In their plea to the Supreme Court, the BJP accused the TMC of trying to snatch voting rights of the people by threatening them and demolishing the democratic rights of the people, which could be seen by the fact that 34 percent of seats in panchayat elections went uncontested. The BJP even said the rise of the saffron party was evident in the state, and that members of the BJP, and other political parties are being killed for showing dissent, a report by the Indian Express said. In fact, the Prime Ministers Office had tweeted, Our workers are brutally killed in West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka. Politics of violence has to end. All parties have to reaffirm their commitment to peaceful politics: PM." In response, an irked Banerjee lashed back at the BJP, saying, How dare he (Modi) teach us democracy? All democratic rights have been curbed under his government. People's rights have been taken away. Even comments on social networks are under scanner, and phone calls are being tapped." Now, all attention is on the Supreme Court's hearing on January 7. Nirmala Sitharaman Congress president Rahul Gandhi on January 5 alleged that Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman "lied" in Parliament that government orders worth Rs one lakh crore were provided to HAL, while demanding that she should either place the documents in support of her statement in the House or resign. Gandhi's attack came after a media report claimed that "not a single rupee of the said Rs 1 lakh crore has come to HAL, since not a single order, as claimed, has been signed till now". The media report cited senior HAL management officials in order to back its claim. Defence Minister Sitharaman hit back at Gandhi for his remarks, saying read "the complete report" to "which you are referring". However, as the LS record shows, Sitharaman did not claim the orders were signed, saying they were in the works. Sitharaman tweeted, quoting from the media report to assert that she had not stated in Parliament that the orders to HAL had been signed. Her remarks came in response to Gandhi's scathing attack in which he said: "When you tell one lie, you need to keep spinning out more lies, to cover up the first one. In her eagerness to defend the PM's Rafale lie, the RM lied to Parliament." "Tomorrow, RM must place before Parliament documents showing 1 Lakh crore of Govt orders to HAL. Or resign," he tweeted. Sitharaman's office later also tweeted that: "Dear Shri @RahulGandhi , looks like you really need to start from ABCs. Someone like you who is hellbent on misleading the public will quote an article even before reading it.' Her office also accused Gandhi of "lying" and said HAL has signed contracts worth Rs 26,570.8 crore between 2014 and 2018 and contracts worth Rs 73,000 crore are in the pipeline. "Will @RahulGandhi apologise to the country from the floor of the house nd resign?" her office tweeted. The Congress has been targeting the government, alleging that it denied the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) an offset contract under the Rafale fighter jets deal with France, a charge the government has denied. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has accused the Congress of not supporting HAL during its rule and asserted that the government is now strengthening the defence public sector undertaking. Gandhi had on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "weakening" HAL to help his "suit-boot" friend. Gandhi's attack on Saturday had come over a media report which claimed that HAL, grappling with low finances, was forced to borrow Rs 1,000 crore to pay salaries to its employees for the first time in years. Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala earlier on Sunday tweeted: "The Lying Defence Minister's Lies Get Exposed! Defence Minister claimed that procurement orders worth Rs 1 Lakh Crore provided to HAL! HAL says Not a SINGLE PAISA has come, as Not a SINGLE ORDER has been signed!" "For the first time, HAL forced to take a loan of Rs 1000 Cr to pay salaries!," he added. New Delhi: BJP National President Amit Shah addresses a press conference, in New Delhi, Friday, Dec. 07, 2018. (PTI Photo/Arun Sharma) (PTI12_7_2018_000036B) BJP president Amit Shah attacked Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on January 6 over a court order asking the publishers of the National Herald newspaper to vacate a premises in the national capital, saying those appropriating public property should not target Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Shah said while Gandhi's entire family lineage was "mired in corruption", there was not a single blot on Modi. He was speaking at a booth workers' rally at Silvassa, where he also appealed to the people to give one more chance to the two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs from the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The Delhi High Court had last month asked the Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), the publisher of National Herald, to vacate the premises in the press enclave at ITO in the national capital. In its order, the single judge had said AJL had been "hijacked" by the Young Indian (YI), in which Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi were shareholders. Shah said, "Those appropriating public property cannot target Modi. When Rahul Gandhi levels corruption charges against Modi, he should first open his eyes. His entire family lineage is mired in corruption charges and there is not a single blot on Prime Minister Modi." Pointing out that "Rahul baba" was asking the BJP-led government for its "report card" of its four-year performance, he said, "He should first give the report card of his four generations, who ruled the country and did nothing." The government was carrying out infrastructure projects worth around Rs 5,000 crore in this Union Territory, Shah said. "We are doing so much for people, so the opposition is trying to divert the attention of people," he said. Throwing his weight behind the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise in Assam, where the government is planning to identify and deport illegal Bangladeshi migrants, Shah said, "Infiltrators are like termites to our country. We will neither save them, nor allow you to save them. Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala (Image: PTI Photo/Manvender Vashist) The Congress on January 6 accused Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of "lying" that procurement orders worth Rs 1 lakh crore were provided to HAL, saying the aerospace major had stated that "not a single paisa" had come to it. The allegation came a day after Congress President Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "weakening" the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to help his "suit-boot" friend. The opposition party has been targeting the government, alleging that it denied HAL an offset contract under the Rafale fighter jets deal with France, a charge the government has denied. The BJP-led NDA government has accused the Congress of not supporting HAL during its rule and asserted that the government is now strengthening the defence public sector undertaking. Gandhi's attack on Saturday came after a media report claimed that HAL, grappling with low finances, was forced to borrow Rs 1,000 crore to pay salaries to its employees for the first time in years. Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted on Sunday: "The Lying Defence Minister's Lies Get Exposed! Defence Minister claimed that procurement orders worth Rs 1 Lakh Crore provided to HAL! HAL says Not a SINGLE PAISA has come, as Not a SINGLE ORDER has been signed!" "For the first time, HAL forced to take a loan of ?1000 Cr to pay salaries!," he added. Surjewala cited a media report which claimed that "not a single rupee of the said Rs 1 lakh crore has come to HAL, since not a single order, as claimed, has been signed till now". After losing two of her sons in insurgency-related violence in Afghanistan, Jaswant Kaur had to flee the country 10 years ago with her family, but little did she know that her struggle for a life of dignity would begin in her "natural homeland", India. Kaur, her grand children and daughters in law are among the thousands of Hindus and Sikhs who escaped persecution in Afghanistan to find safety in India, but are now left running pillar to post for citizenship. The process to get citizenship is long with a wait of about 12 years or more. Rife with red-tapism and complicated procedures, one has to run office to office to complete requirements. The challenge is bigger for Kaur, in her early sixties, as her family is an all-women household. Her third son was killed in a suicide bomb attack in Jalalabad in which prominent members of the Hindu-Sikh community in Afghanistan also died in July last year. "Compare this to the situation in Europe and western countries where Afghan refugees get residency in five years," Manohar Singh, Delhi President of Khalsa Diwan Society, said. Kaur lives in India on a visa which is to be renewed after a couple of years. Recently, the government introduced a long-term visa but made the procedure even more complicated. The procedure now requires refugees to get guarantee of two Indian citizens who will be responsible if an applicant is caught in a crime or violation of regulations, Singh said. However, for Kaur all may not be lost. She may have a glimmer of hope with the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill that seeks to ease the citizenship process for people from minority communities in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who are coming to India in the wake of discrimination faced by them. Following the Jalababad attack, the wife of Jaswant Kaur's third son, Thirpal Kaur also joined her mother-in-law in West Delhi with her four children four months back. A Joint Parliamentary Committee will submit its report Monday in which it is likely to recommend introduction of the bill. The bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, to grant Indian nationality to people belonging to minority communities -- Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians -- in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12, even if they don't possess any proper document. The Congress, TMC, CPI(M) and a few other parties are steadfastly opposing the bill claiming citizenship cannot be given on basis of religion. After the report is submitted in Lok Sabha on January 7, it is to be seen whether the bill could get through during the Winter Session of Parliament, which comes to an end on January 8, sources said. Various members from opposition parties are asserting that citizenship is a constitutional provision and cannot be based on religion, as India is secular. An opposition MP said if the bill in its present form comes into effect, then it will nullify the Assam Accord under which anyone entering the state illegally after March 1971 should be declared a foreigner and deported. A large section of people and organisations in the Northeast have opposed the bill, saying it will nullify provisions of the 1985 Assam Accord, which fixed March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date for deportation of illegal immigrants irrespective of religion. Even Meghalaya and Mizoram governments have strongly opposed the bill and adopted resolutions against it. "We don't want any compensation, monetary relief, house, jobs. We want a dignified life so that we can earn livelihood, go abroad for business, get good education. This is not possible without having Indian passport," Singh said. Khalsa Diwan Society is an effort by Sikhs and Hindus who have come to India from Afghanistan to make this country their home. Singh came to India in 1979 after Afghan president Mohammed Daoud assassination. It was the first major exodus of Sikhs. The second wave of Hindus and Sikhs left Afghanistan in 1992 after withdrawal of the USSR and arrival of Mujahideens. "The Afghanistan Constitution allows freedom of religion but Hindus and Sikhs face public discrimination, intimidation, harassment and violence for following their religious practices even in the matters like last rites," an official said requesting anonymity. From a vibrant population of 2.20 lakh in Afghanistan, the number of Hindus and Sikhs have now come down to 5,000 now, according to estimates of India security agencies. "About 25,000 Sikhs and Hindus managed to escape the violence during 1992 civil war with the help of the then Prime Minister P V Narsimha Rao and Finance Minister Manmohan Singh but only estimated 35 per cent have been able to get citizenship," Singh told PTI in an interview. In the absence of citizenship, these people are in an open jail. Despite being well qualified, they are not able to find jobs because of Afghan passports, he said. Unlike in the US and several European countries where children born get local passports, Afghan refugees have to get Afghan passports for their children even if they are born in India, Singh said. Extremists have stopped minority communities from trading and employment unless they convert to Islam. Looting is rampant and women can move only in burkas, he alleged. Children face verbal assaults and attacks in schools, thus many left education in between, he claimed. Singh said they come to India with virtually nothing. Their properties are not purchased knowing they have no option but to leave. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Capitalmind We have some big numbers here. This is, in fact, the summary of the borrowings of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) during FY17-18. In FY16-17 they had no borrowings. In fact, during the previous several years they had zero borrowings. This is a cash-rich company because that's what a Big Oil company is. But now, they not only have slimmed their coffers but also picked up loans, like people pick-up vegetables during a discount rush. And all that because of some ill-considered decisions taken by our present Central government regarding this PSU company. The reason ONGC took on debt was for purchasing Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) from the government. The government owns both ONGC and HPCL, but it needed money, so it forced ONGC to buy its ownership of HPCL for a whopping Rs 36,000 crore, for which ONGC borrowed about Rs 24,000 crore. But ONGC is hugely cash-flow positive, and in the first six months after this report, it reduced its debt to just Rs 14,000 crore. The reason for pointing this sticky situation out is that the Central government recently directed cash-rich state-run companies that have a lot of idle capital, to utilise it by handing out dividends and carrying out buybacks. Why? Because they need to meet their Rs 80,000 crore divestment target. That means that even ONGC (even after buying HPCL) has to roll out dividends and buybacks. However, considering its current position, ONGC says it can either do a buyback or pay dividends, or better, neither, until the next financial year. While they are still pleading the Ministry of Finance to exempt dividend, unfortunately, due to pressures from the government, they have agreed to carry out the buyback. The buyback is for 2.34 percent of its shareholders' capital, which comes to Rs 4,022 crore. The record date set for both is January 4. Now the question is how is ONGC going to pull this off? Answer: It can't and it doesn't have the cash anymore. Not unless ONGC picks up more loans, or reduces its efforts to pay back the loans it currently has. First, they can look at the profits that would be generated in Q3 and Q4. They generate a cash profit of over Rs 5,000 crore almost each quarter. Secondly, ONGC holds around 134 crore shares in IOC and IOC recently declared dividends and buyback. If you look at only the dividend aspect, IOC will pay Rs 6.75 per share. For ONGC that means around Rs 903 crore. Then there's the buyback as well. The IOC buyback is for about 3 percent of its shares at Rs 149. Assuming ONGC sells back 3 percent of its holding to IOC, that's 3 percent of 134 crore shares or 4 crore shares at Rs 149. This is about Rs 600 crore. Finally, ONGC has received $32 million from PDVSA, as part settlement of outstanding dividend payments (ONGC owns 40 percent stake in Venezuela's San Cristobal project). Assuming $1 = Rs 70, this comes to Rs 224 crore. So, they get about Rs 1,700 crore from dividends/buybacks of their holdings. That provides them with about 40 percent of what they need for the buyback, and the rest (of the Rs 4,022 crore) will have to be sequestered from their profits of the two quarters. Their goal of being debt free may have to wait. They were supposed to pay back the entire loan they took to buy HPCL within a year. But that may extend another six months if it has to do this buyback and pay a dividend. All in all ONGC seems to be in a tough (but not impossible) situation. They generate enough cash to be able to pull it off. The problem, however, is that the government as the primary shareholder gets in the way of efficient functioning. We could analyse this and say ONGC has the money for now, but what if the greedy government keeps wanting more? As a shareholder, this might not be exciting. It also tells you the perils of investing in a government-owned company, but at least they siphon off the money after telling you about it. In most other companies, you don't even get to know about how much moneys been looted. The author is the CEO and founder of Capitalmind.in Source: Capitalmind.in After falling nearly 30 percent since November, crude oil has turned quite volatile in recent sessions. According to the US Energy Information Administration, crude oil output in October rose to an all-time high of 11.537 million barrels per day (bpd). The US has become the world's leading crude producer, surpassing Russia and Saudi Arabia. These three countries contribute around 40 percent of global crude oil production. US crude oil production may be further boosted in 2019 as infrastructure constraints in the Permian Basin could by then be resolved. According to the EIA, production is expected to average 12.06 million bpd in 2019, up 1.18 million bpd from 2018. The production cut by The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) came into effect from January 1. It would be important to see how well it actually delivers. Last month, OPEC and non-OPEC nations agreed to cut production by 1.2 million bpd from January 1. According to the deal, OPEC would cut production by 800,000 bpd while non-OPEC would make up the rest. Markets are concerned about whether the recently announced production cut by OPEC would suffice to curb the glut or not. Hence, there is talk that OPEC might cut production more-than-previously anticipated. But the market is suspicious about Saudi Arabia's crude oil strategy: Whether Saudi Arabia would cut crude production by the desirable amount or not? This is the major concern now for the market. In April, OPEC will review the impact of its production cut. It has rescheduled its mid-year meeting to April. If the output cuts are not adequate, OPEC is ready to hold an extraordinary meeting and will do what is needed to balance the market. Media reports suggest that OPEC's crude oil production declined in December 2018. Even in November last year, production fell slightly, to 32.96 million bpd from 32.98 million bpd in the month prior. But, in November 2018, Saudi Arabia's crude oil production rose while that of Iran fell sharply. Hence, it is filling the gap left by Iran. Saudi Arabia also needs higher crude oil prices as crude exports are its largest revenue source. Simultaneously, Saudi Arabia has to keep US President Donald Trump happy. Trump has repeatedly asked OPEC to lower crude oil prices. This is especially after the Republicans lost the mid-term elections. Nigeria's crude-oil production increased 9 percent to 2.09 million bpd in 2018. Its crude oil output is further expected to increase to 2.5 million and 3 million bpd in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Unlike previous deals, this time, Nigeria was not excluded from production cuts. Investors are nervous about global economic growth. As a result, there is a huge sell-off in global equities. Rising trade tensions, monetary tightening and geopolitical challenges are among issues that might slow economic growth in 2019. A slowdown in the global economy might shrink demand for crude oil. Already, the trade war between the US and China has weighed on demand. For 2019, OPEC has cut its demand projection for crude oil to 31.4 million bpd, one million bpd lower than in 2018. Given the uncertainty in global financial markets and OPEC's strategy, crude oil is expected to experience sharp volatility in coming sessions. The author is Head - Commodity Research & Advisory, Anand Rathi Commodities. The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on Moneycontrol are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Two ministerial panels under the GST Council will meet on January 6 to decide on hiking the exemption threshold for MSMEs and feasibility of levying calamity cess under the new indirect tax regime, officials said. The six-member Group of Ministers (GoM) on MSME, headed by Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla, would deliberate on the problems faced by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) under GST and scope for hiking exemption threshold for such units. Currently, businesses with annual turnover of up to Rs 20 lakh are exempt from the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The other members of the MSME GoM, which was constituted in August last year, are Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac and Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal. Another GoM, headed by Sushil Modi, on levy of calamity cess under GST too is scheduled to meet on January 6, the officials added. The Modi-led GoM had in October last year decided to seek states' views on whether a state-specific or a nationwide 'disaster tax' should be levied under the GST. The GST Council, the highest decision-making body of the new tax regime, had in September last year set up the seven-member GoM to consider a cess for Kerala flood rehabilitation. Apart from Sarma, Isaac and Badal, the other members of the calamity cess GoM include Odisha Finance and Excise Minister Sashi Bhusan Behera, Maharashtra Finance and Excise Minister Sudhir Murgantiwar and Uttarakhand Finance Minister Prakash Pant. The decisions of the two ministerial panels would be placed before the GST Council when it meets next on January 10. The council, among other things, would also discuss lowering GST on under-construction flats and houses to 5 percent from 12 percent. It would also consider a composition scheme for small suppliers and rationalisation of tax rates on lottery. Currently, state-organised lottery attracts 12 percent GST, while state-authorised lottery attracts 28 percent. Flood victims carry relief material as they walk through a damaged area after floods, at Nelliyampathy Village. (Image: Reuters) A ministerial panel on January 6 allowed Kerala to levy an additional calamity cess of 1 percent under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime. "Kerala will be permitted to have 1 percent cess on the value of goods and services across all or select items for two years," said Thomas Isaac, the state's Finance Minister, after meeting a group of ministers in the national capital. According to BloombergQuint report, the items that will bear the additional tax will be decided by the state. "If other states urge the Goods and Services Tax Council to allow them to levy this additional cess in case of a calamity, it will decide if the state should be allowed or not," said Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi. If the additional cess is approved by the GST Council, Kerala would be the first state to levy a calamity cess. The GST Council will take a decision on the matter in its 32nd meeting scheduled for January 10. While the centre had earlier shied away from imposing a state-specific cess, it had upheld the flood-ravaged state's request citing that additional funds will not only help in Kerala's resurrection, but will be an institutionalised fundraising mechanism for such disasters in other parts of the country. In October 2018, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led panel had decided to seek states' views on whether a nationwide or state-specific "disaster tax" should be levied under the new indirect tax regime. If the Council approves the additional disaster cess, some specifically identified goods would witness a minor hike in price. No other drug in recent times created as much buzz as Bedaquiline. Bedaquiline, developed by Johnson & Johnson (J&J), is used for the treatment of pulmonary multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). MDR-TB refers to TB resistant to at least two of the first-line or most commonly used drugs: Isoniazid and Rifampicin. Among MDR-TB, the more dangerous strain is the extensively drug resistant TB (XDR-TB), which has additional resistance to at least one Fluoroquinolone and one second line injectable drug. It is estimated that 147,000 people in India have MDR-TB, accounting for one-fourth of global burden, as per Global Tuberculosis Report 2017. Around 6.19 percent of all TB patients in India have MDR-TB. Among MDR-TB patients, the XDR-TB rate was 1.3 percent. There is clearly an unmet need and patients are dying. Bedaquiline was the first targeted TB medicine with a novel mechanism of action in more than 40 years. The drug came as saviour to patients for whom all other medicines had failed. Given the unmet need and the promising data on efficacy of the drug in phase two clinical trials, US Food & Drug Administration granted fast-track designation, priority review and orphan-product designation to Bedaquiline. In 2012, it conditionally approved the drug, awaiting the larger phase three clinical trial data and asking the company to carry a black box warning for patients and healthcare professionals about the risks. Today, it is approved in more than 56 countries, including those with the highest TB burdens. The drug is now included on the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Essential Medicines List. WHO last year recommended Bedaquiline as the frontline medicine for treatment of all MDR-TB cases revising its earlier recommendation for patients with XDR cases. Bedaquiline is also poised to replace the current daily injections to treat MDR-TB that can have serious adverse effects leading to many patients discontinuing their treatment midway. Janssens tier-pricing for the drug is pegged at $30,000 for a six-month course in high-income countries, $3,000 for middle-income and $900 for low-income regions. India is one of the few countries where J&J offers the drug free of cost under a conditional access programme, which will end in March. J&J is currently offering 10,000 courses of the drug for a duration of six months. India currently administers the drug through a highly controlled, government monitored programme. The Revised National Tuberculosis Programme (RNTCP) has been distributing the drug only in a few designated government centres. While thousands of people are succumbing to XDR-TB, only few among them are receiving treatment. So, there is a pressure on India to follow South Africa and Russia to expand Bedaquiline access to all MDR-TB patients. There are ethical questions despite ever growing medical confidence about the drug. A section of legal and health experts have raised the issue of discrepancies in the informed consent forms and granting go ahead for the drug without the much larger phase three clinical trial data, which establishes safety and efficacy of the drug. They point to the drug's potential risks, including increased risk of death. About 11.4 percent of patients taking Bedaquiline died during phase two clinical trials compared with 2.5 percent of those taking placebos. "The concern raised by several stakeholders in the industry, on the clause forcing patients to waive any right to compensation, in case if anything went wrong and the complete silence on their data transferred to Janssen, the company that made the drug in actual may not be founded, as the consent form discloses that there may be known and unknown side effects and the information will be shared with relevant authorities," said Arun Kumar G, Partner and A Yamuna, Senior Associate at K&S Partners to Moneycontrol. They also said that as per the criteria the patients are managed indoor for a period of 2 weeks and managed by the respective centers. The current debate projects a need for government intervention on availability of the drug to all patients and ignores the core issue that the regulatory approval is for conditional access of the drug and that too in six centres located across India identified by the government. There is a third dimension of informed consent (on the part of the patient) that the recent conversations have completely overlooked," Kumar and Yamuna added. UPDATE: Suspected drunken driver in crash killing Michigan family of 5 was absolutely flying wrong way on highway, witness says. LEXINGTON, KY -- A Michigan family of five died in a crash early Sunday morning near Lexington, Kentucky. A white pickup truck going the wrong way on northbound I-75 near Lexington struck the familys SUV, according to a press release from Lexington police. The 41-year-old Georgetown, Kentucky, resident driving the pickup also was killed. Northville residents Issam Abbas and Dr. Rima Abbas and their three children - Ali, 14; Isabelle, 13; and Giselle, 7 - were in the SUV, according to the City of Dearborn, which offered condolences Sunday afternoon. Rima Abbas was a family practice physician, and Issam Abbas was a real estate agent. #DEARBORN (TCD) | TCD sends its condolences to the Abbas Family on the tragic loss of Issam Abbas (42), Dr. Rima Abbas... Posted by TCD on Sunday, January 6, 2019 Police responded to the crash at about 2:30 a.m. Jan 6., near mile marker 107 on I-75, one mile before the Man o War Boulevard exit. The pickup hit the SUV head-on, which caused the SUV to catch fire, according to police. Investigators are working to identify any witnesses who saw the pickup prior to the collision. Anyone with information can call the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 859-258-3663. How to use the mindat.org media viewer Click/touch this help panel to close it. Welcome to the mindat.org media viewer. Here is a quick guide to some of the options available to you. Different controls are available depending on the type of media being shown (photo, video, animation, 3d image) Controls - all media types Zoom in and out of media using your mousewheel or with a two-finger 'resize' action on a touch device. Use the mouse or your finger to drag the image or the view area of the image around the screen. < and > at the left and right hand side of the screen move forwards and backwards for the other images associated with the media you selected. Usually this is used for previous/next photo in a gallery, in an article or in search results. Keyboard shortcuts: use shift + the left and right arrow keys. < and > in the bottom center are used for switching between the photos of the same specimen. Keyboard shortcuts: use the left and right arrow keys. > in the bottom center, raises the information box giving details and further options for the media, < at the top of this box then hides it. Keyboard shortcuts: use the up and down arrow keys. ? opens this help window. Keyboard shortcuts: use the H key or the ? key. Other keyboard shortcuts: 1 Fit image to screen 2 Fill screen with image 5 Display at full resolution < Make background darker > Make background lighter space Hide/dim titles and buttons Scalebar If the field of view (FOV) is specified for the photo, the scalebar appears in the left bottom corner of the viewer. The scalebar is draggable and resizeable. Drag the right edge to resize it. Double click will reset the scalebar to it's default size and position. If the scalebar is in default position, double click will make it circular. Controls - Video Video files have a standard set of video controls: - Reset to start, - Skip back, - Play, - Pause, - Skip forwards. Keyboard shortcuts: You can stop/start video play with the P key. Controls - Animation (Spin Rotation) Animation (usually 360 degree spin rotations) have their own controls: - enable spin mode. Note that while images are loading this option will not be available but will be automatically activated when the animation has loaded. Once active you can spin the image/change the animation by moving your mouse or finger on the image left/right or by pressing the [ or ] keys. The button switches to move mode so that you can use your mouse/fingers to move the image around the screen as with other media types. The button, or the P key will start playing the animation directly, you can interrupt this by using the mouse or finger on the image to regain manual movement control. Controls - 3D Stereoscopic images If a stereoscopic 3D image is opened in the viewer, the 3D button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "3D settings" menu. The 3D images can be viewed in several ways: - without any special equipment using cross-eyed or parallel-eyed method - with stereoscope - with anaglyph glasses. - on a suitable 3D TV or monitor (passive 3D system) For details about 3D refer to: Mindat manuals: Mindat Media Viewer: 3D To enable/disable 3D stereo display of a compatible stereo pair image press the 3 key. If the left/right images are reversed on your display (this often happens in full-screen mode) press the 4 key to reverse them. Controls - photo comparison mode If a photo with activated comparison mode is opened in the viewer, the button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "Comparison mode settings" menu. Several layouts are supported: slider and side by-side comparison with up to 6 photos shown synchronously on the screen. On each of the compared photos a view selector is placed, e.g.: Longwave UV . It shows the name of currently selected view and allows to select a view for each placeholder. Summary of all keyboard shortcuts Military Wants to Use Rockets to Deliver Cargo Anywhere in the World in Less Than an Hour The Air Force announced that "Rocket Cargo" will be the fourth experiment under its Vanguard program. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 5) President Rodrigo Duterte said he wants to make sure he will always be well-informed of the situation in the disaster-prone Bicol Region. Duterte on Friday even joked about offering Presidential Adviser for Bicol Affairs Marvel Clavecilla "20 beautiful women" as staff, so he can do his job well. "Now I'll give you the staff that you want," Duterte told Clavecilla during a briefing on the effects of deadly Tropical Depression Usman in Camarines Sur. "Ilan ang gusto mong staff (How many staff members do you want)? Twenty beautiful women?" Duterte added, drawing laughter from the officials present, including Clavecilla, whom Duterte called his "brod" and classmate. They both went to San Beda College of Law. Duterte said Clavecilla should take it from former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino, whom he tasked in January 2018 to oversee government operations in Bicol in connection with the unrest of the Mayon Volcano. "The last time there was a disaster here, there was a calamity and I needed somebody as a point man who supervised and who gave me the information from time to time was Atty. Tolentino, si Francis," Duterte said. "God forbid that if there's anything else that I have to take care, so ikaw 'yun. So tayo na ang magtawagan (that's you. So we'll be calling each other)," he told Clavecilla. Duterte also joked that he is prioritizing the Bicol Region because it is the hometown of the "beautiful" Vice President Leni Robredo, who hails from Naga City. READ: Duterte pledges Road Board funds for disaster-prone Bicol "You know, the reason why I gave you the priority in the project is that you have a very beautiful Vice President here. Leni, oo (yes). Tell her that she's really beautiful ha," Duterte said. He made another joke during the briefing that tropical cyclones should not be named "Usman," but should be named "Bernadette," "Leonora" or "Leni" apparently alluding to Tourism Secretary Bernadette-Romulo Puyat, Education Secretary Leonor Briones, and the Vice President. "Alam mo dapat 'yung mga bagyo, huwag ninyong pangalanan na mga Usman. Eh si Randy Usman, Maranao 'yan eh," he said, eliciting laughter from the audience. [Translation: You know, you should not name the storm like Usman. Randy Usman is Maranao.] "That is- he's my brother in the Maranao side. Mga Usman-Usman, ang tindi niyan (Those are intense)," he added. "Mga Bernadette ganun (like that). Leonora. Mga - si Leni ganun ba (like that)," he said amid laughter. Tropical Depression Usman claimed at least 122 lives, mostly in the Bicol Region, and damaged crops, houses, roads and other infrastructure during its onslaught after Christmas. AITKIN COUNTY NOTICE OF HEARING THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL ASSEMBLE FOR A HEARING OF REZONING/CONDITIONAL/INTERIM USE PERMIT APPLICATIONS ON October 15, 2018 AT 4:00 P.M. IN THE AITKIN COUNTY COURTHOUSE COURT ROOM #3, AITKIN, MN 56431. THE FOLLOWING APPLICATIONS WILL BE REVIEWED: LuRae Melaas, 49700 Lark Place, McGregor, MN 55760 is requesting a Conditional Use Permit to operate a bar/restaurant, in an area zoned Shoreland (Big Sandy). LOT 15 BELLHORN HEIGHTS SECOND ADDITION, Section Seventeen (17), Township Forty-nine (49), Range Twenty-three (23), Aitkin County, Minnesota 56431. APPLICATION# 2018-003832 AITKIN COUNTY ZONING Published in the Aitkin Independent Age September 26, 2018 860562 Ad details AITKIN COUNTY NOTICE OF HEARING THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL ASSEMBLE FOR A HEARING OF REZONING/CONDITIONAL/ INTERIM USE PERMIT APPLICATIONS ON October 15, 2018 AT 4:00 P.M. IN THE AITKIN COUNTY COURTHOUSE COURT ROOM #3, AITKIN, MN 56431. THE FOLLOWING APPLICATIONS WILL BE REVIEWED: LuRae Melaas, 49700 Lark Place, McGregor, MN 55760 is requesting a Conditional Use Permit to operate a bar/restaurant, in an area zoned Shoreland (Big Sandy). LOT 15 BELLHORN HEIGHTS SECOND ADDITION, Section Seventeen (17), Township Forty-nine (49), Range Twenty-three (23), Aitkin County, Minnesota 56431. APPLICATION# 2018-003832 AITKIN COUNTY ZONING Published in the Aitkin Independent Age September 26, 2018 860562 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning have been trending in the last few quarters. Similarly, the hot word back in 2014-15 was "wearable". This included any gadget we could wear -- smartwatch, smart band, spectacles, ring, clothing, shoes, and more. For decades we've seen sci-fi movies featuring wearable technology, and so we expected the boom to be huge. But the segment has received a lukewarm response and is still counted as a niche category. Remember the time when tablets were a huge deal and expected to take over the world? Sure, tablets too are selling in millions, but these sales are nothing when compared to smartphones. Phones have been leading the consumer market forever now, and there's no sign of stopping it. What is stopping wearables from gaining traction? When will this segment become mainstream? And, who are the current industry leaders? Here's everything you need to know! 1. Very Limited Practicality Samsung Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy S3 Frontier are among the most powerful smartwatches, but in day-to-day life, you barely find any use. Except for passive health tracking and HR, you get notifications delivered to your wrist. That's it. If you go for the Apple Watch LTE variant, independent calling is possible, but that's exactly why it's niche market. Nobody wants to spend so much on a "smartwatch" when they have an equivalent phone and can spend the same amount on a luxury watch, that commands more class. Apple There is no doubt that they have made daily tracking very simple and it's extremely helpful for fitness freaks, but when the same functionality can be ported to a "band" as well, then what's the use of a smartwatch? Remember Google Glass? It was a smart spectacle that had a small HUD (Heads Up Display) along with a camera. It failed. While the failure was because of different reasons, consumers just couldn't understand the practical use of wearing a small display right in front of you. 2. They Are Too Expensive BCCL The Apple Watch Series 4 will easily cost you an upward of Rs 40,000. For the same price, you can get a flagship OnePlus 6T, or some more and even an iPhone. Why would one want to spend so much on a timepiece that has limited functionality when a complete phone is available? Even if we consider other gadgets like the Samsung Galaxy S3 Frontier, it costs at least Rs 25,000. On the other hand, smart bands cost just a fraction of the amount and are capable of detecting HR. Companies like Fitbit are concentrating on health and fitness, while WearOS OEMs are very confused about what they want to do. This leaves behind an enormous vacuum in the pricing slabs, there are a lot of affordable smart bands, and ultra-expensive smartwatches, but no middle ground. 3. Stupidly Low Battery Life iGeeksBlog Even after buying an Apple Watch, you'll have to charge it every day. Same applies to almost every other smartwatch out there, exceptions being the Amazfit Pace and Fitbit Versa. But, while the two offer battery life, they offer no feature except for notifications and passive health tracking. Even though the charging time is considerably less, the point is about having to remove the watch, plug it in and follow the routine every day. Also, you won't be able to go more than a day without the charger. 4. They Need To Stop Looking Nerdy BCCL Apple Watch has a class-leading design, so does the Samsung Galaxy S3 Frontier and Gear Sport. Fitbits are built for intensive activities and are more on the ergonomic end. Fossil does a splendid job as well. But, pretty much all other WearOS devices suck in terms of design. If you want to make a segment mainstream, stop making it look like it's built for a niche crowd - "the nerds". The phase is gone, a normal consumer wants flaunting rights. And, rectangular plastic design's are not helping the cause. 5. Privacy Matters Mashable There have been a lot of concerns regarding one's privacy around wearables. Like I said earlier, the Google Glass has been mired in controversy thanks to the little camera it had. Nobody wants a real-time camera watching or recording them without permission, especially when an individual is in control of it. Snapchat's Spectacles are built for exactly the same audience, record as much as you can, but it has an LED on the front to notify others. There have been multiple incidents when hackers got into wearable devices and collected GPS as well as health data of soldiers who resided in an army base. Germany has barred the sale of activity trackers to children and more concerns are always brewing. Robert Kramer, 93, of Cochranton, passed away June 10, 2021 at Wesbury United Methodist Retirement Community. He was born June 25, 1927, in Meadville; a son of Irvin and Mabel Moyer Kramer. Robert attended Cochranton High School and then enlisted in the United States Army on September 12, 19 A Framingham man will find himself in court once again after authorities say he exposed himself to a woman for the third time in less than a year. Sudbury police announced 26-year-old Amilcar Rivas-Rivera will be brought to Framingham District Court Monday to face a charge of open and gross lewdness. Authorities arrested Rivas-Rivera Friday night in connection with an incident in late December. Police responded to an ATM kiosk on Boston Post Road in Sudbury on Dec. 28 for a report of indecent exposure. Upon arrival, officers spoke with a woman who told police that she had observed the suspect sitting inside his vehicle, which he had parked next to hers, with his pants down and touching his genitals in a sexual manner, police said. The victim gave police a good description of the suspect and his vehicle, which helped lead to his capture. According to the MetroWest Daily News, Rivas-Rivera has been accused of exposing himself to women in March and October. The newspaper reports Rivas-Rivera was arrested at the Natick Mall in March and at the Ashland State Park in October. Women accused Rivas-Rivera of exposing himself to them on both occasions. Rivas-Rivera is being held on $15,000 cash bail. The family of 29-year-old Alexis Martinez identified him as the man slain Saturday afternoon in Springfield. Known as Lex to family and friends, Martinez was shot and killed as he sat in a car parked in the Five Town Plaza lot on Cooley Street. Officers responded to a report of a shooting at 12:08 p.m. and found Martinez in the drivers seat. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Martinez sister, Yvonne Diaz, told MassLive her family is reeling after losing Martinez and his older brother, Christian Diaz, within a year. In eight months, we are burying another family member. This is hard for us, Yvonne Diaz said Sunday morning. We just need everybody to pray for us and hopefully they can get the person who did this. Martinez, who had six brothers and four sisters, went to high school in Springfield and, for the past two years, lived in Philadelphia. His weekends were spent in Massachusetts for one reason, his 6-year-old son Carter. The bond that he had with his son was unbelievable, said Yvonne Diaz, Martinez 39-year-old sister. Martinez was moving back to the area soon and started looking for work. He worked construction in Pennsylvania. Christian Diaz and Martinez were known as the clowns of the family, constantly joking around, Yvonne Diaz told MassLive. Christian Diaz passed away in May at age 37. Authorities continue to investigate Saturdays fatal shooting. Anyone with information can call the Springfield Police detective bureau at (413) 787-6355. Those who wish to remain anonymous may text a tip via a cell phone by addressing a text message to CRIMES, or 274637, and then beginning the body of the message with the word SOLVE. WASHINGTON With the new Congress officially sworn-in Thursday, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern took the helm as the House of Representatives new Rules Committee chairman, a high-ranking position that gives the Worcester Democrat the power to decide when and what bills make it to the chambers floor for consideration. McGovern, who was elected Rules Committee chair late last month, told The Republican it was somewhat surreal to finally take control of the panel after years of climbing through its ranks. Noting that he began his time in Congress in the 1980s as an aide to U.S. Rep. Joe Moakley, a Boston Democrat who sat on the Rules Committee and was chairman from 1989 to 1995, McGovern said he got to work with a master and learn how to run the committee with professionalism and integrity. McGovern, who later served alongside his mentor on Capitol Hill, noted that Moakley urged him to take his spot on the Rules Committee after being diagnosed with cancer. He said, We need someone from Massachusetts on the Rules Committee. ... You learn the rules, you learn the names of every member of the House and be patient because some day you can be chairman of the Rules Committee -- dont do anything stupid, like run for Senate. Be patient.' His line was, Good waiters get good tips,'" McGovern said, pointing to a photo of Moakley that hangs on the wall of his new Rules Committee office. I wouldnt be here if it wasnt for him. As the Rules Committee chairman, the Worcester Democrat said he intends to open up the panels work, which he argued had been largely closed under Republicans. One of my critiques of the Republicans was the system was always rigged. Were trying to un-rig the system, he said. If people have serious ideas, we want to give them every consideration. Im probably not going to be very friendly toward amendments that are just gotcha amendments, or designed to try to blow things out, thats a waste of time. We have some serious challenges before this country, so we have to get things done and move things forward. The congressman said he believes the House has taken a step in the right direction by passing a wide-ranging rules package that was based on input from members on both sides of the aisle -- not just majority leaders as has historically been the case. It included language to: create special committees focused on climate change and the modernization of Congress overturn a ban on religious headwear on the floor of the U.S. House establish an office of diversity; and bar members and staffers from serving on publicly traded corporate boards. Offering that more still needs to be done to restore confidence in the House and improve how it functions, McGovern said hes committed to moving new ideas through the Rule Committee and onto the floor expeditiously. He further stressed that he is not taking the position or its responsibilities lightly. Ive been given this incredible honor and opportunity to be chairman of the Rules Committee, Im guaranteed that for two years. I hope its for longer than that, but I know for certain its for two years," McGovern said. "So what Ive talked to my staff about is, we need to get as much done in these next two years as possible not only in terms of the kind of legislative accomplishments and stuff for the district, but also in terms of restoring some confidence in the United States House of Representatives. Despite his new role as House Rules chairman, McGovern said hes still committed to serving the constituents of Massachusetts' 2nd Congressional District a promise underscored by the congressmans new committee gavel. One of the things, when youre a chair, that you need is a gavel you gavel in the opening meetings and use a gavel to close out meetings," he said. "We realized yesterday that we didnt have a gavel. My father, who is 80 and runs a package store in Worcester now semi-retired was for years the president of the Worcester County Package Store Association, and he had a gavel as chair. His gift to me was his old gavel. So, it says: Walter McGovern, President of the Worcester County Package Store Association. That will be the sacred gavel that will be used in the Rules Committee. McGovern, who was named the Rules Committees ranking member, or top Democrat, in April, secured the chairmanship when House Democrats met behind closed doors late last month. Having voiced concerns about the panels action under its previous leadership, the McGovern joined then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi in December in unveiling a series of rules change proposals reached in conjunction with the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. They included creating a consensus calendar to ensure that bills with 290 co-sponsors are promptly considered, giving preference to amendments that comply with rules and have support from at least 20 members of each party and increasing committee transparency, among other things. As the Northampton Police Department continues to serve the community, it cant be blamed for wondering why scattered voices from within that community persist in painting it as the problem and not a solution - and why those voices are driving public policy. The department deserves better. Even while acknowledging transgressions made by the few, police in general deserve more respect than they often receive. Instead, they have become all-too-easy targets for activists with political platforms or personal agendas. In short, its become fashionable to bash cops. Its also incredibly wrong. Bias always is. That includes anti-police bias. One of the unlikeliest arenas for this friction has been Northampton, where the force has received accolades for its progressive programs. Yet the latest indignity, the withdrawal of a $13,000 gift of ammunition from Walmart amid complaints from some residents, put the spotlight back on what former City Council member Judith Fine called the seeming lack of backbone by the council in standing up for the department. The donation became available when Northampton Walmart stopped selling ammunition, and offered to donate it to the Northampton Police Department. It was to be used for training purposes. Surprised that their generous offer was cause for controversy, Walmart officials withdrew it. Now, either tax money will now be needed to acquire the ammunition, or Northampton police officers will be less well-trained. Who gains from that? What is proven here? One voice worth hearing belonged to Natalia Munoz, the former chair of the citys Human Rights Commission. Notoriously sensitive and even suspicious about police heavy-handedness, Munoz said that throwing the Northampton police under that bus was unfair. Theyre part of our community. There may be a few who are not so great, but the vast majority are," she said, according to MassLive.com. The oppression and racism Munoz believes claims in other police forces has not infected the Northampton force, she said. Munoz said she hoped Walmart would reconsider. She suggested that the money saved by the city could go toward anti-bias training. The Northampton police deserve a far better shake than theyre receiving. In February of 2017, a program by which police would meet school children in a positive way was stopped after some residents complained. Most communities would pay for a program like that. The 'Hamp police offered it as a goodwill gesture, only to be treated like the enemy by the handful voices that ruled the day. Thats what has happened with the Walmart donation, too. One speaker asked why the Northampton police need bullets. The anti-police tone among some speakers at public comment sessions does not necessarily reflect the views of the majority, but these are the voices determining not just tenor, but policy. Northampton Police Chief Jody Kaspers department has received attention for its progressive, citizen-friendly approach. Yet according to Kasper, the shallow, false cops-are-the-enemy rhetoric is wearing on the department, and this time, it cost the force a $13,000 gift that should have been a no-brainer. Bias against police is still bias. Allowing it to dictate public policy is counterproductive. The City Council need not rubber-stamp every department request, nor should police be treated as omnipotent, but its time the council showed its force some support. That alone wont pay the bill for a $13,000 goodwill offer that was later withdrawn, but its much more than theyve done so far. Springfield police have confirmed that a man was shot and killed as he sat in a car parked in the lot of the Five Town Plaza on Cooley Street Saturday afternoon. Springfield Police Department spokesman Ryan Walsh confirmed just after 8 p.m. Saturday that the male victim was found after police responded to a report of a shooting at 12:08 p.m. The victim was found in the driver's seat of the parked car. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Walsh did not release any details about the victim, referring all questions to Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni's office. The homicide is being investigated by the Major Crimes Homicide Unit under the direction of Capt. Trent Duda. Anyone with information can call the Springfield Police detective bureau at (413) 787-6355. Those who wish to remain anonymous may text a tip via a cell phone by addressing a text message to "CRIMES," or "274637," and then beginning the body of the message with the word "SOLVE." More than a dozen Springfield police vehicles have cordoned off Manhattan Street in the city's Old Hill neighborhood, part of what authorities are calling thus far an "undisclosed investigation." Springfield police spokesman Ryan Walsh would not say why the heavy police presence was focused on the area of 28 Manhattan St. Police arrived in the area just before 6 p.m. Police cruisers blocked the entrance to the street at the intersection with Walnut Street allowing no vehicular or pedestrian traffic down the street, calling it a "dangerous situation." Spotlights illuminated a large grey two-story building at 28 Manhattan Street, as numerous police officers maintained a watch on the house. This is a developing story and information will be posted as it becomes available. WARE -- Clay Works ceramic studio opened its doors at 71 Main St. Saturday morning with a well-attended Open House, and began teaching how to create things using clay. Nine different classes are offered. All but one is geared for learners of any age. The "Date Night" class is age-restricted to those 18 and older -- and is on Fridays from 7 to 9 p.m. Clay Works instructor Helen Thelen of Amherst will be teaching that -- "a two-hour class when couples can come into pottery skills," she said. "I love being able to teach people. For me, it's relaxing to sit at the wheel and forget everything I've been dealing with," Thelen said. Ginnie Reed of Ware said she came to Saturday's Open House "because I am excited about something new in town. I am thinking about taking a class." The news studio "is such a great thing for the community," resident Bill Hackett said. "It's nice to have this in town." "I am a big fan of Workshop 13. I want to support local artists; this is great," Lynn Park said. Art Works, a gallery selling paintings, prints, and crafts, located next door at 69 Main St., opened last month. Both are operated by Workshop 13 Cultural Arts and Learning Center, at 11-13 Church St. in Ware. Country Bank/WSB Development Corp., had owned the Main St. property where Clay Works and Art Works are. The bank donated the property to Quaboag Community Development Corporation, which arranged for Workshop 13 to oversee the new businesses. Other contributors to the art studios include MassDevelopment, the Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts and the Edward & Barbara Urban Foundation. "I know that Clay Works is going to do wonderful," Ernest A. "Roc" Goudreau said. He and Chris DiMarzio founded Workshop 13 in 2014. Melinda Czub attended the Open House with her daughter, Isla, 7. "We are excited about this space," Czub said. "I'm going to just find out what they're doing," her child said. "I came here to see how it's going," said Nolen Finnie, 10, who was with his brother, Caelan, 12, and sister, Jaden, 15. The clay studio "has been a long time coming; we are absolutely delighted to be open, and provide opportunity for people to explore ceramic arts," Marie Lauderdale said. She is the Workshop 13 director. SPRINGFIELD - The Three Wise Men made appearances across Western Massachusetts this weekend in honor of Three Kings Day, a religious holiday celebrated by many cultures around the world including Latin America. Its very important for for us to instill in the younger generations a sense of history and an understanding of our cultural traditions, said Maria Perez, a Springfield School Committee member who organized a celebration Friday night at Chestnut Middle. Three Kings Day, or the Day of the Epiphany, is widely celebrated in Puerto Rico and Latin America as well as in Europe, and is based on the Biblical story that tells of the Magi, or three kings, who saw a star on the night Christ was born and followed it for 12 days to Bethlehem. Grisel Delgado has been hosting a Three Kings Day event in Springfields North End neighborhood for thirty years. The event includes an appearance by the Three Kings, a small lesson explaining the significance of Three Kings Day to children who attend and of course the handing out of presents and candy. We were able to purchase 300 gifts this year and we are thankful to everyone who made that possible, Delgado said. Events were also held at Morgan and Lawrence Elementary Schools in Holyoke and Christ Church Cathedral on Chestnut Street in Springfield. Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno attended the festivities on Friday night and his office provided the funding for food at Delgados event. This is an important cultural event and its great for our students to know their history, he said. Kevin Spacey will arrive at Nantucket District Court Monday, along with a slew of media, as the actor is arraigned on a sexual assault charge. The 59-year-old actor is accused of groping the teenage son of a former WCVB news anchor in 2016. Spacey filed a motion requesting to skip the arraignment stating his appearance would amplify the negative publicity in the case, but a judge denied the motion. In the motion, signed under his real name, Kevin S. Fowler, Spacey said he plans to enter a not guilty plea. Spaceys lawyer argued the actors appearance in court could contaminate the potential pool of jurors available for trial. Authorities from Cape & Islands District Attorneys office said Spacey will be arraigned on one count of incident assault and battery on a person over the age of 14. Spacey is accused of sexually assaulting the then-teenage son of former WCVB news anchor Heather Unruh in 2016. Unruh accused the actor of assaulting her son in a press conference. She said Spacey got her 18-year-old son drunk at The Club Car bar and restaurant in July 2016 and forced his hand down her sons pants. A Massachusetts State Police report says authorities obtained video evidence in the case. The criminal complaint on file in court said Unruhs son first reported the assault to Nantucket Police on Oct. 31, 2016. Since 2017, several men have accused Spacey of sexual misconduct. He was fired from the lead in the Netflix show House of Cards and was cut from the motion picture All the Money in the World. TODAYS WORD is adumbrate. Example: Unrest adumbrated the revolution. FRIDAYS WORD was approbation. It means praise, commendation, or an act of approving officially or formally. Example: George did his best to gain approbation. Fast facts from the U.S. Census 1970s On May 4, 1970, the Ohio National Guard opened fire on protesters at Kent State University, killing four and wounding nine The Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries announced an embargo on oil exports to the United States on Oct. 15, 1973. In 1973, construction was completed on the Sears Tower (now the Willis Tower) in Chicago, Illinois. It became the tallest building in the world until surpassed by the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 1998. On Aug. 8, 1974, President Richard M. Nixon resigned from office. The last Americans (10 Marines) departed Vietnam April 30, 1975. Michael Shaaras The Killer Angels, a novel about the Battle of Gettysburg, won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1975. The red line in Syria is still there. In fact, it's a darker red. Ensure you get a print copy of the Loudoun Times-Mirror delivered weekly to your home or business! Complete online access is included with all print subscriptions purchased online. Plus, up to four other members of your household can share online access through this subscription with their own, individual linked accounts at no additional charge. (Are you a current advertiser? Ask your sales rep for our special advertiser rate code!) Longford Tourism will be among the exhibitors at this years Holiday World Show. The Holiday World Show, takes place in the RDS Simmonscourt from Friday, January 25 to Sunday, January 27. The shows largest ever Home Holiday Pavilion was launched in Dublin by Brendan Griffin, TD, Minister of State for Tourism. Holiday World Shows Home Holiday Pavilion will showcase hundreds of destinations and holiday experiences from all across the beautiful island of Ireland. From stunning coastal towns to cosmopolitan cities and unforgettable landscapes of Ireland's Hidden Heartlands, there is so much to discover right on our doorstep. Minister Griffin said, Ireland truly offers some unique opportunities for exciting travel experiences. Boasting accommodation ranging from luxury castles to country cottages, diverse activities such as exploring our new Greenways on foot or by bike, world class cultural attractions and breathtaking beaches, there really is so much to explore in 2019. He added, The continued growth of Holiday World Show and its ever-growing Home Holiday Pavilion highlights the appetite of Irish consumers for holidays within our shores, as well as the wealth of products on offer by Irish tourism providers. Longford native, Maureen Ledwith, organiser of the Holiday World Show, said, Holiday World Show is an exceptional opportunity for visitors to meet with over 1,000 travel experts from across Ireland and the world, book incredible breaks and avail of exclusive show-only offers. Were delighted to host the shows biggest Home Holiday Pavilion this year, with 20 regions taking part. Holiday World Show 2019 will also include the largest ever Visit USA Pavilion, a French Camping Pavilion, the Irish holiday favourites Spain and Italy, as well as an array of other destinations, cruise companies and airlines. For further information on the Holiday World Show 2019 visit www.holidayworldshow.com Support local journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Lockport, NY (14094) Today Cloudy early with partial sunshine expected late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 72F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low around 50F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. UPDATE: 6:20 p.m. The FBI is now assisting in the investigation into the disappearance of 8-month-old King Jay Davila, according to a news release. "As always, we are extremely grateful for their willingness to assist our department when needed," San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said. "It's even more appreciated that these agents are volunteering their time and expertise to help us find King, despite them not being paid during the current government shutdown. Together, we will work tirelessly to find baby King." UPDATE: 5 p.m. San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said Saturday evening that 8-month-old King Jay Davila remains missing during a news conference where a video of the abduction was shown. "Detectives have been working around the clock since this happened last night and they continue to work as we speak," McManus said. Police have focused on the father, Christopher Davila, 34, since the start of the investigation. Davila is charged with child endangerment in connection to the abduction. "As you can see," McManus explained, "from her walking up, there is no hesitation, no looking around, no wondering if she's going to get in this car or not. She knows where she going and what she's doing." He said events in the video were just "seconds" after the father left the vehicle. He also noted that the child's family has not offered help. "The family is not cooperating, as is the father Christopher Davila, not cooperating," McManus said. "We continue to hope that the father will start to be cooperative and the family members will help us in this. But right now they're uncooperative, much to our dismay." UPDATE: 11:30 a.m. Images of a woman suspected of abducting 8-month-old King Jay Davila were released by officials late Saturday morning. San Antonio police say the images were taken in close proximity to where the child was abducted. The suspect is a thin white or Hispanic female in her 20s or 30s who was last seen in a grey hoodie and tan/brown pants. The two images show the suspect carrying an infant car seat. Police said they are working on releasing enhanced images and possibly a video of the suspect. ORIGINAL STORY CONTINUES: San Antonio police say 8-month-old King Jay Davila remains missing after being abducted Friday night from a West Side convenience store. The father, Christopher Davila, 34, was arrested and charged with child endangerment, according to a police report Saturday morning. Read the breaking story: Baby abducted from convenience store, father questioned Davila, who was wearing a blue onesie and has a scratch over his left eye, was left inside a Dodge Dart at 7 p.m. at the Friends Food Mart, 351 Enrique Barrera Parkway, with the door open and engine running, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said Friday. A white or Hispanic woman wearing a light colored hoodie and tan/brown pants was seen entering the vehicle and driving away while the father was in the store, according to police. The father called police moments after the abduction, police said. But as investigators questioned the father they immediately noticed discrepancies in his story. McManus said Friday night that police believe the father knows the woman who took the baby and that the abduction was planned. The vehicle was later found at Elmer and Arvil near Rodriguez Park, but the child was not inside. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox McManus said that the mother and father are estranged from one another. Investigators believe the child is in danger because of the way the child went missing. Police are asking anyone with information about Davila's abduction to call 911. "We're asking anyone, if they know where that child is or if they have that child to call 911 and turn that baby back in to the mother," McManus said Friday. "If you don't do that, then you may very well implicate yourself into this kidnapping." Staff writers Jacob Beltran and Madison Iszler contributed to this story. Christopher Cevilla fought back tears Sunday as the news washed over him: An arrest had been made. A 20-year-old man was behind bars, and authorities were one step closer in the twisting path to bring his daughters killer to justice. Eric Black Jr. allegedly confessed to his role as the getaway driver and has been charged with capital murder in the drive-by shooting of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes, a crime that captivated the nation and drew tens of thousands of dollars in donations. He told police the shooting near the northeast Houston Walmart was a mistake, that the Barnes family was not the intended target. They soon learned they shot the wrong car on the news. Now my baby has gotten justice, Cevilla said outside the Harris County Jail. Now we can properly put her to rest without having to put her to rest and were still on a manhunt looking for a suspect. The grieving father was at ease and at times laughing with pastors in a Harris County Sheriffs Office hallway before those emotions were reduced to tears after law enforcement detailed their steps in tracking down one of the men suspected in his daughters Dec. 30 death. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez attributed the arrest to one tip in a sea of a 1,000-plus that followed a week of chasing down the wrong lead. Detectives spent six days working off an evolving description of a white man behind the wheel of a red pick-up truck as described by witnesses, even as the case threatened to inflame racial tensions with the looming specter of a hate crime. Ultimately, a tip passed from civil-rights activist Shaun King to Gonzalezs inbox during the middle of the week led investigators to Blacks Instagram account. The tip indicated that Black was driving the car with another man as a passenger. The suspects did not resemble the sickly thin man with blue eyes and hints of stubble depicted in a sketch composite compiled with the help of Jazmines sister. Both of the suspects were black. More for you News Women are sending love letters to Colorado man serving... It didnt quite gel at the time, Gonzalez said of the tip, adding that his investigators continued looking for the man in the sketch. The investigation came to a head Saturday afternoon when authorities obtained new information to swoop in for the first arrest. Deputies pulled Black over in a rental vehicle at Woodforest and Beltway 8 for failing to use a turn signal. It wasnt until after investigators began grilling Black that he allegedly admitted to being involved in the shooting and revealed that the family was not the intended target. Police did not reveal the actual target. Handcuffed and wearing an orange jail jumpsuit, Black sat quietly in court just before dawn Sunday when a hearing officer remanded him without bail for his first known arrest in Harris County. During the court appearance, prosecutors partially identified Larry Woodruffe as the second suspect and the man who pulled the trigger during the drive-by assault. He has not been charged in connection with the shooting as of Sunday night. Our work is not finished, Gonzalez said in a statement beforehand, but I believe the people of Harris County can take comfort in knowing we have made great progress. Woodruffe, who has a lengthy rap sheet in Harris County, was allegedly a passenger in his car when he and Black spotted a vehicle they thought they recognized, prosecutors cited Black as telling authorities. He allegedly opened fire out the window as the pair drove by. The two men returned the rental car and picked up a different one - a gray Kia that Black was driving when deputies arrested him Saturday. After his confession, Black identified the alleged shooter from a booking photo and told investigators that the murder weapon a 9 mm pistol was at his house. Gonzalez declined to discuss Black and Woodruffes respective roles in the shooting during a press conference Sunday afternoon since charges have not yet been filed against the second suspect in the case. Woodruffe appeared in court Sunday morning on drug charges and was ordered held on a $100,000 bond. Neither the suspects nor the vehicle resembled those police had been searching for during the week. The suspects were in a rental car, not the red four-door pickup truck initially described by police and as seen in surveillance footage near the Walmart before the shooting. Gonzalez said he believes the witnesses were sincere and if anything, the girls may have been describing the truck driver they saw at a traffic light. We do not believe in any way that the family, as weve said from the beginning, that theyve been involved in anything nefarious, Gonzalez said. Its just went down very quickly. The gunfire erupted. Were talking about small children. They witnessed something very traumatic. Its likely the last thing they did see was indeed that truck and the driver in that truck. The driver of the pickup truck was likely a witness in the shooting who authorities would still like to come forward to shed light on what happened. Jazmines mother, LaPorsha Washington, declined to comment about the arrest when reached at her home Sunday morning while preparing a birthday party for another of her daughters. She was still wearing a sling from where she was shot in the arm during last weeks pre-dawn shooting. Washington, 30, was taking her four daughters to the shopping area around 6:50 a.m. when a gunman opened fire and riddled her car with bullets. She tried driving to a hospital but was forced to stop due to a shot-out tire. She called 911 when she realized her daughter, Jazmine, had a gunshot wound to the head and stopped breathing. Lt. Christopher Sandoval recounted the hurt he and fellow first responders felt as her lifeless body was pulled from the car. He has spent most every waking moment since then working the case. When all this broke on the very first day, it became very apparent to us that this would be one of those cases that we would have to have all hands all deck, Sandoval said. He said six homicide investigators and more from other divisions were tasked with finding Jazmines killer. The investigation required the most man power and hours that he can recall in the two years serving as a commander on the homicide unit. This is the first time Ive seen such an investigation of this scale where everyone is involved, Sandoval said. Because the victim was under 10, the state can ask for a charge of capital murder. Black can be held just as culpable as the actual gunman under a controversial Texas law that holds accomplices equally responsible for slayings. Black is slated to return to court Monday before a judge in the 176th District Court. During the week, Gonzalez was careful not to pin a motive to the case, even as activists and family members feared the shooting to be racially motivated. The sheriff dismissed the possibility of a hate crime during the press conference. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, said at the press conference that she did not believe it irresponsible to suggest the childs death may have been the result of a hate crime. Nothing is irresponsible when it comes to the lost of a precious 7-year-old. As many in the community did, they expressed that it seemed to have the criteria of that, she said, applauding Houstons patience in awaiting arrests. King pushed a reward up to $100,000 for identification of the killer as the manhunt intensified. The money will be used to establish a foundation in Jazmine Barnes memory, family attorney Lee Merritt said. A funeral for Jazmine is scheduled for noon Tuesday at the Community of Faith Church. Gonzalez said that he was not aware of anyone being eligible for a $5,000 reward established through Crime Stoppers of Houston. Mayor Sylvester Turner thanked law enforcement for their work on the case. The authorities worked around the clock to find the individual who is allegedly responsible for the heinous and unspeakable act of violence against an innocent child, Turner said in a statement early Sunday. This should serve as a warning to all violent offenders who prey on our community: The color of your skin, how much money you make these things dont matter when law enforcement will find you, eventually. Maggie Gordon contributed to this report. NEW YORK - Molly Roth was proud to move to a neighborhood she considered real America. As she walked along the main thoroughfares in this 170,000-resident enclave of Queens, she heard conversations in languages she did not know. She passed corner stores selling fruits that she had never seen. And now she sat in Arepa Lady, a restaurant that specializes in Colombia's sweet corn cakes, biting into food she never had before. Roth then noted one other thing she liked about the neighborhood. "I got to vote for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez," she said. "Are you in her district?" a friend asked. "That's really cool." A cautious hope is reemerging in this slice of America, and it has come from the most American of traditions: voting. Residents clamoring for change in the 14th Congressional District last year ousted a 56-year-old white Democrat, one of the most powerful men in Washington, and replaced him with a 29-year-old Latina socialist working as a bartender. But they didn't stop there. They voted a formerly undocumented immigrant to the state assembly, and they replaced another long-standing politician in the state Senate. The political old guard had been toppled. In its stead were three leftist Latinas with no prior experience in government, who echoed their neighborhood's desire for a radical shift in politics. Though none have much power in the traditional sense, their victories made many residents feel like their lives were newly injected into the American consciousness, along with the rural voters and white conservatives who rejoiced that Donald Trump's ascent had done the same for them. Roth's incoming congresswoman was now sitting with Stephen Colbert and spreading the gospel of the urban working class to audiences across the country. Roth said she liked her liberal lifestyle and felt a little bit like it was expanding. If it wasn't expanding, at least the outer shell was thickening enough to shield the other America. "They say we are living in a bubble, but I like my bubble," said Roth, a 30-year-old graphic artist who grew up outside Detroit. "There are two different realities going on in America, and a part of the country is living in a way that's unfathomable to me." Alejandro Osorio, the 39-year-old owner of Arepa Lady, encountered that other America only through the filter of social media clips his friends posted from Fox News and other conservative sites. Pundits called Ocasio-Cortez a hypocrite when the avowed socialist wore expensive clothes, derided her after she flubbed distinguishing the three branches of government, mocked her meager savings account and, last month, questioned her fortitude after she said she needed a week-long break for "self-care." For Osorio, the idea of feeling misunderstood extended to his outgoing congressman, Joseph Crowley. Osorio had always heard Crowley was a "power player" in Washington, but he had no idea what that meant or why that might have been relevant to his life. In his world, life just kept going on - no matter who the president was or how beloved Crowley was in the nation's capital. In Jackson Heights, Osorio said, residents simply dealt with whatever decisions came down from Washington. Ocasio-Cortez's victory gave him hope that his version of America could become part of the national conversation. Back when Osorio moved here in the late 1980s, his family was like most families - new to the country, not fluent with the language. Since then, those families have learned English and gained citizenship and sent their children to schools where they learned the importance of civic engagement. That new generation no longer wanted to feel like they were on the sidelines of American politics - they wanted to believe that they, too, had an ability to shake things up. "They say looking at your phone is a bad thing, but I'm learning a lot from what the young people in the neighborhood are talking about," Osorio said. "That's how I learned Ocasio-Cortez. That's how I learned about intersectional feminism." Ocasio-Cortez, who defeated Republican Anthony Pappas in November's general election, spoke about the minimum wage and assuring health care and the difficulties of working strange hours for service jobs - which all made sense to Osorio. She sounded like she was from "the real New York, not the one you see on TV where it's just white people," Osorio said. "She created a buzz around here, just because it felt like she knew our story." Gus Santana, the 31-year-old son of immigrants from the Dominican Republic, didn't imagine his concerns as a Latino working-class person were much different from a white working-class person: He was concerned about going broke if he got sick, feeling safe in his neighborhood, his parents not losing their Social Security checks. Yet he never felt that his experience, or those around him, were the image of the working, everyday American. Ocasio-Cortez could change that thinking, he hoped. "The best thing she'll be able to teach people is that the voice of the inner-city matters," Santana said. Santana recently graduated from a local college and was working at a relative's appliance store while he waited to hear back from the human resource companies where he wanted to work. "My parents already made their American Dream come true - coming here, having a family and being able to provide for them," Santana said. "I guess my American Dream is different because I grew up here. When you grow up in this country, you are told to have the picket fence and the front yard and a backyard." Still, the polarization in this country had lessened his desire to achieve the American Dream that he had once learned about. Outside his bubble, Santana wondered why so many around him were gripped by fear. Why be fearful of losing a way of life, he wondered. Most around him were foreign-born and had already lost their way of life. Why be fearful about having to leave a job and learning a new skill? Many of his friends' parents were professionals in other countries and opted to slug it out in America instead. Santana hoped Ocasio-Cortez, her voice and her popularity, might usher in a broader thinking about the American ideal. He didn't want to have to leave city life to feel like he was in a prized part of the country. "It does suck, though, that you would have go out of New York to get that kind of American Dream," he said. "Like you have to move to North Carolina or something. I know that's what I'm supposed to want, but living in a place like that seems kind of corny to me. Bland." The heart of the neighborhood's multicultural ethos is Diversity Plaza, an outdoor festival space braced by a host of mostly South Asian restaurants and shops. One recent weekend on the lower level of a Pakistani restaurant there, a majority-white group of residents gathered in a computer repair shop. They met to figure out what they could do to thwart what they felt was the most immediate threat to pierce their bubble: the crackdown on illegal immigration. "We're happy to host you," Agha Saleh, the owner of the computer repair shop, told members of the Jackson Heights Immigrant Solidarity Network. The group talked about handing out fliers to discuss some of the recent tactics immigration officials were using to identify undocumented migrants in the neighborhood. They figured they would need to print fact sheets in Spanish, Bangla, Urdu, Nepalese, Punjuabi and more. "We've got our own issues, people are worried about the gentrification and all that; but everything crystallizes the immigration issue," said David Stock, 67. Then, they discussed attending an immigration forum in the new year, and a member of the group started to run down the list of guests. They included Jessica Ramos, their new state senator. And Catalina Cruz, the formerly undocumented immigrant who they elected to the state assembly. "And Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, if she can make it," she said. The group smiled and nodded. Crowley had pushed legislation mandating that immigrations and customs officers file a report every time they stop someone, rather than just every time they make an arrest. Ocasio-Cortez's push to abolish the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency altogether seemed more resonant and radical. "She just gives us a little more hope," Stock said after the meeting. "Not too much hope because after the 2016 election, I'm not sure I understand the country anymore," said one woman, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because she didn't want to endanger her husband's green card renewal. "You never know with politics." "At least she'll fight," said another participant. Saleh walked outside his restaurant to puff a cigarette. Around him were a man with a cart working 12-hour shifts selling shish kebabs and families headed to buy saris from stores in Little India. He looked up at the high-rise under construction, casting a new shadow over his restaurant. Change, he said, is definitely coming here, as the train continued to rumble. Their hope was that Ocasio-Cortez would help lead it. "Whenever she speaks, you feel the vibrations of change," Saleh said. "But she has to do the work. This is a neighborhood of people who do work. They respect work. They don't take vacations. If she doesn't do the work, she won't be reelected. She'll be just like Crowley." You are here: World Flash Four people, including a 13-year-old girl, were arrested Saturday during a yellow vest pro-Brexit march in central London. Around 100 people in yellow vests marched through Westminster towards Trafalgar Square, causing disruption and setting off smoke bombs. The group's yellow vest outfits are similar to those worn by protesters in France during recent demonstrations. British police said the 13-year-old girl had been arrested on suspicion of assaulting police. Three men were also arrested on suspicion of public order offences, police said. Video footage showed people sitting down in the road to stop traffic while other video footage posted online captured smoke bombs being let off. This confrontations with police were also recorded and shared online. Earlier in the day, Transport for London warned people there would be disruption caused by the protest. There were traffic delays in Westminster and towards the Regent Street and Piccadilly Circus areas. There were also similar gatherings of people wearing yellow vests in Cardiff and Manchester, according to media reports. White House national security adviser John Bolton on Sunday outlined conditions for a U.S. troop departure from Syria that appeared to contradict President Donald Trump's insistence less than a month ago that the withdrawal would be immediate and without conditions. Speaking during a visit to Israel, Bolton said that certain "objectives" must be achieved before a pullout could take place. "The timetable flows from the policy decisions that we need to implement." Bolton acknowledged that pockets of the Islamic State remain undefeated and that a quick U.S. pullout could endanger U.S. partners and allies in the region, as well as U.S. forces themselves. Trump, who has declared the battle won against the militants, and just two weeks ago said he refused military entreaties for more time, said Sunday that he remained committed to the withdrawal but told reporters: "I never said we're doing it that quickly." ALSO News Kurds seize two Americans accused of joining ISIS Among the policy decisions still to be made is what to do about the tens of thousands of Syrian Kurdish fighters that U.S. forces have trained, armed and advised to carry out the ground war against the Islamic State. Turkey, a NATO ally, considers them terrorists and has vowed to drive them out of the northeastern Syrian territory seized from the militants as soon as the Americans leave. "It's also very important that as we discuss with members of the coalition, (and) other countries that have an interest, like Israel and Turkey, that we expect that those who have fought with us in Syria . . . particularly the Kurds," not be put in "jeopardy" by the withdrawal, said Bolton, who plans to travel Tuesday to Ankara. While Trump has expressed confidence that Turkey, which controls its own Syrian force opposed to the Kurds and to President Bashar Assad, is capable of picking up the remaining fight against the Islamic State, Pentagon and State Department officials question Turkish priorities and capabilities. Turkish officials have also said they want the United States to provide air and logistical support for their operations in Syria. Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have stated repeatedly in recent months that driving Iran from Syria was also an objective for the United States and Israel. But Trump appeared to indicate Sunday that Iran and Russia, whose forces in Syria back Assad, were potential U.S. allies against the Islamic State. "Iran hates ISIS more than we do, if that's possible," he said, using an acronym for the militants. "Russia hates ISIS more than we do. Turkey hates ISIS, maybe not as much as we do, but these are countries that hate ISIS, and they can do a little bit of the fighting in their neighborhood also because we're fighting them in their neighborhood." "With that being said, we're pulling out of Syria but we're doing it, and we won't be finally pulled out until ISIS is gone," Trump said. Trump touched off global confusion and panic when he announced via Twitter on Dec. 19 that he would order the withdrawal of the 2,000 troops stationed in Syria. "Our boys, our young women, our men, they're all coming back and they're coming back now. We won," Trump said. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders added that "we have started returning United States troops home." On Dec. 23 - after Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned in protest of Trump's withdrawal decision - Trump tweeted that he had discussed what he called a "slow and coordinated (U.S.) pullout" from Syria with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. During a Christmas visit to troops in Iraq, Trump said he would deny any request from the military to extend the mission in Syria. "They said again, recently, 'Can we have more time?' " Trump said of U.S. generals. "I said: 'Nope. You can't have any more time. You've had enough time.' We've knocked them out," he said of the Islamic State. "We've knocked them silly." Pompeo is also headed to the region this week to reassure Arab allies that the United States will not abandon them to either the Islamic State or to Iran. Reports that the Americans were leaving, said a senior administration official who briefed reporters Friday on Pompeo's trip, were "false news" and there was no Syria departure timeline. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the administration. Plans and assurances offered by Bolton in Israel were additional confirmation that withdrawal plans are on hold until conditions on the ground match the president's stated assessment of the situation in Syria. In a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Bolton said that "the defense of Israel and other friends in the region is absolutely assured," that the Kurds and others would be protected, and that the administration would "make sure ISIS is defeated and is not able to revive itself and become a threat again." While Bolton's reassurances may have come as a relief to some, a top House Democrat stressed that the priorities the national security adviser outlined were "obvious" - and simply highlighted how dangerous Trump's initial withdrawal announcement was. "We don't want ISIS to rise again and be a transnational terrorist threat, and we don't want our allies the Kurds to be slaughtered by Erdogan in Turkey. That was obvious," House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., said Sunday on ABC News' "This Week." "I'm pleased that John Bolton has recognized the national security interest, and that's what we want to have," Smith said ". . . not a tweet going 'Eh, let's get out of Syria.' " Smith said he hoped to have Mattis testify before his panel, calling the former defense secretary's views "invaluable." In his resignation letter, Mattis noted disagreements he'd had with Trump over the president's approach to U.S. allies and adversaries and stated that Trump deserved a defense secretary whose views would be more aligned with his. Smith was more succinct in his assessment of Trump's approach to global relations, saying Sunday that "our allies matter enormously and the president treats them like dirt." Republicans, too, have worried about whether the president is listening to his advisers, warning him that the administration's actions in Syria will affect the United States' reputation globally. At the time of Trump's announcement, some wondered openly whether he was unduly influenced by foreign leaders such as Erdogan, whose agenda in the region is somewhat different from that of the United States. Asked Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation" whether Bolton's comments were an admission that Trump had "made a mistake," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said, "I think this is the reality setting in that you got to plan this out. . . . He has a goal of reducing our presence. I share that goal. Let's just do it smartly." "There are three things we want to accomplish as part of a withdrawal," Graham said. "We want to make sure that, when we leave, the Kurds do not get slaughtered. . . . We need to make sure ISIS doesn't come back once they're defeated, and Iran is not the biggest winner." Trump, he said, "is slowing down, and he's re-evaluating his policies in light of those three objectives." Similar questions arose last week, after Trump offered a perplexing take on world history, incorrectly claiming that the Soviet Union's 1979 invasion of Afghanistan was to combat terrorists infiltrating into Soviet territory, and that the invasion - and the 10-year war that followed - were the cause of the Soviet Union's 1991 collapse. White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney distanced himself from those comments Sunday, defending the advice that he and others give Trump. "The fact that he makes a decision that might be different than his advisers doesn't mean that he's getting bad information," Mulvaney told CNN. "It means he's relying on information other than what his advisers are giving him." - - - Missy Ryan and Anne Gearan contributed to this report. On Dec. 26, police were dispatched to a stabbing report in the 3300 block of Juarez Avenue in west central Laredo. Upon arrival, they met with Angel de Jesus Ramirez, 17, who told them that he was at a park in the 100 block of Eistetter Street when he was attacked and stabbed. READ MORE: Would-be burglar hospitalized, arrested after Laredo homeowner fights back, according to LPD Authorities took him to a hospital, where another officer interviewed him. When asked what happened, de Jesus Ramirez told the officer that several males "jumped" him while he was on his way home and that he sustained a stab wound to his upper thigh. "The story provided by Angel was a different story than what he initially reported at the 3300 block of Juarez Avenue," LPD said. De Jesus Ramirez initially told police that he was somewhere in the area of Ash Street and East San Francisco Avenue by a pedestrian overpass when he got jumped, according to LPD. The case was forwarded to LPD's crimes against persons division. At about 12:30 p.m. Dec. 26, a detective attempted to locate de Jesus Ramirez in the 3300 block of Juarez when he noticed that he was already speaking to detectives from LPD's crimes against property division in reference to a burglary of building report in the 3100 block of Santa Maria Avenue. Through the investigation, it was determined that de Jesus Ramirez sustained his injuries in the burglary and not in a stabbing like he originally reported, LPD said. READ MORE: Man who claimed to be DEA agent charged in vehicle burglary case He was brought in for questioning. During the interview, he said his injuries were the result of the burglary. On Wednesday, de Jesus Ramirez was arrested at LPD headquarters, where he was served with a warrant charging him with making a false report to police, a Class A misdemeanor. The first rain of the year dampened the Bay Area on Saturday, bringing gusty winds that unleashed a travel nightmare at San Francisco International Airport. Sundays forecast calls for larger amounts of precipitation, good news in a state where rainfall numbers are lagging, even though the hills are a wintery pale green. Flights at the airport were delayed an average of two hours and 43 minutes Saturday morning, said Jeff Rocheford, a duty manager at SFO. By Saturday afternoon, 75 flights had been canceled and an additional 407 both arrivals and departures were delayed because of the wind, cutting half the airports operational capacity because planes cannot take off and land from certain directions. Despite the strong wind and dark skies, rainfall was relatively light. San Francisco received just 0.11 of an inch through Saturday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service, while precipitation was 0.27 of an inch in Santa Rosa and 0.40 of an inch in Morgan Hill. Rain didnt pan out as expected. Its been very scattered in nature, said Scott Rowe, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Monterey. The big story is the wind. The Coast Guard warned mariners and beachgoers of gale-force winds and a turbulent sea. Officials urged swimmers and surfers to stay out of the water because of rip currents and sneaker waves. We encourage boaters to only get underway if necessary, Capt. Tony Ceraolo, commander of the San Francisco Coast Guard unit, said in a statement. Mariners who need to get underway should make sure they check all their survival and safety equipment before going out. San Francisco firefighters helped rescue passengers aboard a pleasure craft in distress off the Oakland Estuary late Saturday morning. Officials said the boaters initially did not know where they were. The wet forecast for the weekend and the coming week is good news for Californias snow reserves, which were at 67 percent of normal before the weekend, said Brendon Rubin-Oster, a National Weather Service meteorologist. Three to 4 feet of snow are expected to bury some parts of the Sierra. Itll do lots of good for the snowpack, but itll be a hindrance to travelers, Rubin-Oster said. The chilly system will bring snowfall down to an elevation of 3,500 feet. The system arriving Sunday should bring higher temperatures and wetter conditions, with rain steady throughout the day, meteorologists said. California Department of Transportation officials warned drivers heading to the mountains to keep a full tank, drive slowly and carry tire chains. Forecasters said whiteout conditions were possible. Because the rain is expected to continue to fall in moderate amounts, and with intervals between storms, there shouldnt be major impacts such as mudslides on the burn scars in Butte County. But Rubin-Oster and other meteorologists were analyzing Saturday whether the charred land left from the Mendocino Complex Fire in 2018 could be an area of concern. Officials issued a wind advisory for much of Northern California. Gusts are expected to stay strong, leading forecasters to warn that they could sever tree limbs, blow debris and create difficult driving conditions. Gusts in the Sierra were strong, too. They forced Heavenly Mountain Resort to put many of its upper mountain lifts on wind hold. Storm conditions were exacerbated Saturday morning by high tides that swept waves onto the Embarcadero in San Francisco. City officials temporarily closed the right lane and Pier 14 because of flooding. Chronicle staff writer John King contributed to this report. Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov The president of the Berkeley school board and her wife were hospitalized in critical condition after they were hit by a car while crossing a street early Saturday, officials said. School Board President Judy Appel and attorney Alison Bernstein were walking across Martin Luther King Jr. Way near Stuart Street in South Berkeley when a man driving north crashed into them, police and school officials said. The collision happened just after midnight Friday. The driver, 81, remained at the scene and was cooperating with investigators, according to Berkeley police Lt. Dave Lindenau. There is a crosswalk at the intersection but no stop sign or traffic lights, Lindenau said. It wasnt immediately clear where Appel and Bernstein were when they were struck. The crash happened a block away from their South Berkeley home, according to Berkeleyside, which first reported the incident. Superintendent Donald Evans said in a statement that school officials are deeply distressed by the news. We will be offering whatever support and assistance we can to the Appel-Bernstein family and invite the community to join with us in hopes and prayers for their recovery, Evans said. Appel, a longtime school board member, finished fourth in the June primary for the Assembly District 15 seat. She was a co-founding board member of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights and served as executive director of Our Family Coalition, which supports LGBT families. Bernstein, a lawyer in the state public defenders office, has been a lecturer at the Berkeley Law School and a member of the Berkeley Police Review Commission. Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase an affordable subscription to continue accessing our content. Seventy percent of Australia qualifies as arid or semi-arid, according to the Australian government. Rivers get the rainbow treatment in a gorgeous series of maps from a Hungarian cartographer. Available for download on Etsy, the maps are both beautiful and scientifically accurate. Their creator, Robert Szucs, has a background in geographic information systems (GIS) but was bored by standard river maps with "all the lines blue, all the same width." [Rainbow Rivers: See Gorgeous Maps of the World's Waterways] "Uninspiring," he told Live Science. "I felt I might be able to do better." Since 2016, Szucs has been offering his maps on Etsy, where nearly 4,000 buyers seem to agree that he's done better. Selling the maps was originally just a hobby, he said, but "the whole thing exploded within weeks." News outlets (including Live Science) featured his work and brought in new customers. He decided to try to make a living with his art. The world's rivers flow like so many rainbows in a map by Hungarian cartographer Robert Szucs (Image credit: Robert Szucs, Cartographer Szuc has since made maps of single U.S. states, entire countries, continents and even the whole globe. Each river basin is depicted in a color unique to that river, with thicker lines for larger waterways. It takes Szucs days to weeks to input data from various geographical sources and then tweak the size and colors of each line, he said. "It's a beautiful marriage of science and arts, and that's where I'm at home," he said. Szucs also makes maps of forest color, maps of elevation that reveal topography and maps showing population density. He does custom orders, he said, so there are always new countries or states to map. He's also got a few plans for the future. "As for new styles of maps," he said, "I only have about 17 ideas." Originally published on Live Science. Flash Nearly 295,000 Syrians returned home from Turkey in 2018, Turkish Interior Ministry said Saturday. Meanwhile, nearly 270,000 irregular migrants were held during their attempts to illegally cross borders, and 55,894 of them were deported, the ministry said on its social media account. Turkey's Deputy Interior Minister Ismail Catakli said on Monday that more Syrians are expected to return to their homeland following Turkey's military operations in Syria. "We think the number will increase even more in the upcoming period in parallel with the development there (Syria)," Catakli was quoted by Anadolu Agency as saying. Turkey has been hosting a large number of refugees since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011. The number of registered Syrian refugees in October 2018 stood at about 3.59 million, according to the UN Refugee Agency. Flash China launched a 11,000-km new tourist route Saturday to help its vast western regions in tough fight against poverty. Officials from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development attended a ceremony held in Yongjing County, Gansu Province. The travel route links "three regions and three prefectures", one of the hardest nuts to crack in the country's poverty alleviation campaign: Tibet Autonomous Region, Tibetan regions in four provinces, southern parts of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province, and Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu Province. More than 80 percent of these areas are on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, mired in poverty with poor natural conditions and fragile economies, said officials at the launch ceremony. But with incredibly beautiful landscapes, these regions hold a wealth of tourism resources yet to be tapped, the officials said. On the route are cities like Lanzhou, Urumqi, Chengdu, Lhasa, Kunming and Xining, as well as tourist attractions inlcuding Dunhuang, Kashgar, Nyingchi and Dali. Plateau scenes, Mount Qomolangma, ancient trade routes such as the Silk Road and Tea and Horse Road are some of the highlights. Local governments of the provinces and regions along the route have set up an alliance to cooperate on tourism promotion, infrastructure connectivity, cultural and tourist product development to help more local residents to benefit from tourism. THREE young scientists at Ardscoil Ris in Limerick hope to boost the campaign to legalise medicinal cannabis when they reveal their in-depth research into the field to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the Department of Health. Transition Year students Fergal Egan, Stephen McPartlin and Kyle McMahon discovered that 99% of 1,980 surveyed people want medicinal cannabis to be legalised. Additionally, 72% said they would pay more tax to help pay for this medication to be made available to those who need it. This is just one of four interesting projects being exhibited by Ardscoil pupils at the annual BT Young Scientist exhibition in Dublin this next week. Transition Year students Aidan Quigley and Jack OConnor, who come from farming backgrounds, have developed a special collar that can alert farmers if a thief is trying to steal their cattle. Teacher Diane Condon said: It will monitor their positions so farmers will be able to see if their animals have broken out or been stolen by checking an app on their phones. They would know if the collar had been removed from the animal as the temperature sensor would detect a significant drop in temperature and alert the farmer. She said they will have a working prototype available for the exhibition next week, and are looking to have the product rolled out this summer. Niall Meade is a Junior Cert student, but is no stranger to the annual exhibition, having won a prize for developing a rugby ref wristband that can communicate with judges. This time, Niall has developed a safe way for teenagers to connect with their friends through a special app. Through the use of near-field communication, the app will only allow teenagers connect with others by physically touching their phones together. This prevents young people from connecting with people they have never physically met before, Ms Condon said. And two environmentally-conscious teens have surveyed 500 people in urban areas on whether they would prefer to drive electric cars. Eoin Hayes and Andre Birdthistle found that most people would be interested in buying an electric car and recommend young people to buy one to help the environment. However, when it really comes down to it, they wouldnt purchase one in the end due to fuel efficiency and the preference for the convenience of petrol or diesel. They will interview rural people next, Ms Condon said. A LIMERICK man who was living in his car for a period and was addicted to drugs and alcohol has turned his life around, Kilmallock Court heard. Jamie Murphy, aged, 26, of Bilboa, Cappamore pleaded guilty to driving without insurance, being unaccompanied by a qualified driver and no L plates. He was stopped by Garda John Ryan at Shanacloone, Cappamore on September 24, 2017. Mr Murphy has two previous convictions for no insurance. Brendan Gill, solicitor for Mr Murphy, said at the time his client was living a chaotic life. He was resident in his vehicle. He was addicted to various drugs and alcohol. He has turned his life around. He is working in the kitchen of a boarding school. He hasnt come to garda attention since, said Mr Gill. Judge Marian OLeary handed down a four month suspended prison sentence and fined Mr Murphy 500 for driving without insurance. He was fined 100 for being unaccompanied by a qualified driver. The no L plates offence was taken into consideration. DRUGS worth more than 240,000 were found strewn inside a number of scrap cars that were parked outside a house in Limerick which was searched during a garda operation. Significant quantities of cannabis and cocaine were located by members of the divisional drugs unit during the search in Moyross on November 26, 2016. Kevin OShea, aged 34, of College Avenue, Moyross has pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs for the purpose of sale or supply. During a sentencing hearing, Detective Garda Martin McCarthy said the drugs were located at various locations inside the house and in the cars during the search which began at around 8.30am. He said the Nissan, Subaru and Volkswagen cars were all registered in Mr OSheas name but that none were driveable. The total street value of the drugs which were being stored by the defendant was 243,194.79. Detective Garda McCarthy told John OSullivan BL, prosecuting, Mr OShea made admissions following his arrest and told gardai he owed more than 15,000 for cocaine. During interview he said the drugs had been dropped outside his home a number of weeks earlier and that he did not know the street value. Judge Tom ODonnell was told gardai accept the drugs found inside the house were for the defendants own use although Mr OSullivan said his explanation as to how he came to be in possession of the cannabis and cocaine was not credible. Being questioned by Mark Nicholas SC, the detective agreed that gardai suspect the defendant was storing the drugs for a significant player who had put him under severe pressure. Det Gda McCarthy also agreed the disused cars were not locked and that no effort had been made to conceal the drugs inside them. Mr Nicholas said his client, who no longer lives in Moyross, has addressed his addiction issues since and has remained out of trouble. He said there are no trappings of wealth and he submitted his role in the offence was at the lower end of the scale. This was not an organised crime, this was just chaos, this was a case of possession to store which was put upon him, Mr Nicholas said, adding there was no evidence his client was transporting, couriering or selling the drugs. Mr Nicholas pointed out his client a father of two young children has no previous convictions and he noted the contents of a probation report which suggest Mr OShea is at moderate risk of re-offending. Judge Tom ODonnell adjourned sentencing to March to facilitate the preparation of an up-to-date probation report. NEXT week the brightest young minds from across the county will take to the RDS Arena for the ultimate showcase of second level science and technology. This year, 12 schools will represent Limerick in the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, with a panel of judges set to examine 42 innovative projects, covering a wide range of topics important to students. From sustainable plant growth on the moon to the declining bee population back here on earth, many of the Limerick projects for the 55th annual BT Young Scientist Exhibition reflect environmental issues of ongoing global concern, like climate change. Check out the @Limerick_Leader for a fantastic two page feature on the @BTYSTE with a focus on some of the Limerick schools taking part and their innovative entries and a full list of all Limerick projects. In shops now! #BTYSTE #STEM #itstartshere #TheLeader pic.twitter.com/LJSyKyF86a January 4, 2019 Almost one fifth of all projects at this years showcase will tackle environmental issues, according to Minister for Education Joe McHugh, who said he was heartened to see the number of pioneering projects put forward by students taking part in this years exhibition. The project title trends always show you what is important to young people in Ireland and this year it is no different with extremely topical themes such as climate change and the environment to the fore, Minister McHugh said. That is why events such as this are so important as they allow students across Ireland to channel their talents and interests into projects and subjects which hold significant importance to them. This year, 1,137 Irish students submitted projects across four categories: Biological and Ecological Sciences; Chemical, Physical and Mathematical Sciences; Social and Behavioural Sciences; and Technology. Girls make up 56% of qualified entrants at this years Young Scientist Exhibition, with a 62% increase in the number of young women qualifying in the Chemical, Physical and Mathematical category. Among the Limerick projects will be an investigation of the effects of the cervical cancer screening scandal on Irish women, carried out by students in Salesian Secondary College in Pallaskenry, and the development of a safety device that monitors conditions in a tractor, carried out by students in Desmond College in Newcastle West. At Laurel Hill Secondary School FCJ on South Circular Road, students have studied the effects the popular deck shoes can have on their wearers. At Castletroy College, the alma mater of former BT winner and co-founder of Stripe, Patrick Collison, students have used the Collatz Conjecture to find patterns in prime numbers. The exhibition takes place at the RDS Arena from January 9 to January 12, with final judging and the awards ceremony set to take place on Friday, January 11, in the BT Arena. Tickets are available from btyoungscientist.com. POLITICIANS need the support of the wider public as it is a career that can involve a form of martyrdom and sacrifice, Bishop of Limerick Brendan Leahy has said. Addressing the congregation at the Immaculate Conception Church in Newcastle West in his new years World Day of Peace homily Bishop Leahy said that the effects of wrong politics can be devastating. Bishop Leahy acknowledged that politics is not an easy vocation but said that courage is an essential characteristic. Theres always the temptation to be driven by self-preservation the need to get the vote, to stay in with the party leadership. That can lead to compromising principles, taking choices that are fundamentally wrong for those who voted for them in the first instance, he stated. Yes, we must live in the real world but we must also be able to rest easy with our conscience. Have I done the right thing or just the popular thing? Courage is one of the essential characteristics of a great politician and all great politicians are known for their courage. Bishop Leahy described politics as a form of martyrdom and a daily dying to self. Politicians can come under great pressure. They need our support. With a sense of realism, Pope Francis acknowledged this a few years ago. He commented how politicians dont always get it right but he encouraged them not be discouraged, but always keep going, said Bishop Leahy. He recognised how its not easy for politicians not to get their hands or heart a little dirty, but he advised them: Ask the Lord to help you not to sin, but if you get your hands dirty, ask for forgiveness and keep going, don't get discouraged. The negative side of politics, Bishop Leahy said can be devastating. He cited homelessness as one of a number of examples of the fall-out. When politics goes wrong there are devastating effects. It is shocking to think that one out of every six children in our world is affected by the violence of war or its effects. We all know that bad politics can lead to many ills such as lack of welcome for migrants, racism, lack of concern for the natural environment, and also homelessness, he said. Bishop Leahy finished his new years address by saying: We cant just work for change in society from the balcony, as Pope Francis put it once. We all have to do our part in politics, by being actively engaged. And lets encourage a dialogue among generations, young and old, in politics. THE production costs of an episode of the popular television series, Eco Eye, were funded by Limerick City and County Council on behalf of the countys regional waste management offices. Documents obtained by this newspaper under Freedom of Information show the local authority paid 49,200 to Earth Horizon Productions Ltd, which is behind the long-running series. Correspondence between the production company and the Southern Regional Waste Management Office in Dooradoyle shows producers sought sponsorship to enable production of an extra episode during season 16. The additional episode focused on hazardous waste prevention. In the documentation, the production company says its main objective is to disseminate environmental issues to a wide Irish audience through the medium of television and audiovisual productions. The sponsorship proposal was formally approved by the Southern Regional Waste Management Office in September 2017 and the programme, which was presented by Duncan Stewart, was broadcast on RTE One television on February 27, 2018. In his pitch for sponsorship, Marcus Stewart of Earth Horizon Productions stated the long-running series is acquired by RTE and not commissioned, which means it is almost entirely funded outside of RTE by state and semi-state organisations. He said the additional episode would encompass some exemplary examples of waste prevention around the country and would aim to inform the wider general public about the long term environmental and health implications of the current consumer society/economy, and will explore options for the general public to make personal choices. In her reply, Pauline McDonagh of the Southern Regional Waste Management Office said funding for the additional episode had been secured (by SRWMO) from the Department of Communication, Climate Action and Environment. Its understood a number of meetings took place between the production company and representatives of the regional waste management agencies before production of the episode began. According to the production company, episodes of Eco Eye regularly attract more than 400,000 viewers. A GANG of Limerick youths targeted a woman and placed her under surveillance as she returned home from a supermarket before robbing a significant amount of cash from her, a court has heard. An 18-year-old, who appeared before a sitting of the children's court before Christmas, is to be prosecuted on indictment in the circuit court in relation to an incident which happened on August 10, 2017. The presiding judge refused to deal with the case given the seriousness of the allegations. Sergeant Donal Cronin told Judge Marian OLeary the State was opposed to allowing the matter to proceed in the district court given the seriousness of the alleged offence and the age of the defendant. Sergeant Michael Lambe said it will be alleged the victim who is aged in her mid 60s was placed under surveillance and followed by members of the Travelling community who noticed she had a large amount of cash in her handbag. He said CCTV from SuperValu, Castletroy shows the culprits looking into the womans handbag while she was shopping. It is the State case, he added, that the defendant and three other youths then began systematically following the woman as she moved around the store. He said it will be alleged the youths can be seen on the footage splitting up allowing two of them to monitor the exits. Sergeant Lambe said CCTV footage shows the youths changing their clothes in the car park before they begin to follow the woman as she drives away. The woman was followed for almost an hour before being attacked and robbed as she entered the driveway of her home. She was violently pushed and her handbag was forcibly removed it was yanked from her grip, said Sgt Lambe who added that around 4,000 in cash and cheques was taken from the woman who was severely traumatised afterwards. An off-duty garda, who was in the area, was alerted to the robbery and the defendant was subsequently identified as a suspect. Sergeant Lambe said the defendant, who travelled to Northern Ireland following the incident, was arrested and questioned last June. He said the defendant made no comment when interviewed and rejected suggestions from solicitor Darach McCarthy that gardai were trying to portray the teenager as an evil young man. Sgt Lambe confirmed a Peace Officer was present throughout the interviews as the then 17-year-olds parents did not attend the garda station. Mr McCarthy said his client doesnt go to school and that he has a limited ability to read and write. He didnt know anybody in the interview room, he said submitting his client is a vulnerable young man and not a cold calculated criminal as portrayed by the State. There is an immaturity there, he said asking the judge not to accede to the request to allow the matter to proceed on indictment. Sgt Cronin submitted most adults would not have coped as well as the defendant did following his arrest and he said maturity and education are not the same thing. He said a lengthy prison sentence is likely to be imposed if the defendant is convicted and he submitted that given the pre-planned nature of the offence the circuit court is appropriate. Having considered the matter, Judge OLeary said she was refusing jurisdiction based on the evidence before me .The defendant was remanded on continuing bail pending the completion of a book of evidence. Kildare County Council has been accused of over saturation of social housing in some parts of the county. But officials have denied the charge, and Director of Services, Tadgh McDonnell said that the introductions of the 1973 Kenny Report, recommending the capping of the price of land for housing would help the Councils social housing plan. At the Councils monthly meeting (December 17), Cllr Mark Lynch asked for a percentage breakdown of social housing in each county town and village. He called for more local authority house building in areas with a lower percentage of local authority housing than the county average. Council officials referred to a Kildare Census 2016 Profile Housing which said that on average 7.1% of the countys housing is social housing (either local authority or vluntary body) and this was lower than the State average of 9.4%. The report said that 23% of housing in Kilmeague and Suncroft was social. The lowest social housing proportions included Johnstown (0.7%), Allenwood (0.3%), Straffan and Athgarvan (2.8% each). In the bigger towns, it was 5.6% in Celbridge, 9.8% in Newbridge, 6.2% in Leixlip, 5% in Maynooth and 7.4% in Naas. The figure rose to 15.6% for Athy, 14.3% for Castledermot, 15.7% for Kildare town and 11.4% for Monasterevin. Rathangan and Sallins were 14% and 10.5% repsectively. In Clane it was 6.5%. Officials said the housing department was working hard, with approved housing bodies, to meet Government targets, including high standards. Director of Services, Tadgh McDonnell said: The social housing list will determine the areas with the highest demand as every housing applicant, when applying for social housing, can identify up to three areas of preference where they wish to be considered for housing. Cllr Mark Stafford said that the Part 5 programme, where private builders provide social houses in private developments, promoted integration and that there should be more social housing in some towns until the imbalance in the figures is rectified. Cllr Brendan Young said the Council needed to buy land and the Kenny Report of the 1960s, which capped the price of housing land should be implemented. There was a smaller percentage of public housing in areas like Celbridge and Leixlip where house prices are too high. Mr McDonnell said they built where people wanted social houses and where the Council has land. He agreed with Cllr Young on the Kenny Report: The sooner it is adopted, the sooner we can provided social housing in all areas. Cllr Padraig McEvoy said there had to be jobs for people to go with housing in an area. Cllr Maurice McCabe said that long term is it not sustainable for the State to be paying billions of euros to subsidise rents in the private sector. Kildare County Council has erected site notices all along the Grand Canal throughout the county outlining plans for the Greenway. Read also: Good news for Kildare commuters with new bus services on the way As reported previously, the project is going through the Part 8 planning process since the end of November. And in the days before Christmas Day, site notices were erected at bridges and locks throughout the county. Part 8 is a planning process that County Councils must go through to get planning approval for their own projects. Planning documents seen by the Leinster Leader reveal plans for a number of extra bridges to cross the canal, taking into account sections where no towpath exists, or the bank is not suitable. In the case of Robertstown there is a deliberate attempt to ensure that the greenway enters rather than bypasses the village. Another bridge in Sallins will take the Greenway from the railway side of the canal to the other side, and allow for it to cross the Clane road, in order to avoid having to go through the old Odlums site. This is particularly necessary given that no towpath exists under the bridge. The Greenway crosses from the northern bank to the southern bank at Landenstown Bridge as there is not sufficient room between the public road and the canal bank for the Greenway to be safely accommodated. It then follows the existing grass towpath until it is the far side of the 18th Lock where another bridge will be installed allowing the Greenway to revert back to northern bank to follow an already established grass towpath, which will be upgraded to a compacted stone and dust surface. It will continue on that side of the canal until after Bonynge (known locally as Healys Bridge) at Downings. It will then cross over to the other side, for two reasons firstly the tow path on that side is not as good, and secondly, going to the southern side allows users of the Greenway to arrive into Robertstown village. It was considered vital, during the route selection process that the Greenway arrive in Roberstown on the southern bank, the planners noted. This ensures that users of amenity are directed into the Village and represents a unique opportunity for Robertstown, as the village is located on the midway point of the route through Kildare. The opportunity for Robertstown as a community is to provide for a range of experiences that visitors expect from any high quality destination, including cafes, restaurants, pubs and a diversity of accommodation types, said the planners. But perhaps more significantly is the potential to develop and provide a wide range of things to see and do in the area, which if successful will serve to retain visitors in the area for longer. Work on the Greenway is already well advanced in both Dublin and Offaly, and when complete is likely to bring a considerable commercial activity to the places it passes through. An archaeological assessment of the Grand Canal has been prepared. The plans are available for inspection at Kildare County Councils Planning Department, Aras Chill Dara until this coming Thursday, January 3 . Ask any judge: Criminal laws that punish drivers for repeated DUI convictions dont have much of a deterrent effect, not with the most problematic offenders. Sometimes people who have injured or killed others while driving in an alcoholic stupor show up in court again and again on subsequent DUI charges. The Pennsylvania Legislature acted to address this issue in October, adopting a bill that raises the penalties on those with repeat DUI convictions. Gov. Tom Wolf signed it, after a tireless campaign led by Chris and Susan Demko of Lancaster County, whose 18-year-old daughter was killed by a repeat drunken driver four years ago. Sometimes this type of legislation serves a feel good purpose for lawmakers and grieving family members, but consider this: Repeat offenders are responsible for 40 percent of DUI-related deaths, according to Pennsylvania Parents Against Impaired Driving, a lobbying group founded by people who lost children in DUI crashes. And until the new law went into effect just before Christmas, a misdemeanor charge was the most a prosecutor could bring against the lions share of repeat DUI offenders in Pennsylvania. Thats changed. Felony charges await those arrested for the third time with blood-alcohol levels of 0.16 percent or higher, and for all drivers charged four or more times for drunk or drugged driving. Also, the penalty for DUI-related homicide by vehicle, which had carried a minimum of three years in prison, goes up to a five-year minimum for those with a prior DUI conviction, and to seven years for those with two or more previous DUIs. The new law also beefs up penalties for people caught driving under license suspension for a DUI-related offense. First-time DUI offenders will continue to face six-months probation, a $300 fine, up to six months in jail and a mandatory alcohol safety class if their blood-alcohol content is under 0.1 percent. Those with BACs between 0.10 and 0.159 face two days to six months in prison, a 12-month license suspension and a fine ranging from $500 to $5,000. The fight against drunken driving depends greatly on education, deterrence and enforcement. In their New Years Eve sobriety checkpoint in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania State Police at Bethlehem arrested six people, charging three people with drunken driving and three with other misdemeanor offenses. First-timers deserve a chance to get their lives back together. Repeat offenders are a different breed. Experience has shown that treatment, fines, license suspension and incarceration arent always enough to keep them from drinking and getting behind the wheel. Keeping multiple offenders off the street means keeping them out of society. The Legislature has taken a long overdue step in that direction. A Lower Macungie Township woman reported the theft of an iPad while a moving company was helping her transport belongings to her new home. The victim, a 53-year-old living in the 5200 block of Dartmouth Place, told state police she noticed the iPad missing at 7:45 p.m. Saturday. Pennsylvania State Police in Fogelsville did not specify where the item was placed at the time of the theft. State police currently are investigating. Police did not identify the moving company in a news release and no one has been charged. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 6) Amid an ongoing legal battle with her former manager and business partner, television host Kris Aquino revealed Saturday the gravity of her health condition. In a video cross-posted in all of her social media platforms, Aquino said she is allergic to all medication used to treat her disease, which she revealed is a "form of lupus." Her legal team, composed of lawyers Sigfrid Fortun, Enrique Dela Cruz and Nilo Divina, joined her in the video. "Ang inamin ko po sa inyo is chronic spontaneous urticaria and that is true. I did not want to specify because Atty. Sig told me wag mo sabihin ang iyong allergies kasi pinapadali mo for your enemies to kill you," Aquino said Saturday, referring to a social media post back in October when she shared her diagnosis. [Translation: What I admitted to you is chronic spontaneous urticaria and that is true, I did not want to specify because Atty. Sig told me not to share my allergies because it would make it easier for my enemies to kill me.] READ: Kris Aquino shares battle with autoimmune disease "Now I can tell you the truth, I am allergic to every single medicine that can cure you or manage your symptoms pag may lupus ka [if you have lupus]," Aquino added. She said that her medical tests in the Philippines last year showed that she has a form of lupus. Based on those results, she went to Singapore in October for more tests, which showed that her kidney functions are still "okay". Aquino added that she will do her best to make it to the 18th birthday of her youngest son, 11-year-old James "Bimby" Aquino Yap, and thanked her fans for their prayers. Baseless accusations In the same video, Aquino's camp also addressed developments of her case against her former business partner and manager Nicardo "Nicko" M. Falcis II, whom she filed theft charges against in November last year. Aquino accused Falcis, who managed Kris Cojuangco Aquino Productions (KCAP) and Nacho Bimby, for using the KCAP card for over P1.27 million worth of personal expenses without Aquino's consent. The card was intended for businesses expenses such as payment for advertisements of brand partners posted on Aquino's social media platforms. She also responded to allegations of Falcis against her. READ: Kris Aquino files 44 counts of theft vs. former business partner In a statement Friday, Falcis said Aquino owed him Php9 million worth of commissioned work, which he said, she failed to address. He also alleged that Aquino's charges were a plot to ruin his reputation should he not comply with several of her demands. "I would like to emphasize that her allegations against me are false and without basis. The cases she filed against me are but a part of her scheme to coerce me into involuntarily submitting to her will and complying with her unreasonable demands, including that I and members of my family execute the documents she intended for our signatures," Falcis told CNN Philippines in a Facebook message on Sunday. Falcis added that the media mogul had also threatened his life. "In the process, because I have not complied with her demands, she threatened to kill me if I return to the Philippines, destroyed my good name and reputation, and caused me and my family great hardship," he said. Fortun called these statements "palusot" (excuses). "Itong mga depensa niya, itong mga sinasabi niya na lahat ng paratang mo ay walang basehan, lahat ng paratang mo ay malesyosyo at gusto lamang sirain ang kanyang pagkatao at reputasyon ay dapat inihain na niya as early as that time," said Fortun. [Translation: His defenses, that accusations have no basis, that they are malicious and only intend to destroy his reputation, should have been filed as early as that time.] Pennsylvania State Police in Fogelsville said the crash happened at 4:23 p.m. Jan. 1 in the 5400 block of Sell Road in Lowhill Township. Michael E. Kline, 22, of Allentown was operating a 2009 Honda motorcycle south on Sell Road at a speed too high for road conditions, according to police. As he approached a curve to the left, Kline lost traction with the asphalt and traveled off the right side of the roadway and into a wooded area, police said. Kline was thrown from the bike and found by medics injured in the wooded area, police said. The motorcycle had disabling damage to the front and left areas and was towed from the scene, police said. Kline was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Salisbury Township for treatment of unknown injuries. Kline was cited with several traffic-related offenses in the accident. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Lehigh and Northampton county officials are each projecting a cost of around $3.5 million to comply with a state mandate to buy voting machines that create a paper record. Gov. Tom Wolf in April gave counties a deadline of the 2020 primary election to switch to machines that leave a paper trail. His administration has suggested it could decertify all of the paperless machines in use after 2019s election. Statewide, the cost to counties to replace voting machines is estimated at around $125 million. The governor earmarked for counties nearly $13.5 million in federal funding for election security, plus the states required 5-percent match, which raises the total available to $14.15 million. The state assistance could change based on Wolfs 2019-20 budget set to be released next month. Pennsylvania is viewed as one of the most vulnerable states after federal authorities say Russian hackers targeted it and at least 20 others during the 2016 presidential election. "I think one of the big challenges we have is to make this affordable," Wolf told The Associated Press last month. "It's something that I believe most counties understand. We've got to make sure that voters, when they go to the polls, feel comfortable, that there is a paper trail, that they have some way of making sure that their vote is actually being counted and I think this is important." Pennsylvania Secretary of State Robert Torres last week announced he had certified three paper-record voting systems available to counties under a statewide purchasing contract. Two more systems were continuing through the certification process We are pleased to announce this certification of a third new voting system with a paper record that will allow voters to verify their selections on the spot before casting their ballot," Torres said in a statement. "We want Pennsylvanians voting on the most secure and accessible voting equipment available so they can continue to have confidence in the integrity of our elections and so every eligible voters voice can be heard." The U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee, U.S. Department of Homeland Security and experts have urged states to switch to new systems that produce paper records, rather than the Direct Recording Electronic voting machines still in use in most Pennsylvania counties. An Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ExpressVote Universal Voting System is included in the Pennsylvania Department of State certification of the EVS 6.0.2.1 line of voting machines from Election Systems & Software (ES&S) that create a paper record of each ballot cast. Lehigh County in September hosted election officials for a demonstration of the paper-record ballot systems certified by the state from Vista, California-based Unisyn Voting Solutions and Omaha, Nebraska-based Election Systems & Software (ES&S). Dominion, Hart and Clear Ballot also demonstrated their machines. Another demonstration is scheduled for Thursday at the county government center in Allentown. "Lehigh County is moving forward," Tim Benyo, the county's chief clerk for voter registration and elections, said last week. "We have the money allocated to purchase some system. The Elections Board hasn't yet made a choice of what system they want." He said the county budgeted $3.5 million for the purchase, which is in addition to an estimated $350,000 in federal money. Lehigh County also expects to receive the 5 percent reimbursement from the state on the total cost. Northampton County has not budgeted its share, projected in the $3 million to $3.5 million range, Executive Lamont McClure said. "We have begun our due diligence in the purchase of the new voting machines required under the law," he said. "We've been very aggressive about investigating informally different manufacturers." The impact on county budgets will depend on how much the state ends up contributing. Wolf has committed to asking lawmakers for state aid to cover at least half of the cost. That proposal will be part of the budget plan he delivers to lawmakers on Feb. 5. McClure said it's possible the new machines could be in use in Northampton County for the 2019 general election in November, before the state's deadline of the 2020 primary election. That's Lehigh County's plan as well, Benyo said. "Nobody really wants to implement during a presidential election just because of all the craziness that goes along with a presidential election," he said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. This weekend there will be extra Bethlehem cops patrolling the Southside around two hookah lounges that are popular after-hours spots once Lehigh Valley bars shut down for the night. Early the morning of Dec. 28 a man was shot and two vehicles and a storefront were struck by gunfire in the area of South New and East Third streets. City police say the altercation began in Allentown and spilled over into the city in the area of the H20 Hookah Lounge, 15 E. Third St. It is not clear whether the lounge or its patrons are connected to the shooting, but Wednesday evening Third Street resident Tyler Buck came to Bethlehem City Council to share his ongoing concern that the current police presence is not stemming violence at H20 Hookah Lounge. He detailed several incidents over the last year that have alarmed him, according to a video of the meeting. The lounges patrons routinely violate the citys noise ordinance and open container laws by walking with open bottles of alcohol from the parking lot across the street to the hookah bar, Buck alleged. He urged action before his neighborhood becomes a place of violent crime. We are undermining all of the investment in this region, Buck said. Mayor Bob Donchez acknowledged this is an ongoing problem, which is why his staff is looking at various options, including zoning and noise ordinances and heightened enforcement. A manager was not available at H20 on Friday afternoon and no one returned a message left seeking comment. Once bars close across the region, two of the citys four hookah lounges have become late-night destinations, Bethlehem police Chief Mark DiLuzio said. He said problems in the lounges are spilling out onto Third Street. This weekend you will see a big police presence, DiLuzio said. ...The two in the South Side are the only ones we have had major problems (with). The hookah lounge and after-hours clubs operate under a gray area of Pennsylvanias liquor laws, the chief said. They dont have liquor licenses, so they can stay open past 2 a.m. when bars must stop serving, and they can operate as bring-your-own-bottle establishments, he noted. They are not regulated by Liquor Control Enforcement, which inspects liquor license holders for violations and can issue citations. DiLuzio suggested that the states liquor laws may need to be updated due to hookah lounges' popularity. The city administration is looking at several avenues to try to get a handle on the incidents stemming from H20 and Essence Hookah Lounge, 203 E. Third St., DiLuzio said. Bethlehems BYOB ordinance was last updated in 1999 and may provide new enforcement options for police. Council President Adam Waldron said if a city ordinance needs to be updated hes sure council will support it. This is a circumstance where there is a perpetual violation of common decency in the neighborhood, Waldron said. Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatulloand Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. While Nigeria as a country may have quite a bad reputation out there, it appears there are still some people changing that negative perception one step at a time and this Australian researcher has taken to social media to bear witness. Identified as Nigel Stobbs, the researcher at Queensland University of Technology, recently left many Nigerians and Africans proud when he took to the Twitter platform to recount how an African family has continued to bring him food a year after his wife died. He wrote: "Almost a year since my wife passed away. African family from my neighbourhood, I never knew before that day, still bring us a cooked meal once every week. They live a very frugal life. Africans welcome here.Theyre Nigerian. READ ALSO: Personal letter from the Editor-in-Chief of Legit.ng (former NAIJ.com) They just knocked on the door one evening with food. Didnt make a fuss. It was just so human and natural. No idea how they even knew. Africans Ive met have all been very humble and generous people." See post below: Amazing! Meanwhile, fast rising actress, Sylvia Edem has got many people talking after she revealed her where her choice of a husband would come from. According to Edem, she intends to marry a white man as Nigerian men are just not right. The actress revealed she dated a couple of Nigerian men and non of the relationships worked out, hence her decision to settle with a white man in the future. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News App Get the hottest gist on Africa Love Aid HELLO! NAIJ.com (naija.ng) upgrades to Legit.ng We keep evolving to serve our readers better Top-4 Things That Could Only Happen In Nigeria | Legit TV Source: Legit - Allegations against the national commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Hajia Amina Zakari has been described as gender-related violence - Proactive Gender Initiatives (PGI) said people are raising allegations against her because she is a woman - According to the group, the misinformation about the role Hajia Amina Zakari is going to play at the collation centre is deliberate Proactive Gender Initiatives (PGI) says allegations being peddled against the National Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Hajia Amina Zakari, are gender-related violence that Nigerian women now face in the society. National coordinator of PGI, a civil society organisation (CSO), Esther Uzoma, made the remark on Sunday in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. READ ALSO: Armed soldiers shut down Daily Trust office in Borno, arrest workers NAN reports that some opposition parties and groups had kicked against INECs appointment of Mrs Zakari as chairperson of its national collation centre for the forthcoming elections, arguing that the national commissioner was President Muhammadu Buharis niece. Reacting, Uzoma, who is also the alternate chairperson, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, said nobody believed that a woman could rise to such position by her own merit. She said since the national commissioner had not been found wanting in her responsibility in INEC before, the allegations were uncalled for. I also strongly believe that all these people raising allegations against her is because she is a woman. It is one of those gender-biased violence. Nobody believes that a woman can rise on her own, by her own merit to that position. Has she been accused of any crime at all, all the years she has spent in INEC? Is she under any form of administrative investigation? So, I feel strongly that institution of INEC is bigger than any single individual, she said. Uzoma, who had served as local and international election observer, said the allegations against Zakari had just gone to show that many Nigerians were yet to understand how INEC works. The assumption that one single person can truncate or rig this our election, the assumption that she is so powerful to rig 2019 election in favour of one candidate underlines our gross ignorance of the workings of INEC. No, it cannot happen; she doesnt have that power. The way INEC is structured, no single person can do that. The way the system runs, no individual can do that. It cannot happen because I have had the opportunity to interface with that institution strongly. That is my take, she said . The national coordinator said she sincerely believed that the deliberate misinformation about the role Hajia Amina Zakari is going to play at the collation centre is deliberate to provoke unnecessary sentiment and heat up the polity. Number one, Amina Zakari is not a returning officer. The chief returning officer for the election is Professor Mahmood Yakubu. Secondly, the advent of Amina Zakari in INEC preceded the Presidency of President Muhammadu Buhari. She was a staff of INEC before Buhari became the president. Number three, she is a chief logistic officer, collation centre. She is in charge of general logistics, Uzoma stated. She called on political parties and Nigerians to get acquainted with the operations of the electoral umpire. My advice is that people should make enquiry on how INEC works. What exactly is she going to do at the collation centre? Remember this election will be opened to both national and international observers. So dont just come out to start heating up the political process. Concentrate on your party and leave this woman alone, Uzoma said. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that ahead of the 2019 elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rejected the appointment of Amina Zakari a niece of President Muhammadu Buhari, as the chairman of the result collation committee in the exercise. The PDP presidential campaign council said this in Abuja at a press conference describing Zakari as a blood relation of Buhari. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda The party also said the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, was creating a self-succession plan for the president. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. I married four wives, built houses under Buhari's regime - farmer boasts| Legit TV. Source: Legit Newspaper The Nigerian social media platforms is still buzzing with the messy drama surrounding a video vixen identified as Wendy and her boyfriend, Best Jide, who was accused of killing her. New videos of Wendy suggests otherwise. Earlier on, Legit.ng reported the new of how a young video vixen identified simply as Wendy, allegedly bled to death and accusing fingers pointed at her boyfriend, Best Jide, for using her for ritual purposes. Well, new videos of a very alive Wendy has surfaced on the internet. The young lady who goes by the name @vitaminwendy on Instagram, explained the reasons behind faking her own death while still maintaining the fact that her boyfriend is a ritual killer. READ ALSO: Personal letter from the Editor-in-Chief of Legit.ng (former NAIJ.com) In the lengthy video, she narrated how she went to visit him and fell ill shortly afterwards. In her account, she stated that while she was sick, they made love and he reportedly used a tissue paper to clean her private part. Following that, her stomach begun to hurt and he appeared to care less about her situation and insisted she returned back to her base, Lagos. Wendy further revealed that it was while all these were happening that she had the dream about Jide using her for rituals. READ ALSO: Benin video vixen allegedly bleeds to death after being used for rituals, best friend releases suspicious chats After speaking with her pastor over the phone, it was confirmed that he had indeed started the plan to use her. She was then advised by her pastor to find a way to distract him from completing the assignment which could eventually take her life. Wendy revealed in the video that faking her own death was the only way to throw him off balance and keep him from completing his ritual task. She went on to state that she didn't fake her death to become famous but ironically, to save her own life. Responding to the statements released by her boyfriend who claimed her family was trying to extort him, Wendy insisted that her family would do no such thing, stating they were not in need of money or wretched like Jide's family. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News App Get the hottest gist on Africa Love Aid HELLO! NAIJ.com (naija.ng) upgrades to Legit.ng We keep evolving to serve our readers better Can you date, marry a yahoo boy? | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - The Benue state chapter of the PDP has faulted the endorsement of President Muhammadu Buhari for the 2019 presidential election by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association - The opposition party alleged that with Buhari as president, the bloodshed and carnage being wrecked by herdsmen is sure to continue - The PDP added that the Miyetti Allah group knows that with Atiku as president, their nefarious agenda and criminality will have no place in Nigeria The endorsement of President Muhammadu Buhari for the 2019 presidential election by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has been faulted by the Benue state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In a statement released on Sunday, January 6, the state publicity secretary of PDP and chairman, publicity sub-committee of Benue PDP State Campaign Organisation for 2019 Presidential Election, Bemgba Iortyom, faulted the cattle breeders association over the endorsement, Daily Trust reports. READ ALSO: Elections: Adebutu rallies 50,000 canvassers, 250 groups for Atiku in Ogun state Legit.ng learnt that he said: Miyetti Allahs endorsement of Buharis candidacy is a clear statement which Nigerians must understand lucidly for what it truly is; that with Buhari as president, the bloodshed and carnage being wrecked on them by Fulani herdsmen is sure to continue. Their declaration of war on Atikus candidacy on the other hand has only one interpretation; that even they know that with him as president, their nefarious agenda and criminality which has so far gone unchecked under Buhari, will have no place in Nigeria." PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Recall that Legit.ng previously reported that President Muhammadu Buhari was endorsed for the 2019 presidential election by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria. The group's national president, Muhammadu Kirowa, made the announcement at its 2018 annual general meeting. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service! Atiku versus Buhari: Who will win? - on Legit TV: Source: Legit.ng - Members of the Atiku Nationwide Project (ANP) have pledged to deliver Plateau state to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar - The group said Atiku's high level of competency to lead is second to none and that the former VP has what it takes to get Nigeria to a greater place - The group further urged Nigerians to challenge the present government until a better Nigeria is achieved by voting Atiku as the country's next president Ahead of the presidential election, members of the Atiku Nationwide Project (ANP) have pledged to deliver Plateau state to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The group made the pledge at Lenscope Media in Jos, during the inauguration of its new leadership, Daily Trust reports. READ ALSO: Elections: Stop politicising tragedies - Akpabio tells politicians Legit.ng gathers that the state coordinator of the group, Dr Solomon Gushibet, speaking on behalf of the group, stated that Atiku's vision for the state and Nigeria at large, and his competency to lead the country to a greater heights, was what informed their decision to make such a pledge. He said: Our project wouldnt stop working until we deliver Plateau state to Atiku. We intended to work for him because of his vision for our dear state Plateau and country, his high level of competency to lead is second to none and he has what it takes to take Nigeria to a greater place. Gushibet explained that Atiku is a better economist and strategist because he was the engine room behind former president Olusegun Obasanjos successes, when he served as the latter's vice president. He said: He (Atiku) assembled good hands that transformed Nigerias economy. When Obasanjo became president, Nigeria was already a depressed economy. Both Obasanjo and Atiku didnt blame the military. They brought Nigeria out of the woods and now the economy was destroyed by the present government. And the only person that would make Nigeria working again is Atiku. Gushibet urged Nigerians to challenge the present government until a better Nigeria is achieved by voting Atiku as the country's next president. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar said he is convinced beyond any doubt that he would defeat President Muhammadu Buhari and other candidates in the 2019 presidential election. The presidential candidate made the comment during the PDPs National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja. He said victory was awaiting the party. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service! 2019 Presidency: Nigerians reveal why they prefer Atiku to President Buhari - on Legit TV: Source: Legit There is no doubt that veteran Nollywood actress, Patience Ozokwor, is one of the most talented acts to ever grace our screens. However, her creativity when it comes to interpreting certain roles, may have rubbed off wrong on some people. Popularly known as Mama G, actress Patience Ozokwor has risen to become one of the most talked about household names in the Nigerian movie industry. However, while she is popular for her talent as an actor, she is also known for playing maleficent roles. In a recent interview, the veteran screen goddess talks about her marriage, career and how playing certain roles may have affected her life and people's perception of her. In the interview with Punch, Ozokwor revealed that contrary to popular opinion, she is quite a simple person. READ ALSO: Personal letter from the Editor-in-Chief of Legit.ng (former NAIJ.com) When asked if she feels stereotyped, she had this to say: "If you study my career, you will realize that I have played a lot of roles over the years. However, the ones where I act as a strict or vocal person are the ones that have been more popular. I guess thats what people like. However, I always strive to strike a balance and I dont act just one type of role." READ ALSO: 7 talented Nollywood actresses playing the father role for their children Despite the negative perception people have about her due to the type of movie roles she takes, Mama G revealed that she has no regrets taking up such roles. She said: "Any actor worth his salt should be able to deliver on whatever role he or she is given to play. For people to be so affected by the roles I have played means that I did a good job in interpreting the characters I was given. However, I wouldnt like to pass wrong messages to anyone through my movies." Popularly known for taking on wicked mother-in-laws roles, she insists she is nothing like that in real life. "Nothing can be farther from the truth. I am a simple person who doesnt like to interfere in other peoples lives. Sometimes, I cry when I watch some of the movies I acted in. I am nothing like that and you can never see me where wicked acts are being perpetuated. If anybody close to me does something wrong, I will not shield the person. Like I have said several times, I am an actress and every character I have ever played ended on the set." PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News App Speaking on married life as a young person, she revealed the decision to marry was influenced by her parents. "I believe firmly that everything that happens to a person is ordained by God. You may not understand why youre going through certain situations but as you grow older, you will recognise the hand of God in your life. Truly, I got married at a young age due to the bidding of my parents. At that age, marriage wasnt what was on my mind but I had to go into it to make my parents happy. It was a combination of good and bad times but I thank God because that experience really built me as a person and taught me a lot. It made me more mature. As a young girl going into marriage, I didnt have it rosy at that point because I didnt understand many things. At the time I got married to my husband, I had a lot of suitors vying for my hands in marriage but I had to go with my parents choice. However, my late husband was a good man and he took care of his family." Ozokwor went on to reveal some surprising facts about herself that most Nigerians don't know. "I am very soft-hearted and I cry easily. However, I believe in facing whatever is at hand squarely and doing a good job. Even if I will cry later, I could do that in my closet." Meanwhile, the death of a Benin based video vixen is still rocking the social media platforms. Identified as Wendy, she reportedly bled to death after telling her friend about a bad dream she had in which her boyfriend allegedly used her for ritual purposes, triggering the bleeding. Get the hottest gist on Africa Love Aid HELLO! NAIJ.com (naija.ng) upgrades to Legit.ng We keep evolving to serve our readers better I may join politics soon - Segun Arinze | Legit TV Source: Legit - Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state has challenged opposition parties to focus on issues during campaigns - The governor called on his opponents to engage in campaigns and tell the people what they can do rather than holding nocturnal meetings - He also accused the opposition of scheming on how to steal ballot boxes and engage in electoral malpractice Delta state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa has said his re-election will be premised on sustenance of peace, development and equity in line with rotation of political offices in the state. Governor Okowa made the disclosure on Saturday, January 5, at the campaigns of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Koko and Sapele, Warri north and Sapele local government areas of Delta state respectively. At the two local government areas visited, Governor Okowa expressed confidence that his administration has delivered on the promises made during the 2015 campaign, stating that the next four years of his tenure as governor will be better. Governor Okowa addressing PDP supporters at the campaign ground in Sapele. Photo credit: DSTG Source: Facebook PAY ATTENTION: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda I thank the people for the large turnout for the rally; the people of Warri north are always reliable, great followers, members of the PDP; I am here to tell you that I am going for second term; we have done a lot of projects; during the administration of our leader, Chief James Ibori, we worked for him for two terms, in the last administration. I was the Director-General of the campaign. As a government, we have executed a lot of projects, we enjoy peace in our state and if we take the line of equity, we will complete two terms, Governor Okowa said at Koko. At Sapele, the governor called on his opponents to engage in campaigns and tell the people what they can do rather than holding nocturnal meetings and be scheming on how to steal ballot boxes and engage in electoral malpractice. His words: Our opponents will not campaign, they will be at home planning bad things, but, they will not succeed, we will get unprecedented number of votes in Sapele and all over the state; the opposition should come out and campaign, they should not be planning on how to disrupt the elections. PDP chieftains who spoke at the campaign grounds expressed confidence that the party will get the votes from the people. Chairman of the PDP in the state, Barrister Kingsley Esiso, also used the rallies to present candidates for different electoral positions to the people. PAY ATTENTION: Access your favourite news site Legit.ng instantly in 3 simple steps Governor Okowa had earlier this week, expressed confidence that God will grant candidates of the PDP victory in the general elections billed to hold in the months of February and March. Speaking at a vigil to dedicate the PDP campaign for 2019 general elections to God, Governor Okowa stated that, because we have put our God first, we have no need to be scared going into the campaign or scared of the elections, God is leading us into the battle, we will have victory. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have updated to serve you better. Nigeria Latest News: Buhari vs Atiku - 2019 Elections | Legit TV Source: Legit A Shanghai ocean park said its most popular stars -- two female beluga whales -- will be relocated to an open water sanctuary about 6,000 miles away in Iceland this spring. Shanghai's Changfeng Ocean World said "Little Grey" and "Little White" will take the 30-hour-plus journey by air, land and sea to arrive at the Sea Life Trust Beluga Whale Sanctuary. The sanctuary was created by the Sea Life Trust and Whale and Dolphin Conservation, in a bay at Heimaey Island, located off the southern coast of Iceland. Sea Life Trust said on its website that the two whales will be the first residents in the sanctuary, which encourages the rehabilitation of more captive whales into their natural environments. Both 12 years old, the duo has become the most welcomed stars in the park since their arrival in April 2011. They have been trained in the past few months to improve their physical abilities and swimming skills in open water. Special menus are prepared for them to gain more fat and weight to adapt to the cooler water at their new home. Their departure date will be settled according to their physical conditions and other factors such as weather, the park said. They will also receive special training to adapt to their new facilities upon arrival in Heimaey, before finally being released into the open water of the sanctuary. Future visitors can expect to see them in the sanctuary under strict supervision and restrictions to keep their lives disturbance-free. - The Nigerian Army repelled hundreds of Boko Haram members who wanted to attack Damasak, a town in Borno state - The assailants belonging to the Musab Albarnawi camp of the Boko Haram, drove in convoy of vehicles mounted with Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) - They were ambushed by Nigerian troops who got prior information of the planned attack Troops of the Nigerian Army on Saturday, January 5, repelled hundreds of Boko Haram members who wanted to attack Damasak, a town in northern part of Borno state, Daily Trust reports. According to credible sources, the assailants belonging to the Musab Albarnawi camp of the Boko Haram, drove to Damasak in convoy of vehicles mounted with Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs). However, they were ambushed by Nigerian troops who got prior information of the planned attack, one of the sources said, adding that many of the attackers were killed. READ ALSO: 2019 election: A vote for President Buhari will not be a waste - Aisha Buhari A local speaking under condition of anonymity said, said the attackers went to Damasak around 5.45pm. The fight continued through the night and the invaders could not get access to the town, he said. He added the casualty figure from both sides would be known tomorrow [today]. A security source who is not in the position to speak on record confirmed the attack. Meanwhile in Yobe state, many Boko Haram fighters who wanted to attack Goniri village in Gujba local government area, on Saturday, January 5, were also killed by Nigerian soldiers. Confirming the development, a security source said the Boko Haram fighters went to Goniri around 4pm. There was serious fight but I can assure you that our men had an upper hand today (yesterday), he said. Two sources from Goniri who are now in Damaturu confirmed attempt by the Boko Haram to take over Goniri and the military facility there. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app In a previous report by Legit.ng, the chief of army staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai declared that the army is ready to drastically reduce kidnappings and other violent crimes in parts of the country. Buratai made the resolve on Thursday, January 3, when 32 artillery brigade in Owo, Ondo state flagged-off Operation Egwu Eke 111, otherwise known as Python Dance. The army chief who was represented General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division of Nigerian Army, Major-General Okwudili Azinta, said the military would do everything possible to flush-out kidnappers in Ondo state. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better Can Nigerian Soldiers really not deal with Boko Haram fighters?| Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - Senator Dino Melaye has denied claims that he booed President Muhammadu Buhari while he presented the 2019 budget to a joint session of the National Assembly on December 19 - Melaye said in a statement that it was not in his character to do something he could not stand up for and that he would not hide the fact if he did jeer at the president - The Kogi West senator described allegations floating around as lies made up against him and nothing more Senator Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has denied being part of the unruly federal lawmakers who jeered and booed President Muhammadu Buhari during the presentation of the 2019 budget before a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday, December 19, 2018. Daily Trust reports that Melaye, who represents Kogi West Senatorial District said he could not have been part of the jeering since he was around the vicinity of the House of Representatives chamber on that day. READ ALSO: I am not President Buhari's niece or relation - Amina Zakari Senator Melaye, who is reacting to the allegations which have taken over the social media for the first in almost three weeks, described as lies rumours tying him to the matter. A statement by his media aide, Gideon Ayodele, on Saturday, January 5 evening, read: "The attention of Senator Dino Melaye has been drawn to a malicious reference to his person on the social media as one of the lawmakers who booed President Muhammadu Buhari during his 2019 Budget presentation before a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday, December 19, 2018. Before now, he had refused to refute the mischievious social media fabrication for what it is a cheap lie Senator Dino Melaye was not in the National Assembly that day. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda For the avoidance of doubt, Distinguished Senator Dino Melaye was absent at the televised 2019 Budget Presentation session and hereby challenges anyone with contrary proof to come forward with such. By his nature, Distinguished Senator Dino Melaye is not one who speaks and cannot defend his action at the same time. Whatever he says or does, he stands by his actions no matter whose ox is gored. Legit.ng had reported that PDP lawmakers welcomed President Buhari to the National Assembly with protest songs while their counterparts from the ruling party, All Progressives Congress were busy cheering him. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android and read best news on Nigerias #1 news app The PDP lawmakers were singing "Freedom comes with Struggle", while the APC lawmakers were chanting "Sai Baba" as the president made his way to the podium to present the budget. During his presentation, the cheers and jeers continued as the PDP lawmakers booed and the APC ones clapped to overshadow the jeers. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng upgrades to serve you better Nigeria News: Dino Melaye and 2019 Criminal Conspiracy - on Legit TV Source: Legit Editor's note: David Abu, a fellow of the Centre for International and Strategic Studies, Abuja writes on the proposed Operation Python Dance III by the Nigerian Army. Abu in this piece urged some Nigerian politicians should stop spurring imprudent sentiments about a purely military exercise by playing to the gallery. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Legit.ng. Your own opinion articles are welcome at info@corp.legit.ng drop an email telling us what you want to write about and why. More details in Legit.ngs step-by-step guide for guest contributors. Were ready to trade your news for our money: submit news and photo reports from your area using our Citizen Journalism App. Contact us if you have any feedback, suggestions, complaints or compliments. We are also available on Twitter. Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai is a man and soldier with a large heart. As Nigerias Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and leader of the counter-insurgency operations in the country, General Buratai is confronting adversaries of Nigeria on many fronts and in more invisible ways than known in public space. The Army Chief is leading Nigerian troops in extinguishing Boko Haram terrorism on the battlefield in the northeast; troops have fought to a standstill the venom of militancy and crude oil theft in the Niger Delta; it is battling armed banditry and cattle rustling in the northwest and its operations have tamed to near dissipation the tempo of farmers/herders crises in the north Central. The Nigerian Military has been the saving grace in quenching the cruel and violent separatism movements in the Southeast, anchored by the Nnamdi Kanu- led IPOB and its nest of killer merchants, armed vandals/looters of businesses, armed robbers and kidnappers. But apart from these visible and manifold wars against Nigeria, prosecuted by the military, they are also fighting other silent resistance or frustration wars against the State. There are enemies of Nigeria within who have continued to plot to weaken or diminish the potency of the Nigerian militarys intervention in the prevailing or potential insecurity upheavals assailing in the country. For these categories of Nigerians, who are mostly opposition politicians, all their plots and energies are concentrated on waning the spirit and power of the military in tackling these wars. So, they launch attacks on the institution of the Nigerian Army with frivolous allegations. There is nothing cheerful in their eyes insofar as they are not permitted to thrive in their evil designs against Nigeria. READ ALSO: Senate crisis: We have agreed on cease fire - Ndume And these antagonistic forces have not relented in their evil machinations. The latest plot is the irritable, consistent and stiff opposition to the decision of the FGN under President Muhammadu Buhari in lunching a military exercise across Nigeria code named Operation Python Dance III (OPDIII). This is the operation that cleansed Southeastern region of armed criminals masquerading as separatism agitators; it restored peace and security in the region because the Nigerian military did a thorough and professional job of assisting regular security agencies in dusting out these armed criminals from their dens or hideout. Today, the people are happier because they live in communities, villages and cities purged of violence, killings, armed robbery, kidnappings and allied crimes which were freely perpetrated by these cursed and criminal souls. The Christmas and yuletide have been celebrated freely without wailing of attacks and deaths in the region peculiar to these times. It is not strange today that some negligible Nigerians are protesting and kicking against the launch of OPDIII all over Nigeria to cleanse the nation of armed criminals. These are politicians suspected of amassing dangerous weapons in preparation to disrupt the next general elections beginning in February 2019. And those who fear most and protesting loudest against OPDIII are opposition politicians, actively backed by their conspiratorial cronies. They want a free terrain where they can foist electoral violence and robbery on Nigeria and quickly turn around to blame President Buhari for incompetence to secure Nigerians. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda These arch enemies of Nigeria know exactly why they are protesting against OPDIII. And they have not concealed the target of what they want to achieve. They argue feebly and implausibly that President Buhari should rather send the troops to combat Boko Haram terrorism. But who has told the adversaries the territories in the Northeast have no troops? Before now, when Boko Haram insurgency was at its peak (and that Buhari battled insurgents in the Northeast), did it prevent him from deploying troops to tackle other emergent insurrections all over the country simultaneously? These Nigerians should stop spurring imprudent sentiments about a purely military exercise by playing to the gallery. For avoidance of doubts, Operation Python Dance III in the wisdom of the FGN is conceived to be conducted as a military exercise by the Nigerian Army to provide additional support for the Police and other security agencies during the 2019 general elections. No one can deny that Nigeria has an unsavoury history of electoral violence and frauds, perpetrated by dubious politicians. OPDIII is meant to checkmate these realities. The exercise remains one of the most successful military drills in the country. Again, it has successfully chased out criminal elements from the southeast and some parts of the South-south. With exception of the southwest, every other region in the country has felt its positive impact. It is a positive and incontestable record in public domain. That south south which has respite from militancy, kidnappings of oil workers, crude oil theft, blowing up of oil pipelines and facilities is mainly facilitated by similar exercises in the region conducted by the Nigerian Army. This success story has been replicated across all troubled regions of Nigeria. So, no sane or upright Nigerian can dispute the validity or civility of the exercise and its far-reaching impacts. Soldiers who handle these special assignments are highly skilled, disciplined and professional officers and men of the Nigerian Army. General Buratai has a reputation of a no- nonsense Army officer. He has devoted time and energy in the last three years to persistently dissuade soldiers and officers of the Army from meddling into the political affairs of the country. Buratais leadership of the Nigerian Army has demonstrated to Nigerians repeatedly that even in very difficult times, the Army is handy to complement the roles traditionally assigned to regular security. Todays Nigeria Army is more zealous to see Nigerias democracy flourishes and the democratic/electoral process is insulated from every violent entanglement. It explains why Gen. Buaratai penalized Army officers indicted for professional misconduct and connivance to rig the 2015 governorship elections in Ekiti state. Gen. Buratai had the option to play the card of comradeship by shielding his own; but he rather exposed them. In Nigerias recent history, there is no Army which has completely subordinated itself to the democratic process and governance or to civil authorities like the Army led by Gen. Buratai. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Why then are some people afraid of Operation Python Dance III? If OPDIII succeeded in the past, there is no cogent reason for anybody to doubt them now, except those who have their mindset fixated on rigging the 2019 ballot, and have armed political thugs and criminals. But they must be flushed out before the election. Nigerians want peace while exercising their civic responsibility. No one has reason or anything to fear. But politicians who have not campaigned or sold out their manifestoes to the masses to earn support, but are amassing weapons to intimidate voters, cause violence, kidnap opponents, kill and rig the elections should naturally be haunted by the phobia of Python Dance III. Outside this clan of politicians with a passion for violence, Nigerians know OPDIII will assist greatly. Nigerians are aware OPDIII will not allow anyone to intimidate voters on election day. It will not allow anyone to kidnap his opponents or unlawfully cage rival camps within the period in the braggadocios display of jungle might. Certainly, its bad investment for architects of ballot snatching, whose thugs most times overwhelm and even kidnap the police or civil defence officers on election duty. They are scared that with OPDIII, this is impossible and one can imagine the pains and frustrations in them. So, anyone who stands by the path of truth should fear not, Operation Python Dance III. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better. Can Nigerian Soldiers really not deal with Boko Haram fighters?| Legit.ng TV Source: Legit In civics class, we were taught that laws begin as bills in either house of congress and when they pass the House and the Senate they go to the President either for his signature or his veto. I don't recall the part where the Senate majority leader (presently Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell) only allows the Senate to vote on bills the President has approved beforehand. If this is the way it works, why do we even have a Senate? In an effort to break the deadlock in the ongoing negotiations between Yemens exiled government representatives and Houthi rebels in Sweden, the United Nations team working in Yemen has proposed a 16-point plan to initiate truce between the warring sides. The main point of the deadlock is the control of the port city of Hodeidah which is currently with the Houthi rebels. The exiled Yemen government wants it handed over to them to be managed under its Ministry of Transport. Houthi rebels have refused to do so as the port is a lifeline for areas controlled by them. The UNs aid of food and medicines for the impoverished and besieged state is transported through Hodeidah. Read: Fresh Conflict Pushes Yemen In to An Abyss of Starvation and Death The only concession the Houthis have made is agreeing to allow the port to be controlled by the UN, but only if the Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemens exiled government stops its air strikes. In order to go past this deadlock, the UN has introduced a 16-point proposal which states that once the Houthis had withdrawn from Hodeidah, including the ports of Saleef and Ras Isa, the Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Shia movement would cease its military operations, according to multiple reports. The #UN envoy to #Yemen Martin Griffiths plan for #Hodieda. It requires full withdrawal of troops from the city and port. pic.twitter.com/WGEdKmCyk4 Mohammed al-Qadhi (@mohammedalqadhi) December 10, 2018 The UN's special envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths who has pushed hard to bring the two sides to the negotiating table, described Hodeidah as the centre of gravity for the war. He said at a press conference in Rimbo after the fifth day of talks that he hoped to publish detailed, ambitious and tangible confidence-building proposals in the next few days, including plans for the future administration of Hodeidah and its port. The proposal outlines a framework which sees the UN deploy a number of observers to monitor Hodeidahs port facility with the Houthis and the Yemen government cooperating with the arrangement. The document also said that all revenues gathered from the port would be transferred to Yemen's central bank in Hodeidah which is needed to pay the salaries of civil servants. The Yemeni government, which claims its forces are only 3km from the port, insists that it will only accept that the UN's role to oversee the harbour. It has rejected joint control and a government representative told the Reuters news agency that the city needed to come under the full control of his government. However, the UN envoy said he was still ambitious adding, Hope is the currency of a mediator, and that he was focused on trying to find ways to reduce the fighting. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 11, 2018 05:54 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). New Delhi [India], Jan 6 (ANI): Asserting that he will be happy to visit the RSS headquarter next time, noted industrialist Rahul Bajaj on Sunday said that he was not invited to meet RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and some journalist have misquoted him. Speaking to ANI over phone, Bajaj said, "During my visit to the city, I have met with the city-in-charge of RSS through a common friend and he told me about never having visited the RSS headquarters. We had a conversation about visiting it in future depending on the schedule." "I had told him that if there is time I am happy to visit there headquarters, otherwise during my next visit to Wardha I can plan a visit. I usually visit Wardha twice a year but have to land to Nagpur to drive down to Wardha. I will be happy to go there headquarter next time. Nobody invited me on January 3," he added. Earlier in the day, RSS had also confirmed the same and had said that Bajaj was not able to accept the invitation to meet Mohan Bhagwat as he had some other pressing engagements. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) city chief Rajesh Loya said the veteran industrialist Rahul Bajaj had not declined to meet the RSS chief. Speaking to ANI, Loya said: "Rahul Bajaj ji who had come to Nagpur to attend the funeral of former acting chief justice of Bombay High Court and Gandhian Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikar could not meet Mohan Bhagwat because of his busy schedule." "Next time whenever possible, Rahul ji will surely meet Mohan ji," he added. Some reports had earlier claimed that Bajaj Group Chairman who was in Nagpur a few days back reportedly declined the invite to meet RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Applications are available for the Indiana Conference for Legal Education Opportunity (ICLEO) program. The program is designed to assist traditionally underrepresented groups in pursuing a legal career. The Indiana Supreme Court established ICLEO more than 20 years ago to help bring diversity to the legal profession. Applications are available online at courts.in.gov/cleo and are due by March 1. ICLEO offers students a preparatory institute the summer before law school. This year, the institute is being hosted at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law in Bloomington. Students who successfully complete the Summer Institute may be eligible for a fellowship award for up to three years. The award is currently $4,500 per semester. To be eligible, applicants must be college graduates by the time the six-week ICLEO Summer Institute begins in June 2019. All applicants go through a rigorous application process that is separate from the Indiana law school application process. More information is with Carlton Martin at ICLEO@courts.in.gov. (UPDATE 1/5/2018): GFPD tells us the male suspect, Guadalupe Galicia who they're looking for may not even be in Montana, but multiple surrounding states. Police tell us, Galicia has family in Browning, Washington, and Oregon as well. He's most likely to be seen in Oregon. GREAT FALLS- Great Falls Police Department are now saying the disappearance of 21 year old Brooklyn Arrowtopknot is considered a kidnapping. In a press release sent to KFBB, Detective Doug Mahlum says a physical altercation took place on December 26th at 7:30 a.m. near 15th Street and Chowen Springs Loop. Arrowtopknot suffered a life threatening injury and GFPD issued an 'Attempt to Locate'. Guadalupe Galicia has been identified as a person of interest in this case. He is considered armed and dangerous. A nationwide arrest warrant has been issued and and GFPD is working with the United States Marshal Fugitive Task Force. Anyone who may have seen or heard from Brooklyn since December 26, 2018, is asked to contact the Great Falls Police Department immediately at 406-727-TIPS. You can also contact Det. Derek Mahlum at 406-781-8926. Broolyn Arrowtopknot is described as a 21 year old Native American Woman, 5'0" tall, 110 lbs with brown hair/eyes. Galicia is described as a 27 year old Hispanic male, 60, 185 lbs, bald, brown eyes. Amazing dashcam video shows police and others rescue a man from a burning car. It happened early on new year's day in Corpus Christi, Texas. Police there say a wrong-way driver struck a vehicle on a state highway, causing it to flip on its side and catch fire. As you can see, several people helped officers get the driver, described as a 70-year-old man, out of the car. Police say that man would not have survived if not for the efforts of the good samaritans. That man was taken to the hospital for treatment. His condition is not known. Authorities say the wrong-way driver was killed in the crash. A disturbing case of alleged sex abuse at a Phoenix nursing home. Sources say a woman who has been in vegetative state for at least a decade gave birth at the facility last week. Now, Phoenix police are investigating. A baby boy, is born alive and healthy Saturday. But, with his mother being in a years-long vegetative state, and raped while staying in the Hacienda HealthCare facility. A source tells us employees didn't know she was pregnant until labor started. And, Doctor Greg Marchand says that is uncharted territory. Dr. Greg Marchand said, "I can't even imagine how horrible it must be to be a victim of abuse like that. This was an extremely dangerous situation with no monitoring." Marchand is a valley OB-GYN, and says though a baby can fully develop inside a woman who is in a vegetative state, having no prenatal care is alarming. Dr. Marchand said, "There wasn't any prenatal screening done or prenatal labs, so we weren't able to see if she was suffering from gestational diabetes or HELLP syndrome." He says the main difference between this victim and a healthy woman giving birth, is this victim could not use her body to push out the baby and likely had a long labor because of it. And with no prenatal care, it's a miracle there weren't severe complications. Dr. Marchand said, "It could've been an active labor for hours or even days. This easily could've resulted in a fetal death." But a source close to the case tells us facility employees heard her moaning, and that's when they knew something was wrong. And Doctor Marchand says even though she couldn't communicate, she likely was able to feel. A source tells affiliate KPHO that the woman required around-the-clock care, meaning many people would have access to her room. It's unclear if the patient has a family member or guardian to advocate for her. Meanwhile, the Arizona Governor's Office and several state agencies say they are assisting Phoenix police in the investigation, and additional probes into what happened could be opened. In a statement, Hacienda HealthCare says it is cooperating with the investigation, calling the incident "disturbing". There's no further update about the health or whereabouts of the newborn. A North Carolina woman is safe after seeking help from a group of karate experts. The unidentified woman was walking along a road Thursday night in Charlotte when police say she was approached by August Williams. She ran away and he began chasing her. That's when she ran inside Bushiken Karate Charlotte Dojo. Head instructor Randall Ephraim was holding a class when she told him she was being chased. He performed a basic self-defense move and waited for police to arrive. Police say Williams appeared to be on drugs and believe the attempted kidnapping was not random. Randall Ephraim, Head Instructor at Bushiken Karate, said, "He started to swing and punch at me. So from there we got into a little altercation. It was waiting game of subduing him outside and waiting for the police to come." Police say they're still investigating whether there was any prior relationship between Williams and the woman. They say he has been arrested before on assault and weapons charges. From why Rice Krispies snap, crackle and pop, to foods that explode when microwaved, to the number of licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop, here are 36 fun food facts you have no reason to know but will enjoy knowing anyway. (Kaitlin Miller and Bianca Sanchez, The Daily Meal) Bottles of NyQuil, left, Tylenol, center front, and Theraflu, right, all containing acetaminophen, appear together, in Walpole, Mass., Tuesday, June 30, 2009. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) I dont think this protest will change anything or save the world, but its vitally important that we never give up until we find the answers were looking for, Norton said. Every little protest means something, and usually has a ripple effect that you may or may not ever realize. Senior Deputy Shawn Carter and K-9 Bonnie, on left. Jail booking photo of Felix Daniel Garcia-Mendoza on right. Villalobos, who also substitute teaches in the district, was not at all surprised to hear Cantu had applied to be the school districts next student board member, adding that he thought Cantus ability to connect with his peers, his academic proficiency and how he thinks about how what he does affects the community make him a good candidate. A new law in New York City makes it easier for transgender and non-binary New Yorkers to match their birth certificate to their gender identity without needing a signed affidavit from a healthcare provider. Hours after she was sworn in to Congress, Michigan Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib (in red) used an expletive Thursday in pushing for impeaching President Donald Trump. A Navy SEAL will be arraigned in San Diego on Friday after being charged with alleged violations of military law during his deployment to the Iraqi city of Mosul in 2017. More than the Bible: Various documents, books used to swear in new Congress We have not experienced any similar crimes in Vernon Hills, he said in an email Sunday. Presently I cannot comment on what, if any, similar crimes have occurred elsewhere. Please keep in mind that our investigation is less than two days old. AUSTIN, Minn.-The Hormel Foods Austin has donated $131,559 to the United Way of Mower County. The organization says their goal is to move the region forward by providing basic needs by connecting community members with community resources. Hormel has been very supportive of United Way, said Diane Baker. To continue to fund local programs in the area the organization is hoping to raise over one million dollars to continue funding for programs. Baker tells KIMT that if theyre not able to raise enough funding they have to tighten the belt on some programs they offer. Some programs might not get as much funding as they did, she adds. To donate, Click Here. GOODHUE COUNTY, Minn. A 61-year-old man is rushed to the hospital after his snowmobile goes through the ice Friday. The Goodhue County Sheriffs Office says it happened on Friday afternoon, just after 2 oclock. The man was on Lake Pepin off of Long Point, located near Frontenac State Park in Florence Township. Witnesses reported the mans head and shoulders were still above water, and that he was halfway between the beach and navigation point. Goodhue County deputies and Minnesota DNR Conservation Officers responded to the area with two airboats. Authorities say the man was still holding onto the ice and was semi-conscious when pulled into the airboat. First responders took the man back to Methodist Beach by the airboat, then Lake City Ambulance transported him to a landing zone, before he was air lifted by Mayo One. Goodhue County Sheriffs Office, Minnesota DNR Conservation Officers, Lake City Fire Department, Lake City Ambulance, and Mayo One all assisted at the scene. No word yet on the man's condition. We're learning new details about three officers who fired their weapons during an officer-involved shooting Thursday, in Albert Lea. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension released the following information late Friday evening. These are the officers involved: Lieutenant Darin Palmer discharged his firearm. He has been with the Albert Lea Police Department for 18 years. Officer Jesus Cantu discharged his firearm. He has been with the department for 20 years. Officer Jason Taylor deployed a Taser and a chemical irritant. He has been with the department for 18 years. Officer Taylor received a minor sharp force injury during the incident. Officer Taylor was treated for his injury by Gold Cross Ambulance personnel. In addition, the Ramsey County Medical Examiners Office has identified the man who was fatally shot during the incident. Joseph Alan Roberts, 27, of Albert Lea, died of multiple gunshot wounds. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is investigating the incident at the request of the Albert Lea Police Department. Officers responded to a 911 call of a disturbance involving an individual, now identified as Roberts, at the home at 317 Court Street in Albert Lea. By the time officers arrived, Roberts had fled the home. Officers subsequently pursued Roberts on foot. The pursuit ended in the north-south section of the alley between Court and West College streets. At one point during the encounter with Roberts, Officer Taylor sustained the sharp force injury. He also deployed a chemical irritant and his Taser. Lieutenant Palmer and Officer Cantu discharged their firearms. Roberts was struck and pronounced deceased at the scene. BCA crime scene personnel recovered a knife at the scene where the shooting occurred. The officers were not wearing body cameras. Squad cameras were operating at the time and captured portions of the incident. JUNCTION CITY, Ore. -- Police in Junction City are investigating an early morning car fire and authorities have not ruled out arson. Officials with the Junction City Fire Department said it happened at around 5 a.m. Saturday, on High Pass Road near Praire Road. Nobody was in the car and no firefighters were hurt while battling the blaze. "I woke up to a lady banging on my door," said Josh Ballard who lives nearby. "I had my window open in my bedroom, and I looked out and saw flames." Ballard said his car was parked right next to the one that caught fire and had to move it out of the way before the fire could spread. "I was pretty nervous I didn't know if it would explode or not," Ballard said. "I jumped in and got it going as fast as I could." Officials with the Junction City Fire Department said they believe the fire started in the back seat of the car and said the car was parked for close to seven hours before the blaze sparked up. They said a witness reported seeing another car speeding off right before the fire started. Junction City police say they are looking at all possibilities and the case is under investigation. Binns has a criminal record and has served stints in the Cook County jail, in addition to one term of less than a year in the minimum-security Jacksonville Correctional Center in central Illinois where he served time for a conviction of residential burglary, along with possession or use of a firearm by a felon. He also has had arrests for having had contact with street gang members while a felon, according to court records. Such an internship program could lead to long-term, broader benefits. For example, if interns have positive experiences in western Nebraska, their supervising professors at home might be more likely to come here as visiting scholars to work alongside Panhandle faculty, learning good management and research practices to help their ag sectors at home. This might also open the doors to developing greater trade relationships. The second potential opportunity from the Washington mission is creation of a short course to explain and demonstrate Nebraskas Extension model of education to international academics, agriculture ministries, and others who work with farmers in various countries. When they visited in September, the foreign attaches were interested in how Nebraska Extension effectively helps its clientele, Whittier said, especially Extensions connection to regional stakeholders and its close collaboration with UNL researchers under the same roof. A short course of several days length would allow a deeper dig into the why and how of the extension process in Nebraska. Maharjan and Qiao plan to further develop the idea into a more formal proposal, he said. CHADRON The Upper Niobrara White Natural Resources District (UNWNRD) will partner with Chadron State College (CSC) to hold the 4th Annual Range Day at the Student Center of the CSC Campus on Tuesday, Jan. 15. With another line up of great speakers on several range related topics, anyone interested in protecting or improving their range health is encouraged to attend. The Range Day is a one-day, educational event with speakers on everything from Pine Ridge fire recovery and long-range weather forecasts, to rotational grazing and economics. There will be a free lunch for all those in attendance, provided by the C.F. Coffee Family Foundation and many other local sponsors. UNWNRD was also awarded a Nebraska Environmental Trust Grant to improve this, already successful, event. In addition to the educational opportunities provided by the UNWNRD Range Day, there will also be many local vendors in attendance for networking opportunities as well as door prizes and other giveaways. There is no cost to anyone interested in attending but RSVPs are required for lunch. Please plan to attend the 4rd Annual UNWNRD Range Day on January 15th, 2019 beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the Scottsbluff Room of the CSC Student Center. Please direct any questions to Nevin Price, UNWNRD Resources Coordinator at price@unwnrd.org or call 308-432-6190 to RSVP for the free lunch. For the area, the coldest day of 2018 was the first day of the year. Ravenna had a low of -20 degrees. Loup City, Greeley, and Ord all recorded a low that day of -19 degrees. Aurora reported -18 degrees. The highest rainfall amount during the year in the NWS Hastings coverage area was in Nelson on June 20. It rained 6.10 inches there that day. The most 48-hour snowfall total, which occurred on Jan. 22, was 14.5 inches. That was recorded three miles west-southwest of Genoa. On the same day, Belgrade received 14 inches; St. Paul, 13.8 inches; eight miles north-northwest of Scotia, 13 inches; and Greeley, 12.1 inches. In reviewing 2018 regarding weather, the National Weather Service in Hastings, which covers a 30-county area in south-central Nebraska and north-central Kansas, said 2018 started on a very cold note, just like it did this year. Last years cold, wintry pattern held firm well into April. According to the weather service, temperatures in January started cold but ended milder with overall monthly temperatures averaging 1-3 degrees below normal. February was consistently cold (especially through the first 24 days) and the month as a whole averaged 5-8 degrees below normal across the area. (CNN) U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday he wasn't concerned about Apple's future and again encouraged CEO Tim Cook to move his supply chain to the United States. His comments came after the company warned investors this week that its earnings will be badly weakened by a sales slowdown brought on in part by Trump's trade war with China. Apple's (APPL) announcement rattled investors and global markets. "Apple makes their product in China. I told Tim Cook, who's a friend of mine ... 'Make your products in the United States,'" Trump said. "China is the biggest beneficiary of Apple not us." "My focus is the United States. I want to get those companies to come back," he added. "I want Apple to make their iPhones and all of the great things that they make in the United States." The iPhone is produced through a complex, global supply chain. Moving it out of China would be extremely difficult and highly unlikely. "Man could be on Mars before Apple is producing more of its iPhones in the United States, just from a supply chain cost perspective," Dan Ives, managing director of equity research at Wedbush, told CNN Business. Even if it could be done, costlier American labor and production facilities would seriously jack up the iPhone's cost. Apple buys parts from companies all over the world before shipping them to China, where most iPhones are assembled by Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn. Memory chips come from Japan's Toshiba, sensors from Germany's Bosch and display modules from Samsung in South Korea. And a number of key components also come from American companies. Apple has maintained that the bulk of the research and design for the iPhone and other devices is done in the United States. But Cook has said that the country lacks the skilled labor needed to manufacture those products. The company did not respond Friday to a request for comment from CNN Business. The bombshell Apple dropped about its upcoming earnings report has implications far beyond just the one company. Ives, the Wedbush analyst, said that even though he thinks most of Apple's issues are self-inflicted, "the quicker and the smoother the U.S.-China talks get settled is good not just for Apple, but for the broader stock market." "Apple is a barometer for U.S. tech stocks," Ives said. Kevin Hassett, a top economic adviser to the president, acknowledged Thursday that the trade war is damaging US businesses that have interests in China and "a heck of a lot" of U.S. companies will have the same problem as Apple unless a deal is struck to lift tariffs. He said he thinks the economic repercussions of those downgraded earnings "puts a lot of pressure on China to make a deal." Trump on Friday made the case that the trade standoff has been a boon for the United States because the Treasury Department has collected "tens of billions of dollars worth of tariffs." He also said that China "is not doing well now, and it puts us in a very strong position." Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping reached a tentative trade truce late last year. Talks to try to hammer out a comprehensive deal are schedule for next week. CNN Business' Sherisse Pham contributed to this report. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Trump again says Apple should change how it makes the iPhone." The storms Friday packed an especially powerful punch in Excelsior Springs. Thousands of people were left without power so the fire department stepped in to help with a food drive for residents as many continue to clean up the mess. The teens were both arrested in the first block of West Cermak Road in the South Loop neighborhood the location of the Cermak-Chinatown Red Line stop and have been charged with misdemeanor battery. Given the population of Bethlehem numbering in the hundreds rather than in the thousands and the high infant mortality rate, the number of male babies under two years of age was likely less than 20. But the impact of such an atrocity would have been devastating to the small community. In one of the saddest verses in scripture Matthew quoted the ancient prophet Jeremiah: A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel (matriarch of Israel) weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more. Joseph, Mary and their infant son Jesus escaped Herods butchery and settled as refugees in Egypt. Herod died a couple of years later and the young parents considered returning to Judea, but when they heard that Herod would be followed on the throne by one of his sons, Archelaus, who might be as great a danger to the child as his father had been, they decided to resettle in a village in the north country, Nazareth, out of Archelaus reach. There is no evidence that they ever returned to Bethlehem. The teen is accused of hitting another person with a closed fist and taking the cellphone around 5 a.m. Saturday at the stop in the 400 block of South Damen Avenue. He was arrested on the same block, and has been charged with felony robbery, police said. Ted Boettner (WV Center on Budget and Policy) answering questions from the media the State Budget ahead of the 2019 Legislative session during the WVPAs 2019 Legislative Look Ahead Fri. Jan. 4 at the WV Cultural Center. Haggard said no when responding police officers asked if he had a FOID card or concealed carry license. After being taken to the Harrison District police station where he was fingerprinted and photographed, the person who called police about the incident asked Haggard why he had a gun. Its Chicago why shouldnt you have a gun, a police report said. Petition The petition to remove and replace the Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland Board of Directors which is eligible to all GSMH girl, adult or lifetime members 14 years of age and older can be accessed via the BE FAIR Committee Facebook page, on their Instagram account or at www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0a45a9ad2ea1fd0-petition. Della A. (Kinkade) McGuire, 85, passed away at 12:15 a.m. on Thursday, June 10th, 2021 at the Presbyterian Manor in Parsons, KS, where she had lived for almost three years. On July 28, 1953, Della married Max E. McGuire. He preceded her in death on January 21, 1999. Della is survived by her Ithaca, NY (14850) Today Cloudy with showers. High 67F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Some clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight. Low 49F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Irene Jaehne Mouser beloved mother, grandmother, and friend went home to be with her Lord and Savior at the age of 93, in Huntsville, Tx. on June 9, 2021. Irene met her husband Leroy Mouser while working at the Houston Police Department. In 1947, Leroy and Irene were married, had three sons, It will be located in Paris 13th Arrondissement, about three blocks from the current site, and will have twice as much floor space. The complex is expected to open in 2022. The Department of Foreign Affairs is checking reports that an Irish man has been arrested by Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighting ISIS in eastern Syria. The Kurdish-led SDF has issued a statement claiming it has arrested five men - including one from Ireland, two from America and two from Pakistan. It says the group was seized during an operation targeting Islamic State's last pocket of control in Northern Syria. The Irish passport-holder is a 45-year-old man who previously lived and worked as a security guard in Dublin. He is believed to have left Ireland for the Middle East with his family in 2013. The SDF say the arrests were made on December 30 during an operation targeting Islamic State's last pocket of control in Northern Syria. It said it had broken up a terrorist cell which was preparing to attack civilians who were trying to flee the war zone in masses. The Department of Foreign affairs is checking the reports and the identity of the passport holder, while the Gardai are monitoring developments. In its statement, the SDF said: "The operation Jazeera Storm, carried out with the aim of liberating the last regions under the occupation of ISIS, continues steadily towards clearing the last bastions of the group. "ISIS, which is now cornered in a small area after being cleared from large swathes of territory it once held, is suffering heavy losses due to operations of our forces. "Recently, in order to prevent the advance of our forces, terrorists have attempted to carry out attacks several times. "In this context, a group of terrorists who had been preparing to attack the civilians who were trying to get out of the war zone in masses was detected. "Following long-term technical and physical follow-up, an operation against the cell was carried out by our forces. "As a result of the operation, five terrorists originally from the United States, Ireland and Pakistan were captured." A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a young aspiring model and actress in Co Donegal. Richard Burke appeared at a special sitting of Sligo District Court before Judge John Kilrane. Wearing a grey top and grey tracksuit bottoms, Burke was charged with Murder Contrary to Common Law. The accused, who was represented by solicitor Frank Dorrian, did not speak during the brief appearance. Burke, of 49 Forest Park, Killygordon, was brought to court amidst heavy Garda security from Letterkenny Garda station. Detective Garda Sgt. Michael Galvin told the court that he arrested Burke at 3.15pm at Letterkenny Garda station. When charged the accused replied "I understand everything." Garda Superintendent Colm Nevin applied to have the accused remanded in custody to Harristown Court until next Friday, January 11th and this was granted by Judge John Kilrane. Mother of two Jasmine McMonagle, who was originally from Castlefinn, was found dead at her home at Forest Park in Killygordan at 7.30am on Friday morning last. It followed a siege at the home when Gardai had been refused entry following reports of a domestic disturbance at around 4am. Ms McMonagle, an aspiring actress and model, was pronounced dead at the scene by a local doctor. Burke was arrested at the scene by members of the Garda's Regional Response Unit just before 7.30am. He was taken to Letterkenny Garda station for questioning in relation to the woman's death before he was formally charged yesterday (SAT). Ms McGonagle's two children Sky, aged 7 and Luna, aged 1, are now in the care of their grandparents. Tributes have continued to flow in for Ms McMonagle on social media. The Latest from Barchart Sign up to receive your Watchlist or Portfolio sent to you by email up to 4 times a day; available at market open, mid-day, market close or end-of-day. Premier Members can also receive the results of custom Screeners - alerting to price or trend changes during and after each trading day. Sign up for a risk-free 30-day Barchart Premier trial. We've all been through Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb's baffling claim that internet technology actually existed in the Mahabharata era. Joining this ridiculous Mahabharat theory bandwagon is Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University who said that India possessed the knowledge of stem cell research, test tube fertilisation dating back to the times of Mahabharata and Ramayana. Twitter "We had hundreds of Kauravas from one mother because of stem cell research and test tube baby technology. It happened a few thousand years ago. This was science in this country," G Nageshwar Rao said during the Indian Science Congress. ALSO READ: Tripura CM Biplab Deb Drops Another Genius Theory, Says Ducks Increase Oxygen Levels In Water "...Mahabharat says, 100 eggs were fertilised and put into 100 earthen pots. Are they not test tube babies? Stem cell research in this country was present thousands of years ago," he asked. ALSO READ: From Ganesha's Surgery To Internet In Mahabharat Times, Here Are Most Epic Quotes By Ministers Mr Rao also claimed that Lord Ram used astras and shastras, or weapons, which would chase targets, hit them and return. He said this was proof that the science of guided missiles was present in India even thousands of years ago. #WATCH: GN Rao,Vice-Chancellor Andhra University at Indian Science Congress y'day in Jalandhar:How come Gandhari gave birth to 100 children?Stem cell research was done 1000 yrs ago in this country,we had 100 Kauravas from one mother because of stem cell&test tube-baby technology. pic.twitter.com/C9nlaYwB7p ANI (@ANI) 5 January 2019 Mr Rao said that the demon king Ravana had 24 types of aircraft of varying sizes and capacities for different purposes. Mr Rao also said Ravana had several airports in Lanka. Following these ridiculous claims a voluntray science body slammed Rao saying 'it was distressing that such chauvinistic claims about ancient India were made before the young and impressionable minds,' reports HT. Dont believe this but lets believe lady name Mary can give birth to Jesus without ....you what what I mean Arvind Kejriwal (@SabMileHueHai) 5 January 2019 I wonder how they assume such high offices with little understanding of Science. Acknowledging genuine wisdom of Hindu scriptures is ok, but mixing them with Modern terminologies like Test tube baby and Stem cell Tech without evidence is Anti-Science IMO Dipankar (@viadipankar) 5 January 2019 It is absolutely distressing that these claims were made in the Children Science Congress section of Indian Science Congress (ISC) where the audience was largely comprised of teachers and young students, it said. To quit your regular 9 to 5 job for something that you are passionate about isn't all that easy. But some people make it seem like a cake walk. Take former dentist and now 'Glitter artist' Sara Shakeel from Pakistan. She decided to graduate from cosmetic dentistry to making the most boring picture look extra AF. And boy, is she doing a marvellous job. Shakeel shot to popularity with her #glitterstretchmark campaign which was aimed at promoting body positivity . Stretch them, let me know what you are made of, she captioned the below shot, adding in the inspiring hashtag, #madeofstars. And since then, there has been no stopping her. Take a look at her mind-blowing work below: #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 ALSO READ: All That Glitters May Not Be Gold After All Recipes for a margarita are pretty straightforward: tequila, fresh lime juice and orange-flavored liqueur. How simple. Not really. Choices for this third ingredient drive devotees of tequila's most famous cocktail into endless debate. How much should you pay for orange liqueur? And why? Prices range from $9 for a domestic triple sec to $28 and beyond for premiums with passports, such as Cointreau and Grand Marnier. How critical is their role? Very. It's all about balance and your taste. "The orange-flavored liqueur is used to complement the flavor of tequila," says Tony Abou-Ganim, the Las Vegas-based beverage consultant and author of "The Modern Mixologist" (Surrey Books, $35). Abou-Ganim opts for the premium French-made Cointreau. This 80-proof liqueur delivers a soft, floral taste and orange flavor. It is well-rounded and less harsh than many triple secs, he says. Mike Ryan, of Sable Kitchen & Bar in Chicago, swears by curacao. A stepchild of Valencia oranges, this member of the triple sec family delivers a strong orange flavor without excessive sweetness. Says Ryan: "It lends a richer, rounder mouth-feel. It is less expensive than premiums such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier." His preferred brand is Marie Brizard. Another contender for that elusive ingredient is Grand Marnier. What distinguishes this French-made product from triple sec or Cointreau is its cognac base. It delivers a strong, distinctive taste. Some critics contend it competes, and overpowers, the taste of tequila. But Paul Tanguay, who creates the beverage menu for Double A Lounge in Chicago, uses Grand Marnier for that unique taste and mouth-feel. "You can't replace the viscosity and velvety effect on the tongue of Grand Marnier.'' OK. The choice is yours. But heed some words of wisdom on the making of margaritas. Abou-Ganim advises: "As in baking, measure all ingredients. Use recipes. Each ingredient contributes to the balance." Ryan advises hosts to banish all shortcuts such as mixes, limeade and bottled lime juice. "It's not worth the sharp, heartburning, candy nastiness that's typical of a bad margarita." Margarita primo Using Cointreau and good-quality tequila makes this drink primo, writes Tony Abou-Ganim In "The Modern Mixologist." Pour 2 ounces 100 percent agave silver tequila, 1 ounce Cointreau, 2 ounces fresh lemon sour and 1 ounce fresh lime juice in a mixing glass; shake with ice until blended. Strain into an ice-filled goblet. Garnish with lime wedge. Lemon sour: Mix 2 parts fresh lemon juice with 1 part simple syrup. Mike's margarita From Mike Ryan, head bartender at Sable Kitchen & Bar. 2 ounces Milagro Blanco Tequila 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice 3/4 ounce Marie Brizard Orange Curacao Splash of simple syrup Shake tequila, lime juice and curacao well in cocktail shaker with ice, adding simple syrup to taste, if desired to adjust the sweetness. Strain into a glass, skipping the salt. A lioness in Gujarats Gir Forest has adopted a one-and-half-month old leopard cub who has been separated from his mother. The Gujarat forest officials are claiming this to be a "rare phenomenon". The lioness is looking well after the cub and is also protecting him from other lions who might try to kill him. Along with two of its own cubs, the lioness, spotted in the forests of Gir-West division, is feeding the leopard cub, says a report by PTI. The forest staff spotted the lioness with the leopard cub some six days ago. "It is indeed a rare phenomenon, as lions tend to kill leopards. In this case, it is quite opposite to what we know about big cats. The lioness is taking extra care of a leopard cub. The lioness is even protecting it from lions present in the area," Deputy Conservator of Forest, Gir-West division Dheeraj Mittal told PTI. A black man was arrested and charged with murder in the killing of a seven-year-old black girl in a drive-by shooting that authorities said appeared to be a case of mistaken identity, not a racially motivated attack, as her family feared. Jazmine Barnes family had described the gunman in the December 30 death as a white man driving a red pickup, and believed race played a role in the shooting. But acting on a tip received by a civil rights activist, the sheriffs department zeroed in instead on Eric Black Jr, a 20-year-old black man who admitted he was driving a dark-coloured SUV from which a passenger opened fire, authorities said. Expand Close Eric Black Jr (Harris County Sheriffs Office/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Eric Black Jr (Harris County Sheriffs Office/AP) Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez cautioned that authorities were still investigating, but said: At this point, it does not appear it was related to race. Mr Gonzalez said authorities have identified the second suspect, who is also black, but would not say whether the person was in custody. Chris Sevilla, Jazmines father, said in a brief telephone interview that he was feeling a bit of relief right now after the arrest. Expand Close Christopher Cevilla, father of seven-year-old Jazmine Barnes (Nicole Hensley/Houston Chronicle/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Christopher Cevilla, father of seven-year-old Jazmine Barnes (Nicole Hensley/Houston Chronicle/AP) At a court hearing early on Sunday, prosecutors said a confidential source had contacted the sheriff by email and told him the killers had shot the car by mistake, thinking the vehicle Jazmine was in was someone elses that they had seen earlier in the night. Prosecutors did not say why the killers opened fire. The sheriff said there was a red vehicle nearby at the time of the shooting, but the driver did not appear to have been involved, and Jazmines family apparently mistook the driver for the gunman. Black, who was arrested on Saturday night during a traffic stop, was charged with capital murder and jailed without bail. Expand Close A sketch provided by the Harris County Sheriffs Office in Houston, Texas, shows an artists rendition of the suspect (Harris County Sheriffs Office/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A sketch provided by the Harris County Sheriffs Office in Houston, Texas, shows an artists rendition of the suspect (Harris County Sheriffs Office/AP) Court records did not list a lawyer for him. Prosecutors said the 9mm handgun believed used in the shooting had been recovered from Blacks home. During Sundays hearing, prosecutors said Jazmines mother, LaPorsha Washington, had tried to drive to a hospital after the shooting, but one of her front tyres had been shot out. After the shooting, a composite sketch of a white man in a dark hood was widely circulated. #HCSO homicide investigators have filed a capital murder charge against Eric Black Jr. for the shooting death of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes a full release: https://t.co/upLn3yRRgn #HouNews #JusticeForJazmine pic.twitter.com/shYLmXmobT HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) January 6, 2019 Jazmines family and activists had said the shooting was similar to an unsolved incident in the area in 2017 in which a gunman described as white shot into a vehicle carrying at least two black people. The girls killing prompted an outpouring of support for her family from celebrities and ordinary people across the country. On Saturday, hundreds gathered at a rally near where the shooting happened, holding balloons, stuffed animals and signs that read, Justice For Jazmine. A 100,000 US dollar reward was offered for information leading to an arrest. Houston mayor Sylvester Turner said the support Jazmines family received provided law enforcement with a sense of urgency and made Jazmines loved ones know they werent alone in their time of grief. We share their deep sense of loss and anger, Mr Turner said. A ship tows The Ocean Cleanups first buoyant rubbish-collecting device toward the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco en route to the Pacific Ocean (Lorin Eleni Gill/AP) A rubbish collection device deployed to corral plastic litter floating in the Pacific Ocean between California and Hawaii has broken apart and will be hauled back to dry land for repairs. Boyan Slat, who launched the Pacific Ocean clean-up project, told NBC News last week that the 2,000-foot long floating boom will be towed 800 miles to Hawaii. If it cannot be repaired there, it will be loaded on a barge and returned to its home port of Alameda, California. The boom broke apart under constant wind and waves in the Pacific. Following a recent turn of events, we have decided to return System 001 to shore for repair and upgrades. Read more here: https://t.co/LhYST7yH96 The Ocean Cleanup (@TheOceanCleanup) December 31, 2018 Mr Slat said he was disappointed, but not discouraged and pledged that operations would resume as soon as possible. This is an entirely new category of machine that is out there in extremely challenging conditions, the 24-year-old Dutch inventor said. We always took into account that we might have to take it back and forth a few times. So its really not a significant departure from the original plan. Previously Mr Slat said the boom was moving slower than the plastic, allowing the rubbish to float away. A ship towed the U-shaped barrier in September from San Francisco to the so-called Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an island of rubbish twice the size of Texas. It had been in place since the end of October. The plastic barrier with a tapered 10-foot-deep (three-metre-deep) screen is intended to act like a coastline, trapping some of the 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic that scientists estimate are swirling in the patch while allowing marine life to safely swim beneath it. Mr Slat has said he hopes one day to deploy 60 of the devices to skim plastic debris off the surface of the ocean. The US Marine Corps found Paul Whelan, the man detained by Russia on espionage charges, guilty of attempting to steal more than $10,000 worth of currency from the US government while deployed in Iraq in 2006 and bouncing nearly $6,000 worth of cheques around the same time, according to records seen by The Washington Post. The details of the charges against Whelan from a special court-martial two years later, which resulted in his discharge for bad conduct, add to an increasingly complex picture of the 48-year-old former Marine, whom Russia has accused of spying. His case grew more perplexing last Friday after Ireland became the fourth nation to acknowledge him as a citizen and seek consular access. A person familiar with Whelan's case said he has a total of four passports. "He collected them as a game. There was an ongoing competition with his sister to see who could get the most," the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Since his arrest last week in Moscow, Whelan has rocketed on to the public radar. People who served with Whelan said he was learning Russian and travelled to Moscow and St Petersburg on holiday during the same deployment in which the Marine Corps accused him of attempted theft. Russian authorities have not said what Whelan is accused of doing beyond the relatively broad charge of espionage, which, if he is convicted, could land him between 10 and 20 years behind bars. Whelan served as an administrative chief in the Marines, a job akin to office manager which would have given him access to certain sensitive systems, probably including those the service uses to issue orders and hand out awards. Whelan's possible financial problems could have made him a prime target for Russian intelligence. Intelligence services routinely look for people in financial distress whom they might recruit or blackmail. An active-duty Marine travelling in Russia would have quickly caught the attention of Russian intelligence services, said Dan Hoffman, a former CIA officer who served as the chief of station in Moscow. Hoffman emphasised he had no knowledge of whether Whelan was recruited or approached. He said that from the moment Whelan set foot in Russia, he was probably monitored. The Russians would have known Whelan was coming when he applied for a visa. "The Russians have a saying: 'What makes a person breathe?' " Hoffman said. US officials have speculated the Russians may want to trade Whelan for Maria Butina, a Russian woman and gun rights activist who has pleaded guilty to acting as an agent of Russia in the US. Yesterday Russia's foreign ministry claimed that the US had detained a Russian citizen on the Mariana Islands (a US commonwealth in the Pacific), and transferred him to Florida a day after Whelan's arrest. Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov, added that Russia was not interested in an exchange. Two months ago, just after November's midterm elections, 16 Democrats from the House of Representatives issued a letter calling for a new leader. Nancy Pelosi, they said, was a "historic" figure - the first woman elected as speaker - but they added that the Democrats had won their new majority of more than 35 seats on the "backs of candidates who said they would support new leadership". Last week, the 78-year-old Pelosi was sworn in for the second time as speaker, the only woman to hold the position in the chamber's 230-year history. The story of Pelosi's comeback, following a poll last September that found more than half of Democrats thought it was time for her to quit, underscores not just her tenacity but her skills as a smart, sharp-elbowed political operative. She can probably also thank Donald Trump a little bit. Most of the credit must go to Pelosi. Barely 10 days after those 16 Democrats released their letter calling for her to go, Pelosi won the party's nomination for speaker in a 203-32 vote. During the intervening days, Pelosi and her team had worked furiously to win over her detractors, placating one potential challenger, Marcia Fudge of Ohio, by naming her chair of the reinstated House Administration Subcommittee on Elections. Another signatory to the letter, congressman Brian Higgins of New York, changed course after reaching a deal with Pelosi to prioritise a $1 trillion infrastructure bill. Another, Stephen Lynch, was photographed emerging with Pelosi from her office after a meeting that did enough to win him over. Also important were the voices of several new, progressive members who said they would support a new leader, if it brought genuine change. "All the challenges to Pelosi are coming from her right, in an apparent effort to make the party even more conservative and bent towards corporate interests," Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted as Pelosi fought for her job. "So long as she remains the most progressive candidate for speaker, she can count on my support." The stature of Pelosi only grew after Trump invited her and senator Chuck Schumer into the Oval Office to discuss a potential deal to avoid a government shutdown. With the cameras running, Trump was seen to lose his cool and claim he would be "proud" to trigger a shutdown. Afterwards, Pelosi reportedly told members of her party the president's obsession with a border wall appeared to be linked to his manhood - "if manhood can be associated with him". Last week, Pelosi, dressed in a vibrant pink dress, walked across the floor of the House, lingering to acknowledge the applause and congratulations of those who had voted for her, and putting out of mind for now the 15 members of her party who did not. In the end, she beat Republican Kevin McCarthy 220-192. With Democrats taking control of the House, life is going to become very different for Trump and the Republicans. Her first act was to deliver a warning to Donald Trump that Democrats may seek to impeach him. If Pelosi paused to enjoy the moment, she can be forgiven for doing so. The US has yet to elect a woman as president - but it has elected a woman as speaker. Twice. Independent My brother, Paul Whelan, entered Russia as a tourist and is now locked in a Moscow jail cell, charged with an unsubstantiated crime. The US government must pressure Russia for his immediate release. No American should fear going abroad. Travel should not require risking personal freedom due to a government's capriciousness. For three days in late December, our family didn't know where Paul was. We discovered his imprisonment the way everyone else did: on the internet. Paul was arrested on charges of spying. Paul is a kind and considerate brother, son and uncle, and a generous and loyal friend. He travels as often as he can, both for work and pleasure. He is many things to many people - but he is not a spy. Paul has always been a patriot. He was a Boy Scout and later a Police Explorer at our local sheriff's office. He served two tours in Iraq as a US Marine. Before and after his military service, Paul was in law enforcement. Paul also served as a corporate security specialist for two respected US firms. None of these activities ever involved espionage. Paul has always been committed to protecting others. Since learning of his arrest, we have worked with US State Department representatives in Moscow to obtain any details we could about Paul's condition and the allegations against him. The US ambassador to Russia, Jon Huntsman, and his staff saw Paul last Wednesday and, much to our relief, reported that he was alive and unhurt. We appreciate Huntsman's commitment to maintaining regular contact with Paul during his detention and his assurances that Paul's rights will be respected. Ongoing visits from US Embassy officials are the only way to assure Paul's safety and protect his basic human rights. We were heartened by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's willingness to demand my brother's immediate return. He would not have been in Moscow over the Christmas holidays - away from his parents and beloved dog - but for a request from a fellow retired Marine. Paul's trip to support that friend by celebrating his wedding in Moscow shouldn't be punished by arbitrary actions outside the rule of law. There has been much speculation about why Paul has been victimised by the Russian government. His history has been thoroughly and publicly scoured for clues - some of which came as news to his family. We were surprised to learn that he left the Marines with a bad-conduct discharge. But we all have things in our lives that we may not share if they cast us in a bad light. Other revelations reflected what we already knew: He is a confident, experienced traveller, fond of his Russian friends and the time he has spent in that country. His use of the Russian site VKontakte is no more unusual than Facebook is for Americans. As for his international connections, our family spans continents, and Paul's four passports reflect his birth (Canada), parents (Britain), grandparents (Ireland) and choice (USA). Furthermore, Paul has a risk-aware professional background, spanning law enforcement, military service and corporate security - factors that should make him an unlikely target of the Russian government. Now begins the work to bring Paul back to his family. Our first step has been to help Paul meet his needs as a prisoner of the Russian government. Detainees must pay for toilet paper and basic necessities. Paul couldn't get his glasses back because he didn't know the words in Russian. He now has access to a translator and has a local lawyer to defend him. But our family knows we need the president and Congress to be successful in freeing my brother. We are contacting our representatives in Congress to urge them to use diplomacy, sanctions and other pressures to gain Paul's release - such as a joint resolution demanding his freedom. Congress took similar action in 1986 when the Soviet Union detained American journalist Nicholas Daniloff on false espionage charges. Upon his return, Daniloff said he hoped "this outrageous incident would fade into history". Unfortunately, history is repeating itself. We urge all concerned Americans to contact their senators and House representatives. Let them know that Paul's plight is one you do not want to see repeated for any American. Ask them to help Paul get back to his family. We urge President Donald Trump to intercede on Paul's behalf. US government action will reinforce that Americans travelling abroad should not do so in fear, and ensure other American families are less likely to have their loved ones go missing. We are confident that if the president and Congress intervene decisively as Ronald Reagan and the government did for Daniloff, it will lead to Paul's freedom. David Whelan lives in Canada The Washington Post In May, Trump announced the US was withdrawing from the 2015 deal that restricted Iran's nuclear ambitions, and reimposed sanctions on Iran's banking and energy sectors. Stock photo: AFP/Getty Images Diplomatic tensions between the US and Iran escalated this weekend as Tehran announced it would send its warships close to American waters within months. The Iranian navy said it would deploy vessels in the Atlantic from March as a counter-measure to the presence of US aircraft carriers in the Gulf. An Iranian rear-admiral said they would have a "continuous presence in international waters", which was intended to "wave the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran" and "secure shipping routes". The flotilla will include a destroyer equipped with helicopters, surface-to-surface missiles, anti-aircraft guns and electronic warfare capabilities. It was the latest naval move by the regime, which has also sent ships to the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden to protect its vessels from Somali pirates. Friction with Washington has grown since Donald Trump took office. In May, Trump announced the US was withdrawing from the 2015 deal that restricted Iran's nuclear ambitions, and reimposed sanctions on Iran's banking and energy sectors. In response, Iran threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, a major shipping route for crude oil. The latest threats came a day after Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, warned it not to go ahead with plans to launch several satellites. Telegraph Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] The White House has sent its national security adviser, John Bolton, on a mission to allay Israel's concerns about Donald Trump's decision to withdraw US troops from Syria. The pull-out - which was widely criticised when it was first announced before Christmas - was initially expected to be completed within weeks, but the timetable has slowed as the US president acceded to requests from aides, allies and members of Congress for a more orderly exit. Bolton planned to meet with Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials this weekend before travelling on to Turkey in a bout of shuttle diplomacy. Israeli officials have expressed alarm that a swift withdrawal of the roughly 2,000 troops could enable Iran to expand its influence and presence in Syria, racked by a years-long civil war and the Isil militancy. Trump's move has raised fears about clearing the way for a Turkish assault on Kurdish fighters in Syria who have fought alongside American troops against Isil extremists. Turkey considers the Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, a terrorist group linked to an insurgency within its own borders. A Trump administration official told reporters Bolton intended to discuss the pace of the drawdown, as well as American troop levels in the region. Bolton was expected to explain that some US troops based in Syria to fight Isil will shift to Iraq with the same mission and that some US forces may remain at a military outpost in al-Tanf, southern Syria, to counter Iranian activity in the region. Bolton is also expected to say the US will be "very supportive" of Israeli strikes on Iranian targets in Syria. Bolton warned Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, not to use the US drawdown as a pretext to use chemical weapons against Syrians, saying there is "no change" to the US position that their use is a "red line". America has, both under Barack Obama and Trump, carried out air-strikes in Syria in response to apparent chemical attacks, with the intention of deterring Assad. Trump's announcement about the intended troop withdrawal was greeted by surprise and condemnation from many US and allies, and prompted the resignation of Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and the US special envoy for the anti-Isil coalition in protest. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is following Bolton to the Middle-East this week for an eight-country tour of Arab allies to shore up support for the administration's partners in the region. While in Israel, Bolton planned to encourage officials to take a tougher stance against Chinese electronics manufacturers ZTE and Huawei after the US expressed concerns about potential cyber-penetration by those firms. Bolton then goes to Turkey where he is expected to warn against an offensive targeting the Kurdish fighters in Syria. Associated Press Police outside the address in Farnham, where the murder suspect and a 27-year-old woman were arrested by police at 6am on Saturday following the stabbing of Lee Pomeroy on a train in Surrey Credit: Lizzie Roberts/PA Wire Police outside the address in Farnham, where the murder suspect and a 27-year-old woman were arrested by police at 6am on Saturday following the stabbing of Lee Pomeroy on a train in Surrey Credit: Lizzie Roberts/PA Wire Police outside the address in Farnham, where the murder suspect and a 27-year-old woman were arrested by police at 6am on Saturday following the stabbing of Lee Pomeroy on a train in Surrey Credit: Lizzie Roberts/PA Wire Police outside the address in Farnham, where the murder suspect and a 27-year-old woman were arrested by police at 6am on Saturday following the stabbing of Lee Pomeroy on a train in Surrey Credit: Lizzie Roberts/PA Wire Police outside the address in Farnham, where the murder suspect and a 27-year-old woman were arrested by police at 6am on Saturday following the stabbing of Lee Pomeroy on a train in Surrey Credit: Lizzie Roberts/PA Wire Police outside the address in Farnham, where the murder suspect and a 27-year-old woman were arrested by police at 6am on Saturday following the stabbing of Lee Pomeroy on a train in Surrey Credit: Lizzie Roberts/PA Wire Detectives have been given more time to question a man suspected of murdering "devoted family man" Lee Pomeroy, and a woman accused of assisting an offender. The 35-year-old alleged killer was held after a manhunt led police to a flat in Willbury Road, Farnham, in the early hours of Saturday morning. British Transport Police said on Sunday morning that investigators had been granted another 12 hours to question the man and woman, 27, who remain in custody. Mr Pomperoy had been taking his son, 14, on a trip to London when he was stabbed to death in a "horrific and pointless attack" on Friday afternoon, police said. The father, who would have turned 52 on Sunday, was described by his family as a "an honourable man and would always help somebody who was in trouble". In a statement released by British Transport Police (BTP), Mr Pomeroy's family said: "Lee took his son on a trip to London hoping to spend some quality time with him which was cut short by an horrific and pointless attack. "Lee would have had his birthday today but did not get to see his presents. "He was an honest, bright person, who loved music very much. "He knew history and art and he was a bachelor of science in maths. "He was a devoted family man and did everything for his family. "He was a loving husband and father. He will be deeply missed by all his family." Mr Pomeroy lived in Guildford with his 50-year-old wife Svetlana Pomeroy and their teenage son. The couple both worked for Datronix Systems Limited, an IT consultancy, where Mr Pomeroy is listed as a programmer and director. Mr Pomeroy and his son boarded the 12.58 train service between Guildford and London Waterloo at London Road station on Friday afternoon alongside the suspected killer, described by police as a slim, black man in his 20s or 30s, who was approximately 6ft tall with a beard. The men became locked in a three to four-minute row moving through the carriage and into another before this escalated into an "unprovoked, violent attack", police said. The killer fled the train at Clandon station and headed in the direction of Dedswell Drive while the service continued to Horsley station where police and paramedics attended. At 6am on Saturday a suspect was arrested on suspicion of murder at a flat near Farnham Hospital alongside a 27-year-old woman detained on suspicion of assisting an offender. The woman who was arrested along with the suspect was identified by neighbours as Chelsea Mitchell. Residents said she and her child lived at the flat with the suspect, who one described as "very moody". Neighbour Grant Christy told reporters he witnessed the police breaking into the building, taking a couple into custody and leading a young child from the house. He said: "At six they smashed the door down, woke me up immediately, obviously. "Initially I just heard the banging. Sounded like someone trying to kick the door in, that's what it sounded like to start with. And then I jumped out of bed, put my ear to the door, listened to what was going on. "Then I heard the police shouting, 'put your hands up, turn around', all that sort of thing and then it went quiet. "They led her out first with the kid, barefoot, put her in a police wagon over there, then a few minutes later they pulled him out handcuffed." Police said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the killing. Detectives are continuing to appeal for information and asked anyone who was on the train at the time or who has dash-cam footage of the Clandon area after 1pm on January 4 to get in touch as soon as possible. President Donald Trump speaks on the South Lawn of the White House (Alex Brandon/AP) President Donald Trump has acknowledged that weekend shutdown talks led by his vice president would not break an impasse, as newly empowered House Democrats planned to step up the pressure on Mr Trump and Republican politicians to reopen the government. Heading to Camp David for staff meetings, Mr Trump showed no signs of budging on his demand for 5.6 billion US dollars for a wall along the US-Mexico border. Undercutting the staff-level talks, Mr Trump declared that only he could make a deal with Democratic leaders: In 20 minutes, if they want to. Expand Close Officers with the U.S. Secret Service stand as Marine One, with President Donald Trump aboard, departs (Alex Brandon/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Officers with the U.S. Secret Service stand as Marine One, with President Donald Trump aboard, departs (Alex Brandon/AP) Said Mr Trump: If they dont want to, its going to go on for a long time. With the partial shutdown in its third week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she intends to begin passing individual bills to reopen agencies in the coming days, starting with the Treasury Department to ensure people receive their tax refunds. That effort is designed to squeeze Senate Republicans, some of whom are growing increasingly anxious about the extended shutdown. The seemingly intractable budget showdown marks the first clash for Trump and Democrats, who now control the House. It pits Mr Trumps unpredictable negotiating stylings against a largely united Democratic front, as many Republicans watch nervously from the sidelines and hundreds of thousands of federal workers go without pay. Expand Close Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, Vice President Mike Pence and White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner walk up the steps of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building to a meeting with staff members of House and Senate leadership (Alex Brandon/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, Vice President Mike Pence and White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner walk up the steps of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building to a meeting with staff members of House and Senate leadership (Alex Brandon/AP) After another round of talks led by Vice President Mike Pence with senior congressional aides, Mr Trump tweeted that the session had been productive. But two Democrats familiar with the meeting gave a different take, saying the White House had not provided the budget details they had requested and again declined to re-open government. Mr Trump said earlier in the day that he was hoping for some very serious talks come Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. While insisting he wanted to make a deal, he also declared he would not give an inch in his fight for funding for a border barrier, saying: Theres not going to be any bend right here. Speaking to reporters later in the day, Mr Trump said he had told aides to say that they wanted a steel barrier, rather than the concrete wall he promised during the campaign. Mr Trump said Democrats dont like concrete, so well give them steel. The president has already suggested his definition of the wall is flexible, but Democrats have made clear they see a wall as immoral and ineffective and prefer other types of border security funded at already agreed upon levels. Expand Close A bird stands on top of the border fence between San Diego, California, and Tijuana, as seen from Mexico (Daniel Ochoa de Olza/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A bird stands on top of the border fence between San Diego, California, and Tijuana, as seen from Mexico (Daniel Ochoa de Olza/AP) Among the Republicans expressing concerns was Senator Susan Collins who said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should take up bills from the Democratic-led House. Lets get those reopened while the negotiations continue, Ms Collins said on NBCs Meet The Press. Democrats criticised Mr McConnell for waiting on Mr Trumps support, but Ms Collins said she was sympathetic to Mr McConnells opposition to moving legislation without agreement from the president. Several Republicans pushed the Interior Department to find money to restaff national parks amid growing concerns over upkeep and public safety. And Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer suggested that pressure would only mount amid the shutdown, which he said is disrupting Transportation Security Administration operations, home loans and farmers in his state. Enough with the memes. Just quit hurting innocent people and re-open the government. https://t.co/7cW20gFriH Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 6, 2019 Democrats and now a growing number of Republicans are coming together and saying lets open up the government and debate border security separately, Mr Schumer told reporters in New York. Adding to concerns, federal workers might miss this weeks paycheques. Acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said on NBCs Meet The Press that if the shutdown continues into Tuesday, then payroll will not go out as originally planned on Friday night. MR Trump reaffirmed that he would consider declaring a national emergency to circumvent Congress and spend money as he saw fit. Such a move would seem certain to draw legal challenges. When a Chinese spacecraft last week signalled from the far side of the moon, Bejing media were quick to describe the achievement as "a huge stride" for the nation. The deliberate echo of Neil Armstrong - and the Cold War space race he won - also carried an implicit warning: China under its unabashedly nationalist president Xi Jinping is becoming a global space power and should be treated with more respect. Underpinning last week's achievement is a rapidly growing global network of base stations and satellites that the Pentagon warned this year were part of Chinese military plans to make space "central to modern warfare". "It's part of a more total Chinese effort," said Bob Walker, adviser to Trump's presidential campaign. "This is an indication China has the capability to use the moon for military matters." Since China began its trillion-dollar "one belt, one road" infrastructure network in 2013 it has not confined itself to building roads, railways and ports across the globe - often saddling recipient countries like Pakistan and Sri Lanka with billions of dollars of unsustainable debt. It has simultaneously invested in a space network that spans the globe with China National Space Administration (CNSA) ground stations in Australia, Kiribati, Chile, Sweden, Namibia and Pakistan. Kenya and Venezuela are thought to be among other hosts, but details could not be verified. Among the stations providing telemetry for the Chang'e-4 lunar landing was a Chinese-Argentinian facility near the town of Bajada del Agrio where at least eight Chinese personnel are based. Officially, China's rhetoric on its space exploration programmes is benign, but military planners fret that the rapid development of its BeiDou global positioning system as a rival to the American GPS and EU Galileo systems heralds a new era of competition. At the same time, China is investing in expanding its network of telecommunications satellites with Venezuela, Nigeria and Brazil all announcing joint projects last year. The BeiDou system, which is due to be completed in 2020 with a network of 35 satellites, has both civilian and military applications, and this year Pakistan became the first Chinese ally to get access to BeiDou's military side, according to The New York Times. The move deepens fears China is creating the infrastructure that will underpin a global web of strategic relationships to rival the post-war Western military hegemony. "Space power is about soft power in that it feeds into nationalistic narrative internally and narrative of China's growing power internationally," said Adam Ni, China scholar at Australia's Macquarie University. Dean Cheng, an expert on China's space efforts at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, said China was investing in big-ticket space projects to reflect its arrival as a rival to the US. "When, not if, China puts a man on the moon that's going to have a huge psychological impact," he said. "This has always been an example of US exceptionalism. Once the Chinese are able to do it, it's no longer exceptional." Telegraph It would be good to be able to be reassuring that a no-deal Brexit, with a hard land border on the island of Ireland, will not happen. But you could only really believe that if you had confidence that one of the following alternative scenarios had a realistic chance of being achieved. The first alternative is British Prime Minister Theresa May's deal that she has worked out with the EU, which includes the troublesome "backstop", aimed at ensuring there will not be a hard border between the Republic and Northern Ireland. The House of Commons resumes business tomorrow. We do not know when exactly the prime minister will put this to a parliamentary vote. Supposedly, the debate will start on Wednesday and the vote would then be expected to happen next week. In the vote of confidence on December 11 last, which she lost, there were Tory MPs who voted against her as a message that she should go back to Europe and seek better terms. They felt there was adequate time to do that. Now, the nearer we get to the end of March, the less they will feel that time is still on their side, so she may be tempted to run down the clock, repeating the mantra that her deal is the only way Brexit can happen, and in the meantime allowing her home secretary to whip up public fears about immigration. But May insists she is still hoping to get "legal reassurance" from the rest of the EU that the backstop will not keep the UK permanently in a customs union, while cabinet members such as foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt talk about "when she comes back with those reassurances". But it seems unlikely any of the 27 other EU leaders are in a mood to accommodate her wishes, and certainly not those of the DUP leader, Arlene Foster, who is still demanding "significant changes". As Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said last week: "Clarifications, understandings, guarantees, explanations, cannot go against the spirit, or render inoperable, parts of the withdrawal agreement." If it were otherwise, they would before now have come up with the kind of helpful fudge, advocated some time ago by that seasoned negotiator, Bertie Ahern, rather than send the UK a message to "get your act together". Or, as the Taoiseach put it more politely: "We need to know what the UK parliament wants in terms of guarantees and clarifications." And anyway, would a fudge at this stage worked out between the prime minister and the EU satisfy the majority of British MPs who, in the words of Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU Commission President, last week, "deeply distrust both the EU and Mrs May". The second alternative would see May again holding off on putting her deal to Parliament so that she can continue negotiations beyond March 30. To do this, she would need to get the agreement of every one of the other 27 EU leaders, which is by no means assured. But even if she did get that go-ahead, the extra time seems no more likely to get her what she wants. Of course, she may be hoping that if she can stretch it out long enough, the solidarity of the rest of Europe with this country could weaken. You can see some of this tactic among hard Brexiteers, who try to characterise the backstop as the unreasonableness of the Irish Government, holding the rest of the EU to ransom. And that is a legitimate concern for us, given that practically all our European partners, and indeed ourselves, would view Britain remaining in the European Union as the optimum solution - but, for the moment at least, not at any price. The third alternative would see the British cabinet getting parliament to rescind the triggering of Article 50, thus bringing the whole sorry saga of Brexit to a finish. Legally, parliament has the power to take this step without recourse to the people, but it is unthinkable that they would do so. And the EU would require the decision to stay to be clearly one that is likely to be maintained, and not just a delaying tactic. However, it should be noted that Mrs May has consistently said she does not favour another referendum. The fourth alternative would see Mrs May's deal being put to the vote and defeated, and a probable general election. That allows for the possibility of a Labour government led by Jeremy Corbyn. It is not easy to pin down Mr Corbyn on just what he would do if he came to power. He calls his approach "sequential", but really, it means he wants to keep his options open. First, he wants to see the May deal defeated and Mrs May sent back to Europe "to renegotiate a customs union, form a customs union with the European Union to secure trade". But his real goal is a general election, which he would expect to win. Then, he says, he would probably negotiate a better deal than Mrs May, though how he can realistically have a timeframe for this in mind is not clear, given that Britain would already have left the EU, unless Mrs May had secured a time extension. Unfortunately for Mr Corbyn, who has also declined to commit to another referendum, most people in his party - 72pc in the latest poll of party members - now want a chance to vote again on the issue. So if he did become prime minister and was unable to improve on Mrs May's deal, a second vote would seem inescapable. All the polling on Brexit carried out over the past two-and-a-half years shows a slight movement in favour of reversing Brexit. But it is not sufficient to guarantee that the vote would definitely be in favour of remaining a member of the EU - or, if it was too late for that option, of reapplying for membership. You can see from these four alternatives that nothing is guaranteed. But it is at least obvious that every possible outcome is fraught with danger. All of which means that when March 30 arrives, if Article 50 is still active and the British parliament has still not given its backing to a deal, the UK will simply cease to be a member of EU by default. There will be no deal and no backstop. The Border between the Republic and Northern Ireland will become the external border of the EU. Irish government policy right now is that we would have nothing to do with the Border, but that stance might be hard to maintain if the rest of the EU gives us the job of enforcement, with all the negative consequences that move could have for the now 20-year-old Good Friday Agreement. And the relationship with our biggest trading partner by far will become chaotic, as sterling comes under pressure and new rules and regulations contribute to the confusion of all the unknowns. Any form of Brexit will hit the Irish economy. A no-deal Brexit will hit it hardest - so much so that Agriculture Minister Michael Creed said we would need "mega money" from the EU to cope. The position of the Irish Government has been one of keeping the head down and hoping for the best. This appeared to be based on a belief that a no-deal scenario just would not happen because nobody wants it - not the British, with 90pc of MPs against it, not the rest of the EU leaders. So either the fragmented British parliament will cave in and back the May deal, or else pull the plug on Brexit. But a poll of Conservative Party members last week shows that more than half of them would back a no-deal Brexit, and would, in fact, prefer that outcome to Theresa May's deal. Belatedly, there now seems a recognition that there is a real danger of a no-deal Brexit. Measures are going to be put in place to secure the supply of medicines; on the question of food, the Taoiseach said "nobody will go hungry"; and the Dail and Seanad decks will be cleared in March for 45 separate pieces of legislation to deal with all the "unknowns" out there. In fairness, until we know more, there isn't a lot else that can be done at this stage. It may be the most overused word in politics, but, if anything deserves to be called "historic", the launch of legal abortion services in Ireland undoubtedly qualifies. As of the first day of January, Irish women will now be offered terminations of pregnancy free of charge at home rather than having to travel to another country, and 20 of them called the HSE-funded MyOptions hotline in the first 24 hours of 2019 to speak to counsellors. After decades when pregnant women's choices were constrained by the Constitution, Ireland is now the same as any other European country. Indeed, according to the CEO of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, the UK's largest provider of abortion services, Ireland's law is now even "more progressive" than that of its neighbour. Pro-choice activists have every right to savour this moment after a successful referendum campaign to repeal the Eighth Amendment. How soon, though, before the comedown kicks in? There's always a feeling of anti-climax after momentous change, as those who overturned the status quo realise that winning doesn't magically change reality and there's still plenty wrong with the world. For those whose tireless activism finally ended Ireland's prohibition on reproductive choice, a bigger problem may be that, having fought and defeated the forces of conservatism in the country, they now no longer have those same forces to blame when things go wrong. For decades now, every fault in Irish health has been laid at the door of conservative Catholics who controlled women's sexuality and reproduction. If women were mistreated, it was the bishops' fault. If women were denied services to which they should have been entitled, the hierarchy was to blame. The church was an easy scapegoat for everything that was deemed to be backward, and not only when it came to hospitals. It was always much easier to put the existence of industrial schools or Magdalene laundries down to vindictive nuns and priests than it was to admit that the Irish State had palmed off the duty to look after its most vulnerable citizens on to the church, and that ordinary families enabled the abuse of those they were meant to protect by their own cowardice and complicity. No longer is that the case. Now, when things go wrong, there will be no man in a mitre or nun in a wimple to blame. The religious have been sidelined from public life and replaced by liberal surrogates, who must own the outcomes, whatever they happen to be. That still doesn't seem to have dawned on liberal opinion formers and enforcers in Ireland, who have wallowed so long in the role of a minority silenced and disempowered by a conservative majority that they still struggle to realise that they themselves are now the dominant authority and need to grow up and act accordingly. So much of their identity was bound up in resisting the church that they're floundering to find something else to fill that psychologically necessary function. For the time being, there are still some battles left to fight. That a small number of anti-abortion protesters gathered peacefully outside a GP clinic in Galway last week was treated as if it was a major emergency, with the Together For Yes campaign calling for legislation to be introduced immediately to create exclusion zones around medical facilities which offer abortion services. Predictably enough, Amnesty Ireland soon jumped on that outrage bandwagon. Women accessing legal health services should, of course, be free from harassment, but it would be silly to suggest that this threatens to be anything other than a minor irritant. The main pro-life movement has no plans to mount similar pickets. The same goes for the sanctimonious tut-tutting over the Primate of All Ireland's recent comments, when he said that the new law on abortion "has to be resisted", urging Catholics to "call and work diligently for its limitation, amendment and repeal". Once that might have meant something, but now? The hierarchy has little power to enforce its religious ethos. All it can do is make its case, and it has as much right to do that as any other group of committed campaigners. For those fixating on an imaginary threat from social conservatives, it's not about making sure that abortion can be legally provided, because that's a done deal. Instead it's about maintaining the need for an enemy. The single figure gaggle of protesters in Galway fits the bill - at least for this week. In months to come, new enemies will be needed. Only a few hundred out of 3,500 registered GPs have signed on to offer terminations to women in the first nine weeks of pregnancy, as mandated in the legislation. There is a complex range of reasons why the numbers aren't higher. Wrangles over the cost and a lack of guidelines have put off many GPs from signing up as first-stop providers. Understandable worries about their names being made public have also played a part. But doctors who have conscientious objections to providing abortion services will undoubtedly come under increasing pressure if and when the new regime runs into difficulties. The sniping at them has already begun, as if they should just submit their moral agency to the tyranny of majority opinion. Even Minister for Health Simon Harris, who's been enjoying a honeymoon period on the back of steering the Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy Bill through the Dail on a tight schedule, should not expect the acclaim to continue if there are any hiccups. And there will be. The media will be on the lookout for women who, despite the legislation, are denied abortions for whatever reason and who still have to travel to England to end their pregnancies. Right now, pro-choice anger has an outlet in Northern Ireland, where abortion is still illegal. The struggle to get the law changed north of the border will absorb their energies for a while. At some point, though, all those battles will have been won. Abortions will be freely and legally available to any woman in Ireland who wants one, and passing the buck for every inadequacy in how women are treated will be less feasible. Abortion law in Ireland has passed into the all-powerful hands of progressives rather than conservatives, so whatever happens now, good or bad, will be on those same progressives who campaigned to remove the Eighth Amendment. Not just now, or next week, or in the first few months of the new system, but in perpetuity. What they've lost is the psychological consolation, familiar to whiny teenagers blaming their parents for everything while still living under their roof and at their expense, that comes from being free of personal responsibility. For the first time, conservatives in Ireland are about to discover this comforting pleasure for themselves as the roles are reversed. Now that really will be historic. Europe's common currency, the euro, is 20 years old this month, as is its custodian, the European Central Bank. On January 1, 1999, 11 EU members, including Ireland, abolished their national currencies, effectively an irreversible sacrifice of national sovereignty. They substituted the new common unit, under the aspirational banner of Economic and Monetary Union. Five further adherents had joined by 2007 and things appeared to go well, contradicting the pessimists who had criticised weaknesses in the design of the system. Inflation was low, interest rates had fallen and the initial portents of the great financial crash to follow were only dimly visible. Banking failures in the US and a few European countries through 2008 were insufficient to cause alarm and the new currency's first decade was declared a triumph. The European Commission flagged the happy event in a pre-Christmas message: "On 1 January 2009, the euro will be 10 years old. Like the process of European integration as a whole, Economic and Monetary Union was a simultaneously visionary yet pragmatic project. A major step towards fulfilling the ideal of an 'ever closer union' among the peoples of Europe, it was achieved through close co-ordination and convergence of economic policies within the EU, and careful technical preparations." Speaking at Osnabruck a few weeks later, European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet was even more effusive: 'When we look back over the first 10 years of the euro, then we can do this with satisfaction. The sceptical forecasts before its birth have not materialised. The euro is a historic achievement. Its first 10 years have been a success. This is also seen, noticeably so, from outside our Continent. Europe can be very proud of what it has achieved." The hallelujahs 10 years later have been more restrained. Trichet's remarks were made when the financial crisis was still seen by European decision-makers as essentially an American problem. The existential threat to the common currency was delayed until 2010 when the sceptical warnings materialised, to encounter a floundering response from both the European Commission and the ECB. The ideal of an "ever closer union among the peoples of Europe" had been compromised by the premature common currency experiment, poorly designed and poorly managed by, among others, Jean-Claude Trichet. The Eurosystem was, by conscious design, an incomplete monetary union. There was no centralised coordination of macroeconomic policy, no centralised supervision of banks and no agreed arrangements for dealing with failing financial institutions. The 'doom-loop' between banks and governments was a design feature, not a bug. But the European and American banking systems had been courting financial instability through an unprecedented build-up of leverage and excess credit. Prior to the establishment of the common currency, prescient warnings about its vulnerability had been available - but even in early 2009, with the melt-down already under way, complacency ruled. Trichet, again from his Osnabruck speech, on the apparently flawless performance of the eurozone: "This was only possible because the ECB and the national central banks of the Eurosystem have solid institutional foundations. These foundations are the treaty negotiated in Maastricht in 1991 and the Statute of the European System of Central Banks. "The treaty and the Statute of the ESCB are clear: the primary objective of the Eurosystem is to ensure price stability. The ECB and the national central banks of the Eurosystem are independent so that they can pursue this goal. Neither the ECB, nor the national central banks, nor the members of their decision-making bodies may seek or receive any instructions from anybody. This applies to European as well as national institutions. They, for their part, are obliged to respect the principle of central bank independence." As the crisis intensified, the Olympian complacency of Trichet and his counterparts in EU political decision-making exacted a heavy toll on member-state solidarity. Three European countries, Greece, Ireland and Portugal, ended up in emergency lending programmes, including reliance on the IMF, a body whose services had not been required in western Europe for a generation. It was not until 2012 that decisive monetary policy action was initiated by Trichet's successor at the controls in Frankfurt, Mario Draghi. The ECB's exercise of central bank independence included direct interference in the domestic politics of Greece, Italy and Spain; the closure of the commercial banks in Greece and Cyprus; and the arbitrary imposition of fiscal costs on the Irish Exchequer, forced to pay billions to unguaranteed bondholders in bust banks to whom it owed nothing. Some of these abuses, to be fair, have occurred under Trichet's successor, notably the bullying of Cyprus, solemnly endorsed by a group of 'adults in the room' which included Christine Lagarde, the sainted managing director of the IMF. One of the ignored pessimists who warned about the euro's designer weaknesses was the University of California's Barry Eichengreen. In his recent volume The Populist Temptation, Eichengreen is succinct: "The ECB is the least politically accountable central bank in the world." If central bank independence was a guarantee of financial stability, there would have been no eurozone banking crisis, no troika bailouts and less fuel for the populist backlash across the continent, including Brexit. There have been reforms since the scale of the crisis was finally acknowledged, notably the centralisation of bank supervision, but the eurozone is still not a proper monetary union and further necessary reforms are being resisted (until the next crisis). Ireland has unfinished business with the European Central Bank. It was never clear whether Trichet's interventions in Ireland were within the powers conferred by the statute on the ECB's governing council. As in Cyprus and Greece, the Irish Government which assumed office early in 2011 felt unable to challenge the ECB's actions at the European Court of Justice. Had it done so, the court would have struggled to find in the statute specific authorisation for the selective imposition of uncontracted fiscal costs on an individual member state. Cynics contend that the court would have succeeded in the struggle, but we can never know. Trichet refused to testify at the Oireachtas banking inquiry, appearing instead at a contrived event in Kilmainham where he explained to the assembled deputies that the punishment was for their own good. It is a basic flaw in the asymmetric architecture of the eurozone that the countries most needful of testing the ECB's powers in court can be intimidated out of doing so by the ECB. The ECB's unaccountable power derives from the murky system called emergency liquidity assistance (ELA), where national central banks provide funds to struggling domestic lenders. The ECB can forbid this manoeuvre or can impose conditions. This is how undeserving Anglo bondholders got paid in Ireland, and how solvent commercial banks in Cyprus and Greece were sent on holidays. It is also clear that the ECB pressured both Nama and the Irish banks to dispose of distressed assets too rapidly during the weakest years of the property cycle, at considerable cost to taxpayers. The Irish authorities should campaign for a centralised system of dealing with failing banks, which in turn means a pooled resolution capacity and a system-wide deposit insurance scheme. It should also seek to curtail the ECB's vaunted independence from accountable political oversight. Trinity College Dublin has expressed deep sadness at the loss of one their students who died after falling from a cliff in Co Clare on Friday. The 26-year-old Indian national was killed after he lost his footing while taking photographs at the Cliffs of Moher. The Indian Embassy in Dublin is working to repatriate the victims body back to his home country while staff at TCD are providing support to the victims family, friends and fellow students as well as their own staff. Gardai, who have been working closely with the Indian Embassy as well as staff at TCD since the accident, have confirmed that the victim has been formally identified and his family informed. The mans name has not however been released. A representative of the Indian Embassy is understood to have visited Co Clare yesterday and travelled to the scene of the tragedy. The alarm was raised at around 3.15pm on Friday when a man was seen falling from the cliff. Eye-witnesses are understood to have told Gardai that the man was taking a selfie at the time and lost his footing. The mans body was recovered from the sea by the crew of Rescue 115 and flown to Doolin Coast Guard station. The victim was formally pronounced dead before his remains were removed to University Hospital Limerick for formal identification and post-mortem examination. Gardai interviewed a number of eye-witnesses following tragedy and have confirmed that at this stage, they are treating the death as a tragic accident. A Garda spokesman said: A post-mortem examination has been carried out while we have been working closely with the Indian Embassy and Trinity College. The man has been identified and his family in India has been notified. In a statement today, Trinity College Dublin said: We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of one of our students at the Cliffs of Moher on Friday afternoon. We are doing all we can to provide support to them following the shocking news of the accidental death of their son. We are also reaching out to his fellow students, friends and staff here at Trinity supporting them during this distressing time. We are working closely with the Indian Embassy and An Garda Siochana in doing so. Mother of two: Jasmine McMonagle was found dead after an alleged attack at her home in Killygordon, Co Donegal A young mother-of-two died after suffering suspected knife wounds in a vicious attack at her home in Co Donegal. Aspiring actress Jasmine McMonagle was found dead when elite members of the Garda Regional Response Unit stormed the house in Killygordon in the early hours of yesterday. The 27-year-old had contacted gardai to report a domestic disturbance. Ms McMonagle shared the home with her partner. Gardai received the call at 4.20am but when they arrived at 4.47am they were refused entry to the house. An altercation ensued and it is understood a Garda was attacked. A man was arrested at around 7.30am and taken to Letterkenny garda station, where he can be held for up to 48 hours. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will meet with Irish troops stationed in Mali today to mark the beginning of a week long visit to Africa. The Taoiseach and Minister of State for Defence Paul Kehoe will meet with 20 Irish Defence Force members who are serving in Mali on the EU training mission. The Irish personnel are engaged in training Malian forces in relation to counter explosives and international humanitarian law. The EUTM in Mali, established in 2013, is designed to equip Malian forces to combat extremist threats in the area and restore the territorial integrity of the country. Conflict emerged following a bid to create a separate state in the north of the country by rebel groups in 2012 and it is estimated by the EU some 400,000 people were forced to flee their homes as a result. Mali is also one of the countries in the Saher region which is faced with a myriad of challenges including poverty, migration issues, frequent food and nutrition crises and conflict. Violent extremism is also a major challenge in the region and as such the EU has been working to stabilise the region since 2011. Mr Varadkar will also meet with the Malian president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. Later in the week the Fine Gael leader will travel to Ethiopia where he will visit projects funded by Irish Aid and meet with both the president and the prime minister. He will also visit a UNHCR refugee camp for Eritrean refugees in northern Ethiopia. Irish participation in peace-keeping missions around the world is an essential expression of what Ireland is all about, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told troops serving in Mali. Mr Varadkar met with a number of troops who are deployed to the conflict driven area as part of an EU Training Mission. In all there are 20 Irish personnel serving in Mali where they are working - alongside soldiers from 25 other European countries - to train the Malian army in areas such as urban warfare, counter-IED and humanitarian warfare. It is generally regarded as one of the more challenging missions that Ireland is involved on but the mission is also a central pillar of the EUs work to stabilise Mali which has seen a surge in extremist violence in recent years. Corporal Sean Monaghan, from Meath, who is one of the 20 troops who is currently just over halfway through a rotation there, works in the area of communications. The mission is a unique opportunity for Irish forces also as they get to work alongside soldiers from other countries. Its good to see everybody works together, everybody chips in, Cpl Monaghan said. But the risks are not underestimated by the troops stationed there. The situation is dangerous, you are in a country thats basically in the middle of a civil war so every time you go out were always following the same SOPs that we follow in the Lebannon and other countries - its always the same, he said. Training of local forces is carried out through interpreters in large part. The EUTM in Mali was established in 2013 after conflict emerged following a bid to create a separate state in the north of the country by rebel groups in 2012 and it is estimated by the EU some 400,000 people were forced to flee their homes as a result. Mali is also one of the countries in the Saher region which is faced with a myriad of challenges including poverty, migration issues, frequent food and nutrition crises and conflict. In the first visit to Africa by the Taoiseach in more than a decade Mr Varadkar said Irelands respected role in peace-keeping missions helped also to give Ireland some status and to gain goodwill and a listening ear among other governments. Problems facing Ireland were global problems, he said which means that it is even more important that Ireland plays its part in the world. There are 20 Irish Defence Forces members currently serving as part of the EUTM in Mali which has been in place since 2013 as part of a drive to bring stability to the country. Mr Varadkar is accompanied on the trip by Minister of State with responsibility for Defence, Paul Kehoe. Close to one thousand people marched through Drogheda this afternoon to protest at proposals to change the name of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Photo: Ciara Wilkinson Close to one thousand people marched through Drogheda this afternoon to protest at proposals to change the name of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. The hospital, which is one of the busiest acute hospitals in the country, was bought by the HSE from the Medical Missionaries of Mary in 1997. It is understood that staff were asked which of three other names it should be called: Drogheda University Hospital, Drogheda Regional Hospital or Drogheda General Hospital. Today's march culminated with a letter to the general manager of the hospital being handed into a representative of hospital management. The letter, from the 'Save the Name' committee says that its petition to retain the name has so far been signed by 8,020 people. It wants to meet with hospital management and says there should be consultation with local people before any name change takes place. A number of people marching today said the HSE should instead spend money on additional nurses or other resources for the hospital. Meanwhile Labour Senator Ged Nash, who is from Drogheda, said that the RCSI group which manages the hospital has confirmed that no funds have been allocated to the proposed name-change of the hospital in 2019. He also said that replies to Parliamentary Questions also confirm that no money has been spent so far on the proposal and no final decision has been made. He said,The fact that no money has been spent to date and there is no budget allocation for a name change process in 2019 tells me that this poorly conceived proposal should be ditched. 12 things we learned from the return of Dancing with the Stars Bling it on! That was the message tonight as Irelands most glamorous and glitziest television show, Dancing with the Stars, returned to our screens for its long-awaited third season. And oh, what a start. Things got funky. Things got emotional. One of our hosts worried they might throw up on live television. Yep, it was eventful. Lets take a look at the highlights Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close The first live show of Dancing With The Stars Presenter Jennifer Zamparelli during the First live show of Dancing With The Stars Fred Cooke and Giulia Dotta dancing a Cha Cha to LMFAOs Sexy and I Know It during the First live show of Dancing With The Stars . Photo: Kyran O'Brien Holly Carpenter with Trent Whiddon Denis Bastick with Valeria Milo dancing an American Smooth to Michael Buble Its A Beautiful Day during the First live show of Dancing With The Stars Photo: Kyran O'Brien Darren Kennedy and Karen Byrne dancing a Tango to ZZ Top Sharp Dressed Manduring the First live show of Dancing With The Stars Photo: Kyran O'Brien Eilish OCarroll during the first live show of Dancing With The Stars Denis Bastick with Valeria Milo dancing an American Smooth to Michael Buble Its A Beautiful Day during the First live show of Dancing With The Stars Photo: Kyran O'Brien Peter Stringer and Ksenia Zsikhotska dancing a Salsa to Ricky Martins Come With Me during the First live show of Dancing With The Stars Photo: Kyran O'Brien Johnny Ward and Emily Barker dancing a Jive to Leif Garretts Johnny B Goode during the First live show of Dancing With The Stars Photo: Kyran O'Brien Judges Brian Redmond Lorraine Barry and Julian Benson during the first live show of Dancing With The Stars / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The first live show of Dancing With The Stars The new host got a bit of stick And Nicky was straight in with the jokes for poor Jennifer Zamparelli who, by the way, admitted she felt so nervous on her first night, she was genuinely concerned that she might puke on the dance floor (no, really). But throwing up on the telly was the least of Jennifers worries. Indeed, the shnazzy Westlifer beside her was ready with the gags. Look what I got from Santa Claus, chuckled Mr Byrne (resplendent in a fitted red blazer and Jedward quiff). Shiny; new; perfect timing - I was talking about my new watch. Oh! Youd be doing well to visit the emergency room with that burn, Jennifer Julian Benson wore the Glitterball How else do you explain Judge Julians fabulous sci-fi get-up this week? Heck, it was so shiny, and so blingin, we had to apply sun cream and shades from our living room. You can call him RoboJulian. Expand Close Returning Champion Jake Carter and Karen Byrne dancing a contemporary to Harry Styles Sign Of The Times during the first live show of Dancing With The Stars . / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Returning Champion Jake Carter and Karen Byrne dancing a contemporary to Harry Styles Sign Of The Times during the first live show of Dancing With The Stars . Brian v Nicky is very, very real We were barely five minutes in when Nicky, the rascal, decided to poke fun at his favourite judge, Mr Brian Redmond. Brian, youre used to winning, but we wont mention Irelands Fittest Family, he scoffed (jaypers, Nicky). And then what about Brians response? Remember the Eurovision, what was the name of that song? he laughed. OMG. Nicky, head to the ER with Jennifer Darren and Karen could go all the way Listen, Darren Kennedy is only getting started. Sure, his tango with Karen was a bit creaky a bit stiff, even. But hes got the current DWTS champion by his side. He looks the part (obviously). His topline is exquisite (were learning from Brian, lads). Give him a couple of weeks and things could start to get magical. Plus, theyve got the likeability factor. Darren and Karen for the win. Former GAA player, Denis Bastick, has no dancing experience Other than winning the All-Ireland and breaking out the moves in Coppers, that is. His joke, folks. His joke. Expand Close Eilish OCarroll during the first live show of Dancing With The Stars / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Eilish OCarroll during the first live show of Dancing With The Stars Fred Cooke is pronounced Fred Cooke Okay, maybe that line doesnt work in print. What we mean is that Fred Cooke pronounces his named Fred Coo-ooke (try it with a thick Dublin accent). Get it now? No? Okay, listen, if you watched the thing, then youll know what we mean. Its important. Fred Cooke is sexy, and everybody knows it He brought the purple tracksuit (and a towel). He brought the Michael Jackson moves. He had the perfect song (LMFAOs Sexy and I Know It). He has an understanding partner in the brilliant Giulia. And, Mr Fred Cooke is the only celeb that genuinely looks as though he is having the time of his life on that floor. Judge Brian who can feck off with his three points - reckoned poor Fred looked like a French farmer at harvest time. Freds performance was a bit too stompy, apparently BUT, he does have a natural rhythm, and that has to count for something! Judge Loraine wanted more cha, cha, cha. I just want more Fred Cooke in my life. The ladies showed us what theyre made of But it was only a teaser. Basically, it was blokes only in the first episode, but the female celebrities will have the floor to themselves next week. They did, however, get together for a big group performance. How was it? Um, it started off grand (the jewel heist theme was pretty clever). We, er, had better leave it there. Its only the first week. We dont want to be mean. Not yet. Johnny Ward is on fire Our acting man from Fair City and Love/Hate knocked it out of the park on his first week and, he delivered his jive to the strains of Johnny B Goode. Jennifer asked a breathless Johnny (who looked like he might drop dead after that energetic display), how he felt. Im wrecked, he responded. But whaddaya know? He only went and walked away with a high score of 22. Go, Johnny, go, go, go - go sit down. Peter The Incredible Hulk Stringer won over Julian Peter Stringer, you certainly pulled my strings tonight! Oo-er, Julian. But my goodness, the muscles on that man. Did he just lift his dance partner, Ksenia, with one arm? He did, didnt he? Jaysus. Its not the same without Marty Its not, though. And, its Nicky and Jennifers fault for reminding us. Right at the opening, Marty Morrissey was pictured trying to get into the DWTS building (it was all part of a skit bear with me here). Nicky Byrne played the bouncer. Bernard OShea tried to get in, too. But they werent on the list. Even with Marty wearing his technicolour dream cloak (with the words Marty Godfather of Dance emblazoned on the back), Marty was left in the cold, to scrap with Nicky Byrne. Wed pay good money to see that fight. Jake Snake Hips Carter will always be in our hearts Last years celeb champ, the great Jake Carter, returned for a victory lap, reuniting with his former dance partner, Karen. And do you know what? He forgot to button up his shirt again. Still, they were fabulous, so they were. Jake and Karen 4 Life. When Elijah Rowen (25) and Jack McEvoy (24) first laid eyes on each other at the Gaiety School of Acting they were sure the competition had arrived. "He's like the 'you' of the year below us," friends told Elijah, who bristled, feeling "there was definitely only room for one me". Jack felt of Elijah that "he was the competition, no doubt about it". With their chiselled leading-man looks, both were aware that they represented a screen type and it might have been natural if a frisson of competitiveness had lingered, but Jack says that "after an initial stand-off period, we hugged it out" and a firm friendship was born. They became each other's wingman, supporter and sounding board, helping with audition tapes and the sometimes lonely moments of trying to get noticed in a hyper-competitive industry full of bright young things. Their supportive efforts paid off last year when both landed plum starring roles in Vikings, the Emmy-winning blockbuster epic, which has run over six seasons and is filmed mainly at Ashford Studios in Wicklow. Neither had known that the other had auditioned, but when they heard the news, they were thrilled for each other. "I just said to him 'you made it too, man'," says Jack. "It just seemed crazy that we'd gone from these little amateur productions in Dublin to this whole other life." Success came just a little earlier to Jack, who grew up the son of a guard and a nurse, in Gorey, Co Wexford. He was signed by an agent directly out of acting school, and quickly won a role in the BBC production Ripper Street. Elijah, who grew up in Ballinteer in Dublin, took a slightly longer route. He was on the books of Assets models for a while, but felt that a career on the runway might mitigate against being taken seriously as an actor. "I had no representation out of college, and even a year later, I had none. I would make tapes with my brother, who also wants to be an actor. It was really a case of sending of those tapes and trying to get noticed. It took a fair bit of tenacity," he says. Elijah is snowboarding in Austria, but when he returns he and Jack are moving to London, where they will be nearer the hub of agents and casting directors who make the big decisions in their industry. They've also been thrown headlong into a world of celebrity parties. "We don't know who a lot of people from the reality-TV world are, so we don't let any of those people phase us," Jack says. "I'm sure women might find us a little intimidating and I've heard people saying they expect [us] to be arrogant or whatever. But when people talk to us they realise we like messing around, having the laugh. Young Irish guys like to embarrass each other when they're out at night. But we like to raise each other's value." "He's a very selfish wingman," Elijah deadpans when I put these comments to him. "He wants everything for himself." But it seems it is all working out. On the back of Vikings, Elijah has a starring role in Curfew, the forthcoming Sky drama, which also stars Sean Bean and Billy Zane. Later this year, Jack will star in The Rhythm Section alongside Blake Lively and Jude Law. "It's been incredible," says Jack. "For sure it's a moment in our lives, being young, moving to London, getting these roles. It going to be a great year." The next 18 months or so will be an interesting time in US politics, as the Democrats try to find a candidate charismatic (and tough) enough to take on the scatter-gun populism of Donald Trump. The party will be hoping their candidate can create the kind of surge of liberal optimism that carried Barack Obama to the White House in 2009. But the Democrat bigwigs will be well aware that great candidates have emerged before, only to crash and burn in the heat of a presidential campaign, and none more spectacularly than Gary Hart. Young, handsome and blessed with terrific hair, Hart narrowly lost the Democratic Presidential nomination to Walter Mondale in 1984, won it in 1988 and seemed destined to go all the way against a Republican candidate (the late George Bush) few were keen on. Clever, attractive and a good public speaker with a formidable grasp of both domestic and foreign issues, Hart forged ahead in the polls and seemed a shoo-in. But there was one small problem: old Gary couldn't keep his pants on, and when proof emerged of a mid-campaign sexual affair, he was forced to withdraw from the race. Hart's story is well told in Jason Reitman's entertaining new drama The Front Runner, which opens here next week. Hugh Jackman is Gary, Vera Farmiga his sainted wife, in a film that explores the spin and cynicism of election politics and has pleasing echoes of Washington's present travails. It's a good political movie, though maybe not one of the very best. The films below, however, all found compelling ways of dramatising the flaws and strengths of those who govern us. The Great McGinty (1940) Expand Close The Great McGinty / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Great McGinty In the first of his great screwball satires, Preston Sturges took a hilarious cut at the graft inherent in American political life. Irish-American actor Brian Donlevy starred as Dan McGinty, a homeless man hired by a political boss to vote early and often under assumed names, and eventually mounts the greasy pole to become first mayor, then governor. But then he grows a conscience. All the King's Men (1949) Based on the life of Louisiana governor Huey Long, Robert Rossen's classic stars Broderick Crawford as Willie Stark, a charismatic southern politician who starts out with high hopes of fighting corruption and representing the working man. But on his way to the top, he becomes every bit as corrupt as those he criticised. I'm All Right Jack (1959) Expand Close Peter Sellers in I'm All Right Jack / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Peter Sellers in I'm All Right Jack This seminal film from the Boulting brothers portrayed post-war Britain as a morally bankrupt state in which management and organised labour were locked in a race to the ethical bottom. In one of his finest performances, Peter Sellers plays Fred Kite, a communist union official who calls a strike on spurious motives to protect his lazy, coddled workers. Advise and Consent (1962) Criticised by contemporary critics for its depiction of Washington as a place rife with venality, Otto Preminger's film was a little too close to the bone for a 1960s audience. When an ailing US president (Franchot Tone) nominates a like-minded politician called Leffingwell (Henry Fonda) for the post of Secretary of State, dark secrets emerge about the candidate's past. A very grown-up political drama. The Candidate (1972) Robert Redford was the reluctant candidate at the centre of Michael Ritchie's 1970s comedy. When Bill McKay enters the California governor's race as a long-shot Democratic candidate, he does so on condition that he can speak his mind and espouse radical liberal values. But when a series of unforeseen events place him in real contention, the spin-doctors take over. All the President's Men (1976) Expand Close Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman in All the President's Men / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman in All the President's Men Redford again, who did not direct this classic but was most definitely the driving force behind it. It was he who bought the rights to Woodward and Bernstein's 1974 book and made sure Alan J Pakula's film stuck as closely to the real Watergate investigation as possible. Redford is Bob Woodward and Dustin Hoffman is Bernstein, the two junior reporters whose doggedness will change the course of American history. Hidden Agenda (1990) Expand Close Hidden Agenda / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Hidden Agenda Ken Loach's thriller was inspired by the RUC shoot-to-kill controversy and starred Brian Cox and Frances McDormand as investigators who come to Northern Ireland to look into the killing of an American civil rights lawyer and his Republican guide. When they're given a tape proving the murders were state-sponsored, the British establishment tries to smother the investigation. The Last Mitterrand (2005) Expand Close The Last Mitterand / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Last Mitterand Robert Guediguian's film features a brilliant performance from Michel Bouquet as 'Le President', a sick and ageing leader who looks back on his long and eventful life in the company of a journalist who's writing a book on him. Though his name is never mentioned, the president is Francois Mitterrand, whose place in history is threatened by scandals in his past. Frost/Nixon (2008) Expand Close Role of honour: Frank Langella as Richard Nixon in Ron Howard's 'Frost/Nixon' / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Role of honour: Frank Langella as Richard Nixon in Ron Howard's 'Frost/Nixon' In 1977, Richard Nixon agreed to do a series of in-depth TV interviews with David Frost. The former president was keen to rehabilitate his reputation, and thought Frost was a showbiz lightweight who could easily be manipulated. But he got that wrong, as this excellent Ron Howard dramatisation proves. Lincoln (2012) Expand Close Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln Steven Spielberg's superb historical drama is based on Doris Kearns Goodwin's book Team of Rivals and tells the story of how Abraham Lincoln worked behind the scenes to outlaw slavery in America while simultaneously overseeing the endgame of the American Civil War. Daniel Day-Lewis played the great man superbly. The rising cost of buying or renting in Dublin will be one of the main concerns of employers and employees in 2019, a new survey has found. More than half of employers expect to lose staff this year, specifically due to the cost of housing, according to the Abrivia Trinity College Dublin Salary Survey. The study found that 46pc of companies reported the cost of buying a home as a hindrance to their ability to recruit new staff. Abrivia Recruitment managing director Donal O'Brien told the Sunday Independent that workers reported a 9pc increase in their rent over the last 12 months. "The results certainly show that there is a perception among those not in Dublin that there isn't a huge appetite to move there, predominantly because of rental accommodation," he said. "Employees are also less concerned than they were about the salary differential of working in the city and think that there is a better work-life balance to be had away from it." Most respondents were willing to take a pay cut - generally 1pc to 3pc - to move out of Dublin. However, as much as 44.5pc said they would take a pay cut of up to 10pc to get out of the capital. Similar results were found among those living outside of Dublin. More than half said they would need at least a 20pc pay increase to move there, while 19pc said they would refuse to go, regardless of the salary. O'Brien said that the traditional challenges of getting the right staff for the right roles remain. He said that in a market that has nearly returned to full employment, most of the good staff are "already in employment". He also said that Brexit had already had a huge impact on the employment market, citing the move by Barclays to Molesworth Street in Dublin. The study found that 35pc of employees are looking to buy a home this year if they don't already have one. Working renters reported on average a 9pc increase in their monthly costs with some experiencing much higher hikes. Almost 60pc of workers expect to stay put in 2019. Around 69pc of employers added to their overall headcount last year. More than half of employees reported their salary had increased in line with, or better than, expectations last year while three-quarters expect another rise this year. Workers also cited work-life balance as the most important reason to stay in their job, which was followed by interest in their work and pay satisfaction. The #MeToo scandals have prompted intense discussion around the use of non-disclosure agreements in the workplace after harassment investigations. Picture posed by models The #MeToo scandals have prompted intense discussion around the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and whether they might be seen as allowing abusive behaviour to go unchecked. Although many of the issues raised touch on rights protected by the Irish Constitution, such as both parties' rights to privacy, an employer's right to protect its reputation and an employee's right to freedom of expression, the issue has yet to be considered in the courts in Ireland. The high-profile UK case of ABC v Telegraph Media Group Ltd has once again raised the issue, with the Court of Appeal granting a temporary interim injunction preventing the Daily Telegraph from publishing allegations of "discreditable conduct" by a prominent business executive towards five employees who had entered into settlement agreements containing NDAs. The reignited debate resulted in the executive in question being subsequently named under parliamentary privilege, thus thwarting the injunction. In light of the controversy, British Prime Minister Theresa May has committed to bringing forward measures for consideration and consultation to improve the regulation of NDAs, noting in the House of Commons that "it is clear that some employers are using them unethically". Such considerations have already led to legislative changes in the US. California has introduced legislation which prohibits any provision in a settlement agreement that prevents the disclosure of factual information in relation to a complaint filed in a civil or administrative action relating to sexual assault or sexual harassment. New York has prohibited the inclusion of NDAs in the settlement of sexual harassment claims, unless the inclusion of such a provision is the alleged victim's preference. The fallout from the ABC case suggests similar legislation may also be on the horizon in the UK. Indeed, this issue had already been the subject of a report on sexual harassment in the workplace, carried out by the Women and Equalities Committee of the House of Commons in Britain. That report noted that NDAs were being used "unethically by some employers and also some members of the legal profession to silence victims of sexual harassment" and recommended the introduction of improved controls and regulations. While there have been no relevant Irish cases, and it is yet to be seen whether the Irish legislature will decide to regulate on the issue, the ABC case provides some guidelines for Irish employers in relation to NDAs. In that case, a persuasive factor for the Court of Appeal in granting the injunction and overturning the decision of the High Court, was that each of the employees had received independent legal advice, each had a right to disclose information to regulatory or statutory bodies and there was no evidence that the settlement agreements were reached through bullying, harassment or the placing of undue pressure on the employees in question. The Court of Appeal also recognised the public benefit to enforcing contracts which have been freely entered into by the parties in order to settle their disputes. It was of particular importance for the court that the High Court had not considered the important role settlement agreements and NDAs have in settling disputes and avoiding litigation and also the need for the courts to respect contracts that parties have freely agreed. The Women and Equalities Committee report had also acknowledged the value of NDAs in certain circumstances, noting that "there may be times when the victim makes the judgment that signing an NDA is genuinely in their own best interests". What the report was highly critical of, however, was the use of NDAs "to threaten, bully and silence victims" giving rise to the risk that individuals would refrain from reporting serious wrongdoing to the police or would feel compelled not to assist in law enforcement investigations or prosecutions or be unable to speak openly and in the public interest about serious wrongdoing. Employers relying on NDAs should be very aware of the need for careful drafting and negotiation with employees in order to ensure those NDAs are in fact enforceable. Employers should ensure that their employees or former employees obtain independent legal advice and that the circumstances in which the settlement agreement is signed do not give rise to any indication of bullying or duress. The settlement agreement should also include appropriate exclusions allowing the employee to disclose information to the appropriate legal and regulatory authorities. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has ruled out putting a code of practice on the transfer of mortgages, which protects homeowners in the case of their home loan being sold, on a statutory footing. The voluntary code, which requires the written approval of the borrower before any loan sale takes place, was introduced in 1991. It stipulates that an entity seeking to purchase a loan must provide a statement to the borrower outlining the implications of the transfer. It also ensures that the terms of the original mortgage and the way in which they deal with arrears remains the same. When responding to a parliamentary question from Fianna Fail finance spokesman Michael McGrath, Donohoe said that the implementation of the code on a mandatory basis was no longer necessary. The minister said that the enactment of the consumer protection regulation, which came into effect in 2015, ensured that the protections the borrower had before a loan was sold were not lost after the sale. "Credit servicing firms are now regulated entities and are required as a matter of law to comply with the Central Bank codes," Donohoe said. The Dublin Central TD said that the 2015 code ensured that the Central Bank must be informed immediately in the event of an entity transferring part of its activities to another entity. He also said that existing regulation stipulates that at least two months' notice must be provided to consumers that may be affected by any sale. "Therefore, consumers are fully protected and I have no plans to put this code on a statutory basis at present," the minister said. Mortgage sales have become more commonplace in Ireland in recent years, with AIB understood to be preparing a 3.4bn sell-off of troubled loans. In August, Permanent TSB sold its Project Glas loan portfolio to an affiliate of private equity fund Loan Star for around 1.3bn. The deal included the transfer of 10,700 home loans that were deemed to be non-performing. During the course of 2018, Bank of Ireland switched its position on selling non-performing loans. Chief executive Francesca McDonagh specifically ruled out engaging in the practice at the start of the year but after the bank's interim results in June, she admitted it was a possibility. McDonagh stated last year that a change in the regulatory environment meant that the bank could no longer guarantee it wouldn't sell on some of its non-performing loans. Fireworks erupt in London as the UK enters the year when Brexit could become a reality, and face a long-term hangover. Photo: Leon Neal/Getty Images) Crystal ball-gazing is fraught. Having spent more than a decade doing forecasts, I know its pitfalls. I would certainly not like to be in the forecasting business right now because 2019 is one of the hardest years to predict in recent decades. Not since 2012 dawned to an intensifying euro crisis has the outlook been as worrying. Brexit and an increasingly unrestrained narcissist in the White House are two wild cards that simply cannot be predicted. Financial fragilities, trade wars and Italy's precariousness are just some of the other major risk factors. Complicating matters further are gathering signs of slowdown in European and the US economies. From my forecasting days, decelerating growth was hard to deal with. A soft patch in the data can be just that, or it can be the beginning of the end of a period of growth. Nobody can ever be sure which. With all those uncertainties and caveats in mind, here are some thoughts on the economic outlook for Ireland and its main partners as the new year begins. The Irish economy Because of the particular difficulties of forecasting right now, lets start with the worst-case scenario and work back from that. Ireland faces three enormous risks to the economy: a no-deal Brexit; a transatlantic trade war; and the re-eruption of the euro crisis if Italy goes Greek. If all three of these risks were to materialise in 2019, one does not really want to contemplate the consequences. Suffice to say that everything would change. If even one of these risks materialises then there is a strong possibility that it will be enough to halt growth in the Irish economy. As such, the chances of recession in 2019 are high. More positively, the economy is strong and still lean. It has plenty of momentum going into the new year. There have been only a few signs of weakness, such as falls in spending on plant and machinery (excluding purchases of planes for leasing) in the second and third quarters of last year, and consumer confidence being well down on where it was a year ago. But there are far more signs of continued strong growth domestically. If the external risks don't materialise - a very big 'if' - the economy should expand in 2019. The Public Finances The Government has budgeted for yet another deficit this year. Instead of moving into a healthy surplus, which would have provided a cushion in any downturn, efforts to improve the underlying position of the State's finances have been abandoned in recent years. In fact, it is worse than that. If the plans contained in the budgets of two, three and four years ago had been stuck to, the Government would be safely in the black and the ship of State would be much better prepared to navigate the dangerous and uncharted waters which we are entering. With the public finances still profoundly weak, it would not take much of a slowdown to push the deficit over the 3pc of GDP threshold that eurozone countries are not supposed to breach. If we get a no-deal Brexit shock at the end of the current quarter, the deficit could crash through that threshold later in the year. And keep rising. While the eurocrats in Brussels would almost certainly give Ireland leeway - the rules allow for exceptional circumstances - the bond-trading herd would be less forgiving. It cares little about the causes of economic deterioration. Its interest is whether or not it will be repaid. It would look at the State's indebtedness - one of the highest in the world on a per-capita basis - and dump Irish Government debt. Borrowing costs would rise, and with a lot of debt to be rolled over this year and next, this would make the budgetary position even worse. Nobody should be surprised if the Budget in nine months' time is one of austerity. The UK Economy British GDP growth surged in the third quarter of 2018 and job creation continues apace. If Britain goes into a recession owing to Brexit it is, like Ireland, at least starting from a reasonably good position. But, like Ireland, the range of outcomes for the UK economy over the next year is very wide. A no-deal Brexit would almost certainly cause a recession, and probably a deep one at that. But so unprecedented is it for a large and complex economy such as Britain's to cut so many ties with the market it is so integrated into that nobody knows how much disruption it would cause. If, on the other hand, a no-deal exit can be avoided, the British economy could continue to grow at a decent clip. The reduction in uncertainty might even accelerate growth. It would almost certainly cause sterling to appreciate. That would be particularly beneficial for Ireland's tourism sector and the nation's exporters. The Eurozone Economy Having grown in an uninterrupt fashion since 2013, culminating in near-boom conditions in 2017, the European economy began cooling a year ago. By the end of 2018 indicators were beginning to cause concern. More and more data showed the eurozone economy running out of steam. In the weakest countries, such as Italy, many indicators were showing no or negative growth from the third quarter. Economies rarely grow at a steady pace so it is perfectly possible the euro area will perk up again in the coming months. Nor will Brexit be much of an issue, it should be added. For most continental countries, the value of trade with the UK is equivalent to low single digits of their GDP. Even if this trade were to be severely disrupted, the overall economic impact would be small (Ireland, along with the Netherlands, Belgium, Malta and Cyprus are exceptions owing to their unusually close links to the British economy). The US Economy A month ago, this column looked in some detail at the US economy and concluded that it was on course for another year of growth in 2019 despite growing concerns that a recession was on the way. The past four weeks have brought a further downturn in sentiment as new data have shown further signs of slowdown. Talk of an American recession is gathering. Again, economic forecasters never know for sure whether such dips herald a downturn or whether they are mere pauses for breath. Let's hope it's the latter, not least because of the political consequences: if Donald Trump were under attack at home over a failing economy he might be more tempted to find foreign distractions. the founder of a leading not-for-profit housing organisation has secured funding commitments in excess of 50m from Chinese philanthropists to help alleviate Ireland's housing crisis. Businessman David Hall, the founder of iCare Housing, will travel to China next month to meet with the cohort of philanthropists who "want to pledge significant sums of money to help increase Ireland's social housing supply" by allowing iCare to avail of endowments through the State's Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP). In exchange for their endowment investments, the Chinese philanthropists would be entitled to apply for residency in Ireland. The State's so-called 'cash-for-visa' programme, which has attracted more than 500m from overseas investors, has been mired in controversy and is now the subject of a two part review. The IIP, which is dominated by Chinese applicants, grants residency visas to those who invest a minimum of 1m into Government-approved schemes, including bonds, endowments and enterprises. Applicants can also apply to invest via a Reit with a minimum 2m investment, which must be held for at least three years from the date of purchase. Hall said he is seeking clarity from the Department of Justice to clarify whether the Chinese investors can use the endowment arm of the IIP to donate to iCare. The Department of Justice says that in 2017 alone, 33 applications for 14 projects to the value of 33m were approved in respect of social housing projects. "Applications are assessed on the basis of a number of factors including the overall benefit to the State, the profile of the applicant, the commercial viability of the project, and employment outcomes associated with the proposed investment," said a spokesperson. When Noel Boyle took the job of leading Irish nursing home group Carechoice, he had a simple mandate from its new French owners: growth. "We will treble the size of our business by 2023 and will end up with 13 homes approximately and approximately 1,600 beds," he says. Already, the blocks for the ground floor of the group's new home in Swords, Co Dublin - the first part of a 100m investment - are beginning to appear above the builder's hoarding. Full planning permission has also been secured for two more homes around Dublin. In recent years, much of the media coverage of the wider sector has rightly revolved around the mistreatment of residents in a number of homes - something that over the last decade has led to much greater regulation. But what has been less publicised is the fact Ireland is facing into a major shortage of nursing homes for the simple reason that, with improved living standards, people are on average living longer. Ireland's population is still relatively younger than the European average but, says Boyle, the population over 65 has risen by 19pc since 2011 and is forecast to double over the next 20 years. "So, effectively Ireland is at the beginning of a rapid growth in its aged population, particularly in the 75-plus age core which represents the predominant age group in the nursing home sector and that leads then to the issue of demand and supply," says Boyle. "It is generally accepted that in 2023 there will be approximately half a million people in Ireland over the age of 75 and that is double the current number. "So if the current rate of incremental supply continues, there is expected to be a nursing home bed deficit of approximately 10,000 beds by 2036. So these demographics result in a need to increase the capacity of nursing home beds in Ireland by more than 50pc over the next 20 years." Boyle estimates around 13pc of people over 75 will at some stage require long-term residential care. The nursing home market in Ireland is currently worth around 950m. There are around 31,000 long-term residential beds in Ireland, with 75pc of these supplied through the private sector rather than voluntary sector or by the HSE. Carechoice is now one of the top three players in the market and Boyle is hopeful that the company can help to drive a badly needed transformation right across Ireland's still-fragmented nursing home sector. "We'll become the biggest player here before the 100m is fully spent. But we think that the market is still very fragmented, with the top 10 players accounting for less than 20pc overall." But in an industry on which some of the most vulnerable people in society depend for all of their needs, the numbers are just the start of his job. Approximately 45pc of Carechoice residents are highly dependent, with issues that include various levels of dementia. "In parallel with the huge opportunity for growth there are also big changes in terms of quality of care," says Boyle. "The expectations of nursing home residents and their families will also continue to increase - particularly in terms of dignity, independence, quality of life, connectivity with family and with the wider community." Delivering that within a rapidly growing organisation is his key challenge. "As we build scale we need to develop a level of corporatisation as we adapt the Carechoice organisation and its processes to keep pace with that level of growth. So, for example, that means continuously investing in the quality of care, in new care models, in initiatives to bring new management on board and investing in connectivity and clinical technology related to the quality of care that really enhances the lives of our residents." Simple things can make a big difference to the happiness and wellbeing of residents, says Boyle. Many seemingly simple but important decisions need to be made when a new nursing home is being developed. "You're thinking about the layout of the room, the colour scheme, the calmness of the colour scheme, the flooring, the style of bed, the size of the ensuite. All of those are very important to create this sense of home from home. So, for example, should the door to a bedroom look like the front door to someone's house? In some of our homes that is the case." Carechoice has its roots in a group of five nursing homes in Cork and Waterford. It was acquired in 2017 by 1bn French investment fund InfraVia Capital Partners for a reported 70m. The fund had already more than dipped its toe into the Irish market in 2016 with the purchase of Coillte's telecommunications mast company Cignal. In 2018 it followed the purchase of Carechoice with a deal to buy the Mater Private Hospital Group. "When they acquired Carechoice in 2017, it consisted of six long-term residential homes and after only 18 months we have expanded our portfolio by acquiring three new homes." That has seen Carechoice go from six homes, with just over 500 beds, to nine homes with 800 beds. But those homes - a 117-bed facility in Trim, Co Meath, an 89-bed facility in north Dublin and the 124-bed Marlay nursing home in Rathfarnham - are just for starters. The new investment programme will see three new homes built, six of the existing homes extended and likely further acquisitions. Earlier this year, the French fund decided that Boyle - a low-key but experienced executive - was the person to lead the ambitious growth programme. Prior to joining Carechoice, he was chief executive of Campus Oil, a very different type of an operation. "It is a very innovative and proactive business that developed a market-leading position in online home heating oil sales to over 40,000 customers. Prior to that I was the managing director of a well-known leading US multinational involved in security and logistics which saw me travel to many facilities in the US, Argentina, Brazil and throughout Europe." Boyle has not found it difficult to move between seemingly very different sectors. "The competencies are fairly transportable," he says. "I like working in businesses that require turnaround or in businesses that require accelerated growth in fast moving, growing markets and certainly that's what I see in the nursing home sector." Change is certainly a feature in the heretofore very fragmented market. Boyle says there is already a clear trend towards the emergence of national, private long-term residential groups that have significant capital and management resources to help reshape the market. This, he says, can only be a positive thing for the overall health sector and can help to relieve some pressure. "We find that 75pc of our admissions come from acute and long-stay hospital settings. The cost implications of a supply constraint on nursing homes is significant for the overall health system, with unmet demand leading to delayed discharges from high-cost care settings placing significant pressure on public finances." Pricing in the nursing home sector is almost entirely reliant on the Government's often maligned nursing-home-support scheme known as Fair Deal, which represents about 8pc of the total public health spend, and which sees patients charged a certain percentage of the full cost based on their assets. With 95pc of his patients coming through this scheme, Boyle says the HSE scheme is a viable option for elderly people who require high quality care and unfortunately can't continue to live in their own home setting because of the complexity of their needs. "I think the Fair Deal system was brought in at a time when there was structure required in the pricing of nursing homes and the affordability of nursing homes to its residents. So I think like all systems it could be improved, but it has brought a structure to the sector which wasn't there prior to that," he says. "I do think further iterations and improvements are required. It served a purpose and it brought structure to the pricing in the sector and it brought a certain amount of affordability to the sector for residents that required that level of high-quality care. But like all processes and new initiatives it could do with further iterations." The cost implications of the supply constraints on nursing homes are significant, says Boyle. If demand is unmet, then that will lead to delayed discharges from acute settings that are a much higher cost than residential settings. This, says Boyle, has a knock-on effect elsewhere in the health service, for example in already overburdened A&E departments. And yet, despite the changing demographics, the financial support available and the benefits it would provide across the wider healthcare sector, expansion of the nursing home sector still faces constraints. "One of the significant issues facing the industry now is rising construction costs. To build a nursing home today carries an average cost of 160,000 per bed. That's up 18pc since 2015. So that's certainly becoming a barrier to build more capacity to meet the growing demand, for sure. From Carechoice's point of view, we've developed excellent partnerships with our construction partners and also with our professional development partners and this is critical. We have to have that to continue with our ambitious growth plans." Expansion brings other problems too, not least finding the right people to work in the new and expanded homes. Boyle expects to recruit 600 people in 2019 to keep pace with this growth, adding to the 935 staff that Carechoice already has and to allow for relatively high staff turnover in an industry that requires a special type of dedication from staff. But despite the challenges, Boyle remains enthusiastic and excited about the sector in which he has now become a key player. He is also very ambitious about where the 100m investment programme can lead: "We are trying to revolutionise and reshape the sector. Our aim is for Carechoice to become a national leader that other groups in the country will use to benchmark themselves." CURRICULUM VITAE Name: Noel Boyle Age: 51 Position: Chief executive, Carechoice Lives: Churchtown, Co Dublin Education: Summerhill College, Co Sligo UCD, Bcomm, MBA Previous experience: Chief executive, Campus Oil Family: Married to Lorraine. Father to three daughters - Emma, Lily, Ruby Pastimes: Sligo GAA, Connacht and Leinster rugby, walking, reading, running Favourite holiday: Annual family holiday to Nerja, Spain BUSINESS LESSONS What lesson have you learned over your career? Regardless of how experienced you are, always be willing to seek and heed advice. Sometimes being CEO can be a lonely place. If you have problems, its good to be able to seek advice from somebody. What advice would you give to a young, aspiring business person? As much as possible, always hire people who will push and challenge you. What are your aspirations for the year ahead? We have a super team in Carechoice it is a very enjoyable and very fulfilling place to work. If we can help to reshape the sector and revolutionise it, that would be great. Were well on the way. Other people will react and follow and thats how a fragmented sector evolves. Thats how it works. Richard Barrett's Bartra Capital has appealed to An Bord Pleanala against a decision to reject its plans for 105 new units in south Dublin city. The investment vehicle has applied to build a new shared living development on the Ardee Road in Rathmines. Shared living was accounted for in recent changes to apartment guidelines by Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy. It bridges the gap between apartments and student accommodation. Occupants have their own en suite but have to share a communal kitchen and living area. Dublin City Council rejected Bartra's plans as it claimed it constituted an "over-development" of the site. The council also said that the proposed development would exceed height restrictions in the area and that the proposed bedroom units would have provided a "poor standard of residential accommodation". In its appeal, Bartra said that changes to height restrictions introduced by Murphy last month meant that concerns around the height of the development were no longer relevant. The developer also said that it was "strongly of the opinion" that the development provides the "greatest quality to the resident" and that it was 35.4pc larger than minimum standards. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) delayed several major domestic and world crop reports because of the two-week-old partial government shutdown, the agency said this week. New release dates for the monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report and other data originally scheduled for Friday, January 11, will be set once government funding is restored, USDA said. Traders regard the supply and demand report as the gold standard for crop forecasts. Its release often roils Chicago Board of Trade grain and soy futures and sets price direction. Farmers rely on the data when planning for planting and harvesting. This all just adds to uncertainty, said Dan Basse, president of AgResource Co in Chicago. Whether its sales or Chinese demand or anything, we are shooting in the dark. In November, the USDA lowered its 2018 yield estimates for the U.S. corn and soybean crops, and Basse said traders expect further reductions in January. Aside from U.S. forecasts, the report includes USDAs latest fix on everything from corn and soy production in major exporters Brazil and Argentina to projected wheat exports from top suppliers such as Russia, the European Union, Argentina and Australia. Also delayed are a quarterly report on U.S. grain stocks, a final U.S. crop production report for 2018 and USDAs report on winter wheat seedings for harvest in 2019. Everybody needs a god, if you will, and in the grain world, the USDA tends to be that for data and statistics, Basse said. The shutdown was triggered last month by President Donald Trumps demand for $5 billion to fund a U.S.-Mexico border wall. Democrats who now control the House of Representatives have vowed to fund the government through legislation, but Trump has insisted that any plan include money for the wall. Trump and congressional leaders were to meet on Friday to discuss breaking the impasse. About one-quarter of the federal government, including many workers from USDA, are off the job. Farmers already battered by the U.S.-China trade war may also face delays in crucial aid and loan payments from the federal government because of the shutdown. U.S. farmers, already battered by the U.S.-China trade war, are facing increasing anxiety as the partial government shutdown nears the two-week mark, leaving crucial aid and loan payments in limbo. The shutdown has blocked assistance for many farmers, who at this time of year apply for federal loans as they pay bills due from the previous year and begin budgeting for next seasons planting. It is also affecting aid payments promised to allay the effects of the trade war. The timing is particularly bad for U.S. farmers, who are already suffering the fallout from the trade wars raised tariffs and low prices for a top export crop, soybeans, with purchases by China lagging previous years. Its just bad news on top of everything right now, said Brian Duncan, whose family farms corn and soybeans and raises hogs in northwestern Illinois. The partial shutdown was triggered last month by President Donald Trumps demand for $5 billion to fund a U.S.-Mexico border wall. Democrats now controlling the House of Representatives have vowed to fund the government through legislation, but Trump has insisted that any measure to fully reopen the government include wall money. Pressure on Trump and lawmakers to end the partial shutdown is growing from the agricultural sector. Many of the nations 3.2 million farmers and ranchers are Republicans, and have been steadfastly loyal to the president. But some farmers have warned their support for a Trump campaign in 2020 is not guaranteed if the farm economy worsens and trade disputes continue to threaten demand for U.S. crops. About a quarter of the federal government, or 800,000 workers - including some from the U.S. Department of Agriculture - are off the job. The USDAs Farm Service Agency (FSA) managers and supervisors were instructed to cancel all previously arranged loan closings when the shutdown started, according to the agencys shutdown plan posted online. Agency officials could not be reached for comment Thursday. Commodity traders and farmers alike are also growing nervous that the USDA will also push back or possibly cancel a slew of global supply and demand grain reports set for release on Jan. 11. The data is watched by farmers when making their planting plans. U.S. grain farmers have been increasingly turning to the FSA for loan assistance as they struggle with low commodity prices and trade issues in recent years. Banks, too, have relied on the agency to help guarantee the loans they are issuing to farmers particularly for shorter-term farm operational loans. This is the time of year when farmers are talking to their bankers to get operational loans, and the money from the federal government is not coming in, said Ted Seifried, vice president of the Zaner Ag Hedge Group in Chicago, who works with farmers. The government last year also pledged up to $12 billion in aid, much of it in direct payments to soy, pork and dairy farmers, to help offset some of the losses for crops hit by retaliatory Chinese tariffs imposed in response to Washingtons tariffs on Chinese goods. The deadline to apply for the aid is Jan. 15, yet the FSA offices where farmers must submit their applications have been shuttered since Dec. 28. Some farmers had been hoping to plant more corn, in the hopes that China will increase its corn imports for ethanol production. But planting corn can be more expensive than soybeans - a cost many operators cover through loans or aid payments. For Duncan, a wet and snowy harvest season meant he was not able to finish harvesting last years corn until Dec. 31 - making it too late for him to apply for the corn trade aid for now. Between the tariffs and the government shutdown, its adding levels of uncertainty to farming that no one wants, said Duncan, 54. The Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) has said comments from Michael Gove on the threat a "no-deal" Brexit would pose to UK agriculture confirms concerns shared in the sector in Northern Ireland. This week, the UK environment secretary and staunch Eurosceptic told the Oxford Farming Conference there would be "considerable turbulence" for British farmers in the event of a "no-deal" Brexit. He warned that lamb and beef exports could face EU export tariffs of at least 40pc if the UK reverted to World Trade Organisation Rules under such a scenario, in addition to increased border checks. The turbulence which will be generated by our departure without a deal would be considerable," he said. The combination of significant tariffs, where none exist now, friction and checks at the border, where none exist now, and the requirements to re-route or pay more for transport when current arrangements are frictionless, will all add to costs for producers." Mr Gove added the smaller farms would be the worst affected and urged MPs to support Prime Minister Theresa May's deal, as it would guarantee tariff and quota-free access to EU markets. In recent months the UFU, which has more than 11,500 members in the province, has continually warned of the detrimental affect a "no-deal" exit from the EU would have on farming in Northern Ireland. In a statement on Friday, president of the UFU, Ivor Ferguson, welcomed Mr Gove's comments, especially given the environment secretary's Eurosceptic stance. "He clearly now accepts that the opportunities that will bring can only be positive for farming in all parts of the UK if linked to arrangements that allow us to continue trading with the EU-27 on the basis of open borders," said Mr Ferguson. Mr Ferguson said there was an element of realism in Mr Gove's comments that in the short-term farming and the food industry would experience turbulence over Brexit. These are all issues for the debate, but the most immediate threat remains the fallout from a no deal Brexit, if parliament cannot agree a way ahead," he added. "We want certainty, but that will take time. However, we have no doubts that leaving the EU in March without a road map to a trading relationship would be a financial disaster for all farmers in Northern Ireland. Others, however, are more optimistic about a "no-deal" Brexit's affect on Northern Ireland agriculture and business. Sammy Wilson, the DUP's Brexit spokesperson, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that Northern Ireland farmers and businesses should be "totally relaxed" by the prospect of such leaving the EU without a deal. "They should be more worried about this deal because this deal is going to keep them tied to EU regulations, it's going to cut them off from the GB market where we send 60% of our exports and it's going to stop us participating in UK trade deals in the future," he said. With less than two weeks to go until the vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal, the PM and her allies are rallying for support among MPs to ensure the deal passes through parliament successfully. Many however, including the DUP, have said this week they are still on course to block the deal when it comes to the floor of the Commons. Nursing home group Carechoice has kicked off a 100m investment plan that will see it build and acquire new homes across the country. Carechoice has drawn up plans to build three new nursing homes - one of which has already started - as well as building major extensions at six of its existing homes. The 100m plan will also see the rapidly expanding group make further acquisitions that will make it the biggest player in the market, said its chief executive Noel Boyle. "We will treble the size of our business by 2023 and will end up with 13 homes approximately and approximately 1,600 beds," he said in an interview with the Sunday Independent. The expansion plan will help create as many as 600 new jobs this year alone and the investment boost could help Carechoice drive badly needed consolidation within Ireland's fragmented nursing home sector, said Boyle. The new plans have been driven by a growing shortage of nursing home beds in Ireland. The population of over 65s has risen by 19pc since 2011 and is forecast to double over the next 20 years. That will lead to a shortfall of as many as 10,000 nursing home beds by 2036, said Boyle. Carechoice was acquired in 2017 by French investment fund InfraVia Capital Partners - which also owns the Mater Private Hospital Group - for a reported 70m. The new owners have since acquired three more nursing homes in Meath and Dublin to add to the previously mainly Cork and Waterford-based portfolio. "When InfraVia came in we had six homes and a little over 500 beds. Today we have nine homes and 800 beds." The new expansion plan will see the scale of the business treble again over the next four years, said Boyle. "The market dynamics are driving growth and driving investment," he said. "The ever increasing regulations we see as positive in that its critical for us to continue to invest in care and in our residents well being, in our staff. "The anticipated growth over the next 20 years does represent an opportunity. We are investing heavily in the sector both in adding capacity and in the quality of care and innovation." Boyle said that around 95pc of his patients have come through the Government's Fair Deal scheme, an incentive that allows users to pay a certain proportion of their costs based on the value of their assets. The Carechoice chief said that there were improvements that could be made in the scheme. If you are old enough to remember the hit comedy movie of 1980, Caddy Shack, then you will recall that a gopher infestation was threatening a golf course in Nebraska. The somewhat deranged groundskeeper was tasked with getting rid of the pest. His efforts at eradication include shooting, f CALL OF DUTY-FREE: The reintroduction of duty-free on trips to the UK could be worth more than 45m to the Irish economy. Stock picture A hard Brexit would lead to the return of the infamous 'booze cruise' to the UK, with extra passengers expected to board ferries in search of duty-free alcohol, a leading academic has said. It is estimated that the return of duty-free on trips to the UK would be worth more than 45m to the Irish economy, with Dublin Airport saying it would be Brexit's only silver lining. Regional airports and local distilleries would also be expected to benefit heavily from the reintroduction of duty-free for flights to the UK, but retailers fear it could have stark consequences for them. While Brexit is seen as a hugely negative step, airports conceded that the reintroduction of duty-free for passengers leaving Ireland for the UK would be the only positive. "Overall, Brexit is a negative and we view it as a negative for our business but the only positive is the potential return of duty-free for passengers travelling to Britain," a Dublin Airport Authority spokesperson told the Sunday Independent. As Britain edges toward crashing out of the EU in March without a deal it is more likely that duty-free will return for journeys between the UK and Europe. This would be on a temporary basis if a deal is reached after March. However, many within the duty-free industry expect it to become a permanent fixture after Brexit is completed in 2021 if a deal is reached. Dublin City University associate professor of economics Anthony Foley said the return of duty-free would be an opportunity for shoppers to take advantage of cheaper prices on alcohol, cigarettes and cosmetics. "Previously, when we had duty-free we used to see these ferry trips that would go across to Holyhead and fill up with booze. That will be a likely avenue," he said. "If Britain does allow duty-free then you would expect a significant increase in purchases because of the high excise and VAT rates on alcohol and cigarettes. With a hard Brexit, you have the likelihood that duty-free will be available as it is with non-EU destinations at present." Most airport retail units already implement a dual pricing structure on duty- free products for passengers travelling to the US, Iceland and the Canary Islands so it is thought they will be able implement concessions for travellers to Britain immediately after Brexit. Mr Foley, in an impact study for the Irish Duty-Free Alliance, said this would create at least 450 new jobs and showcase domestic products. However, retailers are concerned about the impact that the return of duty-free will have on them. "It does have the possibility of distorting the market. With that comes a challenge because it would be cheaper for people to shop in a duty- free environment rather than traditional high street stores," said Retail Ireland director Thomas Burke. The futures of millions of children living in countries affected by armed conflict are at risk, as warring parties continue to commit grave violations against children, and world leaders fail to hold perpetrators accountable Unicef says. Children living in conflict zones around the world have continued to suffer through extreme levels of violence over the past 12 months, and the world has continued to fail them, says Manuel Fontaine, Unicef director of emergency programmes. For too long, parties to conflict have been committing atrocities with near-total impunity, and it is only getting worse. Much more can and must be done to protect and assist children. Children living in countries at war have come under direct attack, have been used as human shields, killed, maimed or recruited to fight. Rape, forced marriage and abduction have become standard tactics in conflicts from Syria to Yemen, and from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to Nigeria, South Sudan and Myanmar. Over the course of 2018: - In Afghanistan, violence and bloodshed remain a daily occurrence, with some 5,000 children killed or maimed within the first three-quarters of 2018, equal to all of 2017, and children making up 89 per cent of civilian casualties from explosive remnants of war. Recommended Unicef photographer captures men bonding with their newborns - Cameroon has seen an escalation of the conflict in the northwest and southwest regions of the country, with schools, students and teachers often coming under attack. In November, more than 80 people, including many children, were abducted from a school in Nkwen, in the northwest of the country and released a few days later. To date, 93 villages have allegedly been partially or totally burned due to conflict in the areas, with many children experiencing extreme levels of violence. - In the Central African Republic, a dramatic resurgence in fighting has enveloped much of the country, with two out of three children in need of humanitarian assistance. - In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, interethnic violence and clashes between security forces and armed groups/militia in the Kasai region and in the eastern provinces of Tanganyika, South Kivu, Nord Kivu and Ituri have had a devastating impact on children. The response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak has been seriously hindered by violence and instability in eastern DRC. In addition, an estimated 4.2 million children are at risk of severe acute malnutrition. The situation is compounded by violations of childrens rights, including forced recruitment by armed groups and sexual abuse. Pierres mother died after he was born three years ago; he now lives with his father in the Central African Republic (Unicef/Le Du) - In Iraq, even as fighting has largely subsided, four children were killed in November in the north of the country when the truck they were travelling to school in came under attack. Children and families returning to their homes in areas previously impacted by heavy violence continue to be exposed to the danger of unexploded ordnance. Thousands of families remain displaced and now face the additional threats of freezing winter temperatures and flash floods. - In the Chad Basin, ongoing conflict, displacement and attacks on schools, teachers and other education facilities have put the education of 3.5 million children at risk. Today in northeast Nigeria, the lake region of Chad, extreme north of Cameroon and Diffa region of Niger, at least 1,041 schools are closed or non-functional due to violence, fear of attacks, or unrest, affecting nearly 445,000 children. - A recent surge in violence in the border region between Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger has left 1,478 schools closed. - In Myanmar, the UN continues to receive reports of ongoing violations of the rights of Rohingya remaining in northern Rakhine State, which include allegations of killings, disappearances and arbitrary arrests. There are also widespread restrictions on the rights to freedom of movement and barriers to access health and education including in central Rakhine State. Ensuring children have access to quality education and other essential services will avert a lost generation of Rohingya children; otherwise they will lack the skills they need to contribute to society. - In northeast Nigeria, armed groups, including Boko Haram factions, continue to target girls, who are raped, forced to become wives of fighters or used as human bombs. In February, the group abducted 110 girls and one boy from a technical college in Dapchi, Yobe State. While most of the children have since been released, five girls died and one is still being held captive as a slave. Nawai, 15, during a ceremony to release children from armed groups in Yambio, South Sudan (Unicef/Rich) - In Palestine, over 50 children were killed and hundreds more injured this year, many while demonstrating against deteriorating living conditions in Gaza. Children in Palestine and Israel have been exposed to fear, trauma and injuries. - In South Sudan, relentless conflict and insecurity throughout the annual lean season pushed 6.1 million people into extreme hunger. Even with the advent of the rainy season, more than 43 per cent of the population remain food insecure. While the promise of a revitalised peace agreement offers a glimmer of hope for children, reports of extreme violence against women and children continue, most recently in Bentiu, where more than 150 women and girls reported suffering horrific sexual assault. - In Somalia, more than 1,800 children were recruited by parties to the conflict in the first nine months of the year, with 1,278 children abducted. UNICEF's research on water predicts one in four children will not have access to clean water by 2040 - In Syria, between January and September, the UN verified the killing of 870 children the highest number ever in the first nine months of any year since the start of the conflict in 2011. Attacks continued throughout the year, including the killing of 30 children in the eastern village of Al Shafa in November. - In eastern Ukraine, more than four years of conflict have taken a devastating toll on the education system, destroying and damaging hundreds of schools and forcing 700,000 children to learn in fragile environments, amid volatile fighting and the dangers posed by unexploded weapons of war. The situation is particularly severe for 400,000 children who live within 20km of the contact line, which divides the government and non-government-controlled areas and where shelling and extreme levels of mine contamination pose a lethal threat. - and in Yemen, the UN has verified 1,427 children killed or maimed in attacks, including an unconscionable attack on a school bus in Saada. Schools and hospitals have come under frequent attack or been used for military purposes, denying children access to their right to education and healthcare. This is further fuelling a crisis in a country where every 10 minutes, a child dies due to preventable diseases, and 400,000 children suffer from severe acute malnutrition. A doctor measures the arm of Yemeni Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal, 12, who is suffering from malnutrition (Unicef/ Huwais) 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the landmark Convention on the Rights of the Child and the 70th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, yet today, more countries are embroiled in internal or international conflict than at any other time in the past three decades. Children living through conflict are among the least likely to be guaranteed their rights. Attacks on children must end, Fontaine says. Unicef calls on all warring parties to abide by their obligations under international law to immediately end violations against children and the targeting of civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and water infrastructure. Unicef also calls on states with influence over parties to conflict to use that influence to protect children. Much more needs to be done to prevent wars, and to end the many disastrous armed conflicts devastating childrens lives. Yet even as wars continue, we must never accept attacks against children. We must hold warring parties to their obligation to protect children. Otherwise, it is children, their families and their communities who will continue to suffer the devastating consequences, for now, and for years to come, Fontaine says. Across all these countries, Unicef works with partners to provide the most vulnerable children with health, nutrition, education and child protection services. For example, in October, Unicef helped to secure the release of 833 children recruited into armed forces in northeast Nigeria, and are working these children to reintegrate them into their communities. Since conflict broke out in South Sudan five years ago, Unicef has reunited almost 6,000 unaccompanied and separated children with their families. In Bangladesh, in 2018, Unicef reached thousands of Rohingya refugee children with mental health and psychosocial support. In Iraq, Unicef is working with partners to provide specialised services to women and children affected by gender-based violence. A former North Korean diplomat has urged Pyongyang's ambassador to Italy to defect to South Korea, following a report that he was seeking asylum in the United States. Jo Song Gil disappeared with his wife after leaving the embassy without notice in early November, South Korean lawmakers said on Thursday. Unconfirmed reports suggested that Pyongyang's top diplomat in Italy had sought asylum from an unidentified Western country. Mr Jo, 48, has been acting ambassador in Rome since October 2017 after Italy expelled then-ambassador Mun Jong-nam in protest over a North Korean nuclear test. Thae Yong-ho, who abandoned his own post in 2016 before defecting to South Korea with his wife and children, said he went to the same university and previously worked with Mr Jo. Since defecting he has become a public speaker and regularly delivers speeches in Seoul about the reality of his impoverished but nuclear-armed former homeland. In an open letter posted to his website, he addressed the rumours and encouraged him to follow in his footsteps. From the day reports that your family disappeared in Italy came out, when my family wakes up in the morning, we go to the internet and look for news of your family. 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 When you come to South Korea, you do not have to worry about personal safety. To protect me, several security guards stick closely and guard me every day, Thae wrote. The country also provides rental housing and resettlement funds until you safely settle down. He went on to describe diplomats like him coming to the South as a duty, not a choice, adding it was the answer for those committed to unification. If you come to South Korea, the day when our suffering colleagues and North Korean citizens are liberated from the fetters would be moved forward, Thae said in the letter released on his website. If you come to Seoul, even more of our colleagues would follow suit, and the unification would be accomplished by itself. A spokesman for South Korean President Moon Jae-in told CNN his office had no information about the case. An al-Qaeda militant who helped orchestrate the deadly bombing of the USS Cole has been killed in an airstrike, Donald Trump has said. The president tweeted on Sunday to announce the death of Jamal Ahmad Mohammad al-Badawi, who was convicted of organising the attack on the US ship that killed 17 people in 2000. Our GREAT MILITARY has delivered justice for the heroes lost and wounded in the cowardly attack on the USS Cole, Mr Trump wrote. We have just killed the leader of that attack, Jamal al-Badawi. Our work against al Qaeda continues. We will never stop in our fight against Radical Islamic Terrorism! US military officials had previously announced a precision strike targeting al-Badawi had been carried out in Yemen on Tuesday. However, intelligence officers had initially been unable to confirm the militant had been killed in the attack. Suicide bombers rammed the USS Cole with boats laden with explosives in the Yemeni port of Aden in October 2000, killing 17 people and wounding 39 others in what was the deadliest attack on a US naval vessel for more than a decade. It is now viewed as one of a series of incidents, including the 1998 bombings of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, in which al-Qaeda began to flex its muscles in the lead-up to 9/11. Jamal al-Badawi was blamed for the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole (Getty) Al-Badawi was convicted of being involved in the plot and sentenced to death, but escaped from Yemeni prisons twice and was eventually placed on the FBIs list of most wanted terrorists, with a $5m (4m) reward offered for information leading to his arrest. Despite Mr Trumps declaration the US had killed the leader of the USS Cole attack, several individuals have over time been considered the ringleader of the group that carried out the bombing. US officials have previously described Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, a Saudi national currently being held at the notorious Guantanamo Bay detention camp, and Abu Ali al-Harithi, a militant killed a 2002 drone strike in Yemen, as the mastermind of the attack. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Tawfiq bin Attash, another Guantanamo Bay detainee, has also been described by media outlets as the terror cells leader. US security sources told CNN the strike that killed al-Badawi had taken place in Yemens Marib Governorate. It is thought the militant had been driving in a vehicle alone when he was targeted and the attack did not cause any collateral damage. Spains maritime rescue service has rescued 549 migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean in small boats over two days. Officials said rescue craft had intercepted six small smuggling boats carrying a total of 350 migrants on Saturday in waters east of the Strait of Gibraltar. On Sunday another 199 migrants were pulled from five different boats, including two tiny inflatable dinghies meant for small bodies of water or near the beach. One of the dinghies was carrying four children, while the other was packed with 10 adults. The EUs border agency Frontex said 57,000 migrants reached Spain last year, double the figure for 2017. The rise is partially due to the fact Italy, Malta and several other EU nations have been refusing to allow aid boats full of rescued migrants to dock at their ports. Overall, however, unauthorised border crossings into Europe hit a five-year low in 2018. Frontex released figures on Friday showing an estimated 150,000 people entered the EU through irregular crossings in 2018. Despite the spike in the numbers reaching Spain, the EU-wide total was a 25 per cent drop on 2017, and was 92 per cent below the peak recorded during the crisis of 2015. A 2016 EU deal with Turkey under which migrants arriving in Greece would be sent back to Turkey if they did not apply for asylum or their claim was rejected has curbed numbers. 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 New border fences erected in 10 Balkan countries has also had an impact, as has a deal signed between Rome and Tripoli, under which Italy pledged money, training and equipment to help Libyan officials manage its borders. In the UK, Home Secretary Sajid Javid declared migrant crossings a major incident following the discovery of a few dozen people attempting to cross the English Channel from France over the Christmas period. Mr Javid said he and the French interior minister had agreed on the need to ramp up co-operation between the two countries. Additional reporting by Associated Press Malaysias king Muhammad V has abdicated, becoming the first ruling monarch to resign from the throne in the countrys history. The 49-year-old stepped down on Sunday after weeks of mounting speculation that he was to leave the throne. It followed his decision to take a two month break beginning in November in which he is rumoured to have married a 25-year-old Russian model, Oksana Voevodina, in Moscow. No official reason for his abdication was given. But in a statement from the National Palace, in Kuala Lumpur, it was made clear his resignation took immediate effect. His majesty has prepared to return to Kelantan Darul Naim to be with the state government and especially the people of Kelantan to safeguard and develop Kelantan for the betterment of the public, it said. During his tenure... his majesty worked to fulfil his responsibilities and the trust placed in him as the head of state, serving as the pillar of stability, the source of justice and as an umbrella of the solidarity and unity of the people, it added. His majesty hopes that all Malaysians will continue to stay united. There was no official announcement from Sultan Muhammad V himself. Malaysia has a unique monarchy system where a king the Agong rules for just five years. The nine hereditary sultans of the countrys royal Malay houses elect this Agong among themselves usually on a rotational basis. But Sultan Muhammads resignation comes just two years after he came to the throne in December 2016, and three years before his reign was due to conclude. No previous monarch has ever left the throne mid-term. 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 It is unclear who will succeed him but during his absence in November and December, Peraks Sultan Nazrin Shah was named as the acting king. At least 30 people have been killed after a landslide destroyed an illegal gold mine in in Afghanistans northern Badakhshan province. Sanaullah Rohani, a provincial police spokesman, said a further seven people were injured while working in a tunnel in Kohistan district on Sunday. Officials said the victims were villagers who were mining for gold in the makeshift tunnel when a landslide and flash flood engulfed a nearby riverbed. Poor villagers during winters try to compensate their earnings by pursuing illegal mining, Nek Mohammad Nazari, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said. They dig tunnels to enter the mines. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty He added that casualty numbers could rise as about 50 miners were present in the tunnel when it caved in. Two rescue teams were deployed to help the injured amid heavy snowfall. The police department initially said 20 people had been injured but later revised the figure to seven. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Landslides are frequent in the northern mountainous provinces of Afghanistan. Last year the Afghan government signed two contracts for the exploration of copper and gold deposits in the northern provinces, in an attempt to prevent illegal mining and reduce its dependence on foreign aid by mining its own natural resources. Additional reporting by agencies Democratic congressional staffers met with Vice President Mike Pence and several senior Trump administration officials on Saturday in a renewed attempt to bring the two-week government shutdown over the presidents demands for a border wall to an end. Shortly after the meeting, Mr Trump tweeted: Not much headway made today. Democrats agreed there had been little movement, saying the White House did not budge on the demand for $5.6bn and would not consider re-opening the government. The White House maintained the vice president and his team had been clear they needed funding for the wall and the Trump administration is eager to resolve the shutdown as soon as possible. Jared Kushner, Mr Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser, homeland security secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, and acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney were among the senior administration figures who attended the White House meeting. However, in the hours after the meeting, accusations about who is responsible for the shutdown began flying. Mr Mulvaney, in an interview with CNNs State of the Union show accused Democrats of being there to stall. Democrats familiar with the meeting said the White House position was untenable. With talks at a standstill, House speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that House Democrats plan to start approving individual bills to reopen shuttered departments, starting with the Treasury, to ensure Americans receive their tax returns. While President Trump threatens to keep the government shut down for years, Democrats are taking immediate further action to reopen government, so that we can meet the needs of the American people, protect our borders and respect our workers, Ms Pelosi said. President Trump enacted the partial government shutdown after failing to obtain his $5.6bn funding request to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border. Democrats who are now in control of the House of Representatives passed a bill earlier this week to fund and reopen the government without providing any additional funding for the proposed wall. The bill will need to be signed by the president for it to go into effect. Mr Trump, however, said he will not sign the bill until he gets the money he believes is required for the border wall. Both the Trump administration and Congress are at a deadlock with both refusing to budge from their positions, thus leaving nine federal government agencies closed for two weeks and 800,000 public workers unpaid. Nancy Pelosi called Mr Trumps proposed border wall immoral and a waste of money. Mr Trump repeated his demand for the border wall in his tweets on Saturday. 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 Democrats could solve the Shutdown problem in a very short period of time, Mr Trump tweeted. All they have to do is approve REAL Border Security (including a Wall), something which everyone, other than drug dealers, human traffickers and criminals, want very badly! On Friday, Mr Trump threatened to use presidential emergency powers to bypass congressional approval to build the border wall. That measure, however, would be met with legal obstacles. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The latest developments come at a time when House Democrats are building the momentum for a potential impeachment of the president. Earlier this week, Democratic California Rep Brad Sherman introduced articles of impeachment against Mr Trump, alleged the president obstructed justice in the firing of former FBI Director James Comey. Several other Democrats have made headlines for their vocal calls to impeach the president. The most notable, and perhaps controversial, of them all came from freshman Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, who said were going to impeach that m****rf***er. Additional reporting by agencies Donald Trump has said government workers not being paid because of the shutdown will have to make adjustments, even as he insisted he could feel the pain of those facing hardship. As the shutdown triggered by the presidents refusal to compromise on a spending bill that does not include $5bn to build a border wall entered its third week, Mr Trump told reporters he did not expect any imminent breakthrough. Another round of talk between White House staff and Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill, was taking place on Sunday. Ultimately, its going to be solved by the principals, Mr Trump told reporters at the White House before leaving for staff meetings at Camp David, according to the Associated Press. Of the talks being led by vice president with senior leaders from both parties, he said he did not expect to have anything happen at that meeting, but said he believed were going to have some very serious talks come Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Asked directly if he could relate to the pain of federal workers who cannot pay their bills, the president said he could. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events And Im sure that the people that are on the receiving end will make adjustments, he said. They always do. And theyll make adjustments. People understand exactly whats going on. But many of those people that wont be receiving a paycheck, many of those people agree 100 per cent with what Im doing. Over the weekend, a White House official said Mr Trump could declare a national emergency to secure military funding wall if talks fail to deliver. Asked about this idea on Sunday, the president said: I may declare a national emergency dependent on whats going to happen over the next few days. 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 As many as 800,000 federal workers across the country are facing financial uncertainty, according to CNBC. Around 420,000 employees considered essential, and are working without pay, while another 380,000 have been ordered to stay home. Last week, Mr Trump said he could keep parts of the government shut for months or even years, he did not receive the $5.6bn in funding for wall. Democrats have so far said they would agree to a measure to provide $1.3bn for border security measures but not a wall. Last month, the administration added to the controversy when it suggested to workers they could negotiate with creditors and mortgage companies. One sample letter designed for people to send to their landlords, discussed a temporary reduction in rent payments and suggested the possibility of trading my services to perform maintenance (e.g painting, carpentry work) in exchange for partial rent payments, the Washington Post reported. Photo: The Canadian Press Paul Whelan The brother of an American man being held in Moscow on suspicion of spying is raising the possibility that his sibling is being used as a pawn in a potential exchange for a Russian woman behind bars in the U.S. Paul Whelan's brother told The Associated Press that he can't help but question if the events are connected. "You look at what's going on and you wonder if this is just a large game of pieces being moved around," David Whelan told the AP via Skype from Newmarket, Ontario. "You start to wonder if all of these things are connected. But at the same time, they could just be arbitrary events." Asked about the matter by reporters at the White House on Sunday, President Donald Trump said: "We're looking into that." Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine who also holds Canadian, British and Irish citizenship, was detained in Moscow in late December. His arrest has led to speculation that Russia could be using him to bargain for a Russian woman who has pleaded guilty to acting as a foreign agent in the U.S. But Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Saturday that discussing a possible swap involving Whelan and Maria Butina would be premature because Whelan hasn't been formally charged, according to Russian news agencies. "As to the possibility of exchanges of one sort or another, it's impossible and incorrect to consider the question now when an official charge hasn't even been presented," Ryabkov was quoted as saying by state news agency RIA-Novosti. "Charges will be presented in the near future," he said, according to the Interfax agency. Some Russian news reports earlier cited unnamed sources as saying Whelan had been indicted on espionage charges that carry a possible prison sentence of 20 years. Russian officials haven't given details of Whelan's suspected activities and he was initially identified only as an American. His concurrent Canadian, British and Irish citizenship became known on Friday. U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr. visited Whelan on Wednesday in Moscow's Lefortovo Prison, a 130-year-old facility noted for strict conditions. Britain, Canada and Ireland have applied for consular access to him. Whelan, 48, was discharged from the Marines for bad conduct. He works as the global security director for a U.S. automobile parts manufacturer and lives in Michigan. His family has said he was in Moscow to attend a wedding. His brother, David, told the AP that Whelan loves to travel and likes to "interact with the people in the places that he goes," but that Whelan would be too "conspicuous" to be selected as a spy. David Whelan said his family had had no direct contact with Paul and had received no details about the alleged espionage charges from either the Russian or U.S. governments. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the Democratic congresswoman with a penchant for dancing to Motown songs outside her office and generally antagonising Republicans, has accused Donald Trump of hostage taking in his demands for a border wall. As the partial government shutdown entered its third week, and the president claimed it could last months of even years if he didn't receive the $5bn for a border wall, the 29-year-old New Yorker said this was not the way to do politics. If the GOP wants a wall so badly, they can try to propose and pass a bill like anybody else, she tweeted. Instead, they are seizing gov operations + innocent peoples pay until they get what they want. She added: This is called hostage-taking And no one can compromise or negotiate with that. Ms Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive who became the youngest woman to serve in Congress after being sworn in last week, has received as many attacks from Republicans as she has plaudits from Democrats and independents. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Last week, she responded to a video that emerged of her dancing as a student at Boston University in 2010 an apparent attempt to smear her as she was sworn in by posting her own video of her dancing outside her new office on Capitol Hill to the 1969 ant- song War, sung by Edwin Starr. In the post, that quickly went viral, she wrote: I hear the GOP thinks women dancing are scandalous. Wait till they find out congresswomen dance too. 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 Over the weekend, veteran Republican operative Ed Rollins referred to the congresswoman as a little girl. If youre going to put her out front with her mouth, which she now has attention she never did before and you are going to put the little girl who wants pre-Reagan economics of 70 per cent taxes, the Democratic women are basically going to be damaged, Mr Rollins said on Fox News. Ms Ocasio-Cortez was also quick to respond to this. She tweeted. GOP loves to insult my intelligence, yet offers *this* as their best + most seasoned opposition to my policy proposals. Tesla, the American energy and motor giant, has warned that Donald Trumps ongoing trade war with China could reduce the quality of its cars and damage profits. The multi-billion dollar firm led by Elon Musk has requested to have the Chinese-made parts used in its most popular vehicles exempted from the major import tax hikes being imposed by the US government. Increased tariffs on this particular part cause economic harm to Tesla, through the increase of costs and impact to profitability, the company said in a previously unreported request for tariff relief. It puts Tesla among an increasing number of American corporate giants to warn that Mr Trumps policy of imposing huge tariffs on Chinese imports could significantly damage the US economy. General Motors and Uber Technologies have already raised concerns while, just this week, Apple lost 9 per cent of its value after revealing growth had slowed in China. Analysts said it had been hit by the retaliatory tariffs which China has placed on US imports, which includes iPhones. Recommended Elon Musk says Mars spaceship will be tested by SpaceX next year In its own request for its imports to be exempted, Tesla said a super-computer used in its Model 3 sedan car could not be made by anyone else but its current manufacturer in China. The company said it had been unable to find another maker able to meet the the volume requested and under the timelines necessary for Teslas continued growth. Using a new supplier substantially increases the risk of poor part quality that could lead overall vehicle quality issues that would impact the safety of our vehicles and the consumer acceptance of the final product, the firm added. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Asked about the request on Friday, the company declined to comment. The Trump administration has imposed 25 percent tariffs on a total of $50 billion in annual Chinese imports and 10 percent tariffs on an additional $200 billion in Chinese imports. The tariffs were in response to what the Trump administration calls the countrys unfair trade practices. In response, China accused the US of starting "the largest trade war in economic history" and imposed tariffs on $110 billion worth of American goods. New female recruits to the United States Marines are being trained alongside men for the first time. A platoon of about 50 women began training at boot camp on Saturday in South Carolina alongside five all-male platoons. In a statement, the Marine Corps said this marked the first time men and women had ever been integrated in basic training. "About 50 female recruits, which is smaller than what is typically part of a training cycle, are prepared to begin training at the depot on 5 January," the statement said. "The programme of instruction remains unchanged and the recruit training order continues to be the standard for training recruits." Recommended US Marine shot and killed inside Washington DC barracks The standard Marine Corps boot camp schedule involves a series of punishing physical fitness tests, including running three miles in less than 28 minutes and completing 70 crunches in two minutes. Recruits are then instructed in Marine Corps history and culture and military protocols, learn martial arts, complete obstacle courses, and trained in marksmanship. "[Mixed training] enables appropriate acclimation to the training environment, development of relationships with drill instructors, and focus during the transformation of young women and men into United States Marines." The historic experiment in training men and women side by side would still see recruits being taught by instructors of the same gender, the Corps also said. Women will live on a separate floor in the barracks and still mostly train within their single-sex platoons, apart from the final endurance test, known as the Crucible, and some other larger-scale exercises. Army recruitment posters target millenials Show all 6 1 /6 Army recruitment posters target millenials Army recruitment posters target millenials Me Me Me Millennials MoD / Crown Copyright / PA Wire Army recruitment posters target millenials Selfie Addicts PA Army recruitment posters target millenials Binge Gamers PA Army recruitment posters target millenials Snowflakes PA Army recruitment posters target millenials Class Clowns PA Army recruitment posters target millenials Phone Zombies PA After the 13-week boot camp, the Marines will evaluate the training results to determine whether mixed-gender instruction will become the norm. Women have been able to join the Marines permanently since 1948 but were banned from most frontline combat roles until 2016. The leader of an organisation which advocates for women in the armed forces said the Marines' move was far from progressive, and in fact long overdue. Retired army colonel Ellen Haring, the chief executive of the Service Women's Action Network, said the Marines were badly lagging behind the army, navy and air force in the US. Advocates for women in the military said the move was long overdue (AP) "The Marine Corps' recent announcement that it would integrate an all-female platoon within a company of all-male platoons on a trial basis comes decades after all of the other services integrated all of their basic training units," she said. Sources within the Corps told The New York Times the decision to integrate a female platoon with male platoons was in fact taken to maximise efficiency. Not enough women had joined up for the winter training cycle so it was more practical to include the smaller female group alongside the men rather than run a separate women-only boot camp. In a statement Col Haring said any separation of men and women during boot camps reflected "systematic inequality" and also violated the constitutional right of "equal protection". It was no coincidence the Marine Corps had the fewest women of any of the services but saw the highest rates of sexual assault, she also said. "We encourage the Marine Corps to conduct this experiment transparently, fairly and with independent expert oversight so as to assure sound methodology and reliable results." Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events A retired Marine lieutenant colonel who was fired by the Corps after criticising the way women recruits were trained said the experiment should be the beginning of a broader cultural shift. "This may seem small, but its huge," Lt Col Kate Germano told the New York Times. "It will be difficult for the Marines to go backward after this. "The Marines are a very conservative culture. [This is] where we have a chance to shape perceptions or stereotypes. Its where we can teach respect for women and their accomplishments. A senior Pentagon official has become the third senior staff member to quit following Donald Trumps unilateral decision to withdraw American troops from Syria Kevin Sweeney resigned as department of defence chief of staff. Announcing his decision in a statement, the rear admiral said: "After two years in the Pentagon, I've decided the time is right to return to the private sector. Pointedly, he paid tribute to the men and women of the department of defence but made no mention of Mr Trump. The resignation comes days after James Mattis left his post as defence secretary. The four-star general announced his departure in December telling Mr Trump he believed in "treating allies with respect". He added: "Because you have the right to have a secretary of defence whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position." Department spokeswoman Dana White also left her post following the president's surprise announcement to leave Syria, as did Brett McGurk, the presidential special envoy to the global coalition fighting Isis. Despite Mr Trump appearing to row back in the last week by suggesting the promised withdrawal would not be immediate, officials are said to have been astonished that he apparently took the decision without consultation after a phone call with Turkish president Recep Erdogan. It is understood Mr Erdogan suggested the exit policy. Withdrawal would leave Americas long term allies the Kurds vulnerable to manoeuvres by the Russian-backed Syrian army, as well as hostile Turkish forces. Meanwhile, domestically, talks to end the partial shutdown of the federal government will resume on Sunday but a breakthrough looks unlikely after Mr Trump tweeted there was "not much headway made" in negotiations with Democrats after the latest meeting with his political rivals. 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 Republican president has refused to fully fund the government until Congress grants $5.6bn for a US-Mexico border wall. He has said he is prepared for the shutdown which has left many workers without pay since December 22 to last months or even years. Ashes to ashes, dust to new trees. The state of Washington is poised to make history by legalising a way of dealing with the dead in a way that is good for the planet and potentially the soul. When the overwhelming majority of people pass away, they are either cremated or buried, a sometimes costly process that can involve harmful products such as embalming liquid, or use fossil fuel energy. But if Jamie Pedersen gets his way, the residents of Washington would be the first in the the nation permitted to undergo composting, a process in which human remains are gently broken down into soil that can be used to sustain new life. Want to help grow a tree after you have died? Then human composting, or recomposition, may be for you. Pedersen, a Democratic state senator who is sponsoring a bill when the legislature reconvenes later this month, sees it as helping in two ways; it would likely be up to $2,000 cheaper than a regular burial, and less harmful to the environment. Its amazing to me that in the year 2019, we still have only two ways of disposing of bodies, and those are ways weve used for centuries, he tells The Independent. In all other ways, technology is changing everything. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The measure would also permit Washingtonians to make use of alkaline hydrolysis, a process sometimes referred to as water cremation, in which a body is broken down in water and lye, until just mineral dust is left. More than 15 states already permit this. The new push to legalise human composting comes as Americans are increasingly thinking about more environmentally friendly ways to dispose of either themselves or their loved ones. Because consumer values and lifestyles are reflected in their attitudes and decision-making about products and services in the marketplace including their approach to death and funerals interest in natural funeral and burial options will likely increase, says the National Funeral Directors Association, a worldwide organistion that represents 20,000 members. According to the 2017 NFDA survey, 53.8 per cent of respondents indicated an interest in exploring green funeral services. Jim Olson, a spokesperson, says the human composing being considered in Washington would be another tool to our toolkit. The most important part of a funeral directors job is to provide relatives and loved ones with various options, he says. While he suspects human composting might face more cultural challenges in some places than others, he believes in Washington it could get traction. He says when families request a service, the most important thing we ask [when families suggest something] is, is it ethical, is it legal. Recompose founder Katrina Spade (L) with researcher Lynne Carpenter-Boggs (Recompose) The effort to legalise human composting in Washington has been largely driven by Katrina Spade, a 41-year-old Seattle-based designer and entrepreneur. In 2014, she formed the so-called Urban Death Project, which allowed her to investigate the composting of human remains, while completing a masters degree in architecture. She liaised with researchers at Western Carolina and Washington State universities, most notably Lynne Carpenter-Boggs, professor of soil science at Washington State. Carpenter-Boggs worked with students, and six donated bodies, to find the best way to break down human remains. They tested methods by placing the bodies in a vessel on wood chips, with straw, alfalfa and other composting materials. Air was pumped in to help speed up microbial activity. Within a month, the bodies had been broken down, the Seattle Times reports. Last November, Recompose, a company founded by Spade, reported that its study had successfully concluded that recomposition of human bodies into soil is an effective and safe alternative to burial and cremation. The company says Washington has the countrys highest cremation rate at 76.4 per cent, but says the process requires fossil fuels and releases CO2 into the atmosphere. 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 Human composting, or recomposition, uses one eighth of the energy of cremation and saves more than metric ton of CO2 per person, it says. Spade says many cities in the US, such as New York and Seattle, are running out of space to bury people. As a result, she believes society needs to think deeply about a more efficient way of handling the dead. It is an understandable tendency to limit the amount of time we spend contemplating our after-death choices, but environmental realities are pressing us to develop alternatives to chemical embalming, carbon-generating cremation and the massive land use requirements of traditional cemeteries, she says. Recomposition offers an alternative to embalming and burial or cremation, that is natural, safe, sustainable, and will result in significant savings in carbon emissions and land usage. Carpenter-Boggs perfected the technique by studying the way the livestock industry to compost animal remains. The basic principles that we have learned from livestock mortality composting are very effective for the human research subjects that we used. An artists impression of the composting centre (Recompose) If the measure is passed, it will likely boost the demand for composting the remains of pets. In 2017, a company called Rooted opened in Bellevue near Seattle, offering a pet composting service that created living memories of beloved pets after they have passed on. Co-founder Greg Schoenbachler says the company has perfected a system for disposing of pets through composting, and was now trying to find the best way to connect with customers. We have served a number of clients already. Another company that specialises in handling with the disposal of pets in a thoughtful, environmentally-friendly process, says awareness is growing. Joslin Roth, the co-founder of Resting Waters, a mortuary for pets that uses alkaline hydrolysis to reduce the remains to ash, says its behaves more like a regular funeral home than one for animals, offering grieving pet owners the opportunity to view their pets body, to help plan their disposal and offer support. She says her customers are all types, ranging from environmentalists to people whose pet may have been frightened of fires and does not want them cremated. They often light candles while the owners sit with the remains of their pets. People, she says, often do not know there is an alternative to cremation organised by a vet. In California it it much more established, she says. Its very holistic. A previous piece of legislation, to make legal the use of alkaline hydrolysis for human remains, but not recomposition, failed in 2017 after opposition from the Catholic church. It reportedly did so on the grounds, dissolved human remains may drain into sewers. The measure may go against Catholic doctrine that requires the human body to be respected, James LeGrys, theological advisor to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, tells NBC News. LeGrys is not aware of the process of recomposition, but points out it could be a problem if body parts are separated. Pedersen says he has bipartisan backing for the bill and is confident it will pass. He says: I think there is strong support for it. The CIAs first female director has appointed Cynthia Didi Rapp as deputy director for analysis, meaning the top three departments of the agency are, for the first time ever, all run by women. Gina Haspel, who was appointed last year by Donald Trump to run the intelligence agency, had already named Elizabeth Kimber in December as the first woman to head the operations directorate. They have joined Dawn Meyerriecks, who is the long-term deputy director for science and technology. The rise of the sisterhood as a crew of female CIA analysts who helped track down Osasa bin Laden were known to the most senior roles in the agency comes after NBC reported almost half the entire workforce is now female. Just 23 years ago, there were no women in senior positions, according to the US broadcaster. Didi Rapp brings broad, deep expertise from across the agency and the intelligence community to her new role as the head of our Directorate of Analysis, said Brittany Bramell, CIA director of public affairs. With her engaging leadership style and reputation for objectivity, Didi will excel in leading our talented analytic cadre. Ms Rapp, a Middle East expert, had been the CIAs director of public affairs under David Petraeus before initially becoming deputy executive director under Ms Haspel. Gina Haspel hearing interrupted by an anti torture protestor yelling bloody gina Ms Kimber, like Ms Haspel a 34-year veteran of the agency, is the first ever women to take charge of the CIAs global spy network. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there is little public information about her available online. According to Ms Meyerrieks LinkedIn page, the deputy director of science and technology used to work for Nasa as a project manager, before moving into roles within government at the Defense Information Systems Agency and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. 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 Haspel was promoted from deputy director to the chief position by Mr Trump last year following the departure of Mike Pompeo, who became the US secretary of state. Her appointment was mired in controversy following her role as chief of a CIA secret site in Thailand in which prisoners were tortured, most notoriously by waterboarding. After fending off a dog attack, a female jogger in Oakland, California, was tackled and bitten on the arm by its owner, police said. Alma Cadwalader, 19, was arrested on Friday, one day after the attack. The incident occurred on Goldenrod Trail, a popular route where the jogger used pepper spray to defend herself against an aggressive dog. When she returned to the location of the attack the following day, Ms Cadwalader who owns a medium-sized tan-coloured dog and a black Rottweiler mix allegedly tackled her to the ground and punched her several times. When the jogger tried to run away, Ms Cadwalader allegedly bit her forearm and left a bloody bruise and other significant wounds, according the East Bay Regional Park District Police Department. Its not clear which dog had attacked the victim. It is uncommon for joggers or victims of dog attack to use pepper spray or other aggressive methods to fend off an attacking dog, police said. Ms Cadwalader was found and arrested after the police posted photos the victim had taken as she walked away with her dogs. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events A judge issued a warrant for Ms Cadwaladers arrest and she was taken into custody on Friday. She was booked into the Santa Rita jail. It is unclear what charges she will face. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has floated the idea of introducing a 60 to 70 per cent tax rate on the richest Americans that could help for the "Green New Deal" proposed by a group of left-wing Democrats. In an interview on CBS' 60 Minutes programme, Ms Ocasio-Cortez suggested the new tax rate should apply to Americans earning more than $10m a year, noting that similar rates existed in America a few decades ago. The top tax rate was above 90 per cent during the 1950s, and while it has slowly descended, it remained as high as 50 per cent for much of President Ronald Reagan's tenure in the 1980s. American households that earn more than $600,000 annually currently pay a 37 per cent tax rate, down from the 39.6 per cent rate they paid before the Republican tax law passed in 2017. Conservatives have pushed for lower taxes on the rich as a spur to economic growth, while liberals see potentially untapped revenue that could fund their key social spending priorities, such as Medicare for all and free college tuition. "There's an element where, yeah, people are going to have to start paying their fair share in taxes," Ms Ocasio-Cortez told CBS. How much revenue could new taxes on the rich really raise? We looked at the numbers, enlisting the help of a number of tax experts, including Mark Mazur, a former Treasury Department official now at the Tax Policy Centre, a centrist think tank; Joel Slemrod, a tax expert at the University of Michigan; and Ernie Tedeschi, an economist who served in Barack Obama's Treasury Department. $720 bn/decade: Ms Ocasio-Cortez's suggestion for nearly doubling taxes on people earning more than $10m. In 2016, the latest year for which government data is available, approximately 16,000 Americans earned more than $10m each. These are not in fact "the 1 per cent" many on the left like to talk about they are a much smaller slice, fewer than 0.05 per cent of all US households. It's difficult to estimate precisely how much more in taxes the government could wring from this ultra-elite. Collectively, their total taxable income amounted to $405bn in 2016, and they paid about $121bn in federal income taxes. They also face state and local taxes, which raise their overall tax burdens. As she noted to "60 Minutes", Ms Ocasio-Cortez's idea for a 70 per cent tax rate on those earning more than $10m would only kick in beyond the first $10m in income. So, this new tax rate would do nothing to add to the amount of federal revenue on the first $160bn (16,000 people multiplied by $10m) in taxes this group paid. But that leaves about $244bn in taxable income for those earning more than $10m a year. If this entire pool was taxed at 70 per cent instead of the 39.6 per cent they paid in 2016, the federal government would bring in an additional $72bn annually - or close to $720bn over 10 years, according to Mr Mazur. The real number is probably smaller than that, because wealthy Americans would probably find ways around paying this much-higher tax. Recommended How the 116th Congress is making history "You'd certainly see some people under that system change their behaviour to avoid the higher rate, which could significantly impact how much revenue it generates," Mr Mazur said, adding that the effect would be hard to estimate. (The exercise also assumes capital gains would be taxed at this much higher rate.) This $720bn in a decade is not nearly enough to fund Medicare for all, which has been estimated to increase government outlays by about $30tn over a decade (while also zeroing out premiums and deductibles paid by Americans). Still, it could fund a number of other measures. It could come close to funding the entirety of Bernie Sanders' free college tuition plan ($800bn), fund President Barack Obama's plan to get close to universal pre-kindergarten ($75bn), forgive more than half the student debt in America ($1.4tn), cover Democratic leaders' plan for boosting teacher pay and school funding ($100bn), or come close to funding a $1tn infrastructure plan. And of course, higher income tax rates on the top 16,000 households is not the only way to raise taxes on rich Americans. 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 $3 tn/decade: A wealth tax on the top 1 per cent similar to those in Europe. The American government currently raises tax revenue primarily through payroll taxes and income taxes, and gets a smaller chunk from estate taxes and corporate taxes. It has not adopted a kind of tax that exists in some European countries: a wealth tax, wherein the federal government takes a chunk based on household wealth rather than income. Norway, for instance, in 2016 taxed at a rate up to 0.70 per cent for all wealth over 1.4m kroner ($162,568). France's wealth tax in 2017 hit assets above 1.3m ($1.4m). Mr Slemrod, of the University of Michigan, said in an email that the wealthiest 1 per cent of Americans own roughly one third of the $107tn in wealth in America. This group collectively holds about $20tn in wealth above $10m per household. From there the calculation of wealth tax is simple: a 1 per cent wealth tax on the wealthiest 1 per cent of households above $10m could raise about $200bn a year, or $2tn over 10 years. Mr Tedeschi, the former Obama official, found a 0.5 per cent wealth tax on the top 1 per cent could raise at most $3tn over 10 years. But this, too, would probably change Americans' behaviour and perhaps lead them to try shifting their wealth overseas, and the economists say the actual amount of revenue is likely lower than their estimates suggest. And this is assuming there are no exemptions to what is considered wealth, such as housing assets. Plus, this approach would require Americans to give the Internal Revenue Service a full accounting of all the assets they own under law something that could be required under law but may prove difficult to evaluate. In 1990, the federal government did try something similar by placing excise taxes on sales of yachts, expensive automobiles, jewellery and other things consumed by rich people. But that effort came right before a minor recession, leading to the repeal of the taxes. "The difficulties of monitoring and compliance are huge," Mr Mazur said of the wealth tax. "But it could be done and raise a lot of money." $3tn/decade: Doubling income taxes on the top 1 per cent. In 2012, the economists Peter Diamond of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Emmanuel Saez of the University of California at Berkeley published a paper arguing the optimal top tax rate is 73 per cent. In 2018, that would raise the tax rate on income above $600,000 from 37 per cent to 73 per cent, but back then it meant increasing the top rate from 39.6 per cent to 73 per cent. The IRS says that Americans earning more than $600,000 annually compose the richest 0.9 per cent of families, so we'll use that for shorthand for the 1 per cent. In 2016, this richest 0.9 per cent earned about $1.7tn in taxable income and paid about $530bn in taxes. These Americans would have to pay an additional $320bn every year in taxes if the top tax rate went up to 70 per cent, according to calculations based on IRS data. Mr Mazur, the former Treasury official, noted this estimate was probably high because the wealthy would probably find ways to try to shelter themselves from higher taxation, such as by buying tax-exempt bonds. Other economists found similar results. Mr Tedeschi, the former Obama economist, put the number at about $300bn annually. Meanwhile, raising tax rates for the top 1 per cent to 57 per cent would raise about $1.7tn over a decade, while raising it to 83 per cent would raise $3.8tn over that period, Mr Tedeschi found. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events "You can get a hell of a lot of a money from taxing the 1 per cent," said Edward Wolff, a tax expert at New York University. The Congressional Budget Office also recently estimated that raising taxes on the two highest income brackets by 1 percentage point would net $123bn over 10 years. That would be for everybody who earns more than $200,000 annually. The CBO also found that a 0.1 per cent financial transactions tax on Wall Street would raise an additional $780bn over 10 years, while returning the corporate tax rate to 35 per cent would raise an additional $1tn over a decade. (The Republican tax law of 2017 lowered that rate from 35 per cent to 21 per cent.) But Americans outside the top 1 per cent would probably pay at least part of both these taxes, Mr Tedeshi said. Overall, just including a new wealth tax and significantly higher income taxes, the federal government could probably raise an additional $2 trillion to $3 trillion a decade by taxing the 1 per cent alone, according to Mr Tedeschi. The Washington Post Joyce Cusack would love to see a woman as president in her lifetime. But she is not sure it should happen in 2020. Are we ready in 2020? I really dont think we are, said Ms Cusack, 75, a former Democratic National Committee member from Florida. Too many Americans may not want to take another chance on a female candidate, Ms Cusack said, after Hillary Clinton was met with mistrust and even hostility in swing states. But Andy McGuire, former chairwoman of the Iowa Democratic Party, sees a different reality after a record number of Democratic women won races in the 2018 midterms. Id go back to this last election who won? said Ms McGuire, who, as a superdelegate like Ms Cusack, supported Ms Clinton at the 2016 convention. Who had the excitement? Who had all the volunteers and power behind them? It was women. As the 2020 primary competition gets underway with Elizabeth Warrens entry into the race, and with several other women likely to be early contenders, two competing narratives have emerged about the possibility of another woman leading the Democratic ticket, interviews with more than three dozen party officials, voters and pollsters showed. Recommended How the 116th Congress is making history The year of the woman and the midterm gains that followed electrified Democrats, who have eagerly promoted themselves as the party of diversity. That success has inspired some of the most powerful women in politics to consider running for president. And it has boosted expectations that the political calculus for women has changed in the past two years, and that gender could become an asset, even in a presidential contest. Ms Clinton, after all, won the popular vote by almost 3m. Yet at a time of ascendancy for women in the party, theres a lingering doubt in some quarters about whether there is a risk involved in nominating a woman to take on Donald Trump, who Democrats fervently want to unseat. The spectre of Ms Clintons defeat in 2016 still haunts some Democratic officials, voters and activists. There is widespread recognition that women in politics are held to a different standard than men on qualities like likability, and toughness, and that voters have traditionally been more reluctant to elect women as executives than as legislators. Some women see bias in the excitement surrounding a potential presidential run by Beto ORourke, the Texan who energised the left in a losing Senate bid, while Stacey Abrams is not mentioned as a possibility even though she had a much narrower loss for governor of Georgia. 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 Theres a real tension, said Neera Tanden, president of the Centre for American Progress and a former policy adviser to Ms Clinton. On one hand, women are leading the resistance and deserve representation. But on the other side, theres a fear that if misogyny beat Clinton, it can beat other women. Much of the debate is grounded in the question of whether Ms Clintons loss represented a rejection of women as president, or of one specific woman. How significant a role sexism played in Ms Clintons defeat is difficult to separate from the other liabilities that hindered her campaign. Ms Clinton struggled to deal with decades of political baggage and a Republican attack machine that cast her as aloof, elitist and disconnected. Her reliance on a tight-knit inner circle isolated her from tough political challenges, and she struggled to win over working class white women and men. As Democrats look towards 2020, the conversation is particularly relevant because the 2020 primary season could prove to be as historic as the 2008 and 2016 races; in those years, Ms Clinton became the first woman to become a top-tier candidate and then a nominee. For the first time, multiple women may be serious contenders: Ms Warren is in, and Senators Kamala Harris of California, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota are seriously considering running. A female front-runner would become a norm if a woman wins the nomination four years after Ms Clinton did. Womens political mobilisation as volunteers, candidates and donors fuelled the Democratic Partys gains in the November elections, and Democrats still far outpace Republicans in elevating women to party leadership and representation in Congress. Female politicians now head all four of the Democrats campaign committees. Regardless of whether a woman wins the nomination, the presence of new, multiple female faces in the race could help the party move past a set of political expectations for women largely defined by Ms Clinton for decades. Already, comparisons to Clinton have been unavoidable for the female 2020 contenders, even though they have little in common other than their gender and party. It is very hard, when you only have that one woman whos tread that ground, said Ilyse Hogue, president of the abortion-rights organisation NARAL. Everything about that individual becomes conflated with being a woman.Yet for others, Clintons loss sounded some notes of caution. During the campaign, I was shocked over and over and over again to see the type of attacks towards very strong, knowledgeable women, said Isabel Farmer, a superdelegate from Ohio who received phone threats after backing Clinton in 2016. Maybe Im still traumatised by that. Some voters acknowledged the higher standard applied to female candidates but said that was not a reason to abandon the pursuit of the White House. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events I think right now theres still not going to be a female president, unfortunately, Jessica Nusbaum, of Wrightsville, Pennsylvania, said as she walked through a mall in suburban Philadelphia. Right now I think we kind of not regressed, but looked to the past. But she added, Women should still run, even if they keep failing. Patricia McAuley, a Democrat from Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, agreed. I do believe theyre held to a different standard, she said, adding: But could a woman win? Yes, and its high time. To those still reeling from the 2016 loss, Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, Ms Clintons running mate, had a blunt message: Get over it and use 2017 and 2018 as the evidence that the pathogen has left the body. The New York Times A majority of voters believe the final say on Britains impending exit from the EU should be determined by the public, according to the biggest Brexit poll held since the 2016 referendum. The YouGov survey of 25,000 citizens showed 53 per cent favour a second referendum while 47 per cent do not, once those answering dont know have been discounted. The survey, commissioned by the Peoples Vote, indicated the British public would back remaining in the EU by 54 per cent to 46 per cent if there was a re-run of the 2016 question. More than 1.1 million people have signed a petition backing The Independents Final Say campaign. The new poll also offers fresh evidence Labour could be punished by voters if Jeremy Corbyns party either backs or does not oppose Theresa Mays Brexit deal in the Commons. It indicates Labours share of the vote would slump another eight points from 34 per cent to 26 per cent if its MPs join with the Tories to support the prime ministers Brexit deal. This would be even worse than the 28 per cent share secured by Labour under Michael Foot, when the party slumped to defeat against Margaret Thatchers Tories in 1983. The 26 per cent vote share would remain the same if Labour MPs were not ordered to oppose a deal possibly by being given a free vote or being told to abstain. The time for prevarication and pussyfooting around on Brexit has long passed we must now give voice to the clear majority of people who are demanding a final say David Lammy MP Labour MPs are expected to vote against the prime ministers withdrawal agreement when it returns to the Commons later this month, but Mr Corbyn has said he could support a Brexit deal which guarantees a customs union and support for workers rights. The role played by Labour over the coming weeks could be crucial, with Ms May hoping some opposition MPs could still be tempted to back her agreement to avoid the risk of a no-deal exit. The latest survey suggests less than a quarter of voters just 22 per cent back the prime ministers plan, despite a concerted effort by Downing Street to sell the deal directly to the public in the face of opposition from MPs. Support for the current deal rises to only 28 per cent among Leave voters. Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal Show all 11 1 /11 Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Independent Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Daily Mirror Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Times Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Daily Express Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Financial Times Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Daily Telegraph Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The i Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Guardian Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Scotsman Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Daily Mail Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Metro Writing in The Mail on Sunday, the prime minister called Labours Brexit policy a cynical tissue of incoherence, designed to avoid difficult decisions. Ms May claimed Mr Corbyn did not even bother to read the deal before he came out against it. She also warned opponents in her own party that they must realise the risks they are running with our democracy. Ms May at the European Council in October (AFP/Getty) The YouGov poll shows reveals that if the choice was to remain in the EU or leave under the terms of Ms Mays deal negotiated by the government, the result would be 63 per cent to 37 per cent in favour of staying tied to Brussels. If the choice was EU membership or a no-deal Brexit, the poll indicated a 58 per cent to 42 per cent win for Remain. Labour MP David Lammy, a prominent supporter of campaign for a second referendum, said: On the biggest issue of our generation, Labour risks complicity in the Conservative Partys historic mistake. Although we are in opposition, due to the governments weakness we have the opportunity to save our country from catastrophe and so we should seize it with both hands. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events If we do not, this poll shows it is Labour, not the Tories, that will be punished at the ballot box. We not only risk fatally harming our chances at the next election, we will betray millions of voters particularly the young who saw us as a beacon of hope and put their trust in us only 18 months ago. The time for prevarication and pussyfooting around on Brexit has long passed we must now give voice to the clear majority of people who are demanding a final say. Those surveyed were scathing of Ms Mays handing of Brexit, with 73 per cent saying the negotiations are going badly and 86 per cent saying the process is a mess. YouGov surveyed 25,537 adults online between 21 December and 4 January. Photo: The Canadian Press Two O'Clock Ridge near Cline River, Alta., is shown in this undated handout photo. Alberta's environment minister has cancelled public information sessions about proposed new parks in a region known as Bighorn Country, citing "bullying" and "abuse" which she says make it impossible to guarantee people's safety. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO Alberta's environment minister has cancelled public information sessions about proposed new parks in a region known as Bighorn Country, citing "bullying" and "abuse" which she says make it impossible to guarantee people's safety. "I have heard stories of Albertans afraid to attend community events, Albertans berated in public, Albertans followed home, and Albertans feeling intimidated to not speak their mind or participate in this important discussion," Shannon Phillips said in a news release Saturday. "I call on all of my elected colleagues to denounce the bullying and harassment being faced by Bighorn supporters," she noted, referring to people who favour the government's parks plan. The New Democrats in November announced eight new parks covering 4,000 square kilometres along the eastern edges of Banff and Jasper national parks. Fourteen public and invitation-only information sessions were scheduled in five communities between December and Jan. 31. But Phillips said Saturday that upcoming sessions for Drayton Valley, Red Deer, Sundre and Edmonton will be cancelled. She said the government will re-evaluate its engagement plans in order to ensure people in those communities "can participate safely." Phillips said the government will schedule two telephone town hall sessions for residents of Drayton Valley and Red Deer and that the public engagement period will be extended to Feb. 15. "We will continue to engage with all Albertans in the weeks to come. We believe our proposal for Bighorn Country sets the stage to achieve the right balance of environmental, economic, Indigenous and social values and goals," Phillips said. Jason Nixon, the United Conservative Party member for the Sundre area, issued a response condemning intimidation but said he hasn't personally seen any. "I have personally attended a number of public events regarding the Bighorn, and while attendees were very concerned with the proposal, they were also completely civil," Nixon said in a statement. Nixon has said that many people remain uncertain about the plan's impact on industry and land use, and suggested it could take another year to gather input. He said the government has been overly reliant on information from environmental groups and has only recently opened up the process. Nixon repeated on Saturday a previous accusation that the government is trying to ram the plan through before an expected spring election. "It is completely unacceptable for the NDP to arbitrarily cancel in-person consultation. Sadly, it's increasingly clear that the NDP isn't interested in listening to those who live and work in the region," he said. More than three dozen retired biologists said in an open letter to Phillips and Premier Rachel Notley that they want the provincial government to stick with the plan to conserve the area. Lorne Fitch, a longtime fisheries biologist and University of Calgary professor who was one of the signatories, accused the Opposition of misinformation. The plan for the new parks calls for a variety of permitted activities and offers $40 million over five years for campsites and other infrastructure. Off-highway vehicles, horse packing and hunting would continue, although with new restrictions. Grazing leases would continue and no existing trails would be closed. Note to readers: CORRECTS 14th graph to make clear the accusation of misinformation was not from all of the signatories Three people have died after blizzards swept across Greece, while heavy snow has also caused travel chaos in Germany and forced the evacuation of one town in Austria. The body of the 66-year-old woman was recovered from an overturned car in the southeastern Keratea region of Greece following almost a week of sub-zero temperatures, blasting winds and snowfall across the country. Two men - including the woman's husband - were found dead close by to the vehicle. It is thought the car was swept away by flood waters caused by the bad weather. The incident is only the most tragic in a week of chaos brought on by the unusually cold weather. Public transport has also been severely disrupted with flights rerouted and roads closed, while rescue services have received dozens of calls-outs to help people trapped in their cars or homes by heavy snowfall. On Saturday, firefighters had to rescue two French hikers stranded in a forest on the island of Lesbos, the Greek civil protection service said. It urged municipal authorities to be prepared for more bad weather from Monday. Meanwhile, roads have been closed, flights cancelled and trains rerouted across Germany and Austria because of similar conditions. Munich airport, the second largest in Germany, saw 120 flights axed and others delayed while workers cleared runways of snow and removed ice from planes. In Austria, the small town of St Johann, in the Tyrol region, was evacuated because authorities feared strong winds could trigger a large avalanche. Stunning video shows snow scenes in Munich Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Show all 24 1 /24 Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Germany Workers clear snow from the tracks around a classic steam locomotive AP Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Germany German Army Soldiers clear roof of a grammar school from the snow in Berchtesgaden EPA Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Germany A track vehicle of the German army provides food to a village near Berchtesgaden AP Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Czech Republic A man with a snow cutter cleans a road during a heavy snowfall in Velka Upa, Giant Mountains AP Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Austria Cars drive on the motorway near Kufstein AFP/Getty Images Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Germany A snowplough train is seen during heavy snowfalls in Miesbach Reuters Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Germany A car covered with snow in the Bavarian village of Kaufbeuren AFP/Getty Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Germany A woman removes snow from a car in Berchtesgaden Reuters Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Germany A car of German Automobile Club ADAC is seen after heavy snowfalls near Irschenberg Reuters Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Germany A child climbing stairs next to a bicycle covered with snow in Ilmenau AFP/Getty Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Austria A sign is seen on a closed road after heavy snowfall near Obertauern Reuters Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Germany Cars jam on the motorway A8 between Salzburg and Munich after heavy snowfalls near Irschenberg Reuters Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Germany A man and a bus make their way on a street in Berchtesgaden AP Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Germany A truck sits on the Autobahn A8 after a crash near Bernau AP Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Germany A road in a forest is cleaned from snow in Schongau AP Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Germany A worker removes the snow next to a regional train at the train station in Berchtesgaden Reuters Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Greece Snow covers the statue of Alexander the Great at the seaside promenade of Thessaloniki Reuters Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Greece People take part in a snowball fight during snowfall, at the seaside promenade of Thessaloniki Reuters Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Germany Media people are covered with snow as they interview politicians during the winter meeting of the Christian Social Union in Seeon AP Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Austria Tourist cars queue on the main road out of a valley that was blocked after heavy snow falls in Vilzmoos AP Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Lithuania Wild ducks sit on the snow-covered banks of the Neris river in Vilnius AP Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Germany A snow-covered car is seen at a parking lot during heavy snowfall in Obertauern, Austria, 05 January 2019. Austria and southern Germany are expected to receive heavy snowfalls over the weekend. Weather forecasts warn that the snowstorm could cause roadblocks and increased avalanche danger in many parts of the affected region. EPA Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Germany German supporters wait ahead of the trainings and qualifiers of the fourth stage of the Four-Hills Ski Jumping tournament (Vierschanzentournee), in Bischofshofen, Austria on January 5, 2019. - The trainings and qualifiers have been cancelled dur to heavy snow falls. AFP/Getty Heavy snowfall blankets Europe weather in pictures Switzerland Cars drive on a snow-covered road near the town of Taegerwilen Reuters Further east in the village of Soelktal, some 600 residents and tourists were ordered to stay put following a road closure, the Austrian broadcaster ORF reported. Further significant snowfall is forecast for southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland in coming days. Police have been given more time to question two people over the murder of a man who was stabbed to death on a train in front of his 14-year-old son. A 35-year-old man remains in custody following the death of Lee Pomeroy at Horsley station in Surrey on Friday afternoon. He was arrested on suspicion of murder in a dawn raid in Farnham on Saturday. A 27-year-old woman was also detained on suspicion of assisting an offender. British Transport Police (BTP) said Sunday that detectives had been granted a further 12 hours to question the pair over the incident. Mr Pomeroy, 51, had been taking his son on a day trip to London when the attack took place on a Guildford to Waterloo train. His family described him as an honest, bright person. He was a devoted family man and did everything for his family, they said in a statement. He was an honourable man and would always help somebody who was in trouble. He was a loving husband and father. He will be deeply missed by all his family. Investigators believe Mr Pomeroy and his son boarded the train at London Road station in Guildford, but quickly became involved in a dispute with another passenger. It is then thought Mr Pomeroy was stabbed by the knifeman as his teenage son watched on. Lee Pomeroy was killed in a knife attack on a train in Surrey on Friday afternoon (PA) The suspect is understood to have left the carriage at the next stop in nearby Clandon, before the train continued a stop further to Horsley, where it was met by emergency services. BTP assistant chief constable, Sean O'Callaghan, said no-one else was being sought in connection with killing. The investigation is moving with good progress and we are now confident to say that this is not believed to be a random assault, he said. In the moments leading to the violent killing, both men appeared to be involved in an altercation lasting three minutes. Nothing justified the extraordinary violence that followed, and we are concentrating our efforts on the on-going investigation. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Philip Herrington, the Rector of St Mary's Church, West Horsley, who had been at Horsley train station on the afternoon of the attack, returned on Saturday to pay his respects. I thought I'd come and bring some flowers because you don't really expect anything like this to happen generally, not in a place like this, not on a midday train, Mr Herrington said. It's totally lamentable what happened and particularly for the young son to have witnessed what he witnessed. Additional reporting by PA A one-year-old girl whose disappearance sparked an urgent police search when her uncle's car was stolen has been found "safe and well". Maria Tudorica was in the front passenger seat when her father met with an unknown man to arrange selling a car in Manor Park, east London, on behalf of his brother on Sunday afternoon. The man got in the vehicle and drove away. The car, a black Audi A5, was later found abandoned nearby in Hatherway Crescent in Newham without the child inside. But in a statement at 8pm, the Metropolitan Police said Maria had been found in Ruskin Avenue, less than half a mile from where the car was abandoned. "Thanks to media and all members of the public who have helped with this appeal," it added. Her car trader uncle, Gheorghe Stelica, said he felt "born again" after learning she had been located. Earlier that day, he had asked his brother, 35-year-old Claudia Stelica, to show the car - listed on Gumtree for 4,650 - to the prospective buyer as a favour because he was out of London. "I put the car on sale today and one guy called me on my phone," the trader said. "He didn't seem suspicious on the phone, he was talking very nicely. I said to him, 'If you don't want to wait for me, no problem'." UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 9 June 2021 Adam Chamberlain, 45, general manager of Big Tree pub in Sheffield, has put up over 500 flags, taking 36 hours, in preparation for Euro 2020, which kicks off this weekend Tom Maddick / SWNS UK news in pictures 8 June 2021 REUTERS UK news in pictures 7 June 2021 A pedestrian wearing a face covering walks over Westminster Bridge near the Houses of Parliament in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 6 June 2021 Isobel Salamon, founder of the Edinburgh Cinema Club, poses alongside the Leith Trainspotting murals in Quality Yard, Leith, Edinburgh, for the programme launch of the Cinescapes Festival which starts on July 4 with a Trainspotting 1 and 2 double bill PA UK news in pictures 5 June 2021 A long exposure photograph captures the rotation of the earth as the stars blur into circles over Knowlton church ruins in Dorset Nick Lucas/SWNS UK news in pictures 4 June 2021 Balloonists take flight during the opening of the Midlands Air Festival in Alcester, Warwickshire PA UK news in pictures 3 June 2021 Members of the Household Cavalry during the Major General's annual inspection of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment in Hyde Park, London PA UK news in pictures 2 June 2021 Hannah Vitos of the Blenheim Art Foundation, poses for a photograph next to artist Ai Weiwei's Gilded Cage (2017) sculpture in the grounds of Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 1 June 2021 People swim in the Sky Pool, a transparent swimming pool bridge across two exclusive residential blocks standing next to the US Embassy in Nine Elms, in London, Tuesday, June 1, 2021 AP UK news in pictures 31 May 2021 People enjoy the hot weather at Brighton beach Reuters UK news in pictures 30 May 2021 People venture into the sea as they enjoy themselves during a hot day on Brighton Beach AP UK news in pictures 29 May 2021 Swimmers at the Stonehaven Open Air Pool in Aberdeenshire, which reopens after lockdown restrictions were eased PA UK news in pictures 28 May 2021 Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he meets Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban at Downing Street in London REUTERS UK news in pictures 27 May 2021 White Pelicans in the sunshine in St James's Park, London PA UK news in pictures 26 May 2021 Boats are seen at Southsea Moorings in Portsmouth Reuters UK news in pictures 25 May 2021 York Glaziers Trust employees Kieran Muir (left) and Emily Price (right) remove a stained glass window panel at the start of a new five year, 5m project to conserve York Minsters South East Transept and its medieval St Cuthbert Window PA UK news in pictures 24 May 2021 Dark rain clouds above an oast house at Bewl Water reservoir near Lamberhurst in Kent during one of the rainiest Mays on record, with the UK seeing 131 per cent of the usual months rainfall already PA UK news in pictures 23 May 2021 The Premier League trophy with the Manchester City club colour ribbons on, at Etihad Stadium, prior to the last Premier League match of the season. City will finally pick up the trophy after they won the league on 11 May Getty UK news in pictures 22 May 2021 Gary Kenny lifts the Buildbase FA Vase Trophy after Warrington Rylands won the FA Vase Final against Binfield at Wembley Stadium Getty UK news in pictures 21 May 2021 A family buffeted by the wind whilst crossing the the Millennium Bridge in London, with wind and rain forecast to ravage the UK on the first Friday that people have been allowed to meet in large groups outside in England PA UK news in pictures 20 May 2021 Devon And Cornwall Police Demonstrate Their Skills For Policing The G7 Summit Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 May 2021 An employee stands before a costume for the Queen of Hearts by Bob Crowley on display at the Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London PA UK news in pictures 17 May 2021 Passengers prepare to board an easyJet flight to Faro, Portugal, at Gatwick Airport after the ban on international leisure travel for people in England was lifted following the further easing of lockdown restrictions in England PA UK news in pictures 16 May 2021 Emergency workers at the scene of a suspected gas explosion, in which a young child was killed and two people were seriously injured, on Mallowdale Ave Heysham which caused 2 houses to collapse and badly damaged another PA UK news in pictures 15 May 2021 Pro-Palestinian activists and supporters let off smoke flares, wave flags and carry placards during a demonstration in support of the Palestinian cause as violence escalates in the ongoing conflict with Israel, in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 14 May 2021 Member of staffs tighten screws and paint a Marlin skeleton, before it goes on display at the Natural History Museum in London, as the museum prepares to reopen to the public on 17 May, following the further easing of lockdown restrictions in England PA UK news in pictures 13 May 2021 A worshipper at the Baitul Futuh Mosque in Mordon, south London, ahead of Eid al-Fitr. The celebration marks the end of the Muslim month of fasting, called Ramadan. PA UK news in pictures 12 May 2021 A couple have wedding photos taken in Westminster, London Getty UK news in pictures 11 May 2021 The sun rises on Coquet Island, off Amble on the Northumberland coast, where as many as 35000 seabirds cram onto this tiny island to breed PA UK news in pictures 10 May 2021 Newly elected for a second term Mayor of London Sadiq Khan during his signing in ceremony at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on Londons Southbank PA UK news in pictures 9 May 2021 People mill around St. Michael's tower on top of Glastonbury Tor as it is seen through blooming yellow rapeseed on a day of mixed weather in Glastonbury, Somerset PA UK news in pictures 8 May 2021 Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford elbow bumps newly elected MS Labour candidates Elizabeth Buffy Williams, Rhondda, left, and Sarah Murphy, Bridgend & Porthcawl Labour, right, as they meet in Porthcawl, Wales PA UK news in pictures 6 May 2021 A group of five Sisters from Carmelite Monastery in Dysart cast their vote in the Scottish Parliamentary election at Dysart Community Hall, West Port, Dysart PA UK news in pictures 5 May 2021 Leader of the Labour Party Sir Keir Starmer (centre) with West Midlands Metro Mayor candidate Liam Byrne (far right) and Labour Deputy Leader, Angela Rayner (far left) during a visit to Birmingham, whilst on the election campaign trail PA UK news in pictures 4 May 2021 Artists Heather Ackroyd and Dan Harvey stand within 100 oak saplings which form part of a living art installation entitled Beuys' Acorns by the UK-based artist duo, outside the Tate Modern in London PA UK news in pictures 3 May 2021 Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie feeds the Gentoo penguins during a visit to Edinburgh Zoo on the campaign trail for the forthcoming Scottish Parliamentary Election on May 6 PA UK news in pictures 2 May 2021 Chelsea players celebrate their fourth goal during the Womens Champions League semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich, at Kingsmeadow Stadium in south west London. The Blues won the game 4-1, (and the tie 5-3 on aggregate) sending them through to their first Champions League final AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 1 May 2020 Demonstrators during a march through London during a 'Kill the Bill' protest Angela Christofilou UK news in pictures 30 April 2021 Shoppers queue outside Primark in Belfast as shops reopen and hospitality is able to open outdoors in Northern Ireland where lockdown restrictions have begun to gradually ease PA UK news in pictures 29 April 2021 Specialist operators at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, near Telford, Shropshire, clean the Hawker Hunter aircraft displayed within the museum's National Cold War Exhibition, during annual high-level aircraft cleaning and maintenance PA UK news in pictures 28 April 2021 Millions of tulips in flower near Kings Lynn in Norfolk, as Belmont Nurseries, the UK's largest commercial grower of outdoor tulips, offers socially-distanced visits to its tulip fields at Hillington to raise funds for local charity The Norfolk Hospice Tapping House PA UK news in pictures 27 April 2021 Paula Laughton checks one of the newly installed Lego models in the new Lego Mythica land at Legoland Windsor Resort PA UK news in pictures 26 April 2021 A red panda rests on a tree at Manor Wildlife park, which reopened its doors as lockdown restrictions continue to ease, in Tenby, Wales Reuters UK news in pictures 25 April 2021 Sheep climb the hillside as flames from a moor fire are seen on Marsden moor, near Huddersfield AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 24 April 2021 Supporters protest against Manchester United's owners, outside English Premier League club Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium in Manchester AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 23 April 2021 People enjoy the warm weather at City Hall near Tower Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 22 April 2021 Uyghurs during a demonstration in Parliament Square, London, which is being held ahead of a House of Commons debate, bought by backbench MP Nus Ghani, on whether Uyghurs in China's Xinjiang province are suffering crimes against humanity and genocide PA UK news in pictures 21 April 2021 People walk at the Taihaku Cherry Orchard in Alnwick REUTERS UK news in pictures 20 April 2021 People stand in front of anti Super League banners outside Anfield as twelve of Europe's top football clubs, including Liverpool, launch a breakaway league Reuters UK news in pictures 19 April 2021 Women enjoy sunny weather in Greenwich, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in London, Britain, Reuters The father met the stranger outside his brother's home in Nine Acres Close and placed the girl in the black car as he demonstrated the engine. But then the supposed customer asked to try it. "He jumped up in the driver's side and - boom - straight away he went with the car," Gheorghe Stelica said. Teacher Nazneen Saleh, a 25-year-old visiting her parents in the street, said a woman she believed was Maria's grandmother was in a "frenzy". Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Scotland Yard, however, announced at 8pm that she had been found "safe and well" in the nearby Ruskin Avenue area. "God bless," the 25-year-old uncle told PA. "I feel born again." He continued: "I feel over 1,000-times relief. (My brother) he's happy. He thanks so much the police for their service." Police did not say whether they had apprehended a suspect. Additional reporting by PA On winter nights, the white-noise app on my phone is tuned to Air Conditioner: a raspy, metallic whir that sounds like the mechanical noise that might echo deep inside the ductwork of a huge commercial building. (Among the apps other offerings are Dishwasher Rinsing, Crowded Room and Vacuum Cleaner.) It lulls me to sleep nonetheless, because it blankets the din in my apartment (the ragged snore of a roommate; the clanking of the steam radiator; the cats skidding pursuit of something only he can see). It may also soothe because it replicates an early sound environment, probably that of a city childhood, though perhaps it suggests something much, much older. Some sleep experts note that babies, their ears accustomed to the whisper of the maternal circulatory system and the slosh of the womb, sleep better accompanied by a device that mimics those familiar whooshings. My app is but one note in the mighty chorus of white-noise generators, an exploding industry of mechanical and digital devices; apps and websites, and Sonos and Spotify playlists that grows ever more refined, as if to block out the increased rate of speeding, the wrecks, on the information superhighway. Car Interior? Oil Tanker? Laundromat? These ballads are in the vast soundscape library created by Stephane Pigeon, a Belgian electrical engineer, and ready to play on Mynoise.net, a sound generator he put online in 2013 that now has 1 million page views each month. Its a nearly philanthropic enterprise, as it runs on donations. I have enough stress, Pigeon says. Reddit, among other message boards, offers DIY white-noise hacks for light sleepers, shift workers and tinnitus sufferers. Rough up the blades of a box fan with a box cutter, suggests Christopher Suarez, a field service technician from Riverside, California, whose wife is an insomniac, on one captivating thread there. The first domestic white-noise machine may have been built in 1962, by a travelling salesman whose wife grew used to the air-conditioners in the motels they frequented and was unable to sleep at home. But white noise was identified by engineers as early as the 1920s, Pigeon says, and used as a test signal because, as he puts it, its the sum of all the audible frequencies in equal proportion in a single sound. Its so named because of its analogy to light, which turns white when all visible frequencies are summed up into a single beam. Back home in his garage, Jim Buckwalter, the salesman, set a turntable and a fan blade into a dog bowl insulated by some foam, and invented the Marpac SleepMate, now called the Dohm (64.99 on Amazon), a gizmo whose popularity grew by word-of-mouth and became a favourite not just of light sleepers but also of psychotherapists, the legal and medical community, and others seeking to mask confidential conversations. (Nothing says Upper West Side analysis like the whispery hiss of a mushroom-shaped Dohm.) Sound purists adore it because its mechanical whirring is closer to truly random and contains no loop, as many digital versions do. Blocking the bullfrogs Fred Maher is a veteran music producer and drummer who works as an audio engineer and audio-quality tester. He has what are considered golden ears, meaning he is an expert listener who can spot audio errors in music, film and television content. He also suffers from tinnitus, a condition he soothed for years with machines like the Dohm. (That device is now in the bedroom of his six-year-old daughter, Ruby.) White noise, he writes in an email, is one of the first things we hear from our first moment of existence, in utero (not the Nirvana album). Its what you hear in a seashell, kind of. The seashell is a mechanical filter that focuses and amplifies ambient noise. Sleep is inherently dangerous, says Rafael Pelayo, a clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at the Stanford Centre for Sleep Sciences and Medicine. This is why we are wired to sort sounds as we sleep, he says, to differentiate the threats, or a babys cry, from more benign noises. How can a mother feed her baby if the ability to wake up is not wired into our brain? Pelayo says. The thalamus needs to decide if a noise is worth informing the cortex. Theres a concept in sleep called the arousal threshold its the stimulus you need to go from a deep sleep to awake. It can be a loud noise, like a garbage truck, or something soft, like your partner saying, Honey, I think theres a burglar in the house. The idea of a noise generator is to raise the background noise so you dont notice the sounds that arent worth your attention: a snoring partner or the hotel elevator. Pelayo is on the board of Adaptive Sound Technologies, which makes Lectrofan (45 on Amazon), a digital, but non-looping, version of the old analog noise machines, but he stresses that Stanford does not endorse products. There is no data that suggests a white-noise machine alters the frequencies of the brain, says Param Dedhia, the director of sleep medicine at the Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona. But we can show that if you make a loud sound, you can affect your response to that with a noise machine. Its called auditory masking. Dedhia describes its effects as a sound bubble, a force field of sound such that a noise has to be much stronger to break through. Dedhia has deployed Marpac Dohms in the bedrooms at Canyon Ranch, and also in his home because the pool there draws an army of bullfrogs after dark. Their nightly chorus drives him bananas. Oh, my friend, he says, it sounds like someone dying. I used to get my hose and spray them off the sides of the pool, but they soon were on to me, and after a while just hopped back on. So now I have my humidifier running, and the white noise right next to the bed. Its my sound bubble. We dont have to have a bug or pill for every ill if we can soothe ourselves. Its a skill, it really is. If we could all self-soothe, it would make it easier to handle other chaos. What is noise, anyway? Dedhia likes this definition, from the authors of a sleep study: Noise is defined as unwanted sounds that could have negative psychological and physiological effects. Noise is terribly subjective. There are those who love the croak of a bullfrog, and are soothed by the snores of their partner because it means they are close. Pigeon allows that snoring is particularly tough to mask, given its locality (next to your head) and unpredictability (your ears crane for the next growl or explosive sigh). You must convince yourself the sound of snoring is beautiful, he says. I have some people who asked me to put snoring on the website because they are used to sleeping with a partner snoring, and when that partner is gone travelling or divorced or dead they miss that sound. I have some snoring hidden in one of the generators, he says. Its called Berber Tent. Its an attempt to take you on a nice story. You are in the desert on vacation and it has been a very warm day and you are all snoozing in the tent together while food is prepared. You can hear the breeze, and the tent flapping and the sound of a man snoring. I didnt set out to do that, but I always am waiting for opportunities and I was on a trek and I heard it and I taped it. I think if you imagine a beautiful young Berber sleeping next to you, it will change your mind. Worth a try. Is the world noisier? An insomniac himself, Pigeon is not soothed by his soundscapes because he knows them by heart and will fret over dissonances only he can perceive. A particular wave on the Irish Coast that crashes too loudly, or a bird that sings in the wrong place, he says. I have a brain that cant stop working, he adds sadly. I havent found a way to stop its chatter. Is the world noisier? New York City certainly is. In 2016, there were 420,000 complaints to the citys hotline for non-emergency services, more than twice as many as there were in 2011. An analysis of that noise data revealed that bad behaviour loud music and parties made up the majority of the complaints, followed by banging and pounding sounds. Alan Fierstein, an acoustic consultant and noise-abatement expert, says the city is empirically noisier because theres just more of everything. More construction, more cars, more people and, most important, more attitude. One mans castle is usually above another mans castle, Fierstein says. You have this huge amount of real-estate appreciation, and people are paying a lot of money and as a result they feel like they can do what they want. Many co-ops and condominiums are now requiring, he says, that an acoustic consultant like himself attest that a proposed renovation, with its media rooms and central air-conditioning and apartment combinations that put his fancy new kitchen over your sons bedroom, will not produce any undue noises. Fierstein can design noise programmes that are perfectly tuned to block the pure tones, as he puts it, of outside irritants, like bus noises or building mechanicals, that can be played on any speaker system. (He describes a pure tone as any sound that has a specific and constant musical pitch, and then demonstrates by making a high beeping noise into the phone.) The way to block a noise is not to be as loud or louder than the offending sound, he says. You also have to produce sound thats on the same frequency. One of the things that makes noise so unreasonable is the lack of control. You cant stand your neighbours loud music even if its your favourite artist. One benefit of masking noise is that you can call it your own. Recently, Fierstein was called in to mediate a dispute between two neighbours, one of whom was so irked by the sound of the others air-conditioner that he positioned eight white-noise machines throughout his studio apartment, the noise of which then annoyed the air-conditioner man. It was the noise-machine man who sent for Fierstein. His report noted that the air-conditioner, a window unit, was emitting audible pure tones, he says, and may have been improperly mounted, shaking the framing of the building. That would be a win for noise-machine man, though the buildings management has yet to weigh in. Suarez, the technician whose recipe for a roughed-up box fan appeared on Reddit, suggests that the increased racket we hear is more often living in our heads. The noises we use to quiet them are a kind of placebo, he says. Suarez notes the constant commotions of the news cycle and social media, and made the point that we dont do enough physical activities during the day to dissipate our energies. Even if you turn off the pings on your phone and turn away from your devices, he says, speaking from his van as he drives to a job, youre still thinking, Whats happening with Facebook? With congress? There is so much going on, and so little resolution. When was the last time you heard the end of a story? New York Times The last branches of Woolworths closed a decade ago today. As the shutters clanged down on the chains final 199 shopfronts in market towns across the British Isles on 6 January 2009, a little piece of UK high street history passed away. No longer would we have access to a one-stop shop answering to all of our most disparate needs. Where else could you go when you needed a bag of pick n mix, a comprehensive selection of childrens clothes and a copy of Papa Roachs album Infest on CD at short notice? WHSmith may have you covered for greetings cards and Dean Koontz novels but it's all too rational. You might be able to wander into Aldi in search of a six-pack of Alpine lager and that nice sugary peanut butter and end up stumbling out with a welding mask and a pair of skis but even that has a value-driven internal logic. Poundland is perhaps the true inheritor of the Woolworths model but rarely attempts the same scale of mad ambition. Customers shop in a branch of Woolworths in Camden on 5 December 2008 (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty) Woolworths aisles were lined with affordable impulse items that had no business together school stationary alongside bottles of perfume and fishing tackle. If you were a bored teenager in the late 20th century, there was always Woolworths to loiter in. An American import, Woolworths first arrived in the UK in Edwardian Liverpool. The inaugural penny and sixpence store opened its doors on 5 November 1909 with a ceremony featuring a live orchestra, circus performers and fireworks. Pennsylvanian entrepreneur Frank Winfield Woolworth soon had 40 British branches up and running, proving his doubters within the US head office wrong. They initially feared venturing across the Atlantic might lead them into a commercial bears den. By 1930, the 400th branch of Woolworth was opened in Southport, Lancashire. By the time the brands popularity peaked in the 1960s, the company had 1,141 branches around the country. Woolworth's in the shopping precinct of Kirkby New Town, Lancashire, in 1967 (George W Hales/Fox Photos/Getty) Woolworths began to run into trouble in the 1980s and responded by pulling out of the Irish market and abandoning its out-of-town hypermarket format stores as a failure. It also vacated its big city centre department store premises like Briggate in Leeds in favour of open single-storey shops. At the turn of the millennium, the company tried various means to stay afloat, attempting to rival Argos with a Big Red Book ordering scheme and hiring oddly matched celebrities like Jackie Chan and Kelly Osbourne for their advertising campaigns. By late 2008, administrators Deloitte had been called in and all remaining 807 stores were gradually closed, resulting in 27,000 job losses. Investor Theo Paphitis was among those interested in saving the day before abandoning the project as a lost cause. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The last of the company's stock was being sold off at bargain prices. Asked about the closure, Brixton shopper Lucy Ferguson hit the nail on the head when she said: The problem was, you never really knew what Woolworths sold. An Indian businessman has admitted to making a secret audio recording of a sexual encounter he had with a woman, because he was afraid of the #MeToo movement and being charged with sexual misconduct. Varun Patra, co-founder of youth media company Homegrown, has been accused of sexual harassment by a woman he met in November 2018. The woman, who has chosen to remain anonymous, gave her account of the series of events through a Facebook post shared by artist Priyanka Paul. In the open letter, she explained how she met Mr Patra for dinner before going back to her home and having sex. She also alleged that he performed an sex act on her without consent - a claim he has strenuously denied. Afterwards she said she noticed him stopping an audio recording on his phone. Challenged on the matter, she said he confessed making a recording of their encounter, without her knowledge. She added that he admitted to also recording sexual encounters with other women in the past. In that moment, my body was hollow, I was numb, she wrote. I couldnt process what happened, but I knew this creep needed to go. After Mr Patra had left her home, the woman called a friend who came round to her home straight away. Once she had explained the situation to her friend, she was told the incident had been sexual misconduct at best, sexual assault at worst. Alongside her open letter, the woman shared screenshots from a Whatsapp conversation which she claimed was between her and Mr Patra. He appears to admit that he started recording sex with women since this MeToo thing. She then makes the point that his Homegrown company celebrates sex positivity and feminism and Mr Patra has a reputation as a progressive feminist. It is unclear whether she has contacted the police about the incident. In a statement to Rolling Stone India, Mr Patra said: "At no point did we engage in sexual activity without protection and without consent. But he admitted to recording their encounter. I put my phone on audio recording and here, I want to be clear that I completely understand that this is not ok, he said. It came from a place of fear and uncertainty of how to navigate sex with somebody who I had not known for very long in the atmosphere of MeToo which I had already been introspecting on a lot. I was extremely anxious and fearful that any sexual activity, irrespective of consent, could be used against me. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The official Twitter account for the #MeToo movement in India has commented on the situation, tweeting: So worried about a hypothetical violation, that he commits a real one in recording a sex without partners consent. Unbelievable. The British Council in India, who recently announced a partnership with Patras company Homegrown, has also stated its investigating the allegations. Homegrown is yet to release a statement regarding the accusations. Photo: The Canadian Press The Golden Globe Awards is set to feel like a major evolution from its 2015 broadcast, when comedian Margaret Cho's appearance as a North Korean film journalist who spoke in heavily accented English was slammed by some as awkward and racist. Cho was the only Asian on stage the entire evening. Sunday's show will have a decidedly different feel, with Sandra Oh as co-host and the rom-com "Crazy Rich Asians" up for two nominations. The recognition feels like a seismic shift for Asians and Asian-Americans in Hollywood after decades of struggling to get starring roles while dealing with stereotypes and "whitewashing." The last time the Globes honoured an all-Asian film at that level was the 1961 musical "Flower Drum Song," which was nominated in the same categories as "Crazy Rich Asians": best comedy or musical and best performance by an actress in a musical or comedy. The Globes has doled out nearly 1,000 film and TV acting trophies in its 76-year history, including for now defunct categories like best juvenile performance and "new star of the year." Of all those wins, 10 have gone to performers of Asian descent, including Oh. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced that Oh and Andy Samberg will share emcee duties for the ceremony. Oh, who earned a TV supporting actress Globe in 2006 for "Grey's Anatomy," will be the Globes' first ever Asian not to mention Canadian host. She is also up for best actress in a television drama for "Killing Eve." She, Constance Wu and Darren Criss, who is half-Filipino, are the Asian acting nominees this year. Wu, nominated for "Crazy Rich Asians," believes the film won Globes recognition in part because so many moviegoers turned it into a blockbuster. "The fact that Hollywood made this story and people showed up for this story and now it's being recognized by the Hollywood Foreign Press that shows our country values our story and wants to see more of it," Wu told The Associated Press shortly after finding out she was nominated. The last time an Asian woman was nominated in Wu's category was 1974 when Yvonne Elliman was nominated for "Jesus Christ Superstar." Before her, only two other Asian actresses were nominated, including Miyoshi Umeki, the first Asian entertainer to win an acting Oscar. Chris Tashima, a member of the Academy Asians Action Committee, an informal group of Asian and Pacific Islander members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, believes the recognition has made more people aware that the success of "Crazy Rich Asians" wasn't a fluke. "Just to be nominated, to establish that sort of foothold, everything is proving what we've always said: 'Give us a shot,'" Tashima said. "We can be commercial. It doesn't have to be a white, male lead all the time." Ellen Huang, senior director of diversity for the SAG-AFTRA, said it's clear that there's a market value for making movies and shows that are diverse and well-crafted. "While the industry is moving in the right direction, there is room for improvement - particularly in the casting of leading roles," Huang said in a statement. Oh's hosting gig for the Globes seems almost karmic. She, Tashima and other Asian Academy members met with the Academy about jokes host Chris Rock told at the 2016 Oscars at the expense of Asians. For one bit, he paraded three Asian children as the accountants who tally the ballots, relying on the stereotype that Asians are good at math. Tashima remembers how Oh spoke passionately about it. "She just wanted to hit home that the response to it was completely emotional, how it hit her personally," he said. The 58-year-old actor and director, who won an Oscar in 1998 for best live action short, said another sign of a page turning is what he's hearing from fellow actors and writers. "Everyone now is like 'Oh, where's that Asian project you had that we rejected? Let's read that script,'" Tashima said. Does this mean Hollywood will finally leave behind cringe-worthy caricatures like exchange student Long Duk Dong from "Sixteen Candles" or whitewashed casting like Scarlett Johansson in the Japan-set "Ghost in the Shell?" Not so fast, Tashima says. "Those are still gonna happen because every white, male filmmaker that hasn't specifically benefited or been touched by what I'm talking about ... they're still clueless," Tashima said. "They're still gonna do what they think they should do." Actor Derek Mio, who recently snagged the lead in the second season of the AMC series "The Terror," believes more Asian-centric projects are getting greenlit. He credits more showrunners and people behind the camera for putting "old ways of thinking" into check. "It was just only a matter of time where Asians would get their time, like Latinos and African-Americans as well," Mio said. In "The Terror," the Japanese-American actor will play a young man looking into a series of bizarre deaths in a Japanese-American community during World War II. One of the creators and executive producers is Alexander Woo, who is Chinese-American, and the cast is primarily Asian, including "Star Trek" veteran George Takei who will serve as a consultant. Mio recognizes that older generations didn't have the same opportunities he does. "They were all kind of chipping away at the machine to kind of make way for the younger generations to kind of break through that," he said. "Now we're having this watershed moment with more authentic storytelling." Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation2@journalnet.com for help creating one. We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation@idahopress.com for help creating one. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. For decades, the area was known as Zona Libre, a duty-free zone for everything from perfumes to electronics to high-end clothing. But with the implementation in 1994 of the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, the Mexican government declared residents of border regions should be subject to the same import duties as other areas of the country. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Prior to the holidays, outgoing Harris County Judge Ed Emmett made his farewell remarks at Harris County Commissioners Court the last before a new Democratic majority took over the body this month. Emmett said he had no regrets but wished he had been able to see through the work he started on addressing mental health services in the county and the infrastructure projects stemming from the bond voters passed in August, one year after the devastating floods from Hurricane Harvey. On election night the popular Harris County executive, who enjoys positive marks from voters in both parties, said he believed that straight-ticket voting had been the underlying cause of his defeat. Looking at the return numbers from the Harris County Clerks office, he is probably right. More than 76 percent of voters used the straight-ticket option in Harris County. These voters gave Democrats an 11 percent advantage over Republicans, with more than 100,000 voters in the county choosing the Democratic Party over the GOP. Emmett lost to Lina Hidalgo by 1.62 percent overall fewer than 20,000 votes. Emmett even outperformed Gov. Greg Abbott in Harris County, who was the most popular statewide Republican on the county ballot with 46.39 percent of the vote. When looking at the portion of voters slightly more than 20 percent who did not vote straight ticket but did vote in the Harris County judge race, Emmett won about 3 out of every 5 votes. These numbers should not cast doubt on the outcome of the election but illuminate his popularity among the average voters who did not simply opt to support one party over another. This is in no way a slight at Hidalgo, who received nearly 80,000 more votes than her party alone did in the county. Starting next week, newly elected County Judge Hidalgo will preside over a Democratic-run commissioners court and has the opportunity to govern a county that contains what will soon be the nations third-largest city and a narrow Democratic majority of voters. Politically, Hidalgo would go a long way in building a positive relationship with the voters and other elected officials in Harris County if one of her first acts as county judge was to ask Emmett to play an active role advising and coordinating the ongoing, bipartisan work on mental health and flood control issues with which he has been closely associated. This move would allow Hidalgo to retain the invaluable institutional knowledge Emmett has accumulated over the years and avoid problematic missteps that often occur during electoral transitions. We have seen an example of this in our national political system when president George W. Bush recruited his predecessor, Bill Clinton, to team up with this father, George H.W. Bush, to work on specific issues that went beyond party. It is also well known that many presidents have made phone calls and sought guidance from their predecessors when facing issues in their administration that a voice of experience could help address. In Texas, our parties have become more divided and the partisans more vitriolic in their hyperbole. Extending a symbolic olive branch would show that Hidalgo, a relative political newcomer, intends to put the people of Harris County over party identities. It also allows Hidalgo to set an example for other political leaders in the state and nation of the deep truth that political opponents are not enemies; they are just opponents, and we all benefit when leaders can craft and execute policy together. Colby is a professor of government and politics at Lone Star College-Tomball. The boxes are being unpacked in Austin this weekend as lawmakers from across the state descend on the Capitol to gavel in the 86th Texas legislative session on Tuesday. This ritual occurs every two years, same as it did in 1993 when Democrat Ann Richards was in the Governors Mansion, Democrat Bob Bullock reigned over the Texas Senate, the House Speaker was Democrat Pete Laney and George W. Bush, a Republican, owned the Texas Rangers. My how Texas has changed over 26 years. That session also happened to be the last time Texas made major adjustments to the states school finance system with the passage of the so-called Robin Hood bill. This legislation requires property wealthy school districts to undergo wealth equalization measures or recapture between themselves and property-poor districts. Many of the core elements of the school finance formula date even further back to the early 1980s. While the law has remained static, funding formulas have grown outdated and Texas is ever-changing. Since 1993, Texas student population has swelled 46 percent from about 3.7 million to 5.4 million. Today, roughly 6 in 10 students are considered economically disadvantaged and 1 in 5 are English language learners, ranking us respectively ninth and second nationally in those categories. Over time, Texas classrooms have become radically different than they were 26 years ago and require a different approach if we want Texas prosperity to continue. As businesspeople, we spend a lot of time talking about the importance of an educational system that creates a workforce pipeline for the future of Texas. According to a recent survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, a shrinking labor market is the number one concern of companies, with 66 percent reporting difficulty finding and hiring qualified workers. The majority of new jobs require some education beyond a high school diploma. Yet in Harris County, only 37 percent of students who graduate from high school are deemed college ready. Thats a reflection of an education system that isnt meeting the demands of the marketplace. In 2015, the state set a statewide goal of having 60 percent of Texans ages 25-34 achieve a certificate or degree by 2030 to keep our state on pace with the needs of business and a knowledge-based economy. In our most recent progress report, only 42 percent of this age group currently meets that standard, and this is heavily buoyed by tremendous in-migration of educated adults from outside Texas. Looking at our own K-12 pipeline, among students who are educated in Texas, only 22 percent of eighth graders have a post-secondary credential by age 24. For a state that currently accounts for 10 percent of all the K-12 students in the United States, that basically says that were willing to outsource the education of our workforce to other states. If the current trend continues, we wont have the educated workforce that our growing economy requires. Many Texas children will have been educationally shortchanged and they will not enjoy the opportunity to succeed and prosper. Neither is an acceptable outcome. Thats why we cant afford to kick the can down the road and wait any longer to address the issue of school finance. The time to act is now. It is an enormous task of reforming a system that has been in place for decades. Understanding the details of how public schools are funded and how school funding is intertwined with the issue of escalating property taxes makes the work complicated. When it comes to public education, opinions abound. However, we can't let obstacles deter us from the fact that increased funding directed toward high-quality initiatives is what Texas needs to improve education outcomes and strengthen our state. That being said, we are encouraged by the signs coming from Austin. Both Gov. Greg Abbott and presumed-House Speaker Dennis Bonnen have named meaningful school finance reform their No. 1 priority this session. Weve heard from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick that hes also ready to help get this done. Our leaders in Austin have the opportunity in 2019 to be champions for Texas students and put our state on a competitive path for decades to come. The Houston business community and all Texans are counting on our legislators to make passing meaningful school finance reform a priority this session. McClelland is the incoming chair of the Greater Houston Partnership. Harvey is the Partnerships president and CEO. A new session of the Texas Legislature gets under way Tuesday and with it will come a new House Speaker, some new members, plenty of new committee heads and a brand-new opportunity for Texas to address some of its longest-standing and most urgent challenges. Those challenges form a list much longer than there will be resources - from dollars to political capital - available to address them. As always, good leadership can make the difference between real progress and another session where the hardest choices are kicked down the road for someone else to tackle. Here are a handful of telltale signs well be looking for to know if the session is headed toward success. The Bonnen factor With bullish Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angelton, expected to be elected Speaker of the House, therell be a new member of the triumvirate that traditionally sets the tone for each session. Bonnen is conservative but was a top lieutenant of outgoing Speaker Joe Straus, a moderate Republican. Their styles were different: Bonnen was known as the hammer to Straus scalpel. Fascinating political theater awaits as we find out how Bonnens more aggressive nature meshes or doesnt with the strident leader of the Senate, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and political survivalist Gov. Greg Abbott. Bonnen, a banker and most recently chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, will be leading a strongly conservative House, but one that added new Democrats to the mix after the midterms in November. What path hell chart as the most powerful member of the House will say a lot about whether the Legislature manages to stay focused on the most important, and frankly most vexing, issues needing to be addressed, or whether it will allow Patrick, as Abbott did last year, to push the agenda far to the right and get bogged down in divisive social issues. Well be watching Patrick, too, to see if he read the midterm tea leaves as we did: A strong reaction against the kind of elbows-out conservatism that chooses trumped-up worries over bathroom rules over the kind of hard work required to reform taxes, school finances and half a dozen other top priorities. The incredible shrinking governor? The next session marks the third time around for Gov. Greg Abbott, and comes as hes fresh off a commanding re-election victory. How will he use that new status as a second-term chief executive? We hope with more leadership than he provided the last time around. Its probably unfair to compare Abbott to his predecessor, who lord knows had his faults. But Rick Perry spent 14 years in the governors mansion and by the time he left he had left his mark on Texas and on state government. Abbott has yet to do so, and last session spent far too much time playing an insecure, second fiddle to Patrick, whose ultra-conservative agenda the governor seemed happy to follow even as Straus took courageous steps in trying to steer the session back to the essentials. The 86th Legislature would be a fine time for Abbott to break free from Patricks shadow, show some leadership, and build a discernible legacy. Education funding and tax reform Everybody seems to agree that Texas dilapidated school finance system should be fixed they just cant agree on how. Complicating the issue is that some Republicans want to provide property tax relief this session by capping the growth of local property taxes, the largest source of education funding. Abbotts proposed tax plan, for example, would siphon tens of billions of dollars away from schools over time, a Hearst analysis found. Ideas for making up the lost dollars tapping oil and gas revenues, increasing gas or alcohol taxes will be tough sells. No doubt, Texans want a break on property taxes. But well be watching to see if tax hawks in the Legislature engage in honest debate on the issue. Texas has no income tax, so the burden falls disproportionately on property taxpayers, who pay more as their property values increase. For years, the state has reduced the amount it contributes for public education, further increasing the burden, especially on homeowners. Still, a few developments give us more confidence than weve had in a long time that the Legislature will address an education funding system the Texas Supreme Court found barely constitutional. Not only has Abbott pledged that Texas will spend more money on education, Bonnen, the incoming speaker, has vowed to make school finance his No. 1 priority this session. Business leaders across the state, whose success is tied to an educated workforce, are speaking out in support. Will it be another bandage? Will it merely heal open wounds? Or will lawmakers truly set Texas on a healthy course to grow our own educated workforce rather than having to import it from states such as California? True reform will accomplish the basics such as updating old formulas to reflect the true cost of educating Texas diverse population but it will also make the necessary investments for excellence, including boosting teacher pay and instituting full-day prekindergarten. Stay tuned to see if lawmakers and state leaders put the money where their mouths are. Harvey recovery Abbott never called a special session to respond to the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. He had his reasons, at one point saying that Houston had all the money it needed for urgent needs. At another point, the governor argued simply: haste makes waste. He feared rushing to spend state money would limit Texas options and our access to federal funds. Maybe thats true. But we hope Abbott and other state officials were true to their word when they indicated repeatedly that they planned to use funds from the Economic Stabilization Fund to help Houston later. Well, its later. And given that the savings account, nicknamed the rainy day fund, recently reached a record high of $12.5 billion, theres no excuse not to act. This session marks the states first opportunity to help fund massive infrastructure projects and pass regulatory changes that could make our city and state safer during the next major hurricane. Will they get it done? Were cautiously optimistic. More than a year has passed since the storm and the sense of immediacy that once existed has waned. We hope the governors sense of duty to our city of millions responsible for a third of the states economy has not. Consider this the litmus test for action: Tapping the rainy day fund to build a third reservoir project in west Harris County. Criminal justice reform Will 2019 be the year Texas lawmakers finally catch up with the national conversation on criminal justice reform and make the changes advocates have been demanding for years? Lets hope so. Not just for Texans, but for other states that closely watch our policies on sentencing and prison life. When Congress recently passed its own prison- and sentencing-reform law, plenty of credit was paid to Texas as an exemplar of what could be done. But theres much more to be done. A slate of members, including two from Houston, filed legislation last time around to end civil asset forfeiture, and were anticipating similar legislation this year. Law enforcement groups are likely to fight once again to keep the program in place, given that current law allows agencies to use proceeds from seize property to fund operations. The trouble is, sometimes the property owners lose whats theirs even if they are never charged much less convicted of a crime. Thats screwy and well be watching to see if support by libertarian-leaning conservatives will give the bills a bigger boost this time around. Expect to see discussion, too, about whether bail reform ought to be addressed by a statewide set of rules, or perhaps ones that apply to our biggest cities. What about efforts to decriminalize possession of pot? Or continued focus on better mental health care and addiction treatment within the jails? What of the conditions inside the private and public facilities housing youthful offenders? Legislative improvements are always welcome in those areas. Unincorporated Harris County The challenges of unincorporated Harris County are nothing new. For decades neighborhoods have sprouted up in the vast prairie west of Houston without any formal municipal governmental structure. Special districts have provided basic needs, such as neighborhood streets and water. The county government picked up the rest -- notably law enforcement and roads. No mayors. No city halls. No local sales taxes. This model is becoming unsustainable. If grouped into a single city, the total population of unincorporated Harris County would be the fifth largest in the United States. Issues like infrastructure costs and upkeep, law enforcement and the basic duties of government are piling up, and commissioners court lacks both the funds and the statutory authority to deal with it all. Meanwhile, obscure rules written in Austin prohibit these neighborhoods from forming their own cities, which could levy sales taxes and pass ordinances. Already existing cities are hesitant to annex special districts, which often have long-term debt. So why would the Legislature finally address this big-picture issue after ignoring it for so long? Hurricane Harvey revealed the weaknesses of these special districts to meet residents needs and the ongoing fight over property taxes has the county looking for another way to pay for services. Formal studies, notably from the Kinder Institute, are being published about the problems in these areas -- and potential solutions. The status quo in the unincorporated county cant go on forever, and only Austin can change it. A sense of excitement You neednt be a politics junkie to get excited at the outset of a new session of the Legislature. Yes, were often disappointed by the time the voting is all done come spring. But this is the chance we have every two years to push and plead with our lawmakers to fix problems confronting Texas. At this early date, there is still every reason to be optimistic enough of the men and women we send to Austin will do just that and make us proud of our democracy. When we last left Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a force of nature in Texas politics, he was lobbing rhetorical bombs at the Texas House for walking off the job and leaving property tax reforms and bathroom privacy bills unfinished in 2017. Now 16 months later, its those two issues that drive conversations about how the next legislative session that begins on Tuesday will play out. While Patrick has all but guaranteed the Legislature will again tackle property tax reform, more uncertain is whether the bathroom bill or another red-meat social policy issue will emerge to overwhelm the agenda as it did in 2017 when protesters regularly packed the Legislatures chambers and created a nationwide spectacle. Making matters even less predictable than usual is the fact that, for the first time in a decade, there will be a new Speaker of the House. While State Rep. Dennis Bonnen is a new speaker, hes no rookie. The Angleton Republican has been in the Legislature since winning his first race in 1996 making him one of the most experienced Republican legislators in either the House or Senate. Already other lawmakers are predicting Bonnen and Patrick will mesh better than soon-to-be former House Speaker Joe Straus and Patrick ever did. While its never easy to predict the unpredictable 140-day legislative sessions, heres what to watch for as the 86th Texas Legislative Session gavels in. More Information The 86th Texas Legislative Session Jan. 8: The session convenes. March 8: Deadline for unrestricted filings of bills. May 27: The last day of the session. See More Collapse The next bathroom bill? Few issues overran the Legislatures agenda in 2017 like the battle over the so-called bathroom bill. But dont expect a repeat as House and Senate leaders sound less anxious about a sequel. In fact, even Patrick seems ready to move on from a topic that absorbed hundreds of hours of the Legislatures time, provoked a parade of protests and counter-protests and added to the acrimony between the House and Senate. The bill would have required people, even if they are transgender, to use the bathroom that corresponds with the gender listed on their birth certificates. Although the bill never passed due to opposition in the House and from many in the business community, Patrick has said he considers the issue settled and the sponsor of the bill in the Texas House, Rep. Ron Simmons, R-Carrollton, lost his re-election. There may still be other hot-button religious freedom issues that arise or the typical bills to further restrict access to abortion in Texas, but in general, Republicans say after the 2018 elections, there is a concerted effort to focus less on divisive issues and more on topics like taxes and schools. Theres going to be a real emphasis on bread-and-butter issues, said State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, a Houston Republican who leads the GOP caucus in the Senate. Property tax relief Already the upcoming session is defined by the failures of the past. For more than 20 years, Texas politicians have promised to cut property taxes or at least slow the growth of them. But taxes have mostly gone one direction since the year 2000: up. More recently, the House, the Senate and the Governor have all made clear they want property tax reform. But what that means depends on whom you ask. While the Senate has aimed to cap the amount local cities and counties can raise property taxes before triggering an election in the future, the House has prioritized reforms that will give taxpayers more information about who is raising their rates and how to fight it. Now, Gov. Greg Abbott has inserted an entirely different element by calling for capping school district tax increases but with a lot less detail on how hed pay for the plan while avoiding dramatic cuts in school funding. On HoustonChronicle.com: Gov. Abbotts tax break for homeowners would sap billions in school funding Patrick has left little doubt hes ready to fight until hell freezes over to get a 4 percent limit on the annual tax increases imposed by most cities, counties and special districts. Currently, that state allows local governments to go to 8 percent before the public, in theory, could petition for a rollback election something that has never happened in Texas. Patrick wants an automatic election every time local governments raise property taxes by 4 percent or more. While that wouldnt cut a single Texans tax bill, it would theoretically slow future growth by local governments. Months ago, Patrick told members of the conservative Empower Texans that the issue is so important to him that hes already hinting at an overtime special session to get it resolved, if needed. Im not making any plans to be on vacation next summer, Patrick said alluding to the likelihood of a special session if his reform plans crumble again. School finance reform While Bonnen will replace Straus as the leader in the House, he already made clear he will be as aggressive as Straus was in fighting to reform the school finance system. On the day he announced hed have the votes to become the new speakerm Bonnen made clear his top priority in 2019. I can guarantee you that priority is school finance, Bonnen said. It is time Texas took on the challenge of fixing our broken school finance system. This is far from the Legislatures first push to reform the convoluted system. Lawmakers tried to fix the system after the state Supreme Court declared the current system effectively broken, though not in a way that violates the Texas Constitution. Bettencourt said with the new leadership in the House, he feels more confident there will be less acrimony to help tackle the issue constructively. Therell be typical frictions between the House and the Senate still, but not a standoff like it was the last time, he said. Harvey rebuilding This will be the first legislative session since Hurricane Harvey hit and it will loom over the session from Day 1. The record storm destroyed or damaged more than 178,000 homes and total damages are expected to reach $125 billion, according to some experts. For the Legislature, the first order of business in the session will be dealing with the costs of the storm to state and local governments, and passing supplemental budgets to cover some of the up to $2 billion just in state impacts. A big piece of the Legislatures mission will be helping to reimburse schools for their hurricane-related costs, which range from $426 million to $1.3 billion according to a report from the State Senate. A big financial blow will be dealing with the lost property tax collections in dozens of school districts where storm-damaged homes and businesses are now worth less. The state is not required to cover all those costs, but key members of the Legislature like State Sen. Jane Nelson, the chair of the Senate Finance Committee, have made clear they feel a responsibility to make sure schools are not left cutting teachers because of Harvey. I think you are going to see a very sympathetic Legislature to the needs of those students in the districts that have been affected, Nelson said during a committee meeting last year. School safety review The 2019 session will also be the first since the mass shootings in a church in Sutherland Springs and at Sante Fe High. Patrick and Bonnen have made clear the Legislature will take up safety and security issues. While the tragedies have provoked some to call for more gun control, that doesnt seem likely in a heavily pro-NRA Legislature. Instead, Patrick told a gathering of Republicans in San Antonio last summer that the focus will be on arming teachers in schools and limiting school entrances. We will do everything we can to secure our schools, Patrick said. One high school student is dead and another two men injured after what police believe to be separate, possibly gang-related shootings this week in Houston. The first shooting involved Lamar High School student Delindsey Mack, who was gunned down Tuesday about a block away from the school campus. Houston police believe three suspects targeted the 18-year-old outside the Bethany Christian Church parking lot. RELATED: Two shot in drive-by at South Side gas station The second shooting occurred Friday morning at a South Side gas station, where two hooded attackers drove up next to two men sitting in the the back seat of a car and opened fire, according to earlier reports. The men were both taken to the hospital but are expected to survive. "There's a gang war going on right now in Houston," Police Chief Art Acevedo recently told Channel 13, adding that Houston is home to an estimated 20,000 documented gang members. At least 61 of those gang members are currently considered fugitives, according to information from cooperating law enforcement agencies on StopHoustonGangs.org. Most of the top 10 most wanted fugitives have been charged with murder or capital murder, and some have ties to some of the regions' more violent gangs, such as Tango Blast and MS-13. The spectrum of Houston gangs includes street, prison, motorcycle, regional and national gangs, according to the Stop Houston Gangs website. The more well-known groups, such as Crips, Bloods and Bandidos, all have a presence in the Bayou City. RELATED: Parents demand increased safety at Lamar HS after student shot to death The city also is home to smaller street gangs, such as La Primera and the Southwest Cholos. When it comes to the different types of victims of gang violence, Christina Garza, a spokeswoman for the FBI's Houston office, said anyone could be caught in the cross fire. That's why it's important, she said, to keep a close eye out for the fugitives in the gallery above. "No neighborhood or soci0-economic status is immune to criminal gang violence," Garza said. "And that's just a fact." Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | julian.gill@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message The Soviet Unions launch of the Sputnik satellite 60 years ago shook the United States to its core, touching off fears that one of the countrys biggest adversaries had gotten the upper hand technologically and militarily. The cosmic achievement provoked an international space race that left U.S. footprints and the nations flag on the moon almost 12 years later. But when China on Wednesday became the first nation to land a probe on the mysterious far side of the moon, the news was met with congratulatory messages and calls for further collaboration between the two countries. This is a first for humanity and an impressive accomplishment! NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted shortly after the landing was confirmed late Wednesday. The cultural shift in how the U.S. responds to competition in space comes as the approach to interstellar exploration has changed over the past half century: instead of battling for the top spot, nations work together to reach the stars, experts told the Houston Chronicle. The examples of international collaboration in the stars are seemingly infinite. Russia once the U.S.s mortal enemy in the quest for the cosmos is now a partner in the International Space Station, a scientific collaboration among nearly 20 countries. NASA is working directly with the Israel Space Agency on a probe slated to launch to the moon in February. READ MORE: Trump calls for a $2.7B space station to orbit the moon And even President Donald Trumps plans to return to the moon as a stepping stone to Mars involves heavy cooperation with both international and commercial partners. So its unlikely that Chinas historic achievement on the moon will cause another desperate rush to the surface on the part of NASA, said Keith Cowing, editor of NASA Watch, a website devoted to space news. Of course theres the question of, Is there a space race? Cowing said. Its more halfway between a race and a ho-hum. Its healthy competition, somewhere in the middle. Race to the moon Sputnik the first man-made object in Earths orbit shattered the American publics sense of superiority after World War II. Caught off guard, the American public felt echoes of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor less than 16 years before, NASA wrote on its website on the 60th anniversary of the Sputnik launch in 2017. Americans feared that the Soviets whom they believed were behind the U.S. technologically after the devastation of World War II could launch ballistic missiles armed with nuclear weapons at the United States. Thus began the more than 10-year-long space race a battle America brought to an end in July 1969 when U.S. astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong stepped foot on the moon. By 1972, 12 American men had walked on the lunar surface. And although NASA astronauts havent returned to the moon since Apollo 17, the U.S. remains the only country to leave footprints there. READ MORE: NASA teams up with Israel on probe launching to moons surface Across the globe, even just landing a probe on the surface has been a monumental feat. Only two other countries have managed such a technological achievement the Soviet Union in September 1959 and China in 2013 and now in 2019. Its the gold standard of technological accomplishments, to be a nation to send someone or something to the moon, Cowing said. I think theres been a general renaissance in thinking that space is something you should no longer be afraid of trying to do. That change has partly occurred because its easier and cheaper to do, Cowing said. As the U.S. plans return missions to the lunar surface, Israel is set to launch a probe to the moon next month and India is gearing up to launch a moon probe soon. But unlike the early days of the space race, when exploration was every man and country for himself, todays space exploration depends on multinational involvement. New partners The shift toward international collaboration is arguably most evident in the International Space Station, an orbiting laboratory in the stars that NASA began constructing in 1998. But they didnt do it alone. Now the size of a five-bedroom house and often home to six astronauts at a time, the space station is a collaboration where astronauts from Russia, the U.S., Canada and many other places come together to research ways to improve life on Earth. READ MORE: NASAs recent woes took root with loss of space shuttle program I often refer to the International Space Station as a zero gravity United Nations and when I say that, I like to follow it up with the fact that it works a heck of a lot better than the one in New York City, said Milt Heflin, who worked in mission control during the Apollo era and retired from NASA in 2013. Its better to work on things together than it is not to. The United States biggest partner in the endeavor is Russia, once its biggest competitor in space. The Trump administrations plans to return to the moon as a stepping stone for Mars are steeped in international partnerships as well. Trumps fiscal year 2019 budget calls for the creation of a Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway, which would give the U.S. a strategic presence in the lunar vicinity that will drive our activity with commercial and international partners and help us further explore the moon and its resources and translate that experience toward human missions to Mars. NASA also has partnered on the Israeli probe. Both countries have signed an agreement stating they will cooperatively utilize the probe that was built by Israeli nonprofit SpaceIL to study the moons magnetic fields. Even China, in launching its probe to the far side of the moon, collaborated with other countries, such as Germany, on science experiments to conduct on the lunar surface. READ MORE: Why Chinese astronauts are banned from the International Space Station, NASA activities But you wont see the U.S. and China working together any time soon. In 2011, longtime Chinese government critic U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., spearheaded a move prohibiting NASA and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy from collaborating with China on any scientific activities. The Wolf amendment, as it was later named, has held for seven years even though Wolf retired in 2015. A case for working with China Chinas historic achievement Wednesday prompted several individuals to voice their support for more collaboration with China, despite the current law barring it. Retired NASA astronaut Clayton Anderson, for example, said it only makes sense to work with the Chinese, whose space program is young but impressive. He compared it to partnering with Russia on the space station, which has been a good move for both countries. It seems to me that the relationship with Russia on the ISS was successful and a smart move and I think the current administration should consider a partnership with China and their space program, Anderson said. In partnering with them in the space, the odds of us fighting them either in space or on the ground are probably lessened. READ MORE: NASA names first astronauts to fly on commercial vehicles by Boeing, SpaceX For some time, China has been building up to what many expect is a human trip to the moon, perhaps to build a base there. The country put a man into space for the first time in 2003 and landed its first robotic probe on the moon in 2013. The Chinese plan to have a fully operational space station in Earths orbit by 2022 and send a probe to Mars. The next lunar trip will be a sample return mission, which the country hopes to launch later this year, according to Space Policy Online. In 2016, a Chinese official said the country hopes to put a man on the moon by 2036, according to The Telegraph. Cowing said he will not be surprised to see a Chinese flag on the moon in coming years. When they will do it, Im not sure. Their resources are more constrained than ours but they are nothing if not relentless, Cowing said. I think theres an excellent chance that if our goals start shifting toward the early 2030s, if we go back well be waving at China saying, Hi guys, were back. If that happens, he said it would make sense to partner with the Chinese on the lunar surface. If you build a beach house next to someone elses beach house, youre both going to get worried when theres a storm and youre going to try to avoid the problems, he said. Thats the underlying theme in space, too. Looking ahead Just as NASA has worked to increase international partnerships in space, it has done the same with commercial companies. Through an effort funded in 2014, SpaceX and Boeing will become the first commercial companies to send crews to the International Space Station, eliminating the nations dependence on Russia to ferry astronauts to and from the orbiting laboratory. And Trump has called for NASA to transition activity on the space station to commercial companies, ending federal funding after 2024 though even NASA administrator Bridenstine has said the deadline probably isnt feasible. NASA also is relying on commercial companies to build its lunar landers, which they hope will launch as early as this year but no later than Dec. 31, 2021. The space agency in November tapped nine companies, including Houston-based Intuitive Machines, to build these moon landers. READ MORE: Houston-based company among nine tapped by NASA to build moon landers The commercial landers are meant to replace a rover that NASA abruptly canceled in April after sinking more than four years and $100 million into it. The rover, known as Resource Prospector, was being built by the space agency to find water on the moon. Even though other countries lunar landers will reach the moon first, experts say NASA really wont be behind other countries in moon exploration because weve already been there. Plus, NASA has several lunar probes that people often forget about, such as the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter that has orbited the moon since 2009. Herb Baker, a former manager at NASAs Johnson Space Center who worked at NASA for four decades, said Chinas achievement will not stir the calls to action provoked by Sputnik. I dont feel like theres really a concern that Ive noticed or felt that feels like [China] is competing with us, Baker said. Its pretty impressive what they did. alex.stuckey@chron.com Some Texans are eagerly anticipating the forthcoming biennial legislative session, which runs from Jan. 8th until May. Some Texans are dreading the 86th Legislature, though, in light of their experiences the last time legislators gathered in Austin for a regular session, in 2017. Others are simply nervous, given the retirement of Speaker Joe Straus. Straus has been a reassuring presence in state politics in recent years and often served as a counterweight to Republican leaders like Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Im optimistic about the 86th Legislature and even planning to darken the doors of the Texas Capitol. The legislators and advocates Ive spoken with lately are ready to get to work, and the issues theyre hoping to tackle are substantive ones, like school finance. Im also hoping to meet some of those newly elected who will bring a fresh perspective. There are quite a few of them, and most of them are Democrats. Democrats picked up 12 seats in the Texas House, for example. Republicans will still be in the majority, but theyve definitely noticed that. State Rep. Sarah Davis, a Republican from Houston, would like the incoming members to know that they can count on their colleagues on both side of the aisle as they bumble their way through their first session. We want you to see you succeed, and people will be there to help you, she said recently, when I asked her if she had any advice for the freshmen, many of whom were first-time candidates. Davis is one of the more effective legislators in the chamber, and shes likely to have a unique role in this years legislative session. Abbott embarrassed himself during the 2018 midterm election with his ham-fisted and unsuccessful meddling in the Republican primary in her West University-area district. It remains unclear why Abbott thought Davis could be unseated in the primary by a seasteading attorney named Susannah Dokupil, and why he would want to do that in the first place. The governor has some kind of grudge against Davis; that was clear enough from his attacks on her during the primary. But voters in the 134th District were not tempted by his candidate or receptive to his attacks on her. Davis routinely outperforms the rest of the Republicans in Harris County. She won the Republican nomination by a double-digit margin and went on to defeat Democrat Alison Lami Sawyer. I hope Abbott can resist the temptation to attack Davis during the course of the 86th Legislature. Shes one of the most capable members of the House, and she says shell be focused on her work. You have to realize the campaign is over, Davis advised. You have to conduct yourself as a policymaker, not a candidate. That might be harder than usual in a year like this one, given how polarizing politics has become. But it cant hurt to try. And legislators whove conducted themselves as candidates in recent sessions will come to regret. State Rep. Dennis Bonnen has never liked clowns, and hell officially become the speaker of the House on Tuesday. (Some small measure of sanity was restored to state politics in November, when he declared victory in the speakers race.) Bonnen, a Republican, has served in the House since 1996, as the representative from the 25th district, which covers Brazoria and Matagorda counties along the Gulf Coast. He played a pivotal role in the 84th Legislature in 2015 as chair of the Ways & Means Committee. However, Bonnen seemed a bit subdued during the 85th Legislature, which took a particular toll on the Texas House. He continued to lay low after Straus announced his decision to retire. Then, in November, Bonnen abruptly declared victory in the speakers race at a brief press conference a few days after the Democrats won 12 seats. In retrospect, its clear why Bonnen seemed subdued: he was planning, even then, to be Strauss successor. While that left some legislators and advocates with jangled nerves, Im feeling optimistic about the 86th Legislature and Id encourage Texans to hope for the best. Its hard to see how it could be worse than the 2017 session. erica.grieder@chron.com "We should thank veterans as often as we can. Liberty is a precious gift. It's a lesson that needs to be passed on to the next generation," Howard said. "This is a great thing the town of Sykesville has done. You can tell a lot about a community by the way they treat their veterans." Trump administration officials began taking extraordinary steps to contain the fallout from the partial federal government shutdown Sunday, as the budget impasse between the president and congressional Democrats showed no signs of nearing a breakthrough. As agencies sought to deal with cascading problems across the federal bureaucracy, acting White House budget director Russell Vought sent congressional leaders a letter detailing the administration's latest offer to end the shutdown. It demanded $5.7 billion "for construction of a steel barrier for the Southwest border" but also proposed "an additional $800 million to address urgent humanitarian needs" and unaccompanied migrant children arriving at the border. The administration has also signaled it would be willing to restore some version of an Obama-era program that allowed children in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to apply for refugee resettlement in the United States, according to an official with knowledge of the proposal. But a border wall is "central to any strategy," Vought wrote, and Democrats - who have said the wall should not be tied to an agreement to reopen the government - remained skeptical of any overtures by the president, suggesting that there is no end in sight to the shutdown, which has entered its third week. A Democratic official familiar with the meeting said no progress was made over the weekend, in large part because the White House hasn't been forthcoming about how the money would be used or why the request is for so much more than the administration sought only a few months ago. The posturing came as the shutdown's impacts mounted, with the Trump administration scrambling to mitigate its effects on Americans expecting to get a tax refund next month, those who rely on federal assistance for their housing, and vulnerable national monuments and parks. The Department of Housing and Urban Development sent letters to 1,500 landlords Friday as part of a last-minute effort to prevent the eviction of thousands of tenants. Many of those tenants live in units covered by a HUD program that a lot of agency officials didn't realize had expired at the start of the year, and that they are now unable to renew. The letters instruct the landlords to use their reserve accounts so no one is evicted, HUD spokesman Jereon Brown said. He said the budget and contract staffers are "scouring for money" to figure out how to fund the contracts on an interim basis. Treasury Department and IRSofficials are trying to determine whether they will be able to pay tax refunds next month, despite the fact that they said last year they would be prohibited from doing so in the event of a government shutdown. And the National Park Service, under pressure because of deteriorating conditions at some of its most popular parks, authorized tapping entrance fees to pay for trash pickup and other operations that have halted as a result of the shutdown - a move some critics said may be illegal. Under a memorandum signed Saturday by the Interior Department's acting secretary, David Bernhardt, and obtained by The Washington Post, park managers will be permitted to bring on additional staffers to clean restrooms, haul trash, patrol parks and open areas that have been shut because of the budget standoff. In a statement Sunday, National Park Service Deputy Director Daniel Smith acknowledged that the administration's practice of keeping understaffed parks open now threatens to degrade some of its most beloved sites. "As the lapse in appropriations continues, it has become clear that highly visited parks with limited staff have urgent needs that cannot be addressed solely through the generosity of our partners," Smith said. "We are taking this extraordinary step to ensure that parks are protected, and that visitors can continue to access parks with limited basic services." At least seven people have died at national park sites since the shutdown began, including a man at Yosemite National Park who illegally brought his dog on a trail and subsequently fell. At Point Reyes National Seashore north of San Francisco, the buildup of human waste became so severe that officials closed the park because of public health concerns. At Joshua Tree National Park, authorities shut campgrounds after determining that illegal off-road driving had damaged the park's resources. Theresa Pierno, president and CEO of the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association, said in an email that drawing from visitors' fees would drain money that was supposed to be spent on addressing the parks' massive maintenance backlog. "For those national parks that don't collect fees, they will now be in the position of competing for the same inadequate pot of money to protect their resources and visitors," Pierno said. "Draining accounts dry is not the answer." Congressional Democrats and some park advocates question whether the park-fee move is legal because the fees that parks collect under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act are expressly designated to support visitor services instead of operations and basic maintenance. "The Department of Interior is very likely violating appropriations law," Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., incoming chairwoman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies, said in a phone interview Sunday. "I want to see our parks open, but I want to see our entire government open the right way, following the law." In a sign of the acrimonious tenor of talks to reopen the government, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., blamed President Donald Trump for the continued impasse and sharply criticized him for repeating that he is considering declaring a national emergency to enact his campaign promise of building a wall on the southern border with Mexico. "The impression you get from the president (is) that he would like to not only close government, build a wall, but also abolish Congress so the only voice that mattered was his own," Pelosi said in an interview, which aired on CBS News' "Sunday Morning." Despite the pessimistic tone from Democrats, senior administration officials described the letter to congressional Democrats as a flicker of progress. They said the letter's formal call for a "steel barrier" rather than a massive concrete wall - as Trump long promised - was a notable development. More significant, they said, was the request for funds "to address urgent humanitarian needs" and unaccompanied migrant children arriving at the border - an issue they said Democrats have made a priority during the talks. "During our meetings with congressional staff this weekend, we made it clear that we have a crisis on our southern border, and we outlined the president's plan to secure our border, build a wall, and protect the American people," Vice President Mike Pence said in an interview. "It's time for the Democrats to start negotiating." The administration's proposal comes after an unprecedented surge in the number of migrant families crossing the border. In recent months, so many Central American parents have arrived with children that Border Patrol stations have become dangerously overcrowded and unhealthy. Two Guatemalan children died in December after being taken into custody by U.S. agents. Pence and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen made a presentation on the issue over the weekend, officials said. The $800 million is intended to alleviate what Homeland Security officials characterize as a "humanitarian crisis" by setting up temporary facilities where families would have better access to doctors and food in a more comfortable setting than the cement-floor holding cells of border stations where they are now detained. Nielsen and Kevin McAleenan, the commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, have pushed hard to include the $800 million, according to an official with knowledge of the discussion, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "They went to bat for this," the official said, viewing the proposal as a significant concession to Democratic demands for better treatment of migrants. Immigration hard-liners have been loath to spend significant funds to accommodate the family surge by improving detention conditions, and such temporary facilities would probably be derided as "welcome centers" at a time when record numbers of migrants are bringing children with them. As a result of court rulings that limit the amount of time minors can be held in detention, a parent who brings a child has a far better chance of avoiding a prolonged detention and deportation. Instead, with more than 2,000 migrants crossing the border each day, U.S. immigration authorities have resorted to mass releases because they cannot transport and process the families fast enough and because so many children are falling ill in government custody. The partial shutdown over wall funding - leaving U.S. border agents working extra hours without pay - has added to the strain. Administration officials are also looking to see what is legally permissible as they determine how to grapple with the 38 million Americans who could lose access to food assistance next month because the Agriculture Department is also caught up in the shutdown. As soon as this week, the agency could begin notifying states that it might not be able to provide the expected levels of financial assistance for food programs. State officials are trying to compensate for the shortfall when it comes to welfare and food stamp recipients, but Scott Pattison, executive director of the National Governors Association, said in an interview that at some point, state flexibility will run out. "For every day that goes on, it becomes increasingly problematic for states," Pattison said. "They are having to front money for federal programs. They can't run deficits like the federal government. They're on tight budgets, and it's not like they have a lot of money lying around." - - - Felicia Sonmez, Tracy Jan and Lisa Rein contributed to this report. To Dr. Peter Hotezs credit, he braided together three books into Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachels Autism without creating a tome too weighty to be engaging. Hotez a vaccine scientist and pediatrician could easily have written a book focused on the folly of the anti-vaccination movement. And he also could have written a book about the history of science behind vaccinations. He also could have further developed a parenthood narrative from his and his wifes point of view about raising their daughter Rachel, who is autistic. Because Hotez deftly overlaps these three stories, each is compressed in a way that feels both relatable and comprehensible. The breadth of research and the personal aspect of the book provide a delicate balance. I dont know if its a new genre in science books, Hotez says, but I dont think theres anything else quite like it. Its a science book, right? That also explains why vaccines dont cause autism. While also telling a personal story. I cant say, but my hope is that will make it meaningful to others. Hotez and his family moved to Houston about eight years ago from Washington, D.C. He admits he wasnt sure what to expect. At that point, Hotez was in his early 50s, and Rachel was still a teen. Hed spent almost all his life in the East and Northeast. Peter Hotez When: 7 p.m. Monday Where: Brazos Bookstore, 2421 Bissonnet Details: free; 713-523-0701, brazosbookstore.com See More Collapse And though hes found Houstons freeways daunting Hotez refers to them as the killing fields hes found Montrose to be nurturing and accommodating with Rachel, who receives so much kindness from people there. And professionally, Hotez has been able to study the effects of virulent distrust of science and medicine here. There is this unusual confluence of poverty and also people vulnerable to anti-science movements, he says. So I could be at Yale or Harvard and preaching to the converted. Or I could try to effect some change. Hotez serves as Texas Childrens Hospitals endowed chair in Tropical Pediatrics and is the director of Texas Childrens vaccine development at Baylor College of Medicine. He also serves as a fellow at the Baker Institute, where he studies disease and poverty. Baker Institute director Edward Djerejian recently referred to him as this hotshot. Hes constantly coming out with new research and new writings, Djerejian said. He deals with huge ethical issues, and he produces so much work. Much of Hotezs work focuses on connections between disease and poverty, which draws his attention to places far from Houston, though his previous book, Blue Marble Health, found that much neglected tropical disease could be found in poorer communities in affluent nations. One of the things I wanted to do with that book was really highlight how poverty is the driver of disease, he says. But his new book which hell discuss Monday night at Brazos Bookstore landed as close to home as work. Hotez quickly gets into familial detail, pulling in his wife, Ann, as a character, and her fine-tuned perception that their daughter at an early age differed from her two older siblings in her aversion to close physical contact. Hotez has for years pushed back against a movement that he identifies as beginning about 20 years ago, though he writes anti-vaccine movements have been around in one form or another since the founding of the American colonies. A 1998 column in the medical journal The Lancet by Andrew Wakefield, a gastroenterologist in the U.K., suggested a link between autism and the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The column was discredited and retracted. Wakefield was removed by the British General Medical Councils medical register. He has since relocated to Texas. His paper really ignited a movement, Hotez says. The retraction of the column did nothing to put the fervor back into the bottle, though. This movement is well funded and well organized, Hotez says. And its clever what theyve done. Theyve tied their star to a political movement with lazy terms like medical freedom. Its all made-up stuff, but it has been effective at raising money and impacting legislation. Hotez sees its work as just part of a larger erosion of childrens rights that has been going on for years. Politics has gained ascendency over the sanctity of childhood. He lays out in the book the prenatal path autism takes. And though Hotez would love to place the entirety of the issue on the anti-vaccine movement, he says some fault rests at the feet of the scientific and medical communities. As professional scientists, were very inward looking, he says. We only consider whats important that which we are writing and speaking to and for each other. Weve dropped entirely the idea of public engagement. If you read about science in 1800s England, the public lectures were front and center. Weve lost that. We dont talk enough to the public, its seen as self-promotion. Instead of telling people, No, no, this is why were in the mess were in. Whether its the anti-vaccine movement, climate-change denial or flat-Earthers or those who deny the moon landing. Weve helped create those things by being too silent. andrew.dansby@chron.com Soulja Boy was among the Malibu residents to endure a scary mudslide along the Pacific Coast Highway. There isn't any doubt, natural disasters of this kind are second nature to Californians. That's what prompted state officials to issue a "Flash Flood Warning" the night before the incident took place. The entire Ventura County landmass covering Malibu was under strict orders to "move carefully, "particularly in the spot where Soula Boy's automobile lost its footing. Soulja certainly wasn't the only motorists forced into a helpless position, but his presence of mind to use Twitter in the midst of the disaster relief had the desired effect of drawing close attention to the issue, via the Internet. "Was involved in a very bad car accident last night due to a flash flood and mudslide," he tweeted this morning, after which he scoured Twitter for similar accounts (of solidarity). He was thus able to affect a positive change in his worried mood - later musing that his car was literally "in the ocean" at its veritable tipping point. Soulja used an image from the flood posted by NBC Los Angeles to illustrate his account of the incident. As a result of Soulja's social media engagement during the evacuation, NBC Los Angeles was able to reach out to him with a genuine message of gratitude. All is well, thanks to Twitter God, oh and state officials who were quick to the draw last night. Enter the Once Upon A Child Spring Style Sweepstakes today for the chance to WIN! Refresh your child's wardrobe! You could be the LUCKY WINNER of $200 in Store Cash! Click here to find out where to get a COVID-19 vaccine or test. To find out how many local residents have been vaccinated for COVID-19, click here. Use the map to find numbers for individual counties. Find detailed statistics about COVID-19 tests, cases and deaths by county and for the state as a whole on the Indiana State Department of Health's online dashboard. An Upperco location for the chain best known for coffee and doughnuts celebrated a grand opening Saturday Jan. 5. But customers may notice difference between this store and other locations. Its known as a next generation Dunkin, and includes features like a tap system for cold drinks and an interior designed to flow well with online ordering. Lima, OH (45805) Today Plenty of sunshine. An isolated shower possible later in the day. High 77F. Winds N at 5 to 15 mph.. Tonight Some clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight. Low 52F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Yellow vest protesters returned in force to the streets of France this weekend, clashing with police in several cities and smashing their way into a government ministry in Paris with the help of a forklift truck. The interior ministry put the number of protesters who took to the streets on Saturday at 50,000, compared with 32,000 on December 29 when the movement appeared to be weakening after holding a series of weekly Saturday protests since mid-November. Government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux, who was evacuated from his ministry in central Paris when a handful of protesters in high-visibility vests smashed down the large wooden door to the ministry compound, denounced the break-in as an unacceptable attack on the Republic. Protesters wearing yellow vests (gilets jaunes) stand amid smoke of tear gas during a demonstration against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris, on December 15, 2018. - The "Yellow Vests" (Gilets Jaunes) movement in France originally started as a protest about planned fuel hikes but has morphed into a mass protest against President's policies and top-down style of governing. (Photo by Abdul ABEISSA / AFP) (AFP) Some yellow vest protesters and other people dressed in black ... got hold of a construction vehicle which was in the street nearby and smashed open the entrance gate to the ministry, he told AFP. They briefly entered the courtyard where they smashed up two cars, broke some windows then escaped, he added, saying police were trying to identify them from security footage. President Emmanuel Macron did not specifically refer to the incident, but tweeted his condemnation of the extreme violence against the Republic, its guardians, its representatives and its symbols. Griveaux had on Friday criticised the yellow vest movement, describing those still involved as agitators who were seeking to overthrow the government. Police said some 3,500 demonstrators turned up on the Champs-Elysees on Saturday morning. Some then made their way south of the river to the wealthy area around Boulevard St Germain, where they set light to a car and several motorbikes and set up burning barricades, prompting police to fire tear gas to try and disperse them. Police said 35 people were arrested Demonstrators took to the streets of several other cities across France, with up to 2,000 people in Rouen northwest of Paris, where some set up burning barricades. One protester was injured and at least two others were arrested, police said. Some 4,600 protesters hit the streets of the southwestern city of Bordeaux, with some hurling stones at police who answered with tear gas and water cannon. Five police were hurt and 11 people arrested, local authorities said, adding that several cars were torched and shop windows broken. Further south in Toulouse, 22 people were detained following clashes that erupted after 2,000 people turned out to demonstrate. A protester wearing a yellow vest and an Anonymous mask takes part in a demonstration by the "yellow vests" movement in Paris, France, December 15, 2018. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes (REUTERS) And in the central-eastern city of Lyon, several thousands took to the streets, blocking access to the A7 motorway and causing traffic jams for those returning from Christmas holidays in the mountains. The yellow vest movement began in rural France over plans to increase fuel taxes. But it later ballooned into a wider revolt against Macrons pro-market policies and governing style, with 282,000 people joining the first Saturday rally on November 17. Macron initially refused to make any concessions, but in mid-December, after weeks of violence, he scrapped the planned fuel tax hike and promised extra cash for minimum wage earners as well as tax cuts for pensioners. The protests have turned into the biggest political crisis of Macrons 20-month presidency and brought his popularity ratings to an all-time low. Although public anger appeared to abate following his concessions and over the holiday period, the brief arrest on Wednesday of Eric Drouet, one of the leaders of the movement, appeared to rekindle resentment among his supporters. The latest opinion poll, published on Thursday by Odoxa Dentsu, indicated 55 percent support the protests -- a figure which, although lower than the 75 % back in November, is still important enough to suggest the anti-austerity movement retains political clout. Former cinema icon Brigitte Bardot, who is known today for her rightwing views and animal rights activism, on Sunday said she understood what motivated the yellow vest movement. When I see the millions spent on incredibly trivial things, when I see politicians using private planes and chauffeur-driven cars to get around (...) all this money spent is unacceptable, she told the Midi Libre newspaper. It should be given instead to people in need. The White House chief of staff said on Sunday that the US federal government shutdown, now entering its third week, could drag on a lot longer. But Mick Mulvaney also raised the possibility of changing the construction materials used to build a barrier on the border with Mexico in order to reach a compromise between President Donald Trump and Democrats. Mulvaney, in an interview with NBCs Meet the Press, said Trump was considering accepting funding to build a steel fence, despite his campaign promise that the wall be built of concrete. And if he has to give up a concrete wall, replace it with a steel fence in order to do that so that Democrats can say, See? Hes not building a wall anymore, that should help us move in the right direction, Mulvaney, who is also the head of the Office of Management and Budget, said. Mulvaney said negotiations between his staff and congressional Democrats were bogged down in technical requests after the two sides met on Saturday morning. I think this is going to drag on a lot longer. I think thats, thats by, by intention, Mulvaney, who is serving as the top White House aide in an acting capacity, said. Large chunks of the federal government shut down on Dec. 22 after lawmakers and the president hit an impasse over Trumps demands to build a wall. Trump is demanding any funding to keep the federal government operational also include $5.6 billion to begin building a $23 billion a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. Democrats in control of the House of Representatives this week passed a bill to reopen the government without providing additional funding for the wall, and have insisted that reopening the government should be contingent upon wall construction funds. Mulvaney dismissed claims from other Republicans that political motivations were preventing Trump for compromising. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said last week that Trumps political base would abandon the president if he did not build a wall. The president is interested in resolving this issue, Mulvaney said. Its why weve been meeting for two weeks. Its why we met yesterday with the vice president and the team for several hours. Its why the president met with the leadership teams three days ago for several hours. Phoenix police on Saturday were investigating reports of a sexual assault after a woman who has been hospitalized in a vegetative state for the past decade gave birth. The woman, who was incapacitated in a drowning incident, was a patient at Hacienda Healthcare when she went into labour on December 29 and delivered a baby boy, according to local media. No one knew she was pregnant and healthcare staff were initially unsure why she was moaning, the reports said. This matter is currently under investigation by the Phoenix Police Department, Sergeant Tommy Thompson told Reuters when asked about the media reports. Hacienda spokesman David Leibowitz said the facility had recently become aware of a deeply disturbing incident involving one of its residents. He declined to say whether its staff were being asked to undergo DNA testing to identify a possible suspect, or whether the facility was taking any preventative measures to protect patients against a similar situation. While federal and state privacy laws prohibit us from publicly discussing a patients health or case, Hacienda has and will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement and all the relevant regulatory agencies regarding this matter, Leibowitz said by email. Victim advocate Tasha Menaker, chief strategy officer of the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, said it would be appropriate for police to run DNA tests on male employees at the facility. Hacienda HealthCare describes itself as Arizonas leading provider of specialized health care services for medically fragile and chronically ill infants, children, teens, and young adults as well as those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A spokesman for Arizona Governor Doug Ducey said the reports were deeply troubling and that the state was re-evaluating its contract and regulatory authority over Hacienda Healthcare to tighten up patient safety measures. Malaysias king has abdicated, royal officials said Sunday, ending weeks of speculation about his future after he took a leave of absence and amid rumours he married a Russian former beauty queen. Sultan Muhammad Vs decision marks the first time a king has abdicated in the Muslim-majority country since it gained independence from Britain in 1957. The National Palace informs that his majesty has resigned as the 15th king effective January 6, said a statement from the palace. It did not give any reason for the 49-year-old royals move. But there had been a question mark over the reign of the king, who ascended to the throne in December 2016, since he took a leave of absence for medical treatment in November. Reports then circulated online that he had married a former Miss Moscow in Russia -- although royal officials in Malaysia have so far not commented on the rumours. Speculation intensified about his future this week when the countrys Islamic royals reportedly held a special meeting. Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy, with an unique arrangement where the throne changes hands every five years between rulers of the nine Malaysian states headed by centuries-old Islamic royalty. A delegation of top White House aides led by Vice President Mike Pence will meet again with congressional staff on Sunday after a two-and-a-half hour discussion Saturday was unable to forge a deal to end the partial government shutdown now into its third week. The vice president described the meeting, at his ceremonial office across the street from the White House, as productive. But President Donald Trump took to Twitter some time later to declare that not much headway had been made -- a sentiment echoed by the acting White House chief of staff. Although Trump said the meeting had been with representatives of Democratic leadership, Republican aides attended as well as all players look for a way to break the impasse over border security funding. The gathering featured Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, who provided a full briefing of what the administration contends is a crisis on the U.S.-Mexico border, said one White House and two congressional aides who asked not to be identified to discuss the private meeting. Democrats asked for a formal budget justification for the administrations position in order to determine what the White Houses request is, said a person familiar with the discussion. Democratic aides told the White House that formal negotiations will grow increasingly hard with the government closed, but were rebuffed on a demand that the White House support reopening the government, the person said. Concrete vs. Steel Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, told NBC that Trump is willing to take a concrete wall off the table in negotiations with Democrats over the shutdown. If he has to give up a concrete wall, replace it with a steel fence in order to do that so that Democrats can say, See? Hes not building a wall anymore, that should help us move in the right direction, Mulvaney said in a partial transcript provided by the network. The interview that will run in full on Sundays Meet the Press. Trump recently has tweeted that a border barrier comprised of artistically designed steel slats would be acceptable, and showed a prototype of a tall structure topped by sharp spikes. Separately, Mulvaney told CNN that at Saturdays meeting the opening line from one of the lead Democrat negotiators was that they were not there to talk about any agreement. Democrats, he said, were actually, in my mind, there to stall. Border Briefing The White House had invited congressional leaders to hear Nielsens briefing over a pair of meetings earlier this week, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer interrupted the presentation to instead attempt to engage President Donald Trump in negotiations to end the shutdown. The administration is expected to prepare a budget sheet for Sundays meeting outlining their requests for border security measures, according to one congressional aide. That could serve as the basis for negotiations, with Democrats having previously signaled they would be willing to fund some measures -- but not Trumps signature wall on the U.S.-Mexico border that the White House has said is central to ending the impasse. Saturdays discussion, which was also attended by administration aides including presidential son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, legislative affairs director Shahira Knight, and Pence national security adviser Keith Kellogg, didnt feature an in-depth discussion about specific dollar amounts, according to the White House aide. A second Democratic aide, though, said the administration isnt budging on the $5.7 billion wall proposal that led to the shutdown. Day 15 Trump didnt attend the meeting, instead remaining in the White House residence and posting regular tweets about the shutdown and border security. Saturday marked day 15 of the partial shutdown, which has closed nine of 15 federal departments and left hundreds of thousands of workers on furlough or working without pay. Trump and Republicans remain at an impasse with Democrats over Trumps demand for about $5 billion to fund construction of the border barrier. The president on Friday said he could declare a national emergency to circumvent Congress and build a border wall, after telling Democrats hes prepared to keep part of the government shut for a year or longer if his demands arent met. That assertion -- made during a news conference at the White House -- was met with skepticism from within the Republican Party and sharp criticism from Democrats. In a handful of Twitter messages on Saturday about border security, Trump said that great support was coming from all sides about the need to secure the southern border (including Wall) and that Democrats could solve the shutdown problem in a very short period of time. He also said the border represents a big Human Trafficking problem, and that most of the workers not getting paid are Democrats. In a first along the Indian coastline, an octopus species was recently spotted in the estuarine zone of Narmada river, said scientists. Marine biologists confirmed that there were no previous reports of octopuses being spotted in inland waters along the Indian coastline. Octopus is a marine species that is spotted up to the depth of 50m and is known to inhabit coastal sea waters. It is rarely observed in the estuarine brackish waters. Seventeen specimens of the Cistopus indicus, commonly known as the old woman octopus, were identified by scientists from the Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI) Vadodra, Gujarat, under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The octopuses were spotted during CIFRIs routine survey as a part of a fish catch at Bhadbhut village, 35kms off the Gulf of Khambhat on December 16. CIFRI scientists declared their findings on Friday. According to data collated by us since 1988, in India, octopuses are caught mainly as by-catch in trawl nets used for shrimp trawling, shore seines, boat seines, hooks, lines and stake nets, but they have never been caught within brackish estuarine water bodies, said Dr Dibakar Bhakta, scientist, CIFRI Vadodra. The 17 specimens, which are 190-320mm in length, are about the size of a human arm. The maximum length of the species was 325mm with a weight of 56.2g. The maximum length of this species along the Indian coastline was 600mm from the Bay of Bengal, said Bhatka. There are around 200 species of Octopus reported across the world and 38 species reported from Indian seas. According to Bhakta and his team, the salinity of the Bhadbhut and adjacent Mahegam region was in the range of 18-20 parts per thousand (ppt) during December. The salinity of water in the ocean is around 35 ppt. The mixture of seawater and fresh water in estuaries has salinity ranging between 0.5 and 35 ppt. Initial analysis and high salinity show that ingress of high tide water may have allowed this marine species into the estuary. However, considering the low quantity of marine fish catch in these brackish waters between 2017 and 2018, environmental disturbances and anthropogenic alterations to their habitat can be another cause for their displacement, said Bhakta. Deepak Apte, director, Bombay Natural History Society, said marine species, mostly fish, are known to move into brackish waters for breeding mostly around winter months. However, there are no previous records of octopuses depicting such behaviour. Independent experts who have carried out research on octopuses also said high tide water had most probably brought the species to the estuary. It is extremely rare to spot such a find and further studies need to ascertain the level of water during low and high tide and species diversity in both phases, said Vinay Deshmukh, marine biologist and former scientist, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI). Octopus made up merely 0.72% of the total molluscan resource (61688 tonnes) that landed in Gujarat during 2017. This is clearly the first documentation of an octopus found along inland waters in India. It is unusual for such marine benthic species, irrespective of their size to survive in salinity ranging between 18-20 ppt. We need to study whether similar reports have occurred from other parts of the country to ascertain habitat changes, said E Vivekanandan, former principal scientist and national consultant, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute and currently heading the Bay of Bengal project on biodiversity conservation. Besides the urban course where the arrest took place, which is laid out with fake commercial areas and a suburban residential court, there is a course that mimics Maryland highways. On another, sprinklers allow instructors to create a controlled wet surface where drivers can practice entering skids and correcting them. On another, patterns of traffic cones mark out advanced parking and turning maneuvers designed to make recruits very comfortable with the space their vehicles take up. The Lok Janshakti Party, a BJP ally in Bihar, on Saturday disapproved of contentious issues like the Ram temple and triple talaq being raised ahead of the Lok Sabha polls and expressed apprehension that deviating from the development plank could harm the NDA. LJP parliamentary board chairman Chirag Paswan expressed the view at a press conference in the district, which comprises a part of his Lok Sabha seat -- Jamui. Development should be the poll plank for the NDA, which, I am confident, will help the coalition win more than 35 of the 40 seats in Bihar. I am hopeful that the election will be fought on the issue of development and contentious issues like the Ram temple and triple talaq will be kept at bay. These may harm the coalitions prospects, he said. The young MP, who is the son of Union minister and the LJPs founding president Ram Vilas Paswan, had expressed similar concerns last month after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost power in three of its strongholds -- Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Paswans statement came at a time when the issue of triple talaq has thrown Parliament into a turmoil and another BJP ally in the state, chief minister Nitish Kumars JD(U), has refused to vote in favour of the bill in the Rajya Sabha after having abstained in the Lok Sabha. Moreover, Prime Minister Narendra Modis contention that an ordinance on the Ram temple will not be brought ahead of the Supreme Court verdict on the issue and the delay in a decision on the title suit in the apex court are being resented by the hardliners within the BJP and the Sangh Parivar. Replying to another query, Paswan said the LJPs claim over the Munger Lok Sabha seat stood as of now. Neither of our allies (BJP and JDU) has approached us, expressing the desire to contest the seat. But if we are asked to give up our claim on the seat and offered some other constituency, it will be duly considered, he added. Notably, Munger is represented in the Lok Sabha by Veena Devi, wife of mafia don-turned-politician Suraj Bhan Singh who is a national vice-president of the LJP. Singh has been fielding his wife in elections following his conviction in the murder case of former Bihar minister Brij Bihari Prasad in 2008. Speculation has been rife that the Janata Dal (United) may insist on the seat for Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, a minister in the Nitish Kumar cabinet, who had won the seat for his party in 2009, but had lost it to Veena Devi five years later. The JD(U), which had fought the 2014 Lok Sabha polls separately, returned to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2017. The pitch has been queered for the NDA constituents in the constituency, represented in the past by luminaries like Madhu Limaye, with dreaded Mokama MLA Anant Singh throwing his hat in the ring. Singh, who belongs to the Bhumihar caste like Veena Devi and Rajiv Ranjan Singh, has surprised all by expressing his desire to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Munger, even if it means taking on the Bihar minister whom he is said to hold in high esteem. Once a loyalist of Kumar, Singh had quit the JD(U) ahead of the 2015 Bihar Assembly polls, voicing disapproval of the short-lived alliance with Lalu Prasads Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and had retained Mokama for the third consecutive term as an Independent. After having met state Congress election campaign committee chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh in Delhi last month, Singh had sung paeans to the RJD supremo and expressed his desire to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls as a Grand Alliance candidate. He was, however, rebuffed by Prasads sons Tejashwi and Tej Pratap Yadav. Singh has, thereafter, declared that he will contest from Munger as an Independent and make all the other candidates lose their deposits. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.) Chances of the Congress becoming a part of the proposed Samajwadi Party (SP)-Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) alliance in Uttar Pradesh ahead of this years Lok Sabha elections appear to have receded further a majority of its state leaders are opposed to a tie-up with SP and BSP. A senior Congress politician said the party had started receiving feedback on joining the mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) from its UP leaders immediately after its electoral victories in the Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh last month. As part of the internal survey, suggestions were sought from senior leaders, sitting and former legislators and former members of Parliament on the proposed tie-up with the two main Uttar Pradesh parties. A majority of these leaders expressed reservations over the move and wanted the party to go it alone in the summer general elections, according to the assessment. They argued that the Congress had regained some of its lost ground among the upper castes and a section of the middle class in UP, the countrys most populous state. The state fills 80 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats, and if the party were to join the alliance, it would help the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) more than the coalition. Given the fact that the Congress vote is non-transferable, it could go to the BJP in protest against the grand old party joining forces with the SP-BSP combine, which draws support from the scheduled castes and tribes, other backward classes and the minorities, the respondents said . This is in contrast to 2017 when Congress leaders, including its then 27 sitting legislators, in one voice favoured a tie-up with the SP. The tie-up didnt help; the BJP swept to power in UP with a landslide victory in the assembly elections. Making the contest triangular will for sure hurt the BJP. We saw what happened in Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha by-elections last year, a UP Congress leader said on condition of anonymity. The SP defeated the BJP in the race for both seats while the Congress came a distant third. Also read | In Congress counter attack, Rahul Gandhi to focus on farmers in PM Modis Varanasi The leader cited above said conversations have been under way about the alliance since March last year and at one point of time the Congress was ready to settle at 8-10 Lok Sabha seats though it had been demanding 15 from the two parties. SP and BSP have so far shown an inclination to leave just two seats for the Congress Amethi and Rae Bareli, represented by party chief Rahul Gandhi and his mother and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi, respectively, in the Lok Sabha. Then a stage came when we started discussions with BSP leaders and expressed our willingness to give 50 seats to them while keeping the SP out. We were also ready to accommodate other smaller parties from our quota. But that didnt eventually work out, the UP Congress leader said. Another UP Congress leader said the state unit had been clearly divided over the alliance. While a section was completely in favour of joining the mahagathbandhan, there were some who were keen on having an alliance with the BSP only, he said. There was also a section which wanted the party to go it alone so that the organisation could be rebuilt from the scratch it had reached after the decimation in the 2017 assembly polls. These leaders argued that fielding candidates on all the 80 Lok Sabha seats will help in galvanising the cadre, the leader said. After the just-concluded assembly elections, Gandhi had called a state leader and sought his views on the alliance. The state leader told him that the morale of the party leaders and cadre is high after the victories in the three states despite the two parties playing the spoiler. He also advised him against approaching the leaders of the two parties and instead urged him to wait for them to make the first move, he said. Then a few days ago, another state leader met a close aide to Gandhi and asked him if he should start preparations to contest a particular seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The aide gave him the green light to do so and categorically told him that the Congress will not join the grand alliance. Although the party has started identifying candidates for all the 80 UP Lok Sabha seats, the leaders categorically stated that the final call will be taken by the Congress president after weighing the pros and cons of suggestions from the state unit. When asked about the prospects of the alliance, All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Prakash Joshi said, It is imperative for all the secular parties to join hands against the fascist forces. This is the need of the hour. But if we have to fight on our own, we are ready to do that. The SP-BSP combine is also not in favour of taking the Congress on board given the assessment that its votes are by and large non-transferable and shift to rival parties rather than the alliance partners.The Congress is banking heavily on the upper caste and middle class votes given their perceived disenchantment with the BJP. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has already conveyed to the Congress leaders that it would be in the interest of the secular forces if the party contested on its own. SP leaders cite the example of the 2017 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh when his party allied with the Congress. The Congress votes went to the BJP and not to the alliance because a large section of its supporters were unhappy with both the SP and the BSP, they said. BSP supremo Mayawati has repeatedly stated that the votes of her party are entirely transferable and the other parties benefit from an alliance. Political analysts opine that the Congress has no option but to go alone as it cannot accept the offer of two seats and insisted that Mayawatis hardened stand is basically centered on her prime ministerial aspirations. Mayawati wants to keep a space for herself to negotiate on the PMship and does not want to give a green signal to Rahul Gandhi. She too has prime ministerial ambitions and in case all the alliance parties get a few seats each, she can mobilise the others and stake her claim ton the post, said Professor Badri Narayan of the Govind Ballabh Pant Social Science Institute in Allahabad. But if the Congress gets more than 100 seats (in the Lok Sabha) then it will become difficult for her. On the other hand, SP is compelled by the BSP as it does not have any option. SP knows that without the BSP they cannot perform well in the elections, he added. Read | SP-BSP alliance deal leaves 2 seats for Rahul, Sonia in Lok Sabha polls An inter-department panel formed to look into the modalities of farm loan waiver in Rajasthan has decided to recommend Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to waive all loans of farmers who have committed suicide between 2014 and 2018. The decision was taken at the first meeting of the committee chaired by Urban Development Minister Shanti Dhariwal on Saturday. Nearly 70 farmers committed suicide in the state from 2014 to 2018. We will recommend to the chief minister that their all loans, be it for farming or for other purpose, should be waived, Dhariwal said. He added, This will be one of our recommendations to the chief minister. Details like financial burden will be discussed in the next meeting. Industries Minister Parsadi Lal Meena, a members of the committee, said it will recommend waiver of loans be it from any bank and any amount. After forming government, Gehlot had announced to waive entire short term agriculture loans from cooperative banks and agriculture loans of up to Rs 2 lakh from nationalised and other banks for defaulting farmers on December 19. The committee was later setup to decide the modalities of the farm loan waiver. Next meeting of the committee will be held on January 11. Earlier, the meeting was scheduled to be held on January 10, but the chief minister has deputed the committees chairman to attend the GST council meeting in New Delhi on that day. As fresh incidents of violence continued to mar peace in Kerala following the entry of two women into the Sabarimala temple, state tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran on Sunday said travel advisories issued by the US and UK to its citizens were a real setback to the state. The foreign offices of the United States and the United Kingdom have issued a travel advisory to its citizens travelling in Kerala to remain vigilant and avoid large public gatherings. There have been protests in some towns and cities in Kerala over the issue of women accessing Sabarimala temple. Some public services have been disrupted in the wake of clashes between police and protesters. If you are in the state, remain vigilant and avoid public gatherings, said the advisory issued by the foreign and commonwealth office. (Follow live updates of Sabarimala temple row here) These advisories really humiliated us. More than 10% of the state GDP is based on hospitality industry and there is a concerted effort to target this, he said. In the last few shutdowns in Kerala, tourists were targeted in a planned manner and it was a ploy aimed at breaking the back of the state economy, said the tourism minister. He added that the state, which is a leader in the tourism sector, has never experienced such a situation before. During all shutdowns usually tourist vehicles were spared. But this time they were targeted too. This has brought us enough shame. It seems Sangh Parivar outfits are doing it deliberately. Big or small, the state witnessed seven shutdowns in two months. If the situation continues to be like this it will put a death knell to tourism industry, Surdendran said. Read: Violence continues to rock Kerala, BJP warns CPI(M) govt as over 3,000 held He has asked all political parties to evolve a consensus to exempt the tourism sector from all shutdowns. The state has been witnessing widespread violence since Wednesday after two women- Bindu Ammini, 42, and Kanakadurga, 44 - entered the hilltop shrine, following which Sabarimala Karma Samithi, an umbrella organisation of Hindu groups, had called a statewide bandh on Thursday. The police arrested over 3000 people on Saturday for their role in protests following the entry of women into the Sabarimala temple. However, violence continued to cripple many areas of the state on Sunday as well. In Thalassery of Kannur district, houses of an RSS leader as well as a CPI(M) were attacked in the early hours of Sunday. A Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) worker was also stabbed in Palakkad. The police have extended prohibitory orders in three more towns. A CPI(M) branch secretary has been arrested in connection with an alleged attack on a mosque in Perambra is Kozhikode district. Police said that the leader attacked a mosque with a view to stoke communal trouble in the area. Also read: PM Modi puts off Kerala visit after Sabarimala violence The area had witnessed a clash between RSS and CPI(M) workers on Friday and he used this as an opportunity to fan communal trouble, said a senior police officer. The party said it will take strict action against the leader. The Union ministry of earth sciences (MoES) has recommended amending a 1998 notification of the Union environment ministry that stipulated the criteria for seawater quality to include presence of seven heavy metals and certain pesticides. If implemented, the proposed amendment will help conserve important marine species along the coast from severe marine pollution, the criteria guidelines will also have an impact on the health of coastal population who depend on seafood. The criteria will be applicable for beaches, coastal tourism areas and even ports and harbours. The proposal was made by MoES based on toxicological research by the Chennai based National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR). But, the ministry of environment has asked for a revised draft of the amendment as it may be too difficult to implement. MoES has made a proposal for amendment to the 1998 notification under the Environment Protection Act, which has criteria for seawater... Environment ministry has stated that the issue needs to be discussed with stakeholders and public in coastal areas. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has been asked to revise the proposal and present it again, said a joint director, environment ministry who declined to be named. These guidelines were prepared after extensive bio-assay studies to determine chronic toxicity limits. The toxic heavy metals are usually present in the marine environment and gets ingested by the marine life, these over time bio-accumulate and come to the food chain too, said K Venkatarama Sharma, senior scientist at the National Centre for Coastal Research. The main sources of pesticides in seawater are pesticide run-off from agricultural fields and those of heavy metals are mainly industrial sewage. The heavy metals proposed to be included in the guidelines include cadmium, mercury, zinc and lead. We have found that heavy metals and pesticides affect all aspects of sea life, not some species in particular...A lot of people in India depend on seafood and this will be an important intervention for them, added Sharma. Its good that government is coming up with a standard. The industrial sewage treatment plants will now have to put systems in place to meet with heavy metal criteria also, said Deepak Apte, marine scientist and director of Bombay Natural History Society. If govt hurts believers sentiments, natural to for them to take law in hands: socio-cultural body Nair Service Society, a socio-cultural body of upper caste Nairs, blames the government for the mess. If the government takes lead in hurting sentiments of belivers it is natural for them to take law in their hands, said NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair. NSS has taken a consistent position from the beginning and a party in case in Supreme Court since 2005. CPI(M) branch secretary allegedly attacked mosque to stoke communal fire: Police A CPI(M) brach secretary has been arrested in connection with an alleged attack on a mosque in Perambra is Kozhokkode district. Kerala minister criticises tantri for becoming a tool in hands of Sangh Parivar outfits State tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran reiterated that he doesnt have information about the entry of more women in the Sabarimala shrine. He criticised tantri Rajeevaru Kandarau for becoming a tool in the hands of Sangh Parivar outfits. More incidents of violence in Thalassery Fresh incidents of violence were reported from north Kerala s Thalassery in the Kannur district. Tourism hit, big setback UK, US advisory for travellers is a big setback for Kerala, said state tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran. He said that the ongoing violence brought enough disrepute to the state. The state witnessed seven shutdowns since the Supreme Court verdict on September 28. This has affected tourism in the state badly. At least 10% of state GDP comes from tourism and if situation continues to be like this, it will break the state economy, he said. 3,000 people arrested As the police intensified its crackdown on those indulging in violence, the total number of arrests doubled from around 1,400 on Friday to 3,000 on Saturday. DYFI activist stabbed On day 4, as stray incidents of violence continue in Kerala, Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) activist was stabbed in the early hours in Keralas Palakkad. A team of assailants barged into his house and attacked him. He suffered serious stab wounds and was rushed to the hospital. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a fresh money-laundering case against a firm allegedly linked with Robert Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, agency officials said on Monday. The case, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, has been filed on the basis of an FIR registered by the Haryana police in September last year. According to the FIR, Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd, a firm allegedly linked to Vadra, struck a deal with Onkareshwar Properties, for a 3.5-acre piece of land in Gurgaons Sector 83 in 2008. Bhupinder Singh Hooda of the Congress was the chief minister of the state then, holding the portfolio of town and county planning department as well. State police alleged that later Skylight Hospitality sold that piece of land to realty major DLF at a price of Rs 58 crore, after procuring a commercial licence for the development of a colony due to the alleged influence of Hooda. Police said the company made a profit of ~50 crore on the deal. Vadra has repeatedly denied charges of any wrongdoing. The Congress has termed the action against Vadra as political vendetta due to the BJPs electoral losses in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Vadra is already under probe by the ED over some transactions in connection with suspected defence deals. Last month, the agency conducted searches over the matter. Besides, ED is probing money-laundering charges in connection with some land deals in Bikaner, Rajasthan. Congress president Rahul Gandhi and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday traded charges once again in connection with the Rafale deal, this time on Twitter. In response to a newspaper report on the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) not yet receiving the orders mentioned by the defence minister during the Rafale debate in Parliament on Friday, Gandhi tweeted: When you tell one lie, you need to keep spinning out more lies, to cover up the first one. In her eagerness to defend the PMs Rafale lie, the RM lied to Parliament. Tomorrow, RM must place before Parliament documents showing 1 Lakh crore of Govt orders to HAL. Or resign. Responding to the Congress chiefs tweet, Sitharaman pointed out that she did not claim the orders were signed. Its a shame that the president of @INCIndia is spreading lies and misleading the country. HAL has signed contracts worth 26570.8Cr (Between 2014 & 2018) and contracts worth 73000Cr are in the pipeline. Will @RahulGandhi apologise to the country from the floor of the house and resign? the defence ministers office tweeted. The orders related to these amounts are the same ones mentioned by the minister on Friday. On Sunday, she also tweeted out the specifics of these orders that she had mentioned in Parliament on Friday. Orders for 83 LCA Tejas fighters worth Rs 50,000 crore; for 15 combat helicopters worth Rs 3,000 crore; for 200 Kamov helicopters worth Rs 20,000 crore; for 19 Dornier transport aircraft worth Rs 3,400; other helicopters worth Rs 15,000 crore; Aero engines worth Rs 8,400 crore, she said. HAL has supplied 11 Tejas aircraft this financial year and would supply five more by the end of March, said an HAL official who asked not to be named. The organisation was scheduled to supply 16 units this year, as compared to eight last fiscal, and 83 by 2022, he added. Defence ministry spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand refused to comment on the latest row pertaining to HAL. HAL chairman R Madhavan was not reachable over the phone. HAL issued a statement on Twitter on Sunday saying its cash position was expected to improve by March. In view of the various media reports on HAL, following is clarified: HAL has taken overdraft of Rs 962 crores. With anticipated collection upto March, the cash position is expected to improve. Orders for LCA Mk1 A (83) & LCH (15) are in advanced stages, it wrote. The state-owned defence manufacturers order book as on March 31, 2018, was valued at Rs 61,123 crore, according to the companys annual report. The report said the order book continued to be healthy and that good order inflow was expected in future years. The order book relates to equipment for the armed forces, primarily the Indian Air Force. Defence orders take a long time to be decided, and, even after a decision is made, it takes time before they are placed. Often, the deliveries happen several years after the orders are placed. HAL has been at the centre of the Rafale controversy. It was supposed to assemble 108 of the 126 aircraft the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was supposed to buy from Dassault Aviation. That deal was scrapped by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government which signed a government-to-government deal with France to buy 36 fighters. The deal has become contentious and controversial with Opposition parties, including the Congress, saying the new deal cost more, that due process wasnt followed in its signing, and that it was done to benefit Anil Ambanis Reliance Defence which has signed an offset deal with Dassault. The government has maintained that the price is actually lower than the one in the old deal, and that offset deals do not involve the government. Dassault and Reliance have also insisted there is no wrongdoing in the case. The Supreme Court has said, while ruling on petitions seeking an investigation into the deal, that it was convinced that due process was followed and that it did not want to get into the issue of pricing. In Parliament on Friday, Sitharaman listed the orders in the works to establish her point that the NDA wasnt ignoring HAL. In 2017-18, HAL recorded its highest-ever turnover of Rs 18,284 crore with growth of 3.86% in comparison with the previous years turnover of Rs 17,604 crore. Profit before tax for the year was Rs 3,323 crore as against Rs 3,583 crore in the previous year. The profit after tax for the year stood at Rs 2,070 crore. Three UP ministers personal secretaries, who were booked on corruption charges after they were caught on camera, purportedly ready to accept bribe, were sent to prison on Saturday following investigation by a special investigation team. Confirming the development, ADG Lucknow Zone Rajeev Krishna, who was heading the SIT, said, The accused Ram Naresh Tripathi, Om Prakash Kashyap and Santosh Awasthi were booked under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. They were sent to jail after the charges against them were found to be true in our investigation. The incident came to light after a Hindi television news channel conducted a sting operation. IG, Special Task Force and a senior officer of the vigilance establishment were members of the SIT, while special secretary, information technology, Rakesh Verma, assisted in the probe. Reportedly, three FIRs were registered against the personal secretaries at the Hazratganj police station on December 27 night. Earlier that day, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had ordered the formation of a special investigation team to probe the allegations levelled against them. The station house officer of Hazratganj police station, Radha Raman Singh said the FIRs were lodged on the complaint of the deputy secretary of the secretariat administration, Pancham Ram. Ram Naresh Tripathi, Om Prakash Kashyap and Santosh Awasthi were booked under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, he said. Tripathi was the personal secretary of Archana Pandey, Kashyap was the personal secretary of OP Rajhbhar and Awasthi was the personal secretary of Sandeep Singh. Earlier, an official statement by the state government had said that Yogi Adityanath had taken note of the sting operation and ordered the formation of an SIT to probe the allegations. The CM had also ordered strict action to be taken in the case. The CM also directed the secretariat administration department to probe all cases in which complaints of illegal activities by the secretariat staff had been received. The CM has said that the state government would follow zero-tolerance policy against corruption and work with transparency. Strict action will be taken on complaints regarding corruption by government officers, an official spokesman said. Odisha agriculture minister and senior BJD leader Pradeep Maharathy, who had made a controversial statement on the acquittal of a murder and rape accused, resigned from Naveen Patnaiks government on Sunday. His resignation comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue of justice eluding the victims family. Maharathy had hailed the judgement of a sessions court acquitting the two accused in the case of rape and murder of a Dalit girl. Soon after the additional district judge of Khurda acquitted accused brothers Prashant Pradhan and Sukanta Pradhan in the 2011 Pipili gang rape and murder case, Maharathy hailed it saying truth and justice has prevailed. BJD sources said with each passing day, he was becoming a liability for Patnaik. Speaking about the issue of poor record of women safety in Odisha, PM Modi in his public rally at Baripada town of Mayurbhanj district on Saturday had attacked chief minister Naveen Patnaik over the gangrape and murder of the Dalit girl and urged him to get the matter re-investigated. The system could not give justice to the girl. The government is not taking the matter seriously, Modi had alleged in his speech. The 18-year-old girl of Puri district, who had gone out for morning ablutions, was found in a dishevelled state near her village in November 2011. Her family members alleged that local youth Prashant Pradhan and his brother Sukanta Pradhan raped and strangulated her as she refused to marry the former. The strangulation led to severe hypoxia(lack of oxygen supply) in her brain and damaged her cerebrum, sending her into a state of prolonged coma. She died six months later. The trial court said the prosecution failed to prove the circumstances and could not establish the complete chain of events proving that the two brothers had committed the crime. Meanwhile, the State CID has announced that it will move Orissa High Court challenging the acquittal of the two accused. Last month, Odisha Pradesh Mahila Congress members had hurled tomatoes and eggs at the residential quarters of Maharathy demanding his ouster from the Cabinet and the BJP womens wing workers had tried to gherao CM Patnaiks residence. Maharathy has hurt the 4.5 crore people of Odisha with his irresponsible comment. Its surprising and alarming that a minister of the Naveen Patnaik government, which is vouching for 33 per cent reservation of women in legislative assemblies and Parliament, made such an unacceptable comment, said Aparajita Sarangi, BJP leader. Leaving the "evil" Herod aside, what about the "little" Herods that we face each and every day? These are the folks who love to pop your balloon and rain on your parade. Folks that seem to love to be part of the problem rather than the solution. Folks that seem to be always right while everyone else is always wrong or at least drifting that way. Self-centered folks that love to be negative, pulling you down to their level rather than setting you free to explore new ideas and solutions. A militant commander on Sunday dismissed ex-Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Muftis visits to families of militants as a pre-election drama. Mufti goes to homes of militants and expresses sympathies with them and claims that police are getting directions from somewhere to harass their families. When she was in power family members of militants were harassed. Who was giving directions to police then? Hizbul Mujahideens operational commander, Riyaz Naikoo, purportedly said in an audio clip. Naikoo said militants and civilians were also killed when Mufti was in power. He added Muftis statements then were aimed at appeasing her erstwhile alliance partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Delhi. Now elections are near that is the reason why she is expressing sympathies with the people, he said, referring to the assembly elections that have to be held within six months after the imposition of the presidents rule in Jammu and Kashmir in November. Whenever she visits them, she should be humiliated and asked to go back. She has sympathies with India and not with us. Mufti, who lost power in June after the BJP pulled out of her coalition government, on Thursday visited a slain militants family in South Kashmirs Shopian and asked security forces not to harass relatives of militants. She urged authorities to release the militants brother, who has been under police detention since last month. Mufti, who regularly visited the kin of people killed in violence in Kashmir after she left the Congress and formed her party in the late 1990s, claimed to have directed security forces against harassing families of militants while fighting militancy when she was in power. She had earlier on December 30 met a militants sister after her alleged detention and custodial torture. The visits have comes as Muftis Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is planning a mass contact programme ahead of the assembly elections following a series of defections from the party. In their first-ever attack in 2019, armed Maoists shot dead a watchman at a road building contractors camp in Odishas Kandhamal district and set fire to several construction vehicles late Saturday night, police said. Kandhamal superintendent of police Parteek Singh said a group of 10-12 members of the Maoists Kalahandi-Kandhamal-Boudh-Nayagarh division raided the road construction camp at Patiamba village under Phulbani Sadar police station area where contractor Prasanna Kumar Swain was to build Sudrukumpa-Medikhol road under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. The rebels barged into the camp at around 2 am, dragged out watchman Rabindra Mallick and shot him dead. They then torched a road roller, a mini truck and three tractors before fleeing the place. Officials said Maoists last year asked Swain to give them Rs 5 lakh. Though Swain had asked the Maoists to take the amount from him at a particular place, he had tipped off the police about it earlier. Officials believe the Maoists attack is also a revenge for a police encounter in the same area in May last year when 5 rebels including a divisional committee member were killed. The elite Special Operation Group and District Voluntary Force team in May last year had led the encounter which ended in the death of Badal, the divisional committee member, with a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head. Todays attack comes in the wake of Odishas successful anti-Maoist operations in 2018 that led to reduction in the number of Maoist-affected districts from 19 to 15. Last year 53 Maoist incidents were reported in which 19 rebels were killed and 27 surrendered. While only one policeman was killed, 12 civilians were killed by Maoists. In Odisha, 16 battalions of Central paramilitary force, 41 anti-Maoist SOG teams, 848 DVF jawans, 56 platoons of India Reserve Battalion, 74 platoons of State Security Battalion and 18 platoons of Odisha Special Striking Force are currently fighting the rebels. An undergraduate student in Maharashtras Amravati district has alleged that state education minister Vinod Tawde ordered his arrest when he was recording a conversation between him and a fellow student, a charge denied by the minister. The student, Yuvraj Dabad, also claimed that following the alleged order, the local police detained him for a couple of hours, seized his smartphone and returned it after the video-recording was deleted from it. Tawde, however, refuted the allegation, saying he did not order the students arrest and that lies were being spread against him. A top police official in Amravati said the student was neither arrested nor detained, and nothing was deleted from his mobile phone. The alleged incident took place on Friday after Tawde inaugurated an elocution competition at a college in Amravati, located around 680 km from Mumbai. The minister was leaving after his speech at the event when some students of a journalism course reached out to him near his vehicle, seeking his response on a free-education policy. Prashant Rathod, a student of the college, said, I was told by Education Minister Vinod Tawde to start working somewhere if I could not afford the educational expenses. My question to him was whether the state could have a free-education policy. Dabad was video-recording the interaction, when the minister first asked him to stop the recording and later ordered the police to arrest him, Rathod claimed while talking to reporters in Amravati on Saturday. Dabad said he declined the ministers order to stop the recording because he (Tawde) was not answering our queries. We were simply asking questions to him and seeking his views, he told reporters. As Tawde ordered the police to arrest me, I was taken out of the college premises and detained for some time in the police vehicle. My handset was returned later in the evening. All the videos and recordings in my phone were deleted by the police without my permission, Dabad said. Tawde later termed the allegations false. It is some sort of a lie that is being spread against me. I did not order the arrest of any student in Amravati, he told PTI on Sunday. The minister said he had a good interaction with students at the college for almost two-and-a-half hours. The students, who have levelled charges against me, met me outside the hall and tried to ask some questions to me. They are the ones who are spreading lies about me. Some of those students also came with pamphlets with Inquilab Zindabad written on those and distributed them among the other students. They were the ones who alleged that I ordered the arrest. It is completely false, he said. When contacted, Amravati Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Baviskar said neither any student was arrested or detained nor anything deleted from anyones mobile phone. In the midst of chaos in the college, the student concerned was taken outside the college, thats it, he said. Meanwhile, Dabad said that he has submitted a letter to the police commissionerate in Amravati and the district collectorate on Saturday against Tawde and police officials concerned for allegedly detaining him without the permission of his college authorities and deleting data from his mobile phone. The Centre on Sunday formed a panel to look into reservation in state government jobs and Assam legislative assembly and local bodies for the indigenous Assamese people. If seats are reserved for indigenous Assamese in the assembly, it would possibly be the first such state-specific move after the national level reservation for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes in legislative bodies. Former Union tourism secretary, M P Bezbaruah, would head the high-level panel. Its other members include former newspaper editor, Dhiren Bezbaruah, ex-president of Assam Sahitya Sabha, Nagen Saikia, and educationist Mukunda Rajbangshi. A joint secretary of the Union home ministry will be the panels member secretary. According to an official release, the panel has been given a wide mandate to oversee the implementation of clause 6 of the 1985 Assam Accord, which was signed after a six-year agitation against illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The clause 6 calls for measures to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people. The panel has been formed following protests against the proposed amendment to the Citizenship Act to relax the norms for non-Muslims from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan to become Indian citizens. The original citizenship law says that an applicant must have resided in India during the last 12 months, and for 11 of the previous 14 years. The amendment proposes to relax this 11-year requirement to six for people belonging to six religions and three countries, according to PRS Legislative Research, an NGO. Student organisations and indigenous groups across northeast have called for an 11-hour bandh in the region on January 8 in protest against the Centres move to amend the citizenship law. The strike call came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at a rally in Assams Silchar on Friday that his government wants to go ahead with the bill to amend the citizenship law despite opposition from the region. In the whole world, if anywhere people, who believe in mother India, face persecution, where would they go? Will you check the colour of their passport? Is there no blood relation? he asked in Silchar. Many in the region fear the regions indigenous people will become a minority if the bill, which seeks to grant citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis, Buddhists, and Jains from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, is passed. The other terms of reference for the high level panel include an examination of the effectiveness of actions taken since 1985 to implement the clause 6. The panel will discuss with various stakeholders measures needed to protect Assamese and the states other indigenous languages. The panel will submit its report within six months from the date of the notification for its formation. Guwahati-based political analyst Sushanta Talukdar maintained that the formation of this panel is going to be a meaningless exercise if the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is passed. The new law would violate the clause 5 of the accord... the cut-off date of March 24, 1971, for identification, deletion of names and expulsion of illegal Bangladeshi migrants. As the consensus definition of an Assamese is still eluding as far as the Clause 5 is concerned, any suggestion by the committee on the reservation of assembly seats and other constitutional safeguards for Assamese people will have no meaning, said Talukdar. It is a desperate move by the Narendra Modi government to counterbalance the protest snowballing against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill . The BJP is trying to consolidate its position in the northeast as it has peaked in its north and western India strongholds like Uttar Pradesh, where it won 71 of 80 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 national polls. The government has distanced itself from the bizarre and unscientific statements that drew flak and ridicule at the ongoing 106th Indian Science Congress in Jalandhar. Indias principal scientific advisor, professor K VijayRhaghavan, in a blogpost on Saturday night said the government has no role in selecting the speakers and the association has no filter on what scientists say. The Indian Science Congress Association does get some support from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), ISCA raises funds for its activities, such as for the holding of the Congress, from other sources (too). ISCA decides the agenda, the venue and selects the speakers. The government has no role whatsoever in these matters. The organisers rightly dont have a filter (over what the scientists say) and the government rightly has no role in the matter. The talks, then reflect the speakers, VijayRaghavan wrote. This was in response to the controversial statements by Vice Chancellor of the Andhra University G Nageswara Rao that Kauravas were test-tube babies and that Dashavatara (the ten incarnations of lord Vishnu) was a better theory of evolution than Darwins natural selection. His co-speaker, Kannan Jegathala Krishnan, went on to say his theory of fundamental physics was the right one as it could explain both planetary and quantum physics. He said that space was energy and planetary movement was not because of gravity but the force exerted by the space. Newton, Einstein, Stephen Hawking were all wrong, he said. The Indian Science Congress is one of the most important annual scientific events, which is always inaugurated by the Prime Minister too. In his blogpost, Prof VijayRaghavan, said that it was unfortunate that a sitting VC would say something scientifically completely untenable. Yet, these were not the Gorillas in the room. The Gorillas, who deserve to be in #pseudoscience bin are huge, several and freely roaming around. These are the ones who can influence the scientific policies and can prevent the right thing from being done. Senior lawyer HS Phoolka, who resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party last week, on Sunday put to rest speculation that he was joining the BJP by tweeting that Vijay Goel is a good friend and that they meet often. Responding to a news report, Phoolka, who has been fighting the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases, tweeted that Goel had been quietly helping him in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case and had not even claimed credit. Meeting Vijay Goel is no news. We are good friends& meet often. When I became LOP he invited me for dinner at his Haveli. He has been helping me in #1984SikhGenocide cases quietly without claiming any credit. I meet every leader who support our fight4Justice, he said. Meeting @VijayGoelBJP is no news. We are good friends& meet often. When I became LOP he invited me for dinner at his Haveli. He has been helping me in #1984SikhGenocide cases quietly without claiming any credit. I meet every leader who support our fight4Justice. https://t.co/wvqWySZWJN H S Phoolka (@hsphoolka) January 6, 2019 Phoolka, 63, has been fighting the anti-Sikh riots cases for the last three decades to get justice for the riot victims. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday hit out at Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu for building an unholy alliance with the Congress. He said Naidu has done so only to promote his son and Andhra Pradesh minister, Nara Lokesh Babu, as his political successor. Modis attack on Naidu comes as the Andhra CM has emerged as a major proponent of the proposed grand alliance of Opposition parties as part of attempts to remove the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from power at the Centre. He called a meeting in Delhi last month, where 21 Opposition parties agreed to work together to defeat the BJP and its parent organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Naidu, who quit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in March last year, had earlier met leaders like Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, as part of his attempts to forge the grand alliance. I am sure people of Andhra Pradesh will discourage dynastic politics. You need to prepare people to deliver a mandate against Naidus family rule in the 2019 [national and state assembly] polls, Modi told BJPs booth-level workers in Andhras five Lok Sabha constituencies during a video conference. Modi referred to Naidus father-in-law and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founder, NT Rama Rao. He said Rao founded the TDP on an anti-Congress plank in 1982. He accused Naidu of diluting TDPs core values for his selfish gains. Modi asked the BJP workers in Andhra to go to people and expose Naidus family rule. Modi asked BJP workers not to yield to threats when BJPs state president, Kanna Lakshminarayana, who took part in the interaction in Guntur district, complained about Naidu coercive methods against their leaders. Kanna told Modi that TDP activists allegedly targeted his house in Guntur Friday. He added Naidu allegedly threatened to finish off a BJP womens wing leader during a protest at Kakinada on the same day. TDP spokesman, G Ramakrishna Prasad, said Naidus comments about the woman activist were twisted out of proportion. He said the TDP workers only staged a protest at the Kannas house. Modi asked BJPs workers to take a leaf out of BJP Rajya Sabha member V Muraleedharans book to valiantly carry forward the fight against Naidu governments excesses. Ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI (M) workers allegedly attacked Muraleedharans house in Keralas Thalassery. His house was targeted hours after one of CPI (M) legislators residence was attacked during violence in the state on Saturday over the entry of women into Sabarimala temple. TDP spokesperson Vara Prasad dismissed Modis charges. Our party under Chandrababu Naidus leadership is only crusading to save the country from the Prime Ministers dictatorship by mobilising all democratic forces. It is a democratic compulsion for our party to take the Congress on board to take forward this fight, Prasad said. Naidu had in December accused the NDA government of harassing political rivals through agencies like the CBI. He had earlier on November 8 withdrawn a consent given to the CBI to act against central government officials working under his administrations jurisdiction. A Delhi-bound Air India flight from Bangkok made an emergency landing at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose international airport in Kolkata on Saturday night following a suspected fuel leakage in the right wing. The plane was carrying 150 passengers. Kolkata airport director Atul Dikshit said flight AI-335 made an emergency landing around 11.05 PM following some technical glitches. The emergency landing was handled quite well and all passengers were safe, Dikshit said. An Air India spokesperson who did not want to be named, claimed it was more of a precautionary landing rather than an emergency landing after the pilot suspected some technical glitches. The flight took off from Bangkok at 9.30pm and made the precautionary landing at Kolkata as technical glitches were suspected after the plane entered Indian airspace. We arranged another aircraft for the passengers. Also read | Harassed by Pakistani coworkers in Dubai, man strips mid-air on flight home, held It took off for Delhi at 2.30am. The technical glitches in AI-335 have been been taken care of. It took off for Mumbai around 9am on Sunday, the AI spokesman said. A Kolkata airport official, who did not wish to be named, said that after landing, AI-335 was stopped on the taxiway and taken to the terminal. Fortunately all 150 passengers were safe, he said. This is the second emergency landing in a month at the Kolkata airport. On December 11, 2018, a Jaipur-Kolkata IndiGo flight made an emergency landing when smoke was detected in the cockpit. Also read | Loud bang, sparks and smoke: IndiGo plane suffers mid-air engine failure Udit Raj, Bharatiya Janata Party member of Parliament from North West Delhi and the partys Scheduled Caste face in the city, seems to be on a different page on the BJPs decision to organise a khichdi event at Ramlila Grounds on Sunday to garner the support of the community ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Raj says such events would not translate into electoral gains. Dinning with Dalits, organising bhoj or khichdi, etc, are good for social harmony but would not convert into electoral gains, he said. The Bhim Mahasamagam event, as it is called, entails cooking khichdi from rice and lentils collected from three lakh Dalit families. The MP said that such events, instead, create a feeling of alienation among the community. The community feels such things only open old wounds and alienate them further.the educated and politically conscious people in the community react negatively to it. Congress president Rahul Gandhi tried it and failed, he said. At the Ramlila event, the party hopes to set a world record by cooking 5,000 kgs of khichdi in one utensil. The event is being organised by the SC wing of the party but Raj was not involved in it preparations, said a senior party leader. Speaking about the event, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari had said on Friday, The aim is to create positive energy against the negative atmosphere being created by the oppositionthis (rice and lentils collected by BJP workers) is the love of three lakh SC families who want to see Narendra Modi again the prime minister of India. Reacting to Rajs views, Tiwari said on Saturday, We are doing this event for social harmony and not for vote-bank politics. He has discussed all these things with me a few days back. We are planning to involve him in more activities in the coming days. Our government has been working for the welfare of SC/ST community. We have the maximum number of MPs from the community in the Parliament. Raj, who is also the national chairman of the All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations, however, argued that the priorities of the community had changed and it was now looking for a share in power and governance. The community wants a share in power, governance and jobs, especially private sector and service sector. Vacancies in government jobs are getting reduced and that has adversely impacted the community. The community feels privatisation and outsourcing of government jobs are design to marginalise them, Raj said. In Delhi, the party has been trying to strengthen its base in the community. Rajs image as a prominent Dalit rights activists had helped the party in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. But he says the party didnt utilise him. I was critical of RSS and BJP before 2014. When I joined the party, people came with him me and connected with the party. The party has not utilised me. I wasnt given the assignment of talking to the community and strengthen the connect between the party and the community, he said. In Delhi, 15% of the assembly seats (12) and municipal wards (46 in all the three corporations) are reserved for the SC. BJP members say there are nearly 21-28 lakh SC voters in the city. The vote bank has largely remained with the Congress or they voted for the BSP in the reserved constituencies. In the 2017 municipal elections, BJP won 21 out of the 46 SC wards. Referring to the Chattishgarh assembly election results, Raj said the party needed to introspect and take corrective measures. The Chhattisgarh assembly results show the party doesnt enjoy that much support of the community and there is a need for introspection. I am raising these issues so that the party can take corrective measures to garner the support of the community, he said. Student organizations and indigenous groups across northeast have called for an 11-hour bandh in seven states of the region on January 8 in protest against the Centres move to table the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in parliament. The announcement of the strike came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced at a rally in Assams Silchar on Friday about his governments desire to go ahead with the Bill despite opposition from the region. Theres fear among a sizeable section in northeast that, if the Bill, which seeks to grant citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis, Buddhists and Jains from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, is passed, it would reduce the indigenous population in the region to minority. The Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the Bill is slated to table it in parliament on January 7. The Bharatiya Janata Party had promised to amend the Bill ahead of the 2014 general election. Several parties including Congress, Trinamool Congress, CPM are opposed to granting of citizenship of the basis of religion. This design by the government of India is very dangerous as it will reduce the indigenous peoples of the northeast to a minority, said a statement issued by Samuel Jyrwa, president of North East Students Organisation (NESO). The umbrella students body, which comprises student organizations from seven states in the region and has been opposing the Bill, has supported the bandh call on January 8. NESO warns the government of India not to play with the future of the indigenous peoples of northeast for vote bank politics. Northeast is not a dumping ground for illegal migrants, Jyrwa added. All Assam Students Union (AASU), the states prominent student body which led a six year agitation from 1979 to 1985 against illegal Bangladeshis, and 30 other indigenous bodies from the state have also sought support from the public for the January 8 bandh. To protest against the Bill, Monday will be observed as Black Day across Assam and copies of the Bill burnt. This will be followed by the bandh from 5:00 am to 4:00 pm on January 8. AASU is against calling for bandhs. But we have been forced to announce it as despite protests, Centre is out to bring in the contentious Bill which will be the final blow for the future of indigenous groups in Assam and the region, AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya said here on Saturday. 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! The 76th annual Golden Globe awards, considered to be the most prominent of the precursors to the Oscars, will be held in Hollywood on Sunday Monday morning in India. Click here for all Live Updates of Golden Globes Awards In the film category, all eyes are on Marvels Black Panther the first superhero film to be nominated for Best Picture Drama and Bradley Coopers A Star is Born, considered by many as the film to beat this year. The TV category is populated by newcomers and old veterans alike, with FXs The Americans beating out big-hitters such as Hulus The Handmaids Tale and Netflixs Maniac and emerging as the front-runner in its final season. Both Stranger Things and Game of Thrones will be absent from this years awards, due to eligibility reasons. This file image released by Disney shows Lupita Nyong'o, from left, Chadwick Boseman and Letitia Wright in a scene from Black Panther. (AP) Among the acting categories Cooper and his A Star is Born co-star, Lady Gaga, are the hot favourites in the drama category, while Christian Bale being submitted in the comedy category in Vice should increase his chances. Here are answers to all the questions you might have ahead of the ceremony. Whos hosting? Actors Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg were announced as hosts in December, taking over from last years host, Seth Meyers. Oh is also a nominee this year, for her performance in Killing Eve. Sandra Oh (left) and Andy Samberg smile after rolling-up the red carpet at the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards Preview Day at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. (Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP) Whats the venue? The ceremony will be held, as usual, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg, hosts of the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards, roll out the red carpet during a preview day at The Beverly Hilton Hotel. (AFP) Where can I watch? You can watch the ceremony in India on Colors Infinity, Colors Infinity HD and Comedy Central. The telecast will be deferred live by an hour, and will begin at 7:30 am on Monday, followed by a repeat telecast at 9 pm. There is no dedicated live-stream available, but you can watch on live TV apps. Who will present? The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has announced the entire list of presenters, which includes Halle Berry, Harrison Ford, Bradley Cooper, Chadwick Boseman, Chris Pine, Lady Gaga, Jessica Chastain and others. What are the favourites to win? Adam McKays political drama about former US Vice President, Dick Cheney, Vice, leads with six nominations. Its followed by director Yorgos Lanthimos period dark comedy, The Favourite, which has five nominations, along with the race drama Greek Book and Bradley Coopers directorial debut, A Star is Born. Spike Lees BlackKklansman and the Disney musical Mary Poppins Returns have four nods each. This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Bradley Cooper (left) and Lady Gaga in a scene from A Star is Born. (AP) In the TV category FX led the field with 10 nods, followed by HBO and Amazon Prime Video with nine nominations each. Netflix scored eight nods and Showtime six. The Handmaids Tale, last years winner of the biggest TV award best drama series has been snubbed this year. This image released by Hulu shows Elisabeth Moss in a scene from The Handmaid's Tale. (AP) Adding spice to the mix are programmes that aired too late for Emmys contention, such as dark HBO mini-series Sharp Objects and Amazon drama Homecoming starring Julia Roberts. You can check out the full list of nominees here. Follow @htshowbiz for more Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), regional centre, Lucknow has taken up the responsibility of educating 10 acid attack survivors working at the Sheroes Cafe in the state capital. The university has given them admission in six months certificate course in Food and Nutrition Programme free of cost, said Kirti Vikram Singh, assistant regional director. The objective is to provide education to those from the deprived section so that they can be brought in the mainstream of development, Singh said adding that the course lays emphasis on nutrition with relevance to present day scenario related to food adulteration, consumer rights, cost effectiveness, environment friendly approaches. The centre also organised an awareness programme in the cafe recently and informed the survivors about the importance of education and skill development. Manorama Singh, regional director said counselling classes related to this programme will be organised in the cafe itself so that the survivors get a chance to learn while they are employed. The counselling sessions will also be held through Gyanvani FM Channel of IGNOU from time to time. She said the programme fee has been paid by the varsity officials as well as the IGNOU study centre. Jeetu Sharma and Aashma Praveen, two acid attack survivors who work in the cafe, said the programme will not only be beneficial for them in their present employment but will also provide them an opportunity of self-employment in food sector. Abhay Singh, coordinator, Sheroes cafe promised to give full support to IGNOU in conduction of this programme. New Delhi School students can heave a sigh of relief as the content in NCERT textbooks will be reduced by 10 to 15% from academic year 2019-20 as part of HRD ministry-prodded rationalisation exercise undertaken to relieve youngsters from curriculum overload. Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar, who chaired a meeting of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) general council on Saturday, said the target is to achieve a 50 % reduction of the curriculum overload without affecting the learning outcomes. Curriculum will be reviewed to ensure holistic education in which there will be time for physical education, value education, life-skills education and experiential learning. The curriculum needs to be reduced. We have decided to reduce curriculum by 50 %. This year, there will be 10-15 % reduction. Next year it will be more. Finally, in 2021, the target will be achieved, Javadekar said after the meeting. The HRD minister has in the past said that by removing duplication and redundant portions, the NCERT will be able to bring down its curriculum significantly. Javadekar has insisted that the exercise would be scientific. There were over a lakh suggestions on the basis of which the rationalisation exercise was carried out, an official said. The Union minister also said the number of NCERT textbooks published this year would go up from 6 crore last year to 8 crore this year to ensure adequate supply. Education ministers of Delhi, Gujarat and Assam also attended the meeting in Vigyan Bhawan. Speaking about the other decisions, Javadekar said it was also decided that there will be a grading of states on performance indicators in education. All the states will be assessed on performance indicators based on 70 parameters. This will improve quality and give a fair picture of where each state stands. There will be a healthy competition to improve the performance, Javadekar said. Giving an example, the HRD official said e-attendance for teachers is one such parameter to curb the problem of absenteeism. Maintaining health cards of students is another, he added. The HRD ministry had some time back carried out a performance grading exercise in which Gujarat and Chandigarh had come out on top, the official said. It was on the basis of this result it was decided that the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) test may be held in Chandigarh, he added. Giving details about the No Detention Policy, Javadekar said states were being allowed to conduct exams in classes V and VIII to improve learning quality. Barring four-five states, most states were in favour of conducting the exam, HRD officials said. Delhis deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who holds the education portfolio for the state, welcomed the rollback of the No Detention Policy. A 10-year-old boy who died in celebratory firing during New Year celebrations in north-east Delhis Usmanpur was shot accidentally by his own father, police said on Saturday. The man told police he was checking out a country-made pistol. The father, Yaseen Malik, was arrested on Friday night and booked for murder and destroying evidence. The alleged owner of the weapon, Ravi Kashyap, was also arrested for destroying evidence and illegal possession of firearms, police said. Yaseen had tried to mislead investigators for four days during which he had pointed his finger at several people in the neighbourhood, said Atul Kumar Thakur, deputy commissioner of police (north-east). For four days, he concealed his crime from his family and his wife, said the DCP. The firing occurred at 10.55pm on December 31 while the boy, Rehan, was dancing with other youngsters from the neighbourhood. Yaseen was standing outside his house and watching his son dance when he saw Kashyap fiddling with a country-made pistol. Yaseen was interested in the weapon and wanted to check it out, said the DCP. A resident of Loni in Ghaziabad, Kashyap was in the neighbourhood to celebrate New Year with his sister. When he was a juvenile, Kashyap was booked for robbery. He had brought the weapon along with him, said the DCP. Yaseen had just taken the pistol in his hand and asked Kashyap, Kya ye chalti hai? (does this fire), when the weapon went off. Yaseen had not even fully raised his hand in the air, said the DCP. Yaseen told the police he immediately realised he had accidentally shot a child, but he wasnt certain that it was his son. His first response was to hand back the pistol to Kashyap and run into his house, said the DCP. By the time Yaseen emerged from his house seconds later, his son was already dead. The bullet had pierced his cheek and then entered his abdomen, police said. The investigators, meanwhile, struggled to find any eyewitness. A video shot by some neighbours of the festivities recorded the sound of the gunshot, but not the visuals. Nearly 50 people who were at the crime spot were under our radar. Since none of them confessed to the crime, we began the process of ruling out suspects based on their locations, activities and other alibis. We also used the video footage to determine that, said the DCP. On Friday, the police were left with only four suspects that included Kashyap and Yaseen. We had no reason to suspect the boys father and we decided to grill Kashyap. He finally broke down and revealed Yaseens role, said the officer. Kashyap has confessed to the crime and the weapon has been recovered, the DCP said. He is grieving and remorseful. He claims that he did not even intend to fire the weapon, said the officer. Its 2019 and were still at that point where we can hope the new year will be better than the one thats ended. In a couple of weeks, however, such hopes will prove forlorn, reality will set in and our expectations flounder. But, today, let me answer a question I was asked on New Years Eve: What are you hoping for from Indias politicians? My answer is simple. Let them learn to accept criticism. It may be wrong and it could be prejudicial but we, the people of India, have a right to criticise those weve elected to office. In between elections, its the only way of grounding them. Or else they would soar above, keeping us in thrall. Yet two separate but telling developments late last year have convinced me this is something our leaders cannot accept. In December, the Manipur government arrested Kishorechandra Wangkhem, 39, under the National Security Act (after initially arresting him under the sedition law) for criticising the states chief minister. What did he say that was so unpalatable? He called the CM a puppet of the PM. And why did he say this? Because he opposed the state governments decision to commemorate the Rani of Jhansi who he believes has nothing to do with Manipurs own struggle against the British. For this he could be detained for up to 12 months without trial. Earlier, in October, Abhijit Iyer-Mitra was arrested and jailed in Orissa for the audacity of criticising the Konark Temple, questioning the Odisha origin of the rasagola and making derogatory remarks about state legislators. In this particular instance, even our Supreme Court lost its sense of proportion. When Iyer-Mitra petitioned the court, arguing his life could be in danger in jail, its response was, in that case, theres no better place than prison! In their time, Congress governments were no different. Aseem Trivedi, who was only 25, was arrested by the Mumbai police for cartoons depicting Parliament as a water closet. Ambika Soni, then information and broadcasting minister, pronounced that cartoonists should stay within constitutional parameters adding, pointedly, they cannot make national symbols the object of their cartoon. Why ever not? Why cant we satirise, parody and ridicule our leaders? Indeed, why cant we be rude about them? The British mock their Queen and wear the Union Jack on socks and underpants and its taken in good humour. The Americans are brutal in their treatment of Donald Trump and he doesnt like it but he dare not threaten them with jail. But crack a joke about our grand panjandrums, mock and laugh at them, and you could be placed behind bars. Politicians must be tolerant, hollered Markandey Katju, when he was head of the Press Council of India. This is not a dictatorship. No one listened to him then and they certainly arent today. Yet we claim to be the worlds biggest democracy. In terms of size we, no doubt, are. But if its the spirit that counts, we betray ourselves without even realising what were doing. So, I say to our politicians, whether from the Congress or the BJP, national or regional, great or small, make my democracy mahaan. Learn to smile sweetly, even if your teeth are tightly clenched, the next time your countrymen censure you, laugh at your face or prick your pomposity. Nothing makes Indian democracy so hollow as your intolerance of criticism. On the other hand, if you can acquire a sense of humour, youll end up with a lot more friends. Karan Thapar is the author of Devils Advocate: The Untold Story The views expressed are personal Politics will dominate this years discourse and, hopefully with that, the role of women in this arena. That women voters have become a force to reckon with is a sign that things will change for the better. Of course, there will be usual lament that there are not enough women in politics and what can be done to bring more into the fold. But, we should also look at why women perhaps dont want to come into politics. Unlike many other professions, it requires extreme sacrifices for women to make it to the top, or so it would appear. A British woman politician like Margaret Thatcher or for that matter German chancellor Angela Merkel were considered iron ladies but they had and were seen to have perfectly normal family lives. Their power was not diminished by the fact that they had spouses who would appear in public with them and had views of their own. But how often have you seen that in India? It is almost as though a woman politician is not permitted to have a normal family life or indeed interests other than her profession. Do we know, barring a very few, what interests our women politicians have? We did know a bit about Indira Gandhi, but that information came in dribs and drabs over a long career. We saw glimpses of her family but little else to suggest a gentler side of her while she was alive. Similarly, our women politicians dont seem to want to or are not encouraged to speak of their families or other interests while in office. Occasionally, we hear that one or the other has a vast saree collection or some such thing but nothing of any consequence. If they do speak of their families, or show some concern for them, howsoever misplaced, they are treated with a certain amount of condescension. Which explains why years ago, when Rabri Devi was installed in office after Lalu had to give up office, an entire article in a leading weekly was devoted to how quickly she could chop a cabbage. While she did not come into office on her own merit, surely the chief minister of a state like Bihar deserved a little more consideration than to be dismissed as someone who had no talent outside the kitchen. At least the reporter concerned could have asked her a few tough questions. The late J Jayalalithaa displayed a gentle side of herself in her affection for her foster son. But as soon as he was thought to be flawed, she was expected to and she did, give up all ties with him. A male politician in a similar situation would not have been expected to renounce all family ties for a tainted relative. It is as though women politicians become less effective and powerful if they deign to be human. This is possibly one reason why women dont want to come into such positions of power. The price is far too high even if you do get there. If a woman politician shows any affection for her child, that is thought of as a sign of weakness, a vulnerability which might lead her to take faulty decisions. They have to dress in as conservative a manner as possible. Jayalalithaa in her voluminous cape, Mamata Banerjee in her careless couture, Mayawati in her uniform salwar kameez, Sonia Gandhi in her trademark handloom sarees. There was shock when Priya Dutt turned up in Parliament in trousers, and this in a country where the majority of the population is below 35. Even the younger politicians like Smriti Irani are rarely seen with their families or talk about them. If this was changed, and I hope it will, politics will become a little more like other professions where you can be terrific at your work but also enjoy other pursuits and your family life. The very thought of having to be bereft of all family life and other interests is likely to put off many women. I hope 2019 will normalise politics and committing yourself to public life does not mean that you give up on your personal life altogether if you are a woman. Maybe the women politicians we have and who are easily recognisable should show the public that it is possible to be an effective representative of the people and still be as normal as you and I. lalita.panicker@hindustantimes.com I recently returned from a three-day trip to Washington DC with my four teenage grandsons. We had a lot of time standing in the rain waiting to get into museums to talk about our democracy, since we could not get in to see the Declaration of Independence as the Archives were closed due to Mr. Trumps shutdown. They wanted to know why our government would lock them out of a place to go to the bathroom when they were trying to go to the Lincoln Memorial and go with me to kneel at the Vietnam Wall. I think the decisions were very helpful in getting them to understand our messy democracy. But they just couldnt understand why a president would act in such a way to not only harm our citizens but also the government employees who serve us. During the French Revolution, when told that her people were starving because they did not have any bread, Queen Marie Antoinette supposedly responded, Then let them eat cake. State Senator Andy Wells lives in a million-dollar house on a 3.5 acre estate overlooking Lake Hickory at a thousand-foot elevation. From there, he looks down on all he surveys. Faced with increased regional flooding that threatens his subjects, he writes, in his Dec. 26 letter to the editor, that people living in flood zones should just move to higher ground. Wells letter displays a callousness towards his constituents that mirrors that of the French Queen. Marie Antoinette and her husband, King Louis XVI of France, lost their heads during the revolution. Here in the United States, we prefer to vote would-be lords and ladies out of office. After a flood, politicians go to work appropriating recovery grants, writes Wells with disdain. Switching to sarcasm, he adds, Next, we could discuss spending state tax dollars to build levees or dams to protect the communities. Our own Roy Cooper, alas, was one of the six Democrats and two Republicans who received failing grades on the 2018 report card. Cooper deserved it, in my opinion, for the utterly irresponsible budget plan he proposed in 2018. (In fairness, you should know that I also thought the Republican legislatures 2018-19 budget plan raised spending too much.) Quite apart from whether you agree with the fiscal-policy preferences that the Cato Institute and I share, however, think for a moment about what these two snapshots in time reveal about the increasing polarization of American politics. Although political parties can disappoint their hardest-core supporters by going too slowly or straying from their ideological moorings on occasion, it is essential to recognize that the Democratic Party is much more consistently liberal than it used to be, while the Republican Party is much more consistently conservative. These terms mean different things to different people, I grant you. The term liberal has become an umbrella term that describes an alliance of progressives (left on economics and social policy) and communitarians (left on economics but not on social policy) while the term conservative, in its modern context, describes an alliance of traditionalists (right on economics and social policy) and libertarians (who often dissent on the latter). Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. A Conover man charged with first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon will appear for a Rule 24 hearing in Catawba County Superior Court next week. This hearing will determine whether or not Scott Anthony Putnam, 37, will face the death penalty. Putnam is accused of murdering 24-year-old Anthony Killian and wounding Roxanne Killian, his mother, at their home on Curlee Drive in Conover on July 24. Anthony Killian died on the scene, and Putnam was arrested at his home on Naked Creek Road on July 25. Court documents also say Putnam attempted to shoot Donald Killian, Anthony Killians father, but Putnam ran out of bullets. Putnam was originally supposed to have his Rule 24 hearing in September but the court granted a continuance based on a new district attorney taking office. New DA Scott Reilly was sworn in on Jan. 1 and will more than likely still be the DA by the time Putnams case is tried. Scott Matthews, Putnams court-appointed attorney, said his other reason to ask for a continuance was due to receiving a large bulk of evidence, including a three-hour interview recording, the day before the hearing. The most popular device, especially among teens, is the JUUL, Hefner said. The device is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and looks like a long, skinny USB flash drive, which is fitting since thats how it is charged. Another selling point is the flavored juice, such as cucumber and mint, which makes them more appealing. Due to teenage popularity, JUUL recently pulled these from stores. As a nurse practitioner, Hefner has realized she has to change the way she talks to her patients, because many of them, especially her younger ones, do not consider vaping to be the same as smoking. Ill ask, Do you smoke? and theyll say no. Then I ask Do you vape? Do you JUUL? and they say yes, Hefner said. Haag said he sold JUUL products for about two weeks until he realized it was mostly teenagers who were trying to buy them. He also believes the product is just as expensive as smoking, unlike other e-cigarette and vape devices. I want to help people quit smoking and save money, he said. The kids at Lake Norman Elementary School had a cosmic visitor Friday. NASA astronaut Donald A. Thomas met with students for a science-focused talk. During Thomas 17 years with NASA, he flew on four space shuttle missions. He has collectively spent 44 days in space, orbited the Earth 692 times and traveled nearly 18 million miles. Thomas is also proud to say he was the first person to bring a pizza into space during the April 4, 1997 Columbia mission. Students and staff crowded into the Lake Norman Elementary gym around 8 a.m. Friday to meet him. Thomas introduced himself and talked about some unique aspects of being an astronaut. I can stand up here and confidently say I have seen your hometowns, wherever youre from, Thomas said as he began his presentation. One of the messages Thomas had for the children was the importance of following through on personal ambitions. He applied to NASAs astronaut program three times before being accepted. After showing photos of his shuttle missions and pictures he took while in space, Thomas presented Lake Norman Elementary with a tiny rock from the Martian surface. He said he hopes the rock will help inspire the next generation of astronauts. You are all the perfect age, Thomas said. We call you the Mars Generation because 25 years from now, it will be somebody of your generation to be that first person to step foot on Mars. My challenge to you: go to Mars and bring back a bigger piece. TEACHER MADE VISIT POSSIBLE Thomas visit was made possible by a Kennedy Space Center Summer of Mars grant. The grants bring astronauts into schools and focuses on helping encourage the nations future scientific explorers. The Kennedy Space Center said in a statement that, as we embark on new missions to unexplored territories of the universe like Mars, well need many things to be successful, but one key ingredient is young people. Kindergarten teacher and guidance counselor Yamil Ardila secured the grant after entering a contest held by the Kennedy Space Center. The contest required her to answer questions about her role at Lake Norman Elementary and why she thought that the school deserved the grant. When Ardila learned Lake Norman Elementary won the grant, she was impressed and excited that her hard work for her students had paid off, she said. Her first reaction was to show students the award letter. I am so proud of bringing that opportunity and experience to our children, she said in a press release. Some of them want to be astronauts when they grow up and this experience will make them feel that everything is possible. In an interview following the presentation, Thomas said that outreach programs like this are important for inspiring students regardless of their career path, especially in areas where school funding is traditionally low. He said schools in Iredell County meet that condition. Its important to do these programs everywhere, but to have the outreach opportunity to talk (to) all ranges of socioeconomic levels here its really a great opportunity. he said. Because I came from a fairly poor family. We were on food stamps for a while. My father divorced my mom and took off. So I didnt come from a very wealthy family at all and I still got inspired and achieved great things. Nichole Tilley, principal of Lake Norman Elementary, said that she was grateful for a teaching staff that strives to bring outreach programs to students. It takes just one person to ignite a dream, she said. As teachers we can only say and do so much. But when you have somebody whos in the field, who can give that expertise, that knowledge and allowing kids to ask them those questions, you cant put a price on that. A Dallas man is in custody following a police chase on N.C. Highway 16 on Sunday, according to a press release from the Catawba County Sheriffs Office. Jason Lee Kearney, 45, was charged with one felony count each of fleeing to elude arrest. He is also charged with possession of a schedule II controlled substance after methamphetamine was found in the front passenger area of his vehicle, according to the release. Kearney is also charged with one felony count of violating probation. More charges are pending, the release states. At around 12:50 p.m., Catawba County deputies attempted to stop a vehicle at the intersection of N.C. Highway 16 South and Buffalo Shoals Road because they believed the person driving the vehicle had an outstanding felony warrant for his arrest. When deputies turned on their sirens, the vehicle sped away from the deputies, the release states. Deputies chased the vehicle through Maiden and Newton before stopping north of the intersection of N.C. Highway 16 South and N.C. Highway 16 Business. Kearney was issued a $20,000 bond for the fleeing and drug charges. He was not issued a bond for the probation violation charge. Uniontown, PA (15401) Today A mix of clouds and sun in the morning giving way to a few showers during the afternoon. High 73F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 48F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Our first headline appeared on Nov. 21, 2010: 550-unit project planned along Forest Drive. The reporter is long gone. The city alderman who first raised concerns about traffic and the idea of a parallel road is gone, too. The city planner who was to lead consideration is long retired. A commercial development partnership formed for the project broke up some time ago. Tim Rowland timr@herald-mail.com Only someone with the historical and foreign-policy ignorance of Donald Trump would summarily withdraw our troops from Middle Eastern war zones. Or so we are told. But if thats what it takes, lets hear it for ignorance. This is said with the understanding that those with far more knowledge of the situation are aghast. Their ranks include foreign policy experts, military generals, and Democrats and Republicans alike. We are, they say, ceding the region to Russia, abandoning sectarian allies, destabilizing the Middle East and facilitating the reformation of ISIS. Yes, perhaps. But by contrast, how has the status quo worked out for us? It has always been said of the Middle East, You break it, you buy it, and we have been paying the price of the merchandise we broke for going on three decades and counting. When the late and unlamented Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in the summer of 1990, it was sold to the American public as an unprovoked act of aggression. Saddams invasion may have been wrong, but it was not exactly unprovoked. Iraq was trying to rebuild after a draining war with Iran, but found its income crippled by a world oil glut. Iraq leaned on its erstwhile ally Kuwait to decrease production, thus forcing up the price of crude. Ambassador to Iraq April Glaspie initially told Saddam the U.S. had no opinion of the dispute, a position that changed once Iraqs price-raising agenda became clear. War was sold to Americans on two falsehoods: No. 1, that Saddam was planning to invade Saudi Arabia; and No. 2, that the Iraqi atrocities included chucking Kuwaiti babies out of incubators and sending the machines back to Baghdad for use by the Iraqis. Both were propaganda cooked up by the Kuwaitis and then-secretary of defense Dick Cheney. It would take even greater lies 13 years later to sell Americans on the second Gulf War, namely that Saddam was responsible for 9/11 and that he possessed weapons of mass destruction. Calling the shots and drumming up false narratives to dupe the American people in 2003 was now Vice President Cheney & Co., who always placed the interests of Haliburton and Big Oil ahead of the interests of their own country. What the killing of Saddam accomplished was the dissolution of central authority. This void was quite happily filled by an al-Qaida splinter group that morphed into the Islamic State, which wreaked terror and havoc until Obamas drone strikes decimated its leadership and Trumps continued pressure forced the group to admit this past August that it had lost the war. But in tracking down ISIS, we chased the Islamist zealots into Syria what the Obama administration said would be only 50 or so troops in Syria quickly escalated to 2,000 which devolved into an abject humanitarian catastrophe, from which there appears to be no escape but to surrender the region to Vladimir Putin. Afghanistan was a bit different in that this was where the seeds of 9/11 were planted. Of course we had to go after Osama bin Laden, but by the time we got him, we had become elbow deep in the tar that is Afghanistan, a country that no one, not the Brits, not the Russians, not the Americans, had enjoyed any success in controlling over the past century. So here we are. The lust for oil by various American leaders, now gone, has left us desperately trying to maintain order in three nations that we have broken. The fear, quite worthy of consideration, is that if we leave the Middle East, Islamic terrorists will rekindle their violent fires and once again set their sights on the American mainland. Fair enough, but this would imply we must stay there forever. At this point, it might also be worth recalling that bin Ladens main grudge against the United States was its military presence in the Levant. Of course, we have now given them dozens more reasons to despise us, but vacating the premises might at the very least make their recruiting videos seem less urgent. We seriously erred when we entangled our military in that part of the world, just as we were warned by then-Sen. Robert Byrd. To get us out, someone is going to have to rip the Band-Aid off a particularly hairy arm. This is not a job for Jimmy Carter, who could famously see eight sides of a three-sided issue. Donald Trumps primary asset seems to be an ability to commit atrocious acts with scant repercussion. He probably wont follow through with his pronouncement. He seldom does. But something could be accomplished by his shambles of an administration if he would wrest us from the area once and for all. Or at least until history is forgotten and we go wading back in. Tim Rowland is a Herald-Mail columnist. This ruling allows the press to publish false information without the likelihood of a lawsuit unless there is actual malice. The press can take a police report, which can be false, and publish that information to the public. These articles can change the defendant's case before he goes to trial in many ways. Matthew Umstead mumstead@herald-mail.com MARTINSBURG, W.Va. Attorneys for a Martinsburg-based company that was denied authority to continue to engage in bail bonding in the Eastern Panhandle have asked a circuit judge to revisit her decision, given newly obtained video related to testimony that was previously heard in the case. An amended petition by Special Services Bureau Inc., doing business as A Regional Bonding Co., to engage in the bail-bonding business in Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan counties was denied by 23rd Judicial Circuit Judge Laura Faircloth at the conclusion of a Nov. 28 hearing. On Friday, Faircloth scheduled a Feb. 1 hearing regarding the companys motion for relief from her final order, which was filed Dec. 4. The company is asking the judge to set aside her previous order and grant the companys amended petition to engage in bail bonding. In her final order, Faircloth cited state code that requires the court to make a finding that any person seeking bonding authority be a person of good moral character. The judge ruled that Sher Orem, the companys president, was complicit in allowing her husband, John Orem, to engage in the bonding business on Nov. 8 with her at the Berkeley County Judicial Center in Martinsburg in violation of an October court order. John Orem, who had been previously running the company prior the filing of an amended petition on Nov. 7, had been ordered by the judge in October not to engage in bail bonding until after the court ruled on the merits of the companys petition, including examination of the results of his drug screening. The court is not confident Sher Orem is of good moral character when she allows her husband to manipulate the rules of the court, the judges final order states. Bond-related documents filed with the court on Nov. 8 indicate John Orem signed the power of attorney as president of the company, and Sher Orem testified in a Nov. 28 hearing that she did not know whether she actually was the president of Special Services Bureau at that time, but added that her husband would not be involved in the business going forward. Sher Orem testified that her husband came with her on Nov. 8 to the magistrates office because she was nervous and that she wanted to make sure she did everything properly, according to the judges order. In the hearing, Sher Orem also indicated she was unaware of the courts order prohibiting her husbands involvement in the bonding business. She also denied doing anything to conceal her husbands identity upon entering the secured magistrate office suite and the company now contends that judicial center video footage corroborates her testimony about how the Orems accessed the magistrate office suite and directly contradicts testimony by a magistrates assistant. Thus, there is serious doubt as to whether the court would have ruled the same way if the security surveillance footage was available during the (Nov. 28) hearing, Special Services Bureau attorneys J. Mark Sutton and Gregory E. Kennedy wrote in their motion for relief. Herald-Mail Media obtained a copy of the video, which shows John Orem press a button at the main magistrate office suite door to contact a magistrate. The judges final order, however, notes that both Sher Orem and magistrate assistant Kimberly Clark testified in the November hearing that Orems wife actually buzzed to be permitted access to Magistrate Darrell Shulls office. Clark testified that John Orem could not be seen on a security camera via the monitors that are in her office, but Orem, not a female with him, appears to be the most clearly identifiable of the couple on the footage. Its unclear how many security cameras are in place at the entrance to the county magistrate suite office door, and the companys motion does not explain how the hourlong clip of surveillance footage was acquired from the county. Clark testified that she was surprised John Orem came in the office, knowing that he was ordered by the court to not engage in any bonding business, and felt that the Orems had concealed him from the camera so that he could gain access, according to court order. Clark testified that she would not have let John Orem into Magistrate Shulls office if she had seen him on the security camera, and that she felt manipulated by the Orems, according to the court order. In her final order, Faircloth concluded that Sher Orems testimony in the Nov. 28 hearing lacked credibility and noted that it is her responsibility to be aware of all matters affecting the company and questioned her decision to allow her husbands direct involvement in the completion of bonding business-related paperwork at the judicial center on Nov. 8. The bonding business activity in question came the day after an amended petition for authority to write bonds was filed. John Orem was replaced by his wife in the amended filing, and the judge was advised that her husband also had removed himself as an officer of Special Services Bureau, which he incorporated, according to court records. A similar company organization change was made in 2016 after John Orem was charged with possession of a controlled substance amid his election campaign for Berkeley County sheriff, according to court records. The drug charge was dismissed in October 2016, and John Orems authority to engage in the bail-bonding business was reinstated in August 2017, according to Berkeley County Circuit Court records. Bail-bonding authority is granted for a three-year period in the judicial circuit. In her final order the judge also noted concern that the Orems transferred the officers of the corporation to Sher Orem prior to the Nov. 28 hearing in an effort to avoid having John Orem drug tested again. The Court finds such actions to be a ruse and notes that the Orems can, at any time, switch the officers back to John Orem. A probation officer testified in October that a random test conducted Oct. 12 found that John Orem tested positive for a metabolite of fentanyl. Fentanyl is a controlled substance prescribed to patients with severe pain or those who need pain management after surgery. It is said to be 50 to 100 times more potent than heroin. The judge also was advised in October by the circuits probation office that Orems medical prescriptions didnt contain fentanyl. Faircloth has said she would request all parties seeking to write bonds to be drug tested, not just John Orem, and that he was not being singled out. In the final order, Faircloth noted that she intended to request Sher Orem to be drug tested at the Nov. 28 hearing, but didnt because the judge was already convinced that favorable drug-test results would not have changed her decision. Jennifer Fitch jenniferf@herald-mail.com Fulton Co. hospital honored for cardiac care McCONNELLSBURG, Pa. Fulton County (Pa.) Medical Center recently announced the certification of its cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation program by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. The hospital was recognized for its commitment to improving the quality of life by enhancing standards of care, according to a news release from the medical center. Rehabilitation programs of this type are designed to help people with cardiovascular problems, such as heart attacks or coronary artery bypass graft surgery; and pulmonary problems, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, recover faster and improve their quality of life. Both programs include exercise, education, counseling and support for patients and their families, the release said. The Fulton County Medical Center Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program participated in an application process that required documentation of the programs practices for peer-review accreditation. The Herald-Mail Maryland lawmakers considered more than 3,000 pieces of proposed legislation last year; a little more than a fourth of them actually became law. Theres a complex review process for each bill filed in the Maryland General Assembly, and it begins with the formal introduction. This first reading occurs when the bill is introduced on the floor of the House or Senate. Its then assigned to the appropriate standing committee for analysis. The committees conduct hearings on proposed legislation, then vote on whether it should be considered by the full body. The bill then goes back to the floor for a second reading, with a favorable, favorable with amendment or unfavorable report from the committee. If the bill was amended, the body votes on whether to accept the amendment. At the second reading, legislators may also offer amendments from the floor. Once a bill passes the second reading, the presiding officer the speaker of the House or the Senate president orders the bill printed for a third reading and final vote. No further amendments are permitted. If the bill passes, its sent to the other chamber, where the process begins again except that amendments can be made on third reading in the second chamber. If there are amendments in the second chamber, the bill goes back to the original body, which votes on whether to accept the changes. If the changes are rejected, they can either be withdrawn, or a conference committee will be named to resolve the differences. If a bill survives all that, its sent to the governor, who can sign, veto or permit the bill to become law without his signature. If he vetoes the bill, the Legislature can attempt to override the veto, making the bill law. A vote of three-fifths of the members in each house is required to override a veto. There are two bills the governor cant veto: The budget bill becomes law upon passage, and the governor cant veto a constitutional amendment. Mike Lewis mlewis@herald-mail.com Two separate real estate deals totaling more than $4 million have closed recently in Hagerstown. The sales were announced by Taylor Bowen, broker and owner of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Bowen Realty. An industrial building at 560 Western Maryland Parkway was sold for $3.1 million in a deal completed on Dec. 7, Bowen reported in a news release. The 36,000-square-foot industrial building has rail access and sits on more than 11 acres The new owner, Beaver Creek Farming LLC, has a North Bethesda mailing address. The firm will complete some renovations before taking occupancy, according to the news release. Bowen Realtys Commercial Division represented the seller, Cosmo Films Inc. And a $1,075,000 deal to sell property at 1115 Professional Court closed on Dec. 14, Bowen announced. The property, which formerly housed First Look Photo, was sold to 1115 Professional Court LLC, an entity based in Walkersville. The new owner plans to renovate the 7,800-square-foot building, which includes subdividing the structure to house multiple businesses, according to the news release. The building sits on a one-acre lot. The purchase comes as plans are progressing to extend Professional Court, according to the news release. The extension will create access to a proposed technology business site along with access to Meritus Medical Center and Robinwood Drive. Staff reports The Herald-Mail Editors note:The Maryland Writers Association is a voluntary not-for-profit organization dedicated to support Marylanders in the arts, business and craft of writing in all forms. To celebrate MWAs 30th anniversary, this column featured a Maryland writer and then give a prompt encouraging others to write. For more information, go to www.marylandwriters.org. Maryland author: Ogden Nash Genre: Poetry Light Verse. This type of poetry attempts to be humorous. The poems are usually brief , can be on a frivolous or serious subject, and often feature word play, including puns, adventurous rhyme, and heavy alliteration. Limericks are also light poetry. I am a conscientious man, when I throw rocks at seabirds I leave no tern unstoned. Ogden Nash Frederic Ogden Nash (1902-1971) was born in Rye, N.Y., and attended Harvard University before dropping out after a year. He worked on Wall Street, then as a teacher before becoming a copywriter. In 1925, he took a job in the marketing department with Doubleday publishing house. Throughout his life, Nash loved to rhyme. I think in terms of rhyme, and have since I was 6 years old, he stated in a 1958 news interview. Nash published Hard Lines, his first collection of poems, in 1931. The book was a tremendous success allowing Nash to quit his job. He married and had two children. In 1932, Nash devoted himself to verse full time. In 1934, Nash moved to Baltimore. In the 1950s, Nash focused on writing poems for children, including the collection Girls Are Silly. One of his best-known lines is: If called by a panther / Dont anther. With his unconventional rhyming schemes, he was declared the countrys best-known producer of humorous poetry. Nash died in 1971 at Johns Hopkins Hospital. A partial reading list includes: Everyone But Thee and Me; Girls Are Silly; Verses From 1929 On; Versus; Im a Stranger Here Myself and Hard Lines. You can read his poems online at: www.bestpoems.net/ogden_nash/index.html. Writers Prompt Fun With Words - Maryland Writers Association (MWA) invites you to have fun writing light verse using up to 100 words. Because light verse can be short, you may submit up to three poems for this prompt. Pick your own frivolous topics and have fun rhyming and playing with words. Go to www.mwawritersroundtable.org/fun-with-words, to read a sample response from this prompt, if you are unsure of how to write this. Submit your Fun With Words response to www.mwawritersroundtable.org/submit-fun-with - words by the 20th of the month and receive an MWA Fun With Words Submission Certificate. Selected prompts may be published next month. No political party, or person, is right all the time. We must look for the right solutions to our problems, not just for the Democratic or Republican solutions because easy partisan solutions that disregard the hard work of thought will not work. You can count on me to remain engaged as a citizen and to continue to share my thoughts with you, just as I did as your delegate. The final days of 2018 saw a perplexing trifecta of events affecting our countrys federal workforce. The government shutdown, affecting the pay of about 800,000 federal employees, headed into its third week. In the middle of that shutdown, the president bragged about giving a nonexistent 10 percent pay raise to the military during a surprise visit to service members deployed overseas. Soon after returning from that trip, the president issued an order halting automatic pay raises for civilian federal workers in 2019, noting the need to maintain efforts to put our Nation on a sustainable fiscal course. The message to the furloughed government employees (as well as those whose jobs are deemed essential and are still required to report to work without pay) is clear: You dont matter because youre not in the military. What was a tumultuous year for the Sullivan County Animal Shelter ended on a positive note with the first meeting of a much-needed board of directors. The nine-member board will take over operations, which have been handled since last January by the county. But that will take time as members elect officers, approve a budget, come up with a fundraising plan and adopt policies and procedures. Once thats accomplished, an application for nonprofit designation will move forward, another encouraging step. The hope is the board can take over by July, though the county mayor deemed that timeline optimistic. Better to get it right than rush the process. Thanks go to those who agreed to be board members. Mayor Richard Venable said finding compassionate people to serve was difficult. Venables decision to include a shelter volunteer on the board was also a good move. Currently, the relationship between those who work at and operate the shelter and those who volunteer there seems acrimonious and fractured at best. Since both should have the best interest of the cats and dogs at heart, that has been hard for those of us on the outside to understand. Once the transition is complete, the boards priority will be to find a director, which is desperately needed. I hope the right person is hired and he or she finds a way to forge a positive relationship with volunteers so they can merge their energies and work together for the sake of the animals. As for Pelosi, to borrow from the late British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, The ladys not for turning. Pelosi explained at an early evening news conference: What were asking the Republicans in the Senate to do is to take yes for an answer. We are sending them back exactly word for word what they have passed. Itll cover the eight agencies of government and exactly what they passed in a continuing resolution until Feb. 8th. Why would they not do that? .. . Is it because the president wont sign it? Did they not hear about the coequal branch of government, and that we the Congress send the president legislation and he can choose to sign or not? She continued: So theres something very wrong with this picture. It cant possibly be that the president is saying, I will never sign what the Republicans in the Senate have written. Neal said the IRS is considering bringing staffers back to work in the coming weeks to help deal with tax filings, but that its unclear how they will proceed. These employees would have to work without pay unless Congress passed an emergency funding bill. He said delays in tax refunds would lead to "more anger, for something that can be solved." Samuel Lores-Lambert, 48, was traveling northbound on Interstate 81 just north of Exit 69 in the Blountville area around 1:30 p.m. when his truck went off the right side of the roadway, according to a Tennessee Highway Patrol preliminary report. The truck crashed through a fence and into a barn along the 800 block of Masengill Road. To vote in the hotel competition, visit: www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-new-hotel-2018 . BRISTOL, Va. A hotel in downtown Bristol has been nominated as one of the best new hotels in the country. The Bristol Hotel is one of 20 across the nation nominated for the USA Today 10 Best. A panel of travel experts was asked to assemble 20 nominees in a variety of categories, including best new hotel. Now readers are asked to vote on the nominees to whittle the list down to the top 10. People can vote until noon Monday. Winners will be announced on Friday, Jan. 18. It was welcome news to Kevin Kruse, the hotels general manager. Were very humbled and flattered, he said. There had to be a lot of hotels opened last year. I attribute it all to our staff. The boutique hotel opened in October in a refurbished 1925 office building that underwent a $20 million transformation and includes a restaurant and signature rooftop bar. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} A hotel can have all the amenities in the world but its customer service that makes it stand out, Kruse said. When hiring the staff, hotel officials wanted the top talent in the region, he added. Around 700 applicants were interviewed and 62 were hired. Kruse said the hotel hired for attitude and trained for talent. At the end of the day, what people are going to remember is the human interaction, he said. It was my goal to absolutely create a world-class hotel that doesnt just compete with the local market but is on par with any hotel around the world. The community has embraced the hotel and that has also helped, according to Kruse. A number of people have memories and a deep emotional connection to the historic building. Still, theres some stiff competition. The Bristol Hotel is competing with hotels in Hawaii, St. Louis, Nashville, New York, California, Alaska, Georgia and Colorado, among others. Kruse said it was a huge honor just to be nominated. But the work is never done. Every day, you either get better or worse, he said. This is a world-class hotel on par with hotels in Paris, Hong Kong and New York, but every day, you have to get better. Support local journalism We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story. Deputy state health Secretary Fran Phillips a former county health officer who returned in 2017 to serve in an interim role until last fall told The Capital in July 2017 the department would explore a clean needle exchange program, where substance abusers could give their used syringes to the county in exchange for sterile needles and resources to connect with addiction treatment. Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email customercare@heraldandnews.com for help creating one. Due to the partial government shutdown, the Department of Homeland Security of which the Transportation Security Administration is a component, has not been funded, Farbstein said in an automated email response. Due to the lapse in federal funding, this email will not be monitored, and I will not be able to respond until after budget appropriations are enacted. Free access for current print subscribers As a home delivery subscriber, you get free unlimited digital access to premium content on HenryHerald.com, including local news, local sports, obituaries, legal notices, local features, and the e-edition. All you need is your print subscription account number and your last name. Don't know your subscription number? Email access@henryherald.com with your delivery address. Activate your account now. CELEBRATIONS have begun to mark Shiplake Colleges diamond anniversary. The independent school has launched its Shiplake at 60 project and between this month and the end of June it will be publishing highlights of what happened in each year of the schools history. From images to artefacts, stories and other objects, the project will give an insight into how much the college has changed since its foundation on May 1, 1959 while its ethos and values have remained the same. The first artefact is the original advertisement for Shiplake Court House, which was put up for sale by the BBC in 1958. The corporation had bought it in 1941 from the executors of Lord Wargrave, who had lived there from 1925-1936. Alexander Everett, the schools founder, bought it for 17,500, which equates to about 400,000 today. The original listing includes five reception rooms, 31 bedrooms, a boathouse, an orchard and even the island on which its year nine pupils spend a night every year. Headmaster Gregg Davies, who will retire after 15 years at the end of this school year, said he was proud to oversee the 60th anniversary. Its a significant milestone, he said. I remember, of course, when we had the 50th and so many things have changed. Our academic results have really improved from that time. The school has grown in the last decade from 320 pupils to 490 and there are 58 girls in the sixth form compared with 12 when Mr Davies arrived. Other highlights have included the opening of the John Turner building, a 4.3million arts block, in 2014 and improvements in its rowing programme which has seen the college reach the Friday and Saturday of Henley Royal Regatta in the last three years. Mr Davies said: As you get older you become more interested in where youve come from. I think 60 years is a significant anniversary now for our young people to learn a little bit more. Were really young and were now getting into a generation of grandparents. These early guys are now into their seventies and eighties and that kind of brought it home to me. The celebrations will include a lunch on April 27. All current, prospective and former parents, Old Vikings, governors, staff and other friends of the college are also invited to celebrate the anniversary at a diamond ball on June 22 from 7pm. If you have any college memories or artefacts, email alumni and events officer Catherine Brazil at oldvikings@shiplake.org.uk A WOMAN from Sonning is to compete at the World Cosplay Summit. Seamstress Stephanie Drogemuller, 23, and her performance partner Benjamin Hunt will represent the UK at the event in Japan. Cosplay is the practice of dressing up as a character from a film, book or computer game. The pair qualified for the summit after winning the MCM London Comic Con, where they performed as characters from the Japanese manga series Sailor Moon. They had spent months working on their costumes for the event at the ExCel centre in October but will have to make four new costumes each for the summit in Nagoya in August. Miss Drogemuller, who lives in Sonning High Street with her parents Kathryn and Tony, said that competing at world level was like a dream come true. It is the highest accolade you can get, she said. The contest is huge and Im so excited. She discovered a love of cosplay when she was a teenager and the family lived in Canada. Miss Drogemuller said: Halloween is a massive thing in Canada and as I got older I didnt want to be Alice in Wonderland anymore it was all about video game characters. You couldnt buy the costumes for the characters I wanted to be so thats when I got into making my own. After the family moved to the UK, she attended Langtree School in Woodcote and The Henley College, where she studied for a BTEC in performing arts. She then attended the London College of Fashion and now has her own business, the Sonning Seamstress, as well as working part-time in administration. Miss Drogemuller started competing in cosplay when she was 15 after learning about Comic Con. She said: It was basically what I was doing back home but you can compete with it. Video games are the area where I tend to get most of my inspiration from. The costume needs to inspire me and be complex enough that I can get my teeth into it. Youre essentially the costume maker, actor, music producer and prop maker. She has competed at national and international cosplay competitions and her other creations have included Snow White, Rapunzel and Daenerys Targaryen from the TV series Game of Thrones. She won first place for original costume as Snow White at the Now Japan convention in Lithuania in September and first place for costume craftsmanship at the Fan Expo in Toronto last year. Miss Drogemuller, who uses the stage name Stephanie Dola, was contacted by Mr Hunt, from Putney, early last year and he suggested entering the UK qualifier. She said she wasnt keen at first as it would mean competing as a pair when she was used to doing so alone. She explained: Ive never had that relationship with anyone where we could rely on each other to work really hard on everything and have the same amount of drive because it requires a lot of time, money, blood, sweat, tears and exhaustion! Despite her fears, the pair agreed to perform a Sailor Moon skit, with Miss Drogemuller playing the title character and Mr Hunt, alias Enja Cosplay, playing Tuxedo Mask. Miss Drogemuller spent up to 50 hours on her first costume, which is mainly cotton but torn away to reveal a Lycra superhero outfit that took another 40 hours of work. This didnt include the time she took to create all the accessories, such as heart shaped-brooches made from resin casts. Miss Drogemuller said: I did a degree in costume design and Im still doing this competitively because it is that much of an accolade that it can boost your career. Ive done some competitions where you have over 100 entrants. When we entered the qualifier there was actually a point where I was going up to Putney every weekend for a month to work on the performance, the costumes and the props. The week before Ben and I took the week off work so I could go up to Putney and stay there and sew and sew. I was nervous before the pre-judging, which is where the judges get an up close to look at your costume and you talk them through it. I was quite calm going on stage. For this particular contest, 35 per cent of marks were costume- based and 65 per cent were for performance. I had a bunch of friends and family there for the first time who had never seen me perform and I could see them in the audience cheering and that was a really nice experience. I was so proud to win. I know how much work we put into everything and to know it had paid off was amazing. It was disbelief for about three hours and then I got changed and went out for dinner with my friends and thought, oh my God, now we have to start thinking about Japan. BUCKS COUNTY >> Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that generic drug manufacturer KVK-TECH, Inc., headquartered in Newtown, Murty Vepuri, 69, and Ashvin Panchal, 50, also of Newtown, have been charged by indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United Published on 2019/01/06 | Source Hyundai Motor on Friday unveiled an automated valet parking system for electric cars set for commercial release in 2025. Advertisement The 3-D promo video posted on YouTube shows a driver arriving at the destination and the system gradually moving the car to the parking lot and searching for an empty charging space. Once wireless charging is complete, the car travels to another parking space, and the driver can call it to a designated spot using a smartphone. By William Schwartz | Published on 2019/01/05 The perpetually frustrated mobster Chi-seong (played by Jung Jae-young) spends the first scene in "Righteous Ties" reluctantly having to take responsibility for a single violent criminal act in order to preserve the interests of his gang. From here the narrative gets kind of murky. Where we might expect a stoic appraisal of criminal honor or possibly a farcical comedy about wacky adventures in a prison, writer Jang Jin somehow manages to do both halfway. Advertisement The effect is odd, to say the least, and not particularly helped by how Chi-seong is constantly confused about which kind of movie he's supposed to be in. One minute the guy's dispensing justice to the codeless bullies who run amuck in the prison, and the next he's forming social groups of ragtag criminals who have committed wildly different crimes, yet are united by their sense of loneliness. "Righteous Ties" has to be the only prison movie I've ever seen that makes gay jokes without also making prison rape jokes. I guess that technically this counts as praise? Everything about "Righteous Ties" moves along in the same vein. The movie's ideas are somewhat interesting and often peculiar, but they're constantly abandoned in the favor of even more weirdly vague ideas. As a result, a movie that starts off seeming very straightforward becomes increasingly surreal. Noisy military jets that initially seem like a metaphor for the inherently lonely and destructive nature of the prison end up having a payoff that renders this metaphor confusing, to say the least. Matters are not helped by how much of the plot doesn't take place in the prison at all, but rather on the outside with Chil-sung's buddy Joo-joong (played by Jung Joon-ho), who is given the task of dealing with Chil-sung. Joo-joong takes these responsibilities lightly, to little consequence. I would describe his demeanor as being of a guy whose boss gives him an unpleasant job, so he just avoids putting that much effort into the task. If I had to nail a specific tone to "Righteous Ties" it would be to imagine the tone and trappings of an office workplace comedy except tied to the tropes and setting of a gangster movie. It's hard to come up with any other way to describe the various attempted escape sequences, which always fail for technical reasons and poor planning. The prison guards, far from caring what inmates are planning, act more like disinterested human resources officers looking for excuses not to have to write a report. With a setup like this it should be little surprise that the climax, which is set off by a gigantic explosion, ends up feeling like an anticlimax, The final confrontation between Chil-sung and Joo-joong is likewise an oddly deflated affair, where the fight feels oddly petty and pointless. "Righteous Ties" is an extremely strange movie- the kind that's more interesting to analyze structurally than it is to actually watch. Those of you who enjoy novelties will probably get a kick out of this one. Everyone else, not so much. Review by William Schwartz "Righteous Ties" is directed by Jang Jin, and features Jung Jae-young, Jung Joon-ho, Ryu Seung-ryong and Min Ji-hwan. Available on DVD from YESASIA DVD Single Disc (En Sub) Published on 2019/01/06 | Source To mark the centennial of the March 1 Movement against Japanese colonial rule in Korea, the state of New York will designate a memorial day for female independence fighter Yu Gwan-sun. Advertisement The Korean American Association of Greater New York said Monday that the New York State Senate and Assembly will adopt a resolution designating Yu Gwan-sun memorial day at a meeting on Jan. 14. One of the four sponsors, Ron Kim, is the only Korean-American state lawmaker. The association and the rest of Korean community in New York played an active role in proposing the resolution. New York State is home to many ethnic Koreans. The life of Yu was also sketched in the New York Times in March 2018, as part of a series on women who left indelible marks but were nonetheless overlooked. By Panos Kotzathanasis | Published on 2019/01/05 Mixing an action thriller with a crime thriller is always a good idea, particularly when we are talking about Korean cinema, where the two genres are among the most popular and financially successful. Expectantly, the film was a commercial success in 2006. Let us take things from the beginning though. Advertisement The story revolves around two officers of the law, who could not be more different from each other. Jang Do-yeong is a hot-headed homicide detective who believes that violence is the only way to deal with criminals, an attitude that has brought him trouble repeatedly, both with his colleagues and his family. Eventually, his half brother falls victim to Yoo Kang-jin, a mob boss who, supposedly, has turned legit. Oh Jin-woo is an elite prosecutor who believes that law is the ultimate authority, despite the fact that his career has taken some strange turns due to his style. He also has troubles with his family and colleagues due to his obsession with his work, which becomes even worse when he decides to go after Yoo Kang-jin. Eventually, and after a series of events, the two men form an unlikely team in order to achieve their common goal. Their efforts bring them against a conspiracy its depth neither could imagine, as Yoo is moving towards becoming a politician. The combination of the aforementioned two elements is rather good, with Kim Seong-soo's presentation of both axes being quite well executed, as much as their combination. Of course, the theme of two unlikely partners fighting crime is not a new one, but Kim's attention to the details and the analysis of both characters as individuals, rather than a duo, places the film in a level much higher than most using the same theme. The same applies to the combination of the arcs, with Yoo trying to follow the procedures to the letter, and Jang doing anything but, with the ending of the film providing a direct answer to the director's opinion about the subject. The aforementioned aspects benefit the most by the protagonists' acting, with Kwon Sang-woo as the hot-headed and You Ji-tae as the "smooth" one being great in their parts, carrying the film for most of its duration. Furthermore, Son Byung-ho presents a great adversary for both, through the archetype of the "noble villain", who has the attitude and the resources to deal with both of his enemies. The moments he faces the two are probably the best in the film, also highlighting Choi Sang-muk's cinematography, and particularly his exceptional framing. Ko Im-pyo's editing keeps the pace quite fast, while the succession of the scenes of the two arcs are among the best assets of the movie. Probably the only fault of the narrative lies with the "necessary for commercial success" melodramatic elements, that make the finale somewhat farfetched and also extend the duration of the film to 124 minutes, that could be trimmed to a bit less. Nevertheless, these issues are not enough to ruin the general taste the movie leaves, which is quite good. If you enjoy the Korean style of action/crime thrillers, you will definitely have a good time with "Running Wild" which seems to tick every box the category requires. Review by Panos Kotzathanasis Facebook "Running Wild" is directed by Kim Seong-soo, and features Kwon Sang-woo, Yoo Ji-tae and Son Byung-ho. Available on DVD and VCD from YESASIA, streaming from Amazon and Netflix Netflix Haiti - News : Zapping... Carnival of PAP vs National Carnival This year again the Carnival of Port-au-Prince announced last October and the National Carnival (Gonaives) announced on December 28 by Michel Lapin, the Minister of Culture will take place at the same time on March 3, 4 and 5, 2019. The budgets for each of these carnival are not known. In addition, the traditional Carnaval of Jacmel will take place on February 24, 2019. OPL concerned about the situation The Organization of the People in Struggle (OPL) expresses concern about the deterioration of the socio-political situation of the country which contributes to the devaluation of the Gourde and requests the authorities to adopt as soon as possible the necessary measures to correct this situation. Illiterate rate higher than 50% After 75 years of literacy initiatives, the literate rate remains above 50% in Haiti and the Moise-Ceant Government intends to give a new impetus to the fight against illiteracy through a new program called "KONBIT ALFA in schools" whose first implementation is expected next February in the department of North-East, informed Emile Brutus, the Secretary of State for Literacy Estates General : The Committee requests more time The Steering Committee of the Sectoral General States of the Nation requests from President Jovenel Moise an additional period of 4 months to allow it to finalize its work on the holding of this next big gathering. Pre-carnival activities, D-7 Pre-carnival activities will begin on Sunday, January 13th. During 7 Sunday Haiti will dance to the rhythm of the carnivalesque songs of groups and artists before the three fat days. Installation of the Executive Director of HUP On Friday, Dr. Laure Adrien, Director General of the Ministry of Public Health, proceeded to the installation of Dr. Frantz Gerald Nerette as Executive Director of the University Hospital Peace (Hopital Universitaire la Paix - HUP). HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Petit-Goave : Deputy Mayor Desgranges denounces the corruption within the Town Hall The Deputy Mayor of Petit-Goave, Delor Desgranges, whose conflicting relations with Mayor Limongy Samson Jean whose "unorthodox" management, his disregard for the law, his threats and his sometimes violent actions are known to all, https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-24006-icihaiti-petit-goave-new-tension-at-the-town-hall.html, after a long moment of silence and truce, decided in an audio message broadcast on social networks, to resume its fight, to denounce bankruptcy, mismanagement, corruption and misappropriation of funds made to the bank account of the Town Hall and to reject the project of forced recovery envisaged by the Mayor Limongy Samson Jean. Concerning the diversion of funds made to the bank account of the Town Hall the Deputy Mayor Desgranges affirms "[...] it is a practice that does not date from today. Funds are often collected from the Town Hall's bank account and used not for the service of the Town Hall but for personal purposes. We have evidence to justify our comments. For example, at the end of 2018, large sums were withdrawn from the city council on the pretext that the motorcycles and trucks of the Town Hall that were broken down were going to be repaired. These are false justifications [...] Why the funds for the alleged repair of the vehicles were taken without the knowledge of the other members of the council ? Why nothing was previously discussed in council ? I intend, during the new year 2019, denounce with force and constancy, all forms and practices of corruption [...] within the City of Petit-Goave. I will not tolerate that kind of thing. It is the corruption that explains the Town Hall's inability to regularly pay its employees. Currently, the Town Hall has a debt of 16 months to his staff, 16 months of salary arrears. However, the Town Hall has collected enough direct and indirect taxes [...] Unfortunately, the recipes are very badly used and are diverted." In addition, Deputy Mayor Desgranges strongly protests against the idea of resorting to forced recovery advocated by Mayor Limongy "[...] It's persecution ! I will fight this possible decision. Because its implementation will have the immediate effect of triggering a movement of tension and demonstrations in Petit-Goave. We say no to forced collection, especially since the money raised from this operation will be used to enrich individuals rather than solve the problems of the population. He cites as an example the case of the vast land located in the commune of Fort-Liberte that the Town Hall of Petit-Goave declared of public utility, divided into two parts : one was put up for sale by the municipality and the other intended for the construction of a market "The funds obtained for the sites where the hundredths sold have not been paid to the DGI Fund or that of the Town Hall. The hundredth of land for the construction of a private residence was sold at 75,000 gourdes while the market location costs the merchants between 15,000 and 25,000 gourdes." See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-24042-icihaiti-petit-goave-mayor-limongy-over-the-law.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-24006-icihaiti-petit-goave-new-tension-at-the-town-hall.html HL/ HaitiLibre / Guyto Mathieu (Correspondant Petit-Goave) Haiti - NOTICE : LOGO Contest - 2019 Carnival of Port-au-Prince In order to endow the 2019 Carnival of Port-au-Prince with a graphic charter allowing to give it an official visual identity, a competition for the creation of the logo for the 2019 Carnival of Port-au-Prince is organized. This contest is free of charge and open to any professional or amateur graphic designer except for Port-au-Prince City Council staff and the Port-au-Prince Carnival Committee. Constraints : - Enhancement of cultural diversity and federate around a visual identity all components of Haitian culture - Visual quality: graphics, colors, fonts, etc. - Possibility of adapting it on different supports - Originality of the design - The logo presented must be in monochrome and polychrome, - Associated text : "Kanaval Potoprens 2019, Respekte Lavi", - Formats: PSD, CDR, Vector The candidate can only send one logo Logos may take any form as long as they are not sexist, racist, obscene or pornographic and do not insult religion, race, morality or any other culture... Deadline for submission: February 1, 2019. Registration, rules and information : To participate, simply fill out the online entry form at: https://www.kanaval.portauprince.ht/concours/ Selection Criteria, Award Recipient and Award : The logo proposals will be submitted to a selection committee chosen by the Carnival Committee of Port-au-Prince in agreement with the Principal Mayor of Port-au-Prince. The 10 best logos will be submitted to the general public who will choose the winner by vote via SMS. The winning logo will be released on February 1, 2019. The winner will receive a MacBook Pro (15 inch, 2.9GHz 6-core 8th-generation Intel Core i9 processor, Turbo Boost up to 4.8GHz, 16GB 2400MHz DDR4 memory, 512GB SSD storage, Radeon Pro Vega 16 with 4GB of HBM2 memory). HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - FLASH : Shooting between Haitians and Dominican soldiers, 2 dead Saturday around 3:30 pm in the community of Pinzon, on the line called Tierra de Nadie, in the border area of Elias Pina, Haitian traffickers introducing narcotics on the Dominican territory were caught by a patrol of the Specialized Corps of Land Border Security (CESFRONT) on which they opened fire, killing mortally a soldier, Oriano Montero Encarnacion, native of the municipality of Hondo Valle. The soldiers responded and during the shooting a Haitian was killed before his accomplices fled to Haiti. Without ID, the Haitian victim could not be identified. The bodies of the two victims were transported to the morgue of Rosa Duarte Hospital in Comendador, in the municipality of Elias Pinas. Information provided by the mayor, Comendator Israel Aquino, while he was at the morgue of the hospital. SL/ HaitiLibre University of Bristol spin-out company Ziylo has been bought by global healthcare company Novo Nordisk in a deal which could be worth around $800 million. The deal, which is one of the biggest in the University's history, could lead to the development of the worlds first glucose-responsive insulin and transform the treatment of diabetes. The World Health Organization estimate that over 382 million people worldwide, including 4.05 million people in the UK, have diabetes - a metabolic disorder affecting blood sugar levels. Everyone with Type 1 diabetes and some people with Type 2 diabetes need to take insulin, either by injection or a pump, to control their blood glucose levels. Ziylo has developed an innovative technology platform, which could be a key component to enable the next generation of insulin, able to react and adapt to glucose levels in the blood, therefore eliminating the risk of hypoglycaemia - dangerously low blood sugar levels - and leading to better metabolic control for people living with the disease. It's a real success story for researchers in the Davis Research Group in the School of Chemistry who had been working on the problem for many years before Ziylo was established as a start-up company in 2014. It's likely their lab-based work will now be turned into a real-world application to improves the lives of people around the world. Ziylo's glucose binding molecules are synthetic molecules that were designed by Professor Anthony Davis, who has been at the forefront of research into synthetic sugar receptors for the last 20 years. Professor Davis co-founded Ziylo with his PhD student Dr Harry Destecroix and Tom Smart. Dr Harry Destecroix, CEO of Ziylo, said: "Novo Nordisk, as the leader in the diabetes field, is the ideal company to maximise the potential of the Ziylo's glucose binding molecules in glucose responsive insulins and diabetes applications, and it brings hope of a truly ground-breaking treatment to diabetes patients." The acquisition gives Novo Nordisk full rights to Ziylo's glucose binding molecule platform to develop glucose responsive insulins. The development of glucose responsive insulins is a key strategic area for Novo Nordisk in its effort to develop this next generation of insulin which would lead to a safer and more effective insulin therapy. Anthony Davis, Professor of Supramolecular Chemistry at the University of Bristol and Director & Co-Founder of Ziylo, added: "The glucose responsive insulin we will develop with Novo Nordisk combines a natural molecule (insulin) with an artificial component (Ziylo's glucose binding molecules). This combination of natural and unnatural could be a new approach to biodesign. "These unique molecules were inspired by nature and work in much the same way as natural glucose receptors. A group of chemists, called supramolecular chemists, have been working on this problem for many years. Often, they make molecules which behave quite like natural molecules, but usually they don't work quite well enough for real-world applications. "The success of the Ziylo molecules shows that, with persistence, the problems can be solved and that biological molecules can be matched as well as mimicked." Certain research activities have been spun out of Ziylo to a new company, Carbometrics, which has entered into research collaboration with Novo Nordisk to assist with ongoing optimisation of glucose binding molecules for use in glucose responsive insulins. Carbometrics has licensed rights to develop non-therapeutic applications of glucose binding molecules, with a focus on developing continuous glucose monitoring applications. It will remain at the Unit DX science incubator in Bristol and remains closely associated with the University. Professor Nishan Canagarajah, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research at the University of Bristol, said: "The University is proud of its cutting-edge research which has potential to generate major societal impact. It is gratifying to see our research being developed to the point where it has the potential to make a real difference to peoples lives. "The acquisition of Ziylo by Novo Nordisk will allow this technology to take the next leap forward - well done to the team at Ziylo and to Professor Davis and his team at the University for getting to this exciting point." One year after community members stormed a Buford Board of Education meeting calling for change and more diversity on the school board, two female challengers lost elections and four of the five seats on the board will be held by white men until 2022. A mid-level restaurant, like Chilis, Red Robin or Panera. Light industry to keep jobs in the area. More retail so we don't have to go to Tucson. Better and more mass transit options. All of the above. Vote View Results Have any questions? Please give us a call at 520-625-5511 We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit Week 1 in review: Sony Xperia XZ4, Galaxy S10, Nokia 9 and Redmi 7 on the horizon We are now at the end of the first week of the new year! If you were thinking smartphone world will take some time off for the holidays you were wrong - week 1 was rather eventful. While there weren't many announcements in the week there were sightings of exciting upcoming products. The Samsung Galaxy S10, the Sony Xperia XZ4 and the Nokia 9 were the flagships that are expected to become official quite soon. The Samsung Galaxy S10 was photographed in the wild and we saw a purported Galaxy S10+ case snapped on a Galaxy S9+, revealing a very minor difference in size. The Nokia 9 Pureview was all but revealed in an official-looking promo video. The promo detailed the Nokia 9 Pureview's display, chipset, RAM, storage, wireless charging and hinted at what its five cameras will be able to do. It's also HMD's first true flagship since it brought back the Nokia brand, so the excitement is understandable. But the Sony Xperia XZ4 stole the show this week, showing off its Snapdragon 855 on Geekbench and topping AnTuTu with a 395kL score. We also saw a screen protector that hinted at an extra-tall 21:9 display. Xiaomi made headlines by setting a date for the announcement of the Redmi 7 with a 48MP camera- January 10. In related news we saw the first concept render of what the Pocophone F2 might look like - the main difference was the waterdop notch. The final big topic of the week was Apple's admission of lower than expected iPhone sales. In a letter to investors Apple disclosed the reasons for the decrease in iPhone revenue, chief among being the "fewer carrier subsidies", the price increases and the fact that some customers are "taking advantage of significantly reduced pricing for iPhone battery replacements". See you in a week! Sony Xperia XZ4 with Snapdragon 855 tops AnTuTu with 395K score The Xperia XZ4 will constitute a big jump in performance over the XZ3. Samsung Galaxy S10 photographed, have a look at its chin and punch hole camera This is the "Beyond 1", aka the 6.1" curved screen model. The S10 series will not have gradient color paint jobs, says another rumor. Redmi 7 with 48 MP camera arriving on January 10 The company announced the phone will mark the separation of the Redmi brand. Concept render imagines Pocophone F2 with updated Xiaomi stylings The wide notch of the original was not everyone's favorite feature, so what if it's replaced by a more palatable waterdrop notch? The Nokia 8.1 uses NEG Dinorex instead of Gorilla Glass While not as popular as Corning, NEG has supplied the strengthened glass for a bunch of phones, including the new nubia Red Magic Mars. Xiaomi unveils Mi Home Projector Lite Can project up to 200-inch image at 1080p resolution with HDR-10 support. Xiaomi drops prices for its televisions in India The company is passing on the reduced taxes on televisions in India onto customers. Samsung Galaxy M10 FCC certification reveals 6-inch display, 3,400 mAh battery The entry-level model in the new M line will have the Exynos 7870 at the helm, as per past leaks. - T. S. Eliot Thoughts After Lambeth "The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide." Feed tests reveal lower digestibility New seasonal feed quality test results showing the stark differences between wet and dry seasons have underlined the need for end users to measure and know what they are feeding. KINSHASA, Congo - Congo's historic yet disorganized election suffered yet another delay on Sunday as the election commission admitted it had tabulated only about half of results on the day it was supposed to have completed the count. It did not say when it would be able to release results. The delay fuels suspicions that the election commission is compromised and using the borrowed time to rig results in favor of President Joseph Kabila's chosen successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary. A vote widely perceived to have been manipulated could trigger violence in Congo, which has been plagued by civil wars and insurrections for decades. Congo voted on Dec. 30 to replace Kabila, who is stepping down after 18 years in power. Shadary is up against two main opposition candidates, Martin Fayulu and Felix Tshisekedi. The vote was initially scheduled for 2016, but Kabila repeatedly delayed it, staying on two years past his constitutionally mandated term limit. Most foreign election observers were either not invited or not accredited, but the vote was overseen at least partially by 40,000 observers from Congo's powerful Catholic Church. That mission, known as CENCO, announced Thursday that its own tallies showed a clear win for Fayulu. Fayulu told The Washington Post that his team had "extremely conclusive" evidence that he had won. The electoral commission responded with anger to the statement from the observer mission, saying it was "likely to brainwash the population while preparing an insurrection that CENCO alone will be responsible for." The ruling coalition called CENCO's statement "irresponsible and anarchic," adding that only the election commission was legally allowed to release results. CENCO's report also said that 38 percent of polling stations that it observed were missing materials at the start of election day, and that in hundreds of cases ballot boxes were not sealed before counting and polling stations did not properly verify voters' identities. CENCO's report was particularly powerful because nearly half of Congo is Catholic, and the church has been a consistent thorn in Kabila's side. Congo's government has shut off internet and text-messaging capabilities in most of the country since the day after elections, and maintains that those services will remain unavailable until official results are released to prevent the sharing of doctored results. A win by Fayulu that is recognized by Kabila's party would mark a historic break for Congo, which has never experienced a peaceful, democratic transition of power. Fayulu is a former employee of the Exxon oil company who has been a member of Congo's parliament for more than a decade. He is now backed by two regional political heavyweights, one of whom was recently acquitted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes. The United States government has been the loudest foreign voice of consternation at the vote's irregularities. A State Department spokesman urged the election commission on Friday to release accurate results and said those that prevent a fair count would be subject to U.S. sanctions. "There are moments in every nation's history when individuals and political leaders step forward and do the right thing. This is one of those moments for the DRC," said Robert Palladino. "Those who undermine the democratic process, threaten the peace, security or stability of the DRC, or benefit from corruption may find themselves not welcome in the United States and cut off from the U.S. financial system." President Donald Trump said Friday that 80 U.S. military personnel had deployed to nearby Gabon in anticipation of violent demonstrations stemming from a disputed results announcement. Evacuation of American nationals appeared to be their main mission, but many in Congo read the deployment as a form of pressure on the government as well. In a letter to congressional leaders, Trump said the troops "will remain in the region until the security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo becomes such that their presence is no longer needed." South Africa, Russia and China expressed dismay at CENCO's statement, saying the election commission was the only institution whose announcement would be considered official. China, a major investor in Congo, "lauded the manner in which elections were conducted," a report from the U.N. Security Council said on Saturday. HARTFORD Members of the Criminal Justice Policy Advisory Commission (CJPAC) held their final meeting last week and took time to reflect on what many said were monumental, positive changes to the system they helped manage. While the Malloy administration certainly has its critics, one of the of pluses of his eight-year tenure as governor that even some of his naysayers give him credit for is the sharp decrease in the number of prisoners. At last weeks meeting, outgoing Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and members of CJPAC took a few bows for that accomplishment while acknowledging there is still much work left to do for Gov.-elect Ned Lamont and his administration. Outgoing Under Secretary for Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Michael P. Lawlor referred to the most recent statewide crime trends report that showed overall reported crime in 2017 in Connecticut was the lowest in 50 years. The report, which is based on the most recent 2017 data, said there were 71,883 index crimes, which are crimes involving victims, i.e. murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft and arson. The highest year for those type of crimes was 1990, the report said, when 177,068 occurred. The total number of statewide arrests for all crimes dropped by 41 percent between 2009, when statewide arrests peaked at 138,719, and 2017, when there were 81,408 arrests - a drop of 7.5 percent from 2016. By analyzing recent trends, the criminal justice policy and planning office is projecting that there will likely be about 6 percent fewer arrests when all statistics are compiled for 2018 than there were in 2017. The report said that since Malloy took office in 2011, statistics show that the overall crime in the state has declined 19 percent, including a 19 percent decline in violent crimes. Addressing members of CJPAC, Malloy said the group got amazing things done. He added: When it comes to criminal justice reform and prison reform Connecticut is the leading state in the nation. He said the state has been successful in shutting down the high school to prison pipeline during his tenure in office. Lawlor, who was thanked by his fellow CJPAC members for his tireless efforts in tackling criminal justice issues, said he sometimes reflects back to his days as a state legislator in the 1980s when bringing up the issue of criminal justice was radioactive. Lawlor, who will be teaching criminal justice as a tenured professor at the University of New Haven, even brought an old campaign slide he used when running in East Haven for the state legislature in the 80s which had a photo of a campaign pamphlet which said: Mike Lawlor is making sure they do the time, with a picture of a prisoner in handcuffs. Times have really changed, Lawlor said, referring to the fact that President Donald Trump recently signed into law the First Step Act, an act which enacts prison and sentencing reforms, giving judges more leeway in sentencing, retroactively applying earlier sentencing reforms and paving the road for earlier pre-release custody for certain inmates. The First Step Act had bipartisan support, a rarity these days in Washington. Lawlor said the federal law is very similar to what Gov. Malloy led the way on in Connecticut. CJPAC was established under Public Act 06-193 . It held its first meeting in February of 2011. It was formerly the Prison and Jail Overcrowding Commission. Members of CJPAC heaped praise on Lawlor for his stewardship of the committees work the past eight years. Your ability to bring everybody together to work collaboratively, was one of your biggest strengths, Judge Patrick L. Carroll told Lawlor. The news wasnt all rosy at CJPACs last meeting as Lawlor and outgoing Corrections Commissioner Scott Semple said the incoming administration will be saddled with the ongoing problem of too many imprisoned being granted special parole. The legislature in 2016 approved legislation designed to re-focus use of special parole sentences on high risk, violent and sexual offenders. The measure was suppose to address the overuse of special parole sentences on non-violent offenders, while allowing parole officers to focus their attention on the highest risk offenders. But Lawlor and Semple said the problem is far from fixed. While many of members, besides Lawlor will be leaving their work as the new administration takes over January 9, the members said the mission of reducing crime, reducing prison population and reducing spending will continue. Members said Lamont has made a good first step by nominating nominating Rollin Cook to be his Department of Corrections Commissioner, replacing outgoing Semple. Cook most recently served as the executive director of the Utah Department of Corrections. Cook will begin serving as the Commissioner-designate when Lamont is inaugurated. His nomination will be sent to the General Assembly for its advice and consent. Rollin Cook is a national expert and a leader in his field, and brings to this role experience as both a correctional officer and as an executive manager, said Lamont. Semple, also a member of CJPAC, said Lamont couldnt have made a better choice to replace him. Semple said he has worked with Cook in the past and hes highly respected on a national level. I am very, very pleased that Rollin has agreed to come here, Semple said. He was highly recruited around the country. Hes probably the best candidate in the country. Lamont has expressed an interest in carrying on many of Malloys criminal justice reforms. There were some other opportunitiesand they passed by, but all I can do is be hopeful, Dougherty said. Theres a lot of potential at the site. Dougherty said the property features 1.3 million square feet of buildings, a biomass facility, a natural gas line, connection to the Transco pipeline and an abundance of water and electric supply. He added that some investment would be needed to operate an extant wastewater facility or run a new sewer line to the acreage. This years severe storms have also done damage to the facilities rail system. But its a potentially rail-served site and there are not many of those in the Triad, Dougherty said. Every bit of utility everything you would need is already there, for the right operation, or you could have multiple operations because youve got so much land. Dougherty said MillerCoors has been a very good corporate citizen that employed Eden residents for 38 years and are still sponsoring city events. After the centers founder and director had tried unsuccessfully to subdue the animal with dart and blow guns, Caswell County sheriffs deputies killed the animal with several gunshots. This was not an unfamiliar tragedy. In late 2003 a 10-year-old in Wilkes County was dragged by his uncles 400-pound tiger into its cage. Months later, a 14-year-old in Surry County was attacked and injured by a 200-pound tiger that belonged to her father. In Wake County in 1995 a 3-year-old lost his eyesight when his fathers pet tiger bit and crushed his skull. The Conservators Center is licensed by the USDA, which found no violations there during inspections in 2017 and 2018. But USDA licenses are automatically renewed, even if there are violations, according to the Humane Society of the United States. And its licenses are not species specific. This means an individual licensed to display rabbits at birthday parties could go out and get lions and chimps and rhinos on the same license, Debbie Healy of the Humane Society said in an interview last week. I met him and his mother two years ago while reporting on a story that had nothing to do with crime. It had to do with the struggle working parents sometimes face to provide for their children. I am not identifying the family here to protect their identity. The teenager asked to be identified only as V.J. V.J. said he talked to the police because he wanted those men caught. He feared for himself but also for his five younger siblings. Soon after the robbery, their mom stopped sleeping in her room. Her bed became the couch in the living room so she could listen for any sound that might indicate the men were trying to break in. After several weeks of doing that, she and her husband, a construction foreman, packed up the family and left their home. Since October, while they have searched for a new place, they have tumbled between friends and relatives homes, squeezing eight people into living rooms and bedroom nooks. And those friends and relatives have made room for them in already crowded spaces because they understand the risks that come with speaking up. They understand that more than a backpack and a pair of shoes were lost. I watched my son shut down after this, V.J.s mother said. Hes a high school senior who loves to play sports, she said. Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, also reiterated past disagreements with President Trump: The Charlottesville response by the president was something that gave me great concern. The support for Roy Moore in the Senate race was something I was very, very concerned about, his attack on the media. Nevertheless, one shouldnt conclude he is prepared to throw off the shackles of the Republican Party as it stands today. Sometimes, Romney sounds as though he would be fine with Trump minus the Twitter feed. (While I agree with them on a lot of policy fronts and salute the work thats been done by the Republican leadership in Washington, there are places that relate to the if you will, forming of national character that I think we could do a better job). At the same time, Romney seems perfectly fine supporting some of the partys dumbest positions. He declared of the useless, impractical and wasteful wall on the southern border that with regards to the shutdown, Ill be with Republicans on that front, which is I think its important for us to secure the border. In short, dont expect him to be a maverick in the mold of late Sen. John McCain. What really happened to Virginia Dare, the first child of English parents born in the New World? The same Virginia Dare whom I suggested recently belonged on The World Almanacs list of famous North Carolinians? A few weeks ago I wrote about Sir Walter Raleighs organization and establishment of the colony on Roanoke Island as described by Andrew Lawler in his book, The Secret Token: Myth, Obsession, and the Search for the Lost Colony of Roanoke. He called the expensive and intricate preparations for the colony the Elizabethan equivalent of the Apollo program. In July 1587, the colonists arrived on Roanoke Island led by their governor, John White, whose granddaughter, Virginia Dare, was born on Aug. 18. A few days later, White sailed to England for much-needed supplies. When he finally returned in August 1590, the colony had disappeared, leaving only a carving of Croatoan on a tree as a possible clue. There are a lot of answers to the question of what happened to Virginia Dare, her family and their fellow colonists. Most are legends. Some say Virginia Dare grew up into a lovely young woman and was transformed into a white doe, an animal that still haunts coastal North Carolina. Another story says she and other colonists made their way to Robeson County, where some locals will show you her burial site near Red Springs. In the traditional public schools, the achievement gap is nearly as unmovable as the failed philosophy embraced by the education establishment: it hasnt budged. But suppose it had. What if, tomorrow, we learn that the achievement gap has disappeared, and that black students now read just as well as their white classmates? Consider the statistics: In 2017, 20 percent of North Carolinas white students scored below basic on the NAEP reading exam; the comparable figure among blacks was 44 percent. Suppose that, on the next round of testing, 20 percent of white kids and, miraculously, only 20 percent of black kids, score below basic. Should we celebrate the fact that the achievement gap has disappeared, and that incompetence is now equally distributed? Hannah-Jones remarks at Duke were apparently a litany of roadblocks that await black students in the public schools. Among them: Predominantly black schools feature a higher percentage of poor kids; many of the children come from single-parent households; their teachers are less experienced; expectations are lower; and discipline problems are common. Imagine the reaction of a black, single mother of a school-aged son. She would assume that her son is doomed to fail. And who could blame her? The sheriff said there was, in fact, a red truck at a stoplight just before the shooting, but the driver did not appear to have been involved. Gonzalez said it was dark, the shooting happened quickly, and the truck was probably the last thing seen by Jazmine's family. Authorities want to talk to the person in the red pickup to get his account of the crime, Gonzalez said. Black, who was arrested Saturday afternoon during a traffic stop, was charged with capital murder and jailed without bail. Court records did not list an attorney for him. Prosecutors said the 9 mm handgun believed used in the shooting had been recovered from Black's home. During Sunday's hearing, prosecutors said Jazmine's mother, LaPorsha Washington, had tried to drive to a hospital after the shooting, but one of her front tires had been shot out. After the shooting, a composite sketch of a white man in a dark hood was widely circulated. Jazmine's family and activists had said the shooting was similar to an unsolved incident in the area in 2017 in which a gunman described as white shot into a vehicle carrying at least two black people. LEXINGTON Police are looking for two people accused of robbing and shooting a business owner as he was leaving his Lexington restaurant. It happened at Christos Restaurant, at 1500 South Main St., at about 2 a.m. Saturday, according to a press release from Lexington police. Police said the owner of the restaurant was leaving when two suspects with their faces covered robbed him. The victim, who has not been named, was shot and later released from Lexington Baptist Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. The suspects were last seen leaving the area on foot and wearing dark clothing and hooded sweatshirts. Anyone with any information can call Lexington police at (336) 243-2400. Chiu, a student from West Hempstead, N.Y., spent the balance of her vacation suffering from the side effects of medication. This ruined my trip, she told me. I have taken my fair share of trips that went sideways, too. This year, they included dealing with an eccentric Airbnb host who demanded that we feed her cat and then told us that by renting her house in Colorado Springs, we had left her homeless. That experience made me a little more cautious about the sharing economy. Then, another host, in St. Louis, this time on VRBO, blindsided me when she withdrew an offer to rent to me this summer. She said she had found a better offer. That made me even more cautious about the sharing economy. I wouldnt say either of these experiences ruined my trip, but they were learning opportunities. If nothing else, a review of readers best and worst trips of the year demonstrates that little things can make an outsize difference. Sometimes a lousy trip comes down to a missing sheet or a tiny insect. Good travel experiences crystallized in brief moments caught in a freak rainstorm in the Rockies, sampling beer in an Italian restaurant or glimpsing the silhouette of Mount Rushmore after sunset are even harder to pin down. Its also the reason I write this column every week. The things that separate a good trip from a bad one may be small, even trivial, but they can mean everything to you. And to me. Elliott is a consumer advocate, journalist and co-founder of the advocacy group Travelers United. Thank you for reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. Israel-based Arbe is launching Phoenix, its automotive 4D imaging radar beta product. This new front-end system, powered by Arbes proprietary chipset technology, enables evaluation and development towards production and full commercialization of 4D imaging radar for all levels of vehicle autonomy. Phoenix provides an image 100 times more detailed than other top industry radars, according to the company, offering superior separation of stationary and moving objects in real timean industry first. Arbe will present Phoenix at CES 2019 in Las Vegas and during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Phoenix proprietary chipset is the first system in the industry to leverage the advanced 22nm RF CMOS process. This allows: Delivering an image 100 times more detailed; Doubling radar sensitivity; Reducing false alarms through advanced algorithms and unparalleled channel separation; Separating small and large objects through a high dynamic range; and Providing clear boundaries of stationary and moving objects. The radar system offers an extremely high resolution at long-, mid- and short-range in both azimuth and elevation, and outputs an image of the environment in a point-cloud format at up to 50 times per second. The patented SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) platform creates a full 3D shape of the objects, then tracks them, localizes the car and classifies them on the map at 25 times per second. Additionally, by leveraging the 22nm RF CMOS process, Phoenix reduces costs while consuming the lowest power per channel in the industry. While current radars have up to 12 channels, Phoenix is 100 times more detailed, supporting more than 2000 virtual channels with two transmit devices (24 channels each) and four receiving devices (12 channels each). This allows Phoenix to track, separate and identify hundreds of objects simultaneously to deliver a highly detailed image of the environment in a wide field of view and at long range, in addition to separating objects by elevation. The advanced safety achieved through high resolution, separation by elevation, and the elimination of false alarms would resolve many of the factors behind recent autonomous vehicle accidents. To achieve the next level of vehicle autonomy, it is essential for automakers to leverage a robust radar. The launch of the Phoenix places Arbe in an excellent position to lead this market. Kobi Marenko, CEO of Arbe Arbe is a recipient of the 2018 Global Technology Innovation Award from Frost & Sullivan. The company was recognized for its full-stack 4D imaging radar system for the automotive environment, along with its future business value in terms of scalability, application diversity, technology licensing and human capital. Headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, Arbe has business development and customer service locations in the United States and China. The company was founded in 2015 and raised $23 million in funding to date. Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation@skagitpublishing.com for help creating one. Wednesday night at the state Capitol in Richmond, Gov. Ralph Northam will deliver the annual State of the Commonwealth address to a joint session of the General Assembly and members invited guests. Hell lay out his legislative budgetary goals for the 2019 session of the Assembly and his vision for the commonwealth in the years to come. Legislators from both parties will listen intently, trying to discern areas of policymaking where the closely divided Assembly Republicans control the House of Delegates by one vote and the state Senate by two can cooperate and move legislation forward. But as solemn and important a moment as it is each year, the 140 legislators cant help but look at Gov. Northam as theyve done with all his predecessors and see one thing: a political lame duck on the dais at the House of Delegates chamber. You see, though Northam was only elected governor in November 2017 and has only been in office 12 months, hes already a lame duck, forbidden by the Virginia Constitution from running for re-election. From the moment any governor takes the constitutional oath of office, hes already a has-been, and his power has begun slipping away. And it is the commonwealth that suffers from this constitutionally imposed neutering of its chief executive from day one. Friday nights shooting left a family in tatters a father, a mother and their 12-year-old son all dead in their home along Shula Drive in Hurt from gunshot wounds. In a news conference on Saturday afternoon, Pittsylvania County Sheriff Mike Taylor identified the father and suspected gunman as Jason Owen Davis, 44, the mother as Twana Rhodes Davis, 42, and their 12-year-old son with the initials of RKD. Our belief is that all of these criminal acts center around a domestic issue, he said, noting that this could change as new information comes to bear. Taylor said investigators found evidence that multiple bullets were shot both inside and outside of the house. A car used by two other relatives to flee the scene was also riddled with projectiles. The pair of women, Patricia Poindexter, 64, and Deborah Isabel Rhodes, 62, had apparently fled as Jason Owen Davis shot at the vehicle, stated Taylor based on the womens statements. Poindexter was Twana Davis mother, and Rhodes was Twana Davis aunt. From there, Taylor said Rhodes, who sustained life-threatening injuries, drove the pair to B&B Store located along Blue Ridge Drive about three miles from the house where the shooting occurred. Law enforcement from the sheriffs office in Gretna responded to a call from a store employee at 5:51 p.m. that reported two women with gunshot wounds, arriving in 10 minutes. After conferring with the women, Taylor said law enforcement decided to visit the house 3197 Shula Drive to see if any other people remained in the home. During that time, the agency was also obtaining felony warrants against Jason Davis, ready to be served upon arrival. Opening the door, officers walked in to find Jason Davis and Twana Davis dead in the kitchen, and their 12-year-old son lying in a bedroom. Why this person would shoot a child? said Taylor. I cant comprehend that. Based on the position of furniture and the state of some of the rooms, Taylor said there was evidence that an altercation had taken place ahead of the shooting. Firearms were found in close proximity to Jason Davis, said Taylor. There wasnt evidence that any of the other victims or injured were armed at the time of the incident. Pittsylvania County Commonwealths Attorney Brian Haskins said officers were prepared to serve the warrants and charge him on three firearm-related counts. Had he been found alive, he would have been charged, said Haskins during the news conference. There are no other suspects at this time, Taylor stated. Taylor said that Jason Davis had already been known to law enforcement, and people who lived in the house had been served protective orders in the past. When asked if Jason Davis wounds were self-inflicted, Taylor said the agency wouldnt know until the medical examiners report was complete. Believing the report will come out later this week, he said the medical examiner will reveal the cause and manner of each victims death. Both Poindexter and Rhodes were deemed stable and recovering from their injuries in Lynchburg General Hospital on Saturday. Sitting in her living room on Friday night, neighbor Reva Wisley heard gunshots ring out repeatedly, with no signs of stopping. The source was uncertain at first. People often do target practice in the forest behind her house. Still, this felt a little different. This just kept going, said Wisley on Saturday morning, standing in her living room. It felt like it went on for five minutes. She bounced her dog, June, a Chihuahua-Jack Russell Terrier mix, in her arms. It didnt bother me as much, but she wouldnt stop barking, said Wisley. She was barking during and after the gunshots, Wisley said, toward her next-door neighbors house, which sat just 45 feet to the left of her own. Wisley had just moved into the home a month ago and had spoken with her next-door neighbors a couple times in that span. Based on her first impression, they seemed nice. I just had no idea something like that would go on, she said. She called it spooky to have such a tragedy happen right next door. Im sorry that happened though, said Wisley. Its sad to never get to know your neighbors. Two miles down from the where the incident occurred lives Melanie Waller and her husband. In the final stretch of her drive home from work around 7:30 p.m., Wallers path was blocked by police. A deputy was preventing cars from passing through Shula Drive from the east after its intersection with Izaak Walton Road. Waller said her husband returned home from the Lynchburg, passing by the house where the shooting occurred. Entering Shula Drive from the west, deputies swarmed the area. After living in her home for about six months, Waller was disconcerted by the shooting proximity. Its not a very good feeling at all, and I still dont even know what happened, she said while standing on her front porch in the chilled air on Saturday morning. Between Friday night and Saturday evening, little information was disseminated about the incident beyond the death toll and medical transport of the wounded before the news conference. A Danville Register & Bee reporter arrived to the Pittsylvania County Sheriffs Office to find the doors locked. Calls, emails and text messages to authorities werent returned Saturday morning. At the conference, Taylor urged the community to keep the family of the victims and the Friday nights first responders in their thoughts as they navigate the trauma of the deaths. Jason Davis and Twana Davis had three children, the 12-year-old boy and two adult daughters. Taylor said one of the older daughters lived with them on Shula Drive, but wasnt in the home at the time. He said while she may not have been a physically a victim, she is a emotional victim. Shes lost family members, and it goes without saying in the days to come she will be struggling with the events of last night, said Taylor. He said the officers from Friday night were struck by the scene, many of them having children around the age of the boy found dead. This is a very stressful situation, said Taylor. Especially when it involved matters such as this and with children. In recent memory, Taylor wasnt sure if there had been other incidents of a similar magnitude in Pittsylvania County. Halle Parker reports for the Danville Register & Bee. Contact her at hparker@registerbee.com or (434) 791-7981. When you think of holidays, you may think of days with special food, decorations or religious meaning. Most of those days are noted on printed or digital calendars. We at KidsPost like to celebrate, so each January we put together a calendar of holidays you may not know about. (These days aren't official, so don't count on getting a day off school.) Use the list to have a bit of fun and perhaps inspire your own creativity. If you could create a holiday, what would it be? Send your idea with a brief explanation to kidspost@washpost.com, and we may feature it in a future edition. Happy new year to all! National Dress Up Your Pet Day (Jan. 14): Your little Buddy or Bella probably has a permanent fur coat, but those patterned sweaters are hard to pass up. Just remember that your pup or kitty doesn't like itchy clothing any more than you do. Thank-a-Letter-Carrier Day (Feb. 4): These men and women walk hours on end in rain, sleet and snow. Give a wave and word of thanks and make sure your steps aren't covered in ice. Southside Bird Club will host Mike Roberts for its first program of the new year. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at Woodlawn Baptist Church located at 2500 Westover Drive. All programs are free and open to the public. Roberts is a naturalist, wildlife photographer, outdoor writer, sportsman and natural resource conservation educator. Roberts writes a regular column in Virginia Wildlife Magazine called A Walk in the Woods and lives in Bedford County. Whether during happenstance meetings on the banks of Montanas Yellowstone River, the rocky summits of Virginias Peaks of Otter or scheduled camp sessions and school programs, Roberts relishes the opportunity to enlighten people of all ages about the natural environment. He utilizes a lifetime of outdoor experiences, writing skills and outdoor photography to raise awareness of natures beauty and importance vital to developing personal stewardship responsibilities for the planets air, water, soil, forests and wildlife resources. Roberts is currently employed as the naturalist and outreach educator for the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation and the Thomas Road Outpost, near the Peaks of Otter. Feelings are a wild card. On the one hand, the ability to experience deep emotion is one of the things that defines us as human. On the other, feelings can be and often are destructive to relationships and even to self. Like thoughts and behavior, feelings begin in chaos (check out the toddler), and like thoughts and behavior, feelings require firm discipline lest they become ever more chaotic. In the 1960s, the profession of psychology my profession began to focus on and obsess about feelings, especially childrens feelings. In graduate school, I learned that children raised in the 1950s and before (me!) had not been allowed to express their feelings freely. Their bottled-up feelings, starved of ventilation, rotted and became putrid, causing all manner of problems, most notably low self-esteem. Through various bogus therapies (e.g. hitting their parents with foam rubber bats as encouraging therapists looked on and asked the parents how they felt about being hit by their child), children were supposedly assisted toward getting in touch with and liberating their long-repressed emotions, thus cleansing their psyches of accumulated flotsam. (It is true, by the way, that we baby boomers were not allowed to express our feelings freely. For that, we are forever indebted to the common sense of our elders.) Ameia Harris, a freshman at Chatham High School, will attend the medical leaders in Lowell, Massachusetts, on June 23-25. The congress is an honors program for high school students who want to become a doctor or be in the medical field. This event honors the top students in the country. Harris is the daughter of Tiffney Harris and step-father Ronta Murphy. She has one sibling, Ameyea Murphy. Harris sings in the childrens choir at her church Shockoe Missionary Baptist church in Java. She also is a varsity cheerleader and a Junior Beta Club member. Harris watches her mother daily pursuing her degree in registered nursing while trying to work two jobs and take care of her family. Harris said she wants to help people in need of care and wants to be a doctor. Ameias parents and sister will accompany her on her trip and attend most of the events that they are allowed to. Gloucester, MA (01930) Today Rain showers in the morning with scattered thunderstorms arriving in the afternoon. High 69F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low 58F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Bartholomew Signs 'Tomos' Granting Independence To New Orthodox Church In Ukraine By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service January 05, 2019 Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople has signed a decree granting autocephaly, or independence, to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, ending more than 330 years of Russian religious control in Ukraine. The ceremony on January 5 in Istanbul, which is considered the spiritual headquarters of Orthodox Christianity, was attended by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. The decree, or "tomos," will now be handed over to the head of the new Ukrainian church, Metropolitan Epifaniy, on January 6, completing the two-day spiritual ceremony. Bartholomew said Ukrainians could now enjoy "the sacred gift of emancipation, independence, and self-governance, becoming free from every external reliance and intervention." Historic Decision Poroshenko thanked the patriarch "for the courage to make this historic decision" and said it was "a great day" for Ukrainians. Vladimir Legoida, a Russian Orthodox Church spokesman, denounced the decree as "a document that is the result of irrepressible political and personal ambitions." It had been "signed in violation of the canons and therefore not possessing any canonical force," Legoida said in a statement on January 5. "It is a great honor for me to visit Istanbul, where a long-awaited event will take place tomorrow," Poroshenko wrote on Facebook, referring to the official handover of the decree. Poroshenko predicted that the move will open a "new era in Orthodox history." "We pray for peace and unity," he added. Bartholomew announced the decision to recognize Ukraine's request for an autocephalous church in October. In December, Ukrainian Orthodox leaders agreed on the creation of a new national Orthodox church and elected the 39-year-old Epifaniy to head that church. Russia long opposed such efforts by the Ukrainians for an independent church, which intensified after Russia seized Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March 2014 and began supporting separatists shortly thereafter in Ukraine's eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. The announcement by Bartholomew, who is considered the leader of the 300-million-strong worldwide Orthodox community, came amid deepening tension over efforts by Ukrainian Orthodox churches to formally break away from Russia's orbit. It also prompted the Russian Orthodox Church to announce days later that it was ending its relationship with the Ecumenical Patriarchate in protest. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukrainian- church-to-get-autonomy-this-weekend- in-istanbul/29692716.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. U.S. lawmakers voice support for Taiwan following threats by China ROC Central News Agency 2019/01/05 17:50:34 Washington, Jan. 4 (CNA) Several American lawmakers have expressed support for Taiwan and called on Beijing to stop its military threats against Taipei, in the wake of Chinese President Xi Jinping's () warning Wednesday that China reserves the right to use force against Taiwan. In a tweet Friday, U.S. Senator John Kennedy said China's military threats against Taiwan were "irresponsible, counterproductive and just bad diplomacy." He tweeted part of a Reuters report, which said China reserves the right to use force to bring Taiwan under its control. "China's provocative approach toward Taiwan risks the stability of the region and displays China's disrespect of democracies in the world," the Republican congressman from Louisiana said on Twitter. In similar vein, U.S. House Representative Ted Yoho said Friday on Twitter that the U.S. Congress' support for Taiwan remained "unwavering." "Xi Jinping's threatening rhetoric on Taiwan is an escalation of Communist Party campaign to marginalize Taiwan's democracy," Yoho of Florida said. "Taiwan's legitimacy is a self-evident fact." Also on Twitter, Don Bacon, a U.S. House Representative from Nebraska, said the people of Taiwan have embraced democracy and human rights, but China, a communist country, continues to deny freedom of religion, speech, and the press. "America needs to stand by our longstanding commitment to Taiwan and ensure they're not isolated," Bacon tweeted Wednesday. In a Facebook post, Steve King, a House Representative from Iowa, said Taiwan is an independent nation that has been a democratic ally and an important trading partner of the United States and Iowa. In September 2018, Taiwan signed an agreement to buy billions of U.S. dollars' worth of soy beans from the United States, he noted. "China saber-rattling and threats to Taiwan should be condemned by freedom loving people around the globe," King wrote. Other U.S. House Representatives, including Glenn Grothman, Andy Biggs, Vicente Gonzalez and Paul Gosar, have also voiced support for Taiwan in the wake of Xi's speech, which was delivered Jan. 2 in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of China's "Message to Compatriots in Taiwan." Xi said in his speech that China is willing to talk with any party in Taiwan to push forward the political process as long as the party accepts the one China principle. However, "we make no promise to renounce the use of force and reserve the option of taking all necessary means" to serve the end, Xi said. He said China will not target compatriots in Taiwan but the interference of external forces as well as the very small number of Taiwan independence activists. (By Jiang Ching-yeh and Frances Huang) Enditem/pc Tsai urges Taiwan political parties to reject 'one country, two systems' ROC Central News Agency 2019/01/05 21:08:35 Taipei, Jan. 5 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen () on Saturday called on all political parties in Taiwan to reject the "one country, two systems" formula devised by China and forget about the "1992 consensus." In a press conference with foreign media in Taipei, Tsai said she hoped all the political parties in Taiwan would send a clear message to China, based on the wishes of the Taiwan people. "Do not mention the '1992 consensus' again since that phrase has been defined by China as the 'one country, two systems' mechanism, which has left no flexibility for interpretation," Tsai said. "By emphasizing 'one China' and 'one country, two systems', particularly in the context of the so-called '1992 consensus,' China has made clear their political intentions towards Taiwan and their steps for unification," she said. Tsai said that as a democracy, Taiwan's cross-strait interaction must follow the wishes and oversight of its people. "Therefore, any discussions must be between governments that are representative of the people of both sides," Tsai told the 47 foreign correspondents from the United States, Japan, Europe and elsewhere, at the news conference at the Presidential Office. On Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping () said a speech commemorating the 40th anniversary of the "Message to Compatriots in Taiwan" that China must be reunified. He said China is willing to talk with any party in Taiwan to push forward the political process as long as the party accepts the "one China principle." However, "we make no promise to renounce the use of force and reserve the option of taking all necessary means" to serve that end, while China continues to seek "peaceful reunification," Xi said. In his speech, he defined the "1992 consensus" as "the two sides of the strait belonging to one China, and working together to seek the unification of the nation" and said the one country, two systems formula is the best approach to achieving reunification. The "1992 consensus" refers to a verbal agreement reached in 1992 between the then Kuomintang (KMT) government of Taiwan and Chinese communist officials. The agreement has been consistently interpreted by the KMT to mean that both sides of the Taiwan Strait acknowledge there is only "one China," with each side free to interpret what "China" means. However, Beijing has never publicly voiced support for the second part of the KMT interpretation. Tsai said Xi has been trying to skirt the democratic process by calling for talks with individual political parties instead of with the Taiwan government, which is elected by the people of Taiwan. "China's plan to engage in political consultation with the political parties instead of the democratically elected government of Taiwan is a continuation of its deliberate campaign to undermine and subvert our democratic process and create division in our society," Tsai said. She called on the international community to stand with Taiwan in the face of the threats from China. If the international community does not help and support Taiwan, she said, the country will become another victim of China's pressure. China should pay closer attention to issues that affect the lives of the Taiwan people, Tsai said, adding that for example, China should be working with Taiwan and other countries in the region to help combat African swine fever (ASF). Authorities in Taiwan have deep concerns that the current outbreak of ASF in China could spread to Taiwan and Kinmen, which is only about 2 kilometers east of the mainland Chinese city of Xiamen. Tsai also called for the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) to coordinate the efforts in the region to prevent the spread of ASF, saying Taiwan has good experience in disease prevention and is willing to make a contribution. (By Yeh Su-ping and Frances Huang) Enditem/pc Opposition parties back Tsai's stance on 'one country, two systems' ROC Central News Agency 2019/01/05 22:30:35 Taipei, Jan. 5 (CNA) Three opposition parties -- the People First Party (PFP), the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) and the New Power Party (NPP) -- voiced support Saturday for President Tsai Ing-wen ()'s stance against the "one country, two systems" formula devised by China. The PFP said the "one county, two systems" formula is not acceptable to the people of Taiwan as it will leave no room for Taiwan to maintain the status quo. In their statements, the TSU and the NPP called for unity among the people of Taiwan against the pressure imposed by China. The statements by the three parties followed a call by Tsai earlier in the day for all political parties in Taiwan to reject the "one country, two systems" formula and thus send a clear message to China, based on the wishes of the Taiwan people. "Do not mention the '1992 consensus' again since that phrase has been defined by China as the 'one country, two systems' mechanism, which has left no flexibility for interpretation," Tsai said at a press conference with foreign correspondents in Taipei. On Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping () said a speech commemorating the 40th anniversary of the "Message to Compatriots in Taiwan" that China must be reunified. In the speech, he defined the "1992 consensus" as "the two sides of the strait belonging to one China and working together to seek the unification of the nation" and said the "one country, two systems" formula is the best approach to achieving reunification. PFP's caucus leader Chen Yi-chieh () told CNA that in the past, the 1992 consensus provided flexibility for the two sides of the Taiwan Strait to make exchanges under the status quo. "Now, the 1992 consensus in Xi's mind refers to the 'one county, two systems' formula, which is not acceptable to people in Taiwan so there is no consensus between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait," Chen said. She said while Tsai has rejected the "one county, two systems" formula, exchanges between Taiwan and China remain necessary so in addition to seeking support from the international community, the president should also come up with measures to start dialogue with Beijing. Since Tsai took office in May 2016, Chinese authorities have halted official communication with Taipei because she declined to recognize the "1992 consensus." The "1992 consensus" refers to a tacit agreement reached in 1992 between the then Kuomintang (KMT) government of Taiwan and Chinese communist officials. The agreement has been consistently interpreted by the China-friendly KMT to mean that both sides of the Taiwan Strait acknowledge there is only "one China," with each side free to interpret what "China" means. However, Beijing has never publicly voiced support for the second part of the KMT interpretation. NPP spokesperson Lee Chao-li () said Saturday that his party has never recognized the 1992 consensus. "Xi's speech exposed a big lie by the KMT, since Taiwan and China never reached any such consensus," Lee said. "The NPP is calling on the KMT to withdraw the lie. The people of Taiwan need to be united in the face of the military threats from China." In his speech, Xi said China was making no promise to renounce the use of force and reserved the option of taking all necessary means to serve that end, while Beijing continues to seek peaceful reunification. In response to Tsai's call for rejection of China's "one country, two systems" formula, TSU Chairman Liu Yi-teh () urged solidarity in Taiwan and praised Tsai for sending a clear message and hardening her stance against China. Meanwhile, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy Vice President Yan Jiann-fa () urged Taiwan's political parties not to talk with Beijing on their own as such talks could pose a danger to a democratic Taiwan. He was commenting on Xi's statement that China is willing to talk with any party in Taiwan to push forward the political process as long as the party accepts the "one China principle." Meanwhile, KMT spokesman Ouyang Long () told CNA that whether or not the KMT is in power, it sees the "1992 consensus" as a foundation for dialogue between Taiwan and China. However, the "one country, two systems" formula is unacceptable to most people in Taiwan so the KMT will not recognize such a system, he said. (By Fan Cheng-hsiang, Yeh Su-ping, Miu Tsung-han and Frances Huang) Enditem/pc YPG Offers to Surrender its Zones in Syria for Kurdish Autonomy - Reports Sputnik News 01:19 06.01.2019 DAMASCUS (Sputnik) - Syrian Kurdish YPG leader Sipan Hemo offered last month to hand over control of Kurdish-held lands to the Syrian government in return for Kurdish autonomy, media said Saturday. The Kurdish militia commander came to Russia's Hmeimim base in western Syria days after the US president announced troop withdrawal from the country, Asharq al-Awsat reported. Hemo then travelled to Damascus to tell Syrian authorities that YPG was ready to give up control of the Syrian-Turkish border, before going to Moscow on December 29. In Russia, the Kurdish leader asked for assurances and suggested that Moscow bring out of mothballs a draft constitution it had proposed for Syria, which guaranteed the Kurdish right for self-determination. The publication linked this trip to the surprise handover of the flashpoint Manbij city to the Syrian army on December 28, which was confirmed nearly simultaneously by the Syrian government and Kurdish forces. Sputnik Continued US-led coalition raids in Syria show disregard for UN Charter, intl. law: Damascus Iran Press TV Sat Jan 5, 2019 06:42PM The Syrian government says continued airstrikes by the US-led coalition against ordinary people and civilian targets show the alliance's reckless disregard for the UN Charter as well as international law. The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, in two separate letters addressed to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the rotating president of the Security Council, Francisco Antonio Cortorreal, on Saturday, said that the crimes being perpetrated by the US-led coalition, the latest of which occurred in al-Kishkiyah and al-Shaafah towns in the troubled eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr, attested to the fact that the alliance had only sought to nurture Daesh and help it expand. The ministry then called on the UN Security Council to shoulder its responsibilities, and adopt immediate and effective measure to stop US-led airstrikes, mass killings and systematic destruction of Syria's infrastructure. It also demanded the establishment of an independent and impartial international mechanism to investigate the crimes, punish the perpetrators and compensate the families of victims. The letters highlighted that the continued silence of the Security Council against these attacks, neglect of its responsibilities to maintain international peace and security and its inaction to prevent war crimes and crimes against humanity would lead to a very disturbing culture of impunity and would thus undermine the Council, the UN General Assembly and other major world bodies. Syria's state-run television network reported that 10 people were killed on Friday afternoon when US-led warplanes bombarded residential buildings in al-Kishkiyah town. The report added that the victims were all members of the same family. The development came only a few hours after eleven people lost their lives in similar airstrikes against al-Shaafah town. The air raids severely damaged private property in the targeted area as well. The US-led coalition has been conducting airstrikes against what are said to be Daesh targets inside Syria since September 2014 without any authorization from the Damascus government or a UN mandate. The military alliance has repeatedly been accused of targeting and killing civilians. It has also been largely incapable of achieving its declared goal of destroying Daesh. Syria has on numerous occasions condemned airstrikes by the US-led coalition, asking the UN to force Washington and its allies to put an end to their military intervention in the Arab country. A senior State Department official said on Friday that the US had no timeline to withdraw troops from Syria but added that it did not plan to stay indefinitely either, two weeks after Washington said it would withdraw its roughly 2,000 troops there. On December 29, 2018, a source said the planned withdrawal of US troops from Syria would expose the extent of war crimes committed by the US-led coalition. "The upcoming withdrawal of US military personnel from Syria will most likely shed light on numerous war crimes committed by the international coalition during the so-called fight against [the] Daesh terrorist group," Russia's Sputnik news agency quoted the unnamed source as saying. Syrian Army responds to breaches by terrorists in Hama, Idleb IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 5, IRNA -- Syrian Arab Army units conducted concentrated strikes against terrorist groups located in Hama northern countryside and Idleb western countryside, while they attempted to infiltrate towards military points on the outskirts of the demilitarized zone and its surroundings. SANA reporter in Hama said that the army units detected terrorist groups affiliated to "Turkistan Party" that had been attempting to sneak from the surroundings of al-Najiah and Badama villages in the western countryside of Jisr al-Shughour in Idleb towards military points on the outskirts of the demilitarized zone. The army units targeted the terrorists' positions and their movements with precise artillery fire, inflicting losses upon their ranks, the reporter said. In the far northern countryside of Hama, an army unit carried out artillery fire against the terrorist organizations' positions in al-Banah village after detecting the terrorists' infiltration attempt towards the neighboring safe areas, destroying their fortified positions in the surroundings of the village, killing and injuring scores of them, the reporter added. 8072**1771 Russia Now Juggling Challenges of War-Wracked Syria By Jamie Dettmer January 04, 2019 "You break it, you own it," Colin Powell once warned in referring to U.S. military interventions overseas and the possible fallout that comes with those decisions. The retired general and former secretary of state invoked his old rule in 2015 to explain his reluctance about the United States becoming too involved in the civil war in Syria. Powell, who served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush, highlighted the painful consequences of previous interventions elsewhere, including in Iraq and Libya. It is a rule that some analysts say could apply to Russia as Moscow deepens its involvement in Syria. After having intervened to save Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from being toppled, swinging the war definitively against the rebels just as his government appeared to be heading for defeat, the Kremlin has become more entrenched in Syria and owns the problem, say analysts. If the Kremlin fails to secure a lasting peace, or is unable at least to stabilize the war-wracked country, still being buffeted by several micro-conflicts, then entrenchment risks turning into a potentially expensive entanglement that would undermine Russia's new regional clout. And one of the biggest challenges Moscow will face, if the U.S. does withdraw ground troops from the country's northeast, as President Donald Trump has pledged, will be how to prevent a military clash developing between Syria and Turkey, they say. Contradictory interests According to analyst Aron Lund, Russia is balancing contradictory interests in Syria. The Kremlin wants to restore the central government and expand the writ of its client Assad across the country, including over the Kurdish-controlled northeast and an arc of territory from Afrin to al-Bab in the northwest now occupied by Turkish troops and rebel Sunni Muslim allies. Turkey, a NATO member Moscow has been assiduously wooing, has its own designs on Syria, although they are as yet unclear. It has now threatened to cross east of the Euphrates River to attack Syrian Kurdish forces, which it says are aligned with Turkish Kurdish separatists. And Ankara shows no sign of being prepared either to give up its large position south of its border or to rethink its animosity toward the Syrian Kurds. Western diplomats in Turkey's capital say Turkish officials have been lobbying the Kremlin to allow Turkish warplanes to use Syrian airspace, now under the control of the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State terror group, when the U.S. finally withdraws from the northeast. "Turkey has never clearly defined its plans for the area, and Turkey shows no sign of wanting to relinquish the Afrin and al-Bab regions, and is working to shore up its hold on Idlib," Lund argues in a policy paper written for the Swedish Defense Research Agency. "Pulling NATO member Turkey out of America's embrace is a goal of major geopolitical significance to Russia. Putin's desire to court [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan may in the end outweigh Assad's desire to retake outlying border regions now under Turkish control." Erdogan has never made an explicit claim on northwestern Syria, but he has said Turkish troops and their Syrian Sunni allies, former anti-Assad rebels, will remain until Syria has conducted an election. With peace talks stalled, and few signs of much progress toward a political settlement to the war, that in effect would delay for the foreseeable future Ankara's having to make any withdrawal decision. And in the meantime, the Turks are consolidating their grasp on the northwest rebuilding schools, entrenching their own NGOs in the region and setting up municipal authorities. What's next? The question is whether Assad will remain patient. And if Assad seeks to shield Syrian Kurdish forces from Turkish attack, how restrained will Erdogan be in response? On Tuesday, Erdogan invoked Turkey's Ottoman past when highlighting his military buildup. In a televised call to military commanders on the border as they stood outside the tomb of medieval Ottoman forebear Suleyman Shah, the president pledged to crush Turkey's enemies Syrian Kurds and IS militants and underscored his ambition to retain Syrian land under Turkish control, something that not only frustrates Damascus but Assad's other foreign backer, Iran. Suleyman Shah's tomb was inside Syria but transferred closer to the Turkish border in 2015 after Islamic State militants threatened to destroy it. Erdogan has promised to return the tomb to its original site and said midweek that will be "an important harbinger." But of what he was not entirely clear. He added, "I believe your faith will bring many more victories. You've walked to the martyrdom and you are walking again. Allah will give us victory." For weeks, the Turks have been amassing more military hardware along the border, including tanks, howitzers and armored personnel carriers. And inside Syria, Turkish-backed forces have moved closer to the strategic town of Manbij, controlled by Kurdish fighters, who until now have felt protected by the presence of U.S. ground troops. This past week, the Kurds turned to Damascus for protection, calling in Assad's forces into Manbij to deter a Turkish attack. Juggling the interests and demands of both Damascus and Ankara while keeping Tehran satisfied is going to be a challenge for Russian President Vladimir Putin. He's also trying to prevent a potential clash between Israel, another Western-allied power he has been courting, and Iran in the south and west of the country. Moscow's control "Moscow's permission for Ankara to use Syrian airspace enables Russia to set the pace and duration of Turkish military operations inside Syria," according to Metin Gurcan, a Turkish military analyst. Writing for the Al-Monitor news site, he said Moscow was able to control the pace in March of Turkey's assault on Afrin, closing down Turkish air operations for a week to allow Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) to withdraw from the border town without being targeted by the Turkish air force. "Would Turkey dare use airspace in northeast Syria despite opposition by Moscow? No," said Gurcan. Otherwise it would not have sent a high-ranking Turkish delegation to Moscow last month to lobby for permission, he maintained. Being the regional power-broker, as Russia now in effect has become, will test Moscow's juggling skills in a highly volatile corner of the world, say other analysts. Moscow could end up trapped in a quagmire. "Though this new phase of the war has all the trappings of an endgame, some aspects of it may endure for the foreseeable future," said Lund. He added, "With external powers now dominating spheres of influence from which Assad cannot easily oust them, Syria's unsettled state may be turning into a frozen conflict where intermittent skirmishing and negotiations emerge as a new normal, and cease-fire lines gain permanency even in the absence of formal recognition." US State Department says Saudi version of Khashoggi murder 'not credible' Iran Press TV Sat Jan 5, 2019 10:23AM The United States says Saudi Arabia's version of the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi is not credible and Riyadh must identify and punish the perpetrators and planners of the killing. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will emphasize the need for accountability and credibility in the investigation of Khashoggi's death during a visit next week to the Middle East, including to Riyadh, a senior US State Department official said on Friday. "The Secretary has been very consistent in engagements with Saudis ...to really push the two points of accountability and credibility, which is that the Saudis should have a credible narrative for what happened," said the official, who briefed reporters on Pompeo's trip. "I don't think from our point of view that the narrative emerging from the Saudis or the legal process has yet hit that threshold of credibility and accountability," the official said. Pompeo wants both the perpetrators and the planners of the killing to be identified by the Saudis and appropriate punishments are meted out, the official added. Khashoggi, a US-based Washington Post journalist from Saudi Arabia who had become a critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on October 2. US intelligence agencies believe the crown prince ordered an operation to kill Khashoggi, whose body was dismembered and removed from the building to a location still publicly unknown. Top Turkish officials have also tied his death to the highest levels of Saudi leadership. Riyadh has denied accusations that the prince ordered the murder. US President Donald Trump has cultivated a close relationship with the crown prince and says he stands by the kingdom's de facto ruler despite the CIA assessment and pleas from US senators for Trump to condemn and punish the prince. A Saudi court on Thursday held its first hearing on Khashoggi's case in which Saudi Arabian prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for five of the 11 suspects in the case. A spokeswoman for the UN's top human rights official, Michelle Bachelet, said on Friday that the trial is "not sufficient" and does not meet the requirements of an independent and international enquiry. Terrorist attack injures six in NW Pakistan IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Islamabad, Jan 5, IRNA -- At least six people including two women were injured in a powerful blast in Pakistan's north western city of Peshawar on Saturday. As per initial reports, the explosive material was installed in a car which was parked near a mosque in Kalibari area of the city, police said. The car was completely destroyed in the explosion. Law enforcement agencies have cordoned off the area and shifted the injured to nearby hospital. No group has claimed responsibility of the attack so far. Peshawar city has been victim of terrorism for many years, but after the successful operation against terrorism, the peace returned to the city. However, in the past few months terrorists have managed to attack some parts of the city claiming lives of innocent people and injuring scores of others. On 16 December 2014, six gunmen affiliated with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) conducted a terrorist attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar, killing 149 people including 132 schoolchildren. A rescue operation was launched by the Pakistan Army's Special Services Group (SSG), who killed all six terrorists and rescued 960 people. 272**6125**1771 Pakistan Navy Flotilla to visit Iran southern port IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Dec 5, IRNA -- In line with Pakistan's maritime tradition and to bolster the existing warm and cordial bilateral ties, a Pakistan Navy Flotilla comprising four Navy Ships will dock at Iran's Persian Gulf port city of Bandar Abbas, from 6 - 9 January. PNS KHAIBAR, PNS MADADGAR, PNS RAH NAWARD and PMSS ZHOB will be commanded by Commodore Muhammad Saleem Sl(M), Commander of 9th Auxiliary Warfare Squadron, Pakistan Embassy in Tehran wrote in a press release a copy of which was obtained by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on Saturday. The visit aims at enhancing maritime collaboration between the navies of the two countries, according to the press release. The ships are bringing warm wishes and a message of solidarity, peace and prosperity for the people of Iran and the region, it said. 'The port call of Pakistan Navy ships to Islamic Republic of Iran is a regular feature,' it added. 'Last year, two Pakistani ships PNS RAH NAWARD and PNS DEHSHAT visited Bander Abbas. During the visit, PN delegation will hold meetings with naval and military leadership of Iran on bilateral relations.' 'The visit of the Pakistan Navy ships to Bandar Abbas enables both navies to enrich themselves from mutual experiences and enhance cooperation in future endeavors,' it further said, noting that the port call by Pakistani ships is a testimony of growing security and defense relationship between Iran and Pakistan. A dinner reception will reportedly be hosted by Commodore Muhammad Saleem on the board PNS KHAIBER for military attaches, diplomats, Iranian military and civil officials, media people and Iranian community members. 9417**2044 Iran finds new oil customers despite US sanctions Iran Press TV Sat Jan 5, 2019 09:43AM Iran's deputy oil minister for trade and international affairs says despite US pressure, the number of potential oil customers of the Iranian oil has increased significantly due to "a competitive market and greed of more profits." Amir Hossein Zamaninia said all countries which were granted a waiver from the US to purchase Iranian oil imports are complying with the US sanctions. "China, India, Japan, South Korea and other countries that were granted waivers from America to import Iranian oil are not willing to buy even one barrel more from Iran," he said. The US also granted the exemptions to Italy, Greece, Taiwan and Turkey. Zamaninia then elaborated on the oil industry situation after the US unilateral withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal last year and said Iran's Oil Ministry has mobilized all its forces to cope with the sanctions. "Selling oil is at top of our priority list and we are seeking to hold our oil market set up with hard efforts after the nuclear deal," he added. US President Donald Trump announced in May that Washington was pulling out of the nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which lifted nuclear-related sanctions against Tehran in exchange for restrictions on Tehran's nuclear program. Despite Washington's withdrawal, Iran has not left the deal yet, but stressed that the remaining signatories to the agreement have to work to offset the negative impacts of the US pullout for Iran if they wanted Tehran to remain in it. The other parties to the JCPOA have repeatedly announced that the deal is working and should stay in place. Trump has promised to bring Iran's oil exports down to zero, but he had to budge on the pledge in early November when he exempted eight major customers of Iranian oil from the sanctions. The new round of US sanctions also target Iran's nuclear activities, which the US insists are in breach of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers. The US allegations against Iran's nuclear program come as Yukiya Amano, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has in numerous reports verified Iran's commitment to the nuclear deal since its implementation. President Hassan Rouhani says Iran will break the sanctions imposed by the US on it as well as on countries that do business with it, shortly after a round of anti-Iran sanctions by America take effect. Iran navy to send flotilla to Atlantic on 5-month mission Iran Press TV Sat Jan 5, 2019 10:12AM Iran's navy says it is to dispatch a flotilla, including the country's most advanced destroyer, to the Atlantic Ocean on a five-month mission. The fleet will depart for the waters early next year on the Iranian calendar, which begins on March 21, Rear-Admiral Touraj Hassani-Moqaddam, the Navy's deputy commander told IRNA on Friday. "The mission will take place in line with the order issued by the chain of command," he noted, adding that the fleet will be going around the globe to reach the Atlantic. "[The course towards] the Atlantic Ocean is a long one, and the Iranian naval group's mission in the ocean could last for up to five months," Hassani-Moqaddam added. "Iranian helicopter-carrying destroyer Sahand is going to be one of the vessels to be included in the group," he said. Iran launched the combat vessel, which has radar-evading stealth properties and can sustain drawn-out voyages without resupply on December 1. The commander said the destroyer is equipped with enhanced torpedo launchers, anti-aircraft and anti-ship guns, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missile systems, anti-submarine firepower, precision defensive capability, high maneuverability, and electronic warfare equipment. Separately, Fars News Agency cited various Navy commanders and authorities as saying that the Atlantic mission is also to recruit the Khark logistical vessel. The ship, which is the largest one of its kind in Western Asia, has been fitted with enhanced propulsion and navigation capabilities. It previously joined the Navy's missions in the Pacific and the Gulf of Aden. Hassani-Moqaddam said a naval group belonging to the force was currently operating in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. The mission, he said, interacts with its international counterparts to help provide security for shipping routes in the high seas, adding that the previous mission dispatched to the Gulf had managed to rescue a foreign vessel from pirate attack. Purpose behind intl. presence The official said the navy would maintain constant presence in the international waters to "execute the decrees issued by the Commander-in-Chief (Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei), preserve and secure the Islamic Republic's interests in waters afar, hoist the country's flag [in the international waters], and negate the Iranophobia project." Also, the presence seeks to send across the message of peace and friendship, and assure that the country maintains intelligence command over the expanded operating range of its strategic naval forces, he added. The navy has sent 59 naval missions to the high seas over the past 10 years, mostly to the Gulf of Aden, with the primary aim of confronting piracy. Its fleets have also visited the Pacific, South China Sea, and the Mediterranean as well as the waters lying around the Southeast Asia region and to the south of African continent. The groups usually consist of at least two vessels, but are also occasionally accompanied by helicopter squadrons and submarines. Late last year, Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi said, "The Leader stated what whenever the navy was ready for ocean navigation, it should undertake the mission." The Iranian navy is to sail its vessels close to the United States, which maintains ample naval presence in the Persian Gulf and in the region's littoral states. Washington has threatened to bring "down to zero" Iran's oil exports, which takes place through the Strait of Hormuz between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The Islamic Republic has firmly warned that it will close the strait down if the US pushes ahead with its threat, vowing to respond in kind to any violations of international laws governing the strategic waterway, through which 30 percent of global oil flows. Iran says to send naval fleet to Atlantic for 5-month mission People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 09:17, January 05, 2019 TEHRAN, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The deputy commander of Iran's Navy said an Iranian naval fleet will be sent to the Atlantic Ocean for a five-month mission in early 2019, official IRNA news agency reported Friday. "The Atlantic Ocean is a long route, and it is likely that the mission would take five months to complete," Touraj Hassnai Moqaddam told IRNA. "Iranian Sahand destroyer will accompany the fleet," he added, without providing more details. On Dec. 1, 2018, the Iranian navy launched the domestically-built Sahand destroyer in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas. With radar-evading stealth properties, the military vessel can embark on voyages for five months without re-supply. It has a flight deck for helicopters, torpedo launchers, as well as anti-aircraft and anti-ship guns. The destroyer also has surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, capable of engaging in electronic warfare. Iran navy to send flotilla to Atlantic ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency Sat / 5 January 2019 / 16:40 Tehran (ISNA) - Iran's navy says it is to dispatch a flotilla, including the country's most advanced destroyer, to the Atlantic Ocean on a five-month mission. The fleet will depart for the waters early next year on the Iranian calendar, which begins on March 21, Rear-Admiral Touraj Hassani-Moqaddam, the Navy's deputy commander told IRNA on Friday. "The mission will take place in line with the order issued by the chain of command," he noted, adding that the fleet will be going around the globe to reach the Atlantic. "The course towards the Atlantic Ocean is a long one, and the Iranian naval group's mission in the ocean could last for up to five months," Hassani-Moqaddam added. "Iranian helicopter-carrying destroyer Sahand is going to be one of the vessels to be included in the group," he said. Iran launched the combat vessel, which has radar-evading stealth properties and can sustain drawn-out voyages without resupply on December 1. The commander said the destroyer is equipped with enhanced torpedo launchers, anti-aircraft and anti-ship guns, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missile systems, anti-submarine firepower, precision defensive capability, high maneuverability, and electronic warfare equipment, Press TV reported. End Item China's Xi Commands Armed Forces to be Battle-Ready Report Sputnik News 11:22 05.01.2019(updated 11:29 05.01.2019) An armed conflict between Beijing and Washington could possibly ignite over Taiwan or the South China Sea, while some have suggested that US may use these sensitive spots as a bargaining chip in a trade standoff. Chinese leader Xi Jinping told the military to ramp up their training and preparations for an all-out war, should the need arise, says a report by the South China Morning Post. The announcement was made during a meeting of top officials from the Central Military Commission (CMC), which Xi Jinping heads. "All military units must correctly understand major national security and development trends, and strengthen their sense of unexpected hardship, crisis and battle", he said, adding that China's armed forces must "prepare for a comprehensive military struggle from a new starting point". "Preparation for war and combat must be deepened to ensure an efficient response in times of emergency", he said. "The world is facing a period of major changes not seen in a century, and China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development", he added, according to Reuters. Xi has engaged in a campaign to boost the People's Liberation Army's readiness since he became the president of China in 2012, SCMP reports, adding that in 2019 this effort will intensify. The two key points of conflict for China are the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost entirely; and the issue of Taiwan, which China views as a runaway province and seeks to reunify it with the mainland. The US is the main opponent in both areas. Washington insists on "ensuring freedom of navigation" in the South China Sea, which effectively means dispatching ships and aircraft to patrol the waters, something that has already led to several near-misses between the powers. Washington has also shown significant support for Taiwan, opposing Chinese claims to the island. Despite having no official embassy on the island, the US de facto uses the American Institute in Taiwan for this role. Earlier in October, the US Navy sailed two warships through the Taiwan Strait in a barely veiled show of power. Several days later, Brent Christensen, the de facto US ambassador to Taiwan, claimed that the US opposes any attempt to determine Taiwan's future by "other than peaceful means". According to Yue Gang, a retired PLA colonel, the United States would do good to use the conflict points as bargaining chips in the ongoing trade war with China, instead of risking a deadly escalation. "Over the coming year, the US might use Taiwan and the South China Sea as bargaining chips to get what it wants from China with regards to the trade war", he said, according to the South China Morning Post. Sputnik China's Xi orders army to be battle-ready amid US tension Iran Press TV Sat Jan 5, 2019 06:25AM Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered the country's armed forces to get prepared for a "comprehensive military struggle" amid escalating tensions with the United States. Addressing a meeting of the Central Military Commission in Beijing Friday, the president urged the armed forces to strengthen their sense of urgency and do everything possible to prepare for battle. Xi said the world is in an era of drastic changes and "China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development," Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying. He said various predicable and unpredictable risks and challenges have been arising and that the armed forces needed to be able to respond quickly to emergencies and nurture new types of combat forces. Xi's remarks follow his speech on the 40th anniversary of a key Taiwan policy statement in which he said Beijing would make no promise to renounce the use of force and reserved the option of taking all necessary means to achieve "reunification" with Taiwan. China claims sovereignty over Taiwan, and almost all world countries recognize that sovereignty under a policy known as "One China." 'Sinking US warships will resolve tensions' A senior naval official said recently that tensions with the US will easily be resolved if the Chinese naval forces sink two of American warships in the South China Sea. The deputy head of a Chinese military academy Admiral Lou Yuan said in an address late last month that "what the United States fears the most is taking casualties." He said sinking one carrier only would kill 5,000 and sinking two would double that number. Beijing should, Lou said, deal with Washington by using an "asymmetric counter-attack," that is "use our strengths to attack the enemy's weaknesses. Whatever the enemy fears, we strike. Wherever the enemy is soft, we will exploit it." US military presence in the sea has long been a source of concern for Beijing which claims almost the entire South China Sea. Beijing has also warned Washington that close encounters by air and naval forces of the two countries in the region could easily trigger miscalculation or even accidents at sea or in air. The US, however, says military operations are meant to protect "freedom of navigation" in the sea, a gateway for trillions of dollars in maritime trade each year. Taiwan appeals for support Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, who accuses Beijing of interfering in the island's political and social development, called on Saturday for international support. "We hope that the international community takes it seriously and can voice support and help us," Tsai told reporters in the capital Taipei. She said if the international community did not support her government, "we might have to ask which country might be next." Taiwan has already lost several allies one after another since Tsai took office in 2016. Only last year, it lost three allies, who switched diplomatic allegiance to Beijing, leaving Taiwan now with just 17. China claims sovereignty over Taiwan, and almost all world countries recognize that sovereignty under a policy known as "One China." 'Sinking US warships will resolve tensions' A senior naval official said recently that tensions with the US will easily be resolved if the Chinese naval forces sink two of American warships in the South China Sea. The deputy head of a Chinese military academy Admiral Lou Yuan said in an address late last month that "what the United States fears the most is taking casualties." He said sinking one carrier only would kill 5,000 and sinking two would double that number. Beijing should, Lou said, deal with Washington by using an "asymmetric counter-attack," that is "use our strengths to attack the enemy's weaknesses. Whatever the enemy fears, we strike. Wherever the enemy is soft, we will exploit it." US military presence in the sea has long been a source of concern for Beijing which claims almost the entire South China Sea. Beijing has also warned Washington that close encounters by air and naval forces of the two countries in the region could easily trigger miscalculation or even accidents at sea or in air. The US, however, says military operations are meant to protect "freedom of navigation" in the sea, a gateway for trillions of dollars in maritime trade each year. Taiwan appeals for support Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, who accuses Beijing of interfering in the island's political and social development, called on Saturday for international support. "We hope that the international community takes it seriously and can voice support and help us," Tsai told reporters in the capital Taipei. She said if the international community did not support her government, "we might have to ask which country might be next." Taiwan has already lost several allies one after another since Tsai took office in 2016. Only last year, it lost three allies, who switched diplomatic allegiance to Beijing, leaving Taiwan now with just 17. Xi orders armed forces to enhance combat readiness People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 09:04, January 05, 2019 BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping Friday ordered the Chinese armed forces to enhance their combat readiness from a new starting point and open new ground for developing a strong military. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), made the instruction at a CMC meeting held in Beijing. Hailing the landmark, pioneering and historic military achievements since the 18th CPC National Congress, Xi said the armed forces had resolutely safeguarded national sovereignty, security and development interests and withstood complex situations and severe struggles. "The world is facing a period of major changes never seen in a century, and China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development," he said, warning that various risks and challenges were on the rise. The entire armed forces should have a correct understanding of China's security and development trends, enhance their awareness of danger, crisis and war, and make solid efforts on combat preparations in order to accomplish the tasks assigned by the Party and the people, Xi said. Regarding combat capability as the only and fundamental criterion, Xi ordered all work, forces and resources to focus on military preparedness and ensure a marked progress in this regard. Xi stressed the armed forces' ability to respond quickly and effectively to contingencies, asking them to upgrade commanding capability of joint operations, foster new combat forces, and improve military training under combat conditions. Party and government departments and agencies at the central and local levels are required to support the defense and military development. Xu Qiliang, a CMC vice chairman, presided over the meeting, and Zhang Youxia, the other CMC vice chairman, announced the decision to give awards to 10 model units and 20 model individuals. They received awards from leaders, including Xi. Xi also signed a mobilization order for the training of the armed forces, the CMC's first order in 2019. Brazil military at odds with President Bolsonaro's openness to US base: Official Iran Press TV Sat Jan 5, 2019 07:18PM The Brazilian military is at odds with Brazil's new far-right President Jair Bolsonaro's comments that he would be open to discussing the possibility of hosting a US military base on the South American country's soil, a top army official says. The Brazilian Armed Forces are against a US base in the country and Bolsonaro's comment has not been well received by the military, Reuters quoted an unnamed senior official from the country's armed forces as saying on Saturday. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added that the possibility of ceding territory for a military base took Brazilian officers by surprise in the armed forces, which traditionally are zealous guardians of national sovereignty. Bolsonaro, 63, who took office earlier this week, is an ardent admirer of US President Donald Trump and the White House's policies, particularly those with regard to opposing the "authoritarian regimes" of left-wing governments in Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. A former army officer-turned-politician, Bolsonaro said in a televised interview on Thursday that he might be willing to allow an American base in Brazil as a way to "counter Russian influence" in Venezuela, a move that would mark a dramatic shift in direction for the largest South American country's foreign policy. He said what Brazil seeks is to have "supremacy here in South America," upending foreign policy in the country, which saw the leftist Workers Party emphasizing South-South relations and sometimes tussling on the international stage with Washington. Meanwhile, Brazil's Ministry of Defense said it had not been informed of the so-called US base proposal by the president. "The president has not discussed this with the defense minister," said Major Sylvia Martins, a spokeswoman for the ministry. However, Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo on Friday said Bolsonaro would discuss the base offer with Trump during an expected visit to Washington in March. The Brazilian president, who is also known as "Tropical Trump," has sparked controversy by following Trump on relocating his country's embassy in Israel to the occupied Jerusalem al-Quds. If the Brazilian president follows through the plan, the Latin American country would become the third nation after the US and Guatemala to have an embassy in the highly sensitive city, which is the third holiest Muslim site. NASA Postpones Roscosmos Chief's Visit to US - Space Agency Sputnik News 01:03 05.01.2019(updated 01:13 05.01.2019) WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - NASA has notified Roscosmos that Director General Dmitry Rogozin's planned visit to the United States will need to be postponed, Press Secretary Megan Powers told Sputnik. "NASA has informed the Russian space agency, Roscosmos, that the proposed visit of Roscosmos Director General, Dr. Dimitry Rogozin, currently planned for February 2019 will need to be postponed. A new date for the visit has not been identified," Powers said on Friday. NASA recently invited Rogozin to visit the United States for discussions on bilateral collaboration. Bridenstine previously said that NASA was working on obtaining a sanctions waiver for Rogozin, who has been subject to US restrictions. Rogozin, a former deputy prime minister, was among the first Russian officials banned from entering the United States in March 2014 for supporting Crimea's reunification with Russia. On December 6, 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed Rogozin the special presidential representative for international cooperation in the field of space. Roscosmos then said that Rogozin will travel to the United States both as head of Roscosmos and as the special representative. The United States and its EU allies imposed several rounds of sanctions on Russian officials over the Ukraine crisis and the reunification of Crimea. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied allegations of interfering in Ukraine affairs and noted that 96 percent of those participating in a regional referendum voted in favor of the Crimean reunification. The vote has not been recognized by Ukraine and the majority of Western countries. On Wednesday, US Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the Ranking Member of the subcommittee that funds space programs, in a statement said she urged NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine to withdraw the invitation to Rogozin because he was sanctioned over the Ukraine conflict. Senator Robert Menendez, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee also called on NASA to disinvite the head of Russia's space agency. Sputnik Roscosmos Expects NASA to Explain Position on Rogozin's Visit to US Sputnik News 11:11 05.01.2019(updated 12:53 05.01.2019) MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The planned visit by Dmitry Rogozin, the director general of the Russian state space corporation Roscosmos, to the United States may not just be postponed but cancelled, a source in the rocket and space industry has told Sputnik. "Dmitry Rogozin's visit should have been, most importantly, a response to the head of NASA's visit to Russia. We hope that NASA will manage to settle all the political issues and the visit will eventually be held, as they have not cancelled their invitation. But if NASA does not manage to do it, the visit will be just cancelled", the source said. The Russian state space corporation Roscosmos said in a statement that it expected the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to provide an official explanation on its position concerning a visit by a Russian delegation to the United States on the previously sent invitation. "Roscosmos expects NASA to provide official explanations on its position concerning the organisation of a return visit by the Russian delegation to the United States on the invitation that we have previously received", the statement read. Roscosmos has not yet suspended its work toward formulating its negotiating position on the sides' cooperation regarding the International Space Station and deep space, the corporation specified. Late on Friday, the press secretary for the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) told Sputnik that the visit, initially scheduled for February, would be postponed and a new date would be set later. This was supposed to be a return visit following a visit by a US delegation. Issue of Hole in Soyuz MS-09 Not on Agenda The reasons behind the appearance of a microfracture, which was found on a wall of the orbital module of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft in August, were not planned to be discussed during the visit of Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russia's Roscosmos state corporation, to the United States, as the Russian side has already handed all materials on this issue to the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), an official Roscosmos representative told Sputnik. "No, this topic was not planned [for discussion], as we have already transferred all the materials to the US side", the representative said asked a respective question. On 30 August, the International Space Station's (ISS) crew detected a minor air leak caused by a microfracture on a wall of the orbital module of the Soyuz MS-09. The hole was sealed by the crew on the same day, and Roscosmos set up a special commission to investigate the incident. In October, the commission concluded that the incident was not caused by a manufacturing defect. The law enforcement agencies are also engaged in the investigation. Sputnik Russian Space Agency Demands NASA Explanation After Rogozin Visit Called Off January 05, 2019 WASHINGTON -- Russia's space agency says it is demanding an explanation after NASA called off the planned visit to the United States by Dmitry Rogozin, the chief of Roskosmos who is subject to U.S. and European Union sanctions. In a statement cited by the state-run TASS news agency on January 5, Roskosmos said that "it expects official explanations of NASA's position" and stressed that Rogozin's visit was planned "in accordance with an invitation received earlier." Roskosmos added that planned talks on possible cooperation with the United States on the International Space Station (ISS) are "so far not suspended." Earlier, Roskosmos said it had not received notification from NASA that the visit had been postponed. NASA made the announcement on January 4, following critical press reports and calls by U.S. lawmakers to cancel the visit. "NASA has informed the Russian space agency, Roskosmos, that [Rogozin's visit] currently planned for February 2019 will need to be postponed," NASA spokeswoman Megan Powers said in a statement on January 4. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, a former Republican congressman, told TASS in October that he had invited Rogozin to visit the NASA headquarters and that he would seek a waiver to travel a ban against him. The invitation was not widely reported in the United States at the time. After a story on January 1 in Politico brought the visit to light, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen called on NASA the following day to withdraw the invitation "before Congress is forced to act." "Administrator Bridenstine's invitation to Dmitry Rogozin, one of the leading architects of the Kremlin's campaign of aggression towards its neighbors, undercuts our message and undermines the United States' core national security objectives," she said in a statement. 'The Wrong Message' Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire, has been a leading critic in the Senate against Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and has pressed for the United States to "send a strong message to the Kremlin." Senator Mark Warner (Democrat-Virginia) said that it "absolutely sends the wrong message to lift sanctions, even temporarily, for the purpose of inviting him to speak to students at one of our nation's premier universities." NASA and Roskosmos have cooperated for more than two decades. In 2011, the agencies grew closer than ever when the United States retired its Space Shuttle fleet, making Russian Soyuz rockets the only way to shuttle people and equipment to and from the International Space Station (ISS), and resulting in NASA paying Roskosmos some $2.5 billion for its services since. Rogozin was deputy prime minister in charge of Russia's defense industry when he was first subjected to Western sanctions over his public support for MOscow's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014. Under those sanctions, he is banned from entering EU countries. He served as Russia's ambassador to NATO from 2008 to 2011. He became director-general of Roskosmos in May 2018. With reporting by USA Today and Politico Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/nasa-postpones -rogozin-roscosmos-visit-after -outcry/29692463.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. Russia demands official explanation for US revoking visit by space agency chief Iran Press TV Sat Jan 5, 2019 11:25AM Russia's space agency has demanded an "official explanation" from its American counterpart NASA after it postponed indefinitely a planned visit to the US by its director, Dmitry Rogozin. Roscosmos space agency declared in a Saturday statement that "it expects official explanations of NASA's position" and insisted that Rogozin's US trip was planned "in accordance with an invitation received earlier." Rogozin, a former deputy prime minister who was appointed to his current post by President Vladimir Putin last May, was scheduled to visit the US in February, but NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) announced on Friday that it was delaying his visit indefinitely. The Russian official has been blacklisted by Washington and remains under US sanctions over his alleged role in what the US says Russian involvement in political crisis in Ukraine. The rescinded invitation came after NASA's Director Jim Bridenstine visited Russia in October, his first trip there after taking up his current position. While in Russia, Bridenstine observed the failed launch of a Soyuz rocket carrying two Russian and NASA astronauts who managed to make an emergency landing. Russia's state news agency Tass cited the NASA chief as saying at the time that the federal agency had arranged for temporarily lifting of US sanctions on Rogozin to allow him to visit Houston. US press reports cited NASA's Friday statement as saying that it had told Roscosmos that Rogozin's visit would "need to be postponed" and a new date "has not been identified." The move came after the invitation for Rogozin to visit NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston had prompted objections from American senators. Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen said in a Wednesday statement that NASA's invitation to Rogozin "undercuts our message and undermines the United States' core national security objectives." Roscosmos further noted a veiled warning that preparations for talks on US cooperation with the International Space Station (ISS) program and deep space exploration are "so far not suspended." The row came as space exploration remains one of the few areas where Washington and Moscow continue their cooperation despite intensifying political tensions. The US needs Russia to transport astronauts to the ISS. Meanwhile, Rogozin has reportedly clashed with the US on a number of occasions, suggesting once that American astronauts should use trampolines instead of Russian rockets to reach the ISS after Washington imposed sanctions on Moscow. China's lunar rover drives smoothly on moon's far side People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 09:25, January 05, 2019 BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Lunar rover Yutu-2 has been driving on the far side of the moon after separating from the lander and scientific devices on both the lander and rover are currently gathering data, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said late Friday. At 17:00 local time in Beijing, the three 5-meter antennas of the low-frequency radio spectrometer on the lander have fully spread out, said the CNSA in a statement. Meanwhile, Germany's lunar neutron and radiation detector was turned on for testing. The ground control has been receiving geographic and geomorphic images of the moon's far side. The Yutu-2 rover, equipped with a data transmission link to relay with the Queqiao satellite, completed environment perception and route planning. It has been driving on the lunar surface on schedule and arrived at preset location A to carry out observations. The radar and panorama camera on the rover have been operating smoothly and other devices will begin operation according to schedule. According to the CNSA, in the following days, Yutu-2 and the lander will face the challenge of extremely high temperatures in the lunar day. Yutu-2 will enter a "napping" mode at an appropriate time and is expected to resume moving next Thursday. The moon rotates on its axis once every 28 days, so every part of the moon has a day-and-night pattern. Temperatures on the moon vary between extremes of some 200 Celsius degrees and minus 200 degrees. Launched on Dec. 8, 2018, China's Chang'e-4 lunar probe, comprising a lander and a rover, landed on the far side of the moon Thursday morning. Yutu-2, atop the probe, extended its solar panel, stretched out its mast and started to slowly fly to the lunar surface Thursday night. Trump: Shutdown could last 'months or even years' if border wall not funded Iran Press TV Fri Jan 4, 2019 11:00PM US President Donald Trump says he is willing to keep the government closed for a year or more unless Democrats agree to fund his border wall with Mexico. Trump confirmed Friday he had made the threat during a meeting with Democratic leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, earlier in the day. "Absolutely I said that," Trump boasted to reporters, adding, "I don't think it will. But I am prepared." "It's very important that we have great border security," he continued. "It will be over with sooner than people think. I will do whatever we have to do." Pelosi and Schumer described their meeting with Trump as contentious, saying they pleaded with him to reopen most of the government, while resolving the dispute over the wall, but he refused. "He resisted," said Schumer. "In fact, he said he'd keep the government closed for a very long period of time, months or even years." The president said the nearly 800,000 federal workers who are affected by the government shutdown were also supporting him, despite the fact that many of them were forced to work without pay or go on unpaid leave. "Many of those people, most of those people, that really have not been and will not be getting their money in at this moment, those people in many cases are the biggest fan of what we're doing," he added. The meeting, like the many others since the beginning of the shutdown on December 22, failed to produce Trump's desired outcome. The president has asked for $5.6 billion for the controversial wall, which he insists would stop illegal immigrants and drug traffickers from crossing the US border. Democrats, however, say they won't go higher than the current $1.3 billion level funding that the Department of Homeland Security receives for fencing and barrier repairs plus $300 million for cameras and other related technologies. Asked at the White House press briefing whether he had given any thought to declaring a national emergency to build the wall, Trump said: "Yes, I have. ... We can do it. I haven't done it. I may do it." The Republican head of state has made it clear that he would not sign any bill to fully fund the government if it doesn't include the money for the wall. Pelosi said Thursday that Democrats in the lower chamber of Congress would refuse to give Trump funding for the wall project. "We're not doing a wall. It has nothing to do with politics. It has to do with a wall which is an immorality between countries. It's an old way of thinking. It isn't cost effective," she told reporters. Europe's Populist Fever Reaches Spain By Martin Arostegui January 05, 2019 Germany has Alternative for Germany, France has the National Front, Italy has The League and Spain now has VOX, the latest far-right actor to emerge on Europe's political scene after an unexpectedly strong showing in local elections last month in Andalusia, the Spanish southern region until now considered a Socialist bastion. Violent protests erupted following the Dec. 2 vote, as leftist leader Pablo Iglesias called for an "anti-fascist mobilization." His followers camped out in front of the regional parliament in Seville, threatening to block access to VOX party representatives. Protesters set cars on fire and vandalized businesses. But the results were clear and the protests did not change the reality that the populist, anti-establishment fever had arrived in Spain. Seats lost The Socialist party and its far left ally, Podemos, lost seats and could no longer muster a governing majority in the regional parliament. Support for the mainstream center-right People's Party and the Citizens party remained static while 11 percent of votes were swept up by VOX, whose support may be crucial to form a new regional government. "While polls anticipated gains by VOX, these results have exceeded all expectations by wide margins," said Ignacio Jurado, a political science professor the University of York. VOX, he said, "becomes for the first time a parliamentary force in Spain." VOX leader Santiago Abascal, a political upstart whose violent discourses against immigration, feminism and regional separatism have gained him a strong national following, declared he would go on to "throw Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez out of the Moncloa," the palace that serves as the official residence. VOX votes in Andalusia rose from 18,500 in the 2015 elections to almost 400,000 last month, and analysts expect the numbers to multiply by similar proportions in other parts of Spain. Unlike other populist movements that are sweeping Europe, Spain's emerging rightists are not necessarily pushing for an exit from the European Union. Abascal said he wants to keep Spain in the European Union. He has in the past told VOA he instead seeks to change the bloc from within and is focusing his strategy on winning seats in the European Parliament elections set for May. Previously ignored, Europe's leaders see this year's poll as the most decisive ever: a de facto referendum on modern European liberal democracy. Far right parties At a meeting of far right parties in Belgium in December, French National Front leader Marine Le Pen called on like-minded forces to take control of the European parliament. She had earlier sent a message of congratulations to Abascal. Iglesias' Podemos party had until now been the main beneficiary of disenchantment with the bipartisan status quo that had prevailed in Spain for the past half century. Iglesias provided key parliamentary support for Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to form a government earlier this year. But disdain for Spanish national symbols like the monarchy and the flag alienated many of the kingdom's traditionally minded voters. Abascal says much of his support is driven by growing African immigration, which he blames on what he says are overly permissive government policies. Analysts say the issue was undoubtedly a factor in Andalusia, which has become a main landing zone for migrants crossing the Strait of Gibraltar from northern Africa. Voter resentment over the rising number of immigrants was palpable in the run-up to the elections. "These people are better treated than we are," said one voter in the town of Jimena de la Frontera, pointing to a hotel that is being used to house migrants. Her sentiment is providing fertile ground for the populists. "We will expel anyone who enters our house without permission," Abascal said before cheering multitudes recently. He pledged to ban the practice of Islam and shut down mosques. Abascal denies suggestions that his movement bears any resemblance to what Spain saw in the 20th century. "The stigma attached to the far right over memories of the Franco dictatorship," Abascal said, "are fading." Today, he claims, those memories are eclipsed by the seemingly endless corruption scandals plaguing the establishment at large, from the Socialists to the conservative People's Party. A controversial bid by Sanchez to exhume Franco's remains from their resting place in a national mausoleum could be intended to distract public opinion from other issues, Abascal said. "People want change," Abascal said. But he says there is no thirst for radical revolutions. "They won't go the way of Castro Chavismo," he said, referring to the radical socialist regimes in the former colonies of Cuba and Venezuela, which Iglesias and other Spanish leftists have at times praised. Wide following The Andalusian election results last month also indicate that VOX has a wide following, cutting across income groups. While Abascal received 30 percent of the vote in the wealthy province of Almeria, he also drew 14 percent of votes in the city of La Linea, which has one of the highest unemployment rates in Spain. Feminist leader Lidia Falcon says despite the electoral upset, Abascal's support is limited. His opposition to a law targeting violence against women recently passed unanimously by Spain's parliament has alienated women voters, Falcon said. The number of incidents in which male spouses abused their wives rose dramatically, by almost 18 percent, in 2017, according to a study by Spain's high court. Differences over the law against gender violence has been a stumbling block in forming a governing coalition between VOX and the center-rightists in Andalusia. Analysts doubt Abascal can ever hope to score a majority in Catalonia or his native Basque region, whose autonomous governments he wants to abolish, he says, to streamline bureaucracy and create a more efficiently managed central state. But his polarizing message is securing the support of Spanish unionists in both regions who have lost confidence in the ability of mainstream parties to contain the separatists. It may also attract votes in poorer regions like Andalusia, which depends on revenues from the richer industrial north. DRC Delays Results of December Election By VOA News January 05, 2019 Democratic Republic of the Congo officials said Saturday that they were delaying results of its presidential election, originally to be released Sunday, until next week. Corneille Nangaa, head of the country's electoral commission (CENI), said, "It is not possible to publish the results on Sunday. We are making progress, but we do not have everything yet." Nangaa said the commission had received only 47 percent of ballots from polling stations across the vast Central African country, which lacks a well-developed road network. He also said the system of manually collecting and compiling vote totals is not helping the process. The electoral commission had planned to use the internet to collect vote totals. But it gave up those plans after the opposition alleged the system was vulnerable to fraud. Nangaa did not say when the results would be ready or released. Latest problem The delay is the latest problem in the chaotic Dec. 30 election to pick a successor to President Joseph Kabila. The 40 million eligible voters in the country chose from among 21 candidates to replace Kabila, who has ruled the country of 80 million since his father was assassinated in 2001. Pre-election polls indicated that opposition figure Martin Fayulu was the favorite to replace Kabila, who threw his support behind his former interior minister, Emmanuel Shadary. By law, only the electoral commission can announce election results in Congo. The Catholic Church in Congo said Thursday that it had election results showing one candidate clearly winning, but did not say who it was. A senior church body called on the government to publish accurate results. The church warned of a popular uprising if results were not "true to the verdict of the ballot box." On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump said 80 U.S. military personnel and "appropriate combat equipment" had been deployed to the Central African country of Gabon to protect U.S. assets from possible "violent demonstrations." In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, he said more forces would deploy to Gabon, Congo or neighboring Republic of Congo if needed. Congo has never seen a peaceful transfer of power since winning independence from Belgium in 1960. Last week's election was originally scheduled for 2016 but was delayed as Kabila stayed in office past the end of his mandate, sparking protests that were crushed by security forces, leaving dozens dead. Election marred Also Saturday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report that said "widespread irregularities, voter suppression and violence significantly marred" the Dec. 30 elections. The HRW report cited several instances of voter suppression, including the "last-minute closure of more than 1,000 polling stations" in Kinshasa, the capital, as well as issues with electronic voting machines and voter lists, and polling sites opening late. Official election results that suggest a falsified count could generate widespread protests, raising grave concerns of violent government repression, HRW said, adding that election officials should ensure results announced are accurate. HRW also cited in its report that the DRC shut down internet and text messaging throughout the country Dec. 31. It also cut the signal for Radio France Internationale (RFI) in Kinshasa and other cities, and withdrew the accreditation for RFI's special correspondent in Congo, who had to leave Congo on Jan. 3. "Congolese voters showed they were determined to participate in the democratic process in the face of rampant election-day obstacles," Ida Sawyer, deputy Africa director at HRW, said in the report. "The authorities should immediately restore all communications, allow independent media outlets to operate freely, and ensure that the vote count is carried out in a credible, transparent manner." Anita Powell in Johannesburg contributed to this report. Burkina Faso: Dozens killed in clashes, UN chief condemns attacks 5 January 2019 - More than 40 civilians have been reportedly killed during intercommunal clashes this week in northern Burkina Faso, prompting UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to issue a statement on Friday night condemning the violence and "deteriorating security situation" in parts of the West African country. The first deadly attack on Monday night took place in the village of Yirgou, according to news reports, by suspected extremists, with reprisal attacks taking place the following day, against local ethnic Fulani Muslim herding communities in the Barsalogo district. The UN chief expressed his deep condolences to the families of the victims and wished a swift recovery to those who were injured in the clashes. According to news agencies, landlocked Burkino Faso has seen a rise in jihadist violence over recent months, which has long plagued neighbouring Mali to the north, and is a major security threat across the whole Sahel region. On Monday, the Burkinabe Government declared a state of emergency in some northern provinces close to the Mali border. "The Secretary-General is concerned over the deteriorating security situation in some parts of the country, where the authorities declared a state of emergency. He is also concerned about the intercommunal violence," said Friday's statement issued on behalf of the UN chief. "The Secretary-General reiterates the commitment of the United Nations to support Burkina Faso in its efforts to fight terrorism, sustain its security sector reforms, promote national reconciliation and create conditions for sustainable peace and development" the statement concluded. US Military Plane Conducts Reconnaissance Near Russian Base in Syria's Hmeimim Sputnik News 02:36 05.01.2019(updated 02:55 05.01.2019) The plane spent two hours near a Russian Air Force base in Syria. A US Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon plane recently conducted a reconnaissance flight near a Russian military base in Hmeimim, Syria, according the IntelSky Twitter account, which calls itself a "Middle East & Mediterranean Sky observatory." According to the tweet published Friday, the US plane spent about two hours near the Syrian coast, with several approaches to Hmeimim, where a Russian Air Force base is located. According to IntelSky, the Poseidon took off at Naval Air Station Sigonella, located on Italy's Sicily, and flew at a height of approximately 4,700 meters. Recently, foreign military intelligence has ramped up operations near Russian borders. Both planes and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) have been detected recently near Russia's Krasnodar Krai, Crimea, and the country's western borders. Last week, a US Boeing RC-135V conducted a similar recon operation, spending some three hours near the Crimean coast. In the early days of December, both a Poseidon and an RQ-4B Global Hawk drone flew near the Russian Black Sea coast. Earlier in November, the Russian Air Force intercepted a US recon plane over the Black Sea, sparking the traditional reaction from US military command, which called the interception "unsafe." Sputnik Australia's First Aegis Destroyer Completes Weapons Evaluations Sputnik News 03:48 05.01.2019(updated 03:54 05.01.2019) The Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) HMAS Hobart, the country's first destroyer to sport the US-made Aegis combat system, has completed its weapons and systems evaluations, the service announced earlier this week. HMAS Hobart is the lead ship of her class, with two other ships planned for a total cost of $6.5 billion. It was commissioned in September 2017, with the next ship, HMAS Brisbane, being commissioned this past October, and the final ship of the class, HMAS Sydney, scheduled for delivery in March 2020. The Aegis combat system is at the heart of the US Navy's ship-based anti-air systems as well as its offensive missile capabilities. Lockheed Martin Mission Systems received a $41 million contract in July 2017 to provide computer program maintenance for the new ships, Sputnik reported at the time. First tested in the late 1960s as a missile defense platform for US Navy ships, Aegis, named after the mythical shield held by the Greek god Zeus, was inherited by Lockheed when it bought the system's developer, RCA. It's presently used on the Navy's Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. One Arleigh Burke-class ship, the USS John Finn, helped Hobart test its sensor netting system off the coast of Hawaii last November in its previous set of tests. "We were presented with some of the world's toughest and most challenging threats: modern anti-ship missiles, maritime strike aircraft, fighters and high-speed attack craft. On every occasion, we successfully defended all threats," said HMAS Hobart commanding officer Captain John Stavridis, according to an RAN statement. "The aim was to achieve a sustainable level of combat and weapon system readiness," the report reads. The Diplomat noted the tests included a variety of combat scenarios demonstrating the ship's ability to intercept both aircraft and missiles. The RAN has embarked on an ambitious expansion project, ordering up some of the most advanced anti-submarine warfare systems on the planet and planning to take delivery of a new vessel every 18 to 24 months for the next two decades, Sputnik reported in August. The country's Naval Shipbuilding Plan, released in May 2017, lays out $65.3 billion for vessel construction and another billion for shipyard renovations and work crew retraining. The plan includes two small aircraft carriers called landing helicopter docks, a dozen new submarines and nine frigates. The move is likely provoked in large part by China's massive naval expansion. According to Canberra's 2016 Defense White Paper, China's People's Liberation Army-Navy submarine fleet is expected to reach 70 boats by 2020, and half the world's submarines are expected to be operating in the Pacific by then. In addition, Beijing has ordered up a third aircraft carrier as its second, the Type 001A, heads into its final round of sea trials. Sputnik Lima Group Refuses to Recognize Maduro's New Term Sputnik News 04:11 05.01.2019 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Lima Group of countries seeking an end to the Venezuelan crisis said in a declaration on Friday they do not recognize President Nicolas Maduro's new term starting next week. The Lima Group has called on Maduro "not to assume presidency on January 10 and to temporarily transfer the executive power to the National Assembly until a new, democratic presidential poll is held." The paper, published by Peru's government, was also signed by Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Saint Lucia. Mexico abstained. The nations reiterated their full support of the Venezuelan legislature, elected in 2015, and rejected as illegal last May's vote that saw Maduro re-elected for a second six-year term. Reacting to media reports that US State Secretary Mike Pompeo took part in the meeting via teleconference, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza slammed the 14-member group for taking orders from US President Donald Trump. Sputnik Disempowered Venezuelan Parl't Rejects Legitimacy of Maduro's 2nd Term - Reports Sputnik News 20:21 05.01.2019(updated 21:08 05.01.2019) Earlier in the day, the Lima Group, which is composed of 12 countries in North and South America, urged Maduro to hand over power to the Venezuelan parliament and schedule new presidential elections. "We reaffirm the illegitimacy of Nicolas Maduro", the new president of the opposition-controlled National Assembly Juan Guaido stated, according to El Mundo. "As of January 10, he will be usurping the presidency and consequently this National Assembly is the only legitimate representative of the people". "Nicolas, on 10 January, you will not be sworn in in this parliament", Guaido stated. Following violent protests in 2017, a Constitutional Assembly called for by the Venezuelan president stripped the opposition-controlled National Assembly of its legislative power, assuming it for itself. The National Assembly is currently still functioning, but the government is not accepting its decisions. The statement comes after Peru's government published a paper, also signed by Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Saint Lucia, reiterating their full support for the Venezuelan legislature and rejecting the last election, which led Maduro to victory. Sputnik Some US Troops Could Remain in South Syria After Pullout - Reports Sputnik News 23:42 05.01.2019 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US national security adviser John Bolton reportedly plans during his trip to Israel to discuss maintaining US presence in Syria to counter the Iranian threat. NBC news reported, citing a senior US official, that some US troops could stay behind at the key At Tanf base in southern Syria after American forces leave the country. Around 200 personnel are currently at the base, which sits on an important road from Tehran to Baghdad to Damascus, according to the NBC news channel. On December 5, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the Russian General Staff, said that Russia had suggested to the United States to eliminate the military base in At Tanf and to establish joint Russian-US control over the zone instead. According to Gerasimov, Washington has not provided an answer. The general also stressed that the United States justified the reasonability of its presence in At Tanf by the necessity to counter Iran, allegedly transporting weapons and military equipment to Syria. US President Donald Trump surprised his allies last month when he announced a prompt withdrawal of some 2,000 troops from Syria. Following a backlash, he reconsidered the timeline and slowed down the pullout. Sputnik Serbs Protest Against Vucic For Fifth Week, Demand End To Attacks By RFE/RL's Balkan Service January 05, 2019 Thousands of people marched in the cold and snow through Belgrade to protest against Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and demand an end to attacks against journalists and opposition figures. An estimated 15,000 protesters blew whistles, chanted "Vucic, thief," and waved banners that read "Stop the Treason, Defend the Constitution and Back the People." The antigovernment protest on January 5 was the fifth in as many weeks. The Beta news agency reported that smaller protests were held in other areas, including the southern town of Kragujevac and the northern city of Novi Sad. The demonstrations were triggered last month when a gang of thugs beat up opposition politician Borko Stefanovic. Opposition parties and organizations have accused Vucic of being an autocrat and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) of being corrupt. Vucic denies the claims. Officially, the president in Serbia plays a largely ceremonial role, but Vucic's Progressive Party has dominated the legislature since 2012. Vucic was elected to a five-year term as president in 2017 after holding the post of prime minister. A former nationalist, Vucic now is guiding Serbia toward membership in the European Union. He has also sought to maintain ties with traditional ally Russia and to develop relations with China. Vucic has said he will not give in to opposition demands for electoral reform and increased media freedom regardless of the number of protesters on the streets, although he has suggested he might call a snap vote to demonstrate his party's strength According to survey a conducted in October by the CESID election watchdog, Vucic's SNS has 53.3 percent support, far ahead of other parties. The poll indicated that if the leading opposition parties ran as an alliance, they would receive only about 15 percent of the vote. Many opposition leaders said they would boycott a vote, saying they would not be free or fair. With reporting by Reuters and dpa Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/thousands-rally-in-serbia -against-president-vucic/29693208.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. Kapitan's Last Stand? Tajik Army Sticks With Russian Terms For Now By Mirzonabi Kholiqzod, Farangis Najibullah January 05, 2019 Tajikistan's state language committee has recommended that the former Soviet country's army stop using Russian military terms and replace them with pure Tajik-Persian words. The Defense Ministry, however, is in no rush to switch from what it describes as a widely-used "international" vocabulary to a national one. In early 2018, the language committee set up a working group -- including linguists, historians, and military specialists -- to draft a recommended list of Tajik military terms including everything from the names of army units to ranks. The working group had to look deep into the Tajik history -- to pre-Islamic times -- to find suitable words, says Abdurahim Zulfoniyon, a high-ranking official with the state language committee. "We wanted to avoid replacing Russian words with [those of] another foreign language, such as from Arabic or Turkic languages, that were prevalent in our more recent history," the official said. According to Zulfoniyon, the list contains some military terms from the times of the ancient Achaemenid (aka First Persian Empire) and Sassanian (the last pre-Islamic Persian empire) empires. The list also borrows from vocabulary used during the more recent Samanid Empire (a Sunni Iranian empire) in the 9th and 10th centuries. If approved, the renaming process would see the Tajik Army call a regiment a "hang" instead of the currently used Russian word "polk." The rank of colonel, currently "polkovnik," would be "sarlashkar," while a deputy colonel or "podpolkovnik" would be replaced with the Tajik word "lashkaryor." The language committee also recommends calling sergeant "dastayor" instead of the Russian "serzhant." Junior sergeant and senior sergeant would be called "dastavar" and "dastabon," respectively. It also advices replacing "kapitan" -- Russian for captain -- with the Tajik "sadavar." 'More Convenient' The Defense Ministry, however, notes that it is not going to introduce the new military terms anytime soon and will not "support the state language committee's initiative for the time being." The ministry said on December 27 that Tajikistan, as a member of several Russian-led regional groupings, such as the Commonwealth of the Independent States, (CIS) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization, (SCTO) should continue using "more convenient" Russian military terms. "We don't consider the state language committee's recommendation regarding the renaming of the military ranks and units acceptable," the ministry said. The CIS and SCTO don't object to member states using their own languages in their national armies or elsewhere, although Russian is the main language during SCTO-led joint military training exercises. The ministry added that the name-change process and what it entails "would require an enormous amount of money" that the government currently cannot provide. The ministry didn't rule out the initiative entirely, however, saying that "due to the financial situation of the country" it cannot "for now" support the idea of switching military terminology. Divided Opinion The idea of abandoning Russian words in the Tajik Army has divided opinion among the public and military personnel alike. Some Tajik generals say they prefer to be called "general" instead of the newly recommended "solor." Former spy chief Saidamir Zuhurov and former head of the Intelligence Council Amirqul Azimov say that some words, like "general," should be considered universal words, not foreign, and thus there is no need to replace them. "We need to invest our time and resources to train capable military officers," retired general Azimov said. "It doesn't matter what we call them. The substance is more important than the name." Others argue that Tajikistan, as a sovereign state, should use its own language. "We must translate the military ranks despite certain difficulties that might arise. After all, we do have those words in our own language, so we should use them," says General Nuralisho Nazarov, the former head of the State Committee for Emergency Situations. In recent years Tajikistan has renamed dozens of towns and villages, changing their Russian, Uzbek, or Arabic names to pure Tajik words. It also encourages citizens to drop the Russian suffixes -ov/-ev and -ova/-eva from their last names. In 2016, Tajikistan banned Arabic and other foreign names along with Islamic and Arabic suffixes and prefixes -- such as mullah, khalifa, and sufi -- to men's first names. The ban is seen to have curbed a trend in the predominantly Muslim country where parents were increasingly giving newborns Islamic and Arabic names. The state language committee has issued a special book of 4,000 recommended names for babies. The book has been distributed to Civil Registry offices across the country to help parents to choose pure Tajik names for their children. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/tajik-army-sticks-with- russian-terms-for-now/29693185.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. Lima Group says won't recognize Maduro as Venezuela president Iran Press TV Sat Jan 5, 2019 02:09AM Foreign ministers from the 14-member Lima Group said they will not recognize Nicolas Maduro as Venezuela's president when he takes office for a new six-year term on January 10. The regional group that also includes Canada says it only recognizes the opposition-controlled National Assembly as Venezuela's constitutionally-elected body. The 14-nation body was meeting in the Peruvian capital Lima to discuss ways to step up international pressure on Maduro's government. "The electoral process carried out in Venezuela on May 20, 2018 is not legitimate," stated Peruvian Foreign Minister Nestor Popolizio, adding, "It did not provide the guarantees or meet the international standards necessary for a free, just and transparent process." The move coincides with a statement from Venezuela's opposition-dominated National Assembly, calling Maduro's new term illegitimate. Maduro was re-elected in May after an early election called by the ruling Constituent Assembly which was marred by accusations of irregularities as well as an opposition boycott. Following the controversial election, Maduro's main challenger Henri Falcon said he would not recognize the vote for what he called irregularities, including widespread vote buying in favor of Maduro. "As far as we are concerned there has been no election. There must be new elections in Venezuela," he told reporters. "The process undoubtedly lacks legitimacy and as such we do not recognize it." Falcon, who broke with an opposition boycott to run for the election, also called for a fresh election to be held in November or December. Several of Venezuela's Latin American neighbors as well as the European Union also joined voices with Maduro's challenger and said they would not recognize the results of the election. The US also said it would not recognize the election and would actively consider oil sanctions on the country. The Lima Group is a multilateral body that was established following the Lima Declaration on 8 August 2017 in the Peruvian capital of Lima, where representatives of 12 countries met in order to establish a peaceful exit to the crisis in Venezuela, which has caused millions of Venezuelans to flee into neighboring countries. Twelve countries initially signed the declaration: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay and Peru. Guyana and Saint Lucia joined later. Thirteen of the group's members will not recognize Maduro's new term and will also bar high-ranking Venezuelan officials from entering their territory as much as their domestic laws allow, the statement said. Mexico, once one of the most outspoken critics of Maduro, was the only member of the coalition to abstain from the vote. US deploys military troops to Gabon over Congo violence Iran Press TV Sat Jan 5, 2019 05:41AM US President Donald Trump says the Pentagon has deployed 80 US troops to Gabon to secure American citizens and the US embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after a presidential election there last week. In a letter to Congress on Friday, Trump said the troops were deployed "in response to the possibility that violent demonstrations may occur" in the wake of the election in the Congo. Trump's letter said the personnel arrived in Gabon on Wednesday and additional forces may be deployed "if necessary." US military personnel "will remain in the region until the security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo becomes such that their presence is no longer needed," the letter added. The Congo general election was mostly held in a peaceful atmosphere despite incidents of violence, according to a preliminary report by African election observers. Congo's electoral commission is scheduled to release provisional results of the presidential election on Sunday. Congo's government says the election was fair and went smoothly but the opposition says the election was marred by serious irregularities. The international community has raised concerns that a disputed result could cause unrest, as was the case after the 2006 and 2011 elections. The US military has in recent years used the presence of Takfiri terrorists to build up its presence across Africa, where it reportedly has over 6,000 boots on the ground. Brazil's president confirms Jerusalem al-Quds embassy move Iran Press TV Sat Jan 5, 2019 09:49AM Brazil's new President Jair Bolsonaro has reaffirmed his plan of relocating the country's embassy in the Israeli capital to the occupied Jerusalem al-Quds. "The decision is taken, it's only a matter of when it will be implemented," said the ultra-right-wing leader late Thursday during an interview with Brazil's SBT Television, confirming a reported statement by the Israeli regime's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who attended Bolsonaro's inauguration ceremonies on January 1. "A large part of the Arab world is aligned or aligning itself with the United States," claimed the Brazilian president, who has widely been referred to as "Trump of the Tropics" due to his radical approaches similar to US President Donald Trump. "The Palestinian issue is already overloading people in the Arab world for the most part." Blaming Iran as the major vocal opposition against the embassy move, Bolsonaro further added that "the only weighty voice speaking out against me is Iran." Iran has not been the only country firmly opposing the US-led embassy move to the occupied al-Quds as many Muslim and non-Muslim countries have officially or informally expressed opposition to the move amid many protest rallies in different countries against Washington's anti-Palestinian measure. Bolsonaro further underlined that he did not think that most Arab countries would take retaliatory measures against Brasilia, noting, however, that "more radical" Arab nations "might adopt some sort of sanction I hope only economic ones against us." He did not elaborate in his pointed remarks which Arab countries he was referring to as "more radical." Bolsonaro had backtracked on the embassy move soon after declaring in early November that he intended to go through with it. In an apparent response to fears of the farming businesses in the agriculturally-rich country that an embassy move may threaten their $1 billion in meat exports to Arab markets, the newly-elected leader rowed back his pledge within days, insisting: "it is not yet decided." Bolsonaro's decision on the embassy move is highly controversial since the Israeli regime claims all of occupied al-Quds as its capital while Palestinians view the eastern part of the holy city as the capital of a future state. Most countries across the globe hold that the status of al-Quds should only be determined through negotiations, which have long stalled by Tel Aviv's continued violations of UN Security Council resolutions against further expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. So far, only the US and its client Central American state of Guatemala have opened embassies in occupied al-Quds. While Paraguay has backtracked on a similar decision, Washington and Tel Aviv are reportedly pressuring US-backed government of Honduras to move its Israeli embassy to al-Quds as well. In yet another controversial move, Bolsonaro also announced his readiness to discuss the possibility of hosting a US military base in Brazil, pointing to a major shift in the foreign policy of Latin America's largest and most populous country. The 63-year-old former Army captain represents a sharp break with Brazil's recent record of left of center policies, veering his nation sharply to the right and towards the Trump administration in the US. During the Thursday interview he also expressed concerns about growing Russian support for what he referred to as the Venezuelan "dictatorship" led by President Nicolas Maduro, who remains a target of Washington's so-called regime-change foreign policy. Mexico urges Lima Group not to meddle in Venezuela affairs Iran Press TV Sat Jan 5, 2019 10:32AM Mexico has called on the Lima group of Latin American countries to refrain from interfering in Venezuela's internal affairs, after the block refused to recognize President Nicolas Maduro as the nation's legitimate leader. Mexico, the only member of the 14-member group, who refused to sign the declaration, said it would not comment on the legitimacy of the government in Caracas. "We call for reflection in the Lima Group about the consequences for Venezuelans of measures that seek to interfere in internal affairs," said Mexico's deputy foreign minister Maximiliano Reyes. The bloc, who met in the Peruvian capital Lima on Friday, said "the electoral process carried out in Venezuela on May 20, 2018 is not legitimate." Maduro was re-elected in May, after an early election called by the ruling Constituent Assembly which was marred by accusations of irregularities as well as an opposition boycott. In a joint statement, the bloc, however, called on Maduro not to take office later this month. Mexico called on the group to work for mediation and dialogue, not isolation. In the meantime, Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza confirmed that Maduro would take office on January 10 in a "legitimate and constitutional" process, which he said "does not require the approval of any foreign government." Venezuela, he said, was "perplexed" by the statement and that the country would take reciprocal action for diplomatic steps taken by any other government. Caracas has been facing mounting pressure from regional counties and United States which has targeted the nation with economic and political sanctions since 2014 under the pretext of alleged human rights abuses and threats to US national security. Washington has recently stepped up contacts with South American countries. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in Cartagena earlier this week for talks with Colombian President Ivan Duque. Both officials agreed to step up efforts to diplomatically isolate Maduro's government. Maduro has repeatedly accused the US of being behind a plot to overthrow his government. Yemeni troops hit Saudi bases in retaliation for air raids Iran Press TV Sat Jan 5, 2019 11:14AM Yemen's army, backed by Houthi forces, has launched fresh retaliatory attacks against Saudi forces inside the kingdom, leaving an unspecified number of them killed or injured. Troops fired ballistic missiles and artillery shells at Saudi mercenaries in the Najran region, Yemen's al-Masirah television network reported. The al-Hammad and Akefah military bases were hit by the projectiles, including a Zalzal-1 rocket, with more missiles fired at the gathering of Saudi mercenaries in the nearby Jizan region, it said. Yemen's tribal forces in the southern province of Shabwa carried out their own retaliatory attacks against UAE and Saudi mercenaries, killing at least 10 fighters. The retaliation reportedly came after helicopters flown by the United Arab Emirates attacked the impoverished country's southwest, killing seven civilians. The Saudi kingdom has enlisted the UAE as its closest ally in the invasion which began in March 2015 to restore a former government after it resigned and fled to Riyadh. The war has claimed thousands since its onset and placed Yemen very close to the edge of famine. Last year, the Saudi-backed former officials and Yemen's popular Houthi Ansarullah movement hammered out a ceasefire agreement in Sweden. The deal has mandated a truce in Yemen's western al-Hudaydah Province, whose main port receives the majority of vital aid sent for the country. Griffiths visits Sana'a to push Hudaydah ceasefire amid reported clashes Iran Press TV Sat Jan 5, 2019 05:43PM The UN envoy for Yemen has arrived in the capital Sana'a to discuss a recent UN-sponsored peace agreement on the country's lifeline port city of Hudaydah amid reported clashes between the warring parties. Yemen's two warring parties, namely Houthi Ansarullah movement and the country's former Saudi-backed government, reached an agreement on a ceasefire in the Houthi-held port in Sweden on December 13. Martin Griffiths, who arrived in Sana'a on Saturday, is scheduled to discuss the truce with Houthi leaders and will later travel to the Saudi capital Riyadh to meet with former Yemeni government officials. The Ansarullah movement has been running state affairs from Sana'a in the absence of an effective government besides defending the country against the Saudi aggression. During his stay in Sana'a, Griffiths would also hold talks with retired Dutch General Patrick Cammaert, who heads a United Nations advance team tasked with monitoring the ceasefire in Hudaydah. Griffiths' visit comes amid reported clashes between Houthi fighters and militants loyal to the country's former Saudi-backed regime with both sides blaming each other. Hudaydah, a lifeline for millions of Yemenis, has seen some of the heaviest fighting in the Saudi-led aggression, which began in March 2015. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates launched the Hudaydah offensive in June but have been facing strong resistance from Yemeni armed forces led by the Houthis as well as the city's residents. The Saudi war has killed tens of thousands of Yemeni people and made the country the world's worst humanitarian disaster. The imposed war initially consisted of an airstrike campaign but was later coupled with a naval blockade and the deployment of ground mercenaries to Yemen. Activists call for end to Saudi blockade Meanwhile, activists in Yemen said they planned to launch an online campaign to demand an end to the Saudi blockade of the country. According to organizers, the campaign was expected to be launched on Saturday afternoon on Twitter, using the hashtag "End Yemen Siege". They said the move is an effort to particularly push for an end to the siege of the Sana'a international airport. Yemeni activists say the Saudi siege has resulted in many deaths, because it prevents the entry of advanced medical equipment to the country. Organizers want people around the world to join their campaign to help end Yemen's blockade that Saudi Arabia imposed in March 2015, as part of its war on the country. Iran supports peace process, democracy in Afghanistan: Deputy FM Iran Press TV Sat Jan 5, 2019 06:10PM Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Abbas Araqchi says the Islamic Republic will continue to support the peace process and the promotion of democracy in Afghanistan. "The Islamic Republic of Iran supports the Afghan government and the peace talks under the leadership of the Afghans," Araqchi said in a meeting with Afghanistan's Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah in Kabul on Saturday. He also pointed to last month's negotiations between Iranian authorities and a delegation from the Taliban in Tehran and said the meeting took place in coordination with the Afghan government. Speaking to reporters late in December, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said Iran had hosted a delegation from the Taliban to discuss possible ways to end hostilities in Afghanistan. "Since the Taliban are in control of more than 50 percent of Afghanistan, and given the insecurity, instability and other issues that the country is dealing with, they [the Taliban] were interested in talks with Iran," Qassemi said. More than 17 years of the United States' presence in Afghanistan at the top of a military coalition have brought nothing but chaos and insecurity to the country as a result of which all forms of organized crimes, especially production of illicit drugs, have been skyrocketing. The country has also turned into a hotbed of violent acts by major terror outfits, especially Daesh. Following its defeat in Iraq and Syria, Daesh terrorists have been shifting attention to Afghanistan during past months, making the country a new center of their atrocious acts of terrorism in a bid to sow more insecurity across the whole region. Araqchi further stressed the importance of boosting trade and economic cooperation between Tehran and Kabul and said talks were underway to finalize a comprehensive document for joint cooperation. Abdullah, for his part, said Iran and Afghanistan enjoyed cordial and strong relations and added that his country supported efforts to finalize the document for joint cooperation. He commended Iran's efforts to observe the principles of negotiations with terrorist groups and to inform the Afghan government of Tehran's talks with the Taliban. He said the Afghan government supported peace but stressed the establishment of peace should not undermine the achievements made during recent years. Representatives from the Taliban, the US, and regional countries met for the fourth time earlier this month in the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi for talks to end the war in Afghanistan, but the militant group's representatives refused to talk to the Afghan negotiating team. Abdullah's office said Kabul was aware of the whole process of peace talks and that Washington sought to provide the condition for direct talks between the government and the militant group. The United Arab Emirates reported tangible and positive results from the talks. The "US-Taliban reconciliation talks" produced "tangible results that are positive for all parties concerned," UAE state news agency WAM said. Also on Saturday, Araqchi held talks with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his counterpart Idrees Zaman. The senior Iranian official arrived in Kabul on Saturday at the head of a delegation for a day-long visit. His trip came after Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani also paid a one-day visit to Afghanistan at the head of a delegation comprised of a number of high-ranking security, military and political officials in December. During a meeting with Hamdullah Mohib, the Afghan president's national security adviser, Shamkhani said Tehran had been holding a series of talks with the Taliban group "with the knowledge of the Afghan government" and would continue to do so in the future. He also met with senior Afghan officials, including President Ghani, Abdullah and former president Hamid Karzai. Xem them ... Tin bai cuoi cung Khong con du lieu e load Yemen army accuses Saudis of frequent violations of truce IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Jan 5, IRNA -- Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman has accused the Saudi-led coalition of repeatedly breaching cease fire agreement in Yemen, saying it violated the truce 214 times in one day. According to the Yemeni media 'Saba', Brigadier General Yahya Saree said on Friday night that the Saudi mercenaries have shot 72 artillery shells toward residential areas. They also targeted Hays with 108 shells and shot 8 mortar shells to Al-Sheykh village, he added. Referring to other evidence confirming Saudis' violation, Saree said Saudi jetfighters targeted Kitaf wa Al Boqe'e District 13 times and Baqim and Al-Malahit districts 10 times. He went on to say that, Saudis also attacked Al Jawf, Al Maton and Hajjah districts. The United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2451 to support the Stockholm Agreement on deployment of a team in order to facilitate monitoring and implementing the Agreement and establishing truce in important Yemeni ports. The resolution mainly focuses on sending essential commodities to the Yemeni people, supporting the Stockholm Agreement, assigning the Secretary-General of the United Nations to implement it and observing the ceasefire. The fourth round of Yemen peace talks kicked off in Stockholm, Sweden on December 6 with the attendance of the UN special envoy Martin Griffith and the government representatives, and agreed to establish truce in Yemeni ports of al-Hudaydah, al-Salif and Ayn Issa. Saudi Arabia and its regional allies attacked Yemen in March 2015 to bring back to power the deposed president of Yemen Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. Since then, the invaders have committed horrible war crimes against Yemeni civilians. 9376**1771 US has no timeline for troop withdrawal from Syria: Official Iran Press TV Fri Jan 4, 2019 09:23PM The United States says it has no timeline for pulling its troops out of Syria but does not plan to keep troops there indefinitely either. "We have no timeline for our military forces to withdraw from Syria," a senior State Department official told reporters on Friday. "Just to clarify, we do not we do not intend to have an indefinite military presence in Syria. The president has made the decision that we will withdraw and we are formulating the plans to do that right now," added the official. The remarks came as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton will travel to the Middle East to shore up support from the US' partners. Pompeo is scheduled to leave on Tuesday for an eight-day trip to Amman, Cairo, Manama, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh, Muscat, and finally Kuwait City. In Cairo, Pompeo is slated to deliver an address to underline the trip's overall message that "the United States is not leaving the Middle East," the official said. "Despite reports to the contrary, false narratives surrounding the Syria decision, we are not going anywhere," the official added. Bolton was to depart Friday for talks with "Israel and Turkey to discuss the withdrawal of US forces from Syria," Garrett Marquis, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said. President Donald Trump announced his decision to withdraw the US troops from Syria on December 19, asserting that Daesh had been defeated. His unexpected announcement shocked allies and top US officials, with Defense Secretary James Mattis and Brett McGurk, the US special envoy to the so-called anti-Daesh coalition in Syria and Iraq, resigning from their posts. The pullout was initially supposed to be completed within weeks, but slowed down as the president has acceded to requests from aides, allies and members of Congress to have a more orderly withdrawal. Meanwhile, US officials have told Reuters that it could take several months to conduct a pullout, with Trump himself saying on Wednesday that the US would get out of Syria slowly "over a period of time." The US deployed troops and equipment to Syria in 2014 as part of a Washington-led coalition supposedly fighting the Daesh terrorist Takfiri group. The terrorists are widely reported to be financed by Saudi Arabia and partially trained and protected by American forces in Syria to support the terror campaign against the Syrian government and ordinary citizens. However, as the Syrian Arab Army has increasingly liberated occupied territories from foreign-backed terrorist groups in recent years, many American and Israeli officials have expressed concern about Israel's situation in the region. Speaking to the Washington Post in November, Trump stressed that protecting Israel was a reason why US forces were deployed in the Middle East. "We have reached a point where we don't have to stay in the Middle East," said Trump before adding that "one reason to stay is Israel." However, according to an Israeli report, Trump is currently ignoring Tel Aviv's demands about Syria. "It's unfortunate that he isn't paying attention to the evidence provided by the intelligence services," said an unnamed senior Israeli official speaking to the Israeli Ynet news website on Thursday. Days After Whelan Arrest, Moscow Claims U.S. Has Detained A Russian Citizen By RFE/RL January 05, 2019 Days after Moscow arrested the former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan on spying charges, Russia has accused the United States of detaining a Russian citizen. In a statement quoted by Russian media on January 5, the Russian Foreign Ministry said the United States detained Dmitry Makarenko on the Northern Mariana Islands on December 29 and moved him to Florida. The ministry did not reveal the accusations against him but said U.S. authorities had failed to inform them of his arrest and they had only found out from his family. The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has yet to provide comment. The U.S. State Department also has also not commented. Papers filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida show Makarenko was accused in June 2017 by federal prosecutors of conspiring with another man, Vladimir Nevidomy, to export defense articles including night-vision scopes from the United States to Russia without U.S. approval. Makarenko, who was listed as a resident of Vladivostok, was declared a fugitive from U.S. justice in Jan. 2018. Nevidomy, a resident of Hallandale Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty in June 2018 and was sentenced to 26 months in prison, the court papers showed. Whelan was arrested by Russia's Federal Security Service on December 28, although it was only announced on December 31. His family have said he is innocent and that he was in Moscow to attend a wedding. In a Washington Post op-ed published on January 4, Whelan's twin brother, David, urged the U.S. government to pressure Russia to release him. "Paul is a kind and considerate brother, son and uncle, and a generous and loyal friend," he wrote. "He travels as often as he can, both for work and pleasure. He is many things to many people, but he is not a spy." Relations between Russia and the United States are already strained over issues ranging from Moscow's alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and support for separatists in eastern Ukraine, to the poisoning of a double agent. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said this week that Washington had asked Moscow to explain Whelan's arrest and would demand his immediate return if it determined his detention was inappropriate. Britain cautioned Russia on January 4 that individuals should not be used as diplomatic pawns. Whelan also holds Canadian, British, and Irish citizenship. The detention of Whelan comes weeks after Russian Maria Butina pleaded guilty in a U.S. court to acting as an agent for the Kremlin. The Kremlin has denied that Butina is a Russian agent and has organized a social-media campaign to secure her release. In the past, Russia has sometimes arrested foreigners with the aim of trading prisoners with other countries. Commenting on that possibility, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on January 5: "I see no reasons to raise this issue in the context of exchanges. We should undergo all the procedures needed in this situation." With reporting by AFP, Reuters, and TASS Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-claims-u-s- detain-russian-citizen-days/29692939.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. U.S. national Whelan detained in Moscow holds British citizenship People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 10:58, January 05, 2019 U.S. national Paul Whelan, who was detained last week in Moscow on suspicion of espionage, also has British citizenship, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Friday. Paul Whelan, a U.S. citizen detained in Russia for suspected spying, appears in a photo provided by the Whelan family on January 1, 2019. [File photo: Xinhua] Paul Whelan, a U.S. citizen detained in Russia for suspected spying, appears in a photo provided by the Whelan family on January 1, 2019. [File photo: Xinhua] Britain has asked for a consular visit to Whelan and both sides are working on it, Zakharova confirmed, after the British embassy in Russia said it has made such a request. U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman has visited Whelan in a detention facility and expressed support for him. The Russian Federal Security Service said on Dec. 31 that it detained Whelan in Moscow for spying three days earlier and has initiated a criminal case against him. According to media reports, the 48-year-old Whelan was a U.S. Marine and his family said he traveled to Moscow only to attend a friend's wedding. The incident came after Russian citizen Maria Butina pleaded guilty in a Washington court on Dec. 13 to one conspiracy charge, admitting that she acted as an unregistered foreign agent to advance Moscow's interests. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Butina has no ties to Russian intelligence services and the whole case against her was unfounded. Major delays are expected on Interstate 895 beginning later this month and continuing for the next three years, as the Maryland Transportation Authority limits the expressway to one lane in each direction for a $189 million replacement of the bridge north of the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel. Xiaomi to launch a 65-inch smart 4K HDR tv on the 10th of January News oi-Vivek 65-inch Xiaomi television is expected to cost around Rs 70,000 Xiaomi India started to tease the launch of a new smart television in India. And now, the company has officially confirmed that the company will launch the smart television on the 10th of January 2019. As of now, there is no information on the exact features and specifications of the upcoming smart television from Xiaomi. Considering the leak, the company is most likely to launch a 65-inch 4K HDR television. It's time to go from small to big. Make space, #TheBiggerPicture unveiling on 10th Jan, at 11 AM. pic.twitter.com/YYVw58D2G8 Mi TV India (@MiTVIndia) January 5, 2019 Biggest tv from Xiaomi Xiaomi has already launched two 4K smart television in India with 55-inch screen size, and the 65-inch 4K television is expected to be the most expensive Xiaomi tv in India. The company is teasing the television launch with a hashtag #TheBiggerPicture, which re-affirms the launch of a big smart television from the company. Xiaomi is most likely to launch the Xiaomi Mi TV 4 65-inch in India, which is already available in China for 5,999 Yuan (Rs 62,000), and the same is expected to cost around Rs 70,000 in India. Just like the recently launched Xiaomi Mi TV 4 Pro series, the upcoming Mi Television is expected to come with Android TV OS with a smart remote with voice search support. What do you think about the upcoming smart television from Xiaomi? Are you ready to spend upwards of Rs 50,000 for the Xiaomi tv? Share your views in the comment box. Best Mobiles in India Gillette, WY (82718) Today Generally clear skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph.. Tonight Generally clear skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph. If you go to Bolivia, and you're a thrill seeker, make sure not to miss the famous Death Road'! A unique road which heads to dizzying heights Bolivia is a beautiful South America country full of activities and places to visit. There is something to do for all, whether you prefer quiet walks, treks in the forests or visits to little villages. But dont worry, thrill-seekers are not forgotten! There is a road perfect for them for hours of fun at the edge of the void. In Bolivia, the Yungas Road is better known as Death Road. It connects the cities of La Paz and Coroico, in the province of Nor Yungas. This 40-mile road is accessible to mountain bikes, and guarantees thrills! The paths consist of mud, dust and rock. The route starts at more than 15,500 feet above sea level and offers breathtaking descent and views! Seasoned bikers then flirt with drops over 3200 feet high. A dangerous road This passage does deserve the nickname road of death. It allows only one vehicle to pass at a time and is the cause of many accidents each year. We dont doubt this for a moment when seeing this footage. The descent promises extreme thrills for almost four hours. Definitely a ride to experience before you die! If you dare Check out the video above to see the terrifying road for yourself! I knew what to expect this is not my first rodeo, a smiling Cabrero said as the meeting drew to a close. Meetings like this are still a good idea, he added. Theyre still our congressmen, and its good to hear, This is what we are doing, this is what we can do, this is what we cannot do. I like that its good to see their faces, that theyre not somebody nebulous down in Washington, D.C. 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. Wall debate obscures other struggles at the border SAN DIEGO In Washington, its all about the wall. At the border, its only part of the story. Border authorities are struggling with outdated facilities ill-equipped to handle the growing increase in family migrants, resulting in immigrants being released onto the streets every day. The immigration court system is so clogged that some wait years for their cases to be resolved, and it lacks funding to pay forsuch basic things as in-person translators. An increase in sick children arriving at the border is putting a strain on medical resources. But the Washington debate has focused almost exclusively on the $5 billion in wall spending that President Donald Trump wants. Other proposals being discussed keep the rest of the Homeland Security department funding at existing levels. The wall is a tool. Unfortunately even if its implemented across the border it isnt a solution to all the problems, said Victor M. Manjarrez, a former Border Patrol sector chief with more than 20 years of experience, now a professor at the University of Texas-El Paso. Trump has suggested migrants wont bother to come if he gets his way, making other immigration issues less problematic. Walls and fencing currently blanket about one-third of the bordermostly built under President George W. Bushand the president wants to extend and fortify them. But contracting, designing and building new wall systems complete with updated technology could take years. Trump met Friday with Congressional leaders who said the president threatened the shutdown could go on for years. Trump later said he would considered using executive authority to get a wall built on the border. You can call it a barrier, you can call it whatever you want, Trump said a day earlier, flanked by immigration union heads. But essentially we need protection in our country. Were going to make it good. The people of our country want it. Meanwhile, the House passed a bill Thursday evening to fund the government without the $5 billion, with new Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi calling the wall an immorality. The debate overlooks major bottlenecks in the immigration system as more families and children traveling alone turn themselves in to authorities to seek asylum, instead of trying to elude capture as almost everyone did just a few years ago. In some cases, migrants are climbing existing border fence and seeking out agents to surrender. The backlog in immigration courts has more than doubled to 1.1 million cases since shortly before Trump took office, according to Syracuse Universitys Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. Families and children now account for about six of 10 Border Patrol arrests, but there are only about 3,300 family detention beds and the number of unaccompanied children in government care has soared under Trump. Border crossers are stuck in short-term holding cells for days and there has been a spike in sick migrant children, including two who died in custody. In addition, the wall will do little to address the issue of visa overstayswhen immigrants come to the country legally and remain here after their papers expire. Authorities say there were nearly 740,000 overstays during a recent 12-month period. And border agents continue to struggle with growing numbers of children and families. Officials say they are stopping about 2,000 people a day, more than 60 percent children and families, higher than during many periods under President Barack Obama. They referred 451 cases to a medical provider from Dec. 22 to Dec. 30, more than half children. David Aguilar, the Border Patrol chief from 2004 to 2010 and a former acting Customs and Border Protection commissioner, said agencies that oversee long-term immigration custody need more funding to immediately step in after the Border Patrol makes an arrest. He says the agency is overwhelmed in dealing with all the children and families coming across the border now, much different from 1990s and 2000s. The demographics and the flows that are crossing the southern border are very different from the demographics and flows when we built the original walls ... back in 2006 and 2008, he said. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan, testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee last month, said stations were not built to manage the crush of families coming over. The wall was important, he said, but so were these other issues. He said they needed budgeting for medical care and mental health care for children in their facilities. Trump has significantly increased the number of immigration judges but, A. Ashley Tabaddor, president of the National Association of Immigration Judges, said it came without enough support staff. About a week before the shutdown, judges were told the courts ran out of money for many in-person translators and that, as a result, it would have to reach them telephonically. A hearing that might last three minutes would last 20 minutes. The shutdown is already having an impact on the immigration system. E-Verify, the online government system where employees can confirm eligibility of their employees to work legally in the U.S., is down. Courts were only functioning for those who were detained. Other cases will be reset for a date once funding resumes, according to the website for the courts, which are overseen by the Department of Justice. Immigration lawyers said that will only worsen the already overwhelming backlog. Immigration attorney Jeremy McKinney said he expects cases in Charlotte, North Carolina, will be moved to 2020 because this years docket is already full. The situation is a lose-lose, he said. In contrast, the funding problems have only minimally affected the U.S. government agency tasked with reviewing immigrants applications for green cards and other benefits. Some people just can't be disabused of their hatred and the ignorance that got them there. That anyone, two and a half years after House Republicans cleared Secretary Clinton in the deaths of four Americans, would refer to "the butcher of Benghazi" is symptomatic of a much greater problem than just being in error. Guardian reporters, Gambino and Smith (https://bit.ly/29bX3b7) spelled it out at the time. Trey Gowdy's committee had concluded. I'm sorry if it doesn't fit a convenient narrative but choosing to ignore it under the mantra of "fake news" certainly isn't helping. When the special prosecutor's work is finished, and only then, it will be time for citizens to absorb those findings as the informed electorate our system of self-governance requires. If it contains damning evidence of criminality, the nation must not tolerate a prolonged rhetorical civil war, or worse. Kathleen Dean Moore, author and distinguished professor of environmental philosophy emeritus at Oregon State University will review the novel "The Overstory" by Richard Powers on at noon Wednesday at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library as part of the Random Review program. Powers is the author of 12 novels and the recipient of a MacArthur "genius grant," the National Book Award, and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. "The Overstory" is his newest novel. In it Powers introduces nine characters, strangers to each other but connected by their collective action to prevent the destruction of a forest by industrial harvesting. Trees serve as a central theme for each characters backstory, and ultimately their stories serve to expose the damage that results from humanitys separation from nature. Moore may be best known for her books that celebrate wet, wild places: "Riverwalking," "Holdfast," "Pine Island Paradox," and "Wild Comfort." But her despair for the world has led her to write in its defense, titles such as "Great Tide Rising" and "Moral Ground." Her newest book is a savagely funny novel, "Piano Tide," winner of the Willa Cather Award for Contemporary Fiction. News Domestic abuse convictions often precede heinous crimes The Texas City man charged Friday with capital murder in connection with the deaths of three children in an apartment building had twice been convicted of assault causing bodily injury to a family member, according to court records. Junaid Mehmoods arrest is just the latest instance in Galveston County of a man with a documented history of family violence later being charged with more heinous crimes. Another high-profile case is that of Clint Veron Felder, 47, of League City, who was charged with murder in May after being accused of shooting his girlfriend to death after a daylong argument, according to a probable cause affidavit. Felder, who has yet to be tried on the murder charge, has previous criminal convictions related to family violence against the girlfriend, according to court records. Experts such as social workers and prosecutors argue its common for people with histories of family violence convictions to later be charged with even more serious crimes such as murder. A review of crime statistics from several major cities showed that at least a third of men implicated in domestic slayings had been under a restraining order for domestic violence or had been convicted of domestic abuse or for a violent crime, according to a December report by the Washington Post. The statistics are even more troubling because many cases of domestic violence are never even reported, much less result in charges being filed, experts said. Unfortunately, oftentimes victims dont call police to report the crime, said Sybil Winters-Little, operations director at Bay Area Turning Point, a community based social service agency providing a variety of services, including shelter to families in need and public education/crime prevention activities. That often helps their case, showing they are factually victims of a crime. Otherwise, its your word against theirs. More than 2,590 people in 2017 reported incidents of domestic violence to police departments in Galveston County, the most recent year for which statistics have been reported, District Attorney Jack Roady said. Of those cases, prosecutors filed charges in 956 cases 723 misdemeanors and 190 felony cases, Roady said. The cases filed include misdemeanor assault/family violence and felony charges of aggravated assault/family violence with a deadly weapon, assault/family violence with previous convictions, strangulation, strangulation with prior convictions and stalking, Roady said. We treat all domestic violence cases with utmost seriousness and work diligently to bring every abuser to justice, Roady said. But prosecuting domestic violence cases can be a difficult process, according to a criminal law expert. This is the intersection of law and the limits of what society can offer victims, said Geoffrey Corn, a professor of law and presidential research at the South Texas College of Law in Houston. The reason you cant make blanket statements is a lot about how you deal with this is going to turn on the attitude of individual DA or prosecutors offices. What is their philosophy going to be? Are they only going to pursue cases with a high probability of getting a conviction? Or will they adopt the philosophy of putting everything in front of a jury and sending a message to defendants? Essentially, prosecutors deal with several major hurdles when it comes to handling cases of domestic violence, Roady said. Those issues include victim cooperation, the extent of the victims visible injuries, a victims decision to stay in a relationship with an abuser and the lack of independent witnesses to corroborate a victims testimony, Roady said. For women in abusive relationships, the decision about whether to involve law enforcement often can be difficult, experts said. You have to look at what it means for a person to call police and report a crime, Winters-Little said. Shelter beds arent open 24/7. If you call police and report abuse, you have to have a safe place to go. Corn agreed. Many victims are trying to decide between the lesser of two evils to move forward imagining what might happen in their lives or accept an apology and hope the violence wont happen again, he said. Its somewhat routine that a victim will become hesitant and outright oppose supporting prosecution, Corn said. Then you have the classic dilemma when you realize that the district attorneys office doesnt represent victims, but the people, Corn said. Normally, the peoples interest and the victims align. Both want to see the alleged wrongdoer brought to justice. But this time, the victim doesnt want that. The Galveston County District Attorneys Office doesnt have a set policy for dealing with witnesses who request a case be dismissed, but the U.S. Supreme Court has held that a defendant has the right to confront accusers at trial, Assistant District Attorney Patrick Gurski said. When witnesses are cooperative, we evaluate the strength of the case based on the complaining witness demeanor and any corroborating evidence that would be admissible at trial, Gurski said. When complaining witnesses are uncooperative or recant their previous statements, further prosecution of the case depends on whether admissible evidence exists to prove the offense beyond a reasonable doubt without the complainants testimony, or whether the complainant can be found and made to testify against their wishes. Victims of domestic violence can apply for protective orders through the court system, some of which could be lifetime agreements, Roady said. But prosecutors have few means of monitoring those who have finished a prison sentence and are no longer on probation or parole and dont have a protective order in place, Roady. Ultimately, the solution might lie in how society treats abusers, Winters-Little said. Its not just the victim taking accountability for whats going on, but the offender, Winters-Little said. We can get the victim out of a situation, but the perpetrator is probably going to turn around and find another victim. As a society, we need to look at why abusers continue to abuse. Get Informed. Stay Connected. The Frontiersman News APP is now available in your APP store Click Here Dancing in the same old shoes with the borough and the Mat-Su Delegation The King, who turns 84 this year, proves once again that hes far from dead by hosting this annual underground fight club/burlesque showcase at the Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave. in Highlandtown. Organizers label it as sexy, subversive, satirical, and nonsensical, which sounds just about right. Join Elvis and the redoubtable Kittie Glitter for a hunka hunka burnin love and all sorts of other good times, and wait breathlessly to find out who this years fight club champ will be. 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Jan. 11, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Jan. 12. $22-$28. And thank you, thank you very much. creativealliance.org. Have any questions? Please give us a call at 907-352-2250 Lincoln was right about house divided A house divided against itself cannot stand. President Lincoln uttered those words during his debates with Frederick Douglas in 1858. Now, almost 161 years later, these words are more meaningful and poignant than ever! Never before has America been so divided! Never since the 1930s has the world been any more divided! Why can we agree about nothing? Do we need to shut down our federal government over a wall on the southern border? Are we so inwardly turned that we cannot offer compassion to victims of violence and intimidation? Have we not seen major seismic climatic changes? Horrendous fires, deadly storms, constant rainy days, droughts, epidemics, ad infinitum. As Rodney King once said, Cant we all get along? The time is very late for our country and for our world. It is the eleventh hour, and we must take action sooner rather than later. We must learn to love our fellow humans and vote our cowardly politicians out of office. You already know who I am talking about. We cannot remain divided and hope to endure! Dave Siler Fredericksburg THE FIRST month of the year seems a good time to talk about another first: the First Amendment. Specifically free speech. But before you hit snooze, just take a minute to recognize how truly distinctive this American freedom isand how perpetually under attack it is, including today, including here in Virginia. The concept of free speech has been around since the Greeks, but Americans were the first to codify it, placing it into our Constitution and giving it top ranking in the hierarchy of laws. Our founders believed the robust exchange of ideas would strengthen our democracy. Whats more, the freedom to think, speak, and believe had deep roots in our land as the motivation of many of the original colonists. For centuries, those in Europe who dissented from prevailing thought had been jailed and even executed. The New World offered them a refuge from that oppression. Free speech, the fruit of a free conscience, is a brave and noble principle, for it is human nature to want to silence those who say what we dont like, and who think thoughts that repel us. Nardo hopes its return will serve as a visual reminder of the history the state will be highlighting this year, the quadricentennial of Virginias first democratic assembly at Jamestown. To mark the occasion, the House has also prepared an online database of the roughly 10,000 people who have served as burgesses or delegates throughout Virginias history. Virginia has long been recognized as the birthplace of America, House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox, RColonial Heights, said in a news release this week. Leaders of our Commonwealth were the founders of the United States ongoing experiment in representative self-government. Even Cox wont be allowed to sit in the old speakers chair, which will be formally unveiled Jan. 24 during a Virginia Capitol Foundation reception. A flyer for the event recounts some of the history, saying the chairs large and ornate form symbolically mirrors the height and reach of the office. It survived the destruction of the colonial Capitol by fire in 1747, served as backdrop to the momentous House debates of the 1760s and 1770s, survived the Revolutionary War and its removal from Williamsburg to the new Capitol in Richmond in 1780 and emerged unscathed from the devastation of the American Civil War. This Chair is a rare historical testament, a distinguished object with an extraordinary history that reminds us of the great continuity and remarkable durability of this 400-year-old institution. For the second time in less than a week, a Fredericksburg gas station employee was robbed at gunpoint, city police said Sunday. The latest robbery took place at 5:12 a.m. Sunday at the Exxon station at 3201 Plank Road, city police spokeswoman Sarah Kirkpatrick said. A man displaying a handgun walked up to the counter, handed a backpack to the cashier and demanded money. After the employee put an undisclosed amount of money into the backpack, Kirkpatrick said, the robber fled on foot in an unknown direction. A Spotsylvania County Sheriffs Office police dog tracked a scent to the area of Commerce Street in the nearby Central Park area, where the trail went cold. The robber was described as a black male wearing all black. He had a hood over his head and was wearing a mask and gloves, Kirkpatrick said. Police said it is not yet known if the robbery is connected to a similar incident Thursday night at the Sunoco at 201 Jefferson Davis Highway near the Falmouth Bridge. In that incident, two black males wearing all black and carrying black backpacks entered the store displaying handguns and demanded money from a clerk. They got an undisclosed amount from the cash register. Im a bit of a night owl. And combined with jet lag, I can be a challenging travel companion. One time in Edinburgh, I met up with a friend during The Fringe, the worlds largest arts festival. While he was calling it a night at a normal hour, I was raring to go and ventured off for a midnight show involving two ukulele-loving ladies and classic pop songs in a basement bar. Traveling with friends is fun, but going at it alone can open up more opportunities to explore, which can be a little exciting, especially in a new country. Spain has always been on the top of my list, and it turns out the same friend will be in Barcelona. Well meet for a few days there, but Ill see the capital of Madrid on my own during this nine-day trip, and Im anxious to see how well my high school Spanish will serve me. With its incredible dining scene, and lively arts and culture, I already know that Spain and I are going to get along very nicely. Plus, the people like to eat latejust like me. TAPAS ALL THE TIME HE HAS MADE OUR COMMUNITY BETTER Coopers parents, Charles and Ann Cooper of Stafford, might smile at the irony that their only sonwho likes to tell people hes stuck in the middle between two sistershas been able to impart wisdom on others. His IQ is about 45, less than half of whats considered average, his dad said, yet he earns high marks for his social skills. Chuck Cooper was born with Down syndrome 60 years ago, at a time when experts didnt expect those with the chromosomal disorder to live past age 18. Doctors told his parents to institutionalize him, but one look at the recommended facility convinced the Coopers to keep him at home. In the decades since, efforts to help Chuck Cooper have impacted the community at large. There werent any classes for special-needs students in Stafford County when Cooper was young, so his mother worked with fellow resident Jean Moore to establish a session at Falmouth Baptist Church. Then, his parents got involved with what became the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board, and Charles Cooper set a goal of establishing one group home a year where mentally impaired adults could live on their own, said former long-term director Ron Branscome. My advice for those trying to write a book: Join a writers group. I have been a member of the Riverside Writers Group for over eight years and have participated in a weekly critique group at Books-A-Million since its inception. These groups allow authors to have their segments peer-reviewed, improving the written products. Participate in numerous seminars and network with other writers, publishers, agents and editors, and youll benefit in all areas of the writing process. Writers groups which use peer reviews are, in my opinion, the best aid to improving your writing skills. While youll need a thick skin to absorb some suggestions, absorbing them all is essential. Theyll contribute to learning where your style is too verbose, doesnt flow well or has weaknesses. The Maryland Department of Environment, however, disputed that claim, saying the agency reached its conclusion using data that pre-dated the plants use of low-sulfur coal. A model that accounts for the use of low-sulfur coal, and subsequent reduced sulfur dioxide emissions, shows no violations of the EPAs sulfur dioxide standard, according to the department. Keep the conversation about local news & events going by joining us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Recent updates from The News-Post and also from News-Post staff members are compiled below. We welcome your letters and columns! Use the button below to send us your thoughts. Remember: Letters must include your real name, town of residence and daytime phone number, which we use for verification. We do not accept anonymous letters or letters written under a pseudonym. Letters should be no more than about 400 words. Those of no more than 200 to 300 words are more likely to be published. Submit #UPDATE: Minivan accident in #Shanghai was caused by a smoking driver who accidentally lit the vehicle on fire and lost control. The injured driver, 40, is suspected of illegally transporting dangerous goods. 17 injured pedestrians were hospitalized, non are in critical condition She didnt see many kids her age, which she said could have been a potential access problem they couldnt drive themselves or attend without their parents permission. After that experience, Kallan gathered more than 1,600 signatures from local youths on a parachute to show that people her age care about the environment and climate change. TARRYTOWN, N.Y. (AP) The road to this years Westminster Kennel Club dog show passed through a pandemic and a major change of date and venue. The road also proved dangerous for one of the nations best known dog handlers. His wife and fellow star handler said Saturday that Bill McFadden wa EASLEY, SC (FOX Carolina)- The Easley Police Department says that is searching for a man they say was involved a hit and run incident that took place on June 3, according to a post from Easley PD on their official Facebook page. Please either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin. Unlimited website access 24/7 Unlimited e-Edition access 24/7 The best local, regional and national news in sports, politics, business and more! With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. Geneva, NY (14456) Today Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 57F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. The United Nations human rights office said on Friday it could not assess the fairness of the Jamal Khashoggi trial taking place in Saudi Arabia but that in any case it was not sufficient. Geneva: The United Nations human rights office said on Friday it could not assess the fairness of a trial taking place in Saudi Arabia related to the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but that in any case it was not sufficient. Spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani, asked about reports that a Saudi prosecutor had sought the death sentence for five suspects linked to the Oct. 2 killing, reiterated the offices call for an independent investigation with international involvement. The UN rights office always opposed the death penalty, she added. Meanwhile, the US also questioned the "credibility" of the investigation into Khashoggi's death. A State Department official said on Friday, "The US does not believe the Saudi version of the October killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi has "hit that threshold of credibility," even as Saudi Arabia prosecutes suspects. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will emphasise the need for accountability and credibility in the investigation of Khashoggi's death during a visit next week to the Middle East, including to Riyadh, the official said. "The Secretary has been very consistent in engagements with Saudis. To really push the two points of accountability and credibility, which is that the Saudis should have a credible narrative for what happened," said the official, who briefed reporters on Pompeo's trip. The UAE government's financial assistance comes as Pakistan is negotiating an $8 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to overcome a severe balance-of-payments crisis that threatens to cripple the country's economy. Islamabad: The UAE crown prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will visit Pakistan on Sunday after the two sides finalised the terms and conditions for a $6.2 billion assistance package to Islamabad to bolster its foreign exchange reserves and the government's fiscal policies. The UAE government's financial assistance comes as Pakistan is negotiating an $8 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to overcome a severe balance-of-payments crisis that threatens to cripple the country's economy. The package, which is expected to be announced by the Crown Prince, involves $3.2 billion worth of oil supplies on deferred payment, besides a $3 billion cash deposit, Dawn reported. "The UAE's package was exactly of the same size and terms and conditions as given by Saudi Arabia. The UAE package was finalised on Thursday evening," a member of Pakistan's cabinet was quoted as saying by the paper. The financial assistance from UAE is same to the support Pakistan received from Saudi Arabia. "With this, Pakistan would get a total saving of about $7.9 billion on oil and gas imports from the two friendly countries accounting for more than 60 percent of annual oil import bill of about $12-13 billion," the cabinet member said. This includes about $3.2 billion each of oil supplies on deferred payments from the UAE and Saudi Arabia and about $1.5 billion trade finance from the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), the paper reported. Pakistan's all-weather ally China has also pledged to provide generous aid to Islamabad to overcome its financial woes. Beijing has not yet revealed the quantum of its financial support. Prime Minister Imran Khan has said Chinese President Xi Jinping has asked him not to reveal the amount. The Trump administration is making all efforts to ensure that any IMF loan to Pakistan is not used to repay its Chinese debt. The US feels that the huge Chinese debt is responsible for Pakistan's economic challenges. "We are working and making clear within the IMF that if it were going to supply any funding to Pakistan that it would not be used to repay Chinese loans," David Malpass, Under Secretary of Treasury for International Affairs, told lawmakers during a recent Congressional hearing. There are concerns among American lawmakers that Pakistan may use the IMF money to repay the Chinese debts. The Interpol had refused to issue an arrest warrant against Hussain Haqqani, a prominent critic of Pakistan's military and political leadership, in January last year. Islamabad: Pakistan has initiated a process of seeking the extradition of its former envoy to the US Hussain Haqqani through the foreign office on embezzlement charges after it failed to get it through Interpol, a media report said on Saturday. The Supreme Court had issued warrants to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to produce Haqqani, a prominent critic of Pakistan's military and political leadership, before it in January last year, but the Interpol has refused to issue an arrest warrant against him. Haqqani, 62, was Pakistan's Ambassador to the US from 27 May, 2008, to 22 November, 2011, which is considered as one of the most tumultuous period of the US-Pakistan relationship. As part of the extradition process, Pakistan's interior ministry has also transferred a 355-page extradition dossier to the foreign office. "The Ministry of Interior has transferred a 355-page extradition dossier to the Foreign Office, which will be sent to the State Department for Mr Haqqani's extradition," Dawn quoted a source as saying. The Supreme Court, through a suo motu notice related to the implementation of an earlier Supreme Court order of bringing Haqqani back, had directed the government to ensure his repatriation, the paper reported. In 2018, Pakistan's Supreme Court issued an arrest warrant against Haqqani after he failed to appear before it in the 'Memogate' case. Haqqani was at the centre of a controversy over allegedly sending a memorandum to the US military chief Admiral Mike Mullen in 2011, seeking his direct intervention to avert a possible overthrow of the Pakistan Peoples Party government by the military. A commission constituted by the Supreme Court commonly known as the 'Memogate Commission' had in its report held Haqqani as the originator and architect of the memo, the report said. The government has on at least a couple of occasions in the past sought Interpol warrants for Haqqani's arrest, but could not convince the international criminal police to act. Later, in March 2018, seven years after Haqqani's resignation over the memogate scandal, a case of embezzlement of $2 million was registered against him, which is now being made the basis for seeking his extradition, the paper said. Haqqani now heads the South and Central Asia division of Hudson Institute, a top American think-tank. In 2018, Haqqani along with Lisa Curtis of 'The Heritage Foundation', another top American think-tank, had co-authored a report on Afghanistan and Pakistan. A few months later, recommendations of this report became the basis of the new Afghanistan and South Asia policy of the Trump administration. By Maxim Rodionov and Barbara Goldberg MOSCOW/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday the United States had detained a Russian citizen, a day after Moscow arrested the former U.S. By Maxim Rodionov and Barbara Goldberg MOSCOW/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday the United States had detained a Russian citizen, a day after Moscow arrested the former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan on suspicion of spying. Whelan was taken into custody by Russia's Federal Security Service on Dec. 28. His family have said he is innocent and that he was in Moscow to attend a wedding. The ministry said the United States detained Russian citizen Dmitry Makarenko on Dec. 29 on the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. commonwealth in the Pacific Ocean, and had transferred him to Florida. "... Makarenko, born in 1979, has arrived on Saipan Island with his wife, underage children and elderly parents. He was detained by FBI personnel at the airport right after his arrival," the ministry said. The U.S. Embassy in Moscow could not immediately be reached for comment. A State Department spokesman in Washington referred a request for comment to the Department of Justice, which did not immediately respond. Papers filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida show Makarenko was accused in June 2017 by federal prosecutors of conspiring with another man, Vladimir Nevidomy, to export defense articles including night-vision scopes from the United States to Russia without U.S. approval. Makarenko, who was listed as a resident of Vladivostok, was declared a fugitive from U.S. justice in Jan. 2018. Nevidomy, a resident of Hallandale Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty in June 2018 and was sentenced to 26 months in prison, the court papers showed. The accusations from both sides could further complicate a strained relationship between Moscow and Washington, despite the professed desire of Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to build a personal rapport. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said this week that Washington had asked Moscow to explain Whelan's arrest and would demand his immediate return if it determined his detention is inappropriate. Britain cautioned Russia on Friday that individuals should not be used as diplomatic pawns. Whelan also holds a British passport. The Russian ministry said in its statement that Moscow diplomats had not been able to reach Makarenko in Florida and said Washington had yet to explain his detention. Before Moscow gave details of Makarenko's detention, experts had speculated that Moscow could exchange Whelan for Russian nationals held by Washington. Commenting on that possibility, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Saturday: "I see no reasons to raise this issue in context of exchanges. We should undergo all the procedures needed in this situation," Interfax news agency quoted Ryabkov as saying. Whelan's Toronto-based twin brother David Whelan told Reuters on Saturday that U.S. embassy officials met with his sibling on Wednesday and would visit him again next week. "He seemed as well as can be expected in a Russian jail. He was missing a lot of personal necessities, like toilet paper, that aren't provided," David Whelan said in a telephone interview. "So the State Department has helped us set up an account ... so that he can buy the supplies that he needs." (Reporting by Maxim Rodionov in Moscow and Barbara Goldberg in New York; Additional reporting by Yeganeh Torbati in Washington; Editing by Alison Williams and Diane Craft) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. GAZA (Reuters) - Gaza authorities arrested five Palestinians on Saturday on suspicion of ransacking the offices of President Mahmoud Abbas's official Palestine Television station, Hamas's interior ministry said. On Friday, assailants destroyed cameras, editing and broadcasting equipment in the Gaza office of the station, part of the Palestinian Broadcast Corporation (PBC), which broadcasts material supportive of Abbas. Station officials immediately blamed Hamas for the attack GAZA (Reuters) - Gaza authorities arrested five Palestinians on Saturday on suspicion of ransacking the offices of President Mahmoud Abbas's official Palestine Television station, Hamas's interior ministry said. On Friday, assailants destroyed cameras, editing and broadcasting equipment in the Gaza office of the station, part of the Palestinian Broadcast Corporation (PBC), which broadcasts material supportive of Abbas. Station officials immediately blamed Hamas for the attack. The incident underscored tensions between Abbas's Western-backed Palestinian Authority, based in the occupied West Bank, and Hamas, the Islamist group that rules Gaza. But Hamas on Saturday said all five suspects men were former employees of the Palestinian Authority, whose salaries were recently suspended. There was no immediate response from the Palestinian Authority. There has long been antipathy between Hamas, which won the last Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006 and is opposed to any peace negotiations with Israel, and with Abbas's more moderate and secular Fatah faction. The two rivals have tried and failed to end the divisions. Egypt has brokered a Palestinian reconciliation pact that provides for Hamas to cede control of Gaza to Abbas, but a dispute over power-sharing has hindered implementation. (Writing by Nidal Almughrabi; editing by David Evans) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Paul Carrel and Holger Hansen BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's BSI cyber defence agency on Saturday defended its role in responding to a far-reaching data breach, saying it could not have connected individual cases it was aware of last year until the entire data release became public. The government said on Friday that personal data and documents from hundreds of German politicians and public figures including Chancellor Angela Merkel had been published online, in what appeared to be one of Germany's biggest data breaches. The incident has shocked the establishment and prompted calls for security agencies to clarify whether any security deficiencies they were aware of had been exploited, and if they could have acted sooner to head off the breach By Paul Carrel and Holger Hansen BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's BSI cyber defence agency on Saturday defended its role in responding to a far-reaching data breach, saying it could not have connected individual cases it was aware of last year until the entire data release became public. The government said on Friday that personal data and documents from hundreds of German politicians and public figures including Chancellor Angela Merkel had been published online, in what appeared to be one of Germany's biggest data breaches. The incident has shocked the establishment and prompted calls for security agencies to clarify whether any security deficiencies they were aware of had been exploited, and if they could have acted sooner to head off the breach. The BSI said in a statement that it was contacted by a lawmaker in early December about suspicious activity on their private email and social media accounts. "Only by becoming aware of the release of the data sets via the Twitter account 'G0d' on Jan. 3, 2019, could the BSI in a further analysis on Jan. 4, 2019 connect this case and four other cases that the BSI became aware of during 2018," it said. "At the beginning of December 2018, it was not foreseeable that there would be more cases." The BSI said on Friday all but one of the seven parties in the lower house had been affected. German media said that party was the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD). Last year, lawmakers said a powerful cyber attack had breached the foreign ministry's computer network. Security officials have blamed most previous breaches of data security on a Russian hacking group, while the Kremlin has consistently denied involvement in such incidents. After the latest data breach, Justice Minister Katarina Barley said she was considering stricter security requirements for software makers and Internet platform operators. "We are examining the extent to which stricter legal provisions are useful and necessary here," she told weekly newspaper Welt am Sonntag, according to a pre-released article. Authorities were investigating all possibilities, including espionage, one government source said on Friday, adding that it was unlikely any single person could have compiled the massive amounts of data that had been released. The BSI said investigations so far had showed the data breaches predominantly concerned private and personal accounts, but that it is responsible for the operational protection of government networks. (Writing by Paul Carrel; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Clelia Oziel) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. DAKAR (Reuters) - Preliminary results from the Democratic Republic of Congo's Dec. 30 presidential election will be delayed past Sunday's deadline, the head of the election commission, Corneille Nangaa, told Reuters on Saturday DAKAR (Reuters) - Preliminary results from the Democratic Republic of Congo's Dec. 30 presidential election will be delayed past Sunday's deadline, the head of the election commission, Corneille Nangaa, told Reuters on Saturday. He said the commission, known as CENI, had received only 47 percent of vote tally sheets as of Saturday, and did not know when the results would be ready. (Reporting By Giulia Paravicini; Writing by Edward McAllister; Editing by Kevin Liffey) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. (Please note expletive in seventh paragraph quote) By Richard Lough and Elizabeth Pineau PARIS (Reuters) - Rioters in Paris torched motorbikes and set barricades ablaze on the upmarket Boulevard Saint Germain on Saturday, as protests against high living costs and the perceived indifference of President Emmanuel Macron turned violent on the fringes. The latest 'yellow vest' street marches began peacefully in the French capital but degenerated in the afternoon as protesters threw missiles at riot police blocking bridges over the Seine river. Officers fired tear gas to prevent protesters crossing the river and reaching the National Assembly. (Please note expletive in seventh paragraph quote) By Richard Lough and Elizabeth Pineau PARIS (Reuters) - Rioters in Paris torched motorbikes and set barricades ablaze on the upmarket Boulevard Saint Germain on Saturday, as protests against high living costs and the perceived indifference of President Emmanuel Macron turned violent on the fringes. The latest "yellow vest" street marches began peacefully in the French capital but degenerated in the afternoon as protesters threw missiles at riot police blocking bridges over the Seine river. Officers fired tear gas to prevent protesters crossing the river and reaching the National Assembly. One riverboat restaurant was set ablaze and a policeman wounded when he was struck by a bicycle hurled from a street above the riverbank. Two months after they started blocking roads, occupying highway tollbooths and staging sometimes-violent street protests in Paris, the yellow vests wanted to inject new momentum into a movement that weakened over the holidays. Macron's government, shaken by the unrest, had this week hardened its stance against the uprising, branding the protesters as agitators seeking to overthrow the government. Driving the unrest is anger particularly among low-paid workers over a squeeze on household incomes and a belief that Macron is deaf to citizens' needs as he enacts reforms seen as favouring the wealthy. "They have no right to leave us in the shit like this," said protester Francois Cordier. "We're fed up with having to pay out the whole time, we've had enough of this slavery, we should be able to live on our salaries." Thousands more rallied in cities including Bordeaux and Toulouse in southwest France, Rouen in the north of the country and Marseille in the southeast. An estimated 25,000 took to the streets nationwide in what was dubbed Act VIII, BFM TV reported, barely 10 percent of the number in the first weeks of protests but higher than last week. "POWER TO THE PEOPLE" As darkness fell, officers dispersed scores of yellow vests gathered on the Champs Elysees. Television images showed hooded youths setting a car alight on a side street, but there was no repeat of the unrest that erupted in late November, when shops were looted, banks vandalised and the Arc de Triomphe defaced. Authorities have blamed the worst of the violence in recent weeks on anarchists, anti-capitalists and extreme groups on the fringes of the yellow vest movement. The protests which come 18 months into Macron's tenure and his drive to reshape the economy have already forced concessions from the 41-year-old president. Last month, Macron promised tax cuts for pensioners, wage rises for the poorest workers and the scrapping of planned fuel tax increases to quell the unrest at a cost to the Treasury of 10 billion euros ($11 billion). The measures marked the first big U-turn for a president elected 18 months earlier on a platform to break with traditional French politics and liberalise the heavily-regulated economy. In a New Year's Eve address, Macron vowed to press on with his reform agenda, saying: "We can't work less, earn more, cut taxes and increase spending." Faced with record low popularity ratings, Macron is expected to pen a letter soon to the nation setting out his plans for coming months. These include a nationwide debate with citizens on ecological, fiscal and institutional questions, the results of which he says will feed into the policy-making process. "We have to give power back to the people and not a minority that serves its own interests," said a second yellow vest protester outside the old stock market building. ($1 = 0.8777 euros) (Reporting by Richard Lough, Elizabeth Pineau and Johnny Cotton; Writing by Richard Lough; Editing by David Evans and David Holmes) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. China, the worlds most populous country must now draw up policies to try to cope with a declining labour force and a rapidly ageing population, according to the summary of the latest edition of the Green Book of Population and Labor published by the China Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). Shanghai: Chinas population is set to reach a peak of 1.442 billion in 2029 and start a long period of "unstoppable" decline in 2030, government scholars said in a research report published on Friday. The worlds most populous country must now draw up policies to try to cope with a declining labour force and a rapidly ageing population, according to the summary of the latest edition of the Green Book of Population and Labor published by the China Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). Growth in the working population had now stagnated, the report said, and the rising number of elderly people will have a far-reaching impact on the social and economic development in the country, especially if fertility rates remain low. From a theoretical point of view, the long-term population decline, especially when it is accompanied by a continuously ageing population, is bound to cause very unfavourable social and economic consequences, it said. Chinas population is expected to fall back to 1.36 billion by the middle of the century, it said, which could mean a decline in the workforce of as much as 200 million. If fertility rates remain unchanged, the population could fall to 1.17 billion by 2065, it said. China decided in 2016 to relax a controversial one-child policy aimed at curbing population growth and allow all couples to have two children. However, the countrys birth rate still fell 3.5 percent in 2017 and is expected to have fallen again last year. Chinas dependency rate - or the proportion of non-working people, including children and the elderly, in the total population - rose for the first time in more than 30 years in 2011, and is widely predicted to increase further for at least the next few decades. The proportion of retirees is projected to rise until 2060, the CASS report said, and while the decision to relax one-child rules was designed to rebalance Chinas age structure, in the short term it will also lead to a greater dependency rate. According to previous forecasts, Chinas elderly population is expected to reach 400 million by the end of 2035, up from around 240 million last year. By Rodrigo Viga Gaier RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Comments from Brazil's new right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro that he would be open to the United States operating a military base on Brazilian soil have not been well received by the country's armed forces, a senior army officer told Reuters on Saturday. Bolsonaro, who took office on Jan. 1, said in a television interview on Thursday he might be willing to allow a U.S. By Rodrigo Viga Gaier RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Comments from Brazil's new right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro that he would be open to the United States operating a military base on Brazilian soil have not been well received by the country's armed forces, a senior army officer told Reuters on Saturday. Bolsonaro, who took office on Jan. 1, said in a television interview on Thursday he might be willing to allow a U.S. base in Brazil as a way to counter Russian influence in Venezuela, a move that would mark a sharp shift in direction for Brazilian foreign policy. Brazil's military would be against a U.S. base in the country, the officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he has not been authorized to discuss the matter publicly. He added that the possibility of ceding territory for a base took officers by surprise in the Brazilian military, which has traditionally been a zealous guardian of national sovereignty. The Ministry of Defense said on Saturday it has not been informed of such a proposal by Bolsonaro, a former Army officer turned politician who has appointed retired generals to his cabinet. "The president has not discussed this with the defense minister," said Major Sylvia Martins, a spokeswoman for the ministry. Bolsonaro, an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump, has quickly moved to align Brazil more closely with the Trump administration, which was represented by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at his swearing in on Tuesday. Pompeo told reporters on Wednesday that the United States and Brazil had "an opportunity to work alongside each other against authoritarian regimes" in the region, naming Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua. Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo confirmed Bolsonaro's willingness to allow a U.S. base in comments to reporters in Lima on Friday during a meeting of the Lima Group of 13 countries monitoring Venezuela's political and economic crisis. Araujo said Bolsonaro would discuss the base offer with Trump during an expected visit to Washington in March, the Estado de S. Paulo newspaper reported. The Lima Group of Latin American nations plus Canada said on Friday that last year's elections in Venezuela were not democratic and they would not recognize the legitimacy of leftist President Nicolas Maduro's new term starting Jan. 10. Bolsonaro said in the television interview that he is worried about Russia's closeness with Maduro, the most significant U.S. foe in Latin America. A visit to Venezuela by two Russian nuclear-capable strategic bombers in December angered the U.S. government.. (Reporting by Rodrigo Viga; Gaier in Rio de Janeiro and Anthony Boadle in Brasilia; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. tech2 News Staff While Samsung is expected to showcase some of its foldable display technology at CES, it is quite evident that 2019 will be the year of foldable smartphones and Google won't be shying away from giving things a try. Russian blogger Eldar Murtazin, who was also responsible for all the leaks related to Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL last year had earlier mentioned that the company had a total of seven prototypes which were being worked on. Two of them were the current Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL while one of those prototypes is now claimed to be a foldable smartphone. Murtazin suggested in a blog post on Mobile-Review.com that the flexible display-featuring Pixel smartphone is a prototype for 2020. However, in line with Murtazin's claim, a tipster on Twitter featuring a username which reads TechNavvi says that the foldable smartphone by Google is already in the pipeline for an earlier launch. The tipster also posted an image of what he claims to be a patent application pertaining to the new foldable model. While that's the hardware side of things, given the fact that Samsung is closely working with Google to develop Android Q for foldable phones, it shouldn't be too difficult to optimise software for a foldable Pixel soon. Google's Director of Product Management, Stephanie Cuthbertson, in a blog post during Android Developers Summit said, "We're optimising Android for this new form factor. And, making changes to help developers everywhere take advantage of the possibilities this creates for amazing new experiences, new ways to engage and delight your users." The stage thus does appear to set for Google to develop and finish work on a foldable phone soon, but without an official word, it's difficult to suggest a possible timeline for such a release. tech2 News Staff CES begins on 8 January and while it isn't an Android or Amazon only event, Apple has always been a no-show at the annual technology expo. Folks at the Cupertino company see this as the perfect opportunity to take a dig at Google and Amazon with a witty ad plastered on the side of a hotel building in Las Vegas. As reported first by The Verge, the hotel which sits right next to the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), the venue for CES, reads " What happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone." Below the statement resides a link to apple.com/privacy, where the company writes at length about how secure Apple Pay, Face ID, and the health data collected by the Apple Watch is. Apple never shows up at CES, so I cant say I saw this coming. pic.twitter.com/8jjiBSEu7z Chris Velazco (@chrisvelazco) January 4, 2019 While the message does not name any company directly, every person attending CES this coming week will inevitably see the ad. For those who haven't got it yet, the statement is a wordplay on the classic Hollywood line "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas." As pointed out by The Verge, Apple here takes on precisely the opposite colour scheme, black text on a white background, when compared to Google's "Hey Google" ads, in and around the LVCC. In fact, one corner of the LVCC parking lot is entirely taken up by Google, clearly suggesting its focus on the Google Assistant at CES 2019. Apple is not entirely wrong in advertising is prowess when it comes to user data privacy. Apple devices rarely suffer from privacy-related hiccups. The product sold by the Cupertino giant does come with a much higher asking price, but you can at least be reasonably certain that your personal information is secure (for the most part). Google (with Android and Google Assistant) and Amazon (with Alexa), on the other hand, have had no shortage of difficulties preserving user privacy in 2018. Nonetheless, regardless of how snarky and witty the advert is, given Apple's sheer size and domination in the technology space, it does come across as a little petty. But again, why not? West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh ruffled a few feathers in his party on Saturday when he said TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has the best chance to become the first Bengali prime minister of the country. Kolkata: West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh ruffled a few feathers in his party on Saturday when he said TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has the best chance to become the first Bengali prime minister of the country. Extending birthday wishes to her, Ghosh said he prayed her good health and success in life "because the fate of our state depends on her success". "We want her to be fit so that she can work well. She needs to remain fit because if there is any Bengali who has the chance to be the prime minister from this Bengal, then she is the one," he said. Asked if anyone from his own party's Bengal unit had the chance to be the prime minister, Ghosh said that Mamata Banerjee was ahead in the race among Bengalis who can take up the post. "We can surely have one from Bengal after her. But she has the first chance. We couldn't have Jyoti Basu as the first Bengali prime minister as his party did not allow him to be," Ghosh said. "We had Pranab Mukherjee from the state as the first Bengali to become the president so now it's time to have a Bengali as prime minister," he added. The statement came as a shocker for the state BJP as it is engaged in a bitter fight against the TMC in the state. Keshav Prasad Maurya said: 'Whether the SP and BSP ally or not, BJP has nothing to say on it nor the alliance will affect us. The country is firmly with Modi ji. The people want to see him as the Prime Minister again.' Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh): Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) alliance will not have any adverse impact on s (BJP) prospects in the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections in the state, said Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Sunday. "The nation is with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The people want to see him again for the second term as India's Prime Minister," said Maurya while commenting on the possible poll alliance between the Samajwadi Party and the BSP in Uttar Pradesh for the coming Lok Sabha elections. Talking to ANI, Maurya said: "Whether the SP and BSP ally or not, BJP has nothing to say on it nor the alliance will affect us. The country is firmly with Modi ji. The people want to see him as the Prime Minister again." "BJP is not bothered about the alliance or 'Mahagathbandhan'. Our party remains committed to the issue of Ram temple," he added. After the reports that the BSP and SP held a meeting on Saturday to discuss the future plans for the coalition, Congress' state in-charge of PL Punia told ANI, "The chiefs of Samajwadi Party and BSP held a meeting and discussions were held over the alliance." "Both the political parties are independent to take their own decisions. How can a third person interfere," he added. Punia further said, "Our Congress president Rahul Gandhi has clarified that every state and region will make efforts for forging a coalition from their own end so that the UPA returns to power in 2019. Talks are going on in various states. In Uttar Pradesh, if the BSP and SP have decided to go solo, it is their independent decision." The violent protests which erupted across Kerala this week over the Sabarimala temple controversy sparked off a number of reactions on Twitter. The violent protests which erupted across Kerala this week over the Sabarimala temple controversy sparked off a number of reactions on Twitter, with some calling for respecting the sentiments of the devotees and some others criticising the earlier restriction on women of menstruating age. On Friday, Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said, "It's a pity that Kerala, a state known for progress & communal harmony is burning due to the Sabarimala issue. I call on everyone to keep calm and restrain from acts of violence. We have to wait for the Supreme Court's decision on the review petition... When the matter is subjudice, no action should have been taken that would cause heartburn and turmoil in society. While Kerala has not left any stone unturned for its women empowerment, the temple traditions and sentiments of devotees should be respected." In response, historian and writer Ramachandra Guha argued: "Temple traditions should be respected": that's precisely what orthodox Namboodiri Brahmins said in the 1920s to keep Dalits away from the shrine in Vaikom: https://t.co/QH6mcVFdSL Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) January 5, 2019 Amid the protests, political reactions also flew thick and fast. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao in a press conference claimed that Kannur, from where Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan hails, had become the "epicentre" of the violence and this revealed the state government's complicity in it. "All this has been done by the CPM goons with the full authority and support of the state government. The CPM has a history of unleashing violence against the RSS-BJP cadre, but today, they are not even sparing the devotees," Rao alleged. On the other hand, Kerala finance minister Thomas Issac said, " BJP spokesperson warns Kerala government of dire constitutional cosquences. Constitution? Which one? The same one which Supreme Court referred to when it opened the Sabarimala temple to women of all ages against which BJP is on warpath?What a joke. Thomas Isaac (@drthomasisaac) January 6, 2019 You are asking me to explain how the 2 women managed to enter Sabarimala temple. Why? Just like any other devotee. Walked up the hill. For your information according to TOI report today at least 10 women have entered the temple and exercised ther constitutional right. Thomas Isaac (@drthomasisaac) January 6, 2019 The United Nations has also responded to the ongoing stir, noting that the Supreme Court in India has ruled on the issue of women entering the Sabarimala temple. A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said the world body encourages all to respect the rule of law. "As you know, this is an issue on which the Supreme Court of India has commented. So, we will leave the matter in the hands of the rule of law authorities in India. Of course, we want all parties to respect the rule of law, and you're aware of the UN's position and its fundamental position on the rights on equal rights of all people, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Farhan Haq told reporters at his daily press briefing Friday. With inputs from PTI Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera levelled the allegation at a press conference held at Congress headquarters in Delhi, a day after Nirmala Sitharaman rebutted the Congress' charges on the Rafale deal, and accused the rival party of spreading 'falsehood' on the issue. New Delhi: The controversy over the Rafale deal refused to die even after the government's defence on it in the Lok Sabha, with the Congress on Saturday accusing Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her senior colleagues of spinning a "web of lies" to hide the prime minister's "falsehood". Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera levelled the allegation at a press conference held at the party's headquarters in Delhi, a day after Sitharaman rebutted the Congress' charges on the deal, and accused the rival party of spreading "falsehood" on the issue. "The ministers in the court of this 'king' are lying, to hide the falsehood of the 'king'. The defence minister said lies. It is not her fault.. her fault is that she's a minister in a court of a 'king', who has uttered such a huge lie. And to hide that lie, the entire cabinet is lying," he alleged, a day after the government's defence in the Lok Sabha. "And, lying inside Parliament, can there be a bigger crime than that," Khera said. The Congress has been targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the deal alleging that price of each aircraft was sharply hiked from around Rs 526 crore, negotiated under deal during UPA, to Rs 1,600 crore and that the contract will help Anil Ambani get Rs 30,000 crore benefit through offset contract. Vehemently rejecting the charges of corruption in the Rs 58,000 crore deal for procurement of 36 Rafale jets from France, Sitharaman, in a "point-by-point" rebuttal to opposition's allegations, Friday said, "Defence Ministry has been functioning without dalals (middlemen) during five years of (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi. Rafale is a decision in national interest." She also said the Bofors scam brought the Congress down, while Rafale will help Prime Minister Narendra Modi retain power. Khera said Modi had bowed before entering Parliament as if he was entering a temple. "And, there he and his ministers say lies," he alleged. "The first lie she said was that HAL and Dassault have no contract. On 13 March, 2014 a workshare agreement was signed, was she not aware of this? She is a well-read person, so cannot say she was not aware of it. I cannot accept it. It is an attempt to add another layer of falsehood to his (Modi's) lie," Khera alleged. The Congress spokesperson, during the press conference, also flashed old media reports on the visit of French defence minister in October 2017, to buttress his claim that Sitharaman was "lying about not knowing the offset partner of Dassault (the maker of Rafale aircraft)". "In October 2017, French Defence Minister came to India, paid floral tribute to Amar Jawan Jyoti, and then held bilateral consultation with her Indian counterpart. She then visited Nagpur, where she participated in the foundation stone-laying ceremony of Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited, the joint venture project. The Maharashtra CM was present, and other BJP ministers were there too," Khera said, quoting media reports. "So, they are speaking lies after lies," he claimed. Countering the Congress' charge in Parliament, Sitharaman had Friday said that it was the Indian Air Force which suggested that the government buy two squadrons or 36 Rafale jets in fly-away condition instead of 18, as was planned to be purchased under the Congress-led UPA government. She had also accused the Congress of compromising with national security in the interest of the party's "treasury" while deciding on buying 126 fighter jets. Under the deal finalised by the NDA government, the delivery of first Rafale will happen in 2019, while the last of 36 jets will be delivered in 2022, the minister informed the House. "The BJP is getting entangled in its web of lies. They have lied in court while filing an affidavit," he alleged. "If they had dealt with Rafale issue in a straightforward manner... but, don't know if they would be able to extricate themselves out of this web, they have spun around them," he claimed. Asked to respond on this allegation, Khera said, "They say their lies loud and repeatedly. So, we will tell truth loud and repeatedly." Asked if Congress would bring a privilege motion against Sitharaman, he only, said, "We believe in due process and parliamentary process." "The number of aircraft was reduced from 126 to 36, HAL was kicked out and Anil Ambani's firm was brought in," he alleged, and claimed, "they cannot hide behind the veil of national security". The Congress Saturday hit back at the BJP also over its claim that it had acted against economic offenders such as Vijay Mallya, saying its government is claiming credit for everything as if those happened after it assumed office in 2014. In response to a question, while addressing the press conference, Khera said that going by the BJP's "credit seeking" claims, India would be celebrating its fifth birthday on May 26, 2019. Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of 'weakening' the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to help his 'suit-boot' friend. New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "weakening" the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to help his "suit-boot" friend. His allegation came after a media report claimed that the defence public sector undertaking (PSU) HAL, grappling with low finances, for the first time in years, has been forced to borrow money to pay salaries to its employees. "(That) HAL does not have money to even pay salaries should not come as a surprise to anyone," Gandhi said in a Facebook post in Hindi. Rafale had been taken away from HAL, and "now to complete the job, the suit-boot friend needs people who are in HAL. Without weakening HAL, this work cannot be done?" he said. "Chowkidar (watchman)" is being true to his friendship, "he has nothing to do with the country's good or bad", he said. The friendship should continue, the Congress chief said. Earlier, Congress leaders accused the Modi government of "squandering" the assets of public sector undertakings such as HAL and ONGC to "favour a select few". "HAL is borrowing Rs 1000 crore because it can't even pay salaries?" senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel tweeted. "Not just HAL; be it ONGC, LIC, HPCL, GSPC or any other PSU, this government has squandered their assets to favour a select few," Patel alleged. Citing the media report, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "Under Modiji, India's largest public sector defence unit, HAL, does not even have enough cash to pay salaries to its employees. For the first time in 70 years, they were forced to borrow Rs 1000 crore". "Despite that, no Rafale contract for them; apathetic!" he tweeted. The Congress has been alleging that the government favoured a private company over HAL in the Rafale jet deal. The government, as well as the company have rejected all such allegations. The Congress remark came after Narendra Modi said near Silchar in Assam's Barak Valley that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, would be passed soon in Parliament as a 'penance against the injustice and many wrongs done in the past'. Guwahati: The Congress on Friday accused Narendra Modi of trying to divide Assam on religious and linguistic lines, hours after the prime minister announced that the citizenship bill would be passed in the Parliament soon. State Congress president Ripun Bora told reporters that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not know what it wants, as implementation of the Assam Accord and the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, cannot be done simultaneously. "Modi came today to divide Assam on religious and linguistic lines. He wants to bring Hindu Bangladeshis to Assam only for vote-bank politics," Bora said. Earlier in the day, Modi told an election rally near Silchar in Assam's Barak Valley that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, would be passed soon in Parliament as a "penance against the injustice and many wrongs done in the past". The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, to grant citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians, who fled religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan and entered India before 31 December, 2014. Modi also spoke of implementing Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, which states that all immigrants who came after 24 March, 1971, were illegal. "So, they (BJP) do not know what they are saying. It's completely contradictory. Basically, Modi and the BJP are blackmailing people with the bill," Bora said. The Lok Sabha MP clarified that there were no "double standards" between the Congress leaders of the Bengali-dominated Barak Valley and rest of the state regarding the bill. "Our Barak Valley leaders are just saying that people coming from Bangladesh should be given citizenship as per the Assam Accord. That means, all those who came before 24 March, 1971, should be accepted," he said. Bora said the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) for the bill will submit its report on Monday, a day before the Winter Session of Parliament is scheduled to end. "In one day, nobody can prepare a bill, discuss and pass it in both Houses of Parliament. It proves that Modi cannot pass the bill now. They (BJP) are just seeking votes by indirectly saying, 'if you (people) vote for us (BJP), then the bill will be passed by the next BJP-led government'," he added. On 31 December, all amendments to the bill moved by the Opposition in the JPC, headed by BJP MP Rajendra Agrawal, were defeated. Questioning the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Parliament during the Rafale debate, HD Deve Gowda said that former has given people reason to doubt him and when there is a charge, he should come before the House. Bengaluru: Questioning the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Parliament during the Rafale debate, former prime minister HD Deve Gowda said that former has given people reason to doubt him and when there is a charge, he should come before the House. Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Saturday, JD(S) chief Deve Gowda said, "Why can't the prime minister come to the House and speak? The defence minister argued well, but that's a different matter. The charge is against the prime minister." "In my view, be it the prime minister or any other leader, when there is a charge, he should come before the House. He has given the people the reason to doubt him. It is not a question of whether he is right or someone else is right. But the only problem is with the prime minister not coming to respond to the question." He further advised Modi that "whenever such an allegation is made, he should be in the House and face it". Asserting that there is a need to remind people of the decisions he had made during his tenure, Deve Gowda said, "In 10 months as the prime minister, I cleared Lokpal. It included the prime minister in its ambit." In a series of tweets and Facebook posts, Rahul Gandhi cited various media reports to allege that the country was grappling with issues such as massive job losses and farm distress, while its growth story had been destroyed with steps like demonetisation and 'bad implementation' of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over demonetisation, farm distress and job losses, alleging the prime minister was an "incompetent man who listens to nobody". In a series of tweets and Facebook posts, Gandhi cited various media reports to allege that the country was grappling with issues such as massive job losses and farm distress, while its growth story had been destroyed with steps like demonetisation and "bad implementation" of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The prime minister while speaking in Jharkhand Saturday took a dig at the Congress for "misleading" farmers in the name of loan waiver, in spite of considering them as merely a "vote bank". During another rally in Odisha, Modi again targeted the opposition party for "working at the behest of middlemen in the defence sector instead of running a government for the people during the UPA rule". In his most scathing criticism, Gandhi cited a media report which claimed that demonetisation and GST were headed to look like bigger failures. "Congress built the India growth story. Modi has used Demonetisation and the Gabbar Singh Tax to completely destroy it. He's an incompetent man who listens to nobody," he tweeted. In a Facebook post earlier in the day, the Congress president hit out at Modi over clashes in a Gujarat village between the police and farmers, saying farmers were "distressed" under the BJP's rule. Rahul's remarks came after clashes broke out on Wednesday between the police and farmers protesting against limestone mining by a private firm near a village in Gujarat's Bhavnagar district, leaving several policemen and agitators injured. "Modiji is beating his chest over the Congress's loan waiver. He has said for the Congress, farmers are a vote bank. Now see the condition of farmers in Gujarat. Under the BJP's rule, farmers are in distress," he said in his post. The farmers of Bhavnagar were protesting against mining due to the adverse effects on irrigation and agriculture, so the Gujarat police did this to them, he said. From Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh to Bhavnagar in Gujarat, the "anti-farmer character" of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is out in the open, Rahul added. In another Facebook post, the Congress leader attacked Modi over reported job losses last year, saying the prime minister who had promised two crore jobs every year was still singing the "tune of rhetoric". Gandhi hit out at Modi citing media reports which claimed that the employment scenario turned bleak in the past year with almost 11 million Indians losing their jobs. The report cited data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). "Breaking! 1 crore 10 lakh jobs were lost in 2018. The prime minister, who promised two crore jobs to the youth every year, is still singing 'Raag Jumla' (tune of rhetoric)," Gandhi said in the Facebook post in Hindi. "If Modi ji had worked for the country instead of helping Anil Ambani steal, then the future of the youth would not have been so insecure," he added. The Congress has accused the government of favouring Anil Ambani's firm in the Rafale fighter aircraft deal. However, the government, as well as Ambani, have rejected all the allegations. Rahul had earlier attacked the prime minister over the condition of farmers, alleging that on one hand, Modi was not waiving their loans and on the other, he was giving "license of loot" to his "suit-boot friends". Devendra Fadnavis made the statement at a meeting of BJP workers at Latur in central Maharashtra where party chief Amit Shah was also present. Mumbai: Indicating that hopes of forging a fresh alliance with the Shiv Sena are dim, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday the BJP should aim to win 40 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Fadnavis made the statement at a meeting of BJP workers at Latur in central Maharashtra where party chief Amit Shah was also present. "The party president will decide what to do with the Shiv Sena and the proposed alliance. But the BJP should aim to win 40 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state," Fadnavis said. Shah was in Latur to hold discussions with party workers from Latur, Osmanabad, Hingoli and Nanded. "Party workers should be ready for contesting elections without any ally. If the workers resolve, all these four Lok Sabha seats can be won," Fadnavis said. Shah had reportedly told party MPs from Maharashtra at a meeting in Delhi last Thursday that they should be ready to contest the coming elections without an alliance, though efforts to forge a pre-poll tie-up with the Sena were on. The BJP is in alliance with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and at the Centre. The Sena has been critical of BJP, and leaders of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party have often spoken of contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha elections alone. Senior AAP leader Gopal Rai said recently said that political affairs committee of the party will take a call on alliance considering views of leaders and workers from Delhi, Punjab and Haryana, after 15 January. New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal Sunday warned people against voting for the Congress even as speculations are rife that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is in touch with the grand old party for a tie-up for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Addressing a function in Kakrola, he also asked people not to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that all the seven sitting MPs of the party did nothing for Delhi's development. "Don't vote for the Congress at all, if you vote for the Congress it will strengthen Narendra Modi. Let not your vote split and give all seven MPs to the AAP," the AAP chief said. His remarks assume significance as speculations are making rounds that a pre-poll alliance is possible in Delhi between the AAP and the Congress to stop the BJP in 2019 parliamentary elections. Both the parties have so far avoided denying such speculations. Senior AAP leader Gopal Rai said recently said that political affairs committee of the party will take a call on alliance considering views of leaders and workers from Delhi, Punjab and Haryana, after 15 January. Ajay Maken, who was critical of his party's alliance in Delhi with the AAP has resigned as the Delhi Congress president, while senior party leader and former Delhi chief minister M Sheila Dikshit maintained that national leadership will take decision about a tie up for 2019 and she will abide by it. Taken on face value, Kejriwal's appeal to voters not to vote for the Congress means that the AAP is ultimately ready to take an independent plunge in the coming parliamentary polls. The national executive of the AAP in its recent meeting decided to contest all the seats in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Goa and Chandigarh, totalling 33, in the Lok Sabha elections. Talking to reporters in Lucknow, Akhilesh Yadav said he is ready to face the CBI, but people are also ready to answer the BJP. Lucknow/ New Delhi: Taking swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over reports that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) may quiz him in the illegal mining case, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav Sunday said that he may have to tell the probe agency details of his alliance with Mayawati. Talking to reporters in Lucknow, he said he is ready to face the CBI, but people are also ready to answer the BJP. "Now we have to tell the CBI as to how many seats we have distributed in the gathbandhan (alliance). I am happy that at least the BJP has shown its colours. Earlier, the Congress gave us the chance to meet the CBI, and this time it is the BJP, which has given us this opportunity," Yadav said. "The Samajwadi Party is making efforts to win maximum Lok Sabha seats. Those who want to stop us, have the CBI with them. Once the Congress did CBI probe, and I was questioned. If the BJP is doing all this, the CBI will question me, I will answer (them). But, the people are ready to give an answer to the BJP," he added. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister may face a probe by the CBI, according to the agency FIR made public on Saturday, the day arch rivals Samajwadi Party and BSP indicated their intent to join hands. The agency also raided 14 locations in connection with the FIR against 11 persons to probe alleged illegal mining of minor minerals in Hamirpur district during 2012-16. "Why is the CBI conducting raids. Whatever they want to ask, they can ask me. However, the BJP should remember that the culture it is leaving behind, it may have to face it in the future," he said. On formal announcement of seat-sharing with Mayawati's BSP, Yadav said that it is likely to be made within a week. However, he maintained suspense on accommodating the Congress in the alliance, which also includes Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). The Samajwadi Party and the BSP have decided to fight the upcoming Lok Sabha elections together and have already worked out a seat sharing arrangement to take on the BJP, which along with its allies won 73 seats from the state in 2014. "You will come to know about it (alliance) in a week or so," Yadav said. On possibility of the Congress joining the alliance, Yadav said a decision will be taken by him and Mayawati. He declined to elaborate further. "The BJP has taught us alliances and we are walking on the same path. We are trying to form an alliance with the BSP. The aim of the Samajwadi Party is to bag maximum number of seats, but the ones who wish to stop us, they have the CBI," he said. Terming the raids politically motivated, Yadav also questioned the credibility of the CBI. Hitting back, the BJP said Akhilesh Yadav's government was "hand in glove" with the accused in the illegal mining case. Rejecting Yadav's allegation of vendetta, UP minister Sidharth Nath Singh said, "If you loot public money, then law will take its own course." Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Singh said instead of questioning the time of the raids, Yadav should answer why so much "loot" had happened under his government. Congress's Kapil Sibal also attacked the BJP, saying that whoever spoke against it was raided. The politically crucial Uttar Pradesh sends 80 lawmakers to the Lok Sabha. By joining hands, the Opposition had defeated the BJP in three Lok Sabha bypolls in the state in 2017, the first show of strength after the 2017 Assembly elections which saw the saffron party storm to power in the state after a 14-year hiatus. The Apna Dal, a significant player in the state politics, is also in talks to be a part of the SP-BSP alliance. It is also talking to the BJP and its chief Krishna Patel said it will tie-up with like-minded parties. "We will go with like-minded parties, the political parties, which agree with our polices and ideology. At present, we are in talks with senior leaders of different political parties including the SP, BSP, Congress and BJP," she said. On reports of rift between the BJP and Anupriya Patel's Apna Dal (Sonelal) and Om Prakash Rajbhar's Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, she said, "I do not want to comment on it. But, as far as OP Rajbhar is concerned, he was once associated with the Apna Dal and headed the youth wing of the party." The Apna Dal (Sonelal) is a breakaway of the Apna Dal, which was founded in 1995 by Krishna Patel's husband Sone Lal Patel. The Apna Dal (Sonelal) was founded by Jawahar Lal Patel, who was also founding member of the Apna Dal. Activist and renowned actor of Indian cinema, Prakash Raj has on Saturday announced that he will contest the 2019 general elections as an independent candidate from the Bengaluru Central constituency. Bengaluru: Activist and renowned actor of Indian cinema, Prakash Raj has on Saturday announced that he will contest the 2019 general elections as an independent candidate from the Bengaluru Central constituency. Prakash has often been critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi following which he had announced on 1 January that he will enter politics stating "abki baar janata ki sarkar (this time, the people's government)". Prakash took to Twitter to thank people for their warm wishes and encouraging him to enter into politics. "2019 Parliament elections: Thank you for the warm and encouraging response to my new journey. I will be contesting from Bengaluru Central constituency in Karnataka as an Independent. Will share the details with the media in few days," he tweeted. #2019 PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS.Thank you for the warm n encouraging response to my new journey.. I will be contesting from BENGALURU CENTRAL constituency #KARNATAKA as an INDEPENDENT..will share the Details with the media in few days..#citizensvoice #justasking in parliament too... pic.twitter.com/wJN4WaHlZP Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) January 5, 2019 He also tweeted with an image showing the eight assembly constituencies that fall under the Bangalore Central parliamentary constituency. The eight assembly constituencies under Bengaluru Central are Gandhi Nagar, Charajpet, Sarvagnanagar, Shanti Nagar, Rajaji Nagar, CV Raman Nagar, Shivajinagar and Mahadevapura. The actor-cum-politician is likely to contest poll against BJP's PC Mohan, who has held Bengaluru Central seat since 2009. Further, Prakash is the third prominent actor after Rajnikanth, Kamal Haasan to enter politics in the recent years. Raj is known for his anti-BJP stance. He also has been vocal in seeking justice for his friend and journalist Gauri Lankesh, who was shot outside her residence. He had earlier claimed that Bollywood stopped offering him roles as he has been critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre. The 2019 general elections are due to be held in April or May to constitute the seventeenth Lok Sabha. On 27 December, the Uttarakhand High Court directed yoga guru Ramdev's company Divya Pharmacy to share the profits from its sale of herbal products, manufactured from the traditional knowledge of India's indigenous communities, with local residents. On 27 December, the Uttarakhand High Court directed yoga guru Ramdev's company Divya Pharmacy to share the profits from its sale of herbal products, manufactured from the traditional knowledge of India's indigenous communities, with local residents. The court rejected the firm's earlier writ petition challenging the authority of the Uttarakhand Biodiversity Board to levy fees under the fair and equitable benefit sharing provisions of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. Divya Pharmacy had contented that being an "Indian company", it was exempt from the requirement to share benefits with the indigenous communities, but the board argued that drawing such a distinction with a foreign firm would undermine the objective of the legislation. To analyse the contentions raised by the company as well as the board, it is first important to understand the purpose behind the legislation: India enacted the Biological Diversity Act in 2002 to fulfil its international obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity, 1993. The objectives of the convention include "the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources". By ensuring that there are fair and equitable benefit-sharing provisions, the convention also aims to prevent biopiracy, which is the "practice of commercially exploiting naturally occurring biochemical or genetic material, especially by obtaining patents that restrict its future use, while failing to pay fair compensation to the community from which it originates". It is pertinent to note that India has faced many such cases of biopiracy in the past, where companies in developed countries, including the United States, attempted to patent neem and basmati rice, which have been used in India for ages. Making a distinction between benefit-sharing requirements of an Indian company and those of a foreign firm would lead to a dangerous precedent, where even Indian companies can commercially exploit the knowledge of traditional communities without acknowledging their contribution. It is the local communities that preserve and keep alive traditional knowledge by ensuring that they are passed on through generations. For many communities, such knowledge is even sacred and to be used only in specific ways. While the Uttarakhand High Court rejected the contention of Divya Pharmacy and rightfully recognised that traditional knowledge is owned by both the nation and "the indigenous and local communities that have conserved it through centuries", there is a reasonable apprehension that in future, Indian companies can challenge the provisions of the Biodiversity Act. A relook at the provisions of the Act is, therefore, required. To prevent Indian companies from escaping the fair and equitable benefit-sharing requirement, amendments to sections 3 and 7 of the Act is recommended. Section 3 of the Act requires that to obtain biological resources for research or commercial use, entities including non-citizens or non-residents of India need to seek the approval of the National Biodiversity Authority; this includes both foreign companies and Indian firms that have a foreign management or shareholding. Section 7 of the Act provides that Indian citizens or companies cannot obtain any biological resource for research or commercial use unless they inform the relevant State Biodiversity Board in advance. Since Section 7 requires only "prior intimation" to and not "prior approval" from the board, the threshold to allow the use of biological resources is much lower for Indian companies. It may be noted that like multinational companies, Indian companies, too, make incredible commercial profits from the sale of herbal products. Ramdev's firm Patanjali Ayurved reportedly earned Rs 10,561 crore from sales in 2017. The distinction between Indian companies and foreign companies, therefore, no longer serves much purpose. Going by the figures, it is not just multinational companies or developed countries that have the potential to commercially exploit traditional knowledge. Therefore, Section 7 of the Act should also be modeled on the lines of Section 3, and instead of mere "prior intimation" to the board, Indian companies should also be required to take their approval while obtaining and using biological resources. Alternatively, Section 3 can be made applicable to all entities, extending from foreign companies to Indian firms and citizens. As already highlighted, companies cannot be allowed to escape their responsibility to share the benefits accrued from the use of traditional knowledge merely because they are based in India. The decision of the Uttarakhand High Court is a victory for the rights of traditional communities. However, it is not adequate as it can be challenged in the Supreme Court. Therefore, a change in legislation would be a more concrete solution to the problem of companies shirking their responsibility towards the original owners of traditional knowledge. Allowing companies to keep all profits from the use of such traditional knowledge would also defeat the objective of the Convention on Biological Diversity and India's obligations under it. Given India's rich biodiversity, it is imperative that appropriate steps are taken to safeguard the nation's custodians of traditional knowledge. It is only when the rights of the traditional communities and their knowledge are respected that the communities will also be able to trust people outside their society and share with them their well-preserved sacred knowledge. The three accused personal secretaries, Ramnaresh Tripathi, Santosh Awashti and Om Prakash Kashyap, were identified as personal secretaries of Minister of State for Mining, Excise and Prohibition Archana Pandey, Minister of State for Backward Class Welfare Om Prakash Rajbhar and Minister of State for Basic, Secondary and Higher Education Sandeep Singh, respectively. Lucknow: The personal secretaries of three Uttar Pradesh ministers, who were arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), have been sent to jail for their alleged involvement in corruption and bribes exchange cases for contracts. The three accused, Ramnaresh Tripathi, Santosh Awashti and Om Prakash Kashyap, were identified as personal secretaries of Minister of State for Mining, Excise and Prohibition Archana Pandey, Minister of State for Backward Class Welfare Om Prakash Rajbhar and Minister of State for Basic, Secondary and Higher Education Sandeep Singh, respectively. Additional Director General (ADG) of Police Lucknow Rajiv Krishna told ANI: "The personal secretaries of three Uttar Pradesh ministers who were caught in a sting operation taking a bribe have now been arrested and sent to judicial custody. On 1 January, important documents were recovered from the raids conducted at the houses of all three government officials. The investigation is still underway in the case and we are probing other angles as well." Earlier, the Uttar Pradesh government ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT)-monitored probe after the said staff members were caught on camera allegedly seeking bribes, against favours like transfers, in a sting operation by a media house. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had also directed the SIT to record the statements of all the parties and complete the investigation within a span of 10 days. The SIT team, formed under ADG Rajiv Krishna was assisted by Special Income Tax officer Rakesh Verma. Meanwhile, the Secretariat Administration Department was also directed to review if there are any more such cases. The UPA, because of its contradictions and indecision remained half-hearted about Aadhaar. A decisive Prime Minister made it possible. The idea of having a Unique Identity Number (UID) for every citizen of India was conceived by Shri Nandan Nilekani during the UPA Government. Unquestionably, the credit goes to him for conceiving, initiating and implementing the idea. Aadhaar, however, was non-statutory. There was no law governing it. This triggered a serious legal challenge. The UPA itself was a divided house. While Shri Nandan Nilekani pushed hard, a senior Minister blocked it. The Prime Minister was indecisive. The enrolment continued, though at a very moderate pace. The BJP, while in Opposition, had some reservations particularly with regard to non-citizens being enrolled. Immediately after the formation of the Government, a presentation was made to the Honble Prime Minister by Shri Nandan Nilekani where I was also present. At the conclusion of the presentation, the Prime Minister consulted others present and, decisive, as he is, immediately took the decision to go ahead with the idea of Aadhaar. The legal hurdle The UPA legislation was inadequate. It provided for the methodology by which the UID would be issued. It did not contain adequate safeguards on privacy. It did not mention for which purpose the UID would be used. The NDA Government re-examined the issue and the legislation was completely changed. The pith and substance of the new law was that Government spends a large part of the public resources in subsidising the poor. This subsidy became an indefinite amount which is given to an unidentified section of the people. There are many claimants who dont exist. Several others are not entitled to it. There are several cases of duplication and thus the unique identity based on biometrics would eliminate these aberrations and relief would travel only to the intended. This was the thrust of the new law. After the new law was passed in Parliament it was challenged before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court upheld the whole concept of unique identity and rejected the challenge that it violated the Right to Privacy. It held that Aadhaar meets the concept of constitutional trust, limited government and good governance and empowers marginalised section of society. It also introduced several safeguards to ensure that it is not misused. The Judgement of the Supreme Court added balance to the concept of AADHAAR. The Performance The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016, was passed by the Parliament on 16th March, 2016. It was notified on 26th March, 2016. Several other Sections of the Act which had initially not been notified, were notified on 12th September, 2016. In the last 28 months over 122 crore Aadhaar numbers have been issued. 99% of the adult population of India above the age of 18 stands covered. Many State support schemes, including some by the DBT mechanism have been linked to Aadhaar. 22.80 crore of PAHAL and Ujjwala beneficiaries are given cooking gas subsidies through DBT in their Aadhaar linked bank accounts . 58.24 crore ration card holders stand linked. 10.33 crore MGNREGA card holders get wage payment through DBT in their bank accounts. So do the 1.93 crore beneficiaries and other beneficiaries of the national social assistance programme. The Income Tax Department has already linked 21 crore PAN card holders with their Aadhaar numbers. 2579 crore authentications have been undertaken till date. Everyday 2.7 crore authentications are done. UIDAI has the capacity of 10 crore transactions to be authenticated per day. The Government estimates that Rs. 90,000 crore have been saved in the last few years till March, 2018 by the use of the Aadhaar. Several duplicate beneficiaries, non-existent beneficiaries and fake beneficiaries have been eliminated. The Digital Dividend Report prepared by the World Bank estimates that India can save Rs. 77,000 crore every year by the use of Aadhaar. The savings through Aadhaar can fund three schemes of the size of Ayushman Bharat. In most schemes the direct benefit transfer takes place to the beneficiaries 63.52 crore bank accounts that had been linked with the unique identity as on 15-12-2018. The total number of subsidy transactions through Aadhaar are almost about 425 crore. The total amount of subsidy transferred through Aadhaar now equals Rs. 169,868 crores. With the elimination of middlemen the benefits go directly to the bank accounts. This is a unique technology implemented only in India. The monies saved through Aadhaar is money fruitfully employed for the poor elsewhere. Aadhaar is a game changer. Its evolution tells the same story. The UPA, because of its contradictions and indecision remained half-hearted about Aadhaar. Instead of taking credit for it, Congress lawyers challenged it in Court and appeared as the anti-technology, anti-Aadhaar faces. A decisive Prime Minister made it possible. Two individuals deserve a special credit. Shri Nandan Nilekani, who started it and Dr. Ajay Bhushan Pandey, who subsequently provided it with the direction and expansion. He masterminded the Government strategy to repel the legal challenge. This article first appeared on Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's official Facebook page. It has not been edited for content or style by Firstpost staff. Violence broke out in Kerala after two women, identified as Bindu Ammini and Kanaka Durga, were declared the first women to have offered prayers at Sabarimala. Tension is likely to prevail in Kerala on Sunday after the state faced violent protests this week after two women in their 40s on Wednesday entered the Sabarimala temple. The Ministry of Home Affairs has stepped in and sought a report from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's government on the incidents of violence and destruction of public property at various places in Kerala, The Hindu reported. On Saturday, Governor of Kerala P Sathasivam had sought an urgent report from the chief minister and appealed to all sections of people to maintain peace. He had also briefed Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the law and order situation in Kerala. A day earlier, the Travancore Devaswom Board had sought an explanation from the Sabarimala tantri (chief priest) Rajeevaru Kandararu for closing the temple for an hour on Wednesday to conduct a "purification ritual" after the two women entered the shrine. He had not asked the board for permission before conducting the ritual. Kandararu has 15 days to respond to the board, The Times of India reported. Violence broke out in Kerala after the women, identified as Bindu Ammini and Kanaka Durga, were declared the first women to have offered prayers at Sabarimala. They made the trek to the hilltop shrine on the intervening night of 1 and 2 January with police protection. 'Going to Sabarimala our constitutional right' Speaking to NDTV , both Bindu and Kanaka said that even though their decision to visit the shrine was dangerous, it was their constitutional right. "I knew my life would be in danger, but I still wanted to go into the temple. We are proud that we made it easier for women who want to go to Sabarimala now," Kanaka said. "It's about devotion, but it's also about gender equality." Bindu said, "We went into the temple because it's our constitutional right. Earlier, the two women also refuted the allegations of right-wing outfits and the Opposition Congress that they were playing into the hands of the Kerala Police and the government. "I am not affiliated with any political party or organisation now. I left all that years ago. I was part of the Communist Party of India (MarxistLeninist) Liberation's Central Committee and later resigned owing to differences. I am not part of any organisation now," she said, adding that she was a key speaker at a BJP event on Human Rights Day years ago. The women also spoke to News18 about the ordeal. Bindu said that her entry into the Lord Ayyappa shrine was her contribution towards gender justice. "I stand with gender equality and this is why I entered the Sabarimala temple. It's my contribution to gender justice. When we attempted to reach the temple for the first time in December, the police advised us to leave. But this time, they fully supported us." When asked about the violent demonstrations by right-wing groups, she said, "I have no future, I have no fear." Uncertainty over who was first woman to enter Sabarimala Kanaka Durga and Bindu are believed to be the first women to enter the shrine and create history, and unconfirmed reports say they were succeeded by a Sri Lankan woman. However, The Times of India quoted police sources as saying that three Malaysian women of Tamil origin had offered prayers at Sabarimala on 1 January, a day before Bindu and Kanaka were declared the first. According to the report, the Kerala Police said there are unconfirmed reports of "at least four more women below the age of 50 having visited Sabarimala, taking the total to 10". Wave of protests hits Kerala After the two women offered prayers at the shrine, protests erupted at several places in Kerala. Hindu right-wing activists blocked highways and forced the closure of shops and markets. BJP and CPM workers also clashed in front of the Secretariat for over five hours, forcing the police to use tear gas and water cannons to disperse them. A 55-year-old man, who was seriously injured in stone pelting at Pandalam, died late on Wednesday. After news of the two women entering Sabarimala spread and triggered protests, Hindu groups called for a 12-hour long hartal on Thursday. The hartal was called by the Sabarimala Karma Samithi, an umbrella organisation of various pro-Hindutva groups, spearheading protests against the Supreme Court's 28 September verdict, and the Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad. The protests turned political on Friday, with Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) MLA AN Shamseer's home in Kannur being attacked. A few hours later, a crude bomb was hurled at former Kerala BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP V Muralidharans ancestral home in Kannur. Bombs were also hurled at the homes of CPM leader and former Kannur CPM district secretary P Sasi and CPM worker CK Vishak. Both the CPM and BJP have blamed each other for the attacks on their respective leaders. According to Kerala police chief Loknath Behera, 1,286 cases were registered till Saturday and 3,282 people arrested in connection with the violent incidents since Thursday's hartal. Of the arrested, 487 have been remanded and 2,795 granted bail. With inputs from agencies Sabarimala protests: The UK government has updated its travel advisory to India, warning British citizens to remain vigilant and avoid large public gatherings, following violent protests in Kerala over the issue of women entering the Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala. London: The UK government has updated its travel advisory to India, warning British citizens to remain vigilant and avoid large public gatherings, following violent protests in Kerala over the issue of women entering the Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), which regularly updates its advice for travel to different parts of the world, said on Friday that any British citizens planning to travel to Kerala should monitor media reports. "There have been violent protests in some towns and cities in Kerala over the issue of women accessing the Sabarimala temple. Some public services have been disrupted in the wake of clashes between police and protesters," the FCO advisory said. "If you are in Kerala or due to travel there, you should monitor media reports closely, remain vigilant and avoid large public gatherings," it noted. The rest of the travel advisory remains broadly unchanged, advising visitors to India to "avoid protests or large gatherings", follow the advice of the local authorities and monitor the local media and any curfew restrictions that may be in place. It added, "Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in India. Recent attacks have targeted public places including those visited by foreigners. "There have been recent media reports suggesting Daesh (Islamic State) may have an interest in attacking targets in India. There may be an increased threat to places visited by British nationals such as religious sites, markets, festival venues and beaches. You should be vigilant at this time, monitor local media and take all precautions for your safety." Kerala has been rocked by protests by right-wing groups after two women of "menstruating age" offered prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala on 2 January. Hundreds of people have been arrested so far in connection with the violence over the last few days. Two women, Kanakadurga, 44, and Bindu, 42, entered the Sabarimala temple and offered prayers on Wednesday, breaking a centuries-old tradition. Following this, the tantri, Kandaru Rajeevaru, closed the sanctum sanctorum to perform the 'purification' ceremony. Kochi: A senior Kerala minister on Saturday attacked the Sabarimala temple's tantri (chief priest), calling him a "Brahmin monster" for conducting a 'purification' ceremony after two women in the menstrual age group entered the shrine. The women, Kanakadurga, 44, and Bindu, 42, entered the shrine and offered prayers on Wednesday, breaking a centuries-old tradition. Following this, the tantri, Kandaru Rajeevaru, closed the sanctum sanctorum to perform the 'purification' ceremony. Kerala public works department minister and senior CPM leader G Sudhakaran asked whether a man who treated "a sister as impure" can be considered human. "The tantri is a symbol of the caste devil. He is not a Brahmin. He is a Brahmin monster. If a Brahmin becomes a monster, he will be a terror," he told reporters in Kochi. "He is not a 'shuddha (pure) Brahmin'. He does not have any love, respect and allegiance towards Lord Ayyappa." Kanakadurga and Bindu had entered the hallowed precincts guarded by police. Their entry into the shrine came three months after the Supreme Court's historic judgment lifting the ban on the entry of girls and women between 10 to 50 years of age into the hilltop shrine of Lord Ayyappa the eternally celibate deity. Despite the court's ruling, which came on 28 September last year, no one from the 'barred' age group was able to offer prayers at the shrine because of frenzied protests by devotees and right-wing outfits. Nayantara Sahgal was to inaugurate the 92nd literary meet on 11 January in the presence of Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Yavatmal (Maharashtra): Organisers of the All India Marathi Literary Meet have withdrawn the invitation extended to noted English language author Nayantara Sahgal, who was at the forefront of the "award wapsi" campaign, after some people threatened to disrupt the function. The decision was taken to "avoid any untoward incident and in view of the controversy that has cropped up against her name", after a political outfit threatened to disrupt the function, the organisers said Sunday. Sahgal (91), a Sahitya Akademi awardee, was at the forefront of the 2015 "award wapsi" campaign against the "growing intolerance in the country" under the Modi government. Sahgal was to inaugurate the 92nd literary meet on 11 January in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Noted Marathi author Aruna Dhere will preside over the event. In a press release issued Sunday, working president of the literary meet reception committee Ramakant Kolte said the organisers have taken cognisance of the threat given by a political outfit. "Nayantara Sahgal's name was proposed by the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal chief Shreepad Joshi of Nagpur which was accepted by the organisers. A follow-up was taken by sending her a formal invitation," it stated. The release stated the organisers have decided to revoke Sahgal's invitation, "as a controversy has cropped up against her name and to avoid any untoward incident from those who threatened to derail the literary meet". "We have sent her a letter cancelling the invitation," Kolte said, adding that the new name for the inauguration function is yet to be finalised. Meanwhile, the Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal (ABMSM) said in a statement in Nagpur that the decision to withdraw the invite was taken by the local level organisers. "There were newspaper reports about objections and (likely) protests to Nayantara Sahgal inaugurating the event. It was being said that some people would not let the literary meet function. Hence, to avoid any obstruction and untoward incident, the organising committee at the local level decided to send a withdrawal letter to Sahgal. "This is not the directive of the Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal. It is the local organising committee which has taken the decision," it stated. This death of the tiger in Melghat comes within a week of two tigers being found dead in Maharashtra's Umred-Karhandla-Paoni Wildlife Sanctuary in Nagpur. A tiger was found dead in Maharashtra's Melghat Tiger Reserve in Amravati district on Saturday, taking the toll up to four tiger deaths in the past six days. The reason for death has not been ascertained yet. The carcass was found near Motha village under the East Melghat Division. The male tiger had been dead for 10 days, "indicating that no patrolling was done in the area", The Times of India reported, quoting sources. "It was only due to fire-line works that the carcass was traced." Authorities have ruled out poaching on a prima facie basis, saying that the tiger died due to old age, the report added. The big cat's death in Melghat comes within a week of two deaths in the state's Umred-Karhandla-Paoni Wildlife Sanctuary in Nagpur. The Maharashtra forest department suspects that the deaths may have been due to poisoning, after officials found a half-eaten carcass of a wild pig near one of the tigers. Forest officials confirmed that both tigers, seven-year-olds Charger and Raai, had eaten the meat of the same wild boar, the Hindustan Times reported. Pench Tiger Reserve field director Ravikiran Govekar said: "Along with the dead tigress, we found a semi-eaten carcass of a wild pig near the second carcass, which indicates that this might have been a case of revenge killing by villagers from within the sanctuary. There are farmlands in close vicinity to the spot, and revenge killing is not new here. "Prima facie, it seems the wild pig was poisoned, killed and left out as bait, and the physiological changes on the tigers' carcass indicate poisoning. However, a toxicology test will confirm our suspicion, and the process is underway," he said. National Tiger Conservation Authority figures show that around 92 tiger deaths took place in 2018, with Maharashtra ranking second with 20 deaths, after Madhya Pradesh which recorded 23 deaths. This comes on the heels of the Maharashtra government coming under fire after the killing of tigress Avni. She was shot dead by forest rangers in November. Her death had drawn massive flak from animal rights activists over the manner in which she was killed by forest rangers and hunters. Tigress Avni, who was believed to be responsible for the death of at least 13 people in the past two years in the forests of Yavatmal, was gunned down by sharp-shooter Asgar Ali in the district in Maharashtra on 2 November last year. This was after a three-month hunt by around 150 ground personnel, elephants and so-called expert trackers and shooters. On 4 September, the Maharashtra forest department had issued a shoot on sight order for Avni, claiming that the six-year-old tigress, along with two of her cubs, had consumed 60 percent of a human corpse, which led to the decision to declare her a "man-eater". The decision to kill Avni, however, had generated a flurry of online petitions. In the last week of December, officials captured one of Avni's two orphaned cubs. A joint team of officials from the Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh forest departments managed to tranquilise and capture the female cub in the Anji forest in Maharashtra's Yavatmal district. Sunil Limye, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife East) in Nagpur had said the cub would be sent to the Pench national park in Madhya Pradesh. With inputs from agencies Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet on Saturday gave its nod to waive crop loans of 55 lakh farmers in the state while extending the eligibility cut-off date to 12 December, 2018 from previous 31 March, 2018. Under the scheme, farm loans up to Rs 2 lakh taken by farmers from nationalised, cooperative and regional banks, will be waived. The crop loan waiver, a poll promise of the Congress, was announced hours after Kamal Nath took oath as chief minister of Madhya Pradesh in December last year. The previous cut-off date of 31 March, 2018 announced by the newly-formed government was criticised by the opposition BJP which said it would effectively mean many farmers staying out of the ambit of the loan waiver scheme. Addressing a press conference after the Cabinet meeting here Saturday, Minister for Public Relations PC Sharma and his ministerial colleague Jitu Patwari said the benefits of the farm loan waiver would start reaching the farmers from 22 February this year. "Cabinet today approved the farm loan waiver scheme for farmers. It also extended the cut-off date up to 12 December, 2018 from previously announced 31 March, 2018," said Patwari. He said farm loan defaulters from 1 April, 2007 are included under the ambit of the scheme. The ministers said the loan waiver would benefit about 55 lakh eligible farmers including about 35 lakh small and marginal agriculturists. "Farm loans taken from cooperative, regional and nationalised banks are included under the purview of this scheme," Patwari said. Responding to a question, the minister said the cost of the entire farm loan waiver scheme to the state exchequer is yet to be calculated. "As per rough estimates, this scheme would cost somewhere between Rs 35,000- Rs 50,000-crore," Patwari said. He said a chief executive officer of every block would be responsible for implementation of the loan waiver scheme. "Eligible farmers will need to fill different forms as per the identity proofs they are having. A green form would be filled by those who have Aadhaar card and white form by those farmers who possess identity proofs other than Aadhaar card. Farmers not having any ID proof will have to fill a pink coloured form," he explained. Patwari said the farmers who pay Income Tax, and those who are government employees, are not eligible to claim the loan waiver. He said Cabinet has also cleared a proposal to increase the financial assistance provided under the 'Kanyadan Yojana' to Rs 51,000 from previous Rs 28,000. Under the Kanyadan Yojana, the government provides the financial assistance for marriage of girls coming from poor families. Meanwhile, former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has termed the extension of the farm loan waiver cut-off date as a victory of the BJP and farmers in the state. "The increasing the cut-off date from 31 March, 2018 to 12 December, 2018 is the victory of farmers' and our struggle. Now, I demand that government should take immediate action to compensate the farmers whose crops were damaged due to frost (sic)," tweeted Chouhan. Akhilesh Yadav and another senior Samajwadi Party leader are likely to be summoned by the CBI in an illegal sand mining case; violence continues in Kerala over Sabarimala; Narendra Modi attacks Congress in Odisha; and more. Akhilesh Yadav under CBI scanner Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and another senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader are likely to be summoned by the CBI, which conducted searches on Saturday at 14 locations in connection with an illegal sand mining case. Akhilesh had also held the mining portfolio in 2012-13, which has brought his role under the scanner, according to the FIR. It is alleged that public officials allowed illegal mining from 2012 to 2016 and unlawfully renewed licences despite a ban by the National Green Tribunal on mining. It is alleged that the officers allowed theft of minor minerals and would extort money from leaseholders and drivers. The searches took place on a day the SP and the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) announced their intent to form an alliance ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. News18 quoted SP spokesperson Abdul Hafiz Gandhi as saying, "The party welcomes the CBI action, but the timing does raise questions, especially since this is coming right after stories of an SP-BSP alliance in the media." The report said, "The coming together of the two arch-rivals may spell trouble for the ruling BJP, which had a home run in 2014 elections when it won 71 out of the total 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state." Violence continues over Sabarimala The Centre has asked for a report from the Kerala government on the violence by workers of several parties, who clashed in the state on Saturday. Violence involving BJP-RSS and the ruling CPM rocked parts of Kerala, particularly Kannur district, with several houses and shops of rival leaders and workers being attacked over the Sabarimala issue. Amid incidents of vandalism, Governor P Sathasivam briefed Union Home Affairs Minister Rajnath Singh about the law and order situation in Kerala. "We have asked for a report. It has not come yet," he said. "The situation should come under control soon." Narendra Modi attacks Congress in Odisha Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused the Congress of "playing" with national security and working at the behest of middlemen in the defence sector, instead of running a government for the people during the UPA rule. "I cannot understand whether the Congress was running a government or a durbar of its own (Christian) Michel mama," he said at a BJP rally in Odisha. The prime minister addressed the rally after unveiling a slew of projects worth over Rs 4,500 crore in different sectors ahead of the general elections in 2019. This was Modi's second visit in less than a fortnight to Odisha, where the Assembly elections are also slated to be held along with the Lok Sabha polls. Mounting a scathing attack on the Congress after a showdown between the government and Opposition in Parliament over the Rafale deal, Modi alleged that there was a conspiracy to weaken the country's defence forces during 2004-2014 (the period of the UPA rule) and the revelation of facts was now "giving pain" to the Opposition party's leaders. Rain forces early lunch on Day 4 of Sydney Test Incessant showers washed out the morning session on Day 4 of the fourth Test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, with the hosts still 386 runs behind. There is a possibility of further interruptions in play given the forecast for rain on Sunday. India had earlier restricted Australia to 236/6 on Day 3, the home team wasting a good start provided by Marcus Harris as the Indian spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav (3/71) and Ravindra Jadeja (2/62) made merry on conditions that were still suited for batting. Marriott hack Marriott International on Saturday said that the hack into its reservation database in November had potentially compromised 383 million customers, an "upper limit" lower than the earlier estimated 500 million accounts. However, Marriott International confirmed that hackers had compromised the passport numbers of millions of people in a potential "foreign-intelligence gold mine". Deepika Padukone launches personal website on her birthday After an eventful 2018 with the release of Padmaavat and her wedding with actor Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, who turned 33 on Saturday, announced the launch of her website. Just a day earlier, the actress had taken to her Instagram handle and shared a handwritten note, stating something "super exciting" was coming up, with a countdown. The website features the landmarks and awards that Deepika has achieved, apart from information on Live Love Laugh, the foundation she has been supporting to spread mental health awareness. Partial solar eclipse from 5 to 9 am IST today The first partial solar eclipse of 2019 will take place on 6 January. Starting soon after dawn, around 5 am, till 9 am (IST), the eclipse will be visible to people in Northeast Asia, China, parts of Siberia, Korea and Japan, but won't be visible from India. For those in India, Transparenskies on YouTube will live stream the entire phenomenon. With inputs from PTI The committee will also recommend the appropriate level of reservations in employment under the government of Assam for Assamese people, the home ministry said in a notification. New Delhi: The Centre has set up a high-level committee to assess the appropriate level of reservation of seats in the Assam Assembly and local bodies for Assamese people, besides providing other safeguards. The move comes days after the Union Cabinet made a decision to this effect as per the 1985 Assam Accord. The committee will be headed by headed by former Union tourism secretary MP Bezbaruah. In a notification, the home ministry said the committee will examine the effectiveness of actions taken since 1985 to implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. "The committee will assess the appropriate level of reservation of seats in Assam Legislative Assembly and local bodies for the Assamese people. The committee will recommend the appropriate level of reservations in employment under the government of Assam for the Assamese people," the notification said. The notification said the panel will also hold discussions with various stakeholders, including social organisations, legal and constitutional experts, eminent persons from the field of art, culture and literature, conservationists, economists, linguists and sociologists. It will suggest measures to be taken to protect Assamese and other indigenous languages of Assam. The committee can also suggest any other measures, as may be necessary, to protect, preserve and promote cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people. It will submit its report within six months from the date of notification (5 January). The panel will be facilitated by the Noth East Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the state government will provide necessary administrative and logistic support to the committee. The Clause 6 of the Accord states: "Constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people." Besides, Bezbarauah, a retired IAS officer, the members of the panel are former IAS officer Subhash Das, Nagen Saikia, former president of the Assam Sahitya Sabha, Dhiren Bezbaruah, former editor of The Sentinel, Mukunda Rajbangshi, educationalist, Ramesh Borpatragohain, advocate general of Assam, Rongbong Terang, former president of the Assam Sahitya Sabha, and one representative of the All Assam Students' Union. The joint secretary in the home ministry will be the member secretary. A 42-year-old man was arrested on Saturday for reportedly shooting to death his minor son during a celebratory firing in northeast Delhi's New Usmanpur, police said. New Delhi: A 42-year-old man was arrested on Saturday for reportedly shooting to death his minor son during a celebratory firing in northeast Delhi's New Usmanpur, police said. The accused has been identified as Yasin, they said. The incident comes days after a woman architect died when a former JD(U) MLA fired celebratory shots in the air during a New Year's eve party at his farm house in Fatehpur Beri. On 31 December, New Usmanpur police station was informed that a person was shot in the area, police said. Eight-year-old Rehan was hit by a bullet on his right cheek during the celebratory firing, a senior police officer said. The child was rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead, the officer said. Subsequently, a case was registered, he said. "During the investigation, Yasin, father of the deceased, emerged as the prime suspect," Atul Kumar Thakur, Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast), said. The accused later confessed that he took the firearm from one 21-year-old Ravi Kashyap, a resident of Loni in Uttar Pradesh. He fired in the air and the bullet accidentally hit his son who was present at the celebration, the officer said. Kashyap has also been arrested, police said, adding the weapon has been found. Alleged middleman Christian Michel, arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, received money from other defence deals as well which was to be probed, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday told a Delhi court, which sent the accused to judicial custody. New Delhi: Alleged middleman Christian Michel, arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, received money from other defence deals as well which was to be probed, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday told a Delhi court, which sent the accused to judicial custody. The agency told special judge Arvind Kumar that Michel had received 24.25 million euros and 1,60,96,245 pounds from the AgustaWestland deal. "During the interrogation, it was observed that he had also received money from other defence deals, which the ED will enquire," it said. The ED's special public prosecutors, DP Singh and NK Matta, also told the court that the "accused has also routed money through 'hawala' operators for acquiring cash and for the purchase of property." The ED produced Michel before the court on the expiry of his 14-day custodial interrogation and requested the court to send him to judicial custody, claiming that he might flee from justice if left free. "The accused is a British national and has no roots in India. There is every likelihood that he may abscond from India and evade the process of law, especially in the light of his past conduct. "He has been brought to this court through rigorous extradition proceedings. His fleeing away from justice again cannot be ruled out," the ED said. The application was allowed by the court, which sent Michel to judicial custody till 26 February. In the CBI case related to the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal, the court sent Michel to judicial custody till 27 February. Michel, who was extradited from Dubai recently, was arrested by the ED on 22 December and since then was in the agency's custody on a court order. The ED told the court that it had identified Michel's properties purchased with the proceeds of crime. "He has given contradictory answers to various questions and he was not able to explain the contradiction," it said. The agency told the court that the audit report submitted during the trial in an Italian court was appearing to be factually incorrect. "Hence, it is required to be seen whether the Italian court had based its decision on the said audit report," it said. The ED added that it had "investigated how cash was transferred through 'hawala' and multiple bank accounts. We have found information about other defence deals. We need to investigate the money flowing there as well. We have documents to show that they misled the Italian court". The court had earlier imposed restrictions on Michel meeting his lawyers in ED custody after the agency said he was misusing legal access by passing chits to the advocates, asking them how to tackle questions on "Mrs Gandhi". In its application seeking extension of Michel's remand, the agency also claimed that during questioning, he had spoken about the "son of an Italian lady" and how he was going to become the next prime minister of the country. "We also need to decipher who the 'big man' referred to as 'R' is in the communications between Michel and other people," the ED told the court. It sought that Michel be barred from meeting his lawyers in custody, alleging that he was being tutored from outside through his lawyers. The ED told the court that Michel had made a reference to "Mrs Gandhi" during his interrogation on 27 December. During his medical examination, the accused had handed over a folded paper to his lawyer, Aljo K Joseph, which was noticed by the ED officials. After the perusal of the paper, it was revealed that it pertained to a set of follow-up questions on "Mrs Gandhi", the ED said. The agency told the court that it was clear that there was a conspiracy to shield or tamper with the evidence that could be brought forth from the questioning of the accused. It said it had discovered fresh evidence relating to new entities used for laundering the proceeds of crime and that Michel's custodial interrogation was needed for confronting his Indian connections identified till date. Michel is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The others are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. The ED, in its remand application on Saturday, said the probe had revealed that Michel was the key middleman for AgustaWestland, pursuing the deal at different levels, and was instrumental in the circulation of sensitive information and eventual payment of kickbacks. The key issues being investigated by the ED include the modus operandi adopted by the accused to eliminate TATA and HAL from competition in an Italian deal and the steps undertaken to mask the present deal as a British deal, instead of an Italian deal, to gain advantage in Light Observation Helicopters. The agency is also probing the modus operandi adopted in influencing the German deal and how the accused misused information, leading to actions under the Official Secrets Act, and to determine if there were any more kickbacks, leading to the proceeds of crime linked with these activities. The ED, in its chargesheet filed against Michel in June 2016, had alleged that he had received 30 million euros (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland. The CBI, in its chargesheet, has alleged an estimated loss of 398.21 million euros (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer in the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million euros. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category by Sean Fitzpatrick | Pacers Correspondent | Sat, Jan 5th 3:43pm EST Jeremy Lamb has been ruled out for Saturday's game versus the Denver Nuggets with a hamstring injury. This will be Lamb's second game in a row out with Devonte Graham starting in his place. (Hornets PR on Twitter) Wall Street analysts have given iShares MSCI Chile ETF a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but iShares MSCI Chile ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Sincerely held religious beliefs are not a license to discriminate, and yet they have repeatedly been asserted as such in recent years often in response to gay marriage. Legislation from state Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, continues this unfortunate tradition. He has authored Senate Bill 85, which would allow psychologists, marriage and family therapists, counselors, chemical dependency counselors, social workers and behavioral analysts to refuse to provide their services due to sincerely held religious beliefs. So long as referrals are made to other providers, there would be no disciplinary action or penalty for refusing to provide services. We have the utmost respect for faith and the guiding force it plays in many lives. But while many of us hold sincere religious beliefs, those beliefs, and their underlying faiths, are hardly uniform. To deny services through wording so vague is deeply problematic and a Pandoras box for all kinds of refusals. A referral to another willing provider cannot fix such potential discrimination. What would be a qualifying sincerely held religious belief? The legislation offers no specifics. Is it that marriage is only between a man and a woman, even though the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld same-sex marriage? Could a psychologist refuse services to a person of another faith? Could a drug counselor refuse to help someone because the client is transgender? Other questions: How would the state assure there are other adequate, qualified providers? And would those providers be accessible? Again, the legislation fails to offer specifics. This is exactly the kind of legislation that divides Texans from one another and distracts from the compelling issues that affect Texans every day. School finance and property tax reform should be the top priorities this session. Improving transportation and ensuring water security are paramount. So is criminal justice reform. Allowing counselors and social workers to refuse to help a person in a time of need or crisis? Not so much a priority. After last sessions debacle over the so-called bathroom bill, which targeted transgender people and risked economic blowback, one would think state lawmakers would steer clear of legislating potential discrimination. One would think they would remember the potential for economic boycotts or the harm that comes with putting Texas in a negative spotlight. But whats particularly galling about this legislation is that it is specific to professions that care for people during difficult times. Therapists. Social Workers. Psychologists. Addiction counselors. Implicit in all of these jobs is helping people not refusing them because of the caregivers religious beliefs. To quote from Matthew 25: For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. ... Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Nothing in that wisdom says, I was transgender, but you refused to help me because of your sincerely held religious beliefs. But thanks for the referral. Stop this legislation in its tracks. The idea of quality has been nagging me ever since the Payless ShoeSource marketing hoax in Santa Monica, Calif., at the tail end of 2018. Marketing executives thought of an ingenious way to show off their product in an upscale market by introducing one with a snappy name Bruno Palessi. To stave off sagging profits and reinvigorate its brand, Payless threw a launch party to celebrate a new luxury brand of Italian designer shoes from Bruno Palessi. Of course, they didnt tell unsuspecting shoppers influencers of the ruse. Overnight, Payless became Palessi. And what better way to influence upscale customers who thought they were buying high-end, ridiculously priced shoes like Gucci and Prada with price tags up to $1,300? An online YouTube video shows a customer buying a pair of $19.95 shoes for $800, believing she is getting a bargain. Of course, the buyer got her money returned, plus the shoes for free, all in the name of marketing and branding. The perpetuators of the marketing hoax were making a point that their products are just as swanky and beautiful as those from their high-end competitors. Which brings us to the notion of quality: Is quality in the mind of the believer, or is it associated with aggressive branding? What drives consumers to be duped by these appeals to emotions and vanity? Not since Robert M. Pirsigs philosophical novel Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance in 1974 has the search for quality been so important. Pirsigs novel is about a man and a son trekking across America on a motorcycle, searching for quality. And what they learn is that quality is akin to understanding the difference between what is classical and what is romanticism. Its all in the viewers perspective. Do we see the world through a realist or idealistic lens as in the old Star Trek series, with Mr. Spock seeing everything as logical, unemotional and completely cerebral, while Captain Kirk viewed things from an emotional, spontaneous and gut-instinct level? Obviously, the Kirk paradigm is the key to understanding quality as a subjective determinant. The idea that quality can be packaged and sold as a commodity has been the driving force of capitalism. Think about how customers select items such as automobiles, makeup palettes, perfumes, shoes, and mens and womens garments. Its all subjective. Reconciling price with quality is the conundrum. Can I get more for my buck without getting hit on quality? But then again, what is quality? And how does one determine it? Is it based on craftsmanship or consumer demand, or does price play a dicey formulation in its appeal? The feud turns into a comic-tragedy, because one persons junk can be another persons treasure. The arbitration of quality is subjective. But the real determiner is craftsmanship, no matter the price. In short, Pirsig argues that quality is a perceptual experience. The high quality of a pair of shoes, for instance, is reflected in the overall appearance of the item. Its construction, stitching, feel and overall aesthetics all that will determine what consumers will pay for the item. Generally, people have a basic idea of what, if anything, determines quality. The only outcome that Payless accomplished was to alert members of the public to their insane association of high prices and quality. All the customers who paid $500 to $800 for products costing $20 to $40 realized that quality is subjective. Which leads us to that nagging question: Is the price a true reflection of the product? The philosophical debate continues. Next time you shop at a retail store, hold on to your wallet and ask plenty of questions. Rafael Castillo, who teaches English and Humanities at Palo Alto College, is director of publications and special projects for Catch the Next Inc. Seventeen new oil and natural gas pipelines came online in 2018, but the country still needs additional energy infrastructure to meet growing energy needs. The question is which types. Energy infrastructure is a broad term, encompassing not only oil and natural gas pipelines, but also power plants, transmission lines and the other parts of what is generally termed the grid. As currently designed, the grid has been successful in getting the U.S. even in its most rural areas electrified. Now the challenge is integrating intermittent renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, and also trying to better secure the grid against attacks from cybercriminals and foreign adversaries. According to the Energy Information Administration, or EIA, domestic crude production was expected to average 10.9 million barrels per day in 2018. This year, this average is predicted to be 12.1 million barrels a day, while the same agency predicts that both the level and volume growth of natural gas production will continue to rise in 2019 after setting new records this year. Getting this oil to market will require a continued expansion of pipeline infrastructure. The industry trade group Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, or INGAA, released a study this fall that found that even in supposedly unfavorable market conditions, Canada and the U.S. will need to add 7.7 million barrels per day of new oil transport capacity to keep pace with market and production demands. This breaks down to projections of capital expenditures of between $685 billion and $898 billion from 2018 to 2035, or $38 billion to $50 billion per year. Construction on that scale would be a boon to both local and regional economies, adding 242,000 direct jobs and supporting hundreds of thousands more. States likes Texas, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, California and Ohio would especially benefit from infrastructure expansions, which would support tens of thousands of high-paying jobs that dont require college degrees. With all the excitement in fossil fuels, it can be easy to lose sight of the broader picture of energy infrastructure, which also includes the electric grid. Historically, economic growth has generally been accompanied by increased energy needs. Energy researchers view the past decades pattern of flat electricity demand as an anomaly and doubt that trend will continue. New generation capacity does little good if it cant be connected to consumers. When he came into office, President Donald Trump hyped his infrastructure plan, a proposal that quickly stalled. Now Democrats are the ones pushing for increased infrastructure spending. Bolstered by tax breaks and other government incentives, clean energy installations set records in 2017 and have remained strong this year. Now that the projects have been announced, the thing to watch will be how the states handle getting this power to market. For traditional generation methods, transmission companies handle the costs and infrastructure of getting power from generators to consumers. Renewable energy sites, which are frequently farther away from population centers, are less attractive investment prospects. To get the power to market, backers of offshore wind and solar plants have often footed the bill for transmission costs themselves and in some instances have gotten help from state governments. Other states, like Texas, have explored shifting some of the increased transmission costs of renewables back to the companies generating the power through changes in the states capacity markets. In December, the Texas Public Utilities Council dodged a decision on this. Making the operators of solar and wind installations responsible for a larger share of transmission costs would be another cost increase during an era when natural gas remains an attractively cheap alternative. For consumers, the fear would be that state renewable energy standards would require the use of these renewables despite their higher costs. Decisions on transmission costs are just one element of what would be needed to modernize the American grid. With increased risks of cyberattack, grid modernization and security has become more of a priority for the Department of Energy. Changes to the physical structure of the grid have occurred in a more piecemeal fashion, however, largely driven by the priorities of states and regional transmission companies. In short, there is a lot to build in the coming year and 2019 looks to set records of its own. Erin Mundahl is a reporter with InsideSources. Police shot and killed John Richard Camacho, 27, of Canyon Lake, Friday after they say he reached for a pellet gun that looked like a pistol during a traffic stop, San Marcos Police Department Chief Chase Stapp said at a news conference Saturday. Officers responded to a report of a man shooting a handgun at a car around 9:30 p.m. on the 100 block of South LBJ Drive. A witness told police the shooter got into a car and fled, authorities later located a car matching the description and initiated a traffic stop. RELATED: San Antonio police continue to search for missing 8-month-old, father charged The front passenger, Camacho, who police say matched a description of the suspect they were searching for, got out of the car and confronted two officers. Initially, police say he complied with their commands but then lowered his hands and reached for his waistband, grabbing a pistol "manufactured to look identical to a semi-automatic handgun," according to a news release. Officials said police then opened fire when Camacho started to "pull upward on the pistol." Camacho died at the scene. The driver of the car was not injured and is cooperating with the investigation. Police said Camacho was on parole and had an extensive criminal history that included weapons-related and violent offences. They did not specify for what Camacho was on parole. RELATED: SAPD identifies officers who fatally shot 2 armed suspects within 24-hour span "The San Marcos Police Department values the sanctity of human life above all things, and any time we are forced to take a life in the course of our duties, we will do our best to provide as much information as we can as quickly as we can to our community," Stapp said Saturday. "I want to extend my thoughts to everyone affected by this incident." The San Marcos Police Department Criminal Investigation Division and the Texas Rangers are investigating the incident. The homeless and hungry flock to Redeemers Praise Church on Pine Street, where Pastor Shetigho Agbuke offers an abundance of blessings, physical as well as spiritual. Each Saturday morning, they arrive to receive food from her pantry, pulling grocery carts and driving cars that have seen better days. Chilly air swept through the open church doors on a recent weekend, as Agbuke prayed for the gathering in the sanctuary before they filed to the pantry line. They have a box of food for the week, she said. That is my desire. Antonio Tony Baloney Hernandez, 47, was among more than 60 people who visited the old church on the East Side this Saturday. Bundled for the cold weather, he pulled his cart packed with food for him, his mother and father. He trudged along the asphalt road as he did two years ago, when he crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico to Laredo. He gives thanks to the Lord for his life in Texas, but without proper documentation, jobs have been hard to come by, he said. For the past five months, Hernandez has relied on the kindness of the pastor and her volunteers and his faith. Shes a good woman, he said. And Im blessed from my Big Daddy. He always has my back. For the past eight years, the Nigerian-born pastor has ministered to her congregation and, with a caravan of volunteers, fed the homeless in and around downtown. Many in her congregation suffer from drug addiction and poverty. Some have slept under bridges. Others have sold their bodies near the church that sits on concrete risers. They have all have found help from the pastor who always wears the colorful headdress and dress that are traditional in Africa. Agbuke is dedicated to ministering to the needs of others, but she, too, needs help. The church building she bought with savings in 2010 is in bad shape. Soot and smoke from a blaze years ago stain the sanctuary walls. Air-conditioning tubing for cooling is coiled above rafters in need of a dropped ceiling. But theres no heat. The walls are bare plywood. Floors and the roof need to be shored up. Windows and outside doors need to be replaced. She said that so far she has collected $20,000 from donations, tithes and offerings toward the estimated $80,000 needed to repair and restore the church building. But donations for the rebuilding campaign are slow to come in, so shes considering taking what money she has and at least having electrical wiring repaired and sheet rock installed to help insulate the interior. Earlier last year, the citys code compliance office cited her for having piles of clothes and a mattress dropped off by donors sitting on the back lot. She was also required to fix the lattice that wraps around the bottom of the church to help prevent vagrants from sleeping beneath the church. Agbuke said she met the requirements of the citys red warning notice that was posted on chained and padlocked front doors. The case has since been dismissed. Shes not malicious in trying to ignore municipal codes and rules, said Pam Espurvoa Allen, founder of Eagles Flight Advocacy & Outreach. They come secondary because shes so true to her calling. Theres a human need that needs to be addressed and red tape cannot be applied. Allens organization provides food for the churchs pantry and meals for the homeless. Gloria Benavidez Rodriguez of Ma Hilas Heart Project helps Agbuke with the building reconstruction efforts. Those are just two of the fellow pastors and nonprofit volunteers who do what they can to help Agbuke. As the line of visitors dwindled that Saturday morning, the pastor wrapped herself in a blanket against the cold as volunteer Jesse Terrazas asked for her blessing. He credits her for helping him after he kicked a heroin habit three years ago. Helping her, in turn, to provide for people living on the streets gives him a good feeling. Shes my provider, too, said Terrazas, 60, who delivers meals with Agbuke and interprets for her as she ministers to those who cant speak English. After the pastor and her volunteers distributed the food at the church, they made their way to several spots on the East Side, delivering meals to the homeless. Her daughter Ovigwe Agbuke along with volunteers Victoria Perales, Jewel Luster-Jackson and Terrazas packed ice chests with more than 180 meals of sausage and ham mixed with onion gravy. I take nothing and make it into something, volunteer cook Eddie Davila said. My mission is to give back. She gave to me and Im giving back to her. Ovigwe Agbuke said shes proud of her mothers work. Its not something that everybody can do, especially on the streets, she said. I trust God to protect her, Ovigwe Agbuke, 32, said. She helps people who cant help themselves, with a pure heart and wanting nothing in return. On the last Saturday of December, Agbuke drove to 10 locations with Terrazas in the passenger seat and Perales trailing behind in her own car. Men rushed from alleys, dirt paths and sidewalks when the little group parked at a storefront on Pine Street. A hooded woman bowed her head as Agbuke prayed for her on the curb of Hackberry Street. They stopped for a man wrapped in quilts on a bench below the Hays Street Bridge. When Agbukes red SUV came in sight of the Central Library, people started coming from all directions. Alfred Wilkinson, a man Agbuke called the Captain, notified other homeless people inside of the building that the pastor and her volunteers had arrived. More than 80 people lined up as Wilkinson talked about how he became homeless after serving six years in the Army. Im trying to find work, he said. Thats the hard thing. He said Agbuke and her crew are one of several groups that stop by regularly. Its something that helps soften the grim reality of life on the streets, which can include being robbed and attacked. A box cutter is a nasty blade, he said. Agbukes final stop was outside of Haven for Hope. As she and Terrazas handed out the final meals of day, a man they had served earlier walked up to them not to get seconds, but to thank them. I came to say God bless you, the man said. You have a blessed day. Vincent T. Davis is a reporter in the Greater San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | vtdavis@express-news.net | Twitter: @vincentdavis Christopher Cevilla fought back tears Sunday as the news washed over him: An arrest had been made. A 20-year-old man was behind bars, and authorities were one step closer in the twisting path to bring his daughters killer to justice. Eric Black Jr. allegedly confessed to his role as the getaway driver and has been charged with capital murder in the drive-by shooting of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes, a crime that captivated the nation and drew tens of thousands of dollars in donations. He told police the shooting near the northeast Houston Walmart was a mistake, that the Barnes family was not the intended target. They soon learned they shot the wrong car on the news. Now my baby has gotten justice, Cevilla said outside the Harris County Jail. Now we can properly put her to rest without having to put her to rest and were still on a manhunt looking for a suspect. The grieving father was at ease and at times laughing with pastors in a Harris County Sheriffs Office hallway before those emotions were reduced to tears after law enforcement detailed their steps in tracking down one of the men suspected in his daughters Dec. 30 death. More for you News Women are sending love letters to Colorado man serving... Sheriff Ed Gonzalez attributed the arrest to one tip in a sea of a 1,000-plus that followed a week of chasing down the wrong lead. Detectives spent six days working off an evolving description of a white man behind the wheel of a red pick-up truck as described by witnesses, even as the case threatened to inflame racial tensions with the looming specter of a hate crime. Ultimately, a tip passed from civil-rights activist Shaun King to Gonzalezs inbox during the middle of the week led investigators to Blacks Instagram account. The tip indicated that Black was driving the car with another man as a passenger. The suspects did not resemble the sickly thin man with blue eyes and hints of stubble depicted in a sketch composite compiled with the help of Jazmines sister. Both of the suspects were black. It didnt quite gel at the time, Gonzalez said of the tip, adding that his investigators continued looking for the man in the sketch. The investigation came to a head Saturday afternoon when authorities obtained new information to swoop in for the first arrest. Deputies pulled Black over in a rental vehicle at Woodforest and Beltway 8 for failing to use a turn signal. It wasnt until after investigators began grilling Black that he allegedly admitted to being involved in the shooting and revealed that the family was not the intended target. Police did not reveal the actual target. Handcuffed and wearing an orange jail jumpsuit, Black sat quietly in court just before dawn Sunday when a hearing officer remanded him without bail for his first known arrest in Harris County. During the court appearance, prosecutors partially identified Larry Woodruffe as the second suspect and the man who pulled the trigger during the drive-by assault. He has not been charged in connection with the shooting as of Sunday night. Our work is not finished, Gonzalez said in a statement beforehand, but I believe the people of Harris County can take comfort in knowing we have made great progress. Woodruffe, who has a lengthy rap sheet in Harris County, was allegedly a passenger in his car when he and Black spotted a vehicle they thought they recognized, prosecutors cited Black as telling authorities. He allegedly opened fire out the window as the pair drove by. The two men returned the rental car and picked up a different one - a gray Kia that Black was driving when deputies arrested him Saturday. After his confession, Black identified the alleged shooter from a booking photo and told investigators that the murder weapon a 9 mm pistol was at his house. Gonzalez declined to discuss Black and Woodruffes respective roles in the shooting during a press conference Sunday afternoon since charges have not yet been filed against the second suspect in the case. Woodruffe appeared in court Sunday morning on drug charges and was ordered held on a $100,000 bond. Neither the suspects nor the vehicle resembled those police had been searching for during the week. The suspects were in a rental car, not the red four-door pickup truck initially described by police and as seen in surveillance footage near the Walmart before the shooting. Gonzalez said he believes the witnesses were sincere and if anything, the girls may have been describing the truck driver they saw at a traffic light. We do not believe in any way that the family, as weve said from the beginning, that theyve been involved in anything nefarious, Gonzalez said. Its just went down very quickly. The gunfire erupted. Were talking about small children. They witnessed something very traumatic. Its likely the last thing they did see was indeed that truck and the driver in that truck. The driver of the pickup truck was likely a witness in the shooting who authorities would still like to come forward to shed light on what happened. Jazmines mother, LaPorsha Washington, declined to comment about the arrest when reached at her home Sunday morning while preparing a birthday party for another of her daughters. She was still wearing a sling from where she was shot in the arm during last weeks pre-dawn shooting. Washington, 30, was taking her four daughters to the shopping area around 6:50 a.m. when a gunman opened fire and riddled her car with bullets. She tried driving to a hospital but was forced to stop due to a shot-out tire. She called 911 when she realized her daughter, Jazmine, had a gunshot wound to the head and stopped breathing. Lt. Christopher Sandoval recounted the hurt he and fellow first responders felt as her lifeless body was pulled from the car. He has spent most every waking moment since then working the case. When all this broke on the very first day, it became very apparent to us that this would be one of those cases that we would have to have all hands all deck, Sandoval said. He said six homicide investigators and more from other divisions were tasked with finding Jazmines killer. The investigation required the most man power and hours that he can recall in the two years serving as a commander on the homicide unit. This is the first time Ive seen such an investigation of this scale where everyone is involved, Sandoval said. Because the victim was under 10, the state can ask for a charge of capital murder. Black can be held just as culpable as the actual gunman under a controversial Texas law that holds accomplices equally responsible for slayings. Black is slated to return to court Monday before a judge in the 176th District Court. During the week, Gonzalez was careful not to pin a motive to the case, even as activists and family members feared the shooting to be racially motivated. The sheriff dismissed the possibility of a hate crime during the press conference. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, said at the press conference that she did not believe it irresponsible to suggest the childs death may have been the result of a hate crime. Nothing is irresponsible when it comes to the lost of a precious 7-year-old. As many in the community did, they expressed that it seemed to have the criteria of that, she said, applauding Houstons patience in awaiting arrests. King pushed a reward up to $100,000 for identification of the killer as the manhunt intensified. The money will be used to establish a foundation in Jazmine Barnes memory, family attorney Lee Merritt said. A funeral for Jazmine is scheduled for noon Tuesday at the Community of Faith Church. Gonzalez said that he was not aware of anyone being eligible for a $5,000 reward established through Crime Stoppers of Houston. Mayor Sylvester Turner thanked law enforcement for their work on the case. The authorities worked around the clock to find the individual who is allegedly responsible for the heinous and unspeakable act of violence against an innocent child, Turner said in a statement early Sunday. This should serve as a warning to all violent offenders who prey on our community: The color of your skin, how much money you make these things dont matter when law enforcement will find you, eventually. Maggie Gordon contributed to this report. Finish this article for as low as $1 when you purchase a day pass. Just click the sign up button to purchase. If you are already a subscriber, just click log in to continue reading. Joshua and Kevin Washington stood on the shore of Bird Pond on Saturday morning, their binoculars aimed across the water at a bufflehead duck, its colorful head skimming above the surface. Kevin leaned forward, resting his arm on his sons head and pointing at the bird, while more than a dozen children and adults around them scanned the pond at Mitchell Lake Audubon Center for other wildlife. As they spotted coots and a great egret, Patsy and Tom Inglet offered up information and advice about what to look for in birds feathers, differences in the shapes of beaks and how to distinguish their calls. Just because its floating in the water doesnt mean its a duck, Patsy said as she added the birds to the list she kept on her phone. Theres no duck on planet Earth with a beak like a chicken. Niki Lake, the centers education manager, pulled up a picture of a bufflehead on her iPad, showing it to the group for a closer look at its distinctive features. Lake and the Inglets, who are Texas Master Naturalists and avid birders, led a cluster of birders, armed with books and binoculars, on the Christmas Bird Count for Kids, tallying species spotted around the property. The event is a youth-oriented iteration of the annual Christmas Bird Count, a 118-year-old community science project in which bird-watchers across the country take a census of the flying population during the end of December and early January. The kids count, which included members of the San Antonio Young Birders Club and newcomers to the hobby, aims to introduce younger people to birding. Patsy Inglet demonstrated how to focus with binoculars, while Tom Inglet set up a scope and helped kids get a closer look at the birds they noticed. The numbers and species of birds seen during the count are entered into a national database, eBird, and can help identify changes or trends in the bird population. Joshua Washington, 10, became interested in birding three years ago, while watching hummingbirds at his grandmothers house, his father said. Saturday was his first trip to Mitchell Lake, where he spotted mockingbirds and cardinals in addition to the waterfowl. It wont be his last after the outing, which ended with looking at different types of taxidermic birds at the visitors center, he plans to join the Young Birders Club. Others, like Jordan Rochlitz, 15, and Craig Davis, 14, are avid birders already. At monthly club outings, the Inglets teach them to observe and identify birds at parks in the area. It kind of becomes an instinct, said Jordan, who became interested several years ago when she was home-schooled and studied birds and the science behind flying. After moving to Texas, she joined the club, and she has participated in the Great Texas Birding Classic, a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department tournament held every spring that takes tallying bird species to a competitive level. The bufflehead, a small duck found across the U.S., was the most interesting find of the day, she said. In addition to surveying the types of birds that are wintering in the area, the count is an opportunity to help kids connect with nature, Patsy Inglet said. These days, so many kids are chained to their computers and inside activities, she said. We want to get them out and have a good time. LTeitz@express-news.net Three days after most of the federal workforce was furloughed on Dec. 21, a 14-year-old girl fell 700 feet to her death at the Horseshoe Bend Overlook, part of the Glen Canyon Recreation Area in Arizona. The following day, Christmas, a man died at Yosemite National Park in California after suffering a head injury from a fall. On Dec. 27, a woman was killed by a falling tree at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which straddles the borders of North Carolina and Tennessee. The deaths follow a decision by Trump administration officials to leave the scenic - but sometimes deadly - parks open even as the Interior Department has halted most of its operations. During previous extended shutdowns, the National Park Service barred access to many of its sites across the nation. National Park Service spokesman Jeremy Barnum said in an email that an average of six people die each week in the park system, a figure that includes "accidents like drownings, falls, and motor vehicle crashes and medical related incidents such as heart attacks." "Throughout the year, the National Park System offers a wide range of visitor experiences in unique landscapes with potential hazards that may exist at parks across the nation," Barnum said. "Visitors can reduce their risk of injury if they plan ahead and prepare properly, select the most appropriate activity that matches their skill set and experience, seek information before they arrive at the park about hazards and environmental conditions, follow rules and regulations and use sound judgement while recreating." In 1995 and 2013, respectively, the Clinton and Obama administrations made the decision to close the parks altogether. Officials came to the conclusion that it would jeopardize public safety and the parks' integrity to keep them open, but the closures also became a political cudgel for Democrats because they exemplified one of the most popular aspects of federal operations that had ground to a halt. In January 2018, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney and then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke made the decision to keep national park sites as accessible as possible in the event of a shutdown. Trump officials forged ahead with the plan - but that shutdown only lasted for three days. The current shutdown enters the third week on Saturday. Several former Park Service officials, along with the system's advocates, said in interviews that activities such as viewing animals and hiking outdoors can carry a greater risk when fewer employees are around. Diane Regas, president and chief executive of the Trust for Public Land, said the group has sent a letter to President Donald Trump calling on him to close all national parks. In an interview Friday, she said administration officials may have underestimated the broad scope of what it takes to maintain these sites. "I think we all know that not having bathrooms is a nuisance. What I think people forget is, not having adequate sewage treatment can be dangerous," Regas said. "When you bring people together, running these parks is like running a small city. "We are taking risks with some of our most treasured natural resources without knowing that we're doing our best to protect people, that we're doing our best to protect park resources," she said. "When it comes to our national parks, I just don't believe that's acceptable." The Park Service estimates that up to 16,000 of its 19,000-person workforce is furloughed during the shutdown. Officials said services such as cleanup and maintenance vary from park to park, due to agreements with concessions and surrounding municipalities that are donating services, such as trash collection and road clearing. Still, roughly half a dozen rangers are currently available to patrol Yosemite National Park, for example, which is about the size of Rhode Island. Officials said skeleton crews are working to close off hazardous areas covered in snow and ice. On Christmas Eve, the 14-year-old girl raced from the lot where her parents parked to see the Horseshoe Bend Overlook, a dramatic cliff that looks out to a peninsula of jagged rock. After a long search, her parents reported her missing about 5 p.m., triggering an emergency response, according to the Coconino County Sheriff's Office. She was discovered near the cliff near dark, forcing authorities to wait and retrieve her body the next morning. National Park Service officials said rangers responding to an emergency call found the second victim at Yosemite with a head wound, apparently from a short fall. They did not confirm social media chatter from other visitors that he ran after a dog that he illegally brought into the park. The man, who was not identified, died of his injuries. A spokesman for the Pacific West Region of the Park Service said the public wasn't notified of the Yosemite death because of the shutdown and that it is also delaying an investigation into its causes. "We aren't releasing more details because the incident remains under investigation, said Andrew Munoz, acting chief of public and congressional affairs for the region. Two days after the Yosemite incident, 42-year-old Laila Jiwani was killed by a falling tree on Porter Creek Trail in the Smoky Mountains. One of Jiwani's two children, a 6-year-old, was airlifted to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, according to a Park Service spokesman. Frank Dean, president and chief executive of the Yosemite Conservancy, said in a phone interview that the park's staff is doing its best under challenging circumstances. "This is the first time in a long-term shutdown where the parks have remained open," said Dean, who served as a park ranger and assistant to the superintendent in Yosemite before going on to become superintendent for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. "What we're finding now is it's not really working, because you've got understaffing. As this thing drags on, you've got free access and no guidance." Daniel Wenk, who served as Yellowstone National Park's superintendent until retiring in September, said in an interview that not having a robust presence could impede the agency's response to an emergency. "A casual cross-country skier would want to go to Tower Falls" in Yellowstone, Wenk said. "If they suffer a heart attack - every year you have that - we wouldn't be able to quickly respond. You might be dramatically delayed. It's correct, people die in national parks all the time. If you can attribute [the shutdown] to people not being able to get to them for an hour and a half, that's another story." While a handful of major parks have remained open during past shutdowns, many agency staffers had not anticipated that the budget impasse would persist this long. Now some superintendents are closing off areas of their parks as it drags on, having determined that they cannot adequately protect either the habitat, wildlife or visitors. Mount Rainier's National Park Inn has been cleaning toilets and collecting trash at its own expense, but will stop doing that after breakfast on Sunday. Melinda Simpson, operations manager at the concessionaire Rainier Guest Services, said that after that point, the National Park Service "will be then closing the park and locking the gates." "We couldn't continue to operate under these conditions, and really wish we could. It's very disappointing," she said, noting that the operation's 45 employees would have to go without pay while it was shut down. "We are just waiting and looking forward to welcoming the guests when they open up the park again." Kristen Brengel, vice president of government affairs for the National Parks Conservation Association, said that superintendents need the freedom to shutter parks if they determine it is no longer sustainable to keep them accessible. "The political pressure to keep the parks open is overriding some of these judgment calls," she said in an interview. "We need a release valve here for the Park Service, so they can do the right thing." In addition to restrooms not being maintained and visitors not being properly warned and guided by staff, crews cannot work to prepare parks for the summer season and fix roads. Vehicle accidents ranked second behind drowning as a cause of death in parks in 2007, according to the last comprehensive tally released to the public. An online system that helps employers weed out job seekers who arent in the U.S. legally has been knocked out of service by the federal government shutdown which stems from a fight over whether to build a border wall to keep out undocumented immigrants. E-Verify, operated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, part of the Homeland Security Department, allows companies to quickly check new employees identification documents against federal databases for free. The system is out of commission, with a red banner across the E-Verify website citing a lapse in government appropriations. That means a hassle for employers when the shutdown ends and they have to process a glut of documents for new employees. In the meantime, companies are bringing on new workers without the E-Verify safeguards. The irony is not lost on us that a dispute over a controversial border wall is adversely affecting an employers ability to confirm citizenship and employment eligibility, said Doug McMurry, executive vice president of the San Antonio chapter of the Associated General Contractors, a trade group for construction companies. Moreover, its unlikely such a massive wall on the Southern border could be built solely with domestic construction labor. E-Verifys roots date to the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, which prohibited employers from knowingly hiring unauthorized workers. A decade later, with fake Social Security cards and other fraudulent documents proliferating, Congress mandated a system to authenticate records workers turned in to prove their citizenship. The law applied to federal contractors, but 21 states now require public-sector employers and contractors to use E-Verify. Seven states have expanded the mandate to cover larger private employers. Texas requires it for contractors and subcontractors of the state Department of Transportation and the Texas Railroad Commission. But its been loosely enforced, if at all, on the state level, and measures to strengthen it have died in the Legislature. Nevertheless, as of 2015, nearly half of new workers hired nationwide were vetted through the system, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas reports. Its very effective, said Doug Carlberg, CEO of M2 Global, a San Antonio-based defense contractor that uses the system to vet all new employees. As a matter of fact, every employer should e-verify. A 2017 study by the Dallas Fed found the number of unauthorized immigrants fell notably in states that required E-Verify. As a country, weve relied on border enforcement for decades to prevent undocumented immigration, but economists have been saying that probably interior enforcement and, in particular, work-site enforcement is more effective, said Pia Orrenius, a Dallas Fed senior economist and co-author of the study. E-Verify is actually enforcement at the work site. We call it also digital enforcement because its using the latest technology to allow employers to screen their workers. Manhattan Institute fellow Heather Mac Donald, in a December article published by the New York-based think tank, noted that President Donald Trump promoted E-Verify during his 2016 campaign but since has been quiet about it, despite polls showing E-Verify as more popular with the public than the wall. I think theres many forces that dont want enforcement period, Mac Donald said by phone. E-Verifys been most opposed by the Western Growers Association, the agricultural interests in California, but even the national Chamber of Commerce has supported it. But, generally, I think businesses that believe that they are dependent upon an illegal workforce have not been enthusiastic. California law bans the state and its municipalities from requiring E-Verify use as a condition for a government contract or to keep a business license. While theres no end in sight for the shutdown Trump and congressional Democrats continue to battle over funding for a border wall employers who use the system have been through previous government closures. And guidelines issued by homeland security on the eve of the Dec. 22 shutdown give them some breathing room. While employers cant use E-Verify as long as the shutdown continues, neither they nor their new hires will be penalized, labor-law attorneys say. That means the three-day deadline for applicants and new hires to submit documents proving their ability to work in the U.S. legally is suspended. So is the eight-day limit for employees to provide records to resolve Temporary Nonconfirmation, which sometimes results from name changes. Federal contractors are advised to contact their contracting officer to extend the deadlines. And if the contracting officer is furloughed due to the shutdown? Thats a good question, said Raven Applebaum, a local employment lawyer and the government affairs director for the San Antonio Human Resources Management Association. If they are one of the people who are furloughed, I would expect a certain amount of leniency and understanding that this is beyond anybodys control. She added: I think it just creates more of an administrative headache its another time suck basically for the employers because of the shutdown. At least two San Antonio companies said they were shelving the E-Verify paperwork. Currently, we only have one new hire that we have not been able to E-Verify, said Krysti Seibert, the human resources director at Alterman Inc., an electrical contractor. The new employee is on the job. We will keep their information separate until such time we can enter them in the system. The workload will be bigger for Beldon Roofing, which has been using E-Verify since it was launched more than 20 years ago. We are holding all of (the records) in a file, Brad Beldon, CEO of the Beldon Group of Companies, said in an email. We will then circle back and do the proper paperwork once the system allows us to enter it again. We are hoping that the system will have a government shutdown option for the reason for the delay in processing the paperwork. With hiring for the year now yet in full swing, Carlberg of M2 Global said he wasnt too worried about the disruption. The longest modern government shutdown was for 21 days in 1995 through early 1996, when Democratic President Bill Clinton butted heads with the Republican Congress over funding for Medicare, education and other budget items. You interview them, you get one candidate, then youve got to do a background check on them and a drug test and everything else, he said. So, by the time we get around to E-Verify, its probably going to be the first part of February. Lynn Brezosky is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering trade, agriculture and the economy. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | lbrezosky@express-news.net | Twitter: @lbrezosky Gemini people will see big changes-and big opportunities-in health and money during 2019. See why in the Gemini 2019 horoscope. Everyone whose zodiac sign is Gemini will face major changes that affect well being, income, and the inner life. "It's a big year for all the Gemini Twins," said Chicago astrologer Anne Nordhaus-Bike, "Astrologer Anne." "Gemini people will need to stay alert to all the opportunities set to arrive because many will happen unexpectedly." What Every Gemini Must Know To Succeed For Gemini people, many planets are lined up to make a huge impact on work and money, spirituality and health, and marriage and intimacy. To succeed, Gemini needs to know about this year's astrology. "Several planets in Capricorn will demand that every Gemini step up in his or her financial life," Nordhaus-Bike explained. "In addition, a big shift coming in March will affect health (especially psychological) and the inner, spiritual life for the next seven years." Take A Break - Enjoy Close Relationships Yet 2019 also will give Gemini people a break by encouraging them to enjoy chose relationships and intimacy. "Thanks to Jupiter, a planet linked to joy and expansion, the Twins will find greater joy in marriage or, if unattached, may meet someone and get engaged or marry," Nordhaus-Bike said. "Jupiter will travel through Sagittarius, his favorite sign, until December, energizing all close relationships for Gemini, from marriage to business partnerships. Also, all the Capricorn planets will stabilize life for Geminis by bringing greater maturity and a long term perspective to sexuality and intimacy." Gemini 2019 Horoscope Now Available To help Gemini people succeed in this year, Nordhaus-Bike has written a detailed Gemini horoscope for 2019. "Every Gemini will benefit from checking out this horoscope," Nordhaus-Bike said. "It gives details on the most important trends affecting relationships, work, money, love, and more." See 2019 Gemini Horoscope See Astrologer Anne's 2019 Gemini horoscope, by visiting her website at https://astrologeranne.com/559/horoscope-2019-gemini-horoscope-new-year-2019/ Sunday, January 6, 2019 Now Available, from Who Chains You Books: The Trial of the Outlaw Collie Sam by Dale Seddon I was born,." he began, by a dumpster at noon, In a broken down doghouse with only one room, With only one window we used as a door, With rats in the rafters and mud on the floor.." Raised by a single parent, the outlaw collie Sam and his seven siblings run wild and free, feasting on castaway food in garbage cans and chasing after humans to scare them, all for the fun of it. Then one day disaster strikes. Sam and his brothers and sisters mistakenly frighten the wrong human. The Catchers arrive at the dilapidated doghouse in the middle of the night, guns in hand. Sam is wounded. But he manages to escape. The next day, Sam is found by a Keeper, a kind human who takes the dog home and sets about training him. He healed my wound and he purchased a tag. I trained to the collar and re-learned to wag. It wasnt all easy. Oh no, to be sure. I yearned for the smell of the pack and the poor. I longed for my snout in the wind and the fun, For the thrill of the free in the rush of the run. But slowly I learned that I had to obey. The Keeper was mine if I wanted to stay.." The Trial of the Outlaw Collie Sam is so far outside the box that its difficult to label as anything but absolutely unique. Part poem, part fantasy, part courtroom drama, and parta very large partthe true story of the real outlaw collie Sam, a Heinz-57 variety mongrel dog whose life and adventures were the inspiration for the story. The Trial of the Outlaw Collie Sam and its companion story about the real Sam are both captivating tales. The story of the trial itself is beautifully told. It bounces along in an almost musical fashionespecially when the narrative poem describing it is read aloud. It provides an intimate glimpse into how guilt." or innocence." is established for our animal friends. And the story about the real outlaw collie Sam? Well, that is worth reading too, if for no other reason than to avoid making the same mistakes that the author did when Sam chose him to be his Keeper. This title is perfect for middle school through adult, and can be used as a humane education tool for classroom use for the discussion of social issues as well. Buy in Paperback | Buy on Kindle Cover illustration by Abbie Withers, who is available for commissioned work. Visit her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/abbiesdrawingandpainting/ About the Author Dale Seddon is a freelance writer and professional consultant. Many of his freelance pieces have appeared in daily and weekly newspapers, community newsletters and literary arts magazines. These include several award winning essays, short stories, poems and collages. Dale is also the sole or primary author of over four-hundred private and public sector funding proposals, concept papers, annual reports, operational plans, feasibility studies, training manuals and strategic plans. In 1982 and 1983 the Manitoba Arts Council sponsored Dale as an Artist in the Schools. He visited schools across Manitoba to read his unpublished childrens stories to the younger students and his essays, poems and short stories to students enrolled in Intermediate and High School. Dale spent most of his working career in health care. He was a volunteer for the Company of Young Canadians (CYC), a Probation Officer for the British Columbia Corrections Service, an Addictions Counselor for the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba (AFM) and a generic Social Worker in Leaf Rapids. Dale is semi-retired now and lives with his wife Joan in Leaf Rapids, Manitoba Canada. TONKAWA Celebration of Life Services for Les Grimm, 72, will be Saturday, June 19, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. in Anderson-Burris Funeral Home Chapel. Private family burial will be at a later date in Lamont Cemetery. www.andersonburris.com. I am a retired Naval Officer and small business owner, outside of my work at the News & Eagle. My wife Tammy and I enjoy serving together at church and attending Gaslight and ESO. We have two daughters, three dogs and little free time. Follow James Neal | Religion/Health Reporter 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 Lila Jean Wales, 70, of Athens, passed away Friday, June 11, 2021. Services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 15, 2021, at Spry Funeral Home with Bud White officiating. Visitation will be 9:30 a.m. until service Tuesday. Interment will be in Limestone Memorial Gardens. She is survived by husband Stay up to date on COVID-19 Get Breaking News Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Sponsored By: St Anthony's Hospital Andover - Sidney H. Wicker, 89, of Andover and formerly of Haverhill, died Friday, June 11, at High Pointe House, Haverhill. He was born in Haverhill, July 15, 1931, son of the late Louis and Rose (Zeeburg) Wicker. Educated in the Haverhill school system, Mr. Wicker earned his bachelor's deg AwazToday.pk Privacy Policy: We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our Website. 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Where are the best places to shop? Who gives the best haircut? Who cooks the best burger? Join our readers in selecting the "Best of Windham." Make your picks! Readers Survey As our valued readers, we want to hear from you. Please take a moment to fill out the survey below. - Thank you, Eastern Arizona Courier Click Here Normally at this point of the year, Wiregrass Habitat for Humanity staffers would be preparing to evaluate applications for its critical repairs and weatherization programs. The ongoing government shutdown, though, has caused the organization to delay its application process, Wiregrass Habitat for Humanity executive director Donna Clemmons said. The reason the City of Dothan has not received the community development block grants Habitat uses to fund the programs. We were just about to do a push into the media that we were accepting applications, Clemmons said. Were having to hold off for now. The delay stems from two sources: an error that occurred on the federal government side of some finalized agreements and the shutdown, said Todd McDonald, director of Dothans planning department. The Department of Housing and Urban Development identified the error before Thanksgiving and had anticipated correcting it before Christmas, but the government shut down before Dothan received word about its funding status, McDonald said. HUD is one of the eight government departments the shutdown triggered by the expiration of funding bills has impacted. According to Reuters, most of HUDs 7,500 employees are deemed non-essential, meaning they are not working during the shutdown. More than 30 years have passed since Jeremiah Denton served the people of Alabama in the U.S. Senate. He served one six-year term as a Republican before being defeated by then-Democrat Richard Shelby, who soon switched parties. Shelbys longevity and rise to a powerful position in the Senate all but eclipses Dentons short tenure in Washington. However, an announcement on Friday ensures that Denton will be long remembered, and for far more significant reasons than holding an elected office. Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer revealed that a Navy destroyer will be named for Denton. Its a fitting honor, more than 50 years after the heroism that earned Denton the indebted gratitude of a nation. Jeremiah Denton of Mobile, Alabama, served as an aviator in the U.S. Navy when his aircraft was shot down over North Vietnam in 1965. Denton and his bombardier, Lt. J.G. Bill Tschudy, were captured and taken to the infamous Hanoi Hilton, where they spent the next eight years as prisoners of war. Taken by the North Vietnamese to appear in a propaganda film, Denton ingeniously blinked out the word TORTURE in Morse code, tipping off Navy intelligence officers for the first time that U.S. prisoners were being tortured by their captors. Bundoran Local News Concern Christmas Collection Bundorans 34th Concern Christmas collection was once again a great success. The weather was dry which helped greatly. On the street 2238.10 was collected by the 32 volunteers. A further 1790 was handed in in cheques, donations, boxes of coins etc. So a total of 4028.10 has been lodged to Concern from this small community. A huge thank you to all the volunteer collectors and to all of you who donated. Wishing you all good health, peace and joy in 2019. Bunotto Results There was no winner of this weeks Realt na Mara Bunotto Jackpot. The winning numbers were 1, 9, 10, 11, 19. The 3 x 50 winners were Martin Donnell, Corrick, Newtownstewart, Co Tyrone; Paddy Conlon, Dinglei Coush, Bundoran; Bosco Moohan, Bundoran . Next week's jackpot will be 1,800 .We thank everyone for their continued support of our Bunotto each week. Christmas Day Swim Well done to everyone who took part in the annual Christmas Day swim. Sponsorship cards and monies can be dropped in to Ken at Pages Cafe on Main Street. All proceeds from the day will go to Ozanam House/St Vincent De Paul. Christmas Quiz Thanks to everyone who attended the annual Christmas Quiz on December 23rd. A great night had by all with lots of money raised for Ozanam House/St Vincent De Paul. Thanks to Tiernan Brady for hosting, the backroom team for their help on the night and James & Winnie for their hospitality in the Chasin Bull. Cara Bundoran Run 2019 Registration is now open online at www.carabundoranrun.com for next years event which will take place from March 8th-10th 2019. Entry numbers will once again be capped and it is advised to register soon. Church History If you have any information or photographs in relation to the Church of our Lady Star of the Sea (formerly Church of the Immaculate Conception), a historical record is currently being compiled and any info would be greatly appreciated. Old bulletins kept for sentimental reasons may also be submitted to be photographed (these will be returned). Please contact ppbundoran@gmail.com Bundoran RNLI The annual Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat fundraising dance will take place on Friday 25th January 2019 at the Allingham Arms Hotel. Kieran McAree and Robert Mizzell are performing on the night. Massive raffle on the night. Tickets on sale at Bundoran Tourist Office, BMG Hardware Bundoran and O Neills Next Door Off Licence, Ballyshannon. A few weeks before Christmas, I happened across a feature which detailed the execution of Republican prisoners, Rory OConnor, Liam Mellows, Dick Barrett and Joe McKelvey in Mountjoy Jail on December 8, 1922 after the IRA had shot two deputies heading for the Dail the previous day. I was reminded of an interview I did some years ago with broadcaster Myles Dungan who had edited a book entitled Speaking Ill of the Dead in which historians were asked to choose a figure from Irish history (though not necessarily Irish born) for whom they had an aversion and I was particularly interested in Dr. Rosemary Cullen Owens and her essay on Kevin OHiggins, a founding father of the Irish Free State, whose reputation has largely been overshadowed by fellow revolutionaries Michael Collins and Eamon de Valera. OHiggins was and is loathed as much as loved and was known as The Irish Mussolini. I subsequently read Kevin OHiggins: Builder of the Irish State by Professor John P. McCarthy of Fordham University who wrote that OHiggins main achievement was the solidifying of public institutions where the gun and disorder were still rampant. Reviewing McCarthys book, former Taoiseach John Bruton wrote: O'Higgins faced down mutinies in both the Gardai and the Army. He dissolved the Dail Courts which were a parallel system that might easily have undermined the conventional courts. "With WT Cosgrave, he put through a constitution which reconciled the local opponents of independence with the new State. He also understood the requirements of modern capitalism - property and the repayment of debt. Going against generations of populist opposition in Ireland to land 'grabbers', he defended the role of bailiffs." O'Higgins said that without them there would be no guaranteeing of the payment of debt, without which credit would collapse within the country and internationally. Bruton says that it took courage to say that sort of thing in the Ireland of 1923. O'Higgins reluctantly agreed to the decision to execute four Republican prisoners, including his own best-man, Rory O'Connor, to deter further assassinations of TDs following the murders of Sean Hales and Padraic O Maille. This was condemned by the Archbishop of Dublin, Edward Byrne, who said that for one man to be punished for another's crime was absolutely unjust. It was argued that the policy worked. No further TDs were assassinated. But the homes of many of them were burned and O'Higgins's own father was later killed at home in front of his mother. It seems O'Higgins's mother could have identified his father's killer, but chose not to. The fact that a dying O'Higgins forgave his own assassins in 1927 may have been a reflection of his mother's beliefs. The high human price paid for the use of violence to achieve independence is shown by the fact that, when the Civil War ended in 1924, 10,000 people were in jail in the Free State. In 1900, in contrast, only 300 people had been in prison in the whole country. Like the rest of his colleagues, O'Higgins did not pay enough attention to the duties and powers of the Boundary Commission, which the pro-Treaty side naively believed would recommend such a reduction in the territory of Northern Ireland as to render it unviable. He rejected the outcome, even though it would have added a net 134,000 acres to the Free State. O'Higgins later tried hard to come up with ideas that might make reunification attractive to Unionists. Unlike most of his generation he saw the consent of the majority in Northern Ireland as essential to any viable project for a united Ireland. OHiggins was a hate figure for Republicans after the executions but according to McCarthy: He did this to secure the welfare and safety of the Irish people. I am sure it was a thing that plagued him for the rest of his life. The capital punishments were meant to ensure that no further assassinations would take place, but they went against the basis of democratic thought, and were condemned by the Archbishop of Dublin. On July 10, 1927, he was wounded by three gunmen on his way to Mass and died later in his home, writes McCarthy. OHiggins death would be seen as a blood sacrifice that guaranteed Ireland to become democratic. Before his assassination, OHiggins struggled with his fellow conservative revolutionaries to unify the country. OHiggins shared a prevailing nationalistic optimism for the unification of the island. He understood that the unification would only come with agreement from both parts. His was the creative type of thinking that characterised the 1998 Good Friday agreement. The reform of intoxicating liquor legislation was another important issue for OHiggins, adds McCarthy. An Garda Siochana His founding of an unarmed police force An Garda Siochana was one of his major and lasting achievements. Had OHiggins survived I think you would have developed a better context and rapport between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. McCarthy writes: His leadership would have moved the way of thinking to a more reasonable way. Things would have moved much faster. Dr. Rosemary Cullen Owens wrote that women had been granted the right to sit on juries in 1919 but O'Higgins single-handedly wiped out this right by declaring most women were too "sensitive" for criminal cases. He also thought a woman's "natural function" was to bear children and take care of the home. Of the late Minister for Justice, she writes: "He said the number of women who desired to serve on juries was very small and in practice the insertion of a woman's name on the jury book led to nothing but trouble." Indeed, after his murder, Hannah Sheehy Skeffington felt no regret saying he had no kindly personal traits but rather a Mussolini in miniature, ruthless, unrelenting, arid, reactionary and self-righteous. Since December 22nd the two ships have not received any permit to dock and land the migrants. Best wishes for Catholic and Orthodox Churches that celebrate Christmas tomorrow. "Fear" before Jesus. Vatican City (AsiaNews) - A "heartfelt appeal" was addressed this morning by Pope Francis to European leaders "to demonstrate solidarity" with the 49 migrants from Sea Watch and the Sea Eye. Rescued from drowning in the Mediterranean Sea on 22 December, they do not receive permission from Malta, Italy and other European countries to dock in a safe port. In recent days, even the Italian bishops have appealed to authorities to allow the migrants disembark. So far, Malta has only allowed the two ships of two NGOs to enter territorial waters, but without disembarking; Italy has proposed bringing food and water on board, or taking only women and children. Severely intoning every word, Francis launched his appeal after the Angelus prayer with the faithful in St Peter's Square. Immediately afterwards he wished a Merry Christmas to "some Eastern, Catholic and Orthodox Churches, which follow the Julian calendar" and who will celebrate Christmas tomorrow. "To them - he said - I address my cordial and fraternal greetings in the sign of communion among all of us Christians, who recognize Jesus as Lord and Savior". Previously the pontiff had focused on the significance of today's feast, the Epiphany. This morning at 10 o'clock the Pope had celebrated Mass in St. Peter's. Among the themes mentioned, linked to the Gospel of the day (Matthew 2, 1-12) is that of the "fear" of Herod and the scribes of Jerusalem: "They represent those who, even in our day, are afraid of the coming of Jesus and they close their hearts to their brothers and sisters who need help. Herod is afraid of losing power and does not think of the true good of the people, but of his personal self-interest. The scribes and the leaders of the people are afraid because they cannot look beyond their own certainties, thus failing to grasp the newness that is in Jesus ". "We too - he concluded must allow ourselves to be illuminated by the light of Christ that comes from Bethlehem. We must not allow our fear to close our hearts, but have the courage to open ourselves to this mild and discreet light. Then, like the Magi, we will experience "a very great joy" (verse 10) that we will not be able to keep for ourselves. May the Virgin Mary sustain us on this journey, a star that leads us to Jesus ". Key Highlights: Dutch astronaut Andre Kuipers dials 911 from space by mistake NASA security team on Earth frantically looks for signs of trouble Kuipers confesses his mistake in a radio show the next day Can you imagine what the security team at NASA's Johnson Space Center must've felt when they came to know that an astronaut aboard the International Space Station had just dialled 911? That's exactly what happened a couple of days ago when Dutch astronaut Andre Kuipers dialled the American emergency services number by accident from space. The security team at NASA raced to the room through which his call had connected only to find out nothing had happened. The sixty-year-old astronaut later explained himself in a radio programme by Dutch broadcasting network Nederlandse Omroep Stichting, "First you dial the 9 for an outside line, and then 011 for an international line. I made a mistake, and the next day I received an email message: Did you call 911?" Kuipers even quipped that he was a little disappointed that no one had come up to the space station to check. The phone system aboard the International Space Station uses Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to allow astronauts on-board to place calls the way we would on Earth with Skype. The system has been around for a decade now, said Wayne Hale to National Public Radio. "A capability that was built into the ISS, with the rise of Internet phone calls, is the ability for the astronauts in the space station to just dial up anybody that they might want to," Hale had said. "Many people have gotten calls from space." This isn't the first time an astronaut has misdialled from space. Some three years ago, British astronaut tweeted to apologise to a woman he had apparently called by mistake during his voyage aboard the International Space Station. Though it's possible to call any number from the space station, the converse isn't; you can't make a call to an astronaut on the space station. Related Read: ISS astronaut unearths old NASA floppy disks in space Key Highlights: Samsung will unveil three new computer monitors at this year's CES The first is a slim monitor with a novel space-saving mounting design The second is a 49-inch ultra-wide gaming monitor The third is a curved display with a slim frame Samsung has a new set of computer monitors to showcase at this years CES in Las Vegas. To be more specific, the Korean electronics manufacturer has three new large monitors to offer to its consumers this year. The first is the Samsung UR59C, a 32-inch curved 4K UHD monitor. The second is the Samsung CRG9, an ultra-wide gaming monitor with Dual QHD resolution. The third, and the most interesting one, is the Space Monitor. Available in 27-inch and 32-inch sizes, the Space Monitor aims to create more space on the users desk by sticking to the edge of the table. At first, the Space Monitor might sound like something designed specifically for use on the International Space Station. But its name really refers to the physical space around the users workstation. While most monitors come with an oval or rectangular base that occupies space on the desktop, Samsungs novel Space Monitor comes with an arm stand that clamps to the edge of the desk. The height-adjustable arm also houses the power and input cables to minimise clutter. The 27-inch model offers QHD resolution, while the 32-inch, 4K UHD. The Space Monitor is currently available for pre-order on Samsungs website at a starting price of $499.99 (Rs 34,770 approx). Acting as an upgrade to the Samsung CHG90 from last year, the Samsung CRG9 spans 49 inches diagonally. It has an aspect ratio of 32:9 and a max resolution of 5120 1440 (Dual QHD). The peak brightness of the HDR-enabled monitor is 1,000 nits. Sold as a gaming monitor, the Samsung CRG9 offers a refresh rate of 120Hz and a response time of 4ms. It has support for AMD Radeon FreeSync 2 HDR to minimise stutter, screen tearing, and input latency. According to Samsung, the CRG9 is equivalent to two 27-inch QHD 16:9 monitors placed side-by-side. The last of the three monitors is somewhat more mainstream. The Samsung UR59C has a curved screen that spans 32 inches diagonally. According to the company, it has a contrast ratio of 2,500:1 and a resolution of 3840 2160 (4K UHD). The rear casing is, interestingly, fabric-textured and the depth of the monitor is 6.7 millimetres. The Samsung UR59C is available in Dark Blue Gray. All three models are expected to make an appearance at this years CES. Related Read: 10 Crazy gadgets to watch out for at CES 2019 CES 2019: What to expect from Sony, Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Nvidia, Dell and others UPDATE: Tipster @IceUniverse also confirmed the leaked renders are indeed correct. Apple plans to use a triple-camera setup housed in a square camera unit with a rather large camera bump. Note that this is an early look at the upcoming smartphone and could undergo some more changes in the design. Apples planned expansion into a three-smartphone model wasnt exactly rewarded in 2018 as the companys shares dipped 12 percent in December, but the Cupertino-based company has a history of bouncing back. While its still too early to judge the fate of the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and the iPhone XR, we can now confirm that Apple will launch three new iPhones in 2019, continuing the current lineup. We have gotten our hands on a very early look at the 2019 iPhone thanks to a partnership with @Onleaks. This is in fact the very first look at what Apple is up to and by the looks of it, the next flagship iPhone will have three cameras on the back. Take a look at these renders in high resolution here: Render 1 & Render 2 The leaked renders reveal a square camera unit housing three cameras aligned non-linearly. There are two cameras aligned vertically, similar to the iPhone XS. The render reveals there will be a third camera placed between the two, on the side. Above that is an LED flash and a microphone on the bottom. OnLeaks claims the 2019 iPhones are still in Engineering Validation Test (EVT) stage, and there could be changes in the details when the phones will eventually launch in September 2019. We also know that Apple plans to launch three iPhones in September 2019 -- One low-end variant, possibly the successor to the iPhone XR and two high-end variants, succeeding the iPhone XS and the iPhone XS Max. Not knowing the scale at which the image was rendered, it is difficult to say which variant will sport the three cameras. However, given the drastic change in the camera setup, this, most probably, is our closest look at the top of the line 2019 iPhone. The fact that the 2019 iPhones may have three cameras is cross-referenced by an earlier report by Bloomberg that states Apple will adopt long-distance 3D ToF technology on the 2019 iPhones. With a non-aligned camera module on the back, Apple could adopt the technology for the rear camera, similar to the Oppo R17 Pro. ToF or Time of Flight technology relies on how much time light takes to bounce off an object to create a 3D map. Sony is presently manufacturing 3D sensors for the technology, and the Bloomberg report stated the publication spoke to Sony to confirm the news. The leaked renders, as a result seem to be accurate to the information available so far. Cameras revolutionized phones, and based on what Ive seen, I have the same expectation for 3D [cameras], Satoshi Yoshihara, Head of Sonys sensor division told Bloomberg. Sony plans to ramp up the production of rear and front facing 3D ToF sensors to meet the iPhone demand. The production is expected to kick start late summer. The third camera can be used to focus faster on the object, and to create 3D models. It can track objects even in dark almost instantaneously by throwing laser pulses at the object and measuring the time taken by the laser to bounce back to the sensor. The sensors can have an even bigger impact in AR and VR. Sony claims the ToF sensor can be used to map rooms in real-time. In a demonstration, the report claimed Sony showed the camera can be used to track users hands in a game, like casting a spell. The 2019 iPhones are still nine months away from becoming available. And while we can confirm the flagship smartphones will use a new technology to improve photography, the design itself is not final. However, the renders reveal the black-coloured rear panel will be made of glass (the shine around the edges denotes that). The Apple logo will remain the centre of attraction though, positioned in the top centre. An earlier report also claimed Apple will not have a major design revamp. Tipster Ice Universe had noted in a Tweet that Apple will stick to using the notch in 2019 and in 2020, the company is expected to launch iPhones with punch-hole displays. While the presence of three cameras certainly sound impressive, it is likely to push up the cost of production further. In a teardown of the iPhone XS Max, it was noted that the bill of materials of the 256GB 2018 flagship iPhone was $443, as compared to the $1243 price tag it fetches in the US. Knowing Apple and its affinity to use high-quality components, the cost is likely to increase further. Now it remains to be seen whether that will affect the price of the 2019 iPhones. Apple reduced the forecast of iPhone sales for the upcoming quarterly report after lower-than-expected sales in 2018. The company has introduced price-cuts and trade-in incentives to boost sales of the 2018 iPhones. Many analysts believe the ongoing trade war between US and China have hurt iPhone sales in China, while the high price of the iPhones in India have led to a lacklustre response in the worlds second largest smartphone market. It remains to be seen whether by adding a third camera to the setup (and making the iPhone look extremely ugly in the process), Apple can bounce back from a disappointing 2018. The company has done it multiple times in the past, and as the leaks suggest, a three-camera iPhone will be the key to companys comeback plan. 5 Times Bollywood Celebrities Worked With Actors After Dissing Them Bollywood is undoubtedly the land of dream makers and perhaps this is the reason why things seldom seem real here. In the ever changing dynamics of Bollywood, one can never be certain when friends turn for foes or foes suddenly turn friends. While most celebrities prefer to keep it politically correct when talking about colleagues, but sometimes they all seem to get carried away by honesty and often end up dissing other actors in public. While some continue the cold war for ages, some prioritize professionalism over fights and have no qualms jumping on board a project with the same colleague. Here are the ones we are talking about. Anurag Kashyap and Abhishek Bachchan In 2014, when Bombay Velvet was about to release, Anurag Kashyap made an appearance on the infamous Koffee With Karan along with Anushka Sharma. Kashyap went along with the candid nature of the show and quipped that Abhishek Bachchan needs to challenge himself. The comment did not go down too well with the Bachchan family and the cold vibes continues for a while. However, recently Anurag cast Abhishek in his film Manmarziyaan which was also Abhisheks comeback film after a hiatus of 3 years. During the interview the duo declared they have buried the past and had a great experience working with each other on the very special project. Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Manisha Koirala Recently in an interview, Vidhu Vinod Chopra revealed that during the audition of 1942: A Love Story, he thought Manisha Koirala was a terrible actress. However, the actress proved him wrong by giving a stellar performance in the film and recently he she was also seen playing the pivotal character of Nargis Dutt in Sanju which was produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. Rajkummar Rao and Kangana Ranaut Two of them stunned the audience with their respective performances in Queen. However, when Rajkummar came on Neha Dhupias talk show with Radhika Apte he did not hesitate saying that Kangana is the biggest diva he has ever worked with. Despite the very public diss, the duo will be sharing screen space in the upcoming film Mental Hai Kya. Shahid Kapoor and Sonakshi Sinha Somewhere in 2011, Shahid Kapoor refused to sign a film opposite Sonakshi Sinha saying that the actress would look too old for him on-screen. We could only be certain that Sonakshi was not too thrilled about the comment. However, they were not cast as the lead pair in RRajkumar in 2013 but the rumor of their affair was rife at that time and they also made an appearance on Karan Johars infamous talk show together. Rishi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan Always the one to but bitter truth out the way it is, Rishi Kapoor had no qualms admitting that he had issues with Amitabh Bachchan. He dissed Bachchan by saying that during the heydays of his and Bachchans career in 70s and 80s, directors evidently were biased towards Bachcan for his action hero image and him and other actors were often treated unjustly because of him. However, the two legends and veterans joined hand after 27 years for 102 Not Out and stunned us all. 5 Achievements Of A.R. Rahman That Is As Unique As His Music Music, truly knows no boundaries and if there is one person who has proved this statement true again and again, it is surely Alla Rakha Rahman. What started as a small dream in Madras has grown to be the personality who has been the epitome of Indian pride on different international platforms and has brough honor to the country on unnaccountable occassions. Even though his soul penetrating music will always be the most unique and amazing about him, here are a few achievement of Mozart of Madras A.R. Rahman that are as unique as his music. First Asian To Win Two Oscars In The Same Year He won it for Slumdog Millionaire and 127 hours. First Indian To Win The Golden Globes Jai ho turned out to be pretty self-fulfilling. Airtel's signature tune, composed by Rahman, is the world's most downloaded mobile music with over 150 million downloads. This one is indelible from our memories. First Indian To Appear On Apples Advertisement Because why not! First Indian Popular Artist To Perform at UN General Assembly Before him, classical musician MS Subbulakshmi has had this honour. Bow down to the maestro! ODGEN A Utah man who pleaded guilty to attempting to kidnap a woman has been sentenced. The Standard-Examiner reports Jorge Pedro Soria Nieto, of Ogden, was sentenced Wednesday to serve six years to life in a state prison. Nieto pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony. In exchange, prosecutors dropped one count of forcible sexual abuse, a third-degree felony. The probable cause statement says a woman was walking on a trail behind West Park in Roy on Aug. 25 when Nieto came up behind her, wrapped an arm around her waist, and put his hand over her mouth. He also allegedly attempted to drag her into the bushes. The statement says the woman fought against him, dislodging his hand from her mouth, and began to scream for help. Nieto then ran away before being arrested by police. Skiers take to the slopes at Alta Ski Area on Saturday. Skiers and snowboarders at all Wasatch Front ski resorts might have more snow to enjoy as storms dump another layer of white stuff across the state over the next two days. KSL meteorologist Dan Guthrie said the snow could be heavy at times, with 8 to 14 inches expected in the northern Utah mountains through Sunday afternoon. Accumulation on the valley floor could be 2 to 5 inches and 3 to 6 inches on the benches. Snow showers are expected again Monday morning, though not as heavy as the day before. See the world through the eyes of award-winning photojournalists. Click through the gallery above to view the unique images our visual storytellers captured today. Follow the official Deseret News Instagram account for more photographs and videos from the staff. SALT LAKE CITY Sen. Mitt Romney scolded a Michigan Democrat for referring to President Donald Trump with a vulgar term, just days after assailing the president's character. Hours after being sworn in, Rep. Rashida Tlaib told a crowd of supporters at a bar, "We're gonna go in there and we're going to impeach the mother (expletive)." "Rep. Tlaib took the politics of Washington deeper down the drain. Elected leaders should elevate, not degrade, our public discourse," Romney said on Twitter. The Utah Republican's rebuke came just days after he assailed what he sees as Trump's failure to help unite a fractured country in a Washington Post op-ed. Though he didn't resort to name calling or profanity, Romney said that Trump has not risen to the mantle of his office. With the nation so divided, resentful and angry, presidential leadership in qualities of character is indispensable. And it is in this province where the incumbents shortfall has been most glaring, Romney wrote. Fellow Republicans, including Utah Sen. Mike Lee and former Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, now a Fox News contributor, criticized Romney's comments as hurting the GOP and himself. Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., jumped on board Friday with his own Washington Post op-ed, writing that Romney played right into the hands of the "mainstream media and Democrats" who want to hurt the party. "Jeff Flake filled that role before his retirement; the last thing we need now in the Senate is a Jeff Flake on steroids. We certainly dont need more distractions. We need constructive leaders who want to get things done," he wrote. Perdue wrote the Republicans are going to change the nation's direction for the better and Romney needs to join them. "We are on track to restore economic opportunity, fiscal responsibility, limited government and individual liberty. I hope Romney, who plans to caucus with Republicans, will reconsider continuing his harmful behavior as he begins his Senate career," he said. Lee earlier this week said Romney might want to take a "mulligan" on his comments. Attacking the president, he said, from the get-go isn't helpful. Meantime, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., defended Tlaib on Saturday. "Republican hypocrisy at its finest: saying that Trump admitting to sexual assault on tape is just 'locker room talk,' but scandalizing themselves into faux-outrage when my sis says a curse word in a bar," she tweeted. "GOP lost entitlement to policing womens behavior a long time ago. Next," she added. Romney did not excuse Trump's behavior revealed in the "Access Hollywood" video, and cited it among the reasons he would not vote for him in 2016. "Hitting on married women? Condoning assault? Such vile degradations demean our wives and daughters and corrupt America's face to the world," Romney tweeted then. In a study from nearly 11,000 young people, researchers found that 14-year-old girls were heavier users of social media. Disrupted sleep was reported by 40 percent of girls compared with 28 percent of boys. (Photo: Pixabay) Teenage girls are twice as likely as boys to show depressive symptoms linked to social media use - mainly due to online harassment and disturbed sleep, as well as poor body image and lower self-esteem, researchers said on Friday. In a study analysing data from nearly 11,000 young people in Britain, researchers found that 14-year-old girls were heavier users of social media, with two-fifths of them using it for more than three hours a day, compared with a fifth of boys. The study also found that 12 per cent of light social media users and 38 per cent of heavy social media users (five-plus hours a day) showed signs of having more severe depression. When the researchers looked at underlying processes that might be linked with social media use and depression, they found 40 per cent of girls and 25 per cent of boys had experience of online harassment or cyberbullying. Disrupted sleep was reported by 40 per cent of girls compared with 28 per cent of boys. Anxiety and poor sleep are both linked to depression. Girls were also more affected when it came to social media use and concerns about body image, self-esteem and appearance, the researchers found, but here the gap with boys was smaller. Yvonne Kelly, a professor at University College Londons Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care who co-led the research, urged parents and policymakers to note its results. These findings are highly relevant to current policy development on guidelines for the safe use of social media and calls on industry to more tightly regulate hours of social media use for young people, she said in a statement. She said families may also want to reflect on when and where its ok to be on social media and consider restrictions on teenagers having mobile devices in their bedrooms. The study, funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), was published online in the journal EClinicalMedicine on Friday. (Source) SALT LAKE CITY A Utah lawmaker wants to remove an exception to the Utah Constitution's ban on slavery and involuntary servitude that allows prison labor without pay. The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified after the Civil War in 1865, abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, but with an exception for punishment for a crime. Utah, like many states, adopted language to reflect that in their own constitutions. Utah's 1895 Constitution read: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within this state." Rep. Sandra Hollins, D-Salt Lake City, said it's time to change the "troubling and outdated" language in the Utah Constitution. Regardless of how we feel about the criminal justice system, it should be clear that it shouldnt be slavery, Hollins said. "We need to be clearer about what prison is for, and what prison is not," she said. "The notion of slavery or involuntary servitude should not be imposed on people merely because they are convicted of a crime. Hollins has opened a bill file to amend the Constitution, which would take a two-thirds majority vote in the House and Senate before it could be placed on the 2020 general election ballot for voters to decide. Passing the measure would assert that "slavery is not a Utah value," Hollins said. Half of states do not mention slavery or involuntary servitude in their constitutions, while the other half has language explicitly forbidding slavery or involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime, according to Hollins. Colorado voters last year approved a ballot initiative to amend the states constitution to remove except as punishment for a crime from the section that bans slavery and involuntary servitude. Colorado voters had rejected a similar ballot measure in 2016. SALT LAKE CITY Utah's House members are urging the U.S. Department of the Interior to take emergency measures to resume full operations at Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks during the federal government shutdown. A letter, signed by Utah Reps. Rob Bishop, Chris Stewart and John Curtis, thanks the department for its efforts to keep national parks open during the shutdown but states, "We believe the administration has the authority to do more." The more outlined in the letter dated Friday to Acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt is invoking at exception to an act prohibiting agencies from general operations when funds aren't available. "It can easily be an emergency," Bishop said. People "can die in national parks. It's not necessarily the safest place in the world so it needs more than a skeleton crew, and it needs more than just being open." The newest member of Utah's congressional delegation and the only Democrat, Rep. Ben McAdams, sent a similar letter to Bernhardt Saturday, saying he joins in asking for an alternative approach to keeping the parks open. "We've got to make sure we maintain these parks, safe, in a respectable condition," McAdams said. "We're got to get government back open, but in the meantime, we've got to maintain what we've got." Money ran out for a number of federal agencies just before Christmas, when Congress and President Donald Trump hit an impasse over a temporary funding measure because it did not contain funds for the president's border wall. Since then, the state has spent $55,000 to help keep three of the national parks in Utah Zion, Bryce Canyon and Arches open through the end of the year by paying for minimal staffing. Additional state dollars are being spent this week to maintain such services as cleaning restrooms at Zion, along with money from St. George, Washington County and the non-profit Zion Forever Project. Similar efforts are underway at Bryce Canyon. Arches, however, is no longer getting assistance. "These entities all have limits on their resources and the state has yet to be reimbursed for their financial investment in the parks during a previous government shutdown," the letter from Bishop, Stewart and Curtis says. They point out the Antideficiency Act makes an exception for "emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property" and that national parks qualify because "pubic safety and property are at heightened risk." They say hundreds of emergency incidents are responded to in Utah parks each year, and note Zion has a surge of visitors in the winter, with as many as 11,000 people visiting in a single day, despite the current skeleton crew available. McAdams makes the same argument, citing southern Utah's mild winters and uses Arches as an example because the park road was not plowed during a recent snowstorm. He said he plans to talk with Bishop about why he was not asked to sign the letter alongside Utah's Republicans in Congress. McAdams said he first learned of the letter on Twitter. "I decided I'm going to be on Team Utah and not wait to be asked to sign the letter," he said of sending his own version. "I've always been someone to put Utah before party." McAdams said he voted to reopen the government, supporting legislation in the newly Democratic-controlled House that was opposed by most Republicans including members of Utah's delegation. Bishop, who lost his chairmanship of the House Natural Resources Committee when Democrats became the majority, said he asked only Stewart and Curtis to sign the letter because the parks are located in their districts. He said he also wanted to move quickly because other states, including California, are making the same type of request. "Not only is there is legitimate argument for it, this administration is willing to accept that argument right now," Bishop said. "My hunch is, this administration, this Department of Interior, wants to be as helpful as they possibly can." The effort to get emergency funding, which may mean bringing back park service employees without pay until the shutdown is resolved, should include all of the state's national parks and hopefully national monuments as well, he said. Curtis praised Gov. Gary Herbert for the state's efforts to keep the parks open. "We need to do all we can to help him," he said, adding that the shutdown is particularly hard on rural Utah, where local economies are already struggling. He said the shutdown needs to end. "It should. There's no reason for it to go on. We really don't have that big of a divide going on right now," Curtis said. "I'm hopeful we'll be able to put something forward very quickly." Contributing: Alex Cabrero SALT LAKE CITY A Utah lawmaker is reviving an effort to ensure protections for survivors of domestic and sexual violence after their aggressors are released from jail. The legislative proposal also seeks to give guidance to judges, police and attorneys on the court orders designed to keep victims and their families safe ahead of a trial. "This is just providing clarity," said bill sponsor Rep. Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City. "Our goal was just to make sure that with this, victims knew what their rights were, the alleged perpetrator knew what their rights were, and law enforcement knows what they have to do, as well." The same bill ran out of time before getting a final vote in last year's legislative session. And it is one of several measures filed ahead of the 2019 Legislature that seek to boost victims' rights and safety. Romero said her measure is important because it would help protect survivors of sexual violence and abuse at a time when they are vulnerable to harm and intimidation. In Utah, judges now can bar suspected domestic violence offenders from contacting or harassing victims as the case plays out in court. HB19 makes it clear that they can also impose the orders on those charged with sexual offenses, in addition to abuse of children and vulnerable adults. The bill would create safeguards for the accused, too. It clarifies that those who were arrested but later had their cases dropped don't have to continue following a pretrial order barring contact with the victim and possibly others. It's one term a person often must agree to in order to be released ahead of an initial court date. Under the proposed law, if a prosecutor doesn't file charges within 30 days of an arrest, the no-contact directive would expire. Romero said the bipartisan bill, co-sponsored by Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, builds on a 2018 Utah law that made protective orders available to those who are dating or broken up but not married or living together, even if no one has been criminally charged. The measure was informed by the death of a 39-year-old Sandy mother and her 6-year-old son. Memorez Rackley's ex-boyfriend, Jeremy Patterson, opened fire on a car full of children after school in June 2017, killing Rackley and her son Jase, and injuring two more kids. At the time of her death, Rackley couldn't have obtained a protective order even though she made a previous stalking report, because she and Patterson never wed or moved in together. The new proposal also aims to close what Romero says is a gap related to defendants and victims who share custody of children. It makes clear that a judge can hand down a no-contact order that allows for some limited contact for visits with kids under the age of 18. The proposal follows extensive negotiation with other lawmakers, prosecutors, police, advocates and survivors, Romero said. The Salt Lake Democrat is bringing back another bill from last year to strengthen Utah law against human trafficking. It would clarify that anyone who knowingly benefits from the smuggling of a child for forced labor or sexual exploitation can be criminally charged, and there is no statute of limitation on child trafficking. Another Utah measure seeks to strengthen victims' rights to ensure their cases don't languish in law enforcement offices. Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy, proposes that a year after someone is targeted in a violent felony crime or has a loved one disappear or die in a homicide they can first ask a police chief or sheriff, then the county prosecutor and finally the Utah Attorney General's Office to review the case. The proposal sets a deadline of 30 days for an agency to review a request and 15 days to respond. The 2019 legislative session convenes at the state Capitol on Jan. 28. BEIJING American officials are due in Beijing Monday for talks aimed at easing the U.S.-China trade battle that threatens to hobble global economic growth. The talks are going ahead despite tension over the arrest of a Chinese tech executive in Canada on U.S. charges related to possible violations of trade sanctions on Iran. The two governments have expressed interest in a settlement but have given no indication that their stances have shifted. After several tit-for-tat tariff increases last year, Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed Dec. 1 to postpone further hikes. The two countries hope to have "positive and constructive discussions," said a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Lu Kang. The trade war has its roots in American anxiety about China's emergence as a competitor in telecoms, solar power and other technologies and complaints by Washington, Europe and other trading partners that Beijing's tactics violate its market-opening obligations. China's leaders have offered to narrow its politically sensitive trade surplus with the United States by purchasing more soybeans, natural gas and other American exports. But they reject pressure to scrap technology initiatives they see as a path to prosperity and global influence. Both governments face economic pressure to reach a settlement. Chinese economic growth fell to a post-global crisis low of 6.5 percent in the quarter ending in September. Auto sales tumbled 16 percent in November over a year earlier and weak real estate sales are forcing developers to cut prices. Third-quarter U.S. growth was 3.4 percent and unemployment is at a five-decade low. But surveys show consumer confidence is weakening due to concern that growth will moderate this year. Beijing has tried in vain to recruit France, Germany, South Korea and other governments as allies against Trump. They criticize his tactics but echo U.S. complaints about Chinese industrial policy and market barriers. The European Union filed its own challenge in the World Trade Organization in June against Chinese regulations it said hamper the ability of foreign companies to protect and profit from their own technology. Washington has imposed punitive tariffs of up to 25 percent on $250 billion of Chinese goods. Beijing responded by imposing penalties on $110 billion of American goods, slowing down customs clearance for U.S. companies and suspending issuance of licenses in finance and other industries. Trump and Xi agreed to a 90-day postponement of more tariff increases due to take effect Jan. 1. But economists say that is too little time to resolve the sprawling disputes that bedevil U.S.-Chinese relations. The decision to hold this week's talks at a deputy minister level reflects the need to work out technical details before higher-level officials make "hard political decisions on major issues," said Tu Xinquan, director of the China Institute for World Trade Organization Studies at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing. The U.S. team will include Deputy U.S. Trade Rep. Jeffrey Gerrish; the top U.S. trade negotiator on agricultural issues, Gregg Doud; Treasury Under Secretary for International Affairs David Malpass; Commerce Under Secretary for International Trade Gilbert Kaplan; the U.S. Agriculture Department's undersecretary for trade and foreign affairs, Ted McKinney; the U.S. Department of Energy's assistant secretary for fossil energy, Steven Winberg; and other senior officials. The makeup of the U.S. team was announced Friday by the trade representative's office. The dispute has rattled companies and financial markets that worry it will drag on global economic growth that is showing signs of declining. For their part, Chinese officials are unhappy with U.S. curbs on exports of "dual use" technology with possible military applications. They complain China's companies are treated unfairly in national security reviews of proposed corporate acquisitions, though almost all deals are approved unchanged. Chinese exports to the United States held up through late 2018 despite Trump's tariff hikes. But that was due partly to exporters rushing to beat new duties a trend that is fading. Some manufacturers that serve the United States have shifted production to other countries. The investment bank UBS said Friday that 37 percent of 200 manufacturers surveyed said they have shifted out of China over the past 12 months. It said the threat of U.S. tariff hikes was the "dominating factor" for nearly half, while others moved due to higher costs or tighter environmental regulation. Another 33 percent of companies said they plan to move out of China in the next six to 12 months, according to the UBS report. Despite the December truce, "most firms expect trade war to escalate," the report said. The year 2019 may be framed as the year trust is on trial and integrity is under investigation in America. Trust in political leaders and government institutions continues to plummet. Lapses of integrity by community, business and political leaders have made it difficult for trust to thrive or even exist. Moral relativism has created shifting sands of the once sure foundation of trust and integrity in America. Situational honesty, leadership and ethics are crippling the nations ability to solve big problems and engage in critical conversations. Complaints abound about conflict in government and an inability to negotiate compromise. But cooperative solutions must begin by trusting in other people's integrity that they will do what they promise to do. Absent the combination of trust and integrity, leaders are left to focus on what divides them, which accentuates distrust in the motives of those with whom they disagree. One need look no further for exhibit A than the days news. Retired four-star Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal told ABC's Martha Raddatz Sunday, "I don't think (the president) tells the truth." When asked if he thought President Trump was immoral, McChrystal replied, "I think he is." Two days before being sworn in as a United States senator, Mitt Romney wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post that stated, A president should demonstrate the essential qualities of honesty and integrity, and elevate the national discourse with comity and mutual respect. Romneys piece continues, With the nation so divided, resentful and angry, presidential leadership in qualities of character is indispensable. And it is in this province where the incumbents shortfall has been most glaring. And on Thursday, New Jersey Democrat Sen. Robert Menendez will take office again despite being "severely adminished" by the Senate Committee on Ethics for bringing "discredit upon the Senate." Further, the battle between Democrats and Republicans on funding the government and solving the countrys immigration issue has devolved into name calling instead of constructive conversation. This erodes the trust American people have in national leaders and institutions. Stretching the truth to fit a political narrative likewise stretches integrity beyond trusts breaking point. The bigger crisis for the country is that the distrust perpetuated by big government, large organizations and political leaders has begun to fray the fabric of trust in communities and even in personal relationships. Ultimately, gaining integrity and trust starts with a look in the mirror. Trust and integrity must begin in homes and neighborhoods. Living with integrity and building trust truly is an individual issue that carries immense repercussions. Just as citizens should expect even demand integrity of national leaders, it is equally vital to trust that an accountant, doctor, teacher, financial adviser, contractor, spouse or friend will act with integrity. But there is hope for the nation. Americans can learn by observing the integrity, or lack of it, in others. Ultimately, gaining integrity and trust starts with a look in the mirror. American educator John W. Gardner said, Men of integrity, by their very existence, rekindle the belief that as a people we can live above the level of moral squalor. We need that belief; a cynical community is a corrupt community. Every instance of someone acting with integrity strengthens and fortifies trust. Trust is on trial in America, and personal integrity is the star witness. The Deseret News will cover the case over the coming weeks and throughout the year. Every citizen should join in the conversation about what trust and integrity mean for America now and in the future. 1937 that was the last time the nations population growth was as low as it is today. You should be concerned about this. If you know anything about history or if, like me, you are old enough to have had parents or grandparents tell you what things were like, you know that 1937 was the year the second wave of the Great Depression hit. In only a few months, the stock market fell dramatically, unemployment, which had inched down to 14 percent, jumped back to almost 20 percent, businesses felt uncertain and economic output dropped. In her book, The Forgotten Man, Amity Shlaes said of this time, The first crash (in 1929) had seemed like a nightmare; this crash felt like a life in the dark. And in the background, disturbing tales of oppression and expansionism were beginning to emerge from Nazi Germany. Its easy to understand why the birthrate was low that year. Its far more difficult to understand why it is low today. But unless we turn this trend around, the few children and grandchildren we are producing wont have such a good life. Census figures released a few days ago showed that not only has population growth slowed to a crawl, but the number of people under 18 has dropped since 2010. The overall population grew by only 0.62 percent between 2017 and 18. This follows a general downward trend over the last 35 or so years. The problem isnt so much a decline in immigration. It is that Americans arent having babies. As Ive written before, experts are having trouble understanding why this is happening. A Gallup poll released last summer showed that 41 percent of Americans believe three or more children per family is ideal, which represented an increase from 38 percent in 2013 and 34 percent in 2011. Drill into those numbers and it turns out the increase was the greatest among the 18-34 age group, which is the very group that isnt having children. You may not notice much of this if you live in Utah. The Census Bureau found that nine states lost population during the past year, but the Mountain West states, for the most part, are still growing. Utah came in third with an increase of 1.9 percent, just behind Idaho and Nevada. But even here, a place once known for babies, the fertility rate has dropped to 2.12 children per woman in 2017, just barely above the replacement level, generally believed to be 2.1, according to National Vital Statistics Reports. And all this is happening amidst a peacetime (relatively speaking) economy with low unemployment and rising wages. You dont have to be a genius to see the questions that loom. How can the nation hope to retire its burgeoning debt, now nearing $22 trillion, with a dwindling population, many of which are elderly people in need of Medicare? How can Social Security keep up with payments to the elderly with a dwindling workforce? How can the military remain strong? How do we keep universities vibrant with ever-shrinking enrollments? How will the economy keep innovating when supply chains are disrupted and businesses close? How will the nation meet its obligations and pay its debts? Writing in the latest issue of The Ripon Forum, Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum said the national debt is as great a challenge to our shared security and future opportunity as any armed opponent. Like lead pipes left to fester in a local water utility, the problem is out of sight until one day when it becomes a catastrophe, he said. Which brings me to one startling difference between now and 1937. Franklin Roosevelt actually signed a balanced budget that year. Some economists say the nation would have been better off if he had agreed to run up a modest deficit. But there is nothing modest about todays overspending amid prosperity. Writing about this for the Brookings Institution, William H. Frey said we should take the Census figures as a warning of what needs to happen. In particular, it requires a more serious discussion of U.S. immigration policy because of the future contributions that immigrants will make to growing Americas society and economy, he wrote. Some demographers say the population wont begin to decline noticeably until the last generation with a replacement birthrate has died off. That means we have time to reverse the trends or at least to begin talking about them, which would be a giant step. The alternative eventually could be far worse than anything 1937 had to offer. SALT LAKE CITY Carrie Fishers brother, Todd Fisher, offered Star Wars fans a little teaser about new footage of Leia Organa. Whats going on: Todd Fisher told Good Morning America Friday that the new Leia footage in Episode IX will be totally new footage. Theres a lot of minutes of footage, he said. I dont mean just outtakes. This is unused, new content that could be woven into the storyline. Thats whats going to give everybody such a great kick. Its going to look like it was meant to be. Like it was shot yesterday. However: Its still unclear what a lot of footage means in the context of the film. And its unclear what Leias role will be in Episode IX. Warhammer: According to ScreenRant, there was an entire subplotin The Force Awakens about Leia and a superweapon called the Warhammer. Its possible JJ Abrams, who directed Force Awakens and will direct Episode IX, will bring that storyline back into the fold. Without question, Abrams and co-writer Chris Terrio penned the script with the unused footage in mind and were cognizant of how it could be incorporated, according to ScreenRant. Whatever they did for Leia was going to be heavily scrutinized no matter what, so they must be confident they can make this work exceptionally well. It'll be interesting to see how it pans out. A year gap: As I reported earlier this week, Episode IX will include a year gap from The Last Jedi. According to Esquire, Leia could have died within the year gap and unused footage might be flashbacks to her time with the Resistance. DJ TAYLOR resides in the Sanger/Bolivar area. He can be reached at 940-458-4979 or djtaylortx@centurylink.net. The mistake occurred when outsourced social media handler Sapient experienced VPN problems with a desktop computer. In an internal Huawei memo dated Jan. 3 seen by Reuters, corporate senior vice-president and director of the board Chen Lifang said, the incident caused damage to the Huawei brand. (Photo: AP) Chinas Huawei Technologies has punished two employees for New Year greetings sent on the smartphone makers official Twitter account using an iPhone, an internal memo showed. Huawei, whose P-series handsets compete with Apples iPhone, on New Years Day wished followers a Happy #2019 in a tweet marked sent via Twitter for iPhone. The tweet was quickly removed but screenshots of the blunder spread across social media. The traitor has revealed himself, quipped one user on microblog Weibo, in a comment liked over 600 times. In an internal Huawei memo dated Jan. 3 seen by Reuters, corporate senior vice-president and director of the board Chen Lifang said, the incident caused damage to the Huawei brand. The mistake occurred when outsourced social media handler Sapient experienced VPN problems with a desktop computer so used an iPhone with a roaming SIM card in order to send the message on time at midnight, Huawei said in the memo. Twitter, like several foreign services such as those from Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc, is blocked in China, where the Internet is heavily censored. To gain access, users need a virtual private network (VPN) connection. Huawei, which overtook Apple as the worlds second-largest smartphone vendor by volume in January-September, declined to comment on internal issues when contacted by Reuters. Sapient did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent via the contact form on its website. Calls to its Beijing office went unanswered. Huawei in the memo said the blunder showed procedural incompliance and management oversight. It said it had demoted two employees responsible by one rank and reduced their monthly salaries by 5,000 yuan (USD 728.27). The pay rank of one of the employees - Huaweis digital marketing director - will also be frozen for 12 months, it said. It is not the first time use of the Apple product has given cause for embarrassment. Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of nationalistic tabloid Global Times, was mocked online last year after he used his iPhone when expressing support for Huawei and domestic peer ZTE Corp. He later said his actions were not hypocritical as foreign brands should not be discriminated against. (Source) Christine Flowers is an attorney and Delaware County resident. Her column appears every Sunday. Email her at cflowers1961@gmail.com. featured Puppy Bowl XV Three Providence Animal Center dogs make it to 'Puppy Bowl XV' featured crime Delco homicides of 2018: 'One ... is too many' Security officials have blamed most previous breaches of data security on a Russian hacking group. Germanys BSI cyber defence agency on Saturday defended its role in responding to a far-reaching data breach, saying it could not have connected individual cases it was aware of last year until the entire data release became public. The government said on Friday that personal data and documents from hundreds of German politicians and public figures including Chancellor Angela Merkel had been published online, in what appeared to be one of Germanys biggest data breaches. The incident has shocked the establishment and prompted calls for security agencies to clarify whether any security deficiencies they were aware of had been exploited and if they could have acted sooner to head off the breach. The BSI said in a statement that it was contacted by a lawmaker in early December about suspicious activity on their private email and social media accounts. Only by becoming aware of the release of the data sets via the Twitter account G0d on Jan. 3, 2019, could the BSI in further analysis on Jan. 4, 2019 connect this case and four other cases that the BSI became aware of during 2018, it said. At the beginning of December 2018, it was not foreseeable that there would be more cases. The BSI said on Friday all but one of the seven parties in the lower house had been affected. German media said that the party was the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD). Last year, lawmakers said a powerful cyber attack had breached the foreign ministrys computer network. Security officials have blamed most previous breaches of data security on a Russian hacking group, while the Kremlin has consistently denied involvement in such incidents. After the latest data breach, Justice Minister Katarina Barley said she was considering stricter security requirements for software makers and Internet platform operators. We are examining the extent to which stricter legal provisions are useful and necessary here, she told weekly newspaper Welt am Sonntag, according to a pre-released article. Authorities were investigating all possibilities, including espionage, one government source said on Friday, adding that it was unlikely any single person could have compiled the massive amounts of data that had been released. The BSI said investigations so far had shown the data breaches predominantly concerned private and personal accounts, but that it is responsible for the operational protection of government networks. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. The Chinese government has not drawn a direct link between the detention of any Canadian and Mengs arrest. (Photo: AP) Canada said on Thursday that 13 of its citizens have been detained in China since Huawei Technologies Co Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested last month in Vancouver at the request of the United States. At least eight of those 13 had since been released, the Canadian government said in a statement, without disclosing what charges if any have been laid. Prior to Thursdays statement, detention of only three Canadian citizens had been publicly disclosed. Diplomatic tension between Canada and China has intensified since Mengs arrest on Dec. 1. The Canadian government has said several times it sees no explicit link between the arrest of Meng, the daughter of Huaweis founder, and the detentions of Canadian citizens. But Beijing-based Western diplomats and former Canadian diplomats have said they believe the detentions were a tit-for-tat reprisal by China. Meng was released on a C$10 million ($7.4 million) bail on Dec. 11 and is living in one of her two multi-million-dollar Vancouver homes as she fights extradition to the United States. The 46-year-old executive must wear an ankle monitor and stay at home from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. The 13 Canadians detained include Michael Kovrig, Michael Spavor and Sarah McIver, a Canadian government official who declined to be identified, said on Thursday. McIver, a teacher, has since been released and returned to Canada. Kovrig and Spavor remain in custody. Canadian consular officials saw them once each in mid-December. Overall, there are about 200 Canadians who have been detained in China for a variety of alleged infractions who continue to face on-going legal proceedings. This number has remained relatively stable, the official said. In comparison, there are almost 900 Canadians in a similar situation in the United States, the official added. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang did not provide details about the other detained Canadians at a news briefing in Beijing on Friday, but said that China was ruled by law and it protected the legal rights of foreigners. The Chinese government has not drawn a direct link between the detention of any Canadian and Mengs arrest. It has demanded that Canada free Meng and threatened unspecified consequences if it does not. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Qualcomm's win in Germany comes weeks after it secured a court order to ban sales of some iPhone models in China. Chip supplier Qualcomm Inc won a second court skirmish in its worldwide patent battle with Apple Inc on Thursday, with the iPhone maker saying it would pull some older models from its German stores. Qualcomm's win in Germany comes weeks after it secured a court order to ban sales of some iPhone models in China. Apple, which is contesting both rulings, has continued to offer its iPhones in China but made changes to its iOS operating system in the wake of the Chinese order. The German victory may affect only a few million iPhones out of the hundreds of millions that Apple sells each year. Still, it is a small but clear win in a complex legal battle that will spin into overdrive in the coming months as antitrust regulators and Apple both take Qualcomm to court in the United States. Apple alleges that Qualcomm engaged in illegal behaviour to preserve a monopoly on modem chips, which help mobile devices connect to wireless data networks. Qualcomm has, in turn, accused Apple of using the chip suppliers vast stable of technology innovations without proper compensation. While a sales ban in China could hurt Apples bottom line, it is unlikely the two patent skirmishes will sway the outcome of the broader battle, where Qualcomm has suffered a series of setbacks fighting US antitrust regulators. Shares of Apple were down 2.3 per cent at USD 157.12 in late trading, weighing on the broader market. Qualcomm shares were down 0.2 per cent at USD 56.69. Qualcomm is not pursuing the software patents in the Chinese case in other jurisdictions and suffered an early loss while pursuing a US sales ban on the US version of the hardware patent at issue in Germany. On Thursday, Apple said it would pull older iPhones from its German stores after a court ruled that Apple had infringed a hardware patent of Qualcomm Inc and banned sales of iPhones there with chips from Apple supplier Qorvo Inc. Two respected courts in two different jurisdictions just in the past two weeks have now confirmed the value of Qualcomms patents and declared Apple an infringer, ordering a ban on iPhones in the important markets of Germany and China, Don Rosenberg, Qualcomms general counsel, said in a statement. For each of the two Apple entities it won orders against, Qualcomm needs to post a bond of about 668.4 million euros, or USD 765.9 million before it can begin proceedings to enforce the order, a move Qualcomm said it would carry out within a few days. The smartphone maker said it was appealing the decision, but the order goes into effect as soon as Qualcomm posts the bond. Apple said it would pull some phones from its stores while it pursued an appeal. We are of course disappointed by this verdict and we plan to appeal, Apple said in a statement. All iPhone models remain available to customers through carriers and resellers in 4,300 locations across Germany. During the appeal process, iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 models will not be available at Apples 15 retail stores in Germany. iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR will remain available in all our stores. Stacy Rasgon, an analyst with research firm Bernstein, said in a note that Germany was a small iPhone market for Apple, selling about 10 million units a year, with possibly only half of those being the older models affected by the courts order. When Qualcomm posts the bond to enforce the order, it could seek to extend the ban to Apples resellers and the newer iPhone models not included thus far, legal experts said. Qualcomm said the court had granted its request for recall and destruction of all accused devices from all retailers in Germany. But pressing forward with enforcement presents some risks for Qualcomm. In an earlier proceeding before the US International Trade Commission, US regulators viewed a more extensive set of technical evidence about whether Qorvos chips and Apples phones violated Qualcomms patents. Those US regulators sided with Apple and Qorvo. If higher courts in Germany do the same when Apple appeals, Qualcomm could be forced to forfeit its bond if the decision becomes final. The German case is Qualcomms third major effort to secure a ban on Apples lucrative iPhones over patent infringement allegations after similar efforts in the US and China. In the United States, Qualcomm sought to ban the import of iPhones with chips from Intel Corp. Trade regulators found Apple had infringed one Qualcomm patent, but so far declined to ban the phones with Intel chips because regulators feared it would hurt competition in the chip marketplace. Competition authorities around the world have repeatedly found Qualcomms licensing practices unlawful, yet Qualcomm continues to try to achieve the same results through a campaign of patent lawsuits, Steven Rodgers, Intels general counsel, said in a statement after the ruling in Germany. In Germany, the judge ruled that phones with a chip from Apple supplier Qorvo violate one of Qualcomms patents around so-called envelope tracking, a feature that helps mobile phones save battery power while sending and receiving wireless signals. Mike Baker, Qorvos chief intellectual property counsel, said in a statement that US trade regulators had ruled that Qorvos chips did not violate the US version of Qualcomms patent and that the chips inventor wasnt allowed to testify at the German hearing. We believe our envelope tracking chip does not infringe the patent in suit, and the court would have come to a different conclusion if it had considered all the evidence, Baker said. In China, Apple is still pursuing a so-called request for reconsideration with the court that issued the bans. Apple said its phones remained on sale and it believed it has complied with the Chinese courts order, but it also made changes to its iPhone software in the wake of the ruling. Qualcomm believes Apple is violating the Chinese court order despite the new software and must stop selling phones there. (Source) The two nations have been locked in a trade war for much of the past year, disrupting the flow of hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods. Two US lawmakers who have been active in congressional efforts to address technology threats from China introduced a bill on Friday to create a White House office to fight state-sponsored technology theft and defend critical supply chains. Senators Mark Warner, a Democrat and a vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Marco Rubio, a Republican on the panel, introduced the legislation. The bill aims to create the Office of Critical Technologies and Security to coordinate an inter-agency strategy to fight high-tech threats to national security posed by China and other foreign actors, they said in a press statement. We need a whole-of-government technology strategy to protect US competitiveness in emerging and dual-use technologies and address the Chinese threat by combating technology transfer from the United States, said Warner in a statement. We look forward to working with the Executive Branch and others to coordinate and respond to this threat. The bill was introduced in the midst of a battle between Washington and Beijing as President Donald Trumps administration has accused China of seeking to steal US technology and other misbehaviour. The two nations have been locked in a trade war for much of the past year, disrupting the flow of hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods and raising a concern of slowing growth. Talks are set for Beijing next week. Separately, national security experts as well as lawmakers such as Warner and Rubio have been concerned about the use of Chinese-made telecommunications equipment in US networks, and are attempting to exclude companies like Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and ZTE Corp from US networks. The White House office created by the bill would seek to ensure that critical US supply chains, both government and non-governmental, are not jeopardised by reliance on foreign manufacturers, the two lawmakers said in the statement. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. If the China-Pakistan axis had India concerned over the coming together of two of its most powerful neighbours, what will its strategists conclude over a reordering of Pakistans relationship with New Delhis emerging ally in the Gulf, the UAE? Should India be alarmed as Abu Dhabi rekindles an old relationship and bankrolls Pakistan under Prime Minister Imran Khan? UAE Crown Prince Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Prime Minister Narendra Modis chief guest at the 2017 Republic Day, pledged $75 million in investment to build Indias infrastructure. Signalling a new direction, UAE foreign minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed expressed an interest in partnering India in nano-science technology and its space mission during a visit to Bengaluru in July 2018. Relations went further, as shown by the cooperation by security agencies in tracking down not just a runaway princess, and securing the extradition of AgustaWestland middleman Christian Michel, but in getting terror suspects shipped back to Indian jails. On Sunday, however, the UAE Crown Prince announced a $6.2 billion package to bolster Pakistans faltering economy, mirroring a similar Saudi bailout. The Modi government, with one eye on oil imports and keeping remittances from overseas Indians flowing, reinforced ties with the Gulf nation, keeping it fully in the loop on the terror threat Pakistan poses. But the scope and trajectory of the relationship Pakistan has with the Gulf goes beyond the India-Pakistan paradigm. This all the more so as the US prepares to exit and arch-enemy Iran steps into the fray, Abu Dhabi wants to co-opt Pakistan into backing the right Taliban in Afghanistan. India, with strong ties to both Tehran and Abu Dhabi, must re-examine how to navigate between these two conflicting narratives. The government and non-banking finance companies that have been smarting under the strict capital adequacy norms of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) are expecting this to be reversed with the appointment of the new RBI governor, Shaktikanta Das. Will Mr Das be able to swallow the poison that was allowed to develop and weaken the banking system? His predecessor Urjit Patel had refused to be a Neelakanthan who had swallowed the poison that came out of churning the ocean. It is well known that PSU banks recover just 25 per cent of loans estimated at `8 lakh crore. It would be interesting to know what happened in the 10 years that saw the banking system transform from a strong system with the lowest ratio of non-performing assets among G-20 countries to one that needs the peoples money to bail it out. Even more worrying is their susceptibility to frauds through which they lost `41,167 crore in 2017-18. Mr Das will have busy days ahead as he adjudicates on the issue of liquidity and credit availability for banks and non-banking finance companies (NBFCs). The government is jittery as the medium, small and micro enterprises depend for their funding on non-banking finance companies. The latter have also sought relaxation from the strict norms prescribed by the RBI under the former governor Urjit Patel. It needs to be seen how much Mr Das obliges the government which brought this nemesis on itself with the reckless demonetisation and then the flawed implementation of the Goods and Services Tax that dealt a body blow to banks and the economy. Chennai: The State government has warned its employees of stringent action if they participated in the nation-wide strike on Jan. 8 and 9. The government directed its staff not to indulge in the agitation in violation of the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Government Servants Conduct Rule, lest disciplinary action be taken against them. State Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan issued the warning to all government officials, stating that strict action will be taken against those government staff found taking part in the strike. I am to point out that strike or threat of strike or participation by Government Servants in strike or demonstration or any other form of agitation affecting the normal functioning of the government offices amount to violation of rules 20, 22 and 22 A of the Tamil Nadu Government Servants Conduct Rules, 1973, she said upon receiving information about members of an unrecognised service association participating in the All India Strike announced by various Central Trade Unions. If any of the Government servants have not attended office, consequent of their participation in the proposed All India strike, their period of absence has to be considered as unauthorised and they are not entitled to any pay and allowances on the basis of the principle of No Work - No Pay," a circular to all government departments, stated. Part-time employees, daily wage earners and those on consolidated pay will be liable to be discharged from service. "The application of casual Leave or any other leave, other than medical leave, shall not be allowed on the days of the proposed strike," it added. The heads of all departments have been further instructed to send a consolidated report on the attendance position of the staff working in the office under their entire administrative control, including village, taluk, district levels and Secretariat Administrative Department concerned, by 10.15 am on Jan. 8 and 9. The two-day general strike is meant to protest against the anti-worker and anti-trade union policies of the Narendra Modi government. Vijayawada: Prime Minister Narendra Modi tore into the Telugu Desam on Sunday, accusing it of promoting dynastic politics that would take the state towards doom. Interacting with BJP workers from various parliamentary constituencies, Mr Modi took an indirect dig at Mr Naidus catchphrase, Sunrise Andhra Pradesh, saying he was so fixated on the rise of his son, that he does not realise his policies and corruption are creating an atmosphere for the sunset of the state. Invoking Telugu pride propagated by TD founder, the late N.T. Rama Rao, Mr Modi said Mr Naidu had twice backstabbed his father-in-law NTR, who worked for the interest of the Telugus. Once was in the past and now again by joining hands with the Congress. Telugu pride is about working for the people diligently, not focusing on son-rise and corruption, Mr Modi said. The Prime Minister also said that the threats from Mr Naidu to the BJP were out of insecurity. When does a person lose his cool and become nervous? When does a person start threatening? The threat is a direct outcome of the nervousness and insecurity. It means the BJP workers are succeeding, he said in a response to a party worker who said Naidu was threatening them. Responding to a party worker who said that the TD was misleading people, Mr Modi asked what else to expect from a son-in-law who had backstabbed NTR. He reminded them that it was NTR who laid a firm foundation for Congress-mukt Bharat, by launching the National Front, whereas Mr Naidu joined hands with the Congress to cling to power. He asked if the Telugu pride would be restored by abusing him. The Telugu pride, he said, would be restored if the ruling party listens to the OBCs, Dalits and STs as dreamt by the late NTR. NTRs dream of a Swarna Andhra Pradesh will be realised when every citizen, and not just one family, enjoys the fruits of development. Swarna Andhra Pradesh will be scripted by the youth power of all Telugus. I assure you that the Centre is doing everything possible for the progress of AP. The Road Transport Corporation unions are divided about the strike, so bus services wont be much affected. (Representational Image) Hyderabad: The nationwide strike declared by the central trade unions (CTUs) has got more traction in Telangana state with the TRS-run trade unions joining in as well. On January 8, students appearing for the JEE (Joint Entrance Exam) may have some trouble getting transport to their exam centres. According to representatives of bank associations, banking services will be greatly affected. However, some banks at some locations may remain open. Sai Babu, state general secretary, Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU), one of the 10 central trade unions that have called for the general strike, says the effect of the strike will be more on the private transport sector and industrial belt because many of the contract workers are frustrated as the NDA government has done nothing to safeguard them. Workers from the rice mills, contract workers, construction labourers, Singareni coal mine workers, workers in the industrial clusters at Cherlapally, BHEL and other areas will join the strike. Workers from the local and municipal bodies in the state and people working in the central government funded schemes will stay away from their duties on these days. Many other labour unions in the state from transport, banking, insurance and other sectors have declared their support for the Central trade unions, which are protesting against the governments policies for workers. While some of the transport unions in TS have declared their support, only a few will actually go on strike and halt their services; some unions have left it to the voluntary decision of individuals. The Road Transport Corporation unions are divided about the strike, so bus services wont be much affected. Autorickshaw, school vans, and private transport vehicles and some lorry unions will be joining the strike on January 8 and will maintain their dissent on January 9, though services will be resumed. New Delhi: Formally setting the BJP into election mode, party president Amit Shah on Sunday gave key electoral responsibilities to Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj and Ravi Shankar Prasad. The party has already launched a social media campaign #Modi OnceMore and Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself is likely to address nearly 100 rallies across states ahead of the Election Commissions official announcement of the poll schedule. While home minister Rajnath Singh will head the manifesto committee for the crucial 2019 electoral battle, finance minister Arun Jaitley will head the publicity committee. A committee headed by road transport minister Nitin Gadkari will reach out to social and volunteer organisations while external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj will head the committee that will produce literature for the polls. Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will head the media committee, while minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman, social justice minister Thawarchand Gehlot and railway minister Piyush Goyal are part of the 20-member manifesto committee. Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, is also part of the manifesto committee. New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged that defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman lied in Parliament that government orders worth Rs one lakh crore were provided to HAL, while demanding that she should either place the documents in support of her statement in the House or resign. Ms Sitharaman hit back at the allegation saying it is a matter of shame that the Congress chief was misleading the country without fully understanding the issue. Mr Gandhis attack came after a media report claimed that not a single rupee of the said Rs 1 lakh crore has come to HAL, since not a single order, as claimed, has been signed till now. The media report cited senior HAL management officials in order to back its claim. When you tell one lie, you need to keep spinning out more lies, to cover up the first one. In her eagerness to defend the PM's Rafale lie, the RM lied to Parliament, Mr Gandhi tweeted. Tomorrow, RM must place before Parliament documents showing 1 Lakh crore of Govt orders to HAL. Or resign, he said. Suggesting that Gandhi jumped the gun while making the charges following a media report, Sitharamans office tweeted that Gandhi should start from ABCs and read the complete report before commenting on it. Its a shame that the president of @INCIndia is misleading the nation. HAL has signed contracts worth `26570.8 crore (Between 2014 and 2018) and contracts worth `73000 crore are in the pipeline. Will @RahulGandhi apologise to the country from the floor of the house?, Sitharaman tweeted from the defence ministers official handle. She also tweeted details of contract awarded to HAL since 2014 when BJP came to power. According to her, the `49,797 crore contract to HAL for supply of 83 light combat aircraft Tejas to the Indian Air Force was at the stage of technical evaluation stage. Another contract, whose tentative size is `20,000 crore, for supply of a batch of Kamov Ka 226 T helicopters was also in the similar stage. Sitharaman also pointed out that the media report said that LS (Lok Sabha) record shows that she did not claim the orders were signed and mentioned that they were in the works. Sitharaman made the remarks about HAL during her reply to debate on Rafale deal in Lok Sabha on Friday. The Congress has been targeting the government, alleging that it denied the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) an offset contract under the Rafale fighter jets deal with France, a charge the government has denied. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA government has accused the Congress of not supporting HAL during its rule and asserted that the government is now strengthening the defence public sector undertaking. Gandhi had on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of weakening HAL to help his suit-boot friend. Gandhis attack had come over a media report which claimed that HAL, grappling with low finances, was forced to borrow Rs 1,000 crore to pay salaries to its employees for the first time in years. File photo of Poosa Sai Krishna with his father Yellaiah and mother Shailaja. Warangal: Poosa Sai Krishna, an engineer from Mahabubabad was shot at by robbers who left him critically injured on an empty street in Detroit. His father Poosa Yellaiah teaches in a government school and his mother Shailaja is a homemaker. The family was shocked to hear about the incident, and are now relieved to know that Sai Krishna is out of danger. Sivanand Poosa, Sai Krishnas cousin, said he is currently on ventilator support but is doing well. He had bullet injuries on his arm and neck. According to his family, he is now out of danger. The robbers got away with his car, wallet, money and gold ornaments. The incident came to light on Sunday morning even though it occurred on January 3. Sai Krishna did his B. Tech in Hyderabad in 2014 and left for the US the following year to do a Masters in Electrical Engineering at Lawrence Tech University, Southfield Michigan. He recently joined an a company in Detroit. Sai Krishnas friends, who are looking after him in Detroit, have started a fundraiser on https://www.gofundme.com/6nz6s1k. Sai does not have health insurance and has to pay back student loans. So far, $106,404 out of the total required amount of $250,000 has been raised through the fundraiser. The mangled remains of the van after the accident took place at a town about 20km from Pudukkottai in Tamil Nadu. (Photo: via Twitter) Hyderabad: Eleven pilgrims from four villages in Medak district died in a road accident at a town about 20km from Pudukkottai in Tamil Nadu on Friday. On learning of the tragedy, the kin of the dead arrived at Naraspur police. A pall of gloom descended on the four villages Manthuru, Reddipally, Chintakunta and Kazipeta. Medak district TRS president Murali Yadav, Mandal revenue officer Bhikshapathi and circle inspector Mr Saidulu left for Pudukkottai on Sunday evening. They will reach there by Monday morning. They are on their way to make necessary arrangements to bring back the bodies, Medak superintendent of police G. Chandana Deepti said. Speaking to journalists, TRS leader T. Harish Rao said: The state government will take all necessary measures to bring back the bodies. The Tamil Nadu government has been requested to provide the best treatment possible to the injured persons. The government will do the needful for their families. TRS working president Mr K.T. Rama Rao expressed his grief over the tragic incident and promised help to families of the dead. Mr Mahesh Goud, cousin of Mr Praveen Goud, one of the dead, said: He was only son of his ageing parents and the familys sole breadwinner. Praveen ran a small business. Suresh and Praveen were friends. The dead were identified as Praveen Goud, 21 and Suresh, 22, of Chintakunta; S. Shiva Prasad, 23, and A. Shyamsundar Goud, 22, of Manthuru; Amberpeta Krishna Goud, 22, and Nakka Anjaneyulu, 40, of Reddipally; K. Nagaraju Goud, 35, Boina Kumar, 22 and Jurru Mahesh, 24, of Kazipeta in Medak district; Sai, 22, of Mangapur in Sangareddy district; and driver Rajesh of Kompally in Hyderabad. The injured were identified as Srisailam, D. Raju, K. Bhuma Goud, S. Venkatesh and Ramesh. Four more pilgrims received bleeding injuries and are being treated at a hospital in Thirumayam, about 90km from Madurai. The pilgrims, most of them farmers, were visiting nearby pilgrim centres before returning home after a pilgrimage to Sabarimala. Their van (AP 28 TD 6809) collided with an oncoming truck on the Thirumayam bypass road around 2.20pm. The pilgrims had told their family members they would reach home late on Monday night or by Tuesday morning. Police said they set off for Sabarimala in a van hired from the city on January 2. The driver was identified as Rajesh of Hyderabad. The pilgrims completed their pilgrimage at Sabarimala and were visiting nearby temples. Rameswaram was their last planned halt, said Narsapur circle inspector Saidulu. All the dead had an agriculture background and some of them were related. Jammus secession from J&K may be a distant prospect. Meanwhile, a lot of damage will be done by this communal agitation against the Valley. Mehbooba Mufti had only to ask for a mere divisional status for the Chenab Valley and the Pir Panjal areas for Karan Singh to scream that she was trying to break up Jammu. This from a man who has always been for a breakup of Jammu & Kashmir; particularly since the mid 1960s. He sponsored all manner of moves for a breakup while keeping his links with the Congress government at the Centre in good repair. In himself, Karan Singh is a very small man; indeed, it is his lurking capacity to fuel the flames of hate in Jammu that matters, given the state of politics today. As the son of the last ruler of the princely state, Hari Singh, he inherited the Dogra resentment of Sheikh Abdullahs rise to becoming premier of J&K. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has ever been an advocate of trifurcation into the Muslim Valley, the Hindu Jammu and the Buddhist Ladakh. In 1947, the Muslims were in a majority in Jammu. The massacre of Muslims organised by Hari Singh reduced their majority (61 per cent) to a minority (30 per cent) by 1961. It is not a regional, but a highly communal resurgence, that we now witness. The scholar Christopher Jaffrelot records that, in 1981, Karan Singh founded the Virat Hindu Samaj. Karan Singh became its president; its officers were RSS and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwarts Hans Raj Gupta and O.P. Tyagi (vice presidents), V.H. Dalmia (treasurer) and Ashok Singhal (general secretary). To Braj Kumar Nehru, governor of J&K, he candidly expounded his ideas. Shortly before he was sworn in as governor on February 26, 1981, B.K. Nehru met him and was told that those five different entities of J&K had nothing in common with each other. The hill areas of Gilgit, Baltistan and Skardu and the Punjabi-speaking areas of Muzaffarabad, etc were already in the hands of Pakistan. In our part of (Kashmir), there were three clear divisions Jammu, which was Hindu, Kashmir, which was Sunni Muslim and Ladakh, one part of which was Buddhist and the other (Kargil) Shia Muslim. Because of the lack of commonality between these three divisions, the sooner they were separated the better it would be for the future. The RSS has consistently supported such a trifurcation. However, on Oct 2, 2000, Farooq Abdullah warned that, in such an event, the districts of Doda, Poonch and Rajouri would not live with Jammu and that it would trigger something worse than the Jammu massacres in 1947. Jammu would split evenly. Gool Gulab Garh tehsil in Udhampur, and three in Rajouri, would go to the Valley. In 1979, Ladakh was split into two districts Muslim-majority Kargil and Buddhist-majority Leh. India will be left with two and a half districts while the so-called Greater Kashmir would go on a platter to Pakistan eventually. Jammus six districts have since been reorganised into 10. The figures yielded by the latest census are revealing. Only in five Jammu districts Kathua, Udhampur, Reasi, Jammu, and Samba are the Hindus in a majority (82 per cent in total). In 2008, there was a massive agitation in Jammu against the Valley over the Amarnath land issue. Significantly, Karan Singh was the only person outside the BJP to call for the resignation of the upright Governor N.M. Vohra on Aug 5, 2008. The separatists are not really opposed to trifurcation. Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq supported it on August 10, 2008. But how on earth can it be accomplished? Article 3 of the Constitution of India, which empowers Parliament to reorganise the boundaries of its states, does not extend to the region of J&K. Clearly, Kashmirs breakup can be brought about only as part of an overall settlement, which restores Kashmirs autonomy to its original strength. Karan Singh was defeated in an election from Jammu in 1984. But one of the leaders of the anti-Valley agitation in 2008, Jitendra Singh, is now minister of state in Narendra Modis Prime Ministers Office. He never misses an opportunity to spew poison against Kashmir no less virulent than Karan Singh, for whom he has little time. Jammus secession from J&K may be a distant prospect. Meanwhile, a lot of damage will be done by this communal agitation against the Valley. By arrangement with Dawn Rahul Gandhi had Saturday hit out at Modi over demonetisation, farm distress and job losses, alleging the PM was an 'incompetent man who listens to nobody'. (Photo: File) New Delhi: Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi for his "incompetent" barb at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP said Sunday it was ridiculous for an "incompetent" person like him to give a certificate of competence to others. The party claimed that the Congress president had achieved everything in life due to his family not because of competence. In a scathing attack at Gandhi, BJP leader and Union minister Smriti Irani also accused him of "hurting" Parliament's and a woman minister's (Nirmala Sitharaman) dignity by "winking" in the Lok Sabha as the defence minister replied to the Rafale debate on Friday. "We do not expect values from him but we do hope that he maintains the dignity of Parliament," Irani told a press conference. She was responding to questions about Gandhi's claim in a tweet Sunday that Sitharaman had "lied" in her reply and also about his another tweet, alleging that Modi is an "incompetent man". Taking a dig at the Congress president, Irani said he has woken up after 48 hours and was so much hurt by the "truth" that he came up again with a "pack of lies". "I believe that while the defence minister presented all facts before Parliament, the Congress president hurt Parliament's dignity and a woman minister's dignity with his wink," she said. Responding to the Gandhi's incompetent barb, she said wryly, "The country has not fallen upon such bad days that a person who has achieved everything in his life not due to his competence but family, give certificates of competence... This is itself ridiculous that an incompetent person like Rahul Gandhi give a certificate of competence to anybody." No opposition party accepts Gandhi's leadership, she said. Rahul Gandhi had Saturday hit out at Modi over demonetisation, farm distress and job losses, alleging the PM was an "incompetent man who listens to nobody". Citing some news reports, he Sunday targeted Sitharaman, saying in her eagerness to defend the PM's "Rafale lie", she lied to Parliament. Irani had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election against Gandhi in Amethi and lost. The BJP, it is understood, may field her again in 2019 from the Gandhi family's pocket borough. The Union minister Sunday maintained that only the party leadership can take a decision in this regard. Irani also took a jibe at Congress leader Shashi Tharoor over his criticism of Modi, saying he has found that the only way by which he can make a headline is by talking about the prime minister. He has written a book on the prime minister, and its sell will increase when he targets Modi, she said. The BJP leader also spoke about the ED seeking a not-bailable warrant against a personal aide of Gandhi's brother-in-law Robert Vadra. She said Vadra's aide had not joined the ED's probe despite being summoned thrice. Gandhi should ask his brother-in-law to tell his aide to join the probe, she said, raking up Vadra's links with defence dealer Sanjay Bhandari and his alleged ownership of a house in London. Irani described Vadra as the "national son-in-law of the Congress". Accusing Naidu of being 'fixated' with the rise of his own son, Modi said the chief minister did not realise how his policies and alleged corruption could lead to 'sunset' for the state. (Photo: File) Amaravati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday accused Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu of pushing the state into "sunset" to see his "son rise", a mock reference to the state's tagline "Sunrise AP". Addressing BJP workers in Andhra Pradesh through video-conference, Modi also invoked "Telugu pride", alleging that Naidu betrayed Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founder N T Rama Rao by joining hands with the Congress. "Telugu pride can only be restored when you (Naidu) put the interests of AP above your political interests and lust for power," the prime minister said. "A true tribute to NTR (the late N T Rama Rao) and what he stood for would be voting out those who betrayed NTR's values and sullied his memory. NTR's dream of a Swarna Andhra Pradesh will only be realised when every citizen of AP enjoys the fruits of development and not just one family," Modi said. Calling NTR a "true icon of Telugu pride", Modi recalled that it was NTR who led a "Congress-mukt Bharat" movement by forming an anti-Congress National Front. "Today, his own son-in-law (Chandrababu Naidu) has bent his head before the Congress to save his power. NTR was true icon of Telugu pride. NTR never forgave Congress for hurting Telugu pride and its betrayal of Telugu interests," the prime minister said. "Today, those in power in AP are so desperate to save their power that they betrayed Telugu interests and stabbed NTR in the back for the second time," he said. He also wondered how Telugu pride would be served by neglecting people and sacrificing their interests for power. "How is Telugu pride served by lying and abusing Modi day in and day out, just because you are worried that you will lose power? How is Telugu pride served by daydreaming about becoming prime minister when you have failed as CM?" Modi said, hitting out at Naidu. Accusing Naidu of being "fixated" with the rise of his own son, Modi said the chief minister did not realise how his policies and alleged corruption could lead to "sunset" for the state. "To set the 'son', he is creating an atmosphere for sunset of the state. In only promoting his son, he has forgotten about other sons and daughters of AP," the PM said. The TDP walked out of the BJP-led NDA last year over the issue of financial assistance for Andhra Pradesh. In the sting operation, Om Prakash Kashyap, personal secretary of Backward Welfare Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar is purportedly seen asking for Rs 40 lakh for a transfer. (Representational Image) Lucknow: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested the personal secretaries of state ministers Archana Tripathi, Sandeep Singh and Om Prakash Rajbhar on charges of corruption and bribery. "On getting sufficient evidence against the secretariat staff members, they have been arrested and sent to jail. The chief minister has a zero-tolerance towards corruption," the Uttar Pradesh government said in a statement late on Saturday night. On December 28, the three were suspended on graft charges following a sting operation by a news channel. They were suspended on orders of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who also directed officials to register a police case against them, a state government release said. In accordance with Adityanath's direction, the matter will be probed by SIT and it will submit its report within 10 days after taking statements of all parties in the case, it said. The SIT will be led by Additional Director General of Police, Lucknow Zone, Rajiv Krishna. A sting operation was conducted by a TV channel purportedly showing three personal secretaries of ministers allegedly seeking bribes in return for favours such as transfers and issuing contracts. In the sting operation, Om Prakash Kashyap, personal secretary of Backward Welfare Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar is purportedly seen asking for Rs 40 lakh for a transfer. Rajbhar, who is a minister from the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), said he had removed his personal secretary and written to the chief minister to take stern action against him. In the same sting operation, personal secretary of Minister of State for Mining Archana Pandey was shown allegedly striking a deal with the channel's reporter for getting him mining contracts in about six districts. Santosh Awasthi, personal secretary to MoS Basic Education Sandeep Singh, is also seen in the sting operation allegedly working out a deal for a contract for books and seeking his own cut. Singh is the grandson of former UP chief minister and present Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh. The incident comes days after woman architect died when ex-JD(U) leader fired celebratory shots in air during New Year's Eve party at his farmhouse. (Representational Image | PTI) New Delhi: A 42-year-old man was arrested on Saturday after he allegedly shot dead his eight-year-old son in a celebratory firing in northeast Delhi's New Usmanpur, police said. The incident comes days after a woman architect died when a former JD(U) leader fired celebratory shots in the air during a New Year's Eve party at his farmhouse in Fatehpur Beri. The child was hit by a bullet on his right cheek during the celebratory firing, a senior police officer said. He was rushed to a hospital but he died, a police officer said. "During the investigation, the child's father emerged as the prime suspect," Atul Kumar Thakur, Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast), said. The accused later confessed that he had taken the firearm from a man in Uttar Pradesh. He fired in the air and the bullet accidentally hit his son who was present at the celebration, police added. The alleged incident took place on Friday after Tawde inaugurated an elocution competition at a college in Amravati, located around 680 km from here. (Photo: File) Mumbai: An undergraduate student in Maharashtra's Amravati district has alleged that state Education Minister Vinod Tawde ordered his arrest when he was recording a conversation between him and a fellow student, a charge denied by the minister. The student, Yuvraj Dabad, also claimed that following the alleged order, the local police detained him for a couple of hours, seized his smartphone and returned it later. Tawde, however, refuted the allegation, saying he did not order the student's arrest and that "lies" were being spread against him. The alleged incident took place on Friday after Tawde inaugurated an elocution competition at a college in Amravati, located around 680 km from here. The minister was leaving after his speech at the event when some students of a journalism course reached out to him near his vehicle, seeking his response on a free-education policy. Prashant Rathod, a student of the college, said, "I was told by Education Minister Vinod Tawde to start working somewhere if I could not afford the educational expenses. My question to him was whether the state could have a free-education policy." Dabad was video-recording the interaction, when the minister "first asked him to stop the recording and later asked the police to arrest him", Rathod claimed while talking to reporters in Amravati on Saturday. Dabad said he declined the minister's order to stop the recording because "he (Tawde) was not answering our queries". "We were simply asking questions to him and seeking his views," he told reporters. "As Tawde ordered the police to arrest me, I was taken out of the college premises and detained for some time. My handset was returned after a couple of hours," Dabad said. Tawde later termed the allegations as "false". "It is some sort of a lie that is being spread against me. I did not order the arrest of any student in Amravati," he told PTI on Sunday. The minister said he had a "good interaction" with students at the college for almost two-and-a-half hours. "The students, who have levelled charges against me, met me outside the hall and tried to ask some questions to me. They are the ones who are spreading lies about me. "Some of those students also came with pamphlets with 'Inquilab Zindabad' written on those and distributed them among the other students. They were the ones who alleged that I ordered the arrest. It is completely false," he said. Kiranmay Nanda said SP-BSP alliance would be a 'gamechanger' in the general election in Uttar Pradesh, which has 80 Lok Sabha seats. (Photo: File) Kolkata: Samajwadi Party (SP) national vice-president Kiranmoy Nanda on Sunday said his party, together with the BSP, is strong enough to defeat the BJP in Uttar Pradesh in the upcoming general election and there is no need of an "insignificant" force like the Congress to make it happen. He, however, hinted that the SP-BSP alliance might just leave aside the Rae Bareli and Amethi constituencies, represented in the Lok Sabha by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi respectively. "In Uttar Pradesh, the Congress is an insignificant force, so we are not even thinking of including or excluding it. The SP-BSP alliance is the main force which will take on the BJP. The Congress might be there in one or two seats, it is for the Congress to decide what position it wishes to see itself in," Nanda told news agency PTI in an interview. His comments came two days after Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati and SP leader Akhilesh Yadav moved closer to finalise a seat-sharing formula, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Both the leaders held a meeting in New Delhi on Friday. Nanda felt the Congress was yet to adjust to the mantra of "alliance politics" as it was unwilling to "leave even an inch to its allies in states where it is strong, but expects others to share their pound of flesh with it in states where it is a weak force". Asked whether keeping the Congress out of the alliance in Uttar Pradesh would be an advantage for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he said, "From our past experiences, we can say, in cases where the Congress had fielded candidates against the SP-BSP alliance, we did not face any problem in defeating the BJP. The Congress's vote share is completely insignificant. "Rather there have been instances where the Congress had not put up its candidate in a seat and the BJP got its vote share." Nanda cited the examples of the Phulpur and Gorakhpur Lok Sabha bypolls, where the Congress had fielded candidates against the SP-BSP nominees, but that did not deter the alliance from defeating the BJP. Referring to the recently-held assembly polls in five states, he said had the Congress worked out an alliance in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the BJP would have faced a complete ouster in the two states. "Did the Congress go for a pre-poll alliance with the SP-BSP in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan? The answer is no. The Congress's policy is it will take benefits from everybody, but when it gets an opportunity, it does not want to share it with others," Nanda said. The former fisheries minister of West Bengal during the Left Front regime asserted that the SP-BSP alliance would be a "gamechanger" in the general election in Uttar Pradesh, which has 80 Lok Sabha seats. "Going by the current situation, it is clear that the SP-BSP alliance will sweep Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP will be ousted. The SP will play a vital role in the next government formation at the Centre, but we are not in the prime ministerial race," he maintained. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP, along with its allies, had secured 73 of the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, whereas the SP had won five and the Congress just two seats. Nanda also refuted the claims that Shivpal Singh Yadav's Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) might play a spoilsport for the SP-BSP alliance in the Hindi heartland state. "New parties crop up prior to the Lok Sabha polls in politically sensitive Uttar Pradesh, but they fail to create any impact," he asserted. Talking about the choice of prime ministerial candidate of the opposition alliance, Nanda said the matter would be decided on the basis of consensus after the polls. "We are not averse to anyone for the prime minister's post but that issue will be decided after the polls, following a discussion with all the parties," he added. New Delhi: The small traders body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) on Sunday asked the Commerce and Industry Ministry not to allow private labels to be sold on e-commerce marketplaces and desist from extending the February 1 deadline for implementation of the changes to FDI policy for the e-commerce sector. CAIT in a communication asked secretary, DIPP, Ministry of Commerce Ramesh Abhishek not to succumb to any pressure for extending the February 1 deadline for implementation of the changes to FDI policy for the e-commerce sector. CAIT secretary general Praveen Khandelwal said that Press Note No 2 of 2018 is merely a clarification of Press Note No 3 of 2016 and the policy is already in implementation. It is neither any change or amendment of policy and therefore even stipulating the said date for implementation of the policy is an error on the part of the DIPP. Since the policy is already implemented from 2016 no question of any extension is arises, said Mr Khandelwal. He alleged that e-commerce companies are seeking extension to keep delaying execution of the FDI policy and they can continue with predatory pricing to control and dominate retail trade and wipe out the competition. Therefore, CAIT has strongly demanded the government not to fall prey under malicious agenda of such e-commerce companies and no extension should be allowed under any circumstances," said Mr Khandelwal. He said that there is an urgent need to make it explicit clear whether private labelling or branding is allowed under FDI policy in e-commerce or not. If it is allowed it will run contrary to the intention of the government to make e-commerce free from evils and malpractice and to provide an equal level playing field with fair competition. Such e-commerce companies will continue their ulterior motives through such loopholes as they are doing since last many years and small retailers will be killed," he added. The government, earlier, had clarified that private labels were not banned from being sold on e-commerce marketplaces. Private labels often sold at lower prices allow e-commerce companies to control quality and even offers better margins than big, established brands. Over the last few years, e-commerce players have introduced private labels across a variety of categories including apparel, home furnishing and grocery. Meanwhile research and advocacy firm CUTS International said on Sunday that rules for the e-commerce sector should treat both domestic and overseas players equally to boost the fast-growing industry. It said that the new guidelines for FDI in e-commerce sector are stricter for online retail firms having overseas investments providing marketplace service, but there are no such restrictions for local companies and it is creating an uneven playing field. It said that online vendors' concern of discriminatory treatment by present and upcoming domestic e-commerce platforms and deep discounts, can be dealt by the Competition Commission of India. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription and are still unable to access our content, please link your digital account to your print subscription If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Gadkari said that it is necessary to guard Marathi identity along with national identity. Mumbai: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said that India would see more than one Maharashtrian as its Prime Minister (PM) by the year 2050. On being asked if India will see Maharashtrian PM by 2050, Mr Fadnavis replied, Why not? Of course well see Maharashtrian PM by 2050. If anyone has really ruled India in real sense, it is Maharashtrians. By 2050, more than one Maharashtrian would occupy PMs post. However, the country has not seen any Maharashtrian Prime Minister yet. The chief minister made the remarks at a public interview at the inaugural session of the 16th Jagatik Marathi Sammelan (world marathi conference) in Nagpur. Congress leader Sushilkumar Shinde and Union minister Nitin Gadkari also attended the session. We have the capability to reach Attock (a city, now in Pakistan, that was conquered by Maratha armies in the 18th century). Hence, I fully believe that by 2050 we will see not only one but more than one Maharashtrians in the highest post in the country, said Mr Fadnavis. Mr Gadkari said that it is necessary to guard Marathi identity along with national identity. Commenting on Maratha reservation, the chief minister further said that it wouldnt completely solve the issue of employment for Marathas. If reservation is given to every community, even then the government jobs cant be availed by 90 per cent of the young generation. The government can give only 25,000 jobs per year, hence reservation is not a solution, Mr Fadnavis said. remaining of SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM! 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. Alumni of the Class of 1990 has created a plant with a capacity of two tonnes per day. Mumbai: In a bid to address waste disposal at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) campus, the alumni of the Class of 1990 has created a biomethanation plant with a capacity of 2 tonnes per day. The plant, which was inaugurated Saturday by the director of the institute Prof. Devang Khakhar, will treat the food waste generated from the hostel mess. It is said that this will reduce 25 per cent of the LPG cylinder requirement for cooking food in the hostels. Biomethanation is a process by which organic material is microbiologically converted under anaerobic conditions into biogas. The three main physiological groups of microrganisms involved are: fermenting bacteria, organic acid oxidising bacteria, and methanogenic archaea. Biomethanation has strong potential for the production of energy from organic residues and wastes. It is said to help reduce the use of fossil fuels and thus reduce carbon dioxide. Biomethanation plant can be used to partially or fully substitute energy requirement like, cooking LPG gas, steam, electricity, thermal oil and chilling. Furthermore, the nutrient-rich fertilisers can be used for agricultural purposes. However, since it is inside the campus, our plant will be able to treat 2 tonnes of food waste generated from the mess of hostels 12, 13, 14 and nearby hostels per day, a note from IIT-B said. During the inauguration ceremony of the biomethanation plant, dean (IPS) prof. B.V.S Viswanadham; dean (ACR) prof. Suhas Joshi; alumni of the Class of 1990 Anu Narasimhan and Ravi Shankar; Dr B.S. Patil, public health officer of IIT-B; and other officers and staff of the institute were present. We will remain indebted to alumni of class of 1990 for this wonderful green initiative. This initiative will help address waste disposal and lead to generation of sustainable renewable energy, the note added. Several indigenous organisations in the state have been opposing the Bill as they believe it would harm their cultural identity. Guwahati: Protests over the Citizenship Bill erupted at various places in Assam on Saturday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his government was working to ensure the proposed legislation gets Parliament nod. Even as agitators bur-nt effigies of the PM in Lower Assam and Dibrugarh, and CM Sarbananda Sonowal called for calm while assuring the people that he would protect the interests of the state, security agencies expressed fear of the law and order problem escalating in Assam. Frontline students organisations and civil society groups, including pro-talk faction of Ulfa, have already called for an Assam bandh on January 8 and are threatening to launch massive protests across the state. Though the 11-hour bandh called by All Assam Students Union (AASU), along with 30 indigenous organisations, coincides with calls for bandh by Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha and All Assam Koch Rajbanshi Students Union in protest against the non-fulfilment of their long pending demand of granting schedule tribe status, security forces are keeping a close watch on these developments. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, to grant nationality to people belonging to minority communities Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of their residence in India. Several indigenous organisations in the state have been opposing the Bill as they believe it would harm their cultural identity. The PM, after flagging off the BJPs Lok Sabha poll campaign in the Northeast, said Friday that the Bill was not for the benefit of anyone but a penance against the injustice and many wrongs done in the past. Around 70 organisations, led by Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), took out protest rallies in the state capital on Saturday morning. Security agencies have warned the Centre that enforcing the Citizenship Bill may strengthen the sense of alienation amongst the indigenous people of the state. Reiterating that it would be highly challenging to implement the proposed Citizenship Bill as there is no record available about the entry of illegal immigrants to the state, security sources said that the Bill may strengthen the separatist movement in the state and revive old wounds. AASU, which on Saturday convened the meeting of 30 indigenous organisations to formulate strategy to oppose the Bill, said that Prime Minister has betrayed the Assamese and for this the BJP will have to face consequences. AASU adviser Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharjya said, Now it has been proven that the Prime Minister, the Central government and the BJP are protectors of Bangladeshis. The Prime Ministers statement on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, has also proved that they are anti-indigenous people. Under no circumstances are we going to accept the Citizenship Bill that seeks to defy the Assam Accord. We opposed the Bill, were opposing it now and will continue to oppose it. Our stand is crystal clear Hindus and Muslims who had entered Assam from Bangladesh before 1971 will stay in the state. Those who entered Assam after 1971, irrespective of their faiths, will have to go. We cant allow Assam to be a garbage bin for Bangladeshis. The indigenous people of Tripura are second-class citizens in the state. Were not ready to live the life of second-class citizens in Assam, he added. The ambitious Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016, is expected to face a tough time ahead with MPs of at least four parties, including the Congress, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party and the CPI(M) submitting dissent notes to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report on the controversial Bill. Even NDA ally the Janata Dal (United) has decided to oppose the Bill. JD(U) secretary-general K.C. Tyagi on Saturday condemned the JPCs decision to go ahead with the submission of the proposed Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 to Parliament on January 7. Mr Tyagi said, This would lead to a demographic change in the entire region. The Bill will destroy the ethnicity of Assam and Northeast. The northeastern states are not dustbin for illegal immigrants. Despite BJP being our ally, we strongly oppose the Bill. The SP and the BSP may fight on 37 seats each, leaving 6 seats for allies like the RLD. New Delhi: In a bid to collectively take on the BJP, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party have firmed up an alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the coming Lok Sabha polls. Though the two parties did not announce the number of seats out of 80 that each would be contesting, speculation is rife that they both may fight on 37 seats each, leaving the rest for the Rashtriya Lok Dal which has a significant presence in western parts of the state. Amidst ambiguity whether the Congress would be part of the Opposition alliance in the state that is known to hold the key to the government at the Centre, the grand old party said it was ready to go it alone. Congress Rajya Sabha member P.L. Punia said, A coalition is not important... Our workers are ready... We have not spoken to anyone about an alliance. Samajwadi Partys national spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said on Saturday that the two regional parties have agreed in principle to form an alliance and a formal announcement on the gathbandhan (alliance) may take place later this month. Sources said Mayawatis birthday on January 15 may be chosen to announce the UP alliance. The regional parties have already clarified that they would not field any candidates from the Gandhi family bastions of Rae Bareli and Amethi. Mr Chaudhary said that Akhilesh Yadav and Ms Mayawati had given their in-principle approval to the alliance after a series of meetings between them culminating in the one on Friday. Though Mr Chaudhary remained non-committal on the inclusion of Congress in the alliance, Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha member Ram Gopal Yadav hinted that the door may still be open to tie up with the Congress. Why are you imagining? he said when asked about whether Congress would be left out. It might be recalled that the Congress and the BSP had failed to reach an alliance before the Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Though later both the SP and the BSP gave their unconditional support to the Congress, Akhilesh Yadav had made a cryptic remark recently that by not including the lone SP MLA in the Madhya Pradesh Cabinet, the Congress had made things easier for him in Uttar Pradesh. Politically crucial Uttar Pradesh sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. Analysts have been speculating that in the event of the SP and the BSP fighting together, the BJP may take a hit and its tally of 72 Lok Sabha seats may come down to around 50. In last years bypolls, when both the Uttar Pradesh parties had fought together, they had managed to rout the BJP whether it was in Kairana, Phulpur or Gorakhpur. In the last parliamentary elections, the BJP won 71 seats, securing 42.63 per cent of the votes. BJP ally Apna Dal bagged two seats. The SP won five seats with a vote share of 22.35 per cent. The BSP did not win any seat while securing 19.77 per cent votes. The Congress registered wins on two seats in 2014, bagging 7.53 per cent of the votes. Raj Bhavan sources told PTI that the governor, who is now in Chennai, briefed Mr Singh about the situation over phone. Kannur/Thiruvananthapuram: Parts of northern Kerala, including the politically sensitive regions of Kannur and Palakkad, witnessed violent protests on Friday night and Saturday, with houses of CPI(M) and BJP leaders being attacked and bombs being hurled. State police chief Loknath Behera sounded a state-wide alert and gave direction to take stern action against those responsible for the attacks on the houses of party leaders. Governor Justice P. Sathasivam also briefed the Centre about the law and order situation. Briefed Honble Union home minister @HMOIndia Shri. Rajnath Singh about the law and order situation in Kerala in the last two days #kerala, he tweeted. Raj Bhavan sources told PTI that the governor, who is now in Chennai, briefed Mr Singh about the situation over phone. With the state witnessing widespread violence during the 12-hour state-wide shutdown called by Hindu fringe groups on Thursday, Mr Sathasivam had sought an urgent report from chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Mr Singh too, on Saturday, sought a report from the state government over the prevailing law and order situation. Asked if he was concerned about the increasing violence in the state, Mr Singh was quoted as saying, Things should be under control soon. The entry of two women of reproductive age into the Lord Ayyappa shrine at Sabarimala on Wednesday, the first time since the Supreme Court in September last year lifted the age-linked ban on entry of women devotees, has triggered massive protests in Kerala. Bombs were hurled at several places, including at the houses of CPI(M) MLA A.N. Shamseer in Madapeedikayil, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP V. Muraleedharan at Vadiyil Peedikia and former Kannur district secretary of CPI(M) P. Sasi at Thalassery past midnight on Friday, police said. No one was injured in the attacks. The BJP MPs ancestral home was attacked hours after bombs were thrown at the homes of Mr Shamseer and Mr Sasi when leaders of the Marxist party and BJP-RSS were attending a peace meeting here. In other incidents, unidentified people set fire to an office of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Pariyaram area on Saturday morning, a CPI(M) worker was attacked at Perumbara in Iritty in the district Friday, and RSS leader K. Chandrasekharan was assaulted in Thalassery and his house ransacked allegedly by a group of around 25 Marxist workers. Though the CPI(M) and the BJP-RSS leaders traded charges and blamed each other for the violent attacks, an all-party meet convened by Kannur district collector Mir Muhammed Ali decided to ensure peace in the district. Prominent leaders of BJP and CPM participated in the meeting and decided to end all protest marches in the district for two days. The attacks mark a return of political violence on a large scale after a gap of over a year in the sensitive district. Besides Kannur, Perambra in neighbouring Kozhikode, Malappuram and Adoor in Pathanamthitta, where the Ayyappa shrine is located, also witnessed a series of similar attacks and vandalism Friday night and in the early hours of Saturday. A total of 260 people have been arrested so far in connection with the Kannur violence in the last two days, an official statement said adding patrolling and raids had been intensified across the district. Police carried out a route march Saturday morning in Thalassery, where 19 people had been arrested and 33 taken into preventive custody. CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram that the RSS was trying to trigger riots in the state and sabotage peace talks. The RSS-BJP combine was turning temples and educational institutions managed by into armouries, he alleged, adding the ruling party would take the initiative to restore peace in violence-hit areas. Echoing similar views, CPI(M) Kannur district secretary P. Jayarajan urged the Sangh Parivar forces to end violence. Countering the charges, the BJPs V. Muraleedharan said the incidents of violence were the tactics of the ruling CPI(M) to divert attention from the controversies and protests over the violation of the traditional customs at the Sabarimala temple. My sister, brother-in-law and their daughter were in the house when the attack took place. Fortunately they were not harmed, he told PTI from Andhra Pradesh. So far, over 1,700 people have been arrested in connection with violence in various parts of the state sinc Thursday. Located in north Kerala, Kannur has been the hotbed of political violence especially between the CPI(M) and BJP and witnessed bloody clashes and killings over the years. At the beginning of last month, Gov. Northam issued a directive to establish the Executive Leadership Team on Highway Safety. The mission of this collaboration among the Virginia departments of education, health, motor vehicles, state police and transportation as well as traffic safety advocates is to reduce the rising number of fatalities on Virginias roadways. The directive is to save more lives through the advancement of education, engineering and enforcement relative to traffic safety. Those most committed to achieving such objectives are the very ones most at risk or harm for the purpose of saving others. Like all 50 states, Virginia has what is called a Move Over law. Its a state law designed to protect those working alongside the highways by requiring motorists to move a lane away from vehicles stopped on the side of a road with flashing red, blue or amber lights. If unable to move over, then the Code of Virginia requires a driver to pass such vehicles cautiously. Simple as this concept may be, those few extra feet can mean the difference between life and death. Yet across the nation traffic incidents continue to be the leading cause of death for law enforcement and highway maintenance workers; and the second leading cause for firefighter deaths in the nation. Why deterrence is hard Nuclear deterrence works because few countries have nuclear weapons or the significant resources needed to invest in them. Those that do have them recognize that launching a first strike risks a devastating nuclear response. Further, the international community has established institutions, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency, and agreements, such as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, to counter the catastrophic threat nuclear weapons pose. Cyber weapons are nothing like nuclear ones. They are readily developed and deployed by individuals and small groups as well as states. They are easily replicated and distributed across networks, rendering impossible the hope of anything that might be called cyber nonproliferation. Cyber weapons are often deployed under a cloak of anonymity, making it difficult to figure out who is really responsible. And cyberattacks can achieve a broad range of effects, most of which are disruptive and costly, but not catastrophic. This does not mean cyber-deterrence is doomed to failure. The sheer scale of cyberattacks demands that we do better to defend against them. Jan. 1 marked the 60th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution, the day Fidel Castros armed uprising marched into Havana to oust then-dictator Fulgencio Batista. This pivotal moment in history would go on to mark the beginning of one of the longest surviving nondemocratic regimes in the world, surviving 12 U.S. presidents, and countless political and economic crises. Todays historic milestone comes at a time of significant uncertainty for the island nation a trait that has been the unfortunate norm of Cubas Revolution. In April of this year, Miguel Diaz-Canal succeeded Raul Castro as president of Cuba. Though not a Castro in name, Diaz-Canal has proven to be a continuation of the same one-party communist rule that first took the helm in January 1959. In his late 80s, Raul Castro still retains control as first secretary of the Communist Party and is assumed to wield significant power, giving direction to Diaz-Canal. At the same time, the Cuban constitution has been undergoing a process of mild revision the first complete review since 1976 but in its final form is expected to maintain the Communist Party as the nations most prominent political organization and to continue restricting opposition parties. Therefore, there remains little prospect for meaningful political opening. Despite its proximity to the Outer Banks, the average beachgoer wouldn't have known about the latest tropical system without a satellite picture. The new rules authorize the House to join court actions in defense of the Affordable Care Act, while the Administration Committee is newly empowered to conduct depositions while overseeing federal elections. The renamed Committee on Oversight and Reform is given jurisdiction to investigate all corners of government operations, including the White House. Term limits are dropped for committee chairs and members of the Budget Committee. The former Committee on Education and the Workforce is now the Committee on Education and Labor. The Democrats are reinstating pay-go rules requiring that the costs of cuts in taxes or increases in mandatory spending programs including Medicare and Social Security must be offset so that they do not add to the deficit. The package eliminates a rule requiring three-fifths majority votes for income tax increases, and drops the dynamic scoring process promoted by Republicans to reduce the estimated costs of tax cuts by projecting economic benefits. Also reinstated is the Gephardt rule, under which adoption of the annual budget resolution automatically grants House approval of suspending the federal debt limit. The new ground rules repeal the Holman rule allowing appropriations bills to be used to eliminate federal programs or dismiss or cut the salary of specific federal employees. Talking to reporters in Lucknow, he said the BJP is leaving a 'culture', which may be used against it in the future. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister may face a probe by the CBI, according to the agency FIR made public Saturday, the day arch rivals SP and BSP indicated their intent to join hands to counter the BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. (Photo: File) Lucknow: Amid reports that the CBI is likely to quiz Akhilesh Yadav in the illegal mining case, the Samajwadi Party chief Sunday said he is ready to face the probe agency, but people are also ready to answer the BJP. Talking to reporters in Lucknow, he said the BJP is leaving a "culture", which may be used against it in the future. "Samajwadi Party is making efforts to win maximum Lok Sabha seats. Those who want to stop us, have the CBI with them. Once the Congress did CBI probe, and I was questioned. If the BJP is doing all this, the CBI will question me, I will answer (them). But, the people are ready to give an answer to the BJP," Yadav said. "Why is the CBI conducting raids. Whatever they want to ask, they can ask me. However, the BJP should remember that the culture it is leaving behind, it may have to face it in the future," he said. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister may face a probe by the CBI, according to the agency FIR made public Saturday, the day arch rivals SP and BSP indicated their intent to join hands to counter the BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Taking a swipe, Yadav said, "Now we have to tell the CBI as to how many seats we have distributed in the gathbandhan. I am happy that at least the BJP has shown its colours. Earlier, the Congress gave us the chance to meet the CBI, and this time it is the BJP, which has given us this opportunity." The SP chief also accused the BJP of ending 'political etiquette'. "The BJP wants that other political parties should behave in the same manner as it behaves. But, we will not change our political etiquette," he said. The CBI carried out searches at 14 locations Saturday in connection with its FIR against 11 persons including IAS officer B Chandrakala, Samajwadi Party MLC Ramesh Kumar Mishra and Sanjay Dixit (who unsuccessfully contested the 2017 assembly election on a BSP ticket) to probe alleged illegal mining of minor minerals in Hamirpur district during 2012-16. Yadav, who was the chief minister of the state between 2012 and 2017, held the mining portfolio during 2012-13 apparently bringing his role under scanner, according to the FIR. He was succeeded by Gayatri Prajapati, who took charge as mining minister in 2013 and was arrested in 2017 following a complaint of rape by a woman residing in Chitrakoot. This is a third FIR pertaining to illegal mining cases which were registered by the agency on January 2, 2019, nearly two-and-a-half year after it was directed by the Allahabad High Court to probe the issue. Both courts will remain downtown and a new three-story building will be connected to the Levy Building, which is jointly owned by the city and county, and will accommodate four courtroom sets one for Charlottesville General District Court and three for Albemarle General District Court. However, a bill, which either Toscano or Bell is likely to file, must still be passed to allow the move. Both legislators are still finalizing the bills they will submit and were not yet certain which one of them would introduce the bill to move the courts. Neither expected any resistance to the legislation from fellow lawmakers. Virginias 16th Judicial Circuit will see the appointment of a new judge this session, a decision typically made by majority vote of both the House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate and therefore usually by the majority party. The Republicans maintain a slight majority in both chambers 51 to 49 in the House and 21 to 19 in the Senate. Toscano disapproves of this selection method and said he would like to instead see the use of a bipartisan judicial panel made up of legislators from the circuits where judges would be appointed. I was really surprised, and surprised in the same way that it turns out all of my neighbors were when I began to ask them if they knew anything about this, because literally nobody knew anything about this new Comprehensive Plan and the new Future Land Use Map. It was obviously done to avoid anybody knowing, Supervisor Mark Johnson said. Thats part of my concern here, Crozier said. I dont think that anyone in [the Charlottesville area] really cares. He also said he thinks community members should be granted more than 30 minutes on a weekday mid-afternoon to get their questions answered. The way this [notice] seems to be put out is that people will have a 30-minute time period if they dont feel like writing to the company, Crozier said. I think it deserves a little bit more than that, and I will be submitting something to them to that regard. But with the scope of this project and the impact that it can ultimately have on the county, I felt like it was important to get out there. The county has posted information about the public input session and comment period on its website, orangecountyva.gov. I would think that they would at least have the courtesy of letting us know whats going on, said David. The following companies are subsidiares of Whirlpool: 1900 Holdings Corporation, ADC, Aeradriatica S.p.A., Airdun Limited, B. Blend Maquinas e Bebidas S.A., BUD Comercio de Eletrodomesticos Ltda., BWI Products Limited, Bauknecht AG, Bauknecht Hausgerate GmbH, Bauknecht Limited, Beijing Embraco Snowflake Compressor Company Limited, Bill Page Orchestra, Bill Page Orchestra Inc., Brasmotor S.A., Brunson Place Properties, Brunson Place Properties LLC, CNB Consultoria Ltda, Cannon Industries Ltd., Centro de Desarrollo Tecnologico e Innovacion WHM S. de R.L de C.V., Comercial Acros Whirlpool, Comercial Acros Whirlpool S. de R.L. de C.V., Consumer Appliances Service Limited, Ealing Compania de Gestiones y Participaciones S.A., Elera Delaware, Elera Delaware Inc., Elera Holdings Corporation, Embraco Europe S.r.l., Embraco Eurosales S.r.l., Embraco Industria de Compressores e Solucoes em Refrigeracao Ltda., Embraco Luxembourg S.a r.l., Embraco Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Embraco Mexico Servicios, Embraco Mexico Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Embraco North America, Embraco North America Inc., Embraco RUS LLC, Embraco Slovakia S.r.o., Everest Campus, Everest Campus LLC., General Domestic Appliances Holdings Ltd, General Domestic Appliances International Ltd., Guangdong Whirlpool Electrical Appliances Co., Guangdong Whirlpool Electrical Appliances Co. Ltd., Haceb Whirlpool Industrias S.A.S., Hefei Rongshida Sanyo Electric, Hefei Whirlpool Enterprise Management Service Co. Ltd., Hoover Comercial Limitada, IRE Beteiligungs GmbH, Indesit Argentina S.A., Indesit Company, Indesit Company Beyaz Esya Pazarlama A.S., Indesit Company Beyaz Esya Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Indesit Company Ceska S.r.o., Indesit Company Domestic Appliances Hellas Mepe, Indesit Company International Business S.A., Indesit Company Luxembourg S.A., Indesit Company Magyarorszag Kft, Indesit Company Nordics AB, Indesit Company Polska Sp. zo.o., Indesit Company Singapore Pte. Ltd., Indesit Company UK Holdings Ltd., Indesit IP S.r.l., Indesit International ZAO, Indesit Ireland Ltd., Indesit Middle East FZE, Indesit Ukraine LLC, Industrias Acros Whirlpool S. de R.L. de C.V., Industrias Acros Whirlpool S.A. de C.V, Jackson Appliances Ltd., Joint-Stock Company Indesit International, KitchenAid, KitchenAid Australia Pty Ltd, KitchenAid Australia Pty Ltd., KitchenAid Delaware Inc., KitchenAid Europa Inc., KitchenAid Global, KitchenAid Global Inc., KitchenAid Inc., KitchenAid Korea Limited, KitchenAid Promotions, KitchenAid Promotions LLC, KitchenAid Trading Co., KitchenAid Trading Co. Ltd., LAWSA S.A., MLOG Armazem Geral Ltda., Maytag Corporation, Maytag Limited, Maytag Properties, Maytag Properties LLC, Maytag Sales, Maytag Sales Inc., Maytag Worldwide N.V., Merloni Domestic Appliances Ltd., Nineteen Hundred Corporation, Polar S.A., Qingdao EECON Electronic Controls and Appliances Co., Qingdao EECON Electronic Controls and Appliances Co. Ltd., South American Sales Partnership, THC Assets Corporation, Up Points Servicos Empresariais S.A., Vitromatic S.A. de C.V., WCGP Nova Scotia Co., WHirlpool EMEA Finanace S.a r.l., Whirlpool (Australia) Pty. Limited, Whirlpool (B.V.I.) Limited, Whirlpool (China) Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (China) Investment Co., Whirlpool (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (Hefei) Trading Co., Whirlpool (Hefei) Trading Co. Ltd, Whirlpool (Hong Kong) Limited, Whirlpool (Japan) Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (Thailand) Limited, Whirlpool ASEAN Co., Whirlpool America Holdings Corp., Whirlpool Argentina S.r.l., Whirlpool Asia B.V., Whirlpool Asia Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Asia Inc., Whirlpool Asia LLP, Whirlpool Belux N.V./S.A., Whirlpool Bermuda Euro Ltd., Whirlpool Beyaz Esya Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S., Whirlpool Bulgaria Ltd., Whirlpool CIS Ltd., Whirlpool CR, Whirlpool CR spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool CSA Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Canada Co., Whirlpool Canada Co. (post 9/1/05 amalgamation company), Whirlpool Canada Holding Co, Whirlpool Canada Holding Co. (post 4/18/06 amalgamation company), Whirlpool Canada Investments S.a r.l., Whirlpool Canada LP, Whirlpool Canada Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Chile Limitada, Whirlpool Colombia S.A.S., Whirlpool Comercial Ltda., Whirlpool Company Polska Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Company Ukraine LLC, Whirlpool Croatia Ltd., Whirlpool EMEA S.p.A., Whirlpool Ecuador S.A., Whirlpool Eesti OU, Whirlpool El Salvador, Whirlpool El Salvador S.A. de C.V., Whirlpool Electrodomesticos S.A., Whirlpool Eletrodomesticos AM S.A., Whirlpool Enterprises, Whirlpool Enterprises LLC, Whirlpool Europe B.V., Whirlpool Europe Coordination Center, Whirlpool Europe Holdings Limited, Whirlpool Ev Aletleri Pazarlama Ve Ticaret A.S., Whirlpool Finance B.V., Whirlpool Finance Center Corp., Whirlpool Finance Luxembourg S.a r.l., Whirlpool Finance Overseas Ltd., Whirlpool Financial Corporation, Whirlpool Financial Corporation International, Whirlpool Floor Care Corp., Whirlpool France Holdings SAS, Whirlpool France SAS, Whirlpool Germany GmbH, Whirlpool Global B.V., Whirlpool Global Investments B.V., Whirlpool Greater China Inc., Whirlpool Guatemala, Whirlpool Guatemala S.A., Whirlpool Hellas S.A., Whirlpool Holdings Corporation, Whirlpool Home Appliances B.V., Whirlpool Home Appliances Limited Liability Company, Whirlpool Hungarian Trading Limited Liability Company, Whirlpool India Holdings Limited, Whirlpool Insurance Company, Whirlpool Insurance Company Ltd., Whirlpool Internacional S. de R.L. de C.V., Whirlpool International GmbH, Whirlpool International Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool International Manufacturing S.a r.l., Whirlpool Ireland Appliances Limited, Whirlpool Ireland Limited, Whirlpool Italia Holdings S.r.l., Whirlpool Italia S.r.l., Whirlpool Japan Co. Ltd., Whirlpool Japan Inc., Whirlpool Kazakhstan LLP, Whirlpool Latin America Corporation, Whirlpool Latvia S.I.A., Whirlpool Lietuva UAB, Whirlpool Ltd Belgrade, Whirlpool Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg Investments S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg Ventures S.a r.l., Whirlpool MEEA DMCC, Whirlpool Magyarorszag Kereskedelmi Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Whirlpool Management Services S.a.g.l., Whirlpool Maroc S. a r.l., Whirlpool Mauritius Limited, Whirlpool Mexico Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Whirlpool Mexico S.A. de C.V., Whirlpool Mexico Ventures LLC, Whirlpool Microwave Products Development Limited, Whirlpool NAAG Holdings Corporation, Whirlpool NAR Holdings, Whirlpool NAR Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Nederland B.V., Whirlpool Nordic, Whirlpool Nordic A/S, Whirlpool Nordic AB, Whirlpool Nordic AS, Whirlpool Nordic OY, Whirlpool Oceania Inc., Whirlpool Overseas Holdings, Whirlpool Overseas Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Overseas Hong Kong Limited, Whirlpool Overseas Manufacturing S.ar.l., Whirlpool Peru S.R.L., Whirlpool Polska Appliances Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Polska Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Portugal, Whirlpool Portugal S.A., Whirlpool Product Development (Shenzhen) Company Limited, Whirlpool Properties, Whirlpool Properties Inc., Whirlpool Puntana S.A., Whirlpool R&D S.r.l., Whirlpool RUS LLC, Whirlpool Realty Corporation, Whirlpool Romania S.r.l., Whirlpool S.A., Whirlpool SSC Limited, Whirlpool Slovakia Home Appliances spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool Slovakia spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Whirlpool Southeast Asia Pte, Whirlpool Sweden Aktiebolag, Whirlpool Taiwan Co. Ltd., Whirlpool Technologies LLC, Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited, Whirlpool UK Pension Scheme Trustee Limited, Whirlpool Ukraine LLC, Whirlpool WW Holdings B.V., Whirlpool do Brasil Investements B.V., Whirlpool do Brasil Ltda., Whirlpool of India Limited, Whirlpool Osterreich GmbH, Whirlpool Osterreich GmbH, Xpelair, Xpelair Ltd., Yummly, Yummly Canada Ltd., and Yummly Inc.. The fine amount has to be deposited with the Central Pollution Control Board within two months. A team of 11 Navy divers with their equipments deployed to conduct rescue task at the site of a coal mine collapse at Ksan in Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya. Guwahati: As multiple agencies continue with their attempt to rescue miners trapped in a rat-hole mine of Meghalaya, the National Green Tribunal has imposed a fine of whopping Rs 100 crore on the Meghalaya government for its failure to curb illegal coal mining in the state. The decision came after at least 15 miners were reported to be trapped in the 370-foot deep illegal coal mine in Lumthari village of East Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya on December 13. The NGT had ordered an interim ban on rat-hole coal mining in Meghalaya from April 17, 2014. The Odisha Fire Service personnel had managed to pump out over 9 lakh litres of water, while CIL and Kirloskar Brothers personnel are expected to start pumping water from mines through their submersible pumps on Sunday. The Navy divers waiting for adequate water level to start search operation said that the water is 49 metres deep in the main shaft while the depth from ground level to the surface is 64 metres. Once the water level is reduced to 30 metres, divers can go back to search for the miners. We suspect these mines may be linked to the main one and will dewater these in the hope that the water level in the one caught in the accident too will recede, he said. But it is all assumption. We will try our best and also pray that we are successful in the end, he said. Earlier advocates assisting the NGT had said that a report of a high-level committee was submitted on January 2 before a bench headed by NGT chairperson A.K. Goel. The report stated that majority of the mines in the northeastern state were operating without a lease or license. The Tribunal imposed Rs 100 crore fine on the state government as a deterrent and for its inaction to curb illegal mining in the state. Senior advocate Raj Panjawani told reporters that the fine amount has to be deposited with the Central Pollution Control Board within two months. The CBI initiated investigations into the sand mining scam following a directive from the Allahabad HC and filed seven preliminary inquiries in 2016. New Delhi: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav seems to be heading for trouble ahead of Lok Sabha polls as the CBI plans to examine him in connection with a case of illegal sand mining dating back to 2012-13 when he held the additional portfolio of mining in Uttar Pradesh. On Saturday the investigating agency conducted raids at 14 places in Uttar Pradesh, including Jalaun, Hamirpur, Noida, Lucknow and Kanpur, and Delhi as part of the probe. CBI sources hinted that they may question Akhilesh Yadav and all his former ministers, including former mining minister Gayatri Prasad Prajap-ati who was also arrested in 2017 following a complaint of rape by a woman residing in Chitrakoot. In the afternoon, the Central investigative agency also conducted raids on the premises of IAS officers and former Hamirpur district magistrate B. Chandrakala. She had come into the limelight, particularly on social media, in connection with her anti-corruption campaigns which earned her the title of Lady Dabang a reference made to an honest cops role essayed by filmstar Salman Khan in his film Daabang. The CBI initiated investigations into the sand mining scam following a directive from the Allahabad high court and filed seven preliminary inquiries in 2016. The raids came a day after Akhilesh Yadav met BSP supremo Mayawati in Delhi on Friday where the two are believed to have finalised the seat sharing arrangements for the Lok Sabha elections. The CBI has lodged an FIR in the land mining case against 11 individuals, including government employees and Samajwadi Party leaders. It is alleged that public servants allowed illegal mining during 2012-16 and illegally renewed licences despite a ban by National Green Tribunal. It is suspected that officials allegedly backed theft of minerals and extortion of money from lease holders. Wipro Limited operates as an information technology (IT), consulting, and business process services (BPS) company worldwide. It operates in three segments: IT Services, IT Products, and India State Run Enterprise Services (ISRE). The IT Services segment offers IT and IT-enabled services, including digital strategy advisory, customer-centric design, technology consulting, IT consulting, custom application design, development, re-engineering and maintenance, systems integration, package implementation, infrastructure, analytics, business process, research and development, and hardware and software design services to enterprises. It serves customers in various industry verticals, such as banking, financial services, and insurance; health business; consumer business; energy, natural resources, and utilities; manufacturing; technology; and communications. The IT Products segment provides a range of third-party IT products comprising enterprise platforms, networking solutions, software and data storage products, contact center infrastructure, enterprise security, IT optimization technologies, video solutions, and end-user computing solutions. It serves enterprises in various industries primarily in the India market, which comprise the government, defense, IT and IT-enabled services, telecommunications, manufacturing, utilities, education, and financial services sectors. The ISRE segment offers IT services to entities and/or departments owned or controlled by the Government of India and/or various Indian State Governments. The company has research collaboration agreements with the University of Texas at Austin; Tel Aviv University, Israel; Swinburne University, Melbourne; IIT Kharagpur; IIT Madras; IISc Bangalore; and University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore; and strategic relationship with Amazon Web Services in the area of DevOps. Wipro Limited was founded in 1945 and is based in Bengaluru, India. Read More The Congress has accused the government of favouring Anil Ambanis firm in the Rafale fighter aircraft deal. The Congress president had earlier attacked the prime minister over the condition of farmers, alleging that on one hand Modi is not waiving their loans and on the other he is giving a 'license of loot' to his 'suit-boot friends'. (Photo: File) New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked Narendra Modi over reported job losses last year, saying the prime minister who had promised two crore jobs every year was still singing the tune of rhetoric. Gandhi hit out at Modi citing a media report which claimed that the employment scenario turned bleak in the past year with almost 11 million Indians losing their jobs. The report cited data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). Breaking! 1 crore 10 lakh jobs were lost in 2018. The prime minister, who promised two crore jobs to the youth every year, is still singing Raag Jumla (tune of rhetoric), Gandhi said in a Facebook post in Hindi. If Modi ji had worked for the country instead of helping Anil Ambani loot, then the future of the youth would not have been so insecure, he added. The Congress has accused the government of favouring Anil Ambanis firm in the Rafale fighter aircraft deal. However, the government, as well as Ambani, have rejected all the allegations. The Congress president had earlier attacked the prime minister over the condition of farmers, alleging that on one hand Modi is not waiving their loans and on the other he is giving a license of loot to his suit-boot friends. Johnson & Johnson researches and develops, manufactures, and sells a range of products in the health care field worldwide. It operates through three segments: Consumer Health, Pharmaceutical, and Medical Devices. The Consumer Health segment offers baby care products under the JOHNSON'S and AVEENO Baby brands; oral care products under the LISTERINE brand; skin health/beauty products under the AVEENO, CLEAN & CLEAR, DR. CI:LABO, NEUTROGENA, and OGX brands; acetaminophen products under the TYLENOL brand; cold, flu, and allergy products under the SUDAFED brand; allergy products under the BENADRYL and ZYRTEC brands; ibuprofen products under the MOTRIN IB brand; smoking cessation products under the NICORETTE brand; and acid reflux products under the PEPCID brand. This segment also provides women's health products, such as sanitary pads and tampons under the STAYFREE, CAREFREE, and o.b. brands; wound care products comprising adhesive bandages under the BAND-AID brand; and first aid products under the NEOSPORIN brand. The Pharmaceutical segment offers products in various therapeutic areas, including immunology, infectious diseases, neuroscience, oncology, pulmonary hypertension, and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The Medical Devices segment provides electrophysiology products to treat cardiovascular diseases and neurovascular care products to treat hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke; orthopaedics products in support of hips, knees, trauma, spine, sports, and other; advanced and general surgery solutions that focus on breast aesthetics, ear, nose, and throat procedures; and disposable contact lenses and ophthalmic products related to cataract and laser refractive surgery under the ACUVUE brand. The company markets its products to general public, and retail outlets and distributors, as well as distributes directly to wholesalers, hospitals, and health care professionals for prescription use. Johnson & Johnson was founded in 1886 and is based in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Read More Intrepid Potash, Inc. produces and sells potash and langbeinite products in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Potash, Trio, and Oilfield Solutions. The Potash segment offers muriate of potash or potassium chloride for use as a fertilizer input in the agricultural market; as a component in drilling and fracturing fluids for oil and gas wells, as well as an input to other industrial processes in the industrial market; and as a nutrient supplement in the animal feed market. The Trio segment provides Trio, a specialty fertilizer that delivers potassium, sulfate, and magnesium in a single particle. The Oilfield Solutions segment sells water for use in the oil and gas services industry; and offers potassium chloride real-time mixing services on location for hydraulic fracturing operations and trucking services. The company offers salt for use in animal feeds, industrial applications, pool salts, and treatment of roads and walkways; magnesium chloride for use in the deicing and dedusting of roads; brines for well development and completion activities in the oil and gas industry; and metal recovery salt, a combination of potash and salt to enhance the recovery of aluminum in the aluminum recycling processing facilities. Intrepid Potash, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is based in Denver, Colorado. Read More Panipat will be produced by Sunita Gowariker under her home banner AGPPL in association with Vision World. Actor Arjun Kapoor is extremely thrilled about his film Panipat and has been taking horse riding lessons to perfect his role in the film. The period drama is based on one of the most epic battles in Indias history the one fought between the northern expeditionary force of the Maratha empire and the invading forces of the king of Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Abdali, along with his two Indian allies the Rohilla Afghans of the Doab and Shuja-ud-Daula, the Nawab of Awadh. Arjun took to Instagram and wrote, New year, new learnings... so the last whole month of 2018 went in enjoying the company of an Animal, Mother Nature & Sunrises... as I gear up to restart shooting for Panipat I feel privileged to be able to learn this beautiful art of becoming one with this most glorious animal. (sic) The actor also disclosed how challenging his role is by writing, The process of learning has been therapeutic & empowering at the same time. Cant wait to get back on set with this new childlike excitement for what is my toughest & biggest film yet. Thank you to my teachers at the Racecourse for bearing with me along the way. (sic) Panipat will be produced by Sunita Gowariker under her home banner AGPPL in association with Vision World. Apart from Arjun and Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon will also be part of this ambitious project. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., a financial institution, provides range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through four segments: Investment Banking, Global Markets, Asset Management, and Consumer & Wealth Management. The company's Investment Banking segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and middle-market lending, relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as transaction banking services. This segment also offers underwriting services, such as equity underwriting for common and preferred stock and convertible and exchangeable securities; and debt underwriting for various types of debt instruments, including investment-grade and high-yield debt, bank and bridge loans, and emerging- and growth-market debt, as well as originates structured securities. Its Global Markets segment is involved in client execution activities for cash and derivative instruments; credit and interest rate products; and provision of equity intermediation and equity financing, clearing, settlement, and custody services, as well as mortgages, currencies, commodities, and equities related products. The company's Asset Management segment manages assets across various asset classes, including equity, fixed income, hedge funds, credit funds, private equity, real estate, currencies, and commodities; and provides customized investment advisory solutions, as well as invests in corporate, real estate, and infrastructure entities. Its Consumer & Wealth Management segment offers wealth advisory and banking services, including financial planning, investment management, deposit taking, and lending; private banking; and unsecured loans, as well as accepts saving and time deposits. The company was founded in 1869 and is headquartered in New York, New York. Read More First American Financial Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides financial services. It operates through Title Insurance and Services, and Specialty Insurance segments. The Title Insurance and Services segment issues title insurance policies on residential and commercial property, as well as offers related products and services. This segment also provides closing and/or escrow services; products, services, and solutions to mitigate risk or otherwise facilitate real estate transactions; and appraisals and other valuation-related products and services, lien release and document custodial services, warehouse lending services, default-related products and services, title insurance, closing services, and related products and services, as well as banking, trust, and wealth management services. In addition, it accommodates tax-deferred exchanges of real estate; and maintains, manages, and provides access to title plant data and records. This segment offers its products through a network of direct operations and agents in 49 states and in the District of Columbia, as well as in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Korea, and internationally. The Specialty Insurance segment provides property and casualty insurance comprising coverage to residential homeowners and renters for liability losses and typical hazards, such as fire, theft, vandalism, and other types of property damage. It also offers residential service contracts that cover residential systems, such as heating and air conditioning systems, and appliances against failures that occur as the result of normal usage during the coverage period. First American Financial Corporation was founded in 1889 and is based in Santa Ana, California. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft: 87 Leonard Development LLC, ABFS I Incorporated, ABS MB Ltd., Acacia (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Accounting Solutions Holding Company Inc, Alex. Brown Financial Services Incorporated, Alex. Brown Investments Incorporated, Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft mbH, Amber Investments S.a r.l., Ambidexter GmbH, Ambidexter GmbH i.L., Argent Incorporated, BHW - Gesellschaft fur Wohnungswirtschaft mbH, BHW Bausparkasse Aktiengesellschaft, BHW Holding GmbH, BHW Kreditservice GmbH, BNA Nominees Pty Limited, BT Globenet Nominees Limited, BTAS Cayman GP, BTD Nominees Pty Limited, Baincor Nominees Pty Limited, Bainpro Nominees Pty Ltd, Baldur Mortgages Limited, Bankers Trust Investments Limited, Barkly Investments Ltd., Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc, Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc., Berkshire Mortgage Finance, Betriebs-Center fur Banken AG, Biomass Holdings S.a r.l., Birch (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Blue Cork Inc, Blue Cork Inc., Borfield Sociedad Anonima, Breaking Wave DB Limited, Cape Acquisition Corp., CapeSuccess Inc., CapeSuccess LLC, Cardales UK Limited, Cardea Real Estate S.r.l., Career Blazers LLC, Career Blazers Management Company Inc, Career Blazers Management Company Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc, Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services of Washington D.C. Inc. Washington D.C., Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc, Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc., Carpathian Investments Designated Activity Company, Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Asset Management Company Limited, Cathay Capital Company (No 2) Limited, Cedar (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Centennial River 2 Inc., Centennial River Corporation, Chapel Funding, Charlton (Delaware) Inc, China Recovery Fund LLC, China Recovery Fund LLC, Cinda - DB NPL Securitization Trust 2003-1, City Leasing (Thameside) Limited, City Leasing Limited, Consumo S.p.A., Consumo Srl in Liquidazione, Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., D B Investments (GB) Limited, D&M Turnaround Partners Godo Kaisha, D.B. International Delaware Inc., D.B. International Delaware Inc., DAHOC (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DAHOC Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DB (Barbados) SRL, DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Asing) Sdn. Bhd., DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Tempatan) Sendirian Berhad, DB (Pacific) Limited, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB Abalone LLC, DB Alex. Brown Holdings Incorporated, DB Alps Corporation, DB Aotearoa Investments Limited, DB Asia Pacific Holdings Limited (in voluntary liquidation), DB Asset Finance I S.a r.l., DB Asset Finance II S.a r.l., DB Aster II LLC, DB Aster III LLC, DB Aster Inc., DB Aster LLC, DB Beteiligungs-Holding GmbH, DB Boracay LLC, DB Capital Investments Sarl, DB Capital Markets (Deutschland) GmbH, DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Chestnut Holdings Limited, DB Commodity Services LLC, DB Consorzio S. Cons. a r. l., DB Corporate Advisory (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., DB Covered Bond S.r.l., DB Credit Investments S.a r.l., DB Delaware Holdings (Europe) Limited, DB Direkt GmbH, DB Elara LLC, DB Energy Commodities Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Energy Trading LLC, DB Enfield Infrastructure Holdings Limited, DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equity Limited, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance International GmbH, DB Ganymede 2006 L.P., DB Global Markets Multi-Strategy Fund I Ltd., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology SRL, DB Group Services (UK) Limited, DB HR Solutions GmbH, DB Holding Fundo de Investimento Multimercado Investimento no Exterior Credito Privado, DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (South America) Limited, DB IROC Leasing Corp., DB Immobilienfonds 1 Wieland KG, DB Immobilienfonds 2 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 4 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 5 Wieland KG, DB Impact Investment (GP) Limited, DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Industrial Holdings Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, DB Industrial Holdings GmbH, DB Intermezzo LLC, DB International (Asia) Limited, DB International Investments Limited, DB International Trust (Singapore) Limited, DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Resources (US) Corporation, DB Investment Resources Holdings Corp., DB Investment Services GmbH, DB Io LP, DB Litigation Fee LLC, DB London (Investor Services) Nominees Limited, DB Management Support GmbH, DB Managers LLC, DB Municipal Holdings LLC, DB Nexus American Investments (UK) Limited (in members'voluntary liquidation), DB Nexus Investments (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Nominees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB Nominees (Singapore) Pte Ltd, DB Omega BTV S.C.S., DB Omega Holdings LLC, DB Omega Ltd., DB Omega S.C.S., DB Operaciones y Servicios Interactivos Agrupacion de Interes Economico, DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Holdings Limited, DB PWM, DB Portfolio Southwest Inc., DB Print GmbH, DB Privat- und Firmenkundenbank AG, DB Private Clients Corp., DB Private Wealth Mortgage Ltd., DB RC Holdings LLC, DB Re S.A., DB Service Centre Limited, DB Service Uruguay S.A., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Servizi Amministrativi S.r.l., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Finance 1 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Finance 2 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Holdings Luxembourg S.a r.l., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Trustee Services Limited, DB Trustees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB U.S. Financial Markets Holding Corporation, DB UK Bank Limited, DB UK Holdings Limited, DB UK PCAM Holdings Limited, DB USA Core Corporation, DB USA Corporation, DB Valoren S.a r.l., DB Value S.a r.l., DB VersicherungsManager GmbH, DB Vita S.A., DBAB Wall Street LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBCIBZ1, DBCIBZ2, DBFIC Inc., DBFIC Inc., DBNZ Overseas Investments (No.1) Limited, DBOI Global Services (UK) Limited, DBOI Global Services Private Limited, DBR Investments Co. Limited, DBRE Global Real Estate Management IA Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management US IB L.L.C., DBRMS4, DBRMSGP1, DBUK PCAM Limited, DBUKH No. 2 Limited, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBX Advisors LLC, DBX ETF Trust, DBX Strategic Advisors LLC, DBO Vermogensverwertung GmbH, DEBEKO Immobilien GmbH & Co Grundbesitz OHG, DEE Deutsche Erneuerbare Energien GmbH, DEUFRAN Beteiligungs GmbH, DEUKONA Versicherungs-Vermittlungs-GmbH, DEUTSCHE BANK A.S., DG China Clean Tech Partners, DI Deutsche Immobilien Treuhandgesellschaft mbH, DIB-Consult Deutsche Immobilien- und BeteiligungsBeratungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., DISCA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DNU Nominees Pty Limited, DSL Portfolio GmbH & Co. KG, DSL Portfolio Verwaltungs GmbH, DTS Nominees Pty Limited, DWS Alternatives France, DWS Alternatives Global Limited, DWS Alternatives GmbH, DWS Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, DWS Beteiligungs GmbH, DWS CH AG, DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Far Eastern Investments Limited, DWS Group GmbH & Co. KGaA, DWS Group Services UK Limited, DWS Grundbesitz GmbH, DWS International GmbH, DWS Investment GmbH, DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment S.A., DWS Investments Australia Limited, DWS Investments Hong Kong Limited, DWS Investments Japan Limited, DWS Investments Shanghai Limited, DWS Investments Singapore Limited, DWS Investments UK Limited, DWS Management GmbH, DWS Real Estate GmbH, DWS Service Company, DWS Trust Company, DWS USA Corporation, De Heng Asset Management Company Limited, De Meng Innovative (Beijing) Consulting Company Limited, DeAM Infrastructure Limited, Deloraine Spain S.L., Delowrezham de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Deposit Solutions, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Capital Holdings New Zealand, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Foreign Investments New Zealand, Deutsche (Mauritius) Limited Port, Deutsche (New Munster) Holdings New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Access Investments Limited, Deutsche Aeolia Power Production Societe Anonyme, Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (France) SAS, Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (UK) Limited, Deutsche Asia Pacific Holdings Pte Ltd, Deutsche Asset Management (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, Deutsche Asset Management S.A., Deutsche Asset Management S.G.I.I.C. S.A., Deutsche Australia Limited, Deutsche Bank (Cayman) Limited, Deutsche Bank (Chile), Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (Malaysia) Berhad, Deutsche Bank (Suisse) SA, Deutsche Bank (Uruguay) Sociedad Anonima Institucion Financiera Externa, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Americas Holding Corp., Deutsche Bank Bauspar-Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance LLC I, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance Trust I, Deutsche Bank Europe GmbH, Deutsche Bank Financial Company, Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency Incorporated, Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency of Delaware, Deutsche Bank International Limited, Deutsche Bank Investments (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A., Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Deposits, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Note Programme, Deutsche Bank Mutui S.p.A., Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company Los, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Polska Spolka Akcyjna, Deutsche Bank Representative Office Nigeria Limited, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao Sao, Deutsche Bank SPEARs/LIFERs Series DBE-8011 Trust, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Limited, Deutsche Bank Services (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Societa per Azioni, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Delaware, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Corporation, Deutsche CIB Centre Private Limited, Deutsche Capital Finance (2000) Limited, Deutsche Capital Hong Kong Limited, Deutsche Capital Management Limited, Deutsche Capital Markets Australia Limited, Deutsche Capital Partners China Limited, Deutsche Cayman Ltd., Deutsche Colombia S.A.S., Deutsche Custody N.V., Deutsche Domus New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Equities India Private Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 1 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 2 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 3 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 4 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Foras New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankterHaftung, Deutsche Global Markets Limited, Deutsche Group Holdings (SA) Proprietary Limited, Deutsche Group Services Pty Limited, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Deutsche Grundbesitz-Anlagegesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Holdings (BTI) Limited, Deutsche Holdings (Grand Duchy), Deutsche Holdings (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Deutsche Holdings (Malta) Ltd., Deutsche Holdings Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 3 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 4 Limited, Deutsche Immobilien Leasing GmbH, Deutsche India Holdings Private Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services (Ireland) Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services Limited, Deutsche International Custodial Services Limited, Deutsche Inversiones Dos S.A., Deutsche Inversiones Limitada, Deutsche Investments (Netherlands) N.V., Deutsche Investments India Private Limited, Deutsche Investor Services Private Limited, Deutsche Knowledge Services Pte. Ltd., Deutsche Leasing New York Corp., Deutsche Mandatos S.A., Deutsche Master Funding Corporation, Deutsche Mexico Holdings S.a r.l., Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group Limited, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group Public Limited Company, Deutsche Mortgage & Asset Receiving Corporation, Deutsche Mortgage Securities Inc., Deutsche Mortgage Securities Inc., Deutsche Nederland N.V., Deutsche New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Nominees Limited, Deutsche Oppenheim Family Office AG, Deutsche Overseas Issuance New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Postbank, Deutsche Postbank Finance Center Objekt GmbH, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC I, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC II, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC III, Deutsche Private Asset Management Limited, Deutsche Securities (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Securities (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities (SA) (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities Asia Limited, Deutsche Securities Australia Limited, Deutsche Securities Inc., Deutsche Securities Israel Ltd., Deutsche Securities Korea Co., Deutsche Securities Mauritius Limited, Deutsche Securities Menkul Degerler A.S., Deutsche Securities S.A., Deutsche Securities S.A. de C.V. Casa de Bolsa, Deutsche Securities S.A. de C.V. Casa de Bolsa, Deutsche Securities Saudi Arabia, Deutsche Securities SpA, Deutsche Securities Venezuela S.A., Deutsche Securitisation Australia Pty Limited, Deutsche Services Polska Sp. z o.o., Deutsche StiftungsTrust GmbH, Deutsche Strategic Investment Holdings Yugen Kaisha, Deutsche Trust Company Limited Japan, Deutsche Trustee Company Limited, Deutsche Trustee Services (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Trustees Malaysia Berhad, Deutsche Wealth Management S.G.I.I.C. S.A., Deutsches Institut fur Altersvorsorge GmbH, Durian (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., EC EUROPA IMMOBILIEN FONDS NR. 3 GmbH & CO. KG i.I., Elba Finance GmbH, Elizabethan Holdings Limited, Elizabethan Management Limited, Emerald Asset Repackaging Designated Activity Company, Erste Frankfurter Hoist GmbH, European Value Added I (Alternate G.P.) LLP, Exinor SA, FARAMIR Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs GmbH, FRANKFURT CONSULT GmbH, Fiduciaria Sant' Andrea S.r.L., Finanzberatungsgesellschaft mbH der Deutschen Bank, Franz Urbig- und Oscar Schlitter-Stiftung Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-037, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-039, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-040, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-041, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-043, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-044, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-047, Funfte SAB Treuhand und Verwaltung GmbH & Co. Suhl "Rimbachzentrum" KG, G Finance Holding Corp., G.O. IB-US Management L.L.C., G918 Corp., GAC-HEL Inc., GWC-GAC Corp., Galene S.a r.l., Gemini Technology Services Inc., German American Capital, German American Capital Corporation, Gladyr Spain S.L., Global Markets Fundo de Investimento Multimercado, Global Markets III Fundo de Investimento Multimercado - Credito, Greenwood Properties Corp., Grundstucksgesellschaft Frankfurt Bockenheimer Landstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Kerpen-Sindorf Vogelrutherfeld GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Leipzig Petersstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Wiesbaden Luisenstrae/Kirchgasse GbR, HTB Spezial GmbH & Co. KG, Hollandsche Bank-Unie, IOS Finance EFC S.A., ISTRON Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs-GmbH, IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben I GbR, Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben II GbR, Immobilienfonds Mietwohnhauser Quadrath-Ichendorf GbR, Immobilienfonds Wohn- und Geschaftshaus Koln-Blumenberg V GbR, J R Nominees (Pty) Ltd, Joint Stock Company Deutsche Bank DBU, Jyogashima Godo Kaisha, KEBA Gesellschaft fur interne Services mbH, Kidson Pte Ltd, Konsul Inkasso GmbH, Kradavimd UK Lease Holdings Limited, LA Water Holdings Limited, LAWL Pte. Ltd., Latitude Australia Secured Personal Loans Trust, Leasing Verwaltungsgesellschaft Waltersdorf mbH, Leonardo III Initial GP Limited, Lindsell Finance Limited, London Industrial Leasing Limited, MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MHL Reinsurance Ltd., MIT Holdings Inc., MIT Holdings Inc., MPP Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Maher Terminals Holdings (Toronto) Limited, Morgan Grenfell & Company, MortgageIT, MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Securities Corp., Motion Picture Productions One GmbH & Co. KG, NCW Holding Inc., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., New 87 Leonard LLC, Nordwestdeutscher Wohnungsbautrager Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, OOO "Deutsche Bank TechCentre", OOO "Deutsche Bank", OPB Verwaltungs- und Beteiligungs-GmbH, OPB Verwaltungs- und Treuhand GmbH, OPB-Holding GmbH, OPB-Nona GmbH, OPB-Oktava GmbH, OPB-Quarta GmbH, OPB-Quinta GmbH, OPB-Septima GmbH, OPPENHEIM Capital Advisory GmbH, OPPENHEIM Flottenfonds V GmbH & Co. KG, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Manager GmbH, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, OPS Nominees Pty Limited, OVT Trust 1 GmbH, OVV Beteiligungs GmbH, Opal Funds (Ireland) Public Limited Company, PADUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, PARTS Funding LLC., PB Factoring GmbH, PB Firmenkunden AG, PB International S.A., PB Spezial-Investmentaktiengesellschaft mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, PBC Banking Services GmbH, PCC Services GmbH der Deutschen Bank, PT Deutsche Sekuritas Indonesia, PT. Deutsche Verdhana Sekuritas Indonesia, Pan Australian Nominees Pty Ltd, Peruda Leasing Limited, Plantation Bay Inc., Plantation Bay Inc., Postbank Akademie und Service GmbH, Postbank Beteiligungen GmbH, Postbank Direkt GmbH, Postbank Filialvertrieb AG, Postbank Finanzberatung AG, Postbank Immobilien GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH & Co. Objekt Leipzig KG, Postbank Leasing GmbH, Postbank Service GmbH, Postbank Systems AG, QR Tower 2 LLC, Quantiguous, R.B.M. Nominees Pty Ltd, REO Properties Corporation, RREEF, RREEF America L.L.C., RREEF China REIT Management Limited, RREEF European Value Added I (G.P.) Limited, RREEF Fund Holding Co., RREEF India Advisors Private Limited, RREEF Management L.L.C., RTS Nominees Pty Limited, Reference Capital Investments Limited, RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., Route 28 Receivables LLC, Route 28 Receivables LLC, SAB Real Estate Verwaltungs GmbH, SAGITA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SAPIO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SCUDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SEDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SENA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Kamenz KG, SIFA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SOLIDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SP Mortgage Trust, SPINO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SPV I Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, SPV II Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, STATOR Heizkraftwerk Frankfurt (Oder) Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Sal. Oppenheim, Sal. Oppenheim Alternative Investments GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. AG & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Beteiligungs GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Komplementar AG, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Service Company Four Limited, Sharps SP I LLC, Singer Island Tower Suite LLC, Somkid Immobiliare S.r.l., Stelvio Immobiliare S.r.l., Structured Finance Americas LLC, Structured Finance Americas LLC, Swabia 1. Vermogensbesitz-GmbH, Suddeutsche Vermogensverwaltung Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, TAKIR Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TELO Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, TEMATIS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TERRUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Halle I KG i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Nordhausen I KG i.L., TOSSA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRIPLA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRS Aria LLC, TRS Leda LLC, TRS Maple II LTD, TRS Oak II LTD, TRS SVCO LLC, TRS Scorpio LLC, TRS Tupelo II LTD, TRS Venor LLC, TRS Walnut II LTD, Tagus - Sociedade de Titularizacao de Creditos S.A., Tasfiye Halinde Deutsche Securities Menkul Degerler A.S., Tempurrite Leasing Limited, Thai Asset Enforcement and Recovery Asset Management Company Limited, Tianjin Deutsche AM Fund Management Co. Ltd., Treuinvest Service GmbH, Triplereason Limited, UKE Beteiligungs-GmbH, UKE Grundstucksgesellschaft mbH, UKE s.r.o., Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksgesellschaft Kirchnerstrae GbR, Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Disternich GbR, Ullmann Ullmann Krockow Krockow Esch GbR, VCJ Lease S.a r.l., Vesta Real Estate S.r.l., VOB-ZVD Processing GmbH, WEPLA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, WEPLABeteiligungsgesellschaftmbH, Wealthspur Investment Ltd., Whale Holdings S.a r.l., World Trading (Delaware) Inc., World Trading(Delaware)Inc., Zumirez Drive LLC, db PBC, and norisbank GmbH. 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, and trust services to individuals and families, and high-net-worth individuals; investment management and institutional investment advisory services to corporations, government entities, and foundations; and brokerage offering equities, mutual funds, life insurance, and annuity products. This segment operates 65 branch locations and 357 ATMs throughout Hawaii and the Pacific Islands, as well as through a customer service center, and 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. Read More Assured Guaranty Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides credit protection products to public finance, infrastructure, and structured finance markets in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Insurance and Asset Management. It offers financial guaranty insurance that protects holders of debt instruments and other monetary obligations from defaults in scheduled payments. The company insures and reinsures various debt obligations, including bonds issued by the United States state, governmental authorities or municipal governmental authorities; and notes issued to finance infrastructure projects. It also insures and reinsures various types of the U.S. public finance obligations, such as general obligation, tax-backed, municipal utility, transportation, healthcare, higher education, infrastructure, housing revenue, investor-owned utility, renewable energy, and other public finance bonds; non-U.S. public finance obligations comprising regulated utilities, infrastructure finance, sovereign and sub-sovereign, renewable energy bonds, pooled infrastructure, and other public finance obligations; and the U.S. and non-U.S. Structured finance obligations, including residential mortgage-backed securities, life insurance transactions, consumer receivables securities, pooled corporate obligations, financial products, and other structured finance securities. In addition, the company provides asset management services comprising investment advisory services, including management of collateralized loan obligations and opportunity funds to outside investors. It markets its financial guaranty insurance directly to issuers and underwriters of public finance and structured finance securities, as well as to investors in such obligations. Assured Guaranty Ltd. was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Read More The Clorox Company manufactures and markets consumer and professional products worldwide. It operates through four segments: Health and Wellness, Household, Lifestyle, and International. The company offers laundry additives, including bleach products under the Clorox brand, as well as Clorox 2 stain fighter and color booster; home care products primarily under the Clorox, Scentiva, Formula 409, Liquid-Plumr, Pine-Sol, S.O.S, and Tilex brands; naturally derived products under the Green Works brand; professional cleaning, disinfecting, and food service products under the CloroxPro, Clorox Healthcare, and Clorox Total 360 brands; professional food service products under the Hidden Valley brand; and vitamins, minerals, and supplement products under the RenewLife, Rainbow Light, Natural Vitality, NeoCell, and Stop Aging Now brands. It also provides grilling products under the Kingsford and Match Light brands; bags and wraps under the Glad brand; and cat litter products under the Fresh Step, Scoop Away, and Ever Clean brands. In addition, the company offers dressings and sauces primarily under the Hidden Valley brand; water-filtration systems and filters under the Brita brand; and natural personal care products under the Burt's Bees brand. Further, it markets its products under the Ayudin, Clorinda, and Poett brands. The company sells its products primarily through mass retailers, grocery outlets, warehouse clubs, dollar stores, home hardware centers, third-party and owned e-commerce channels, military stores, and distributors, as well as a direct sales force. Clorox has a collaboration partnership with Cleveland Clinic and the CDC Foundation. The Clorox Company was founded in 1913 and is headquartered in Oakland, California. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of The Sherwin-Williams: Acquire Sourcing LLC, CTS National Corporation, Comex North America Inc., Compania Sherwin-Williams S.A. de C.V., Contract Transportation Systems Co., Deep Pride Limited, Dongguan Lilly Paint Industries Ltd, Duron, EPS (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., EPS B.V., EPS Polidrox Industria e Comercio de Resinas Ltda, Geocel Holdings, Geocel Limited, Guangdong Valspar Paints Manufacturing Co Ltd., Guangdong Yuegang Dadi Paints Company Limited, Guardsman Australia Pty Limited, Guardsman Industries Limited, 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, Jiangsu Pulanna Coating Co. Ltd., 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., 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., Resin Surfaces Limited, Ronseal (Ireland) Limited, SWIMC LLC, SWIPCO Sherwin Williams do Brasil Propriedade, Sayerlack, Sherwin Williams Colombia S.A.S., Sherwin-Williams (Australia) Pty. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Belize) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (Caribbean) N.V., Sherwin-Williams (Ireland) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sherwin-Williams (Nantong) Company Limited, Sherwin-Williams (S) Pte. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Shanghai) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (South China) Co. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Vietnam) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (West Indies) Limited, Sherwin-Williams Argentina I.y C.S.A., Sherwin-Williams Aruba VBA, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Mexico S.de R.L.de C.V., Sherwin-Williams Balkan S.R.L., Sherwin-Williams Bel, Sherwin-Williams Benelux NV, Sherwin-Williams Canada Inc., 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 Diversified Brands (Australia) Pty Ltd, Sherwin-Williams Diversified Brands Limited, Sherwin-Williams France Finishes SAS, Sherwin-Williams Italy S.r.l., Sherwin-Williams Luxembourg Investment Management Company S.a r.l., 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 Spain Coatings S.L., Sherwin-Williams Sweden AB, Sherwin-Williams Uruguay S.A., Sherwin-Williams do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., Spanyc Paints Joint Stock Company, Syntema I Vaggeryd AB, TOB Becker Acroma Ukraine, 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 (Finland) Corporation Oy, The Valspar (France) Corporation S.A.S., The Valspar (France) Research Corporation SAS, The Valspar (Germany) GmbH, 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 (Spain) Corporation S.R.L., The Valspar (Switzerland) Corporation AG, The Valspar (Thailand) Corporation Ltd., The Valspar (UK) Corporation Limited, The Valspar (Vietnam) Corporation Ltd., The Valspar Corporation, The Valspar Corporation Limitada, UAB Sherwin-Williams Baltic, Valspar (India) Coatings Corporation Private Limited, Valspar (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Valspar (Uruguay) Corporation S.A., Valspar (WPC) Pty Ltd, Valspar Aries Coatings S. de R.L. de C.V., Valspar Automotive (UK) Corporation Limited, Valspar Automotive Australia Pty 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 Inc., Valspar Industries (Ireland) Ltd., Valspar Industries (Italy) S.r.l., Valspar Industries GmbH, Valspar LLC, Valspar Mexicana S.A. de C.V., Valspar Paint (Australia) Pty Ltd, Valspar Paint (NZ) Limited, Valspar Powder Coatings Limited, Valspar Rock Company Limited, Valspar Specialty Paints LLC, Vantaco Oy, and ZAO Sherwin-Williams. 16 hours ago | June 14th | 2021 7:00 AM Why Your Retirement Calculator Might Not Tell the Whole Story I got to thinking about the retirement calculators that automatically pop up when I check my retirement account balances. In my case, I always get a message that says, "You are XX% on track toward your retirement goals." When you check out an online calculator, you can use them, but remember that a retirement calculator could miss the boat Birthday wishes Call 281-422-8302 or email david.bloom@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun. Happy Birthday Wishes Encompass Health Corporation provides facility-based and home-based post-acute healthcare services in the United States. The company operates through two segments, Inpatient Rehabilitation, and Home Health and Hospice. The Inpatient Rehabilitation segment provides specialized rehabilitative treatment on an inpatient and outpatient basis to patients who are recovering from conditions, such as stroke and other neurological disorders, cardiac and pulmonary conditions, brain and spinal cord injuries, complex orthopedic conditions, and amputations. The Home Health and Hospice segment provides home health and hospice services primarily in the Southeast and Texas. Its home health services include a range of Medicare-certified home nursing services to adult patients in need of care comprising skilled nursing, medical social work, and home health aide services, as well as physical, occupational, speech therapy, and others. This segment's hospice services comprise in-home services to terminally ill patients and their families to address patients' physical needs, including pain control and symptom management, and to provide emotional and spiritual support. As of March 16, 2021, it operated 137 hospitals, 241 home health locations, and 82 hospice locations in 39 states and Puerto Rico. The company was formerly known as HealthSouth Corporation and changed its name to Encompass Health Corporation in January 2018. Encompass Health Corporation was founded in 1983 and is based in Birmingham, Alabama. Read More At least 40 people have been killed as a gold mine caved in on Sunday in northern Afghanistan, authorities said. Ten others were injured in the incident, which happened as they searched for gold in the Kohestan district of Badakhshan province, Afghan parliament member Fawzia Koofi said in a statement, CNN reported. Provincial official Nek Mohammad Nazari said all of the victims were mine workers. Earlier reports quoting provincial head of Natural Disaster Management Authority Sayed Abdullah Hamayon Dehqan said several people were killed and injured as a landslide hit Kohistan district. "The tragic incident happened around 10:30 a.m. local time in Shipo area of Kohestan district when more than 50 people were busy in illegal digging of a gold mine there and almost all of them were buried alive and so far 20 bodies and seven injured persons have been discovered," Dehqan told Xinhua. Rescue operation for discovering the remaining people was going on, the official said, adding the number of casualties might go up. In the insurgency-plagued Afghanistan where the central government's control is poor especially in the rural areas and countryside, illegal armed men are often involved in illegal digging of natural treasures including gold, coal and lapis lazuli. The Istanbul-based Orthodox patriarch on Saturday signed the formal decree confirming the creation of an independent Ukrainian church, marking a break with the Russian church that has angered Moscow. The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, the leading authority in Orthodox Christianity, signed the decree known as Tomos at a ceremony in Istanbul. Ukraines President Petro Poroshenko and former Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko were on hand to witness the ceremony. Dear Ukrainians, this is a historic event! This is a great day! Poroshenko said as he thanked the Orthodox patriarch. Once more, words of great gratitude in the name of the Ukrainian people, in the name of our nation to Your Holiness... It took us a very long time to get here. The Ecumenical Patriarchate had first agreed to recognise the independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in October. Then in December a historic council of Orthodox bishops in Kiev created the independent body. The Russian Orthodox Church cut ties with the Constantinople Patriarchate in protest at the move, which dealt a huge blow to Moscows spiritual authority in the Orthodox world. Vladimir Legoida, a spokesman for the Moscow church, denounced the decree as a document that is the result of irrepressible political and personal ambitions. It had been signed in violation of the canons and therefore not possessing any canonical force, Legoida added in a statement. The Ukrainian churchs new leader is Metropolitan Yepifaniy. Yepifaniy, whose secular name is Sergiy Dumenko, has been a critic of Moscows religious influence in Ukraine and has supported Kievs army against pro-Russian rebels. Ukraine and Russia have been at loggerheads since 2014, when Kiev street protests urging Ukrainian integration with Europe led to the ousting of pro-Moscow president Viktor Yanukovych. Russia subsequently annexed Crimea and has supported Russian-speaking separatists in Ukraines east, in a conflict that has claimed the lives of more than 10,000 people. An Iranian arbitration body gave its approval on Saturday to an anti-money laundering bill seen as crucial to maintaining international trade and banking ties, the official IRNA news agency reported. The Bill on amending the law to counter money laundering was approved with certain changes and will be sent to the parliament speaker to be communicated to the government, Expediency Council member Gholamreza Mesbahi-Moghadam told IRNA. The Expediency Council settles disputes between parliament, which approved the bill last year, and the conservative-dominated Guardian Council, which vets all legislation and had rejected it. Conservatives have argued that new legislation on money laundering and terrorist financing will provide Western powers with leverage over Irans economy and how it funds regional allies such as Lebanons Hezbollah. But the government of President Hassan Rouhani says the laws are needed to meet demands set by by the international Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which monitors countries efforts to tackle financial crime. Iran is alone with North Korea on the FATFs blacklist although the Paris-based organisation has suspended counter-measures since June 2017 while Iran works on reforms. The FATF will meet again in February to discuss Irans progress. The government is hoping to salvage banking and trade ties after the United States walked out of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between major powers and Iran and reimposed crippling unilateral sanctions. The other parties to the deal Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia have sought to salvage the agreement and maintain trade with Iran, but have called on Tehran to meet FATF requirements. Tribal residing across the coal and steel belt (Dhanbad-Bokaro) of Jharkhand are gearing up for the harvest festival Tusu. This festival is dedicated to Goddess Tusu for which people throngs on the bank of river for a lot of rituals. Mela were also observed here on the bank of the Damoder River which draws the maximum crowd every year. The three days festival will kick off on 12 January and continue till 14 January, while in few parts it will be observed till a week, said Akash Munda a resident of Chandankiyari village. Makara Sankranti depict the auspicious harvest season, the girls of every peasant family participate in Tusu Parab with the hope that the Goddess will shower holy bless on her. On this auspicious eve various tribal groups carried the idol of Goddess Tusu for immersion. The festival basically celebrated as a harvest carnival, with traditional fanfare and jollity, he said. Tusu is a unique festival of tribals, primarily celebrated by unmarried tribal girls of Jharkhand and West Bengal and Orissa; this festival is noted for its colorful songs, which express the stories and the experiences of livelihood, he said. Anand Mahato a resident of Telidih Chas said, Melas are the traditional part of Tusu, it is organised with an aim to bring the traditional tribal culture and tribal artisans to the limelight. Tusu Parab derived its origin from the cultural roots of Birbhum district; celebrated during the holy occasion of Makara Snakranti and performed only by the girls, added Mahato. The young girls prepared the idols of Goddess Tusu with clay and later go to a nearby river where they then sanctify themselves by taking a dip. After taking a bath, the females start praising the Goddess by singing various local songs. These very songs are known as Tusu in Bengal. Bermo police arrested one person suspected to be linked with illegal coal trade on Sunday. Four motorycles loaded with stolen coal were intercepted and one Taleshwar Thakur, who is suspected to be linked with the illegal coal trade was arrested on the basis of secret information, said Prameshear Leyangi, the officer-in charge cum Inspector of Bokaro thermal police station. A case was registered at Bokaro thermal police station regarding the issue. Of the four motorcycles seized, one was registered in Jharkhand and one in Maharashtra. Two other bikes did not have a number plate. "We suspect that the motorbikes were coming from Nadidhar on the Bokaro thermal -Narki road. The coal was being taken to Visunugrah area of Hazaribagh, Leyangi said. Police sources informed that coal is brought from Nadidhar through various routes and is taken to Hazaribagh. Bokaro thermal police have been on high alert against coal smugglers lately, particularly along the inter-district border of Hazaribagh. The arrest of a key member of the coal mafia at Armo led to the seizure of 10 quintal of coal sourced from Bokaro Thermal police station area. Binoy Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Steel, Government of India, stressed on the utmost importance of Bhilai Steel Plant meeting its commitment of rail supply to Indian Railways. There should be no shortfall in rail order supply of 10 lakh tonne. The Bhilai spirit must come through, he remarked here while addressing the staff of the Bhilai Steel Plant, the flagship unit of the public sector steel giant, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL). Binoy Kumar arrived in Bhilai on Saturday and he was accorded warm reception at Swami Vivekanand International Airport, Raipur by AK Rath, Chief Executive Officer, Bhilai Steel Plant and members of the senior Management team. Upon his arrival at Bhilai Niwas, Kumar was received by AK Kabisatapathy, ED (Projects) and other senior officers of the Plant. He was accorded Guard-of-Honour by a contingent of the Central Industrial Security Force. Earlier on January 4, Anil Kumar Chaudhary, Chairman SAIL accompanied by Puneet Kansal, IAS, Joint Secretary, MOS and Harinand Rai, Director (Technical) SAIL arrived at Raipur for visit to Bhilai Steel Plant. They were received at Raipur Airport by AK Rath, Chief Executive Officer, Bhilai Steel Plant. Prior to his Plant visit, Secretary (Steel) Binoy Kumar accompanied by Anil Kumar Chaudhary, Chairman SAIL, Puneet Kansal, IAS, Joint Secretary, MOS and Harinand Rai, Director (Technical) visited the Safety Excellence Centre Suraksha Kavach where they planted saplings and were briefed about safety. During the course of their plant visit, the dignitaries visited Universal Rail Mill, Rail & Structural Mill and Steel Melting Shop-III. Following the plant visit, the Steel Secretary and other dignitaries met with senior officers of URM, RSM, SMS-II & SMS-III and SAIL Uday team at ED (Works) Conference Hall, Sanyantra Bhavan. In the afternoon, Kumar and the dignitaries attended a presentation and discussion at the ED (Works) Conference Hall, Sanyantra Bhavan on meeting the requirement of Indian Railways, Rail Development Initiatives and Ramping up of Production from new facilities. Present on this occasion were PK Dash, ED (Works), BP Nayak, ED (F&A), AK Kabisatapathy, ED (Projects), S KhairulBasar, ED (MM), Dr SK Issar, Director I/c (M&HS), KK Singh, ED (P&A) and other senior officers of the Plant. Thereafter, they held interactions with Technology Suppliers followed by interaction with Cross section of Employees during which Binoy Kumar was emphatic that the rail order supply must be met. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led Delhi Government welcomed the rollout of the No-detention Policy by the Union Government on Saturday in the 56th General Council Meeting of the National Council of Educational Research Training (NCERT). Under this Policy, No students should be failed and detained up to Class 8th grade. No-detention Policy was introduced by the Central Government in 2009 under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE). It is also considered as a right of every child between the ages of 6 and 14 under Article 21A and specifies minimum norms in elementary schools. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the Education portfolio has suggested several reforms in the field of education and academic while speaking at the 56th General Council Meeting of the NCERT. I welcome the no-detention policy by the Government. But the approach is partial and as a nation we must say that we will re-introduce it with full preparations. Lets prepare for 10-years to re-introduce it. Make the necessary changes in our curriculum, teaching systems, train our teachers and do things required to implement it properly. Make it a reverse project and set a deadline for both preparations and implementation, said the deputy chief minister. Lauding Centres move on the educational change, Sisodia said, our government sets learning outcomes for the curriculum taught in our schools. Like if a chapter is introduced in the curriculum or text book of a certain class, the learning outcome is defined. But unfortunately these learning outcomes have been limited to wishful thinking because the ultimate teaching that is taking place in our classes is not based on learning outcomes but is based on examination outcomes. Suggesting reforms, he said that new approach towards teaching techniques and exams should be introduced. The teacher who is teaching the subject does not keep learning outcomes in mind and rather his or her mindset becomes captive of the questions asked in last five years in the subject. Delhi Government has earlier opposed the no-detention policy and also wrote many letters and memorandum to the Union Minister of Human Resources Department (MHRD). We also need to revisit out NCERT text books. Everything changes with time and the new challenges. Today, the challenges are not the same which were faced two decades ago, then why not redesign and change our curriculum according to the need of the time. We must make changes to our NCERT books so that our future, our kids are more equipped to excel in the world, added Sisodia. NHDC Limited, a Joint Venture of NHPC Limited and Madhya Pradesh government was awarded CBIP Award 2019 for Best Performing Utility in Hydropower Sector at CBIP Awards on CBIP Day held on 04th January, 2019 in New Delhi. The award was given for outstanding contribution to the nation by use of latest technologies and smart solutions for efficient development and operation of Hydroelectric Projects in the State of Madhya Pradesh besides playing vital role in grid stability as Nodal Power Station for Black Start in Western Region. Balraj Joshi, Chairman, NHDC Ltd and Md AG Ansari, MD and CED, NHDC Ltd received the award on behalf of NHDC Ltd. from RK Singh, Union Minister of State (I/C) for Power and New & Renewable energy. Devineni Uma Maheshwara Rao, Minister of Water Resources, Government of Andhra Pradesh; AK Bhalla, Secretary, Ministry of Power; UP Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation; S Masood Husain, President, CBIP & Chairman, Central Water Commission and VK Kanjlia, Secretary, CBIP were also present on the occasion. The CBIP Awards recognize outstanding contributions by organizations and individuals involved in formulation of policies and programmes and their implementation, research and development, design, execution, management, operation and maintenance, renovation & modernization, manufacturing of equipment and capacity building in furthering the cause of Water Resources, Power and Renewable Energy Sectors in the country. Driven to the brink by his pestering in-laws, who were allegedly harassing him, a 36-year-old man allegedly committed suicide late night on Friday at Northeast districts Karawal Nagar. The man recorded live video on his mobile phone and accused his in-laws behind him taking the extreme step. The deceased was identified as Vijay Tiwari and was married to Kiran four years ago and was father of twins aged 2.5 years, police said. On Friday night, the deceaseds father found Vijay hanging from the ceiling in home. The body was immediately taken to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead. Police was informed about the incident by the hospital staff. Police recovered the deceaseds mobile phone, which reportedly contained a video he shot before committing suicide in which he accused his in-laws of being the cause of his death. Tiwari had blamed his father-in-law Avdhesh Tiwari and his sister-in-law Nisha for destroying his life and alleged there were laws in the country to protect women but there were none to protect men from their in-laws, one of his neighbours said on the condition of anonymity. Postmortem examination of the body was conducted and the body was handed over to the deceaseds family on Saturday. According to family members, on January 2, this year, his wife had left home without telling him and returned to her parents residence. He then reportedly went to his in-laws house to drop his children with his wife. The deceaseds family alleged that when he reached his in-laws house, he was physically assaulted and they threatened to file a case against him. This was the tipping point they said. Before anybody could even comprehend what was Tiwari upto, he ended his life but not before pointing a finger at his in-laws for forcing him to commit suicide, his family members said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) AK Thakur said that they are still investigating the matter and have not arrived at any conclusion. They are awaiting the autopsy report while the viscera has been preserved. No case has been registered as of now as the investigation is still in the preliminary stages, the DCP added. Mamdots station house officer (SHO) has been placed under suspension for adopting a negligent attitude and dereliction of duty during December 30, 2018, gram panchayat elections in Punjab. Ferozepur range IG Mukhwinder Singh Cheena on Sunday ordered the suspension of Sub-Inspector Ranjit Singh Kumar, serving as Mamdot SHO. Notably, a ballot box was set on fire by unknown person in Lakhmir village in Mamdot area of Ferozepur. Police officials deployed at the polling stations had failed to stop the attackers who forcibly entered the polling station. One 60-year-old Mahinder Singh had died after a group of miscreants entered into a polling booth and set a ballot box on fire. The miscreants later crushed him under their SUV car while trying to flee from the spot. Meanwhile, Paramjeet Singh has been appointed as SHO, Mamdot police station, till further orders. Last day of the Rashtriya Khadi & Saras Mahotsav witnessed a huge footfall with thousands of enthusiastic shoppers, pushing through the crowd, searching for the best bargains at the fair. Chairperson of Jharkhand State Khadi & Village Industries Board Sanjay Seth informed the media on Sunday that a sale of over Rs 24 crore was witnessed in the fair in 18 days, since its commencement on December 20. More than seven lakh people visited the fair in these 18 days and the Johar Emporium of Khadi board alone managed to sell products worth Rs 40 lakh, he said. The fair had 1200 stalls of artisans and entrepreneurs from not just Jharkhand but 22 states across the country. The stall owners were happy but that is not all. Apart from the stalls inside the fair, a number of stalls selling food and other items were put up by hundreds of people outside the fair premises. This fair managed to provide self employment to a number of such people, which is what the aim of Khadi board has been, Seth said. Almost 60% of sale was done through POS machines, thus promoting the idea of digital India, Seth said. A number of cultural activities were organized during these 18 days by the state art and culture directorate. We are thankful for the directorate which help bring a mini-India at the fair with a number of cultural events of various states including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Assam and others, Seth said. A number of awards were given to stall owners on the last day of the fair, including best Khadi stall, best Saras stall, unique stall, best handicraft stall, best innovative stalls and much more. The fair organizers also felicitated those officers from Ranchi Municipal Corporation, fire brigade, art and culture department and Khadi board, who played a vital role in successful organizing of the fair. On the occasion, eight different Khadi making committees and associations of Jharkhand were given marketing development assistance (MDA), for their good work in khadi production. Under MDA, 20% of the total production cost of khadi of one organization is given to them by Khadi board which is to be spent under various heads. Of this, 25% is distribuded among weavers, 35% is used for increasing production of the groups and 45% is used for marketing. Seth said, A total among of Rs 75.79 lakh will be distributed among the eight groups under MDA. Chairperson of the Khadi Board further informed that as assembly elections in the state is scheduled to be held during November and December next year, the Khadi Mela would be organized immediately after the elections are over. Dnal activist Achyuta Satpathy passes away Dhenkanal: Social activist Achyutananda Satpathy passed away at his residence at Mahabir Bazaar here on Saturday. Intellectuals, Bar Association members and District Judge Court employees condoled the demise of Satpathy. They paid homage to him when his body reached the District Judge Court premises. His sons Nirmal, Netrananda and Nagesh, daughter-in-laws Manasi, Dipteemayee and Monalisa, brothers Jugal and Akhil expressed grief over his death. Natak Mahotsav in Bpur from tomorrow Brahmapur: The Odisha Natak Samaroha Samiti is going to organise the 11th State-level Natak Mahotsav from January 8 to 14 at the Biju Patnaik Sanskrurti Bhawan here, informed Samiti president Anil Kumar Patra at a Press meet. Patra said that during the festival the Rangasala Natak of Puri would perform Hindi play Sarjana. Besides, a State-level seminar would be held, he added. Among others, Samiti general secretary Dr Mihir Kumar Tripathy, directors Raju Padhi, Nalini Lochan Panigrahi and VP Swarnaprabha Padhi were present. Man thrashes wife to death in Jsuguda Jharsuguda: A person allegedly thrashed his wife to death on road in Kumbharbandha under the Banharpali police limits in Jharsuguda district on Saturday night. The body of Sunita Taria (27) was recovered by police on Sunday morning. Sunita had come to Jharsuguda with her husband Ashok Dansana to watch a programme on January 4. Both had stayed at their relatives house in Brundamal. While returning to their village, an exchange of words erupted between the two and Ashok assaulted Sunita to death. Police detained the accused for questioning. Youth dies in train accident in JSpur Jagatsinghpur: A 20-year-old youth died after being hit by a goods train at Nimakana on the Cuttack-Paradip rail line on Saturday. The identity of the deceased was to yet to be known. He was crossing tracks when a goods train hit him. Later he succumbed to his injuries at the Manijanga hospital. Kujang Bar Assn condoles members death Jagatsinghpur. The Kujang Bar Association condoled untimely death of its young member Shyama Prasad Mishra, a resident of Pankapala village under Kujang block. Mishra had been ailing since he was injured in an accident on Paradip-Cuttack road two years back. Many lawyers attended the condolence meeting held at the association at Kujanga on Sunday. Youth held for killing elder brother Jagatsinghpur: Police on Sunday arrested and court-forwarded one Thukura Swain of Jaionkanti village in Jagatsinghopur district on the charge of killing his elder brother Chakradhar Swain. Chakradhar had been injured after being attacked by Thukura over a property dispute on January 01. Later he died while undergoing treatment at the SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack. Fake tobacco unit busted in Kendrapada Kendrapada: Police on Sunday busted a fake tobacco manufacturing unit operating at Rajagada village under the Mahakalpada police limits and arrested two persons in this connection. The cops also seized a huge quantity of adulterated Zarda and packaging and weighing equipments and scent. Sajid Raja and Sanjay Mallick were arrested for their alleged involvement in running the unit. Sources said the adulteration was going on for the last one year. Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday celebrated his 54th birthday with simplicity with the people from all walks of life visiting his official residence Oak Over early in the morning. The Chief Minister received greetings on his birthday from President of India and his counterparts of different states, Union Ministers, senior party leaders and ministers of various states. Governor Acharya Devvrat also greeted the Chief Minister on his birthday. Irrigation and Public Health Minister Mahender Singh Thakur, Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, Chief Whip Narender Bragta, members of legislative assembly, senior bureaucrats, heads of departments, Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of various Boards and Corporations and Mayor, Deputy Mayor and councillors of Municipal Corporation, Shimla also greeted the Chief Minister. Jai Ram Thakur distributed blankets, shoes and jackets to the needy on his birthday during an event organized by the Shimla Mandal Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM) members near Shimla Club. He also visited cancer hospital Shimla and distributed blankets to the patients. Jai Ram Thakur thanked all for their birthday greetings, especially the people of Himachal Pradesh who had always been extending their overwhelming support to the State Government for making Himachal Pradesh as one of the leading state of the country in all major sectors. Shimla, Himachal Pradeshs capital experienced snowfall on Sunday while the States higher reaches received snow overnight intensifying cold wave conditions in the region. There are chances of more rain and snow in the state till Wednesday, said officials of Meteorological Department. Manali in Kullu district received 9 cm snow from 5.30 pm on Saturday to 8.30 am on Sunday, whereas tribal districts Lahaul-Spiti's administrative centre Keylong and Kinnaur's Kalpa received 13 cm snowfall each during the period, according to the Met Department. Narkanda, Kufri and Shimla also received light snow. Even Dalhousie in Chamba district and McLeodganj, the abode of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in Kangra district, had snowfall. As news of the snowfall spread, tourists flocked to Shimla, known for the imperial grandeur of its buildings that were once institutions of power when the town served as the summer capital of British India. The state capital witnessed snowfall for the first time this year, from 10.45 am till 3 pm. Shimla residents shivered as icy winds brought down the minimum temperature to 1.7 degrees Celsius. The maximum stayed at 3.7 degrees, a fall by 4.9 degrees from Saturday's. The snowfall caused the mercury to dip, with Keylong, Kalpa, Kufri, Dalhousie and Manali reeling under sub-zero temperatures. Keylong continued to be the coldest place in the state with a minimum temperature of minus 8.7 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature in Kalpa was minus 3.7 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature in Kufri was minus 3 degrees Celsius, it was minus 1.6 degrees Celsius in Dalhousie and minus 1.2 degrees Celsius in Manali during the period. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a warning of heavy snowfall, rain and hailstorm in Himachal Pradesh till January 6. It has also predicted snowfall and rain in some places of the state on Tuesday and Wednesday due to western disturbances. Three policemen were injured after police team of Bajaria and Kotwali police reached to nab burglary and robbery accused at Sikandari Saray late in the night on Saturday. Policemen were stone pelted when police team reached with the nabbed accused who revealed the crime was committed with Firoz and Shoaib alias Puncture. Police have registered a case of obstructing government servant from discharging his duty against eight people and 12 others including two women. After the team reached the spot and asked for Firoz they were stone pelted by the people who were on the terrace giving no time for the policemen to escape and two ASI and one police constable were injured in the attack. Soon after the attack senior police officials were informed and on the receipt of the information policemen of three police stations were reached the spot but failed to nab any of the accused as they find only locked houses. The team reached the spot at around 1 oclock in the night while after the attack it was after around one hour the other team reached to help. Police said that the two are habitual criminal of the area and have attacked the police in the past. They have been booked for several crimes in different police stations. The women attacked the policemen suspecting that raid has been conducted on gamblers in the area and fearing that the gamblers would be nabbed they started pelting stone. Till the filing of the report the accused remained absconding. Search has been intensified said police. The 113rd Madhav Rao Scindia Gwalior Trade Fair was inaugurated at the Mela Ground on Sunday by Jyodiraditya Scindia, former Union Minister and Member of Parliament in the presence of several dignitaries and a large number of people from different walks of life. Scindia, along with the other dignitaries lighted the ceremonial lamp around 11 am to signify the inauguration of the Fair. Inaugurating the Trade Fair at the Facilitation Centre of the Trade Fair, Scindia said that the Madhav Rao Scindia Trade Fair has great significance to the people of the Gwalior Chambal region and that the government will do everything possible to provide a platform to all kinds of businesses and trades to showcase their excellence. He added that the 50 per cent rebate on road taxes for vehicles purchased from the Trade Fair is only a beginning and that the government will give many more sops to bring back the lost glory of the Trade Fair. The inauguration ceremony was chaired by Munnalal Goyal, the MLA from Gwalior East. The Gwalior Mayor, Vivek Shejwalkar, Cabinet Ministers Pradhuman Singh Tomar and Imarati Devi also spoke on the occasion. The Mayor, in his address said that the Trade Fair will also provide a platform to promote rural enterprises, traditional occupations and handicraft items. He further said that the Gwalior Municipal Corporation will do everything possible to promote the Trade Fair. Prdhuman Sigh Tomar, the Cabinet Minister for Food and PDS gave details about the toll free number on which the public can give complains and suggestions about the quality of food and other consumer items. According to sources in the Gwalior Trade Fair Authority, apart from the day to day commercial activities there will also be cultural activities every day. The inauguration ceremony was also attended by Zilla Panchayat President, Manisha Yadav; MLA Praveen Pathak; BM Sharma, the Divisional Commissioner; Devendra Sharma, the DCC President and Mohan Singh Rathore among others. Opposing the cheating of private companies like Chola Mandalam and Royal Sundaram for covering crop insurance and their engagement by the Government under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, the farmers of Balangir district would stage demonstration before the collectorate from January 12 to 16. This was announced by farmer leader Santanu Naik, at a Press conference here on Friday evening. The insurance company, Chola Mandalam, violated the guidelines and in collusion with Revenue Inspector, VLW and other district officials who fabricated reports on crop loss, cheated the victim farmers of their insurance money, alleged Naik. Even as the paddy yield in Binekela GP was 4.32quintal, it was shown as 29.30 quintal per hectare in the report sent to the Government by the local RI, resulting in farmers not getting crop insurance, Naik alleged further. Farmers in 50 gram panchayats have been deprived of crop insurance. Even though they have insured their crop paying premium, in cases where the insurance amount was released, it was much less, Naik told. Cooperation Department Secretary Ranjana Chopra wrote a letter on September 9 last to Chola Mandalam Insurance, Chennai, asking why the applications of around 10,000 loanee farmers of Titilagarh sub division were rejected and premium amount was returned to their account. The letter also mentions that the approach taken by the company is completely contrary to guidelines of PMFBY, which puts emphasis on coverage of non-loanee farmers, said Naik. Due to the faulty policy of the State Government and engagement of private insurance companies, the farmers are not getting their insurance money, Naik told, adding that private companies like ICICI, Lombard and IFFCO Tokyo which had insured their crops under Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme,(WBCIS) have not paid compensation amount for the year 2011-12 Kharif season. Naik also pointed out the poor quality of materials used in construction of embankment in the left side of Tel river near Belgaon, which was washed out causing immense damage in 500 acres of standing crop of farmers. He said so far neither the farmers were given compensation nor any action was taken against the contractor. After backing the Congress demand for a JPC probe into the Rafale fighter jet deal, the NDA Government major ally Shiv Sena has again joined the Opposition ranks in opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016. Senas decision to oppose the Bill comes amid reports that the members of Congress, TMC, SP, and Left parties have given note of dissent to the final report of the JPC on the Citizenship Amendment Bill, which will be submitted in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The Sena has taken the decision after the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) appealed to it to oppose the legislation, party leader Sanjay Raut said in a statement. We are determined to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Bill in Parliament, Raut said. With the Lok Sabha polls around the corner, the Shiv Sena has adopted a more aggressive posture against the BJP, with whom it has shared an uneasy relationship over the past four years. The people of Assam, irrespective of their caste, religion and creed oppose the proposed legislation, Raut said. The Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act 1955 to provide citizenship to illegal migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, who are of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian origin. The Assamese and other indigenous groups in Assam fear that the passage of the Bill would make the State a dumping ground for fresh waves of migrants, specifically Hindu Bangladeshis. They also feel that the Bill would make redundant the exercise of NRC, which lists those who have come to Assam before March 24, 1971, as mandated by the Assam Accord. The Opposition parties said that they had objection to the Bill which they alleged links religion to citizenship. This is the basic objection. So, delink religion from citizenship issue. This is against the spirit of our civilisation, culture and of our Constitution. Citizenship cant be linked with State, religion, caste, creed and be country specific. It should be universal, said a dissenting member note. A day after the CBI raided his party leaders and an IAS officer, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for showing its true colours. Claiming that the CBI raids were politically motivated, he warned the BJP of tit-for-tat, saying the party is leaving a culture, which may be used against it in the future. We have the formidable alliance while the BJP has the CBI and other agencies to hound its political rivals. I want to warn the BJP that in future they could be the victim of the legacy of vendetta they will leave behind, he said. I am ready to answer all the queries of the CBI. The BJP must know that the CBI cannot win them the Lok Sabha elections as the investigating agency does not vote for any party. The actual voters are farmers, labourers, workers, traders and unemployed youth and they are waiting for the polling day to teach the BJP a lesson for betraying on poll promises, Yadav said while addressing the party cadre in the State office of the party Lucknow on Sunday. The Samajwadi Party is making efforts to win maximum Lok Sabha seats. Those who want to stop us have the CBI with them. Once the Congress did CBI probe, and I was questioned. If the BJP is doing all this, the CBI will question me, I will answer (them). But, the people are ready to give an answer to the BJP, he added. Now we have to tell the CBI as to how many seats we have distributed in the gathbandhan (alliance), he said, adding, I am happy that the BJP has shown its true colours. Rejecting Akhileshs accusation, the BJP demanded that the CBI investigate Akhilesh for his alleged involvement in a mining scam, claiming his Government was hand in glove with the accused. Rejecting the charge that the CBIs searches on Saturday in connection with the alleged scam was politically motivated because of the alliance talks between the Samajwadi Party and the BSP, UP Government Minister Sidharth Nath Singh told reporters the BJP has no threat from them. The two Opposition parties are fighting for survival, he said, adding that those who are langde-lulhe (physically handicapped) need baisakhi (crutches). On formal announcement of seat-sharing with Mayawatis BSP, Akhilesh said it is likely to be announced within a week. However, he maintained suspense on accommodating the Congress in the alliance, which also includes Ajit Singhs RLD. You will come to know about it (alliance) in a week or so, Yadav said. The SP and the BSP have decided to fight the upcoming national elections together and have already worked out a seat-sharing arrangement to take on the BJP, which along with its allies won 73 seats from the State in 2014. On possibility of the Congress joining the alliance, Akhilesh said a decision will be taken by him and Mayawati. The CBI carried out searches at 14 locations on Saturday in connection with its FIR against 11 persons, including IAS officer B Chandrakala, Samajwadi Party MLC Ramesh Kumar Mishra, to probe illegal mining of minor minerals in Hamirpur district during 2012-16. Minor minerals are sand, gravel, among others. The role of the then Mining Ministers concerned during the relevant period may be looked into during the course of investigation of the case, the FIR said. Akhilesh, who was the Chief Minister of the State between 2012 and 2017, held the mining portfolio during 2012-13 apparently bringing his role under scanner, according to the FIR. He was succeeded by Gayatri Prajapati, who took charge as Mining Minister in 2013 and was arrested in 2017 following a complaint of rape by a woman residing in Chitrakoot. This is the third FIR pertaining to illegal mining cases which were registered on January 2, 2019, nearly two-and-a-half year after it was directed by the Allahabad High Court to probe the issue. The CBI was directed by the High Court on July 28, 2016 to probe illegal mining in the State following which it had registered seven preliminary enquiries out of which two pertaining to Shamli and Kaushambi districts were converted into FIRs in 2017. The searches of the agency took place on a day the SP and BSP gave contours of an electoral alliance ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. SP spokesperson Rajendra Chowdhary said the timings of the raids raises questions about the intentions of the Government. The party welcomes the CBI action but the timings do raise questions. Especially since this is coming right after the news of SP-BSP alliance appeared in the media, he said. Addressing a Press conference, Siddharth Nath Singh said instead of questioning the time of the raids, Akhilesh should answer why so much loot had happened under his Government. If you loot public money, then law will take its own course, he said, adding that the CBI is reporting to the Allahabad High Court, which had ordered a probe in 2016. Singh alleged that Akhileshs tenure as Chief Minister between 2012 and 17 was a story of loot of minerals and that he presided over a Government hand in glove with the mining syndicate. He also fired off many questions to Akhilesh, asking him why Chandrakala violated e-tender norms and why she was made the District Magistrate of Hamirpur. The BJP demand that the CBI should investigate Akhilesh Yadav, Singh said, adding that he should be called by the agency for probe. "The Accidental Prime Minister" producer Sunil Bohra says he knew there will be conjectures about it being a propaganda film, but he is also certain it will be a game changer for political cinema in India. "In my opinion, then film is certainly going to be a game changer as far as political cinema is concerned. It took two years to write, about half a year to make, but shall be remembered for a long long time as it is the first film where all the characters are addressed real names," Bohra said in a statement to IANS. The film, starring Anupam Kher as former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, is based on the 2014 memoir of the same name by Sanjaya Baru, Singh's media advisor from 2004 to 2008. While the BJP shared the trailer on its Twitter timeline, some Congress leaders have objected to its content. There has been talk about "The Accidental Prime Minister" being a propaganda film ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. What does Bohra have to say? "I am aware, and I knew it would surely happen but it will all be cleared once the film is out in cinemas. People will respect the work and hard work rather than raising any other issue," he said. Bohra, who has earlier backed films like "Gangs of Wasseypur", "Shahid", "Tanu Weds Manu" and "Mastram", said risk is involved in each and every film. "Without risk no film can be made," he commented when asked about the risks involved in making a political film in India. He is ready for the reactions that may come his way after the Vijay Ratnakar Gutte directorial releases. "The reactions will come. It is a democratic country... Everyone has the right of opinion, and I will surely respect whatever comes my way," he said. When and why did you decide to make "The Accidental Prime Minister". What was the agenda? "My agenda for producing 'The Accidental Prime Minister' is to make an entertaining film. We picked up the rights of the book from Sanjaya Baru sir in 2014. Since then, it has been a long process. "Our company Bohra Bros is in business since 1947. It was founded by my grandfather Shree Ram Bohra. He too made films that were ahead of its time like 'Hercules' (1964) 'Thief of Baghdad' (1977) to name a few. I think we are working on the same lines -- on creating content that has some USP attached to it. Hence, 'The Accidental Prime Minister'. He believes the road less travelled is very difficult to tread on. "The same could be said about the journey to make this film. We are a content based production house and to make this kind of film we need support from a studio, but the market dynamics are such that no studio was interested and it took lot of time till we finally managed to get our act together." Bohra said the film is a "three hero" project. "Akshaye Khanna (who plays Baru), Anupamji and Vijay Ratnakar Gutte, the debutant director. Dictionary will fail you to find the one word that describes the film he has made. What you see now is his vision and he has taken this film to a different level," Bohra said. While the energy sector remains a prominent enabler of India-Nepal trade ties, the establishments on both sides often do not give it its due. It is a fact that most India-led power projects in Nepal are not faring in the spirit that they were set up in. This habitual distracting of productive possibilities makes the credentials of Brand India suffer quite badly in our northern neighbourhood. For long, the power sector has not got the attention it deserves from the two governments. (Photo: Reuters/file) The second pressing concern continues to be the waste of power transmission. For long, this had attracted only the apathy of decision-makers in the government and the industrial entities concerned. But of late, there is some sign of course-correction, as finally, Nepal and India have agreed to set up an Energy Banking Mechanism (EBM) to stop the waste of electricity generated in Nepal. The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) of India in December agreed to work on the guidelines on power exchange. The draft under discussion will be seen and approved by the energy secretary-level joint steering committee (JSC) meeting scheduled in this month. If properly implemented, this shall help to deal with the situation where production surpasses demand. This holds importance in the short, medium and long term, as Nepal is moving aggressively to scale up its energy production capacity and in greater engagement with India. The energy banking essentially works in barter mode, where exchange takes place of electricity for electricity and without relying on monetary transaction. Supported through this mechanism, Nepal will be in a position to export electricity to India when it has surplus reserves, and import back the equal amount when needed for domestic uses. Following the pattern, Nepal supplies electricity to India during the wet season when the domestic output is high, and imports it back during the winter, when domestic production is much lower than the demand electricity generation in Nepal drops by more than 50% in winter due to low discharge in the snow-fed rivers, making power import from India inevitable. As per a report in The Kathmandu Post, Indian officials present in the meeting were also positive about Nepals proposal on the operational modality of the new Butwal-Gorakhpur Cross-Border Transmission Line Project. Based on the proposed operational modality, the upcoming meeting will decide how funds will be arranged for the construction of the power line. Meanwhile, in a separate meeting of the Nepal-India power exchange committee, it was decided not to increase the price of electricity that Nepal imports from India. Recently, the Indian government has introduced guidelines on cross-border electricity trade, and it continues with the existing tariffs until the new guidelines take effect. Nepal produces surplus power in the monsoon when the Indian farm sector is crying out for electricity. (Photo: YouTube) Reportedly, Nepal has been advocating for energy banking with a belief that seasonal complementarities of demand and supply of electricity in the two countries will make the mechanism a sustainable model of power transfer. As a majority of power plants in Nepal are run-of-the-river type, they generate a large amount of electricity during the monsoon the surplus coincides with a sharp rise in demand for electricity in India, with increased power consumption in the farm and industry sectors, which, of late, risk demand-supply distortions. It is understood that institutional distortions in the energy sector stem from the dominance of government ownership, the lack of competition and soft-budget constraints, under which governments have repeatedly bailed out heavily indebted utilities. This is simplistic, but cant be overlooked, as it remains a fact that sectoral reforms have not much impacted the domination of state-owned enterprises here. Even in these changed times, government planners, not the market, allocate fuel supplies and set prices, without keeping much welfaristic commitment. Since market players get limited say on performance and efficiency on mass output, pressing concerns continue on both cost and output. It is important to make power sector reform a top priority as few other reforms can quickly yield economic gains of a similar magnitude. By expanding access to electricity and improving the quality of supply, power sector reforms would also directly benefit poor households in both India and Nepal. The most significant and positive outcome is likely to come from institutional reforms in the power sector, which would be possible through the expansion of reliable access to electricity, appropriate pricing of carbon and emissions of local air pollutants. Thinking from the regional perspective, South Asia faces enormous demand for electricity. This calls for greater capacity generation without following an unsustainable route. A striking revelation from a recently published World Bank report says, South Asia has the worlds largest population living off the grid close to 255 million people in 2016, more than a quarter of all the people in the world living without access to electricity. Noticeably, India and Nepal have a vital share in these problematic figures. Nepal is moving aggressively to scale up its energy production capacity. (Photo: Reuters/file) The same report presents a grimmer face of the low wave of power sector reforms in the region. Because of low access rates and low quality of supply, per capita electricity consumption in South Asia is the second-lowest in the world (after Sub-Saharan Africa). At 707 kilowatt hours (kWh) a year in 2014, it is less than a quarter of the world average. Since India and Nepal are inter-dependent on each other for meeting their energy requirements, it is important for them to carefully review the areas that are in urgent need of constructive intervention. Any positive move would help create greater economic engagement between the two countries. Further reforms in the sector would help in enabling optimum use of existing power infrastructure facilities, removing waste and increasing cleaner electricity supply through process-driven system at place. Equally, it is important to rationalise the price of energy to incentivise seamless investment and conservation, which shall keep both the production and distribution cycles in harmony. A serious consideration by India and Nepal for joint efforts in power sector should script new chapters in bilateral trade and economic cooperation. Next to the idea of the Energy Bank, the two countries must come out with a comprehensive plan for boosting the power sector. The time is opportune now! Also read: Why the Nepali communist challenge to India is deadly Theresa May said the UK faced a moment of profound challenge as she urged MPs to get behind her Brexit deal. The Prime Minister warned critics from both sides of the Brexit divide that they risked damaging the economy and trust in democracy by opposing her plan. As MPs prepare to return to Westminster with a crunch Commons vote looming on the Withdrawal Agreement thrashed out with Brussels, the Prime Minister said no alternative plan was able to respect the 2016 referendum result, protect jobs and provide certainty to citizens and businesses. Addressing opponents on both the Remain and Brexiteer wings of the Commons, she said: There are some in Parliament who, despite voting in favour of holding the referendum, voting in favour of triggering Article 50 and standing on manifestos committed to delivering Brexit, now want to stop us leaving by holding another referendum. Others across the House of Commons are so focused on their particular vision of Brexit that they risk making a perfect ideal the enemy of a good deal. Both groups are motivated by what they think is best for the country, but both must realise the risks they are running with our democracy and the livelihoods of our constituents. The Prime Minister said that the British genius for pragmatism had always found a way forward which commands consensus at moments of profound challenge such as this. In a Mail on Sunday article she said Labours approach under Jeremy Corbyn had been based on a cynical tissue of incoherence, designed to avoid difficult decisions. The Prime Minister was forced to postpone a vote on her plans in December after it became clear the deal would be rejected by MPs. Theresa May criticised Jeremy Corbyns `cynical approach (Robert Perry/PA) With Tory rebels and her DUP allies expected to oppose it, the Prime Minister hopes to win round some Labour MPs alarmed at the prospect of a no-deal Brexit. MPs of every party will face the same question when the division bell rings, Mrs May said. It is a question of profound significance for our democracy and for our constituents. The only way to both honour the result of the referendum and protect jobs and security is by backing the deal that is on the table. But former Cabinet minister Sir John Redwood said a no-deal Brexit will work just fine despite the idiotic warnings about potential shortages of food and medicines. On the other side of the Tory divide, pro-EU veteran Ken Clarke said Mrs Mays deal which he would be prepared to support is dying, and he would be amazed if the mood of MPs had changed over the Christmas break. Instead, he called for Brexit to be postponed until a way forward can be found. The #MeaningfulVote debates are due to start again next week, but what is the 'meaningful vote' all about? pic.twitter.com/bBTJI8mlqR UK House of Commons (@HouseofCommons) January 4, 2019 MPs will resume debate on the Brexit deal on Wednesday ahead of a vote the following week. Mrs May is said to be considering offering MPs further safeguards about the Irish backstop the measure aimed at preventing a hard border on the island of Ireland which critics fear could leave the UK indefinitely bound into a customs union with the EU and prevent future trade deals with countries around the world. But former Brexit minister Steve Baker rejected the proposals, saying they were a tedious and desperate attempt to rescue an unsalvageable deal. This is a tedious and desperate attempt to rescue an unsalvageable dealhttps://t.co/JgXvmBUFyI Steve Baker MP (@SteveBakerHW) January 5, 2019 The Daily Mail reported the PM is working on a double lock to put a time limit on the backstop. Officials are reportedly drawing up a possible Commons amendment to the Brexit vote which would give Parliament the right to serve notice to the EU of an intention to quit the backstop after 12 months if Brussels fails to agree a trade deal with the UK that would resolve the issue. Meanwhile, Mrs May is also seeking a written guarantee from the EU that a trade deal can be agreed within 12 months of the transition period ending. (PA Graphics) Brexiteer Sir John told BBC Radio 4s Today programme he could not support the deal, and added: Many of us in the country just want to move on and talk about something else, we want to be out and we know it will work just fine. Former chancellor Mr Clarke said the Article 50 notification the formal EU legal process for Brexit should be revoked to prevent a no-deal situation. He told Today it was highly unlikely Mrs Mays deal would get through Parliament and we need more time to agree on how to proceed. Nobody can deal with us on the continent until the British have agreed amongst themselves on some sort of consensus. He warned a no-deal Brexit would be a car crash and dismissed the 2016 referendum result as one opinion poll. If we are insisting that one opinion poll means we have to leave, we have got to minimise the damage, he said. The 32 survivors of a rescue mission in the Mediterranean Sea are in a desperate situation, a campaigner has said. Volunteer Robin Jenkins, 45, from the Vale of Glamorgan, was on the Sea Watch 3 when it rescued the migrants off the coast of Malta on December 22. He spoke as the group, which includes children, remains stranded on the boat at sea as no nation has granted it permission to dock with the migrants on board. One of our guests jumped into the water, trying to reach #Malta. Few minutes later, he was back on board - he knew that it wouldn't work. They have been at sea for over 14 days, they have months of detention in #Libya behind them. This is what desperation looks like. #United4Med pic.twitter.com/fRVkjbpU3Q Sea-Watch International (@seawatch_intl) January 4, 2019 A petition calling for the UK Government to help find a port of safety for the vessel had topped 42,500 signatures by 5.30pm on Saturday. Mr Jenkins said the group are owed the same humanity as other people he has rescued. He said the group were in an inflatable boat that was not suitable for seafaring and had a smell of fuel coming from it. A migrants sits aboard of the rescue ship Sea-Watch 3 (Chris Grodotzki/Sea Watch/AP) No port of safety yet and the forecast of really foul weather.. It appears that the powers that be are exposing us to danger.. maybe teach us a lesson... pic.twitter.com/xt4SHrntAK Robin Jenkins (@robinebjenkins) December 29, 2018 He said: There was one woman who we rescued with her seven-year-old son. She was a single mother who said that even one more day or one more hour in Libya was too much to bear. These people were desperate. They would have to be to have got into that boat. People back home dont understand that the Mediterranean in December (and January) isnt the same one in the summer holiday brochures. Weve had waves of more than three metres. States must not delay offering a safe port to children, women and men on board #SeaWatch3 and #SeaEye any longer. Their health/safety should not be put at further risk by leaving them stranded at sea. Humanity and compassion must prevail. @seawatchcrew @seaeyeorg @coe @PACE_News Commissioner for Human Rights (@CommissionerHR) January 4, 2019 This is deadly. Their boat was deadly. And now theyre stuck at sea after two weeks because European countries cannot afford them the humanity that they deserve. They are just people. The same as the people I have pulled from rivers and off the coast in the UK and delivered back to shore. They are owed that same humanity. The petition, on Change.org, says the group are in need of urgent help as European countries refuse to open ports and provide shelter. French security forces fired tear gas and flash-bang ammunition at protesters during a march through central Paris as several thousand supporters of the yellow vest movement kept up pressure on President Emmanuel Macron with the first action of 2019. A river boat restaurant moored below the clashes on the Left Bank of the Seine River caught fire, while smoke and tear gas wafted above the Orsay Museum and the gold dome of the French Academy as riot police moved in when protesters deviated from an officially approved path. Police boats patrolled the river while beyond the Seine, motorcycles and a car were set on fire on the Boulevard Saint Germain, a main Left Bank thoroughfare. Riot police and firefighters moved in, and barricades mounted in the middle of the wide street also glowed in flames. The march on the eighth consecutive Saturday of yellow vest protests had been declared in advance and approved, in contrast to some illegal December demonstrations that degenerated into vandalism, looting and chaos. The march was peaceful until some protesters attempted to deviate from their approved route and cross a bridge (Kamil Zihnioglu/AP) The atmosphere was mostly calm, but turned when some protesters tried to cross the river on a pedestrian bridge not on the official route from City Hall to the National Assembly. Police used clubs and tear gas, then held the bridge in a stand-off while violence broke out. Further confrontations between police and protesters took place in other cities around France, with tear gas fired in Bordeaux and in Rouen, Normandy. The yellow vest protests had seen numbers reduce in recent weeks, but several thousand were back on the streets of Paris on Saturday (Kamil Zihnioglu/AP) No official figures have been issued for the number of protesters who turned out around France or in Paris, though one police estimate put the marchers in the capital at 3,500. Protesters were looking to breathe new life into the yellow vest movement as numbers of participants has fallen since the first Saturday protest in mid-November. They reiterated their call for Mr Macron, denounced as the president of the rich, to resign Burning barricades near the Champs Elysees (AP) Government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said those still protesting want insurrection. He called on the French to express their views during a national debate organised in the coming weeks in all regions, rather than by taking to the streets. The yellow vest movement was launched to express anger over fuel tax hikes affecting working people who commute by car, but grew to encompass broader anger over Mr Macrons economic policies, deemed to favour the rich. A woman driver is in a critical condition after allegedly being assaulted following a car crash. Scotland Yard said the 39-year-old had been taken unwell when officers arrived at the scene of a two-car collision at Gants Hill roundabout in Redbridge, east London, on Friday evening. Police said they are investigating a report that the woman, who was driving a Kia Picanto, was assaulted by the male driver of the second car involved in the crash a Toyota Yaris. Officers called to the scene just after 6.50pm immediately gave the woman first aid ahead of the arrival of London Ambulance Service. She was taken to an east London hospital where she is in a critical condition. A 54-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assault and is in custody at an east London police station. Police are investigation the incident at Gants Hill roundabout in Redbridge, east London, on Friday evening (PA) Detectives are keen to trace a particular witness described as a white man and around 6ft 2in who was at the scene. They are also appealing for anyone who saw the collision or its aftermath to contact officers on 101, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Moscow has denied a former US Marine is being held as a bargaining chip for a jailed Russian spy, after Jeremy Hunt warned against using Britons as pawns. Paul Whelan, a 48-year-old who has UK citizenship, was arrested in the Russian capital last week, apparently on espionage charges. There has been speculation he could be used to barter for the release of a Russian citizen jailed in the US after admitting acting as a secret agent for the Kremlin. The Foreign Secretary said the UK is giving Mr Whelan every support we can, and said Moscow should not use people as pieces in diplomatic chess games. Mr Whelan is a former US Marine who lives in Michigan, and has UK citizenship (family handout/PA) But on Saturday, Russian news agencies quoted the nations deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying it is too early to talk of the possibility of exchanges as Mr Whelan is yet to be formally charged. Interfax said he added that there is no connection with the case and any Russian citizen in the US. The arrest of Mr Whelan, who lives in the state of Michigan, comes after Russian national Maria Butina pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in the US last month. She admitted conspiring to infiltrate the US gun rights movement to collect intelligence on conservative political groups as Donald Trump rose to power. Mr Hunt told Sky News individuals should not be used as pawns of diplomatic leverage. He added: We are giving him every support that we can, but we dont agree with individuals being used in diplomatic chess games. Mr Whelans twin David said his brothers innocence is undoubted and we trust that his rights will be respected. Paul Whelans brother David said the former Marine was in Russia to help organise a friends wedding (David Whelan/PA) His detention comes amid strained diplomatic tensions between the UK and Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin refuted British claims the Kremlin was behind the nerve agent poisonings in Salisbury last year. And relations were hardly soothed by testimony during a recent Old Bailey inquest linking Russia with the death of UK-based multi-millionaire Alexander Perepilichnyy. He had been due to testify about serious organised crime in Russia. Russia is having to deal with four nations over Mr Whelans detention because of his wide-ranging citizenship. He has British citizenship through his parents, but is also a citizen of Ireland, Canada and the US. According to his brother, Mr Whelan was in Moscow to help plan a fellow former Marines wedding because he had visited Russia several times previously. Manchester City teenager Brahim Diaz is on the verge of completing a move to Real Madrid which could be worth up to 22million, Press Association Sport understands. City were keen to keep the 19-year-old Spaniard but believe the initial fee of 15.5million, with potential add-ons of 6.5million, represents a good deal for a player who had just six months remaining on his contract. The deal also includes a 15 per cent sell-on fee but, interestingly, it is understood that rises to 40 per cent should Real sell the Spain Under-21 international to Manchester United. Diaz has been at City since joining from home-town club Malaga at the age of 14 but has seen first-team opportunities limited at the Etihad, with the likes of Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane and Riyad Mahrez ahead of him in the pecking order. In total, Diaz has made 15 appearances for Pep Guardiolas side, his most recent being last months Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Leicester. A 31-year-old man fatally shot by police in a raid has been named locally as Sean Fitzgerald. Two others were arrested at the scene in Coventry on suspicion of a drugs offence following an intelligence-led operation on Friday evening, West Midlands Police said. Friends paid tribute to Mr Fitzgerald, who lived locally, as the police watchdog opened an investigation into the shooting that followed the execution of a warrant at about 6.20pm. The area around the scene on Burnaby Road remained cordoned off on Saturday morning (Adam Court/PA) One, who gave his name as Ali, said he had been with the very, very good guy shortly before he visited the home in Burnaby Road where he was killed. Ali said he believed his friend presented no threat or danger, and added: Hes served for all of us the police, everybody in the Army up until last year. Friend Jayson Moore added: Sean was a completely thoughtful bloke. He spent his whole Christmas day building trampolines and playing with the kids. He did not deserve to die. A family member wrote online that she was absolutely gutted by the death of Mr Fitzgerald, who another friend described as a one of a kind who would be there for anyone. Fatal shooting in Coventry: pic.twitter.com/ltmiHy7Ee8 West Midlands Police - #StayAlert (@WMPolice) January 5, 2019 Investigators from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) will examine footage from cameras being worn by the officers involved as well as local CCTV. They are yet to find a firearm at the scene, but the search continues, a spokeswoman said on Saturday afternoon. Friends suggested he was shot in the back, but police moved to refute this at an early stage in the investigation. Asked at a press conference about the claims, Assistant Chief Constable Sou Southern said: From the information I have at this point that is not my understanding. Body-worn video has been examined and there will be a full forensic post-mortem, and the findings of that will form part of the independent IOPC investigation. West Midlands Police said that the two 26-year-old men arrested at the scene are in custody on suspicion of involvement in the production of cannabis. ACC Southern said the raid came as part of a long-running criminal investigation. Fire engineer Karl Lolley, a father-of-two who lives behind the police cordon, said he heard four or five gunshots after witnessing officers descend on the home. I saw three or four armed police cars turn up. Five to six armed officers got out and they went in the front door. There was some gunshots, the 39-year-old told the Press Association. The next thing you know theres more police arriving and they cordon off the area. They carry a person out on a stretcher, they put him in an ambulance the lights on the ambulance were flashing for about half an hour as they were working on him. Then they turned the lights off and they drove off slowly. Obviously they pronounced him dead. A large number of police cars, along with emergency service vehicles, were reported in the area of Burnaby Road, a largely residential street north of the city centre, in the wake of the incident. Locals were told to go indoors as a section of the street was closed and over 17 police cars (and) armed police arrived. Adam Court, 26, owner of the local media network Complete Traffic based nearby, told PA: We heard a lot of sirens heading towards the far end of the street and traffic coming to a swift halt. The road is plagued with a history of serious collisions so this was nothing out of the ordinary. But it was the sheer number of police officers at the scene that caused initial concern. The area around the scene remained cordoned off on Saturday morning. The IOPC confirmed it opened an inquiry after the force reported the fatality during a pre-planned operation. IOPC regional director Amanda Rowe: Our investigation is in its very early stages and we will be working hard to establish what happened. My thoughts are with the mans family and all of those affected by this incident. The next steps will be to view the body-worn video footage and establish if there are any local CCTV recordings. At this stage we are looking at the circumstances of the incident and all officers remain witnesses to our investigation. The mans next-of-kin have been informed. Police are investigating after a pedestrian was killed on the M5 motorway. The motorway was closed in both directions after the incident near junction 13 in Gloucestershire, which was reported just after 7.30am on Saturday. **** PLEASE BE AWARE **** Due to a serious incident on the #M5, the motorway will be closed SOUTHBOUND at junctions 12-14, and NORTHBOUND 13-12, until further notice. Please find alternative routes.#CShiftFCR pic.twitter.com/MM15RqN5CE Force Control Room (@GlosPolice_FCR) January 5, 2019 Diversions were put in place between junctions 12 and 14 southbound and junctions 12 and 13 northbound, but both carriageways were later reopened. Gloucestershire Police said a male pedestrian was killed in the collision. A force spokesman said: The man was declared dead at the scene. No one else was injured. Naomi Osaka delivered a withering assessment of her performance after she was knocked out of the Brisbane International at the semi-final stage. The reigning US Open champion and world number five suffered a surprise 6-2 6-4 defeat to Lesia Tsurenko, who set up a final showdown with Karolina Pliskova after the Czech fifth seed dispatched Croatias Donna Vekic 6-3 6-4. Much of the attention fell on Osaka, though, who was at a loss to explain why she struggled for fluency against her Ukrainian opponent. Had the worst attitude on court today.Sorry to everyone that watched.I keep telling myself to be more mature but seems itll take a while. NaomiOsaka (@naomiosaka) January 5, 2019 The Japanese said in quotes on the WTA Tour: If Im being really frank, I just feel like I had the worst attitude. I feel like I didnt really know how to cope with not playing well. I was sulking a little bit, and there are moments that I tried not to do that. But then the ball wouldnt go in, and then I would go back to being childish and stuff. I feel like, in a way, that this experience for me is better than winning the tournament, because this helpless feeling I have, I think I learned sort of what I have to do to, not fix it, but what I can do to improve the situation so there arent many moments that I feel like that. Naomi Osaka struggled in Brisbane (Tertius Pickard/AP) Bianca Andreescu reached her first singles final on the WTA Tour as she claimed another upset win at the ASB Classic in Auckland. The Canadian qualifier had already seen off top seed Caroline Wozniacki and seven-time grand slam champion Venus Williams this week, and she added third seed Hsieh Su-wei to her victims list. Andreescu clinched a comfortable 6-3 6-3 victory over her Taiwanese opponent to book a final date against second seed Julia Gorges, with the German overcoming Slovakias Viktoria Kuzmova 6-1 7-6 (8/6). "I made it in the end!" You sure did, @KaPliskova ! Through to the @BrisbaneTennis final to face Lesia Tsurenko!#BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/ZDUys31cdj wta (@WTA) January 5, 2019 World number 13 Aryna Sabalenka overcame Yafan Wang and Alison Riske to bag the Shenzhen Open title. The Belarusian thrashed Chinese opponent Yafan 6-2 6-1 in the last four stage before battling back to see off Americas Riske 4-6 7-6 (7/2) 6-3 in the final. Riske had breezed her way into the showpiece when Russian opponent Vera Zvonareva retired as she trailed 6-0 1-0. Thieves have targeted a security guard delivering cash to a bank and made off with a five-figure sum. The G4S worker was threatened by two men outside the Royal Bank of Scotland in Duke Street, Glasgow, on Friday. They escaped with a cash box in the incident at around 2.30pm. The 51-year-old security guard was not hurt. The suspects fled in a small silver vehicle which was then set alight on Myreside Street. Detective Sergeant Graham McCreadie said: This was a terrifying and dangerous attack which has left a man, who was only doing his job, traumatised. The suspects made off with a large sum of money and later set the car they made off in on fire. Police are hunting for two suspects after a security guard was robbed (Andrew Milligan/PA) Following inquiries we know that from Myreside Street, they then got into a black coloured 44 vehicle. Officers are currently carrying out extensive inquiries, however we would ask that anyone who was near to the bank, anyone who may have seen either of the vehicles mentioned or anyone who has dash-cam footage from that area to get in touch with police immediately. The suspects are described as white, around 5ft 8, and slim. They had dark clothing, with one man wearing a hat and the other a scarf covering his face. Anyone with any information is asked to contact police via 101, quoting incident number 1831 of January 4, or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Investigators in Poland have blamed a gas leak in a heating system at an Escape Room for a fire that killed five teenage girls and injured a man. The bodies of the 15-year-old victims were found on Friday in Koszalin, in northern Poland, after firefighters extinguished a blaze in an adjacent room. Prosecutors said that carbon monoxide inhalation was the likely cause of the deaths. A 26-year-old man employed at the location was taken to hospital with burns. Koszalin prosecutor Ryszard Gasiorowski said a leak in the bottled gas heating system at the location was a probable cause of the fire. Earlier, firefighters blamed faulty electric wiring and substandard security procedures. A fire engine stands outside an Escape Room game location in Koszalin (TVN News/AP) Mr Gasiorowski said the fire probably broke out in the reception room and blocked the employees way to evacuate the girls. Post-mortem examinations will be carried out to confirm the cause of the deaths. He said firefighters who put out the blaze and other witnesses were being questioned. The condition of the injured employee did not immediately allow for his questioning. Earlier, national fire chief Leszek Suski said that electrical wiring at the location was makeshift and too close to flammable materials. Security was not ensured and that led to the tragedy, Mr Suski said. He said there was no proper evacuation route and a lot of negligence at the location. A spokesman for local firefighters, Tomasz Kubiak, said the units responding to the blaze had to use specialized equipment and force their way into the Escape Room. Polands interior minister has ordered fire safety inspections at more than 1,000 Escape Room locations across the country. The first inspections were being held on Saturday, the Interior Ministry said. Previously, there was no official requirement for fire safety certificates at such locations. Highly popular among teenagers in Poland, the Escape Room game has players locked inside a room or building and they must find clues that help them get out. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has sent condolences to the victims relatives. Officials have extended psychological, psychiatric and other support to the families. The school which the teenagers attended was extending counselling and support to their friends and colleagues. Students and residents attended a Catholic Mass on Saturday noon at the local church. Local residents were placing flowers and lights in front of the location, a detached house. The girls, friends from one school class, were celebrating one of their birthdays. A suspect has been arrested by police hunting a knifeman who murdered a train passenger in Surrey as he travelled with his 14-year-old son. The man was detained at an address in the Farnham area at around 6am on Saturday on suspicion of murder. A 27-year-old woman was also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. British Transport Police said no-one else was being sought in connection with killing. Detective Chief Inspector Sam Blackburn said officers were confident to say that this is not believed to be a random assault. In the moments leading to the violent killing, both men appeared to be involved in an altercation lasting three minutes. Flowers left at Horsley station near Guildford (Lizzie Roberts/PA) Nothing justified the extraordinary violence that followed and we are concentrating our efforts on the on-going investigation. The son and other family of the 51-year-old man, who who stabbed multiple times, are being supported by specially trained family liaison officers. Mr Blackburn, added: We are continuing our appeal for information and I would urge anyone who was on board the train to contact us as soon as possible. Even if you did not witness the assault, it is vitally important we speak with you. Likewise, if you have any dashcam footage of the Clandon area after 1pm yesterday afternoon, we would like to hear from you. In the last couple of hours, two arrests have been made in connect to murder investigation at #Horsley, #Surrey. This is a fast moving enquiry, were continuing our appeal for information & we'll have a number of increased patrols in the local area today https://t.co/RyPcHYmihC pic.twitter.com/EIQdtEjHzf British Transport Police (@BTP) January 5, 2019 BTP Assistant Chief Constable Sean OCallaghan said no-one else was being sought in connection with killing. He said: We now know from inquiries weve been doing overnight and from witnesses that the two men were involved in a verbal discussion, that discussion lasted three to four minutes, it moved through one carriage from where they first boarded into another carriage, and that argument escalated to the unprovoked violent attack that sadly resulted in the death. The attack happened on the 12.58 service between Guildford and London Waterloo on Friday. The victim boarded the train at around 1pm at London Road station in Guildford with his son. The killer, described as a black man in his 20s to 30s, approximately 6ft tall and of slim build with a beard, also boarded the service at London Road. Police say the knifeman left the train at Clandon station and headed in the direction of Dedswell Drive. The train continued to Horsley station where police and paramedics attended. A woman who lives in Clandon reportedly told other villagers that she had spoken to a very sweaty and nervous man in a field near her home afterwards. Philip Herrington, the Rector of St Marys Church , West Horsley, visited Horsley train station on the afternoon of the attack and the following morning. I thought Id come and bring some flowers because you dont really expect anything like this to happen generally, not in a place like this, not on a midday train, Mr Herrington said. Its totally lamentable what happened and particularly for the young son to have witnessed what he witnessed. Mr Herrington spoke to British Transport Police at the scene of the incident on Friday and offered assistance to passengers. He said: British Transport Police officers were pretty shocked at what theyd seen as well. Travel firms are preparing for their busiest weekend of the year as many people respond to the post-Christmas return to work by booking a holiday. Millions of people will browse holiday websites and brochures while the UK is hit by a blast of freezing weather. Thomas Cook expects to sell more holidays online and in stores on Saturday referred to by the travel industry as Sunshine Saturday than any other day in 2019. Bookings over the weekend are set to be more than double the average total. The company anticipates concern over the value of sterling to encourage more people to book all-inclusive trips. Thomas Cooks sales and e-commerce director Phil Gardner said: With Christmas all wrapped up this is traditionally the weekend when the nation turns its attention to its next holiday and with a cold snap apparently on the way, we expect getting a sunshine break in the diary will feature on the weekend to-do list along with taking the tree down. Travel firms are preparing for a bumper weekend (Steve Parsons/PA) Uncertainty about exchange rates is sure to be on holidaymakers minds more than ever this year so we think all-inclusive packages will prove popular as customers take advantage of being able to lock in costs for food and drink at the time of booking. In fact all-inclusive bookings for this winter are already up 11% compared to this time last year. Thomas Cook is tipping Turkey and Tunisia to be among the most popular destinations booked this weekend. Mr Gardner said: Value for money will influence where people book and for this reason we predict Turkey will be popular thanks to the Turkish lira still being relatively weak. The destination was Thomas Cooks second most popular last year and since Christmas Eve online bookings are up 57% year-on-year. The other destination to watch on Sunshine Saturday is Tunisia. February marks a year since we were the first tour operator to return to the country. So far families account for two-thirds of this summers bookings and we have increased our weekly flights to 17, up from 11 last year, to meet demand. Thomas Cooks share price plunged in November after the company issued a profit warning. The company unveiled a loss after tax of 163 million, blaming extra costs and the effect of the heatwave on holiday bookings. Ryanair has been named the worst airline serving UK airports for the sixth year in a row. An annual survey by consumer group Which? found that passengers gave the Dublin-based carrier the lowest possible rating for boarding, seat comfort, refreshments and cabin environment. This lead to an overall customer score of just 40%. Of those who said there was one airline with which they would never travel, more than two out of three (70%) named Ryanair. Which? recorded 12,459 flying experiences from 7,901 of its members. In December the Civil Aviation Authority launched enforcement action against Ryanair over its decision not to pay compensation for flight disruption resulting from industrial action by its staff during summer 2018. Ryanair has been ranked last in Which? research about airlines (Peter Byrne/PA) The airline has also faced criticism for changing its hand luggage policy twice last year, resulting in charges for passengers flying with small wheelie suitcases. One passenger told Which?: There are too many rules. I worry about getting caught with hidden costs. The consumer group also highlighted that Ryanair made 1.75 billion last year from extras, such as assigned seating, priority boarding and luggage fees. Other names at the bottom of the ranking for short-haul flights were Thomas Cook Airlines (52%), Wizz Air (54%), Vueling Airlines (54%) and British Airways (56%). EasyJet came in the middle of the ranking at 63%. The highest scores for airlines making short-haul trips were earned by Aurigny (81%), Swiss Airlines (80%) and Jet2 (75%). A Ryanair spokeswoman said the research did not take into account the cost of fares which is the single most important factor for UK consumers and described it as totally unrepresentative compared with its 141 million annual passengers. She added that the airlines average fare of 35 is a fraction of the high fares charged by Whichs recommended airlines. Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel magazine, said: Airfares might seem to be getting cheaper, but only if you dont fancy sitting with your family and children or taking even a small cabin bag on-board. Increasingly you need a calculator to work out what the final bill will be, especially with Ryanair. It has spent the last two years cancelling thousands of flights, ruining hundreds of thousands of holidays and flouting the rules on compensation as well. The results of our survey show passengers are fed up. They should switch to one of their rivals, who prove that budget prices dont have to mean budget service. Here are the top three airlines for short-haul flights, according to Which? research (customer score in brackets): 1. Aurigny (81%) 2. Swiss Airlines (80%) 3. Jet2 (75%) Here are the worst three: 1. Ryanair (40%) 2. Thomas Cook Airlines (52%) =3. Wizz Air (54%) =3. Vueling Airlines (54%) Here are the top three airlines for long-haul flights: 1. Singapore Airlines (85%) 2. Emirates (81%) 3. Qatar Airways (80%) Here are the worst three: 1. American Airlines (52%) 2. United Airlines (55%) 3. Thomson/Tui Airways (56%) All smokers who are admitted to hospital will be encouraged to quit as part of a new five-year plan, NHS England said. The NHS will invest 183 million in helping problem drinkers and smokers, which cost the service more than 6 billion annually. It is planning to offer advice on quitting to every smoker admitted to hospital, including those receiving long-term mental health support and learning disability services. Overall more than half a million smokers 600,000 will be supported to quit over the next five years, prioritising the areas with greatest need. Medical professionals will target mothers-to-be and their partners, with 10% of smokers still lighting up when their pregnancy reaches full term. The services are based on a scheme already happening in Manchester, which is expected to save 10 million and over 30,000 hospital beds across the city. More than half a million smokers will be supported to quit over the next five years (Jonathan Brady/PA) Problem drinkers will also be helped in a bid to save millions of pounds as related admissions continue to rise. The number of patients admitted to hospital for alcohol-related reasons has increased by almost one fifth (17%) over the last decade, NHS England said. It estimated alcohol-related harm costs the NHS in England 3.5 billion every year. Teams will be rolled out to up to 50 hospitals with the highest number of alcohol-related admissions to provide checks, medical help to stop drinking and support to stay sober. Alcohol Care Teams in Bolton, Salford, Nottingham, Liverpool, London and Portsmouth have already seen a reduction in A&E attendances, bed days, readmissions and ambulance call-outs. It is hoped the scheme will prevent 50,000 admissions annually and almost 250,000 bed days over five years. NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens said: Drinking to excess can destroy families, with the NHS too often left to pick up the pieces. Alcohol and tobacco addiction remain two of the biggest causes of ill health and early death, and the right support can save lives. The NHS long-term plan delivers a sea-change in care for a range of major conditions like cancer, mental ill health and heart disease, as well as stepping up to do more on preventing ill health in the first place by giving patients the support they need to take greater control of their own health and stay fitter longer. Professor Andrew Goddard, president of the Royal College of Physicians, welcomed the commitment. He said: Every contact a health professional has with a patient is an opportunity to help the patient give up smoking having a system in place to treat tobacco dependency with allocated funding will help make it happen. He was echoed by Paul Burstow, chairman of the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust and co-chairman of the Mental Health & Smoking Partnership, who said: People with mental health conditions have smoking rates over twice as high as the general population. Smoking is a leading cause of health inequalities and premature death. The commitment to funding dedicated support to quit not just for inpatients but also for smokers receiving long-term support from mental health and learning disability services is welcome. But Jonathan Ashworth, Labours shadow health and social care secretary, called on the Government to reverse its public health cuts that had pushed many local services to the brink. He said: Tackling addiction in society is a personal priority of mine so its welcome that NHS bosses are now adopting Labours policy to place specialist alcohol staff in hospitals. But these new proposals will be severely hindered by deep cuts of 34 million to alcohol and drug addiction services and 3.1 million cuts to community smoking cessation services ministers are imposing this financial year. The Royal College of Midwives also expressed its concerns about cuts to health budgets, calling for major investment in smoking cessation specialist midwives. The number of Scots working on toxic zero hours contracts has fallen to 63,000, new figures revealed. Official statistics showed in the period April to June 2018 2.4% of all those in work were employed in this way compared to 2.5% of workers in England and Wales. The data, from the Office for National Statistics, showed the number of zero hours contracts in Scotland was down by 8,000 from the same April to June 2017, and was 15,000 lower than the same period in 2016. SNP MSP Sandra White said this was as a result of the SNP prioritising fair work, leading by example in government and the public sector and encouraging business to follow suit. The Glasgow Kelvin MSP said: Toxic zero-hours contracts are exploitative, can leave people without the income they need to live and with no means to budget for them and their families. Its extremely encouraging to see further progress is being made, with 8,000 fewer folk in Scotland employed on zero-hours contracts than there were last year. And that comes on top of the previous year which saw a 7,000 drop on 2016s figures so theres clearly steady progress being made. Sandra White welcomed the fall in the number of Scots employed on zero hours contracts (Andrew Milligan/PA) Were performing better than the Tories in England and Labour in Wales in tackling the prevalence of toxic zero hours contracts and these latest figures are extremely welcome indeed. Concern has been raised about food mislabelling after it emerged more than 9,000 food standards tests have been failed in Scotland since 2013. The Scottish Liberal Democrats asked local authorities how many tests have been carried out over the last five years, and what number were deemed to have failed. Across the 24 out of 32 councils that provided figures, 9,148 of 90,578 tests were failed more than 10%. Some 1,741 failed due to mislabelling. MSP Mike Rumbles highlighted a case in Aberdeenshire where a meal listed as containing local ingredients was revealed to contain chicken from the Netherlands. Mr Rumbles said: When people settle down for a meal or pick up some food on the go, they want to know that what they are eating is safe and what it purports to be. Government particularly needs to look at companies responsibilities in relation to food labelling in light of recent tragic cases. The Liberal Democrats have raised concern about food mislabelling (Anthony Devlin/PA) Given the seriousness of some peoples allergies, this cant be taken too seriously and there is a strong case for more robust regulation. Dr Jacqui McElhiney, head of food protection science and surveillance at Food Standards Scotland, added: Sampling programmes carried out by local authority enforcement officers and public analyst laboratories play a key role in protecting public health by verifying the safety and standards of foods placed on the market. Where any unsatisfactory results are found, the relevant local authority will take appropriate action to ensure the business is compliant with the relevant legislation and to prevent the sale of products which may be unsafe or labelled in a way which misleads the consumer. Consumers rightly expect that the food they buy is what it says it is on the label. Food Standards Scotland works closely with local authorities in relation to all aspects of food standards and safety and will always act in the publics interests. A man has died after falling from cliffs in Ireland. The student in his 20s fell from the landmark Cliffs of Moher in Co Clare on Friday afternoon. Gardai are treating the incident as a tragic accident amid reports the man was taking a selfie and slipped. The towering cliffs are one of Irelands most popular visitor attractions. The man who died was a foreign national who was living and studying in Dublin. A Garda spokesman said: The alarm was raised shortly after 3pm when a man was seen falling from the cliff edge. The Cliffs of Moher in Co Clare (Niall Carson/PA) The mans body was later recovered by an Irish Coastguard crew based at Doolin. His remains were taken to University Hospital Limerick for a post-mortem examination. A file on the incident will be prepared for the local coroner. The French authorities have set out plans to prevent migrants in small boats risking the dangerous cross-Channel crossing to England. Measures being taken include improved co-operation between law enforcement agencies and more surveillance and security on beaches along the northern French coastline. The moves by the French authorities come after a Royal Navy vessel was deployed to patrol the Strait of Dover amid concern about the increase in crossings. Home Secretary Sajid Javid welcomed the action and said the UK and France were working on a joint action plan which would be finalised in a meeting with his counterpart Christophe Castaner n the coming weeks. French interior minister Mr Castaner said: This plan should allow us to end these crossings by migrants who are not only illegal but also extremely dangerous. It is in our interest, as it is for the UK, to not allow new smugglers to operate which would attract new migrants. The French said 71 crossing attempts were recorded last year, compared with 12 in 2017. Des actions concretes contre ces traversees illegales et dangereuses : Renforcement de la coordination inter-services Surveillance accrue des ports Sensibilisation des professionnels du littoral Lutte contre les filieres de passeurshttps://t.co/y3W76M4L6I Christophe Castaner (@CCastaner) January 4, 2019 There were 14 crossing attempts in the first 10 months of the year and 57 in November and December alone. Of the 71 attempts, 40 were successful and 31 failed. Of the 504 migrants seeking to cross the English Channel in 2018, 276 managed to get to British waters and coasts and 228 were intercepted by the French authorities. Most of the people are Iranian. The increase in attempts to cross by boat is believed to be due to increased security at ferry ports and Eurotunnel. Mr Castaner and the Home Secretary have spoken in recent days about measures to tackle the situation. HMS Mersey leaves Portsmouth Harbour (Steve Parsons/PA) He said the UK had agreed to continue providing financial support and technology such as drones, radars and video surveillance. The French minister said: The perspective of Brexit does not alter the need for our two countries to strengthen our co-operation to bring in concrete and co-ordinated measures to fight illegal immigration. The British commitments show the willingness of the UK to continue participating in the security of our common border. The French announcement comes after HMS Mersey was deployed to the Dover Straits while two Border Force cutters returned to UK waters following operations in the Mediterranean. We will do whatever it takes to protect the UK border and human life. Thank you @RoyalNavy https://t.co/cKKhpNX7rB Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) January 3, 2019 Mr Javid said: I wholeheartedly welcome this action from our French colleagues and it is vital we continue to work together to tackle the situation in the English Channel. Frances plan will operate in conjunction with the action that the UK is taking to protect our border and prevent the loss of life. Weve stepped-up our law enforcement response through the NCA and other agencies and earlier this week I announced two Border Force cutters would be returning to the UK from abroad with a navy vessel helping with our patrols in the interim. The UK and French authorities continue to work closely through the new 24/7 Anglo-French co-ordination centre in Calais and we are developing our joint action plan which will further build on this work. I look forward to finalising it when I meet the French interior minister in the coming weeks. Fire crews have tackled a blaze at The Ivy restaurant in Manchester. A spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) confirmed the fire had been put out, but crews will remain at the scene. In a later statement, the GMFRS said that four fire engines from Manchester Central, Salford and Stretford were used to tackle the blaze and three crews will remain at the scene to dampen down. The service also praised the fantastic work by its firefighters. The GMFRS was called just before 5pm to a fire on the top floor of the three-storey building on Hardman Square. Videos posted on social media earlier in the day showed flames coming from the roof of the restaurant, which opened in Spinningfields in the city centre at the end of November last year. Video grab image courtesy of the Twitter feed of @1Skel of flames coming from the roof of Ivy restaurant in Manchester The Ivy is on fire only been open a month....office views :/ #TheIvyManchester #Manchester # pic.twitter.com/1IBw0XL8pm Skel (@1Skel) January 4, 2019 Road closures were put in place around the building and motorists were warned to avoid the area as fire crews worked to tackle the flames. Oliver Batey posted a video on Twitter of the fire and wrote: Oh dear all isnt well with the Ivy this evening. Could feel the heat from the office. According to the Ivys website, the top floor has a retractable roof and boasts an abundance of planting, greenery and foliage, roaring fire pits and colourful fabrics. A spokesman for the restaurant told Manchester Evening News: The fire was limited to part of the roof and the building was evacuated in a calm and timely manner. We are already working to repair the top floor damage, all other areas of the building are unaffected. We will make a statement in the next 24 hours with details of reopening. Lottery excitement swept the Co Down village of Moira on Friday as news emerged the EuroMillions jackpot winners were among them. There was much speculation in the tight-knit community over who had scooped the incredible 115 million prize. Very few knew Patrick and Frances Connolly, however, as they have only recently moved to the upmarket village. The couple returned to Northern Ireland in recent years after 25 years in the north-east of England. The home the Connollys have been renting in Moira (Liam McBurney/PA) From the luxurious surroundings of the Culloden Hotel on the outskirts of Belfast, they toasted their win with champagne. It was a little different to the rented house in a neat modern development in Moira where the couple have been living. The development includes grand detached homes as well as the more modest type of house the Connollys call home at this stage. Of their neighbours, few knew them other than friendly faces to say hello to. Tractors are a common sight on the high street (Liam McBurney/PA) It is a short distance from the development to the bustling main street, on which tractors from the surrounding countryside are as common a sight as cars. The new multi-millionaires were the talk of businesses along the street, from the supermarket where Frances occasionally bought lottery tickets although the big winning ticket was purchased online to charity shops, pubs, estate agents and butchers. At McCartneys of Moira, a prominent butcher, deli and cafe complex, Patrick was the face some of the staff recognised. Cafe assistant Bernie Baine said she remembered serving him. I recognised him when I saw the photograph of the winners, she said. As soon as I saw him, I knew the face. I remember serving him coffee and maybe some of our tray bakes, you serve a lot of people in here but once you see a face, you dont forget it. When I heard the winner was from Moira, I was hoping it was a customer I had served who really liked my service and would come back and give me a tip. If he comes back, Ill be serving him on a gold platter. The jackpot win has been the talk of the village (Liam McBurney/PA) Deli worker David Campbell said the fact the winners were in Moira had been the talk of the shop all day. Customers coming in today, thats all they are talking about, he laughed. They were all saying they hope they find out they are related to them, some sort of far out relations. There has been a real buzz about it. A body has been discovered in the search for missing pensioner William Scott, police have confirmed. The body, believed to be the 90-year-old man who went missing in December, was pulled from the Water of Leith near Leith Docks. Police Scotland said the discovery was made by officers with police dogs, who cordoned off the area to recover the body with the help of firefighters. Mr Scotts family have been informed, although the body has not been formally identified at this stage. The pensioner went missing from the Chesser area on December 11. CCTV image of William Scott on December 11 (Police Scotland/PA) Detectives searching for the missing man said he was last seen in the Foot of the Walk pub in Leith at 3.45pm, and in Greggs in the Kirkgate Centre at 4pm. The death is still being treated as unexplained. Police Scotland said in a statement: Police in Edinburgh, carrying out inquiries to trace the missing man William Scott have today, Friday 4th January, recovered a body. The discovery was made by officers and the Dog Unit in the Water of Leith near Victoria Bridge outside Leith Docks. Police would like to thank the public and media for the overwhelming support that has been shown for this investigation and Williams family. Two men have appeared in court charged with murdering a man who died following a disturbance on New Years Day. Brian Fox, 62, was found injured near the Overgate shopping centre in Dundee on January 1. He later died in hospital. Brian Fox was found injured on New Years Day (Police Scotland/PA) Wes Reid, 19, and 24-year-old Adam Valentine were charged with murder when they appeared in private at the citys Sheriff Court on Friday. Valentine, from Dundee, also faced four charges of assault to injury. He and Reid, of Tayport in Fife, made no plea and they were remanded in custody. Another accused, 21-year-old Shannon Sykes, from the city, faced charges of assault linked to the same incident. She made no plea and was granted bail, the Crown Office confirmed following the hearing. Everton manager Marco Silva insists he will not change his strategy on transfers and there will be no panic buys in response to their poor recent form. The Toffees have won just once in the last eight matches against a Burnley side who were struggling at the time as results took a nose-dive. However, Silva will not make any snap decisions in the January transfer window. We cannot change every week our idea and philosophy as a club if you win two games or you dont win two games, he said. I understand our recent form wasnt good enough for us but it is a moment and we are capable of changing things for us again. I will not come here and say We need this and this and this. Everything we are going we have been doing from the first day we are here. Everton manager Marco Silva insists poor form will not influence his January transfer window (Mark Kerton/PA). Asked about a link with Barcelonas Malcom Silva added: No. Nothing. The Portuguese has, however, ruled out any more loan moves this month having allowed Kieran Dowell to join Sheffield United and Mason Holgate link up with West Brom temporarily. Nothing new. You know what we did with Kieran and Mason. We dont put any more to be loaned, he said. The focus is on our squad and our next game. We didnt take any decisions about the other situations. Silva faces a tricky decision over his team selection for the FA Cup visit of League Two leaders Lincoln, semi-finalists in 2017, as a number of players look in need of a rest. Midfielder Andre Gomes, arguably their best player this season, and Richarlison are two prime candidates but Silva does not want to take too many risks as Everton have failed to get past the third round in three of the last four seasons. Our ambition is important for us and our fans. They want to see our club doing a fantastic run in the FA Cup, he said. You have to have respect for the opponents you play but we will play with an XI which has 100 per cent condition to win the match. It (the Cup) is really important for us as a club. I know our fans look to this competition. Universities and Science Minister Chris Skidmore viewed the world through the eyes of a miniature robot during a visit to a laboratory. The device is part of a 7.2 million project to develop futuristic micro-robots that will work in underground pipe networks. Mr Skidmore, MP for Kingswood in Gloucestershire, wore a headset linked to the robot as it moved through a laboratory at the University of Bristol. Small wonders: Science Minister Chris Skidmore caught on camera today during a visit to the lab of Professor Bruce Drinkwater, a key member of a 7 million EPSRC-funded project developing tiny robots to find and fix leaks in underground water pipes https://t.co/q2rXDXTyKC. pic.twitter.com/yEK8cI6vMC Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (@EPSRC) January 4, 2019 Four universities, including Bristol, are beginning a five-year project to develop the tiny devices, which will eventually become as small as 1cm long. The robots will use sensors, navigation and communication systems to detect, report and mend faults in the pipes and eliminate the need for human intervention. They will carry out repairs without digging up roads, leading to the end of many disruptive and expensive roadworks. Chris Skidmore visited the University of Bristol (Claire Hayhurst/PA) Roadworks cost businesses around 5bn every year This morning @CSkidmoreUK met the talented team at @BristolUni exploring an innovative solution - building sensors for tiny robots that will find & repair damage in underground pipes#IndustrialStrategy https://t.co/fHuYd1LPBQ pic.twitter.com/HYwzOoKOy1 Dept for BEIS (@beisgovuk) January 4, 2019 Mr Skidmore, previously a part-time history tutor at the university, said the work had huge potential. There is approximately 5.5 billion spent on road repairs every year, with 1.5 million roads dug up, he said. The project, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), is being led by the University of Sheffield. Was a huge pleasure to show @CSkidmoreUK around our lab... thanks to all who helped... especially @LeedsRobotics for the robots https://t.co/tPtpSj59fz Bruce Drinkwater (@sonic_bruce) January 4, 2019 It also includes the development of ultrasonic array imaging, the engineering equivalent of ultrasound used on people. This technology will be mounted to the miniature robots to look for cracks in pipe networks. Professor Bruce Drinkwater, of the University of Bristol, said the project would involve around 30 academics, researchers and students at the four universities. Here at Bristol, we are developing the sensors that are responsible for navigation, communication between robots and with the base station, and also the detection of leaks, blockages and more subtle damage such as cracking and corrosion, he said. We are absolutely delighted to be involved in this new technology. It is also a great topic to talk to people about and enthuse them about engineering. The widow of a police officer found dead in a burn after a night out has paid tribute to her amazing husband on the day of his funeral. Police believe the death of Pc Dean Morrison in Carnoustie, Angus, before Christmas was a tragic accident. The 40-year-olds body was discovered at Barry Burn on December 16. On Friday the flag at Police Scotlands Tayside division headquarters was flown at half mast as a service took place for father of two Mr Morrison in Carnoustie. His wife Emily said in a statement: I would like, on behalf of Deans family, to take this opportunity to thank our friends and Deans Police family for their support and kindness during this very difficult time. I would particularly like to thank those of you have taken the time to post so many kind comments on social media platforms which have given us insight into the character of the Police Officer we all knew, loved and have now lost. The family of Dean Morrison have paid tribute to the police officer on the day of his funeral (Police Scotland/PA) Dean was my double up in life, an amazing husband, son, brother, uncle and truly wonderful, loving and devoted father to his daughter and son. Mr Morrison was a police officer for 16 years, having joined Tayside Police in 2002. He worked in Dundee, and was most recently stationed at Longhaugh Police Office. Chief Superintendent Andrew Todd, divisional commander, said: Today the police family unites to bid farewell to a well-liked and hard-working officer. Todays poignant service is in recognition and to pay tribute to a respected officer and our thoughts remain with his family and friends at this difficult time. Deputy Chief Constable Fiona Taylor added: Police Scotland was fortunate to have had PC Morrison during his 16 years of service. He was a highly respected, popular and professional officer and is sadly missed. The thoughts of his colleagues are with his family and friends. Rain, wind and surging seawater have buffeted coastal villages and world-famous tourist resorts after Tropical Storm Pabuk made landfall on southern Thailands east coast. The storm, with maximum sustained winds of 42mph, hit the shore of Nakhon Si Thammarat province and was roaring westwards, said Phuwieng Prakhammintara, director-general of the Thai Meteorological Department. We can expect heavy rain and downpours, flooding and flash floods in the area throughout the night, he warned at a news conference. Authorities in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, about 480 miles south of Bangkok, had earlier driven trucks through flooded streets with downed power lines, urging people to leave. Anyone still inside, please make noise and officials will help you out. You cannot stay here. You cannot stay here. Its too dangerous, they said from truck-mounted loudspeakers. While torrential rain and strong winds are expected to affect more than a dozen other provinces, Nakon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani, home to the tourist islands of Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan, are expected to be the hardest hit. (PA Graphics) The Meteorological Department said waves 10ft to 16ft high were possible in the Gulf of Thailand on the east coast, and 6ft to 10ft in the Andaman Sea on the west coast. It warned of strong winds and storm surges on the gulf side and said all ships should stay berthed on land until Saturday. Thai authorities suspended ferry services in the Gulf of Thailand and flights to Nakhon Si Thammarat and Koh Samui were cancelled. Toppled power lines block a main highway (Sumeth Panpetch/AP) On Koh Samui, beach guards hoisted red flags to warn people to stay out of the sea. Police patrolled beaches, although many were almost deserted. There are fears that the storm will be the worst to hit Thailand since 1989, when Typhoon Gay left more than 400 people dead. A tropical storm in 1962 killed more than 900 people in the south. Two natural gas production platforms in the Gulf of Thailand directly in the path of the storm suspended operations and had their personnel evacuated to shore, said the exploration and production arm of the Thai state oil company PTT. It said drilling rigs and vessels had been moved to unaffected areas, and gas production at a third platform remained operating to help meet energy needs. Investigations into a nightclub assault on Strictly Come Dancing star AJ Pritchard and his brother Curtis are continuing, police said. The brothers, who are both professional dancers, were attacked in the Nakatcha nightclub in Nantwich, Cheshire, shortly after 2am on December 27. Curtis, 22, was left needing knee surgery while AJ, 24, received bruising to his face, arms, body and legs. A spokesman for Cheshire Police said four men, three aged 22 and one aged 24, were assaulted by a group of males in the club, on Welsh Row, and were all taken to Leighton Hospital for treatment, but have since been discharged. Officers urged anyone with information on the attack to come forward. Detective Inspector Claire Jesson said: This was a serious incident and we are committed to doing all that we can to trace the people responsible and bring them to justice. AJ Pritchard (Anthony Devlin/PA) Inquiries in relation to the incident are ongoing and officers are currently examining a large amount of CCTV footage from the nightclub and speaking to a number of witnesses who have come forward. A 20-year-old man from Crewe was arrested on suspicion of assault following the incident but has been released under investigation. AJ, who came fifth in last years series of Strictly alongside celebrity partner Lauren Steadman, has said his brother risked his own career to try to shield him from the blows. Curtis had been due to appear in Dancing With The Stars Ireland this month but will not have recovered from his injuries in time. Anyone with information should contact police on 101, quoting IML 279517, online at www.cheshire.police.uk/contact/general-enquiries or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Last year was the seventh hottest and second sunniest on record in the UK, new figures show. This means the ten hottest years all fall in the 21st Century, highlighting a general trend in the UKs climate warming, the Met Office said. A woman relaxes in the sun in London, as temperatures soared above 30C in the UK in July (Jonathan Brady/PA) Despite the winter freeze dubbed the Beast from the East, the year had an average temperature of 9.49C (49F), knocking 1990 out of the top ten. Temperature records in the UK date back to 1910. The six-week long heatwave in the summer and relatively mild temperatures in the latter half of the year contributed to the relatively high average temperature. The hottest month of the year was July with an average of 17.3C (63.1F). (PA Graphics) The year was the second sunniest since sunshine records began in 1929 with 1,581 hours, only a few sunny spells behind 2003, which recorded 1,587 hours. Some parts of southern England had particularly dry weather in 2018, experiencing their lowest rainfall for over 100 years. However, the year was not dry for the whole of the UK, which received 90 percent of average annual rainfall with 1063.6mm. A walker makes his way along the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire as heatwave conditions bleach the English countryside during the heatwave (Joe Giddens/PA) January was the wettest month of the year with 134mm of rain, while July only had 35mm. Dr Mark McCarthy, head of the Met Office National Climate Information Centre, said: 2018 adds to our picture of the warming climate in the UK. Although there were memorable extremes of hot and cold weather, with the summer heatwave contrasting with the beast from the east, overall the mean temperature was well above the long-term average. These figures may come as a surprise after much of the UK was blanketed with ice and snow during February and March. (PA Graphics) The coldest month of year was February with an average of 2.4C (36.3F), rising to 3.8C (38.8F) in March. 2019 also got off to a frosty start with temperatures as low as minus 6C (21.2F) recorded in Glasgow on January 2 and minus 10.5C (13.1F) in Braemar in Scotland the following day. Jeremy Hunt has warned Russia not to use UK citizens as pawns in diplomatic chess games after a former US Marine was arrested on spying charges. The Foreign Secretary said Paul Whelan, a 48-year-old who lives in Michigan in the US, was being given every support that we can after it emerged that he was a dual British national. Speaking during a formal visit to Singapore, Mr Hunt told Sky News that individuals should not be used as pawns of diplomatic leverage. He added: We are giving him every support that we can, but we dont agree with individuals being used in diplomatic chess games. Because it is desperately worrying, not just for the individual but their families, and we are extremely worried about him and his family as we hear this news. Mr Whelan, 48, was arrested in Moscow last week apparently on espionage charges. British national Paul Whelan, 48, a former US Marine, has been detained in Russia on spying charges (Family handout / PA) His twin, David Whelan, said his brothers innocence is undoubted and we trust that his rights will be respected. Later, speaking on behalf of Paul Whelans family, David Whelan said: We are relieved and very pleased to know that staff of the US Embassy in Moscow have been given consular access to Paul and confirmed that he is safe. We deeply appreciate Ambassador Huntsmans commitment to stay in regular contact with Paul during his detention and his assurances that Pauls rights will be respected. Our focus remains on ensuring that Paul is safe, well treated, has a good lawyer, and is coming home. We urge the US Congress and the State Department to help on Pauls behalf to secure his release and return him home soon. The detention comes at a time when diplomatic tensions between Russia and the UK are particularly strained. Accusations made by former foreign secretary Boris Johnson that the Kremlin was behind the nerve agent poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury last year were dismissed by Vladimir Putin. Further testimony during the recent Old Bailey inquest linking Russia with the death of UK-based multimillionaire Alexander Perepilichnyy, before he was due to testify in accusations of serious organised crime in the eastern European country, did little to soothe relations. Mr Whelan is a retired Marine who has British citizenship through his parents. He was in Moscow to help plan the wedding of another former Marine because he had been to Russia several times before, his brother said. The US Embassy in Moscow advised the British Embassy in Moscow on Thursday that a US citizen detained by the Russian authorities on December 28 informed them that he holds British citizenship, and therefore requested consular assistance from the UK. A Foreign Office spokesman in London said: Our staff have requested consular access to a British man detained in Russia after receiving a request for assistance from him. Paul Whelan, who has British parents, has asked the Foreign Office for assistance after being detained in Russia (Family handout / PA) Mr Whelans lawyer, Vladimir Zherebenkov, said he has appealed to the court against the detention of his client and requested he is released on bail. He said: I have sent an appeal against Whelans detention. In my appeal I am asking to change my clients measure of restraint from arrest to release on bail to the sum determined by the court. Mr Zherebenkov said Mr Whelan, who faces a jail term of up to 20 years if convicted, remained in good spirits when he spoke to him on Wednesday this week. It comes as Mr Hunt reiterated his attempts to broker the release of British-Iranian charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who has been held in Tehran since April 2016 convicted of spying. She is part-way through a five-year jail term and continues to strongly maintain her innocence. Britain is braced for a chilly weekend as the mercury plummets below freezing across the country. Some parts of the country will see frosty conditions overnight on Friday with some freezing fog developing by morning. Morning! It'll be a dry, cold and often cloudy day with any freezing fog patches slow to clear. Isolated showers are likely in the far north/NW, and southeastern coasts, with the best of any sunshine across southern areas and eastern Scotland: https://t.co/jtrhUzUBdR ^Jennifer pic.twitter.com/4UNy968DvK Met Office (@metoffice) January 4, 2019 But the dry conditions mean there is little chance of snow. The coldest night of the winter so far was experienced in Scotland on Wednesday into Thursday, according to the Met Office, with the lowest temperature in Braemar, Aberdeenshire, recorded at -10.5C. Another frosty night saw lows of -8C in Aboyne, also in Aberdeenshire, -7C in Sennybridge, in Powys, and -6.1C in Oxfordshire overnight Thursday. Met Office spokeswoman Nicola Maxey said the wintry weather will continue into the weekend, with areas where there are clear skies expected to see the coldest temperatures. People wrap up against the cold on Westminster Bridge, London (Dominic Lipinski/PA) We are going to see a fairly cloudy day today, its a bit grey, fairly dry, with a few sunny spells were we get breaks in the clouds, said Ms Maxey. There will be some isolated light showers in the North West and its going to feel fairly cold, with temperatures for most staying in the low single figures. In the North East, temperatures will be struggling to get over freezing, while London today should be 5C or 6C. Tonight, we are looking at temperatures dropping below freezing again for many areas. We could potentially see -4C or -5C for parts of the country. Where we get the breaks in the cloud for sunshine, we will also get the coldest temperatures at night. A man walks past frosty narrowboats on the Kennet and Avon Canal, Bath, as temperatures across parts of Britain dropped below freezing overnight (Ben Birchall/PA) Ms Maxey said London could see lows of -3C, while Newcastle and Manchester, where it is cloudier, will have minimum temperatures of 1C or 2C. Saturday is shaping up to be another cloudy, cold day with sunny spells for some and light drizzle in the West, and temperatures likely to peak at around 6C or 7C. Sunday will see temperatures increasing slightly, with London and Bristol expected to see highs creep into the double digits as colder air moves away. But a low-pressure weather system will bring stronger winds to Scotland and the Met Office will issue a yellow weather warning for Monday into Tuesday. Holidaymakers have criticised a lack of information from officials as the worst tropical storm in 30 years has battered southern Thailand. Storm Pabuk made landfall at 5.45am GMT on Friday over Pak Phanang, a district of Nakhon Si Thammarat province in the south and has moved west over the mainland. Some British tourists are currently sheltering in hotels on popular islands off the east coast and have said they have received absolute no advice from officials. Local fishermen move a boat ashore as storm Pabuk approaches (Sumeth Panpetch/AP) Dominic Campbell, 32, an account manager from Croydon, travelled to the island of Koh Tao on January 3 with his girlfriend. They arrived just as everyone was fleeing, but with their onward travel pre-booked they decided to stay and wait out the storm. I have to say, its very alarming when you see thousands of tourists flee the island, but youre the one who isnt, Mr Campbell said. But the locals on this island dont seem too bothered. We have had absolutely no advice by officials, he added. Like I said, everybody on this island dont seem too bothered. Other than laying down a few sandbags there hasnt been much prep. Katie Preston, 23, and her partner Liam Bland, 29, from Hartlepool are currently stranded on the island of Koh Phangan after they were allowed to take the last boat out before services were stopped. We hadnt heard about any storm and none of the staff we spoke to at Samui airport or at the boats mentioned it so we didnt know it was going to happen, Ms Preston said. if there was an evacuation in place for koh phangan for #pabuk why were we allowed to travel here yesterday? when everyone else was being told to leave??? now were stuck on the island with no way off til at least Sunday katie (@uhkatie) January 4, 2019 When we were walking to the hotel we thought it seemed quiet but didnt think much of it until we read everyone had left and ours was the last boat over to Phangan before they were suspending [the] service. We havent heard anything from any officials, Ive only asked the hotel receptionist what we do if we need to leave, asking if someone will get us all out or if we make our own way he said to just go ourselves and when I asked where to he said hes not sure. Britons make over one million trips to the country every year to visit popular islands such as Koh Phangnan, Koh Samui and Koh Tao. Over the winter period visitor numbers increase as many head there to catch some winter sun. Nick Entwistle, 30, from Manchester, who runs an advertising agency, and Jack Sewell, 29, a plumber from Stockport, are currently battened down in their hotel on Koh Samui. Mr Entwistle said: We received mixed advice from local officials and public. Some were not worried at all as there are regular storm warnings on the island. Some advised us to get away from the beach as soon as possible. To stay safe we booked a hotel a bit further into the mainland. We thought its better to be safe than sorry and get away from the beach after a local told us to go into mainland due to possible big wave. Mr Entwistle said they are trying to get updates online but their Wifi is intermittent. Weve got a lot of worried people messaging us from back home and we are currently locked in our hotel listening to the torrential downpour outside, he said. (PA Graphics) The Foreign Office has advised British nationals against all but essential travel to provinces on the Thai-Malaysia border, including areas such as Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat. The storm was expected to bring five-metre high waves and winds up to 46mph, the Thai Met Office warned. Forecasters have also warned of possible flash flooding in certain areas caused by forest runoffs from the rain. David Schofield, 30, a concert pianist from Cheshire, has been staying at the Bangsak Merlin Resort on the western side of Thailand since December 22. He was slightly delayed leaving for his holiday due to the Gatwick drone disruption and is booked to fly home from Phuket at 9am on Saturday. #Thailand: Tropical Storm Pabuk is expected to hit the southern coast of Thailand on 4 January 2019. You should follow advice from local authorities and monitor weather warnings from the Thai Meteorological Department https://t.co/yF7x1YFIvH pic.twitter.com/J3uGoEky6F FCO travel advice (@FCOtravel) January 4, 2019 Mr Schofield has been tracking the storm himself via weather apps and like other tourists has received no official guidance. Ive resorted to gathering my own information through apps (Windy, and Global Monitoring) as we have had zero information from the hotel and TUI our tour operator, he said. I am hoping the lack of information is that they hope that the storm will dissipate before reaching our side. A spokesman for the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) told the Press Association now is a popular time to visit the country for British travellers. People on holiday in the region are advised to monitor news reports and follow any advice or instructions issued by the local authorities, their travel provider and their accommodation providers, the Abta spokesman said. Actor Kevin Spacey has been charged with sexual assault in the US. The 59-year-old Academy Award winner is alleged to have assaulted a teenager at a bar in Boston, Massachusetts, in July 2016. According to the Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael OKeefe, Spacey is due to be arraigned on a charge of indecent assault and battery at Nantucket District Court on January 7. The alleged victim is the son of former US news anchor Heather Unruh, who first made the allegation during a press conference in November 2017. Kevin Spacey is alleged to have sexually assaulted a teenager in the US (Ian West/PA Wire) Unruh said the actor bought her son drink after drink at a restaurant in Massachusetts before allegedly sticking his hand down the 18-year-olds pants and grabbing his genitals. As reports of the charge emerged, a video was posted to Spaceys official Twitter account, his first social media post since he was initially engulfed in scandal in October last year. In the clip, Spacey appears to be in the character of Frank Underwood from House Of Cards. The character was killed off by Netflix after the actor Anthony Rapp said he was 14 when Spacey, then 26, made a sexual advance to him in 1986. The sixth and final season of the political drama started streaming on Netflix in November. Let Me Be Frank https://t.co/OzVGsX6Xbz Kevin Spacey (@KevinSpacey) December 24, 2018 The video begins with Spacey in a kitchen, before he starts speaking directly to the camera. He said: I know what you want, and sure, they may have tried to separate us but what we have is too strong, is too powerful. I mean after all, we shared everything, you and I. I told you my deepest, darkest secrets. I showed you exactly what people are capable of. I shocked you with my honesty, but mostly I challenged you and made you think. And you trusted me, even though you knew you shouldnt. So were not done, no matter what anyone says. And besides, I know what you want you want me back. Kevin Spaceys downfall began when the actor Anthony Rapp alleged he had behaved inappropriately towards him (Jeff Overs/BBC/PA) Of course, some believed everything and have just been waiting with bated breath to hear me confess it all, theyre just dying to have me declare that everything said is true, and that I got what I deserved. Wouldnt that be easy, if it was all so simple. Spacey added: You wouldnt believe the worst without evidence would you? You wouldnt rush to judgments without facts would you? Did you? No, not you, you are smarter than that. I can promise you this; if I didnt pay the price for the things we both know I did do Im certainly not going to pay the price for the things I didnt do. He concluded: Now that I think of it, you never actually saw me die, did you? Conclusions can be so deceiving. Missed me? It is not known whether Netflix is involved with the video and the streaming giant has been contacted for comment. A lawyer for Spacey has also been approached. Scotland Yard has six open sexual assault investigations into Spacey, alleged to have taken place in London and Gloucester. Spacey, who was artistic director at Londons The Old Vic theatre between 2004 and 2015, was one of the first Hollywood stars to face allegations in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. His downfall started when Rapp made his allegations in 2017. Spacey said he did not remember the encounter but apologised for any inappropriate drunken behaviour. He was sacked by Netflixs House Of Cards and Sir Ridley Scott erased him from his completed film All The Money In The World in re-shoots costing millions. Pope Francis has urged Christians to forgo the greed, hoarding and materialism of Christmas and to focus instead on its message of simplicity, charity and love. Francis celebrated a Christmas Eve Mass on Monday night in St Peters Basilica, opening a busy week for the pope that includes a Christmas Day message and blessing, a December 26 prayer, New Years Eve vespers and a January 1 Mass. During his homily, Francis lamented that many people find meaning in possessions. By contemplating God, who became a child, radiating light from the humility of the crib, we can also become witnesses to humility, tenderness and goodness. #Christmas Pope Francis (@Pontifex) December 24, 2018 He said: An insatiable greed marks all human history, even today, when paradoxically a few dine luxuriantly while all too many go without the daily bread needed to survive. Francis has focused on the worlds poor and downtrodden during his five-year papacy. The Catholic Churchs first Latin American pope has denounced the global financial system that he says make the rich richer at the expense of the poor. A sustained coordinated assault on a government building in the Afghan capital of Kabul has killed 29 people, an interior ministry spokesman has said. Most of them were employees of the department for martyrs and disabled persons, Najib Danish added. Another 23 people were wounded, including three policemen. Flames rise from a government building after an explosion and attack by gunmen (Rahmat Gul/AP) The assault began with a suicide bomber who blew up his explosives-laden car in front of the multi-storey building in an eastern neighbourhood of Kabul. Within minutes of the powerful explosion three gunmen, armed with assault rifles and explosive devises, stormed the building. For nearly eight hours they rampaged through the office complex terrorising employees. Afghan security forces arrive at the site of the attack (Rahmat Gul/AP) Some of the employees managed to hide and police quickly evacuated 357 other employees, Mr Danish said. Witnesses reported hearing at least five explosions as police and gunmen traded fire. One of the dead was a police officer but the rest were civilians including two women. Detection systems are now able to be deployed across the UK to combat the threat of drones, ministers have announced. Security minister Ben Wallace said there was no easy solution to tackling drone incursions but warned those using them recklessly or illegally can expect severe punishments. His comments come after around 1,000 flights affecting some 140,000 passengers were cancelled or diverted across three days after drones were spotted inside the perimeter of the UKs second biggest airport on Wednesday. In a statement on Monday, Mr Wallace said the Government was now able to deploy detection systems throughout the UK to combat the threat. Counter drone equipment on a rooftop at Gatwick (John Stillwell/PA) He added: The huge proliferation of such devices, coupled with the challenges of deploying military counter measures into a civilian environment, means there are no easy solutions. However, I can say that we are able to now deploy detection systems throughout the UK to combat this threat. Police arrested Paul Gait and Elaine Kirk but the pair were released without charge following two nights in custody, with police saying they were no longer suspects. Speaking outside their home in Crawley, West Sussex, on Monday, an emotional Mr Gait said the couple were deeply distressed by the experience. The 47-year-old told reporters: As you can probably imagine we are feeling completely violated. Our home has been searched and our privacy and identity completely exposed. Our names, photos and other personal information have been broadcast throughout the world. Mr Gait said he and Ms Kirk, 54, would try to get through Christmas as best we can. #GatwickDrones | We can unequivocally state between 19-21 Dec there have been numerous #drone sightings at @Gatwick_Airport. We want to bring those responsible for the disruption to justice and through @CrimestoppersUK there is a 50,000 reward https://t.co/U3cQKvgaMO pic.twitter.com/bx5dqW67wT Sussex Police (@sussex_police) December 24, 2018 There had been more than 200 sightings since the first drone was spotted in the Gatwick area on Wednesday, with police taking 67 statements, including from officers and airport staff. Police are also carrying out a forensic investigation of a damaged drone found near the airport perimeter, close to the last reported sighting. Detectives and the Home Office were said to be working together to amplify the message that flying drones near airports was illegal. Gatwick has offered a 50,000 reward, through Crimestoppers and another 10,000 has been put up by the charitys chairman, Lord Ashcroft, for the arrest of those responsible for the chaos. Home Office minister Mr Wallace said: I am confident that Sussex Police, who continue to lead this challenging investigation with the utmost professionalism and commitment, will bring to justice those responsible for what are serious criminal acts that have caused disruption and misery to thousands of passengers. Those people who chose to use drones either recklessly or for criminal purposes can expect the most severe sentence and jail time when caught. Passengers at Gatwick during last weeks disruption (Victoria Jones/PA) On Sunday, Sussex Police said it was a possibility there might never have been a drone despite the massive disruption in the run-up to Christmas. Following a ministerial briefing on the latest situation at the airport chaired by Transport Secretary Chris Grayling a Government source said police accepted there had been poor communications. Mr Grayling updated ministers on a meeting he held on Friday with airport chief executives to discuss measures they were putting in place to prevent copycat incidents. It is understood Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington pressed for the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence to update their rapid deployment protocol for signing-off requests for military assistance. A twice-convicted murderer who declared he wanted to die and who Nevada officials said tried several times to kill himself after two scheduled lethal injections were postponed has been found dead from an apparent hanging, officials said Saturday. Scott Raymond Dozier, 48, was found unresponsive in his solo death-row cell at the state's maximum-security prison in Ely, Department of Corrections spokeswoman Brooke Santina told The Associated Press. Dozier's lawyer, Thomas Ericsson, declined to comment immediately. Dozier had said repeatedly he wanted to die rather than live the rest of his life in prison. Pictured: Scott Raymond Dozier is interviewed at Ely State Prison in Nevada in this video by the Marshall project Dozier is seen resting in his jail cell as he is interviewed at Ely State Prison in Nevada in this video by the Marshall project Dozier was found unresponsive in his solo death-row cell at the state's maximum-security prison in Ely 'I've been very clear about my desire to be executed... even if suffering is inevitable,' Dozier said in a handwritten note to a state court judge who postponed his execution in November 2017 over concerns the untried drug regimen could leave him suffocating, conscious and unable to move. Pictured: Victim Jeremiah Miller, 22, was killed in 2002 in one of two drug-related killings Dozier committed 'Just get it done, just do it effectively and stop fighting about it,' the frustrated inmate told The Associated Press in a telephone interview last August, a month after a different judge stopped his execution at nearly the final hour. But his bid to become the first Nevada inmate put to death since 2006 was called off twice amid court fights over a three-drug combination that had never been used in the U.S.: the sedative midazolam, the powerful opioid fentanyl and a muscle-paralyzing agent called cisatracurium. Fentanyl is a drug blamed for illegal-use, drug overdose deaths nationwide. The starts-and-stops in Dozier's case propelled Nevada to the top of a national debate about the death penalty and shed light on extraordinary efforts some states take to try to obtain drugs from pharmaceutical companies that insist they don't want their products used for executions. Dozier gave up appeals for the death sentence he received in 2007 for separate killings of methamphetamine drug trade associates in 2002 in Phoenix and Las Vegas. But he allowed federal public defenders to challenge on his behalf the method that state officials planned to use. Those advocates argued that his lethal injection could be less humane than putting down a pet. In this Aug. 17, 2017, file photo, Nevada death row inmate Dozier, right, confers with Lori Teicher, a federal public defender involved in his case, during an appearance in Clark County District Court in Las Vegas Dozier was convicted in 2007 of robbing, killing and dismembering a 22-year-old man in Las Vegas, and was convicted in Arizona in 2005 of another murder and dismemberment near Phoenix Drug companies joined the fight - with cases still pending before state courts and the Nevada Supreme Court. They argue their products should not be used in an execution. Nevada has drawn backing in the state high court fight from 15 of the 30 other states in the U.S. with capital punishment. Friend-of-the-court briefs argue that harassment from advocacy groups and threats of company boycotts are keeping prison officials from enforcing the will of voters in states that have the death penalty. Dozier, meanwhile, made it clear that he didn't like legal limbo. Last month, state lawyers revealed in a separate federal lawsuit over Dozier's treatment behind bars that he had tried several methods to kill himself in recent months, including attempting to obtain drops of a deadly drug on a piece of paper sent through prison mail. The filings were in a lawsuit that challenged Dozier's housing on suicide watch in an isolation cell. The state insisted the isolation was to protect Dozier from self-harm, but his lawyers argued he was deteriorating due to unconstitutional treatment. They said he was denied prison yard recreation time and the ability to read, communicate with his family or effectively consult with legal counsel. Dozier's lawyers also revealed that he apparently cut his neck and wrist with a razor in October. Prison officials reported that Dozier somehow obtained razor blades behind bars and that they had intercepted mail from Dozier's sister with instructions on how to cut his neck. Dozier was not on suicide watch Saturday, Santina said. He was found at 4:35 p.m. at the prison in Ely, about 250 miles north of Las Vegas. The prisons spokeswoman said she didn't immediately know when Dozier had last been seen by guards. Santina said that would be part of investigations by the department's inspector general and White Pine County sheriff's office. UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The U.N. Security Council is expressing regret at Somalia's decision to expel a U.N. envoy who questioned the arrest of an extremist group defector-turned-political candidate. The council issued a statement Saturday, a day after a closed-door discussion about Somalia's move to kick Nicholas Haysom out. The statement conveys gratitude to the longtime U.N. official. It also notes the international community's support for Somalia's efforts to rebuild peace and stability - and the council's "expectation of full cooperation between Somalia and the United Nations." Although opposed to Haysom's expulsion, the world body said it would replace him so the U.N. can function in the Horn of Africa nation. Somali officials say Haysom meddled in their internal matters when he raised concerns about the basis for the arrest of Mukhtar Robow. HOUSTON (AP) - Hundreds of people who gathered at a rally Saturday for a 7-year-old Houston girl whose killer remains at large were asked to think of the victim as their own child and to be part of an "army" that will help authorities catch the person who fatally shot her. The rally was held in the parking lot of a Walmart near where the shooting happened on Dec. 30 as Jazmine Barnes and her family drove to a grocery store. During the rally, people held up balloons and stuffed animals, as well as signs that said "Justice for Jazmine." Organizers of the rally also led the crowd in chants that repeated the phrases, "What do we want? Justice. Who do we want it for? Jazmine." Jazmine's family believes her death was racially motivated. The girl was black and the alleged shooter is described as a white man in a red truck. Police have said they are pursuing various leads after a composite sketch of the suspect was released on Thursday. Investigators added that they have not yet determined a motive, including whether race might have played a role. Lee Merritt, a national civil rights attorney working with Jazmine's family, said there were no updates in the search on Saturday. Zyriah Taylor, 11, left, and her cousin, Jaskya Lee-Mills, 13, attend a community rally for seven-year-old Jazmine Barnes on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019 in Houston. Barnes was killed when a driver shot into the car she and her family were driving in last Sunday. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via AP) In an emotional speech, Jazmine's aunt, Sharonica Watt, asked her niece's killer why he took the little girl's life. "We're asking you to turn yourself in right now, in the name of Jesus. We're asking you to give justice to me and my family," Watt yelled in between tears. Deric Muhammad, a community activist who helped organize Saturday's rally, told the crowd that everyone there had a role to play "in finding justice for this baby." "We all consider ourselves soldiers in Jazmine's army," he said. Jazmine's mother, LaPorsha Washington, also addressed the crowd, thanking them for their support. "We going to find him no matter what corner we have to turn. No matter what rock we have gotta go under, we are going to find you," Washington said. Various local and federal officials, including Houston Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, attended the rally. Houston-based rappers Paul Wall and Trae tha Truth asked the crowd to reach out to authorities if they have any information on the shooter. "At the end of the day, Jazmine is ours. She's my kid. She's your kid," Trae tha Truth said. "There's no excuse. It's no what I shoulda, what I coulda. At the end of the day it's simple. We all have to stand up." Lee said she planned to reach out to federal authorities to ask them to create a national manhunt for Jazmine's killer. The Harris County Sheriff's Office in Houston, which is leading the investigation, said it's already working with the FBI and other federal agencies. A $100,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest. Others at the rally discussed their belief that the shooting was racially motivated and was reflective of what they see as growing intolerance and attacks on minorities and immigrants in the United States. Community activists said the attack is similar to a 2017 incident in the area in which a suspect described as white shot into a vehicle carrying at least two black people. That shooting remains unsolved. "This is a disgrace to our nation and we want the hate to stop. We want love to rise up," said Bishop E. L. Usher, the pastor at the church attended by Jazmine's father. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter at www.twitter.com/juanlozano70 People attend a community rally for seven-year-old Jazmine Barnes on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019 in Houston. Barnes was killed when a driver shot into the car she and her family were driving in last Sunday. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via AP) Donna Thomas holds a flyer about the shooting suspect as she attends a community rally for seven-year-old Jazmine Barnes on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019 in Houston. Barnes was killed when a driver shot into the car she and her family were driving in last Sunday. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via AP) LaPorsha Washington, center, the mother of seven-year-old daughter Jazmine Barnes, who was killed on Sunday, speaks to the crowd during a community rally outside Walmart, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Houston. Jazmine was shot to death nearby on Sunday while riding in a car with her mother and three sisters. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via AP) PRESTON, Idaho (AP) - A southeast Idaho teacher accused of feeding a live puppy to a snapping turtle in front of students has been acquitted of misdemeanor animal cruelty. Media outlets report a Franklin County jury found Robert Crosland not guilty Friday after deliberating for about 30 minutes. The charge was filed in June after allegations surfaced that Crosland put the puppy into an aquarium with a turtle at Preston Junior High in March. Crosland pleaded not guilty in July. During trial Friday the jury heard Crosland say in a recorded interview with investigators that he thought he was doing the right thing because the puppy was sick and likely to die. The state Department of Agriculture euthanized the turtle, which Crosland owned. It was an invasive species in Idaho, and he didn't have a permit for it. MEXICO CITY (AP) - President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador launched an ambitious plan Saturday to stimulate economic activity on the Mexican side of the U.S.-Mexico border, reinforcing his country's commitment to manufacturing and trade despite recent U.S. threats to close the border entirely. Mexico will slash income and corporate taxes to 20 percent from 30 percent for 43 municipalities in six states just south of the U.S., while halving to 8 percent the value-added tax in the region. Business leaders and union representatives have also agreed to double the minimum wage along the border, to 176.2 pesos a day, the equivalent of $9.07 at current exchange rates. Lopez Obrador, who took office on Dec. 1, said the idea is to stoke wage and job growth via fiscal incentives and productivity gains. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly complained that low wages in Mexico lure jobs from the U.S. Mexico committed to boost wages during last year's negotiations to retool its free trade agreement with the U.S. and Canada. Speaking from Ciudad Juarez, a manufacturing hub south of El Paso, Texas, Lopez Obrador said Saturday he agrees with Trump that Mexican wages "should improve." He decried, for instance, that Mexican auto workers earn a fraction of what their U.S. counterparts take home, topping out at just $3 an hour versus a typical wage of $23 an hour in the U.S. Yet the economic plan comes at a delicate moment for the border region. Trump threatened as recently as last week to close the U.S.-Mexico border "entirely" if Democrats refuse to allot $5.6 billion to expand the wall that separates the two countries. Economy Minister Graciela Marquez noted Saturday that the border region targeted for economic stimulus accounts for 7.5 percent of Mexico's gross domestic product. And in recent years, she said, the 43 municipalities included in the plan have boasted combined economic growth of 3.1 percent, above the national average of 2.6 percent for the six years through 2017. FILE - In this Dec. 3, 2018 file photo, Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador holds his first news conference as president, which started at 7 a.m. local time in Mexico City. Lopez Obrador has published a financial disclosure form on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, that reveals relatively few possessions and the fact that his wife makes more than he does. (AP Photo/Christian Palma, File) Much of that robustness owes to trade and proximity with the U.S., the world's biggest economy. "We have to take advantage of this locomotive that we have on the other side of the border," she said. Marquez expressed optimism that the stimulus plan will direct more Mexican and foreign investment into the border region. The plan for the border region is part of what Lopez Obrador calls "curtains of development" to shore up different corridors of the country so that Mexicans stay rather than migrating in search of better economic prospects. NEW YORK (AP) - The federal agency tasked with guaranteeing U.S. airport security acknowledged an increase in the number of its employees calling off work during the partial government shutdown . Employees of the Transportation Security Administration are expected to work without pay during the shutdown because their jobs are considered essential. The TSA said in a statement Friday that call outs that began over the holiday period have increased. The agency did not say how many of its employees have called out, but it said the call outs have had "minimal impact given that there are 51,739 employees supporting the screening process." The statement said wait times "may be affected" but so far "remain well within TSA standards." "TSA is closely monitoring the situation," the agency statement said. "Security effectiveness will not be compromised." The Department of Homeland Security and President Donald Trump pushed back Saturday on suggestions that the call outs represented a "sickout" that was having significant consequences on U.S. air travel. White House officials and congressional aides were in talks Saturday to end the shutdown, which entered its 15th day. Negotiations are at an impasse over Trump's demands for $5.6 billion to fund a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. TSA spokesman Michael Bilello tweeted that 5.5 percent of the TSA workforce at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport called out Friday, compared with 3.5 percent on a normal day. He said wait times "may be affected" but that all passengers would be screened as normal. Transportation Security Administration officers work at a checkpoint at O'Hare airport in Chicago, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. The TSA acknowledged an increase in the number of its employees calling off work during the partial government shutdown. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) Hydrick Thomas, president of the national TSA employee union, told CNN that up to 170 TSA employees at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport have called out each day this week. Union officials did not respond to requests for comment Saturday. Airport officials said no unusual screening delays were being experienced at JFK, Chicago's O'Hare and Midway airports, or Miami International Airport. Transportation Security Administration officers work at a checkpoint at O'Hare airport in Chicago, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. The TSA acknowledged an increase in the number of its employees calling off work during the partial government shutdown. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) FILE - In this Dec. 25, 2018 file photo, a TSA worker works at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. The federal agency tasked with guaranteeing U.S. airport security is acknowledging an increase in the number of its employees calling off work during the partial government shutdown. The Transportation Security Administration said in a Friday, Jan. 4, 2019 tweet that call outs that began over the holiday period are on the rise but the impact has been "minimal." The agency said wait times may be affected but so far "remain well within TSA standards." (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) Transportation Security Administration officers work at a checkpoint at Logan International Airport in Boston, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. The TSA acknowledged an increase in the number of its employees calling off work during the partial government shutdown. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) Transportation Security Administration officers work at a checkpoint at Logan International Airport in Boston, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. The TSA acknowledged an increase in the number of its employees calling off work during the partial government shutdown. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - One of the advantages of being in government for 50 years, says California Gov. Jerry Brown, is "you get to make mistakes that you then get to correct." For Brown, one of those missteps was the criminal justice overhaul he oversaw as a young governor during two terms from 1975 to 1983. Now 80, he leaves office Monday after again reshaping the system during the past eight years. Get-tough sentencing laws during and after his first stint helped lead to the mass incarceration that crowded state prisons to the bursting point, spurring a federal takeover of many prison operations and a cap on the inmate population. The Democratic governor spent much of his second stint in office reducing criminal penalties and shuffling less-serious offenders to county jails instead of state lockups. "He has done an immense amount to advance smart approaches to justice," said Lenore Anderson, founder and executive director of the reform group Californians for Safety and Justice, calling it a "remarkable legacy." Brown said one of his biggest mistakes in his first two terms was signing the state's current sentencing law in 1977, letting judges instead of parole boards decide when most convicts should be released. He said he thought at the time sentencing rules were too uncertain and criminals needed "clear, certain punishment." A 1978 study by two University of California, Berkeley law professors called the California sentencing reform an "event of national significance" as it limited parole boards' "almost awesome freedom" with a "new philosophical approach." FILE - In this April 9, 2018 file photo, Gov. Jerry Brown walks past photos of murder victims displayed at the Capitol as he goes to address a victims' rights rally in Sacramento, Calif. The Democratic governor has spent much of his second two terms reducing criminal penalties and shuffling less-serious offenders to county jails instead of state lockups. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) But it had the unintended consequence of dramatically lengthening prison sentences, particularly after lawmakers added hundreds of enhancements for things like using a gun, being a repeat offender or being involved in a gang while committing the underlying crime. "It was an enormous social experiment in criminal justice," recalled San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe, who started in the district attorney's office the year Brown first took office. "They've been saying the same thing about the last seven years. They were saying then, 'This is an experiment, this is a gamble, and we don't know how it's going to work.'" Brown's voter-approved 2016 ballot measure helped restore some of the flexibility that was lost 40 years ago by allowing most offenders to seek earlier parole hearings. Critics want to scale back the law with a ballot question in 2020 because they think it's too lenient. Among Brown's final acts as governor was to file a lawsuit to try to block the question. He also reduced criminal penalties and kept lower-level felons in county jails instead of state prisons. Voters separately eased sentences for career criminals, drug users and petty thieves. The result is about 25 percent fewer inmates in California prisons. "California has been a leader in criminal justice reform, in proposing large solutions, but also because it has had large problems," said Nazgol Ghandnoosh, a senior research analyst at The Sentencing Project, a Washington, D.C.-based reform group. The state's longest-serving governor also eclipsed records dating to at least the 1940s in granting pardons and commutations. His 284 commutations are nearly double the number granted by his eight most recent predecessors combined. His 1,736 pardons are more than triple the number issued by his next most prolific modern predecessor, Republican Ronald Reagan, and are 62 times greater than the last three governors combined. One of highest-profile pardons was of actor Robert Downey Jr. in 2015 for a 1996 drug conviction that sent the actor to prison for nearly a year. Many of Brown's changes since retaking office in 2011 were spurred by court orders, but his sister, Kathleen Brown, and niece, Kathleen Kelly, said they spring from the former Jesuit seminarian's deeply held views that people and society can change for the better. Kelly said Brown brings the same sense of urgency to criminal justice reform as to his more widely recognized concerns about climate change. Brown described his thinking in June while addressing an audience devoted to inmate rehabilitation. "You're trying to treat people like human beings that other human beings want to treat as animals and objects," he said. "But I can tell you from a practical point of view, from a public safety point of view, from a religious point of view, what we're endeavoring to do is the right thing to do." Former Gov. Gray Davis, who was Brown's chief of staff during his first two terms, said Brown also has reflected voters' changing views. "Jerry went from a pretty conservative period when people were generally concerned about their public safety to a time when courts were ordering him, without telling him exactly how to do it, to reduce the prison population," Davis said. Criminal Justice Legal Foundation president Michael Rushford, who advocates for crime victims, predicts changes by Brown and voters will spark a crime surge. In Brown's legislative decisions and judicial appointments, "he's doubled down," Rushford said. "He's done just as much damage as he did the first time around." One punishment Brown twice failed to change is executions. Decades ago, he vetoed a bill restoring the death penalty only to have lawmakers override his decision. He then appointed capital punishment opponents to the state Supreme Court, but voters ousted them. Dragged by voters and lawsuits, his administration moved to restart executions for the first time since 2006, though legal and practical barriers have pushed the issue to incoming Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. Overall, Brown created a culture shift for criminal justice, said Alex Mallick, executive director of the reform group Re:store Justice. She wants other states to follow California's example. "Jerry Brown really kind of popularized rehabilitation and the idea that people would get rehabilitated in prison," Mallick said. ___ Associated Press writer Kathleen Ronayne contributed to this report. FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2013, file photo, inmates walk through the exercise yard at California State Prison Sacramento, near Folsom, Calif. California Gov. Jerry Brown steps down Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, having radically reshaped the most populous state's criminal justice system twice - once as a young governor, again in the last eight years. Brown has spent much of his second two terms reducing criminal penalties and shuffling less-serious offenders to county jails instead of state lockups. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2010 photo is the lethal injection facility at San Quentin State Prison in San Quentin, Calif. Decades ago, California Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill restoring the death penalty only to have lawmakers override his decision. He then appointed capital punishment opponents to the state Supreme Court, but voters ousted them. Brown's administration moved to restart executions for the first time since 2006, though legal and practical barriers have pushed the issue to incoming Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File) FILE - This Feb. 26, 2013 file photo, shows inmates in a cell at California State Prison, Sacramento, near Folsom, Calif. Get-tough sentencing laws during and after California Gov. Jerry Brown's first stint helped lead to the mass incarceration that crowded state prisons to the bursting point, spurring a federal takeover of many prison operations and a cap on the inmate population. Brown spent much of his second stint in office reducing criminal penalties and shuffling less-serious offenders to county jails instead of state lockups. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) A Russian national was arrested in the American territory of the Northern Mariana Islands and was to be sent to Florida to face charges of attempting to export arms illegally and money laundering. Federal court records show Dmitrii Makarenko was arrested in Saipan on Dec. 29. He is wanted in Florida on one count of conspiracy to export defense articles without a license, four counts of attempting to export defense articles without a license, and two counts of money laundering. The 72-year-old Makarenko's whereabouts were not immediately clear, but a judge in Saipan signed an order on Dec. 31 to have him taken to Florida. A grand jury indictment filed in June 2017 accuses Makarenko of placing orders for items like night-vision rifle scopes, monoculars, and firearm ammunition primers with a Florida-based company. Konstantin Kosachev, head of the international affairs committee of the upper house of the Russian parliament, said Makarenko's arrest was "the latest attack on a citizen of Russia outside the frame work of international law," Interfax reported. SANAA, Yemen (AP) - Security officials say Yemen's Shiite rebels and government forces are shelling each other in areas south of Hodeida, straining an already shaky cease-fire in the Red Sea port city. They said each side blamed the other for Saturday's shelling, and that both were reinforcing their forces in the city in violation of the U.N.-brokered truce reached in Sweden last month. The violence coincided with the arrival Saturday in Sanaa of U.N. envoy Martin Griffiths, his first visit to Yemen since the Sweden talks. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. Yemen plunged into civil war in 2014 when the rebels known as Houthis captured Sanaa. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in the war a year later, fighting alongside government troops. TORRANCE, Calif. (AP) - Three men were fatally shot late Friday and four injured when a brawl at a popular Los Angeles-area bowling alley and karaoke bar erupted into gunfire that had terrified patrons, some children, running for their lives. Police in the coastal city of Torrance responded shortly after midnight to calls of shots fired at the Gable House Bowl. They found seven people with gunshot wounds. Three men were pronounced dead at the scene and two were taken to a hospital, Sgt. Ronald Harris said. Two other men were struck by gunfire but "opted to seek their own medical attention." Authorities have not identified the victims nor suspects or released details about what led to the shooting. Witnesses said it stemmed from a fight between two large groups. Dwayne Edwards, 60, of Los Angeles, said he received a call from his nephew that his 28-year-old son, Astin Edwards, was one of those killed. His nephew told him his son was attempting to break up a fight when a gunman "just started unloading." "I'm thinking this is a dream and I'll wake up," Edwards told the Orange County Register. "He was a good kid. I don't understand it." Police officers investigate a shooting incident with multiple fatalities at the Gable House Bowl in Torrance, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. A brawl between two large groups at the popular Los Angeles-area bowling alley and karaoke bar erupted into gunfire early Saturday according to witnesses. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) A grieving mother told KABC-7 her 28-year-old son, Robert Meekins, was also trying to break up the fight and that Meekins and Astin Edwards were friends. "They were friends, so I know he probably jumped in and helped Astin and whoever he was with ... but I don't think my son deserves to die," Anglean Hubbard said. "My son was a loving person. He loved life, he loved his son, and he loved his family. Nobody can imagine what I'm going through right now," Hubbard said. The third victim was 20-year-old Michael Radford, his sister Latrice Dumas told the Torrance Daily Breeze. "He was happy. He was always a protector," Dumas said. "That's how he got into this, he was trying to protect others." Wes Hamad, a 29-year-old Torrance resident, said he was at the bowling alley with his 13-year-old niece and cousin when he saw a "huge fight" break out. Hamad said the brawl, which lasted about five minutes, blocked the entrance and spiraled into "complete chaos." "I grabbed my niece and started running toward the far end of the bowling alley," he said. "As we were running, we heard 15 shots." As he was leaving, Hamad said he saw a woman weeping over a man who was had gunshot wounds to his head and neck. Damone Thomas was in the karaoke section of the bowling alley, a regular stop for him and his friends after work on Fridays, when people ran in saying there was a shooting. The 30-year-old Los Angeles resident said his friend flipped a table to shield them as they heard gunshots. Thomas said he didn't feel scared because he was "just trying to survive." But when he was driving home, he said he realized how traumatic the situation was and said he wasn't been able to fall asleep. "Closing my eyes, all I can see is the women against the wall crying, not knowing what to do," he said. Thomas and Hamad said they had never witnessed any violence there in the past. But Hamad said he had stopped going for a while because he heard someone with a gun was recently seen there. "I definitely won't be going back anymore," he added. In a tweet, California U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris said her heart breaks for the victims. "We must do more to address gun violence," she said. "Americans should be able to go to a bowling alley and be safe." ___ This version corrects the spelling of Hubbard's name to Anglean instead of Angeline. ___ Rosenbaum reported from New York City. Associated Press writer Daisy Nguyen reported from San Francisco. Torrance Police Department investigators walk towards waiting family members, as officers confirm fatalities in a shooting incident at the Gable House Bowl in Torrance, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. A brawl between two large groups at the popular Los Angeles-area bowling alley and karaoke bar erupted into gunfire early Saturday according to witnesses. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) Torrance Police Department investigators express their condolences to unidentified family members, as officers confirm fatalities after a shooting incident at the Gable House Bowl in Torrance, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. A brawl between two large groups at the popular Los Angeles-area bowling alley and karaoke bar erupted into gunfire early Saturday according to witnesses. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) Torrance Police Department investigators, left, confirm fatalities to waiting family members, right, after a shooting incident at the Gable House Bowl in Torrance, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. A brawl between two large groups at the popular Los Angeles-area bowling alley and karaoke bar erupted into gunfire early Saturday according to witnesses. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) Torrance police officers investigate a shooting at the Gable House Bowl in Torrance, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. Police responded shortly after midnight to calls of shots fired at the bowling ally. Several people were injured. (Scott Varley/The Orange County Register via AP) Torrance police officers investigate a shooting at the Gable House Bowl in Torrance, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. Police responded shortly after midnight to calls of shots fired at the bowling ally. Several people were injured. (Scott Varley/The Orange County Register via AP) Sgt. Ronald Harris of the Torrance Police Department discusses the shooing at a bowling ally in Torrance, Calif., on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. Police responded shortly after midnight to calls of shots fired at the bowling ally. Several people were injured. (Scott Varley/The Orange County Register via AP) BERLIN (AP) - Switzerland-based shipping company MSC is pledging to pay the cost of cleaning up hundreds of containers one of its cargo vessels lost in a North Sea storm. The company said Saturday that it was committed to finding and retrieving the containers that went overboard on Jan. 2 "until the last one is found." Authorities say two contained potentially hazardous materials. The MSC Zoe, one of the largest freight ships in the world, lost more than 270 containers as it sailed from Portugal to Germany. Dozens have since been spotted near islands off the coasts of Germany and the Netherlands or washed ashore while spilling light bulbs, plastic toys, flat-screen TVs and shoes onto beaches. MSC says it appointed a specialist firm to help coordinate the search with authorities. People help clean up the contents from cargo containers on a beach in Vlieland, Netherlands, Wednesday Jan. 2, 2019, after 270 shipping containers were lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm. Authorities in Germany and the Netherlands were searching for up to 270 shipping containers lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm, saying that a few of them are carrying hazardous material. (Gemeente Vlieland via AP) Contents from cargo containers lay on a beach in Vlieland, Netherlands, Wednesday Jan. 2, 2019, after 270 shipping containers were lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm. Authorities in Germany and the Netherlands were searching for up to 270 shipping containers lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm, saying that a few of them are carrying hazardous material. (Gemeente Vlieland via AP) People help clean up the contents from cargo containers on a beach in Vlieland, Netherlands, Wednesday Jan. 2, 2019, after 270 shipping containers were lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm. Authorities in Germany and the Netherlands were searching for up to 270 shipping containers lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm, saying that a few of them are carrying hazardous material. (Gemeente Vlieland via AP) Members of the Netherlands military clean up the contents from cargo containers on a beach in Schiermonnikoog, Netherlands, Friday Jan. 4, 2019, after 270 shipping containers were lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm. Authorities in Germany and the Netherlands were searching for up to 270 shipping containers lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm, saying that a few of them are carrying hazardous material. (Ministerie van Defensie via AP) Cargo containers are removed from a beach in Vlieland, Netherlands, Friday Jan. 4, 2019, after 270 shipping containers were lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm. Authorities in Germany and the Netherlands were searching for up to 270 shipping containers lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm, saying that a few of them are carrying hazardous material. (Marjet van Veelen via AP) A cargo container is removed from a beach in Vlieland, Netherlands, Friday Jan. 4, 2019, after 270 shipping containers were lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm. Authorities in Germany and the Netherlands were searching for up to 270 shipping containers lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm, saying that a few of them are carrying hazardous material. (Marjet van Veelen via AP) Cargo containers are removed from a beach in Vlieland, Netherlands, Friday Jan. 4, 2019, after 270 shipping containers were lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm. Authorities in Germany and the Netherlands were searching for up to 270 shipping containers lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm, saying that a few of them are carrying hazardous material. (Marjet van Veelen via AP) This aerial photo provided by Kustwacht Nederland, the Netherlands Coastguard, shows containers in the sea from a cargo ship caught in a storm, on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019. Authorities in Germany and the Netherlands are searching for up to 270 shipping containers lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm, saying some are carrying hazardous materials. German authorities say the cargo ship that lost the containers landed in the German port of Bremerhaven early Thursday. (Kustwacht Nederland via AP) KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - The Latest on Congo's presidential election (all times local): 7:45 p.m. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is urging Congo's election commission to ensure that presidential election results "reflect the will of the Congolese people" as concerns grow about possible unrest. A Carter Center statement on the eve of the scheduled announcement of the first results asks Congolese to remain patient, and it says it understands if vote-counting "might require a few extra days." Electoral authorities have indicated a delay might be needed. Less than half of results had been compiled as of Saturday night. The Carter Center, which along with other Western observer missions were not invited to watch the vote, urges that vote-counting be transparent and suggests that the electoral commission post polling station-level results on its website. Internet services in Congo, however, were cut off the day after the election in an apparent effort by the government to prevent social media speculation about the results. ___ 4:35 p.m. The Catholic church in Congo is warning the country's electoral commission that publishing untrue results of the presidential election could lead to a popular "uprising." The church's letter to the electoral commission's president comes a day before the expected announcement of the first, partial results of the Dec. 30 election. The international community has urged Congo to release accurate results. The church, a powerful voice in the heavily Catholic nation, earlier said its data show a clear winner. The church deployed some 40,000 electoral observers in all polling centers, but Congolese regulations say only the electoral commission can announce election results. The commission on Friday said the church's announcement could incite an "uprising." Congo's ruling party, which backs candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, called the church's attitude "irresponsible and anarchist." Leading opposition candidate Martin Fayulu has not commented. ___ 10:20 a.m. U.S. President Donald Trump says military personnel have deployed to Central Africa in advance of possible "violent demonstrations" in Congo over results of Sunday's presidential election. Trump's letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says about 80 military personnel and "appropriate combat equipment" deployed to nearby Gabon to support the security of U.S. citizens and staffers and diplomatic facilities in Congo. Trump's letter says more military personnel will deploy as needed to Gabon, Congo or neighboring Republic of Congo. Congo faces what could be its first democratic, peaceful transfer of power since independence from Belgium in 1960, but election observers and the opposition have raised concerns about voting irregularities. The powerful Catholic church has said its data show a clear winner, angering Congo's ruling party. First results are expected on Sunday. TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) - The White House has sent national security adviser John Bolton on a mission to allay Israel's concerns about President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. The pullout announced before Christmas was initially expected to be completed within weeks, but the timetable has slowed as the president acceded to requests from aides, allies and members of Congress for a more orderly drawdown. Bolton planned to meet with Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and other officials on Sunday before traveling to Turkey. Israeli officials have expressed alarm that a swift withdrawal of the roughly 2,000 troops could enable Iran to expand its influence and presence in Syria, wracked by a yearslong civil war and the Islamic State militancy. Trump's move has raised fears about clearing the way for a Turkish assault on Kurdish fighters in Syria who have fought alongside American troops against IS extremists. Turkey considers the Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, a terrorist group linked to an insurgency within its own borders. A Trump administration official told reporters traveling with Bolton that Bolton intended to discuss the pace of the drawdown, as well as American troop levels in the region. Bolton was expected to explain that some U.S. troops based in Syria to fight IS will shift to Iraq with the same mission and that some American forces may remain at a key military outpost in al-Tanf, in southern Syria, to counter growing Iranian activity in the region. Bolton also was to convey the message that the United States will be "very supportive" of Israeli strikes against Iranian targets in Syria, according to the official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss Bolton's plans before the meetings and spoke on condition of anonymity to preview the talks. FILE - In this Dec. 13, 2018 file photo, National Security Advisor John Bolton unveils the Trump Administration's Africa Strategy at the Heritage Foundation in Washington. The White House has sent Bolton on a mission to allay Israel's concerns about President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. The pullout announced before Christmas was initially expected to be completed within weeks, but the timetable has slowed as the president acceded to requests from aides, allies and members of Congress for a more orderly drawdown. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) Bolton warned Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, not to use the U.S. drawdown as a pretext to use chemical weapons against Syrians, saying there is "no change" to the U.S. position that their use is a "red line." Trump has twice carried out airstrikes in Syria in response to apparent chemical attacks, with the intention of deterring Assad. "We've tried twice through the use of military force to demonstrate to the Assad regime the use of chemical weapons is not acceptable," Bolton said while en route to Israel. "And if they don't heed the lessons of those two strikes, the next one will be more telling." Trump's announcement about the intended troop withdrawal was greeted by surprise and condemnation from many U.S. lawmakers and allies, and prompted the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and the U.S. special envoy for the anti-IS coalition in protest. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is following Bolton to the Mideast this coming week for an eight-country tour of Arab allies to shore up support for the administration's partners in the region. While in Israel, Bolton planned to encourage officials to take a tougher stance against Chinese electronics manufacturers ZTE and Huawei. The U.S. has expressed concerns about potential cyber-penetration by those companies. Joining Bolton in Turkey will be the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph Dunford. In meetings with Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and other officials, they are expected to warn against an offensive targeting the Kurdish fighters in Syria. ROME (AP) - The leaders of the populist parties that formed Italy's government sparred Saturday over more migrants stranded on private rescue vessels in the Mediterranean Sea, exposing cracks in their coalition's position on immigration. German humanitarian groups Sea-Watch and Sea Eye are seeking a port where two ships can disembark passengers who were picked up from unseaworthy smugglers' boats, 32 of them on Dec. 22 and 17 more in recent days. Malta allowed the aid boats to shelter from bad weather near its coast and to take on fresh crew, food and water. But the tiny island nation has refused to let any of those migrants step onto Maltese land, saying the rescues took place outside the country's search-and-rescue area. Italian Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio, who heads the 5-Star Movement, insisted Saturday that Malta had to allow the 49 people off the ships. De Maio said Italy was willing to take the 10 mothers on the aid vessels and their children. Since the coalition government came to power in mid-2018, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, who heads the right-wing, anti-migrant League party, has made it strict policy that no private aid group receive authorization to transfer rescued migrants to land in Italian ports. Both he and Di Maio have likened private aid vessels to "taxi services" for Libya-based human traffickers. Amid criticism of the Italian government's new hard-line stand, they also have reminded other European Union nation's that Italy has taken in hundreds of thousands of rescued migrants as asylum-seekers in recent years. In this Monday, Dec. 24, 2018 photo and provided by Sea Watch, a migrants sits aboard the rescue ship Sea-Watch 3. Over 30 migrants saved in the central Mediterranean sea by the German no-profit rescue organization Sea-Watch are still stranded after five days at sea, because no European country is opening its ports to receive them. (Chris Grodotzki/Sea Watch Via AP) Di Maio stressed Saturday that Italy was offering to accept the limited number of women and children from the rescue ships to keep families together. Such as gesture, he said, would also give "a good moral slap" to EU nations that have ignored Italy's insistence that the burden of caring for rescued asylum-seekers be shared. "We're not going backward on migration policy, which has allowed us to reduce disembarking considerably," Di Maio said. But Salvini contradicted his governing partner, telling journalists Italy intended to stick with its private rescue vessel ban and wouldn't be taking the 10 mothers and their children. "We opened our hearts and our wallets. Now, it's someone else's turn," Salvini said. As for any possible softening of Italy's immigration policy, Salvini also tweeted "I'm not changing my mind." Both politicians slammed Malta for refusing to let the 49 disembark, but the EU nation retorted that it had rescued and permitted onto on its shores some 250 migrants between Christmas and New Year's. The recent rescues "are putting a strain on our services," Maltese Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia said, adding that Italian authorities had not articulated a clear position about the migrants on the aid boats due to the contradictory statements by Italy's leaders. Farrugia has said the EU's executive branch, the European Commission, was working on an ad hoc plan to find countries where the 250 migrants in Malta and the 49 on the aid boats could have asylum applications processed. While politicians squabbled, Sea-Watch appealed on Twitter for a rapid, "reasonable solution that guarantees a port, medical care and food to women, children and men at the mercy of the waves." Di Maio's opening to taking some of the migrants appeared calculated to placate a faction of his party uncomfortable with the government's rejection of rescued migrants. Championing that 5-Star faction is Roberto Fico, the speaker of the Italian Parliament's lower chamber. "We can't allow human beings, who are fleeing from pain, death and suffering to be left in unacceptable conditions," he wrote on Facebook. ___ Stephen Calleja contributed from Valletta, Malta. ___ Frances D'Emilio is on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fdemilio NEW DELHI (AP) - An Indian court on Saturday declared tycoon Vijay Mallya a "fugitive economic offender," a ruling that empowers authorities to confiscate his properties and other assets. Judge M.S. Azmi's decision came less than a month after a British Court ruled that the 62-year-old Mallya should be extradited to India to face financial fraud allegations. Mallya remains free on bail in London and can appeal the ruling. Mallya, who left India in 2016, is accused of money laundering and cheating Indian banks out of hundreds of millions of dollars. He has denied wrongdoing. He was declared a fugitive economic offender under a new Indian law that applies to a person accused of financial fraud of over 1 billion rupees ($14.2 million) and who has fled India to avoid prosecution. Mallya, who in 1983 became chairman of an alcohol company once led by his father, was a leading figure among India's business elite. He launched Kingfisher Airlines and had an ownership stake in India's Formula One racing team. In this, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, file photo, Indian businessman Vijay Mallya is surrounded by the media as he leaves Westminster Magistrates Court in London. An Indian court has declared tycoon Vijay Mallya a fugitive economic offender, a ruling that empowers authorities to confiscate his properties and assets. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) BERLIN (AP) - A German labor union is calling on security staff at Berlin's two airports to stage a strike Monday amid ongoing pay negotiations. The ver.di union said Saturday it's urging workers to join a four-hour walkout starting at 5 a.m. (0400 GMT) that is likely to cause disruptions for airline passengers. The strike will affect both the capital's Tegel and Schoenefeld airports. Ver.di says employers "provoked" the strike by offering a pay increase of 2 percent over two years. The union wants hourly pay for all workers conducting security checks to rise to 20 ($22.81) euros. The employers association BDLS says this could amount to an increase of 30 percent in some cases. LONDON (AP) - British police on Saturday arrested a suspect in the fatal stabbing of a man who was killed in front of his 14-year-old son on a suburban London train. Lee Pomeroy was on board a train from the town of Guildford to London with his son when he was stabbed multiple times Friday afternoon. Pomeroy would have turned 52 on Saturday, his family said in a statement. Chief Inspector Sam Blackburn said the attack was "not believed to be a random assault." He said the two men appeared to have been involved in an argument that escalated in the moments leading up to the killing. The suspect was detained early Saturday on suspicion of murder. A 27-year-old woman was also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. Police said no one else was being sought in connection with the killing. "Lee took his son on a trip to London hoping to spend some quality time with him which was cut short by (a) horrific and pointless attack," Pomeroy's family said in their statement. A body is removed at the train station, after a murder inquiry was launched following the stabbing of a man on board a train, in Horsley, Surrey, England, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. British police are searching for a suspect after the fatal stabbing of a man on a suburban London train. British Transport Police said a man was killed Friday on board a train traveling from the town of Guildford to London Waterloo. (Steve Parsons/PA via AP) Superintendent Paul Langley talks to reporters at Horsley train station, after a murder inquiry was launched following the stabbing of a man on board a train, in Horsley, Surrey, England, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. British police are searching for a suspect after the fatal stabbing of a man on a suburban London train. British Transport Police said a man was killed Friday on board a train traveling from the town of Guildford to London Waterloo. (Steve Parsons/PA via AP) A policeman stands guard at the train station, after a murder inquiry was launched following the stabbing of a man on board a train, in Horsley, Surrey, England, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. British police are searching for a suspect after the fatal stabbing of a man on a suburban London train. British Transport Police said a man was killed Friday on board a train traveling from the town of Guildford to London Waterloo. (Steve Parsons/PA via AP) KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - On the eve of the first expected results of Congo's long-delayed presidential election, President Donald Trump said military personnel had deployed to Central Africa to protect U.S. assets from possible "violent demonstrations," while the country's powerful Catholic church warned of a popular "uprising" if untrue results are announced. Congo faces what could be its first democratic, peaceful transfer of power since independence from Belgium in 1960, but election observers and the opposition have raised concerns about voting irregularities as the country chooses a successor to longtime President Joseph Kabila. The first results are expected on Sunday, and the United States and the African Union, among others, have urged Congo to release results that reflect the true will of the people. The U.S. has threatened sanctions against those who undermine the democratic process. Western election observers were not invited to watch the vote. While Congo has been largely calm on and after the Dec. 30 vote, Trump's letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said about 80 military personnel and "appropriate combat equipment" had deployed to nearby Gabon to support the security of U.S. citizens and staffers and diplomatic facilities. More will deploy as needed to Gabon, Congo or neighboring Republic of Congo, he wrote. The U.S. ahead of the vote ordered "non-emergency" government employees and family members to leave the country. The Catholic church, an influential voice in the heavily Catholic nation, caused surprise on Thursday by announcing that data reported by its 40,000 election observers deployed in all polling stations show a clear winner. As regulations say only the electoral commission can announce election results, the church did not give a name. Members of the Congolese opposition coalition Lamuka, led by presidential candidate Martin Faluyu, have a conversation while waiting for a statement to be issued on the timing of the release of the presidential election results in Kinshasa, Congo, Saturday Jan. 5, 2019. Congo faces what could be its first democratic, peaceful transfer of power since independence from Belgium in 1960, but election observers and the opposition have raised numerous concerns about voting irregularities as the country chooses a successor to longtime President Joseph Kabila. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) The electoral commission on Friday said the church's announcement could incite an uprising. The church on Saturday, in a letter to the commission seen by The Associated Press, replied that releasing untrue results could cause the uprising instead. Congo's ruling party, which backs Kabila's preferred candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, has called the church's attitude "irresponsible and anarchist." Leading opposition candidate Martin Fayulu, a businessman and lawmaker, has accused Congolese authorities of impeding his campaign. His campaign manager, Pierre Lumbi, on Saturday accused the electoral commission of being "in the process of postponing the publication of the results." The commission's rapporteur, Jean-Pierre Kalamba, said "we will see tomorrow" and that 44 percent of the results had been compiled. At stake is a vast country rich in the minerals that power the world's mobile phones and laptops, yet desperately underdeveloped. Some 40 million people were registered to vote, though at the last minute some 1 million voters were barred as the electoral commission cited a deadly Ebola virus outbreak. Critics said that undermines the election's credibility. The vote took place more than two years behind schedule, while a court ruled that Kabila could stay in office until the vote was held. The delay led to sometimes deadly protests as authorities cracked down, and Shadary is now under European Union sanctions for his role in the crackdown as interior minister at the time. Kabila, who took office in 2001 after his father was assassinated, is barred from serving three consecutive terms but has hinted that he could run again in 2023. That has led many Congolese to suspect that he will rule from the shadows if Shadary takes office. Internet and text messaging services were cut off the day after the election in an apparent effort by the government to prevent social media speculation about the results. The United States has urged that internet service be restored, and a United Nations human rights spokeswoman has warned that "these efforts to silence dissent could backfire considerably when the results are announced." ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa In this photo taken Friday Jan. 4, 2019, crates of soft drinks are stored next to a stage prepared for a victory party for Presidential candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary in the event of his winning the presidential elections in Kinshasa, Congo. Congo faces what could be its first democratic, peaceful transfer of power since independence from Belgium in 1960, but election observers and the opposition have raised numerous concerns about voting irregularities as the country chooses a successor to longtime President Joseph Kabila. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) Here's your look at highlights from the weekly AP photo report, a gallery featuring a mix of front-page photography, the odd image you might have missed and lasting moments our editors think you should see. This week's gallery includes a migrant and a border control agent at the border between the U.S. and Mexico; people visiting a fog-shrouded medieval castle in Belarus; and New Year's celebrations in Thailand, Brazil and Hungary. ___ This gallery contains photos from the week of Dec. 29, 2018-Jan. 4, 2019. See the latest AP photo galleries: https://apimagesblog.com ___ A migrant looks trough a hole in a border fence as he attempts to get into the U.S. side to San Diego, Calif., from Tijuana, Mexico, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019. Discouraged by the long wait to apply for asylum through official ports of entry, many migrants are choosing to cross the U.S. border wall and hand themselves in to border patrol agents. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza) Follow AP photographers on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AP/lists/ap-photographers Follow AP Images on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AP_Images Visit AP Images online: http://www.apimages.com http://www.apimages.com/ ___ This gallery was produced by Patrick Sison in New York. Walk between mirror installations with a statue of Soviet Union founder Vladimir Lenin and a Christmas tree in the background at the VDNKH (The Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy) in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) A boy watches his pigeons fly at an informal refugee camp in Zahle city in the eastern Bekaa valley, Lebanon, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. Temperatures in Bekaa valley took a dip reaching zero degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) Monday early morning. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) A U.S. Border Protection officer stands under the rain as he watches the border fence between San Diego, Calif., and Tijuana, Mexico, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019. Discouraged by the long wait to apply for asylum through official ports of entry, many migrants are choosing to cross the U.S. border wall and hand themselves in to border patrol agents. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza) People walk past the ruins of a medieval castle on a foggy day in the Belarusian town of Novogrudok, 150 kilometers (93 miles) west of the capital Minsk, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018, as temperature hovered around 2 degrees Celsius (35 Fahrenheit). (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) From left, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Md., Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of Calif., walk to speak to reporters after meeting with President Donald Trump about border security in the Situation Room of the White House, Friday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Washington. Trump declared Friday he could keep parts of the government shut down for "months or even years" as he and Democratic leaders failed in a second closed-door meeting to resolve his demand for billions of dollars for a border wall with Mexico. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Election officials tape voter registration lists to a wall of the Les Anges primary school in Kinshasa, Congo, as voters start to check their names, Sunday Dec. 30, 2018. The election process was delayed when voters burned six voting machines and ballots midday, angered by the fact that the registrations lists had not arrived. Replacement machines had to be brought in, and voting started at nightfall, 12 hours late. Forty million voters are registered for a presidential race plagued by years of delay and persistent rumors of lack of preparation. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) A person stands in a boat as he looks at an illuminated railway bridge across the river Yamuna ahead of the upcoming Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad, India, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. During the 45-day festival starting starting in January 2019, millions of Hindu devotees are expected to attend believing that taking a dip in the waters of the holy river will cleanse them of their sins. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) Villagers watch as a vehicle carrying the body of local rebel Muzamil Ahmed Dar arrives at his residence in Rahmoo village south of Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018. Anti-India protests and clashes erupted in disputed Kashmir after a deadly gunbattle between militants and government forces. (AP Photo/ Dar Yasin) Swimmers run into the chilly waters of Lake Balaton during the eighth annual New Year's event in Szigliget, southwest of Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019. (Gyorgy Varga/MTI via AP) People pray as they take turns lying inside coffins at the Takien temple in suburban Bangkok, Thailand on Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. Worshippers believe that the ceremony - symbolizing death and rebirth - helps them rid themselves of bad luck and gives them a fresh start in the new year. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, File) CAIRO (AP) - Egypt's president has told CBS that his country and Israel, with whom it fought four wars, are cooperating against Islamic militants in the Sinai Peninsula, a startling and potentially damaging acknowledgment that could explain the Egyptian government's request that the network not air the interview. Excerpts from the interview released by CBS over the weekend also quoted President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi as denying there are political prisoners in Egypt, where he has overseen one of the largest crackdowns on dissent in the country's modern history since the ouster by the military, then led by him, of an Islamist but divisive president. CBS, which is due to air the full interview Sunday on its show "60 Minutes," said it has rejected a request by the Egyptian government not to show it. It did not say which part of the president's comments the Cairo government objected to, but the cooperation with Israel, with whom Egypt has a 1979 peace treaty, appears to be the most contentious part. Al-Sissi gave the interview in New York about three months ago, when the Egyptian leader was there attending the U.N. General Assembly, but CBS did not say why it was not aired earlier. Egypt's foreign ministry spokesman could not be reached for comment. Egypt's military last year denied press reports that Egypt and Israel were cooperating against the militants in northern Sinai, a rugged region of mountains and desert bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip where Egyptian security forces have for years battled the extremists, now led by the Islamic State group. According to the excerpts, el-Sissi was asked if his country's cooperation with Israel was the closest ever between the two countries. "That is correct. ... We have a wide range of cooperation with the Israelis," he responded. The excerpts did not provide the complete question on bilateral cooperation or specifically mention the Sinai militants. FILE - In this Dec. 17, 2018, file photo, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi addresses the media during a joint press conference at the federal chancellery in Vienna, Austria. U.S. television network CBS says el-Sissi told it in an interview that his country and Israel, with whom it fought four wars, are cooperating against Islamic militants in the Sinai Peninsula. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak, File) Israeli officials have publicly praised security cooperation with el-Sissi's Egypt, which has successfully secured Israel's permission to deploy troops, armor and helicopter gunships close to the Israeli border to fight the militants, contravening the peace treaty's limitations on the number or troops and type of weapons Egypt can have in the region. El-Sissi has since taking office in 2014 met at least twice with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Their meetings have received little media attention in Egypt, a country where most people still view their neighbor as their sworn enemy and where trade unions and most political parties are vehemently opposed to "normalization" of relations with Israel. In the interview, el-Sissi questioned a recent Human Rights Watch report that said Egypt was detaining 60,000 political prisoners. "I don't know where they got that figure. I said there are no political prisoners in Egypt. Whenever there is a minority trying to impose their extremist ideology we have to intervene regardless of their numbers," he told CBS, according to the excerpts. El-Sissi has in the past claimed that everyone in detention is facing legal proceedings for a specific crime committed, but rights activists complain of long detentions without charges - as long as two years or more in some cases. They say that the trials that don't follow proper judicial processes and are more concerned with "protecting the state" - a cornerstone of el-Sissi's rule - than enforcing the law. The detentions are part of a large crackdown on dissent that includes tight control of the media, placing draconian restrictions on rights groups and reversing most of the freedoms gained by a 2011 uprising against autocrat Hosni Mubarak. El-Sissi also won a second, four-year term in office last year after running virtually unopposed. BANGKOK (AP) - Ferry services and airports reopened in southern Thailand on Saturday as a storm moved west into the Andaman Sea after causing disruption and leaving at least one person dead. Tropical Storm Pabuk barreled across the Gulf of Thailand on Friday but spared world famous beach resorts major damage. The storm damaged houses, knocked down power lines and triggered flash floods in several east coast provinces. On the island of Koh Samui, where the suspension of air and ferry services had trapped many visitors, lines were long Saturday for rides back to the mainland. The area's large fishing industry had to stand down, with ships ordered to stay in ports and small boats hauled ashore to keep them from being swept away. One fisherman died when his boat, caught at sea, capsized Friday. Another member of its six-man crew was missing. The authorities prepared for the storm by evacuating almost 29,000 people in provinces most at risk, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said. In the hardest-hit province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, about 800 kilometers (480 miles) south of Bangkok, 32 electric poles were felled, transformers exploded and communications lines were down in some districts, according to the department. Thai people recover belongings in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Pabuk Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Pak Phanang, in Thailand's southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. The storm damaged houses, knocked down power lines and triggered flash floods in several east coast provinces. (AP Photo/Sumeth Panpetch) Stormy weather continued Saturday, but its effects on the Andaman coast and the tourist hub of Phuket appeared marginal. The storm lost strength as it crossed land, with the Thai Meteorological Department saying it packed maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers (34 miles) per hour as it moved west-northwest at a speed of 10 kph (6 mph). With rain continuing in some areas, the department kept its warnings of possible forest runoffs and flash floods. It also said strong winds were still forecast with waves up to 3-5 meters (10-16 feet) high in both the Gulf and the Andaman Sea, raising the possibility of inland storm surges. A Thai girl cleans up in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Pabuk Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Pak Phanang in Thailand's southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. The storm damaged houses, knocked down power lines and triggered flash floods in several east coast provinces. (AP Photo/Sumeth Panpetch) Thai people return to their village in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Pabuk Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Pak Phanang, in Thailand's southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. The storm damaged houses, knocked down power lines and triggered flash floods in several east coast provinces. (AP Photo/Sumeth Panpetch) A Thai woman stands amid debris in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Pabuk Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Pak Phanang, in Thailand's southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. The storm damaged houses, knocked down power lines and triggered flash floods in several east coast provinces. (AP Photo/Sumeth Panpetch) A Thai boy recovers belongings in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Pabuk Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Pak Phanang, in Thailand's southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. The storm damaged houses, knocked down power lines and triggered flash floods in several east coast provinces. (AP Photo/Sumeth Panpetch) Thai men ride a motorbike avoiding toppled power lines in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Pabuk Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Pak Phanang, in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, southern Thailand. Ferry services and airports have reopened in southern Thailand after a storm moved west into the Andaman Sea. (AP Photo/Sumeth Panpetch) A Thai Buddhist monk relocates a Buddha statue in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Pabuk Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Pak Phanang, in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, southern Thailand. Ferry services and airports have reopened in southern Thailand after a storm moved west into the Andaman Sea. (AP Photo/ Sumeth Panpetch) A Thai Buddhist monk stands next to debris in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Pabuk Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Pak Phanang, in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, southern Thailand. Ferry services and airports have reopened in southern Thailand after a storm moved west into the Andaman Sea. (AP Photo/Sumeth Panpetch) WASHINGTON (AP) - White House senior staff will be gathering over the weekend at the Camp David presidential compound for a "staff retreat" to discuss the administration's priorities for 2019. And White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says President Trump will be joining them and leading meetings Sunday. The gathering comes as Mick Mulavney assumes his new role as acting chief of staff following John Kelly's departure earlier this week. Meanwhile, Trump has tasked Vice President Mike Pence, senior adviser Jared Kushner and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen with meeting with House and Senate leadership staff to continue trying to hash out a deal to end the partial government shutdown. It is now in its 14th day. BEIJING (AP) - All systems are go as a Chinese spacecraft and rover power up their observation equipment after making a first-ever landing on the far side of the moon, the Chinese National Space Administration said. The Jade Rabbit 2 rover has succeeded in establishing a digital transmission link with a relay satellite that sends data back to the Beijing control center, the space agency said in a posting late Friday on its website. The rover's radar and panoramic camera have been activated and are working normally, it said. A photo released by the agency showed the rover stopped at a point not far from where the Chang'e 4 spacecraft touched down Thursday. Chang'e 4, named after a Chinese moon goddess, is the first craft to make a soft landing on the moon's far side, which faces away from Earth. Previous landings, including one by China's Chang'e 3 in 2013, have been on the near side. After sending the rover off from a ramp, the spacecraft deployed three 5-meter (16-foot) low-frequency radio antennas, the Chinese space agency said. Chang'e 4 also has sent back images taken with a topographical camera. Researchers hope that low-frequency observations of the cosmos from the far side, where radio signals from Earth are blocked by the moon, will help scientists learn more about the early days of the solar system and even the birth of the universe's first stars. In this photo provided on Jan. 4, 2019, by China National Space Administration via Xinhua News Agency, Yutu-2, China's lunar rover, leaves wheel marks after leaving the lander that touched down on the surface of the far side of the moon. China's space agency says that all systems are go for its spacecraft and rover that have made a pioneering landing on the far side of the moon. (China National Space Administration/Xinhua News Agency via AP) Harvard University astronomer Avi Loeb noted, however, that the relay satellite needed to send back information from the far side also contaminates the sky. "As long as we keep it clean of radio interference, the far side of the moon is very good for radio astronomy," he said. The far side has been observed many times from lunar orbits, but never explored on the surface. It is popularly called the "dark side" because it can't be seen from Earth and is relatively unknown, not because it lacks sunlight. "It's just the far side, it can be either dark or light," Loeb said, depending on the time of day. The pioneering landing highlights China's ambitions to rival the U.S., Russia and Europe in space. Both China's space community and public have taken pride in the accomplishment, with some drawing comparisons to the United States. China's space program lags America's, but has made great strides in the past 15 years, including manned flights and a space laboratory that is seen as a precursor to plans for a space station. ___ Associated Press writer Seth Borenstein in Washington and researcher Henry Hou in Beijing contributed to this report. https://www.aish.com/jw/id/Resilience-of-an-Injured-Israeli-Soldier.html Critically injured in a terrorist attack, Idan Levy refused to give up his dream. Only the top Israeli soldiers are selected for officer school and many dont make the cut. It involves more time in the army, taking additional responsibility and leading younger soldiers. Idan Levy, (19) serving in the IDF Logistical Corps, was a year and a half into his military service when his commanders recommended him for the prestigious course. On 8th January 2017, three weeks before graduating, Idans unit arrived at a Jerusalem lookout point to begin an educational seminar when an Arab terrorist rammed his 10 ton truck into them. Four soldiers were killed in the attack and 13 were seriously injured, including Idan who was clinging to his life. The four victims We were standing in a circle, waiting to meet the educational officer to show us the site, Idan says, but I dont remember much else from that day. Everything I can tell you about what happened is from the news and video tapes which captured the attack. CCTV footage showed the terrorist plowing his truck into the soldiers at high speed then turning around to run them over a second time before soldiers and a passing Israeli tour guide shot and killed him at the scene. Idan sustained a serious head injury, a ripped artery in his throat and severe damage to one of his legs. Unconscious, he was rushed to Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital for emergency surgery which saved his life. He remained in the hospital for five months as his leg was rebuilt and he underwent intensive physiotherapy which continues to today. Due to seriousness of his injuries, he was told by the army that he would be discharged from his military service. For Idan, this was devastating news. It was a real low point to feel this being taken away, he said. I had dreamed about serving as an officer for years. My maternal grandparents and paternal great grandparents moved to Israel generations ago to escape persecution. There was one sentence he would say over and over, which I really held onto. God only challenges those who can handle it. My choice to serve as an officer was an essential part of who I was. I wasnt about to let it go. I told them I wasnt accepting their decision and refused to listen very time they brought it up. After a few weeks I think they understood how important it was for me to serve my country. Fighting back to recovery Convincing the army was his first victory. Now he needed to muster the strength to recover. Inspiration came from Idans hospital roommate. There was one sentence he would say over and over, which I really held onto. God only challenges those who can handle it. I grew up with a belief in God and we had a strong Jewish culture at home. I started to find strength in recognizing that there was a purpose to my life, my recovery and in turn my motivation to go back to service grew stronger by the day. Idan was also inspired by an impromptu hospital visit by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It was a huge surprise, Idan says. He asked about my injuries, how I was feeling and also how I felt about returning to the army. He gave me a lot encouragement. Israeli PM visiting Idan Two weeks later, he convinced the hospital to let him check out for the day to attend the graduation of his officers course. Accompanied by his parents and friends he took his place in an emotional ceremony in the presence of a senior IDF general with three seats left empty as a tribute for the soldiers killed in the attack. The fourth fatality had been an instructor. We received our pins and there were long hugs between us all, Idan recalls, Despite what had happened, we wanted above all else to finish the course together. New appreciation for life I realized then how grateful I am to be simply alive. In the hospital I saw people with no arms and legs and I gained a new appreciation for life. The day Idan came home from hospital dozens of family members and friends were waiting to greet him. They have played a huge part in helping me to recover. The first holiday after I came out of hospital was Pesach. On Seder night I was sitting around the table with my grandmother, aunts, uncles and cousins and I remember thinking to myself that a loving family is the most wonderful thing a person can have. Idan is an only child, which made his recovery even more meaningful for his family. Sometimes my mom just hugs me for no reason. I think shes just so happy Im alive. Thinking positive He has maintained a close connection to the other soldiers injured in the attack, some of whom still suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. It helps to speak about the attack, he says. We help each other. I am optimistic, my philosophy on life now is really just about looking for the good. The ability to walk and talk. everything is really a gift. I can honestly say that I barely find myself feeling sad. First Lieutenant, Idan Levy Now with the rank of First Lieutenant, Idan Levy realized his dream at an induction ceremony at the Western Wall. He is back in uniform proudly serving as an officer in the IDF Logistics corps, with responsibilities for organizing reserve troops training. With eight soldiers under his command, he has much life wisdom to offer. I share with my soldiers the things that I have taken from my experience, he says. It taught me how you can get over things, not let them get you down, the importance of getting up again and fighting back. I have learned to always smile at life, to look at what you have and to appreciate everything in your life. TOKYO (AP) - A 612-pound (278-kilogram) bluefin tuna sold for a record 333.6 million yen ($3 million) at the first auction of 2019, after Tokyo's famed Tsukiji market was moved to a new site on the city's waterfront. The winning bid for the prized but threatened species at the predawn auction Saturday was more than double the 2013 annual New Year auction. It was paid by Kiyomura Corp., whose owner, Kiyoshi Kimura, runs the Sushi Zanmai chain. Kimura has often won the annual auction in the past. Japanese broadcaster NHK showed a beaming Kimura saying that he was surprised by the high price of tuna this year. But he added, "The quality of the tuna I bought is the best." The auction prices are way above usual for bluefin tuna. The fish normally sells for up to $40 a pound ($88 a kilogram), but the price rises to over $200 a pound near the year's end, especially for prized catches from Oma in northern Japan. Last year's auction was the last at Tsukiji before the market shifted to a new facility on a former gas plant site on Tokyo Bay. The move was delayed repeatedly due to concerns over soil contamination. Kiyomura Corp. owner Kiyoshi Kimura, left, stands near the bluefin tuna which he made a wining bid at the annual New Year auction, in Tokyo Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. The 612-pound (278-kilogram) bluefin tuna sold for a record 333.6 million yen ($3 million) in the first auction of 2019, after Tokyo's famed Tsukiji market was moved to a new site on the city's waterfront. (Koki Sengoku/Kyodo News via AP) Japanese are the biggest consumers of the torpedo-shaped bluefin tuna, and surging consumption here and overseas has led to overfishing of the species. Experts warn it faces possible extinction, with stocks of Pacific bluefin depleted by 96 percent from their pre-industrial levels. "The celebration surrounding the annual Pacific bluefin auction hides how deeply in trouble this species really is," said Jamie Gibbon, associate manager for global tuna conservation at The Pew Charitable Trusts. There are signs of progress toward protecting the bluefin, and Japan and other governments have backed plans to rebuild Pacific bluefin stocks, with a target of 20 percent of historic levels by 2034. Decades-old Tsukiji was one of Japan's most popular tourist destinations as well as the world's biggest fish market. The new market opened in October. A few businesses stayed in Tsukiji, but nearly all of the 500-plus wholesalers and other businesses shifted to Toyosu. Tsukiji is due to be redeveloped, though for now it's being turned into a parking lot for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. A prospective buyer inspects the quality of a frozen tuna before the first auction of the year at the newly opened Toyosu Market, new site of Tokyo's fish market, in Tokyo, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Kiyomura Corp. owner Kiyoshi Kimura, right, poses with the bluefin tuna he made a winning bid at the annual New Year auction, in front of his Sushi Zanmai restaurant in Tokyo Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. The 612-pound (278-kilogram) bluefin tuna sold for a record 333.6 million yen ($3 million) in the first auction of 2019, after Tokyo's famed Tsukiji market was moved to a new site on the city's waterfront. (Koki Sengoku/Kyodo News via AP) A prospective buyer inspects the quality of a frozen tuna before the first auction of the year at the newly opened Toyosu Market, new site of Tokyo's fish market, in Tokyo Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) A prospective buyer inspects the quality of a frozen tuna before the first auction of the year at the newly-opened Toyosu Market, new site of Tokyo's fish market, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) A prospective buyer inspects the quality of a frozen tuna before the first auction of the year at the newly-opened Toyosu Market, new site of Tokyo's fish market, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, third from right, gestures as she looks at frozen tunas before the first auction of the year at the newly-opened Toyosu Market, new site of Tokyo's fish market, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) A prospective buyers inspect the quality of tuna before the first auction of the year at the newly-opened Toyosu Market, new site of Tokyo's fish market, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) A prospective buyer inspects the quality of a fresh tuna before the first auction of the year at the newly opened Toyosu Market, new site of Tokyo's fish market, in Tokyo Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) A prospective buyer inspects the quality of a fresh tuna before the first auction of the year at the newly opened Toyosu Market, new site of Tokyo's fish market, in Tokyo Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Prospective buyers bid on fresh tunas during the first auction during the first auction of the year at the newly opened Toyosu Market, new site of Tokyo's fish market, in Tokyo Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) A buyer hauls away a fresh tuna after bidding during the first auction of the year at the newly opened Toyosu Market, new site of Tokyo's fish market, in Tokyo Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - The Republican in the nation's last undecided congressional race says he believes changes to North Carolina's elections board mean a new election is less likely. Mark Harris told The Charlotte Observer on Friday he believes the possibility of new election "dropped significantly" when a judicial panel last month dissolved the nine-member State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement. The board was investigating alleged ballot fraud by an operative hired by the Harris' campaign. A five-member board with three Democrats and two Republicans is expected to be named by Jan. 31. The law then requires that four of the members vote to order a new election. But three members also must vote to certify the election. Unofficial returns show Harris defeated Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes in the 9th District race. SOLANA BEACH, Calif. (AP) - Authorities are holding a man they say tried to rob a San Diego County bank, then told frightened customers to call 911, stripped to his underwear and awaited arrest. Thirty-five-year-old Clint Gray was arrested Thursday at a Wells Fargo branch in Solana Beach. It's not known if he has an attorney. Derek Stevenson tells the San Diego Union-Tribune that he was one of three customers inside the bank when the man entered shortly after the branch opened, shouted that it was a robbery and ordered everyone to the ground. As staff and customers complied, the man told people to call 911, began stripping to his underwear, then sat in a chair near the front door until deputies arrived. Authorities say the robber had no weapon and no cash was taken. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Attorneys for an Arkansas newspaper asked a federal judge Friday to block a law requiring that contractors pledge not to boycott Israel, saying it forces businesses to give up their free speech rights in order to receive state money. U.S. District Judge Brian Miller heard arguments in the Arkansas Times' lawsuit challenging the state's 2017 anti-boycott law. Miller said he hoped to rule soon on whether to block the law, which the Times and the American Civil Liberties Union argue is unconstitutional. The law requires contractors to reduce their fees by 20 percent if they don't sign the pledge. The Times' lawsuit says the University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College refused to contract for advertising with the newspaper unless the Arkansas Times signed the pledge. The paper isn't engaged in a boycott against Israel. "It makes the plaintiff endorse the idea that the government can make an individual take a political position as a condition of getting money," Bettina Brownstein, an attorney for the ACLU of Arkansas, told Miller. The state has argued that a boycott isn't constitutionally protected speech, and that the pledge doesn't force the Times to take a political position. "It simply certifies a factual statement about whether or not the Times intends to boycott," Assistant Solicitor General Dylan Jacobs said. Arkansas' law is similar to restrictions enacted in other states that have been challenged. The measures are aimed at a movement protesting Israel's policies toward Palestinians. A federal judge in September blocked Arizona from enforcing a similar measure. A federal judge also blocked Kansas from enforcing its anti-boycott measure, but lawmakers rewrote the measure so that it no longer applied to individuals and nonprofits and only applied to state contracts worth $100,000 or more. Arkansas' law applies to contracts worth $1,000 or more. A federal lawsuit was filed last month against a similar law in Texas. ___ Follow Andrew DeMillo on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ademillo HELENA, Mont. (AP) - A Montana justice of the peace used his government email account to insult a reporter over critical coverage of a right-wing conspiracy theory. Lewis and Clark County Justice of the Peace Michael Swingley told the Independent Record Friday he "lashed out" at Washington Post reporter Avi Selk because he felt frustrated and overwhelmed. Selk tweeted Swingley's email blasting coverage of QAnon, an anonymous poster on an online message board. QAnon is favored by Trump supporters because of posts about the "deep state" battling the president and other conspiracy theories. Swingley writes that "patriots are uniting against people like" Selk, and that the "world of fake news and liberal agendas ... is coming to an end." He closes with, "Wait for it ... you pathetic, snobby ass." Swingley said using his work email "was not the best decision." ___ Information from: Independent Record, http://www.helenair.com JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The Alaska Supreme Court on Friday upheld the results of a recount in a disputed state House race that showed Republican Bart LeBon winning by one vote. The court issued a brief order affirming the decision by Alaska's former elections director following arguments earlier in the day in Anchorage. The court said a full opinion would follow. A superior court judge who was appointed a special master in the case previously recommended that the court uphold the Division of Election's decisions during the recount. Democrat Kathryn Dodge challenged four ballots, questioning whether two voters whose ballots were counted lived in the district and saying the division incorrectly changed its record of one voter's residence to an address outside the district. She provided affidavits from voters in two of the instances to try to bolster her case. But the state argued that both were sent to the division director after the recount, and any evidence not available at the time of the recount should be disregarded. The state changed the address of one man to an address outside the district based on his application for an annual check from the state's oil-wealth fund. Voters in 2016 approved an initiative calling for the division to register qualified Alaskans to vote when they apply for a dividend check. Republican Bart LeBon of Fairbanks listens to a reporter's question after leaving the Alaska Supreme Court hearing room in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, where justices heard arguments in a lawsuit disputing his one-vote victory in a state House race. His challenger, Democrat Kathryn Dodge, is challenging the results of a recount that determined LeBon won the open Fairbanks seat. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) Justice Susan Carney noted the law requires that the division send out an opt-out notice, which she said it believes it sent. Thomas Amodio, an attorney for Dodge, said there was no proof that one was sent. An attorney for the state, Katherine Demarest, said the division acted within the law. LeBon will succeed Democratic Rep. Scott Kawasaki in the Fairbanks seat. Kawasaki was elected to the state Senate. Dodge in a statement said she respects the court's decision and has no regrets about pursuing the case to completion. She said every vote "was examined and ruled upon with careful consideration." She wished LeBon well as he heads to Juneau for the start of the legislative session Jan. 15. Attorney General Kevin Clarkson, in a statement, said he was glad the court acted quickly "so that the incoming legislature can focus on fulfilling their duties to the people of Alaska." But it's not clear how much of an impact the outcome will have as the House struggles to organize a majority. Republicans claimed a fragile 21-member majority after the election, which included LeBon. But Republican Rep. Gary Knopp of Kenai, who was part of that group, later said he was leaving the GOP caucus in hopes of forging a bipartisan coalition to control the 40-member House. He said Friday the outcome of the race did not change his position. He worried about the ability of a narrow majority to function well and said the parties need to work together. The incoming House will have 23 Republicans. But two of those, Reps. Louise Stutes and Gabrielle LeDoux, caucused with Democrats the last two years and recently signed a letter with Democratic and independent colleagues from rural and coastal areas and indicated a desire to be part of some form of coalition. Nonetheless, a statement congratulating LeBon from two members of the Republican caucus, Reps. Dave Talerico and Tammie Wilson, was released under an Alaska House majority banner. DALLAS (AP) - Dallas police plan to investigate an alleged assault on a Muslim woman from Oklahoma as a hate crime. Police spokeswoman Tamike Dameron said Friday the probe into the attack is ongoing, but that it will be investigated as a hate crime. Jenan Ayesh, who lives in Oklahoma City and Enid, says she was visiting Reunion Tower in Dallas with several family members on Sunday when a woman confronted her about wearing a hijab and told her to "go back to (your) country." Ayesh says the woman struck her twice, pulled the hijab from her head and yanked her hair before fleeing the scene. Police have not publicly identified a suspect or announced an arrest in the case. TIRANA, Albania (AP) - Albanian authorities say an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.8 has struck off the country's southwestern coast, causing material damage but no injuries. The Institute of GeoSciences, Energy, Water and Environment says the quake occurred at 1826 GMT (1926 local time) Friday and affected the Borsh commune, 240 kilometers (150 miles) southwest of the capital, Tirana. The Borsh area is in Albania's Riviera area on the Ionian Sea that is frequently visited by tourists. The Defense Ministry said Saturday that five houses were damaged in Kuc village. Albania is part of an earthquake-prone area, registering quakes every few days, though most are not felt. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A large purple penguin statue that was swiped from a hotel in Oklahoma City apparently managed to waddle back home after police released surveillance camera images of a man with the $3,000 piece of art tucked under his arm. Oklahoma City police on Friday announced that the statue, which disappeared Sunday night from the 21c Museum Hotel, had been "returned home." No arrests have been announced. Hotel staff speculated that it was stolen by someone visiting a guest . Surveillance images show a man carrying the artwork by its head. The penguin is about two-thirds the height of the statue thief. A spokeswoman for the hotel said she was "thrilled the penguin has been returned to our flock ." CHICAGO (AP) - The Latest on a corruption case against Chicago Alderman Ed Burke (all times local): 5:20 p.m. A federal corruption case against a powerful City Council member has rocked the crowded race for Chicago mayor. Some hopefuls sought Friday to distance themselves from Alderman Ed Burke while others painted their rivals as part of the city's notorious machine politics he embodied for decades. Burke was charged with attempted extortion in a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday. Federal prosecutors allege he pressured executives of a major fast-food restaurant chain to become clients at Burke's tax law firm in exchange for a remodeling permit in his ward. They say he also pressured the executives to donate money to another politician, who now is running for mayor. Alderman Ed Burke, 75, walks out of the Dirksen Federal Courthouse following his release after turning himself in, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chicago. Burke, one of the most powerful City Council members in Chicago, is charged with one count of attempted extortion in trying to shake down a fast-food restaurant seeking city remodeling permits, according to a federal complaint unsealed Thursday. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune via AP) ___ 9:30 a.m. Longtime Chicago Alderman Ed Burke is resigning from the City Council's finance committee a day after he was charged with attempted extortion. Investigators allege the 75-year-old Burke tried to shake down a major fast-food restaurant chain seeking city remodeling permits. Burke has denied any wrongdoing. Mayor Rahm Emanuel released a statement Friday saying Burke agrees that "the best course of action is for him to resign" from the finance post he's held for 30 years. Burke is one of Chicago's most powerful and longest-serving City Council members. Investigators allege he conveyed to fast-food company executives in 2017 that they'd get the permits only if they signed on as clients at his private property-tax law firm. Burke was charged Thursday with one count of attempted extortion. Alderman Ed Burke, 75, walks into the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chicago. Burke, one of the most powerful City Council members in Chicago, is charged with one count of attempted extortion in trying to shake down a fast-food restaurant seeking city remodeling permits, according to a federal complaint unsealed Thursday. (Ashlee Rezin/Chicago Sun-Times via AP) Alderman Ed Burke, 75, departs in a taxi after following his release after turning himself in at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chicago. Burke, one of the most powerful City Council members in Chicago, is charged with one count of attempted extortion in trying to shake down a fast-food restaurant seeking city remodeling permits, according to a federal complaint unsealed Thursday. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune via AP) Alderman Ed Burke, 75, walks into the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chicago. Burke, one of the most powerful City Council members in Chicago, is charged with one count of attempted extortion in trying to shake down a fast-food restaurant seeking city remodeling permits, according to a federal complaint unsealed Thursday. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune via AP) Alderman Ed Burke, 75, walks out of the Dirksen Federal Courthouse following his release after turning himself in, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chicago. Burke, one of the most powerful City Council members in Chicago, is charged with one count of attempted extortion in trying to shake down a fast-food restaurant seeking city remodeling permits, according to a federal complaint unsealed Thursday. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune via AP) Alderman Ed Burke, 75, walks into the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chicago. Burke, one of the most powerful City Council members in Chicago, is charged with one count of attempted extortion in trying to shake down a fast-food restaurant seeking city remodeling permits, according to a federal complaint unsealed Thursday. (Ashlee Rezin/Chicago Sun-Times via AP) NEW YORK (AP) - A former state attorney general from Mexico pleaded guilty on Friday to U.S. drug-trafficking charges at a courthouse where an infamous kingpin was also appearing at a conspiracy trial. Both Edgar Veytia, once chief law enforcement officer in the Pacific coast state of Nayarit, and Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman are being prosecuted in separate cases in federal court in Brooklyn. Shortly after Guzman's ongoing trial wrapped up for the week, Veytia was brought into another courtroom to plead guilty to charges he was bought off to help cartels smuggle cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine to the U.S. from 2013 until the time of his arrest in 2017. The 48-year-old Veytia admitted that he arranged for drug dealers to avoid arrest and or to be released from custody. He didn't specify which organizations he supported, but it's not believed that Guzman's Sinaloa cartel was one of them. "I used my official position . to assist drug-trafficking organizations," he told the judge. Veytia faces at least 10 years in prison at sentencing later this year, though the term could be more than double that if the judge follows sentencing guidelines as calculated by prosecutors. According to an indictment, the goverment could also seize "a sum of approximately $250 million in United States currency" under forfeiture laws. According to press reports, Veytia survived a 2011 assassination attempt and promoted himself as a law-and-order candidate when he ran for attorney general. "Nayarit is not fertile ground for lawbreaking," he once said. "Here, there is no room for organized crime." The case fit a pattern of allegations of brazen corruption on display at Guzman's trial. Jurors have heard testimony from cooperators claiming multiple instances of various law enforcement officials taking bribes from the Sinaloa cartel to look the other way or demanding a piece of drug profits in the 1990s and 2000s. Former cartel member Jesus Zambada has testified that he personally made at least $6 million in hidden payments to the former federal security chief, Genaro Garcia Luna. He said the cash was delivered during two meetings at a restaurant in Mexico between the start of 2005 and the end of 2007, an allegation denied by Luna. Earlier this week, Zambada's nephew Vicente described a meeting in the mid-2000s in which representatives from corrupt Mexican politicians asked if the cartel could help them ship 100 tons (91 metric tons) of cocaine in an oil tanker ship. He said he was arrested before he learned whether the shipment ever occurred. BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - As former U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke exits Washington chased by ethics investigations and criticism of his actions favoring industry, he told The Associated Press he's lived up to the conservation ideals of Theodore Roosevelt and insisted the myriad allegations against him will be proven untrue. The former Montana congressman also said he quit President Donald Trump's cabinet on his own terms, despite indications he was pressured by the White House to resign effective Wednesday. During almost two years overseeing an agency responsible for managing 500 million acres of public lands, Zinke's broad rollbacks of restrictions on oil and gas drilling were cheered by industry. But they brought a scathing backlash from environmental groups and Democratic lawmakers who accused him of putting corporate profits ahead of preservation. In his first interview since stepping down, Zinke said the changes he instituted meshed with Roosevelt's belief in balance between nature and industry. He added that they were needed in part to unfetter energy companies bound by unreasonable curbs on drilling that were largely imposed under former President Barack Obama. "Teddy Roosevelt said conservation is as much development as it is preservation," Zinke said, referencing a 1910 speech by the Republican president. "Much of our work returned the American conservation ethic to best science, best practices ... rather than an elitist view of non-management that lets nature take its course." Zinke mentioned Roosevelt often during his almost two-year tenure, and historian Patricia Limerick said it's accurate that the former president talked of development as a component of conservation. But Limerick noted Zinke's recommendations to Trump to reduce the size of national monuments in the West and elsewhere was in direct contrast to Roosevelt's embrace of the law that allowed their creation, the Antiquities Act of 1906. FILE - In this June 29, 2017, file photo, Vice President Mike Pence, left, waves as he is introduced to speak at the Department of Energy in Washington, as Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke watches. As former U.S. Interior Secretary Zinke exits Washington amid a cloud of unresolved ethics investigations, he says he has lived up to the conservation ideals of Teddy Roosevelt and insists the myriad allegations against him will be proven untrue. Zinke said he quit President Donald Trump's cabinet on his own terms, despite indications he was pressured by the White House to resign effective Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) "You don't get to call yourself a follower of Roosevelt if you're really chiseling away at one of his principal heritages," said Limerick, who chairs the board of the Center of the American West at the University of Colorado, where she's a history professor. House Democrats plan to put Zinke's policies under the spotlight with oversight hearings beginning next month, said Adam Sarvana, a spokesman for Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona, the Democrat in line to lead the House Natural Resources Committee. The hearings initially will focus on policy changes such as "giveaways" to the oil and gas industry under the leadership of Zinke, Sarvana said. He added they later could be expanded to include the various ethics investigations pending against Zinke, a former Navy SEAL and avowed Trump loyalist. The investigations have ranged from a probe into a land deal involving Zinke and the chairman of energy services giant Halliburton, to questions about his decision to reject a casino in Connecticut sought by two tribes. During his interview with the AP, Zinke denied a Washington Post report that Interior Department investigators believe he may have lied to them, which has reportedly prompted an examination of potential criminal violations by the U.S. Justice Department's public integrity section. Several other investigations into Zinke concluded with no findings of wrongdoing. In one case he was faulted by investigators for violating a department policy by allowing his wife to ride in government vehicles with him. That report also said the Interior Department spent more than $25,000 to provide security for the couple during a vacation to Turkey and Greece. For the energy industry, Zinke brought relief from rules imposed under Obama that were meant to limit drilling in sensitive wildlife habitat, curb emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon monoxide and protect water supplies. Despite the Democrats' newfound power in Washington after taking control of the House of Representatives, industry representatives said Zinke's impact will be lasting. That's because they involved agency regulations rather than congressional action and came at the order of Trump, said Dan Naatz, vice president of government relations for the Independent Petroleum Association of America. "Although Secretary Zinke was effective at what he was doing, the policy really came from the president," Naatz said. Until Trump nominates and the Senate confirms a permanent replacement, Zinke's shoes will be filled on an acting basis by his deputy, David Bernhardt, a former lobbyist for the oil and gas industry. Left-leaning groups that campaigned against Zinke already have turned their attention to Bernhardt with claims that his prior work leaves him compromised. "David Bernhardt is too conflicted to serve him in any position, whether it's deputy, acting or full Interior secretary," said Aaron Weiss with the Center for Western Priorities. Weiss also suggested the pending investigations against Zinke are likely to continue and said the former secretary "can't make his trouble go away by simply walking away." Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, said Zinke worked closely with western states and respected their priorities. Barrasso said it was important for the next secretary to likewise pursue Trump's American "energy dominance" agenda while following sound environmental practices. In his resignation letter, Zinke said he was compelled to stop down because the political attacks against him had created a distraction from Trump's drive to boost U.S. energy production. He told the AP that the allegations fit into a "playbook" used by the administration's critics to stifle Trump's energy agenda, smear Zinke's name and undercut any future bid he might make for public office. He said he won't run for Montana governor in 2020, but did not rule out a future run. In the weeks leading up to his resignation, the White House concluded Zinke was likely the Cabinet member most vulnerable to investigations led by newly empowered Democrats in Congress, according to an administration official not authorized to publicly discuss personnel matters who spoke on condition of anonymity. In Zinke's telling of events, Trump remained fully supportive to the end and it was the secretary himself who made the decision to go. His departure comes amid a partial government shutdown in which Zinke ordered many national parks to stay open, saying visitors shouldn't be penalized for the political feud centered on Trump's proposed border wall with Mexico. With reports of overflowing trash bins spurring calls for the parks to be closed until the shutdown ends, Zinke offered some parting advice as he prepared to head back to his hometown of Whitefish, Montana, just outside Glacier National Park: "I would encourage everyone that visits their parks to help pitch in, grab a trash bag and take some trash out with you," he said. "Pack it in, pack it out." ___ Follow Matthew Brown at https://twitter.com/matthewbrownap . FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2017 file photo, then Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke speaks on the Trump Administration's energy policy at the Heritage Foundation in Washington. As former U.S. Interior Secretary Zinke departs Trump's Cabinet amid a cloud of investigations, he says he's lived up to the conservation ideals of Teddy Roosevelt and insists the myriad allegations against him are unfounded. Zinke told The Associated Press that he quit President Donald Trump's Cabinet on his own terms, despite indications he was pressured by the White House to resign effective Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) FILE - In this Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018 file photo, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, right, accompanied by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, left, and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, center, speaks during a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House, in Washington. As former U.S. Interior Secretary Zinke exits Washington amid a cloud of unresolved ethics investigations, he says he has lived up to the conservation ideals of Teddy Roosevelt and insists the myriad allegations against him will be proven untrue. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) FILE - In this May 23, 2018, file photo, then U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke speaks at the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference in the Bismarck Event Center in Bismarck, N.D. As former U.S. Interior Secretary Zinke exits Washington amid a cloud of unresolved ethics investigations, he says he has lived up to the conservation ideals of Teddy Roosevelt and insists the myriad allegations against him will be proven untrue. (Tom Stromme/The Bismarck Tribune via AP, File) KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - The latest on Congo's presidential election (all times local): 11:55 p.m. France's U.N. ambassador says the Security Council is keeping close watch on vote counting in the presidential election in Congo. Ambassador Francois Delattre spoke Friday at U.N. headquarters after a closed-door council meeting that France called. The council didn't issue any joint statement, at least for now. It's due to discuss Congo again in a public session Tuesday. Delattre says Friday's private meeting underscored that members are paying attention to the election for a successor to longtime President Joseph Kabila. Congolese political party observers check independent electoral commission (CENI) officials tally the presidential ballots from over 900 polling stations at a local results compilation center in Kinshasa, Congo, Friday Jan. 4, 2019. CENI said Thursday the results from 20% of the polling stations have been collected. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) The vote could mark Congo's first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence from Belgium in 1960. The first results are due Sunday. Echoing remarks made by the African Union, Delattre said the results must reflect the people's vote. Observers reported irregularities amid the balloting. ___ 6:15 p.m. Congo's election commission is scolding the Catholic church for saying its data show a clear winner in Sunday's presidential election, asserting that the announcement could incite an "uprising." The church, a powerful voice in the heavily Catholic nation, on Thursday called on the electoral commission to publish the true results in "respect of truth and justice." The church deployed some 40,000 electoral observers. It cannot say publicly who the clear winner appears to be, as Congo's electoral regulations forbid anyone but the electoral commission to announce results. Congo's ruling party on Friday called the church's attitude "irresponsible and anarchist." International pressure is growing on Congo to restore internet service and release accurate election results, while some Congolese express doubt that the first results will be released on Sunday as expected. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - A political consultant directed state employees during the early days of now-resigned Republican Gov. Eric Greitens' administration, according to records obtained by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch . Emails from Greitens' team spanning from his transition to governor through the first several weeks of his tenure show his senior adviser, Austin Chambers, approved policy roll-outs, received drafts of Greitens' State of the State address and had access to pending media inquiries. Chambers worked for Greitens' campaign and for a nonprofit that pushed his agenda. Associated Press messages seeking comment from Chambers and Greitens were not immediately returned Friday. The emails are significant because Josh Hawley, who on Thursday left office as Missouri's attorney general to become a U.S. senator, is under investigation by the Secretary of State's Office for similar issues. Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft launched the investigation of Hawley after a liberal group filed a complaint alleging that Hawley misused state resources when political consultants directed attorney general staff to do work that would help Hawley's Senate bid. Hawley's office has repeatedly said no taxpayer resources were ever used for his campaign. The records on Greitens are coming out in response to a Sunshine request made by the Attorney General's Office in May. Hawley launched an investigation in response to emails that appear to show a governor's office employee helping to write a Facebook post for Greitens' personal account, potentially violating laws against taxpayer resources being spent to support political campaigns. Greitens resigned in June 2018 amid personal and political scandals, including allegations that he slapped and shoved a woman with whom he had an extramarital affair and that he took a donor list without permission from a nonprofit he founded and used it for political fundraising. Greitens has repeatedly denied allegations of criminal misconduct. A special prosecutor ultimately decided against taking up a felony invasion of privacy charge against Greitens related to claims that he allegedly took a photo of the woman he had an affair with while she was partially nude, then threatened to release it if she exposed their relationship. In exchange for his resignation, St. Louis prosecutors also dropped a felony charge of tampering with computer data that was related to the donor list. Greitens' replacement, Republican Gov. Mike Parson, now is providing thousands of emails to the Attorney General's Office for its investigation. Records obtained by the newspaper show Greitens' other political advisers also had wide latitude to work with taxpayer-paid staff. Greitens' confidant Mark Bobak was allowed to park in a Capitol space reserved for governor's staff. Greitens' campaign Treasurer Jeff Stuerman and fundraiser Meredith Gibbons, who also was paid by a nonprofit that pushed Greitens' agenda, also were in contact with state employees. WARSAW, Poland (AP) - A fire broke out at an "Escape Room" game location in northern Poland on Friday, killing five teenage girls and injuring a man, authorities said. Police said the dead were found after firefighters put out the blaze, which began around 5 p.m. at an "Escape Room" venue in Koszalin. Highly popular with teenagers across Poland, the "Escape Room" game has players locked inside a room or building and they must find clues that help them get out. Interior Minister Joachim Brudzinski said the girls were all 15 years old. Monika Kosiec, a spokeswoman for police in Koszalin, said the victims were thought to have been celebrating one of their birthdays. She said a 25-year-old man had been hospitalized with burns and could not be immediately questioned by investigators probing the cause of the fire. Spokesman for regional firefighters, Tomasz Kubiak, said the bodies were found in a room that was near the fire but was not hit by it. The Polish state news agency PAP said it had learned unofficially that the girls died from carbon monoxide asphyxiation. Footage on private TVN24 showed ambulances and fire engines in front of a detached two-story house with a large "Escape Room" sign in front. Brudzinski ordered fire safety checks to be held at all "Escape Room" locations in Poland. President Andrzej Duda said on Twitter it was a "crushing tragedy" that five young girls died so early in their lives. Koszalin Mayor Piotr Jedlinski announced that Sunday would be a day of mourning in the city. NEW YORK (AP) - Jurors at the U.S. trial of the notorious Mexican drug lord known as "El Chapo" are seeing evidence he knew how to live it up even while his life was in danger. Prosecutors introduced photos Friday of an armed Joaquin Guzman dancing with an unidentified woman. They were used during testimony about the violent drug wars in Mexico at the height of Guzman's power. One shows that aside from having some fun, Guzman was carrying a diamond-encrusted pistol to protect himself. Guzman is facing conspiracy charges at the ongoing trial in federal court in Brooklyn. He was sent to the U.S. to face trial in 2017 after making a fortune running the Sinaloa cartel and breaking out of Mexican jails two times. DENVER (AP) - Investigators believe a 7-year-old boy found dead in a Denver storage unit just before Christmas last attended school in late May, a police spokesman said Friday. Sgt. John White said investigators are focused on what happened to the boy between then and Dec. 23, when police found his body inside the storage facility after getting information from police in neighboring Aurora. A woman believed to be the boy's mother, 43-year-old Elisha Pankey, turned herself in to police on Wednesday. She is being held on investigation of child abuse resulting in death. "Investigators are working hard to determine exactly what happened and when," White said. "We are very, very concerned about this and any incident when the most vulnerable members of our community become victims. It's just a tragic situation." Online court records do not list an attorney for Pankey, and she has not been formally charged yet. The court document laying out the reasons for her arrest is sealed. Authorities have not confirmed the boy's name or released information about when or how he died. This photo provided by the Denver Police shows Elisha Pankey, 43, who was arrested Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019, in the death of a 7-year-old boy believed to be her son who was found dead in a storage unit last month. Police say she is being held for investigation of child abuse resulting in death.(Denver Police via AP) According to 2018 homicide data tracked by Denver's Public Safety Department, a 7-year-old boy named Caden McWilliams was the victim of a homicide in late May at 5005 E. Evans Ave., the same address of the storage facility where Denver Police reported finding the body. White said Friday that he could not confirm the information and said the Denver medical examiner's office will be the agency to release the boy's identification. According to Denver Public Schools, McWilliams attended Ellis Elementary School. In a written statement, the school's principal Nichole Whiteman said Caden McWilliams "was a model student who was not afraid to do the right thing simply because it was the right thing to do." "He stood out from others from the moment he walked through the school doors every morning with a huge smile on his face," Whiteman said. "His smile and eyes showed how kind and sweet he was at the core. Other students wanted to be his friend and looked to Caden for what to do next." District spokesman Will Jones said student privacy laws prevented him from releasing any information about the boy's school attendance. He also said the district does not want to interfere with the police investigation. Police have not released any information about exactly when the boy was determined to be missing. But Denver Police first became involved when Aurora Police contacted them on Dec. 23 with information about a missing boy. Aurora officers had arrested Elisha Pankey the previous day on suspicion of heroin possession. According to a court record filed by the Aurora Police, officers came into contact with Pankey while investigating a missing child and found the drugs in a hotel room where she had stayed. Aurora Police spokesman Sgt. Bill Hummel said Friday that he could not comment on that missing child case. Pankey's husband, Leland Pankey, appeared in court Friday on charges that he strangled his wife in 2017 after accusing her of spying on him with electronic devices. An arrest affidavit in the assault case was dated November 28, 2017. The 39-year-old was arrested Dec. 21, more than a year later. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Friday that it must delay the release of key crop reports due to the partial government shutdown, leaving investors and farmers without vital information during an already tumultuous time for agricultural markets. The USDA had planned to release the closely watched reports Jan. 11 but said that even if the shutdown ended immediately , the agency's staff wouldn't have time to release the reports as scheduled. Congressional leaders met with President Donald Trump on Friday but there were no indications the shutdown would end soon. "The longer it goes on, the more distorted our reference points get," said grain market analyst Todd Hultman, of Omaha, Nebraska-based agriculture market data provider DTN. "It's a lot of guesswork." The reports detail the size of the 2018 harvests of corn, soybean, wheat and other crops and give an early estimate for what farmers will plant in the upcoming season. Depending on the estimates, the price of the commodities can rise or fall as they show the current supply and forecast how many acres will be devoted to different crops in the coming months. The government shutdown has now forced the delay of such reports for two weeks, and uncertainty about the commodity supply will only grow as more time elapses, Hultman said. USDA reports provide the foundation for understanding the U.S. agricultural industry, and because they also estimate farm production in other countries, they are essential for understanding global crop markets. Although the government is still releasing some information, such as the Labor Department's monthly jobs report , the USDA hasn't released key reports since Dec. 22. This includes the closely watched World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report and information about specific crops, such as winter wheat and canola seedings. FILE - In this Nov. 21, 2018, file photo, Justin Roth holds a handful of soybeans at the Brooklyn Elevator in Brooklyn, Iowa. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it must delay the release of key crop reports due to the partial government shutdown. The announcement Friday, Jan. 4, 2019 left investors and farmers without vital information during an already tumultuous time for agricultural markets. The USDA planned to release the reports Jan. 11 but said that even if the shutdown ended immediately, the agency wouldn't have time to release the reports as scheduled. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File) The lack of information comes amid the uncertainty of trade with China, where tariffs led to an abrupt drop in U.S. agricultural exports to the country. There were indications that China was beginning to resume at least limited purchases of U.S. crops, but because of the government shutdown it's unclear what's happening. "We certainly don't want to be in the dark and miss any big changes like that," Hultman said. University of Illinois professor Todd Hubbs, who studies agricultural commodity markets, said he finds the report delays especially frustrating because he thinks they could confirm a belief that the U.S. soybean crop was smaller than earlier forecast. If true, that information would mean a smaller supply and could raise soybean prices, helping farmers who have struggled with low prices worsened by the trade dispute with China. Until the USDA releases its information, investors and farmers can't be certain about where they stand, he said. "Those kinds of numbers are fundamental," Hubbs said. "When the USDA produces the numbers, they are the numbers. They move markets." ___ Follow Scott McFetridge on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/smcfetridge PITTSTON, Pa. (AP) - A Pennsylvania man accused of breaking into a music store and stealing guitars tells reporters he has one thing to say: "Go Eagles." WNEP-TV reports 49-year-old Dale Sourbeck, of Pittston, was charged Thursday with burglary. Police say Sourbeck used a hammer to break into the Rock Street Music store in Pittston around 3 a.m. Thursday. He was captured on surveillance taking two guitars. Police say Sourbeck returned to the store and grabbed three more guitars. TV cameras caught Sourbeck being escorted to a cruiser. When asked by a reporter if there was anything he wanted to say, he paused then replied, "Go Eagles." The Philadelphia Eagles have a tough road trying to defend their Super Bowl title, starting with a wild-card game against the Bears on Sunday. No attorney information is available for Sourbeck. ___ Information from: WNEP-TV, http://www.wnep.com SAN DIEGO (AP) - The Latest on a Navy SEAL accused of murder and other crimes in Iraq (all times local): 3:10 p.m. A decorated Navy SEAL has pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges involving the fatal stabbing of a teenage Islamic State prisoner in Iraq in 2017 and the shooting of unarmed Iraqi civilians. Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher entered his plea at an arraignment Friday at Naval Base San Diego. Military authorities say a decision will be made next week on whether Gallagher should be released from the brig pending trial. He has been jailed since his arrest on Sept. 11. He is scheduled to go on trial between Feb. 19 and March 1. ___ 1:15 p.m. A military court has set the time frame for the trial of a decorated Navy SEAL on murder and other charges involving the fatal stabbing of a teenage Islamic State prisoner in Iraq in 2017 and the shooting of unarmed Iraqi civilians. The judge said at a hearing Friday that Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher will go on trial between Feb. 19 and March 1. Gallagher has agreed to trial before a military jury that will be one-third enlisted personnel. The hearing is also taking up the issue of whether Gallagher can be released from custody. His defense has called two SEALs who say he has an outstanding reputation. ___ 8:44 p.m. A decorated Navy SEAL is facing charges of premediated murder and other offenses in connection with the fatal stabbing of a teenage Islamic State prisoner under his care in Iraq in 2017 and the shooting of unarmed Iraqi civilians. Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher is also accused of posing with the teen's corpse at his re-enlistment ceremony. His attorney, Phil Stackhouse, says Gallagher will plead not guilty to all of the charges. The case stands out because of the seriousness of the allegations against an elite special warfare operator and the fact that the prosecution's case includes the accounts of fellow Navy SEALs, an extremely tight-knit group even by military standards. Stackhouse said his client is being falsely accused by disgruntled SEALs who wanted to get rid of the demanding platoon leader. Lynette Alm was a hairstylist in a Chicago suburb when she was prescribed an antibiotic to h EASTON, Pa. (AP) - A former Lehigh University student accused of poisoning his roommate was ordered held without bail Friday over allegations he sought to flee to his native China by orchestrating his own deportation to avoid prosecution. Yukai Yang must remain in Northampton County Jail until his criminal charges are resolved, a judge ruled at a hearing, the Allentown Morning Call reported . Yang, a 23-year-old chemistry major and Chinese national, was charged last month with the attempted murder of his roommate, allegedly slipping the colorless, odorless chemical thallium into his food and drink. Prosecutors are probing whether Yang also tried to poison a second Lehigh student. Last week, prosecutors said they foiled an attempt by Yang to leave the country by making bail and cooperating with immigration agents. "Mr. Yang thought that because he is a foreign national, now here illegally in that his student visa has been revoked, that he could post bail, waive his right to a deportation hearing and abscond," Morganelli said in a statement. "That will not happen." On Friday, Yang's defense team argued that he is not a flight risk and is entitled to bail, even if he is under an immigration detainer that could see him removed from the United States. Outside of court, defense attorney Janet Jackson declined to comment on the case, beyond a brief statement. "My client intends to fight these charges, completely intends to fight these charges," she said. "And I'm not as interested in trying this case in the press as the commonwealth seems to be." Yang was being held under $200,000 bail. But a day after his arraignment, Yang's family posted the money, leading Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to take Yang into custody to deport him. Prosecutors allege Yang intended to waive challenges to his removal, allowing him to immediately be sent to China. That had prosecutors seeking to have Yang held without bail. Judge Stephen Baratta said in agreeing to the request that it was the only way to make sure he isn't deported, otherwise "it's a done deal. He's out of here if I don't do anything." Yang was initially charged this spring with vandalism and ethnic intimidation after the roommate, who is black, found racist graffiti in the room. The roommate has since graduated, but continues to suffer effects of the poisoning, authorities said. The two had lived together for several years without incident, authorities said, adding Yang's motives remain unclear. Assistant District Attorney Abraham Kassis told the Morning Call that authorities continue to probe whether there is a second victim, and couldn't comment further. ___ Information from: The Morning Call, http://www.mcall.com WASHINGTON (AP) - Days after reclaiming the House majority, Democrats are introducing gun control legislation timed for the anniversary of the shooting of former Democratic Rep. Gabby Giffords. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats will introduce a bill to expand background checks for sales and transfers of firearms on Tuesday, the eighth anniversary of the day Giffords was shot in the head at a constituent meeting in Arizona. Giffords, who co-founded a gun safety group with her husband, Mark Kelly, said in a statement Friday she was thrilled that her former House colleagues were responding to a gun-violence epidemic that killed nearly 40,000 people in 2017. The bill expanding background checks "marks a critical first step toward strengthening America's gun laws and making our country a safer place to live, work, study, worship and play," Giffords said. "I stand ready to do everything in my power to get this legislation across the finish line." Democrats promised swift action on gun control after the party regained the House majority following eight years of Republican rule. Pelosi called the bill on background checks a common-sense measure and cited polls showing 97 percent of Americans support background checks for all gun sales. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif. speaks to reporters as she arrives back at the Capitol building after meeting with President Donald Trump about border security in the Situation Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) "Our Democratic majority will press relentlessly for bipartisan progress to end the epidemic of gun violence on our streets, in our schools and in our places of worship," Pelosi said. "Enough is enough." Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., who leads a gun violence prevention task force in the House, said he and other lawmakers from both parties have been pushing years to expand background checks and approve other gun-related bills, but have been stymied by Republican leaders. Noting that many freshman Democrats ran on the issue of preventing gun violence, Thompson said political momentum to address gun violence is growing. "The American people have been demanding we take action and this new Congress will deliver," he said. The background checks measure is likely to face opposition from the Republican-controlled Senate and the White House, where President Donald Trump has promised to "protect the Second Amendment." Jennifer Baker, a spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association, said a federal background check did not prevent Giffords' shooting, adding that "so-called universal background checks will never be universal because criminals do not comply with the law." Lawmakers should "deal with the root cause of violent crime" instead of trying to "score political points and push ineffective legislation that doesn't stop criminals from committing crimes," Baker said. The Trump administration moved last month to ban bump stocks, the firearm attachments that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire like machine guns. Bump stocks became a focal point of the gun control debate after they were used in October 2017 by a gunman in Las Vegas who fired into a crowd at a country music concert, killing 58 people and injuring hundreds more. A new regulation gives gun owners until late March to turn in or destroy the devices. WASHINGTON (AP) - The education of the star-studded class of House freshmen has begun. Lesson one: Speaking with the bluntness of a candidate can produce swift and uncomfortable results. Rep. Rashida Tlaib learned that before lunch Friday, when her profane remarks the night before vowing to impeach President Donald Trump drew almost no support, and plenty of pushback, from members of her party. "It's been pretty intense," Tlaib, D-Mich., told The Associated Press in a brief hallway interview Friday as she reported to the House to face her colleagues. Hours after Tlaib was sworn in as part of the history-making class of freshmen that helped flip the House to Democratic control, she ran afoul of the widespread sense among her colleagues that they should focus for now on health care and other policies rather than impeachment - at least until special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation concludes. "We're gonna impeach the motherf---er," Tlaib exclaimed during a party Thursday night hosted by the liberal activist group MoveOn, according to video and comments on Twitter. In this Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019 photo, then Rep.-elect Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, is shown on the house floor before being sworn into the 116th Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Tlaib exclaimed at an event late Thursday that Democrats were going to "impeach the mother------." According to video and comments on Twitter, she apparently made the comments during a party hosted by the liberal activist group MoveOn. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) It was a striking coda to the Democrats' heady ascendance to the House majority Thursday, sparking unusually public corrections from House veterans. "I disagree with what she said," said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., during a CNN interview. His committee would be the one to begin impeachment proceedings. "It is too early to talk about that intelligently," Nadler said. "We have to follow the facts." Newcomers routinely stumble as they learn how things are done on Capitol Hill. But Tlaib and her classmates have been celebrated in magazine profiles for their independence and their promises to stand up to the powers that be. By rebuking one, the more seasoned Democrats were effectively warning the others. "I think some of our new members probably don't realize that you are always on, that when you are a member of Congress, there's always someone listening," said Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill. She said she hopes Tlaib's remarks aren't news for long. More than Tlaib's profanity, it was her vow to impeach Trump that drew her colleagues' disapproval. Tlaib's defiance flew in the face of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's warning to focus on policies the candidates had promised ahead of the Nov. 6 elections. The timing also chafed, just hours before congressional leaders were headed to the White House to try to resolve the standoff over the border wall Trump is demanding in exchange for reopening the government. Republicans pounced, using the occasion to question the Democrats' true priorities and Pelosi's leadership. With a tight smile, Pelosi rejected Tlaib's profanity and her impeachment vow. "That is not the position of the House Democratic caucus," Pelosi said on MSNBC of Tlaib's comments. "I don't think we should make a big deal of it." Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., served up a reminder to the new members that seniority rules in Congress. "She's a freshman. It's her first day here," Connolly said of Tlaib. "She went in front of an enthusiastic crowd of her supporters and it was red meat for them. She yielded to that temptation." "I'm sure upon reflection," Connolly suggested, "she might choose other words to describe her feelings." Talk of impeachment remains in the air, fueled by a handful of Democrats on Pelosi's left flank who are pressuring her to more aggressively pursue the issue. But such proceedings appear unlikely for now. Even if the House advances any articles of impeachment, a two-thirds-majority vote to convict Trump in the Republican-controlled Senate and remove him from office would seem out of the question, barring astonishing new revelations. Tlaib wasn't the only freshman who got a lesson in how one comment can upend Capitol Hill. Some of Tlaib's classmates were pursued for reaction - standard results when a political ally says something that raises eyebrows. "I am not talking about those things," laughed Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., when asked Friday to respond to Tlaib's remarks. She said she was elected because she talked about preserving health care. "I'm not going to tell anyone else what to do, but certainly, I think, it would behoove all of us to really be working for the people who need" Congress' help. ___ Associated Press Writers Alan Fram and Kevin Freking contributed to this report. ___ Follow Kellman on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/APLaurieKellman CAIRO, N.Y. (AP) - A 32-year-old woman faces felony charges for posing as a homeless teenager to enroll and attend classes at a high school in the Catskill Mountains, authorities said Friday as they tried to determine her motive. Michaelann Goodrich presented herself as a 15-year-old to enroll in the Cairo-Durham school district 40 miles (64 kilometers) southwest of Albany last month, School Superintendent Anthony Taibi said Friday. Officials were skeptical of her story when Goodrich enrolled on Dec. 19 under the name "Riley Madison," but they were required by federal law to accept her because she claimed she was homeless, Taibi said. "The regulation exists to ensure that students who are runaway or abducted youth get into an accountable, safe environment as quickly as possible," Taibi said. "It has worked well, but this situation highlights a vulnerability that exists." School officials contacted the sheriff's office to launch an investigation, but in the meantime, Goodrich rode on a school bus, attended classes and had lunch at school on Dec. 21, before the holiday break, Taibi said. "We made sure that under no circumstances was she not under the supervision of a staff member," Taibi said. Greene County Sheriff's Investigator Joel Rowell said Goodrich, who lives in Cairo with her husband, was charged Dec. 28 with offering a false instrument for filing, falsifying business records and criminal trespassing. She was released from jail after a court appearance Thursday evening, to await further court action. In this undated photo provided by the Greene County Sheriff's Office in Catskill, N.Y., Michaelann Goodrich is shown. Goodrich, 32, of Cairo, NY, is facing charges of offering a false instrument for filing, falsifying business records and criminal trespassing after police said she posed as a homeless teen and tried to enroll in high school classes. (Greene County Sheriff's Office via AP) The public defender assigned to Goodrich didn't return a phone call seeking comment Friday afternoon. Rowell said Goodrich and her husband previously lived in California and Washington state and it's unclear how long they've been in Cairo. He said Goodrich has no job or children, but does have a diploma from a high school in California. In the 1999 movie "Never Been Kissed," Drew Barrymore plays a journalist who poses as a high school student to gather details for a story. But officials have no idea what Goodrich's motivation was. "She didn't have an explanation," Rowell said. "That's why we're reaching out to parents of kids who were with her in school or on the bus to find out what their interactions were, so we can try to determine her motive." DETROIT (AP) - A Detroit-area prosecutor will review a criminal investigation of the Flint water crisis and decide whether to take over the cases, Michigan's new attorney general announced Friday. During her run for office, Attorney General Dana Nessel criticized the cost and scope of the investigation, which so far has led only to misdemeanor convictions for some state and local officials. Two people who were senior members of then-Gov. Rick Snyder's administration have been ordered to trial on involuntary manslaughter charges related to a Legionnaires' disease outbreak. Nessel said she asked Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy to look at the files. "There is no one whose opinion I value more when it comes to the complexity and importance of these cases," said Nessel, a former Wayne County assistant prosecutor. Flint's water was contaminated with lead, which leached from old plumbing and fixtures. The city, while under state financial management, began using the Flint River in 2014 but failed to treat it properly to reduce corrosion. Some experts believe the water also caused a Legionnaires' outbreak in 2014-15. The criminal investigation has been led by special prosecutor Todd Flood, who was appointed in 2016 by then-Attorney General Bill Schuette. The Democratic Nessel accused Schuette, a Republican, of using the Flint water crisis for political gain during his unsuccessful run for governor. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel speaks Monday, Jan. 1, 2019, after being sworn-in on inauguration day at the State Capitol in Lansing, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019. (Matthew Dae Smith/Lansing State Journal via AP) Flood declined to comment Friday. He remains on the job while Worthy conducts her review. "It is important to remember that there is a lot of material to review as these investigations are almost three years old," Worthy said. Nessel wouldn't say whether any criminal charges might be dismissed. The manslaughter cases involve Nick Lyon, who was head of the state health department, and Dr. Eden Wells, who was Michigan's chief medical executive. Separately, a federal appeals court said Friday that former public officials can't escape a lawsuit by Flint residents who claim a constitutional right to "bodily integrity" was violated by the switch to tainted water. Nessel, whose office is defending the state in lawsuits related to the Flint crisis, told the Detroit Free Press that she'd like to settle them now that she's the attorney general. She said she would consult the new governor, Democrat Gretchen Whitmer. "I would like to make certain that the residents of Flint who have been harmed are indemnified. ... It's my feeling that Gov. Whitmer cares deeply and wants to make certain they receive as much help as possible," Nessel told the newspaper. ___ Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwhiteap WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court is plunging back into the issue of whether electoral districts can be too partisan. Disputes have arisen in cases involving North Carolina's heavily Republican congressional map and a Democratic congressional district in Maryland, and the justices said Friday they will hear arguments in March. The high court could come out with the first limits on partisan politics in the drawing of electoral districts, but also could ultimately decide that federal judges have no role in trying to police political mapmaking. The court took up the issue of partisan gerrymandering last term in cases from Wisconsin and the same Maryland district, but the justices failed to reach a decision on limiting political line-drawing for political gain. Justice Anthony Kennedy had said he was open to limits. He has since retired, and Justice Brett Kavanaugh has taken Kennedy's seat. He has no judicial record on the issue. The court again has taken one case in which Democrats are accused of unfairly limiting Republicans' political power and one in which Republicans are the alleged culprits. The court also has the entire North Carolina congressional map before it, but only the one Maryland district. In both cases, however, lower courts have found that the party in charge of redistricting - Republicans in North Carolina, Democrats in Maryland - egregiously violated the rights of voters in the other party. The North Carolina map was redrawn in 2016 because federal courts determined two districts originally drawn in 2011 were illegal because of excessive racial bias. In November, Republicans won at least nine of the 13 seats in North Carolina's congressional delegation and appeared to have won a 10th seat, in keeping with how many they held before the 2016 remapping. But state election officials have so far declined to certify the results in the 9th District in south-central North Carolina because of allegations of absentee ballot fraud. A key Republican in the North Carolina redistricting process, state Rep. David Lewis, has said that he drew 10 Republican districts because he did not "believe it's possible to draw a map with 11 Republicans and two Democrats." In January, a three-judge court found that the map violated the Constitution and ordered the state to come up with a new plan quickly, in time for the 2018 elections. But the Supreme Court delayed enforcement of the court order, mainly because the justices already were considering the partisan districting cases from Maryland and Wisconsin. When those cases did not settle the issue, the high court ordered the three judges to take a new look at their earlier decision. They reaffirmed the ruling in August, but also concluded there wasn't enough time to put new districts in place for 2018. Common Cause, the watchdog group that supports limits on partisan line-drawing, is leading the challenge to the North Carolina districts. "Whether it is Democrats or Republicans manipulating the election maps, gerrymanders cheat voters out of true representation," Common Cause president Karen Hobert Flynn said in a statement. "The Supreme Court has the opportunity to set a clear standard that will restore a meaningful vote to millions of Americans disenfranchised by gerrymanders in Maryland, North Carolina and across the country." Bill D'Elia, a spokesman for North Carolina Republican state Senate leader Phil Berger, said Friday that Democrats have been looking for much of this decade to find judges who will redraw maps that will boost their candidates. "We hope the Supreme Court finally puts this nonsense to rest and that Democrats go back to the old-fashioned way of winning elections: convincing people to vote for them," D'Elia said in an email. In Maryland, Democratic Rep. David Trone was sworn into office Thursday to represent a district that runs from the Washington suburbs to the rural northwest corner of the state. Democrats who controlled the redistricting process overhauled the district in 2011, turning what had been a reliably Republican stronghold into a Democratic district. Several Republican voters sued over the new district's boundaries, claiming it unfairly favored Democrats. A day after the November elections, a three-judge panel agreed with the Republicans who sued and ordered Maryland officials to draw a new congressional redistricting plan that isn't tainted by partisan gerrymandering. Judge Paul Niemeyer of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit said in his opinion for the panel that the Maryland congressional map removed roughly 66,000 Republican voters from the district and added around 24,000 Democratic voters, "bringing about the single greatest alteration of voter makeup in any district in the Nation following the 2010 census." Trone is not a party to the case, but he filed a legal brief in which he said he "is no fan of partisan gerrymandering, but that does not mean it is a terminal disease, much less one that the judiciary can or should cure." ___ Associated Press writer Gary Robertson in Raleigh, North Carolina, contributed to this report. NEW YORK (AP) - The world's largest tech conference has apparently learned a big lesson about gender equity. CES, the huge annual consumer-electronics show in Las Vegas, caught major flak from activists in late 2017 when it unveiled an all-male lineup of keynote speakers for the second year in a row. Although it later added two female keynoters , the gathering's "boys' club" reputation remained intact. It didn't help that one of the unsanctioned events latching on to CES last year was a nightclub featuring female "robot strippers." This year, four of the nine current keynoters are women. GenderAvenger, the activist group that raised a ruckus last year, recently sent CES organizers a congratulatory letter and awarded the show a "Gold Stamp of Approval" for a roster of keynote and "featured" speakers that it says is 45 percent women - 60 percent of them women of color. It's a significant change for CES, which like most tech conferences remains disproportionately male, just like the industry it serves. Even absent the robot dogs, sci-fi worthy gadgets and "booth babes" CES has been known for, you could readily peg it as a technology show from the bathroom lines alone - where men shift uncomfortably as they wait their turn while women waltz right in. The four-day CES show opens Tuesday, though media previews begin Sunday. Keynoters this year include IBM CEO Ginni Rometty; Lisa Su, CEO of chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices; and U.S. Transportation Security Elaine Chao. The entire featured speaker list is currently half female, although the exact percentage won't be known until after the event. "There is no question we keep trying to do better," said Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association, which organizes CES. "Diversity is about having people who see things differently - frankly, disagree with you and tell you that you are stupid," said Tania Yuki, CEO of social media analytics company Shareablee and an attendee of CES for the past several years. The big question, she says, is whether CES has really listened to its critics. FILE- In this Jan. 6, 2017, file photo attendees stand in front of a QLED TV at the Samsung booth during CES International in Las Vegas. Critics have been on the case of one of the tech industry's largest trade shows for not including enough female speakers. That seems to be changing this year at CES, the huge consumer-electronics show in Las Vegas. Last year, CES initially had no female keynote speakers, and drew heavy criticism. This year, activists have given it an award for the gender and racial balance of its speaker lineup. (AP Photo/John Locher, File) CES is the place to be for tech companies and startups to show off their latest gadgets and features. More than 180,000 people are expected to attend this year, and some 4,500 companies will be on the convention floor. Among them are newcomers like Tide maker Procter & Gamble, defense contractor Raytheon and tractor seller John Deere - all eager to burnish their technology bona fides. But really leveling the playing field often means more than inviting female CEOs to speak. For starters, women and people of color are underrepresented in the tech industry, especially in leadership and technical roles. So, conference organizers might need to look harder, or be more flexible in who they invite to speak. There are also optics. While recent attendees say "booth babes" - scantily clad women hawking gadgets - no longer seem to be a presence, some companies still hire "fitness models," largely young women wearing tight-fitting outfits, to demo products. This can make it difficult for the few women at the show who are there as executives, engineers and other technologists, as men mistake them for models, too. "When you are talking about scantily clad models you are setting a tone," said Bobbie Carlton, the founder of Innovation Women, a speaker bureau for women. "It is a slippery slope and you end up with this type of mentality that runs through industry, where women are objectified and are only useful if they look good." More optics: Until recently, a porn convention taking place immediately after CES appeared more diverse than CES itself. Not a good look for the tech confab. There are also logistical challenges, Carlton said. For example, women often work for smaller companies, which can find it more challenging to "send someone cross-country to stay at a fancy hotel for three days," she said. Rajia Abdelaziz is CEO of invisaWear, a startup that makes smart "safety jewelry." While she's attending CES this year, she said it wasn't worth the $10,000 it would cost her company to have its own convention-floor booth. In addition to the cost concerns, Abdelaziz notes that her products are primarily aimed at women - and there just aren't that many of them at CES. Women are also still more likely to be responsible for the home and for child care, so they might turn down speaking opportunities if the timing doesn't work for them, Carlton said. CES has tried to make some concessions. For example, it offers private pods for women to pump breast milk at the event. But it doesn't offer child care support, unlike the smaller Grace Hopper Celebration for Women in Computing conference, a fall event aimed at women in computer science. Organizers note that children are not permitted at CES. Although kids are also banned from Grace Hopper, that conference still manages to offer free child care for attendees. Still, Yuki is hopeful that CES is on the right track. "It's a big conference," she said. "You can only turn a very big ship very slowly." __ Associated Press Writer Joseph Pisani contributed to this story. FILE- In this Jan. 4, 2017, photo a woman participates in a virtual realty presentation during an Intel news conference before CES International in Las Vegas. The weeklong event is one of the world's largest trade shows and where many tech companies and startups go to show off their latest gadgets and more than 180,000 people are expected to attend CES this year. It is against this background that a growing number of people inside and out of the tech industry are urging organizers of events like CES to ensure that their roster of speakers features a broad array of people, diverse in gender, race as well as in their thinking. (AP Photo/John Locher, File) FILE- In this Jan. 7, 2018, file photo Aureole's wine angel rappels up the wind tower at the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino during CES International in Las Vegas. The weeklong event is one of the world's largest trade shows and where many tech companies and startups go to show off their latest gadgets and more than 180,000 people are expected to attend CES this year. It is against this background that a growing number of people inside and out of the tech industry are urging organizers of events like CES to ensure that their roster of speakers features a broad array of people, diverse in gender, race as well as in their thinking. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - An American Indian and environmental activist named in a federal racketeering lawsuit says her opposition to the Dakota Access oil pipeline was constitutionally protected free speech, not an attempt to incite violence as the company alleges. Krystal Two Bulls asked a judge in a court filing last month to dismiss her from the lawsuit filed by Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners, which built the $3.8 billion pipeline to move North Dakota oil to Illinois. The company's $1 billion lawsuit filed in August 2017 and revised in August 2018 claims environmental groups and five individuals, including Two Bulls, interfered with company business, facilitated crimes and acts of terrorism, incited violence, targeted financial institutions that backed the project, and violated defamation and racketeering laws. ETP's lawyers maintain that Two Bulls was a key player in the Red Warrior Camp, an aggressive faction of pipeline protesters the company labels "a front for eco-terrorists." The Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council ultimately asked the group to leave the protest area near its reservation in southern North Dakota in late 2016. Two Bulls' attorneys argue in court documents that her anti-pipeline activism was not illegal. "Plaintiff's attempt to recast Ms. Two Bulls' lawful advocacy as racketeering is nothing more than an attempt to punish and chill political speech plaintiffs do not like," they said. Two Bulls' attorneys also say she wasn't served with the lawsuit within the required 90 days of being named a defendant last August. She was served Dec. 5 at the Phoenix airport. The company has argued that Two Bulls and three other people it added as individual defendants have used tactics such as moving frequently and staying in hotels under fake names to avoid being served. Two Bulls denies hiding, saying in an affidavit that "the effectiveness of my work as an activist demands that it gain public attention." ETP late last month asked the judge for more time to track down and serve the three defendants who still haven't been served. The judge had not ruled as of Friday. He also has yet to rule on a request by Greenpeace in September to be dismissed from the lawsuit. He dismissed Earth First and BankTrack as defendants last year. He said ETP failed to make a case that Earth First is an entity that can be sued and that BankTrack's actions in imploring banks not to fund the pipeline did not amount to radical ecoterrorism. All three groups have called the lawsuit an attack on free speech. Greenpeace also says allegations by ETP under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act are "implausible" and "inflammatory." The company counters that there is plentiful evidence of "malicious criminal conduct" by Greenpeace. ___ Follow Blake Nicholson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/NicholsonBlake LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Latest on a lawsuit over use of location data collected from users of The Weather Channel mobile app (all times local): 11:50 a.m. The owner of The Weather Channel mobile app denies any impropriety with sharing location data collected from users. IBM Corp. issued a statement Friday in response to a lawsuit by the Los Angeles city attorney. Prosecutors claim app users have been misled to think the data is only used for personalized weather information but it is actually sold to third parties. IBM says there has always been transparency about use of location data and it will be vigorously defended. The app is part of The Weather Company digital assets that IBM acquired for $2 billion in 2015. The Weather Channel seen on TV was not acquired by IBM and is owned by a different company. ___ 10:40 a.m. Los Angeles prosecutors say they're suing operators of The Weather Channel mobile app to stop it from tracking the whereabouts of app users and selling the data to third parties. City Attorney Michael Feuer said Friday that users of the popular app are misled to think their location data will only be used for personalized forecasts and alerts. Feuer says the app's operators intentionally obscured its motives in a lengthy privacy policy that got four-fifths of users to agree to share geolocation data. The lawsuit comes as companies such as Facebook and Google are under fire for sharing users' information. Feuer says The Weather Channel app operators sold data to at least a dozen websites for targeted ads. A company representative says it's "always been transparent with use of location data" and will vigorously defend the "fully appropriate" disclosures. ___ These two items have been clarified to show that the lawsuit is against the operator of The Weather Channel mobile app and not The Weather Channel. HONOLULU (AP) - A tugboat will try to recover bodies of crewmembers who abandoned a ship that caught fire while carrying cars from Japan to Hawaii. The Sincerity Ace, a 650-foot (198-meter) car carrier, had 21 crewmembers on board when the fire started Monday. Ships in the area rescued 16 people. Four were listed as unresponsive in the water and the U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search for one crewmember listed as missing. Japanese shipping company Shoei Kisen Kaisha Ltd. owns the Panamanian-flagged vessel. Company spokesman Darrell Wilson says the vessel could still be on fire. He says the tugboat is expected to arrive Sunday or Monday to tow the ship and try to recover bodies. In this Dec. 31, 2018 photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, a Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircrew flies over the 650-foot Sincerity Ace on fire 1,800 nautical miles northwest of Oahu in the Pacific Ocean. The U.S. Coast Guard is suspending its search for a crew member from a vessel carrying cars from Japan to Hawaii who went missing after the ship caught fire. The Coast Guard made the decision to suspend the search for the Sincerity Ace crew member on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019. (U.S. Coast Guard via AP) Edcon which owns Edgars Stores, Jet and CNA, has been under extreme financial pressure over the past few years. Owners of South African malls can now breathe a sigh of relief as the Edcon board recently approved the structure of a proposed recapitalization plan and in response, lenders have extended waivers to allow time for the company to turn itself around. The headlines about retail giant Edcon Holdings on the brink of collapse, have been jarring for South Africas big Shopping Mall Owners and the whole nation. Edcon which owns Edgars Stores, Jet and CNA, has been under extreme financial pressure over the past few years. The group which occupies big pockets of space in many centres, has been negotiating new cheaper leases with its landlords as a way to cut costs. The flagship brand, Edgars, operates as a major anchor driving business to smaller retailers in some of the centres across the country. The retailer accounts for 10% of occupancy in SAs major shopping malls. Total collapse of the clothing retailer is not in the best interest of the nation as whole. The closure of the company would put jobs at risk and deal a massive psychological blow to the South African economy. A Sunday Times newspaper report said that 140,000 of jobs were on the line. Grant Pattison, Edcon CEO said the groups board has approved the proposed recapitalisation plan, but he did not give more details on what it entails, citing confidentiality. Edcon has debt of R7bn and has had to fight hard to maintain its relevance in a clothing retail market that has seen local and foreign rivals such as Mr Price, H&M, Zara and new online shops that are eating into their market share. Mall owners Liberty Two Degrees and Hyprop Investments emerged as the biggest losers from the closure of Stuttafords Stores. The 150-year-old department store officially closed its doors in 2017 amid tough economic challenges. BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - When the winds howl and the bone-numbing cold sets in, scores of North Dakotans willingly become lawbreakers by warming up their vehicles without being in them, ignoring a potential $1,500 state fine and 30 days in jail. "It's ineffective. The people ignore it. Let's get rid of it," said Republican Rep. Daniel Johnston, who is sponsoring a bill that would make it legal for people to leave their vehicles running unattended, amending a statute that has been on the books since the 1940s that no one can remember being enforced. "Simply put, the law goes against the will of the people," Johnston told the House Transportation Committee Friday. "The citizenry of North Dakota recognizes this is a bad law." Others don't even realize it's on the books, he said. Donnell Preskey, executive director of the North Dakota Sheriffs and Deputies Association, told the panel that her group supports amending the law. No one spoke against it. North Dakota's law was put on the books nearly 75 years ago as a deterrent against automobile theft. Several states in recent years have enacted anti-idling laws in an effort to improve air quality. FILE - In this Dec. 26, 2018 file photo, traffic moves slowly during a winter storm in downtown Bismarck, N.D. It is illegal in North Dakota to idle an unattended vehicle but the law is widely ignored in a state known for its brutal winters.Republican Rep. Daniel Johnston is sponsoring a bill that would make it legal for residents to routinely warm up their vehicles in the winter without being in them. The proposed measure would reverse a law on the books since the 1940s that he says the law goes against the will of the people. The current law carries a maximum $1,500 fine and 30 days in jail. (Tom Stromme/The Bismarck Tribune via AP, File) National Conference of State Legislatures data shows nine states have laws to curb vehicle idling and another 14 limit idling for certain vehicles, such as state-owned vehicles and school buses. The group said idling wastes about 6 billion gallons of fuel annually, and 18 states have grants, loans, tax credits to encourage idle reduction. Even environmental group Sierra Club is not standing in the way of the effort to make idling legal. Wayde Schafer, the group's North Dakota spokesman, said banning idling vehicles is futile in North Dakota, where it's considered a necessary evil because of brutal winter weather. "It's so engrained in our culture and people will never change their habits even if they know it's against the law," Schafer said. "It's part of winter in North Dakota, and people want to get into a warm car, so what do you do?" Schafer said his group will not take a position on the proposed legislation. Bismarck Police Chief Dave Draovitch, who has spent nearly three decades with the department, said idling vehicles that are left unattended is not something that officers enforce. "If we ever wrote a citation for it, I'd be surprised," Draovitch said. Still, police departments across the state often issue public service announcements reminding residents to lock their vehicles. "We'd rather have vehicles locked," Draovitch said, adding that leaving vehicles running while unoccupied creates a golden opportunity for thieves. Fargo police spokeswoman Jessica Schindeldecker said most vehicles stolen in North Dakota's biggest city occur in the winter, and most are because they are left idling with the doors unlocked. Schindeldecker did not know if anyone had ever been cited for leaving a vehicle idling, but she said officers sometimes "chat with the owner, and tell them they just want them to stop doing it." Jennifer Wagner of Minot had her vehicle stolen years ago after leaving it running to drop off some items at her church. She now owns a business with her husband that installs remote starters that allow a driver to preheat a vehicle before getting into it. North Dakota's current law is "dumb," Wagner said. Most remote starters are equipped with anti-theft systems that won't allow the vehicle to be opened or driven without a key, she said. "Most people probably don't even know about the law, and even if they do they don't care and are willing to take the risk," she said. Her business, Too Dark Motorsports, is one of dozens in the state that sells and installs remote starters, which are often booked two to three weeks out in the winter, she said. Wagner said she and other North Dakotans don't buy the argument that vehicles warm up quicker while being driven. About 30 people set up appointments one day last week when a dangerous cold snap hit the region. "No one wants to get in a frozen car in North Dakota and let it warm up," she said. "No one." DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is introducing herself to influential Iowa Democrats by telling her personal story of economic opportunity, trying to lay claim in the emerging 2020 presidential field as a champion for a middle class she says is withering under President Donald Trump. On her first full day as a Democratic presidential prospect in the kickoff caucus state, Warren repeatedly argued that opportunities like hers have vanished because wealthy interests have bent policy makers in Washington to their will. "They work for the rich and the powerful and not the rest of us. It's throughout the system," Warren said, igniting cheers from more than 500 in a downtown event hall Saturday evening. "This is corruption, pure and simple. It is corruption and it is eating away at our democracy and every fiber of our lives." A leading Democrat in the Senate, Warren has made a name for herself as an advocate for consumer protection and become a regular target of Trump. But by the end of a day of public speeches and private meetings during her Iowa debut, Warren made clear her campaign will be built upon the twin themes of economic fairness and government stripped of money's influence. "We need big structural change," she said, her voice strained from speaking and the onset of laryngitis. "We've got to go big on this." Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass, waves to the crowd during an organizing event at Curate event space in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. (AP Photo/Matthew Putney) It's a message that echoed with an audience in the working-class cities of Council Bluffs on Friday evening and Sioux City on Saturday morning and lit up the crowd in the liberal state capital of Des Moines Saturday evening. Warren was scheduled to close out her Iowa visit Sunday by meeting privately with Democratic activists at a Des Moines coffee shop and later with a public roundtable discussion with women in a Des Moines suburb. Warren strayed little from the fairness and anti-corruption themes throughout the day. Even when Sioux City Democrat Tricia Currans-Sheehan asked her why she submitted to a DNA test after Trump questioned Warren's claim of Native American ancestry, Warren shifted back to economic fairness. The test results suggested Warren could have had a Native American ancestor many generations ago, which she described as the difference between ancestry and having a connection to a tribe, something Warren says she never claimed. Trying to stick to her message, she said, "What 2020 is going to be about is not about my family. It's about the tens of millions of families across this country who just want a level playing field." Similarly, Warren refused to comment Friday on Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib's profane call to impeach Trump. Warren instead urged Congress to act to protect the special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. She didn't hesitate, however, to allude to potential rivals Tom Steyer and Michael Bloomberg, both billionaires, by arguing for elections free from the influence of billionaires. "None of us believe that billionaires ought to be able to self-fund" their campaigns, she said. Steyer is scheduled to visit Iowa Wednesday. Despite the friendly receptions Warren received, few seemed ready to commit. "She comes across as real. And I like that, retired Sioux City teacher Colleen Sernett-Shadle said. "I just want to know whoever we nominate is strong. And there are a lot of people to sift through." High school senior Maggie Bashore said she was curious, but looking for someone younger than Warren, who is 69. "We need somebody who is focusing on our generation," Bashore said. "We need someone who knows we're going to be the ones taking care of the planet." Though Warren announced the formation of a presidential exploratory committee Monday, the weekend events had all the trappings of a full-blown campaign. Warren's staff logged the names and contact information for those interested in more information. Warren herself said, "I want to run a grassroots campaign," and urged attendees to volunteer and contribute money in small amounts. She unveiled a raft of staff hires last week. And joining her in Iowa was Joe Rospars, a recent Warren hire who was Barack Obama's digital strategist during his successful 2008 and 2012 campaigns. Warren's visit is an effort to gain an early advantage in the state. Other Democratic presidential prospects are expected to announce their plans in the coming weeks, and have been in touch for weeks with party leaders, activists and potential staff in Iowa. Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts speaks at a campaign event at Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City, Iowa on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. Warren is getting a chance to test her skills as a presidential candidate during a trip to Iowa, a key early voting state on the 2020 election calendar. (Justin Wan/Sioux City Journal via AP) Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts speaks at a campaign event at Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City, Iowa on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. Warren is getting a chance to test her skills as a presidential candidate during a trip to Iowa, a key early voting state on the 2020 election calendar. (Justin Wan/Sioux City Journal via AP) Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts speaks at a campaign event at Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City, Iowa on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. Warren is getting a chance to test her skills as a presidential candidate during a trip to Iowa, a key early voting state on the 2020 election calendar. (Justin Wan/Sioux City Journal via AP) Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts speaks at a campaign event at Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City, Iowa on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. Warren is getting a chance to test her skills as a presidential candidate during a trip to Iowa, a key early voting state on the 2020 election calendar. (Justin Wan/Sioux City Journal via AP) Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts speaks at a campaign event at Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City, Iowa on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. Warren is getting a chance to test her skills as a presidential candidate during a trip to Iowa, a key early voting state on the 2020 election calendar. (Justin Wan/Sioux City Journal via AP Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts speaks at a campaign event at Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City, Iowa on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. Warren is getting a chance to test her skills as a presidential candidate during a trip to Iowa, a key early voting state on the 2020 election calendar. (Justin Wan/Sioux City Journal via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) - An American airstrike earlier this week targeted an al-Qaida operative accused of involvement in the attack nearly two decades ago on the USS Cole that killed 17 sailors, a U.S. military spokesman said Friday. The man targeted, Jamal al-Badawi, is wanted in the United States for his role in the Cole attack on Oct. 12, 2000. He was indicted by a U.S. grand jury in 2003 and charged with 50 counts of various terrorism offenses, including murder of U.S. nationals and murder of U.S. military personnel. "U.S. forces are still assessing the results of the strike following a deliberate process to confirm his death," the spokesman for U.S. Central Command, Navy Capt. William Urban, said. Urban said the airstrike was conducted Jan. 1 in the governate of Marib, which is east of Sanaa, the Yemeni capital. The Cole, a guide-missile destroyer, was attacked by suicide bombers in an explosives-laden boat while refueling at the Yemeni port of Aden. The stunning assault, which also wounded 39 aboard the ship, foreshadowed the more deadly attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 that launched the U.S. on wars in the Middle East that are still underway, including in Afghanistan. This photo provided by the FBI shows Jamal al-Badawi. An American military spokesman says a U.S. airstrike in Yemen targeted al-Badawi, an al-Qaida operative accused of involvement in the Oct. 12, 2000 attack on the USS Cole that killed 17 sailors. The spokesman, Navy Capt. William Urban at U.S. Central Command headquarters, said Friday, Jan. 4, 2019 that the Jan. 1 airstrike targeted Jamal al-Badawi. Urban said U.S. forces are attempting to confirm his death.(FBI via AP) WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) - Supporters of a Confederate statue in North Carolina are planning a rally after the city where it stands ordered its removal. The Winston-Salem Journal reports a new group called the Heirs to the Confederacy plans to meet Jan. 13 at the spot where the now-toppled "Silent Sam" statue stood at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and then ride to Winston-Salem. Winston-Salem has told the United Daughters of the Confederacy to remove the monument by Jan. 31 or face a possible lawsuit. After two vandalism incidents in less than 1 years and confrontations over Confederate monuments elsewhere, the city attorney believes it creates a public nuisance. The city has offered to pay for the statue's relocation to a cemetery, but the UDC says it will fight the effort. ___ Information from: Winston-Salem Journal, http://www.journalnow.com NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A Tennessee man who was one of the first inmates to be released under a new federal sentencing reform law is officially a free man. Matthew Charles received national attention in 2018 after being resentenced and ordered back to prison two years after a judge ruled his sentence was unfair. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger specifically cited the First Step Act as the reason she was reducing the sentence as time-served for the 52-year-old Charles. Later that day, WPLN-FM reports Charles was released from Grayson County Detention Center in Leitchfield, Kentucky. Charles had been detained there for the past seven months. He was originally sentenced to 35 years in prison in 1996 for selling crack cocaine. President Donald Trump signed First Step into law last month. FILE - In this Dec. 17, 2017, file photo, Matthew Charles, who was released from prison after 21 years as a result of retroactive drug sentencing guideline changes, discusses his legal challenges at Nashville Public Radio in Nashville, Tenn. Charles will be one of the first prisoners to be released under a sweeping criminal justice reform law recently signed by President Donald Trump thanks to a federal judge's ruling on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019. (Julieta Martinelli/Nashville Public Radio via AP, File) ___ Information from: WPLN-FM, http://www.wpln.org/ LIMA, Peru (AP) - The Latest on a regional meeting about Venezuela's political crisis. (all times local): 2:40 p.m. A dozen Latin American governments have urged Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to abstain from being sworn in for a second term next week and cede power until new elections can be held. They say it is the only way to restore democracy in the South American nation. The strong rebuke came following a meeting Friday of high-ranking diplomats from the 12 regional governments and Canada in Peru's capital to discuss Venezuela's crisis ahead of Maduro's plans to be sworn in Jan. 10 for a second term he won in elections widely condemned as illegitimate. Mexico also partook in the meeting of the so-called Lima Group but didn't sign the statement. The group also called for a toughening of sanctions against Maduro's government and expressed support for efforts to initiate proceedings against his government at the International Criminal Court. Brazil's Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo, right, and Canada's Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrew Leslie, left, attend a meeting of the Lima Group concerning Venezuela in Lima, Peru, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. A coalition of international leaders gather in Lima to define a strategy for resolving Venezuela's growing crisis ahead of President Nicolas Maduro's Jan. 10 inauguration to a second term, which is widely dismissed as illegitimate. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) Maduro has disavowed the group's recommendations in the past and his foreign minister on Friday accused the countries of taking orders from U.S. President Donald Trump. Chile's Foreign Minister Roberto Ampuero, center, attends a meeting of the Lima Group concerning Venezuela in Lima, Peru, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. A coalition of international leaders gather in Lima to define a strategy for resolving Venezuela's growing crisis ahead of President Nicolas Maduro's Jan. 10 inauguration to a second term, which is widely dismissed as illegitimate. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) Foreign Ministers of the Lima Group gather for a meeting concerning Venezuela, in Lima, Peru, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The group gathers in Lima to define a strategy for resolving Venezuela's growing crisis ahead of President Nicolas Maduro's Jan. 10 inauguration to a second term, which is widely dismissed as illegitimate. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump's comments about Afghanistan this week devolved into a history lesson gone awry and an embrace of the former Soviet Union's decision to invade the country in the 1970s. Trump argued that the Soviets' foray into Afghanistan was the right thing to do, even though he said it "bankrupted" Moscow and led to the demise of the Soviet Union. He said the invasion targeted terrorists who were flowing into the Soviet Union. Actually, the Soviets were trying to bolster communists in Afghanistan and possibly expand their influence against the United States and the West. A look at some of his statements Wednesday during a Cabinet meeting: SOVIET INVASION OF AFGHANISTAN TRUMP: "The reason Russia was in Afghanistan was because terrorists were going into Russia. They were right to be there." THE FACTS: His assertion that the Soviets were experiencing a terrorist influx from Afghanistan is out of step with history. President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) While Trump might personally agree with Russia's decision to invade Afghanistan in 1979, the United States at the time did not. The U.S. boycotted the 1980 Olympics in Moscow in protest and the U.N. General Assembly voted 104-18 to deplore the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan. At the time the U.S. supported the anti-communist rebels, known as mujahedeen, whom President Ronald Reagan called freedom fighters. The U.S. believed that the Soviet Union wanted to strengthen the communists but also that it wanted access to a warm water port through Afghanistan to the Arabian Sea. Maybe the "terrorists" Trump was talking about were the Afghan insurgents who were rebelling against a communist-led party that staged a coup inside Afghanistan in 1978. The Soviet Union was trying to bolster that party and subsequently sent in 100,000 troops to occupy the country and fight insurgents. The United States actually took the side of Afghans fighting against Soviet forces, providing them with shoulder-fired rockets that allowed them to shoot down Soviet helicopters and planes. That further burdened the Soviets and increased their human and military losses. The Soviets pulled out of Afghanistan in 1989, the same year that the Berlin Wall fell. The Soviet Union crumbled in 1991. "Praising Soviet invasion of #Afghanistan is an insult to the anti-communist struggle," tweeted Husain Haqqani, a former Pakistani ambassador to the United States. Trumps comments come as Russian lawmakers weigh historical revisionism on Afghanistan. Before Feb. 15, the 30th anniversary of the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, Russia's legislature is to vote on a resolution stating that the invasion was conducted according to the "norms of international law." This would nullify a resolution passed in 1989 that condemned the invasion. ___ TRUMP: "Russia used to be the Soviet Union. Afghanistan made it Russia, because they went bankrupt fighting in Afghanistan." "The problem is it was a tough fight. And literally, they went bankrupt. They went into being called Russia again, as opposed to the Soviet Union. You know, a lot these places you're reading about now are no longer a part of Russia because of Afghanistan." THE FACTS: That's an oversimplification. It's true that the money the former Soviet Union spent on military and weapons in its competition with the West to wield influence around the world, including in Afghanistan, accelerated its demise. But Russia's intervention in Afghanistan was far from the sole reason for the breakup. The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 occurred in a time of ethnic and political troubles, economic woes and a series of revolutions that led Soviet republics to seek their independence. ___ ISLAMIC STATE GROUP IN AFGHANISTAN TRUMP: "You do have terrorists, mostly Taliban, but ISIS. I mean, I'll give you an example. So, Taliban is our enemy. ISIS is our enemy. ... Taliban is here, ISIS is here, and they're fighting each other. I said, 'Why don't you let them fight?' Why are we getting in the middle of it? I said, 'Let them fight. They're both our enemies. Let them fight.'" "It's the craziest thing I've ever seen. I think I would've been a good general, but who knows. But you know what? These are two enemies that are fighting against each other, and we end up going in and fighting. And what are we doing?" THE FACTS: It's true that IS militants are fighting the Taliban for influence in some parts of Afghanistan, but keeping Afghanistan from becoming a safe place for extremists was the very reason the U.S. intervened in the country. The U.S. intervention was a response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The Afghan Taliban had given al-Qaida militants a place to train and embolden its forces to launch attacks on the United States and other targets. The U.S. continues to keep 14,000 American servicemen and women in Afghanistan to execute counterterrorism missions against extremists to prevent a repeat of 9/11 and train and advise Afghan security forces, which are leading the fight against the Taliban. ___ Associated Press writer Kathy Gannon in Islamabad contributed to this report. ___ Find AP Fact Checks at http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck SEATTLE (AP) - More than six years after the state legalized the adult use of marijuana, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said Friday he plans to pardon thousands of people convicted of small-time possession charges - the latest in a series of moves by states and cities to ease the burdens people face from having minor criminal records for using pot. The Democrat, who is mulling a 2020 presidential run, made the announcement at a cannabis industry summit in SeaTac, south of Seattle. Inslee said he was creating an expedited process that would allow about 3,500 people to apply for and receive a pardon without having to hire a lawyer or go to court. "We have people who have this burden on their shoulders from a simple, one-time marijuana possession from maybe 20 years ago, and that's impeding the ability of people to live their lives," Inslee said in an interview. "It can damage their ability to get financing for a home; it can damage their ability to get financing for colleges, even simple things like going on a field trip with your kids. "We should not be punishing people for something that is no longer illegal," he said. Several states allow for expunging or sealing marijuana convictions, but obtaining such relief has typically been onerous, requiring a lawyer or court appearances. As more states have eased marijuana laws or followed the lead of Washington and Colorado in legalizing recreational pot use since 2012, some cities, counties and states have simplified the process of clearing convictions. Seattle, San Francisco, Denver and some local prosecutors in New York City, where marijuana remains illegal, are clearing old marijuana convictions en masse, and a new law in California requires prosecutors to erase or reduce an estimated 220,000 pot convictions. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee speaks with the media at the annual Washington Cannabis Summit, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, in SeaTac, Wash. Seven years after the state legalized the adult use of marijuana, Inslee says he plans to pardon thousands of convictions for misdemeanor pot possession. (Erika Schultz/The Seattle Times via AP) Inslee's plan appears to be the first that creates a streamlined process for pardoning misdemeanor marijuana possession convictions statewide, though Michigan's governor-elect, Democrat Gretchen Whitmer, has suggested she will consider doing so. In Washington, people will be able to use a simple form on the governor's website to ask for a pardon of a single conviction dating as far back as 1998. To be eligible, people must have been convicted as an adult, and the conviction must be the only one on their record. Advocates of marijuana law reform welcomed Inslee's action, but said it could have gone farther. They noted that people will only be eligible to have a single conviction erased, so those with more than one will still face traditional clemency requirements. Automatically clearing past convictions or making it easy for people to request pardons is a racial justice issue, considering that blacks and other minorities have historically been arrested for marijuana at disproportionate rates, said Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. "The governor is sending a strong message here about the ameliorative steps that must be taken to address those injustices," Clarke said. "I hope there are other states that will follow the governor's lead here." Inslee cited racial justice as one of his motivations in launching the program, which he called the Marijuana Justice Initiative. He said his office did not have data on how many of the 3,500 people eligible for pardons are minorities, and he said he considered it a good first step to start with clearing a single conviction. "Maybe there will be another step later on," he said. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee speaks at the annual Washington Cannabis Summit, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, in SeaTac, Wash. Seven years after the state legalized the adult use of marijuana, Inslee says he plans to pardon thousands of convictions for misdemeanor pot possession. (Erika Schultz/The Seattle Times via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) - The new Democratic-controlled House has moved toward defending former President Barack Obama's health care law against a federal court ruling that the statute is unconstitutional, part of the party's effort to use the issue to embarrass Republicans. The House has filed papers seeking to intervene in the case, Democrats announced Friday, which by itself is unlikely to have a substantial impact on the litigation. The House action's greatest impact is likely to be political. The chamber plans to vote next week to authorize its attorneys to enter the case and defend the law. That is designed to force Republicans to choose between seeming to defend the statute they have long despised or supporting the demise of its widely popular benefits. "While the administration refuses to meet its responsibilities to defend the laws, the House of Representatives is acting to uphold the constitutionality of this law and protect the health care of every American," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in a written statement. In June, Trump administration lawyers stopped defending key parts of the law, including its guaranteed access to health insurance for people with pre-existing medical conditions. The Justice Department usually defends federal laws in court, but Trump has long unsuccessfully sought to repeal the health care statute. Congressional Republicans unanimously opposed the 2010 law and have voted repeatedly to repeal it. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of Calif., walk from the West Wing to speak to reporters after meeting with President Donald Trump about border security in the Situation Room of the White House, Friday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) The statute has gained public acceptance, particularly its protections for people with pre-existing conditions. To defend themselves during last fall's campaigns, many Republicans said they'd back legislation ensuring coverage for people with pre-existing medical issues. A federal judge in Texas said last month that the law was unconstitutional because Congress repealed its fines on uninsured people. The suit has moved to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, and in the meantime the law's provisions remain in effect. The House voted Thursday - the first day of the new Congress - to give preliminary approval to its attorneys to enter the case, a provision that was part of a broad package of rules the chamber adopted. Democrats intended the early vote to signal that health care is a high priority. During that debate, Republicans offered a non-binding measure saying lawmakers should produce legislation protecting consumers with pre-existing conditions. Democrats blocked it. UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The United Nations plans to replace an envoy who was expelled from Somalia after questioning the arrest of a political candidate with an extremist history, the world body said Friday. The announcement came after three days of diplomatic back-and-forth over Somalia's expulsion of Nicholas Haysom, a longtime U.N. official who has also served as envoy to Afghanistan, Sudan and South Sudan. U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has full confidence in Haysom, deeply regrets Somalia's decision and spoke twice about it with Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed. The world body also argues that its personnel can't be kicked out under the diplomatic doctrine that Somalia invoked. Nevertheless, the secretary-general plans to appoint a new representative for Somalia, Haq said. "It's crucial that the U.N. mission on the ground is able to go about its work," he explained. That work includes electoral support and other functions. Somalia's U.N. mission didn't immediately respond to an inquiry about the developments. The U.N. Security Council discussed them in a closed-door session Friday but didn't make any public statement. FILE - In this Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015, file photo, Nicholas Haysom, then the top UN envoy in Afghanistan, speaks during a press conference in Kabul. Somalia's government on Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019 ordered Nicholas Haysom, the United Nations envoy to Somalia, to leave amid questions over the arrest of the al-Shabab extremist group's former deputy leader Mukhtar Robow who had run for a regional presidency. (AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini, File) The Horn of Africa nation announced Tuesday it was ordering Haysom to leave, saying he overreached and meddled in the country's internal matters. In a letter to Somali officials, Haysom had raised concerns about the legal basis for the arrest of Mukhtar Robow, a former deputy leader of the deadly al-Shabab Islamic extremist group who defected and then ran for a regional presidency. Robow was a leading candidate, and the election was days away, when he was arrested last month. Somali officials said he hadn't completed a defection process and had failed to renounce extremist ideology, among other allegations against him. Deadly protests followed his arrest. Haysom didn't immediately respond to an inquiry Friday, and he didn't directly address his ouster while briefing the U.N. Security Council Thursday on overall developments in Somalia. He did, however, say that the violent fallout from Robow's arrest "does not bode well" for upcoming elections and that Robow's case could discourage other extremist group defectors from abandoning violence to pursue political change. Meanwhile, Somali Ambassador Abukar Dahir Osman admonished the council that the U.N. and its representatives have "an obligation to respect their mandate and to not interfere in our internal affairs." Somalia appreciates the U.N.'s help but "distinguishes between the institutions that we are part of and individuals' conduct that has a detrimental effect on our fragile nation," he said. After three decades of civil war, extremist attacks and famine, Somalia established a functioning transitional government in 2012 and has since been working to rebuild stability. Other countries have, at times, booted U.N. officials. Guatemala, for instance, announced in 2017 it was expelling the head of a U.N.-sponsored commission investigating alleged corruption in the Central American country. After leaving for a work trip to the United States, he hasn't been allowed to return to Guatemala. Guterres has rejected Guatemala's request to name a new chief for the commission. Artist impression of Sawanga Shopping Mall in Victoria Falls which is now 65% complete. The $13 million Sawanga Shopping Mall in Victoria Falls is well under-way and promises to offer a brighter shopping experience for local residents and tourist visiting Zimbabwe's beauty. Victoria Falls is a town in western Zimbabwe and a gateway to the massive waterfall of the same name. Here, the Zambezi River plummets over a cliff and into the Boiling Pot before flowing through a series of gorges. Zimre, Zimbabwe's property investment company has so far spent $9,2 million on its shopping mall in Victoria Falls which is now 65% complete. Providing above 5 000 square metres of lettable space, the $13 million Sawanga Shopping Mall consists of 23 shops, banks, concept houses, food courts, restaurants, coffee shops, a service station and curio shops. Zimre property manager, Stephen Kapfunde, said that the mall would be operational in 2019. The shopping mall is approximately at 65% completion and we expect the contractor to finish off most of the brickwork and to have the balance of the roof sheets on the mall in two weeks time from now, Kapfunde said. About $9.2 million has been spent on the project to date and it is scheduled for practical completion by end of December 2018, he said. The mall is one of Zimres major projects while the company has also been converting its Nicoz House Bulawayo from offices to student accommodation. Kapfunde said the company has several projects lined up, including an office park development in Borrowdale; a townhouse development in Westgate, Harare; Selbourne Park in Bulawayo; an industrial park in Bluff Hill, Harare, and a residential development in Victoria Falls. The land for all these developments has already been acquired and the projects are at different stages of implementation. Some are at design stage, some are awaiting approval, The Victoria falls is 1 708 meters wide, making it the largest curtain of water in the world. It drops between 90m and 107m into the Zambezi Gorge and an average of 550,000 cubic metres of water plummet over the edge every minute. Remarkably preserved in its natural state, Victoria falls inspires visitors as much today as it did David Livingstone in the 1860's. The falls and the surrounding area have been declared National Parks and a World Heritage Site, thus preserving the area from excessive commercialization. Victoria Falls is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - The Latest on Ryan Zinke's departure as U.S. Secretary of Interior (all times local): 10:50 a.m. Former U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke says National Park visitors should "grab a trash bag and take some trash out" as garbage bins at some parks overflow during the government shutdown. With many government workers furloughed as the partial shutdown entered its 14th day on Friday, garbage has piled up at sites including California's Joshua Tree National Park. Zinke, who resigned effective Wednesday, told The Associated Press he sought to keep the parks open during the shutdown so that the public wasn't penalized for the political feud centered on President Donald Trump's border wall. Some park advocates have called for all national parks to be closed to protect them from possible harm. FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2017 file photo, then Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke speaks on the Trump Administration's energy policy at the Heritage Foundation in Washington. As former U.S. Interior Secretary Zinke departs Trump's Cabinet amid a cloud of investigations, he says he's lived up to the conservation ideals of Teddy Roosevelt and insists the myriad allegations against him are unfounded. Zinke told The Associated Press that he quit President Donald Trump's Cabinet on his own terms, despite indications he was pressured by the White House to resign effective Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) But Zinke says visitors can help keep them open if they "pitch in, grab a trash bag and take some trash out." ___ 10:20 p.m. As former U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke exits Washington amid a cloud of unresolved ethics investigations, he says he has lived up to the conservation ideals of Teddy Roosevelt and insists the myriad allegations against him will be proven untrue. The former Montana congressman told The Associated Press that he quit President Donald Trump's Cabinet on his own terms, despite indications he was pressured by the White House to resign. His broad rollbacks of restrictions on oil and gas drilling brought a scathing backlash from environmental groups and Democratic lawmakers. But Zinke says the rollbacks mesh with Roosevelt's view that conservation entails not just protection but also development of public lands House Democrats plan to put Zinke's tenure under the spotlight with oversight hearings beginning next month. FILE - In this Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018 file photo, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, right, accompanied by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, left, and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, center, speaks during a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House, in Washington. As former U.S. Interior Secretary Zinke exits Washington amid a cloud of unresolved ethics investigations, he says he has lived up to the conservation ideals of Teddy Roosevelt and insists the myriad allegations against him will be proven untrue. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) FILE - In this June 29, 2017, file photo, Vice President Mike Pence, left, waves as he is introduced to speak at the Department of Energy in Washington, as Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke watches. As former U.S. Interior Secretary Zinke exits Washington amid a cloud of unresolved ethics investigations, he says he has lived up to the conservation ideals of Teddy Roosevelt and insists the myriad allegations against him will be proven untrue. Zinke said he quit President Donald Trump's cabinet on his own terms, despite indications he was pressured by the White House to resign effective Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) FILE - In this May 23, 2018, file photo, then U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke speaks at the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference in the Bismarck Event Center in Bismarck, N.D. As former U.S. Interior Secretary Zinke exits Washington amid a cloud of unresolved ethics investigations, he says he has lived up to the conservation ideals of Teddy Roosevelt and insists the myriad allegations against him will be proven untrue. (Tom Stromme/The Bismarck Tribune via AP, File) NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee's top Republican lawmakers say the state's biggest county, which includes Memphis, isn't following a new law that prohibits local authorities from requiring a warrant or probable cause before complying with federal immigration detainers. The Shelby County Sheriff's Office said this week that authorities won't detain anyone being released from jail without a warrant or probable cause because the county attorney advised that the new law doesn't apply to them. But it will keep notifying federal authorities when noncitizens are booked. The announcement drew a swift rebuke from Senate Speaker Randy McNally and House Speaker nominee Glen Casada, who helped push through the law that took effect Tuesday. "Shelby County needs to reevaluate their position," McNally said in a statement. "As outlined in the law, continued refusal will result in the forfeit of state economic and community development grants which would negatively affect the local economy in Shelby County." Casada said the sheriff's statement calls for a "serious discussion." "The sheriff would be working directly against the will of Shelby Countians and the legislature if he decided to disobey state law in this way," Casada said in a statement. The Republican-led Legislature passed the law last year banning so-called sanctuary policies during a heated election cycle that focused on immigration. Republican Gov. Bill Haslam, who leaves office this month, let it become law without his signature, calling it "a solution looking for a problem" in a state without any sanctuary cities and where they were already outlawed. Incoming Republican Gov. Bill Lee praised the legislation on the campaign trail. The law's enactment this week drew a scathing legal opinion by Shelby County, deeming its requirements unenforceable against the county "due to vagueness." County Attorney Marlinee Iverson wrote that the county and the cities within it do not have sanctuary policies, and added that the statute "appears to require some actor to detain individuals indefinitely without a warrant or probable cause ... based on nothing more than a request of some kind from the Department of Homeland Security or a successor agency." "The language in the statute is unclear to the extent that it can be interpreted as requiring absurd and/or potentially unconstitutional conduct by any law enforcement agency," Iverson wrote in the opinion. Enforcement of the law calls for a local citizen to sue and a judge to rule that a policy in his or her government is in violation. State economic development officials haven't crafted any guidance on the new law, but have indicated they plan to follow it. The issue hits home in Shelby County, where Spanish-language reporter Manuel Duran was arrested, detained by immigration authorities and could still be deported after he was granted a stay as a federal court hears his case. Duran was running the Memphis Noticias news outlet when he was arrested in April during a demonstration that coincided with days of remembrance of the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King in Memphis. The protest was related to U.S. immigration policies. The district attorney's office dropped charges of disorderly conduct and obstruction of a highway, but the reporter was picked up by immigration agents after he was released from jail. Duran, who is originally from El Salvador, was taken into the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and placed in a detention facility in Louisiana. Immigration officials said he had a pending deportation order from 2007 after failing to show for a scheduled court date. Duran's lawyers have said he came to the U.S. without permission in 2006 after receiving death threats related to reporting on corruption in El Salvador. Duran maintains he never received any notice to appear before a U.S. judge in 2007. The Shelby County's sheriff's office said in April that Duran was asked about his country of birth and citizenship when he was arrested. Duran's information was provided to ICE and immigration officials attended his court proceeding on the state charges, the sheriff's office has said. Later that April, the county attorney's office ruled that ICE's 48-hour detainer requests were likely unconstitutional, and the sheriff's office stopped holding noncitizens suspected of living in the U.S. illegally in jail past their scheduled release dates. Mauricio Calvo, executive director of the immigrant-advocacy group Latino Memphis, applauded the county attorney's determination and chided lawmakers for threatening to withhold state money under a law he argues is unconstitutional. "They should be challenged in court for punishing us and asking us to do something that is illegal," said Calvo, whose group is helping Duran with his legal defense. ___ Sainz reported from Memphis, Tennessee. MEXICO CITY (AP) - A community activist who had been threatened over a road project was shot to death in the southern Mexico state of Chiapas. State prosecutors said activist Sinar Corzo was shot to death on a street in the town of Arriaga, Chiapas late Thursday. The state's new, leftist government condemned the killing and said it would not go unpunished. Corzo had reported receiving threats from armed men in 2017. They were apparently upset about his support for a rural road project. Two years earlier he had tangled with local officials over construction work at a local market. He had also tussled with local governments over demands to provide poor communities with water and sewers. On Friday the National Human Rights Commission decried Corzo's killing. The governmental commission says that 41 activists and human rights workers have been killed in Mexico since 2006. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Department of Homeland Security has asked the military to provide more help securing the U.S.-Mexico border, two defense officials said Friday amid a political standoff over President Donald Trump's demand for more money to build a border wall. The acting secretary of defense, Pat Shanahan, has not decided how to respond to the DHS request, but in the past the Pentagon has provided help when asked. At one point last fall there were nearly 5,900 active-duty troops along the border in Texas, Arizona and California to assist border patrol agents and to erect wire barriers. That number now is about 2,350. The defense officials said DHS asked for certain military capabilities, not any number of troops. It will be up to Shanahan to decide whether more active-duty troops are dispatched. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the request for assistance has not yet been fully processed. One of the officials said DHS wants the military to put up concertina wire as barriers along 160 miles of border. That would be in addition to 70 miles of concertina wire that combat engineers put up last fall. If the new work is taken on by the military, it might require an extension of the current deployment beyond its scheduled end Jan. 31. The official said DHS did not specifically ask for an extension, but it has not been ruled out. The troops have been erecting and reinforcing border barriers but are not performing law enforcement tasks or engaging with migrants. Some also have been providing transportation and logistical help as well as medical assistance to troops and to Customs and Border Protection personnel along the border. Many in Congress, including leading Democrats, have criticized the troop deployments as a waste of money and a misuse of military resources. Separately, there are about 2,200 National Guard troops deployed along the border. It is possible that some of those, or additional deployments of National Guard personnel, could be used to perform some of the work requested by DHS. MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has published a financial disclosure form that reveals relatively few possessions - and the fact that his wife makes more than he does. Lopez Obrador cut his own pay to about $65,000 per year when he took office on Dec. 1. His wife, writer and academic Beatriz Gutierrez, makes about $72,000. "I have never been interested in money, I fight for ideals," Lopez Obrador said Friday. He claimed he has never had a credit card. The president has about $23,000 in savings, apparently in bank accounts; Gutierrez has three times that much. In the disclosure form presented to authorities Thursday, he said Gutierrez has properties worth over $250,000. Lopez Obrador said a three-acre (1.2 hectare) compound he inherited from his parents in southern Chiapas state has been signed over to his four sons, though he retains the right to live there. FILE - In this Dec. 3, 2018 file photo, Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador holds his first news conference as president, which started at 7 a.m. local time in Mexico City. Lopez Obrador has published a financial disclosure form on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, that reveals relatively few possessions and the fact that his wife makes more than he does. (AP Photo/Christian Palma, File) While he eschewed material goods, Lopez Obrador did wax poetic about his love of the tree-lined Chiapas compound, where he spends what little free time he has. "I have mahogany trees, cedars, ceiba trees ... beautiful birds land in their branches, that is my place," he said. Lopez Obrador vowed that the rest of his Cabinet would file the same kind of financial disclosure forms. But the president's crusade for government austerity - he is fond of saying "there cannot be a rich government with poor people" - has run into opposition in unusual quarters. Mexico's central bank said Thursday it has filed an appeal asking the Supreme Court to review Lopez Obrador's policy of prohibiting most public-sector employees from earning more than him. Lopez Obrador argues the rule is already written in Article 127 of the Constitution; it had simply been ignored for years. The Supreme Court has already suspended the federal salary rules passed by Congress while it reviews the measure. The Bank of Mexico said Thursday it wants the court to determine if the article applies to the bank, which is independent and autonomous. The Constitution says those who do "technical" or "specialized work" can make 50 percent more than the president. LONDON (AP) - British police are searching for a suspect after the fatal stabbing of a man on a suburban London train. British Transport Police said a man was killed Friday on board a train traveling from the town of Guildford to London Waterloo. Detective Superintendent Gary Richardson said police believe the suspect and victim boarded the train at the London Road station and that the suspect got off at the Clandon station. "This was a shocking and violent attack which took place on board a train in broad daylight," he said, asking passengers who were on the train to contact police. Police say officers are searching for the suspect in the Clandon area. The incident is not being treated as related to terrorism. A policeman stands guard at the train station, after a murder inquiry was launched following the stabbing of a man on board a train, in Horsley, Surrey, England, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. British police are searching for a suspect after the fatal stabbing of a man on a suburban London train. British Transport Police said a man was killed Friday on board a train traveling from the town of Guildford to London Waterloo. (Steve Parsons/PA via AP) KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - Congo's election commission on Friday scolded the Catholic church for saying its data show a clear winner in Sunday's presidential election, asserting that the announcement could incite an "uprising." The church, a powerful voice in the heavily Catholic nation, has called on the electoral commission to publish the true results in "respect of truth and justice." The church, which deployed some 40,000 electoral observers in all polling centers, cannot say publicly who the clear winner appears to be, as Congo's regulations forbid anyone but the electoral commission to announce results. The commission accused the church of violating the regulations. Observers have reported multiple irregularities as this vast, mineral-rich Central African country voted for a successor to departing President Joseph Kabila. This could be Congo's first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence from Belgium in 1960. The ruling party loyalist whom Kabila put forward as his preferred successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, already has said he expected to win, while polling before the election had top opposition candidate Martin Fayulu ahead. The electoral commission's statements on Friday were in a letter to the church and were confirmed to The Associated Press by the commission's president, Corneille Nangaa. Congolese independent electoral commission (CENI) officials count the presidential ballots from over 900 polling stations at a local results compilation center in Kinshasa, Congo, Friday Jan. 4, 2019. CENI said Thursday the results from 20% of the polling stations have been collected. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) In a separate statement, Congo's ruling party called the church's attitude "irresponsible and anarchist." International pressure is growing on Congo to restore internet service - blocked in an apparent attempt to calm election speculation - and release accurate election results, with the United States warning that those who undermine the democratic process could face U.S. sanctions. "This being a very sensitive, a very tense period, we are concerned that these efforts to silence dissent could backfire considerably when the results are announced," a spokeswoman for the U.N. human rights office, Ravina Shamdasani, said Friday, also noting intimidation of journalists, observers and rights activists. "We are watching carefully, and we are calling on all sides to refrain from the use of violence." Some Congolese have expressed doubt that the first election results will be released on Sunday as expected, as observers have said the internet and text messaging outage has slowed the transmission of election information. As of Thursday, the electoral commission's president said it had collected results from about 20 percent of polling stations. No Western election observers were invited to watch the vote, which was meant to occur in late 2016, after Congo's government was annoyed at international pressure amid concerns that Kabila was trying to stay in power. Ruling party candidate Shadary, a former interior minister, is under European Union sanctions for a crackdown on Congolese who protested the delayed election. The U.N. Security Council met behind closed doors to discuss Congo on Friday, at France's request. The council didn't issue any joint statement, at least for now - it's due to talk about Congo again in a public session Tuesday. Friday's meeting underscored that the council is keeping close watch on the electoral process, French Ambassador Francois Delattre said. Meanwhile, vote counting continued slowly by hand at more than 175 compilation centers around the country. At one center in the capital, Kinshasa, dozens of large bags full of opaque envelopes were piled up while electoral commission agents sat in a courtyard and opened them one by one. A separate team counted ballots as observers and political parties' witnesses watched. "We want the electoral commission to be able to work in good conditions because we want peace and we want the true results to be published," said Fiskas Kalombo, a witness for Fayulu's opposition coalition. "Only the electoral commission can do that and we are here to check that this is what is done." ___ Associated Press writer Jennifer Peltz at the United Nations contributed to this report. ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa Congolese political party observers check independent electoral commission (CENI) officials tally the presidential ballots from over 900 polling stations at a local results compilation center in Kinshasa, Congo, Friday Jan. 4, 2019. CENI said Thursday the results from 20% of the polling stations have been collected. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) Envelopes containing presidential ballots wait to be counted by Congolese independent electoral commission (CENI) officials at a local results compilation center in Kinshasa, Congo, Friday Jan. 4, 2019. CENI said Thursday the results from 20% of the polling stations have been collected. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) - Republican Sen. Pat Roberts, the longest-serving member of Congress in Kansas history, announced Friday that he won't run again in 2020, setting up a scramble to replace him in a GOP-leaning state where Democrats are energized by key victories in last year's midterm elections. The 82-year-old, four-term senator was likely to have faced grueling primary and general election contests next year, just as he did in 2014 when his longevity on Capitol Hill became a political liability for him. Democrats haven't won a Senate seat in Kansas since 1932. However, Democrat Laura Kelly won the governor's race in November and the state's previously all-GOP congressional delegation gained a Democrat when Sharice Davids was elected in a Kansas City-area district. Roberts was facing some pressure to step aside, though he said after announcing his decision that he did not feel pushed out. "No, no, just the opposite," Roberts said. "As I talked to people who helped me, they said, 'Oh, you could give it another shot' - and I could - but I think it's just time." Roberts is the second veteran GOP senator to announce plans not to seek re-election in 2020, after Tennessee's Lamar Alexander. Roberts promised "a sprint to the finish line" of his last term and highlighted accomplishments that included serving as chairman of both the House and Senate agriculture committees and passage of a massive farm bill last month. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan. makes an announcement at the Kansas Department of Agriculture in Manhattan, Kan., Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. He will not run in 2020. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner) Roberts' career on Capitol Hill began in 1967 as a congressional aide. He won a House seat representing western Kansas in 1980 and was elected to the Senate in 1996, when popular moderate Republican Sen. Nancy Kassebaum Baker decided not to seek re-election. Roberts will leave office never having lost a race. "I'm damn proud of that undefeated record," Roberts said, drawing applause from staffers and supporters. Rep. Roger Marshall, a Republican who holds the same western Kansas seat Roberts once did, is seriously considering running for Roberts' seat, a spokesman said Friday. Other potential GOP candidates include departing Gov. Jeff Colyer and outgoing Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who lost to Kelly in the governor's race. Among Democrats, Barry Grissom, a former U.S. attorney for Kansas, was considering the race before Roberts' announcement. Roberts made his announcement at the Kansas Department of Agriculture's headquarters near the campus of his alma mater, Kansas State University. The state building is in site of the under-construction, $1.25 billion National Bio and Agro-defense Facility, a new biosecurity lab due to open by 2023 and a project Roberts championed. Though Roberts saw the passage of the farm bill as a major accomplishment and touted his work with Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, he drew criticism from some GOP conservatives because the legislation reauthorized agriculture and conservation programs worth $400 billion over five years but failed to tighten work requirements for recipients of food stamps as some Republicans wanted. He said he was able to build trust with Stabenow and between their staffs and lamented that bipartisanship is becoming less common. "I've always tried to be friends with everybody, and it certainly paid off in the farm bill," Roberts said. "Politics has changed, rather dramatically." Through much of his career, Roberts had a knack for corralling the support both of the Kansas GOP's often-feuding conservative and moderate wings and scored easy election victories throughout his career. But his seat was in play in 2014 as Republicans sought to reclaim a Senate majority, after opponents on both the right and left painted him as an out-of-touch Washington insider. Critics mocked him for claiming his home was in Dodge City, the iconic former Wild West town, even though he maintained a residence in the Washington area. Roberts hurt his re-election bid by joking that renting space in the home of two Dodge City supporters gave him full access to a recliner. He bought a home in Topeka in 2016. In 2014, Roberts captured less than 50 percent of the vote in a four-person primary after a spirited challenge from tea party candidate Milton Wolf, a Kansas City-area radiologist. The Democratic nominee dropped out, giving independent candidate Greg Orman, a Kansas City-area businessman, a cleaner shot at Roberts. The national GOP quickly retooled Roberts' campaign. The resulting national spotlight was unlike anything Roberts had seen during his previous campaigns. Roberts also served four years as the Senate Intelligence Committee chairman, presiding over intensely partisan hearings over the intelligence before the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He left the chairmanship in 2006, after anger over the war cost Republicans their Senate majority. But his 2014 gaffe about the recliner showed how his sharp tongue could sometimes get him into trouble. After then-President Barack Obama had a contentious lunch in 2010 with GOP senators, Roberts called the Democrat "pretty thin-skinned" and told reporters, "He needs to take a Valium before he comes in and talks to Republicans." ___ Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna . Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan. and his wife Franki kiss after making an announcement at the Kansas Department of Agriculture in Manhattan, Kan., Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Roberts will not run for re-election in 2020. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner) Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan. and his wife Franki make an announcement at the Kansas Department of Agriculture in Manhattan, Kan., Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Roberts will not run in 2020. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner) Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan. and his wife Franki hug after making an announcement at the Kansas Department of Agriculture in Manhattan, Kan., Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Roberts will not run for re-election in 2020. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner) RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - Brazil's newly inaugurated government ordered military police sent to a violent northeastern state Friday following a wave of attacks on banks, public buildings and vehicles over the past two days. Camilo Santana, the governor of Ceara state, said 45 people had been arrested in connection with the dozens of attacks, which have hit 15 cities in the state, including the capital, Fortaleza. The attacks left the burned shells of cars and buses on streets and badly damaged the entrances to buildings. While authorities said the motive behind the attacks had not been confirmed, officials believed they were revenge for the recent announcement of tighter rules governing the state's prisons and inmates. Brazil's prison gangs are powerful and their reach extends outside the country's penitentiaries. The federal Justice and Public Security Ministry, now led by popular former anti-corruption judge Sergio Moro, ordered the military police sent to Ceara at the request of Santana, citing the "urgent" nature of the threat. Authorities did not provide more details about the deployment. President Jair Bolsonaro, a far-right politician and former army captain who was elected on pledges to crack down on crime and give security forces a free hand against criminals, praised the move. "The people of Ceara need help at this moment," said Bolsonaro, who was inaugurated New Year's Day. Firefighters put out torched vehicles on a street after attacks in the city of Fortaleza, northeastern Brazil, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019. Brazil's newly inaugurated government has ordered military police sent to Ceara state following a wave of attacks on banks, public buildings and infrastructure over the past two days, which have hit 15 cities, including the capital. (AP Photo/Alex Gomes/O Povo) MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) - The Latest on Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts' future (all times local): 4:40 p.m. A spokesman says Kansas Rep. Roger Marshall is seriously considering running for the U.S. Senate in 2020 now that Sen. Pat Roberts does not plan to seek re-election. Marshall spokesman Brent Robertson said Friday that the Republican congressman will not make a formal decision until Congress approves border security funding. The federal government is partially shut down since over President Donald Trump's demand for funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Marshall represents the 1st Congressional District of western Kansas and won his second term in November. It is the same seat Roberts held for 16 years before being elected to the Senate in 1996. Other potential Republican candidates include departing Gov. Jeff Colyer and outgoing Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who lost the governor's race last year. ___ 12:20 p.m. Republican Sen. Pat Roberts says he's concerned about national security policy now that Jim Mattis is no longer U.S. defense secretary. Roberts said Friday during news conference to announce that he won't run for re-election in 2020 that, "I worry about our national security." The four-term Republican said that Congress has accomplished much during President Donald Trump's first two years in office, but his remarks about national security contained an implied rebuke of the president. Roberts said the nation needs a consistent foreign policy that's in line with the policies of U.S. allies. Roberts is an ex-Marine who served four years as Senate Intelligence Committee chairman. As for the departure of Mattis, Roberts said: "We were in pretty good shape before that happened." ___ 11:45 a.m. Republican Sen. Pat Roberts reviewed a congressional career that included eight farms bills and what he described as success in improving national intelligence after the Iraq war as he announced that he won't seek re-election in 2020. Roberts spoke Friday at Kansas Department of Agriculture campus near Kansas State University, his alma mater, surrounded by supporters and family. Roberts spent 16 years in the U.S. House and has been in the Senate for 22 years, but faced some pressure to step aside in part because he will be 84 next year. He also faced grueling primary and general election contests in 2014. On Friday he expressed gratitude for friends and supporters over decades in public life. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would become the longest serving member of congress in this state's history," Roberts said. ___ 11:30 a.m. Veteran Republican Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas says he will not seek re-election in 2020, setting up an intense political scramble to replace him. The 82-year-old senator made the announcement Friday following a decades-long career in Congress. Roberts faced pressure to step aside in part because he would have been 84 when facing voters. He also faced grueling primary and general election contests in 2014. Roberts began his Capitol Hill career as an aide in 1967. He won a U.S. House seat representing western Kansas in 1980 and was elected to the Senate in 1996. But his longevity became a liability during his 2014 campaign. Roberts made the Friday announcement just weeks after helping negotiate the final terms of a massive farm bill. He's chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. ___ 11:10 a.m. Longtime Republican Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas will not seek re-election in 2020, setting up an intense political scramble to replace him. A person with knowledge of the 82-year-old senator's decision says Roberts will make the announcement Friday. The person declined to be named, saying Roberts wanted to make the announcement himself. Roberts has spent decades in Congress but faced pressure to step aside in part because he would have been 84 when facing voters. He also faced grueling primary and general election contests in 2014. Roberts began his Capitol Hill career as an aide in 1967. He won a U.S. House seat representing western Kansas in 1980 and was elected to the Senate in 1996. But his longevity became a liability during his 2014 campaign. ___ 9 a.m. Veteran Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas is preparing to announce whether he will seek re-election in 2020. Roberts scheduled a "special announcement" for Friday morning at the Kansas Department of Agriculture's headquarters in Manhattan. Roberts is chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee and is making the announcement weeks after Congress approved a massive farm bill. Spokeswoman Stacey Daniels said the senator will announce his plans, declining to say whether he will seek re-election. Roberts is 82 and is serving his fourth term in the Senate. He began his career on Capitol Hill as an aide in 1967. His longevity became a political liability during tough primary and general election races in 2014. CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) - An Illinois company has won a $92 million contract to deepen and widen the Corpus Christi Ship Channel to accommodate larger oil tankers. The Port of Corpus Christi on Thursday announced the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers selected Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company. The federal government and the Port of Corpus Christi are funding the overall $360 million ship channel project. Plans include expanding the Corpus Christi Ship Channel from the Gulf of Mexico to Harbor Island. The depth would increase from 47 feet (14 meters) to 54 feet (16 meters) from the jetties at the entrance to the channel. The project comes amid replacement of the Harbor Bridge, which opened in 1959 and has a 138-foot (42 meters) clearance, with a larger span. In this Feb. 23, 2012 photo vessels are docked at the Port of Corpus Christi in Corpus Christi, Texas. An Illinois company has won a $92 million contract to deepen and widen the Corpus Christi Ship Channel to accommodate larger oil tankers. The Port of Corpus Christi on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, announced the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers selected Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company. The federal government and the Port of Corpus Christi are funding the overall $360 million ship channel project. (Rachel Denny Clow/Corpus Christi Caller-Times via AP) In this Friday, Dec. 21, 2018 photo, construction crews work on the new Harbor Bridge project on Interstate-37 in Corpus Christi, Texas. An Illinois company has won a $92 million contract to deepen and widen the Corpus Christi Ship Channel to accommodate larger oil tankers. The Port of Corpus Christi on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, announced the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers selected Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company. The project comes amid replacement of the Harbor Bridge, which opened in 1959 and has a 138-foot (42.06 meters) clearance, with a larger span. (Rachel Denny Clow/Corpus Christi Caller-Times via AP) OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A dangerous winter storm that served up slick roadways and stranded a group of soldiers at the Oklahoma City airport also delivered kindness. Hundreds of soldiers returning from holiday break to Fort Sill got stuck at Will Rogers World Airport when roads to their Army post in Lawton, Oklahoma, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) to the southwest, became impassible. When word got out, families and public officials donated food. Soldiers got chicken wings Thursday and doughnuts Friday from Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt. Temperatures climbed above freezing Friday after some areas saw sleet and 6 inches (15 centimeters) or more of snow after the storm moved into Oklahoma and northern Texas on Wednesday. Oklahoma officials blame the storm in at least four traffic-related deaths . NEWPORT, Vt. (AP) - A Nigerian man living in Rhode Island is facing charges in Vermont after U.S. agents seized his phone at the Canadian border and he refused to leave the port of entry without it. The Caledonian Record reports 50-year-old Adegbuyi Adeyemi, of Providence, appeared in Vermont court Thursday, a day after he was arrested at the Derby Line port of entry from Canada. "It seems like this whole thing kind of spun out of control," Vermont Superior Court Judge Scot Kline said during Thursday's court hearing in which Adeyemi pleaded not guilty to charges of trespassing and assault on a police officer. Kline said he had no control over the action of federal agents. Adeyemi's attorney Public Defender Jill Jourdan said the conflict erupted when the U.S. Homeland Security agents seized his cellphone and refused to return it. She said he had his whole life on the phone, with no other way to access the phone numbers of friends and family. "Most people's lives are in their phone," Jourdan said in court. A Customs and Border Protection spokesman was unavailable Friday due to the federal government shutdown. The incident began Wednesday when Adeyemi tried to enter Canada, but was turned back. After he was questioned by U.S. border agents he was told he was free to go, but they refused to return his phone. He refused to leave without it. The federal agents called the state police who initially charged him with trespassing. Assistant Orleans County State's Attorney Michael Cricchi told the judge that an assault charge was added because Adeyemi grabbed the wrist of a state trooper. Adeyemi was held overnight before he was released on an unsecured appearance bond. BERLIN (AP) - Austrian police have arrested a suspect in a brutal Dec. 30 attack on a woman that left her with life-threatening injuries. The Austrian man told officers he had been stalking various women on a bicycle for weeks and committed the attack out of "frustration" after failing to speak to them. The 25-year-old victim was attacked with a metal bar in a Vienna street, and her cellphone and bank card stolen. Police were alerted by a caller who said he had found a seriously injured woman but left before officers arrived, returning only later. The Austria Press Agency reported Friday they arrested the 41-year-old caller three days later after a witness said he had seen a man pursuing the woman on a bike, giving a description that matched his appearance. NEW YORK (AP) - Dramatic period pieces will vie for the top comedy-musical awards and song-stuffed movies are poised to dominate the dramatic categories. Welcome to the 76th annual Golden Globes. Category confusion often reigns at the Globes. Remember when laughers like "The Martian" and "Get Out" competed as comedies? But the Globes, reliably the frothiest, quirkiest and most entertaining stop in the awards-season march to the Academy Awards, might feel especially upside down this year. The night, to be broadcast live Sunday on NBC, may ultimately belong to Bradley Cooper's "A Star Is Born" revival. It's the favorite for best picture (drama), best actress (Lady Gaga), best song ("Shallow") and best actor (Bradley Cooper). The film's stiffest competition may come from another music movie: the Freddie Mercury biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody," whose star, Rami Malek, some believe could pull off the acting upset over Cooper. Despite their copious tuneage, the campaigns of both "A Star Is Born" and "Bohemian Rhapsody" elected for the more serious dramatic category. For "A Star Is Born," it's a kind of power move to firmly establish itself as the Oscar front runner many believe it is. Oscar voting, as it turns out this year, commences Monday, the morning after the Golden Globes. If "A Star Is Born" runs away with the Globes, it will enter the nominations period of the Academy Awards as the favorite by a wide margin. With "A Star Is Born" (along with "Black Panther," ''If Beale Street Could Talk" and "BlacKkKlansman") up for best picture as a drama, that's left a few humor-tinged movies many would peg as dramas - "The Favourite," ''Green Book" and "Vice" - to give the comedy/musical side of the Globes a bit more heft than usual. This image released by Twentieth Century Fox shows Gwilym Lee, from left, Rami Malek and Joe Mazzello in a scene from "Bohemian Rhapsody." On Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, the film was nominated for a Golden Globe award for best motion picture drama. The 76th Golden Globe Awards will be held on Sunday, Jan. 6. (Alex Bailey/Twentieth Century Fox via AP) Of those, "Vice" comes in with the most nominations of any film (six), but the chances of "The Favourite" are probably the best on Sunday. "The Favourite," Yorgos Lanthimos' triangular power struggle in Queen Anne's court, is the most decorated film of the bunch in an awards season that, despite any other fluctuations, has been rigid in its acclaim for the powerhouse trio of Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone. Emily Blunt, nominated twice this year by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (best actress for "Mary Poppins Returns" and best supporting actress for "A Quiet Place") could give Colman - named the lead of "The Favourite" - a run for her money. But Colman's tragicomic performance as Queen Anne has made her the definite front-runner and potentially Lady Gaga's stiffest competition come the Oscars when the two best-actress contenders will presumably go head to head. The awards season of "Green Book" has been marred by backlash, so Peter Farrelly's 1960s road trip tale probably has the most to gain from a strong showing at the Globes. The film's best actor (comedy) contender, Viggo Mortensen, may not be able to challenge Christian Bale's Dick Cheney, but the HFPA - which overlooked Mahershala Ali for "Moonlight" - may right that wrong with an award for his supporting performance in "Green Book." But if the lines of comedy, musical and drama are particularly blurred at this year's Globes, they are even more so between film and television. There are as many movie stars nominated in the TV categories as there are in the film ones. Among them: Julia Roberts ("Homecoming"), Jim Carrey ("Kidding"), Amy Adams (up for both "Vice" and "Sharp Objects") Michael Douglas ("The Kominsky Method"), Benedict Cumberbatch ("Patrick Melrose"), Penelope Cruz ("The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story"), Patricia Arquette ("Escape at Dannemora"), Hugh Grant ("A Very English Scandal") and Laura Dern ("The Tale"). Their shows and others ("The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," ''Barry," ''Bodyguard," ''Killing Eve") will be in the mix, and the victors may well muddy another awards show boundary: that between host and winner. Sandra Oh, the star of "Killing Eve," is favored to win best actress in a drama series, potentially giving her a welcome respite from hosting duties alongside Andy Samberg. Oh and Samberg will have the challenge of marshalling a broadcast that last year fell 11 percent in viewership for NBC. That ceremony, when women attendees wore black, was atypically solemn for the Globes, and rife with protest, coming as the first major awards show of the post-Harvey Weinstein #MeToo era. But for a Globes full of head-scratchers, Samberg and Oh - each hailing from different realms of comedy and drama - are a fittingly, charmingly incongruous pair. ___ This story has been corrected to show that this is the 76th edition of the Globes, not the 71st. ___ Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Bradley Cooper, left, and Lady Gaga in a scene from "A Star is Born." (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP) This image released by Focus Features shows director Spike Lee, left, with actors Topher Grace, center, and Adam Driver on the set of Lee's film "BlacKkKlansman." On Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, Lee was nominated for a Golden Globe award for best director for the film. The 76th Golden Globe Awards will be held on Sunday, Jan. 6. (David Lee/Focus Features via AP) This image released by Annapurna Pictures shows Stephan James, left, and Brian Tyree Henry in a scene from "If Beale Street Could Talk." (Tatum Mangus/Annapurna Pictures via AP) BERLIN (AP) - Cargo lost by a container ship in a North Sea storm has started washing up on a German island, while soldiers have arrived to help clean up beaches on Dutch islands further west. The MSC Zoe lost more than 270 containers earlier this week as it sailed from Portugal to the German port of Bremerhaven. German authorities say two of them contained dangerous substances: organic peroxide in one case and lithium-ion batteries in the other. Germany's Central Command for Maritime Emergencies said Friday that electronic screens and packaging have now washed up on the German island of Borkum, after large quantities of goods came ashore in the Netherlands. The Dutch military sent troops Friday to help clear beaches. German authorities said that recovering waterlogged containers is proving difficult. Cargo containers are removed from a beach in Vlieland, Netherlands, Friday Jan. 4, 2019, after 270 shipping containers were lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm. Authorities in Germany and the Netherlands were searching for up to 270 shipping containers lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm, saying that a few of them are carrying hazardous material. (Marjet van Veelen via AP) A cargo container is removed from a beach in Vlieland, Netherlands, Friday Jan. 4, 2019, after 270 shipping containers were lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm. Authorities in Germany and the Netherlands were searching for up to 270 shipping containers lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm, saying that a few of them are carrying hazardous material. (Marjet van Veelen via AP) Cargo containers are removed from a beach in Vlieland, Netherlands, Friday Jan. 4, 2019, after 270 shipping containers were lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm. Authorities in Germany and the Netherlands were searching for up to 270 shipping containers lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm, saying that a few of them are carrying hazardous material. (Marjet van Veelen via AP) Cargo containers are removed from a beach in Vlieland, Netherlands, Friday Jan. 4, 2019, after 270 shipping containers were lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm. Authorities in Germany and the Netherlands were searching for up to 270 shipping containers lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm, saying that a few of them are carrying hazardous material. (Marjet van Veelen via AP) Debris strewn across a beach in Vlieland, Netherlands, Friday Jan. 4, 2019, after 270 shipping containers were lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm. Authorities in Germany and the Netherlands were searching for up to 270 shipping containers lost at sea by a cargo ship caught in a storm, saying that a few of them are carrying hazardous material. (Marjet van Veelen via AP) NEW YORK (AP) - Fumes from cooking fish combined with asthma could have killed an 11-year-old boy in New York City but such a death would be rare, medical authorities said. The city medical examiner has yet to rule on what caused the death of Cameron Jean-Pierre on New Year's Day, but allergy experts said it's possible the boy could have suffered a fatal reaction to fish cooking in his grandmother's kitchen. "It's extremely rare," said Dr. Wayne Shreffler, director of the Food Allergy Center at Massachusetts General Hospital. "Most often it's an issue for patients who also have asthma, and probably not very well controlled asthma." Cameron did have asthma and was allergic to fish and peanuts, his father, Steven Jean-Pierre, said on Friday. The boy and his father were visiting relatives in Brooklyn on Tuesday when Cameron was stricken, apparently after inhaling aromas from a traditional Caribbean fish dish that his grandmother and aunt were cooking. Steven Jean-Pierre told The Associated Press that he used a nebulizer to administer medication to Cameron, but the breathing treatment was not effective as it had been in the past. In this April 30, 2016 photo provided by Steven Jean-Pierre, Cameron Jean-Pierre is shown. Eleven-year-old Cameron Jean-Pierre died in New York on Jan. 1, 2019 of what is believed to be an allergic reaction to fish cooking in his grandmother's kitchen. Cameron also suffered from asthma which could have contributed to his death. (Jean-Pierre Family Photo via AP) "Out of nowhere he just said, 'Daddy, for some reason it's not working,'" the father said. "He felt like it wasn't giving him enough air. And that's when I called 911." Police said the boy was taken to Brookdale Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Cameron's last words were words of love, his father said. "He took the mask off his face and said, 'Daddy, I have to tell you something.' He said, 'Daddy, I love you. Daddy, I love you,'" Steven Jean-Pierre said. Shreffler said allergic reactions are caused by proteins in a specific food, which normally would have to be ingested to trigger a reaction. "Generally speaking the smell of food is not sufficient," he said. But he added, "respiratory reactions related to fish, anecdotally, do seem to stand out." Dr. Jay Lieberman, vice chairman of the food allergy committee of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, said that's because proteins in fish can be aerosolized by cooking. "I live in the South where a lot of people fry fish," said Lieberman, an allergy and immunology specialist at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis. "If a child is fish allergic I tell the family that if they're going to fry fish in the house the child has to be in a completely different room." Lieberman said he's treated patients who experienced symptoms like hives and itching after breathing vapors from frying fish but he's never seen a fatal reaction. He called Cameron's story "devastating." Lieberman and Shreffler both stressed that an allergic reaction from smelling a food is not a common occurrence. "I routinely tell patients that they don't have to leave the room when someone opens a jar of peanut butter," Shreffler said. Cameron's family had moved two years ago from Brooklyn to Piscataway, New Jersey, where Cameron was a sixth-grader and honor-roll student at Theodore Schor Middle School. Steven Jean-Pierre said his son was looking forward to going back to school and seeing his friends after the holiday break. "He was a great kid," the father said. "I don't know why this happened to my son." ___ This story has been corrected to reflect that Jay Lieberman is the vice chairman of the food allergy committee of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, not the chairman. BEIRUT (AP) - An airstrike on a village held by the Islamic State group in the country's east on Friday killed at least 10 people including four children as the offensive on the last area held by the extremists in Syria intensifies, Syria's state news agency and activists said. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have recently intensified their offensive in the last area held by IS in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour under the cover of airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition. Hundreds have been killed in the fighting over the past three months. State-run news agency SANA said the airstrike on the village of Kishkiyeh was carried out by the U.S.-led coalition, reporting it killed 10 civilians, including four children. The DeirEzzor 24 activist collective said 11 people were killed, including two women and four children in the airstrike on the village. It also blamed the U.S.-led coalition. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor with activists on the ground in Syria, said that more than 12,000 people have fled the IS-held pocket in recent weeks, adding that there are divisions among the extremists over whether to surrender or continue fighting. It said some 500 IS fighters fled among the civilians, but were later detained by SDF fighters. The Observatory said some 1,000 people have fled since Wednesday from the IS-held pocket into areas controlled by the U.S.-backed SDF. BERLIN (AP) - Several shots were fired in an area of Cologne near the German city's main station on Friday and a man was detained, police said. The shots followed an altercation involving several people, who fled on foot and in a car, according to city police. The man who was detained was on foot and carrying a live weapon. Officers searched a building in the area and police said they found no evidence that anyone else was involved. They had no information that anyone was hurt. Most security cordons in the area were lifted. Police said they were still looking into what was behind the incident. MOSCOW (AP) - The Latest on the American man being held in Moscow on alleged spying charges (all times local): 12:20 a.m. The Marine Corps is providing details on the court-martial of an American man who has been detained by Russia on spying charges. U.S. military records released shortly after his arrest last week showed that Paul Whelan had been convicted at a court-martial of charges that included larceny but did not disclose the nature of his crime. Court records provided by the Marine Corps headquarters show that he had been accused of attempting to steal more than $10,000 while serving as an administrative clerk in Iraq in 2006. The records show he was also accused of using a false Social Security number on a government computer system and using a false account on the system to grade his own examinations. Whalen was reduced in rank from staff sergeant to corporal and given a bad conduct discharge from the service. This undated photo provided by the Whelan family shows Paul Whelan in Iceland. Whelan, a former U.S. Marine arrested in Russia on espionage charges, was visiting Moscow over the holidays to attend a wedding when he suddenly disappeared, his brother said Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019. (Courtesy of the Whelan Family via AP) __ 11:25 p.m. Officials say the American ex-Marine who is being held in Moscow on spying charges also holds British, Irish and Canadian citizenship. Britain's foreign secretary says that Russia is trying to use him as a pawn in its geopolitical games. The news that Paul Whelan holds citizenship in four countries brings international pressure on Russia from several fronts. Both Ireland and the U.K. have asked that their diplomats be allowed to visit him. Whelan, the 48-year-old global security director for a U.S. auto parts company, was arrested Dec. 28 in Moscow. At the time, he was identified only as an American. Russian authorities have released no information about the charges against Whelan, who could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of spying. ___ 9:20 p.m. The twin brother of the American man being held in Moscow on alleged spying charges is urging the U.S. government to help get his brother released. David Whelan issued a family statement on Friday on behalf of his brother, Paul Whelan, saying that the family was "very pleased to know that staff of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow have been given consular access to Paul and confirmed that he is safe." He says the family's "focus remains on ensuring that Paul is safe, well treated, has a good lawyer, and is coming home." He urged the U.S. Congress and the State Department to help get his brother freed. Russian media say Whelan has been formally indicted for spying and could face up to 20 years in prison. The Interfax news agency says he has denied the allegation. ___ 7:20 p.m. Irish officials say a man being detained by Russia, Paul Whelan, has requested help from the Irish government and report they will do what they can to come to his aid. Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Friday that its embassy in Moscow is requesting consular access to Whelan. It said it made the request "after receiving a request for assistance" from an Irish citizen detained in Moscow. Whelan, a 48-year-old former Marine and security director for a U.S. company, was arrested a week ago in Moscow, accused of spying. His family says he was in Moscow to attend a friend's wedding. Officials have now confirmed that Whelan holds U.S., British and Irish citizenship. Ireland says "the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will provide all possible and appropriate assistance in relation to this case." ___ 7 p.m. Britain's foreign secretary says Russia is trying to use a man detained as an alleged spy as a pawn in its geopolitical games. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told Sky News on Friday that the British government is trying to help Paul Whelan. The 48-year-old former Marine and global security director for a U.S. company was arrested a week ago in Moscow. At the time, he was identified only as an American but officials say Whelan also has British citizenship. Hunt says Friday that "we are giving him every support that we can, but we don't agree with individuals being used in diplomatic chess games." Hunt adds that "we are extremely worried about him and his family." ___ 4:35 p.m. Russian officials say the American former Marine who is being held in Moscow on spying charges also holds British citizenship, and London has requested consular access to him. Paul Whelan, the global security director for a U.S. company, was arrested a week ago in Moscow. At the time, he was identified only as an American. Britain's Press Association said Whelan's U.K. citizenship was reported by the U.S. embassy to British officials on Thursday. That was a day after U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman, Jr. met with Whelan at Lefortovo Prison in Moscow. Relations between Moscow and London are at a low point in the wake of Britain's allegations that Russian military intelligence agents were behind the nerve-agent poisoning of a Russian former double agent and his daughter in the British city of Salisbury in March. Russia has angrily denied involvement in the poisonings. MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexico's central bank has filed an appeal asking the Supreme Court to review President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's policy of prohibiting most public-sector employees from earning more than him. Lopez Obrador argues the rule is already written in Article 127 of the Constitution; it had simply been ignored for years. Lopez Obrador cut his own pay to about $65,000 per year and wants others to follow suit, as an austerity measure. The court has already suspended the federal salary law passed by Congress while it reviews the measure. The Bank of Mexico said Thursday it wants the court to determine if the article applies to the bank, which is independent and autonomous. The article says those who do "technical" or "specialized work" can make 50 percent more than the president. DULUTH, Ga. (AP) - A Georgia man abandoned his dog alongside a busy road late at night in bad weather, but officers saw what happened and arrested him, police said Friday. Officers arrested 27-year-old Matthew Sanders of Stone Mountain late Sunday on charges of abandonment of a dog and reckless conduct, Gwinnett County police said in an email. Two officers noticed a black Lexus sedan with its headlights off and no license plate pull away from the side of the busy road in unincorporated Duluth just after 11:30 p.m. Sunday, leaving a dog behind, according to a police report. The officers saw a little white dog run after the car as it drove away. Sanders was released on bond, but a phone number for him couldn't immediately be found. It wasn't clear if he had a lawyer who could comment on the charges. After Sanders drove off, leaving the dog, officers stopped the car. As an officer began to get out of the patrol car, Sanders exited his car with a dog collar in his hand, the police report says. The dog caught up to the car and ran over and sat between Sanders and the officer. Sanders explained to officers that he'd only had the dog, Prince, for a week and a half and was trying to get rid of him because he wasn't listening, the report says. When told he shouldn't leave the dog in the road, Sanders said he had a code for a nearby storage center and had planned to leave the dog there but it followed him out, the report says. Video released Friday by police shows Sanders explaining to officers that he had found the dog by the road and took it home and fed it but that the dog wasn't listening and was pooping around the house, so he brought the animal outside to see if it would just leave on its own. "Since the abandoned dog was dropped off on a major roadway, it is doubtful that the dog would have survived whether it was hit by a car, starved, or succumbed to the weather," Sgt. Justin Richey said in the emailed statement. In addition to charges of abandoning a dog and reckless conduct, Sanders was cited for not having his headlights, not having a license plate and violating a leash law. He was booked into the Gwinnett County jail. Prince was taken in by animal control workers and seems headed for a happy ending. Police learned Thursday that he has an adoption hold on him and that his new owner will be able to pick him up once a mandatory waiting period ends. ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkey has criticized U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for saying Washington wants to prevent Turkey from "slaughtering" Kurds as American troops prepare to withdraw from Syria. A Foreign Ministry statement released Friday accused Pompeo of displaying "a worrying lack of information" for equating a U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish militia group, the Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, with Syria's Kurdish population. Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist group linked to an insurgency within its own borders. It has threatened a new cross-border offensive in northern Syria to drive out the YPG. According to a U.S. State Department transcript, Pompeo told Newsmax media outlet that "ensuring that the Turks don't slaughter the Kurds" was part "of the American mission set." U.S. support to the YPG caused friction between Washington and Ankara. YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - Thirteen policemen were killed and nine injured in early morning attacks Friday on police outposts in Myanmar's Rakhine state by the insurgent Arakan Army, state media reported. The Arakan Army is a rebel group seeking autonomy for Rakhine state from Myanmar's central government. It has no links with the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, a Muslim insurgent group whose similar attacks in 2017 sparked a bloody government counterinsurgency campaign against the area's Muslim Rohingya minority, driving more than 700,000 to flee to neighboring Bangladesh. While the Muslim ARSA group has become virtually inactive, the Arakan Army, which is aligned with the state's Buddhist population, has taken advantage of the area's instability to increase its military activities after training its guerrillas in regions controlled by other insurgent groups, including the Kachin in northern Myanmar. There has been an upsurge in sporadic fighting between the Arakan Army and government forces since last month. The state Myanmar News Agency said a total of 250 members of the Arakan Army took part in the attacks on three outposts in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships. While such numbers are sometimes inflated by the defenders, the rebel group is generally estimated to have several thousand well-armed and organized uniformed members, in contrast to the ragtag ARSA. The report said two of the outposts were successfully defended by government forces, but seemed to indicate that the third was temporarily overrun and occupied by the rebels, who were finally driven out with the help of air support. According to the report, the attackers were able to carry away 40 small weapons, ammunition and a walkie-talkie. A photo posted on social media by Arakan Army sympathizers claimed to show 14 government security personnel captured by the rebels, along with ammunition and other equipment. ___ This story has been corrected to fix spelling of Myanmar News Agency. CHICAGO (AP) - A federal corruption case against a powerful City Council member has rocked the crowded race for Chicago mayor, as some hopefuls sought Friday to distance themselves from Alderman Ed Burke while others painted their rivals as part of the city's notorious machine politics he embodied for decades. Burke, who resigned Friday as head of the council's finance committee, was charged with attempted extortion in a criminal complaint unsealed a day earlier. Federal prosecutors allege he pressured executives of a major fast-food restaurant chain to become clients at Burke's tax law firm in exchange for a remodeling permit in his ward. Chicago's mayoral race already is a free-for-all, with 15 candidates vying to replace Rahm Emanuel, who isn't seeking another term. "Public perception changes dramatically when there's an indictment," and the top issue could become corruption, said Dick Simpson, a former city alderman who now heads the political science department at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Simpson, who has endorsed former federal prosecutor Lori Lightfoot in the race for mayor, said candidates with ties to Burke and city affairs have been touting their experience while others have been pledging reform. The complaint alleges, in part, that Burke pressured company executives to donate $10,000 to an unnamed politician. The mayoral campaign of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle confirmed that she received the donation from Tri City Foods CEO Shoukat Dhanani, a Texas businessman with the nation's third-largest fast food franchise who owns a Burger King in Burke's ward, the Chicago Tribune reported. Alderman Ed Burke, 75, walks out of the Dirksen Federal Courthouse following his release after turning himself in, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chicago. Burke, one of the most powerful City Council members in Chicago, is charged with one count of attempted extortion in trying to shake down a fast-food restaurant seeking city remodeling permits, according to a federal complaint unsealed Thursday. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune via AP) The donation came during a primary challenge for county board president last year by Alderman Bob Fioretti - now also running for mayor - during which Burke held a fundraiser for Preckwinkle at his home. Preckwinkle, considered a front-runner in the Feb. 26 race, said she returned the money after her campaign discovered it exceeded state limits for individual donors; the prosecutors' complaint said the candidate reduced the contribution to the allowable limit of $5,600 but didn't report it to the Illinois State Board of Elections. Burke also had contributed nearly $13,000 to Preckwinkle's campaign fund, but Preckwinkle donated it to charity after the alderman's offices were raided by the FBI last month, the Tribune reported. Preckwinkle called on Burke to resign, saying his "behavior of abusing his position for personal gain does not reflect my values, and I do not condone it." Nevertheless, the attacks from her rivals began immediately, with Fioretti demanding that Preckwinkle withdraw from the race, saying her explanation "raises more questions than it answers." Lightfoot said federal prosecutors should investigate all of Preckwinkle's campaign contributions, saying "she's got to answer to the voters what exactly is the relationship between her and Ed Burke" and suggesting that Burke wouldn't give money without expecting something in return. And Paul Vallas, the former Chicago Public Schools CEO and Democratic candidate for Illinois governor, also called on Preckwinkle to explain Burke's contributions. But Preckwinkle is not the only candidate with close ties to Burke. He supported Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza in her previous races for the state House and Chicago city clerk and attended her 2011 wedding. Gery Chico was a City Council aide to Burke early in his career before going on to work for Mayor Richard M. Daley and to serve as board president of Chicago Public Schools, and still considers him a good friend. Burke has endorsed Chico's bid for mayor, which Fioretti said Chico should reject. Mendoza and Chico urged Burke to step down as Finance Committee chairman, while Vallas. Lightfoot and public policy consultant Amara Enyia urged him to resign his aldermanic seat. Burke said Friday that he'll remain on the ballot. Meanwhile, former Obama chief of staff Bill Daley - the son and brother of Chicago's two longest-serving mayors who also wants the job - said Burke's ward "needs new leadership." But candidates who've benefited from Burke's support still have time to distance themselves further, particularly if they receive an endorsement from a high-profile person such as Obama - and as long as nothing damaging comes from prosecutors before the election, experts said. Prosecutors said they had wiretapped Burke's cellphone even before his alleged extortion attempt and the charge was just part of an ongoing investigation. For Preckwinkle's part, "I don't think you can blame her for Burke's actions," said Chicago political consultant DelMarie Cobb, who said she won't endorse anyone until it's clear whether there is a runoff election. That will happen if no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote. "If she is honest from the very beginning about the money, it won't be something that sticks, but if we find she was less than transparent about the money, it will begin to get legs," Cobb said. Political consultant Don Rose, who is working with Lightfoot, said the Burke charge has damaged Preckwinkle for now, but that could change. "Six weeks is a lifetime in politics," he said. Alderman Ed Burke, 75, walks into the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chicago. Burke, one of the most powerful City Council members in Chicago, is charged with one count of attempted extortion in trying to shake down a fast-food restaurant seeking city remodeling permits, according to a federal complaint unsealed Thursday. (Ashlee Rezin/Chicago Sun-Times via AP) Alderman Ed Burke, 75, departs in a taxi after following his release after turning himself in at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chicago. Burke, one of the most powerful City Council members in Chicago, is charged with one count of attempted extortion in trying to shake down a fast-food restaurant seeking city remodeling permits, according to a federal complaint unsealed Thursday. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune via AP) Alderman Ed Burke, 75, walks into the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chicago. Burke, one of the most powerful City Council members in Chicago, is charged with one count of attempted extortion in trying to shake down a fast-food restaurant seeking city remodeling permits, according to a federal complaint unsealed Thursday. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune via AP) Alderman Ed Burke, 75, walks out of the Dirksen Federal Courthouse following his release after turning himself in, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chicago. Burke, one of the most powerful City Council members in Chicago, is charged with one count of attempted extortion in trying to shake down a fast-food restaurant seeking city remodeling permits, according to a federal complaint unsealed Thursday. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune via AP) Alderman Ed Burke, 75, walks into the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Chicago. Burke, one of the most powerful City Council members in Chicago, is charged with one count of attempted extortion in trying to shake down a fast-food restaurant seeking city remodeling permits, according to a federal complaint unsealed Thursday. (Ashlee Rezin/Chicago Sun-Times via AP) BRUSSELS (AP) - The Latest on the influx of migrants into Europe (all times local): 6:40 p.m. France is launching an action plan to prevent migrants from crossing the English Channel from France to England. The Interior Ministry said in a statement the plan is to further secure the ports of Calais and Boulogne in northern France, as well as beaches and other areas potentially used to launch boats. Measures include security forces on the ground and military and police ships and aircraft patrolling in the area 24 hours a day. Interior Minister Christopher Castaner said the plan aims at "ending migrant Channel crossings that are not only illegal but also extremely dangerous." French authorities counted 40 illegal Channel crossings and 31 failed attempts in 2018, mostly in November and December. In total, 276 migrants managed to reach the British coast, while 228 were stopped by police forces, the Interior Ministry said. ___ 4:30 p.m. A migrant has been rescued after he jumped off a German aid group's vessel and tried to swim to Malta. The Sea-Watch 3, with 32 migrants aboard since their rescue on Dec. 22, was off the coast of Malta Friday when the Libyan man plunged into the frigid, rough sea. The German aid boat's crew quickly rescued him. Malta won't let the migrants disembark but allowed the vessel to shelter near its coast during bad weather and receive supplies. Italy also won't allow disembarkation by migrants saved by private groups. Sea-Watch's crew hopes some EU nations will agree to take the migrants. Another private aid vessel, with 17 rescued migrants aboard, also was sheltering off Malta. Libyan-based human traffickers launch unseaworthy boats, crowded with migrants hoping to reach European shores. ___ 2:40 p.m. The European Union's border agency says the number of unauthorized border crossings into Europe has hit a five-year low, but that migrant entries into Spain via the Mediterranean continue to climb. Frontex said Friday that migrants tried to cross the EU's external borders without authorization around 150,000 times last year, a 25-percent drop compared to 2017. It says the drop is due to a massive decrease in the number of people entering Italy, mostly after setting out from Libya and Algeria. Just over 23,000 unauthorized crossings were noted on that route in 2018. Frontex says about 57,000 crossings were detected in Spain, double the figure for 2017. EU nations have been bickering over how to manage migrant arrivals since well over 1 million people entered in 2015. CLEVELAND (AP) - Health officials say testing shows the water at Cleveland's airport is safe after six passengers became ill on a Frontier Airlines flight to Florida earlier this week. The city of Cleveland says results that came back Thursday show no concerns with the airport's drinking fountains and its water supply. Officials decided to shut down the drinking fountains and test the water after Frontier reported that the sick passengers might have used one before the flight. Health officials removed those passengers and held them for observation after their plane landed Tuesday at Tampa International Airport. Authorities haven't provided information on the symptoms passengers were experiencing or their conditions. TAMAQUA, Pa. (AP) - Parents are going to court to block a Pennsylvania school district from allowing teachers to carry guns in school, the latest flashpoint in a debate playing out in many states over whether it's wise to arm educators to protect students from mass shooters. The district in Tamaqua, a coal-mining region about 90 miles (145 kilometers) from Philadelphia, serves more than 2,100 students in three schools and is believed to be the first school system in Pennsylvania to let teachers carry weapons. Tamaqua school board members "endangered their community" when they approved a "manifestly illegal" policy to give weapons to teachers and other school employees, according to a lawsuit filed by three parents and a grandparent. "A teacher's role is to teach," Holly Koscak, one of the plaintiffs, said Friday at a news conference. "We should not be putting those extra roles on a teacher when it's out of their scope." She said her daughter, a sophomore, is "very anxious" about having armed teachers in school. The teachers union had already filed suit to overturn the policy. Teachers are allowed to carry weapons in several states, including Texas, Missouri and Ohio, and a number of other states are considering similar measures in the wake of the Parkland, Florida, school massacre last February. Bicycles are parked outside Tamaqua Area High School in Tamaqua, Pa., Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Parents are going to court to block the Tamaqua Area School District from allowing teachers to carry guns in school. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) The National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers union, says its members "overwhelmingly reject" proposals to have them carry guns in school. Using the hashtag "ArmMeWith," some teachers have taken to Twitter to express their opposition. In Florida, the panel investigating the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School recommended that teachers who volunteer and undergo extensive background checks and training be allowed to carry concealed guns on campus. The state teachers union and PTA oppose it. In Lee County, Virginia, a school district is trying to persuade skeptical state officials to allow it to become the state's first county to arm teachers and staff. The district says it cannot afford to hire more than a few resource officers to protect 11 schools. Mo Canady, executive director of the National Association of School Resource Officers, said law enforcement officers are likely to be better trained for situations in which they might have to shoot a student or look for a shooter. But he said districts that do not have the money for a school resource officer face a difficult choice. "I realize there are poor rural districts throughout this country," Canady said, citing schools that cannot afford a resource officer without federal or state help. "I don't know that I'm in a position to say, well, you shouldn't have anyone armed." In Tamaqua, the firearms policy approved in September says that teachers and other employees can volunteer to carry concealed, district-issued guns after training. The policy also establishes guidelines for the use of force. "The rationale for the policy is to prevent the apocalypse," school board member Nicholas Boyle said. "When we have a shooter in the building, how are we going to stop that shooter from killing more and more and more people? We have to have an armed presence there." Citing operational security, the district will not say whether an armed force is already present in the schools. But Boyle said that "the litigation is not stopping the policy." He said the number of volunteers who signed up for gun training has exceeded his goal of at least a dozen. Pennsylvania education officials said they are not aware of any other district with a policy of arming teachers. Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, is opposed to the idea. "The Wolf administration has maintained that school districts may only authorize trained school police officers and school resource officers to carry firearms around students in our schools, should the school professionals feel they need it," education department spokeswoman Nicole Reigelman said. Boyle said the district has received no blowback from the state so far. ___ Associated Press Writer Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo, New York, contributed to this story. Shira Goodman, center, executive director of CeaseFire PA, accompanied by plaintiff Holly Koscak, center right, walks to the podium during news conference in Tamaqua, Pa., Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, about a new lawsuit to block the Tamaqua Area School District from allowing teachers to carry guns in school. The lawsuit says that Tamaqua Area School Board members "endangered their community" when they approved a policy to arm teachers and other school employees. School board member Nicholas Boyle, left, says an armed force of teachers and other school employees will act as a deterrent. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Students walk to Tamaqua Area High School in Tamaqua, Pa., Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Parents are going to court to block the Pennsylvania school district from allowing teachers to carry guns in school. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Tamaqua Area School Board member Nicholas Boyle speaks in support of arming teachers and other school employees, to members of the media after a news conference in Tamaqua, Pa., Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Parents are going to court to block the Pennsylvania school district from allowing teachers to carry guns in school. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Motorist move along West Broad Street in Tamaqua, Pa., Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Parents are going to court to block the Tamaqua Area School District from allowing teachers to carry guns in school. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Homes line the hills in Tamaqua, Pa., Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Parents are going to court to block the Tamaqua Area School District from allowing teachers to carry guns in school. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Plaintiff Holly Koscak speaks during news conference in Tamaqua, Pa., Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, about a new lawsuit to block the Tamaqua Area School District from allowing teachers to carry guns in school. The lawsuit says that Tamaqua Area School Board members "endangered their community" when they approved a policy to arm teachers and other school employees. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Shira Goodman, center, executive director of CeaseFire PA, speaks during news conference in Tamaqua, Pa., Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, about a new lawsuit to block the Tamaqua Area School District from allowing teachers to carry guns in school. The lawsuit says that Tamaqua Area School Board members "endangered their community" when they approved a policy to arm teachers and other school employees. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Parts of a Maryland law aimed at stopping foreign interference in local elections on social media platforms such as Facebook appear to encroach on the First Amendment, a federal judge has ruled. The law requires certain media websites to self-publish information about the political ads they run online and keep records of them for state inspection. U.S. District Judge Paul Grimm granted a preliminary injunction Thursday to prevent the state from enforcing those provisions against media until the case is resolved. "The 2016 election exposed alarming new vulnerabilities in this country's democratic process," Grimm wrote. "While there is no denying that states have a strong interest in countering newly emerging threats to their elections, the approaches they choose to take must not encroach on First Amendment freedoms that are the hallmark of our nation. Maryland's statute appears to overstep these bounds." The Washington Post and other media outlets with an online presence in Maryland filed a federal lawsuit last year to block portions of the law from being enforced against online publishers. Grimm's order notes that the Maryland statute is among several states' responses to revelations that Russia exploited social media in an effort to sway public opinion ahead of the 2016 presidential election. New York and Washington also updated election transparency in a similar fashion. Grimm wrote that while he has "no cause to block its enforcement wholesale," the plaintiffs persuaded him that both the publication requirement and state inspection requirement in the Maryland law are "most likely unconstitutional as it applies to these plaintiffs." Grimm wrote that he will schedule a call with attorneys in the case before determining what further proceedings are needed. The law requires online platforms to create a database identifying the purchasers of online ads in state and local elections and how much they spend. Maryland's law, crafted to catch ads displayed in smaller state and local elections, applies to digital platforms with 100,000 unique monthly visitors. Grimm noted that Maryland's threshold of 100,000 visitors made the law very broad compared to New York's law, which has a threshold of at least 70 million visitors. Grimm wrote that Maryland's law "casts a wide net" that is broad enough to cover not only Facebook and other social media giants that foreign operators are known to have exploited, but many news sites as well, "including smaller, regional sites." "It seems unlikely that Maryland will be able to show that a less expansive definition of 'online platform' would detract in any way from the Act's goal of neutralizing foreign influence in the state's elections," Grimm wrote. Grimm also found that the Maryland law doesn't appear "to remedy the harms that inspired its enactment," because its publication and state inspection requirements "overshoot their target by a wide margin." "The State has not persuaded me that the Act's publication and state inspection requirements are substantially related to its aims," Grimm wrote. "The method it has chosen to remedy an admittedly important state interest is ill suited to the task and threatens in the process to impose substantial burdens on Plaintiffs' First Amendment-protected rights of free speech and a free press." The law took effect July 1. The Maryland State Board of Elections has subpoena power under the law to find out how many Maryland voters are targeted on social media. If the board finds ads may have been purchased by a foreign entity prohibited from buying them, the board can seek the removal of the ads from the platform. PHILADELPHIA (AP) - As the government's partial shutdown pushed toward a third week, hundreds of thousands of federal workers are feeling the financial pinch. They're calling mortgage companies, hoping for a break, and weighing the risks of letting other bills go unpaid. They're reheating leftovers and turning down the thermostat to save a few bucks. They're looking into applying for loans or unemployment insurance. Their worries go beyond household budgets. Some are stressed about the unfinished work piling up in their absence while President Donald Trump and Congress clash over a plan for reopening the government. For many furloughed federal employees, the worst part is the uncertainty over how long the shutdown will last. A look at some of their worries: SAVING RECEIPTS This is Nora Brooks' favorite time of the year. Not because of the holidays, but because of her job. The 61-year-old Philadelphia native is a customer service representative for the Internal Revenue Service. She loves helping taxpayers navigate the IRS, including getting their refunds. "I get to be the person that explains to you what you have to do to make it better," Brooks said. Nora Brooks a furloughed customer service representative for the Internal Revenue Service poses for a photograph at her home in Philadelphia, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019. Brooks has been furloughed, worrying about whether she will need to seek a second job. The agency requires pre-approval to avoid conflicts of interest, but there's no one in the office to sign off. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) At 11:30 p.m. Dec. 21, Brooks entered into the system one last concern from a taxpayer whose refund had been held up. "I didn't want the shutdown to further delay this taxpayer I made a commitment to," she said. For the past 13 days, she's been furloughed, worrying about whether she'll need to seek a second job. The agency requires pre-approval to avoid conflicts of interest, but there's no one in the office to sign off. She stayed up until 3 a.m. Wednesday figuring out which bills needed to be paid and which could wait. The agency gave employees a letter explaining the furlough to creditors, but "it means absolutely nothing to them," she said. So Brooks' recent purchases sit in bags, receipts on top, in case she needs money for the electric bill. The thermostat is turned down; she dons a hoodie inside. She spent her health savings account instead of letting it carry over because the reimbursement could pay bills. "You try not to freak out, but I don't have any control over what's going to happen next month. I'm second guessing. Should I have had a whole nest egg? Well, no, my pay doesn't allow for that," she said. RAIDING THE FREEZER Rebecca Maclean, a housing program specialist for the Department of Housing and Urban Development in Pittsburgh, received her last pre-shutdown paycheck over the weekend. She and her husband used it to make their monthly mortgage payment and cover some Christmas expenses for their three children. Maclean, 41, said her family is trying to cut back on expenses. They stayed home for a movie night instead of going to a theater. Instead of takeout dinners, they eat leftovers and call it the "Freezer Baking Challenge." The family's financial outlook isn't dire yet - her husband, Dan Thompson, owns a knife-making business and works as an elected constable. But they recently sat down to prioritize which bills must be paid and which can be late without dinging their credit. "We're fine for now," she said. "Missing two paychecks in January might be a little hairy." Maclean, a local shop steward for the American Federation of Government Employees union, said she's frustrated that federal employees are being used "as a bargaining chip." "I don't know why they want to use 800,000 government employees to make a point," she said. FILLING THE DOWNTIME In a coffee shop offering free drinks to furloughed workers, Amanda Wagner enjoyed a perk of the downtime from the shutdown: She spent a leisurely Thursday morning assembling a digital photo album of her two young children. Wagner, 37, and 36-year-old husband Nelson are both federal employees. She's a branch chief for the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington. He works for the Justice Department. Neither will draw a paycheck until the government reopens. "The uncertainty is scary," she said. For now, Wagner isn't worried about covering their biggest monthly expenses: the mortgage on their Takoma Park, Maryland, home; child care for their two kids; and credit card bills. Her children's daycare centers are allowing parents to defer payments during the shutdown. She knows some colleagues face tougher choices, such as whether to borrow money from family. "Frankly, I think it's going to affect us if it lasts much longer. Then I think we will have some cash-flow issues," she said. A silver lining: The family is catching up on household projects. They built a bed for their daughter, who just grew out of her crib. LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK Single parent Leisyka Parrott, a Bureau of Land Management employee in Arcata, California, waited until the weekend before Christmas to shop for her 13-year-old son. Her furlough had a sobering effect on their holiday celebration. "I definitely went really light on it this year," Parrott said. "I explained to my son that our financial future is uncertain." Parrott, 47, a union steward for the National Federation of Federal Employees, isn't taking it for granted that she and other furloughed workers will get back pay, as they did after previous government shutdowns. "It's scary," she said. "I do live paycheck to paycheck." Gas isn't cheap, so Parrott stays home as much as she can. With rent and car payments, she doesn't have much wiggle room in her family budget. "I already live pretty frugally," she said. She's reluctant to borrow money from a federal employee credit union but says she might explore that if the shutdown extends into next week. STILL GOING TO WORK Mike Gayzagian, a Transportation Security Administration officer at Boston's Logan Airport, got his last pre-shutdown paycheck last week and continues to report to work, as all TSA officers have since the government closed. The 49-year-old said worrying about finances has made it difficult to concentrate on keeping airports safe. "It's a bizarre situation to be in, where you know you have go to work but you're not getting paid," said Gayzagian, who has worked for the TSA for more than a decade and recently became acting president of Local 2617 of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents TSA workers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. The Watertown, Massachusetts, resident says he and his wife, who works for a bank, have January's rent covered, but they've already started looking to defer other bills on their two-bedroom apartment. "As a federal employee, we're not supposed to be political," Gayzagian said. "This is not our fight, but we're being used as pawns." He's also concerned about the effect frequent shutdowns could have on government service. "People can't work in an industry that's at risk of shutting down once or twice a year," he said. WORRYING OVER CONTRACTOR PAY Federal contractor Chris Erickson says he'll run out of vacation days if the shutdown continues. The father of three from Salt Lake City will then crack into his savings, and he'll likely postpone a 14th wedding anniversary trip with his wife to a cabin. Erickson said he likely won't get the chance for reimbursement for the lost days because he's a contractor. "It feels like contractors are forgotten in the mix," he said. "Congress issues back pay for the government employees, and long-term contractors are ignored." Erickson, 36, could probably find another job, but the software engineer says he believes in the work he does for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: designing software to help governments and private companies work together to better protect endangered species during construction projects. Erickson blames the shutdown on Trump and his demand for a border wall. "One can argue over the merits of border security," he said. "But if you really think about it, walls are pretty ineffective." Erickson called Washington's political divide depressing. "We've moved to the point where we no longer see the person who has a different set of views as different," he said. "We see them as evil." ____ Kunzelman reported from Silver Spring, Maryland. Associated Press reporters Philip Marcelo in Watertown, Massachusetts, and Ben Finley in Norfolk, Virginia, contributed to this report. Nora Brooks a furloughed customer service representative for the Internal Revenue Service poses for a photograph at her home in Philadelphia, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019. Brooks has been furloughed, worrying about whether she will need to seek a second job. The agency requires pre-approval to avoid conflicts of interest, but there's no one in the office to sign off. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Rebecca Macleand, a housing program specialist for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Pittsburgh, stands outside her home in Pittsburgh Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019. Maclean, 41, has been on furlough since Dec. 21. Her family's financial outlook isn't dire yet since her husband, Dan Thompson, owns a knife-making business and works as an elected constable. But the couple recently sat down to prioritize which bills must be paid on time and which can be paid late without dinging their credit history. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Rebecca Macleand, a housing program specialist for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Pittsburgh, sits outside her home in Pittsburgh Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019. Maclean, 41, has been on furlough since Dec. 21. Her family's financial outlook isn't dire yet since her husband, Dan Thompson, owns a knife-making business and works as an elected constable. But the couple recently sat down to prioritize which bills must be paid on time and which can be paid late without dinging their credit history. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Furloughed federal worker Amanda Wagner works on a photo album at a coffee shop in Silver Spring, Md., Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019. Unable to go to work, she spent the morning at the coffee shop offering free drinks to furloughed federal works. (AP Photo/Michael Kunzelman) In this Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019 photo Mike Gayzagian, a 49-year-old Transportation Security Administration officer at Boston's Logan International Airport, speaks with a reporter from The Associated Press at his home in Watertown, Mass. Gayzagian, who has worked for the TSA more than a decade, got his last pre-shutdown paycheck last week, and he continues to report to work, as all TSA officers have since the government closed. The 49-year-old said worrying about finances has made it difficult to concentrate on the work of keeping airports safe. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) Federal contractor Chris Erickson prepares to paint his bathroom Friday, Jan., 4, 2019, in North Salt Lake, Utah. Erickson says he'll run out of vacation days if the shutdown continues. The father of three from Salt Lake City will then crack into his savings, and he'll likely postpone a 14th wedding anniversary trip with his wife. Erickson said he likely won't get the chance for reimbursement for the lost days because he's a contractor. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) Federal contractor Chris Erickson prepares to paint his bathroom Friday, Jan., 4, 2019, in North Salt Lake, Utah. Erickson says he'll run out of vacation days if the shutdown continues. The father of three from Salt Lake City will then crack into his savings, and he'll likely postpone a 14th wedding anniversary trip with his wife. Erickson said he likely won't get the chance for reimbursement for the lost days because he's a contractor. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) Federal contractor Chris Erickson prepares to paint his bathroom Friday, Jan., 4, 2019, in North Salt Lake, Utah. Erickson says he'll run out of vacation days if the shutdown continues. The father of three from Salt Lake City will then crack into his savings, and he'll likely postpone a 14th wedding anniversary trip with his wife to a cabin. Erickson said he likely won't get the chance for reimbursement for the lost days because he's a contractor. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) FILE - In this Dec. 22, 2018 file photo, the Capitol is seen on the first morning of a partial government shutdown in Washington. As the government's partial shutdown threatens to drag into a third week, hundreds of thousands of federal workers are feeling the financial pinch. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) NEW YORK (AP) - Prodded by Ellen DeGeneres, comic Kevin Hart says he'll reconsider his decision to step down as host of the Academy Awards. Hart had backed away two days after being named host last month when some homophobic tweets he had made a decade ago resurfaced. But DeGeneres urged him to host the show during an interview that aired Friday on her talk show. The motion picture Academy has not named a replacement host for its Feb. 24 awards show. "You have grown," DeGeneres told him. "You have apologized. You're apologizing again right now. You've done it. Don't let these people win. Host the Oscars." She applied subtle pressure by saying after one commercial break, "We're back with this year's Oscars host, Kevin Hart." Hart told her that "you have put a lot of things on my mind" and that he would think about their conversation. FILE - In this Aug. 3, 2017 file photo, Kevin Hart poses at Kevin Hart's "Laugh Out Loud" new streaming video network launch event at the Goldstein Residence in Beverly Hills, Calif. Prodded by Ellen DeGeneres, Hart says he'll reconsider his decision to step down as host of the Academy Awards. Two days after he was named as host last Dec. 2018, Hart backed off when some of his homophobic tweets from a decade ago resurfaced. (Photo by Danny Moloshok/Invision/AP, File) The LGBTQ watchdog organization GLAAD on Friday reiterated its position that Hart not step down as host but instead use the platform to "send an unequivocal message of acceptance to LGBTQ youth." If there's a campaign to get him back, it couldn't have started more slickly: on the hugely successful talk show run by one of Hollywood's most prominent gay celebrities, who hosted the Oscars herself in 2007. DeGeneres said she called the Academy this week to urge that Hart be brought back, and was told that officials would be "thrilled" if he did. An Academy representative did not immediately return messages for comment. Hart wrote homophobic remarks on Twitter mostly between 2009-2011, including one where he said: "Yo if my son comes home & try's 2 play with my daughters doll house I'm going 2 break it over his head & say n my voice 'stop that's gay.'" It was later deleted. He has also made anti-gay comments in his standup in the past. Hart told her that when his old messages resurfaced, "what was once the brightest light ever just got real dark." He initially said he wouldn't apologize because he had addressed the issue several times. But given an ultimatum to apologize, he did so and stepped down. Hart said it was hard for him because he considered it an attack when his tweets resurfaced a day after he got the Oscars gig. "That's an attempt to end me," he said. "That's not an attack to just stop the Oscars ... Somebody has to take a stand against the ... trolls." DeGeneres received some resistance on social media, with some commenters saying that Hart's homophobic jokes were a legitimate issue for discussion, and it wasn't a case of people maliciously trying to hurt him. In a column posted Friday in the trade publication Variety, Caroline Framke argued that Hart hadn't proven that he'd learned much. "If he gets the job back, it won't be because he's convinced his detractors that he actually cares about gay people," Framke wrote. "It'll be because he spun a story about vicious trolls going after him for no good reason. It might be a compelling enough angle to convince DeGeneres and her audience, but even if it manages to sway the Academy, it still won't actually be true." DeGeneres responded to critics on Twitter: "I believe in forgiveness. I believe in second chances." The Oscars are looking for something to juice Hollywood's biggest night, after the ceremony drew its smallest audience ever in 2018. PARIS (AP) - French President Emmanuel Macron is vowing to keep reforming the country as anti-government protesters plan a new round of demonstrations this weekend. Macron said "we must probably make further changes, be more radical," in comments reported by government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux after the first Cabinet meeting of the year on Friday. Planned changes notably concern France's national unemployment insurance and pension system. Griveaux called on the French to express their views during a "national debate" organized in the coming weeks in all regions, rather than by taking to the streets. He called those who are still protesting within the yellow vest movement "agitators who want insurrection and to overthrow the government." Yellow vest protesters plan new demonstrations Saturday in Paris and other cities. The movement appeared to lose strength in recent weeks. French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, center, and members of the French government arrives at the Elysee Palace after the traditional New Year government breakfast in Paris, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal appeals court sided with the Trump administration Friday in a case about the Pentagon's effort to restrict military service by transgender people, but the ruling won't change who can serve or enlist at this point. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled Friday that a lower court judge was wrong to block the Pentagon from implementing plans to restrict the service of transgender individuals. The unsigned ruling will not allow the Pentagon to implement its policy, however, because other judges have entered orders blocking the administration in similar cases. The administration has already asked the Supreme Court to weigh in. The high court could announce as early as this month if it will do so. The appeals court ruling said the military's plan appears to rely on the "considered professional judgment" of "appropriate military officials." It noted that the plan "appears to permit some transgender individuals to serve in the military." Military policy until a few years ago had barred service by transgender individuals. That changed under President Barack Obama's administration. The military announced in 2016 that transgender individuals already serving in the military would be allowed to serve openly. And the military set July 1, 2017, as the date when transgender individuals would be allowed to enlist. But President Donald Trump's administration delayed the enlistment date, saying the issue needed further study. While that study was ongoing, the president tweeted in late July 2017 that the government would not allow "Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military." He later directed the military to return to its policy before the Obama administration changes. Groups representing transgender individuals responded by suing the administration in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Washington state and California. The Trump administration lost early rounds in those cases, with courts issuing nationwide injunctions barring the administration from altering course. As a result, transgender individuals continue to serve openly and transgender individuals have been allowed to enlist in the military since Jan. 1, 2018. In March 2018, the Trump administration announced that after studying the issue it was revising its policy. The new policy generally bars transgender individuals from serving or enlisting unless they serve "in their biological sex" and "do not seek to undergo gender transition." An exception allows the service of transgender service members who previously relied on the Obama-era rule. Groups representing transgender individuals have responded by arguing that the policy is essentially a ban on the service by transgender individuals. The lawsuit in the District of Columbia was filed by the National Center for Lesbian Rights and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders. NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter called Friday's decision "a devastating slap in the face to transgender service members." Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said the administration was "pleased with the decision." Two of the three judges who ruled in the case were nominated by Republican presidents. Judge Thomas Griffith was nominated by George W. Bush and Judge Stephen Williams was nominated by Ronald Reagan. The third judge, Robert Wilkins, was nominated by President Barack Obama. ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his country will host the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan for a meeting geared toward bringing peace to Afghanistan. Erdogan spoke Friday at a joint news conference with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is making his first visit to Turkey since he came to power in August. Erdogan said the trilateral meeting would take place in Istanbul after Turkey's March local election. Khan told reporters he hoped the meeting would bring "badly needed peace" to Afghanistan. Erdogan, meanwhile, welcomed Pakistan's decision to hand over schools affiliated with exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen to a Turkish government foundation. Turkey blames Gulen for a 2016 failed coup. Khan on Thursday visited the tomb of the 13th-century Sufi mystic Jalaladdin Rumi in the city of Konya. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, welcomes Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan to Ankara, Turkey, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The two expected to discus bilateral and regional issues. (Presidential Press Service via AP, Pool) Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan inspect a military honour guard during a welcome ceremony, in Ankara, Turkey, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The two expected to discuss bilateral and regional issues. (Presidential Press Service via AP, Pool) Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan shake hands before a meeting, in Ankara, Turkey, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The two expected to discuss bilateral and regional issues. (Presidential Press Service via AP, Pool) PALM SPRINGS, California (AP) - Bradley Cooper, Spike Lee, Olivia Colman and other Oscar contenders kicked off Hollywood's 2019 awards season with an emotional trip to the desert city of Palm Springs. The Palm Springs International Film Festival gala was a familiar setting for Cooper, who received director of the year honors on Thursday. He had presented the same trophy to his "Silver Linings Playbook" director David O. Russell six years ago, and filmed key "A Star is Born" scenes in the area. First-time director Cooper choked up while thanking co-star Sam Elliott for his "blind faith," saying, "It's just a testament that if you believe in something so strong and you're willing to work tirelessly, you can get great artists like Sam Elliott." "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" star Melissa McCarthy and "The Favourite" star Colman both held back tears when talking about their husbands on stage. Lee, winner of a career achievement award, recounted his early ambitions after being introduced by his "BlackKklansman" stars John David Washington and Adam Driver. "Growing up in public school in Brooklyn, I would sit in the back of the class," he said. "I would practice my autograph. Didn't take any notes. Just practice my autograph. I don't know why. But I knew one day I would be signing autographs. So this whole thing, as a filmmaker. I think that I didn't choose film. Film chose me." Sam Elliott looks on as Bradley Cooper, seen in background screen, accepts the director of the year award for "A Star Is Born" at the 30th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Palm Springs, Calif. Looking on at right is (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Emily Blunt heaped praise on her "Mary Poppins Returns" director Rob Marshall. "If what Mary Poppins does for people is come in and infuse a sense of wonder and hope and joy, well then ... you are our Manny Poppins, always and forever," she said. Colman made one of the night's few nods to real-world politics. She called Queen Anne, her character in "The Favourite," ''someone in whom resides all the madness, frustration, confusion and instability of a powerful person unfit for their job. I don't know if you know of anyone like that." "Green Book," a race-focused story set in the 1950s and inspired by a true story, was given the Vanguard Award at the event. On the red carpet, star Viggo Mortensen pushed back against what he called "extremely unfair" recent media reports questioning the historical accuracy of the film. Honorees at the black tie optional gala dinner will be seeing plenty more of each other. All the individual award winners are also nominees at the Golden Globe Awards, to be held Sunday in Beverly Hills.. Sam Elliott, right, and Bradley Cooper, recipient of the director of the year award for "A Star Is Born" pose in the press room at the 30th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Palm Springs, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) Emma Stone presents the Desert Palm achievement award actress at the 30th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Palm Springs, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Melissa McCarthy walks on stage to accept the spotlight award actress for "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" at the 30th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Palm Springs, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Emma Stone, left, poses in the press room with Olivia Colman, winner of the Desert Palm achievement award for "The Favourite" at the 30th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Palm Springs, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) Jim Carrey presents the vanguard award at the 30th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Palm Springs, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Spike Lee accepts the career achievement award for "BlacKkKlansman" at the 30th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Palm Springs, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Viggo Mortensen, left, and Linda Cardellini are seen on stage as they accept the vanguard award for "Green Book," at the 30th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, in Palm Springs, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) WASHINGTON (AP) - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton are hoping their trips to the Middle East can help shore up support from America's partners amid increasing tensions in the region. In his first Mideast visit since President Donald Trump's recent announcement that he intends to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria, Pompeo will stop in eight countries, starting with Jordan on Wednesday, the State Department said. Bolton planned to depart Friday for Israel and Turkey, his spokesman said. The Syria decision, which led to the resignations of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and the U.S. special envoy for the anti-Islamic State coalition, Brett McGurk, is expected to dominate the officials' agenda, along with the Trump administration's hard line on Iran, the conflict in Yemen and the situation in Iraq. The State Department announced Friday that veteran diplomat Jim Jeffrey, who has been serving since August as the special representative for Syrian engagement, would assume McGurk's anti-IS duties. The Trump-ordered withdrawal of U.S. troops in Syria was initially expected to be completed within weeks, but has been slowed as the president has acceded to requests from aides, allies and members of Congress for a more orderly pullout. The U.S. drawdown is feared to clear the way for a Turkish assault on Kurdish fighters in Syria who have fought alongside American troops against the Islamic State group. A State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity to preview Pompeo's trip, said the secretary's aim was to counter "false narratives" that the U.S. is abandoning the Middle East and to make the point that Iran continues to be a threat. "We are not going anywhere," the official said. In this photo released by the Colombia's Presidency U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, and Colombia's President Ivan Duque talk during a meeting at the Presidential Guest House in Cartagena, Colombia, Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019. (Nicolas Galeano/Colombia's Presidency via AP) In addition to Jordan, Pompeo plans stops in Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait. The U.S. hopes each country will play a significant role in a planned regional strategic partnership being called an "Arab NATO." Bolton also will focus on Syria and "how the U.S. will work with allies and partners to prevent the resurgence of ISIS, stand fast with those who fought with us against ISIS, and counter Iranian malign behavior in the region," according to National Security Council spokesman Garrett Marquis. Bolton was scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before being joined in Turkey by Jeffrey and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph Dunford. They are expected to pressure Turkish officials not to launch an offensive targeting Kurdish fights in Syria. Turkey considers the Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, a terrorist group linked to an insurgency within its own borders. Pompeo told Newsmax Thursday that "ensuring that the Turks don't slaughter the Kurds" was part "of the American mission set," a comment that Turkey said showed a lack of information about the situation. After a brief stop in Amman, Pompeo will fly to Cairo for counterterrorism and energy cooperation talks with Egyptian officials and to give a speech on the U.S. "commitment to peace, prosperity, stability, and security in the Middle East," the State Department said. The speech is expected to be a counterpoint to an address that President Barack Obama delivered in Cairo in 2009 in which he sought to reach out to the Muslim world. From Cairo, Pompeo heads to Manama, Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, to continue discussions on the Middle East Strategic Alliance that is aimed at confronting Iran's increasing assertiveness in the Persian Gulf. Pompeo will then visit Abu Dhabi, where he will push for all parties to the conflict in Yemen to follow through on de-escalation agreements they reached at U.N.-brokered peace talks in Sweden last month. The Emirates are Saudi Arabia's main partner in a coalition fighting Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The UAE is also at the center of a festering dispute involving most of the Gulf Arab nations and Qatar, which will be Pompeo's next stop. In Doha, the secretary plans to underscore the importance the U.S. places on Gulf unity in standing up against Iran. Qatar has been subject to a blockade by its neighbors, including Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, which accuse it of supporting terrorism, since June 2017. From Doha, Pompeo will travel to Riyadh for talks with Saudi officials about Yemen, Iran and Syria as well as the investigation into the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Washington Post contributor was killed at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in October. Earlier this week, Saudi prosecutors announced they would seek the death penalty against five of 11 suspects Khashoggi's slaying, in which members of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's entourage have been implicated. The State Department official said, however, that what the U.S. has seen so far is not enough and has yet to hit a "threshold of credibility and accountability." Pompeo will wrap up his tour with stops in Muscat, Oman, and Kuwait City. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Two South Carolina law officers were charged Friday in the deaths of two women who drowned while locked in the back of a sheriff's department van during Hurricane Florence. Stephen Flood is charged with two counts each of reckless homicide and involuntary manslaughter, according to online court records. Joshua Bishop faces two counts of involuntary manslaughter. A judge set bond at $30,000 for Flood and $10,000 for Bishop and both were released after posting bail. Flood, 66, and Bishop, 29, were fired from the Horry County Sheriff's Office in October as part of an internal investigation. Authorities said the deputies were driving 45-year-old Wendy Newton and 43-year-old Nicolette Green through Marion County to a mental-health facility under a court order when their van was swept away by rising floodwaters as Hurricane Florence inundated the state. According to records from the state Criminal Justice Academy, Flood made a "conscious decision" to drive around a barricade near the Little Pee Dee River, and Bishop didn't try to stop him. The powerful tropical system smashed into the Southeast coast as a hurricane Sept. 14, triggering severe flooding as it weakened yet nearly stalled over the Carolinas for days. FILE - In this Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, file photo, responders congregate near where two people drowned the evening before when they were trapped in a Horry County Sheriff's transport van while crossing an overtopped bridge over the Little Pee Dee River on Highway 76, during rising floodwaters in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence in Marion County, S.C. Charges are expected to be filed Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, against two South Carolina law enforcement officers who were transporting two mental patients who drowned while locked in the back of a van during the hurricane. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File) Green and Newton drowned in the back of the locked van on Sept. 18. The families of both women tearfully addressed the judge Friday. Rose Hershberger, Green's oldest daughter and a high school senior, mourned her mother missing milestones like her graduation. "Every night is just a constant lack of sleep," Hershberger said. "All I see is my mother, and I hear her screams and her cries." Lawyers for both Bishop and Flood said their clients had no criminal history and both have ties to the community. Flood's lawyer, Allie Argoe, said her client had no intention to hurt the women in the van. "We hope the truth of what really happened that day will come out," Argoe said. During a November legislative hearing, advocates for the women said neither one was violent. Newton was only seeking medicine for her fear and anxiety the day she died, a family attorney said, while Green's family said she was committed at a regular mental health appointment by a counselor she had never seen before. Horry County officials have said that the deputies tried unsuccessfully to rescue the women from the van, which was on its side, blocking the door the deputies would have needed to unlock with a key. When rescue crews finally arrived, the van was underwater, and the deputies were plucked from its roof. Working numbers for Bishop and Flood could not be found. Their next court appearances were scheduled for late February. Many roads in the northeastern part of the state were flooded out and blocked off in the days following the powerful storm. Authorities with the sheriff's department have said that the deputies, in a marked sheriff's department vehicle, were waved through a barricade near the Little Pee Dee River by National Guardsmen charged with keeping motorists out of the area. The Little Pee Dee was one of several rivers officials watched closely in the days following the storm. In the months since, a legislative committee has opened hearings into the incident, discussing potential changes to the laws on how patients who are committed to mental hospitals are handled by police. Democratic state Sen. Marlon Kimpson, who has headed up those hearings, said bipartisan legislation will be filed in the coming week, in the hopes of preventing similar tragedies in the future. "Mental illness is not a law enforcement issue," Kimpson told The Associated Press. "It's a health issue, and that's where our focus needs to be." ____ Meg Kinnard can be reached on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - A Palestinian broadcasting corporation says masked gunmen have raided its studios in the Gaza Strip. Images circulating in the incident's aftermath Friday showed the TV station's Gaza headquarters strewn with shattered glass and destroyed equipment. The Interior Ministry, controlled by Gaza's Hamas rulers, said it is investigating the raid on the Palestinian Authority-run corporation. Tensions have spiked recently between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement in the West Bank and Hamas, its bitter rival in Gaza. Hamas accuses Abbas of slashing salaries for civil servants in Gaza to pressure the Islamic movement into ceding control. Fatah also plans to defy a Hamas ban and celebrate its anniversary with an open-air rally Monday. The power struggle dates back to 2007, when Hamas took control of Gaza from Abbas's government. Employees check the damage in a studio after a raid by gunmen on the offices of a Palestinian broadcasting corporation in Gaza City, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Interior Ministry, controlled by Gaza's Hamas rulers, said it is investigating the raid on the Palestinian Authority-run corporation. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) An employee checks the damage in a studio after a raid by gunmen on the offices of a Palestinian broadcasting corporation in Gaza City, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Interior Ministry, controlled by Gaza's Hamas rulers, said it is investigating the raid on the Palestinian Authority-run corporation. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) Employees check the damage in a studio after a raid by gunmen on the offices of a Palestinian broadcasting corporation in Gaza City, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Interior Ministry, controlled by Gaza's Hamas rulers, said it is investigating the raid on the Palestinian Authority-run corporation. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) Employees check the damage in a studio after a raid by gunmen on the offices of a Palestinian broadcasting corporation in Gaza City, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The Interior Ministry, controlled by Gaza's Hamas rulers, said it is investigating the raid on the Palestinian Authority-run corporation. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) MOSCOW (AP) - The American former Marine who is being held in Moscow on spying charges also holds British, Irish and Canadian citizenship, officials said. Britain's foreign secretary charged Friday that Russia is trying to use him as a pawn in its geopolitical games. The news that Paul Whelan holds citizenship in four countries brings international pressure on Russia from several fronts. Britain, Ireland, and Canada have asked that their diplomats be allowed to visit him as well as the U.S. ambassador. Whelan, the 48-year-old global security director for a U.S. auto parts company, was arrested Dec. 28 in Moscow. At the time, he was identified only as an American. Russian authorities have released no information about the charges against Whelan, who could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of spying. Russian media reported Thursday that Whelan had been formally indicted for spying. The Interfax news agency said he denied the allegation. Whelan's family says he was in Russia to attend a friend's wedding. A Russian lawmaker, meanwhile, hinted Friday that the detainee could possibly be swapped for a Russian woman in the United States who has pleaded guilty to trying to influence U.S. politics. Relations between Moscow and London have hit a low point in the wake of Britain's allegations that Russian military intelligence agents were behind the nerve-agent poisoning of a Russian former double agent and his daughter in the British city of Salisbury in March. This undated photo provided by the Whelan family shows Paul Whelan in Iceland. Whelan, a former U.S. Marine arrested in Russia on espionage charges, was visiting Moscow over the holidays to attend a wedding when he suddenly disappeared, his brother said Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019. (Courtesy of the Whelan Family via AP) British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said his government was helping Whelan. "We are giving him every support we that we can, but we don't agree with individuals being used in diplomatic chess games," Hunt said Friday on Sky News. "We are extremely worried about him and his family." U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr. met with Whelan earlier this week at Lefortovo Prison in Moscow. "He has British citizenship. The British side has sent a request for a consular visit. Work on it is in progress," the Russian state news agency Tass cited Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying. Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs on Friday confirmed that Whelan also holds Irish citizenship and said it is requesting consular access, while Global Affairs Canada confirmed that it is providing consular assistance to Whelan and is asking Russian authorities for more information on his case. Whelan's twin brother David said in a statement for the family that they were "very pleased to know that staff of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow have been given consular access to Paul and confirmed that he is safe." He said the family's "focus remains on ensuring that Paul is safe, well treated, has a good lawyer, and is coming home." He urged both the U.S. Congress and the U.S. State Department to help get his brother freed. Whelan's arrest came two weeks after Russian gun-rights activist Maria Butina pleaded guilty in the United States to conspiring to act as a foreign agent by trying to infiltrate conservative circles and the National Rifle Association to influence U.S. politics. Butina has become a cause celebre for Russia - her face is the profile picture on the Foreign Ministry's Facebook page - and the timing of Whelan's arrest has led to suggestions that he is being seen as a potential swap for her. A top member of Russia's parliament, foreign affairs committee deputy head Dmitry Novikov, on Friday appeared to suggest that was a possibility once the investigation into Whelan was completed. "I think that we have to give our special services the opportunity to finalize things with the detainees. Then we will see," he said, according to the Interfax news agency. U.K.-Russian relations were sharply damaged by the Salisbury nerve agent poisoning in March, for which Russia has angrily denied involvement. The two Russian suspects identified by British authorities, who were spotted on security cameras in Salisbury on the day that former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and Yulia Skripal were poisoned, claim they were businessmen on a short holiday to see the city's famed cathedral. Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats in the case, and Russia sent home the same number. Many British allies made similar expulsions, with more than 150 Russian diplomats kicked out overall. Whelan, a former staff sergeant with the Marines in Iraq, has visited Russia since at least 2007. He is the global security director for the Auburn Hills, Michigan-based BorgWarner, an auto parts supplier. ___ Katz reported from London. Rob Gillies in Toronto also contributed. CAIRO (AP) - The United Nations food agency demanded on Friday that the Houthi rebels put an "immediate end" to food diversion and hold accountable those responsible for food theft, but said it not clear how much of their aid is actually reaching Yemenis. Meanwhile, the Saudi Ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Jaber, told The Associated Press that at least 60 percent of the funds sent to the U.N. by members of the Saudi-led coalition battling the Houthis have not yet been spent on their intended purpose. Obstacles imposed by the Houthis on aid agencies in northern Yemen, such as blocking access to on-the-ground medical programs, have resulted in the funds remaining held up, he alleged. The latest remarks come shortly after an investigation by the AP found that across Yemen, factions and militias on both sides of the conflict have blocked food aid from reaching groups suspected of disloyalty, diverting it instead to front-line combat units or selling it for a profit on the black market. "This is an issue that affects not just WFP but all aid agencies working in Yemen and indeed in war zones everywhere," said Herve Verhoosel, spokesman for the World Food Program, on Friday in Geneva. "No-one can say for certain how widespread this problem is," he added. "The de facto authorities in Sana'a have a responsibility to take action against those involved in stealing from the beneficiaries and in trading of food aid," he said, adding that the WFP has repeatedly demanded that the Houthis introduce biometric registration to bring an end to fraud and aid losses. He added that there will be no major shift from food baskets to cash transfers for beneficiaries - a demand by the Houthis- until there are clear monitoring and verification methods in place, along with biometric registration. "Given the risk of corruption, we have made it clear to the de facto authorities that we will not introduce cash-based transfers unless we are authorized to implement a biometric identification system that uses personal data including iris scans and ten-finger prints to ensure that only registered beneficiaries are able to claim their cash or food rations," he said. The WFP on Monday threatened to suspend some aid shipments to Yemen if the rebels don't investigate and stop theft and fraud in food distribution, warning that the suspension would affect some 3 million people. It gave an ultimatum of 10 days for Houthis to take action. The Houthis, in turn, accused the WFP of politicizing the aid deliveries and accused the agency of sending expired food to Yemen. Relief workers expressed fears of retaliatory measures by the Houthis, either by holding aid trucks for long periods, or revoking visas for international aid workers as they have repeatedly done in the past. The war in Yemen began in 2014 when the Houthi rebels occupied the capital and moved south, forcing the internationally-recognized government to flee and seek support from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. The Saudi-led coalition has imposed air, land, and sea embargoes, and its anti-Houthi air campaign has caused thousands of civilian casualties. The Saudis, who are the largest donor to the U.N. humanitarian response plan, said that they have known about the aid diversions for a long time and are requesting that the U.N. reshape its aid schemes to support development projects and not just emergencies. Al-Jaber told the AP on Friday that the U.N. has remained silent over the Houthi's violations and that the world body has only been able to spend 40 percent of the funds it has received due to the obstacles imposed on it by Houthis. LISBON, Portugal (AP) - A Portuguese court has acquitted a former minister of malfeasance and influence-peddling in connection with residence permits granted to investors from outside the European Union. The court in Lisbon said Friday it was not proven that former Interior Minister Miguel Macedo had favored Chinese and Angolan investors in administrative procedures granting the so-called "golden visas." Golden visa programs around the world offer residence in exchange for investment but have been widely criticized for attracting fraud. Portugal's program has drawn more than 4 billion euros ($4.6 billion) in investment, mostly from Chinese citizens, since 2012. Macedo resigned in 2014 when the prosecutor brought charges against him. Two other senior Portuguese officials were found guilty of corruption while two Chinese citizens were convicted of influence-peddling. Another Chinese citizen and an Angolan were acquitted. BERLIN (AP) - Berlin's unwanted Christmas trees have ended their days as a festive snack for zoo elephants and stocking fillers for some of their fellow residents. The once-a-year treats arrived Friday at the Tierpark, one of the German capital's two zoos. The zoo takes only fresh, unsold trees from selected vendors. It doesn't accept trees from the public, which could contain chemicals or leftover decorations. The elephants eat the trees themselves. Monkeys are presented with trees decorated with vegetables, and tigers get meat decorations. Two Asian Elephants eat Christmas trees at Tierpark zoo in Berlin, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Vendors donate not sold Christmas trees to the zoo after Christmas to feed the trees to animals. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Barbary macaque sits next to a Christmas tree decorated with vegetables at Tierpark zoo in Berlin, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Vendors donate not sold Christmas trees to the zoo after Christmas to feed the trees to animals. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) Two Asian Elephants eat Christmas trees at Tierpark zoo in Berlin, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Vendors donate not sold Christmas trees to the zoo after Christmas to feed the trees to animals. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) An Asian Elephant is needed with a Christmas tree at Tierpark zoo in Berlin, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Vendors donate not sold Christmas trees to the zoo after Christmas to support the animals. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber) BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - Romania's president on Friday refused a request from the justice minister to dismiss the county's top prosecutor, who has clashed with the government over its commitment to fight corruption. President Klaus Iohannis said he wouldn't fire Prosecutor General Augustin Lazar, a critic of a governmental judicial overhaul that he and others say will make it harder to prosecute senior officials for corruption. Justice Minister Tudorel Toader asked Iohannis to remove Lazar from his post last month based on a 63-page report that alleged mismanagement. But Iohannis said Lazar was "doing a very good job" and rejected "this so-called evaluation," which he said doesn't adhere to legal principles. The president also refused to appoint two other ministers. His refusal drew a sharp rebuke from the ruling Social Democratic Party, which accused Iohannis of blocking government activity and "influence peddling." The party claimed the president was in cahoots with Lazar, who was a regional prosecutor in an office that in 2010 dropped charges against Iohannis in a fraudulent property restitution case. Iohannis was mayor of the Transylvanian city of Sibiu at the time, before being elected president in 2014. In this Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, photo a man walks by the monument of the European Union Founding Fathers in Bucharest, Romania. Romanian officials have slammed European Union officials for treating it as "a second-rate" country as it prepares to take over the EU's rotating presidency. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) The ruling party said it would "use all legal and constitutional means... to defend the constitutional order and the rule of law and assure a minimum political stability," during the six months it holds the European Union's rotating presidency, which began Jan.1. Iohannis on Friday also rejected Toader's repeated request to appoint regional prosecutor Adina Florea to the post of chief prosecutor at the National Anti-Corruption Directorate. Iohannis said it was "rather odd" that Tudorel would resubmit her name after Iohannis said last month she was not legally qualified for the position. The Superior Council of Magistrates also ruled Florea was unsuited for the high-profile position because it said she handled stress badly and had problems with "honesty and impartiality." The European Union says it's concerned about corruption and the erosion of the rule of law in Romania. But the government claims the EU is discriminating against Romania, and insists prosecutors have too much power. It says the country should be free to decide upon its own laws. Last year, Tudorel engineered the dismissal of the former chief anti-corruption prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi, alleging that she mismanaged the office and overstepped her authority. The U.S. and the EU, however, praised Kovesi, the driving force behind the corruption convictions of hundreds of officials in recent years. BAGHDAD (AP) - A fire at a women's shelter in Baghdad killed several lodgers on Friday, according to police, who gave conflicting accounts of the tragedy. Baghdad Police Lt. Col. Mohammed Jihad, briefing reporters outside the shelter, called it a "group suicide" caused by women rioting in the shelter. He said several women were suffering from a "deteriorating mental state" and rioted, resulting in the fire that killed six women. But another officer at the Rusafa police district, where the shelter is located, said the fire started in the kitchen after lodgers got into a fight. The officer, who asked that his name be withheld in line with police regulations, said two women died from stab wounds and seven perished in the fire. At two nearby hospitals 22 others were being treated for injuries. The casualty toll could not be independently confirmed. Police barred reporters from entering the shelter, located in Baghdad's northern Azamiyah area. The shelter, run by the Labor and Social Affairs Ministry's Office for Rehabilitation, houses homeless women and those with children born out of wedlock. People gather outside a women's shelter to check on their relatives after a fire in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. The fire killed several lodgers, according to police, who gave conflicting accounts of the tragedy. (AP Photo/Ali Abdul Hassan) ___ This story has been updated to correct that the facility is a shelter not a prison. BERLIN (AP) - A German cardinal is asserting that outrage about the Catholic Church's sexual abuse scandal is hypocritical, arguing that what happened reflected events in society as a whole. The church has been shaken over recent years by scandals in several countries, including Germany. A church-commissioned report concluded that at least 3,677 people were abused by clergy in Germany between 1946 and 2014, prompting a top bishop to apologize. However, in comments to German news agency dpa published Friday, Vatican-based Cardinal Walter Brandmueller was quoted as saying that "society is behaving pretty hypocritically." Brandmueller added: "What happened in the church in terms of abuse is nothing different from what happens in society in general." He argued the real scandal was that church representatives hadn't been different from the rest of society. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - A sheriff's deputy has been placed on restricted duty following the release of a statewide commission's report on the handling of last year's mass shooting at a Florida high school. News outlets report Broward Sheriff's Deputy Joshua Stambaugh was informed of the decision on Thursday. Commissioners said Stambaugh "did not move toward the campus" despite hearing gunshots. Their report said his body camera captured the sound of the final shots being fired. Nikolas Cruz, now 20, initially got away and now awaits trial on 17 counts of first-degree murder. Deputy Edward Eason and Sgt. Brian Miller also were placed on restricted duty, meaning they also turned in their badges and guns. Two other deputies, including the widely criticized school resource officer Scott Peterson, have retired since the Feb. 14 massacre. CAIRO (AP) - Police on Friday used tear gas to disperse anti-government demonstrations across Sudan's capital, where two weeks of street protests there and elsewhere in the country are keeping pressure on autocratic President Omar al-Bashir to step down after nearly 30 years in power. The protests took place in at least eight different districts of Khartoum and its twin cities of Omdurman and Bahary, with thousands taking to the streets after the noon prayers chanting "freedom, peace, justice." The protesters also carried banners bearing the word "erhal," Arabic for "leave!" and chanted "Oh, you dancer, you made the people hungry," a reference to al-Bashir's trademark dance to local music after speaking at rallies. In Omdurman, after the noon prayers, protesters rallied around opposition leader Sadeq al-Mahdi, Sudan's last freely elected government whose three years in power proved ineffective. There were also protests in the railway city of Atbara, a traditional bastion of dissent and one of several cities where anti-government demonstrations began Dec. 19, initially over rising prices and shortages but which quickly shifted to calls for al-Bashir to step down. Kassala and the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, both in eastern Sudan, and al-Gazeera region south of Khartoum also witnessed protests Friday. At least 40 people are reported to have been killed in the protests so far. The government has acknowledged the death of 19 people and al-Bashir this week ordered an investigation into the use of lethal force against protesters. His decision to probe the deaths came after several Western nations, including the United States, have expressed their alarm at the use of live ammunition by security forces and demanded an investigation. Friday's protests were called by the country's largest opposition blocs as part of a series, with the next ones slated for Sunday and Wednesday. Al-Bashir, an Islamist, has been in power since 1989 when he led a military coup that toppled al-Mahdi's elected government. He was indicted by the International Criminal Court in 2010 for genocide and crimes against humanity in the western Darfur region. The mainly animist and Christian south seceded a year later under a peace deal that ended a long civil war. With the south seceding, Sudan lost three quarters of its oil wealth, plunging the economy into a protracted crisis that continues to this day. In recent weeks, a devaluation of the local currency sent prices soaring. An attempt to lift subsidies on bread, a main fare for most Sudanese, proved to be the last stroke. Al-Bashir has acknowledged the country's economic woes, but used a mix of religion and promises of better days to ride out the current crisis. On Thursday, he pledged an increase in wages, continued state subsidies on basic food items, better services for pensioners and an overhaul of medical care. He did not elaborate. Also this week, he said Sudan's problems were largely caused by international sanctions - Sudan is on the U.S. list of countries sponsoring terrorism - and unnamed parties that sought to undermine Sudan's Islamic "experiment." MOSCOW (AP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Israeli counterpart, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have held telephone consultations centering on Syria. In the Friday call, Putin and Netanyahu "focused on developments in Syria, including in light of the United States' stated intention to withdraw its troops from that country. They pointed to the need for the final defeat of terrorism and speedy achievement of a political settlement in Syria," a Kremlin statement said. Netanyahu also offered condolences following an apartment building collapse in the Russian city of Magnitogorsk this week that killed 39 people, the statement said. BEIJING (AP) - China on Friday rebutted a U.S. travel advisory that urges American nationals to "exercise increased caution" when travelling in the Communist Party-ruled country. The advisory, which warns of the potential for arbitrary detentions, "cannot stand up to scrutiny," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang, who noted that 2.3 million Americans visited China between January and November 2018. "I think this figure speaks volumes for the security condition in China," Lu said, adding that it far outnumbers the number of Chinese people visiting the U.S. "The U.S., however, has recently used various excuses to conduct gratuitous inspections and create obstacles for Chinese citizens entering the U.S." The spokesman did not mention specific instances in which Chinese citizens encountered difficulty entering the U.S. An American official told the AP last May that Chinese graduate students studying in fields like robotics and aviation in the U.S. would be limited to one-year visas, while Chinese citizens seeking visas to work for companies on a U.S. Commerce Department list would need special clearance. An updated U.S. State Department notice warns that China sometimes arbitrarily detains U.S. citizens or prevents them from leaving the country. The notice says the "exit bans" are imposed to compel Americans to facilitate government investigations or resolve business disputes. U.S. citizens of Chinese heritage may be subject to additional scrutiny, it adds. "U.S. citizens may be subjected to prolonged interrogations and extended detention for reasons related to 'state security,'" the advisory says. "Security personnel may detain and/or deport U.S. citizens for sending private electronic messages critical of the Chinese government." FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2018 file photo, a traveler pushes his luggage beneath large Chinese flags hanging from the ceiling in Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport in Shenzhen in southern China's Guangdong province. China on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, rebutted a U.S. travel advisory that urges American nationals to "exercise increased caution" when traveling in the Communist Party-ruled country. The advisory, which warns of the potential for arbitrary detentions, "cannot stand up to scrutiny," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang, who noted that 2.3 million Americans visited China between January and November 2018. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) The notice is largely the same as one released a year ago, with the addition of a paragraph noting security checks and increased police presence in the Xinjiang and Tibet regions. WARSAW, Poland (AP) - A new member of Poland's right-wing government has appealed on Facebook for public support amid political outrage over his previous far-right and anti-Western statements. The controversial appointment of Adam Andruszkiewicz as Poland's deputy minister for digital affairs comes at the start of a year that will see European and local parliament elections that are crucial for the future of Poland's ruling conservative party. Observers say by appointing nationalist lawmaker Andruszkiewicz, 28, a former leader of the extreme-right All-Poland Youth organization, the ruling Law and Justice party wants to widen its voter base and neutralize right-wing competition. They say the ruling team expects Andruszkiewicz, a graduate of Bialystok University, to attract young, educated voters who are generally opposed to the ruling party. Critics say his past statements against hosting U.S. troops in Poland, and against migrants and gays, should bar him from government posts. On Friday, the American Jewish Committee's Central Europe office on Twitter called his appointment astonishing, given the reports of rising anti-Semitism in Europe. The opposition Civic Platform party has also raised questions about whether Andruszkiewicz was properly vetted for any ties to foreign intelligence services, including Russia. State officials argue that his views have evolved and his social media activity qualifies him for the job. Last week, Andruszkiewicz distanced himself from his controversial past declarations, saying he was not making them as a lawmaker. But as a parliament member, he has criticized top European Union official Donald Tusk, Poland's former prime minister. On Facebook late Thursday, Andruszkiewicz said he was being subject to a "slanderous witch hunt." I guess I will give another warning and or maybe two or three more: I owe it to the Russians that I love so dearly Now the Russian Government has wised up The Russian Foreign Ministry has issued a warning about what it describes as a hunt on our citizens, urging travelers to be cautious. The message follows the detention of a Russian citizen by the FBI in Saipan. Russians should take every precaution when traveling abroad and ensure theres nothing in their records that might interest the US, the Foreign Ministry warned after the 39-year-old citizen was arrested. Source: Hunt for our people goes on: Moscow warns theres no safe place after US nabs Russian national RT World News Russians traveling in Europe, America and lap doggy Asian countries (Japan) wake up or you will find yourself on the receiving end of a raw deal. The experiment is starting now, actually several years ago and as they realize that western people are not going to care if Russians are rounded up, then they will round them up Wake up people and in this case: Wake up Russians! WtR LONDON (AP) - With Britain just 12 weeks away from the day it is meant to leave the European Union, one thing is becoming clear - uncertainty over what Brexit will mean is hurting the economy. A raft of economic figures released Friday showed the British economy weakening at the turn of the year just as Prime Minister Theresa May delayed a parliamentary vote on the Brexit deal she agreed on with the EU. House prices are down and business optimism in the key services sector is at its second-weakest level since the global financial crisis a decade ago. One of Britain's leading mortgage providers said house prices fell in December by their biggest amount in six and a half years. The Nationwide Building Society said that house prices, a barometer of the health of the wider economy, fell by a monthly rate of 0.7 percent, the biggest monthly decline since July 2012. On an annual basis, prices were up only 0.5 percent, the lowest since February 2013. "It is likely that the recent slowdown is attributable to the impact of the uncertain economic outlook on buyer sentiment, given that it has occurred against a backdrop of solid employment growth, stronger wage growth and continued low borrowing costs," said Robert Gardner, Nationwide's chief economist. The big uncertainty surrounding the British economy relates to Brexit, which is officially due to take place on March 29. May delayed the vote on her deal to the middle of this month after realizing she was heading for a big defeat. As things stand, it looks like her deal, which foresees relatively close ties between Britain and the EU in the trade of goods, will struggle to win enough support. What would happen then is unclear. Some lawmakers back another Brexit referendum while others think the country would be fine crashing out of the EU after some initial turbulence. Given the uncertain outcome of the vote in Parliament, both the EU and Britain are preparing for a possible "no-deal" Brexit. The British government, for example, is stockpiling pharmaceuticals and has bought a number of super-sized fridges to keep them viable. Estate Agent boards stand outside properties in London, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. A raft of economic figures released Friday showed the British economy weakening at the turn of the year just as Prime Minister Theresa May delayed a parliamentary vote on the Brexit deal she agreed on with the EU. House prices are down and business optimism in the key services sector is at its second-weakest level since the global financial crisis a decade ago. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) The Bank of England, which warned in November that a "no-deal" Brexit could see the British economy contract by a whopping 8 percent within a few months, also published figures showing a further slowdown at the end of 2018. It found mortgage approvals for house purchases fell significantly in November to a seven-month low and that year-on-year unsecured consumer credit growth slowed during the month to the lowest level since March 2015. And a closely watched survey found business activity rising at one of the slowest rates seen since the referendum. Financial information company IHS Markit and an industry group, the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, said their purchasing managers index - a broad gauge of economic activity - rose in December to 51.6 points from November's 51.0. Though the index remains above the 50 expansion threshold, it was still the second-lowest reading since July 2016. Manufacturing saw increased activity, but mainly due to stockpiling by firms ahead of a potential "no-deal" Brexit that could see tariffs imposed on British exports, gridlock at ports and disruptions to the movement of labor. Confidence in the services sector, which accounts for around 80 percent of the British economy, was at its second-weakest since March 2009, when the country was in a deep recession following the global financial crisis. Brexit uncertainty was by far the most prominent concern voiced by businesses. "Indecision is squeezing the life out of activity, new orders, and consumer confidence and with the gloomiest expectations for the future since July 2016, the sector is moving through a dark tunnel without a speck of light at the end it seems," said Duncan Brock, Group Director at the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply. Estate Agent boards stand outside properties in London, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. A raft of economic figures released Friday showed the British economy weakening at the turn of the year just as Prime Minister Theresa May delayed a parliamentary vote on the Brexit deal she agreed on with the EU. House prices are down and business optimism in the key services sector is at its second-weakest level since the global financial crisis a decade ago. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Estate Agent boards outside properties in London, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. A raft of economic figures released Friday showed the British economy weakening at the turn of the year just as Prime Minister Theresa May delayed a parliamentary vote on the Brexit deal she agreed on with the EU. House prices are down and business optimism in the key services sector is at its second-weakest level since the global financial crisis a decade ago. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Estate Agent boards outside properties in London, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. A raft of economic figures released Friday showed the British economy weakening at the turn of the year just as Prime Minister Theresa May delayed a parliamentary vote on the Brexit deal she agreed on with the EU. House prices are down and business optimism in the key services sector is at its second-weakest level since the global financial crisis a decade ago. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Estate Agent boards stand outside properties in London, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. A raft of economic figures released Friday showed the British economy weakening at the turn of the year just as Prime Minister Theresa May delayed a parliamentary vote on the Brexit deal she agreed on with the EU. House prices are down and business optimism in the key services sector is at its second-weakest level since the global financial crisis a decade ago. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) A sign hangs on new flats in London, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. A raft of economic figures released Friday showed the British economy weakening at the turn of the year just as Prime Minister Theresa May delayed a parliamentary vote on the Brexit deal she agreed on with the EU. House prices are down and business optimism in the key services sector is at its second-weakest level since the global financial crisis a decade ago. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) - The Vatican has confirmed that an Argentine bishop, who resigned suddenly in 2017 for stated health reasons and then landed a top administrative job at the Holy See, is under preliminary investigation after priests accused him of sexual abuse and other misconduct. The case could become yet another problem for Pope Francis, who is already battling to gain trust from the Catholic flock over his handling of sex abuse and sexual misconduct, stemming in particular from the scandal of ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. In a statement to The Associated Press, Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti stressed that the allegations against Argentine Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta only emerged in recent months, nearly a year after Francis created the new position for him as "assessor" of the Holy See's office of financial administration. At the time of his resignation, Zanchetta had only asked Francis to let him leave the northern Argentine diocese of Oran because he had difficult relations with its priests and was "unable to govern the clergy," Gisotti said. Pending the preliminary investigation into allegations of sexual abuse underway in Argentina, the 54-year-old Zanchetta will abstain from work at the Vatican, he said. Francis' standing would take another hit if he personally intervened to help out a bishop from his native Argentina - finding a job for him during a Vatican hiring hold-down - and the man later turned out to have credible allegations of misconduct against him. Zanchetta's hasty departure from Oran on July 29, 2017 was mired in mystery. He didn't celebrate a farewell Mass, as might be expected, and he issued a cryptic statement saying he had been suffering a "health problem" for some time, had just returned from the Vatican where he presented his resignation to Francis, and needed to leave immediately for treatment. Pope Francis holds his weekly general audience in the Paul VI hall, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) A statement issued the same day from his vicar general said Zanchetta had already left Oran, a deeply conservative and poor diocese near Argentina's northern border with Bolivia that Zanchetta had run since Francis made him a bishop in 2013 in one of his first Argentine episcopal appointments. Zanchetta, the vicar said at the time, would be staying in Corrientes - several hundred kilometers (miles) away - as a guest of the archbishop until Francis accepted his resignation. Often such procedures can take months, but the Vatican announced Francis had accepted it three days later, on Aug. 1. Zanchetta then disappeared from view until Dec. 19, 2017, when the Vatican announced that he had been named assessor of APSA, the office that manages the Vatican's vast real estate and other financial holdings. The appointment immediately raised eyebrows, but Zanchetta appeared nevertheless to have settled in well at APSA, and Gisotti said Francis appointed him because he had an established capacity for administrative management. It wasn't immediately clear what Zanchetta's health problems were at the time of his resignation, but by all indications there were grave problems with his leadership and divisions within the diocesan clergy. "The reason for his resignation is linked to his difficulty in handling relations with the diocesan clergy, some of which were very tense," Gisotti said. "At the time of his resignation there were accusations against him of authoritarianism, but there were no accusations of sexual abuse against him." Zanchetta spent a period of time in Spain before joining APSA. The allegations were leveled internally in recent months, Gisotti said, and last week the provincial newspaper in Salta, El Tribuno, reported that three priests had brought accusations against him to the Vatican's ambassador, or nuncio, in Buenos Aires. The newspaper said the priests had lodged accusations of abuse of power, economic abuse and sexual abuse inside the seminary. It wasn't immediately clear how Zanchetta responded to the accusations. The current bishop of Oran, which is in Salta province, is still gathering evidence and testimony and will forward it to the Vatican, Gisotti said. If the allegations are deemed credible, the case will be forwarded to Francis' special commission for bishops - an ad hoc group of canon lawyers who have been examining allegations of misconduct against bishops. The issue of sexual abuse within seminaries has risen to the forefront in the scandal over McCarrick, the retired archbishop of Washington. Francis removed McCarrick as a cardinal in July after a U.S. church investigation determined that an allegation that he fondled an altar boy in the 1970s was credible. After the allegation became public, several former seminarians came forward to report they had been abused or harassed by McCarrick and pressured to sleep with him. Francis became implicated in the McCarrick scandal after a former Vatican ambassador accused him of knowing of McCarrick's penchant for seminarians, and rehabilitating him anyway from sanctions imposed by Pope Benedict XVI. Francis hasn't responded. Zanchetta had opened his own seminary in Oran in 2016 with six seminarians. According to El Tribuno, the St. John XXIII seminary is due to close soon. The diocese hasn't responded to questions about Zanchetta's departure or the status of the investigation against him. It has, however, issued a statement responding to media reports that the priests who lodged complaints against Zanchetta had suffered retaliation. The new bishop of Oran said the priests had been transferred to respond to the pastoral needs of the faithful. "Knowing the gravity of all types of abuse, the bishop is available to anyone who would like to present a complaint to begin the corresponding procedure for canonical justice, while recalling the right of all victims of abuse to seek ordinary justice," via civil authorities, the statement said. ___ Nicole Winfield reported from San Vigilio, Italy. People gather in St. Peter's Square to attend a blessing by Pope Francis during the Angelus noon prayer he recited from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) - He became the first "Dreamer" to win the prestigious Rhodes scholarship, but for recent Harvard University graduate Jin Park, the joy of that achievement has given way to uncertainty. The 22-year-old, who lives in New York City, risks not being allowed back in the country if he enrolls at the University of Oxford in England in the fall. President Donald Trump's administration rescinded the option for overseas travel for those with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status, or DACA, when he moved to phase out the Obama-era program in 2017. But travel abroad, which was allowed under limited circumstances such as academic study during the Obama administration, should still be permitted because the federal courts have upheld the program for now, argue Park and his supporters. "If I leave, there's a very real possibility that I won't be able to come back. That's the biggest fear for sure," said Park, whose family came to the U.S. from South Korea when he was 7 years old. "I haven't really thought about what that's going to mean if I'm not allowed back." U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services, which administers DACA, didn't respond to emails seeking comment. CORRECTS NUMBER OF OTHER RHODES SCHOLAR FROM 30 TO 31 - Harvard University graduate Jin K. Park, who holds a degree in molecular and cellular biology, poses at Harvard Yard in Cambridge, Mass., Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018. Park, who was named a Rhodes Scholar along with 31 other Americans in November, entered the U.S. illegally as a child, moving to Queens borough of New York City with his family. The undocumented student, who participates in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), is not sure if he'll be allowed back in the U.S. after his studies in the United Kingdom. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) DACA recipients, commonly called "Dreamers" because of never-passed proposals in Congress called the DREAM Act, are protected from deportation because they were brought into the country illegally at a young age. Discussing the risks has been a delicate topic to broach with his parents, who cried out of joy when he won the scholarship, Park said. "I've been avoiding that question," he said days after graduating from Harvard last month. "This was especially meaningful for them. It was like a validation of the sacrifices they've made for me." Nearly 700,000 individuals are currently on DACA, which was created in 2012 and can be renewed every two years. To qualify, immigrants must have entered the country by 2007 and been under age 16 when they arrived. The Trump administration issued an order winding down the program in 2017, but federal judges in New York, California and Washington, D.C., ruled against those efforts last year and have effectively kept the program running. The administration, which is now seeking a Supreme Court review of those rulings, said last February it would honor travel requests approved before it moved to end DACA, but is also warned recipients that going abroad without so-called "advance parole" approval "automatically terminates your deferred action under DACA." Past Rhodes scholars and other Rhodes Trust supporters are volunteering their private counsel to Park in the meantime, but it's a "matter of American law and not anything the Rhodes Trust can resolve alone," said Elliot Gerson, the British organization's American secretary. "Our hope is for federal action," he added. "The government should enforce the law as it currently stands, to allow Jin to fulfil his scholarly work," said Kristian Ramos, a spokesman for Define American, an immigrant advocacy organization that supported Park in his Rhodes scholarship bid. Park could turn down the scholarship but has decided against that route. He wants to continue to be a voice in the immigration debate and believes the benefits of going to Oxford outweigh the risks. "I'm looking forward to having that unstructured time to think about these broader questions of who belongs in America and the value judgments we make about others," he said. Park has been a vocal advocate for DACA recipients since he was in high school. In 2015, he founded Higher Dreams, a nonprofit organization that helps students without permanent immigration status navigate the college application process. With the backing of Harvard, Park applied for the Rhodes scholarship last year as part of a broader effort to underscore how DACA recipients didn't qualify for the venerated award and others like it. The scholarship was created in 1902 by British businessmen and politician Cecil Rhodes and provides all expenses for at least two years of study at Oxford. Park's application - like a number of others in recent years - was rejected, but the message was received. The Rhodes organization changed its policy effective this year. Park re-applied and was accepted. Gerson said the change reflects the organization's efforts to expand eligibility. Legal permanent residents and residents of U.S. territories like Puerto Rico have also been allowed to apply in recent years. At Oxford, Park hopes to study migration and political theory as he weighs his future. The molecular and cell biology major has also applied to medical school, but he hasn't ruled out working in city government, where he believes he can make an impact on immigration policy "no matter who is in the White House." And regardless what happens next, Park has the conviction of knowing where home is. "For me, I think of Queens, New York," he said. "Whatever happens, I'm always going to know that fact. Even if I have to spend the rest of my life convincing the administration, or whoever comes next." ___ Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo. CORRECTS NUMBER OF OTHER RHODES SCHOLAR FROM 30 TO 31 -Harvard University graduate Jin K. Park, who holds a degree in molecular and cellular biology, listens during an interview in Cambridge, Mass., Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018. Park, who was named a Rhodes Scholar along with 31 other Americans in November, entered the U.S. illegally as a child, moving to Queens borough of New York City with his family. The undocumented student, who participates in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), is not sure if he'll be allowed back in the U.S. after his studies in the United Kingdom. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) CORRECTS NUMBER OF OTHER RHODES SCHOLAR FROM 30 TO 31 - Harvard University graduate Jin K. Park, who holds a degree in molecular and cellular biology, gestures during an interview in Cambridge, Mass., Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018. Park, who was named a Rhodes Scholar along with 31 other Americans in November, entered the U.S. illegally as a child, moving to Queens borough of New York City with his family. The undocumented student, who participates in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), is not sure if he'll be allowed back in the U.S. after his studies in the United Kingdom. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) BERLIN (AP) - Twitter suspended on Friday an account that posted links to sensitive personal data and documents stolen by hackers from hundreds of German public figures and politicians - from every political party but the far-right Alternative for Germany. The exposed material included addresses, cellphone numbers and chat records, along with banking, credit card and other financial information, German news media said. The breach, discovered by journalists on Thursday, affected politicians at all levels, including the European, German and state parliaments as well as municipal officials, said Martina Fietz, a spokeswoman for Chancellor Angela Merkel. She said the country's cyber-defense agency was investigating. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said an initial analysis suggests that the material was obtained from cloud services, email accounts or social networks. He said there was no indication that federal government or parliament computer systems were compromised. Fietz told reporters that "it appears, at first sight, that no sensitive information and data are included in what was published, including regarding the chancellor." The German news agency dpa reported that the information included a fax number and email address belonging to Merkel and several letters to and from the chancellor. FILE---In this picture taken Nov.21, 2018 German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) speaks in the Bundestag. (Ralf Hirschberger/dpa via AP) Cybersecurity analysts compared the hack in scale and affected population to that of prominent U.S. Democrats including Hillary Clinton presidential campaign workers and other Americans targeted by state-backed Russian hackers in 2015-2016. "This hack clearly isn't about extortion or financially-motivated. This is about attempting to destabilise Germany society," British security expert Graham Cluley blogged. Some experts cautioned journalists not to link to or publish the exposed information, saying it would serve the interests of hackers and hurt the victims. Public broadcaster RBB said there appeared to be no method to what was posted via a Twitter account. However, security experts and journalists who examined the documents said multiple copies were posted on mirror sites, indicating a serious investment of energy and time. Although the data reportedly include information such as internal party communications and in some cases personal financial records and credit card details - some of the data years old - RBB said there appeared to be no politically sensitive documents. The Twitter account listed as located in Hamburg was taken offline at midday Friday after gaining about 17,000 followers. It had been active since mid-2017. A related blog was also suspended by Google. A Twitter spokesperson would not comment other than to say the incident was under investigation. The spokesperson said the company recently updated its rules to prohibit the posting of "hacked material that contains private information, trade secrets or could put people in harm's way." The links it posted led to information on politicians from all parties in parliament except Alternative for Germany that had been shared in daily batches before Christmas along with data on YouTubers and other public figures that media reports said included journalists, comedians and artists. The last post was on Dec. 28. The head of Germany's IT security agency, Arne Schoenbohm, said authorities had been aware of individual cases in December but material was posted online on a large scale Thursday evening. He said the agency believes data on about 1,000 people were involved, and confirmed that one party in parliament wasn't affected - though he wouldn't name it. Schoenbohm said "a high two-digit number of attacks" were very successful, with accounts infiltrated and data and documents extracted. His agency was still working to figure out how the attack started and who was behind it. He said authorities couldn't rule out fake data having been mixed in with genuine information in the leaked data. Germany has seen mounting cyberattacks on government and parliament computer systems since 2014 in which Kremlin-backed hackers were suspected. Berlin has been a leading backer of sanctions against Russia over its aggression in Ukraine. German officials didn't comment Friday on whether there were any indications foreign intelligence services were involved, citing the ongoing investigation. Tom Kellermann, the chief cybersecurity officer of Carbon Black, was among analysts saying the hack had all the hallmarks of Russian state-backed hackers. He said it made perfect sense that none of the targets in this hacking campaign was from Germany's far right, and that it appeared aimed at "undermining the German political process and essentially stoking fires of the mob." "It's in Russia's best interests for the far-right politicians to be successful," Kellermann added. ___ Frank Bajak contributed to this report from Boston. BEIJING (AP) - American officials are due in Beijing Monday for talks aimed at easing the U.S.-China trade battle that threatens to hobble global economic growth. The talks are going ahead despite tension over the arrest of a Chinese tech executive in Canada on U.S. charges related to possible violations of trade sanctions on Iran. The two governments have expressed interest in a settlement but have given no indication that their stances have shifted. After several tit-for-tat tariff increases last year, Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed Dec. 1 to postpone further hikes. The two countries hope to have "positive and constructive discussions," said a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Lu Kang. The trade war has its roots in American anxiety about China's emergence as a competitor in telecoms, solar power and other technologies and complaints by Washington, Europe and other trading partners that Beijing's tactics violate its market-opening obligations. China's leaders have offered to narrow its politically sensitive trade surplus with the United States by purchasing more soybeans, natural gas and other American exports. But they reject pressure to scrap technology initiatives they see as a path to prosperity and global influence. FILE - In this Friday, Sept. 21, 2018, file photo, soybeans are offloaded from a combine during the harvest in Brownsburg, Ind. China's government says American envoys will visit Beijing on Monday for talks over a tariff fight that threatens to hobble global economic growth. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File) Both governments face economic pressure to reach a settlement. Chinese economic growth fell to a post-global crisis low of 6.5 percent in the quarter ending in September. Auto sales tumbled 16 percent in November over a year earlier and weak real estate sales are forcing developers to cut prices. Third-quarter U.S. growth was 3.4 percent and unemployment is at a five-decade low. But surveys show consumer confidence is weakening due to concern that growth will moderate this year. Beijing has tried in vain to recruit France, Germany, South Korea and other governments as allies against Trump. They criticize his tactics but echo U.S. complaints about Chinese industrial policy and market barriers. The European Union filed its own challenge in the World Trade Organization in June against Chinese regulations it said hamper the ability of foreign companies to protect and profit from their own technology. Washington has imposed punitive tariffs of up to 25 percent on $250 billion of Chinese goods. Beijing responded by imposing penalties on $110 billion of American goods, slowing down customs clearance for U.S. companies and suspending issuance of licenses in finance and other industries. Trump and Xi agreed to a 90-day postponement of more tariff increases due to take effect Jan. 1. But economists say that is too little time to resolve the sprawling disputes that bedevil U.S.-Chinese relations. The decision to hold this week's talks at a deputy minister level reflects the need to work out technical details before higher-level officials make "hard political decisions on major issues," said Tu Xinquan, director of the China Institute for World Trade Organization Studies at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing. The U.S. team will include Deputy U.S. Trade Rep. Jeffrey Gerrish; the top U.S. trade negotiator on agricultural issues, Gregg Doud; Treasury Under Secretary for International Affairs David Malpass; Commerce Under Secretary for International Trade Gilbert Kaplan; the U.S. Agriculture Department's undersecretary for trade and foreign affairs, Ted McKinney; the U.S. Department of Energy's assistant secretary for fossil energy, Steven Winberg; and other senior officials. The makeup of the U.S. team was announced Friday by the trade representative's office. The dispute has rattled companies and financial markets that worry it will drag on global economic growth that is showing signs of declining. For their part, Chinese officials are unhappy with U.S. curbs on exports of "dual use" technology with possible military applications. They complain China's companies are treated unfairly in national security reviews of proposed corporate acquisitions, though almost all deals are approved unchanged. Chinese exports to the United States held up through late 2018 despite Trump's tariff hikes. But that was due partly to exporters rushing to beat new duties - a trend that is fading. Some manufacturers that serve the United States have shifted production to other countries. The investment bank UBS said Friday that 37 percent of 200 manufacturers surveyed said they have shifted out of China over the past 12 months. It said the threat of U.S. tariff hikes was the "dominating factor" for nearly half, while others moved due to higher costs or tighter environmental regulation. Another 33 percent of companies said they plan to move out of China in the next six to 12 months, according to the UBS report. Despite the December truce, "most firms expect trade war to escalate," the report said. BEIJING (AP) - A Chinese space rover explored the lunar terrain on Friday in the world's first mission on the surface of the far side of the moon. Jade Rabbit 2 drove off a ramp the previous night and onto the soft, powdery surface after a Chinese spacecraft made the first-ever soft landing on the moon's far side. A photo posted online by China's space agency showed tracks left by the rover as it headed away from the spacecraft. "It's a small step for the rover, but one giant leap for the Chinese nation," Wu Weiren, the chief designer of the Lunar Exploration Project, told state broadcaster CCTV, in a twist of U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong's famous comment when he became the first human to walk on the moon in 1969. "This giant leap is a decisive move for our exploration of space and the conquering of the universe." Previous moon landings, including America's six manned missions from 1969 to 1972, have been on the near side of the moon, which faces Earth. The far side has been observed many times from lunar orbits, but never explored on the surface. China's space community is taking pride in the successful landing, which posed technical challenges because the moon blocks direct communication between the spacecraft and its controllers on Earth. China has been trying to catch up with the United States and other nations in space exploration. "The landing on the far side shows China's technology is powerful," said He Qisong, a space expert at the East China University of Science and Law in Shanghai. In this photo provided on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, by China National Space Administration via Xinhua News Agency, Yutu-2, China's lunar rover, leaves wheel marks after leaving the lander that touched down on the surface of the far side of the moon. A Chinese spacecraft on Thursday, Jan. 3, made the first-ever landing on the far side of the moon, state media said. The lunar explorer Chang'e 4 touched down at 10:26 a.m., China Central Television said in a brief announcement at the top of its noon news broadcast. (China National Space Administration/Xinhua News Agency via AP) While China's space program still lags America's, He said "China has already positioned itself at least as good as Russia and the European Union." The news cheered people on the streets of Beijing on Friday, many of whom said it showed that China can now achieve or even surpass what the United States has done. "I think this is very good evidence that we are now able to compete with the Americans," said energy company employee Yao Dajun. "You can get on the moon and so can we - I think this is very good. It means our science and technology ability is getting stronger and the country is becoming more powerful." The news inspired dreamier thoughts for advertising employee Shang Yuegang. "Probably after some years ordinary people like us can also travel up there to take a look," he said. The Chinese rover has six powered wheels, allowing it to continue to operate even if one wheel fails. It has a maximum speed of 200 meters (220 yards) per hour and can climb a 20-degree hill or an obstacle up to 20 centimeters (8 inches) tall. "The surface is soft and it is similar to that when you are walking on the snow," rover designer Shen Zhenrong of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation said on CCTV. Exploring the cosmos from the far side of the moon could eventually help scientists learn more about the early days of the solar system and even the birth of the universe's first stars. The far side is popularly called the "dark side" because it can't be seen from Earth and is relatively unknown, not because it lacks sunlight. ___ Associated Press researchers Yu Bing, Shanshan Wang and Fu Ting contributed to this story. This photo provided on Jan. 3, 2019, by China National Space Administration via Xinhua News Agency shows an image taken by China's Chang'e-4 probe during its landing process. A Chinese spacecraft on Thursday, Jan. 3, made the first-ever landing on the far side of the moon, state media said. The lunar explorer Chang'e 4 touched down at 10:26 a.m., China Central Television said in a brief announcement at the top of its noon news broadcast. (China National Space Administration/Xinhua News Agency via AP) In this photo provided on Jan. 3, 2019, by the China National Space Administration via Xinhua News Agency, an image taken by China's Chang'e-4 probe after its landing. A Chinese spacecraft on Thursday, Jan. 3, made the first-ever landing on the far side of the moon, state media said. The lunar explorer Chang'e 4 touched down at 10:26 a.m., China Central Television said in a brief announcement at the top of its noon news broadcast. (China National Space Administration/Xinhua News Agency via AP) In this image provided on Jan. 3, 2019, by China's Xinhua News Agency, a simulated landing process of Chang'e-4 lunar probe is seen through the monitor at Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing. A Chinese spacecraft on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, made the first-ever landing on the far side of the moon, state media said. (Jin Liwang/Xinhua News via AP) In this photo provided Jan. 3, 2019, by China National Space Administration via Xinhua News Agency, the first image of the moon's far side taken by China's Chang'e-4 probe. A Chinese spacecraft on Thursday, Jan. 3, made the first-ever landing on the far side of the moon, state media said. The lunar explorer Chang'e 4 touched down at 10:26 a.m., China Central Television said in a brief announcement at the top of its noon news broadcast.(China National Space Administration/Xinhua News Agency via AP) NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, Thailand (AP) - Rain, wind and surging seawater from a tropical storm buffeted coastal villages and world-famous tourist resorts on southern Thailand's east coast on Friday, knocking down trees and utility poles and flooding roads. One person was reported dead and another missing after a fishing boat with a crew of six capsized in high waves, but there were no reports of major damage by nightfall. It appeared that Tropical Storm Pabuk caused aggravation during the country's high tourist season but less damage than had been feared. Airlines and boat operators suspended operations for safety reasons and tourists were forced to change travel plans. Beaches were closed, but even with the bad weather approaching, tourists on the popular island of Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand continued to patronize bars and restaurants catering to them. That was good fortune for the tourism industry, whose safety problems were highlighted last July when 47 Chinese tourists drowned after their boat sank in rough seas near the popular resort of Phuket. Ahead of this week's storm, more than 6,100 people in four provinces were evacuated, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. Locals clear out supplies from the coastline in preparation for the approaching Tropical Storm Pabuk, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, in Pak Phanang, in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, southern Thailand. Rain, winds and surging seawater are striking southern Thailand as a strengthening tropical storm nears coastal villages and popular tourist resorts. (AP Photo/Sumeth Panpetch) The Meteorological Department said the storm had maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers (40 miles) per hour at late afternoon, down from 75 kph (47 mph) when it hit land shortly after noon. It continued to warn of strong winds and waves 3-5 meters (10 to 16 feet) high in the Gulf of Thailand and 2-3 meters (6 to 10 feet) in the Andaman Sea. It advised all ships to stay ashore through Saturday and warned of possible storm surges on the Gulf coast. "We can expect heavy rain and downpours, flooding and flash floods in the area throughout the night," department Director-General Phuwieng Prakhammintara said. Evacuation efforts were especially intense in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, about 800 kilometers (480 miles) south of Bangkok, where authorities sent trucks through flooded streets with downed power lines, urging people in danger zones to leave. "You cannot stay here. It's too dangerous," they repeated from truck-mounted loudspeakers. Koh Samui appeared to have been spared much of the brunt of the storm. Rain there stopped by Friday evening, said Joe Kieta, and American visitor, "so it seems like the worst is past us." Kieta, editor of California's Fresno Bee newspaper, said in an email that roads on the island had light debris, his hotel's beach area was closed and guests were discouraged from going out. Southern Thailand also has popular resort destinations on its west coast on the Andaman Sea, and they now await the storm. The navy said Thailand's sole aircraft carrier, the HTMS Chakri Naruebet, was on standby at its base east of Bangkok, prepared to sail to help with relief efforts at a moment's notice. PTT Exploration and Production Public Co. Ltd. said it inspected its offshore gas platforms in the Gulf of Thailand and plans to resume production on Sunday. It said all staff were safe. There had been fears that the storm would be the worst to hit Thailand since 1989, when Typhoon Gay left more than 400 people dead. A tropical storm in 1962 killed more than 900 people in the south. A row of toppled powerlines from Tropical Storm Pabuk block a main highway, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, in Pak Phanang, in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, southern Thailand. Rain, winds and surging seawater are striking southern Thailand as a strengthening tropical storm nears coastal villages and popular tourist resorts. (AP Photo/Sumeth Panpetch) Local fishermen move a boat ashore in preparation for the approaching Tropical Storm Pabuk, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, in Pak Phanang, in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, southern Thailand. Rain, winds and surging seawater are striking southern Thailand as a strengthening tropical storm nears coastal villages and popular tourist resorts. (AP Photo/Sumeth Panpetch) Locals clear the shoreline in preparation for the approaching Tropical Storm Pabuk, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, in Pak Phanang, in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, southern Thailand. Rain, winds and surging seawater are striking southern Thailand as a strengthening tropical storm nears coastal villages and popular tourist resorts. (AP Photo/Sumeth Panpetch) Locals prepare for the approaching Tropical Storm Pabuk, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, in Pak Phanang, in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, southern Thailand. Rain, winds and surging seawater are striking southern Thailand as a strengthening tropical storm nears coastal villages and popular tourist resorts. (AP Photo/Sumeth Panpetch) Floodwaters rise over the coastal road as Tropical Storm Pabuk approaches, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, in Pak Phanang, in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, southern Thailand. Rain, winds and surging seawater are striking southern Thailand as a strengthening tropical storm nears coastal villages and popular tourist resorts. (AP Photo/Sumeth Panpetch) HOUSTON (AP) - The Latest on a fiery collision allegedly caused by a drunken driver that injured two Houston police officers (all times local): 4:55 p.m. Authorities say a 23-year-old man has been charged with four felonies after he allegedly crashed into a patrol vehicle, injuring two Houston police officers. Cesar Collazo remained jailed Monday. He's facing two counts of failure to stop and render aid and two counts of intoxication assault with serious bodily injury on a public servant. Court records didn't list an attorney for Collazo. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo says the two officers were expected to recover from their injuries. John Daily will remain sedated for the next few days. He suffered burns on roughly 50 percent of his body. Acevedo says Officer Alonzo Reid suffered some minor burns but was "in great spirits." ___ 6:08 a.m. Authorities say two Houston police officers were injured, one critically, after a driver crashed into their patrol vehicle. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo says the officers were responding to a call early Monday with their SUV's lights and sirens on when another vehicle turned in front of them, causing a near head-on collision. Acevedo says Officer Alonzo Reid, who was the passenger in the SUV, pulled himself to safety as the vehicle burst into flames. The chief says that Reid along with a passerby rescued the driver, Officer John Daily, from the burning SUV. Acevedo says Reid is expected to make a full recovery but that Daily is in critical condition. The driver of the other vehicle wasn't hurt, and Acevedo says he was arrested for driving under the influence. KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - An appeal for peace during Congo's tense, volatile election period was issued at a Christmas Eve midnight mass in Kinshasa. The newly appointed Archbishop Fridolin Ambongo called on President Joseph Kabila's government to hold the elections on Dec. 30, as announced last week. Cheers greeted his homily at the Notre Dame Cathedral of Kinshasa. "The real peace excludes egoism, regionalism, tribalism, division and categorization that pushed us apart," said Ambongo. "In this critical period in the history of our country, I invite each of you to have a sense of responsibility, and to embrace nonviolence, so we may make it through December 30th 2018 that elections happen in peace and truth." Congo's Catholic church has a been a longtime supporter of democracy in the country and has urged Kabila to hold elections, which have been postponed for two years. The church has been a key player in negotiations after Kabila refused to step down at the end of his mandate in 2016. Congolese worshipers listen to Msg. Fridolin Ambongo, the the newly appointed Archibishop of Kinshasa, deliver the homily during an early midnight mass at the Notre Dame du Congo Cathedral in Kinshasa, Congo, Monday Dec. 24, 2018. Ambobgo said that Congolese people must embrace non-violence to make it through Dec. 30th elections. He warned that "The publication of results that would not reflect the will of the people as expressed in the ballot boxes would mean the annihilation of peace in our country. " (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) "Real peace, today in our country, the peace that comes from Jesus Christ, that peace requires that the elections are held on schedule, on the 30th of December 2018," said Ambongo. "Real peace ... is a peace that also calls for the results when they are announced to reflect the real will of the people," he said. Congolese children dance before Msg. Fridolin Ambongo, the the newly appointed Archibishop of Kinshasa, delivers the homily during an early midnight mass at the Notre Dame du Congo Cathedral in Kinshasa, Congo, Monday Dec. 24, 2018. Ambobgo said that Congolese people must embrace non-violence to make it through Dec. 30th elections. He warned that "The publication of results that would not reflect the will of the people as expressed in the ballot boxes would mean the annihilation of peace in our country. " (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) Msg. Fridolin Ambongo, the the newly appointed Archibishop of Kinshasa, delivers the homily during an early midnight mass at the Notre Dame du Congo Cathedral in Kinshasa, Congo, Monday Dec. 24, 2018. Ambobgo said that Congolese people must embrace non-violence to make it through Dec. 30th elections. He warned that "The publication of results that would not reflect the will of the people as expressed in the ballot boxes would mean the annihilation of peace in our country. " (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) Congolese children pray as Msg. Fridolin Ambongo, the the newly appointed Archibishop of Kinshasa, delivers the homily during an early midnight mass at the Notre Dame du Congo Cathedral in Kinshasa, Congo, Monday Dec. 24, 2018. Ambobgo said that Congolese people must embrace non-violence to make it through Dec. 30th elections. He warned that "The publication of results that would not reflect the will of the people as expressed in the ballot boxes would mean the annihilation of peace in our country. " (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) Congolese worshipers listen to Msg. Fridolin Ambongo, the the newly appointed Archibishop of Kinshasa, deliver the homily during an early midnight mass at the Notre Dame du Congo Cathedral in Kinshasa, Congo, Monday Dec. 24, 2018. Ambobgo said that Congolese people must embrace non-violence to make it through Dec. 30th elections. He warned that "The publication of results that would not reflect the will of the people as expressed in the ballot boxes would mean the annihilation of peace in our country. " (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) BOSTON (AP) - Kevin Spacey has been charged with groping the 18-year-old son of a Boston TV anchor in 2016 - the first criminal case brought against the Oscar-winning actor since his career collapsed amid a string of sexual misconduct allegations over a year ago. Spacey, 59, is due in court Jan. 7 on the resort island of Nantucket to be arraigned on a charge of indecent assault and battery, Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe said in a statement Monday. Spacey could get up to five years in prison if convicted. A criminal complaint was issued by a clerk magistrate at a hearing Thursday, O'Keefe said. Shortly after the charge became public, Spacey posted a video on YouTube titled "Let Me Be Frank," breaking a public silence of more than a year. In a monologue delivered in the voice of Frank Underwood, his character on Netflix's "House of Cards" who was killed off after the sexual misconduct allegations emerged, he said: "Of course some believed everything and have just been waiting with bated breath to hear me confess it all; they're just dying to have me declare that everything they said is true and I got what I deserved. ... I'm certainly not going to pay the price for the thing I didn't do." He added, "Soon enough, you will know the full truth." The three-minute video ended with a burst of cliffhanger music. FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2017, file photo, Kevin Spacey presents an award in Beverly Hills, Calif. A Massachusetts prosecutor says Spacey is scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 7, 2019, on a charge of indecent assault and battery for allegedly sexually assaulting the teenage son of a Boston television anchor in a Nantucket restaurant. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) A spokeswoman for the actor did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment. Former news anchor Heather Unruh came forward in November 2017 to say the actor stuck his hand down the pants of her son, who was 18 at the time, and grabbed his genitals at the Club Car Restaurant on Nantucket in July 2016. Her son fled the restaurant when Spacey went to use the bathroom, Unruh said at the time. Unruh said her son didn't report the assault right away because he was embarrassed. "The complainant has shown a tremendous amount of courage in coming forward," Mitchell Garabedian, a lawyer for Unruh's son, said in a statement Monday. "Let the facts be presented, the relevant law applied and a just and fair verdict rendered." Spacey remains under investigation on suspicion of sexual assault in Los Angeles for an incident that allegedly occurred in 2016. Prosecutors declined to file charges over a 1992 allegation because the statute of limitations had run out. He has also faced accusations of sexual misconduct from his time as artistic director of London's Old Vic Theatre. The two-time Oscar winner was among the earliest and biggest names to be ensnared in the #MeToo movement that was sparked by sexual assault and harassment allegations against Hollywood studio boss Harvey Weinstein in October 2017. His first accuser, actor Anthony Rapp, said Spacey climbed on top of him on a bed when Rapp was 14 and Spacey 26. Spacey said he did not remember such an encounter but apologized if the allegations were true. Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay. Other accusers followed Rapp's lead. Spacey was subsequently fired from "House of Cards," the political drama in which he starred for five seasons, and his performance as the oil tycoon J. Paul Getty was cut from the completed movie "All the Money in the World" and reshot with actor Christopher Plummer. Some other projects he was involved in were shelved. The case against Spacey represents a rare criminal prosecution in the #MeToo era. Weinstein is awaiting trial in New York, but many other cases have been too old to prosecute, and some accusers have declined to cooperate with authorities. ___ Dalton reported from Los Angeles. Bevin Still Hopes for Pension Reform by Lawmakers By West Kentucky Star Staff PADUCAH - Governor Matt Bevin said it remains to be seen if Kentucky legislators have what it takes to pass a pension reform law.On Thursday's Greg Dunker Show on WKYX, Bevin said the special session he called on Dec. 17 was not a surprise, despite what some legislators said.Bevin said he had meetings with House and Senate leadership in the days leading up to the state Supreme Court ruling, which he says was their opportunity to, "steal the legislators' authority." He said legislative leadership might not have passed the word about plans for the session, but that decision was theirs alone.Bevin said the purpose behind the special session was give the same legislators who had dealt with SB 151 another attempt to get it passed before some of them left office."It takes knowledge, it takes courage, and it takes leadership, and you don't need every single legislator to have all three, but you need to have enough of all three in a majority of 138 people to get this job done, and that challenge still remains before our legislature. They are the only ones who can do it," Bevin said.As for the Supreme Court's ruling, Bevin said it was a political cop-out by the courts, since they ruled on the procedure used instead of the substance of the bill.Bevin said, "That same procedure has been used for 100 years in this state, and in every other state in America. It's used in Washington, D.C."Regarding the upcoming legislative session, Bevin said he believes lawmakers have the understanding that something has to be done and the ability to pass pension reform, but they must decide whether or not to do it. If they don't, Bevin said the failing pension system will, "suck all the revenue out of everything else the people expect and need to have funded in Kentucky," like education, law enforcement, road and bridges, or workforce training.On the Net: SAN DIEGO (AP) - A man who jumped onstage at a 2015 Taylor Swift concert in California has been arrested on suspicion of beating a man to death in San Diego. Police say 29-year-old Christian Ewing was arrested for a parole violation a few days ago and re-arrested Monday on suspicion of murder. It's unclear if he has an attorney. Authorities say Ewing attacked 57-year-old Gregory Freeman on Dec. 5 in the Midway area and beat him with an object. Freeman died three days later. Three years ago, Ewing sneaked into Swift's concert at San Diego's Petco Park and jumped onstage while she was performing. He was tackled by security guards, one of whom suffered a broken rib. Ewing pleaded guilty to assault and got two years' probation. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Facebook has suspended five accounts for misleading tactics during last year's U.S. Senate race in Alabama. A statement from Facebook says the company "recently removed five accounts run by multiple individuals for engaging in coordinated inauthentic behavior on Facebook around the Alabama special election." Facebook says the investigation is ongoing. The Washington Post and New York Times have reported that a social media researcher acknowledged testing misleading online tactics during U.S. Sen. Doug Jones' campaign against Republican Roy Moore last year. The effort was modeled on alleged Russian attempts to bolster the candidacy of President Donald Trump in 2016. Jones told reporters last week that his campaign didn't know anything about the effort. He said he is "as outraged as everyone else" about the allegations. LONDON (AP) - Europe captain Thomas Bjorn has lived up to his promise to tattoo their winning Ryder Cup score on his bottom. Bjorn made the promise at a news conference before the event in September in France, where Europe was the underdog against the United States. Video first posted on the Twitter page of Ryder Cup Europe on Monday showed him going into a tattoo parlor in London and grimacing while Europe's winning score - 17 1/2 to 10 1/2 separated by the outline of the Ryder Cup - is inked into his upper left buttock. While lying on his stomach, the Dane looks up briefly and wishes a merry Christmas before dropping his head onto his hands. He retweeted the video to members of the Europe team and noted," I told you I would do it!" ____ More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - New England's last remaining Republican congressman ended his legal battle Monday challenging the election of his Democratic opponent under Maine's new voting system. U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin said in a statement posted on Facebook that he still considers the ranked-choice system confusing. He said he wishes the best for Democrat Rep.-elect Jared Golden, whose swearing-in is set for Jan. 3. A federal judge in Maine and the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston both dealt blows to Poliquin's efforts to have the courts rule the system unconstitutional and either declare him the winner or order another election. Even after the appeals court's decision, the suit was still alive but with a slim chance of success. "As such, despite winning the largest number of votes on Election Day, I believe it's in the best interest of my constituents and all Maine citizens to close this confusing and unfair chapter of voting history by ending any further legal proceedings," Poliquin said. This month, U.S. District Judge Lance Walker said that critics can question the wisdom of ranked-choice voting, but that such criticism "falls short of constitutional impropriety." Poliquin also lost a last-ditch bid to challenge Golden's swearing-in by asking the courts to halt the certification of election results. Poliquin claims he should be the winner because he had the most first-place votes on Election Day. But Golden won the race once votes from two trailing independents were reallocated. FILE - This combination of file photos show U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin in 2017, left, and state Rep. Jared Golden in 2018, right, in Maine. New England's last remaining Republican congressman, Poliquin, ended his legal battle Monday, Dec. 24, 2018, challenging the election of his Democratic opponent under Maine's new voting system. Poliquin said in a statement posted on Facebook that he still considers the new system confusing. He said he wishes the best for Democrat Rep.-elect Jared Golden, whose swearing-in is set for Jan. 3. (AP Photos/Robert F. Bukaty, File) Golden said in a statement that he looked forward to getting to work and thanked Poliquin for his service to the state and "the spirited campaign he ran in 2018." Maine became the first state to allow voters to rank candidates on the ballots in a congressional race. Maine's top state court last year warned that ranked-choice voting conflicts with the state's constitution, which says the winners of state-level races are whoever gets the most votes, or a "plurality." So Maine uses ranked-choice voting only in federal elections and state primary races, but not for general elections for governor or the Legislature. Democratic Gov.-elect Janet Mills has vowed to seek to amend the state constitution so the system can be used in all elections. HOUSTON (AP) - A judge on Monday ordered the U.S. government not to deport a Honduran woman, whose lawyers worry about her being separated from her 15-year-old daughter who has been detained with her for six months. U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss issued the temporary restraining order at the request of the woman's lawyers, who feared U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement might deport her before they could appeal after Christmas and leave the teenager alone in government custody. The lawyers say the woman and her daughter came to the U.S. two years ago after gang members in Honduras held them at gunpoint and demanded they pay protection money. The mother and daughter are detained together at the family detention center in the South Texas city of Dilley. While the daughter has a case for asylum pending, an immigration judge on Friday denied the mother's request to reopen her immigration case. Shalyn Fluharty, who is managing attorney of the Dilley Pro Bono Project and representing the mother and daughter, said that the teen has tried to take her own life at least once in detention and that she needs her mother. "Her psychological well-being is in a critical state," Fluharty said. FILE - This June 30, 2015, file photo shows a sign at the entrance to the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas. A judge has ordered Monday, Dec. 24, 2018, the U.S. government not to deport a Honduran woman without her 15-year-old daughter, who have been detained together at the center for six months and fear being attacked if forced to return. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File) The mother and daughter were initially allowed out of detention while their immigration cases proceeded, but ICE detained them both in June. The daughter had her 15th birthday in detention last week. The Dilley facility, which has a capacity of 2,400, is used by ICE to hold mothers and daughters together. Fluharty said she had never heard of anyone being detained at Dilley for six months. An agreement known as the Flores settlement bars the prolonged detention of immigrant children. Fluharty said the teen and her mother fear that she would be sexually assaulted or killed if sent back to Honduras. But if the mother was deported and the daughter kept in the U.S., the teen would likely be placed in a government facility for unaccompanied minors. That's what occurred with hundreds of children earlier this year after their parents were deported under a zero-tolerance immigration policy that led to large-scale family separations. More than 14,000 minors were in government custody last week, many in large, crowded facilities that pediatricians and mental health experts say are unsuitable for children. "That choice is fundamentally unfair and should never be posed to a child," Fluharty said. Sen. Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat who has visited several facilities in Texas to call attention to immigration detention, met with the detained Honduran mother during a visit to Dilley and has called attention to her and her daughter's case. Merkley questioned whether the U.S. government was using the threat of deporting the mother to force the teen to give up her own asylum case. "This is a form of psychological pressure," Merkley said Monday. "We need to have the best interest of the child in mind, and that means not separating her from the mother and not keeping her in prison." Fluharty said she plans to appeal the mother's case Wednesday after the government holiday for Christmas. It's unclear whether immigration courts will be open due to the partial government shutdown that began Saturday. A spokeswoman for ICE said the agency could not comment on the case due to the shutdown. The U.S. Department of Justice did not return messages seeking comment Monday. TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's state TV is reporting that Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, head of the Expediency Council advisory body to the country's Supreme Leader, has died at the age of 70. The Monday report said Shahroudi was long sick and hospitalized in north Tehran. Reportedly, he was suffering from gastrointestinal cancer. Shahroudi, a relatively moderate cleric, was appointed as chairman of the Expediency Council in 2017 by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The body arbitrates on differences between parliament and the Guardian Council, a constitutional watchdog. Shahroudi was also chief of the judiciary from 1999 to 2009. Born and raised in Najaf, Iraq, Sharoudi was close to the late leader of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei, who spent years in exile there. KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The Latest on the attack in Kabul (all times local): 11:55 p.m. Interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish says a brazen hours-long coordinated assault on a government building in the Afghan Capital of Kabul Monday has killed 29 people, most of them were employees of the department for martyrs and disabled persons. Another 23 people were wounded, including three policemen, he added. The assault began with a suicide bomber who blew up his explosives-laden car in front of the multi-story building in an eastern neighborhood of Kabul. Within minutes of the powerful explosion three gunmen, armed with assault rifles and explosive devises, stormed the building. For nearly eight hours they rampaged through the office complex terrorizing employees. Some of the employees managed to hide and police quickly evacuated 357 other employees, Danish said. Witnesses reported hearing at least five explosions as police and gunmen traded fire. One of the dead was a police officer but the rest were civilians including two women. ___ Afghan security forces arrive at the site of an explosion and attack by gunmen, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) 5:45 p.m. An Afghan official says a suicide bomber exploded his car outside a government department for martyrs and disabled persons before gunmen entered the building where they were battling local police. Four people were injured in the attack late Monday as workers were preparing to leave for the day, said Kabul police chief spokesman Basir Mujahid. Police have cordoned off the area in the east of the capital Kabul to gain control of the situation. Basir offered little information about the incident saying police were still at the scene. No one claimed responsibility but both the Taliban and the local Islamic State affiliate have carried out brazen daytime attacks in the capital. Flames rise from a government building after an explosion and attack by gunmen, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan security forces arrive at the site of an explosion and attack by gunmen, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) People run away from the site of a clash between insurgents and security forces in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 24, 2018. Police have cordoned off the area in the east of the capital Kabul as they battle to gain control of the situation. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Flames rise from a government building after an explosion and attack by gunmen, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) NEW YORK (AP) - Mindbody, up $14.11 to $35.83 The fitness software platform agreed to be bought by Vista Equity Partners for $1.9 billion. Nissan, down 14 cents to $15.55 Nissan's board of directors rejected a meeting with French automaker Renault, which owns a minority stake in the company. Wells Fargo, down $1.52 to $43.60 Wells Fargo was among the six large banks called by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to try to reassure markets following last week's plunge. Johnson & Johnson, down $5.25 to $122.84 Johnson & Johnson continued to deal with the aftermath of news reports that it hid the existence of asbestos in its baby powder for decades. Hess, down $5.06, to $36.43 Hess was among the biggest decliners in the energy sector, which fell sharply along with crude oil prices. Newmont Mining, up $1.05 to $34.58 Newmont Mining shares were the biggest gainer in the S&P 500 on Monday, as gold prices rose more than 1 percent. Macy's, down 5 cents to $28.15 The department store's stock rose as investors continued to react positively to this year's holiday shopping season. Campbell Soup, down $2.33 to $33.42 The company's new CEO faced questions about his role at Pinnacle Foods after it was sold to ConAgra Foods. BALTIMORE (AP) - Baltimore police say a rocket launcher was among the more than 1,000 firearms turned in during recent gun buyback events. The rocket launcher was traded for $500, and police have reached out to the military and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to trace its origin. Police spokesman Detective Jeremy Silbert says the unloaded rocket launcher was turned in Monday, Dec. 17. News outlets report interim commissioner Gary Tuggle said Friday that the city had spent $163,000 so far on the first two events last week, which netted 509 handguns, 273 rifles and 245 shotguns. The third event was last Friday. Some have questioned the program's efficacy, but Tuggle says destroying guns that could be used in crimes is the city's top priority. ___ Information from: The Baltimore Sun, http://www.baltimoresun.com NEW YORK (AP) - The longtime secretary of imprisoned financier Bernard Madoff should be released from prison in March because her advanced age entitles her to take advantage of a new prison reform law, her lawyer says. By March 19, Annette Bongiorno, 70, will have served two-thirds of her six-year prison term and should be released to home confinement by then, according to attorney Roland Riopelle. He cited the bipartisan First Step Act signed by President Donald Trump last week, saying it permits judges to order some prisoners released to home confinement after serving two-thirds of a sentence. Bongiorno's advanced age makes her eligible, Riopelle said. He also noted in his Saturday letter to U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain that the judge had recommended that Bongiorno serve the final year of her sentence in home confinement. Without early release, Bongiorno would not be freed until May 1, 2020. A spokesman for federal prosecutors in Manhattan declined to comment. FILE - In this Oct. 8, 2013 file photo Annette Bongiorno arrives to federal court in New York. The lawyer for the former secretary of imprisoned financier Bernard Madoff is asking that she be released from prison in March. Attorney Roland Riopelle says Bongiorno will have served two thirds of her six-year prison term by March 19 and should be released by then. He cited a law signed by President Donald Trump last week permitting judges to order a prisoner's release to home confinement after two-thirds of a sentence has been served. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File) Bongiorno was among five Madoff employees convicted for their roles in a scheme that cost thousands of investors about $20 billion. She was sentenced in December 2014 and reported to prison in February 2015. The fraud was first exposed in December 2008. Madoff, 80, pleaded guilty within months and was immediately ordered to begin serving his 150-year sentence. During a six-month trial, Bongiorno maintained she was unaware of history's biggest Ponzi scheme. At sentencing, Swain called Bongiorno "a pampered, compliant and grossly overcompensated clerical worker who supervised other clerical workers with a ferocious enthusiasm." The judge largely agreed with Bongiorno's testimony that she merely did as Madoff instructed for 40 years. Swain rejected a request by prosecutors that Bongiorno serve significantly more than 20 years in prison. In his letter, Riopelle said his client has been a "model prisoner" with no disciplinary violations. "I am pleased to report that Mrs. Bongiorno is in generally good spirits, although she does find the Holiday Season a bit depressing," the lawyer said. He said she was in decent health, given her age, though she has aches and pains and pulmonary problems including asthma. "She remains an 'old fashioned' family oriented person, who would benefit greatly from the release to home confinement that the First Step Act provides, because it would permit her to see more of her extended family more often than she is able to do so now," Riopelle said. Geoff Ramsey and David Smilde authored a policy brief for the Washington Office on Latin America making recommendations for U.S. policy toward Venezuela. Productive U.S. policy, that is. Not invasion threats, which is the predilection of many Trump advisers. Their recommendations are based on the following assertion, with which I agree: Today, the only viable path out of the crisis is for actors in both the government and opposition to reach a political accord that restores democratic governance through some kind of credible negotiations process. Unsaid here is that any such accord needs to convince the army, which will then pressure Nicolas Maduro.I will let you read the details but a few things stand out for me. One is the need to clarify sanctions. In particular, it's important to show what sanctions will be eased by what actions. We've seen for decades in Cuba that they're often just used as bludgeons, when they should be bargaining tools. In my opinion this is an important signal to the army.Also important is more participation from the European Union and the United Nations. Make this as global as possible. The Lima Group is hampered by how many countries don't belong to it, or in Mexico's case still belong but don't sign on. A more global reach, as opposed to one that can easily be viewed as driven by conservative Latin American governments, will also be an important signal to the army.I hope some within the administration can show the requisite subtlety, though I am not hopeful. What we've seen (publicly at least) is Mike Pompeo talking about Venezuela to conservative allies, including Jair Bolsonaro, who is unhinged. We see periodic announcements of sanctions without any strategy attached to them. We hear wild statements about invasion and coups. In short, we have yet to see evidence of adults in the room. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A Guatemalan woman who left Utah on deportation orders last Christmas has since made the heart-wrenching decision to send two of her children back to the United States without her. Maria Santiago Garcia, 41, reluctantly determined the future would be bleak for them in her small village, where there is little work and education often ends after the sixth grade, the Deseret News reported from Guatemala. Garcia left the state with her four children in 2017 after months of failed efforts to win her a reprieve to stay in the U.S., including protests and letters to a judge. She had been working as a manager at a McDonald's in Salt Lake City. Her husband, a construction worker, stayed in Utah since there was no work for him in the village of Jerez. Garcia grew up in orphanages and foster homes, and got a job at a clothing factory when she grew up. But at 27, she saw a female food seller killed with machetes at a market. She spoke to police and soon a gang was after her, she told the newspaper. She fled to the United States in 2004, crossing illegally in Brownsville, Texas, and claiming asylum. In this Oct. 16, 2018, photo, Maria Santiago and her mother-in-law, Sarceno Isolina Corado, head home after visiting Maria's grandmother in Jerez, Guatemala. Garcia, a Guatemalan woman who was deported from Utah a year ago has since made the decision to send two of her children back to the United States without her. (Laura Seitz/The Deseret News via AP) Her boyfriend helped her get a lawyer, but through a serious of misunderstandings she said she never heard about her court date. In 2006, a judge ordered her deported in absentia. Unaware of the order, Garcia would eventually find work as a hotel maid, get married and have two children. Her marriage ended shortly after their daughter was born, and she took a second job at Burger King. She married again in 2010 and got a higher-paying job as a manager at McDonald's. The family moved into a rental house and added two more children. She began dreaming about college for them. But in 2014, she got a letter from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She would later be convicted of using someone else's Social Security number to work. She got a lawyer, but under the Obama administration, deportation was unlikely since she wasn't a public safety threat and her children were U.S. citizens, the Desert News reported. When President Donald Trump took over, that changed. Her habit of checking in with officials made her easy to locate, and on Dec. 20, 2017, her final appeal was denied. In Guatemala, Garcia moved in with her in-laws, who support themselves on her father-in-law's salary of $6 a day. Garcia tried to add to the family income by selling tamales, but she didn't make enough money to cover the ingredients. The one-room house has no shower or water heater, so they bathe by dumping buckets of cold water on their heads. The drinking water gave them digestive problems for months. The small bowls of tortillas and beans leave them hungry every night. Her oldest son Patrick lost 25 pounds in six months, the newspaper said. The elementary school serves eight grades in shared classroom spaces. Most kids don't go past sixth grade, and college is out of the question, teacher Erick Ramos told the newspaper. Being from the U.S. has sometimes made her older children a target for bullies. A boy once held down her 12-year-old son until he passed out. That's when she started thinking about sending him and her 10-year-old daughter back to the United States. Her younger children, 4 and 6, were too young to go. Her husband couldn't care for the older kids by himself full-time since his work often takes him away from home for weeks at a time, but two of the children's former art teachers had offered to take them in. As the months passed, Garcia made the agonizing decision to say goodbye to her children. She took them to the airport on Oct. 17, staying with them until they walked into airport security and over a line she could not cross. In this Oct. 17, 2018, photo, Maria Santiago Garcia hugs her two oldest children, Patrick and Sarai, goodbye at La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City. Garcia, a Guatemalan woman who was deported from Utah a year ago has since made the decision to send two of her children back to the United States without her. (Laura Seitz/The Deseret News via AP) In this Oct. 15, 2018, photo, Patrick, his mother Maria Santiago Garcia, and his sister Sarai, walk home in Jerez, Guatemala. Garcia, a Guatemalan woman who was deported from Utah a year ago has since made the decision to send two of her children back to the United States without her. (Laura Seitz/Deseret News, via AP) FILE - In this Dec. 25, 2017, file photo, Maria Santiago Garcia, and her children walk to the security gate at the Salt Lake City International Airport. Garcia, a Guatemalan woman who was deported from Utah a year ago has since made the decision to send two of her children back to the United States without her. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File) FILE - In this Dec. 25, 2017, file photo, Maria Santiago Garcia, right, arrives at the Salt Lake City International Airport. Garcia, a Guatemalan woman who was deported from Utah a year ago has since made the decision to send two of her children back to the United States without her. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File) BOSTON (AP) - Kevin Spacey is scheduled to be arraigned next month on allegations he sexually assaulted the teenage son of a Boston television anchor in a restaurant, a Massachusetts prosecutor said Monday. The Academy Award-winning actor, 59, is due in Nantucket District Court on Jan. 7 to face a charge of indecent assault and battery, Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe said. A criminal complaint was issued by a clerk magistrate at a hearing Thursday, he said. Shortly after the charge became public, Spacey posted a video on YouTube titled "Let Me Be Frank" and tweeted a link to it, breaking a public silence of more than a year. In the bizarre dramatic monologue delivered in the voice of Frank Underwood, his character on Netflix's "House of Cards" who was killed off after sexual misconduct allegations emerged, he says, "I know what you want. You want me back." He goes on to say, "Of course some believed everything and have just been waiting with bated breath to hear me confess it all, they're just dying to have me declare that everything they said is true and I got what I deserved. ... I'm certainly not going to pay the price for the thing I didn't do." FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2017, file photo, Kevin Spacey presents an award in Beverly Hills, Calif. A Massachusetts prosecutor says Spacey is scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 7, 2019, on a charge of indecent assault and battery for allegedly sexually assaulting the teenage son of a Boston television anchor in a Nantucket restaurant. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) It is unclear whether Spacey is referring to the charge he faces. He later adds, "Soon enough, you will know the full truth" before the three-minute video ends with a burst of dramatic cliffhanger music. A message seeking comment was left Monday with Spacey spokeswoman Laura Johnson. Former news anchor Heather Unruh came forward in November 2017 and said the actor stuck his hand down her then-18-year-old son's pants and grabbed his genitals at the Club Car Restaurant on the resort island of Nantucket in July 2016. Her son fled the restaurant when Spacey went to use the bathroom, Unruh said at the time. Unruh said her son didn't report the assault right away because he was embarrassed. "The complainant has shown a tremendous amount of courage in coming forward," Mitchell Garabedian, a lawyer for Unruh's son, said in a statement Monday. "Let the facts be presented, the relevant law applied and a just and fair verdict rendered." Spacey remains under investigation of sexual assault in Los Angeles for an incident that allegedly occurred in 2016. Prosecutors declined to file charges in a 1992 allegation because of the statute of limitations. Spacey had also faced accusations of sexual misconduct while artistic director of London's Old Vic Theatre. The accusations against Spacey, which came early in the #MeToo movement that brought attention to sexual assault, cost him roles. CHELYABINSK, Russia (AP) - Residents of Chelyabinsk are expressing worry over industrial pollution after heavy smog enveloped the Ural Mountains city this month and remained for two weeks. On Sunday, about 700 protesters braved temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit) to demand cleaner air. They held banners reading "We want clean skies!" and "Stop poisoning our children!" Low winds helped the thick grey layer of smog called "black sky" by the locals settle over the city of 1.2 million. The Chelyabinsk meteorological office reported that air pollution exceeded healthy levels before the smog dissipated. "The ecological situation in the city is getting worse and worse, and the government does not want to take measures to correct it," protester Artur Abuzarov said during Sunday's rally. The protest followed an earlier one in which participants tried unsuccessfully to force their way into the mayor's office. The situation went unreported in state-controlled media. Locals say the pollution problem has persisted for years and they fear air quality will worsen further if a new copper mining enterprise opens next year as planned. In this March 21, 2018 photo smog and fog rise from the Chelyabinsk Electrometallurgical Plant in Chelyabinsk, Russia. Residents of Chelyabinsk are expressing worry over industrial pollution after heavy smog enveloped the Ural Mountains city this month and remained for two weeks. On Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018 about 700 protesters braved temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit) to demand cleaner air. (AP Photo/Dmitry Balakiev) "We are suffocating, children are ill, the ecology is bad," said another demonstrator, Tatyana Pominova. "What is happening in Chelyabinsk is a complete disgrace. It is impossible to breathe and it is impossible to live." Anastasia Zubareva, a doctor who specializes in conditions of the ear, nose and throat, attributed the city's high number of childhood illnesses to air pollution, noting that her patients only feel better when smog dissipates. And it's not only children. Galina Gurina, 58, attributes her chronic headaches and asthma to industrial emissions. Chelyabinsk officials have dismissed the residents' protests. Vitaly Bezrukov, a local official who deals with environmental issues, acknowledged that power plants and other sites sporadically produce pollutants in concentrations that exceed permissible levels. But he said they do not pose a danger for people. Amid fierce debate over whether charter schools are good for black students, the heirs to the Walmart company fortune have been working to make inroads with advocates and influential leaders in the black community. The Walton family, as one of the leading supporters of America's charter school movement, is spreading its financial support to prominent and like-minded black leaders, from grassroots groups focused on education to mainstream national organizations such as the United Negro College Fund and Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, according to an Associated Press analysis of tax filings and nonprofit grants data. "Those closest to the challenge often have the best solution," Marc Sternberg, who leads the Walton Family Foundation's education efforts, said in a prepared statement. Charter schools, which are publicly funded and privately operated, are often located in urban areas with large back populations, intended as alternatives to struggling city schools. Black enrollment in charters has doubled over the course of a decade, to more than 760,000 students as of 2015-16, according to the latest federal data, but the rise also has been marked by concerns about racial segregation, inconsistent student outcomes, and the hollowing-out of neighborhood public schools. While some black leaders see charters as a safer, better alternative in their communities, a deep rift of opinion was exposed by a 2016 call for a moratorium on charters by the NAACP, a longtime skeptic that expressed concerns about school privatization, transparency and accountability issues. The Black Lives Matter movement is also among those that have demanded charter school growth be curbed. When NAACP leaders gathered to discuss charters in 2016, a group of demonstrators led the Cincinnati hotel to complain to police that they were trespassing. The three buses that brought the 150 black parents from Tennessee on the 14-hour road trip were provided by The Memphis Lift, an advocacy group that has received $1.5 million from the Walton foundation since 2015. This Oct. 15, 2016 photo shows parents and grandparents from Memphis Lift speaking to Hilary Shelton, the Director to the NAACP's Washington Bureau and Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Policy, during the national NAACP board meeting in downtown Cincinnati. While some black leaders see charters as a safer, better alternative in their communities, a deep rift of opinion was exposed by a 2016 call for a moratorium on charters by the NAACP, a longtime skeptic that expressed concerns about school privatization and accountability issues surrounding charters. (The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP) Deidra Brooks, chief of staff for The Memphis Lift, said they were not asked by Walton to carry out the protest and declined to say how much of their budget came from the foundation. The startup advocacy group seeded by Walton money also provides parents school choice counseling and advocacy training. Like U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and many other deep-pocketed billionaire philanthropists, the Walmart heirs - one of America's richest families - embrace charter schools and education reform as an avenue to help the neediest. The Walton foundation is in the midst of a $1 billion pledge dedicated largely to expanding charters, which they see as investments to find better ways to educate those who struggle in traditional school systems. Andre Perry, an education policy expert at the Brookings Institution, said the Walton foundation's reliance on black faces to makes its case for charters suggests that they're exploiting black people for a "white agenda." "It's a sad thing that education reform is about how much money you have and not about what connection you have with black communities," Perry said. Much of the $9 million granted to the United Negro College Fund has been spent on the scholarship organization's fellowship program for students interested in education reform. Likewise, the foundation gave $170,000 in recent years to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation for its events, while the Waltons are also giving $530,000 to sponsor an affiliated education policy advocacy and campaign training workshop. Walton money totals nearly $2 million to the 100 Black Men of America campaign and $7.3 million to the National Urban League. Both groups have strong ties to charter schools on the ground. The Waltons have given small amounts to other kinds of black community groups, as well, including the New England Blacks in Philanthropy organization, the Association of Black Foundation Executives and the National Black Child Development Institute. And this year, the foundation sponsored a luncheon at a Detroit conference for the National Association of Black Journalists, which was advertised as "The Importance of Educating our Black Children" and primarily featured Walton's pro-charter grantees as panel speakers. "Of course we've seen push back from people in general, but that goes with privatization. The forces of privatization are powerful and have friends in all sorts of places," said Victor Goode, the NAACP's education director. After the NAACP proposed the moratorium, Walton money had a hand in the highly publicized debate that followed. The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, an advocacy group that has received more than $16 million from Walton, organized a campaign that urged the NACCP to reconsider, including a letter signed by more than 160 black education leaders. Among them was prominent charter advocate Howard Fuller, a former Milwaukee schools superintendent. The Waltons gave $17 million to his now-defunct advocacy group, the Black Alliance for Educational Options. Another outspoken critic of the moratorium idea, Chris Stewart, leads the Wayfinder Foundation, an advocacy group that has received nearly $2 million from Walton. He's suggested that the country's oldest civil rights group was in the pocket of teacher union interests, an issue he pushed using the #FreeTheNAACP hashtag online. "In any city, if you're advocating for charters, you are out of your depth. There's no way you are going to match the number of foot soldiers who are going to support an anti-charter narrative," Stewart said of the public teacher unions who stand to lose with non-unionized schools. Sternberg of the Walton foundation said any aggressive acts of advocacy its grantees take in the debate are rooted in the impatience over a century of educational inequity for blacks. The foundation also points to $120,000 in grants it has given to the NAACP in the past two years for event sponsorship, and its support of other black civil rights groups over the past 25 years. "This is not our agenda," Sternberg said. "This is way bigger than us." ___ Follow AP Education Reporter Sally Ho on Twitter: https://twitter.com/_SallyHo In this Oct. 15, 2016 photo, protesters hold up signs during the national NAACP board meeting at the Westin Hotel in Downtown Cincinnati. Charter schools are often located in urban areas with large black populations but there is a deep rift of opinion about them in the black community, as highlighted by the NAACP's call in 2016 for a moratorium on new charter schools. (The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP) In this Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018 photo, Breanna Johnson works on her assignment in her 6th grade english class at Alice M. Harte Charter School in New Orleans. Charter schools, which are publicly funded and privately operated, are often located in urban areas with large back populations, intended as alternatives to struggling city schools. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) In this Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018 photo, students participate in a pre-kindergarten class at Alice M. Harte Charter School in New Orleans. Charter schools, which are publicly funded and privately operated, are often located in urban areas with large back populations, intended as alternatives to struggling city schools. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) In this Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018 photo, speech therapist Sadie Haas talks with Zion Odia, a 6th grader, during annual hearing and speech examinations, at Alice M. Harte Charter School in New Orleans. Charter schools, which are publicly funded and privately operated, are often located in urban areas with large back populations, intended as alternatives to struggling city schools. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) In this Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018 photo, Michelle Garnett teaches a pre-kindergarten class at Alice M. Harte Charter School in New Orleans. Charter schools, which are publicly funded and privately operated, are often located in urban areas with large back populations, intended as alternatives to struggling city schools. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) In this Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018 photo, teacher Christian Mehalic, center, works with students Zion Odia, left, and Joryll Blain, at Alice M. Harte Charter School in New Orleans. Charter schools, which are publicly funded and privately operated, are often located in urban areas with large back populations, intended as alternatives to struggling city schools. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) In this Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018 photo, Jamar McKneely, CEO of InspireNOLA Charter Schools, talks with students at Alice M. Harte Charter School in New Orleans. Charter schools, which are publicly funded and privately operated, are often located in urban areas with large back populations, intended as alternatives to struggling city schools. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) JERUSALEM (AP) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday called early elections for April, setting the stage for a three-month campaign clouded by a series of corruption investigations against the long-serving Israeli leader. Riding high in the polls, Netanyahu appears all but certain to win a fourth consecutive term and a place in history as the country's longest-serving prime minister. Those bright prospects, however, could be derailed by a looming decision by the country's attorney general on whether to file charges against Netanyahu. Netanyahu, facing the possibility of bribery and breach of trust charges in three different cases, made scant mention of these investigations at a gathering of his Likud Party as he announced plans for what is expected to be an April 9 vote. Appearing loose and confident, he listed his government's accomplishments in office and said he hoped his current religious, nationalistic coalition would be the "core" of Israel's next government as well. "We will ask the voters for a clear mandate to continue leading the state of Israel our way," he said to applause from party members. Netanyahu, who also served a term in the late 1990s, has been prime minister for the past decade. FILE - In this Nov. 18, 2018 file photo, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a statement in Tel Aviv, Israel. Israeli media is reporting Monday, Dec. 24, 2018, that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition government has agreed to call an early election for April 9. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit, File) His supporters point to a humming, high-tech economy, his handling of security issues, particularly countering the threat of Iranian influence in the region, and his gains on the diplomatic stage, including a close alliance with President Donald Trump that has paid important dividends. Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and his withdrawal from the international nuclear deal were both welcomed by Netanyahu. The Israeli leader also has quietly forged ties with Sunni Arab states, further sidelining the Palestinians, who have severed ties with the U.S. because they believe Trump is biased against them. The White House still has not released a long-awaited peace plan, and Monday's announcement could further delay its release. But critics say these gains have come at a deep price to Israel's democratic ideals. Netanyahu's hard-line government has promoted a series of laws that critics say are aimed at muzzling liberal critics and sidelining the minority Arab population. They point to wide gaps between rich and poor and high cost of living, and say that by neglecting the Palestinian issue and continuing to build settlements in the West Bank, the country is on the path to becoming an apartheid-like binational state. Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak called the election "the most fateful" since the assassination of then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995. "If we all act properly, on April 10 we will part with Netanyahu," he said on Hahadashot TV. "The state of Israel will get on a different path instead of this nationalist, racist, dark vision." Barak called for the country's dovish and centrist parties to band together in a unified "bloc" in a bid to topple Likud. Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party, said the election was a battle for the "soul of the country." For now, there does not appear to be anyone with the popularity or gravitas to topple Netanyahu. One wild card is Benny Gantz, a popular former military chief who is flirting with the idea of entering politics. Opposition parties have been aggressively courting Gantz. But for now, he has not committed to joining any party. Instead, the biggest threat appears to be posed by Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, who must soon decide on whether to indict the prime minister. Earlier this month, police recommended that Netanyahu be charged with bribery for promoting regulatory changes worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the country's main telecom company Bezeq. In exchange, they believe Netanyahu used his connections with Bezeq's controlling shareholder to receive positive press coverage on the company's popular news site. Police have also recommended indicting Netanyahu on corruption charges in two other cases. One involves accepting gifts from billionaire friends, and the second revolves around alleged offers of advantageous legislation for a major newspaper in return for favorable press coverage. Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing and said he is the victim of a media-fueled witch hunt. At Monday's Likud meeting, Netanyahu brushed off a reporter's question and said he expected the investigations to lead nowhere. Mandelblit has not said when he expects to make a decision. The Justice Ministry announced Monday that deliberations were continuing and were "not dependent on political events." Israeli law is unclear about whether a sitting prime minister must resign if charged with a crime, and Netanyahu has hinted that he will remain in office to fight any indictment. But criminal charges, and the distraction of a protracted legal battle, could fuel calls for him to step aside. Finance Minister Moshe Kahlan, a key ally, said Monday that a prime minister "cannot serve" if he is indicted following a required hearing. Reuven Hazan, a political scientist at Israel's Hebrew University, said the campaign would be dominated by "a discussion of whether Netanyahu should stay after, if he is prosecuted." He said Netanyahu had settled on the April election, roughly seven months ahead of schedule, in part to "pre-empt" an indictment. The thinking is that it would be politically difficult for Mandelblit to indict, and potentially topple, a popular, newly re-elected prime minister. "He wants to turn around to the attorney general and say 'before you decide to prosecute me pay attention. The people of Israel have re-elected me for a fourth time,'" Hazan explained. An electoral victory would send a message that "you cannot overturn the results of a democratic election," he said. Netanyahu's coalition has been roiled by internal divisions for months. Avigdor Lieberman, leader of a small, ultranationalist party, resigned as defense minister last month to protest what he perceived to be the government's weak response to rocket attacks from Hamas-ruled Gaza. That left Netanyahu with a fragile majority of just 61 seats in the 120-seat parliament. But a new bill extending the military draft to Jewish ultra-Orthodox men appeared to be the final trigger for the government's downfall. Ultra-Orthodox parties consider conscription a taboo. As a deadline for the legislation loomed, his religious coalition partners were demanding the legislation be weakened. Earlier Monday, Lapid, a harsh critic of the religious parties, said he was rescinding his support for the draft bill, saying the planned compromise essentially rewarded draft dodgers. As a result, Netanyahu convened his fellow coalition faction leaders and the decision was made to dissolve parliament and go to elections. ___ Ilan Ben Zion contributed reporting. HOUSTON (AP) - Two Houston police officers remained hospitalized Monday but were expected to recover after a drunken driver crashed into their patrol vehicle, causing it to burst into flames, the city's police chief said. John Daily, the more seriously injured officer, will remain sedated for the next few days as he suffered burns on roughly 50 percent of his body, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said. Daily has already undergone at least one surgery and was expected to have several more in the next few days. His father, Owen Daily, told reporters his son was "going to be in for a long battle" but that he would "get through this." Officer Alonzo Reid suffered some minor burns but he was alert and walking and "in great spirits," Acevedo said during a Monday afternoon news conference. "Luckily nobody died in this crash," Acevedo said. "We're calling it a Christmas miracle." Police identified the allegedly intoxicated driver as 23-year-old Cesar Collazo. He has been charged with four felonies: two counts of failure to stop and render aid and two counts of intoxication assault with serious bodily injury on a public servant. Acevedo said Collazo might have been on a beer run when he crashed into the officers. Collazo, who wasn't hurt in the crash, remained jailed on Monday. Court records didn't list an attorney for him. Both officers were responding to a call early Monday with their SUV's lights and sirens on when another vehicle turned in front of them, causing a near head-on collision. Acevedo said Reid, who was the passenger in the SUV, pulled himself to safety as the vehicle burst into flames. The chief said that Reid, along with a passerby, rescued Daily from the burning SUV. Daily and Reid, who are each 25 years old and have been officers since October 2017, were lucky to make it out of their vehicle, which was flipped over and almost unrecognizable after the fire, authorities said. "He said he just wanted to get his partner out of the car," Lisa Malone, Reid's mother, said of her son. "I'm just glad my son is all right." Acevedo said there were two other incidents overnight in which Houston drivers suspected of drinking crashed into police officers. The chief and the parents of both officers urged area residents not to drink and drive, particularly during the Christmas holiday. "Drinking and driving, it never pays off. We really need to get this under control, said Owen Daily. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter at www.twitter.com/juanlozano70 KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - A suicide bomber and extremists armed with assault rifles and explosives attacked a government building in the Afghan capital in an eight-hour-long siege that left 29 people dead and more than 20 wounded, authorities said. It ended when the three gunmen were killed. The toll could rise as police continue to search the smoldering building, Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said. The attack began when the suicide bomber blew up his explosives-laden car in front of the multi-story building that houses a public welfare department in an eastern neighborhood of Kabul, Danish said. Minutes later, three gunmen entered the building and rampaged through the office complex hunting for victims. Some employees managed to barricade themselves inside offices while police quickly evacuated 357 people, officials said. Witnesses reported hearing at least five explosions as police and gunmen traded fire. One officer died and three were wounded. Police cordoned of the area as they tried to secure the building, but Danish said the operation was painstakingly slow as officers moved carefully from room to room and floor to floor. Kabul police spokesman Basir Mujahid said authorities received at least one telephone call from inside the building, but frightened employees were unable to provide any details. Afghan security forces arrive at the site of an explosion and attack by gunmen, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) No one claimed responsibility, but both the Taliban and the local Islamic State affiliate have carried out brazen daytime attacks in the capital. The building is in area that includes several apartment buildings as well Afghanistan's department for public works. The attack came four days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of half of the 14,000 American troops and just hours after Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was in Kabul to discuss a negotiated end to Afghanistan's 17-year war. Qureshi, who then continued his trip to Iran, condemned the attack. Pakistan helped orchestrate last week's peace talks in the United Arab Emirates, where representatives from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Pakistan and the United States met with the Taliban. Taliban insurgents control nearly half of Afghanistan and are more powerful than at any time since a 2001 U.S.-led invasion. They carry out near-daily attacks, mainly targeting security forces and government officials. The U.S. and NATO formally concluded their combat mission in 2014, but American and allied troops remain, conducting strikes on the Islamic State group and the Taliban and working to train and build the Afghan military. ____ Associated Press writer Kathy Gannon in Islamabad, Pakistan, contributed to this report. ____ This story has been amended to note that it's not clear if the 29 dead include the three gunmen. Flames rise from a government building after an explosion and attack by gunmen, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Afghan security forces arrive at the site of an explosion and attack by gunmen, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) People run away from the site of a clash between insurgents and security forces in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 24, 2018. Police have cordoned off the area in the east of the capital Kabul as they battle to gain control of the situation. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Flames rise from a government building after an explosion and attack by gunmen, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Dec. 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) BEIRUT (AP) - Turkish-backed fighters said Monday they are preparing to move into eastern Syria alongside Turkish troops once American forces withdraw and are already massing on the front line of a town held by Kurdish-led forces. The U.S. pullout will leave the oil-rich eastern third of Syria up for grabs. It is currently controlled by Kurdish-led forces that the Americans have backed over the past four years, with multiple parties seeking to move in. They now face a triple threat from the Syrian government, IS and Turkey, which views them as terrorists because of their links to a Kurdish insurgent group inside Turkey. Youssef Hammoud, spokesman for Turkey-backed Syrian opposition groups, said they have up to 15,000 trained fighters ready to deploy alongside Turkish forces, and they are already preparing to move into Manbij - a Kurdish-administered town in northern Syria where U.S. troops are based. Hammoud said there is "no alternative" to Turkish forces and their allies replacing U.S troops. "We are ready to fight Daesh," said Hammoud, using the Arabic term for the Islamic State group, though IS militants are largely confined to a remote desert enclave hundreds of miles (kilometers) to the southeast of Manbij. U.S. President Donald Trump announced last week that the U.S. with withdraw all of its 2,000 forces in Syria, a move that will leave control of the oil-rich eastern third of Syria up for grabs. This photo released on the Facebook page of the Military Council of Manbij City, shows U.S. troops based around the Syrian town of Manbij speaking with residents, in northern Syria, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018. (The Military Council of Manbij City via AP) Ilham Ahmed, a Syrian Kurdish official, said the Kurdish-led forces are now reaching out for potential new allies, underscoring the dire situation the group now finds itself in. "We will deal with whoever can protect the ... stability of this country," said Ahmed. Ahmed said her forces are talking with the Russians and the Syrian government - both rivals of the United States - as well as European countries about ways to deal with the U.S. withdrawal. She didn't elaborate. Abandoned by the U.S., the Kurdish militia are confronting the dilemma of whether to try to hold on to the 30 percent of Syria they wrested from IS. The territory includes some of the richest oil fields in north and east Syria but also is home to large Arab populations. The Kurds could pull back to the Kurdish-majority region in the far northeast but that would leave resources and Kurdish-majority pockets in the east isolated and vulnerable. The militia could also negotiate with Damascus, allowing a return of government forces back into the east in hopes of gaining a level of self-rule for Kurds. The government has so far rejected the notion of such autonomy Syrian government forces have reportedly been massing troops in Deir el-Zour province, across the Euphrates River from Kurdish-held territory. On Monday, Iraq said it could consider deploying troops inside Syria to protect Iraq from threats across its borders. Iraq's Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi said his government is "considering all the options." U.S. President Donald Trump has said the withdrawal from Syria will be slow and coordinated with Turkey, without providing a timetable. Turkey said the two countries will ensure there is no "authority vacuum" once the U.S. troops leave. A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Cmdr. Sean Robertson, said the execute order for withdrawal has been signed but provided no further details. Turkish Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said a U.S. military delegation is expected in Turkey this week. Turkey says it and its Syrian Arab allies can replace the U.S. in preventing a resurgence of the Islamic State group. Kalin said there will be no "step back, weakness, halting or a slowing down" of the fight against the IS. Turkey has made clear it will not tolerate a contiguous Kurdish-held enclave along its border with Syria. Hammoud, spokesman for the Turkey-backed Syrian opposition forces, said their fighters and weapons were deploying on the front line with Manbij, a Kurdish-administered town in northern Syria where U.S. troops are based. They are preparing to take Manbij first, he said. Manbij was at the center of an agreement the U.S. and Turkey reached in June under which Kurdish forces were to withdraw. In recent weeks Turkey said the U.S. was dragging its feet in implementing the deal and vowed to launch a new offensive against the Kurds. Those threats and a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week appear to have triggered Trump's decision to withdraw the U.S. forces based in Syria. Kurdish forces in Manbij "have taken measures to fend off any attack," said the spokesman for the Kurdish-led Manbij Military Council, Sharfan Darwish. Trump has claimed to have defeated IS, but the Kurdish fighters are still battling the extremists in the remote town of Hajin near the Iraqi border. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the fighting displaced nearly 1,000 civilians on Sunday alone. Ahmed, the senior Syrian Kurdish official, had just returned from a trip to France in which she called on Paris to play a larger role in Syria following the U.S. withdrawal. "I urge Trump to go back on his decision inciting Erdogan against the Syrian people in general and the Kurdish people in specific," she said. In the fight against IS, hundreds of Kurdish fighters were killed. "I call on him to return the favor." ___ Associated Press writer Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, and Philip Issa in Baghdad contributed to this report. LONDON (AP) - Chagrined county police in England insisted Monday that drone sightings over London's Gatwick Airport were authentic, while a local man who was arrested and cleared as a suspect in the aerial mystery that brought days of travel havoc said he felt "completely violated." The Sussex Police department deemed the affirmation necessary after a senior detective noted it was possible drones hadn't flown over the airport last week, sowing confusion over the precautionary shutdowns that affected tens of thousands of passengers. "We can unequivocally state that there have been numerous illegal drone sightings at the airport over three days from 19 to 21 December," Deputy Chief Constable Jo Shiner said. The confirmation came after Chief Detective Jason Tingley told the BBC that investigators were making progress, but also had to consider the "possibility" that people who reported seeing drones around Gatwick were mistaken. He was referring to the widely accepted limitations of eyewitness accounts. Nonetheless, the suggestion that the grounding and diversion of flights at Britain's second-busiest airport might have been based on inaccurate information generated fresh outrage. While seeking to defuse it, the Sussex department's Shiner said a conviction could bring whoever operated the drones a life prison sentence. "There were numerous reports clustered around 37 occasions where a drone or drones were seen, and I am keen for those responsible to be brought to justice," she said. Counter drone equipment deployed on a rooftop at Gatwick airport as the airport and airlines work to clear the backlog of flights delayed by a drone incident earlier in the week, in Crawley, England, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018. London's Gatwick Airport took strides toward running a full schedule Saturday as police questioned a man and a woman in connection with the drone intrusions that caused mayhem for tens of thousands of holiday travelers. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP) With London's streets emptying of workers and last-minute shoppers, British government ministers held a Christmas Eve conference call to work on plans for keeping drones away from airports. British Security Minister Ben Wallace said after the Cabinet meeting that the government has the ability to deploy anti-drone detection systems throughout the country. But he cautioned that potential public hazards and nuisances so far defied a quick, effective solution. "The huge proliferation of such devices, coupled with the challenges of deploying military countermeasures into a civilian environment, means there are no easy solutions," Wallace said. Both the county police department and the British news received criticism Monday for their handling of the arrests and subsequent release of two people who live near the airport. Police took the couple into custody on Friday and cleared them Sunday, saying they had been cooperative and were no longer under suspicion. British newspapers published front-page photos of the man and woman and uncovered their names, which police had withheld. Speaking outside the couple's home on Monday, Paul Gait said he and Elaine Kirk both felt "completely violated" and "deeply distressed" by the recent events. He said they were receiving medical care. "Our home has been searched and our privacy and identity completely exposed," Gait said. "Our names, photos and other personal information have been broadcast throughout the world." Gatwick Airport operated normally Monday, but ramifications from the drones seen flying over its airfield continued. Military equipment remained in place to deter fresh incursions. The suspension of air operations on Wednesday night, much of Thursday and Friday evening led to hundreds of canceled, delayed and diverted flights during the busy holiday season. ___ This story has been corrected to show that Paul Gait was the person quoted describing arrest experience, not Elaine Kirk. Passengers at Gatwick airport wait for their flights following the delays and cancellations brought on by drone sightings near the airfield, in London, Friday Dec. 21, 2018. New drone sightings Friday caused fresh chaos for holiday travelers at London's Gatwick Airport. (John Stillwell/PA via AP) Passengers at Gatwick airport settle down to wait for their flights following the delays and cancellations brought on by drone sightings near the airfield, in London, Friday Dec. 21, 2018. New drone sightings Friday caused fresh chaos for holiday travelers at London's Gatwick Airport. (John Stillwell/PA via AP) Counter drone equipment is deployed on a rooftop at Gatwick airport in Gatwick, England, Friday, Dec. 21, 2018. Flights resumed at London's Gatwick Airport on Friday after drones sparked about 36 hours of travel chaos including the shutdown of the airfield, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded or delayed during the busy holiday season. (John Stillwell/PA via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) - The departure of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in a week will thrust President Donald Trump's largely unknown choice for acting Pentagon chief into the military hot seat and shift attention to the search for a permanent replacement who will probably face sharp Capitol Hill questioning about the administration's murky foreign policy. Trump tweeted Sunday that Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan will take over as acting head of the department on Jan. 1, elevating a former Boeing Co. senior executive with little experience in international affairs. Shanahan worked for Boeing for more than three decades and was a senior vice president when he became Pentagon deputy in July 2017. And his time on the job has been mainly focused on the business side of the department and its budget in excess of $700 billion. A White House official said that in the new year Trump wants to focus on streamlining purchases at the Pentagon, an issue on which Shanahan has already been working. The official asked not to be identified publicly discussing personnel matters. But there are looming policy questions about the wars in Syria and Afghanistan, including critical decisions about how the Pentagon will carry out Trump's order last week to pull all 2,000 U.S. troops out of Syria, and withdraw up to half of the 14,000 American forces in Afghanistan. Both decisions trigger massive logistical challenges to get the troops and equipment out of both warzones safely, without further inflaming U.S. allies or boosting the aspirations of the enemy. A key unanswered question is what the administration will do for the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which have gotten weapons and training to fight Islamic State insurgents. The SDF will face almost certain attacks from Turkey, the Syrian government and IS once the U.S. leaves, and officials don't know if the Syrian rebels will have to return the weapons to the U.S. FILE - In this April 9, 2018, file photo, Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, right, listen as President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, in Washington. A U.S. administration official says that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will leave his post Jan. 1, 2019, as Trump is expected to name Shanahan as acting secretary. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) Shanahan hasn't been to either warzone, and officials say he's likely to depend heavily on Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Dunford is scheduled to leave the job and retire Sept. 30, and Trump has already said he is nominating Gen. Mark Milley, the Army chief, as the next chairman. Dunford, who was in Afghanistan on Monday with a USO show, has been telling troops that so far the mission in Afghanistan has not changed, said his spokesman, Air Force Col. Pat Ryder. Ryder said Dunford "told them that they're American soldiers, they have a mission to do, and to just get after it." Mattis' departure signals an acrimonious end to a tense relationship between him and Trump that had eroded in recent months. Mattis hand-delivered a scathing resignation letter to the president on Thursday in protest over Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. In the letter, Mattis made clear that he didn't see eye to eye with a president who has expressed disdain for NATO. That drew a critical tweet from Trump on Monday. "We are substantially subsidizing the Militaries of many VERY rich countries all over the world, while at the same time these countries take total advantage of the U.S., and our TAXPAYERS, on Trade," Trump tweeted. "General Mattis did not see this as a problem. I DO, and it is being fixed!" The reaction to Mattis' departure, however, sparked shock and dismay on Capitol Hill. U.S. officials said the fallout angered Trump and fueled his decision to accelerate the Mattis departure. U.S. officials said they don't know if Shanahan will be Trump's nominee to replace Mattis. During a White House lunch with conservative lawmakers Saturday, Trump discussed his options. They were "not all military," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who was there. Trump's acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, was asked whether Trump wanted a Pentagon leader willing to challenge him or someone in lockstep with his views, and he said "a little bit of both." Names that are quietly beginning to surface include some of the civilian leaders of the military services such as Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and Army Secretary Mark Esper, an acknowledgement that someone who has already undergone Senate confirmation is considered a safer bet. Shanahan did not serve in the military. His father was in the Army and deployed to Vietnam. He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Washington, then a master's in mechanical engineering as well as an MBA from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In addition to work in Boeing's commercial airplanes programs, Shanahan was vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems and of Boeing Rotorcraft Systems. In a March 2016 report, the Puget Sound Business Journal called Shanahan a Boeing "fix-it" man who was central to getting the 787 Dreamliner on track after production problems in the program's early years. Although Monday was a federal holiday and the Pentagon was fairly empty, Mattis was at his desk. Shanahan had already left for the holiday, but he has canceled a planned vacation and is expected back in Washington on Tuesday night. His offices were staffed Monday. ___ Associated Press writers Robert Burns, Darlene Superville and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report. Ukraine became uncontrollable problem for the European Union and the United States, US Republican senators said at a meeting with representatives of Ukrainian public organizations. Senators accused Kiev authorities of fueling radical sentiments in the country and rejecting any alternative point of view in Ukraine, according to US media. In addition, according to Republicans, Ukraine is pursuing extremely unproductive economic policy. They also stressed that international financial institutions are investing billions of dollars in Ukraine, but staggering corruption and unproductive costs of the conflict in Donbass nullify all efforts of the international community. American politicians also criticized president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, for how he persecutes his opponents. According to them, law enforcement agencies of Ukraine are used to carry out political tasks, and courts issue politically motivated verdicts, RIA Novosti reports. Senators also discussed growing number of cases of political persecution in connection with upcoming presidential elections in Ukraine. RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - The latest scheme works like this: Brazilian paramilitary groups buy boxes of cigarettes in neighboring Paraguay for 14 cents a pack and then smuggle them back home, where prices and taxes are much higher, and sell them for up to $2.15. The cigarettes offer the militias the lion's share of an estimated $330 million in profits and add to a portfolio of illicit operations the groups have honed over two decades, including imposing surcharges on cable service, electricity and transportation. The groups are also known to conduct extortion and summary executions. But while investigating the smuggled smokes, authorities found other evidence they deemed more troubling: cameras, online monitoring systems and signs of possible connections between militias and members of Red Command, Rio de Janeiro's most powerful drug gang. Those, authorities say, are indications that the militia groups which used to be minor players in the Rio underworld are now becoming shot callers - and not easily controlled. "It's like a cancer," anti-piracy police investigator Mauricio Demetrio said. "It won't stop." Beginning in earnest in the 1990s, the militias were mainly made up of former police officers, firefighters and military men who wanted to combat lawlessness in their neighborhoods. For years, they were even lauded by politicians, including President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, a former army captain who as a congressman called for their legalization in 2008. In this Aug. 24, 2018 photo, packs of illegal cigarettes stand for sale at a market in the Realengo neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Militias buy boxes of cigarettes in Paraguay for 14 cents a pack and then smuggle them home and sell them for up to $2.15, giving the groups the lion's share of an estimated $330 million in profits and add to a portfolio of illicit operations the groups have honed over two decades. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) In theory at least, the groups were helping to confront what the state could not, even if the trade-offs included tolerating illicit businesses and sometimes murder. Along the way, their brutal methods and control expanded. Today some crime experts argue that militias have become Rio's biggest security threat, with methods that are being copied in other areas of Latin America's largest nation. "Militias have a head for business," said Marcelo Freixo, a state legislator who is accompanied by a half-dozen plainclothes bodyguards because of his work to combat the groups. Militias, he said, have so completely taken over parts of Rio that confronting them would require gathering street intelligence, deploying state services and using physical force. "If you just send in troops, you won't find anybody there," Freixo said. Unlike drug traffickers who can be seen brandishing automatic weapons, militia members blend into the background, running things behind the scenes. When necessary, they mobilize in ways that underscore commando-like training: They dress in all black, with faces covered, carry weapons and backpacks, and move in formation. One of the only ways they are seen by the larger public is by chance: When news helicopters, in the course of covering something else, capture them on the move. That has happened a few times in recent months, as militias have been fighting with drug traffickers for control of large areas of western Rio. "There is a war between militia and traffickers, and we are in the middle," said a resident of a slum in western Rio that, after years of being controlled by a militia, was recently overtaken by Red Command. The woman, who agreed to speak on the condition that her name not be used, described how the militia had controlled many aspects of daily life. Cable television cost $15 a month. Running water, parking a car and "security" all cost $12 a month. Not paying up can mean getting beaten - or worse. Complaining to authorities means certain death. The woman also witnessed what experts have noted in the last couple of years: Militia members are becoming involved in the drug business, a far cry from the days when a large part of their focus was fighting trafficking. "My dream is to leave here," she said. Residents "feel abandoned, impotent. It seems like we don't exist to the state." The state's security ministry estimates that militias now control about a quarter of the sprawling state of Rio de Janeiro, or about 4,247 square miles (11,000 square kilometers). Besides terrorizing residents in areas they control and expanding illegal businesses, they are also becoming increasingly sophisticated in their operations. In March, black city councilwoman Marielle Franco was shot and killed in her car along with her driver. Franco was popular among many Rio residents for outspoken criticism of police brutality in poor neighborhoods. Investigators believe militias were behind the hit because of its precise planning, right down to making sure surveillance cameras were shut off on the block where she was shot. "Everything indicates it was one those groups," Gen. Richard Nunes, the state's public security secretary, told The Associated Press. Last week, Nunes told the Estadao newspaper that the latest in the investigation is that militia members killed Franco because they saw her as a threat to their attempts to take over lands in western Rio. To date, nobody has been charged. Authorities have periodically tried to take on militias, only to return to the status quo, or worse. In 2008, Rio's state legislature undertook a major investigation of militias and their tentacles throughout society. The report called for the indictment of 225 people, including politicians at the state and city levels, police officers, firefighters and prison officials. Dozens were arrested and convicted, while militias showed how they dealt with anybody who cooperated. Freixo, the state legislator who oversaw the commission, recounted poignant testimony from former councilman Josinaldo Francisco da Cruz, known as "Nadinho," who was cited in the report. Da Cruz testified about militia activity in Rio das Pedras, a low-income area in western Rio that many consider the birthplace of modern-day militias. "After he finished testifying, he said, 'I am going to die,'" Freixo recalled. Soon after that, da Cruz was shot 10 times and killed. The commission made 58 recommendations, from increasing intelligence to investing in social welfare programs, to wrest back control of services that should be provided by the state. "Very little was done," Freixo said, adding that today areas of hardscrabble northeastern states like Ceara, Rio Grande do Norte and Bahia have militia-type activity. Part of the challenge of combating militias is their deep connections in law enforcement ranks. Those ties originated in Brazil's 1964-1985 dictatorship, according to Jose Claudio Sousa Alves, an expert on militias and a sociology professor at the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro. Sousa Alves said "extermination groups," made up of police officers, military members and firefighters executed dissidents and criminals, all with the tacit approval of the dictators. When Brazil transitioned to democracy in the 1980s, the practice remained, but civilians were increasingly mixed into such groups. By the early 2000s, the growing civilian presence led to militias to put forward candidates for local and state offices, which helped control the agencies responsible for security. In practice, that means people living in militia-controlled areas rarely turn to police because there is a good chance that any particular officer is involved. "That would be suicide," said Sousa Alves, whose university is in the western Rio city of Seropedica, an area controlled by militias. The fear is palpable among residents in militia-controlled areas, which from the outside seem like normal neighborhoods and cities. "They come, put out their hand and leave," said a store owner in the Baixada Fluminense area, where militia members charge him $15 a week. "If you say 'No,' you don't know what can happen." Looming over the issue is the question of how, or whether, Bolsonaro's administration will try to take on militias. After repeatedly defending them earlier in his career, Bolsonaro, who takes power Jan. 1, distanced himself during the recent campaign. "Today nobody supports militias," Bolsonaro told O Globo newspaper in July. Still, security experts believe some of Bolsonaro's campaign promises could strengthen the militias' hands. For example, he wants to shield police from prosecution in the case of on-duty killings, loosen gun laws so more average people are armed and in general crack down on violence with brute force. Claudio Ferraz, a former police investigator on a task force focused on militia cases, said he senses a certain "accommodating" of militias in the current political climate. He warns that complacency would be a mistake. "The tiger doesn't climb on top of you," he said. "The tiger eats you." ___ Video journalist Yesica Fisch contributed to this report from Rio de Janeiro. ___ Follow Peter Prengaman: twitter.com/peterprengaman In this Sept. 3, 2018 photo, plain clothed police aim their weapons as they intercept a vehicle with three men inside who are suspected of being members of organized crime and an extortion group in Sao Goncalo, Brazil. Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro said he wants to shield police from prosecution in the case of on-duty killings, loosen gun laws so more average people are armed and in general crack down on violence with brute force. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) In this Sept. 3, 2018 photo, a plained clothed police officer escorts an handcuffed man he arrested on suspicion of being members of organized crime and an extortion group in Sao Goncalo, Brazil. Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro said he wants to shield police from prosecution in the case of on-duty killings, loosen gun laws so more average people are armed and in general crack down on violence with brute force. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) In this Sept. 3, 2018 photo, plained clothed police arrest three men suspected of being members of organized crime and an extortion group in Sao Goncalo, Brazil. Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro said he wants to shield police from prosecution in the case of on-duty killings, loosen gun laws so more average people are armed and in general crack down on violence with brute force. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) In this Aug. 31, 2018 photo, residents watch police work a crime scene where the body of a man was found on the floor of a kiosk in Duque de Caxias, greater Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Militias have been fighting with drug traffickers for control of large areas of western Rio. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) In this Aug. 31, 2018 photo, the bloodied body of a man lays on the floor of a kiosk, as forensic police use a flashlight to inspect the crime scene in Duque de Caxias, greater Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. People living in militia-controlled areas rarely turn to police because there is a good chance that any particular officer is involved. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) In this Aug. 14, 2018 photo, a youth sits next to a road block built by drug traffickers in the Antares slum of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Drug traffickers block roads to keep out police and rival gangs, forcing car driving residents to use alternative streets. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) In this Sept. 5, 2018 photo, a resident who wished to remain anonymous gives an interview about the violence where she resides in a Rio de Janeiro, Brazil neighborhood that after years of being controlled by a militia, was recently overtaken by Red Command. "My dream is to leave here," she said. Residents "feel abandoned, impotent. It seems like we don't exist to the state." (AP Photo/Leo Correa) In this Sept. 1, 2018 photo, blood covers the street where a motorcycle taxi driver was found shot dead as a forensic police officer inspect the body in Seropedica, greater Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Authorities say there are indications that the militia groups that used to be minor players in the Rio underworld are now becoming shot callers, and not easily controlled. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) In this Sept. 1, 2018 photo, the body of a motorcycle taxi driver lies on the street after he was shot dead, as police and pedestrians move about in Seropedica, greater Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Militias are terrorizing residents in areas they control and expanding illegal businesses. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) In this Sept. 1, 2018 photo, three people embrace next to the crime scene where the body of a motorcycle taxi driver lies on the ground after he was shot dead in Seropedica, greater Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Today some crime experts argue that militias have become Rio's biggest security threat, with methods that are being copied in other areas of Latin America's largest nation. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) In this May 19, 2018 photo, residents walk past used items for sale and a wall covered by a Portuguese message from drug traffickers: "Welcome to Bato. When ascending, turn on your interior light and lower the headlight," in the Bateau Mouche slum of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Some crime experts argue that militias have become Rio's biggest security threat, with methods that are being copied in other areas of Latin America's largest nation. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) In this Aug. 2, 2018 photo, Army Sub Lieutenant Marco Antonio Gomes Sacramento, right, is escorted in handcuffs by a soldier after police arrested him for taking part in a paramilitary group, known as a militia in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Part of the challenge of combating militias is their deep connections in law enforcement ranks. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) In this Aug. 31, 2018 photo, a forensic police officer inspects a car where the body of a man was found in Belford Roxo, greater Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Some crime experts argue that militias have become Rio's biggest security threat, with methods that are being copied in other areas of Latin America's largest nation. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) In this May 19, 2018 photo, a soldier patrols during an operation while pedestrians wait to cross the street in the Bateau Mouche slum of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This particular street separates the area controlled by drug traffickers in the Bateau Mouche slum, from the area controlled by a militia in the Chacrinha slum. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) In this July 30, 2018 photo, a man rides his bicycle past a destroyed rapid bus transit stop at the entrance to the Cesarao slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The bus stop was burned down by residents angry at police. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) In this Aug. 24, 2018 photo, state legislator Marcelo Freixo, holding books, center right, crosses a street surrounded by security guards as he campaigns for reelection in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Militias, he said, have so completely taken over parts of Rio that confronting them would require gathering street intelligence, deploying state services and using physical force. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) In this Sept. 1, 2018 photo, a woman peers from behind her doorway to watch police work a crime scene where a motorcycle taxi driver was shot dead in the street in Seropedica, greater Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Fear is palpable among residents in militia-controlled areas, which from the outside seem like normal neighborhoods and cities. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) In this May. 19, 2018 photo, a soldier patrols where an add offers internet service in the Bateau Mouche slum of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Militias impose surcharges on cable service, electricity and transportation. (AP Photo/Leo Correa). SAN ANTONIO SECORTEZ, Guatemala (AP) - The tiny white coffin carrying the body of the 7-year-old Guatemalan girl who died while in U.S. custody ended its somber journey home in the pre-dawn hours Monday in a dusty hamlet 220 miles north of the capital. Villagers wept and watched curiously as the body arrived at the home of Jakelin Caal's grandparents in San Antonio Secortez, where relatives had set up a modest wooden altar flanked by vases and overflowing with flowers, photographs of the child and the hand-lettered message, "We miss you." The girl's mother, Claudia Maquin, closed her eyes and moaned deeply. Reaching into the coffin, she caressed the child's hair, which was decorated with a white diadem. As the heartbreaking reality appeared to set in, the 27-year-old covered her face and cried. White balloons hung from the wooden rafters, some with handwritten messages such as "We love you Jakelin." In the back, dozens of women prepared tamales and beans to feed the mourners. Jakelin's death earlier this month while in the custody of the U.S. Border Patrol was a tragic reminder of the plight of Central American migrants as they make the dangerous voyage through Mexico to seek asylum in the U.S. It also came as Americans are deeply divided over U.S. President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration. Family members pay their final respects to 7-year-old Jakelin Caal Maquin during a memorial service in her grandparent's home in San Antonio Secortez, Guatemala, Monday, Dec. 24, 2018. The body of the 7-year-old girl who died while in the custody of the U.S. Border Patrol was handed over to family members in her native Guatemala on Monday for a last goodbye. (AP Photo/ Oliver de Ros) The child's tragic journey began and ended in the village of about 420 people with no paved streets, running water or electricity. Its residents say declining crop yields and lack of work have pushed many in the community to emigrate in recent years. Underneath a blue tarp stretched over a metal frame, residents displayed a hand-lettered sign addressed to Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales: "We ask you for jobs and electricity, potable water, roads ... so we don't have to emigrate." Another message said the hamlet is home to 83 families "that live in extreme poverty for lack of development and employment." Domingo Caal, the girl's grandfather, told The Associated Press the family couldn't afford to travel to the capital to meet the coffin when it landed in Guatemala's capital the previous day. Nearby communities donated money and grain to the grieving family as the coffin made the 13-hour drive through other villages before reaching its destination. The girl and her father, Nery Gilberto Caal Cuz, had been traveling with a group of 163 migrants who were arrested Dec. 6 near a border crossing in New Mexico. The father signed an English-language form stating Jakelin was in good health, but it remains unclear whether he understood what the form said. Hours later, a bus carrying the two left the Antelope Wells port of entry for the Lordsburg station, roughly 90 minutes away. By then, according to a Customs and Border Protection statement, Jakelin's temperature had reached 105.7 degrees Fahrenheit (40.9 degrees Celsius). Emergency medical technicians had to revive her. She was flown to a hospital in El Paso, Texas, where she died the next day. Guatemalan Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marta Larra said the ministry had sent a diplomatic note to the U.S. State Department asking for it to monitor the case and determine the cause of death. Relatives plan to bury Jakelin on Christmas Day. Now, the family worries about her father, who went into debt to pay a "coyote," or smuggler, for passage to the U.S. border. They're hoping he will be allowed to stay in the United States and work. Domingo Caal said his son has a Jan. 3 court date to determine his migratory status. ___ Associated Press writer Sonny Figueroa in Guatemala City, Guatemala, contributed to this report. Elvira Choc grieves as she attends a memorial service for her 7-year-old granddaughter Jakelin Caal Maquin, in San Antonio Secortez, Guatemala, Monday, Dec. 24, 2018. The body of the 7-year-old girl who died while in the custody of the U.S. Border Patrol was handed over to family members in her native Guatemala on Monday for a last goodbye. (AP Photo/ Oliver de Ros) Elvira Choc, 59, Jakelin Amei Rosmery Caal's grandmother, rests her head on her hand in front of her house in Raxruha, Guatemala, on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. The 7-year old girl died in a Texas hospital, two days after being taken into custody by border patrol agents in a remote stretch of New Mexico desert. (AP Photo/Oliver de Ros) Family members attend a memorial service for 7-year-old granddaughter Jakelin Caal Maquin, in San Antonio Secortez, Guatemala, Monday, Dec. 24, 2018. The body of the 7-year-old girl who died while in the custody of the U.S. Border Patrol was handed over to family members in her native Guatemala on Monday for a last goodbye. (AP Photo/ Oliver de Ros) Claudia Maquin, 27, shows a photo of her daughter, Jakelin Amei Rosmery Caal Maquin in Raxruha, Guatemala, on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. The 7-year-old girl died in a Texas hospital, two days after being taken into custody by border patrol agents in a remote stretch of New Mexico desert. (AP Photo/Oliver de Ros) US Vice President Mike Pence (2nd L), White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner (C), and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen (L) leave the Eisenhower Executive Office Building after a meeting with staff from the House and Senate Talks aimed at ending a partial US government shutdown which entered its third week on Saturday made little progress but were to continue on Sunday, President Donald Trump said. An impasse with lawmakers over Trump's demand for billions of dollars to pay for a wall on the border with Mexico has shut 25 percent of the government since December 22. Vice President Mike Pence on Saturday met with representatives of Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Republican-controlled Senate, as well as Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives which since last Thursday is under Democratic control. "V.P. Mike Pence and team just left the White House. Briefed me on their meeting with the Schumer/Pelosi representatives. Not much headway made today. Second meeting set for tomorrow," Trump said on Twitter. The Statue of Liberty in New York, which has welcomed immigrants to the US since the 19th C, remains open with New York state funds during the federal government shutdown Under the previous Republican-controlled Congress, the Senate unanimously passed a measure to fully fund the government until February 8, allowing more time for debate on issues including border security. That measure was also under House consideration but Trump on December 20 reversed course and rejected it under pressure from ultraconservative lawmakers and media personalities. While the US military and other major agencies are still fully funded, the impasse has left 800,000 government workers from other departments furloughed or working without pay. Those on the job and not being paid include airline security officers from the Transportation Security Administration, FBI agents, and others. The shutdown has left the Smithsonian museums, a major tourist draw, shuttered, garbage piling up at national parks, and workers concerned about paying their bills. The shutdown has also been a factor in stock market volatility. Building a wall along the 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) US-Mexico frontier was a central plank in the 2016 election campaign of Trump, who has sought to equate immigrants with crime, drugs and gangs. "This is national security we're talking about," he said on Friday. A damaged studio at the offices of the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation in Gaza City after a raid on January 4, 2019 Hamas authorities in the Gaza Strip arrested five men Saturday over a raid at the Palestinian Authority's media headquarters, in which valuable equipment was destroyed. Five armed men attacked the offices of the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation in Gaza City on Friday, trashing equipment worth thousands of dollars. The media centre is funded by the West Bank-based Palestinian government and houses Palestine TV and the Voice of Palestine radio station. Staff and a PA official initially blamed the raid on Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, but the Islamist movement said disgruntled PA employees were responsible. All five arrested are "employees of the Palestinian Authority whose salaries have been cut recently," the Hamas-run interior ministry in Gaza said. "It turned out that one of them was a Palestine TV employee whose salary was cut last month." Hamas seized control of Gaza from the PA in 2007, a year after winning parliamentary elections that were rejected by much of the international community. Despite losing power in the enclave, the PA continues to pay tens of thousands of civil servants there. But it has reduced salaries in recent years due to financial shortfalls, causing much ire among its employees. Dutch-flagged rescue vessel Sea Watch 3 has been carrying 32 migrants, including a baby, children and teenagers since they were rescued on December 22 Nearly 50 migrants rescued in the Mediterranean by two ships run by rights groups are still looking for countries to take them in, one of the groups told AFP Saturday. "The situation is still the same," a spokeswoman for one of the groups, Sea Watch, told AFP. Their vessel, Sea Watch 3, was sheltering from stormy weather off the coast of Malta, which like Italy, has refused to allow the boat into port. It has had 32 migrants on board, three of them children, since rescuing them on December 22. A one-year-old baby and two children, aged six and seven, "are vomiting continuously and are at risk of hypothermia and dehydration," said Alessandro Metz of rights group Mediterranea, on Twitter Friday. The German NGO Sea-Eye also has a ship stranded in the Mediterranean with 17 migrants on board. The row is the latest in a series about the sea rescues that has thrown a spotlight on the deadlock between EU countries over sharing responsibility for migrant and refugee arrivals. Italy, Malta, Spain and the Netherlands initially refused to take in migrants from either of the boats. But Germany and The Netherlands later said they would allow some in -- on condition that other nations did. Redur Khalil, a spokesperson and senior official in the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), speaks to AFP in the northeastern Syrian town of Amuda on January 4, 2019 A deal between Damascus and Syria's Kurds over their autonomous region in the country's north is "inevitable", a senior Kurdish military official said on Saturday, insisting that Kurdish forces should remain in the area. Marginalised for decades, Syria's minority Kurds carved out a de facto autonomous region across some 30 percent of the nation's territory after the devastating war broke out in 2011. Kurdish forces, backed by a US-led coalition, spearheaded the fight in Syria against the Islamic State group after the jihadists seized large parts of the country and neighbouring Iraq in 2014. But Washington's shock December announcement that it would withdraw its troops from Syria pushed the Kurds to seek a new alliance with President Bashar al-Assad's regime, amid fears of a long-expected Turkish assault against Kurdish forces. Redur Khalil, a commander in the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces alliance, told AFP that Kurdish authorities and Damascus were bound to reach a deal. "Reaching a solution between the autonomous administration and the Syrian government is inevitable because our areas are part of Syria," said Khalil. Syrian government forces deployed late last month around the key city of Manbij in Aleppo province, after Kurdish forces called for them to arrive. "Negotiations are ongoing with the government to reach a final formulation for administering the city of Manbij," Khalil told AFP, adding that talks had shown "positive signs". If that leads to a solution that "protects the rights" of Manbij residents, a similar arrangement could be applied to SDF-controlled areas of Deir Ezzor province, east of the Euphrates river, he said. The deployment of government forces along the Turkish border could not be ruled out, he added. Ankara views the SDF's Kurdish fighters as "terrorists", in cahoots with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has been fighting Turkish troops since 1984. "We still have some differences with the central government, which need negotiations with international support," Khalil said, adding that regime backer Russia could act as a guarantor state. Outstanding issues include the form of government in Kurdish regions and the future of Kurdish forces stationed there, he said. "The tasks of these forces could change, but we will not withdraw from our territory," Khalil said, adding Kurdish fighters could be integrated into the Syrian army. He also called for a new constitution that would guarantee Kurdish rights. Sparked by the brutal repression of anti-Assad protests in 2011, Syria's multi-fronted conflict has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions at home and abroad. The president's niece, Amina Zakari, has worked in other roles at Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission Nigeria's opposition has objected to the appointment of President Muhammadu Buhari's niece to the election commission ahead of presidential elections in February, when he will seek a second term. The People's Democratic Party (PDP) claimed the appointment Thursday of Amina Zakari to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was an attempt to rig the vote in Buhari's favour. Zakari, who has worked at INEC in other roles, will head a branch of the commission involved in collating the election results. The PDP said in a statement: "for us to have a peaceful election, Mrs Amina Zakari should not be seen anywhere near any of the 2019 election processes, not to talk of being involved in the collation of presidential (vote) results." Buhari spokesman Garba Shehu dismissed the claim as baseless. The president was not a blood relation of Zakari, as the PDP alleged, but was related to her by marriage only, Shehu insisted. "An inter-marriage occurred in their extended families, so the imputation of blood relationship between the president and the electoral commissioner is a simple lie," he added. INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu also dismissed the opposition allegations, insisting the buck stops with him. "I am absolutely responsible for the coordination of the secretariat for the collation of results," he said. "But somebody has to prepare the venue for the conduct of the election, the internet service that we have to provide, accreditation of international observers and the media," he added. A British court in December ruled Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya can be extradited to his homeland to face fraud charges, although Mallya has challenged the London court order Billionaire tycoon Vijay Mallya was declared a "fugitive economic offender" by an Indian court Saturday, the first businessman to be indicted under the country's new anti-money laundering law. The Fugitive Economic Offenders Act approved in August targets suspects who flee abroad or ignore warrants, and allows the government to confiscate assets of those accused of financial frauds and crimes. The new law enables authorities to charge suspects if the case involves at least one billion rupees ($14 million). The special court in Mumbai declared Mallya an economic fugitive following a request by India's financial fraud police that is investigating money laundering charges against him. The court is also due to hear another prosecution plea to seize Mallya's properties. The 62-year-old liquor baron fled the country in 2016 after failing to repay state-owned banks more than $1 billion in loans that prosecutors say was diverted to other businesses. The owner of Kingfisher beer and head of the Force India Formula One team is currently in the United Kingdom. A British court in December ruled he can be extradited to his homeland to face fraud charges, although Mallya has challenged the London court order. Mallya was once known as the "King of Good Times" but dropped off India's most wealthy list in 2014, engulfed by Kingfisher Airlines' massive debts. Known for his lavish lifestyle, Mallya made Kingfisher beer a global brand. He has been living in a sprawling $15 million mansion in southeast England but has denied absconding and any wrongdoings, instead saying the charges are politically motivated. UN envoy Martin Griffiths in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on November 24, 2018 The UN envoy for Yemen arrived in the capital Sanaa on Saturday for talks to shore up a ceasefire in the country's lifeline port city of Hodeida, an AFP photographer said. Martin Griffiths is scheduled to hold talks in Sanaa with Huthi rebel leaders and will later travel to the Saudi capital Riyadh to meet Yemeni government officials. He will also meet in the rebel-held capital with retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert, who has been appointed by the UN to head the truce monitoring team. Griffiths' visit comes as the ceasefire in Hodeida was generally holding, although there have been intermittent clashes with both sides blaming each other. Yemen's government has written to the UN Security Council to accuse rebels of failing to comply with the ceasefire, while the rebels have accused the Saudi-led coalition of carrying out low-altitude flights over the city. The United Nations is hoping to bring the warring sides together later this month, possibly in Kuwait, to follow up on the progress made at December's talks in Stockholm, diplomats have said. The UN Security Council is expected to hear a report from Griffiths next week, but no date has been set for that meeting. The war between the Huthis and troops loyal to the internationally-recognised government escalated in March 2015, when President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi fled into Saudi exile and the Saudi-led coalition intervened. The conflict has unleashed the world's worst humanitarian crisis according to the UN, which says 14 million Yemenis are on the brink of famine. FBI agents have arrested Russian national Dmitry Makarenko amid tensions between Washington and Moscow Russia demanded an explanation from the United States on Saturday over the arrest of one of its nationals, amid tensions between the two countries after Moscow held a US citizen for alleged espionage. FBI agents arrested Dmitry Makarenko on December 29 on Saipan, the largest of the Northern Mariana Islands, a US commonwealth in the Western Pacific. A federal arrest warrant indicates he has since been taken to Florida. While still a fugitive, Makarenko was indicted in June 2017 along with fellow Russian national Vladimir Nevidomy for money laundering and attempting to export defense-restricted goods -- military grade night-vision rifle scopes, monoculars and ammunition primers -- without obtaining the necessary licenses. Nevidomy has since been tried and convicted. He was sentenced to 26 months in prison with three years of supervised released. The Russian foreign ministry said US authorities had failed to provide information about Makarenko's arrest to Moscow, which only found out from his family. - US detainee - Meanwhile, a top Russian diplomat said the case of Paul Whelan, the US national detained in Moscow, was very serious. This undated family handout picture shows Paul Whelan, an American ex-Marine who Russian prosecutors are said to have charged in Moscow with espionage Whelan, a security official at a US auto parts company and former US Marine, was arrested on December 28 "while carrying out an act of espionage," the FSB security service announced. "The situation around Mr Whelan is very serious," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told RIA Novosti news agency. "He came to Russia, as we understand, to take measures to carry out intelligence activities in violation of Russian law," he said, indicating that Whelan had not yet been formally charged. But Whelan's lawyer Vladimir Zherebenkov told RIA Novosti on Thursday that his client had been charged -- with espionage. Whelan's family said he was visiting Moscow for a friend's wedding and US security experts have raised doubts that he was a spy, given a reportedly chequered history in the US military. Some observers say his arrest came in retaliation for last year's arrest in the United States of a Russian woman named Maria Butina. Butina was indicted and pleaded guilty to acting as an unregistered agent of the Russian government -- a legal charge sometimes used against foreign intelligence agents. Analysts have speculated that Moscow might be hoping to swap Whelan for Butina or another Russian held by the United States. Ryabkov said that given the fact that Whelan has not yet been charged, it was too early to talk about his possible release in a spy swap. Although Whelan entered Russia on his US passport, he also holds British, Irish and Canadian citizenships. Ryabkov said the question of which country's diplomats would have access to Whelan would be decided on a case-by-case basis, based on conventions on consular relations. burs-oh/jm Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan intends to visit Russia later in January, his press service told Sputnik on Sunday. "Our president will pay a visit to Russia in January. The exact date has not yet been determined," the press service said, UrduPoint reports. Erdogan announced in late December his intention to visit Moscow in the coming days and meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that a delegation from Ankara would hold talks in Moscow ahead of his visit. On December 29, a meeting in the "2+2" format with the participation of the two countries' defense and foreign ministers took place in Moscow. The South African suspect was arrested in Palma, a town on the northern coast of Mozambique near the border with Tanzania The wife of a South African who was identified by Mozambique prosecutors this week as a leader of a jihadist group, on Saturday dismissed the allegations against her husband as "nonsense". The man, 60-year-old Andre Mayer Hanekom who runs a maritime business in the northern town of Palma, was arrested in August. He was named by prosecutors on Monday as one of the leaders of a jihadist group operating in the country's gas-rich north, alongside two Tanzanian nationals and two locals. For more than a year, Mozambique has been rocked by an Islamist insurgency in the northern coastal province of Cabo Delgado, which has rich offshore gas deposits. Despite a crackdown, scores of civilians and police have been killed. But Hanekom's wife Francis on Saturday dismissed the allegations against him, insisting he had "nothing to do" with any jihadist groups. "It is nonsense," she told AFP by phone, saying charges against him had been trumped up by the authorities. "He is not interested in politics." Court papers released on Monday named Hanekom as one of five leaders of a group which had carried out several attacks, in which he was allegedly responsible for logistics, along with the payment of monthly salaries and the provision of medicines. At a search of his home in November, investigators had found machetes, arrows and gunpowder, the documents said. But Francis Hanekom insisted machetes were a normal item in every home in Mozambique, where the couple has lived for 30 years, and said the so-called "gunpowder" had likely come from flares on the couple's boat. "Someone is being accused of terrorism and police wait three months to investigate his home?" she said. According to the charge sheet, all of the suspects, except Hanekom, had "confessed that the group intends with their armed actions to create instability and prevent the exploitation of natural gas in Palma, and later create an independent state ... (in) the northern region of Cabo Delgado and the south of ...Tanzania". Just three days ahead of a self-set deadline to publish provisional results, DR Congo's election commission said it had only collected about a fifth of the ballots The DR Congo officials on Saturday delayed the announcement of preliminary results from a crucial presidential election, amid growing pressure from world powers and the influential Catholic church to respect voters' wishes. Preliminary results, scheduled for release Sunday, will now come out only next week, the head of the country's electoral commission CENI told AFP just hours before the deadline. "It is not possible to publish the results on Sunday. We are making progress, but we do not have everything yet," Corneille Nangaa said, without announcing a new date. The country's powerful National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO), which represents the country's Catholic bishops, warned popular anger could result in the event the final result were not "true to the verdict of the ballot box." DR Congo's powerful Catholic Church, which provided more than 40,000 election observers, had said Thursday it knew who had won the vote, but did not name him. In a letter to Nangaa on Saturday, CENCO president Mgr Marcel Utembi said that, given the delay, "if there is a popular uprising it would be the responsibility of the CENI." The December 30 vote saw 21 candidates run to replace President Joseph Kabila, who has ruled the vast, conflict-ridden country for almost 18 years. Among the frontrunners were Kabila's handpicked successor Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary and two opposition candidates: veteran heavyweight Felix Tshisekedi and newcomer Martin Fayulu. - Clung on to power - At stake is the political stewardship of a mineral-rich country that has never known a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960. Kabila had been due to step down two years ago, but clung on to power, sparking widespread protests which were brutally repressed, killing dozens. The election, preceded by repeated delays, was carried out in a relatively peaceful manner. But tensions have built over the lengthy counting process, amid fears the results could be manipulated to install Kabila-backed Shadary in power. The electoral commission had promised to announce preliminary results on Sunday, followed by a definitive count on January 15. But Nangaa told AFP just under half of ballots had been counted by Saturday afternoon, adding: "Next week, we will announce." Democratic Republic of Congo The further delay could stoke tension in the unstable central African nation of 80 million. Nangaa has blamed the slow count on massive logistical problems in a country the size of Western Europe with poor infrastructure. - 'Publish the truth' - Since the vote, the authorities have cut internet access and blocked broadcasts by Radio France Internationale, causing widespread frustration. With international concerns growing over the transfer of power in sub-Saharan Africa's largest nation, Western powers have upped the pressure. The United States and European Union urged Kinshasa to ensure a peaceful change of power. Donald Trump announced Friday that the United States was sending about 80 troops to Gabon to deploy in the event of election-related unrest in nearby DR Congo. DR Congo's powerful Catholic Church, which sent more than 40,000 observers to monitor the vote, says it knows who won and urged the election commission to publish the results "in keeping with truth and justice" The African Union, which had sent an 80-member team to monitor the vote, insisted that respecting voters' wishes was "crucial". And Denis Sassou Nguesso, president of the DR Congo's western neighbour, the Republic of Congo, urged restraint in uncertain times to "safeguard peace and stability in this brother country". Nangaa wrote to CENCO head Utembi on Friday accusing the episcopal conference of putting out partial result "trends" designed to "intoxicate the population in preparing an uprising," an accusation the latter turned on its head with Saturday's letter in response. In his letter Nangaa warned CENCO would "alone be responsible" for unrest after disseminating "insignificant and partial data." - Anger at the church - The ruling FCC coalition accused CENCO of "seriously breaching" the constitution and electoral law by "illegally declaring voting trends" in favour of a given candidate. DRCongo: key presidential candidates The last two elections in 2006 and 2011, both won by Kabila, were marred by bloodshed, and many feared a repeat if the results this time round were placed in doubt. In 2006, Kabila defeated former warlord Jean-Pierre Bemba in a violence-tainted poll. Five years later, he was re-elected in another vote blighted by bloodshed, chaotic organisation and alleged irregularities. The opposition rejected the results. Between 1996 and 2003, DR Congo lived through two fully-fledged wars that claimed millions of lives through fighting, starvation, and disease. burs-jj/mlr/cw/pvh The Iranian frigate Alvand (R) docks in Port Sudan with supply ship Bushehr on May 6, 2014, one of a growing number of naval deployments outside the Gulf Iran is to deploy its newest warship to the Atlantic Ocean on a five-month mission -- the navy's longest in a decade, the conservative Fars news agency reported on Saturday. "The navy has had a plan to deploy a flotilla to the Atlantic Ocean for a few years and now everything seems prepared to launch the mission," said Fars, which is considered close to Iran's military. Rear Admiral Touraj Hassani-Moghadam told the official IRNA news agency on Friday that the mission would start early in the next Iranian year, which begins in late March. The flotilla will comprise the new guided missile frigate destroyer escort Sahand, which was unveiled just last month, and the recently upgraded 33,000-ton fuel ship Kharg. The vessels are expected to dock in a friendly Latin American country such as Venezuela, Fars said. The ships are among Iran's largest and both are capable of carrying helicopters. The Sahand is a more advanced version of the Iranian-built Jamaran class which went into service over the past decade. It is a radar-evading stealth ship capable of electronic warfare, Rear-Admiral Alireza Sheikhi told IRNA last month. All six injured, including two women, were in a stable condition A car bomb injured six people in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar on Saturday, police said, with the blast ripping through multiple storefronts. Officers said a 10 kilogramme improvised explosive device (IED) was fitted to a car parked in the Saddar area of the city. "It was an IED explosion and the explosive material was fitted inside the vehicle," Peshawar city police chief Qazi Jamil-ur-Rehman told AFP. He said all six injured, including two women, were in a stable condition. "All of the vehicle had blown up and only (its) engine part remained intact," said local bomb disposal squad chief Shafqat Malik. At least three stores were damaged by the bomb's impact. Pakistan has been battling Islamist groups in the Peshawar region since 2004 and multiple bloody military operations have been carried out in the tribal areas neighbouring the city. Security in Peshawar improved in the region in recent years, though low-level attacks are still carried out with devastating regularity. Jo Song Gil, North Korea's acting ambassador to Italy, went missing in November and is reportedly seeking asylum A former North Korean diplomat who defected to the South urged an ex-colleague missing in Italy to come and settle in Seoul Saturday, as the rare asylum bid makes global headlines. Jo Song Gil, the North's acting ambassador to Rome, went into hiding with his wife in November and is seeking asylum, according to Seoul's intelligence authorities. It would be the first high-profile defection of a North Korean diplomat since 2016 when the then deputy ambassador to London, Thae Yong Ho, switched sides to settle in Seoul. Jo has not contacted Seoul's spy agency since he went into hiding, suggesting he was seeking asylum in a third country in the West, possibly the US, according to several media reports. But Thae, who said he once worked with Jo at Pyongyang's foreign ministry, wrote an open letter urging his ex-colleague to come to the South instead and work together to help the two Koreas reunify. "I thought that I knew a lot about the South...through the Internet while serving overseas. But the South I actually experienced was far more democratic and economically prosperous than I imagined," Thae said in the letter posted on his blog. "Sure, the South is not exactly a paradise. But it is a place where you and I could achieve the dream we all have," he said. "Wouldn't it be our lifelong mission as diplomats to help the two Koreas reunify...and to pass the unified peninsula to our children?" Since coming to Seoul, Thae has become a public speaker giving speeches about the reality of his impoverished but nuclear-armed former homeland and about ways to narrow down differences between the two neighbours that technically remain at war. - 'Duty, not a choice' - The 1950-53 Korean War that sealed the division of the two nations ended with an armistice instead of a peace treaty, with all civilian contacts across the border strictly banned. Thae described it a "duty, not a choice" for diplomats like him and Jo to come to the South, stressing, "if you come to the South, other colleagues of ours may follow suit, which will help expedite the day when the two Koreas reunify." "I will wait for you in Seoul!" he said. About 30,000 North Koreans have fled repression and poverty and settled in the capitalist South, mostly by secretly crossing over the increasingly porous border with China. Jo, who is in his 40s and known to be fluent in French and Italian as well as English, came to Rome in 2015. He became temporary acting ambassador in October 2017, after Italy expelled the then ambassador Mun Jong Nam in protest at a nuclear test Pyongyang staged a month earlier in violation of UN resolutions. Italy is an important diplomatic mission for Pyongyang, as it handles relations with the Rome-headquartered UN Food and Agriculture Organization and North Korea suffers from chronic food shortages. Bristol-Myers Squibb is among those ordered by a US judge to face a $1 billion lawsuit launched in 2015 by 774 Guatemalan victims and relatives over an expriment in 1940s which aimed to find out if penicillin could be used to prevent STDs A US federal judge has ruled pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb, Johns Hopkins University and the Rockefeller Foundation must face a $1 billion lawsuit over their roles in a 1940s medical experiment that saw hundreds of Guatemalans infected with syphilis. 774 Guatemalan victims and relatives in 2015 launched a civil suit over the US-led experiment, which aimed to find out if penicillin could be used to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. They claimed the experiment "subjected them or their family members to medical experiments in Guatemala without their knowledge or consent during the 1940s and 1950s." US District Judge Theodore Chuang rejected arguments from the defense that a recent Supreme Court decision protecting foreign companies from US lawsuits over human rights abuses abroad also applied to domestic firms. The judge said allowing the case to move forward would "promote harmony" by giving the foreign plaintiffs the opportunity to seek justice in US courts. The unethical experiment was revealed by Doctor Susan Reverby, a professor at Wellesley College in the US. She came across the work while researching notes left by John Charles Cutler, a public health services sexual disease specialist who headed up the experiment, following his death in 2003. Cutler and his fellow researchers enrolled soldiers, mental patients, prostitutes, convicts and others in Guatemala for the study. Former US president Barack Obama apologized for the experiments in 2010, while his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described the experiments as "clearly unethical." Special Counsel Robert Mueller (L), the head of the investigation into possible collusion with Russia in the 2016 presidential election, and US President Donald Trump, a possible target of the probe The Russia collusion investigation of Special Counsel Robert Mueller will continue to loom darkly over the White House for some time to come after a judge gave an extension to a secret grand jury empanelled in the probe. An official of the Federal District Court in Washington confirmed on Friday that Chief US District Judge Beryl Howell had granted the extension, as the jury's original 18-month mandate was to expire on Saturday. But there was no information on how much longer the grand jury will be able to work, amid speculation that Mueller is nearing the end of his wide-ranging investigation. The grand jury is believed to be weighing a number of potential charges against members of President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign team, some of whom have already been indicted. The Mueller probe has already issued indictments against 33 people, including three former top Trump aides, has secured guilty pleas in seven cases, and a trial conviction in another. Normally a grand jury is empanelled for a maximum of 18 months, and a maximum six-month extension is permitted. Howell's office would not say how long an extension she gave Mueller, who was appointed in May 2017. The probe has been conducted in intense secrecy, and given rise to speculation that President Trump himself could be a target, for possible collusion between his campaign and Russia in the 2016 electoral campaign, and perhaps for obstruction of justice. The White House has confirmed that Trump has answered written questions from Mueller, though details of the questions and answers have not been released. France called the meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo The UN Security Council met behind closed doors on Friday to discuss the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo as world powers awaited results. France requested the meeting as the European Union and the African Union urged DR Congo authorities to respect the outcome of the December 30 vote. Election results were initially scheduled to be released on Sunday but could be delayed. During a nearly two-hour meeting, the council failed to agree on a press statement on the elections. Several countries including African nations said such a move was premature, diplomats said. French Ambassador Francois Delattre said following the meeting that "the consolidation of the results must continue with transparency" and that the results to be announced "must be consistent with the vote of the Congolese people." The council will hold a public meeting on Tuesday to again discuss the elections. Western powers hope sub-Saharan Africa's biggest country will see its first peaceful change of the presidency since independence in 1960. President Joseph Kabila, in power since 2001, did not run in the elections. A total of 21 candidates including Kabila's handpicked successor, former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, are vying for the presidency. The DR Congo's influential Catholic Church, which had deployed thousands of election observers, declared on Thursday that it knew who had won from its own monitoring. The National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) urged election authorities to publish results "in keeping with truth and justice." South African Ambassador Jerry Matjila told reporters ahead of the meeting that the world must "be very, very patient" while vote-counting is underway. Matjila, whose country is a leading member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) that includes the DR Congo, appeared to downplay CENCO's statement. "The NGO can say what they say," but South Africa "will wait... for those responsible for the elections to announce" the result, he said. On Thursday, the United States called on the DR Congo to release "accurate" results and warned of sanctions against election violators. Council members heard a report from Leila Zerrougui, who heads the UN mission in DR Congo, during the closed-door meeting. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will convey a message that his country is not leaving the Middle East US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will tour eight Middle East capitals next week in an effort to shore up crucial alliances strained by the Yemen war, US plans to exit Syria and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Pompeo leaves on Tuesday for the eight-day trip to Amman, Cairo, Manama, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh, Muscat, and finally Kuwait City, the State Department announced on Friday. In addition, according to the White House last week, a stop in Baghdad is possible, though the State Department could not confirm it. The trip was confirmed two weeks after President Donald Trump announced unexpectedly that the US would pull its troops out of Syria, stunning allies and sparking concerns of a vacuum in the war-torn country that could be filled by Iran. Pompeo is scheduled to make a keynote address in Cairo, his second stop, where he will underscore the trip's overall message that "the United States is not leaving the Middle East," a senior State Department official told journalists Friday. "Despite reports to the contrary, false narratives surrounding the Syria decision, we are not going anywhere," the official said. At the same time, Washington wants its Middle East allies to shoulder more of the burden in maintaining regional security and stability, amid fears of a resurgence of extremist groups like Al-Qaeda and Islamic State as US forces pull back. - Gradual Syria pullout - Yemeni pro-government forces at the eastern entrance of the port city of Hodeida on December 29, 2018, two weeks into a ceasefire Pompeo is under pressure to counter the impression given to US allies in the region by Trump's December 19 announcement that the US withdrawal from Syria would take place immediately. He has since spoken of "slowly" sending troops home, with a vague timetable "over a period of time." Nearby countries, led by Israel, are nervous that their regional arch-rival Iran will be able expand its presence in Syria with the possible resumption to full power of Tehran's ally President Bashar al-Assad. Ahead of Pompeo's trip, White House National Security Advisor John Bolton was to depart Friday for talks with Israel and Turkey on how to move ahead. "The Iranian regime is the dangerous actor in the region," the State Department official said. "The secretary will continue his work on galvanizing our regional partners and allies to counter the regime's destabilizing activities." A second US official stressed Friday that "we have no timeline for our military force to withdraw from Syria." "Our military posture in Syria may be changing. But our overall goals in Syria remain the same, and key among those is... to see the withdrawal from Syria of all Iranian-commanded forces." - Fortifying the Gulf alliance - State Department officials say Pompeo also hopes to fortify the alliance of the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council. The group was weakened in 2017 after Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sought to isolate GCC member Qatar from other countries in the region, over its alleged support for extremist groups. The rift is "unhelpful," another US official said, opening a cleavage that Iran could exploit. To strengthen the group, the US is hoping a GCC summit can be arranged as early as the first quarter of this year, the official said. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (L) smiled in a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, on October 16, 2018, after the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi Another key issue for discussion with the Gulf states is the nearly four-year-old war in Yemen, in which a Saudi-led, US-supported coalition supporting Yemen's government has battled with Iran-supported Huthi rebels over control of the country. - Strained Saudi ties - Both sides recently agreed to a ceasefire in the port city of Hodeida while UN envoy Martin Griffiths seeks to bring about a new round of talks between them. A key stop for Pompeo will be in Riyadh, whose relations with the US have been strained by the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul last year. Khashoggi was a US resident and was writing for The Washington Post when he was killed. According to reports, US intelligence believes the murder was directed by Crown Prince Mohammed, despite his denials. While the US sees Riyadh as "an important pillar of regional stability," Washington wants more "accountability and credibility" in its handling of the murder investigation, according to the State Department. Pompeo needs to overcome the impression given by a picture of him smiling together with Prince Mohammed at the height of the Khashoggi affair that Washington was not serious about pressuring Riyadh over the murder. This screen grab image taken from a video released on January 2, 2018 by Islamist group Boko Haram shows Boko Haram fighters during a Christmas Day attack on a military checkpoint in Molai village on the outskirts of the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri At least two Nigerian soldiers were killed in an ambush by Boko Haram jihadists targeting a civilian convoy close to the border with Cameroon, military and militia sources told AFP Friday. The jihadists opened fire on a convoy of traders under military escort outside a village near the northeastern town of Banki on Thursday, killing two military escorts and injuring seven traders, according to the sources. "The (Boko Haram) terrorists ambushed the convoy around 6:00 pm (1700GMT) as it approached Banki and killed two of the soldiers providing cover for the convoy," a military officer said. "The attackers fired indiscriminately and seven civilians were injured," the officer said. The jihadist fighters seized a truck belonging to a humanitarian organisation during the ambush, but the driver managed to escape, according to a militiaman fighting the jihadists in Banki, who have a similar toll. A militiamen said the seized truck belonged to Intersos, an NGO representing the World Food Programme (WFP) in Banki. Banki, which is 130 kilometres (80 miles) southeast of the Borno state capital Maiduguri, houses 45,000 people displaced by the Boko Haram conflict who live in a sprawling camp which opened in 2015 following raids on villages in the area. Traders from Banki travel to Maiduguri twice a week under military escort to bring in supplies. Boko Haram continue to launch sporadic attacks in the town and ambush troops on the highway. Last October two Nigerian soldiers were killed when troops on foot patrol stepped on a mine around Kumshe village near Banki. Boko Haram's bloody insurgency began in northeastern Nigeria in 2009 but has since spread into neighbouring countries, prompting a regional military response. In Nigeria alone, more than 27,000 people have been killed over the past decade, and some 1.8 million people have been forced out of their homes by the violence. Turkish jets "neutralized" seven terrorists as part of an anti-terror operation in northern Iraq, the military said Sunday, Anadolu agency reports. In a Twitter post, the Turkish General Staff said the airstrikes carried out in Avasin-Basyan region on Saturday neutralized terrorists plotting attacks on Turkish bases. Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in their statements to imply that the terrorists in question either surrendered or were killed or captured. Turkish jets also destroyed shelters and depots of the terrorists during the operation. The airstrikes in this region generally target PKK terrorists. Tanzanian President John Magufuli is known for making sometimes abrupt and controversial statements Tanzanian President John Magufuli on Friday urged his ministers to "take advantage" of refugee crises and make money by selling food to international aid organisations. The country hosts around 300,000 refugees, mainly from Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo, largely in three camps in the north-west of the country, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council. Speaking in Dar es Salaam, Magufuli celebrated the signing of a contract to deliver 36,000 tons of maize to the UN World Food Program (WFP) for around 8 million euros ($9.1 million). "These funds are allocated to help our refugee friends from other countries in conflict, it is our duty to take advantage of them," said Magufuli in Swahili, to laughter in the room. "We must take advantage of their problems. They fight at home and we get the money." Magufuli, known for his sometimes abrupt and controversial statements, has earned some international respect by fighting internal corruption but global donors have raised concerns about human rights abuses. Critics say Magufuli has unleashed a wave of oppression since his election in 2015, cracking down on opposition figures, the media and gays. The European Union, Tanzania's biggest development partner, and the World Bank recently took measures to sanction repressive policies by Magufuli's government. After his comments in front of ministers and WFP representatives led to some snickers and giggles, the president tried to qualify his words: "I do not say that I wish they fight, but if they fight, that their conflict is a source of profit for us." "Because even if we do not give them food, they will fight. We do not want them to fight, but if they fight, let's take advantage of it," he clarified. Magufuli called on the agriculture ministry and other services to seize possible business opportunities. "The market is there: if the WFP even asks for 200,000 tonnes, hurry up and buy from producers and give to the WFP," he said. Tanzania sold 31,000 tons of maize to the WFP in 2018, according to the agriculture ministry. Attempts by migrants to get to Britain by crossing the world's busiest shipping lane in tiny craft have surged in the last three months The French government announced an "action plan" Friday to counter attempts by migrants to cross the Channel to Britain by sea, which it promises will end a phenomenon that has alarmed the Conversative government in London. An increase in crossings by asylum-seekers, mostly Iranians, has led Home Secretary Sajid Javid to declare a "major incident" with the government under pressure to provide a response. "This plan should enable us to end these crossings," French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner was quoted as saying in the statement on Friday, adding that they were "not only illegal but also extremely dangerous. "It's in our interest, as well as the United Kingdom's, to do everything to prevent new networks (of people smugglers) developing which would likely attract irregular migrants to our shores again," it added. The plan will see stepped-up police patrols around ports where some migrants have attempted to steal boats, as well as surveillance of beaches where dinghies have been launched from. A British navy ship was patrolling the Channel on Friday in addition to four other British coastguard boats which watch over the 21 miles (33 kilometres) of sea that separate France and Britain at its narrowest point. France has already doubled the number of coastguard boats in the Channel to two-four per night depending on the weather, a spokeswoman for French marine operations in the area told AFP this week. The new French measures will be in addition to a joint action plan announced on December 31 by the French and British government, according to the statement from the French interior ministry. Castaner is to travel to London soon to discuss this joint plan, which is expected to include combined operations at sea and greater intelligence sharing about smuggler networks. - Overblown fears? - Earlier Friday, French government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux had downplayed the the phenomenon of sea crossings in the Channel by comparing the number of arrivals in Britain to the number of people crossing the Mediterranean by sea. "We are not talking about the same level at all," Griveaux said. A total of 504 people, the vast majority in the last two months, attempted to cross the Channel to Britain in 2018, with 276 successful in reaching British waters, according to the latest figures from the French interior ministry. Data from the UN's refugee agency showed that 55,756 people crossed the Mediterranean to Spain in 2018. Griveaux said that "there is no requirement to increase any further the resources there (on the Channel coast) which are working very well and are proving their worth." Explanations for the sudden spurt in sea crossings vary. The weather in recent months has been unusually calm, coastguard and security officials say. Others have suggested that Britain's impending exit from the European Union next March could be playing a role, prompting fears among migrants that Britain will clamp down even more on immigration post-Brexit. But Fabien Sudry, the top security official in the northern Pas-de-Calais region, told AFP recently that the most likely reason is the arrival over the last month of larger-than-usual numbers of Iranians around the port of Calais. They have attracted, or led to the creation of, a new people-smuggling network which is trying to avoid increasingly tough security controls in the port, where migrants try to stow away on trucks heading for Britain. Paul Whelan, an ex-Marine with dual UK and US citizenship, could face up to 20 years in a Russian prison if found guilty The family of Paul Whelan, the American arrested last week in Moscow as an alleged spy, called Friday for Congress as well as the State Department to secure his release. Two days after Whelan, 48, was officially charged by Russian authorities with espionage, his family said it was "pleased" that the US ambassador to Moscow, Jon Hunstman, has been given access to him and has committed to assuring Whelan's rights will be respected. "Our focus remains on ensuring that Paul is safe, well treated, has a good lawyer, and is coming home," they said in a statement. "We urge the US Congress and the State Department to help on Paul's behalf to secure his release and return him home soon." Whelan, a security official at a US auto parts company and a former US Marine, was arrested on December 28 "while carrying out an act of espionage," the FSB security service announced on December 31. His family said he was visiting Moscow for a friend's wedding and US security experts raised doubts that he was a spy, given a reportedly chequered history in the US military. But some believed the arrest was retaliation for the US arrest last year of a Russian woman, Maria Butina, who was charged and pleaded guilty to acting as an unregistered agent of the Russian government -- a legal charge sometimes used against foreign intelligence agents. Analysts speculate Moscow could be hoping to swap Whelan for Butina or another Russian held by the United States. It is not clear how Congress could intervene, though the US legislature has used its sanctions powers to penalize Russia in the past. Whelan was deeply interested in Russia and had visited the country a number of times in a personal capacity. He had a page on Vkontakte, a Facebook-like Russian social media site, and through that made contact with a number of Russians, some of whom had military ties. Born in Canada to British parents, he had citizenship in four countries: the United States, Canada, Britain and Ireland, according to the New York Times. Eariler Friday, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt suggested Moscow was using Whelan as a pawn in a political game with its Western rivals. Hunt told the BBC that Britain had been offered consular access to Whelan, but had not been able to visit him yet. "We are giving him every support that we can, but we don't agree with individuals being used in diplomatic chess games," Hunt said. Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, seen here in September, visited the graves of villagers killed during a New Year's Day massacre Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on Friday visited the graves of 37 villagers killed during a New Year's Day massacre blamed on warring communities that is under investigation by UN rights experts. Residents have blamed traditional Dogon ethnic hunters for the attack, in which the UN says women and children also died, in a village of Fulani herders, in the latest violence between the two groups. "We have come to tell you the Malian state is with you, we offer the condolences of the nation and assure you this crime will not go unpunished," Keita said during a visit to Koulogon village in central Mopti region. Village representative Souleymane Diallo told AFP by telephone that Keita arrived by helicopter with government and army officials and visited the graves of the victims before handing donations to local residents. "We don't want the army to leave the area because the bandits will come back and we are worried about our security," Diallo said. Seven people were arrested a day after armed men attacked the village. Mali army forces were sent to the scene after the massacre and also went into Bobosso village, near the Burkina Faso border, following arson attacks, killing one suspect and detaining 24 others. The violence is fuelled by accusations of Fulani grazing cattle on Dogon land and disputes over access to land and water, but the area is also troubled by jihadist influence. The UN says more than 500 people were killed in violence in the area in 2018. - Increasing violence - France helped Malian forces curb a jihadist insurgency that took over large parts of the northern Mali in 2012, but since the death last November of Fulani jihadist leader Amadou Koufa, inter-communal violence has increased. Map of Mali with location of Koulogon Habe A UN mission was expected to arrive at the village soon as part of an investigation, and France also said it was concerned over the increase in deadly inter-communal violence. "I strongly condemn these attacks against civilians in the village of Koulogon Peul and call for the perpetrators to be held accountable," said Joanne Adamson, Deputy Special Representative for the UN Mali mission, known as MINUSMA. "We need to intensify our efforts to find judicial and political solutions." MINUSMA said in its statement that the attack would be investigated with the help of UN human rights experts. Mali's Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye at the end of last year announced an extension of a programme of disarmament of militias and former jihadists as a way to consolidate peace in the troubled north. Syrian rebels from the National Liberation Front (NLF)walk through the Aleppo province's al-Rashidin district on November 26, 2018 Jihadists gained ground Friday from rebels in Syria's last major opposition bastion after four days of clashes that have killed more than 100 fighters, a war monitor said. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a jihadist-led alliance, seized more than 20 towns and villages from rival rebels in the northern province of Aleppo, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. "HTS was able to take control of areas previously held by Nureddine al-Zinki in the west of the Aleppo countryside," the Britain-based monitor said. Those areas lie in the northeast of Syria's last major rebel bastion, which includes a large part of Idlib province as well as adjacent parts of Aleppo and Hama provinces. The clashes broke out after HTS, which is led by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate, on Monday accused Nureddine al-Zinki of killing five of its fighters. Fighting flared on Tuesday in the northern province of Aleppo before expanding to the neighbouring provinces of Idlib and Hama in the following days. Two HTS fighters and 14 rebels were killed in the fighting on Friday, the Observatory said. Airstrikes by regime ally Russia hit the west of Aleppo province late Friday, killing two civilians in the town of Darat Izza, the observatory added. They were the first such raids on the west of Aleppo province since a deal between Moscow and rebel backer Ankara to stave off a massive regime offensive on the wider Idlib region in September. That brings the overall death toll to 61 HTS fighters, 58 rebels, and 10 civilians in four days, it said. Over the past two years, HTS has regularly fought a rival alliance of rebels called the National Liberation Front, which includes Nureddine al-Zinki, for territory in and around Idlib province. Sparked by the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011, Syria's civil war has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions. No caption Europe and Africa heaped pressure on DR Congo on Friday, urging it to respect voters' wishes in key presidential elections as a deadline for unveiling the outcome loomed. Expectations are mounting that electoral overseers will delay publication of provisional results due by Sunday -- a move likely to add to tensions in the notoriously unstable country. "The Democratic Republic of Congo is at a historic moment toward a democratic transition," the European Union said. It called on the authorities "to ensure the upcoming results conform with the Congolese people's vote". A similar appeal was made by the African Union after it was briefed by the head of an 80-member AU election monitoring team. "Respect of the election results is crucial," AU Commission chief Faki Mahamat tweeted. On Thursday, the United States called on the DRC to release "accurate" results and warned of sanctions against election violators. "Those who undermine the democratic process, threaten the peace, security or stability of the DRC, or benefit from corruption may find themselves not welcome in the United States and cut off from the US financial system," the State Department said. The UN Security Council met behind closed doors to discuss the election, but after two hours of meeting had failed to agree on a press statement. Several countries including African nations said such a move was premature, diplomats said. French Ambassador Francois Delattre, whose country had requested the meeting, said "the consolidation of the results must continue with transparency". - Vote fears - The elections last Sunday, which had been delayed three times, were called to choose a successor to President Joseph Kabila, at the helm of sub-Saharan Africa's biggest country for nearly 18 years. Polling day went ahead relatively peacefully by the DRC's turbulent standards. But in a country that has not had a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960, memories of electoral fraud and bogus claims of victory run deep. Opposition campaigners fear the result may be rigged to favour Kabila's preferred successor, hardline former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary. He is facing two strong opposition contenders -- Martin Fayulu, a former oil executive who entered politics, and Emmanuel Tshisekedi, head of the UDPS, the country's oldest and largest opposition party In the run-up to the election, Western powers repeatedly urged the count to be conducted accurately, transparently and expediently. But on Thursday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) said it had collected only about a fifth of the results. Collecting the results is a huge task in a vast country where roads are poor, says the DRC's election commission. Polling districts send their certified report of the vote tally, along with the ballots cast, to compilation centres CENI blamed massive logistical problems in a country the size of continental Western Europe but with poor infrastructure. It indicated that it may have to postpone publication of provisional results -- due to be published by Sunday, followed by the definitive results on January 15 and the presidential inauguration three days later. Within hours the DRC's powerful Roman Catholic Church, which had deployed thousands of election observers, declared that it knew who had won from its own monitoring of the tally. It called on the election panel "to publish the election results in keeping with truth and justice". A coalition of pro-Kabila parties on Friday angrily rebuffed the comments, which were made by the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO). CENCO had an "anarchic, irresponsible and biased attitude," the Joint Front for Congo (FCC) said. It accused CENCO's spokesman, Father Donatien Nshole, of "seriously breaching" the constitution and electoral law by "illegally declaring voting trends" in favour of a given candidate. - Transparency - International concern has also been triggered after the authorities' decision to cut internet access, block French public-service broadcaster Radio France Internationale and force its correspondent out of the country. "These efforts to silence dissent could backfire considerably when the results are announced," the United Nations Human Rights office warned. Democratic Republic of Congo The DRC saw two wars between 1996 and 2003 that claimed millions of lives through bloodshed, fighting, starvation and disease. Bloody clashes also marred elections in 2006 and 2011. The election was delayed several times as Kabila held on to power rather than stepping down at the end of 2016. Authorities crushed protests and voting was further postponed in areas hit by violence. Drought-displaced Afghan children look out from their tent at a camp for internally displaced people in the Injil district of Herat province; the Taliban blamed US and Afghan forces for the majority of civilian casualties in the country in 2018 The Taliban blamed US and Afghan forces for almost 90 percent of civilian casualties in 2018, in a report released Friday that suggested Afghanistan's largest militant group was not responsible for a single death or injury. The data -- which NATO's Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan dismissed as "propaganda" -- follows a record year of bloodshed in the Afghan war, which by some estimates overtook Syria as the world's deadliest conflict zone. The figures, which the Taliban release every year and are based on "witnesses and primary sources", showed a total of 4,170 civilian casualties -- 2,294 deaths and 1,876 wounded -- last year. US and "stooge" Afghan government forces caused 3,705 casualties, while the Islamic State group and other "unknown" entities were responsible for 465, the Taliban claimed. Rejecting the figures, Resolute Support said the Taliban continued "to inflict great harm on Afghan civilians". "Over the last few months alone, the Taliban has carried out a host of atrocities against their own countrymen," the NATO mission said in a statement. The Taliban's total number of civilian casualties is around half the number reported by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for the first nine months of 2018. UNAMA's last report in October found the majority of civilian casualties were caused by militants, including the Taliban. Its full-year tally is expected to be released next month. The Taliban's report omitted a number of major attacks that deliberately targeted civilians and were claimed by the group. They included a bomb-laden ambulance that detonated in a crowded street in Kabul last January, killing more than 100 people and wounding hundreds more. The Taliban also carried out a devastating raid on a luxury hotel in the Afghan capital in the same month that killed at least 25 people. And the group has been widely blamed for last month's attack on a government compound in Kabul that killed more than 40. The Taliban's report comes as international efforts to convince the militants to end the 17-year war gather pace, even as US President Donald Trump moves to slash the number of American troops in Afghanistan and the militants slaughter Afghan forces in record numbers. Algerian security forces patrol the Tamanrasset desert, some 2,000 kilometres south of the capital Algiers, on July 2, 2018 Algeria's interior ministry on Friday defended moves to expel dozens of migrants as a matter of "national security", after the UN voiced concern over a group who went missing in the desert. The global body's refugee agency UNHCR said Thursday that 100 people were "unaccounted for" after being taken to the border, while 20 others remained "stranded in the desert". It said the group of Syrians, Palestinians and Yemenis had been detained in southern Algeria before being taken to an area near the Guezzam border post on December 26. Hacen Kacimi, an Algeria interior ministry official, said the expulsions took place after legal decisions "closely linked to national security priorities". "No party, irrespective of its status, can interfere in the execution of a judicial decision," he added. Kacimi, who heads the ministry's migration department, had previously said the migrants entered Algeria illegally and were put on trial in September. Algeria does not have asylum legislation and the official said many of the migrants -- mostly Syrians from Aleppo -- were suspected of having ties to jihadist groups. Kacimi on Friday accused UNHCR of "erratically" registering asylum applications, after the agency said some of those expelled were registered refugees. Defending the expulsion at the remote desert border, Kacimi said the group "refused to be repatriated by air". Human rights organisations regularly criticise Algeria for its treatment of migrants, many of whom come from sub-Saharan Africa in the hope of reaching Europe. The UN in October urged Algeria to stop collective expulsions of migrants across its Niger border, after rights groups accused authorities of rounding up thousands of people and expelling them into the desert. A Mexican migrant stands over the US-Mexico border fence before attempting to cross from Tijuana, Mexico to San Diego County on December 28, 2018 The Pentagon received a new request Friday to provide support for the US Border Patrol, a defense official said, without specifying whether more troops would be sent to the US border with Mexico. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Department of Homeland Security had requested certain "capabilities," and that the Pentagon would determine what troops or equipment would be needed to accomplish their mission. Nearly 5,600 troops currently are deployed along the US-Mexico border, in support of the border patrol, which falls under DHS. US President Donald Trump announced the deployment shortly before the November 6 midterm elections, as several thousand Central American migrants made their way to the border to seek asylum from violence and poverty in their own countries. The unusual deployment was supposed to end in mid-December, but DHS asked that it be extended until January 31 in light of what it said was a continued threat to national security. According to several US media, soldiers could be deployed along the border in California and Arizona, but that could be accomplished by simply repositioning troops already in the area rather than sending in reinforcements. A military source speaking on condition of anonymity said the latest DHS request did not anticipate deployments beyond January 31. On Friday, Trump was meeting with Democratic and Republican leaders to try to end a two-week-old government shutdown, precipitated by an impasse over his demands for funds to build a border wall. Newly empowered Democrats, who regained control of the House of Representatives on Thursday, have shown little inclination to bend to his demands for $5.6 billion in wall funding. A US delegation has tried to convince Turkey to give up on purchasing the Russian missile systems during the visit to Ankara earlier this week. However, the Turkish authorities reportedly rejected the offer since it did not include a discount on the price set or a transfer of technology, Mehr news agency reports. The Anadolu news agency reported on Thursday that the United States had submitted a proposal to sell Patriot missile systems to Ankara. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on December 18 the US State Department had approved a possible sale to Turkey of 80 Patriot MIM-104E Guidance Enhanced Missiles (GEM-T), 60 PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles and other related equipment for an estimated cost of $3.5 billion. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on December 19 that there was no connection between the possible acquisition by Turkey of the US Patriot missile systems and the purchase of Russia's S-400 air defense systems, stressing that Moscow and Ankara will continue implementing the contract on S-400 deliveries, Sputnik reported. The S-400 is a next-generation mobile missile system which can carry three different types of missiles capable of destroying a variety of aerial targets at a short-to-extremely-long range, from reconnaissance aircraft to ballistic missiles. Ivo Karlovic of Croatia hits a return against Steve Darcis of Belgium in Pune on January 4, 2019 Croat Ivo Karlovic on Friday became the oldest man in more than four decades to reach an ATP final after beating Steve Darcis at the Maharashtra Open in Pune. Karlovic, who turns 40 next month, follows in the footsteps of Australian legend Ken Rosewall who reached a tour-level final aged 43 at the Sydney Indoor tournament in 1977. Standing 2.11 meters (6 feet 11 inches) tall, Karlovic defeated Darcis of Belgium 7-6, 4-6, 6-3 in the first semi-final of the Indian tournament. "Yes, I know that I am old. But I am happy that I am still here in all these years with (many) ups and downs and injuries. And I am able to do this here is unbelievable," Karlovic said after the win. "I have been calm and it has helped me in my career." Big-serving Karlovic, currently ranked 100, hit 33 aces in the one hour 55 minute battle against the unranked Darcis, who missed all of 2018 due to injury. Karlovic, who had already made history this week by becoming the oldest tour-level semi-finalist since Jimmy Connors made the last four at 1993 San Francisco, has now reached seven of his 19 ATP Tour finals after turning 35. He will play the winner of the second semi-final between world number six Kevin Anderson from South Africa and defending champion Gilles Simon of France. Katsina in northern Nigeria is the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari Northern Nigeria is facing an increasing number of "bandit attacks", kidnappings and killings, a traditional leader said on Friday, joining two state governors in warning over worsening security. Rural farming communities in north Zamfara, Kaduna and Katsina states have for years struggled with armed criminal gangs who steal cattle and kidnap for ransom. But local officials have warned about growing violence after several hundred people were killed in the first half of last year and criminal attacks killed dozens in December alone. Increasing criminal violence in the northwest complicates security for Nigeria's army which is already battling to an insurgency by Boko Haram militants in the northeast. "We have been living in fear, abductions have become a daily affair," said Isah Muhammad Galadima, spokesman for the head of Birnin Gwari region in Kaduna State. "We lose lives to armed bandits every day.... the government is not serious in arresting the bandits," he told AFP. Last week, the military launched air strikes in the neighbouring Zamfara State, targeting criminal gangs but that only forced them to disperse throughout the region, he said. Governors of Zamfara and Katsina, two northwestern states heavily affected by banditry, have in recent days criticised the security situation in the region. On Monday, following talks with the army, police and intelligence services, Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State said citizens were increasingly fearful. "The people of Katsina in the 34 local governments now sleep with one eye closed and the other open," he said. "Our state is in a dangerous situation." Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari met President Muhammadu Buhari this week in the capital Abuja, later saying he had urged the president to bolster security in rural communities. Growing criminality in Katsina, Buhari's home state, and in the northwest, his strongest regional support base, has also increased criticism from within his party, ahead of presidential elections in February. In July, Amnesty International said Zamfara was "at the mercy" of armed bandits who had killed at least 371 people in the first six months of the year. Last month, there were two major gang attacks in Zamfara, that left at least 42 people dead. Armed gangs thrive by hiding in the vast forests stretching across northwestern Nigeria and Niger. In April, Buhari ordered troops and the Nigerian Air Force jets to deploy to Zamfara to fight the gangs, and the air force returned there after the recent killings. Last week, 10 troops were killed on Niger's border with Nigeria in a joint operation by the two countries against the criminal gangs, according to Nigerien Defence Minister, Kalla Moutari. An electoral agent closes a voting station ahead of counting the ballots after the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Presidential elections on December 30, 2018 in Kinshasa Attempts by authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo to crack down on dissent during tense vote counting could "backfire", the UN said Friday, warning it was "watching carefully" as events unfold. Elections held last Sunday will determine who succeeds President Joseph Kabila, at the helm of sub-Saharan Africa's biggest country for nearly 18 years. Authorities have restricted internet access, blocked French public-service broadcaster Radio France Internationale and forced its correspondent out of the country. "This being a very sensitive, very tense period, we are concerned that these efforts to silence dissent could backfire considerably when the results are announced," a spokeswoman for the United Nations Human Rights office, Ravina Shamdasani, told reporters in Geneva. "We are watching carefully and we are calling on all sides to refrain from the use of violence," she added. Opposition fears are running high that the result will be rigged to favour Kabila's preferred successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary. The Congolese election commission said Thursday that logistical problems may force it to postpone publication of provisional results, which are due by Sunday. But the DRC's powerful Roman Catholic Church, which deployed thousands of election observers, said it knew who had won and urged the electoral panel to publish the "truth". The DRC's minister for higher education, Steve Mbikayi, on Friday said the country's universities would reopen on January 14 after the year-end break, a week later than scheduled, because of election tensions. "Every time that presidential election results are published, regardless of which side who wins, there is always one side which is dissatisfied and wants to exploit the students," Mbikayi told AFP in Kinshasa. "I think that they can stay at home and return after publication (of the results), to shield them from any temptation or manipulation." Elections to the national parliament and provincial assemblies took place alongside the presidential ballot. Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on July 11, 2018 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held talks Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since the shock US military withdrawal from Syria was announced, the premiers office said. During the phone call the two "discussed the situation in Syria and recent developments and agreed on continued coordination between the (Israeli and Russian) militaries", according to a statement. Netanyahu said Israel was "determined to continue its efforts to prevent Iran from entrenching itself militarily in Syria", it added. US President Donald Trump last month announced Washington would pull out all its troops from Syria, though the exact timeframe remains unclear. Russia has been directly engaged in the Syrian war since 2015 in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, which is also supported by Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah -- two longtime enemies of Israel. Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria in recent years against Iranian and Hezbollah targets, and the Jewish state and Russia have set up a "deconfliction" hotline aimed at avoiding accidental clashes. The coordination was stretched when a Russian military aircraft was mistakenly shot down by Syrian air defences after an Israeli raid in September. Fifteen Russian soldiers were killed and the Russian army accused Israeli pilots of using Moscow's plane as cover to escape Syrian gunfire. Israel said its forces were far from the incident at the time of the shooting, accusing the Syrians of reckless fire. Russia has since announced new security measures to protect its interests in Syria, including strengthening the regime's anti-aircraft defence mechanisms. The measures and Trump's announcement of the US troop pullout sparked concerns in Israel that it would have to limit its raids in Syria, amid fears of Iranian entrenchment in the country. Israel says its raids in Syria target Iranian military sites or weapons convoys destined for Hezbollah. On Thursday, Netanyahu praised the coordination with Trump against Iran, despite the planned troop withdrawal. "President Trump is acting against Iran economically and in Israel we are acting against Iran militarily," Netanyahu said. US President Donald Trump says he will keep the government shut down until he obtains funding for a border wall with Mexico A defiant President Donald Trump said Friday he was prepared to keep the US government shut down for as long as it takes -- months or even years -- to force Congress to provide billions of dollars for a border wall with Mexico. "This is national security we're talking about. We're not playing games," Trump said following another round of talks at the White House with Democratic leaders on ending the two-week impasse which has shut about 25 percent of the government. "The southern border is a dangerous, horrible disaster," he said, decrying illegal immigration, drug smuggling and human trafficking. "We have to get a structure built," Trump said, calling on Congress to approve his $5.6 billion request for a "major powerful barrier" made of concrete or steel. Trump also claimed that some previous US presidents had told him they should have built a wall. None of Trump's predecessors has ever publicly advocated such a thing. Describing the situation as a "national emergency," Trump said he was looking into ways to get a wall built without congressional approval. "I may do it," he said. "I am allowed to do that." Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, said Democrats had urged Trump during what he called a "sometimes contentious" meeting to reopen the federal government, which has been partially shut down since December 22 leaving 800,000 employees furloughed or working without pay. A handful of those employees held a roadside protest in Maryland on Friday, saying they want to get back to work, WTOP radio reported. "We told the president we needed the government open," Schumer said. "He resisted. In fact, he said he'd keep the government closed for a very long period of time. Months or even years." Asked by reporters whether this was true, Trump said it was although he added that he hoped the shutdown "doesn't go on even beyond a few more days." "I will do whatever we have to do," Trump said. "If we have to stay out for a very long period of time we will do that." - Talks over the weekend - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (2nd-R), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (2nd-L), Representative Steny Hoyer (L), and Senator Dick Durbin (R), leave the White House after meeting with US president Donald Trump to discuss the partial government shutdown Trump said a bipartisan group including Vice President Mike Pence would meet over the weekend to try to reach an agreement. "Our aim will be to find a solution, not just simply to end the government shutdown, to provide funding to end the crisis at our southern border, to achieve real border security and to build a wall on our southern border," Pence said. A quick end to the stalemate does not appear to be in sight, however, as Democrats, who now control the House of Representatives, seem in no mood to make concessions. "We are committed to keeping our borders safe," Nancy Pelosi, who took over as speaker of the House on Thursday, told reporters following the meeting with the president. But, Pelosi added, "we recognize on the Democratic side that we really cannot resolve this until we open up government. "And we made that very clear to the president," she said. "Services are being withheld from the American people. Paychecks are being withheld." Both Democrats and Republicans have attempted to pin the blame for the shutdown on the other side and Pelosi has ruled out funding for a border wall she has described as an "immorality." Shortly after the new Congress was sworn in on Thursday, the House approved legislation to fund homeland security operations until February 8 and several other agencies through September -- but no money for a wall. Trump has said he would veto any bill that does not include funding for the barrier and the Republican-run Senate has said it would not consider anything that does not pass muster with the president. The fight over the wall is setting the stage for what could be a tumultuous final two years in office for Trump faced with a hostile Democratic-controlled House equipped with investigative powers. Some newly seated Democrats have even called for impeachment proceedings against the Republican president although Pelosi has distanced herself from those appeals for the time being. "We talked about (impeachment) today," Trump said. "Nancy said 'We're not looking to impeach you.'" Trump also sought to defend his record saying "you don't impeach people when they're doing a good job." US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo plans a trip to eight Middle East Capitals starting on January 8 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to eight Middle East capitals next week for talks on security expected to focus on Yemen, Syria and Iran, the State Department announced Friday. Pompeo leaves on January 8 on the eight-day trip to Amman, Cairo, Manama, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh, Muscat, and finally Kuwait City. On his second stop in Cairo he will deliver a speech on the US "commitment to peace, prosperity, stability, and security in the Middle East," the department said. A key stop will be in Riyadh, whose relations with the US have been strained by the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul last year, which US intelligence believes was directed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman despite his denials. Pompeo will seek an update on the investigation into Khashoggi's death, as well as hold discussions on other regional subjects, the State Department said. Washington is seeking to build a consensus on how to deal with Syria and its supporter Iran in the wake of President Donald Trump's announcement in December of a US troop withdrawal from the war-torn country. It is also seeking a solution to the three-year-old war in Yemen in which a Saudi-led, US-supported coalition has battled with Iran-supported Huthi rebels over control of the country. Both sides recently agreed to a ceasefire in the port city of Hodeida while UN envoy Martin Griffiths seeks to bring about a new round of talks between them. The Bangldesh election was marred by repeated violence, and at least 17 people died in election-related violence up to polling day The United Nations said Friday that worrying cases of violence and intimidation have been reported in Bangladesh since the country's deadly election campaign. A woman allegedly gang-raped for voting for an opposition party is among the worst of a series of attacks reported by local media since Sunday's election which Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina won by a landslide. "We are concerned about violence and alleged human rights violations in Bangladesh before, during and after the recent elections," said Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the UN human rights commissioner in Geneva. "There are worrying indications that reprisals have continued to take place, notably against the political opposition, including physical attacks and ill-treatment, arbitrary arrests, harassment, disappearances and filing of criminal cases. "Reports suggest that violent attacks and intimidation, including against minorities, have been disproportionately carried out by ruling party activists, at times with the complicity or involvement of law enforcement officers," said the UN spokeswoman. The UN called on Bangladesh authorities "to carry out prompt, independent, impartial and effective investigations" into the election-related violence as well as attacks and threats made to journalists. The spokeswoman said at least two journalists have been arrested under Bangladesh's Digital Security Act "in relation to their reporting on the election". At least 17 people died in election-related violence up to polling day. The opposition has said there was widespread voter intimidation and fraud. On election night, a mother of four in the southern district of Noakhali was allegedly raped by more than 10 followers of the ruling Awami League because she voted for the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, media reports said. Her family has filed a police complaint but the Awami League denied any link to the case. burs-tw/fa An employee of the Palestinian government-run radio and television stations inspects the damage at one of the studios on January 4, 2019, after armed men reportedly raided the building in Gaza City Armed men raided the headquarters of Palestinian Authority media in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip on Friday, station staff said, causing damage to equipment. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the incident, though the staff and a PA official said they held Hamas responsible. Five armed men entered the offices of the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation in Gaza City, official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. The organisation is funded by the West Bank-based Palestinian government, which has a longstanding dispute with the Islamist Hamas movement, and the building houses offices for Palestine TV and the Voice of Palestine radio station. During the raid workers were assaulted and equipment destroyed, WAFA reported. "At least five people broke into the building, broke the radio door and completely destroyed the main studio, including cameras, equipment, furniture and broadcasting equipment," a staffer at the radio station said. AFP correspondents at the scene found a number of video cameras and computers badly damaged, with chairs and doors destroyed. "We hold the Hamas authorities fully responsible for this crime of breaking into the headquarters and destroying them," Ahmed Assaf, the PA general supervisor for official media said in a statement. "This is an attack against our people in Gaza," he added. Salameh Maarouf, director of the Hamas-run media office, said in a statement it condemned the "unacceptable behaviour" and called for the perpetrators to be arrested. Hamas seized control of Gaza from the West Bank-based government in a 2007 near civil war, and multiple attempts at reconciliation have failed. Palestine TV stopped working completely following the 2007 seizure, resuming work partially in 2011. Credit Suisse pledged said it was deceived by three of its former employees who have accused by US prosecutors of orchestrating $2 billion in dodgy loans to Mozambique, and pledged to cooperate with a US investigation Credit Suisse said Friday it had been deceived by three former employees, accused by prosecutors in New York of orchestrating $2 billion in dodgy loans to Mozambique, and pledged to cooperate with a US investigation. Switzerland's second largest bank said the suspects "sought to hide these activities from the bank" and stressed that Credit Suisse was not a target of the US Justice Department indictment. "The former employees worked to defeat the bank's internal controls (and) acted out of a motive of personal profit," a Credit Suisse statement said. The three suspects, who were arrested in London on Thursday, have been identified as Andrew Pearse, Surjan Singh and Detelina Subeva. London's Westminster Magistrates' Court has confirmed that they have been released on bail and are fighting extradition to the United States. According to charges filed at a federal court in Brooklyn, the suspects helped officials in Mozambique secure $2 billion (1.8 billion euros) in loans several years ago for a coastal protection plan. The funds were then allegedly raided through various kickbacks and bribes. Manuel Chang, who served as Mozambique's finance minister from 2005 to 2015, was arrested in South Africa last week and is also fighting US extradition. Lebanese businessman Jean Boustani, accused of helping coordinate the alleged fraud, was arrested at a New York airport on Wednesday. - Erase the debt? - Details of the dubious loans emerged towards the end of Chang's tenure and helped plunge Mozambique into its worst financial crisis since independence in 1975. Debt soared to 112 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by the end of 2017, forcing the country to suspend repayments and arousing distrust from investors. Donors including the International Monetary Fund and World Bank suspended aid to the impoverished country after the government admitted it had secretly borrowed the $2 billion. The Jubilee Debt campaign, which has been campaigning to erase Mozambique's debts amassed in the alleged fraud, applauded the arrests. "The investigation is likely to reveal further evidence of how these loans were used to defraud the people of Mozambique," the group said in a statement. Mozambique's main opposition party, Renamo, agreed that the debts incurred by the dubious loans "should not be paid by the Mozambican people." In a statement, Renamo praised "the energetic action" taken by the US courts while blasting the "inertia of the Mozambican authorities" and the ruling Frelimo party. "The arrest of former finance minister Chang and former Credit Suisse bankers... is confirmation that there was a criminal practice on the part of the Frelimo leaders," the party said. "Renamo demands a statement from the President (about) a fundamental mega-fraud that disgraced the Mozambican people," it added. There was no immediate reaction from the government on the latest arrests. burs-bs/nl/klm Retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert, who heads a United Nations team tasked with monitoring a ceasefire in Yemen's key port of Hodeida arrives in the rebel-held Yemeni capital Sanaa on December 23, 2018 The head of the United Nations team tasked with monitoring a fragile ceasefire in the flashpoint city of Hodeida on Monday visited its lifeline docks, a port official said. Retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert called on Saudi-backed government forces and Iran-linked Huthi rebels to respect the hard-won truce, Hodeida port deputy director Yehya Sharafeddin said. "The (UN) official promised us that the war will end," Sharafeddin told AFP by phone after Cammaert visited the docks, through which the majority of imports and humanitarian aid enter Yemen. "He said the Yemen war had been forgotten for years but that the international community is now adamant about ending it," Sharafeddin added. Cammaert later met with local officials in a government building in Hodeida city. "We cannot solve your problem, you have to do that yourselves," he told them. "It is extremely important that both sides are holding that (the ceasefire), and that they don't" blame each other, he added. Cammaert is heading a joint committee including members of the government and the Huthi rebels, in charge of monitoring the truce in the vital Red Sea city and its surroundings that began on December 18. Cammaert arrived in Hodeida from the rebel-held capital Sanaa, after meeting with government officials in Aden. Yemen's warring sides agreed on the ceasefire to halt a devastating offensive by government forces and an allied Saudi-led coalition against rebel-held Hodeida at peace talks in Sweden this month. According to the UN, Cammaert will chair a meeting of the joint committee on Wednesday. That meeting would be "one of the priorities" of Cammaert's mission, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. The UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution authorising the deployment of observers to Hodeida to monitor the truce. Port director Sharafeddin said Cammaert "stressed the importance of implementing the agreement" and will visit "battlefronts (in the city) at a later time". - Shaky truce - The ceasefire, the result of intense diplomatic efforts led by the UN, has remained shaky with both sides accusing each other of violations in Hodeida province. A picture taken on December 21, 2018, shows a partial view of the strategic Yemeni Red Sea port of Hodeida Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said on Monday that the Huthi rebels have violated the truce agreement 138 times since it came into effect. The latest Security Council resolution on Yemen "puts the Huthi militias under international pressure", he said during a press conference in Riyadh. The UN monitoring team aims to secure the functioning of Hodeida port and supervise the withdrawal of fighters from the city. The text approved by the Security Council "insists on the full respect by all parties of the ceasefire agreed" for Hodeida. It authorises the United Nations to "establish and deploy, for an initial period of 30 days from the adoption of this resolution, an advance team to begin monitoring" the ceasefire, under Cammaert's leadership. Around 10,000 people have been killed since the coalition intervened in 2015, according to the World Health Organization, although rights groups say the death toll could be five times higher. The conflict has unleashed a major humanitarian crisis and pushed 14 million Yemenis to the brink of famine. The signing of a peace treaty between Japan and Russia will have a positive impact on the security of the Asia-Pacific region and will also be beneficial for Washington, which signed a security treaty with Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told the NHK TV Channel on Sunday, TASS reported. When asked to comment on how the mutual obligations of Tokyo and Washington influence the Russian-Japanese peace treaty negotiations Abe said: "The Japan-US Security Treaty is the basis of international security guarantees for Japan. The conclusion of a peace treaty between Japan and Russia will have a positive impact on regional stability. I think this will be an advantage for the United States." "That is a reality now that Russians live on the four islands (Southern Kuril Islands - TASS). The territorial problem cannot be solved until the Russians residing on the four islands agree with the transfer of ownership (of this or that part of the Kuril Islands to Japan - TASS). Therefore, our approach implies reaching an understanding on this issue by the people of the two countries," Abe stressed. The Japanese Prime Minister also noted that Foreign Ministers of Japan and Russia Taro Kono and Sergey Lavrov will hold talks in Moscow on January 14. He added that after these talks he will go to Russia to meet with President Vladimir Putin. Saudi human rights lawyer Ibrahim al-Modaimegh, around 80, was released after a "serious deterioration in his health", said Prisoners of Conscience Saudi authorities have released a prominent human rights lawyer seven months after he was detained in a widely condemned crackdown on dissent, campaigners said on Monday. Ibrahim al-Modaimegh, around 80, was released after a "serious deterioration in his health", said Prisoners of Conscience, a Saudi group that tracks political prisoners, in a development corroborated by multiple other activists. The government has so far not offered any public explanation for his arrest or the conditions of his release. Modaimegh was among more than a dozen activists, including several women, who were arrested in May just before the historic lifting of a decades-long ban on female motorists the following month. After their arrest, state-backed newspapers published front-page pictures of the jailed activists, including Modaimegh, calling them "traitors". Modaimegh's release comes as Saudi Arabia faces intense global criticism over the killing of insider-turned-critic Jamal Khashoggi in its Istanbul consulate on October 2, which tipped the kingdom into one of its worst crises. Further fuelling the outrage, rights groups last month said many of the detained activists have faced sexual harassment and torture such as electrocution and flogging during interrogation. The Saudi government denies the claim. The detained activists include Aziza al-Yousef, a retired professor at Riyadh's King Saud University, and Loujain al-Hathloul -- who was held in 2014 for more than 70 days for attempting to drive from neighbouring United Arab Emirates to Saudi Arabia. Many of the activists are being held without charge or legal representation, campaigners say. The arrests were seen as a calculated move by powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to placate clerics incensed by his modernisation drive, as well as to send a clear signal to activists that he alone is the arbiter of change. Modaimegh's release "is probably a first step in revisiting many of the arrests of activists carried out" in recent months, said Ali Shihabi, head of the pro-Saudi Arabia Foundation think tank in Washington. "The untraditional, and very aggressive, approach to the management of dissent... is now being systematically revisited by the (Saudi) leadership," Shihabi said on Twitter. Government officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi (2nd-L) attends a speech by Iranian President Hasan Rouhani in this picture provided by the office of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on April 14, 2018 Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, a grand ayatollah who headed Iran's judiciary during fierce crackdowns on dissidents, journalists and activists, died on Monday at the age of 70 according to the state news agency IRNA. Shahroudi was a student of Iran's revolutionary founder Ruhollah Khomeini who went on to hold some of the most powerful positions in the Islamic republic. At the time of his death he was head of the Expediency Council and a member of the 12-man Guardian Council -- two key institutions in shaping legislation and vetting election candidates. He was also deputy head of the Assembly of Experts which has the power to choose the successor to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei -- a position to which Shahroudi himself was occasionally linked. Shahroudi had not been seen in public for several months, and there were reports last year that he underwent surgery for an unspecified cancer in Germany. A German lawmaker filed a complaint against Shahroudi during his stay, calling for him to be charged for crimes against humanity, but a judge found no grounds to hold him. Shahroudi headed the judiciary between 1999 and 2009 -- a period that saw hundreds of executions and a concerted crackdown on activists, dissidents and the reformist media. His tenure concluded with the mass protests over allegations of rigging in the 2009 presidential election, which led to thousands being arrested and allegations of severe prisoner abuse. Some measures nonetheless marked him as a relative moderate within the judiciary, particularly his moratorium on stoning as a method of execution which other clerics saw as sanctioned under sharia law. But the prosecution in 2001 of reformist lawmakers -- despite their parliamentary immunity -- was heavily criticised by the government of the time. Shahroudi was born in Najaf in Iraq on August 18, 1948, and met Khomeini when the latter was exiled to Iraq in the 1960s. He fled to Kuwait and then Iran after Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein cracked down on Shiite clerics in the wake of the 1979 Iranian revolution, the conservative Tasnim news agency said in its obituary. Otto Warmbier, pictured on February 29, 2016, was flown back to the United States last year in a coma, unrecognizable to his family and dying within days of his return A US judge on Monday ordered North Korea to pay $501 million over the death of American Otto Warmbier, concluding that the university student likely suffered torture. The penalties, which North Korea is highly unlikely to pay willingly, come in the midst of a diplomatic drive by President Donald Trump who is seeking a potentially landmark deal with leader Kim Jong Un. The parents of Warmbier sued North Korea in a US court after the 22-year-old was flown back to the United States last year in a coma, unrecognizable to his family and dying within days of his return. Beryl Howell, the chief judge of the US District Court for Washington, DC, awarded $501,134,683.80 to the family, most of it in punitive damages. "An American family, the Warmbiers, experienced North Korea's brutality first-hand when North Korea seized their son to use as a pawn in that totalitarian state's global shenanigans and face-off with the United States," she wrote. "North Korea is liable for the torture, hostage-taking, and extrajudicial killing of Otto Warmbier, and the injuries to his mother and father, Fred and Cindy Warmbier," she wrote. She said that North Korea did not submit any response to the lawsuit, which the family filed under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, a US law that allows lawsuits against foreign governments over offenses not considered to be covered by diplomatic immunity. As one of the world's most isolated countries, North Korea is believed to have few assets in the United States that could be seized to meet the judgment. But North Korea is seeking to end economic sanctions imposed over its nuclear program. An accord with Trump raises the possibility of future US assistance, which could become entangled by the court-ordered damages. - Unrecognizable after release - Warmbier, an Ohio native who studied at the University of Virginia, traveled to North Korea on a tour but did not return home. He was pulled away at the Pyongyang airport and charged with crimes against the state for allegedly taking down a poster in support of Kim. The ruling said the family was continually advised by the State Department to stay quiet, believing North Korea would make a demand in return for Warmbier's safe release. When he finally returned home after 17 months, Warmbier -- a high school prom king who was studying business and economics -- was attached to a feeding tube and was howling incomprehensible noises, the ruling said. The head-shaven Warmbier had gone blind and deaf, his once straight teeth misaligned and his eyes bulging out, it said. The judge quoted his neurologist in Ohio, Daniel Kanter, as concluding that Warmbier probably suffered brain damage of the sort caused by a loss of blood flow to the brain of five to 20 minutes. Based on previously known cases in which North Korea extracted confessions, Warmbier's injuries could have been caused by water-boarding, electric shock, suffocation or pulling his teeth with pliers, Howell said. North Korea has denied ill-treatment of Warmbier, saying he contracted botulism, a nerve disorder caused by toxin poisoning, while in detention. But the judge quoted medical tests that found no evidence of botulism. And even if the diagnosis were true, the judge questioned why North Korea did not earlier send him back for medical care, a delay which she said "compounds the deliberate nature of the totalitarian state's brutal treatment of Otto." More than a million people nationwide took to the streets for the Women's March in January 2017, a remarkable protest marked by its size and message of inclusivity The "Women's March" movement that spearheaded mass protests against Donald Trump's inauguration, is reportedly grappling with infighting as allegations of anti-Semitism overshadow plans for fresh demonstrations next month. Divisions have become so stark that two separate New York marches will now take place the same day in January, one by the original Women's March group characterized as led by women of color, and another planned by "March On," a group emphasizing its condemnation of anti-Semitism, according to The New York Times. Tensions have apparently been brewing within the movement since it launched after the shock election of Trump: according to Jewish news outlet Tablet, two of seven women at the first meeting told organizer Vanessa Wruble, who is white and Jewish, that Jewish people must deal with their own role in perpetuating racism. More than a million people nationwide took to the streets for the Women's March in January 2017, a remarkable protest marked by its size and message of inclusivity. Wruble was however pushed out of the organizing following the event, according to the Times, and accusations of anti-Semitism reportedly have some women questioning whether to continue supporting the group. In January 2018 the second edition of the march saw both organizations hold demonstrations but without making clear their divisions to the press. In recent months fresh charges have been leveled against black organizer Tamika Mallory, who participated in an event held by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan -- a black activist whom prominent rights groups describe as anti-Semitic. Mallory also has criticized publicly the Anti-Defamation League, a major US organization focused on combating anti-Semitism. Teresa Shook, a white woman from Hawaii who originally suggested the march, last month called for the national co-chairs -- Mallory, Bob Bland, Linda Sarsour and Carmen Perez -- to step down, saying they have "steered the Movement away from its true course." She then launched a petition on the website change.org, signed as of Monday by more than 8,300 people. The allegations of anti-Semitism fall against a backdrop of rising violence and threats against Jewish people, notably October's horrific slaughter of 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue. Mallory and Perez rejected charges of anti-Semitism in a statement to the Times, saying Wruble's departure was unrelated to her Jewish background. But the issue has ignited significant social media reaction, with some welcoming the airing of the tensions as others voice concern that the infighting could damage the movement. Nancy Pelosi, who takes over next month as House speaker, and Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Republican-led Senate, complained that White House aides were giving inconsistent messages on what Trump would accept to restart the government US Democratic leaders charged Monday that President Donald Trump was "plunging the country into chaos" with multiple crises and said he was offering no way to end a government shutdown. Nancy Pelosi, who takes over next month as House speaker, and Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Republican-led Senate, complained that White House aides were giving inconsistent messages on what Trump would accept to restart the government. "It's Christmas Eve and President Trump is plunging the country into chaos," the two said in a joint statement. "The stock market is tanking and the president is waging a personal war on the Federal Reserve -- after he just fired the secretary of defense," they said. They warned that they saw little solution to the three-day-old shutdown so long as Trump aligns himself with hard-right Republicans in the House of Representatives. "The president wanted the shutdown, but he seems not to know how to get himself out of it," they said. Trump has refused to sign a bill to authorize spending to keep the government functioning as he demands funding for a $5 billion wall on the Mexican border, a top election promise as he railed against unauthorized immigrants. Trump has put off vacation plans in Florida due to the shutdown and has been frequently posting his thoughts on Twitter. On Monday he attacked the Federal Reserve, which is traditionally shielded from political pressure, over a sharp downturn on the stock market and defended his decision to pull all US troops from Syria, which led to the resignation last week of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, often considered the most respected member of his cabinet. A makeshift altar in honour of seven-year-old Guatemalan migrant girl Jakelin Caal is seen at her home village of San Antonio Secortez A United Nations human rights expert called Monday for Washington to fully investigate the death of a seven-year-old Guatemalan girl in US Border Patrol custody. "The US authorities must ensure that an in-depth, independent investigation of the death of Jakelin Amei Caal is conducted," the UN special rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, Felipe Gonzalez Morales, said in a statement. UN rights experts are independent, serve in a voluntary capacity and do not speak for the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Jakelin Caal died earlier this month in hospital in El Paso, Texas, after being arrested with her father and others crossing from Mexico December 6. Together they had travelled more than 3,000 kilometres from their hometown of Raxruha, Guatemala. Joaquin Castro, a Democratic lawmaker from Texas who led a delegation looking into the death, said last week that there had a "systematic failure" in how Caal's condition was handled. American media, citing US Customs and Border Protection, have reported that Caal died of "dehydration and shock." "The government should also address failings within the immigration system, and specifically within the US Customs and Border Patrol agency, to prevent similar situations," the special rapporteur further said. President Donald Trump has made hardline immigration policies a central plank of his presidency, drawing fire from critics who accuse him of demonising migrants for political gain. Morales also expressed "great concern" about the discourse surrounding migrants in the US and said he had repeatedly contacted the authorities in Washington in hopes of starting a dialogue on the subject. The mountains near the tourist village of Imlil in the High Atlas range; Danish student Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, and 28-year-old Norwegian Maren Ueland were killed after setting up camp beyond the village on the night of December 16-17 Moroccan authorities have made five new arrests linked to the murder a week ago of two Scandinavian women in the High Atlas mountains, the country's counter-terror chief said Monday. The arrests were made in several cities in the kingdom, bringing to 18 the number of people detained over the double-murder, said Abdelhak Khiam, head of Morocco's central office for judicial investigation. "The two victims were stabbed, had their throats slit and were then beheaded," he told AFP. The four main suspects in what the authorities describe as a terrorist act were arrested between Monday and Thursday last week in the tourist hub city of Marrakesh. Danish student Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, and 28-year-old Norwegian Maren Ueland were found dead at an isolated hiking spot south of Marrakesh on December 17. Investigators said on Monday that the dismantled "cell" was made up of 18 members, including three with terror-related criminal records. "The emir of the group" was Abdessamad Ejjoud, a 25-year-old street vendor living on the outskirts of Marrakesh, said Khiam. Ejjoud had "formed a kind of cell that discussed how to carry out a terrorist act inside the kingdom," he told AFP. He was said to be in a video shot a week before the murders, in which four suspects are seen pledging allegiance to Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi with a black IS flag in the background. A combination of pictures made of images realesed by Morocco's Police on December 20, 2018 shows the three suspects in the grisly murder of two Scandinavian hikers whose bodies were found at a camp in Morocco's High Atlas mountains The alleged killers had "agreed under the influence of their emir to carry out a terrorist act... targeting the security services or foreign tourists," Khiam told AFP. - Tourists 'targeted' - Two days before the murders, they allegedly went to the Imlil region "because it is frequented by foreigners" and "targeted the two tourists in a deserted area", he added. The others suspected of direct involvement in the killings were Abderrahim Khayali, a 33-year-old plumber, 27-year-old carpenter Younes Ouaziyad, and Rachid Afatti, a 33-year-old street vendor. Ouaziyad and Afatti were alongside Ejjoud during the murder, said Khiam. "The members of this cell had no contact with Daesh (IS) operatives in conflict zones, whether in Syria, Iraq or Libya" despite declaring allegiance to Baghdadi, he added. - Last week, investigators released pictures of three wanted suspected identified as Afatti, Ouaziyad and Ejjoud. Rabat's prosecutor has also said the four main suspects pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in a video filmed a week before the double-murder. The killings have shaken Norway, Denmark and Morocco. Another video circulated on social networks allegedly showed the murder of one of the tourists. Morocco, which relies heavily on tourism income, suffered a jihadist attack in 2011, when a bomb blast at a cafe in Marrakesh's famed Jamaa El Fna Square killed 17 people, mostly European tourists. An attack in the North African state's financial capital Casablanca killed 33 people in 2003. Since 2002, Morocco had dismantled 185 terror cells and taken measures to rehabilitate those arrested, said Khiam. "The origins of this extremism must be fought -- namely insecurity, illiteracy and ignorance," he said. Tourism is a cornerstone of Morocco's economy and the kingdom's second-largest employer, after agriculture. The sector accounts for 10 percent of national income and is one of the country's main sources of foreign currency. Heads of parties in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition have agreed to hold early elections in April Israel's government decided Monday to hold early elections in April with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struggling to keep together a one-seat majority in parliament as he also faces potential corruption charges. Despite Netanyahu's recent legal and political troubles, polls have indicated he would remain prime minister after new elections, putting him in line to become Israel's longest-serving premier. Heads of parties in Netanyahu's coalition agreed to hold the polls in early April "in the name of budgetary and national responsibility," a statement issued on their behalf said. The government was preparing a bill to dissolve the Knesset, or parliament, and hold elections on April 9, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said. Elections were not due until November, but there has been speculation the coalition would not last that long. Netanyahu laid out what he sees as his achievements and said he hoped for a similar coalition to the current one, seen as the most right-wing in Israel's history. "We ask for a clear mandate from the voter to continue to lead the state of Israel in our own way," he said. The decision comes with the coalition struggling to agree on a key bill related to ultra-Orthodox Jews serving in the military like their secular counterparts. Ultra-Orthodox parties hold 13 seats out of the coalition's 61, giving them signficant influence. - 'Hope is returning' - Netanyahu's coalition was left with a one-seat majority after defence minister Avigdor Lieberman stepped down in November over a controversial Gaza ceasefire deal. Benjamin Netanyahu His resignation cost the coalition five seats. At the time, Netanyahu worked to rescue the coalition and managed to keep it on track for weeks as he faced criticism over the Gaza truce. He said elections then would be irresponsible due to the sensitive security situation facing the country -- an apparent reference to an upcoming military operation to destroy Hezbollah tunnels from Lebanon that was announced earlier this month. Asked Monday about his earlier comments arguing against elections, he said the tunnel operation was now nearly complete. Opposition leader Tzipi Livni and Labour party chairman Avi Gabbay, part of the Zionist Union alliance, welcomed new elections. "Hope is returning to Israel today and you can breathe a sigh of relief," Livni said. "On his way out, Netanyahu will try to destroy what is left of Israeli democracy and we will stand as a wall against any such attempt." - Tumultuous campaign - Netanyahu is under mounting pressure over a series of corruption investigations. Police have recommended his indictment in three different probes and the attorney general is considering how to proceed. Netanyahu is however not required to step down if indicted -- only if he is convicted with all appeals exhausted -- and polls have indicated his Likud party would remain the largest in parliament after new elections. Some analysts believe he would be better positioned to face potential charges with a fresh mandate. However, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon of the centre-right Kulanu party says he believes any prime minister should resign if indicted. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a statement at the Israeli parliament on December 24, 2018 Netanyahu has been prime minister for a total of more than 12 years, from 1996 to 1999 and again since 2009. He could next year surpass the record set by Israel's founding father David Ben-Gurion, who spent more than 13 years in office. The election campaign is sure to be tumultuous, with Netanyahu's opponents likely seeking to erode his reputation as Israel's "Mr. Security". Although the premier's security credentials took a hit over the Gaza ceasefire, Israel's centre-left opposition has been in disarray and may find it difficult to mount a serious challenge. Netanyahu has also benefited from strong backing from US President Donald Trump. A senior White House official said as a result of the election the Trump administration was now evaluating when it would publish its long-awaited Middle East peace plan. "The upcoming election in Israel on April 9 is one of many factors the administration is considering in evaluating the timing of the release of the peace plan," the official said. In his comments on Monday, Netanyahu cited Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem Israel's capital and move the US embassy there -- a major victory for Israel. But wildcard figures could emerge in the campaign, such as former military chief of staff Benny Gantz, with polls showing he could perform well in elections if he decides to join a party. Early elections are the norm in Israel. No Israeli government has served out its full term in some 30 years. A wounded Afghan man receives treatments at the Wazir Akbar Khan hospital after a car bomb attack in Kabul A suicide and gun attack on a Kabul government compound killed at least 29 people on Monday, an official said, in the latest bloody violence to strike the Afghan capital. The raid capped a tumultuous few days in Afghanistan where officials are reeling from US President Donald Trump's plan to slash troop numbers, which many fear could harm efforts to end the 17-year war with the Taliban. It also comes after a major security shake-up in Kabul. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the assault on the site where the Ministry of Public Works and other offices are located, which officials declared over after more than seven hours. At least 20 people were wounded in addition to those killed, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said. Most of the victims were civilians. Afghan forces killed three of the attackers and freed more than 350 people trapped inside the compound, Danish added. A fourth attacker died in a car bomb explosion that launched the attack. Afghanistan One of the wounded civilians broke several bones after jumping from the third floor of a building to escape the attackers, an AFP correspondent at a hospital said. Plumes of black smoke could be seen rising from the compound, with at least two military helicopters circling above. Journalists near the scene reported hearing numerous explosions in the hours after the attack began mid-afternoon. Ashraf, a witness who works at the Ministry of Public Works and who goes by one name, said earlier he had heard militants inside the compound exchanging gunfire with security forces. "They are also firing at the NDS facility nearby," he told AFP after escaping the compound, referring to the Afghan spy agency, the National Directorate of Security. Public works ministry spokesman Mehdi Rohani spoke to AFP as he and his colleagues were fleeing to a safe room shortly after the gunmen stormed the area. "A car bomb detonated at the entrance of the ministry's parking lot," he told AFP by mobile phone as he ran from the scene. "I can hear some gunfire outside the building. We are fine." - Soft targets - The attack came after an American official told AFP late last week that Trump had decided to pull out "roughly half" of the 14,000 US forces in the country. At least four people have been wounded in the attack, the latest violence to rock the Afghan capital The unexpected move stunned and dismayed foreign diplomats and Afghan officials in Kabul who are intensifying a push to end the conflict with the Taliban. The assault also comes a day after President Ashraf Ghani appointed Amrullah Saleh and Assadullah Khaled, both former spymasters known for their anti-Taliban and Pakistan stance, to head the interior and defence ministries, respectively. Militants have previously attacked government ministries and departments because they are often poorly defended and seen as soft targets. Monday's attack was the biggest in Kabul since November 28 when the Taliban detonated a vehicle bomb outside the compound of British security firm G4S, killing at least 10 people and leaving a massive crater in the road. While there has been no official announcement of a US drawdown, the mere suggestion of the United States reducing its military presence has rattled the Afghan capital and potentially undermined peace efforts. General Scott Miller, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, said Sunday he had not received orders to pull forces out of the country. Trump's decision apparently came Tuesday as US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad met with the Taliban in Abu Dhabi, part of efforts to bring the militants to the negotiating table with Kabul. Many Afghans are worried that President Ashraf Ghani's fragile unity government would collapse if US troops pulled out, enabling the Taliban to return to power and potentially sparking another bloody civil war. Employees of a funeral home carry a coffin with the repatriated remains of seven-year-old Guatemalan migrant girl Jakelin Caal The body of a Guatemalan migrant girl, who died in US custody after illegally crossing the border with her father, returned home Sunday in a white casket. The December 8 death of Jakelin Caal, seven, reignited a debate in the United States on immigration policy and the treatment of migrants. In her home village of San Antonio Secortez, a makeshift altar honors seven-year-old Jakelin It also shocked residents of the indigenous farming village from where her father Nery Caal, 29, fled with her in hopes of finding work in the US. Guatemalan foreign ministry officials at the airport in Guatemala City received Jakelin's casket, adorned with gold-colored trim, before a hearse carried it on the 10-hour journey to her village of San Antonio Secortez, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) north of the capital. She and her father left the village, which has neither electricity nor running water, on November 30 in what the girl's mother said was a "necessity" -- a quest for work. Together, Jakelin and her father travelled more than 3,000 kilometers. Claudia Maquin, 27, says she feels "pain and sadness" over the death of her daughter Jakelin Caal Thousands of other migrants have made the same journey, citing gang violence or poverty, but US President Donald Trump has made clamping down on illegal immigration a central plank of his administration and has repeatedly tried to link immigrants with crime. The US Department of Homeland Security confirmed the death of Jakelin, saying she died of dehydration and exhaustion in an El Paso, Texas hospital less than 24 hours after being detained as part of a group of 163 illegal boundary crossers in a remote New Mexico border area. The DHS confirmation came only after the case was reported by The Washington Post. Joaquin Castro, a Texas congressman who led a delegation to look into the death, blamed "some very disturbing systematic failure in how the young girl's condition was handled." Domingo Caal, 61, said the family does not condemn anyone for Jakelin's death As he prepared to watch over his granddaughter's body, Nery's father Domingo Caal told AFP: "We cannot condemn anybody." Rita Elizondo, assistant secretary of the National Migrant Assistance Council, called for urgent measures to avoid further tragedies. These include efforts to alert Guatemalans to the dangers of crossing Mexico and into the United States, as well as development programs to attack poverty, Elizondo said. Jakelin's father is seeking asylum in the United States. An official meeting under the leadership of Azerbaijans defense minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov was held at the Central Command Post Jan. 5, Trend reports with reference to the Defense Ministrys website. The meeting held with the participation of the deputies of defense minister, commanders of the branches of troops, chiefs of the main departments, departments and services of the ministry, as well as commanders of the army corps also involved the commanders of formations stationed in the frontline zone and other responsible officers via video communication. Recalling the congratulations of Azerbaijani President, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev, addressed to the people on the occasion of the Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis and the New Year, the minister of defense emphasized the assessment given to Azerbaijani army in a holiday address and brought to the attention of the meeting participants the specific tasks assigned to the military personnel. The minister of defense, analyzing the current situation on the line of contact of the troops, spoke about the success achieved, as well as the work to be carried out in 2019. Touching on the activities of all types and branches of troops of the Azerbaijani army, Colonel General Hasanov demanded that the participants of the meeting focus on combat training, operational, continuous and covert control of troops, the defense stability system, the improvement of interoperability, the continuous enhancement of professionalism of the command staff, strengthening the education, patriotism and fighting spirit of military personnel, the health of servicemen and other aspects of combat support. During the speech, the minister of defense emphasized that, as stated by the head of state, the strong military potential of Azerbaijan and the combat capability of the Azerbaijani army are among the main factors in ensuring the countrys territorial integrity. Hasanov noted that the military personnel shouldnt be content with the achieved success. "We are constantly improving the activities of the troops at the tactical, operational and strategic levels, as well as maintaining superiority over the enemy, must be ready for combat operations at any time." India have become the first team to have the option of asking Australia to follow on twice in a home summer as the hosts' list of unwanted records grew even longer at the SCG. Australia were rolled for 300 on Sunday afternoon, giving up a first-innings lead of 322 to India before Virat Kohli sent Tim Paine's men back in to bat. It comes after India also amassed a 292-run first-innings lead in Melbourne last week, only on that occasion they opted to bat again themselves in the 137-run flogging. Regardless, it marks the first time a touring team has had the option to enforce the follow on twice in one summer in Australia. In total, Australia have only conceded a 200-run deficit when batting second in a Test 43 times in their history, and just 16 times at home. It's just one of a number of statistics the Australian team wouldn't have wanted to be linked to this summer. Kohli's decision to send Australia back in marked the first time a visiting team had enforced the follow on in Australia since Mike Gatting did so in the bicentennial Test of 1988. Sunday's 322-run deficit is also the third-largest in Australia's history at the SCG, and their biggest since 1936. The hosts are also on track to go through their first century-less four-Test home series in their history, with just one innings left to end that drought. India's first innings score of 7(dec)-622 at the SCG was also the sixth highest score by a visiting team in Australia, while it also marked the first time a visiting team had declared for three innings in a row in the country. Meanwhile India are also set to become the first team from Asia to win a series in Australia with either a win or draw in Sydney. Labor wants Australian universities to take students from the top 30 per cent of high school graduates into teaching degrees, putting the brakes on "a very worrying trend" of those without direction selecting the course. Deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek says teaching should be "as attractive as a profession as medicine" and on Sunday asked universities to increase their entry cut-off marks to ignite competition among applicants. "We cannot afford to continually dumb down teaching degrees, to enrol people who will never be competent teachers ... (and) we are doing a disservice to the profession as a whole if we continue on this path," she told reporters in Sydney. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has condemned the "ugly racial protests" at Melbourne's St Kilda beach involving right-wing extremists and anti-fascists. Mr Morrison thanked the hundreds of Victorian police officers who took to the air, sea and land to control Saturday's event, while calling Australia the most successful migrant country in the world. "This has been achieved by showing respect for each other, our laws and values and maintaining sensible immigrations policies. Let's keep it that way, it makes Australia stronger," the prime minister tweeted on Sunday morning. There may be cause to have lifeguards patrolling Australia's most popular inland waterways after a "tremendously horrible" number of drownings so far this summer, the head of Surf Life Saving NSW says. One person has drowned every five days since December 1 in NSW alone, SLSNSW chief executive Steven Pearce told Seven's Sunrise on Sunday. "It comes down to a local government decision but there may be cause to have lifeguards posted at some of those iconic inland waterways to prevent further drownings either this summer or in future years," he said. Nicole Kidman not only faces tough competition from Lady Gaga at the Golden Globes but the Australian star could be without two of her most valued fashion stylists for the A-List Hollywood awards night. Kidman says her stylists, daughters Sunday Rose, 10, and Faith Margaret, 8, might have more pressing matters than helping her pick the right gown, accessories and hairstyle for the red carpet walk and ceremony in Beverly Hills on Sunday (midday Monday AEDT). "It depends on what toys they're playing with and what play dates they have," Kidman told reporters at the Australian Academy Cinema Television Arts international awards in West Hollywood. Kidman, Troye Sivan and Yvonne Strahovski are Australia's Globe nominees. Lady Gaga, usually a force at the Grammys and other music awards ceremonies, is expected to cross over and be a Globes spoiler for Kidman and Sivan. Kidman is nominated for the best actress in a drama Globe for her disturbing performance as a broken Los Angeles detective in Destroyer, but Gaga is the favourite for her breakthrough role in A Star Is Born. The other best actress in a drama nominees are Glenn Close (The Wife), Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me) and Rosamund Pike (A Private War). Sivan is nominated in the best song category for Revelation, co-written and performed with Iceland's Jonsi for the Joel Edgerton-directed and Kidman co-starring drama Boy Erased, about the son of Baptist parents forced to undergo gay conversion therapy. Gaga and her A Star is Born co-star and director, Bradley Cooper, are the frontrunners for their song Shallow, although the category is stacked with music titans with Kendrick Lamar (All the Stars - Black Panther), Dolly Parton (Girl in the Movies - Dumplin') and Annie Lennox (Requiem for a Private War - A Private War) also nominated. Kidman is a big Sivan fan after working with the Perth 23-year-old. "I want to give a shout out to Troye Sivan who is not only in Boy Erased, but also wrote the most beautiful music," Kidman said at Friday's AACTA ceremony. Strahovski is up for a supporting actress Globe for her TV drama series The Handmaid's Tale, against Thandie Newton (Westworld), Penelope Cruz (The Assassination of Gianni Versace), Patricia Clarkson (Sharp Objects) and Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs Maisel). Vice, the biopic starring Christian Bale as former US vice president Dick Cheney, is the most nominated film with six, followed by A Star Is Born, Green Book and BlacKkKlansman with five. Disney's Marvel blockbuster Black Panther has three nominations, including best drama. Cooper is the favourite to win best actor in a drama for A Star Is Born. He is up against William Dafoe (At Eternity's Gate), Lucas Hedges (Boy Erased), Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody) and John David Washington (BlacKkKlansman). The Globes are one of the major awards ceremonies ahead of the January 22 Oscar nominations and February 24 Oscar ceremony. A driver has been shot in the leg and has had his arm slashed with a knife during an attempted robbery in Sydney's west. Police say the 24-year-old was sitting in his car on Hawksview Street, Merrylands, about 7.40pm on Saturday when three men walked up. One man armed with a knife jumped into his passenger seat and demanded his phone and wallet. The driver fought off the intruder but his arm was cut and he was shot in the leg during the struggle. He drove away and flagged down a passing motorist, who took him to hospital where he remains in a stable condition. Police said they believe the attack was targeted. Today's Birthday, January 6: British musician Alex Turner (1986 - ) On the eve of the Arctic Monkeys' upcoming tour of Australia, frontman Alex Turner says he feels uncomfortable playing some of the band's old hits. "It doesn't feel as comfortable perhaps as playing the more recent stuff sometimes," he told Triple J in October. "It almost feels like some of the older ones aren't ours anymore but it doesn't mean that we don't play them. Doesn't mean that I don't enjoy playing them either, it just feels like a long time ago." The English rock band will tour Australia in February and March, with Turner hinting their set will be dominated by their sixth studio album - Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino. The highly-divisive, intergalactic album is both literally and figuratively worlds away from their first - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006) - which was inspired by a night out in London in 2003. Turner, then 17, flanked by his best friends and bandmates Matt Helders and Andy Nicholson, watched US band The Strokes perform, and met his idols, Libertines frontmen Pete Doherty and Carl Barat, in the crowd. "(The Strokes) were the band that encouraged me to rip the knees off my jeans and write on them in marker pen. I wrote on them in red ink: 'I've got soul and I'm superbad!'" Turner later told NME. Two years after that gig - to the week - the tables turned. It was now The Strokes who were left open-mouthed after watching the Arctic Monkeys perform a 25-minute set. By 2006, The Arctic Monkey's debut album became the fastest-selling album in the history of British music. Alex Turner was born on January 6 1986 in Sheffield. The only child of teachers Penny and David, he was exposed to his parent's favourite musicians, including The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, The Carpenters, The Beach Boys and The Eagles from an early age. At school, he moved onto rap, listening to artists such as Wu-Tang Clan, Cypress Hill, Dr Dre and Outkast. By the time he was 15, Turner was serious about making a career in music. Following the success of the band's first album, they release a string of albums, including Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007), Humbug (2009), Suck It and See (2011). But it was AM (2013) that garnered the band international fame, launching them into a worldwide arena tour. Turner is also a part of The Last Shadow Puppets, a "supergroup" with Miles Kane, James Ford and Zach Dawes. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California. Owners claim their units have been gutted and their locks changed during works to stabilise the cracked Opal Tower in Sydney. Some residents are still in temporary accommodation nearly two weeks after cracks were found in the Sydney Olympic Park building on Christmas Eve. After a preliminary independent investigation confirmed a number of design and construction issues, residents returned on Saturday to find their homes "absolutely trashed". Pictures seen by AAP reveal one unit has had its ceiling and flooring torn away to allow equipment to prop up the concrete slabs separating each floor. Beds, furniture and clothing were crudely piled near a window. One woman told other residents in a social media group chat that her locks were changed, even though she provided a spare key to those working on her unit. "It's absolutely trashed," she said in the chat. "We are so upset "This is horrific." Close to fifty units have been gutted and dozens more are also set to be torn apart, Seven News reported. "We're all very angry about this," one resident told AAP. "I mean, at least send us a notice or something. It's just wrong for them to do things like this." Opal Tower builder Icon said it has kept the body corporate abreast of their workers' movements through the building, as requested. It said "a strict photographing" of apartments took place prior to investigation works and a second set of photos were taken when protection was laid out or furniture removed. Referring to residents' fridges being cleared out, an Icon spokeswoman said power had to be isolated to enable works so perishables were removed in the interests of residents. She said residents would be able to claim back immediately the cost of losses. "Only one resident has stated we cannot enter his apartment and we have complied," the spokeswoman said. "No locks have been removed, however some were damaged by emergency services." Engineering experts Mark Hoffman and John Carter, who have been commissioned by the state government to conduct the independent investigation, said on Friday they'd found no evidence of issues with the foundations of the building. They said they needed further information before being able to comment on or address any proposed rectification plans. A final report is expected by Friday. Deborah Knight will replace Karl Stefanovic as Georgie Gardner's morning co-host on Channel 9's Today show. The all-female pairing is new for Australian breakfast television. Tom Steinfort, a reporter for 60 Minutes, has also joined the program as the show's newsreader. The network's flagship breakfast program suffered flagging ratings through 2018, with former presenter Karl Stefanovic's personal life making headlines for much of the year. Nine's breakfast TV boss Steven Burling, who took over last month, said the decision to put Gardner and Knight together on the desk was not by design or a tokenistic gesture, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age reported on Saturday. "The rationale for us for two female hosts is simply having the two most capable people at the desk as part of our core team," he said. "We didn't think it was a statement, we didn't think it was time to have a female duo hosting Today; it was about having our dream team who we wanted sitting there." Knight, 46, is a mother of three who has served as a fill-in and Weekend Today host since joining the network in 2011. Jason Day has fallen back of the lead after a spectacular collapse late during his front nine, midway through the second round of the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii. Former world No.1 Day had come within a shot of the lead courtesy of two birdies in his first five holes before racking up a disastrous triple-bogey six at the par-3 eighth. Day hit two balls into a hazard from the tee and only salvaged a double-bogey when he drained a 26-foot putt. But he bounced back with a birdie at the par-5 ninth and, due to 30/km winds at Kapalua's Plantation course keeping scores at bay, he sits at four-under-par and just three shots off the pace. Americans Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Champ and Kevin Tway are seven-under-par and tied atop the leaderboard on Friday, while 2017 champion Justin Thomas and Gary Woodland are a shot back at six under. Day's fellow Australian Marc Leishman is struggling on day two, dropping two shots on the front nine to sit at two under, having started the round two shots off the lead. Meanwhile, defending Kapalua champion Dustin Johnson had a bizarre rules gaffe on the par-4 fourth hole. Johnson accidentally hit the wrong ball from the native area following an errant drive, and was assessed a two-shot penalty which resulted in a double bogey. The former world No.1 started Friday just one shot off the lead. The Tournament of Champions is an elite $US6.5 million ($A9.3 million) event for winners on the PGA Tour from the previous year and features no 36-hole cut. A driver died suddenly in Armenias Lori Province, and four passengers were hospitalized, News.am reported citing shamshyan.com. At around 2:30pm, a car went off road in Lusaghbyur village, and ended up under a natural gas pipe. The driverVanadzor resident Arayik Mamyan, 52died on the spot, whereas his four passengers were taken to Spitak town hospital. The police investigation department is preparing a report on this incident. Several forensic examinations have been commissioned. According to preliminary information, the driver had died suddenly. His mother and family members also were in the vehicle. Two 16-year-old boys have been arrested after rocks were thrown at a Perth freeway, one smashing through a windscreen and hitting a man in the chest. Police were called to the Kwinana Freeway at Cockburn Central about 11.30pm on Friday over reports several vehicles were being hit by rocks thrown from the side of the carriageway, possibly from behind a fence set up for roadworks. One rock went through the windscreen of a Toyota Camry, hitting a 55-year-old man sitting in the front passenger seat. He was treated at Fiona Stanley Hospital for non-life threatening injuries. Police dog Mako found two boys hiding in a shed at a nearby home and police are now interviewing the two 16-year-olds. A man has been arrested at Sydney's Central Station with $130,000 in cash inside a suitcase. The 47-year-old man was arrested on Friday night after police searched the suitcase and allegedly found a substance believed to be cocaine and the cash. The man was taken to Sydney City Police Station where he was charged with dealing in the proceeds of crime, possessing stolen goods and drug possession. He was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday. The arrest comes three months after police established an investigation into drug supply in Sydney and interstate regions on the state's public transport network. Victoria will control the lethal drug needed for voluntary euthanasia by making The Alfred hospital the only point of access. It is part of the safeguards in the scheme, The Age newspaper reports, citing state's Acting Health Minister Martin Foley. "The Alfred is one of Victoria's leading hospitals. Having a single point of access for voluntary assisted dying is just one of the ways we're making sure the model is the safest and most conservative in the world," Mr Foley said. Pharmacists from The Alfred will travel around the state to dispense the drug and information to patients who request it. The scheme is overseen by the Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board. Victoria is the only state in the country to legalise voluntary euthanasia under legislation passed in November. It will come into effect on June 19. A range of factors are to blame for Australia's ineffectual performance with the ball in India's first innings of the final Test, including their physical state after long stints in the field at the MCG and SCG. India's imposing score of 7(dec)-622 was the sixth highest by a visiting team in a Test in Australia, giving them the perfect platform to make their maiden series win in Australia all the more emphatic. Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon are all struggling in Sydney, producing their worst performances of the four-Test series. Tim Paine noted the tourists benefited from forcing Australia to bowl for 167.2 overs at the SCG but also 169.4 overs during another taxing innings at the MCG. "Absolutely. Not so much the number of Tests but the number of balls that this Indian batting line-up has made us bowl," Paine said, when asked about the fatigue factor. "They made us bowl 170 overs in Melbourne, 160-odd again in Sydney. That takes its toll. "At the end of a long series, you can get some real rewards if you can make teams bowl lots and lots of overs. "That's what you saw ... it's an extremely tough ask on fast bowlers and even Lyno (Nathan Lyon), to keep coming in and bowling and bowling and bowling when you're not getting a hell of a lot of reward." Paine admitted his team attempted to do the same to India throughout the series but failed. "We spoke about that right back in Adelaide, that's something we wanted to do to their attack," he said. "We haven't quite been able to do it and they've done it to ours." A TALE OF TWO WORKLOADS THIS SERIES AUSTRALIA 1) Nathan Lyon (242.1 overs) 2) Josh Hazlewood (152.1 overs) 3) Pat Cummins (145 overs) 4) Mitchell Starc (138.5 overs) 5) Mitch Marsh (26 overs - not playing in Sydney) 6) Marnus Labuschagne (16 overs) INDIA 1) Jasprit Bumrah (137.1 overs) 2) Mohammed Shami (118.4 overs) 3) Ishant Sharma (103 overs - not playing in Sydney) 4) Ravichandran Ashwin (86.5 overs - not playing in Sydney) 5) Ravindra Jadeja (59 overs) 6) Umesh Yadav (37 overs - not playing in Sydney). An uncontrolled wilderness bushfire raging in Tasmania's southwest is expected to continue its fury over the weekend as firefighters battle to put it out. The Gell River fire, west of the Tasmanian capital, has burned through almost 15,000 hectares of bush but no longer poses an immediate risk to properties, the Tasmania Fire Service states. But residents were warned of a risk of embers from the blaze, burning about 20km northwest of the communities. An advice warning remains in place on Saturday for Maydena, Tyenna, Mt Field, National Park, Bushy Park, Ellendale, Westerway and Fentonbury. Parks and Wildlife Service's Paul Black told reporters on Friday the fire was expected to subside overnight as the wind change and cold front moved in. "Over the next couple of days we'll have a much more moderate fire behaviour, which will give our crews an opportunity to make a very good assessment of what the fire has got to and what our control strategies should be from here on in," he said. "The area has a significant amount of smoke and cloud over it which makes it difficult to determine that western boundary ... but there will be more information coming out about that for 24 hours." Sprinkler lines have been set up to protect some communities in case the fire heads in their direction while more retardant drops, backburns and water bombing could happen. "We are not out of the woods. There is a significant fire risk," Tasmania Fire Service chief officer Chris Arnol said on Friday. Hobart is expected to hit a top of 22C on Saturday. It's been less than a day since Melbourne tipped over 42C but temperatures have plummeted as fires continue to burn across parts of the state. The city is headed for a top of 21C on Saturday just a day after being belted with scorching heat while some northern centres hit 46C before a cool change swept through. The milder conditions are expected to bring much relief for firefighters still battling a nearly 600-hectare blaze near Rosedale, in the state's east, which has been burning overnight. Emergency services warned Fulham, Kilmany, Kilmany South and Pearsondale residents to "watch and act" if the situation changes about 3.40am on Saturday. Residents in Stradbroke West, Willung and Willung South have been told to do the same. Meanwhile, a third watch and act warning has been issued for the areas of Ancona, Merton and Strathbogie, with residents told to keep an eye on a grass fire burning nearby. Victoria Police told AAP it was investigating the cause of the Rosedale fire. Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville warned on Friday that the "danger period is not over" with fire still in the landscape and scope for more blazes. Detectives are trying to track down the person behind a death threat sent to a man days before he was found murdered and burned in a NSW state forest. Authorities were called to a fire in the Yarratt State Forest near Taree in the early hours of December 27. Soon afterward they found human remains while extinguishing the blaze. The victim was identified as 41-year-old Tyron Beauchamp on Friday. Mr Beauchamp, described as a semi-nomadic man, was originally from Queensland and had moved to the Taree area in mid-2018. Police believe Mr Beauchamp was assaulted and killed at another location and dumped in the bush under cover of darkness before the fire was started. Just days before the grim discovery of Mr Beauchamp's remains, a death threat was posted to his Facebook page in the form of a comment. "I'm going to break you and bury you where nobody will ever find your remains (you're) a dog," a mostly anonymous profile wrote on December 23. The threat also contained an allegation that Mr Beauchamp was a criminal. A police source told AAP that detectives are trying to track down the person who made the threat, but the profile only lists the name "Jim Smith" and the location of Brisbane. Det Chief Insp Blackman said police were still working to piece together Mr Beauchamp's movements in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Strikeforce Gretna officers have appealed for the public to come forward if they know anything or have dashcam footage from the area. Thousands of Queenslanders have attended Christmas services to commemorate the birth of Jesus and hear the word of God from religious leaders. Their message to worshippers is simple - celebrate life and seek peace and joy during the Yuletide. Brisbane's Catholic Archbishop Mark Coleridge says Christmas is about the "gift of life" and it is "life, not death, (that) has the last word". "May the hope of Christmas touch every heart, so that the birth of the child will really be the 'joy for all the people' promised by the angle of life." "The fact is we celebrate life, as gift, as blessing and not curse, and we celebrate life as the blessing and the gift of God because all human life - in fact all life, speaks of God," the archbishop said. Anglican Archbishop Phillip Aspinall says the idea of hospitality, or welcome, was central to the Christian faith - especially during Christmas. "Christmas is an act of radical and generous hospitality on God's behalf. In Christ, God comes to be with us, face to face. To be born with us, to live with us, to eat with us, to share our struggles with us - to be one of us," he said. He said it's essential that people who are different or on the fringe of society are also made to feel welcome. "Christmas is the perfect time to celebrate God's generous hospitality and to practise it with others - to be good hosts and guests, to be generous in our thinking and our actions towards those around us." Queensland Uniting Church Reverend David Baker admits 2018 has been a challenging year when "trust in the leadership" of many institutions has been eroded. "So, this Christmas, I encourage you to rediscover the wonder. In a world torn apart by conflict and beset by challenges, where it feels as though we wait for God in the wilderness, the wonder of the Christmas story disrupts the status quo," the reverend said. "Our thoughts are also with those for whom Christmas brings difficulty and challenge, particularly those in drought-stricken parts of the state." The Royal Commission into the quality and safety of aged care in Australia has officially called for public submissions. The commission was in part sparked by the appalling treatment of residents at Adelaide's now closed Oakden nursing home. It will conduct its first public hearings in Adelaide in January. It recently invited each of Australia's approved aged care providers for details on the services their outlets provide. In a statement on Monday, the commission said it would take public submissions until at least the middle of 2019. It is particularly interested in hearing of the personal experiences of people in relation to aged care facilities. The commission is to deliver an interim report to the federal government by the end of October next year and its final report by the end of April 2020. Annalise Braakensiek's former co-star Rob Shehadie has paid tribute to the late model and actress following her tragic death. The '90s pin-up was found dead by police in her inner-city Sydney apartment on Sunday afternoon. She was 46 years old. She played ditzy supermodel Claudia MacPherson alongside Rob in SBS comedy show Pizza and its 2003 movie spin-off Fat Pizza. 'God rest your soul': Annalise Braakensiek's Fat Pizza co-star Rob Shehadie (right) shared this rare photo from the early 2000s while paying tribute to the model following her death aged 46 'So sad and gutted to hear about the passing of Annalise Braakensiek, she was an amazing person,' Rob tweeted on Monday. 'I will always cherish the great memories we had on the set of Fat Pizza and on tour. God rest your soul, Annalise.' Rob, who played Robert 'Rocky' Shekazbah in the series, also shared several rarely-seen photos of Annalise with the Fat Pizza cast. Television role: Annalise played ditzy supermodel Claudia MacPherson alongside Rob in SBS comedy show Pizza and its 2003 movie spin-off Fat Pizza. Pictured with her co-stars at the Logie Awards in Melbourne Police officers were called to Annalise's home in Potts Point, Sydney at around 3.30pm on Sunday after friends and family became concerned for her well-being. She had apparently stopped replying to their text messages on Thursday, according to News.com.au. Her tragic death followed a series of cryptic Instagram posts which detailed how her life had become 'dark, difficult, demanding and downright scary lately'. Star performance: Annalise displayed her talent for comedic acting in Pizza and Fat Pizza Parody: Her character was a stereotypical model, based on the likes of Claudia Schiffer and Elle Macpherson, and insisted on pronouncing her name as 'Clow-dia' Tribute: 'So sad and gutted to hear about the passing of Annalise Braakensiek, she was an amazing person,' Rob tweeted on Monday. 'I will always cherish the great memories we had on the set of Fat Pizza and on tour. God rest your soul, Annalise.' Pictured on August 8, 2000 In one of her last posts, from December 15, she wrote: 'Everything seems to feel twisted and upside down at the moment'. Annalise had bought her Potts Point apartment in November 2018, following her split from stockbroker husband Danny Goldberg in April. Other celebrities who paid tribute to Annalise on Monday included Suzi Taylor, Jodhi Meares, Tania Zaetta and Osher Gunsberg. Tribute: The Block's Suzi Taylor also paid tribute to Annalise on Instagram, sharing a throwback photo of her at Sydney Harbour alongside the caption, 'RIP our beautiful Annalise' Tania, another popular model and TV personality in the '90s, shared an Instagram post reflecting on their time working together on Fat Pizza. 'So deeply saddened to wake to the news that Annalise Braakensiek is no longer with us,' wrote the former Who Dares Wins host. 'She loved these flashback pictures a few months back when I posted them so I wanted to share them again now. Old friends: Tania Zaetta, another '90s favourite, posted this tribute to Annalise on Monday in which she reflected on their time working together on Fat Pizza 'We worked together modelling around the world and then on the cult TV show Fat Pizza where we always had a blast and were the healthiest eaters on set! 'Annalise, you will always be a free spirited, glamorous gypsy soul missed by hearts everywhere.' Jodhi, the businesswoman and ex-wife of James Packer, also shared a photo of herself and Annalise at an event hosted by the mental health charity R U OK? 'Beautiful angel': Jodhi Meares, the businesswoman and ex-wife of James Packer, also shared a photo of herself and Annalise at an event hosted by the mental health charity R U OK? She wrote on Instagram: 'Om shanti Om shanti Om shanti beautiful angel. My prayers are with your family and loved ones.' The Bachelor host Osher, who has battled his own mental health demons in the past, also reflected on Annalise's death 'with the saddest of hearts'. He wrote: She was so kind. So lovely. So thoughtful. Anyone who ever spent any time with her knew that she was a ray of light to be around. 'Our thoughts are with her wonderful brothers and sisters, her extended family and of course all who were close to her. She will be so dearly missed.' For confidential support call the Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will tour eight Middle East capitals next week in an effort to shore up crucial alliances strained by the Yemen war, US plans to exit Syria and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. As Daily Mail reports, Pompeo leaves on Tuesday for the eight-day trip to Amman, Cairo, Manama, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh, Muscat, and finally Kuwait City, the State Department announced on Friday. In addition, according to the White House last week, a stop in Baghdad is possible, though the State Department could not confirm it. The trip was confirmed two weeks after President Donald Trump announced unexpectedly that the US would pull its troops out of Syria, stunning allies and sparking concerns of a vacuum in the war-torn country that could be filled by Iran. Pompeo is scheduled to make a keynote address in Cairo, his second stop, where he will underscore the trip's overall message that "the United States is not leaving the Middle East," a senior State Department official told journalists Friday. "Despite reports to the contrary, false narratives surrounding the Syria decision, we are not going anywhere," the official said. At the same time, Washington wants its Middle East allies to shoulder more of the burden in maintaining regional security and stability, amid fears of a resurgence of extremist groups like Al-Qaeda and Islamic State as US forces pull back. Pompeo is under pressure to counter the impression given to US allies in the region by Trump's December 19 announcement that the US withdrawal from Syria would take place immediately. He has since spoken of "slowly" sending troops home, with a vague timetable "over a period of time." Nearby countries, led by Israel, are nervous that their regional arch-rival Iran will be able expand its presence in Syria with the possible resumption to full power of Tehran's ally President Bashar al-Assad. Ahead of Pompeo's trip, White House National Security Advisor John Bolton was to depart Friday for talks with Israel and Turkey on how to move ahead. "The Iranian regime is the dangerous actor in the region," the State Department official said. "The secretary will continue his work on galvanizing our regional partners and allies to counter the regime's destabilizing activities." A second US official stressed Friday that "we have no timeline for our military force to withdraw from Syria. Our military posture in Syria may be changing. But our overall goals in Syria remain the same, and key among those is... to see the withdrawal from Syria of all Iranian-commanded forces." State Department officials say Pompeo also hopes to fortify the alliance of the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council. The group was weakened in 2017 after Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sought to isolate GCC member Qatar from other countries in the region, over its alleged support for extremist groups. The rift is "unhelpful," another US official said, opening a cleavage that Iran could exploit. To strengthen the group, the US is hoping a GCC summit can be arranged as early as the first quarter of this year, the official said. Another key issue for discussion with the Gulf states is the nearly four-year-old war in Yemen, in which a Saudi-led, US-supported coalition supporting Yemen's government has battled with Iran-supported Huthi rebels over control of the country. Both sides recently agreed to a ceasefire in the port city of Hodeida while UN envoy Martin Griffiths seeks to bring about a new round of talks between them. A key stop for Pompeo will be in Riyadh, whose relations with the US have been strained by the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul last year. Khashoggi was a US resident and was writing for The Washington Post when he was killed. According to reports, US intelligence believes the murder was directed by Crown Prince Mohammed, despite his denials. While the US sees Riyadh as "an important pillar of regional stability," Washington wants more "accountability and credibility" in its handling of the murder investigation, according to the State Department. Pompeo needs to overcome the impression given by a picture of him smiling together with Prince Mohammed at the height of the Khashoggi affair that Washington was not serious about pressuring Riyadh over the murder. British stars are out in force in Hollywood this weekend, with Olivia Colman leading a huge homegrown contingent ahead of tonight's Golden Globes awards. As the great and the good of UK talent attended a sea of preview parties, down-to-earth Olivia joked with the Daily Mail that her battle cry is: Ive brought my own Tetley tea bags! She added: Seriously though, youve got to bring your own tea to America because otherwise you dont know what youre being given. I dont drink posh tea, just Tetleys. Holding hands: Emma Stone, left, Olivia Colman and Rachel Weisz. Down-to-earth Olivia joked with the Daily Mail that her battle cry is: Ive brought my own Tetley tea bags! Quick change: Lily Collins at the Bafta bash, left, and later at another event, right She was speaking at the British Academy of Film and Television Art LA tea party at the swanky Four Seasons hotel in Beverly Hills. Also enjoying that party was Phil Collins daughter Lily, currently playing Fantine in the BBC1 version of Les Miserables. Collins, 29, wore a cream and blue floral print tea dress, before a quick change into a flowing, diaphanous, multi-print gown with her long hair swept up into a loose bun for a cocktail party at a gallery on Sunset Boulevard. Another British actor at the Bafta party was Richard Madden, whose blond quiff made him look very different from his rugged lead role in BBC hit Bodyguard, for which he was nominated for best actor in a TV drama. The Scot, 32, who also played Robb Stark in Game Of Thrones, said that while he had visited Los Angeles many times, he was still waiting to make a movie there. Also at the Four Seasons is best actress nominee Emily Blunt, star of Mary Poppins Returns; Isla Fisher, actress wife of Sacha Baron Cohen; and Jodie Comer from Killing Eve, which was nominated for best TV drama. Comer, the breakout star of the BBC hit in which she plays a Russian assassin, said she has just filmed a second series. Left: Isla Fisher, actress wife of Sacha Baron Cohen. Right: Jodie Comer from Killing Eve, which was nominated for best TV drama Also at the Four Seasons were best actress nominee Emily Blunt, star of Mary Poppins Returns Meanwhile Olivia Colman, nominated for a best actress award for her delicious portrayal of Queen Anne in The Favourite, posed for pictures and held hands with co-stars Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone, who portray rival courtiers vying for her characters favour. Colman said she enjoyed awards season, with everything leading towards the Oscar ceremony on February 24, but often gets the giggles. Its an incredible honour and a privilege but also quite embarrassing, she told the Mail. Some people are saying well done a lot, which is lovely. Its amazing and lovely, but bonkers. Youve got to try and pinch yourself and remember who you are. On Tuesday she is due back on the set of Netflix drama The Crown, in which she portrays the current Queen. Im going to do a terrible job on Tuesday. Ive got to learn my lines, she joked. Colman takes over the role of the Queen in The Crowns third series, replacing Claire Foy, who has won praise and a Globe best supporting actress nomination for her role in the Neil Armstrong film First Man and was also at the Bafta LA bash but did not stay long. On New Year's Eve, he revealed plans to move to Australia, after his tumultuous relationship with former fiancee Caroline Flack finally came to an end. And Andrew Brady appeared to be comfortably settling into his surroundings over the weekend, when he was spotted enjoying a solo stroll along Sydney's popular Bondi Beach, before tucking into a solo meal at fast food chain McDonald's. The 28-year-old former Apprentice UK star opted to go shirtless while meandering along the sun-kissed city's coastline, flashing a glimpse of his nipple piercing as he donned just red shorts and pink running shoes. Solo stroll: Andrew Brady was spotted enjoying a solo stroll along Sydney's popular Bondi Beach over the weekend, days after jetting off to Australia on a one-way ticket Shielding his eyes with a pair of stylish sunglasses and toting a backpack, the Brit relaxed on a grassy bank above the packed golden beach while keeping himself entertained by scrolling through his smartphone. He later threw on a white tank top as he made his way to a nearby McDonald's for a meal, and continued to be glued to his phone. Andrew announced his departure from the UK on New Year's Eve, sharing a lengthy letter in which he confirmed he'd bought a one-way ticket to Australia while admitting the last 12 months had proven negative for his mental health. Table for one: He later threw on a white tank top as he made his way to a nearby McDonald's Phoning home? The former Apprentice UK star relaxed on a grassy bank above the packed golden beach while keeping himself entertained by scrolling through his smartphone He wrote: 'I have learned how much punishment the human mind, heart and body can take, I have felt guilty for things I never even considered someone should feel guilty for and I forgot who I was. 'I learned to hate myself for things that I should love. I lost my spark and my confidence.' Accompanying the diatribe with his 'top nine' pictures of the year - none of which featured Flack - the Celebrity Big Brother star added: 'I have dragged myself out of downward spiral of 2018 and Im jumping in to 2019 with a smile on my face and scars on my body. 'But Im one of the lucky ones who can and Im very excited to start a new journey, see a new country and experience a new culture and way of life. Big move: Andrew announced his departure from the UK on New Year's Eve, sharing a lengthy letter in which he admitted the last 12 months had proven negative for his mental health Alone time: Shielding his eyes with a pair of stylish sunglasses and toting a backpack, the Brit appeared to be comfortable in his own company during his leisurely day out in the sun 'Im going to miss my friends and family but knowing they support this means everything to me.' 'Im now lucky enough to be drawing a line in the sand on 2018 and embracing the next chapter in my life. I am about to take off on a one way flight to Australia without a plan but with excitement of the unknown.' Ending his letter on an optimistic note, Brady said the bitter experiences of 2018 had taught him a valuable lesson as he looked ahead to a new year in a new country. 'In 2019 I will rid myself of guilt, insecurities of what people think of me and self doubt,' he wrote. Moving on: Andrew had been in a tumultuous on-again, off again romance with Caroline Flack Highlights: Brady took to Instagram with a lengthy letter addressed to 2018 on New Years Eve, posted alongside his 'top nine' pictures of the year - none of which featured Flack 'I will know my true worth and I will surround myself with good people, smile more and more every day and find my happy place again. 'Its okay to not be okay. Sometimes all it takes is a change in attitude, a change of plan and seeing the good in yourself. Its important to rid yourself of negativity and realise your own potential and look after whats important in life. You.' Brady's admission came after Flack shared her own top nine moments. Unsurprisingly none of them featured Brady, although she included a sobering caption saying she was 'dying inside'. She wrote: 'My top 9..... funny isnt it... I look so happy ... except I know in 4 of those pictures I was dying inside ... my top 9 moments were not represented by these pictures but by things that happened and will stay in my heart forever... Brand new start: The Celebrity Big Brother star confirmed he has bought a one-way ticket to the other side of the world 'Ive learned many lessons this year mostly that everything is temporary .....moments, feelings, people, flowers (RK) ....... and also that having a puppy is hard bloody work. Happy new year.' The star recently insisted she 'won't go back' to Brady as she confirmed that they no longer live together after officially ending their volatile romance in December. She told The Sun: 'I'm on my own now. So I'm sorting myself out, I'm doing what I want to do. I'm putting my head into this, into work and focusing on acting.' Flack also insisted that their relationship is over for good. When asked if she will go back to her ex, she simply responded: 'I'm not going to.' Tough year: Brady's admission came after Flack shared her own top nine moments. Unsurprisingly, none of them featured her ex Brady A heartbroken Annalise Braakensiek said her life had fallen 'in pieces' after separating from stockbroker husband Danny Goldberg last year. The '90s model, who was found dead aged 46 in her inner-city Sydney apartment on Sunday afternoon, was married to Danny for 16 years before their split. She first announced the break-up to the Sydney Morning Herald in April 2018, insisting at the time they would remain friends. Scroll down for video Challenging times: A heartbroken Annalise Braakensiek said her life was 'in pieces' following her split with husband-of-16-years Danny Goldberg in April. Pictured on April 9, 2013 in Sydney She told the newspaper: 'Our marriage ended its course after 16 years together. We still have a lot of love for each other and will remain good friends.' In an Instagram post around this time, which she later deleted, Annalise apparently hinted at the emotional toll of the separation. 'I don't know if a broken heart mends or learns to live in pieces,' she wrote, according to the Herald. Hidden turmoil: In an Instagram post around the time she and Danny split, Annalise apparently hinted at the emotional toll of the separation. Pictured in a social media photo from last year Annalise had previously spoken to The Daily Telegraph in 2015 about her marriage to Danny, revealing the pair weren't interested in having children together. 'No, we are not going to have babies,' she said at the time. 'We like our life the way that it is but I have seven godchildren, whom I love very much. 'I have always been more interested in helping to save children in the world. I'm the same way with animals - I never buy a new one.' 'We still have a lot of love for each other and will remain good friends': Annalise first announced her split with Danny to the Sydney Morning Herald in April 2018. Pictured last year Police officers were called to Annalise's home in Potts Point, Sydney, at around 3.30pm on Sunday after friends and family became concerned for her well-being. She had apparently stopped replying to their text messages on Thursday, according to News.com.au. Her tragic death followed a series of cryptic Instagram posts which detailed how her life had become 'dark, difficult, demanding and down right scary lately'. Tragic: Police officers were called to Annalise's home in Potts Point, Sydney, at around 3.30pm on Sunday after friends and family became concerned for her well-being. Pictured in 2003 In one of her last posts, from December 15, she wrote: 'Everything seems to feel twisted and upside down at the moment'. Annalise had bought her Potts Point apartment in November last year, following her separation from Danny. For confidential support call the Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14 She confirmed she was pregnant with the couple's fifth child on New Year's Day. And Gordon Ramsay's wife Tana was pictured for the fist time since her shock baby news as she covered her blossoming bump on a dog walk with a friend on Sunday. The author, 44, who is already a parent to children Megan, 21, Matilda, 17, and fraternal twins Jack and Holly, 19, with the celebrity chef, 52, looked glowing as she strolled around a nearby park. Blossoming baby: Gordon Ramsay's wife Tana was pictured for the fist time since her shock baby news as she displayed her blossoming bump on a dog walk with a friend on Sunday Tana cut a casual figure for her dog walk, wearing a pair of black leggings with a black Canada Goose parka jacket. The mother-of-four completed her look with a pair of black Hunter wellies with bright pink branded fluffy socks. Tana looked glowing as she appeared to go make-up free and styled her brunette locks into a loose curly hairdo. Mum-to-be: The author, 44, who is already a parent to children Megan, 21, Matilda, 17, and fraternal twins Jack and Holly, 19, with the celebrity chef, 52, looked glowing Casual: Tana cut a casual figure for her dog walk, wearing a pair of black leggings with a black Canada Goose parka jacket Details: The mother-of-four completed her look with a pair of black Hunter wellies with bright pink branded fluffy socks Glowing: Tana looked glowing as she appeared to go make-up free and styled her brunette locks into a loose curly hairdo The cookbook writer appeared in good spirits as she had a good catch up with her pal and walked the four dogs. Tana's appearance comes after she confirmed she was pregnant with the couple's fifth child in a celebratory Instagram video posted from the family home in south London on New Year's Day. The brunette revealed a prominent baby bump that suggests she is already some months into her pregnancy. Family: Also pictured out on Sunday was Gordon Ramsay and their daughter Holly, 19, as he attended London Fashion Week Men's Happy: The cookbook writer appeared in good spirits as she had a good catch up with her pal and walked the four dogs Surprise!: Tana's appearance comes after she confirmed she was pregnant with the couple's fifth child in a celebratory Instagram video posted on New Year's Day Blossoming bump: The brunette revealed a prominent baby bump that suggests she is already some months into her pregnancy Posted on Gordon's official Instagram account, the short video pans to each of their children as they wish followers a happy new year before finally settling on Tana, who lifts her sequinned top to reveal the highly noticeable bump. Captioning the video, Kitchen Nightmares star Gordon wrote: 'Exciting news! Happy new year from all the Ramsays.' The revelation comes just 11 days after the couple celebrated their 22nd wedding anniversary. The big reveal: Posted on Gordon's official Instagram account, the short video pans to each of their children as they wish followers a happy new year before finally settling on Tana Happy news: To which she lifted her sequinned top to reveal the highly noticeable bump 2019: Captioning the video, Kitchen Nightmares star Gordon wrote: 'Exciting news! Happy new year from all the Ramsays. Gordon referenced the occasion by sharing a snap from the couple's wedding day in 1996 with the accompanying caption: '22yrs today.... happy anniversary gorgeous @tanaramsay thx Gx.' The announcement also coincides with Jack and Holly's birthday, with the twins turning 19 on New Years' Day. Congratulating the pair in a throwback photo shared with her followers, Tana wrote: 'Happy 19th Birthday to my gorgeous twins - you make every day so happy and certainly full of surprises.... love you so much.' Gordon and Tana suffered a miscarriage in June 2016, and the celebrity chef admitted, in spite of the tragedy, the devastating loss brought his family closer together. Exciting milestone: The revelation comes just 11 days after the couple celebrated their 22nd wedding anniversary Sweet: Gordon referenced the occasion by sharing a snap from the couple's wedding day in 1996 with the caption: '22yrs today.... happy anniversary gorgeous @tanaramsay thx Gx Lots of celebrations: The announcement also coincides with Jack and Holly's birthday, with the twins turning 19 on New Years' Day Happy news: Tana's appearance comes after she confirmed she was pregnant with the couple's fifth child in a celebratory Instagram video on New Year's Day Prominent: The brunette beauty, 44, revealed a prominent baby bump that suggested she was already some months into her pregnancy Brood: Posted on Gordon's official Instagram account, the short video pans to each of their children as they wish followers a happy new year Gordon reflected in an intimate interview with the Daily Mail's weekend magazine: 'It has brought us all so much closer. 'You realise how lucky you are and you reflect on what you have, how fortunate you are with your remaining children and you remind yourself of what youve got. Its made the family unit even tighter.' The TV personality jubilantly announced he and wife Tana were expecting their fifth child on The Late Late Show in the US - telling good friend and host James Corden 'We have three girls and a boy... and one more on the way!' There it is: The clip finally settles on Tana, who lifts her sequinned top to reveal the highly noticeable bump Proud parents: Gordon and Tana are already parents to daughters Megan, 21 (left) and Matilda, 17 (right) Big family: They are also parents to fraternal twins Jack (L) and Holly (R), both 19. The pair celebrated their birthdays on January 1 But five months into the pregnancy, his wife was taken into the Portland Hospital in London, where they were left grief-stricken upon discovering they had lost the child. Gordon said the family battled through their pain with the help of supportive relatives and friends. He said: 'The support weve had has been unbelievable. You dont realise until it happens to you how many people are affected. Sadly it happens every day. 'Friends have rallied and weve got through it together, as a family. We were devastated, but thankfully were through the worst now. It could happen at any time to anyone.' Strength through adversity: Gordon and Tana suffered a miscarriage in June 2016, and the celebrity chef admitted, in spite of the tragedy, the devastating loss brought his family closer together She's just returned from a winter break to Dubai with her husband Tom Pitford and son Alfie. And Catherine Tyldesley wasted no time showing off her bronzed figure as she headed for a romantic dinner date in Manchester on Sunday. The Coronation Street actress, 35, stunned as she joined Tom dressed in a glittery cinched evening dress which hugged her curves to perfection while showing off a hint of cleavage. Standing out: Catherine Tyldesley wasted no time showing off her bronzed figure as she headed for a romantic dinner date in Manchester on Sunday She showcased her long legs in a pair of nude heels and styled her look with minimum jewellery and a pastel pink Gucci handbag. The brunette beauty left her hair in loose waves to frame her face and opted for full gla up for the candlelit night out. Catherine's husband Tom - who she married in 2016 - opted for a black jumper and dark jeans while flashing his pearly whites for the camera. Turning heads: The Coronation Street actress, 35, stunned as she joined Tom dressed in a glittery number which hugged her curves to perfection while showing off a hint of cleavage Fashion: She showcased her long legs in a pair of nude heels and styled her look with minimum jewellery and a pastel pink Gucci handbag Meanwhile, the actress has been focusing on herself and her family since she decided to leave Coronation Street last year. While she admitted she may make a return to the cobbles, the star recently laid out her plans to travel as a family with her husband and her three-year-old son. She told Manchester Evening News: 'The timing seemed right. My son Alfie doesnt start at school for another two years so as a family we wanted the chance to travel. Doting: The actress has been focusing on herself and her family since she decided to leave Coronation Street last year (pictured with son Alfie and Tom in December 2018) 'I have relatives in Australia, but we didnt want to go for just a couple of weeks, wed like to go over there and spend six weeks or more over there and then visit as many countries as possible. 'Tom and I had always talked about travelling and we are keen for Alfie to visit different cultures.' She added: 'In between there will hopefully be some exciting projects for me as well.' He's made no secret of trying to win his wife back with lavish gifts and public apologies. And it looks like it's working as Cardi B and Offset are going to focus on fixing their marriage in 2019. The 26-year-old rapper and her 27-year-old estranged husband are set to reconcile, according to a report by TMZ on Sunday. Estranged: Cardi B (pictured) and Offset are reportedly focus on fixing their marriage in 2019 Cardi - who has just returned from a tour of Australia and New Zealand - has been missing the Migos rapper, according to the publication. The couple - who share five-month-old daughter Kulture - have been communicating regularly and are looking to fix their marriage, according to sources close to the couple. Offset's vowing to change his ways and be faithful and honest with her, says the website. Recent split: Cardi - who has just returned from a tour of Australia and New Zealand - has been missing the Migos rapper (pictured April 2018) On the move: The rapper is pictured at JFK airport in New York on Saturday However, Cardi is not back wearing her wearing ring yet - after she announced in early December that their 15-month marriage is over. The split was sparked by cheating rumors and texts featuring Offset and a woman named Summer Bunni. Offset since made several public attempts at winning back Cardi B, including crashing her stage show with a floral apology at the Rolling Loud Festival in Los Angeles on December 16. Cute: Cardi shared a video of their baby daughter cooing and playing with her feet on Sunday Adoring mom: Cardi is heard doting on the precious little one, calling her a 'chunky beauty' Sweet: She shared the video to Instagram Stories, which she captioned: 'My whole heart' Despite being widely criticized for the stunt, the couple 'hooked up' just days later during a family trip to Puerto Rico with their five-month-old daughter Kulture. 'I just needed to get f**ked,' Cardi said in a recent Instagram Live while discussing their trip, but confirmed they were not back together. Offset then went on to shower his estranged wife - whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar - with expensive gifts over the Christmas holidays. Cardi's high-class haul consisted of diamond-encrusted bracelets, Louboutin heels, and half a dozen designer handbags. Day off: She's been in Australia and New Zealand on tour 'Yo, those are some bad b*****s,' she said on Instagram while showing off the presents, which included four Hermes Birkin bags. Meanwhile, on Sunday, Cardi shared a video of their baby daughter cooing and playing with her feet. Cardi is heard doting on the precious little one, calling her a 'chunky beauty', in the clip shared to Instagram Stories, which she captioned: 'My whole heart.' He's only been in Albert Square a year. But Charlie Winter has been axed from EastEnders, and has already filmed his final scenes. The actor, 22, who plays Hunter Owen in the long running soap was told his contract won't be renewed, despite an explosive 12 months in Walford. Impact: Charlie Winter has been axed from EastEnders, and has already filmed his final scenes A BBC spokesperson confirmed to MailOnline that Charlie is leaving and wished him all the best for the future. A source previously told the Daily Star Sunday: 'It's been decided that it's the end of the road for Hunter. Producers don't feel there is anywhere else for the character to go.' 'Bosses are staying tight-lipped on exactly how Hunter exits Walford, but after he shot Ray dead over New Year it promises to be dramatic. Leaving: The actor, 22, who plays Hunter Owen in the long running soap was told his contract won't be renewed, despite an explosive 12 months in Walford 'Hunter will be on our screens for a while yet and there is still a lot more drama to come as he and his mum face the fallout from his actions.' Despite a short time in EastEnders, Charlie has seen himself at the centre of some huge storylines, including the murder of his stepfather Ray Kelly. In episodes aired over the new year, Hunter shot dead the gangster to save his mother, Mel Owen (Tamzin Outhwaite) from being strangled. Hunter found out the man he idolised is actually a serial liar, with multiple lives. As Mel executed her plan to oust bigamist Ray on their wedding day and have him arrested, Hunter was devastated to discover the truth about his step-father. The student, who is known for losing his temper, ended up shooting him. They have yet to comment on their relationship despite dating for a reported four and a half years. And while Jamie Foxx didn't give much away about spending time with girlfriend Katie Holmes over the holidays, the actor briefly opened up about the couple's excursion on a luxury yacht in Miami last week. 'It was foolish!' Foxx, 51, told UsWeekly at the fundraising gala for Sean Penn's J/P Haitian Relief Organization on Saturday. Jamie Foxx made a rare comment about his relationship with Katie Holmes on Saturday at Sean Penn's J/P Haitian Relief Organization fundraising gala It's not clear what the Collateral star meant by his comment but it might have been in reference to photographs taken of the couple kissing on the yacht. The notoriously private duo put on an affectionate display and were joined by friends as they cruised around Miami just before the new year last week. The actress, 40, was seen embracing the Oscar winner aboard the 150ft Utopia III. Meanwhile it's being rumored that the two are busy planning a Paris wedding. According to Radar Online, the couple are planning to tie the knot next year. 'It was foolish!' Foxx, 51, told UsWeekly about his trip with Holmes, 40, on a yacht in Miami last week Romantic getaway: The notoriously private duo put on an affectionate display and were joined by friends as they cruised around Miami just before the new year last week 'Paris is the city where they decided to go public with their romance after years of sneaking around,' a source told the media outlet. 'Jamie's been a handful ever since they started secretly dating in 2013 but Katie's convinced him to settle down, and they're ready to make it official.' Katie, who split from husband Tom Cruise back in 2012, and shares daughter Suri with the Mission Impossible star, is aiming for a winter wedding. And after the couple say 'I do,' Foxx has every intention of adopting Holmes' daughter Suri, age 12. 'Jamie will adopt Suri when the time is right, but not before they've said their vows,' the insider claimed. 'They know it won't go down well with Tom, but it's what he and Katie want and also what Suri wants.' Radio personality Mike Hammond has recalled his harrowing experience of being robbed at gunpoint while travelling in Brazil. The WSFM star said the incident was an 'education', adding that he had forgiven the person who threatened his life. Reflecting on the ordeal, Mike wrote on Facebook: 'Cost? A phone and some cash but no harm... and an education (I guess) which is what travelling the world is about.' 'I'm fine. I'm blessed. I forgive': WSFM star Mike Hammond (pictured) has recalled his brush with death after a horrifying armed robbery in one of Brazil's most dangerous cities He added: 'I'm fine. I'm blessed. I forgive.' The armed robbery took place in Vitoria, one of Brazil's most dangerous cities. The Australian government warns that holidaymakers in Brazil are at risk of a plethora of violent crimes, including muggings and sexual assault. High crime rate: The armed robbery took place in Vitoria, one of Brazil's most dangerous cities It is not the first time Mike, who joined WSFM as a morning presenter in January last year, has made headlines. Shortly after taking on his role at the station, Mike caused controversy for saying that a song by American rock band ZZ Top referenced a time before the #MeToo movement when people could talk about women's 'fannies'. 'Back to a time that was a lot less PC [politically correct], you could say things about girls. You could look at their bodies,' he said. Mike Hammond (right) is pictured with Andrew Mercado and Debora Hutton at the Star in Sydney on March 12, 2015 'You could ogle them. You could talk about their fannies - which of course in America means their bottoms.' In 1992, Mike hosted the TV breakfast show Good Morning Australia. The program was eventually taken over by Good Morning Australia with Bert Newton, which ran until 2005. He played James Bond for more than a decade, from 1995's Goldeneye to Die Another Day. And Pierce Brosnan harked bark to the 007 agent as he seduced a striking woman over dinner for SPAR's TV advert, released in Austria. The actor, 65, cut a dapper figure in a black tux and bow tie as he entered a modern house through facial recognition. Smooth operator: Pierce Brosnan harked bark to 007 agent James Bond for SPAR's TV advert, released in Austria In spy-mode, Pierce lurked around corners as he watched a chef take a knife from a stand. Walking coyly up to him, the Mamma Mia star said: 'What are you doing here?' to which the actor, dressed in a white shirt and unbuttoned tie, turned around. As the chef Pierce said 'making you dinner', he whipped off his mask to reveal a stunning brunette woman. He's still got it: The actor seduced a striking woman over dinner in the advert Heartthrob: Pierce, 65, cut a dapper figure in a black tux and bow tie as he entered a modern house through facial recognition Danger: In spy mode, Pierce lurked around corners as he watched a chef take a knife from a stand The couple then enjoyed a romantic meal, with Pierce indulging in a fine glass of red wine. Pierce is most famous for his hunky portrayal of MI6 agent from 1995-2002, in films GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day and held onto the title until 2005. With Daniel Craig set to commence filming on the as-yet unnamed Bond 25 film, Pierce recently spoke about the latest generation of the franchise, saying the superspy has lost his sense of humour. He said Craig's brooding portrayal had to be more serious because the franchise was forced to reinvent the character as 'more muscular' and solemn. Interaction: Walking coyly up to him, the Mamma Mia star says: 'What are you doing here?' to which the actor dressed in a white shirt and unbuttoned tie turns around Date: As the chef Pierce says 'making you dinner', he whips off his mask to reveal a stunning brunette woman Speaking to The Rake magazine, the star said: 'There had to be humour, I felt. 'It is different now. They had strong competition and they haven't reinvented it but given it a much more muscular, dynamic twist. 'When I played him you have to let the audience in that this is a fantastic joke this man, jumping off a motorcycle and catching up a plane, is completely preposterous. But for me you had to let them in. 'That's what I was brought up with. Sean (Connery) did it, Roger (Moore) did it par excellence.' Brosnan first played Bond in 1995's GoldenEye, reprising him in three more films. He admitted the change to more sombre action heroes, inspired by The Bourne Identity and Mission Impossible, forced him out of the role. She underwent a full body liposuction and bottom lift in Turkey earlier this year. And Abi Clarke showed off her honed physique as she headed to Sheesh restaurant in Chigwell, Essex, with her pals Shelby Tribble, 26, and Junaid Ahmed, 24, on Saturday. The reality star, 26, sizzled in a co-ordinated white two-piece, which paired a crop top with a high-waisted midi skirt to highlight her toned abs. Sizzling: TOWIE's Abi Clarke showcased her toned abs in a white crop top and midi skirt as she heads to dinner with gal pal Shelby Tribble The beauty put her surgically enhanced assets on display in the form-fitting ensemble, and posed up a storm as she showed off her peachy derriere. Her caramel locks were styled into loose ringlets, while she accentuated her pretty features by wearing a glamorous palette of make-up. Boosting her height in a pair of clear heels, Abi added a pop of colour to her outfit of the night with a chic red handbag. Pert: The beauty put her surgically enhanced assets on display in the form-fitting ensemble, and posed up a storm as she showed off her peachy derriere Glamorous: Abi was joined by her fellow TOWIE star Shelby Tribble, who showed off her slender figure in PVC trousers and a low-cut black top Looking good: Shelby brushed her raven tresses with a side parting, and her locks fell over her shoulders in a sleek, straight style Abi was joined by her fellow TOWIE star Shelby Tribble, who showed off her slender figure in PVC trousers and a low-cut black top. The reality star offset her dark attire with a white blazer, while she kept her personal items in a black and gold handbag. Shelby brushed her raven tresses with a side parting, and her locks fell over her shoulders in a sleek, straight style. While Junaid looked dapper in a deep purple turtleneck shirt, which she wore with a black skinny jeans and pointed Chelsea boots. Stylish: Abi's caramel locks were styled into loose ringlets, while she accentuated her pretty features by wearing a glamorous palette of make-up Fun night out: Abi and Shelby were joined by their pal Junaid Ahmed for the outing Handsome: Junaid looked dapper in a deep purple turtleneck shirt, which she wore with a black skinny jeans and pointed Chelsea boots In February last year, Abi decided to go under the knife after being diagnosed with polycystic ovaries. In a chat with Daily Star Online, she said: 'I was so depressed about it there was literally nothing I could do. I was eating right and training every single day but it wasn't working. 'I've had a really bad couple of months and have been so down. Even though I was the fittest I'd ever been in my life, my body just wanted to put weight on.' She made the decision to have cosmetic surgery in order to get her confidence back and insisted that she has not looked back since having the procedures done. Surgery: In February last year, Abi decided to go under the knife after being diagnosed with polycystic ovaries She recently returned to Los Angeles following her New Year's family trip in Mexico. And Tamara Ecclestone cut a typically stylish figure as she stepped out for dinner with her husband Jay Rutland, her newly-engaged sister Petra, and soon-to-be brother-in-law Sam Palmer, at Madeo in Beverly Hills, California, on Saturday night. The socialite, 34, exuded glamour in a wine red satin dress, paired with a sheer cardigan and strappy heels. Working it! Tamara Ecclestone cut an effortlessly chic figure as she stepped out for dinner at Madeo in Beverly Hills, California, on Saturday night Maintaining her sophisticated style in the accessory department, the heiress toted a designer handbag for her night out. Tamara framing her striking visage with lightly-curled tresses and went for a smoky eye look, which was toned down with nude lipgloss. Her businessman husband Jay looked typically dapper in his cream bomber jacket and indigo jeans. Family first: The socialite, 34, was joined by her husband Jay Rutland, who recently returned from their New Year's family trip in Mexico Newly-engaged: Petra Ecclestone, 30, (L) and her new fiance Sam Palmer, 34, (R) were also in attendance, just days after revealing their engagement The pair were in good company as they enjoyed a date night with Tamara's newly-engaged sister Petra, 30, and her new fiance Sam Palmer, 34. The blonde, who exclusively announced her engagement to MailOnline earlier this week, proved she's set to tie the knot in style as she flashed her diamond engagement ring during the cosy night out. Showcasing her fashion savvy ways, the blonde beauty slipped into a clingy black bodysuit and low-rise ripped jeans, teamed with a red fluffy jacket. Stunning: The heiress maintained her sophisticated style in the accessory department as she toted a designer handbag on her night out Stunning: Tamara framing her striking visage with lightly-curled tresses and went for a smoky eye look, which was toned down with nude lipgloss Suave: Her businessman husband Jay looked typically dapper in his cream bomber jacket and indigo jeans Beaming: Sophia's father appeared in high spirits as he left the restaurant with his family Petra upped the style ante as she rocked pointed suede boots and opted for minimal accessories, ensuring her new ring took centre stage. The soon-to-be bride wore her tresses in loose waves and intensified her beauty with gold-tinted eyeshadow and nude lipgloss. Meanwhile, art gallery manager Sam, 34, nailed the double denim look as he sported indigo jeans with an effortlessly cool jacket. Sparkle: The blonde, who exclusively announced her engagement to MailOnline earlier this week, proved she's set to tie the knot in style as she flashed her diamond engagement ring during the cosy night out Off he goes: Meanwhile, art gallery manager Sam nailed the double denim look as he sported indigo jeans with an effortlessly cool jacket Meanwhile, Sam recently posted a sweet tribute to the socialite after exclusively announcing the couple's engagement to MailOnline. Bling: Petra opted for minimal accessories, ensuring her new ring took centre stage The art gallery manager took to Instagram to ring in the new year on Monday night, posting a snap of the couple and telling his followers the socialite accepting his proposal was one of his personal highlights of 2018. As the former electrician delighted over the news, Petra's Formula 1 tycoon father, Bernie Ecclestone, 88, seemed less impressed, saying he 'doesn't know what the hurry is' - just 14 months on from his daughter's explosive divorce. Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: 'I told her I dont know what the hurry is I dont understand the reason.' The businessman's reaction stood in stark contrast to Sam's words. Sun-soaked: The family recently returned to LA from their New Year's holiday in Mexico (pictured with daughter Sophia, four) The vintage car dealer wrote: 'A personal thank you to everyone that made opening Maddox Gallery Los Angeles possible. 'I hope everyone had as an amazing year as us and that 2019 brings lots of love,health and happiness to all. 'My personal highlights have been opening the gallery in LA with the woman I love and her agreeing to marry me Here is to a fantastic 2019.' Petra and Sam announced their engagement on New Year's Eve after one year of dating, and just 14 months on from her acrimonious divorce from James Stunt, with whom she shares three children. So in love: Earlier this week, Sam posted a sweet tribute to the socialite after exclusively announcing the couple's engagement to MailOnline In an exclusive statement to MailOnline, a representative said: 'Petra Ecclestone and Sam Palmer are delighted to announce their engagement and look forward to spending 2019 together.' Formula One heiress Petra and Sam, who serves as a director at Jay's Maddox art gallery in West Hollywood, stayed mum on the matter on social media. Petra and James' divorce was finalised in October 2017, after six years of marriage. The exes share daughter Lavinia, five, and twin sons, Andrew and James, three. While no details of the settlement were released, it was reported that James signed a 16million prenuptial agreement, with Petra also awarded sole custody of the couple's three children in January. Happy news: The couple are set to tie the knot after one year of dating. Pictured in March Unsure? Petra's Formula 1 tycoon father, Bernie Ecclestone, 88, seemed less impressed with the news, saying he 'doesn't know what the hurry is' (pictured in June 2017) She exclusively announced her engagement with Sam Palmer to MailOnline earlier this week, one year after embarking on their romance. And Petra Ecclestone looked radiant as she stepped out for a family dinner with new fiance Sam Palmer, sister Tamara and her husband Jay Rutland at Madeo in Beverly Hills, California, on Saturday night. Freshly back from her Mexican holiday, the socialite, 30, proved she's set to tie the knot in style as she flashed her diamond engagement ring during a cosy night out with her loved ones. Newly-engaged: Petra Ecclestone, 30, (L) stepped out for a family dinner with new fiance Sam Palmer, 34, (R) at Madeo in Beverly Hills, California, on Saturday Showcasing her fashion savvy ways, the blonde beauty slipped into a clingy black bodysuit and low-rise ripped jeans, teamed with a red fluffy jacket. Petra upped the style ante as she rocked pointed suede boots and opted for minimal accessories, ensuring her new ring took centre stage. The soon-to-be bride wore her tresses in loose waves and intensified her beauty with gold-tinted eyeshadow and nude lipgloss. Meanwhile, art gallery manager Sam, 34, nailed the double denim look as he sported indigo jeans with an effortlessly cool jacket. Family first: The pair were in good company as they enjoyed a date night with Petra's older sister Tamara, 34, and her businessman husband Jay Rutland, 37 Chic: Freshly back from her Mexican holiday, the socialite proved she's set to tie the knot in style as she flashed her diamond engagement ring during a cosy night out with her loved ones Off he goes: Meanwhile, art gallery manager Sam, 34, nailed the double denim look as he sported indigo jeans with an effortlessly cool jacket The pair were in good company as they enjoyed a date night with Petra's older sister Tamara, 34, and her businessman husband Jay, 37. Bling: Petra opted for minimal accessories, ensuring her new ring took centre stage Mother-of-one Tamara exuded glamour in a wine red satin dress, paired with a sheer cardigan and strappy heels. The heiress maintained her sophisticated style in the accessory department as she toted a designer handbag on her night out. Framing her striking visage with lightly-curled tresses, Tamara went for a smoky eye look, which she toned down with lipgloss of a similar shade to her sister's make-up. Jay, who is close pals with Petra's partner, looked typically dapper in his cream bomber jacket and indigo jeans. Meanwhile, Sam recently posted a sweet tribute to the socialite after exclusively announcing the couple's engagement to MailOnline. The art gallery manager took to Instagram to ring in the new year on Monday night, posting a snap of the couple and telling his followers the socialite accepting his proposal was one of his personal highlights of 2018. Working it! Mother-of-one Tamara exuded glamour in a wine red satin dress, paired with a sheer cardigan and strappy heels Stunning: The heiress maintained her sophisticated style in the accessory department as she toted a designer handbag on her night out As the former electrician delighted over the news, Petra's Formula 1 tycoon father, Bernie Ecclestone, 88, seemed less impressed, saying he 'doesn't know what the hurry is' - just 14 months on from his daughter's explosive divorce. Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: 'I told her I dont know what the hurry is I dont understand the reason.' The businessman's reaction stood in stark contrast to Sam's words. Suave: Jay, who is close pals with Petra's partner, looked typically dapper in his cream bomber jacket and indigo jeans Beaming: Sophia's father appeared in high spirits as he left the restaurant with his family Sun-soaked: The family recently returned to LA from their New Year's holiday in Mexico (pictured with daughter Sophia, four) The vintage car dealer wrote: 'A personal thank you to everyone that made opening Maddox Gallery Los Angeles possible. 'I hope everyone had as an amazing year as us and that 2019 brings lots of love,health and happiness to all. 'My personal highlights have been opening the gallery in LA with the woman I love and her agreeing to marry me Here is to a fantastic 2019.' Petra and Sam announced their engagement on New Year's Eve after one year of dating, and just 14 months on from her acrimonious divorce from James Stunt, with whom she shares three children. So in love: Earlier this week, Sam posted a sweet tribute to the socialite after exclusively announcing the couple's engagement to MailOnline In an exclusive statement to MailOnline, a representative said: 'Petra Ecclestone and Sam Palmer are delighted to announce their engagement and look forward to spending 2019 together.' Formula One heiress Petra and Sam, who serves as a director at Jay's Maddox art gallery in West Hollywood, stayed mum on the matter on social media. Petra and James' divorce was finalised in October 2017, after six years of marriage. The exes share daughter Lavinia, five, and twin sons, Andrew and James, three. While no details of the settlement were released, it was reported that James signed a 16million prenuptial agreement, with Petra also awarded sole custody of the couple's three children in January. Happy news: The couple are set to tie the knot after one year of dating. Pictured in March Unsure? Petra's Formula 1 tycoon father, Bernie Ecclestone, 88, seemed less impressed with the news, saying he 'doesn't know what the hurry is' (pictured in June 2017) Paul Hollywood reportedly splashed out 5,000 on a designer watch for TV baker Molly Robbins, while he was still married to his estranged-wife Alexandra. The Great British Bake Off judge, 52, is said to have also exchanged a string of flirty messages with the Extreme Cake Makers star, 27, and paid for expensive meals and gifts. Paul's estranged wife Alexandra, 54, only discovered the betrayal after they announced their divorce in 2017, according to The Sun. Expensive taste: Paul Hollywood reportedly splashed out 5,000 on a designer watch for TV baker Molly Robbins, while he was still married to his estranged wife Alexandra A source told the publication: 'Paul and Molly grew close and had a real chemistry between them, they started texting and messaging regularly and things quickly escalated. 'Paul is a very warm and generous guy, Molly was delighted with the watch and proudly showed it to family members saying it was from Paul. He gave her loads of presents he was very thoughtful in that way. 'Alex only found out her husband had befriended a younger woman once they had officially split, when she found the messages she was understandably confused.' Split: Paul's estranged wife Alexandra, 54, is said to have only discovered the betrayal after they announced their divorce in 2017 Flirty: The Great British Bake Off judge, 52, is said to have also exchanged a string of flirty messages with the Extreme Cake Makers star and paid for expensive meals and gifts MailOnline has contacted Paul and Molly's representatives for comment. Paul reportedly struck up the friendship with Ted Robbins' daughter Molly after bonding over baking, later gifting her the expensive Tag Heuer watch. Back in 2014, a delighted Holly took to Twitter when she first met the TV star as she cheekily wrote: 'Of all the pictures I could have had with Paul, I can't find one that doesn't look like I'm touching him up! Dammit!' Former make-up artist Molly, from Rossendale, Lancashire, became a cake artist after she got an amazing reaction when she baked a sweet treat for a friend. Close: Paul reportedly struck up the friendship with Ted Robbins' daughter Molly after bonding over baking (pictured together in 2014) Big fan: She cheekily wrote: 'Of all the pictures I could have had with Paul, I can't find one that doesn't look like I'm touching him up! Dammit!' Common ground: Paul reportedly struck up the friendship with Ted Robbins' daughter Molly after bonding over baking Talented: The baker set up her business five years ago and now makes a living from her quirky and unusual cakes. She has also her own 30-part TV series on Channel 4, Extreme Cake Makers Brutal: A source said: 'Alex only found out her husband had befriended a younger woman once they had officially split, when she found the messages she was understandably confused.' She set up her business five years ago and now makes a living from her quirky and unusual cakes. Molly has since landed her own 30-part TV series on Channel 4, Extreme Cake Makers. It comes after Alex broke her silence on estranged husband Paul's cheating scandal this week, comparing their split to a 'motorway crash'. Paul has since moved on with former barmaid Summer Monteys-Fullam, 23. The couple live together in Kent. Shocking: Alex and Paul split in 2013 after it was revealed he was having an affair with his American Baking Competition co-host Marcela Valladolid, 37 New lady: In 2017 Paul and Alex announced they were divorcing and it was then revealed he was dating barmaid Monteys-Fullam, 23, (above) though he insists there was no overlap Alex told Prima magazine that she completely underestimated the impact her split from the Great British Bake Off judge would have, after their marriage ended in November 2017. The couple previously split in 2013 after it was revealed he had been cheating with Marcela Valladolid, 37, but the couple reunited before divorcing for good four years later. Speaking about the traumatic period, she said: 'No one should underestimate how separation and divorce can hit you. 'I compare it to a moment where you're driving along the motorway and then the next moment, something beyond your control happens and you're driving in a completely different direction. 'You have to give yourself time to get your head round it. 'Paul and I had an ordinary marriage it lasted for 19 years with a hiccup in the middle and then an abrupt end. Now I look ahead and think about what Ive gained; the main thing is having the freedom to do what I want to do, so it feels like a door opening. Im feeling very positive at the moment.' Of the son she shares with Paul - Josh, 16 - she said: 'My focus is on him and lots of what I do revolves around him. But you also have to remember to look after yourself, youre so important as a mother so you have to be mentally and physically fit.' Ryan Thomas was reportedly left in pieces after video footage emerged of Lucy Mecklenburgh getting close to another man while in Dubai just before Christmas. But the couple appear to be putting everything behind them as they enjoyed a break away in New York City together, which saw them head to an ice rink on Saturday. The former TOWIE star, 27, took to Instagram to share a glimpse of her fun day out with the Celebrity Big Brother winner, 34, as he showed off his impressive moves on the ice. Taking to the ice: Lucy Mecklenburgh enjoyed a fun day out with boyfriend Ryan Thomas at an ice rink in New York City on Saturday... as they holiday together after 'cheating' scandal Ryan dressed warmly against the cold as he donned a cream puffy jacket over a white hoodie and black trousers at Central Park. Clearly enjoying himself, the Coronation Street star glided across the ice, before he skated backwards and skillfully avoided those around him. It seemed like Lucy was watching from the sidelines, as she joked in her caption of one video: 'When u cant skate and ur bf can. Bye then (sic).' She also cheered on a friend of hers, who zoomed towards Lucy in jubilation after proving her talent for the sport. Working it out: They appear to be putting things behind them, after video footage emerged of Lucy getting close to another man in Dubai just before Christmas (pictured in September 2018) Having fun: The former TOWIE star, 27, took to Instagram to share a glimpse of her fun day out with the Celebrity Big Brother winner, 34, as he showed off his impressive moves on the ice After a period of silence, Ryan confirmed things were all A-OK with his long-term love when they enjoyed a night out just after Christmas, along with his daughter, Scarlett. Lucy has insisted nothing untoward had gone on between her and her male pal, believed to be a business associate, Adam Rossiter. She claimed in an article which came out the same time as the furore, that she was hoping to get engaged to Ryan this year. But regardless, Ryan has chosen not to address the video and instead, broke his social media silence with clips of himself and Lucy out in London together. Having fun: Lucy also cheered on a friend of hers, who zoomed towards Lucy in jubilation after proving her talent for the sport Joking around: It seemed like Lucy was watching from the sidelines, as she joked in her caption of one video of Ryan: 'When u cant skate and ur bf can. Bye then (sic)' The Celebrity Big Brother winner took to Instagram to share sweet clips of himself enjoying a Christmas-themed day out with Scarlett and Lucy in the capital. The trio enjoyed a trip to Winter Wonderland and a stay at Mayfair's luxury five-star hotel The Dorchester. Confirming he and Lucy have brushed aside their woes of late, Ryan was seen strolling through Hyde Park with Scarlet, 10, whom he shares with ex-partner Tina O'Brien, with Lucy appearing in the background. He later shared a clip of Lucy drinking a glass of wine at the bar in The Dorchester, as she sat with Scarlett watching a piano player. While he and Lucy didn't share any direct posts with each other, reality star Lucy took to her own Instagram page to share a video of herself enjoying a drink at their hotel. Enjoying herself: Lucy's friend seemed to be having a great time on the rink In footage obtained exclusively by MailOnline in December, Lucy was seen planting a kiss on the mystery man's cheek, holding his hand and caressing his back, while sources claimed she was 'rubbing the inside of his leg' and they later left 'two minutes apart'. After the video of Lucy's nightclub moment appeared, the star took to Twitter to claim she was bidding farewell to a friend in the clip - yet the point was met with ridicule from Twitter users, who insisted the exchange was suspicious. She furiously wrote: 'Since when has saying goodbye to a friend turned into a cosy night out?! #ridiculous'. Lucy insisted the video was 'not that bad' and had been taken out of context and took to Twitter to like a series of messages including a note reading: 'The video wasnt even that bad.. mad how people are so quick to jump to conclusions'. Up close: In footage obtained exclusively by MailOnline, Lucy was seen planting a kiss on the mystery man's cheek, holding his hand and caressing his back (above) Ryan, however, was said to be 'in pieces' after seeing the video. Insiders revealed to MailOnline the actor was left devastated by her actions yet believes her version of events that she was merely saying goodbye to a pal and was overly tactile due to drink. Ryan was said to be red-faced by the awkward timing of the video, which came just days after the couple posed for a cosy magazine shoot. In the accompanying interview, the pair declared their intentions to get engaged and buy a family home together next year, with Lucy warning: 'You'd better get saving because I want a really heavy left hand.' A source told MailOnline: 'Ryan is also pretty embarrassed that the footage emerged the same week as they appeared on the cover of OK! mag gushing about how much they love one another. 'But for now, his main focus is putting on a good show in panto for the people of Uxbridge rather than worrying about Lucy. She's told him that nothing happened with the guy and he's just trying to put that to the back of his mind.' She's best known for her wholesome looks, but America's Sweetheart opted for something edgier on Saturday night. Julia Roberts, 51, attended Sean Penn's CORE benefit wearing an oversize dark suit. The event helps raise funds for Haiti recovery in the wake of its devastating 2010 earthquake. Making a statement: Julia Roberts, 51, attended Sean Penn's CORE benefit on Saturday in Los Angeles wearing an oversize dark suit by Salvatore Ferragamo The Homecoming actress wore an edgy, double-breasted charcoal suit jacket with a matching floor-length skirt. She kept to the office wear theme with a white dress shirt and a shiny pink tie. The 5ft9in actress carried a compact, Kelly green leather handbag by Louis Vuitton and left her blonde hair slightly messy and braided to the side. Famous friends: The Ben Is Back star was photographed throughout the evening with the organization's founder, Sean Penn, 58, as well as CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, 51 First on the ground: Anderson was among the first American journalists to begin reporting from the Caribbean nation after its destructive earthquake Striking back: Anderson was among the first American journalists to begin reporting from the Caribbean nation after its destructive earthquake The Ben Is Back star was photographed throughout the evening with the organization's founder, Sean Penn, 58, as well as CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, 51, Ben Stiller, 53, and Jamie Foxx, 51. Anderson was among the first American journalists to begin reporting from the Caribbean nation after its destructive earthquake. Earlier this year he defended the country and its people from Donald Trump after the American President referred to Haiti and assorted African nations as 's***hole' countries. For a good cause: Julia attended the event with Anderson Cooper and Ben Stiller, 53; photo courtesy Getty Images Joking around: Jamie Foxx, 51, manages to crack up Julia The event, which was renamed the CORE gala this year, was previously known as the J/P HRO (Jenkins/Penn Haiti Relief Organization). Since the rebranding, the organization has expanded it's scope. Now it will no longer focus on Haiti relief, but will also work to bring resources to the United States and other Caribbean nations suffering from poverty and natural disasters. The organization has responded to disasters in Florida, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Antigua and Barbuda. Despite the serious subject matter, Julia still found some lighter moments to flash her trademark smile. New name: The event, which was renamed the CORE gala this year, was previously known as the J/P HRO (Jenkins/Penn Haiti Relief Organization) She has been known for her impeccable dress sense throughout her career. And Paris Hilton lived up to her reputation when she swung by the BeautyCon experimental pop-up in Los Angeles this Saturday. The 37-year-old hotel heiress went for triple leather - not only her black jacket, but also her sky-high stiletto boots and her pants. Having a ball: Paris Hilton lived up to her reputation when she swung by the BeautyCon experimental pop-up in Los Angeles this Saturday Paris let her blonde hair tumble freely over her shoulders and clasped on a black choker that matched her cleavage-baring top. The glamour goddess and The Simple Life starlet was in a pair of skintight trousers that allowed her to show off her shapely legs as she pranced about the pop-up. She was modeling a pair of cat-eye sunglasses and some netted finger-less gloves, and the soles of her stylish shoes were bright scarlet. Paris let her signature blonde hair down as she strolled down a pink-lit runway that had been set up there in front of a Macy's backdrop. Fabulous: The 37-year-old hotel heiress went for triple leather - not only her black jacket, but also her sky-high stiletto boots and her pants Pose: Paris let her blonde hair tumble freely over her shoulders and clasped on a black choker that matched her cleavage-baring top Lovely: The glamour goddess and The Simple Life starlet was in a pair of skintight trousers that allowed her to show off her shapely legs as she pranced about the pop-up Icon: She was modeling a pair of cat-eye sunglasses and some netted finger-less gloves, and the soles of her stylish shoes were bright scarlet Place to be: Paris let her signature blonde hair down as she strolled down a pink-lit runway that had been set up there in front of a Macy's backdrop The sister of Nicky Hilton and former best friend of Nicole Richie also got in plenty of posing on a long white staircase, flashing her megawatt smile for the cameras. At one point, Paris - who recently broke off her engagement to actor Chris Zylka - also flung herself in a ball pit where she snapped a selfie. The Repo! The Genetic Opera star has returned to Los Angeles after ringing in New Year's at the posh upscale ski town Aspen, Colorado. Exquisite: The sister of Nicky Hilton and former best friend of Nicole Richie also got in plenty of posing on a long white staircase, flashing her megawatt smile for the cameras Playful: At one point, Paris - who recently broke off her engagement to little-known actress Chris Zylka - also flung herself in a ball pit where she snapped a selfie Jet-setter: The Repo! The Genetic Opera star has returned to Los Angeles after ringing in New Year's at the posh upscale ski town Aspen, Colorado Chris had in fact popped the question to Paris on her previous New Year's trip to Aspen when she had gone to see in the beginning of 2018. Some of the other celebs who like Paris had gone to Aspen for the holidays included film star Melanie Griffith, reality star Kyle Richards and pop diva Mariah Carey. Another celebrity who visited Saturday's pop-up shop was Tracee Ellis Ross, the Black-ish star who happens to be the daughter of Diana Ross. History: Chris had in fact popped the question to Paris on her previous New Year's trip to Aspen when she had gone to see in the beginning of 2018 Pedigree: Some of the other celebs who like Paris had gone to Aspen for the holidays included film star Melanie Griffith, reality star Kyle Richards and pop diva Mariah Carey Radiant: Tracee was in a blue pair of high-waisted pants with throwback flared hems, and buttoned herself into an eggshell blue faded denim shirt Tracee was in a blue pair of high-waisted pants with throwback flared hems, and buttoned herself into an eggshell blue faded denim shirt. She accentuated her screen siren features with makeup including eye-popping pink lipstick and blue eye shadow that matched her pants. The 46-year-old sister-in-law of Ashlee Simpson also put on an elegant coat that matched her pants at the pop-up shop, where she was also interviewed onstage. Fashion inspiration: She accentuated her screen siren features with makeup including eye-popping pink lipstick and blue eye shadow that matched her pants Showbiz family: The 46-year-old sister-in-law of Ashlee Simpson also put on an elegant coat that matched her pants at the pop-up shop, where she was also interviewed onstage Giving her two cents: The 46-year-old sister-in-law of Ashlee Simpson also put on an elegant coat that matched her pants at the pop-up shop, where she was also interviewed onstage Sliding into a pair of black shoes, she put on a glimmering necklace and added a splash of contrast to the look with yellow nail polish. Tracee, who swept her hair back into a ponytail and accessorized with hoop earrings, was seen laughing with the mic in her hand during her interview. Though she was not seen leaping into a ball pit, Tracee did get to do a bit of fun posing as well, walking the same pink-lit runway as Paris. Her most famous project in recent times is her ABC sitcom Black-ish, which debuted in 2014 and is currently in the middle of airing its fifth season. Chic to the hilt: Sliding into a pair of black shoes, she put on a glimmering necklace and added a splash of contrast to the look with yellow nail polish Fun times: Tracee, who swept her hair back into a ponytail and accessorized with hoop earrings, was seen laughing with the mic in her hand during her interview Queen of the catwalk: Though she was not seen leaping into a ball pit, Tracee did get to do a bit of fun posing as well, walking the same pink-lit runway as Paris She has been the brains behind the Kardashian/Jenner dynasty's meteoric rise to fame and fortune. And on Saturday, Kris Jenner was among some of the biggest stars in the world when she hit the red carpet for The Art of Elysium Heaven Gala in Los Angeles. The self-proclaimed momager shined under the bright lights in a black gown for the annual artistic installation event. Scroll down for video Commanding attention: Kris Jenner glistened on the red carpet for The Art of Elysium Heaven Gala in Los Angeles on Saturday night The black number hugged her curvy figure and popped with every flash of a camera with its sequin pattern. Adding to the flash effect, it had lace around the plunging neckline and at the ends of each sleeve. She kept the accessories to a minimum but did don some bling with a pair of earrings and rings, while clutching a black hand purse. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star had her her short dark tresses styled with some extra volume and with a part slightly to the left. Elegant: The reality star shined in a black sequin and lace gown Added flare: The lace showcased the plunging neckline Trademark: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star wore her her short dark tresses with some extra volume and with a part slightly to the left Once all the fanfare of the red carpet ended, Kris made her way around the gala. The elegant black tie event, which is held annually the night before the Golden Globes, brought out a slew of stars. Some of big name celebrities included: Emily Ratajkowski, Joaquin Phoenix, James Marsden, Rooney Mara, Kat Graham, Usher, Courtney Love, Nicole Scherzinger, Hilary Rhoda, Sofia Carson, Lily Collins, Jennifer Garner and Mel Gibson. Awards season: The elegant black tie event, which is held annually the night before the Golden Globes, brought out a slew of stars The Art of Elysium was founded in 1997 to support artists working for the benefit of others. The organization pairs volunteer artists with communities in Los Angeles to support individuals in the midst of difficult life challenges like illness, hospitalization, displacement, confinement, and/or crisis, according to www.theartofelysium.org. HEAVEN is a one night artistic installation conceptually curated by a chosen Visionary, which was Michael Muller this time around. Each year the elegant event incorporates a creative experience rooted in the organization's mission which includes helping raise funds to provide more opportunities to share the diverse talents of artists within the community. Actors Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix and Evangelo Bousis were the co-chairs of Heaven 2019. Lili Reinhart turned heads Saturday when she arrived at The Art of Elysium in Los Angeles. The 22-year-old Riverdale star wore a lacy black gown to the celebrity-filled art event. The young actress recently returned to the US after vacationing with her best friend in Aruba over the holidays. Scroll down for video Effortless elegance: Lili Reinhart, 22, wore a lacy black gown to the Art of Elysium charity show in Los Angeles on Saturday The Galveston star was dressed in a fluffy black gown with a sheer midriff and a translucent lace section covering her bust. The 5ft6in actress accessorized with two shining bracelets and a pair of golden ring earrings. She kept her blonde hair held back with a floppy black bow. Elegant outfit: The Galveston star was dressed in a fluffy black gown with a sheer midriff and a translucent lace section covering her bust Famous friends: Lili was photographed inside The Art of Elysium with her Riverdale co-star, Hart Denton, 25 Lili was seen at The Art of Elysium among a bevy of stars, including her Riverdale co-star, Hart Denton, 25. She also made an appearance at Los Angeles' Chateau Marmont on Friday for a Golden Globes event presented by W Magazine. But only a few days before, the Riverdale star was relaxing in the sun while vacationing in Aruba. Night of stars: Lili was seen at The Art of Elysium among a bevy of celebrities Making the rounds: She made an appearance at Los Angeles' Chateau Marmont on Friday for a Golden Globes event presented by W Magazine Tropical getaway: But only a few days before, the Riverdale star was relaxing in the sun while vacationing in Aruba Lili took a break from social media over the last few weeks after being hounded by anonymous trolls. The blonde starlet returned on Thursday with a triumphant dismissal of her tormentors. She also took the chance to gloat over her tropical getaway. Casey Affleck was snapped at Sean Penn's J/P Haitian Relief Organization fundraiser his girlfriend Floriana Lima at The Wiltern theater in Los Angeles on Saturday. The 43-year-old actor wore a blue suit jacket over with a black top with dark blue pants and brown shoes. Floriana, a 37-year-old native of Cincinnati, wore a black dress with see-through panels on the shoulders and round fringes to the charity event. Scroll below for video Out and about: Casey Affleck, 43, was snapped at Sean Penn's J/P Haitian Relief Organization fundraiser his girlfriend Floriana Lima, 37, at The Wiltern theater in Los Angeles on Saturday Penn and Hollywood executive Bryan Lourd were slated to host Saturday's event, with Jamie Foxx emceeing, E! previously reported. Musical artists such as Willa Amai, Macy Gray, Billie Eilish and Jesse Jo Stark were slated to perform at the function. The Academy Award-winning Manchester By the Sea star tried to rebuild his image throughout 2018, following his well-publicized settlement of a sexual harassment suit linked to the 2010 movie Im Still Here. In February, he bowed out of presenting the Best Actress award at the Oscars - a tradition for the reigning Best Actor winner - amid the #MeToo movement. Six months later, he spoke with the Associated Press about his transgressions on Im Still Here, which ultimately resulted in settlements with the two women who sued him, producer Amanda White and cinematographer Magdalena Gorka. Rugged: The 43-year-old actor wore a blue suit jacket over with a black top with dark blue pants and brown shoes at the luxe event Stunning: Floriana, a 37-year-old native of Cincinnati, wore a black dress with see-through panels on the shoulders and round fringes to the charity function Focused: Casey has spent much of the last year trying to clean up his image following a settlement in a sexual harassment suit 'The cast was the crew and the crew was kind of the cast and it was an unprofessional environment and, you know, the buck had to stop with me being one of the producers and I have to accept responsibility for that and that was a mistake,' the Gone Baby Gone star said in the August interview. 'I contributed to that unprofessional environment and I tolerated that kind of behavior from other people and I wish that I hadn't. And I regret a lot of that.' The father of two - to sons 14-year-old Indiana and 10-year-old Atticus, with ex Summer Phoenix - said he didn't think of himself as in charge during production on the motion picture. 'I really did not know what I was responsible for as the boss. I don't even know if I thought of myself as the boss,' he said. 'But I behaved in a way and allowed others to behave in a way that was really unprofessional. And I'm sorry.' 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 Padma Lakshmi is enjoying a post-holiday getaway in Miami Beach. And the Top Chef host hasn't been shy about flaunting her fabulous figure to her 472,000 Instagram followers. 'Girls weekend in Miami with my cousin/sister Rajni!' the 47-year old Indian born star shared on her Instagram Story along with a picture of the two in their bikinis. It factor: Padma Lakshmi showed off her fab figure in Miami Beach on Saturday And keeping with her great sense of self and sense of humor, Padma flashed a big a big beaming smile in the snap and added: 'Don't mind the stretch marks (I Don't).' The 5ft 10in beauty flaunted her fit figure, and ample assets, in a stylish yellow bikini. When she wasn't frolicking in the water, the TV personality added a beautiful orange wrap adorned with butterflies. And on this day of fun in the sun she wore her raven tresses long past her shoulders, with plenty of volume and a part in the middle; although she did pull her hair back into a bun at times when she was lounging and reading a book. Fun in the sun: The Indian born star frolicked in the ocean water in her two-piece number Wow: The yellow number left little to the imagination Loving it: The beauty was all smiles when she heading back to shore Fun in the sun: The Top Chef host shared a few snaps of her 'girls weekend' with her cousin Shining star: Padma gave a hint of her glowing features and ample assets in this Instagram pic Padma has been the host of the cooking competition program Top Chef since season two in 2006; the show is entering its 16th season. She has also hosted the Food Network series Padma's Passport, which was part of the larger series Melting Pot in 2001. Before her big break in television, she received accolades for her cookbook Easy Exotic, which included the Best First Book award at the 1999 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. She has since published two more food related books and her memoir: Love, Loss And What We Are. Stylish: The 47-year old also donned a beautiful orange wrap adorned with butterflies at times Lovely: The Top Chef host wore her raven tresses long and with plenty of volume Girl time: After enjoying the beach, the beauty walked with her friends back to their hotel Aside from her gigs as an author and TV personality, Padma also devotes a lot of her time to issues that are near and dear to her heart. She is a co-founder of The Endometriosis Foundation of America, a non-profit organization focused on increasing awareness, education, research, and legislative advocacy against the disease, which she was diagnosed with when she was 36-years old. The foundation was instrumental in the opening of the MIT Center for Gynepathology Research, where she gave the keynote address. Padma is also a global ambassador for Keep A Child Alive, and since 2007 has traveled to sites in India on their behalf. She is also a strong advocate of women's rights. Making her mark: Padma has been the host of the cooking competition program Top Chef since season two in 2006; the show is entering its 16th season Her other gig: Padma received accolades for her cookbook Easy Exotic, which included the Best First Book award at the 1999 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards Taraji P. Henson always remains in style. The Empire star, 48, donned a black dress with sheer sleeves on Saturday as she attended the A Toast to the Globes bash at the Hyde Sunset Kitchen in Los Angeles. The Washington, D.C. native had her dark locks parted to the side and was flawlessly made up at the Hollywood bash, which was presented by WanderLuxxe, a luxury membership concierge service. Scroll below for video Fashionista: Taraji P. Henson, 48, donned a black dress with sheer sleeves on Saturday as she attended the A Toast to the Globes bash at the Hyde Sunset Kitchen in LA At the event, the Hidden Figures actress signed a large replica of her latest cover shot on Angeleno magazine. In her chat with the publication promoting her upcoming rom-com What Men Want, Henson opened up about the complicated dynamics of Hollywood - and imbalances when it comes to race and gender. 'It's money - my issue was not getting paid,' she said. 'White women are getting paid way more than me on any job in my career - and a white woman will get half of what a male lead gets.' Henson - who in 2016 took home the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series for her portrayal of Cookie Lyon on the Fox series - said that numbers generally drive who gets what job. On the mark: The actress signed a large replica of her latest cover shot on Angeleno magazine Tinseltown beauty: Henson had her dark locks parted to the side and was flawlessly made up at the Hollywood bash 'I've gotten work,' she said. 'The studio is not going to trust a film like this to a talent they don't think can be a box-office draw. They're not even going to give a movie like this to a blond-haired, blue-eyed girl if they don't think she's a draw.' Henson noted that she's had to pay her dues as well, citing her Oscar-nominated performance in 2008's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which starred Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. 'I was No. 3 on the call sheet, and I got $150,000 for the whole movie,' she said. 'If I'd walked away from it, I would have missed the moment.' Gorgeous: Nicole Williams English and Rachel McCord looked amazing in high fashion at the party Stunning: Actress Kyla Pratt put her best foot forward in black thigh-high boots paired with a striped dress Cute couple: Nicole posted with her husband Larry English at the luxe event Happy: Rick Schirmer and Rachel McCord embraced at the pre-Golden Globes party Dare to be bold: Socialite Lady Victoria Hervey went braless under her shimmery black dress, tied with pointed heels Wow! TV Host & Celebrity Fashion Blogger Diana Madison looked phenomenal She continued, 'They know there are so many black actresses who would love to have that role, and they hold over your head that you're so replaceable. I feel like I have to prove to people that I'm worth the money I'm asking for. So look at my resume in film, television and theater, and give me my money. Bet on me. It's time for a raise.' Instagram influencer Nicole Williams English looked amazing in a shoulder-less navy blue skirt as she attended the bash with husband Larry English. The stunning Toronto native wore large gold hoops and strappy black heels with her lustrous black locks parted in the center. Other notable names at the party included actress Rachel McCord and her entrepreneur husband Rick Schirmer, actress Kyla Pratt, fashion blogger Diana Madison and actor Massi Furlan. What Men Want hits theaters February 8. Stars like Allison Williams flocked to The Wiltern in Los Angeles on Saturday for the Sean Penn J/P Haitian Relief Organization gala. Allison, 30, hinted at her cleavage at the event in a flowing white jumpsuit with puffed out sleeves and a latticed lace motif. The Girls and Get Out alumna was a showstopper in her kooky getup, which was cinched in at the waist to emphasize her svelte frame. Wondrous in white: Stars like Allison Williams flocked to The Wiltern in Los Angeles on Saturday for the Sean Penn J/P Haitian Relief Organization gala She played up her screen siren features with makeup and teased her dark hair into curves, adding a bit of sparkle with some glimmering earrings. Jamie Foxx was as dashing as ever on the red carpet, teaming a charcoal suit with a white dress shirt and accessorizing with a gleaming watch. He posed up a storm with Garcelle Beauvais, his old co-star on The Jamie Foxx Show, a sitcom that aired on The WB for five seasons from 1996 until 2001. Glowing: Allison, 30, hinted at her cleavage at the event in a flowing white jumpsuit with puffed out sleeves and a latticed lace motif Fabulous: The Girls and Get Out alumna was a showstopper in her kooky getup, which was cinched in at the waist to emphasize her svelte frame Swanking about: She played up her screen siren features with makeup and teased her dark hair into curves, adding a bit of sparkle with some glimmering earrings Hello, handsome: Jamie Foxx was as dashing as ever on the red carpet, teaming a charcoal suit with a white dress shirt and accessorizing with a gleaming watch Nostalgia: He posed up a storm with Garcelle Beauvais, his old co-star on The Jamie Foxx Show, a sitcom that aired on The WB for five seasons from 1996 until 2001 Garcelle, who told HuffPost Live she and Jamie had agreed never to get romantically involved with one another, hugged him warmly Saturday. The 52-year-old actress, who happens to have been born in Haiti, dazzled in a blue striped jumpsuit with a neckline that flashed her decolletage and midriff. She gathered her hair up into a high bun and modeled hoop earrings, adding a splash of contrast with pink lipstick and a black clutch. Affectionate: Garcelle, who told HuffPost Live she and Jamie had agreed never to get romantically involved with one another, hugged him warmly Saturday So stylish: The 52-year-old actress, who happens to have been born in Haiti, dazzled in a blue striped jumpsuit with a neckline that flashed her decolletage and midriff Aglow: She gathered her hair up into a high bun and modeled hoop earrings, adding a splash of contrast with pink lipstick and a black clutch Former child star Soleil Moon Frye brought back the flapper era in a blue cocktail dress with a throwback fringe hem and some Art Deco cutouts. Karolina Kurkova, the Czech former Victoria's Secret Angel, demonstrated her supermodel credentials in an outfit that showed off her bombshell figure. The 34-year-old slipped into a black cocktail dress with a slit up the front, accessorizing with hoop earrings and teetering on sky-high black heels. Her sleeveless outfit featured zipper from its left shoulder to the strip, and it featured a puffed-out short sleeve at the right side. Still chipper: Former child star Soleil Moon Frye brought back the flapper era in a blue cocktail dress with a throwback fringe hem and some Art Deco cutouts Radiant: Karolina Kurkova, the Czech former Victoria's Secret Angel, demonstrated her supermodel credentials in an outfit that showed off her bombshell figure Megawatt smile: The 34-year-old slipped into a black cocktail dress with a slit up the front, accessorizing with hoop earrings and teetering on sky-high black heels Smoldering stare: Her sleeveless outfit featured zipper from its left shoulder to the strip, and it featured a puffed-out short sleeve at the right side Karolina, who married little-known actor Archie Drury in 2009, gathered her signature blonde hair back into a bun for the evening's gala. Johnny Galecki, 43, wore skintight torn pants and a purple jacket to the red carpet, where he ostentatiously hugged his girlfriend Alaina Meyer, 21. His old Roseanne and The Conners co-star Sara Gilbert, 43, rocked a shiny metallic jacket as she posed up Saturday with her wife of four years Linda Perry, 53. Jimmy Kimmel went for classic glamour in a black suit and silver tie, smiling as he posed alongside his wife Molly McNearney. Amazing beauty: Karolina, who married little-known actor Archie Drury in 2009, gathered her signature blonde hair back into a bun for the evening's gala Keeping each other close: Johnny Galecki, 43, wore skintight torn pants and a purple jacket to the red carpet, where he ostentatiously hugged his girlfriend Alaina Meyer, 21 Cozying up: His old Roseanne and The Conners co-star Sara Gilbert, 43, rocked a shiny metallic jacket as she posed up Saturday with her wife of four years Linda Perry, 53 Dynamic duo: Jimmy Kimmel went for classic glamour in a black suit and silver tie, smiling as he posed alongside his wife Molly McNearney Sarah Silverman, who incidentally used to date Jimmy, made her way playfully around the red carpet, kicking up one of her heels for the camera. The 48-year-old comedian and movie star was in a strapless black mini-dress that featured heavy pleating and a curved neckline. She swept her black hair into a bun and pulled faces through her elegant makeup job, which included some dark scarlet lipstick. Funny lady: Sarah Silverman, who incidentally used to date Jimmy, made her way playfully around the red carpet, kicking up one of her heels for the camera Smashing: The 48-year-old comedian and movie star was in a strapless black mini-dress that featured heavy pleating and a curved neckline Mugging: She swept her black hair into a bun and pulled faces through her elegant makeup job, which included some dark scarlet lipstick Sarah added a black diamond-stitched anorak to the ensemble and occasionally let it slide off her shoulders, and she rounded off the look with black leather boots. In one dazzling group shot to remember, Sarah stood for the cameras with Molly, Jimmy, sitcom icon Larry David and a blonde female guest. Connie Britton slipped into a silver sequined skirt with a bit of frill at its mid-calf hemline, matching her black cowl top to black heels. She let her blonde curls tumble freely over her shoulders, accessorizing with a couple of rings and posing with a hand placed at her waist. Staying warm: Sarah added a black diamond-stitched anorak to the ensemble and occasionally let it slide off her shoulders, and she rounded off the look with black leather boots Quintet: In one dazzling group shot to remember, Sarah stood for the cameras with Molly, Jimmy, sitcom icon Larry David and a blonde female guest There she is: Connie Britton slipped into a silver sequined skirt with a bit of frill at its mid-calf hemline, matching her black cowl top to black heels Taking a stance: She let her blonde curls tumble freely over her shoulders, accessorizing with a couple of rings and posing with a hand placed at her waist Stylist to the stars Rachel Zoe, who once starred on a reality show about her work, rocked a tuxedo-style pantsuit that draped around her slender figure. Rebecca Gayhart also went for pantsuit chic, opting for a silver number that shimmered under the lights as she made her way along the carpet. The 47-year-old model and actress, who filed for divorce from Eric Dane last year, teamed a black lace-fringed top with black shoes and earrings. Casey Affleck wore jeans and a T-shirt with a blazer to the Sean Penn event, where he was photographed holding hands with his longtime girlfriend Floriana Lima. Julia was also pictured speaking onstage at the star-studded affair for J/P Human Rights Organization, which per The Hollywood Reporter is now called CORE. Stylist to the stars: Rachel Zoe, who once starred on a reality show about her work, rocked a tuxedo-style pantsuit that draped around her slender figure Glamour queen: Rebecca Gayhart also went for pantsuit chic, opting for a silver number that shimmered under the lights as she made her way along the carpet Glitz: The 47-year-old model and actress, who filed for divorce from Eric Dane last year, teamed a black lace-fringed top with black shoes and earrings Date night: Casey Affleck wore jeans and a T-shirt with a blazer to the Sean Penn event, where he was photographed holding hands with his longtime girlfriend Floriana Lima Fun flare: Julia Roberts rocked a double breasted suit to the gala; she is pictured with the organization's founder Sean Penn Who wore it best? Julia compared suits with journalist Anderson Cooper and actor Ben Stiller Beaming: The Pretty Woman actress showed off her trademark smile during the gala She was joined in front of the crowd by Jamie, who was seen holding her hand and with whom she co-starred in the 2010 film Valentine's Day. Macy Gray gave a showstopping performance at the event, pulling on finger-less gloves as well as a hat and floor-length coat to create an iconic ensemble. Sean was seen with a look of grave seriousness on his face as he addressed the crowd, and Anderson could be spotted standing right nearby him. Meanwhile, the Mayor Of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Carmen Yulin Cruz, donned an elegant floral gown and held up a trophy she was presented with. Limelight: Julia was also pictured speaking onstage at the star-studded affair for J/P Human Rights Organization, which per The Hollywood Reporter is now called CORE Side by side: She was joined in front of the crowd by Jamie, who was seen holding her hand and with whom she co-starred in the 2010 film Valentine's Day Legend: Macy Gray gave a showstopping performance at the event, pulling on finger-less gloves as well as a hat and floor-length coat to create an iconic ensemble What a duo: Sean was seen with a look of grave seriousness on his face as he addressed the crowd, and Anderson could be spotted standing right nearby him She's known for her devilishly self-deprecating sense of humour. And Isla Fisher, 42, couldn't help but make fun of her racy gold gown while attending the BAFTA Tea Party in Beverly Hills on Saturday. Taking to Instagram with a photo of herself posing in the plunging sequinned number next to husband Sacha Baron Cohen, Isla cheekily wrote: 'So proud of my Golden Globe nominated hubby! My boobs are sure to get a nom for a 'SAG award' too, stay tuned!' Scroll down for video 'My boobs are sure to get a nom for a SAG award!' Isla Fisher (right) joked about her eye-popping cleavage in a plunging gold dress as she attended the BAFTA Tea Party with husband Sacha Baron Cohen (left) on Saturday The Nocturnal Animals star's low-cut glitzy dress featured a plunging front that could barely contain her bulbous bust. Isla boosted her 5ft3in height with a pair of open-toed black stilettos. The actress' copper-colored hair flowed in waves down her shoulders. Busting out: The Nocturnal Animals star's gold sequin dress featured a plunging front that could barely contain her bulbous bust Golden girl! Isla (pictured) turned heads with her gleaming ensemble Killer heels! Isla boosted her 5ft3in height with a pair of open-toed black stilettos Earlier on Saturday the actress offered her legion of followers a full-body view of her modelling the gleaming, golden dress in a Boomerang clip she shared to the app. She also gave fans a glimpse of her charming structured black handbag, embellished with a gold heart ornament. 'Casual lunch look,' Isla joked in the caption. 'Casual lunch look!' Moments earlier the actress offered her legion of followers a full-body view of her modelling the gleaming, golden dress in a Boomerang clip she shared to the app Celebrity get-together: Isla and Sacha were attending the BAFTA Tea Party, an awards season staple where celebrities and actors nominated for awards gather Isla and Sacha were attending the BAFTA Tea Party, an awards season staple where celebrities and actors nominated for awards gather. The gathering, held at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, tends to have a more relaxed atmosphere than most awards season events. Although there weren't any major shenanigans at Saturday night's party, Sacha has been known to stir up controversy at other BAFTA events. No funny business: Although there weren't any major shenanigans at Saturday's party, Sacha Baron Cohen, 47, has been known to stir up controversy at other BAFTA events, like when he pretended to push an elderly woman off the stage During an award show in 2013, the Borat pranked audience members by appearing to accidentally push an elderly woman in a wheel chair off the stage, mock 'killing' her. In reality, it was all a carefully orchestrated joke, and the 'deceased' lady was a stunt woman. The comic actor received acclaim (and some condemnation) for his most recent series, Who Is America?, in which he caught political extremists in embarrassing admissions thanks to his carefully calibrated comedic personas. Isla and Sacha have been married since 2010. They couple share three children, daughters Olive, 11, and Elula, eight, and son Montgomery, three. The Favourite is living up to it's name. The American Film Institute selected it as one of the top 10 films of 2018, among a slew of other award nominations and accolades. And on Saturday the headlining stars of the historical period comedy-drama hit the red carpet for the annual BAFTA Tea Party in Los Angeles, which brings together the very best in filmmaking. Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz, and Olivia Colman all brought their A-games when they pranced in front of the sea of photographers. Shining stars: The Favourite co-stars -- Emma Stone, Olivia Colman and Rachel Weisz -- hit the red carpet at the annual BAFTA Tea Party in Los Angeles on Saturday night On this festive night, Emma and Rachel opted to go eye-popping color. The La La Land star matched with ginger locks with an orange and burgundy brown bird-patterned number that incorporated black, brown and white into the color scheme. The 30-year old American actress wore black open toed heels and styled her trademark tresses long and straight with a part to the the slight right. Mates: The ladies of the heralded period piece film locked hands in solidarity on the red carpet Major buzz: Colman plays Anne, Queen of Great Britain and Stone has the role of Abigail Hill in The Favourite, which has received a slew of accolades and award nominations Never one to shy away from color herself, Rachel commanded attention in an emerald green gown that shimmered under the bright lights of the cameras. The 48-year old British star pulled her dark tresses back into a bun, and she too wore black open-toed heels. Olivia, 44, opted for a different route in the fashion departments, going with a charcoal jumpsuit that hugged her waistline and flared out in the legs. For added style, the number tied into a bun on the right side of her hip. She matched it with a pair of close-toed heels and wore her short raven hair pushed to the right while accessorizing with Dena Kemp jewelry. Eye grabber: Emma, 30, matched with ginger locks with an orange and burgundy brown bird-patterned number that incorporated black, brown and white into the color scheme Stylish: The American actress wore black open toed heels and styled her trademark tresses long and straight with a part to the the slight right Pop effect: Rachel commanded attention in an emerald green gown that shimmered under the bright lights of the cameras with a pair of open-toed heels Commanding performance: Rachel plays Lady Sarah, a close friend to Queen Anne in the film It wasn't all about The Favourite ladies on this night; co-star, and Taylor Swift beau, Joe Alwyn also made an appearance on the red carpet. And he looked every bit the up-and-coming leading man dressed in sleek black pants and a black shirt with a charcoal patterned blazer. Flashing that infectious smile, the 27-year old Brit styled his light brown hair with a slight part on the right. Making his mark: Joe Alwyn plays the role of Samuel Masham, a British courtier in the court of Queen Anne, and the husband of her favourite Baroness Masham in the film Handsome: The 27-year old looked every bit the up-and-coming leading man dressed in sleek black pants and a black shirt with a charcoal patterned blazer The Favourite is up for five Golden Globes that includes: Olivia Colman for Best Actress -- Motion Picture Comedy or Musical; both Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz for Best Supporting Actress -- Motion Picture; as well as Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy and Best Screenplay. The story focuses in the behind-the-scenes politics between two cousins jockeying to be court favorites during the reign of Queen Anne. In the period-piece, which is set in early 18th century England, a frail Queen Anne, played by Colman) occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah (Weisz) governs the country in her stead. When a new servant Abigail (Stone) arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Alwyn plays the role of Samuel Masham, a British courtier in the court of Queen Anne, and the husband of her favourite Baroness Masham. They starred together in the ninth highest grossing film ever. On Saturday, Lupita Nyong'o, 35, and Danai Gurira, 40, arrived at the BAFTA Tea Party in Beverly Hills to help represent their 2018 film, Black Panther. The film is expected to be a major fixture of the awards season. Back together again: On Saturday, Lupita Nyong'o, 35, and Danai Gurira, 40, arrived at the BAFTA Tea Party to help represent their 2018 film, Black Panther Lupita wore a short dress with a mosaic of colorful fabrics and thick shoulder straps. The outfit showed off her strong legs and an eye-catching pair of peach heels. The 5ft5in Queen of Katwe star completed her look with a boxy, white crocodile-print handbag from Pop & Suki. Rainbow colored: Lupita wore a short dress with a mosaic of colorful fabrics and thick shoulder straps, which she accessorized with a white handbag from Pop & Suki Color burst: The outfit showed off her strong legs and an eye-catching pair of peach heels Danai opted to substitute the colors for an eye-catching design. Her loosely-woven dress featured black, white and gold triangles arranged in geometric patterns, with thick black straps that crossed over her back. The 5ft7in Walking Dead star kept to the color scheme with a pair of open toe black heels. Elegant design: Danai's loosely-woven dress featured black, white and gold triangles arranged in geometric patterns, with thick black straps that crossed over her back Stunning in gold: Danai accessorized her sparkling look with a pair of earrings from Yael Sonia The acclaimed actresses were in attendance at the laid-back BAFTA Tea Party at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills for Black Panther, which grossed over $1.35 billion since it's release in February. The film currently holds a 97 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and appeared on a number of top critics' best of 2018 lists. Danai also reprised her role in last year's Avengers: Infinity War. Big follow-ups: The two stars both have major projects in the works. Lupita is set to star in Jordan Peele's follow-up to Get Out, Us Back together again: Danai, who moonlights as a playwright, just opened a play at London's Young Vic starring her Black Panther co-star Letitia Wright The two stars both have major projects in the works. Lupita is set to star in Jordan Peele's follow-up to Get Out. The new film, Us, reunites the 12 Years A Slave actress with her Black Panther co-star, Winston Duke, 32. The pair play a married couple who are terrorized during a beach house getaway when a group of strangers arrive. Danai, who moonlights as an acclaimed playwright, currently has a show being performed by Chicago's acclaimed Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Her 2012 play The Convert recently opened at the Young Vic in London. The production stars Danai's Black Panther co-star, Letitia Wright. At Saturday's BAFTA event the Black Panther stars also showed some love for their fellow awards season contender, If Beale Street Could Talk. The pair were photographed with Beale Street actors KiKi Layne and Colman Domingo. Famous friends: At Saturday's BAFTA event the Black Panther stars also showed some love for their fellow awards season contender, If Beale Street Could Talk; pictured with KiKi Layne Noel Edmonds has lashed out at a report that he's set to move to New Zealand because he feels 'unappreciated' in the UK branding it a 'disgusting lie'. On Saturday, it was reported by The Sun that the 70-year-old TV personality decided to sell his home and relocate to the other side of the world after facing apparent backlash following his recent appearance on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!. However, the star has since branded the claims 'malicious', insisting that he had a 'fabulous' filming the show in the Australian jungle late last year and plans on staying put in Britain, where he's fielding a host of residual media opportunities. Scroll down for video Upset: Noel Edmonds has hit out at claims that he has put his home up for sale and move to New Zealand after facing backlash for appearing on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Noel said in a video recording: 'It is a matter of record: I had a fabulous time, the production [team] were wonderful, the reaction of the British public to me coming out at the beginning was truly humbling, and I'm really grateful for that reaction. 'I've been offered all sorts of other opportunities, which I'm now looking into. The house that I have in the UK was put on the market a couple of years ago and is now sold... It is absolute, disgusting lies.' The Sun had previously quoted a source as saying : 'Noel and [wife] Liz have been looking at properties in New Zealand with a view to moving there,' claims the insider. The fact he got the boot first from Im A Celeb really smashed him to pieces. Fuming: In a video message, the furious TV personality vehemently denied The Sun's report Fab time: The 70-year-old star insisted that he had a 'fabulous' time shooting the show in the Australian jungle late last year, and is currently fielding a host of media opportunities in the UK 'He thought the show was the chance to repair his image. He relies very much on appearing popular and is devastated he was first voted out. He really thought he could win but now feels unappreciated by the British public.' The source added: 'He has slipped into a bit of a depression and is terrified this is the end for him in the UK and no further work will come his way. He and Liz think New Zealand could be a fresh start and Noel thinks he will be appreciated there. MailOnline has contacted a representative for Noel Edmonds for comment. Moving out: A source told The Sun that the presenter, 70, was upset about the public's purported rejection of him and wants to make a fresh start Claims: The newspaper quoted a source as saying, 'Noel and [wife] Liz have been looking at properties in New Zealand with a view to moving there.' Pictured together in November Last month, MailOnline reported that the Deal Or No Deal host had put his 4million French mansion up for sale. And despite his early exit from the jungle, where he was paid a reported 600,000, he said of his time in Australia: 'Im very comfortable with the person I am. 'I had a gnawing pain missing my beautiful lady, but what an experience. What a life memory. I am so grateful.' No deal: While it was reported that Noel had been paid an eye-watering 600,000 to compete on the show late last year, he was the first of the celebrities to be voted out She's the Instagram fitness queen best known for her incredible derriere. And on Saturday, Tammy Hembrow had her most famous asset on display in a skintight pair of booty shorts as she left a gym on the Gold Coast. The 24-year-old was also sporting a pair of ankle weights, which have undoubtedly helped her achieve her muscular lower body. Bootylicious! Tammy Hembrow had her most famous asset on display in a skintight pair of booty shorts as she left a gym on the Gold Coast on Saturday Besides the ankle weights, the star appeared to be braless underneath a tight white midriff top. Indicating that she'd just enjoyed a strenuous workout, the blonde was carrying an empty protein shake bottle and a gym towel. Tammy's career has gone from strength to strength since the split, with the single mum recently landing the cover of Women Fitness magazine. Weighty: The 24-year-old was sporting a pair of ankle weights, which have undoubtedly helped her achieve her muscular lower body The social media star told the magazine that her workout philosophy is: 'slow and steady wins the race.' 'Building a booty is a slow process that requires time, effort, control and persistence. Slow and steady wins the race,' she said. She explained that specific exercises, including performing squats with weights, helped her to achieve a toned bottom. Braless? Besides the ankle weights, the star appeared to be braless underneath a tight white midriff top Tammy added that lengthy workouts aren't always necessary because exercising five times a week for just 30 minutes is enough to deliver results. 'I know it seems impossible sometimes, especially after a long day but all you need is a 30-minute workout five days a week to make the difference,' she said. Tammy further claimed that the most important thing about workouts is to push yourself, and the duration of the session isn't as important as its intensity. She's in town for Sunday night's Golden Globes, where she's been nominated for her role in HBO hit Westworld. And Thandie Newton kick-started a weekend of partying by enjoying the star-studded BAFTA Tea Party at Los Angeles' Four Seasons on Saturday night. The British actress, 46, looked stunning in a racy black leather bodice as she hit the red carpet. Awards season hopes: Thandie Newton kick-started a weekend of partying by enjoying the star-studded BAFTA Tea Party at Los Angeles' Four Seasons on Saturday night Thandie's dress showed off her sensational figure with its daring neckline and cut out detail on the leather bodice. The full skirt added a quirky touch, while the style-conscious star accessorised with black peep-toe heels and a floral clutch. With her hair left loose around her shoulders, the gorgeous star added just a touch of makeup for the glam event. Looking gorgeous: The British actress, 46, looked stunning in a racy black leather bodice as she hit the red carpet It's already shaping up to be a stellar 2019 for the acclaimed actress, after it was announced that she is set to receive an OBE for services to film and charity, as she led the stars on The Queen's New Year's Honours List. The Line Of Duty and Crash star joins fellow actress Sophie Okonedo, Monty Python star Michael Palin and Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan in being awarded for their various contributions to arts and charity. Thandie's honour comes after she was awarded an Emmy late last year for her role as host Maeve Millay in the HBO hit Westworld. Racy: Thandie's dress showed off her sensational figure with its daring neckline and cut out detail on the leather bodice Honour: It's already shaping up to be a stellar 2019 for the acclaimed actress, after it was announced that she is set to receive an OBE The actress is nominated in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television at this weekend's Golden Globes for the same role. The actress' daughter Nico Parker, who she shares with her director husband Ole Parker, is following her mother into acting. The 14-year-old is starring in Disney's upcoming live action adaptation of Dumbo. Deathly pale, with hollow eyes and her hair shorn, this is Lily Collins as youve never seen her. Our exclusive picture shows the actress as tragic Fantine, a single mother forced to turn to prostitution, in tonights episode of Les Miserables on BBC1. It is the same character for which Anne Hathaway won an Oscar in the 2012 film version of Victor Hugos saga. Hathaway shaved her hair and lost a dramatic amount of weight for the part. Transformed: An exclusive picture shows Lily Collins as tragic Fantine, a single mother forced to turn to prostitution, in tonights episode of Les Miserables on BBC But Ms Collins the 29-year-old daughter of rock star Phil has achieved a similar transformation using wigs and make-up. Jacqueline Fowler, the make-up artist and hair designer on the six-part series, told The Mail on Sunday: Lily was absolutely wonderful. She said to me, Make me as ugly as you possibly can, which is pretty damn hard with someone as pretty as she is. The team couldnt cut Ms Collinss real hair because they were shooting the drama out of sequence, and so instead added extensions to a wig worn on a bald cap and two stocking caps. Glam: The team couldnt cut Ms Collinss real hair (pictured) because they were shooting the drama out of sequence They then created another wig to make it look as though Ms Collins had cropped hair. But the appearance of suffering was not entirely artificial. Of the freezing conditions in Belgium, where the series was shot, the actress said: We really were as true to life as we could be. I was freezing. The director said, I dont think its cold enough Lily requested to be colder, and I was already blue. I thought, There are two ways to go about this one is to completely just switch off and in my head complain about the conditions, or use it, because this is how Fantine lived. Les Miserables is on BBC1 tonight at 9pm. Isla Fisher usually stuns with her scorching red hair. But on Saturday, the 42-year-old Tag star turned heads with her gleaming, golden dress at the BAFTA Tea Party in Beverly Hills. The actress was accompanied to the celebrity get-together by her funnyman husband, Sacha Baron Cohen, 47. Golden looks: On Saturday, Isla Fisher, 42, turned heads with her gleaming, golden dress at the BAFTA Tea Party in Los Angeles The Nocturnal Animals star's gold sequin dress featured a plunging front that could barely contain her. Isla boosted her 5ft3in height with a pair of open-toed black stilettos. The actress' copper-colored hair flowed in waves down her shoulders. Golden girl: The Nocturnal Animals star's gold sequin dress featured a plunging front that could barely contain her Red head: The actress' copper-colored hair flowed in waves down her shoulders Celebrity get-together: Isla and Sacha were attending the BAFTA Tea Party, an awards season staple where celebrities and actors nominated for awards gather Isla and Sacha were attending the BAFTA Tea Party, an awards season staple where celebrities and actors nominated for awards gather. The gathering, held at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, tends to have a more relaxed atmosphere than most awards season events. Although there weren't any major shenanigans at Saturday's party, Sacha has been known to stir up controversy at other BAFTA events. During an award show in 2013, the Borat pranked audience members by appearing to accidentally push an elderly woman in a wheel chair off the stage, mock 'killing' her. In reality, it was all a carefully orchestrated joke, and the 'deceased' lady was a stunt woman. The comic actor received acclaim (and some condemnation) for his most recent series, Who Is America?, in which he caught political extremists in embarrassing admissions thanks to his carefully calibrated comedic personas. No funny business: Although there weren't any major shenanigans at Saturday's party, Sacha Baron Cohen, 47, has been known to stir up controversy at other BAFTA events, like when he pretended to push an elderly woman off the stage Cute couple: Isla and Sacha have been married since 2010 and share three children, daughters Olive, 11, and Elula, eight, and son Montgomery, three Isla had her usual fiery hair at Saturday's event, but on Tuesday she shared a photo of herself looking completely transformed with blonde locks. The actress wrote, 'Go blonde in '19 or go home.' The quick return to her red roots suggests she may have just been wearing a wig. Bye bye blonde: Isla had her usual fiery hair at Saturday's event, but on Tuesday she shared a photo of herself looking completely transformed with blonde locks Isla and Sacha have been married since 2010. They couple share three children, daughters Olive, 11, and Elula, eight, and son Montgomery, three. The couple expanded their family in November with the adoption of Busta BC, a beagle. 'Introducing Busta BC,' wrote the actress on her Instagram post. 'My easiest labor and he's already sleeping through the night.' He's known for his ruthless side as one of the dragons in Dragons' Den. But Peter Jones was a world away from his TV persona as he looked relaxed while on a family trip to Barbados on Saturday. The business tycoon, 52, showed off his style as he donned a white Gucci t shirt with red shorts. Chilled: Peter Jones was a world away from his TV persona as he looked relaxed while on a family trip to Barbados on Saturday. He teamed his statement outfit with Gucci slides and sunglasses also by the Italian label. Peter had a radiant smile on his face as he walked along the shore with his family. But at one point the father-of-five ran into some difficulty as he struggled to get into a boat. Style: The business tycoon, 52, showed off his style as he donned a white Gucci t shirt with red shorts Designer: But at one point the father-of-five ran into some difficulty as he struggled to get into a boat Fun: Peter had a radiant smile on his face as he walked along the shore with his family The businessman started his first computer company in his mid-twenties, but after it failed he was forced to give up his home and move back in with his parents. He bounced back and in 2005 he teamed up with fellow Dragons' Den star Theo Paphitis to buy Red Letter Days. But it was reported in 2017 that the pair were almost scammed by an accountant who 'forged cheques over a two-month period'. The duo have been be panelists on the BBC One show since it's conception in 2005. Tough times: The businessman started his first computer company in his mid-twenties, but after it failed he was forced to give up his home and move back in with his parents Deal: He bounced back and in 2005 he teamed up with fellow Dragons' Den star Theo Paphitis to buy Red Letter Days This is the life: The TV star and businessman was a world away from the Dragons' Den as he strolled the sand Peter has also starred on US show American Inventor and ITV's Tycoon which ran for one year. And he took over from Gordon Ramsey as the face of BT Business while also appearing in adverts for software company Sage Group. The entrepreneur is dad to Annabelle and William, who he shares with his first wife, and Natalia, Isabella and Tallulah with second wife Tara. Bodyguard heart-throb Richard Madden could seal the deal to become the next James Bond if he wins a Golden Globe tonight. The Scottish star is nominated for Best Actor in a Television Drama for his role in the BBC series which was also a hit in the US. Madden, 32, is up against fellow Brit Matthew Rhys, who starred in The Americans, as well as Hollywoods Jason Bateman for Ozark. Richard Madden (left) is nominated for Best Actor in a Television Drama for his role in the Bodyguard where he starred alongside Keeley Hawes (right) Bond producers are on the brink of approaching Madden to take arguably the most famous role in British film. His portrayal as the steely diplomatic protection officer David Budd and his bedroom antics with Home Secretary Julia Montague, played by Keeley Hawes, made him the bookies favourite to be the next 007. It is understood that Barbara Broccoli, the executive producer at Eon Productions who has the final say on all Bond characters, is more likely to approach him if he becomes a big name in Hollywood. She plays the Queen in Netflix drama The Crown, and tonight Olivia Colman is tipped to reign in Hollywood and pick up the prestigious Golden Globe award for Best Actress. Her success, however, is not likely to stop there because she is also heavily backed to pick up her first Oscar next month in the same category for her role of Queen Anne in comedy drama The Favourite. The Globes, which will be held tonight in Los Angeles, are the strongest indication of who will win the Academy Awards. Olivia Colman (left) is tipped to win an award for her role as the Queen in The Crown (right) Last year Frances McDormand won Best Actress for her role in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, in both ceremonies. In 2017 Emma Stone picked up the two gongs for her lead role in La La Land. Tonight Olivia is up against Mary Poppins Returns star Emily Blunt, 35, for the best actress in a comedy or musical gong a category which is being described as a Battle of the Brits. Meanwhile, Claire Foy, 34, who played the Queen in The Crown for the first two series, is nominated for Best Supporting actress in First Man along with Rachel Weisz, 48, from The Favourite. Bodyguard actor Richard Madden, 32, is vying to win best actor in a drama television series, and Richard E. Grant, 61, is nominated in the male category for Can You Ever Forgive Me? Olivias wait to become the Queen of Hollywood has been a long one. For many years her failure to crack America has been blamed on a lack of glitz and glamour. Claire Foy (pictured above) played the Queen in The Crown for the first two series In 2014, fans were furious when her Broadchurch role as detective Ellie Miller was given in the US version Gracepoint to blonde American Anna Gunn, while her Scottish co-star David Tennant was retained. Olivia, 44, married to writer Ed Sinclair, 45, whom she met while studying at Cambridge, has already been entertaining Hollywoods great and good. At the Palm Springs International Film Festival, she took a swipe at Donald Trump and Theresa May. Picking up an award, she told the audience: There is my character Queen Anne, someone in whom resides all the madness, frustration, confusion and instability of a powerful person unfit for their job I dont know if you know anyone like that. Laughing, as the audience cheered, she added: We have it in England as well. They are both beautiful ladies, with elegant style to match. And on Saturday, Lily Collins and Amy Adams led the star-studded arrivals at the BAFTA Tea Party in Los Angeles. The annual event, held at the Four Seasons Hotel, was attended by nominees, members and guests of the British Academy of Film and Television Awards organization. Big night: On Saturday, Lily Collins, 29, and Amy Adams, 44, led the star-studded arrivals at the BAFTA Tea Party in Los Angeles Lily looked lovely in a ruffle dress, complete with a blue floral print design. The 29-year-old wore her chocolate brown hair down and in waves. Her make-up featured a dramatic wing and a deep red lip. Amy, 44, chose a 90's-inspired cream dress by Emilia Wickstead complete with dramatic sleeves. Pretty woman: Lily looked lovely in a ruffle dress, complete with a blue floral print design Her glam: The actress wore her chocolate brown hair down and in waves. Her make-up featured a dramatic wing and a deep red lip. Stand out: Emma Stone, 30, made a bold statement in a pleated maroon dress complete with a bird print design Three's a crowd: Joining Emma was The Crown star Olivia Colman and Rachel Weisz, 48 Glamorous: Claire Foy, 34, looked lovely in a champagne-hues satin dress by Altuzarra for the big night Glamorous gals: Emily Blunt,35, looked beautiful in a long sleeve, print dress paired with bright yellow heels. Regina King, 47, dazzled in a sleeveless, blue dress complete with sparkling appliques Emma Stone, 30, made a bold statement in a pleated maroon dress complete with a bird print design. Joining Emma was The Crown star Olivia Colman and Rachel Weisz, 48. Claire Foy, 34, looked lovely in a champagne-hues satin dress by Altuzarra. Emily Blunt, 35, looked beautiful in a long sleeve, print dress paired with bright yellow heels. Regina King, 47, dazzled in a sleeveless, blue dress complete with sparkling appliques. Joining the star was hubby John Krasinski, 39. He looked handsome in a classic plaid suit, red sweater and white button-up. Date night: Joining the star was hubby John Krasinski, 39 Elegant: Melissa McCarthy, 48, looked stunning in a black lace dress and purple heels Different strokes: This is Us star Justin Hartley, 41, wore a plaid suit, T-shirt and sneakers. Crazy Rich Asians star Gemma Chan, 36, chose an artsy dress while Gone Girl star Rosamund Pike, 39, displayed her well-toned legs in a ruffle frock Shining bright: Isla Fisher, 42, made a bold statement in a gold sequin dress Parents night out: She was joined by comedian husband Sacha Barren Cowen, 47 Melissa McCarthy, 48, looked stunning in a black lace dress and purple heels. This is Us star Justin Hartley, 41, wore a plaid suit, T-shirt and sneakers. Crazy Rich Asians star Gemma Chan, 36, chose an artsy dress while Gone Girl star Rosamund Pike, 39, displayed her well-toned legs in a ruffle frock. Isla Fisher, 42, made a bold statement in a gold sequin dress. She was joined by comedian husband Sacha Barren Cowen, 47. Look of the land: Danai Gurira, 40, and Lupita Nyong'o wore traditional-inspired clothes, while Kathryn Hahn, 45, chose a long-sleeve, silk dress Like mother like daughter: Glenn Close, 71, and her daughter Annie Starke, 30, suited up in modern blazers and slacks The young ones: Lana Condor, 21, was ready for summer in a flowy dress, while Joe Alwyn chose a simple grey jacket and slim pants. Elsie Fisher looked ready for spring in a bright orange suit Family outing: Patricia Arquette, 50, looked lovely in a white Grecian gown, while daughter Harlow, 15, coordinated her artsy dress with her mother. The girls were joined by artist Eric White Danai Gurira, 40, and Lupita Nyong'o wore traditional-inspired clothes, while Kathryn Hahn, 45, chose a long-sleeve, silk dress. Glenn Close, 71, and her daughter Annie Starke, 30, suited up in modern blazers and slacks. Lana Condor, 21, was ready for summer in a flowy dress, while Joe Alwyn chose a simple grey jacket and slim pants. Elsie Fisher looked ready for spring in a bright orange suit. Patricia Arquette, 50, looked lovely in a white Grecian gown, while daughter Harlow, 15, coordinated her artsy dress with her mother. The girls were joined by artist Eric White. Attractive couple: Willem Dafoe, 63, was joined by wife Giada Colagrande, 43 All eyes on them: Janet Mock, 35, Linda Cardellini, 43, and Blanca Blanco, 37, chose to standout in bright colors Date night: Jason Ralph, 32 joined girlfriend, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star, Rachel Brosnahan, 28, on the red carpet Chill mode: Timothee Chalamet, 23, looked relaxed in a simple sweater and skinny jeans, while Troye Sivan, also 23, chose a relaxed sweater and trousers as well. Thandie Newton, 46, chose a leather bodice dress complete with a full khaki skirt Willem Dafoe, 63, was joined by wife Giada Colagrande, 43. Janet Mock, 35, Linda Cardellini, 43, and Blanca Blanco, 37, chose to standout in bright colors. Jason Ralph, 32 joined girlfriend, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star, Rachel Brosnahan, 28, on the red carpet. Timothee Chalamet, 23, looked relaxed in a simple sweater and skinny jeans, while Troye Sivan, also 23, chose a relaxed sweater and trousers as well. Thandie Newton, 46, chose a leather bodice dress complete with a full khaki skirt. Breath of fresh air: Patricia Clarkson, 59, looked absolutely lovely in canary yellow Classic casual: Adam Driver, 35, looked handsome in a black jacket, jeans and sneakers. Laura Harrier, 28, chose a bright, sequin two-piece dress complete with a rose print Catching up: Amy and good pal Emily had a happy reunion Gal pals: The women shared sweet hugs Girls unite: Once inside the venue, several of the stars caught up with their fellow in-crowd peers. Lupita and Dana stopped to chat it up with Kiki Layne, 27 Traditional: Sasha and Isla couldn't help but grab a cup of tea Once inside the venue, several of the stars caught up with their fellow in-crowd peers. Lupita and Dana stopped to chat it up with Kiki Layne, 27. Sasha and Isla couldn't help but grab a cup of tea. Pals: Willem and Patricia mingled at the star-studded event Pals: Lupita and Danai stopped to chat with Selma star Colman Domingo, 49 Elegant: Courtney Love looked lovely in a white polka dot dress and round clutch bag She's had a jet-set month after flying to Australia for the latest series of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here. And Georgia Toffolo was ready for some more travelling on Saturday as she landed in sunny Barbados for a break with friends. Made In Chelsea star Toff was already dressed for the balmy temperatures as she made her way through arrivals on the paradise island. Wish you were here: Georgia Toffolo was ready for some more travelling on Saturday as she landed in sunny Barbados for a break with friends Toff looked gorgeous in a skimpy lace-trimmed camisole top which she teamed with a bright blue mini skirt with gold stud detail. The chic outfit showed off the blonde's svelte figure while she flaunted her sense of style with quirky accessories. The glam star ditched the heels in favour of pink lace-up brogues which matched the pompom detail on her raffeta bag which had the words 'Champagne please' scrawled across it. Summer style: Made In Chelsea star Toff was already dressed for the balmy temperatures as she made her way through arrivals on the paradise island Earlier the reality star had shared a snap of herself lounging on the plane in her pjs as she gushed about her excitement at going on holiday. 'Any tips for Barbados? So happy to be going back to that island! Feeling so lucky and excited,' she captioned the snap. Weeks ago Toff was in Australia to take part in I'm A Celebrity Extra Camp, after winning the series in 2017. Chic: Toff looked gorgeous in a skimpy lace-trimmed camisole top which she teamed with a bright blue mini skirt with gold stud detail Cheers! The glam star ditched the heels in favour of pink lace-up brogues which matched the pompom detail on her raffeta bag which had the words 'Champagne please' scrawled across it Ready for the sun: Toff had changed into her island ready ensemble while on board According to sources though, Toff is said to have fallen out with Extra Camp presenter Scarlett Moffatt, who emerged victorious in the jungle the year before her 'She flew out to Australia for Extra Camp but she was upset while she was there because of Scarletts attitude towards her,' The Sun reported. 'There were major issues on set and theres a lot of bad blood between them. 'Toff doesnt know what sparked it but she was made to feel very unwelcome and was upset by the way Scarlett treated her.' Baggage: The star hadn't packed light, pulling two huge suitcases through arrivals Landed: The blonde looked relaxed despite her long flight as she chatted to pals in line Meanwhile another source close to Scarlett, rebutted the claims. They said: 'Scarlett loves Toff and they have never had a falling out. For someone who herself was bullied at school this is very upsetting.' MailOnline has contacted representatives for both the girls for comment. Ready to tan: The star spent Christmas in London with family but was obviously keen to escape the January blues and chilly weather He recently split from Australian actress, Diana Glenn after an eight-year long relationship. And now reports have emerged claiming Vince Colosimo, 52, has been in a secret relationship with a woman named Sabella Sugar for 'several months'. The Sunday Telegraph revealed the rumoured couple rang in the New Year together in Melbourne alongside a crowd of partygoers last week. New couple alert? Rports have emerged claiming Vince Colosimo, 52, has been in a secret relationship with a woman named Sabella Sugar for 'several months'. Pictured at the AACTA Awards in Sydney on December, 2018 The publication claims the rumoured couple, who reportedly attended a number of events together at the end of 2018, couldn't contain their excitement as they stepped out for the New Year's Eve party. Daily Mail Australia has reached out for comment. Split: Meanwhile in July 2017, reports emerged the Underbelly star (right) split from the Secrets and Lies star (left) who is the mother of his four-year-old son, Massimo. Pictured at the Australian Open in 2016 One year earlier in July 2017, reports emerged the Underbelly star split from Secrets and Lies star Diana Glenn, who is the mother of his four-year-old son, Massimo. The former flamers are said to have fallen in love on the set of television show Carla Cametti in 2009. The actor also shares a daughter, Lucia, 16, with his former spouse, Jane Hall. Former flames: The former couple are said to have fallen in love on the set of television show Carla Cametti in 2009. Pictured at the 2012 AACTA awards in Sydney The former couple met in 1994 on the set of A Country Practice but separated in 2007 after 11 years together. Things turned nasty between the pair after a bitter property dispute over their Inner-North Sydney home which they shared and renovated and was eventually taken to the Supreme Court. The Lantana legend recently made headlines for his high profile legal woes. Case of the ex: The actor (left) also shares a daughter, Lucia, 16, with his former spouse, Jane Hall (right) The former couple met in 1994 on the set of A Country Practice but separated in 2007 after 11 years together. Pictured at the AFI awards in Melbourne, 2010 In November 2017, Vince was convicted and fined for driving through Melbourne's CBD while suspended and under the influence of ice. He pleaded guilty in Melbourne Magistrates' Court after being charged with driving on a suspended licence with the drug in his system when stopped and tested on 5 March 2017. He said nothing in court, except to acknowledge that he understood the penalty. Magistrate David Starvaggi convicted and fined the star $3,500. He also cancelled his licence for five months. It was the third time that he'd been caught driving on a suspended license, The Age previously reported. The Australian A-lister is best known for his roles in Lantana, The Wog Boy, and Underbelly. Prince Harry and Meghan have Captain Jack Sparrow as their newest neighbour, I can reveal. Pirates Of The Caribbean star Johnny Depp has followed in the Duchesss stiletto-clad footsteps and left Hollywood to join the Great Tew Crew in Oxfordshire. I hear he is renting one of the luxurious cottages on the estate, which is owned by Nicholas Johnston, a friend of former Prime Minister David Cameron. Other celebrities in the area include the Beckhams, who have a weekend retreat there, and M&S model David Gandy. Pirates of the Caribbean star Johnny Depp, pictured, has rented a house in Oxfordshire The Hollywood star is believed to have rented a house near the Beckhams, pictured Kate Moss, left, and Kate Winslet, right, are also known to live close by Marks and Spencer model David Gandy, pictured, also is known to live in the area Star Trek actor Sir Patrick Stewart also has a home at Little Tew, while Kate Moss and Kate Winslet live close by. I understand that Johnny, 55, made it his home in Britain while filming Waiting For The Barbarians. One well-heeled neighbour tells me: Johnny is renting a stone farmhouse on the estate. Its the talk of the village. He has been spotted a few times and its a big deal to have Hollywood royalty here. Johnnys new home is just a stones throw from Soho Farmhouse, which attracts A-listers such as George and Amal Clooney. An autograph hunters paradise! Alice's dress is to die for - just like Killing Eve! I think Ive discovered where actress Alice Eve got her inspiration when she dazzled on the red carpet last week in a pink tulle dress. Arriving for the W Magazine party in Los Angeles, Alice appeared to be adopting some of the fashion sense of Villanelle, the stylish assassin played by Jodie Comer in the hit BBC drama Killing Eve. Pink tulle is obviously all the rage in the United States. Star Trek actress Alice, 36, is following in the footsteps of Julia Roberts, who donned a fuchsia outfit for the November cover of Harpers Bazaar magazine. And last year Jennifer Lopez wore a Giambattista Valli creation with a train that was so huge she had to arrive for a New York film premiere in a minivan rather than a limo. I think Ive discovered where actress Alice Eve got her inspiration when she dazzled on the red carpet last week in a pink tulle dress. Arriving for the W Magazine party in Los Angeles, Alice, left, appeared to be adopting some of the fashion sense of Villanelle, the stylish assassin played by Jodie Comer, right, in the hit BBC drama Killing Eve Radiant Rosie gets a little taste of love island Rosie Huntington-Whiteley definitely ticks all of the yummy mummy boxes The svelte body, trendy bikini, must-have oversized bag by Celine and, of course, the cute and perfectly kitted-out son Rosie Huntington-Whiteley definitely ticks all of the yummy mummy boxes. The M&S model, 31, looked stunning in the 250 scalloped swimwear by high-fashion designer Marysia as she posed with 18-month-old Jack. The photo was taken by Rosies action-man fiance Jason Statham, 51, while the family enjoyed some sun in Tahiti. Lagoon dipping with my baby shark, wrote Rosie referring to little Jacks hat as she shared the sweet photo with her 8.9 million Instagram followers. Rosie has made no secret of how much she is enjoying herself on her holiday. Last week she posed next to a palm tree to tell us she was loving island life. Not that Im jealous, of course He's used to partying aboard his 115 million Lionheart yacht with a gang of celebrity friends. But when retail tycoon Sir Philip Green moored off the enchanting Amilla Fushi island resort in the Maldives for New Year, his guest list scarcely extended beyond wife Tina, daughter Chloe and the Hot Felon aka Chloes boyfriend Jeremy Meeks. Cara Delevingne, Noel Gallagher and Rita Ora were on the island, but Green is short of pals these days, after being named in Parliament as the businessman at the centre of sexual harassment claims. He has denied the allegations. She counts the Duchess of Cambridge among her loyal customers, but that doesnt appear to have helped designer Alice Temperleys finances much. Latest accounts show her business, Temperley Holdings, is nearly 20 million in the red. Alices frocks typically cost about 2,000, but last week John Lewis announced that her 99 leopard-print dress was its bestselling clothing item in 2018. Hate to point out the obvious, but maybe thats the future When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcome their first-born this spring, the baby will become one of the most famous people in the world. But with Harry and Meghan counting down the days until the birth, speculation is mounting over whether the child will be given a HRH title. I can reveal that the excited parents-to-be have not yet been given permission by the Queen for their children to be styled as His or Her Royal Highness. with Harry and Meghan counting down the days until the birth, speculation is mounting over whether the child will be given a HRH title I can reveal that the excited parents-to-be have not yet been given permission by the Queen for their children to be styled as His or Her Royal Highness Due to a declaration by King George V more than a century ago, only the eldest son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales is entitled to the honour. Any other great-grandchildren of the Monarch have to be granted titles. In December 2012, using Letters Patent a method by which the sovereign can give orders without involving Parliament the Queen announced that all of William and Kates children would be HRH, not just the eldest son. But with just weeks until the birth of Harry and Meghans first child, the couple have not yet received such a decree. One of the most likely reasons is that Harry, 34, has been outspoken in the past about wanting his children to live a normal life. The Prince said in 2017: I am determined to have a relatively normal life, and if I am lucky enough to have children they can have one too. We dont want to be just a bunch of celebrities but instead use our role for good. It is also understood that Prince Charles wants a smaller Royal Family. Charles might have decided only the children of his eldest son are to be HRH, a Royal source says. If the Sussexes have a son, the boy will have the surname Mountbatten-Windsor and be known as the Earl of Dumbarton the Duke of Sussexs secondary Scottish title. A daughter will be Lady Mountbatten-Windsor. Princess Annes children Peter and Zara were not automatically given a HRH. Despite the Queen offering to give them the title, Anne and her then husband Mark Phillips declined. Ewan McGregor may want to avert his gaze now His daughter Esther dressed in the bright yellow swimming costume has just turned 17 and already she has teamed up with big sister Clara, to post scantily clad photos online to promote her raunchy new pop video. The Star Wars actor, 47, might want to close his ears too, because the lyrics are enough to make one blush. I love it when your fingers touch my waist. Your fingers linger when you stroke my face, she trills. Ewan McGregor might not be too impressed by the image of his daughter Esther, right, which she posted on Instagram with her big sister Clara, left, to promote her new pop video A funny friendship for Fergie Ben Stiller and Sarah Ferguson, pictured, make the most unusual of celebrity friendships Ive witnessed some strange showbusiness friendships over the years, but few quite as unlikely as the one between Sarah Ferguson and Zoolander star Ben Stiller. The pair are thought to have met through the charity Brilliant Is Beautiful, which provides scholarships to young girls. They got together at an event for the charity in Dubai last month. Sadly, despite them both being single, Im assured there is no romance on the cards. Meanwhile, Fergie, 59, has set up a production company to make historical dramas based on women. Surf's up... and Mike's down Mike Tindall really must try harder at surfing because while he was awarded an MBE by his in-laws for his efforts on the rugby pitch, he isnt a natural at all sports, as my pictures show. The former England captain, 40, who is married to the Queens granddaughter Zara, lost his balance and plunged into the water while holidaying on Australias Gold Coast. Perhaps stick to dry land in future, Mike Mike Tindall really must try harder at surfing because while he was awarded an MBE by his in-laws for his efforts on the rugby pitch, he isnt a natural at all sports, as my pictures show The former England captain, 40, who is married to the Queens granddaughter Zara, lost his balance and plunged into the water while holidaying on Australias Gold Coast Perhaps stick to dry land in future, Mike Sir Rod Stewart says his one chance to crack Hollywood was snatched away from him by his rival Elton John. Rod, 73, was offered the part of the Pinball Wizard in the 1975 film Tommy, but tells me: Elton told me not to and he got the part. Alice's dress is to die for - just like Killing Eve! I think Ive discovered where actress Alice Eve got her inspiration when she dazzled on the red carpet last week in a pink tulle dress. Arriving for the W Magazine party in Los Angeles, Alice appeared to be adopting some of the fashion sense of Villanelle, the stylish assassin played by Jodie Comer in the hit BBC drama Killing Eve. Arriving for the W Magazine party in Los Angeles, Alice Eve (pictured) appeared to be adopting some of the fashion sense of Villanelle, the stylish assassin played by Jodie Comer in the hit BBC drama Killing Eve Pink tulle is obviously all the rage in the United States. Star Trek actress Alice, 36, is following in the footsteps of Julia Roberts, who donned a fuchsia outfit for the November cover of Harpers Bazaar magazine. And last year Jennifer Lopez wore a Giambattista Valli creation with a train that was so huge she had to arrive for a New York film premiere in a minivan rather than a limo. Jodie Comer is pictured playing Villanelle in the BBC drama Killing Eve She counts the Duchess of Cambridge among her loyal customers, but that doesnt appear to have helped designer Alice Temperleys finances much. Latest accounts show her business, Temperley Holdings, is nearly 20 million in the red. Alices frocks typically cost about 2,000, but last week John Lewis announced that her 99 leopard-print dress was its bestselling clothing item in 2018. Hate to point out the obvious, but maybe thats the future Radiant Rosie gets little taste of love island The svelte body, trendy bikini, must-have oversized bag by Celine and, of course, the cute and perfectly kitted-out son Rosie Huntington-Whiteley definitely ticks all of the yummy mummy boxes. The M&S model, 31, looked stunning in the 250 scalloped swimwear by high-fashion designer Marysia as she posed with 18-month-old Jack. The photo was taken by Rosies action-man fiance Jason Statham, 51, while the family enjoyed some sun in Tahiti. Lagoon dipping with my baby shark, wrote Rosie referring to little Jacks hat as she shared the sweet photo with her 8.9 million Instagram followers. Rosie has made no secret of how much she is enjoying herself on her holiday. Last week she posed next to a palm tree to tell us she was loving island life. Not that Im jealous, of course Rosie Huntington-Whitely, 31, looked stunning in the 250 scalloped swimwear by high-fashion designer Marysia as she posed with 18-month-old Jack Look who's joined the Great Tew Crew Prince Harry and Meghan have Captain Jack Sparrow as their newest neighbour, I can reveal. Pirates Of The Caribbean star Johnny Depp has followed in the Duchesss stiletto-clad footsteps and left Hollywood to join the Great Tew Crew in Oxfordshire. I hear he is renting one of the luxurious cottages on the estate, which is owned by Nicholas Johnston, a friend of former Prime Minister David Cameron. Other celebrities in the area include the Beckhams, who have a weekend retreat there, and M&S model David Gandy. Pirates Of The Caribbean star Johnny Depp has followed in the Duchesss stiletto-clad footsteps and left Hollywood to join the Great Tew Crew in Oxfordshire. Model David Gandy (pictured at an even in London in October last year) is another resident Model Kate Moss is another resident of the Oxfordshire area Kate Winslet (pictured in London in February 2016) also leaves nearby Star Trek actor Sir Patrick Stewart also has a home at Little Tew, while Kate Moss and Kate Winslet live close by. I understand that Johnny, 55, made it his home in Britain while filming Waiting For The Barbarians. One well-heeled neighbour tells me: Johnny is renting a stone farmhouse on the estate. Its the talk of the village. He has been spotted a few times and its a big deal to have Hollywood royalty here. Johnnys new home is just a stones throw from Soho Farmhouse, which attracts A-listers such as George and Amal Clooney. An autograph hunters paradise! Other celebrities in the area include the Beckhams (pictured) who have a weekend retreat there He's used to partying aboard his 115 million Lionheart yacht with a gang of celebrity friends. But when retail tycoon Sir Philip Green moored off the enchanting Amilla Fushi island resort in the Maldives for New Year, his guest list scarcely extended beyond wife Tina, daughter Chloe and the Hot Felon aka Chloes boyfriend Jeremy Meeks. Cara Delevingne, Noel Gallagher and Rita Ora were on the island, but Green is short of pals these days, after being named in Parliament as the businessman at the centre of sexual harassment claims. He has denied the allegations. Kylie Jenner has once again sparked rumors she's engaged to Travis Scott after she was seen wearing a diamond ring on her wedding finger. The star, 21, also showed off the sparkling accessory in a series of Instagram snaps she posted on Saturday. She wouldn't elaborate any further, only adding a single heart emoji in the caption, but several fans noticed the sizable ring. Big rock: Kylie Jenner was pictured stepping outFriday with a large diamond ring on her left hand, sparking engagement rumors Engagement rumors: Jennfer also posted several new Instagram snaps wearing the huge ring Jenner was pictured wearing a white cropped coat over an off-white cropped turtleneck and white sweats. She also had her blue-ish hair tied back with a white bag draped over her shoulder, but all fans were talking about was the significant rock on her ring finger. One fan, souka_beautorial, commented, 'Is that a promise ring or an engagement ring?' along with several emojis. Jenner made little effort to hide the ring when she was seen out in Los Angeles on Friday night. Engagement vibes: Jenner was pictured wearing a white cropped coat over an off-white cropped turtleneck and white sweats Stepping out: She was also pictured on Friday night wearing the same white ensemble from her social media snaps, while making a seemingly concerted effort to show off the ring Just a few weeks earlier, her boyfriend of two years, Travis Scott, told Rolling Stone that he has been thinking about marriage. 'We'll get married soon,' Scott said last month. 'I just gotta sturdy upI gotta propose in a fire way.' There had been speculation that they had already secretly tied the knot, given that Scott calls Jenner, 'Wifey' a lot, but he hasn't popped the question yet. Showing off the rock: One fan, souka_beautorial, commented, 'Is that a promise ring or an engagement ring?' along with several emojis Blonde Kylie: She also had her blue-ish hair tied back with a white bag draped over her shoulder, but all fans were talking about was the significant rock on her ring finger Rock close-up: A closer look at the massive ring Jenner was seen wearing on Friday 'We was just two kids, f--king around,' he told Rolling Stone, about the beginning of his relationship. 'Maybe, like, the first week, you don't know if it's real or a fling. Then the second week you're like, 'Whoa, I'm still talking to her, she's responding, I'm responding. 'We ain't run out of a thing to say,' he added. 'And it got to a point where I was like, "I need her with me to operate. She's that one."' Travis on Kylie: 'We ain't run out of a thing to say,' he said, adding, 'And it got to a point where I was like, "I need her with me to operate. She's that one"' Kylie and Travis: 'We was just two kids, f--king around,' he told Rolling Stone, about the beginning of his relationship Jenner gave birth to their first child, daughter Stormi, on February 1, 2018, with the child's first birthday approaching. Jenner also revealed recently that Kim Kardashian's fourth pregnancy was 'heavily influencing' her plans for her second child. If an engagement is in the future, it could cause a rift within the Kardashian clan, with a report surfacing on Tuesday that Khloe Kardashian 'hates' the thought of Kylie getting married before her. She's known for her glamorous red carpet gowns. But on Saturday, Nicole Kidman went for a more casual style at the 6th annual Gold Meets Golden party in Beverly Hills. The age-defying 51-year-old looked smart and stylish in a black jacket, dark blue denim jeans and a red silk blouse, all from Valentino. Gorgeous: Nicole Kidman, 51, stunned at the 6th annual Gold Meets Golden party in Beverly Hills on Saturday Adding more designer flair to her ensemble, the actress finished with a pair of Jimmy Choo high heels and a maroon Moynat handbag. Nicole's skin looked remarkably smooth, with the star going for minimal makeup to showcase her wrinkle-free complexion. Once inside the shindig, the To Die For actress rubbed shoulders with Patricia Clarkson. Designer diva! The ageless 51-year-old looked smart and stylish in a black jacket, dark blue denim jeans and a red silk blouse, all from designer Valentino Accessories: Adding more designer flair to her ensemble, the actress finished with a pair of Jimmy Choo high heels and a maroon Moynat handbag The star-studded Gold Meets Golden party brings together Hollywood's elite with top professional athletes to celebrate the intersection between sport and Hollywood. Earlier this week, Nicole made history at the AACTA International Awards for being the first actor to be nominated in both the lead and supporting categories in the same year. The star was nominated for Best Actress for her role in Destroyer and Best Supporting Actress for Boy Erased. Smooth: Nicole's skin looked remarkably smooth, with the star going for minimal makeup to showcase her wrinkle-free complexion. Fresh faced: Nicole's luminous complexion was glowing as she smiled for photos She won the gong for the latter, but lost Best Actress to Olivia Colman in The Favourite. The Australian stunner is now gearing up for the Golden Globes, where she's nominated for Best Performance for her role in Destroyer. W Magazine just released an annual list of 2018's best on-screen performances, and four Australian stars made the exclusive 29-person list. Frozen: The actress ensured she stayed warm in a pair of jeans and a thick black jacket Stars: Once inside the shindig, the To Die For actress rubbed shoulders with Patricia Clarkson Nicole led the pack, with the publication highlighting the 51-year-old's performances in both Destroyer and Boy Erased. 'Ive been working as an actor since I was 14 years old,' Nicole told W. 'Its a choice, but its also a calling. Sometimes, I kind of try to move away, but it always pulls me back.' After calling it quits with TV husband Patrick Miller last year, Married At First Sight's Charlene Perera claimed she was 'still looking for love.' And it appears the reality star, 33, may have found her prince charming after all, having debuted new man, real estate executive Marcus Tanti this Saturday. Taking to Instagram to reveal the exciting news, Charlene shared a series of loved-up selfies of the couple as they enjoyed a Sri Lankan getaway. Patrick who? Married at First Sight's Charlene Perera, 33, debuted her new man in a romantic holiday photo shoot on Saturday as the couple enjoyed Sri Lankan getaway She captioned the shots: 'This country, these people, this food, this guy,' before tagging Marcus in the post. Gazing into the lens, the pair looked like the picture of happiness while struggling to keep their hands off each other. According to his Linkedin profile, Melbourne-raised Marcus is a high-powered real estate executive with property giant, Savills. 'This country, these people, this food, this guy!' Taking to Instagram, Charlene, flaunted her new romance with a string of loved-up selfies alongside Marcus, who is a director at property giant, Savills It's unknown how long the pair have been dating. It comes after Charlene and Patrick, 36, revealed their split in March after being paired together on Nine reality smash hit Married At First SIght. Taking to social media, Charlene announced: 'The end to a truly amazing once in a lifetime experience! Another lifetime: After calling it quits with TV husband Patrick Miller last year, Married At First Sight's Charlene Perera claimed she was 'still looking for love '(Patrick), we did so well, what an amazing team we were! Thank you for this incredible ride - looking forward to a lifetime of friendship.' Confirming a very amicable split, Patrick responded with a similar gushing post. 'Charlene, my heartfelt wishes for you on your journey for love as we embark on our lives post MAFS... as also the journey for love will also continue in mine.' Loved-up! Charlene and Marcus looked like the picture of happiness while struggling to keep their hands off each other He concluded: 'One thing I do know if you will always have my back!' Married At First Sight fans will remember Patrick 'ghosted' Charlene after they agreed to stay together at the vow renewals. One reason for tension in their relationship was his overbearing mother, Ruby, who did not approve of their union Brazilian model Marlon Teixeira and his girlfriend Cheyenne Tozzi, 29, welcomed their first child together last October. And on Sunday, Marlon shared a rare photo of his baby girl Dahlia De La Lune along with a gushing social media tribute. Taking to Instagram, the 26-year-old hunk melted the hearts of his fans by showing his bundle of joy lying down in a cot. 'The highlight of my 2018 and whole life': Brazilian model Marlon Teixeira, 26, shared this rare photograph of his baby girl Dahlia De La Lune, who he shares with girlfriend Cheyenne Tozzi, on Sunday 'Dahlia De La Lune,' he captioned the post. 'The highlight of my 2018 and my whole life...Peace&Light (sic),' he went on. Doting parents Cheyenne and Marlon have been dating for over a year. Doting parents: Cheyenne and Marlon have been dating for over a year The couple confirmed their pregnancy back in June 2018, saying they were 'thrilled' to be starting their family. Prior to this, the pair did not release any details about the arrival of their newborn, keeping the baby's name, sex and birth date a secret due to health concerns. Speaking to Harper's Bazaar Australia in September last year, Cheyenne explained that her pregnancy journey was terrifying. So cute! Marlon (right) previously shared this heartwarming snap of himself with Dahlia De La Lune 'This pregnancy has been scary... uncertain. I have rhesus negative blood type... The body might treat the pregnancy as a virus and cause some real problems,' she candidly revealed, adding that her health was closely monitored. 'But I've been terrified. I didn't want anything out there until I knew the baby was going to be healthy. 'I feel for all women who have any complications or uncertainties during pregnancy, no matter how severe,' Cheyenne added. Joanna Burgess has broken her silence on brother-in-law Sam's split with his glamorous wife Phoebe. On Saturday, the wife of Sam's brother George Burgess shared a surprisingly candid Instagram Story revealing that Phoebe had 'never joined the Burgess' side of the family' for Christmas in the past'. It seemed the purpose of her post was to shut down speculation that she had taken a stab at Phoebe in a recent post uploaded to Instagram, in which Joanna had claimed this year's family Christmas lunch 'was the best one yet'. Scroll down for video 'She never joined our side of the family for Christmas!' Joanna Burgess (left) has broken her silence on brother-in-law Sam's split with his glamorous wife Phoebe (right) Phoebe wasn't pictured in the Christmas family photo, leading fans to wonder whether Joanna's post was a thinly-veiled swipe at her fellow blonde. 'It is not in my nature to take a dig at someone,' Joanna wrote on Saturday, breaking her silence. 'Phoebe has never joined the Burgess side for previous Christmas festivities,' she said of Phoebe, who was in a relationship with her estranged husband, Sam, 30, for five years. Breaking her silence: On Saturday, the wife of Sam's brother George Burgess shared a surprisingly candid Instagram Story revealing that Phoebe had 'never joined the Burgess' side of the family' for Christmas in the past' (Pictured: Sam and Phoebe Burgess) Setting the record straight: Joanna went on to give more details about her eyebrow-raising Christmas Instagram post and explained she wrote a similar caption for her upload in 2017. (Pictured: George and Joanna Burgess) 'Therefore it couldn't possibly be aimed at her! This year was no different to last year on her behalf.' Joanna went on to give more details about her eyebrow-raising Christmas Instagram post and explained she wrote a similar caption for her upload in 2017. 'My last years Christmas upload I used a similar caption as it was our sons first Christmas, this year we had out daughter join the three of us hence it being the best one yet,' she wrote. Deleted: The surprisingly candid post was shared to Joanna's Instagram story on Saturday night before being swiftly deleted hours later 'The best Christmas yet!' Joanna captioned the 2017 Christmas post alongside the hashtag: 'thankful.' Joanna deleted her post on Sunday morning. The saga began on Christmas day in 2018, when Joanna posted a family photo to Instagram showing herself, Sam, George and Luke Burgess enjoying a family lunch at a restaurant in Watson's Bay, Sydney. 'The best Christmas yet!' Joanna captioned the 2017 Christmas post alongside the hashtag: 'thankful' With Phoebe absent from the gathering, Joanna captioned the photo, 'Chrissy crew', alongside the hashtag, 'Best One Yet'. Fans were left wondering if the hashtag was a swipe at Phoebe, or simply an innocent comment about a joyful family gathering. It comes after Daily Mail Australia revealed that Phoebe had unfollowed Joanna and George Burgess on Instagram last Thursday. Shortly after the article was published, Joanna likewise unfollowed Phoebe. Taking a swipe? Last month, Joanna appeared to take a dig at Phoebe in a family Christmas photo - saying it was 'the best one yet' after she didn't attend Meanwhile, reports surfaced last week describing Phoebe and Sam's marriage split as 'pretty messy'. A close friend of the former couple told The Daily Telegraph that 'things have been bad for a while'. The insider explained that the break-up was particularly hard on Phoebe as Sam's mother Julie was standing by her son. 'It would have been hard for Phoebe because Julie would have completely stuck by Sam... and there's talk she didn't offer Phoebe much support,' they claimed. It was revealed last week that Sam and Phoebe separated shortly before Christmas, just weeks after the birth of their second child. Fans have been rallying behind the glamorous journalist on Instagram after news of the split made headlines. 'I'm very sorry to hear what has happened. Sending all of my love during this difficult time,' one person commented. It's over! It was revealed last week that Sam and Phoebe separated before Christmas, just weeks after the birth of their second child. Pictured on September 28, 2016 in Sydney Other comments included: 'My heart is breaking for you' and 'You're doing an awesome job as a mum to a toddler and a newborn and you've got this.' Last week, Sam disabled comments on some of his Instagram photos where he was pictured with Phoebe due to trolling. Sam and Phoebe first met at an Avicii concert in Sydney in January 2014. They kept their fledgling relationship a secret for eight months, before making their debut as a couple at the Dally M Awards in Sydney in September that year. Their relationship progressed quickly and just a month later, in October 2014, Phoebe relocated to England to support her boyfriend after he signed with a rugby union team in Bath, Somerset. Support: Fans have been rallying behind the glamorous journalist on Instagram after news of the split made headlines. Pictured: Sam and Phoebe on February 11, 2016 in Sydney By June 2015, they were engaged following a romantic holiday in Greece. The couple returned to Sydney in November 2015, after Sam re-signed with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, and they married a month later in December 2015 at Phoebe's parents' home in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. In January 2017, the couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Poppy Alice, who will soon turn two. Their second child, son William 'Billy' Mark, was born only last month. Hard times: Despite welcoming their son Billy just last month, there's no denying 2018 was a difficult year for the couple But despite what should have been one of the happiest times of their lives, a difficult few months clearly took a toll on the couple. Sam and Phoebe started 2018 with what appeared to be a fairytale marriage. In a May 2018 interview with Stellar magazine, Phoebe praised her husband, calling him quite simply 'a good man'. 'The moment he had a daughter, he had this amazing new appreciation for the other 50 per cent of the population,' she said. Fairytale romance: Sam and Phoebe married in December 2015 at Phoebe's parents' home in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales 'He doesn't skirt his responsibilities as a father. He never takes off and goes out with the boys instead of being a dad. 'He always makes the right choice - which I've never bullied him to do! He's just a good man. And it's sexy.' However, he was involved in an NRL 'sexting' scandal in September 2018 when it emerged his verified Facebook account was used to solicit a nude video chat with a 23-year-old woman in May. He was later cleared of any wrongdoing following an investigation by the South Sydney Rabbitohs NRL team. He also clarified on Twitter at the time, 'I have not sexted anyone'. She's the '70s sex symbol who broke his heart years ago. But Senator Derryn Hinch may be rekindling his old romance with glamour girl turned vegan activist, Lynda Stoner. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph the 74-year-old admitted that the pair had been spending a lot of time together, pushing for legislation to ban 1080 poison. The former Prisoner and Cop Shop actor was engaged to Derryn before he married his third wife, actress Jacki Weaver, 71 Rekindling their romance? Derryn Hinch (right) revealed he is spending a lot more time with his former fiancee and '70s sex symbol, Lynda Stoner (left), on Saturday 'I will tell you that Lynda and I have been friends forever,' Derryn told the publication. 'We were engaged nearly 40 years ago. We worked very closely together on banning live exports and are currently trying to ban 1080 poisons and yes, we are spending a lot of time together and both enjoying it.' Lynda had a successful career in film and television and in 1985 became a household name for playing the glamorous villain Eve Wilder in the cult soap opera Prisoner. Sex symbol: After spending years under the radar, Lynda has now emerged as a passionate campaigner for animal rights and is the CEO of animal liberation After spending years under the radar, she has now emerged as a passionate campaigner for animal rights and is the CEO of animal liberation. The pair have a long history together. In his maiden speech to parliament in 2016 Derryn referenced the time they spent in the '80s campaigning against cruelty to circus animals. Lynda appeared on Seven's The Daily Edition earlier this week where she spoke about the changing world of veganism. 'The whole rising wave of veganism, whether you do it for animal right's reasons or the environment, is the way forward,' she said. A long love affair? In his maiden speech to parliament in 2016 Derryn referenced the time they spent in the '80s campaigning against cruelty to circus animals While he may have a formidable ally in Lynda, it's been a tumultuous few weeks for the former media personality. Derryn's Justice Party won three Upper House seats at last month's Victoria election, effectively giving the party the balance of power in the state. But before his three new candidates were due to be sworn in, Catherine Cumming announced she will quit the party and sit as an independent. It's been six months since the Love Island Australia finale. But Mark O'Dare, 27, and Millie Fuller, 24, are still going strong, with the couple sharing a steamy beach photo shoot to fans during a romantic holiday in Kingscliff. In a photo shared to Instagram on Saturday, the reality stars put on a rather cheeky display while posing on the beach. Get a grip! Love Island's Mark O'Dare (right) lifted girlfriend Millie Fuller (left) into the air during a romantic beach holiday in Kingscliff on Saturday Mark was seen lifting his brunette beauty up in the air while clutching onto her derriere during their steamy PDA session. Clad in a leopard print bikini, Millie showed off her best assets as she flaunted her peachy posterior and toned legs. Going shirtless, Mark showed off his muscular physique, flexing his bulging biceps, wearing a pair of khaki boardshorts. Acting up: In a photo shared to Instagram on Saturday, the reality stars put on a rather cheeky display while posing on the beach 'I promise to always push you up the way you push me up... even though I have spaghetti arms,' she captioned the post. It's not the first raunchy holiday post the couple have shared. Last month, the couple embarked on a romantic trip to Jervis Bay National Park. Cute! Love Island Australia's Mark squeezed his girlfriend Millie's derriere as they posed for a photo while on a weekend getaway to Jervis Bay National Park recently In a photo shared to Instagram, the lovebirds put on a rather cheeky display while posing at the beach. In an Insta-perfect moment, Mark lifted his girlfriend up into the air while gripping her firmly by the buttocks. The 27-year-old showed off his bulging biceps in the photo, wearing nothing but a pair of striped boardshorts. And they said it wouldn't last! Mark, 27, and Millie, 24, are still going strong more than six months after the Love Island Australia finale Meanwhile, doggy daycare worker Millie, 24, flaunted her perky derriere and toned legs in a black and white leopard print bikini. Mark captioned the holiday snap: 'Moments like these.' The pair began dating towards the end of Love Island Australia, and are one of the few couples still together from the series. Her Netflix comedy special Nanette took the world by storm in 2018. So it was no surprise that Hannah Gadsby received an award for Nanette at the 8th AACTA International Awards in Los Angeles on Friday. Gadsby, who was unable to attend Sydney AACTA Awards back in December 2018, was retrospectively presented with a statue for Best Performance in a Television Comedy for Nanette. Dapper darling! Comedienne Hannah Gadsby (pictured) attended the 8th AACTA International Awards on Friday and received a gong for her Netflix comedy special Nanette The 40-year-old cut a dapper figure in a navy blazer and blue button-down ensemble, teamed with black trousers and grey shoes. Her short brunette hair was styled in a wave, and she completed the look with her trademark black frames. Hannah also presented a gong alongside AACTA awards host Renee Bargh, 32, for Best Screenplay to Tony McNamara for The Favourite. Prize possession! Hannah was recognised for her Netflix comedy special Nanette. The comedienne, who was unable to attend Sydney AACTA Awards back in December, was retrospectively presented with a statue for Best Performance in a Television Comedy Presenter duties: Gadsby also presented an award for Best Screenplay to Tony McNamara (right) for The Favourite Gadsby's AACTA gong comes after the Tasmanian-born star revealed how she was close to the edge during her first 'trial performance' of the critically acclaimed stand-up show. In an interview with The Project on Wednesday, Hannah said: 'At that point I was mad. I think I had clocked over into something close to insanity, with all the ideas that were still not formed yet.' She continued: 'I had just had a whole bunch of note cards with these furious scribbles on them like, "Picasso is an a**ehole!" I spent two days at my kitchen table doing that and then mucking around with the order of it.' Close to the edge: The news comes after the Tasmanian-born star revealed was close to the edge during her first 'trial performance' of the critically acclaimed stand-up show, Nanette The real problem came later on when she stepped on stage to perform her first version of Nanette to the 'test audience' of fans. She explained: 'I was walking on stage and I dropped all the cards! I picked them up and then just threw them on the ground. And everyone was just looking at me and thinking what has happened?!' 'I looked mad, as well,' she added. In an interview with The Project about Nanette on Wednesday, Hannah said: 'At that point I was mad. I think I had clocked over into something close to insanity, with all the ideas that were still not formed yet' As an Extra TV presenter, she's used to rubbing shoulders with the A-list at Hollywood events. And on Friday, Renee Bargh looked nothing short of glamorous as she stepped out in Los Angeles for the AACTA International Awards. The 32-year-old Australian personality flaunted her trim figure in a daring thigh-split dress on the red carpet, before hosting the star-studded event. Scroll down for video Hostess with the mostest! Extra TV presenter Renee Bargh flaunts her trim figure in a daring thigh-split dress as she hosts the AACTA International Awards in Los Angeles The blonde's frock consisted of a silk skirt and a sequinned black top, which featured bell sleeves and a bustier neckline. Renee - who hails from Byron Bay in Northern New South Wales - completed her look with black heels and simple makeup. Her hair was out and over her shoulders in neat waves. Relaxed: Renee - who hails from Byron Bay in Northern NSW - completed her look with black heels and simple makeup. Her hair was out and over her shoulders in neat waves Gorgeous! The blonde's frock featured a silk skirt and a sequinned black top, which featured bell sleeves and a bustier neckline On the red carpet at the event - which was attended by the likes of Glenn Close and Emily Blunt - Renee posed for a picture with Australian star Nicole Kidman. On the night, Nicole won Best Supporting Actress for her latest film, Boy Erased. Nicole stunned in a black and white dress, which featured a white ruffled design on the bust. Rubbing shoulders: On the red carpet at the event - which was attended by the likes of Glenn Close and Emily Blunt - Renee posed for a picture with Australian star Nicole Kidman (pictured) Winner! On the night, Nicole won Best Supporting Actress for her latest film, Boy Erased Meanwhile, as Renee continues to enjoy career success, it seems her personal life is going just as well. Renee is dating American Set It Up star Glen Powell, 30. The 30-year-old actor has been dating host Renee, US Weekly confirmed in November. The duo have been together for 'six months' according to an insider. It seems that things are comfortable for the pair, as another source close to the situation revealed that 'Renee has been staying at Glen's place.' New love! Meanwhile, as Renee continues to enjoy career success, it seems her personal life is going just as well. Renee is dating American Set It Up star Glen Powell, 30 (pictured) He's one of the rumoured names to front the next season of The Bachelor, but it looks like Scott Tweedie is heading to the South African jungle first. The TV presenter, 30, has just been announced as the host of a new I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! spin-off series called Saturday Schoolies. 'Saturday Schoolies is more or less jungle detention,' he told Ten Daily. 'It's jungle detention!' Rumoured 'Bachelor' Scott Tweedie (PICTURED) to host new I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! spin-off series 'Saturday Schoolies' 'I get to put these poor, sleep deprived and hungry celebrities up against one another all in the name of us laughing at them even more.' The weekend spin-off will see the star-studded cast of I'm a Celeb playing fun games and competing against each other. Despite adding an extra show to the I'm a Celeb schedule, Ten recently announced plans to make the upcoming season of the reality series a shorter one. According to I'm A Celebrity's Facebook page it will also run for five days a week, including on Friday and Saturday nights. It appears the timing is to ensure it doesn't come up against Channel Nine's Married At First Sight again, after struggling to pull in viewers. 'I get to put these poor, sleep deprived and hungry celebrities up against one another all in the name of us laughing at them even more,' he told Ten Daily in a statement According to a report by Mumbrella in March, one episode of I'm a Celebrity... pulled in 580,000 metro viewers, compared with Married At First Sight, which attracted 1.535 million metro viewers. Although it usually gets a six-week run, season five of I'm a Celebrity... will only run for four weeks. It will also commence around two weeks earlier than usual so as not to overlap too much with Married At First Sight. The new season of Married At First Sight will premiere on January 28, with Nine already airing teaser trailers for the upcoming series. Keeping it short: Despite adding an extra show to the I'm a Celeb schedule, Ten recently announced plans to make the upcoming season of the reality series a shorter one Competition: The new season of Married At First Sight will premiere on January 28, with Nine already airing teaser trailers for the upcoming series Unfortunately for Ten, the ratings for I'm a Celebrity... continue to plummet with each passing year. For the finale episode of the 2018 series, a measly 684,000 viewers tuned in compared to its 999,000 viewers in 2015 for the same episode. Meanwhile, Married At First Sight's viewership continues to grow. According to Mumbrella the hit reality series, which will be entering its sixth season in 2019, saw its highest ever ratings this year. Going down: Unfortunately for 10, the ratings for I'm a Celebrity... continue to plummet with each passing year Ouch: For the finale episode of the 2018 series of I'm A Celebrity... a measly 684,000 viewers tuned in compared to its 999,000 viewers in 2015 for the same episode (pictured is former campmate Keira Maguire) But speaking to The Daily Telegraph in October, 10 program chief Beverly McGarvey maintained everything was going to plan. 'We are going to do a short punchy run of I'm a Celebrity and then get into our regular schedule,' she said. 'The ratings have always dipped in week five. It was always designed as an event series. We're going to trim a little bit off.' She is currently enjoying a sun-soaked holiday in Dubai with her 14-month old daughter Sunday. But Ferne McCann still found time to promote the release of her fitness DVD Fit As Ferne, as she took to Instagram on Friday with a sultry video of her posing in a skimpy emerald bikini. The former TOWIE star, 28, looked sensational as she sported the plunging swimwear to parade her incredibly gym-honed physique after undergoing a huge body transformation following the arrival of her daughter in 2017. Sizzling: Ferne McCann, 28, took to Instagram on Friday with a sultry video of her posing in a skimpy emerald bikini to promote her new fitness DVD Fit As Ferne Posing up a storm in front of a mirror, Ferne made sure to show off her hard efforts in the gym in the scantily-clad video. The beauty slipped into a stylish two-piece bikini that paired together a busty halter-neck top, that made sure to frame her assets, and matching briefs that tied together in bows at her hips. Her beach attire ensured Ferne's physique was left firmly on show - drawing much attention to her washboard stomach and super-toned thighs. Flaunting her figure from all angles, Ferne smoulders for the camera as she toys with her hair, before blowing a kiss to her fans. Her post was in aid of the release of her brand new fitness DVD Fit As Ferne, with the star proving she is the perfect advocate for the training program as she displayed her enviable results. Wow factor: The former TOWIE star looked sensational as she sported the plunging swimwear to parade her incredibly gym-honed physique Enviable frame: The beauty slipped into a stylish two-piece bikini that included a busty halter-neck top, that made sure to frame her assets and leave her washboard stomach on display Fans were left just as impressed as they flocked to the comments section underneath her video to praise Ferne on her frame, with one user claiming the mother-of-one looked 'insane'. Others wrote: 'You look incredible.... fit, healthy and natural. Perfect role model. 'Fern looking like a Victorias Secret model. 'Beautiful Ferne I so need to get motivated. 'Fern u look amazing and so sexy and slim (sic).' Ferne's latest post comes after she has been updating her social media followers on her sun-soaked break to Dubai. Adventure: Ferne's latest post comes after she has been updating her social media followers on her sun-soaked break to Dubai The reality star has headed overseas with her daughter Sunday, one, and looked every inch the doting mum as they enjoyed a trip to the sand dunes found in the popular holiday resort. Inspired by the desert, Ferne matched her attire accordingly as she slipped into as criss-cross style cream crop top and striped skirt with a thigh-high split and rope detailing. Little Sunday meanwhile sported a ruffle yellow dress and looked enchanted by the mounds of sand. Capturing the special moment, Ferne captioned the post: 'Sunny one so true...I love you. I promise you have to take a trip to the sand dunes if youre in Dubai. I have been to Dubai so many times & never been. It was breathtaking & so lovely going with my little munch.' Sweet: The former TOWIE star, 28, who showcased her incredible physique in a crop top and pinstripe skirt took to Instagram to share snaps from her trip to the sand dunes with Sunday Magical: Capturing the special moment, Ferne captioned the post: 'Sunny one so true...I love you. I promise you have to take a trip to the sand dunes if youre in Dubai. Her trip abroad comes as Ferne has revealed she's ready to start opening herself up to the possibility of dating once again, almost two years after being left heartbroken. In April 2017, the former TOWIE star was pregnant with boyfriend Arthur Collins' baby when he injured 14 people by hurling acid on revellers at an east London nightclub bringing an abrupt end to their relationship ahead of his resulting prison sentence. And as Ferne raises their daughter Sunday alone, the TV personality who has recently been linked to a mystery 'older confidante' and Love Island's Charlie Brake has stated that she's ready for romance. 'For so long I've been saying I don't have the time, she told The Sun. 'I've always thought that this comes first, or that comes first, and couldn't imagine how I would have fitted dating into my busy life. Having a blast: Ferne couldn't have looked happier as she basked in the sunshine with her mini me Sunday Sunny getaway: Her trip abroad comes as Ferne has revealed she's ready to start opening herself up to the possibility of dating once again My priority is my daughter Sunday and I have to work to provide for her, but she's a year old now and life is moving on. My friends are getting married and I'm a bridesmaid at my sister's wedding. 'I'm at that stage of my life, so I am more open to dating now. That's my New Year's resolution.' Ferne has often spoken of the struggles she has faced being a single mother. She told Closer magazine last year: 'While I was pregnant, I knew I was going to be a single mum, but it didn't hit me until I actually had Sunday. 'That was tough to deal with realising I really was totally on my own. I don't have another person to confer with. Uprooted Palestinians are at the heart of the conflict in the M.E Palestinians uprooted by force of arms. Yet faced immense difficulties have survived, kept alive their history and culture, passed keys of family homes in occupied Palestine from one generation to the next. Filming for I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! kicks off next week. And host Julia Morris has had a hilariously rude welcome back to the South African jungle on Friday. Having touched down in Africa the day before, the 50-year-old took to Instagram to show what was waiting her. 'My welcome committee!' Julia Morris (pictured) gets a hilariously rude introduction to the jungle as she arrives in South Africa to film I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! She shared a photo of a zebra with its back turned to her to reveal its buttocks, as the warm welcome the comedienne received. Julia captioned the side-splitting photo: 'My welcome committee!' Earlier, the TV host shared a series of photos taken in a spa after she landed in South Africa to film the reality series. Nice view: She shared a photo of a zebra, it's back turned to her to reveal it's buttocks, revealing the warm welcome the comedienne received Pampered: Earlier, the TV host shared a series of photos taken in a spa after she landed in South Africa to film the reality series She captioned the snaps, in which she is seen wearing a white robe and being pampered: 'Jungle prep laughter & spa day'. Julia is pictured with a friend She captioned the snaps, in which she is seen wearing a white robe and being pampered: 'Jungle prep laughter and spa day.' Earlier this week, Julia revealed she was on her way to start shooting on the show. Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, the funnywoman shared a plane selfie just before take-off. Out she goes: Earlier this week, Julia revealed she was on her way to start shooting on the show on a long haul flight Pulling a funny face, the mother-of-two went makeup-free while wearing Qantas branded pajamas, ready to conquer the 14+ hour flight to South Africa. 'Rocking my own pillow,' the brunette wrote. It comes after Channel Ten recently confirmed the show will premiere January 13, 2019 with Julia Morris and Dr Chris Brown returning as hosts. Former Big Brother star Skye Wheatley, 24, has revealed a first glimpse at her precious bundle of joy after welcoming her first son on Christmas Eve. The new mother took to Instagram Stories on Tuesday with a photo of herself tenderly cradling the newborn as she lay in the hospital bed. 'So in love', she captioned the heartwarming Christmas Day snap. 'So in love!' Skye Wheatley, 24, shared a first glimpse at her newborn baby boy as she cradled him in the hospital bed after welcoming him on Christmas Eve While Skye made sure to cut her and her baby's face out of frame, fans were able to see the Instagram model lying down in a striped nightie with a bandage on her wrist and a perfectly-painted red nails. The tiny newborn was swaddled in a white blanked emblazoned with cartoon animal faces. Hours later, she shared a photo of her partner Lachlan Waugh, 30, tenderly holding his sleeping tot along with the caption: 'Best Christmas present'. 'Best Christmas present': Hours later, she shared a photo of her partner Lachlan Waugh, 30, tenderly holding his sleeping tot He's finally here! Skye introduced her newborn son to the world with a heartwarming video with partner Lachlan Waugh, 30, on Monday night New parents! Skye and Lachlan celebrated the birth of their first child in the early hours of Monday morning Skye and Lachlan announced the arrival of their first child on Monday. Taking to Instagram Stories from her hospital bed, Skye shared a sweet video of Lachlan cradling their newborn. Seemingly oblivious to the fact he was being filmed, the first-time dad can be seen gently bouncing the baby while patting his back. 'Good job, Dadda,' Skye encourages her beau, prompting him to turn around and smile at her, giving fans a glimpse of the newborn. Doting dad: Taking to Instagram Stories on Monday, Skye shared a sweet video of Lachlan, 30, trying to comfort the newborn, who can be heard crying Thanks for sharing! Skye Facetimed her best friend (pictured inset - Michael Finch) from her hospital bed as she prepared to give birth The former reality star was taken to hospital on Sunday night after entering labour. And after promising to vlog her experience, Skye began FaceTiming her make-up artist pal Michael Finch from her hospital bed. Skye looked a little dressed down in the screenshot from the video call, no longer wearing her bright red lipstick from earlier in the evening. A little more casual! Skye looked a little dressed down in the screen shot from the video call, no longer wearing her bright red lipstick from earlier that same evening She laid down in a hospital bed, throwing up a peace sign, as Michael beamed at her. He wrote over the picture: 'I am so excited for you I could cry.' In September, he told Daily Mail Australia that he believed Skye was going to be a great mother. Not long! Skye also showed off her baby's heart beat on the monitor, as her boyfriend-of-one-year told her doctors were preparing the exam room Skye also showed off her baby's heart beat on the monitor, as boyfriend-of-one-year Lachlan Waugh told her doctors were preparing the exam room. She also said her contractions were getting '1000x' stronger. Skye revealed earlier on Sunday she's 'definitely got to be in labour' during a video she shared to her Instagram story. The blonde star posted a series of clips documenting her contractions. 'I'm having contractions!' Heavily pregnant Skye (R) shows signs of early labour and promises to vlog the experience as she prepares to give birth to her first child with partner Lachlan Waugh (L) 'I'm having contractions!' Skye announced in the clip as she filmed her blonde beau as they prepared to welcome their baby boy. 'I don't believe you!' Lachlan remarked before she reiterated: 'I'm having contractions!' Lachlan, who has been subjected to a number of Skye's pranks continued to probe his girlfriend, asking: 'Why do you laugh every time you say you're having one?' 'OMG this is so exciting. I'm getting them (contractions) regularly!' she said in the clip as she practiced deep-breathing exercises 'Because, it's exciting! He's coming! He's coming,' she exclaimed. 'He thinks I'm f**king with him!' Skye captioned the video, clearly referencing her boyfriend. In the next video, Skye revealed she is experiencing contractions more 'regularly.' 'OMG this is so exciting. I'm getting them (contractions) regularly!' she said in the clip as she practiced deep-breathing exercises. 'He's coming!' The blonde star (right) who is expecting her first child with her boyfriend-of-one-year Lachlan Waugh (left) posted a series of clips documenting her contractions 'Loving the pain!' she captioned the same clip. Seconds later, the social media influencer shared another clip to her story and insisted she's 'definitely' in labour. 'I've definitely got to be in labour! So I just called the hospital,' she explained in a piece-to-camera before adding: 'LOL I can't believe I'm on Instagram right now! I'm just really excited!' 'Today's the day come on': Skye Wheatley pleaded with her baby to pop as she flaunted jher burgeoning belly in this orange bikini at 40 weeks pregnant 'So I called the hospital and I have to go in if my contractions are five minutes apart and they're getting worse. At the moment they're 10-15, maybe 20 minutes apart. 'So fingers crossed they don't stop and we're having a baby tonight!' she concluded. In the final clip, Skye said she promises to video blog parts of her childbirth, sharing: 'Alright I'm signing off. I'm going to vlog for you guys but fingers crossed, pray for me that tonight is the night!' If you're suffering from the January blues then these hikes are guaranteed to put a spring in your step. Will Hide has selected the best walking holidays for 2019, including a women-only trip via Loch Lomond in Scotland, as well as a special jaunt that spans the length of Hadrian's Wall. Scroll down to read more... Pembrokeshire Coastal Path Rugged glory: The Pembrokeshire Coastal Path at Marloes Sands Wildlife: Spot grey seals between Amroth and St Dogmaels in Wales Enjoy a wonderful two-week amble along this gorgeous stretch of the Welsh coast, starting at Amroth and finishing at St Dogmaels, a total of 186 miles. Start off every morning with a hearty Welsh breakfast. Your baggage is transported on to the next nights accommodation, so you can travel light. Along the way, take in lovely beaches and historic castles, as well as possible sightings of grey seals, porpoises and basking sharks. Absolute Escapes (absoluteescapes.com) offers this two-week trip from 1,195pp (based on two sharing) with B&B, daily luggage transfer and information pack with maps (walescoastpath.gov.uk). Hadrians Wall Plan ahead for June and you could walk the length of Hadrians Wall, guided by either Mark Corney, a frequent contributor to Channel 4s Time Team, or leading archaeologist Tony Wilmott. The nine-day tour (starting at Wetheral in Cumbria and ending in Newcastle) covers up to 13 miles a day, with plenty of stories and tales en route and some of northern Englands most dramatic scenery. Andante Travels (andantetravels.co.uk) offers this holiday from 1,995pp (two sharing), including guiding, transfers and full-board accommodation, with wine at dinner. Yoga and hiking in Wales Morris Mountain Retreats offers yoga and hiking, with guests staying in charming Beddgelert Qualified mountain guide Rebecca Morris leads long-weekend retreats in Snowdonia, combining delicious home-made food, yoga and hiking. Based in a cottage in picturesque Beddgelert. As well as mountain ascents, theres time in the morning and evening for hatha and yin yoga (suitable for all abilities), and some weekends include wild swimming. Morris Mountain Retreats (morrismountains.co.uk) has fully inclusive long weekend breaks from 275 (two sharing). Cleveland Way Tasty: Whitby on the North Yorkshire coast, famous for its fish and chips The Cleveland Way National Trail celebrates its 50th birthday this year. The 109-mile path goes from the lovely Yorkshire market town of Helmsley, across the North York Moors to the coast at Saltburn, and then down along the dramatic North Sea shore to Whitby (be sure to stop at Trenchers on New Quay Road for fish and chips), Scarborough and Filey. Near the start is the dramatic escarpment of Sutton Bank, from the top of which author James Herriot said you could get the best view in England. Explore the southern end of the trail by staying at the Feversham Arms Hotel in Helmsley (fevershamarmshotel.com), 199 per night half-board doubles, including use of spa facilities. More details on the trail from nationaltrail.co.uk/cleveland-way, where you can download leaflets and route information. Novel Dorset Take a guided walk through beautiful Dorset, including an amble through Shaftesbury (above) The Hardy Way is billed as Britains first literature-themed long-distance path. This six-night, self-guided walk is based around part of a 220-mile route through Thomas Hardys slice of Wessex. On the way, youll spend two nights at the Inn in Cranborne, where the novelist once stayed, follow in Tess of the dUbervilles footsteps to Win Green and visit Shaftesbury, or Shaston, as Hardy called it in Jude The Obscure. Inntravel (inntravel.co.uk) offers this break from 665pp (two sharing) including B&B with some additional meals, luggage transfer between hotels, route notes and maps and transfer to pick up your car. West Highland Way Spectacular: A wooden sign points to Scotland's West Highland Way Wilderness Scotland is introducing women-only walking trips this year, designed to help women develop their confidence in the outdoors and meet like-minded adventurers. One of them is a week-long hike along the spectacular West Highland Way in Scotland, starting in Milngavie, near Glasgow, and arriving 95 miles later at Fort William via Loch Lomond, Rannoch Moor and Glencoe. Wilderness Scotland (wildernessscotland.com) offers this from 1,545pp (two sharing), including B&B with lunches and some dinners, guiding and transfers. The magical Northern Lights have intrigued and enchanted Arctic adventurers for centuries. And what better way to experience them for yourself than on our exclusive new 12-day voyage along the stunning Norwegian fjords? As well as enjoying one of the most beautiful and unspoilt places on Earth, you will have the chance to meet the extraordinary explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, who has completed record-breaking missions to both Poles and Mount Everest, and conquered the north face of the Eiger. Sir Ranulph will give two special talks and a Q&A during your trip, and will also join you on an included excursion to see the spectacular North Cape, the most northerly point of Europe. Enchanting: The dazzling Northern Lights Once-in-a-lifetime: The port of Bergen where your voyage begins Our previous exclusive Mail on Sunday sailings to see the Northern Lights, with special guests Kate Humble and Julia Bradbury, have sold out, so please book early for Sir Ranulphs trip to avoid disappointment. REASONS TO BOOK Meet Sir Ranulph Fiennes This is a unique opportunity to meet the legendary explorer and hear first- hand about his remarkable feats of courage and endurance. Sir Ranulph will give two exclusive talks during your voyage, and you will also have the chance to ask him your own questions in a private Q&A. The spectacular North Cape You will enjoy a special included excursion with Sir Ranulph, on which you will visit Norways remote and beautiful North Cape. OUR SPECIAL GUEST Sir Ranulph Fiennes, pictured above Sir Ranulph Fienness extraordinary achievements have seen him widely recognised as the worlds greatest living explorer. He served in the Army for eight years, as a member of the Royal Scots Greys and the SAS, and later embarked on a series of pioneering missions to many of the most remote and inhospitable places on the planet. He was the first person (with Charles Burton) to conquer both the North and South Poles on foot, and was the first (with Mike Stroud) to cross the Antarctic continent on foot. In 2009, Sir Ranulph climbed Mount Everest at the age of 65, becoming the oldest Briton to reach the summit. Advertisement The worlds most beautiful voyage During this wonderful 12-day voyage, you will see 2,500 miles of Norways stunning coastline, have the opportunity to explore more than 30 historic ports, and spend seven days in the auroral zone, where sightings of the Northern Lights are at their most breathtaking. Brilliant Arctic activities You can also take your pick from dozens of optional activities**, from guided nature walks and husky-sledding to joining a midnight concert at Tromsos Arctic Cathedral. You can even tuck into a traditional Viking feast. Sail the fjords in style Throughout this unforgettable journey, you will be sailing on MS Finnmarken. Its facilities include a two-storey panoramic lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows, an a la carte restaurant, bar, cafes, swimming pool and hot tub, sauna with a view, fitness room and library. The ship also hosts a series of free talks and demonstrations. The delicious food, which includes Norwegian specialities such as roast reindeer and aquavit ice cream, is all sourced locally. Meals are included in the price. Your Northern Lights promise Our travel partner Hurtigruten is so confident that you will see the Northern Lights during your 12-day trip that if you dont, the company will offer you another six- or seven-day Northern Lights voyage free of charge***. President Donald Trump claimed Sunday there was a 'productive' meeting to end the partial government shutdown after Vice President Mike Pence and aides emerged from it with no sign of forward movement and the president himself earlier said he didn't 'expect anything to happen' at it. 'V.P. Mike Pence and group had a productive meeting with the Schumer/Pelosi representatives today. Many details of Border Security were discussed. We are now planning a Steel Barrier rather than concrete. It is both stronger & less obtrusive. Good solution, and made in the U.S.A.,' he wrote. Pence, Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen and White House senior adviser Jared Kushner spent about 90 minutes Sunday afternoon meeting with aides from Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer's and Speaker Nancy Pelosi's offices after a Saturday gathering produced no results. President Donald Trump claimed Sunday there was a 'productive' meeting to end the partial government shutdown Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, Vice President Mike Pence, and White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner walk up the steps of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building to meet with Congressional staff on Sunday Trump said there was a good meeting Sunday on the shutdown talks A Democratic official told Axios the meeting started 45 minutes late and no progress had been made. Additionally, no other meetings of the group had been scheduled, the person said. Earlier Sunday the president set a low bar for the gathering. 'I don't expect anything to happen at that meeting,' he said. But, Trump added, 'very serious talks' would continue on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the coming week as the government went through day 16 of a partial shutdown. The president also claimed he found a 'good solution' for the crisis, which began on Dec. 21 after Democrats and the White House hit an impasse over funding Trump's border wall. His answer: a steel barrier instead of concrete wall. On Sunday Trump said he wold offer Democrats a 'steel barrier' instead of concrete wall because 'they don't like concrete so we'll give them steel.' 'We'll build a steel barrier,' he told reporters at the White House after he returned from a staff retreat at Camp David. 'It'll be less obtrusive and it'll be stronger,' he added. 'Steel is actually more expensive than concrete but it'll look beautiful and it's very strong. It's actually stronger,' he noted. Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said the wall's construction materials could be changed in order to reach a compromise between Democrats and the president House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said any offer from the president would be discussed The White House is pushing the change in linguistics as a way of offering Democrats' political cover so they aren't funding a 'wall.' Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said on Sunday the construction materials could be changed in order to reach a compromise between Democrats and the president. 'If he has to give up a concrete wall, replace it with a steel fence in order to do that so that Democrats can say, 'See? He's not building a wall anymore,' that should help us move in the right direction,' Mulvaney said on NBC's 'Meet the Press.' 'Call it a wall, call it a fence, the president actually said he didn't care what you call it. He even offered to let the Democrats help him design something. He says as long as it's effective, he doesn't care what you call it,' Mulvaney said. But even some members of Trump's own party found the idea odd, with Republican Sen. Susan Collins called the debate over construction material 'bizarre.' 'I've always thought that the debate over what the physical barrier should be constructed of was rather bizarre,' she said on NBC's 'Meet the Press.' But House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said any offer from the president would be discussed. 'It is an offer he made, and it'll be discussed,' he said on NBC's 'Meet the Press.' 'What we ought to do is open up the government first.' The president said earlier on Sunday his border wall can be built of steel instead of concrete if that will help Democrats come to terms in negotiations to reopen the government. 'The barrier or the wall can be steel instead of concrete if that helps people. It may be better,' the president said before he left for Camp David for a staff retreat. President Trump said Sunday the government shutdown could go on a for a while President Trump said he can relate to furloughed government workers as the partial government shutdown heads into its third week. 'I can relate and I'm sure that the people who are on the receiving end will make adjustments, they always do,' he said. 'But many of those people that won't be receiving a paycheck, many of those people agree 100 percent with what I'm doing,' he added. 'They will make an adjustment because they want to see the border taken care of,' Trump said later Sunday as he stood firm that all would be well for federal workers. 'It'll all work out,' he said. But he is standing firm on the $5 billion he wants to build his border wall. 'There's not going to be any bend right here,' he said. He also said, he, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi could get the government open in '20 minutes' if Democrats wanted. 'Schumer and Nancy Pelosi and myself can solve this in 20 minutes if they want to. If they don't want to it's going to go on a long time,' he said. 'I will tell this if we don't find a solution it's going to go on for a long time,' he added. He said he was holding firm because his supporters want a wall. 'The people that voted for Donald Trump and there's a lot of people, it was one of the greatest elections ever those people are for it so much. And let me tell you that people that didn't vote for Donald Trump are for it also. They want border security,' he said. 'I don't like doing this,' he added. 'I was elected to protect our country.' 'I think I'm doing a great job,' he noted. The White House and Democrats are locked between the $5 billion Trump wants and the $1.3 billion Democrats have offered. Neither side will budge. Trump said he thinks Democrats want to make a deal but he declined to say what he would offer - such as protections for Dreamers, the illegals brought to the U.S. by their parents as children - or if he would go down on wall funding to make that happen. 'Everybody's playing games but I'll tell you this, I think the Democrats want to make a deal,' the president said. He also indicated he was looking at his options, including declaring a national emergency. 'I may declare national emergency dependent on what going to happen in the next few days,' Trump said. Later in the day, upon his return from Camp David, he said: 'We're looking at a national emergency because we have a national emergency. Just read the papers.' Trump said he, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (above) could have the government open in 20 minutes Speaker Nancy Pelosi is blaming Trump for the impasse White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said the president was not fighting for a wall but for border security. 'The president's not fighting for the wall; he's fighting for the protection of American citizens,' she said on 'Fox News Sunday.' 'The president's prepared to do what it takes to protect our borders,' she added. Trump on Friday first floated the idea of declaring a national emergency to take the money he needs for his border wall. Such a move would likely face legal action. Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, said Sunday he didn't think Trump would be able to use emergency powers to build his wall. 'Look, if Harry Truman couldn't nationalize the steel industry during wartime, this President doesn't have the power to declare an emergency and build a multibillion dollar wall on the border,' Schiff said on CNN's 'State of the Union.' 'So that's a non-starter.' And Democratic Rep. Adam Smith, chair of the House Armed Services Committee, said Trump had the authority to declare a national emergency but it would likely be challenged in court. 'There is a provision in law that says the president can declare an emergency,' Smith said on ABC's 'This Week.' 'In this case, I think the president would be wide open to a court challenge saying, where is the emergency? You have to establish that in order to do this.' Under the National Emergencies Act of 1976, presidents are allowed to take such an action in times of emergency if they notify Congress, specify the circumstances that make the situation an emergency and document all uses of executive authority. Officials at the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice and Defense have researched the issue for the president, The New York Times reported. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said the president is 'prepared to do what it takes to protect our borders' Republican Sens. Thom Tillis, Cory Gardner, and Susan Collins have all called for the government to reopen Mulvaney on Sunday said the president has asked his cabinet agencies to examine whether their departments have funds that can be diverted. 'Presidents have authority to defend the nation,' he said on CNN's 'State of the Union.' 'The president has asked every single Cabinet secretary, and the Office of Management and Budget, to go out and find money that can be used legally to guard the Southern border,' he noted. The move has come as Trump finds himself between a rock and a hard place: his 2016 campaign promise to build a wall and increasing pressure from Republicans to get the government open. The president on Sunday brushed aside a question on whether he's lost any leverage in the talks as members of his party question on how long the shutdown will go on. 'I have tremendous support within the Republican Party,' he said. On Friday, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis became the their GOP senator to call for the shutdown to end, joining Sens. Cory Gardner and Susan Collins. 'I've never thought that shutdowns are an appropriate means of trying to achieve any kind of solution. This isn't a matter of one side or the other caving in. It's a matter of getting to a compromise, and that is a sign of strength. And it's important that we remember that real lives are being affected here,' Collins said Sunday on NBC's 'Meet the Press.' Trump also sought to push the blame toward the Democrats. 'This shutdown could end tomorrow or it could also go a long time. It's really depending on the Democrats,' he said. 'You think I like doing this. I don't like doing this but we have to have it,' he noted. But Speaker Nancy Pelosi blamed Trump for the impasse. She also blasted Trump for suggesting that he may build the wall anyway under presidential emergency powers. The impression you get from the president [is] that he would like to not only close government, build a wall, but also abolish Congress so the only voice that mattered was his own, Pelosi said on CBS's Sunday Morning. Democrats, meanwhile, are pushing their own measures to reopen the goverment. On Thursday, the first day House Democrats were in power, they passed two pieces of legislation to fund the government: one funded the Department of Homeland Security until Feb. 8 and the other funded all other closed departments - such as Justice, Interior, Transportation, Commerce and Agriculture - for the rest of the fiscal year through Sept. 30. Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said the president has asked his cabinet agencies to examine whether their departments have funds that can be diverted Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, said he didn't think Trump would be able to use emergency powers to build his wall An estimated 380,000 federal employees in those departments have been furloughed and another 420,000 will have to work without pay. The clock is ticking to Jan. 11 - the first pay period for those workers that will encompass the entire time period of the shutdown. Next week, Democrats plan to bring up individual bills to fund each department that is closed beginning with the Internal Revenue Service as fears mount tax returns could be delayed if the shutdown continues much longer. But Trump has said he will not sign any legislation that doesn't give him $5 billion for his wall. And Senate Republicans said they will not bring up any legislation the president won't sign. 'We're not doing a wall. Does anybody have any doubt we're not doing a wall,' Pelosi said Thursday, the day she returned to power. International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt, pictured, believes the dual role will quell foreign aid budget concerns Tens of millions of pounds in foreign aid money could be used to build ships to provide humanitarian relief and help the Royal Navy. International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt believes this dual role will quell concerns about Britain annual 14billion foreign aid budget. Critics often claim it is used to help nations wealthy enough to run their own space programmes, such as India and China. However, Miss Mordaunt claims the vessels dual role by assisting in military operations when they are not needed as hospital ships in disaster zones will allay those fears. In addition, the ships could even be used to host trade missions and promote Britain to the world, much like the Royal Yacht Britannia did before it was decommissioned in 1997. The scheme would be the most ambitious use of the aid budget in helping Britains overstretched Armed Forces. In a letter to Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, a copy of which has been seen by the Daily Mail, former Armed Forces minister Miss Mordaunt said the ships could take the place in crises around the globe of Navy vessels, such as the RFA Mounts Bay, which has been stationed in the Caribbean during the hurricane season. She added: We should also explore how this could support our military capabilities [and] take pressure off a stretched fleet. Miss Mordaunt, a Royal Navy reservist, is pushing for Treasury approval for her plan, having established a joint working group with the Ministry of Defence to increase co-operation with her department. The RFA Mounts Bay, pictured, has been stationed in the Caribbean during hurricane season She told Mr Williamson the two departments have an opportunity to think more radically and entrepreneurially about what could be delivered, adding: I am committed to demonstrating how UK aid and the Armed Forces can work closely together to achieve the best outcomes for the UK, and, as we approach the next spending review, that we are ensuring we are using our budgets in the smartest way possible. She said the vessels could provide further presence in Asia, Africa and the Mediterranean. Department for International Development sources said officials believed that international rules would allow aid money to provide a substantial share of the cost of the vessels, although the rest of the bill would have to be picked up by other departments. Aid money could also be used to pay for the running costs, except during operations with no development link. In her letter, the International Development Secretary said aid money could certainly be part of the funding for this, adding: I believe there is considerable interest from the private sector in supporting such a venture. Royal Navy vessels have been repeatedly called in to help with humanitarian disasters. But tight international rules on aid spending mean much of the cost cannot be recouped. One source said the Ministry of Defence received just 5million towards its costs in assisting with the fallout from Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean in 2017 when the Royal Navys flagship HMS Ocean was deployed. Under Miss Mordaunts plans, the new vessels would be fitted out to have the capability to act as hospital ships to help deal with casualties following natural disasters. They could also be used as a forward operating base for aid workers, as well as delivering humanitarian aid. When not needed for disaster relief or by the Royal Navy, the vessels could be used as part of trade missions. Miss Mordaunt said the initiative could build on our efforts to promote UK businesses overseas. Killers, paedophiles and bikie bosses were among 800 foreign citizens deported from Australia last year, new figures reveal. The criminals had their visas cancelled under tougher laws brought in by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton in 2014. One hundred peadophiles, 34 rapists or sexual offenders and 53 domestic abusers were deported, the figures showed. They were cast out alongside 13 murderers, 125 people guilty of assault and 56 armed robbers. Among the high-profile deportations was a violent Bandido ringleader who helped instigate the infamous Broadbeach Bikie Brawl. Booted out: Daniel Maxwell, 22, admitted to assault and affray over the death of Cole Miller, 18, who was killed in a one-punch attack Jim David Thacker, a 28-year-old New Zealander, was believed to be the founding president of the gang's powerful Beenleigh chapter. Thacker was involved in the Broadbeach brawl, where 60 Bandidos turned the beach into a war zone in September 2013. He was given 150 hours of community service for his involvement and pleaded guilty to riot. Bikie Aaron 'AJ' Graham, the founder of the Rebel's Tasmania chapter, was similarly deported to his native New Zealand. In 2009, Graham was convicted of attacking a 19-year-old insurance fraud investigator, punching and kicking him repeatedly before poking his eye with an aerial. Bikie Aaron 'AJ' Graham, the founder of the Rebel's Tasmania chapter, was deported to his native New Zealand The 50-year-old was sentenced to 15 months in jail. His visa was cancelled when Mr Dutton argued that Graham didn't meet character requirements. Also booted out to New Zealand was Daniel Maxwell, 22, who admitted to assault and affray over the death of Cole Miller, 18, who was killed in a one-punch attack. Mr Miller, 18, died after Maxwell challenged him to a fight while he walked through a mall with a friend to catch a taxi on January 3, 2016. Maxwell had told his friends 'do you want to see something funny?' before walking up to the teenager and punched him in the chest without provocation. Armstrong Renata, 22, then entered the fray and punched the teenager once in the back of the head, causing him to fall and hit his head on the pavement. Mr Miller never regained consciousness following the attack and his parents turned off his life support the following day. New Zealand pastor Logan Robertson was also deported after his visa was cancelled when he was charged with public nuisance. The Pillar Baptist Church pastor was accused of shouted racist abuse towards a 65-year-old man and 15-year-old boy when he and a group of followers turned up to Kuraby Mosque in Brisbane. Police alleged the group of men told two men 'you don't belong in this country, you bl***y terrorist, and we should burn this place down to the ground'. It was also alleged Mr Robertson referred to Islam as a cult and asked if the marriage between the prophet Muhammad and his wife Aisha amounted to paedophilia. Kevin Michael Lawrence, who was stranded in Thailand after he left Australia for a bike show. He is not known to have committed crimes but was a member of a bikie gang Another bikie to have their visa cancelled was Kevin Michael Lawrence, who was stranded in Thailand after he left Australia for a bike show. Rebels member Kevin Michael Lawrence, 56, came to Australia from Britain as a child in the 1960s and never applied to become an Australian citizen. Mr Lawrence left Australia to attend a motorcycle show in the Thai resort town of Pattaya and had no idea authorities cancelled his visa until he tried to board his flight home. Also deported were a string of killers, paedophiles and domestic abusers. The latest figures mean than under the new laws around 4150 foreign nationals have been deported over the past five years. Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs David Coleman said: 'Foreign nationals who think they can flout our laws and harm Australian citizens should expect to have their visa cancelled.' 'It is a privilege to enter and remain in Australia and we have no tolerance for those who put Australians in danger.' Mr Dutton added: We welcome people from all around the world, but those few who think they can live in Australia and be involved in criminal actions need to know they wont be staying long. Felicity Kendal said that having a stalker goes with the territory of being a female celebrity Felicity Kendal has said that having a stalker goes with the territory of being a female celebrity. The 72-year-old actress said she was followed home by a few stalkers early in her career. Women should not go into acting if they find it traumatic, she added. Miss Kendal, who is best known for playing Barbara Good in the hit 1970s BBC comedy The Good Life, said: I think everybody [had stalkers] in those days. It was just a couple of people who came to every show and then they followed me home and they were always outside my house. It wasnt serious, though. One of them was quite a sweet guy. Perhaps he was just lonely. Some people might be traumatised by that, but I think, Well, dont be an actress then. It goes with the territory to an extent. Several high-profile women have recently suffered stalking ordeals, including TV presenter Christine Lampard and BBC news presenter Emily Maitlis. Miss Kendal told The Observer: Obviously there are limits beyond which its frightening and terrible. You dont want to be shot and you dont want to be dragged into the bushes, but I think you instinctively know as a human being what the threshold is. The actress also told how she used to go into fits of rage and hurl crockery at her husband Michael Rudman after they married in 1983. She and the theatre director are now back together but have not remarried. When we were married I struggled with my temper, she said. What I loved most was to throw things round the house jugs, mugs, anything. I once threw a cup and saucer through the window of the ground floor flat we were living in and the following morning there was a ring on the doorbell and the porter, looking at the hole in our window, came back with all the little bits and said, I think these must be yours. Luckily, Michael has very quick reactions so I never hit him. The 72-year-old actress said she was followed home by a few stalkers early in her career BBC newsreader Miss Maitlis was stalked for more than 20 years and compared the experience to a chronic illness that had a devastating impact on her family. In January last year Edward Vines whom she had met while a student at Cambridge was jailed for 45 months for breaching a restraining order, having first been convicted of harassing her in 2002. Last summer former One Show host Christine Lampard attended court as Christof King, 39, admitted stalking her after sending her letters and turning up at her house. Despite sending messages including I can hear the scratch of nails as I sharpen them ahead of your crucifixion, King avoided jail and was given a nine-month suspended sentence. Finn Martin, now six, from Warminster, in Wiltshire, was diagnosed with leukaemia at three and a half years old For almost half his life six-year-old Finn Martin has known little apart from chemotherapy and hospitals. But on Saturday the child who was the face of the Daily Mails Quids for Kids campaign was finally able to declare that his cancer treatment is over. Finn and his family rang an End of Treatment bell as they reached the top of the London Eye ferris wheel to mark finishing chemotherapy. The boy, who was diagnosed with leukaemia at three and a half years old, had spent so long battling the disease that he could not remember when he did not have it. Our campaign, working with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, urged readers to give old round pound coins to charity and featured Finn in October 2017. Generous readers raised more than 150,000 to make dreams come true for youngsters fighting life-threatening conditions. Finn, from Warminster, Wiltshire, had always dreamt of going to Lapland but his gruelling treatment programme made travelling difficult. On Saturday Finn and his family, pictured with mother Debbie, rang the 'End of Treatment bell at the top of the London Eye to mark the last of 1,173 days he has spent being treated for cancer However, in December 2017, the Quids for Kids Campaign sent Finn, parents Debbie and Andy and brother Archie to visit Father Christmas. The trip to London on Saturday marked the last of the 1,173 days he has spent being treated for leukaemia. Mrs Martin said the family had the most amazing day on the London Eye. She added: We were taking photos and we were holding the bell people didnt have a clue what was going on. The End of Treatment Bell scheme gives children a symbolic moment to tell the world cancer treatment is over. Mrs Martin said Finn needed the whole pod to contain his energy and excitement at finishing chemo. Theresa May is being urged to delay the crunch Commons vote on her Brexit deal a second time until she has secured enough concessions from Brussels to win over her mutinous MPs. Yesterday, the Prime Minister insisted the vote would go ahead next week after it was axed at the last minute in December. But with dozens of Eurosceptic Tories and her DUP governing partners threatening to join forces with Labour to vote it down, several ministers are expected to use tomorrows Cabinet meeting to urge her to delay again. One said: It was a mistake last month to name the date for a new vote before knowing we had the concessions needed to win it. Theresa May is being urged to delay the crunch Commons vote on her Brexit deal a second time until she has secured enough concessions from Brussels to win over her mutinous MPs All a vote now would achieve is to crystallise the lack of support for the deal and potentially kill it. If we need more time to negotiate with Brussels then we should delay. I know shes saying it will go ahead, but she said that last time, too. Parliament would huff and puff, but in the end there is nothing they can do. Another Cabinet source said: She was persuaded to pull the vote last time because she recognised that you cannot go ahead with something if youre facing a landslide defeat. That logic still applies. The vote is expected to be held on or around January 15. The Daily Mail revealed on Saturday that she hoped to offer MPs a double lock on her deal to ease fears about the Irish border backstop Asked if it was definitely going ahead this time, she told BBC1s Andrew Marr Show: Yes, we are going to hold the vote. The Daily Mail revealed on Saturday that she hoped to offer MPs a double lock on her deal to ease fears about the Irish border backstop. Jobs are at risk, letter warns Theresa We are writing to you about the threat leaving the EU without a deal poses to manufacturing. Leaving without a deal would cause unnecessary economic damage. Trading on World Trade Organisation terms would make manufacturers less competitive and make it difficult to justify producing goods in the UK for export. Leaving without a deal would make investment in UK manufacturing a real challenge for global firms. Thousands of jobs across the country will be put at immediate risk. As a cross-party group of MPs, business leaders and representatives, we are united in our determination that the UK must not crash out of the EU without a deal. Advertisement This will involve a Commons amendment giving Parliament the right to serve 12 months notice that the UK intended to quit the backstop if Brussels soft-pedalled on a trade deal. Mrs May is also seeking a written guarantee from the EU that it will conclude a comprehensive trade deal with the UK within 12 months of the end of the Brexit transition effectively limiting the need for the backstop to no more than a year. In a third initiative aimed at reassuring Ulsters DUP, she will offer a guarantee that there will be no divergence between laws in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK during any period in the backstop. Government sources said further details of the proposals would be released ahead of the start of the Commons debate on the Brexit deal on Wednesday. But sources admitted the PM had not achieved a breakthrough with Brussels on the scale needed to win over the DUP, whose support is seen as critical in persuading Eurosceptic Tories to drop their opposition. Nigel Dodds, the DUPs deputy leader, said yesterday that the backstop the plan to maintain an open border on the island of Ireland if the UK leaves the EU without a deal remained the poison affecting any vote on the withdrawal agreement in the Commons. He added: Theresa May still insists that what she has negotiated is a good deal. She should remember that it would already have been consigned to the bin but for her pulling the vote in December. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home India Now, BJP, Congress spar over contracts to HAL The allegations and counter allegations was started by Congress President Rahul Gandhi New Delhi: Amidst already intensified debate over Rafale fighter jet deal in and outside the Parliament, the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress Saturday sparred over the contracts given to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The allegations and counter allegations was started by Congress President Rahul Gandhi. Gandhi in a message posted on Twitter accused Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of "misleading" and "lying" in the parliament. Asserting that Sitharaman's claim made in the Parliament that the government had given contracts worth 1 Lakh Crore rupees to HAL is false, Gandhi said she should prove her claim or resign as minister. "When you tell one lie, you need to keep spinning out more lies, to cover up the first one. In her eagerness to defend the PM's Rafale lie, the RM lied to Parliament. Tomorrow, RM (Raksha Mantri) must place before Parliament documents showing 1 Lakh crore of Govt orders to HAL", Rahul Gandhi wrote on Twitter. Rahul Gandhis Twitter post came after a media report claimed that not a single rupee of the said Rs 1 lakh crore has come to HAL. The media report cited senior HAL management officials in order to back its claim. In her counter offensive, Sitharaman said it was a matter of shame that the Congress president was misleading the country on the issue. She also tagged with her post details of the contract awarded to HAL since 2014 when the BJP came to power. "It's a shame that the president of @INCIndia is misleading the nation. HAL has signed contracts worth Rs 26570.8 Cr (Between 2014 and 2018) and contracts worth Rs 73000 Cr are in the pipeline. Will @RahulGandhi apologise to the country from the floor of the house?", she wrote on Twitter. BJP and Congress leaders sparred even as reports claimed that HAL is facing severe financial crunch and it has to take a loan of 1000 crore rupees to pay salaries to staff. Congress President Rahul Gandhi has been slamming the Modi government claiming that it had preferred Anil Ambani's 10-day old firm over HAL for the Rafale fighter jet deal with Dassault, France. For all the latest News, Opinions and Views, download ummid.com App . Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. More than 200 MPs are expected to warn Theresa May today they will never accept a no deal Brexit. The cross-party group led by former Tory Cabinet minister Dame Caroline Spelman and Labour frontbencher Jack Dromey will urge Mrs May to guarantee that the UK will not leave the EU without a deal even if her own proposals are defeated in the Commons next week. And the group, which includes nine former Cabinet ministers, will meet the Prime Minister tomorrow to press their case that a no-deal Brexit would cause economic damage and cost thousands of jobs. In a letter to Mrs May, they said: As a cross-party group of MPs, business leaders and representatives, we are united in our determination that the UK must not crash out of the EU without a deal. More than 200 MPs are expected to warn Theresa May today they will never accept a no deal Brexit We urge the Government to agree a mechanism that would ensure a no deal Brexit could not take place, and are confident this is a path that Parliament would support. Dame Caroline said the group also had the backing of major employers such as Rolls-Royce, Jaguar Land Rover, Airbus and Ford, and employers groups such as the CBI, the EEF manufacturers group and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Political signatories include former Tory Cabinet ministers Sir Oliver Letwin, Nicky Morgan and Dominic Grieve, their Labour counterparts Harriet Harman, Yvette Cooper, Ben Bradshaw and Liam Byrne, and the former Lib Dem energy secretary Sir Ed Davey. In a separate move, a smaller cross-party group will fire the first shot in a guerilla war designed to prevent a no deal Brexit. Miss Cooper and Miss Morgan have proposed an amendment to the Finance Bill, which enacts Budget pledges, that would prevent the Treasury implementing no-deal measures unless the idea of leaving without a deal had been sanctioned by Parliament. Mrs Morgan said it was time for Parliament to show our opposition to a no deal exit. Miss Cooper said: Time is running out and this is too serious for brinkmanship. Parliament needs to make sure there are opportunities to stop the country reaching the cliff edge by accident. This amendment helps to do that. The cross-party group led by former Tory Cabinet minister Dame Caroline Spelman (left) and Labour frontbencher Jack Dromey (right) will urge Mrs May to guarantee that the UK will not leave the EU without a deal even if her own proposals are defeated in the Commons next week MPs opposed to leaving without a deal are also planning amendments that could prevent ministers being paid and even stop the Treasury collecting taxes, effectively shutting the Government down a move that angered Tory Brexiteer Charlie Elphicke. He said: A Trump-style shutdown of Government finances is not the answer. The focus of all MPs should be delivering on the votes of 17.4million people. Making sure we are fully ready for every eventuality is in the national interest. This wrecking amendment is not. Eurosceptic former minister Peter Lilley will publish a paper on no deal today, arguing that the economy would prosper under World Trade Organisation rules. Mrs May warned yesterday that Britain would enter uncharted territory if her deal was voted down by MPs next week, telling BBC1s Andrew Marr Show: I dont think anybody can say exactly what will happen. But senior Downing Street figures believe MPs could make life all but impossible for the Government if Mrs May attempts to leave the EU without a deal. One source said: Some of the Eurosceptics think they can defeat the PMs deal and then just drift to no deal at the end of March. It isnt going to be like that. The idea that opponents of no deal who are in the majority are just going to sit back and let it happen is completely unrealistic. They will try to paralyse the Government. There is a question about how long any government could survive the kind of parliamentary ambushes we may see. Mrs May warned yesterday that Britain would enter uncharted territory if her deal was voted down by MPs next week, telling BBC1s Andrew Marr Show: I dont think anybody can say exactly what will happen. She said there was a danger we actually end up with no deal at all. Senior Tories believe Mrs May would attempt to secure fresh concessions from Brussels if she was defeated, before putting her plan to a vote for a second time. But the PM refused to say yesterday whether she would be prepared to lead Britain out of the EU without a deal. Urging MPs to back the deal on the table, she said: Ive always said no deal is better than a bad deal. What we have on the table is a good deal. But International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said a no deal exit was a possibility, claiming that if MPs voted against Mrs Mays deal, we may end up leaving the EU with no deal. He added: Most people seem to say thats not what they want to see. Well, they better make up their minds. Asked about her own future, Mrs May refused to put a timescale on her departure, adding: I was clear before Christmas with my colleagues on two things one, Im not going to call a snap election, and, secondly, I m not going to be leading the party into the 2022 general election. Theresa May is urged to delay crunch vote on her Brexit deal AGAIN until she wins enough concessions from Brussels to win over rebel MPs Theresa May is being urged to delay the crunch Commons vote on her Brexit deal a second time until she has secured enough concessions from Brussels to win over her mutinous MPs. Yesterday, the Prime Minister insisted the vote would go ahead next week after it was axed at the last minute in December. But with dozens of Eurosceptic Tories and her DUP governing partners threatening to join forces with Labour to vote it down, several ministers are expected to use tomorrows Cabinet meeting to urge her to delay again. One said: It was a mistake last month to name the date for a new vote before knowing we had the concessions needed to win it. Theresa May is being urged to delay the crunch Commons vote on her Brexit deal a second time until she has secured enough concessions from Brussels to win over her mutinous MPs All a vote now would achieve is to crystallise the lack of support for the deal and potentially kill it. If we need more time to negotiate with Brussels then we should delay. I know shes saying it will go ahead, but she said that last time, too. Parliament would huff and puff, but in the end there is nothing they can do. Another Cabinet source said: She was persuaded to pull the vote last time because she recognised that you cannot go ahead with something if youre facing a landslide defeat. That logic still applies. The vote is expected to be held on or around January 15. The Daily Mail revealed on Saturday that she hoped to offer MPs a double lock on her deal to ease fears about the Irish border backstop Asked if it was definitely going ahead this time, she told BBC1s Andrew Marr Show: Yes, we are going to hold the vote. The Daily Mail revealed on Saturday that she hoped to offer MPs a double lock on her deal to ease fears about the Irish border backstop. Jobs are at risk, letter warns Theresa We are writing to you about the threat leaving the EU without a deal poses to manufacturing. Leaving without a deal would cause unnecessary economic damage. Trading on World Trade Organisation terms would make manufacturers less competitive and make it difficult to justify producing goods in the UK for export. Leaving without a deal would make investment in UK manufacturing a real challenge for global firms. Thousands of jobs across the country will be put at immediate risk. As a cross-party group of MPs, business leaders and representatives, we are united in our determination that the UK must not crash out of the EU without a deal. Advertisement This will involve a Commons amendment giving Parliament the right to serve 12 months notice that the UK intended to quit the backstop if Brussels soft-pedalled on a trade deal. Mrs May is also seeking a written guarantee from the EU that it will conclude a comprehensive trade deal with the UK within 12 months of the end of the Brexit transition effectively limiting the need for the backstop to no more than a year. In a third initiative aimed at reassuring Ulsters DUP, she will offer a guarantee that there will be no divergence between laws in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK during any period in the backstop. Government sources said further details of the proposals would be released ahead of the start of the Commons debate on the Brexit deal on Wednesday. But sources admitted the PM had not achieved a breakthrough with Brussels on the scale needed to win over the DUP, whose support is seen as critical in persuading Eurosceptic Tories to drop their opposition. Nigel Dodds, the DUPs deputy leader, said yesterday that the backstop the plan to maintain an open border on the island of Ireland if the UK leaves the EU without a deal remained the poison affecting any vote on the withdrawal agreement in the Commons. He added: Theresa May still insists that what she has negotiated is a good deal. She should remember that it would already have been consigned to the bin but for her pulling the vote in December. Remnants of a rowdy night before are typically pretty evident in Melbourne's inner-city on a Sunday. But one picture taken by a weekend commuter and spread widely on social media has capitulated the once-most livable city in the world. In front of Myer Melbourne, where only weeks ago families had flocked to revel in the annual Christmas windows, a couple were seen getting frisky beneath a sheet by the side of the road. Scroll down for video A picturesque image of a Melbourne sunset has made the rounds on social media for all the wrong reasons Unfortunately for the couple, police attended the scene and quickly broke them apart Shocked Sunday shoppers could only look on as the couple, under the thin veil of a white sheet, had sex on the sidewalk. A photo of the lewd act was uploaded to Reddit on Sunday, with social media users laughing about who was having the best afternoon in Melbourne. 'To be fair, the Myer sale can get pretty exciting,' one punter joked. 'Who says romance is dead?' wrote another. One poster claiming to be an employee at an upmarket Italian restaurant on the street said the couple's lewd act wasn't the first of its kind. 'Having opened at Ca de Vin the in morning I wish I could tell you this is the first time I've seen this...' they wrote. In the photo taken an uploaded to Reddit, a couple could be seen getting frisky on the sidewalk Punters online joked that the post-Christmas Myer sales encouraged the couple to do the deed Unfortunately for the couple in question, they were quickly broken up by police, who were called by concerned bystanders. In video that has circulated through Twitter, the couple can be seen sheepishly getting up, with the woman appearing to kick her counterpart mid-sex. Victoria Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that authorities attended the scene. 'Upon attending, police arrested a 27-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman, both of no fixed place of address,' a spokesman said. 'Both will be charged on summons for behave in offensive manner in a public place and sexual exposure.' Hollywood parties are never easy to get into unless you're the flavor of the week or a marquee name. But one mysterious man managed to fool the likes of Keegan-Michael Key and Sarah Hyland to hand over their tickets to W Magazine's presented by Audi, Golden Globes party on Friday. The two celebrities and a Variety reporter were among the guests who were fooled by a tall man pretending to be a security guard for the bash. One mysterious man managed to fool the likes of Keegan-Michael Key and Sarah Hyland to hand over their tickets to W Magazine's Golden Globes party on Friday. Hyland still managed to get inside and is pictured at the bash The two celebrities and a Variety reporter were among the guests who were fooled by a tall man pretending to be a security guard for the party. Keegan and his wife Elisa Pugliese are seen here attending the party before getting duped. They were also let inside The man, who was white and wore a black suit and white shirt, asked guests for their tickets before they got into the elevator to reach the legendary Chateau Marmont penthouse suite, where the annual party is always held. After the guests got off on the sixth floor to continue making their way to the party, they were shocked when they were asked to hand over their tickets yet again. More and more guests then continued to come up to the floor and explain that they had already given their tickets to the suited man in the lobby as well. The bash was packed with stars including Nicole Kidman (pictured at the party), Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson, Emma Stone, and Olivia Colman. The annual party is always held at the penthouse suite of the legendary Chateau Marmont The befuddled guests were eventually allowed into the soiree and the man disappeared, now the stuff of Hollywood legends. It remains unknown what happened to the stolen tickets, although it is likely they could have been sold to LA residents. And what a party they would have walked into inside, where mini cheeseburgers were served on a platter and waiters poured glasses of Perrier-Jouet Champagne. The bash was also packed with stars including Nicole Kidman, Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson, Emma Stone, and Olivia Colman. Also among the celebrities in attendance were Michael B Jordan, Kate Beckinsale, Jon Voight, Rachel Bloom, Lili Reinhart, and Kat Graham. Adams is pictured at the party Pictures is Jordan and W Magazine editor Stefano Tonchi at the star-studded soiree on Friday Also among the celebrities in attendance were Michael B Jordan, Kate Beckinsale, Jon Voight, Rachel Bloom, Lili Reinhart, and Kat Graham. Breakout Roma stars Yalitza Aparicio and Marina de Tavira could be seen talking to Kidman, while director Alfonso Cuaron chatted with Tracee Ellis Ross. Variety reporter Marc Malkin revealed that the crowd 'parted like the Red Sea' when Billy Porter - the star of Ryan Murphy's Pose - arrived in an oversized black fedora hat and black knitted dress. 'It's my Amish look,' Porter quipped as friends cooed over the outfit. Speaker Nancy Pelosi tamped down on impeachment talk Sunday, saying it would take a bipartisan swell of support to happen, in the wake of a fiery f-bomb dropped by freshman Democrat Rashida Tlaib, an anti-President Donald Trump lawmaker. Pelosi told CBS News that anything impeachment related would have to wait for the report from special counsel Robert Mueller and need support from both sides of the aisle. Impeachment 'would be depending on what comes forth from the Special Counsel's Office. If and when the time comes for impeachment, it will have to be something that has such a crescendo in a bipartisan way,' she said on CBS' 'Sunday Morning.' Speaker Nancy Pelosi tamped down on impeachment talk Sunday Her comments came after freshman Democrat Rashida Tlaib told a party hosted by MoveOn.org: 'We're going to impeach the motherf***er!' House Majority Whip Steny Hoyer, the number two Democrat, was on the same message as Democratic leaders tried to move off the subject of impeachment House Majority Whip Steny Hoyer, the number two Democrat, was on the same message as Democratic leaders tried to move off the subject of impeachment and delay anything until Mueller drops his report on Russia's role in the 2016 election and whether Trump's campaign colluded with Moscow. 'I don't think an impeachment process is inevitable. And that's not what we're focused on,' Hoyer told NBC's 'Meet the Press' on Sunday. He added: 'I think the impeachment talks right now are distraction. We'll have to see what the Mueller report says.' Democratic leaders were reportedly furious at Tlaib's remarks, which dominated the close of the party's first week back in power in the House of Representatives. Tlaib dropped her F-bomb at the president during a party Thursday night hosted by the liberal group MoveOn. Speaking in a dimly lit room, Tlaib told a cheering crowd that she had told one of her young sons: 'We're going to impeach the motherf***er!' 'And when your son looks at you and says, 'Mama look, you won. Bullies don't win,' and I said, 'Baby, they don't,' because we're gonna go in there and we're going to impeach the motherf****r,' Tlaib said. When the video of her remarks surfaced online, she doubled down, refusing to apologize. 'I will always speak truth to power. #unapologeticallyMe,' Tlaib tweeted Friday. Rashida Tlaib told supporters that 'we're going to impeach the motherf***er' about President Trump as she celebrated becoming the first Palestinian-American woman in Congress Tlaib doubled down on Friday, refusing to apologize and citing a non-specific 'constitutional crisis' in claiming: 'we must rise' 'This is not just about Donald Trump,' she claimed. 'This is about all of us. In the face of this constitutional crisis, we must rise.' She didn't specify what constitutional crisis she was reacting to. Democratic congressional leaders have been trying to cool down talk of impeachment by rank and file members and keep the focus on policy differences. Pelosi's early reaction was to brush aside Tlaib's remarks. She told an MSNBC audience Friday that she was 'not in the censorship business,' claiming Tlaib's words were no worse than Trump's typical vernacular. 'I probably have a generational reaction to it,' she said, adding: 'I'm not in the censorship business. I don't like that language, I wouldn't use that language, but I wouldn't establish language standards for my colleagues.' Pelosi also claimed calling Trump a 'motherf***er' was 'nothing worse than the president has said.' 'I don't think we should make a big deal of it,' she declared. Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney took umbrage with the idea that Trump has helped coarsen the public discourse President Donald Trump brought up impeachment in his first meeting with Nancy Pelosi since she reclaimed the Speaker's gavel Pelosi's office confirmed that impeachment came up adding that Trump raised it in his opening remarks But acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney took umbrage with the idea that Trump has helped coarsen the public discourse. 'I don't think anybody blames the president for the coarsening of the language,' Mulvaney said on CNN's 'State of the Union.' 'The president does use coarse language in private a lot with us,' he conceded. 'Many people do but no I don't think anybody blames the president for the coarsening of the language.' Trump said Friday that Tlaib 'dishonored herself' and said her comments were 'disgraceful.' He also said he had spoken to Pelosi about the incident when he met with Congressional leaders at the White House to discuss ways to end the partial government shut down. 'You can't impeach somebody that's doing a great job. That's how I view it,' he said. He then recounted part of his meeting with Pelosi and other congressional leaders. 'I said why don't you use this for impeachment,' Trump said, referencing the shutdown. 'She said we're not looking to impeach you,' according to the president. 'I said, 'That's good, Nancy, that's good.' But you don't impeach people when they're doing a good job,' he continued. 'And you don't impeach people when there was no collusion because there was no collusion,' he added, returning to his repeated claims on Twitter and at prior press conferences. Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill tweeted minutes after Trump spoke: 'In his opening comments at the meeting, President Trump brought up impeachment. Speaker Pelosi made clear that today's meeting was about re-opening government, not impeachment.' His statement did not touch on Trump's claim that Democrats were not looking to impeach him. Some Democrats are already making moves toward impeachment. Hours after being sworn in on Thursday, Democratic Reps. Brad Sherman of California and Al Green of Texas reintroduced articles of impeachment against the president, something they pushed without success in the prior Congress. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy demanded that someone in the House Democratic Caucus 'stand up to' Pelosi for the sake of decorum Rep. Rashida Tlaib and her family participated Thursday in a ceremonial swearing-in from Speaker Nancy Pelosi House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy was furious when spoke to journalists on Capitol Hill Friday about Tlaib's comments. 'How do you work with anybody if this is what they really have planned? That they go down into a place, they have the MoveOn, they think others aren't watching it, they're using foul language. They introduce that they just want to impeach the president. Over what basis? We have government shutdown right now. Where are their priorities?' he asked on Friday. 'We watched a brand new speaker say nothing to her. ... That action should not stand,' McCarthy vented. 'Somebody should stand up to her. She's the speaker. That individual sits in her caucus. I would hope if she wouldn't, others in her caucus would.' Two Americans have been captured among a group of five ISIS fighters in eastern Syria, according to a spokesperson for the Syrian Democratic Forces. Identified as Warren Christopher Clark of Houston, Texas and Zaid Abed al-Hamid - also originally from the US, but of a location not yet released - the pair were seized alongside other foreign fighters from Pakistan and Ireland. Their capture came as part of Operation Jazeera Storm, a ploy to decimate the Islamic State's last foothold in northern Syria, according to a statement from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democatic Forces. Warren Christopher Clark, 34, (left) and Zaid Abed al-Hamid, 35, (right) of Huston, Texas has been apprehended by Syrian forces. A resume and covering letter written by Clarke to ISIS were found last year According to the New York Times, only four other Americans are known to have been captured alive on the battlefield in both Syria and Iraq. Only 14 Americans have returned back to the US after leaving to fight for the terrorist organisation, and the successful extradition of Clark and al-Hamid would bring the total to just 16. In contrast, Britain has seen 'hundreds' of ISIS soldiers successfully extradited back to the country for sentencing, according to a study at George Washington University. Last year, it was revealed 34-year-old Clark had written a covering letter and sent a resume to the Islamic State, hoping to secure employment as an English Teacher. The pair were captured as part of Operation Jazeera Storm, which is targeting ISIS' last foothold in northern Syria In the prospective application, Clark wrote: 'I was born and raised in the United States and have always loved teaching others and learning from others as well. 'My work background is largely in English and I consider working at the University of Mosul to be a great way of continuing my career.' According to his resume which was find during a raid of an IS safe-house in Iraq, Clark obtained a bachelor's degree from the University of Houston and worked as a substitute teacher for two years in Sugar Land, Texas. He then moved to Saudi Arabia to work as an English teacher, before undertaking the same role in Turkey for three months. Concluding in 2015, it's believed Clark joined ISIS around that time. Written under the pseudonym Abu Muhammad, Clark's prospective application was sent in the hope of securing employment within IS as an English teacher The Houston-native worked as a substitute teacher for two years, before moving to Saudi Arabia and then Turkey in 2015. It's then he's believed to have joined ISIS Few details have been released so far about al-Hamid, who is said to be 35. Speaking to Fox News, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Robertson said: 'We are aware of open source reports of reportedly American citizens currently in custody who were believed to be fighting for ISIS. 'However, we are unable to confirm this information at this time. The incident is under investigation.' On December 19, President Trump announced that US soldiers would be withdrawn from Syria under the pretense that ISIS had been 'defeated' in the region. However, yesterday the BBC reported that two British soldiers had been 'seriously injured' in a IS-led missile strike on Saturday morning. The President's spontaneous announcement prompted the resignation of defense secretary Jim Mattis, along with the White Houses senior envoy to the fight against ISIS, Brett McGurk. President Trump announced the immediate withdrawal of US Troops from Syria last month, but that plan appears to have now stalled Department of Defense chief of staff Kevin Sweeney also resigned from his post on Saturday evening. Trump's initial claims of an immediate withdrawal have now appeared to stall, after the president's national security adviser, John Bolton, admitted on Sunday that there's no timeline in place for the exodus and there's a number of conditions that must to be met first before the exit can commence. 'There are objectives that we want to accomplish that condition the withdrawal,' Bolton told reporters. 'The timetable [of the withdrawal] flows from the policy decisions that we need to implement.' White House national security adviser John Bolton has now revealed the once hasty exit plan is subjected to a number of conditions before it can commence Trump's spontaneous announcement has been followed by the resignations of defense secretary Jim Mattis (left) and Kevin Sweeney (right) One of the key conditions, Bolton went on to explain, was to ensure the safety of the Kurdish militias who have been instrumental in the US' efforts to eradicate Syria of ISIS. However, Turkey considers the Syrian Kurdish forces to be a terrorist group linked to an insurgency within its own borders. Ahead of his meeting with Turkish officials on Monday, Bolton said he will seek 'to find out what their objectives and capabilities are and that remains uncertain.' According to Bolton, Trump has vehemently stated he will not allow Turkey to attack the Kurds. 'That's what the president said, the ones that fought with us.' According to Bolton, the President has vehemently stated that the Turkish military should not attack any Kurdish allies, who assisted the US in the war against ISIS Bolton said the US has told its Kurdish allies to 'stand fast now' and refrain from seeking protection from Russia or Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government. 'I think they know who their friends are,' he added. British wildlife is under threat from invasive species that wash up on our shores after clinging to plastic litter dumped thousands of miles away, experts say. Record numbers of tropical sea creatures are attaching themselves to plastic waste then being swept across the Atlantic by the Gulf Stream and ending up on our beaches. It is feared this could have a catastrophic impact on British sea life and wipe out native species. An old shoe washed up on Chesil Beach, Dorset, had a Florida rock snail on it, a predator which destroys native mussels and molluscs. It is feared the marine animals could have a similarly devastating impact on the British coast as Japanese knotweed and grey squirrels have had on land This Florida rock snail was found on an old shoe washed up on Chesil Beach. Record numbers of tropical sea creatures are attaching themselves to plastic waste then being swept across the Atlantic by the Gulf Stream and ending up on our beaches A Columbus crab from Bermuda was also found in a plastic pipe on the beach. The Daily Mail has highlighted the threat of plastic waste on the environment with its Turn The Tide On Plastic campaign Wildlife expert Steve Trewhella found 20 invasive species on one 18-mile stretch of beach in Dorset alone, including a venomous Florida rock snail attached to an old shoe. The snail, thought to have travelled more than 4,000 miles, is an active predator which destroys native mussels and molluscs. Mr Trewhella also identified goose barnacles attached to a trainer and a plastic buoy which had come from Portugal, a Columbus crab that had travelled from Bermuda in a plastic pipe, and an Atlantic pearl oyster and scorched mussel, both from the Caribbean. The damaging impact of invasive species on biodiversity costs the British economy an estimated 1.7billion a year, and campaigners warn this figure will soar because of the mountains of plastic litter in the ocean. The Daily Mail has highlighted the threat of plastic waste on the environment with its Turn The Tide On Plastic campaign. Mr Trewhella, a wildlife photographer from Dorset, said: This sort of thing has always happened but previously they would only be able to find their way across on driftwood or coconut. Now we are putting 600million tons of plastic into the worlds oceans every year. These tropical species are settling on old shoes and buoys and even tiny plastic bottle necks. It is feared the marine animals could have a similarly devastating impact on the British coast as Japanese knotweed and grey squirrels have had on land. Goose barnacles were living on a washed up shoe on Chesil Beach. The damaging impact of invasive species on biodiversity costs the British economy an estimated 1.7billion a year, and campaigners warn this figure will soar because of the mountains of plastic litter in the ocean Mr Trewhella, 54, said: Many of these species have the potential and ability to settle in our waters. 'There is no reason why these can not reproduce and spawn and then drop off into our water. 'The Columbus crab is a good example. Until recently they had never been seen in this country now they come over in their hundreds. He said Florida snails were ferocious predators, adding: If they start to hatch in our waters we would end up with thousands of juvenile snails on the sea bed and they will decimate everything. War-torn Libya has issued an arrest warrant for a dissident whose wife was given 500,000 by the British government for its role in their rendition. Adbel Hakim Belhaj is wanted over his alleged involvement in terror attacks on oil terminals and on an airbase in southern Libya. Mr Belhaj, who leads the countrys pro-Islamist Watan Party, is the most prominent figure among dozens wanted by the attorney generals office in Tripoli. Adbel Hakim Belhaj is wanted over his alleged involvement in terror attacks on oil terminals and on an airbase in southern Libya He denied the allegations against him, which centre on reports that Sudanese and Chadian mercenaries were paid to create chaos in Libya. And he claimed the warrant was a plot by those in control of security in Tripoli to distance me from the political scene. Libya descended into civil war following the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 and its UN-backed government in Tripoli is struggling to exert authority. Mr Belhaj, who was the leader of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, which was allied to al Qaeda and the Taliban, received an apology from Theresa May last year for Britains role in his rendition and that of his pregnant wife. Libya descended into civil war following the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 and its UN-backed government in Tripoli is struggling to exert authority He said the CIA abducted them in Thailand and handed them to the Gaddafi regime where he was tortured following a tip-off from British intelligence. Belhaj spent six years taking legal action in UK courts against British officials, including former foreign secretary Jack Straw. After the fall of Gaddafi, he branched out into business but is still seen as a controversial figure that threatens to disrupt the government in Tripoli. President Donald Trump said Sunday he'll offer Democrats a 'steel barrier' instead of concrete wall because 'they don't like concrete so we'll give them steel.' 'We'll build a steel barrier,' he told reporters at the White House after he returned from a staff retreat at Camp David. 'It'll be less obtrusive and it'll be stronger,' he added. The president said he was making the offer to Democrats because 'they don't like concrete so we'll give them steel.' 'Steel is actually more expensive than concrete but it'll look beautiful and it's very strong. It's actually stronger,' he added. His offer comes as the partial government shutdown entered day 16 with no signs of ending. The White House is pushing the change in linguistics as a way of offering Democrats' political cover so they aren't funding a 'wall.' President Trump said his border wall can be built of steel instead of concrete Trump said he intends to call steel companies and ask them to design a template that can be used for his border wall Trump said there was a good meeting Sunday on the shutdown talks 'We have an absolute crisis,' Trump said of the border. And he tweeted Sunday night that Vice President Pence had a 'productive' meeting Sunday with staffers from Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer's and Speaker Nancy Pelosi's offices. 'V.P. Mike Pence and group had a productive meeting with the Schumer/Pelosi representatives today. Many details of Border Security were discussed. We are now planning a Steel Barrier rather than concrete. It is both stronger & less obtrusive. Good solution, and made in the U.S.A.,' he wrote. Earlier Sunday he said he didn't expect anything to come out of the meeting. 'I don't expect anything to happen at that meeting,' he said. But, Trump added, 'very serious talks' would continue on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the coming week. The president said earlier on Sunday his border wall can be built of steel instead of concrete if that will help Democrats come to terms in negotiations to reopen the government. 'The barrier or the wall can be steel instead of concrete if that helps people. It may be better,' the president said at the White House before he left for Camp David for a staff retreat. He said he plans to call steel companies to ask them for a design for his wall. 'I intend the call the heads of United States Steel and a couple of other of our great steel companies. I will have them come up with a template or design of a beautiful steel product, which we now may use and use that as our barrier,' he said. In his remarks the president touted how great U.S. steel companies were doing under his administration. During the 2016 campaign Trump vowed to bring back steel jobs, a promise that helped him win manufacturing states like Pennsylvania. 'This wall will pay for itself many times during the course of the year,' he vowed. Trump had once vowed to build a concrete border wall, but now says it will be made of steel slats. Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said on Sunday the construction materials could be changed in order to reach a compromise between Democrats and the president. 'If he has to give up a concrete wall, replace it with a steel fence in order to do that so that Democrats can say, 'See? He's not building a wall anymore,' that should help us move in the right direction,' Mulvaney said on NBC's 'Meet the Press.' 'Call it a wall, call it a fence, the president actually said he didn't care what you call it. He even offered to let the Democrats help him design something. He says as long as it's effective, he doesn't care what you call it. We need something to prevent people from coming into this country illegally,' Mulvaney said. But Republican Sen. Susan Collins called the debate over construction material 'bizarre.' 'I've always thought that the debate over what the physical barrier should be constructed of was rather bizarre,' she said on NBC's 'Meet the Press.' 'We do need to strengthen our border security. We know that 90% of the heroin is coming across the southern border, along with human traffickers and a lot of unaccompanied children. That's not good either. But we need to look at more than just a physical barrier. We need to look at more border patrol agents, technology and other means as well.' Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said any offer from the president would be discussed. Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said the wall's construction materials could be changed in order to reach a compromise between Democrats and the president House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said any offer from the president would be discussed 'It is an offer he made, and it'll be discussed,' he said on NBC's 'Meet the Press.' 'What we ought to do is open up the government first.' Host Chuck Todd asked Hoyer: 'If it's a steel fence and he doesn't call it a wall, can you accept that?' 'Chuck, let me say: We've done fencing in the past, as you know,' Hoyer said. Todd pressed him to see if a fencing offer was on the table. 'We've done fencing in the past,' Hoyer said. He added: 'The administration has not come up with any specific plan as to how they're going to spend this money.' During a meeting on Saturday with Vice President Pence, White House adviser Jared Kushner, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, and Mulvaney, Democrats pushed for details on how the president will spend the money he has requested. Democratic staffers asked administration officials to lay out in formal detail the funding request for the border - including its specific security requests, what the money would be used for, and what in the Homeland Security budget the administration would cut to make the numbers work, The Washington Post reported. Mulvaney said the request could drag out negotiations. 'The discussion immediately turned to a bunch of technical requirements or technical requests that the Democrats were asking for the first time ever in these negotiations, so I think this is going to drag on a lot longer. I think that's, that's by, by intention,' he said on NBC's 'Meet the Press.' The group is reconvened Sunday afternoon but President Trump said he doesn't expect anything to come out of that meeting after Saturday's produced no movement toward reopening the government. The president said 'very serious talks' would continue on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the coming week. Damir Pejcinovic is accused of masterminding Ocean's Eleven style heists all over the world using acrobats and strongmen Acrobats, millions of dollars in jewels, and criminal masterminds who go by the names Coco, Gorilla, and Jimmy. The details may sound straight out of an Ocean's Eleven copycat, but these three men are real - and they allegedly stole more than $10million in jewels from stores across America. To his neighbors in New York's affluent West Village neighborhood, Damir 'Coco' Pejcinovic seemed like an ordinary guy. Yes he had a $10million townhouse and was rich enough to retire in his forties, but Pejcinovic and his wife Spresa 'drove ordinary cars' and he often sat on the porch and smiled at everyone who walked by. He was known as 'Damian from the Bronx, a guy who made it and now lives in the East Village,' one neighbor told The New York Post. But new court documents have alleged that Pejcinovic was actually the man behind a robbery ring accused of stealing more than $10million in jewelry and cash in 16 burglaries since 2006. Pejcinovic was arrested by FBI agents in October last year and was charged with leading Pejcinovic Enterprise. His alleged accomplices Elvis 'Gorilla' Cirikovic, Gzimi 'Jimmy' Bojkovic (pictured), and Adrian Fiseku were also arrested. The gang's alleged victims were based cities across America including in New York, LA and Portland, and even as far as Frankfurt in Germany. Pictured is Elvis Cirikovic His alleged accomplices Elvis 'Gorilla' Cirikovic, Gzimi 'Jimmy' Bojkovic, and Adrian Fiseku were also arrested. The gang's alleged victims were based in cities across America including New York, Los Angeles, Portland, and even as far as Frankfurt, Germany. They have been charged with the commission of burglaries and interstate transportation and sale of stolen goods. Prosecutor Andrew Ken-Wei Chan said the gang resembled a real-life Ocean's Eleven, complete with 'people with acrobatic abilities' for scaling buildings and those would could jam police radios or disable alarm systems. 'They had members of the group who were incredibly strong,' Chan said. 'And if the crew needed people who had expertise in security systems and phone systems and disabling security systems members could fit that description as well.' They have been charged with the commission of burglaries and interstate transportation and sale of stolen goods. Pictured is Adrian Fiseku Court documents state that the Pejcinovic Enterprise operated principally in New York City, California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida, Massachusetts, Maine, and Europe. It claims that Pejcinovic, Bojkovic, and Cirikovic 'committed, conspired to commit, and attempted to commit numerous burglaries of jewelry stores and banks, as well as the interstate transportation and sale of stolen property from the burglaries'. They are named in more than a dozen burglaries or attempted burglaries, the first being a burglary at a restaurant in Portland in February 2006 and an attempted burglary at a Portland jewelry store in March 2006. In March 2008, the trio and an unnamed co-conspirator allegedly stole $2.5million from a jewelry store in New York City. One the the groups last alleged heists was KGK Jewelers in Manhattan (pictured). They allegedly stole $3million in jewels Two members of the group allegedly used a sledgehammer and crowbar to break into the jewelry store through the freight entrance while surveillance footage captured one member seemingly being told the code for the safe over his cell phone Seven months later, Pejcinovic, Bojkovic, and two unnamed co-conspirators attempted to steal gold valued at more than $11,395,560, at a jewelry store in Germany. In July 2009, Pejcinovic, Bojkovic, and two co-conspirators allegedly stole $850,000 in jewels from a New York jewelry store. They allegedly attempted to burglarize yet another New York jewelry store in August 2010. That same month, Pejcinovic, Bojkovic, and a co-conspirator stole $70,000 worth of jewels from a Beverly Hills jewelry store, court documents claim. On September 1, 2010, Pejcinovic and two co-conspirators allegedly stole $1million from a Kansas City, Missouri jewelry store and sold the stolen goods in New York. Pejcinovic, Cirikovic, Fiseku, and two co-conspirators are accused of burglarizing a Los Angeles jewelry store and selling $3million worth of stolen goods in New York. On September 16, 2011, Pejcinovic, Cirikovic, and two co-conspirators allegedly stole $150,000 from a Los Angeles jewelry store. To his neighbors in New York's affluent West Village neighborhood, Damir 'Coco' Pejcinovic seemed like an ordinary guy. Pictured is his $10million house Pejcinovic's wife Spresa operated an upscale salon called Damian West in the building Her name is listed here on the salon's Instagram account in the credits for one hairstyle A string of attempted burglaries at banks in Philadelphia and Scarsdale, New York as well as a jewelry store in New York Ciry occurred in 2012, court documents state. In the fall of 2013, Pejcinovic, Bojkovic, and Cirikovic allegedly burglarized a jewelry store in New Jersey and took an undisclosed amount. One of their biggest hits occurred on New Years Eve in 2016, when the group allegedly store $3million worth of jewels from KGK Jewelers in Manhattan that were later sold in Los Angeles. A source said they 'lay in wait until the ball dropped'. Surveillance footage reportedly shows them as they break in. Two members of the group allegedly used a sledgehammer and crowbar to break into the store through the freight entrance while surveillance cameras captured one member seemingly being told the code for the safe over his cellphone. 'This burglary crew was incredibly sophisticated,' Chan said. 'They had expertise that allowed them to compromise security systems at these locations by cutting off phone lines that connected jewelry stores with security counterparts.' Chan said the group also used cellphone jammers that would prevent alarm companies from receiving notification of a break-in. The gang are alleged to have used the proceeds from their robberies to buy nice houses and afford an early retirement. Pictured is Bojkovic's home in Staten Island Adrian Fiseku's Staten Island home can be seen here. He was released on bail following the arrest and indictment The gang is also accused of spending months scoping out potential hits and starting false alarms to monitor police response times. One source claims that the group is 'probably former Eastern Bloc military', which operated in a group of Communist states under Russia (then known as the USSR) during the Cold War. 'It gives you a certain fraternal discipline,' the source said. 'These guys are not flashy, they are quiet.' 'As much time as you spend thinking about your job, they spend as much, if not more, thinking about theirs. That's why it took so long to be caught,' they added. Pejcinovic, Cirikovic, Fiseku's allegedly stole $2million from a Los Angeles jewelry store during their last hit in March 2017. Following a long investigation by the FBI-NYPD Joint Violent Crimes Task Force, Pejcinovic was arrested on October 24, 2018. It was there that authorities allegedly discovered the blueprint for a jewelry store that Chan said Pejcinovic was planning to be his next hit. The house has since been put on the market for $9,999,999 and the US government is hoping to seize the property. Meanwhile Spresa, who runs a salon in the same building as the couple's apartment, is reportedly trying to split from Pejcinovic after he pleaded guilty to a 'violent felony arrest for a domestic incident'. The father-of-two was denied bond after he pleaded 'preposterous' instead of guilty or innocent in his burglary trial and is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center. His alleged partners were all released on bail. Joe Newlon, who was a Greene County Deputy, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing a young girl A former Missouri sheriff's deputy has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing a young girl. Joe Newlon, who was a Greene County Deputy, admitted that he 'messed up' in a statement before he was sentenced Friday. The 58-year-old was accused of having a sexual relationship with a girl, starting when she was 12 years old, the Springfield News Leader reports. Authorities say the abuse started in January 2015 and continued until March 2016. Newlon was accused of grooming the girl. He contended that both he and the victim were to blame, alleging that the girl encouraged him. Newlon said he would sometimes wake up to find the victim on top of him. He added that he acknowledged he was the adult and should have said no. "I messed up. I will live with this the rest of my life. It's been terrifying for me," Newlon said. "I've lost (family). Some of the things the attorney said is speculation. But I admit I did wrong." Authorities say the girl told Child Advocacy Center officials that Newlon once slapped her in the face and pointed a shotgun at her. A new Hyatt Regency hotel has opened in Kuwait, marking the reintroduction of the Hyatt Regency brand to the country. The opening marks the first of two Hyatt properties in collaboration with Tamdeen Group, the second of which is Grand Hyatt Kuwait, set to open in 2020. The Hyatt Regency brand offers a seamless experience that connects guests to everything they need under one roof with a full range of services and amenities, including notable culinary experiences, technology-enabled facilities for collaboration, expert event planners with exceptional attention to detail, and flexible spaces to work, engage or relax. Located in Kuwaits thriving oil and gas district within the citys largest waterfront retail and leisure destination, Hyatt Regency Al Kout Mall provides guests with easy access to the shopping centers additional offerings including Al Kout Mall, Souq Al Kout, Al Kout Marina, Al Kout Fishermans Wharf, and Al Kout seaside promenade. The property is located 25 minutes away from Kuwait International Airport and within a 45-minute drive to the Saudi Arabian border. With the convenient location of the property and our exceptional hotel facilities, we are thrilled to welcome guests to Hyatt Regency Al Kout Mall, an ideal space for our guests to work, engage or relax, said Fadi Akeel, general manager Hyatt Regency Al Kout Mall. It has been a great pleasure to continue our relationship with the esteemed Tamdeen Group and we look forward to continued success. We are excited to welcome the Hyatt Regency brand back to Kuwait, said Mohammed Jassim Khalid Al Marzouq, chairman of Tamdeen Group. We are certain that the Hyatt Regency brand, known for its superior facilities and seamless service, will resonate with business and leisure travellers visiting Kuwait, and look forward to our continued collaboration and future openings in this dynamic city. Guestrooms and suites Hyatt Regency Al Kout Mall offers 200 contemporary and spacious guestrooms, including 53 Junior Suites, 67 Regency Suites and 14 two-bedroom Premium Suites. All guestrooms and suites feature a workspace and exceptional views over the Arabian Sea or vibrant Fahaheel city. Suite guests enjoy an apartment-style space with a separate living room, kitchen or kitchenette, and complimentary access to the hotels exclusive Regency Club Lounge. Drinking and dining Hyatt Regency Al Kout Mall features a range of culinary experiences that meet guests diverse needs and preferences. Andiamo, the hotels elegant Italian restaurant centres around the lively theatrics of Italian cooking, featuring a dynamic open kitchen display and authentic signature dishes. Guests can refresh and relax over healthy juices and smoothies at the rooftop pool lounge or enjoy a casual meal in The Lobby Lounge a contemporary outlet offering freshly brewed coffee, infused teas and trendy mocktails. Meetings and events The property features 25,833-sq-ft of flexible meeting spaces, including five co-working spaces equipped with standard office supplies, accommodating up to 22 people. Four meeting rooms spanning 4,520-sq-ft boast ample natural light, breakout rooms, an outdoor terrace and the latest audiovisual technology, whilst the beautiful 5,113-sq-ft pillarless Regency Ballroom with generous high ceilings is ideal for weddings. A dedicated expert event manager is available to ensure flawless execution and a stress-free experience. Wellness and relaxation Guests are invited to reenergize at Club Olympus, located on the hotels rooftop, boasting panoramic sea and city views. The 24-hour fitness centre features the latest technology, including strength, cardiovascular and weight training machines, along with its own sauna. - TradeArabia News Service A former IBM employee is suing the IT company, alleging she was fired because of age discrimination. Terry Keebaugh, 57, was fired from her role as sales director in September 2016 as part of 'restructuring', one month shy of receiving $573,000 in commissions for deals that would close at year-end. According to a complaint filed with the United States District Court Southern District of New York on December 21, she received just $20,000 and was replaced by a younger employee who generated less revenue. 'IBM's age discrimination is longstanding and pervasive,' the complaint states. 'Since 2012, IBM has implemented age-based reorganizations twice a year, sending loyal IBMers over age 50 to the chopping block while sparing younger employees.' Terry Keebaugh, 57 (left and right) from Alpharetta, Georgia,was fired from her role as sales director at IBM in September 2016 as part of a 'restructuring'. She was one month shy of receiving $573,000 in commissions and says instead she received just $20,000 In a lawsuit filed on December 21, she claims she was filed due to age discrimination, a culture at IBM that a complaint describes as 'longstanding and pervasive'. Pictured: A logo hangs outside the IBM offices at 590 Madison Avenue in New York on July 16, 2009 Keebaugh, from Alpharetta, Georgia, began working at IBM (International Business Machines) in 1984 just months after graduating from Georgetown University and Catholic University, according to the complaint. For the first 10 years of her tenure, she was employed in the Maryland and Washington DC offices. She worked her way up from marketing representative to her final title of Travel and Transportation Client Director. The complaint states that Keebaugh taught herself and mastered 'the skills necessary to successfully service the accounts IBM assigned her'. Among her clients were AT&T, BellSouth, Cingular, MCI, Travelport and Verizon. According to the complaint, there were no signs that Keebaugh was performing poorly or worse than her younger colleagues. Allegedly, during her final year-end performance review in 2015, she received a PBC 1, which is the highest rating possible within IBM. She was even assigned to work on IBM's Millennial Task Force initiative to hire younger workers in fall 2015. 'The aim of this initiative is to, over a period of approximately four years, transform IBM's workforce to be at least 75% millennials, i.e., employees in their 20s and 30s,' the complaint writes. 'Naturally, as part of this initiative, IBM has and will continue to fire droves of older workers who exceed IBM's discriminatory age limit.' A ProPublica investigation found that between 2013 and 2018, IBM fired 20,000 US employees above age 40. That amounted to 60 percent of its total job cuts in the US over that period. A ProPublica investigation found that between 2013 and 2018, IBM fired 20,000 US employees above age 40. Pictured: Page 1 of Keebaugh v International Business Machines Corp Keebaugh said she noticed that IBM was firing its older workers before they could train the younger employees in the tech company's mainframes. She suggested that the older employees put their best practices into a database so that the new employees could easily be trained. This led to a 'cognitive solution' patent application and an achievement award from IBM on August 30, 2016, for her application. The very next day, on September 1, 2016, her boss sent her a letter stating she was being fired as part of a 'Skills Transformation Plan' and that her last day would be November 30. In a call with her boss, Keebaugh says she was told that she had been rated 'lowest of the low' compared to other employees in an assessment of skills. However, the complaint states that in 2015 she had doubled revenues for one client and that she had contracts in December 2016 that were expected to close worth a combined $100 million. Keebaugh claims she was replaced by a new, younger employee who was not able to produce as much revenue. Luckily, just a month after her last day, she was offered a job as Business Development Executive at Tata Consultancy Services. Her lawsuit claims IBM is guilty of age discrimination under the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act, of age discrimination under state law and of wage reduction under labor law. IBM sent DailyMail.com a statement which reads: 'Changes in our workforce are about skills, not age. In fact, since 2010 there is no difference in the age of our US workforce, but the skills profile of our employees has changed dramatically. 'That is why we invest heavily in employee skills and retraining - to make all of us successful in this new era of technology. In this specific case, the EEOC has examined her case and declined to act on her claims.' Indonesia has been rocked by a powerful earthquake. The 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck the country's Molucca islands, north-west of the city of Ternate, early on Monday morning, local time. The quake hit at a depth of 60.5 km and was followed by aftershocks of a magnitude of 5.0 to 5.1. Samud Sergi, an official from the search and rescue agency in Ternate, said the quakes had not been felt in the city. A 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia on Monday morning, local time A spokesperson for the emergency disaster agency in Tohomon for North Sulawesi said 'they had felt nothing in the area and had heard of no damage or casualties'. An earlier report from the USGS gave the magnitude of the quake at 7.0 and the depth at 10 km. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said in a statement that, based on available data, there was no current tsunami threat from the event. More than 400 people were killed in Indonesia in late December when a tsunami was triggered by an eruption at the 'Child of Krakatoa' volcano, which sits in the middle of the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra islands. More than 400 people were killed by a tsunami in Indonesia in later December. Pictured, A view of damage with a car sitting among debris after a tsunami hit the Sunda Strait in Pandeglang, Banten, Indonesia The father of a 17-month-old girl who went missing earlier this afternoon when his car was stolen in east London has spoken of his relief after his little girl was found. Maria Tudorica had been in the front passenger seat of her fathers Audi when her uncle met a potential buyer in Newham, east London, at 4.37pm. The thief tricked him during a car viewing and got inside the car and accelerated away, leading police to issue an urgent manhunt for the little girl. Metropolitan Police officers eventually found the toddler three hours later - just half a mile away from where she was taken on Nine Acres Close. Her father, David, described the situation as 'every parent's worst nightmare', and told the Sun his little girl was 'perfect' despite her ordeal. He said: 'I am so happy right now - I feel like I have been born again. 'Maria was crying at first but is now back with her family and is healthy and happy. The baby is perfect.' Police have found Maria Tudorica, pictured, three hours after she went missing when her father's car was stolen in Newham, east London Maria, pictured, had been sitting in the front passenger seat when her uncle met the buyer from Gumtre The would-be buyer jumped into the car and drove off from Nine Acres Close (pictured) at 4.37pm Police confirmed they found the girl on Ruskin Avenue on Twitter at around 8pm. Claudia Stelica reportedly met the prospective buyer on behalf of Marias father, David, after the man responded to a listing on the website Gumtree. David had been hundreds of miles from London when told about the theft, but began driving home immediately after hearing the news. He told the Daily Mirror last night: We are extremely relieved that she has been found. I am still heading home now ... I am in contact with the police to establish what exactly happened. Maria had been placed in the passenger seat during a demonstration of the cars engine. The prospective buyer then said he wanted a test drive, according to another of Marias uncles, Gheorghe. Police confirmed they found the girl on Ruskin Avenue on Twitter at around 8pm He jumped up in the drivers side and boom straight away he went, the car trader said. He praised the emergency services following news of Marias safe recovery last night. God bless. I feel born again, he said. I feel relieved 1,000 times over. [My brother] thanks so much the police for their service. Claudia Stelica met the thief on a quiet street of terraced housing, with the car eventually found abandoned a mile away without Maria inside. David told the Sun: 'This has been every parent's worst nightmare not knowing if she is OK or not. 'It's terrible and I would appeal to the man who took the car to come forward.' Earlier this evening, police were forced to issue an urgent appeal to find the little girl, who is Romanian, saying she is from the local area and was wearing a white top and red bottoms. The Metropolitan Police tweeted: 'Delighted to report that missing child Maria Tudorica aged 17months has now been found safe and well in the Ruskin Avenue, E12 area' Metropolitan police also revealed the man who took the car was described as an Asian man of slim build, dressed in black clothing. At around 8pm, the Metropolitan Police tweeted: 'Delighted to report that missing child Maria Tudorica aged 17months has now been found safe and well in the Ruskin Avenue, E12 area. 'Thanks to media and all members of the public who have helped with this appeal.' Newham is one of the most troubled areas in the capital. It had more murder investigations than any other London borough in 2017, while violent crime increased almost 7.5 per cent year-on-year according to the Newham Recorder. Scotland Yard have not said whether or not they have apprehended a suspect. Police are urging anyone with information about the stolen car to call 999 immediately. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously via 0800 555 111 or tweet the police via @MetCC. A grandmother-of-four was left in 'floods of tears' after being fined 50 while walking her dog - because the lead was too long. Maureen Sanders, 80, was walking her rescue dog Soren around Bootle Cemetery in Merseyside on Friday morning when two officers from enforcement firm NSL stopped her. The two women told Maureen her dog lead was 'too long' and needed to be less than two metres if she wanted to use it in the area. Maureen said that instead of issuing her with a warning or explaining the rules, the officers slapped her with a 50 fine for breaking the by-law. Signs outside the cemetery state that dogs should be kept on a 'short lead' and do not specify any maximum length. They do state the area should not be used for dog walking, but the cemetery is used regularly by many animal owners. Maureen Sanders, pictured, was fined 50 while walking her rescue dog Soren around Bootle Cemetery in Merseyside because her lead was too long Signs outside the cemetery, pictured, state that dogs should be kept on a 'short lead' and do not specify any maximum length Maureen said: 'Soren is from Romania and I've had him about three years. He's a friendly dog but he can get quite frightened because he had a bad time in Romania. 'I had no idea it was a rule. My daughters rang the One Stop Shop when I had to pay the fine and the staff in there said they had never heard of it.' Maureen's daughters have offered to help her pay the 50 fine so the money doesn't come out of her hard-earned pension. However, Maureen has said she is refusing to pay the fine on principle. She said: 'What upset me was if you don't have it paid up in a fortnight they said you would be fined 2,500 and I would have a criminal record. 'I cried all night because I was so, so upset.' Maureen rescued her beloved Soren from Romania three years ago, where he was being used for dog fights. While the rescue dog is friendly and well-behaved, Maureen said he can get quite frightened of other dogs, which is why she has to keep him on a lead at all times. She added: 'I don't have a computer or anything - I wouldn't know the by-laws or anything. 'I've always been very respectful in the cemetery. I always have the dog on a lead and a lot of people don't do that!' Maureen, 80, is refusing to pay the fine out of principle. She said: 'What upset me was if you don't have it paid up in a fortnight they said you would be fined 2,500 and I would have a criminal record. I cried all night because I was so, so upset' Maureen's daughter Maggie Eaton said she found her mother in 'floods of tears' after being handed the fine on her morning dog walk. She also explained that Maureen is waiting for a hip replacement and needs to use a longer lead to walk Soren because she has difficulty walking. Maggie also said her mother is a responsible dog owner who 'always carries poo bags and cleans up after her dog without fail.' She said: 'Mum does not have that sort of money to pay for walking her dog under control on a lead as she has done every day for years. 'My sister and I offered to pay but mum is adamant that as she was not doing anything wrong by walking her dog on a lead in the rear part of the cemetery away from the graves, early in the morning in the only green space close to her flat. 'She is not going to pay.' NSL, formerly known as NCP, is understood to be responsible for enforcing fixed penalty notices (FPNs) on by-laws for Sefton Council. Sefton Council and NSL were both contacted for comment but neither had responded by the time of publication. Maggie said her mum was told that there are signs outside the cemetery warning of the by-laws but that she couldn't see them due to her poor eyesight. A woman has relived her horrific ordeal after she was abducted at 19 and sold as a sex slave. Sarah Forsyth, now 42, travelled from Gateshead, Tyneside to Amsterdam after applying for a job as a nursery nurse but was held at gunpoint and kidnapped. She was forced to sleep with up to 20 men a night in the city's red light district, The Mirror reveals. Ms Forsyth claims she has nightmares about her horrific experience - including seeing a young girl from Thailand being killed because she hadn't made enough money for their vicious pimps. Sarah Forsyth (pictured), now 42, travelled from Gateshead, Tyneside to Amsterdam after applying for a job as a nursery nurse but was held at gunpoint and kidnapped Her death was filmed and Ms Forsyth was forced to watch the shocking footage. She said: 'I see her often in my dreams my nightmares. I see again the look of uncomprehending panic in her eyes as the man raises the gun and the sticky, warm bit of flesh and bone explode from her shoulders as the bullet tears into her head.' Ms Forsyth also recalls seeing the severed head of a pimp lying on the ground after a bitter feud over control of women forced into prostitution. And other horrific memories included the pimps playing Russian roulette with the girls and laughing at their terrified expressions when the gun would draw a blank after they pulled the trigger. Ms Forsyth also recalls seeing the severed head of a pimp lying on the ground after a bitter feud over control of women forced into prostitution. Stock pic Ms Forsyth's horrifying ordeal is recounted in her memoir Slave Girl, which is reissued this month. As a teenager, she had travelled to Amsterdam after responding to an advert for a qualified nursery nurse - which had been placed by notorious British criminal John Reece. Ms Forsyth said: 'The moment I walked off the plane and into the arrivals hall something didn't feel quite right. The words "Don't do this!" screamed soundlessly inside me.' Reece met Ms Forsyth at the airport, stole her passport and proceeded to force her to sleep with men in a brothel. She said: 'After the first time, I started to shake uncontrollably. My whole body shuddered in great heaving waves and I felt as if I was falling off the world and into some dark, endless void.' As a teenager, Ms Fosyth had travelled to Amsterdam after responding to an advert for a qualified nursery nurse Ms Forsyth and other girls held captive were fed on just a handful of M&M's a day. Within weeks, Ms Forsyth was sold to a Yugoslavian pimp who kept her in a house with dogs. She was expected to sleep with 18 men a night to earn money. But she soon developed a crippling addiction to crack cocaine which she used to 'numb the pain' and turned her into a 'helpless slave' to the pimps. Ms Forsyth said she knew she had to escape when she learned that the death of the Thai girl had been used as the plot in a snuff porn film. Snuff - which is reportedly a film which shows the death of a member participating in sex - is often debunked as a myth. But Ms Forsyth said girls began to disappear from the brothels and she believed they were being intentionally killed for snuff footage. Snuff - which is reportedly a film which shows the death of a member participating in sex - is often debunked as a myth. Stock pic Within weeks, Ms Forsyth (pictured) was sold to a Yugoslavian pimp who kept her in a house with dogs. She was expected to sleep with 18 men a night to earn money She said: 'Whenever someone disappeared from the windows, rumours went around about her being used in a snuff film.' Dutch police tracking the notorious gang approached Ms Forsyth several times before she had the courage to escape her captors in 1997. Ms Forsyth was taken to a Belgium safe house before being returned home for an emotional reunion with her mother. She later gave evidence against her captors, where five pleaded guilty to trafficking and abuse in a Dutch court. But due to anonymity laws, she never learned their names or how long they were jailed for. Ms Forsyth also gave evidence against John Reece who was trialled at Leicester crown court in 1997 and found guilty of two counts of causing prostitution. He got just two years behind bars, according to The Mirror. Despite battling with a drug addiction for nearly a decade after her ordeal, Ms Forsyth considers herself 'lucky' for managing to escape her captors. Actress Melissa Joan Hart is being called out by some for 'casual anti-Semitism' after she told her son when he was six years old that only people who believed in Jesus were 'good'. Hart, who is a practicing Presbyterian, sparked backlash after she discussed her religion on the Journeys of Faith with Paula Faris podcast last week. The former 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch' star said that sometimes it 'wasn't easy' being Christian and used an example of how she was nervous when her son was moving from a Christian preschool to a traditional school several years ago. Hart, who has three sons with husband Mark Wilkerson, said she warned her then six-year-old son about new people they would encounter because they wouldn't know if they were Christian. Actress Melissa Joan Hart (pictured with husband Mark Wilkerson and their sons) is being called out by some for 'casual anti-Semitism' after she told her son when he was six years old that only people who believed in Jesus were 'good' 'We don't know if these people are good people. We don't know if they believe in Jesus... and he really took the Jesus part to heart,' Hart said she told her son. Her son then made friends with a Jewish boy on the school bus and asked Hart: 'If you're Jewish, how do you get to heaven?' Hart said after the boys started discussing religion, she got a call from the Jewish boy's mother. She said they had agreeable 'chats' about their sons' religious questions until the sixth grade. Hart admitted that the conversations then became 'a little more heated'. 'Some problems came out of that,' Hart said, but she did not elaborate. She said she told her son the importance of 'respecting each other's beliefs and listening to each other' and later reflected that it was a difficult time. 'When the mom called me with a problem in sixth grade I was like, 'Do I regret telling my son that we don't know if people believe in Jesus so we don't know their character? Was that a wrong thing to say? Did I just set my son on a wrong path or was that a right thing to say and I should defend that?'.' The actress was criticized on Twitter by some who claimed she was being anti-Semitic because of her example involving a Jewish boy. 'Dear Melissa Joan Hart, posing the antisemitism you are teaching your children as a question, does not make you any less of an anti-Semite,' one Twitter user wrote. Another wrote: 'Hey Melissa btw not sure if u noticed but all the ppl caging babies and trying to take Med coverage away from the poor r so called good Christians who believe in Jesus. Ur anti Semitic comments were despicable and I'm pretty sure were career ending. Who do u think runs Hollywood?' Others took aim at Hart for her suggestion that only good people were Christian. A violent transgender prisoner has sent letters begging friends to fund an expensive gender reassignment surgery so she can return to a female jail. Karen White, previously known as David Thompson, is currently locked up in HMP Wakefield alongside some of Britain's worst criminals, including Soham killer Ian Huntley. She was sent to nearby New Hall prison for attacking a male neighbour with a steak knife claiming that he sexually assaulted her, when her dark past came to light. Karen White, previously known as David Thompson, is currently locked up in HMP Wakefield White, still legally a man, was jailed for life in October for rape, sexual assault and wounding and sexually assaulted two vulnerable female inmates at New Hall where she wound up as a result of the attack on the 66-year-old neighbour. In letters to friends from her cell in Wakefield and obtained by The Mirror, White said she is 'longing for the day the system sends me - more like forced to send me - to a female prison again.' White said she is worried about being too old for NHS treatment by the time she is released, so needs the private treatment so her life can be 'complete.' Upon being sentenced for her sexual assaults in New Hall, judge Christopher Batty called White a 'highly manipulative predator' White complained that being in HMP Wakefield 'doesn't promote positivity' before adding: 'The only way I'm going to get out of here is if I was to have the operation soon then the system would have to move me to a female prison.' Upon being sentenced for her sexual assaults in New Hall, judge Christopher Batty called White a 'highly manipulative predator' who used her 'female persona' to get close to her victims. How many transgender prisoners are there in England and Wales? The latest figures showed there were 125 transgender prisoners in England and Wales up to the end of March 2017, an increase from 70 a year earlier. About 25 are thought to be in women's jails. At least 34 male-born inmates are living as women in four specialist sex offender jails for men, according to Freedom of Information Act requests. But prison governors say many have sought to be transferred to women's jails. Advertisement White was also convicted in 2001 for two offences of indecent assault and gross indecency with a child of primary school age, and jailed for 18 months. In the letters, White also spoke of the sheer joy of coming out as a woman in 2011. 'I remember feeling as if I was on cloud 9, I felt brilliant and nothing could [touch] me, I looked good.' She added that her surroundings don't make her 'feel good', nor does dressing as a man. White also said that she gets labelled a 'freak' and a 'weirdo' by other prisoners when she attempts to dress as a woman. White, who must serve at least nine years, said that having a wig and some Avon makeup would make her feel better and that she hopes to be a 'full woman' by the time she is released. She also complained that the prison has 'taken away part of her identity' by not allowing her to wear padded bras, which are a safety risk. She said she'd be 'forever in the debt' of her friends if they funded the 25,000 operation. Liz Truss (pictured in Downing Street last month) said ministers must be prepared to pull the plug on big projects which are hit by spiralling costs rather than sit back and allow 'mission creep' Liz Truss today hinted the controversial HS2 rail link could be scrapped as she said the Government must be prepared to 'junk white elephant' projects. She said ministers must be prepared to pull the plug on big projects which are hit by spiralling costs rather than sit back and allow 'mission creep'. The Treasury Minister's intervention comes amid dismay at the ballooning costs of the major railway projects HS2 and Crossrail. Officials fear the costs of HS2 - a new rail link joining London to the West Midlands, Leeds and Manchester - could balloon past its 56billion budget to over 100bn. Sir Terry Morgan last month resigned as chairman of HS2 and Crossrail projects amid reports he was about to be sacked after just four months in the job. Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, Ms Truss took what appeared to be a veiled swipe at the big and hugely divisive infrastructure projects. Ms Truss, who is tipped as a possible future Tory leader, is leading a major spending review this year. She said she will be examining 'all major investment projects across Government and judging their contribution to future prosperity', after expensive programmes like the 56 billion HS2 rail line drew anger from Tory MPs. What is HS2 and when did work first start on the project? HS2 (High Speed 2) is a plan to construct a a new high-speed rail linking London, West Midlands, Leeds and Manchester. The line is to be built in a 'Y' configuration. London will be on the bottom of the 'Y', Birmingham at the centre, Leeds at the top right and Manchester at the top left. 2009 The idea for a second high-speed line was proposed in 2009 by the Department for Transport under the Labour Government. It was to be developed by a new company, High Speed Two Limited (HS2 Ltd). 2013 Early in this year, the government confirmed the route the new line would take. It also announced that the work would be completed in two phases, from London to the West Midlands and from the West Midlands to Crewe. 2017 Work on Phase One began in 2017 after the project was given royal assent. The government plans envisage the line being operational by 2026. 2024 The first trains scheduled to be used on the project are set to arrive for testing. 2026 The first passengers are scheduled to travel on HS2. How much has the project cost? The project has a projected cost of 56 billion ($77 billion), up from the initial cost of 32.7 billion ($45 billion) in 2010. Last year's annual report showed that the company established by the government to build the railway spent 500 million in the year to March 31 - up almost 30 per cent from 352.9 million the year before. It takes the amount spent by HS2 so far to more than 1.9billion since 2009. Accounts published by the Transport Department also showed it had spent another 366 million on HS2. The bulk of this was on compensating those who own property and land near the planned line. Advertisement She said: 'In reviewing this evidence, we must be prepared to junk the white elephants, the programmes that haven't worked, and roll back mission creep, where Government involves itself in areas the private sector can deliver. 'Growth and bang-for-buck must take precedence.' She also said politicians 'must heed the demand' of Leave voters to 'Take Back Control'. And signalling her support for slashing red tape, she said said once the UK exits the EU 'people won't want powers being handed back from bureaucrats in Brussels to be given to bureaucrats in Britain'. Ms Truss said: 'Our aim should be to give the British people greater control of their lives in all regards. 'In practical terms, that requires a three-pronged agenda: combating Jeremy Corbyn's ideas for a state-on-steroids; delivering a growing economy; and finding more areas in which we can transfer powers from the Government to the people.' She added: 'But if we are truly to deliver a 'Take Back Control' agenda, it cannot just be about economics. 'The state should not encroach on people's lives unnecessarily, interfering in lifestyles or preferences. 'Of course it needs to provide essential services, public goods and defence of the realm. 'But when decisions do have to be taken, it should be by those who are accountable to the electorate, not unelected quangos.' Before his resignation, Sir Terry admitted there was 'still a lot of work to do' to deliver the 56billion rail project on time and in budget. He said that it will now be 'very difficult' to make sure the line is built within its price. Labour London Mayor Sadiq Khan was scathing in his assessment of Sir Terry after his resignation. He said: 'Historically there's been a lack of adequate information shared by the senior Crossrail leadership with the projects joint sponsors - namely, the Department for Transport & Transport for London.' He said rail bosses were confident the high speed line, on which trains will travel 250mph, would eventually be deliver - but it would be a 'big challenge' to hit government targets. He was also in charge of the 15billion Crossrail project, which has been plagued by repeated delays and will nine months behind schedule. Department of Defense chief of staff Kevin Sweeney has become the third senior Pentagon official to resign from his post since President Trump announced his intentions to withdraw US troops from Syria. In a brief statement posted on Saturday evening, Sweeney said: 'I've decided the time is right to return to the private sector. It has been an honor to serve again alongside the men and women of the Department of Defense'. He steps down from the position just two years after accepting the role. Former Navy Admiral, Kevin Sweeney (above), stepped down as Department of Defense chief of Staff on Saturday Evening, just weeks after his former boss, Jim Mattis Sweeney's announcement comes just weeks after General Jim Mattis handed in his resignation last month, where he issued the President a passing shot by saying Trump deserved a defense secretary 'whose views are better aligned' with his. Mattis' resignation was declared less than 24 hours after Trump voiced his intentions to withdraw all US troops from Syria, under the belief the Islamic State had been defeated. In last night's statement, Sweeney made no mention of the President but a source told CNN the White House actually forced the retired Navy Admiral out of the door. General Mattis' departure was previously advanced by the President, as Trump allegedly became increasingly aggrieved over the extensive coverage of his resignation was garnering. General Mattis (above) stepped down as Defense Secretary just 24 hours after Trump announced a brash and controversial plan to withdraw US Troops from Syria The President's administration has rife with high-profile resignations and firings, including Jeff Sessions being ousted as attorney general following the November midterm elections The presidential special envoy to the global coalition fighting the Islamic State, Brett McGurk, also stepped down after the Syria exit announcement, along with department spokesperson Dana White. Trump's time in office has been plagued by a litany of high-profile resignations and firings within his administration, signifying a turbulent two years behind the White House doors. Jeff Sessions was ousted as attorney general 24 hours after the November midterms, Rex Tillerson was axed as secretary of state in March and the President is already onto his third Chief of Staff, having announced John Kelly would be leaving his position at the end of 2018. A Tube station in east London has been evacuated after a teenager was stabbed outside. Blackhorse Road station in Walthamstow was put on lockdown at 2.30pm today, with witnesses reporting a 'massive police presence'. The victim, an 18-year-old man, was found with stab wounds and rushed to hospital where his condition remains 'serious'. Detectives are investigating and the suspect is still at large. Officers have not yet confirmed if the stabbing was the result of gang violence. Blackhorse Road station in Walthamstow, east London was put on lockdown this afternoon, with witnesses reporting a 'massive police presence' A man was rushed to hospital with stab injuries where his condition is not yet known A Met Police spokesman said: 'Officers have responded to male stabbed outside Blackhorse Road Station, E17 at 1431hrs today. 'On arrival at the scene officers found an 18 year old male with numerous stab wounds. 'He has been conveyed to an east London hospital by London Ambulance Service colleagues where his condition remains serious. 'Local detectives are currently on scene dealing with this incident, there have been no arrests and enquiries are ongoing. 'At this stage we are unable to confirm if this incident is gang related or has links to youth violence.' Police and ambulance vehicles are pictured outside the station in east London on Sunday The Regency Kuwait, a luxury five-star hotel in the country, has appointed Otto Kurzendorfer as its new general manager. Kurzendorfer joins The Regency Kuwait with a well-established career in hospitality management and operation, spanning three decades and three continents. From humble beginnings in the kitchen to working in prestigious Leading Hotel of the World and Relais & Chateaux trophy hotels such as the Savoy in London and the Munich Mandarin Oriental, Kurzendorfer built the foundations of his career before attending a German higher hotel school in Dortmund. The following 22 years saw Kurzendorfer work with global hotel giants, as Kempinski, IHG and Starwood, which included spending 10 years in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Syria and Qatar before taking his first general manager role in 2007 in Shanghai. After six years in China, he returned to Dubai for another four years with JA Resorts & Hotels as general manager of their flagship resort complex which included JA Palm Tree Court and JA Jebel Ali Beach Hotel. Kurzendorfer said: "It has been a lifelong dream to lead a team in a hotel offering ultimate luxury, with European flair in an Arabesque setting. The Regency Kuwait is undoubtedly the crown jewel of Kuwaiti hospitality." Reopened in 2009 after four years of rebuilding, the Regency Kuwait offers a majestic lobby of eclectic taste and composition, 203 keys including 50 suites of ultimate luxury and a variety of dining and recreational choices, including a state of the art Ladies Lounge with two climate-controlled pools and separate indoor and outdoor dining. - TradeArabia News Service President Donald Trump on Sunday said the U.S. would be in a 'nice big fat war' with North Korea if he hadn't been elected president. 'You'd be at a nice big fat war in Asia with North Korea if I wasn't elected president,' he told reporters at the White House before he left for a White House staff retreat at Camp David. He said he's spoken 'indirectly' with North Korean Leader Kim Jong-Un and expects the two men will have a second summit too. President Donald Trump said the U.S. would be in a 'nice big fat war' with North Korea if he hadn't been elected president President Trump said he expects a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un in the 'not too distant' future 'I've indirectly spoken to Chairman Kim. When I came here this country was headed to war with North Korea and now we have a very good dialogue going,' he said. 'Anybody else but me you'd be at war right now,' he noted. He said talks were ongoing about where he and Kim could meet. 'We're negotiating a location. It will be announced probably in the not so distant future,' he said. 'They do want to meet and we want to meet,' he added. Last week Trump said he received a letter from Kim but he did not reveal its contents. Vietnam, Indonesia, Hawaii, Mongolia and the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea have all been floated as potential locations for the next summit, CNN reported. The last Trump-Kim summit took place in Singapore in June 2017 as part of Trump's effort to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. But the agreement that came out of those talks was criticized for a lack of specifics, a lack of measurements for North Korea to keep it accountable and no time frame. Talks have continued but remain at a stalemate. Sanctions remain on the country. 'The sanctions remain, full force and in affect and they will,' Trump said. Christian Maire, the leader of an international porn ring, has been killed in a prison beating this week The leader of an international porn ring has been killed in a prison stabbing a month after one of his victims predicted his death. Married father-of-two Christian Maire was sentenced to 40 years in a Michigan prison in December for creating 'The Bored Group'. Maire, 40, and eight other men who ranged in age from 34 to 47 posed as teenage boys on teen dating websites. They used fake pictures to lure more than 100 young girls to private online chat rooms, where they manipulated them to strip, masturbate, and perform other sex acts on camera. They even lured some victims into cutting themselves. Following Maire's sentencing, one of his victims, who is now 20 years old, said: 'He's gonna get the hell beat out of him'. Her premonition turned into reality on Tuesday after Maire and one of his 'Bored Group' co-conspirators were attacked at the Federal Correctional Institution in Milan. Maire and one of his 'Bored Group' co-conspirators were attacked at the Federal Correctional Institution in Milan, Michigan (pictured) on Tuesday Maire and Michael Figura, 36, were charged during what is believed to be a targeted stabbing attack, sources told The Detroit News. The fight involved seven prisoners total and occurred in a housing unit, according to Milan prison spokesman Dan Clore. Maire was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries and died hours later. Three inmates, including Figura, were also seriously injured. Two staff members who tried to break up the fight suffered minor injuries. At least one attacker used a homemade knife - known as a 'shiv' - in the fight, a source claimed. Maire was sentenced to 40 years in a Michigan prison in December for creating 'The Bored Group'. He was convicted alongside eight other members of the group They used fake pictures to lure more than 100 young girls to private online chat rooms, where they manipulated them to strip, masturbate, and perform other sex acts on camera The Federal Bureau of Investigation is treating Maire's death as a homicide. Authorities said the prison was placed on 'limited operational status' following the fight and visiting privileges were suspended. Mark Kriger, Maire's lawyer, called his death a 'horrible tragedy'. 'It seems something like this should have been able to be avoided,' he added. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is treating Maire's death as a homicide At least five other members of the sex ring are incarcerated in Milan, according to the Detroit Free Press. The Bored Group, who found teen girls on sites including Periscope, YouNow, and MyLOL.com, was caught by the FBI in 2017. All nine members, who were located across the US and Canada, were sentenced to decades in prison. Figura, 36, of Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 31 years in prison. Arthur Simpatico, 47, of Ontario, was sentenced to 38 years. Jonathan Rodriguez, 37, of Los Angeles, was sentenced to 35 years. Odell Ortega, 37, of Miami, was sentenced to 37 years Brett Jonathan Sinta, 36, of Hickory, North Carolina, was sentenced to 30 years. Caleb Young, 38, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, was sentenced to 30 years. Daniel Walton, 34, of Saginaw, Texas, was sentenced to 30.5 years. Maire cried during his sentencing in Detroit last month and said he had 'shattered so many lives'. 'I never thought I could sink this low,' he said. 'I apologize to all of my victims. I took advantage of your youth and trust and put my own selfishness above your dignity.' This is the shocking moment two teenage boys attempted to grab onto the back of a moving bus. Deemed 'mindless and reckless' by police, the youths were captured on camera in Salisbury, Wiltshire, running towards the bus as it pulled away and grabbing hold of a vent close to the vehicle's engine. The driver was seemingly unaware of the stowaways and only stopped after a horrified motorist flagged him down. The two youths were seen running up to the bus as it attempted to pull away onto the road A passerby looks on in disbelief as the two teenagers grab onto a vent close to the bus' engine This was just one of several antisocial incidents recorded by Wiltshire police over the festive period, prompting offices to issue Section 35 dispersal orders 'on a number of occasions'. The incidents - which all took place during the daytime - included reports of youths throwing cafe chairs around, being abusive to staff in McDonald's and refusing to leave, and a further report of abusive behaviour at an ice cream shop. Another dispersal order was authorised on 2 January after further reports of fighting in the street, causing damage to a shopping centre and grabbing hold of moving vehicles. Some of the children involved were reportedly as young as 10-years-old. Officers urged parents to 'take responsibility for their children' following the spate of incidents. The youths can be seen clinging onto the bus before another motorist alerted the driver Acting Inspector John Hutchings said: 'We've released this video of two youths holding on to the back of a bus as an example of the type of behaviour being reported to police and to highlight just how mindless and reckless their behaviour is. 'These two boys were seen to cling to the back of the bus while it had stopped and continued to cling on to the vehicle as it started moving. 'The driver was unaware of their actions and it was only when a passing motorist flagged the driver down to tell him, that he stopped. 'Not only is their behaviour dangerous, they are also committing offences and we will take action if deemed the appropriate and proportionate response. 'I would ask parents whose children are regularly out and about in the city centre to ensure they know where their children are and how they are behaving. 'I am sure that like me, any parent present with their children would not allow them to behave in this manner, and it is unacceptable for a child to think that this behaviour is in any way normal or indeed acceptable. 'We need to ensure that we collectively act to discourage this activity.' Police are investigating 'reports of a gun' being fired in a Birmingham street last night. Tedbury Crescent in Erdington was closed by officers around 8:50pm on Saturday January 5, BirminghamLive reported. A local resident told the Mirror: 'There was a shooting last night in Tedbury Crescent, Erdington. 'Guys on mountain bikes stopped and shot at a person having a smoke out the front of his house.' The street where the incident took place is near Short Heath Park and Court Lane Allotments West Midlands Police were called to Tedbury Crescent, Erdington, before 8:50pm last night No arrests have been made yet. Tedbury Crescent is close to Short Heath Park and Court Lane Allotments. A statement from West Midlands Police read: 'Police were called to reports of a gun being fired in Tedbury Crescent, Erdington, at just before 8.50pm last night (Saturday 5 January).' 'On arrival officers found a man in his 50s with a minor head injury.' 'Enquiries about what caused this injury are still being carried out.' 'Anyone with information can contact us via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk between 8am to midnight, call 101 anytime or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Quote log number 2247 of 5/1/19.' Blood covered the ground outside a home where a mother in her 30s was left fighting for her life after being attacked in a horrific triple stabbing in front of her children - who also saw their father slashed. The woman is now in a stable condition in hospital after the brutal attack on Church Road in Leyton, east London. According to eye-witnesses, the attack took place in front of the woman's children while one of the two male casualties is the children's father. Both men slashed in the attack did not suffer serious injuries. A trail of blood could be seen outside the house where a mother and father were attacked in a triple stabbing in front of their children Neighbours expressed shock at the attack today, which came just an hour after a man was knifed just three miles away. Greg Dash said: 'Just got in to find my neighbour shook up he just saw a family get stabbed in Leyton. Mother and father in front of their kid. Horrible. Police were there in minutes.' There was a huge police and ambulance presence at the scene following the Saturday afternoon attack. A woman said: 'We have lived here for three years and that's the first time it's happened. 'And I can't believe it was right outside our house. We weren't in at the time luckily. 'I would be really interested to hear what's happened.' While a man next-door said: 'We saw the blue lights outside and we weren't allowed to get past. This was at about 3.20pm. 'We heard nothing. We are surprised - it's a reasonably peaceful kind of area. Neighbours reacted with shock at news of the attack which left the mother fighting for her life and the two men with slash injuries 'I suppose you see it in the news a fair bit so you are a bit densensitied. It's a very horrible thing to have happened.' He added that others on the street believed the incident had originated in one of their neighbour's houses. He said: 'We heard something happened in one of the houses and it's come out on the street. 'We assumed the blood trail was going into the house but it may be the other way around - with the person leaving the house and coming out onto the street.' A concerned son answering the door at another property said his elderly mother heard the police sirens yesterday afternoon. He said: 'I am shocked actually - my mum lives here alone. She thinks it happened in the house opposite the bus stop.' The mother is now in a stable condition while the two men did not suffer serious injuries in the attack A mother that lives with her grown-up children near to the property where blood splatters seem to lead to said: 'We heard the police sirens, maybe ambulances or something and a helicopter noise. 'We saw flashing going on and four or five ambulances. Lots of police cars and a police van. We saw the traffic being stopped. It was very scary.' It is believed that a family living in the property with blood stains outside are the victims of the knife attack. A next-door neighbour declined to comment but said: 'It's a whole family that lives there. I wasn't here, I came home and there was police. 'They had shut the road.' There was no answer at the property, number 279, but electoral rolls showed a Romanian family were registered as living there from 2017. No arrests have been made and investigations continue. Met Police officers surround the scene in Leyton, where a woman was stabbed and two men were slashed The attacker remains at large and police are appealing for witnesses to come forward. A Met Police spokesman said: 'Police were called to Church Road, E10 at 15:37hrs on Saturday, 5 January following reports of a man injured. 'Officers and London Ambulance Service attended and found a woman with stab injuries and two men with slash wounds. 'They have been taken to an east London hospital for treatment. The woman aged in her thirties is in a critical condition. Both men's injuries are not life threatening or changing. 'No arrests have been made. A crime scene is in place. Police in Waltham Forest continue to deal. Enquiries continue.' Bloodshed: Today's stabbings happened within an hour of each other just three miles apart London's Air Ambulance rushed a 26-year-old stab victim to hospital following an attack in Forest Gate Videos posted online showed at least three police cars blocking off the street while worried neighbours crowded around the crime scene. The triple stabbing came just an hour after a 26-year-old man was critically injured following a stabbing in Forest Gate, Newham, just three miles away. Officers arrested a man on suspicion of GBH and he is currently in custody. Lee Pomeroy, 51, was stabbed multiple times following an altercation on-board a Guildford to London Waterloo train at around 1pm yesterday. The married father of one, was on his way into London with his 14-year-old son for a day out when the deadly incident happened On Friday, a 51-year-old father was fatally stabbed in front of his son on a train to London from Guildford. Lee Pomeroy had been heading to the capital with his 14-year-old son for a day out when the deadly incident happened. Today would've been his birthday. A 35-year-old man was arrested at an address in the Farnham area on suspicion of his murder. 'Beautiful' mother Charlotte Huggins became the first knife crime fatality of 2019 on New Year's Day when she was discovered with stab injuries at a south London home hours into the new year. High-profile Australian model Annalise Braakensiek has been found dead in her Sydney apartment at the age of 46. Police officers were called to her home in the inner-city suburb of Potts Point about 3.30pm on Sunday. Close friends and family became concerned for the model's wellbeing after she stopped replying to their text messages on Thursday, news.com.au reported. Her tragic death follows a series of cryptic Instagram posts which detailed how her life had become 'dark, difficult, demanding and down right scary lately.' In one of the last posts to her 40,000 followers on December 15, she wrote: 'Everything seems to feel twisted and upside down at the moment'. 'Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you who have helped me though my dark clouds,' she wrote in another Instagram post about her mental health struggles. High-profile Australian model Annalise Braakensiek has been found dead in her Sydney apartment at the age of 46 Friends began to worry about the 46-year-old's wellbeing when Braakensiek failed to respond to text messages or phone calls since Thursday A close friend of the model, Adriana Dib, said she spoke to Braakensiek (pictured) in the days leading up to her death and she seemed happy and 'upbeat' Braakensiek split with her stockbroker husband Danny Goldberg in April last year after 16 years together. She bought the Potts Point apartment in November last year after their separation. In a since-deleted Instagram post, she wrote: 'I don't know if a broken heart mends or learns to live in pieces'. 'A dear friend will kindly fly me over for some R&R to spend time with my American tribe I haven't seen in way too many years,' she told Daily Mail Australia at the time. The TV personality, who described her 16 years with Danny as 'amazing', did not reveal what prompted the breakup. Braakensiek previously revealed she'd battled with depression for years and was an ambassador for RUOK? Day in 2017. Braakensiek split with her stockbroker husband Danny Goldberg (pictured) in April after 16 years together Police officers were called to her apartment in Potts Point (pictured, her apartment building) around 3.30pm on Sunday afternoon A close friend of the model, Adriana Dib, said she spoke to Braakensiek in the days leading up to her death and she seemed happy and 'upbeat'. 'I spoke to Annalise on Wednesday night and I thought she sounded okay,' Ms Dib told news.com.au. 'I wasn't worried at all. We discussed the new year and all the wonderful things we would get to conquer and achieve.' 'My life was better for having had her in it. We were kindred. I felt very lucky. The world has lost a genuine beacon of beautiful light.' A police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia officers from the Kings Cross command were called to the apartment on Sunday after reports of a concern for welfare. When they arrived, just after 3pm, she was already dead. 'There are no apparent suspicious circumstances, however a post-mortem examination will take place to determine the cause of death,' the spokesman said. Police will prepare a report for the coroner. For confidential support call the Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14. Anyone across Australia experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide can contact Lifeline. Braakensiek previously revealed she'd battled with depression for years and was an ambassador for RUOK? Day in 2017 Advertisement Britain is set to be lashed by 75mph icy gales next week as the Met Office issues a yellow weather warning predicting possible disruption. Next week's severe gales and cold snap comes after a mild weekend with temperatures of around 9C (48F) to 10C (50F) across most of the country. It came after a brief cold spell with temperatures of around -10C (14F) on Saturday night in Scotland. The bitter wind chills will make temperatures feel considerably colder and combine with heavy rain and go through Scotland and Northern Ireland before settling in England. The weather warning is scheduled to be in effect from 12pm on Monday until 3pm on Tuesday and will cover the northern parts of Scotland with gales reaching as much as 75 mph. A brief cold spell earlier this week saw temperatures fall to around -10C (14F) overnight. And the cold weather is expected to return later this month - with forecasters even predicting snowfall in some areas. A man is pictured walking in Bridport, Dorset yesterday morning after temperatures fell below zero A yellow weather warning is scheduled to be in effect from 12pm on Monday until 3pm on Tuesday and will cover the northern parts of Scotland with gales reaching as much as 75 mph These cold conditions will mark a frosty January with temperatures in England and Wales expected to plummet, with snow possible by the end of the month. The Met Office warning reads: 'Very strong winds are expected to affect northern and parts of eastern Scotland on Monday and Monday night. 'Gusts of 65 to 75 mph are likely, particularly in the far north and northeast, before winds gradually ease from the west during Tuesday.' The strong chilly winds could impact transport. Meteorologist Mark Wilson said: 'It's been a fairly cloudy and mainly dry weekend, and it's more of the same for Sunday afternoon.' In regards to the rest of the week: 'We start to see some changes through the far north-west through the night, we will see heavier more persistent rain, spreading into northwestern parts of Scotland. 'Stregthening winds here as well, with gales and exposure and an early drop of temperatures across Scotland, which will lift through the night as the cloud rolls in and elsewhere its a mild night to come. 'Temperatures in towns and cities of 6-8C.' Britain last week had to endure freezing temperatures after weeks of above average figures. On Thursday temperatures dropped to nearly -11C (12F) overnight as the country faced freezing fog and widespread frosts. Pictured is Avon Gorge in Bristol yesterday morning The weather is set to become generally more changeable as January progresses, with gales at times and bands of rain crossing from the west. Some snow is expected in the north, especially in brighter, showery, colder interludes, but the south and southeast can expect the best of any drier and brighter periods. Meanwhile, some overnight frost is still likely in clearer spells. Arthur Taylor, one of the last remaining veterans of Dunkirk, has died at the age of 98 A Dunkirk veteran who saw his comrades cut down by machine gun fire from Nazi planes, before later contributing to Christopher Nolan's 2017 movie about the evacuation, has died aged 98. Arthur Taylor, originally from Mortlake, south west London, was one of the 330,000 stranded men rescued from the beaches of the French town after spending nearly two days being shot and shelled by the Germans. The RAF radio operator queued for 36 hours before getting on a 'little ship' that took him back to England. Arthur suffered a fall at home in November and spent five weeks in hospital before passing away on December 28. He leaves wife Vera, six children, 13 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. In recent years, he was heavily involved with the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships organisation and led the veterans' parade in Dunkirk for the 75th anniversary of Operation Dynamo in 2015. He also described the evacuation in harrowing detail to director Christopher Nolan which helped him produce his 2017 movie Dunkirk. Arthur was a VIP guest for the film's premiere in London. He had lied about his age to join the Territorial Army back in 1936, having been working for Harrods. He joined the RAF in May 1939 and trained as a wireless operator for Lancaster bombers. Arthur at the 2018 Rememberance service in Bournemouth. Arthur was an RAF radio operator and queued for 36 hours before getting on a 'little ship' that took him back to England Arthur Taylor on a veterens cruise in September 2018. In later years, he also described the evacuation in harrowing detail to director Christopher Nolan for his 2017 movie However, he caught pleurisy during his training and couldn't fly at high altitude so went on to serve as ground crew. In January 1940, he joined the RAF's 13 Squadron based at Arras in northern France and was then attached to the Army's Royal Artillery as a forward spotter. By May 10, he and his comrades advanced along the River Dyle in Belgium but they were forced to retreat by the German Blitzkrieg of the Low Countries. His unit made its way to the Bergues Canal and was regularly shelled by the advancing Germans, taking numerous casualties. Dunkirk veterans Arthur Taylor and Garth Wright meet Prince Harry at a reception hosted by the Prince ahead of the 'Dunkirk' World Premiere Arthur laying a wreath at Dunkirk in 2015. Arthur suffered a fall at home in November and spent five weeks in hospital before passing away By May 28, his regiment were the last line of defence between the enemy and the beaches. Arthur said in an interview with the Bournemouth Echo in 2010: 'At this point we had had no drink or food for days. 'We went to a cafe and were told there was no water in Dunkirk because the Germans had blown up all the water mains. 'Instead they filled our bottles with vin rouge.' He arrived on the packed beach on May 29 and found a massive queue for the boats. Arthur Taylor (second left) with three other veterans at a cruise in September 2018 Arthur said: 'We were queuing for 36 hours to get to the pier. The line was 20 people wide. For 36 hours we were bombed and shelled. 'We saw people machine-gunned right before our eyes. 'You didn't think about what was happening - you just got on with it. That was the true Dunkirk spirit.' Arthur got on the armed trawler the Lord Grey on May 30 which took him to Dover. He was then posted to RAF Hawkinge and RAF Lympne in Kent during the Battle of Britain where he worked as ground crew on Spitfires. Arthur at the 2018 Rememberance service in Bournemouth. He leaves wife Vera, six children, 13 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren He met Vera while serving at RAF Christchurch in 1941 and they were married in the same year. Post-war, Arthur lived in Christchurch, Dorset, with Vera, who is still alive, and passed away peacefully in Poole Hospital. Ian Gilbert, the vice admiral of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships, paid a glowing tribute to the war hero. He said: 'Arthur had a great spirit. He was a great advocate for the importance of Operation Dynamo and how it had transformed the opportunity for Britain to save itself after the disastrous campaign of the British Expeditionary Force. 'He was always in great humour and loved life and enjoyed a tipple with us. 'In 2015 when he was 95 he led the massive civic parade through the town of Dunkirk. Absolutely amazing. Arthur Taylor with Grandson Lt Col. Stuart Taylor. Arthur lied about his age to join the Territorial Army back in 1936, having been working for Harrods at the time 'He will be sadly missed by all his friends from the Little Ships but not forgotten.' One of those friends was veteran Gurkha Sanjkar Gurung who accompanied Arthur at numerous Remembrance Sunday ceremonies. He posted on social media: 'RIP Arthur sir, we won't be marching together again on Remembrance Sunday. I shall miss you very much. You have absolutely done your bit for Queen and Country, it is time to rest now....I salute you Sir.' After the war he was demobbed but rejoined the RAF six months later as he couldn't settle into civilian life. He served for 36 years, including in Hong Kong, Kenya and Singapore during the Malayan Emergency in the 1950s. After eventually retiring from the RAF he worked as a part time accountant in Christchurch. A special ensign of St George that only the Dunkirk Little Ships are allowed to fly will be draped on his coffin at his funeral on February 1 in Bournemouth. Labour was plunged into fresh Brexit chaos today as Barry Gardiner said the party would hold a second referendum in an apparent major shift in policy. Labour's shadow international trade secretary said the party wants another election and to renegotiate the deal with Brussels if they are elected to Number Ten. Afterwards they would put their deal to the people in a second referendum, he told Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday. It is the first time a Labour frontbencher has said the party could head into the next election explicitly campaigning to back another referendum. But as Mr Gardiner was making his comments on the TV, fellow Labour shadow minister Emily Thornberry was going to war with the Remainer 'Peoples Vote' group on the radio. The shadow foreign secretary accused the campaign group of 'smacking' her party 'around the head' on Brexit rather than persuading voters to change their minds. Mr Gardiner told Sophy Ridge that Labour could head into the next election campaign promise another referendum. Labour was plunged into fresh Brexit chaos today as Barry Gardiner (pictured on Sky News today) said the party would hold a second referendum in an apparent major shift in policy He said: 'If we as a new incoming Labour government were to go to Europe without those red lines, we know that we could get a different, better deal and that's what we want to try and achieve. 'At that stage it makes sense to go to the country and say here we are, this is what we've managed to negotiate, this is the deal that we have managed to conclude because we don't have the same red lines as Theresa May, we think it's a better way forward. 'And it seems to me, at a personal level, what I would then say is that is the time when we would then say to people now make your decision on what we have managed to conclude.' Jeremy Corbyn has come under pressure to throw his weight behind a referendum if Labour cannot force an early election. Pressure has intensified after a large-scale opinion poll commissioned by the People's Vote campaign indicated Labour could suffer a backlash from voters if it failed to oppose Brexit in Parliament. The YouGov poll of more than 25,000 people indicated a second referendum is backed by 75 per cent of Labour voters. Meanwhile, Ms Thornberry was waging a war of words with arch Remainers in the People's Vote campaign. Ms Thornberry told BBC Radio 5 LIve's Pienaar's Politics: 'I think my personal reservation about a second referendum listen, I think we should remain in the European Union. Fellow Labour shadow minister Emily Thornberry (pictured on the BBC late last year) was going to war with the Remainer 'Peoples Vote' group on the radio. 'The reason that our policy is as it is, is because we lost the referendum, we lost the general election, we are doing everything we can pragmatically to look after the country as best we can. 'If there was to be another referendum along the same lines as we had before, I would vote remain. But what I would like, if we are going to have another referendum, is to win that referendum and for us to remain in the European Union. 'What concerns me about the People's Vote movement is, as I've just said, is that instead of spending their time trying to change people's minds, they spend their time smacking the Labour Party around the head, some of them.' And Labour London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the Brexit process should be immediately halted if Mrs May's deal is rejected by Parliament - with the decision put back to the people. He said: 'If Parliament rejects the Prime Minister's bad deal the only sensible course of action is to withdraw Article 50 immediately. 'People from every corner of our country continue to call for the British people (to) get the final say - with the option to stay in the EU.' The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has endorsed a contract for the procurement of 1090 new vehicles to the Dubai Taxi fleet. The new vehicles include 776 hybrid vehicles powered by fuel & electricity. The total number of hybrid vehicles in the Dubai Taxi fleet will grow to 2230 vehicles, which is equivalent to 44 per cent of the entire Dubai Taxi fleet. The procurement of these new vehicles is part of RTAs Dubai Taxi Corporation efforts to improve the taxi service in Dubai. The objective is to offer a unique and premium taxi service to meet the rising demand and improve the level of service that will bring more happiness to clients, said Mattar Al Tayer, director general and chairman of RTA. The breakdown of vehicles procured under the contract is as follows: 660 hybrid Toyota Camry, 270 Toyota Innova, and 2 Toyota Hiace, 116 hybrid Hyundai Sonata, 30 H1 Van, and 12 Vito Pro. The procurement of 776 hybrid vehicles is in implementation of the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to save power consumption in the UAE in view of its importance for the people and development projects. It is also part of RTAs commitment to the Master Plan of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy calling for reducing carbon emissions of the taxi sector by 2 per cent to accelerate the migration to the Green Economy. It also concurs with the Strategic Objective (Safety and Environmental Sustainability) and supports the governments green economy initiatives as well, explained Al Tayer. As part of its strategic objectives, the Dubai Taxi Corporation is aspiring for an excellent operation that brings happiness to people. This procurement will meet the growing public demand for the service fuelled by the upsurge of urbanization and demographic growth in Dubai, which is shaping into a key destination for investors and business leaders from all countries, said Dr Yousef Al Ali, CEO of Dubai Taxi Corporation. Under the contract, Al Futtaim Automobiles, Juma Al Majid Establishment and Gargash Enterprises, will provide technical support and supervision to the Dubai Taxi Corporation at any time. They will also provide theoretical and practical training for DTCs staffs and technicians on the new vehicles, added Al Ali. TradeArabia News Service A Saudi woman who is being held in Bangkok after trying to escape her abusive family has told of her terror that she will be killed if she is deported. Rahaf Mohammed al Qunun, 18, has been trapped in the airport since arriving at 4am GMT on Sunday. She intended to reach Australia and apply for asylum but a Saudi official in the Thai airport confiscated her passport after her father reported her for travelling without her male 'guardian'. He claimed she was mentally ill but failed to provide any evidence. Rahaf was due to be escorted on to the 11.15am (4.15am GMT) Kuwait Airways flight 412 from Bangkok to Kuwait this morning. But Qunun posted a video on Twitter on Monday of her barricading her hotel door with a table and a mattress. A Thai immigration official confirmed Qunun was still in the hotel room on Monday morning. Another airport official confirmed that the Kuwait Airways flight she was scheduled to be on had left. Rahaf Mohammed al Qunun, 18, send this selfie to MailOnline from the Bangkok airport hotel room in which she is being held. She believes she will be murdered by her family if she is deported Last night, speaking from an airport hotel room guarded by security officials, she told MailOnline: 'I am scared. 'My brother told me that he's waiting with some Saudi men. 'They will take me to Saudi Arabia and my father will kill me, because he is so angry. 'He will kill me. My family do this. I know them. 'They kept telling me they will kill me if I do something wrong - they say that since I was a child.' She, her parents, and her six siblings live in Ha'il in Saudi Arabia, where her father works as a government official. She has suffered beatings and emotional abuse from her family, at one point being locked in her room for six months for cutting her hair. When they took a trip to visit family in Kuwait she made her escape, buying flights from Kuwait to Thailand and from Thailand to Australia with help from a friend, and taking a taxi to the airport at 4am after checking her father was asleep. She said: 'When I came to Thailand someone told me that he will help me to get a visa for Thailand in the airport. After that he took my passport. After one hour he came back with five or six people, I think they were police or something and then they told me my father is so angry and I must go back to Saudi Arabia. They know I ran away from him.' In a text conversion on the messaging app Whatsapp, her father told an airport employee official Rahaf was mentally ill, but when challenged to provide evidence or documentation, he fell silent. Rahaf demanded her passport back and asked to be allowed to fly to a another country, but officials insisted she would be deported. She said: 'They kept telling me I can't get a visa. The airline told me I have to stay here so I can go back to Kuwait. From Kuwait they [my family] will take me to Saudi Arabia. 'They will kill me. I am so scared. I want to go to another country, and stay safe. I have a visa for Australia, I want to go there. I don't know what I will do. 'I have to fight, because I don't want to lose my life.' Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, 18, tweeted: 'I have been detained in an airport hotel. I will be forcibly repatriated tomorrow to Kuwait and then Saudi. There is an airport person who constantly follows me. I can't even ask for protection or asylum in Thailand.' Human Rights Watch has called on the Thai government to grant sanctuary to Rahaf, who they believe may be at 'serious risk of harm' if returned to her family. The charity said no visa was necessary because Rahaf had not applied to enter Thailand because her passport was taken, along with her plane ticket to Australia - and that Thai authorities have prevented her from having access to UNHCR to make a refugee claim. Human Rights Watch Asia deputy director Phil Robertson told MailOnline: 'As far as we can tell, her father is a prominent government official, I expect he's going to be very very harsh. 'Certainly he's senior enough to do whatever he wants to his daughter and nobody is going to raise a finger against him. 'There's a long history of what they call 'honour violence'. 'I think she's at serious risk. We've been pressing the UN to get in there. They need to go to the airport. Since her Kafkaesque imprisonment began this morning, Rahaf has shared via Twitter her reasons for fleeing her family and the threatening behaviour of Saudi officials in Bangkok airport. She said: 'My family is strict and locked me in a room for six months just for cutting my hair,' she said, adding that she is certain she will be imprisoned if she is sent back. 'I'm sure 100 percent they will kill me as soon as I get out of the Saudi jail,' she said, adding that she was 'scared' and 'losing hope'. In another tweet she said: 'I have been threatened by several staff from the Saudi embassy and the Kuwaiti airlines, and they said 'If you run, we will find you and kidnap you, then deal with you' I really don't know how they are going to behave in case I run.' In another tweet, with an accompanying video, she said: 'There is an airport person who constantly follows me. I can't even ask for protection or asylum in Thailand. Thai police refuse to help me.' She also shared a picture of her passport 'because I want you to know I'm real and exist'. Another tweet read: 'I'm afraid my family will kill me.' By 2.30pm GMT, Rahaf was in a hotel on the airport grounds with multiple security and immigration officials preventing her from leaving the building. At 4.30pm she tried to plead with the President of the United states directly, tweeting: '@realDonaldTrump please help me. I'm hoping that you heard about me. I'm Saudi girl who fled from her family. Now I could be killed if they drag me back to my male guardian.' President Trump considers the kingdom's Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, a close ally, and has rejected the findings of his own intelligence agencies which linked 'MBS', as he is known, to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In a video published on Twitter at 2.30pm GMT today Rahaf is shown detained in an airport hotel in Bangkok with security officials preventing her from leaving the building Thai officials claim it is a family matter and say she will be deported to Saudi - where renouncing Islam is punishable by death, and activists say women are at risk of 'honour killings' by family members - tomorrow morning. It is a chilling echo of the case of Dina Ali Lasloom, 24, a Saudi woman who in April 2017 was held for 13 hours in Manilla airport while trying to flee a forced marriage. She was forcibly taken back to Saudi Arabia by uncles and never heard from again. A Thai official confirmed today that an 18-year-old Saudi woman seeking asylum was denied entry to Thailand and held in Bangkok's airport. Thailand's immigration chief Surachate Hakparn told AFP: 'Rahaf Mohammed M Alqunun ran away from her family to avoid marriage and she is concerned she may be in trouble returning to Saudi Arabia'. He said: 'She had no further documents such as return ticket or money. He added that Thai authorities contacted the 'Saudi Arabia embassy to coordinate'. Thailand's immigration chief Surachate Hakparn said Rahaf would be sent back to Saudi Arabia by Monday morning, adding, 'It's a family problem'. The young Saudi woman's case is reminiscent of a 2017 incident in which a 24-year-old woman fleeing a forced marriage was held at Manilla airport for 13 hours before being repatriated against her will. Dina Ali Lasloom was not heard from again after returning to Saudi Arabia in the company of her uncles But Rahaf and Human Rights Watch said in fact she was stopped by Saudi and Kuwaiti officials when she arrived in Suvarnabhumi airport and her passport was forcibly taken from her after a a male guardian had reported her for traveling 'without his permission'. Rahaf said she was trying to flee her family, who subjected her to physical and psychological abuse. She took to Twitter to plead her case, creating a profile with an Arabic bio that reads 'I just want to survive'. During a video livestream showing her walking around a carpeted hallway, Rahaf spoke in Arabic about how her father had told Saudi embassy officials she was a 'psychiatric patient' who had to be returned, even though she had 'an Australian visa'. 'I can't escape the airport,' she said in the live video. 'I tried but there's a security (official) watching me.' Human Rights Watch Asia deputy director Phil Robertson told MailOnline: 'Rahaf faces being sent back to face honor related violence from her family, and openly says that her father will kill her.' Rahaf shared this copy of her passport saying on Twitter, 'I'm sharing it with you now because I want you to know I'm real and exist' Earlier today Rahaf told the BBC that she had renounced Islam, and feared she would be forcibly returned to Saudi Arabia and killed by her family. Thai police Major General Surachate Hakparn told the BBC that Ms Mohammed al-Qunun was escaping a marriage but because she did not have a visa to enter Thailand, police had denied her entry and were in the process of repatriating her through the same airline she had taken, Kuwait Airlines. Gen Surachate said he was unaware of any passport seizure and it is unclear why Ms Mohammed al-Qunun would need a Thai visa if she was in transit to Australia and had an Australian visa. Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun's tweets are being translated and shared online. She says she is in real danger if she is forced to return to Saudi Arabia In a series of tweets Ms Mohammed al-Qunun described being detained by police at Suvarnabhumi Airport (pictured) and says she fears for her life It's happened before: Saudi woman fleeing forced marriage disappeared in 2017 In April 2017, Saudi woman Dina Ali Lasloom, 24, attampted to flee to Australia. She posted videos on Twitter saying she was trying to escape a forced marriage and feared violence and even death at the hands of her family if she was returned to the kingdom. Rahaf's situation is reminiscent of the case of Dina Ali Lasloom, pictured She said: 'My name is Dina Ali and I'm a Saudi woman who fled Saudi Arabia to Australia to seek asylum. 'Please help me. I'm recording this video to help me and know that I'm real and I'm here. 'If my family come, they will kill me.' Ms Lasloom's passport was confiscated by authorities in the Philippines at Manilla airport, and she was held for 13 hours. Her case received publicity via help from a Canadian tourist, but she was nonetheless reportedly duct-taped before being being forced on a flight back to Riyadh by uncles. She has not been heard from since. Advertisement Online, Arabic speakers, human rights activists and journalists have attempted to bring a media spotlight to the case on Twitter using the hashtag #SaveRahaf. Her story has all the hallmarks of the case of Dina Ali Lasloom, 24, a Saudi woman who hoped to find sanctuary in Australia from a forced marriage. In April 2017 she was detained in Manilla airport by authorities in the Phillipines, taken back to Saudi Arabia by her uncles and never heard from again. She used a Canadian tourist's phone to send a message, a video of which was posted to Twitter, saying her family would kill her. The Saudi embassy in Thailand and officials in Riyadh could not be reached for comment today. The ultra-conservative Middle Eastern kingdom has long been criticised for imposing some of the world's toughest restrictions on women. That includes a guardianship system that allows men to exercise arbitrary authority to make decisions on behalf of their female relatives. If punished for 'moral' crimes, they could become victims of further violence in 'honour killings' at the hands of their families, activists say. A spokeswoman for the United Nations' refugee agency, the UNHCR, told MailOnline: 'For reasons of confidentiality and protection, we are not in a position to comment on the details (or even confirm or deny the existence) of individual cases. 'However, UNHCR consistently advocates that refugees and asylum seekers having been confirmed or claimed to be in need of international protection cannot be returned to their countries of origin according to the principle of non-refoulement, which prevents states from expelling or returning persons to a territory where their life or freedom would be threatened. 'This principle is recognized as customary international law, and is also enshrined in Thailand's other treaty obligations.' A spokeswoman for Amenesty International said the charity was 'not involved' in the case. Apple took a dig at the privacy issues plaguing other tech companies with a giant billboard. The company purchased space on the side of the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Hotel, which overlooks the Las Vegas Convention Center where the Consumer Electronics Show will be held this week. The billboard plays on the iconic slogan 'What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas' and reads: 'What happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone'. Next to the slogan is an outline of an iPhone XS and the web address of Apple's privacy page. Apple purchased space on the side of a hotel overlooking the Las Vegas Convention Center, where the Consumer Electronics Show will be held next week, and reads: 'What happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone' The ad was first noticed and photographed on Friday by Chris Velazco, a reporter at Endgaget, but it's not clear when the billboard went up. 'Apple never shows up at CES, so I can't say I saw this coming,' he tweeted. Velazco is right; Apple has never attended the CES and likely will not this year. However, the billboard is obviously meant to troll its competitors, even from far away. Google experienced a privacy flaw in November that exposed the names, email addresses, ages and other personal information of 52.5 million Google Plus users. A report by UK charity Privacy International looked at 34 Android apps and found that 20 'automatically transfer data to Facebook the moment a user opens the app'. And German trade magazine c't reported that Amazon accidentally sent the archive of a man's recordings on Alexa to another user. On the other hand, Apple has rarely had to deal with a privacy-related issues and its privacy page explains how all personal data does not leave users' devices. 'For example, the data used to identify you for Touch ID and Face ID is converted into mathematical representations that are encrypted and protected by the Secure Enclave on your device, where they cannot be accessed by iOS or apps. It isn't stored on Apple servers or backed up to iCloud,' the website reads. The CES will kick off on Tuesday, January 8 and last through Friday, January 11. President Trump tweeted words of praise for Egypt's president as he inaugurates a massive cathedral on Coptic Christmas Eve Sunday amid heavy security. 'Excited to see our friends in Egypt opening the biggest Cathedral in the Middle East,' Trump exclaimed on Twitter. 'President El-Sisi is moving his country to a more inclusive future!' Egypt's president is inaugurating Nativity of Christ Cathedral for Coptic Christians and one of the region's largest mosques. Sunday's opening ceremony is a highly symbolic gesture at a time when Islamic militants are increasingly targeting the country's minority Christians. President Trump speaks to the media as he departs the White House on his way to Camp David today Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is opening the newly-constructed Nativity of the Christ Cathedral President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, shown, is opening the cathedral under heavy security only a day after another attack may have targeted a Coptic Christian church in Nasr City Egyptian President al-Sisi often presents himself as a defender of Christians against extremists but activists and some analysts accuse the state of discriminating against them and not providing enough protection. The inauguration of the cathedral falls on Christmas Eve for Egypt's predominantly Coptic Orthodox Christians and also comes just a day after a deadly bomb blast near a church in a country where jihadists have repeatedly targeted Christians. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Saturday's explosion on the eastern edge of Cairo that killed a policeman who was trying to defuse the device and wounded two others. Coptic Christians, who account for around 10 percent of Egypt's population, have been hit by a string of attacks by the Islamic State group in recent years. President Trump commented on the opening of the anticipated Nativity of Christ Cathedral in Egypt on Twitter this morning An exterior view of the newly-constructed Coptic Nativity of the Christ Cathedral at the new administrative capital Workers prepare for the inauguration of the newly-built Nativity of Christ Cathedral in Egypt's new administrative capital, east of Cairo, on January 3 The bomb was hidden inside a bag that was placed on the rooftop of Al-Haq mosque near the Virgin Mary church in the Nasr City district of Cairo, religious officials and witnesses said. The Grand Mufti of Egypt, Shawki Allam, denounced 'the terrorist operation that targeted ... the church in the Ezzbat al-Haggan neighbourhood of Nasr City', on his official Facebook page. He said 'extremists' had planted 'an explosive device on the roof of Al-Haq mosque ... near the Virgin Mary church'. The president will also inaugurate on Sunday Al-Fattah al-Alim mosque in the new administrative capital. Egyptian police form a security cordon after a policeman was killed trying to defuse an explosive device near a church, in a residential district of Cairo, Egypt A forensic investigator uses equipment at the site of the bomb blast that killed an Egyptian policeman A view of the newly-built al-Fattah al-Alim mosque in Egypt's new administrative capital More than 100 Copts have been killed in jihadist attacks since December 2016. IS claimed an assault in early November in which six Copts and one Anglican died in the central province of Minya. IS also killed more than 40 people in twin church bombings in April 2017, and an IS gunman in December that year killed nine people in an attack on a church in a south Cairo suburb. Hundreds of police and soldiers have also been killed in attacks. In late December, three Vietnamese tourists and their Egyptian guide died when a homemade bomb exploded on their bus on the outskirts of Cairo. The country has been under a state of emergency since April 2017. The president visited the Cathedral of Nativity for Christmas Eve last year when it was still under construction, and gave a short speech wishing Copts a merry Christmas and saying the country would prevail over jihadists. His attendance on Sunday marks the cathedral's official inauguration. In February the army launched a large-scale operation dubbed 'Sinai 2018' to rid the Sinai Peninsula of jihadists after an attack on a mosque that killed more than 300 people. A painting by renowned artist Thomas Gainsborough has been found in a cathedral after hanging forgotten for many years. The life sized portrait at Hereford Cathedral, was originally thought to have been painted by Gainsborough Dupont, the artist's nephew. But the painting, which was left hanging in a dark corner in the vestry, has been identified as the work of Thomas Gainsborough, by expert Hugh Besley. The painting, which was left hanging in the vestry, has been identified as the work of Thomas Gainsborough, by expert Hugh Besley He told The Sunday Telegraph: 'It's an impressive picture. 'It should be considered quite highly. It shows his characteristic handling of brushwork, so liquid and descriptive. 'It now sits immediately above the verger's office, high on the wall, and no one pays any attention to it at all...I saw it as best I could because it's really very difficult to see.' The picture is dated around 1770 and the person in the portrait is thought to be Reverend Isaac Donnithorne, who is depicted as both a businessman and a clergyman. He was ordained in 1735 and inherited a family estate in Cornwall, which included a tin mine employing local people. Another version of the painting can be found at the Falmouth Art Gallery. The unearthing of the stunning portrait, comes not long after curators found a 'sensationally beautiful' portrait of the artist's daughter playing a musical instrument. Tristram And Fox, a 1760s drawing by Thomas Gainsborough of his pet dogs. This picture and others are on display at the National Portrait Gallery Experts were aware of the existence of the portrait of the artist's daughter playing a musical instrument but did not know where to find it. They spent five years searching for the unfinished work before their call for help was answered. The 'touchingly personal' painting has not been on public display since 1882. Curators have made last-minute changes to the show, Gainsborough's Family Album, to make room for the work. The exhibition will focus on the works Gainsborough created 'for love, rather than money' and track his life from 'relative obscurity to being one of the leading lights of the British art world'. Daughters Chasing A Butterfly by Thomas Gainsborough. The Gainsborough's Family Album exhibition is currently taking place at the National Portrait Gallery Curator Lucy Peltz said hunting down paintings for the show involved some 'detective' work. 'We had become so frustrated we decided to put a notice in the editorial page of Country Life and found some results,' she said. 'One or two pictures eluded us for a long time and this one was one of them. 'Representatives of the owners of the painting discovered that we were looking for it after we put the notice in and got in touch with us very late in the day.' The painting, entitled Margaret Gainsborough, The Artist's Daughter, Playing A Cittern, was still in Gainsborough's possession when he died and stayed with his descendants until the 1870s. The unfinished work has been in the UK throughout its life. Some of the other family portraits in the exhibition are also incomplete to a lesser degree. 'They were not for sale so there was no economic imperative for Gainsborough to finish these paintings nobody was paying for them,' David Solkin, the show's co-curator said. 'You can imagine Gainsborough's wife, who was his business manager, saying 'spend your time painting works which are going to give us an income'.' The rediscovered work, whose owners want to remain anonymous, is the only portrait that combines Gainsborough's greatest loves, his daughters and music. The artist, one of Britain's most successful 18th-century portraitists, had an attitude towards his daughters that was rare for the time. 'He encouraged his daughters to grow up as young ladies with accomplishments,' Peltz said. 'He wanted them to be trained as landscape artists so they would not be reliant on finding successful marriage matches.' The exhibition will feature 12 surviving portraits of his two daughters, Margaret and Mary, to be shown together for the first time and 'provide a unique insight into the private life and motivations of one of Britain's greatest artists'. Highlights include The Painter's Daughters Chasing A Butterfly and Painter's Daughters With A Cat. Gainsborough's Family Album opened on November 22 and runs until February 3 2019 at the National Portrait Gallery, London. Youngsters who regularly mix with older people have better language, reading and social skills, according to a new report. United For All Ages (UAA), a think-tank looking at closer links between childcare providers and care homes, found that children benefited from one-to-one attention with older people, while the elderly in turn were less likely to suffer feelings of loneliness and reported an improved quality of life. The idea of intergenerational care is not new - it began in Japan in 1976, before spreading to the US, Canada and Netherlands - but has only been recently employed in the UK. A new report from United For All Ages has found youngsters can benefit from spending time with older people and see improvements in their language, reading and social skills Apples and Honey Nightingale, in Wandsworth, southwest London, became the country's first dedicated nursery and care home when it opened its doors in 2017. A further 40 similar projects have since been established. Speaking to James Tapper for The Observer, UAA's director Stephen Burke said the rewards of such schemes for older people's quality of life are already well-documented, 'but there are big benefits for children and younger people too.' He added: 'Our challenge to Britain is to maximise those benefits for all of the next generation. Research shows that there are lasting benefits of a good start in life.' Writing in the report, Mixing Matters, Ali Somers of Apples and Honey Nightingale states that 'nursery children engage in meaningful play with the residents each day'. The scheme is reminiscent of Channel 4's recent social experiment, Old People's Home For 4 Year Olds, in which a group of youngsters were relocated to a temporary nursery set up at Lark Hill Village, Nottingham. Lavinia, 81, pictured with youngster Lois, took part in the recent series of Channel 4's Old People's Home For 4 Year Olds and found the experiment gave her 'something to get up for' Ten pensioners ranging in age from 81 to 102 were chosen to take part, with a team of experts on hand to test how their mood, memory and mobility were impacted by regular interaction with the children. Lavinia, 81, who was the youngest of the elderly group, said interacting with the energetic youngsters gave her 'something to get up for in the mornings.' Downshall Primary School in Ilford, East London, also recognises the benefits of bringing the generations together. In late 2017, the school launched the UK's first long-term project bringing together old and young and was unique in that its elderly participants attend school and even lessons with reception pupils up to three times a week. Young and old come together at Downshall Primary School, Ilford, three times a week Headmaster Ian Bennett writes in the report: 'Older people with dementia and depression are taking part in joint activities with children at a primary school in east London at the first day centre of its kind in the UK. 'The day centre brings older people and children together to benefit both generations. 'Everyone at the school is really excited about sharing our site and activities with local older people. Together we will all benefit from sharing experiences, meals and day-to-day activities. I hope this will encourage other schools to look at how they can mix across the generations and learn and grow together.' Last October, health secretary Matt Hancock backed the idea of opening nurseries next to NHS services, to encourage the generations to mix. UAA has also set its sights on promoting the concept in the UK and has launched a campaign to establish 500 cross-generational housing, care home, school and nursery sites by 2023. Man didn't find much sympathy online, with many people criticising his actions A ute driver towing a trailer which became stranded in the Royal National Park hasn't drawn much sympathy from the general public on social media. Fire & Rescue NSW Bundeena Station posted an image on their Facebook page on Sunday afternoon which quickly had people talking. The photo, which showed the ute and trailer in a closed area at the park in Sydney's south - was accompanied by a blunt message from clearly frustrated fire and rescue staff. The man (pictured) after getting into trouble at the Royal National Park in Sydney's south - he was widely condemned on social media The picturesque Royal National Park in Sydney's south where a man found himself in a spot of bother after entering a closed area with his ute and trailer on Sunday (stock image) 'This is what happens when you enter a closed area of the Royal National Park then go through a fence onto the beach while towing a trailer,' it read. 'Car and trailer are now stuck near the entrance to the basin.' One Facebook user felt the ute driver 'should be billed for the rescue and recovery' with another stating 'play stupid games, win stupid prizes.' A third user joked that 'hopefully a little crowd will gather and watch whilst drinking red wine.' With light fading, the red faced ute owner managed to get his car and trailer to safety, just before the tide came in on Sunday night. A 50-year-old woman has been found choked to death in a tower block in east London. Murder Squad detectives are now investigating the death after the woman was discovered by police who forced their way into the flat at Salisbury House, an 11 storey block in Poplar. They had received calls asking about the woman's well being last Sunday. Her death was initially unexplained but a post-mortem held on Friday gave the cause as 'compression to the neck'. The woman was found strangled to death at her flat in Salisbury House, an 11 storey block in Poplar No arrests have been made and the investigation continues. Scotland Yard said: 'A murder investigation has been launched following the death of a woman at a residential address in Tower Hamlets. 'On 30, December 2018 at around 1.20pm officers attended an address in Salisbury House, Hobday Street, Poplar after concerns were raised for the welfare of the occupant. 'Officers forced entry and found a 50-year-old woman unresponsive. She was pronounced dead at 2.06pm. 'Her next of kin have been informed and formal identification awaits. 'The death was initially deemed unexplained, awaiting the results of a post-mortem examination. 'A special post-mortem examination was held on Friday at Poplar Public Mortuary with a provisional cause of death given as compression to the neck. Police officers carrying evidence bags at Baltimore Wharf in Eastferry road on the Isle of Dogs 'No arrests have been made. 'Detectives from the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command (HMCC) are investigating. 'Enquiries are ongoing.' Detectives are also investigating the death of a woman, believed to be in her 30s, in Tower Hamlets after she was found with fatal stab wounds. A 32-year-old man known to the victim has been arrested on suspicion of her murder. A woman in her 30s was found with stab wounds and a man, aged 32, has now been arrested on suspicion of murder Detective Chief Inspector Paul Considine said: 'We are at an early stage in our investigation but require the assistance of the public to help us piece together what exactly happened. 'If you heard or saw anything at the address that seemed out of place or of concern on Saturday 5 January or the days leading up to it, please don't hesitate to contact us.' Anyone with information should call the HMCC Incident Room on 020 8345 3865, Tweet @MetCC or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Enquiries continue. A rioter facing up to five years in prison after being filmed beating up police during a day of intense Yellow Vest violence in Paris can today be identified as a former champion French boxer. Christophe Dettinger, 36, was pictured lashing out at officers on a River Seine bridge during anti-government protests on Saturday afternoon. Extraordinary videos capture the savagery, showing Dettinger using his fists and feet against the police. On Sunday, he was on the run after investigating sources in the French capital confirmed he was the boxer who won France's Light Heavyweight title in October 2007. Christophe Dettinger, 36, was pictured lashing out at officers on a River Seine bridge during anti-government protests on Saturday afternoon Dettinger, a French light heavyweight champion for two years, was filmed laying into four heavily armed French riot police on a bridge over the Seine during Gilets Jaunes protests yesterday Six-foot-four-inch Dettinger, pictured left, known as the 'Gypsy of Massy' after the south Paris suburb where he was bought up in a traveller community, won 18 fights out of 22, seven by KO 'Mr Dettinger can clearly be seen attacking officers after they started using tear gas on the Passerelle Bridge,' said the source. 'They were trying to prevent rioters getting to the Paris parliament building, but the suspect was part of a mob who objected.' Prosecutors and judicial police intend to arrest the suspect, who faces between three and five years in prison if found guilty of attack a state official, said the source. Mr Dettinger, who is 6ft 4ins tall, is known as the 'Gypsy of Massy', after the south Paris suburb where he was bought up in a community of travelers. He made no effort to cover his face during the rioting, at times adjusting a dark blue beany cap, as worn by Sylvester Stallone's Rocky Balboa, in the Rocky films. Mr Dettinger, who held his champion title for two years, has won 18 fights out of 22, seven by knock out. French riot police used tear gas against protesters yesterday on the eighth Saturday of clashes Demonstrators are engulfed by a cloud of teargas in Paris on January 5, 2019, during an anti-government demonstration called by the yellow vest 'Gilets Jaunes' movement. A policeman photographed firing a teargas shell in Paris yesterday in another day of clashes President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the Yellow Vests 'Act VIII' Day of Rage, which saw rioting in major cities for the eighth Saturday in a row. He said 'justice will be done', after some 50,000 people took part in the protests, many of them wearing high-visibility jackets which have become the trademark of the movement. There were 37 arrests in Paris alone, where masked thugs broke into a French government ministry using forklift truck. This led to the 'emergency evacuation' of government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux by police. All of the Yellow Vests involved managed to escape without any immediate arrests, with detectives trying to identify them using CCTV. This morning on the streets of Paris cars were burnt-out husks after another day of vioent protests This morning a worker tried to wash graffiti reading 'down with the police and the middle classes' off a hotel in Paris A yellow-jacketed protester walks past punning graffiti. Literally translated the scrawl means 'life in yellow' but it is a protester's take on the expression 'la vie en rose', meaning 'life in rosy hues' or 'life seen through a happy lens' which gives its name to a famous song by Edith Piaf It was on Friday that Mr Griveaux had warned of a full blown revolution as the campaign resumed after a Christmas break. He said they were radicals 'who seek insurrection and basically want to overthrow the government.' Ten members of the movement have died at blockades organised at major roads around France, while thousands of others have been injured in rioting. The Vests have been protesting since November 17 and, despite a range of concessions by President Macron including scrapping green taxes of diesel and petrol, continue to call for him to step down. Many have been arrested, including some 700 who were held in custody on a single day in Paris in December. High-end shops including luxury fashion boutiques were today boarded up in Paris, along with banks and post offices. This follows major acts of vandalism, including the Arc de Triomphe itself being attacked. Protesters take part in an anti-government demonstration called by the yellow vest "Gilets Jaunes" movement yesterday in Paris Women show their solidarity in a march during a rally of the Women's Yellow Vest protest movement, wearing signs reading 'I am your cousin', 'I am your mummy', 'I am your coworker' Thousands of protesters gathered on the Champs Elysees in central Paris, where around 15 police wagons were also deployed The Vests have been joined by extremists from the far Right and the ultra-Left, as well as anarchists intent on causing as much damage as possible. Crisis-ridden Mr Macron has not only climbed down on imposing green surcharges, but increased the national minimum wage by seven per sent, and scrapped tax on bonuses. But the Yellow Vests said their protests would continue indefinitely as they campaign for even more concessions. The independent Mr Macron, leader of the Republic On The Move party, won the French presidential election in a landslide in 2017, but he is now dubbed the 'President of the Rich' with polls showing his popularity rating down to just 18 per cent. President Donald Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, has insisted the US will not withdraw troops from Syria until assurances are made by the Turkish Government that it won't attack allied Kurdish forces essential to the fight against ISIS. Speaking on Sunday during a visit to Israel, Bolton said the demand has been issued by the President directly and that it's just one of many conditions that must be met by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan before the US pullout of the region. 'There are objectives that we want to accomplish that condition the withdrawal,' Bolton told reporters. 'The timetable [of the withdrawal] flows from the policy decisions that we need to implement.' Bolton is currently travelling to Israel and Turkey to explain Trump's Syria withdrawal plans to allies, after he abruptly announced that all 2000 US troops occupying northern Syria would vacate the territory immediately, on December 19. National Security Advisor John Bolton (pictured on December 13, 2018) has said the US' withdrawal from Syria is conditional and the safety of Kurdish allies must be agreed by Turkey before any measures are taken Kurdish soldiers are said to have been vital in the US' efforts in combating ISIS in Syria, but Turkey view the forces as insurgent terrorists This is the first public confirmation that the drawdown has stalled, after Trump endured widespread criticism from allies and the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis for the seemingly brash and rushed policy shift. Trump's plans have raised fears over a Turkish assault on Kurdish fighters in Syria who fought alongside American troops against IS extremists. Turkey considers the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Unit (YPG), a terrorist group linked to an insurgency within its own borders. Donald Trump faced a magnitude of criticism when he spontaneously announced his intentions to withdraw all Troops from Syria last month. The latest developments show the hasty exit plan has hit a snag Former U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis (shown above) resigned on January 1, shortly after the President's announcement of the withdrawal, saying America shouldn't act as the world's 'policemen' 'We don't think the Turks ought to undertake military action that's not fully coordinated with and agreed to by the United States,' Bolton said. Ahead of his meeting with Turkish officials on Monday, Bolton said he will seek 'to find out what their objectives and capabilities are and that remains uncertain.' According to Bolton, Trump has vehemently stated he will not allow Turkey to attack the Kurds. 'That's what the president said, the ones that fought with us.' Bolton said the US has told its Kurdish allies to 'stand fast now' and refrain from seeking protection from Russia or Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government. 'I think they know who their friends are,' he added. Bolton (pictured left, with David Friedman, right) visited Israel on Sunday to reassure prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the US' exit plan and to discuss Iran's expansion of influence in Syria The White House adviser will then visit Turkey on Monday to share President Trump's demands with officials He said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford would continue negotiations with his Turkish counterparts this week to seek protection for America's Kurdish allies in Syria. Additionally, Ambassador Jim Jeffrey, the special representative for Syrian engagement, is to travel to Syria this week in an effort to reassure US Kurdish allies that they are not being abandoned, Bolton said. Bolton stated U.S. troops would remain in Al-Tanf, southern Syria, to counter growing Iranian activity in the region. 'The primary point is we are going to withdraw from northeastern Syria,' Bolton said. 'So its going to be a different environment after we leave, there is no question about that,' he added. 'But there is no desire to see Irans influence spread thats for sure.' Al Tanf started out as a base to train fighters against ISIS but has since become a critical stronghold for the US in immobilising Iran's influence in the region. Bolton quashed any claims of illegality regarding the deployment, saying the President's constitutional authority justifies its means. 'I think theres plenty of legal justification about concern for the resurgence of ISIS,' he said. 'But Im a strong believer in Article II, and I think that what that means is the president has full authority to protect American and allied interests anywhere around the world.' On behalf of thew White House, Bolton urged Kurdish allies to realize 'who their friends are' and resist seeking protection from Russia or the Syrian government Another requirement of the withdrawal is the 'satisfactory disposition' of around 800 Islamic State prisoners currently detained by the US-backed Syrian opposition, where Bolton says talks are currently on-going with European and regional partners about the issue. Bolton is to sit down with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday to discuss the pace of the US drawdown, troop numbers in the region, and the push back on Iranian regional expansionism. He's also expected to explain that some U.S. troops based in Syria to fight IS will shift to Iraq with the same mission, and that the Al-Tanf base would remain in place. Bolton allegedly said the United States is 'very supportive' of Israeli strikes against Iranian targets in Syria, according to a senior administration official. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu (above) will meet with Bolton on Sunday Evening to discuss the US drawndown. Israel were said to be disgruntled by the announcement last month Bolton visited the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem on his January 6 visit. East Jerusalem visits are usually avoided by US officials, as the territory is still contested between Israel and Palestine The U.S. National Security Adviser (seated front row forth from left) also participated in a virtual reality demonstration at the Western Wall. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer are sitting alongside. On Sunday, Bolton also toured the ancient tunnels beneath the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City, and watched a virtual reality tour of the historic site and dined there with his Israeli equivalent. American officials typically avoid visiting and holding official meetings in parts of east Jerusalem - which is a contested territory between Israel and Palestine. Trump himself, however, also toured the area in a previous visit. Theresa May was today warned by the DUP to change her 'toxic' Brexit deal or face a humiliating defeat in the Commons in just nine days time. The PM tried to drum up support for her controversial blueprint, going on the BBC this morning to warn the UK will enter 'uncharted territory' if her deal is voted down. But her words fell flat with the DUP who said the PM must change the 'poisonous' Irish backstop plan in order for them to back her deal. The small Northern Irish Party only have ten MPs but they wield a huge amount of power as they are propping the Tories up in No10. Nigel Dodds, the DUP's Brexit spokesman, said: 'Theresa May still insists that what she has negotiated is a good deal. She should remember that it would already have been consigned to the bin but for her pulling the vote in December.' He added: 'This is a time for the United Kingdom to make clear what it wants and needs for a Withdrawal Agreement to pass Parliament so that the EU is in no doubt as to what's required for a deal. 'The backstop remains the poison which makes any vote for the Withdrawal Agreement so toxic. 'The EU has shown in the past that it will move but only if faced with a resolute red line on the part of the UK government. 'The coming days will show if this government is made of the right stuff.' Theresa May (pictured left on the BBC's Andrew Marr how today) denied reports that she is set to delay the crunch Brexit vote again as MPs remain deadlocked over the deal. But the DUP's spokesman Nigel Dodds (pictured right) warned her that she must tear up the hated Irish backstop to stand a chance of getting her deal backed by MPs His warning comes as the PM braces herself for what are set to be some of the toughest weeks in her political career. She is kicking the New Year off with a Brexit charm offensive to try to persuade some of the 100 Tory MPs who oppose her deal to back her plan. Appearing on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show today she denied reports that she is set to delay the crunch Brexit vote again as MPs remain deadlocked over the deal. But the Prime Minister refused four times to rule out bringing her deal back to be voted on repeatedly if it is rejected by MPs first time. And she also refused to rule out holding a second Brexit referendum if MPs voted to back one - although she said she opposes one. Tory Brexiteers today warned Mrs May that their opinions have hardened over the Christmas break and that 100 Tory MPs are still dead set against it. Kicking off her latest Brexit PR blitz with an interview on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Mrs May insisted that most Britons want politicians to stop squabbling and back her deal. Mrs May said that she is planning a three-pronged attack to win over her mutinous MPs - to give greater reassurances on the hated Irish backstop, give a greater role to Parliament as the UK enters the second stage of Brexit talks, and to win more concessions out of the EU. But she admitted that 'we are still working' on getting any fresh assurances out of Brussels. But Mrs May also refused to say how long she plans to stay on as Tory leader after promising her warring MPs that she would quit before the next election. Mrs May insisted that the Brexit deal will still be voted on around January 15 as planned - but revealed she is working on a string of changes to try to win over MPs. The PM denied reports she is preparing to delay the Brexit vote again amid predictions she will face a humiliating defeat. MPs threaten to mount Donald Trump-style Government shutdown to stop no deal Brexit Britain could suffer a Donald Trump-style Government shut-down under a Remainer plot to block a no deal Brexit. Remainer Tories are joining with Labour and Lib Dem MPs to back changes to a key piece of legislation to bind the Government's hands if Theresa May refuses to take no deal off the table. Labour ex minister Yvette Cooper and Tory MPs Oliver Letwin and Nicky Morgan have tabled an amendment to the Finance Bill. It would rob the Treasury of its no-deal powers if ministers pressed ahead with a plan to crash out of Brussels without the support of MPs. A second amendment, tabled by Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable and the Greens, would stop the Treasury from raising income or corporation tax unless parliament approved a Brexit deal. The twin changes to the Finance Bill, which is being voted on by MPs on Tuesday, could throw the Government into chaos if they are passed. And it risks plunging Britain into a partial government shutdown similar to what is happening in America, where Donald Trump has refused to fully fund the Government until he gets money for his border wall with Mexico. The Finance Bill gives the Treasury the right to spend money on no-deal Brexit planning. Advertisement She said 'we are going to hold the vote', and pressed if this would be on January 15 she added: 'That sort of timing.' If the Brexit deal is voted down later this month then No10 is said to be determined to keep bringing back until MPs eventually pass it. The plan has sparked fury among backbench MPs who have warned they will not to be browbeaten into backing the deal. The exasperated presenter Andrew Marr said to the PM: 'I've asked you three or four times if you would bring this vote back again and again.' But Mrs May replied: 'I'm saying let's remove the first if and get this vote through the House of Commons.' She said Labour was 'playing politics' and opposing any deal to create 'the greatest chaos' possible. 'We have got people who are promoting a second referendum in order to stop Brexit, and we have got people who want to see their perfect Brexit. 'I would say don't let the search for the perfect become the enemy of the good because the danger there is that we end up with no Brexit at all.' And she also refused to put a timescale on her departure as Tory leader after promising her mutinous MPs that she would quit before the next election. She said: 'I was clear before Christmas with my colleagues on two things: one, I'm not going to call a snap election and secondly that I'm not going to be leading the party into the 2022 General Election. 'What colleagues have said they want me to do is to deliver Brexit, which is what I am working on doing and also deliver on the agenda I set out when I first became Prime Minister.' Her appearance on TV comes at the start of what is set to be some of the toughest months of her political career. Her Brexit deal is being voted on by MPs in just over a week's time - but there is no sign that the overwhelming opposition she faced last year has weakened at all over Christmas. Steve Baker, Tory MP and Brexiteer organiser in chief, told MailOnline: 'The sooner we vote down this deal the better. 'We can then go back to the EU with a better deal for the UK, a new protocol on the Irish border which would have permanent arrangements we could be proud to take forward with a free trade agreement. 'But none of this is possible until we have voted down this unacceptable deal.' Tory MP and Brexiteer ringleader Jacob Rees-Mogg today warned the PM that her Eurosceptic backbenchers 'have bot gone soft over Christmas' and still plan to vote her deal down. While several Remainer Tories have teamed up with Labour MPs which could force a Donald Trump-style shutdown of the Government unless the PM guarantees that Britain will not let the UK crash out of the EU with no deal. Mogg warns May Brexiteers 'have not gone soft' and will vote her deal down Jacob Rees-Mogg said Brexiteer MPs had 'not gone soft over Christmas', adding that he expected more than 100 Tory MPs to revolt against the withdrawal agreement Jacob Rees-Mogg has warned Theresa May that Brexiteer MPs have 'not gone soft over Christmas' and are preparing to vote down her Brexit deal. The Brexiteer rebel ringleader said that he expected more than 100 Tories to revolt against the Withdrawal Agreement when it comes to the crunch Commons vote this month. It comes amid reports that Tory activists have effectively gone on strike - refusing to campaign or raise party funds - amid fury at the PM's Brexit deal. Theresa May had hoped that her mutinous MPs would calm down over the festive season and return to Parliament ready to compromise on Brexit. Number Ten is laying on drinks parties for every Tory MP as they return from their Christmas holidays this week in a fresh Brexit charm offensive. But Mr Rees-Mogg - who led the failed bid to oust Mrs May as Tory leader late last year - insisted that Tory Brexiteers are in no mood to back down. He told The Sunday Express: 'This strength of feeling ought to be responded to by the leadership of the party and not stamped upon.' Advertisement Her TV interview comes after she used an article in the Mail on Sunday to warn her rebellious MPs: back my Brexit deal or voters will lose their jobs. The Prime Minister issued a patriotic rallying cry, telling her opponents that they 'must realise the risks they are running with our democracy'. With days to go until the Commons showdown on her deal, Mrs May says that MPs thinking of voting it down should consider the effect on 'the jobs our constituents rely on to put food on the table for their families'. The vote was pulled at the last minute in December after party whips told Mrs May that more than 100 Tory MPs were expected to join forces with the DUP and Labour to defeat the measure in protest at the Irish 'backstop'. The Plan B is hugely unpopular as critics claim it could trap Britain indefinitely in a form of customs union with the EU and threatens the integrity of the UK. But as MPs return to the Commons tomorrow after their Christmas break, there appears to be little sign of any climbdown by the rebels without a major concession from Brussels despite No 10 laying on a 'charm offensive' programme of drinks with Mrs May in the coming days. Her only hope of securing Commons backing may lie in her persuading a sufficient number of Labour MPs to support the deal. This newspaper understands that senior Tory figures were in contact with Labour MPs over the Christmas period, with begging calls even being made late on Christmas Eve in some cases. Concessions on 'workers' rights' are believed to have been offered in an attempt to garner Labour backing. In her article, Mrs May repeatedly hails the strength of British democracy, and describes 'our genius for pragmatism' as 'a defining British trait'. Describing 2019 as the year when the UK could 'turn a corner', she says: 'At moments of profound challenge, we always find a way forward that commands the confidence and consent of the whole community. This is such a moment.' The Prime Minister calls on all MPs opposed to the deal from Tory Brexiteers to arch-Remainers hoping for a second referendum to study their consciences. She writes: 'MPs of every party will face the same question when the division bell rings. It is a question of profound significance for our democracy and for our constituents. The only way to both honour the result of the referendum and protect jobs and security is by backing the deal that is on the table.' Tory Brexiteers argue that, far from softening in their opposition to the Withdrawal Agreement, opposition has actually 'cemented' over the holidays, with party members using festive social events to convey their scathing view of the exit terms. Rebel ringleader and former party leader Iain Duncan Smith today brands Downing Street's attempts to cajole MPs into backing May's deal as 'stupid'. He writes in today's MoS: 'Even the most loyal of advisers must know that attitudes simply haven't changed.' And he warns any minor additions or legal protocols offered by Brussels to buttress the PM's 'charm offensive' would be worthless. He argues: 'The European Court of Justice has historically sidelined protocols and other such devices, meaning the backstop will bind us without the power to withdraw.' He adds that further talks with Brussels would be fruitless as 'the problem has been that while our negotiators have behaved towards the EU as friends, they have treated us as adversaries.' But Downing Street is still pinning its hopes on a 'white smoke' moment from Brussels legally binding concessions over the backstop by next weekend. Mrs May is on standby to travel to Europe to welcome the proposals if they are deemed to be sufficiently persuasive. If that fails, Tory whips are plotting a backbench amendment to the vote pencilled in for January 15 or 16 which would order yet more talks between Mrs May and the EU. That would further delay the main vote on Mrs May's deal. No 10's former legislative adviser Nikki da Costa, who resigned over the terms of the deal in November, said yesterday that party managers would hold back the 'trick' if they believe they are still heading for a triple-figure defeat. She said: 'If the EU hasn't moved far enough, the Government may seek to spell out in an amendment what further assurances looks like. The hope would be if that was passed, the EU would feel reassured that it is worthwhile moving further, because the majority has been proven to exist for that package. 'I expect any amendment will be quietly tested with MPs for 24 to 36 hours before it's tabled, to see if it is going to get the support.' Sir Vince Cable (pictured above) said the Prime Minister could be playing with fire if she refuses MPs the right to vote on her deal In the exclusive article Theresa May also attacks Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (pictured above) But Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable said the PM would be 'playing with fire if she refuses MPs the right to vote on her deal'. Yesterday, the stretched Tory Christmas truce collapsed completely when devout Remainer Ken Clarke dismissed the 2016 referendum as 'one opinion poll'. Mr Duncan Smith hit back, describing him as a 'wrecker' who 'typifies what those who have never accepted the referendum believe'. In her article, Mrs May also attacks Jeremy Corbyn for his 'cynical' Brexit policy, saying: 'He tells one group he would keep the UK in the single market, while promising another group an end to free movement. Throughout, he has provided the opposite of leadership, serving not our national interest but always his own political interest.' Mrs May's words come as hundreds of lorries tomorrow take part in a 'No Deal rehearsal' for potential chaos at Dover, with truckers testing government plans to use the disused Manston Airport as a holding pen for HGVs. But critics have suggested TV footage of lorries backed up in rush-hour is a fresh round of Project Fear spin. People's vote would be a disaster movie says Brexit TV drama writer By Harry Cole for the Mail on Sunday James Graham says people assume he is a 'massively leftie, liberally, Remainy, 12-year-old-looking playwright', but the man behind tomorrow night's highly anticipated Brexit TV drama has delighted Leave supporters by criticising calls for a second referendum. Channel 4's Brexit: The Uncivil War, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, has surprised critics with its even-handed portrayal of the 2016 poll. And speaking ahead of its screening, Mr Graham, 37, says he is not looking for a re-run, describing the last bout as 'toxic' and 'traumatic'. Benedict Cumberbatch (centre) as Dominic Cummings in a scene from the new TV movie: Brexit: The Uncivil War, written by James Graham 'I just don't think we would survive going through that exercise again,' he said. 'We can't do that again, no matter what we do.' Mr Graham insists he is 'not blaming one side or the other', but believes 'Leave, Remain, the public and politicians did not conduct themselves in quite the best way'. And he called for massive reform of the electoral process if questions of that magnitude are ever to be put directly to the public in the future. Tomorrow night's 90-minute drama focuses on how Vote Leave's eccentric but brilliant campaign guru Dominic Cummings, played by Cumberbatch, blew up the Downing Street-led Remain campaign, pioneered by David Cameron's spin doctor Sir Craig Oliver. Sir Craig is played by Rory Kinnear. In one scene of the movie the iconic Brexit bus is also featured But in a further blow to those who have declared the referendum was hijacked by Vote Leave's use of sophisticated data to target adverts at certain groups of voters, Mr Graham scotched the conspiracy theories, saying: 'Remain were doing it as well.' He added: 'The use of data is not an exclusively Right-wing thing, or conservative thing, or Leave thing. [Barack] Obama was the guy who nailed this first. 'I don't want the film to suggest because I don't believe this is true that data used to target messages is manipulative. It's what people have always done. It is not about changing people's minds it's about finding people already sympathetic to that view and getting them to vote. 'I hope we don't suggest it is anything close to manipulation.' Mr Graham said he was not hopeful that his drama will unite the warring factions or please everyone, adding: 'People will come to it with their own baggage.' A return to project fear? They can't be stupid By Iain Duncan Smith, former conservative party leader Downing Street have got it into their heads that they can get MPs to back their Brussels deal simply by ramping up warnings about a No Deal Brexit, but they must know that isn't the case. Like some broken and distorted record, Project Fear runs on and on, with less and less effect. Even the most loyal of advisers must know that attitudes simply haven't changed. Iain Duncan Smith (pictured above) has said the government's plans to push the Brexit deal might not work Yet with diminishing effect, there are yet more plans to use this tactic as MPs return to Westminster this week. First, there have been briefings that there will be an amendment to the vote to allow Parliament to leave the backstop that keeps us tied to EU customs rules, defying any agreement struck. Second, there is to be a 'clarification' on the backstop sought from the European Union by the Government in the form a new 'protocol'. EU expects delay in departure The turmoil in Westminster has led senior figures in Brussels to conclude that Brexit will have to be delayed. The Mail on Sunday has been told that the 'prevailing assumption' among EU negotiators is that political paralysis in Westminster will lead to a request from London for Article 50 the procedure which triggered our departure from the EU to be delayed beyond Brexit Day on March 29. An EU source said: 'We are running out of time. If, as we expect, May loses the vote, she will have to keep trying again over the coming weeks. 'We just don't see it passing but nor do we think your MPs will tolerate No Deal. So we are acting on the assumption that we will have to give you more time.' The source added that there had been a 'mood change' about Britain remaining in the EU. After European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker described Brexit as a 'catastrophe' and a 'lose-lose situation' for both Britain and the EU, some Brussels figures have argued that Article 50 should be extended on condition that the UK holds a second referendum, with Remain as one of the options. 'But now we increasingly think 'good riddance' we don't want a reluctant half-member,' said the source. Advertisement Third, we are told that the Government will simply go on putting the deal back to the Commons until worn down by the process Parliament accepts the deal. The first doesn't work because as there will have been a clear agreement, our courts will strike such action down. Second, the European Court of Justice has historically sidelined protocols and other such devices, meaning the backstop will bind us without the power to withdraw. And third, I really can't believe the Government could be that stupid. As MPs come back after the Christmas break, we do so knowing that all has not gone according to plan for the Government, because Project Fear has gone wrong. Crowded out by the drone chaos at Gatwick and illegal migrants arriving in growing numbers, it hasn't worked. In fact, it has been replaced by the growing sense among the public and MPs that preparations to leave with No Deal are finally being put in place. Leaving without the Prime Minister's deal is looking more likely I now put it at a more than 50 per cent chance. People can see that the problem with this agreement is not just the backstop but that it negates all the good reasons to leave and has us hanging on to the worst aspects of the EU. This deal simply doesn't work and, far from securing Brexit, it shackles us to the EU. If the EU really wanted a good relationship after Brexit, they would have made major changes to the deal. The fact that they have ignored the Prime Minister's entreaties says all you need to know about their desire to shackle us and stop us competing. The problem has been that while our 'negotiators' have behaved towards the EU as friends, they have treated us as adversaries. The only chance we have to deliver on the referendum and get a half-sensible deal is to get fully ready to leave on World Trade Organisation terms by March 29. Bahrain International Technology Exhibition (Bitex), the kingdoms largest ICT event is set to welcome all visitors during March, offering an opportunity to network, raise awareness and promote Bahrains leading ICT companies. Worksmart for Events Management, one of Bitex organizers, announced that Bitex has opened its doors to exhibitors to participate in the 2019 edition, located at Gulf Convention Centre, Gulf Hotel Bahrain from March 19 to 21. The ninth edition of the event will be held under the patronage of Kamal Bin Ahmed Mohammed, he Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications. Themed at Innovative & Adaptive Digital Transformation, the exhibition will raise a business networking opportunity, highlighting the innovative services and products of ICT companies. Moreover, Bitex will bring all ICT companies under one roof to display the latest trends in their field. Nevertheless, it also aims to bring together the ICT community for business building as well as exploring more powerful solutions in the sector. This year we have taken a lot of feedback from our partners, sponsors and exhibitors and have vowed to bring a better and much bigger experience to make sure everyone involved benefits, said Ahmed ALHujairy, Group CEO, WorkSmart for Events Management. Bitex will be held in parallel with MEET ICT Conference, which will bring out the top businesses and ICT professionals together to share expertise and acquire different insights on the most up to date occurrences such as, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, internet of things, cyber security, fintech, e-commerce and blockchain. TradeArabia News Service Advertisement The brutal reality of the Second World War has been brought to life in a series of stunning yet emotional colourised images from one of the world's most devastating conflicts. Striking shots show Sergeant Jake McNiece of the 101st Airborne Division, ready to drop into Normandy, a Marine comforting a brother who broke down after witnessing the death of a friend and American troops walk down a war ravaged street, Messina, Sicily. Other vivid colour pictures show U.S. Army military policemen toasting bread over molten lava from Mount Vesuvius after its eruption and the crew of the B-17 Flying Fortress 'Memphis Belle' at an air base in England after completing 25 missions over enemy territory. The original black and white photographs were painstakingly colourised by design engineer Paul Reynolds, 48, from Birmingham. He said: 'I mostly colourise war photos because each photo usually has a story to tell, stories of real everyday people. 'I think colourising detailed photos really brings them to life. You notice detail that usually gets missed due to the monotone background. In this fascinating photo showing the brutal reality of the Second World War, American troops are seen walking down a recently ravaged street in Messina, Sicily, with weapons in their hands. The original black and white photo, which was taken in August 1943, was colourised by design engineer Paul Reynolds, 48, and shows the aftermath of an attack The crew of the B-17 Flying Fortress 'Memphis Belle' stand for a photograph on June 7 in 1943 at an air base in England after completing 25 missions over enemy territory. The aircraft, which was used during the Second World War, later inspired two films: documentary Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress and Hollywood feature film, Memphis Belle In another striking shot, a marine is photographed placing his hand on the forehead of his brother and comforting him on an Okinawa hillside in 1945. The picture, which captures the moment the soldier breaks down after witnessing the death of a friend in battle, shows the harsh reality of life at war In another colourised photograph dating back to 1945, British commandos are seen on the outskirts of Wesel, Germany. Some soldiers look over the trench with binoculars while others keep the weapons in position and ready to fire. The series of stunning yet emotional colourised images capture one of the world's most devastating conflicts that lasted from 1939 to 1945 This photo, which was brought back to life by design engineer Paul Reynolds, 48, from Birmingham, shows four U.S Army military policemen toasting their bread over fiery molten lava from Mount Vesuvius as clouds of ash fly into the sky. The active volcano near Naples, which is best known for destroying the Roman city of Pompeii in AD 79, erupted on March 18 in 1944 This picture captures soldiers stood at Caen Canal bridge in France in Operation Deadstick and also shows Airspeed Horsa gliders in the background. The aim of the operation, which took place in June 1944, was to take control of two road bridges across the River Orne and the Caen Canal in France 'The content of the photo conveys its own message; however I am glad that by colourising these photos more people are aware of the happenings of WWII.' Paul explained how he added colour to the old photographs and the difficulties he was met with along the way. 'I use a digital pen and pad and basically layer on the colour as you would with a painting,' he said. 'I've painted from an early age so this transition to digital was quite easy for me. The only problems I come across are the condition of the photos especially private commissions. In another extraordinary photograph taken in Papua New Guinea on April 4 in 1945, two Australian troops, Private Leon Ravet of Parramatta, NSW (left) and Pte Bernard Kentwell of Cronulla NSW (right) are seen standing guard while on patrol duty with their Owen sub machine guns In another photo unearthed by Paul Reynolds, men belonging to the British Army are seen with bandannas over their mouths during The Battle of Normandy in 1944. The guardsmen of the 3rd Irish Guards protect their eyes and cover their mouths against the dust clouds during the British offensive Operation Goodwood on July 18 1944 This colourised image shows Flying Officer Leonard 'Ace' Haines of No. 19 Squadron sitting on his Supermarine Spitfire, Mk 1 in September 1940 at Fowlmere, England. The Flying Officer, who was born in December 1919 and joined the RAF on September 1937, is credited with shooting down six enemy aircraft during the Battle of Britain. Following the battle he was transferred to a training squadron and later killed in a flying accident in west London In another black and white photo brought back to life, American troops stand guard and hold their guns at the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. The Battle of the Bulge, which lasted for a total of three weeks, saw the Germans launch an attack on forces in the Ardennes forest in Belgium and Luxembourg Among the colourised photos was one taken in June 1944 showing Sgt Jake McNiece of the 101st Airborne Division, ready to drop into Normandy (left) and another showing Pfc Angelo B. Reina, 391st Infantry Regiment as he stands guards at a desolate Oahu beach position in Kahuku, Oahu, in March 1945 In another photo showing the brutal realities of life during the Second World War, a Sherman tank crewman tries to walk through heavy mud in in Germany on November 24 in 1944 as his crew mates watch on from their tank. Paul Reynolds, who brought the pictures back to life said: 'The content of the photo conveys its own message; however I am glad that by colourising these photos more people are aware of the happenings of WWII' In another dramatic photograph brought back to life, a US soldier is seen keeping aim with his rifle while inside a trench. During the Second World War, the United States was the only country to give its soldiers an auto-loading rifle This image captures US Army Corporal Paul F. Janesk sitting in his Jeep in Sicily during the Second World War. The cartoon images on his vehicle show Mussolini crossed out 'Most are torn, folded, creased, water damaged, dust spots and discoloured which then has to be digitally repaired with a brush, this process usually takes longer than the paint, but the finished photo is 100% sharper and more pleasing on the eye.' Striking images like these are featured in British author Michael D. Carroll's new book, Retrographic on the colourisation of historical images. It is available on Amazon now for 16.85. For more information visit: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Retrographic-Historys-Exciting-Images-Transformed/dp/1908211504 Scientists studying brain scans of Muslim extremists have concluded social exclusion is a major factor in young men deciding to become violent jihadis. The research, by an international team including professors from University College London (UCL), may challenge prevailing beliefs that poverty, religious upbringing or mental illness are dominant causes of religiously-inspired violence. The researchers used ethnographic surveys and psychological analysis to identify 535 young Muslim men in and around Barcelona - where ISIS-supporting jihadis killed 13 people and wounded 100 more in the city centre in August 2017. Of those 535, 38 men, second-generation immigrants of Moroccan origin who had already 'expressed a willingness to engage in or facilitate violence associated with jihadist causes', agreed to have their brains scanned. The study's co-lead author, Nafees Hamid of UCL, pictured, said the men started treating important causes like 'sacred' ones after the exclusion exercise - meaning they were more willing to fight and die for smaller stakes Scientists scanned the men's brains while asking them questions about behaviour and policies they considered 'inviolable' - such as introducing Islamic teaching in schools, or the unrestricted construction of mosques. Then the men played a ball-throwing game with fellow Spaniards, but were abruptly and deliberately excluded from being passed the ball. Their brains were scanned again after the exclusion exercise, and researchers found that the neurological impact of being excluded meant that issues they had previously considered inviolable became far more important and were now deemed similar to 'sacred' and worth fighting and dying for. The study's co-lead author, Nafees Hamid of UCL, concluded: 'The social exclusion manipulation specifically affected nonsacred values, increasing their similarities with sacred values in terms of heightened left inferior frontal activity and greater expressed willingness to fight and die'. His team linked their findings to previous research by the team on Israel-Palestinian, India-Pakistan and Kurds-Isis conflicts, which found that when values deemed 'sacred' are violated, hostility becomes intractable. He said the findings should affect national anti-extremism policies worldwide, adding: 'In addition, social exclusion may be a relevant factor motivating violent extremism and consolidation of sacred values. 'If so, counteracting social exclusion and sacralization of values should figure into policies to prevent radicalization.' Mr Hamid told The Observer: 'This latest research has shown how values start to become sacred, and indicates that social exclusion makes non-sacred values behave like sacred values, which in turn makes people recalcitrant and prone to violence. He called for the study, a multi-university project involving scientific research organisation Artis International and partly funded by the US Department of Defence, to be used to help ensure social exclusion was factored into policies to prevent radicalisation. He added: 'This finally dispels such wrongheaded ideas. The first ever neuroimaging study on a radicalised population shows extreme pro-group behaviour seems to intensify after social exclusion.' Lewis Ludlow, a former Royal Mail worker from Rochester, left, plotted a vehicle attack on Oxford Street or Madame Tussauds (evidence right) while, at the same time, meeting officials from the de-radicalisation programme. Scientists behind the new study say policymakers should look again at the cause of violent jihadi behaviour It follows the revelation that a British-born Muslim was planning a terrorist outrage on Oxford Street, all the while keeping 17 17 appointments with the government's de-radicalisation programme, Prevent. Lewis Ludlow, a former Royal Mail worker from Rochester became radicalised after converting to Islam and attending the poppy-burning rallies of hate preacher Anjem Choudary. The 27-year-old then tried to join a new ISIS group in the Philippines, but was stopped from travelling and so began hatching plans for an attack in London. He plotted a vehicle attack on Oxford Street or Madame Tussauds while, at the same time, meeting officials from the de-radicalisation programme. A court heard that among the notes Ludlow made for himself, then tore up, was one which read: ''Crowded London Areas: Oxford Street long road with no bollards or barriers preventing a van mounting the pavement. 'Busiest time is between 11am 12pm with Saturday being the busiest day. 'Wolf should either use a ram attack or use the truck to maximise death. It is a busy street, it is ideal for an attack. It is expected nearly 100 could be killed in the attack.' Giving evidence, Ludlow, who converted to Islam at 16, told how he dropped out of school after he was bullied for nine years. He said: 'I was a loner. I was on my own and it was sad. People would say they found me too strange. It was really depressing. I felt everyone hated me and I thought I would be better off dead.' Theresa May (pictured going to church in Maidenhead this morning) is braced for a fresh Brexit battle as MPs return to Parliament this week Britain could suffer a Donald Trump-style Government shut-down under a Remainer plot to block a no deal Brexit. Remainer Tories are joining with Labour and Lib Dem MPs to back changes to a key piece of legislation to bind the Government's hands if Theresa May refuses to take no deal off the table. Labour ex minister Yvette Cooper and Tory MPs Oliver Letwin and Nicky Morgan have tabled an amendment to the Finance Bill. It would rob the Treasury of its no-deal powers if ministers pressed ahead with a plan to crash out of Brussels without the support of MPs. A second amendment, tabled by Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable and the Greens, would stop the Treasury from raising income or corporation tax unless parliament approved a Brexit deal. The twin changes to the Finance Bill, which is being voted on by MPs on Tuesday, could throw the Government into chaos if they are passed. And it risks plunging Britain into a partial government shutdown similar to what is happening in America, where Mr Trump has refused to fully fund the Government until he gets money for his border wall with Mexico. It comes as Mrs May today launched a fresh Brexit PR blitz as she desperately tries to convince MPs to back her Brexit plan. Appearing on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, she warned the UK would enter 'uncharted territory' if they reject her deal in the crunch vote later this month. And she insisted that her blueprint is a 'good deal' which delivers Brexit while safeguarding the economy and jobs. May says crunch Brexit vote will not be delayed again but refuses to rule out a second referendum Theresa May today denied reports that she is set to delay the crunch Brexit vote again as MPs remain deadlocked over the deal. But the Prime Minister refused four times to rule out bringing her deal back to be voted on repeatedly if it is rejected by MPs first time. She warned that Britain would be in 'uncharted territory' if MPs reject her plan and insisted that it is a 'good deal' which protects jobs and the economy. And she also refused to rule out holding a second Brexit referendum if MPs voted to back one - although she said she opposes one. Mrs May is braced for a fresh battle on her Brexit deal as Remainers and Eurpsceptics return from their festive break determined to torpedo it. Tory Brexiteers today warned Mrs May that their opinions have hardened over the Christmas break and that 100 Tory MPs are still dead set against it. Meanwhile, No10 are launching a charm offensive to try to pick off opponents - inviting all Tory MPs for drinks receptions this week to woo thm. Kicking off her latest Brexit PR blitz with an interview on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Mrs May insisted that most Britons want politicians to stop squabbling and back her deal. But the PM also refused to say how long she plans to stay on as Tory leader after promising her warring MPs that she would quit before the next election. Advertisement But with just over a week to go to the crunch Commons vote on the Brexit deal, she is still facing a wall of opposition from Remainers and Eurosceptics on her own backbenches. The first clash is set to erupt on Tuesday when MPs will debate amendments which threaten to force a partial shutdown of the Government if the PM pushes ahead with a no deal Brexit. Ms Cooper has tabled an amendment to the Finance Bill, which gives the Treasury the right to spend money on no-deal Brexit planning. The amendment sets a precedent that would mean Britain would only be able to deliever a no deal Brexit if MPs explicitly approved it - rather than Britain crashing out with no deal by accident. Ms Cooper, head of the influential Home Affairs Select Committee, said: 'The risks to our economy and security from 'no deal' are far too high and it would be irresponsible to allow it to happen. 'I do not believe Parliament would support 'no deal' and Ministers should rule it out now. Time is running out and this is too serious for brinkmanship. 'Parliament needs to make sure there are opportunities to stop the country reaching the cliff edge by accident. This amendment helps to do just that'. Ms Morgan said: 'Many of us have been clear that Parliament will not allow a 'no deal' situation to unfold, and with less than 12 weeks to go until 29 March it is time for Parliament to show our opposition to a 'no deal' exit'. The plan is also backed by select committee leaders and Labour MPs Hilary Benn, Rachel Reeves and Harriet Harman, Tory MP and committee chairwoman Sarah Wollaston, and Frank Field. A second amendment, tabled by Sir Vince would stop the Treasury from raising any income tax or corporation tax unless parliament approved a Brexit deal. Sir Vince said: 'The time has now come for MPs to assert their authority by making it impossible for the government to collect crucial taxes if they do pursue a damaging no deal.' The showdown looms as MPs return to Parliament from their Christmas break tomorrow. Number Ten had hoped the festive break would clam down her mutinous backbenchers who may return more willing to compromise. Burt Brexit rebel ringleaders today warned the PM that they have returned from the holiday more determined than ever to torpedo her deal. Theresa May (pictured on the BBC's Andrew Marr how today) denied reports that she is set to delay the crunch Brexit vote again as MPs remain deadlocked over the deal Tory MPs Nicky Morgan (pictured left) and Sir Oliver Letwin have joined with Labour's Yvette Cooper (pictured right) and Hilary Benn to table an amendment to the Finance Bill to try to stop a no deal Brexit Mrs May survived a bid to oust her as Tory leader and PM at the end of last year, but she still faces a massive wave of opposition to her Brexit deal across Parliament. Jacob Rees-Mogg today warned that Brexiteer MPs have 'not gone soft over Christmas' and are preparing to vote down her Brexit deal. The Brexiteer rebel ringleader said that he expected more than 100 Tories to revolt against the Withdrawal Agreement when it comes to the crunch Commons vote this month. Mogg warns May Brexiteers 'have not gone soft' and will vote her deal down Jacob Rees-Mogg said Brexiteer MPs had 'not gone soft over Christmas', adding that he expected more than 100 Tory MPs to revolt against the withdrawal agreement Jacob Rees-Mogg has warned Theresa May that Brexiteer MPs have 'not gone soft over Christmas' and are preparing to vote down her Brexit deal. The Brexiteer rebel ringleader said that he expected more than 100 Tories to revolt against the Withdrawal Agreement when it comes to the crunch Commons vote this month. It comes amid reports that Tory activists have effectively gone on strike - refusing to campaign or raise party funds - amid fury at the PM's Brexit deal. Theresa May had hoped that her mutinous MPs would calm down over the festive season and return to Parliament ready to compromise on Brexit. Number Ten is laying on drinks parties for every Tory MP as they return from their Christmas holidays this week in a fresh Brexit charm offensive. But Mr Rees-Mogg - who led the failed bid to oust Mrs May as Tory leader late last year - insisted that Tory Brexiteers are in no mood to back down. He told The Sunday Express: 'This strength of feeling ought to be responded to by the leadership of the party and not stamped upon.' Advertisement It comes amid reports that Tory activists have effectively gone on strike - refusing to campaign or raise party funds - amid fury at the PM's Brexit deal. Mr Rees-Mogg told The Sunday Express: 'This strength of feeling ought to be responded to by the leadership of the party and not stamped upon.' And Tory MP and fellow leading Brexiteer Peter Bone echoed the warning. The Tory MP, who once called Mrs May the 'queen of Brexit', said MPs will not be returning from the Christmas break ready to back her deal. He told Sky News' Sophy Ridge On Sunday that the time off will not have changed any minds, and if anything it will have 'hardened attitudes of MPs to what is called a no-deal Brexit'. Despite the onslaught, Mrs May faced the cameras today to launch afresh Brexit PR blitz as shed desperately tries to win support for her deal. Appearing on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, she denied reports that she is set to delay the crunch Brexit vote again as MPs remain deadlocked over the deal. But the Prime Minister refused four times to rule out bringing her deal back to be voted on repeatedly if it is rejected by MPs first time. She warned that Britain would be in 'uncharted territory' if MPs reject her plan and insisted that it is a 'good deal' which protects jobs and the economy. And she also refused to rule out holding a second Brexit referendum if MPs voted to back one - although she said she opposes one. Mrs May is braced for a fresh battle on her Brexit deal as Remainers and Eurpsceptics return from their festive break determined to torpedo it. Tory Brexiteers today warned Mrs May that their opinions have hardened over the Christmas break and that 100 Tory MPs are still dead set against it. Kicking off her latest Brexit PR blitz with an interview on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Mrs May insisted that most Britons want politicians to stop squabbling and back her deal. Mrs May said that she is planning a three-pronged attack to win over her mutinous MPs - to give greater reassurances on the hated Irish backstop, give a greater role to Parliament as the UK enters the second stage of Brexit talks, and to win more concessions out of the EU. But she admitted that 'we are still working' on getting any fresh assurances out of Brussels. But Mrs May also refused to say how long she plans to stay on as Tory leader after promising her warring MPs that she would quit before the next election. Dozens of tourists were held up at gunpoint for two hours in a mass robbery as they hiked towards the famous Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil. According to police, three individuals armed with knives and a gun, set up an ambush as the tourists walked through forest trail up to the monument in Rio de Janeiro. More than 30 people were thought to have been robbed of a number of items including mobile phones and credit cards, but nobody was hurt in the incident on Thursday, police said. The thieves took hostages on the trail and waited for more tourists to arrive, with some held for up to two hours. Around half of the people robbed were tourists from Europe, South America and Asia, as reported by Merco Press. An aerial view of 'Christ The Redeemer' statue, a very popular tourist attraction in the city of Rio de Janeiro The brazen robberies come shortly after new President Jair Bolsonaro was elected on a strict law-and-order platform, and just as Rio de Janeiro is suffering from a record crime wave. Bolsonaro has vowed to crack down on Brazil's rampant crime by extending immunity to soldiers and police using lethal force and easing gun laws so 'good' citizens can challenge armed criminals. The 63-year-old's new government has already sent military police to a violent northeastern state following a wave of attacks on banks, public buildings and vehicles over the past two days. Camilo Santana, the governor of Ceara state, said that 45 people have been arrested in connection with the dozens of attacks, which have hit 15 cities in the state, including the capital, Fortaleza. The attacks have left the burned shells of cars and buses on streets, and badly damaged the entrances to buildings. Newly sworn-in Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro gestures during his inauguration ceremony at the Congress in Brasilia. He has pledged a crackdown on crime and corruption While the motive behind the attacks is not confirmed, state authorities believe they are revenge for the recent announcement of tighter rules governing the state's prisons and inmates. Brazil's prison gangs are powerful and their reach extends outside the country's penitentiaries. Brazil's Justice and Public Security Ministry, led by popular former anti-corruption judge Sergio Moro, ordered the military police sent to Ceara at the request of Santana given the 'urgent' nature of the threat. Authorities did not provide more details about the deployment. The far-right president, a former paratrooper, has made 'restoring order' a centerpiece of his four-year mandate. Fathers will now be included in plans to tackle post-natal depression among parents, while the one-year period for mothers is set to double under Theresa May's NHS plan. The announcement comes off the back of a new NHS strategy to plan how to use a 20.5billion a year funding boost. The Sunday Telegraph say that the Prime Minister is expected to pledge that the health service will provide the best maternity care in the world, along with a low-waste health service and one that supports ageing patients. Theresa May, pictured in June, said new plans will 'will help relieve the pressure on the NHS' A new 10-year plan is expected to be revealed tomorrow, with a focus on mental health that, according to The Department of Health and Social Care, will see 24,000 more women a year permitted access to specialist care by 2023/24. The department referenced figures that a quarter if all new mothers experience mental health problems after giving birth. Fathers are also at risk, with up to ten percent at risk. Prime Minister Theresa May speaking to patient Jade Myers, 15, from London, who broke her leg falling off a wall, during her tour of the Royal Free Hospital, north London Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, told The Sunday Telegraph that the announcement takes us 'one step closer to making sure no expectant or new mother slips through the net'. 'Having a baby should be the happiest time of your life, and though parenthood does bring a great deal of excitement and happiness the pressure can leave new parents struggling with their mental health and leave too many afraid or isolated to speak up,' he added. The drive is part of wider plans to tackle poor mental health in the UK that Downing Street is calling 'taxpayers money spent wisely.' Health Secretary Matt Hancock arrives in Downing Street. He said parenthood can be isolating The government is expected to provide greater mental health support to almost 350,000 more children and young people, and at least an extra 380,000 adults over the next five years. The new plans are also aiming to modernise the 71-year-old 'beloved public service' with patients being promised that they will have 'digital access to their GP through being able to book and manage appointments online as well as viewing health records. Theresa May said: 'The NHS has always been the country's most beloved public service - there to provide outstanding care to us all whenever it is needed.' She added that the 10-year plan is an 'historic step' focused on financing the core of patients needs. 'This will help relieve the pressure on the NHS while providing the basis to transform care with world-class treatments.' Paul Whelan (pictured) has been detained by the Russian government The brother of a former US Marine held in Russia on an apparent espionage charge fears he could be kept in jail for up to two years and has urged the British Government to 'keep an eye on him'. Paul Whelan, a 48-year-old who has UK citizenship, was arrested in Moscow last week, prompting Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt to warn the Kremlin not to use Britons as diplomatic pawns. There has been speculation he could be used to barter for the release of a Russian citizen jailed in the US after she admitted acting as a secret agent for the Kremlin. Mr Whelan has British citizenship through his parents, but is also a citizen of Ireland, Canada and the US. Speaking from Newmarket, Ontario, his twin brother David said: 'In the short-term the thing we would appreciate most from the UK Government and are certain that it's going to happen we're not questioning any will on their part after Mr Hunt's statement is that they will keep an eye on Paul and assist the US and the other two countries to maintain him in good health until we can get him home.' Mr Whelan has made repeated calls on the US to put pressure on Russia to secure his brother's immediate release. The former serviceman is the subject of an investigation by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) over espionage charges, which carry punishment of up to 20 years in jail, according to the Kremlin-backed Tass news agency. 'I don't think anybody has rose-coloured glasses about this,' his brother said. Paul Whelan (pictured) served as a US Marine and has been detained by the Russian government (Family handout/PA) 'We've heard a variety of timelines and I think we're all looking at months for certain and perhaps even a couple of years, and we're not thinking it's necessarily going to be a short-term stay, but we are certainly hoping it will be as short as possible.' Mr Hunt said the UK is giving Mr Whelan 'every support we can' and said Moscow should not use people as pieces in 'diplomatic chess games'. The arrest in December of Mr Whelan, who lives in the state of Michigan, came after Russian national Maria Butina pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in the US last month. She admitted conspiring to infiltrate the US gun rights movement to collect intelligence on conservative political groups as Donald Trump rose to power. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt (pictured) has warned against using Britons as diplomatic pawns On Saturday, Russian news agencies quoted the nation's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying it is too early to talk of 'the possibility of exchanges' as Mr Whelan is yet to be formally charged. Interfax said he added that 'there is no connection' with the case and any Russian citizen in the US. Mr Whelan said his brother's arrest appeared to be 'very arbitrary' and there was nothing to indicate he was a spy. 'It's the arbitrariness that I'm most concerned about. 'I realise that there are geopolitical aspects to this that we can't really know about; what's happening at that level,' he said. '(But) it really does feel like wrong person wrong time which doesn't help anybody. 'Our family is tending to focus on getting him out anything we can do to make his stay as least-awful as possible and not worry so much about the rationale for what caused it.' The ex-serviceman was in Moscow to help plan a fellow former Marine's wedding and had visited Russia on three previous occasions, according to his brother. His detention comes amid strained diplomatic tensions between the UK and Russia in the wake of the nerve agent poisonings in Salisbury last year. The distraught family of a man who was murdered nearly two decades ago have attached a huge cash reward to any information leading to his killer's conviction. Black Swan dip tycoon Christos Saristavros was gunned down in front of his east Melbourne home over 18 years ago in what police suspect was a botched robbery. Despite grainy CCTV footage from a nearby convenience store and strong technological advancements, no strong leads have ever been made in the murder investigation. Now, Mr Saristavros' son Stavros is leading his family's passionate plea for information, offering $1million for help catching his dad's killer. Black Swan dip tycoon Christos Saristavros (right) was gunned down in front of his east Melbourne home over 18 years ago in what police suspect was a botched robbery Stavros Saristavros (pictured), the son of a murdered Melbourne businessman, has attached $1million reward for information on his father's killer Stavros announced the reward on Sunday, saying it's a small price to pay for 'justice'. 'Time heals wounds, it dulls the pain, but never dulls the memory. It's always at this time of year you notice someone is missing,' he told Nine News. 'For me, my father was the greatest father in the world. 'Justice needs to be served. Not just for closure for our family, for the community as well.' All of Stavros' sons retained parts of their grandfather's name - including the eldest who is also called Christos. A $100,000 reward was first offered 15 years ago, but was reiterated Sunday. Police released an image of the man wanted for the murder of Christos Saristavros Melbourne businessman Christos Saristavros was gunned down nearly two decades ago Mr Saristavros was 44 years old when he was shot and killed in October 2000. He and his wife, Tammy, had attended a charity function in Melbourne's southeast when they arrived home. Waiting for them was Mr Saristavros' eventual murderer, who unloaded a bullet in the man's chest. Mr Saristavros gave chase as his attacker fled before he was eventually shot and killed with a bullet to the head. He died in his wife's arms. Mr Saristavros died in his wife, Tammy's arms (pictured together right) after chasing his attacker up the road Recognised as a pioneer of humble beginnings, Mr Saristavros transformed his grandmother's recipes for Greek dips he learnt in her kitchen into one of Australia's most iconic food brands Recognised as a pioneer of humble beginnings, Mr Saristavros transformed his grandmother's recipes for Greek dips he learnt in her kitchen into one of Australia's most iconic food brands before it was sold by the family several years ago. On the night of his murder he was returning home after a charity event for disadvantaged Cypriot children. Along with his wife, he left the fundraiser at around 10pm, before the fundraiser had finished, saying he wanted to get up early for work the next day. The brother of Marsha McDonnell, one of Levi Bellfield's victims, has opened up about finding the ITV crime drama Manhunt too painful to watch in an interview with the Sunday Mirror. Jack McDonnell, 21, who feels robbed of a life without his sister, said he did not understand why the murder of 19-year-old Marsha McDonnell needed to be re-told in the prime time drama. The drama which stars Martin Clunes as Colin Sutton, the detective responsible for bringing the serial killer to justice, re-tells the series of events leading up to Bellfield's conviction. Student Marsha McDonnell, 19, was killed by Levi Bellfield as she was returning home in 2004 Serial killer Levi Bellfield was charged with the murders of Marsha McDonnell, Milly Dowler and Amelie Delagrange Speaking to the Sunday Mirror Mr McDonnell said: 'I dont understand why this programme needed to be made. People might be curious about the story, but I dont think it needs to be re-told. 'It was a very difficult period for all involved and we dont like dwelling on it. We want to move past it, so we are consciously ignoring the show.' Now, 16 years on from his sister's murder, Mr McDonnell said simply hearing the name of Marsha's killer is difficult. Mr McDonnell was only five-years-old when Marsha was brutally murdered as she walked home following an outing with friends. The 19-year-old gap-year student was attacked with a hammer by the former bouncer and wheel clamper as she walked back home in south-west London in February 2003 and later died from head injuries. Pictured left to right: Maya McDonnell, her sisters Natalie and Marsha, younger brother Jack and mother Ute The ITV drama re-tells the events leading up to the serial killer's arrest and stars Martin Clunes as detective Colin Sutton Her 50-year-old killer, who later converted to Islam in prison and now calls himself Yusuf Rahim, is serving a whole life sentence at HMP Frankland in County Durham- also known as the 'Monster Mansion'. He was jailed for the killings of Marsha McDonnell, 13-year-old Milly Dowler and Amelie Delagrange, 22, a French exchange student. Every year on Marsha's birthday, her heartbroken family visit her grave in Hampton cemetery. Mr McDonnell said his sister is still very much a presence in their lives and he will often walks past her cemetery to simply say 'hi'. The three-part drama Manhunt re-tells the events leading up to the serial killer's arrest and stars Martin Clunes as detective Colin Sutton, the man responsible for bringing the serial killer to justice. Cold Feet actress Fay Ripley has ignited a row over pay after hinting she receives less than her male co-stars. Her comments come ahead of the new series of the popular ITV drama and are in stark contrast to fellow cast member James Nesbitt, 53, who has previously insisted there is no gender pay gap. When asked about the matter in an interview with Jenny Johnston for Weekend Magazine, the 52-year-old actress said: Thats an ongoing issue, we cant lie about that. Pay row: Cold Feet actress Fay Ripley claims she is paid less than her co-star James Nesbitt Im just saying that I cant sit here and say that were paid the same. Ripley, who was cast as Jenny Gifford when the show first launched 22 years ago, added: I look forward to a world where we dont have to worry about that.' The new series, which returns to television screens on 14 January, also stars Hermione Norris, John Thomson and Robert Bathurst. In previous interviews, when co-star Nesbitt was asked about whether the show's female actresses are paid less, he replied: 'Dont think so. Theres never been chat about money. Because were all pretty lucky.' ITV declined to comment when approached by MailOnline. Ripley's claim comes at a time of increasing scrutiny over gender pay inequality. Last month, it was reported that Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is being paid '10million more' than his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt. The actor, 46, is said to be receiving $22m (17m) to portray lead male character Frank, while Emily, 35, will be getting $9m (7m) to take on the role of leading lady Lily, TMZ reports. Ripley's comments come ahead of the new series of ITV's Cold Feet, starting on 14 January Meanwhile, scores of companies at the end of last year admitted the gulf between men and women's pay at their firms has increased over the last year. Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic, HSBC's private bank and energy giant Npower were among those to admit that women's average salaries against men's have improved since organisations were first forced to disclose their gender pay gaps. But an investigation from The Mail on Sunday found that more than a third of these organisations have gone the other way and increased the average amount men get paid compared to women. For the 387 firms which filed gender pay figures for the previous two financial years, the gap has skewed towards men in 130 cases, or 34 per cent. Some 70 reported no change, while 187 closed the gap in favour of women. Another high-profile gender pay gap victim, Carrie Gracie, revealed in November that she was handed a 361,000 payout in her gender pay gap row with the BBC. The former China editor and presenter, 56, wrote an open letter after discovering that North America editor Jon Sopel was on a salary band of 200,000 to 249,999 for an equivalent role. Rumble in the jungle: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is reportedly getting '10m more' than his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt Her revelation came after MPs found the BBC had discriminated against and underpaid scores of women because of an invidious and opaque culture at the top, adding that it had failed female workers and plunged the organisation into a crisis of trust. Gracie said: We have to have more transparency. I only discovered the pay gap between me and my male peers by accident really because the BBC was forced to do some pay disclosures and it was like Oh, what? How did that come?. When I went to China, I said I wanted to be paid equally and here I find the men are earning between 50 and 100 per cent more. I just assumed once Id gone off saying Youre going to pay me equally, arent you? that was going to happen.' A supposedly independent 'academy' set up to teach doctors about how cannabis can be used as a medicine is owned by financiers looking to make millions from the drug, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The self-styled Academy of Medical Cannabis (ACM) purports to offer doctors impartial advice about how it can be used to help people with pain, epilepsy and other conditions. It suggests patients smoke joints to soothe neurological conditions and eat gummy bears laced with the drug. Launched last November, it describes itself as 'a free and independent platform for all medical professionals to use'. But it is actually part of a 'portfolio' of interests owned by European Cannabis Holdings (ECH), a company which seeks to 'invest' in the cannabis industry to create 'significant value for our shareholders'. A supposedly independent 'academy' set up to teach doctors about how cannabis can be used as a medicine is owned by financiers looking to make millions from the drug. File image used Only on the academy website's terms and conditions page is the link with ECH mentioned at all and only then referring to it as 'European C Holdings'. Last night, leading doctors said the academy had a duty to come clean about its financial backers and criticised its teachings on cannabis as 'biased' and 'frankly dangerous'. The ACM's director of education is neurologist Professor Mike Barnes. The Mail on Sunday revealed last month that he is set to become a millionaire by selling a stake in his company which has imported cannabis to the UK for medical use to a Canadian marijuana conglomerate. Another part of ECH's portfolio is a market research company called Prohibition Partners, which recently forecast Europe's legal cannabis market would be worth 116 billion (104 billion) a year by 2028. The academy has web pages and videos explaining the history of cannabis and how it can benefit patients. The videos are presented by Prof Barnes, who advises the pro-legalisation campaign group CLEAR Cannabis Law Reform, and Dr Edmund Bonikowski, a GP and rehabilitation specialist. The ACM's director of education is neurologist Professor Mike Barnes (pictured) One section titled 'How to ingest' suggests methods including vaping the drug, taking capsules and oils, applying creams or patches containing cannabis, smoking joints and eating cannabis 'edibles', illustrated with an image of gummy bears. The site also compares smoking cannabis favourably to smoking tobacco, stating: 'Unlike tobacco, there is no hard evidence that smoking cannabis causes lung cancer.' In another module Dr Bonikowski cites studies in which patients with neurological problems smoked cannabis, with favourable results, but in the video he gives no caution about this method not being medically recommended. Sam Ahmedzai, Professor Emeritus of palliative care at Sheffield University who reviewed a video on the Academys website said, said: 'This implied condoning of taking cannabis by smoking joints without being accompanied by any 'health warning', strikes me as misleading, irresponsible, and frankly dangerous.' He was also concerned the content appeared to cherry-pick studies which came to positive conclusions about cannabis use. ECH said the website clearly stated where more evidence was needed in certain areas of medical cannabis. Prof Barnes said he set up the ACM to educate doctors and it was free for anyone to use. He added: 'I am paid nothing and do not wish to be paid anything. We have over 250 people now signed up and most are doctors. That's a good start.' Dr Boniwoski did not respond to request for comment. Saudi Arabias maritime sector is set to receive a much-needed boost with the allocation of SR 33 billion ($8.8 billion) for the energy, industry, mining and logistics sectors in its recently announced budget for 2019. In fact, the country is on an aggressive growth and diversification path, with substantial government spending expected to catalyse its Vision 2030 goals and drive sustainable growth and development, said maritime experts. On the back of strong growth, revenues in the kingdom are also projected to increase this year to SR975 billion, setting an optimistic blueprint for exponential growth and progress. The 2nd Saudi Maritime Congress, to be held on March 11 and 12 at the Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh, Kingdom Centre, Riyadh, will closely examine the implications of the budgetary allocations on this sector, focus on the growth of intra-regional trade and the booming north-south network, analyse the changing regulatory environment and study existing project opportunities. Held under the patronage of the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) and in partnership with Bahri, the event is also expected to set new trends in the shipping and logistics industry, providing extraordinary insights into the countrys ambitious growth agenda and consolidate Saudi Arabias position as a global trading hub and a strategic gateway to Asia, Africa and Europe, said the organisers. For two days, international experts, influential maritime leaders and professionals from the shipping, ports and offshore marine companies will do business, forge new partnerships and discuss key market and sectoral insights, to fast-track growth and development in this vital industry. Chris Hayman, chairman of Seatrade, said: We are pleased to organise the Saudi Maritime Congress for the second time, following the great success of the first edition in 2014. Against the background of global change, Saudi Arabias Vision 2030 plan is set to transform the Saudi economy, with massive consequences for its maritime and logistics sectors. This event will provide a unique opportunity to see at first hand the scale and nature of the developments which are now unfolding in the kingdom, as it consolidates its role as a major industry player and as a global logistics hub. The Saudi Maritime Congress will provide an ideal platform for discussing with key players the future direction of maritime and logistics policy in the kingdom and for showcasing the commercial and investment opportunities which this ambitious pathway towards sustainable development represents, he said. TradeArabia News Service More than 13,000 people have been treated for bluebottle stings on the Gold and Sunshine coasts in Queensland as the jellyfish swarm beaches in record numbers. In the past weekend alone more than 2630 people were stung, with several suffering anaphylactic shock and treated by paramedics. Almost 1000 people were hurt in a matter of hours on Sunday afternoon, with 476 bluebottle stings treated on the Gold Coast and another 461 on the Sunshine Coast. More than 13,000 people have been treated for bluebottle stings on the Gold and Sunshine coasts in Queensland as the jellyfish swarm beaches in record numbers Lifesavers have been forced to close a number of beaches including Coolangatta and Northcliffe after the influx In total, paramedics in the region treated around 13,000 stings. Queensland Ambulance took to social media to dispel a myth behind a widely believed treatment of bluebottle stings. 'Avoid using vinegar if it's clearly a bluebottle sting,' they wrote on Twitter. 'If you're stung by a bluebottle try and pick off the tentacles with a towel or other object, rinse the area with seawater, place the affected area in warm water and, if needed, apply ice packs.' This man said the bluebottles decided to 'give him a hug' in the water as they wrapped themselves around his shoulder, leaving nasty raised bumps Almost 1000 people were hurt in a matter of hours on Sunday afternoon, with 476 bluebottle stings treated on the Gold Coast and another 461 on the Sunshine Coast Surf Life Saving duty officer Jeremy Sturges described the event as an 'epidemic'. 'I have never seen anything like this - ever,' Mr Sturges said. 'Not everyone reacts the same way but there have been very serious reactions.' Unusually strong northeasterly swell conditions pushed the bluebottles onshore where they are currently clumped in their thousands along the shoreline. Unusually strong northeasterly swell conditions pushed the bluebottles onshore where they are currently clumped in their thousands along the shoreline Lifesavers have been forced to close a number of beaches including Coolangatta and Northcliffe after the influx. Mr Sturges warned it was not just swimmers at risk with the jellyfish stranded along the tide lines still very much alive. 'People have been hurt as they just walk along the shoreline. Don't pick it up, don't walk on it or you will be stung.' Surf Life Saving Queensland said that if stung, remove stingers, take a very hot shower and apply ice. Three islands just off Australia's west coast are home to some of the rarest wildlife in the world, but hold a dark and shameful history. The isolated strips of land make up the Bernier and Dorre Island Nature Reserve in the Shark bay World Heritage area in Western Australia. Although today the picturesque islands are thriving with wildlife and protected from visitors, they hold a dark, disturbing history. The islands, just 58 kilometres from the coastal town of Carnarvon, were once used to isolate Aboriginal people who were believed to have sexual diseases. Three islands located off Australia's coast have some of the country's most picturesque landscapes and are home to some of the rarest wildlife in the world Between 1908 and 1919, hundreds of Aboriginal patients were incarcerated in the Lock Hospitals located on Bernier and Dorre islands (pictured) Between 1908 and 1919, hundreds of Aboriginal patients were locked up in hospitals on Bernier and Dorre islands. Aboriginal people were often forcibly removed from their families and communities and chained up by police as they were transported over. The hospitals - known as Lock Hospitals - were established by the West Australian Government to treat Aboriginal people who contracted sexually transmitted infections. To this day, there remains considerable doubt in regards to the accuracy of many of the diagnoses as they were mostly made by police officers rather than medical staff. Lock Hospitals were first introduced in Britain in the 1800s and were used to confine women who engaged in sex work and had venereal disease. However, the lock hospitals on Bernier and Dorre Islands were the site of brutal colonial trauma inflicted on the Aboriginal population. Many families that were torn apart during the operation of the lock hospitals never saw each other again, as 200 people died on the islands and were buried in unmarked graves. At the time there was great concern about venereal diseases across the country, but non-Indigenous people were treated with education and free treatment for the diseases. Aboriginal people treated in the lock hospitals found they were being kept as prisoners rather than being treated and nursed to health. The three islands make up the Bernier and Dorre Island Nature Reserve in the Shark bay World Heritage area in Western Australia Located just 58 kilometres away from the coastal town of Carnarvon, were used to isolate Aboriginal people who were believed to have 'venereal diseases' Multiple generations of Indigenous people have since suffered physical, mental, social, emotional, cultural and spiritual trauma. Aboriginal resident of Carnarvon Kathleen Musulin pushed for a memorial and healing space to be erected to acknowledge the suffering of Aboriginal people. 'It is now time that our true history is revealed, recognised and acknowledged, to enable us to start the healing process,' Ms Musulin said. 'We must remember the Aboriginal people who were taken to the islands, some who never returned to their traditional country again.' On January 9, a hundred years on from the date the final patients were taken off the islands members of the local community are planning a ceremony to acknowledge the history. Ms Musulin told the ABC she grew up hearing stories about how her grandfather had searched for her great-grandmother who was taken from Broome. Today, the islands are home to some of the rarest wildlife in the world and are 'A' Class nature reserves Today, the islands are home to some of the rarest wildlife in the world and are 'A' Class nature reserves 'It's important, not only for myself, but it's important for my children and grandchildren to know what happened to their ancestors,' Ms Musulin said. 'They were experimented on to find a cure for venereal diseases, they were taken over there and locked up on the islands - lot of them didn't even have STIs. There were many healthy Aboriginal people who were taken over there, children as well.' Today, the islands are home to some of the rarest wildlife in the world and are 'A' Class nature reserves. The islands are the last bastion for five critically endangered land mammals, four of which can be found nowhere else in the world. The four mammals include the Shark Bay mouse, western barred bandicoot, banded hare-wallaby and the rufous hare-wallaby. The boodie is also found on the islands, but can also be found elsewhere. Dramatic footage has emerged of a pilot and four passengers as they escaped a wreckage unharmed after their skydiving plane plummeted over 120 metres and crashed. Emergency services were called to Tooradin Airport, 70 kilometres south-east of Melbourne after the single-engine Cessna plane engine shut down shortly after take-off at 10.30am on Sunday. Unable to restart the engine, the quick thinking pilot from Skydive South East Melbourne saved the lives of everyone on board when he managed to make an emergency landing at a nearby property one kilometre north of the airport. Five people miraculously survived this plane crash (pictured) on Sunday morning Incredible footage obtained by Nine News shows the moment the plane hits the ground, before the pilot orders his four passengers to get out of the wreckage, as fuel leaks from two ruptured tanks. With fears the plane is about to erupt into flames, the five survivors scramble to safety unharmed with just one person treated by paramedics for an arm injury. 'Pretty sure it bounced just behind us here, bounced across the ground, and pulled up just before the trees,' witness Michael Paten told Nine News. 'Their parachutes are still on, they never got to jump, so it's a good day for them, I reckon.' The efforts of firefighters managed to prevent the plane from catching on fire. Tooradin Country Fire Authority first lieutenant Tony Riley said those on board were very lucky to escape unharmed. It's not known why the engine on the skydiving plane (pictured) failed shortly after take-off 'They were in shock but they were in reasonably good nick,' he told the Herald Sun. 'That was surprising. The pilot guided them between trees.' Skydive South East Melbourne cancelled its flights for the rest of the day following the crash. Company spokesman Chris Barry commended the pilot's quick thinking. 'At 400 metres with five people on a board, there's not a time to think,' he told Nine News. Firefighters at the scene said pilot and four passengers were lucky to walk away unharmed A Victoria Police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the cause of the plane malfunction is being investigated. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has also been notified and is expected to launch its own investigation. P olice continuing inquiries to identify the man, who was sole occupant of vehicle Firefighters at the scene found the car was alight with a person trapped inside A man has burnt to death after the car he was driving smashed into a tree. Preliminary information suggests the vehicle left the roadway and crashed into a tree in the median strip. Emergency services were called about 6.30am on Sunday morning to Freeman Road at Inala, in Brisbane's south-west. The horrific aftermath where a man died on Sunday morning after crashing into a tree The scene of the fatality in Inala, where a man died on Sunday morning after losing control of his car Firefighters found the car, a maroon 2007 Mazda CX-7, was alight with a person trapped inside. The male driver, and sole occupant, was pronounced dead at the scene. 'The car with the person was engulfed in flames,' a Queensland Fire and Emergency Service spokeswoman told Fairfax. 'There was no saving them.' Queensland police are continuing their inquiries to identify the man and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward. The Forensic Crash Unit is investigating the incident. A mother who unknowingly left her nappy-wearing toddler on the roof of her car while she drove through suburbia for ten minutes is being questioned by police. Footage of the oblivious mother driving through Harrisdale, Western Australia, as concerned drivers tried to flag her down on Friday afternoon went quickly went viral. But now the 36-year-old may have landed herself in hot water, after police allege she failed to properly restrain her child. A nappy-wearing child has been filmed riding on the top of a car for 10 minutes as his mother drives unaware her child is on the roof. Two other children were in the car but properly restrained at the time the young child was seen clinging to roof racks. Other concerned drivers desperately tried to alert the driver that another of her children was on the roof of the car, flashing lights and beeping their horns at her. Eventually, one motorist got her attention and she pulled over, grabbed her child and drove off. But onlookers say the child holding onto the roof racks wasn't distressed. Footage shows a silver Holden travelling along Wright Road in Harrisdale, Western Australia, before 6pm on Friday night 'The child seemed fine and looked like he was enjoying himself,' a witness told Nine News. Other witness said they felt 'sick to the stomach' after seeing the young child on the moving car. Further footage from the publication showed police speaking to the mother after she stopped at a petrol station. Halle Berry was forced to evacuate her oceanfront Malibu mansion in November due to the Woolsey wildfire - only to learn that sea pirates snuck into the home from the coast and looted it. The Oscar-winning actress lives in an $8million mansion along the coast that was within the path of the raging wildfire. But it was pirates that managed to swoop in by boat and make off with priceless artwork and other expensive items. These criminals were clever, a source told Radar Online. They knew exactly what they were doing. They knew that the fire gave them exactly the cover they needed to pull off the job. Halle Berry (seen above in Los Angeles in April 2018) was forced to evacuate her Malibu mansion in November due to the Woolsey wildfire - only to learn that sea pirates snuck into the home and looted it Halle Berry's oceanfront home in Malibu is seen in a 2005 file image The pirates reportedly made off with priceless works of art and other expensive items Mayor and firefighter Rick Mullen surveys a house that is on fire in Malibu as the Woolsey Fire comes down the hill on November 6 When Halle was told about what happened, she couldnt get back into the area and she was frantic. Celebrities were mindful of the possibility that looters would try to exploit the wildfires in order to steal their valued possessions. Pink's husband Carey Hart encouraged victims of the California wildfires to defend their properties from looters by using their Second Amendment right to bear arms. On November 13, Hart wrote on Instagram: 'It's unfortunate that some people take advantage of others in a crisis. While the Malibu fires have been burning, some locals have been fighting off and defending their property against the fires. 'There have been sightings of looters breaking in to homes. Well, if you are a looter, think twice if you are heading back into malibu (sic). #DefendYourLand #2ndamendment.' The former professional freestyle motocross competitor's warning was posted alongside a black and white photo of a group of men holding firearms with a sign that reads: 'Looters will be shot on site.' It is unclear when the photo was taken. The corner of the sign says: 'PDC Posse.' Berry, the 52-year-old star of such hits as Monster's Ball, Catwoman, and Swordfish, was one of a number of celebrities who were forced to evacuate Malibu as a result of the November 8 fire. Pink's husband Carey Hart encouraged fellow victims of the California wildfires to defend their properties from looters by exercising their Second Amendment right to bear arms in a threatening Instagram post on November 13 (pictured) Pink and Hart's $110million beachside home in Malibu (pictured) reportedly survived the fires Actress and producer Roma Downey, who is married to reality TV maven Mark Burnett of Survivor and The Apprentice fame, shared photos of the fire and smoke that engulfed the Malibu area. 'It took four hours to escape Malibu,' she wrote on Instagram. 'But we are safe thank God and our dogs are safe. Our street is on fire. So I hope our home survives.' At the time, Berry also took to her Instagram story to reveal she has also evacuated her home in Malibu. 'We recently evacuated our home in Malibu due to the wildfires - everyone is safe on our end, but I am heartbroken for those who currently affected & suffering,' Berry posted. 'You are in my prayers,' she added.' Numerous other stars such as Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian-West, Iggy Azalea, Cher, Rainn Wilson, director Guillermo del Toro and Alyssa Milano also evacuated. The Woolsey Fire destroyed thousands of homes in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. It is estimated to have caused up to $5billion worth of damages to real estate in the area, according to The Real Deal. Three people died and three firefighters were injured. An unusual guest arrived at a coastal town in Western Australia just in time for Christmas. A Rockhopper Penguin appeared at Jurian Bay jetty, about 200km north of Perth, on December 23. The animal, whose habitat is located on islands close to Antarctica, somehow strayed 5000kms from home. A Rockhopper Penguin appeared at Jurian Bay jetty, about 200km north of Perth, on December 23 (pictured) A local member of the public alerted Parks and Wildlife officers, who picked up and cared for the penguin. The penguin was taken it to Perth Zoo, where it enjoyed some rest and relaxation at it's own private pool and beach while it underwent health checks by vets and quarantine inspections. Rockhopper penguins usually have yellow and black spiky feathers around their heads but these develop with age, indicating this little guy may not be fully grown. Damir Pejcinovic is accused of masterminding Ocean's Eleven style heists all over the world using acrobats and strongmen A New York man is accused of masterminding Ocean's Eleven style heists all over the world using acrobats and strongmen. Damir Pejcinovic was arrested by FBI agents in October last year and was charged with leading a robbery ring called the Pejcinovic Enterprise. They are accused of stealing more than $10 million in jewelry and cash in 16 robberies since 2006. The gang's alleged victims were based cities across America including in New York, LA and Portland, and even as far as Frankfurt in Germany. Dad-of-two Pejcinovic, who lived in a $10 million townhouse, was arrested alongside his alleged accomplices Gzimi 'Jimbo' Bojkovic and Adrian Fiseku, both of Staten Island, and Elvis 'Gorilla' Cirikovic, of Waterbury, Connecticut. They have been charged with the commission of burglaries and interstate transportation and sale of stolen goods, according to reports. Now his neighbors have told The New York Post that Pejcinovic and his wife Spresa 'drove ordinary cars' and 'Damian would sit on the porch, smiling at everyone'. The paper says those who lived near the couple regarded him as 'Damian from The Bronx, a guy who made it and now lives in the Village'. Prosecutor Andrew Ken-Wei Chan said the gang resembled a real-life Ocean's Eleven, complete with 'people with acrobatic abilities' for scaling buildings. He said: 'They had members of the group who were incredibly strong. And if the crew needed people who had expertise in security systems and phone systems and disabling security systems members could fit that description as well.' The gang is accused of stealing more than $10 million in jewelry and cash in 16 robberies since 2006 in cities across America and even as far as Germany Dad-of-two Pejcinovic was arrested alongside alleged accomplice Gzimi Bojkovic, pictured One the the groups last alleged heists was KGK Jewelers in Manhattan The US Attorney's Office said one of the groups last confirmed heists was minutes into New Year's Day in 2017 when they allegedly targeted KGK Jewelers in Manhattan. A source said they 'lay in wait until the ball dropped' and surveillance footage reportedly shows them as they break in. The source told The New York Post: 'As much time as you spend thinking about your job, they spend as much, if not more, thinking about theirs. That's why it took so long to be caught.' Chan told the court Pejcinovic rarely attended the actual robberies, adding: 'This burglary crew was incredibly sophisticated. 'They had expertise that allowed them to compromise security systems at these locations by cutting off phone lines that connected jewelry stores with security counterparts.' The gang is accused of spending months scoping out potential hits, starting false alarms to monitor police response times. Dad-of-two Pejcinovic was denied bond and is currently awaiting trial at the Metropolitan Detention Center while his alleged partners were all released on bail. A controversial senator has admitted taxpayers funded his flight to Melbourne so he could attend a far-right rally targeting African crime gangs. Independent Queensland senator Fraser Anning says he was representing Queenslanders when he stood with far-right activists Blair Cottrell and Neil Erikson at St Kilda beach on Saturday afternoon amid outrage from anti-fascism protesters. Prime Minister Scott Morrison was one of many politicians to voice his disgust at the rally, thanking Victoria Police for dealing with the 'ugly racial protests', which saw members of the public march around performing the Nazi salute. But, Mr Anning says he has been miscategorised and that left-wing activists were the only 'extremists' he saw. Scroll down for video Independent Queensland senator Fraser Anning (pictured) has billed taxpayers for return flights to Melbourne to attend Saturday afternoon's rally against African gang crime Mr Anning also says it was his duty as a Queensland politician to attend the event, which was originally advertised as a 'non-violent political meeting'. 'I went to Melbourne to represent the people of Queensland who have also been subjected to African Gang violence recently,' a statement attributed to Mr Anning read on Sunday morning. 'These issues are not just confined to Melbourne anymore, as we have seen they are rapidly spreading to my own state. Independent Queensland senator Fraser Anning (left) was seen with far-right convicted criminal Blair Cottrell (right) but says his presence doesn't mean endorsement 'My presence at the event should in no way be considered an endorsement by me on the views of other speakers or attendees. 'However, the truth is that attempts to claim that this rally was a 'far right' event appear to be left wing media attempts to distract attention form the purpose of the protest - African gang violence. 'I didn't see any people there who appeared to be radicals. There were no skinheads, just ordinary working people who'd had enough. 'The only people who were doing Nazi salutes were the far left extremists one hundred metres away who came to try to disrupt a peaceful rally.' He told the Today show on Monday that he wanted to see an end to Sudanese and Muslim immigration to Australia. Referring to Sudanese people, Mr Anning said: 'They should not bring any more in this country and if they commit a crime they should be shipped out of here. 'I would not bring any more Muslims or Sudanese into the country. I would put a ban on that. Any of them that commit a crime, I would be shipping them home where they came from.' A senator who claimed he had no understanding of the implications of the term the 'final solution' when he was admonished appeared at a far-right protest today alongside far-right extremists who performed Nazi salutes (pictured) Ugly violence erupted between far-right supporters, some of which were seen performing the Nazi salute (pictured) and counter-protesters on Saturday Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek said the senator's attendance at the rally was 'disgusting'. 'I think the vast majority of Australians would be disgusted to think their taxes are paying for an Australian senator to attend an event which seeks to divide, not unite our country,' she told media in Sydney on Sunday. Mr Morrison, in a separate social media statement, said that division brought on by the rally makes the country weaker. 'Australia is the most successful migrant country in the world. This has been achieved by showing respect for each other, our laws and values and maintaining sensible immigration policies.' A statement from opposition leader Bill Shorten's office shared the sentiment, reading: 'Here and around the world, right-wing extremists are turning this into a political art form. 'Australia won't achieve any of what our nation's great destiny can be by pulling the racist lever.' Prime Minister Scott Morrison condemned the 'ugly racial protests' in St Kilda on Saturday Politicians are urging Mr Morrison to reject Mr Anning's vote in the senate Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young slammed Mr Anning on Twitter, imploring the prime minister to disregard his vote in the senate 'The government should refuse to take Fraser Anning's vote. 'Hanging out and supporting with neo-Nazis who are inciting violence is inexcusable.' Labor MP Tim Watts condemned racism after saying: ''Around 100 neo-Nazis, white nationalists and racial supremacists rallied in St Kilda accompanied by an Australian Senator.' Former senator Derryn Hinch was among a number of public figures to condemn Mr Anning's attendance at the rally personally. 'I have chastised Fraser Anning in the Senate for his racism, anti-abortion clinic exclusion zones and Hitler's Final Solution. His appearance in support of the neo-Nazis in St. Kilda today topped his calumny,' Mr Hinch said. Cottrell (pictured) threatened to rally again 'outside Premier Daniel Andrews office' if he does not agree to address what he describes as a 'violent crime epidemic' Mr Anning said he hoped Saturday's clashes between far-right and anti-racism protesters on Melbourne's St Kilda beach would lead to a 'revolution'. He stated that if he were elected as prime minister, he would refuse entry to any immigrants of African descent as well as Muslims, but is not against allowing Chinese and Indians in, as long as they don't outnumber Europeans. 'I think this is the start of something bigger, I think the revolution will eventually start and these people have got to be sent back to where they came from,' Mr Anning said. 'It's the beginning. We Australians are very slow to act, we just react.' Mr Anning was previously dismissed from his post with Bob Katter's Australian Party after referring to a 'final solution' during his maiden parliamentary speech. At the time, he claimed he was unaware of the term's connection to Nazi Germany. Saturday's rally was organised by a number of people who themselves are referred to as neo-Nazis, and multiple rally-goers were even seen giving the Nazi salute at numerous times throughout the day. Senator Anning, pictured at the rally, says left-wing activists were giving the Nazi salute Right-wing activist and convicted criminal Blair Cottrell (pictured) had previously called for a picture of Adolf Hitler to be hung in Australian classrooms and was seen alongside Mr Anning United Patriots Front founder Blair Cottrell was seen alongside Mr Anning on numerous occasions, including when the rural QLD senator was preparing to address media. 'These are Australian people showing their disgust with the Australian government for allowing garbage like these Sudanese thugs to come into our country and belting our innocent women and children,' Mr Anning said. 'All Australians have to eventually get over their political correctness and stand up and fight back.' That sentiment echoes Cottrell's announcement after the riots - which he deemed a 'great success' despite the violence. Cottrell threatened to rally again 'outside Premier Daniel Andrews office' if he does not agree to address what Cottrell describes as a 'violent crime epidemic'. The protesting disintegrated into violence and rioting as the day progressed. Three people in total were arrested for their anti-social behaviour Police turned out in droves to ensure the event stayed as controlled as possible A spokesperson from Victoria Police told Daily Mail Australia they respect the public's right to protest peacefully but would not tolerate any law breaking The protest, which promised to 'make Australia safe again' from African gangs, did in fact turn violent, with three right-wing protesters arrested throughout the day. One teenager was found to be carrying a weapon, while two others were arrested for their behaviour during the rioting. Cottrell, whose extensive rap sheet includes violent assaults, arson and trafficking testosterone, described multiculturalism as 'dividing and destabilising', before promising to join the rally. He, alongside event organiser Neil Erikson, demanded to know why African gang crime rates are 'through the roof' while claiming that nothing is being done about it. Campaign Against Racism and Fascism spokeswoman Tess Dimos disagreed, saying despite claims there is an 'African gang crisis', African youths are systematically targeted. 'There is no credibility to the gang violence, it's all a hyped-up image showing crime from African youths.' The protesting disintegrated into violence and rioting as the day progressed. Three people in total were arrested for their anti-social behaviour That sentiment echoes one that was previously addressed by prominent lawyer and community advocate Nyadol Nyuon, who took to social media to share her concerns ahead of the scheduled event. In the meantime, we get to call and inform family members and our community to stay away from the beaches this Saturday - in summer. 'Neil and Blair have been referred to as ''activists'', ''concerned citizens'' or merely ''controversial'',' Ms Nyuon began. '[These] terms neglect their racist and violent incitements.' 'If we were to hold a demonstration against racism, some mainstream outlets would be calling us 'ungrateful' to be in Australia and to leave if we didn't like it.' 'Yet a racist rally, led by convicted criminals, can go ahead with their leaders enjoying media coverage that cast them as having legitimate concerns, and who will find support from free speech worries insisting on their rights to effectively harass black peoples,' Ms Nyuon said. 'In the meantime, we get to call and inform family members and our community to stay away from the beaches this Saturday - in summer.' The protest, which was advertised as a 'non-violent political meeting' to 'make Australia safe again' from African gangs, did in fact turn violent, with three right-wing protesters arrested throughout the day Scores of riot police (pictured) were dispatched to St Kilda beach to break up any conflicts. They were a part of a multi-faceted police operation Maker Mayek, a lawyer and principle of Mayek Legal, told Daily Mail Australia the protest is 'extremely dangerous, not only for the members of the African community, but for beach-goers, residents of St Kilda and surrounding areas.' 'The protests are likely to inflame fears and tensions in race relations which suffered greatly as a result of the sensationalist reporting and dog-whistling we saw in 2018. The last thing we want to see in this country is another Cronulla.' Erikson also briefly spoke, accusing authorities of removing social media posts and stifling the number of people the event reached online. 'Good to see regular Aussies here and no Nazis,' he said, shortly before a follower marched from the beach while performing the Nazi salute. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren on Saturday defended her decision to take a DNA test to prove Native American ancestry, though she insisted that I am not a person of color. I am not a citizen of a tribe, Warren told voters in Sioux City, Iowa on Saturday. Tribal citizenship is very different from ancestry. Tribes - and only tribes - determine tribal citizenship, and I respect that difference. President Donald Trump and other Republicans have criticized Warren for her past claims of having Native American ancestry. Trump has taunted Warren over her lineage, derisively calling her 'Pocahontas' during campaign stops and public rallies. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren on Saturday defended her decision to take a DNA test to prove Native American ancestry, though she insisted that I am not a person of color. I am not a citizen of a tribe, Warren told voters in Sioux City, Iowa on Saturday Last week, Warren announced she was launching an exploratory committee, the first step in seeking a partys nomination for president Before the midterm elections, Warren sought to put the issue to rest by having a DNA test performed on her. The test the Democratic senator released in October found that she's between 1/64 and 1/1024 American Indian. The move backfired on Warren, who was criticized for badly miscalculating. Last week, Warren announced she was launching an exploratory committee, the first step in seeking a partys nomination for president. During an exchange with voters in Iowa, she was asked about the DNA test. Warren said that she initially claimed Native American ancestry because she grew up in Oklahoma, where many people trace their roots to indigenous cultures. My decision was to put it all out there, Warren said. She was then asked about Trumps attacks and how he could use the issue against Warren if she wins the Democratic nomination next year. I can't stop Donald Trump from what he's going to do, Warren said. I can't stop him from hurling racial insults. I don't have any power to do that. Donald Trump needled Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Thursday for claiming she is of Native American heritage Yes, you can! an audience member said in response. Warren responded: What I can do is I can be in this fight for all of our families. What I think 2020 is going to be about is not my family, it's about the tens of millions of families across this country who just want a level playing field. Trump needled Warren again on Thursday for claiming she is of Native American heritage. He shared a parody 'Warren 2020' sign that said 'Warren 1/2020th' on his Twitter account. Warren is working hard to overcome the misstep before other possible challengers make up their minds about entering the 2020 race. Already, she has competition from ex-San Antonio mayor Julian Castro, who is teasing a 'special announcement' next weekend in his hometown. He formed his exploratory committee last month. The Associated Press reports that Warren has already hired Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders' 2016 caucus manager in Iowa, Brendan Summers, for her unannounced bid for president. Iowa's caucuses will not be held for another 13 months in February of 2020. The first Democratic presidential debate is this June, however. Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading international financial hub in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South Asia region, has signed a MoU with Innovate Finance, an independent membership association that is at the heart of the UKs FinTech ecosystem. The latest signing builds on the 10 global agreements that were agreed by DIFC and FinTech Hive in 2018 with FinTech hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Mumbai, Paris, Brussels, Holland and Bahrain. This partnership with Innovate Finance will help keep the UK and Dubai at the forefront of Financial Innovation, remarked Arif Amiri, the chief executive of DIFC Authority after inking the deal with Natalie Ceeney, the chair of Innovate Finance at the UAE Embassy in London. As per the deal, Innovate Finance and FinTech Hive (at DIFC) will explore concepts that will help startups in both locations, ranging from sharing knowledge, hosting learning initiatives for startups such as financial technology programmes in The Academy at DIFC and foster relationships between their regulatory and financial communities, he stated. "During the year, FinTech Hive at DIFC will work with Innovate Finance and other global partners to strengthen our FinTech ecosystems for the benefit of start-ups who will be able to maximise the market opportunities in both locations," he added. Ceeney said: "Many global financial centres continue to see the UK as an attractive destination, and we are keen to support future collaborations for our members with partners overseas." "Dubai is a rising influencer within the financial technology space and we look forward to developing a comprehensive partnership which will enable both large and small FinTechs in our respective hubs to scale," she added.-TradeArabia News Service Thousands of drivers have been turned away from the beach with the world's whitest sand as the local council brainstorms solutions with residents over its booming popularity. Shoalhaven City Council has appointed traffic controllers to redirect visitors from the Hyams Beach village in Jervis Bay, given its parking capacity is 400 but up to 5000 vehicles are around each day during peak season. 'It has been loved to death,' Hyams Beach Villagers Association member Lois Sparkes told AAP on Sunday, pointing to the tens of thousands of #HyamsBeach photos on Instagram. Thousands of drivers have been turned away from the NSW beach with the world's whitest sand as the local council brainstorms solutions with residents over its booming popularity Shoalhaven City Council has appointed traffic controllers to redirect visitors from the Hyams Beach village in Jervis Bay, given its parking capacity is 400 but up to 5000 vehicles are around each day during peak season 'We are a social media phenomenon ... and everyone wants to come and see the white sand at Hyams Beach.' The south coast village of rental properties, resorts and about 110 permanent residents has one narrow road in and out, which has also raised concerns about access for emergency service vehicles in busy holiday periods. 'The beaches are being damaged, in a way, because people are now coming here and if they can't get somewhere to stay they are just illegal camping on the beaches, and the rubbish problem is quite concerning,' Ms Sparkes said. The south coast village of rental properties, resorts and about 110 permanent residents has one narrow road in and out, which has also raised concerns about access for emergency service vehicles in busy holiday periods The council surveyed Hyams Beach ratepayers last year on short and long-term solutions to the area's popularity 'Those who camp on the beach often light fires in the dunes and we are surrounded by national park. 'We want people to come and enjoy the village and the beaches but we ask that they respect the environment.' The council surveyed Hyams Beach ratepayers last year on short and long-term solutions to the area's popularity. Ms Sparkes said there was quite strong support for 'out of village' options such as car parks with combined walkways or traffic rationing against available spaces, and some support for paid or time-restricted parking. She said the traffic management arrangements, such as the vehicle limit, have worked 'very effectively' to ensure a safer and better visitor experience on hot days when they are 'inundated' with thousands of cars. The traffic controllers have also been giving drivers nearby white sand beach alternatives to visit in Jervis Bay. 'Many people come here and rent properties and a lot of those people have actually said, compared to previous years when they've been here, it is a lot more orderly and a lot more calm,' Ms Sparkes said. She said the HBVA is looking forward to further and broader discussions with council on issues such as additional infrastructure, public amenities and pedestrian walkways. A mother-of-two described as 'gorgeous' has been left fighting for life after a horrific car crash killed her husband. Kirsty Stephenson was airlifted to Gold Coast Hospital with life-threatening injuries after her husband, Stephen Kemp, died on impact while driving in northern New South Wales. The head-on collision took place at 2:45pm on Saturday, leaving Kirsty trapped in the family's sedan next to her husband's body for two hours while the family-of-four in the other car were all left injured. A New Year's tragedy has claimed the life of father Stephen Kemp (left) and left his wife, Kirsty (right) fighting for life Kirsty was left trapped in the family sedan (pictured) for two hours next to her husband's body Kirsty remains in hospital. Her daughter, Kristal, is rushing to the Gold Coast to be by her side. She is in a serious condition with internal bleeding in her abdomen, a broken femur and bleeding on her brain. Support for the Stephenson family has poured in from friends, who have been left heartbroken by the tragedy. A close family friend, Nicole Turnbull, said her daughter grew up with Kristal and thought of Kirsty and Stephen like family. 'My eldest daughter is Kristal's best friend,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'They have gone right through school together and seen Kirsty and Stephen as mum and dad.' Grandparents to two little boys, the couple (pictured) are known for having a 'love for life and travel' by friends Kirsty (right) was left with life-threatening injuries, while husband Stephen (middle) died Stephen was a nurse manager at the Grafton Gaol, while Kirsty is a fast-food restaurant manager. Both had a penchant for travelling. 'They were both very beautiful people. A love for life and travel,' Ms Turnbull said. A family-of-four were also involved in the crash after their 4WD crumpled on impact with the Stephenson's sedan. A father and his young child were taken to hospital with minor injuries while his wife and their other child were admitted as a precaution. All are recovering from shock. Police are currently investigating the cause of the crash. The elderly mother of a Woolworths delivery driver killed in a horror collision still doesn't know her son is dead. Jatinder Brar, 25, died after the truck he was driving crashed into an allegedly stolen car at Salisbury South in Adelaide on Friday. As news of the 25-year-old's death spread among family and friends, it was decided to keep the tragedy secret from his mother in India - due to her ailing health. The elderly mother of Woolworths delivery driver Jatinder Brar, 25, (pictured) who was killed in a horror collision still doesn't know her son is dead Friends of Mr Brar told The Advertiser that while the accounting graduate's mother knows of the crash, she is unaware that he is dead. 'We have told her that he was in a crash and was not able to talk,' Aman Dhillon told the publication. 'The news has already made it to the village and is in the Indian media so she is insulated at the moment until we can get his body sent home.' Tragically, the crash comes just months before Mr Brar was due to be married and weeks after he earned a Masters of Accounting from Flinders University. The female driver who was allegedly behind the wheel of the car that crashed into Mr Brar was arrested after fleeing the crash's scene on Friday, police said. Tragically, the crash comes just months before Mr Brar was due to be married and weeks after he earned a Masters of Accounting from Flinders University The vehicle she was driving was stolen from a property in Golden Grove, north-east of Adelaide, on December 28, police allege. The 25-year-old, who was charged with causing death by dangerous driving and driving dangerously to escape police pursuit, was refused bail and will appear in court next week. Meanwhile, a fundraising page has been set up to bring Mr Brar's body back to India and as a means to support his family. Ian Summers spent eight years as a mental health nurse at Broadmoor, the high-security psychiatric hospital holding some of the most dangerous criminals in Britain. So it is chilling to hear him reveal that he saw patients more often violently held down, forcibly drugged and attempting suicide while working in a hospital unit holding vulnerable teenage girls some of them autistic than when he looked after serial killers, child abusers and psychopaths. I am ashamed by what I have witnessed, he says. It is simply barbaric worse than Broadmoor. Ive never seen anything like it. They are destroying the lives of young people in the most desperate need of help. Now he and two senior colleagues have blown the lid on what they call shameful institutionalised abuse taking place behind the locked doors of Meadow Lodge, a unit in Devon funded by the NHS. Their shocking claims corroborated by other staff, patients and families follow a series of reports by The Mail on Sunday exposing the shameful treatment of children and young adults with autism and learning disabilities. They are taken from their families and held against their will in secretive secure health units and Assessment Treatment Centres (ATUs). Anger: Ian Summers pictured with Meadow Lodge in the background, has launched a protest since he was sacked Our reports have led to three official inquiries as more and more families have come forward some of them breaking gagging orders to tell how their children have been locked in solitary confinement, fed through hatches like animals, and forcibly medicated. One man, to the dismay of his distraught parents, has been held for 18 years. Mr Summers, 56, and his fellow whistleblowers say places such as Meadow Lodge show how the whole system is failing people with autism when adolescents with serious problems are simply seen as cash machines for private firms which can charge up to 730,000 a year for each patient. Meadow Lodge is operated by Huntercombe, a controversial group whose parent company the Four Seasons Health Care group is nominally owned by the private equity firm Terra Firma Partners III which is run by Guy Hands, one of Britains richest men. Since March 2018 control of Four Seasons Health Care has passed to its bond holders. Huntercombe has handed its best-paid director more than 1 million over the past two years. Among the allegations made to this newspaper are that: - Teenage girls were left bruised and distressed after being held down by teams of adults for up to one hour 45 minutes; - Adolescents were forcibly injected in the buttocks and made to take cocktails of powerful drugs to sedate them; - Agency staff slept when they were supposed to be monitoring teenagers at high risk of suicide and self-harm; - Staff were told not to take young patients to hospital after incidents of self-inflicted injuries and a drug overdose; - Records of restraint and the use of ligatures by patients to hurt themselves were not filled in properly and falsified; - Unsafe practices included failure to monitor keys properly, inadequate training in life-saving techniques and staff shortfalls; Ian Summers has staged protests since he was sacked. Pictured: A car draped in protest slogans - A senior carer was suspended over bullying and harassment charges, including the use of sexually suggestive language in a unit holding victims of child abuse. l Meadow Lodge staff were transferred from a nearby unit under special measures, which was then closed amid concerns over dehydration, malnutrition and poor care. Patients at Meadow Lodge were deeply traumatised by their experiences. One of them, a girl aged 14 when she was locked up there last year, told the MoS: It was horrible. I saw things that really disturb me to this day. Some of the other girls who had been in different units said it was really bad compared to others. Her father said she left the unit in a significantly worse mental state than when she entered and became so stressed she attempted suicide. It felt out of control and definitely under-resourced. It was like a prison there was no help, he says. The whistleblowers raised their concerns with Huntercombe directors, police and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in August last year. Commission inspectors paid a surprise visit three months later and issued a safety warning notice. Meanwhile, the whistleblowers were dismissed, and on Christmas Eve received their P45s. The company denies many of their allegations and insists that they were not dismissed for raising concerns. Huntercombe opened the ten-bed Meadow Lodge in the village of Chudleigh in July 2017, just weeks before the closure of a similar ten-bed unit, Watcombe Hall, in nearby Torquay. It had been placed in special measures after a local hospital raised the alarm over the number of admissions and the state of patients turning up from Watcombe Hall. CQC inspectors discovered one patient had not eaten or had a drink for four days. There were also concerns over high staff turnover, inadequate training, poor health assessments, overuse of restraints, failure to record incidents and a lack of activities. Inspectors saw one young person abscond over a fence while another had bruises on their upper arm from being held down. The injuries were ignored by staff, some of whom found new jobs at Meadow Lodge. One of the whistleblowers, Jane, 50, a former prison officer who became a senior support worker at Meadow Lodge, says: I would not have joined if I had known any staff came from there [Watcombe Hall]. I dont put up with abuse of children. She and fellow whistleblower Joanne, a mental health nurse with 20 years experience, joined Meadow Lodge last January, and soon found that safeguarding concerns similar to those raised at Watcombe Hall were happening again, with children routinely held down by teams of up to three adults. There was one girl with her arm in plaster who was always being restrained, says Joanne. When I worked in adult units, there were maybe one or two restraints a month because we de-escalated situations, but this was going on all day long. Mr Summers, who joined in April, was also dismayed at seeing how troubled teenagers, bored by the lack of facilities or adequate therapy for traumas such as sexual abuse, were sedated with powerful drug cocktails and routinely restrained. I would compare one week in Meadow Lodge to a year in Broadmoor when it came to restraint, and there was much more use of medication, he says. He alleges that teenage girls, some the victims of child abuse, were disturbed when held down violently in bedrooms by teams of four, including men. Last year a CQC inspection highlighted increasing use of restraint and physical intervention, with 118 reported incidents in one month alone. Yet the whistleblowers say they were not given training in specialist child mental health. The CQC found just 66 per cent compliance for basic life-support training, despite it being compulsory, and that few agency staff completed mandatory training. Joanne says that on her third night at Meadow Lodge, five staff had to deal with six girls self-harming. One was head-banging, another throwing herself at the wall, then another started off in the corridor. Id never seen anything like this and I still feel devastated since we had to leave the one in the corridor. Some patients entered the unit voluntarily but ended up being sectioned as their problems escalated. Yet the three whistleblowers say there were often no previous recorded issues of self-harm. It was learned behaviour, says Joanne. Campaigners warn that autism is often detected late in girls and that they mimic others in an effort to fit in, leading to eating disorders and self-harm when locked in psychiatric units instead of getting far cheaper and more effective support in the community. There was one autistic girl who definitely should not have been there, says Jane. All we did was restrain her. Autism is not a mental health condition and she could not cope with the screaming, the head-banging, the things she was seeing. The whistleblowers say two patients absconded one night while a third banged her head against a wall so badly that the teenager could not open her eyes the next day. Her head was so swollen she looked like the Elephant Man, says Joanne. Yet the whistleblowers claim a senior staff member ordered them not to take the girl to hospital on the bizarre grounds that his own face once swelled up after falling off his bike. The girl was later rushed into hospital, where she suffered a seizure. Mr Summers, whose son has autism, says on one occasion he tried to take a 16-year-old who claimed to have overdosed to hospital, but was accused of overreacting. He also had to persuade bosses to let him rush a 15-year-old to A&E after she sliced her leg open with glass. Parents would be really angry and shocked if they could see what was going on. They think these are safe places, but their children would be better at home, he says. One support worker was found guilty of misconduct for being sexually explicit yet was reportedly only briefly suspended. Huntercombe told this newspaper: The alleged incident of inappropriate language was between colleagues and not directed to young people. The whistleblowers also allege that legally binding records of restraint and other incidents were altered or not always filled in properly claims confirmed to the MoS by staff still working at the unit. This is strongly denied by Huntercombe, which insists it tracks the reports for accuracy. Its the worst unit I have ever worked in, says one veteran care worker, who also complained of liquid coshes used to sedate patients. Im always concerned about the welfare of the children, expecting to hear a coroner has been called. Its scary. A therapist told how he quit after a few months because there were no facilities, no budget, no support, no supervision and no infrastructure. It was difficult to attempt therapy in a room being used by staff for coffee. One former patient says she was attacked and bitten by another girl who was supposed to have two carers with her at all times: They were just sitting in the lounge chatting, so I had to restrain her myself. Some teenagers were seen as posing a high risk of suicide so needed constant monitoring to stop them swallowing toxic items or tying ligatures made from torn-up clothing or sheets around their necks. Yet the whistleblowers say some untrained agency staff slept while they were supposed to be on duty at night. Huntercombe says: An incident where some agency staff were alleged to be asleep was investigated and appropriate action taken. Jane says that on one occasion, as she fought to save a teenage girl hanging from a shower rail, an agency worker bought a screwdriver rather than a specialist cutter to sever the ligature, saying he had never seen such an incident before. Yet having raised concerns about the centre, Jane says she was suspended, then fired, for allegedly swearing during the life-saving rescue something she denies: I was told by one manager to keep my mouth shut or I would be sacked. Joanne and Mr Summers say they were dismissed for allegedly stealing documents after they gave patient observation sheets to a manager investigating their claims. This system is all about money, says Joanne. But Im ashamed these children are like caged animals. The CQC says it placed Meadow Lodge under enhanced multi-agency surveillance after being made aware of ongoing concerns, then carried out an unannounced inspection in late November that prompted a patient safety warning notice. Our priority is always the care and wellbeing of people using services. Huntercombe, which cares for about 700 patients in 23 units around the country, is part of a care home business that is no stranger to controversy. Stephanie Bincliffe, a 25-year-old with severe autism, died in one of its secure hospitals after staff allowed her weight to balloon to 25st as she spent years in a padded room. A Huntercombe spokesman said: Certain employees who were dismissed for gross misconduct are presenting themselves as whistleblowers. The reasons for their dismissal were categorically not for whistleblowing. He said a previous CQC inspection six months ago found patients and staff to be positive about services and did not raise concerns over excessive use of restraint or medication. Potential ligature points had been identified and observations stepped up as a precaution, while keys were never in the possession of patients. He added that the recent CQC surprise inspection was not related to the issues highlighted by the MoS: All relevant external authorities have been satisfied the management team acted properly throughout. A 'racist' inmate has allegedly smeared his own faeces on the walls of his cell, using the matter to write the word 'dogs'. Shane Andrew Hanson, 45, landed himself in a jail cell on Friday evening after he allegedly caused a ruckus at Dapto Railway Station, Wollongong, by screaming at travellers and wielding a knife. But the behaviour only became more temperamental when he arrived at Lake Illawarra Police Station, Illawarra Mercury reported. Hanson allegedly urinated in his cell, forcing police to move him into a bigger cell with a bed and toilet - but the path of destruction ensued. A 'racist' inmate has allegedly smeared his own faeces on the walls of his cell, using the matter to write the word 'dogs' (stock image) Shane Andrew Hanson, 45, was taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station (pictured) where he allegedly caused destruction Police allege Hanson decided to clog the toilet by using a blanket and anything he could find before stripping naked and defecating into his underwear. The faeces was then used to write 'dogs' on the wall, police said. Hanson allegedly urinated a second time, adding to the flooding from the blocked toilet. Police claim the 'foul' cells had to be temporarily closed and tallied an estimated clean-up bill of $1,500. On Saturday, Wollongong bail court heard Hanson had no recollection of the events and was unable to deny police allegations. Hanson claims he drank four bourbons and three beers before attending the train station where he allegedly went on a racist rant and forced travellers to flee in fear. Hanson landed himself in a jail cell on Friday evening after he caused a ruckus at Dapto Railway Station (pictured), Wollongong Railway workers called police to the station where Hanson was allegedly found drunk with two kitchen knives in his pants. 'There was a group of Asian c***s staring at me, giving me lip,' he allegedly said to them. 'I went off at them and I then ran to my son's house and grabbed the knives to teach them a lesson. F*** those Asian and Thai c***s. I'll f*** them up. I'll show them.' The prosecution argued against Hanson's release claiming his 'alarming' behaviour posed risk to the community. 'His conduct would indicate there are other issues there, whether they be mental health issues or drug-related,' Prosecutor Davis said. Hanson was refused bail and is expected to appear in court again on Monday. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has come to the defense of her fellow freshman Congresswoman, Rashida Tlaib, who is under fire for saying were going to impeach the motherf****r, a reference President Donald Trump. Republican hypocrisy at its finest: saying that Trump admitting to sexual assault on tape is just locker room talk, but scandalizing themselves into faux-outrage when my sis says a curse word in a bar, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Saturday. She then added: I got your back @RashidaTlaib - the Bronx and Detroit ride together. 'Locker room talk' was how Trump explained comments he made on a hot mic over a decade ago while filming an Access Hollywood segment. While speaking to correspondent Billy Bush, Trump bragged about groping women's genitals. Tlaib and Ocasio-Cortez, both Democrats, were sworn in as members of the House of Representatives this past week for the first time. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has come to the defense of her fellow freshman Congresswoman, Rashida Tlaib, who is under fire for saying were going to impeach the motherf****r, a reference President Donald Trump Republican hypocrisy at its finest: saying that Trump admitting to sexual assault on tape is just locker room talk, but scandalizing themselves into faux-outrage when my sis says a curse word in a bar, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Saturday She then added: I got your back @RashidaTlaib - the Bronx and Detroit ride together Tlaib represents Michigans 13th District, which includes parts of Detroit as well as some surrounding suburbs. Ocasio-Cortez represents New Yorks 14th District, which encompasses parts of Queens and the Bronx. Tlaib is the first Palestinian-American woman in Congress, and dropped her F-bomb at the president during a party Thursday night hosted by the liberal group MoveOn. Speaking in a dimly lit room, Tlaib told a cheering crowd that she had told one of her young sons: 'We're going to impeach the motherf***er!' Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy blasted her on Friday, and slapped at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for not publicly disavowing the slur. 'Are the House majority going to be serious about anything?' he asked reporters. Pelosi had told an MSNBC audience minutes earlier that she was 'not in the censorship business,' claiming Tlaib's words were no worse than President Trump's typical vernacular. Tlaib refused to back down in the face of criticism. 'I know that if I was a man it might have been differently,' she told CNN affiliate WDIV-TV in Detroit on Friday. 'Locker room talk' was how Trump explained comments he made on a hot mic over a decade ago while filming an Access Hollywood segment. While speaking to correspondent Billy Bush, Trump (seen with Bush, far right, and Arianne Zucker, center) bragged about groping women 'I know that, for me, I've always been this way. 'I mean, I think no one expects me to be anything but myself, the girl from southwest Detroit with a little sass and attitude. 'I think, you know, President Trump has met his match,' she said. A day after taking her seat in Congress, Tlaib tweeted: 'I will always speak truth to power. #unapologeticallyMe.' 'This is not just about Donald Trump,' she claimed. 'This is about all of us. In the face of this constitutional crisis, we must rise.' She didn't specify what constitutional crisis she was reacting to. Trump himself referred to Tlaib's remarks as 'disgraceful,' adding that she 'dishonored her family.' Pelosi found herself on the spot Friday morning but insisted she wouldn't intervene with Tlaib despite calling talk of impeachment 'divisive.' 'I probably have a generational reaction to it," she said, adding: 'I'm not in the censorship business. I don't like that language, I wouldn't use that language, but I wouldn't establish language standards for my colleagues.' Pelosi also claimed calling Trump a 'motherf***er' was 'nothing worse than the president has said.' 'I dont think we should make a big deal of it,' she declared. McCarthy, usually calm and unflappable, was visibly agitated as he spoke with journalists on Capitol Hill. Rashida Tlaib told supporters that 'we're going to impeach the motherf***er' about President Trump as she celebrated becoming the first Palestinian-American woman in Congress 'How do you work with anybody if this is what they really have planned? That they go down into a place, they have the MoveOn, they think others aren't watching it, they're using foul language. They introduce that they just want to impeach the president. Over what basis? We have government shutdown right now. Where are their priorities?' he asked. 'We watched a brand new speaker say nothing to her... That action should not stand,' McCarthy vented. 'Somebody should stand up to her. She's the speaker. That individual sits in her caucus. I would hope if she wouldn't, others in her caucus would.' Tlaib's spokesperson said Friday that she 'was elected to shake up Washington, not continue the status quo. Donald Trump is completely unfit to serve as President. The Congresswoman absolutely believes he needs to be impeached. She ran and won by making this very clear to the voters in her district.' Tlaib had penned an op-ed for the Detroit Free Press alongside John Bonifaz, a constitutional lawyer and founder of the 'Impeach Donald Trump Now' campaign, in which the pair issued the same demand. 'President Donald Trump is a direct and serious threat to our country,' they wrote. 'On an almost daily basis, he attacks our Constitution, our democracy, the rule of law and the people who are in this country. His conduct has created a constitutional crisis that we must confront now.' The pair also dismiss the idea of waiting for Robert Mueller to finish his investigation before beginning impeachment proceedings, and say it would be a betrayal of the American people to wait until the 2020 election to unseat him. 'This is not just about Donald Trump. This is about all of us. What should we be as a nation? Who should we be as a people?' they said. 'In the face of this constitutional crisis, we must rise. We must rise to defend our Constitution, to defend our democracy, and to defend that bedrock principle that no one is above the law, not even the President of the United States. 'Each passing day brings more pain for the people most directly hurt by this president, and these are days we simply cannot get back. The time for impeachment proceedings is now.' Her fiery remarks came as fellow California Democrat Rep. Brad Sherman used his first day in office to file an impeachment resolution against Trump. Newly minted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday that she's 'not in the censorship business' House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy demanded minutes later that someone in the House Democratic Caucus 'stand up to' Pelosi for the sake of decorum Sherman introduced an identical bill in 2017, charging that Trump obstructed justice when he fired FBI Director James Comey just months after moving into the White House. The resolution accuses Trump of 'threatening, and then terminating' Comey because he knew the FBI was investigating then-National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and 'conducting one or more investigations into Russian state interference in the 2016 campaign.' Sherman told the Los Angeles Times that 'there is no reason' Congress shouldn't consider impeachment: 'Every day, Donald Trump shows that leaving the White House would be good for our country.' Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan confirmed that Sherman had filed his bill, tweeting: 'We knew they couldnt help themselves. Rep. Sherman files articles of impeachment on the President. Dems are more focused on stopping Trump than building the Wall and helping the country.' Pelosi told the 'TODAY' show this week that she doesn't want to see an impeachment 'for political reasons,' but cautioned that politics also won't prevent her from calling a vote if it's justified. A Politico/Morning Consult poll in November found that just 33 per cent of voters want Trump impeached. But 61 per cent of Democrats are eager to see it in 2019. A December Harvard CAPS/Harris poll found 39 per cent of voters want to see the president fired. Pelosi also stepped up pressure on Trump after passing a spending bill that would end the government shutdown but without including $5.69 billion for his border wall. She said Trump and Senate Republicans should 'take yes for an answer' and approve the border bill, which was virtually identical to a plan the Senate adopted on a voice vote last month. The Russian Foreign Ministry has said the United States detained one of their citizens a day after Moscow arrested American Paul Whelan on suspicion of spying. Dmitry Makarenko was held on December 29, just 24 hours after Marine veteran Paul Nicholas Whelan, 48, was arrested accused of participating in a 'spy mission'. Makarenko was accused in June 2017 by federal prosecutors of conspiring to export defense articles from America to Russia without US approval. He was detained by the FBI on the Northern Mariana Islands, a US commonwealth in the Pacific Ocean, and transferred to Florida. The ministry said: 'Makarenko, born in 1979, has arrived on Saipan Island with his wife, underage children and elderly parents. He was detained by FBI personnel at the airport right after his arrival.' Marine veteran Paul Nicholas Whelan, 48, was arrested in Russia on December 28 The ministry said the United States detained Russian citizen Dmitry Makarenko on Dec. 29 on the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. commonwealth in the Pacific Ocean Makarenko was accused, along with Vladimir Nevidomy, pictured, of conspiring to export defense articles including night-vision scopes from America to Russia without US approval Papers filed in Florida show Makarenko was accused, along with Vladimir Nevidomy, of conspiring to export defense articles including night-vision scopes. He was declared a fugitive in January 2018. Nevidomy, of Hallandale Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty in June 2018 and he was sentenced to 26 months in prison, the court papers showed. Whelan was taken into custody by Russia's Federal Security Service on December 28 but his family protested his innocence, saying he was in Moscow for a wedding. The accusations from both sides could further complicate a strained relationship between Moscow and Washington. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has already asked Moscow to explain Whelan's arrest and would demand his immediate return if it determined his detention is inappropriate. The Russian ministry said in its statement that Moscow diplomats had not been able to reach Makarenko in Florida and said Washington had yet to explain his detention. Experts had speculated Whelan is being held as leverage for the return of Russian Maria Butina. The U.S. Embassy in Moscow could not immediately be reached for comment. A State Department spokesman in Washington referred a request for comment to the Department of Justice, which did not immediately respond. Marine veteran Paul Nicholas Whelan, 48, was arrested in Russia on December 28 Experts have speculated Whelan is being held as leverage for the return of Russian Maria Butina and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has asked Moscow to explain his arrest It comes as Twitter sleuths have started to question the wedding alibi of Whelan after no evidence of the marriage emerged. His twin brother David insisted he was visiting Russia for the marriage of an old Marine Corps buddy. But online people have questioned why there are no pictures from the wedding or any more details about the couple. One wrote: 'Who is the US marine that got married in Russia? Paul Whelan, the man arrested for espionage by Russia was supposedly there to attend a wedding.' Another added: 'This is getting weirder by the minute. Canadian/Irish/US citizen ex-marine Trumper, discharged for stealing, works in car parts manufacturing, went to Russia for a wedding (is the wedding still on?) arrested by Putin for being a spy. Who knew car parts were national security.' And one questioned: 'Who was this blissful wedding couple?' Paul was said to have arrived in Russia on December 22 for the wedding of friend and a Russian woman the following Friday. He spent the day of the marriage, December 28, with bride and groom at the Kremlin, according to David. But when he didn't arrive at the wedding later that day David says the couple reported him as missing, CNN reports. TIMELINE OF PAUL WHELAN'S ARREST December 22: Paul Whelan travels to Russia for a friend's wedding December 28: Whelan spends the day with the bride and groom at the Kremlin acting as a tour guide He does not attend the wedding later that day and the couple file a missing-person report with Russian authorities December 31: Whelan's family learn about Paul's detention after media reports emerged January 4: David Whelan appeals to the US government to pressure Russia to release him and say he is completely innocent January 5: The Russian Foreign Ministry says the US detained a Russian citizen, a day after Moscow arrested Whelan on suspicion of spying Advertisement One Twitter user commented: 'They would definitely know wouldn't they. In every film I've ever seen the family have no idea at all that their husband/father is a spy. ITS A SECRET - THAT HOW SPYING WORKS.' Another added: 'This man has all kinds of connections in Russia. No one has said whose wedding he was attending. Sketchy details.' Speaking to the Dailymail.com his brother David said: 'Paul did not attend the wedding. That is what caused concern. The groomsman was his former Marine friend, the reason Paul went to Moscow. It was totally out of character for Paul to have missed the wedding after having spent part of the day with the wedding party on a sightseeing tour. 'We have spoken to the friend since Paul's detention and he made a report of Paul being missing to the U.S. Embassy before the Russian government issued its news release on Monday. Paul was detained at some time before the wedding on Friday night. 'We are not making the friend's name public at his request, for privacy and personal security reasons. 'His friend tried to contact us that weekend and made the report on Sunday. Like many people, Paul's friends don't necessarily know Paul's other family or parents. As soon as we contacted the Embassy on Monday, they were very helpful in sharing what they knew, which wasn't much and remains without details from the Russian government.' Twitter sleuths have begun to question the US Marine 'spy's' Moscow wedding alibi The couple getting married are said to have reported Paul missing when he didn't show up Whelan also has passports for the UK, Ireland and Canada, where he was born Paul's brother David Whelan appeared on CNN on Tuesday to proclaim his brother's innocence David Whelan described his brother Paul as 'very loyal to family and friends' Whelan is believed to have been arrested in the Metropol Hotel in possession of a flash drive with a list of Russian government employees. It has also emerged that in addition to being a U.S. citizen, Whelan has passports for Canada, the UK and Ireland. In a Washington Post op-ed published Friday, David urged the U.S. government to pressure Russia to release him. 'Paul is a kind and considerate brother, son and uncle, and a generous and loyal friend,' he wrote. 'He travels as often as he can, both for work and pleasure. He is many things to many people, but he is not a spy.' Whelan could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of spying. His is being held in Lefortovo, a notorious prison run by the KGB in Soviet times and still used for foreigners accused of spying. Further details of Whelan's past have also emerged, showing he has a pattern of exaggerating his experience in law enforcement. Whelan was dishonorably discharged from the Marines and exaggerated cop credentials He friends with Russians with military connections on social media site VK Whelan claimed in a 2013 deposition that he was a former sheriff's deputy in in Washtenaw County and a police officer for the city of Chelsea. Washtenaw County told the Post that they had no record of Whelan's employement, and Chelsea police records show that he worked as a 'part-time police officer, as well as a dispatcher, a crossing guard, and a parking officer.' Former CIA officers have expressed doubts that Whelan was working for U.S. intelligence. They note that the CIA would be unlikely to use someone in Russia without diplomatic immunity and leave them vulnerable to arrest. Whelan's Marine record also would likely prevent U.S. intelligence from hiring him. He began active duty with the Marines in 2003 and was deployed twice to Iraq, rising to staff sergeant. But his military career ended with a court martial in 2008, when he was convicted on charges that included attempted larceny and dereliction of duty. Court documents released by the military show he was accused of attempting to steal more than $10,000 while on duty in Iraq, where he worked as a clerk, in September 2006. He was also convicted of using a false social security number and profile for a military computer system to grade his own examinations, and of writing 10 bad checks totaling around $6,000. He was dropped two grades in rank and given a bad conduct discharge from the Marine Corps. After his discharge, Whelan returned to his job in the temporary staffing company Kelly Services, based in Troy, Michigan, where he had worked since 2001 in the IT department until taking the leave of military absence. He was Kelly's head of global security and investigations until 2016. Early the following year, Whelan joined auto parts supplier BorgWarner as global security director, focused on physical security of company property. BorgWarner, based in Auburn Hills, Michigan, has facilities around the world but none in Russia and he never traveled to the country for business, company spokeswoman Kathy Graham said. Whelan (above) exaggerated his experience as a crossing guard to claim he had law enforcement experience, and was dishonorably discharged from the Marines Whelan appears to have spent a decade cultivating contacts among Russian security personnel. Whelan has been visiting Russia since at least 2007, when he took advantage of a military program for Marines deployed in Iraq that gave them 15 days of leave and paid for the travel. 'Having grown up during the Cold War, it was a dream of mine to visit Russia and meet some of the sneaky Russians who had kept the western world at bay for so long!!' he wrote of his first trip to the country on his now-defunct personal website. Even before the trip, he had begun developing a network of contacts throughout Russia. Some said they met him online in 2006 and became 'pen pals,' trading practice in English for Russian. Whelan seemed fascinated with Russia and its culture, they said. For nearly a decade, he has had an account on VKontakte, the Russian version of Facebook which translates as In Contact. A driver was shot in the leg and slashed with a knife during an attempted robbery in Sydney's west on Saturday. Police say the 24-year-old was sitting in his car on Hawksview Street, Merrylands, at 7.40pm when three men approached him. One man armed with a knife jumped into his passenger seat and demanded his phone and wallet. A driver was shot in the leg and slashed with a knife during an attempted robbery in Sydney's west on Saturday The driver fought off the intruder, but was shot in the leg and stabbed during the struggle. The victim drove away and flagged down a passing motorist, who took him to Auburn Hospital, where he remains in a stable condition. Police said they believe the attack was targeted. Meanwhile, another man was shot in the leg following an altercation at North Albury, on the New South Wales and Victoria border, at about the same time on Saturday night. The victim drove away and flagged down a passing motorist, who took him to Auburn Hospital where he remains in a stable condition Police say two men attended a home and spoke with the 39-year-old tenant. The three men became involved in an argument and one of the visitors produced a handgun and shot the resident - with the bullet passing through his left hand and into his thigh. Emergency services were contacted and police searched for the two men. The injured man was taken to Albury Hospital, in a serious but stable condition, and will undergo surgery. The two men left the home in a grey sedan, being driven by a third male, and the same vehicle was later observed driving to a home at Lavington. Police say the 24-year-old was sitting in his car on Hawksview Street, Merrylands, about 7.40pm on Saturday when three men walked up Police established a perimeter around the residence and negotiated with the occupants, which led to two women, three children and a 39-year-old man leaving the premises without incident. The man was arrested and later charged with discharging a firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (second degree), supply prohibited drug, and intimidation. The man was refused bail to appear at Albury Bail Court on Sunday. Inquiries into the shootings continue and investigators have urged anyone with information about the incident to contact police immediately. Jacob Rees-Mogg has warned Theresa May that Brexiteer MPs have 'not gone soft over Christmas' and are preparing to vote down her Brexit deal. The Eurosceptic rebel ringleader said the expected rebellion by more than 100 Tory MPs will go ahead against the Withdrawal Agreement with the DUP MPs from Northern Ireland also set to oppose it. It comes amid reports that Tory activists have effectively gone on strike - refusing to campaign or raise party funds - amid fury at the PM's Brexit deal. Theresa May had hoped that her mutinous MPs would calm down over the festive season and return to Parliament ready to compromise on Brexit. Number Ten is laying on drinks parties for every Tory MP as they return from their Christmas holidays this week in a fresh Brexit charm offensive. But Mr Rees-Mogg - who led the failed bid to oust Mrs May as Tory leader late last year - insisted that Tory Brexiteers are in no mood to back down. He told The Sunday Express: 'This strength of feeling ought to be responded to by the leadership of the party and not stamped upon.' Jacob Rees-Mogg said Brexiteer MPs had 'not gone soft over Christmas', adding that he expected more than 100 Tory MPs to revolt against the withdrawal agreement The North-East Somerset MP added that 'the backstop on its own is an intolerable failure of the negotiations'. Mrs May had to postpone the planned vote on her deal last month, admitting she would be defeated by a massive margin. And No10 is understood to be considering delaying the vote - currently planned for January 15 - again as they push for last-ditch concessions from the EU to get it over the line. MPs are back to work in Parliament tomorrow after a two-week break, but Remainers and Brexiteers are already gearing up their battles to derail the PM's deal. Tory Remainers are working with Tory MPs to threaten a Donald-Trump style shutdown of the Government unless the PM rules out a no deal Brexit. Labour ex minister Yvette Cooper and Tory MPs Oliver Letwin and Nicky Morgan have tabled an amendment to the Finance Bill. It would rob the Treasury of its no-deal powers if ministers pressed ahead with a plan to crash out of Brussels without the support of MPs. A second amendment, tabled by Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable, the Green Party and Plaid Cymru, would stop the Treasury from raising any income tax or corporation tax unless parliament approved a Brexit deal. The twin attacks could throw the Government into chaos if they are passed by MPs. Last week a poll of party members revealed 53 per cent supported no deal, compared to 23 per cent who backed Mrs May's EU deal. But divisions are not unique to Mrs May's party - a poll of more than 25,000 Britons found that both the Prime Minister and Jeremy Corbyn face political headaches over Brexit. The survey suggests under a quarter of voters back the Prime Minister's Brexit plan, despite a concerted effort by Downing Street to sell the deal directly to the public in the face of opposition from MPs. For Mr Corbyn, the poll suggests Labour would be punished by voters if his party either backs or does not oppose the Brexit deal going through the Commons. Labour MPs are expected to vote against the Prime Minister's Withdrawal Agreement when it returns to the Commons later this month, but Mr Corbyn has said he could support a Brexit deal which guarantees a customs union, support for workers' rights and environmental protections. A poll suggests Labour would be punished by voters if Jeremy Corbyn either backs or does not oppose the Brexit deal going through the Commons The YouGov poll, carried out for the People's Vote campaign for a second referendum, suggested just 22% of all Britons back Mrs May's deal, rising to 28% among Leave voters. The role played by Labour over the coming weeks could be crucial in shaping the outcome of Brexit, with Mrs May hoping some of the party's MPs could be tempted to back her Withdrawal Agreement to avoid the risk of a no-deal exit. The poll puts the Tories on 40%, Labour on 34% and the Liberal Democrats on 10%. But it indicates Labour's share of the vote would slump another eight points - to 26% - and 16 points behind the Conservatives if its MPs join with the Tories in support of a Brexit deal. This would be even worse than the 28% share secured by Labour under Michael Foot when the party slumped to defeat against Margaret Thatcher's Tories in 1983. More than 41,000 overweight patients including seven teenage girls needed new hips or knees last year, an investigation has found. In the past 12 months 25,577 patients had knee replacements and 16,184 had hip operations where obesity was a major factor behind the decision for surgery. These joint replacement operations cost around 5,000 each and over 40,000 procedures were carried out in 2017-2018, reports the Sunday Times. Of the thousands having hip replacements last year, seven were for teenage girls aged between 15 and 19. In the past 12 months 25,577 patients had knee replacements and 16,184, including teenagers, had hip operations where obesity was a major reason for the surgery (file picture) Tam Fry, chairman of the National Obesity forum said the fact teenagers were included in the numbers was 'horrifying.' He said: 'Tragically, more and more adults and children are going to require joint replacements in the years to come.' Jon Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, said: 'The fact that even teenage girls have had hip replacements because of obesity should send shock waves through ministers' offices.' The Sunday Times statistics show the number of patients having replacement surgery's has soared from 6,191 in 2009-10 to 41,761 in 2017-18. The findings have brought new calls for obesity to be reclassified as a disease. Obesity is a growing problem in the UK and around the world, with almost half of Britons and one in five people worldwide expected to be extremely fat by 2045. Research last year also found a quarter of adults don't do enough exercise, with 1.4billion of us leading inactive lives. The Royal College of Physicians said earlier this week that people shouldn't be blamed for being fat and said it wants obesity recognised as a chronic illness (file picture) The Royal College of Physicians said earlier this week that people shouldn't be blamed for being fat and said it wants obesity recognised as a chronic illness so very overweight people can receive specialist care. Professor Goddard said: 'It is governments, not individuals, which can have an impact on the food environment through regulation and taxation, and by controlling availability and affordability. 'Governments can also promote physical activity by ensuring that facilities are available to local communities, and through legislation and public health initiatives.' The announcement comes just a day after Public Health England revealed English children eat 18 years' worth of sugar before their 10th birthday. PHE said the average 10-year-old has already consumed 304lbs (138kg) of sugar over their lifetime more than the maximum recommended amount for an 18-year-old. Public Health England said they are working with the food industry to make food healthier and have campaigns to try and get families to be more active. More than 300 exhibitors from 40-plus countries are expected to participate in the upcoming Paperworld ME 2019, the regions foremost trade fair for stationery, office supplies, toys and games, in Dubai, UAE. The event is set to be held from March 18-20 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. More than Paper is the underlying theme of the event and organiser Messe Frankfurt Middle East is staying on course with an expanded product line-up and special programme of value-added events. In its 9th edition in 2019, Paperworld Middle East has over the years continually added to its fast-growing product range. In its previous edition in February 2018, it added Leatherworld to the exhibition floor, presenting the regions only B2B platform for finished leather goods and accessories. A new Corporate Gifts section was also introduced to the show in 2018, while a revamped Playworld Pavilion replete with childrens toys and games was well received by more than 7,000 visitors from 90 countries at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Thats in addition to regular features such as the Wrap Star competition and the Green Room for sustainable stationery and office supplies, while a three-day seminar programme ensured industry professionals and insiders were kept up-to-date with the latest Middle East market trends. Now Messe Frankfurt Middle East is upping the ante, and is introducing more creative and playful initiatives that further underline Paperworld Middle Easts More than Paper tagline. All the regular features are again returning, while among the new highlights next year is the Corporate Gifts Avenue aimed at the discerning buyer. The exclusively designed area toward the centre of the show floor will comprise a row of manufacturers and suppliers of high-end corporate gift items, from luxury confectionery and high-tech gadgets, to unique accessories and niche leather goods. Meanwhile, another new addition to the highly-popular Playworld Pavilion early next year is the Mystery Box, a balloon shaping competition hosted in partnership with American balloon manufacturing company Qualatex and its Gulf region s distributor Gravitas International. The competition will invite various Middle East balloon shaping artisans from event planners and wedding organisers, to specialist gift stores and toy retailers to shape their own balloon creations from a selection of Qualatex balloons hidden inside individual boxes. The Mystery Box competition and Corporate Gifts Avenue are examples of how Paperworld Middle East continues to evolve, as we draw inspiration from, and capture the imaginations of professionals across a broad range of related industry segments, said Alexandria Robinson, Paperworld Middle Easts show director. Whether a wholesaler or distributor, a corporation or commercial end-user, a buyer of corporate gifts or an owner of toys, baby and kids stores, there is really something for everyone at Paperworld Middle East. Were continuing to leverage the synergies of different industries to offer our exhibitors and visitors more networking opportunities. Returning regular exhibitors to Paperworld Middle East 2019 include UAE-based manufacturers Farook International Stationery and Capital Envelopes, while spearheading the international charge are the likes of The Navigator Company and Bi-Silque from Portugal. Others include Italian companies Carioca, and Stilolinea, while Mitsubishi Pencil, Pilot, Shachihata, and Zebra will all return from Japan. The international appeal of Paperworld Middle East 2019 will be further underlined by country pavilions from Germany, Korea, and a debut pavilion from Sri Lanka. TradeArabia News Service A self-described 'Muslim soldier' has bid farewell to 2018 and revealed his high hopes for the upcoming year. Hossein Balapour, better known to his 153,000 Instagram followers as 'Yakiboy', also shared the one thing that motivates him year in, year out in a touching social media post. The 28-year-old had a tumultuous 2018 after he said he is often mistaken as a gangster or bikie because of his bad-boy image. But the Instagram model says it's his mates, who he refers to as 'brothers', keep him going. Self-proclaimed 'Muslim soldier' Hossein Balapour says his 'brothers' motivate him year in, year out. Pictured above (right) with fellow bodybuilder Marven Yacoub (left) An Instagram model, Balapour rang in the new year by revealing his aspirations for 2019 In a social media post on Thursday, Balapour rang in the new year with bodybuilder Marven Yacoub, writing: 'Doesn't Matter What Year it is, Brothers Always Together.' At the same time, Yacoub shared the same image with the same accompanying caption. In another pair of social media photos, Balapour revealed his aspirations for 2019. In an emoji-laden post, he wished the best to his followers, writing: 'Happy New Year. 2018 Has Been The Best Year So Far, Truely A Life Changing Year For Me. 'May This Year Bring Happiness, New Goals, New Achievements & A Lot Of New Inspirations On Your Life! 'Wishing You A Year Filed (sic) With Blessings, Good bye 2018, Hello 2019.' The 28-year-old bodybuilder says he hopes for new goals and new challenges in 2019 An Iranian national with humble upbringings, Balapour (pictured) fled to Australia as a refugee six years ago An Iranian national, Balapour fled to Australia as a refugee six years ago. From humble beginnings, the avid bodybuilder insists he's an honest family man who makes a living from social media and can't wait to have more children. Despite his less-than-lavish upbringing, Mr Balapour boasts about his $65,000 gold and diamond-toothed smile, Versace bedsheets and lifestyle in western Sydney. British taxpayers will continue to hand over 200 million in aid to Bangladesh, despite fears the country's government rigged last week's election to stay in power, a Foreign Office Minister has said. The UK's mammoth aid package includes 16 million for the 'Strengthening Political Participation' project, intended to boost 'locally led election observation and support civil society to demand more accountable politics'. On polling day, 17 people were killed in clashes, hundreds of opposition officials were arrested, ballot boxes were tampered with and a mother of four was gang-raped as punishment for voting against the government. Britain, the EU and US are all calling for an investigation after the incumbent Awami League party led by Sheikh Hasina, 71, claimed a third term in office after taking 288 of the country's 298 parliamentary seats with 96 per cent of the vote. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to begin a third straight term as Bangladesh's prime minister after a landslide election victory, but critics fear her coalition's dominance in Parliament leaves space for her to be more authoritarian Britain's Minister for Asia and the Pacific, Mark Field, said he deplored the acts of intimidation and unlawful violence, and was 'deeply concerned' by the incidents that led to so many deaths on polling day. But he said Britain has a 'broad and important partnership' with Bangladesh and its 160 million population, with significant numbers living in the UK. He pledged to 'continue to support the people of Bangladesh in their aspirations for a more stable, prosperous and democratic future'. The 16 million paid out to boost democracy in Bangladesh goes to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to 'reduce political violence and manage peaceful cross-party debate' and to other initiatives to strengthen governance in the country. A crushing victory for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in an election overshadowed by allegations it was fixed raises fears about the future of democracy in Bangladesh A UK briefing paper before the general election on December 30 noted that the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party's leader, Khaleda Zia, had been imprisoned and was unable to stand for election, and criticised the EU for failing to send a full-blown observer mission. Its prediction that Sheikh Hasina would win 'but the result could be closer than previously anticipated' was clearly inaccurate and raises fresh questions over spending development funds in Bangladesh. Respected commentator Naomi Hossain, a research fellow at the Institute of Development Studies, scoffed at an EU statement reporting that violence had marred the election and 'tainted' the vote. Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party's leader, Khaleda Zia (pictured above), had been imprisoned and was unable to stand for election She tweeted: 'Tainted. Interesting choice of words and a very gentle admonition from the West, more a tickle than a slap. They could not care less so long as the Bangladesh government achieves high growth, tackles Islamic extremism and lets them show 'results' from international aid.' Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said yesterday: 'The pre-election period was characterised by violence and intimidation of the opposition.' The UK Government is committed to spending 0.7 per cent of GDP on foreign aid equating to 14 billion last year a policy which The Mail on Sunday has campaigned against. A DFID spokesperson said: 'The UK deplores the acts of intimidation and unlawful violence that have taken place during the campaign period, and we are deeply concerned by the incidents that led to so many deaths on polling day. 'We recognise that change won't happen overnight, but UK aid is supporting the many Bangladeshis who are determined to strengthen democracy in their country. 'Our support is enabling Bangladeshi women and young people to engage in politics, making communities more resilient to conflict and monitoring levels of political violence.' Since publication of this article, the Department for International Development has issued the following statement: 'No UK aid was given to the government of Bangladesh, the Bangladeshi Election Commission, or to any Bangladeshi political parties for this election. The funding was given to non-governmental organisations. Through this work, UK aid is supporting the many Bangladeshis who are determined to strengthen democracy in their country. Our support is enabling Bangladeshi women and young people to engage in politics and making communities more resilient to conflict. UK support is also helping to monitor levels of political violence.' A father-of-three died in front of his wife and children after he became tangled in fallen live power lines during a destructive storm. Mr Hossam Ibrahim, 38, was electrocuted outside his home in Punchbowl, Sydney's west, on Saturday night while family members screamed for help. The death of the respected pharmacist has been described as a 'horrific sight' by his neighbours, The Daily Telegraph reported. Mr Hossam Ibrahim, 38, was electrocuted outside his home in Punchbowl, Sydney's west, on Saturday night The death of the respected pharmacist has been described as a 'horrific sight' by his neighbours (pictured: emergency crews at the scene) Emergency crews were called the scene on Acacia Avenue at 10.30pm and found the man's body in the driveway. Police, paramedics, firefighters and electricity emergency workers, who arrived in the street, initially struggled to access the scene as the power lines were still active. Neighbour David Andraos said he saw Mr Ibrahim walk straight into the wire before hitting the ground face-first. 'I tried to help him, but there was only so much I could do, I couldn't touch him,' he said. Mr Andraos said Mr Ibrahim's clothes lit up in flames. 'His wife and kids saw him get electrocuted, they saw it right in front of them, just the screaming you heard the screaming from blocks away. It was a very horrific sight,' he said Police, paramedics, firefighters and electricity emergency workers, who arrived in the street, initially struggled to access the scene as the power lines were still active 'The images aren't nice, seeing his wife and kids yelling 'help him, help him'. Knowing that I want to help him and I can't do nothing, seeing the blood, it wasn't a nice sight.' Another neighbour, Chamoun Harb, said he heard Mr Ibrahim's children say 'don't go dad, don't go dad' before he got caught. Mr Harb said he was scared to walk over because it was dark and all the wires were on the floor. The cause of the fallen power lines are yet to be determined. Mr Ibrahim, who was well known in the local Middle Eastern community, had only recently moved into the Acacia Avenue home. Sydney was lashed by a severe thunderstorm on Saturday evening which brought thunder, lightening and rain to the area. Town hall chiefs fear a spike in A&E admissions from elderly people slipping on untreated icy pavements this winter. They say 48 million of budget cuts in the past 12 months mean they are unable to grit so many pavements. Council leaders from 47 local authorities called on Local Government Secretary James Brokenshire to intervene to avert a crisis. The warning came amid claims that at least one in three adults over 65 was likely to suffer a fall during a year [File photo] The warning came amid claims that at least one in three adults over 65 was likely to suffer a fall during a year. Sir Stephen Houghton, Labour leader of Barnsley Council, said: Council leaders are faced with a crisis trying to keep elderly people safe. Last night, a spokeswoman for Mr Brokenshires department said it would work with any council which had problems relating to severe winter weather. But she said councils are responsible for their own funding decisions, adding that the Government was providing 90.7 billion this year to help them meet the needs of residents. Viewers have been left sickened by an interactive Netflix drama in which they are asked to decide whether a child should die. The film, Bandersnatch, also invites those watching to choose whether a character should murder his father or commit suicide. Campaigners have voiced their concern about the damaging and toxic effects of the horrible TV drama on young viewers. Set in 1984, the drama centres on Stefan Butler, a young programmer played by Dunkirk star Fionn Whitehead who battles depression as he struggles to adapt a fantasy novel into a video game. One of the choices in the interactive film involves Stefan Butler returning to his five-year-old self so he can die alongside his mother in a train crash Other characters include his father Peter, his therapist Dr Haynes and video game employees Mohan Thakur and Colin Ritman. As the film progresses, the viewer is asked to make choices on behalf of Butler, which gives the film multiple possible endings. One choice involves Butler returning to his five-year-old self so he can die alongside his mother in a train crash. The viewer also has the option to make him kill his father, bury or chop up the body, murder Ritman or Thakur, and determine whether characters including Butler jump off a balcony. While the film which can last up to 90 minutes depending on the choices made is rated by Netflix as being suitable for viewers aged 15 or over, there is nothing to stop younger children watching the film. One viewer wrote on social media: Started out having fun playing around with the choices, then felt sick at the horrible choices offered, and ended up getting annoyed at the repetition and futility of it all. Another viewer, who has vowed never to watch the film again, posted: I felt like I was torturing a man and I still feel a bit sick at my stomach, while a third added: Am I the only one that killed Stefan and cant stop thinking about it? I feel like a murderer. Viewers are asked to make choices on behalf of character Stefan Butler, which gives the film multiple possible endings Some viewers thought the film, which debuted on Netflix on December 28 as part of the acclaimed Black Mirror series, should have been preceded by warnings to protect those with a history of mental health issues. One wrote: As someone with mental health and self-harm problems, I can not recommend Bandersnatch. It was one of the most indulgently toxic experiences I have ever put myself through. Stopped it after being prompted to either assist myself or another person in suicide. Ged Flynn, chief executive of charity Papyrus, which campaigns to prevent suicide among young people, branded Netflix irresponsible and said it was unfortunate that the on-demand streaming service was not covered by the broadcasting regulator Ofcom. He said: It is totally irresponsible of Netflix, which should be promoting safe, albeit exciting, behaviour to its players. If this episode was broadcast on one of our national broadcasters I am confident it would contravene Ofcom guidelines on violence, dangerous behaviour and suicide. Material that highlights suicide method by showing graphic examples can be seen as glamorous and encourage copycat suicides by vulnerable young people struggling between life and death. Helen Lewington, of the viewers campaign group Mediawatch-UK, said: Netflix should be doing more to protect its younger viewers. A Netflix spokesman said: We have parental controls and Bandersnatch is not available on kids profiles. Michelle Obama is being tipped to follow in her husband footsteps and run as the Democrat candidate in the 2020 US presidential race. Despite her repeated denials that she has any political ambitions, highly placed Washington insiders believe Mrs Obamas sky-high approval ratings with voters will prompt senior Democrats to urge her to reconsider. It follows the huge success of her memoir Becoming, which has topped the bestseller lists since it was published in November. Polls also regularly rate her more popular than Donald Trump. Michelle Obama (pictured) is being tipped to follow in her husband footsteps and run as the Democrat candidate in the 2020 US presidential race Her husband Baracks rise to become Americas first black President began in 2006 with the publication of his book The Audacity Of Hope, followed the next year by his decision to run for the White House. Pundits say an attempt by Mrs Obama to become Americas first female President could prove more than a match for Mr Trump. Rumours of another Obama presidential bid intensified when Mike Huckabee, who failed to clinch the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, endorsed a prediction on his website. Now that Michelle Obama has been named Most Admired Woman for 2018, its time for me to make a prediction for 2019: the former First Lady will toss her hat in the ring for 2020, and she will get her partys nomination, it said. Her PR machine, which has quietly percolated ever since Hillary lost, went full-tilt in September with the November 13 release of her book, Becoming. (One might ask, Becoming what? I say, Becoming a presidential nominee.) But such a move would contradict her memoir, in which she writes: Ive never been a fan of politics, and my experience over the last ten years has done little to change that. The father of a glamorous Russian convicted of conspiring against the US has pleaded for her return amid hopes of a possible Cold War-style spy swap with a British security expert being held in Russia. Diplomats believe Russia may try to secure the release of Maria Butina who has been likened to flame-haired Russian spy Anna Chapman with an exchange with Paul Whelan. He was seized in Moscow on December 28, accused of obtaining state secrets. Butina, 30, pleaded guilty last month in a US court to conspiracy to act as a Kremlin agent by infiltrating conservative movements in the US. She is currently in a detention centre awaiting sentence. Diplomats believe Russia may try to secure the release of Maria Butina (pictured) with an exchange with a British security expert being held in Russia Her father, Valery Butin, a businessman from Siberia, fears discussing an exchange with Mr Whelan could damage her chances of returning home. Talking from the family home in Barnaul last night, Mr Butin, 56, told The Mail on Sunday: I just want her to come back home. On a possible swap, he said: I do not want to discuss it. It may cause harm [to my daughter]. But Mr Butin believes such an exchange is possible, saying he wanted both the US and Russia to make clear their official positions on his daughters case. I am not going to comment or discuss anything on Whelans arrest, he said. I dont myself see the connection between Whelans arrest and the exchange yet I know that this is the practice. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has warned Moscow against using Mr Whelan as a pawn in diplomatic chess games. Paul Whelan was seized in Moscow on December 28, accused of obtaining state secrets Russias deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov yesterday shrugged off suggestions of a spy-swap, saying that Mr Whelan had not even been charged. As to the possibility of exchanges of one sort of another, its impossible and incorrect to consider the question now when an official charge hasnt even been presented, he said. After her detention by US authorities last July, Butina, known as Masha, received a supportive message in Russian from Chapman, 36, who was part of a spy swap in 2010 which brought double agent Sergei Skripal to Britain. Chapman posted a picture of herself on Instagram with the message: Hold on Masha! Butina is said to have acted as a pro-gun campaigner in the US, using her role to infiltrate powerful circles in Washington on behalf of Russian intelligence. In 2011 she was involved in youth election primaries for United Russia, which was then closely associated with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The same year she became chairman of a public organisation called Right to bear arms. While still studying, she became an assistant to ex-Russian senator Alexander Torshin, 65, later deputy chairman of the Russian Central Bank, who was implicated in the US allegations against her. In April 2015 she travelled with Torshin to Tennessee to attend a fundraiser for a Republican political group. In July the same year she attended one of Donald Trumps first campaign events. Russian espionage expert Gennady Sokolov last night told The Mail on Sunday that a spy swap was unlikely. Butina is expected to be freed quite soon due to the agreement she reached with US prosecutors, he said. So I dont see any connection between the two cases or a possible exchange. Labour's John McDonnell is plotting a tax hike on plane tickets and getting rid of duty free at airports, the Treasury warned last night. The Shadow Chancellor wants to put up levies on flying and increase rates paid on alcohol in the departure lounge, according to comments made by his team. The chancges could double the cost of a plane ticket - making a summer holiday somewhere sunny abroad out of reach for many hard-working families. Shadow Treasury Minister Clive Lewis has vowed to crackdown on the ability of Briton fly by plane abroad if Labour are elected. He said: 'Growth in demand for UK air travel must be limited.' Labour's John McDonnell (pictured above) is plotting a tax hike on plane tickets He argued that they must 'control and push down demand for flights'. He called Air Passenger Duty a 'fiscally progressive tax' and a useful 'lever' to do this. The current rate of APD sees the average family already paying 81 per year in 'holiday tax'. A new frequent-flyer tax and ending the duty-free status of flights and airport shopping are other options being discussed. A 238 flight would rocket to 505 if all the measures are introduced, pricing many families out of a holiday completely, according to The Sun. Treasury Minister Robert Jenrick said such a rise would hammer families and prevent them from going abroad. He said a new tax would 'hammer hard-working families and prevent them from enjoying their chance to go abroad .' A feud between two of Theresa Mays closest female aides has ended up on the desk of the head of MI6, sources claimed last night. Security chiefs were drawn into the bad blood between former No 10 advisers Fiona Hill and Katie Perrior over claims that Hill, the PMs former chief of staff, overruled intelligence warnings about inviting Donald Trump to Britain on a state visit. The toxic suggestion that British spies warned the Queen off hosting the President risks dragging May into the US probe by Robert Mueller into President Trump. The anonymous allegation was made last year to an American newswire in a report that also quoted Perrior, Mrs Mays former spin doctor, who clashed heavily with Hill in No 10. Katie Perrior (right), Theresa May's former spin doctor, is said to be involved in a feud with ex-chief of staff Fiona Hill (left). Both women left Mrs May's service around the 2017 Election In a slew of articles in the wake of them both leaving Mrs Mays service around the 2017 Election disaster, Ms Perrior took aim at Ms Hill. Now The Mail on Sunday has learnt the report by Bloomberg sparked uproar at MI6s Vauxhall Cross HQ. The report into relations with the White House said Hill was keen to keep Trump close but senior diplomats and the UK security services had other ideas. And it quoted Ms Perrior saying that senior diplomats and civil servants had raised their concerns against inviting Mr Trump on a state visit. But angry security sources say no such warning from security services was ever made. The toxic suggestion that British spies warned the Queen off hosting the President risks dragging Mrs May (pictured) into the US probe by Robert Mueller into President Trump The MoS can reveal that MI6 bosses have looked into the source of the claim of security services involvement and were furious at its implications. Given that Ms Perrior was quoted extensively, the finger of blame was pointed at her but she strenuously denies being the source. An official told this newspaper: Vauxhall Cross were hopping mad and this was handled at a very senior level. The claims are the work of a fantasist. Former government officials publicly saying people had raised concerns risks a transatlantic firestorm as the Americans can ask, What do you know that we dont? Last night Ms Perrior denied she was behind the briefing, saying: If an investigation did take place, and thats a big if, it was a pretty poor effort considering nobody contacted me, therefore I conclude they ruled me out of being involved. Harold Brown, an advocate of nuclear arms control who as President Carter's defense secretary tried but failed to win Senate approval of a key treaty with the Soviet Union, has died at age 91, the think tank where he worked said. Brown, a native New Yorker, was the first scientist to take the helm of the large and complex U.S. military establishment. He was a physicist who received his bachelor's degree at age 18 and his doctorate at 22. Brown spent his professional life initially developing nuclear weapons and then later striving to control them. He died of pancreatic cancer at his home in Rancho Santa Fe, California, on Friday, according to the Santa Monica-based RAND Corporation, where Brown served on the board until his death. Former Secretary of Defense Harold Brown served under President Carter from 1977 to 1981, the first scientist to serve in that cabinet position 'Harold Brown understood, perhaps better than any defense secretary before him, the technological complexities and unprecedented dangers of modern warfare,' RAND president and chief executive officer Michael D. Rich said. 'He was also an educator and author who made tremendous contributions to the advancement of science and the security of the nation.' Brown became Pentagon chief in 1977 and left in 1981, deeply disappointed that was unable to convince the Senate to back the nuclear arms limitation treaty reached with the Soviet Union in 1979 dubbed SALT II. As defense secretary, he also was involved in planning the botched U.S. military mission to rescue American hostages held in Iran that ended with the deaths of eight U.S. service members in April 1980 and the diminishing of U.S. prestige. 'The world is a dangerous place. But it has always been a dangerous place,' Brown told The Washington Post in December 1980. 'All we're offered is a reasonable change to make things work. Because I'm temperamentally an optimist, I believe that's good enough.' Harold Brown arrives at the White House in 2006 to meet with then President Bush. Brown worked at the RAND Corporation, a think thank that consulted on government policy Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara administering the oath of office to (left to right) Norman Paul, Thomas Morris, John Foster, and Harold Brown, taken October 28, 1965 At the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Brown played a key part in designing the Polaris missile warhead but arms control was fundamental to his national security thinking. He worked in the Pentagon during the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson and served during the Nixon administration as a member of an arms control delegation for talks with the Soviets. In 1979 he strongly supported SALT II, signed by Carter and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev after seven years of talks, and served as the Carter administration's chief spokesman in trying to win Senate approval. The treaty faced resistance not only from Republicans but from within Carter's own Democratic Party. President Carter stands with (left to right) his new Secretary of Defense Harold Brown, his new Secretary of Labor Ray Marshall, and Patricia Harris, HUD President Carter with being brief on military and security matters with Secretary of Defense Harold Brown to his right sharply debated it, Americans were taken hostage when militants seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in November 1979. The Soviets invaded Afghanistan the next month, and Carter withdrew the treaty from Senate consideration. The treaty restricted the number of Soviet and American strategic weapons at a dangerous period of the Cold War. Before becoming president, Reagan rejected the SALT II treaty as lopsided in favor of the Soviets. But he and the Soviet Union observed its major limitations until 1986. Reagan moved ahead with fresh arms control efforts. Brown also decided not to produce the B-1 bomber, a move that prompted one Republican congressman to say, 'They're breaking out the vodka and caviar in Moscow.' But Brown backed the development of 'stealth' technology. Secretary of Defense of Harold Brown, briefs the press on the aborted attempt to rescue the 53 American hostages in Iran Harold Brown at the far right stands with President Kennedy, center, who was visiting the University of California at Berkeley and Lawrence Radiation Laboratory on March 23, 1962 After Reagan beat Carter in 1980, his Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger said his mission was 'to rearm America.' Brown served as president of one of the top universities in the United States, the California Institute of Technology, from 1969 to 1977. Before that, he served as secretary of the U.S. Air Force and director of defense research and engineering under Defense Secretary Robert McNamara. Brown's wife Colene died last year, the RAND Corporation said. The Abu Dhabi School of Government (ADSG) has appointed Solveig Andres Nicklos, the former director of Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) as the first Dean of the academy. Nicklos joins ADSG from Columbia University in New York. ADSG is a government entity that is responsible for overseeing and planning for the learning and development of all Abu Dhabi government employees. Dean Nicklos is an expert in strategy development, executive education , and working in partnership with diverse stakeholders, said a statement from the Abu Dhabi School of Government. During her time with Columbia University in New York, she worked on developing several of the Masters programs alongside schemes for Executive Education and Executive Fellows at the school. Commenting on the appointment, Dr Mohammed Rashid Ahmed Al Hameli, the director-general of Abu Dhabi Executive Office, said: "Education and on-going professional development have already played a key role in the development of Abu Dhabi, and elevating this experience will be vital to our future. That approach has driven the investment being made in the creation of the Abu Dhabi School of Government." "With thousands of employees engaged in the government workforce, we will ensure access to world-class professional development opportunities that can help us deliver the wider vision for Abu Dhabi. We are providing a first-of-its-kind platform to enhance skills and grow future leaders to solidify ongoing success for Abu Dhabi," he added. On the new role, Nicklos said: "It is an honour to be asked to lead the Abu Dhabi School of Government, where we are building one of the worlds leading institutions for the development of government employees and civil service systems." "My entire career has focused on education and the common language of learning. My appointment as Dean offers me a once-in-a-lifetime chance to support an academy that is not only recognised around the world for its commitment to professional development, but also one that is integral to the future success of Abu Dhabi," she remarked. "Over 60,000 employees will benefit from integrated participation at the academy with a chance to have a real impact on the pioneering direction of Abu Dhabi and the UAE. I am proud to be part of this exciting journey," she added. ADSG was formed to develop the capabilities of employees across all government entities and accelerate their career progression.-TradeArabia News Service A kite surfer has detailed his tale of survival after becoming stranded more than 30 kilometres from his intended destination. Matthew Wing, from Perth, Western Australia, said he feared he wouldn't survive the night when he washed up on a remote beach at Geraldton in the state's mid-west. 'The kite fell out of the sky, the wave over ran the kite and somehow I managed to tear it with a line,' he told 7 News of the ordeal. Kite surfer Matthew Wing has detailed his tale of survival after becoming stranded more than 30 kilometres from his intended destination 'That's when I realised I was in a bit of trouble.' The father-of-two's nightmare unfolded when strong waves and wind gusts swept him off course - by 30 kilometres on Friday afternoon. The kit's malfunction dragged the experienced kite surfer past his intended destination at Coronation Beach. After washing ashore on a remote beach, Mr Wing was forced to climb treacherous cliffs until he 'couldn't walk any more'. It is believed a malfunction of his kite meant the experienced kite surfer was dragged past his intended destination at Coronation Beach But choosing to bury himself in sand amidst the beach's freezing temperatures would prove to be a decision which would save his life. 'That was the coldest I've ever been in my life...I didn't sleep at all last night,' he said. Meanwhile, after Mr Wing failed to arrive at Coronation Beach from his intended 10-kilometre kite surf on Friday night, friends were quick to raise the alarm. More than 17 hours after he went missing, Mr Wing (in grey) was spotted by the crew of a marine rescue boat walking along the beach Soon, a large search operation was launched, including police, planes, boats and helicopters and the State Emergency Services volunteers. More than 17 hours after he went missing, Mr Wing was spotted by the crew of a marine rescue boat walking along the beach. After a short stint in hospital, Mr Wing was released to return to his holiday in Geraldton on Saturday afternoon. A New York City lawyer who has a practice on Manhattan's prestigious Park Avenue has been accused by authorities of being a serial sex criminal. Ra'Shaun Kelley, 35, is alleged to have committed at least three sex attacks in Manhattan four years ago, and may be a suspect in other assault cases, authorities say. Kelley, a commercial lawyer who graduated from New York Law School, faces numerous charges, including burglary, sex abuse, and attempted rape. Surveillance footage shows an African-American man following three different women into apartment buildings in the East Village and Harlem in late 2014-early 2015, police told the New York Daily News. Kelley, a resident of Brooklyn, was arrested on Friday by the New York Police Department. Ra'Shaun Kelley, 35, who is alleged to have committed at least three sex attacks in Manhattan four years ago, may be a suspect in other assault cases, authorities say Surveillance footage shows an African-American man following three different women into apartment buildings in the East Village and Harlem in late 2014-early 2015 Police allege that in each instance, Kelley crept up behind unsuspecting women as they walked into their buildings or entered elevators Police allege that in each instance, Kelley crept up behind unsuspecting women as they walked into their buildings or entered elevators. He then is alleged to have molested the women while attempting to rape them. None of the women suffered serious injuries. Kelley, who was arraigned on Saturday at Manhattan Criminal Court, has denied the charges. His lawyer, Christopher Carrion, went to law school with Kelley. Carrion told the Daily News that the evidence collected so far does not prove Kelleys guilt. To say it was shaky is being generous, Carrion said of the evidence. Carrion said that one of the victims who picked Kelley out of a lineup said that she could not be certain it was him, but that there was a resemblance to the real attacker. Not one filler resembled my client, Carrion said. A filler is someone who is not suspected of a crime but is asked to stand in a police lineup. Kelley, a commercial lawyer who graduated from New York Law School, faces numerous charges, including burglary, sex abuse, and attempted rape Kelley passed the bar exam in 2014 and established a law office on Park Avenue Police also collected a DNA sample from Kelley, though Carrion said he does not know how that happened. Kelleys bail was set at $200,000. He is scheduled to appear in court on January 10. Investigators say Kelley first struck on December 16, 2014, when he followed a 19-year-old woman into the elevator of her building on Roosevelt Drive in the East Village. Kelley allegedly groped and tried to kiss the woman before she fought back. Kelley then ran off. The next day, Kelley is alleged to have groped a 20-year-old woman inside a Harlem apartment building. He jumped the woman from behind and covered her mouth as he fondled her, police allege. A month later, Kelley allegedly pulled down the pants of a 31-year-old woman during an attack inside her building in the East Village. When the woman started to scream for help, Kelley ran off, according to police. Those who know Kelley said they were shocked by the allegations. Youre blowing my mind, a Brooklyn neighbor told the Daily News. Kelley passed the bar exam in 2014 and established a law office on Park Avenue. Russia is allegedly trying to set up a new spy network in the UK after its unit was decimated following the aftermath of the Salisbury nerve agent attack. British Intelligence forces are said to be concerned by attempts by the SVR, Russia's foreign intelligence agency, to re-establish itself in Britain. Officials are confident that GRU, the agency which masterminded the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal last year, had been dismantled. Vladimir Putin (left) and Sergei Naryshkin, the head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (right) Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were targeted by Russian authorities But now Russia's SVR, which is the equivalent of Britain's MI6, is now said to be heading up spy operations in the UK. There is growing fears within British intelligence, who believe the SVR pose a greater threat due to their increased professionalism. A senior Government source told The Sunday Telegraph: 'We are more fearful of what we don't know about the SVR compared to all the things we do know about the GRU. 'If Moscow is now giving more resources to the SVR and more freedom to operate in the UK - which is what we believe is happening - than that is of far greater concern because they are a more professional outfit.' A second source said: 'The GRU has been severely impacted by our inquiries into Salisbury' while another said it had been dismantled and would take years to regroup. Following the attack in Salisbury, Theresa May went on the warpath and identified the GRU agents responsible for the attack. Twenty-three Russian diplomats were expelled from the country as a result of the attempted assassinations. Alexander Petrov (left) and Ruslan Boshirov (right) were named as the Russian spies responsible for the attack on the Skripals All 23 diplomats were spies, according to British officials, which was made up of GRU and SVR agents - which helped to disband their spy network in the UK. A parliamentary paper on Russian intelligence services suggested more than 100 SVR agents had been operating in the US. It also claimed the SVR may have been responsible for the death of Gareth Williams, 32, a GCHQ and MI6 spy, who was found dead inside a bag locked from the outside at a central London flat. The report claimed Williams may have been killed after finding out the identity of a Russian mole in GCHQ. The SVR is engaged in 'political intelligence, scientific and technical intelligence (industrial espionage) and illegal intelligence,' according to the parliamentary report. It added that the SVR are said to be involved in 'political intelligence, scientific and technical intelligence (industrial espionage) and illegal intelligence'. After the Salisbury attack Sergei Naryshkin, the director of the SVR, claimed the poisoning was a 'grotesque provocation rudely staged by the British and US intelligence agencies.' Prams could be a death trap for toddlers and babies this summer with temperatures inside the strollers soaring up to 15C higher than outside conditions. Health professionals have warned of the dangers of prams as the heat-trapping objects can leave the children dehydrated and suffering from heatstroke - which could potentially lead to organ failure and even death. The Courier-Mail recorded the temperature of inside a pram which had been in the sun and found it climbed 10C above the environmental temperature to a whopping 40C. The drastic heat increase occurred in a shorter amount of time than a typical nap. Parents who try and protect their children from the sun by hiding them in a pram could be putting their lives at risk (stock image) Susan Teerds, from Kidsafe, said she was worried it would take a death for parents to become wary of prams with thick covers which rapidly capture heat. Dr David Levitt, Queensland Children's Hospital director of paediatric medicine, said a covered pram in the sun can rise about 15C over the environmental temperature. 'The combination of no airflow, heavier clothes and the babies' poorer temperature regulation lead to potential heat injury which can be life-threatening,' he said. Mum Nicole De Valter, from the Gold Coast, said she was shocked to learn her daughter's pram rose 10C in just 20 minutes. The empty pram hit 40C at 10.35am after the outside temperature of 30C was recorded at 10.15am. Prams can trap the heat and the temperatures can soar above conditions outside (stock image) Queensland Health have urged parents to keep their young children away from the sun between 11am and 5pm. The warning has also extended to the scorching conditions of locked cars. 'Do you know it only takes a matter of minutes for a child to overheat in a parked car?' Queensland Health wrote on Twitter. 'Even on a mild day, it can be 20 to 30 degrees hotter inside a parked car than outside.' 'With hot Summer days upon us never leave your kids in the car. Not even for a short time.' The structure of modern prams could be a recipe for disaster as the thick hoods to protect from UV rays are more likely to carry the heat. 'Using a canopy to shade the baby allows airflow, which cools the baby, but it is best to stay in the shade,' Dr Levitt said. 'Children overheat and dehydrate quickly.' Dehydration can cause a number of dangerous symptoms including flushing, increased heart rate, sweating, weakness, nausea and vomiting. Experts and health professionals recommend keeping young children in the shade. Despite retiring from the sport after punching a shark in the nose on live TV, Champion surfer Mick Fanning is still making a fortune in deals. Surfing magazine Stab has released its top 10 earners for 2018, ranking Mick Fanning third - even though he no longer competes. The 37-year-old earned $2.85 million from sponsorships last year, including large deals from Red Bull, Mercedes, and Rip Curl. Champion surfer Mick Fanning (pictured with partner Breanna Randall) has had his 2018 earnings revealed and, despite retiring from the sport, he is still making a fortune in deals Surfing magazine Stab has released its top ten earners for 2018 in the sport and Mick Fanning comes in at number three - even though he no longer competes 'Mick's days as a top tier competitive surfer may have ceased, but his days as one of the most pertinent and recognisable faces in Australian culture and global surfing have not. Expect to see him sticking around in this list until he's well into his 40s,' the surfing magazine said of his placing. Fanning also has a few business ventures of his own, including a brand of beer that he brews at the Balter Brewing Company with mates and fellow Gold Coast surfers Joel Parkinson, Josh Kerr, and Bede Durbidge. Fanning was born in Penrith, the youngest of five children, with three older brothers and an older sister who was tasked with looking after the boys when their parents were away. After his parents separated, he moved around NSW with his mother and siblings. Finally, at age 12, they settled on the Gold Coast and he began to take surfing seriously. In 2015, Fanning (pictured) punched a shark, thought to be a great white, in nose after it swam up behind him and pulled him off his board by his leg strap at Jeffries Bay in South Africa Friend and fellow surfer Julian Wilson (pictured), who came in just behind Fanning on the surfing rich list at number four with $2.84 million, was hailed a hero at the time for paddling his board toward his friend as he battled the shark Fanning's career prizemoney totals more than $2.5 million, less than the amount he earned away from the sport just last year, despite him winning three world surfing titles in 2007, 2009, and 2013. In 2015, Fanning punched a shark, thought to be a great white, in the nose after it swam up behind him and pulled him off his board by his leg strap at Jeffries Bay in South Africa. Friend and fellow surfer Julian Wilson, who came in just behind Fanning on the surfing rich list at number four with $2.84 million, was hailed a hero at the time for paddling his board toward his friend as he battled the shark. The incident was broadcast and has etched its way into surfing folklore even more so considering he returned the next year and won the same competition. 'For me, I felt like I had unfinished business there I wanted to go back and just right the wrong, and once I did that it was a huge weight off my shoulders personally,' Fanning said at the time. Fellow Australian Stephanie Gilmore was the only female to make it onto the list at number nine, earning $1.3 million in endorsements and more than $300,000 in prize money. The current female world title holder, Gilmore has deals with Roxy, Sanitarium, Audi, and Breitling Number one on the list is Hawaiian born John John Florence who, at just 26-years-old, earned over $5.3 million in endorsement and prize money last year. Bronx-born Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez light-heartedly mocked Brooklyn residents and their love for quiche brunch Saturday afternoon on Twitter. The socialist superstar, 29, responded to a tweet shared New Year's Day by Glitch CEO Anil Dash, who applauded Ocasio-Cortez and other successful names from The Bronx. Dash wrote in the post: 'One thing is already clear: between @iamcardib, @desusnice, @THEKIDMERO & @AOC, 2019 is gonna be the Bronxs year. Calling it right now.' Aside from Ocasio-Cortez, who became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress in November, Dash gave a shout out to rapper Cardi B, who is nominated for five Grammys this year, as well as comedians and talk show duo Desus Nice and The Kid Mero. Scroll down for videos Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (pictured January 3 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC) mocked Brooklyn residents Saturday The Congresswoman responded to a tweet shared by Glitch CEO Anil Dash The socialist superstar said 'Brooklyn has been taken over by bespoke quiche spots' and 'weird L train people' Ocasio-Cortez joked: 'YUP. [The Bronx] is seizing the throne, now that Brooklyn has been taken over by bespoke quiche spots or whatever you weird L train people did down there.' On Thursday, Governor Andrew Cuomo called off the planned shutdown of the L subway line. Poll Do you agree that Brooklyn has been taken over by 'bespoke quiche spots' and 'weird L train people'? Yes No Do you agree that Brooklyn has been taken over by 'bespoke quiche spots' and 'weird L train people'? Yes 507 votes No 745 votes Now share your opinion The congresswoman, who grew up in suburb of Westchester County, was shamed for her jokes about Brooklyn. One Twitter user said in the comments: 'How is she going to take shots at BK for gentrification when she left BX to go to high school Yorktown...' Others added: 'You are 1 and done. Plus from Westchester' as well as: 'Bronx... are we pretending that she's from The Bronx. Because she's not. She's using the connatations of being from there as storyline.' Ocasio-Cortez has been speaking her mind on her social media platform as of late. On Friday, she clapped back at conservative critics after controversy arose from an unearthed video of the congresswoman recreating a famous dance scene from the film, The Breakfast Club. 'I hear the GOP thinks women dancing are scandalous,' she wrote above a clip of her dancing outside her office on Capitol Hill. Aside from Ocasio-Cortez, Dash gave a shout out to rapper Cardi B, (pictured on Instagram) who is nominated for five Grammys this year He also applauded comedians and talk show duo Desus Nice and The Kid Mero. The Kid Mero (left) and Desus (right) are seen on June 28 in New York City 'Wait till they find out Congresswomen dance too! Have a great weekend everyone :)' And just last week, Ocasio-Cortez fired back on Twitter against Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill who described her as a 'thing' and 'bright shiny new object' in an interview with CNN. Ocasio-Cortez took to her page last Saturday to express her disappointment over the outgoing senator's remarks. The socialist firebrand said: 'Not sure why fmr Sen. McCaskill keeps going on TV to call me a "thing" and "shiny object," but its pretty disappointing. On Friday, the Congresswoman clapped back at conservative critics after controversy arose from an unearthed video of her dancing Ocasio-Cortez said: 'I hear the GOP thinks women dancing are scandalous. Wait till they find out Congresswomen dance too! Have a great weekend everyone :)' 'McCaskill promised shed "100% back Trump up" on his anti-immigrant rhetoric & lost. In MO, almost all progressive ballot issues won.' McCaskill replied in the comments and insisted she is rooting for her. 'In the same interview I said I "wish you well and hope you hang the moon,"' McCaskill wrote. 'My point was that results, not rhetoric is what really matters. Most folks are very cynical about all the promises, when they arent followed by real accomplishments. I look forward to cheering yours!' Last week, Ocasio-Cortez fired back on Twitter against Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill who described her as a 'thing' and 'bright shiny new object' Later on Saturday, she came to the defense of her fellow freshman Congresswoman, Rashida Tlaib, who is under fire for saying were going to impeach the motherf****r, a reference President Donald Trump. Republican hypocrisy at its finest: saying that Trump admitting to sexual assault on tape is just locker room talk, but scandalizing themselves into faux-outrage when my sis says a curse word in a bar, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Saturday. She then added: I got your back @RashidaTlaib - the Bronx and Detroit ride together. 'Locker room talk' was how Trump explained comments he made on a hot mic over a decade ago while filming an Access Hollywood segment. While speaking to correspondent Billy Bush, Trump bragged about groping women's genitals. Tlaib represents Michigans 13th District, which includes parts of Detroit as well as some surrounding suburbs. Later on Saturday, Ocasio-Cortez came to the defense of her fellow freshman Congresswoman, Rashida Tlaib (above), who is under fire for saying were going to impeach the motherf****r, a reference President Donald Trump Republican hypocrisy at its finest: saying that Trump admitting to sexual assault on tape is just locker room talk, but scandalizing themselves into faux-outrage when my sis says a curse word in a bar, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Saturday She then added: I got your back @RashidaTlaib - the Bronx and Detroit ride together Rashida Tlaib told supporters that 'we're going to impeach the motherf***er' about President Trump as she celebrated becoming the first Palestinian-American woman in Congress She is the first Palestinian-American woman in Congress, and dropped her F-bomb at the president during a party Thursday night hosted by the liberal group MoveOn. Speaking in a dimly lit room, Tlaib told a cheering crowd that she had told one of her young sons: 'We're going to impeach the motherf***er!' Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy blasted her on Friday, and slapped at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for not publicly disavowing the slur. 'Are the House majority going to be serious about anything?' he asked reporters. Pelosi had told an MSNBC audience minutes earlier that she was 'not in the censorship business,' claiming Tlaib's words were no worse than President Trump's typical vernacular. Tlaib refused to back down in the face of criticism. 'I know that if I was a man it might have been differently,' she told CNN affiliate WDIV-TV in Detroit on Friday. On Friday, Ocasio-Cortez made news again by calling for a top tax rate of as high as 60 or 70 per cent on those earning double-digit million dollar incomes and says she'll accept the 'radical' label The proposal was met with derision from conservatives. One Republican strategist, Ed Rollins, went on Lou Dobbs' show on Fox Business Network and called her a 'little girl' On Friday, Ocasio-Cortez made news again by calling for a top tax rate of as high as 60 or 70 per cent on those earning double-digit million dollar incomes and says she'll accept the 'radical' label. The freshman lawmaker sat for an interview with Anderson Cooper for CBS' '60 Minutes' on her first day as a member of Congress. She called for zero carbon emissions within 12 years, and backed tax increases to pay for it, and referenced the higher income tax brackets of prior generations. 'You look at our tax rates back in the '60s and when you have a progressive tax rate system your tax rate, you know, let's say, from zero to $75,000 may be ten percent or 15 per cent,' she said, in a clip that aired on CBS 'This Morning.' 'But once you get to, like, the tippy tops on your 10 millionth dollar sometimes you see tax rates as high as 60 or 70 percent,' she said. 'That doesn't mean all $10 million are taxed at an extremely high rate, but it means that as you climb up this ladder you should be contributing more.' In 1960, before the Kennedy tax cuts, the top rate was 91 per cent for those earning more than $200,000. According to the Tax Policy Center, the top 1 per cent earned 9 per cent of all income at that time, compared to 20 per cent in 2008. Cooper observed that her policy sounded 'radical.' 'Well I think that it only has ever been radicals that have changed this country. Abraham Lincoln made the radical decision to sign the Emancipation Proclamation. Franklin Delano Roosevelt made the radical decision to embark on establishing programs like Social Security. That is radical,' she said. Ocasio-Cortez responded on Twitter, posting: 'GOP loves to insult my intelligence, yet offers *this* as their best + most seasoned opposition to my policy proposals' Valerie Jarrett, a senior official with the Obama administration, tweeted: 'That little girl is about to rock your world. Underestimate [Ocasio-Cortez] at your own risk' Cooper then asked if Ocasio-Cortez calls herself a radical. 'Yeah. You know, if that's what radical means, call me a radical,' she said. She said her environmental plans are going to 'require a lot of rapid change that we don't even conceive as possible right now. The proposal was met with derision from conservatives. One Republican strategist, Ed Rollins, went on Lou Dobbs' show on Fox Business Network and called her a 'little girl.' Ocasio-Cortez responded on Twitter, posting: 'GOP loves to insult my intelligence, yet offers *this* as their best + most seasoned opposition to my policy proposals. 'If anything, this dude is a walking argument to tax misogyny at 100% 'Republicans rob everyone the opportunity of real policy debate by resorting to this.' Valerie Jarrett, a senior official with the Obama administration, tweeted: 'That little girl is about to rock your world. Underestimate [Ocasio-Cortez] at your own risk.' Former New York Times executive editor Jill Abramson has hit out at President Donald Trump for quoting her criticism of the newspaper in yet another attack on the outlet. Abramson, who took the helm of the Times in 2011 and was fired in 2014, criticizes the paper in her forthcoming book 'Merchant of Truth', writing that many of its news articles are 'unmistakably anti-Trump', according to excerpts published by Fox News. Trump seized on those words in a tweet on Saturday, quoting the Fox headline: '"Former @NYTimes editor Jill Abramson rips papers 'unmistakably anti-Trump' bias." 'Ms. Abramson is 100% correct,' Trump wrote. 'Horrible and totally dishonest reporting on almost everything they write. Hence the term Fake News, Enemy of the People, and Opposition Party!' Abramson hit back swiftly, replying: 'Anyone who reads my book, Merchants of Truth, will find I revere @nytimes and praise its tough coverage of you.' President Donald Trump quoted former New York Times executive editor Jill Abramson's criticism of the newspaper for being 'mistakenly anti-Trump' as he launched yet another attack on the publication - but Abramson (right) made it clear that they aren't on the same page Trump tweeted a Fox News headline from earlier this week - when the outlet released excerpts from Abramson's forthcoming book - and ripped into the Times himself on Saturday Abramson quickly retweeted the post with a comment distancing herself from Trump's words Abramson's book, which will hit the shelves on February 5, is 'the definitive report on the disruption of the news media over the last decade', according to publisher Simon and Schuster's website. 'With the expert guidance of former Executive Editor of The New York Times Jill Abramson, we follow two legacy (The New York Times and The Washington Post) and two upstart (BuzzFeed and VICE) companies as they plow through a revolution in technology, economics, standards, commitment, and endurance that pits old vs. new media.' Abramson on Friday said that the reports about her criticism of the Times - where she worked for 17 years - were taken 'totally out of context'. Abramson's book 'Merchant of Truth' is scheduled to be released on February 5 In the book she writes that the Times' slanted political coverage has grown its audience by leaps and bounds while damaging its credibility. 'Given its mostly liberal audience, there was an implicit financial reward for the Times in running lots of Trump stories, almost all of them negative: they drove big traffic numbers and, despite the blip of cancellations after the election, inflated subscription orders to levels no one anticipated,' Abramson writes. But 'the more anti-Trump the Times was perceived to be, the more it was mistrusted for being biased.' Abramson's ouster from the Times in 2014 followed a dispute with her eventual successor Dean Baquet over a high-level personnel decision that weakened his position. Baquet, she now says, is presiding over an erosion of the Times' standards as America's most enduring newspaper brand embraces the label of an 'opposition party' arrayed against Republicans. 'Though Baquet said publicly he didn't want the Times to be the opposition party, his news pages were unmistakably anti-Trump,' Abramson writes, lumping The Washington Post into the same category. 'Some headlines contained raw opinion, as did some of the stories that were labeled as news analysis.' Abramson worked at the Times for 17 years, taking over as executive editor in 2011 before being forced out by her successor in 2014. She is pictured right in the newsroom in 2013 Abramson is a strident liberal herself. She argued in February 2018 for the impeachment of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, claiming that he lied to the Senate Judiciary Committee during his 1991 confirmation hearings about still-unproven sexual harassment allegations. She calls Trump's 'fake news' rebranding a 'cheap way of trying to undermine the credibility of the Timess reporting as something to be accepted as truth only by liberals in urban, cosmopolitan areas.' Baquet, too, has said Trumps attacks on the press corps are 'out of control.' Abramson suggests in 'Merchants of Truth' that most of the Times' veterans tried to maintain their objectivity, but attributes some of the Times' leftward evolution to millennials on the paper's editorial staff. 'The more "woke" staff thought that urgent times called for urgent measures; the dangers of Trumps presidency obviated the old standards,' she writes. Trump commonly refers to the Manhattan institution as 'the failing New York Times' and classified it as a leader of the 'fake news' movement he loves to hate. Still, the paper added 600,000 digital subscribers in the first six months of his presidency by aligning itself against the new administration, bringing that audience past the 2 million mark. All three of the top positions at the CIA will now be filled by women for the first time ever after Cynthia 'Didi' Rapp was named as the agency's top analyst. CIA director Gina Haspel has already appointed Elizabeth Kimber as the first female deputy director for operations and Dawn Meyerriecks as the deputy director for science and technology. Haspel herself is the first woman to ever head the intelligence agency and an official said its entire workforce is now almost 50 per cent women. Scroll down for video. Director of the CIA Gina Haspel, pictured after being sworn-in during a ceremony in 2018, has appointed Cynthia 'Didi' Rapp as the agency's top analyst Dawn Meyerriecks, pictured left, is the deputy director for science and technology at the CIA while Elizabeth Kimber, right, is the first woman to lead clandestine operations Brittany Bramell, CIA director of public affairs told NBC: 'Didi Rapp brings broad, deep expertise from across the Agency and the Intelligence Community to her new role as the head of our Directorate of Analysis. With her engaging leadership style and reputation for objectivity, Didi will excel in leading our talented analytic cadre.' Middle East expert Rapp had been the agency's director of public affairs under Director David Petraeus and deputy executive director under Haspel. Her mom, dad and husband all worked at the agency. Beth Kimber, 56, is a decades-long veteran of the CIA and now heads up its clandestine arm. Her job entails recruiting spies overseas, gathering intelligence and engaging White House-approved covert actions. The role has been dominated by males for 70 years since the CIA started. It is the first time all three of the top positions at the CIA will be filled by women Other than her LinkedIn page, which lists her only role as a senior executive for the United States government, Kimber has kept much about herself under wraps. The social media website mentions a bachelor's degree from New York's Hamilton College and claims she speaks French. According to the Wall Street Journal, an insider said she has worked with Russia and terrorism operations in the CIA. Director Gina Haspel is the first woman to head the entire CIA and their principal deputy director of National Intelligence Sue Gordon was rumored to have been a backup for the role if she wasn't confirmed by the Senate. Courtney Simmons Elwood was appointed the agency's general counsel by Haspel and Sonya Holt, a 30-year-plus veteran of the agency, was named the director of diversity. A high-profile Liberal National Party candidate has apologised for a social media tirade which included threats to shoot Muslims. Army veteran Phillip Thompson, who is based in Townsville, made the posts on Facebook more than six years ago, while in what he said was a 'dark place'. The comments were made in response to violent protests in Sydney after the release of a film, Innocence of Muslims, which portrayed the prophet Muhammad as a paedophile. High-profile Liberal National Party candidate Phillip Thompson has apologised for a social media tirade which included threats to shoot Muslims (pictured with wife, Jenna) 'A sign said 'behead all those who insult the profit' I know what im doing this week getting my gun licence. (sic),' Mr Thompson wrote in one comment. 'Give me a M4 and send to Sydney and I'll do the dishes (sic)'. Now the 30-year-old has outed himself as the author of controversial quips, admitting they were written in his 'darkest moments'. 'It is important to me that I am honest with the voters of Townsville,' he said. 'In 2009 I was wounded in Afghanistan and I went through a very dark time of self-medicating through my post-traumatic stress disorder.' The army veteran who is based in Townsville, made the posts on Facebook more than six years ago, while in what he said was a 'dark place' At the time when the comments were written, Mr Thompson said he had just lost a friend in battle and the protests were a 'trigger' for the writings 'I saw some extremists on TV protesting, calling for beheadings, and I made some comments that I'm ashamed of and something I'm extremely embarrassed about.' At the time when the comments were written, Mr Thompson said he had just lost a friend in battle and the protests were a 'trigger' for the writings. In 2018, Mr Thompson was Queensland's pick for Young Australian of the Year. Mr Thompson did not receive disciplinary action for the comments as he had already been medically discharged from the army following injuries in 2009 He did not receive disciplinary action for the comments as he had already been medically discharged from the army following injuries in 2009. Mr Thompson's electorate of Herbert, in North Queensland, was won by Labor in 2016 by just 37 votes - making it the most marginal seat in the country. The Liberal National Party and Prime Minister have been informed of Mr Thompson's comments and his apology. There have been five drug-related deaths in less than five months in Australia Blood samples will be taken from festival goers who consume illicit pills on order to track down dealers following a spate of deaths. Toxicology results from those who died or were hospitalised after consuming illicit substances will also be used to help pinpoint the drug kingpins under a bold new plan dubbed 'drug mapping', the Daily Telegraph reported. Blood and urine tests will reveal the unique chemical traces in each batch of pills, helping experts to locate the exact laboratories where the drugs were made. Blood samples will be taken from festival goers who consumed deadly pills to track down dealers following a spate of deaths The samples will assist authorities in their efforts to track down the drug kingpins who make the poisonous pills, in a bold new plan dubbed 'drug mapping' 'We have never done such in-depth work around identifying the source,' SCC commander acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith told the publication. 'Our job is to take out the commercial enterprise sitting behind the illicit drug trade at dance festivals.' 'Drug mapping' comes after several festival goers died from suspected overdoses. There have been five drug-related festival deaths in less than five months in Australia. Joseph Pham, 23, and Diana Nguyen, 21, died after collapsing at Penrith's Defqon. 1 music festival on September 18. Callum Brosnan, 19, died after Knockout Games of Destiny dance party at Sydney Olympic Park in early December 2018. Mr Brosnan, from Baulkham Hills, was found in a 'distressed state' at a train station near the event, and rushed to hospital just before 1.30am on December 9. He died a little more than three hours later at Concord Hospital, at 4.30am. Josh Tam, 22, died from a suspected overdose on at the Lost Paradise music festival near Gosford on NSW's Central Coast before the new year. 'Drug mapping' comes after several festival goers died from suspected overdoses Another suspected drug overdose claimed the life of Joshua Tam, 22, (pictured) who died from what was believed to be a mix of alcohol and ecstasy tablets taken at the Lost Paradise festival, near Gosford on NSW's Central Coast. Josh Tam, 22, died from a suspected overdose on at the Lost Paradise music festival near Gosford on NSW's Central Coast before the new year. Mr Tam, from Toowong in Brisbane, was rushed to Gosford hospital at 8pm on Saturday 29 December 2018. He died soon after he arrived. A massive clandestine drug factory in Sydney's western suburbs was shut down in November, and equipment is being tested to determine whether the pills found inside the lab are the same kind that killed two people and hospitalised a number of others at the music festival. The seized pills are understood to have the same triangle stamp as those seen at Defqon. 1. More than 500 leading companies in the field of safety, security and fire protection from across the globe will be showcasing their innovative products and solutions at the Intersec 2019 expo which kicks off on January 20 in Dubai, UAE. A mega trade and networking event for safety, security and fire protection, Intersec will run from January 20 to 22 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. The annual expo, organised by Messe Frankfurt Middle East, will encompass the seven sections of commercial security; Fire & Rescue; Perimeter & Physical Security; Safety & Health; Homeland Security & Policing; Information Security; and Smart Home & Building Automation. This year's event is expected to draw in more than 1,300 exhibitors from 59 countries. Global industry giants including two-thirds of the world's Top 50 security providers besides other international security brands will be there to tap into and harness the enormous growth potential of the wider regional market. With Intersec 2019 around the corner, one of the key focal points of the mega event continues to be commercial security - which will form the largest section when doors open in Dubai, said the report. Recent market figures released by Knowledge Partner 6W Research estimates that the Middle East market for Commercial Security will reach $7.4 billion by 2024, achieving a sustained CAGR of 16.6 per cent. The research indicated that demand for IP-based video surveillance systems, access control and intrusion detectors would continue to drive the market, which is fuelled by increased government spending on infrastructure projects and the imposition of stringent regulatory policies, creating increased opportunities for global security brands, it stated. Upcoming mega events in the region, such as the Expo 2020 in Dubai and the expected influx of millions of additional visitors are also expected to create demand for the latest in video surveillance systems and intelligent monitoring apparatus. Access control systems continue to remain in high demand in the Middle East, registering a market revenue of $300 million in 2017. Increasing awareness of security threats and a growth in IT spending will keep the market driving ahead. Meanwhile the demand for biometric access controlled systems has surged across the Middle East with the growing adaption of fingerprint and eye scanners across the region. The largest share of deployment of such systems in the region remains in the commercial sector. According to 6W Research, the market for intelligent video analytic software and systems is also on the rise across the entire region and are expected to create huge growth opportunities for manufacturers, vendors and distributors. Intersec show director Andreas Rex said: "Commercial security continues to be one of the chief driving sectors as companies across the region continue to invest in cutting-edge intelligent security systems to protect their investments and facilities in an increasingly complex security scenario." "As the most influential and significant international trade platform for safety, security and fire protection in the wider region, Intersec 2019 will showcase a wide spectrum of the latest developments in the commercial security sector," he added. Leading international security solutions provider CP Plus will be front and centre at Intersec 2019 with its latest range of intelligent surveillance products. "Indeed, weve had a long association with Intersec, and we look forward to it each year with renewed enthusiasm. Video surveillance has evolved manifold over the years and as a market leader we have always strived to stay ahead of the competition," remarked its director Gaurav Khemka. "The new age surveillance is all about automation, intelligence, and resource efficiency," he noted. "This year, we are focused on showcasing our Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) based technologies - IP surveillance solutions; Network PoE switches; 4K analog HD solutions with H.265+ Codec; Law & Enforcement solutions such as Bodyworn cameras and Mobile DVRs; Command and Control Room solutions including Integrated VMS and Health Monitoring systems; Time & Attendance solutions with Cloud management; and Multi-apartment Video Door Phone systems," stated Khemka. Meanwhile, Fernando Cajal, the international sales manager of Gesab, a leading security solutions provider, said: "Attending an event like Intersec allows us to get in touch with the main decision makers of security and defence projects. We can show our solutions directly to our target and meet new customers, as well as new developments in the sector." Gesab, he stated, will showcase the own custom design and manufacture full range of technical furniture including control consoles, meeting & conference room plus our Dynamic IP Based KVM system DeskWall. "We are introducing the Gesab Dynamic KVM System DeskWall with the new remote desktop capability and our audio visual solutions with the new DataWall in the region for the first time," he added. The Middle East is considered a very significant market by Videotec, who use the show's trans-regional reach to meet and interact with a large pool of potential buyers and partners across the region. "The Middle east is one our most important business area, besides at Intersec is possible to meet visitors from all over the world not only from Middle East. We will showcase our housing, PTZ camera and ex-proof products," remarked Alessandro Francini, the marketing and communications director. "At Intersec this year Videotec will present several brand new products, for example: the Ulisse Radical range, which are the pinnacle of PTZ camera technology and we will also present some other new ex-proof products too," he added. Intersec 2019 will also have a number of extra features including the Future Security Summit which will address key issues such as: AI, security Integration, emergency preparedness and response, data protection, IoT and much more, said the organisers. Also returning is the Sira Forum, with the latest updates in security law and industry regulations in Dubai, while a one-day Fire Safety and Protection Conference will involve authorities, fire chiefs, engineers, fire fighters and emergency response professionals, they added.-TradeArabia News Service A family's road trip for New Year's celebrations came to a sudden halt last week as an apocalyptic dust storm that resembled Ayers Rock engulfed their car. Katie McKid, her husband Rob Trepess, and his daughter Summer, were driving to Nyngan, central New South Wales, when the once-in-a-lifetime storm covered the barren road. 'I hadn't seen something like that in my lifetime,' Ms McKid told Daily Mail Australia. 'We hadn't heard there was a dust storm coming, there was some talk of a bit of rain later in the evening but we were about half way to Nyngan and we started to see it right in the distance.' 'It looked quite like Ayers Rock actually.' Scroll down for video Katie McKid (left), her husband Rob Trepess, (right) and his daughter Summer, (centre) were driving to Nyngan, central New South Wales, when the once-in-a-lifetime storm covered the barren road The trio drove toward the dust storm before pulling over on a long stretch of road to take some photos. Ms McKid, who lives on a property about 70-kilometres north of Nyngan, realised the storm was quickly approaching and decided to film the dust storm as it closed in. While Ms McKid has seen 'little wirly' dust storms before, they did not compete with what she saw on New Year's Eve. 'I've heard of dust storms like that. The property I'm on is my families property. My parents have spoken about them, my grandparents who lived here as well before us and they've spoken about those kind of dust storms,' Ms McKid explained. 'Where if you leave a window open you get red dirt throughout your house which is what we got to experience.' The trio hid in the car as the storm passed over them, and drove through the thick red dust with the lights switched on. The trio drove towards the dust storm before pulling over on a long stretch of road to take some photos While Ms McKid has seen 'little wirly' dust storms before, they did not compete with what she saw on New Year's Eve 'It got really quite dark, really red. The visibility went down to really low,' Ms McKid said. The family were then forced to spend New Year's Day cleaning after realising they had left a few windows at their home open. Despite this, Ms McKid said she was in awe of the sight and was grateful it was followed by rain as the area has been struggling through a drought. 'A couple of millimetres of rain followed and any time there is a little bit of rain you're like ''oh that's lovely'',' she said. Katrina Whaley, 31, from Nyngan, posted pictures of the dust storm roll towards her property 'I live in Nyngan, been here for 13 yrs, and I have never in all my life seen anything like it. It was amazing!' she told Daily Mail Australia The enormous 20metre tall wall of dust left a 400-kilometre trail of destruction from Nyngan to Young, leaving the area looking like a Mars landscape. In addition to the red haze, the region was hammered with damaging 90 km/h winds and scorching 40C temperatures. Local residents jumped on social media to share the sky-consuming sight. Katrina Whaley, 31, from Nyngan, posted pictures of the dust storm roll towards her property. 'I live in Nyngan, been here for 13 yrs, and I have never in all my life seen anything like it. It was amazing!' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'I first noticed it was coming around 5pm. 'My husband rang from work, he works in the mines and told me what was coming. 'The wind was unbelievable at times and you could hear the roar of the wind before the storm was even over us.' The Bureau of Meteorology said there was a large line of thunderstorms forming to the west and south-west of Dubbo on Monday afternoon In addition to the red haze, Dubbo and surrounding regions were being hammered with damaging winds A failed wannabe pop star turned to drug smuggling to fund her lifestyle - leaving behind a trail of men she used for bail money. Simone Farrow was jailed for six-and-a-half years in 2016 after she was caught with piles of meth worth thousands of dollars in her West Hollywood apartment. The former Penthouse Pet had mailed the drugs to Australian buyers disguised as 'bath products' or 'small fountain kits'. Simone Farrow (pictured) was jailed for six-and-a-half years in 2016 after she was caught with piles of meth worth thousands of dollars in her West Hollywood apartment The former Penthouse Pet had mailed the drugs to Australian buyers disguised as 'bath products' or 'small fountain kits' Court documents revealed that between February 2009 and October 2010 $580,000 was deposited in Farrow's bank account, according to the Sunday Telegraph. Also found in the raid were notebooks full of bizarre pop songs about sex and drugs, including one titled Let's Bounce, Bounce, Bounce. Lyrics for another song read: 'I'm just a whore, your dancefloor whore, just a whore, your whore'. Her conviction was the end of a downward spiral she claimed began when she became a teenage prostitute to pay for exclusive private schools. She claimed her mother Sylvana Antoinette Cleaver pushed her in to the sex industry because she couldn't afford fees at SCEGGS Darlinghurst and St Hilda's on the Gold Coast. Court documents revealed that between February 2009 and October 2010 $580,000 was deposited in Farrow's bank account Farrow, born Simone Cheung, claimed her clients included politicians and other influential people - a knack for which she carried on later. In 1998, Farrow and her bodybuilder boyfriend Brett Boyd were setting up an erotica website when a mail bomb meant for her blew up in his face. Boyd had his thumb and eye blow away. His face was so badly disfigured it wrecked his modelling career and contributed to his 2008 suicide. Farrow headed to Los Angeles with dreams of pop superstardom but her promoter Nick O'Donovan was only able to get her gigs where she paid venues to perform. 'I observed Farrow was very flashy and a needy person who thought she was going to be the next big hit as a recording artist,' he told police. She eventually stopped turning up to bookings and he gave up on her. Also found in the raid were notebooks full of pop songs about sex and drugs, including one titled Let's Bounce, Bounce, Bounce Farrow, born Simone Cheung, claimed in court that her clients during her time as an escort included politicians and other influential people When she returned to Australia in 2009, Australian Federal Police were there to arrest her as she stepped off a flight from Hawaii. During her case, two separate men put up huge sums of money for her bail, only to have her skip town and leave them holding the bag. First was Sydney barrister Anthony Renshaw who she referred to as a 'father figure' and called 'dad' or 'Toto'. 'No one will ever be as close to me as Tony Renshaw. He has picked up the pieces for 25 years of my life. He is like the mother and father I never had,' she told a court. They met years earlier through her mother and he arranged some escort clients for her, and to secure her bail he put up $50,000. Farrow pleaded guilty to importing methamphetamine in September 2016 and was sentenced to a minimum six-and-a-half years jail But she fled to the Gold Coast and he had to beg a court in 2012 for his money back, which he eventually had refunded. Next was Sydney doctor Joseph Grech, who put up $100,000. Another man in her orbit met an even worse fate - Xander Rian, the 'accounts director' for her drug operation. U.S. police arranged to interview him five days after Farrow's arrest, but the next day he didn't show up and was found dead in an apparent suicide. Farrow pleaded guilty to importing methamphetamine in September 2016 and was sentenced to a minimum six-and-a-half years jail. She is eligible for parole in February. Advertisement A California police officer who was killed in the line of duty was hailed Saturday as a 'Fiji-born American hero' who made the ultimate sacrifice for his adopted country. At a funeral held for Cpl. Ronil Singh, mourners remembered the 33-year-old officer as a hard-working immigrant who worked his way up to become an officer in the small town of Newman. He 'stood so much for what is right in our world and yet unfortunately was taken too soon from us by what is wrong in our world,' Modesto police Officer Jeff Harmon said at the service in a Modesto church. Newman police officers carry the body of their slain colleague Cpl. Ronil 'Ron' Singh during his funeral on Saturday in Modesto, California Hundreds of police officers from across the country along with members of the public came out to pay their respects The widow and family members of slain Newman police officer Corporal Ronil Singh arrive for the funeral service at CrossPoint Community Church He 'probably more than anything else wanted to be home on Christmas night with his wife and his young son, but instead made a selfless choice to serve all of his community knowing that there are many more than just his own family that needed his protection that night,' he added. Singh was shot dead in the early hours of December 26 after he pulled over a suspected drunk driver. The gunman fled, and a two-day-long manhunt led to the arrest of a man who authorities said was in the country illegally and was preparing to flee to Mexico. Gustavo Arriaga Perez, also 33, has since been charged with murder. The case has rekindled a debate over California's sanctuary law that limits cooperation by local authorities with federal immigration authorities. Officer Jeffrey Harmon of the Modesto Police Department speaks as the flag-draped casket of slain Newman police officer Corporal Ronil Singh is seen during a funeral service Anamika Singh, the widow of the slain police officer, holds their 5-month-old child during her husband's funeral Rachel Silva holds a sign as a procession accompanies the body of Singh on Saturday Police officers salute the Singh family before his funeral service at CrossPoint Community Church on Saturday The flag-draped casket of Corporal Singh is seen during his funeral service in central California on Saturday Singh's body will be taken on a procession to its final resting place at Lakewood Memorial Park in the nearby town of Hughson Police officers stand outside the funeral service for Singh in Modesto, California on Saturday Sarah Closson, a volunteer with End of Watch Fund, places bags of snacks and hand written notes for officers attending the funeral service A moment of silence, followed by Scottish bagpipes playing Amazing Grace, marked the beginning of funeral services The killing of Cpl. Singh has reignited debate in the United States about so-called 'sanctuary cities' Newman Police Chief Randy Richardson speaks during the funeral service. 'Ive been to many of these and I always sit in the back,' he said. 'I never wanted to be here' Members of law enforcement agencies from all over the country attended the funeral, with more than 100 agencies represented, including more than a dozen from New York and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Police officers salute family members of slain Newman police officer Corporal Ronil Singh before a funeral service at CrossPoint Community Church A police officer adjusts his hat prior to the funeral service for slain Newman police officer Corporal Ronil Singh Mourners are seen in front of the church where Singh's funeral took place in Modesto, California on Saturday This undated photo provided by the Newman Police Department shows Officer Ronil Singh. The Northern California police officer was gunned down during a traffic stop the day after Christmas President Donald Trump has cited Singh's killing to call for tougher border security amid a fight with congressional Democrats over funding for a border wall. The impasse has forced a partial government shutdown that entered a 15th day Saturday. At his funeral, however, Singh's brother and colleagues focused on his achievements and playful personality. Singh grew up in a Fijian farming town and emigrated to central California in 2003. He joined the 12-member Newman police department in 2011 after attending police academy and serving as a volunteer, animal control officer and code enforcement officer at other agencies in the region. Gustavo Arriaga Perez, 33, has since been charged with murder 'He told me he came to this country with one purpose, and that purpose was to become a police officer,' Newman Police Chief Randy Richardson said. 'He told me about all the pride he had in America, and how much it meant to get this opportunity.' Singh served as a K-9 officer before being promoted to a corporal at the Newman police department. He earned a bachelor degree in administration of justice two years ago with the goal of becoming a sergeant, said his friend, Modesto police Detective Ra Pouv. 'Ronil and I are both immigrants to a country we truly love, and we both view serving our country and community through law enforcement as important to who we are,' said Pouv, who is from Cambodia. 'It is our way of giving back to a country that embraced us and our family.' The Fijian ambassador to the United States, Naivakarurubalavu Solo Mara, said Singh made his mark in his adopted country and called him a 'Fiji-born American hero.' Singh's widow was at the funeral but did not address mourners; his 5-month-old son could be heard cooing during the service. A slideshow shown during the service featured photos of the smiling officer posing for Christmas photos with his family, working with his colleagues and cuddling Sam, his black Labrador K-9 dog. Arriaga, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, was arrested last Friday morning in Bakersfield, California suspected of killing Singh just after Christmas. He is pictured above being taken in Cops also arrested Arriaga's brother Adrian Virgen, 25, (left) and co-worker Erik Razo Quiroz, 32, (right) last week for allegedly trying to divert police from capturing Arriaga Last Friday evening Arriaga's girlfriend Ana Leyde Cervantes, 30, (left) and his brother Conrado Virgen Mendoza, 34, (right) were also arrested for allegedly helping him evade arrest On Friday, his casket was draped in an American flag and driven about 25 miles in a procession from Modesto into a theater in the small town of Newman for a viewing. People lined up along the streets to honor the fallen officer. After Saturday's funeral, Singh's body was taken on a procession to its final resting place at Lakewood Memorial Park in the nearby town of Hughson. Seven other people have also been arrested for helping Arriaga evade police capture. They include Perez Arriaga's brothers, 25-year-old Adrian Virgen and 34-year-old Conrado Virgen Mendoza; his girlfriend, 30-year-old Ana Leyde Cervantes; and a co-worker, 27-year-old Erik Razo Quiroz, authorities said. Three people were arrested at the home near Bakersfield. Jamal al-Badawi, one of the conspirators behind the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000, has been killed in Yemen One of the main plotters behind the bombing of an American military ship that left 17 soldiers dead has been killed, Donald Trump confirmed. The president took to Twitter on Sunday morning to announce the death of Jamal al-Badawi, one of the conspirators behind the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000. 'Our GREAT MILITARY has delivered justice for the heroes lost and wounded in the cowardly attack on the USS Cole,' Trump tweeted. 'We have just killed the leader of that attack, Jamal al-Badawi. Our work against al Qaeda continues. We will never stop in our fight against Radical Islamic Terrorism!' US Central Command first revealed on Friday that al-Badawi may have been killed in Yemen during a combined effort by US military and intelligence agencies. 'US forces conducted a precision strike January 1 in the Marib (governorate), Yemen, targeting Jamal al-Badawi, a legacy Al-Qaeda operative in Yemen involved in the USS Cole bombing,' said Captain Bill Urban, a spokesman for US Central Command. Al-Badawi was struck while driving alone in a vehicle, an administration official told CNN. The US military has assessed that there was no collateral damage. The president took to Twitter on Sunday morning to announce news of al-Badawi's death Al-Qaeda took credit for the October 12, 2000 attack, in which a rubber boat loaded with explosives blew up as it rounded the bow of the USS Cole Al-Qaeda took credit for the October 12, 2000 attack, in which a rubber boat loaded with 500 pounds of explosives blew up as it rounded the bow of the USS Cole. The guided-missile destroyer had just pulled into the city of Aden in Yemen for a six-hour refueling stop when it was hit. Seventeen American sailors were killed and 39 were wounded. The two suicide bombers who carried out the attack were also killed. The bombing was considered an early success for the terror group and its founder Osama Bin Laden. Abdel Rahim al-Nashiri, the chief suspect behind the bombing, remains in Guantanamo Bay. He has been held there since 2006. Badawi was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2003 and charged with 50 counts of various terrorism offenses, including murder of US nationals and murder of US military personnel. US Central Command first revealed on Friday that al-Badawi may have been killed during a precision strike in Yemen Seventeen American sailors were killed as well as the two perpetrators of the attack that was claimed by Al-Qaeda, in an early success for the terror group and its founder Osama Bin Laden Apart from his alleged role in the USS Cole attack, in which he was said to have supplied boats and explosives, he was also charged with attempting to attack a US Navy vessel in January 2000 with co-conspirators. The FBI had placed Badawi on its most wanted list, offering a $5million reward for information leading to his capture. According to the agency, he was captured by Yemeni authorities in connection with the attack but escaped from prison in April 2003. He was recaptured in March 2004, but again escaped in February 2006 after tunneling out of the prison using broomsticks and pieces of a broken fan. Nearly nine million British jobs are at risk from robots, with those working in retail, manufacturing and business support services most at risk, figures reveal. The rise of Artificial Intelligence is expected to see current jobs wiped out across a wide range of sectors as automation becomes cheaper than humans. In total 8,820,545 posts could be wiped out by 2030, with retail workers at the biggest risk, according to Department for Work and Pensions figures given to MailOnline. They are followed by manufacturing and then business administration and support services, where workers are also at high risk from automation. But ministers said regions across Britain are taking on the challenge posed by the robots head on by creating jobs which are at lower risk from AI. Nearly nine million British jobs are at risk from robots, with those working in retail, manufacturing and business support services most at risk, figures reveal Employment Minister Alok Sharma told MailOnline: 'Every industrial revolution has eventually resulted in more jobs being created than lost in the economy. 'So whilst jobs which can be automated are currently most at risk from the impact of robots, jobs which require more cognitive and people skills are on the increase. 'This means that our jobs market is absorbing the impact of robots and more people are in work than ever before. 'And as companies look to technology to boost productivity, this can be an opportunity for a generation of workers who, armed with new skills, can enjoy the jobs of the future. Employment Minister Alok Sharma (file pic) told MailOnline regions across Britain are taking on the challenge posed by the robots head on by creating jobs which are at lower risk from AI 'That is why I am determined to make sure we are investing in retraining opportunities, allowing people to forge new careers.' The figures lay bare the massive change to Britain's industrial landscape which looms on the horizon thanks to AI. Workers living in the west London constituency of Hayes and Harlington - which is represented by the Labour MP and shadow chancellor John McDonnell - are most at risk of losing their jobs Official figures show that 36,170 posts in the constituency are at risk from the growing use of computer technology and automation. This is followed by Crawley in west Sussex where 32,486 posts are at risk and then North Warwickshire where 20,504 positions could be wiped out. The three areas where workers are at the lowest risk of being usurped by robots are Edinburgh South, where just 5,969 posts are deemed tobe at high risk. This is followed by Glasgow North which has the second lowest proportion of jobs at risk from robots, with 7,146 at risk. And in third place West Derby in Liverpool where 3,766 posts are at high risk - a lower number but higher proportion of posts locally. Ministers say that investment in lifelong training and education will help the UK create more jobs than are lost to robots. Advertisement A mission to kill Robert Mugabe before he seized power was thwarted when the British tipped him off that assassins were closing in. Mugabe was leading the fight for majority black rule against Ian Smith's government in Rhodesia now known as Zimbabwe - in 1979, a year before he became the nation's prime minister. The Rhodesian SAS squad was tasked with preventing uprisings against the white-minority rule as well as a number of covert operations. Among these was the assassination of the two leaders of the two sides of the independence movement: Mugabe, who led the Zimbabwe National African Union, and his rival Joshua Nkomo, who led the Zimbabwe African People's Union. A mission to kill Robert Mugabe before he seized power that was thwarted when the British tipped him off that assassins were closing in is described in a new book by Andre Scheepers, a former Rhodesian SAS officer. A fellow SAS soldier pictured disembarking from a helicopter in the late 1970s In 1979, Mugabe was leading the fight for majority black rule against Ian Smith's government in Rhodesia now known as Zimbabwe. Pictured, Mugabe last year Both plots failed and a new book describes how it was the British who alerted Mugabe, prompting him to flee before the assassins arrived. A new book - We Dared to Win: The SAS in Rhodesia by Hannah Wessels and Andre Scheepers details the SAS plan to kill Mugabe as he led the African National Union forces across the border from Mozambique in February 1979. Mr Scheepers, who was an officer in the Rhodesian SAS in the late 1970s, describes how officers, escorted by South African special forces known as Recces were dropped off by submarine off the coast of Maputo, where Mugabe was living, before making their way to shore in inflatable boats. They were armed with machine guns, grenades and a bomb that one officer described as 'big enough to sink a ship.' But by the time they arrived, it was clear Mugabe had fled. SAS officers Ray Gibbison, Frans Botha and Phil Toland are pictured while serving in Mozambique in the late 1970s Andre Scheepers, author of We Dared to Win: The SAS in Rhodesia, is seen being taken to safety after sustaining an injury Former Rhodesian SAS officer Andre Scheepers (pictured) was wounded during the conflict in Rhodesia, now known as Zimbabwe 'By late 1978 a decision had been taken to kill Mugabe in Maputo,' Mr Scheepers writes. 'Following rehearsals the operation commenced mid-February and following a two-day voyage from Langebaan in a strike craft the ship took up a position below the horizon with the lights of Maputo brightening the distant sky. Chris Hougaard after demolishing an electrical sub-station 'At sunset a signal from an intelligence operative was received indicating the 'target' was in residence. 'Travelling in three Zodiac inflatables the SAS men boated into shore paddling the last few hundred metres to maintain maximum silence knowing the harbour mouth was heavily defended.' Rich Stannard, a commando, added: 'We came down the rope-ladders and on to the inflatables and made for the beach. 'There was a bit of a scare when we ran into some fishermen and I heard the 'Recce' guys speaking in Afrikaans saying we had been compromised but the fishermen did not appear to be too alarmed and we decided to carry on. 'We left a landing party on the beach and headed for the target. 'We approached the house with no problem as we knew the route from our rehearsals and none of us saw any sentries. I was carrying a bomb big enough to sink a ship. As we neared the house, Keith said to me, 'good luck Sir this is going to be quite something.' Billy Grant and Keith jumped up on to the wall with RPGs ready to initiate but nothing happened because they could see no sign of life. I jumped up to look and could see through his bathroom window and I could see a small red light but it was clear the place had been abandoned and only recently. 'I was itching to blow the place to pieces anyway and damn nearly pulled the pin and threw it for the hell of it. 'We all felt that he had been warned we were coming. It was a huge disappointment.' Wing Commander Peter Petter-Bowyer later told the BBC:'We had absolute proof. The guy who lived across the road from Mugabe, happened to be a South African. Air Marshal McLaren, General Peter Walls and PM Ian Smith visiting serving personnel in Zimbabwe in the late 1970s Rich Stannard (left), a commando, and Mike West (centre) are pictured on their way to Beira by sea 'I met the man, confirmed that Mugabe was at home and all was well. But, when we got there, [he had] gone. No question, Mugabe was called, there's no doubt. That's exactly what happened.' Asked who he believed called Mugabe, Mr Petter-Bowyer replied: 'The Brits.' Mugabe ruled Zimbabwe from 1980 until he was ousted last year after the military took over briefly and his once-loyal ZANU-PF party turned against him. The former ruler, 94, whose own regime was accused of siphoning off diamond profits, has described his ousting as a coup, and that it must be 'undone'. Rhodesian Defence Minister PK van der Byl (left) is pictured at an awards ceremony in the late 1970s Its economical and eco-friendly no wonder soap is making a solid comeback I complained recently to an eco-conscious make-up artist that I suspected a liquid soap I had been trying was the cause of some eczema on my hands. I was met with a stern response: Whats wrong with a bar? Nothing, of course. I prefer bars of soap or bar soap as it is apparently called these days. As a child, I never imagined using anything else hours of fun were spent trying to keep the label on a Cussons Imperial Leather for as long as possible. Fancier versions (in shapes including, I recall, Cinderellas slipper) were popped into drawers and, in my case, still are to keep clothes smelling good. It may have fallen out of fashion but solid soap seems set on a comeback. Debenhams reports that, in the past year, our number of soap bar SKUs [stock keeping units] increased by 260 per cent and sales by 300 per cent and in the run-up to Christmas, Liberty saw a 35 per cent increase in bar sales from the previous year. Sara Stern, trading director for beauty at Debenhams, adds, Awareness of plastics and the greater longevity of bars versus liquids fuels the growth. On a brand front, the socially and environmentally minded Dr Bronners agrees. There has been a move away from plastic, even the post-consumer recycled plastics that we use, says president Mike Bronner (grandson of the original Dr B its still family-owned), whose company has seen a 30 per cent increase in bar sales over the past 12 months. Anna-Marie Solowij, co-founder of online barometer BeautyMart, which recommends Camay, Pears and other soaps, also says that bars are being hailed as a more green way to wash. They have a lower environmental impact due to their formula and packaging and theyre better for the skin as without detergents they are less likely to disturb its pH, she says. Of course, theres still the palm oil issue as its used in many soaps. Palm oil production can threaten rainforests and the animals reliant on that habitat, Friends of the Earth tells me. However, whether its soap or body wash, switching from bottles to bars can substantially decrease the amount of single-use plastic. Solid bars contain far less water than products dispensed from plastic bottles so can be more economical, too. Avoiding palm oil by checking the ingredients list can be tricky alternate names for it include sodium palm kernelate and sodium palmate, and it is often found in vegetable oil so ask companies about its use. But Friends of the Earth points out that some communities rely on the jobs that growing palm oil provides, so its up to governments to bring in laws to protect wildlife and people. An addendum: for anyone who read my Soap Co story recently and was swayed to support, they, too, make bars. Here is our pick of the soaps that have set the bar high Hermes Eau de Citron Noir, 48 for three, John Lewis Oxford Street and Hermes stores Curionoir Tobacco Night, 20, conranshop.co.uk Dr Bronners Pure Castile, 4.99, drbronner.co.uk Aramis Classic Body Shampoo on a Rope, 16, mankind.co.uk Atelier Cologne Jasmin Angelique, 19, houseoffraser.co.uk CHANEL No 5, 23, chanel.com Tom Ford Neroli Portofino, 27, houseoffraser.co.uk Herbivore Bamboo Charcoal Cleansing Bar, 10, spacenk.com Christian Dior Ambre Nuit, 35, dior.com MOR Emporium Classics Bohemienne Triple-Milled, 11, feelunique.com Aesop Body Cleansing Slab, 15, aesop.com Lucy Bee Fragrance Free, 6, shop.lucybee.com Officine Universelle Buly Superfin, 35, Selfridges stores Fresh life Limited-Edition Zodiac, 14, fresh.com/uk ELIZABETH WEARS JUMPER, Hades. SKIRT, Anine Bing In my early 20s, I did no exercise. Not a sausage mainly because I was too busy eating all the sausages. As I approached 30, I bought a bicycle and a high-visibility jacket and tried to reinvent myself as a cyclist, which essentially meant turning up to work with frizzy helmet hair and sweat dripping down my back. Its only relatively recently that Ive discovered the joys of exercise: the idea that working out doesnt have to be something you actively hate. Ive joined a local gym, where the instructors are so enthusiastic theyre the human embodiment of a double exclamation mark and motivational slogans are slashed across every available surface. The real draw for me is the ladies changing room. Its not a particularly glamorous space the cubicles are institutional grey and the floor is 98 per cent verruca but its the only place I feel comfortable in a state of undress. I am not a person who is relaxed with being naked. On holiday in an Alpine spa resort a few years ago, I refused to use the sauna because you had to do it without clothes, much to the amusement of my then-partner, who let it all hang out with great enthusiasm. I have a recurring nightmare that Im walking down the street naked. I have never once sunbathed topless. In the communal changing rooms of my all-girls school, we dealt with our adolescent embarrassment by devising elaborate ways of getting dressed. I would wrap a towel around myself, clip my bra over the top so it held the towel in place, then get dressed underneath it in a series of shuffling manoeuvres. Men can get away with a paunch and a nice jumper The gym changing room has forced me to stop being so prudish. The first few times I went in there, I tried the old towel-bra-clip trick, but I swiftly realised no one else was looking or seemed remotely perturbed by their own nakedness. These women were all shapes and sizes; bits and bobs wobbling this way and that. Their stretchmarks and caesarean scars were on display, the unwaxed bikini lines, the faded tattoo someone on a Thai beach told them meant love but probably translates as two-for-one cocktails. They were skinny and voluptuous, tall and short, young and old, and the more I used the gym changing rooms, the more I felt stupid for being embarrassed by my own body. These women had places to be and people to see and their approach to their nudity was purely functional. After a while, I ditched the towel and, with it, my repression. It sounds trite to say I realised that we all come in different shapes and sizes and that we are all, in our own way, beautiful. As womens bodies are so often policed and politicised, so frequently exploited for commercial profit and so publicly commented on, it is rare to find a space where we come into contact with the unadulterated bodies of real women weve never met before. The female bodies we usually see are famous ones that have been airbrushed on magazine covers, auto-tuned on Instagram, corseted into a red-carpet gown or shaped through the ministrations of a personal trainer. It is difficult not to feel we are failing to live up to this impossible standard and being judged for that lack. Because a womans body is never just her body. It is still seen as a valid subject for public discourse: a marker of success or a source of derision. Men can get away with a paunch and a nice jumper and be lauded for their approachable dad bod. Women are given far less leeway. For me, the gym changing room has been a great democratiser of nakedness. Although we have never spoken of it, I feel these women and I are sharing something important which has given me something far more infectious than verrucas. It has given me confidence. This week Im Drinking Butterworth and Son tea. I recently drank the green tea in a Norfolk cafe and it was so good I asked the waitress for the details. Listening to Classical Fix, a podcast where guests are prescribed classical music. Its a great way of getting into music you might feel intimidated by. Watching The American Meme, a Netflix documentary about social-media influencers that has fascinated and horrified me in equal measure. Main photograph: Jumper, Hades. Skirt, Anine Bing Bentleys 11-15 Swallow St, Mayfair, London Rating: These are strange, uncertain times. Which means that now, more than ever, we crave comfort, succour and good cheer, places that are as steadfastly reliable as the rising and setting of the sun. Places you can set your watch by. Places as far removed from the political hash and hodgepodge as could possibly be. Places like Bentleys, that becalmed West End crustacean oasis, that blessed bivalve paradise. I cant begin to count the times that Ive perched at the bar and scoffed oysters by the dozen, washed down with the coolest and crispest of white wines. Any troubles or worries melt away like butter in a searing pan. Its the simplicity I crave, the absolute devotion to the very finest our seas have to offer. No fuss, nonsense or lawking about, just split em open and serve em up. Carlingfords, West Mersea, Colchester, Menai, Loch Ryan and Galway. Its like an oyster hall of fame. And no one, not even Wiltons, treats these beasts with such respect. For theyre not simply shucked, but cut from the shell, and flipped too, which means all the adoring punter need do is tip and slurp. Bentleys in Mayfair. I cant begin to count the times that Ive perched at the bar and scoffed oysters by the dozen, washed down with the coolest and crispest of white wines A dribble of lemon, a drop of Tabasco, a dash of vinegar with shallot. I love the natives with all my heart, subtle, muscular and sweet. But times are hard for these flat-shelled beauties, and all is not well in their sandy beds. Production is limited, cultivation hard and disease rife. Not a catastrophe yet (and Bentleys take their sustainability very seriously indeed), but stocks are running low. Which means theyre a rare treat, and an addiction to be tempered. Not so onerous a task, seeing the sheer quality and variety of the rocks. Oysters here are bought at source, directly from the oystermen. And the menu changes according to what is at its best. But its not just oysters. There are fat Dorset clams, firm, muscular and fantastic. And crab, always fresh-boiled and picked that morning Cromer crabs, with the very sweetest of flesh. Slathered with fresh mayonnaise and piled high on Londons finest soda bread, its testament to the simplicity of true brilliance. Take the best ingredients, lavish them with a love verging on devotion, and let them shine. If your tastes err towards the cooked theres always a fine fish pie, or delicate crab and mussel broth, or pert Dover sole, or a linguine vongole that could hold its head high in Naples. Chef proprietor Richard Corrigan, the man behind it all, is a broad, barrel-chested, grinning force of nature. Not a man youd get on the wrong side of, but one of Europes great chefs, no doubt about that. I first tasted his food at Lindsay House in Soho. And never forgot it. His technique was flawless, flavours always broad, but never brash. Hes certainly not shy of speaking his mind, or picking a fight with the big beasts of commercial agriculture. But he eternally fights for the small producer, the artisans, the farmers who work for passion rather than profit. Flavour always comes first. Cromer crabs, with the very sweetest of flesh. Slathered with fresh mayonnaise and piled high on Londons finest soda bread, its testament to the simplicity of true brilliance And he has a generosity of spirit that flows like a raging torrent through everything he does. In fact, I had to make sure he wasnt about when I visited for this review. As you have to fight to actually pay. Bentleys may have a long history, but its Corrigan who made it great. There are so few restaurants you can rely upon, time after time. St John is one, The Guinea Grill another. Bentleys too, of course. Its the sort of place you can take anyone, from mother and father to friends, tourists and children. Better still, go on your own. Take a book, and a seat at the bar, and escape. Whatever the ailment, Bentleys makes it better. About 40 per head Les Miserables Sunday, BBC1 Rating: Andrew Davies: Rewriting The Classics Sunday, BBC4 Rating: Andrew Daviess six-part adaptation of Les Miserables, Victor Hugos 1862 novel, which runs to around a million pages or something, has been necessarily distilled. There are no songs but, and I know this will come as a surprise to some, there werent any in the book either. Still, it is odd. What is the point of Fantine if she doesnt get to sing one great song before she dies? And dream a dream? Yet, having said that, it isnt too distilled. If it were too distilled wed all see it for what it is, which is, surely, just a lot of fuss about a minor parole offence. So it is distilled just right. It is brilliantly distilled, even. A triumph. Although I may feel different when everyone songlessly gathers at the barricades, obviously. I dont even know what songless barricades would look like, to tell the truth. Dominic West and David Oyelowo in Les Miserables. You cant say Davies isnt making us think about the characters afresh The West End musical version is the UKs longest running musical, and has been seen by 70 million people in more than 40 countries sit on that, Cats! plus, Hollywood made a film of it in 2012, albeit a poor one. (A stellar cast but none of them could sing apart from Eddie Redmayne, a bit.) So how can this bring audiences back to a story they already know? What can it offer? A stellar cast that isnt forced to sing. That has to be up there. Plus there are some terrific lines she will be happy to see you and your magnificent trousers and with six hours to play with, you do get a far better understanding of the characters. Not as much as if youd read the book, but that is a million pages or something. The first episode deftly introduced us to all the main players, including our protagonist, Jean Valjean (Dominic West), who is breaking rocks in a Toulon prison while serving the last 12 months of his 19-year sentence for stealing a loaf of bread. Wests Valjean is Hulk-like, magnificently bearded and magnificently boiling with hatred and defiance, as can happen, one supposes, if youre going to get 19 years for stealing a bun. David Oyelowo plays his nemesis, Javert, the prison guard. Some viewers complained that there was no way Javert would be African, but as we are watching English people playing French people who happen to be speaking English, those who wish to have arguments about ethnicity are on thin ground. Davies, who adapted Phwoar & Peace, and that wet-shirted Pride And Prejudice, is famed for homing in on erotic content and making these adaptations sexy, so tell me: when Valjean had to strip for Javert on his release from prison, that look Javert gave him? Homoerotic? Is this why Javert returns Valjeans magnificently boiling hatred? Because hes attracted to him and cant face up to that? You may or may not buy this, but you cant say Davies isnt making us think about the characters afresh. Meanwhile, across town, so to speak, the young grisette Fantine (Lily Collins) and her friends have fallen in with that trio of rich boys. The friends had warned her not to get in too deep with her own particular beau, Felix (Johnny Flynn) hes just amusing himself before returning home to marry someone posh but he is different, she keeps hoping. Fantine can come across as a fool, but here Collins brings her innocence and sweetness to the fore, although why she speaks like shes been to Roedean when her friends are all Cockney, I dont know. Felix does abandon Fantine, and that scene in the restaurant when the letter arrives to say hes gone was truly heartbreaking. Indeed, in such circumstances, there may be no sadder a PS than: The meal is paid for. As we left it, Valjean had been freed from prison and set on the path to good by Bishop take my candlesticks Myriel (played by a wonderfully scene-stealing Derek Jacobi), and even though this is a story I already know, it feels reborn. Also, there is still Olivia Colman to come. Davies, now 82, is the greatest television adaptor of all time, but if you were looking for any true insights they werent to be found in Andrew Davies: Rewriting The Classics. The talking heads largely said what we already know. He is brilliant at taking whats important from an original source and discarding the rest. He offers a fiercely clear attitudinal take. He visited his old school and his childhood home but this profile only perked up when he mentioned he started writing as a means of understanding his mother, who was a complicated woman, but no one then asked him about that. I was screaming at the television: ask him about his mother, ask him about his mother, for Gods sake, what was it with his mother? It may be he didnt want to talk about his mother, but they should have had him say that. In short: a better understanding of character was not achieved in this instance. The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) signed an agreement with Germany-based TUV Rheinland company, a leading provider of technical, consultation services, and quality assurance in the energy sector. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) aims to establish a framework that will enhance cooperation and knowledge exchange between both parties, to achieve shared objectives in various areas like energy, training, research and development (R&D), regulations, environmental protection and business support. The MoU was signed by Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of Dewa; and Dr Michael Fubi, chairman of TUV Rheinland. Under the terms of the MoU, both parties will exchange knowledge, expertise and cooperation to ensure best practices and continuous improvement of operational processes in various areas of shared interests, such as solar energy, energy storage systems, smart and digital networks, home automation, Internet of Things (IoT), wind energy, cyber security, oil and gas, regulations, training, development of new standards in preparation for the issuance of local legislation for networks and systems, solar systems, electric cars, environmental protection and measuring the environmental impact, and other related areas. " The aim of this MoU is to have an insight into the future and adopt innovation to enhance sustainable development in all vital sectors. This will support the goals of the UAE Centennial 2071, and the UAE Vision 2021 for our country to be amongst the best countries in the world, said Al Tayer. Al Tayer emphasised that Dewas continuous development efforts have culminated in winning more than 190 prestigious local and international awards in the past four years, including the most prestigious award in the Excellence Model of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM). Dewa has launched Digital Dewa, the digital arm of Dewa. Dewa is leading the global transformation efforts for utilities around the world and is redefining the concept of utilities to create a new digital future for Dubai. Dewa will disrupt the entire business of public utilities by becoming the worlds first digital utility to use autonomous systems for renewable energy and storage, said Al Tayer. Dr Fubi said: "We are delighted to extend our cooperation with Dewa, one of the world's leading service providers, through this MoU that will allow us to exchange expertise and knowledge and achieve our shared goals in many areas within the energy sector. Through this collaboration, we will provide our expertise in consultancy, training, testing, certification and standards to contribute to the promotion of energy sector in Dubai, along with the provision of integrated and sustainable services of the highest international standards. TradeArabia News Service Anni Albers Tate Modern, London Until Jan 27 Rating: Anni Albers was an artist whose life Id always thought more interesting than her work. Born into a Jewish family in Berlin in 1899, she went on to study at the famous Bauhaus art school where she was denied entry to painting classes and told to take up the womanly pursuit of weaving instead. Once the Nazis closed Bauhaus down, she and her husband (fellow artist Josef Albers) fled to the United States for good. Anni Albers studied at the famous Bauhaus art school where she was denied entry to painting classes and told to take up the womanly pursuit of weaving instead. Above: a rug from 1959 Tate Modern is currently holding an Albers retrospective her biggest-ever British show and it reveals that her work was far better than many of us had believed. She specialised in abstract weavings, and visitors follow her progress from early wall hangings such as 1926s Black White Yellow to Six Prayers, her Holocaust memorial tapestry 40 years later. We encounter an artist who experimented just as much as her lauded Bauhaus peers (Klee, Kandinsky and co) did albeit on a loom rather than with a paintbrush. Tate Modern is currently holding an Albers (above in 1937) retrospective (her biggest-ever British show) and we see an artist who experimented just as much as her lauded Bauhaus peers Witness the twists and knots of yarn in Dotted, for example, resulting in bobbles that look like blobs of paint. Preoccupied by colour, texture and grid-patterning, Albers worked in sync with modernist abstraction, yet she also admitted to owing a great deal to the ancient weavers of Peru (a country she loved to visit). This show makes demands of the visitor. Anyone casually wandering through may find the work monotonous. Those who fully engage, however, will be struck by richness and variety. Albers once complained that if anything is on paper or canvas its seen as art, while there is great hesitation by galleries and museums to show anything made of thread. Thankfully, Tate has righted that wrong with a fine exhibition. The Convert Young Vic, London Until Jan 26, 2hrs 45mins Rating: Marvels blockbuster movie Black Panther stars the 25-year-old British actress Letitia Wright who, Im told, steals every single scene shes in. The sequel is already lined up and mega-stardom beckons. As Ms Wright will be in a cinema near you for the rest of her career, best to see her in the theatre while you can. Shes rivetingly good in this 2012 play written by her Black Panther co-star, the American-Zimbabwean actress-writer Danai Gurira. Danai Gurira's play The Convert is a satisfyingly old-fashioned affair set in 1890s Zimbabwe. Her Black Panther co-star Letitia Wright is rivetingly good as the convert of the title (above) The drama, a satisfyingly old-fashioned affair with three acts and a plot, is set in Salisbury in Rhodesia (now Harare in Zimbabwe) in the 1890s. Jekesai (Wright) is a young convert to the Roman Catholic Church under the eye of an uptight black missionary called Chilford. He has rechristened her Ester, stopped her speaking her own language and de-tribalised her. In a way, this is a Rhodesian version of My Fair Lady. The Professor Higgins character Chilford is played by the rising star Paapa Essiedu. On the subject of ancestor worship, he warns his young charge: Do not under any circumstances talk to the dead. Who needs white men with him around? He proudly speaks the Queens English, albeit with a shaky grasp of its idioms: You must have fallen out of your wits. He often sounds like a Two Ronnies sketch. Though you never actually see a white man, everything in the play is about the impact of colonisation. African culture, costume, language and beliefs, all are suppressed in the name of Christ, who hangs on the Cross downstage. The world starts to wobble after Chilfords old friend a rapist played by Ivanno Jeremiah is murdered in a clash with rebellious locals angry at the British. By the end, everything has fallen apart. The play is less a finger wag against colonialism, more a reflection on the shallow roots of Africas Westernisation. In director Ola Inces smashing cast, Wright absolutely glows as the naive convert, and Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo is hilariously posh as Prudence, Chilfords educational equal. Meanwhile, the housekeeper (Pamela Nomvete) prefers to stick to the old magic. What a rewarding evening this is: often funny, always absorbing, and the acting is fabulous. Just So - The Musical Barn Theatre, Cirencester Until Sun, 2hrs Rating: This lovely 200-seat theatre in Cirencester, in the heart of the Cotswolds, closes its first season with a musical written by that terribly British duo George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, based on Rudyard Kiplings Just So stories. Kiplings great grey-green, greasy Limpopo is perceptibly present here. I loved, too, the biodiversity. Zebra and Giraffe are a pair of girls from the watering holes of darkest Essex, pursued by randy chaps Jaguar and Leopard. The Cotswolds theatre closes its first season with a musical adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's Just So stories. And it brims with wit, enchantment and invention. Above: Duncan Drury Rhinoceros is a full-fronted diva, and theres a funky, modern Parsee-man who lends a ska beat to the eclectic score. The actor-musicians work like billy-o, with Lewis Cornays curious Elephants Child and the flightless Kolokolo Bird (the excellent, downbeat Molly Lynch) giving the young uns in the audience a pair to root for as they take on Pau Amma, the evil giant crab (voiced by a booming Matthew Kelly). The avuncular Best Beloveds voice of Kipling is wisely preserved. Drewes pithy lyrics are drowned out occasionally by the over-cranked volume in Kirk Jamesons beautifully lit production. But this show brims with wit, enchantment and invention. Caroline, Or Change Playhouse Theatre, London Until Apr 6, 2hrs 35mins Rating: Sharon D Clarke is sensational in the title role of Tony Kushner's strange, beautiful musical This strange, beautiful musical set in Louisiana in 1963 is about a black maid, Caroline, who does the laundry in the boiling basement of a well-meaning Jewish family. The familys eight-year-old boy leaves her dimes in his trouser pockets, starting a chain of domestic upsets, staged against the backdrop of the civil rights movement. Writer Tony Kushners seriousness of purpose is complemented by Jeanine Tesoris playful score (you get Tamla Motown, gospel and Jewish clarinet), in which domestic appliances come delightfully to life. Abiona Omonua is superb as Carolines angry daughter. But it is Sharon D Clarkes sensational central performance a picture of bottled rage, bruised dignity and sheer overwork that makes this unmissable. Kiss Me, Kate Crucible, Sheffield Until Sat, 3hrs Rating: Cole Porters 1948 musical has a swooningly lovely score, and a neat premise: a warring couple star in a schlocky musical version of Shakespeares The Taming Of The Shrew, paralleling their characters. But just as any modern Shrew must work out how to tackle the brutal abuse of the main female character in the play, so today, any Kiss Me, Kate must wrangle with the shows own outdated elements most notably, when Fred/Petruchio beats Lilli/Katharines behind so hard she cant sit down. While both Edward Baker-Duly and Rebecca Lock (above) impress as Fred and Lilli in this adaptation of the tricky Cole Porter musical, you don't fully believe their chemistry Its fairly typical of Paul Fosters bright but somewhat hollow production that it fudges the moment by just going straight to black. Its hard to root for the unrepentant Fred, and the pair need a lot of chemistry to make it work. But while Rebecca Lock has a magnificent, creamy voice, and Edward Baker-Duly possesses a certain rakish charm, you dont fully believe theyre inseparable sparring partners. In general, the cast struggle to nail the snappy rhythm of the screwball dialogue. They sure know how to move, however: in bustling ensemble numbers, Matt Flints choreography ignites the stage, especially the sizzling Too Darn Hot. Dex Lee particularly stands out, combining acrobatic moves with a silky-smooth demeanour and a wicked glint in his eye. Holly Williams Chasing Bono Soho Theatre, London Until Jan 19, 1hr 30mins Rating: In music journalist Neil McCormicks memoir I Was Bonos Doppelganger, he recalls the unique torment of being a flailing pop hopeful and watching his schoolmates shoot to global fame as U2. The book inspired this play and writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais (of Porridge and The Likely Lads fame) have made the most of its blackly comic premise. This charming musical play, inspired by the memoir by Neil McCormick (a school chum of Bono and U2) stars Niall McNamee (above with Dennis Conway) as the tortured failed pop star The farcical set-up a few creative tweaks have been made to McCormicks account sees Neil kidnapped by a Dublin gangster, Danny, who wants him to write his biography. But flashbacks to schooldays gigs and disappointing meetings in London mean we learn more about Neils thwarted attempts to crack the music industry than we do about Dannys skulduggery. Niall McNamee gently sends up the tortured artist as Neil, and Shane ORegan nails Bonos spacey swagger (although an ego as developed as the one in question could have done with a more robust ribbing). However, Ciaran Dowds oafish, dad-dancing henchman is the comic heart of the performance. The delivery is at times unpolished but audiences on the hunt for a charming, musical play that explores a serious subject failure without taking itself too seriously will still find what theyre looking for here. Gwen Smith The main anniversary of 2019 belongs to Hector Berlioz, who died 150 years ago. Berlioz was the outstanding French composer of his age, though the French were almost the last to catch on to his genius, which was always appreciated over here. According to Groves music dictionary, The Romantic Movement finds its fulfilment in him. Indeed. Take the Symphonie Fantastique. This intensely dramatic, free-flowing masterpiece was composed just a few years after Beethovens Ninth. If the Ninth is a rousing farewell to the classical period, Berliozs Symphonie is a triumphant hello to the future. Great British conductors, from Sir Hamilton Harty to Sir Thomas Beecham and Sir Colin Davis, set down great recordings that will surely be rebooted and reissued this year in sets such as the already announced Complete Works from Warner Classics. The main anniversary of 2019 belongs to Hector Berlioz (above), who died 150 years ago. He was the outstanding French composer of his age It is disappointing, though, that the country that did so much for his reputation is offering so little Berlioz this year, at least in the opera houses. The only stage performance I have found is The Damnation Of Faust (more of a dramatic cantata than an opera), which gets a run out at Glyndebourne this summer, and theres a concert performance with The Halle at Manchesters Bridgewater Hall on February 10. Also, on February 15, another masterpiece, the oratorio LEnfance Du Christ, will be performed in Cardiff. Franz von Suppe and Jacques Offenbach, two of the greatest exponents of operetta, celebrate their 200th birthdays this year. Suppe was the father of Viennese operetta and is now remembered, if at all, for his overtures but his complete operettas have been long ignored. IT'S A FACT Berlioz's wife, Harriet Smithson, was an Irish Shakespearean actress who is depicted in idealised form in the Symphonie Fantastique. Advertisement The German-born Offenbach conquered Paris with a stream of operettas overflowing with great tunes, though even these are rarely performed today. The stresses and strains of creating his own grand opera, The Tales Of Hoffmann, took Offenbach to his grave, so he did not live to see its huge success, which continues to this day. If you want to know what a dazzling tunesmith Offenbach was, download Manuel Rosenthals 1938 ballet Gaite Parisienne, packed with great Offenbach melodies, including a captivating can-can sequence. This year is also the centenary of the death of Ruggero Leoncavallo, creator of the hugely successful Pagliacci. But theres other stuff worth exploring, including his own version of La Boheme, and Mattinata, the first song ever written for the gramophone, created for Caruso in 1904. Finally, theres Leopold Mozarts 300th. The pushy parent of the great Wolfgang Amadeus doesnt always get his due. In Belgravia theres a plaque commemorating Mozarts first symphony, composed on that site by the eight-year-old Wolfgang during his 15-month stay in London. How could a dad do that? Why not leave him to grow up peacefully in Salzburg? Wolfgang did not live a long life, so I believe that the musical sophistication he learned so young on his travels permitted him to create the stream of great music across so many genres that he did. And that wouldnt have happened without pushy old Leopold. Colette Cert: 15, 1hr 51mins Rating: Even under her abbreviated pen name of Colette, the French early-20th-century writer more properly known as Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, who wrote the novel Gigi, is fast fading from collective memory. And if thats true of Colette, its doubly true of her philandering husband, Henry Gauthier-Villars, who wrote under the all too appropriate nom-de-plume of Willy. There was a time, apparently, when the whole of fin-de-siecle Paris would ask: Have you read the latest Willy? Now its a case of Have you read any Willy at all? And ultimately, its this passing of time and fading from memory that makes the biopic Colette a film that charms, modestly entertains and is certainly pretty to look at but never quite grips in the way those involved in its making must have hoped. Colette is a modestly entertaining, although not gripping, biopic of the French author most famous for Gigi. Keira Knightley (above with Alexander Weaver) is terrific in the central role Directed by British film- maker Wash Westmoreland, who helped Julianne Moore win an Oscar with Still Alice, this is a film that starts out assuming we know more about its subject than many of us do, and yet ends rather abruptly leaving us certainly better informed but with little desire to find out more. Thankfully, there are compensations, chief among which is Keira Knightley, who is terrific in the central role. When we first meet her she appears to be an innocent teenager living a quiet rural life in deepest Burgundy with her protective parents. But from the moment we find her rolling around in the hay with her significantly older, more sophisticated admirer, Henry (Dominic West), were pretty sure there will be more to the spirited Colette than meets the eye. She likes sex, longs for excitement and loves her Willy, for starters. Dominic West (above with Knightley) plays her philandering husband Henry who insists that Colette's fledgling literary efforts are published under his name, not hers Alas, once they are married and installed in Paris, she discovers that her flamboyantly loud, bon-viveur publisher husband is ill deserving of her affections. Hes serially and unrepentantly unfaithful, a discovery that prompts his strong-willed young wife not to leave him but certainly to review her options. Not only would she like to write herself, at a time when writing was considered no job for a woman, but when it comes to his infidelities she discovers shes very much an if-you-cant-beat-em-join-em kind of girl. And one with a growing interest in other women. This is the fourth big film to feature lesbian relationships in just over a month, which might be one reason why it struggles for dramatic impact. Its also far from the first film recently about aspiring female writers of the late 19th and early 20th century being thwarted by a male-dominated publishing industry Mary Shelley and The Wife covered similar ground again reducing impact. Colette also discovers a growing interest in women with Poldark's Eleanor Tomlinson playing a southern belle with whom both Colette and Henry begin an affair. Above: Denise Gough Despite Henry insisting on the novels written by his wife being published under his name, and eventually emerging as a more complex character than we initially give him credit for, West never quite convinces. Poldark star Eleanor Tomlinson is miscast too as the wealthy southern belle with whom both husband and wife independently begin an affair. Knightley, however, can be rightly proud of her contribution as the convention- defying, proto-feminist Colette, albeit in a film that never quite delivers. ALSO OUT NOW Life Itself (15) Rating: This is an extraordinarily boring film you would be wise not to waste a single second of 2019 on. For a while, though, it flatters to deceive, with Oscar Isaac and Olivia Wilde gracing the first of what turns out to be several chapters all tenuously linked by a tragic event. Isaac plays Will, a volatile New Yorker whose life has been taken beyond breaking point. Now his therapist (Annette Bening) is trying to help him confront his demons and to unravel his relationship with the Bob Dylan-loving and newly pregnant Abby (Wilde). Despite a quality cast including Oscar Isaac and Olivia Wilde as New York couple Will and Abby (above), Life Itself is an extraordinarily boring film which you shouldn't waste your time on But despite the quality of the cast, there are clear signs that director Dan Fogelman is trying way, way too hard. Subsequent chapters take in parents, unhappy offspring and a strange Spanish olive-picker. By the time Antonio Banderas joins the fray, you should be running for the exit. Assuming youre still awake. An Impossible Love (15) Rating: Directed by Catherine Corsini, this is the very long, very linear story of an attractive young woman from a French provincial town whose life is going to be all but ruined when she falls in love with a more sophisticated Parisian. Told ambitiously over five decades, the pace is far too slow, with a poorly concealed twist. The one saving grace is Virginie Efira, who is hugely watchable in the central role. Dr Bobby Qureshi, pictured, faces being struck off by the General Medical Council's Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) following an 18-month investigation into a 25,000 eye implant treatment to counter age-related macular degeneration (AMD) It was the news that raised hope for millions of Britons facing age-related blindness June Brown, the actress who plays Dot Cotton in EastEnders, had been saved from blindness by what was described as a miracle eye implant operation. Having struggled to even recognise the faces of her own children, she was once again able to read and praised the astonishing results. But an investigation by this newspaper revealed that scores of patients, some in their 70s and 80s, alleged they were left with little or no difference to their eyesight after paying up to 25,000 for the heavily advertised procedure at the London Eye Hospital in Harley Street. Now Bobby Qureshi, the surgeon who developed the procedure, faces being struck off by the General Medical Council's Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) following an 18-month investigation. The consultant ophthalmologist has been summoned to appear before a disciplinary panel in Manchester facing allegations of dishonesty and misconduct. Publicly available documents reveal many of the allegations have been made against the clinical conduct of Mr Qureshi in relation to 24 patients treated at the Harley Street clinic. The surgeon will face further accusations over a claim published about his procedure for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in paid-for national newspaper advertisements, which was unsubstantiated and that he knew was unsubstantiated, according to the documents. The allegations will be disclosed in full on the first day of the tribunal, which is set to begin on January 14. The hearing is expected to run until the end of March and the case has been described by a GMC official as unusually long, partly because of the high number of patients involved. The panel will decide whether Mr Qureshi is fit to continue practising as a doctor in Britain. While the allegations could yet be dismissed, the panel could choose to give him a warning, suspend him from the register or even strike him off. None of the patients involved in the case has yet been named, but it is understood that many involved have previously reported their concerns to this newspaper. A dossier of evidence involving a significant number of patients was handed to the GMC by the charity The Macular Society in June 2017. An interim hearing the following month placed restrictions on Mr Qureshis practice while a probe was launched. Eastenders actress June Brown, pictured, who plays Dot Cotton in the popular BBC show underwent the implant surgery which she claimed saved her eyesight Cathy Yelf, chief executive of The Macular Society, said last night: We have previously raised concerns with the GMC and are pleased an investigation is under way. Mr Qureshi, who founded the London Eye Hospital, has invested heavily in promoting and advertising the lenses he helped to develop. The implants, known as iolAMD and EyeMax Mono, gave hope to millions of patients in Britain and abroad with AMD. The incurable condition robs sufferers of their eyesight when the part of the eye responsible for central vision deteriorates. The lenses are inserted during a ten-minute procedure and are known to have helped improve the vision of many hundreds of patients. However, an advert published in many national newspapers, including The Mail on Sunday, was banned in March 2016 by the Advertising Standards Authority watchdog over its claims that the lenses could improve vision for both wet and dry macular degeneration. Wet AMD is the active, rapidly advancing form of the disease. The ASA concluded this was not supported by the evidence and this claim will now also be examined by the tribunal. In a Mail on Sunday Health investigation in April 2017, patients alleged being treated like guinea pigs and claimed that their vision had either improved only slightly or not at all after having the costly implants. Some complained of the clinics hard-sell tactics, which targeted elderly and vulnerable patients desperate to restore their sight at any cost. Many others claimed they had not been adequately warned of the risk the procedure might not work, or that they might need to wear glasses afterwards. There were failures by the clinic to properly deal with complaints, and delays at getting refunds processed, it was also claimed. A number of patients are now also involved in legal proceedings against Mr Qureshi and the London Eye Hospital over aspects of their care. Sophie Jones, a clinical negligence solicitor at law firm Hugh James, confirmed she was representing 15 patients whose cases are ongoing. She said: A number of patients who underwent treatment under his care allege that what precious vision they did have has now been compromised or that they have noticed no improvement to their vision. We urge those who feel that they have been adversely affected by his treatment to seek legal advice. The London Eye Hospital is also understood to be facing financial concerns over outstanding debts in relation to rent payments. Both its consulting rooms in Harley Street and clinic in Wimpole Street were closed when we visited on Friday afternoon, and neighbours claimed they had been so for months. Phone calls were going through to voicemail, and emails were bouncing back. A petition to wind up the company was lodged in October last year but a further hearing, in November, was adjourned. Mr Qureshi is understood to be claiming to have severed involvement with the London Eye Hospital in 2015. But Companies House documents reveal he only stepped down as a director in May 2018, and patients reported to The Mail on Sunday that they had seen him for consultations there in 2016. A spokesman for Mr Qureshi said he strongly denies all of the allegations and fully expects to be exonerated by the GMC. The EyeMax Mono lens has been used in over 3,000 implantations by a hundred surgeons in 25 countries and the products effectiveness is supported by published, peer-reviewed clinical data from over 500 patients. Thousands of NHS prostate cancer patients could soon benefit from an experimental form of radiotherapy that blasts tumours with pinpoint precision. By avoiding collateral damage to surrounding healthy tissues, the hope is that the high-tech proton-beam therapy will save scores of men from nerve and blood vessel damage that leads to erectile dysfunction and incontinence two of the most feared complications for those suffering the disease. The surgical removal of the prostate the walnut-size gland that sits below the bladder in men is still the gold standard treatment. But some doctors believe proton-beam therapy shows huge promise, and one NHS hospital will begin treating patients this year. The new radiotherapy technique reduces the collateral damage caused by the existing form of treatment which uses multiple beams of radiation One of the few Britons to have already received the pioneering treatment has revealed how his sex life is completely back to normal just months after undergoing the therapy. Father-of-four Timon Colegrove was diagnosed with the illness in December 2017 after a routine check. Although Timon had no symptoms typically, a need to urinate more frequently or problems with urination are signs of prostate disease his worst fears were realised when a biopsy confirmed he did indeed have cancer. The 57-year-old former chief executive from Woodstock, Oxfordshire, said: I was horrified. I was relatively young, very active and felt well. Timon, whose own father had suffered from prostate cancer in his 80s, was equally concerned about possible complications following treatment. He was offered surgery to remove the prostate, but this carried up to a 40 per cent risk of impotence and urinary incontinence. Conventional radiotherapy carried similar risks. My fiancee Rebecca and I will be getting married this year, so that was devastating, says Timon. I expected my consultant to tell me what to do but I was given options and supposed to decide for myself, which I felt unqualified to do. That made me start my own research. In conventional radiotherapy, which is used to treat about 150,000 patients with all kinds of cancer each year, high-energy beams of radiation destroy cancerous cells. But to reach a tumour, the rays must pass through healthy tissue, and they also carry on moving through the body. Burns to the skin and damage to muscle and internal organs are often unavoidable A year on, Timon is focusing on the couples big day once more, having undergone proton-beam therapy, which he paid for privately. He went to the Rutherford Cancer Centre South Wales the couple relocated for the duration of his treatment every weekday for four weeks, with his final session happening last October. Each session lasted just a few minutes and by the end I was in and out of hospital within an hour, says Timon. Throughout this time, he was able to have erections. However, hormone drugs given to help shrink the prostate and boost the chances of the radiotherapy working dampened his libido temporarily. Now he says: Our sex life is completely back to normal. And as for continence, he says: For a while I did find that when I needed to go, I really needed to go. That is returning to normal now. In conventional radiotherapy, which is used to treat about 150,000 patients with all kinds of cancer each year, high-energy beams of radiation destroy cancerous cells. But to reach a tumour, the rays must pass through healthy tissue, and they also carry on moving through the body. Burns to the skin and damage to muscle and internal organs are often unavoidable. Proton-beam therapy works by bombarding tumours with protons, the centres of atoms. The millimetre-accurate treatment is claimed to be less destructive to surrounding tissue, so less likely to cause post-treatment complications. Protons are not absorbed into the tissue they pass through, so they dont damage it while killing the tumour. Since 2015, the Government has ploughed more than 250 million into providing NHS hospitals with proton-beam technology. The investment was made after the British parents of an eight-year-old boy with a brain tumour were detained in Spain after fleeing with him in a bid to secure the treatment abroad. Ashya King was set to have chemotherapy and radiotherapy at Southampton General Hospital, but his parents Brett and Naghemeh feared the treatment could leave him badly brain-damaged. They were locked up in Madrid for 72 hours on child cruelty charges. Ashya did later receive the radical treatment in Prague rather than Spain and three years on, he has been cleared of cancer. The Christie Hospital in Manchester announced recently it was due to offer its first NHS patients the technology. University College Hospital London also plans to provide a service from 2020 and NHS Wales has agreed to fund treatments at the Rutherford. ALTHOUGH there is growing evidence for the use of proton-beam therapy for brain tumours, there is less proof it is effective for prostate cancer, a disease that affects some 50,000 British men a year. Dr Jason Lester, who treated Timon, said: We dont yet know if it improves survival but we know that by delivering a lower-radiation dose, we can reduce the chances of complications. However, Professor Roger Kirby, consultant urologist and director of The Prostate Centre, is more circumspect. We know it works well for children with brain tumours, he says. It has potential for prostate cancer, but its still unproven as a treatment. Timon is aware the treatment is experimental but says: At my support group, I spoke to a couple of chaps who had surgery, and their sex life ended overnight. If I were in my 80s, I might find that acceptable, but its not something I want to contemplate right now. Fiona Moore was at a crossroads in life. Aged 43, shed worked for the Foreign Office for 22 years with postings in Poland and Greece but she knew she didnt want to go up the ladder and become an ambassador. She also knew she didnt want to go abroad again and leave her partner, Graham, behind. Although theyd been friends half their life, theyd been a couple for only two years. That May evening, she and Graham were walking to a pub in Suffolk, moaning companionably about their jobs, when they realised they were lost between two villages. We were trying to find our way along a footpath. The sunset seemed to go on for ever and it was cow parsley time. When we realised wed taken the wrong turning, we didnt mind. It was my turn to complain about my job, and Graham asked me: What will you regret not having done when youre 60? The answer came straight out: Writing poetry. Fiona Moore (pictured) revealed how finding love in later life with her friend of more than 20 years Graham, inspired her to write poetry before his heartbreaking death It was a road to Damascus moment, Fiona, now in her late 50s, tells me. Shed studied classics and had written about one poem every three years, but shed kept it quiet. But now, thanks to Graham, it felt as though shed been given permission to change her life. On the Monday she asked for a sabbatical from the Foreign Office and later took voluntary redundancy. Fast-forward 15 years and Fionas first poetry collection, The Distal Point, has been nominated for the prestigious 25,000 T.S. Eliot Prize, announced next Monday and won in the past by Ted Hughes and Carol Ann Duffy. Its an amazing achievement for a debut poet. Today, she knows Grahams question changed her life. But the bittersweet truth is hes not here to share her triumph. He died 11 years ago of a brain tumour, just four years after that fateful walk. As a result, The Distal Point, which opens with a series of heartbreaking elegies for Graham, is an incredibly poignant collection. We first met at a fancy dress party in our early 20s. It was at the dilapidated house where I was living in East London with a mutual friend, Fiona recalls. Over the next 20 years they both lived abroad and went out with other people. Graham was a finance and economics journalist who later set up his own company ranking City analysts. When we were in our mid-30s, he came to stay with me in Greece. At that point he was interested, but I was involved in a serious long-term relationship. It wasnt until they were 41 that they were both free and finally got together as a couple. Fiona (pictured right with Graham) recalls Londons UCL hospital struggling to find the cause of a series of seizures Graham had before being diagnosed with terminal cancer They lived independently at first. Fiona owned her house in Greenwich, but often stayed at Grahams rented house in Boxford, Suffolk. Its the perfect arrangement in your 40s if you dont have family reasons to keep you together, Fiona smiles. You really appreciate each others company when you have it. After she left the FCO, they went on a month-long trip to Australia and New Zealand. But she was starting to worry about Graham. He seemed really tired. I put it down to him working so hard. Then one afternoon, after a weekend in Suffolk, she had a call from Grahams colleague to say hed collapsed and that the ambulance had come and they were doing CPR on the office floor. Time stopped, a crevasse opened at your feet/ and you fell headlong, she writes in The Distal Point. She rushed to join him in hospital. The doctors told me hed had several more seizures in the ambulance, that hed nearly died. But they did a CT scan and didnt find anything. They were convinced he had epilepsy and put him on medication for that. The couple returned home, went for gentle walks and Graham seemed to recover. But three weeks later it happened again. This time Graham was taken to Londons UCL hospital, but again doctors couldnt find anything. He was given an epilepsy nurse to contact if he was worried. Then, the weekend before Christmas, when we got the train home to Suffolk, he started saying out-there things. Not offensive or nasty, just weird. That weekend he became really unwell. He was being sick and had hiccups, and the thing I was most worried about was he was throwing up the epilepsy pills after the doctors had stressed how important they were. I took him to the emergency doctor service, but they were clueless and sent him home. Fiona (pictured) says Graham took being told he had two years to live with such dignity Grahams next-door neighbour was a GP. She knew what was wrong almost immediately. She asked some questions, shone a torch into his eyes and called an ambulance, Fiona says. Graham was taken to Ipswich Hospital. When an MRI scan found a tumour on his brain, he was sent to Addenbrookes. The brain surgeon called me into his room and said to take him home, Fiona recalls. I said: Are you sure its safe? And he said: Well he wont be having another Christmas, so youd better make the most of it. She pauses as I register the callousness of the statement. You have those moments when you go up to the ceiling and youre looking down on yourself, she acknowledges. I reacted quite badly to the news, she says. And the surgeon said: You mustnt tell him because he might go into a depression and never recover. After Christmas the surgeons sympathetic younger colleague gave them both the news the cancer was terminal and Graham had at most two years to live. He took it with such dignity, Fiona says. In January, Graham had surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible and then radiotherapy to slow regrowth. They took a short holiday in Amsterdam. I was worried he could have had a seizure at any moment. He was a tall guy and on steroids, which made him heavier. If he fell, it was like a tree crashing down. When the tumour grew back, Graham was admitted to hospital in Ipswich, before being transferred to a cottage hospital. Fiona (pictured) revealed her biggest worry is that her poetry book is seen as being exploitative of Graham's death It was there, while Graham was dying, that Fiona heard one of her poems would be published. It was a brief moment of respite. I remember taking the acceptance letter in to Graham, Fiona says. It made me think: Ive got this lifeline. I cant use it now, but I need to remember its there, and pick it up again after this. Graham died in July 2007, just eight months after first falling ill. In the October after his death, Fiona found herself writing the poem On Dunwich Beach, after going wild swimming during a storm. Plunging into sea was almost an act of bravado to impress him. She writes: I could swim on/ until my heart falters and Im dying for you/ but Id never find you. Grahams memory endures in the poems. It wasnt perfect, obviously, nothing is, but one of the things I miss most when youre in a relationship is that its like building a house youre always adding something to it, or maybe spotting theres some dry rot up there that you need to sort out. Theres this constructiveness about it, she says. As for being nominated for the most valuable award in British poetry, Fiona is eternally thankful. I dont know what would have happened in my life if Graham hadnt asked that question at that particular moment. However, she adds: My biggest worry about the book is being exploitative. The last thing I want to do is go: Here are my poems about my dead partner, its so sad. So it is a risk. But, she smiles, I think Graham would say: Go for it! And be amused and appreciate it. The Distal Point by Fiona Moore (10, happenstance.com). The T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry winner is announced next Monday. She's known for being one of Europe's most stylish royals and Queen Letizia certainly lived up to that title today. The Queen of Spain put on a typically glamorous display in a floor length navy skirt and tweed jacket for the Epiphany Day celebrations in Madrid on Sunday. It is custom for women to wear a long dress for the ceremony which Letizia abided to today as she has done in previous years. The former journalist kept her accessories to a minimal in the form of a simple navy clutch and a diamante brooch for the occasion celebrated at the Royal Palace. Queen Letizia of Spain has joined her husband King Felipe VI at the royal palace to mark Ephiphany Day in Madrid The 46-year-old swept her wavy brunette locks into a low chignon and opted for a smoky eye for the celebrations today. Her husband King Felipe VI wore his full military regalia as he welcomed guests to the palace for the reception ahead of the military parade. The reception held inside the palace saw local dignitaries addressed by the king who gave a short speech to mark the occasion. The celebrations are held in honour of Epiphany - a national holiday in Spain which falls on the twelfth day of Christmas. Celebrated on January 6 each year Epiphany Day is a national holiday in Spain which falls on the twelfth day of Christmas The Queen of Spain put on a typically glamorous display in a floor length navy skirt and tweed jacket accessorising with simple navy accessories The celebration, held on January 6 each year, celebrates the baptism of Jesus and marks an end to Christmas festivities. Madrid's Epiphany Day parade is an annual tradition and is part of a day of celebration that sees the whole country come to a standstill. Considered almost as important as Christmas Day itself, Epiphany marks the moment when baby Jesus, then just a few days old, was seen for the first time by the Magi or Three Kings. Known in Spain as El Dia de los Reyes (Day of the Kings), it is celebrated with presents and colourful parades, the oldest of which takes place in Valencia. King Felipe VI wore his full military regalia as he welcomed guests to the palace for the reception ahead of the military parade The reception held inside the palace saw local dignitaries addressed by the king who gave a short speech to mark the occasion The biggest and most important, however, is Madrid's - thanks in no small part to the presence of a real king at the procession. On the eve of Epiphany Day a procession makes it way through the streets of Madrid featuring decorative floats with people dressed as the kings and bearing gifts for Jesus. The floats also feature light and music shows and clowns and jugglers who throw candy to the crowds. Children write letters to the magi on the feast's eve, requesting presents. Advertisement Kate returned to an old favourite when it came to her outfit today, stepping out in a Catherine Walker coat that she had favoured during her pregnancy with Prince Louis. The Duchess of Cambridge arrived at church in Sandringham on Sunday alongside the Duke of Cambridge wearing the dusky blue coat that she was last spotted wearing during a visit to Norway in February last year. The mother-of-three updated the outfit with a matching headband in the same shade by Jane Taylor, an accessory that Kate has chosen to favour of late. Kate, who turns 37 on Wednesday, gave a glimpse of a polka dot dress that was seen underneath her coat and accessorised with a navy blue clutch and a matching pair of heeled court shoes Prince William, meanwhile, looked typically dapper in a long wool coat, shirt and tie as he accompanied his wife to St Mary Magdalene Church, just a short walk from Sandringham House, on Sunday. The Duchess of Cambridge arrived at church in Sandringham on Sunday alongside the Duke of Cambridge wearing the dusky blue coat that she was last spotted wearing during a visit to Norway in February last year This is the first time that the couple has been spotted since the Christmas Day church service where they attended alongside Prince Harry and Meghan, although the couple did not appear present today. Following along behind was the Queen who looked elegant in a tan ensemble in the form of a wool coat with a fur trim and a matching hat. While usually accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh on such occasions it seems that the Queen's husband had remained home today and she was instead accompanied by a female companion. Prince Philip, 97, had also been absent from the Christmas Day service. MailOnline has contacted Buckingham Palace for a comment. However, William, 36, was keen to reassure the crowds that his grandfather was feeling 'very good' despite him missing a fourth consecutive church service. This is the first time that the couple has been spotted since the Christmas Day church service where they attended alongside Prince Harry and Meghan, although the couple did not appear present today Following along behind was the Queen who looked elegant in a tan ensemble in the form of a wool coat with a fur trim and a matching hat The Duke of Edinburgh appeared to be absent once again today withe the Queen arriving alongside a female companion The monarch appeared to be in good spirits as she made the short journey from Sandringham hall to church Philip, 97, who is officially retired from Royal duties has not been seen in public since he was photographed leaving the Queen's pre-Christmas lunch party at Buckingham Palace on December 19. Buckingham Palace once again refused to comment about Philip's non attendance at church, although Royal sources insisted there were 'no particular concerns about his health'. William who left his children George, Charlotte and Louis at home, was walking the 400 yards from Sandringham House to the church when he jokingly pointed at a young boy and his parents, saying: 'I love the hat.' One member of the crowd asked how his grandfather was feeling, prompting him to reply: 'Very good, thanks'. Kate also spoke to onlookers, wishing them a 'Good morning' and 'Happy New Year'. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge traditionally host a shooting weekend for friends on the 20,000 acre Sandringham estate at the start of the New Year to mark Kate's birthday on January 9. As she walked away from church, Kate accepted flowers from Mia Croft, ten, and brother Oakley, seven, from Letchworth, Hertfordshire, who were with grandparents Brian and Daphne Croft. The Duchess leaned down to collect the blooms, saying: 'Are these for the Queen? I will take them back for you. She will love these - lots of bright colours.' Mr Croft said: 'It is a lovely experience for our grandchildren to come here and it is fantastic that the Duchess stopped to speak to them.' William appeared to be in a playful mood today as he joked with members of the public who had gathered outside the church Charlotte Fisk from Mulbarton, Norfolk, who was celebrating her 32nd birthday said: 'My friend Hannah Catchpole shouted out to William, 'It's Charlotte's birthday.' 'He said 'Happy Birthday', but he got confused because he thought Charlotte was my son George who was the first baby born in Norfolk on New Year's Day last year. 'We had to explain that I was Charlotte which was quite funny. He didn't say anything about us having the same names as his two oldest children.' The 52 minute church service conducted by the Sandringham rector the rev Jonathan Riviere began with the singing of the National Anthem. Prayers were said for the Royal family to 'imbue them with the holy spirit and enrich them with heavenly grace' and for peace throughout the world, especially in the Middle East. Other prayers were said for 'those who suffer on the margins of society' and people who work in the community including doctors, nurses, carers, social workers, teachers and the emergency services. The Bishop of Liverpool, the Right Rev Paul Bayes, talked of the birth of his first grand-daughter on December 28 and compared the needs of newborn babies with helpless people in society. The Queen walked unaided up and down the porch steps and waved at the crowd as she was driven away. She was also curtsied by Kate and her women friends out of sight of cameras. Last week saw the Queen joined by her son Prince Edward who was accompanied by his wife Sophie Wessex and daughter Lady Louise Windsor. A beaming Kate was presented with dozens of flowers from kind-hearted locals as she left the church following the service Kate has previously worn the dusky blue wool coat during a visit to Norway in February last year where she was pregnant with Prince Louis. Pictured: Kate arriving in the country greeted by Crown Princess Mette-Marit The couple appeared to be in good spirits as they arrived at church this morning for the traditional Sunday service Princess Anne and her husband Timothy Laurence also attended the service, but today is Kate and William's first return to church following the festive period. The Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Sussex were all smiles when they joined the Queen at church in Sandringham for the Christmas Day service. Kate, 36, and Meghan, 37, were greeted by adoring crowds as they made their way to St Mary Magdalene Church, a short walk from Sandringham House on the Royal Family's Norfolk estate. Prince William, 36, and Harry, 34, joined their wives as they put on a united front amid rumours of a 'rift' and mounting tensions between the two couples. It was confirmed earlier in December that the 'Fab Four' were going to spend Christmas Day together despite claims of a falling out. Meanwhile Kate's family including her sister Pippa, brother James and mother Carole have been enjoying a sun-soaked getaway in St Barts. Hundreds of well-wishers had gathered outside St Mary Magdalene church in the hopes to catch a glimpse of the royals A group of excitable youngsters got a prime view of the couple as they made the short walk up to the chapel Kate had updated her outfit today with a headband in the same shade as her coat, an accessory she has favoured of late Her younger brother has been photographer enjoying a new romance with Alizee Thevenet on holiday where the Middletons were also joined by Pippa's husband James Matthews and his brother Spencer with his wife Vogue. But Kate is believed to have enjoyed a more low-key New Year with William and their three children at their home of Anmer Hall in Norfolk. Hundreds of well-wishers turned out to see the royal family when they attended church on Christmas Dat, but the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duchess of Cornwall were missing. Philip and Camilla did not join the rest of the royals as they made the short walk. It is understood the duke is in good health and spent the day relaxing privately with his family. Camilla missed an appearance at the Olympia Horse Show the week before due to a heavy cold and was believed to be still recovering from the bug. Kate could barely take the smile off her face as she made the short trip back towards Sandringham Hall following the service The royal couple appeared delighted by the gathering crowds who had assembled on the grassy verge outside the chapel The Duchess' brunette locks were pushed back with the use of her headband revealing a small pair of pearl drop earrings Kate gave a glimpse of a polka dot dress that was seen underneath her coat and accessorised with a navy blue clutch and matching heeled court shoes The Duchess of Cambridge will turn 37 on Wednesday this week and is expected to mark the occasion privately Behind the lead group strode Peter Phillips holding the hands of his daughters Savannah and Isla, and they were followed by Princess Beatrice and Peter's wife Autumn Phillips. A few metres behind were Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, who smiled at the crowds as they walked towards the church. Towards the back of the group were the Earl and Countess of Wessex with their children, Lady Louise Windsor and Viscount Severn, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and Zara and Mike Tindall. The Queen arrived in her state limousine with the Duke of York. During the service the congregation sang traditional carols O Little Town Of Bethlehem, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and O Come All Ye Faithful. Food writer Jack Monroe has revealed that she is recovering from an alcoholic addiction. Jack Monroe, 30, who has written four cookbooks, bravely admitted that she was an alcoholic in a frank article in the Guardian. In the first person piece she revealed that she had finally acknowledged her problem just ten days ago. The poverty activist revealed that finding fame and dealing with life in the spotlight made her turn towards alcohol as a crutch. But she's now been sober for a week and hopes it will help with her creativity and relationships. Journalist Jack Monroe (pictured in October), 30, has revealed she's an alcoholic in an honest article in the Guardian The poverty activist revealed that finding fame and dealing with life in the spotlight made her turn towards alcohol as a crutch The mother-of-one went on to talk about how first experiences with alcohol as a teenager. She admitted that alcopops at the time gave her confidence when she felt shy. But it was when she moved to London in 2014 that her problems with alcohol escalated. She wrote: 'I had my first book out, my second on the way, and had been uncomfortably catapulted into the public eye. It started with a glass of wine in the evenings. 'Every evening. Then two. Then a bottle. Then I started at lunchtime. I had a drink before I did any public talks, to calm my nerves.' In 2014 Monroe published two cookbooks A Girl Called Jack: 100 Delicious Budget Recipes' and A Year in 120 Recipes. She's also a keen activist, working with charities on poverty issues. It was when she moved to London in 2014 that her problems with alcohol escalated and she started to drink a bottle of wine a night In the article she admitted that alcohol was her way of coping with past experiences including sexual abuse and poverty. The writer even returned to her hometown of Southend in 2015, where she lives with her girlfriend and son, in the hope to cut back on her 'boozy London lifestyle' but found that she quickly returned to drinking. Monroe has now been sober a week and admits that her life has greatly improved in that time but acknowledges that she is still in the early stages of recovery. The chef has previously spoken candidly about her struggles with mental health, quitting Twitter in March last year 'for the good of her mental health'. Monroe, who identifies as non-binary and is a campaigner and trans and women's rights, said she would continue to support these causes but away from the 'gaslighting, coercion and bullying' she said she had faced on Twitter. Monroe tweeted to her 124,000 followers that it was 'with a heavy heart and a weighty self-loathing' that she had decided to leave the social media site 'for my mental and physical health'. Monroe said that, having been warned early on in her career 'not to come out as gay', she did it anyway. She said that coming out as 'non-binary (genderfluid/queer)' lost her a 30k book deal and 'invited a whole world of abuse from across the political and feminist spectrum'. She admitted that alcohol was her way of coping with past experiences including sexual abuse and poverty However, the mother made a return to social media later that year. Monroe said she had spent the last two years defending women's rights and trans rights, but that her bid to 'educate, inform, support and explain' had been at a 'great personal and emotional cost'. Monroe came to prominence in 2012 with her food blog A Girl Called Jack, now named Cooking on a Bootstrap. She also wrote for publications including Essex newspaper The Echo and later The Huffington Post and The Guardian on topics including politics, poverty and cooking on a budget. Last year, she abandoned her bid to win a seat in the House of Commons after receiving hate mail and suffering a deterioration in her health. If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol addiction please contact Alcoholics Anonymous for free help and advice. Bahrain Islamic Bank (BisB), a leading provider of integrated Islamic banking solutions in the kingdom, has appointed Ameer Abdul Ghani Dairi as its chief financial officer. Hassan Jarrar, chief executive officer of BisB, said: "I congratulate Ameer Dairi for taking up this important position in the bank and wish him success in his future role. His appointment comes in line with our existing framework and ongoing plans to continue to invest in and develop our Bahraini pool of talent. We are pleased with the progress achieved by Dairi in the Department of Financial Supervision since he joined the bank, and look forward to his further success in fulfilling and contributing to the Banks strategic goals and plans, he added. Dairi holds a BSc in Accounting from the University of Bahrain and joined BisB in 2007 with over 19 years of experience in financial management at a number of commercial banks in the kingdom. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) from New Hampshire Board of Accountancy, USA and a Certified Management Accountant (CMA), licensed by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, USA. He also represents the bank as a board member in Liquidity Management Centre (LMC) and Adaad Real Estate Company. - TradeArabia News Service Zara and Mike Tindall showed no signs of January blues as they soaked up the Australian sun on Sunday. The couple arrived at the Pacific Fair Magic Millions Polo on the Gold Coast hand in hand for the event that they annually attend today. The Queen's granddaughter looked typically chic in a blush pink lace dress for the occasion and came armed with a sunhat in light of the 27C temperatures. She swept her blonde locks into a low bun and sported a pair of tortoiseshell sunglasses to the sporting event today. Zara and Mike Tindall attended the Magic Millions polo event on Australia's Gold Coast on Sunday She completed her ensemble with a pair of nude wrap around wedges and a matching box clutch. Her rugby captain husband Mike, meanwhile, had also opted for a weather appropriate outfit, pairing a smart navy blue blazer with white shorts and a pair of black loafers. The husband and wife looked loved-up as they walked hand in hand together at the Doug Jennings Park, before posing for photos ahead of the event. Zara and Mike are in Queensland for the week long carnival which kicks off today. The couple put on a tactile display arriving hand in hand together at the annual event, of which Zara had to miss some of last year due to her pregnancy with Lena Elizabeth The equestrian looked typically chic in a blush pink coloured ensemble while her rugby captain husband was smart in a blazer and shorts The Olympic medalist will go up again Argentinian player Nacho Figueras, 41, this year, after she missed some of last year's event due to her pregnancy with daughter, Lena Elizabeth. 'While I enjoyed watching Nacho from the sidelines last year, I much prefer to be amongst the action and am looking forward to matching up against him,' Zara reportedly told Australia's Who. Zara and Mike scored big at a range of Magic Millions events last year - particularly at the annual yearling sale when their horse, Tindall, was sold was $50,000 above its reserve. The Olympic medalist will go up again Argentinian player Nacho Figueras, 41, this year and says she will be glad to not be 'watching from the sidelines' this year The couple touched down in Queensland over the weekend and have been spotted enjoying the sunny weather on the Gold Coast beaches His syndicate Redwall Bloodstock paid $80,000 for the bay filly, however, it sold for $170,000 at the Gold Coast sale, after the couple had put a reserve on it of $120,000. The couple has been spotted enjoying a break from the gloomy UK weather since their arrival in Australia over the weekend. On Saturday Mike showcased his adventurous side as he took a surfing lesson on the beach during their New Year break. Meanwhile, Zara watched her sporty husband from a balcony as she had foils placed in her hair before the Magic Millions event today. The January blues and well and truly here so it's always nice to know there's always someone who has it worse it off than you. These hilarious images from around the world, shared by Bored Panda reveal how people can mess up even the simplest of tasks. Adam Moussa thought he'd be a new style icon with his 'classic' McDonalds jumper, but he didn't realise what message his new clothing item would send when he had a jacket on over the top. Twitter user Prayag Sonar shared his embarrassing moment after he broke up with his girlfriend at a restaurant. She started to cry but it got even more awkward when other restaurant guests started to clap as they believed he had just proposed. A cheeky driver hit someone's car and pretended to write them a note as they had an audience, we feel sorry for the owner of the damaged vehicle Beauty disaster! Student Estelle from Paris ended up with a rather swollen head after suffering an allergic reaction to her mascara This poor Peugeot was absolutely showered in bird poo - its owner must've been horrified to come back to discover this One guy named Kyle texted his pal warning him not to let slip about some top-secret stories he wanted to keep from his girlfriend, who was joining them later. But he shot himself in the foot as he accidentally sent the message to his other half first Adam Moussa from New York admitted he didn't consider how his new item of clothing would look when he had a jacket over it, making him look a little less classic This image was shared by a US Reddit user with the caption 'My Friend Got Notice About Delayed Package, Then Sent Me This On His Drive Home Saying "So That's What Happened"' we guess that would explain the delay, yes Anyone waiting to use the loo might want to wait a little longer if they have arachnophobia, as this gigantic spider is taking a rest on the toilet roll. This is enough to send shivers down anyone's back, so let's hope it wasn't a real spider How did that get there? A pink iPhone was spotted on the windowsill of an apartment and the owner must be utterly perplexed about how it ended up there as the window doesn't seem to open What should've been a straightforward break up ended up in embarrassment for Twitter user Prayag from India, after restaurant-goers mistook his girlfriend's tears for ones of happiness and started to clap, thinking the pair had just gotten engaged This frustrating images shows the result of ordering an Amazon Echo online from Target ion the US. The package was delivered with the security tag still in tact, the red light was blinking and all Oh the irony! A Carlsberg delivery lorry dropped dozens of cans of the beverage, despite the slogan on the side of the vehicle stating 'probably the proudest driver in the world' Hollywood Actor Ryan Reynolds was pranked by his friends Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, who told him their party had a Christmas jumper theme Summer is well underway and as a result thousands of Australians will be attending countless dinner parties, restaurants and family gatherings. And while many have mastered the art of table etiquette, others have a lot to learn. So, to help party-goers celebrate in style these holidays, Sydney School of Protocol founder Julie Lamberg-Burnet, has shared her ultimate guide to table manners. From how to hold cutlery to the etiquette behind who pays, here FEMAIL looks at the most important rules - and some may just be new to you. To help party-goers celebrate in style these holidays, Sydney School of Protocol founder Julie Lamberg-Burnet (pictured), has shared her ultimate guide to table manners CRINGEWORTHY TABLE MANNERS 'No one will tell you if you have bad manners or distracting habits when eating and dining with others,' Ms Lamberg-Burnet said. 'These are the most common etiquette faux pas we see today, at home, in restaurants and cafes in either business or social settings.' - Starting a meal without waiting for either the host or others around the dining table to commence - Waving your cutlery around when having conversation - Spearing your food with the fork - Holding your knife like a 'pencil' - Stabbing your food with the fork - Placing your cutlery like a 'row boat' across the plate in between mouthfuls - Taking huge portions and helping yourself before others Do not place mobiles on tables, take phone calls or check your phone under the table - Speaking with a mouth full of food - Chewing with your mouth open - Slurping and over indulging in food and drinks - Cutting up the bread roll or eating the whole bread roll in your hands - Double dipping into oils, sauces and accompaniments or contaminating public dishes with your own cutlery - Reaching across the table to grab a dish or condiment - Dominating the conversation, whispering or sharing private jokes - Removing food in your tooth or a foreign body from your mouth at the table - Eating too fast or too slow - Using the napkin as a handkerchief or tucked into your collar - Elbows lounging on the table - Mobile phones, sunglasses and personal items plonked on the table - Not knowing how and when to use the table napkin Commence eating when the host or several others in the group have started best to be second to start What are the correct cutlery positions? Not finished: If you are talking around the table but haven't finished eating your meal, you shouldn't hold your cutlery in your hands. Rather, rest them on your plate in an upside down V with the tips of the utensils facing towards each other. Finished: Place your knife and fork together in the centre of the plate, pointing to twelve oclock. This will indicate to your attendee that you have finished. It is okay to place it pointing any position on the plate as long as the utensils are parallel to each other. Source: Eat Drink Play Advertisement KNOW THE BASICS - Commence eating when the host or several others in the group have started it's best to be second to start - Pick up your napkin from the table when the host does - There is no need to refold the napkin at the end of the meal - Hold the cutlery properly fork is in the left hand and knife is in the right hand - Place your cutlery into the resting and finishing positions - Break the bread, butter/ dip in the oil - Take small mouthfuls and finish each one before embarking on the next one - Put others first pass food around, hold dishes and serve others - Do not place mobiles on tables, take phone calls or check your phone under the table Don't ever click your fingers, shout or throw your arms out to get the waiters attention How do you hold a wine glass? Hold all stemmed wine glasses (red, white, etc) towards the base of the stem between your thumb, forefinger and middle finger. You can treat holding and drinking out of stemless glasses just like normal drinking glasses and hold it towards the base. Source: Wine Folly Advertisement BE POLITE AT RESTAURANTS - Call ahead if you are more than 15 minutes late - As the host, arrive early think about best seating positions for your guests - Do not place mobiles on tables, take phone calls or check your phone under the table - When asking or receiving say 'please' or 'thank you' to the waiter - Don't click your fingers, shout or throw your arms out to get the waiters attention - Prepare to pace yourself so as not to be the first or last finished at the table - Do not be tempted to food share or ask for a doggie bag - Learn how to hold the glassware and select the beverages, including choosing the wine - Excuse yourself and use the bathroom for grooming and removing food from teeth - The host who has invited the diners should expect to pay The Sydney School of Protocol hosts 'Dine like a Diplomat' workshops to help people improve dining skills, polish style, improve communication skills and build confidence. It has already been a 2019 to forget for Sajid Javid. Condemned from the Left and Right for manufacturing, then mismanaging, his very own migration crisis. Gleefully lampooned by colleagues for narcissistic self-identification as The Saj. Cut adrift by Downing Street. We dont bother with him and his team any more, a No 10 official told me dismissively. Whenever we phoned, they wouldnt even answer our calls. But as the Home Secretarys numerous critics prepare to anoint the first ministerial sacrifice of the New Year, they are overlooking an inconvenient but significant fact. Sajid Javid is right. He was right to classify the influx of migrants across the channel as a major incident. He was right to say the issue of refugee management is complex. And, most importantly, he was right to draw a clear even harsh distinction between those seeking asylum and those pursuing economic migration. Sajid Javid (pictured above) has been condemned from the Left and the Right for the mismanagement of the migration crisis Of course, being right is not the same as being politically astute. According to the rough and ready rules of Westminster, Javid has committed political suicide by highlighting a problem a problem relating to the most toxic issue of all, immigration without identifying a solution. By giving the opposing battalions of Bleeding Heart and Fortress Britain the opportunity to unite against him. And doing so at the moment the jockeying to replace Theresa May begins in earnest. Indeed, some of the Home Secretarys opponents claim his intervention is a product of his own prime ministerial ambition. Perhaps it is. But he is right all the same. According to the Home Office, more than 500 migrants tried to cross the Channel in 2018, more than 80 per cent of them in the last 12 weeks of the year. They are not coming by ferry or Eurostar, but at night, in boats designed for use on inland waterways, crossing some of the worlds busiest shipping lanes. Yet according to Javids critics, especially those on the liberal Left, this is no big deal. Even highlighting the issue is, they claim, a staggering over-reaction that will only inflame anti-migrant sentiment. So lets picture what will happen the first time one of these desperate journeys ends in tragedy. What those same liberal voices will be saying the moment we see the first small, lifeless body lying beneath the White Cliffs of Dover. Will they shrug and say, Lets not over-react? Will they hell. Earlier this month Sajid Javid met with Border Force staff members at Dover (pictured above) We are indeed facing a crisis, and one with no easy solutions. At least to those still retaining a semblance of reason or humanity. A detention centre on the Isle of Wight, next to one of its jails, was one suggestion from former Ukip, now SDP MEP, Patrick OFlynn. To be fair, it was an improvement on another former MEP Nick Griffins 2009 proposal of sinking a couple of boats off the coast of Libya as a deterrent. Or the idea briefly proposed by David Camerons administration of withdrawing rescue cover entirely from the Mediterranean, in the hope the ensuing deaths would act as a warning to prospective migrants. But while the Home Secretarys critics on the Right long to use walls or machine-guns against those seeking sanctuary, the liberal Left are intent on suffocating them beneath a blanket of misguided compassion and self-righteousness. The most sustained condemnation of Javid followed his statement that those transiting the Channel from France had the opportunity to claim asylum in France, and their failure to do so raised doubts about whether they were a genuine asylum seeker. And once again he was articulating an unpalatable truth. Those migrants who made their way to the coast of France may have experienced inordinate privation and danger. In many instances, their motivation will have been to escape persecution. But when they decided to make the treacherous journey across the Channel, their motivation changed. It may have been economic. Or cultural. The result of some perceived historic affinity. Or a relationship with someone already in the UK. But whatever it was, they were no longer choosing to exchange persecution for sanctuary. Instead, they were choosing to swap one safe haven for another. David Cameron (pictured above) had briefly proposed withdrawing rescue cover from the Mediterranean And that is not how the asylum system works. The rules under the Dublin Protocol are clear. The nation with responsibility for providing safe haven is the one the migrant first enters. Not the one they are eventually transported to by those getting rich trafficking human misery. The liberal Left can opt to make Javid their hate figure of the month. But it will not change the facts. Under Thatcher, Major, Blair, Brown, Cameron/Clegg and May, the story has been the same. Year in, year out, each administration has ruled that the number of genuine asylum seekers is exceeded, usually overwhelmingly, by those whose claims are not valid. Every Home Secretary, of every political persuasion, has agreed with Javid. We cannot simply brush this reality under the carpet. Nor should we try. If we genuinely care about those fleeing persecution, the only practical way to assist them is to maintain the sanctity of the refugee system. And the only way to do that is to ensure that system does not become an alternative pipeline for economic migration. If we cant, or wont because it makes us too uncomfortable, or our dinner-party conversation too awkward so be it. But then we will find misplaced compassion can be as deadly as Nick Griffins gunboats. If people feel the refugee system is broken, then by all means let us look at ways of fixing it. Lets try to negotiate a more equitable distribution of refugees, even though the EUs freedom of movement and Schengen regulations make this very difficult. Lets find ways of providing additional support for refugees closer to their country of origin, or look again at tackling the root causes of the instability that makes them refugees in the first place. But while we debate what the solution could be, we have to be clear about what it cannot be. It cannot be men, women and children being loaded into dinghies in the dead of night, to take their chances in the Channel. Especially when their only navigational aid is a false promise, burnished by us, of a better life. The forces of Bleeding Heart and Fortress Britain have begun 2019 united in condemnation of Sajid Javid. Lets pray it doesnt take a major tragedy to prove they were wrong and he was right. We arent grateful enough for the English Channel. Personally, I give thanks for it every day, but that is because I have been out in the world quite a lot and know just how dangerous our planet is. That short, rough stretch of sea is what has enabled us to create one of the greatest civilisations in human history. It is continuity, stability, peace, mutual understanding and long-accumulated experience that make civilisations. Without them, the most vital ingredient of human society trust cannot develop or flourish. Look at the rest of Europe, unprotected by deep water. Every century or so theres an invasion, or a devastating war in which the enemys armies sweep through, burning, looting and worse. That short, rough stretch of sea is what has enabled us to create one of the greatest civilisations in human history A little further back, and you find vast movements of population, in which people who thought they were safe and settled were displaced or subjugated by stronger, crueller or simply more energetic and hungry peoples. This process hasnt stopped. Chinas neighbours, and minority nations living under Chinas rule, face a combination of ancient ruthlessness and modern secret police efficiency. The Turkic people of Chinas far west, and the Tibetans too, are being rapidly turned into dispossessed, humiliated minorities in their own lands. People who moan constantly about the long-ago misdeeds of the British Empire are strangely silent about Chinas steely modern colonialism. And then there is the vast surge of humans brought about by those three Olympic-standard idiots George W. Bush, Anthony Blair and David Cameron. Their various thought-free, vain adventures and interventions, in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria, have set the whole world on the move towards Europe, from as far east as Kandahar and as far south as the Congo. Migrants after being intercepted by French authorities off the port of Calais on Christmas Day. A lot of people are currently mocking the idea that the migrants making their way across the Channel are an important issue Nobody can blame the migrants for seeking better lives elsewhere, but if they all do so, they will destroy the very thing they are seeking. There has been nothing like it in modern times. If we do not check it, it will transform Europe into somewhere else in two generations. Britain is far better-placed than other countries, thanks to the sea which surrounds us. But salt water alone will not do the job. We have to patrol it and turn back the uninvited. If we do not, the sea becomes an open door, with every beach a port of entry. A lot of people are currently mocking the idea that the migrants making their way across the Channel are an important issue. They say the numbers are small. They were small, too, when they first began to arrive in Greece, in Spain, in Sicily and Malta. A migrant camp in Calais. Nobody can blame the migrants for seeking better lives elsewhere, but if they all do so, they will destroy the very thing they are seeking Then word spread that those seas were open. And the numbers quickly stopped being small. People-smugglers are not fools. They can quickly see and exploit any opportunity. If I had anything to do with it, I would tow them all back to free, democratic France on sight and tell the French (correctly) it was for their benefit too. After all, if they knew they couldnt get into Britain, most of them wouldnt come to France in the first place. And the fact they dont want to stay in France proves they are not refugees, but migrants. But if that doesnt work, perhaps we could copy Australia, and pay (say) Greenland to take them in, unless they agreed to go home, with an absolute guarantee that nobody who arrived here illegally, or was caught trying to do so, would ever be allowed to stay here. Or we can do nothing much, and say goodbye to Britain. Everyone in the Army knows that service recruitment problems began when the job was outsourced to the unloved Capita. But the latest idea, actually begging snowflakes to join up, must be driven by desperation. Why try to hire people as soldiers who dont like fighting? Next, look out for a campaign to recruit people with a fear of flying for the RAF, and people who hate getting wet for the Navy. Or we could just get rid of Capita, and go back to sending recruiting sergeants out into the pubs on a Saturday night. The peaceful drug thats causing carnage Will it ever sink in? The authorities are still trying their best to claim that the knife incident in Manchester was part of some sort of terrorist grand plan. All that spending on security has to be justified somehow. But the suspect has, in fact, been detained under the Mental Health Act. Anyone with his wits about him knows that there are far more crazy people about than there used to be, many of them with knives, and it isnt much of a stretch to connect this with the fact that the police and the courts have given up enforcing laws against marijuana, which some idiots still say is a peaceful drug. Well, not always, I think. Theres been an above-average rise in aggravated assaults and murders in the first four US states to legalise marijuana for recreational use. And Finland and Denmark have recorded significant rises in mental illness since 2000, also following an increase in marijuana use. Cannabis laws, it turns out, dont greatly increase the numbers of people taking the drug. But they do mean that those who do use it, use it more heavily. Amazing that, as the evidence of its danger piles up, we should even be thinking of legalising it here, as the Billionaire Big Dope Lobby wants. I suspect the Tory Party lost the next Election on New Years Day, when huge numbers of railway season-ticket holders in the South East were forced to pay more for less. Many will need to take out loans to find the money for a miserable, disorganised non-service that infuriates its users even more by perpetually offering insincere apologies for things it will do again the next day, and has no intention of putting right. It is only in the South East that railways are so vital. But it is also in the South East that the Tories cannot afford to lose votes. By the way, dont tell me that the railways were worse under BR. I remember BR very well, and its not true. If theyd been given the money squandered on the fly-by-night privateers, theyd have run a decent railway. The chattering classes just love lapping up tripe If I ran a university, I think Id start a course on just how utterly wrong most films are about the past. You could do a whole term on how completely false the new film The Favourite starring Olivia Colman is. It is supposed to be about Queen Anne. Almost everything in it, from the alleged Royal lesbianism to the rabbits and the supposed abduction of the Duchess of Marlborough, is either baseless speculation or totally made up. Yet when I went to see it in a grand university town, the cinema was packed. Is it only same-sex love, the monarchy and the four-letter words that bring the pseudo-intellectual middle classes into the cinema these days? To comment on Peter Hitchens' blog, click here Perry Lee Holt, 70, of South Shore, Kentucky, passed away, Sunday, June 13, 2021, at his home in South Shore. Perry was born March 20, 1951, in Wurtland, Kentucky, a son of the late Lowell and Ruby Roark Holt. He was a member of South Portsmouth Church of Christ, loved the bible and retired The following items are based on information provided by officials in law enforcement and the criminal justice system. In this October 2017 photo, Matthew Pleva works on a mural on the outside wall of the Riverport Wooden Boat School at the Hudson River Maritime Museum on East Strand in Kingston, N.Y. KINGSTON, N.Y. Ulster County Executive Michael Hein has yet to be confirmed to the state post he plans to take, but potential candidates alr The Daily Emerald is the news division of Emerald Media Group, University of Oregons independent student media organization. Ryan Nguyen(541) 346-5511 Ext. 325editor@dailyemerald.com Contributed photo Dale Jackson and his son, Colin, who takes medical cannabis oil as part of his treatment for autism, pose for a photo shortly after Colin started taking the oil in 2016. This was the first time Colin looked into the camera and smiled for a photo, says his dad. The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now. Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market. In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender. India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex. Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted. But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted? Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner. If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems. I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now. I want more variation in masturbation I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own. If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end. What is sex toys for Indian? Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation. It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms. They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable. Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner. The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner. It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past. In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping. Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order. In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing. Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome. Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own. But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance. More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around. Sextoy situation in India Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years. In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India. Mumbai Kolkata Bangalore Delhi Chennai Hyderabad These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India. In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well. If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too. If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it. What are Sextoys for beginner? Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms. Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy. I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion. I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy. If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma. Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it. Advantages of using sextoy for Indians There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways. Can have stimulating sex Can develop new sexual zones If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern. However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways. You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation. Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever. There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure. This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it. When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems. It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms). For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles [Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou... Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India. Sextoy for beginner men in India So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners. For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men! The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men Masturbator Cock rings Love Doll Sex Lubricants Toys for the prostate Lets check each one in detail. Masturbator The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products. It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands. Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands. They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.) Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much. Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! ! Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa SEXToys India PR (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018 Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood. If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ... [For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien... Cock Ring A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis. It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow. It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber. In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection. Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction. It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it. Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time. Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function. Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy. You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect. [Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat... Love Doll Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex. There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women. Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price. The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true. You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste. There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice. You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls. If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to... Sex lubricants Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules. It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution. Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse. There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent. Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent. If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here. What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many... Toys for the Prostate Another sextoy for men is prostate toys. The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line. Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men. Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men. What is the prostate? The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm. You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus. By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms. Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.) The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation. Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure. sextoy for beinner women in India The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy. The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy. Vibrator. Dildo Electric Masserger Lets check out what each one is in detail. If you want to check out womens toys, click here. [BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm... Vibrators A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator. Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy. It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy. Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women. For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators. Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex. Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself. This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual. Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men. When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons. Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most... Dildo A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis. It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass. A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it. They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well. It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device. A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo. Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands. For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis. This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one. To learn more about dildo, please click here. What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th... Electric Masserger A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores. It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low. Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels. Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation. It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure. For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm. It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out. If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager? To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here. What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th... How to choose a sextoy for Indian Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one. Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points: Does the size fit you (the partner)? Does the size fit you (your partner)? Is the environment able to produce sound without problems? Price range First of all, the choice of size is quite important. Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women. For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage. Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems. Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise. If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level. Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it. Finally, there is the price range. The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest. Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy. Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy? I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance. For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics. If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out. How to buy sextoys in India The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping. For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below. Sextoy is one of them. Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping. SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India. They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry. Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card. To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy. ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal. Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on. Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture. Cautions for Indians using sextoy When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind Keep sex toys clean Watch out for electrical leakage Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone. Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there. It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case. In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness. Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful. If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it. You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly. Summary What did you think? In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India. The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future. As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values. However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health. If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try? Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women. I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it. Stay up to date on COVID-19 Get Breaking News Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. The charter school lobby has spent eye-popping amounts in efforts to sway elections and ballot measures across the country in recent years. And their efforts have fallen flat in comparison with grassroots advocacy on behalf of public education. One has to look no further than the teacher walkouts across the country last year to see the stark difference. Teachers, many of whom were forced to hold down several jobs, took to the streets to protest deplorable conditions they and their students endured as a result of political leaders underfunding public schools. They were joined by parents, children and community members. The charter effort, by contrast, is powered by wealthy, out-of-state individuals with little or no connection to public schools spending huge sums of money to buy elections. At the same time, the popularity of charter schools is waning across the country. In California, charter backers spent more than $50 million, first to back Antonio Villaraigosa in his failed primary bid for governor, then to support former charter operator Marshall Tuck in his unsuccessful run for state superintendent of public instruction. These losses follow the embarrassing debacle involving former charter operator and Los Angeles school board member, Ref Rodriguez. He was elected in 2015 in the most expensive school board election in U.S. history, only to step down in 2017 to plead guilty to felony conspiracy charges. Massachusetts also saw an expensive charter lobby defeat. In 2016 charter advocates proposed a ballot measure to expand charters: Question 2. Charter backers poured millions, largely from outside the state, to pass the measure. Community grassroots organizing defeated the measure by a two to one margin- despite being outspent two to one. After the defeat, it was revealed that New York-based charter lobby Families for Excellent Schools (FES), violated campaign finance laws by soliciting dark money anonymous donations. The state campaign finance regulator imposed the largest fine in that agencys history, $426,466, forced FES to reveal its donors, and to refrain from fundraising and election-related activity in the state for four years. FES folded soon after. These charter efforts have similar features: out-of-state large donations by a few donors, including longtime charter advocates and Walmart heirs, the Waltons. Several organizations are active in multiple states, notably Democrats for Education Reform (DFER), a charter advocacy group founded by hedge funders in 2007. The charter lobby also spent unprecedented amounts in these races. After their spectacular public losses, the charter lobby is getting craftier. A recent report by Common Cause and the Connecticut Citizens Action Group reveal some of their newer tactics, but with many of the same backers. The report, Who is Buying Our Education System? Charter School Super PACs in Connecticut continues the work previously done by blogger Jonathan Pelto tracking the influence of charter money. It details the donations and spending of charter Super PACs in Connecticuts recent elections. Super PACs enable individuals and organizations to spend unlimited amounts of money in elections, as long as they do not coordinate this spending with candidates. The report found that since 2016, six Super PACS spent more than half a million dollars in Connecticut elections. These Super PACS are founded and/or dominated by charter lobbyists and employees of charter organizations, such as the Northeast Charter Schools Network, the now-defunct Families for Excellent Schools, ConnCAN, Achievement First charter chain and DFER. Soon-to-be former Gov. Dan Malloy recently joined DFERs board. The majority of the money donated came from outside Connecticut and from a limited number of large donors, the largest being Walmarts Alice Walton. Perhaps because of their very public defeats by grassroots organizing in other states, the charter lobby became more stealth-like. The report notes that these Super PACS conceal their aims by adopting innocuous sounding names, such as Build CT, Leaders for a Stronger CT, and Change Course CT. They spent money primarily on advertising and canvassing. One PAC, Build CT, focused on candidates in safe or unopposed races, including: Stamfords Pat Billie Miller and Caroline Simmons, and Senate Majority leader, Norwalks Bob Duff. The authors suggest this strategy is designed to curry favor with those who will definitely be in power. Last session, Duff unsuccessfully pushed a charter-friendly school funding scheme where local districts would have to pay for charter schools over which they have no say. This report reveals that as charter schools lose popularity in communities across the country, the charter lobby continues to buy political influence. The question is whether legislators will follow the money or the will of the people. Wendy Lecker is a columnist for the Hearst Connecticut Media Group and is senior attorney at the Education Law Center. Contributed Photo / Contributed Photo BRIDGEPORT Details regarding a hit-and-run that killed a pedestrian Friday morning were scarce Saturday. Officials could not be reached to confirm the identification of the victim or the person arrested. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at Bridgeport Hospital after being hit by a vehicle that fled at the intersection of Boston and Kent avenues around 11 a.m. Friday, according to police, who said a suspect was quickly apprehended, and would face charges. The Center for the American Experience, a conservative think tank, recently made a stop in Hutchinson to discuss critical race theory and education. Critical race theory is an academic movement that examines social, cultural and legal issues as they relate to race and racism. How do you feel about critical race theory being taught in schools? Tell us in this week's online reader poll. You voted: Local top story The Plowmans are ready for their next adventure Stephen Wiblemo / File photo Proud parents Kelsa and Ed Plowman were both born and raised in Hutchinson, qualities they plan to pass down to their daughter, Everly Rae Plowman, Hutchinson's first baby of 2019. In a quiet suite tucked away in the back of the Hutchinson Health BirthCare Center, Ed Plowman stood over the crib of newborn Everly Rae Plowman. It seemed like he could hardly stand to take his eyes off his newborn daughter. It was very exciting, mother Kelsa Jo Plowman said Thursday, sitting nearby as she reflected back on the day they first learned of the pregnancy. I peeked around the corner and said, Were pregnant, Kelsa said, and turned to Ed. He had the biggest smile on his face. We wanted to have kiddos so we were very excited when we found out. Several months later, on Tuesday, Jan. 1, the time had finally arrived. Contractions started at 10:30 p.m. the night before, Kelsa, 25, said. We came to the hospital at 2 a.m. on (Jan. 2), Ed, 30, said. More than six hours later, at 8:57 a.m., Everly was born weighing 8 pounds, 2 ounces and measuring 20 1/2 inches. She was Hutchinsons first baby of 2019. The next couple of days were exciting for the young family, but they did their best to keep it quiet and cherish every moment. Their only visitors before the Jan. 3 delivery of a gift bag full of goodies and well wishes from Hutchinson businesses was their parents. Thats all we want so far, Kelsa said. Were enjoying this time with our daughter before it gets crazy. Knowing many nights short on sleep may be ahead, the two are grateful for the help of nurses offering two-hour breaks overnight for them to sleep. They are fantastic here, Ed said. Every single person that has walked in the door here has just been phenomenal. Rewind seven years and life was different for the pair of Hutchinson High School graduates who were born and raised in the community. Its not a very exciting story, Ed said. They met through a group of mutual friends who hung out together, then started dating. The first date? We went and washed your jeep at the Maytag car wash, Kelsa said to Ed. What a date that was, he said with a laugh, washed a vehicle. At the time, they were each attracted to the others positive attitude. Shes very upbeat and just has an aura about her that can bring the best out of people, Ed said. Shes very kindhearted. He makes sure Im always taken care of, Kelsa said. He did that from the very beginning, made sure I have everything I need. (He) also (has) this funny, sarcastic side and he knows how to bring that out in me. Over the past few years they noticed they changed a bit. We were wild and crazy, Ed said. The couple, now married, act about 20 years older than we really are, Ed said. We are the old people in our friend group, Kelsa said. They enjoy quiet evenings at home these days. We are enjoying a change of pace and the next adventure in our lives, Ed said. Were going to raise a child. On Thursday, the immediate plan was to head home Friday. Well break you free there little lady, Ed told Everly as she looked up from the crib. You can escape. Kelsa said as soon as they were home, they expected to have guests eager to meet the new family member. Im sure it will be crazy and hectic this weekend, Ed said. Everyone will be over to see her. Grandparents have already offered to babysit, and joked theyll be so available Everly might get tired of them. Theyre very excited, Kelsa said. Looking ahead, the new parents plan to raise their daughter in Hutchinson, and perhaps a little brother or sister down the road. Kelsa teaches in Litchfield and Ed is a sales manager for a plastics company in Hutchinson. Both of our families are around here, Kelsa said. We love the Hutchinson area, Ed said. James "PA" Smith, 85, was born on Oct. 4, 1935, to Otis T. and Dora Mae Tudor Smith in Fentress County, and passed away on June 12, 2021. He was a farmer by trade and loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchild. He was a m To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. Please click here to learn how. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Please review our list of best credit cards , or use our CardMatch tool to find cards matched to your needs. Want to make 2020 the year that you really level up your rewards travel? Heres a secret: It isnt just about earning more points. If you really want to stretch your rewards for a big travel year, you have to stretch your travel goals. Go further, see more countries, visit destinations you never dreamed possible, check that unattainable trip of your bucket list, and do it all in style. Try these three strategies to get you on your way: See related: Hard-to-reach destinations: How to travel using rewards points 1. Upgrade your bucket list The start to better travel is getting bigger travel goals or simply voicing the ones you are quiet about. You can easily check a Florida family holiday off your list with travel rewards , but what is on your secret dream destination list that doesnt feel practical? Hawaii, Europe, an exotic island, or maybe even a place most people cant locate on a map like Bhutan? For years I wanted to travel to Bora Bora, but I kept it off my list because, as a quintessential honeymoon destination, it seemed like an unrealistic and very expensive destination for a solo traveler. It wasnt until I moved Bora Bora from my unspoken someday to my places I really want to go this year list that my mindset changed to make it happen. Once I started actively trying to get to Bora Bora, I quickly realized how attainable it actually was with rewards points. I used American Airlines miles earned on my Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard to book a partner flight one way with Air Tahiti Nui to get to Papeete (PPT) the gateway to all of French Polynesia and my return flight home with a Hawaii stopover with miles Id banked on the Hawaiian Airlines World Elite Mastercard from Barclays. I even paid for my overwater bungalow at the Intercontinental with points Id been stashing away in IHG while waiting for the right redemption. I had been sitting on a Bora Bora holiday the whole time while telling myself it wasnt possible and taking myself on a honeymoon adventure was an amazing experience! Action: Move your dream trip from your someday list to your to do this year list. See related: Variety of rewards cards helps cover bucket list trip costs 2. Use your points for premium experiences Upgrading your bucket list isnt only about destination its also about upgrading your journey as a whole and there is no better way to do this than flying first-class. If youve always been the person who eyes the spacious seats in the front of the plane with envy as you pass them on your way to the crowded back of the plane, this is the year to move beyond the curtain. Traveling in style is no longer only for the wealthy everyone could use more space, better food and arriving to their destination well-rested. Rewards points do more than help us get places for free, they democratize the travel system. Your stash of points is as valuable as a rich persons stack of cash when it comes to buying up real estate in the lie-flat seats. While a suites-class Singapore Airlines ticket for $25,000 isnt included in the vacation budget for most of us, theres a good chance youve got enough rewards points hoarded away to buy this ticket. When purchased with Singapore Airline miles you can get this $25K flight for a bargain of 118,000 miles. Both Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards programs transfer to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer program at a 1:1 rate. This is very attainable if youre earning in one of these programs on your business transactions with a card such as the Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card or the American Express Business Gold Card. Note that the first-class seats on domestic flights really arent worth the extra points (unless youre flying transcontinentally on JetBlues Mint or Americans three-class service). Where they do matter and hold great value for redemptions is on those lie-flat transatlantic or transpacific flights. And, with the upgraded destination goals youve just made, youre probably going to need one of these flights. Action: If youve never flown business or first-class before, make it a goal to do so on one special flight this year! 3. Hack the elite privileges Go to the front of the line! While there are thousands of life hacks for becoming a better traveler, hacking elite privileges is where you should pay attention. Free hotel status and airline lounge access will affect your travel life much more significantly this year than learning how to roll your clothes smaller to maximize your carry-on space. While airline status still takes lots of work to come by, both airport lounge access and hotel status are easily attainable through credit card benefits. The trick here is to match the benefits your cards offer with what is available at your most frequented airports and hotel groups (or the one youre planning to use on your big trips this year). For years, I flew through Dallas several times a month, so when American Express opened a Centurion lounge in Terminal D, I jumped on The Platinum Card from American Express which I still think is overall the best card for lounge access for frequent travelers. Now that I fly through LAX and Phoenix more often than DFW, however, Ive switched back to the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard for Admirals Club access and Im certain Ive saved at least $1,000 this year in airport food and drink alone, which I didnt have to pay for in transit. The same works for hotels. When I went to the Maldives on my friend Robins rewards trip, we received a great upgrade as well as free breakfast and happy hour every day because of the Hilton Diamond Status shed earned through her credit card spending. The savings from elite benefits alone far outweighed what she paid on the cards annual fee. Once you have identified where youre going to stay for that dream trip, check if there is a credit card for the hotel group that offers a complimentary status level or allows you to spend up to a status level. I mean, if youre going all the way to Bora Bora this year, you might as well be welcomed as an elite member upon arrival. Action: Make sure you have the credit card that matches your big travel goal and check in to your dream trip suite in the elite line. Happy bigger and better travels this year! Parilee King, 93 of Corsicana passed away Monday morning, June 14, 2021 at Legacy West. She was born November 11, 1927. Visitation will be Friday, June 18th from 9 a.m. - 10 a.m. at Griffin-Roughton Funeral Home Chapel with funeral service following at 10 a.m. Burial will be at Oakwood Cemet The following are Christmas and End of Year messages from the Mayors of Cornwall, South Glengarry, North Glengarry, South Stormont, North Stormont, South Dundas and North Dundas as well as MP Guy Lauzon on MPP Jim McDonell. Mayor Bernadette Clement Cornwall I am grateful to have this opportunity at Christmas time, to share some thoughts with my fellow citizens of Cornwall and with our friends and neighbours throughout SD&G and Akwesasne. Try as we might, none of us can predict the future. We can hope that it allows for all of us to fully participate in our wonderful community, but we will need more than hope, so that together we can shape the best future for our region. We need to listen more to one another. Lets actively seek out ideas and encourage everyone who wants to contribute positively to our community. Reaching out, listening, planning and participating are essential ingredients in building a successful and happy place to live. We need to nurture a confidence in ourselves and a strong belief in our ability to achieve remarkable things together. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Joyeux Noel a tous et a toutes! Bernadette Clement Mayor Frank Prevost South Glengarry As 2018 draws to a close, it is time to reflect on some of those initiatives that occurred in the past year that continue to reinforce why the Township of South Glengarry is such a wonderful place to live. Lets start with new playground equipment and a revitalized main street in Martintown, the construction of a new outdoor skating rink, new on-street Christmas lights, a beautiful banner program and the magnificent LAVIII Monument in Lancaster, a new bridge on 3rd Line Road, two new Pumper Trucks for our Fire Services, continued improvements and renovations at the CharLan Arena and Tartan Hall in Williamstown, the implementation of the highly successful Community Improvement Plan and the resurfacing of several Township roads Street, Loyalist and Nine Mile. And all of this achieved with a 2.7% tax rate reduction for our residents. On behalf of Council and staff at the Township of South Glengarry, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. We look forward to also celebrating a wonderful and prosperous 2019 with our residents and neighbours. Sincerely, Mayor Frank Prevost Mayor Jamie MacDonald North Glengarry The festive season is upon us. It is a time for family and friends to reconnect. With the new year approaching it is also a time to reflect on the past year and the year ahead. As the new Mayor in North Glengarry and the Warden for SD &G I am excited for what lies ahead. With new councils come new ideas and fresh perspectives. In both North Glengarry and The Counties we must continue the hard work of the previous four years and build upon it. i Look forward to turning on the taps for water in Maxville in 2019 and preparing for growth. We will lobby for natural gas expansion to our rural areas and continue to fight for our rural schools. In North Glengarry our council will work to ensure our residents are well informed, community engagement is so very important. Take the time to follow both the Counties and the Township on social media platforms to stay up to date. On behalf of the councils of North Glengarry and The Counties I would like to wish every resident a Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year. Jamie MacDonald Mayor Bryan McGillis South Stormont While 2018 may be winding down, the new term of Council is just getting underway. Id like to begin by thanking the residents of South Stormont for their support and confidence in this Council to help make our community all that it can be. We have a lot to be excited about in 2019 in South Stormont, but with that excitement comes a lot of hard work. I believe that we are up for the challenge. We will work toward finding solutions to the low water levels that Lake St. Lawrence experienced in our area; work to attract new business to South Stormont and help our current business community through programs such as the Community Improvement Plan; and work towards improved public engagement and communications with our residents. We have a lot to be proud of in our Township, and Council and Staff look forward to working together to add to the list in 2019. On behalf of my colleagues on the newly-elected Council of the Township of South Stormont, I would like to wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas, and nothing but the best in the new year to come. Mayor Bryan McGillis Mayor Jim Wert North Stormont As another year comes quickly to an end it is time to extend best wishes for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the residents of North Stormont and all our surrounding municipalities. This is a magical time of the year as communities are alive with concerts, dinners and good will. News papers and social media are full of opportunities to see the spirit this season is so famous for. One of our staff in North Stormont, Amy Martin recently sent me this little clip. Residents only get one change every 4 years to pick the Council they want to define their community, but when those same residents volunteer they vote for the type of community they want to live in every day. My hat is off to the countless volunteers who make this season come alive; your commitment truly does help define the communities we live in. All the best in 2019. The Council and Staff of North Stormont Mayor Steven Byvelds South Dundas Christmas is special time of year where we celebrate being with family and friends. It is also a time when we help those who are less fortunate and give them support. On behalf of the Council and staff of the Municipality of South Dundas, I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a most joyous New Year in 2019. Steven Byvelds, Mayor Municipality of South Dundas Mayor Tony Fraser North Dundas My Christmas message to the citizens of North Dundas as well as everyone that lives and works in SDG is that 2018 has been an exciting as well as a challenging year for most of us. The struggles that many of us face with perseverance and courage demonstrates that our spirit and strength of character is strong. The successes that many have achieved is an example of what hard work and determined effort can bring about. The volunteers that are so vitally important to making sure that our communities truly reflect what communities should be, welcoming and supportive, deserve all the thanks and praise given to them and more. I know that my family and I have been truly blessed to be able to live and work in a country that allows us to lead a peaceful, safe and happy life. My Christmas wish is that hope and joy is experienced by all this special season and for everyones great success in 2019. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Tony Fraser, Mayor Township of North Dundas MP Guy Lauzon Stormont, Dundas and South Glengarry Greetings friends, As we close the chapter on 2018 and eagerly look forward to 2019, it gives me great joy to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I have been able to connect with many of your personally over the past year either at my summer BBQ or our Christmas Open House, perhaps while stopping in the office or simply by phone or email. It continues to be a great honour to represent you in the House of Commons. The past few years have been difficult for the Canadian economy and many families have felt the added pressure as the grip on their wallets tightened and they are being forced to make their dollar go further. Now with the Liberal Governments plan to slap on a carbon tax starting in 2019, which will raise the price of everything from home heating and fuel prices, to household goods and groceries, this strain will be felt even further. However there is light on the horizon. Next year Canadians will have the opportunity to elect a new Government to reset Canada on the right path for a brighter future. Andrew Scheer and the Conservative Party will offer Canadians a choice for a more Prosperous Canada, for a Safer Canada. We will focus on restoring fiscal accountability to Canada, massive deficits and debt that weve seen balloon under the Liberals need to stop. We will ensure we put the best interest of Canadians first when negotiating global trade deals, not bowing to external pressure and sacrificing entire Canadian sectors such as agriculture or manufacturing. We will fix the mess that Justin Trudeau made of our immigration system, making sure the most vulnerable people and true refugees are giving priority of those who are illegally entering Canada. I believe that our Government can do better; better for all of us. I look forward to the coming year and hope I have the chance to speak with many of you in the coming months. I wish you, and your families and merry, and peaceful Christmas Season. Guy Lauzon MP Stormont Dundas South Glengarry MPP Jim McDonell Stormont, Dundas and South Glengarry This past year started with a large increase to the minimum wage, which may have raised the income of some, but also eroded the buying power of all, especially those on minimum wage and fixed incomes. As forecast, many jobs were lost, as businesses were forced to cut back or close. Our government has since addressed some of the concerns by eliminating provincial income tax for those making less than $30,000 a year, and not moving forward with the 2019 planned increase to the minimum wage. Once again, I took the opportunity in January to hear our residents during pre-budget consultations. Residents highlighted challenges such as drug coverage, labour reforms, wait times for health-care specialists and long-term care beds, and concerns over rural education and infrastructure. In February, my party pressed the Liberal government to reexamine how they deal with the business sector. Job-creating advocates had severe concerns about the viability of small- and medium-sized businesses. The government was pressed to reduce energy and employment costs, as well as regulatory requirements that were causing excessive start-up delays. This was borne out with a record-breaking loss of 51,000 jobs in January. March was an exciting time for the Progressive Conservatives as we welcomed Doug Ford as our new party and Official Opposition Leader. The opposition criticized the government on its lack of strategic planning, which in turn increased the deficit and doubled our debt. Also in March, Auditor-General Bonnie Lysyk exposed the Liberal governments dire financial picture, showing the governments annual deficit would actually be $4-5 billion higher than forecast. The legislature rose in early May to allow MPPs and candidates to campaign for the provincial election in June. After a well-organized effort by my team, I was grateful and proud to be elected for a third term in a new PC majority government. Our new government was sworn in later that month, and I was honoured to accept the post as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Steve Clark. The Throne Speech revealed the governments priorities, such as ending the York University strike, removing cap and trade, and canceling approximately 800 wind and solar projects that would result in even high electricity prices. We quickly reformed Hydro Ones management and board to turn the page in order to provide relief for consumers. As we quickly resumed the Legislature, our new government took swift action in creating a Commission of Inquiry. A team of auditors scoured the previous governments spending practices and waste. The extraordinary summer session continued with the introduction of the Cap and Trade Cancellation Act. The government also continued its efforts to reel in violence, highlighted by the Toronto shootings in July, with a $25M commitment to the Toronto Police Service. Come September our government rolled up its sleeves to live up to its promise of action by introducing numerous bills that show we are serious about making Ontario Open For Business. An important piece of this commitment was presented via The Better Local Government Act that improved and streamlined the capabilities of municipalities. Our government fulfilled its election commitments by holding consultations on education and the introduction of the Green Energy Repeal Act and Access to Natural Gas. In a strong symbolic gesture in October, the Premier commissioned the signature blue and white Ontario signage at international highway border crossings to proclaim that we are Open For Business. In November, more bad news was received with the announced closure of the Oshawa GM plant. This unfortunate situation exemplified the need for our government to reduce costs for businesses to ensure that people have access to good paying jobs. I personally committed to this philosophy by introducing the Organic Products Act to harmonize organic certification regulations in Ontario to match the federal requirements. It will give both producers and consumers greater confidence when they invest in and purchase Ontarios organic foods. The results of our line-by-line audit revealed some startling realities of Ontarios financial situation. In our Fall Economic Statement, we brought in $3.2 billion of efficiencies, including the reorganization of the five independent officers of the Legislature under the Offices of the Ontario Ombudsman and Auditor General. This action included the movement of the French Languages Services Commissioner, and all its employees, into the Ombudsman Office, as referenced in the Bill, without loss of position or jobs. We were clear to emphasize that these officers will enjoy the increased powers of the Ombudsmans office while controlling costs. In December, the Auditor-General reported more bad news in her annual report as she revealed that the previous government was spending $40 million more per day than it was collecting. Clearly, this could not continue, or it would jeopardize our already strained health and social services and education programs. Our Christmas break was cut short to deal with a strike notice at Ontario Power Generation, which supplies approximately 50 percent of Ontarios electricity through its nuclear, hydroelectric, thermal, and wind facilities. With the support of the Liberal and Green Party members, our government passed Bill 67, the Labour Relations Amendment Act (Protecting Ontarios Power Supply) against the will of the NDP Official Opposition. Without the passing of Bill 67, safety protocols would have required the shutdown of Ontarios nuclear reactors, our main source of power, to commence the following day. Once the shutdown procedure started, it would take more than a week to regain the lost power, forcing brownouts and power outages, affecting our residents and businesses during our coldest time of the year. Im looking forward to enjoying the Christmas season with family, friends, and neighbours. I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and the very best in the New Year. Have a safe and happy time with family and friends. We are analyzing the site. Please wait a few seconds.. Richard Ritchie is the author of The Progress Trust (Without Hindsight: A History of the Progress Trust 1943-2005). He is Enoch Powells archivist and is a former Conservative Parliamentary Candidate. The reading of past debates in Hansard is a salutary exercise. I learnt this in researching my recent history of The Progress Trust where I was constantly impressed by how often political arguments seem to repeat themselves. But no more so than on the question of Europe. Before joining the European Community, the Commons held three debates on the question of principle four, if one includes the debate concerning the Labour Governments refusal to countenance the Schuman plan in June 1950. All of them were considered historic by their participants. The final debate lasted six days (21st 28th October 1971), sitting often until 2am and on one occasion until 7am. In passing, its impossible to ignore changes in Parliaments character between then and now. In 1971, speeches were still of unlimited duration, there were far fewer female contributions, and the Speaker (unlike now) was polite and impartial. The only time a Speaker came near to issuing a rebuke in all these debates was when Selwyn Lloyd on October 27 1971 exploded It is really not tolerable that the Rt. Hon. Member for Leeds East (Denis Healey) should continue to interrupt from a sedentary position. But what strikes one most is how, with hindsight, the inevitability of todays crisis is apparent. The issue of sovereignty was always acknowledged as crucial, and politics took precedence over economics from the start. Moreover, the Commons was always divided on the issue, with a constant sense from opponents of entry that the Government of the day was exceeding its democratic mandate. The debate on the Schuman Plan is instructive, because it shows how the Conservatives were as willing as Labour to say one thing in Opposition, and another in Government. Churchill criticised the Labour Government for its refusal to consider a plan which he himself, as Prime Minister, was to judge unacceptable. The kernel of the argument was whether Schumans plan necessitated a supra-national authority as claimed by Attlee, but denied by Churchill who described it as an odious phrase. And yet, Churchill took Attlees view once he regained office. Incidentally, it was during this debate that Edward Heath made his maiden speech, urging the Labour Government to go into the Schuman Plan to develop Europe and to coordinate it in the way suggested. Heath, at least, was always consistent. The most striking comment was uttered by the left-wing intellectual, Richard Crossman The amount of enthusiasm for federal union in any country is a measure of its defeatism and of its feeling of inability to measure up to its own problems. It was not until Harold Macmillans attempt in 1961 to join the Common Market that the Commons again fully debated the principles involved although only in respect of authorising negotiations. The debate contained many interesting statements, including Macmillans assurance that it is quite unreal to suppose we could be compelled suddenly to accept a flood of cheap labour. Of special relevance to today was the distinction between applying for membership under Articles 237 and 238 of the Treaty of Rome. The Labour Party preferred the latter because it simply meant joining a customs union. But as Macmillan pointed out, this amounted to no more than becoming country members (it was typical of Macmillan to use a club analogy). He continued: it would raise all the same problems without giving us any position in which we could share in the decisions of the Community in all its aspects. In other words, precisely the same objection as is made today of Theresa Mays approach. On the economic side, the debate was between those who feared economic exclusion from a large market, and those who felt this country was betraying its farmers, and the Commonwealth. On the political side, the argument was over sovereignty. Derek Walker-Smith was the main Conservative opponent of entry, urging the Commons to consider the direction and destinations to which membership would lead, and emphasising that for the Community economic union is a prelude to political union. He was not alone in warning of what came to be known as the ratchet effect. The word sovereignty was discussed frequently during this short two debate in August. Its a myth to suppose it was of lesser concern in 1961 than in 1971 or indeed today. And from the start, it was divisive. As the Conservative MP Sir Robin Turton warned, there are hundreds of thousands of Conservatives who hold the views that I hold on sovereignty, and continued I fear that the Government will split not only the Commonwealth but the Conservative Party. Because this attempt to join the Common Market was blocked by de Gaulle, the Commons was never required to debate the actual terms of entry. By the time Harold Wilson launched a second attempt to join the Community in 1967, there was a greater appetite to debate in detail the economic dimension. A three day debate took place between 8th and 10th May, by which time Edward Heath was leader of the Opposition. While resentful of the lack of support offered by Labour to his negotiations in 1961, Heath offered the Government almost unequivocal backing on condition that, as he had stated a few months earlier, Wilsons application was based on full acceptance of the Treaty of Rome, the common external tariff, the abolition of the internal tariff, the common agricultural policy and the movement towards economic union. Wilson opened the debate with a speech lasting nearly one and a half hours, and most of it was devoted to economic matters relating to agriculture, the movement of capital and the Commonwealth. On the political dimension, Wilson was mostly interested in how membership would affect relations with Russia, and issues of peace and security in general. He was less concerned with sovereignty although he did make the extraordinary claim that by far the greater part of our domestic law would remain unchanged after entry. There was also greater concern than in 1961 over the dangers of exclusion. Sir Alec Douglas-Home argued the country is in danger of being put out of business although he conceded that the difficulties of grafting Britain on to a Community which will achieve complete integration by 1970 are much greater than they would have been five years ago. By 1967, immigration was also a much bigger issue than in 1961, but this did not prevent Wilson from echoing Macmillan in his emphasis that the Government do not believe that there is likely to be any large net increase in the number of EEC nationals coming here to work. Backbenchers of both parties preferred to debate the issues of principle. Duncan Sandys, for example, was the precursor of Michael Heseltine in arguing that in this age of super-states, Britain by herself is no longer in a position to exercise any really effective influence in international affairs. Socialists such as Michael Foot feared a capitalist conspiracy (just as Corbyn does today). Internationalists argued that internationalism does not reside behind tariff walls. And it was the Ulster MP Captain Lawrence Orr who expressed most succinctly the sovereignty concern: It is a loss of sovereignty which can never be regained. Once we sign the Treaty and are in, every kind of sanction could be used against us, and would be used against us, if we sought to abrogate it. The Labour MP Manny Shinwell urged that more attention be paid to what is being said on the other side, on the Continent, a warning ignored by the Foreign Secretary, George Brown, who stated we expect to get in. But what distinguished this debate from its equivalent six years earlier was that Conservative opponents of entry tabled their own critical amendment, albeit unsupported by the official Opposition. While only 26 Conservatives supported the rebel amendment (although 62 MPs voted against the application itself), it was the first manifestation of divisions to come. Before leaving the 1967 debate, the temptation to quote Percy Grieve, Dominic Grieves father, is too great to resist in illuminating the family atmosphere in which his son grew up: The changes in law resulting from accession to the Community would not affect the ordinary man or woman in this country, who simply would not realise the changes resulting in the laws dealing with commerce and restrictive practices. Everyone was agreed that the final debate of principle, in 1971, was different from its predecessors because here Parliament was asked to approve a final decision to join the European Communities on the basis of the arrangements which have been negotiated. Inevitably, therefore, the debate was not just about the principle but also the terms of entry. The consequence of this was an inordinate amount of time was taken up by a boring quarrel between the two front benches as to whether Harold Wilson and the Labour Party had again changed their minds and could have negotiated something better. Wilson denied the former, and asserted the latter. Heath and the Conservatives in turn accused Wilson of subterfuge and lack of principle. It was a forerunner of what we are seeing today. Wilson had no more chance of winning better terms in 1971 than Corbyn has in 2019. But the farce of pretending otherwise has to be enacted, while the issues of principle are evaded. However, a six day debate afforded plenty of opportunity to debate every angle, and the arguments expressed on this occasion retain a resonance for us today. Dennis Healey described the debate as the end of the beginning of an argument which has lasted for more than 15 years. Peter Shore put it better in saying I sense that neither here nor in this country are we at the end of this great debate but rather at the beginning. When it came to the economic dimension, the quarrel was over familiar ground, although regional policy had assumed greater importance for Labour because of its radically different approach. Also, this debate contained for the first time detailed discussion over Britains net contribution to the EEC Budget, which the Government was keen to downplay but where Labour was ultimately vindicated culminating in Margaret Thatchers struggle to reduce this countrys net contribution in 1984. Nevertheless, much of this argument was about statistics, growth rates and forecasts about which, like today, neither side had any justification for certainty. One could almost substitute the numbers cited then for the numbers extrapolated now, and be none the wiser. As in 1967, for Sir Alec Douglas-Home the question was simple: Where do we find the jobs for our people unless we take advantage of an opportunity like this? But the political implications were not to be crowded out by disputes over the terms or economic projections. These implications now included to a greater extent than before the issue of defence, as Heath was suspected by an increasingly unilateralist Labour Party of planning an Anglo-French nuclear force. Essentially, the sovereignty argument was still between those who, like Keith Joseph, believed it will never be requisite upon us once we are in the Community to take any decisions, or to join in any decision, against our national interest; and those like the Labour MP Michael English who pointed out that if every member of the Cabinet had a right of veto, there would be no Cabinet decisions. A Conservative MP called Peter Trew predicted The British people could find themselves on a bandwagon travelling in a direction not of their choosing and at a speed which they could not control. Tony Benn argued that defence and foreign policy are to be put in for harmonisation with tariffs and taxation. Derek Walker-Smith referred to the new fashionable expression of elitism and concluded If this is the product of elitism government by community decree, with Parliament a rubber stamp new elitism is old autocracy writ French. If this is elitism, then give me democracy. So, what are the main lessons of these debates for todays MPs? It was Benn who said in the debate: I think that history is unlikely to confirm any of our certainties expressed, and that what the historians will want to know is how deeply we thought about the possibilities. Events have occurred which were not fully perceived. Perhaps the most important is the unification of Germany and the break-up of the Soviet Union. The second is the enlargement of the EU. It is harder now than then to argue that the EU does not embrace most of Europe. Another development not fully acknowledged was Scottish nationalism, although the Tory MP Lieutenant Colonel Colin Mitchell (known to his contemporaries as Mad Mitch) got it right when he argued that nation states are being eroded, but are being eroded not only from above but from below as well, and with the weakening of nation states there are supra-national groupings and sub-national independence movements. The Northern Ireland border was hardly discussed, although Stanley McMaster, the Unionist MP for Belfast East, feared the movement of labour from Eire to Ulster. But just as striking are the similarities. For example, then as now there was concern over Britains influence in any alternative grouping. The Labour MP Ronald Brown, who was George Browns younger brother, stated I object to this country joining any grouping (such as EFTA) in which we have a subordinate role. This is the great value of our joining Europe, that we will be on equal terms with our partners. This is precisely what is argued by todays critics of Norway-plus and its variations. It was also frequently argued that the Government failed to listen to the Community. One cant help wondering whether it would not have been better for everyone if the advice of people of some authority in the Common Market, quoted by George Brown in 1961, had been followed: If you are coming in believing that this is no more than an economic arrangement, we would much rather that you did not come in. Finally, there is the issue of public consent. There were just as many complaints then as now over the Governments attempts to influence public opinion and the illegitimate use of taxpayers money. There were frequent calls for either a general election or a referendum. Benn again put it best when he said There are such sharp differences of opinion within each party that it would not be possible to decide the issue at a general Election, even if the leadership of the two major parties were taking contrary views. That was the dilemma then, as it is today. Parliament and Parties have always been divided on this issue. Sovereignty was always the key concern, despite arguments over its meaning. The question now is whether those divisions within the Conservative Party which have been apparent ever since Macmillan made his first application (and before) are finally bringing about its destruction. If so, nobody can say they werent warned. Mays chicken game with MPs. As the Commons returns, who will squawk first? 1) Her deal. Will she seek a future vote? A written assurance? Officials are reportedly drawing up a possible Commons amendment to the Brexit vote which would give Parliament the right to serve notice to the EU of an intention to quit the backstop after one year if Brussels fails to agree a trade deal with the UK that would resolve the issue. Meanwhile, Mrs May is also seeking a written guarantee from the EU that a trade deal can be agreed within 12 months of the transition period ending. But former Brexit minister Steve Baker rejected the proposals, saying they were a tedious and desperate attempt to rescue an salvageable deal. Sun on Sunday 2) Will she gamble on Blairite and Brownite Labour MPs eventually abstaining? This newspaper understands that senior Tory figures were in contact with Labour MPs over the Christmas period, with begging calls even being made late on Christmas Eve in some cases. Concessions on workers rights are believed to have been offered in an attempt to garner Labour backingTory whips are plotting a backbench amendment to the vote pencilled in for January 15 or 16 which would order yet more talks between Mrs May and the EU. That would further delay the main vote on Mrs Mays deal. Mail on Sunday 3) The Alan Partridge strategy. Will Barwell and Gibb hold secret trysts with friendly MPs in budget hotels? 4) Will the Commission concede? Will Varadkar fold? With that in mind they are meeting up to 60 Midlands MPs on Tuesday, including the Tory Caroline Spelman and Labours Jack Dromey, who have urged the government to rule out a no-deal Brexit amid concerns about the Jaguar Land Rover plant in Solihull.In what one insider has dubbed the Alan Partridge strategy, the prime ministers team is considering holding meetings outside Westminster to build trust in motorway hideaway hotels like the one where the fictional radio presenter once lived. There are a lot of motels and [budget hotels] where you could meet anonymously, a source said. Sunday Times The Sunday Times has learnt that Irelands ambassador had approached a senior cabinet minister before Christmas and said the EU would offer a prize on the backstop if it was convinced that May would actually win the vote. Irish political grandees are now said to be telling Varadkar that his approach risks causing economic disaster because most of Irelands trade goes through the UK. The message is, Well done, youve driven a hard bargain but you need to be careful because if this goes wrong it will be a disaster for Ireland, a British source revealed. Sunday Times 5) Or will she simply take the path of least resistance and postpone the vote? Theresa May is poised to play for time by further postponing a final vote on her Brexit deal next week. The Prime Ministers aides are believed to be drawing up a plan to make MPs approval of the deal conditional on the European Union providing further concessions. The move is intended to help limit the scale of opposition to the vote, while buying time amid ongoing negotiations with European Union leaders. Sunday Telegraph Theresa May: My deal is best for Britain and will help boost the NHS Meanwhile, Corbyn runs the clock down too. And the Observer has its weekly pro-Second Referendum push. MPs must ask themselves three things. Does the deal I have negotiated deliver on the result of the EU referendum by taking us out of the EU and restoring sovereign control over our borders, laws and money? Does it protect the jobs our constituents rely on to put food on the table for their families and the security co-operation that keeps each one of us safe? Does it provide the certainty that citizens and businesses have every right to expect from those who govern and represent them? I believe my deal does all of those things. Mail on Sunday A Labour spokesperson said: As unanimously agreed at conference, if Theresa Mays botched Brexit deal is voted down in parliament then a general election should be called. In line with the policy agreed at conference, if the Conservatives block a general election then we will keep all options on the table, including the option of campaigning for a public vote. There is huge pressure on Jeremy Corbyn and the PM as MPs prepare to return after the Christmas break, with the crucial vote on Mays deal scheduled for a week on Tuesday. Observer Yes, Corbyn will lose if doesnt back a second referendum Peter Kellner, Observer No, Corbyn will lose if he backs a second referendum Stephen Bush, Sunday Times Labour Chair Lavery opposes a second referendum Sunday Telegraph Jenrick claims that McDonnell wants to put up levies on flying and increase rates on alcohol in the departure lounge Mail on Sunday > Today: Richard Ritchie on Comment: Brexit. Four great Commons debates that show how we got here and whats at stake. Rudd to pause Universal Credit rollout and overhaul the scheme Truss latest: she hints at HS2 review Amber Rudd, work and pensions secretary, is to scrap plans for an imminent parliamentary vote allowing 3 million existing welfare claimants to be transferred to the controversial universal credit system. The move is expected to be part of a major rethink designed to quell concerns about the programmes roll-out and avoid a damaging Tory rebellion. Rudd will now seek approval from MPs only for a pilot scheme that transfers just 10,000 people from the old to the new system a system that has been blamed for pushing some to the brink of destitution. Only after the pilot has been assessed will MPs be asked to approve the full roll-out. Observer Liz Truss, who is leading a major review of Government spending this year, says she will examine all major investment projects funded by Whitehall to judge their contribution to prosperity. The announcement is likely to be welcomed by Tory MPs opposed to controversial projects such as the 56 billion HS2 rail line. In an article hailing The Telegraphs bold campaign for a greater defence of free markets, Ms Truss, seen as a possible contender for the Tory leadership, says Brexit should be used as an opportunity to give voters more control over their lives. Sunday Telegraph Give back control to the people Liz Truss, Sunday Telegraph Next Tory Leader shocker: YouGov Poll suggests Party members are even more Brexit-focused than does ConHomes survey. Johnson, Rees-Mogg, Davis top the list. It has also emerged that Tory party members are favouring leading Brexiters as their preferred candidates to replace May. Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees-Mogg and David Davis are top of the partys grassroots list. The next leader is likely to take the lead role in negotiating Britains long-term trading relationship with the EUThe cluster of Brexiters at the top of members wishlist is the latest sign of pressure May faces from the right. After May pledged not to fight the next election as leader, Tory members were asked to name their preferred successor by the Party Members Project, run by Queen Mary University, London, and Sussex University. Observer > Today: ToryDiary Testing our survey against the latest polling of Party members. New evidence on Next Tory Leader. Javid wants to toughen asylum rules The Home Secretary has asked officials to examine how existing rules could be toughened to turn away individuals who failed to claim asylum in the first safe country they entered after leaving their home states. The move, which is expected to be announced this week, is likely to be welcomed by Conservative MPs who praised comments by Mr Javid last week in which he questioned whether scores of migrants crossing the English Channel were genuine asylum seekers. But it is likely to further anger the Home Secretarys critics, including the Labour front bench, who claimed his comments suggested he wanted to send away genuine refugees. Sunday Telegraph Javid: well-placed in the ConHome survey, under fire from fellow Ministers Adam Boulton, Sunday Times Number Ten hates the Home Secretary Dan Hodges, Mail on Sunday Ridiculous Tory leadership class war story: The Comprehensive-educated Saj v The Etonian Johnson v the Carthusian Hunt v The Dominic Grammar-schooled Raab V Andrea Tonbridge Girls School Leadsom v[we just cant bear to quote any more] Mail on Sunday Javid v Williamson v Hunt v selfish May who undermines them all Janet Daley, Sunday Telegraph Who is Javid? Sun on Sunday The difference between legal and illegal migration matters Dia Chakravarty, Sunday Telegraph Hancock nanny state halfway house Matt Hancock, the health secretary, has ordered an end to nanny state nagging of the entire population because the messages do not work and irritate people who live healthy lifestyles. Public Health England will instead be told to target those who are obese, smokers and people who drink to excess. In an interview with The Sunday Times he revealed he had ordered the Whitehall behavioural insights team known as the nudge unit to advise on ways of persuading people to live more healthily. Sunday Times Other Ministers and news: > Yesterday: ToryDiary May must ensure that increases in NHS spending are tied to outcomes The Speaker is on his last warning They will debate changes recommended in a report by ex-judge Dame Laura Cox. Some MPs are ready to back calls for parliamentary standards commissioner Kathryn Stone to probe complaints dating back over seven years without the standards committees approval. This could mean an investigation into Mr Bercow if a complaint is made. A source said: The Speaker is on his last warning. One false move and well have him. Mr Bercow has denied bullying allegations. Sun on Sunday Norman Scott says that Wilson, Callaghan, Thatcher, Major, Blair, Brown, Cameron and May together with 18 Home Secretaries and eight Metropolitan Police Commissioners have all helped to cover up the truth behind his attempted murder Sun on Sunday And finallyOfficial estimate says Peoples Vote march was attended by 250,000 people, not 700,000 as the organisation claimed The Peoples Vote website states: On October 20th, over 700,000 people marched from Park Lane to Parliament, demanding their future back. But following a request under the Freedom of Information Act, Scotland Yard has now told The Sunday Telegraph: The Greater London Authority (GLA) has included an estimated attendance figure of 250,000 in a debrief document. It added: Please note this is not a Metropolitan Police Service estimate as we have not recorded an estimated attendance figure for the march. Sunday Telegraph Jennifer Bailey/Commercial-NewsDanville Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. works in his office at city hall. The year ahead for the city will see a mayor elected in April, a different Fair Oaks public housing complex with fewer buildings, the possible return of city positions and progress on other projects. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Dorothy B. Hamand, 88, of Georgetown, passed away at 11:30am, Monday, May 10, 2021, at OSF Sacred Heart Medical Center, Danville. She was born on September 13, 1932, in Rockville, Indiana the daughter of Emanuel and Rose {Milikin} Gubser, both deceased. She was married to Maynard Hamand on N Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Special needs service at First United Methodist Church welcomes all ages and abilities National Security Advisor John Bolton speaks to reporters as he announces that the U.S. will pull out of a treaty with Iran during a news conference in the White House briefing room in Washington, October 3, 2018. The U.S.'s planned drawdown of troops in Syria will be conditioned upon an agreement with Turkey that protects Kurdish fighters in the region who have been pivotal to battling ISIS, White House national security advisor John Bolton said on Sunday. Speaking to reporters in Jerusalem during a visit to Israel and Turkey, intended in part to reassure allies amid criticism over the White House's Syria decision, Bolton fielded numerous questions about Washington's support for its Kurdish partners, and the U.S.'s plans to reduce its footprint in the strife-torn country. He described the stipulation as President Donald Trump's official position. The Kurds have been steadfast local allies in the fight to repel Islamic State (IS) in Syria. Trump's surprise decision last month to pull 2,000 U.S. troops from the country unsettled America's partners, leaving the Kurds especially vulnerable to Turkish attack or a takeover by the regime of Syrian President Bashar al Assad. "We don't think the Turks ought to undertake military action that's not fully coordinated with and agreed to by the United States at a minimum, so they don't endanger our troops," Bolton said on Sunday. In addition, Turkey must "meet the president's requirement that the Syrian opposition forces that have fought with us are not endangered." Bolton added that Trump is fully committed to the fight against terror, and as such "wants the ISIS caliphate destroyed." On Monday, the White House's top national security official is expected to travel to Turkey for talks with Turkish officials about their aims and capabilities in combating IS. The announcement shows how much Apple is changing, and how it's working closer with one-time rivals to bring its services to more people. Apple announced a partnership with Samsung, one of its fiercest rivals, on Sunday morning. Soon, customers who owns select Samsung smart TVs will be able to access iTunes movie and TV content. AirPlay 2 support will let iPhone and iPad owners send content from their screens to the TVs, too. For most of this decade, the two companies have been the top two smartphone makers in the world by market share, with Samsung usually on top. (Recently, Huawei usurped Apple's number-two spot). The two companies battled it out in court for years, with Apple accusing Samsung of ripping off its ideas and violating its patents. Most of those battles have been settled. At the same time, Samsung also provides Apple with key components, such as screens and other hardware, for devices including the iPhone and iPad. For the last couple years, Apple has been placing more importance on its services business, which continues to grow while iPhone sales plateau. Apple CEO Tim Cook said last week in his revised outlook that services generated $10.8 billion in fiscal Q1 and that Apple plans to double the size of its service business from 2016 to 2020. "We look forward to bringing the iTunes and AirPlay 2 experience to even more customers around the world through Samsung Smart TVs, so iPhone, iPad and Mac users have yet another way to enjoy all their favorite content on the biggest screen in their home," said Eddy Cue, senior vice president of Internet Software and Services at Apple, in a press release announcing the deal. Apple hasn't announced it yet, but it's largely expected to launch a TV service that combines free and paid content later this year. A partnership with Samsung could help it get that service in front of more eyeballs, including people who might not own Apple phones or tablets. Tim Cook, Chief Executive Officer of Apple Inc., takes a selfie with a customer and her iPhone as he visits the Apple Store in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., March 27, 2018. John Gress | Reuters Apple has a growth problem. With no game-changing product on the horizon (that we know of), it might finally make sense for Apple to acquire a company that can give it renewed life and change its Wall Street narrative. This would be highly unusual for Apple. More bluntly, it would be unprecedented. Apple ended the fourth-quarter with $237.1 billion in cash on hand and $130 billion in cash. Yet the company's largest acquisition ever was just $3 billion its 2014 deal for Beats Electronics, the headphone-maker and streaming music company founded by rapper and producer Andre Young (Dr. Dre) and music executive Jimmy Iovine. The company has lost more than $450 billion in market value since Oct. 3. Slowing demand for iPhones and worse-than-expected sales in China led the company to lower its revenue forecast for the first quarter by as much as $9 billion. Shares fell the most in six years yesterday. Recently, CNBC asked a handful of Wall Street bankers if they thought Apple would finally make an acquisition of significance, given the company's recent woes. To a person, the answer was no. It's not in Apple's DNA, they said. There are too many cultural challenges with buying a large company for Apple, they said. Apple would get torched by the market for doing a big deal now after losing hundreds of billions in market value, they said. But, some said it feels like Apple should buy something even if it probably won't. CEO Tim Cook told CNBC's Josh Lipton on Wednesday that the door on a large acquisition wasn't entirely shut. "We look at many, many companies including very large companies," Cook said. "We've elected so far not to do those because we haven't found one that we say, 'wow, that's a nice intersection with Apple.' But I'd never rule it out." So what would make sense for Apple? Here are some ideas from bankers. Salesforce Apple isn't really in the enterprise software game. Buying Salesforce, known for its customer-relationship management cloud-based software, would change the narrative around Apple. The company would shift from being a consumer-focused hardware designer to a business-focused, software-as-a-service provider (as well as a consumer-focused hardware designer). That sounds a bit off-focus for Apple. But maybe off-focus is what Apple wants if it needs to sell a growth story for investors. Salesforce sales jumped 26 percent from a year earlier in its most recent quarter. Annual revenue topped $10 billion as company sales have consistently grown more than 20 percent each year. Salesforce has a market capitalization of more than $100 billion. Apple's current market valuation is about $700 billion. A deal would be a huge bet even for one of the world's largest companies. Apple sales are still growing they were up 20 percent last quarter. But the downward revenue guidance could lead to diminished growth in 2019. And Apple has recently entered some partnerships with enterprise companies, including Cisco and IBM. Apple has a history of partnering before moving on its own. It worked with Motorola in 2005 to release the Rokr E1, the first iTunes phone, before launching the iPhone in 2007. Salesforce did flirt with selling to Microsoft back in 2015. But it was a much smaller company then, with a market capitalization of about $50 billion. It's unclear if Salesforce co-CEO Marc Benioff is still interested in selling, but any public company has to take an offer seriously. Amazon, Google and Microsoft are all in the enterprise software business. Those companies do a lot of other things too. A departure from Apple's core competencies might be rewarded by the market instead of shunned. Disney Apple is going to launch a new digital video service this year, which will give its mobile device owners some free content and the right to buy subscriptions to existing media channels, similar to Amazon's Prime Video Channels, according to people familiar with the matter. But if Apple truly wants a leg-up in original content, buying Disney would be the biggest move it could make. Of course, Disney is trying to complete a $71 billion deal of its own (though that could be $30 billion less or more after selling its Sky stake to Comcast and divesting Fox's regional sports networks). And Disney already has an enterprise value of more than $180 billion. With a premium, that could make a deal the largest transaction of all time. Still, the ties between Apple and Disney go way back. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was on the Disney board for years and was CEO of Pixar until he sold it to Disney. Apple's concerns about having family-friendly content for its video service jive with Disney's brand. If AT&T was willing to spend $104 billion, including debt, on Time Warner, would Apple spend well over $200 billion for Disney? Apple did investigate buying Time Warner back in 2016, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Maybe it's just been waiting for the right time to pounce on Disney. And at 67, Bob Iger can't stay CEO forever. Then again, because of Apple's size, a deal for Disney could be a tough sell for regulators, even if the companies don't really compete. Antitrust lawyers are probably rooting for this option. Tesla Her advice for workers interested in landing a job at an organization like Facebook is to focus on skills and apply even if your resume does not exactly match the job description. "We actually value skills over experience in the grand scheme of things," she says. "Apply if you have the relevant skills even if you don't have the right experience, because we're looking underneath the surface for what's really going to matter here and that's what skills you can bring to the table." LinkedIn recently analyzed hundreds of thousands of job postings in order to determine which skills companies need most in 2019. They found that employers are looking for workers with both soft skills and hard technical skills and matched these skills with LinkedIn Learning courses that are free for the month of January. Here are the 5 most in-demand soft skills in 2019: Here are the 5 most in-demand hard skills in 2019: When Angel Sanchez was incarcerated for gang-related charges, he debated Cubans who had fled the country about the merits of communism versus capitalism. "As a teenager who has been in prison and has grown up in troubled neighborhoods and has always been on the other side of the law, there was always this rebellious nature," Sanchez said. "So communism seemed popular because it was the anti-establishment." After he got his hands on an old Introduction to Business book, his perspective shifted. "One of the reasons I'm very passionate about college education in prison is because of the transformative power of it," Sanchez said. Sanchez is now a second-year law student at the University of Miami, and was an advocate for Amendment 4 in Florida's midterm election, which granted more than 1 million former felons their right to vote. Watch the video above to hear how his perspective on capitalism changed while in prison. WATCH BELOW: Florida re-enfranchised more than 1 million former felons with the passage of Amendment 4 Gyms and wellness centers have been ramping back up for months. As of June 2, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine dropped all COVID-19 protocols, excluding nursing homes and assisted living communities. That has opened the door for gyms to fully reopen while implementing their own protocols. Perry County Republican Larry Householder is within two votes of the 50 he needs to be elected the Ohio Houses speaker on Monday, Householder said Friday night. Im about two votes short, he said. The other contender, Gallia County Republican Ryan Smith, speaker from last June through December, couldnt be reached for comment. Assuming Householder does woo the two additional votes he needs, he would serve as the Ohio House speaker through December 2020, when he could seek a fourth and final House term and presumably another term as speaker. Householder was also House speaker from 2001 through 2004, when term limits retired him from the House. Householder said some House Democrats are among those who are supporting him. Householder said hes calling for House rules changes to make it easier for rank-and-file members to shape legislation. One rule change: making it harder for committees to table (kill) amendments a committee member proposes. Another rule change: to make it easier for House members to offer floor amendments when the House is debating. Under current rules, a House member must submit proposed amendments to a bill at least two hours before the beginning of the House session thatll debate the bill. Householder said that, as speaker, addressing school funding will be a priority. The DeRolph lawsuit that in 1997 found Ohios current school funding system unconstitutional originated in Householders home county, Perry. Before Householder revealed his tally Friday, a Democrat could, in theory, have become the Houses speaker given the Republican split between Smith and Householder. That did happen in 1935, when an Ohio House with a 68-67 GOP majority (the House had more seats then) elected Ashland Democrat J. Freer Bittinger speaker; two House Republican rebels voted for Bittinger (1886-1947). The Ohio Senate presidency (held by Medina Republican Larry Obhof) is the speakerships parliamentary equal. But the speakership, which dates to 1803, has been far more visible than the Senate presidency, which in its present form dates to 1979. Larger-than-life Vern Riffe, House speaker from 1975 through 1994, made speaker a synonym for power. A bill will never come to a vote in the House unless the speaker lets it. Thats the power Householder held from 2001 through 2004, the power Smiths held since June, power that can make or break a lobby, a cause, or a government agency. This year and next, Ohios 99-seat House will be composed of 61 Republicans and 38 Democrats. To become speaker, a House member must win 50 votes. If that doesnt happen on the first roll call, the House votes up to nine more times till someone does capture 50 votes. If no one does, then, on the 11th roll call, a House member need only win a plurality to become speaker. On June 6, Smith, of Gallia Countys Bidwell, won 44 votes on the 11th roll call, and thus became speaker. He succeeded Clinton County Republican Cliff Rosenberger, whod resigned April 12 in the wake of a federal investigation. The reason Ryan Smith didnt win a House majority June 6? Because Larry Householder and his allies want Household to be speaker again. Add this years complications: First, the Senates Obhof and the Houses Smith have said, in so many words, that Republican Gov. John Kasichs administration tended to tell, rather than ask, GOP legislators to vote as Kasich wished. Legislative touchiness spawned during the Kasich era could make it harder for new Gov. Mike DeWine to pass his program. Second, by March 15, DeWine must propose a state budget for the two years thatll begin July 1. In June, after the House, Senate and conference committee stage their customary theatrics, the budgets real deciders the governor, House speaker and Senate president determine whatll be in the budgets final version. That highlights why the speakership has so much clout: Budgets customarily originate in Ohios House, so the House speaker gets the first crack at reshaping what a governor proposes. If that isnt clout, the word has no meaning. Thomas Suddes, a member of the editorial board, writes from Athens. To reach Thomas Suddes: tsuddes@cleveland.com, 216-999-4689 Have something to say about this topic? Use the comments to share your thoughts. Then, stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using the Follow option at the top of the comments, and look for updates via the small blue bell in the lower right as you look at more stories on cleveland.com. CLEVELAND, Ohio About a year ago, Deonna Moore Taylor started a group to support and mentor women who are or aspire to be community leaders. That mission changed on Nov. 17, 2018. As Taylor prepared to serve as the matron of honor in a friends wedding, she got a call. Lance killed her, the friend said. I didnt want you to hear it on Facebook. The friend was talking about Aisha Fraser. The 45-year-old Shaker Heights elementary school teacher already had survived one brutal attack from Lance Mason in 2014. The former county judge served a nine-month prison sentence, and Fraser divorced him. The next attack, Fraser didnt survive. Mason stabbed her as she dropped off their two young daughters for a visit, police said. Hes been indicted for Frasers murder and has pleaded not guilty. Taylor said she didnt know how she got through that wedding. All she could think was, Another sister is gone. Just over a week later, Taylors high school friend Rebecca Pletnewski and her 8-year-old daughter were killed by a neighbor after Pletnewski refused his advances. My sorrow became outrage, Taylor said. She wondered: What are we doing as women to protect each other? Taylor brought that question Saturday to more than 50 women gathered for the Sister2Sister Justice for Our Sisters forum at the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Library The forum was sponsored by Conversation & Leadership, part of the the LeaderStyle Lifestyle Movement Taylor had founded. First, though, there were stories to tell. Intimate stories. Deeply personal stories from women who were victims and who became survivors. Stories like Luciana Gilmores. Gilmore was already a success story by most standards. For 16 years she was an educator, and then a successful principal at John Adams High School. Then, for some reason, she started to reflect on her childhood. I didnt want to [dwell on that]. I wasnt that girl anymore, she said. But flashes of the domestic violence she witnessed and abuse in her home kept surfacing: Hearing her mother cry for help. Running to call the police. Officers seeming disinterested. It was scary for me, she said. I lived a scared life. Gilmore said she realized that as an adult she was still living scared moments triggered by what she saw and experienced growing up. She thought shed broken the cycle, but she had not. At first, she was worried about speaking up and concerned about how it might reflect on her mother, who, like many, didnt realize the lasting imprint on her children. A few months ago, she heard the 9-1-1 call made after Fraser was stabbed. In the background she heard the voices of Frasers two frightened daughters, ages 8 and 11, who had witnessed what happened to their mother. It touched my soul, she said. Because that could have been me. Today, she said shes still a representation of that little girl. By grace, she said, Ive been able to take my scars and polish them up. As part of her mission, shes now an entrepreneur with a greeting card line and a mission to inspire stronger mother-daughter relationships. Its time, Gilmore told the group, to also work collectively to keep girls and women safer from domestic violence and sexual abuse. The room was full of women with similar stories. Some had survived sexual abuse ignored by their mothers or family members. Others had lost their daughters to murder. Deonna Moore Taylor opens the Sister2Sister: Justice for Our Sister's forum with a line-up of panelists from the community that included domestic violence and abuse survivors, community experts and activists. After two hours of stories pouring out, Danita Harris, a longtime WEWS-TV anchor and womens empowerment activist, moderated a panel that explored what needed to happen next, from legislative changes to how women, in their own homes and circles could push past stigma to better support each other. Harris also hosted a town hall forum following Frasers death. Saturdays forum was the first step, Taylor said. Another event, with an action agenda, will be scheduled soon. Today is bringing everything to the surface so when its time, we can roll up our sleeves and get things done, she said. Florida, FL (34429) Today Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low near 75F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low near 75F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. A former Fort Bend substitute teacher who applied to teach English for the Islamic State overseas has reportedly been captured in Syria by Kurdish rebels. Warren Christopher Clark, 34, who used the nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Ameriki, along with five other alleged ISIS supporters, including another American man, an Irish man and two Pakistanis, according to an online news release Sunday from the Syrian Democratic Forces. A letter ostensibly written by Clark offering his service to the Islamic State was previously obtained by a team of sleuthing counterrorism scholars at George Washington University. Rarely are ISIS sympathizers so formal in their offers of support, said Seamus Hughes, a counterterrorism expert at GWUs Program on Extremism, who previously served as senior counterterrorism advisor for the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. According to a resume previously obtained by the university scholars, Clark graduated from the University of Houston just over a decade ago and was a substitute English as a Second Language teacher in Fort Bend for more than a year before he moved onto similar assignments in Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Hughes said in an online post Sunday that Clark appeared most interested in helping support the Caliphate a utopian state building project unlike some Americans, who sought to join the jihadists in combat after viewing brutal images of civilians impacted by bombings by the Assad regime. Military officials with Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS militants in Iraq and Syria, knew about the SDF release, but were unable to confirm whether it was accurate, according to Stars and Stripes. The incident is under investigation, Army Col. Scott Rawlinson told the U.S. military publication. Publicly available federal court records do not indicate that Clark has been charged in the case, but charges in terrorism cases are often kept under seal. U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick in Houston declined to comment Sunday about whether Clark was being extradited to the Southern District of Texas, which includes Houston. Hughes, who meticulously tracks cases of homegrown terrorist support through the GMU program, said Clark would be the 15th American to return to the U.S. on federal charges of supporting ISIS. The Houston region has pursued three cases involving U.S. support for ISIS in recent years and landed two convictions. The case of a third defendant is pending. Copies of the letter and resume retrieved from a house in Mosul, Iraq obtained by Hughes and two colleagues at GWU indicate that Clark wanted a job as an English teacher for Islamic State terrorists. The author, who signs off in his breezy cover letter as Abu Mohammad, says he has always loved teaching others and learning from others. A blurry reprint of the letter was published in a February 2018 report from the Washington D.C. university, The Travelers: American Jihadists in Syria and Iraq, by Hughes, Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens and Bennett Clifford. GWU last year was the first to report that Clark had sent the letter and a resume to the group that became famous for videos of jihadists beheading Americans. The GWU study examines in-depth the cases of 64 of more than nearly 300 Americans whom intelligence officials believe traveled abroad to join ISIS fighters. The English-language cover letter, which begins Dear Director, adopts the upbeat tone of someone looking for an overseas teaching position. As a teacher, it would be my goal to create a supportive classroom environment and to guide my students in building a solid English foundation, the author writes. I have a long background in teaching a variety of different subjects and have instructed students of all ages at several schools. In the resume, which also appears to be a reproduction, Clark indicates he completed certification with 140 hours of training as an ESL teacher through Oxford Seminars in Houston and worked from January 2009 to November 2011 as a substitute teacher in Sugar Land. He then taught elementary and intermediate pupils at a construction college in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between January 2012 and November 2014 and for four months taught reading, speaking and listening, to 20 students aged 18 to 40 in Konya, Turkey. The resume does not go beyond June 2015. A friend of Clarks told the GWU researchers that they assumed that Clark was an FBI informant because, No one is that open about liking terrorism, Hughes wrote in a Lawfare blog post Sunday. Hughes wrote that Clark left Texas to join ISIS but stayed off radar until Mosul was liberated by Iraqi forces in the summer of 2017. UH spokesman Mike Rosen that Warren Christopher Clark, who majored in political science and minored in global business, graduated from UH in 2007, according to the university registrar. He began his studies in 2003, records indicate. Voting and vehicle records for Fort Bend County show a Warren Christopher Clark of the same age at a Sugar Land address. Were going to see more Americans like Clark returning home to face the consequences of their choices, said Hughes. With his time withing the terrorist group, he should have a wealth of information that would be interesting for law enforcement and intelligence officials. Gabrielle Banks covers federal court for the Houston Chronicle. Send her tips at gabrielle.banks@chron.com and follow her on Twitter. gabrielle.banks@chron.com The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option. The Texas Legislature wrapped up this years lawmaking session on Sunday. Although members of the House and Senate touted wins for both Republicans and Democrats, tensions are rising between the legislative bodies amid criticism from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. What would you grade this years legislative session? You voted: Jazmine Barnes should have been looking forward to celebrating her 8th birthday next month planning a party and making a wish list of gifts. Instead, hundreds gathered Saturday in memory of the young girl who was killed in a drive-by shooting near a northeast Houston Walmart early last Sunday, a stunning incident that also left her sisters and mother injured by bullets and flying glass shards. An almost weeklong manhunt for the shooter described by the family as a white man with blue eyes driving a red four-door pickup has captivated the nation and resulted in athletes and celebrities pledging donations to the family and a reward topping $100,000 for information leading to an arrest. It is going to be Justice for Jazmine. I feel it in my heart, because there are too many people out here looking for this man, her mother, LaPorsha Washington, said Saturday. Were going to find him, no matter where we got to turn and no matter what rock we got to go under. Were going to find you. A crowd of several hundred encircled activist Deric Muhammad, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and community organizers during the two-hour rally. They often paused to chant Justice for Jazmine, as Muhammad called them Jazmines Army. This is a beautiful response to a horrific tragedy, Muhammad said, as some onlookers stood on top of their cars in the Walmart parking lot. We have to find out who killed this baby. We have to find out for all the little other Jazmines who are out there that could be in danger as well. Many who spoke said they feared the shooting was racially motivated. People may get angry at us for saying it, but hell, everybody is already thinking it, Muhammad said, adding that those in attendance should be careful about using the composite sketch of the alleged killer to rush an apprehension of the wrong person. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, called Jazmine the nations child and asked for a federal task force to investigate the fatal shooting and for the federal government to issue a manhunt. We have some problems in Washington, something called a shutdown, Jackson Lee said. But there are essential employees that never leave their desk, and that is the federal law enforcement. That is the database that covers hate crimes legislation that is now a federal offense. It is in no ones interest to dumb down this incident. Gonzalez said investigators had been working the case every single day, scouring over tips sent in by the public. I made a commitment on behalf of the sheriffs office and myself that we would not rest until we brought the killer to justice, Gonzalez said. We must stop this violence against anyone. Against anyone. We will not stop until we get justice for Jazmine. Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia had a message for the killer. Dont live in a life of hell. Turn yourself in, he said. Be a man at least. You cannot live with this in your heart and your memory. Rapper Paul Wall, who also spoke at Saturdays rally, called the little girl the angel of Houston. This is our angel now. This is our angel of Houston, Wall said. Jazmine represents something bigger. Something that we must stand for. We cannot fold for this. Jazmines great-aunt Elizabeth Cevilla-Perez through tears said she was amazed by the outpouring of support from the community and the hundreds gathered at the Walmart parking lot Saturday. They dont even know her and here they are supporting us, she said. Im so proud to be a Houstonian right now. michelle.iracheta@chron.com Young, smiling children wearing small yellow hard hats grabbed a shovel and turned the dirt on a new addition at The Ark Church in Conroe on Friday. Nearly 100 people, including the children, gathered for the groundbreaking ceremony for the 44,000 square foot addition at 450 Humble Tank Rd. that will bring the total size of the churchs existing building to 155,000 square feet. The Ark expects to start the project within the next month and anticipates completion within the next two years. Every generation has a responsibility to strengthen the next generation and we have a responsibility to strengthen the ones that are upcoming, Senior Pastor Alan Clayton said standing before his grandchildren sitting in little yellow chairs in the front row. We are sitting in an area that is now going to be a building it will also be a memorial and a tool to teach the young and to remind them that God is good and that his plan for them is good and this will be something that will help us as we continue Gods plan for the saving of households not just our household, but our childrens household, our grandchildrens household, and the households to come. The Ark embarked on the All Aboard for the Saving of Households capital campaign in September 2018 after outgrowing its existing facility that was built in 2005. The campaign is inspired from the mission, vision, and scripture in Hebrews 11:7 that says Noah built The Ark for the saving of households, The Arks executive pastor Phillip Moore said. The Ark has raised about $6 million for the project, which is anticipated to cost about $7 million to provide a new, larger space for the children and youth. The project will also increase space in the current building for other adult ministry groups. The Ark needed a bigger boat, Moore said noting members of The Ark Church stepped up in faith surpassing both goals of cash-in-hand and the three year commitments. God did amazing things through this capital campaign. He is incredibly faithful. Today we are here to break ground, celebrate His goodness, and mark the next chapter and the next step in this journey he has us on. Moore shared they trusted God in taking the steps to pursue the project, which he said led the church to a bank in Nebraska and an architect that embraced the churchs vision. During the ceremony on Friday, the church introduced several speakers who invited youth to join them on stage as they highlighted their faith and familys stories since coming aboard The Ark. As we continue to build this family, we have had in the last three months 2,300 different students, teenagers, from this community involved in our program in some form or fashion or another, and now we get an opportunity to build them a home where they can continue to grow their family, Student Ministry Pastor Clayton Small said. The addition will include six more nursery rooms for Ark Kids, an indoor playground, a larger North Lobby with covered cart and car drop-off areas and larger rooms and auditoriums suited for each age group the church serves. There will be centralized check-in and drop-off areas, which The Ark shared would make the Sunday morning and Wednesday evening experience easier. Within these new spaces, the new youth auditoriums will double the churchs Sunday capacity and also serve as a multipurpose space for weddings, funerals and outreach events. There will be an engaging youth outdoor recreational area that will be safe for students as they meet weekly. The new building will enhance The Arks ability as a church to welcome people into a safe, loving environment, with more space to connect with others, with wider hallways and bigger areas for kids and youth, according to The Ark. Several dignitaries also attended the ceremony, including Conroe mayor Toby Powell who commended The Ark Church, which provides thousands of pounds of free groceries twice a year to thousands in the community and currently has members serving on mission trips outside of the United States. This is a wonderful day for The Ark Church and the community and city of Conroe, Powell said. Because of the blessings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they have done what they have done in our community in such a short period of time in blessing not only our citizens but our youth as well. I pray they continue their success and I know they will have it because this is an outstanding facility touching the whole world-- right here in Conroe, Texas. mellsworth@hcnonline.com Devastated families finally bury murdered Christian teachers in Kenya Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The devastated families of two Christian teachers murdered by extremists in Kenya have finally been able to bury their loved ones after confirming their identities. Philip Masinde Okumu and Daniel Wekesa Wangila were killed by Islamic militant group al-Shabaab during an attack on Oct. 10 at Arabia Secondary School in Mandera East, but their families had to wait for DNA tests for weeks to confirm their identities. International Christian Concern, which monitors the persecution of Christians around the world, reported that Wangila was buried in Kakamega, Western Kenya. He is survived by his wife, Harriet Kakai, and three children. We have spent six weeks in tears. Daniel loved me and our kids. We shall truly miss him, his kind spirit, and strong sense of humor. He made us see life as a gift from God. We have lost a pillar in our family and nothing shall ever fill the gap he leaves behind, Kakai said. A member of Redeemed Church Lukiyan, Wangila decided to take a job as a teacher at the school despite the dangers of the region in order to provide for his family and parents. His father said: My son left for Mandera three years ago and although we were worried about this life due to constant attacks of Christians in [the] northeastern [region], we kept hoping that one day he would get a job elsewhere. The news of the attack left us devastated. He has left a very young wife and three young children and we pray that the Lord will strengthen her and bless her with the ability to raise the children." Okumu Biketi, the father of Philip Okumu, remembered his son as a young man who worked hard in school and wanted to help students in Arabia Secondary School succeed and advance to university. He was the most disciplined child in my family. I have lost a dear son. Al-Shabaab, which is based in Somalia, continues murdering Christians in neighboring Kenya. It has carried out several bus attacks in recent years, forcing passengers off the vehicles and executing those it deems to be Christians. Most notably, the terrorists massacred close to 150 students in an April 2015 attack at Garissa University College, where they spared Muslims but executed Christians. Local teachers in Mandera said back in October that radicals continue targeting Christians even though the believers are serving the community. "It is painful to lose our colleagues through such a heinous act of cowardice. Our hearts bleed because even after dedicating our time and professionalism in serving this community, they still hate Christians," Martin Kamutu, a teacher, said at the time. A church leader in Kenya identified only as Rev. John added: "This is another bad example of what religion can do. We are losing Christians at a very high rate in Mandera. Last month we lost five to terrorism and now again we have lost two teachers. We ask the international community and human rights groups to get involved in northern Kenya." Another two teachers were injured in the attack on Oct. 10 but escaped with minor burns. Wisconsin now covering sex-reassignment surgeries for trans-identified employees Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Wisconsin is now paying for sex reassignment surgeries and hormone therapy for state employees after trans-identified workers sued the state. Beginning Jan. 1, the states Group Insurance Board began covering hormone treatments and sex change operations for state employees suffering from gender dysphoria, according to Wisconsin Public Radio. The move comes after the board had previously excluded coverage of gender transition surgeries. Because such procedures were not covered by the state, the state was sued by trans-identified employees who were refused coverage. They were represented by the left-leaning nonprofit legal group the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU argued that gender transition procedures are medically necessary and the state's rules banning coverage violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The plaintiff's argument relied on an Obama-era interpretation of Title VII law that extended discrimination protections on the basis of sex to include protections on the basis of gender identity even though gender identity is not explicitly stated in the laws language. A federal judge sided with the plaintiffs and ordered the state to pay $780,000 for failing to provide the coverage. The same judge ruled earlier in the year that the state was also required to pay for gender transition procedures for Medicaid recipients. Wren Logan, a trans-identified medical resident at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, plans to seek transition surgery for the upper and lower body so that it better reflects Logans gender identity, not biological sex. "So much of the world sees me and treats me as though I am a man dressing as a woman or somehow like ... theres something wrong about what Im doing," Logan told WPR, adding there is still a requirement to prove that the surgery is medically necessary. Although Wisconsins Group Insurance Board initially approved the coverage of gender transition procedures in 2016, it reversed the policy at the request of now-outgoing Gov. Scott Walker. In 2016, the Obama administration enacted Obamacare regulations requiring doctors, health care providers, and insurers to perform, provide and cover gender transition procedures and treatments. The rule applied even to faith-based hospitals and insurers that held moral objections to surgeries that would mutilate a patients body. The federal government was sued by a group of five states and an organization representing over 17,000 physicians. It was also sued by the Catholic Benefits Association whose member organizations oppose providing such coverage in their employee health plans. A federal judge in Texas eventually issued a nationwide injunction against the Obamacare mandate on grounds that parts of the rule would violate the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. In 2018, it was reported that the Trump administration planned to eliminate the Obama-era mandate. Although a federal judge ruled that Wisconsin must provide coverage of gender reassignment surgeries to Medicaid recipients, the Obama administration itself had previously decided that transgender services would not be universally covered under Medicare and Medicaid. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services determined that "clinical evidence for gender reassignment surgery was inconclusive." Even under the Obama administration, the Department of Health and Human Services concluded there was not sufficient evidence to prove that such surgery is medically necessary, Peter Sprigg, senior fellow for policy studies at the social conservative advocacy group Family Research Council, told The Christian Post last month. While there is some evidence that it alleviates the immediate gender dysphoria, there is no evidence that it results in better overall physical and mental health for such patients in the long run." Critics of sex reassignment surgery include Dr. Paul McHugh, a distinguished psychiatry professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and other scholars who have questioned the partisan push to normalize sex reassignment procedures. Transgendered men do not become women, nor do transgendered women become men, McHugh wrote. All (including Bruce Jenner) become feminized men or masculinized women, counterfeits or impersonators of the sex with which they identify. In that lies their problematic future. CP contacted the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds to ask if the health plan also covers elective plastic surgeries for employees who do not suffer from gender dysphoria, and breast reductions or breast reconstruction surgery (including implants) following a mastectomy or lumpectomy. This piece will be updated when a response is received. University no longer teaching 'nonhuman perspectives' on queer in LGBT studies class Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A public university in New Jersey says it's no longer teaching about nonhuman perspectives on queer in a spring 2019 LGBT studies class. However, the university admits that the class once did teach about nonhuman queer perspectives. Montclair State University, through its Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Studies Department will hold a class this spring called Queer Identities in a Transforming World: The Trouble with Normal. The three-credit, three-hour lecture course was designed to build upon themes students learned in the departments introductory 100-level course on LGBT studies. The course was originally reported on by the conservative campus watchdog site The College Fix, which linked to a description of the course that the university now says is outdated. The outdated description explained that the class would explore such things as the Latin roots of the word trans and how it relates to queer as a position that allows for shifting identities." The description stated that students would engage in what the university calls a critical analysis of gender, sexuality, race, class, and ecology, and synthesize methodologies from different disciplines throughout humanities in order to gain a broad intersectional, multicultural and historical understanding of the term 'queer, and of queer and transgender studies. Students would explore topics including: gender performance, the third sex, transgender issues, intersex issues, the political underpinnings and the transgressive nature of 'queer', [and] the history of queer politics (from AIDS activism to the gay marriage issue), schisms within the LGBTQ political movements, queers and disability, issues of race, class, and representation within the queer community, and nonhuman perspectives on queer. Following The College Fix article, other conservative news outlets reported on how the school would be teaching about nonhuman perspectives on queer with confusion as to what exactly that means. The Christian Post reached out to Montclair State for information about the class and was told that the course description for the class is outdated and that an earlier version of the course had material related to observations of animal sexual behavior. However, the course in question no longer covers that particular subject. The class will be taught by Associate Professor Caroline Dadas, whose specialties include queer online rhetorics and has a research agenda that involves studying the intersections of civic participation by queer-identified individuals. This is a course about gender identity, a university spokesperson said in an official statement. Montclair State offers courses which explore a wide range of topics related to our physical world, social structures, art, science, intellectual thought and the broad scope of human experience, which includes the study of gender identity and human sexuality. The spokesperson shared the current course description with CP: "Building on lessons from the required GLQS 100 course, this course will explore trans and queer as positions that allow for shifting identities. We will engage in a critical analysis of gender, sexuality, race, class, and ecology, and synthesize methodologies from various disciplines in the humanities to gain a broad intersectional, multicultural, and historical understanding of the term queerand of queer and transgender studies. "We will explore issues such as gender performance, the third sex, transgender issues, intersex issues, the political underpinnings and the transgressive nature of queer, the history of queer politics (from AIDS activism to the gay marriage issue), schisms within the LGBTQ political movements, queers and disability, and issues of representation within the queer community." According to the 2018 Montclair University Catalog, the course in question (also known as GLQS201) is one of two classes students are required to take in order to receive a minor in gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer studies. The catalog indicates that the class is also required for students to receive a bachelors in gender, sexuality and women's studies. Trump-Obama EEOC nominee's confirmation blocked over alleged anti-religious, pro-LGBT bias Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The first openly lesbian member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has failed to be reconfirmed to her post following concerns over remarks she made in which she argued that LGBT rights should trump religious liberty. Chai Feldblum began her service at the EEOC in 2010 under the Obama administration and was renominated by President Donald Trump in 2017 to a term that expired last year. Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah blocked her confirmation by preventing her from getting unanimous consent, accusing Feldblum in a speech last month of holding an anti-religious bias. Lee quoted Feldblum as labeling the debate between LGBT rights and religious liberty as a zero-sum game in which a gain for one side necessarily entails a corresponding loss for the other side. I see no reason why that should be the case, and I think that is fundamentally incompatible with our nation's long tradition of pluralism and religious freedom, said Lee. Who is she to decide whether someone should be permitted to persist in their own religious belief simply because those beliefs happen to conflict with a particular political worldview? Lee went on to say that the government should never be used as a tool to stamp out religious liberty and he believed Feldblum wants to deny freedom of religion. In a response to Lee's accusations, Feldblum said in a piece published in Medium on Dec. 21 that she was being misrepresented both by Lee and a reporter who took her past comments on religious liberty "out of context." "Senator Lee and others may feel they have kept a rabid opponent to religious liberty off the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. They are wrong. It is true that they have ensured that someone who cares deeply about both religious liberty and LGBT rights wont be protecting those interests from the perch of the EEOC. But I have fought for the civil rights of LGBT people, religious people and others for years. I wont be stopping now," she wrote. In a message posted to Twitter on Thursday, Feldblum confirmed that her time at the commission had expired and expressed gratitude for her time with the EEOC. Before becoming a commissioner, Feldblum was a law professor at the Georgetown University Law Center where she founded their Federal Legislation and Administrative Clinic. Feldblum helped to draft both the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the original proposed LGBT legislation, the Employment Nondiscrimination Act. Social conservative groups like the American Family Association and the Family Research Council also expressed their opposition to Feldblum. At issue were comments she made arguing that when LGBT rights and religious liberty are at odds with each other, the government should always side with LGBT rights. In an article Feldblum wrote for the Brooklyn Law Review in 2006, for example, she compared religious objections to homosexuality to racism. Just as we do not tolerate private racial beliefs that adversely affect African-Americans in the commercial arena, even if such beliefs are based on religious views, we should similarly not tolerate private beliefs about sexual orientation and gender identity that adversely affect LGBT people, Feldblum wrote in the piece, Moral Conflict and Liberty: Gay Rights and Religion. I am convinced society should come down on the side of protecting the liberty of LGBT people Protecting one groups identity liberty may, at times, require that we burden others belief liberty. This is an inherent and irreconcilable reality of our complex society. This was especially concerning in light of several legal battles across the country centered on whether Christian business owners can refuse to service gay wedding ceremonies due to sincerely-held religious objections. Last year, the United States Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission that the state of Colorado showed an anti-religious bias when it punished baker Jack Phillips for refusing to make a same-sex wedding cake. "When the Colorado Civil Rights Commission considered this case, it did not do so with the religious neutrality that the Constitution requires," read the majority opinion authored by Justice Anthony Kennedy. "Given all these considerations, it is proper to hold that whatever the outcome of some future controversy involving facts similar to these, the commission's actions here violated the Free Exercise Clause; and its order must be set aside." Other litigation remains on this issue. For example, Joanna Duka and Breanna Koski, owners of Brush & Nib Studio have sued the city of Phoenix, Arizona, over an ordinance that would force them to service same-sex weddings. Last June, a three-judge appellate court panel ruled against Duka and Koski, stating in a unanimous decision that they did not believe that the Phoenix ordinance burdened the artists' freedom of religion. "Appellants have failed to prove that Section 18-4(B) substantially burdens their religious beliefs by requiring that they provide equal goods and services to same-sex couples. Appellants are not penalized for expressing their belief that their religion only recognizes the marriage of opposite-sex couples," read the Court of Appeals panel's opinion. "Nor are appellants penalized for refusing to create wedding-related merchandise as long as they equally refuse similar services to opposite-sex couples." Pelosi, House Dems pass spending bill funding abortion; White House vows veto Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Democrat-controlled House of Representatives voted Thursday night to pass government spending legislation that would reinstate federal funding to abortion organizations worldwide. The new House passed two bills Thursday night one is a continuing resolution to keep the government funded until at least Feb. 8 and the other to fund six federal agencies through the end of the fiscal year 2019. In a 241190 vote, the House passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2019. As the government shutdown stems around President Donald Trumps request for border security funding, the bill falls short of the $5 billion in border funding the president desired but does seek to provide millions in federal funding for businesses that either perform or promote abortions overseas. The bill essentially repeals Trumps expanded Mexico City Policy also known as the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance Policy which he enacted as one of his first acts as president in January 2017. Under the Trump policy, NGOs and charities that provide assistance to underserved populations overseas would have to agree that they will not perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning in order to receive funding from the State Department. Similar policies were put in place by every Republican president since Ronald Reagan. Abortion industry giants like International Planned Parenthood and pro-choice activists have claimed that the regulation is a gag-rule. Meanwhile, pro-life supporters of the president have praised him for taking steps to fulfill a campaign promise to enact pro-life policies. The State Department announced last year that the policy only impacted four groups out of over 733 organizations that had received funding, saying that nearly all prime partners that have had the opportunity to accept the policy have done so. In addition, the House spending bill will also restore funding to the United Nations Population Fund, which has been accused by the Trump administration of being complicit in the Chinas acts of coercive abortion and involuntary sterilization. The Trump administration moved in April 2017 to defund the UNPF. Both Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the White House have vowed to oppose the bill. In a statement issued Thursday, the White House promised a veto if the bill reaches Trumps desk in its current form. It includes $700 million more than requested for the United Nations, including restoring funding for the United Nations Population Fund, the statement reads. The bill would also undermine the Presidents Mexico City Policy (Presidential Memorandum of Jan. 23, 2017), which prohibits the funding of foreign nongovernmental organizations that promote or perform abortions. McConnell called the House votes political theater and not productive lawmaking. He stressed that the vote was not a serious attempt at trying to end the shutdown. Will these new Democrats come to Washington ready to roll up their sleeves, work together, and make laws? McConnell asked on the Senate floor Thursday. Or are they going to waste time on partisan show votes that will do nothing to move the country forward? Thats the question: Political performance art or responsible governance? Well get an early signal in the next few days. The bill was criticized by pro-life organizations that strongly oppose abortion. While many lawmakers are focused on getting the government funded and running, [Speaker of the House] Nancy Pelosi did not waste a moment trying to force American taxpayers to prop up the abortion industry, Marjory Dannenfelser, president of the pro-life grassroots organization Susan B. Anthony List, said in a statement. Her first act as speaker leaves no doubt about House Democrats senseless priorities for the next two years. On his blog, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, an evangelical leader who regularly engages with the Trump administration, assured that Trump and McConnell will continue to use their power to advance the mainstream, pro-family agenda that elected them in the first place. Referring to polling sponsored by pro-life organizations, Dannenfelser stressed that the majority of Americans oppose taxpayer funding of abortion. President Trump honored their will by taking immediate action to stop U.S. exportation of abortion around the world on taxpayers dime, Dannenfelser said. We thank our pro-life allies, especially Leader McCarthy and Representative Granger, for their efforts to remove the pro-abortion poison pill in this spending bill. We are confident that as the fight over funding the government continues, the pro-life Senate majority and the president will not stand for any attempt to undermine this administrations pro-life policies. This week in Christian history: Joan of Arc born, Spurgeon converted, Beecher adultery trial Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Christianity is a faith with a long and detailed history, with numerous events of lasting significance occurring throughout the ages. Each week brings the anniversaries of great milestones, horrid tragedies, amazing triumphs, telling tribulations, inspirational progress, and everything in between. Here are just a few things that happened this week, Jan. 6-12, in Church history. They include the birth of St. Joan of Arc, the conversion of Charles Spurgeon, and the beginning of a trial in which a famed abolitionist preacher was accused of adultery. NYC's 3rd gender X birth certificate makes male and female obsolete, says Christian philosopher Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment New York City residents can now legally change their birth certificates to indicate that they identify as transgender or nonbinary. New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio signed the measure into law last year, which adds an X designation to birth certificates, along with M for male and F for female. "To all trans and nonbinary New Yorkers: We see you, hear you and respect you," the mayor's office said Dec. 29 on Twitter. "Starting in 2019, all New Yorkers will be able to change their gender on their birth certificate to M, F or X without a doctor's note." The move has been praised by LGBT activists. It felt really monumental to me, said Ethan Rice, a senior attorney at Lambda Legal, who co-chaired the advisory board that helped create the law, adding that he was grateful "the government is recognizing that transgender people, as citizens, are the ones who know what their identity is and are able to tell the government that really, rather than the other way around. Others say the move exemplifies how society is abandoning physical reality in service to an incoherent ideology and moving toward the erasure of the human body in the law. Daniel Moody, a Christian philosopher and the author of The Flesh Made Word, explained in a Friday interview with The Christian Post that it's worth reminding ourselves that the purpose of a birth certificate is to capture truth in language, thereby connecting persons to laws not only for the sake of the individual but for society as a whole. "And in order for the birth certificate to perform its function, the recording of a person's sex is both necessary and sufficient," he said. "X does not denote sex 'unknown.' Indeed, it is far more accurate to say it signifies 'I do not wish anybody to know my sex.' The new possibility has nothing to do with biology and everything to do with a destructive anti-body ideology. Anybody can self-identify their way out of the categories of male and female." The category is a "catch-all" one, he added, not a specific state of being, defining identity in terms of a negative only: "Neither male nor female." And if the goal is to allow someone to have legal documents matching the "true self," the creation of the non-specific 'X' does not solve the purported problem. This arrangement will not satisfy the average gender ideologue, for whom anything is potentially an identity except for the body, Moody said. "We can expect 'X' to quickly fragment and the list of specific identity options to grow longer, becoming even more meaningless." The New York City law does not permit parents to select the X designation at birth, but they do have the ability to change the gender marker on the birth certificate at any time before the child is 18 years old. People older than 18 can make the change on their own. Moody stressed that although this supposedly only applies to a tiny minority of people, the X marker carries with it profound implications for everyone. "No legal regime can contain within itself two versions of human identity. Law cannot tolerate a situation in which some people are fundamentally a sex (body) while other people are essentially a gender (mind). The two challengers for the crown of most essential identity will eventually come into conflict with one another, at which point something has to give," he explained, calling this the crux of the matter. "In law, bedrock identity can only be sex for everybody or sex for nobody. And given that X provides a vehicle by which to avoid having one's sex registered in law, the situation is now sex for nobody." He added: "To erroneously describe the X as a third gender is to give the impression that X is an innocent addition. But X is anything but a tiny alteration that affects a minuscule number of people while leaving undisturbed everybody else's legal status." Presently, seven states and jurisdictions have a similar "third" option available for drivers licenses: Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, D.C., and California, according to the National Center for Transgender Equalitys ID Documents Center. "When law employs some marker other than sex as its chosen method by which to register fundamental human identity, everybody is prevented from accessing legal recognition of his or her embodied identity. True, women can still legally access the word female, but only on the same grounds as can any male," Moody reiterated. "Put bluntly, the apparently innocuous addition of an X results in the terms male and female no longer meaning for anybody that which they previously meant for everybody. In the eyes of the law, those long-familiar words now serve to obscure the very thing they formerly revealed: the body. As an ideology, gender audaciously helps itself to the language of the body. "As is the case with its bogus scientific claims, gender wears the words male and female as an effective and efficient disguise," he concluded. NBC should be 'ashamed' of telling parents to push transgender ideology on kids, advocacy groups say Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A leading social conservative Christian organization says NBC News should be "ashamed" of publishing an article that suggests parents should teach their children to reject sexual norms and accept trans-ideology. On new years eve, NBC News posted an article titled How to talk to transgender youth, according to experts and their parents. The article relies on advice from a trans-activist psychologist, a Rutgers professor who's also an LGBT advocate both of whom have children who identify as either transgender or gender non-conforming and three other parents of trans-identified children. Among other things, the article offers what it claims are misconceptions about trans-identified children and things to avoid when speaking to trans youth and their families. According to the article, one thing to avoid when speaking with trans-identified youth and their families is daring to offer unsolicited opinions and advice. Its a double whammy, Dr. Diane Ehrensaft, the director of mental health at a gender clinic in San Francisco, California, and author of The Gender Creative Child, was quoted as saying. Because youre also criticizing the parents at the same time who have supported their child in being that person. Additionally, Ehrensaft says, people should avoid asking questions or making statements that objectify the teen. Specifically, the article warns about asking questions related to the childs genitals, medical treatments, and surgeries. Melinda Mangin, an associate professor in education at Rutgers University, claims that asking questions could objectify the child. The third no-no, according to the article, is misgendering the children referring to a child by the pronoun associated with his or her biological sex and not their "gender identity." The article goes on to detail how a New Jersey mother lets her child identify by the pronouns they and them. It also instructs people on using new transgender-inclusive pronouns, and encourages asking people which pronoun they use. The piece also advises parents to train their children to get accustomed to the idea of having trans-identified classmates by teaching them to disregard societal norms. Mangin suggests asking children questions like: If its OK for girls to wear pants, is it OK for boys to wear a dress? Michelle Cretella, the president of the American College of Pediatricians, voiced her concerns with the NBC News article in an email to The Christian Post. Unfortunately, NBC has relied on Dr. Diane Erhensaft, a psychologist who is a leading American transgender ideologue who exhorts parents to teach their 3-year-olds that some girls have penises and some boys have vaginas, Cretella wrote. So-called misconceptions the article claims people believe are that sex and gender are the same," that "gender dysphoria is a mental illness," and "gender identity is either male or female. Some kids also will say Im agender, meaning, I dont have a gender. I think of myself as a human being, I dont use those categories at all, Ehrensaft said. Peter Sprigg, the senior fellow for policy studies at the social conservative advocacy group Family Research Council, told CP that NBC News should be ashamed for publishing such a thinly-sourced and one-sided report on transgender youth. Although citing experts and parents, this entire article of over 2,000 words cites only three parents and two experts, he wrote in an email to CP. What it fails to disclose, however, is that both Ehrensaft and Mangin are also parents of transgender or gender non-conforming children. Sprigg added that the article contained the views of five mothers and no fathers. And that only one of the sources in the article is a psychologist. He stressed that the article is hardly enough to make a scientific case for affirming this radical agenda. Why did the reporter not reach out to Kenneth Zucker, Ph.D., and Susan Bradley, M.D., authors of the 440-page definitive textbook on GenderIdentity Disorder and Psychosexual Problems in Children and Adolescents? Sprigg asked. Why did she not contact Dr. Lisa Littman of Brown University, who for an August 2018 scholarly article interviewed not five parents but 256 who expressed grave concerns about the recent phenomenon of rapid onset gender dysphoria that is strongly influenced by social pressures? Sprigg concluded by stating that some of the advice laid out in the NBC News article illustrates the logical inconsistencies of the transgender movement. For example, it cites the pro-transgender Ehrensaft explaining that sex refers to a persons reproductive system, Sprigg wrote. Why, then, were transgender activists so outraged at a news report that the Trump administration plans to define the word sex in non-discrimination laws precisely that way? Sprigg points out another inconsistency in one of Ehrensafts arguments. At one point in the article, she states: Your gender lies not between your legs but between your ears. However, the very next sentence uses the absurd term gender assigned at birth, Sprigg notes. Since doctors look between a babys legs at birth, rather than trying to read their minds, it seems clear it's sex they are looking for, not gender, and that it's identified at birth, not assigned. Cretella, who is one of the more prominent critics of the push to label children as transgender, told CP that the NBC News article contained a single fact: the terms sex and gender are not synonyms. The definition of gender was expanded in the 1950s and 1960s by doctors (called sexologists) who wanted to justify performing and profiting from so-called sex reassignment surgery, Cretella wrote. The sexologists knew that it was impossible to change a person's sex so they needed to invent something else that they could claim to be treating. They decided to claim that they were aligning the body with the social expression of an internal sexed identity." Cretella says there is one problem with that argument. [T]here is no evidence of anyone being born with an internal sexed identity, she wrote. [G]enetics, of course, proves that we are all born with an innate immutable sex. Cretella contends that since sex and gender are no longer synonyms, people should stop using the word gender when referring to people. People are conceived with a sex; sex declares itself anatomically in the womb; sex is recognized at birth. People do not have an additional thing in addition to sex called a gender, Cretella said. FRCs guide on how parents should react to the transgender movement can be found here. The American College of Pediatricians policy statement on gender dysphoria in children can be found here. JD Greear Lists 6 Priorities He'll Focus on as SBC President Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment DALLAS Pastor J.D. Greear, the Southern Baptist Convention's newly elected president, says God placed six priorities on his heart that he'll focus on over the next two years as leader of the largest Protestant denomination in the United States. On Tuesday, Greear, lead pastor of Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, won the election against Ken Hemphill, an administrator at North Greenville University and a former Southern Baptist Convention seminary president, by a vote of 69 percent to 31 percent. Speaking of Hemphill, Greear described him as a "godly man." "He is a guy that for as long has I've known him has invested in younger leaders, and I think he would've been a fine leader of the SBC, but God's decision and the decision of the messengers, this is where we sit. And we'll see what the future brings." Of the 9,467 messengers at the convention, 7,884 cast ballots in the presidential election. Hemphill got 2,459 votes to Greear's 5,410 votes. "From the very beginning of this there were six things that I believe God put on my heart as areas of concern [for] the Southern Baptist Convention and reasons to run," Greear said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon following his election. Above all, he said, is the Gospel message. While the SBC is a network of diverse churches that are not identical in style, age, cultural background or political alliance, "we come together united by a common Gospel confession and also by a common Gospel mission, "Greear explained. "For as long as there has been a convention you've had things that threatened to challenge that unity of the Gospel. [I'm] just wanting to see the Gospel be what we unify around and not be divided on secondary and tertiary issues." Second, is the elevation of cultural diversity in leadership. "By God's grace there are a number of people of color who are part of the SBC. Our leadership, when you look at it, just doesn't really reflect that yet," he said. "As we all know, the United States is changing, and because of that, in order for us to be able to meet the questions and challenges that we are presented with in our society, we need perspective and wisdom that our members of color are bringing to us." Third, Greear said he will continue to focus on evangelism. Evangelism was a major focus of outgoing President Steve Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee, and Greear said he plans to continue that work. He also stressed that fulfilling Jesus' Great Commission and making disciples in all nations is the job of individuals, not leaders, and he wants members to reassume the responsibility of evangelism. "Evangelism simply means that it is our core responsibility to declare the Gospel to all peoples of the world. The Gospel is the Good News that Jesus Christ died in our place so that we wouldn't have to pay a punishment for our sin, and that all people can be born again through faith in Him." Greear said that at his church, members are encouraged to pray for one person God has put in their life to reach out to. "That's something immediately I want to begin to champion, and say, 'What does it look like for 15 million Southern Baptists to all be praying about one person they can share the hope of Jesus Christ with." The fourth area Greear will focus on is church planting, which his church has long set as a priority. "Our church has taken on the mission of planting 1,000 churches in our generation and helping people see that they've been given skills that can be helpful, and see the Gospel go into different nations and also right here and other places in the United States," he said. "We always tell people that the question is no longer 'if you're called to the mission of God,' the question's only 'where and how.'" Greear said he wants to help every Southern Baptist church take on the responsibility of church planting to reproduce itself, and to work in partnership with the North American Mission Board and the International Mission Board. The fifth priority will be the mobilization of college students. The Raleigh/Durham area where Greear's church is located is known for having a large population of college-age adults and the church he pastors has a large number of college students who attend services. His goal, he said, is to mobilize them and help them cultivate their spiritual gifts. "I'd love to see a generation of Southern Baptist students that began to think of the Kingdom of God first in where they choose to live their lives and pursue their careers." Greear's sixth priority will be engagement. The newly elected SBC president said he wants younger generations to feel that the convention is just as much theirs as it is their grandfather's and father's, and get them more involved on cooperative giving and missions. "Our church has grown in diversity and we believe that the SBC is a mission and Gospel organization for all peoples of the U.S., and not just a certain cultural or political kind or a certain age." During a Q&A, Greear was asked about the role of women in Southern Baptist churches and what he, as SBC president, could do to help women feel more comfortable in the church, especially those who have been victims of abuse. "We have to be very clear that some things are not only immoral, they're also illegal," he stressed. "And because they are illegal and we, as Southern Baptists who believe in the Bible, believe God gave government authority for our protection ... that means we have to be safe places for women to report abuse, and be immediate in reporting things to the proper authorities." He added that there is also an "education problem" in some Southern Baptist churches that incorrectly believe that cases of abuse should be handled internally and authorities either don't need to be contacted or shouldn't be contacted. "We have to make clear that these things cannot be handled internally, or turn a deaf ear toward abuse, or for us to minimize it or shield the abuser and be complicit in the abuse itself," Greear said. "We have to be committed to being a safe place for the vulnerable, which means we listen and take the proper steps that are necessary." JD Greear: Don't Split Over Calvinism, Bicker About Theology 'When People Are Lost, Going to Hell' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear has urged Christians not to "tear apart" their unity over theological disagreements, such as Calvinism. "It is the Gospel that is the source of our renewal, and it is the Gospel that should be our defining characteristic as a people," Greear said in his first presidential address at the SBC on Monday in Nashville. Baptist Press reported that The Summit Church, in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina pastor made a promise to preach the Gospel "above all." "Our disagreement on finer points of theology should not tear apart our unity in the Gospel," Greear said. "Calvinism is never an issue to me.... I can assure you that what is not biblical is sitting around bickering about finer points of theology when people are lost and going to Hell." "I agree with (former SBC president) Johnny Hunt. I do not know all there is to know about the particulars of Calvinism," he added, "but what I do know is that the more I go and share Christ, the more people seem to keep getting elected." Beside his stated presidential theme of the "Gospel Above All," Greear also pledged to tackle some of the major problems affecting Christians and society at large. He revealed that he will appoint a Sexual Abuse Advisory Study, which will address such abuse as a Gospel issue, rather than serve simply as a reaction to current events. He argued that churches "ought to be known as the safest places on the planet for the vulnerable. Isn't that at least the heart, the most basic thing of our Gospel when Jesus says come unto Me all ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest?" He said that clarity on the issue of sex abuse is "critical to evangelism in the next era." "If the next generation does not believe that our churches are a safe place," he said, paraphrasing Executive Committee member Bill Prince, "then they won't come to our churches nor to what we do .... If they don't come to our churches, they will probably never learn to trust Jesus as their Savior." Greear added that the study will have a rotating membership, and envisioned that it will continue on past his presidency. Among his other initiatives, Greear outlined the importance of church planting and mobilizing students to prioritize the Kingdom of God. As he has in past promises, he also underlined his commitment to cultural diversity among Southern Baptists. "This has got to be more than a stated desire for Southern Baptists," the pastor said. "The work of reconciliation is hard work. Anybody that tells you otherwise has never actually engaged in it. There are some things that you are going to have to be committed to that go beyond the tip of the hat." Back in January, Greear urged in his New Year's Day message for white Christians to share in the burdens believers of color face. "We need to make every effort to bear the burdens that many of our brothers and sisters of color are carrying. These are burdens that most of us have never had to experience," he wrote. "And often, sadly, our brothers and sisters of color are carrying the weight of these heavy burdens by themselves. Racial reconciliation involves quite a bit more than simply sharing burdens, but it never involves less than this." Expats once called this old Paris church home Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment I had long given up hope of ever visiting an overlooked church in the heart of Paris, near the Louvre and Palais-Royal on the fashionable Rue Saint-Honore. The Reformed Church of the Oratory of the Louvre, or Eglise Reformee de lOratoire du Louvre in French, is housed in a former Roman Catholic church and royal chapel under Louis XIII. The early 17th century baroque edifice was, as with so many other churches and cathedrals, looted and defaced in the 1790s during the worst of the French Revolution. Napoleon gave it to French Protestants for their use in 1811. It has remained in their hands ever since, although for much of the 19th century different American expat congregations used one of its nondescript rooms for their English language services. Called the Upper Room and accessed through an internal staircase in the southwest corner, the room is, as one might expect given its name, on the top floor. In the past I had tried arranging a visit, but emails to the church office went unanswered. I didnt even think of trying again during my Christmas trip to Paris, but when I walked by and saw congregants walking out of their Christmas Day service I knew I had go inside. Talk about good luck. Unfortunately, it is common in Paris and frankly, across France for historical sights not to have any information translated into English. Even many museums fail to offer translations of exhibits. The Oratory of the Louvre was no exception. While there were plenty of printed materials, everything was in French, a language I regret not learning as a kid. Inside I quickly spotted the minister, the Rev. Beatrice Clero-Mazir. Her black Geneva gown and white preaching bands stood out from the otherwise normally dressed congregants socializing in and around the narthex. In my horrible, broken French I said bonjour and asked if she spoke English to which Clero-Mazir replied that she spoke some. I then asked about visiting the room. At first the minister didnt know what I meant, but she quickly figured it out and gladly escorted me there. Clero-Mazir seemed genuinely surprised when I told her the room had been the first Paris church for American Presbyterians and Episcopalians. Other than the absence of furnishings it looked barely changed from when Presbyterians used it between 1816 and 1830. Even the creaky wooden floors looked original to the era. (The descendant of this congregation is the present-day American Church.) Episcopalians, including the writer James Fenimore Cooper, under the ministration of a Scottish bishop moved in when the Presbyterians left. By the 1850s, an American clergyman was in charge and services were held every Sunday at, in the words of some congregants, an inconveniently early time. Eventually an Episcopal parish now called the American Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity was officially established and, not long after, their own edifice was erected. The rest, as they say, is history. Unfortunately, the history seems to have been forgotten. Perhaps one day someone might install a plaque acknowledging the role the Oratory of the Louvre played in the formation of two prominent American churches in Paris. If you go As I said, access to the Eglise Reformee de lOratoire du Louvre can be difficult. The best time to visit is Sunday, when the weekly French language worship service is held at 10:30 a.m. Spires and Crosses, a travel column exclusive to The Christian Post, is published every week. Follow @dennislennox on Twitter and Instagram. Don't Expect a Religious Left 'Great Awakening,' Says Researcher Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Recently released research is casting doubt on the prospect of a "Great Awakening" for the Religious Left, noting that even liberal mainline churches don't inspire support for Democrats. Since the election of Donald Trump, many have speculated that his rise to power will spur the emergence of a Religious Left to protest his agenda items. Ryan P. Burge, a political science professor at Eastern Illinois University who specializes in religion and politics, noted while there were modern examples of liberal Christian activism, these efforts were not being inspired by regular church attendance. In an article titled "Searching for the Religious Left" published Thursday by Religion In Public, Burge posed the question of whether regular church attendance for part of the American public indicates a drift toward leftwing ideology. "It seems that the media forgets that it's possible to be a Christian and a liberal in the United States. I constantly remind people that the dominant (public) theology in this country among Protestant Christians in the early 1900's was the social gospel, which was deeply intertwined with socialism," explained Burge. "The theory is simple: if exposure to something leads to a change in behavior or opinion, an extreme amount of exposure should lead to a noticeable change." Burge drew data from the Cooperative Congressional Election Study 2016, looking at the percentage of people who voted for Donald Trump, comparing regular church attendees and less frequent church attendees. Burge noted that across racial and denominational lines, people who attended church more regularly were more likely to vote for Trump, even among more liberal churches. For the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the difference was statistically insignificant. For the United Methodist Church, frequent attenders were more likely to vote for Trump (70.9 percent). Even frequent churchgoers who identified as liberal were more likely to vote for Trump than liberals who didn't attend church often (6 percent of all liberals versus 14.5 percent of liberal frequent church attenders). "Taken together, these results strike a serious blow to anyone who wants to put a great deal of stock in the 'Great Awakening of the Religious Left.' My first question to anyone who advocates that is a simple one: where is that awakening coming from?" wrote Burge. "I can find NO instance where the most frequent church attenders were more likely to vote for Hillary Clinton than those who attended at all levels. This is true across racial and educational lines. If an individual wants to be deeply devoted to Christianity in the United States, they are going to have a hard time finding a church that also encourages voting for candidates from the Democratic Party." Burge's findings casting skepticism on the emergence of a Religious Left from churches was echoed by Daniel Cox, research director with the Public Religion Research Institute in a 2017 column. Titled "Don't Bet on the Emergence of a 'Religious Left," Cox argued that there were several factors that went against this potential political development. "The first and perhaps most significant reason for skepticism is that there are far fewer religious liberals today than there were a generation ago," wrote Cox. "Only 30 percent of liberals report having a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in organized religion. Half say that religion's impact on society is more harmful than helpful." Cox described the average liberal Christian as "pushing 50" and cited statistics showing that almost half of political liberals under 30 are "religiously unaffiliated." "Coaxing young progressives to join a movement that would require them to reset their approach to religion is no small undertaking," Cox added. "Religious progressives are fighting for relevance at a time when secular voters are becoming an increasingly crucial part of the Democratic coalition, and their political clout is only going to grow." Christians can be irresistible to the world by reconnecting with irresistible Jesus, author says Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment When Jesus describes His followers in Scripture, they are a people defined by compassion, grace, and love. Passionate about sharing the Good News of the Gospel with the lost, they are salt and light to every tribe, tongue, and nation. Theyre individuals who, when insulted, extend forgiveness and turn the other cheek. They reflect the irresistibility, beauty, and affection of Jesus Christ Himself. But far too often, Western Christianity bears little resemblance to Jesus vision for His church. There seems to be a significant gap between the Christianity of the New Testament and the early church and the Christianity that many of us experience today, Scott Sauls, senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, told The Christian Post. In our part of the world, there is a reputation among Christians as being not very helpful as neighbors, sometimes condemning and judgmental, or just being removed and with our heads in the sand. There's really no discernible difference between the way that we conduct our lives and the way that somebody who doesn't have a relationship with Christ might conduct their lives. "I'm not sure that's always a fair assessment," he clarified, "but unfortunately, that is how many of us are perceived today." In his forthcoming book Irresistible Faith: Becoming the Kind of Christian the World Can't Resist, Sauls identifies practical ways believers can live out biblical Christianity and pursue Jesus purpose for the Church. Drawing upon the life-changing truths of Scripture, Sauls calls on Christians to be difference-makers in society, transforming communities for the glory of God. It all starts with a simple return to the Gospel and observing what Christ came to do, he told CP. We can't be an irresistible force in the world until we reconnect with how irresistible Jesus Christ is Himself; that He came in love on a rescue mission to comprehensively and fully save us from all that is wrong in the world and in ourselves and to bring us into His family. We're loved to that degree because of the sacrifice of Christ. Once we begin to connect with those realities again, we can start to look at how Christ led His disciples to live out the world, he continued. Their mission was one of grace and truth that made them unlike the world rather than more like the world, but in a way that the world took notice. Modern Christianity has deviated from biblical Christianity for a number of reasons, Sauls contended. One particularly glaring reason heightened in recent years is the unfortunate conflation of partisan politics and faith, as if the two were one of the same. There are Christians who would say, 'I don't know how you could be a Christian and be a Democrat,' and there are other Christians who would say, 'I don't know how you can call yourself a Christian and be a Republican.' That, I think, completely sidesteps the central issue, he said. TheJesus Outside the Linesauthor argued that first and foremost, Christians need to ask: Are we on Jesus' side? Christ tends to both affirm and contradict the politics of the left as well as the politics of the right, he charged. By following the whole Christ the whole time, we're going to find ourselves at odds with both progressivism and conservatism, politically. I think that there are a lot of people who identify as Christian who just don't see it that way. As a result, we've gotten off message and our Christianity is less biblical and more political in many respects. The pastor quoted A Wrinkle in Time author Madeleine L'Engle, who once stated, We draw people to Christ not by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are and how right we are, but by showing them a light that is so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it. I think that's a picture of what the early Church was like, he said. What this book is trying to do is to advocate for something like what she was describing in that particular quote. One doesnt need to travel to the far ends of the earth to make a difference, Sauls said, as any kind of work that leaves people, places, or things a little better than before should be celebrated. God doesnt call His people to be awesome or to be amazingly impactful, he said. Every job is supremely important; anything that's creative, restorative or protective is an aspect of the image of God in us and how God has uniquely wired us and created us to serve the world and bless the world. Once we gain a proper understanding of God's transformative work in our own lives, we are prepared to bring the hope that the world needs to hear and demonstrate the love that we first received, Sauls said. Gods first calling on our lives is to be loved, forgiven, received, redeemed and restored, he offered. From that place, it should lead us into a healthy, life-giving community among other people who are chasing after knowing Christ better and wanting to be deeply conformed together into the likeness of Christ together. And finally, as a community, head out into the world to make a life-giving impact on the places where we live and work and play. To learn more about Irresistible Faith or to pre-order the book, click here. Christian persecution expected to increase in 2019; believers facing 'modern-day jihad' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The persecution of Christians around the world is expected to increase in 2019, with a watchdog group sharing particular concern for believers in Nigeria, China, and India. Release International, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, said in a press release that 215 million believers face violence and discrimination for their faith. "In Nigeria, Fulani militants look set to continue devastating attacks against Christians in the north and central Nigeria. In the first six months of 2018 alone, they killed up to 6,000 and drove 50,000 from their homes," the group said of the situation in the African country. A Release partner, who wasn't named, said that there is a "deliberate plan to destroy and take over the predominantly Christian communities in the region." The source added that Christians are facing a "strategic modern-day jihad." In June, the Christian Association of Nigeria and church denominational heads in Plateau State said that what is happening Nigeria is "pure genocide and must be stopped immediately." Watchdogs, such as the International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law, separately warned that the Fulani attacks on Christians should not be confused for decades-long clashes between cattle herders and farmers. Emeka Umeagbalasi, Board Chairman of Intersociety, told The Christian Post in August that believers have seen their churches burned down, and have been driven out en masse. "How many Muslim farmers are being killed by Fulani herdsmen? How many Muslim homes have been destroyed or burned? The answer is in the negative. It has nothing to do with herdsmen-farmer clashes. It is false," Umeagbalasi told CP at the time. The Communist government of China was also mentioned among the highest causes for concern, with new rules on regulating religion cracking down on churches, pastors and congregations throughout the country. "The government wants to reduce Christianity to just a minor activity by unimportant older people," another Release partner warned. In India, Release pointed to violent radical mobs that have stormed prayer meetings, ransacked churches, and beaten believers. "Release is providing Bibles in local languages to replace those the militants destroy and is giving vital legal aid and support to pastors who have been arrested," the group revealed. Other countries of particular concern for 2019 were listed as North Korea, Eritrea, and Pakistan. Release's outlook for 2019 comes in the heels of U.K. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt announcing that the British government will carry out a review of Christian persecution around the world. Hunt said last week that while the U.K. has long championed international religious freedom, much more can be done to help Christians in troublesome regions in the world, such as in the Middle East. I am not convinced that our response to the threats facing this particular group has always matched the scale of the problem, nor taken account of the hard evidence that Christians often endure a disproportionate burden of persecution. Perhaps this is borne out of the very British sense of awkwardness at doing God, the foreign secretary suggested. Perhaps its an awareness of our colonial history, or because Britain is a traditionally Christian country some are fearful of being seen to help Christians in desperate need, he added. Whatever the cause, we must never allow a misguided political correctness to inhibit our response to the persecution of any religious community. Hunt shared that he has appointed the Bishop of Truro, the Rt. Rev. Philip Mounstephen, to lead a global review of the persecution of Christians. With Christianity on the verge of extinction in its birthplace, it is time for concerted action that begins to turn the tide, he added, referring to Middle East Christians. It is not in our national character to turn a blind eye to suffering. All religious minorities must be protected and the evidence demonstrates that in some countries, Christians face the greatest risk. Paul Robinson, the CEO of Release International, welcomed the planned review. We back the call for the U.K. to do more to support the suffering Church worldwide, Robinson said. 10 possible challengers to Trump in 2020 Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Although the 2020 presidential election is over 20 months away, there is already a great deal of talk about potential challengers to President Donald Trump. A couple of politicians have already made it official that they are launching campaigns, while some have put forth much speculation. Even without an official announcement or declaration, many are putting together campaign teams and planning out strategies for next year. Here are ten politicians who are looking to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020. They range from noted Democratic Senators to an outgoing Republican governor. After being on brink of divorce, Pastor John Gray and wife to host relationship conference Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Months after megachurch pastor John Gray revealed that he and his wife were on the verge of getting a divorce, the couple announced that they will be hosting a relationship conference, billed Align," at their South Carolina church next month. ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTING RELATIONSHIP CONFERENCES OF 2019! Join me @myrelentlesschurch and lets bring in the New Year with a new you! Register for the @thealignconference happening February 7-9th, 2019. Married, singled or divorced, this relationship conference has something specifically for you, Gray and his wife announced on Sunday via their Instagram accounts. The conference announcement comes weeks after the celebrity preacher, who leads Relentless Church in Greenville, was forced to defend his decision to purchase his wife a $200,000 Lamborghini Urus for their eighth wedding anniversary. Gray cited Ephesians 5 as part of the fuel that drove him to lavish Aventer with the expensive gift. It also comes months after he admitted to his church that he had marriage troubles. Last summer, Gray opened up about their marital challenges explaining that for about two years they had been contemplating divorce. What they didnt see is that for the last two years we werent sure if we would even make it. This is what the people saw," he said while fake smiling, "but they didnt see the tears at night. They didnt see the times when one of us was sleeping on the couch because the argument. We had to keep smiling because even though we were struggling and even though I was failing as a husband, I was already in front of the people and the people cant receive my brokenness because where do leaders go when they bleed? Because sheep dont do well with blood so I had to bleed alone, Gray said. Despite their problems, Gray said God kept moving in their ministry. Whats strange is that I traveled the whole world and the Holy Ghost showed up and me and my wife just kept smiling and nobody knew that we were getting ready to get a divorce. Because as long as I kept producing nobody cared what was happening at home. Because as long as we can use you, we will and when you fail well find someone else. Just do me a favor, keep smiling, keep producing, fly all over the world, fight for everybody elses family while your own marriage is falling apart. While your kids are crying for you every night, wondering when daddys coming home but youre doing the best you can to provide, he said. Gray didn't specify how he failed as a husband but he explained that when his wife discovered that he had started listening to the wrong voices and let some people get too close she set it off just like a good wife should. Aventer Gray then revealed to the congregation that she chose not to leave her husband despite being upset by her husband's unspecified actions. She refused to allow the devil to have her marriage. I prayed for them and him and then the devil loses, she said to applause. 'Cause whats not gonna happen is you tell me that Im gonna lose my purpose because somebody whispered to a 16-year-old John? The devil is a liar. I'm staying with my husband and you can go back to the pits of Hell where you came from." She added, "So you want me to leave my husband because you spoke to the 16-year-old that couldnt get a date? And he listened. So Im supposed to leave my husband because you spoke to a place of brokenness that had not yet been submitted back to the Father? But because I know the tricks of the enemy and Im learning them every day, I can stand here in boldness for everybody that tried to sneak in, thank you, because I got closer to God because of it. I got in that word come on devil, you dont want it with me." Aventer Gray later spoke of a "strange woman." I put Scripture on that strange woman," she shouted. "I put Scripture on that strange woman. She dont want it with me and she dont want it with yall, amen! She noted that she indeed was heartbroken and had him sleep on the couch, among other things. But she did not want to give up on her marriage. "However, when the word is inside of you and you know what your position is, everything else is false. I know who I am. I am the rib that God took from him. Im his rest in brokenness RIB rest in brokenness, she said as the congregation shouted and applauded. Im standing with my husband and you can go on back to the pits of Hell where you came from. Was I upset? Yes. Was I heartbroken? Yes. But you better learn to get in there for the, whats the vows? Better and worse so when the worst shows up you dont run away. When the worst shows up you pray. Until he wakes up and understand who he is, you pray wife, while the devils run away. Im not saying to sit there in perpetual foolishness. Im saying pray the devils away. If you give up too soon he wins. But he couldnt have this purpose. He knew what this was, she said, motioning her hands across the congregation. He was coming for yall, thats why he came for us. We know better. We know better, she said, getting emotional. I see you devil but you dont want it with me. I get in the eyes of the devil, you hear me? You cant have this here devil. I dont care. I just look cute but the devil dont want it with me. Waking up early might be a struggle for some but Meghan Markle lives for it. The early riser allegedly wakes up as early as 4:30 a.m. on the regular, and prefers it that way. Find out what motivates Her Royal Highness to skip the snooze button and seize the day, ahead. Meghan Markles daily routine Its no secret that the Duchess of Sussex keeps a packed schedule. And, from royal functions to personal appointments, Meghan Markles daily routine likely looks different every day. Heres how she spends her days, plus why she prefers such an early wake-up call. She wakes up at 4:30 a.m. for yoga Meghan Markle is an early riser, as mornings are her favorite time of day. Her Royal Highness apparently wakes up at around 4:30 a.m. for yoga a practice that, thanks to her mother, is integrated into her daily routine. She typically practices yoga at home and will soon have a new home yoga studio to practice in but is also a big fan of hot yoga classes. She sends emails at 5:00 a.m. After yoga, Meghan Markle gets right to work. According to Vanity Fair, the Duchess of Sussex starts sending emails to her staff as early as 5:00 a.m. She listens to music On her former lifestyle blog, The Tig, Meghan Markle once shared one of her favorite ways to wake up music. The Duchess of Sussex takes her morning routine very seriously and allegedly has her own wake-up playlist that features a variety of indie bands. She also enjoys hits by Ingrid Michaelson and the Jackson 5. She eats a healthy breakfast As a self-proclaimed foodie, Meghan Markle rarely skips breakfast. And, as it turns out, her first meal of the day is often ultra-healthy. The Duchess of Sussex reportedly loves acai bowls and oatmeal, and they are a staple in her morning regimen. She also loves omelets and will indulge in them from time-to-time. She avoids caffeine Before her pregnancy, Meghan Markle tried to avoid caffeine as much as possible which is why she often used green juice as an afternoon pick-me-up. Now that she is pregnant, the duchess has likely kept up with this habit and may even have cut caffeine out altogether. She attends royal engagements As a royal, a big part of Meghan Markles job is to attend engagements on behalf of the queen. She is also involved in several charities, which she actively has meetings and events for. In addition, the Duchess of Sussex accompanies her husband, Prince Harry on his royal outings, and also shows face at family events, including special ceremonies like Trooping the Color aka, the queens second birthday celebration. She works on her home renovation In addition to her royal engagements, emails, and other daily to dos, the duchess spends a significant amount of her time planning her current home renovation. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are expected to move to Frogmore Cottage near Windsor Castle in early 2019. But, before they do so, they must renovate the 10-room estate home from an office and staff housing to a functional family home. Once completed, Frogmore Cottage will include a gym and yoga studio (so that the Duchess of Sussex can keep up her 4:30 A.M. practice), a nursery, and, of course, a big kitchen for family meals and gatherings. She exercises On top of her morning yoga routine, Meghan Markle likes to incorporate other workouts in her regimen. Apparently, the duchess likes to run and has been spotted jogging around the Kensington Palace Green weekly. Meghan Markle once told Shape that she likes to run more for her mental health than her physique. She shops for groceries Food is an important aspect of Meghan Markles life which is why the duchess likes to do her own shopping (when she can). She reportedly hits up Whole Foods in London (where she likely shopped at when living in Toronto and Los Angeles) and has been spotted at M&S, a London-based store, picking up items on her list. She goes to the movies As a former actress, film and television are still very much a part of Meghan Markles daily routine (or, at least monthly). She and Prince Harry allegedly slip into a movie theater from time-to-time. They also enjoy plays as a regular date night activity. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Relationships are not for everyone. Especially for Jersey Shores Ronnie Ortiz-Magro and now ex-girlfriend Jenn Harley. The two are known for their extremely volatile relationship and just recently, their animosity towards one another went to a whole new level. The media has been following their drama-filled relationship over the past few months and we think its time these two call it quits indefinitely. Their relationship got off to a great start Over the years, fans have watched Ronnie Ortiz-Magro as he poured everything hes had into relationships. Fans had a front row seat when it came to watching his toxic relationship with fellow Jersey Shore cast member Sammi Sweetheart unfold. Once the two of them broke up for good, we wondered when Ortiz-Magro would finally be able to enjoy a healthy relationship. In 2017, the reality star began dating Jenn Harley. The two only knew each other for less than a year before it was announced that they were expecting their first child together. Ortiz-Magro was extremely excited to begin his journey towards fatherhood alongside Harley. In April 2018, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro and Jenn Harley welcomed Ariana Sky and both were very happy to raise their newborn daughter together. The relationship turned sour A few weeks after their daughter was born, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro and Jenn Harleys relationship began to go south. According to sources, the reality star found out Harley was keeping intimate videos of her ex and Ortiz-Magro found out about it. He eventually took to Instagram to let out his anger posting to his Instagram story, Note to self, cant turn a natural born HOE, into a HOUSEWIFE, if you find them in the gutter then leave them in the gutter. Not all people can be saved when they are so far gone. All you can say you did ur best and keep it moving. He then uploaded another post to his story asking followers to vote yes or no in a poll. If your significant other keeps sex videos of their ex, shouldnt they show enough respect to delete them, esp after being in a new relationship for over a year? #GiveMeYourThoughts. Harley decided to shoot back at the reality star by posting on her Instagram story, Cant turn a coke head into a father! A few hours following their public feud, Ortiz-Magro took to his Instagram again but this time, to apologize. Their feud turned physical A few days following the social media debacle, Ronnie Ortiz- Magro and Jenn Harley were at it again. Harley went on Instagram live to show a fight she was having with Ortiz-Magro. During the argument, you can hear the two arguing then you see Ortiz-Magro try to wrestle the phone out of Harleys hand. A few seconds later the video ends. The reality star later apologized for his actions once again and the two split following the altercation. Domestic battery On an episode of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, an incident unfolded when Harley tried to lunge at Ortiz-Magro while inside a hotel room. Security was able to restrain her and Harley eventually stormed out of the room. Police then arrived at the hotel to investigate a call for a domestic disturbance. On June 24, Jenn Harley was arrested for domestic battery after allegedly dragging Ortiz-Magro with her car while their daughter was in the backseat. He was screaming for her to stop the car as she was driving, said a source. She hit the median and got a flat tire which caused her to slow down. He begged to get out and opened the door but she continued to pull away while he was getting out and it tore up his entire arm. Its a mess from road rash and from being dragged along the street as he was caught in the belt. Over the next few months, the two have gotten into multiple altercations and have eventually gotten back together after putting their differences aside. New Year, new police reports Ronnie Ortiz-Magro and Jenn Harley celebrated the holiday season together with their daughter and Harleys 12-year-old son Mason. The two looked to be very happy and were moving towards a drama-free year. However, that happiness did not last very long. It has been reported that the couple got into a very heated argument on New Years Eve and Harley allegedly threw an ashtray at the reality stars head causing minor injuries. Ortiz-Magro filed a battery report against Harley. Today, Ortiz-Magro is a person of interest in an alleged burglary that took place at Jenn Harleys home shortly after the alleged incident. Harleys home was ransacked and she believes that her ex was the one behind it. The investigation is still ongoing. Ronnie Ortiz-Magro and Jenn Harley are currently broken up. Vanderpump Rules and Below Deck fans got a preview of what a mashup show might look like thanks to Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwrights Instagram and Twitter. The couple, along with Lala Kent and fiance Randall Emmett, recently boarded a gorgeous superyacht, which had fans speculating. Are you on Captn Lees boat?! one Taylor Twitter fan hoped. Another wrote, Please tell us theres a Below Deck crossover coming. But alas, Taylor replied, Nope its Lalas fiances, Randall. Doing a little vacay with friends. Even though the couples are on a private getaway, their Instagram and Twitter look a lot like an episode from Below Deck. But Captain Lee does make an appearance Taylor captures the crew manging the luggage on Twitter. Heading to the boat #bahamas, Taylor wrote. One fan asked, Below Deck? Next is a video of the gang walking toward the magnificent yacht. My home awaits, he wrote on Twitter. As luck would have it, Captain Lee Rosbach from Below Deck caught the video and wrote, Now I know where you are. Check out Greycliff, great wine cellar and selection and its on your side of the bridge. The yachts interior is stunning Taylor wanders the yacht in his Instagram story, wondering what to do today. The gorgeously appointed furniture and yachts craftsmanship is on display as the walks through what appears to be the main salon. His camera captures the sweeping views from the windows surrounding the interior. Which includes a full bar, a huge dining area, big screen television, and a small prep sink. An area that is often seen on Below Deck where stews make those delicious drinks. And the toys are out Below Deck deckhands know what it takes to get all the toys in the water. And the toys are out for Taylor and crew. He takes Instagram viewers along to show the line of jet skis. Plus the (dreaded) giant slide is ready too. He wonders if he should go on the jet skis or the slide? Meanwhile, a crew member, who resembles someone who could be a cast member on any of the Below Deck shows waits by the jet skis. Its all about the excursion Taylor mentions the yacht they are aboard is traveling through the Bahamas. And the weather appears to be spectacular. Although he ponders which yacht toys he should play with, he informs his Instagram followers there are other plans. Gonna go swim with some sharks, he wrote on his story. Apparently that island has a ton of black tips to the right of it. But like a kid with too many toys to play with, he says he wants to go fishing first and then go explore an island. And pans the camera over to show what awaits. But first, lunch Like a scene from Below Deck, the Vanderpump crew has lunch on the deck outside. Stews can be seen intently waiting on guests. Meanwhile, one of the charter guests belts out a not so karaoke-ready version of Starships We Built This City. And just like Below Deck, the weather changes on a dime. Taylors previous Instagram video showed blue skies and sun. But shortly after lunch, a storm rolled in. Perhaps the yacht captain, much like Rosbach or Captain Sandy Yawn booked it away from the bad weather. As the yacht is seen driving in the opposite direction. Taylors final Instagram story installment shows the crew docked at Atlantis, getting ready for an evening of fun. Although fans didnt get their Vanderpump Rules and Below Deck mashup, Taylor provided fans with enough footage that made it pretty close. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Methadone, an opioid pain reliever that has for over 50 years been best known as the best friend to heroin addicts, is reportedly on the verge of destroying all Tennessee has done in the states noble effort to contain the opioid epidemic. Our state has made tremendous strides but if we eliminate oversight and control of methadone, we are courting ruin and an end result of so many overdoses we wont have enough ambulances. I am told there is a distinct possibility that if nearly 100 Office-Based Opioid Treatment (OBOT) centers across the state are successful in using existing Federal patient privacy laws to avoid the states now-sweeping gains in our countrys narcotics nightmare, such a grievous mistake could create havoc. Face it, we are in a must-win battle against opioids and other drugs that have resulted in record numbers of overdoses and deaths across the United States. Methadone is a Schedule II narcotic treat it like an angry rattlesnake. Im thinking the methadone industry has skillfully hoodwinked some set of legislative bozos into approving a scheme that will allow methadone outpatient centers to prescribe and distribute the opioid drug methadone to their patients rather than go through the now well-regulated system that is working. The legislature needs to amend this in a hurry. How convenient these patients will receive medicine on site hello! -- but remember Rule 62 in the Life Manual of Reality: Every hen in the chicken house aint a good layer. The idea, in theory, is that at these centers, a psychiatrist will prescribe the doses and amounts necessary to treat opioid addiction and everybody leaves with a sack of capsules. But the raw fact is they just caught a nurse in Nashville who prescribed one patient 52 pills a day. This is a crowd where rules mean nothing. The way to cheat? Heres the hook -- because of federal HIPAA laws (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) the same clinics must follow confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic-protected information. All patient names, records, prescription dosages, etc., are absolutely locked and confidential. Ill guarantee you in the first week at least 250 of our addicts will have at least five accounts in welcoming clinics in as many small Tennessee towns. Dont you see? With confidentiality protected by heavy fines, addicts are the craftiest souls among us. Think! You mix narcotics, cash, low-hanging fruit (anonymous doctor-shopping) and a slick doctor who gets paid by the number of patients he can see in a day heck, we can all go to Disney Land. Seriously, this will take us back to where weve already been, albeit very painfully and costly (think: millions.) A new state law that went into effect Jan 1, 2019, decrees a ridiculous limit of only a three-day supply of opioid pain prescriptions for new patients, with exceptions for major surgeries, cancer, hospice, sickle cell and treatment in certain licensed facilities. Any legislator who voted this in has never experienced pain but the promise is yet. Thats when you learn that just three days is ding-dong dumb. Opioids such as hydrocodone really work but our medical community has done a poor job of explaining that if you dont taper off a dose, you get drug sick. The symptoms are so bad, trust me, that I honestly believe it is a big reason people stay on opioids and get addicted. Pilgrim, tell me how you taper off a three-day supply or how something so unrealistic becomes a law? Doctors across the state feel this is too strict and not only does a three-day supply fall short of any emergency room doctors common sense, it is commonly agreed among physicians that opioid drugs do not reach their maximum efficiency until after about four-five days of supervised use. (Everybodys metabolism differs.) Tennessees three-day limit is guaranteed to slight the patient, who is instead is the person who we want to help. Most unfortunately, we have allowed a strange collection of pharmacists, insurance companies and the government know-nothing to disrupt a main objective. Thats nuts and is quite candidly the latest in a number of errors we have made due to Americas over-reaction to the opioid crisis. It has been estimated that between five million to seven million Americans who suffer from chronic pain cannot obtain their opioid medicines all across the United States get this -- at this very minute! Some stores, such as Walmart, have issued a company policy that the store pharmacist can refuse to fill a valid opioid prescription on a whim. Ive got victims who will gladly testify about being openly mistreated at the Walmart in Tiftonia. Now we have just the opposite horror: To allow methadone to go completely unregulated will cause a stampede to these deregulated because they are confidential clinics and all but negate the state data base, the DEAs ability to monitor drug usage, the TBIs genius approach, and law-enforcements efforts to lessen the flow of opioids. Imagine how catastrophic it might be. Whereas the ever-tightening grip on legal opioids has now driven those addicted to the black markets, the availability of methadone at a licensed clinic is on face a good idea. It allows health -insurance payments and just as big methadone does not show on most drug tests. (Methadone requires a special test to be detected.) But without careful controls and privacy rules, this is every bit as equally dangerous. With the sharp crackdown on opioids, Tennessee has reduced the number of so-called pill mills from over 300 to 120 in just the last three years, and opioid prescriptions have reduced dramatically. At the same time, overdoses have increased with a record high for each new year. The opioid crackdown has forced those addicted to abandon prescription drugs for street drugs both illegal and far deadlier due to non-existent quality control. Heroin use has also increased and fentanyl about 50 times stronger than morphine and 10 times stronger than heroin -- has become Americas No. 1 heroin derivative. What happens is a high school dropout in Kansas City is delivered a healthy bag of heroin. This aint pure horse, its been cut between 8 and 20 times. So, our fledgling chemist gets his hand on an envelope of fentanyl something to give the tired horse a renewed life. What difference does it make 20 grams or 200 grams? Throw it in, cut the lines with a long knife like youre somebody, and weigh each serving so everybody will achieve the same blessing. Our chemical salesman jacks the powder up, empties some BC Powders so refill the Glassine papers with his trick, you know disguise his sale, and when his stash is grabbed on the street, our man is already in Lincoln, Neb., when the radio tells him there were 62 overdoses that same afternoon in Kansas City. That only means our guy cant do KC for the next 18 months, but hes headed to South Padre Island to set up for spring vacation. Bring it, son! In 2016, more Americans died from overdoses (63,639) than were killed in the entire Viet Nam war (58,220). Also, in 2016 there was a 21 percent increase in drug-induced death over 2015 and the epidemiologists all said, This is not slowing down at all. The 2017 total of 72,000 was a 10 percent increase and computes 198 fatalities each day. Of the 2017 record number, 68 percent were due to opioids. Hey, remember methadone is an opioid. We cool? In October, 14 people overdosed on heroin laced with fentanyl in 3 hours, according to Camden, NJ police. Just this Wednesday New Haven CT police reported 100 overdoses in a 36-hour period with black market synthetic opioids so readily available you can order synthetic delivered by UPS. A bag of chemicals from Thailand doesnt even need a customs stamp. Stir in the fentanyl, the heroin, and a small serving of cannabis oil, and call me a gourmet. In other words, opioid use has been affected but overall drug abuse has not. With privacy mandated by the Federal government, and no way to regulate or limit methadone use, Tennessee could return to its wide-open wild west approach to drug control where tour buses from out-of-state would flock to towns like Manchester, which at one time had over 30 pain control clinics for less than 11,000 citizens. Make no mistake. I could care less what some legislator might say: Methadone is a powerful Schedule II opiate. Sold under the brand name Dolophine among others, it is an opioid used for opioid maintenance therapy in opioid dependence, and for pain. Detoxification using methadone can either be done relatively rapidly in less than a month or gradually over as long as six months. Doctors know a single dose has a rapid effect, maximum effect can take five days of use. (Remember, please, today there is the new three-day prescription limit for legal drugs and that makes about as much sense as using HIPPAs privacy laws to allow Methadone to go free.) Methadone relieves the dreaded symptoms of drug sickness (withdrawal). The pain-relieving effects last about six hours after a single dose, similar to morphine's. After long term use, in people with normal liver function, effects last 8 to 36 hours. Methadone is usually taken by mouth and rarely by injection into a muscle or vein, which gives the drug easy portability between office visits. So, do we beg our legislature, our new governor, his new cabinet or his pretty wife to intercede on our behalf or do we wait for the morning radio to say our crowd is now 15 less than what we hoped who would have suspected a bad batch would end up here, in the very shadow of our Missionary Ridge? There aint much choice but to fight. Its who we are. And, while sad, we must fight as never before. royexum@aol.com Cyntoia Brown's story has been chronicled in numerous publications and in a 2011 PBS documentary, Me Facing Life. She endured an extremely difficult childhood which includes a family history of mental illness and sexual assault, was born to a mother who suffered from substance abuse and that was subsequently incarcerated, and was thrust into an early childhood experience which saw her become adopted and ultimately embark upon a tumultuous path that resulted in her assuming the life of a runaway. As an effect of this exposure during her most formative years, she was subjected to what we call today sexual trafficking where neglect, abuse and exploitation were commonplace in her daily experience. During one specific encounter an alleged solicitor, Johnny Allen of Nashville, would be found shot to death and as a consequence varying narratives over the slaying developed. Brown asserted that she was a 16 prostitute who was defending herself after a hook-up that went terribly astray. Law enforcement and later prosecutors made the claim that Allen was brutally murdered because his money, vehicle and possessions were taken from the scene of the crime. In 2006, she was convicted of first degree murder and robbery as prosecutors pushed for punishment to the fullest extent of the law possible, 51 years to life in prison. Nevertheless, despite this ruling, there are several mitigating factors and extenuating circumstances to consider in order to develop an informed and impartial determination of Cyntoias guilt or innocence. In the original sentencing hearings, there was an egregious lack of attention paid to Cyntoia's mental health and cognitive abilities. The opinions that developed after numerous psychological evaluations were that there were signs of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. It was also concluded that she had symptoms that were consistent with dissociative identity disorder which is a condition that the American Psychiatric Association states, "involve problems with memory, identity, emotion, perception, behavior and sense of self," and are symptoms that "can potentially disrupt every area of mental functioning." Likewise, the mid-1990's study between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente's Health Appraisal Clinic in San Diego sought to measure the effects that childhood trauma, toxic stress and an unstable environment had on cognitive, behavioral and mental development, and upon examining the early stages of Cyntoias life, the pathologies and exposure in which she was surrounded could be properly classified as an adverse childhood experience. Notwithstanding, there are other disturbing patterns that must be called into question concerning the courts. Was there a full adherence to due process and equal protection under the law, particularly for a minor that clearly demonstrated cognitive, behavioral and emotional deficits? Was there access to a fair trial with adequate and effective legal representation, especially when we know that members of Cyntoias family didn't testify and her mental health issues were not adequately conveyed to the court? Have the courts been fair and adequate dispensers of justice, especially in lieu of the fact that in Miller v. Alabama (2012) the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life without parole sentences for juveniles violates Eighth Amendment prohibitions against cruel and unusual punishment. Similarly after reviewing the case in 2018 the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals openly questioned if Tennessee's sentencing laws pertaining to these type cases were confusing and contradictory?" Should not federal statutes such as the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, Violence Against Women's Act (1994) and Crime Victims' Rights Act (2004) be applicable in this case? The Trafficking Victims Protection Act is another legal statue that could be applied in Cyntoias case. In 2011, the federal government designated each January National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in part because, Human trafficking is a global travesty that takes many forms. Whether forced labor or sexual trafficking, child soldiering or involuntary domestic servitude, these abuses are an affront to our national, and to our values as Americans and human beings. Correspondingly, the International Labour Organization and End Slavery Now define trafficking as forced, child and bonded labour; sexual exploitation and domestic servitude. The most recent Global Estimates of Modern Slavery Report (2017) tens of thousands of persons are subjected to trafficking each day. In addition,The Global Estimates of Child Labour: Results and Trends, 2012-2016 report (2017) suggests that 150 million children worldwide have fallen victim to various types of exploitation and forced labour. The magnitude and gravity of what occurred during this case cannot be belittled or minimized because, regretfully, there was the loss of a human life. Notwithstanding, when weighing the extenuating and mitigating circumstances that enveloped throughout this whole sad circumstance a reasonable conclusion that can be ascertained is that were widespread and systemic failures on virtually every level. For these reasons, we join like-minded civil rights groups, social justice organizations and individuals from across the world in calling on Governor Haslam to grant clemency to Cyntoia Brown. #freecyntoia Respectfully, Unity Group Chattanooga Sherman E Matthews Jr, Chairman Eric Atkins, Editor Chris Kleponis - Pool/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- President Trump said he "can relate" to the furloughed federal workers who won't be able to pay their bills if the shutdown continues, but added that they will "make adjustments." "I can relate," Trump said. "I'm sure the people that are on the receiving end will make adjustments. They always do. People understand what's going on. Many of those people that won't be receiving a paycheck, many of those people agree 100 percent with what I'm doing." The government shutdown is now in its third week, with roughly 800,000 federal employees working without pay or sent home to wait on potential back pay. The shutdown has affected a wide range of professions, from members of the Coast Guard, to air traffic controllers. Ongoing negotiations between Democrats and Republicans to reopen the government have stalled over the president's demands for border wall funding. Jan. 11 is the first scheduled payday that will be missed for federal employees in affected roles since the shutdown began. When asked by ABC News' Tara Palmeri if federal workers will be getting a check on Friday, the president said well see what happens. While the president will be spending his Sunday at Camp David on a White House retreat, Vice President Pence continued to lead negotiations with a bipartisan group of congressional staffers. He was joined by senior presidential adviser Jared Kushner and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen for the second day of discussions. But before the teams even sat down to talk, the president expressed little confidence in any progress. "I don't expect to have anything happen at that meeting," Trump said. "But I think we're going to have some very serious talks come Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday." "Ultimately," Trump said, "it's going to be solved by the principals," meaning the president, House Speaker Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. "Schumer and Nancy Pelosi and myself can solve this in 20 minutes if they want to. If they don't want to it's going to go on for a long time," Trump said. Earlier this week, Trump said he would continue the shutdown for as long as it takes. Yesterday, the bipartisan working group did not discuss specific border security numbers, although Democrats had requested the White House to provide a specific budget in writing. The president said Sunday that he may declare a national emergency "dependent on what's going to happen over the next few days." As he walked towards Marine One on his way to Camp David Sunday, the president said "I don't like doing this. I have no fun doing this." He added that the presidents before him didn't "have the guts" to shut down the government over security. "I was elected to protect our country. That's what I'm doing and presidents before me have all voted for this or many of them and many of the senators that I'm negotiating with right now have voted for this. But let me tell you something, they didn't have the guts to do it." Democrats have expressed frustration with White House negotiations. Following the staff-level meeting on Saturday, a Democratic source familiar with the discussions said the vice president did not budge on the president's demands for $5.7 billion, and added that the White House has been "all over the place on numbers for months." Republicans, like Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, are urging lawmakers to come to a resolution. "Government shutdowns are never good policy," Collins said. "It is not a sign of weakness to try to figure out a middle ground. Freshman House Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said the president is holding federal workers "hostage." "If the GOP wants a wall so badly, they can try to propose and pass a bill like anybody else. Instead, they are seizing gov operations + innocent peoples pay until they get what they want, she tweeted on Sunday. "This is called hostage-taking. And no one can compromise or negotiate with that." On CBS Sunday Morning, House Speaker Pelosi suggested the president was uncooperative during meetings last week. "Our purpose in the meeting at the White House was to open up government," Pelosi said. "The impression you get from the president, that he would like to not only close government, build a wall, but also abolish congress, so the only voice that mattered was his own." Despite the impasse, the president expressed optimism he could work with Democrats when speaking to reporters on Sunday. "Everybody's playing games but I can say this: I think the Democrats want to make a deal. I really do. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Preston (EastIdahoNews.com) -- An Idaho science teacher who ignited worldwide controversy after feeding a puppy to a snapping turtle was found not guilty of animal cruelty Friday evening. A panel of six jurors delivered the verdict to a packed courtroom after deliberating less than 30 minutes following the two-day trial in Franklin County. Robert Crosland, the Preston Junior High School teacher, smiled as the verdict was read and afterward spoke publicly for the first time since the March ordeal. "I would just like to thank all of the support that I've received," he said. "I'd like to thank this community for staying behind me. It's really what got me through all of this." Crosland fed the sick puppy to a turtle named Jaws at Preston Junior High School after hours in front of a few students. Following an investigation by the state attorney general, he was charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty. +2 Teacher charged after allegedly feeding puppy to turtle in front of students An Idaho science teacher who allegedly fed a puppy to a snapping turtle was criminally charged Friday. Robert Crosland is facing one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty. Shane Reichert, one of Crosland's defense attorney, admitted that some people might take issue with a snapping turtle eating a puppy but Reichert argued that in the eyes of the law, there is no difference between the dog and a rat or even deer people hunt. "As we set out from the beginning, we thought the State was going to have a difficult time proving this case beyond a reasonable doubt," Reichert said. Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden thanked the investigators and attorneys who worked on the case on behalf of his office. "As prosecutors, our job is to present evidence to the jury. In this case, Mr. Crosland's peers in Franklin County did not find the state proved guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. I appreciate the jurors' attention and respect their decision," Wasden said in a prepared statement. WHAT HAPPENED IN MARCH Based on witness testimony from the trial, the timeline leading up to the snapping turtle eating the puppy is as follows: Teacher accused of feeding puppy to turtle in front of students Authorities are unsure if the puppy was alive at the time of the feeding. Crossland's son, Mario Crosland, received the puppy from a farmer he knew. One of the farmer's dogs had recently given birth to a litter of puppies, and the farmer was worried the pups were feeding off of the mother too much causing her health to decline. As a result, he started giving the puppies to others. When Mario received the puppy, he noticed it was sick. He said in his testimony that the puppies eyes were cloudy and it refused to eat. He said he and his sister tried to nurse the puppy back to health, but after a day it was clear the puppy was going to die. He said no matter what they did, it refused to eat. They gave the puppy to their dad who decided he would feed it to either his python, Monty, or the snapping turtle. Crosland arrived at school and attempted to feed the puppy to Monty but the snake didn't eat it. The teacher then took the pup out to his van and continued with his regular teaching schedule. After school ended, Crosland stayed to help a student with a project. He mentioned to the few students in his classroom that he needed to feed his animals and asked if anyone would be offended because a puppy would be involved. The witnesses all testified Friday that they did not have a problem with it. Crosland let the students handle the puppy. Most of the witnesses said they noticed it was sickly, lethargic and its ribs were sticking out. A couple noted the puppies eyes were cloudy. After a few moments, Crosland placed the puppy in the snake's enclosure but it became clear the reptile wasn't interested. Crosland then put the puppy in the snapping turtle's 350-gallon tank. Witnesses testified the puppy tried to swim for a couple of seconds then the turtle pulled the puppy under the water. Instead of eating the puppy right away, the turtle waited for it to stop moving which took around 30 seconds. A few of the witnesses said the puppy could barely move its legs before losing consciousness and it did not struggle much because of its poor health. After the turtle ate the puppy, the students left. Idaho Deputy Attorney General David Morse argued that the puppy suffered as a result of the feeding, saying it was "flailing around and crashing" around in the turtle tank. WHAT WITNESSES SAID ABOUT CROSLAND Every witness called to testify said it was common knowledge that Crosland fed live animals to the snapping turtle and snake that were kept in his classroom. The Preston Junior High School Science Department Director said those reptiles would not eat dead animals and it was the movement of living creatures that triggered their response to feed. Another common theme among witnesses was that the puppy Crosland fed to the turtle was deathly ill. The witnesses consisted of current and previous students. They made clear that Crosland is a beloved teacher one even testifying that he was his favorite teacher in school. Two of Crosland's colleagues in the science department had only positive things to say about Crosland's character, his love for teaching and his passion for animals. Crosland's son, Mario, became emotional when testifying about his father's love for animals and how he would do whatever he could to care for them. Mario even went so far as to say that his father "could do what Fish and Game couldn't" when it came to caring for animals. WHAT'S NEXT FOR CROSLAND Crosland continues to teach for the Preston School District and he feels "a lot of relief" with the not guilty verdict. Students, teachers and others in Preston hope the community can now move forward. "There was no question in my mind that he had no evil intent or no intent to harm this animal. Given the fact that what he does for a living and the area in which he teachers there is no question he was doing what he thought was best for this puppy," Stratton Laggis, Crosland's other attorney, said. Not standing in a room.Sanchez was the home of the Salamia family The agricultural area of Puebla was threatened by... Photo: Contributed Two police officers from Metro Vancouver who were accused of sexual assault in Cuba last year have been acquitted and are now home with their families in Canada. Vancouver Police Const. Mark Simms and Port Moody Police Department's Const. Jodan Long arrived home in Vancouver Saturday morning, according to CTV News. Simms was acquitted of sexual assault of a 17-year-old Canadian girl by a five-person jury in November, and Long was charged with being an accomplice to the assault, though was also acquitted. They remained in custody in Cuba for the interim months because prosecution appealed the verdict. Family members told CTV that the court rejected the appeal, and agreed with the judge at the trial that the assault allegations had been fabricated. "These innocent victims of a malevolent lie are, at long last, home with their families. This last step happened unexpectedly quickly. Words cannot express our profound gratitude for all the support you have given us in so many different ways," the families wrote in a statement. The acquittal does not save the officers from a potential investigation now that they are home. The B.C. Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner may still choose to open an investigation after gathering more information. -With files from CTV Vancouver news, latest-news, There are fears stage one of Canberra's light rail network could become a $939 million "white elephant", with electricians concerned high-voltage cables are installed too close to the surface. Workers and their union representatives say issues with the depth of the cables might prevent the network receiving the independent approvals it needs before trams can start moving passengers on the 12-kilometre track between Gungahlin and the city centre. But a Transport Canberra and City Services spokesman says the ACT government directorate "fully expects" the project to achieve certification against all relevant Australian standards. Photos of electrical conduits in a pit near the intersection of the Federal Highway and Flemington Road appear to show some cables installed just a few millimetres below ground level. This is despite the Australian standard the directorate says will be adopted for the light rail project requiring cables installed underground in areas accessible to the public be buried at least 750 millimetres below ground level. The pit has been filled in with concrete since the photos were taken, but the Transport Canberra and City Services spokesman said the government understood works at the intersection were still subject to completion and verification checks. An electrician working on the light rail project, who did not want to be identified because he feared for his job, said he had several concerns about the standard of the work, including the depth of electrical cables. "There are high-voltage cables that are somewhere between extremely shallow and not very shallow," he said. "It's not being constructed to standard." In 2016, the ACT government awarded the Canberra Metro consortium a contract to build and operate stage one of the light rail project. John Holland, a construction company that is part of the consortium, is responsible for design, construction, operations and maintenance. The construction of light rail stage one is budgeted at $707 million, but the total cost including operations is $939 million. Electrical Trades Union ACT officer Mick Koppie said the photos were evidence of a major problem for the ACT government. He said he had been "getting calls from everyone" about the standard of the work, with several union members working on the project telling him of their concerns. "I don't think there's any doubt [that the work doesn't comply with Australian standards]," Mr Koppie said. "Clearly, [the cables] are nowhere near the depth they're supposed to be and in some instances they come very close to the surface." Mr Koppie said if the work did not receive the third-party electrical accreditations it needed to become operational, Canberrans would be left with "a pretty big lame duck, or white elephant". "Things need to be repaired," Mr Koppie said. "I would say we're better off erring on the side of caution and get everything fixed up before we get one passenger on that tram. "That's going to leave egg on the government's face, but this wasn't their making. It was the builder who did this. "You've got to be safe rather than sorry, don't you? It would be best to get everything done properly first. I don't know the full extent of what that entails. The experts are telling me a lot of millions to fix it." Mr Koppie also expressed concern some pits containing high-voltage cables filled up "like a swimming pool" and needed to be drained whenever it rained. "It's not healthy at all," he said. A Canberra Metro spokesman said "effectively all" of the electrical cabling for stage one of the light rail project had been installed, but some works, including those shown in the photos taken at the intersection of the Federal Highway and Flemington Road, were yet to be finalised. "All electrical cabling works on the Canberra light rail project will be checked and verified for compliance by Canberra Metro through their quality management system and through independent verifications," the spokesman said. A Transport Canberra and City Services spokesman said the project required various third-party accreditations before operations could commence, including certification of electrical works. "Prior to operations commencing the light rail system will be required to have all necessary authorisations in respect electrical infrastructure, including certification that cable depths at the Federal/Flemington intersection are appropriate," the spokesman said. "In a project of this size and complexity it is not unusual that there may be various construction matters which require further consideration prior to final sign-off. "That is why the projects contract and regulatory framework exists." The spokesman said it was clear significant progress was being made on the project and works would continue through January. He said trams were still expected to start taking passengers in early 2019, but the exact date was subject to third-party accreditations. "Transport Canberra fully expects the project will achieve certification against all relevant Australian Standards," the spokesman said. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/f85fbe7b-92da-4a10-9c50-2a23bf8c5294/r0_1393_3024_3102_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news It could happen to anyone. Rudi and Jenny Zimmermann were driving steadily on the Kings Highway on the afternoon of July 10. They approached a bend where, out of nowhere, another car smashed into them head-on at speed. Their injuries were devastating and, on any reckoning, should have been fatal. Members of their family were told in the middle of the night that they needed to get to the hospital quickly. Jenny Zimmermann's heart stopped twice. But they survived and it's taught them a lot about life, death and love. Neither has any ill will towards the other driver. They said the police had told them that she had failed to realise an overtaking lane was about to come to an end. The driver of the other car was badly injured herself. She is a mother of two children and, as Jenny Zimmermann put it, will "have to live with it for the rest of her life". Both Mr and Mrs Zimmermann had devastating injuries. Their bodies were broken in pieces. The last thing she remembers hearing through the haze of near death were the words "the chopper ... ambulance ... to Canberra". Four months on, they want to thank the staff who pulled them back to life. The main reason they survived, they both say, is the amazing way in which the emergency responders and hospital staff operated both at the crash and then while they were in intensive care in Canberra Hospital. Some people might turn bitter after tasting death so closely. They do not. "One of the reasons we survived was because we have such a positive attitude to life", said Mrs Zimmermann. "We don't see gloom and doom anywhere". She said that she had not become more religious despite feeling the wings of death so closely. The crash left both of them with massive injuries. Jenny said she had "a massive rupture to the bowel, a lacerated liver, five ribs were broken and my heart stopped twice". Mr Zimmermann was in Canberra Hospital for 94 days, often hallucinating because of the blow to his head, pulling tubes out of his body in wild, irrational anger. One of the lasting costs of the crash is that he will never eat again. He has a set of tubes going into his abdomen, and through them nutrients and vitamins are pumped, bypassing the mouth. Mr Zimmermann can taste but he can't swallow because the crash broke his neck and so the passage from the mouth to the stomach beyond repair. His pelvis and an arm were also shattered. He was a keen cook and he has resumed cooking even though he can't eat so he puts ingredients in his mouth in a tantalizing test of their taste but then has to spit them out. "The joy of eating is gone," he said. "That's a devastating life-changing imposition," But it is about the only negative thing either of them says. "We see the whole thing as a positive event," Mr Zimmermann said. "It stopped us in our tracks." By which he means that he was a workaholic and he has been forced not to be. Neither of them stopped much to reflect but hospital made them take stock. They said they had always been close in their 55 years of marriage but their closeness has grown. "We swung from the same branch," Jenni said, "but it's intensified". The crash had made them realise that there will be a ghastly day when one of them won't be there. She is 78 and he is 81 and they finally realise that writing wills is important. "We have learnt for the first time - we had to confront - the possibility that one of us disappears", he said. He said he had become calmer since the crash, with less of a short fuse: "I have become a little bit softer." He and his wife now have a campaign - to tell everybody how good the health care in Canberra is. They said as one, "We are very grateful that all these people went to all this trouble." /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/1768a270-d9f7-4c85-9120-daa05d8b2021/r10_0_5461_3080_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news A tribunal has dismissed an ACT government contractor's claim that she was sexually harassed by a co-worker and found the man's description of himself as a "perve" to be irrelevant to the case. In a written decision, ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal senior member Heidi Robinson detailed three sexual harassment allegations made by the complainant, who was engaged in May 2017 by Manpower Services Australia to work with a division of the government's Transport Canberra and City Services directorate. The decision says the complainant's manager "rather informally" delegated responsibility for much of the complainant's training and induction to an experienced employee, who is referred to as Mr X. The complainant alleged that less than two weeks into her placement, Mr X pushed his crotch into her elbow and breathed on her neck while showing her how to use a computer. The complainant said that on later occasions, Mr X sat on her lap while she was sitting in his chair, and that he pretended to trip and fall in a confined space in an attempt to kiss or hug her. Mr X denied any wrongdoing and said any physical contact that occurred during the first incident was not deliberate. He said he had no recollection of the other two alleged incidents. In her decision, Ms Robinson said she did not believe the complainant had fabricated the allegations, but found the alleged incidents were "clearly not" sexual in nature. "I am satisfied that each of the interactions were accidental, and were typical of the kind of accidental interactions that happen in a workplace and leave no lasting memory or impression," Ms Robinson wrote in her decision. "In reaching this conclusion, I do not doubt that the complainant was disconcerted and perhaps offended by the incidents, which may be why she remembers them and Mr X does not. "But that alone does not colour them as sexual in nature when they clearly were not." Ms Robinson said information Mr X posted on Facebook, where he referred to himself as a "perve", was irrelevant to the case. "Mr X gave very frank evidence as to the basis for that self-description, and the context in which it was used (being one of a number of adjectives used in connection to online activities and his online persona and intended to be self-deprecating and humorous)," Ms Robinson's decision says. "I draw nothing adverse from that self-description. It relates to his private interests, and is not relevant to these proceedings." Mr X admitted swearing at the complainant on one occasion and said that was inappropriate. Manpower Services Australia sacked the complainant less than two months into her placement with Transport Canberra and City Services, citing reasons including that she inappropriately interrupted other staff members and managers, used inappropriate language and performed work at a volume "well behind" other staff. The complainant later made an application to the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal, seeking remedies including that the ACT government engage her again or pay out the remainder of her terminated contract. Along with the allegations of sexual harassment, the complainant also claimed that she was the victim of discrimination based on her age and race while assigned to Transport Canberra and City Services. In dismissing the application, Ms Robinson said there was "simply nothing" to suggest that was the case. Instead, Ms Robinson found any unfavourable treatment the complainant experienced was "a direct result of the complainant's own conduct and behaviour and the nature of her interactions with her colleagues". The special member said she was not satisfied that Transport Canberra and City Services was aware of the complainant's allegations of sexual harassment or discrimination when she was sacked. "I am satisfied on the basis of the oral and written evidence of the [complainant's] direct manager and senior manager that the true reason the territory requested that Manpower terminate the applicants employment was her unsatisfactory conduct and performance," Ms Robinson said. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/e4b79a7e-d51a-4d00-b5b9-a9152d426a68/r0_100_2000_1230_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news It was Robin Boyd's regular articles about architecture in The Age, alongside affordable plans for people to build their own homes, that took modernism to the masses in late-1940s Australia. The newspaper's Small Homes Service, led by Boyd, sold affordable house designs to home builders and encouraged quality design. The work of Australia's most influential architect caught the attention of Australia's most famous historian, Manning Clark, and his wife Dymphna, who both chose Boyd to design their Canberra home. Boyd, who would have been 100 on Thursday, took the couple's broad and sweeping vision and designed what has become Manning Clark House in 1952, which has been an active centre for cultural and events and community gatherings since Dymphna Clark died in 2000. Rowan Clark, one of the Clark children who grew up in the house, said the earliest memory he had of being in the house was running through the house clutching a small blanket while his parents were in bed. "I must have been two or three," he said. While some of the design wouldn't "pass muster" today due to changes in planning regulations, Mr Clark said, it was still a special environment and an excellent place to grow up. "Its quite extraordinary to be in a place with so much timber and glass, lovely clean lines. It makes the place a lot softer," he said. "Some of the spaces, like the dining room, work wonderfully well for people to sit around and have conversations." Mr Clark said his parents were great entertainers, with guests dropping in most days of the week to a house that was well equipped to host parties and visitors. James Henshaw, who is minding the house on Tasmania Circle over summer, said it was a peaceful space to be in and he could tell that it had been designed with great care. "You just wake up to the sound of birds which just adds to the peacefulness of the house," he said. "It just makes it seem like a really comfortable." Boyd's 1960 book The Australian Ugliness , which was described by The Canberra Times at the time as possibly being "too severe for the unprepared", bemoaned Canberra's departure from the Griffin plan and the "featurist" assemblage of embassies in different national styles in the capital. Known for his acerbic comments, Boyd also criticised the Australian National University in 1964 for having "Disneyland-like" architecture. Boyd designed five houses in Canberra, in Red Hill, Deakin, Forrest and Aranda. Boyd also designed the Zoology Building at the Australian National University and the Churchill Memorial Trust headquarters, now Open Systems House, on Northbourne Avenue. Professor Miles Lewis of Melbourne University, who knew Boyd, said the architect's own work wasn't terribly influential but he did a lot to encourage public interest in design and improvements in quality suburban housing. "There are a lot of people in Australia today who are perfectly lay people who [because of Boyd] like simple, modern design," Prof Lewis said. Boyd also set out the history of Australian architecture, he said. "Today were still following within his framework." Boyd, who was made a life fellow of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects in 1969, died in 1971 aged 52. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/8badc363-7f34-4a76-a92e-5bb0eaf99c78/r0_152_2736_1698_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news The Canberra Comedy Festival 2019. March 18 to 24. Various venues. Adults only except where indicated. canberracomedyfestival.com.au. With everything that goes on here, Canberrans need to laugh. And more than 60 comedy acts are soon coming to help people in the ACT do just that. This year's Canberra Comedy Festival is the seventh, its associate director James Stevenson says. It's now a well-established event in the ACT and Stevenson believes this is, in part, because Canberrans are sick of being passed over when big names and international acts tour Australia. Each year, he says, the festival books Australian and international acts that are touring the comedy circuit and brings them to the nation's capital. Canberra comedians also perform. Canberrans have responded enthusiastically since it began, he says, with many events sold out. There was a 2019 taster late last year with A Very Canberra Comedy Festival Christmas but the main event will take place in March across a wider range of venues than ever. These include all three theatres in the Canberra Theatre Centre, the Street Theatre, the Civic Pub and Novotel Canberra. In addition there will once again be a Festival Square in front of the Canberra Theatre Centre. "People can come there before and after the late show," Stevenson says. But it's expanded - as well as food and drink for sale, on some nights there will be additional five to 10 minute late-night performances by some of the festival's acts in a separate section. "They're free to people with any ticket to any show they've seen that night," Stevenson says. So what are the shows that will be coming? It's impossible to cover them all so here are some of the highlights, with a particular emphasis on new-to-Canberra and international acts. American comedy ensemble Baby Wants Candy will present two shows. Thrones! the Musical is, as the title suggests, is a musical comedy parody of the popular TV series Game of Thrones, complete with gore and sexiness. "It's one of the biggest shows that's ever played at the Edinburgh Fringe - it's sold out for the last five years," Stevenson says. The other, eponymous show is "a completely improvised musical with a full band," Stevenson says. They choose a title from audience suggestions, then every note, lyric, line and movement is improvised on the spot. "It's unbelievable." The festival has a significant British component. Daniel Sloss - "dark and witty" - is appearing after two Netflix specials. His fellow Scots Larry Dean - bringing the intriguingly titled show Bampot in which he discusses such subjects as breaking up with his Australian boyfriend - and Fern Brady - "she does incisive comedy that's close to the bone" - are also coming. Paul Foot, "a master of the absurd", will be here too British company Shit-faced Shakespeare returns after last year's Romeo and Juliet with a new production, the comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream. The humour wiol be enhanced by the show's gimmick: before every performance, one member of the cast gets very, very drunk. While technically British, Jimeoin might be considered almost Australian by now, given his longstanding presence in this country. He'll be returning to Canberra after a few years away, as will Egyptian-born Australian Akmal. And in Best of the Edinburgh Festival, two comedians - Briton Jimmy McGhie and Canadian John Hastings - will get to show why they deserve that appellation. There's even a New Zealander: Guy Montgomery. Then there's the Australian contingent. The Chaser's War On History will present "the least reliable but most hilarious account of Australian history" and in John Safran - Jew Detective: Sarcasm is not a Crime, the comedian talks about his adventures infiltrating Australian Nazi and Jihadist groups. Damian Callilan's The Merger is a one-man show - that was adapted into a movie - about the dysfunctional Bodgy Creek Roosters Footy Club, facing the prospect of folding or merging with their arch rivals, unless a solution can be found. Other touring Aussies include Dave Hughes, Anne Edmonds (who hosted the Christmas show) and Charlie Pickering. Two other big events are the 2019 Canberra Comedy Festival Gala and the return of the family-friendly Clean Comedy Spectacular. Local and emerging talent includes Chris Ryan, Tom Gibson, Anthony Tomic, Andrew and Danny Bensley, Maddy Weeks, Emma Holland, Harris Stuckey, Simon Bower, Koori Showcase, Frankie McNair, Sweaty Pits, Unedjamacated, Bill Makin and Whet Brekkie. And Stevenson will team up with his identical twin brother Benjamin for their new show, Takes One To Know One. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/e99ab782-9b45-422c-8cd8-8b496335b6a2/r0_346_6720_4143_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg Become A Subscriber A subscription opens up access to all our online content, including: our interactive E-Edition, a full archive of modern stories, exclusive and expanded online offerings, photo galleries from Caledonian-Record journalists, video reports from our media partners, extensive international, national and regional reporting by the Associated Press, and a wide variety of feature content. Public sector banks (PSBs) ought to step up hiring at junior and middle levels to ensure there is no vacuum following the retirement of a large number of employees in the near future, the lawmakers said in a report to Parliament. In PSBs, 95 per cent of GM level employees, 75 per cent of Deputy GM level employees, and 58 per cent of Additional GM level employees will retire in 2019-20. Also Read: HRD introduces 70-point grading index to assess quality of school education in states The Standing Committee on Finance has observed there has been "strangely a discernible" fall in the number of candidates registering for clerical, probationary officer and specialist officer positions at PSBs as per data available from the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection. "The committee believes that while banks reducing their recruitment could be a factor, undue stress and work pressure from long hours and difficult working conditions without commensurate compensation/incentive package may be discouraging prospective candidates," said the report tabled in Parliament last week. The panel headed by veteran Congress leader M Veerappa Moily has expressed apprehension that there could be "sudden vacuum" because of the large number of retirements in the near future in state-owned banks at various levels. "The committee desires that proper manpower planning and human resource development strategies should be put in place in PSBs so that the staff/officers groomed into the system, remain motivated and a sudden vacuum is not created at the junior/middle levels due to manpower shortage," it said. Further, the committee has made a case for more incentives and a better remuneration package for senior management of PSBs to reduce the wide gap in their compensation package and that of the private sector peers. As per the report, the committee has desired that in case the lateral mobility policy of senior officers in PSBs at the Board level is being considered by the government by promoting DMDs of SBI, then the "movement should be made both ways, that is from SBI to PSBs and from PSBs to SBI". Also Read: PM Modi launches projects worth over Rs 4,500 crore in Odisha Also Read: Govt ensuring airlines follow highest safety standards: Suresh Prabhu In the past four years, 171 pilots were caught drunk before taking off from airports in India and abroad. The alarming number of "high flying" pilots was revealed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) under the Civil Aviation Ministry in response to an RTI query filed by India Today. The figures are staggering. 57 pilots were held at Delhi airport and 43 at Mumbai airport. Two pilots were found drunk at Dubai airport, one in 2016 and another in 2017, whereas one pilot failed the breath analyser test at Sharjah Airport in 2015. And more than 40 pilots have been failing the breath analyser test every year. Crew members have to take a compulsory breath analyser test before the departure of flight. It is a measure to determine the concentration of alcohol in their blood stream. Notably, according to Rule 24 of the Aircraft Rules, crew members are not allowed to consume alcohol 12 hours before the commencement of a flight. ALSO READ:Jet Airways fails to pay December salary to senior management, pilots In response to India Today's RTI on what action has been taken against the drunk pilots, the DGCA said, "The privileges of pilot licence held by these pilots were suspended as per the proviso of the CAR Section-5, Series-F, Part-III". The DGCA rules states that when a member of the cabin crew fails the test for the first time, his or her licence is suspended for three months. For a second violation the licence is suspended for 3 years and the licence is permanently cancelled in case of a third violation. India Today also inquired about the names of the airlines that these pilots belonged to, but the DGCA refused to divulge any names. "The details of airlines cannot be provided, as the information is exempted from disclosure under Para 8 Sub Para (1) (d) and (e) of RTI Act 2005," DGCA said. However, Air India did divulge the details of its pilots who were caught drunk in response to another RTI filed by India Today. ALSO READ:IndiGo plane suffers engine failure mid-flight, govt to review incident Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman "lied" in Parliament that government orders worth Rs one lakh crore were provided to HAL, while demanding that she should either place the documents in support of her statement in the House or resign. Gandhi's attack came after a media report claimed that "not a single rupee of the said Rs 1 lakh crore has come to HAL, since not a single order, as claimed, has been signed till now". The media report cited senior HAL management officials in order to back its claim. The Congress has been targeting the government, alleging that it denied the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) an offset contract under the Rafale fighter jets deal with France, a charge the government has denied. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has accused the Congress of not supporting HAL during its rule and asserted that the government is now strengthening the defence public sector undertaking. ALSO READ:'I come from a middle class family, not a khandan,' Nirmala Sitharaman blasts Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha "When you tell one lie, you need to keep spinning out more lies, to cover up the first one. In her eagerness to defend the PM's Rafale lie, the RM lied to Parliament," Gandhi tweeted. "Tomorrow, RM must place before Parliament documents showing 1 Lakh crore of Govt orders to HAL. Or resign," he said. When you tell one lie, you need to keep spinning out more lies, to cover up the first one. In her eagerness to defend the PM's Rafale lie, the RM lied to Parliament. Tomorrow, RM must place before Parliament documents showing 1 Lakh crore of Govt orders to HAL. Or resign. pic.twitter.com/dYafyklH9o - Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 6, 2019 Gandhi had on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "weakening" HAL to help his "suit-boot" friend. Gandhi's attack on Saturday had come over a media report which claimed that HAL, grappling with low finances, was forced to borrow Rs 1,000 crore to pay salaries to its employees for the first time in years. Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted on Sunday: "The Lying Defence Minister's Lies Get Exposed! Defence Minister claimed that procurement orders worth Rs 1 Lakh Crore provided to HAL! HAL says Not a SINGLE PAISA has come, as Not a SINGLE ORDER has been signed!" "For the first time, HAL forced to take a loan of Rs 1000 Cr to pay salaries!," he added. ALSO READ:HAL gets nod to produce weaponised version of LCA Tejas Terming Aadhaar as a "game changer", Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Sunday said savings made through its implementation can fund three public welfare schemes of the magnitude of Ayushman Bharat -- the ambitious healthcare programme to provide free hospitalisation to millions of poor people. He also attributed the successful implementation of Aadhaar to the decisive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the Congress-led UPA remained "half-hearted" towards it because of its own contradictions and indecision. In a Facebook post titled 'Benefits of the Aadhaar - where it stands today', Jaitley said its use in the delivery of subsidies has helped saved Rs 90,000 crore in the last few years till March 2018 by eliminating several duplicate, non-existent and fake beneficiaries. The Digital Dividend Report prepared by the World Bank estimates that India can save Rs 77,000 crore every year by the use of Aadhaar, he said. "The savings through Aadhaar can fund three schemes of the size of Ayushman Bharat...Aadhaar is a game changer," Jaitley said. ALSO READ:Govt introduces Aadhaar amendment bill in Lok Sabha Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana aims to provide a coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family annually, benefiting more than 10.74 crore poor families for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation through a network of empanelled healthcare providers. Since its launch in September, nearly 7 lakh poor patients have been provided free hospital treatment. Jaitley said the UPA, because of its contradictions and indecision, remained half-hearted about Aadhaar. "Instead of taking credit for it, Congress lawyers challenged it in Court and appeared as the anti-technology, anti-Aadhaar faces. A decisive Prime Minister made it possible," he said. The total amount of subsidy transferred through Aadhaar now equals Rs 1,69,868 crore. "With the elimination of middlemen the benefits go directly to the bank accounts. This is a unique technology implemented only in India. The monies saved through Aadhaar is money fruitfully employed for the poor elsewhere," Jaitley said. ALSO READ:Companies failing to comply with Aadhaar Act may be liable for up to Rs 1-crore fine Since The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill was passed in 2016, in the last 28 months over 122 crore Aadhaar numbers have been issued. About 99 per cent of the adult population of India above the age of 18 stands covered. He said 22.80 crore PAHAL and Ujjwala beneficiaries are given cooking gas subsidies through direct benefit transfer (DBT) in their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. Jaitley said 58.24 crore ration card holders stand linked and 10.33 crore MGNREGA card holders get wage payment through DBT in their bank accounts. So do the 1.93 crore beneficiaries of the national social assistance programme. The Income Tax Department has already linked 21 crore PAN card holders with their Aadhaar numbers. A total of 2,579 crore authentications have been undertaken till date. Everyday, 2.7 crore authentications are done. UIDAI has the capacity of 10 crore transactions to be authenticated per day. In most schemes, the direct benefit transfer takes place to the beneficiaries' 63.52 crore bank accounts that had been linked with the unique identity as on December 15, 2018. The total number of subsidy transactions through Aadhaar are almost about 425 crore. Jaitley said a senior minister in the UPA government blocked the idea of Unique Identity Number (UID) conceived by Nandan Nilekani and it was a "divided house". "The Prime Minister was indecisive. The enrolment continued, though at a very moderate pace," he said. ALSO READ:Corporate Affairs Ministry plans to collect KYC of companies, CAs It was only a decisive Prime Minister Narendra Modi who decided to go ahead with the idea of Aadhaar after the formation of the NDA government in May 2014, he added. The UPA legislation, Jaitley said, was inadequate as it did not contain adequate safeguards on privacy and did not mention for which purpose the UID would be used. "The NDA Government re-examined the issue and the legislation was completely changed. The pith and substance of the new law was that Government spends a large part of the public resources in subsidising the poor. This subsidy became an indefinite amount which is given to an unidentified section of the people. "There are several cases of duplication and thus the unique identity based on biometrics would eliminate these aberrations and relief would travel only to the intended. This was the thrust of the new law," he said. Jaitley said the Supreme Court upheld the whole concept of unique identity and rejected the challenge that it violated the Right to Privacy. "It held that Aadhaar meets the concept of constitutional trust, limited government and good governance and empowers marginalised section of society. It also introduced several safeguards to ensure that it is not misused. The Judgement of the Supreme Court added balance to the concept of Aadhaar," Jaitley said. ALSO READ:No general scheme for adults to opt out of Aadhaar programme, says govt Two individuals deserve a special credit for Aadhaar, the minister said. "Shri Nandan Nilekani, who started it and Dr Ajay Bhushan Pandey, who subsequently provided it with the direction and expansion. He masterminded the Government strategy to repel the legal challenge," Jaitley added. The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has for the first time borrowed funds to pay salaries to its employees. The state-owned defence PSU has been facing dwindling finances which might lead to its operations coming to a complete standstill later this year due to lack of funds to make fresh purchases or pay its vendors, reports suggest. "Our cash in hand is in the negative, we've had to borrow close to Rs 1,000 crore as an overdraft (OD). By March 31 we'll have minus of Rs 6,000 crore, which becomes unsustainable. We can borrow for day-to-day work but not for project purchases," HAL CMD R Madhavan told The Times of India. This the first time in at least the past three decades that HAL had to borrow money, which has always been cash rich, Madhavan said. As of now, HAL is trying to get its overdraft limit extended from the current cap of Rs 1,950 crore, TOI said. Data shows that the last low in HAL's cash balance was in 2003-04 when it had Rs 4,841 crore in hand. By the end of financial year 2017-18, the company had Rs 6,524 crore, which slipped to Rs 1,000 crore in September 2018, and was wiped out by the end of 2018, according to the daily. ALSO READ:Prove govt orders worth Rs 1 lakh crore to HAL, or resign: Rahul Gandhi calls out Nirmala Sitharaman By the end of the last year, outstanding dues payable to HAL from its clientele runs up to Rs 15,700 crore, the daily reported. The biggest defaulter to HAL is the Indian Air Force (IAF), which is yet to pay Rs 14,500 crore, whereas the rest of the dues are from the Indian army, navy and coast guard, the report said. The Ministry of Defence allocates budgets to the defence forces, which then pay HAL with the funds they receive. The ministry had approved budget to the tune of Rs 13,700 crore for 2017-18, and revised budget of Rs 33,175 crore for 2018-19 including the pending amount for 2017-18. HAL spends Rs 1,300-1,400 crore on procurement and salaries every month, out of which funds to the tune of Rs 358 crore are used for giving salaries. As opposed to this, HAL earns around Rs 6,000 crore every year from repair and overhaul work, which largely constitutes keeping IAF's age old fleet in shape, the report said. "Every month this keeps adding up we'll get into trouble. Slowly purchase orders will not materialise and projects won't move forward. This year we will be able to manage because of the past purchases. From April, purchases that are due won't come, affecting repair and overhaul (ROH) work, which will come to a standstill from April," Madhavan told TOI. ALSO READ:HAL gets nod to produce weaponised version of LCA Tejas Troubles with HAL operations will affect around 2,000 vendors from the MSME sector which works with the defence PSU. Cash shortage or work stoppage at HAL will directly affect these vendors. The debacle at HAL has come to light close on the heels of statement by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament where she said that efforts are being made to scale up the capacities of the state-owned firm. Edited by Vivek Punj A woman Sunday tried to immolate herself in a police station in Telengana's Rajanna Sircilla district after she was called there in connection with a land dispute case, an official said. M Muthavva (35) told police about her anguish at being called to the police station and then doused herself with kerosene, the official said. However, personnel at the police station thwarted her self-immolation bid and counselled her and let her off without charging a case, he added. He said a local farmer, Tirupati, had filed a case against Muthavva in a land dispute and she was called as part of the probe. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Margot Robbie says she has witnessed positive changes in Hollywood following movements such as #MeToo and Time's Up. The "Mary Queen of Scots" actor told Sunday Today that her new film and upcoming project "Birds of Prey" are examples of the changed mindset in the film industry. "Right now, I'm promoting a film directed by a woman. I just wrapped a film where most heads of departments where female roles, it's a female-led ensemble piece. And I'm in prep for a film with a second-time female director with a big budget behind it," Robbie said. "I think up until recent times, saying that and actually getting people to put their money behind that, were two different conversations. I think it's easy to say, 'Yes, wouldn't that be nice,' it's quite another to say, 'Yes, I'll sign off on that decision,'" she added. "Mary Queen of Scots", which also features Saoirse Ronan, released in US last November. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking swipe at the BJP over reports that the CBI may quiz him in the illegal mining case, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Sunday said that he may have to tell the probe agency details of his alliance with Mayawati. Talking to reporters in Lucknow, he said he is ready to face the CBI, but people are also ready to answer the BJP. "Now we have to tell the CBI as to how many seats we have distributed in the gathbandhan (alliance). I am happy that at least the BJP has shown its colours. Earlier, the Congress gave us the chance to meet the CBI, and this time it is the BJP, which has given us this opportunity," Yadav said. "The Samajwadi Party is making efforts to win maximum LokSabha seats. Those who want to stop us, have the CBI with them. Once the Congress did CBI probe, and I was questioned. If the BJP is doing all this, the CBI will question me, I will answer (them). But, the people are ready to give an answer to the BJP," he added. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister may face a probe by the CBI, according to the agency FIR made public Saturday, the day arch rivals Samajwadi Party and BSP indicated their intent to join hands. The agency also raided 14 locations in connection with the FIR against 11 persons to probe alleged illegal mining of minor minerals in Hamirpur district during 2012-16. "Why is the CBI conducting raids. Whatever they want to ask, they can ask me. However, the BJP should remember that the culture it is leaving behind, it may have to face it in the future," he said. On formal announcement of seat-sharing with Mayawati's BSP, Yadav said that it is likely to be made within a week. However, he maintained suspense on accommodating the Congress in the alliance, which also includes Ajit Singh's RLD. The Samajwadi Party and the BSP have decided to fight the upcoming national elections together and have already worked out a seat sharing arrangement to take on the BJP, which along with its allies won 73 seats from the state in 2014. "You will come to know about it (alliance) in a week or so," Yadav said. On possibility of the Congress joining the alliance, Yadav said a decision will be taken by him and Mayawati. He declined to elaborate further. "The BJP has taught us alliances and we are walking on the same path. We are trying to form an alliance with the BSP. The aim of the Samajwadi Party is to bag maximum number of seats but the ones who wish to stop us, they have the CBI," he said. Terming the raids politically motivated, Yadav also questioned the credibility of the CBI. Hitting back, the BJP said Akhilesh Yadav's government was "hand in glove" with the accused in the illegal mining case. Rejecting Yadav's allegation of vendetta, UP minister Sidharth Nath Singh said, "If you loot public money, then law will take its own course." Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Singh said instead of questioning the time of the raids, Yadav should answer why so much "loot" had happened under his government. Congress's Kapil Sibal also attacked the BJP, saying that whoever spoke against it was raided. The politically crucial Uttar Pradesh sends 80 lawmakers to the Lok Sabha. By joining hands, the opposition parties had defeated the BJP in three Lok Sabha bypolls in the state last year, the first show of strength after the 2017 Assembly elections which saw the saffron party storm to power in the state after a 14-year hiatus. The Apna Dal, a significant player in the state politics, is also in talks to be a part of the SP-BSP alliance. It is also talking to the BJP and its chief Krishna Patel said it will tie-up with like-minded parties. "We will go with like-minded parties, the political parties, which agree with our polices and ideology. At present, we are in talks with senior leaders of different political parties including the SP, BSP, Congress and BJP," she said. On reports of rift between the BJP and Anupriya Patel's Apna Dal (Sonelal) and Om Prakash Rajbhar's Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, she said, "I do not want to comment on it. But, as far as OP Rajbhar is concerned, he was once associated with the Apna Dal and headed the youth wing of the party." The Apna Dal (Sonelal) is a breakaway of the Apna Dal, which was founded in 1995 by Krishna Patel's husband Sone Lal Patel. The Apna Dal (Sonelal) was founded by Jawahar Lal Patel, who was also founding member of the Apna Dal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leader Ivan D'Souza will undertake a day-long fast Monday against the merger of Vijaya Bank with the Bank of Baroda. D'Souza told reporters here Sunday that the merger decision had challenged the self-respect of the people of Dakshina Kannada where Vijaya bank started its operations. Vijaya bank, which began with the vision of helping farmers and the poorer sections of society, was earning profits during the last two years and had declared dividends to its customers in 2017, the MLC said. The BJP representative of Dakshina Kannada in parliament had not raised their voice against the merger, he claimed. The Congress would also hold protests against the merger in front of all the branches of Vijaya Bank here in co-operation with its employees on January 10, D'Souza said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Current champions Vidarbha and domestic giants Karnataka are in the running to make it to the quarter-finals of the Ranji Trophy. With the last round league matches to be played from Monday, the quarter-final line-up is yet to be decided. From this year, five teams from combined A and B Groups, two teams from Group C and one team from Plate group will go to the last eight of the coveted domestic tournament. At present, Vidarbha are sitting on top of the combined A and B Groups' standings with 28 points, while Karnataka are at the second spot with 27 points. Gujarat and Saurashtra are at the third and fourth place respectively with 26 points each while Madhya Pradesh, from Group B, are at the fifth position with 24 points. Baroda, sitting at the ninth spot, would be aiming for an outright win against Karnataka at Vadodara, to keep their chances alive of making it to the quarter-finals. If Karnataka post a win against Baroda, then their passage to the quarters will be easy. The same thing will apply to Vidarbha when they clash with Saurashtra, at Rajkot. Both the teams will go full throttle and aim for a win as a victory will boost their chances of making it to the last eight. But, it also depends on results of Group B matches. Vidarbha will be bolstered after having defeated 41- time Ranji champions Mumbai by an innings in their last game at Nagpur and knocking out the latter from the quarter-finals reckoning. With veteran Wasim Jaffer scoring with consistency and spinners Akshay Wakhare and Aditya Sarvate in full form, Vidarbha look favourites to tame Saurashtra. Meanwhile, the remaining two matches of the Elite A Group - Mumbai versus Chhattisgarh to be played here at the Wankhede Stadium and Railways versus Maharashtra at the Karnail Singh Stadium in New Delhi - are inconsequential. All these teams are lying well below in the combined A and B Group standings and are already out of the reckoning to enter the last eight stage. Mumbai will also be looking to put a spirited show to avoid relegation to Group C. This has been a disastrous season for Mumbai as they have failed to register a single outright win. Their batsman have been out of form and bowlers have also not been able to recreate the magic. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Venezuela's Supreme Court said Sunday a justice who sat on a panel that deals with electoral issues has fled the country, reportedly to Florida. The high court said it has opened an investigation into the justice, Christian Zerpa, over allegations he sexually harassed women who worked in his office. But Venezuelan journalists based in the United States linked the defection to President Nicolas Maduro's controversial attempt to be sworn in this week to a second six-year term. Journalist Carla Angola, who said she interviewed Zerpa, reported he was in Florida and was prepared to cooperate with US prosecutors investigating Venezuelan corruption and human rights violations. of the defection came a day after the opposition-controlled National Assembly declared Maduro's presidency to be illegitimate and called for a transitional government to organize democratic elections. Maduro was re-elected May 20 in presidential elections called by a regime-backed Constituent Assembly and boycotted by the opposition, many of whose best-known leaders were under house arrest or barred from running. The United States, the European Union and a grouping of countries from the Western Hemisphere called the Lima Group have refused to recognize the election. On Friday, Canada and 12 other Lima Group countries joined in calling for Maduro to step down and open the way for a transitional government formed by leaders of the National Assembly. The US State Department issued a statement Saturday saying the United States stands with the National Assembly as "the only legitimate and last remaining democratically elected institution that truly represents the will of the Venezuelan people." On Sunday, the Venezuelan foreign ministry accused Washington of attempting "to consummate a coup d'etat ... in promoting the repudiation of legitimate and democratic institutions." Supreme Court president Maikel Moreno charged that Zerpa was the subject of numerous allegations of "indecorous and immoral conduct to the detriment of a group of women."The Supreme Court statement said he was being investigated for "sexual harassment, lascivious acts and psychological violence" against women in his office. The Supreme Court said the investigation dates back to November 2018, but it was only made public after the reports of Zerpa's defection. Moreno denied that the case exposes divisions within the court, which has acted consistently in line with the government. "Far from separating us, it unites us," he said. Zerpa was a member of the ruling United Socialist Party (PSUV) and was appointed to the high court in 2015 just days before the opposition assumed the majority in the National Assembly. He was among a group of Venezuelan officials who faced financial sanctions imposed by Canada, as it moved to put pressure on the Maduro government. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Under fire for boycotting the recently concluded civic polls in Jammu and Kashmir on the issue of article 35A, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah Sunday said his party will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha and the assembly elections in the state and win them. Abdullah appealed to Pakistan to stop aiding and abetting terrorism and hold talks with India to resolve the bilateral issues. "It (Article 35A) is sub-judice. In Parliament and assembly elections, we will (take part) and will win also," Abdullah told reporters here. The NC had boycotted the recently concluded panchayat and municipal polls in the state. The party had announced in September last that it would not contest the municipal and panchayat polls and even the 2019 elections "until and unless the government of India and the state government made clear their position on Article 35A and took effective steps to protect Article 35A in and outside the court". Article 35A, which gives special rights to people in Jammu and Kashmir and bars outsiders from owning immovable property, has been challenged in the Supreme Court. The NC, which has taken a U-turn on the boycott of the 2019 elections now, had faced huge criticism by various political parties and the PDP had asked it to clarify its stand on the elections. "National Conference patriarch Farooq Abdullah and his party must come clean on this and make their position clear in case of 35A," senior PDP leader Naeem Akhtar said earlier in the day. "Farooq Sahib had earlier made a lot of noise about it and led his party into boycotting the recently held polls on its basis, and now, he is not even prepared to talk about it or give a political statement," Akhtar had said. Abdullah further said Pakistan should stop aiding and abetting terrorism and enter into friendship with India. "The firing will continue. I will appeal to Pakistan stop these things and come to the table for talks and resolve all these issue. There is no other alternative," Abdullah said. He said the Kashmir problem cannot be resolved with guns but through talks alone. On the visit of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti to a suspected militant's house, he said "You should ask this question to Mehbooba Mufti? She was doing it earlier also and now she is doing it again. But this time she will have no takers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump on Sunday showed signs of flexibility over building a wall along the US-Mexico border as he talked about a steel barrier instead of his previous demand for a concrete wall, to prevent illegal immigrants from entering America, a politically divisive issue which has forced a shutdown of the US government now entering its third week. However, the president insisted that there needs to be some kind of a physical barrier to prevent hundreds and thousands of illegal immigrants from entering the country, which he said is a big drain on American economy. Trump is seeking USD 5.6 billion in Congressional funding for a wall, which is being opposed by the Democrats. This stalemate has resulted in partial government shutdown. "We have to build the wall or we have to build the barrier. The barrier or the wall can be of steel instead of concrete if that works better," he said before leaving for the presidential resort in Camp David for a meeting with his senior advisors on the border wall and various other aspects of his administration policies. "I'm going to Camp David. We'll be discussing many topics: North Korea, the China trade deal...we'll obviously be discussing the wall," he said. Trump said he intends to call the head of US Steel and a couple of other steel companies to have them come up with a plate or a design for the physical barrier along the US-Mexico border. "We'll use that as our barrier," he said. "This is a very important battle to win from the standpoint of safety, number one, defining our country and who we are. Also from the standpoint of dollars. This wall will pay for itself many times through the course of the year," he said. Such a physical barrier he said is about stopping human traffickers, and stopping drugs. "So we have to have it," he asserted. A day earlier, Vice President Mike Pence chaired a meeting of senior administration officials with Congressional staffers on the stalemate around the border wall which has resulted in a partial government shutdown for more than a fortnight now. Not much progress was made during the meeting, said acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. "I thought we had come in to talk about terms that we could agree on, places where we all agreed we should be spending more time, more attention, things we could do to improve our border security. And yet the opening line from one of the lead Democrat negotiators was that they were not there to talk about any agreement," he said. Trump told reporters Sunday that Pence is likely to have another meeting with Congressional staffers and lawmakers. "We have a meeting, Vice President Pence and a group will be going to a certain location, that you know where it is, and they'll be having another meeting. I don't expect to have anything happen at that meeting... but I think we're going to have some very serious talks come Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday," he said. The president reiterated that the partial government shutdown could continue for a longer time, if the Democrats do not give him the Congressional funding to construct a physical barrier along the Mexican border. He held the Democratic leadership House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer responsible for this. "Schumer and Nancy Pelosi and myself could solve this in 20 minutes if they want to. If they don't want to it's going to go on for a long time," he said. Earlier, Trump said his predecessor Barack Obama had supported a physical barrier to keep out illegal immigrants from entering the country. "'We simply cannot allow people to pour into the United States undetected, undocumented, unchecked - Barack Obama, 2005'. 'I voted, when I was a Senator, to build a barrier to try to prevent illegal immigrants from coming in - Hillary Clinton, 2015'," Trump said quoting from Obama and Clinton's previous remarks. "The only reason they do not want to build a Wall is that Walls Work! 99 pc of our illegal Border crossings will end, crime in our Country will go way down and we will save billions of dollars a year! A properly planned and constructed Wall will pay for itself many times a year!" he tweeted. Responding to a question, Trump said he does not like government shutdown, but wants to protect the country. "I don't like doing this. I have no fun doing this. I was elected to protect our country. That's what I'm doing," he said. Trump said other presidents didn't have the "guts" to build the wall "just like they didn't have the guts to move the embassy to Jerusalem in Israel". Because of an open border, Trump said not only illegal aliens, but also criminals, and drug smugglers and human traffickers have been taking advantage of the current situation. "Human trafficking is a big business, is a big deal. Dealing in children is a big deal. Children are probably the most harmed by not having a wall or its equivalent," he said. "Everybody's playing games but I can say this: I think the Democrats want to make a deal. I really do. A lot of work has been done on the wall...a lot of work has already been done. When they say 'build the wall,' I don't say that anymore, I say 'finish the wall'," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump confirmed Sunday that the US military has killed one of the architects of the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole that left 17 American servicemen dead. The military said Friday that Al-Qaeda operative Jamal al-Badawi was believed to have been killed in a precision strike in Yemen. "Our GREAT MILITARY has delivered justice for the heroes lost and wounded in the cowardly attack on the USS Cole," Trump tweeted. "We have just killed the leader of that attack, Jamal al-Badawi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump's national security adviser said Sunday that conditions such as guarantees on the safety of Kurdish allies must be met before American troops are withdrawn from Syria. John Bolton told journalists travelling with him on a trip to Israel that the United States wanted a guarantee from Turkey that Kurds in Syria would be protected, NBC said. Trump's announcement on December 19 that the US would immediately withdraw its troops from Syria led to concerns among allies, and he has since spoken of "slowly" sending troops home "over a period of time". "There are objectives that we want to accomplish that condition the withdrawal," said Bolton, who travels to Turkey after Israel, according to NBC. "Timetables or the timing of the withdrawal occurs as a result of the fulfilment of the conditions and the establishment of the circumstances that we want to see. And once that's done, then you talk about a timetable." Kurdish-led forces control a large swathe of Syria's north and northeast, some of it seized from the Islamic State group. Despite backing from the US-led coalition and success in pushing back IS, Kurdish-led forces have at times incurred heavy losses. A US withdrawal could leave them exposed to an attack by neighbouring Turkey and its Syrian proxies. The Kurds have invited Damascus to send troops into some of the territory it controls, to act as a bulwark against pro-Turkish forces. Bolton also said Sunday all 2,000 US forces may not be withdrawn. He said the withdrawal would take place in northern Syria, while some forces could remain to the south at the al-Tanf garrison as part of efforts to counter Iran's presence. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is due to meet Bolton later Sunday, has pledged to continue to act against Iran -- the Jewish state's main enemy -- in Syria. Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes in Syria against what it says are Iranian military targets and deliveries of advanced weapons to Hezbollah, a Shiite Lebanese militia backed by Tehran. Both Hezbollah and Iran back President Bashar al-Assad's regime. At a meeting on Tuesday in Brazil, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the Israeli premier that the Syria pullout would not affect US support and protection of Israel. "Our position is clear," Netanyahu said on Sunday. "We continue at this time to act against the Iranian military buildup in Syria, and we are acting against anyone who undermines or tries to undermine Israel's security. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three Korean nationals have been arrested at Delhi airport for allegedly trying to smuggle gold worth Rs 1.26 crore into the country, an official statement issued said on Sunday. A Korean man was intercepted by the customs officials after his arrival from Seoul on Friday. A thorough personal and baggage search of the passenger led to the recovery of four gold bars, collectively weighing four kilograms, the customs department said in the statement. The value of the gold bars is assessed to be Rs 1.26 crore, it said. The 45-year-old Korean national and his two accomplices (also natives of South Korea), who were waiting outside the airport to collect the smuggled gold, have been arrested, the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dozens of anti-junta activists gathered in Thailand Sunday to call for the military government to honour a long-anticipated election set for February 24, as rumours abound of the date being postponed yet again. The junta -- which has ruled Thailand since it deposed the government of Yingluck Shinawatra in a coup in 2014 -- has said it will hold the polls on February 24, after several postponements. But Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn has yet to sign a decree which allows the Election Commission to announce an official date, raising concerns that the polls will be delayed. Fresh doubts emerged after the Royal Household Bureau announced the king had set his coronation on May 4-6, more than two and a half years after the death of his revered father. The elaborate three-day ceremony will take weeks of planning, leading some to worry that elections could be pushed back yet again in order to accommodate the preparations for the royal rituals. Protesters gathered on Sunday at Bangkok's Victory Monument, wielding signs saying "Delay No More" and portraying junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha as a lying Pinnocchio with a long nose. "It's ridiculous. Why do they keep postponing and how many more years do they want people to wait?" said Darunee, 60, an academic who declined to provide her family name. The government has until May 9, 2019 to hold elections, according to a bill endorsed by the king in September. Thailand's modern history has been rocked by coups and political turmoil, and the era since the putsch that toppled Yingluck's older brother, billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra, in 2006 has been dubbed the "Lost Decade", with street protests and instability a feature of political life. Military leaders have argued that taking control has been necessary to restore stability and stamp out corruption. But critics say the new military-authored constitution dilutes the power of elected governments and embeds its role in and policy for the next 20 years. Prayut is widely tipped to return as the country's next premier, though he has been coy about his political aspirations. "He wants to manage the country for a long time," protester Nat Marthong, 26, said. "I don't want the military to choose the prime minister in another coup." Fellow protester Natthapatt Akahad was even more blunt. "I feel angry about the army in Thailand," the 30-year-old told AFP, adding, "I would like the army to get out" of political life. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The DR Congo was on tenterhooks Sunday, awaiting a new date for officials to announce the results of elections to replace Joseph Kabila as president of the volatile central African country. On Saturday, just hours before Sunday's scheduled announcement of the provisional outcome, the electoral commission announced a delay until next week, without giving a specific date. Amid fears of vote tampering and calls from world powers for voters' wishes to be respected, commission president Corneille Nangaa said little over half of ballots had been collected. Insisting the commission should be allowed time to do its work, Nangaa decried what he referred to as "threats" from diplomats over the December 30 polls. Twenty-one candidates ran in the election to succeed Kabila, who has ruled the vast conflict-ridden country for almost 18 years. Among the frontrunners were Kabila's handpicked successor Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary and two opposition candidates: veteran heavyweight Felix Tshisekedi and newcomer Martin Fayulu. At stake is the political stewardship of a mineral-rich country that has never known a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960. Kabila was due to step down two years ago, but clung on to power, sparking widespread protests which were brutally repressed, killing dozens. The election, preceded by repeated delays, was carried out in a relatively peaceful manner. But tensions have built over the lengthy counting process amid fears the results could be manipulated to install Kabila-backed Shadary in the presidency. The electoral commission had promised to announce preliminary results on Sunday, followed by a definitive count on January 15. The president was due to be sworn in three days later. There are fears the delay could stoke tension in the unstable African giant of 80 million people. Nangaa has blamed the slow count on massive logistical problems in a country the size of western Europe with poor infrastructure. Since the vote, the authorities have cut internet access and blocked broadcasts by Radio France Internationale, causing widespread frustration. With international concerns growing over the transfer of power in sub-Saharan Africa's largest nation, Western powers have upped the pressure. The United States and European Union urged Kinshasa to ensure a peaceful change of power. Donald Trump announced Friday that the United States was sending about 80 troops to Gabon to deploy in the event of election-related unrest in nearby DR Congo. The African Union, which had sent an 80-member team to monitor the vote, insisted that respecting voters' wishes was "crucial". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The opposition Grand Alliance in Bihar is likely to hold its first formal deliberation on the upcoming Lok Sabha polls during a meeting on Monday at the residence of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav here. The meeting is likely to be attended by all constituents of the 'Mahagathbandhan' that comprises the RJD, the Congress, former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha's RLSP, former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's HAM and veteran socialist leader Sharad Yadav's LJD. Tejashwi Yadav is the leader of the opposition in the state assembly. According to sources in the Grand Alliance, the meeting will be marked by "broad discussions on the respective number of seats to be fought by each constituent, and identifying constituencies best suited for each alliance partner". They, however, added that a final agreement may be deferred till the release of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad serving sentences in fodder scam cases judgement on whose bail application has been reserved by the Jharkhand High Court. Moreover, leaders of the Grand Alliance have also been stating that a public announcement about the seat-sharing arrangements will be made only after January 14, when the inauspicious month of 'Kharmaas' comes to an end. Meanwhile, Jitan Ram Manjhi rubbished reports that have appeared in a section of the media, claiming that he was toying with the idea of a possible return to the NDA, as he was not getting his due in the Grand Alliance. "This is nonsense. Only on Saturday I was in Ranchi to meet Lalu Prasad. It is another thing that because of his poor health, I avoided getting into any detailed discussions on political matters," he told reporters. In an alliance, all constituents have to be ready to make some sacrifices, the former chief minister said. "We are not at all insistent on a particular number of seats in Lok Sabha polls, and though we maintain that we are in a good position in at least 20 out of 40 in the state, we will work for the 'Mahagathbandhan's' victory even if we end up fighting not a single seat," Manjhi asserted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A teenage girl from Bompally village in Telangana's Peddapalli district has filed a rape case against her 24-year-old lover and his two friends, police said Sunday. Police have identified the main accused as Kotte Ranjith. A police officer said Ranjith allegedly maintained physical relations with the girl under the pretext of marrying her. The officer said Ranjith's friends Methuku Satish (23) and Vykuntam (24) also allegedly raped the girl repeatedly in the last ten months, following which she became pregnant. "The girl had delivered a stillborn foetus and asked Ranjith to marry her, but he refused and threatened her with dire consequences, following which the victim approached police," he said. Police have registered an FIR against the trio under section 376 (D) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for gang rape and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. No arrest is made yet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) AAP's rebel MLA from Punjab Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Sunday resigned from primary membership of the party, alleging that the party had "totally deviated" from the ideology and principles on which it was formed. The 53-year-old Khaira, a former Congressman who had joined the Aam Aadmi Party in December 2015 -- nearly a year before the last Punjab assembly polls, sent his resignation to AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal. "I am constrained to forward my resignation from the primary membership of AAP as the party has totally deviated from the ideology and principles on which it was formed post the Anna Hazare movement," the Bolath MLA said in his resignation letter, copies of which have been released to the media. "Although you have already rewarded our good work by humiliatingly suspending me and Kanwar Sandhu from the party but still I want to formalise the disconnection with you and AAP, by quitting its primary membership," Khaira said. The rebel leader has been a vocal critic of AAP leadership since he was removed as leader of opposition (LoP) in Punjab Assembly in July last year. Khaira, along with Sandhu, was also suspended from AAP for indulging in "anti-party" activities in November last year. Launching a no-holds-barred attack on Kejriwal, Khaira said, "I am saddened to state that your dictatorial attitude has shattered the dreams of Indians and Punjabis for a clean alternative to the decayed and rotten system." He said, "As a result, almost all prominent leaders of the party, beginning from Prashant Bhushan to H S Phoolka, have either quit the party or you have thrown them out." The "current political culture of traditional parties of the country stands badly decayed, due to which immense hope was generated by the formation of AAP," Khaira said in his letter. "..unfortunately after joining the party I realised that the hierarchy of AAP was no different from the traditional centralised political parties. The turn of events into the run up of 2017 Punjab elections further confirmed my belief, that there was no inner party democracy," he said. "We in Punjab aspire to turn the dream of a clean political alternative into a reality, which is impossible as long as I am a part of your highly centralised high command culture," he added. In December last year, Khaira, along with suspended AAP MLA from Patiala Dharamvira Gandhi and Lok Insaaf Party, formed Punjab Democratic Alliance, "a political formation of like-minded leaders". Khaira alleged that no action was taken when he brought to Kejriwal's notice "reports of money exchange, favouritism and nepotism" in distribution of tickets in the run up to Punjab assembly polls two years ago. He accused the AAP chief of listening only to couple of trusted lieutenants he had appointed to run Punjab and never bothering about the sentiments of AAP volunteers on the ground. "The saddest part is that a party which vouched for transparency and accountability never bothered to hold any person or persons accountable for the shameful defeat (in Punjab assembly polls)," Khaira said. AAP, which had emerged a strong contender to wrest power from Punjab's ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition in 2017 assembly polls, managed to win just 20 seats in the 117-member state assembly. "You have blatantly gone back on the most important promise of 'swaraj', by centralising all powers..You have also thrown to winds the constitution of the party merely to remain convenor and continue your grip on the party," Khaira said in his letter to Kejriwal. "Your hobnobbing and flirting with the Congress is yet another example of sheer political opportunism, that has left the people of India bewildered," he added. Following his removal as LoP, Khaira, along with seven supporters, formed a rebel group which sought autonomy for AAP's Punjab unit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) SpiceJet's Boeing 737 MAX plane from Hong Kong suffered a mid-air engine problem Sunday, forcing the aircraft to make emergency landing in Varanasi, according to an official. The plane was flying to Delhi from Hong Kong. The incident comes close on the heels of another incident where a Pratt &Whitney engine of an IndiGo A320 neo plane stopped working mid-air when the aircraft was on its way to Kolkata from Chennai. A senior official of the Director General of Civil Aviation said the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft faced an engine issue and made an emergency landing. When contacted, a SpiceJet spokesperson said the plane landed safely in Varanasi and passengers were deplaned normally. Flight SG-32 was diverted to Varanasi after the pilots noticed low fuel supply in no. 1 engine, he said. "On inspection, a fuel control valve (a minor component) was found to have malfunctioned and is being replaced," the spokesperson added. There have been issues with Boeing 737 MAX planes, which are currently flown by SpiceJet and Jet Airways. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The bitter Doklam episode as well as the evolving regional security matrix forced India's defence brass in 2018 to hasten work on long-pending reforms and modernisation of the armed forces, resulting in a plethora of strategically key initiatives aimed at boosting India's military prowess. The efforts, however, were marred by the political firestorm over the Rafale deal with the defence ministry and the Indian Air Force having to focus on rebutting charges of graft in the Rs 58,000- crore contract. As concerns mounted over Chinese infrastructure build-up in Tibet Autonomous Region and near Doklam tri-junction, the government expedited implementation of pending projects like laying of roads, construction of bridges, strengthening of key military airfields and enhancing surveillance along the nearly 3,600-km Sino-India border. Another key move post Doklam crisis was the setting up of an institutional mechanism called the Defence Planning Committee (DPC) under the chairmanship of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and having the foreign secretary, chairman of chiefs of staff committee and chiefs of the Army, Navy and the Air Force as its members. The DPC has been tasked to make an "action plan" to effectively deal with various security challenges facing the nation and prepare drafts of national security strategy and doctrines. However, the most talked about initiative of 2018 was the Indian Army's decision to carry out extensive and far reaching reforms with an aim to enhance its war-fighting capabilities and effectively deal with all possible challenges facing India along its borders with China and Pakistan. The reform measures, seen as most significant in decades, will include downsizing of the second largest standing Army in the world and make it leaner and meaner, besides equipping the force with modern platforms and weapons. The year also saw the Army finalising one of its biggest procurement plans for infantry modernisation under which a large number of light machine guns, battle carbines and assault rifles are being purchased at a cost of nearly Rs 40,000 crore to replace its ageing and obsolete weapons. However, shortage of funds impacted the Army's modernisation drive. The Army told a Parliamentary Standing Committee in March that it was reeling under severe fund crunch and struggling to even make emergency procurement when China and Pakistan were enhancing their military capability. According to official figures, the Army, Navy and the Air Force had demanded Rs 1.60 lakh crore as capital outlay in the 2018-19 budget, but were granted only Rs 83,434 crore. In the year gone by, the Army procured M777 howitzers and K9 Vajra, in first major induction of artillery guns since Bofors guns were were inducted in mid 1980s. However, a 10-year-old plan to acquire 2,600 future infantry combat vehicles for the Army at a cost of around Rs 60,000 crore stared at an uncertain future due divergent views among the stakeholders on its implementation. Another ambitious programme to indigenously manufacture a fleet of modern battle tanks, christened as future ready combat vehicle, is also not moving forward due to procedural delays. The Army pursued an aggressive anti-terror policy in Jammu and Kashmir and dealt firmly with almost all incidents of unprovoked firing by Pakistani forces along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. Indian and Chinese troops also held their seventh round of military exercise which was suspended in 2018 following the Doklam standoff. On the maritime front, the Navy significantly strengthened its presence of warships in the Indian Ocean region, and carried out a total of 35 multilateral and bilateral maritime exercise in the year. According to official figures, 33 Indian Navy ships are on deployment everyday on an average. The government is also eyeing to set up a naval base at Assumption Island in Seychelles. As part of the Navy's modernisation drive, the government has approved induction of 56 new ships besides the 32 vessels which are being built. "By 2050, we will also have 200 ships, 500 aircraft and be a world-class navy," Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba said last month. At present, the Navy has around 130 vessels. The launch of nuclear submarine INS Arihant was also another highlight for the Navy. Reflecting their growing military ties, India and the US inked a key pact -- Communications, Compatibility, Security Agreement (COMCASA) - under which will facilitate Indian armed forces to obtain critical military technologies from the US, and access communication network. The IAF too undertook a series of measures to take on any challenges facing the country. It held a 13-day long pan-India military exercise in April to check its readiness to deal with a hostile Pakistan and China simultaneously, in case such a scenario arises. In good for the force, the government also inked a Rs 40,000 crore deal with Russia to procure a batch of S-400 air defence missile systems from Russia. The IAF, besides trying to douse the Rafale row fire, also started the process to procure a batch of 114 fighter jets as part of its long-pending modernisation drive. Though the defence ministry was seriously looking at implementing the ambitious Strategic Partnership model for defence production, it could not firm up any major deal under it. Under the policy, government had planned rope in foreign defence majors to build key military platforms like submarines and fighter jets in India in partnership with Indian companies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP president Amit Shah attacked Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi Sunday over a court order asking the publishers of the National Herald newspaper to vacate a premises in Delhi, saying those appropriating public property should not target Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Without taking the name of Herald House, Shah alleged that the mother-son duo tried to evade Rs 600 crore in income tax and had sought to illegally register a public property worth crores in their name. The Delhi High Court had last month asked the Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), the publisher of National Herald in which Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi were shareholders, to vacate the premises in the Press Enclave at ITO in the national capital. Addressing a booth workers' rally here in Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli after inaugurating the new office of the BJP, Shah also said the BJP would work to flush out every infiltrator right from "Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Kamrup (Assam) to Kutch (Gujarat)" if the party returns to power again. Singling out Rahul, Shah said the Congress government "lacked courage" to raise income of farmers. Alleging "Rs 12-lakh crore corruption" under the erstwhile Congress-led UPA government, Shah said, "the mother-son duo of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi tried to evade Rs 600 crore in income tax and illegally registered a public property (Herald House in Delhi) worth crores in their name". Shah said while Gandhi's entire family lineage was "mired in corruption", there was not a single blot on Modi. "Those appropriating public property cannot target Modi. When Rahul Gandhi levels corruption charges against Modi, he should first open his eyes. His entire family lineage is mired in corruption charges and there is not a single blot on Prime Minister Modi," Shah said. He said the Modi government ensured that farmers got 1.5 times production cost. Shah reiterated his charge that the Congress was making "false allegations" over corruption in the Rafale fighter aircraft deal when there is none. "Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has silenced Rahul Baba with her 2.5-hour-long speech in Parliament during a debate on Rafale issue by offering all facts," he said. Shah said Rahul continued to spread falsehood despite a Supreme Court ruling in December. "I said let's have a debate in Parliament (over Rafale). It was debated in the Parliament. You all listen to the speech of Nirmala Sitharaman," Shah told the party workers. Pointing out that Rahul Gandhi was asking the BJP-led government for its "report card" of its four-year performance, he said, "He should first give the report card of his four generations, who ruled the country and did nothing". Shah said the Congress failed to implement the Swaminathan Commission report when it was in power. "These days Congress president is chanting about farmers. Why didn't you remember farmers in the 60 years of your rule? The Swaminathan Commission report was lying on your table since 2007, but you didn't have the courage to offer 1.5 times production cost to farmers," Shah said. He said the BJP government under Modi started offering 1.5 times estimated production cost to farmers across the country after coming to power. The security of the country was "set aside" by the erstwhile Congress government of "Sonia and Manmohan Singh", Shah alleged. "Congress government had compromised on the security of the country but we worked for the country's pride by conducting a surgical strike (on terrorists' launchpads across LoC in 2016) to avenge deaths of Indian soldiers killed in the Uri attack," he said. On National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, Shah said his government has pledged to detect, delete and deport "infiltrators" from the country. "Rahul Baba and company, including Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, DMK, Communist Party, got together asking why they (infiltrators) were being expelled, as if they were sons of their aunt," Shah said. "....Help us come back to power and we will work to expel each and every infiltrator right from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Kamrup to Kutch," he said. Infiltrators are like termites to our country. We will neither save them, nor allow you to save them, Shah said. Members of the 'Mahagathbandhan' (proposed anti-BJP alliance) are opposing the NRC as they think of a vote bank and we think of the country's safety," he said. Targeting the Congress chief, Shah said he should first give account of "four generations" of his party's rule before seeking account of Modi government four years. "You couldn't get rid of darkness, smoke, disease, illiteracy in four generations of your rule and could not offer connectivity. However, in last five years, we have tried to work in all these spheres," Shah said. He said the country witnessed "all-round development" under Modi because he understood poverty by virtue of being the son of a tea-seller. "Gandhi-Nehru family ruled the country for 60 years but they could not change the situation of the poor. BJP government is working as per the ideals of antyodaya. The government has worked hard and successfully, brought changes in condition of the poor," he said, listing welfare programmes of the NDA dispensation. The government is carrying out infrastructure projects of around Rs 5,000 crore in this UT, Shah said. "We are doing so much for people, so the opposition is trying to divert attention," he said, appealing for one more chance to the two BJP MPs from the UT. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a first, scientists have found evidence that the mysterious dark matter -- believed to make up most of the mass of the universe -- can be heated up and moved around, as a result of star formation in galaxies. The findings, published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, provide the first observational evidence for the effect known as 'dark matter heating', and give new clues as to what makes up dark matter. Scientists from the University of Surrey in the UK, Carnegie Mellon University in the US and ETH Zurich in Switzerland set out to hunt for evidence for dark matter at the centres of nearby dwarf galaxies. Dwarf galaxies are small, faint galaxies that are typically found orbiting larger galaxies like our own Milky Way. They may hold clues that could help us to better understand the nature of dark matter. Dark matter is thought to make up most of the mass of the universe. However since it does not interact with light in the same way as normal matter, it can only be observed through its gravitational effects. The key to studying it may however lie in how stars are formed in these galaxies. When stars form, strong winds can push gas and dust away from the heart of the galaxy. As a result, the galaxy's centre has less mass, which affects how much gravity is felt by the remaining dark matter. With less gravitational attraction, the dark matter gains energy and migrates away from the centre, an effect called 'dark matter heating'. The team of astrophysicists measured the amount of dark matter at the centres of 16 dwarf galaxies with very different star formation histories. They found that galaxies that stopped forming stars long ago had higher dark matter densities at their centres than those that are still forming stars today. This supports the theory that the older galaxies had less dark matter heating. "We found a truly remarkable relationship between the amount of dark matter at the centres of these tiny dwarfs, and the amount of star formation they have experienced over their lives," said Justin Read from the University of Surrey. "The dark matter at the centres of the star-forming dwarfs appears to have been 'heated up' and pushed out," said Read. The findings provide a new constraint on dark matter models: dark matter must be able to form dwarf galaxies that exhibit a range of central densities, and those densities must relate to the amount of star formation. "This study may be the "smoking gun" evidence that takes us a step closer to understanding what dark matter is. Our finding that it can be heated up and moved around helps to motivate searches for a dark matter particle," said Matthew Walker, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University. The team hopes to expand on this work by measuring the central dark matter density in a larger sample of dwarfs, pushing to even fainter galaxies, and testing a wider range of dark matter models. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Top industrialist Keki Mistry, who has become the first person to hold a board position at listed Indian firms having market value of over Rs 17.5 lakh crore, believes the upcoming national elections would give a big boost to the rural economy. Mistry, vice chairman and CEO at financial sector conglomerate HDFC Ltd, also said a host of reforms initiated in India over the past decade would lead to positive outcomes over the next years for the economy. "Historic trends have shown that union elections spur up rural economies and help local entrepreneurs. The upcoming elections are expected to help rural demand," Mistry told PTI on his expectations about opportunities before the Indian economy in 2019 and beyond. The general elections are due in the next few months and there have been apprehensions in some quarters that the performance of the Indian economy and the markets may get impacted due to the uncertainties generally associated with the poll season. Mistry also said the thrust on housing by the government, the demand for housing finance and the visible benefits of reforms, such as those from the new regulatory regime of RERA (Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act), would be positive for the real estate sector, particularly affordable housing. Besides HDFC Ltd, 64-year-old Mistry is also on the board of four other group firms -- HDFC Bank, HDFC Asset Management Company Ltd, HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Ltd and Gruh Finance Ltd. Outside the group, he is also on the board of Torrent Power, while recently he was appointed as independent director on the board of Tata group behemoth TCS (Tata Consultancy Services), which is the country's most valued listed company. Mistry is scheduled to attend his first board meeting of TCS, which has a whopping market cap of over Rs 7 lakh crore, next week on January 10. HDFC Bank, the country's third most valued firm, itself has a market capitalisation of about Rs 5.75 lakh crore, while that of HDFC Ltd (sixth most valued among listed Indian firms) is approximately Rs 3.39 lakh crore. HDFC AMC commands a market valuation of over Rs 32,000 crore, while HDFC Life is currently valued at about Rs 79,000 crore. Gruh Finance has a market cap of over Rs 23,000 crore, while that of Torrent Power, where Mistry is an independent director, is about Rs 12,500 crore, as per BSE data. Together, these seven listed Indian firms have a market cap of close to Rs 17.7 lakh crore -- the highest for any person to hold board positions there. A Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Mistry has over three decades of experience in the banking and financial services domain. He joined HDFC Ltd, the country's leading housing finance company, in 1981 and was inducted to its board as an executive director in 1993 after holding several positions over the years. He became Managing Director in 2000, then the Vice Chairman and Managing Director in October 2007 and the Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of HDFC Ltd in January 2010. As part of the top management team, Mistry has played a critical role in the successful transformation of HDFC into India's leading financial services conglomerate by facilitating the formation of various group companies, including HDFC Bank Ltd, HDFC Asset Management Company Ltd, HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Ltd and HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Ltd. He began his career with AF Ferguson & Co in 1975, followed by short stints with Hindustan Unilever Ltd and Indian Hotels Company Ltd. Besides the seven Indian listed firms, he is also on boards of CDC Group (London), Greatship (India) Ltd, Griha Investments - Mauritius and Griha Investments Pte Ltd - Singapore. He is also on the advisory boards of some Indian corporates as well as on various committees including those formed by regulatory bodies like Sebi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Baijayant 'Jay' Panda, who has been keeping the cards close to his chest on his future plans after quitting the BJD last year, says he is willing to join hands with anybody "committed to tackling the severe problems that Odisha now faces". He says some commentators, who attributed motives to his resignation from the BJD, are disappointed that he did not immediately join a party and get some position as they had predicted. "Rather I have spent the last seven months extensively travelling around Odisha meeting people and seeking their opinions. I am not in with any particular position in mind, in fact I have spent two decades not holding any government position but rather helping build a movement and political organisation. "Indeed since elections are nearing, the people of Odisha have a right to know about my plans and I am in the final stages of deciding on them," Panda told PTI. Asked about which side he would prefer, the BJP or a 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) of opposition parties, he says, "My future course will keep in mind which direction the country needs to move, but also of course and especially the need for tackling the severe problems that Odisha now faces." "I'm willing to join hands with anybody who is committed to not just speaking about the sharp rise of crime and corruption in Odisha but is willing to act on it." Having quit the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Parliament as a "matter of principle", Panda says he has been touched at the outpouring of affection and support he received from the people of Odisha. Panda has come out with a book 'Lutyens' Maverick: Ground Realities, Hard Choices and Tomorrow's India', which is a collection of his published articles. The book is published by Rupa. In one of his articles, he says that for the BJP to return to power, it must ensure that its opponents do not gang up against it. Asked if he thinks the opposition has an upper hand, he says from 2014 onwards, the BJP has come into pole position in Indian as by far the largest party, governing the largest number of states. "Nevertheless, recent state elections have shown that the BJP is not invincible and this has opened up the election to more of a contest that was supposed a year ago. Also keep in mind that the voters may have different attitudes in a general election as compared to state elections. All in all it is still open to either Prime Minister Narendra Modi or his principal opponents to make significant gains between now and the elections," he says. Panda also feels that though Odisha Chief Minister and BJD boss Naveen Patnaik still enjoys goodwill in the state, it is a matter of fact that his popularity is "much lower than before as evidenced by recent opinion polls by several national media organisations". What should be of even more concern to him is the far worse public perception of the BJD and its many criminal members and office-bearers, he claims. "While the party has always been far less popular than Naveen himself, today its public acceptability is at an all-time low, especially because of the sharp rise of criminality among its members. While in earlier years Naveen's own popularity and tireless campaigning used to bail out the party that will be far harder this time," he argues. However, Panda feels Naveen's major advantage of having successfully played the Congress and the BJP against each other to prevent either from truly taking the fight to the BJD continues till today and may once again be the BJD's lifeline to survival. "The Congress has reduced itself to third position because of its unwillingness to seriously oppose the BJD for fear that the BJP would grow in the state. Now, after growing strongly into the number two position, there are reports that the BJP is making the same mistake," he says. According to Panda, who has been a parliamentarian for 18 years, he has seen the continued slide in the quality of debates. "But in contrast to widely held views, my take is that this is more due to fundamental systemic shortcomings than just individual politician's doings." He says our has "become so polarised that many in it are forced to take black and white stands on the issues of the day, even if they privately agree that there may be room for a middle path". He feels there is a need to bring political debates more to the centre and to appreciate that not everything is binary, that there could be room for compromise, to achieve progress. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged that Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman "lied" in Parliament that government orders worth Rs one lakh crore were provided to HAL, while demanding that she should either place the documents in support of her statement in the House or resign. Sitharaman hit back at the allegation saying it is a matter of "shame" that the Congress chief was "misleading" the country without fully understanding the issue. Gandhi's attack came after a media report claimed that "not a single rupee of the said Rs 1 lakh crore has come to HAL, since not a single order, as claimed, has been signed till now". The media report cited senior HAL management officials in order to back its claim. "When you tell one lie, you need to keep spinning out more lies, to cover up the first one. In her eagerness to defend the PM's Rafale lie, the RM lied to Parliament," Gandhi tweeted. "Tomorrow, RM must place before Parliament documents showing 1 Lakh crore of Govt orders to HAL. Or resign," he said. Suggesting that Gandhi jumped the gun while making the charges following a media report, Sitharaman's office tweeted that Gandhi should "start from ABCs" and read the complete report before commenting on it. "It's a shame that the president of @INCIndia is misleading the nation. HAL has signed contracts worth Rs 26570.8 Cr (Between 2014 and 2018) and contracts worth Rs 73000 Cr are in the pipeline. Will @RahulGandhi apologise to the country from the floor of the house?," Sitharaman tweeted from the defence minister's official handle. There was another report that said HAL was forced to borrow money to pay salaries to its employees. Meanwhile, in a tweet, HAL said the contracts for light combat aircraft and light combat helicopters are "in advanced stages" and that it has taken overdraft of Rs 962 crore. "In view of the various media reports on HAL,following is clarified: HAL has taken overdraft of Rs 962 crores. With anticipated collection upto March, the cash position is expected to improve. Orders for LCA Mk1 A (83) & LCH (15) are in advanced stages," it said. Sitharaman also tweeted details of contract awarded to HAL since 2014 when BJP came to power. According to her, the Rs 49,797 crore contract to HAL for supply of 83 light combat aircraft Tejas to the Indian Air Force was at the stage of technical evaluation stage. Another contract, whose tentative size is Rs 20,000 crore, for supply of a batch of Kamov Ka 226 T helicopters was also in the similar stage. Sitharaman also pointed out that the media report said that "LS (Lok Sabha) record shows" that she did not claim the orders were signed and mentioned that they were in the works. Sitharaman made the remarks about HAL during her reply to debate on Rafale deal in Lok Sabha on Friday. The Congress has been targeting the government, alleging that it denied the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) an offset contract under the Rafale fighter jets deal with France, a charge the government has denied. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has accused the Congress of not supporting HAL during its rule and asserted that the government is now strengthening the defence public sector undertaking. Gandhi had on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "weakening" HAL to help his "suit-boot" friend. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said the Congress will press for Sitharaman's resignation in case she fails to substantiate her claim in Parliament that HAL was given contracts worth Rs one lakh crore. If the government is claiming that they have given contracts worth crores to HAL then why does that the PSU have to borrow in order to pay their staff, Tewari said. It just does not add up, he said. Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala earlier on Sunday tweeted: "The Lying Defence Minister's Lies Get Exposed! Defence Minister claimed that procurement orders worth Rs 1 Lakh Crore provided to HAL! HAL says Not a SINGLE PAISA has come, as Not a SINGLE ORDER has been signed!" "For the first time, HAL forced to take a loan of Rs 1000 Cr to pay salaries!," he added. Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma accused the defence minister of putting up a "theatrical performance" in the Lok Sabha. The defence minister is "who put up a theatrical performance in the LS, is presenting a pathetic picture by reducing her office into an apologist for Shri @narendramodi, who is personally complicit in the #RafaleScam," he tweeted. "2 days left for Parliament, challenge the PM answer our questions, Sharma said. "The Defence Minister is acting as a spokesperson of Ambani-Dassault JV by running down HAL to justify the denial of transfer of technology and the manufacture of 108 Rafale aircrafts in India. She is trying to win kudos from a PM who is already in the departure lounge," he tweeted. In a scathing attack at Gandhi, BJP leader and Union minister Smriti Irani accused him of "hurting" Parliament's and a woman minister's (Sitharaman) dignity by "winking" in the Lok Sabha as the defence minister replied to the Rafale debate on Friday. "We do not expect values from him but we do hope that he maintains the dignity of Parliament," Irani told a press conference. She was responding to questions about Gandhi's claim in a tweet Sunday that Sitharaman had "lied" in her reply and also about his another tweet, alleging that Modi is an "incompetent man". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi for his "incompetent" barb at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP said Sunday it was ridiculous for an "incompetent" person like him to give a certificate of competence to others. The party claimed that the Congress president had achieved everything in life due to his family not because of competence. In a scathing attack at Gandhi, BJP leader and Union minister Smriti Irani also accused him of "hurting" Parliament's and a woman minister's (Nirmala Sitharaman) dignity by "winking" in the Lok Sabha as the defence minister replied to the Rafale debate on Friday. "We do not expect values from him but we do hope that he maintains the dignity of Parliament," Irani told a press conference. She was responding to questions about Gandhi's claim in a tweet Sunday that Sitharaman had "lied" in her reply and also about his another tweet, alleging that Modi is an "incompetent man". Taking a dig at the Congress president, Irani said he has woken up after 48 hours and was so much hurt by the "truth" that he came up again with a "pack of lies". "I believe that while the defence minister presented all facts before Parliament, the Congress president hurt Parliament's dignity and a woman minister's dignity with his wink," she said. Responding to the Gandhi's incompetent barb, she said wryly, "The country has not fallen upon such bad days that a person who has achieved everything in his life not due to his competence but family, give certificates of competence... This is itself ridiculous that an incompetent person like Rahul Gandhi give a certificate of competence to anybody." No opposition party accepts Gandhi's leadership, she said. Rahul Gandhi had Saturday hit out at Modi over demonetisation, farm distress and job losses, alleging the PM was an "incompetent man who listens to nobody". Citing some reports, he Sunday targeted Sitharaman, saying in her eagerness to defend the PM's "Rafale lie", she lied to Parliament. Irani had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election against Gandhi in Amethi and lost. The BJP, it is understood, may field her again in 2019 from the Gandhi family's pocket borough. The Union minister Sunday maintained that only the party leadership can take a decision in this regard. Irani also took a jibe at Congress leader Shashi Tharoor over his criticism of Modi, saying he has found that the only way by which he can make a headline is by talking about the prime minister. He has written a book on the prime minister, and its sell will increase when he targets Modi, she said. The BJP leader also spoke about the ED seeking a not-bailable warrant against a personal aide of Gandhi's brother-in-law Rober Vadra. She said Vadra's aide had not joined the ED's probe despite being summoned thrice. Gandhi should ask his brother-in-law to tell his aide to join the probe, she said, raking up Vadra's links with defence dealer Sanjay Bhandari and his alleged ownership of a house in London. Irani described Vadra as the "national son-in-law of the Congress". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vice President Venkaiah Naidu Sunday said political parties should focus on development instead of doling our freebies during the time of elections. Addressing a function organised by the textiles ministry, he said, "Rather than focusing on freebies that too at the time of election, we should focus on long term growth stories, developmental stories so that the people can stand on their own. These temporary things will be temporary lollipops only." Talking about the functioning of Parliament, particularly Rajya Sabha during the ongoing Winter Session, the Vice President and the Chairman of the Upper House said he is "pained by our inability to ensure convergence of different agendas into a national agenda". "Parliamentary institutions cannot be held captive to the competitive agenda. The Indian Parliament, Rajya Sabha, could not function for 14 days because of competition between two parties," Naidu said. The Vice President noted that civility of proceedings in the parliamentary institutions is a parameter of an aspiring nation finding its feet and fulfilling its quest. Stressing that before electing their political representatives people should look if "4 Cs" -- character, calibre, capacity and conduct -- are available, Naidu said unfortunately some politicians have brought in four other "Cs". "Caste, community, cash and criminality. If these things influence the society, it's a gone case. We must bring back the agenda to development," he said. Observing that discrimination on the basis of gender and social identities is prevalent even now, the Vice President called for a change in the mindset and commitment and go back to "our original roots where we used to give respect to women". Talking about the role of the agriculture, Naidu said a huge population of the country is engaged in the sector. He observed that the colonial rule created problems for india and the countrymen must let go of the colonial mindset. The Vice President exhorted people to go back to their roots and practice physical exercise, while promoting Indian heritage through their dressing sense. "Our forefathers had so much knowledge. Years of civilisation have taught us so many things. Our dress, our food habits, our lifestyle and so many things. Unfortunately, because of colonial mindset we have abandoned them. Now the time has come to go back to roots," he said. Observing that Yoga has now become an international attraction and brings unity between the body and the mind, Naidu said, "unfortunately, we have cynics in our country. What is Yoga, they are trying to connect it with religion, Yoga has no connection with any religion at all." Citing an example, he said a boy told him Yoga is very good but he has a problem with doing "Surya" Namaskar. Naidu said he told the boy to do "Chandra" Namaskar if he has a problem doing "Surya" Namaskar. "We have to change attitude. Merely bringing legislations, bringing new schemes alone will not suffice," Naidu said. Naidu said the continued growth of the textiles sector can drive the economy to new heights. However, he said, the sector has to improve supply chains and internal systems, focus on research and development, cost optimisation and command a higher share in export of top items traded in global markets. "I would like the sector to focus on improving quality and then tapping the opportunities in the global market to increase India's share in exports," he said. He urged the industry to discard outdated technology and focus on creating global brands. "I understand that India's export performance has not been up to expectations for a variety of reasons. It cannot be a business as usual and the industry has to rise to the occasion and ensure that the share of India's exports reaches double digits," the Vice President said. He urged the industry to diversify its products and tap newer markets, observing that the Indian textile industry is expected to reach USD 223 billion by 2021. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposed visit to Balangir in Odisha has been preponed by a day to January 15, a senior BJP leader said Sunday. The prime minister, who was scheduled to visit Balangir on January 16, will now be there on January 15, leader of BJP Legislature Party, K V Singhdeo, told reporters. During his visit to the western Odisha town, the prime minister will address "Swabhiman Samavesh" of the saffron party. The PM will also attend an official programme there, Singhdeo said. This will be Modi's third visit to the state in three weeks. The prime minister had visited the state on December 24 to inaugurate a new campus of IIT Aragul besides launching a slew of projects worth over Rs 14,500 crore in Bhubaneswar. Modi also visited Baripada in tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district, where he unveiled a basket of projects worth over Rs 4,500 crore, on Saturday. Barely three days after Modi's Balangir tour, BJP president Amit Shah is slated to visit Odisha on January 18 to meet booth-level workers in Cuttack, a BJP leader said. Shah will hold five such meetings in Cuttack, according to BJP general secretary and in-charge of Odisha, Arun Singh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday said Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had given a "detailed response" to the "lies" on the Rafale deal in Parliament and had placed facts before the people. Modi was speaking to BJP workers from Anantapuramu, Kadapa, Kurnool, Narsaraopet and Tirupati Lok Sabha constituencies via video-conference. "Nirmala Sitharaman and Arun Jaitley had placed all facts related to the country's security in Parliament. They replied to each and every word of lies with facts and figures. After many years, Parliament witnessed such a detailed response of the government," he said, referring to last week's debate on Rafale fighter aircraft deal in Lok Sabha. The BJP and the Congress have been engaged in a bitter duel on the purchase of the Rafale fighter aircraft from France, with the latter alleging inflated prices and kickbacks and the former defending it as one conforming to rules. Tearing into the opposition parties, Modi said there were only two political teams in the country presently, the NDA led by the BJP and the other a "jamghat" (motley group) of dynasts. While the BJP's mantra was "na khaunga, na khane doonga", the mantra of others (opposition) was loot in the name of every scheme, he said. "We are the ones who protect each and every paisa of the country's money," Modi said. Noting there was "something special" about his party, Modi warned other parties against "underestimating the power" of BJP karyakartas (functionaries). "In some parties, what matters is one's family. In others, what matters is one's fortune. In some, both family and fortune matter. In BJP, what matters is the passion to work for the future of Bharat Mata, for the future of its 1.3 billion people," he told workers. "We are not connected with the reason of furthering a dynasty nor are we drawn by the temptation to make money. In BJP, our karyakartas are our family and they are our fortune. And they work for Indias fortune," he said. Responding to complaints made by BJP leaders of threats being issued by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to BJP workers, Modi said it was a "direct outcome" of "nervousness and insecurity" (of the TDP chief). "Nowadays in the country, those who are unable to get into the people's hearts, and whom the people are not ready to accept, are adopting a violent path. Everyday, our workers are getting killed in Kerala. But still, our workers are not deterred. In AP too, there are atrocities against BJP workers," Modi pointed out. In an apparent reference to the AP CM, Modi said, "When does a person lose his cool and become nervous? When does a person start threatening? Do you threaten someone or get angry at a political opponent if he does not matter at all? "The threat is a direct outcome of the nervousness and insecurity. The threat means, despite such huge machinery, those in power in AP are now afraid. The threat means the BJP workers are succeeding," the PM observed. "Remind those in AP, who underestimate the BJP, about Tripura. From zero (representation), we formed a government. The violence of the Communists (there) did not stop. Tell those in AP that the people have woken up. They have seen casteism, corruption, dynasty rule, muscle power and opportunism of the parties here," he exhorted the workers. Stating that the people of AP were looking for a change, Modi said his party had what it took to create a prosperous and progressive AP. "They (TDP government) are not able to complete development works and that's why their defeat is certain. The ruling TDP's poor governance record is totally exposed," he added. Responding to some party leaders complaining about a biased media, Modi said, "In India, everyone complains about the media. There are people whose lies appear everyday on the front page and prime time. Still these people complain about the media. And, if someone is not getting coverage, they also naturally complain about the media." "Don't think people do not appreciate the truth, whatever be the propaganda of others. Explain the facts to the people. Don't waste energy on those who spread falsehood because they have no other way than telling lies," Modi told the party workers. Noting that 2019 has begun on a positive note, PM Modi said he had seen a surge of efforts from people from all walks of life over the last few days to achieve one aim -- help BJP win maximum seats in the Lok Sabha election scheduled this year. "The same spirit that we showed in the run-up to the 2014 election is being seen across India. These blessings, this support makes our resolve even stronger to ensure our party wins as many seats and we continue to work for India," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday accused Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu of pushing the state into "sunset" to see his "son rise", a mock reference to the state's tagline "Sunrise AP". Addressing BJP workers in Andhra Pradesh through video-conference, Modi also invoked "Telugu pride", alleging that Naidu betrayed Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founder N T Rama Rao by joining hands with the Congress. "Telugu pride can only be restored when you (Naidu) put the interests of AP above your political interests and lust for power," the prime minister said. "A true tribute to NTR (the late N T Rama Rao) and what he stood for would be voting out those who betrayed NTR's values and sullied his memory. NTR's dream of a Swarna Andhra Pradesh will only be realised when every citizen of AP enjoys the fruits of development and not just one family," Modi said. Calling NTR a "true icon of Telugu pride", Modi recalled that it was NTR who led a "Congress-mukt Bharat" movement by forming an anti-Congress National Front. "Today, his own son-in-law (Chandrababu Naidu) has bent his head before the Congress to save his power. NTR was true icon of Telugu pride. NTR never forgave Congress for hurting Telugu pride and its betrayal of Telugu interests," the prime minister said. "Today, those in power in AP are so desperate to save their power that they betrayed Telugu interests and stabbed NTR in the back for the second time," he said. He also wondered how Telugu pride would be served by neglecting people and sacrificing their interests for power. "How is Telugu pride served by lying and abusing Modi day in and day out, just because you are worried that you will lose power? How is Telugu pride served by daydreaming about becoming prime minister when you have failed as CM?" Modi said, hitting out at Naidu. Accusing Naidu of being "fixated" with the rise of his own son, Modi said the chief minister did not realise how his policies and alleged corruption could lead to "sunset" for the state. "To set the 'son', he is creating an atmosphere for sunset of the state. In only promoting his son, he has forgotten about other sons and daughters of AP," the PM said. The TDP walked out of the BJP-led NDA last year over the issue of financial assistance for Andhra Pradesh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested the personal secretaries of state ministers Archana Tripathi, Sandeep Singh and Om Prakash Rajbhar on charges of corruption and "On getting sufficient evidence against the secretariat staff members, they have been arrested and sent to jail. The chief minister has a zero-tolerance towards corruption," the said in a statement late on Saturday night. On December 28, the three were suspended on graft charges following a sting operation by a news channel. They were suspended on orders of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who also directed officials to register a police case against them, a state government release said. In accordance with Adityanath's direction, the matter will be probed by SIT and it will submit its report within 10 days after taking statements of all parties in the case, it said. The SIT will be led by Additional Director General of Police, Lucknow Zone, Rajiv Krishna. A sting operation was conducted by a TV channel purportedly showing three personal secretaries of ministers allegedly seeking bribes in return for favours such as transfers and issuing contracts. In the sting operation, Om Prakash Kashyap, personal secretary of Backward Welfare Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar is purportedly seen asking for Rs 40 lakh for a transfer. Rajbhar, who is a minister from the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), said he had removed his personal secretary and written to the chief minister to take stern action against him. In the same sting operation, personal secretary of Minister of State for Mining Archana Pandey was shown allegedly striking a deal with the channel's reporter for getting him mining contracts in about six districts. Santosh Awasthi, personal secretary to MoS Basic Education Sandeep Singh, is also seen in the sting operation allegedly working out a deal for a contract for books and seeking his own cut. Singh is the grandson of former UP chief minister and present Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh. Kerala was mostly peaceful Sunday after four days of widespread violence involving BJP-RSS and ruling CPI(M) workers following the entry of two women of child-bearing age into the Sabarimala temple, with 1,869 cases being registered so far and 5,769 people arrested. Asserting that the state government had a constitutional duty to implement the September 28 Supreme Court order allowing women of all ages into the shrine to offer prayers, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said they would not be cowed down by threats of "constitutional consequences" for Sabarimala violence. Vijayan asked the BJP national leadership to instruct its cadre in Kerala to stop creating violence in the state. "The state has a constitutional duty to implement the Supreme Court order. There is no violence other than the ones created by the RSS, BJP and the Sangh Parivar. And now they are threatening the state with constitutional consequences," Vijayan said in a Facebook post. The chief minister's post came on a day Union minister Smriti Irani alleged that the CPI(M)-led LDF government was arresting BJP workers for raising their voice against the state. BJP national spokersperson Narasimha Rao had warned the state government Saturday, saying it would have to face constitutional consequences. Vijayan also alleged that the Sangh Parivar was trying to implement the same methods that they tried in northern India. "Sangh Parivar was trying to implement the same methods which they have tried on northern India. It's not going to succeed in Kerala. The state will deal with all kinds of attempts to create violence and communal riots with iron hands," Vijayan said. So far, 1,869 cases have been registered and 5,769 persons arrested in connection with the violence. At least 4,980 persons have been granted bail, a statement from the State Police chief Loknath Behara said. While in Palakkad, 283 cases have been registered so far and 764 persons arrested, in Kannur district, where crude bombs were hurled at the house of Thalassery MLA A M Shamseer and BJP leader and MP V Muraleedharan, 225 cases have been booked and 394 arrested so far. In Pathnamthitta district, where the Sabarimala temple is located, 267 cases have been registered and 677 people arrested so far. Meanwhile, the Nair Service Society (NSS), an organisation of the forward Nair community, attacked the state government over the entry of young women into the Sabarimala temple, saying it was making planned move to impose atheism on the people. However, some state ministers came down heavily on the NSS saying it was voicing the RSS agenda. UDF convenor Benny Behanan, however, protested the attack against the NSS by the ministers. After a meeting on Sunday, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the Sabarimala temple, directed Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru to provide his explanation within 15 days for performing the purification ceremony after the two women -- Bindu and Kanakadurga -- entered the temple on January 2. Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran and Devaswom Commissioner N Vasu lashed out at the tantri for not taking permission from the TDB. "The temple is controlled by the TDB. Tantri should have discussed with the board before conducting the purification ritual," Surendran said. The purification ritual is against the Untouchability Offences Act. "Any action against the tantri will be taken after getting his explanation which the board has sought," the minister said. The entry of two women in their forties to the hill shrine, the first time since the Supreme Court in September last year lifted the age-linked ban on the entry of women devotees, had triggered massive protests in Kerala. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistani authorities probing laundering of around Rs 220 billion through fictitious bank accounts recommended freezing all assets including the US and Dubai properties of former president Asif Ali Zardari and other individuals, media reports said. The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) submitted a report to the Supreme Court Saturday, recommending freezing the famous Bilawal House in Karachi and Lahore, and Zardari House in Islamabad, Geo reported. It also sought freezing of Zardari's New York and Dubai properties along with all five plots of Bilawal House in Karachi. The case against Zardari and other individuals pertains to laundering of around Rs 220 billion through fictitious bank accounts, the report said. The investigation team recommended freezing all urban and agricultural lands owned by Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur, and the Zardari Group. Rejecting the allegations, Zardari and Talpur said the JIT report was based on speculation and targetted political victimisation. The JIT also moved the Supreme Court to order freezing of all assets of Omni Group, including sugar mills, agricultural companies and energy companies, the report said. Accusing Zardari and Omni groups of irregularities in loans and government funds, the investigation team said both the groups transferred money out of country through 'Hundi' and 'Hawala', the report said. The JIT said the assets should remain frozen until a verdict is delivered in the case, expressing concern that these assets might be transferred out of country. Zardari established a 'benami' company through his front man Iqbal Memon, the team said, adding that the company was frozen in 1998. Zardari's close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested in July 2018 in connection with the probe. His other close aide and Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed and his son Abdul Ghani Majeed were arrested in August 2018. Hundreds of 'benami' accounts at some private banks were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 from where transactions worth billions of rupees were made, according to the investigation. The amount is said to be black money gathered from various kickbacks, commissions and bribes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition parties Sunday accused the BJP of using probe agencies for "executing its political strategy" after it emerged that the CBI may quiz SP president Akhilesh Yadav in a case of illegal mining, even as the ruling party asserted he must explain the "loot" during his tenure as Uttar Pradesh chief minister. Yadav may face a CBI probe, according to the agency FIR made public Saturday, the day Samajwadi Party and Mayawati-led BSP indicated their intent to join hands in Uttar Pradesh to fight the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls. The agency had also carried out searches at 14 locations. UP government minister and BJP leader Sidharth Nath Singh asserted that instead of questioning the timing of the raids, Yadav should answer why so much "loot" had happened under his government. The BJP demands that the CBI investigate him and call him for probe, he told reporters at a press conference. "If you loot public money, then law will take its own course," he said, adding that the CBI is reporting to the Allahabad high court, which had ordered a probe in 2016. In Lucknow, Yadav put up a brave front, saying he is ready to face the CBI and attacked the BJP, claiming that people will answer it in the Lok Sabha polls. Suggesting that the CBI action is linked to his talks with the BSP, he said he may have to tell the probe agency details of his alliance with Mayawati. "Now, we have to tell the CBI how many seats we have distributed in the gathbandhan (alliance). I am happy that at least the BJP has shown its colours. Earlier, the Congress gave us the chance to meet the CBI, and this time it is the BJP, which has given us this opportunity," he said. In the national capital, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari accused the BJP of practising a of "fear" against its rivals and said the country will rid itself of this in the polls. "Those who are carrying out their political strategy through probe agencies do not last long," he said, adding that even a nursery child can comprehend the political motive behind the CBI's move. The BJP said the Akhilesh Yadav government during its tenure between 2012-17 was "hand-in-glove" with the accused in the case of alleged mining scam.' Rejecting the charge that the CBI's searches Saturday in connection with the alleged scam was politically motivated because of the alliance talks between the Samajwadi Party and the BSP, UP government minister Sidharth Nath Singh also told reporters that the BJP has no threat from them. The two opposition parties are fighting for survival, he said, adding that those who are "langde-lulhe" (physically handicapped) need "baisakhi" (crutches). The Samajwadi Party chief said the BJP is leaving a "culture", which may be used against it in the future. "The Samajwadi Party is making efforts to win maximum Lok Sabha seats. Those who want to stop us, have the CBI with them. Once the Congress did the CBI probe, and I was questioned. If the BJP is doing all this, the CBI will question me, I will answer (them). But, the people are ready to give an answer to the BJP," Yadav told reporters in Lucknow. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Odisha Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy resigned Sunday after he stoked a controversy for his remarks on the acquittal of the accused in a gang rape-and-murder case of 2011-2012, sources said. "Maharathy has sent his resignation letter to the chief minister's office. He has resigned on moral grounds," a source in the CMO said. Maharathy was not available for comment. The development came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a public meeting at Baripada on Saturday, accused the Odisha government of not being serious about the welfare of women and girls and urged it to re-investigate the Pipili gang rape-and-murder case. "This (state) government failed to give justice to a girl in an incident that took place 7 to 8 years ago in Puri district. It is natural that women and girls are angry over laxity in investigation into the case for which the victim has been denied justice," Modi said at the BJP rally. Reacting to Modi's remarks on the Pipili rape-and-murder case, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had said, "We are following the case vigorously." A 19-year-old Dalit girl was raped in November, 2011 and died in June, 2012 after remaining in a semi-comatose state, sparking a state-wide furore. It was alleged that the accused in the case had been sheltered by Maharathy. On December 24, 2018, the court of additional district judge in Bhubaneswar had acquitted the two persons arrested in the case. Reacting to the court judgement, Maharathy had said, "I welcome the court judgement. It is victory of truth. The victim girl got justice." Maharathy's statement had angered opposition political parties as well as the victim's family who had sought stringent action against the accused. "How come the victim got justice when the accused persons are acquitted?" asked Odisha Mahila Congress president Sumitra Jena. The women's wings of both the BJP and the Congress had launched an agitation demanding Maharathy's resignation. Though Maharathy, who represents Pipili in the assembly, had subsequently apologised for his remarks following widespread condemnation, opposition parties stepped up their demand for his removal as minister. BJP activists in all urban centres in the state held candlelight rally, demanding the resignation of Maharathy and handing over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Maharathy had to resign from the ministry then in the face of a state-wide hue and cry for allegedly sheltering the accused. He again became a minister after the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) returned to power in 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg will arrive here on Monday on a three-day visit during which she will hold talks with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on a host of issues with an aim to expand the multi-faceted bilateral partnership. Solberg will deliver the inaugural address at the Raisina Dialogue and address India-Norway Business Summit during her visit. She will also call on President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, besides holding talks with Prime Minister Modi. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will also call on Solberg during her India visit. The upcoming visit of Prime Minister Solberg will provide an opportunity to the two sides to review the progress in bilateral cooperation and discuss ways to further expand the multi-faceted partnership in areas of common interest, the MEA had said in a statement. Ahead of the visit, Ambassador of Norway to India Nils Ragnar Kamsvag said this is the first visit to India by a Norwegian prime minister in a decade. "The visit has the potential of boosting bilateral trade between the two countries and further strengthen the already good relationship," he said. Norway is a leading ocean country, a key producer of maritime and sub sea technology and a major exporter of seafood, oil and gas, he said. "We thus think that Norway has a lot to offer and we are hopeful that the bilateral talks during the visit will focus on sustainable use of the oceans that benefits both countries in the long run," the envoy said. PTI ASK http://ptinews.com/images/pti.jpg We bring the World to you"Disclaimer : This e-mail message may contain proprietary, confidential or legally privileged information for the sole use of the person or entity to whom this message was originally addressed. Please delete this e-mail, if it is not meant for you. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A second round of negotiations between Yemen's government and Huthi rebels could be hosted "soon" in Jordanian capital Amman, a rebel leader said Sunday after meeting the UN envoy. Talks on Yemen's failed economy "could take place soon in Amman or by video conference, which I discussed with the UN envoy", Mohammed Ali al-Huthi, head of the rebel Higher Revolutionary Committee, told AFP in Sanaa. One month after hard-won peace talks on the Yemen conflict, the United Nations faces an uphill battle as it pushes to ensure the warring parties make good on a shaky truce deal. UN envoy Martin Griffiths, who brokered the breakthrough last month in Sweden, returned to Yemen Saturday with a plan to expedite measures agreed between the government and Huthi rebels. Key among them is the redeployment of rival forces from Hodeida, the Red Sea port city crucial for aid and food imports. Griffiths, scheduled to see Yemeni government officials in Saudi capital Riyadh after meeting the rebels, hopes to bring the warring sides together later this month to follow up on progress made at December's talks. Rebel-held Hodeida was for months the main front line in the Yemen war after government forces supported by Saudi Arabia and its allies launched an offensive to capture it in June. But a precarious calm has held in the city since a ceasefire agreement came into force on December 18. Under the deal, both the Iran-backed rebels and pro-government forces should withdraw from the area. UN spokesman Farhan Haq on Thursday confirmed the cessation of hostilities continued to hold in Hodeida, despite mutual accusations of violations by the rebels and Saudi-backed government. But there has not yet been progress on the redeployment of loyalist and rebel forces from Hodeida city. The UN Security Council is expected to hear a report from Griffiths next week, although no date has been set. The war between the Huthis and troops loyal to the internationally-recognised government escalated in March 2015, when President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi fled into Saudi exile and the Saudi-led coalition intervened. The conflict has unleashed the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the UN, which says 14 million Yemenis are on the brink of famine. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a rare move, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has allowed the removal of the statutory auditor of a company following a plea by the Corporate Affairs Ministry. The case pertains to Mumbai-based Zen Shaving Ltd (Respondent 2) and its auditor Mukesh Maneklal Choksi (Respondent 1). An inspection by the ministry found that all the commonly known attributes of a shell company were existing in the case of Zen Shaving. Among others, the company came out with an initial public offer and issued prospectus to raise public funds in October 1996 but is not listed on any stock exchange despite assurances given in the prospectus. Against this backdrop, the ministry moved the NCLT seeking removal of the company's statutory auditor and appointment of an independent auditor. A senior official said this was the first time that a provision of the Companies Act was being invoked to remove statutory auditor of a firm. In a nine-page order, the tribunal noted that the family members of the auditor are also shareholders of the company, "whereas Section 141(3)(d) specifically prohibits a statutory auditor whose relative or partner is holding any security or interest of the company". The section is under the Companies Act, 2013. The tribunal noted that the statutory auditor had issued audit certificate of the company even without examining any books of account. "... the respondent No. 1 shall immediately cease to function as statutory auditor of Respondent No. 2 company," the order dated January 3 said. Besides, the ministry has been permitted to appoint an independent auditor for the company. The tribunal has listed the matter for final argument on February 4. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special court here has sentenced a notorious gangster to ten years imprisonment under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters Act. Judge A K Pathak also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on Omnath. According to prosecutor Sandeep Singh, Omnath had gunned down three members of a family and was also booked in a case of attempt to murder in Muzaffarnagar's Nirmani village in April 2006. Omnath's son, a juvenile, was also involved in the cases, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Organisers of the All India Marathi Literary meet have withdrawn the inaugural function invitation extended to noted English language author Nayantara Sahgal, who was at the forefront of the "awardwapsi" campaign, after "some people" threatened to disrupt the function. The decision was taken to "avoid any untoward incident and in view of the controversy that has cropped up against her name", after a political outfit threatened to disrupt the function, organisers said Sunday. Sahgal (91), a Sahitya Akademi awardee, was at the forefront of the 2015 "awardwapsi" campaign against the "growing intolerance in the country" under Modi government. Sahgal is a member of the NehruGandhi family. She is the niece of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Sahgal was supposed to inaugurate the 92nd literary meet on January 11 in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Noted Marathi author Aruna Dhere will preside over the event. In a press release issued Sunday, working president of the Literary Meet reception committee Ramakant Kolte said the organisers have taken cognisance of the threat given by a political outfit. "Nayantara Sahgal's name was proposed by the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal chief Shreepad Joshi of Nagpur which was accepted by the organisers. A follow-up was taken by sending her a formal invitation," it stated. The release stated the organisers have decided to revoke Sahgal's invitation, "as a controversy has cropped up against her name and to avoid any untoward incident from those who threatened to derail the literary meet". "We have sent her a letter cancelling the invitation," Kolte said, adding that the new name for the inauguration function is yet to be finalised. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An undergraduate student in Maharashtra's Amravati district has alleged that state Minister Vinod Tawde ordered his arrest when he was recording a conversation between him and a fellow student, a charge denied by the minister. The student, Yuvraj Dabad, also claimed that following the alleged order, the local police detained him for a couple of hours, seized his smartphone and returned it later. Tawde, however, refuted the allegation, saying he did not order the student's arrest and that "lies" were being spread against him. The alleged incident took place on Saturday after Tawde inaugurated an elocution competition at a college in Amravati, located around 680 km from here. The minister was leaving after his speech at the event when some students of a journalism course reached out to him near his vehicle, seeking his response on a free- policy. Prashant Rathod, a student of the college, said, "I was told by Minister Vinod Tawde to start working somewhere if I could not afford the educational expenses. My question to him was whether the state could have a free-education policy." Dabad was video-recording the interaction, when the minister "first asked him to stop the recording and later asked the police to arrest him", Rathod claimed while talking to reporters in Amravati on Saturday. Dabad said he declined the minister's order to stop the recording because "he (Tawde) was not answering our queries". "We were simply asking questions to him and seeking his views," he told reporters. "As Tawde ordered the police to arrest me, I was taken out of the college premises and detained for some time. My handset was returned after a couple of hours," Dabad said. Tawde later termed the allegations as "false". "It is some sort of a lie that is being spread against me. I did not order the arrest of any student in Amravati," he told PTI on Sunday. The minister said he had a "good interaction" with students at the college for almost two-and-a-half hours. "The students, who have levelled charges against me, met me outside the hall and tried to ask some questions to me. They are the ones who are spreading lies about me. "Some of those students also came with pamphlets with 'Inquilab Zindabad' written on those and distributed them among the other students. They were the ones who alleged that I ordered the arrest. It is completely false," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An undergraduate student in Maharashtra's Amravati district has alleged that state Minister Vinod Tawde ordered his arrest when he was recording a conversation between him and a fellow student, a charge denied by the minister. The student, Yuvraj Dabad, also claimed that following the alleged order, the local police detained him for a couple of hours, seized his smartphone and returned it after the video-recording was deleted from it. Tawde, however, refuted the allegation, saying he did not order the student's arrest and that "lies" were being spread against him. A top police official in Amravati said the student was neither arrested nor detained, and nothing was deleted from his mobile phone. The alleged incident took place on Friday after Tawde inaugurated an elocution competition at a college in Amravati, located around 680 km from here. The minister was leaving after his speech at the event when some students of a journalism course reached out to him near his vehicle, seeking his response on a free- policy. Prashant Rathod, a student of the college, said, "I was told by Minister Vinod Tawde to start working somewhere if I could not afford the educational expenses. My question to him was whether the state could have a free-education policy." Dabad was video-recording the interaction, when the minister "first asked him to stop the recording and later ordered the police to arrest him", Rathod claimed while talking to reporters in Amravati on Saturday. Dabad said he declined the minister's order to stop the recording because "he (Tawde) was not answering our queries". "We were simply asking questions to him and seeking his views," he told reporters. "As Tawde ordered the police to arrest me, I was taken out of the college premises and detained for some time in the police vehicle. My handset was returned later in the evening. All the videos and recordings in my phone were deleted by the police without my permission," Dabad said. Tawde later termed the allegations "false". "It is some sort of a lie that is being spread against me. I did not order the arrest of any student in Amravati," he told PTI on Sunday. The minister said he had a "good interaction" with students at the college for almost two-and-a-half hours. "The students, who have levelled charges against me, met me outside the hall and tried to ask some questions to me. They are the ones who are spreading lies about me. "Some of those students also came with pamphlets with 'Inquilab Zindabad' written on those and distributed them among the other students. They were the ones who alleged that I ordered the arrest. It is completely false," he said. When contacted, Amravati Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Baviskar said neither any student was arrested or detained nor anything deleted from anyone's mobile phone. "In the midst of chaos in the college, the student concerned was taken outside the college, that's it," he said. Meanwhile, Dabad said that he has submitted a letter to the police commissionerate in Amravati and the district collectorate on Saturday against Tawde and police officials concerned for allegedly detaining him without the permission of his college authorities and deleting data from his mobile phone. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 14-year-old Nepalese boy was reunited in Maharashtra's Raigad district with his family as part of the police's Operation Muskaan initiative, an official said Sunday. The boy, identified as Siraj Mumtaj Ali Shaikh, a resident of Sinamangal in Kathmandu, had left that country on January 1 and had landed in Maharashtra and was spotted on Friday by railway police at Roha station, over 120 kilometres from here, the official said. The teen told police his name and address and a mobile number belonging to his uncle, Maulana Haroon Shaikh, was also found in his luggage, he said. On being contacted, Shaikh told police about Siraj's disappearance from Tuesday and added that the teen's elder brother Sarfaraz, who was staying in Satara, would come here to take him back. The siblings were united on Saturday following which the runaway teen left for his native country, the official informed. Operation Muskaan is an initiative of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to rescue and rehabilitate missing children. Under the project, the Government Railway Police and Railway Protection Force are required to provide care and protection to children found in trains and railway premises. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Activists of the Sambhaji Brigade and other organisations protesting against a lecture of controversial right-wing leader Sambhaji Bhide in Maharashtra's Jalna district were Sunday baton-charged, police said. Bhide was in Jalna, over 400 kilometres from here, for a lecture organised at around 10:30am by his organisation Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan in the Teen Murti temple in Sambhaji Nagar area, police said. Activists of the Sambhaji Brigade, Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh and other organisations protested and tried to disrupt the event, following which police had to resort to a baton charge, an official said. At least 56 protesters from these groups were detained under the Maharashtra Police Act at Sadar Bazar police station and later released, the official added. After his lecture in Jalna, Bhide left for Aurangabad Sunday afternoon, the official informed. Bhide and his supporters have been accused of involvement in the caste violence in Bhima Koregaon in Pune district on January 1 last year which left one person dead and property worth several crore rupees damaged. He has, however, refuted these allegations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's flag carrier PIA has asked some of its cabin crew with "excess weight" to shed some kilos within six months or risk being grounded, in a bid to make them "slim, smart and fit", a media report said. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) also issued a suggested weight chart for differing heights and body types, The Express Tribune reported. Those already "on weight check" need to report monthly to a "grooming cell" to receive clearance to fly, it said. The carrier's general manager of flight services Aamir Bashir issued an order on the first day of 2019, saying official excess weight limits would be cut back by five pounds (2.26 kgs) a month, the report said. In a memo distributed to approximately 1,800 cabin crew, PIA said they must trim down or face being grounded, the report said. The airline said it is cracking down on what it terms the "excess weight" of some of its cabin crew. Currently, flight attendants, who are 30 pounds (13.6 kgs) over are still eligible for flight duty, the report said. According to the airline's weight chart, for a "medium frame" woman of 5 feet 7 inches height (1.7 meters), for example, the guide is 133 to 147 pounds (60 to 66 kgs). "Weight check of all the cabin crew will be carried out at their base stations respectively and comprehensive data will be maintained for perusal of management," the report quoted the memo as saying. Around 100, over 5 per cent, of the crew would need to lose weight by July 1 to avoid grounding, Mashhood Tajwar, a PIA spokesman was quoted as saying in the report. He described the crackdown on overweight flight crew as a "regular, routine matter," and suggested that the memo was issued as standards for weight had lapsed over time. It was issued to ensure that the flight attendants were "slim, smart and fit", Tajwar said. "No one would like to have shabby crew in the aircraft," he said, adding that PIA had received complaints about "obese" flight attendants. Tajwar said the initiative was put in place for reasons of appearance and health, and insisted that PIA was not alone in insisting their cabin crews hit weight targets, the report added. PIA has been in losses for years but successive governments have failed to improve its financial situation. Its accumulated losses surged to Rs 36,000 crore by the end of June last year, which, according to the finance ministry, speaks volumes about the persistently deteriorating performance of the carrier. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP Sunday alleged a law and order breakdown in Kerala as it attacked the Left government after a crude bomb was hurled at the residence of its Rajya Sabha member V Muraleedharan amid the party's ongoing protests there over the Sabarimala issue. BJP leader and Union minister Smriti Irani said neither a common man nor a member of Parliament was safe in the state as she condemned the bomb attack at the former state party chief's residence. "There is a state of chaos and anarchy... such state of breakdown or the law and order that be it a common man or an MP, none are safe," she told a press conference. Irani said over 1286 cases have been registered and over 37,000 people made accused by the state police during the ongoing protests. The BJP in the state has backed protests after the Kerala government moved to implement a Supreme Court order, which lifted a ban of the women of menstruating age entering the Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala. Blaming the state's ruling CPI(M) for violent attacks against its functionaries, the BJP Sunday protested in the national capital outside Kerala House. Party sources said its MPs will also stage a protest near the Gandhi statue in Parliament Monday. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has lashed out at the BJP and the RSS, saying the Sangh Parivar was trying to create fear in people's minds. Violence involving BJP-RSS and ruling CPI(M) had rocked parts of Kerala, particularly Kannur district, Saturday with several houses and shops of rival leaders and workers being attacked over the Sabarimala issue. Amid incidents of vandalism, Governor P Sathasivam briefed Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the law and order situation in the southern state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition Congress in Kerala on Sunday attacked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the Sabarimala issue, accusing him of not controlling the law and order situation and preparing ground for the BJP to grow. The Congress's reaction came amid violence involving BJP-RSS and ruling CPI(M) workers over the Sabarimala issue in the state. Violence erupted following the entry of women into the hill shrine of Lord Ayappa in Sabarimala and a number of houses and shops in the politically volatile Kannur district was attacked. The police failed to contain violence unleashed by the Sangh Parivar and the CPI(M) in the state after two women entered Sabarimala temple violating its centuries old tradition, Leader of Opposition in the Kerala assembly and Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said. Criticising Vijayan for his recent statements on the entry of women in the shrine, the Congress leader said "we are seeing a chief minister who is calling for riot in the state". "The chief minister is not trying bring the situation under control. Instead he is issuing statements like a CPI(M) Secretary, worsening the law and order situation. His actions help BJP and Sangh Parivar to gain ground in Kerala", Chennithala told reporters here. He alleged that the Kerala's ruling LDF and the BJP which is in power in the centre were trying to make the state a killing field. Both the BJP and the CPI (M) are trying to foment communal tension for their political gain in the state, the Congress leader said. Chennithala also urged the Union government to enact a legislation to protect custom and tradition of the Lord Ayyappa temple. Violence involving BJP-RSS and ruling CPM workers rocked Kerala with a number of houses and shops of rival leaders and workers being attacked. Bombs were hurled at several places, including at the houses of CPI(M) and BJP leaders in Kannur district. Meanwhile, the BJP also came down heavily on the CPI(M), saying the state government was engaged in demolishing religious faith in Kerala. Union Tourism Minister Alphons Kannanthanam condemned the "bid by the state government to divide" the society in the name of religion and class. The minister said this after meeting a group of Christians in an Anglican church near Kottayam who had allegedly sought shelter there after being attacked by DYFI workers during Christmas celebrations last week. The CPI (M) and the DYFI have rejected the allegations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Chief Minister Sunday warned people against voting for the even as speculations are rife that is in touch with the grand old party for a tie-up for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Addressing a function in Kakrola, he also asked people not to vote for the BJP, alleging that all the seven sitting MPs of the party did nothing for Delhi's development. "Don't vote for the at all, if you vote for the it will strengthen Narendra Modi. Let not your vote split and give all seven MPs to the AAP," the chief said. His remarks assume significance as speculations are making rounds that a pre-poll alliance is possible in Delhi between the and the Congress to stop the BJP in 2019 parliamentary elections. Both the parties have so far avoided denying such speculations. Senior leader said recently said that political affairs committee of the party will take a call on alliance considering views of leaders and workers from Delhi, Punjab and Haryana, after January 15. Ajay Maken, who was critical of his party's alliance in Delhi with the AAP has resigned as the Delhi Congress president, while senior party leader and former Delhi CM maintained that leadership will take decision about a tie up for 2019 and she will abide by it. Taken on face value, Kejriwal's appeal to voters not to vote for the Congress means that the AAP is ultimately ready to take an independent plunge in the coming parliamentary polls. The executive of the AAP in its recent meeting decided to contest all the seats in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Goa and Chandigarh, totalling 33, in the Lok Sabha elections. Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Sunday appointed 14 Congress MLAs as heads to boards and corporations after much leader. He has also issued orders appointing eight Congress legislators as parliamentary secretaries. However, Kumaraswamy has not made any appointments to the posts of deputy chairman of the planning commission, special representative in Delhi and political secretary to the chief minister, to which the Congress had suggested names of its legislators. Out of the 19 boards and corporations for which the Congress had recommended its MLAs for posts of chairman, the chief minister Sunday issued orders of appointment for only for 14 of them. According to coalition arrangement, both parties had decided to fill up chairpersons to 30 boards and corporations of which 20 will be for the Congress and 10 for the JD(S). The JD(S) is yet to appoint its legislators as heads to boards and corporations and also parliamentary secretaries. MLAs appointed as head of boards and corporations include, B K Sangameshwar (Karnataka Land Army Corporation), B A Basavaraj (Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited), Munirathna (Karnataka Skill Development Corporation), Shivaram Hebbar (North West Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation), Lakshmi Hebbalkar (Mysore Minerals Ltd). However, head posts for few boards and corporations have not been filled as recommended by the Congress, including Dr K Sudhakar for the State Pollution Control Board and Venkataramanaiah for the Karnataka Road Development Corporation Ltd (KRDCL). JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy had clarified that Sudhakar's appointment was opposed as the Supreme Court guidelines had specified a certain qualification for the post. Congress MLA Venkataramanaiah's appointment to KRDCL is said to have been opposed by Gowda's son and PWD Minister Revanna, stating that it came under his department. The Congress had forwarded its list of 19 legislators for posts of chairman of boards and corporations to the chief minister soon after the cabinet rejig on December 22, but according to sources, the move had irked the JD(S) leadership as they were allegedly not consulted. The Congress recommending some of its legislators as heads to boards and corporations that come under departments controlled by JD(S) ministers, had angered the regional party, leading to Kumaraswamy delaying the appointment. JD(S) leaders and Kumaraswamy were also angered by the grand old party's move to appoint its MLA V Muniyappa as political secretary to the chief minister. There were also reports that Congress MLAs had set a deadline of Monday evening, miffed over the delay in appointments to boards and corporations, failing which they had planned to meet on Tuesday to decide on the further course of action. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Sunday paid tributes to former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on his third death anniversary. In his message, governor described Mufti Sayeed as a visionary political leader who was committed to transform Jammu and Kashmir into a developed and a prosperous state. The governor said he had known Sayeed for a long time and recalled the unyielding attitude of the latter to take on varied challenges in his entire political career and his dedication towards ameliorating the lot of weaker sections of the society. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has no say in grant of sanction to prosecute retired police officials who are accused in the Ishrat Jahan alleged fake encounter case, the agency has told a court here. The agency told special judge for CBI cases J K Pandya Saturday that it had not yet received sanction from the Gujarat government to prosecute retired police officials D G Vanzara and N K Amin. When the court asked for the reason for the delay, CBI lawyer R C Kodekar said it had no say in the matter of grant of sanction by the state government. The matter will be next heard on January 28. While rejecting discharge applications of Vanzara and Amin in August 2018, the court had asked the CBI to inform if the state government had given sanction to prosecute them. Vanzara, a former deputy inspector general of police, had sought discharge saying his case was similar to that of former Gujarat in-charge director general of police P P Pandey. Pandey was discharged in the case in February last year for want of evidence. Amin, who retired as superintendent of police, had sought discharge on the ground that the encounter was genuine and testimonies of witnesses produced by the CBI were not reliable. Jahan, a 19-year-old woman from Mumbra near Mumbai, Javed Shaikh alias Pranesh Pillai, Amjadali Akbarali Rana, and Zeeshan Johar were killed by the police in an alleged fake encounter on the outskirts of Ahmedabad on June 15, 2004. The Gujarat police had then claimed that the four had links with terrorists and had plotted to kill then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi. The CBI, which probed the killing on the high court's order, claimed that it was a staged encounter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump on Sunday said Iran is not doing well and the country wants to hold talks with America. Last year, The US had withdrawn from the Iranian nuclear deal and over the past several months, the Trump administration has slapped a series of sanctions on Iran. The Iranian economy, Trump said, has been badly hit due to these sanctions. "They (Iran) are not doing well. They want to talk (with US)," Trump told reporters at the White House. He, however, did not give any indication if the US wants to hold talks with Iran. As part of the pressure building campaign against Iran, the US has asked countries to bring down their purchase of Iranian oil to zero or face punitive sanctions. India and seven other countries have been given limited exemption from these sanctions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India's first greenfield industrial city at Dholera in Gujarat is ready to take off, with basic infrastructural facilities for its first phase of development are set to be completed by this September, according to officials. Dholera, which is a project conceived under the then Chief minister and current Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is being developed from the scratch as a smart city, where the government will build robust infrastructure for industrial development in this saline region near the Gulf of Khambhat. "Basic infrastructure for the the Dholera Special Investment Region, initiation area of 22.5 kms will be ready by September 2019," CEO of Dholera Special Investment Region Development Authority (DSIRDA) Jai Prakash Shivhare told reporters Sunday. "Many countries, especially China, are developing new cities. India has developed many green field cities," he said, adding that Dholera is the first greenfield industrial city that is being developed in the country. "Dholera is now ready to take off," he said. The Centre has provided grant of Rs 3000 crore for the development of smart infrastructure at this new industrial city, out of which the DSIRDA has awarded contract works worth Rs 2800 crore for developing infrastructure before the arrival of industry at the site. The city will get storm water drains, waste water discharge, underground ducts, electricity and water supply, wide roads and good connectivity. Dholera will be connected to Ahmedabad by the expressway and a Metro line which will reduce the travel time, he said, adding that the Centre has already issued tenders for the expressway between Ahmedabad and the proposed industrial city, located around 100 kms from Ahmedabad. An international airport will also come up in the vicinity of Dholera city, the CEO said. When asked about the response of industries, Shivhare said authorities are holding discussions with various industrial houses for setting up plants in Dholera. He said some announcement can be expected during the Vibrant Gujarat 2019 summit beginning January 18. "This is largely a saline land, and converting it into an industrial city is the best way for development and ensuring jobs for the people of the region," he said. We are planning to have an egalitarian city here, he said. "The city will have 11 per cent of open green area which will be the largest in the country, 10 per cent of the area earmarked for residential purposes will be reserved for housing for the economically weaker sections (EWS). The tap water will be drinkable," Shivhare said. DSIRDA officials said they will start developing other phases in Dholera with a total area of 400 sq kms, once the first phase one is completed. "Dholera taluka in Ahmedabad district is very saline area due to its proximity to sea. Farmers get very low yield for their crops," officials added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Apna Dal is in talks with the opposition parties as well as the BJP in Uttar Pradesh for tie-up in the upcoming national polls and will forge alliance with the like-minded ones, its chief Krishna Patel said Sunday. Talking to reporters, Patel said that her party is discussing alliance plans with the Samajwadi Party, the BSP and the Congress, apart from the BJP. "We will go with like-minded parties, the political parties, which agree with our polices and ideology. At present, we are in talks with senior leaders of different political parties including the SP, BSP, Congress and BJP," Patel said. On reports of rift between the BJP and Anupriya Patel's Apna Dal (Sonelal) and Om Prakash Rajbhar's Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, she said, "I do not want to comment on it. But, as far as OP Rajbhar is concerned, he was once associated with Apna Dal and headed the youth wing of the party." Patel also praised UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and said, "The work done by Yogi Adityanath in the nearly two years of the government has been very good." Asked if her party's tying up with the BJP will create problems with Apna Dal (Sonelal), Patel said, "We will discuss this, when it actually happens."The Apna Dal (Sonelal) is a breakaway of the Apna Dal, which was founded in 1995 by Krishna Patel's husband Sone Lal Patel. The Apna Dal (Sonelal) was founded by Jawahar Lal Patel, who was also founding member of the Apna Dal. In October 2014, fissures within the Apna Dal became public for the first time, as the party's then national general secretary Anupriya Patel was removed from her post. Meanwhile, senior Apna Dal leader Pallavi Patel said "as of now, the party is keeping all its options open". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a veiled warning to the Shiv Sena, BJP president Amit Shah said Sunday that if an alliance happened, the party will ensure victory for its allies, but if it did not, the party will thrash its former allies in the coming Lok Sabha polls. Shah's statement came immediately after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis set the BJP workers a target of winning 40 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Shah and Fadnavis addressed BJP workers from Latur, Osmanabad, Hingoli and Nanded districts in Latur city Sunday. "Party workers should get rid of confusion about (prospects of) alliance (with the Shiv Sena). If the allies join us, we will ensure their win, or else will defeat them too ("patak denge"). Party workers should start preparations at every booth," Shah said. He compared the coming elections to the third battle of Panipat, in which Maratha forces were defeated by the army of Afghan ruler Ahmed Shah Durrani (Abdali). The BJP chief said after this battle, the country was "enslaved" for 200 years. "If we win this election, our ideology will continue to rule for next 50 years. We should put in extra efforts to win this election," Shah said. "In 2014, the BJP won 73 seats (in Uttar Pradesh). This time even if SP and BSP join hands, we will win 74 seats," he said. Echoing Fadnavis, Shah said, "We should aim to win at least 40 out of 48 seats (in Maharashtra)." This is for the first time the BJP has taken an assertive stand in the matter of alliance with the Shiv Sena. The Sena has been regularly hitting out at the BJP despite being part of the government in the state and the Centre. Its leaders have often said they would contest the next polls on their own. Speaking before Shah, Fadnavis said, "The party president will decide what to do with the Shiv Sena and the proposed alliance. But the BJP should aim to win 40 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state." "The victory of 2019 will be bigger than 2014. Last time we won 122 seats in (state) Assembly and received 1.50 crore votes. We need two crore votes to attain power on our own. The number of people who have benefited from the state government's policies is more than that."Shah had reportedly told party MPs from Maharashtra at a meeting in Delhi last Thursday that they should be ready to contest the coming elections without an alliance, though efforts to forge a pre-poll tie-up with the Sena were on. The Sena and BJP had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in alliance but split up at the time of Assembly elections. The Sena joined the state government later. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union leaders in Hungary called on Saturday for a national strike and protests on Jan 19 to oppose labour code changes they see as a "slave law" harmful to workers. A crowd of at least 10,000 people gathered outside the Hungarian parliament building to protest a law approved in December that allows employers to request up to 400 hours of overtime a year from employees. Hungarian Trade Union Federation President Laszlo Kordas said the unions are demanding the repeal of the "slave law," higher wages, increased workers' rights and a more flexible retirement system. They plan to present them to Prime Minister Viktor Orban and if the government refuses to negotiate, the unions will hold the strike, he said. "The government has abandoned us," Kordas said. "The country must come to a halt at the same time on the same day." Government spokesman Istvan Hollik repeated the claim that Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros is funding protests of the labour law, but did not address the protesters' specific grievances. "Hungary is under attack because it stands in the way of the whole pro-immigration and, additionally, it has more and more allies in this issue," Hollik said in a video posted on the government website. Orban won a third consecutive four-year term in April with a campaign based almost exclusively on his fervent anti-immigration stance. Politicians from all the major opposition parties, as well as civic groups and students, took part in the rally, which began with a march from Heroes Square to the neo-Gothic parliament. Earlier protests were held in the last two weeks of 2018. "The world cannot belong to the populists, Hungary cannot belong to Viktor Orban," independent lawmaker Bernadett Szel said. Csaba Molnar, of the opposition Democratic Coalition, said that while the protest focused on the labor code revisions, it reflected widespread dissatisfaction with many government policies. "We are not rising up against one Orban law or another, but against the many, many laws of the repressive regime," Molnar said. "We will continue to rise up until we topple Orban's rotten-to-the-core regime." Opposition parties are gathering signatures to pressure Orban to make Hungary part of a new European Union prosecution office targeting corruption. Hungary is among the handful of EU countries that has opted out of the anti-corruption initiative. Some Hungarians disapprove of Orban's campaign against a Budapest university founded by Soros, the creation of a new court system under direct government control and the state media's transformation into a tool for government propaganda. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo Sunday condemned waving of ISIS flags inside Jamia Masjid here last month. In an audio message, which went viral on social media on Sunday, Naikoo purportedly said linking the Kashmir militancy with the dreaded ISIS was a ploy to "defame our struggle". "We condemn in strongest possible words the incident which took place at Jamia Masjid... A few people, for their personal benefits and for defaming our movement, are desecrating our mosques," Naikoo said in the over 20-minute audio message. The militant and the separatist camps were ruffled last year when terrorist Zakir Moosa had warned them of dire consequences if they did not stop playing with the people of Kashmir. While being critical of New Delhi, he did not spare Pakistan or separatist leadership including the Hurriyat Conference. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he has been in indirect contact with Kim Jong-un and his talks with the North Korean leader have averted a major war in Asia. In an interaction with reporters at the White House, Trump said he had had "indirect" talks with Kim. Soon thereafter he left for Camp David for a meeting with senior administration officials. "When I came here this country was heading to war with North Korea and now we have a very good dialogue going. With North Korea we have a very good dialogue," he said. "Anyone else but me, you would have been at war right now....You right now would have been at a nice big fat war in Asia with North Korea if I hadn't been elected president," Trump said. Last week, Trump received another letter from Kim. The two leaders are expected to meet soon. The date and place for the meeting has not been decided yet. "It will be announced probably in the not too distant future," he said of a summit with Kim. "They do want to meet and we want to meet and we'll see what happens." "With North Korea, we have a very good dialogue," Trump added, saying he had "indirectly spoken" with Kim. During their meeting in Singapore last year, Trump and Kim agreed for denuclearisation of North Korea. The North Korean leader warned in a New Year's speech that Pyongyang may change its approach to nuclear talks if Washington persists with sanctions. Trump said Sunday the sanctions remain "in full force and effect" and would do so until the United States saw "very positive" results. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's former envoy to the US Hussain Haqqani, who is wanted by the country's Supreme Court in connection with cases of treason and embezzlement of funds, has said that he did not receive any warrants about inquiries from the authorities, according to a media reports on Sunday. Pakistan has initiated a process of seeking the extradition of Haqqani from the US through the foreign office on embezzlement charges after it failed to get it through Interpol. The Supreme Court had issued warrants to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to produce Haqqani, a prominent critic of Pakistan's military and political leadership, before it in January last year, but the Interpol has refused to issue an arrest warrant against him. Haqqani termed the new allegations against him as "manufactured". "It seems to be another gimmick aimed to gullible Pakistani media. New allegations filed more than seven years after my forced resignation are obviously manufactured," the Dawn paper quoted Haqqani as saying in a statement. "I doubt that Pakistan government will initiate extradition proceedings that are certain to fail and, in the process, open up examination of their secret expenditures in the US," he said. Haqqani, 62, was Pakistan's Ambassador to the US from May 27, 2008 to November 22, 2011, which is considered as one of the most tumultuous period of the US-Pakistan relationship. He was in the centre of the controversy over allegedly sending a memorandum to the US military chief Admiral Mike Mullen in 2011 seeking his direct intervention to avert a possible overthrow of the PPP government by the military. A commission constituted by the Supreme Court commonly known as the 'Memogate Commission' had in its report held Haqqani as the originator and architect of the memo, the report said. As part of the extradition process, Pakistan's Interior ministry has also transferred a 355-page extradition dossier to the foreign office which will be sent to the State Department for Haqqani's extradition. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Brazil's new far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, vowed Sunday that "good will beat evil" as he oversaw a troop crackdown on gangs rampaging in a northeast city and mourned the murder of a Rio policeman. In a tweet, he sent condolences to the family of the officer who was shot and killed early Sunday when he confronted armed assailants robbing motorists in Rio de Janeiro. Lamenting that security personnel and citizens targeted by criminals used to be treated as mere statistics, Bolsonaro said: "The legislative, executive and judicial (powers) together must, by law, give guarantees that good will beat evil." He made the remark as 300 federal troops deployed to the northeast city of Fortaleza and surrounding towns in the state of Ceara over the weekend to counter a crime wave by rampaging gangs. The soldiers were ordered in by Bolsonaro's justice minister, Sergio Moro, at the request of the state's governor, who belongs to the opposition leftwing Workers Party. Eighty-six suspects have been arrested in Fortaleza and 23 other towns in the state, the government agency Agencia Brasil reported. The governor, Camilo Santana, was quoted saying state police and the soldiers were working jointly, and declaring: "I will be tough on crime." Ceara has been subjected to dozens of attacks by gangs on service stations, buses, government buildings and shops over the past week. Residents, responding to the climate of lawlessness in Fortaleza and other towns, stayed indoors to avoid being caught up in the violence. In one instance, a supporting pillar of a flyover road near Fortaleza was badly damaged by explosives. In another, thousands of live chickens being transported on a truck were burned to death. Brazilian intelligence reportedly believed the gangs were reacting to tough new measures introduced in the state's prisons, which included cellphone blockers and an end to a policy of separating inmates, according to gang affiliation. After initially turning down Santana's request for troops, Moro -- a former star corruption judge -- decided to give the order for them to deploy in support of local police. The governor of Brazil's northern state of Para also has asked Moro to send in federal troops to help battle crime. He is waiting on the decision by Bolsonaro's government. Bolsonaro has vowed to crack down on Brazil's rampant crime by extending immunity to soldiers and police using lethal force and easing gun laws so "good" citizens can challenge armed criminals. The far-right president, a 63-year-old former paratrooper, has made "restoring order" a centerpiece of his four-year mandate. Brazil has the third biggest prison population in the world, behind the United States and China, with more than 700,000 people incarcerated. Penitentiaries are overcrowded and beset by gangs that often viciously turn on each other. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) School friends of a 49-year-old NRI businessman, who hailed from Vadodara, are in shock at his killing on Friday in the St Croix area of Virgin Islands in the United States. Kailash Banani (49), owner of Panache Jewellery store in Christiansted, died of multiple gunshot wounds at around 6:23 pm (Virgin Islands Time) on Friday (3.53 am Indian Standard Time on Saturday) in the Mount Welcome area of St Croix. Banani, along with his wife and two daughters, had visited Vadodara last year for Navaratri, according to his friends. Pankaj Jani, managing trustee of the Vadodara-based Shreyas School on Manjalpur Road here where Banani had studied, recalled the latter as a brilliant student. "I was shocked on learning about Banani's killing. He was a brilliant student. We will hold a prayer meeting in the assembly hall of the school on Monday," Jani told PTI. Chandu Rohra, a close friend of Banani, mourned the death, adding that Banani wanted to create an apparel brand. His family members in the city could not be contacted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Spanish police said Sunday they have arrested four men suspected of a New Year's Eve sexual assault reminiscent of a 2016 Pamplona bull-running rape case which caused national outrage. All four suspects are from Ecuador, the civil guard in the eastern city of Alicante said. They were picked up on New Years Day after the 19-year-old woman was found partially clothed in a basement in the village of de Callosa d'Ensarria. She was drunk and unable to say where she lived, according to police, adding the quartet had spent the evening with her. Police said one suspect, aged 22, had a record for sexual assault and had been the subject of a complaint by another woman in October. Spanish media said the four men filmed the assault of the 19-year-old, and drew parallels with the 2016 Pamplona "Wolf pack" case that sparked a storm last year when five men were convicted of sexually abusing, rather than raping, a teenager. Their nine-year jail terms caused outrage across Spain after the five bragged on WhatsApp of having raped their victim. The case sparked massive demonstrations in what became Spain's equivalent of the #MeToo campaign, with victims lambasting a "patriarchal" judiciary derided as too tolerant of widespread sexual violence. The new Socialist government said in July, shortly after taking office, it will undertake penal reform to introduce the notion of explicit consent for sex, emulating a Swedish model whereby the absence of consent constitutes rape even without a threat of violence. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Bangladesh court on Sunday scrapped the bail former minister Nazmul Huda and sent him to jail after he surrendered before it in Taka 2.4 crore graft case, in which he was sentenced to four years imprisonment. Huda, who is Chairman of the Bangladesh National Alliance (BNA) -- an ally of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League, was sentenced to seven-year jail term by a lower court in the case but the High Court last year, reduced his sentence to four years. "He (Huda) surrendered before the Special Judge's Court seeking renewal of his bail but judge Ruhul Imran declined his prayer and ordered him to be sent to jail which was complied with immediately," a prosecution lawyer said. The anti-corruption commission in March 2007 accused Huda, who had served as the communication minster in the jailed ex-premier and BNP chief Khaleda Zia's cabinet between 2001 and 2006, of receiving Taka 2.40 crore as bribe from a businessman, at different times in exchange for awarding him government contracts for construction works worth about Taka 30 crore. A special court in August 2007 sentenced Huda to seven years rigorous jail term, while his wife Sigma Huda was sentenced to three year simple imprisonment. Following their appeal, the High Court in March 2011, acquitted the couple of the corruption charges. But the Appellate Division in December 2014 set aside his acquittal and asked the HC to hold a fresh hearing on their appeal. In November 2017, the HC in its verdict said Sigma Huda's sentence will be considered as served because she earlier served jail in the case. The High Court, in November last year, released the full text of its verdict that was delivered in November 2017 commuting the jail term of Huda to four-year imprisonment from seven-year jail in the case. The HC in its verdict said "when a high-ranking government official abuses his power, it greatly damages the country's economy, national interest and image". Huda, who is in his early 70s and a lawyer, however, secured a 45-day bail from the HC while he tried to get the bail period extended from the Supreme Court but failed as the apex court said he must give up to the trial court for subsequent legal procedures. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Foreign ministers of Japan and Australia will arrive here Monday on bilateral visits with an aim to boost ties with India in diverse sectors. External Affairs Minster Sushma Swaraj will hold talks with her Japanese counterpart Taro Kono on Monday evening, while her meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne will take place on Tuesday, officials said. Both Kono and Payne will depart on Wednesday, they said. The Australian Foreign Minister is also scheduled to attend the Raisina Dialogue, India's annual flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-economics. Payne will also meet Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The officials said ways to further deepen ties in areas of trade, investment and energy are likely to be explored during Swaraj's meetings with the two foreign ministers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Eight people, including five members of a family, died due to suffocation in two incidents in northwest Pakistan, police said. The incidents happened at Abbotabad district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. Five members, including three children, of a family died at Bandi Dhondian village in Abbotabad after they went to sleep, leaving the gas heater on. The gas from the heater filled up the house and all the five members were suffocated to death, police said. In a similar incident at a nearby area, three people died of suffocation when they left the gas heater on while going to bed, they said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Egypt's president on Sunday inaugurated a new cathedral for the Coptic Orthodox Church and one of the region's largest mosques in a highly symbolic gesture at a time when Islamic militants are increasingly targeting the country's minority Christians. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, a general-turned-president, has made sectarian harmony a cornerstone of his rule, fighting Islamic militancy while advocating equality between the overwhelming Muslim majority and Christians, who account for 10 percent of Egypt's 100 million people. However, el-Sissi's widely publicized policy to staunch sectarianism has done little to protect Christians in rural Egypt, where Muslim extremists frequently attack their homes and businesses or force them to leave their homes after violent disputes. Critics and activists say discrimination against Christians there is often tolerated by local authorities and branches of the security agencies. But Sunday's opening ceremony in Egypt's New Administrative Capital, el-Sissi's brainchild that is located in the desert east of Cairo, stressed what the pro-government media like to call "the national fabric" of Christians and Muslims. Entertainers and chorus lines took to the stage to sing about the two faiths live peacefully side by side. Short films on the same topic were also screened. The ceremony's presenters portrayed the construction of the cathedral and the mosque, which took 18 months to complete, as a message to humanity. "It is a message to the whole world that Egypt is a nation for all," said one presenter. The ceremony, attended by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and a host of Arab dignitaries, included recorded video messages of support from the region's top Christian clerics as well as Pope Francis. Speaking in Italian, Pope Francis said: "With joy I greet all of you on the joyful occasion of the dedication of the new Cathedral of the Nativity, built in the new administrative capital. May the prince of peace give to Egypt, the Middle East and the whole world the gift of peace and prosperity." The inauguration ceremony ended with a display of fireworks, taking on added significance because it fell on Christmas Eve for Egypt's predominantly Coptic Orthodox Christians, and just hours after a police bomb squad major was killed trying to defuse an explosive device near a Cairo church. El-Sissi and participants observed a minute of silence in memory of the fallen policeman. The late Saturday blast came a little more than a week after a roadside bomb hit a tourist bus near the Giza Pyramids, killing three Vietnamese tourists and their Egyptian driver. It likely will compel authorities to further tighten security around churches ahead of the Coptic Orthodox Christmas. Already, armed policemen guard churches and security guards check the identity of visitors. Metal detectors have also been set up outside churches. The heightened security followed a spate of attacks claimed by the Islamic State group which has targeted churches and buses carrying pilgrims to remote desert monasteries, killing more than 100 Christians over the past two years. The Coptic Christmas mass is expected to be held at the new cathedral and attended by el-Sissi. Egypt has been battling Islamic militants for years, with the army and police now engaged since early last year in an all-out campaign to eradicate them, throwing into battle tens of thousands of troops backed by armour, fighter jets, helicopter gunships and warships. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Dubai-bound Air Express flight from the city carrying over 180 persons on board landed back here under emergency conditions Sunday after being airborne for over an hour due to a "hydraulic" failure, a source said. An Air India spokesperson said there was a "technical glitch", and after it was rectified, the plane resumed the journey around 8 pm, five hours after it returned to the Mumbai airport. All passengers were safe. "Full emergency was declared at 14.28 am for Air India Express flight AI 247 operating on the Mumbai-Dubai route following the pilot seeking a diversion back to the city due to hydraulic failure," said the source. The Boeing 737 plane landed back safely at around 3, almost an hour after its take off from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport here, he said. An Air India Express spokesperson said a "technical glitch" forced the aircraft to turn back to Mumbai. "Due to the technical glitch.... noticed by the pilot-in-command, the flight crew decided to turn back the aircraft to Mumbai in view of passengers' safety," the spokesperson said. He said there were 177 passengers and six crew on board. The aircraft arrived back safely at around 3 pm, he added. The B737 plane had departed from Mumbai around 2 pm. "The snag was later rectified by airline engineers and aircraft was declared airworthy. The same plane with all 177 passengers resumed its journey at around 8 pm," the spokesperson said, adding that Air India served refreshments to the stranded passengers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Sabarimala Action Committee, a group of various Hindutva outfits, Sunday said defying the Supreme Court ruling on the Lord Ayyappa temple does not amount to its contempt as the order was against tradition and faith. Constitutional and religious moralities are different and these should not be mixed and confused at all, SAC General Secretary A R Mohan said here. "The Supreme Court ruling is against the tradition and religious faith. Defying it cannot be termed as contempt of the court as 49 review petitions have been filed and hearing will start soon," he told at a press conference. Mohan is in Assam to gather information about diversified characteristics of places of worships in the state to present them before the Supreme Court during hearing of the review petitions for the Sabarimala case. The Supreme Court on September 29 lifted the ban on entry of girls and women between 10 and 50 years of age into Sabarimala temple, the shrine of Lord Ayyappa, the "eternally celibate" deity. Mohan alleged that the CPI(M)-led Kerala government have been pushing women allied with various "ultra organisations", especially those having close links with the Maoist ideology. "People who have no faith in religion or in Lord Ayyappa were brought in to the temple with active support of the administration and the police. The devotees who opposed them were lathicharged and over 5,000 FIRs were lodged against them," Mohan said. Kerala has been on boil since January 2 following the visit of two women of menstruating age into the Sabarimala under police protection. He claimed the state government has unleashed an "administrative terror" on innocent devotees, who are agitating to protect their right to worship in the traditional way. The "state sponsored violence" on the Ayyappa devotees in the name of upholding the Supreme Court judgement is a challenge to the spirit of democracy, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman "lied" in Parliament that government orders worth Rs one lakh crore were provided to HAL, while demanding that she should either place the documents in support of her statement in the House or resign. Gandhi's attack came after a media report claimed that "not a single rupee of the said Rs 1 lakh crore has come to HAL, since not a single order, as claimed, has been signed till now". The media report cited senior HAL management officials in order to back its claim. Defence Minister Sitharaman hit back at Gandhi for his remarks, saying read "the complete report" to "which you are referring". However, as the LS record shows, Sitharaman did not claim the orders were signed, saying they were in the works. Sitharaman tweeted, quoting from the media report to assert that she had not stated in Parliament that the orders to HAL had been signed. Her remarks came in response to Gandhi's scathing attack in which he said: "When you tell one lie, you need to keep spinning out more lies, to cover up the first one. In her eagerness to defend the PM's Rafale lie, the RM lied to Parliament." "Tomorrow, RM must place before Parliament documents showing 1 Lakh crore of Govt orders to HAL. Or resign," he tweeted. Sitharaman's office later also tweeted that: "Dear Shri @RahulGandhi , looks like you really need to start from ABCs. Someone like you who is hellbent on misleading the public will quote an article even before reading it.' Her office also accused Gandhi of "lying" and said HAL has signed contracts worth Rs 26,570.8 crore between 2014 and 2018 and contracts worth Rs 73,000 crore are in the pipeline. "Will @RahulGandhi apologise to the country from the floor of the house nd resign?" her office tweeted. The Congress has been targeting the government, alleging that it denied the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) an offset contract under the Rafale fighter jets deal with France, a charge the government has denied. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has accused the Congress of not supporting HAL during its rule and asserted that the government is now strengthening the defence public sector undertaking. Gandhi had on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "weakening" HAL to help his "suit-boot" friend. Gandhi's attack on Saturday had come over a media report which claimed that HAL, grappling with low finances, was forced to borrow Rs 1,000 crore to pay salaries to its employees for the first time in years. Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala earlier on Sunday tweeted: "The Lying Defence Minister's Lies Get Exposed! Defence Minister claimed that procurement orders worth Rs 1 Lakh Crore provided to HAL! HAL says Not a SINGLE PAISA has come, as Not a SINGLE ORDER has been signed!" "For the first time, HAL forced to take a loan of Rs 1000 Cr to pay salaries!," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Cases related to defaulting builders should be first taken up by regulators under the new law before being referred to the NCLT for proceedings, realtors' body NAREDCO has suggested. The association also recommended that any dispute regarding new projects should only be heard by state regulators set up under the (Regulations and Development) Act, called RERA, and not consumer courts. These suggestions were made by NAREDCO to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs during a meeting that was called last week to seek suggestions from stakeholders for removing any difficulties under RERA, being implemented from May 2017. This law was brought in to make the sector transparent and eliminate fly-by-night operators. "At present, complaints against builders are being taken up by consumer courts as well as real estate regulatory authorities established under the This is creating confusion," NAREDCO told The new projects should only be taken up under RERA, he said, and sought necessary changes in provisions of this law so that builders do not have to face litigation in multiple fora. Hiranandani said the cases related to defaulting builders should be initially referred to regulators for resolution of dispute before proceedings are invoked. "If regulators under RERA fail to resolve, the dispute may be referred to the (NCLT) for adjudication," he said. Hiranandani, the co-founder and MD of Mumbai-based real estate major Hiranandani Group, also wanted uniformity in the implementation of provisions of this law across the country. On defect liability of promoters till five years of possession of units, the association suggested that it should only be for structural and design defects as well as material used. However, the defect liability of the promoter should exclude equipment like lifts and generators that carry warranty/guarantee by manufacturers. Fittings related to plumbing, sanitary ware, electrical and hardware should be excluded as they have natural wear and tear, it said. Hiranandani also said extension of registration of projects should be decided on case to case basis instead of the current provision of one year extension. "Sometimes the construction work in projects gets delayed because of court orders or some other issues where builders are not in fault," he said. Richwood, TX (77531) Today A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 74F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 74F. Winds light and variable. Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Sunday rapped the opposition for criticising the president, saying such an action was an attack on the republic system of the country. President Bidhya Devi Bhandari and the ruling party have come under criticism from the opposition parties after the government procured a luxurious motorcade worth Rs 180 million for the president and also decided to expand her office premises by acquiring the Nepal Police Academy and relocating the vice president's office. Oli said every decision regarding the president's office in Sheetal Niwas is taken by the government and not by the president. "President cannot ask for or oppose any decisions. How can the attack on an institution which doesn't speak be justified?" he questioned. Criticising the president by the opposition is an attack on the republic system, Oli said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar Sunday said his party will fight the national polls in alliance with the JD(S) across all seats of Karnataka. Shivakumar, who is also a minister, said discussions on seat sharing will be held soon. "I'm saying that we, Congress and JD(S), will fight together in all 28 seats," he told reporters. Asked on JD(S)'s demand for 12 seats, Shivakumar said, "I'm not spokesperson of JD(S). Is it wrong to have a desire? Politically they will have to give a message of confidence and courage to their party workers and seek their support in winning." Seat sharing has emerged as a bone of contention between the two parties, however, leaders of both the parties have exuded confidence in fighting the polls together. Unhappy over the the Congress' "big brother attitude", JD(S) members recently asked its leadership to contest all 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state alone. However, JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda has clarified that his party will fight the polls in alliance with the Congress and demanded 12 seats. Indicating reservations about the JD(S)'s demand for 12 seats, state Congress Chief Dinesh Gundu Rao has said seat sharing between the ruling coalition partners will be based on merit. Meanwhile, on reports of few Congress legislators setting Monday deadline over delay in appointments to boards and corporations, Shivakumar said nothing of that sort has happened. He also cited new moon day and eclipse, considered inauspicious, as the reason for the delay. "No one has set any deadline, it is false. Congress party has given the list. Dinesh Gundu Rao gave it to me and I have handed it over to Kumaraswamy. We belong to Hindu culture and there are certain things, today is new moon day and also eclipse, let everything finish. No one can set any deadline," he said. "Both parties have decided on what has to be done. They (JD(S)) too have certain responsibilities, the chief minister has spoke to me. When it has to happen, it will happen," he added. Pointing out that the chief minister was out of town, Shivakumar said, "They have to decide on their party as well. They recently called a meeting of their party workers. It will be done and there is no reason to worry." Recently, Deve Gowda said appointments to all 30 boards and corporations will be done at one go. Congress forwarded its list of 19 legislators to the chief minister, but according to sources, the move has irked the JD(S) leadership as they were apparently not consulted. Also, Congress recommending some of its legislators as heads of boards and corporations that come under departments controlled by JD(S) ministers has angered the party, leading to the chief minister delaying the appointment. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Sunday accused Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of "lying" that procurement orders worth Rs 1 lakh crore were provided to HAL, saying the aerospace major had stated that "not a single paisa" had come to it. The allegation came a day after Congress president Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "weakening" the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to help his "suit-boot" friend. The opposition party has been targeting the government, alleging that it denied HAL an offset contract under the Rafale fighter jets deal with France, a charge the government has denied. The BJP-led NDA government has accused the Congress of not supporting HAL during its rule and asserted that the government is now strengthening the defence public sector undertaking. Gandhi's attack on Saturday came after a media report claimed that HAL, grappling with low finances, was forced to borrow Rs 1,000 crore to pay salaries to its employees for the first time in years. Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted on Sunday: "The Lying Defence Minister's Lies Get Exposed! Defence Minister claimed that procurement orders worth Rs 1 Lakh Crore provided to HAL! HAL says Not a SINGLE PAISA has come, as Not a SINGLE ORDER has been signed!" "For the first time, HAL forced to take a loan of ?1000 Cr to pay salaries!," he added. Surjewala cited a media report which claimed that "not a single rupee of the said Rs 1 lakh crore has come to HAL, since not a single order, as claimed, has been signed till now". The media report cited senior HAL management officials in order to back its claim. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The principal of a primary school here has been suspended after classes were halted at the institute to hold a blanket distribution programme there, officials said. Basic Officer of the district Santosh Rai said Sunday Gorakhnath Yadav has been suspended with immediate effect. "Action has also been recommended against the village Pradhan, Aasmaan Thothaa, village under the Sahatwar police station area)," he said. The Balia district administration had Saturday ordered a probe into a blanket distribution programme held in the school, where classes were halted and a dance programme was also organised. "On Friday, a blanket distribution programme was held at a primary school in Aasmaan Thothaa village under the Sahatwar police station area. According to a complaint received, a dance programme was also held at the venue," Rai said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Lok Janshakti Party, a constituent of the ruling NDA, on Sunday berated leaders of the opposition Grand Alliance in Bihar who have been visiting Ranchi to discuss seat-sharing with a tainted politician. RJD national president Lalu Prasad, who is serving sentences in a number of fodder scam cases, is presently lodged at the RIMS hospital in the Jharkhand capital, where he is undergoing treatment for various ailments. LJP parliamentary board chairman Chirag Paswan said it was "ironical" that senior leaders of the 'Mahagathbandhan' were "making a beeline to meet a person, convicted for corruption". "Jail ke raaste se sarkaar banana chah rahe hain" (they want to gain power via jail), he said. He, however, did not mention Lalu Prasad or his party by name. Paswan made the comments here before leaving for the national capital when he was asked about the opposition combine which comprises, at present, at least six parties and is trying to buttress its prospects through an electoral understanding with Left parties. The young LJP MP, who is the son of party founder and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, made the comments in the backdrop of recent visits by RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha, HAM president Jitan Ram Manjhi and Sharad Yadav who heads the LJD, to the RIMS hospital at Ranchi. Paswan also reiterated his stance on contentious issues such as Ram temple and triple talaq, which he had made clear the day before and said "As a BJP ally, I respect their ideological commitment to these issues. But I have a problem with these being made electoral issues." "For the last four years, nobody heard about Ayodhya. But there seems to be a renewed thrust on playing it up when Lok Sabha polls are just round the corner. I had stated earlier that raising such issues had harmed the BJP in the recent assembly polls and I reiterate the NDA will suffer if we fail to focus on issues like growth, employment and infrastructure," Paswan said. Meanwhile, BJP national spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain was shown by channels as having said in Delhi in reaction to Paswans stand "Ram temple has never been an electoral issue for the BJP. It is an issue of faith and we treat it that way. We have never sought to reap electoral benefits by raising the issue." The BJP-led NDA comprises, in Bihar, LJP and Chief Minister Nitish Kumars JD(U), which is seen on the same page as Ram Vilas Paswans party on issues like Ayodhya and triple talaq. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Centre has set up a high-level committee to assess the quantum of seats to be reserved in the Assam Assembly and local bodies for the Assamese people, besides providing other safeguards. The move came amid strong protests in Assam against PrimeMinister Narendra Modi's statement on Friday that the central government would amend the Citizenship Act to provide non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Indian nationality. Major students' bodies, social and other organisations have called a 'bandh' in the Northeast on January 8 against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, which is expected to be discussed in Lok Sabha on Monday. The high-level committee, to be headed by former Union tourism secretary M P Bezbaruah, was set up as per the Clause 6 of the 1985 Assam Accord, the Home Ministry said. "The committee will assess the appropriate level of reservation of seats in Assam Legislative Assembly and local bodies for the Assamese people. "The committee will recommend the appropriate level of reservations in employment under the government of Assam for the Assamese people," the home ministry notification said. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal welcomed the constitution of the committee, saying the panel will work to fulfil a long standing demand of the people of Assam to reserve seats in the assembly and local bodies for the indigenous people. "It is a very significant decision which came 35 years after the Assam Accord was signed," Sonowal said. Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharjya, chief advisor of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), a signatory of the Assam Accord, said the setting up of the committee is nothing but a "cover up" to the central government's move to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955. "The bill will kill clause 5 of the Accord which provides for deportation of all illegal immigrants, irrespective of religion, who had entered Assam after March 1971. There is no relevance of clause 6 if you kill clause 5," he said. The citizenship amendment bill seeks to grant Indian nationality to people belonging to minority communities -- Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians -- in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12, even if they don't possess any proper document. This was an election promise of the BJP in 2014. BJP MP Rajendra Agrawal, chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, examining the bill, told PTI that the panel's report will be submitted to Lok Sabha on Monday. Opposition members in the JPC have given dissent notes against the report saying they oppose the move to grant citizenship on the basis of religion as it is against the basic tenents of the Constitution. The home ministry notification said the committee will examine the effectiveness of actions taken since 1985 to implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. The notification said the panel will also hold discussions with various stakeholders, including social organisations, legal and constitutional experts, eminent persons from the field of art, culture and literature, conservationists, economists, linguists and sociologists. It will submit its report within six months from the date of notification (January 5). The clause 6 of the Accord states: "Constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people". Besides, Bezbarauah, a retired IAS officer, the members of the panel are: former IAS officer Subhash Das, Nagen Saikia, former President, Assam Sahitya Sabha, Dhiren Bezbaruah, former editor of The Sentinel, Mukunda Rajbangshi, educationalist, Ramesh Borpatragohain, advocate general of Assam, Rongbong Terang, former president of the Assam Sahitya Sabha, and one representative of the All Assam Students' Union. The joint secretary in the Home Ministry will be member secretary. PTI ACB http://ptinews.com/images/pti.jpg We bring the World to you"Disclaimer : This e-mail message may contain proprietary, confidential or legally privileged information for the sole use of the person or entity to whom this message was originally addressed. Please delete this e-mail, if it is not meant for you. http://ptinews.com/images/pti.jpg We bring the World to you" Disclaimer : This e-mail message may contain proprietary, confidential or legally privileged information for the sole use of the person or entity to whom this message was originally addressed. Please delete this e-mail, if it is not meant for you. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi Police team has taken former Bihar MLA Raju Singh to Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh to recover the blood-stained clothes of his driver which were allegedly dumped there while they were on the run after a celebratory firing incident here in which a woman was killed, an official said Sunday. The five-member team of officials from Fatehpur Beri Police Station has also taken along with them Raju Singh's driver Hari Singh. The 42-year-old woman, an architect, suffered critical injuries after the former MLA allegedly fired celebratory gun shots in the air during a New Year's Eve party at his farmhouse in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj. She died on January 3. The victim, Archana Gupta, who was a resident of Gautam Nagar in Hauz Khas, had gone to the party along with her husband and daughter. The ex-MLA, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2015 assembly election in Bihar on a BJP ticket, and his driver Hari Singh, had fled Delhi after the incident. They were arrested after being detained on January 2 from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. Officials Sunday said that during questioning, it emerged that the accused duo had dumped Hari Singh's clothes somewhere in Kushinagar, so the team reached there on Saturday and is likely to return on Monday. According to sources, the police are trying to determine the route that was taken by the accused duo while fleeing. On Saturday, police arrested the younger brother of Raju Singh for allegedly tampering with and destroying evidence. Raju Singh's wife Renu Singh and Raminder Singh, who worked for the leader, were arrested earlier also for allegedly destroying evidence. Renu Singh is a former member of the Bihar legislative council. Police have also spoken to Archana Gupta's husband and daughter who were present at the party when the incident the took place. They were questioned for not making a PCR call to police about the incident. However, Gupta's family claimed that they immediately rushed her to the hospital, a police official had said. In his complaint to police, Gupta's husband had said that they were at the farmhouse on Monday night to celebrate the New Year along with friends and around midnight, two-three rounds were fired by Raju Singh. Immediately, he noticed his wife falling down and bleeding. Police had said that they did not receive any PCR call from the farmhouse and only got to know about it after a call from the hospital authorities. When police reached the farmhouse, they learnt that certain evidence were destroyed, police had said, adding the floor was washed and they did not find any empty bullets. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Carcasses of about 12 crows were found in an orchard in Muzaffarpur district on Sunday morning, triggering fear of suspected bird flu among the locals. District Animal Husbandry Officer,Dr Manoj Kumar, said prima facie it did not appear to be a case of bird flu. The crows were found dead in a mango orchard at Chandanpatti village under Sakra block. An Animal Husbandry Department team, led by Dr Manoj Kumar, reached the mango orchard after the villagers informed the district administration about the death of the crows. An officer of the team examined the dead birds and said that prima facie, no symptoms of bird flu have been found in the dead crows. Samples of the dead crows would be sent to a laboratory for an in-depth analysis, he said. Carcasses of eight crows had been found in College of Arts and Crafts at Patna following which the institute was closed till January 5. Around 400 chickens were found dead at a poultry farm at a village in Bikram block of Patna district in the past 48 hours. Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park, popularly known as Patna zoo, has been closed since December 25 (2018) following death of six peafowls due to H5N1 virus which was confirmed by experts of the Regional Diseases Diagnotic Laboratory (RDDL) in Kolkata and the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal, zoo officials said. Strains of avian influenza was detected from the viscera of dead birds in six villages of Asarganj block of Munger district on December 21. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Inland waterways cargo requires subsidy, at least till navigation in the protocol route via Bangladesh is smoothened to boost cargo movement to North East from Kolkata on the National Waterways-II, officials said. "We are asking for some subsidy support for using NW-II, at least for a short term, till navigation issues in Bangladesh like dredging and installation of night navigation infrastructure are sorted out," Summit Alliance Port East Gateway (SAPEL) COO Tushar Biswas told PTI. SAPEL is a Bangladesh-based port and shipping operator which has signed an agreement with Inland Waterways Authority of India for the operation and management of two terminals in Kolkata. Trial cargo of 1,000 tonnes TMT bars is proposed to be transported to Guwahati from Kolkata tentatively on January 15 along the Brahmaputra river that is categorised as NW-II. Currently it takes around 12 days of sailing for the 1700 km journey, but the time could be reduced to just seven days if the Bangaldesh stretch of 890 kms had the requisite draft and night navigation mechanism. Based on the current situation, the cost is coming to about Rs 3000 per tonne, which ideally needs to be brought down to Rs 2300-2500 per tonne to make it lucrative for corporates to use the waterway route, Summit Alliance Port AGM Sagar Khastagir said. Ernst & Young, the consultant for NW-II, was working on pricing, he said. Inland Waterways Authority of India could not be contacted on the issue. "The support or relief can be a direct subsidy or also be in the form of lower GST by putting ocean freight and inland waterways freight at par of 5 per cent tax slab against 18 per cent levied on inland waterways," he said. On October 25, 2018, India and Bangladesh signed milestone agreements to deepen their maritime relationship. Kolaghat (West Bengal) and Chilmari (Bangladesh) were declared as new ports of call. Meanwhile, the terminals GR Jetty-II and BISN of Inland Water Transport (IWT) had been handed over to SAPEL in October last year for modernising, operating with modern equipment and managing on a revenue sharing model for a period of 30 years. Biswas said, in November the terminals handled 42,000 tonne of cargo from 62 vessels and in December it handled 71 vessels with 55,000 tonne cargo. In a year, cargo handling will go up to 1 lakh tonne, three times of earlier average from these two terminals, Khastagir said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Cabinet is likely to consider this month a framework for monetisation of assets held by which have been selected for strategic sale. The 'Asset Monetisation Framework', being drafted by the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), will help the administrative ministries to fast track hiving off and sale of non-core assets of (CPSEs) under their administrative control. To begin with, the guidelines would be applicable for those central public sector undertakings which are likely candidates for strategic disinvestment. However, any state-owned company which wants to sell its non-core assets too can follow the framework, an official said. "The draft Cabinet note has been floated for inter-ministerial comments. We hope to place the asset monetisation framework before the Cabinet this month," the official told PTI. ALSO READ: Over dozen CPSEs evince interest in raising funds via debt ETF next fiscal The framework, among other things, would stipulate the quantum of funds that would accrue to the following the sale of assets and how much would go into the exchequer, the official said. The government already had already given in-principle approval for strategic sale of 24 state-owned companies. These include Dredging Corporation of India, HLL Lifecare, Bharat Earth Movers Ltd, Units/JVs of ITDC, Bhadrawati, Salem and Durgapur units of SAIL, Nagarnar Steel Plant of NMDC, Central Electronics and Ferro Scrap Nigam. DIPAM, after consulting ministries and CPSEs, has already identified huge tract of land and other assets of 9 state-owned companies which will be hived off before they are put on the block for strategic sale. The sale process of these assets has to be taken forward by the concerned administrative ministries, the official said. The nine whose non-core assets have been identified for hiving off are Pawan Hans, Scooters India, Air India, Bharat Pumps & Compressors, Project & Development India Ltd (PDIL), Hindustan Prefab, Hindustan Newsprint, Bridge and Roof Co and Hindustan Fluorocarbons. Most of the assets identified for separate disposal are land parcels and residential flats owned by the CPSEs. With regard to Pawan Hans, the assets identified are Rohini Heliport and Bellman Hangar situated at Safdarjung Airport that was taken on lease from the Airports Authority of India (AAI). ALSO READ: Centre looks to raise Rs 140 bn through basket share sale in 11 CPSEs For Air India, the assets to be hived off include at least four subsidiaries of the loss-making carrier, including Airline Allied Services Ltd (AASL) and Hotel Corporation of India (HCI). Besides, the headquarter building of Air India in the national capital as well as various other land assets and buildings in different parts of the country would be hived off for separate disposal. Various art works and artefacts owned by the airline too would be put up on the block. The asset monetisation framework would also draw out guidelines on valuation for sale of shares of enemy property, the official added. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in November last year gave 'in-principle' approval for sale of shares which are part of 'enemy property'. Over 6.50 crore shares in 996 companies of 20,323 shareholders are under the custody of Custodian of Enemy Property of India (CEPI), under the Home Ministry. Of these 996 companies, 588 are functional/active companies -- 139 of these are listed, while 449 companies are unlisted. In the current fiscal, the government has targeted to raise Rs 80,000 crore from PSU disinvestment. So far, it has raised Rs 34,142 crore through PSU share sale. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Naxalsset ablaze six vehicles and road construction equipment in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district, police said Sunday. The incident occurred on Saturday near Malewahi village under Mardoom police station limits where road construction work is underway and no was hurt in the incident, Deputy Inspector General (Anti-Naxal Operations) Sundarraj P told PTI. He said a group of armed ultras arrived at the construction site between Malewahi and Kadenar villages, located around 350 kilometres away from the state capital Raipur, and threatened workers to leave the spot. Before fleeing, the Naxals set on fire three mixture machines, one tractor, one pick up van and a motorcycle, the DIG said. A police team has rushed to the spot and combing operations were underway to nab them, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By-poll to ward number 82 of Kolkata Municipal Corporation, from where West Bengal minister and city mayor Firhad Hakim is seeking election as a Trinamool Congress councillor, passed off peacefully on Sunday. Hakim, the state's Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister, had been elected as the Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on December 3 by a majority of KMC councillors, although Hakim himself was not a councillor then. According to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, which was amended in the winter session of the Assembly, a mayor would have to get elected by voters as a councillor within six months of being appointed to the post. BJP's Jiban Sen, Congress candidate Animesh Bhattacharya and Sisir Dutta from the CPI were the three other candidates but the main contest was between the TMC and the BJP. An estimated 64 per cent voters of the 33,567 strong electorate cast votes at the polling stations during voting hours from 7 AM to 3 PM, a senior officer of the State Election Commission said. Polling continued in one booth till 4 PM to allow the voters, who were still standing in queues, to exercise their franchise. The BJP candidate alleged no polling agent of the party, or other opposition parties could be deployed in the booths during voting, but this charge was denied by Hakim, who said the opposition had no organisational base in the area. By-poll to ward no 82 was necessitated after resignation of TMC councillor Pranab Biswas on health grounds. Election to the mayoral post became imperative following the resignation of Sovan Chatterjee from the post in November last year. Chatterjee, who was also the housing and fire services minister, had resigned from the state cabinet on November 20 and from the post of KMC Mayor on November 22. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Some of Britain's leading universities struggling with a funding crunch in the face of are expected to increasingly turn to recruiting more overseas students, who pay much higher fees than locals. and are expected to be at the forefront of this overseas student influx, with chiefs expecting their figures to surpass that of British students across UK campuses. Anton Muscatelli, vice-chancellor of Glasgow and chairman of the Russell Group, which represents the UK's 24 leading institutions, told 'The Sunday Times' that leading universities were now likely to try to recruit many more overseas students - particularly from and - to offset a series of financial challenges. Muscatelli, who is considering increasing the proportion of Glasgow's (EU) and overseas students to up to half the total, said, "Many universities will try to do this because it will be the only way to respond to a sudden fall in income". According to the report, the UK's higher education sector faces "a triple whammy" as if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, leaders say it would be "catastrophic", with the UK cut out of 1.3 billion pounds of EU research funding and a collapse in EU student numbers. In addition, an imminent government review is expected to recommend lowering the fees universities can charge undergraduates from the UK to 6,500 pounds a year. Professor Michael Arthur, of University College London, said it might have to boost EU and overseas students to 50 per cent and cut its proportion of UK students in the face of deep uncertainty about the sector's financial future. Exeter University is already seeking to boost overseas student numbers by up to seven per cent. Steve Smith, its vice-chancellor, said universities made money on overseas students but only broke even on UK students. In London, foreign students already outnumber British ones at the School of Economics, where almost two-thirds are from abroad, and at Imperial College. Professor Alan Smithers, of Buckingham University, told the newspaper that British students may feel increasingly uncomfortable at universities dominated by Chinese and Indian students. He also warned that the government would face pressure for migration rules to be changed to allow overseas students to work after they finished their degrees. "That would impact on the job prospects of British students," said Smithers. At top universities, overseas students pay more than 30,000 pounds a year for a five-year medical degree, nearly four times as much as UK students whose fees are capped at 9,250 pounds. BJP workers Sunday staged a demonstration at the Kerala House here, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over his government's role in the Sabarimala issue and the alleged attacks on party workers in the state. The protesters marched from Parliament Street to the Kerala House, raising slogans against the state government. Heavy police force was deployed to stop them at a barricade on the Jantar Mantar Road. Delhi BJP general secretary Kuljeet Chahal, who was leading the protest, accused the Kerala government of causing atrocities on BJP workers, citing the recent killing of party worker Chandran Unnithan during a "peaceful" march in the state. "BJP workers are being killed by CPM goons in Kerala and the chief minister of the state is doing nothing," Chahal alleged. The protesters also expressed solidarity with devotees of Lord Ayyappa and demanded that the state honour their religious sentiments regarding entry into the Sabarimala temple. Party general secretary Rajesh Bhatia condemned the Kerala government and said, "The Communist leaders are not going to escape Lord Ayyappa's wrath for their wrong-doings at Sabarimala." The Kerala government has "betrayed" the sentiments of devotees by allowing women to enter the shrine, he claimed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition BJP in Karnataka on Sunday demanded Minister C Puttaranga Shetty's resignation after huge amounts of cash was seized from a staffer who allegedly worked at his office at the state secretariat here. The BJP held demonstrations at Ballari, Ramanagara, Yadgir, Kalburgi, Hubballi-Dharwad, and Kolar among other places. They demanded fair investigation into the matter and immediate resignation of Shetty. Speaking to reporters in Dharwad, BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa cited the incident as an evidence of rampant corruption under the JDS-Congress coalition government in Karnataka. Based on a tip-off, a typist identified as Mohan working in Puttaranga Shetty's office was caught with Rs 25.76 lakh by the police on Friday evening at Vidhana Soudha premises. According to police sources, investigation was on and the case was likely to be transferred to the state anti-corruption bureau. The seizure had snowballed into a major controversy on Saturday with the BJP and a senior leader of ruling coalition partner JD(S) demanding the resignation of the Congress minister. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, however, had said he would wait for the police to complete the investigation before taking any action. While stating that only investigation can bring out the truth, Pradesh Congress Chief Dinesh Gundu Rao had on Saturday said Rs 26 lakh was miniscule against the Rs 30,000 crore Rafale scam. The BJP has been opposing the formation of Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Rafale deal and denying allegations in the matter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan Sunday demanded security for the family members of the Pipili gangrape and murder victim alleging that they are being threatened by goons of the ruling BJD. Pradhan, who visited the victim's family, also claimed that when he was returning here from their village, ruling party "goons" threatened them in presence of policemen that no one will be able to able to save the family. "Family members of the girl are feeling insecured. They are afraid that their lives are under threat from the accused persons, who are protected by the ruling party," the petroleum minister said narrating his interaction with the the victim's family members. Stating that he has taken up the matter with the Director General of Police, Pradhan urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to provide security to the family. The family members have raised serious allegations about the "shoddy inquiry" and the administration and demanded a CBI inquiry into the gangrape and murder of the girl, Pradhan told reporters. He said the family members of the girl feel that the resignation of Pradeep Maharathy will not be able to give justice to the girl. Maharathy, the agriculture minister, resigned Sunday after he stoked a controversy for his remarks on the acquittal of the accused in a gang rape-and-murder case of 2011-2012. The 19-year-old Dalit woman was raped in November, 2011 and died in June, 2012 after remaining in a semi-comatose state, sparking a state-wide furore. It was alleged that the accused in the case had been sheltered by Maharathy. On December 24, 2018, the court of additional district judge in Bhubaneswar had acquitted the two persons arrested in the case. The statements of ministers in BJD government have hurt the people of Odisha more than the court judgement, Pradhan said. Reacting to the court judgement, Maharathy had said, "I welcome the court judgement. It is victory of truth. The victim girl got justice." Maharathy's statement had angered opposition political parties as well as the victim's family who had sought stringent action against the accused. Pradhan said the girl's brother said the Crime Branch did not accept the blood stained clothes of his gang-raped sister as evidence. They later submitted it before the judicial commission, he said. "Had the Crime Branch conducted the inquiry properly, the girl would have got justice. Her mother and father were inconsolable and could not stop their tears, while her brother is scared," the minister said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The bird population in Chilika, Asia's largest brackish water lagoon located in Odisha, has increased this year by over 1.55 lakh when compared to last winter, forest officials said. The annual bird census conducted by the Chilika wildlife Division on Friday revealed that a total of 10,47,868 birds belonging to 181 different species have taken shelter in 1,100 sq km vast lagoon this winter, they said. These included 105 different species of waterfowls and 76 species of water dependent birds, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Chilika Wildlife Division, Bikash Ranjan Das, said. Last winter a total of 8,93,390 birds belonging to 147 different species had been counted in the lake, he said. The Nalabana island inside the lake continued to be the most favourite destination for the winged guests, as the highest number of migratory birds took shelter in the 15.59 sq km sanctuary area this year. The census has revealed that this winter a total of 3,93,541 of migratory birds took shelter at the Nalabana Bird Sanctuary area. Last year around 3,20,826 birds had taken shelter at the sanctuary during winter, officials said. Around 60,000 birds of various species have taken shelter in Mangalajodi area, next to Nalabana, in the lake, the DFO said. Ornithologists have been delighted as the lesser flamingos have returned to the lake after four years. During the bird census, the enumerators have spotted 13 such bird species (lesser flamingos) in the lake, he said. This year, the highest number of Northern Pintails (2,57,880) have come to the lake. The increase in number of migratory birds this year might be due to the availability of open space, following the eviction of illegal prawn gheries by the Chilika Development Authority (CDA), the DFO said. Besides, snowfall in their original habitat, could be another reason for the birds to fly to the Chilika, in order to escape the biting cold, ornithologists said. Around 100 persons, including ornithologists from Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) in Mumbai, officials of wildlife organisations and wildlife activists took part in the bird count in the lake on Friday. Winged guests from far off places such as the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, remote parts of Russia, Central and Southeast Asia, Ladakh and the Himalayas descend on the lake every winter for feeding and roosting. They start their homeward journey with the onset of summer. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bangladesh on Sunday named a council of ministers with several new faces in the 47-member Cabinet of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina whose Awami League returned to power for a third consecutive term after its landslide victory in the December 30 election. Several veterans were dropped from the council of ministers amid speculation about the inductions as major portfolios like defence were retained by Hasina herself. Academic-turned-diplomat Abdul Momen, a new face in politics, was appointed the new foreign minister. He previously served as Bangladesh's permanent envoy at the UN. Former planning minister and businessman A H M Mustafa Kamal became the finance minister in the Cabinet which has 24 full ministers with the rest being ministers of state. Several influential Awami League figures including general secretary Obaidul Quader, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Anisul Huq and A K M Mozammel Haque retained their positions in the ministries of road transport and bridges, home, law, and liberation affairs. But 25 former ministers, nine state ministers and two deputy ministers several of them regarded as Awami League stalwarts were dropped from the new Cabinet. Influential figures who were discarded included former commerce minister Tofail Ahmed, former industries minister Amir Hossain Amu, former agriculture minister Motia Chowdhury, former health minister Mohammad Nasim and former local government minister Khondker Mosharaf Hossain. The Awami League-led Grand Alliance's two key allies are Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and Workers Party, whose leaders are former information minister Hassanul Haque Inu and Rashed Khan Menon. Both are also absent in the new Cabinet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) State-owned Andhra Bank will deploy over 1,600 business correspondents to provide a host of services like account opening, door-step banking, ATM deployment and NPA recovery under its financial inclusion project. The bank will deploy these business correspondents mainly in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The lender has been implementing the financial inclusion project since 2010 through the business correspondent model with micro ATMs/kiosk banking technology. Among others, the business correspondents (BCs) may also be assigned with other financial and non-financial transactions like recovery of loans, enrolment of social security schemes as well as mobilisation of new business for the bank. They may also be required to carry on with all government schemes including Aadhaar, mobile and PAN seeding, insurance sales, banking transactions and any new initiatives taken up by the bank from time to time. The bank has invited bids from corporate business correspondents (CBCs) or vendors, who will oversee the deployment of business correspondents, by January 31, 2019. "Andhra Bank invites proposals for selection of corporate business correspondents (CBCs) for end-to-end implementation of financial inclusion project," it said in the request for proposal. As of now, the bank has deployed about 2,200 BC agents through corporate business correspondent (CBC) model across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha and some locations of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh and Bihar. "The selected vendor will deploy all the banking applications on the micro ATMs/ mobile devices/kiosk without any extra cost to the bank," it said. As per the project, the bank wants to deploy 922 BC agents in Andhra Pradesh and 695 in Telangana by March 2019 apart from some mobile business correspondent agents who are expected to operate from different locations in other states. Andhra Bank said it will give priority to the authorised functionaries of well-run self-help groups (SHGs) which are linked to banks to act as BC agents. Besides, any individual or entities approved by the bank, individuals including retired bank employees, retired government school teachers, kirana shop owners, dealers working in public distribution system, retired government employees and ex-servicemen may also be deployed. As per the proposal document, the business correspondent agent's age should be preferably between 20 to 40 years, and should not exceed 50 years, the bank added. At present, Andhra Bank uses separate Financial Inclusion Gateway (FIG) solution procured from a third-party vendor for all financial inclusion transactions. The lender said it also proposes to deploy 200-1,000 direct business correspondents over five years. The bank will procure the devices and the selected bidder to provide application software for deployed devices and also facilitate end-to-end operations by acquiring the transactions, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP national president Amit Shah is likely to visit Siliguri in North Bengal to take review of the organisational aspects of the party, party sources said here on Sunday. Shah may also address a rally in Siliguri. "He is likely review organisational aspects of the party and meet leaders. He may also address a rally there. However, nothing has been finalised as of now," the sources said. Shah was scheduled to flag off BJP's three phased Rath Yatra programme in West Bengal from Coochbehar district in north Bengal on December 7. But the programme was postponed as the state government declined to give them permission for the rally. The matter is now sub-judice. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shaheed Alhafeed, December 31, 2018 (SPS) - Saharawi mass media journalists at the Ministry of Information organized Saturday a solidarity sit-in with the intifada of independence in the occupied territories of Western Sahara and Sahrawi political prisoners in Moroccan prisons. The event was attended by members of the National Secretariat of the Polisario Front, the Government and the National Assembly, and Sahrawi journalists. A statement was read out on this occasion, in solidarity with the intifada of independence and Sahrawi political prisoners in Moroccan prisons. The participants shouted slogans in support of in solidarity with the intifada of independence and raised pictures of Saharawi political prisoners who suffer all sorts of humiliation, mistreatment and torture in Moroccan prisons. (SPS) 062/SPS/TRA Nobel laureate on Sunday came out in support of Naseeruddin Shah, who recently stoked a controversy with his remark on mob violence and appeared in a video for the Amnesty India against alleged government crackdown on NGOs, and said attempts were being made to "disturb" the actor. In a 2.13-minute solidarity video for the human rights watchdog Amnesty, Shah had said on Friday that those who demand rights are being locked up. Asked by reporters on the veteran actor's comments, Sen said, "We must protest against such attempts to disturb the actor... What has been happening (in the country) is objectionable. It should stop." The 85-year-old economist said many institutions in the country are under attack, and their freedom is being encroached. "Even journalists are facing harassment". About troll attacks against personalities like Shah, he said, "Losing the ability to tolerate others is a serious cause for concern, it points to the losing of ability to think and analyse." Under the hashtag #AbkiBaarManavAdhikaar, the Amnesty had claimed that India has witnessed a massive crackdown on freedom of expression and human rights defenders. In his solidarity messsage in Urdu, Shah had said, "Artistes, actors, scholars, poets are all being stifled. Journalists too are being silenced. "In the name of religion, walls of hatred are being erected. Innocents are being killed. The country is awash with horrific hatred and cruelty." Last month, the 68-year-old had said the death of a cow had acquired more significance than that of a police officer in the country. ALSO READ: Amartya Sen should spend some time in India to see reforms: NITI Aayog V-C He was speaking in the wake of a mob violence that broke out in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr on December 3 over alleged cow slaughter in the Mahaw village. The violence led to the death of two men, including a police inspector. ALSO READ: I said what I did as a worried Indian: Naseeruddin Shah on mob violence The Award-winning actor's visit to a literary fest in December was also cancelled following protests by Hindu outfits ober his comments on mob violence. With the opposition DMK and T T V Dhinakaran's AMMK already having named their candidates for Tiruvarur bypoll, the ruling party AIADMK Sunday said its candidate would be announced Monday. Speaking to reporters here at the Madurai airport, AIADMK coordinator and Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam exuded confidence over the party's prospects in the bypoll. "The candidate would be announced tomorrow morning in the party headquarters. There are good chances for AIADMK's success...," he said. The ruling party had received 52 applications from aspirants from the party to contest the bypoll. Two days ago, DMK president M K Stalin announced the candidature of Poondi K Kalaivanan and said his nominee had the support of the party's allies, including the Congress. Kalaivanan is the DMK's Tiruvarur district secretary, a powerful organisational post in the party. On the same day, the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) announced fielding S Kamaraj as its candidate for the bypoll, he will take on Kalaivanan, besides the ruling AIADMK's nominee. Kamaraj is AMMK's Tiruvarur district secretary. The bypoll to Tiruvarur constituency was necessitated due to the death of former chief minister M Karunanidhi, the sitting MLA from the Assembly segment, on August 7 last year. Responding to a question on poll alliance for the general elections, he said, "A decision will be taken on this once the Election Commission makes a formal announcement." The Election Commission had on Monday announced the bypoll to Tiruvarur. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan met Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan here Sunday as the cash-strapped country seeks economic assistance to bolster its foreign exchange reserves and the government's fiscal policies. Pakistan, reeling under severe financial crisis, reached out to some "friendly countries" for economic assistance including Saudi Arabia, China and the UAE since Prime Minister Khan assumed office in August. The Crown Prince, who is on a day-long visit to the country after nearly 12 years, was received by Khan upon his arrival at Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi, Dawn reported. He was given a guard of honour and a fly-past during the red carpet welcome. The high-level delegation will hold talks with the Pakistani side after the two leader's one-on-one meeting. Pakistan's Foreign Office said the visit is aimed at building on the fresh momentum in ties injected by recent contacts at the leadership level. Khan visited the UAE twice since August to seek economic assistance to ward off the country's foreign exchange crisis. Pakistan and the UAE last week finalised the terms and conditions of a USD 6.2 billion support package for Islamabad, which the crown prince is expected to announce during his visit, the report said, adding that the package is to help Islamabad address its balance of payment crisis. The report quoted a cabinet member as saying that the UAE package is exactly the same size and has the same terms and conditions as those given by Saudi Arabia. With the new package, Pakistan will save a total of about USD 7.9 billion on oil and gas imports from the UAE, accounting for over 60 per cent of the annual oil import bill amounting to roughly USD 12 to 13 billion, the report said. This includes about USD 3.2 billion each of oil supplies on deferred payments from the UAE and Saudi Arabia and about USD 1.5 billion trade finance from the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), it said. The total financing support from the UAE and Saudi Arabia, including the ITFC's trade finance, is to be around USD 13.9 to 14 billion when cash deposits of USD 3 billion each from the two countries are also included, according to the cabinet member. Additionally, a deep-conversion oil refinery is to be set up by Parco a joint venture of Pakistan and Abu Dhabi worth USD 5 to 6 billion at Khalifa Point and an expected petro-chemical complex by Saudi Arabia at Gwadar Oil City. The Pakistani government has also started backchannel discussions with Qatar for some relief in terms of reduction in LNG prices or a relaxed payment schedule. Last month, the UAE said it will soon give USD 3 billion to Islamabad. Pakistan's all weather ally China has also pledged to provide a generous aid to Islamabad to overcome its financial woes. Beijing has not yet revealed the quantum of its financial support. Pakistan is negotiating a USD 8 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to overcome a severe balance-of-payments crisis that threatens to cripple the country's economy. Pakistan apprehends the IMF will come with stringent conditions of austerity besides scrutiny of USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects whose terms till now remained confidential. The Trump administration is making all efforts to ensure that any IMF loan to Pakistan is not used to repay its Chinese debt. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan on Sunday said the UAE has "almost finalised" investment plan for the setting up of an oil refinery in the country as the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi met Prime Minister Imran Khan and discussed economic assistance to the cash-strapped country to bolster its foreign exchange reserves. Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, who was on a day-long visit to the country after nearly 12 years, was received by Khan upon his arrival at Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi and the Prime Minister personally drove him to his residency for a welcome ceremony. He was given a guard of honour and a fly-past during the red carpet welcome. The Prince and the Prime Minister held a one-on-one meeting, followed by delegation-level talks between the top officials of the two sides as Pakistan seeks economic assistance to bolster its foreign exchange reserves and the government's fiscal policies. Both delegations discussed bilateral relations and matters of mutual, regional and international interest. Pakistan, reeling under severe financial crisis, reached out to some "friendly countries" for economic assistance including Saudi Arabia, China and the UAE since Prime Minister Khan assumed office in August. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the UAE has already promised to provide USD 3 billion assistance and the Crown Prince also discussed investment to set up an oil refinery. The two side have almost finalised investment for setting up of a refinery, he said. He said the two countries enjoyed traditional friendship and the Crown Prince said that he considered Pakistan as his second home. Foreign Office said this was the third interaction between the leadership of Pakistan and the UAE in less than three months, which is a "testimony to the special nature of our brotherly relations with this important GCC country". The UAE is Pakistan's largest trading partner in the Middle East and a major source of investments. It is home to more than 1.6 million expatriate community which contributes around USD 4.5 billion annually to the GDP, the foreign office said. It said Pakistan and the UAE are working closely to transform the existing special relations into a long-term strategic economic partnership, as agreed between the two leaders during Prime Minister Khan's visit to the Emirates in November. It said that apart from a "generous USD 3 billion support to help Pakistan overcome its balance of payment crisis, provision oil on deferred payment was also under discussion." Khan visited the UAE twice since August to seek economic assistance to ward off the country's foreign exchange crisis. Pakistan and the UAE last week finalised the terms and conditions of a USD 6.2 billion support package for Islamabad to help address the balance of payments crisis. Pakistan's all weather ally China has also pledged to provide a generous aid to Islamabad to overcome its financial woes. Beijing has not yet revealed the quantum of its financial support. Pakistan is negotiating a USD 8 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to overcome a severe balance-of-payments crisis that threatens to cripple the country's economy. Pakistan apprehends the IMF will come with stringent conditions of austerity besides scrutiny of USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects whose terms till now remained confidential. The Trump administration is making all efforts to ensure that any IMF loan to Pakistan is not used to repay its Chinese debt. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia accused former AAP MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who resigned from the party Sunday, of "trying to weaken" the party and asserted it will "be strengthened" with his exit. Khaira, an MLA in Punjab who had already rebelled against the party, resigned from its primary membership alleging the AAP had "totally deviated" from the ideology and principles it was formed on. The rebel leader has been a vocal critic of the AAP leadership since he was removed as the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Punjab Assembly in July last year. Khaira was suspended from the AAP in November last year for indulging in "anti-party" activities. "Mr Sukhpal Khaira's resignation was expected. The party will be strengthened with his exit. He shuld now resign from MLA also, which he won on party ticket. Mr Khaira started revolting against party since post of LoP in Punjab was given to a Dalit leader (sic)," Sisodia posted on Twitter. He also accused the leader of trying to weaken the party. "AAP will keep working for poor and marginalised people. Those who have problem in this can leave the party. Mr Khaira was trying to weaken party and was openly revolting against the party since then. "He tried to break party. Which organization can tolerate such behaviour? @ArvindKejriwal ji always says that those who have come for position or power shuld leave the party. He was always clamouring for position and power (sic)," he posted on the microblogging site. The 53-year-old Khaira, a former Congressman who had joined the Aam Aadmi Party in December 2015 -- nearly a year before the last Punjab assembly polls, sent his resignation to AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal. "I am constrained to forward my resignation from the primary membership of AAP as the party has totally deviated from the ideology and principles on which it was formed post the Anna Hazare movement," the Bolath MLA said in his resignation letter, copies of which have been released to the media. "Although you have already rewarded our good work by humiliatingly suspending me and Kanwar Sandhu from the party but still I want to formalise the disconnection with you and AAP, by quitting its primary membership," Khaira said. Sandhu was suspended in November last year alongside Khaira. The AAP, which was billed as a strong contender to wrest power from Punjab's ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition in 2017 assembly polls, managed to win just 20 seats in the 117-member state assembly. Following his removal as the LoP, Khaira, along with seven supporters, formed a rebel group which sought autonomy for AAP's Punjab unit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union minister Prakash Javadekar has assured the Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brig (Retd) Dr B D Mishra that seven proposed Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) in the state would be opened this financial year, an official release said Sunday. The Union human resource development minister gave the assurance when the governor called on him in New Delhi and discussed issues regarding in the state on Saturday. Javadekar said the seven KVs would be opened within this financial year and the requisite cabinet proposal will be moved shortly. The proposed KVs are in Kurung Kumey, Dibang Valley, Namsai, Upper Subansiri, Anjaw, West Siang and Upper Siang districts. The minister stated that the Centre is committed to improve primary and overcome the dropout rate in Arunachal Pradesh. Mishra requested the minister for three Navodaya Vidyalayas for the three newly created districts of Shi Yomi, Lepa Rada and Pakke Kessang and Javadekar assured him that the proposal would be moved in the next Cabinet meeting, the release said. The governor also spoke to Bar Council of India (BCI) on the lone Government Law College of the state, which was scheduled to be opened last year but that could not be done as the BCI did not approve it. BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra assured Mishra to send a team for inspection of the college at the earliest. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three persons, including a woman, detained at the Jaipur airport on Sunday for allegedly smuggling in nearly 3 kg gold. "The accused arrived at Jaipur from Thailand in a Thai Airways flight in the early hours off the morning, hiding 3 kg gold in their rectum. Following specific input, a DRI team detained them for questioning," a senior official said. All three accused hail from Punjab and are being interrogated, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As many as 26 people were arrested across Uttar Pradesh in connection with the assistant teachers' recruitment examination held on Sunday, police said. District police arrested four people in Moradabad, three in Kanpur, two each in Allahabad and Azamgarh and one each in Agra and Gonda, they said. Apart from this, the Special Task Force arrested nine people in state capital Lucknow and four in Allahabad, an official spokesperson said. The Special Task Force of the UP Police busted a gang of impersonators appearing in the examination and those arrested included the mastermind of the gang. A principal of a Lucknow-based college and four invigilators were among those arrested by the STF. In a statement issued here, the UP STF said that it had been gathering information regarding impersonators taking money from candidates to take the test on their behalf. "Principal of the National Inter College (which was an examination centre) Uma Shankar Singh, main accused Arun Kumar Singh and four invigilators were arrested. Apart from this, two candidates were also arrested," an STF spokesperson said. Four impersonators, including the kingpin of another gang, were also arrested by the STF in Allahabad. "As many as five Aadhaar cards, three mobile phones, six admit cards, Rs 66,000 cash and a car were recovered from the arrested persons in Prayagraj," the spokesperson said, adding that a case has been registered in this connection. During interrogation, prime accused Nagendra told the STF that he used to take Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh from prospective candidates, and Rs 50,000 was given to the impersonator who would take the examination on the candidate's behalf, the spokesperson added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In many ways, 2018 was unique for India's external engagement as the country managed to bring back normalcy in its ties with China, secured a waiver from the US on import of Iranian crude oil, enhanced strategic cooperation with Russia and displayed its intent to play a bigger role in the Indo-Pacific. In the backdrop of a geopolitical flux in the region, India also demonstrated a certain degree of assertiveness in handling relations in the neighbourhood, including with Pakistan and Abdulla Yameen's China-backed regime in the Maldives. Another key signal of India's resoluteness in its foreign policy approach was the signing of a Rs 40,000-crore deal with Russia to procure a batch of S-400 air defence missile systems, notwithstanding the US' warning of punitive measures under its sanction regimes against Moscow. However, the main highlight of the year was a perceptible improvement in bilateral ties with China, following a landmark summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in the Chinese city of Wuhan in April. The informal summit, which was followed by three other bilateral meetings between the two leaders, imparted new momentum in the relations and enhanced mutual trust, months after the Doklam episode raised fears of a wider conflict between the two Asian giants. After the talks between Modi and Xi in Buenos Aires on November 30 on the sidelines of the G-20 summit, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said, "Both sides were optimistic that 2018 was a good year but 2019 would be an even better year." Though the relations saw a major transformation, there was no change in China's position on blocking India's membership bid at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), resistance to New Delhi's move at the UN to declare Azhar Masood a global terrorist and to allay apprehensions about the Belt and Road Initiative. Another important development was India figuring among eight countries, including Japan and South Korea, to get a waiver from US sanctions on buying Iranian oil till the first week of April. The US decision was largely seen as a recognition of New Delhi's growing global stature. India's defence and strategic ties with Russia also saw a significant intensity after Prime Minister Modi and President Vladimir Putin held their first informal summit in the Russian resort city of Sochi in May. New Delhi's efforts to further improve relations with Germany, Japan, South Korea, Britain, Australia and the Gulf region were visible in 2018. Leading India's diplomatic outreach, Prime Minister Modi travelled to 22 countries in 2018, including a historic visit to Palestine in February. The situation in the strategically key Indo-Pacific region is understood to have figured in Modi's talks with the leaders of almost all major powers. In June, while speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, the prime minister unveiled India's vision for the Indo-Pacific, powerfully signalling that the country was ready to play a key role in ensuring peace and stability of the region. In the address, Modi also underscored the need for India and China to work together as an "Asia of rivalry" would hold back the entire region. In the neighbourhood, India remained firm on not having any talks with Pakistan until the country stopped cross-border terrorism. Nearly a month after Imran Khan took over as the prime minister of Pakistan, India, in September, agreed on a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. However, 24 hours later, New Delhi cancelled the proposed meeting citing the brutal killing of three policemen by Pakistani terrorists in Kashmir and Islamabad releasing 20 postage stamps "glorifying a terrorist and terrorism". In November, Islamabad heeded to a long-pending request by India to build a corridor linking Baba Nanak village in Punjab to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur in Pakistan. The Pakistani prime minister tried to project the ground-breaking ceremony of the corridor as a gesture to improve overall ties with India. However, India clarified that it was a religious initiative and should not be linked to opening dialogue. India's ties with the Maldives nosedived after President Abdulla Yameen imposed Emergency in the country in February, following an order by the country's Supreme Court to release a group of Opposition leaders, who had been convicted in widely criticised trials. The relations were back on track following Yameen's shock defeat in the presidential polls. Modi attended the swearing-in ceremony of the new president, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, in November, reflecting the renewed vigour in ties. India's engagement with Nepal as well as its all-weather ally Bhutan intensified to some extent. Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's election victory for a third consecutive term was good as well for New Delhi. In tragic news, the government in March said the 39 Indians missing in Iraq since they were kidnapped by terror outfit ISIS four years ago were confirmed dead. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Emma Watson has said that she feels optimistic about a "fairer future" for women courtesy the Time's Up campaign. On the first anniversary of the campaign, the actor took to Instagram on Saturday to express gratitude towards people who have been a part of the revolution. "From my sisters in the film industry to the activists and campaigners around the world who have supported us, I've been so inspired by the way people have reached out to each other, shared experiences and advice, and organised together as part of this movement for change. "Gender equality can only become a reality if we harness the transformative power of solidarity across professions and across borders," Watson wrote. The "Harry Potter" alum said there is still a long way to go but "the achievements so far make me optimistic for a fairer future". "2018 was just the beginning," she said. A vocal feminist, Watson, in an another post urged the masses to be a part of Time's Up UK chapter that launched the Justice and Equality Fund (JEF), which is the UK's version of the Legal Defence Fund. The JEF aims to support women who have experienced harassment and abuse, improve accountability, and prevent future abuses from occurring. "I hope that more people will be inspired by the #TIMESUP anniversary to give at home here in the UK, so the Justice and Equality Fund can reach even more under-resourced organisations and campaign groups in 2019," the actor wrote. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The latter is a key component of the Governments Resolution 01, in which the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) will grant test 5G frequencies to operators this year and expand them in 2020. Head of the Policy and Planning Division under the Ministry of Information and Communications Authority of Communications Tran Tuan Anh said Vietnam defined 5G as network infrastructure for all sectors of the economy, not just for communication. It would be expanded, raising the working capacity of all sectors based on radiocommunication infrastructure. Under the vision of Qualcomm, Nokia, Samsung and other companies developing 5G services and technology, the 5G mobile network will boost self-driving cars, IoT and cloud computing. Anh told enternews.vn that there were currently very few terminals supporting 5G networks, so this technology did not yet have the capability to reach everyone. With the needs of users today, 4G still met their demands. The implementation of 5G in Vietnam will depend on the role of network operators and ICT enterprises. Vietnam also needs to build research centres on technology for 5G, in addition to corresponding legal documents, Anh said. Worldwide, there are 18 5G networks deployed by more than 20 suppliers. There are also 134 5G networks being tested in 62 countries around the world. By 2019, the world will officially adopt 5G standard at the World Radiocommunication Conference of the ITU, a specialised UN agency for information and communication technologies. The Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group is aggressively completing work to prepare infrastructure and human resources for 5G technology with the expectation of becoming the first operator in Vietnam to deploy a 5G network. With a number of positive results in preparing 5G, Viettel aims to complete a 5G broadcasting station version 1 in 2019, test 5G station network by 2020 and be ready to trade in 2021. Viettel Deputy General Director Cao Duc Thang said Viettel was ready to participate in the 5G test in 2019. We hope that there will be information on frequencies soon for Viettel and other operators to prepare appropriate design and equipment, in order to meet the frequency that the MIC is expected to use for 5G, said Thang. In an interview with ictnews.vn, CEO of Huawei Vietnam Fan Jun said that Vietnam was the most dynamic emerging market in Southeast Asia. He said the Prime Minister and Minister of MIC had repeatedly mentioned the development of 5G in Vietnam, and Vietnamese operators were willing to test 5G. He said the realisation of 5G required four basic conditions including national industry policy, frequency planning, preparation of application infrastructure and training of talents. These four basic conditions are indispensable. Different areas will have different difficulties and challenges, thus its necessary to have the participation of many parties working together, he added. In this regard, Jun said his firm was ready to strengthen dialogue with the Government and other network operators and partners related to 5G to promote the development of the technology in Vietnam. The Congress ended a long spell of electoral setbacks, wresting major Hindi heartland states Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan from the BJP in 2018, which saw a more aggressive Rahul Gandhi, be it on social media or in Parliament. Reeling under election losses until a while ago, the Congress regained some control at the hustings forming a government with the JDS in Karnataka and winning some important parliamentary by-elections. The most significant Lok Sabha bypoll win for the Congress-JDS combine in 2018 came in Bellary, a BJP stronghold for years. The victory marked happy tidings for the Congress which under its president Rahul Gandhi aggressively advocated state-level coalitions to keep the BJP at bay by preventing the division of non-BJP votes. The year also saw Gandhi come into his own as a leader, as he completed one year in the post of Congress president and made his place in the larger and crowded grouping of opposition titans. Putting the question of prime ministerial candidate of a potential non-BJP coalition aside, Gandhi told his non-NDA partners publicly and privately that defeating the BJP in 2019 was the bigger goal than worrying over who the prime minister of the anti-BJP alliance would be. "We all agree that defeating the BJP is the bigger goal. This is a fight between two ideologies, the BJP-RSS ideology which wants to impose a uniform idea of India and the Gandhian ideology which celebrates India's diversity and pluralism," Gandhi said throughout the year gone by at various platforms, inviting opposition leaders to work with the Congress in the 2019 parliamentary election. Gandhi also adopted an aggressive stance during the year, taking on the BJP and the RSS. His direct attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a host of issues, including the alleged corruption in Rafale jets purchase, economic policies as evidenced in GST implementation and demonetisation and agrarian distress, also made him the principal challenger to Modi going into the next general election. Under Gandhi, the Congress also aggressively hunted down the ruling BJP across social media spaces with controversial slogans such as 'chowkidaar chor hai' trending, bringing the Congress both bouquets and brickbats, as the focus shifted to the level of political discourse in Indian That did not deter Gandhi from attacking the prime minister, or fluster the Congress social media team which worked overtime to capture political narratives on Twitter and other platforms, in attempts to boost the party's communications which was its Achilles Heel in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. "Rahul Gandhi seems to be coming of age and peaking at the right time. He displayed political maturity by trusting the old guard in chief ministerial positions in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, keeping in view the challenge of 2019 Lok Sabha elections. "And, even while he named veterans as chief ministers, he placated the younger leadership and ensured unity in all three states, while taking the crucial leadership decisions. That is the sign of a sagacious leader," said a senior party leader. Another leader described this as "a sign of democratic functioning in the Congress party, which will do the party some good". The year also saw the resurgence of the concept of opposition unity to upstage a strong rival at the Centre, something the country saw when the Janata Party defeated Indira Gandhi in 1977. The Congress under Rahul Gandhi lent steam to this idea throughout the year gone by, managing to assemble 22 opposition parties in a show of strength this November ahead of the winter session of Parliament. The meeting was important for two reasons it saw Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party and former NDA ally TDP join the anti-BJP group for the first time; it saw opposition stalwarts flanking Rahul Gandhi as he addressed the press on all their behalf. Among sore points for the Congress this year was its exit from the northeastern electoral landscape as the party was defeated by the Mizo National Front (MNF) in Mizoram, losing its last bastion in the strategically critical area. Secondly, the Congress failed to strike workable alliances with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party despite efforts in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, and could not get the two parties to join the last meeting of opposition bigwigs held on the eve of Parliament's winter session. An opposition leader, however, said Gandhi is expected to display "a more giving" stance in keeping the opposition parties united. Despite gloomy signals from the end of BSP chief Mayawati and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, the Congress refused to give up hope of a larger opposition coalition with these two major Uttar Pradesh parties on board. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid an increasing bickering between the BJP and its ally Shiv Sena, the latter said Sunday it would oppose the in Parliament. The decision has been taken after the appealed to the to oppose the legislation, party leader said in a statement. "We are determined to oppose the 2016 in Parliament," Raut said. The people of Assam, irrespective of their caste, religion and creed, oppose the proposed legislation, he said. The bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act to make illegal migrants from Afghanistan, and eligible for citizenship on the basis of religion. The Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the bill is slated to table it in Parliament on January 7. The noted that the proposed legislation would "frustrate" the efforts made under the Accord for safeguarding cultural, social and linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people. Secondly, the entire process of the Register of Citizens monitored by the will be meaningless if the bill is passed, he added. With the Lok Sabha polls around the corner, the has adopted a more aggressive posture against the BJP, with whom it has shared an uneasy relationship over the past four years. (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 final report of the joint parliamentary committee on the Citizenship Amendment Bill, which will be submitted in Lok Sabha on Monday, does not have the approval of at least four opposition parties whose members on the panel have moved dissent notes, sources said Sunday. "As members of the joint committee on Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016, we can state that there was no consensus in the committee on the final report. We had been opposed to the bill as it brings out the ethnic divisions in the state of Assam," one of the notes said.Members of the Congress, TMC, and the Samajwadi Party have moved dissent notes to the JPC report on the bill, sources across these parties said. Members of the committee from the Left and said that the committee had visited Gujarat, Rajasthan and Assam where they faced major opposition to the bill. "In Assam it is more critical issue. During the Assam visit, the committee even faced demonstration. On behalf of the committee, we promised to visit the state again, to talk to more stakeholders about the issue and also assured them that unless we meet again we won't submit the report. Now, it's embarrassing," said a member from the Left. The opposition parties said that they had objection to the bill which they alleged links religion to citizenship. "This is the basic objection. So, delink religion from citizenship issue. This is against the spirit of our civilisation, culture and of our Constitution. Citizenship can't be linked with state, religion, caste, creed and be country specific. It should be universal," said another dissenting member. The members have also raised objections over the way the committee has functioned. They said that they had given amendments to Clause 2 of the bill seeking to eliminate the specific mention of six minority communities and also the names of neighbouring countries. This was to secularise the bill, the dissent note from the said. The amendments were defeated in the committee in a vote by the show of hands. The ruling party mobilised all their members to defeat the amendments. "We are not happy about functioning of the commission. Since three years of its formation, the sitting was occasion. During the session, the committee sits for three times in a week. Sometimes no meeting for six months. So the chairman used to put the committee either in top gear or in neutral gear. It was not normal, a Left leader said. The opposition leaders have also alleged the bill which seeks to amend the Citizenship Act of 1955 with the aim of granting citizenship to minority communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan - Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians - after six years of residence in India, instead of 11, could end up exposing the ethnic divisions in the state of Assam. "The opposition is united in opposing the bill. The report will be submitted tomorrow and then everyone will come to know," said a source in the Congress. While speaking in Silchar, Assam on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated the Centre's commitment to pass the "The is an atonement of the wrong that was done during India's partition. I hope this bill is passed soon in Parliament. India will safeguard all who had been victims of partition," he said. "We feel that no names of genuine Indian citizens should have been deleted. We also strongly feel that the bill should not be passed by sheer majority since this is a political effort not necessitated by political realities in Assam and West Bengal," the said in its note. On the World Book Fairs second day, a deliberation by Indian and Emirati publishing bigwigs saw the latter underlining the need for translated works, and for Indian publishing to expand in Africa through Sharjah, the Fairs 2019 guest participant. Sharjah Books Authority (SBA) Chairman Ahmed Al Ameri was speaking at the 7th edition of CEOSpeak -- a forum for dialogue in the publishing sector that coincides with the annual New Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF). CEOSpeak was organised jointly by FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) and NDWBF organiser National Book Trust. Calling the forum significant and one "facilitating much-needed exchange of ideas and knowledge between the publishing communities of India and the world", Al Ameri said Sharjah is the gateway to Africa for Indian publishers, while adding that "reading and literacy are the beating hearts of Sharjah". The official said it takes 60 days to ship from India to Africa, and only two weeks from Sharjah, the UAE's third largest emirate and a free zone in the world for publishing. Inviting everyone to the Sharjah pavilion in the Fair, which is hosting 10 emerging litterateurs from UAE and a set of 57 books translated from Arabic to Hindi, he also highlighted the importance of translations for cultural exchanges and cross-border collaborations. Interestingly, the forum also comes before a foreign ministers' meet on February 1, when 22 Arab League ministers will gather in the capital. Sharjah -- also home to the globally-known Sharjah International Book Fair -- had around 477 publishers from over 17 countries in 2018, as per the SBA Chairman, and saw agreements signed for 700 English works to be translated into Arabic. As noted names from the Indian publishing industry deliberated upon the local and global publishing, the talks were dominated by works translated across languages. FICCI Secretary General Dilip Chenoy, while pointing to India -- a $4.6 billion book market and the second largest English language print book publisher in the world -- added that the "UAE accounts for a sprawling 37 per cent of India's total book exports to the Arab World". Translations, he too said, are significant for the publishing markets and as an avenue for creative human labour. "Translations are of two types. One is a verbatim one, and given the future of Google Translate, we might see a lot of translated works. That will bring a lot of cross-cultural understanding and exchanges. "If there are four manuscripts of the same work across the world, you have to compare. Translation bots cannot do that, it will continue to require specialist human interventions as we go forward," Chenoy told IANS. The forum also saw publishing stalwarts discuss literature for children and young adults, and brought forth the need to include them in forums like CEOSpeak. Both UAE and Indian publishers noted the need to give young readers myriad options, and highlight the common challenges they face across geographic borders, rather than just trying to transmit values through the written word. The NDWBF will conclude on January 13 at the Pragati Maidan here. --IANS sj/mag/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It is official: LJP chief and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Sunday said he will not contest Lok Sabha polls from Hajipur, ending days of speculation in Bihar political circles. The LJP is an ally of the BJP-led NDA. "I will not contest Lok Sabha polls from Hajipur seat this time, but will continue to work for development of Hajipur," Paswan told media here. Hajipur is considered Paswan's stronghold for the past three decades. He won from Hajipur in 1977 with a margin of 4.24 lakh votes - a feat that established a Guinness World Record. Paswan has left it to his Lok Janshakti Party to decide who would contest from Hajipur. "At present, I cannot say anything...the party will decide it," he said. Party leaders have cited Paswan's ill-health for his decision not to contest from Hajipur, though they say he is likely to become a Rajya Sabha MP. --IANS ik/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Effectively debunking the claims of a Mumbai builder on Bollywood thespian Dilip Kumar's prime plot in suburban Bandra here, the original owners of the property on Sunday reiterated that he is its "perpetual lessee" for a period of 999 years. Since the lease was signed in 1953, it expires in 2952. The 96-year old Dilip Kumar and his 74-year old wife Saira Banu got a major boost in their ongoing property battle with Mumbai realtor Samir N. Bhojwani when the Seth Mulraj Khatau Trust (SMKT) issued Public Notices in the media on Saturday-Sunday through their lawyer Altamesh Shaikh. The Public Notice categorically stated that Dilip Kumar is the "perpetual lessee" and not a tenant, as alleged, of the property "for the period of 999 years". Besides, the rent on the property has already been commuted and the "lease is still valid and subsisting". The Public Notice has been issued on behalf of the legal heirs of the late Sunit C. Khatau, beneficiary of the SMKT settlement and the late Chandrakant M. Khatau, one of the Trustees, said a trustee, Panna S. Khatua, the widow of Sunit C. Khatau. The latest development in the high-profile controversy came soon after the aged actor-couple, in their first pro-active offensive - hit out at builder Samir N. Bhojwani with a Rs 200 crore (Eds; Correct) defamation suit was first highlighted by IANS on January 4, 2019.The Public Notice also alleged that Bhojwani and others have "created and manufactured" illegal back-dated documents of several properties of the SMKT, for which it has also lodged police complaints. Bhojwani was arrested in connection with the police complaints and is currently out on conditional bail, and the bail cancellation matter is likely to come up before the Bombay High Court on January 7. Referring to a Public Notice issued by Bhojwani around a fortnight ago, the SMKT said: "Samir Bhojwani claimed ownership of the property belonging to Dilip Kumar. Please note that Bhojwani is not the owner of the propertya The Property Card shows the name of Chandrakant M. Khatau as one of the owner and Dilip Kumar as 'lessee' by the sale deed dated 25 Sep. 1953." The Public Notice warned the members of the public against entering into any kind of deal with anybody for the property belonging to the SMKT as it would not be binding on the trust. Earlier, the celebrity couple had even appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, but had launched a counter-attack on the realtor with the defamation notice after failing to get any response. The dispute pertains to Dilip Kumar's iconic Pali Hill bungalow No. 16 on a 1,600 sq. metres plot, said to be worth over Rs 250 crore. Since it is in a dilapidated state, he shifted in 2003 to his wife's bungalow No. 34 in the same area in Bandra west. Saira Banu has already announced that she will build a museum in honour of Dilip Kumar at the No 16 site, which is mired in a controversy since several years. --IANS qn/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called the opposition's alliance a crowd of "family-ruled parties", saying those unable to win over the people are resorting to violence. Modi said the Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was so fixated with the rise of his son that he does not realise how his policies and corruption can lead to sunset of the state. "To set the son, he (Naidu) is creating an atmosphere for the sunset of the state. He is promoting only his son, he is forgetting the sons and daughters of the state," he said, accusing the TDP chief of stabbing his father-in-law N.T. Ramarao in the back. The Prime Minister's response came during his interaction with BJP workers and volunteers from Anantapur, Kadapa, Kurnool, Narasaraopet and Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh through Narendra Modi App. "Those failed to win the hearts of the people or being rejected by them, are resorting to violence. Yesterday, a bomb was found outside the home of our Kerala MP V. Muralitharan. A conspiracy was hatched to kill him. Every day our workers are being targeted in Kerala and also in Andhra Pradesh," he said. A BJP leader had said that Naidu on Friday vented his anger on a group of party workers after they blocked the CM's convoy to protest his comments against Modi. Naidu had reportedly said, "You will get beaten up. Don't invite unnecessary trouble. You will be finished. Do you support the injustice meted out to Andhra Pradesh? People will teach you a lesson." "The threat is an outcome of nervousness and insecurity. This means despite a huge government machinery, those in power are afraid. The threat means the BJP workers are succeeding," he said. Modi warned opposition parties to never underestimate the power of BJP workers, saying once the party workers decide something, "no force can stop the party from getting success." "For BJP what matter is the passion to serve Bharat Mata. In some parties what matters is a family. In others, what matters is one's fortune. And for many others, both family and fortune matter," Modi said. Coming down heavily on TDP and its chief, he said Naidu had stabbed its founder N.T. Rama Rao, popularly known as NTR, in the back. "What do you expect from those who have cheated NTR not once but twice? Is it the first time that people in power in Andhra Pradesh are cheating people? Today NTR's own son-in-law has bowed his head before the Congress to save his chair. It was NTR who led the Congress-Mukt Bharat movement with the anti-Congress National Front. "Today the rulers in Andhra are so desperate to cling to power that they have betrayed Telugu interests. They stabbed NTR in the back, for a second time. NTR was a true icon of Telugu pride. He never forgave Congress for hurting Telugu pride and its betrayal of Telugu interests," he said. He said Congress is a non-starter in the state and that the ruling TDP's "poor governance record" had totally been exposed. "The BJP has been a victim of many lies. We are called a party of Hindi heartland and a party of upper castes. But we have formed governments in Goa, Gujarat, Assam, Tripura and many other states. People of Andhra Pradesh are looking for a change." Modi urged party workers to make friends with the "foot soldiers" of the media and asked to talk to them, even beyond press meets. --IANS bns/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Citing the "dictatorial attitude" of Aam Aadmi Paty Chief Arvind Kejriwal, suspended Punjab MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Sunday resigned from the party's primary membership. "I am constrained to forward my resignation from the primary membership of AAP, as the party has totally deviated from the ideology and principles on which it was formed post the Anna Hazare movement," Khaira wrote in his letter to Kejriwal. "I am saddened to state that your dictatorial attitude has shattered the dreams of Indians and the Punjabis for a clean alternative to the decayed and rotten system. As a result of which almost all prominent leaders of the party, beginning from Prashant Bhushan to H.S. Phoolka have either quit the party or you have thrown them out," he said. Khaira, who was suspended from the party in November, resigned from the party days after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader from Punjab H.S. Phoolka quit the party. Phoolka, who is all set to float a non-political organisation of social workers based out of Punjab, had said that the decision of converting the parallel movement started by social worker Anna Hazare into a political party was "not right". In the letter, Khaira also said that Kejriwal had "blatantly gone back on the most important promise of Swaraj", by centralising all powers with himself. "You have also thrown to winds the constitution of the party merely to remain Convenor and continue your grip on the party. Your hobnobbing and flirting with the Congress is yet another example of sheer political opportunism that has left the people of India bewildered," he said. Khaira also said that "immense hope was generated by the formation of AAP" and like others, he was "highly impressed by the emergence of AAP on the political spectrum of India to cleanse the rampantly corrupt system". He also said that Punjabis worldwide motivated him to join AAP so that they could improve "the plight of our country and Punjab". "But unfortunately, after joining the party I realised that the hierarchy of AAP was no different from the traditional centralised political parties. The turn of events into the run-up of 2017 Punjab elections further confirmed my belief that there was no inner party democracy." Khaira accused Kejriwal of failing to understand the psyche of Punjabis due to his "overconfidence". "You only listened to the two "Subedars" you had appointed to run Punjab and never bothered about the sentiments of AAP volunteers on the ground." He also said that Kejriwal failed to project a Chief Ministerial face in Punjab, which "further confounded the oft-repeated allegations that an outsider will take over the reins in case of victory", adding that "the Punjabis have never accepted the authority of outsiders". "The saddest part is that a party which vouched for transparency and accountability never bothered to hold any person or persons accountable for the shameful defeat. It is a matter of fact that one of the arrogant 'Subedars' is still running Punjab from behind the curtain despite a huge hue and cry against him." AAP's social media strategist Ankit Lal said Khaira's "resignation was expected" and demanded Khaira's resignation from the post of MLA as well. "Khaira was trying to weaken the party and was openly revolting against the party. He tried to break the party. Which organisation can tolerate such behaviour? His resignation was expected. He should now resign from the post of MLA also, which he won on the party ticket," Lal tweeted. "Kejriwal always says that those who have come for position or power should leave the party. Khaira was always clamouring for position and power," Lal said, adding that "AAP will be strengthened in Punjab with his exit". He also said that Khaira was unhappy with the party appointing a Dalit Leader of Opposition (LoP) replacing him. "AAP has been fighting for the Dalits and will continue doing so in future. If someone is having an issue with this, he is free to leave the party," Lal said. In July 2018, the AAP removed Khaira as the LoP and replaced him with Harpal Singh Cheema. "Although you have already rewarded our good work by humiliatingly suspending me and Kanwar Sandhu from the party, but still I want to formalise the disconnection with you and AAP, by quitting its primary membership," Khaira said. "We in Punjab aspire to turn the dream of a clean political alternative into a reality, which is impossible as long as I am a part of your highly centralised high command culture," he said. In December 2018, Khaira, along with other rebel leaders of the AAP, launched a new political front in Punjab -- Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA). --IANS nks/mag/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) AMaharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray is currently on a mega-mission to invite leading personalities for his son Amit's upcoming wedding - and thereby winning friends and influencing foes ahead of the 2019 elections. On Sunday, he set political tongues a-wagging after a nearly two-hour meeting with Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar, ostensibly to present the wedding invite and solicit his blessings for the young couple, Amit and Mitali Borude. More so, since it came a day after his well-publicised meeting with cousin and Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray, whom he personally went to invite for the wedding. Even more significant, Thackeray is expected to call on Congress President Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi soon, to, of course - invite him for the Jan 27 wedding. However, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik promptly dismissed Raj's call on Pawar as "purely social and non-political", helpfully qualifying that "there was no discussion on elections" during the long meet. Nevertheless, informed political sources on both sides hint at something more being cooked than only a wedding feast - possibly an electoral arrangement with the help of the NCP chief - to enable the 13-year old MNS regain a foothold in state and national In the past few years, Thackeray has been a stringent critic of both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah. Though it sounded sweet music to the ears of the state opposition parties, most were reluctant to politically sup with him, leaving the MNS virtually a pariah hungering for power. Unabashedly praising Modi barely five years ago, Thackeray turned a razor-sharp Modi-baiter, sparing no opportunity to lambast both the him and the BJP, on all issues, besides regularly lampooning them through his famed cartoons. Despite such credentials, the Congress-NCP, who are busy finalising an alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabhapols, cold-shouldered Thackeray, and even cousin Uddhav coolly ignored all feelers for Marathi-Manoos' parties (MNS-SS) joining forces. Probably, his son's wedding may soften some hearts and open a tiny backdoor for Raj Thackeray to tip-toe into an Opposition alliance. Political speculation is rife that the MNS may get a Lok Sabha from the NCP quota from Mumbai, but both sides remain mum on the issue. Privately, leaders of most parties admit that there are very few leaders in the opposition camp who can match Raj Thackeray's oratory skills, the likes of which would be in great demand vis-a-vis the formidable Modi, during the anticipated rough-and-tough poll campaign. Sour with the MNS for its stringent anti-north Indian stance in the past nearly a decade, Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam, (hailing from Bihar) is strongly opposed to any suggestions to include the party in any opposition alliance. The apprehension is that giving a lift to MNS in the state could undermine the support of the strong north-Indian community - from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, besides Uttarakhand, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and even Rajasthan - enjoyed by the Congress, NCP, Samajwadi Party and others here. Though feeling left-out, but not out, Thackeray sought to make sincere amends by attending a high-profile meeting of the Uttar Bharatiya Manch (UBM) on Dec 2, and attempted to build bridges into their hearts by addressing them in Hindi. It's also a known fact that Pawar-Raj enjoy each other's company and are often seen together - on Oct 26, they were chatting away on a Aurangabad-Mumbai flight. Earlier, on Feb 21, Raj escorted and interviewed Pawar on a public platform in Pune with a 5,000-strong live audience. They have routinely met on several occasions, all described as 'courtesy calls'. --IANS qn/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sometime in 2001-02, a Group of Ministers headed by L.K. Advani, the then Deputy Prime Minister, had accepted a recommendation of a task force headed by Arun Singh, a former Minister of State for Defence, to create the post of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to ensure that the three wings of the armed forces operated on the same page, particularly in times of conflict. The Task Force had made the recommendation, among many others, after studying the report of a committee headed by K. Subrahmaniam, one of India's most respected security analysts, on the bloody conflict in Kargil in 1999 when the Indian Army lost upwards of 700 personnel in evicting the Pakistani intruders who had surreptitiously occupied the icy heights. "In future operations, whether defensive or offensive," writes Uma Prasad Thapliyal, who has served in various senior civilian positions in the Defence Ministry, in "Military History of India" (Rupa/pp 516/Rs 995), "the participation of all three services would be required". "This would necessitate an integrated approach in planning and execution of operations and could perhaps be done most effectively under a Chief of Defence Staff, heading an integrated defence headquarters and unchained by the pulls and pressures of any particular service. This integration could also be applied at the command level." Much on these lines had been written on the issue, but 16 years on, there's been no movement forward, on the rather specious plea of a lack of "political consensus" on creating a CDS as a single point reference for the government on all matters military. Well, not exactly "no movement forward". "The present military set-up provides for an integrated defence headquarters. Headed as it by an officer of the rank of Lieutenant General or its equivalent, it hardly wields any authority. The chiefs heading the three services and their deputies holding the same rank (as that of the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff) are generally disinclined to listen to him and, at best, he functions as a recommending authority," writes Unniyal, who retired as the Director of the Defence Ministry's History Division. Noting that a "sincere effort" at integrating the service would "indeed result in considerable savings" by reducing manpower and administrative expenditure, Unniyal said: "Furthermore, applying the latest management techniques and removing 'flab' from the Defence Headquarters could lead to additional savings." "Instead, the services have been expanding, creating section after section, possibly to open promotion opportunities or to find some relaxing chairs for officers. In fact, many officers who should be busy fine-tuning operation plans and sweating it out with the troops in the field, are whiling away their time at Defence Headquarters," the book says. It needs to be remembered that the creation of a Chief of Integrated Defence Staff was meant as an interim measure ahead of a Chief of Defence Staff. Then, in 2012, a full decade after the GoM's recommendation, a committee on defence reforms headed by Naresh Chandra, a retired bureaucrat who held senior positions in the Defence Ministry and the Prime Minister's Office, muddied the waters further. It recommended the appointment of a permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee in a four-star star rank instead of a five-star. This was possibly meant as a sop to the three service chiefs, who are four-star officers as it was perhaps felt they would more likely accept reporting to a four-star officer than a five-star officer. The Chiefs of Staff Committee is currently held in rotation by the senior-most among the three. This means that each of them gets a chance to hold the office, more of an old-boy's club, before retiring. As for the modernisation aspect, the book says that despite the changing ethos of war, "conventional forces are likely to play a decisive role in future also... In fact, to meet the future challenges of war, various arms of the Army would need to be reformed". The ground reality is far from this -- as has been for the past two decades -- if not more. The infantry, considered the queen of the battlefield, "would need credible assault rifles, light combat gear, night vision devices and reliable communications systems", besides heli-lift capability. The artillery, providing fire support to the troops, "would require high-calibre weapons systems to breach the enemy's defence lines" and also dependable delivery systems for launching tactical nuclear weapons. Armour, the king of the battlefield, "would need better protection against mines, armed helicopters and anti-tank weapons" and the tanks "would have to be made lighter, faster, lethal and better protected". Don't miss the use of the word "would". If this is the state of the Indian Army's three premier fighting arms, one can well imagine the state of the support units. The book concludes that the pace of modernisation was "tardy" and attributed this to "budgetary constraints, delays in procurement, corruption in purchases, indecisiveness of the leadership", as also the "poor showing" of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and, "occasionally, non-availability of suitable technology". "These impediments would have to be overcome if India wants to build a first-rate army to counter any threat to its security," the book says. At the bottom line, nothing seems have been learnt in the 70-plus years since Independence. Remember the tagline from the hugely successful "Tamas" tele-serial of the late 1980s: "Those who forget their history are condemned to repeat it." Slightly paraphrased, this could well apply to the armed forces. (Vishnu Makhijani can be contacted at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in) --IANS vm/soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a recent interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) correspondents, Prof. Go Ito from Japans Meiji University highlighted the significance of efforts made by the Vietnamese army to help Cambodia escape from the Pol Pot genocidal regime 40 years ago, saying that this contributed to bringing peace to the Cambodian people. The Vietnamese troops well completed its mission in Cambodia, he said. According to the expert, in the late 1970s, the international community hardly knew about the Pol Pot genocide and its barbarous acts of violating human rights in Cambodia. While judging the ruling of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), Ito said that the international community had agreed to make the strongest judgment against these extremely serious human right violations. In other words, acts of violating human rights have been strictly prohibited, but the genocide in Cambodia at that time was even more horrible than violations of human rights, he stressed. This was a strong judgment, which sent to the international community a clear message that the genocide was an unforgivable action. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on the White House to recognise "Israeli sovereignty" over the Golan Heights in a joint statement with US National Security Advisor John Bolton here. The statement was a part of Bolton's trip to Israel which started on January 5.Netanyahu on Sunday said that he had raised the issue with the US President Donald Trump. "Tomorrow (on Monday), if weather permits, we'll go up to the Golan Heights," Netanyahu said, adding that the territory is "tremendously important for our security", Xinhua news agency reported. "I think that when you're there, you will be able to understand perfectly why we will never leave the Golan Heights," he added. Israel occupied the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed the territory in 1981. Bolton arrived in Israel for talks with officials that focus on the Iranian military presence in Syria in the wake of US President Donald Trump's announced plan to withdraw from the war-torn country. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Multi-lingual actor Prakash Raj will contest the ensuing Lok Sabha election in April-May from Bengaluru as an Independent. "#2019 Parliament Elections. Thank you for the warm and encouraging response to my new journey. I will be contesting from Bengaluru Central constituency in Karnataka as an Independent..," 53-year-old Raj said in a tweet. Bengaluru-based Raj is a popular actor in Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Hindi film industries. He has also worked as a director and producer of movies in Kannada, Tamil and Telugu. Raj's entry into was welcomed by actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan. "Wishing my friend all the very best in his political journey. Thanks for walking the talk," tweeted the renowned south Indian actor and founder of 'Makkal Needhi Maiam' politicial party. Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) extended its support to Raj in his entry into "Renowned actor Prakash Raj declares to contest Lok Sabha elections, Aam Aadmi Party offered open support to him in a meeting organised by AAP Bengaluru," the party said in a tweet. --IANS bha/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have proposed that in the near future giant telescopes like NASA's upcoming James Webb Space Telescope might be replaced by large number of tiny spacecraft working in tandem. In a bid to study planets beyond our solar system, NASA engineers are developing designs for next-generation space telescopes. These include "segmented" telescopes with multiple small mirrors that could be assembled or unfurled to form one very large telescope once launched into space. To keep these mega-scopes stable, the team from the MIT said that small satellites can follow along, and act as "guide stars," by pointing a laser back at a telescope to calibrate the system, to produce better, more accurate images of distant worlds. Using the laser light from the second shoebox-sized spacecraft to stabilise the system relaxes the demand for precision in a large segmented telescope, saving time and money, and allowing for more flexible telescope designs, they explained. "The study suggests that in the future, we might be able to build a telescope that's a little floppier, a little less intrinsically stable, but could use a bright source as a reference to maintain its stability," said lead author Ewan Douglas, a postdoctoral student at the MIT. "If imperfections in the telescope motor or gears were causing your telescope to track slightly faster or slower, you could watch your guide star on a crosshairs by eye, and slowly keep it centered while you took a long exposure," he added, in the paper published in the Astronomical Journal. Douglas noted that a single guide star could conceivably follow a telescope's "gaze," travelling from one star to the next as the telescope switches its observation targets. However, this would require the smaller spacecraft to journey hundreds of thousands of miles paired with the telescope at a distance, as the telescope repositions itself to look at different stars. Instead, a small fleet of guide stars could be deployed, affordably, and spaced across the sky, to help stabilise a telescope as it surveys multiple exoplanetary systems, Douglas said. The study also showed that the new laser guide star designs are feasible with existing technologies, and that the system could fit entirely within a SmallSat about the size of a cubic foot. --IANS rt/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday paid homage to legendary magician P.C. Sorcar, credited for taking Indian magic on an international platform, on his 48th death anniversary. "Homage to legendary magician P.C. Sorcar on his death anniversary," Banerjee tweeted. P.C. Sorcar was the stage name of the master illusionist Protul Chandra Sorcar, born in undivided Bengal on February 23, 1913. Sorcar rose to international acclaim in the 1940s and mesmerised his audience throughout the 1950s. His magic trick 'Indrajal' (the water trick), floating lady and other presentations were very well received. The recipient of Padma Shri and The Sphinx (Oscar of Magic), passed away in Japan after a heart attack on January 6, 1971. The legacy of the 'Maharaja of Magic' is being taken forward by his son P.C. Sorcar (Junior) and his granddaughters. --IANS bnd/bdc/mag/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid rancorous on Rafale fighter jet issue, Union Minister Smriti Irani took a dig at Rahul Gandhi accusing him of telling "more lies" on the matter after he called Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharama a "liar", and alleged that Gandhi's brother-in-law Robert Vadra had a plush 1.9 million pound house in London, which is under the scanner of Enforcement Directorate. At a press briefing, Irani said even after the Defence Minister placed all the facts in Parliament, it took Rahul Gandhi "48 hours to wake up, only to spread more lies". Raising issue of Gandhi's brother-in-law Robert Vadra, Irani said the Congress' 'rashtriya damaad (national son-in-law)' made headlines on Saturday when the Enforcement Directorate, while seeking non-bailable warrants for Vadra's personal assistant Manoj Arora, informed a Delhi court that the plush house in London which is under the scanner belongs to Vadra. Irani also mentioned the Enforcement Directorate allegation that Vadra has close relations with controversial defence consultant Sanjay Bhandari who is now hiding in London. Citing some media reports, the Minister said: "The ED presented before the court and sought a non-bailable warrant against Manoj Arora. It is highlighted how digital evidence was procured during an Income Tax department raid on the premises of Sanjay Bhandari, a well-known arms dealer, who also happens to be a close friend of Robert Vadra." "The digital evidence procured during the raid reveals that Robert Vadra beneficially controls a house -- 12, Bryanston Square, London in UK valued at GBP 1.9 million. In the digital evidence, which found communication between Vadra and others, has shown that the London house procured by Vadra underwent renovation to the tune of 66,000 GBP". "Media reports again highlight how Vadra indicated that the said amount can be addressed, paid by his assistant Manoj Arora. Even after three summons issued by ED, Arora refused to join the investigation. The ED has requested the court to issue a non-bailable warrant in the fear that Vadra's personal assistant will flee justice," Irani said. "Today, it is upon us to request Vadra in the interest of justice to kindly tell his personal assistant to present himself before the ED," Irani added. The minister also said that the Congress President should "beseech his brother-in-law" to ensure that Arora presented himself before the authorities. Refering to media reports, the Minister further alleged that important, confidential and sensitive documents relating to the Defence Ministry were found from the premises of Bhandari during the raid by the agencies. "Since Vadra is a publicly known associate of Bhandari, he may also want to enlighten the nation as to how his arms dealer friend came to be in possession of sensitive defence documents," Irani said. --IANS rak/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran and Russia are planning to hold naval exercises in the Caspian Sea, the commander of the Iranian navy said on Sunday. "Tactical, rescue and anti-piracy war games between Iranian and Russian naval forces are being planned and will be implemented in the near future," Iranian news agency Mehr quoted Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi as saying, Xinhua reported. Khanzadi said the joint exercise is part of an expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two countries and will "lead us eventually to strategic and tactical cooperation at a very high level at sea." "We have established a very good and lasting relationship with the countries in the Caspian Sea region, which today has taken a traditional form, and the countries in the region understand each other well. The Caspian Sea is entirely enclosed by land and its security is provided by the countries bordering the region," Khanzadi added. It is not the first time for the two countries to hold naval drills in the Caspian Sea together. They have held two joint naval exercises in 2015 and 2017. --IANS prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Central government would hold a meeting with the stakeholders, including IndiGo, engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney (P&W) and aircraft maker Airbus, on Tuesday, following safety-related incidents with Airbus A320 Neo aircraft, powered by P&W, an official source said. The government has taken serious note of the incidents and would review the issues in the upcoming meeting, the source said on Sunday. On Thursday, budget airline IndiGo's Kolkata-bound flight had to return to Chennai, and the airline said that it was the result of "technical caution" noted by the crew. "The crew followed the normal operating procedures and asked for a priority landing. There was no engine shutdown and no emergency landing was declared," the airline said in a statement on Saturday. --IANS rrb-rv/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) French Navy chief Admiral Christophe Prazuck on Sunday arrived here on an official visit which aims to consolidate naval relations between India and France, as also to explore new avenues for cooperation. During his visit, Admiral Prazuck will hold bilateral discussions with Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba and other senior officials of the Indian Navy. "A range of issues of mutual interest to both navies, encompassing maritime operations, training, logistics and maintenance would be discussed during these meetings," the Navy said in an official release. The Indian Navy cooperates with its French counterpart on many fronts, which include bilateral naval exercise 'Varuna', interaction on aircraft carrier operations and in generating maritime domain awareness through the medium of security dialogue and staff talks. In addition, ships from both navies make regular port calls at each other's ports. --IANS mak/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of lacking knowledge about the huge diversity of India's northeastern states, former Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma on Sunday demanded resignation of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal over the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. Sangma, the leader of Opposition, urged ruling regional parties, which are partners in the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance in the northeastern states, to severe ties with the saffron party in the interest of the indigenous people in the region. "I am amused by the statement of Sonowal who said he will protect the interest of the people. Can he (Sonowal) dictate terms to Narendra Modi when he (Modi) is taking the decision (Citizenship (Amendment) Bill) and Sonowal is saying don't worry? " he asked. "I demand his resignation from his post and the BJP. He is there by virtue of of his long innings with the All Assam Students' Union and he has positioned himself in a manner that he can be in the reckoning in political spectrum of the region," the veteran Congress leader told journalists after chairing a Congress legislature party meeting. Sangma urged regional political parties to "scrutinize" and "audit" the intent and agenda of the ruling BJP-led NDA government on its decision to go ahead with proposed amendment Bill that seeks to grant citizenship to religious minority communities - Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians - from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan - in India. He said there is anger among all stakeholders in the region over the proposed Bill. "Anger and frustration are precursors to chaos and disorder and this does not augur well for the national integration. What is more important today is to fight against those forces who want to vitiate harmony." Asked if the Congress supports the northeast shutdown sponsored by the apex North East Students' Organisation in protest against the proposed Bill, Sangma said, "We are with the people. We will not get distracted by any other issue. Citizenship issue is important and is something which we should focus on because we are talking about the unity and integration of the region and the nation," he said. --IANS rrk/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Brazil international forward Rafael Sobis has returned to his original Internacional club for the 2019 season, the Porto Alegre club said. The 33-year-old, who has been capped eight times for Brazil, signed a 12-month contract with Internacional a day after parting ways with their Brazilian rivals Cruzeiro, reports Efe. "Rafael Sobis is back at the Beira-Rio (stadium)," Internacional said in a statement on the club's official website on Saturday. The former Real Betis player began his professional career at Inter in 2004, scoring 40 goals in 131 matches over three seasons before joining Spain's Real Betis. He returned for a brief loan spell in 2010 and 2011, netting eight times in 36 games. Internacional finished third in the 2018 Brazilian Serie A standings, 11 points behind champions Palmeiras. --IANS gau/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government needs to create a level-playing field for both domestic and foreign e-commerce platforms through a comprehensive e-commerce policy, said Pradeep S. Mehta, Secretary General, CUTS International on Sunday. He noted that the current norms for the segment are applicable to foreign online retailers and this might create a discriminatory environment towards the domestic players. "The government may not be wrong in its clarificatory policy on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in e-commerce, as it was a case of backdoor entry in multi-brand retail trade. But vital issues remain to be resolved to promote healthy economic democracy", said Pradeep S Mehta, Secretary General, CUTS International. "However, the issue of creating a level-playing field between domestic and foreign players in retail sector is yet to be resolved, for which a comprehensive National E-Commerce Policy is need of the hour", he said. The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) recently had said that 100 per cent FDI is permitted in the market place model of e-commerce and not in the inventory-based model or the multi-brand retail segment. The Commerce Ministry in December revised the FDI policy for e-commerce players whereby it barred online retail firms such as Amazon and Flipkart from selling products of companies in which they have stakes. It also prohibited e-tailers from mandating any company to sell its products exclusively on its platform only. Mehta said: "The new guidelines are stricter for e-commerce companies with FDI providing marketplace, but there are no such restrictions for companies without FDI." He also observed that there is no need for a separate regulator for the e-commerce segment. "India does not need a separate regulator for e-commerce, which would be yet another parking place for retired babus who are generalists and turn into controllers. Most of the malpractices adopted by e-commerce platforms, for instance, discrimination among its vendors, deep discounts etc, can be dealt by the Competition Commission of India. If need be, the Competition Act, 2002 can be tweaked for which the process is going on," he said. The Consumer Protection Bill, 2018, which is likely to be passed soon by the Rajya Sabha, also has specific provisions on e-commerce, he added. --IANS rrb/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper has shot himself dead after firing at two colleagues in a camp in the outskirts of Srinagar, police said. The trooper, identified as Mukesh Babu, opened fire at his colleagues in Pantha Chowk camp following a heated argument on Saturday evening. "After injuring his colleagues, the CRPF jawan locked himself in a bathroom where he shot himself dead with his service rifle," police said. The injured are hospitalised. --IANS sq/mag/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China's population will peak in 2029 at 1.44 billion before beginning a period of "unstoppable" decline, a government report said. The study by Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) warned that the country must implement policies to handle a smaller workforce and an older population, the reported on Sunday. Both changes combined -- long-term population decline and a continuously ageing population -- could cause "very unfavourable social and economic consequences", the report said. In 2015 the world's most populous country ended its one-child policy in a bid to tackle the problems. According to latest UN estimates, has a population of 1.41 billion. The study, appearing in CASS's Green Book of Population and Labour, said that working population numbers were now stagnating, with a low fertility rate set to cause further issues. By the middle of the century, China's population is expected to drop to 1.36 billion - a fall in the labour force of close to 200 million. The study also predicted a rise in the dependency rate (increase in the proportion of non-working people like the elderly and the children). While relaxing the one-child policy will help long-term, in the short-term it will create more dependents, according to the report. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is daydreaming of becoming Prime Minister and alleged that he backstabbed TDP founder and his father-in-law N. T. Rama Rao twice. For the second time in less than a week, Modi launched a direct attack on Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President. During a video-conference with workers of Bharatiya Janata Party from five Lok Sabha constituencies, he said Naidu backstabbed NTR for a second time by joining hands with the Congress. He said Naidu was daydreaming of becoming PM though he had failed as the chief minister. "It was NTR who led 'Congress-mukt' Bharat movement with anti-Congress National Front, but today his son-in-law bowed his head before Congress to save his power. NTR was a true icon of Telugu pride. NTR never forgot Congress for hurting Telugu pride and for betrayal of Telugu interests. Today those in power in Andhra Pradesh are so desperate to cling to their power that they betrayed Telugu interests and stabbed NTR in the back for second a time." Modi called the opposition's alliance a crowd of "family-ruled parties", saying those unable to win over the people are resorting to violence. "Those failed to win the hearts of the people or being rejected by them, are resorting to violence. Yesterday, a bomb was found outside the home of our Kerala MP V. Muralitharan. A conspiracy was hatched to kill him. Every day our workers are being targeted in Kerala and also in Andhra Pradesh," he said. A BJP leader had said that Naidu on Friday vented his anger on a group of party workers after they blocked the CM's convoy to protest his comments against Modi. Naidu had reportedly said, "You will get beaten up. Don't invite unnecessary trouble. You will be finished. Do you support the injustice meted out to Andhra Pradesh? People will teach you a lesson." "The threat is an outcome of nervousness and insecurity. This means despite a huge government machinery, those in power are afraid. The threat means the BJP workers are succeeding," he said. Modi warned opposition parties to never underestimate the power of BJP workers, saying once the party workers decide something, "no force can stop the party from getting success." "For BJP what matter is the passion to serve Bharat Mata. In some parties what matters is a family. In others, what matters is one's fortune. And for many others, both family and fortune matter," Modi said. PM interacted with BJP workers and volunteers from Anantapur, Kadapa, Kurnool, Narasaraopet and Tirupati constituencies in Rayalaseema region through Narendra Modi App. Modi also targeted Naidu for promoting his son Nara Lokesh. "The CM is so fixated with the rise of his son that he does not realise how his policies and corruption can lead to sunset of the state. To set the son, he (Naidu) is creating an atmosphere for the sunset of the state. He is promoting only his son, he is forgetting the sons and daughters of the state," he said. "Today I ask you how is Telugu pride served by the hold of one family on power in Andhra Pradesh. How Telugu pride is served by neglecting people and sacrificing their interests by lying and abusing Modi day and night just because you are worried about losing power. Telugu pride can be restored when you have respect for all people just like NTR. It can be restored when you put interests of Andhra Pradesh above your interests and lust for power," Modi added. He said Congress is a non-starter in the state and that the ruling TDP's "poor governance record" had totally been exposed. "The BJP has been a victim of many lies. We are called a party of Hindi heartland and a party of upper castes. But we have formed governments in Goa, Gujarat, Assam, Tripura and many other states. People of Andhra Pradesh are looking for a change." Modi urged party workers to make friends with the "foot soldiers" of the media and asked to talk to them, even beyond press meets. --IANS ms/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Kerala government accusing it of detaining Sabarimala temple devotees for raising voice against it, and condemned the bomb attack on the ancestral home of former BJP state President and Rajya Sabha MP V. Muraleedharan. Kerala witnessed fresh violence over the Sabarimala issue after two women of menstruating age entered the Lord Ayyappa shrine to offer their prayers earlier this week. Speaking on the violence followed by detentions and arrests of the devotees who are protesting against the entry of female devotees of menstruating age, Irani said the social, political and law and order situation in the state has deteriorated. "Currently, Kerala's anarchy is such that over 37,000 citizens stand accused of going up against the government of Kerala. It is noted that close to 3,170 citizens are in custody and 1,286 cases have been registered. Be it a citizen or an MP, none is safe in Kerala. "The former BJP President in Kerala and MP from Rajya Sabha Muraleedharan ji's ancestral home was attacked by a countrymade bomb on Friday night. On behalf of the BJP, we condemn this dastardly attack," Irani said. Union Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore also called the Kerala situation "very alarming". "The law and order situation in Kerala is very alarming. when the Chief Minister gives a one-sided statement, it flares up the situation," Rathore said. Violence involving BJP-RSS and ruling CPI(M) workers rocked parts of Kerala, particularly Kannur, on Saturday with a number of houses and shops of rival leaders and workers being attacked following the Sabarimala row. --IANS rak/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 47-member new cabinet of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was announced on Sunday, Xinhua reported. Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam told a press conference that the cabinet included 25 ministers, including Prime Minister Hasina, 19 ministers of state and three deputy ministers. According to the cabinet secretary, Hasina has inducted 31 new faces into her new cabinet. Members of the next cabinet, including the prime minister, are slated to take the oath at 3:30 p.m. local time on Monday at the President's Office. The announcement was made days after the 288 newly elected members of Bangladesh's parliament from Hasina's ruling coalition were sworn in amid an opposition boycott on Thursday. Seven MPs from ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led major opposition alliance skipped the oath-taking ceremony. Hasina's Awami League now forms its third five-year term government straight in a row since January 2009 after ruling the country from 1996-2001. --IANS prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Air India Express Mumbai-Dubai flight made an emergency landing at Mumbai Airport here on Sunday afternoon, officials said. The flight IX-247 took off for Dubai around 1.15 pm, but barely 30 minutes later, returned to land with full emergency at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The aircraft reportedly suffered a hydraulic snag necessitating the return to Mumbai. There were around 185 passengers and crew on the flight. --IANS qn/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three Bhutanese citizens were arrested in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district with an illegal consignment of a rhino horn and an elephant tusk, an official said on Sunday. Acting on a tip-off, forest officials conducted a search operation in Dooars area on Saturday and arrested the accused alongwith the rhino horn and the elephant tusk, which were to be sold in Nepal for Rs 50 lakh. "We found a bag containing a rhino horn weighing 1,030 grams and an elephant tusk weighing around 500 grams," said forest official Sanjay Dutta. --IANS str/bnd/mag/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United States has strongly warned Syria's Bashar al-Assad regime against the use of chemical weapons in the region. "There is no change to the US position against the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime - any further use will be met by a swift, strong response," John Bolton, the US National Security Adviser tweeted on Sunday. Bolton is currently on an official two-state visit to Israel and Turkey to discuss the withdrawal of US forces from Syria. The NSA further outlined the agenda of the visit, which includes discussing the way in which US will continue working with its allies and partners to prevent the resurgence of ISIS, the countering of "Iranian malign behaviour in the region," and US's support for those who have helped the nation in fighting against the ISIS. This comes after a Yazidi rights group, on Friday, urged the US to delay its troop withdrawal from the region, citing an "existential threat to minorities like the Yazidis" by increasing the ISIS' chances of a resurgence. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United States Donald Trump said the US is mulling over a location to conduct a second meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, adding that the latter has spoken to Trump "indirectly." Speaking to reporters assembled outside the White House on Sunday (local time), Trump reaffirmed that relations with North Korea were progressing at a good pace. "The US has a very good dialogue going with North Korea. Now I say this, North Korea, we're doing very well. And again, no rockets. There's no rockets. There's no anything. We're doing very well," CNN quoted Trump, as saying. However, the US President said sanctions against North Korea will remain "in full force and effect." Earlier this week, Trump said he had received a "great letter" from Kim and expressed hope that he would get a chance to meet the North Korean leader in the near future. Kim, in his New Year's speech, threatened that his country would have to "seek a new way" if the US "does not make good on its promises" with regard to denuclearisation and continues with sanctions. Even though engagements between Washington and Pyongyang reached new heights in 2018 with the unprecedented meeting between the US President and Kim at Singapore in June, the last few months of the year saw a stalemate in relations. North Korea, on the one hand, has asked for corresponding measures by the US for its efforts towards denuclearisation. The US, on the other hand, has pushed for complete denuclearisation before a relaxation in sanctions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A class 11 student of Mahatma Gandhi Inter College has been expelled for protesting against alleged molestation here in Kushinagar. When the victim reported to the school administration about the incident, they dismissed her complaint saying the incident occurred outside the campus and does not fall under their jurisdiction. Later, the school administration decided to expel her as the girl protested against their respond in the matter. According to an FIR made by the victim, the school principal stated at the prayer hall that "such girls" are not needed here as they spoil the school's image. Responding to the incident Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya told ANI: "Law is already there and we ensure that police will do its work and justice will be served to the victim." Talking to ANI about the incident, a woman activist from Hyderabad Varalakshmi said: "This is a shameful act as school authorities haven't taken any action against the accused. When the victim reported about the incident to school principal he said that we don't need such kind of girls here. The police have filed an FIR in the case but the accused hasn't been arrested." Another woman activist from Bengaluru Brinda Adige told ANI, "I'm very glad that police have finally registered a case in the matter but they should register a case on the principal for such a regressive, chauvinist and sexist behaviour because if these are the kind of people who are heading our educational institutions, we're not going to teach our children anything and India isn't going to shine." "The victim has talked about the molestation outside the school. The institution is equally responsible like every other agency over there. How dared they made statements that we cannot have such kind of girls in our school? What kind of boys you have? You don't have security for women. State government should either shut down the school or change the whole management," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United Republican Party in Maharashtra has extended support to the alliance between the Indian Congress (INC) and Sharad Pawar- led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. A delegation of United Republican Party met Congress state president Ashok Chavan and NCP state president Jayant Patil in Mumbai on Sunday. Congress and the NCP have reached a consensus on sharing 40 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. While NCP and the Congress might contest 20 seats each in the state Maharashtra in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the remaining eight seats are to be allotted to others allies. "For opposing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena all like-minded parties are coming together. We are considering how to accommodate them. Adjustment over 8 seats are going on and Sharad Pawar and Rahul Gandhi will take a decision," said Ashok Chavan, Maharashtra state president of Congress. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has yet again called for the construction of a wall on the US' border with Mexico on Saturday (local time) despite a partial government shutdown over funding for the proposal. Trump had earlier shared the same 'Game of Thrones' inspired meme on his Instagram profile, on the same day when Democrats took over the House of Representatives on January 3. The House Democrats have time and again slammed the proposal, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi going as far as calling Trump's electoral promise as an "immorality" and a "waste of money". The US President also outlined the alleged criminal activity which is taking place across the US-Mexico border due to the current lack of a continuous wall on Instagram on January 5 (local time). "We are working hard at the Border, but we need a WALL! In 2018, 1.7 million pounds of narcotics seized, 17,000 adults arrested with criminal records, and 6000 gang members, including MS-13, apprehended. A big Human Trafficking problem," Trump wrote. The dissonance between the lawmakers and the US President led to a partial government shutdown, which marked its 15th day on Saturday (local time). Several government agencies in the US are currently shut due to the impasse. However, the US House on January 3 had passed legislative packages to reopen the government, including a stopgap spending bill to restart activities at the Department of Homeland Security, without allocating any funds for the wall. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Malaysia's 15th King, Sultan Muhammad V, resigned from Kingship on Sunday. ChannelNews Asia quoted Comptroller of the Royal Household Datuk Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz as saying that in a letter sent to the Secretary of the Conference of Rulers the king had officially announced his abdication to the ministry officials. "In discharging the wishes of His Majesty Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V, Istana Negara hereby announces that His Majesty is abdicating as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong effective Jan 6, 2019, pursuant to Article 32 (3) of the Federal Constitution," Aziz said. Aziz stated that Sultan Muhammad V was elected as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong on December 13, 2016. In his letter, the King also expressed his gratitude towards Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, along with other officials, for helping him in ruling the country. "During his tenure as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, His Majesty worked to fulfill his responsibilities and the trust placed in him as the head of state, serving as the pillar of stability, the source of justice and as an umbrella of the solidarity and unity of the people," Aziz added. "His Majesty hopes that all Malaysians will continue to stay united, tolerant and in agreement in shouldering the responsibility to safeguard the country's sovereignty so that Malaysia will remain in peace and harmony," the Comptroller of the Royal Household further added. Earlier this week, the Malaysian Prime Minister dismissed reports about the abdication of the Malaysian King, noting that the latter was supposed to resume his duties from the New Year after being on leave for a span of two months till December 31. "I didn't receive letters or any official indication about anything. So I am not going to talk about it," the Malaysian Prime Minister said during a press conference on Friday. In November last year, the 49-year-old King had married a Russian beauty queen, holding the title of Miss Moscow 2015. Despite photos of the wedding having gone viral, the Malaysian Prime Minister stated that he did not have any official confirmation regarding the wedding. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Expressing concern over the prevailing situation in Kerala, Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani on Sunday squarely blamed the state machinery for the alleged "total collapse of law and order" in the state. Citing attacks on Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament V Muraleedharan's house where a country made bomb was hurled on January 4, Irani said: "Nobody is safe in Kerala." His sister and other family members were inside the house at the time of the incident. Muraleedharan, who is also the BJP's state president, has alleged the CPM was behind the attack. "Law and order situation is totally collapsed in the state. Nobody is safe in the state including the Member of Parliament and common citizens," added Minister Irani while talking to media persons here on Sunday. "Currently in Kerala, social and political situation is such that close to 1,286 cases have been registered. As many as 37,000 people have been made accused by the state government. More than 3,170 people were detained, only because they raised their voice against the state government," added Irani. "BJP condemns the dastardly attack on V Muraleedharan's residence. We will give a befitting reply, staying within the ambit of the Constitution," she said. One person died on January 3 after a clash erupted between the BJP and the CPM workers in front of the state secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram over the entry of two women-Bindu and Kanakadurga-of the menstrual age group into Sabarimala temple. Protesters pelted stones, raised slogans and hurled abuses against each other. The victim, Chandran Unnithan, was participating in a march organised by the Sangh Parivar-backed Sabarimala Action Council, which alleged the CPM workers attacked the protesters, leaving Unnithan gravely injured. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that Sabarimala Karma Samithi worker Unnithan died of heart attack and not due to injuries which he sustained during the clash between the BJP and the CPM workers in Pandalam. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) While a lot of us like cosying up in our blankets on a Sunday evening with a hot cup of coffee, Sonam Kapoor gave everyone major fashion vibes as she welcomed her first Sunday of 2019 dressed up in a beautiful floral outfit that must have left everyone awestruck. The 'Neerja' actor, who recently returned with her husband from Bali, is now spending some quality time with her family. The 33-year-old actor took to her Instagram account to share a series of pictures dedicated to the year ahead. In the snap, Sonam can be seen donning a beautiful white floral dress coupled with hoop earrings. The actor can be seen with open hair and a bold brown lipstick to add the perfect amount of oomph to her whole look. She captioned the picture as, "Walking into the first Sunday of the year with self-belief and style... happy Sunday folks! #Sundayflavour" She shared another picture giving a closer look at her flawless makeup. Sonam seems to have dressed up for a family brunch. Her younger brother Harshvardhan Kapoor shared a selfie from their brunch together today and captioned it as, "Brunching #siblinggoals @sonamkapoor." The same selfie was shared by Sonam on her Instagram story as well and the photo featuring the brother-sister duo certainly sheds some sibling goals that are not to be missed. Rhea Kapoor also shared a snap from the happy Sunday featuring the family posing for a perfect family picture. Sonam has always been one to experiment with her clothing choices and has been able to pull off any look that she has carried. Meanwhile, on the work front, she was last seen, in 'Veere Di Wedding' last year opposite Kareena Kapoor Khan, Swara Bhasker and Shikha Talsania. Sonam recently dropped the trailer of 'Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga' which narrates a story of love with a twist, also focusing on homosexuality. Also starring Anil Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao and Juhi Chawla, the film is directed by Shelley Chopra Dhar and is set to release on February 1. She has also been shooting for 'The Zoya Factor' which is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Anuja Chauhan. Apart from Sonam, the movie also features actor Dulquer Salmaan. This will be Dulquer's second Bollywood film after starring with Irrfan Khan in 'Karwaan'. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharatiya Janata Party ally Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) on Sunday refrained from raking up the issue of Ram Temple ahead of the 2019 general elections and said that the development and growth will be placed on the top of their agenda list. Speaking to ANI, LJP leader Chirag Paswan, stated, "I personally feel Ram Mandir should not be on our agenda, only development of the region, farmers, jobs should be given priority. Same thing I had said when results of the three (Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh) states came recently. Contentious issues like Ram temple harms NDA." These statements from Chirag, son of LJP president Ram Vilas Paswan came just days after his father stated that "the BJP need to change the mass perception in terms of minorities, Dalits." Last week, BJP president Amit Shah announced his party will contest on 17 seats and LJP will contest on six seats in Bihar in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CBI raids against former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is the result of SP-BSP entering into an "alliance" for the coming Lok Sabha polls, said former Union Minister and Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Sunday. "As soon as the news of SP and BSP joining hands for the coming Lok Sabha polls started coming out, CBI raids against Akhilesh Yadav were initiated. This was bound to happen," said Sibal while talking to ANI. "Those who will speak against today's Central government will have to face raids, Income Tax proceedings, Enforcement Directorate proceedings, and so on," added Sibal, whose Congress party is unlikely to be a part of the SP-BSP collaboration in Uttar Pradesh where 80 Lok Sabha seats are at stake. It is learnt that the SP-BSP is likely to contest the coming Lok Sabha polls as allies and the two parties have even agreed on the number of seats they would be contesting. However, there is no official confirmation on 'the much talked about' alliance either from the SP or the BSP so far. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday carried out searches at 12 places in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi in an ongoing investigation of a case relating to alleged illegal mining of minor minerals in Hamirpur district. CBI is likely to investigate the role of Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav in the alleged illegal sand mining case, sources indicated on Saturday. However, Uttar Pradesh Minister Sidharth Nath Singh has alleged that SP leader Akhilesh Yadav has looted the public money and law is taking its own course. "Akhilesh, you cannot loot and beat your chest over it. You have looted the people and law is taking its course. In 2016 the Allahabad High Court took cognizance of the matter and gave it to the CBI for a probe," he said. Meanwhile, SP leader Azam Khan said the CBI was late in conducting raids and hence questions were bound to be asked over its functioning. "CBI is late. It got a call from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) too late," said Khan on Sunday in Varanasi, adding that "now questions will be raised over its functioning. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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). After ruffling a few feathers within his political quarter on Saturday by stating that Mamata Banerjee has the best chance to become the first Bengali Prime Minister, BJP leader Dilip Ghosh has now retracted his remark, stating the West Bengal Chief Minister will never become the PM. Speaking to media on Sunday, West Bengal BJP unit chief Ghosh said: "I was asked a question to which I replied that my wishes will be with her (Mamata Banerjee) if she becomes the PM that is only what I said. But there is no possibility of it happening at all. These things are to be taken in good humour." Extending his greeting to Chief Minister Banerjee on her 64th birthday on Saturday, Ghosh said: "If a Bengali stands a chance to become the prime minister of the country, then Mamata deserves it. She represents West Bengal and she is definitely a good prime ministerial candidate." When asked to mention a name from his own party who has the best chance to be the prime minister, Ghosh had asserted that only "Mamata Banerjee is ahead in the race right now." BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain also reacted to Ghosh's assertion, stating that members of the TMC are daydreaming. "In 2019 Narendra Modi will again become the prime minister. In the coming 20 years, there will be BJP government at the Centre. TMC workers are daydreaming that Mamata Banerjee is becoming the Prime Minister of the country," he stated. However, Congress leader Pawan Khera took a different stand. He was of the view that "every political party has a right to dream and or can have an ambition that his or her party chief will become the head of the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh has said if any Bengali has a chance to become country's prime minister then Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is fit for the role. Extending his greeting to Mamata on her 64th birthday on Saturday, Ghosh stated: "If a Bengali stands a chance to become the prime minister of the country then Mamata deserves it. She represents West Bengal and she is definitely a good prime minister candidate." When asked to mention a name from his own party who had the best chance to be the prime minister, Ghosh asserted that only "Mamata Banerjee is ahead in the race right now". Ghosh's statement comes as a surprise as he had recently slammed Mamata for halting BJP's yatra in West Bengal. He further said that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader, Jyoti Basu could not become the prime minister but Mamata can. "Mamata Banerjee's name is first in this list to become prime minister, it will be good that if a Bengali became prime minister. Jyoti Basu could not but Mamata can. Basu once came very close to becoming the prime minister, but he wasn't supported by his own party," Ghosh added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Six people have died due to Kyasanur forest disease here. Two people including, 18-year-old girl Shwetha and 50-year-old Ramakka died on Saturday. Both were admitted to a private hospital in Shivamogga. In view of the disease outbreak, Bharatiya Janata Party state president BS Yeddyurappa and MLA of Sagara Haratalu Halappa rushed to the in Shivamogga and inquired about other patients' health. Parents and relatives pleaded to Yeddyurappa for help, who in turn assured of speaking with Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy regarding compensation. MLA Haratalu Halappa said, "The disease is a growing epidemic and has wreaked havoc but the government is not ready to listen to our complaints. I have written a letter to Chief Secretary too." Meanwhile, Health and Family Welfare Minister of Karnataka Shivanand Patil said, "I have spoken to many of our health department officials including district officers. I have heard that some monkeys are being brought from somewhere and are being left here. I have formed a committee including retired IAS and other officers. They will investigate and give reports. We will take action accordingly." He further added that he will speak to the Chief Minister about the compensation for those who have died because of this monkey flu. KFD is a deadly virus spread rapidly across Karuru-Bharangi Hobli in Sagara Taluks in December last year. There have been allegations that the district health department has failed to combat the deadly disease. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has formed a nine-member high-level committee to look into the implementation of Clause 6 of Assam Accord. Headed by retired IAS officer MP Bezbarauah, the committee includes former president of Assam Sahitya Sabha Dr Nagen Saikia, former editor of The Sentinel Dhiren, Bezbaruah among others. The committee will examine the effectiveness of actions taken since 1985 to implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. According to an official notification issued by the MHA on Saturday, the panel will also hold discussions with various stakeholders including social organisations, legal and constitutional experts, eminent persons from the field of art, culture and literature, conservationists, economists, linguists and sociologists. "The committee will assess the appropriate level of reservation of seats in Assam Legislative Assembly and local bodies for the Assamese people. The committee will also suggest measures to be taken to protect Assamese and other indigenous languages of Assam," the MHA notification reads. The panel will also recommend the appropriate level of reservations in employment under the Assam government for the Assamese people. "The committee may suggest any other measures as may be necessary to protect, preserve and promote cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people," the Ministry stated. The committee will submit its reports within six months and the Assam government will provide the necessary administrative and logistic support to the panel. The Assam Accord was signed on August 15, 1985. Clause 6 of the Accord states that the constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Group of Ministers (GoM) on Goods and Services Tax (GST) on Sunday recommended that Kerala should be given the right to levy cess maximum up to one per cent for two years. The government of Kerala had requested the Centre for relief in State GST (SGST) to generate revenue for the rehabilitation of last year's ravaging victims. "The Centre and the state can collectively decide the borrowing limit by the state. Kerala had submitted a memorandum for the relief, which was considered and recommended for approval in the meeting," Sushil Kumar Modi, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, told media persons after the meeting. Modi said the panel has also recommended that those dealers and suppliers who have turnover below Rs 1.5 crore can opt for the composition scheme after which they would be required to file their return annually and not every three months. "The GoM meeting also recommended that free software should be provided to the dealers and suppliers who have a turnover of up to Rs 1.5 crore," Modi informed. He said that most of the ministers were of the view that GST threshold should be increased and GST Council has a take final call on it. Currently, businesses with an annual turnover of up to Rs 20 lakh are exempted from the GST. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sheikh Hasina will be be sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Bangladesh on January 7, following her party's sweeping victory in the 11th Parliamentary elections, which were held across the country on December 30. Hasina, along with her new Cabinet, will take oath on Monday, after Bangladesh's President Abdul Hamid formally invited her to form the government for a third straight term. Meanwhile, the Jatiya Oikya Front has maintained its stance and re-confirmed that none of the Members of Parliament-elect from their group will participate in the oath-taking ceremony. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led alliance rejected the election results and called for fresh elections, according to The Daily Star. With tomorrow's swearing-in, Sheikh Hasina will become Bangladesh's Prime Minister for the fourth time. The 11th Parliament will go into session when the incumbent parliament's term expires on January 28. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Atleast 67 girls of a state-run residential school were rushed to a hospital in the Ranga Reddy district on Sunday after they complained of stomach ache and vomitted, police said. Police suspect food poisoning as the reason behind the incident. The schoolgirls, all minors, belong to the Government Kasturba Girl's High School, informed police. "Last evening all the students had fruit salad. After some time they had dinner and went to the bed. Today early morning the girls started vomiting and complained of stomach ache," Guruvaiah Goud, Chevella Police Station's Circle Inspector, told ANI. Goud further informed that most of the girls have been shifted to the Chevella Government Hospital for treatment. "At least 20 girls, who are slightly serious, have been shifted to Niloufer Government Hospital in Hyderabad for better treatment," he added. "A case will be registered if anyone's negligence is found after getting the reports," Goud assured. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Around six people, including an infant, lost their lives while about 50 others were injured when a bus overturned in Khlong Luang on Sunday. The mishap took place at 3:20 am (local time) on the Phahon Yothin highway, the Bangkok Post reported while quoting Police Captain Vacharapong Thienpratham. The bus, belonging to the Prayad Tour Company, left from the Phanom Phrai district in Roi-et province on Saturday evening. Passengers have stated that the bus overturned when the driver pulled the brakes to avoid colliding with the vehicle in front while it was raining heavily. Four women, one man and a three to five-month-old baby girl lost their lives due to the accident, while the 50 injured victims were rushed to nearby hospitals including the Thammasat Chalerm Phra Kiat, Bang Pakok Rangsit, Pathumvech, Pattara-Thonburi, Paolo Rangsit amongst others. Police are still looking for the bus driver, who is believed to be amongst the injured as investigations pertaining to the tragedy are underway. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 30 people lost their lives and 15 were injured when a gold mine collapsed in Kohistan district in north-eastern Badakhshan province of Afghanistan on Sunday, officials confirmed. Tolo News reported that the mine collapsed around 11 am in Kohistan district while the mining activities were still going on. The spokesman for Badakhshan governor, Nek Mohammad Nazari said 15 miners, who were injured in the accident, were rushed to the hospital. Meanwhile, the officials did not mention anything regarding the number of miners still trapped inside the gold mine. The death toll in the mine collapse incident is expected to rise. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seguin, Texas (78155) Today Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. officials and congressional aides emerged from talks aimed at ending a partial government shutdown over President Donald Trump's demands for border wall funding without a breakthrough Saturday, though they planned to return to the table the following day. Trump tweeted: "Not much headway made today." Democrats agreed there had been little movement, saying the did not budge on the demand for $5.6 billion and would not consider re-opening the government. The said funding was not discussed in-depth, but the administration was clear they needed funding for a wall and that they wanted to resolve the shutdown all at once. Accusations flew after the more than two-hour session led by Vice President Acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, in an interview aired on CNN, accused Democrats of being there to "stall." V.P. and team just left the White House. Briefed me on their meeting with the Schumer/Pelosi representatives. Not much headway made today. Second meeting set for tomorrow. After so many decades, must finally and permanently fix the problems on the Southern Border! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2019 ALSO READ: Trump says only Mexico border wall can stop the flow of illegal immigrants Democrats familiar with the meeting said the White House position was "untenable."A White House official also said the meeting included a briefing on border security by Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Democrats sought written details from the Department of Homeland Security on their budget needs, which the White House said it would provide. The group plans to meet again Sunday. With talks stalled, House Speaker announced Saturday that House Democrats plan to start approving individual bills to reopen shuttered departments starting with Treasury to ensure Americans receive their tax returns. "While President Trump threatens to keep the government shut down for 'years', Democrats are taking immediate further action to re-open government, so that we can meet the needs of the American people, protect our borders and respect our workers," Pelosi said. Trump, who did not attend the discussions, spent the morning tweeting about border security. Showing little empathy for the hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed or working without pay, Trump declared without citing evidence that most are Democrats. He also asserted: "I want to stop the Shutdown as soon as we are in agreement on Strong Border Security! I am in the White House ready to go, where are the Dems?" One Democrat, Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, said in his party's weekly radio address that the shutdown "is part of a larger pattern of a president who puts his personal whims and his effort to score political points before the needs of the American people. ... He is pointing fingers at everyone but himself." Trump and Democratic leaders met for roughly two hours Friday, but gave differing accounts of the session. Democrats reported little progress; Trump framed the weekend talks as a key step forward. ALSO READ: Trump warns of shutdown for years, national emergency to build Mexico wall As the shutdown drags on, some Republicans are growing increasingly nervous. Some GOP senators up for re-election in 2020, including Cory Gardner of Colorado and Susan Collins of Maine, who has tried to broker deals to end past stalemates, have voiced discomfort with the shutdown in recent days. Sen Thom Tillis of North Carolina penned an op-ed for The Hill, arguing that Congress should end the shutdown and make a deal on border security and immigration reforms. In calling on Trump to reopen government while negotiations on border security continue, Democrats have emphasized families unable to pay bills due to absent paychecks. But Trump has repeatedly said he will not budge without money for the wall. Trump asserted on Friday that he could declare a national emergency to build the wall without congressional approval, but would first try a "negotiated process." Trump previously described the situation at the border as a "national emergency" before he sent active-duty troops; critics described that as a pre-election stunt. Trump said the federal workers who are furloughed or working without pay would want him to "keep going" and fight for border security. Asked how people would manage without a financial safety net, he said: "The safety net is going to be having a strong border because we're going to be safe." Democrats expressed scepticism Friday that there would be a breakthrough. "It's very hard to see how progress will be made unless they open up the government," said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York. Trump confirmed to reporters that he privately told Democrats, in the Friday meeting with congressional leaders, that the shutdown could drag on for "months or even years." A variety of strategies are being floated inside and outside the White House. Among them is the idea of trading wall money for a deal on immigrants brought to the country as young people and now here illegally. But Trump made clear during his news conference that talk on DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, would have to wait. London-based Automotive Corporation plans to drive in an electric SUV, DionX, in India in 2021 as part of its plans to provide clean mobility solutions in the country. The company is also in the process of investing $ 370 million (around Rs 2,577 crore) to set up a manufacturing facility at Puducherry with an initial capacity of 10,000 vehicles per annum which could be scaled up to 20,000 units by 2023. The DionX and its components will be manufactured and assembled at the facility. "This facility is scheduled to commence operations in the third quarter of 2021," Automotive Corporation CEO Marcus Paleti told PTI. The model, which company claims to have a range of 540 km on a single charge, would be launched simultaneously in European and Indian markets in 2021, he added. "The state government (Puducherry) has been proactively assisting us over the past 14 months to set up the facility, that ensues an investment of $ 370 million," Paleti said. When asked about the estimated price range of DionX in India, Paleti said the model would be launched in two trims with cost hovering in the range of Rs 40 lakh. Paleti added that the model would be able to do 0-100 kmph in 5.4 seconds and would also have an advanced artificial intelligence integration for optimal performance and safety assist. In order to prove 540 km range of the vehicle in the country, is scheduled to undertake an endurance test in August this year. As per the initiative, the car would move across 6,000 km in less than 12 charge cycles, from Leh (Jammu & Kashmir) to Chennai (Tamil Nadu), covering various other cities on the way. The company, which is funded by a small group of investors, also plans to bring in its patented charging systems including home chargers in coordination with the central and state governments in India to achieve a target of 1 lakh charging points nationwide. "The Indian market is on the cusp of transition, which has been facilitated by the growing need for clean mobility. This encourages us and others in the industry to find solutions to the key problems, that facilitates India's growth trajectory," Paleti added. Currently, a major portion of Laureti's operations, including design, R&D, and prototyping are undertaken in the UK and Spain. (PSBs) ought to step up hiring at junior and middle levels to ensure there is no vacuum following the retirement of a large number of employees in the near future, lawmakers said in a report to the In PSBs, 95 per cent of GM level employees, 75 per cent of Deputy GM level employees, and 58 per cent of Additional GM level employees will retire in 2019-20. The Standing Committee on has observed there has been "strangely a discernible" fall in the number of candidates registering for clerical, probationary officer and specialist officer positions at as per data available from the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection. "The committee believes that while reducing their recruitment could be a factor, undue stress and work pressure from long hours and difficult working conditions without commensurate compensation/incentive package may be discouraging prospective candidates," said the report tabled in last week. The panel headed by veteran Congress leader M Veerappa Moily has expressed apprehension that there could be "sudden vacuum" because of a large number of retirements in the near future in state-owned at various levels. "The committee desires that proper manpower planning and human resource development strategies should be put in place in PSBs so that the staff/officers groomed into the system, remain motivated and a sudden vacuum is not created at the junior/middle levels due to manpower shortage," it said. Further, the committee has made a case for more incentives and a better remuneration package for senior management of to reduce the wide gap in their compensation package and that of the private sector peers. As per the report, the committee has desired that in case the lateral mobility policy of senior officers in at the Board level is being considered by the government by promoting DMDs of SBI, then the "movement should be made both ways, that is from SBI to PSBs and from PSBs to SBI". In a U-turn, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh on Sunday said his remark on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's prime ministerial prospects was made in jest, even as the Opposition claimed that the statement reflected a "tacit understanding" between the TMC and the saffron party. Extending his birthday wishes to the Trinamool (TMC) supremo, Ghosh Saturday said Banerjee "needs to remain fit" because she was currently the only one who had the chance of becoming the first Bengali prime minister. The (BJP) leader also claimed that the chief minister was ahead in the race among Bengalis. "On Saturday, when reporters asked me whether I would like to make any comment on Mamata Banerjee, I just extended my best wishes to her. Whatever I said about her prime ministership was just a joke. I was joking as it was her birthday," Ghosh told PTI. The Congress, however, said the statement was "sort of an admission" from the state BJP chief, who probably knew that the chances of the saffron party returning to power at the Centre after this year's general election were "slim". "The statement reflects two things -- a covert understanding between the BJP and the TMC, and that attempts to forge federal fronts are ploys to divide the opposition," senior leader and Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Abdul Mannan told PTI. Ghosh's remark showed that he was certain that the BJP would not come back to power, he added. Echoing similar sentiments, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leadership said the "tacit understanding between the TMC and the BJP is now out in the open". "We have been saying this for a long time that the TMC and the BJP are playing a fixed political match in the state. Now the state BJP president himself has given a proof of it with his remarks," central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said. In his defence, Ghosh said his remark should not be taken "seriously". "Anyone with a bit of political sense can very well say that Mamata Banerjee can never become the prime minister with the number of Lok Sabha seats she has," he said. When approached, the TMC leadership declined to comment on the issue. Nepal has asked the to declare newly circulated Indian currency notes of denominations higher than Rs 100 legal tender in the country, according to a media report on Sunday. The Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the country's central monetary authority, has written a letter on Friday to the (RBI), asking it to make Indian bank bills Rs 200, Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 legal tender in Nepal, The Himalayan Times reported. The NRB has asked India's central bank to issue a notification under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), which will make Indian banknotes of denomination more than Rs 100 legal tender in Nepal and to provide the exchange facilities to get bills of such denominations, it said. The has only allowed the circulation of Indian currency notes of Rs 100 and less in Nepal and provides exchange facilities for bills of these denominations. Before the of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 bank notes in November 2016, the had issued a FEMA notification allowing Nepali citizens to carry Rs 25,000 worth of such bank notes. After the of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 Indian currency notes, circulation of new banknotes of denominations Rs 200, Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 was started by the Indian government. The RBI did not issue the notification for the newly circulated bank notes, making their use illegal in Nepal. "As the RBI was not allowing the circulation of the higher denomination Indian notes, we had to ban their use in Nepal to protect our citizens," Chief of Foreign Exchange Management Department at the NRB. "However, after we received complaints from people in various sectors, especially those who have to visit India frequently, we asked the Indian central bank to make such bank notes legal tender in Nepal." The circulation of such notes in Nepal, according to Dhungana, will solely depend upon the RBI and Indian government's will. Also the NRB, in the same letter, has asked the Indian central bank to provide exchange facility to Nepalis holding the banned Indian currency in the country. The central bank has said the country's banking system, including banks, financial institutions and NRB, hold Indian currency denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 worth Rs 48 million. But the actual stock of banned Indian bank notes is expected to be much more because Nepalis were previously allowed to carry Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 Indian bank notes worth up to Rs 25,000. Also, those residing in areas bordering India usually stash Indian notes of larger denominations as they have to go to Indian markets frequently to buy goods. To make exchange facility available to Nepalis holding banned Indian currency, NRB has already prepared software to keep a database of names of people who sought exchange facility, serial number of bills of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 submitted by the people, and their identification numbers, among others. But the Indian government is yet to take a decision, it said. The ministerial panel under Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi Sunday approved levy of 1 per cent 'calamity cess' by for a period of two years to fund rehabilitation work in the state hit by floods. The goods and services, which will attract the 1 per cent cess, would be decided by Kerala, Modi said, adding that if any other state wants to levy the 'calamity cess' it has to approach the Council for approval. Besides, the Group of Ministers under Modi has also suggested to the Council to allow additional borrowing over the permitted limit by states hit by natural calamity. " had asked the Council for levying cess to fund rehabilitation work. The GoM has recommended to the Council that be allowed to levy 1 per cent cess for two years. Also the Centre and states will together decide on increasing the borrowing limit under FRBM for funding natural calamity," Modi told reporters after the meeting of the GoM. The GST law provides for levy of special taxes for a specified period to raise additional resources during any natural calamity or disaster. Separately, another ministerial panel under Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla, on giving relief to MSMEs under the goods and services tax, deliberated on the exemption threshold for such businesses. Currently, businesses with turnover of up to Rs 20 lakh are exempt from the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Modi, who is a member of the panel on MSME relief, said the GoM was unanimous that the exemption limit for the MSMEs which are supplier of goods should be increased but there was no unanimity among states. Hence, it was left to the GST Council to decide. While Delhi suggested that the limit should be hiked to turnover of up to Rs 40 lakh, Bihar suggested it at Rs 50 lakh. Another suggestion was that for MSMEs with turnover between Rs 50 to Rs 60 lakhs, GST of Rs 5,000 be levied, and those between Rs 60-75 lakhs, it should be Rs 10,000-Rs 15,000. "Under the earlier excise duty regime, businesses with turnover of up to Rs 1.5 crore were exempt. So it was felt that there was a need to give relief to the MSMEs under GST," Modi said. The GST Council in its meeting on January 10 will discuss on the recommendations of the two ministerial panels. The Shukla-led GoM has also suggested to the Council to allow businesses with turnover of up to Rs 1.5 crore to avail composition scheme, up from the current Rs 1 crore. It also suggested that dealers under the composition schemes be allowed to file returns annually, even as they would continue to pay their taxes. Currently, composition scheme dealers file returns and pay taxes quarterly. Also, it suggested that composition scheme be extended to service providers with an annual turnover of up to Rs 50 lakh. Such service providers can pay GST at 5 per cent. The GoM has also suggested that businesses with turnover of up to Rs 1.5 crore be provided with a free accounting and billing software by the GST Network. While the GoM on MSME was constituted in August last year, the same for 'calamity cess' for set up in September. The Washington Post, January 3, 2019 Women take part in a "womens wall" protest in Kochi, India, on New Years Day. (AFP/Getty Images) by Barkha Dutt In India, they tell us that women can be anything we wish. We can be fighter-jet pilots, corporate CEOs, paratroopers, athletes and, of course, prime minister. (We never get tired of reminding Americans of this, since the United States is still waiting for its first female head of state.) But God forbid we dare to argue that, in 2019, menstruation should not bar us from praying at a temple. What sort of global power can the worlds largest democracy aspire to be when our monthly period is still used to make women feel like polluted pariahs who must be kept at a distance? Is this not repugnant modern-day untouchability? This week, a 620-kilometer womens wall made up of an estimated 5 million protesters drew global attention to the shame unfolding at the Sabarimala shrine in the southern Indian state of Kerala. For more than two months, there have been violent protests and riots over the entry of women at Sabarimala. According to mythology, Lord Ayyappa, the deity at the 800-year-old temple, was a bachelor god who took a vow of celibacy and set clear rules for the pilgrimage to seek his blessings. And thus, by custom, women in their reproductive years must keep away. The womens wall is a fight for what agitators are calling renaissance values. Mobilized by the left-wing government in Kerala, the women, with their arms outstretched in determined defiance, occupied all the national highways across the state to protest the brazen discrimination at the temple. It may well have been the largest single gathering of women in the world. The ban on women between the ages of 10 and 50 (their reproductive years) has been legally in place only since the 1970s. Despite a Supreme Court order to end it, there has been brazen defiance of the judiciary. Indias ruling party, the BJP, declared the Supreme Court order an assault on Hindu tradition. The Modi governments insistence that Hindu tradition must be privileged over constitutional rights to equality for women is both dangerous and irresponsible. In election season, the opposition Congress party is not willing to take a more progressive position either. Even Shashi Tharoor, the erudite and eloquent parliamentarian from Kerala and a self-confessed liberal, went from supporting the entry of all women to the temple to opposing it, because, as he told me, there has never been a mass movement by women in Kerala for this cause. I had hoped he might change his mind after looking at the stirring images of the womens wall of protest. Or that, like so many Indians I know, he would be moved by the two women who finally made history this week, when they managed to enter the temple in the dead of the night to worship at the old shrine. Instead, Tharoor called it an unnecessary provocative act." The indefensible surrender at Sabarimala by both major national parties is the defeat of fundamental liberal values and the victory of majoritarian populism. Traditionalists argue that the taboo is not about menstruation but preserving an ancient custom unique to the temple. But there is not a single civilized defense possible for the temple priests shutting down Sabarimala to purify the shrine after the two women offered prayers there. In other words, the mere presence of women who are young enough to menstruate is defiling. This is not just biological determinism; it is the institutional weaponization of bigotry against women. It elevates prejudice to the level of piety. Since the entry of the two women at the shrine 96 days after the Supreme Court verdict violence has erupted across Kerala again. Right-wing groups have led street protests that have seen arson, stone-pelting and crude bombs thrown at left-wing party offices. Schools and colleges have closed in the mayhem. Does a womans monthly period trigger this level of fear and rage? The Sabarimala debate has exposed the doublespeak of the Modi government on womens rights and issues affecting Hindus and Muslims. The governments campaign to end triple talaq or instant divorce a barbaric personal law long used to exploit Muslim women began as a very welcome initiative. As a feminist, I championed it. But then it went overboard with a legislative proviso that could imprison men (for up to three months) who practiced the abhorrent custom. Sending men to jail for abandoning their marriages doesnt sit at ease with a country that just decriminalized adultery and whose Parliament refuses to recognize marital rape as a crime. But the BJP also has no good answer for why one anachronistic custom such as triple talaq should be struck down to safeguard the rights of women while the barrier to women at Sabarimala should be defended in the name of tradition. The prime minister personally drew this entirely unconvincing distinction in a recent interview. The patent contradiction only leaves you thinking the difference is that one change involves Muslims and the other involves Hindus. Other faiths have also treated menstruation as a taboo. Some Muslim women have told me they are forbidden from offering Namaz during their period. In general, many faiths personal laws and religious dogma are tilted against women. Sabarimala has exposed not just the demise of liberal political values but also the paradox of being female in India. There is no point celebrating the strength of Indira Gandhi as prime minister or our female defense minister if we still think female blood is a social blot. Last-minute fares could rise by as much as 30 per cent as Mumbai airport will be shut for six hours daily for 22 days in February and March for runway upgrade. Fares to key routes such as Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad may shoot up 80 per cent, said industry experts. There will be no flight movements between 11 am and 5 pm every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at Mumbai from February 7 to March 30 due to the recarpeting of the intersection of two runways. The airport will remain open on March 21, a Thursday, on the occasion of Holi. Charters and private aircraft owners too will ... In reply to a Right to Information (RTI) query byBusiness Standard , NCW said that only 21 women had written to the Commission since October. According to the record of the Commission, 21 complaints with effect from October 18 were received on the email ID till date, the NCW said in its reply. On October 18, the NCW had in a statement said: The Commission urges women who have come forward on social media and other ... Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor Violence involving BJP-RSS and ruling CPI(M) workers over the issue continued in late Saturday night and spilled over into the early hours of Sunday with a number of houses and shops in the politically volatile district being attacked. Police said bombs were hurled early Sunday morning on the house of a non-gazetted officers (NGO) Union leader at Thalassery in The houses of certain BJP workers have also been attacked in the area forcing the district administration to impose prohibitory orders. In a peace meeting called by the district administration Saturday, BJP and CPI(M) leaders agreed not to take out any protest march in the area. According to state Director General of Police Loknath Behara, 1,286 cases have been registered till Saturday night and 3,282 persons arrested in connection with the violent incidents in the state since the January 3 hartal called against the entry of two women into the temple. Of the arrested, 487 have been remanded, 2,795 granted bail. In district, 169 cases have been registered and 230 persons arrested, while in Palakkad 166 cases have been registered and 298 people arrested. has been on boil since January 2 afternoon following the visit of two women of menstrual age in to the under police protection. Right-wing groups have been staging widespread protest across the state against the state government's decision to implement the order of September 28 allowing women of all age groups in to the hill-top shrine. Prohibitory orders are in place at various areas across the state following violent clashes between the BJP, CPI(M) and the police. Debt-laden Sunday accused Swedish telecom gear maker Ericsson, which is an operational unsecured creditor of the company, of attempting media trial and sensationalising the issue of dues recovery, saying it might put interest of even secured lenders at risk. The Anil Ambani-led telecom firm, however, said it remains committed to clear dues of Ercisson from spectrum realisation. However, the approval for the same is pending with the government. "It is deeply regrettable that India Private Limited (Ericsson), an operational unsecured creditor, is attempting a trial by media and sensationalising issues, as evidenced in recent media reports," spokesperson said in a statement. India Friday moved the seeking initiation of contempt proceedings for the second time against Reliance Communication chairman for allegedly not complying with its order to clear dues of Rs 550 crore. Besides seeking contempt proceedings against the chairman and two others, has also sought that they be "detained in civil prison" unless they purge themselves by making the payment. It also sought directions to the Ministry of Home Affairs to prevent Ambani, Reliance Telecom Ltd chairman Satish Seth and chairperson of Reliance Infratel Ltd Chhaya Virani from leaving the country. spokesperson said no notice on recent contempt petition filed by Ericsson, as referred in media reports last week, has been served to it till date and alleged that the Swedish firm is widely sharing the matter with the media and distorting issues. "Needless to say, the Hon'ble has not even considered the matter till date. Ericsson's conduct as an unsecured creditor gravely endangers and is at the cost of secured lenders comprising 38 banks and secured creditors including 17 public sector banks and 13 foreign banks," the spokesperson said. The crisis-ridden telecom services firm has a debt of over Rs 47,000 crore. RCom said it has taken all required steps towards enabling the settlement and remains fully committed to make the payment to Ericsson from the proceeds of the spectrum sale. "The Department of Telecom (DoT) approval is pending since August 7, 2018, for which RCom has moved a contempt petition against DoT before the which is listed on Monday, January 7, 2019," RCom spokesperson said. Last year, RCom signed a pact with Reliance Jio for the sale of wireless spectrum, tower, fibre and media convergence nodes assets -- the proceeds of which were to be used to pare debt. RCom expects to get Rs 975 crore from sale of the spectrum which it has promised to pay dues of Rs 550 crore to Ericsson and Rs 230 crore to settle dues of minority stakeholder Reliance Infratel. The DoT has put the spectrum trading between the two on hold after Reliance Jio refused to bear the burden on any past dues that RCom owes to the government. Both RCom and Reliance Jio are learnt to have approached jointly the telecom ministry seeking clarification on the stand of the government over their spectrum trading deal. In a letter to the DoT on January 3, Jio cited petition of RCom before telecom tribunal TDSAT showing that the petitioners, who are the sellers, have retained the liabilities upon themselves. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor The French government has told Renault to provide more details on compensation paid to senior executives via a Dutch holding company jointly owned with alliance partner Nissan, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Sunday. Le Maire made the demand after France's CGT trade Union voiced concerns over payments made to certain high-ranking executives via the alliance's Renault-Nissan BV (RNBV) Dutch venture and called for more transparency at the carmaker. Corporate governance inside the alliance has come under tight scrutiny after Japanese authorities arrested its ... THE WAR BEFORE THE WAR Fugitive Slaves and the Struggle for Americas Soul From the Revolution to the Civil War Andrew Delbanco Penguin Press; 453 pages; $30 The Civil War began over one basic issue: Was slavery, the ownership of human beings, a legitimate national institution, fixed in national law by the United States (US) Constitution? One-half of the country said it was, the other said it was not. The ensuing conflict was the chief instigator of Southern secession, as the secessionists themselves proclaimed. It was, thus, the chief source of the war that led to ... Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC The city must investigate a recent rash of complaints alleging that Bensonhurst business owners lack permits for their storefronts signage, according to local civic leaders, who said the uptick in such allegations already cost mom-and-pop shopkeepers thousands of dollars in fines (Policing placards: Bensonhurst civic leaders call for investigation into complaints against small businesses signs, by Julianne McShane, online Dec. 28). A probe of the reports filed with the citys 311 hotline is necessary to ensure greedy agents are not cashing in at the small-business owners expense, according to the district manager of Community Board 11. This year, the 311 hotline received some 127 complaints about signs and awnings belonging to businesses within the boards district, which also includes Bath Beach, Gravesend, and Mapleton a whopping 113 more than it received about storefronts in the same area last year, according to a letter CB11 members fired off on Dec. 19 to the Mayors Office of Operations, which oversees the hotline run by the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications. Readers weighed in: Ive noticed a lot of bodegas here in Bed-Stuy have been removing their awnings, this is probably why. Underneath those hideous awnings is often the original signage from the 40s and 50s plus, you now get to see the beautiful architectural details that have been hidden for decades. Those awnings should all be banned as they are ugly and cheapen the neighborhood.Matt from Stuyvesant Heights Dont kid yourself, its about revenue! Fines of $6,000 according to the NY Times. All because something might fall down. The city sees no evil in spray painted tags all over, but no awnings time to make the avenues look like a refuge camp. Signs that withstood superstorm Sandy, and many a winter. GimmeGimmeGimme we want any money you might have left after sales tax, and outrageous property tax. And why did these awnings come about? To cover the riot shutters and roll-down gates that these small businesses had to install to save their livelihoods.Rufus Leaking from BH Here are some revelations: 1) New York City Buildings Department does not asses the fines for violations, that is done by the Council. 2) Buildings Department does not impose cloak of anonymity as the complaints come from 311. They are most likely from the community boards themselves all over the city. Take a look at Bensonhurst, now predominately Chinese. City data shows that in the last few years 311 complaints for this area have exploded. Where do you suppose the complaints are coming from? Check the bigoted community boards throughout this city.Joe Bloe from Bensonhurst I have been breaking the law for the past 15 years and now you come around Yeah, what nerve of the city to give you a fine. I did not realize that the longer you break the law the more entitled you become.Frank from Flushing Brooklyn Heights residents will breathe in toxic chemicals for years if the city moves forward with a plan to turn the neighborhoods Promenade into a six-lane speedway for gas-guzzling cars and trucks during the looming reconstruction of the BrooklynQueens Expressway, experts warn (Highway to health problems: Locals will breathe in toxic air for years if city sends traffic along Promenade to fix BQE, experts warn, by Julianne Cuba, online Dec. 26). The historic Promenade, which sits at the top of the 70-year-old highways crumbling three-tiered structure, currently acts as a barrier that blocks the toxic pollutant known as fine particulate matter, or pm 2.5, emitted by the 153,000 cars and trucks on the expressway daily, according to journalist and public-health expert Laurie Garrett. Commenters shared their thoughts: Not only is it irresponsible in the short-term (next 10-plus years) to rebuild this roadway in this manner, its irresponsible in the long-term (next 100-plus years) to replace it in this spot period. Pollution, noise, quality of life, waste of premier waterfront real estate. We need to tunnel from the ditch south of Atlantic to the north side of Brooklyn Heights. If there are things in the way, we can move them if Boston did it so can we. Wed even need to include direct tubes to the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges to improve functionality over what we have now. The result would leave us with with a cantilever riverwalk where shops and cafes could be added overlooking NYCs most astounding area of waterfront and the Brooklyn Bridge Park. Time to think big is now, so were not stuck with this mistake for our life times and the life times of those that will come after us.Tunneler from Brooklyn Is there a third alternative near Brooklyn Bridge Park? What is wrong with that? Why didnt the city fix the BQE cantilever before it built Brooklyn Bridge Park? Did any city officials and/or politicians recommend at that time that the BQE cantilever be replaced before the park was created? What were their names? Titles? Do they still work for the city? David Weinkrantz from Downtown Brooklyn Now the privileged, politically connected, Brooklyn Heights residents who are among the richest people in the borough could be subject to the same environmental hazards routinely faced by their maids, servants, landscapers, doormen, and parking valets, and whose kids breathe unhealthy levels of ozone and diesel fumes in other parts of Brooklyn (in neighborhoods statistically scarcely covered by this newspaper). There are scores of specific chronic air and toxic waste pollution hazards that denser swaths of the population currently face in the borough that this newspaper could address in a top story. But instead, it trumpets the whines of the wealthy residents of about 25 to 35 buildings (and who most likely get around by Uber, taxis and their own private vehicles when they need to).Chomsky from Greenwood Commenters: Its not about who gets the worst of it or whos turn is it now, its about fixing a wrong and making it right, permanently. Covering the ditch south of Atlantic and going underground from there is the way to go. A tunnel can be bored over the next couple of years without ever starting entrances and exits to it, virtually eliminating 75 percent of the disruption repairing the cantilever would cause. And then theres all the other benefits I state above. The BQE is Brooklyns most important artery and we deserve that it be done right this time tunnel it!Tunneler from Brooklyn Festivities for all To the Editor, I read with interest your article about the Christmas festivities at IS 281 in Brooklyn (Classroom cheer: IS 281 students and families celebrate season, by Julianne McShane, online Dec. 10). I am sure they were very nice, but dont we have separation of church and state with regard to our schools? Such a celebration should have included festivities for Jewish, Muslim, and even atheist students. No child should have been excluded. As a retired teacher who taught in both Districts 17 and 21 for a total of 33 years, I dont understand how the principal at 281 could have done something like this. How did children of other faiths feel while this was occurring? Obviously, they felt excluded. How about the parents of the other children? Why didnt they state their displeasure at this? As a parent or teacher in the school, I would have made sure to be quite vocal on this issue. As a tax-payer, I resent the idea that tax-payer money is used to promote religious values in our schools. This does not belong in the schools. Such festivities should be occurring in the homes. During my professional career as a pedagogue in the New York City school system, I made sure never to promote my religious values and during the course of those years, when a student asked me why my room wasnt decorated accordingly at holiday time, I made sure to mention the separation of church and state idea. To me, actions like this are perfect examples of prosletyzing and have no place in our schools.Ed Greenspan Sheepshead Bay Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun. Credit:Twitter An 18-year-old Saudi woman has tweeted a desperate plea for help, saying she has been detained at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport and is being forcibly returned to Saudi Arabia, where she fears her family will kill her. Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun fled Kuwait, where she was holidaying with her family, for Australia, where she intended to claim asylum. She said she had a visa to travel onward to Australia but was detained at the airport and her passport seized by a Saudi official. She said she was being followed everywhere she went around the airport and was spending Sunday night at the airport hotel before being put on a Kuwait Airways flight back to Saudi Arabia. According to Smithsonian magazine, he said Jeanne answered questions when he interviewed her that only she would have known the answer to, like the name of her maths teacher and housekeepers in her building at the time. "Her daughter couldn't have known that," he said. And he said that the whole town of Arles would have been in on the ruse. Jeanne Calment looks at her birthday cake as she celebrates her 121th birthday at her retirement home in Arles. Credit:AP "Can you imagine how many people would have lied? Overnight, Fernand Calment [Jeanne's husband] would have passed his daughter for his wife and everyone would have kept silent?" Robine said. "It is staggering." Michel Vauzelle, who was the mayor of Arles when Calment died, has said the Russians' theory is "completely impossible and ridiculous". 'A fascinating detective story' Jeanne Calment said she met Vincent van Gogh in 1888. Credit:AP Nicolas Brouard, research director at France's National Demographics Studies Institute said that there are some in the research community who "favour exhuming the bodies of Jeanne and Yvonne Calment" because of Zak's study, according to French public radio broadcaster RFI. He also said that DNA testing could settle the debate. In an email, Zak said that he became convinced that Calment's age was suspicious in February while studying mortality patterns of people older than 105. He said he started to investigate her life in September. Obituaries about Jeanne Calment noted that she was known for her love of chocolate. Credit:AP "I funded the work myself, it was a fascinating detective story in front of me," he said. "Those who criticise my work heavily are those who have a huge conflict of interest or those who didn't read it." He called critics of his report "dishonest" and released a document where he sought to rebut their rebuttals point by point. Still, he admitted to Reuters that he does not have "cast-iron proof". "I reviewed the whole situation," he said. "There are lots of small pieces of evidence." Guinness World Records said that it was aware of the report. "Extensive research is performed for every oldest person record title we verify, which is led by experts in the gerontology field, and they have been notified of the current situation," it said in a statement distributed by spokeswoman Rachel Gluck. Robine did not respond to a request for comment. Born before the lightbulb A Washington Post story about Calment's 120th birthday describes the broad contours of her life. She was born in Arles, in southern France, on February 21, 1875, before the invention of the lightbulb. She grew up to marry Fernand Calment at 21. "She dabbled in painting, played the piano in her parlour, rode her bicycle around town, hiked and hunted," reporter Dana Thomas wrote, buoyed by the success of her husband's fabric shop. She said she met Vincent van Gogh as a teacher when he came to Arles to paint in 1888, saying she found him "very ugly, ungracious, impolite, sick". "Pardon me, but we called him 'the madman'," she said. She outlived much of her family. Yvonne died at 36 of pleurisy, Thomas wrote. Fernand died in 1942 at the age of 72 from eating tainted cherries. And her only grandchild, Frederic was killed in a car accident at 36 in 1963. Questions about age-related records are not uncommon. Shigechiyo Izumi, of Japan, was dubbed the world's oldest man when he died in 1986 at what was believed to be 120 years old. But research that came out later claimed that he was around 105. Others claiming ages as high as 125 and up have lacked the required documentation to prove their ages. And the secrets of an exceptionally long life remain elusive. Obituaries about Calment noted that she was known for her love of chocolate - she reportedly ate nearly a kilogram a week - treated her skin with olive oil and rode a bicycle until she was 100. She had only quit her two cigarettes a day habit a few years before her death - not for health, but because she could no longer light her own cigarette without asking for help. Under an obscure French system called viager, where a buyer purchases a home from an older person and begins paying its mortgage, and are only able to move in after they die, Calment had a man paying her mortgage for more than 30 years, it was reported. She had signed the deal with him when she was 90. Police are hunting for a man and a woman they believe are linked to an armed robbery in Perth's south east on Sunday morning. WA Police have warned onlookers who've spotted the car to not approach and call them. Credit:WA Police The man and woman are understood to have stolen a Toyota Blue Echo, which was found abandoned in the vicinity of Anderson Road and Lewis Road at 11.30am. Police believe the car is linked to a number of armed robberies that occurred in the Willetton, Langford and Karawara areas hours earlier. A petrol station in Langford was cordoned off while officers investigated on Sunday afternoon. A Brisbane band have been labelled "idiots" after being kicked off stage for displaying swastika flags during a weekend performance. Revellers were horrified enough to help kick punk group Big Bongin' Baby out of West End's The Bearded Lady on Saturday night, according to management. The Bearded Lady management kicked out a band after displaying swastika flags on stage. Credit:Facebook The Bearded Lady general manager Jamie Simmonds said staffers acted quickly to cut the music from the stage with the help of punters. He was furious the band had ruined the night and had distressed about 50 guests and staff members. A police chase in Queanbeyan ended with a 31-year-old man crashing his ute through a fence and business shopfront on Saturday night. The business, DeNeefe Signs, had been due to open Monday having recently moved into the premises and is now set to be out of action for weeks The man was taken to Canberra Hospital in a stable condition and no charges had been laid as of Sunday morning. The damaged shopfront of Deneefe Signs, Queanbeyan after a ute chased by police crashed through the front. Credit:Finbar O'Mallon NSW Police said they had attempted to stop the man's Toyota Hilux at the intersection of Bungendore Road and Yass Road for a roadside breathalyser test just before 11.30pm on Saturday. Some of the CTA's members with business in China have already adjusted and moved manufacturing and sourcing out of the country, Shapiro added. Loading The CTA has organised a panel dedicated to tariffs and the show floor will have a booth for US attendees to contact the US Trade Representative and the White House and explain how tariffs have affected their businesses. Apple on Wednesday cut its revenue outlook for the first time in almost two decades, citing weaker demand in China because of the country's slowing economy and rising trade tensions with the U.S. A big question is how much of Apple's problems can be blamed on China's economy versus Chinese consumers' preference for home-grown brands. The falloff in demand for iPhones is at least partly explained by its high price and the rise of cheaper, more comparable rival devices in the world's largest market. The iPhone XS Max, the current top of the iPhone range, starts at 9599 yuan ($A1964) in China. Flagship phones from Huawei Technologies and Oppo cost from 4000 to 5000 yuan. This has been dark days for Apple and for the tech industry. I think there's a lot of questions in regards to the smartphone industry. Analyst Daniel Ives "It's going to be the elephant in the room at CES," said Daniel Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities. "This has been dark days for Apple and for the tech industry. I think there's a lot of questions in regards to the smartphone industry going forward, especially with what Apple said about with demand in China." Huawei supplanted Apple as the world's number two smartphone brand in 2018 and remains the market leader in China, comprising 25 per cent of smartphone shipments in the third quarter of 2018, according to data from research firm Canalys. Loading Chinese smartphone makers Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi were right behind Huawei, with Apple in fifth place for share of shipments. Huawei in particular has become flashpoint in the U.S. trade dispute. The U.S. has said the company poses a national security threat due to its close ties to the Chinese government and that Huawei violated a trade embargo against Iran. Canadian officials, acting at the behest of the U.S., arrested Huawei's CFO last month. The arrest contributed to Apple's brand damage in China, with some Chinese companies reportedly subsidizing employees to buy Huawei devices. Huawei recently demoted and cut the pay of two employees for tweeting from the company's official account with an iPhone. "As Trump has locked horns with China, there are social media campaigns on WeChat and Weibo asking people to boycott Apple's products," said Loup Ventures managing director Gene Munster. "They can be powerful." At last year's show, Huawei was set to reveal that it would bring a flagship smartphone to American carriers including AT&T. But the deal never happened. At the urging of the US government, the carriers cut ties with Huawei due to national security concerns, hurting the phone maker's ability to grow its business in the US. Richard Yu, chief executive officer of Huawei's consumer products division, gave a keynote address at last year's CES. He used some of his speech to lambast US carriers for deciding not to sell Huawei's latest phones. This year, Huawei is an exhibitor at the conference and will be showcasing its new tablet and laptop for the US market. Huawei's Richard Yu gave a strong speech last year. Credit:Reuters Apple will just send employees to monitor upstarts and potential future suppliers. Its main domestic rivals, Alphabet Inc.'s Google and Amazon.com Inc. will be present at CES, however, with plenty of accessory makers integrating their respective voice assistants. Microsoft Corp. will also be on hand to discuss how hardware makers can implement their latest software. Chinese companies will attend the gathering in force. The CTA said it has seen growth in the presence of large Chinese companies and the exhibit area for Chinese companies represents a similar amount of square footage space as last year, around 13 to 14 per cent. There are more than 1200 Chinese companies exhibiting at the show, and companies in attendance include Alibaba Group Holding, Tencent Holdings, JD.com, car manufacturer BYTON, TCL Corp., and Hisense. The trade show also reflects the importance of 5G, or fifth-generation wireless technology, in the worsening trade war. The coming faster networks will be a topic of conversations and panels at the trade show, with a slew of sessions dedicated to applications as both countries race to become a leader in the technology. While China is poised to have a strong variety of 5G devices on its networks across 2019, Apple won't release a 5G phone until 2020. Three men have been arrested and cannabis plants were seized in Mayo. As part of ongoing operations targeting the sale and supply of controlled drugs in Mayo, two houses were searched in Killasser, Swinford at 6pm yesterday. The Indian Embassy in Ireland has confirmed the name of the student who fell to his death from the Cliffs of Moher on Friday, as Anand Goel. In a Facebook post, the Embassy said: Deeply saddened by tragic death of promising Indian student of Trinity, Anand Goel, who accidentally fell off Cliffs of Moher in Co Clare yesterday. Very grateful to Irish Coast Guard/Search & Rescue helicopter and boat teams for recovering body. Heartfelt condolences to bereaved family. Their loss is our loss. Embassy assisting with all formalities. Earlier: Trinity College 'deeply saddened' by death of student in Cliffs of Moher fall Trinity College Dublin has expressed deep sadness at the loss of one their students who died after falling from a cliff in Co Clare on Friday. The 26-year-old Indian national was killed after he lost his footing while taking photographs at the Cliffs of Moher. The Indian Embassy in Dublin is working to repatriate the victims body back to his home country while staff at TCD are providing support to the victims family, friends and fellow students as well as their own staff. Gardai, who have been working closely with the Indian Embassy as well as staff at TCD since the accident, have confirmed that the victim has been formally identified and his family informed. The mans name has not however been released. A representative of the Indian Embassy is understood to have visited Co Clare yesterday and travelled to the scene of the tragedy. The alarm was raised at around 3.15pm on Friday when a man was seen falling from the cliff. Eye-witnesses are understood to have told gardai that the man was taking a selfie at the time and lost his footing. The mans body was recovered from the sea by the crew of Rescue 115 and flown to Doolin Coast Guard station. The victim was formally pronounced dead before his remains were removed to University Hospital Limerick for formal identification and post-mortem examination. Gardai interviewed a number of eye-witnesses following the tragedy and have confirmed that at this stage, they are treating the death as a tragic accident. A Garda spokesman said: A post-mortem examination has been carried out while we have been working closely with the Indian Embassy and Trinity College. The man has been identified and his family in India has been notified. In a statement today, Trinity College Dublin said: We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of one of our students at the Cliffs of Moher on Friday afternoon. We are doing all we can to provide support to them following the shocking news of the accidental death of their son. "We are also reaching out to his fellow students, friends and staff here at Trinity supporting them during this distressing time. "We are working closely with the Indian Embassy and An Garda Siochana in doing so. Police in the North are appealing for information following an armed robbery in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim last night. At around 7.20pm, a man armed with a baseball bat entered a shop on Bridewell Drive and demanded cash and cigarettes. A man who almost died twice after being stabbed 17 times says he wants to become friends with his attacker after he received a letter of apology from him from prison. Kristian Shortt was left for dead when Kenneth Broe attacked him in an apartment in Letterkenny, Co Donegal. So bad were Mr Shortt's injuries that gardai could not tell if he was a man or a woman when they arrived at the bloodbath scene. Broe, from Tallaght in Dublin, was jailed last month at Letterkenny Circuit Court for eight years for the violent attack on Mr Shortt. But last week the knifeman wrote to his victim pleading for forgiveness and suggesting that they might even become friends one day. And remarkably, Mr Shortt, now 37, has now said he forgives his attacker and is looking forward to visiting him in prison. The court had heard how Broe had fled the scene of the attack on Main Street in Letterkenny in 2008 and was later caught in Monaghan in possession of 1,100 of cocaine. He initially tried to blame another man who was in the apartment at the time for the brutal attack. The trial of Broe, which initially took place last June, heard how he used a pair of scissors to attack his victim injuring him four times in the neck, three in the back of the head, three in the chest and also wounded him in the hands and back area. Shortt had been taken to Letterkenny General Hospital before being transferred to St Vincents Hospital in Dublin and spent two weeks in intensive care and underwent two life-saving operations. This week Broe blamed a blood transfusion which he said put him in fear that he had contracted CJD which he says later led him to suffer from depression. In the letter to Mr Shortt he says that he has become a changed person and wants to tell the man he almost killed how sorry he is for all he has done to Kristian and his family. He wrote "I'm sure you think that I am a bad person but I am actually a very decent person. I was down on my luck and I behaved terribly. "Now that the court is over I can finally move on if that makes sense and I expect that you feel the same. "The court has sentenced me and I have to serve my time but at least we have closure. I want you to know that I have always admired you for the way you turned your life around as I know you had your own problems. "You seem like a man of great character and strength and I always felt that me and you could have been good friends if it were not for what happened." Broe then offers his apology to his victim and says that in time he would like to speak with him face-to-face. He adds in the letter "I would also like to apologise to your family. I can only imagine the pain and upset I've caused them as well. "I do have intentions of speaking with you in time if that's ok with you. I feel it would be good to talk about it as there's only so much I can say in a letter. Obviously if you feel differently then I understand and I will not contact you again." Broe adds that he no longer needs medication in jail and that he had got his act together. He says he cannot change what happened between himself and Kristian but that he can only learn from it. "I am a completely different person than the one you met ten years ago," he pleads. And he adds "I do hope that you get closure Kristian and that you can find it in your heart to forgive me or maybe understand what was going on with me at the time." Broe finishes the letter by telling Kristian that if he has any more questions to get in touch. "Perhaps I am putting the cart before the horse but I do hope we can draw a line underneath this and move on with our lives," he adds. Giving his reaction to the letter, Mr Shortt said what his attacker has done in asking for forgiveness is a huge gesture. And he said that if a man like Ken Broe with a chequered criminal past can do it, then there is no reason why the Kinehans and Hutch families can't put down their arms. He said "Ken attempted to murder me in the most brutal and humiliating fashion by hacking me to death with a knife, which is even more brutal than what you see in Dublin these days from a quick bullet. Ken went all out to obliterate me in gory fashion. "He has been sentenced for the stabbing which runs concurrently to the extra 5 years he got for GBH on my body afterwards. "He has every reason to be engulfed with hate and despair, but within his letter, he is not. He wrote me a very poignant letter which apologises to me for putting me through what he did and he has also apologised to my family in his letter. He told me personal things and how he struggled with it all. In my eyes that takes great courage and conviction to do that. This apology was very moving for me to read, I let my mother read it and she was moved by it also, despite the fact that this man tried to brutally murder her son. "Unbeknownst to Ken, I had already written a letter which I intended to give to him in prison when I move to Dublin in the New Year. "And within my own letter I described to Ken that it takes men of character and true conviction to forgive somebody who tried to kill them, and without having yet delivered my letter to him, he writes this charismatic and touching letter to me apologising for the hurt he has caused. "If only the killers and the would-be killers in these Dublin gangs could read this and learn from our mistakes and realise that violence is NOT the answer, that killing people is wrong and what they are doing will achieve nothing but unhappiness, despair and misery for them and everybody around them. "They could learn from Ken and I, men who once stood in their positions, that we now have taken responsibility for our past and our wrongdoings and that is what now elevates us into the realms of real men, of real warriors. Both Ken and I, now realise that." Adding that he was "proud of Ken" for fighting his own demons, Mr Shortt said he forgave the man who almost killed him. "I forgive Ken Broe now of course, how could I not, because he has done something I feel is worthy of the Gods. He swallowed his biggest bullet and asked forgiveness of the man he tried to kill and forgiveness from his family. "I can say with the utmost sense of humility, that I am proud of Ken for fighting his own demons and rising up as a man to take responsibility for what he did in his past. "That is a powerful notion and symbol I think all criminals across Ireland, especially the gangs of Dublin, could learn such a valuable lesson from it, and to really really look at and consider all of this the next time they reach for their guns or their knives to do harm to others. "It takes the biggest and bravest of men to swallow their pride, take responsibility and do what Ken Broe has done here. And if his friends or family read this then I would hope they would pass on that message to him from me and I hope that they can be proud of him and visit him in prison over the next 10 years with that in their minds and hearts." There are warnings some restaurants will not be able to survive increased costs coming on stream this year. The Restaurants Association of Ireland says the increase in Vat, wage increases and other rising costs are creating a perfect storm for the sector. DIEPPE, N.B. - Police say a member of the RCMP fired their gun at a suspect who they allege "took actions threatening first responders" during an incident in Dieppe, N.B., on Saturday. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 6/1/2019 (890 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. RCMP officers investigate following an incident in Dieppe, N.B., in this Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019 handout photo. Police say a member of the RCMP fired their gun at a suspect who they allege "took actions threatening first responders" during an incident in Dieppe, N.B., on Saturday. Sgt. Nick Arbour declined to say if the 25-year-old Nova Scotian woman was shot, but confirmed that she was sent to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Wade Perry DIEPPE, N.B. - Police say a member of the RCMP fired their gun at a suspect who they allege "took actions threatening first responders" during an incident in Dieppe, N.B., on Saturday. Sgt. Nick Arbour declined to say if the 25-year-old Nova Scotian woman was shot, but confirmed that she was sent to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. An earlier release from the RCMP alleged that the woman had fired shots at first responders while they were attending a motor vehicle crash near the Moncton airport at around 2:30 p.m. Arbour said charges are "anticipated." Ron Legere, an investigator with Nova Scotia's Serious Incident Response Team, confirmed the agency is investigating the incident. SIRT is responsible for investigating all serious incidents including deaths, serious injuries and allegations of sexual assault involving police in Nova Scotia, though they are sometimes asked to help with investigations outside the province. Legere also remained tight-lipped about the specifics of the case, but said more information will be released as it becomes available. "It's still in the early stages of the investigation," he said Sunday. MONTREAL - Quebec's human rights commission is recommending a suburb south of Montreal pay four members of a black family $86,000 and implement anti-discrimination training for its police officers following an alleged incident of racial profiling. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 6/1/2019 (890 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Dominique Jacobs poses at her home in Greenfield Park, south of Montreal, Sunday, January 6, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes MONTREAL - Quebec's human rights commission is recommending a suburb south of Montreal pay four members of a black family $86,000 and implement anti-discrimination training for its police officers following an alleged incident of racial profiling. The family members had filed complaints against the city of Longueuil and two of its police officers, alleging they were mistreated during a police intervention in Nov. 2013. The commission's written decision alleges hat one of the two officers used "excessive and unjustified force" in stopping the then-17 and 19-year-old complainants as they walked away from a bus station in Brossard, on Montreal's South Shore. "They grabbed them, threw them against the police car, handcuffed and searched them, before even informing them of the reason for intercepting them," reads a summary of facts presented in the commission's decision. The complainants said they were the only black people who were present, and that others who behaved in a similar manner were not treated the same way. The documents suggest the two police officers decided to stop the teens because they were standing apart from the crowd and because the bus stop is a known drug trafficking location. The city of Longueuil did not immediately respond for a request for comment on the claims, none of which have been proven in court. The commission also suggested compensation for the 17-year-old's mother and her partner, who complained that the two officers entered their home without permission and treated them disrespectfully following the interaction with the teens. The mother, Dominique Jacobs, said she still remembers when the police banged on her door at 1:30 a.m., demanding her son's identification. She said the officers swore when she asked why her son was arrested, and later laughed at her partner when he asked for their badge numbers. Jacobs said the officers eventually told her that her son had been stopped for jaywalking. "We were treated disrespectfully. I was treated disrespectfully, not just because I'm black but maybe because I'm a woman too," Jacobs said in a phone interview. "It was disgusting." In all four complaints, the commission found there was enough evidence of racial discrimination to recommend compensation, and to follow that up with legal action if the resolution is unsatisfactory. It recommended compensation of $29,000 for each of the two teens and $14,000 for Jacobs and her now ex-boyfriend. It also suggested the force adopt measures to fight discrimination, including more training for officers and gathering data on the racial background of people who are arrested. Because of a deadline for filing suit, the commission decided to immediately submit the case to the Quebec Human Rights Tribunal, a court body that has the power to order a defendant to pay compensation, according to the Center for Research-Action on Race Relations. While she'd like to win her case, Jacobs said she's hoping above all that it leads to better training for police officers in order to combat discrimination and racial bias. "I want them to learn, to understand, to be taught, and that's really what I'm hoping for," she said. Supporters of an Indigenous camp blocking access to a planned pipeline in northern British Columbia say they are anticipating RCMP action over an injunction filed against them. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 6/1/2019 (890 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A sign for a blockade check point by the Gidimt'en clan of the Wet'suwet'en First Nation is shown in this undated handout photo posted on the Wet'suwet'en Access Point on Gidumt'en Territory Facebook page. Supporters of an Indigenous camp blocking access to a planned pipeline in northern British Columbia say they are anticipating RCMP action over an injunction filed against them. Jennifer Wickham, a member of the Gidimt'en clan of the Wet'suwet'en First Nation, said on Sunday that police have gathered in Smithers and Houston, B.C., which are the closest towns to the Gidimt'en checkpoint. TransCanada has said it has signed agreements with all First Nations along its Coastal GasLink pipeline route to LNG Canada's $40 billion liquefied natural gas project in Kitimat, B.C. But Wickham says the company does not have the authority to build through Wet'suwet'en territory because the house chiefs, who are hereditary chiefs rather than elected band council leaders, have not given consent. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Facebook, Wet'suwet'en Access Point on Gidumt'en Territory Supporters of an Indigenous camp blocking access to a planned pipeline in northern British Columbia say they are anticipating RCMP action over an injunction filed against them. Jennifer Wickham, a member of the Gidimt'en clan of the Wet'suwet'en First Nation, said on Sunday that police have gathered in Smithers and Houston, B.C., which are the closest towns to the Gidimt'en checkpoint. "They have a charter bus, RV, and what seems to be a tactical vehicle," she said. TransCanada has said it has signed agreements with all First Nations along its Coastal GasLink pipeline route to LNG Canada's $40 billion liquefied natural gas project in Kitimat, B.C. But Wickham says the company does not have the authority to build through Wet'suwet'en territory because the house chiefs, who are hereditary chiefs rather than elected band council leaders, have not given consent. "Our traditional governance system is separate, and that is who has jurisdiction over the house territories and clan territories," she said. RCMP said in a statement Sunday morning that while it is responsible for enforcing the injunction order, its top priority is safety. "In planning for the enforcement of this injunction, police are taking the remote location of the Morice River Bridge into account and will be ensuring that enough police officers will be present in the area to keep the peace and ensure everyones safety," the force said. "The primary concerns of the police are public safety, police officer safety, and preservation of the right to peaceful, lawful and safe protest, within the terms set by the Supreme Court in the injunction." On Dec. 14, the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs issued a statement saying they were deeply concerned by the National Energy Board's decision denying their request to participate in a jurisdictional challenge to the permits issued to TransCanada's Coastal GasLink pipeline project, which would cross Wet'suwet'en territories. While members of another Wet'suwet'en house, the Unist'ot'en of the Gilseyhu clan, erected a camp and checkpoint in the area of the planned pipeline years ago, the Gidimt'en gate was erected 20 kilometres away in December. "We wanted to show that even though the Unist'ot'en and Gidimt'en are from separate clans, all the chiefs have been opposed to pipelines in our territories for years and years and years," Wickham said. "Unist'ot'en has been holding that responsibility all by themselves, so the (Gidimt'en) chief decided it was time for all of us to physically show our support." In an amended injunction order filed Friday, a B.C. Supreme Court justice said the defendants which include anyone "occupying, obstructing, blocking, physically impeding or delaying access" in the area have until Jan. 31 to file a response to Coastal GasLink's injunction application. In the meantime, the order says they are prohibited from physically interfering with or impeding any person or vehicle trying to access the area or carrying on pipeline business, including pre-construction and construction activities. The defendants are also prohibited from threatening, intimidating or getting within 10 metres of anyone actively working on the project. TransCanada spokesman Terry Cunha said on Sunday the company is not asking for the camp to be dismantled, only for access to the construction area. "The camp established next to the bridge will remain as is. In fact, we see no reason why the camp cannot continue with its activities. We simply need to use the public bridge to access our pipeline right of way," Cunha said in an email. When the company announced the agreements with First Nations elected councils in September, it also said it would continue holding discussions with some hereditary governance groups. LNG Canada announced on Oct. 2 that its joint venture participants had taken a positive investment decision to construct the Kitimat export facility. B.C. Premier John Horgan said LNG Canada's decision ranked on the historic scale of a "moon landing," emphasizing just how much the project means to an economically deprived region of the province an estimated $23 billion in provincial revenue. In a notice of civil claim filed Nov. 23, Coastal GasLink says construction on the pipeline is scheduled to begin this month for completion in 2021. "Coastal GasLink has project agreements with all 20 elected Indigenous bands along the length of the project in British Columbia," the company said in the court document. The company has tried to begin work in an area only accessible by the Morice Forest Service Road, but has been prevented from doing so by the demonstrators, it said. "A small delay in completing the work could contribute to a significant overall delay for the project," it says. Around 2012, the Unist'ot'en camp set up a blockade by constructing a gate and other obstacles to the area, and a second gate has been constructed recently at the Morice River Bridge, it said. Coastal GasLink was most recently prevented from accessing the area on Nov. 20, it said. In a statement posted on its website, the Unist'ot'en camp issued an international call to action for the Gidimt'en access checkpoint and at least 17 events had been organized by Sunday afternoon. The statement describes potential RCMP action as "an act of war," pointing to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which says Indigenous peoples shall not be forcibly removed from their territories. "We are now preparing for a protracted struggle. The hereditary chiefs of the Wet'suwet'en and the land defenders holding the front lines have no intention of allowing Wet'suwet'en sovereignty to be violated," it said. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 5/1/2019 (891 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us Motorists honked their horns and a small group of supporters held up placards as dozens of trucks rolled through Brandon Saturday afternoon. Dozens of truckers had converged on the outskirts of Virden earlier to take part in the yellow vest protest convoy to show their frustration over a number of issues, including the Liberal governments policies they say hurt the oil industry, carbon taxes and illegal immigration. The convoy was often split as trucks waited at intersections to proceed, but their enthusiasm didnt wane, and their horns blared as they rolled down Victoria Avenue, then headed north on 18th Street back to the Trans-Canada Highway. As he waited at the staging area for the convoy to begin, Damen MacGillivray, a Brandon wealth-management consultant, said he organized the protest convoy to draw attention to federal government policies that have had a negative effect on Canadians. "These policies just dont help the average person," he said, pointing to the carbon tax, designed to cut carbon emissions, as one example. "Is the solution more taxation? Personally, I dont think so." As the rumble of diesel engines grew louder, MacGillivray said many of the truckers in the convoy depend on the oil industry for their livelihoods, and they blame the government for their woes. See Mondays newspaper for the full story. brobertson@brandonsun.com Twitter: @BudRobertson4 Motorists honked their horns and a small group of supporters held up placards while as many as 200 trucks rolled through Brandon Saturday afternoon. The truckers had converged on the outskirts of Virden earlier to take part in the yellow vest protest convoy to show their frustration over a number of issues, including the Liberal governments policies they say hurt the oil industry, carbon taxes and illegal immigration. The convoy was often split as trucks waited at intersections to proceed, but their enthusiasm didnt wane, and their horns blared as they rolled down Victoria Avenue, then headed north on 18th Street back to the Trans-Canada Highway. As he waited at the staging area for the convoy to begin, Damen MacGillivray, a Brandon wealth-management consultant, said he organized the protest convoy to draw attention to federal government policies that have had a negative effect on Canadians. "These policies just dont help the average person," he said, pointing to the carbon tax, designed to cut carbon emissions, as one example. "Is the solution more taxation? Personally, I dont think so." As the rumble of diesel engines grew louder, MacGillivray said many of the truckers in the convoy depend on the oil industry for their livelihoods, and they blame the government for their woes. See Mondays newspaper for the full story. brobertson@brandonsun.com Twitter: @BudRobertson4 Submit your letter to the editor for publication in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Letters should be no more than 300 words and must include the writer's first and last name (no initials), home address and daytime phone number. Submit Welcome Guest! You Are Here: About Me Scott Because prophetic scriptures are found throughout the bible, it is obvious that a comprehensive, systematic approach would be useful, if not necessary, for the understanding of prophecy. Past prophecies have been fulfilled in a literal manner, as confirmed by the dating of these writings and historical records of confirmation. These past prophecies also serve as a model of how to interpret future prophecies. A literal view of prophecy clearly indicates a certain sequence of events will occur within a single generation, concluding with the Tribulation and Second Advent and these events will be obvious. The prophetic signs appear to be present in this generation and we believe these signs are revealed in the news from around the world. View my complete profile Reciba en su email: noticias de ultima hora, analisis tecnicos o el cierre de mercado Email no valido 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 SIGN UP TO GET BLACKLISTED NEWS DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR INBOX Enter your email address: The increase in life expectancy has led to a new set of medical disorders which are called as Aging related Degenerative Diseases Medica Superspecialty Hospital in association with Kings College, London and UK-based Britannia Pharmaceuticals, has launched a revolutionary treatment that will change the way Parkinsons disease is being treated in eastern India. Apomorphine Pen & Pump is the treatment that will radically change the life of a Parkinsons patient. Dr Sunandan Basu, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Medica Superspecialty Hospital said, Apomorphine is a highly selective Dopamine receptor emulator, which promotes the release of Dopamine in the brain from the nerve cells. While explaining further, Prof Kalyan Bhattacharya, Consultant Parkinsons Disease and Movement Disorders Specialist, Medica Superspecialty Hospital said, DBS was not a choice for all ages & stages of Parkinsons disease. Hence there were limitations and there was a need for therapeutic options in moderately advanced Parkinsons disease. Dr. Laxmi Narayan Tripathy, Senior Vice Chairman; Director and Senior Consultant, Neuro & Spine Surgeon, Medica Superspecialty Hospital said, Apomorphine is a wonderful option in treating Parkinsons disease especially in advanced disease. Dr. Alok Roy, Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, We are privileged to have Kings College, London and Britannia Pharmaceuticals, with us for the launch of Apomorphine PEN & PUMP. We wish to transfer the benefits of this medicines to our patients in eastern part of India. Dr. Vinod Metta, Consultant Interventional Neurologist, Kings College Hospital, London, & Medical advisor to Britannia Pharmaceuticals India, told that, Apomorphine pens work dramatically on patients within a couple of minutes and are very similar to usage to that of Insulin Pens. Prof. Kallol Ray Chaudhuri, Director of National Parkinsons Foundation Center, Kings College, United Kingdom, feels that It was indeed a long overdue for Indian patients and these therapies will add significantly to the benefit of patient care and reducing caregiver burden. Constantino Savinnidis, International lead & Business Director, Britannia Pharmaceuticals, UK, concluded: Thanks are due in no small amount to the management team of Medica for inviting us today and it is a great privilege for us to collaborate with Medica Hospitals along with academic partner Kings College Hospital, London. It is a great honour for us to deliver Apomorphine pump and pen through Medica Hospitals for deserving patients in the entire eastern region. The increase in life expectancy has led to a new set of medical disorders which are called as Aging related Degenerative Diseases. Among these disorders Alzheimer's and Parkinsons disease are important. Parkinsons disease is characterized by slowness, stiffness and tremors, the treatment for which is either oral medical treatment or expensive surgical options like Deep brain stimulation (DBS), a neurosurgical procedure involving the implantation of a medical device sometimes referred to as a brain pacemaker. 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. President Donald Trumps national security adviser says the US military withdrawal from Syria will only happen once the remnants of the Islamic State group are defeated. John Bolton added that Turkey needed to assure the safety of Kurdish fighters allied with the United States in the area. Mr Bolton, who is in Israel to reassure the US ally of the Trump-ordered withdrawal, says there is no timetable for the pull-out of American forces in north-eastern Syria, but insists it is not an unlimited commitment. There is no change to the US position against the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime - any further use will be met by a swift, strong response. John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) January 6, 2019 Mr Bolton said on Sunday that the timetable flows from the policy decisions that we need to implement. His comments mark the first public confirmation the withdrawal has been slowed, as President Trump faced widespread criticism from allies and the resignation of Defence Secretary Jim Mattis for a policy that was to have been conducted within weeks. President Trump announced in mid-December that the US will withdraw all of its 2,000 forces in Syria. His move has raised fears over clearing the way for a Turkish assault on Kurdish fighters in Syria who fought alongside American troops against IS extremists. Turkey considers the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units, or YPG, a terrorist group linked to an insurgency within its own borders. Mr Bolton, who is to travel on to Turkey on Monday, said the US is insisting that its Kurdish allies in the fight against the Islamic State group are protected from any planned Turkish offensive. He is to deliver a warning to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this week. We dont think the Turks ought to undertake military action thats not fully coordinated with and agreed to by the United States, Mr Bolton said. President Trump has stated that he would not allow Turkey to kill the Kurds, Mr Bolton said. Thats what the president said, the ones that fought with us. Mr Bolton said the US has asked its Kurdish allies to stand fast now and refrain from seeking protection from Russia or Syrian President Bashar al-Assads government. He said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Joseph Dunford would continue negotiations with his Turkish counterparts this week to seek protection for Americas Kurdish allies in Syria. He added that Ambassador Jim Jeffrey, who has been serving since August as the special representative for Syrian engagement and was named last week as the American special envoy for the anti-Islamic State coalition, would travel to Syria this week in an effort to reassure the USs Kurdish allies that they are not being abandoned. Mr Bolton said US troops would remain at the critical are of al-Tanf, in southern Syria, to counter growing Iranian activity in the region. He defended the legal basis for the deployment, saying it is justified by the presidents Constitutional authority, adding Im a strong believer in Article II. The Democratic Republic of Congos government has postponed the release of the results of last weekends presidential election, fuelling suspicions President Joseph Kabilas ruling party is trying to cling to power. No new date for announcing the winner of the December 30 election was given. Electoral officials have compiled 53% of the votes and will not release any information until all the ballots have been tallied, said Corneille Nangaa, head of the electoral commission. We handle sensitive data and have to handle it responsibly, he said. Expand Close DR Congolese President Joseph Kabila casts his vote (Jerome Delay/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp DR Congolese President Joseph Kabila casts his vote (Jerome Delay/AP) He asked Congos people to remain patient. We are aware this process has always been surrounded by distrust, he said, referring to calls from the Catholic Church, the African Union, the US and other diplomats for the government to announce accurate results. Mr Kabila, who is stepping down after 18 years in power, had delayed the election for two years. The postponement in announcing the winner was seen by some Congolese as part of an effort by Mr Kabilas party to manipulate the results in order to claim victory. The Catholic Church, an influential voice in the heavily Catholic nation, turned up the pressure by saying it already knows there is a clear victor, based on data compiled by the churchs 40,000 election observers. Expand Close Ruling party presidential candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary (Jerome Delay/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ruling party presidential candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary (Jerome Delay/AP) Because Congos regulations say only the electoral commission can announce election results, the church did not name the winner. Congos ruling party, which backs Kabilas preferred candidate, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, called the churchs statement irresponsible and anarchist. The leading opposition candidate is Martin Fayulu, a businessman and politician. This could be Congos first democratic, peaceful transfer of power since independence from Belgium in 1960. For the past week, the government cut off internet access across the vast Central African country to prevent any speculation on social media about who won. The government has also blocked transmissions from Radio France International, which was alleged to have speculated on the winner, and revoked the press credentials of RFIs correspondent. Expand Close Congolese police officers rest as results are counted (Jerome Delay/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Congolese police officers rest as results are counted (Jerome Delay/AP) Election observers and the opposition have raised concerns about voting irregularities, including the governments decision to bar one million voters in eastern Congo from casting ballots because of what it said was the Ebola outbreak in the region. Eastern Congo is known as a centre of the opposition. Western observers were not invited to watch the balloting, and the US has threatened sanctions against those who undermine the democratic process. While Congo was largely calm during and after the voting, President Donald Trump said about 80 military personnel and combat equipment had been deployed to neighbouring Gabon to protect American citizens and diplomatic facilities in Congo. Expand Close DR Congolese opposition presidential candidate Martin Fayulu (Jerome Delay/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp DR Congolese opposition presidential candidate Martin Fayulu (Jerome Delay/AP) Ahead of the vote, the US ordered non-emergency government employees and family members to leave the country. At stake is a vast country rich in the minerals that power the worlds mobile phones and laptops, yet desperately underdeveloped. Some 40 million people were registered to vote. Mr Kabila, who took office in 2001 after his father was assassinated, is constitutionally barred from serving three consecutive terms but has hinted he may run again in 2023. That has led many Congolese to suspect he will rule from the shadows if Mr Shadary takes office. This photo provided by the FBI shows Jamal al-Badawi (FBI/AP) An American airstrike killed an al Qaida operative accused of involvement in the attack nearly two decades ago on the USS Cole that killed 17 sailors, a US military source has confirmed. The man targeted, Jamal al-Badawi, was wanted for his role in the attack on October 12 2000. The spokesman for US Central Command, Navy Captain William Urban, said the military has confirmed through a deliberate assessment process that al-Badawi was killed on January 1 in the strike east of Sanaa, the Yemeni capital. President Donald Trump tweeted that Our great military has delivered justice for the heroes lost and wounded in the cowardly attack on the USS Cole. The Cole was attacked by suicide bombers in an explosives-laden boat while refuelling at the Yemeni port of Aden. Police outside the address in Farnham (Lizzie Roberts/PA) A man has been charged with murdering devoted family man Lee Pomeroy in an attack on a train. Darren Shane Pencille, 35, will appear in court on Monday accused of attacking the father as he travelled between Guildford and London with his son, British Transport Police (BTP) said. He was also charged with possessing an offensive weapon, while 27-year-old Chelsea Mitchell was charged on Sunday with assisting an offender. A man has been charged with the murder of Lee Pomeroy following an investigation at #Horsley station. A 27-year-old woman has been charged with assisting an offender. They've been remanded in custody to appear at Staines Magistrates' Court tomorrow. https://t.co/Cp8MqqXcAw pic.twitter.com/1P8BTDlDrM British Transport Police (@BTP) January 6, 2019 The pair, whose addresses were given as Willbury Road, Farnham, will appear at Staines Magistrates Court. Mr Pomeroy, who lived in Guildford and owned an IT firm, was travelling with his 14-year-old son on Friday afternoon when he was attacked. A police manhunt led them to a flat in Willbury Road on Saturday morning and they made two arrests. Expand Close Police outside the address in Farnham (Lizzie Roberts/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police outside the address in Farnham (Lizzie Roberts/PA) The 51-year-old father, who would have celebrated his birthday on Saturday, was described by his family as an honourable man and would always help somebody who was in trouble. In a statement, the family portrayed him as a cultured man, who loved his 50-year-old wife Svetlana Pomeroy. He was a devoted family man and did everything for his family, they said. Mr Pomeroy and his son boarded the 12.58pm train service between Guildford and London Waterloo at London Road station on Friday afternoon. Police believe a brief row broke out leading to Mr Pomeroys death. Both suspects will appear in court in custody. The long-term plan will be launched on Monday by NHS England (PA) A new 10-year plan for the NHS will cut waste and focus spending on patients, Theresa May promised. The Prime Minister said the NHS long-term plan will help secure the future of the health service, with measures to support people at all stages of life from birth to old age. But the Government was under pressure to set out how it will recruit extra staff to ease the strain on the NHS and address the harsh realities faced by workers. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said England already needed an extra 40,000 nurses. The long-term plan will be launched on Monday by NHS England and Mrs May said it would be a historic step for the health service. The Prime Minister, who has promised an extra 20.5 billion a year for the NHS by 2023-24, said the plan would ensure that every pound is spent in a way that will most benefit patients to relieve pressure on the system. Measures include: Greater support for 350,000 children and young people and 380,000 adults with mental health conditions Expanding the use of personal health budgets and giving people more say over their care as they age Giving patients digital access to their GP, including being able to make appointments, manage prescriptions and view health records online Improving maternity safety and giving greater mental health support to new parents Cutting waste, including back office savings of more than 700 million across the NHS. We've provided A420m to support the NHS through more hospital beds, social care packages and ambulances to ensure it is better equipped for the winter months. Through our #NHSLongTermPlan, we will deliver a health service that's fit for the future. pic.twitter.com/I0DOzaPzs2 Theresa May (@theresa_may) January 3, 2019 Mrs May acknowledged that the extra money for the NHS means less room for manoeuvre for other areas of public spending. But writing in the Mail on Sunday, she said her own experience as a Type 1 diabetic reinforced the view that it was the right decision to make. Even with the full control of our money that Brexit will deliver, this commitment means we will have less room for manoeuvre in other areas. But when I visit hospitals and meet the NHS staff who devote themselves unsparingly to the care of their patients, when I talk to people who owe their lives to the treatment they have received from their local hospital or GP, and when I reflect on the debt that I owe to an NHS that has helped me every step of the way as I live my life with Type 1 diabetes I am in no doubt that it was the right decision. She said the aim of the plan was to provide the best possible care for every major condition, from cradle to grave. The Prime Minister said: The NHS has always been the countrys most beloved public service there to provide outstanding care to us all whenever it is needed. The launch of the NHS long-term plan marks an historic step to secure its future and offers a vision for the service for the next 10 years, with a focus on ensuring that every pound is spent in a way that will most benefit patients. This will help relieve pressure on the NHS while providing the basis to transform care with world-class treatments. Backed by our record investment of 20.5 billion a year in real terms by 2023/24, this shows what we can achieve with a strong economy and a focus on peoples priorities. The Government has promised to recruit tens of thousands more doctors, nurses and other health professionals but its full workforce plan is not expected until later this year. If the NHS is to better meet the needs of patients and the public it must recognise the value of the highly skilled and qualified nursing workforce and the harsh realities on the NHS frontlineDame Donna Kinnair, RCN Dame Donna Kinnair, the acting chief executive and general secretary of the RCN welcomed the long-term plan but said: When existing services are already under strain, NHS staff are waiting for a further plan to address the extra staff needed to keep care at the highest quality. The NHS in England is already short of more than 40,000 nurses and the figure is rising. NHS England and the Government must urgently address these chronic shortages to make the plan the success it deserves to be. If the NHS is to better meet the needs of patients and the public in these important areas of mental illness, cancer and long-term conditions, it must recognise the value of the highly skilled and qualified nursing workforce and the harsh realities on the NHS frontline. A family is celebrating after fraught hours where a 17-month-old girl was snatched along with the car she was sat in by a man who pretended to be buying the vehicle over Gumtree. Maria Tudorica was abducted by the man who made a getaway in the Audi A5 from a street in Manor Park, east London, at about 4.40pm on Sunday while she was in a passenger seat. Expand Close Maria Tudorica was inside her fathers car when it was stolen (Metropolitan Police/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Maria Tudorica was inside her fathers car when it was stolen (Metropolitan Police/PA) The car was ditched without the child as police searched frantically, but police said at about 8pm that she had been found safe and well. Her car trader uncle, Gheorghe Stelica, told the Press Association he felt born again after learning she had been located. I feel over 1,000-times reliefGheorghe Stelica, the girl's uncle Earlier that day, he had asked his brother, 35-year-old Claudia Stelica, who is Marias father, to show the car to the prospective buyer as a favour because he was out of London. I put the car on sale today and one guy called me on my phone, the trader said. He didnt seem suspicious on the phone, he was talking very nicely. I said to him, If you dont want to wait for me, no problem. The father met the stranger outside his brothers home in Nine Acres Close and placed the girl in the black car as he demonstrated the engine. But then the supposed customer asked to try it. Expand Close The car drove off from Nine Acres Close in Newham (John Stillwell/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The car drove off from Nine Acres Close in Newham (John Stillwell/PA) He jumped up in the drivers side and boom straight away he went with the car, Gheorghe Stelica said. The family were in pieces. Teacher Nazneen Saleh, a 25-year-old visiting her parents in the street, said a woman she believed was Marias grandmother was in a frenzy. The car, listed on Gumtree for 4,650, was found abandoned in Hathaway Crescent but Maria, dressed in a white top and red bottoms, was absent. Scotland Yard, however, announced at 8pm that she had been found safe and well in the nearby Ruskin Avenue area. Delighted to report that missing child Maria Tudorica aged 17months has now been found safe and well in the Ruskin Avenue, E12 area. Thanks to media and all members of the public who have helped with this appeal. Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) January 6, 2019 God bless, the 25-year-old uncle told PA. I feel born again. He continued: I feel over 1,000-times relief. (My brother) hes happy. He thanks so much the police for their service. Police were yet to apprehend a suspect, who they described as a slim Asian man dressed in black clothing. Anyone with information should call the police or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday launched a slew of central government projects worth more than Rs 4,500 crore in Odisha and said these will also benefit lakhs of people in West Bengal and Jharkhand. Describing the projects as a new year gift for the people of Odisha to ensure speedy development of the state, Modi said: "these will benefit the people in three eastern states of Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand". Also Read: Kumbh Mela 2019: UP government allotted Rs 4,300 crore for infrastructure Affirming the Centre's commitment to strengthen infrastructure and connectivity in the country, mainly the eastern region, Modi said the focus is on boosting railway, airways and highway connectivity in Odisha. Enhanced connectivity will bridge the gap between the mineral belt and industrial units, the prime minister said adding "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas" is Centre's motto, as he launched the projects before addressing a BJP rally at Chhau Ground at Baripada in tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district. The projects were unveiled during Modi's second visit to the eastern state in less than a fortnight. He had unveiled a slew of projects in Bhubaneswar and addressed a BJP rally near Khurda town on December 24. The projects are -- road highways and transport, petroleum and natural gas, railways, culture, tourism and passport services. The prime minister launched four-laning of three major national highways in Odisha, a section of a key LPG pipeline and doubling of an important railway line. He also flagged off new passenger train on a route, unveiled a multi-modal logistics hub in Balasore and restoration and conservation of historical site of Haripurgarh. Foundation laying and inauguration of a host of projects by the prime minister comes ahead of general elections. Assembly election in Odisha is also due with Lok Sabha polls. During his last visit to Odisha on December 24, Modi had unveiled a number of projects worth more than Rs 14,500 crore in the state. Modi laid foundation stones for four-laning of the Rs 828.36 crore 43.2 km Rimuli-Koida section of NH 215, four-laning of 104.2 km of Singara-Binjabahal section of NH-6 at a project cost of Rs 1,313 crore, four-laning of 53.2 km of Koida-Rajmunda Section of NH-215 at a project cost of Rs 1,176.4 crore. Modi said the state's growth will be ensured by the quality and density of highway networks connecting key industrial hubs to move goods and services at an express pace. The prime minister also dedicated to the nation the Balasore-Haldia-Durgapur section of Paradip-Haldia-Durgapur LPG Pipeline of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. The 513-km Balasore-Haldia-Durgapur section, being built at a cost of Rs 1,080 crore, is part of the Paradip-Haldia-Durgapur LPG pipeline which is the first LPG pipeline laid by IOCL in Eastern India. The 670-km Paradip-Haldia-Durgapur line has been built at a cost of Rs 1,330 crore and will ensure uninterrupted supply to gas to Odisha and neighbouring states. Also Read: HRD introduces 70-point grading index to assess quality of school education in states Modi said these projects will generate a large number of employment opportunities besides improving the quality of people's life. Among the railway projects, Modi flagged off the second passenger train from Tatanagar to Badampahar. The Tatanagar-Badampahar railway line was laid in 1911 and only one train ran on the route. The second passenger train was flagged off on this historic line to benefit people of Badampahar who will now have rail-linkage to Howrah and Mumbai via Tatanagar for six days a week. Electrification of the line has also been sanctioned in 2018-19, officials said. Modi also dedicated the doubling of Naranpur-Basantpur and Chillikidara-Sagadapata rail line to the nation. Doubling of the 11.3 km Chillikidara-Sagadapata line and 9 km Naranpur-Basantpur line will connect the mineral-rich area of Keonjhar and Jajpur districts in Odisha and generate industrial revenue. The prime minister dedicated to the nation the multi-modal logistics park (MMLP) at Balasore built at a cost of Rs 25 crore which will have custom facilitation centre for export/import. It will have a custom bonded area of 38,325 sqm, one full-length rail line, two warehouses and road weighbridge, the officials said. This apart, Modi inaugurated the conservation and development works for Rasikaray Temple and the excavated structure at the ancient fort of Haripurgarh, which was the 14th-century stronghold of the Bhanja Dynasty of Mayurbhanj, officials said. Enhanced tourist facilities like drinking water, stone benches, sanitation and security facilities would boost tourism at Haripurgarh and add another feather to the rich bouquet of heritage tourism in Odisha, they said. In addition, passport sewa kendras were inaugurated at post offices in Bhadrak, Cuttack, Jajpur, Aska, Keonjhar and Dhenkanal. Currently, people have to go to the regional passport office at Bhubaneswar. Also Read: Draft IT rules will lead to censorship on social media: Experts Also Read: Govt ensuring airlines follow highest safety standards: Suresh Prabhu The Taoiseach is starting a trip to Africa with a series of engagements in Mali. The West African nation is the first stop on Leo Varadkars week-long trip to the continent, which will also include a visit to Ethiopia. Mr Varadkar is expected to meet Irish troops based in Africa during the trip, and visit a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camp. Junior Defence Minister Paul Kehoe is accompanying the Taoiseach to Mali. On Sunday, the pair will visit the EU Training Mission to Mali, where they will meet members of the Irish Defence Forces serving with the mission to improve the capacity of the Malian armed forces. A spokesman for Mr Varadkar said that from a security perspective, it is one of the most challenging missions for the Irish Defence Forces. During his visit, the Taoiseach will also meet Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. In Ethiopia, Mr Varadkars engagements will include a meeting with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Sahle-Work Zewde. He will also meet with a number of Irish NGOs operating in Ethiopia, attend a reception with the Irish community, and visit the Unesco world heritage site in Lalibela where he will launch a new partnership initiative on cultural heritage between the governments of Ireland and Ethiopia. Mr Varadkars trip will conclude with a visit to a refugee camp for Eritrean refugees, and to Irish Aid-funded projects in northern Ethiopia. Ireland has been operating a development programme in Ethiopia since 1994 in partnership with the nations government agencies and UN institutions. The programme is Irelands largest anywhere in the world, amounting to 30 million euro in 2018 and a planned 32 million euro in 2019. An Irish citizen is being held by a militia group involved in fighting Isis, it is being reported. Irish state broadcaster RTE has quoted Garda sources saying the individual is 45-year-old man who holds an Irish passport and lived and worked in the Republic for a number of years, and is being held in Syria. He left in 2013 to travel to the Middle East with his family. Gardai have said they were aware of the man in relation to monitoring his activity for sympathy towards radical causes. The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs said it had not received a request for consular assistance. A thief has made off empty handed after threatening to douse a north Belfast shop worker in acid. The attempted armed robbery happened at a commercial premises on the Oldpark Road in north Belfast on Saturday evening at around 7.15pm. A man entered the shop and asked a member of staff to open the till, at which point he produced a bottle of clear liquid and said it was acid, threatening to throw it over the female worker if she refused to open the till. The member of staff raised the alarm and the assailant left without anything, taking off in the direction of Oldpark Avenue. He is described as being around 30 years old, approximately 510 tall, of medium build, with dirty fair hair and a Southern Irish accent. He was wearing a black hooded jacket, grey track bottoms, black trainers with white soles and had a scarf partially covering his face. Detective Sergeant Dane is appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident or anyone with any information to contact Detectives in Musgrave Police Station on 101, quoting reference 978 05/01/19. Alternatively information can be given to independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Theresa May has warned the UK will be in uncharted territory if MPs do not back her Brexit plan. The Prime Minister, who is still seeking further guarantees from Brussels in an effort to win over critics ahead of the vote expected on January 15, warned Brexiteers they risked derailing the UKs departure from the European Union if they did not back her deal. And she again rejected calls for a second referendum, saying it would be disrespectful to people who voted for Brexit in 2016. As MPs prepare to return to Westminster with the crunch Commons vote looming on the Withdrawal Agreement thrashed out with Brussels, the Prime Minister said no alternative plan was able to respect the 2016 referendum result, protect jobs and provide certainty to citizens and businesses. Mrs May promised further measures specific to Northern Ireland and a greater role for Parliament, and said we are still working on getting extra assurances from Brussels as part of her drive to secure support for the deal. She repeatedly sidestepped questions about whether she would keep putting the deal back to MPs if it gets rejected, instead saying: If the deal is not voted on, this vote that is coming up, then actually we are going to be in uncharted territory. I dont think anybody can say exactly what will happen in terms of the reaction we will see in Parliament. She said Labour was playing politics and opposing any deal to create the greatest chaos possible. We have got people who are promoting a second referendum in order to stop Brexit, and we have got people who want to see their perfect Brexit. I would say dont let the search for the perfect become the enemy of the good because the danger there is that we end up with no Brexit at all. On her own future, Mrs May refused to put a timescale on her departure. I was clear before Christmas with my colleagues on two things: one, Im not going to call a snap election and secondly that Im not going to be leading the party into the 2022 general election. What colleagues have said they want me to do is to deliver Brexit, which is what I am working on doing and also deliver on the agenda I set out when I first became Prime Minister. Officially slated for the week of January 14, the Commons vote is expected to be held on Tuesday, January 15. Mrs May said it would be that sort of time. The coming days will show if this Government is made of the right stuffNigel Dodds, DUP Earlier, speaking to the Press Association in Los Angeles, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said: Parliament needs to understand that if were not able to come to Parliament and get a deal, then we may end up leaving the EU with no deal. Most people seem to say thats not what they want to see, well they better make up their minds before we get to a week on Tuesday because thats going to be a very key decision-making point. But the DUP whose 10 MPs Mrs May depends on for a majority remained implacably opposed to the deal and the toxic Irish backstop. Deputy leader Nigel Dodds said the Government must stand firm and set out a resolute red line to Brussels. The coming days will show if this Government is made of the right stuff, he said. "What's your feeling on a second referendum? Would you like to see one?" - Sophy #Ridge asks @BarryGardiner about the People's Vote, discussed by @ChukaUmunna earlier. Follow the show live here: https://t.co/LOaXgbZT8C pic.twitter.com/lWaUoG2MoR Trevor Phillips on Sunday (@RidgeOnSunday) January 6, 2019 Shadow international trade secretary Barry Gardiner suggested Labour could offer a referendum on a renegotiated Brexit deal. He said Labours plan remained to push for a general election if Mrs Mays deal was rejected, and we would set out what we would seek to negotiate in Europe to try and deliver. The reason Theresa May has had such a botched set of negotiations is because of her red lines, he told Sky News. If we as a new, incoming Labour government were to go to Europe without those red lines we know that we could get a different, better deal and thats what we want to try and achieve. At that stage it makes sense to go to the country and to say here we are, this is what we have managed to negotiate, this is the deal that we have managed to conclude because we dont have the same red lines as Theresa May, we think its a better way forward. "Can you as Health Secretary guarantee now that if a deal can't be reached people will get the medicine they need?" - Sophy #Ridge asks @MattHancock about the #NHSLongTermPlan, who is "confident" supplies will get through. Follow it live here: https://t.co/LOaXgbZT8C pic.twitter.com/HuQ9ayub2h Trevor Phillips on Sunday (@RidgeOnSunday) January 6, 2019 Meanwhile, Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said he was confident that medicine supplies would be unhindered in a no-deal scenario as long as the pharmaceutical industry took action. Asked if he could guarantee that no one would die as a result of a no-deal Brexit, Mr Hancock told Sky News Sophy Ridge On Sunday: Im confident that we will have the unhindered supply of medicines so long as the plans that we have in place are properly enacted. A man has sustained injuries to his feet and legs after a tent he was in was set on fire in Belfast. It happened in the Middlepath Street area in the east of the city, with the incident being reported to police shortly before 10.45pm. The victim, a man in his 20s, was sleeping in the tent when it caught fire. Detective Sergeant Dane said: "It is believed that the fire may have started sometime before 9.45pm. We are working to establish the cause of the fire and I am appealing for anyone who has any information that can assist with the investigation to contact detectives in Musgrave on 101 quoting reference 1215 05/01/19." Information can also be given to independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. The Royal Court of Jersey sanctioned Shire's proposed acquisition of Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Here's what you should know: 1. Takeda will close its acquisition Jan. 8. 2. Takeda is purchasing Shire for $62 billion. 3. The acquisition will make Takeda one of the world's most indebted pharmaceutical companies. The Ministry of Human Resource Development has introduced a 70-point grading index to assess the quality of school education offered by states. "We have decided that a state performance grading will be done wherein the states will be marked out of 1,000 scores on 70 parameters," HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters here. Also Read: Kumbh Mela 2019: UP government allotted Rs 4,300 crore for infrastructure This will give the correct picture of where every state stands. There will be a fair competition to improve each other's performances, he said. The ministry has also decided to print more books of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) as it said there were only 2 crore books two years ago. "This year, our target is to print 6 crore books. If parents want to send their wards to private schools, they have the right to get cheaper and quality books," Javadekar said. "The school curriculum will also be reviewed to ensure holistic education in which there will be time for physical education, value education, life skill education and experiential learning," he added. Also Read: PM Modi launches projects worth over Rs 4,500 crore in Odisha Also Read: Draft IT rules will lead to censorship on social media: Experts Also Read: Govt ensuring airlines follow highest safety standards: Suresh Prabhu N. TAZEWELL, VA Sherri Lee Bell, 67, of North Tazewell, VA, died Saturday, June 12, 2021 at her home. Born May 8, 1954 in Endicott, NY, she was a daughter of the late Pete Yarmy and Frances Harbst Yarmy. Sherri retired from Bluefield Regional Medical Center where she worked as a Phlebotomi The Californians Robert Price answers your questions and takes your complaints about our news coverage in this weekly feedback forum. Questions may be edited for space and clarity. To offer your input by phone, call 661-395-7649 and leave your comments in a voicemail message or email us at soundoff@bakersfield.com. Include your name and phone number; they wont be published. A Kansas man has pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and his wife to child cruelty in connection with the death of their infant son at House Education and the Workforce Committee member, Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wis., speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015, as House and Senate negotiators try to resolve competing versions of a rewrite to the No Child Left Behind education law. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) North Korea is getting increasingly angry at the US, as talks are deadlocked and tensions between the two countries are on the rise, a source familiar with the discussions told CNN. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House after meeting with lawmakers about border security, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, in Washington. Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu said on Saturday that the government is ensuring that all domestic carriers are in "conformity" with the highest safety standards, and the aviation regulator has been directed to carry out their safety audits on a regular basis. Prabhu's assertion came on a day when reports of a Pratt & Whitney engine of an IndiGo A320 neo plane stopping mid-air surfaced. Also Read: Kumbh Mela 2019: UP government allotted Rs 4,300 crore for infrastructure "As far as we are concerned, we are ensuring that all Indian carrier must conform to the highest safety standards. I have directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to conduct a safety audit of not only all the airlines but also of other organisations on a regular basis," Prabhu said at a media briefing here about the 25th edition of the CII Partnership Summit, to be held in the city from January 13. An IndiGo Airbus A320neo plane suffered a mid-air engine failure with a "loud bang" on January 3, forcing the aviation ministry to take a serious note of the incident. Prabhu said that two leading global aviation organisations - Federation Aviation Administration of the USA and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) -- have certified that India's safety apparatus has improved its performance, adding, "the domestic air passenger demand is growing at 20 per cent each month and we are seeing an increased number of passengers (every month)." He said the number of airports in the country has gone up to 101 from 67 five years ago. "We have a target of having another 100 airports with a USD 100 billion investment," he added. Responding to a question on whether the government was considering intervening by way of support to the domestic airlines which are in the red due to high costs and the lack of funds, Prabhu said in a deregulated sector like airlines it is the responsibility of the company to manage its affairs. India has recorded highest foreign direct investment, more than China, in this year, which is a landmark, he said, adding that the government is eyeing USD 100 billion FDI in the next two years. "And to achieve this, we are targeting specific sectors as well as companies," he added. Over 1,000 delegates from 40 countries are expected to participate in the two-day mega business event, which is being hosted for the first time in the state in association with the Ministry of Commerce and the Maharashtra Government. The theme for this year's summit is `New India: Rising to Global Occasions'. Also Read: HRD introduces 70-point grading index to assess quality of school education in states Also Read: PM Modi launches projects worth over Rs 4,500 crore in Odisha Also Read: Draft IT rules will lead to censorship on social media: Experts (CNN) -- A man faces a charge of capital murder in the shooting of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes, who was killed as she rode in a car with her family in Texas. Investigators identified Eric Black Jr., 20, as a suspect based on a tip. He was arrested and has admitted to taking part in the shooting, the Harris County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. "Investigators are continuing to pursue evidence that could possibly lead to other suspects being charged in this case," the statement said. "At this time, investigators do not believe Jazmine's family was the intended target of the shooting, and that they were possibly shot as a result of mistaken identity." Barnes was riding in a car with her mother, LaPorsha Washington of Houston, and three sisters on December 30 about 7 a.m. when a man drove up next to their vehicle and opened fire. Jazmine was fatally shot in the head. Washington, 30, was shot in the arm, while Jazmine's 6-year-old sister was hit by shattered glass. Jazmine's two teenage sisters were not harmed. Before the arrest, police had released a sketch of the suspect Thursday compiled from descriptions from Jazmine's mother and three sisters. At the time, authorities had said it showed a white man in his 40s. The Harris County Sheriff's Office tweeted Saturday night that their homicide investigation had taken a "new direction," without providing specifics. "Detectives are in the process of interviewing persons of interest. More details will be released as soon as possible." Attack 'was totally unprovoked' Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez has previously said that investigators believe the attack "was totally unprovoked." The girls were still in their pajamas, traveling to Joe V's Smart Shop to get supplies for breakfast. Washington said Jazmine would have celebrated her birthday next month. On Saturday, hundreds attended a rally outside the Walmart near the road where Jazmine was killed. A series of speakers, including members of Jazmine's family and community leaders, expressed dismay and shock at the murder of the young girl. "I'm telling you, every time I see one of y'all reach out for me, I can hold my head up," Jazmine's mother said. "I can get up in the morning." The impact of Jazmine's death has been felt far and wide, and supporters have come together to support the family. More than 2,700 people have donated to a GoFundMe account set up for Jazmine's funeral expenses and family. Houston Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins has said he'll donate his playoff game check to the family. Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins pledges playoff game paycheck to family of murdered 7-year-old DeAndre Hopkins, a star wide receiver with the Houston Texans, pledged Thursday to donate his playoff paycheck this week to the family of the late Jazmine Barnes, the 7-year-old who was killed in a drive-by shooting in Texas. Jazmine will also be remembered Tuesday during a "Justice for Jazmine Barnes Community Rally" honoring "all murdered victims in Houston/Harris County," according to organizers. Services for Jazmine are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday with a viewing at Green House International Church. Her funeral is at noon. Mourners plan to release purple balloons -- Jazmine's favorite color. Jazmine's father, Christopher Cevilla, this week thanked the countless supporters. He appealed to the public for information about the attack. "I just want anybody, whoever, out there that knows anything about the murder of my daughter, to just please step up as if it was your own," he said. "Just put yourself in my shoes, in my family's shoes." Rep. Steve Cohen has proposed two constitutional amendments, one that would abolish the Electoral College and another that would prohibit presidents from pardoning themselves, their families, members of their administration or their campaign staffs. (FILE) By Trend Presidents of Turkey and Russia Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin will hold a meeting in Russia in January, Trend reports Jan. 6 citing Turkish media. According to the report, the heads of state will discuss a wide range of issues, including the situation in Syria. The parties will also discuss the contract for the purchase by Turkey of anti-aircraft missile systems S-400 from Russia. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend A minibus with Azerbaijani citizens turned over in Russias Stavropol region, six people were injured, Trend reports referring to the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the region. "The information was obtained at 10:45 (GMT+3), the ministry said. According to the information, a Mercedes minibus transporting Azerbaijani citizens and running along the Azerbaijan-Moscow route overturned at the distance of one kilometer from the Levokum village. There were 13 people in the minibus. "According to the preliminary information, six people were injured. The injured were taken to the hospital of the Levokum district. There was no ignition, the road was not blocked," the ministry added. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Azerbaijan is a very active country in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and is respected for its activities in the union, Francois Rancy, director of ITU Radiocommunication Bureau, told Trend. Speaking of the broadcasting services of the ITU member countries, Rancy said that to use a frequency band, the countries have to agree upon it. "Azerbaijan needs to have an agreement with neighbors in order to use the 694-790 MHz frequency band for mobile. The discussions in this direction have been started. We held several meetings. We see that all CIS countries have recently agreed to start the discussions to use 694-790 MHz for mobile," he stressed. Answering the question if ITU has the legal mechanisms to resolve conflict issues related to TV broadcast intrusion, Rancy noted that the ITU can only coordinate the meetings between the interested parties. "The ITU can propose solutions, but can not enforce to do something," the director said. Azerbaijan has been elected to the Radio Regulations Board (RRB) of the ITU for the group of countries in the region C (Eastern Europe and Northern Asia). The elections were held as part of the ITU plenipotentiary conference in October in Dubai. Elections to the RRB were held for five regions. Azerbaijan entered the Council with 119 votes. Along with Azerbaijan, Romania (137 votes), Russia (136 votes), Poland (125 votes) and the Czech Republic (112 votes) also entered the ITU Council. The Plenipotentiary Conference is convened once every four years and is administered by the Governing Body. The conference is a supreme ITU body responsible for developing the organizations future policy. The general policy is determined during the conference, also the four-year strategic and financial plans are adopted, and the organizations top management, the members of the Council and the Radio Regulations Board are elected. ITU is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies ICTs. It allocates global radio spectrum and satellite orbits, develops the technical standards that ensure networks and technologies seamlessly interconnect and strives to improve access to ICTs to underserved communities worldwide. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Contrary to what you might have heard. Republicans largely stuck with Richard Nixon through most of the Watergate scandal despite the threat of impeachment. Photo: Wally McNamee/Corbis via Getty Images As impeachment fever again seizes certain elements of the Democratic Party, its a good time to remind ourselves how vanishingly scarce the odds are that such an effort will result in the removal of Donald Trump from office. The reason is extremely simple: Blocking a conviction for impeachable high crimes and misdemeanors requires a mere 34 senators. Between now and the 2020 elections 53 senators (barring resignations) will belong to the party of a president whose rank-and-file voters adore him despite massive evidence of his crudeness, corruption and moblike habits and associations. One can imagine vaguely that Robert Mueller or a congressional investigation will turn up malfeasance so gross that Senate Republicans will defect en masse. But theres little or no historical basis for believing thats going to happen in any realistic scenario. There have been two successful presidential impeachments in U.S. history (neither of which led to a Senate conviction), and one near-impeachment that produced a presidential resignation. In all three cases, Congress was controlled by the presidents opponents. Thats how things got as far as they did. Indeed, the main impetus for Andrew Johnsons impeachment in 1868 was his alleged betrayal of, and unambiguous split from, the Republican Party which had (under the guise of a wartime Union ticket) lifted him to the vice presidency. In 1966 Johnson campaigned (mostly unsuccessfully) for Democratic congressional candidates, even as he battled Congress through a long series of vetoes and refusals to implement what he considered to be unconstitutional laws. And so by the time Republicans moved to impeach him, he had functionally become a Democrat (as he had been his entire career up until 1864). The impeachment vote was on strict party lines, and every Senate Democrat (along with 10 Republicans) voted to acquit him. The atmosphere of polarization, which surely exceeded even todays, drove Democrats to stick with Johnson even though it did not have the power to save him. So, too, did Richard Nixons Republicans, until very late in the Watergate crisis when it was obvious he had cooked his own goose. And its noteworthy that the Republicans who defended him the longest were the very conservatives who had up until then so often deplored his ideological heresies such as wage and price controls, recognition of China and detente with the Soviet Union. As Jeet Heer observes: Prior to Watergate, Reagan had occasionally been critical of Nixon as being too liberal. But once the scandal broke, Reagan became Nixons most prominent supporter. This helped Reagan win the loyalty of many Republicans, who shared his dismay that Nixon was being maligned by the press and by politicians from both parties. In a look back at scandals affecting Nixon, Reagan and Bill Clinton, FiveThirtyEight concluded that core ideologues tend to become more, not less, loyal during crises: We went back and looked at key congressional votes during three relatively recent periods in which a president was accused of wrongdoing: Watergate (Richard Nixon), Iran-contra (Ronald Reagan) and the Monica Lewinsky scandal (Bill Clinton). Two trends stick out. First, partisanship still matters. And in a big way. Second, when defections do come, theyre more likely to come from the centrist wing of a party. While we tend to look back at Watergate and perceive a gradual national consensus over Nixons criminality, it came slowly to conservative Republicans, right up to and sometimes beyond the release of the smoking gun tape that proved Nixons complicity in the Watergate cover-up, which he had repeatedly denied. In the end only a minority of Republicans (mostly moderate-to-liberal Republicans) on the House Judiciary Committee voted for articles of impeachment, and soon the GOP was embroiled in a presidential nominating contest between the man (Reagan) who defended Nixon to the last ditch and the man (Ford) who pardoned him. The Republican impeachment of Bill Clinton was also the product of polarization, and despite widespread criticism of the president by fellow-Democrats for his behavior in the Lewinsky scandal, very few of them were willing to do more than censure him. Only five House Democrats (all outspoken conservatives) voted for articles of impeachment, and no Senate Democrats voted to convict him. So what lessons should we take from history about prospects to impeach and remove Trump? There are three: 1. barring some truly amazing revelation (maybe videotape of Donald Trump taking money from a Putin agent) a Republican-controlled Senate is not going to remove him from office; 2. conservative domination of the presidents party will increase its solidarity with him; and 3. the atmosphere of partisan and ideological polarization will make defections from Trump even less likely. Having said all that, theres a case to be made that House Democrats should impeach Trump even if they know for a fact it wont result in a conviction. Thats basically the calculation Republicans made in impeaching Clinton in December 1998. Indeed, they made that decision in the teeth of massive evidence that voters had just rejected impeachment in the November 1998 midterms. Democrats might proceed with impeachment to redeem campaign promises, to keep the party base energized, or simply because they believe its the right thing to do, and serves as a warning to future corrupt and conniving pols who aim high. But they should be aware that it is likely to increase rather than diminish Republican solidarity with Trump at both the elite and grassroots levels, and will end with Trump still in office (all the more because leaving it could expose him to criminal prosecution). And if it matters to them, theres absolutely nothing more polarizing than an effort to remove an elected president from office. By the time Andrew Johnson was acquitted in 1868, he was already on his way to a failed bid for the Democratic presidential nomination (itself an empty prize that year as Ulysses S. Grant swept to victory). Nixon and Clinton were in their second terms when efforts to remove them from office were undertaken. Its very unlikely that an impeachment drive against Trump will keep him from securing his partys presidential nomination a second time. How it would affect his standing in the 2020 general election should probably be a central question for Democrats as they ponder that dramatic step. By Trend Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 25 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Jan. 6, Trend reports. The Armenian armed forces were using heavy machine guns. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz In a lengthy and highly unusual letter to U.S. bishops on Thursday, Pope Francis wrote that the mounting child sex abuse crisis has jeopardized the Catholic Church's credibility. He lambasted church leaders for focusing "more on pointing fingers than on seeking paths of reconciliation. This has led to a growing sense of uncertainty, distrust and vulnerability among the faithful. As we know, the mentality that would cover things up, far from helping to resolve conflicts, enabled them to fester and cause even greater harm to the network of relationships that today we are called to heal and restore." Pope Francis in the letter to U.S. bishops Details: The 8-page letter comes as American bishops gather in Illinois for a retreat ordered by the Pope. It has a mix of spiritual inspiration and blunt criticism. Francis, who has himself faced criticism over his handling of some cases, did not issue any specific proposals. He wrote that theres an urgent demand for a "renewed and decisive approach to resolving conflicts," but said it "cannot be regained by issuing stern decrees or by simply creating new committees or improving flow charts, as if we were in charge of a department of human resources." "Let us be clear: many of those things are necessary yet insufficient, since they cannot grasp and deal with reality in its complexity; ultimately, they risk reducing everything to an organizational problem." What's next: AP reports that about 50 dioceses across the U.S. have released the names of more than 1,000 priests and others accused of sexually abusing children in the wake of August's shocking revelations from Pennsylvania. Over the next few months, 55 more are set to follow suit. Go deeper: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the Trump administration to recognize Israeli sovereignty in the occupied Golan Heights, which the international community regards as Syrian territory that has been under Israel's control since 1967's Six-Day War, after the U.S. military's pullout from Syria, an Israeli official tells me. The backdrop: Netanyahu already raised the issue several months ago in a meeting with President Trump and with other senior U.S. officials. At the time, the Trump administration was cool on the idea and didn't signal to Israel that it was seriously considering such a move as it was concerned by a possible harsh reaction from Russia, the main international player in Syria and a staunch ally of the Assad regime, which claims Israel must withdraw from the Golan Heights. Netanyahu decided to raise the issue again in the context of the U.S. pullout from Syria hoping for a diplomatic gesture from Trump. In the last few months, Republican Sens. Tom Cotton and Ted Cruz have both put forward bills calling on the administration to recognize Israel's sovereignty in the Golan Heights, though the White House has yet to take a position on the bills. Netanyahu raised the issue in his meeting today in Jerusalem with White House national security adviser John Bolton. In a press availability after the meeting, Netanyahu called the Golan Heights "tremendously important for our security." Go deeper: U.S. recognition of Israeli Golan Heights claim would raise hopes, pose risks Rolls-Royce is heading up the development of an aircraft that it says will set speed records for electric aircraft and further advance emission-free flight. The Accelerating the Electrification of Flight project (ACCEL) is taking shape in southern England and that shape looks a lot like the Nemesis NXT Relentless racing plane. Rolls-Royce is planning to exceed 300 MPH in the sleek low-wing to easily surpass Siemens existing record of 210 MPH. The flight is planned for 2020. While the record is the nominal goal of the flight, there are some important technology advancements that are taking place in support of the speed project. Rolls-Royce says the aircraft will have the most energy-dense battery pack designed for an aircraft that will give the engine a 1,000 horsepower maximum output and a range of about 200 miles. Its made up of 6,000 cells. The similarity to Relentless is driven by the same design factors that faced Kevin Eldredge in building a racing plane with a big heavy engine in a lightweight airframe. Although the batteries are as light as possible, they still weigh a lot and the weight and balance considerations dictate the long nose with a cockpit toward the aft. The British government is kicking in funding and U.K. firms YASA and Electroflight are also involved in the project. VTOL kWh kW But as we stepped into the second decade of the 21 century, the rise of the drones ormachines opened up new exploration paths for those attempting to make personal flight devices a reality. Weve already witnessed a wide range of such drone-powered contraptions take off all around the world, only to land and then be forgotten.There are few innovators however that came together and are now trying to kickstart this new segment of the transportation industry. Such a gathering of minds goes by the name of Hoversurf USA.Founded by Russian national Alex Atamanov, the company took it upon itself to create what may become the worlds first mass-marketed flying bike. The technology developed by the company has grown over the years to become a machine called Hoverbike S3.In 2017, Hoverbike delivered to the Dubai police the first Hoverbikes, with which officers began training last year . Plans are for the bike to be sold on the open market as well starting 2019, so we thought to give you a first detailed look at the contraptions youre likely to see humming above your car in the months ahead.The Hoverbike S3 is one of the tools people could be able to use in the not so distant future to get around by flying rather than driving. It is a motorbike-like construction allowing only one person to ride it at a time, or that can be used simply as a drone.The machine features a carbon monocoque and a platform that houses four propellers mounted on beams, the bikes computer and the battery pack.The monocoque is made of carbon fiber and comes as a single element. This is needed for the Hoverbike to gain stiffness while reducing the weight of the entire machine to only 114 kg (253 pounds). On the monocoque sits the adjustable pilot's seat with the arm-adjustable joysticks and dashboard.Power for the Hoverbike comes from a 12.3battery that can hold enough electricity to keep it going for about 40 minutes in drone mode. When a human rides it, that time drops to only 10 to 25 minutes, depending on the weight of the rider and the weather conditions. The battery can be recharged by means of a portable charging system in about 2.5 hours.The battery of the Hoverbike sends its power to the four motors fitted onto the contraption. The motors have a power rating of 33each, all of it used to spin the 3-bladed carbon propellers. Combined, the propellers give a total thrust of 364 kg (802 pounds).The battery-motors-propeller combo is powerful enough to allow for a lift of the hoverbike to a height of 5 meters (16 feet). Thats the factory-set altitude, but Hoversurf says thats really up to the riders, who can adjust that limit to whatever makes them comfortable.Once it the air, the hoverbike can reach a top speed of 96 km/h (60 mph or 52 knots). While in the air, the stability of the Hoverbike is insured by means of the machines design and the onboard computer. An all-weather LIDAR is fitted to help with navigation.Should anything go wrong while it is in operation, the Hoverbike relies on three security systems. The first is electronic and allows for emergency landing, provides sound and visual warnings, and conducts anti-interference screening.The mechanical safety system is simply a kill switch meant to shut down the Hoverbike.In case it actually comes down crashing, some of the passive safety systems included could help save lives and property: deformation zones, power fences, and protective elements for the pilot.As said, the Hoverbike is currently deployed in Dubai, where the local police are training to use it. As of this year, sales to civilians in the U.S. will start, but they too will have to train before getting on one.The Hoverbike does not come cheap. Each one will cost $150,000 and will require training to operate, not to mention the fact that legislation governing the operation of such machines is at the time murky at best. Hoversurf offers potential customers a training package that comes at an additional cost of $10,000. For that, customers will get an airplane ticket to the companys facility in Watsonville, CA, 3-night accommodation and a 3-day training course in the operation of the Hoverbike. As a bonus, a flight suit is also included. Favorite Podcasts Recommendations from the AskMen Team Here Are the Podcasts Our Editors Cant Stop Raving About Theres something special about looking back at a year gone by and recollecting all the events that took place over the last 12 months, from the cities you visited and the goals you accomplished to the items you bought and podcasts you listened to. Wait, you dont reflect on your podcast activity of the past year before heading into the unknown of the new year ahead? Well, call us crazy, but if you arent assessing your favorite podcasts of the year, you should definitely start, if only to revisit a few favorite episodes. RELATED: Learn About Love and Relationships by Listening to These Podcasts Listening to podcasts is one of our favorite pastimes, keeping us entertained on subway commutes and motivated during morning runs. Thanks to the seemingly endless stream of options, there is practically a show out there to fit every mood or activity. On the downside, having so many options can be incredibly intimidating and makes it all the more difficult to decipher whats worth listening to. So how does one go about finding the cant-miss podcasts you somehow did manage to miss? Well, thats where we come in. You can think of us as your podcast sieve, sifting out the bad and bringing you the good, whether they're new or just new to you. As we reflect on our podcast-listening history, weve made note of our favorites to ensure you tune into nothing but the best. Grab your headphones and get listening. Movies That Changed My Life Sean Abrams, Sex & Dating Editor: One episode in, and IMDB already has me hooked. As a self-proclaimed movie aficionado, the source of all things film and televisions announcement that they were coming out with a podcast was exciting news. A weekly treat, Movies That Changed My Life features Hollywoods finest, whether in front of or behind the camera, covering how to they got to the point in life theyre at today. Speaking upon their career paths and projects they consider truly inspirational, this podcast is great for anyone with even the slightest bit of interest in the movie industry. While its first episode featured Westworld actor Jeffrey Wright, Movies That Changed My Life has Joel McHale, Judy Greer, Felicia Day, and Kevin Smith up on deck. Not a bad lineup, if you ask me. Find out more here Ear Hustle Anna Chan, Former Managing Editor: This addictive podcast dives into the day-to-day lives of inmates at Californias San Quentin State Prison. Its co-hosted by Nigel Poor, who is a visual artist and volunteer at San Quentin, and inmate Earlonne Woods, who was sentenced in 1999 to 31 years to life for attempted robbery, and recently had his sentence commuted by Gov. Jerry Brown. Each episode of the podcast, which is produced behind the walls of the prison, is no-holds barred, exploring the details of everything from getting a new cellie (aka cellmate), the less-than-appetizing meals, lockdowns, being gay, the dangers of choosing the wrong group on Day 1, and much more, all told by the inmates themselves. Its funny, its heartbreaking, its hopeful, and its a must-listen for anyone who enjoyed dramas such as HBOs Oz but this is the real deal. Find out more here Pod Save America Barret Wertz, Style & Grooming Editor: I love this because they cut right to the chase no bullst (their word, not mine). A group of former Obama staffers came together in January 2017 to combat the lies and chaos coming out of the Trump White House. They have since become liberal stars in their own right with a second podcast dedicated to foreign policy, Pod Save the World, as well as other podcasts and a series of specials on HBO. Find out more here Reply All Joel Balsam, Freelance Contributor: Podcasting house Gimlets second podcast is marketed as a podcast about the internet, but the shows topics only brush the world wide web. Episodes have included traveling to India to find the person behind a spam phone call, searching for the hackers who stole a womans OG Snapchat account, and my personal favorite, going on an exhaustive journey to find a boy in a photo that went viral on internet chat rooms. You wont want to stop listening to lovable hosts Alex Goldman and PJ Vogt every step of the way. Find out more here Armchair Expert Mackenzie Shand, Senior Editor: I was initially drawn to Armchair Expert for the simple fact that it was hosted by one of the lead cast members of Parenthood (a show I was a fan of). Prior to listening, I really didnt know much about Dax Shepard, apart from the fact that hes married to actress Kristen Bell. It wasnt long before I forgot about the Parenthood element and became hooked on this podcast. From sharing his past struggles with addiction to what it takes to maintain a healthy marriage, Dax is incredibly open and honest throughout his conversations and it sets right the tone for his guests to feel comfortable and open up themselves. No matter the guest, be it psychologist Wendy Mogel, or actor Seth Rogen, the show is always entertaining, often inspiring, and never boring. Find out more here 99% Invisible Barret Wertz, Style & Grooming Editor: The subject of this podcast is design, but not always in a way that seems obvious. Episode titles such as The First Straw, Airships and the Future That Never Was, and Interrobang end up being way more fascinating than you might think. One of my favorite episodes was ages ago when the velvety-voiced Roman Mars told us about the design to keep people moving along in Unpleasant Design & Hostile Urban Architecture. Find out more here Scene on Radio Joel Balsam, Freelance Contributor: In the latest 12-part season, This American Life contributor John Biewen and co-host Celeste Headlee of NPR valiantly attempt to tackle an issue guaranteed to be close to the heart of most of our readers: men. The show takes a magnifying glass to the ways masculinity and toxic masculinity got to this point in a way that few articles or shows have managed to do. In the previous season, Biewen tackled another extremely tough subject, whiteness, with the helpful voice of Chenjerai Kumanyika, who acts as a much-needed check and balance. Find out more here This Past Weekend With Theo Von Phil Clark, Freelance Editor: Theo Von is on my short list for "funniest people alive" at the moment. Funny is actually his business, since he's a standup comedian, but he's also funny in the more spontaneous, conversational way that your best friend might be funny, and that's kind of how he runs his podcast, This Past Weekend: one minute he's riffing on current events, the next he's relating some funny anecdote from his life or interacting with his fans. Moreover, he often has equally funny and insightful guests on his show, and hours will pass like minutes when you're listening to the back-and-forths. Find out more here You Might Also Dig: The Estonian Center for Defense Investment (ECDI) did not deem successful any offers made in the procurement for a contract to rebuild the hulls of 37 CV90 combat vehicles bought from Norway and the ECDI thus concluded the tender, The Baltic Times reports. Estonia bought CV90 combat vehicles from The Netherlands (hereabove) and Norway for reconstruction into different variants (Picture source: Army Recognition) Four bidders qualified and three of them made an offer, including BAE Systems, Bristol Trust, and a joint offer by Uhinenud Depood and Scania Eesti, spokespeople for the ECDI told BNS. All three offers had shortcomings and did not meet the conditions set forth in the supporting documents of the public procurement. These shortcomings foremost concerned information pertaining to the cost of spare parts and life cycle management and one offer also exceeded the planned budget. "The Public Procurement Act stipulates that offers with incomplete documentation cannot be deemed fit, which is why the only option was to reject all offers," spokespeople said. The Public Procurement Act enables to submit such an order to the manufacturer without announcing a tender, but the decision was made to organize a public procurement in order to increase competition and involve the Estonian defense industry. "We have a positive experience regarding the current maintenance and repair of Sisu armored vehicles, which is carried out by Estonian companies, this is why the involvement of Estonian companies was natural," Col. Rauno Sirk, director of the ECDI, said. "A second company is already in the process of going through training on the CV9035 fighting vehicles in the Scouts Battalion and after the construction of the communications' solutions of the latest arrived machines, a third armored infantry company will go into training in summer 2019, the preparation of which and achievement of primary battle capability are currently going according to plan. If the support armored fighting vehicles are completed later, the maneuvering units will not be left without support, the Sisu armored vehicles will be in use until then, but the varying terrain permeability of the continuous track platforms and wheeled platforms poses greater challenges to the commanders of subunits," infantry inspector Lt. Col. Tarvo Luga said. In 2017, the Ministry of Defense bought 37 hulls of CV-90 from Norway that it plans to assign to the Scouts Battalion after reconstruction to be used in different command and support roles. The plan was to give the refitted combat vehicles to the Scouts Battalion along with 44 CV9035 fighting vehicles bought from the Netherlands. The tender for the reconstruction of the vehicles was announced at the end of August 2017. The contractor would have had to reconstruct 31 bodies of CV-90 into specialized vehicles for the performance of antitank, close range air defense, mortar, combat engineer, medical and other combat support functions. The plan was also for six more vehicles to undergo comprehensive maintenance and be armed with 120-millimeter mortars. In addition, a life cycle support agreement for seven years to ensure maintenance and repair of the 37 vehicles and supply of spare parts for the equipment and systems installed as part of the reconstruction was to be concluded with the winner of the tender. The estimated cost of the tender was 30 million euros. The defense forces and the Ministry of Defense are to carry out an analysis to determine how to continue with the armored maneuver capability project and will make a decision in the next few months, The Baltic Times concludes. LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) Ann Tillery could see by her own image on the Zoom screen that something was wrong when the left side of her face began to droop. Have any questions? Please give us a call at 541-889-5387 Our View: According to our informal survey, about half of us have confidence in Trump ... then it goes way down Purchase an online subscription to our website for $7.99 a month with automatic renewal. Each online subscription gives you full access to all of our newspaper websites and mobile applications. To cancel you may contact Customer Service @ 256-235-9253 or email JPAYNE@ANNISTONSTAR.COM For a limited time, for NEW SUBSCRIBERS ONLY a NEW ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION is just $59.99 for the first year. Existing customers do not qualify for the specials! After the first year, well automatically renew your subscription to continue your access at the regular price of $69.99 per year. Please note *Your Subscription will Automatically Renew unless you contact Customer Service To Cancel* American appliance manufacturer Kohler is doubling down on whats shaping up to be a full-fledged smart mirror craze, having announced a new iteration of the Verdera Voice Lighted Mirror earlier this week, together with the Numi 2.0 Intelligent Toilet and PerfectFill Bath Filler, both of which support its Kohler Konnect platform. The latest additions to the companys portfolio will be showcased at the next edition of the Consumer Electronics Show which is scheduled to open its doors to the public on Tuesday, with the firm describing the new gadgets as the first-ever suite of products meant to enable truly smart bathrooms of the future which arent just filled with Internet-connected devices but have those elements communicate with one another in an efficient manner. Alexa/Google, play some Janis Joplin and do something about those lights, I need to put on makeup The new Verdera Voice Lighted Mirror is a follow-up to the model thats already available for purchase but only works with Amazons Alexa. The sequel provides Kohlers customers with even more options as it features Google Assistant integration, though the firm doesnt appear to be planning a device offering both; youll have to choose which artificial intelligence companion you want to use and then pick your smart mirror based on that preference. Other than that, the Verdera Voice range is mostly uniform in terms of capabilities, with all models offering adjustable LED lights which owners can control with their voice, asking their AI assistants to adjust the intensity of the lights based on their intended use such as putting on makeup or washing ones face. Motion sensors are also part of the package and integrate with a wayfinding nightlight incorporated into the Verdera Voice lineup, whereas the mirrors themselves are also equipped with waterproof stereo speakers, meaning theyre capable of operating just like a giant Google Home or Amazon Echo unit. Advertisement We heard you like speakers so we put a pair into your toilet Omnipresent audio is one of the keywords of Kohlers latest smart home products seeing how the company even included speakers into the central piece of its new high-tech lavatory suite the Numi 2.0 Intelligent Toilet. This curious piece of hardware also supports personalized dryer and cleansing, can heat up its seat whenever its asked to do so, and offers what Kohler describes as incredible water efficiency. Doubling down on that futuristic product philosophy, Kohler also equipped the Numi 2.0 Intelligent Toilet with multi-colored lighting and Alexa support, turning the device into quite an entertaining affair given its primary purpose. Ultimately, Kohler wants every major element of your bathroom to be a smart speaker of its own, allowing you to easily manipulate and direct your surroundings without having to raise your voice. The rest of the companys contemporary product portfolio includes a freestanding bath and a three-piece vanity featuring smart lighting. All of its creations automatically synchronize lighting and music, with the overall package being meant to deliver a truly futuristic bathroom experience. As is the case with the Verdera Voice range, Kohlers latest solutions can be purchased in variants for both Amazons Alexa and Google Assistant, though their core functionalities and designs are virtually identical. Philips Hue creator Signify is presently also collaborating with Kohler in order to ensure the companys new products work with the Hue API, meaning their lighting can also be synchronized with the rest of ones intelligent household, whereas that level of support also allows homeowners to control Philip Hue lights using the Kohler Konnect app for Android and iOS devices. Advertisement Smart mirrors on the rise Between Kohlers latest announcements and recent reports about what other things consumers can expect at CES 2019, it appears smart mirrors are in for a rather busy year. Though the very concept is far from unprecedented, the technologies allowing for such gadgets now appear to be advanced enough to support consumer-grade intelligent mirrors that arent only versatile and consistent but are also significantly more affordable to make. That state of affairs is also prompting some other tech companies to start exploring the segment, with Android Headlines recently discovering thats precisely what HP set out to do. Whether 2019 ends up being the year smart mirrors go mainstream remains to be seen but many pieces that could enable that trend now seem to be falling in place. Late last year, Google decided to clamp down on those using SMS and Call Log permissions in their apps. This is a good thing for consumers, since many dont read those permissions that are listed when you download an app or open it up for the first time. And there are many apps that request permission to use SMS and/or the call log and dont actually need it. So it has stripped out that feature from any app that used it, however it is granting exemptions to some that need it for their app to function. However, not all apps are getting that exemption. Cerberus is one of those apps. For those unfamiliar, Cerberus is an anti-theft app that is available on the Google Play Store. It is a fairly popular app in fact according to the Google Play Store, it has over five million downloads. Removing SMS from Cerberus may not seem like a huge deal, but in actuality, it is. With Cerberus, it uses SMS to be able to text a lost or stolen phone, even if it does not have connection to the internet. But that is only one of the many features that SMS provides for Cerberus. The developers of Cerberus says that it will need to publish a new update on January 9 (thats the deadline for removing functionality, if you have not been granted an exemption from Google) removing those features. Though if its users do not like that idea, they can go ahead and star the issue in the Issue Tracker on Googles site though that is unlikely to make Google change their minds. Cerberus did attempt to get exempt before, but as other developers noted, the form has changed quite a bit since it was announced back in October. However, Cerberus use-cases are now strictly prohibited. And those use-cases include Anti-Virus/Security and Family or Device Locator. So the developers see little need to attempt to get exempt once again. Seeing as Cerberus is not the only anti-virus app out there, its unlikely that it is the only app being hit with this issue, its just one of the biggest. Google gives the finger to developers once again Advertisement This has been an ongoing theme for Google in recent years, basically turning their backs on individual developers those that helped make Android what it is today. While the changes may seem pretty insignificant for developers and different apps, it does appear to be a much bigger deal. The good thing here is that apps like Tasker were approved and got exempt from the changes for SMS and Call Log permissions. So its not hurting all of the apps out there, but some of the more useful ones like Cerberus are essentially being neutered. Developers have been getting screwed over by Google for quite some time, as whenever there is a problem, Google wants to try and automate it. Which is the case here, and unfortunately, Google still takes 30-percent of all revenue generated by apps and games on the Play Store. If this continues, we could see more apps doing what Fortnite maker, Epic Games did last year. And simply launch outside of the Play Store, so it does not have to give that 30-percent to Google. Removing Features is a common practice at Google, lately In 2018, Google removed features and functionality a ton, across all sorts of apps and services. The biggest culprit being Android Pie itself. It made it tougher to multi-task and go through recents to your last app you were in. It also made gesture-navigation harder to use, than just using buttons, just to name a couple of things. Google has also decided to kill off some of its most popular apps like Inbox and Hangouts, and that was after it removed a number of features from Hangouts that made it so popular like SMS integration. Its a theme at Google that is something people are not a fan of lately. Its forcing many to not get invested in using a number of Google apps and services, for fear that it will get shut down at some point. And you can see why. Google makes a habit of creating a service, letting it run its course for a couple of years and eventually shutting it down. It might replace it, it might not. The difference now is that it is removing features from developers, and it is features that developers rely on for their apps to work. Imagine not being able to use a third-party messaging app, instead of being stuck with Android Messages on your smartphone? That is likely what will be happening on January 9. The law was declared unconstitutional in the lower courts, but Indiana has appealed to the Supreme Court. The court privately reviewed the case this past Friday and will decide as early as next week whether to hear arguments. This is an issue that may be taken up by the Supreme Court that hasn't gotten a lot of national attention. It involves an Indiana law, referred to as the "Eguenics Statute," passed in 2016 that makes it illegal for women to have an abortion on the basis of race or sex or because they learn they will otherwise give birth to a baby with Down syndrome. What makes this particular case so significant is that it will be the first major abortion case to come before the court since Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed. Washington Examiner: State lawmakers in Indiana appealed the case about a week after Kavanaugh was sworn in, arguing that technological advances have improved ... prenatal testing that screens for Down syndrome and other fetal abnormalities, which results in most women choosing abortion when they receive a diagnosis. The latest available data, from 1995-2011, show that 67 percent of pregnancies that test positive for Down syndrome end in abortion. Pregnant women can screen for Trisomy 21, a chromosomal abnormality, through a blood sample. The Indiana abortion ban was signed by Vice President Mike Pence, who was governor of the state at the time. It contains exemptions for conditions that "with reasonable certainty result in the death of the child not more than three months after the childs birth. In 2016, a federal judge blocked the Indiana law from going into effect, and a 3-0 ruling in the 7th Circuit Court in Chicago ruled it unconstitutional. They pointed to the Supreme Court's Roedecision, saying the choice to have an abortion was not up to the government but was to be a decision between a woman and her doctor. In June, a dissenting opinion urged the appeals court to reconsider its ruling, with one of the judges saying that the Supreme Court had not ruled on what he termed a "eugenics statute." Kavanaugh gave little clue during his Senate testimony as to where he might stand on challenging Roe v Wade: The question over whether Kavanaugh would cast a deciding vote to overrule or weaken Roe featured prominently in Democratic attacks early during his confirmation hearings. Later, the messaging centered primarily on sexual assault allegations from Christine Blasey Ford, who said he touched her inappropriately and covered her mouth while he was drunk and they were both in high school. When asked by senators about abortion, Kavanaugh cited Roe and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, decisions that legalized the procedure nationwide up until fetal viability, generally understood as up to 24 weeks. Casey allowed states to regulate abortion but prohibited them from placing an "undue burden" on women who seek an abortion. Kavanaugh did not say during the hearings how he would rule on abortion or whether he believed women had a right to abortion, stressing instead that Casey created a " precedent on precedent." If the court took the case, they may be inclined to rule narrowly on the issue, confirming or striking down the law, without really dealing with the underlying problem of abortion on demand. An elective abortion cannot be justified as medically necessary, meaning that other reasons not related to the health of the woman are used to justify it. If you can abort a child based on the fact that it will be a burden to its parents because of some condition they are born with, why not have the right to abort a girl baby because you wanted a boy? It's a slippery slope that the Indiana law seeks to address. If confirmed by the high court, the law could become the basis for severely restricting the reasons a woman can have a legal abortion. Activists know this, of course, which is why they are fighting the law tooth and nail. While no one can guess where Justice Kavanaugh might stand on the issue, he could support a ruling that would keep Roe intact, but make it much harder to get an abortion. That would maintain both the Roe and Casey precedents while carving out new restrictions on abortion. Dem objections to border wall: dumb and dumber Theyve already struck bottom, and the partial fed shutdown could last months. Once again, the Democrats hatred of President Trump has lured them into arguing against common sense and their own public statements before Trumps presidential campaign. They are getting desperate already, because the partial government shutdown mostly inconveniences federal employees working without benefit of paychecks. His demand for a border wall must be resisted, but coming up with good reasons is a challenge that has them excavating excuses that are increasingly hilarious. No significant constituency that doesnt already passionately hate Trump believes that the Democrats are so careful with tax dollars that they regard a couple of billion dollars for a wall as too much waste. Not after Obama and his merry band of Dems wasted billions of dollars buying up used cars and scrapping them (cash for clunkers), with the net result of driving up used car prices, penalizing poor people who must buy the cheapest cars on the market to have any vehicular transportation of their own. The stupidity deepens. Chris Hahn, former aide to Chuck Schumer and DC Dem was almost certainly shilling for the use of drones a non-barrier that at most can alert authorities if the presence of illegals, but not stop them when he said that walls are old technology, setting up a rejoinder from Dan Bongino: The incline plane is old technology. Fire is old technology. Electricity wasnt invented yesterday. Watch the entire 7+ minute segment on last nights Justice with Judge Jeanine, via Grabien: The reason Dems tout drones is that they can be instantly grounded by the next Dem president. But tearing down a physical wall would require Congressional appropriations (and a filibuster-proof Senate) , and also would offer visuals that are the stuff of nightmares for Dems: walls coming down and illegalsincluding caravans rushing in. Hahn is a embodiment of sanity and moderation compared to Al Sharptons guest on his MSNBC show. Jason Johnson is a professor of political science at Morgan State University, a historically black college. For him, a wall is an assault on nonwhites, apparently, a monument to white supremacy (unlike the wall Barack Obama is building around his multi-million-dollar DC mansion). Like rail freight cars slowly moving down a track at increasing speed, AccuWeather is forecasting that over five days, California will receive two to five-inch rainfall across lowlands and at least three feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. California is being slammed by an El Nino storm train packing heavy rains and mountain snow that could generate massive flooding that could be more dangerous than wildfires. California suffered about 9,000 fires wildfires in 2017 and in 2018, which was somewhat below the states average. But the 1.5 million acres and 10,000 structures that were destroyed each year was substantially above prior periods. With a record $14 billion of California wildfire insurance losses recorded in 2017, catastrophe modeler Risk Management Solutions estimates 2018 wildfire insurance losses of another $13 billion. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting a 90 percent chance of an El Nino cyclical condition this Winter and 60 percent risk for Spring. Known for torrential rains and mass flooding, a 2016 January and February El Nino storm train, destroyed 22,500 structures and caused the worst beach erosion in 145 years. California uses disinformation and every sleight-of-hand trick to justify drastically underfunding infrastructure spending to prevent a state insolvency. Despite horrific El Nino flooding in 2016, it is still California state policy that climate-change models unanimously project a growing risk of mega-droughts lasting for decades. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) awards California its booby prize as the worst state in the nation with $65 billion infrastructure investment deficit involving dams, waterways, airports, roads, bridges, seaports, and tunnel maintenance. Despite ASCEs Infrastructure Report Card awarding a D grade in 2013 for levees and flood control as Californias most neglected sector, the state failed to raise spending on dams. California did convince voters in 2014 to approve a $7.5 billion water bond that was advertised as funding five major dams. But this writer warned that Prop 1 was a bait and switch ruse to siphon off 75 percent of the proceeds for fish ecosystems. When a similar El Nino storm train slammed into California in early 2017 and washed-away the 800-foot high Oroville Dam spillway, 220,000 people had to evacuate over the risk of imminent death from the collapse of Americas largest earthen dam. The 584-page Federal analysis of the near disaster found the states 1960s structure was poorly designed and that public risks were exacerbated by inadequate repairs A Pacific Ocean high pressure ridge delayed the storm train from coming on shore, but AccuWeather is now warning that damage in Northern California from the low pressure storm system will be magnified by strong winds with frequent 40-60 mph gusts. As the storm saturates the ground, surging winds could increase risk of broad power outages. California has been able to transfer much of the costs from its failure to build infrastructure onto American taxpayers by convincing presidents to declare damage the result of reimbursable national disasters. But President Trump threatened in November, at the height of the latest wildfires, to pull billions of dollars of federal payments if nothing is done by California to "remedy" the gross mismanagement of the forests. Although the President eventually relented and declared California wildfires a national disaster, Trump shined a light on the fact that the federal government provides about 36 percent of State of all California spending, or over $100 billion in 2018. California officials still cant say whether non-citizens voted in the June 2018 primary because a confusing government questionnaire about eligibility was created in a way that prevents a direct answer on citizenship. After a hard-fought battle to obtain records by the Sacramento Bee, we now learn that California's electoral officials are admitting that they have no idea how many illegals and other non-citizens voted in the last primary, based on the state's motor-voter registration, which has been shown to have registered thousands of non-citizen voters. The Bee reports : Apparently, tens of thousands of foreign nationals and other ineligible voters, maybe 16 year olds, got registered to vote at the DMV when they applied for their drivers licenses whether they asked for it or not. Investigators can see that people marked themselves as ineligible to vote or declined to answer eligibility questions, but they cant tell why. We cant assume why they declined to answer eligibility questions or why they said they were not eligible, the Secretary of States Office wrote in an internal memo on Oct. 8, 2018. That email and other documents The Sacramento Bee obtained through the Public Records Act shed light on why the Secretary of State has been unable to say clearly whether non-citizens voted last year. The Bee filed a legal complaint for the records when the Secretary of State initially withheld most of them. The email shows that, for months, California officials have been examining whether non-citizens voted last year. On Thursday, Secretary of State Alex Padilla confirmed for the first time that his office has an active internal investigation into the matter. The Secretary of States office does not comment on the details of ongoing investigations, the office said in a statement. Determining whether ineligible individuals who were erroneously registered to vote by the DMV cast ballots requires a complete review. The Secretary of States office is doing its due diligence by conducting a thorough investigation. Spokesmen for the office declined to say how the department could otherwise determine citizenship of those registered. This doesn't even include the undoubtedly significant numbers of voters who answered that they were eligible to vote when they were not. Could that have happened when the ballot-harvestors were out patrolling illegal immigrant neighborhoods in search of votes? At a minimum, it most certainly was possible, especially, since claims to voter-eligibility on drivers license forms are never checked in California (it's the honor system), according to voter-integrity activists. It also doesn't help that California sneakily had residents sign to certify on their yellow mail-in ballots that they were California residents (rather than voting-eligible citizens) so as to prevent for illegals any potential perjury charges in addition to vote-fraud charges. If California has no idea who's a citizen, and has resisted every effort out there to get that information (it has defied cooperation with President Trump's electoral integrity commission), well, then what we can conclude is that they don't want to know if a non-citizen is voting and now the word is out that they don't. Apparently, Democratic interests in 'counting all the ballots' as they say, means counting illegal ones, too. They don't know, they don't want to know, and they aren't about to clean this up. Keep after them, Sacramento Bee. In this case, the Bee is a newspaper that's doing its actual job. The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit sided with the Trump administration's ban on most transgender persons serving in the military. In so doing, the court recognized something that other appeals courts who have ruled against the administration have ignored; the president is commander in chief and must act in what he believes to be the best interests of the military. At least one federal appeals court in the country hasn't gone off the deep end. The Hill: The ruling hands Trump a win in a case that has seen several courts block the policy. But the policy still cannot take effect because of those other injunctions, which applied nationwide. Although todays decision is not a final determination on the merits, we must recognize that the Mattis Plan plausibly relies upon the considered professional judgment of appropriate military officials ... and appears to permit some transgender individuals to serve in the military consistent with established military mental health, physical health, and sex-based standards, wrote a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. In light of the substantial constitutional arguments and the apparent showing that the policy accommodates at least some of plaintiffs interests, we think that the public interest weighs in favor of dissolving the injunction. Trump announced over Twitter in July 2017 that he intended to ban all transgender people from serving in the military. Four lawsuits were filed against the ban, and lower courts in all four cases had blocked the policy from taking effect as the suits work their way through the legal system. In March, then-Defense Secretary James Mattis released an implementation plan for Trumps policy that would allow transgender people to serve if they do so in their biological sex. The Trump administration then asked courts to dissolve their injunctions, arguing the Mattis plan is not a blanket ban on transgender people. In essence, the ruling says that transgenders can believe they are whatever sex they want to believe they are, but if they want to serve in the military, they can't pretend they are anything but what good, old fashioned biology says they are. A reasonable decision, to be sure. But the outcry against it is sure to be intense: Todays ruling is a devastating slap in the face to transgender service members who have proved their fitness to serve and their dedication to this country, NCLR legal director Shannon Minter said in a statement. We will keep fighting this cruel and irrational policy, which serves no purpose other than to weaken the military and punish transgender service members for their patriotism and service. That the policy weakens the military is a unique argument. It's also illogical. And if transgender service members were truly patriotic - and I have no doubt they are - they would put the interests of the country and the military over their personal notions of gender identity. The Obama era policy did not have anything whatsoever to do with the military. It was a social experiment that pandered to an important Democratic party interest group. That the administration recognized that and wants to change it should be applauded. Trump voters are described in various amorphous terms, not all of which are friendly: working class, nationalist, rural, populist, provincial, anti-globalist, immigration skeptics, racist dissidents. It's also unclear what kind of president Trump will end up being. Will he be, in the parlance of political scientist Stephen Skowronek, reconstructive in the vein of Franklin Roosevelt or Ronald Reagan, permanently reforming his party? Or will Trump be merely disjunctive, signaling the end of the last regime but failing to unite the disparate strands of interests that put him in office? Pundits, commentators, penny-ante prognosticators all talk with certainty about the mixture of voters who sent Donald J. Trump, a gaudy real-estate developer, to the White House. Yet most can't pinpoint who composed this group of Americans who were willing to roll the dice on an unknown compared to someone as politically familiar too familiar, even as Hillary Clinton. It's hard to say. Trump's governing style lacks predictability. That's because his philosophical core is, at best, inchoate. Trump himself may not fully comprehend the larger picture formed by his beliefs an attribute not unfamiliar to most Americans. A cottage industry has formed around explaining what Trumpism is and isn't. But many of these tracts, which are sold for inflated prices at airport bookstores, focus on the man, not what he represents compared to the current political order. Israeli philosopher Yoram Hazony just took a big intellectual leap forward in developing a social system close to what Trump voters may be seeking. In the current state of things, both Democrat and Republican, and their party congeners greenie, libertarian, democratic socialist hold fast to the principles of liberalism. And by liberalism, I don't mean generic Democratic policies. In this case, it's liberalism qua liberalism individual equality, consensual exchange, the supremacy of reason. The American system of government was established largely along these principles, which are based on the thinking of philosophers like John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. Most modern politicians still govern along liberal lines. Democrats relentlessly push for the equality of newly discovered sexual and racial classifications. Republicans embrace the freedom of the marketplace, within our borders and out. The one prominent exception is Trump, who has never been a doctrinaire Republican, nor a typical Democrat despite being registered as one for years. He refers to himself as a "nationalist," despite the term's open-ended implications. Hazony has just written a well received book on the positive attributes of nationalism, The Virtue of Nationalism. But it's his recent essay in First Things outlining the alternative to liberalism that paves the way for new thinking on our old system of government. Titled "Conservative Democracy," Hazony picks up where Notre Dame professor Patrick Deneen left off with last year's "Why Liberalism Failed," and sketches out what a more conservative approach to liberal democracy can look like. Hazony right away dispenses with the old canard that fascism and Marxism are liberalism's only replacements. While recognizing the indisputable benefits of liberalism no one can seriously claim market capitalism hasn't been a boon for human living standards. Hello, modern dentistry! Hazony homes in on its failures: the inability to keep families intact and religion a crucial aspect of our collective lives. He writes: The most significant institutions that have characterized America and Britain for the last five centuries, giving these countries their internal coherence and stability the Bible, public religion, the independent national state, and the traditional family are not merely under assault. They have been, at least since World War II, in precipitous decline. Hazony points out a glaring omission that even right-leaning defenders of liberalism are guilty of: family stability, faith, and patriotic loyalty are not intrinsic characteristics of liberalism. The latter doesn't need the former to exist indeed, their absence is increasingly the national norm. Skyrocketing out-of-wedlock birth rates, declining church attendance, a withering of our reverence for history and tradition. These have been liberalism's fruits. Hazony envisions a new regimen, one that emphasizes national continuity and historical faith while maintaining the better aspects of liberalism, including limited government and individual liberty. A conservative system, he stipulates, would emphasize five main points: historical empiricism, nationalism, religion, limited executive power, and individual freedoms. Where liberalism fails, Hazony contends, is in its fatal conceit, to borrow a term from one of the ideology's most famous exponents. "In their campaign for universal 'liberal democracy,' liberals have thus confused certain historical-empirical principles of the traditional Anglo-American constitution," he writes, "for universal truths that are equally accessible to all human beings, regardless of historical or cultural circumstances." Hazony's "conservative democracy" is, in short, a return to particularity. Like all social systems, it's imperfect and in need of refinement. But it has potential, not just to supplant liberalism, but to improve it. The desire for some aspects of conservative democracy was apparent in Trump's election. The hollowing out of our manufacturing base through liberalism's championing of free trade, the opioid epidemic that stems from a lack of transcendent meaning inculcated through churching, the ever upward tick of the divorce rate among older Americans these factors boosted the poignancy of Trump's nostalgia-heavy campaign message. So what's next? Books and polemics are one way of getting the message out that untrammeled liberalism is behind many of our woes. Hazony has done a valuable service adumbrating an alternative to liberalism that isn't liquidating the kulaks. But he can't popularize it on his own. Coincidentally enough, an unexpected voice has distilled some of the more straightforward aspects of conservative democracy and broadcasted them to a wide audience. Fox News host Tucker Carlson began the year with a ripping monologue, taking American elites to task for living bourgeois lifestyles but not passing those values down the social ladder. He describes members of the "educated upper-middle classes" as "functionally libertarian" in lifestyle that is, liberal. This hands-off approach has given way to a raft of fatherless homes and hopeless drug addiction cases we see everywhere outside high-income ZIP codes. Carlson, like sociologist Charles Murray before him, wants an elite class better attuned to the needs of the working and middle class. Hazony has developed an intellectual framework to conserve the best of liberalism while shoring up its shortcomings. Trump won a presidential election based on the notion that our nation is not as cohesive as it once was. This constellation of doubt in the status quo isn't a mistake. Liberalism is due for a rethinking. At the very least, the motivating forces that elected Trump and Hazony's proposition gives us something more to think about in the highly circumscribed arena of political ideas. The vastness of that insight cannot be overstated. As an amateur historian, I cringe at the outright lies being fed to the public, some of it by people who know they are lying. Others do it unaware. Unless these lies are addressed, political solutions to many of the world's problems will prove impossible. Let's start with a common innocuous lie. The story of Granada is all about the Islamic Moors. In year 711, these North African Muslims crossed the straits of Gibraltar and quickly conquered the entire Iberian Peninsula, eventually converting most of its habitants. Throughout the Middle Ages, for over seven hundred years, Spain was a predominantly Muslim society, living under Muslim rule. Now, I do not believe that Rick Steves had sinister motives. He either was rolling out what he thought was true, or had been misinformed by some poorly written tourist pamphlet. But that small quote is a sample of popular "history" at its absolute worst. 1. The Muslims did not conquer all of the Iberian Peninsula. The northern coast of Spain (Asturias, Cantabria, Galicia, the Basque country) never really fell. The Moors tried to collect taxes and some blonde virgins which almost immediately resulted in revolts. By 739, Pelayo had secured an independent state in the north. 2. The Spanish, in the main, never converted. They were treated as dhimmis; the population, for the most part, remained Christian 3. The Muslim rulers were usually a small minority elite. 4. And 700 years of Muslim rule? There was a slow but steady erosion of Muslim rule throughout the whole period. By 1236, Cordoba had fallen into Christian hands, and two thirds of the peninsula was Christian. Granada became a vassal state of the Christian north and was tolerated only become of the tribute it paid. The Moors were totally driven out of Portugal by 1249 with the conquest of the Algarve. The sanitized version of Muslim Spain's history ignores the second wave of Muslim rule, the Almohad takeover of the Muslim areas (in the south only) during the 12th century. The Almohads were the 12th-century equivalent of ISIS. They tried to forced urbanized Jews and Christians to convert, but their rule was brief. Many Christians and Jews fled to the Christian north. Christian military advances made the Almohad caliphate unstable. In the 13th century, the Nasrids took over. A lot of this false history is the result of the Black Legend: an exaggeration of the crimes of the Inquisition. Europe's Protestants and Jews understandably had an animus for Catholic Spain and allowed their own myopic views to gloss over the very real crimes of Islam. The result is the idiocy we have today, where Muslim rule is often called the Golden Age of Spain. Far from it! It was a brutal tyranny, which oppressed the Christian majority. Whatever the faults of Catholicism, the dark history of Muslim rule should not be sanitized. The next lie the one that may start a world war is that Mohammed made a night journey to the Haram al-Sharif (the farthest mosque) in Jerusalem. The problem is, there was no mosque in Jerusalem during Mohammed's life. He died five years before Islam entered into Jerusalem. How could Mohammed have visited a mosque that did not exist? This lie is peddled on the media as justification for Arab riots whenever some Jews want to walk on the Temple Mount. Whether one agrees with Israeli practices or not, there is no doubt that Jews built a temple on that mount. And there is equally no doubt that Mohammed never visited the place. Worse yet, there is evidence that early Islam may have been centered in Petra in Jordan. Mecca was not an important city in the 7th century. All of Muslim history may be a total fabrication, and Mohammed, who may not have actually existed, is certainly not be the Mohammed of history. In fact, it is beginning to look as if Islam was invented for political purposes. Another lie, born of ignorance, is that the American revolution was merely a tax revolt. The idea is to minimize our history down to financial considerations: dialectical materialism. But anyone familiar with the Currency Act and the Intolerable Acts knows full well that more was at stake. Many of the colonials were descended from people whose ancestors had suffered under British law and how it had reduced large sections of Ireland and some parts of Scotland to abject poverty. They were determined not to become New World vassals. But if one wants to minimize the treasure that is our Constitution, then reduce American history to tax law. Unfortunately, the right can also falsify history. Many of those who are sympathetic to the "Lost Cause" of the Confederacy had downplayed that many of the states' articles of secession mentioned slavery as a primary cause for the rebellion. The reason for this is that in the early 20th-century a number of major historians and social groups introduced a romantic view of the Confederacy into their histories. The United Daughters of the Confederacy were once a powerful force in public education across the South, right down to rewriting history: slaves were happy, y'all. I am not downplaying that the North could be duplicitous, but many in the South refuse to concede that the root cause of the problem was their "peculiar institution," the very name indicating that they were embarrassed to admit it. Who wants to admit that his uncle died defending the enslavement of other people? I am no supporter of Antifa rioters, but Confederate history has been glossed over. And then there is the history that I was taught about President Wilson as a kid. He was a great reformer, who wanted world peace. It turns out that he was a globalist and yes, the left is right on this a Southern racist, who resegregated the federal government and set back civil rights for decades. In high school Spanish class, lo those many decades ago, I was taught about American "aggression" during the Mexican-American War. The problem is: 1. Many Spanish Californios and Spanish Tejanos were already upset with the tyrannical government in Mexico City. Had the U.S. not intervened, the British or French would have. 2. There were far more U.S. citizens in the Southwest at that time than Mexicans. Mexico lost the territory because it had barely settled it and then ticked off the locals. Again, I am not saying the U.S. government is 100% innocent, but true history gets rid of a lot of grievances by undercutting much of the premises for those grievances. Some other quick history that infuriates me: A. Those who call the French Latins in reality the vast majority of the French are descended from Celtic tribes. In the north, German Frankish and Viking Nordic elements were mixed in. To be sure, there is an Italian element in the southeast and a Basque element in the southwest, but most of France was historically Celtic. The Romans may have imposed a Latin tongue, but the French are Celts. B. The use of the term "West Bank" Judea and Samaria has been the historical term for three millennia. The West Bank is a recent political term at best, meant to deny a Jewish history. I am tired of how both sides want to deny the other side's existence. C. The Crusades were Western aggression Actually, the Crusades were a response to centuries of Islamic aggression. Unfortunately, the Crusaders lost in the East. D. The neglect of Islamic tyranny The reason the New World was discovered is because a vicious Islam had cut off the Silk Road to the East. Europeans had to strike out in boats, the one technological advantage they had over the Muslims hence the Portuguese circumnavigation of Africa and Spain's subsidy of Columbus. I once had a history teacher in college tell us that people are motivated by not truth, but rather what they believe is the truth. He was right. Mike Konrad is the pen name of an American who wishes he had availed himself more fully of the opportunity to learn Spanish better in high school, lo those many decades ago. He runs a website, Latin Arabia, about the Christian Arab community in South America. Islam Is Islam, Irrespective of Sect The various Muslim sects subsumed under the Sunni label constitute nearly 90% of Muslims worldwide, while the total number that form the Shiite sect account for the remaining 10%. The exact number, all things being equal, bestows greater advantages to the majority. In the case of Muslims' heinous agenda, the religious underpinnings of the two sects may be different. Even their strategies may be different in some respects. Yet their singular objective is the same: to dominate the world. History has proven that to Islam, the ends justifies the means. Hence, the two sects are at work with their own schemes, many of which are one and the same. The division goes back to the time of the prophet himself. Shiites believe that the enemies of true faith subverted its chain of authority at Muhammad's death. Sunnis believe that when the prophet Muhammad died, he did not leave any tangible proof of a will for his followers to enforce his Ummah. Immediately after Muhammad's death, his Islam started to fracture. Islam became "Islams" and continues to fracture to this day. Not only do Sunnis have the advantage of numbers, but they have been busy at their conquest of the West longer than the Shiites. The Sunnis have had powerful wealthy governments such as Saudi Arabia and the Emirates of the Persian Gulf to directly finance and support their future agenda. The Sunnis and their activities are more visible in the United States. Yet the Shiites relentlessly also pursue their objectives in this country. From time to time, we see indications of the Shiites' activities, particularly since they enjoy the active support of the Islamic Republic of Iran. There is ample evidence that America is under an unrelenting attack of both Sunnis and Shiites. It is disastrous to discount the threat they pose or underestimate the danger from either sect. The current infighting playing out in the Islamic world is in full color red. Both sects indiscriminately slaughter each other while they claim they are following pure Islam. Anyone or anything that disputes the in-between is subject to death. In Islamdom, they can dish out insults to non-Muslims; arrest Christians, Bahia'is, or Jews just for praying. They can confiscate their holy books and toss them in the trash. They call the Jews pigs and monkeys. They spit on anyone that isn't Muslim. But they go into frenzies of righteous outrage at the slightest criticism of their barbaric and highly dangerous beliefs. Generations of Sunni muftis (highest ranking Sunni clerics) and ayatollahs (highest ranking Shiite clerics), over the years have indoctrinated their underling clergy as well as the masses with selective teachings of the Quran that promote intolerance, exclusion, and hostility toward non-Muslims people labeled as heathens, infidels, unbelievers, and apostates. Choosing certain scripture in combination with a siege mentality endemic to the cradle of Islam, the Middle East has generated a fury of hatred that has a great potential to devour the life on planet Earth in no time at all. Many Islamic scholars as well as politicians in this country hope Muslims will come to their senses and purge the negative aspects of the Quran and practice its earlier positive teachings. They hopelessly wish our world would become a diverse community of humanity at peace with each other. The million-dollar question is, is that possible, or is humanity headed for a clash of civilizations? It is indeed sad to witness what currently occurs in this darksome world. On the one hand, all kinds of Islamic associations and groups in places such as Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia demand not only to be treated like everyone else, but to be granted special privileges such as the application of Sharia law. Yet Muslim governments even those of relatively enlightened countries such as Turkey and Egypt systematically discriminate against non-Muslims. Politicians, of all persuasions, have a duty to serve as protectors of all minorities and the powerless. The list of people who need fair treatment and are entitled to is indeed long and is not limited to religious minorities. Women, even to this day, are among the badly disenfranchised groups in the world most shamefully in Islamic lands. People of faith, those who believe in God and aim to obey Him, should recall that Baha'u'llah (One of the founders of the Baha'i faith) emphatically stated that the "best beloved of all things in the sight of God is justice." If you believe in God, you must be just to all people. Little children should be the last to suffer from the terrible scourge of blind prejudice. We had better learn from the terrorist attacks in America, Europe, and Asia if we are to survive as a nation. American customs, traditions and our way of life, are not compatible with the primitive ways of Islamic tradition. When our elected officials decide to make new laws, they should have in mind our national interests first. They should realize that foreign laws such as sharia will never be compatible with our Constitution or our way of life. President Rodrigo Duterte, who has on more than one occasion threatened to slap or kill Jose Maria Sison and described him as a son of a whore and a conceited demon, says he is keeping the fire burning on possible peace talks with the communist rebels. In a speech in Camarines Sur Friday night, Duterte said although he and Sison no longer understand each other, he could not completely shut the door on peace talks to end 50 years of armed insurgency. You cannot afford to lose all channels of communication, you will leave [the door] even slightly open," the President said in a mix of English and Filipino. In response, Sison, who has called Duterte a psychopath, a murder maniac and the countrys no. 1 terrorist, said the rebels remain open to negotiations. In a statement issued Saturday, Sison said it has been the "consistent policy" of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, which represents the communist rebels in peace talks, to remain open to the negotiations. "I welcome the statement of Duterte that he is still open to peace negotiations even as there is still an exchange of hostile words in the mass media and exchange of bullets in the battlefield," Sison said. But, with some candor, the communist leader in self-exile also said the principal work of the rebels now is to oust Duterte from power.Some might view this latest exchange a slight sliver of hope, but the record has shown no reason for much optimism. Duterte started his term with the best promise for peace with the rebels in six administrations, bringing to the table a personal relationship with Sison, who was his professor at the Lyceum University. But after some promising gains, Duterte broke off negotiations in November 2017, citing repeated rebel attacks on government forces. Since then, Duterte, 73, and Sison, 79, have been trading insults, casting doubts on the others health, and trying to discredit the others ability to lead. In the context of these verbal attacks and the unwillingness on either side to budge, the Presidents remarks about keeping the door openand Sisons responseseem nothing more than lip service to the now fading prospect of peace in their time. Peace negotiations have been held hostage for far too long by old men who can't get over their own egosnot even for the sake of the country. In 2009, during a major health care speech to Congress, South Carolina representative and Republican Joe Wilson shouted, "You lie" at President Obama, who, at the time, was dishonest when he vowed that his proposed legislation did not include mandating coverage for illegal aliens. As a rule, the standard Democrats have set for Republicans is entirely different from the standard they have set for themselves. Democrats were always at the ready to defer to and defend Barack Obama from criticism by dangling the dreaded sword of racism over the head of the former president's critics. In liberal circles, opposition to Barack, in any way, is synonymous with wrapping oneself in a Confederate flag, or, worse yet, donning the garb of the Ku Klux Klan. Following Wilson's outburst, Democrat shill David Shuster of MSNBC rushed to Obama's defense when he remarked that Joe Wilson, being from South Carolina, "strikes a lot of people as awfully close to the idea that maybe there was racist or bigoted element there." Of late, accusations of racism have become tools with which the left beats the right into guilt-ridden submission. That's why, in an attempt to further impugn Wilson, the commentator even solicited the opinion of race-baiter Jesse Jackson, whoM Shuster asked the following question: "What role, if any, do you believe that bigotry is playing in some of this venom toward President Obama?" Jackson, who always welcomes an opportunity to advance his divisive agenda, replied: Well, substantial. There is a struggle between the hope of going forward and the fear of going backwardsthe big C-word, conservative, for some that means fiscal, for some, it means religious ethics, for some it means a code word for race. Then, in a New York Times September 15, 2009 article entitled "Carter sees Racism in Wilson's Outburst," the Associated Press stated that former president Jimmy Carter felt that "Wilson's outburst was an act 'based on racism' and rooted in fears of a black president." In other words, pointing out the truth to Barack Obama was, and continues to be, construed as racism. A similar standard also held for anyone who disagreed with Obama's progressive open borders agenda. Here's what happened in 2012, on an airport tarmac, when, out of frustration, the former governor of Arizona, Jan Brewer, wagged her finger in the former president's face. Apparently, at the time, Obama thought he could inflict the same treatment on Jan Brewer that he had inflicted on Bibi Netanyahu for daring to disagree with a pro-Palestinian stance concerning Israel's construction and resettlement plans in East Jerusalem. Brewer would have none of it. That's why, as governor of a border state overrun by illegals, Brewer met the Obstinate One as he disembarked from Air Force One, handed him a letter, and proceeded to grapple with the community organizer by following his advice and "getting in his face." The former governor of Arizona took the president to task and rightly so. But, as a result of her commitment to state's rights, the left accused Brewer of not only being disrespectful but also found a way to add racist to the mix. RMuse of PoliticsUSA said it this way: The photograph of Arizona governor Jan Brewer shaking her finger at President Obama is about more than accusing the 'Obama administration of turning a blind eye to illegal immigration because migrants will help Mr. Obama register more Democratic votes.' Brewer's actions were more than disrespect for the leader of the most powerful nation on Earth; they were outward expressions of white supremacy befitting a pre-Civil War plantation owner scolding an errant slave who forgot to empty the master's chamber pot. Naturally, Al Sharpton agreed. Fast-forward seven years to 2019, and the what's apparent is that the left's response to presidential disrespect has nothing to do with courtesy and everything to do with who holds the office. Rather than maintain the standard of deference Democrats demanded during the Obama years, the left has now chosen to either downplay or ignore rudeness on the part of the Trump-detractors currently holding powerful positions in their party. Then again, these are the same partisan operatives who, while defending Obama by accusing Republicans of racism, chose to ignore Barry's religious and political bigotry toward Americans whom he referred to as "tea-baggers" and "bitter clingers." Therefore, it's no surprise that with the induction of the 116th Congress's new class of left-wing lunatics, Old Faithfuls like Nancy "Fund Foreign Abortion but Not a Wall" Pelosi and UpChuck Schumer, are among the most disingenuous of the double-standard Democrats for failing to harshly reprimand bad-mannered newcomers for voicing their aversion to Trump in the worst possible way. The most glaring example of that sort of duplicity concerns the party's non-reaction to the appalling language of newly installed U.S. representative for Michigan's 13th Congressional district, Rashida Harbi Tlaib. Rashida, who opposes U.S. aid to Israel, is one of the first two Muslim women and the first Palestinian-American woman elected to Congress. Tlaib is also a proud member of the Democratic Socialists of America. However, unlike her colleague, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who war-danced her way into office, during a MoveOn rally in Washington, D.C., foul-mouthed Rashida chose instead to lift her leg on the political fire hydrant by vowing to impeach Trump, whom Tlaib referred to as a "m-----------." In the Quran, doesn't it say women found "guilty of lewdness" should be confined to the house until they die, "or [until] Allah appoint for them a way [through new legislation]?" Despite Rashida's strict adherence to Islam, the unapologetic Muslim representative's Trump-tirade was met with accolades and kudos from POTUS-haters on Twitter and those who are traditionally among the first to express outrage whenever anyone dares to criticize Obama. In an interview with Joy Reid, on "The Speaker: An MSNBC Town Hall," even Nancy Pelosi downplayed the severity of the rookie legislator's outburst, saying, "Generationally, that would not be language I would use, but nonetheless, I don't think we should make a big deal of it." Wait a minute! If liberals consider Republicans calling Obama a liar, or pointing a finger in his face, racism, then why isn't it also racism for a Democrat pro-Palestinian activist to call an Israel-supporting president, of European descent, a "m-----------"? Ultimately, what's glaringly obvious is that in response to boorish language and threats directed toward Trump, instead of accusing this president's detractors of racism and disrespect, Democrats are more than willing to amend the standards they established to defend Barack Obama. Jeannie hosts a blog at www.jeannie-ology.com. Christopher Bedard has done a brilliant job describing the downfall of the #NeverTrump scribblers. Its worth reading it all, but here are some highlights: Hoist with his own petard is a phrase taken from Shakespeare and means someone destroyed himself with a weapon (a petard, that is, small bomb) intended for another. President Trump has hoisted the #NeverTrumpers on theirs and is about to do the same thing to the now irremediably lunatic Democrats. The Never Trumpers say they dont recognize a Republican Party where the core tenets are neither free trade nor foreign democracy promotion. But maybe they just didnt know their voters by sight, because the only party that has truly departed recognition is Never Trump. Each week brings this movement a new and bizarre position: Opposing tax cuts, supporting Obamacare; wishing North Korean talks ill, wishing Democratic investigators well; dreaming of European political meddling, pining for American political comeuppance. [snip] Though the presidents House was defeated in the first post-Trump national elections and his two-year approval among Democrats lies at historic lows, his approval with his own voters -- those who the Never Trumpers courted not long ago -- is second only to George W. Bush after 9/11. As the second year of Trumps presidency ends, these former Republicans have insulted and alienated their readers until they had none. Theyve squandered their time on unimportant, self-righteous panel discussions, finally reduced to bobbing up in partisan anti-Trump venues surrounded by men and women who called them war criminals just years before, buoyed for a time by saying the right thing about the right enemy. NAFTA, mean words and Donald Trump cannot possibly be the origin of these shattered minds, however vital those were to the breaking. In the same classic misreading of the base, this week Mitt Romney penned a foolish anti-Trump opinion editorial in the heart of D.C. darkness, the Washington Post. A number of writers responded to this obvious effort to make himself stand out as the new McCain, a Republican willing to destroy the partys leader for (temporary) press approval. Steve Hayward nailed it nicely at Power Line blog: Romney has unwittingly provided the devastating argument against his style of Republicanism. Yes, it is quite true that nearly all Republican presidential candidates -- and presidents -- have promoted tax reform, lower regulation, getting tough with China, and appointing better judges (and add in moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem), if by promoted you mean giving lip service to the ideas. None of them have delivered on these promoted ideas (Reagan excepted, of course). The two presidents Bush botched judicial appointments, extended regulation, delivered little in the way of serious tax or spending reform, and did nothing serious with regard to China. I wish Romney had defeated Obama in 2012, but does anyone think this Massachusetts technocrat, who gave us the state-level version of Obamacare in the Bay State, signed up for a regional climate change cap-and-trade scheme, who appointed the egregious Gina McCarthy (Obamas second EPA administrator) to be his environmental adviser, and appointed state judges who struck the first judicial blows for same-sex marriage, would have governed as a serious conservative had he won? The point is, Trump has proved that mainstream Republicanism was a colossal failure. Whereas Bush-Romney Republicans promoted good ideas, Trump has delivered on them. As Mickey Kaus tweeted, he sensed there must have been a consultant behind Romneys spectacular failing strategy -- you know, the kind of geniuses who sandbagged their candidates running mate Sarah Palin, the sort who talked Al Gore into wearing brown and stuffing a sock in his pants, who persuaded John Kerry to speak in phony backwoods talk to get me a hunting l icense, and who this week encouraged Elizabeth Warren to enact a folksy News Years Eve in her kitchen drinking beer out of a bottle. Overpaid campaign consultants like the ones behind these stunts regularly reveal their contempt for our intelligence and we repay them by defeating their employers. One would think that despite Romneys half-hearted backtracking the next day on CNN, hed be assigned to an inconsequential committee position. Instead, he was inexplicably handed a plum slot on the Senates Foreign Relations Committee. If you think this is stupid, the opposition is even dumber. Just One Minute Typepads Matt describes the first week: Alexandria "I can't afford an apartment" Ocasio Cortez and her cast of clowns are going to be interesting to watch. The NY Post is already going after her and she is already threatening the Democratic Party's biggest donors with doubling their taxes. Hank Johnson is still trying to find out if Guam has capsized while calling for impeachment and the nutter from Tennessee wants to eliminate the Electoral College while others are moving for impeachment. All. on. day. one. The Circus is in town! Ladies and gerbils, step this way to the Midway! A mere Semolian will gain you access to the Greatest Clown Show on Earth, formerly known as the U.S. House. See the Jabbering Jihadis! The Bearded Lady! The Speaker who talks in tongues! Watch as Members commit feats of strength and air their grievances! Watch as Alexandria Ocasio Cortex wrestles Nancy Pelosi on the House Floor! Popcorn!! Peanuts!!! Get ya Red Hots!! And folks, enjoy the show! Dumber still has been the Democrats ridiculous refusal to fund the $5 billion the President has asked to build the wall. Polls show overwhelming support for a hardened border and a halt to streams of illegals storming into the country from Mexico. Despite the best efforts of the media to show that it has created great hardships, the shutdown of about 25% of the federal government has not done so. The vast majority of the furloughed workers are Democratic voters. In effect, the Democrats handed them over to the president as hostages. A look at Senator Schumers face in the public negotiation in the White House showed me that he realized the stunt was a loser. If I had any doubts, the picture of his face as he left the White House this past Friday confirmed it. He looked like a man being led to the gallows. As James Freeman noted in the Wall Street Journals Best of the Web, the Democrats are already backstroking Having already agreed to spend money on physical barriers to prevent illegal crossings of the U.S. southern border, Democrats are casting opposition to the particular architecture favored by President Donald Trump as a matter of conscience worth shutting down a portion of their beloved federal bureaucracy. This argument was already going to be difficult to sustain and Democrats have just made it even harder. The problem lies in legislation passed on Thursday by the brand-new Democratic House. Reuters reports on the spending items approved after Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) reclaimed the Speakers gavel: The two-part Democratic package includes a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security at current levels through Feb. 8, providing $1.3 billion for border fencing and $300 million for other border security items including technology and cameras. The second part would fund the other federal agencies that are now unfunded including the Departments of Agriculture, Interior, Transportation, Commerce and Justice, through Sept. 30, the end of the current fiscal year. Were not doing a wall. It has nothing to do with politics. It has to do with a wall is an immorality between countries. Its an old way of thinking. It isnt cost effective, Pelosi told reporters late on Thursday. To recap, the position of the Pelosi House -- and also of many Senate Democrats -- is that fences between countries are sensible and worthy of 10-figure appropriations of taxpayer dollars but walls in the same locations and serving the same purpose are immoral. Anyone thinking such a distinction is ridiculous may be encouraged to know that Speaker Pelosi seems to think so, too. A serious person normally would not call a program morally unacceptable and then add that its not cost effective. Is the Speaker demanding more efficient immorality? The President has said hell keep the government shut down as long as it takes to build the wall, that the wall will be differently constructed in different places to suit the terrain and the Border Patrols recommendations. It may not have yet occurred to the Democrats, but the government cannot be reopened until they pass a spending bill that the Senate will vote for and the President will sign. Even if he wanted to, he couldnt do it otherwise. Basic civics. But Nancy Pelosi seems to have missed that while flunking high school civics, because she claimed this week that the Constitution makes her the Presidents equal. The consequences of failing to understand the basic federalist structure in which she heads only one-half of one of the three branches are more significant than just getting an F on the final exam. This left-wing terrorist organization was founded in 1970 by bohemian Andreas Baader and journalist Ulrica Meinhof, and it has carried out dozens of murders, numerous abductions, and bombings. Some of the victims of the gang were a colonel of the U.S. Army, the attorney general of Germany, and the head of Deutsche Bank. Baader-Meinhof syndrome is a relatively recently studied mental disorder. It was described as a psychological phenomenon about 20 years ago. The peculiarity of this phenomenon is that, unlike all other diseases known to us, it is not named after a doctor or a scientist, but after terrorists of the German organization "The Red Army Faction" ( Rote Armee Fraktion ). The name of the organization was chosen because of solidarity with the Red Army of the USSR, but often this organization was called simply the Baader-Meinhof gang. The ideological platform of the gang was Marxism-Leninism and anti-Semitism. The second largest (after Fatah) faction of the PLO, the Marxist-Leninist terrorist organization "Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine," hijacked a passenger plane in 1977 in support of the Baader-Meinhof gang members. Before its dissolution in 1998, information about the terrorist attacks of this gang often appeared on the front pages of newspapers, radio, and TV. In 1994, an individual who had never heard of this bloody gang was hearing about them on radio and television twice a day. After that, he began searching everywhere to find references to these terrorists. With surprising ease, he searched for references to this gang only and discarded all other news as superfluous. This is the psychological phenomenon (or illusion) of Baader-Meinhof: after a person has learned something new (however not just new, but rather exciting new), they begin to see these new events or ideas everywhere. The mind of such a person from the entire informational cacophony of the surrounding world starts to single out only what he is looking for. In addition, each new mention of the subject further strengthens his confidence that this new phenomenon or idea exists everywhere. People who developed the Baader-Meinhof illusion are in a permanent search for additional evidence of their illusion. This is very similar to drug addiction. Without another dose of news confirming an idea, event, or dogma, these people feel very uncomfortable. Moreover, of course, any facts that contradict such an idea or event are discarded as superfluous. A typical social phenomenon illustrating Baader-Meinhof syndrome is anti-Semitism. The number of Jews in the world is less than 0.2%, and being familiar with a Jew is not a frequent phenomenon, at least from a purely mathematical point of view. Therefore, the opinion of the Jews in the remaining 99.8% of the population is based mainly not on close acquaintance with the Jews, but someone else's opinion about them. Moreover, in the case of anti-Semitism, the spread of the disease is rapid. If someone hears that "Jews dominate Hollywood," a person immediately searches for Jewish-sounding surnames in the credits of all films, finds them, and notes with satisfaction one more "confirmation" of the thesis that "Jews control Hollywood." By the way, that is why Baader-Meinhof syndrome is also often called the frequency syndrome or the frequency illusion a psychological state when a certain phenomenon in our mind seems to be much more frequent than it actually is. Another phenomenon that is manifested at the individual level is the search for diseases in oneself. Once a person learns about some unfamiliar and serious illness, he or she begins to search on the internet for all the symptoms of such an illness, and in most cases, he finds some of these symptoms in himself. In the age of the internet, the spread of Baader-Meinhof illusions has no barriers at all. Any idiotic idea or interpretation of events can immediately be matched up numerous confirmations on the internet. That is why the anti-scientific notion of "global warming" from the 1990s spread and took root much more than the previous idea of "global cooling" from the 1970s. Moreover, thanks to the internet, other no less idiotic ideas about the ozone hole, acid rain, the planet Nibiru, and the invention of the AIDS virus by racists from the CIA still have numerous supporters. The accusation that Trump is Putin's puppet was the rather loud and unexpected idea in 2016 that quickly found supporters suffering from a mental Baader-Meinhof syndrome. For more than two years, the left-wing disinformation media have expertly fed the public with new daily "confirmations" of this idea. As the long-playing ozone hole saga showed, patients suffering from the illusion that Trump is the Kremlin's marionette will not get rid of this psychological state anytime soon. In the political sphere, this syndrome affects the adherents of both the left and the right ideology equally. When propagandists from the Hillary Clinton team in 2016 skillfully introduced the idea of Trump's Kremlin curators, most leftists believed it. However, when, in 2012, the very same Hillary Clinton's propagandists injected the idea that Barack Obama was born in Kenya, the vast majority of supporters of the right ideology believed in it. As everyone knows, additional daily "confirmations" of these propaganda ideas can be found on the internet easily, thus contributing to the confirmation bias. Other recent propaganda attempts have failed to cause such mass insanity. Let us recall some of Trump's recent high-profile actions tax cuts, abandonment of so-called Net Neutrality, the transfer of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the construction of a wall on the border with Mexico, and the withdrawal of American infantry from Syria. The speculations of the mass disinformation media about the fact that these actions of Trump would lead, if not to the Third World War and the end of the world, then at least to the mass death of American citizens were not accepted well. The American public turned out to be immune to this idea, even though its evidence base is lacking in the same way as it is for as the "Russiagate" theory. Apparently, the level of idiocy of the idea of a world war and the end of the world because of Trump's arrival in the White House exceeded a certain "trust threshold" in the minds of Americans, and this idea turned out to be rejected. Fortunately, the Baader-Meinhof syndrome is not a hopeless disease. The example of the computer "The Year 2000 problem" (the level of hysteria of which may have even exceeded the level of anti-Trumpism) suggests that the Baader-Meinhof syndrome is treatable. It just takes time the disease must run its course through all the stages intended for it. In conclusion, it should be noted that Baader-Meinhof syndrome is sticky. Some of those who read this article will immediately begin to look for the symptoms of Baader-Meinhof in their lives and will find them. Indeed, this syndrome in itself is a new and rather exciting idea; therefore, unfortunately, some will be stricken by the Baader-Meinhof illusion because of this article about the Baader-Meinhof illusion. Gary Gindler, Ph.D., is a conservative blogger at Gary Gindler Chronicles. Follow him on Twitter. A woman and a child killed and 16 others wounded after Yemeni rebels shell a residential neighbourhood in besieged Taiz. Taiz, Yemen At least two civilians have been killed and 16 others wounded after Houthi rebels shelled a residential district in Yemens besieged city of Taiz. According to residents and medical officials, the Houthis fired several mortar shells on Taizs 7th July neighbourhood late on Saturday killing an elderly woman and a child. According to the sources, the injured, many of whom were children, were taken to nearby hospitals controlled by the government. This is how we welcomed 2019 in Taiz, said Aeda al-Absi, a local resident. The world and humanitarian organisations have turned a blind eye to what is happening in Taiz. 181218173047752 Houthi rebels have besieged Taiz, Yemens second-largest city, for more than four years, with an estimated 200,000 civilians caught up in the fighting. While most of the city has remained largely under the control of Yemeni government forces, the Houthis regularly attacked the city with artillery shells and sniper fire. According to one resident who requested not to be named, scores of civilians had been killed by Houthi shelling in recent months and the rebels had tightened their grip on roads connecting the southwestern city with the capital, Sanaa. Aid agencies have repeatedly warned of a humanitarian disaster in the city, documenting food and water shortages and hospitals struggling to function without access to basic medical supplies. Missiles and gunfire a near-daily occurrence Last month, Yemens warring sides reached a declaration of understanding on the situation in Taiz, following peace talks in the Swedish town of Rimbo. Under the agreement, the first significant breakthrough in peace efforts since the war erupted in 2014, the Houthis were expected to ease the siege on Taiz and withdraw from the strategic port city of Hodeidah. However, both sides have accused each other of violating the agreement, with the sound of missiles and automatic gunfire a near-daily occurrence for the thousands of civilians who still reside in the city. This group (the Houthis) only know the language of death, Mohammed Al-Mayyas, a Taiz resident told Al Jazeera. Everyone knew before the start of the peace talks in Sweden that this group would not abide by any charters and it only understands the language of weapons. Yemen has been wracked by violence since 2014 when the Houthis stormed south from their stronghold of Saada and overran much of the country, including the capital Sanaa. The conflict escalated in 2015 when Saudi Arabia and the UAE, who accuse the Houthis of being Iranian proxies, launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi gains and reinstating President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadis government. Since then, with logistical support from the US, the coalition has carried out more than 18,000 raids, with schools, hospitals and mosques frequently targeted. According to recent estimates, as many as 85,000 children may have died of hunger since the coalitions intervention. The Taliban will not attend planned peace talks with the United States in Saudi Arabia this month and want to shift the venue to Qatar. The upcoming negotiations, the fourth in a series aimed at ending the 17-year war in Afghanistan, are scheduled between the leaders of the Taliban and US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad to discuss the withdrawal of foreign forces and a possible ceasefire in 2019. Taliban leaders have rejected the Kabul governments offer for direct talks, despite growing international pressure in favour of the Western-backed Afghan government having a seat at the table. 181013134957130 We were supposed to meet US officials in Riyadh next week and continue our peace process that remained incomplete in Abu Dhabi last month, a senior Taliban member based in Afghanistan told Reuters news agency on condition of anonymity. The problem is that leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates [UAE] wanted us to definitely meet the Afghan government delegation, which we cannot afford to do now, and we have cancelled the meeting in Saudi Arabia, he said. The Taliban want to change the venue for the talks to Qatar, he added, the political headquarters of the group. Taliban Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the group decided to cancel the meeting in Saudi Arabia, but did not provide information about a new meeting venue. The United States Embassy in Afghanistan did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Why should we talk? Another senior Taliban leader said the group had explained to Saudi Arabia that it was not possible for the Taliban to meet the Afghan government at this stage. Everyone is aware of the fact that the Afghan government wanted the US and its allies not to leave Afghanistan and we have paid a heavy price to expel all foreign forces from our country, he said. Why should we talk to the Afghan government? 181207082508638 The Taliban regards the US as its main adversary in the Afghan war and views direct talks with Washington as a legitimate effort to seek the withdrawal of foreign troops before engaging with the Afghan government. The war in Afghanistan is the USs longest overseas military intervention. It has cost Washington nearly $1 trillion and killed tens of thousands of people. Diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict have intensified since Taliban representatives began meeting with Khalilzad, an Afghan-born, US diplomat last year. Officials from the warring sides have met at least three times, but fighting has not subsided. US president warns we have no choice as he threatens to invoke emergency powers to get wall built on US-Mexico border. US President Donald Trump stood firm on Sunday on his demand for billions of dollars to fund a border wall with Mexico, claiming tremendous support inside his camp on the contentious issue which has forced a government shutdown now entering its third week. We have to build the wall, Trump told reporters as he left the White House for the Camp David presidential retreat. Its about safety, its about security for our country. We have no choice, he said, warning once more that he may invoke emergency powers to get a wall built without congressional approval. I may declare a national emergency, dependent on whats going to happen over the next few days. Trump has been digging in his heels, demanding billions for a border barrier that Democrats, who now control the House of Representatives, would not provide. He said he is still mulling declaring a national emergency to try to circumvent Congress. Talks aimed at ending the shutdown were to resume early on Sunday afternoon in Vice President Mike Pences office, a day after a meeting involving him and representatives of Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, the top two Democrats in Congress, made little headway. Trump indicated however, he was not expecting a weekend breakthrough, saying there would be very serious talks come Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Earlier on Sunday, Trumps press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, told Fox News cable television, that the president is prepared to bypass Congress if necessary by declaring a national emergency to build his planned wall along the US-Mexico border. Sanders said the White House has been looking at every option available to get the needed money for his wall, adding Trump will do whatever it takes to protect our borders. Al Jazeeras Gabriel Elizondo, reporting from Washington, DC, said that everybody is pessimistic about the outcome of the talks on Sunday. Negotiations have been at an impasse over Trumps demands for $5.6bn to fund the border wall. On Friday, Trump declared he could keep the shutdown going for months or even years Keep it shut for months or even years On Friday, Trump met congressional leaders from both parties amid an impasse over his demand for billions of dollars for a border wall with Mexico. The standoff has prompted economic jitters and anxiety among some in Trumps own party. The shutdown has left some 800,000 federal workers sent home or working without pay. Large numbers of federal contractors are also losing pay. We wont be opening until its solved, Trump said. I dont call it a shutdown. I call it doing what you have to do for the benefit and the safety of our country. The US president reportedly said he preferred to call the action a strike. The US president also said the hundreds of thousands of federal workers who are furloughed or working without pay would want him to keep going and fight for border security. Asked how people would manage without a financial safety net, he declared, The safety net is going to be having a strong border because were going to be safe. Security officers at US airports have reportedly been calling in sick in droves since the shutdown began and their paycheques stopped rolling in. Woman, 18, said she is in transit to seek asylum in Australia, fleeing from family abuse. A Saudi woman held at Bangkok airport said she would be killed if she is repatriated by Thai immigration officials, who have confirmed the 18-year-old was denied entry to the country. Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun told the AFP news agency on Sunday she was stopped by Saudi and Kuwaiti officials when she arrived in Suvarnabhumi airport and her travel document was forcibly taken from her, a claim backed by Human Rights Watch. They took my passport, she told AFP, adding that her male guardian had reported her for travelling without his permission. Al-Qunun said she was trying to flee her family, who subjected her to physical and psychological abuse. My family is strict and locked me in a room for six months just for cutting my hair, she said, adding that she is certain she will be imprisoned if she is sent back. Im sure 100 percent they will kill me as soon as I get out of the Saudi jail, she said, adding that she was scared and losing hope. AL-Qunun was stopped from entering Thailand when she flew in from Kuwait on Sunday, Thailands immigration chief Surachate Hakparn told AFP. She had no further documents such as return ticket or money, he said, adding that Rahaf was currently in an airport hotel. She ran away from her family to avoid marriage and she is concerned she may be in trouble returning to Saudi Arabia. We sent officials to take care of her now, he said. HRW decries Thai action He added that Thai authorities had contacted the Saudi Arabia embassy to coordinate. But al-Qunun disputed his account, saying that she was in transit to seek asylum in Australia, where she claimed to have a visa, and was accosted by Saudi and Kuwaiti embassy representatives when she deplaned in Suvarnabhumi airport. Phil Robertson, Human Rights Watch Asia deputy director, decried the actions of the Thai authorities. What country allows diplomats to wander around the closed section of the airport and seize the passports of the passengers? he said, adding that there is impunity within the family unit in Saudi Arabia to abuse women. Immigration head Surachate said al-Qunun would be sent back to Saudi Arabia by Monday morning. Its a family problem, he said of the case. Another Saudi woman, Dina Ali Lasloom, was stopped in transit in the Philippines in April 2017 when she attempted to flee her family. An airline security official told activists that Lasloom was heard screaming and begging for help as men carried her with duct tape on her mouth, feet and hands at the airport. The Saudi embassy in Thailand and officials in Riyadh could not be reached for immediate comment. Nicolas Maduro defends legitimacy ahead of his controversial inauguration for a second six-year term. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has defended his governments legitimacy amid growing opposition and international condemnation of his bid for a second six-year term. In a Tweet on Sunday, Maduro, who is to be sworn in on Thursday, said the Venezuelan people had given legitimacy to his administration with their vote. To those who hope to break our will, make no mistake. Venezuela will be respected! he said. His comments came after the opposition-controlled National Assembly declared Maduros presidency illegitimate and called on the military to support efforts to restore democracy in the South American country. Speaking at the start of a new legislative session on Saturday, Juan Guaido, the assemblys new president, said legislators reaffirmed the illegitimacy of Nicolas Maduro. As of January 10, he will be usurping the presidency and consequently this National Assembly is the only legitimate representative of the people, he said. The assembly was rendered powerless by Venezuelas Supreme Court after the opposition gained a majority there in 2016. Maduro, who has presided over a virtual collapse of the economy in the oil-rich state, won an election last May widely condemned by the international community. The ballot was called by the administration-backed Constituent Assembly and boycotted by the opposition, many of whose best-known leaders were under house arrest or barred from running. Turnout for the single-round vote was about 46 percent, according to Venezuelas National Electoral Council (CNE), significantly lower than the 80 percent recorded during the countrys last presidential election in 2013. The United States, the European Union and a bloc of countries from the Americas called the Lima Group have refused to recognise the poll result. On Friday, the 14-member Lima Group which consists of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Saint Lucia issued a joint statement calling on Maduro to cede power and open the way for a transitional government formed by leaders of the National Assembly. The US State Department, meanwhile, issued a statement on Saturday saying the United States stands with the National Assembly as the only legitimate and last remaining democratically elected institution that truly represents the will of the Venezuelan people. The US has imposed sweeping sanctions on Venezuela in response to Maduros alleged erosion of the countrys democracy. Reacting to the State Departments comments, the Venezuelan foreign ministry accused Washington of attempting to consummate a coup detat in promoting the repudiation of legitimate and democratic institutions in a statement issued on Sunday. Pope Francis urges EU leaders to help refugees stranded off Malta The head of the Roman Catholic Church has urged EU member states to allow 49 refugees and migrants stranded off the coast of Malta to land on their shores Francis urged Italy, Malta leaders to stop bickering and rescue 49 migrants stuck on board ships in the Mediterranean. Pope Francis urged European leaders to stop bickering over the fate of 49 migrants and refugees stuck on board two humanitarian rescue ships on the Mediterranean and let them land at a safe port of call. Francis, addressing 60,000 faithful in St Peters Square on Sunday, jumped into a diplomatic fracas between Italy and Malta and into an internal dispute among leaders of Italys populist government. I make a heartfelt appeal to European leaders to show concrete solidarity for these people, Francis said, raising his voice. They were only seeking a safe port where they can disembark, he said. Thirty-two people are on board the Sea-Watch 3, a vessel run by a German humanitarian group, which plucked them from an unsafe boat off Libya on December 22. They include three small children and four teenagers. Another ship run by the German group Sea-Eye is carrying 17 people rescued on December 29. Last week, nearly two dozen humanitarian groups, including Amnesty International and the United Nations International Organization for Migration, called on the European Union to offer a safe port to both vessels. Speaking at a political meeting shortly before the pope made his appeal, Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat defended his countrys refusal to take the vessels, saying it had no legal responsibility for the rescue. He accused Maltas critics of playing the Christmas saint while themselves rejecting the ships. We need to find a balance between the human aspect and national security. This is an issue that might set a precedent and we should be vigilant about it, he said. Italys Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio, leader of the 5-Star Movement, shot back at Muscat, saying Italy had for years taken migrants who arrived via the Mediterranean. Now, Malta has to do its part. That is our position, he said. Di Maio has said Italy will take in women and children if Malta allows the ships to dock. But Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, who leads the anti-immigrant League party and has closed ports to rescue ships, opposes this. Salvini has often criticised Francis, who has made defence of migrants a key feature of his pontificate. Italy and Malta are predominantly Catholic nations but the Churchs influence in politics has waned significantly in recent years. "Let us not allow the pigs in power to take our silence for acquiescence." "Let us not allow the pigs in power to take our silence for acquiescence." It has been more than five years since the multi-billion-peso pork barrel scam involving Janet Lim Napoles resulted in a series of protests top-billed by the Million People March in Luneta on August 26, 2013. With up to P10 billion in Priority Development Assistance Funds funneled illegally to bogus non-government organizations just between 2007 and 2009, it appeared to be a systematic operation involving a number of government agencies and many government officials. The message of the march, which was held simultaneously with protest actions in other major cities, was clear: scrap the pork barrel system and make people accountable. Then-President Benigno Aquino III indeed had abolished the PDAF days before the march, saying that greater change is necessary to fight against those who are determined to abuse the system. For what its worth, the magnitude of the scandal would forever tarnish the pork barrel system but also the sort of free-for-all lump sum appropriation that PDAF allowed. However, five years after the outrage and promise of reform, porks specter is once again rearing its ugly head. The new scheme to amass kickbacks from unspecified budget appropriations has been called parked pork by Sen. Panfilo Lacson, according to reports. The modus goes like this: large amounts of pork are parked in the allotments of so-called well-connected lawmakers, who then offer it to districts that are not as well-connected, on condition that favored contractors are chosen for the said projects. In an investigators mind like mine, the only logical conclusion for retaining the contractor as a precondition to divert his allocation to another district is commission or kickback from the contractor, Lacson said, adding that the favored lawmakerscongressmen and senators bothwould get billions worth of pork, enough to spread the wealth around, as it were. The modus was revealed earlier in December, and it became clear that the much-derided pork was all but back. All in all, some P272 billion worth of pork had allegedly been divided among members of Congress. Even more worrisome is that the government will be operating under a reenacted budget after Congress failed to pass the 2019 General Appropriations Act (GAA) before it adjourned in December. Some senators said the delay was due to last-minute pork barrel insertions by some members of the lower house. As a result, the calendar points to a reenacted budget at least until the first week of February. The senate said it expects to approve the budget on second and third reading by January 16. The bicameral conference committee will then reconcile the two versions of the bill until January 23 and ratify the bicam report on January 29. If things go according to schedule, President Duterte will sign the budget on February 7.It might seem like a brief delay but the repercussions may be enormous. Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said, for starters, that reenacting the national budgetthe first in nine years and for the Duterte administrationwill slow down economic growth as it derails the administrations much-vaunted infrastructure agenda. Under a reenacted budget, no new infrastructure projects can start because the capital outlays component of the previous years budget cannot be deemed reenacted, he said. And because the Build Build Build program is precisely geared to spur development and contribute toward poverty reduction, any snag in the implementation can have dire implications. With the exception of large projects covered by Multi-Year Obligational Authority as well as the Internal Revenue Allotment for local government units, things like the salary increases for civilian and military personnel set for the year will also face some delays as the budget for personnel services and maintenance and other operating expenses will be reenacted. The reenacted budget for the first quarter of the year will reduce total disbursements by P43.7 billion, according to estimates by the Department of Management, Diokno said. This will be detrimental to the economic growth and development objectives of the Duterte administration. The government intends to ramp up investments on public infrastructure, poverty alleviation, and social services, he added. To mitigate the impact of the reenacted budget on economic growth, DBM has issued some guidelines on fund releases. These include the 25-percent cap for government agency for the first quarter of the year. DBM also said the budget could be used for all types of expenditures: personnel services, maintenance and operating expenses, and capital outlays. A Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) will be issued for an agencys special budget request. The sooner the 2019 GAA is passed, the better for the economy and the Filipino people. Ramping up our investments on infrastructure and social services will only be sustainable if the budget is authorized by Congress, Diokno said. The return of the pork barrel system just five years after a huge scandal that all but discredited it attests to a kind of obscene greed and impunity by some government officials. The P750 billion that lay susceptible to corruption is staggering and unimaginable by any measure. Thus, from the parked pork scheme to the reenacted budget, the countrys coffers are once again under threat. As Filipinos welcome the Year of the Pigan election yearit is incumbent for voters to remain vigilant, lest the pigs in power take our silence for acquiescence. Trumps national security adviser says US withdrawal from Syria is conditioned on ISIL defeat, safety of Kurdish allies. This article originally stated John Bolton met Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday afternoon. This is incorrect. The meeting took place on Sunday evening. President Donald Trumps national security adviser said on Sunday the conditions for the US military withdrawal from northeastern Syria are finishing off the armed group ISIL and Turkey assuring the safety of Kurdish troops allied with the United States. John Bolton, who travelled to Israel to reassure the US ally of the Trump-ordered withdrawal, said there was no timetable for the pullout of American forces in northeastern Syria, but insisted its not an unlimited commitment. There are objectives that we want to accomplish that condition the withdrawal, Bolton told reporters in Jerusalem. The timetable flows from the policy decisions that we need to implement. Those conditions, he said, included the defeat of remnants of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) in Syria, and protection for Kurdish militias who have fought alongside US troops against the group. We dont think the Turks ought to undertake military action thats not fully coordinated with and agreed to by the United States at a minimum so they dont endanger our troops, but also so that they meet the presidents requirement that the Syrian opposition forces that have fought with us are not endangered, he told reporters. Bolton was deployed to Israel to allay concerns about President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw troops from Syria and discuss the process with Turkish officials. The pullout announced last month was initially expected to be completed within weeks, but the timetable has slowed as the president acceded to requests from aides, allies and members of US Congress for a more orderly withdrawal. Boltons comments mark the first public confirmation that the withdrawal has been slowed. Ahead of a meeting with Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later on Sunday, Bolton said the US withdrawal from Syria would be carried out in a manner that makes sure the defence of Israel and other friends in the region is absolutely assured. Israeli officials have expressed concern that a swift withdrawal of the roughly 2,000 troops could enable Iran to expand its influence and presence in war-torn Syria. Israel is concerned about the consequences of this troop pullout. Theres a balance of power at play here and Israel worries Iran-backed militias and Hezbollah will take advantage of any change in that, said Al Jazeeras Stefanie Dekker, reporting from West Jerusalem. The Israelis have carried out scores of air raids in Syria targeting suspected arms transfers and deployments by Iranian forces and Hezbollah, a Shia movement in Lebanon. Stand fast now 190105200207400 Trumps move has also raised fears about clearing the way for a Turkish assault on Kurdish fighters in Syria. The Peoples Protection Units (YPG) has been highly effective in the war against ISIL, a part of the wider Syrian conflict pitting a range of armed groups against President Bashar al-Assads forces and sometimes against each other. But Turkey has long castigated Washington for its military relationship with the Syrian YPG. Ankara regards the YPG an extension of the PKK, a Kurdish group which has waged a 34-year-old armed struggle inside Turkey. The YPG has indicated that it might seek a deal with Damascus after the US forces have gone. In his comments on Sunday, Bolton said the US has asked the Kurds to stand fast now and refrain from seeking protection from Russia or Assads government. I think they know who their friends are, he added, speaking of the Kurds. Jim Jeffrey, the special representative for Syrian engagement and the newly named American special envoy for the anti-Islamic State coalition, is to travel to Syria this coming week in an effort to reassure the Kurdish fighters that they are not being abandoned, Bolton said. Turkeys presidential spokesman called allegations that his country planned to attack the US-allied Kurds in Syria irrational and said Turkey was fighting terrorism for national security. In comments carried by the official Anadolu news agency, Ibrahim Kalin said the Kurdish fighters oppressed Syrian Kurds and pursued a separatist agenda under the guise of fighting ISIL. That a terror organization cannot be allied with the US is self-evident, he said. At least 30 workers died and seven others were injured when a gold mine caved in in northern Badakhshan province. At least 30 people were killed when a gold mine collapsed in northeastern Afghanistan in the latest tragedy to strike the war-torn country. Another seven were injured in the incident on Sunday in Kohistan district of Badakhshan province, district governor Mohammad Rustam Raghi told the AFP news agency. Villagers dug a 60-metre (200-feet) deep shaft in a riverbed to search for gold. They were inside when the walls caved in. It was not clear why the shaft collapsed, but the provincial governors spokesman Nik Mohammad Nazari said the miners were not professionals. The villagers have been involved in this business for decades with no government control over them, Nazari said. We have sent a rescue team to the area, but villagers have already started removing bodies from the site. Badakhshan is a remote, mountainous province in northeast Afghanistan bordering Tajikistan, China and Pakistan. The impoverished region is prone to landslides, particularly in the colder months when heavy snow blankets the province. Illegal mining is common in resource-rich Afghanistan, with the Taliban relying on the sector for much of its revenue. But most of the countrys minerals remain untapped as the raging conflict and lack of regulation deter international miners from exploiting the huge reserves. Buddhist rebels clash with Myanmar forces, thousands displaced At least 13 officers were killed in clashes in Rakhine state in move to repatriate thousands of Rohingya refugees. A war monitor and SDF officials say pair were seriously injured by missile launched by armed group in eastern Syria. Two British soldiers were seriously injured by a missile fired by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) armed group in eastern Syria on Saturday, according to a war monitor. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the pair were part of the international anti-ISIL coalition, led by the United States. The two British soldiers were transported by helicopter to receive medical care, Rami Abdulrahman, the Observatorys director, told AFP news agency. A Kurdish fighter from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) died in the attack in the village of Al-Shaafa in Deir Az Zor province, one of the last pockets of territory still controlled by ISIL in the Euphrates River valley. The SDF, a coalition dominated by Kurdish fighters, has spearheaded the fight against ISIL, supported by several Western countries, including the United Kingdom. The international alliance seized the key ISIL holdout of Hajin in December after months of fighting that has seen the group launch vicious counterattacks. ISIL, which once controlled swaths of Syria and Iraq, has been pounded by multiple offensives. Since September, more than 1,000 ISIL members have been killed in the fighting compared with just under 600 SDF members while 15,000 people have fled Hajin, according to the Observatory. Last month US President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of about 2,000 soldiers from Syria, deployed to support the SDF, claiming ISIL had been defeated. US officials, however, have not delivered a timeline for the pullout. The Syrian war, which began in 2011, has caused more than 370,000 deaths and forced millions of people to flee their homes. Theresa May urges MPs to honour the UKs EU referendum result as parliamentary vote on her Brexit deal approaches. British Prime Minister Theresa May has reiterated that a delayed parliamentary vote on her widely maligned Brexit deal will go ahead later this month and warned the UK would enter uncharted territory should it be rejected by MPs. In an interview with the BBC on Sunday, May pledged to set out new measures to address the contentious Northern Irish backstop clause in her withdrawal plans in a bid to win over sceptical legislators. She also promised a greater role for the British Parliament in negotiations over future trade relations with the European Union. If the deal is not voted on at this vote thats coming up then we are going to be in uncharted territory and I dont think anybody can say exactly what will happen in terms of the reaction we will see in parliament, May told the BBC. Parliamentary opposition The UK is poised to leave the EU on March 29, two years after it triggered Article 50, the exit clause in the EUs constitution, and kick-started arduous negotiations with European leaders over a divorce deal. Last month, May pulled a vote on the brokered withdrawal agreement, settled on in November after more than a year of back-and-forth negotiations between London and Brussels, acknowledging it would have been roundly rejected by the UKs lower chamber House of Commons. She later announced the vote would go forward in the week beginning January 14. 181214120018250 But parliamentary opposition to her deal remains fierce, with the main sticking point being the safety net backstop measure which would guarantee no hard border is erected on the island of Ireland in the event that post-Brexit trade negotiations between the UK and the bloc prove unsuccessful. Critics of the backstop, which proposes that the whole of the UK, including Northern Ireland, remain in a customs union with the EU unless and until the bloc agrees there is no prospect of a return to a hard border, argue it could tie the UK into the EUs orbit indefinitely. In an effort to assuage MPs concerns, May has lobbied her European counterparts and officials in Brussels to make concessions on the clause. The EU, for its part, has insisted that the withdrawal agreement cannot be renegotiated but has made clear the backstop is meant only as a temporary measure of last resort. DUP digs its heels in The Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which Mays ruling Conservative Party relies on to command a majority in parliament, has urged the British leader to stand firm in demanding that the EU changes its poison backstop provision on Irelands post-Brexit border, however. The backstop remains the poison which makes any vote for the Withdrawal Agreement so toxic, DUP Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds said in a statement on Sunday. The coming days will show if this government is made of the right stuff, he added. The main opposition Labour Party has also pledged to vote down Mays deal in parliament and threatened to initiate a no-confidence vote in her leadership should MPs refuse to back her plan. 181208084355355 Analysts said Mays comments to the BBC did little to conceal the fact the British leader has no gamechanger amendments to the proposed withdrawal agreement capable of swinging the parliamentary arithmetic in her favour. We are pretty much where we were before Christmas, with the proviso that theres less time left. I dont see how the deal passes at the moment the interesting thing will be how much it loses by at the first attempt, Anand Menon, a professor of European politics and foreign affairs at Kings College London, told Al Jazeera. There are some MPs who are looking for an excuse to back the deal and so, something tokenistic and declaratory from the EU on the backstop clause would work for them, but I dont understand how that would work for the DUP, and thats where the action is, he added. Peeling off five of 10 Conservative Party MPs is neither here nor there, but if you get the DUP in line, May will give lots of parliamentarians an excuse to say, Well, OK, if theyre happy with it I cant really justify going around moaning about the Irish backstop.' No-deal departure fears Amid the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Britains high-drama Brexit process, fears that the country could exit the 28-member EU bloc without a deal on the terms of its departure have continued to escalate. 181218142414510 The UKs central bank has warned that Britains gross domestic product could shrink by up to eight percent in such a scenario. The government, for its part, has forecast a potential economic slump of more than nine percent in the wake of a no-deal Brexit. In a letter published by UK newspaper the Mail on Sunday, May warned critics of her departure plan risk damaging Britains democracy and weakening its economy by opposing her deal. She also alleged her deal was the only one that respects the UKs 2016 referendum result, in which 52 percent of Britons voted to leave the EU. Growing calls for referendum rerun But a new survey published by polling firm YouGov on Sunday suggested more Britons now want to remain a member of the bloc than leave it, however. 181201182945771 According to the research, which was commissioned by pro-second referendum campaign group the Peoples Vote, 46 percent of voters would opt to remain while 39 percent would vote to leave in the event of a rerun of the 2016 ballot. When the undecided and those who refused to answer were removed from the sample, the split was 54-46 in favour of remaining. The survey of more than 25,000 voters also showed that 41 percent of Britons thought the final decision about Brexit should be made by a new public vote versus 36 percent who believe it should be up to parliament. Removing those who are undecided, the split was 53 percent in favour of another referendum and 47 percent against. Menon, however, argued the prospect of a second referendum being held remained slim. Its very hard to achieve there isnt a majority in parliament for it [and] it would require a significant extension of Article 50, Menon said. Its also impossible to say whether public opinion is in favour of a second referendum or not because answers to that question have varied basically as a function of the question thats being asked, he added. The polls split very clearly depending on the question you ask. Additional reporting by David Child: @DavidChild90 Brexit: Nigerians in London hope for split Many African expatriates in London are pleased with the prime minister visit to both Kenya and Nigeria last May. John Bolton says US troops withdrawal from Syria conditioned on security of Israel and other allies and defeat of ISIL. The withdrawal of US troops from northeastern Syria would take place in a manner that absolutely assured the security of Israel and other US allies in the Middle East, a top adviser to President Donald Trump has said. John Bolton made the pledge on Sunday, hours after laying out the conditions for the US troop pullout from Syria on the defeat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), as well as assurances from Turkey over the safety of Kurdish fighters allied with the United States. Speaking to reporters leading up to talks with Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Bolton said the pullout would be done in a way that guaranteed the ISIL is defeated and is not able to revive itself and become a threat again. And it would be carried out in such a way as to make sure that the defence of Israel and our other friends in the region is absolutely assured, and to take care of those who have fought with us against ISIS and other terrorist groups, he said. The pullout announced on December 19 was initially expected to be completed within weeks, but the timetable has slowed as the president acceded to requests from aides, allies and members of US Congress for a more orderly withdrawal. Boltons comments mark the first public confirmation that the withdrawal has been slowed. Earlier in the day, the national security adviser told reporters travelling with him there was no timetable for the move. Power vacuum Israeli officials have expressed concern that a swift withdrawal of the roughly 2,000 troops could enable Iran to expand its influence and presence in war-torn Syria. Al Jazeeras Stefanie Dekker, reporting from occupied West Jerusalem, said Israel was particularly concerned about the presence of Iranian-backed militias near its border with Syria, particularly that of Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia movement. Israel is worried that a US pullout could cause a power vacuum. And it is concerned that Iranian backed militias will benefit from that situation, Dekker said, noting Israel has carried out scores of air raids inside Syria aimed at suspected Iranian arms transfers to Hezbollah. Netanyahu will be very keen to show why Israel is concerned, she said. He will be taking the US national security adviser tomorrow to the occupied Golan Heights, close to the border areas where Israel has been carrying out a military operation to destroy tunnels it says Hezbollah has dug from the Lebanon border. Netanyahu, during his joint press conference with Bolton, said he planned to take Bolton to visit the Golan Heights before he leaves for Turkey on Monday if weather permits. He again urged the US and other countries to recognise Israels sovereignty over the strategic plateau it seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed. For his part, Bolton said the US backed Israels right to self-defence and said the Trump administration will continue to work with Israel to counter the continuing threat of Irans quest for deliverable nuclear weapons. Middle East and North Africa Program Director for the International Crisis Group Joost Hiltermann, said the latest US move showed a lack of coherent policy on the Middle East. The USs foreign policy has been in disarray ever since Trump has become president, he told Al Jazeera. Trump and his aides have wanted to pursue a foreign policy that is quite different from his predecessor Barack Obama. Trumps announcement about the intended troop withdrawal was greeted by surprise and condemnation from many US legislators and allies, and prompted the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and the US special envoy for the anti-ISIL coalition in protest. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is following Bolton to the Middle East this coming week for an eight-country tour of Arab allies to shore up support for the administrations partners in the region. Jamal al-Badawi, blamed for the deadly 2000 USS Cole bombing, was killed in a US air raid in Yemen. US President Donald Trumphas confirmed his countrys military has killed a top al-Qaeda member believed to be one of the architects of the deadly bombing of the USS Cole nearly two decades ago. Trump, in a Twitter post on Sunday, said US forces delivered justice by killing Jamal al-Badawi. We have just killed the leader of that attack, Jamal al-Badawi. Our work against al-Qaeda continues, tweeted Trump. In a statement on Friday, US Central Command said its forces targeted Badawi in an air raid in the Marib governorate of Yemen. He was indicted by a US federal grand jury in 2003 and charged with 50 counts of various terrorism offenses, including murder of US nationals and murder of US military personnel. Seventeen sailors were killed on October 12, 2000 when two men in a small boat detonated explosives alongside the guided missile destroyer as it was refueling in Aden. The blast left a gaping hole in the vessels hull and wounded more than three dozen others. Our GREAT MILITARY has delivered justice for the heroes lost and wounded in the cowardly attack on the USS Cole. We have just killed the leader of that attack, Jamal al-Badawi. Our work against al Qaeda continues. We will never stop in our fight against Radical Islamic Terrorism! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2019 The attack, claimed by al-Qaeda, is considered an early success for the armed group and its founder Osama bin Laden. Badawi said to have supplied boats and explosives for the attack on US Navy destroyer. He was also charged with attempting with co-conspirators to attack a US Navy vessel in January 2000, and was on the FBIs Most Wanted list. There had been a $5m reward for information leading to his arrest. Badawi was captured by Yemeni authorities but escaped from prison in April 2003. He was recaptured in March 2004, but again escaped in February 2006. The chief suspect in the attack, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, is being held in the US detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Contrary to what the West believes, Africans do not see themselves as victims of Chinese economic exploitation. At the September 2018 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, African Union Chairperson and Rwandan President Paul Kagame lauded the Chinese aid and investment strategy in Africa as a source of deep transformation. Kagame argued that the cooperation between China and Africa is based on mutual respect and is for the benefit of both partners. This sentiment is perhaps shared by most African heads of states and governments if their attendance of the summit is anything to go by. However, despite the African leaderships embrace of China as a valued partner, the view that Beijing is a predatory actor in Africa, attempting to recolonise the continent is also ubiquitous in foreign policy circles, media narratives and academia. Africa sees China differently than the West The China-Africa relationship is currently being interpreted through two diametrically opposed perceptions. The first of the two is a Sino-phobic one, mostly adopted in the West. For instance, in a recent policy briefing at the Heritage Foundation, US National Security Adviser John Bolton criticised Chinas actions in Africa and claimed the continent has fallen victim to Beijings new colonialism. China uses bribes, opaque agreements, and the strategic use of debt to hold states in Africa captive to Beijings wishes and demands, Bolton said. Such predatory actions are sub-components of broader Chinese strategic initiatives, including One Belt, One Road a plan to develop a series of trade routes leading to and from China with the ultimate goal of advancing Chinese global dominance. Just like the US, other western governments, such as the UK and France, also see Chinas engagement in Africa as a cause for concern. For them, China is a spoiler of peace in oil-rich countries such as South Sudan and Sudan, and a supporter of despots in African countries, such as Gabon. Moreover, they perceive China as a resource and energy-hungry giant, an exploiter of corrupt and incompetent governments, a trade opportunist, and a massive polluter of the African environment. The second and opposing perception of the partnership between Beijing and Africa is a pro-China one. This view is adopted mostly in Africa. According to the proponents of this narrative, China is a saviour a trustworthy ally of Africa. They view China, a country that does not have a history of colonial aspirations in Africa, as a partner which could provide much-needed funding without any strings attached. They also believe Beijing understands and respects Africas priorities. Moreover, China has a reputation among African countries for being an actor that respects other cultures and states. This view is widely held by many African heads of state. Much of the academic literature on the China-Africa partnership unjustifiably perpetuates the Sino-phobic narrative. The media also wrongly portrays China as a predatory actor in Africa. For instance, while it is widely reported that China invests more in the extractive industry than in other sectors, the fact that the extractive industry amounts only to one-third of the total Chinese investment in Africa is barely mentioned. The other two-thirds of Chinas investment in Africa is in infrastructure, construction, electricity production, manufacturing and finance. In fact, compared with the US and other developed countries, Chinas share in extractive investments in Africa, in the form of mining, for example, is lower. Africa is not a victim of Chinese colonisation The Sino-phobic narrative championed by the West portrays African nations as passive collaborators, as mere victims of a second colonisation wave. However, this is not the case. Africans are well aware of the shortcomings of Chinese assistance and business in Africa from an imbalance in trade to hefty debt, from poor quality goods to corrupt practices. Africans also know that many Chinese investors lack considerations of sustainability and that some business dealings are in some instances incompatible with the national interests of African countries. Furthermore, Africans recognise that Chinese businesses rarely fight corrupt practices and seek to avoid accountability. Africans expect China to take some responsibility for some of these shortcomings, but also acknowledge that the weaknesses of African regulatory and enforcement mechanisms, as well as self-serving governments, are the main culprits. They know that Chinese companies, like many others, exploit the weaknesses of African states for their advantage. They believe it is their own governments, and not China, that need to make sure Africa is not exploited. As a result, Africans see the Western criticisms of the China-Africa cooperation with serious reservations. At the FOCAC meeting in September, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa summarised the African position by saying that Africa refutes the view that a new colonialism is taking hold in Africa as our detractors would have us believe. Why Africa loves China The debt trap is not an inevitable outcome of loans: As President Kagame said, the outcome depends on us Africans. The key factor that determines the success of Chinese loans to Africa is whether or not African governments use such loans for productive capital investment. For these investments to succeed, African governments need to be accountable to the people of Africa. This is not the responsibility of China or any other non-African country, for that matter; rather it is Africans who are responsible to ensure accountability. There are some obvious reasons that make China a preferred partner for Africa. For Africans, China has four major attractions: Unconditional soft loans and access to capital; quick delivery of services and cheap goods; funding of peacekeeping; and an alternative development model. First, Chinas unconditional cooperation has allowed African governments to enjoy access to finance, expertise and development aid. In 2016, the trade between China and Africa reached $128bn, a drastic surge from $1bn in 1980. At FOCAC in Beijing this year, China offered $60bn for development financing until 2021. While the financial crises in the US and EU limited their investments in Africa, China committed to investing more in the continent. Chinese soft loans have enabled many African governments to avoid pressure from global governance institutions such as IMF and World Bank to meet Western norms of accountability and conditionality related to political and economic reforms, such as the infamous structural adjustment that does not always serve the interest of Africans. Second, China has aided African governments to meet their peoples rapidly growing demands for services and infrastructure more quickly. Many people in Africa are now used to quick delivery of services such as transportation, education, health and telecommunication by Chinese companies. This has created, and will continue to create, more appetite for Chinese business in Africa. Third, China is now also engaged in peace and security projects in Africa. Chinese troops participate in eight UN peacekeeping missions of which five are in Africa. Moreover, China is the second largest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping missions and it also contributed funding to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the IGAD South Sudan mediation. Fourth, Chinas history of fast and successful economic growth is a model from which many lessons could be learned in Africa. Chinas capacity to ensure policy sovereignty remains relevant, and highly attractive to African leaders and scholars. According to the World Bank, in about 40 years, China has lifted about 800 million people out of poverty through its untraditional path of development. Notably, it has achieved many of the Millennium Development Goals. Africans should take a page from Chinas playbook on development and sovereignty. They can keep their home in order and also make the best out of the competition between great powers and regional players whether they are from the West, Far East or the Middle East. As things stand, China is already winning the hearts and the minds of Africans. The West will have to either change tact or forever play catch up. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. A home in the Old City sold to settlers has raised questions about possible involvement of the Palestinian Authority. Occupied East Jerusalem Early one morning in October, Adeeb Joudeh woke up to the news that Jewish settlers were moving into his former house in the Old City. Joudeh was shocked as he had sold his house to Khaled Attari, a Palestinian businessman, just six months ago, after spending six years trying to find a trustworthy buyer. For the whole family, its like the sky has fallen on our heads, Joudeh told Al Jazeera from his parents house in Sheikh Jarrah. Were a long-rooted family here in Jerusalem. We were very diligent in making sure that the person who buys this property is clean. And then our fears came true when we heard that our home was leaked to the settlers. We wouldnt wish this even on our worst enemy. His former house located in a prime location just a two-minute walk from the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque now reportedly belongs to Ateret Cohanim a settler organisation whose purpose is to Judaise the Old City and its surroundings. Joudeh holds the title of key holder of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City, one of Christianitys most sacred sites. His ancestors have served as custodians of the keys since the 12th century. Not only has his familys reputation been damaged and is under pressure to relinquish the key, but Joudeh has also received death threats from fellow Palestinians over the sale, a grave crime. Im one of those people who trusted the reference checks [by the PA], but today Im in trouble, Joudeh said [Mersiha Gadzo/Al Jazeera] Under PA law, the selling of land and property to Jews is illegal. The laws aim to protect Palestinian properties from Zionist settler takeovers. While this isnt the first time a Palestinian home has been transferred to a settler group through an intermediary, it has provoked a wave of reactions among the residents of Jerusalem as the case raises questions about the possible involvement of the Palestinian Authority (PA). Due diligence Joudeh says he had done his due diligence to make sure his house ends up in safe hands. He says he was first approached in 2014 by Fadi Elsalameen, an American Palestinian activist from Hebron known for his criticism of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the PAs corruption, and a non-resident fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute at John Hopkins School of Advanced Studies. 180125115938726 Since it was Nabil Jaabari, a respected leader and chairman of the board of Hebron University who had suggested Elsalameen, Joudeh felt confident that he had a trustworthy buyer. Through his contacts in the Gulf, Elsalameen learned that an Emirati business conglomerate was interested in protecting Palestinian homes from settlers and that they would transfer $2.5m as a grant to buy the house. However, shortly after Elsalameen proceeded with a down payment of $1.5m, the PA reportedly froze his bank funds for allegedly having ties with Mohammed Dahlan, a former Gaza security chief living in exile in the UAE and Abbas most bitter rival. With Elsalameen unable to transfer the rest of the money, Joudeh cancelled the contract. Israeli flags are raised in the Old Citys Muslim Quarter in occupied East Jerusalem [Mersiha Gadzo/Al Jazeera] Elsalameen, however, has denied accusations of being Dahlans proxy. Im not a part of Dahlans political movement, Im not part of Dahlans political orbit, I do not work for Dahlan. I have nothing to do with any political work for Dahlan whether inside or outside of Palestine, Elsalameen told Al Jazeera. The PA has continuously tried to discredit me in every possible way, mainly because of my anti-corruption work. Joudeh was then contacted by Khaled Attari, a Palestinian businessman. Hes considered to have close ties with the PA, particularly its intelligence chief Majed Faraj, according to Israels Haaretz newspaper. 170914132606085 Prior to making the deal with Attari, the PAs appointed governor of Jerusalem at the time, Adnan Husseini, gave Joudeh the green light to sell his home to Attari. Its a standard practice for Jerusalemites to confirm with the governorate prior to selling ones home, as it consults with the PAs specialised security forces, who complete a check on the buyer. Since the PA had given their blessing, Joudeh sold the house on April 23, 2018, to Attari. The same day, Attari transferred ownership of the home from his name to his company, Daho Holdings, registered in the West Indies to save on taxes, Joudeh said. Some six months later, settlers moved into the house. Ateret Cohanim had reportedly bought the house from Daho Holdings for $17m. Arrests Sheikh Abdullah al-Qam, the secretary-general representing the families of Jerusalem, formed a committee to investigate the case. Qam told Al Jazeera they had obtained documents which prove that Attari did sell the home to settlers. The same month, the Israeli police arrested members of the committee, including Qam, for investigating the case, Qam said. Upon his release, Qam was told not to pursue the investigation. 170313103710942 But this didnt deter the group and they quickly planned for another session. This time, the PA intervened and made the same demand as the Israeli authorities, breaking up the committee, Qam told Al Jazeera. I was asked by one of the official representatives of the PA, Adel Abu Zunied [to stop the investigation], Qam said. The PA gave their blessing and approval that the house would be sold to Khalid Attari The $17m, where did it go? It went to the PA, Qam alleged. The spokesperson for the PAs security service did not respond to Al Jazeeras request for comment. Jerusalems political orphans The problem of homes being leaked to settlers is emblematic of a larger problem Jerusalems 330,000 Palestinians turning into political orphans due to the absence of a unified political leadership that can guide them, as journalist Daoud Kuttab wrote in his article about the case. Khaled Abu Arafeh, former minister for Jerusalem affairs during the 2006-2007 Palestinian government led by Hamas, told Al Jazeera that the PA should submit formal complaints for legal action to be taken against Israel as it had breached the Oslo Accords. Contracts between the local civilian population and the occupying power are considered null and void under international law, Arafeh said, noting that this includes contracts with settler organisations as they are funded by the Israeli government. The PA is meant to exercise its role in Jerusalem especially to combat this problem. They should have held Israel accountable via Oslo agreements for attempting to change the demographics of the city. It is also the responsibility of international organisations to uphold their commitments towards Jerusalem, to implement the relevant international agreements that consider Jerusalem as occupied land, and to not leave Jerusalemites under the mercy of occupying forces, Arafeh said. The PA has been doing a poor job at addressing the issue. It has only taken superficial steps so far and thats just to save face in front of the Palestinian people. Israeli flags flying above the home of Palestinian family Abu Sneina whose building was occupied by Jewish settlers in East Jerusalems Silwan in 2015 [Ahmad Gharabli/AFP] Al Akhbar news reported in 2016 that eight of the 10 houses on the same street as Joudehs former home had already been leaked to settlers over the past few years. Some 2,500 settlers currently live in about 100 buildings in Palestinian neighbourhoods in and around the Old City. Fakhri Abu Diab, spokesperson for a local committee defending Palestinian properties in Silwan just outside the Old City, told Al Jazeera that a new, independent body is needed, run by renowned individuals and institutions in Jerusalem in order to properly vet potential buyers and make sure the homes remain in safe hands. However, their calls for a new body have gone unanswered for years from the Palestinian leadership including the governor of Jerusalem, Abu Diab said. A Palestinian boy walks by the densely populated Palestinian neighbourhood of Silwan. Jewish settlers have been notching up property gains in the heart of Palestinian East Jerusalem through a series of indirect deals involving local frontmen or straw companies [Ahmad Gharabli/AFP] A similar situation arose in 2014 when a Palestinian businessman from Israel offered to buy Palestinian homes in Silwan. The buyer presented himself as having connections with wealthy businessmen in the Emirates and claimed that the properties would be used to house Muslim tourists visiting the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque, according to locals. After the sale was made, settlers accompanied by police and armed guards moved into their homes. It was the biggest deal of its kind to have taken place in Silwan when 27 houses were sold to him at once, Abu Diab said. According to him, there are currently 72 settler housing units in Silwan, 43 of which were leaked to settlers. Palestinians are in a difficult position as they resort to selling their homes in order to make ends meet amid crippling poverty. Eighty-two percent of East Jerusalem residents live below the poverty line. It is one thing when the occupation confiscates or demolishes your home by force, but its another when it comes in the form of being presented to settlers on a gold platter, Abu Diab said. Its a painful phenomenon that has created a black mark on our society. Farah Najjar contributed to this report. BelgradeSeveral thousand people marched Saturday in the Serbian capital, the fifth consecutive weekend rally against the rule of President Aleksandar Vucic whom they accuse of authoritarianism. The protests represent the biggest challenge to Vucics rule so far, and were first called by opposition parties after one of their leaders was beaten ahead of a political gathering in central Serbia in November. The opposition Alliance for Serbia (SZS), an umbrella of parties from across the political spectrum, accused the attackers of being supporters of Vucics ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), a claim the authorities denied. Serbia is slowly rising, entire towns are rising ... and our numbers will grow, actor and one of the movements leader Branislav Trifunovic told the crowd in Belgrade on Saturday, quoted by N1 television. Several hundred people also protested in the southern town of Kragujevac and some 50 in Novi Sad in the north, Beta news agency reported. Since the first protest on December 8, the rallies were joined by students and public figures, notably artists.The demonstrators gathered in front of the faculty of philosophy and marched through Belgrade behind a large banner reading: 1 in 5 million. It was a reference to Vucics earlier statement that he would not meet opposition demands for free media and fair elections even if there were five million people in the street. Vucic, a hardline nationalist-turned-European, is accused by the opposition and civil society of having established autocratic rule and total control over the media, using it to campaign against opponents. Commenting earlier on the protests Vucic said he was ready to listen to the citizens who are demonstrating but not to opposition liars. Vucic was elected president in 2017 after holding the post of prime minister. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham. David Sher is Co-Founder of AmSher Compassionate Collections and past Chairman of Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce, ONB, and CAP. Let's turn Birmingham around. Click here to sign up for newsletter. There's power in numbers. (Opt out at any time) Today's guest blogger is Bruce Ely . If you'd like to be a guest blogger, please click here. Alabama cities and counties depend heavily on revenues from sales taxes. Unlike other states, sales taxes are the largest single source of tax revenue for Alabama municipalities and many counties. With Amazon and online sales growing exponentially, brick-and-mortar store sales and their sales tax collections are plunging, while the Alabama Legislature has offered a limited amnesty and one-stop tax filing and payment for Amazon and other e-tailers who voluntarily register with the State Dep't of Revenue. Frank Brocato, the Mayor of Hoover, complained..."the effect of online sales is causing his city, which annually takes in $4 billion in retail sales, to take a pretty sizable revenue hit...if the Galleria takes in $1 million in sales today, that equates to $30,000 in revenue. However, if residents spend that $1 million on the internet, the city would only receive $550." Potentially, a big win for local governments--with strings attached The U.S. Supreme Court's recent landmark decision involving Wayfair and Newegg and the new "economic nexus" rule could be a win-win for both our in-state retailers and the state, county and city budgets that receive the "expected" sales tax revenues from out-of-state retailers who previously didn't charge sales tax to their Alabama customers. Some local governments reportedly don't want to give up control I italicize "expected," because in order to legally collect this new revenue from out-of-state retailers, and perhaps from in-state retailers who deliver across city and county lines, too, our local governments (including Birmingham, its suburbs and Jefferson, Shelby and Tuscaloosa Counties) must give up some of their control over sales tax administration. Alabama is considered to be one of the worst three, if not THE worst, state in the U.S. when it comes to red tape in sales tax compliance. That's primarily because we're the only state that allows each and every city and county to impose and collect its own sales, use and rental taxes. And many of them have chosen that option, either doing it themselves or contracting it out to one of several "private auditing firms," some of whom charge contingency fees on business license tax audits. Audit horror stories abound. The Supreme Court ruled that the decades-old sales tax collection rules can change to reflect the new economy, but only if a state and all its local governments at least come close to following the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement criteria -- a single audit and appeals process for the state and all local governments; a single point of filing; a uniform set of taxable and tax-exempt items, simplified sales tax rates; etc. We've tried at least twice to pass legislation for Alabama to join the SSUT Compact, but you can still see the tire tracks on my back from getting run over by the self-administered local governments and their contract auditing firms. With the Supreme Court's carrot-and-stick encouragement, however, let's hope we can all come together in March and enact some common-sense, simplified tax compliance rules for our in-state retailers to follow. Hibbett's is a good example. As mentioned, the Alabama Legislature has already made sales tax compliance relatively easy for its e-competitors such as Amazon, Overstock and Zappos, so why not do the same for our own in-state retailers? Typically, when tax compliance is made easier, state and local tax revenues increase. Everybody wins. Bruce Ely is a senior partner at the Bradley Law Firm and a tax adviser to companies doing business in Alabama and Mississippi as well as to the Birmingham Business Alliance, the Alabama Society of CPAs and the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute has rescinded its decision to honor activist Angela Davis with its highest award and canceled the annual gala at which she would have received it. Davis is an author and academic known for a life of activism that included memberships in the Black Panther Party and the Communist Party USA. She was born in Birmingham in 1944 and experienced segregation there as a child. The decision came after supporters and other concerned individuals and organizations, both inside and outside of our local community, began to make requests that we reconsider our decision, the institutes board said in a statement posted to its website. Upon closer examination of Ms. Davis statements and public record, we concluded that she unfortunately does not meet all of the criteria on which the award is based, the statement said. The board said it recognizes Daviss stature as a scholar and prominent figure in civil rights history but believes its decision is consistent with the details of the awards namesake, Rev. Shuttlesworth. The board apologized to our supporters, the community and Ms. Davis for the confusion we have caused. The gala known as the Annual Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award Gala was scheduled for Feb. 16. Ticket purchasers will receive a full refund, the board said. The award Davis was to receive is named for the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, a leader of the fight against segregation in Birmingham in 1963. Shuttlesworth co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and worked with the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement. The Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport is named in his honor. A man and a woman were hospitalized Saturday night after gunfire erupted during a reported gun sale at a western Jefferson County convenience store. Jefferson County sheriffs deputies responded just before 7:30 p.m. to a shooting complaint at 3597 Jaybird Road at the Chevron convenience store in Brighton. Once on the scene, they found an adult male inside a car suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to an area hospital with critical injuries, said Chief Deputy Randy Christian. Investigators learned that an adult female had been taken to an area hospital by private vehicle. She was also suffering from a gunshot wound. Her injuries are non-life threatening. Early information from the scene is that the male went to the convenience store with the female to sell a gun to another man. During the transaction inside the car, the first man pulled a gun and began shooting. The second man returned fire inside the car. After the shooting the second man fled the area. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone information about this crime is asked to call the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office at 205-325-1450 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. The second round of letter grades for Alabamas K-12 schools was released over the holiday break. Some education officials celebrated the grades, while others said nothing at all. After multiple delays, state education officials finally went live Jan. 5 with the details behind the letter grades, but the federally-required information was still not online by publication time of this article. Critics of grading schools say education is too complicated to boil down to a single letter grade. Proponents say the single letter grade is something parents can easily understand. Learning Heroes has been working with and listening to parents for several years to figure out what parents want in a report card to help states present the loads of information required to share through the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA, in 2015, the successor to No Child Left Behind. The organizations founder and president, Bibb Hubbard, said research they conducted shows parents are not only eager to see the school-based report card but are also using the information in it to determine how to be better engaged in their childs education. "That's a good thing," Hubbard said, because it means those school report cards are helping parents gain a better understanding of what's happening with their child. For example, if a parent knows their child is getting a 'B,' but the school earns a 'D,' Hubbard said, "Parents put it together that their child really probably isn't a 'B' student but may be more like a 'C' student." They are able to do this calculation to contextualize their childs experience, she said, in relation to what the school report card shows about the schools overall measures. Report cards can also galvanize support for a school that is struggling, she said. But, she said, if parents don't have information telling them that the school has a problem, they likely won't think there is one. Hubbard said she is encouraged by research showing 61 percent of parents participating in a nationally-representative online survey said if they learned a school was struggling, they would learn how to get more involved in their school to help improve it. Parents want to see that schools have a plan to improve, she said, and they'll say, "we're in this together as a community and we can do better." "When parents saw schools that were over time getting better," she said, "they were more comfortable sending their child to that school than pulling their child out and sending them somewhere else." But, Hubbard said, state education officials need to do more than just put report card information and data online for parents to view. "The school-based report card in particular is not something parents are currently familiar with," Hubbard said, and telling parents why the information in the school report card matters is crucial. If parents can't understand what the report card shows, she said, they could simply tune it out. "It isn't a language that parents speak," she said. "We encourage states to use language parents can understand without having to pull out a dictionary." Adding context to the indicators goes a long way in helping parents understand why the information is gathered and reported, she said. "It is really essential for parents to understand what they're looking at and what they're supposed to do about it," she said. Giving parents some context, even just a couple of sentences, can help them understand how to use the information they're seeing. Learning Heroes produced a sample report card to help states create their own. Their research showed terms like growth and climate can be misinterpreted without including basic explanations on the report card. For example, she said, parents thought the word climate, which educators use to describe the overall feeling of safety and security and wellness at school, is connected to whether the air conditioner is working. Parents have interpreted "growth" to mean increases in enrollment, she said, or even how much children are individually growing in height. With federal law requiring 21 pieces of information be made available on the report card, Hubbard said her organization wanted to know what parents were really interested in. Hubbard said parents know their child is more than a test score and want to see multiple indicators of what is happening in a school. At the top of the list? "[Parents] are very interested in teacher qualifications," she said. "Obviously, the academic measures are important, but so is the school environment. Disciplinary data is also very important to parents." All of that information will be part of Alabama's Unified Report card, and while academic measures are now online, the rest of it is currently tucked away in documents quietly posted to the state department's website just before the end of the year. Hubbard said its important not to shame or blame parents or teachers with report card information, as their research showed parents feel ownership of the data in the school along with the educators. "Helping parents see that this is an opportunity, now we have this data---it's really important to acknowledge it---and what are we going to do about it?" How schools decide to share the information with their families will make the difference in how people receive it, she said. For her part, Hubbard is encouraged by the possibilities school report cards offer. Theres a lot of opportunity in making sure that parents have access to [the report card], can understand it and interpret it, Hubbard said. Then they will use it to help improve their child school and where their child is going. Alabama U.S. Sen. Doug Jones said hes anxious to see any plans to end the 15-day government shutdown, and hes hopeful it will end soon, now that Congress is back in session. Jones, a Democrat, also decried holding people hostage during the government shutdown over the issue of border security. Everything right now is all political posturing, Jones said this morning on CNNs State of the Union with Jake Tapper. Congress has been out of session for the last three weeks...I think we can find that common ground. I think that Democrats are open to anything thats going to get the government open. This morning, U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby said the shutdown has become a political circus. Tapper repeatedly pressed Jones on whether he and fellow Democrats in the Senate would be comfortable with any amount of money dedicated to a border security wall at the United States' southern border with Mexico. President Donald Trump says he wants about $5.6 billion for the wall and other security measures. Jones wouldnt answer on a specific amount, saying hes anxious to see plans instead of dollar amounts. Jones said he supported an earlier, $25 billion plan last year that went nowhere. When I talk to people in Alabama, I hear that they want border security. It doesnt matter what it is," Jones said. Im not going to give wall money just to give wall money...Weve been talking about dollars and cents, but not plans. Our state wants the government to be open for business, Jones said. I think thats the most important thing for the people of Alabama right now....they want border security but they want government services." Jones was also asked about the comments of Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, who told a crowd of activists last week that were gonna impeach the motherf---er," in relation to Trump. Jones, instead, said comments like that distract from the job of Congressional oversight over the administration, which should be conducted in a methodical, judicious and in an efficient way," he said. I dont think any of my constituents could come up to me and say that, even if its progressive constituents, Jones said. They know better than to use that kind of language about the President of the United States, regardless of the coarse language the President uses in public. Though state education officials have yet to publish a full report card, the details of measures that comprise Alabamas recent school report card grades went live on the state department of educations website on Jan. 5. An analysis of those details show a mixed bag of ups and downs in the six categories of measures used from one year to the next, but offers clues as to why grades went up for many schools. Year over year, of the 1,246 schools that received a letter grade for both 2018 and 2017, the majority of schools earned more achievement and growth points, increased both their high school graduation rates and measures of college and career readiness, but many also saw a rise in students missing 15 or more days of school, known as chronic absenteeism. The spreadsheet posted on the departments website doesnt contain both years' grades, but AL.com pulled those together for readers to compare and see which schools improved their performance in which areas from one year to the next. Seventy-three schools were given grades this year for the first time and are not included in the breakdown. First, a quick look at how the measures are calculated. [Click here for the full technical manual.] Schools earn points in up to six categories: Academic achievement the 2017-18 school year test results from the Scantron, ACT, and Alabama Alternate Assessment (for students with significant disabilities), Academic growth 2017-18 school year test results from the Scantron (change from beginning to end of school year), ACT (change from last years 10th grade PLAN to this years 11th grade ACT), Graduation rate 2016-17 school year four-year high school graduation rate, College and career readiness (CCR) rate students who entered ninth grade during the 2013-14 school year and who earned one of the CCR indicators before the end of the 2016-17 school year, Chronic absenteeism the percentage of all students who missed 15 days or more of school, both excused and unexcused absences, Progress in English language proficiency (ELP) measure of the percentage of students learning the English language who met their growth target on the ACCESS 2.0 test. This is the first year this measure has been included. Annual tests are given in math in grades 3 through 8 (Scantron) and in grade 11 (ACT). Reading is tested in grades 3 through 8 (Scantron), while English is tested in grade 11 (ACT). Science is tested in grades 5 and 7 (Scantron) and in grade 11 (ACT). Results from the 2018 round of testing showed better reading scores, but mostly flat math scores. The Alabama Alternate Assessment is given to students with significant disabilities for tested grades. Students who move in and out of schools and districts, known as student churn, often face academic struggles and excluding students who have been enrolled for less than that amount of time from the accountability measure is seen as a fairer method of the impact the current school has had. Students were only counted if they were considered full academic year students, meaning they were enrolled in a school or district for 85 percent of the school year and is still enrolled in the final month of school. Important points to remember about report cards and indicators Report cards will be standard fare for at least the next few years, so its important to understand what the measures show. Each measure is represented by a number from zero to 100. That score does not always represent a percentage of students meeting the measure. For example, the academic achievement measure is weighted and so does not represent a percentage. Academic growth is also weighted, and the weights of both measures differ from each other. [Confused yet? Don't worry, you won't be tested.] When those weights are applied to achievement and growth, students that are high-performers on tests and/or show high levels of growth earn a school extra points, while those who do not perform well on tests or show low levels of growth can negatively impact a schools point score. Therefore, if a school earns 85 points in the academic growth category, it is not correct to say 85 percent of students showed growth on the test. That number just means the school earned 85 points. The unweighted growth and achievement numbers are not provided by the state. In the chronic absenteeism measure, a lower number is better. The number shown on the report card is the actual percentage of students who miss 15 or more days of school. That rate includes all students in the school, not just those that are tested. So if the number is 7.9, then it is accurate to say 7.9 percent of students at the school were chronically absent. The number of points a school earns in the chronic absenteeism category equals 100 minus the number shown. Using that same example, a school with a 7.9 percent chronic absenteeism rate would earn 92.1 points. Both the graduation rate and the CCR rate also reflect percentages, so if the number is 97 for graduation rate, it means that 97 percent of students graduated from high school in four years. Remember, too, that both of those rates also reflect the class of 2017's accomplishments, not the class of 2018. After each of the indicators is calculated individually, a second round of weighting is applied. For schools without a 12th grade, academic achievement and growth each account for 40 percent of the schools grade. Chronic absenteeism accounts for 15 percent of the grade, and the rate of progress of student learning the English language accounts for 5 percent. However, if a school doesnt have 20 or more students classified as English learners, then growth accounts for 45 percent of the total point value. As a result, in 810 schools in Alabama where no measure of English learner progress was calculated, academic growth accounted for 45 percent of the grade. If a school does not have an academic growth measure, then academic achievement grows to 80 percent of the schools grade. That was not the case for any schools in Alabama in 2018. For the 361 Alabama schools with a 12th grade, the weights look like this: Academic achievement - 20 percent, Academic growth - 25 percent, Chronic absenteeism - 10 percent College and career readiness - 10 percent Graduation rate - 30 percent, ELP progress - 5 percent College and career readiness - 10 percent If any other measures are unavailable, there are steps to be followed to reconfigure the formula. AL.com previously reported that more schools earned As and Bs on the 2018 report card, and while reasons differ a bit from school to school, higher point scores in achievement and growth are the likely reason for the higher grades. In schools where achievement scores went up, they increased by an average of 9.4 points. In schools where achievement points went down, they went down by an average of 3.2 points. Also, nearly five times as many schools earned more points in achievement than last year as those that earned fewer points. Across the state, the range was from a loss of 19 points to a gain of 37 points. Scores in the 719 schools where achievement growth points went up saw an average increase of 10.7 points, but in the 449 schools where scores for growth went down, they dropped by an average of 7.7 points. Check out your schools detailed grades Report card proponents agree that parents need to know whats in the report card in order for school improvement to occur. So AL.com has provided a way for you to not only look at this years indicators' scores but also a way to compare them to last year. These interactives are difficult to view on a mobile phone and are better viewed on a tablet, laptop or desktop. Weve also provided links to larger versions made specifically for desktop monitors to allow you to dig in. First up is a way to view scores for 2018 one school system at a time. That allows for a comparison among schools in large school systems. Click the top of a column to sort high to low, low to high, or alphabetical order. The color of the bar indicates the overall letter grade the school received. The width of the bar indicates the percentage of students in poverty at the school. The wider the bar, the higher the poverty level. In the mobile version, only numbers are shown, and the poverty indicator isnt visible. Click here to view a full-size desktop version. Next up is a way to look at both the 2018 and the 2017 scores for all of the schools within a school system. There is a way to narrow the view to a small number of schools within a system as well. Click the top of a column to sort. Click here to view a full-size desktop version. Finally, click this link to view all of the 2018 indicators for all schools in Alabama, or you can narrow down by system. Its just too much information to put into a smaller interactive. No word yet on when the required federal information will be online, but AL.com will let you know when it is. So, what changed at the school level? Looking at all of the schools in the state, some interesting trends emerged. Academic achievement (change in points earned from 2016-17 to 2017-18): 219 schools had lower achievement point scores than the previous year, at an average of 3.2 points, 19 schools had the same number of points (all 100s) 1008 schools had higher points in achievement, at an average of 9.4 points, and Overall, of the 1,246 schools that had scores in both years, scores went up by an average of 7.1 points Academic growth (change in points earned from 2016-17 to 2017-18): 449 schools had lower growth point scores than the previous year, dropping by an average of 7.7 points, 56 schools had zero change from in growth points, all but one had 100s both years, and 719 schools earned more points in growth than the previous year, averaging an increase of 10.7 points, and Overall, of the 1,224 schools that had scores for growth in both years, scores went up by an average of 3.4 points. Chronic absenteeism (change in points earned from 2016-17 to 2017-18): 486 schools lowered their chronic absenteeism rate, resulting in an increase in points by an average of 3.4 points, 6 schools had exactly the same chronic absenteeism rate as in 2016-17, 754 schools saw an increase in their chronic absenteeism rate, resulting in a decrease in points by an average of 3.4 points, and Overall, of the 1,246 schools that had scores in both years, scores went up by an average of 0.7 points. CCR rate (change in points earned from 2015-16 to 2016-17): 73 schools had a lower CCR rate than in the previous year, One school had exactly the same rate (100) 246 schools increased their rate 42 schools first posted a CCR rate in 2016-17, and Overall, of the 320 schools that had CCR rates in both years, points went up by an average of 5.4 points. Graduation rate (change in points earned from 2015-16 to 2016-17): 74 schools posted lower graduation rates than in the previous year, 8 schools posted exactly the same rate (3 were 100s), 238 schools posted a higher graduation rate than in previous year, and Overall, of the 320 schools posting graduation rates in both years, points went up by an average of 2.8 points. English language proficiency (ELP) progress (new for 2018, reflects growth targets for 2017-18 school year): Malacanang and Congress have asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the petition assailing the constitutionality of the Bangsamoro Organic Law. In a 118-page comment, the Palace and both Houses of Congress, through the Office of the Solicitor general, asked the high court to dump the petition filed in October by the Sulu provincial government seeking to strike down the BOL or Republic Act 11054 and to stop its implementation. Solicitor General Jose Calida said the BOL does not violate section 18, Article X of the 1987 Constitution, which authorized only one Organic Act to establish the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. He rejected the argument of the petitioner that the law should have had the approval of Sulu and the other provinces under the ARMM through majority voting as separate units, saying this was not required by the Constitution. The [separate] voting requirement provided in Section 18, Article X of the 1987 Constitution applies only to the creation of an autonomous region, not to the amendment of the law, nor to the expansion of its territorial jurisdiction, Calida says in his comment. He says the law signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in July last year, which created a Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, was not exactly a creation of a new autonomous region as described in the Constitution, but rather an amendment of the organic act and an expansion of the territorial jurisdiction of the ARMM. When Congress decides to expand the territory of the autonomous region, the requirement does not apply to the subsisting provinces, cities of geographical areas of the autonomous region, but only to those provinces, cities or geographical areas proposed by Congress to be added therein, the Executive and Legislative department said in their comment. A majority of the votes in all constituent units put together is sufficient for those provinces, cities or geographical areas already part of the autonomous region.Calida says the expansion of the ARMM does not require an amendment of the Constitution since Congress only needs to amend or repeal the Organic Act on ARMM. Congress retains the plenary power to amend and repeal the Organic Act that created the ARMM. The power to amend and repeal laws is included in the general and express grant of legislative power under Section 1, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution, Calida said. The creation of an autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao is through an organic law, categorized as a statute passed by Congress. As a statute, the organic law may be amended or repealed by Congress pursuant to its general legislative power. Calida, in invoking the powers of Congress to amend and repeal statutes, says the high court has no power to review the BOL because the issues raised by the petitioner involves political questions. The issues raised in the present petition are purely political questions that this Honorable Court is not permitted by the 1987 Constitution to examine, Calida said. He said the BOL complied with the requirement for the governmental setup for an autonomous region under the constitutional provision. Calida also rejected the petitioners assertion that the law erased the identity of the indigenous cultural minorities in Sulu by automatically including it in the BAR without their knowledge and consent and also against their will and in violation of their rights. RAMALLAH, West Bank Birzeit University suspended all activities recently after a brawl erupted between the student blocs of Hamas and Fatah. The Dec. 17 fight began after security forces wearing civilian attire attempted to arrest a student belonging to the Islamic Bloc, Hamas student wing. Witnesses and members of the Islamic Bloc who spoke to Al-Monitor said the forces were most likely affiliated with the Palestinian Authority (PA) intelligence network in the West Bank, which is known to pursue students belonging to the Islamic Bloc because of their university and student activities. The targeted student was leaving the university with his friends when security forces intercepted them. All of the students managed to escape and hide inside the university. Gunshots were reported, but no one was injured. Enraged by what had just happened, the students started yelling at security personnel and hurling insults about the PA which didnt sit well with members of Fatah's student party, Shabiba. An altercation developed into a brawl despite the university guards attempts to contain the situation, which required an intervention by the university's administration. The school canceled courses for the next day, and classes resumed Dec. 19. Almost 14,000 students are enrolled at Birzeit University. Aziz Shwayka, the school's assistant president, urged all parties to stop disrupting academic life and consider the university space a sacred one that is not to be desecrated. He told Al-Monitor, "We have no contact with the Palestinian security apparatuses and have no knowledge of the individuals who attempted to arrest the students." University guards had tried to defuse the situation, according to one such guard who asked for anonymity as he is not allowed to speak to the media. We tried to maintain order inside the university during the brawl, he told Al-Monitor. A number of guards suffered injuries during a clash as they were trying to end the dispute. Shwayka said, The university guards are not armed and don't have the tools to deal with cases of violence." He added, Their responsibility is to maintain order at the university through peaceful means." Because of this, outside security forces should stay off the campus and not interfere with student affairs, Shwayka said. He denied reports that PA police tried to storm the university after the incident and stressed that the police deployed around the university after the incident to prevent further complications. Al-Monitor attempted to speak with Palestinian security, which refused to comment. Following the 2007 Palestinian division between the Hamas and Fatah political parties, Hamas' student bloc was persecuted in the West Bank; its members were pursued and their university activities banned. But in 2012, following a 10-day sit-in organized by the bloc's students inside Birzeit University, the sides reached an agreement that unshackled the students' work and put an end at that time to the harassment. Under the agreement, security apparatuses and the Ministry of Interior pledged to stop all forms of persecution over students' political affiliations and university activism. That agreement, however, is being violated. Islamic Bloc members at West Bank universities say they are constantly hunted by Palestinian security due to the students' school activities, which include organizing artistic, cultural, student and academic exhibitions designed to raise money from students. Yet students who are arrested are often charged with serious crimes such as sectarian violence, libel, defamation, or even receiving funds from illicit parties or possessing weapons. Hamza Abu Qaraa, the Islamic Bloc's coordinator at Birzeit, told Al-Monitor these accusations are mostly fabricated, so courts issue orders to release the students. Although security officials often stall for a few days, they do eventually release most of the students. Security apparatuses try to fabricate charges against the Islamic Bloc students to put them off getting involved with it, he said. Abu Qaraa himself was arrested June 27 by PA intelligence affiliates. I left the university heading for a gas station where I was surprised by an intelligence vehicle. The officers got out of the car, introduced themselves and asked me to surrender myself," he told Al-Monitor. He got out of his car and tried to flee. I went back to the university to hide there, but another intelligence vehicle was waiting for me on the other side. They started shooting in the air. This is when I stopped. Subsequently, they caught me, handcuffed me and beat me in the street. They took me to the [PA police intelligence] headquarters in Ramallah, Abu Qaraa said. Abu Qaraa said he was held for 19 days, even though he was granted a release order after the fifth day by the judge handling his case in Ramallah. More than 400 students from various West Bank universities have been arrested during the school year, Abu Qaraa said, though exact figures aren't available. He said about 24 Birzeit students have been arrested since May when the Islamic Bloc won student council elections for the fourth year in a row. The Islamic Bloc accuses PA security of trying to disrupt its work by persecuting its members. The security apparatus interference with student life was the cause of the recent events at Birzeit University, Abu Qaraa said, adding, They make sure [they undermine] the Islamic Blocs [activities]. This is the case at all [West Bank] universities." Security apparatuses document any event or activity organized by the [Islamic] Bloc at the university, be it service-centered, academic or union-related, to subsequently pursue the people involved, he said. However, Sadek al-Khdour, spokesperson for the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education, told Al-Monitor, The ministry distances higher education institutions from any divergence of viewpoints or disputes to preserve the educational process. Khdour denied that any PA security forces were involved in the brawl. Asked whether the ministry or any affiliated personnel were connected to attempts to abduct students, Khdour said, Security apparatuses might have some ulterior goals and motives, but we wont comment about what happened without knowing the reasons. With the Fatah-Hamas split entering its 12th year, the fallout including student persecution is evident in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Manifestations of the rivalry correlate with each progressive or negative development between the parties. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Hamas Ministry of National Economy in Gaza decided Dec. 17 to prevent Gaza traders from importing any goods without its prior consent, a measure it took without any coordination with the Palestinian national consensus government. This comes at a time when Hamas is reeling under the brunt of a severe financial crisis that hit it in 2014 as a result of the Egyptian army's campaign that started Oct. 26, 2014, and that led to the establishment of a border buffer zone with the Gaza Strip to destroy border tunnels. These tunnels served as Hamas' main funds and weapon supply routes. The ministry also decided to impose new taxes on imported goods that have a local alternative of a high quality. In this context, the ministry published a list containing 95 items and commodities, including flour, oil, biscuits, juices, soft drinks, shampoos and soaps, all kinds of plastics, furniture and wooden articles, sanitary ware, honey and nuts. The items on the list are deemed to have a local alternative of a high quality. The ministry said violators will be prosecuted and their imported goods confiscated. Abdel Nasser Awad, the director general of the Department of Industry at the Ministry of Economy in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, The decision to require import permission and impose taxes on certain goods is aimed at protecting national products. He said domestic industries are suffering from crises that keep increasing production costs. Chief among these problems is the power crisis, which makes the prices of local goods expensive compared with imported goods. Awad said the new taxes amount to 3,000 shekels ($800) for every container loaded with food and 4,000 shekels ($1,066) for every container loaded with other commodities. He added that Gaza has an abundance of imported goods, especially from Israel and Europe, and that this has negatively affected local factories as they have been forced to lay off most of their employees. He said the imposition of taxes on imported goods will make local products more economical to buy. But a number of private sector institutions in Gaza, including the Gaza Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Palestinian Federation of Industries, held a meeting with officials from the Ministry of National Economy on Dec. 19 to push for the cancellation of the decision. Chairman of the Palestinian Federation of Industries Ali al-Hayek, who attended the meeting, told Al-Monitor, The private sector was not aware of the decision of the ministry. It was quite a shocking and surprising decision. He added, Import permits are not aimed at protecting local products but at collecting [money]. He said no conditions should be imposed on imports given that local products do not meet the quality of imported goods. Industrial sectors in Gaza are in dire straits. According to a report issued by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights in June 2017, the production capacity of industrial factories in Gaza decreased to 23% of their capacity prior to the 2014 war. Wadah Bseiso, the treasurer of the Palestinian Federation of Industries in Gaza, told a press conference held in Gaza on April 12, 2017, that 70% of workers in industrial sectors have been laid off due to the siege and the war. Hayek said the private sector objected during the meeting to the list of imported goods that would face new taxes. The decision imposes taxes on goods that have a local alternative of a high quality, but most of the goods on the list do not have such an alternative, he said. He pointed out that during the meeting, representatives of the private sector agreed to form joint committees representing both the private sector and the Ministry of National Economy to discuss the list of goods to be taxed in order to mark off the ones that do not have any local alternative or that have local alternatives of a low quality. Hayek stressed that the private sector appreciates the initiative to find an equation that protects traders and national products, as such products reduce unemployment in Gaza, but this should not be achieved through additional taxes on imported goods. Statistics published by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics in July said the unemployment rate in the Gaza Strip was 53.7%. Aiman Aloul, a Palestinian journalist who works for Alghad TV, published a Facebook post Dec. 19 saying the Association of Clothing Traders in the Gaza Strip denounced the decision of the ministry and said it aims to increase the ministrys revenues rather than protect national products. Emad Abdel Hadi, the head of the Association of Clothing Traders in the Gaza Strip and the owner of a clothing store in Gaza City, told Al-Monitor, The decision is unjust and unfair. He said, The timing of the decision is irrational as the level of imports is currently low across most economic sectors in Gaza, especially the clothing sector, which has decreased its imports 30% in recent months due to the low purchasing power of citizens. Abdel Hadi called on the ministry to revoke its decision because it is inconsistent with the bad economic situation. Mohammed Abu Jiyab, the editor-in-chief of Al-Eqtesadia newspaper in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, The imposition of taxes and import permits on traders will only increase their financial burden. Most traders in Gaza suffer from rising debts and insufficient liquidity. Issam Youness, the manager of Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, tackled the issue of economic, social and cultural rights in the Gaza Strip at a press conference in Gaza City on March 18. He said, Bounced checks increased from 6% in 2014 to 11% in 2017 and pointed out that many traders and businessmen are facing prison sentences due to their inability to settle accumulated debt. According to the center, 100,000 arrest warrants were issued against such individuals and traders in 2017. Abu Jiyab added, National products should not be protected through additional taxes on imported goods. One way of supporting national products is to reduce the production cost. Factory owners should be fully exempted from taxes on imported raw materials and should be provided with power supply around the clock. Also, technical engineering teams should be formed in order to enhance the quality of Palestinian products. CAIRO The first round of community dialogue involving the participation of a thousand nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) on amending Egyptian law No. 70 of 2017 on NGOs and civil society organizations started Dec. 22. This came less than a month after President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi instructed the government at the conclusion of World Youth Forum on Nov. 5 to set up a committee tasked with developing a comprehensive vision and holding community dialogues to amend the law. The round also came two days after the Cairo Criminal Court in Egypt acquitted all 43 defendants accused in the foreign funding case during Egypt's 2011 uprising. The case involved 43 NGO staff. Along with Egyptian nationals, the defendants included at least 16 Americans, along with Germans, Serbs, Norwegians and Palestinians. The acquittal was cautiously praised and stirred questions within human rights quarters about a possible shift in Egyptian authorities view of civil society organizations. This comes in tandem with moves by the government to amend the NGO law that aroused widespread local and international criticism. Nejad al-Borai, the legal representative of a number of defendants in the case, told Al-Monitor, The recent ruling annulled all verdicts against all foreign and Egyptian defendants, as well as against the branches of foreign organizations that operated in Egypt. They were acquitted of all charges fabricated by the authorities six years ago. The case started a few months after the January 25 Revolution that overthrew President Hosni Mubarak. The ruling military junta at the time set up an inquiry committee to investigate allegations that some civil society organizations were receiving funding from foreign sources. On Dec. 29, 2011, Egyptian authorities raided the headquarters of 17 foreign civil society organizations in Egypt and banned their staff from leaving Egypt. As US pressure mounted, Egyptian authorities allowed 15 foreign defendants to leave on a US military aircraft in a move that caused a stir at the time. On June 4, 2013, the Cairo Criminal Court sentenced the foreign and Egyptian defendants to prison terms ranging from one to five years, in addition to ordering the closure of Egyptian branches of the International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute, Freedom House, the International Center for Journalists and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. The next day, US Secretary of State John Kerry criticized the ruling as politically motivated. This decision runs contrary to the universal principle of freedom of association and is incompatible with the transition to democracy, Kerry said in a statement. Commenting on the acquittal, Nancy Okail, a former director of Egypt programs at Freedom House, said, Now our ordeal is finally over. In an article in The New York Times on the day of the acquittal, she added, In 2012, I was forced to leave Egypt for the United States, while my twins, Adam and Farida, stayed behind. For six years, I have longed for my family and my home. She said, The Egyptian government has started taking steps in the right direction. ... President Sisi announced his intention to change the law on nongovernmental organizations. I hope such amendments would really allow human rights and democracy organizations in Egypt to do their work. This verdict should not be seen as the end of the chapter, but rather as a beginning of many effective reforms. Borai said, The staff of these organizations have the right to travel, move and work freely now, and these organizations can operate again in Egypt if they want to, but with the approval of the Egyptian government. At the World Youth Forum on Nov. 4, Sisi answered a participants request to amend the NGO law. He said the law contained phobia and fear of these organizations for Egypt. He went on to praise NGOs as assuming a great and much-needed role in Egypt. Upon its promulgation on May 29, 2017, Law No. 70 had raised widespread controversy and international criticism. Prominent international human rights organizations called on Western governments to pressure the Egyptian government to amend the law. After the acquittal, former Deputy Prime Minister Ziad Bahaa Eldin urged the Egyptian authorities to seize the opportunity and exploit the international praise of the verdict to launch a serious and comprehensive review of the legal status of NGOs and civil society organizations in Egypt. In an article in Al-Shorouk newspaper Dec. 24, Bahaa Eldin said closing the NGOs foreign funding case ultimately lies in Egypts best interest. He said this would free Egypt of international pressure and embarrassment, especially as the verdict was issued by a credible judiciary. Egypt has around 49,000 registered civil society organization and NGOs, most of which provide assistance and services to the poor, with only 30,000 of them active. Egypt also has branches of 96 international organizations. Gamal Eid, a prominent rights activist and executive director of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, has a different opinion. He does not believe the acquittal shows the government has changed its view toward NGOs. This verdict is political. It was issued as a result of pressure by foreign countries and aims to please these countries, he told Al-Monitor. The first leg of the foreign funding case known also as case 173 concerning foreign organizations is over. The second on local organizations is ongoing. Egyptian authorities accuse several local organizations of receiving foreign funds. Many activists were hit by a travel ban and their assets were seized. The investigative judge has not yet completed the indictment, but dozens of activists have been under investigation in the last couple of years. We are still under investigation. There is no breakthrough in the situation of civil society organizations, lamented Eid, who was also banned from traveling and whose assets were frozen. He also expressed skepticism about the government's rounds of community dialogue and the expectations that the controversial law will be amended before mid-2019. This is a false community dialogue. No independent NGO has been invited. All participants support the government amid a lack of representation of any other opposing or dissenting parties. But Talaat Abdelqawi, head of the official Federation of NGOs taking part in the government community dialogue, told Al-Monitor, The dialogue is serious and open for everyone. It provides good proposals for the amendment of the law. He spoke of holding four rounds of community dialogue across the country ahead of two closing meetings scheduled for Jan. 2 and 3 with experts, specialists and international NGOs licensed to operate in Egypt. At the completion of all dialogue rounds and meetings, the government committee shall prepare a draft of the amendments as a preliminary step for their approval at parliament. Abdelqawi said, I think the state intends to draft a well-balanced law because the government needs civil society organizations to help it bring about development and alleviate the impact of economic reforms on citizens. North Augusta City Council will be holding their first meeting of the new year, which will include voting on a resolution related to the lock and dam, and a resolution to purchase a new fire pumper. Council will vote on a resolution that officially supports Option 1-1 of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers alternatives to the New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam. Option 1-1 would retain the dam, with a fish passage on the Georgia side. That option is not the one the Corps is recommending to be constructed; in a meeting in November, they officially recommend a plan that would create a fixed weir with dry floodplain bench. The resolution to be voted on by Council states the Corps' chosen option, 2-6d, would lower the pool created by the lock and dam about 2.5 to 3 feet. "The City and its citizens have grown reliant and accustomed to the river pool created by the lock and dam since it went into service in 1937," the resolution states. It also says "any and all measures should be undertaken by the Mayor and City Administrator to ensure that the present pool be maintained." Council will also vote on a resolution authorizing the purchase of a new fire pumper for Public Safety. The resolution states one bid was received for the pumper, and a discount of $13,292 is offered if the price is paid in full by Jan. 31, 2019. The price of the pumper with the discount is $494,718. If the resolution is passed, the funds for the purchase would come from the Capital Projects Sales Tax II fund. Council will also be voting on the third and final reading of an ordinance authorizing the Municipal Association of South Carolina to act as a claimant agency for debt on behalf of the city. The first two readings passed unanimously. A related resolution will be tentatively removed from the table, where it was placed during the previous council meeting due to an indemnification agreement. The new city clerk will also be appointed during the meeting, and the jury box will be voted on. Council will meet before the meeting to discuss agenda items, as well as the upcoming city council election at 6 p.m. on the third floor of the Municipal Building at 100 Georgia Avenue. The meeting will take place afterward at 7 p.m. Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier? Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up! Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page. The Palace on Sunday expressed confidence the Supreme Court will uphold the third extension of martial law in Mindanao amid the opposition lawmakers objections to its imposition. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo made the remark as he insisted there was nothing new about the grounds raised by the opposition lawmakers to reject the full-year extension of martial in Mindanao. He hoped the Supreme court would side with the Executive department. Panelo made his statement even as an opposition lawmaker insisted there was no factual basis for the third extension of martial law in Mindanao, citing the administrations failure to justify it. Speaking to ANC, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said there was no actual rebellion in the south, which was a requirement in the imposition of martial law based on the 1987 Constitution. Lagman said while there had been reported bombings and other violence in Mindanao, these incidents were not connected and were not indicative of rebellion. We can agree there are continuing acts of terrorism and lawless violence in Mindanao but this is not related. The President in his letter failed to rebate this terrorism to rebellion, Lagman said. But Panelo said The grounds cited by the opposition in opposing the third extension of Martial Law are more or less similar to the grounds cited in the previous petition in opposing the second extension of martial law. We are confident that the continuing rebellion in Mindanao, as well as the demands of public safety, requires the continued existence of martial law in that area, and the Supreme Court will uphold its continued imposition. Liberal Party President and Senator Francis Pangilinan said Congress surrendered its power by granting Dutertes request.Opposition lawmakers led by Lagman asked the high court to invalidate the third extension of martial law, saying it was violative of the 1987 Constitution. They said the safety of the people in Mindanao was not in peril as there was no rebellion in the region. President Dutertes letter dated 06 December 2018 to the Congress initiating the third extension failed to demonstrate the sufficient factual basis for his request, and his allegations of lawless violence and terrorism were not connected to rebellion, Lagman said in a statement. The accumulated 891 days is an enormous increase of 1,485 percent over the original period of 60 days, which defied the constitutional intent of limiting the duration of martial law and any extension thereof. He said the martial law declared in May 2017 could not be extended as it had already accomplished its purpose of ending the Marawi siege. The other petitioners, who echoed Lagmans concern were Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin, Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat Jr., Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, Quezon City Rep. Jose Christopher Belmonte and Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao. Last month, President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of the armed forces to extend martial law in Mindanao, believing rebellion still existed. In May 2017 the Duterte administration put the entire Mindanao under martial law in a bid to fend off the Islamic State-inspired terrorists. OROVILLE, Calif. -Butte County Supervisor Bill Connelly held a Camp Fire meeting at Spring Valley School to discuss recovery efforts in Concow, Yankee Hill and the surrounding area. Many Camp Fire survivors expressed their concerns about how long the process of debris removal might take in areas beyond Paradise. "I'm terrified that they're going to start in Paradise and they won't get to me," said business owner Samatha Zangrelli. Zangrelli fears it could take up to two years to get properties taken care of that are not in the town of Paradise. Debris removal efforts are still ongoing. (Watch the video for more details) SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - Big changes could be coming to PG&E, which announced on Friday that it is conducting a review of its finances and corporate structure. While PG&E did not elaborate, there are news reports Friday that the utility giant is considering breaking up the company, or perhaps declaring bankruptcy. NPR and Reuters delivered two bombshell reports about the potential future of Pacific Gas and Electric. NPR says PG&E is considering selling off its natural gas division, which is news to state Senator Jerry Hill. "They were doing that at the exact same time they were trying to fool the legislature," he said. "The narrative was, either bankruptcy or bailout." Hill explained that the legislature gave PG&E a bailout, and said at the same time, they did not come forward and were not honest. "They weren't showing the best integrity by not telling that they were looking at an alternative way of the liability," Hill said. The Reuters report reveals that the utility giant is preparing for a bankruptcy filing due to mounting liability from the deadly Camp Fire that destroyed much of the Butte County town of Paradise, and neighboring communities like Concow and Magalia. "If PG&E declares bankruptcy, it is PG&E essentially saying that they care more about saving the behinds of the executives than compensating all the people they victimized," said Millbrae Attorney Amanda Riddle. "It sends a message that PG&E is not willing to do the right thing and compensate all of these people it's harmed." Since the Camp Fire began PG&E's stock value has taken a nearly 60 percent nosedive to 19 dollars a share as of Friday night. Senator Hill thinks breaking up the utility is the correct move. By spinning off their gas and electric systems, they will become a size they can manage, the Senator said. "I think what we've seen over the last few years is they've become too big to succeed," Hill said. Attorney Riddle represents more than 700 Camp Fire victims who lost homes to flames that PG&E equipment is under investigation for sparking. She says bankruptcy only harms those folks even more, likely leaving many without enough money to rebuild. The victims would be compensated nowhere near what they should be entitled to in a court of law, she explained. Friday PG&E issued a statement about refreshing their board and looking at structural options. State Senator Hill is wary of any decision the utility makes. "PG&E will do whatever is in their best interests, regardless of anything else," Hill said. Investigators have not determined the cause of the Camp Fire, but the company itself has reported major damage to a high voltage line at the spot the fire started near Pulga. Celebrity While the comedian is looking for an opportunity to bounce back following his old homophobic tweets controversy, these nine celebrities are able to do that. Jan 6, 2019 AceShowbiz - In this social media era, celebrities find it easier to communicate with fans through their accounts, though that means they have to choose their words more carefully or it will bring troubles for them. More often than not, they land themselves in hot water due to their own social media posts. A recent example of that is Kevin Hart, whose old homophobic tweets have cost him his hosting gig at the 2019 Academy Awards. The comedian himself has already apologized for what he did in the past, saying on the micro-blogging site, "I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past. I am sorry that I hurt people. I am evolving and want to continue to do so. My goal is to bring people together, not tear them apart." While Hart is still dealing with the backlash over his old remarks, there are actually other celebrities with similar experience in the past who have been accepted back by public. We've compiled nine celebrities who managed to bounce back after causing controversy due to their social media posts. Let's check it out! 1. Iggy Azalea Instagram Iggy Azalea was enjoying the peak of her career when a series of her old tweets which many deemed homophobic resurfaced online. Due to the backlash that she received from the LGBTQ community, she was pulled out of a headlining gig at the Pittsburgh Pride event in 2014. The rapper later admitted to her mistake and apologized to people who were offended by her old tweets. She even tried to make up for her mistake by holding an LBGTQ event. Thankfully, she was able to gain people's love again after that. In the following year, she led nominations at several music awards, including the 2015 Billboard Music Awards. She was also honored with Woman of the Year Award by GQ Australia in 2016 in addition to signing on to be a judge in the eighth season of the Australia version of "The X Factor". 2. Ashton Kutcher Instagram While some celebrities still run their social media accounts after making controversial posts, it wasn't the case for Ashton Kutcher. The backlash that he received for defending a molester on Twitter in 2011 prompted him to delete his account for a while, before re-activating it months later. He doesn't handle the account himself though, as he lets his management run his Twitter account. Fortunately for him, the backlash was short-lived. He received praises from many people due to his portrayal of Walden Schmidt on "Two and a Half Men". The show even won three Emmy Awards in 2012 and made Kutcher become the highest-paid actor on television for four years. The series finale, which was aired in February 2015, brought in the show's highest audience with 13.52 million viewers tuning in to the finale. 3. Adam Richman Instagram Adam Richman's show "Man Finds Food" was pulled after he came under fire for using the hashtag #thinspiration on Instagram in 2014. When people called him out for the hashtag, Adam did not take it well and hit back at the critics, though it resulted in him getting more backlash. That's because he told one of his critics to "grab a razor blade and draw a bath. I doubt anyone will miss you." He also told another that the only "f***ed up thing was your Dad's choice to go without a condom." Two years later, people seemed to have forgotten about the controversy and moved on. Adam bounced back with Travel Channel, which was supposed to air "Man Finds Food", and premiered a new show titled "Secret Eats with Adam Richman". Talking about his past behavior in a statement, the network said, "We addressed and moved on from the incident that happened two years ago." 4. Gwyneth Paltrow Instagram Even Gwyneth Paltrow could make a social media mishap. Back in 2012, the actress was under attack for using the N-word when captioning a photo of Jay-Z and Kanye West performing onstage in Paris. "N****s in Paris for real," she wrote along with the photo. Even though her caption was actually a title of the rappers' collaborative song, as she had already clarified it, the caption still upset many social media users who were quick to slam her. Fortunately for her, she managed to bounce back pretty quickly. She continued to reprise her roles as Pepper Potts in several Marvel movies in addition to starring in a romcom "Thanks for Sharing" with Mark Ruffalo and "Mortdecai" with Johnny Depp, Olivia Munn and Paul Bettany. She was also named PEOPLE's "Most Beautiful Woman" in 2013. 5. Trevor Noah Instagram Trevor Noah had similar experiences as Kevin Hart's. Just hours after he was announced as the new host of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show", he faced backlash over his old Twitter jokes that were deemed anti-Semitic and sexist. Many urged the network to fire the South Africa native for his past behavior, but the network eventually decided to keep him. People seemingly have moved on from the issue as his debut appearance on the show was met with positive reviews. James Poniewozik of The New York Times praised his performance, whilst Robert Lloyd of Los Angeles Times described him as "charming and composed." His success on the show led to three stand-up specials on Comedy Central and Netflix in addition to him signing extension contract as host of the show for five years. He also produced and hosted annual end-of-year specials for Comedy Central. 6. Gilbert Gottfried Instagram When many people were mourning the victims of tsunami in Japan in March 2011, Gilbert Gottfried made a series of jokes about the disaster on Twitter. Unsurprisingly enough, he was met with huge criticism at the time, to the point where Aflac decided to dismiss Gilbert from voicing its duck mascot and announced a casting call for his replacement. Fortunately for him, the insensitive jokes didn't ruin his career entirely. In the following year, he made guest appearances on several hit shows such as "Family Guy" and "Hannah Montana". He also premiered a podcast series with Frank Santophore called "Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Podcast" in 2014. 7. Kathy Griffin Instagram Kathy Griffin landed in a lot of troubles after she posted in May 2017 a video of herself holding "a mask styled to look like the severed, bloody head" of President Donald Trump. After receiving backlash from a number of Trump family members, she took down the post and apologized. Still, the comedienne was fired from his New Year's Eve broadcast hosting gig and was under a federal investigation by the Justice Department for two months. The controversy fortunately did not let her down. In August of the same year, just months after the controversy, she announced a worldwide comedy tour called "Laugh Your Head Off" in reference to the infamous joke. Several shows sold out within minutes, leading Griffin to add additional shows to the lineup. She embarked on a North American leg of the tour in May 2018. 8. Blake Shelton Instagram Blake Shelton was also among the victims of old problematic tweets. He faced a huge backlash in 2016 after his followers unearthed a series of past tweets that had been labeled as racist, misogynistic and homophobic. One tweet featured him sharing his "sick fantasy" about the then-16-year-old Dakota Fanning. He also urged his neighbor to "learn some English so I would at least now what he's planning to bomb" in one tweet. Shelton didn't need a long time to make his comeback following the controversy. One month later, he was selected to perform "Forever Country" along with other 30 musicians. The single debuted atop Billboard's Hot Country Song chart. He was also honored at Oklahoma Creativity Ambassadors Gala in addition to having his 2017 album "Texoma Shore" debuting at No. 4 on Billboard 200. He was also named PEOPLE's "Sexiest Man Alive" in 2017. 9. James Gunn Instagram "Guardians of the Galaxy" director James Gunn was put under fire after a series of his old offensive tweets resurfaced online in 2018. Some of the tweets found him making a number of jokes about pedophilia and molestation. While Gunn has apologized for what he wrote in the past, Disney decided to fire him from the Marvel movie franchise. However, cast members of "Guardians of the Galaxy" and fans did not agree with the network's decision, leading them to launch a petition to rehire the filmmaker. Even though the petition was signed by thousands, Disney still stood by its decision to fire Gunn. It didn't take too long for him to get a new job though, as he was later hired by Warner Bros. Pictures to write the sequel to "Suicide Squad". .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... LOS ANGELES It was a typical Friday night at Gable House Bowl in Torrance people celebrating birthdays, friends meeting up for a few rounds of bowling at the end of the workweek. Then gunfire began. People scrambled for cover. When it was over, three people lay dead inside, including two 28-year-old men who were best friends. Four others were injured. On Saturday morning, friends and relatives of the victims huddled in a nearby parking lot, waiting for the bodies to be brought out and for answers about what happened. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Torrance police were still searching for the shooter or shooters. The bowling alley, with its distinctive blue sloping roof, has been a popular nightspot in the quiet suburb for decades. After finishing a shift as a maintenance worker Friday night, Robert Meekins headed to Gable House to meet Astin Edwards, the godfather of his 5-year-old son. The friends, both 28, were killed in the shooting. Meekins, who was from South L.A., had a contagious smile and loved to dress stylishly. He had never been in a gang or in trouble with the law, relatives said. He loved his son. He was hardworking, said his aunt, Carol, who declined to give her last name. He was doing good for himself. The family had not yet broken the news to Meekins son. I hope they find the killer, that he turns himself in, Carol said. He took him away from us and his 5-year-old son. The hardest thing will be to explain where his dad is. Before leaving the house that night, Edwards asked his mother to borrow her car, recalled his father, Dwayne Edwards. Those were the last words that Edwards, who worked loading planes at Los Angeles International Airport, spoke to his parents. He was a good guy. He wasnt into no gangbanging, Dwayne Edwards said. He helped everyone who asked him to. Friends of the third victim did not want to be interviewed. On Saturday morning, Torrance police Sgt. Ronald Harris could not provide details about the events that led to the shooting or the weapon used. The L.A. County coroner has not released the names of those who died. This is an unfortunate incident, and one shooting is one too many, Harris said. Some witnesses said a fight broke out before the shooting, which was reported at about 11:55 p.m. at the bowling alley. Edwards, Meekins and a third man died at the scene. Two injured males were taken to a hospital, and two others opted to seek medical attention on their own. The scene outside was chaotic, with an anxious crowd kept back behind police tape. One man, his white shirt torn and bloodstained, had large bandages on his back. Some looked at photographs to try to identify a suspect. Brandon Tyre, 31, was at the bowling alley celebrating a friends birthday. He was in the middle of a game, he said, when a fight erupted, then gunshots. His brother was shot in the chest and remained inside the building, he said. Jesus Perez of San Pedro said he heard about four gunshots and hid inside the bowling alleys bar for about 15 minutes before a security guard escorted him out. We heard there was a big fight before that, he said. We just ran into the bar, and we just took cover, because after the fight we heard, Pop! Pop!' Another witness, who declined to give his name, said there was a fight, then nine gunshots. Latrice Radford was at a movie when she noticed 25 missed calls on her phone. Her brother, 20-year-old Michael Radford, had been shot. She rushed to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, but he wasnt there. At the bowling alley, she was in tears, waiting for news. Gable House opened in 1960 and hosted many professional bowling tournaments in the sports heyday. On Friday and Saturday nights, a glow-in-the-dark bowling event called Rock-n-Glow runs from midnight to 3 a.m. Employees, who would not give their names because they were not authorized to speak to the media, said violence at the establishment is rare, though fights sometimes break out in the parking lot. In March 2015, a 27-year-old woman was killed in the parking lot after a fight escalated into a shooting. The suspects began shooting as soon as they pulled into the lot and never entered the building, the bowling alleys manager said at the time. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... HOUSTON A black man was arrested and charged with murder in the killing of a 7-year-old black girl in a drive-by shooting that authorities said Sunday appeared to be a case of mistaken identity, not a racially motivated attack, as her family feared. Jazmine Barnes family had described the gunman in the Dec. 30 slaying as a white man driving a red pickup and believed race played a role in the shooting. But acting on a tip received by a civil rights activist, the sheriffs department zeroed in instead on Eric Black Jr., a 20-year-old black man who admitted he was driving a dark-colored SUV from which a passenger opened fire, authorities said. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said authorities have identified the second suspect, who is also black, but would not say whether the person was in custody. Gonzalez cautioned that authorities were still investigating, but said: At this point, it does not appear it was related to race. Chris Sevilla, Jazmines father, said in a brief telephone interview that he was feeling a bit of relief right now after the arrest. The shooting took place at a stoplight while Jazmine, her mother and three sisters were on their way to the grocery store. At a court hearing early Sunday, prosecutors said a confidential source had contacted the sheriff by email and told him the killers had shot the car by mistake, thinking the vehicle was someone elses that they had seen earlier that night. Prosecutors did not say why the killers opened fire. The sheriff said there was, in fact, a red truck at a stoplight just before the shooting, but the driver did not appear to have been involved. Gonzalez said it was dark, the shooting happened quickly, and the truck was probably the last thing seen by Jazmines family. Authorities want to talk to the person in the red pickup to get his account of the crime, Gonzalez said. Black, who was arrested Saturday afternoon during a traffic stop, was charged with capital murder and jailed without bail. Court records did not list an attorney for him. Prosecutors said the 9 mm handgun believed used in the shooting had been recovered from Blacks home. During Sundays hearing, prosecutors said Jazmines mother, LaPorsha Washington, had tried to drive to a hospital after the shooting, but one of her front tires had been shot out. After the shooting, a composite sketch of a white man in a dark hood was widely circulated. Jazmines family and activists had said the shooting was similar to an unsolved incident in the area in 2017 in which a gunman described as white shot into a vehicle carrying at least two black people. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a black Democrat who represents parts of Houston, said there was nothing irresponsible about the early suggestions it was a hate crime. She said the case had the positive effect of encouraging people to discuss race in the U.S. The girls killing prompted an outpouring of support for her family from celebrities and ordinary people across the country. On Saturday, hundreds gathered at a rally near where the shooting happened, holding balloons, stuffed animals and signs that read, Justice for Jazmine. A $100,000 reward, raised in part by Shaun King, the journalist and activist who received the tip that helped police, was offered for information leading to an arrest. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the support Jazmines family received provided law enforcement with a sense of urgency and made Jazmines loved ones know they werent alone in their time of grief. We share their deep sense of loss and anger, Turner said. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter at www.twitter.com/juanlozano70 .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal CIUDAD JUAREZ During a visit to this border city, Mexicos president touted a new free zone along the border with the U.S. to spark economic development, create jobs and stem the flow of undocumented immigration. The free zone on the border is part of a national economic development plan, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Saturday. By presidential decree, in the border free zone starting Jan. 1, the value added tax on goods was slashed in half from 16 percent to 8 percent, the minimum wage doubled to the equivalent of $9 dollars a day, and the cost of fuel was lowered to match gas and diesel prices just across the border in the U.S. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The plan also calls for cutting the corporate tax for companies on the border from 30 percent to 20 percent with the goal of attracting investment. Santa Teresa-based Border Industrial Association president Jerry Pacheco was among those in the audience of special guests invited to the presidents speech. Im very hopeful, because he seems to have a very big focus on the border in general, Pacheco said. He was also pleased by the remarks of Economic Minister Graciela Marquez Collin who used a map to highlight the border region as an economic engine for Mexicos economy. I was very happy to see the whole Dona Ana County was highlighted in one of the greenest shades on the map and she said the greener the shade the more importance economically it has to Mexico. So from a New Mexico standpoint, Im very encouraged, Pacheco said. The free zone will encompass the six Mexican states that border the U.S. and 43 cities, including some that are near but not right on the border. The state of Chihuahua just across from New Mexico produces a third of all exports on the border, the largest share in Mexico. We have to parlay whats going on in Chihuahua to build a supply base to this huge economic engine and we benefit by creating New Mexico jobs and New Mexico investment so thats our challenge, Pacheco said. During a speech punctuated by applause from the audience, President Lopez Obrador said the free zone on the border could be expanded to other regions to stimulate economic development nationwide from south to north, so that Mexicans wont have to emigrate anymore, so that they can be happy where they were born, where their families live, to enjoy their culture and customs. The president said the details of the border free zone could be perfected over time but his administration was committed to the tax cuts and minimum wage hike for his full six-year term. Thats good, said Jose Salazar, a Ciudad Juarez resident who earns tips on the Paso del Norte bridge that leads to El Paso using a dolly to carry packages for people on their way back to Mexico after shopping on the U.S. side of the border. I dont charge a fixed price, whatever comes from the heart, said the 19-year-old. But now that the minimum wage is higher, he said he might look for a job with a steady salary instead. I just got my drivers license. Id like to become a delivery driver, Salazar said. President Lopez Obrador was focused on economic development during his visit to Juarez, but outside the auditorium where he spoke, several demonstrators with banners and various complaints hoped to get the presidents attention. One group was opposed to a plan by the president to use the national guard to police the streets as violence spikes again in Ciudad Juarez. He now says yes to militarization, said university student Jorge Garcia on a loud speaker. Another demonstrator, Leonardo Valencia, was in favor of the national guard because we cant trust the police. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Editors note: Not since the Legislature approved racinos and Indian gambling in the mid-1990s has New Mexico faced the kind of sweeping social change and economic impact that would come with legalizing recreational marijuana. Proponents laud its economic potential and social justice tenets, while opponents lament that it would only add to the states problems. The Journal today begins a five-part series on what is likely to be a heated debate in Santa Fe. FIRST IN A FIVE-PART SERIES Read the other stories in the series: Legal pot or not? Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal A sweeping proposal to legalize recreational marijuana that will hit the Legislature this month is sure to rivet the attention of business owners, judges, law enforcement officials, educators and parents. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Supporters say passage would create a new industry that could create 11,000 jobs, millions of dollars in new state and local tax revenues and correct decades of social injustice to minorities and poor people who suffered the brunt of the so-called war on drugs. Opponents dismiss the revenue projections as pie in the sky and say the social costs of sweeping marijuana legalization in a state where about 70,000 people now use medical marijuana are too high. The proposal by Rep. Javier Martinez and Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino, both Albuquerque Democrats, is among the most ambitious pot legalization schemes in the nation. It would not only legalize marijuana sales to adults, but also would: Allow people to wipe out marijuana-related convictions from court and police records. Require some workplace protections for medical and recreational marijuana users. Allow statewide licensed cultivation of marijuana. Place no limit on how much a producer could grow, but each plant would be subject to a tax. That, in theory, would avoid the massive surpluses of marijuana seen in some states that have legalized it. Require local governments to opt in or opt out of allowing licensed adult-use recreational marijuana dispensaries through elections. Prohibit schools from refusing enrollment to someone using medical or commercial cannabis although recreational use would not be allowed on school grounds. Prohibit landlords from refusing to rent to someone using medical or commercial cannabis. Prohibit the separation of children from parents who lawfully use medical or commercial marijuana. Allow individuals to grow up to six mature marijuana plants for personal use. Supporters say the bill would still allow people to be fired for using marijuana in the workplace or being high at work and would keep marijuana dispensaries away from schools, day care or youth centers. They also say workplace protections for employees using marijuana when not at work would be balanced by exempting employers with federal government contracts from those protections if they would result in the loss of the businesss federal contract. Bottom line: Most employers would not be able to discipline workers who consume marijuana on their own time, as long as they werent clearly impaired on the job. While marijuana legislation was a nonstarter under Republican Gov. Susana Martinez, the new occupant of the Governors Mansion in Santa Fe, Michelle Lujan Grisham, says she is open to it but with plenty of conditions. Meanwhile, how much revenue recreational marijuana would generate for the state is open to debate. Legislative Finance Committee staff, at one point, estimated the revenue at between $35 million and $70 million. Supporters argue the number is well over $100 million in the first year or two. And they say it would create a multimillion- dollar industry that they acknowledge would require regulation, licensing and administration. In a way, it would be like creating and regulating todays liquor industry from scratch. Consensus building During last years legislative session, Rep. Javier Martinez, D-Albuquerque, and others introduced the little-publicized House Bill 312. Martinez and other sponsors withdrew the bill because it wasnt on then-Gov. Susana Martinezs call for a 30-day session. Javier Martinez said this years proposal is substantially the same as last years, with minor changes. He traveled around the state last year, talking with people in more conservative areas, trying to find out what their concerns were and how they could be addressed. I think the level of opposition was softer than I expected, he said. People were asking about funding treatment and education on the issue. Emily Kaltenbach, state director of the Drug Policy Alliance, a group that has worked for legalization of marijuana throughout the country, has been working on marijuana legalization and decriminalization for years. She and other proponents said the experience of other states gives New Mexico an advantage in drawing up legislation to legalize recreational cannabis. We have been looking at how to avoid the pitfalls other states experienced, she said. This is a huge new marketplace that is very complex. National movement Marijuana legalization has widespread support in New Mexico, with 60 percent favoring it in an Albuquerque Journal poll of likely voters before last years election. Nationally, more than half the population over the age of 26 has used marijuana at least once, according to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Thats more than 100 million adults who have admitted using marijuana, despite the fact it is a Schedule One Narcotic under the Controlled Substances Act, passed in 1970 as part of then-President Richard M. Nixons War on Drugs that was partly in response to the anti-war movement. Now, 33 states have some sort of medical cannabis program all technically illegal under federal law. Ten states Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington and the District of Columbia legalized marijuana for recreational use. Last November, Michigan voters approved a ballot measure permitting adults ages 21 and over to purchase and possess recreational-use marijuana. Several think tanks say recreational marijuana is a potential billion-dollar industry in some states. Last year, Vermont became the first state to legalize marijuana for recreational use through the legislative process, rather than by a ballot measure. Vermonts law allows for adults ages 21 and over to grow and possess small amounts of cannabis. However, it does not permit the sale of nonmedical cannabis. New Jerseys Legislature is moving ahead with a marijuana legalization bill. And New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has called for legalizing recreational marijuana as part of a 2019 legislative agenda. Support for marijuana legalization has cut across party lines. The New Jersey Legislature is controlled by Democrats. The Vermont Legislature is controlled by Republicans. U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., led the successful push back against former Republican Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who promised to get tough on states that had legalized commercial and medical marijuana. But outgoing Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, was never a big fan, saying on multiple occasions that he would have preferred that Coloradans hadnt approved legalization. Governors take Lujan Grisham hasnt commented on the bill supported by Martinez, Ortiz y Pino and others. But on the campaign trail, she said her support for a recreational cannabis program is contingent on a number of factors. For starters, she wants the medical marijuana program protected in any legislation legalizing a commercial marijuana industry. Other areas of concern for her are the prevention of underage use, workplace impairment and a boost to state revenues. She also wants New Mexico marijuana businesses to get some sort of preference in the early stages of the industry rollout. If we invest productively and regulate productively, we can have a successful recreational cannabis program, Lujan Grisham said on the campaign trail. The protection of the medical cannabis program is of personal interest to Lujan Grisham. She was secretary of the Department of Health under then-Gov. Bill Richardson when she was charged with overseeing the rollout of the program after it was approved by the Legislature in 2007. Lujan Grisham touted the success of the program during her gubernatorial campaign. That program started out relatively small, directed primarily at cancer patients and people with some other conditions, such as glaucoma. In November, the number of people holding medical cannabis cards around the state had reached nearly 70,000 about 3.5 percent of the states population. The growth in the program was led by patients with diagnoses for PTSD and chronic pain cancer was the third-leading diagnosis among cardholders. Lessons elsewhere Supporters of legalizing a commercial marijuana industry say they can draw on the experiences of other states good and bad. We can try to emulate the success of Colorado and the revenue it pulls in without reinventing the wheel, said Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe. A simple example is that all states that have legalized recreational marijuana have banned its use in public places usually making it an offense punishable by a fine. States also prohibited people from using marijuana in dispensaries where they buy it. That seems straightforward enough, until the tourist industry is taken into consideration. Tourists can buy marijuana legally, but they cant smoke it in their hotels or outside in parking lots. States that have legalized recreational marijuana are now considering laws that would allow smoke shops where people could buy and smoke marijuana or just smoke it, with perhaps a cup of coffee. Supporters want New Mexico to get ahead of that issue by allowing for licensed public places where smoking marijuana would be legal. Several states that legalized recreational marijuana also failed to address issues surrounding advertising, packaging and warning labels for products containing marijuana. Simple issues such as requiring childproof containers or packages were overlooked. Legislators and regulators in states including Colorado have had to revisit the marijuana legalization laws to fix those oversights and even in that state there are robust critics of recreational pot use. A number of communities have opted out of legalized recreational sales. Colorado approved legalized marijuana by referendum, but former Gov. Hickenlooper who vetoed three expansion bills once said that if he had a magic wand to reverse marijuana legalization, he would use it. Now, he says, If I had that magic wand now, I dont know if I would wave it. Whats next? State Rep. Javier Martinez and Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino will be introducing a comprehensive marijuana legalization bill this legislative session. The Journals five-part series explores their proposal and the impact this new industry would have on our state. Monday Marijuana legalization would require setting up a new statewide bureaucracy, and will affect schools, businesses, landlords, workers and the judiciary. Supporters hope it will repair some of the damage caused by the war on drugs. Tuesday Law enforcement officials are concerned that legalization will increase drugged driving and illegal marijuana growing operations. Supporters say those problems already exist. Wednesday The fate of legalizing adult marijuana use appears to rest in the state Senate, where veteran Democrats are opposed but a one-vote swing from no to yes could ensure passage. Thursday The fate of legalizing adult marijuana use appears to rest in the state Senate, where veteran Democrats are opposed but a one-vote swing from no to yes could ensure passage. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Come to Albuquerque for the Balloon Fiesta. Stay because someone stole your car. That unflattering meme prompted more than a few derisive laughs on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. But for residents of the Duke City, the issue of crime is no laughing matter. From the Mayors Office to the 2nd Judicial District Attorney to the courts to the law enforcement agencies in the Metro area, officials agree this city has a serious crime problem. Thats why a new report that Albuquerque had its first decrease in the overall crime rate in eight years is beyond welcome news. Yes, its a one-year statistic, but down is down, and in a city weary of warm-up thefts and smash-and-grabs, well take it. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Auto theft where Albuquerque has been the No. 1 city and the University of New Mexico the top campus fell by a whopping 31 percent, according to the police statistics released. And the decrease in auto thefts is mirrored in other property crimes. Auto burglary dropped 29 percent, commercial burglary dropped 17 percent and residential burglary dropped 18 percent. And the hits keep coming in violent crime: robbery fell 36 percent, homicide decreased 10 percent, aggravated assault went down 8 percent and rape dropped 3 percent. Paul Guerin, director of UNMs Center for Applied Research and Analysis, called the statistics good and welcome news that mirror a national trend. But he cautions we need longer-term and more in-depth reviews of crime to understand crime in Albuquerque. A focus on a one-year comparison is an initial broad look at crime a lot more could be done. And it should. Mayor Tim Keller has vowed to put 100 more police officers on the streets; District Attorney Raul Torrez is mining data analytics and targeting repeat offenders and the worst of the worst so taxpayers get more bang for their crime-fighting buck; the Supreme Court has offered guidance on when, and when not, judges should allow a defendant bond; and the Albuquerque Police Department has been on a recruiting spree, targeting seasoned officers in other agencies as well as prospective rookies. APD deserves a special aside for its focus on traffic stops the vegetables of police work that arent as flashy as some details but make everyone safer. Despite challenging staffing, traffic stops were up 31 percent. As Keller notes, in almost a decade this is the first time, at least, were going in the right direction. It is with sober optimism that we share these statistics because we know that, overall, the rates are still too high. Its hard to disagree with the mayor on this issue. Because while crime is down, every percentage point that still exists represents neighbors, colleagues, friends and relatives caught up as a victim or a defendant. Or both. The recent violent deaths of two teenagers is a sobering reminder theres still work to be done. The bodies of Ahmed Lateef, 14, and Collin Romero, 15, were found last weekend, buried in a remote location in Sandoval County. The two had been reported missing for almost two weeks. Albuquerque police detectives were told the two may have been involved in a drug deal gone bad in a Foothills neighborhood. Romeros mother reported she heard there was a Snapchat video going around that showed the boys being beaten in a remote area. Their tragic story is just the latest involving troubled youths in the community, a top priority of United Ways Mission Families initiative that hopes to reduce the number of adverse childhood experiences that can lead to criminal involvement. As the city continues to work at getting those crime stats even lower, Keller and APD officials emphasize that more effort is needed to combat a troubling increase in gun violence. Nonfatal shootings, including ones this fall that left one teenager blind and another paralyzed, went up 4 percent this year, from 470 to 491. Police say nearly 1,000 firearms were stolen from homes and vehicles from January to November, meaning a flood of guns hit the street. Keller said the city and APD are working on a comprehensive plan to treat gun violence as a public health crisis. Chief Michael Geier says the department plans to target gun violence by adding resources, investing in new technology and working with communities to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and will be relentless in the effort. But Metro-area residents can, and must, do more. Trigger locks and gun safes should be standard equipment for gun owners, who must do all they can to ensure their firearm is never used to commit a crime or hurt an innocent. Thats part of the responsibility of owning a firearm. And so, while recognizing there is much work to be done, we applaud the work of all involved that has reduced crime in our community. We look forward to hearing more from each of the players on how they plan to reduce the crime rate even further. We want them to be relentless. This reduction needs to be a trend, not an anomaly. Because we want everyone to come for the Balloon Fiesta. And we want them to stay for the right reason to enjoy what makes the Albuquerque-Metro area such a special place. editorials This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... President Trumps recent decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria was not based on prior consultations with his senior foreign and military policy experts. The former Secretary of Defense James Mattis, who has since resigned in protest, and several senior State Department Middle East experts objected to the withdrawal and decried the regional vacuum that it would create. The presidents action showed a lack of knowledge of regional dynamics, the traditional American role in regional alliances, the domestic situation in Syria, and the fact that malevolent actors often fill the vacuum created by American disengagement. This is not an argument about whether American troops should have been sent to Syria in the first place or whether withdrawing two thousand plus soldiers would tip the regional balance of power one way or the other. Or even whether Syria poses an existential threat to American regional or global security. The two factors that underpinned the troop deployment three years ago constraining the Syrian dictators brutality against his people and training and supporting Syrian Kurdish fighters opposed to the Assad regime are as valid today as they were then. Contrary to the presidents claim, ISIS has not been defeated and continues to pose a threat to American security. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Withdrawing from Syria undercuts the diplomatic efforts by Ambassador James Jeffrey to help chart a future for Syria without Assad. Ambassador Jeffrey, who also resigned in protest, said previously that the United States would stay in Syria for years to come because the American presence provided leverage against adversarial actors. Second, this unfortunate decision means that the future of Syria will be decided by Russia, Turkey, Iran, Hezbollah and Syrias tyrant without any significant input from Washington the best Christmas gift that Moscow could have hoped for. Why is it such a gift and why should Americans care about whats happening in the Middle East? The decision totally ignores the resurgence of new al-Qaeda affiliated groups in Syria, including Hayat Tahrir al Sham or HTS. So, while the President touts the defeat of ISIS, he dismisses the rise of these re-branded but equally menacing groups. Despite the Turkish presidents public commitment to fight ISIS, Turkeys primary objective is to strike at the Kurdish forces in Syria, not to fight ISIS or al-Qaeda. Third, Trumps action also dismisses the precarious situation in Jordan and Lebanon, two key American allies. The decision has inadvertently empowered Hezbollah, Lebanons most important political party and an ally of Iran. The unintended consequences of the troop withdrawal are creating much uncertainty in Jordan and a growing threat from nefarious groups. Jordan has worked closely with the United States to train some of the pro-American forces Arabs and Kurds fighting against the Assad regime, which now feel abandoned by Washington. Finally, American disengagement from Syria is empowering regional autocrats in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and elsewhere to terrorize their people as they see fit and to spread mischief across the region without accountability. Nor will the Taliban in Afghanistan feel a need to negotiate with the regime in Kabul. They will wait out America knowing full well that, as in Syria, American troops will ultimately leave Afghanistan. The decision to withdraw has diminished Americas ability to use its leverage to influence future events in the region. One hypothetical area of leverage might be for Washington to reach an agreement with Teheran about eliminating the sanctions re-imposed on Iran following Trumps scuttling of the nuclear deal. While one cannot imagine the American Secretary of State Mike Pompeo or the National Security Adviser John Bolton acquiesce in a deal with Iran over the sanctions, such an agreement might encourage Iran to distance itself from Russia and make it receptive to a deal with Washington on the future of Syria without Assad. Turkeys Erdogan could be another friendly player. However, he has demanded that Washington extradite his perceived arch nemesis Fethullah Gulen, the Turkish cleric living in Pennsylvania. This should be a non-starter for any deal with Turkey. Whether in Syria or in Afghanistan, the presidents haphazard foreign policy decisions bring no benefit to the United States, only risks. Reflecting on the realities of the region, its difficult to find a silver lining in Trumps short-sighted decision. One can only hope that no long-term damage ensues. Emile Nakhleh is a retired senior intelligence service officer and was awarded the Directors Medal while at the CIA. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... The vast majority of Albuquerque residents agree with the Albuquerque Journals editorial board about the need for paid sick-days legislation in our city. However, legislation introduced a year ago would have only protected a small fraction of people working in Albuquerque. A draft of UNMs BBER study on the impact of sick-days legislation which was acquired through a public information request confirms that over 100,000 employees in Albuquerque have to choose between working sick or losing a days pay when they are ill. Among them, 90 percent make less than $15,000 a year. If we agree that sick days are necessary to protect and strengthen our families, workforce and businesses, then legislation shouldnt leave anyone out. Thats why City Councilor Pat Davis submitted a new proposal for earned paid sick-days legislation on Dec. 17 that would protect ALL workers in Albuquerque, no matter the size of business that employs them or the number of hours they work. This new bill is a compromise between the 2017 voter-initiated legislation and the Sanchez/Harris bill introduced a year ago. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Davis legislation follows the standard set by every earned sick day bill that has passed in recent months in Austin, San Antonio, Minneapolis and the state of Arizona: Employees earn 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked but can only use a maximum of seven earned sick days each year. For small businesses, which is defined as a business with fewer than 40 employees, workers are capped at five days per year. The BBER study makes it clear that cities that have passed earned sick-day bills have seen no hit on their economy and businesses have not needed to shift costs to consumers or curtail other employee benefits. The cost of sick days is modest: less than $300/year per employee possibly even less depending on the size of the employer. Most importantly, this new bill allows businesses with a PTO or sick-leave policy already in place to continue using the same policy without needing to change a thing, as long as they meet the minimum standards outlined above. Business owners would be responsible for tracking how much sick time employees earn and use, mimicking the simple requirements set by the Albuquerques minimum wage ordinance. This legislation wont impose onerous, new record-keeping burdens, nor does it presume an employer has retaliated if an employee is fired after using earned sick time both of which are fixes of the shortcomings of prior versions of this proposal. Davis proposal also allows employees to use earned sick time to cope with domestic violence or sexual assault. Part-time workers will take longer to earn a full day of sick time, but they will still be able to earn it. This is essential for any bill that reflects the needs of our current economy, where more workers are working multiple jobs to make ends meet. The proposal allows workers to use earned sick time after 90 days on the job, an overall standard based on findings from the BBER report. More than two years of debate and study have passed; lets finally get a good sick-days proposal passed without loopholes and with easier standards for small businesses, that doesnt allow for abuses by employees or employers, and allows ALL workers in Albuquerque the opportunity to earn the sick time they need. Pump prices are expected to rise this week, with diesel and gasoline going up by 70 and 80 centavos a liter amid reports that the. Expect fuel prices to go up again next week, Unioil Philippines said on its official Twitter account Saturday. Diesel and gasoline should go up by P0.70 - P0.80 per liter. The impending price hike comes after 11 consecutive weeks of reduction for diesel and kerosene prices, and three successive weeks for gasoline. Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian suggested the removal of the $80-per-barrel threshold needed to suspend excise taxes on fuel to give the government more flexibility. Let us not wait for $80. If we wait for $80, many will be hurt, Gatchalian said in an interview on radio dzBB. He also said the government should study good timing in suspending excise taxes on fuels. Timing is important in tax reform. And in many countries, they are looking at the forecast, the timing. They are not just imposing [new taxes], he added. The second round of increases in fuel excise taxes went into effect Jan. 1, as provided for by the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law. READ: Opec: Oil prices to recover early 2019 Gatchalian said that they can no longer do anything about that, it is important that the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Energy monitor prices. For example, he said, petroleum companies cannot impose an increase until after 15 days because it is their mandate to store oil for 15 days. It is the mandate of the DOE to ensure that there is enough supply of oil for the country, he said.He said so far, the DOE has monitored gas stations and issued warnings to some of the for increasing their prices. Gatchalian on Saturday proposed the creation of an anti-profiteering task force to guard against oil price increases. The DOE said over the weekend it hopes to release a circular on monitoring and unbundling of prices of petroleum products by the first quarter as part of moves toward price transparency. Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said the circular will still undergo one more public consultation before it is released. DOE wants to unbundle oil price components including the industry take or profits of the oil companies. The oil industry is deregulated, which means any movement in oil prices does not require prior government or regulatory approval. For the cost component, at least we got the eight major componentsWe agreed on the seven, what we are still discussing now is the industry take, Rino Abad, director of the Oil Industry Management Bureau said. Under the circular, which will be known as the Guidelines for the Monitoring of Prices on the Sale of Petroleum Products by the Downstream Oil Industry in the Philippines, oil companies are required to unbundle and provide an explanation for the oil price adjustment. Oil companies shall strictly comply with the submission of the formal notice of price adjustments per liter for liquid fuels and per kilogram of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) as required in Section 2, containing the computation and the corresponding explanation of the unbundled cost items of all products subject for sale, the draft circular states. The circular shall apply to all persons or entities engaged in the sale of gasoline, automotive and industrial diesel, kerosene, jet fuel, bunker fuel oil and household and automotive LPG. The oil companies will be required to submit to the DOE the breakdown of its price movement which includes product cost, freight cost, insurance, foreign exchange rate, duties, taxes, biofuel cost and industry take. It said retail outlets must also submit if required, their computations with corresponding explanation of the price of all petroleum products sold in a specified period including product cost, haulers fee, taxes and retailers take. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... On April 1, 1941, a B-18 Bolo bomber landed on a north-south runway on Albuquerques east mesa, signaling the official opening of the Albuquerque Army Air Base, which would evolve into what is today Kirtland Air Force Base. Construction of the Army air base started on Jan. 7, 1941, on 2,000 acres near a privately owned Albuquerque airport, and was completed in August 1941, four months after that lone B-18 landed and four months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and Americas entry into World War II. Within two weeks after the Pearl Harbor attack, the first bombardier cadets arrived at the Albuquerque air base for training. Major accomplishments at the Albuquerque air field during World War II included training over 1,200 pilots and 5,200 bombardiers, participation in the Manhattan Project (atomic bomb) and the development and demonstration of the proximity fuze, said John L. Deuble Jr., an Albuquerque author who specializes in military history. During World War II, the atomic bomb was the number one technology and the proximity fuze (which detonates an explosive device when it reaches a predetermined distance from a target) was number two. The allies would not have won World War II without these two items. Deuble will give a talk titled Kirtland Army Air Field During World War II at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, in Botts Hall at the Special Collections Library, 423 Central NE. Admission is free. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The Albuquerque Army Air Base was renamed Kirtland Army Air Field on Feb. 25, 1942, in honor of Col. Roy C. Kirtland, a pioneering aviator who learned to fly in 1911 and served in World War I as the commander of a mechanics regiment and an inspector of aviation facilities. He was recalled from retirement in 1941 at the age of 65 and died of a heart attack in May 1941 at Moffett Field, Calif. During the war, KAAFs mission was to train air crews, especially bombardiers, for heavy bombers B-17 Flying Fortresses, B-24 Liberators and B-29 Superfortresses. Even before the United States got into the war, B-17 air and ground crews in the 19th Bombardment Group had trained at KAAF in 1941 before being deployed to Clark Field in the Philippine Islands. Commanded by Lt. Col. Eugene Eubank, for whom Albuquerques Eubank Boulevard is named, the 19th would become arguably the most famous bomber unit of World War II for the role it played in the campaign against Japan. Deuble said KAAFs most valuable contributions to the war effort were its role as a transportation center for scientists working on the atomic bomb at Los Alamos and the part it played in the evolution of the proximity fuze, a triggering mechanism much more effective than contact or timed fuzes. Between 1942 and 1945, nearly 50,000 test firings of the top-secret proximity fuze were done at KAAFs anti-aircraft artillery range. Deuble, originally from suburban Philadelphia, has lived in Albuquerque for 17 years. A veteran of the Korean War, he served in the Army (2nd Ranger Battalion) in 1949-50 and in the Air Force (3rd Air Rescue Squadron) in 1951-54. He earned bachelor degrees in chemistry and history from the University of the Pacific in 1959 and has been researching and writing history for more than 45 years. He specializes in the history of western military installations and his books include Camp Furlong Columbus, New Mexico 1912-1926, An Illustrated History of the 1st Aero Squadron at Camp Furlong Columbus, New Mexico 1916-1917 and Camp Cody Deming, New Mexico, a New Mexico World War I U.S. Army National Guard Training Installation. His talk at the Special Collections Library will touch on the early years of Albuquerque airports and the development of the Army air base, the air bases missions before and after the United States entry into World War II and Bombardier, the 1943 movie filmed mostly at Kirtland Army Air Field. The movie stars Pat OBrien as Maj. Chick Davis and Randolph Scott as Capt. Buck Oliver and tells the story of six bombardier candidates and their traning. The 19th Bombardment Groups Eubank, by then a brigadier general, introduces the film. One thing Deuble is sure of is that he will not run out of material. I have about 10 charts on this topic, he said. However, time will not allow me to use all of them. IF YOU GO WHAT: Kirtland Army Air Field During World War II, a talk by John L. Deuble Jr. WHEN: 10:30 a.m.-noon Saturday, Jan. 12 WHERE: Botts Hall at the Special Collections Library, 423 Central NE ADMISSION: Free .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Chatter Sunday heads for Peru with Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout at Las Puertas Event Center. A string quartet will perform Gabriela Lena Franks acclaimed piece combining Peruvian folk melodies with classical music traditions. Each movement symbolizes different people and instruments of the Andes, such as the tarka, a type of flute, the zampona pan pipe, or the llorena, a professional mourner. Its a very colorful piece, violinist and Chatter co-founder David Felberg said. Frank evokes characters that include a runner who sprints from peak to peak as a messenger. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Theres also an Andean wailing woman, Felberg said. It blends all of these Andean folk elements with Western string techniques. They co-exist beautifully in this piece. Born in Berkeley, Calif., to a mother of mixed Peruvian and Chinese ancestry and a father of Lithuanian and Jewish descent, Frank explores her multicultural heritage through her compositions. The musicians also will perform Meredith Monks Stringsongs. Monk is an American composer, performer, director, vocalist, filmmaker and choreographer. Shes sort of legendary, Felberg said. Shes been active since the 1960s in the avant-garde scene in New York. She took her ideas of exploring different vocal textures and songs and extended that to the string quartet. Monk gave each of the four movements resonant names: Cliff Lights, Tendrils, Obsidian Chorale and Phantom Strings. Its sort of an emotionally raw piece, Felberg said. Its really evocative of the titles of the movements. Stringsongs was commissioned by the Kronos Quartet, which premiered the piece in 2005 in Londons Barbican Centre. The performers will include Felberg and Megan Holland on violins, Kim Fredenburgh on viola and James Holland on cello. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal Editors note: A city spokeswoman says the city never received the email from the Journal seeking comment on this story. Albuquerque ranks first among peer cities for its air quality and the percent of people living near a park, and its second for public transportation usage. But it had the worst crime rates and the lowest job growth among the set of six comparable metros, making the newly released 2018 Albuquerque Progress Report a very mixed bag. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Much of the data used for the scorecard is from 2016 and 2017 and does not reflect more recent changes, including the drop in crime in 2018 in many categories. The report shows Albuquerque is positively advancing toward its public infrastructure, environmental protection and sustainable community development goals. However, it also highlights the citys continued challenges with public safety and the economy. The full report is included as an insert in todays Journal. In the spirit of transparency and openness, weve communicated to you not only those areas where Albuquerques trend is desirable, but also where its undesirable, wrote the appointed citizen group that creates the reports scorecard. The scorecard charts the citys progress toward eight broad goals including economic vitality, public safety, and governmental excellence and effectiveness using 59 different indicators. It measures performance against national and peer data where available. Peer cities are Colorado Springs, El Paso, Oklahoma City, Salt Lake City and Tucson. The Albuquerque Indicators Progress Commission, which compiles it, noted that it reflectscommunity-wide progress, which extends beyond city government to entities like schools, businesses, nonprofits and other governmental agencies. While the City of Albuquerque is a primary stakeholder, there are additional stakeholders involved in achieving our eight strategic goals, the commission wrote. Of the 59 indicators, the scorecard rated the citys performance on 32 as desirable when compared to available peer and national data. But Albuquerque has an undesirable showing on the other 27, and is considered stagnant or worsening on 13 of them. That includes property crimes and violent crimes per 100,000 people, families living in poverty, annual income growth and annual job growth. The new report downgrades Albuquerque from the 2016 edition in some areas. The fatal crash rate was considered improving two years ago, but has now fallen to the stagnant/worsening category. Residents perception that the city is responsive to community needs has also plummeted since 2016. There are some areas of improvement since 2016. Fewer homeowners spend 30 percent or more of their income on housing; Albuquerque Public Schools graduation rate has risen; and the Downtown vacancy rate has decreased. None of those indicators has achieved desirable status yet, however. Albuquerque does excel in certain markers. It ranks either first or second among peers in several categories, including: residents with health insurance, public transportation ridership per capita, residential energy consumption per capita, park acreage as a percent of city area, open space acres per capita and ozone level. The Albuquerque Indicators Progress Commission did not respond to Journal messages last week. The 12-page report also includes several pages outlining the citys current efforts to reduce crime, create jobs and enhance opportunities for kids. Mayor Tim Kellers office did not respond to a request for comment about the report. But the document includes a letter from Keller acknowledging the citys challenges but touting new initiatives. While we implement projects that move our city forward, we remain data-driven and continue to measure our progress, staying focused on our destination as we forge a path to a better Albuquerque, he wrote. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal The new director of Los Alamos National Laboratory says that, along with the labs nuclear weapons missions, its science and engineering efforts, and upgrading operational functions, community relations will be a key piece of LANLs agenda under new operator Triad National Security, LLC. Because if you lose the trust and confidence of the communities in which youre located, youll find pretty quickly that you cant get anything done, because you lose the support that you need, said Thomas Mason, a former director at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee who took over at LANL on Nov. 1. Triad is a nonprofit that includes the University of California, Texas A&M University and Ohio-based Battelle Memorial Institute, a huge scientific nonprofit that has been involved in other national labs operations and where Mason previously served as an executive. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Triad, awarded the $2 billion-plus annual LANL management contract last year by the nuclear security wing of the U.S. Department of Energy, succeeds a more corporate-based private consortium that included the University of California, Bechtel and other private partners. That group had faced mounting criticism, locally and in Washington, D.C., for operational and safety failures. In a wide-ranging interview with the Journals editorial board last month, Mason talked about working with New Mexico educational institutions on training for lab jobs, LANLs mission to ramp up production of plutonium cores for nuclear weapons known as pits and dealing with critics of the labs nuclear weapons activities. There are probably some people who are never going to like what we do because they dont like nuclear weapons, which is actually understandable, said Mason. It is kind of a weird thing to be working really hard on something you really hope will never be used. I get it that nuclear weapons are pretty horrific things, he said. But Mason added that the relative stability and security thats been realized since the second World War provides a counter-argument. Im happy to have that discussion, Mason said. A broader issue, he said, is the question of trust and engagement with communities in New Mexico. Its not so much Do I like your mission, do I approve of your mission or not, its more Do I trust you, are you doing something harmful to the environment or to my children or something like that, he said And there is where I think its important to have the trust, so that when you say something, people believe you. While much of the work at Los Alamos involves classified information that cant be disclosed, that doesnt mean the labs management cant discuss issues such as environmental concerns over whats in the air, whats in the water, he said. I can answer your question truthfully and Im going to give you all the information I can, up to the point where I say Im not going to tell you how to design nuclear weapons. Mason said that given the nature of the LANLs work, which includes handling plutonium for weapons production, and development and testing of high explosives, there will always be questions about the labs impact. So if you dont have the kind of reservoir of confidence that youre truthful, then you will never be able to work through those issues, he said. Mason said LANL hires 1,000 people a year to replace outgoing employees and for growth of lab programs, amid a shortage of applicants with relevant training. He said Triad will work closely with New Mexico education institutions on how to fill positions. Northern New Mexico College in Rio Arriba County already has a program to train radiological technicians who monitor radiation levels. Also, Texas A&M has a major extension program for jobs training that we are hoping to piggyback on as much as we can, Mason said. He said about 25 percent of the labs 12,000 jobs are for Ph.D. scientists and engineers, and are filled by nationwide recruiting. The other 75 percent are of every conceivable skill level where a regional base is expected to provide workers. Pit production LANL is under orders to produce about 30 new plutonium pits a year by 2026, a huge project. The U.S. manufactured thousands of pits during the Cold War at the old Rocky Flats facility in Colorado. No new pits have been made since 2011, when LANL completed the last of 29 for Navy submarine missiles. The most ever made at Los Alamos in a year is 11. While past government studies, and skeptics of costly and potentially hazardous renewed pit production say existing pits can last many decades longer without compromising weapons reliability, Mason said the pits in the nations nuclear weapons stockpile are already older in many cases than they were ever designed to be. And as they age, they change and you dont want to get into a situation where that undermines your confidence in the stockpile. During the Cold War, he said, people never gave much thought to what would happen to a 40-, 50-, 60-, 70-year-old pit because there was no such thing. With nuclear weapons test explosions now banned, computer simulations and other experiments are used for stockpile stewardship to ensure nuclear weapons are operational. Asked if he was saying new pits were necessary to help assure the safety and reliability of nuclear weapons, Mason likened the situation to putting a Boeing 747 airliner in a hangar for 40 years, allowing it to be exposed to differing weather and environmental conditions, and then trying to feel safe about getting on board for a flight when the plane is pulled out of storage. In the case of nuclear weapons, he said, there are radiological materials and some pretty nasty chemicals around that can change over time or become corrosive. He said part of the job of the lab is to be totally confident that a bomb will work if needed and will not go off accidentally. That requires a much more detailed understanding than it actually did to design the thing in the first place, he said. This is not a situation you want to be in if youre living in a world where some of our adversaries are getting pretty muscular in terms of their actions, are remanufacturing components on a regular basis in ways we arent at the moment. Mason said the directors of the countrys major weapons labs must certify annually that the weapons stockpile is safe, secure and reliable; theres no need to resume nuclear weapons test explosions; that the testing tools the labs have are adequate; and that if test explosions could be undertaken if need be. That makes the world a safer place, he said. Its worthy thing to work on. Past safety issues Mason said that the Department of Energy was clear when it rebid the LANL operating contract that a series of operational upsets under Los Alamos National Security LCC, lab operator since 2006, had caused a loss of confidence in the lab. He cited LANLs improper packing of a radioactive waste drum that breached at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant at Carlsbad, shutting down the nations only nuclear waste storage site; a pause in operations at the Los Alamos plutonium facility because of safety issues; and LANLs violation of safety protocols when a package of plutonium material was sent cross-country using a commercial air cargo service. When you see a whole series of high-consequence events occurring at different locations around a facility, it sort of gives you pause to say, Wait a minute. Is this organization learning from when things dont unfold the way you expect, and correcting and improving over time? He said the lab needs to have a learning culture where employees feel comfortable kind of saying, OK, this doesnt make sense. Lets stop for a minute and understand it. Another issue is having operating procedures that a human can actually follow, Mason said. He said its possible to write procedures that meet all criteria, but no one can understand. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... For immigrants, theres no way to sugarcoat 2018. The Trump administration enacted a series of draconian policies targeting noncitizens, and the one that will most define the year and this administration is the separation of thousands of children, some less than a year old, from their mothers and fathers at the U.S. border. Conceived as a means to deter people from seeking refuge, the scope of the zero tolerance family separation policy was unprecedented, notwithstanding the administrations claim that past presidents engaged in similar practices. The government took more 2,500 children away from their parents. The government did this systematically, without regard for the trauma that would inevitably follow and without a plan for how these families could ever be reunited. This was the worst policy Ive seen in more than 25 years of civil rights work. Of course, this was not the only attack on immigrants by the administration, which is also seeking to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, putting 800,000 young people who were raised here at risk of being deported. The administration has also enacted an asylum ban and abruptly taken protected status away from hundreds of thousands of people who fled wars and natural disasters decades ago. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ And yet what I saw this past year has made me hopeful. I spent much of the year traveling the country making legal arguments in defense of immigrants. I experienced the power of our courts to return children to their parents, affirm the fundamental right to seek asylum and stop entire communities from being hastily deported to countries where they fear persecution and torture. Our courts not only held the line in many cases involving the governments worst abuses, but also issued decisions that spoke to the country we aspire to be. The Supreme Court refused to undo a stay on the administrations asylum ban last week, letting a federal court injunction against it stand. Those same federal courts issued emergency stays stopping Immigration and Customs Enforcement from deporting, without due process, Iraqis in Michigan, Indonesian Christians in New Hampshire and New Jersey, Cambodian refugees in California, and Somalis in Florida. At a hearing in Boston over whether ICE could deport Indonesian Christians without allowing them time to present evidence that they would be persecuted because of their faith, federal Judge Patti Saris noted, After the Holocaust boats were turned away during World War II, the country said, Never again are we going to do that. In June, federal Judge Dana Sabraw was equally pointed when he halted the practice of family separation, saying it was brutal, offensive, and fails to comport with traditional notions of fair play and decency. And when the administration argued that the ACLU and not the government should be responsible for finding hundreds of parents who had been deported without their children, Sabraw was unequivocal: The reality is that for every parent who is not located, there will be a permanent orphaned child, and that is 100 percent the responsibility of the administration. Notably, in each of these cases, judges rejected the governments assertion that the courts lacked authority to intervene. In doing so, they reaffirmed one of the fundamental tenets of our nation: Even the president must answer to an independent judiciary. Ironically, many of the immigrants in these cases were fleeing to the United States precisely because their home countries lacked independent courts to protect them, yet when they arrived here, they encountered an administration intent on blocking their access to our court system. Although not every migrant or asylum seeker has been helped, judges have stepped in to re-establish justice at the border. I am also energized by how the public has responded. The demonstrations over family separation there were tens of thousands of protesters at 600 marches across the country may be the closest the U.S. has come in my time at the ACLU to the type of civil rights moment we experienced during the 1960s. My inbox was flooded with messages from every corner of the country, from individuals asking how they could help. Laura Bush, the pope and the United Nations all publicly condemned the family separation policy. Members of Congress flew to the border to demand access to government facilities and journalists set out to expose the worst government practices. And I take heart from the immigrants Ive met in the past year, particularly the families who were separated: mothers and fathers who came to this country seeking refuge, only to see their children taken and traumatized before their eyes. One of our clients described how the government made her strap her 18-month-old into a car seat, but would not let her comfort the child when he began crying. Instead, the car drove off while her son stared out the window at his disappearing mother. Another of our clients recounted the helplessness she felt telling her little boy to be brave while agents dragged him away. These mothers resilience and that of so many other immigrant parents should be truly inspiring to those of us who dont face dire circumstances. They, along with an independent judiciary and an engaged public, are my source of hope for 2019. Lee Gelernt spearheaded the successful national class action suit against the Trump administrations zero tolerance family separation policy. He is the deputy director of the ACLU Immigrants Rights Project. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal The Albuquerque neighborhood formerly known as the War Zone is a familiar scene for photographer Frank Blazquez. Its nickname came from a reputation for crime, though several years ago, the city relabeled it the International District. For years, while it struggled with drug addiction, the area around Central and Louisiana was where Blazquez says he would both buy and use drugs. Now fully clean from painkillers since fall of 2016, the 31-year-old visits that area for a different reason: to document the people, stories and symbols that represent life within. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ His photography project, Barrios de Nuevo Mexico: Southwest Stories of Vindication, will be the focus of an exhibition opening this week in the Historic Santa Fe Foundations El Zaguan gallery on Canyon Road. There will be a reception Friday evening from 5 to 7 p.m. and the work will remain up until Feb. 1. Though hes shown one or two images in New Mexico galleries, this is Blazquezs first solo show displaying the project en masse. Blazquez started taking his photographs around late 2015, around the time he starting to get off of drugs and returning to college. Since then, aside from receiving a history degree from UNM earlier this year, hes spent much of his time taking photos in the War Zone. But hes also done shoots in Grants and Silver City, and hopes to also expand to more northern New Mexico towns going forward, including Santa Fe and Chimayo. The series of portraiture and other images that reflect life in these areas has gained the attention of publications like VICE Mexico and The Guardian, where he wrote about his work and showed off several photos. In his artist statement, he describes the project as depicting Latino signifiers on the New Mexican landscape through themes of counterculture, economic inaccessibility and surviving addiction. Im not trying to make this area look bad, he told the Journal of the places in Albuquerque he frequently shoots, but I think I have a responsibility to show my experience. So it definitely reflects my experience of the people that Ive encountered and have relationships with. Blazquez refers to the photo series as stories of vindication, he said, because of the people who share their stories with him, some but not all are still trapped within substance abuse. They all have one thing in common: the desire to better their lives. Whether its going back to school or trying their best to get back with their own artwork, if theyre tattoo artists or sketch artists, theyre all trying to put one foot in front of the other and trying to succeed and to stop (their substance abuse). The Chicago-area native and former optician moved to New Mexico along with his parents in 2010 as a chance for a fresh start. But struggles still followed him to the Land of Enchantment. There were times I got clean; I would get clean for a few months, binge out for a few months, on and off, and on and off, he explained. He was inspired to start the project because of the people he met during this time. He was inspired to pick up a camera, he says, because of his long-time fascination with film. His background as an optician who fitted people for eyeglasses and made lenses also helped him pick up a visual art form. He added that his uncle, poet and author Luis J. Rodriguez, was also an inspiration. Blazquez said Rodriquezs writing on Latino barrio life motivated him to capture similar themes with his art. Stemming from his photography project, Blazquez started creating the web series Duke City Diaries. The mini-episodes focusing on Albuquerque residents who share their personal journeys with him and cinematographer John Acosta are now being produced by Colin R. Moniz, who is also executive producer for the Netflix docuseries Fightworld. (See the Jan. 4 Venue section of the Journal or go to abqjournal.com, for more on Duke City Diaries.) Aside from portraits, Blazquez also photographs some inanimate objects, such as Catholic iconography, within subjects homes. A prominent theme in his work is a state and family pride that Blazquez feels is unique to New Mexico. Hes taken several photos of face and body tattoos, including many from when his subjects were in prison. The tattoos include state and city-specific symbols, such as 1706, the year Albuquerque was founded, and Hispanic surnames common in New Mexico. One of Blazquezs images of a mans fully tattooed back currently hangs in Santa Fes Museum of Spanish Colonial Art. The tattoo images, Blazquez noted, include three crosses, representing the founding story of the city of Las Cruces. Where Im from back in Chicago and Illinois, I never saw people getting Illinois tattooed on their heads and their skulls, and I see that a lot out here, he said. What Ive told people in the past is just as much as a politician that is working for the state here, some of my subjects have a lot of state pride and are very proud of it. The Historic Santa Fe Foundations executive director Pete Warzel learned of the series through Blazquezs article for The Guardian. While the organization focuses heavily on promoting education and preservation of architectural history, Warzel said it also strives to promote the same for the states cultural history. By photographing people and things inside what Blazquez refers to as barrios, Warzel said, he is documenting a deep cultural history. Its easy in Santa Fe to get tied into the incredible architecture, the history, the east side Canyon Road, et cetera, but theres a much bigger world out there we ought to be concerned with and try to highlight. Blazquez said he views his images as a type of visual anthropological evidence, likening it to something that could be seen in a textbook decades from now. But at the same time, he said, hes simply taking pictures and presenting them to an audience. I just try to present pictures of things that I consider authentic and real to New Mexico. If you go WHAT: Frank Belazquezs Barrios de Nuevo Mexico: Southwest Stories of Vindication WHEN: Jan. 11-Feb. 1. WHERE: Historic Santa Fe Foundations El Zaguan Gallery, 545 Canyon Road HOURS: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. A woman has died after a hay bale accident in Bozeman. The Gallatin County Sheriff's Office says they received a call around 7:30 AM Thursday reporting that a woman was trapped between a hay bale and a truck at Copper Spring Ranch on Pine Butte Road in Bozeman. Captain Jason Jarrett said Kelsey Driscoll, 30, was a ranch employee and was working alone when the accident happened. She was loading hay onto a truck when she slipped and became trapped between the truck and the bale. Other ranch employees tried to reach her via cellphone and went to look for her when she didn't answer. Driscoll died as a result of her injuries. Driscoll is originally from Spokane, Wash. and had worked on the ranch for about a year. Malacanang reminded the public on Sunday that violators of the law, regardless of social and political status, will pay the price for their crimes after a former Maguindanao mayor tagged in the governments list of narco-politicians was killed under the administrations crackdown on drugs. Regardless of the social and political status of persons involved and /or engaged in the illegal drug industry, the same fate will necessarily befall them if they resist arrest and shoot it out with the arresting officers, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement. Panelo said that the law allows law enforcers to use mortal violence against people who imperil their lives in the course of a legitimate police operation. The government will pursue to the ends of the earth those who kill without justifying and exempting circumstances as provided by law until they are put behind bars, Panelo said. Panelo made the remark after Talib Abo, former mayor of Parang town, Maguindanao province and his brother Disomimba, died in a shootout with anti-drug enforcers who were trying to serve separate search warrants against the brothers on Friday evening. Superintendent Aldrin Gonzales, spokesman of the Police Regional Office-12, said the authorities were forced to shoot back after the two refused to cooperate and provoked gunfights. Panelo said that the law allows law enforcers to use mortal violence against people who imperil their lives in the course of a legitimate police operation or arrest. President Rodrigo Dutertes relentless war against illegal drugs will continue pursuant to his constitutional authority to serve and protect the people. The state has not initiated and will never initiate drug-related killings outside the ambit of the law, the Palace official said.The President will employ any means, unconventional or not but constitutionally allowed, to enforce the law. And he shall fulfill his constitutional mandate until the end of his term, he added. Abo was the sixth local chief executive who died under the governments war on illegal drugs. His death came after the President stated that he would personally slit the throats of drug lords in front of human rights advocates. If you are a big-time player, I will not forgive you. I will slit your throat in front of human rights (activists). I dont care. Im telling you not to do that to my country. I will get you. So, I could not be more clear, the President said in his speech on Thursday. Abo was also the second senior politician based in Maguindanao to be killed in Dutertes relentless drug war. In October 2016, Mayor Samsudin Dimaukom of Datu Saudi Ampatuan and nine others, including his bodyguards, were shot dead in Old Bulatukan in Makilala, North Cotabato after authorities flagged down the mayors convoy for not stopping at a checkpoint and firing at the police. Both Dimaukom and Abo were on the governments list of public officials accused of being involved in the narcotics trade. A community of firefighters in Missoula is grieving after a hero, who dedicated his life to serving those around him, passed away just after Christmas. 56-year-old Edward William Lynn of Florence was a former science teacher, and most recently a Missoula smokejumper for more than 20 years. "When [Lynn] was in the room, or if he was on a fire, he led by example. [Lynn] was just an inspiration for so many people around him. 'Big Idaho' thats what we called him. I think it personifies who he was," Lynn's friend and fellow firefighter Dan Cottrell said. Lynn was fighting wildfires in California when he started feeling discomfort in his throat. "He went in and got checked out, and thats when [doctors] determined that it was a brain tumor," Cottrell said. "That was the early part of October." After battling the inoperable brain tumor for three months, Lynn passed away the day after Christmas. "We loved having him around the workplace, I treasure the fires I got to spend with Ed out in the woods sitting around a campfire," Cottrell said. Other coworkers of Lynn said he was looking forward to retiring at the start of 2018. One coworker said its heartbreaking he didn't make it. "I think one of the things that really impressed me about Ed was his ability to mentor others, and work with younger firefighters and younger jumpers. Teach them how to run a chainsaw, and how to fight fire and be leaders in the humble and down to earth day," Cottrell said. While a community of firefighters mourn the loss of one of their own, they say Lynn will never be forgotten. "I think Eds impact will be felt for many many years. He was a incredible father to his daughter, he was an incredible friend, incredible husband to his wife," Cottrell said. A celebration of life for Edward William Lynn is January 5 at 3:00 p.m. at the Minuteman hangar on West Broadway in Missoula. It is open to the public. A GoFundMe is set up to help Edward William Lynn's family. Click here to donate. Q: How can the government help ensure that veterans get what they need? A: The VA has a good budget compared to when I was a committee counsel years ago during the Carter administration. We put a lot of money into our veterans. The challenge is to make sure that the [money] goes to the programs that do the most good. Q: Do people really understand the sacrifices of combat troops in Vietnam? A: There is this belief by some that it was a war where bombs inflicted most of the damage from afar. But it was the most costly war the U.S. Marine Corps has ever foughtfive times as many dead as World War I, three times more dead than Korea and more total casualties than even World War II. It is all the more remarkable that these sacrifices were being made while the country was deeply divided. Q: Describe the physical experience. A: We endured boiling heat, moving through tough terrain with 60 pounds of weapons and gear. The typical Marine would lose 20 percent of his body weight while in the bush. We slept on the ground under makeshift poncho hooches, which wed have to take down in the rain because they shined and became targets. We never got more than an hour or two of sleep for months at a time in the bush. Ringworm, hookworm, malaria and dysentery were common. A break consisted of four or five days in a muddy rear area, where rocket and mortar attacks were common. All of which makes it kind of hard to get excited about tales of Woodstock. Stephen Law in Aeon: When contemporary atheists criticise religious beliefs, they usually criticise beliefs that only crude religious thinkers embrace. Or so some people claim. The beliefs of the sophisticated religious believer, its suggested, are immune to such assaults. Those making this kind of response often appeal to the later work of Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) in particular, to remarks he made in Lectures and Conversations on Aesthetics,Psychology and Religious Belief (1967) and Culture and Value (1970), both published posthumously. Wittgenstein made a number of interesting, if rather cryptic, comments about religious belief in these books, and did seem to suggest that such atheist criticisms miss their mark. What follows is a brief guide to the leading Wittgensteinian defences of religious belief, rooted in Wittgensteins later work. Note that its contentious what Wittgensteins later views about religious belief are. The views I discuss are not necessarily Wittgensteins own, but attributed to him. Examine these different positions more closely, and we find little to reassure most religious believers that their beliefs are off limits so far as atheist criticism is concerned. This is not to say that contemporary atheist criticisms of faith are good they might not be. Its just that going Wittgensteinian provides little immunity to such attacks. More here. Jamil Jivani in Quillette: The demand that we transcend tribalism in public debate sits on the schism line of todays culture wars over speech, scholarship and art. On one side (loosely, if inexactly, called the left), there exists a deep conviction that the social justice sins of the past (and present) make an escape from tribalism impossibleand so the only solution is to carve out well-guarded silos of speech and cultural representation for disadvantaged groups. On the other side (loosely, if inexactly, called the right) are those who view those silos as a tool of censorship, as well as an affront to the idea that we all can speak for ourselves as individuals, regardless of skin color, sexual orientation, gender and faith. This conflict took center stage during a recent high-profile Munk Debate in Toronto, which had been billed as a debate about the dangers of political correctness. Two of the biggest reactions from the 3,000-strong audience came in response to Georgetown Universitys Michael Eric Dyson (representing the left) referring to psychologist Jordan Peterson as a mean, mad white man, and then Peterson subsequent pointing to Dysons comment as an example of whats wrong with the politically correct left. A primary source of conflict between the two best-selling authors was the extent of white privilege, and the question of how it should be accounted for in public debate, if at all. On that Munk Debate stage in Toronto, Peterson wanted to have a debate among individuals sharing ideas as individuals, not as representatives of their race. Dyson disagreed again and again. The other participantsjournalist Michelle Goldberg and performer Stephen Frywatched on as this increasingly toxic exchange dominated the night. More here. Nathan Heller in The New Yorker: American stories trace the sweep of history, but their details are definingly particular. In the summer of 1979, Elizabeth Anderson, then a rising junior at Swarthmore College, got a job as a bookkeeper at a bank in Harvard Square. Every morning, she and the other bookkeepers would process a large stack of bounced checks. Businesses usually had two accounts, one for payroll and the other for costs and supplies. When companies were short of funds, Anderson noticed, they would always bounce their payroll checks. It made a cynical kind of sense: a worker who was owed money wouldnt go anywhere, or could be replaced, while an unpaid supplier would stop supplying. Still, Anderson found it disturbing that businesses would write employees phony checks, burdening them with bounce fees. It appeared to happen all the time. Midway through summer, the bank changed its office plan. When Anderson had started, the bookkeepers worked in rows of desks. Coordination was easya check that fell under someone elses purview could be handed down the lineand there was conversation throughout the day. Then cubicles were added. That transformation interrupted the workflow, the conversational flow, and most other things about the bookkeepers days. Their capacities as workers were affected, yet the change had come down from on high. These problems nagged at Anderson that summer and beyond. She had arrived at college as a libertarian who wanted to study economics. In the spirit of liberal-arts exploration, though, she enrolled in an introductory philosophy course whose reading list included Karl Marxs 1844 manuscripts concerning worker alienation. Anderson thought that Marxs economic arguments about the declining rate of profit and the labor theory of value fell apart under scrutiny. But she was stirred by his observational writings about the experience of work. Her summer at the bank drove home the fact that systemic behavior inside the workplace was part of the socioeconomic fabric, too: it mattered whether you were the person who got a clear check or a bounced check, whether a hierarchy made it easier or harder for you to excel and advance. More here. Jonathan Shaw in Harvard Magazine: IN MARCH 18, 2018, at around 10 P.M., Elaine Herzberg was wheeling her bicycle across a street in Tempe, Arizona, when she was struck and killed by a self-driving car. Although there was a human operator behind the wheel, an autonomous systemartificial intelligencewas in full control. This incident, like others involving interactions between people and AI technologies, raises a host of ethical and proto-legal questions. What moral obligations did the systems programmers have to prevent their creation from taking a human life? And who was responsible for Herzbergs death? The person in the drivers seat? The company testing the cars capabilities? The designers of the AI system, or even the manufacturers of its onboard sensory equipment? Artificial intelligence refers to systems that can be designed to take cues from their environment and, based on those inputs, proceed to solve problems, assess risks, make predictions, and take actions. In the era predating powerful computers and big data, such systems were programmed by humans and followed rules of human invention, but advances in technology have led to the development of new approaches. One of these is machine learning, now the most active area of AI, in which statistical methods allow a system to learn from data, and make decisions, without being explicitly programmed. Such systems pair an algorithm, or series of steps for solving a problem, with a knowledge base or streamthe information that the algorithm uses to construct a model of the world. Ethical concerns about these advances focus at one extreme on the use of AI in deadly military drones, or on the risk that AI could take down global financial systems. Closer to home, AI has spurred anxiety about unemployment, as autonomous systems threaten to replace millions of truck drivers, and make Lyft and Uber obsolete. And beyond these larger social and economic considerations, data scientists have real concerns about bias, about ethical implementations of the technology, and about the nature of interactions between AI systems and humans if these systems are to be deployed properly and fairly in even the most mundane applications. More here. Akeel Bilgrami in Outlook: The state in polities broadly described as liberal democracies with political economies broadly described as capitalist are characterised by a feature that Gramsci called hegemony. This is a technical term, not to be confused with the loose use of that term to connote power and domination over another. In Gramscis special sense, hegemony means that a class gets to be the ruling class by convincing all other classes that its interests are the interests of all other classes. It is because of this feature that such states avoid being authoritarian. Authoritarian states need to be authoritarian precisely because they lack Gramscian hegemony. It would follow from this that if a state that does possess hegemony in this sense is authoritarian, there is something compulsive about its authoritarianism. Now, what is interesting is that the present government in India keeps boastfully proclaiming that it possesses hegemony in this sense, that it has all the classes convinced that its policies are to their benefit. If so, one can only conclude that its widely recorded authoritarianism, therefore, is pathological. There have been spectacular cases of this authoritarianism such as the recent arrest of five journalists and professors on charges that are virtually nonsensical. The liberal middle class has expressed some anger about these and, given how authoritarian the government has become, that took some courage. But Muslims and Dalits and, quite generally, the unprotected poor suffer from brutality and arbitrary arrest each day and this goes unreported even in the regional media. It is so pervasive that it is not news and it invokes nothing but indifference from the liberal middle class. More here. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines has once again provided various scholarship programs for qualified Filipino students. These scholarships are intended for Filipinos who wish to pursue degree studies in Taiwan (Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral Degrees) or for those who would like to learn the Mandarin language in the Taiwan. Due to popular demand and the positive response from Filipino students in past years, Taiwans Ministry of Education has decided to offer more slots for the scholarships for Filipinos to pursue their studies in Taiwan. Through this initiative, the ministry said in a statement, also presents the opportunity to learn the Mandarin language, not only through highly qualified teachers in more than 50 language institutions, but also the chance to experience the rich and vibrant Taiwanese culture, and broaden their international perspectives through their daily lives there. As from February 1, 2019, TECO will accept applications for the following scholarship programs: Ministry of Education (MOE) Scholarship: Grants a 4-year scholarship for undergraduate studies, a 2-year scholarship for Masters, and a grant of up to 4 years for Doctoral Degree. The MOE will shoulder 40,000 NTD each semester for the corresponding tuition and miscellaneous expenses. The remaining costs will be shouldered by the scholarship recipient. An additional 15,000 NTD will be given to those undertaking university undergraduate studies, and 20, 000 NTD for those pursuing their Masters and Ph.D will be given as the scholars monthly stipend. Application is from February 1 to April 30, 2019. Huayu (Mandarin) Enrichment Scholarship: Allows applicants to choose to pursue either 2 months or 3 months of intensive Mandarin courses, subject to TECOs approval. The grant provides a monthly stipend of 25,000 NTD to cover all the expenses (tuition, miscellaneous, etc.)Application is from February 1 to March 31, 2019. International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF): The grant covers the full tuition fee, living expenses, economy class airfare tickets and textbook costs. Scholars pursuing Masters will receive a monthly stipend of 15, 000 NTD and 17, 000 NTD for those pursuing Doctoral degrees. Application is from January 1 to March 16, 2019. Each applicant can only apply for one scholarship program among these offerings and must process first their university admission to their preferred university in Taiwan, the ministry said. They also have to comply and submit necessary scholarship requirements to TECO for review and recommendation based from the indicated deadlines of each program. It is important to note that a student is ineligible to apply if he or she is currently enrolled in another program in Taiwan. Scholarship guidelines and additional requirements prescribed by TECO can be found at the official website of TECO in the Philippines at https://www.roc-taiwan.org/ph_en/cat/38.html Since the introduction of the scholarship programs to the Philippines, Taiwan has partnered with Philippine institutions and universities to attract more young and capable talents to study in Taiwan. More and more Filipinos have become interested in pursuing their studies there because of various reasons. Aside from being the Philippines closest neighbor, Taiwan is also known to be one of the safest countries to reside in and is home to some of the nicest people in the world. They share the same qualities as their Filipino neighbors and provide a very affordable living environment for those staying there. Taiwan also possesses some of the best professors and high-class university facilities worldwide. Not only is Taiwan considered to be a melting-pot of different cultures, but also possesses a high-quality living standard suitable to all its international students. Pagan Perspectives Todays column comes to us from our international columnist Lyonel Perabo. Lyonel holds an M.A. in Old Norse Religion from the University of Iceland and resides in the cold, Arctic city of Troms in Northern-Norway (69 north), where he works in the tourism industry, principally as a tour-guide, as well as a writer. His personal research focuses on local history from northern Fenno-Scandinavia, the Viking Age, and circumpolar religions, among others. The Wild Hunts weekend section is always open for submissions, Please send queries to eric@wildhunt.org. I doubt any reader of The Wild Hunt has heard about Knut Arlid Hareide and the political party he helms. Why would anyone need to, indeed, unless they happened to be a fellow compatriot of his? Yet, Hareide is, in some ways, quite important. He is the emblematic incarnation of one of societys most enduring conflicts, the struggle between the secular and religious worlds. As the current leader of the Norwegian Kristelig Folkeparti (abbreviated KrF, Christian Democratic Party), Hareide occupies a peculiar place in the Norwegian political landscape, together with his party, which is in and of itself something of an oddity. KrF is one of Norways oldest parties, established in the early 1930s, and it is the only national political party that is explicitly centered around religious values and tradition. While the center-right party Hyre (Right) and the hard-right party Fremskrittspartiet (Frp, Progress Party) briefly mention Christian values in their party programs (the word Christian appears twice and ten times, respectively), the KrF takes this to a different level. The partys political platforms reads like a cross between a tome of religious apology and one of those flyers found at the entrance of a church. In every other paragraph, the text reminds its readers of the importance of the Christian worldview, Christian brotherly love, Christian culture, Christian-democratic ideology, Christian heritage, and so forth. But besides being unapologetically Christian, what does the party stand for, and how could it be relevant outside the confines of little Norway? While it could come as a surprise for many, the KrF is a relatively liberal party when it comes to a number of issues. The party wants to increase immigration, support the welfare state, fight child poverty, steer away from fossil fuels, and invest in infrastructure. On the other hand, the party is, at its core, a Christian party, and this religious background informs another set of key party positions: restrictions on abortion, support for Christian education in schools, and opposition to same-sex marriage and same-sex adoption. This unique blend of what one could call social Christianity on one hand and traditional conservative positions on the other has lead, in recent years, to the formation of a split in the partys base and leadership alike. Hareide, the party leader since 2011, saw this split form and develop as his party started to lose what little relevancy it previously had. A solid contender in national politics as late as the early 2000s, where it gave Norway a prime minister, the KrF has since slid into a state of quasi-irrelevancy. Gathering less than five percent of the national votes in the parliamentary election of 2017, the party ended up seventh out of nine parties in terms of votes, only beat in unpopularity by the Green and Communist parties. Following this election, the incumbent government, lead by the conservative Hyre and anti-immigration Frp parties, continued to direct policies, but without the majority they enjoyed prior to the vote. After receiving the support of the Venstre (the Left), a centrist party with little national support, the government needed but a handful of additional votes in the house to form a majority government. On the other side of the political spectrum, the left-wing Arbeiderpartiet (AP, Workers Party) and Sosialistisk Venstreparti (SV, Socialist Left) parties, supported by the anti-centralization Senterpartiet (Sp, Center Party), were just a few votes short as well. In the middle of this confusing mess sat the KrF. By some amazing workings of fate, a divided party, a party that put up its worst electoral performance in 80 years, would decide the political fate of the country. Ultimately, Hareide, who wanted an alliance with the left-wing parties, lost his bet, and the partys internal direction voted instead to side with the right-wing coalition. As of writing this article, negotiations between the three government parties and the KrF are still ongoing, but could soon lead to the formation of a new majority government. Just like that, Norways Christian party might very well get some of its demands met, despite the fact that over 95% of voters did not express their support for them. What could this all mean for the future of faith in the country, and in Europe at large? As I have written previously in my column What of the Christians, Norway is a country that has been experiencing extensive post-Christianization in recent years. Despite the Churchs increasingly liberal metamorphoses (for example, since 2017, the Church now recognizes and performs same-sex marriages), Norwegians still leave the Church in droves, and attendance levels remain among the lowest in the continent. It is a bit of an an anachronism that a near micro-party whose ideological core is based upon a religion that fewer and fewer Norwegians identify with would even have a say in national politics. As an immigrant, I must admit that I am somewhat conflicted. My status as a non-citizen quite logically bars me from voting in the national elections, and I do not believe that it is my prerogative to tell the native Norwegians how they should govern themselves. Yet, as someone who was raised in one of the most secular countries in Europe, France, I cannot help but find the current politico-religious situation eerie and absurd. In France, while I was growing up, the local counterpart of the KrF, the Parti chretien-democrate (PCD, Christian Democratic Party) was mocked relentlessly and had little to no influence on national policies, and almost no political figure of note ever openly associated themselves with any religions. This tendency toward avowed secularism (or, as we call it in France, laicite,) continues to this day. When I attempted to find any mention of Christianity in the political programs of the French parties represented at the parliament, I was only able to find one: a vague acknowledgment of Christian-democratic values on the program of a centrist party with two (out of 577 total) representatives. To me, the idea of a political party openly associating itself with a religious movement or institution just does not sit right. As a Pagan, I also believe that political representation ought not be based on religious affiliation. We, as members of small covens, hearths, groves, and other occult groups, are often attempting to create new forms of shared identity and solidarity first and foremost on a local level. While a number of Pagans have run for office in recent years, none, at least to my knowledge, has ever attempted to utilize their religious background to define their political ideology. This, in my opinion, is the only way to go. Its not that I believe that Pagan ideology is absolutely incompatible with our current political systems, but I have always understood Pagan beliefs and practice as being first and foremost grounded in the reality of lived experience, an experience that, all things considered, is, or at least once was, common across all cultures and nations. There is a reason why so many Pagans profess a more or less universalist world view. As we do not believe in the dogma of revered sacred texts, it is easier to imagine sharing our own understanding of wisdom with others. This is I think the main difference we might have with the proponents of Christianity and other similarly dogmatic religious systems. Yet, while I, and I believe the majority of Pagans living in Europe would agree with me, do not deny the place of Christianity in the development of our civilization, I can safely assume that most of us would be happy to continue our development without the influence of the Church. In this, we are not alone. Secularists, members of religious minorities, atheists and many others agree for the most part with this assessment. Even among the Christians, the fault line separating social-Christianity and Evangelistic conservatism will not heal any time soon. Following the KrFs decision to join the government, over a thousand members left the party. A few months earlier, when one party representative and part-time priest performed a marriage ceremony for a homosexual couple, several hundred others left as well. It is probable that parties like the KrF have run their courses. Far right parties will siphon away the voters who are more concerned about social stability and Christian identity, while various centrist and center-left parties will welcome those Christians who wish to keep in line with the idea of brotherly love and charity. The coming disappearance of organized political Christianity in Europe is, in the end, proof that questions of faith have now taken a back seat to broader and more critical questions of identity and civilization which are now on the table. In the meanwhile, we Pagans will be left to our devices, which is probably for the better. We wont be seeing the meteoric rise of a Witches and Pagans Party or a United Heathen Front. Instead, as long as our traditions become better understood, our various ideals and ideas will influence civil society further, a process that has arguably already started on both ends of the political compass. While they will never be fully contained within the walls of temples and churches, we can all hope that in the future, religions wont represent a similar source of division, strife, and intolerance as they do today. In the secular world I pray will rise from the ashes of ours, I envision a society in which religion is first and foremost seen as a source of individual spiritual enrichment that is better left to its own devices, something that is freely embraced, rather than a mere tool of societal control. I hope for something more akin to what makes life worth living, as Albert Camus wrote in Caligula, retelling the words of the mad emperor in the mouth of the poet Scipion: He told me that life isnt easy, but that there still exists religion, art, and the love people have for us. He repeated, often, that inflicting suffering was the only way to be wrong. The views and opinions expressed by our diverse panel of columnists and guest writers represent the many diverging perspectives held within the global Pagan, Heathen and polytheist communities, but do not necessarily reflect the views of The Wild Hunt Inc. or its management. If truth be told, the 200-year-old and prestigious J.P. Morgan isnt any better at managing your portfolio than Oppenheimer, UBS, Starsky & Hutch, Baird or Mary Poppins would be. The difference is the broker you employ to give you advice. The brokerage firm is just the vehicle that transacts your order. Think of it like this: It will take you 12 minutes to safely drive 4 miles to the grocery store in a Ford or 12 minutes to drive there safely in a Cadillac. Its the driver who makes the difference, not the car. And in your instance, its the broker, not the brokerage. Tell your wife that brokers who work from their home are usually older, established, successful brokers. They dont need guidance, are trusted by their firms management and are usually proven talents. So, if your broker moves to Kokomo, Kalamazoo or Kankakee, go with this guy. When fiscal 2017 ended, Deutsche Bank the largest of Germanys 1,700 banks, with $1.8 trillion in assets, and the 15th-largest on the globe had lost $9 billion in its previous three years of operations. Think derivatives! At the close of 2017, this $25 billion-revenue bank with 2,400 branches in 60 countries conducted 70 percent of its business overseas. Deutsche Bank (DB-$8.10) is still in big trouble and has had to raise over $8 billion in the past eight years to cover holes in its balance sheet. An American analyst I know who lives in Germany recently told me investments made years ago still cost DB between $600 million and $800 million a year. Other investments (derivatives) are straining DBs capital structure and may continue to do so for another decade. These losses stem from a $60 billion derivative screw-up that management is reluctant to bring out in the open. This may eventually devolve into a world-class financial scandal and is going to take years to clean up. Dont buy DB. Address financial questions to Malcolm Berko, P.O. Box 8303, Largo, FL 33775, or email him at mjberko@yahoo.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Climate change DAVE SMITH WATERLOO One of the major ideas making the rounds today is climate change. One time it was labeled global warming but climate change covers all temps. That way, when you are freezing in Minnesota you can blame climate change instead of global warming. The alarmists keep telling us their concern about global warming is all about mans stewardship of the environment. But we know thats not true. A United Nations official has now confirmed this. At a news conference in Brussels, Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the UNs Framework Convention on Climate Change, admitted the goal of environmental activists is not to save the world from ecological calamity but to destroy capitalism. If they were honest, the climate alarmists would admit they are not working feverishly to hold down global temperatures they would acknowledge they are instead consumed with the goal of holding down capitalism and establishing a global welfare state. Barry column SUE DANIELS The Second World War and the aftermath changed all of that. Even before the war ended, the foundation of the World Bank, the World Trade Organization and the International Monetary Fund had been established. These were followed quickly by the United Nations and then, in the face of the Soviet Unions threat, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, was created and the Marshall Plan implemented. American presence and interests were everywhere. But the most defining feature of both isolationism and internationalism was that both were conducted by consensus with the approval of Congress. Since 1944, the policy of every administration from Truman to Obama has been to engage the world. To be sure, there were disagreements over Vietnam, the Iraqi invasion, the amount on foreign aid and the support for foreign regimes with less-than-desirable characteristics. But there was never a movement to return to isolationism until the presidency of Donald Trump. Further, it is being done not by discussion but by decree. The point is the Chinese dictatorship has as its goal the ruination of the U.S. economy and inflicting serious harm to our defense. They already control the Panama Canal and steadily are encircling us. Who is to say whether Chinese submarines are or are not enjoying secret passage from the Pacific to the Atlantic now? They dont even hide the fact they steal technology by buying up American companies or by putting stringent requirements on any U.S. companies in their country. And what do our Congress and business people do? They take short-term profits and put our country at risk. To them, money means more than their country. Their mantra? Weve done nothing illegal! No, but they will sell their country down the tubes. Heres an easy New Years resolution. It doesnt involve weight loss, exercise or financial goals. In fact, youd only have to alter your schedule once or a few times each year. Make the resolution to vote at your local precinct when possible. Too many are voting with absentee ballots. Theres a place for absentee voting. According to the National Conference of State Legislators, the practice originated with Civil War soldiers. Then, members of the military who were stationed overseas were given the opportunity. By the 1970s, it became available to many more the elderly, the disabled, the business traveler, the vacation-goer, and just about anyone for no particular reason at all. The Election Assistance Commission now reports two out of five votes are cast early or with an absentee ballot. It more than doubled from 24.9 million in 2004 to 57.2 million in 2016. And unfortunately, that increase is not from new voters. The majority are citizens who had historically voted on Election Day at their local precincts and are now choosing to vote with an absentee ballot. Despite the big numbers, absentee voting has its drawbacks. Govt. shutdown threatened access to key economic data. Yes, the government was shut down when Barack Obama was president. Of course, he had nothing to do with it, only learning about it from watching the nightly news. Republicans poised to probe the Obama organization. How Obama measures up to his predecessors. As you would imagine, not well. Obamas misplaced economic policies could sink the US economy. And my favorite: What happened when Obama showed me his foot. These headlines show how mean spirited, inaccurate and snarky Fox could get, but as you might have guessed by now, these headlines never appeared on Fox. I changed the word Trump to Obama and Democrat to Republican and copied the headlines directly word-for-word from CNN. If you approach an issue fairly and with a bit of an open mind, you will find Fox actually does quite well. It is at least as balanced as the Seattle, San Francisco, L.A., New York and Washington newspapers. In fact, it is probably more balanced. CNN looks like the electronic version of the National Enquirer compared to Fox. WATERLOO -- Sunny, warm temperatures made Northeast Iowa feel more like spring than the dead of winter Saturday -- and that's likely to continue most of this week, according to forecasters. Waterloo's high temperature in the low 50s on Saturday and a low temperature of 27 degrees were both much higher than average for this time of year, prompting northeast Iowans with cabin fever to hit the trails or use the opportunity to take down their Christmas lights. The average temperature for Jan. 5 in Waterloo is 27 degrees for the high and 10 degree for the low, said senior meteorologist Melinda Beerends with the Des Moines bureau of the National Weather Service. Even Sunday's high temperature of 39 degrees "is more than 10 degrees above average," she said. A Wednesday cool-down with a currently-forecasted high of 24 is an anomaly, Beerends said. "Otherwise, the rest of the entire week through next Saturday looks very mild and above average, and it still looks like that beyond that -- maybe into next week," she said. The reason for the unseasonably warm temperatures? A "very warm," high-pressure air mass moving over Iowa is bringing calm conditions, and that high pressure is keeping cold air from coming in from Canada, Beerends said. CHARLES CITY - The parents of a Charles City man killed in a 2016 motorcycle accident near Floyd have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the state of Iowa and Iowa Department of Transportation for negligence in the design of an intersection on Avenue of the Saints. Thomas and Diane Houdek filed the suit Dec. 21, claiming the state is responsible for negligent design and gross negligence if its employees in administering this intersection that caused the death of our son. T.J. Houdek, 23, was traveling from Quarry Road and entering U.S. Highway 18 northbound on his Harley-Davidson on July 18, 2016, when his motorcycle and a semi collided. Houdek died at the scene and the semi rolled, injuring the trucker. The Houdek family filed the lawsuit after another fatal crash Dec. 19 at the intersection of Highway 18 and Quarry Road. Troy Reams, 40, of Greene, was driving a 2017 Ford Fusion at about 5:30 a.m. eastbound on Highway 18 when it rear-ended a semi. Reams died at the scene. After T.J. Houdeks death in 2016, local residents started an online petition to the DOT and spoke out at meetings about the intersection. Residents asked for an overpass, and a project was approved. CLINTON A Clinton firefighter died and another was critically injured battling a fire and explosion Saturday morning at an ADM grain facility in Clinton. Killed was 33-year-old Lt. Eric Hosette, a 12-year veteran of the Clinton Fire Department who also served as the chief of the Charlotte Volunteer Fire Department. Injured was 23-year-old firefighter Adam Cain, who has been with the department just shy of two years. Clinton Fire Chief Mike Brown said two shifts were involved in fighting the fire, reported at 8:45 a.m. The first shift went in and stabilized the fire somewhat ... and then about 8:45 a.m. there was an explosion, Brown said. Hosette was taken to Mercy Medical Center, Clinton, where Brown said the medical staff did everything possible to try and revive him. He was a fine man with a wife and young daughter, Brown added. Adam Cain was missing when heroically he was found, Brown said. Cain was taken by air ambulance to University Hospitals, Iowa City. Brown described his condition as very critical but stable. Brown said he hoped to have good news about Cains condition some time today. In the present knowledge economy, the basis of wealth generation has changed from acquiring tangible assets in the form of land, buildings or factories to that of possessing new knowledge. New knowledge translates into new technologies that lead to new kinds of products and services that make life easier and that people want to buy, which brings fortune to business owners. Colleges and universities, being higher educational institutions are expected to be the source of new knowledge, innovation, and technologies. Recognizing this, many HEIs have added the development of technologies to their teaching and research missions, which eventually led to the rise to entrepreneurial universities. Entrepreneurial universities execute their function when they provide incubator hubs that assist professors and fellows in commercializing the technologies they develop. These incubators provide assistance in applying for and maintaining patents, and in transferring knowledge/technology to industry. It is not surprising that governments, especially in developing countries, have become more dependent on educational institutions in sustaining the knowledge economy. To be a successful entrepreneurial university, however, an HEI must have the following characteristics, according to the experts: (a) it must possess the capacity to generate intellectual property (IP) (b) it should have a technology transfer office or a unit that facilitates the technology transfer process (c) it should have at least one entrepreneurship expert to offer functional business knowledge (d) it should create an entrepreneurial culture (EC) and (e) its academic entrepreneurs should have access to financial capital. It is easy to see the important role of the academic entrepreneur in entrepreneurial universities. The academic entrepreneur is the faculty or research scientist who, as a result of his research, generates the intellectual property with promising market potential. However, the university must encourage academic entrepreneurship by providing the necessary supporting infrastructure (i.e. technology transfer office, incubator hubs). More importantly, it should foster an entrepreneurial research culture in the university. In the Philippines, there are 1,460 HEIs but about 89 percent of them are private universities and colleges which are dependent on tuition for their support. Only a few have the capacity to conduct research and development (R&D). Philippine universities that are usually in the World University Rankings are the University of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University and the University of Santo Tomas. They are the most equipped of the HEIs in terms of faculty profile, laboratory facilities and library resources. But given our top universities, we rank lower than the best in our region in terms of research publications and intellectual property applications. The status of R&D in our universities reflects our ranking of 56 (5th among the members of the Asean in the 2017-2018 Global Competitiveness Index) behind Singapore (3), Malaysia (25), Thailand (34) and Indonesia (36) in a field of 137 countries of the world. The index considers technological readiness, innovation, and the quality and quantity of higher education and training in the ranking. For the Philippines to improve its global competitiveness, we must also engender innovativeness, technological readiness and entrepreneurship in our universities. But this is not a job that can be independently done by the academe, government and the private sector. It is a job for the three of them working together. As it has been said, the transition of a university to an entrepreneurial university is part of a broader shift to a knowledge-based economy, which requires an institutional framework of universityindustrygovernment (triple-helix model), each taking the role of the other while fulfilling traditional missions. Cognizant of the status of our universities, the government, through the Philippine Intellectual Property Office is addressing this issue by implementing programs that promote intellectual property consciousness and an entrepreneurial mindset in the academe. The IPOPHL, with the assistance of the WIPO, is in the forefront of formulating the National Innovation Strategy, which recognizes the importance of a strong public-private partnership for innovation to take root, thrive and flourish.IPOPHLs efforts to nurture intellectual property consciousness and, as consequence, to encourage entrepreneurship in the university is paying off with a number of colleges and universities are putting up their Innovation Technology Support Office (ITSO), filling patents and transferring technology to industry. On the other hand, two private sector initiatives can be cited as being supportive of this framework: The Ayala TBI Network, a partnership of Ayala Corp., the University of the Philippines and the Asian Institute of Management; and the IBM Innovation Center. The Ayala TBI Network creates an ecosystem that enables entrepreneurs to build successful science and technology businesses with global potentials. Among the services provided by the network are a business center, technology boot camps, technology forums, networking sessions where science, technology and business meet (Ayala-TBI, 2008). The IBM Innovation Center, launched in 2009, helps local business and academic communities build skills and develop new technologies that support demand for digital infrastructure projects in building, energy, telecommunications, transportation, retail and government industries. The center provides entrepreneurs, business partners, venture capitalists and academics with access to training workshops, consulting services, broad technical infrastructure and hands-on assistance that help to bring new technologies to the market. We have a lot to do to improve our global competitiveness and to make it at par with our neighbors in the region. One way for us to catch up is to promote entrepreneurship in our universities, support our academic entrepreneurs and implement the national innovation strategy.Bienvenido Balotro is a Doctor of Business Administration student at the Ramon V. Del Rosario College of Business of De La Salle University, and is a faculty member of the University of the Philippines in Manila. He welcomes comments at [email protected] The views expressed above are the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators. CEDAR FALLS The city of Cedar Falls has rolled out a shiny new piece of safety equipment. On Friday morning, city officials unveiled a new fire engine at the Main Street Fire Station. The new truck, which cost $500,000 plus an estimated $15,000 for hoses, is part of the citys five-year capital improvements program. Its indicative of city leadership, whether its staff or council, to have these sort of things in place so were not caught behind the 8-ball if a truck goes down, said Cedar Falls Mayor Jim Brown. The citys employees and citizens deserve good equipment that is ready to go when needed, Brown added. The new truck should be ready for action in a few weeks after hoses and other equipment is installed. Come summer, the fire truck will be housed in the new Public Safety Building, which city officials estimate will open on July 1. I toured it before the holidays, Brown said. What a great building. Its going to be impressive to add this truck to our fleet in the new building. The engine is similar to other fire engines in the departments fleet, so operators wont have to be retrained, said Fire Chief John Bostwick. In this truck we wont have to start a generator to turn on some of the scene lights we normally would; they operate off a 12-volt (battery), Bostwick said. We expect it to be in service for quite a few years serving our community. Love 4 Funny 2 Wow 4 Sad 1 Angry 4 Research is also an important topic. Hill said lawmakers last spring approved funding for building a much-needed new state veterinary diagnostic lab at Iowa State University, but that funding level is probably too low. Lehman said he knows it is unlikely to happen, but he is still hopeful legislators might take another look at providing funding for the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University. That center lost its state funding at the end of the 2017 legislative session. It still exists, but operates on a shoestring budget funded by income from an endowment. I think that was a case where it was a political target of a small number of legislators, Lehman said. I think that if you polled Iowans, most would be in favor of the work that the Leopold Center is doing. The past two years, he said, appeared to include some long-time pet projects and political score-settling, something that can happen more easily when any one party controls all branches of state government. Hopefully, he said, that is over and lawmakers can move on to a more bipartisan approach. Daftar Situs Judi Online Slot Online Terpercaya dan Terbaik - 77LUCKS Selamat datang di 77LUCKS, Salah satu situs penyedia situs judi slot online terpercaya di asia. 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This practice is for all of us. (And lest the cost of doing Jewish be too high, Torah stipulates that if someone cant afford a lamb, they can go in with another family. Whats most important is that everyone participate.) This echoes a theme from earlier in the parsha. When Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and again spoke the words of Gods demand, Let My people go, that they may serve Me, Pharaoh asked who would be the ones to go. Moses replied, We will all go, young and old. We will go with our sons and daughters, our flocks and herds, for we must observe Gods festival. (Ex. 10) All ages and stages, and all gender expressions: the egalitarianism is striking. Thats the first building lesson in this weeks parsha. Each household is to take part. All of us, regardless of age or gender or sexual orientation or social station. Active engagement with spiritual life isnt the rabbis job, its everyones job. The work of building the Jewish future requires all of us... Government-owned or -controlled corporations declared dividends of P48 billion in 2018, the highest amount ever collected since the law requiring state firms to hand over 50 percent of their annual net earnings to the national government was enacted in 1994, according to the Finance Department. The DoF said it was also the first time that dividends breached the P40-billion mark. It said the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. remitted an additional P6 billion on Dec. 14, which combined with the P34.17 billion collected from GOCCs as of November, raised total remittances for 2018 to a record P40.17 billion. Including Land Bank of the Philippines, which should have contributed P7.82 billion, the amount of GOCC dividends totaled P47.99 billion for 2018. Finance Undersecretary Antonette Tionko, who heads the DOF-Corporate Affairs Group, said LandBank was allowed to waive its dividend contributions of P7.82 billion to boost its capital requirements, thus bringing the national amount remitted to the Bureau of the Treasury to P40.17 billion. He said even without LandBank, P40.17 billion still represented the highest amount ever collected from state-owned and controlled firms since the GOCC Dividends Law was implemented 24 years ago. This is unprecedented, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said. The record amount demonstrates the effectivity of Undersecretary Tionko and her team in instilling fiscal discipline among the GOCCs since the Duterte administration took over in 2016, Dominguez said. Data from the DOF-CAG showed the dividends totaling P40,178,634,651.87 remitted by GOCCs in 2018 represented a 32-percent growth from the P30.46 billion collected in the previous year. Covering the period from July 2016 to December 2018, the total cash dividend collections under the Duterte administration reached P70.9 billion, the DOF-CAG said. A total of 55 GOCCs remitted to the National Treasury as of Dec. 14, 2018. The cash dividend collections from GOCCs in 2018 comprised 15.72 percent of the emerging total non-tax revenues of the government.PDIC has emerged as this years top dividend contributor with a total of P8.844 billion, the DOF-CAG said in its report to the Finance chief. Among the other top dividend contributors were the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines with P6.224 billion; Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas with P3.637 billion; Philippine Ports Authority with P3.103 billion; Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. with P2.593 billion; Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office with P2.535 billion; Manila International Airport Authority with P2.251 billion; and the National Power Corp. with P1.410 billion. GOCC dividend contributors for 2018 also included the Alabang Sto. Tomas Development Inc., Apo Production Unit Inc., Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan, Bases Conversion Development Authority, Batangas Land Company Inc., BCDA Management Holdings Inc., Cebu Port Authority, Clark Development Corp., DBP Data Center Inc., DBP Leasing Corp. and Development Bank of the Philippines. Other contributors were Food Terminal Inc., GY Real Estate Inc., Home Guaranty Corp., Kamayan Realty Corp., Laguna Lake Development Authority, LBP Insurance Brokerage Inc., LBP Leasing and Finance Corp., LBP Resources and Development Corp., Local Water Utilities Administration, Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority, Masaganang Sakahan Inc., Metropolitan Waterworks & Sewerage System, National Dairy Authority and National Development Co. Also included are the National Electrification Administration, National Home Mortgage Finance Corp., National Housing Authority, NDC - Philippine Infrastructure Corp., Partido Development Administration, Philippine Crop Insurance Corp., Philippine Economic Zone Authority, Philippine Fisheries Development Authority, Philippine International Trading Corp., Philippine National Oil Co., Philippine Postal Corp., Philippine Reclamation Authority and Philippine Retirement Authority. Others were Philippine Sugar Corp., Phividec Industrial Authority, Pinagkaisa Realty Corp., Poro Point Management Corp., PNOC Exploration Corp., Small Business Guarantee Finance Corp., Social Housing Finance Corp., Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and the Sugar Regulatory Administration. Dominguez earlier attributed the significantly higher dividend remittances this year to the efficient monitoring of GOCCs by the DOF-CAG as well as by finance officials sitting on the boards of these state-run firms. He the Department of Transportation under the leadership of Secretary Arthur Tugade also helped ensure that GOCCs under the administrative supervision of the DOTr remitted their dividends to the BTr. FILE PHOTO: British and European Union flags are seen next to Christmas tree before arrival of British Prime Minister Theresa May to meet European Council President Donald Tusk, at the EU Council headquarters in Brussels, Belgium December 11, 2018. REUTERS/Yves Herman Thomson Reuters LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will leave the European Union at 2300 GMT on March 29, 2019. Wednesday marks 100 days to departure day. Below is a timeline: WAS BRITAIN A FOUNDER MEMBER OF THE BLOC? No. Britain declined to join the European Union's forerunner, the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), when it was founded in 1952. Labour Prime Minister Clement Attlee told parliament in 1950 his party was "not prepared to accept the principle that the most vital economic forces of this country should be handed over to an authority that is utterly undemocratic and is responsible to nobody." There was also concern it might make close ties with the Commonwealth and the United States more difficult. Britain also stayed out of the European Economic Community when it was formed from the ECSC in 1957. Conservative Prime Minister Harold MacMillan reversed this position in 1961 and sought membership of the EEC. With Europe divided in the Cold War, he said the promotion of European unity and stability through the bloc was "so essential a factor in the struggle for freedom and progress throughout the world." But France led resistance to Britain's membership in the 1960s, with Charles De Gaulle blocking Britain's accession in 1961 and 1967, accusing the British of "deep-seated hostility" to the European project. (On the way to Brexit: https://tmsnrt.rs/2QMkbnu) (Britain's trade ties: https://tmsnrt.rs/2D0E8zS) WHEN DID BRITAIN FINALLY JOIN? Britain joined the EEC in 1973 after France dropped its objection's following De Gaulle's resignation in 1969. As he signed the treaty taking Britain into the common market, Conservative Prime Minister Ted Heath said "imagination will be required" to develop its institutions while respecting the individuality of states. 1975 - BRITAIN'S FIRST EUROPEAN REFERENDUM In 1975, new Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson, faced with splits among his ministers on Europe, decided to hold an "in-out" referendum on membership. He backed staying in after saying a renegotiation on terms of membership had "substantially though not completely" achieved his objectives. Story continues Britons voted 67 percent to 33 percent to stay in the European Union in 1975. WAS THE QUESTION OF EUROPE SETTLED AFTER THE 1975 VOTE? No. Although new Conservative leader Margaret Thatcher backed the campaign to stay in the bloc in 1975, her premiership saw her party become increasingly divided by the issue and her own relationship with EU leaders was tense at times. She attacked the idea of a single currency and too much power being centralized in EU institutions, telling the then-Commission President Jacques Delors "no, no, no" over his plans for more European integration in 1990. However, days later she was challenged for the leadership of the party by pro-European Michael Heseltine, and was forced from office when she failed to beat him outright in November 1990. Her successor, John Major, was forced to pull sterling out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) on so called Black Wednesday, Sept. 16, 1992. The ERM had been intended to reduce exchange rate fluctuations ahead of monetary union. Major was also beset by divisions over Europe, describing three euroskeptic cabinet ministers as "bastards" in 1993 after narrowly surviving a confidence vote over the EU Maastricht Treaty. After Labour's Tony Blair won the 1997 election, his finance minister, Gordon Brown, effectively ruled out euro entry by setting out five economic tests that had been worked out with his top aide, Ed Balls, in a New York taxi. CAMERON'S GAMBLE BACKFIRES The tenure of the next Conservative Prime Minister, David Cameron, was also, ultimately, defined by Europe. The Conservatives returned to office in 2010 after 13 years of Labour government. In a bid to shore up support for the Conservatives in the face of a split party and the small but staunchly euroskeptic UK Independence Party (UKIP), Cameron promised an "in-out" referendum on a renegotiated deal on membership in the party's 2015 election manifesto. Cameron said he was satisfied that negotiations with the EU gave Britain enough for him to back a "remain" vote. But though Britain's biggest parties backed the campaign to stay in, the people voted to leave by 52 to 48 percent on June 23, 2016. Cameron resigned the morning after the vote and was replaced by Theresa May. MAY DAYS May triggered Article 50, the formal EU divorce notice, in March 2017, setting the exit date of March 29th, 2019 for Britain to leave - with or without a deal. In a bid to gain backing for her Brexit plan, she called a snap election for June 2017. The gamble backfired. She lost her parliamentary majority and formed a minority government, supported by the euroskeptic Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). On Nov. 13, she reached agreement on the terms of Britain's departure from the bloc with EU leaders. But her plan to accept EU customs rules on goods while ending free movement of people has drawn criticism from both pro-EU and euroskeptic lawmakers from her own party, the DUP, and the opposition. Last week May pulled a vote on her deal from parliament, prompting a vote of no confidence in her leadership of the Conservative party. She survived that, but with the 100 day countdown to Brexit about to begin, Britain still doesn't know on what terms it will leave the bloc, whether May will be in office to see it through or whether it will be forced to delay or revoke the Article 50 process. (Reporting by Alistair Smout; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Janet Lawrence) See Also: The death toll from a landslide that hit Cimapag village in Indonesias West Java province reached 31 on Sunday, January 6, nearly a week after the disaster hit, according to local reports. Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), told local media that 64 people had survived, three people were injured, and two remained missing. Sutopo said the Sukabumi area is prone to landslides, with 132 incidents recorded in the past 10 years. This aerial video, shared by BNPB, shows the area affected by the landslide. Credit: BNPB Indonesia via Storyful The Maltese government has given permission for two boats stranded since December with 49 migrants aboard to dock in Valletta. Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced the move after agreeing a deal with the European Union, which also covers some 250 migrants already in the country. The German humanitarian vessel Sea-Watch 3 rescued 32 people near Libya on 22 December and its sister ship, Sea-Eye, collected 17 more on 29 December. They have spent several days off the coast of Malta. "An ad hoc agreement has been reached," said Muscat. "Of the 249 migrants in Malta and 49 on the boats, 220 will go to other EU states or back to their country of origin." The migrants will go to eight countries including France, Germany, Portugal and the Netherlands. Around a dozen countries had said they were prepared to take the 49 people off the boats but Malta insisted on a deal for all 298. "Malta has never closed its doors and will always remain a haven," said Muscat. "We simply want everyone to go along with the international laws. "We want to send out a strong signal that this issue must be shared because it is a Europe-wide problem." Evangelical calls for unity The call has been shared by Italy's protestant community, with evangelicals offering to take in some of the migrants. The head of the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy (FCEI), Luca Maria Negro, said in a press release, shortly after Malta's announcement: "[FCEI] has told the Interior Minister we are available to welcome some of the refugees from Sea-Watch who are arriving in our country. From our experience, we know that these events could be the basis for lovely stories of integration. "As protestant Italians, we have supported the rescues on the open sea with Sea-Watch and Open Arms. It is important to underline that this is the responsibility of European countries. This is the best way to deal with this migratory phenomenon." Pope Francis has urged EU leaders to show "concrete solidarity" with 49 migrants stranded on NGO ships off the coast of Malta who have been refused permission to land. "Forty nine migrants rescued in the Mediterranean by two NGO ships have been onboard for several days now, waiting to be able to disembark," Francis told thousands of people gathered in Saint Peter's square in Rome on Sunday. "I make a heartfelt appeal to European leaders to show concrete solidarity for these people," Francis said, raising his voice. They were only "seeking a safe port where they can disembark", he said. Most of the stranded migrants are from Nigeria, Libya and Cote dIvoire. For the 17 people on board the German NGO Sea-Eye vessel, its their third week at sea. While the 32 on the Sea-Watch vessel, another German NGO, will shortly begin their fourth week. Among them are a one-year-old baby and two children aged six and seven. Weather conditions are difficult, and sanitary conditions on the two rescue boats are deteriorating by the day. Doctors Without Borders (MSF Sea) said there was no justification for the degrading way the migrants were being treated European deadlock Earlier this week the European Commission called on EU member states to admit them. The Netherlands and Germany agreed to take some of them in but only if their EU partners do the same, highlighting again the European Union's long-running deadlock over sharing responsibility for migrants. Both Italy and Malta have refused port access and on Sunday they reiterated that position. "In Italy, there are no more arrivals. That is the line and it will not change," hardline Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini told the Il Messaggero newspaper. But there tensions within Italys ruling coalition. Vice-prime minister Luigi Di Maio (Five star movement) said he was ready to welcome the 10 women and children aboard the vessels. So far no EU member state with access to the sea has come forward to allow the vessels to land. In the run-up to European elections in May, the fear of an increase in populism and the far right appears to be having a paralysing effect. Story continues Record of shame Several NGOs have taken to twitter to denounce the EU deadlock as a record of shame. Its been 14 days now that theyve been abandoned at sea. A new record of shame wrote a collective of humanitarian and human rights associations on Twitter. However, several towns, including Naples in Italy, have offered to host them. The mayor of Naples wrote a letter, defying Italys hardline interior minister, saying he would personally lead the operation to disembark them if they came near the coast. EU members have failed to agree on a permanent mechanism to relocate migrants who reach Europe's shores, even though arrivals have dropped sharply since a peak more than three years ago. According to the UN refugee agency, some 113,482 migrants crossed the Mediterranean to reach Europe last year; 2,262 people lost their lives or went missing making the perilous journey. (with AFP) Jean-Francois Mbaye, an MP with the ruling Republic on the Move (REM) party, has received a racist letter in which the unnamed author promised him a bullet in the head. Mbaye published a copy of the letter Friday on his Twitter account. It accuses him of being the token black, like the ones used in adverts to make people believe the French arent racist. The letter-writer also questioned the right an African has to meddle in Frances problems. Mbayes reaction was unequivocal. In 2019, this is what Im still receiving in my office at the National Assembly from anonymous cowards," he tweeted. "Am I shocked? Scared ? NO! I am all the more determined to eradicate this racist scourge in our beautiful country, France. Of course, Ill be pressing charges." Three MPs targeted The anonymous letter also targets two other REM lawmakers Laetitia Avia and Herve Berville. Avia, whose parents are from Togo, had already received a letter with racist insults and death threats in February this year. "We're not going to let a fat black swine from Africa meddle in the lives of the French," it said. Francois de Rugy, Minister for ecological transition, roundly condemned this latest anonymous letter, tweeting his "support" for the three MPs. Health minister Agnes Buzyn also took to twitter. No words are harsh or strong enough to describe this abject letter she wrote. SOS Racisme, Frances leading anti-racism body, issued a strongly worded communique. In France, in 2019, some people still cannot digest the fact that black people - whom they see as Negros, irremediably wild and backward - can represent the nation. The communique denounced speech of unbridled racism saying this latest attack was reminiscent of several much bigger and more aggressive" ones. It cited the case of former French Justice Minister Christiane Taubira in which she was compared to a monkey. The far-right National Front (now National Rally) candidate who made the comparison on her facebook page was subsequently sacked from the party. Jean-Francois Mbaye, an MP with the ruling Republic on the Move (REM) party, has received a racist letter in which the unnamed author promised him a bullet in the head. Mbaye published a copy of the letter Friday on his Twitter account. It accuses him of being the token black, like the ones used in adverts to make people believe the French arent racist. The letter-writer also questioned the right an African has to meddle in Frances problems. Mbayes reaction was unequivocal. In 2019, this is what Im still receiving in my office at the National Assembly from anonymous cowards," he tweeted. "Am I shocked? Scared ? NO! I am all the more determined to eradicate this racist scourge in our beautiful country, France. Of course, Ill be pressing charges." Three MPs targeted The anonymous letter also targets two other REM lawmakers Laetitia Avia and Herve Berville. Avia, whose parents are from Togo, had already received a letter with racist insults and death threats in February this year. "We're not going to let a fat black swine from Africa meddle in the lives of the French," it said. Francois de Rugy, Minister for ecological transition, roundly condemned this latest anonymous letter, tweeting his "support" for the three MPs. Health minister Agnes Buzyn also took to twitter. No words are harsh or strong enough to describe this abject letter she wrote. SOS Racisme, Frances leading anti-racism body, issued a strongly worded communique. In France, in 2019, some people still cannot digest the fact that black people - whom they see as Negros, irremediably wild and backward - can represent the nation. The communique denounced speech of unbridled racism saying this latest attack was reminiscent of several much bigger and more aggressive" ones. It cited the case of former French Justice Minister Christiane Taubira in which she was compared to a monkey. The far-right National Front (now National Rally) candidate who made the comparison on her facebook page was subsequently sacked from the party. The brother of Paul Whelan (pictured), who is being held in Russia on an apparently espionage charge, has urged the British Government to keep an eye on him (Picture: AP) The twin brother of a former US Marine who is being held in Russia on an apparent espionage charge has urged the British Government to keep an eye on him. Paul Whelan, who has UK citizenship, was arrested in Moscow last week and his family now fear the 48-year-old could be kept in jail for up to two years. Mr Whelans detention prompted Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt to warn the Kremlin not to use Britons as diplomatic pawns following speculation that he could be used to barter for the release of a Russian citizen jailed in the US. Speaking to the Press Association from Newmarket, Ontario, Mr Whelans twin brother David said: In the short-term the thing we would appreciate most from the UK Government and are certain that its going to happen were not questioning any will on their part after Mr Hunts statement is that they will keep an eye on Paul and assist the US and the other two countries to maintain him in good health until we can get him home. Paul Whelan has British citizenship through his parents, but is also a citizen of Ireland, Canada and the US. The former serviceman is the subject of an investigation by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) over espionage charges, which carry punishment of up to 20 years in jail, according to the Kremlin-backed Tass news agency. MORE: Police charge 20-year-old man with murder of seven-year-old Jazmine Barnes in drive-by shooting MORE: Two British special forces soldiers injured in IS missile attack in Syria His brother said: I dont think anybody has rose-coloured glasses about this. Weve heard a variety of timelines and I think were all looking at months for certain and perhaps even a couple of years, and were not thinking its necessarily going to be a short-term stay, but we are certainly hoping it will be as short as possible. It is thought that Mr Whelan is being held at pre-trial detention centre Lefortovo in Moscow (Picture:REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov/File Photo) Mr Whelans arrest comes after Russian national Maria Butina pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in the US last month, admitting to conspiring to infiltrate the US gun rights movement to collect intelligence on conservative political groups as Donald Trump rose to power. Story continues But Russias deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov has been quoted as saying there is no connection between the cases. David Whelan said his brothers arrest appeared to be very arbitrary and there was nothing to indicate he was a spy. I realise that there are geopolitical aspects to this that we cant really know about; whats happening at that level, he said. (But) it really does feel like wrong person wrong time which doesnt help anybody. Our family is tending to focus on getting him out anything we can do to make his stay as least-awful as possible and not worry so much about the rationale for what caused it. The ex-serviceman was in Moscow to help plan a fellow former Marines wedding and had visited Russia on three previous occasions, his brother said. A decorated SEAL Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher who was specially selected as a commando has been charged with murder. He is accused of stabbing to death an Islamic State prisoner of war around 15 years of age while the teen was in his custody when the Navy commando was posted in Iraq. He is also accused of shooting unarmed Iraqi civilians, without any reason. Arrested for murder Gallagher was arrested on Sept 11 and is presently held without bail. A judge will decide next week whether the 19-year-old SEAL can be released pending trial. The Navy SEAL will be tried by a judge with a jury consisting of at least one-third enlisted personnel. The purpose is to give the Navy commando a fair hearing and trial. Gallagher is a highly decorated veteran and was awarded the Bronze Star twice, a testimony to his professional efficacy. The prosecutor has prepared a 1700 page dossier which includes Gallagher's text messages when he tried to intimidate witnesses. Gallagher is accused of stabbing to death a young ISIS teen fighter as well as firing on unarmed Iraqi civilians. NBR has reported that Gallagher used a hunting knife to kill the ISIS teenager who was captured after Iraqis called in an airstrike on a building. Defence attorney Gallagher is represented by attorney Phil Stackhouse who is of the opinion that Gallagher did not shoot anyone and as such he should be given bail. He claims that Gallagher is being victimised. NBC has reported that the defense plans to call other SEAL commandos to testify as some of them have changed their statements. Navy prosecutors, however, have painted a grim picture of a highly trained fighter going off the rails after repeated deployment in Iraq. The US armed forces and its allies have been plagued by similar incidents for many decades. One can recollect that a Lieutenant of the US Army carried out a massacre at Mai Lai during the height of the Vietnam war. He was court-martialed but was given a presidential pardon before his sentence was finished. The UK Navy had recently discharged 9 sailors from one of their submarines for drug abuse. Serious charges The charges against Gallagher are serious and if he is convicted he will have to spend his entire life in jail. The evidence against Gallagher is strong and many SEALs have testified that he would fire without reason into Iraqi crowds. The buck will not end with Gallagher as his platoon commander Lt. Jacob Portier is also to be questioned for his role in not restraining the SEAL commando. He may be arraigned later. Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Thread Rating: 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Trump caught secretly sending troops to africa and abroad backed by air support bring them home lop guest User ID: 481929 01-06-2019 02:52 PM Post: #1 Trump caught secretly sending troops to africa and abroad backed by air support Advertisement https://nypost.com/2019/01/05/trump-secr...ion-gabon/ President Trump has quietly sent 80 military personnel to the West African nation of Gabon two weeks after he caused an international uproar by declaring his intention to pull US troops out of Syria and Afghanistan. Forces arrived there Wednesday to be close to neighboring Congo, where American diplomats and visitors could be at risk if violent demonstrations break out over last weeks presidential election. Trump informed congressional leaders of the deployment Friday in a letter noting that the combat troops would be backed by air support and would remain indefinitely, until their presence is no longer needed. Congos Dec. 30 election, which could push the party of longtime president Joseph Kabila out of power, gave rise to numerous allegations of fraud and rumors of a popular uprising if the results appear to be tainted. The final tally is expected to be announced Sunday. basically an election happened and the Africans think their is fraud and Trump has sent troops along with fighter jets to calm these poor Africans downPresident Trump has quietly sent 80 military personnel to the West African nation of Gabon two weeks after he caused an international uproar by declaring his intention to pull US troops out of Syria and Afghanistan.Forces arrived there Wednesday to be close to neighboring Congo, where American diplomats and visitors could be at risk if violent demonstrations break out over last weeks presidential election.Trump informed congressional leaders of the deployment Friday in a letter noting that the combat troops would be backed by air support and would remain indefinitely, until their presence is no longer needed.Congos Dec. 30 election, which could push the party of longtime president Joseph Kabila out of power, gave rise to numerous allegations of fraud and rumors of a popular uprising if the results appear to be tainted. The final tally is expected to be announced Sunday. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 481913 01-06-2019 02:55 PM Post: #2 RE: Trump caught secretly sending troops to africa and abroad backed by air support Stfu, troops moved into Africa years ago...the obama filth ramped it up n the extreme...blackwater was sent by him..these pukes even send in troops under the guise of healthcare and saving the animals...Africom..heard if it? Liar, f*cking liar LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 481934 01-06-2019 03:07 PM Post: #3 RE: Trump caught secretly sending troops to africa and abroad backed by air support LoP Guest Wrote: (01-06-2019 02:55 PM) Stfu, troops moved into Africa years ago...the obama filth ramped it up n the extreme...blackwater was sent by him..these pukes even send in troops under the guise of healthcare and saving the animals...Africom..heard if it? Liar, f*cking liar aww look someone is mad the free media exposed Trump. you probably believed the war monger when he said he was going to bring all the troops home aww look someone is mad the free media exposed Trump.you probably believed the war monger when he said he was going to bring all the troops home LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 463488 01-06-2019 03:18 PM Post: #4 RE: Trump caught secretly sending troops to africa and abroad backed by air support LoP Guest Wrote: (01-06-2019 03:07 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (01-06-2019 02:55 PM) Stfu, troops moved into Africa years ago...the obama filth ramped it up n the extreme...blackwater was sent by him..these pukes even send in troops under the guise of healthcare and saving the animals...Africom..heard if it? Liar, f*cking liar aww look someone is mad the free media exposed Trump. you probably believed the war monger when he said he was going to bring all the troops home NYP troll...nothing more. NYP troll...nothing more. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 481934 01-06-2019 05:35 PM Post: #5 RE: Trump caught secretly sending troops to africa and abroad backed by air support it's this part of America first? I'm scratching my head trying to figure out why we need troops in Africa over and election Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread 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. A Portuguese broadcaster is set to become the first in Europe to air a local version of Family Food Fight. RTP will air Familias Frente a Frente later this month, with Shine Iberia producing. The format was created by Endemol Shine Australia with Nine and has since been picked up for local versions by ABC in the US while in Argentina, Endemol Shine Latinos series has just finished airing on Telefe. It is also being developed by Endemol Shines production company Remarkable Television for Channel 4s daytime schedule. Helder Marques, executive producer for the Portuguese version, described the format as a diverse, multigenerational and celebratory format everything that Portuguese cooking sets out to be. We are excited to be the first European territory airing the series and we believe it will resonate strongly with our viewers. But the future of the Australian original is under review by Nine. It hasnt worked as well as wed hoped, Nines Head of Content, Production and Development, Adrian Swift, recently told TV Tonight, We havent made a decision yet, but wed have to be reviewing it. Lets be serious. Source: C21 Related Police in the central Vietnamese province of Thua Thien-Hue have arrested a man for stabbing a 10-year-old girl before robbing her home on Friday afternoon. A source close to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper at the police station in Phu Vang District confirmed on Saturday that officers had apprehended Nguyen Van Viet, 35, to probe the case. Preliminary information showed that Viet headed to a pawnshop named Dai Phuoc on National Highway 49B in Phu Diem Commune, Phu Vang District on Friday afternoon. No one was present at the facility at the time, except for 10-year-old N.T.T.T., who is daughter of the shop owner. The family of the owner also lives at the place. Viet then headed toward the kitchen of the house and grabbed a knife before stabbing T. twice in her stomach. He then took a golden necklace and a smartphone before escaping. The father then returned to the house and discovered his badly injured daughter. He immediately called an ambulance and reported the incident to police officers. I left the house at 2:00 pm that day, while my wife also went out at around 4:00 pm. I returned at 4:50 pm and saw my daughter lying unconscious on the floor. There was a lot of blood, Nguoi Lao Dong (Laborer) newspaper quoted the owner as saying. Following an investigation, police were able to identify Viet as the prime suspect and arrested him at his home on the night of the same day. Viet lives just about two kilometers away from the victims house. The Tuoi Tre source confirmed on Saturday that T.s health has stabilized and she is receiving further treatment at the Hue Central Hospital, situated in the namesake city in Thua Thien-Hue Province. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A hospital in Ho Chi Minh City is dedicating part of its facility every week to patients in the LGBT community. This LGBT-friendly clinic is open every Friday afternoon on the sixth floor of the high-tech area of Binh Dan Hospital, located at 408 Dien Bien Phu Street, District 3. According to Dr. Mai Ba Tien Dung, chief of the infirmarys andrology department, this is a new idea and is expected to receive positive feedback from the LGBT community. Many people in this community still shy away from having their health checked at public hospitals, Dr. Dung said. They ended up seeking treatment at private clinics, where quality is not always guaranteed, he continued, adding that others chose not to treat their illnesses at all, which only exacerbates their conditions. Among members of the LGBT community, transgender people face the highest health risks as their post-surgery complications can be very dangerous if not treated correctly and promptly, Dr. Dung remarked. This special clinic at Binh Dan is aimed at meeting all demands for healthcare of the LGBT community, the doctor asserted. Appointments should be made in advance via the phone number 028.6686.1267, he added. For Boi Nhi, a 22-year-old transgender woman who graduated from the Vocational Ballet School of Ho Chi Minh City, this clinic is everything she has been looking for. People like me often face discrimination and refusal when we seek treatment for genital-related illnesses at public hospitals. We eventually have to buy over-the-counter medicines or just let it be, Nhi elaborated. Healthcare after surgery is very important but most transgender people can only learn from the experience of other members in their community, she added. I still feel blessed that my mother is always on my side. Not many transgender people have such a supportive family, Nhi said. Ha Thanh, a transgender man, voiced a similar opinion. Many of us have no idea where to come to whenever we suffer a genital condition or STDs. We can neither go to a gynecological clinic nor an adrological one, Thanh said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Here are todays leading news stories: Politics -- Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith is leading a high-ranking delegation of the Lao Government to attend and co-chair the 41st meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee in Hanoi on January 5 and 6. Society -- Tropical Storm Pabuk, the first to hit the East Vietnam Sea this year, killed one person, left one missing, and injured six others in southern localities as of Saturday morning, according the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control. -- The bodies of three Vietnamese victims of a terror bomb attack in Cairo, Egypt on December 28 were brought to Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City at 1:00 am on Sunday. -- Officers from the Ninth Military Region were able to safely destroy more than 10 metric tons of bombs left by previous wars in Chi Lang Town, Tinh Bien District in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang on Saturday. -- A truck caused a multiple-vehicle collision involving three other trucks that were stopping at a red light in the southern province of Binh Duong on Saturday afternoon. The accident seriously injured four people. -- The number of crimes in Ho Chi Minh City in 2018 was recorded at 3,405 cases, Lieutenant General Truong Dong Phong, director of the municipal Department of Police said on Saturday, adding that the figure has reduced for the fourth consecutive year. -- A woman was backing a car out of her house in Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday morning when she lost control of the vehicle. It then ran in reverse at high speed across the street, mounted the sidewalk, and crashed into four motorbikes parked there . -- Police in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa on Saturday impounded 11 boats for illegal sand exploitation along the Ma River in Dinh Cong Commune, Yen Dinh District. Business -- The price of whiteleg shrimp in the Mekong Delta region has recently increased to VND137,000 (US$6) per kilogram, up by VND30,000 ($1.3) a kilogram compared to that of last year. -- As Tet holiday is about a month away, people in Ho Chi Minh City are seeking services to exchange brand new banknotes in order to use them as li xi, or lucky money, during the traditional festival. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Services offering the exchange of brand new banknotes have begun flooding the Internet in Vietnam as the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday is only a month away. Handing out li xi, or lucky money, is one of the most awaited and joyful activities during the traditional Tet holiday in the Southeast Asian country. In order to make this event more enjoyable, people often prepare perfectly-looking banknotes, which are usually brand new, not folded or wrinkled, and have preferably not yet been used in any actual transaction, to put in red envelopes. The red envelopes are often given by adults to children on the first days of the lunar year to celebrate their new age, and in return the young would wish the elders a year of luck, fortune, and health. Li xi is believed to be the symbol of a fluke, as the more li xi a person gives or receives, the more luck they will have during the new year. High demand, hefty fees According to Thu Huong, a resident in Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City, she often asks her friend who works at a bank to help her exchange new VND10,000 (US$0.43) and VND20,000 ($0.86) banknotes. That friend, however, turned Huong down this year as she had already agreed to help too many people, forcing the woman to seek for online services. The charge is too high, the woman stated, referring to one website. The rate is eight percent, meaning I will have to pay VND80,000 [$3.44] if I want to exchange VND1 million [$43], she elaborated. This rate is even higher, from 10 to up to 30 percent, when it comes to banknotes of smaller denominations since, according to the operator of the website, such bills are rare. Another service provider in District 11 said in an advertisement posted on their Facebook page that customers should hurry up as brand new banknotes will quickly run out as the holiday approaches. The charges at this shop are updated on a daily basis, but customers are given a discount if they exchange over VND20 million ($860) at a time. In order to compete, other websites also have their own discount policies and offer gifts for clients. Those who wish to stand out this Tet can also spend extra on banknotes having lucky serial numbers. For example, a set of nine VND1,000 ($0.043) banknotes whose serial numbers have five identical digits (from 11111 to 99999) are selling for VND600,000 ($26). Old bills that have already gone out of circulation are also being offered at a high price. Response from the central bank According to Le Thi Thanh Hang, deputy director of the State Bank of Vietnam branch in Ho Chi Minh City, the agency has yet to issue new banknotes of VND10,000 denominations or under since November. In order to have new banknotes, these online services must have stockpiled them since last year, Hang elaborated. The new bills are expected to be released within the next two weeks, but in limited amounts. We will only meet the demand for cash in real transactions, not for lucky money, Hang stated. This is also part of the directive from the prime minister, in a bid to ensure treasury security and safety during the Lunar New Year. Hang added it is illegal for exchange services to charge a high rate. Authorities will take a closer look at the situation and fine those who violate monetary regulations, she continued. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! OPINION: "I am disheartened by our current administrations pattern of blanket giveaways, as opposed to judiciously allocating the funds to where they are most needed," writes Tucsonan John Newport. Both the Finchem and Stop K-12 indoctrination codes prohibit teachers from singling out one racial group of students for the suffering or inequities experienced by another racial group of students and from endorsing, supporting or engaging in any activity that impedes the lawful access of military recruiters to the campus. The difference in verbiage between the two codes, in these cases, differs by only a couple of words. The Freedom Center was founded by white extremist David Horowitz in 1988, according to an article from the Southern Poverty Law Center. He became a driving force in modern far-right hate movements targeting Muslims, black Americans and immigrants after co-founding the liberal New Left movement in the 1960s, the SPLC wrote. Horowitz established the center as the Center for the Study of Popular Culture in Los Angeles to bring a conservative presence to Hollywood, where he said popular culture had become a political battleground. He renamed it in 2006 and shifted its focus toward spreading misinformation and hateful ideologies about the efforts of the radical left and its Islamist allies to destroy American Values, the SPLC article said. A half mile down a deeply rutted private dirt road in Catalina, plans for an aging house and rows of grape vines stretching across a few acres have dozens of residents furious. The proposed winery on a 9-acre parcel in the shadow of the Santa Catalina Mountains would be a first for Pinal County, but nearby residents are wary that weddings and other events will disrupt their otherwise quiet rural neighborhood. Their concerns include changes in property values, noise from nighttime outdoor events, a new road and the possibility of drunk drivers leaving the winery. One of the main roads to the planned project bears the name of the family behind this project and numerous developments in the community, the Golder family. Vicki Cox Golder, who along with her children have been working behind the scenes to establish Golder Ranch Wines for the last two years, says she remains flexible to finding common ground with her neighbors and that the latest plans for the property mostly address most their concerns. At the heart of the issue is the proposed rezoning of the property, turning the existing rural agricultural designation to commercial zoning that would technically allow the Golder family to open a bar, a restaurant or even a nightclub in the residential neighborhood. Up to 2,000 dockless electric scooters could show up on Tucson streets as early as this spring, but it wont come cheap for the companies looking to set up shop. The Tucson City Council will consider an elaborate proposal from city staff to allow scooters from companies like Bird and Lime to operate if they agree to a set of conditions and pay the city up to $428,000 annually. Conditions include not leaving the controversial devices too close to street corners, in public parks or blocking sidewalks, offering helmets periodically and upon request as well as carrying insurance for each e-scooter operating in the city limits. With a discussion set for Tuesday afternoon, at least one councilman doesnt think the proposal is worth the risk. My biggest concern isnt the money, Councilman Steve Kozachik said last week. There is no safe place to ride these things. With his ward covering Fourth Avenue, downtown Tucson and the University of Arizona campus, Kozachik argues that narrow streets and sidewalks in those areas are unsuitable for e-scooters. Because of a huge abundance of drought-sensitive, tree ring records across North America, were reconstructing drought very accurately even back to 800, Williams told the December conference. Trees grow annual tree rings every year. During years of really good growth the ring is wide, and during years of bad growth the ring is narrow. And so in dry places where trees are struggling during the driest years, then droughts are preserved in the tree ring records as clusters of narrow rings, Williams told Scientific American in an interview about his megadrought research. In western North America, were really lucky that we have tree ring records from across the continent, and at a really high density theres more tree ring records in this small area than any other area in the world, he told the magazine. Many of them have preserved records of drought within them with extremely high fidelity. The very worst known megadrought in the West occurred in the late 1500s, the second worst in the middle 1100s and the third worst in the late 800s, said Sarah Fecht, an editor for Columbias Earth Institute who wrote the post on Williams study. Some 20 jazz bands and solo artists will light up Tucson stages with swinging sounds, celebrating the life of the executive director of the Tucson Jazz Festival. Yvonne Ervin, who founded the event, now in its fifth year, passed away Dec. 26 at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix. This show is all hers, said TJF board President Elliot Glicksman. Shes the one who hired all the acts, booked all the venues, paid the performers deposits. Set up the promotion. Everything. From Friday, Jan. 11, to Monday, Jan. 21, the acts will grace Tucson stages, representing a kaleidoscope of tastes that range from Bobby McFerrins imaginative vocal gymnastics to the driving Latin rhythms of Magos Herrera, from the New Orleans funk of Trombone Shorty with Orleans Avenue, to the full-on orchestral styling of Pink Martini backed by the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. But for Glicksman, the real story is how so many of the citys jazz fans have pitched in to help, wanting to provide whatever is needed to keep the festival going. The outpouring of support has been so heartwarming, Glicksman continued. From the mayor and the festivals sponsors to the board members and volunteers from everywhere. They are all working hard, just as if they were actually being paid. Arizonas banks are entering the new year in good financial shape, judging from the latest ratings from Florida-based Bauer Financial. Bauer ratings for all banks and credit unions operating in Southern Arizona were unchanged in the third quarter, while two previously troubled Tucson-area banks, Canyon Community Bank and Commerce Bank of Arizona, retained their three-star, adequate Bauer ratings. As of the end of the third quarter of 2018, about 73 percent of banks operating in Arizona were recommended by Bauer earning the top ratings of superior or excellent down slightly from the same period in 2017, while none were rated troubled or problematic in Bauers closely watched ratings. Nationally, 90.5 percent of banks were recommended, while 2.1 percent were troubled or problematic. For the first time in 12 years, no U.S. banks failed last year, Bauer said. Arizonas credit unions showed improved strength, with 83 percent top-rated in the third quarter compared with 81 percent a year ago. Among locally based banks, Canyon Community Bank kept its three-star, adequate rating despite posting a $236,000 third-quarter net loss. Many folks in Wyoming (if they think about issues at all) tend to blame poverty on the people experiencing poverty. Until, that is, they get laid off. Our new governor doesnt think Wyoming needs to expand Medicaid (medical bills being one of the main things that plunge an otherwise middle class family into poverty) and the legislature has shown no incentive to fund any programs that alleviate the poverty in this state. Remember, minimum wage is still $5.25. Low wage working families are often only a paycheck away from homelessness or hunger. The 1994 Contract With America and subsequent statutes to end welfare as we know it served to keep low wages low. As a state, the budget for Family Services has not been reduced. The money just doesnt go to low income folks. Where does it go? No one knows. Wyoming is an amazing state with enormous possibilities. I am honored to have the responsibility to be her next Governor. My vision is to set our state on a sustainable fiscal path, to ensure citizens have access to quality education and to provide local communities with the tools and resources needed to thrive. With that approach, we can clear the way for Wyoming people to pursue their dreams right here at home, building an economy that works for Wyoming. We need to continue to refocus our government to better assist local communities to give them the tools to foster innovation and opportunity, so that growth comes from the ground up. This means providing exceptional educational opportunities for our kids and continuing education everyone needs to succeed. It also means developing infrastructure, like broadband connectivity, so that our communities are fertile places for private industry to take root and grow. Medicaid reimbursement Currently, Wyoming is the only state in the nation not claiming Medicaid reimbursement for eligible services provided in our public schools. The efficiency study has identified over $30 million in net increased revenue over the next five years if we pursue these funds. I identified this as one of seven potential efficiencies in 2017 in a memo to the Legislature. Most of the other efficiencies were included in a subsequent school funding omnibus bill that was passed by the Legislature that same year. These are but three of many efficiency recommendations being looked at across our state government. As you have heard me say before, I am committed to realizing additional savings in education, as long as they stay far away from the classroom. The efficiency efforts I support do not impede the quality education that Wyoming students enjoy. I sit on the governing board overseeing this work and will continue to bring new ideas to the table and push positive reform. Other topic areas I am interested in pursuing are the effect the three branches of state government have on each others efficiencies and the growth of the administrative state. As to administrative growth, Wyoming government accommodates over 200 state boards and commissions. An examination of boards and commissions and the purpose of each may reveal efficiencies. I am excited for the opportunity that 2019 brings with state and local leaders committed to government reforms that will benefit our state for years to come, regardless of how the fossil fuel industry is doing at any given moment. Ive had several discussions with newly elected state officials, including Governor-elect Mark Gordon, and we are all committed to increased government efficiency. Sound decisions we make today strengthen our state for future generations. I will continue to lead in government efficiencies and reductions, both within the Department of Education and in my role as a statewide elected official. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 The workshop began with warm-ups on the mat and stretches with the silks. With the silks supporting them, they moved through exercises, including a chair pose and an aerial version of a backbend called the camel pose. At one point, they stood and swiveled their bodies in circles with the silks wrapped around their shoulders. This is a really nice move to open up that digestive tract, and if you really want to get wild, you just roll with it, ladies, Lopez said as the group laughed. Later, the participants straddled the silks, pulled the fabric around their legs and disappeared inside the cloth. They stretched together in poses called the cat and cow, pressing against the fabric as they inhaled and releasing as they exhaled. Lopez guided each participant through the first inverted pose. They wrapped their legs and hooked their feet along the sides of the silks. Thats amazing, one participant said as she rested upside down in the stretch. Lopez later showed them how to pull themselves up from the position until they sat upright. As time goes on in a shutdown like this the resources we use at the forest arent available, like technical support and vehicles, Avalanche Center Director Bob Comey said. Because federal money isnt available, the nonprofit Friends of Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center has to step up and cover incidental operating costs that cannot be deferred until funding resumes. Were very fortunate to have our nonprofit, Comey said. The very reason why they exist is to enable us to overcome these obstacles. As of Wednesday, the shutdown had stretched into its 12th day. Politico reported that a meeting between President Donald Trump and congressional leaders devolved into finger pointing with no tangible progress, other than an agreement to meet again Friday, so nonprofits may have to continue supporting federal agencies for the time being, though they would likely enjoy a return to normalcy. This is not the sort of thing we want to do long term, Berry said. Amid the gloom of overflowing toilets and illegal trash dumping, theres one bright spot for a Jackson company, though it is still ambivalent about the shutdown. Togwotee Adventures, which runs snowmobile tours on the Bridger-Teton National Forest, has seen an uptick in trips since the shutdown. Luxembourg Socialist Youths (JSL) have a new party president. Former general secretary Georges Sold climbs up the ranks to become the youth organisation's president. Luxembourg Young Socialists have elected their new leaders. Following the renewal of the coalition government, former JSL president Jimmy Skenderovic had resigned in October. On Saturday, Georges Sold was then appointed his successor during a party congress - not uncontestedly: while 21 members voted in his favour, 10 voted against him. Having obtained 15 votes, Amir Vesali is set to take over over Sold's former function as general secretary. Several well-know LSAP members pilgrimed to Saturday's congress and were not spared the criticism of their junior counterparts. According to Sold, the socialist party has hit a historical low in terms of public opinion: "instead of showing strength, admitting defeat [...] and improving ourselves, what do we do? We paint a complex world in a CSV black and white, keep our fingers from the pensions, get into bed with the liberals and even take pride in being second most voted party." Sold argued that that many young socialists were disappointed at the political situation, the lies and their mother party. The latter, he said, did not do enough to push the party forward. Luxembourg's new interior minister Taina Bofferding, herself a former JSL president, encouraged the young socialists and added that "we will not get anywhere by being frustrated." The Young Socialists hope to become more digital, democratic and diverse. New talents should be found and recruited on social media. However, the party is lacking attractiveness at the moment, Sold said. For example looking back at the national student fair, he lamented that his party failed to attract: "They did not come to us but went to the other parties. This raises questions." LSAP has repeatedly attempted to get into JSL's good graces. In this context, Bofferding argued that LSAP should do everything in their power to win the next elections. The first opportunity to lay the foundation for improvement is already on the horizon: the LSAP congress will take place on 22 January. Coquille, OR (97420) Today Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low near 50F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low near 50F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. This subscription will allow existing subscribers of The World to access all of our online content, including the E-Editions area. NOTE: To claim your access to the site, you will need to enter the Last Name and First Name that is tied to your subscription in this format: SMITH, JOHN If you need help with exactly how your specific name needs be entered, please email us at admin@countrymedia.net or call us at 1-541 266 6047. Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship. Govan said, "My working relationship with any of my colleagues in the delegation and with those around the state is very important to me in terms of being able to come together to get things done. I have never seen it and continue not to see it, on my part, as a problem." 4. The retirement of Claflin President Dr. Henry N. Tisdale. The 25-year Claflin president will retire at the end of the academic year. As much as his leadership of the university and in Orangeburg will be missed, there is much to look forward to from Tisdale in the coming months and beyond. He is committed to fundraising and increasing scholarship dollars for students, working on the Claflin Archival and Preservation project and writing a book on the 150-year history of Claflin. 5. Tri-County Electric Cooperative board. The historic action of co-op members to oust the entire board in the face of scandal led to election of a new board that has put in place protections against excessive spending and perks for board members. 6. Escape from Orangeburg County jail. The escape was seen as another example of problems at the aging facility. But help is on the way. Orangeburg County expects to complete a new jail with modern safety improvements by early in 2020. In the House, the Republican leadership blocked the Gang of Eight bill from coming to a vote. But the overwhelmingly majority of House Democrats were said to be in favor of it, so there is no doubt that had the bill been put to a vote, House Democrats, like their counterparts in the Senate, would have supported the fencing provision. Had it become law, the bill would have given a provisional legal status to illegal immigrants who did not have criminal records. But the Gang of Eight said that border security measures, including the fence, had to be funded and built before those illegal immigrants could be given permanent legal residence in the United States. The Department of Homeland Security could not grant permanent status, the bill said, until six months after it certified "that there is in place along the Southern Border no fewer than 700 miles of pedestrian fencing which will include replacement of all currently existing vehicle fencing on non-tribal lands on the Southern Border with pedestrian fencing where possible." MEC Crossroads to Success, a new non-profit that seeks to empower youth in the Orangeburg region through community-based education and resources, will host an interest meeting for businesses, organizations, non-profits, groups and members of the general public who have an interest in supporting the growth and development of area teens. The meeting will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 9, at Life Cathedral Church, 2010 Columbia Road, Orangeburg. MEC Crossroads mission is to educate and motivate youth and their parents by providing a series of seminars and programs that will give young students the necessary tools and information to help them make the right choices to be successful. The seminars and programs focus on making a significant impact for students who are rising fifth through 10th graders. The Orangeburg-based organization was founded in 2017 by Mernard Clarkson, a 32-year law enforcement veteran with six years of military service. AIKEN -- South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel was the featured speaker at Lower Savannah Council of Governments 2018 Annual Banquet. The banquet was held Thursday, Dec. 13, at Clemson Universitys Edisto Research and Education Center in Blackville. LSCOGs Executive Director William Molnar presented the Year in Review to showcase accomplishments from the 2017-2018 fiscal year, which can be viewed in the 2018 Annual Report online at www.lscog.org. The Lower Savannah COG had a strong year serving the citizens and local governments within the region, Molnar said. We are especially pleased to have received two national NADO awards. The Jump Start program provides summer jobs for rising high school seniors. Within the program, students learn 'soft-skills' like showing up on time, dressing appropriately for work, money management, and get a glimpse into jobs they may want and those that they may not want in their future, he said. The Dementia Dialogue program trained service providers and family members on how to better care for individuals living with dementia. We will be offering both award-winning programs in 2019," Molnar said. 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Jun 30 (6) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (6) Jun 27 (6) Jun 26 (6) Jun 25 (6) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (4) Jun 19 (5) Jun 18 (8) Jun 17 (6) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (5) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (4) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (5) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (3) Jun 05 (3) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (3) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (2) May 30 (2) May 29 (2) May 28 (2) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (3) May 24 (2) May 23 (2) May 22 (3) May 21 (5) May 20 (4) May 19 (2) May 18 (3) May 17 (3) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (5) May 13 (3) May 12 (4) May 11 (3) May 10 (4) May 09 (4) May 08 (4) May 07 (3) May 06 (2) May 05 (3) May 04 (4) May 03 (2) May 02 (3) May 01 (3) Apr 30 (3) Apr 29 (4) Apr 28 (2) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (4) Apr 25 (2) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (2) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (4) Apr 20 (4) Apr 19 (5) Apr 18 (7) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (10) Apr 15 (5) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (5) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (7) Apr 08 (4) Apr 07 (7) Apr 06 (4) Apr 05 (7) Apr 04 (5) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (5) Mar 31 (5) Mar 30 (5) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (6) Mar 27 (5) Mar 26 (5) Mar 25 (6) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (5) Mar 22 (5) Mar 21 (4) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (6) Mar 18 (6) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (5) Mar 14 (4) Mar 13 (5) Mar 12 (5) Mar 11 (4) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (2) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (3) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (4) Mar 01 (5) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (4) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (2) Feb 23 (3) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (2) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (2) Feb 16 (3) Feb 15 (6) Feb 14 (6) Feb 13 (6) Feb 12 (9) Feb 11 (5) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (7) Feb 06 (3) Feb 05 (4) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (3) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (3) Jan 28 (2) Jan 27 (2) Jan 26 (3) Jan 25 (4) Jan 24 (4) Jan 23 (2) Jan 22 (2) Jan 21 (5) Jan 20 (4) Jan 19 (5) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (4) Jan 16 (3) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (3) Jan 12 (3) Jan 11 (2) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (2) Jan 07 (2) Jan 06 (3) Jan 05 (2) Jan 04 (2) Jan 03 (2) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (2) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (3) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (2) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (2) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (2) Dec 21 (2) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (2) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (2) Dec 16 (2) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (2) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (3) Dec 10 (5) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (2) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (5) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (4) Nov 29 (4) Nov 28 (2) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (2) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (2) Nov 22 (2) Nov 21 (2) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (3) Nov 18 (2) Nov 17 (2) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (5) Nov 14 (4) Nov 13 (2) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (2) Nov 10 (2) Nov 09 (2) Nov 08 (2) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (6) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (5) Nov 03 (5) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (5) Oct 31 (7) Oct 30 (5) Oct 29 (4) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (2) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (4) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (2) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (2) Oct 18 (2) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (5) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (2) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (4) Oct 11 (5) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (2) Oct 05 (5) Oct 04 (5) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (5) Sep 30 (2) Sep 29 (2) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (6) Sep 26 (2) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (2) Sep 22 (2) Sep 21 (2) Sep 20 (2) Sep 19 (3) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (2) Sep 15 (4) Sep 14 (3) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (6) Sep 10 (2) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (5) Sep 06 (4) Sep 05 (4) Sep 04 (3) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (3) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (2) Aug 30 (2) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (2) Aug 25 (2) Aug 24 (3) Aug 23 (2) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (3) Aug 18 (2) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (5) Aug 13 (2) Aug 12 (2) Aug 11 (2) Aug 10 (2) Aug 09 (2) Aug 08 (5) Aug 07 (5) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (2) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (2) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (2) Jul 31 (4) Jul 30 (2) Jul 29 (2) Jul 28 (2) Jul 27 (2) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (2) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (2) Jul 21 (3) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (2) Jul 18 (3) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (2) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (2) Jul 12 (3) Jul 11 (2) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (2) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (2) Jul 06 (2) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (2) Jul 03 (2) Jul 02 (2) Jul 01 (3) Jun 30 (3) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (2) Jun 26 (3) Jun 25 (1) Jun 24 (2) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (3) Jun 20 (2) Jun 19 (2) Jun 18 (2) Jun 17 (2) Jun 16 (2) Jun 15 (2) Jun 14 (2) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (3) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (5) Jun 05 (3) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (2) Jun 02 (2) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (2) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (2) May 26 (2) May 25 (2) May 24 (2) May 23 (2) May 22 (3) May 21 (3) May 20 (2) May 19 (2) May 18 (4) May 17 (7) May 16 (2) May 15 (3) May 14 (4) May 13 (3) May 12 (4) May 11 (4) May 10 (4) May 09 (3) May 08 (2) May 07 (2) May 06 (2) May 05 (1) May 04 (2) May 03 (4) May 02 (3) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (1) Apr 29 (3) Apr 28 (2) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (2) Apr 25 (2) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (2) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (2) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (3) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (2) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (3) Apr 04 (1) Apr 03 (1) Apr 02 (1) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (2) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (2) Mar 28 (3) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (3) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (2) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (3) Mar 21 (4) Mar 20 (2) Mar 19 (3) Mar 18 (1) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (2) Mar 15 (1) Mar 14 (3) Mar 13 (1) Mar 12 (2) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (2) Mar 08 (1) Mar 07 (1) Mar 04 (2) Mar 02 (2) Feb 28 (1) Feb 24 (1) Dec 31 (4) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (4) Dec 28 (5) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (3) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (3) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (3) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (3) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (3) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (3) Nov 22 (3) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (3) Nov 18 (3) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (2) Nov 15 (3) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (4) Nov 11 (3) Nov 10 (4) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (4) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (3) Nov 05 (5) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (3) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (4) Oct 30 (3) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (4) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (3) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (4) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (3) Oct 18 (4) Oct 17 (4) Oct 16 (3) Oct 15 (3) Oct 14 (3) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (3) Oct 11 (3) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (4) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (5) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (4) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (4) Sep 26 (3) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (3) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (3) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (3) Sep 13 (3) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (4) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (4) Sep 08 (4) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (3) Sep 05 (3) Sep 04 (3) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (3) Aug 25 (4) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (5) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (3) Aug 20 (3) Aug 19 (3) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (3) Aug 12 (3) Aug 11 (4) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (3) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (5) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (3) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (5) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (3) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (4) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (3) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (4) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (3) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (5) Jul 11 (4) Jul 10 (4) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (3) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (3) Jul 03 (4) Jul 02 (3) Jul 01 (6) Jun 30 (4) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (5) Jun 24 (4) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (4) Jun 19 (4) Jun 18 (5) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (3) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (3) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (5) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (4) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (5) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (4) Jun 02 (5) Jun 01 (3) May 31 (4) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (3) May 26 (4) May 25 (4) May 24 (4) May 23 (4) May 22 (3) May 21 (3) May 20 (4) May 19 (3) May 18 (3) May 17 (4) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (1) May 11 (3) May 10 (3) May 09 (3) May 08 (3) May 07 (4) May 06 (3) May 05 (4) May 04 (4) May 03 (3) May 02 (3) May 01 (6) Apr 30 (3) Apr 29 (3) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (5) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (3) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (3) Apr 22 (3) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (4) Apr 16 (3) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (3) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (3) Apr 09 (3) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (3) Apr 04 (3) Apr 03 (3) Apr 02 (3) Apr 01 (3) Mar 31 (3) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (3) Mar 28 (4) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (3) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (3) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (3) Mar 21 (3) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (3) Mar 18 (3) Mar 17 (3) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (3) Mar 14 (3) Mar 13 (3) Mar 12 (4) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (4) Mar 08 (3) Mar 07 (3) Mar 06 (4) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (3) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (3) Mar 01 (3) Feb 28 (3) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (3) Feb 25 (3) Feb 24 (2) Feb 23 (3) Feb 22 (3) Feb 21 (3) Feb 20 (3) Feb 19 (3) Feb 18 (3) Feb 17 (3) Feb 16 (3) Feb 15 (3) Feb 14 (3) Feb 13 (3) Feb 12 (3) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (3) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (4) Feb 06 (3) Feb 05 (3) Feb 04 (4) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (3) Jan 30 (3) Jan 29 (3) Jan 28 (5) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (3) Jan 21 (4) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (5) Jan 18 (5) Jan 17 (4) Jan 16 (3) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (5) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (4) Jan 09 (3) Jan 08 (3) Jan 07 (3) Jan 06 (3) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (3) Jan 01 (4) Dec 31 (3) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (3) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (3) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (3) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (4) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (3) Dec 06 (4) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (3) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (3) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (3) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (4) Nov 23 (6) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (5) Nov 20 (4) Nov 19 (4) Nov 18 (4) Nov 17 (4) Nov 16 (3) Nov 15 (2) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (3) Nov 10 (2) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (2) Nov 05 (2) Nov 04 (3) Nov 03 (2) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (2) Oct 30 (6) Oct 29 (5) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (5) Oct 26 (3) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (5) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (4) Oct 18 (4) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (2) Oct 15 (3) Oct 14 (3) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (2) Oct 11 (2) Oct 10 (3) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (2) Oct 07 (2) Oct 06 (2) Oct 05 (3) Oct 04 (2) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (3) Sep 29 (4) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (2) Sep 26 (2) Sep 25 (2) Sep 24 (1) Sep 23 (1) Sep 22 (2) Sep 21 (2) Sep 20 (1) Sep 19 (1) Sep 18 (1) Sep 17 (2) Sep 16 (1) Sep 15 (2) Sep 14 (2) Sep 13 (1) Sep 12 (1) Sep 11 (2) Sep 10 (2) Sep 09 (1) Sep 08 (1) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (1) Sep 05 (1) Sep 04 (2) Sep 03 (1) Sep 02 (1) Sep 01 (1) Aug 31 (2) Aug 30 (1) Aug 29 (1) Aug 28 (1) Aug 27 (1) Aug 26 (1) Aug 25 (1) Aug 24 (1) Aug 23 (2) Aug 22 (1) Aug 21 (1) Aug 20 (2) Aug 19 (1) Aug 18 (1) Aug 17 (2) Aug 16 (2) Aug 15 (1) Aug 14 (1) Aug 12 (1) Aug 09 (1) Aug 08 (1) Aug 07 (1) Aug 05 (1) Aug 04 (1) Jul 31 (1) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (5) Jul 28 (2) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (3) Jul 24 (3) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (4) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (3) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (4) Jul 11 (3) Jul 10 (4) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (4) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (4) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (4) Jul 02 (5) Jul 01 (3) Jun 30 (4) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (4) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (4) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (6) Jun 21 (3) Jun 20 (3) Jun 19 (6) Jun 18 (5) Jun 17 (5) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (4) Jun 14 (4) Jun 13 (5) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (4) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (3) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (5) Jun 03 (5) Jun 02 (4) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (4) May 30 (4) May 29 (4) May 28 (5) May 27 (5) May 26 (5) May 25 (4) May 24 (5) May 23 (4) May 22 (4) May 21 (3) May 20 (6) May 19 (4) May 18 (4) May 17 (4) May 16 (5) May 15 (3) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (3) May 11 (3) May 10 (3) May 09 (3) May 08 (3) May 07 (3) May 06 (3) May 05 (3) May 04 (3) May 03 (3) May 02 (3) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (4) Apr 29 (6) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (4) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (3) Apr 22 (3) Apr 21 (4) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (3) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (6) Apr 12 (4) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (5) Apr 09 (7) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (4) Apr 06 (4) Apr 05 (4) Apr 04 (6) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (4) Apr 01 (3) Mar 31 (4) Mar 30 (5) Mar 29 (5) Mar 28 (6) Mar 27 (5) Mar 26 (5) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (4) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (3) Mar 21 (5) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (4) Mar 17 (5) Mar 16 (5) Mar 15 (3) Mar 14 (6) Mar 13 (4) Mar 12 (4) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (7) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (4) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (4) Feb 28 (4) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (5) Feb 25 (4) Feb 24 (5) Feb 23 (5) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (3) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (7) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (5) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (8) Feb 10 (4) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (3) Feb 06 (6) Feb 05 (3) Feb 04 (6) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (3) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (6) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (6) Jan 26 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(1) Jun 06 (1) Jun 04 (2) Jun 03 (1) Jun 02 (2) Jun 01 (1) May 31 (3) May 30 (1) May 29 (1) May 28 (2) May 26 (1) May 25 (1) May 18 (1) May 17 (1) May 15 (1) May 09 (1) May 07 (2) May 02 (1) May 01 (1) Apr 30 (1) Apr 27 (1) Apr 26 (2) Apr 23 (1) Apr 22 (1) Apr 19 (1) Apr 18 (1) Apr 12 (1) Apr 11 (1) Apr 09 (1) Apr 07 (1) Apr 05 (1) Apr 01 (1) Mar 30 (1) Mar 27 (1) Mar 25 (1) Mar 22 (2) Mar 19 (1) Mar 18 (1) Mar 16 (1) Mar 15 (2) Mar 13 (1) Mar 12 (1) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (1) The bodies discovered at Rivers Bridge State Park on Friday morning have been identified as the couple reported missing three weeks ago. The bodies have been positively identified as Janis Quintero Natos, 35, and Jamell Reggie Carter, 38, both of Thomas Drive, Bamberg, according to Bamberg County Coroner Billy Duncan. The cause of their deaths has not yet been determined because of decomposition, Duncan said. He expects to have additional information about their deaths sometime next week. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Natos and Carter left their home on Dec. 12 and havent been seen since. Natos was in her pajamas, leaving her purse behind. Carter left home without his medications. S.C. Law Enforcement Division spokesman Thom Berry said agents were called to the state park on Friday because the agency is investigating the disappearance of Natos and Carter. Our work into the matters continues. As the work is underway, it would be inappropriate to discuss any specific details, Berry said Saturday. Anyone with information on their deaths is asked to contact the Bamberg County Sheriff's Office at 803-245-3000 or 803-245-3018. Contact the writer: mbrown@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5545. Follow on Twitter: @MRBrownTandD Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 44 Angry 1 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. DESHLER, Neb. Reinke has recognized Palmetto Irrigation in Denmark as one of the top 10 highest-selling dealerships throughout the United States and Canada during the past year. Roberts Irrigation was also honored as the top-selling dealership in the Southeast Territory and given a Diamond Reinke Pride award. The dealership was honored during Reinkes annual convention in Spokane, Wash. I congratulate Palmetto Irrigation on receiving these awards, said Reinke Vice President of North American Irrigation Sales Mark Mesloh. Reinke appreciates the dedication they have to the growers in their community. Were proud to work with them and have them representing the Reinke brand. Reinke dealerships from across the United States and Canada gather each year to attend the companys sales convention. The conventions awards ceremony recognizes select Reinke dealerships for their hard work and dedication to sales and marketing throughout the past year. The Reinke Pride awards are determined as part of an incentive program that distinguishes superior achievement levels according to an evaluation based on a dealerships exterior and interior housekeeping and maintenance, indoor and outdoor displays, safety, retail environment, merchandising, professionalism, promotions, event participation and market share. Heres the Safest Way to Get Insanely Rich in the 2021 Gold Bull Market (Ad) Gold is screaming higher and smart investors are already cashing in on the #1 Gold Pick of 2021. Yet, you havent missed the boat. See how this newly-listed US$5 gold stock offers investors historic gains without mining a single ounce of the metal. Get the details here... DTE Energy Company engages in the utility operations. The company's Electric segment generates, purchases, distributes, and sells electricity to approximately 2.2 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers in southeastern Michigan. It generates electricity through fossil-fuel, hydroelectric pumped storage, and nuclear plants, as well as wind and other renewable assets. This segment owns and operates approximately 698 distribution substations and 445,800 line transformers. The company's Gas segment purchases, stores, transports, distributes, and sells natural gas to approximately 1.3 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers throughout Michigan; and sells storage and transportation capacity. This segment has approximately 20,000 miles of distribution mains; 1,308,000 service pipelines; and 1,305,000 active meters, as well as owns approximately 2,000 miles of transmission pipelines. Its Gas Storage and Pipelines segment owns natural gas storage fields, lateral and gathering pipeline systems, and compression and surface facilities, as well as has ownership interests in interstate pipelines serving the Gulf Coast, Midwest, Ontario, and northeast markets. The company's Power and Industrial Projects segment offers metallurgical coke; pulverized coal and petroleum coke to the steel, pulp and paper, and other industries; and power, steam and chilled water production, and wastewater treatment services, as well as supplies compressed air to industrial customers. It also owns and operates 5 renewable generating plants with a capacity of 139 MWs; 22 gas recovery sites; and 10 reduced emissions fuel facilities. Its Energy Trading segment engages in power, natural gas, and environmental marketing and trading; structured transactions; and the optimization of contracted natural gas pipeline transportation and storage positions. The company was founded in 1903 and is headquartered in Detroit, Michigan. Read More American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved. 326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected] | (844) 978-6257 MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security. Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. As a bonus to opt-ing into our email newsletters, you will also get a free subscription to the Liberty Through Wealth e-newsletter. You can opt out at any time. $1.7 Trillion Clean Energy Mandate to Deliver Stock Gains in 2021 (Ad) Newly-minted stock market millionaires will be making a tour de force in 2021 by being early on select green energy stocks. This US$0.25 stock just seized control of an ultra-rare clean energy metal America needs to lead the green energy revolution. Smart investors will not be hesitating on this one. South Hills (15301) Today Evening clouds will give way to clearing overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Evening clouds will give way to clearing overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. WASHINGTON Many federal workers living paycheck-to-paycheck havent yet felt an income shock because of the partial government shutdown. Most federal employees received their last check based on time worked before the shutdown began on Dec. 21. Some, who were required to work the Saturday following the shutdown the last day of the pay period werent paid for one day, according to Tony Reardon, national president of the National Treasury Employees Union. But if the shutdown continues into the next pay cycle and paychecks arent retroactively restored, many people will face extreme hardship. As we get further into January, it is going to get dramatically worse, Reardon said. Already this political tug-of-war has harmed government contractors and people working in businesses that cater to and depend on money from federal employees. Much of the lost revenue and wages wont be recovered. A 2015 study for the National Bureau of Economic Research looked at the impact of the 2013 federal government shutdown. Right. And if we judge success by things that didnt happen, we should also credit Kelly for avoiding a zombie apocalypse. Kelly served his country honorably for decades. But theres nothing courageous in announcing, on the way out the door, that he didnt agree with many awful things Trump did on his watch. There was, once, a good argument that qualified people, by taking administration jobs, could temper Trumps worst instincts. But it turned out Trump was not to be tempered. Those who disagreed with the madness had an obligation to resign, or at least to speak out not to wash their hands of responsibility after the fact. Dont blame Rex Tillerson. The ousted secretary of state recently told Bob Schieffer of CBS News he reined in Trump by saying you cant do it that way. It violates the law. It violates a treaty. Dont blame Jim Mattis. The former defense secretary waited until resigning to publicly state his disagreements with Trump over NATO, malign actors such as Russia and treating allies with respect. Dont blame Reince Priebus. Trumps first chief of staff spoke up about Trumps chaos after he was ousted, telling author Chris Whipple: Take everything youve heard and multiply it by 50. The Turks have been trying to sell the notion that they can combat the Islamic State for more than two years. U.S. military commanders who investigated Ankaras proposals starting in 2016 began describing the force that would supposedly clear Raqqa and other jihadist strongholds as a ghost brigade. The posturing continues: Last week Turkish-backed Syrians moved heavy weapons across the border toward Manbij, to signal their readiness. But Turkish military resources are so threadbare that theyve asked the U.S. to provide overhead surveillance, logistical support and air cover for any operation to finish off the Islamic State in the Middle Euphrates River Valley, officials say. The U.S. has so far refused such requests. The most dangerous consequence of Trumps Turkish solution is that it could re-ignite the Islamic State. The problem starts with about 780 foreign fighters who are now being held by the SDF in a half-dozen prisons in northeast Syria. The SDF commander, Gen. Mazloum Abdi, told me bluntly in an interview 10 days ago that he wouldnt be able to hold the prisoners if Turkish forces invaded the areas he controls. This redistribution would allow the city to pay for its own projects instead of asking the state for money, like the $1 million the city is requesting to improve Tam OShanter Park, Taylor said. I am for local control of tax revenue. Too often weve gotten away from (that), 19th District Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, said Friday. This is an issue were seeing beyond lodging tax. Local entities are trying to claw back money they were supposed to get that was nickeled and dimed away. The City of Longview has requested about $2.08 million for two capital projects: Replacing bathrooms at Lake Sacajawea and helping finance the Beech Street extension. Rep. Blake said he will introduce a bill instructing the state Department of Ecology to clarify when global carbon emissions would need to be considered in the permitting process for an industrial project. The legislation was spurred by the lengthy and controversial environmental review processes for projects like the proposed Longview coal export terminal and Kalama methanol plant, he said. Project proponents shouldnt live in fear of the unknown and Ecology should ... put it in rule when (the impact of global carbon emissions) does or doesnt apply, rather than just being some arbitrary determination, Blake said. While new state funding might keep it afloat, the future of the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Narcotics Task Force remains uncertain in 2019. Its fate could rest with state legislators, who will be asked to finance its continued existence. The inter-agency group that includes Kelso police, the sheriffs offices of Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties and Washington State Patrol focuses on mid- to high-level drug traffickers. It collected more than 32 pounds of meth, heroin and cocaine and made 293 arrests in 2016 and 2017. A national legal battle over immigration law continues to tie up a federal grant from last year, which was budgeted to cover a detective for the task force. The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) funding has aided the task force since 2005, although it has dwindled in recent years and cities and local agencies have increasingly had to pick up the tab. Wash. Gov. Jay Inslee has included money in his proposed 2019-21 state budget to help fund the task force. Kelso Police Chief Andrew Hamilton, who took over as chairman of the task force in November, is optimistic it will pass based on conversations with local senators and representatives. Otherwise, It means they wouldnt be able to operate as they do now and would probably have to shut down, Hamilton said. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Dale L. McConnell, 75, of Meadowlands, Pa., passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 2 in his home. He was born Dec. 14, 1943, in Cameron, Ohio, a son of the late Edwin and Vera Ault McConnell. Dale was a graduate of Woodfield High School and served with the United States Army as a sergeant SP4 in Germany and received a National Defense Service medal as an expert rifleman. He was a lifelong member of the Church of Christ who enjoyed hunting in the area and out West and especially his fishing trips to Canada. Dale lived in the Meadowlands area for over 40 years. He was a well-known horseman, as he was a trainer and driver of Standardbreds. He was known as Mr. Trot. He was a part of one of the Meadows track records with his all-time best trotter, Photo Maker. A quiet and kind man, he had countless friends. Left behind to cherish his memory is a sister Sharon Shay Harris and her husband Dick of Nevada Mo.; and several nieces and nephews. Deceased in addition to his parents are two brothers; Willard Bid McConnell and Wayne McConnell; and a sister Darlene Warner. At Mr. McConnells request there will be no public visitation or services. Private interment will take place in the family cemetery space in Ohio. Arrangements have been entrusted to Salandra Funeral and Cremation Services Inc. To view or extend condolences please click here. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Dale McConnell. (USTA) Epiphany, or Three Kings Day is one of the oldest Christian holidays Christians all over the world, have commemorated the holiday of the Apparition of Lord Three Kings Day, since the 3rd century. Thus, it is one of the oldest Christian holidays in Slovakia. Celebrated on January 6, this is the day when the Lord God showed his son, through the light of a star, to all nations, the TASR newswire wrote. In the Roman-Catholic Church, this is a commanded holiday focused on the arrival of Three Magi from the East to Bethlehem, bringing their gifts to pay tribute to the newborn Jesus Christ. The Three Magi, or Three Kings, Gaspar (Gaspar), Melichar (Melchior), and Baltazar (Balthasar) were led to him by the light of the Bethlehem star. Thus, the three are traditional figures in so-called Bethlehems, i.e. Nativity scenes that are so popular during the Christmas season in Slovakia. On January 6, priests consecrate the Epiphany water, during special masses, with salt, chalk and thyme. In several churches, concerts or specially themed plays are performed in the afternoon or the evening. In the past there was the tradition of priests carolling, when they used to go around local houses and consecrate them with holy water and frankincense and mark the doors of houses already visited with G. M. B. considered to be the names of the Three Magi, In some places, especially in the countryside, this ritual has been preserved to the present day. In the past, believers also commemorated the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan on January 6. Since 1969 however, this event is celebrated separately on the Sunday following the Epiphany within the western rite of Christianity. In the Byzantine-Slavonic rite (as well as in other eastern rites), the baptism of Jesus Christ is celebrated together with the Apparition of the Lord and the Holy trinity on the original date, January 6. Moreover, the Christian religions of the eastern rite celebrate the Three magi paying respect to Baby Jesus on the day of his birth, December 25. Not to make it too easy, the Orthodox Christian believers who stick to the older, Julian calendar, begin their celebration of Christmas on January 6, according to TASR. 4. Jan 2017 at 22:55 | Compiled by Spectator staff Robert Gilpin, R.I.P. - The Washington Post : His greatest book was written in 1981, but the main theory in it is perhaps more trenchant now... President Donald Trumps obsession with a border wall with Mexico has now kept the government partially shut for three weeks. But the commander in chief didnt always think it was such an essential idea. In fact, it started out as a gimmick, or, as the New York Times calls it, a mnemonic device of sorts. During the time when Trump was weighing his presidential candidacy, aides wanted to come up with a way to help him remember to talk about getting tough on immigration, which was always seen as a key issue in his campaign. Advertisement Political advisers Sam Nunberg and Roger Stone apparently came up with the idea. How do we get him to continue to talk about immigration? Nunberg claims he told Stone. Were going to get him to talk about hes going to build a wall. The plan worked like a charm. Trump talked about immigration in his speeches, and the wall narrative got huge reactions from the crowd, which obviously thrilled Trump. So he kept pushing the idea harder and harder. Advertisement Advertisement The laser focus on the wall, though, makes even some immigration hardliners nervous, because most dont actually see it as the most important priority. And some who agree with Trump that immigration needs to be curbed worry that hell be willing to trade away things that are far more important in order to get his wall. Ive always thought it created a danger that he would trade almost anything in order to get the wall, said Mark Krikorian, the executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies. Im still worried about that now. Advertisement Michael DAntonio, a Trump biographer, says the wall is naturally appealing to Trump because of his background in real estate and the idea that hed leave behind a legacy. I think hed like it being called the Great Wall of Trump, DAntonio said, noting hed probably like it even more if there was a plaque honoring the president who built it every mile or so. For now, it seems the wall remains an impasse, and negotiations to reopen the government arent really getting anywhere. We didnt make much progress at the meeting, which was surprising to me, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said Saturday. In a meeting that included Vice President Mike Pence, the administration continued pushing for cash to build the wall. Negotiations are set to continue Sunday. Trump wrote on Twitter that not much headway made today before continuing with his message: After so many decades, must finally and permanently fix the problems on the Southern Border! Advertisement V.P. Mike Pence and team just left the White House. Briefed me on their meeting with the Schumer/Pelosi representatives. Not much headway made today. Second meeting set for tomorrow. After so many decades, must finally and permanently fix the problems on the Southern Border! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2019 The staff exodus continues over at the Pentagon, where Rear Adm. Kevin M. Sweeney resigned his post as chief of staff to the secretary of defense Saturday and became the third top official to step down at the Department of Defense since President Donald Trump announced withdrawal of American troops from Syria. After two years in the Pentagon, Ive decided the time is right to return to the private sector, Sweeney said in a statement. It has been an honor to serve again alongside the men and women of the Department of Defense. Sweeney didnt mention Trump in his short statement that was posted on the Department of Defenses website. Advertisement Sweeneys resignation after serving in the role as chief of staff since January 2017 came days after Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White stepped down from her role. I appreciate the opportunity afforded to me by this administration to serve alongside Secretary Mattis, our Service members and all the civilians who support them, White tweeted Monday. It has been my honor and privilege. Stay safe and God bless. White stepped down in the midst of an internal Pentagon investigation into her conduct following numerous complaints. Advertisement Advertisement The date of Whites resignation also coincided with former defense secretary James Mattis stepping down from his role earlier than he had initially anticipated. Mattis resigned in late December following Trumps decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, saying in his resignation letter that Trump has the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours. Trump later moved Mattis departure date to Jan. 1, which was almost two months earlier than originally planned. Sweeneys resignation also comes at a time when other high-profile officials from elsewhere in the administration decided to leave their posts or were pushed out. The president announced in early December that John Kelly would leave his post and has since been replaced by acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. Brett McGurk, who was the special envoy to the coalition fighting ISIS also announced his resignation last month. Freshman Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib was just sworn in earlier this week, but shes already making headlines: Her use of the word motherfucker to describe President Trump has launched another exciting round of debate about decorum and civility in American politics. The country is divided along predictable lines: Trump followers who were untroubled when the president bragged about grabbing women by the pussy have rediscovered their ability to be outraged, centrists are offering extremely sincere advice to left-wing politicians, the president, who famously cheated on his third wife with an adult actress, says Tlaib is dishonoring her family, and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is calling bullshit on the whole news cycle. Lost in all the noise, however, are the people hit hardest by Tlaibs comments: journalists who have to report on the issue without using the word motherfucker. Its the toughest challenge the fourth estate has faced since Anthony Scaramucci accused Steve Bannon of trying to suck his own cock. Here are the Congresswomans comments: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And when your son looks at you and says, Mama, look, you won. Bullies dont win, and I said, Baby, they dont, because were gonna go in there and were going to impeach the motherfucker. At first glance, the difficulty seems insurmountable: Tlaib lands hard on the word motherfucker, and her criticsperhaps because they really dont want to start talking about the impeach part of Tlaibs statementare focusing on nothing else. Thats a problem, especially for TV. CNN, for instance, ran a segment headlined Listen to Rep. Tilaibs Controversial Comments, that didnt let the audience listen to Rep. Tilaibs controversial comments, opting instead to bleep out the last word. (The same segment saw host Alisyn Camerota use vim and vigor as a euphemism for piss and vinegar, so this appears to be a systemic issue.) But whenever television closes a door, television opens a window: The people who managed to create a broadcast-friendly version of Casino can surely overdub Tlaib in a way that preserves her original meaning without being vulgar. For example, with only a modest investment in Rashida-Tlaib soundalike actresses, the network could render her statement like this: Advertisement Advertisement And when your son looks at you and says, Mama, look, you won. Bullies dont win, and I said, Baby, they dont, because were gonna go in there and were going to impeach the Mickey Fickey. Thats great news for everyone except for sitting politicians named Mickey Fickey. But why shouldnt officeholding Mickey Fickeys be welcomed into the Democratic big tent? Theyre already in office! If we take things a little further, maybe we can make this a little less offensive (and therefore, more effective as political messaging): And when Orson looks at you and says, Mama, look: Clue one: Bullies dont win, and I said, Baby, they dont, because were Monaco swimwear and were going to impeach the monkey fighter. Advertisement Now thats starting to sound like a message the entire Democratic Party could get behind, but were not quite there yet. Turn the knob to eleven: And when Orson cooks a shoe and says, Wanna book? Clue one: Pulleys clone twins, then I said, Baby, they dont, because were Monaco swimwear and were going to impeach the melon farmer. Yeah! Go back to your melon farm, President Melon Farmer! But as satisfying as that sort of invective is, it could turn off melon farmers and other wealthy centrists in ways that could ultimately be counterproductive. As history shows, fascism can only be defeated by technocratic plutocracy, so lets kick things into Ludicrous Mode and get rid of the references to melons, and also impeachment: Advertisement Advertisement Again Orson cooks a shoe and fez. Wanna book? Clue one: Pulleys clone twins. Hentais dead, maybe say wont. See gauze-wear, Monaco swimwear, and weird glowing blue: Beseech the other shucker! Finally weve arrived at a Ship of Theseus version of Tlaibs statement that wont offend anyone. Unfortunately, it no longer communicates anything meaningful, which suggests one last edit: The path back to power for the Democratic Party today, as it was in the 1990s, is unquestionably to move to the center and reject the siren calls of the left, whose policies and ideas have weakened the party. Now thats a version of Tlaibs remarks we can all enjoy! "Sanctuary" jurisdictions (more than 200 cities, counties and states) limit, through laws or policies, the extent to which law enforcement and other employees will go to assist the federal government on immigration enforcement. In a piece written for the Washington Examiner in reaction to the murder of Singh, former Border Patrol and ICE special agent Jason Piccolo said sanctuary laws "tie the hands of the police." "These laws were set in place to directly impede any contact from the police with ICE," Piccolo wrote. "In the case of gang member and accused killer Gustavo Arriaga, the police easily could have had ICE encounter him and remove him based on his previous arrests and warrants." We ourselves can't say with any degree of certainty if "sanctuary" laws resulted in the killing of Singh, but we have stated our opposition to these laws in this space before. In our view, all levels of government, from local to federal, should be partners in enforcement of laws, including immigration laws, and protection of the public. Our position on public safety applies to what we believe is the essential need for improved border security, as well. It would appear that 17 years of fighting in Afghanistan has left us with these alternatives: Stay there, and fight a forever war to keep the Taliban out of Kabul, or withdraw and let the Taliban overrun the place. Who got us into this debacle? After Trump flew into Iraq over Christmas but failed to meet with its president, the Iraqi Parliament, calling this a "U.S. disregard for other nations' sovereignty" and a national insult, began debating whether to expel the 5,000 U.S. troops still in their country. George W. Bush launched Operation Iraq Freedom to strip Saddam Hussein of WMD he did not have and to convert Iraq into a democracy and Western bastion in the Arab and Islamic world. Fifteen years later, Iraqis are debating our expulsion. Muqtada al-Sadr, the cleric with American blood on his hands from the fighting of a decade ago, is leading the charge to have us booted out. He heads the party with the largest number of members in the parliament. Consider Yemen. For three years, the U.S. has supported with planes, precision-guided munitions, air-to-air refueling and targeting information, a Saudi war on Houthi rebels that degenerated into one of the worst humanitarian disasters of the 21st century. Right. And if we judge success by things that didn't happen, we should also credit Kelly for avoiding a zombie apocalypse. Kelly served his country honorably for decades. But there's nothing courageous in announcing, on the way out the door, that he didn't agree with many awful things Trump did on his watch. There was, once, a good argument that qualified people, by taking administration jobs, could temper Trump's worst instincts. But it turned out Trump was not to be tempered. Those who disagreed with the madness had an obligation to resign, or at least to speak out -- not to wash their hands of responsibility after the fact. Don't blame Rex Tillerson. The ousted secretary of state recently told Bob Schieffer of CBS News he reined in Trump by saying "you can't do it that way. It violates the law. It violates a treaty." Don't blame Jim Mattis. The former defense secretary waited until resigning to publicly state his disagreements with Trump over NATO, "malign actors" such as Russia and "treating allies with respect." Don't blame Reince Priebus. Trump's first chief of staff spoke up about Trump's chaos after he was ousted, telling author Chris Whipple: "Take everything you've heard and multiply it by 50." One basis of the investigation, as we understand it, is that some city councilmembers were upset because at the end of fiscal year 2017 (so June, 2018) and in early fiscal year 2018, some city funds were used to fund the construction of the slanted roof prop mentioned above and the funds did not come specifically out of the fire departments allocated budget. Some on the council reportedly believed that this acquisition should have been discussed more beforehand and specifically voted on, while Chief Snowgren feels that it was specifically discussed with the city manager and clerk, and the clerk authorized the payments, and therefore no other permission was required. In other words, a miscommunication with no ill-intent on the part of anyone. The other issue raised by the investigator was that in June, 2018, Chief Snowgren received three days of vacation pay on his June, 2018 paystub. The vacation days were given to him by Lisa Koch, the city clerk, and her own paystub was deducted for three days. Since she earns more than Chief Snowgren, it technically is a financial savings for the city for her to have gifted him days in this manner. Whether this was specifically allowed by policy or simply not prohibited by policy we do not yet know as we have yet to see the citys policy or departments policy regarding the gifting of vacation days from one employee to another. We requested this information from the city on 12/21/18. What we do know is that the police department allows employees to gift vacation days to others so it makes some sense that other city employees can, too. In this case, Lisa Koch, the city clerk, donated three of her vacation days to Chief Snowgren because Chief Snowgrens oldest son, Jake Snowgren, was leaving for the Army, and Chief Snowgren did not personally have any vacation days left. Chief Snowgren is not allowed to use sick time, which he did have left, because he was not sick. ROCK VALLEY, Iowa -- The Exact Eye Care network of clinics announces that Dr. Clarence Vanderlei is joining the optical group. He began seeing patients in Rock Valley on Jan. 2. Prior to joining the Exact Eye Care clinic network, Vanderlei was an associate optometrist with a private practice in Vermillion, South Dakota. He is experienced with well-vision exams, specialized vision-medical care, specialty contact lens fitting, cataract and refractive surgery post-operative care, and disease management. Vanderlei earned his undergraduate degree from the University of South Dakota and completed his doctor of optometry degree at the University of Houston College of Optometry. He is currently an academic assistant professor for the University of South Dakota Physician Assistant Studies Program. He lives in Vermillion with his wife, Danielle. Copyright 2018 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The business news you need With a weekly newsletter looking back at local history. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Official talks between Taiwan and mainland China are unlikely to be held in the foreseeable future now that an understanding intended to allow the two sides to ditch their differences has been redefined, leaving the self-ruled island with no room to manoeuvre, observers said. In a speech on Wednesday to mark the 40th anniversary of Beijings call to end military confrontation across the Taiwan Strait, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the two sides should begin talks on reunification to end the decades of animosity. But in laying the 1992 consensus as the sole foundation for talks with the self-ruled island, Xi rephrased it as an understanding that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China, jointly seeking to achieve cross-strait unification, which was a departure from existing versions of the consensus, analysts and officials in Taiwan said. Xi also asked Taiwan to select representatives from various sectors for peaceful unification talks on using the one country, two systems approach. What Xi said fully exposed Beijings intention to destroy the Republic of China and its ambition to take over Taiwan, Chen Ming-tung, head of Taiwans Mainland Affairs Council, said at a news conference on Thursday in Taipei. Xis version of the consensus sharply differed from that formerly held by Beijing and now held by the mainland-friendly opposition Kuomintang (KMT) in Taiwan, he said. According to Beijings former version, the 27-year-old consensus allows the two sides to continue to talk as long as they recognise that there is only one China. It was later referred to as the one-China principle. But in the KMTs view, it is more than just one China: the two sides can have their own interpretation of what that China stands for. To the KMT, that means Republic of China, the islands official title, and to Beijing, it stands for the Peoples Republic of China. But Chen, who has researched cross-strait issues related to the consensus for two decades, said the two sides actually did not have any consensus or tacit agreement in 1992. Story continues The two sides, represented by the KMT and Beijing, held talks in Hong Kong in 1992 to discuss document accreditation and public notary, but their talks were hampered by thorny political disputes, he said, adding that in the end the KMT side came up with two options to try to resolve the dispute. The first was a paper version now used by the KMT and the second was a verbal understanding with similar content. The mainland side did not accept the first version and left Hong Kong. The KMT later sent the second version to China, which set aside the issue without responding, Chen said. Therefore no consensus was actually reached at that time. At least two books, including one by the late Taiwanese business tycoon Koo Chen-fu who led the Straits Exchange Foundation, which represents the island in talks with the mainland in the absence of formal ties confirmed that there was no consensus reached. In his book, Koo described the term as an understanding that was later conveniently used by the two sides to carry on their non-political talks in the 1990s without being dragged down by political differences. In 2000, former Mainland Affairs Council head Su Chi [of the KMT] invented the term 1992 consensus in an attempt to help facilitate then president Chen Shui-bian [of the Democratic Progressive Party] and his administrations dealing with the mainland, Chen said. Su has admitted that he came up with the term before the KMT transferred power to the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) with the purpose of keeping cross-strait talks and exchanges going. However, Chen later said that no consensus was reached on the definition of one China and that the 1992 meeting would be a more appropriate term to describe the conference. The wording each side with its own interpretation of the one China principle had been used from 1992 to 2000, Su said in 2006. But the mainland didnt like the each side with its own interpretation part and the DPP government didnt like the part that said one China. On account of these differences and the fact they could have led to more cross-strait tension after the DPP took power, I suggested the new term as a common point that was acceptable to both sides so that Taiwan and China could keep up cross-strait exchanges, Su said. It was until Ma Ying-jeou of the KMT was elected president in 2008 and adopted an engagement policy with Beijing that the mainland began acknowledging the term 1992 consensus as a foundation to develop warmer relations, though Beijing has not mentioned the different interpretation element the KMT has emphasised. It is very important for this part [different interpretation] to be mentioned because it means Taiwan will not be swallowed up by the mainland, which serves to facilitate exchanges across the Taiwan Strait, Ma said on Thursday. During a meeting in Singapore in 2015, he said he told Xi that he could rest assured the different interpretation of one China would not result in Taiwan and the mainland becoming two countries, or one Taiwan and one China, as it is against the constitution of the Republic of China. Current KMT leader Wu Den-yi, however, said the consensus mentioned by Xi is no longer the one recognised by the Kuomintang. While General Secretary Xi talks about the consensus, it is not what we have recognised. President Tsai Ing-wens denial of the existence of the consensus would not make things better, Wu said on Friday. Only the separate interpretations of one China could ensure the two sides continue peacefully developing relations, he said. On Wednesday, Tsai rejected Xis overture, saying her administration had never accepted the 1992 consensus out of concern that the so-called consensus defined by Beijing meant only one China and one country, two systems. Beijing, which considers Taiwan a wayward province awaiting reunification by force if necessary, has suspended official exchanges and talks with the island since Tsai became president in 2016 and has refused to accept the consensus. Analysts said Xis definition of the consensus serves only to shut the door to negotiations since Tsai and the DPP will not hold talks under the consensus. Those who believe in the consensus will now find their dream shattered as there is not even any room for separate interpretation, Lai I-chung, former vice-president of Taiwan Thinktank, a public policy research institute based in Taipei. Analysts said it will also be difficult for the KMT to use Xis consensus to hold talks with Beijing even if the KMT regains power in the 2020 presidential elections. An opinion poll conducted in Taiwan on Thursday showed that 84 per cent of those surveyed did not accept the consensus under Beijings one-China principle, which they regard as wiping out Taiwans sovereignty. This article Xi Jinpings Taiwan comments likely to scuttle talks, analysts say first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. More from South China Morning Post: FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser John Bolton speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S., November 27, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo By Steve Holland JERUSALEM (Reuters) - White House national security advisor John Bolton added a new condition on Sunday to the U.S. withdrawal from Syria, saying Turkey must agree to protect the United States' Kurdish allies. President Donald Trump's abrupt decision to announce a U.S. pull-out from Syria left many questions open, chiefly whether Kurdish fighters who had been operating in northern Syria alongside U.S. forces would now be targetted by their long-time enemy Turkey. Bolton, on a trip to Israel and Turkey, said he would stress in talks with Turkish officials, including President Tayyip Erdogan, that Kurdish forces must be safeguarded. "We don't think the Turks ought to undertake military action that's not fully coordinated with and agreed to by the United States at a minimum so they don't endanger our troops, but also so that they meet the president's requirement that the Syrian opposition forces that have fought with us are not endangered," Bolton told reporters ahead of talks with Israeli officials. Asked whether a U.S. withdrawal would not take place in Syria until Turkey guaranteed the Kurdish fighters would be safe, Bolton said, "Basically, that's right." The Syrian YPG militia has been highly effective in the war against Islamic State, a part of the wider Syrian conflict pitting a range of insurgent groups against President Bashar al-Assad's forces and sometimes against each other. But Turkey has long castigated Washington for its military relationship with the Syrian YPG militia. Ankara regards the YPG an extension of the PKK, a Kurdish group which has waged a 34-year-old insurgency in Turkey. The YPG has indicated that it might seek a deal with Damascus after the U.S. forces have gone. Bolton, who will travel to Turkey on Monday, said the United States will talk to Ankara to find out what its objectives and capabilities were. Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Turkey's targets were the YPG, the PKK and Islamic State. Story continues "One aim of Turkey's fight against the PKK and its Syrian extensions is to rescue the Kurds from the cruelty and oppression of this terrorist group," state-owned Anadolu news agency quoted Kalin as saying, in comments that emerged after Bolton made his remarks. "Turkey will continue decisively its efforts to end the war, provide security, and implement the process of political transition without discriminating between our Syrian brothers on the basis of religion, ethnicity or sect," Kalin said. DECIMATING In Washington on Sunday, Trump reiterated that the United States would be pulling its troops out of Syria but suggested the move might not happen soon. "I never said we are doing it that quickly. But we are decimating ISIS," Trump told reporters. Bolton was due to hold talks later on Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said the discussions would focus on Iran's role in the region and the situation in Syria. "We will continue to act against the Iranian military entrenchment in Syria...and we will act against any element that undermines, or attempts to undermine the security of Israel," Netanyahu said in public remarks to his cabinet. Israel has often voiced alarm at the clout of Iran, an ally of Assad, in the Syrian civil war. The Israeli air force has struck scores of targets it describes as Iranian deployments or arms transfers to the Lebanese Hezbollah group, which also backs Assad. (Additional reporting by Daren Butler in Istanbul and Jeffrey Heller in Jerusalem; Editing by Angus MacSwan) Taiwan's ruling party elected a new chairman on Sunday, choosing a moderate to replace the post vacated by President Tsai Ing-wen after a recent electoral mauling, in a vote closely watched by China and the United States. Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won a 2016 landslide poll, sweeping away a government that had built much closer ties to China over the previous decade. The result rattled Beijing because Tsai refuses to acknowledge that the self-ruled island is part of "one China". Beijing cut communication with her administration, stepped up military drills, poached several of Taiwan's dwindling diplomatic allies and started economically pressuring the island. But in November, Tsai's DPP suffered a string of defeats in local elections, fuelled by a backlash over her domestic reforms and deteriorating economic ties with China, Taiwan's largest market. Tsai resigned the party chairmanship but stayed on as president, staying above the fray in the vote to replace her. On Sunday evening the DPP announced it had chosen Cho Jung-tai, a moderate consensus candidate backed by major party figures. He comfortably defeated a bid from an openly pro-independence rival who had called for Tsai not to stand again in next year's presidential election. J. Michael Cole, a Taipei-based expert with the University of Nottingham's China Policy Institute, said the vote bolstered Tsai's chances of standing for a second term. "Party members voted for continuity," he told AFP, adding that other countries "will also be reassured." "It certainly makes it much more likely that she will be on the ticket for re-election." - Squeezed moderate - China still sees Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified, despite the two sides being ruled separately since they split in 1949 after a civil war. While Beijing has reacted frostily to Tsai, she is from a much more moderate wing within her party that favours talks. Tsai is squeezed between China and more radical members of her own party who favour pushing for independence -- something Taiwan has never formally declared. Cho's victory saw off a challenge from You Ying-lung, a polling expert deeply critical of Tsai. He supported a recent call by four party heavyweights for Tsai not to seek re-election in 2020. The win means Tsai is less likely to clash with her party's new leader. But the DPP remains divided and Tsai has yet to declare whether she will stand again. A party schism in the run-up to 2020 could favour the Kuomintang, the pro-Beijing party that was turfed out two years ago. It doubled its seats in November's elections, even defeating the DPP in its traditional stronghold of Kaohsiung. A DPP swing towards its more radical wing might also worry Washington. The US remains Taiwan's most powerful military ally but maintains that Taipei must not move closer to a formal declaration of independence for fear of stoking a Chinese invasion. On Wednesday, China's increasingly assertive president Xi Jinping described Taiwan's unification with the mainland as "inevitable", adding that force could be an option if independence was declared. Syria's opposition chief on Sunday urged Arab leaders not to rebuild relations with President Bashar al-Assad's government, voicing frustration amid apparent efforts to bring the Damascus regime back into the Arab fold. After years of frosty ties, the United Arab Emirates last month reopened its embassy in the Syrian capital, and fellow Gulf state Bahrain has followed suit. "We are surprised that our brothers are reaching out and building relations with this regime," opposition leader Nasr al-Hariri told reporters in Riyadh, where he lives in exile. "We hope that our brothers, the leaders of Arab nations, will not abandon the Syrian people," he added, urging them to reconsider their decisions. Almost eight years into Syria's devastating war, opponents of Assad's regime are watching in dismay as his government looks set to secure a comeback at home and abroad. With backing from Russia and Iran, the government has expelled rebels and jihadists from large parts of Syria, and now controls almost two-thirds of the country. The Arab League suspended Syria's membership in November 2011 as the death toll mounted and several regional powers bet on the demise of the Assad regime. Most Gulf states closed their embassies in 2012. But several Arab states are seeking to restore ties with Assad after his forces made decisive gains in the war, in a bid to expand their influence in the war-torn country. Just days before the UAE reopened its embassy, Sudan's president made the first visit by an Arab leader to Damascus since the start of the conflict. Efforts to bring Assad's regime back in from the cold are likely to intensify in the run up to the next Arab League summit to be held in Tunis in March. Sparked by the brutal repression of anti-Assad protests in 2011, the conflict has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions. But fighting has failed to topple Assad, endless diplomatic efforts have been unable to reach a peaceful transition, and the regime now appears stronger than ever. The annual CES consumer electronics trade show in Las Vegas the biggest technology and consumer electronics exhibition in the world, with around 175,000 expected attendees and 4,000 exhibitors will kick off this week with about 20 per cent fewer Chinese merchants. Not a big surprise perhaps, given the current US-China trade stand-off and a rising war of words between the worlds two biggest economies over leadership in a range of cutting edge technologies and innovations, such as artificial intelligence and 5G mobile networks. However, it still marks a significant reversal for an event which has jokingly been referred to as the Chinese Electronics Show in recent years as big names such as Huawei Technologies and fleets of component suppliers from the Pearl River Delta region have flocked to the casino town to show off their latest wares. Chinese companies are concerned about tariffs from the trade war, said Shaun Rein, managing director of Shanghai-based China Market Research Group. Attending a show like CES is expensive, and with [US President] Trumps rhetoric towards Chinese technology, companies in China are rethinking their strategy of investing in the US. A total of 1,211 Chinese companies have registered to be part of the trade show this year, according to the CES exhibitor directory as of January 4, compared to 1,751 companies from the US. The Chinese number is down about 20 per cent from a record 1,551 last year, according to statistics provided by CES organiser, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). China remains a top international market at CES [2019], with many Chinese companies exhibiting at the show to build their brand and forge partnerships, said CTA in a statement on Sunday, pointing out that the actual floor area taken up by Chinese exhibitors was roughly equal to 2018 due to slightly more space offered to bigger exhibitors and slightly less to smaller merchants. Story continues Specifically, we have seen notable growth from large Chinese companies such as Alibaba, Baidu, Changhong, Byton, DJI, Haier, Hisense, JD.com, Konka, Lenovo, Suning, and TCL looking to build brand awareness and form global partnerships at CES, said CTA. The dip in Chinese representation comes amid a 90-day truce in the months-long US-China trade war, which has seen both superpowers slap each other with billions of dollars in tariffs, a slowing of Chinas economy and stock market slides around the world. Tensions have also been exacerbated by Canadas arrest of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou at the behest of the US, which has accused her of fraudulently representing Huawei to get around US sanctions on Iran. Within China though, the move has been widely seen as a politically-motivated step by the US to gain leverage during trade war negotiations a view that was encouraged when US President Donald Trump said in an interview in December that he would intervene with the US Justice Department in the case against Meng if it would help secure a trade deal with Beijing. This has fanned nationalist sentiment in China, leading to fears of a patriotism-fuelled boycott of US products. Huawei punishes employees for using iPhone to send Happy New Year tweet When youre facing an economic slowdown, companies need to refocus and ask themselves what their core business is and identify the markets they are more confident in, where they can get market share, said Kitty Fok, managing director of industry research firm IDC China. For a lot of Chinese companies, China is still their primary market, so its not surprising that they shy away from the US at this time of economic uncertainty. Some hard economic realities remain though. The US is still the worlds largest consumer market, with Americans spending US$12.5 trillion in 2017, nearly three times as much as China, according to Capstone Advisory Group. This has made the US a big draw for Chinese companies for years, many of whom view breaking into the US as a major milestone and an important marker in their quest to go global. This explains why although some Chinese companies are adopting a more cautious approach to CES this year, there will nevertheless still be a sizeable Chinese presence. Shanghai-based Abilix, an educational robot maker that was an exhibitor at CES 2018, has decided not to participate this year on concerns it could incur tariffs on its products by selling to the US amid the trade war. Currently, we still sell to the American market, but it is not our major focus, said an Abilix marketing employee surnamed Li in a phone call. Li declined to give her full name as staff were not authorised to speak to media. Huawei vendor bars iPhones as it leaps to troubled companys aid Meanwhile Wang, a sales employee with a Shenzhen-based cosmetic devices company, said that the firm was adopting a more careful approach towards its budget for 2019 and had decided to focus on other more trade-specific events that are better value for money. We considered a booth at CES but the booth location was not ideal, said Wang, who also declined to give a full name. With the economic uncertainty, many companies are being more conservative with their spending. This subdued approach applies not only to smaller firms, but also to large Chinese companies that were the focus of last years show. Unlike last year, no Chinese companies are part of the line-up of keynote speakers at CES 2019. During CES 2018, Huaweis consumer devices chief Richard Yu was a keynote speaker, and the Chinese telecoms giant was widely expected to announce a deal with US carrier AT&T to sell its devices to US consumers during Yus keynote. The company also had huge billboards and adverts put up of Huawei celebrity spokeswoman Gal Gadot, of Wonder Woman fame, advertising its Mate 10 Pro smartphone. Presaging current troubles, the Huawei and AT&T deal fell through at the last minute over national security concerns, and Yu put on a brave face in front of a crowded ballroom during his keynote, defending Huaweis privacy record and calling the US carriers snub a bigger loss for consumers who do not have the best choice in the market. This year it is understood that Huawei will scale back its presence at CES, focusing instead on the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain in February. Meanwhile, Xpeng Motors, the Chinese electric vehicle start-up that made a splash at CES in 2018 by debuting its first mass production vehicle, is not expected to exhibit this year and has put its primary focus on the domestic market. Trumps trade war makes it impossible for Chinese companies to be treated fairly and invest properly, especially in the tech sector so [many] do not want to go, said CMRGs Rein. And because of the Meng situation, [many] Chinese are also afraid of travelling to the US in case they get arrested. Xpeng launches new model with Tesla in its sights This years situation needs to be kept in perspective though. The 1,200 exhibitors from China this year still represent close to a third of all exhibitors at CES. Its still the Chinese Electronics Show, over 1,200 exhibitors is crazy, no other country [outside the US] sends this many companies to CES, said Jeffrey Towson, an investment professor at Peking University. Both the US and China are big markets, neither can ignore the other, he said. The US and China will always do business together although todays uncertainty may prevent irreversible [infrastructure] investment, shorter term stuff like deals are still easy to do. This article Chinese companies cool on annual CES Vegas tech show amid trade war and economic uncertainty first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. More from South China Morning Post: When Apple lowered its first-quarter revenue guidance this week, it was partly because of a China slowdown, but that guidance has rippled through the market to affect anyone with heavy exposure to China. China is buying fewer iPhones, and that news sent shockwaves through markets amid fears of an economic slowdown in the worlds second-biggest economy. It didnt help that Apple CEO Tim Cook talked about the potential magnitude of the economic deterioration in China. Apple shares shed 10 percent on the news Thursday, the Dow lost 660 points and the S&P 500 index lost 2.5 percent. In early morning trading Friday, it was up over 3 percent, paring some of those losses: (Click to enlarge) Some will argue that this is now a prime time to buy Apple on the cheap. True, Apple has lost $90 billion in market cap (36%) since it peaked in early October. But it all depends on how you see Apple going forward. If youre obsessed with iPhone sales, you wont see this is a buying opportunity. Related: How Big Data And A.I. Are Transforming The Energy Industry What the opportunity-seekers see is something very different. They already know that the iPhone peaked, and while that was what catapulted Apple to Trillion-Dollar-Club fame, the real upside for this tech giant is the services business. We already knew there was going to be a major sales gap for iPhone in 2019. JPMorgan called it back in October in a note to clients in which analyst Samik Chatterjee said: "Apple has historically been regarded as an IT Hardware company tied to a short product refresh cycle of the iPhone in an extremely competitive smartphone industry." "More recently, investors have been proved wrong on the pace of Apples transformation to a services company, with revenues in the Services reporting segment increasing from 8% of total in FY12 to an estimated 20% of total in FY21E," he added. Think: App Store, Apple Music and Apple Paynot to mention its push into video and print media. In fact, JPMorgan thinks we could see some new acquisitions by Apple in the near future. Its also planning an all-encompassing Media subscription. So, maybe a slowdown in Chinese purchases of iPhones isnt what we should be focusing on, though everyones now running to Goldman Sachs list of the 20 companies with the biggest exposure to China. Regardless of Apples position in the market, concerns of widespread losses due to what appears to be an economic slowdown in China are soaring. Its not going to be just Apple, Kevin Hassett, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisors, told CNN. There are a heck of a lot of U.S. companies that have sales in China that are going to be watching their earnings being downgraded next year until we get a deal with China. Related: Morgan Stanley Predicts First Slump In Global Auto Sales In 10 Years The Goldman list includes the Top 20 companies that get a large percentage of their sales from China and stand to take the biggest hit in the trade war. Aside from Apple, which is No. 20 on the list and the least exposed, Goldman also includes tech company Skyworks Solutions as the most exposed at No. 1, and a lineup of chipmakers, from Intel (No. 16) and Micron (No. 6) to Qualcomm (No. 3) and Broadcom (No. 4), among others. Theres some temporary relieftongue in cheekfor news Friday that a new round of talks between the U.S. and China will take place in Beijing on January 7-8, though Chinese officials have confirmed and Washington has not. By Michael Kern for Safehaven.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com 1. Yes. Its important to address the problem before it gets worse. A bond is needed. 2. Yes. Its fine, as long as the bond isnt too large. The city doesnt need more debt. 3. No. A bond issue would just put the problem back on the taxpayers. Not acceptable. 4. No. Certificates of obligation, targeting the worst roads, would be a better choice. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say without knowing the details of what a bond would entail. Vote View Results Montanas U.S. senators say theyll take up a bill targeting the federal governments handling of missing or murdered Native Americans. Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines said the bill known as Savannas Act needs to advance, despite the departure of its author Sen. Heidi Heitkamp. The North Dakota Democrat was defeated in the 2018 elections. The bill was named for Savanna Greywind, a murdered member of the Spirit Lake Tribe who was eight months pregnant when her baby was cut from her womb by a female neighbor in Fargo, North Dakota. The number of murdered and missing Native American women is believed to be in the hundreds, but scant records have made tracking those cases difficult. The Urban Indian Health Institute has accounted for 506 cases, while acknowledging there could be more. "Poems are written by fools like me Who love old-fashioned poetry." Ken Hartman Rapid City Make cannabidiol accessible in SD I'd like to address the issue of CBD or cannabidiol and how it is already legal in many states and is on track to become legal in all states ... except this one. Now CBD is a good herbal medicine, and I myself used it for sleeplessness right up until the state law changed and made it a crime for me to choose the treatment that worked best for me. For a product that you can't get high off of the state sure is taking a strange stance on it. We the people want to choose our health care. There is talk of allowing CBD by prescription. Well why not make vitamins prescription only too while we're at it? Most states treat CBD products as an herbal supplement. Last time I was in Missouri, I remember seeing billboards on the highway telling me what exit I should take for a store that sells CBD products. I urge the state government to listen to the taxpayers and get with the times, legalize CBD. The situation appears to be a drug-related mental health crisis deftly handled based on the 16 charges filed Thursday against Wounded Face. Law enforcement appropriately employed control, patience and tactics to successfully avoid loss of life. "We're going to work on getting this individual the help he clearly needs," Rapid City Assistant Police Chief Don Hedrick said afterward. For everyone paying attention, the crisis had appeared headed toward an inevitable lethal conclusion. Were fortunate to have officers who can fully assess a situation and act with measured responses. The circumstances on New Years differed fundamentally from those surrounding a recent fatal shooting near New Underwood. There on Nov. 30, according to Attorney General Marty Jackley, a spontaneous progression of events demanded a snap evaluation and response culminating in the death of a 19-year-old man at the hands of law enforcement. The teen had earlier threatened suicide. Amid the rash of public shootings across the country, we all clamor for greater security. Trained officers using coordinated tactics remain the best option for properly assessing chaotic conditions before employing violent measures. We greatly appreciate their vigilant commitment to the publics protection. While the skills of officers were on display, even Assistant Chief Hedrick recognized the good fortune involved: "The actions of Mr. Wounded Face put innocent members of our community and local law enforcement into great risk as he fired bullets into the neighborhood and at officers. Law enforcement is often the point of intervention for individuals in crisis, and we recognize the need to work with the criminal justice system to encourage Wounded Face to get the mental health services he needs. It was remarkable that responding law enforcement officers were able to safely subdue an active shooter without him being seriously injured or killed." Rapid City Journal Editorial Board members are: Chris Huber, editor; Patrick Butler, managing editor; Candy DenOuden, online editor; Mark Andersen, Editorial Page editor; and Brandis Knudsen, sales manager. Contact us at news@rapidcityjournal.com. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 After several failed ventures, Darlene left James in August 1980. She filed for divorce, alleging verbal abuse. She later remarried. James complained to others that his wife may have been stepping out with an employer and even bank president Rudy Blythe. James Jenkins quit the farm and illegally sold cattle that been collateral for a Buffalo Ridge Bank loan. He filed for bankruptcy, owing $25,000. He started another dairy operation, but the barn burned. He started trucking in Ohio, then hitchhiked to Texas for labor and maintenance jobs at a school district. Steven quit school in 11th grade and joined his dad in Texas. The loner and his son returned to Minnesota, slept on air mattresses and were refused loans and credit by cattle sellers, citing poor credit references from Buffalo Ridge Bank. James had bought an M-1 rifle for his son, Steven, who dressed like he was AWOL from the Army or the Marines, as Amato puts it. One of James co-workers, a Vietnam veteran, taught the boy how to use it. Stevens trial was judicial theater seldom seen in the area. The Chinese investor group is asserting that the eight personal loan guarantees signed by members of Tentexkota should be enforced. Meanwhile, Tentexkota and its members, who are represented by lawyers from multiple law firms, assert that the personal loan guarantees should be thrown out. Judge Kornmann has already discarded two assertions by the Tentexkota members regarding the personal guarantees, and he reiterated his reasoning in his Dec. 7 written order. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} One of the two assertions was that the guarantees violated an EB-5 program requirement that investments be put at risk. Kornmann called the arguments in support of that assertion myriad and meritless. The other assertion was that the LLC members were duped into signing the personal guarantees by Joop Bollen, the Dutch immigrant who facilitated many EB-5 projects in South Dakota, first as a state employee and later as a state contractor running his own company, SDRC Inc. No one is alleged to have forced defendant guarantors to sign the personal guarantees and defendants conclusory statement that they relied on Bollens representations to their detriment is unpersuasive, Kornmann wrote. During their fundraiser for the American Heart Association, employees purchased whipped cream pies to throw at BHFCUs managers. Employees donated $1,000 to support the organizations Black Hills and Central South Dakota Heart Walks. Employees also donated $1,000 to the Childrens Miracle Network at Sanford Childrens Hospital in Sioux Falls as part of Miracle Jeans Day; and $1,000 to animal shelters across South Dakota. They also held a clothing drive for Dress for SuccessBlack Hills. Rapid City director wins leadership award The executive director of the Freedom Lodge in Rapid City recently won a 2018 Hopa Mountain Citizen Leadership Award. A news release from the Freedom Lodge says the awards are given annually "to recognize the exemplary community service of groups and individuals." Dr. Ruby Gibson was recognized for her work with the Freedom Lodge, where she has spent more than 25 years training and healing Native American people suffering from historical trauma. Gibson founded Freedom Lodge in 1981; she serves many roles, including fundraising, project development, education and training, according to the news release. 2018 Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former Senate Minority Leader Billie Sutton said he definitely, absolutely felt respected and listened to during his time working with Daugaard in Pierre. Even though we didnt agree on everything, we found places to agree, Sutton said. I think you see that deteriorating across the country. We have to work together to get things done. I think Daugaard did a good job of that, even when sometimes he didnt have to. Johnson echoed Suttons sentiments, calling Daugaard an increasingly rare creature on the political landscape amidst a time of intense political polarization throughout the country. I think there are more than maybe we realize, but we certainly dont have enough of them, Johnson said. When asked how he has worked to unite his Legislature and citizens in this politically charged time, Daugaard said simply, Lead by example. If you want people to be civil to each other, I need to set that example and be civil to my opponents in elections and in debates and hopefully people will see that as the example they should follow. The parents of a 26-year-old woman who perished in a fire in Fairburn in July 2017 has sued the town of approximately 90 residents and a neighbor, alleging the demolition of a wooden outbuilding created a nuisance that contributed to her death. Julie Pawelski, who was living in Rapid City at the time, was staying overnight at the home of her parents, James and Sharlene Pawelski, when on the morning of July 25 a grass fire spread to the family's house. In the lawsuit filed on Dec. 18 in the 7th Judicial Circuit in Custer County, attorney George Nelson argues that a wooden "heap" left on the property of neighbor Michael Friend fed the fire that killed Julie Pawelski. The debris, according to the lawsuit, was from the remnants of a structure that a Fairburn city representative had ordered demolished but was never cleaned up. "The subject fire consumed the wooden structure," Nelson writes, causing the fire to become "greater in size and fury." The Pawelski's lawsuit alleges wrongful death and seeks "special and compensatory" damages from both Friend and the town of Fairburn for the loss of their daughter as well as their home and garage. Until Trump nominates and the Senate confirms a permanent replacement, Zinke's shoes will be filled on an acting basis by his deputy, David Bernhardt, a former lobbyist for the oil and gas industry. Left-leaning groups that campaigned against Zinke already have turned their attention to Bernhardt with claims that his prior work leaves him compromised. "David Bernhardt is too conflicted to serve him in any position, whether it's deputy, acting or full Interior secretary," said Aaron Weiss with the Center for Western Priorities. Weiss also suggested the pending investigations against Zinke are likely to continue and said the former secretary "can't make his trouble go away by simply walking away." Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, said Zinke worked closely with western states and respected their priorities. Barrasso said it was important for the next secretary to likewise pursue Trump's American "energy dominance" agenda while following sound environmental practices. In his resignation letter, Zinke said he was compelled to stop down because the political attacks against him had created a distraction from Trump's drive to boost U.S. energy production. Kaylene was airlifted to Billings, where she underwent surgery. There she remembers bits and pieces, like her cousin randomly commenting on her eyebrows and her best friend playing songs from high school as she danced along with her finger. By late August she reached the end point of her initial recovery, and that meant the next phase of rehab, which included fitting and learning to use prosthetics. Through a friend in Salt Lake City, she spoke with a patient with a similar leg amputation and "that kind of sealed the deal." While her rehab commenced, her sister launched the Facebook page Prayers for Kaylene Murphy as a means of keeping family and friends updated. Inspired by her positive attitude in the face of major physical challenges, more and more people began to track her story. "That's how it started out and then it kind of exploded from there," Kaylene said. "I joke about having 'followers' and I have to do this for my followers. "So it blew up on accident in a way, but my perspective on all of it is this was a really horrible thing that has happened to me, but if I can encourage somebody and help somebody where they're at, then it's OK. That's the main thing I've wanted to happen from this: that God would be glorified and that other people would be encouraged from my story. That's made it a little bit better." Writ challenges Centres circular on education laws The federal governments circular to ask local governments not to formulate any laws regarding education without its prior consent has been challenged at the apex court claiming that it is a blatant violation of the statute. "Where else do you take a pilot?" Sims said. He attended his friend's funeral in Minnesota, but didn't attend the joint memorial in Bismarck for Cook, Iverson and Lasky. But Sims said he was impressed with the attendance from emergency responders and ambulance services from around North Dakota. More than 40 ambulances participated in a procession. The Rev. Greg Carr, who helped organize and spoke at the joint memorial, said community support in the wake of the tragedy was "overwhelming," from locals delivering food to police, fire and ambulance stations, to the attendance of the memorial. "We had three people who meant a lot to this community who are no longer here," Carr said. "You're looking at the holes that Bonnie's death left at St. Alexius. You're looking at the hole that Todd's death left at Bismarck Air and then Chris at the Metro Area Ambulance. "Three very important individuals, gone." Sims found another way to honor his friend. In a tattoo on his left forearm, Sims had inked Lasky's initials and dates of birth and death against pilot's wings and the Rod of Asclepius. Sims said he initially had a different tattoo planned when he called to change his appointment for the tribute to Lasky. In an effort to give voice to those people who have had abortions, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland has launched an abortion culture change campaign across Iowa called #SayAbortion. The #SayAbortion campaign is focused on the stigma around abortion care in Iowa, according to a news release issued Friday by Planned Parenthood of the Heartland. The campaign is to give voice to Iowans who want to speak out against Iowas 6-week abortion ban, a law that is currently blocked by court injunction. Dr. Jill Meadows, Medical Director for Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, said in the news release that, Planned Parenthood envisions a culture where abortion access is understood as a basic human right, an essential part of health care and a normal part of life. For some people, the decision to have an abortion is easy, and for others it is very difficult. At Planned Parenthood, were here to provide nonjudgmental support and factual, medically accurate information so that every patient can make their own personal decision about a pregnancy based on their own values, desires and needs, Meadows said. Brown said that the support has come from throughout the region and that Iowa City has opened its stations to Clinton firefighters to sleep and eat as they visit Cain. Brooke said that Hosette was taken to Ankeny for an autopsy and the support all the way there from other fire departments and law enforcement was amazing. It was "more support than I've ever seen," from people across the region, he said. The International Association of Fire Fighters will be helping to plan the memorial service. Brown said that it will be tough to get through this time. "We're going to pray a lot and ask for a lot of support," he said. "But we have resilient employees. Very few have gone home." Brooke said the city will provide the department with counselors and ministers to help cope with the loss. Brooke ended the news conference with a quote from Isaiah 6:8: "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, Here am I. Send me! Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 42 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Thomas Geyer Follow Thomas Geyer 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 Although Windschitl indicated he supported the bill, he wasnt sure it was necessary given how efficient the states current system is. We have already moved so close to constitutional carry with our shall-issue system and the revisions that we made with our omnibus bill back in 2017 that it is a very streamlined, state-of-the-art system where citizens dont face a high degree of burden, he said. Again I am an adamant supporter of it, but I also believe that the Freedom Amendment needs to come first before we move down that path. Reynolds appeared to have lukewarm feelings about the constitutional carry bill, stating she didnt plan to advocate for its passage but would take a look at it. I am a Second Amendment advocate. I believe in the right to bear arms and Im proud of what weve been able to do to protect those liberties. (But) Ill have to see it in its final form, the governor said. In February 2018, she had said she felt very strongly that we should keep Iowas current gun-permitting law. Opponents worry that the bill could endanger public safety. Maquoketa resident Margaret Zimmerman, who turned to CBD after feeling negative side effects from pain medication following heart surgery, began working at the Davenport CBD shop. A couple of months ago, she set out on her own and opened a Your CBD Store in Clinton, at 1109 N. 2nd St. "I'm a registered nurse, so people can come in and get educated as far as how CBD works. I can help them choose the best product to find relief," Zimmerman said. "We're doing classes here and workshops. So great things are happening." Zimmerman said she opened the store at an ideal time in Clinton months after the city won a $500,000 federal grant to help fight the opioid crisis. The franchisees are selling over-the-counter CBD in some areas of Iowa that aren't directly served by the state's new medical marijuana dispensaries. Davenport is home to one of the five dispensaries, which opened this winter. Iowa law allows license holders to sell products with a THC content of up to 3 percent. As the state worked to roll out the medical marijuana program in the past couple of years, the Iowa Department of Public Health argued unregulated CBD was illegal to sell in the state. Only two counties, including Muscatine, chose to take action and rid stores of CBD products. The old year went out in cold, fog, and rain, appropriate for a year that did not so much pass as spiral down. Son Dave and I prepared what we knew would be our final New Years Eve party and spent the midnight vigil quietly. I got to thinking how it all started, so many years ago. When we moved into this house in the 50s, we began to spend Saturday evenings with some of my friends from seminary days, at that time priests serving in local parishes and at Alleman High School. Back then, each parish had one assistant pastor; some, two. After Saturday confessions, they came over at about the time we put the kids to bed. As new assistants came into the area, they were recruited into the gang. We spent the evenings conversing and listening to the latest classical recordings. (I was a music critic in those heady days when classical labels were issuing up to 30 albums a month.) One of my clerical friends who was uncomfortable in the priesthood mentioned to Bernadette that he had no idea what to do on New Years Eve. She told him to come over and we would have a party just for him. Well, pretty soon it grew to include most of the people we knew. When Democrat J.B. Pritzker is sworn in as Illinois' 43rd governor eight days from now, he will take the helm of a state that is on the rocks. Clearly, the incoming captain of this badly listing ship of state has thought about the challenges ahead. You cant solve everything at once, candidate Pritzker told our editorial board in October. This is more like turning an aircraft carrier in the right direction; I understand what all the pieces are. Now, which ones he puts in play and how he uses them could set the states course for many years to come. Complicating the task is that he will not be the only one driving. Whatever he wants to do cant happen without the backing of House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton. The Chicago Democratic legislative leaders will boast lopsided veto-proof super-majorities when the new General Assembly is sworn in on Jan. 14. One would think the onus for the success or failure of the state would be on their shoulders, as much as Pritzkers. Brown said that the support has come from throughout the region and that Iowa City has opened its stations to Clinton firefighters to sleep and eat as they visit Cain. Brooke said that Hosette was taken to Ankeny for an autopsy and the support all the way there was support from other fire departments and law enforcement. It was more support than Ive ever seen, from people across the region, he said. The International Association of Fire Fighters will be helping to plan the memorial service. Brown said that it will be tough to get through this time. Were going to pray a lot and ask for a lot of support, he said. But we have resilient employees. Very few have gone home. Brooke said the city will provide the department with counselors and ministers to help cope with the loss. Brooke ended the news conference with a quote from Isaiah 6:8: Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, Here am I. Send me! Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 UK court sentences Nepali man to 13 year in prison for raping man A local court in the United Kingdom has handed 13 years prison term to Nepali man on charge of raping and sexually assaulting a man with learning disabilities. Clubs collects for military care packages Military members serving overseas are receiving care packages thanks to the generous donations from Black Hawk College employees and students and the community. The BHC Military Students and Veterans Club collected cash donations and care package items at both college campuses. More than $1,200 in cash was donated, including significant donations from Blackhawk Electric, Christ the King Catholic Church Social Concerns Committee and the Moline Breakfast Optimist Club. All of the items were given to the USO of Illinois to create more than 50 care packages to be sent to troops overseas. Last-minute registration Last-minute registration for spring college-credit courses at Black Hawk College is going on now. Classes begin Monday, Jan. 14. Students can look online to see what classes still have openings by visiting www.bhc.edu/schedules. For more information, call 309-796-5300 or visit www.bhc.edu/register. Explore BHC Day is Jan. 11 Griffins been in the police business 14 years; its a job he pursued after being inspired by the events of Sept. 11, 2001. He is tremendous in his role as detective, but also shines brightly in trying to keep the public and the media informed about Moline Police Department happenings and investigations. For years, Griffin has wondered and worried what it would be like to be eating a doughnut while leaving a shop in Moline, in a marked Moline Police squad, and having someone take a photo of him. First of all, I like doughnuts, he said, sitting inside Molines Donut Delite. But my luck, that picture would blow up. A marked squad leaving Donut Delite (on Avenue of the Cities) or Donuts and More (on 16th Street) with me taking a big bite of a doughnut. Everyone would have a blast with it, and thats OK. Griffin said hes also OK with citizens giving him a hard time or having fun with the cops-love-doughnuts routine. Its interaction with the people we serve, and I love that, he said. Thing is, its one of the few lighthearted moments you have with people. When someone calls the police or is in need of our help, its usually not the best situation. We see people at the worst times, and and we see things many times that are tough to see. Ad Resource Stock Digest Heres the Safest Way to Get Insanely Rich in the 2021 Gold Bull Market Gold is screaming higher and smart investors are already cashing in on the #1 Gold Pick of 2021. Yet, you havent missed the boat. See how this newly-listed US$5 gold stock offers investors historic gains without mining a single ounce of the metal. 15 hours ago | June 14th | 2021 7:00 AM Why Your Retirement Calculator Might Not Tell the Whole Story I got to thinking about the retirement calculators that automatically pop up when I check my retirement account balances. In my case, I always get a message that says, "You are XX% on track toward your retirement goals." When you check out an online calculator, you can use them, but remember that a retirement calculator could miss the boat I was appalled when I saw the sign, she said, adding that it was especially a Christian churchs responsibility to welcome strangers. Dan Curry, of Clifton Park, is a history teacher and re-enactor. He came dressed as an immigrant from the late 1800s or early 1900s while the group discussed how Italian and Irish immigrants were unwanted when they came to the United States, and compared their migration to how President Donald Trump wants to build a wall at the U.S. and Mexico border. When a Post-Star reporter walked up to the church to try and speak with someone there, a man, who refused to identify himself, closed the door on her, then opened it and said he would not talk and had been in discussion with police. When the reporter asked if the man was a representative of the church, he said, Youre trespassing. Ill call the police. Please leave. Logan Robertson, outreach minister for the church, answered the phone there later Sunday afternoon and was not aware that someone had asked the reporter to leave. In a statement sent to the Times on Thursday, as the new Congress convened, Stefanik defended her record. I am honored to serve our district in the 116th Congress, she wrote. I will continue to work to deliver bipartisan results such as protecting Fort Drum, advocating for North Country farms, fighting on behalf of small businesses and manufacturers and representing the hard-working families of our district. The fact remains that Cobb lost not by as much as previous Democratic candidates in the 21st Congressional District, but by more than any other Democrat in New York. Republicans out-register Democrats by about 40,000 voters, or about 25 percent, in the district, and there are about 85,000 blanks who are not registered with any party. The numbers mean that any Democrat is facing an uphill battle in the district, although Stefaniks immediate predecessor, Rep. William Owens, was a Democrat. To counter the disadvantage, Cobb thinks her future campaign will involve a mix of getting out Democratic voters as well as flipping Republican and independent votes. We did get out the Democrat votes we closed the gap down from 35 points (in 2016) to 14, Ms. Cobb said. AS I TRAVELED around the country campaigning for Democrats this past year, one of my takeaways was that there is an overwhelming desire among voters for a return to reality. After two years of President Donald Trump's grandiose bluster, bluffing and buffoonery, Americans elected candidates who ran as optimistic, progressive problem-solvers focused on results central to families: health care, work, education and taxes. We need to be big, bold and optimistic, but that can't come at the expense of being honest with the American people. Anup Ojha is a reporter for The Kathmandu Post primarily covering social issues and human interest stories. Before moving to the social beat, Ojha covered arts and culture for the Post for four years. AS A REPUBLICAN from Northern Virginia and a Democrat from rural Henry County, we've seen how redistricting has been abused by both political parties in the Virginia General Assembly. One of us, as the Democratic leader in the House of Delegates in 2011, was gerrymandered out of the seat he'd held for 20 years. The other, as the Republican attorney general, was obligated to defend that redistricting plan, despite his own reservations about it. Badawi was sentenced to death by a Yemeni court in 2004, then had his sentence reduced to 15 years in prison. He made two successful jailbreaks in 2003 and 2006; after he surrendered in 2007, authorities in Yemen secretly made a deal to allow him to remain free in exchange for aiding in the search and capture of other al-Qaida operatives. Here are some images reflecting moments of life in Virginia Beach, as supplied by readers. Submit your photos for publication by visiting pilotonline.com/beaconphotos. At noon Sunday, about 45 firefighters continued to battle a deep-seated fire at a Chesapeake storage facility that began Saturday night and affected roughly 100 individual units. One firefighter has been injured but is expected to make a full recovery. "There is a provision in law that says the president can declare an emergency. It's been done a number of times. But primarily it's been done to build facilities in Afghanistan and Iraq," Smith said on ABC's "This Week." "In this case, I think the president would be wide open to a court challenge saying, 'Where is the emergency?' You have to establish that in order to do this." For two weeks we experienced at Madikwe Game Reserve in South Africa what Ernest Hemingway must have seen when he travelled to Africa. But armed with cameras rather than rifles, we saw herds of elephants, some even drinking from our swimming pool; lions within 50 feet of our open Jeep; a cheetah mother with her cubs walking within two feet of our Jeep; juvenile male giraffes fighting; cheetahs unsuccessfully chasing an impala; rhinos grazing with birds perched on their backs and hippos bathing in a lake. We saw all this on the two daily game drives, only to return to luxurious quarters with gourmet meals. We enjoyed a genuine reconnection with nature that demonstrated the richness of the web of life. Some details about the 56 women are found in the Ferrar Papers, documents compiled in the early 17th century by the Ferrar family for the Virginia Company. An actual page is on display, on loan from Magdalene College-University of Cambridge. The papers have been digitized on touch screens for modern readers. At random, I clicked on the name Susan Binx, 19, daughter of a wire maker. What, I wondered, would entice her to leave all that she knew behind in England to start an uncertain life in a new world? Ann Jackson, another "Maide," was captured with 18 other women by Powhatan Indians and spent six years in captivity. Official estimates suggest there are between 12,000 and 14,000 leopards in India A runaway leopard which escaped from an safari park in eastern India on New Year's Day has been recaptured after a massive search operation, an official said Saturday. Wildlife authorities had deployed drones, trained elephants and set up traps with live bait to find the big cat after it escaped the park located in the foothills of the Himalayas, 557 kilometres (346 miles) north of Kolkata, capital of West Bengal. The four-year-old beast nicknamed Sachin finally returned to its enclosure in the park late Friday, after a days' long hunt. Nearly 100 foresters were pursuing the cat after its escape sparked panic in local villages. "Sachin had been raised in captivity and could not hunt to feed itself," Vinod Kumar Yarad of the West Bengal Zoo Authority told AFP. "We kept a large chunk of meat inside the leopard's enclosure with its gate left open. On Friday night, it returned to its enclosure, injured and hungry," he said Yarad said the cat was raised in captivity and lacked the ability to hunt in a wild, and had probably suffered injuries in an attempt to kill a wild boar or some other animal. The animal is being treated for its injuries. Leopards in captivity may live to up to 23 years as compared to just 17 years in the wild. The park in Siligurithe gateway of the hill resort of Darjeelingis spread over 297 acres and was opened to the public last year. Official estimates suggest there are between 12,000 and 14,000 leopards in India. An estimated 431 leopards were killed in 2017, according to government figures, most by poachers for their hides and other body parts. Explore further Leopard caught after 36 hours on prowl in India factory 2019 AFP Google CEO Sundar Pichai told lawmakers in December the internet giant acknowledges a need for national privacy regulations The newly installed US Congress is expected to see a fresh effort to develop new regulations for big technology firms, with a focus on tougher enforcement of privacy and data protection. The wave of data scandals that have hit Facebook and other online platforms has prompted growing calls for action by lawmakers looking to curb abuses of how private information is used and give consumers more clarity. Significantly, most tech companies are pledging to willingly accept new regulations to set a uniform standard in the United States following a sweeping set of rules that went into effect in the European Union in 2018, although few have offered details. Federal regulations could pre-empt the enforcement of legislation enacted in California, which was modeled after the EU's General Data Protection Regulation. "Whether big tech and little tech like it or not, 2019 will be a year of regulation," said Doug Clinton of the investment firm Loup Ventures, in a recent blog post. The analyst said he expects the US to consider "the most important points" of GDPR including consent, access, portability and erasure of personal information. Protecting data Senator Brian Schatz and 14 other Democrats have endorsed a bill aimed at requiring online firms to safeguard personal information and stop the misuse of data. "People have a basic expectation that the personal information they provide to websites and apps is well-protected and won't be used against them," Schatz said in a statement last month. Lawmakers grilled Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg in April, and now are considering legislation that could regulate how large tech firms collect and share personal data "Just as doctors and lawyers are expected to protect and responsibly use the personal data they hold, online companies should be required to do the same." Another proposal unveiled in December by the Center for Democracy & Technology, a digital rights group in Washington, in consultation with industry and activist groups, covers consumer rights to access and correct data held by online firms, data portability, and limits on third-party access to data. Significantly, it limits the kinds of data that companies can collect to what is needed for their services. "Many apps collect your location information even if it has nothing to do with the service they are providing," said Michelle Richardson, head of data and privacy for the organization. "We want to fundamentally change how companies collect and use data." Since the revelations over the hijacking of personal data of tens of millions of Facebook users by the political consultancy Cambridge Analytica, tech firms have come under heightened scrutiny from lawmakers and privacy activists. Cooperation, or not? Instead of pushing back, big tech firms have offered to cooperate with lawmakers on a national privacy billalthough skeptics say this may be an effort to limit the reach of tougher state laws. Google chief executive Sundar Pichai told a hearing in mid-December, "I'm of the opinion that we are better off with more of an overarching data protection framework for users, and I think that would be good to do." Apple CEO Tim Cook said recently he would welcome tough US privacy rules and argued that personal data should not be "weaponized" by internet platforms Apple CEO Tim Cook early this year called for federal privacy legislation, while assailing the "weaponized" used of private data that is bought and sold online. Alan McQuinn, policy analyst at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a Washington think tank, said that following the passage of a California privacy law, "the tech sector is now trying to get out in front of having segmented privacy rules." Yet details of any new privacy bill are likely to be complex, with battles looming on how far legislation should go. McQuinn said there may be consensus on a need to boost transparency, consumer access and enforcement over misuse of personal data, but that many other issues are thorny. He said there may be consensus on need for more transparency, data portability and consumer access and new enforcement mechanisms for abuse of private data. But he maintained that GDPR has proven "incredibly burdensome" and caused some businesses to quit the EU or block their online presence. "People don't realize that legislation doesn't just affect the internet giants, it affects your local grocery store and creates costs throughout the system," McQuinn said. The analyst said requiring "opt in" consent for any type of data could have unintended consequenceshurting innovation and strengthening the biggest firms that have the resources to comply. One possible solution is to create "tiers" of data categories requiring opt-in consent only for the most sensitive categories. Despite broad agreement on the need for privacy rules, McQuinn said a divided government and hyperpartisan political environment will mean "this will be a difficult process." Explore further US unveils first step toward new online privacy rules 2019 AFP In this Jan. 6, 2015, file photo Danielle London, left, dances with a performer dressed as a robot at the Alibaba.com booth at the International CES in Las Vegas. The CES 2019 gadget show, which kicks off Sunday, will showcase the expanding influence and sway of China's rapidly growing technology sector. Chinese tech giants like Baidu and Alibaba have made flashy presentations at CES in recent years. Roughly 40 percent of all exhibitors planning to showcase their latest technology at this week's Las Vegas event are Chinese firms, second only to the U.S. in sheer numbers. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) The CES 2019 gadget show, which kicks off Sunday, will showcase the expanding influence and sway of China's rapidly growing technology sector. But some of its firms are stepping back from the spotlight amid rising U.S. national-security concerns over Chinese tech and a trans-Pacific trade war launched by President Donald Trump. Last year, a top executive of the Chinese telecom firm Huawei delivered a CES keynote address critical of AT&T's abrupt cancellation of plans to sell a Huawei phone following espionage concerns raised by the U.S. government. This year, Huawei's chief financial officer was arrested in Canada at the behest of the U.S.; Meng Wanzhou, daughter of Huawei's founder, now awaits U.S. extradition . No Chinese technology executives will deliver CES keynotes in Las Vegas this week. There are fewer Chinese entrepreneurs buying up booth space to show off their latest technologymore than 20 percent fewer exhibitors than last year, according to registration numbers tracked by the South China Morning Post. Chinese firms still account for more than a quarter of the conference's 4,500 exhibitors, second only to the U.S. in sheer numbers. But some of the biggest names are taking a more subdued approach. Internet company Baidu last year hosted a flashy event touting its self-driving software, but this year is sticking to a more conventional booth. E-commerce giant Alibaba is eschewing the big outdoor tent it helped erect last year in favor of quieter meetings marketing its voice assistant to business partners. The phone maker Xiaomi is simply skipping this year's event altogether. None of them are citing rising U.S.-China tensions, but it's hard to ignore the geopolitical backdropeven with a 90-day "cease-fire" on tariffs set to expire in March. The U.S. and China have imposed import taxes on hundreds of billions of dollars of each other's goodsand Trump has threatened more to come, including tariffs that could make devices like iPhones more expensive. The U.S. is also exploring new export restrictions that would target industries where China is hoping to get ahead, such as artificial intelligence and robotics. And the Justice Department brought charges last month against two Chinese citizens it accused of stealing American trade secrets and other sensitive information on behalf of Beijing's main intelligence agency. Of course, plenty of Chinese entrepreneurs are still eager to show off their innovations. Hosts of the 52-year-old trade event have sought to downplay the tensions, noting that they've weathered previous trade tensions, such as those that roiled U.S.-Japan relations in the 1980s. In this Jan. 9, 2018, file photo the Huawei Mate10 Pro phone is displayed at the Huawei booth during CES International in Las Vegas. The CES 2019 gadget show, which kicks off Sunday, will showcase the expanding influence and sway of China's rapidly growing technology sector. But some of its firms are stepping back from the spotlight amid rising U.S. national-security concerns over Chinese tech and a trans-Pacific trade war launched by President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/John Locher, File) "The Japanese presence used to be very big and it was similar in that the U.S. was in a panic about it," said Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association, which organizes CES. That ended when the Japanese "bubble" economy burst in 1991 and its tech industry began a long, slow decline. "Japanese innovation from those companies shrunk and those companies consolidated," Shapiro said. "These things are impermanent. So I don't lose that much sleep over it." Shapiro said the trade dispute with China and the Meng arrest in Canada aren't impacting attendance. CES organizers on Sunday wouldn't confirm numbers showing a sharp drop in Chinese exhibitors, but said a decline in small Chinese companies on the show floor was made up by expanded booth presence from bigger firms. Chinese tech firms are increasingly joining their American, South Korean and Japanese counterparts in using CES to build enthusiasm for up-and-coming electronics products, while also connecting with potential new international partners and suppliers. That's especially true for electronics firms like Hisense and TCL, which have increasingly sought to sell their TVs in North America, and Lenovo, which is already a big player in the U.S. laptop market but is pushing to sell other internet-connected devices. Hisense is making a splashier presentation this year as it invests in boosting its U.S. brand awareness, said Jim Ninesling, head of marketing for Hisense USA. Previously, the company, which has a large market share in China, mostly kept on the U.S. sidelines, branding some of its products under the name of the better-known Japanese firm Sharp. Chinese electric carmaker Byton, a startup backed by internet giant Tencent, on Sunday is promising to unveil what it calls the "world's most intuitive automotive interface," which, according to a tease on Twitter , involves a touchscreen mounted on the steering wheel. AI firm iFlyteksometimes described as China's Siri or Alexais planning to showcase its latest advances in voice recognition and real-time translation services. And a startup expo co-hosted by the Chinese government features a bevy of gee-whiz innovations, from indoor delivery robots and portable karaoke headsets to "smart" suitcases aided by computer vision. In this Jan. 9, 2018, file photo a woman wears Huawei VR2 goggles at the Huawei booth during CES International in Las Vegas. The CES 2019 gadget show, which kicks off Sunday, will showcase the expanding influence and sway of China's rapidly growing technology sector. But some of its firms are stepping back from the spotlight amid rising U.S. national-security concerns over Chinese tech and a trans-Pacific trade war launched by President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/John Locher, File) In an ideal world, the tech industries in the two countries would be seen as complementary, said venture capitalist Kai-Fu Lee, who led Google's subsidiary in China before the company withdrew over censorship and other concerns. "The U.S. strength is deep technologists, universities, academics, people with superior experience," he said. "China's superiority is a larger market, more data, and very tenacious and hardworking entrepreneurs." Lee said his optimism for a more collaborative approach is now "merely a dream" because of the worsening trade dispute. But he said there could still be partnerships between U.S. firms and Chinese companies that, for now, mostly cater to Chinese consumers. "Google feels much, much more threat from Amazon than any Chinese company," he said. "That makes Tencent and Alibaba potential allies, especially when customer needs cross international boundaries." Explore further Chinese firms offer subsidies on Huawei phones in show of support 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Police suspect missing nun Sanchalal Waiba murdered Police suspect that Sancha Lal Waiba, who is reportedly missing from Ram Bahadur Bomjans ashram in Sindhupalchok, might have been murdered. THE National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has removed over 650,000 campaign materials all over Metro Manila.NCRPO Director Major General Guillermo Eleazar urged the candidates to also do their GROCERIES and organic fruits and vegetables have high export potentials for Philippine enterprises keen to export to Norway under the Philippines-European Free Trade Association Free Trade Agreement (PH-EFTA FTA), a Norwegian official said. Bjorn Jahnsen, Norways ambassador to the Philippines, said in a presentation in Makati City on exporting to EFTA countries, there is much room for growth for Philippine exports to Norway. He noted that the countrys exports to Norway in 2017 amounted to just US$43 million (P2.3 billion), while the EFTA nations total global imports for the same year had a value of $80.5 billion (almost P490 billion). In 2017, the top five Norwegian merchandise imports from the Philippines included electrical machinery and other electronics; clothing and accessories; office and IT equipment; travel accessories, handbags and garments; and vegetables and fruits. Jahnsen said export potential for the Philippines is huge for these seven products: groceries, fruits and vegetables (including organic produce), flowers, clothing and footwear, furniture, chemical products, and ceramics and handicrafts. Norways grocery imports in 2015 totaled $19 billion. NorgesGruppen, a Norwegian grocery wholesaling group which also runs various retail outlets, dominated the industry with a 42.3 percent share of the total import value for the year. This was followed by Coop NKL (29.4 percent), the second largest retail group in the country, and owned by numerous local cooperative associations; then Rema 1000 (24.4 percent), a multinational no-frills supermarket chain; and retail chain Bunnpris (3.9 percent). Norways fruit and vegetable imports reached $1 billion in 2016. The countrys main importers, said Jahnsen, are fruit and vegetable trading and distribution companies Interfrukt and Bama. Organic food imports have been on the rise. The organic food sector in Norway had a market value of $300 million in 2016, up 25 percent from 2015. It had a 1.8 percent market share in 2016, but has ambitions to reach a 15 percent market share by 2020. For successful transactions with Norwegian importers, Jahnsen said suppliers must be made aware of their main requirements, which are quality, health and safety, traceability, and reliability in terms of contracts and deadlines. It is also important for Norwegian companies that their trade partners observe responsible business conduct as espoused in international standards such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development guidelines for multinational companies, the United Nations (UN) guiding principles on business and human rights, and the UN Global Compact. (PHILEXPORT NEWS AND FEATURES) Egypt inaugurated a massive cathedral under heavy security on Coptic Christmas Eve Sunday, a day after a deadly bomb blast near a church in the country where jihadists have repeatedly targeted Christians. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi observed a moment of silence after Saturday's explosion on the eastern edge of Cairo killed a policeman who was trying to defuse the device and wounded two others. Security was tight as Sisi officially opened the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ in Egypt's New Administrative Capital, 45 kilometres (28 miles) east of Cairo, ahead of Christmas mass. Worshippers had to pass through three sets of metal detectors to access the event, while armoured vehicles and dozens of ambulances were stationed nearby. Sisi gave a brief speech saying the simultaneous opening of the cathedral and the major Al-Fattah Al-Alim mosque nearby carried a message of unity. "We are one and we will continue to be one," he said. "This moment is very important in our history." Egypt's top Muslim cleric Ahmed al-Tayeb told those gathered that "if Islamic law requires Muslims to protect mosques, it equally requires Muslims to protect churches". The cathedral's inauguration was hailed by US President Donald Trump, who wrote on Twitter that he was "excited to see our friends in Egypt opening the biggest Cathedral in the Middle East". "Sisi is moving his country to a more inclusive future," Trump said. Pope Francis extended greetings to Coptic Pope Tawadros II, saying in a video message that he "was able to give a true testimony of faith and charity, also in times of difficulties". Coptic Christians, who account for around 10 percent of Egypt's population, have been hit by a string of attacks by the Islamic State group in recent years. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast on Saturday. The bomb was hidden inside a bag that was placed on the rooftop of Al-Haq mosque near the Virgin Mary church in the Nasr City district of Cairo, religious officials and witnesses said. The incident occurred amid heightened security around churches ahead of Coptic Christmas which is celebrated on January 7. - 'Flagrant criminal act' - Massad Saad, the son of the prayer leader at Al-Haq mosque, told AFP he was inside the building when other worshippers noticed "a man going up to the roof carrying a bag" but when they followed him they found "two bags". "We informed the police," Saad, a 35-year-old baker, said in a phone interview. There was no immediate confirmation from officials. Government newspaper Al-Ahram reported Sunday that a bomb had been placed in a bag on the roof of a building in Ezzbat al-Haggan, but it did not mention the church or the mosque. On Sunday morning security forces were deployed around the neighbourhood keeping journalists at bay. The Grand Mufti of Egypt, Shawki Allam, denounced "the terrorist operation that targeted... the church", on his official Facebook page. He said "extremists" had planted "an explosive device on the roof of Al-Haq mosque... near the Virgin Mary church". Similarly, Al-Azhar, Egypt's highest institution of Sunni Islam, condemned the attack. "The targeting of worship places and killing of innocents is a flagrant criminal act that violates teachings of all religions," it said in a statement. It also voiced its solidarity with state institutions against "terrorism" which it said sought to spoil Coptic celebrations. - String of attacks - Sisi often presents himself as a defender of Christians against extremists but activists and some analysts accuse the state of discriminating against them and not providing enough protection. More than 100 Copts have been killed in jihadist attacks since December 2016. IS claimed an assault in early November in which six Copts and one Anglican died in the central province of Minya. The jihadists killed more than 40 people in twin church bombings in April 2017, and an IS gunman in December that year killed nine people in an attack on a church in a south Cairo suburb. Hundreds of police and soldiers have also been killed in attacks. In late December, three Vietnamese tourists and their Egyptian guide died when a roadside bomb hit their bus on the outskirts of Cairo. The country has been under a state of emergency since April 2017. In February the army launched a large-scale operation dubbed "Sinai 2018" to rid the Sinai Peninsula of jihadists after an attack on a mosque that killed more than 300 people. OPEC and US Shale have been duking it out in the oil markets for a few years nowever since the days of $100 oil. OPEC, led by Saudi Arabia, took up a campaign to flood the market with oil to drown out the rising stars of the US Shale world. But that $100 oil came at a price, and the glut sunk prices to uber lows that hurt every oil producer in the worldsome more than others. Venezuela was no exception to feeling hurt. Its state oil company, PDVSAor shall we say the Hugo Chavez administrations personal piggy bankwas already reeling from corruption, and was busy fighting with foreign oil firms who were operating in country and subsequently booted out. The country had no money to invest in its cash cow to keep it running. President Nicolas Maduro--who took office when oil producers were for the most part fat, dumb, and happyinherited along with PDVSA a country that was in crisis, with some even saying back then that it was on the verge of an economic breakdown, with Moodys tallying a public sector deficit of 15 percent of its GDP. And when oil prices started to tank, Venezuelas dire economic situation became direr. Years ago, Venezuela was an instrumental member of OPEC, with Chavez reestablishing Venezuelas seat at the OPEC table. Today, Venezuela is still an active member, with Maduro serving as one of the loudest cheerleaders of the original OPEC production cut deal solidified in late 2016 after his desperate-but-successful whirlwind tour designed to save its country from ruin with the increased oil revenues that would likely come from such a deal. Maduro visited all the whos who in the OPEC oil world, including Iran, Qatar, and OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia. At that time, Maduro claimed to have a formula that would stabilize oil prices for ten years. That concept, now squarely in the rearview mirror, is clearly viewed as both tragic and laughable, given the recent price swings. Related: 2019 Could Make Or Break OPEC Despite Maduros ten-year plan being clearly dead in the water, OPEC was still able to pull off a production cut deal that managed to lift prices for a time. In fact, the plan was so successful, that combined with a few geopolitical events between Iran and the United States and China and the United States, and Libya, Nigeria, and Venezuelas unintentional production outages, OPEC conspired to lift production mid-2018. Some would say this is in part attributed to Maduros salesmanship. Coming full circle, the market is once again facing falling oil prices along with another planned production cut from the cartel. Venezuela, who did manage to benefit somewhat from the original production cut deal in 2017, is producing fewer and fewer barrels of oil on a monthly basis, ending 2018 with a daily production level that is near 30-year lows for the Latin American country. And no one is holding onto hope that Venezuelas oil production will reboundthat is, no one but Venezuela. With Venezuelas production sure to continue its downward spiral, OPEC is bound to catch a break on the production cuts. OPEC agreed to cut 800,000 bpd this time around, and Venezuela will likely eat away at some of that 800,000 bpd, without even trying. This takes some of the heat off other OPEC members who may find it difficult to curb production yet again. On the surface, this indicates that Venezuelas OPEC membership is paying off for OPEC. It has been instrumental in getting OPEC members on board to reduce production, and it is cutting its own barrels produced in great numbers, even if not on purpose, allowing other members, such as Iraq, to overproduce without hurting OPECs overall compliance. Related: Falling Rig Count Supports Crude Prices However, OPEC is a cartel, and that cartels purpose is to coordinate and unify the petroleum policies of its Member Countries and ensure the stabilization of oil markets in order to secure an efficient, economic, and regular supply of petroleum to consumers, a steady income to producers, and a fair return on capital for those investing in the petroleum industry. Unfortunately for OPEC, Venezuelas economic and political situation is so bleak that it has almost no control over its own oil production. It cannot ramp up production. It cannot export more. It has failed to secure this regular supply of petroleum to [its] consumers as OPECs mission statement calls for. In fact, Venezuela has begged, borrowed, and stolenliterallyto keep PDVSA afloat, and still it sinks. Part of OPECs claim to fame is that it has the clout to move oil prices up or down, by moving production up or downand Venezuela can no longer participate in that activity. OPECs clout has waned thanks to the rise of US shale, but also due to what some are seeing as OPECs almost-maxed production capacity. Surely Venezuelas production capacity is maxed, and surely that max will continue to decrease. As Venezuelas production capacity dwindles, so does OPECs, which is likely why Russia and a few extras have been brought into the OPEC fold. In the short term, Venezuela helps OPEC to meet some immediate production cut goals. In the long term, however, Venezuela will likely remain a drain on OPECs overall capacity, as it is unable to contribute in any meaningful way to the cartel that relies on production manipulation to swing prices. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Because believing in Jesus makes you unable to do evil thing. Okay. Reply Thread Link Shut up Melissa. And fix your eyebrows. Reply Thread Link lol That picture looks like a bad photoshop job. It's like her face is telling me two different things. Reply Parent Thread Link she's a vile person Reply Thread Link are ppl really checking on what melissa joan hart has to say about things? aside from her god's not dead fans, of course. Edited at 2019-01-06 11:25 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link ONTD Original: Famous Christians Who Are Going To Hell Reply Thread Link lmao loving this concept! Reply Parent Thread Link Lol Reply Parent Thread Link I nominate Kevin Sorbo, the bitter hag Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Lmao Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link lol Reply Parent Thread Link Yes we need this!! Reply Parent Thread Link love it Reply Parent Thread Link lmao please make this Reply Parent Thread Link Ooh, ooh! Can I play? I'll take "Jerry Falwell, Jr." for $200, please! And then I want to sweep the "Franklin Graham" category! Reply Parent Thread Link lmaooo Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link Someone please make this Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao Reply Parent Thread Link Please do this lol Reply Parent Thread Link LMFAO this needs to happen Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao yes! Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link lmao it'd have to be series Reply Parent Thread Link Could do a whole post just about the Duggar family. Reply Parent Thread Link pleaseeee Reply Parent Thread Link OMG PLEASE make this post Reply Parent Thread Link omg I need this. would happily collab if you don't want to make a post yourself, it's too genius to pass up. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link whew a post I'd love to see Reply Parent Thread Link Without sounding like an edgy atheist myself, yeah, organized religion as a whole can be garbage. However, I believe that a lot theists can be some of the nicest and most charitable people. I know it doesn't take religion to be a kind person at all, but their religion just gives them this kind of hope that I'm envious upon. It can be beautiful. On that note, she sounds nuts. Edited at 2019-01-06 11:26 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link People like that show you how religion is supposed to be but then you look at the rest of it and it's just a damn shame. Reply Parent Thread Link I think it's about the people and not the religion. She would still be a shitty person if she was an atheist/muslim/jewish/etc Reply Parent Thread Expand Link but their religion just gives them this kind of hope that I'm envious upon. Right? It must be nice to have that certainty of an afterlife etc. Reply Parent Thread Link i still feel like the nice/charitable ones are the ones who look at you with pity because youre going to hell. Reply Parent Thread Link IA. I've also noticed that there are certain theist artists who make truly wonderful and majestic work that really exemplify the best of their religion. But unfortunately it seems like they are few and far between and most people are just hypocrites who use their religion as a chance to be exclusionary and cruel. Reply Parent Thread Link I know what you're saying - tbh I feel like the Muslim community in my town is the most charitable and most involved in community service, because community service is ingrained in their culture in general (from what I've heard). A lot of the Christian churches in town however, including the one I left last year, just give a percentage of their offerings to charity but everything else is pretty insular because they're slowly dying as a church and that's just what ends up happening. I'm pretty jaded about religion in general at the moment but I tend to question the outreach events and practices of my local churches because I feel like they're just doing it to be seen and get more people to join, but if you asked any of them what they think of homeless/lgbt/refugees guaranteed you'll get a few "they need to get a damn job/they're unnatural/stay out of my country" comments so it's like, ok this really isn't charity then, it's PR. Reply Parent Thread Link ia as an atheist and it really depends. people who use religion as a weapon and to be sanctimonious, self-righteous bigoted assholes are trash. but I don't think it's fair to lump in everyone. just like atheists can be shits too. Reply Parent Thread Link Disgusting, but isn't that one of the main points of Christianity? Only people who believe in Jesus and ask for his forgiveness are good so you should try to tell as many people about Jesus as possible so they can be good too and can get into heaven with you. Religion is awful. Reply Thread Link According to Martin Luther, it is. But according to Jesus himself? I never got that impression. Reply Parent Thread Link Well Jesus was dead at the point where most of this stuff was said, but I think even he said that the only way to god is through him. The bible seems pretty clear that the only way to salvation is through Jesus's sacrifice. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I don't know about all Christianity, but this is certainly a point in Catholicism. If you've heard of Christ but you don't accept him as your lord and savior, it's a grave sin (or whatever you guys call it in English) and no matter how many good deeds you do, you're going to hell. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link No, the Bible literally says otherwise Reply Parent Thread Link I seem to remember another passage that Christ is the only sure way to get to heaven but God will do what God wants. Reply Parent Thread Link It thrives on the concept of guilt Reply Parent Thread Link No one is actually "good," Jesus is just the pathway to redeem yourself in God's eyes (from the sinful state in which you were born). Christians still think they themselves are unworthy and "fallen," but that through belief in Jesus's sacrifice, they can repair their relationship with God. Reply Parent Thread Link I'm lost at how we get from Point A (her son asking if jewish kids go to heaven) to Point B (heated discussions with the boys mother) Like, I don't believe in this shit but wouldn't the answer be "Of course! it might be a different kind of heaven but we will all visit in the afterlife!" or some fluffy shit like that. I do believe in the rainbow bridge. our sweet baby puppies & kitties go there and play and wait for us to come home <3 basically, fuck religion. source of all evil in the world. Reply Thread Link I'm pretty sure the answer for her is no though. Christians pretty strongly believe that Jewish people aren't going to be saved because the only way you can get god's forgiveness is through Jesus. Reply Parent Thread Link It depends on their flavor of Christianity. Some will say that Christianity replaced Judaism (supersessionism), while some believe in the dual-covenant theory which says that the Jewish people are still God's chosen people and God's covenant with the Christians does not null the one he made with the Jewish people. Reply Parent Thread Link Nope, at least in latinoamerica. The trend among evangelicals right now is believing jewish ppl are the chosen ones, praising Israel & zionism. They r even mimicking their rituals. Jewish ppl going to hell is a catholic-ish thing, kind of demode. Edited at 2019-01-06 04:50 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I think between point a and point b her son told his friend he was going to hell because Jews don't accept christ as their savior. Reply Parent Thread Link For Christians, saying everyone ends up in their own version of Heaven is blasphemous and untrue. Reply Parent Thread Link Sounds like the Jewish kid told his or her mom who got upset at Melissa. Im sure Melissa is downplaying whatever her own kid said too Reply Parent Thread Link This just reminds me of the time a cult-Christian guy turned to my Jewish ex-friend and out of nowhere goes, "You know you're going to hell right? For being Jewish?" We were both like ????? Reply Parent Thread Link She's been a Jesus freak for a long time. I wonder if it makes her happy. Reply Thread Link Melissa must've been clutching her pearls when she had to watch the pilot of this for that promo for Netflix. Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link Its weird to me she played a show where she was a teenage witch despite being a devout Christian lol Guess $$$ over everything Reply Parent Thread Link What a fucking Queen. Reply Parent Thread Link aunt zeldas the best Im surprised Melissa is ok with this version of Sabrina Reply Parent Thread Link Can't believe I had to scroll this far down to find a reference to the new Sabrina lol. Reply Parent Thread Link i never did like her much Reply Thread Link When I see who the 'good Christians' are, I am glad that I am a heathen. Reply Thread Link Some things dont need to be explained, Clarissa. Reply Thread Link nnnnn Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link lmaooo Reply Parent Thread Link lol Reply Parent Thread Link 2019 comment of the year contender lol Reply Parent Thread Link is she bitter bc she's not living deliciously? Reply Thread Link Praise Be to Black Phillip. Reply Parent Thread Link My mom used to have pet goats and I keep trying to convince her to get a black one and name him Back Phillip. Reply Parent Thread Link YES DO IT Reply Parent Thread Link lol Reply Parent Thread Link Young Justice is making its return soon on the DC Universe app, and fans of the original series can learn a bit about what to expect from the new series right here!https://t.co/LQsfKR0j1T pic.twitter.com/ldBFvcaUhM IGN (@IGN) January 5, 2019 The wait was worth it! 'Young Justice: Outsiders' debuts with 100% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes!https://t.co/Y3GM7W1fFS pic.twitter.com/MEV4YJPAG8 Comicbook.com (@ComicBook) January 5, 2019 Batman Quits The Justice League In Young Justice: Outsiders https://t.co/MLvGXnM7wD pic.twitter.com/CztaIUNVG9 Heroic Hollywood (@heroichollywood) January 5, 2019 -When it came to YJs possible comeback showrunners Greg Weisman, Brandon Vietti, and lead character designer Phil Bourassa all had different thoughts on the matter.-Vietti was very pessimistic that the show would return after 6 years being off air while Bourassa had full faith that they'd return to the show one day. Weisman was down the middle, he left DC/WB and was able to focus on other projects but was aware of how big the fandom was and wouldnt be surprised if they got to return to it one day.-Weisman found out 10 days before it was publicly announced that WB would bring the show back which lead to the long wait between announcing the shows comeback and it finally airing.-Now that they are not on Cartoon Network it gave them a greater sense of freedom as they were no longer beholden to broadcast standards or network standards but they wanted to make sure that the freedom didnt make them jump the shark.-One of the best things about being on a streaming service is that they are allowed to have varying degrees of episode run times. While they wont be an hour or 2 hrs they are able to vary between 22mins-25mins if need be.-Season 3 will primarily focus on The Outsiders which include Nightwing, Superboy, Tigress, Black Lightning, Geoforce, and Halo. The Outsiders are inspired by Mike Barr and artist Jim Aparo comic run on Batman and the Outsiders.-Apokolips and the Fourth World will be featured in S3.-The third season of YJ has premiered to a 100% Rotten Tomato score! with 6 critic reviews and 49 audience reviews. -YJ:O started off with a bang where do to new policies placed on the JL, certain members up and quit leaving the YJ universe divided.-Batman leads some of the heroes to up and quit and takes their side kicks along with them. Batwoman, Plastic Man, Katana, Green Arrow all follow suit at the surprise of Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Black Canary. Source: 1 (Bloomberg) -- Chinas desire to dominate new wireless technology poses a global threat that should be thwarted by a new, secure network, according to a former Trump administration official whose call for an enlarged U.S. government role caused an uproar last year. China will gain a capability for mayhem and mass surveillance if it dominates advanced 5G networks that link billions of devices, retired Air Force Brigadier General Robert Spalding said in a memo that was obtained by Bloomberg News. The more connected we are, and 5G will make us the most connected by far, the more vulnerable we become, Spalding, who left the National Security Council last year, said in the memo. Spalding, who is now retired, confirmed in an interview Friday his authorship of the memo. He said he wrote it in recent days, and had circulated it to national security professionals whom he declined to identify. A plan he backed last year aroused protests from Republican regulators and lawmakers and wireless companies who said it diminished the role of private companies. The Trump administration is in tense trade talks with China and has taken steps to restrict its top telecommunications equipment maker, Huawei Technologies Co. The companys chief financial officer was arrested in December on charges of violating sanctions against Iran. U.S. government officials and industry executives have long harbored suspicions that Huawei works for Chinese government interests. Huawei has pushed back against the accusations, with a top executive citing groundless speculation. The administration of President Donald Trump and the U.S. wireless industry have embraced the notion of a race to 5G, with the main rival being China. Trump in October ordered a national spectrum policy to ensure the U.S. maintains leadership in advanced wireless communications. Commercial providers are working to develop 5G networks that provide faster links than the current fourth-generation wireless service. The idea is that dramatically higher speeds -- 10 or even 100 times faster than current service -- will eventually help support self-driving cars, smart appliances and even surgical robots. Story continues Spalding in his memo paints a future headed toward domination by China. Eventually, alternatives to its network technology wont exist, because other suppliers wont be able to compete with government-subsidized offerings from Huawei and fellow Chinese gear maker ZTE Corp., Spalding said. Once China controls the market for internet-connected devices, it will be able to weaponize cities, Spalding said in the memo: Think of self-driving cars that suddenly mow down unsuspecting pedestrians. Think of drones that fly into the intakes of airliners. Spalding proposed a network to be built in three years using technology to monitor network devices and isolate them from the adversary if they become infected. The network would rely on encryption and a secure supply chain, according to Spalding. His recommendations include push Huawei and ZTE out of other democracies. Spalding didnt lay out a government role in the new network, which he said could be built by a company with access to enough airwaves. In the interview he said the new proposal was little changed from last years, which he said likewise didnt call for the government to build the network. A year ago, U.S. regulators and the wireless industry pushed back against Spaldings plan after it was leaked to the press, with critics saying network construction should come through private efforts. At the time a U.S. official told Bloomberg News unresolved questions included what portion of the project would be taxpayer funded, and whether it would be owned by the government, a private consortium or some combination of public and private entities. Direct participation by the federal government in building a wireless network intended for commercial use would be a departure from the decades-long tradition of auctioning licenses to telecommunications companies to build their own networks. To contact the reporter on this story: Todd Shields in Washington at tshields3@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jon Morgan at jmorgan97@bloomberg.net, Joe Sobczyk For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. In 1998 Simon G. Caffyn was appointed CEO of Caffyns plc (LON:CFYN). This analysis aims first to contrast CEO compensation with other companies that have similar market capitalization. Then well look at a snap shot of the business growth. Third, well reflect on the total return to shareholders over three years, as a second measure of business performance. This method should give us information to assess how appropriately the company pays the CEO. See our latest analysis for Caffyns How Does Simon G. Caffyns Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies? At the time of writing our data says that Caffyns plc has a market cap of UK10m, and is paying total annual CEO compensation of UK302k. (This number is for the twelve months until 2018). While we always look at total compensation first, we note that the salary component is less, at UK278k. We looked at a group of companies with market capitalizations under UK157m, and the median CEO compensation was UK247k. That means Simon G. Caffyn receives fairly typical remuneration for the CEO of a company that size. This doesnt tell us a whole lot on its own, but looking at the performance of the actual business will give us useful context. You can see a visual representation of the CEO compensation at Caffyns, below. LSE:CFYN CEO Compensation January 6th 19 Is Caffyns plc Growing? Caffyns plc has reduced its earnings per share by an average of 75% a year, over the last three years. The trailing twelve months of revenue was pretty much the same as the prior period. Unfortunately, earnings per share have trended lower over the last three years. And the flat revenue is seriously uninspiring. These factors suggest that the business performance wouldnt really justify a high pay packet for the CEO. Although we dont have analyst forecasts, you could get a better understanding of its growth by checking out this more detailed historical graph of earnings, revenue and cash flow. Has Caffyns plc Been A Good Investment? Story continues With a three year total loss of 21%, Caffyns plc would certainly have some dissatisfied shareholders. It therefore might be upsetting for shareholders if the CEO were paid generously. In Summary Simon G. Caffyn is paid around the same as most CEOs of similar size companies. Returns have been disappointing and the company is not growing its earnings per share. Few would argue that its wise for the company to pay any more, before returns improve. Whatever your view on compensation, you might want to check if insiders are buying or selling Caffyns shares (free trial). Or you might rather take a peek at this analytical visualization of historic cash flow, earnings and revenue. To help readers see past the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements. The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. For errors that warrant correction please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. WASHINGTON, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Showing signs of compromise, the White House signaled on Sunday that talks to reopen the federal government could produce a deal in which President Donald Trump moves away from his demand that a proposed barrier along the southern border be a concrete wall. The possible concession, which comes days after Trump had floated a barrier of steel instead of a concrete wall, came even as a top official warned that the shutdown, now in its third week, could "drag on a lot longer." Trump, speaking to reporters outside the White House on Sunday, repeated his threat that if he is unhappy with negotiations in a few days, he could declare a national emergency and use the military to construct a wall, circumventing Congress. He also said he was willing to accept a steel barrier instead of a concrete wall. Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, said in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press" program that agreeing to a steel separation would allow Democrats to stick to their refusal to fund a wall. "That should help us move in the right direction," said Mulvaney, who is also the head of the Office of Management and Budget. Democrats have signaled they could accept a deal that precluded a concrete wall but provided funding for a steel barrier. But they would likely demand other concessions, like protections for immigrants brought to the United States as children, otherwise known as Dreamers, or changes to other spending provisions. Mulvaney said negotiations between his staff and congressional Democrats were bogged down in technical requests after the two sides met on Saturday morning. "I think this is going to drag on a lot longer. I think that's by intention," said Mulvaney, who is serving as the top White House aide in an acting capacity. Large chunks of the federal government were shut down on Dec. 22 after lawmakers and the president hit an impasse over Trump's demands to build a wall. About 800,000 government workers are either furloughed or working without pay. Story continues Trump is demanding that any funding to keep the federal government operational also include $5.6 billion to begin building a $23 billion a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. Trump said on Sunday that he should not have to lower his demand for $5.6 billion in border security funding. Mulvaney said on CNN's "State of the Union" program broadcast on Sunday that the latest round of negotiations held Saturday was "disappointing." "We're asking for $5.6 billion. They're offering us zero," Mulvaney said. Related: President Trump's border wall prototypes: This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Democratic Senator Doug Jones, appearing on the same program, said the White House has not presented a plan to use the money. "I think that we have to talk about border security. We haven't seen a plan to talk about border security," Jones said. "Im not going to give wall money just to give wall money. I'd like to see a plan for how that money is going to be spent." Democrats, who took control of the House of Representatives last week, passed a bill to reopen the government without providing additional funding for the wall, and have insisted that reopening the government should not be contingent upon wall construction funds. House Democrats plan to pass a series of bills this week to reopen government, breaking up the legislation they have already approved in a bid to get Republicans to agree to reopen parts of the government, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said on "Meet the Press." "We need to open up government and then negotiate. Not the other way around," Hoyer said. (Reporting by Ginger Gibson and Jeff Mason; Additional reportering by Amanda Becker; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Jeffrey Benkoe) A Saturday meeting at the White House regarding the partial government shutdown ended in a standstill with the White House refusing to back off its $5.7 billion request to fund a border wall. Vice President Mike Pence led the negotiations with top White House officials and congressional aides to re-open the government as the shutdown heads into its third week. There, Democratic sources familiar with the meeting said that the administration doubled down on its proposal, which initiated the shutdown on Dec. 22. Democratic staff repeatedly urged the Trump Administration and Republicans to reopen the government but were rejected, one source relayed to TIME. Sources said Democratic staff warned the administration that it will grow increasingly hard to negotiate while the government remains closed. A Democratic aide familiar with the meeting said that Democrats also requested a formal budget justification to get clarity on the administrations actual demand, after varying requests have been made. The White House has been all over the place on numbers for months, one source said. Today was an opportunity for the Administration to come down from an untenable position that cannot pass the Congress. That did not happen. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi put out a statement on Saturday afternoon, which claimed Democrats would take up immediate action to open up the government in the House. Next week, House Democrats will begin passing individual appropriations bills to re-open all government agencies, starting with the appropriations bill that covers the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service, Pelosis statement read. This action is necessary so that the American people can receive their tax refunds on schedule. The certainty of the tax returns of hard-working families should no longer be held hostage to the Presidents reckless demands. This bill will then go to the Senate where it has already been passed with overwhelmingly bipartisan support. The senseless uncertainty and chaos of the Trump Shutdown must end, now. Story continues President Trump verified the lack of progress with a tweet on Saturday, saying there wasnt much headway made today. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The White House plans to continue discussions tomorrow. Alana Abramson contributed reporting to this story. Caracas (AFP) - Venezuela's opposition-controlled National Assembly declared Nicolas Maduro's presidency illegitimate Saturday, calling on the military to support efforts to "restore democracy." "We reaffirm the illegitimacy of Nicolas Maduro," the assembly's new president Juan Guaido said as he was sworn in at the start of a new legislative session. "As of January 10, he will be usurping the presidency and consequently this National Assembly is the only legitimate representative of the people." Maduro is set to be sworn in on Thursday for a second six-year term after holding controversial early elections May 20. The elections were boycotted by most of the opposition and widely condemned by the international community. On Friday, foreign ministers from 12 Latin American countries and Canada announced in Lima that their governments would not recognize Maduro as president if he attempts to remain in office and urged him to turn over power to the National Assembly. Guaido, in a speech attended by lawmakers and members of the diplomatic corps, declared that the military's chain of command had been "broken or usurped," but called on the armed forces to support efforts "to restore democracy." He committed to "generate conditions for a government of transition and to call free elections." Caracas (AFP) - Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro defended his government's legitimacy Sunday as his bid for a second six-year term has come under growing fire internationally and by the country's opposition-controlled National Assembly. But in another sign of turmoil around Maduro, who is to be sworn in Thursday, a Supreme Court judge and former ally appeared on US television to denounce last year's election, having fled the country. "I have decided to leave Venezuela ... to disavow the government of Nicolas Maduro," Christian Zerpa, who sat on a panel that deals with electoral issues, told EVTV Miami. "It was not a free election, it was not a competitive election," he said of last year's vote, going on to accuse Maduro of manipulating the court. News of the Zerpa's defection came a day after the opposition-controlled National Assembly declared Maduro's presidency to be illegitimate and called for a transitional government to organize democratic elections. Responding on Twitter, Maduro declared: "Legitimacy has been given us by the people with their vote. To those who hope to break our will, make no mistake. Venezuela will be respected!" Maduro was re-elected May 20 in presidential elections called by a regime-backed Constituent Assembly and boycotted by the opposition, many of whose best-known leaders were under house arrest or barred from running. The United States, the European Union and a grouping of countries from the Western Hemisphere called the Lima Group have refused to recognize the election. On Friday, Canada and 12 other Lima Group countries joined in calling for Maduro to step down and open the way for a transitional government formed by leaders of the National Assembly. The US State Department issued a statement Saturday saying the United States stands with the National Assembly as "the only legitimate and last remaining democratically elected institution that truly represents the will of the Venezuelan people." Story continues On Sunday, the Venezuelan foreign ministry accused Washington of attempting "to consummate a coup d'etat ... in promoting the repudiation of legitimate and democratic institutions." - Harassment allegations - The Supreme Court, meanwhile, said it has opened an investigation into Zerpa, over allegations he sexually harassed women who worked in his office. The Supreme Court said the investigation dates back to November 2018, but it was only made public after the reports that the justice had fled to Florida. Venezuelan journalists based in the US linked the defection to Maduro's controversial attempt to remain in office for another six years. Journalist Carla Angola, who said she interviewed Zerpa, reported he was in Florida and was prepared to cooperate with US prosecutors investigating Venezuelan corruption and human rights violations. Supreme Court president Maikel Moreno charged that Zerpa was the subject of numerous allegations of "indecorous and immoral conduct to the detriment of a group of women." The Supreme Court statement said he was being investigated for "sexual harassment, lascivious acts and psychological violence" against women in his office. Moreno denied that the case exposes divisions within the court, which has acted consistently in line with the government. "Far from separating us, it unites us," he said. Zerpa was a member of the ruling United Socialist Party (PSUV) and was appointed to the high court in 2015 just days before the opposition assumed the majority in the National Assembly. He was among a group of Venezuelan officials hit with financial sanctions by Canada, as it moved to put pressure on the Maduro government. Jerusalem (AFP) - US President Donald Trump's national security adviser said Sunday during a visit to Israel that the American withdrawal from Syria must be done with the defence of allies "assured". "We're going to be discussing the president's decision to withdraw, but to do so from northeast Syria in a way that makes sure that ISIS is defeated and is not able to revive itself and become a threat again," John Bolton said when meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. "And to make sure that the defence of Israel and our other friends in the region is absolutely assured, and to take care of those who have fought with us against ISIS and other terrorist groups." Trump's announcement on December 19 that the US would immediately withdraw its troops from Syria led to concerns among allies, and he has since spoken of "slowly" sending troops home "over a period of time". Israel is especially worried over whether it will allow its main enemy Iran to expand its presence in the neighbouring country. Bolton told journalists travelling with him earlier in the day that conditions such as guarantees on the safety of Kurdish allies must be met before American troops are withdrawn from Syria, NBC News reported. Bolton also said all 2,000 US forces may not be withdrawn, according to the report. He said the withdrawal would take place in northeastern Syria, while some forces could remain to the south at the al-Tanf garrison as part of efforts to counter Iran's presence. WASHINGTON (AP) An American airstrike earlier this week targeted an al-Qaida operative accused of involvement in the attack nearly two decades ago on the USS Cole that killed 17 sailors, a U.S. military spokesman said Friday. The man targeted, Jamal al-Badawi, is wanted in the United States for his role in the Cole attack on Oct. 12, 2000. He was indicted by a U.S. grand jury in 2003 and charged with 50 counts of various terrorism offenses, including murder of U.S. nationals and murder of U.S. military personnel. "U.S. forces are still assessing the results of the strike following a deliberate process to confirm his death," the spokesman for U.S. Central Command, Navy Capt. William Urban, said. Urban said the airstrike was conducted Jan. 1 in the governate of Marib, which is east of Sanaa, the Yemeni capital. The Cole, a guide-missile destroyer, was attacked by suicide bombers in an explosives-laden boat while refueling at the Yemeni port of Aden. The stunning assault, which also wounded 39 aboard the ship, foreshadowed the more deadly attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 that launched the U.S. on wars in the Middle East that are still underway, including in Afghanistan. Nepal begins talks to make banned Indian notes legal The Nepal government has initiated talks with India to make Indian bank notes of denominations higher than INR100 legal tender in the country after banning the use of such notes in the country. Election officials tape the voter's registrations list to the wall of the Les Anges primary school in Kinshasa, Congo, as voters start to check their names, Sunday Dec. 30, 2018. - AP The United States has deployed troops to Central Africa amid rising fears of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo as the country prepares to declare the result of last weeks presidential election. Donald Trump confirmed he was forward-deploying "appropriate combat equipment" and some 80 soldiers to neighbouring Gabon to be on standby to protect US citizens and diplomatic missions. The DR Congo voted on November 30 in a long-delayed election to replace President Joseph Kabila who has ruled the vast, conflict-ridden country for almost 18 years. The contest pitted Mr Kabila's handpicked successor Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary against two opposition candidates: veteran heavyweight Felix Tshisekedi and newcomer Martin Fayulu. Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, Former Congolese Interior Minister and presidential candidate Credit: Reuters Although election day itself was relatively peaceful, tensions have mounted over the lengthy counting process, with many fearing the result could be manipulated in Shadary's favour and with any delay likely to further exacerbate the situation. The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) had said it would release preliminary results today, followed by a definitive count on January 15, but by last Thursday only 20 per cent of result has been collected, raising fears of delays. The last two elections in 2006 and 2011, both of which were won by Kabila, were marred by bloodshed, and many fear a repeat of the violence if the results are put in doubt. With international concerns growing over the transfer of power in sub-Saharan Africa's largest nation of 80 million people, Western powers have upped pressure on Kinshasa to ensure the vote count is accurate and transparent. Martin Fayulu, Congolese joint opposition presidential candidate Credit: Reuters "The Democratic Republic of Congo is at a historic moment toward a democratic transition," the European Union said, urging the authorities "to ensure the upcoming results conform with the Congolese people's vote". Washington has also urged Kinshasa to release "accurate" results and warned of sanctions against anyone seeking to "undermine the democratic process" in the former Belgian colony. Story continues The African Union, which deployed an 80-member team to monitor the vote, also said that respect for voters' wishes was "crucial". Although the UN Security Council met late on Friday to discuss the election, it did not issue a concluding statement. It will hold another meeting on the issue on Tuesday. The DR Congo's powerful Catholic Church, which deployed more than 40,000 observers to monitor the elections, on Thursday said it knew who had won the vote urging the electoral commission to publish the results "in keeping with truth and justice". But the ruling coalition, the FCC, angrily rebuffed the church's statement, accusing CENCO of "seriously breaching" the constitution and electoral law by "illegally declaring voting trends" in favour of a given candidate. United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The UN Security Council met behind closed doors on Friday to discuss the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo as world powers awaited results. France requested the meeting as the European Union and the African Union urged DR Congo authorities to respect the outcome of the December 30 vote. Election results were initially scheduled to be released on Sunday but could be delayed. During a nearly two-hour meeting, the council failed to agree on a press statement on the elections. Several countries including African nations said such a move was premature, diplomats said. French Ambassador Francois Delattre said following the meeting that "the consolidation of the results must continue with transparency" and that the results to be announced "must be consistent with the vote of the Congolese people." The council will hold a public meeting on Tuesday to again discuss the elections. Western powers hope sub-Saharan Africa's biggest country will see its first peaceful change of the presidency since independence in 1960. President Joseph Kabila, in power since 2001, did not run in the elections. A total of 21 candidates including Kabila's handpicked successor, former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, are vying for the presidency. The DR Congo's influential Catholic Church, which had deployed thousands of election observers, declared on Thursday that it knew who had won from its own monitoring. The National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) urged election authorities to publish results "in keeping with truth and justice." South African Ambassador Jerry Matjila told reporters ahead of the meeting that the world must "be very, very patient" while vote-counting is underway. Matjila, whose country is a leading member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) that includes the DR Congo, appeared to downplay CENCO's statement. Story continues "The NGO can say what they say," but South Africa "will wait... for those responsible for the elections to announce" the result, he said. On Thursday, the United States called on the DR Congo to release "accurate" results and warned of sanctions against election violators. Council members heard a report from Leila Zerrougui, who heads the UN mission in DR Congo, during the closed-door meeting. By Lesley Wroughton and Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has no timeline to withdraw troops from Syria but does not plan to stay indefinitely, a senior State Department official said on Friday, a strong signal that forces could stay until the fight against Islamic State militants ends. U.S.-backed forces are still retaking territory from Islamic State in Syria, Pentagon officials said on Friday, two weeks after Washington said it would withdraw its roughly 2,000 troops there. At the time, President Donald Trump said the troops had succeeded in their mission and were no longer needed there. The administration's abrupt announcement last month, which took officials in Washington and allies by surprise, contributed to Jim Mattis' decision to resign as U.S. defense secretary and prompted concern that Islamic State could stage a comeback. The State Department official, briefing reporters before a visit to the Middle East next week by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, appeared to be seeking to allay that concern. "We have no timeline for our military forces to withdraw from Syria," said the official, who asked not to be identified. "It will be done in such a way that we and our allies and partners maintain pressure on ISIS throughout and we do not open up any vacuums for terrorists." The United States did not intend to have an indefinite military presence in Syria, the official added. U.S. officials have told Reuters a withdrawal could take several months, potentially giving time for U.S.-backed forces to deal parting blows to the militant group that once held broad swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria. But a senior administration official traveling with White House national security adviser John Bolton on a trip to the Middle East said Trump had received assurances from his military commanders that their mission "can be done in weeks." Trump said on Wednesday the United States would get out of Syria slowly "over a period of time" and would protect U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters in the country as Washington draws down troops. "Bolton will travel to Israel and Turkey to discuss the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria, and how the U.S. will work with allies and partners to prevent the resurgence of ISIS, stand fast with those who fought with us against ISIS, and counter Iranian malign behavior in the region," Garrett Marquis, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said. Marquis said Bolton would be joined in Turkey by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford and U.S. special Syria envoy James Jeffrey. Separately, the State Department said Jeffrey would be taking on the additional role of the special envoy for the coalition to defeat Islamic State. Jeffrey will be involved in negotiations on a political process and also assumes the diplomatic role of coordinating with allies and partners on the fight against Islamic State. Brett McGurk, the previous special envoy for the global coalition to defeat Islamic State, quit last month over Trump's decision to pull U.S. troops out of Syria. 'FINAL BLOWS' The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which include Kurdish fighters, captured the Syrian town of Kashmah on Jan. 2 after retaking the town of Hajin on Dec. 25, Pentagon spokesman Navy Commander Sean Robertson told Reuters. The capture came the same day that Trump stated during a cabinet meeting his strong desire to gradually withdraw from Syria, calling it a place of "sand and death." Trump also said it was up to other countries to fight Islamic State, including Russia and Iran, adding that Islamic State was down to its last remaining bits of territory in Syria. "We're hitting the hell out of them, the ISIS people," Trump said, using an acronym to refer to Islamic State, adding, "We're down to final blows." Separately on Friday, the U.S.-led coalition said it carried out 469 strikes in Syria between Dec. 16 and Dec. 29 that destroyed nearly 300 fighting positions, more than 150 staging areas, and a number of supply routes, oil lubricant storage facilities and equipment. Islamic State retains control of just a "sprinkle of villages" near the Euphrates river, said Aaron Stein, the Middle East program director at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. "(ISIS) will simply revert to a diffused rural insurgency where it could use just the tyranny of space - the desert is very big - to sort of hide out and be able to launch raiding attacks," he added. The Pentagon spokesman said coalition forces, which Washington coordinates, were continuing to assist the SDF with close air support and artillery strikes in the Middle Euphrates River Valley. "We will continue to work with the coalition and regional partners toward an enduring defeat of ISIS," Robertson said. He called the capture of Hajin significant. "This was a milestone, since it was among the largest of the last remaining ISIS strongholds in the Middle Euphrates River Valley."Islamic State declared its "caliphate" in 2014 after seizing large swathes of Syria and Iraq. The hardline Islamist group established its de facto capital in the Syrian city of Raqqa, using it as a base to plot attacks in Europe. Much of the U.S. campaign in Syria has been waged by warplanes flying out of Qatar and other locations in the Middle East. (Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed and Steve Holland in Washington; Writing by Idrees Ali; Editing by Mary Milliken, Frances Kerry and Daniel Wallis) Image purportedly of the SAS operating in Syria, sometime in 2016 - BBC Two British Special Forces soldiers have been seriously hurt after a missile attack by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) in Syria. The attack was believed to have happened on Saturday morning near Deir Ezzor in the east of the country. A Kurdish soldier fighting alongside the British forces was killed in the missile strike and five other British troops were injured. The most serious casualty, understood by the Telegraph to be from Britains elite 22 SAS Regiment, based in Hereford, is thought to have been hit in the throat with shrapnel. British Special Forces are believed to be operating in the east of Syria alongside American troops and Kurdish fighters of the Peoples Defence Unit (YPG), a mainly Kurdish militia fighting in Syria. Kamiran Sadoun, a Syrian Kurdish journalist working for the Telegraph, spoke to injured fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) at a makeshift hospital at the al-Omar oil field in the evening of Saturday 5. "I was in the hospital when they brought three injured SDF fighters, he said. One was heavily injured and one of them was injured lightly and one of them was killed. "We asked them what happened. One said they were patrolling with the British, there were around 5-7 of them when the Isil thermal rocket - a guided missile - hit. Two or three of the British were heavily injured but all 5-7 of them were lightly injured." The attack occurred as allies and fighters in the region consider the impact of President Trumps decision to withdraw US forces from the country. On December 19 Mr Trump stated that Isil had been defeated in Syria and that troops would be coming home "now". However, on Sunday John Bolton, the US National Security Adviser, confirmed reports that the withdrawal would be slower than the President suggested. He said Mr Trump was committed to defeating the remnants of Isil and wants the caliphate destroyed. He also stated that the US withdrawal is conditional on Turkey agreeing not to target Americas Kurdish allies. Story continues Turkey must meet the Presidents requirement that the Syrian opposition forces that have fought with us are not endangered, he said during a visit to Israel and Turkey. Also speaking on Sunday, Mr Trump denied the apparent volte-face: "We're going to be removing our troops. I never said we were doing it that quickly," he said. Emile Hokayem, Senior Research Fellow for Middle East Security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said Isil would be emboldened by news of an American withdrawal, describing President Trumps new Syria policy as messy. One can debate the merits and wisdom of the long-term US presence in north-east Syria," he said, "but certainly the way it was announced and the chaos that followed - with the resignation of [Defence Secretary James] Mattis and [Syria Special Envoy Brett] McGurk - really played to the advantage of the adversaries of the US and the West. The US has become overly ambitious [in recent years]. The presence in eastern Syria was supposed to check and kick out Iran [and] it was supposed to ensure the enduring defeat of Isil. Benjamin Netanyahu greets US National Security Adviser John Bolton in Jerusalem on Sunday Credit: Getty Images Europe The goals kept growing and there was a massive mismatch between the risk appetite of the Pentagon and the resources applied. US policy has been bankrupt for many years, starting under Obama. The US was always going to face this kind of dilemma, this is not a purely Trump administration crisis. The key problem was how this was announced, how it countered all the statements of senior US officials. Trump makes things worse, but he didnt create those dilemmas. A security source told the Telegraph the attack on British and Kurdish forces shows that the war against Isil in Syria and Iraq is not over. The enemy is still there and still active. Isil are not entirely defeated, the source said. Although Britain operates in some parts of the world without US partners it is inconceivable British forces would continue to operate in Syria following a US withdrawal. US army vehicles supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces in Hajin, in the Deir Ezzor province, eastern Syria, December 15, 2018. Credit: DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP The Telegraph understands that the tempo of operations has not diminished since Mr Trumps decision and that US forces have not yet started disengaging from the region. The logistics of any withdrawal are likely to be hampered until the spring by bad weather. According to government statistics, RAF fighter jets and drones conducted 46 strikes against Isil targets in Syria in the first two weeks of December. The airstrikes helped expel Isil forces from the strategically important area of Hajin, near the Iraq border, described by the Ministry of Defence as the terrorists last significant territory. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, using an Arabic name for Isil, said: The advance through Hajin is a huge milestone and shows that Daesh are being pushed further back into the shadows. Make no mistake though, although this is another significant battle won, much hard work still lies ahead to ensure we win the war. Two British special forces soldiers have been seriously injured in a missile attack by the Islamic State terror group in Syria (Picture: AP Photo, File) Two British special forces soldiers have been seriously injured in Syria in a missile attack by Islamic State (IS). The soldiers were reportedly airlifted for medical treatment by US forces after the incident, which it is believed happened on Saturday morning. Kurdish news outlet Rudaw reported that the British soldiers were hurt in an attack on a Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) base in the town of Deir al-Zour, which also left a Kurdish fighter dead. An SDF official told Rudaw: Due to a smart missile attack by Isis (another term for IS), a fighter of the YPG (Kurdish militia) was killed and another wounded, in addition to two British soldiers. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: We do not comment on special forces. The UK has formed part of a US-led coalition carrying out air strikes against IS in Syria. In December, Donald Trump announced that he was withdrawing US troops from Syria, where he claimed IS had been defeated. MORE: Detectives given more time to question suspects over train stabbing of devoted family man Lee Pomeroy MORE: Number of monkeys with strain of herpes deadly to humans set to double in Florida The US President said: We have defeated Isis in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency. The move prompted the resignations of US defence secretary Jim Mattis and top US official Brett McGurk, as analysts and military experts said the threat posed by IS still remains. British special forces are believed to be on the ground in Syria, although the Government never comments on their deployment. W. James Antle III Domestic Politics, United States For now, the political consequences of this stalemate are minor, especially with the next election so far away. But pressure is growing for a solution. Can Trump Win the Shutdown Battle? The longest federal government shutdown on record lasted twenty-one days. Theres talk of this one lasting months or even years. That almost certainly wont happenthe current partial shutdown would go from annoying headline to political crisis long before thenbut its a sign we are in uncharted territory. President Donald Trump sounded an optimistic note at the White House following a meeting with congressional leaders, but Democrats dont see it that way. Democrats still have the votes to mount a filibuster in the Senate and now control the House. This impasse began while Republicans ran both sides of Pennsylvania Avenue. The conventional wisdom is that Republicans always lose on government shutdowns no matter the circumstances. The media is hostile and neither federal workers nor the major constituencies for non-defense spending are in the GOPs corner. But Trump won on an immigration-related government shutdown last year, as key Senate Democrats caved rather than continue holding up funding federal operations over the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program President Barack Obama unilaterally created and Trump rescinded. An important difference is that on the DACA fight, it was Democrats who were keeping parts of the federal government from being funded over an unrelated issue. That has traditionally been a losing position from which to wage these public relations battles. There were also red-state Democrats up for reelection that year who couldnt afford to have a shutdown connected to illegal immigrants on their resume, even if it was a sympathetic subset of illegal immigrants. Here the border wall is a quintessential Trump agenda item and he has been caught on camera saying he would shut down the government for as long as it takes to get it funded. That makes it difficult to blame the Democrats for what happens next, though the president and congressional Republicans will certainly try. And some of the decisive Democratic votes here wont be from Trump states, but from districts who sent Democrats to Congress precisely to counter Trump on these kinds of issues. Story continues Trumps shutdown messaging is also confusing. He insists he can start building the wall on his own without Congress using a variety of means at his disposal, ranging from the seizure of private property through military eminent domain or by taking money from other government functions. (One report quotes Democrats as saying he threatened to raid the State Department budget.) But if he can do those things unilaterally, why does he need the Democrats to get on board? It seems to invalidate the argument for the shutdown, even leaving aside the whole question of whether Mexico would pay for it. Trump allies have been waiting for the president to give a major televised speech laying out his vision for border security and why building the wall is so important, amping up pressure on the Democrats in the process. So far, nothing like that seems to be in the works. Trumps shifting parameters for a deal, always a major problem in legislative negotiations with this White House, have confused Democrats and Republicans alike. After spending the first two years of his presidency investing political capital in other peoples priorities, give or take a trade war or several, whether it was the Republican congressional leadership or his own national security staff, the president now seems to want some of the distinctly Trumpian promises to his base fulfilled. That includes winding down wars he opposed or criticized during the campaign and building the wall. Some Democrats, including newly minted presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, may agree with Trump on the former. But they have little incentive to give in on the latter. Blue Dogs are an endangered species and for the first time in history the Democrats have a House majority with no meaningful Southern conservative wing. Still, there is a small glimmer of hope in the wall versus fence semantics on Capitol Hill. Democrats dont want to look totally unserious on border security. They are willing to spend money on new technologies at the border, including enhanced fencing. Whats the difference? "Well, we will have to see what the particulars are as it relates to justification for enhanced additional fencing along a 2,000-mile border," Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) told CNN before becoming the Democratic caucus chair. "But in terms of a political promise that Donald Trump made during the campaign and is trying to now extract from the American taxpayers, that's completely unreasonable." That doesnt sound like much. Of course, even if the wall/fence circle could be squared there would still have to be an agreement over money. Trump is looking for $5 billion while Democrats want to spend something closer to $1.3 billion on border security items including, but not limited to, fences. For now, the political consequences of this stalemate are minor, especially with the next election so far away. But if this really does stretch into months, or maybe even a month, and we see federal work stoppages, pressure will mount for a solution. W. James Antle III is editor of The American Conservative. Image: Reuters. Read full article By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that trade talks with China were going very well and that weakness in the Chinese economy gave Beijing a reason to work toward a deal. U.S. officials are meeting with their counterparts in Beijing this week for the first face-to-face talks since Trump and China's President Xi Jinping in December agreed to a 90-day truce in a trade war that has roiled international markets. Trump imposed import tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese goods to pressure Beijing to change its practices on issues ranging from industrial subsidies to hacking. China retaliated with tariffs of its own. Trump said the U.S. tariffs had hurt China. "I think China wants to get it resolved. Their economy's not doing well," Trump told reporters at the White House before boarding the Marine One presidential helicopter. "I think that gives them a great incentive to negotiate." Beijing on Friday cut bank reserve requirements amid slowing growth at home and pressure from the U.S. tariffs. Asked what he expected to come out of this week's talks in Beijing, Trump sounded a positive note. "The China talks are going very well," he said. "I really believe they want to make a deal." (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) WASHINGTON, Jan 6 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he was in no hurry to find permanent replacements for one-quarter of his Cabinet currently serving in an acting capacity because it gives him "more flexibility." "I am in no hurry," Trump told reporters as he departed for Camp David, the U.S. presidential retreat, for meetings on the partial government shutdown. About one-fourth of the U.S. government has been shuttered for more than two weeks and about 800,000 government workers have been either furloughed or working without pay. "I like acting. It gives me more flexibility. Do you understand that? I like acting. So we have a few that are acting. We have a great, great Cabinet," Trump said. He did not elaborate on why they give him more flexibility. There are 24 Cabinet-level positions and six are currently filled by individuals who are serving in an acting capacity after the departure of members confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Other than the White House chief of staff and the vice president, Cabinet-level officials require confirmation by the Senate. Federal law allows presidents to temporarily fill vacancies by appointing acting department heads who are already employees there. Related: President Trump and Republicans attend retreat at Camp David: This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Trump said last month he was in no hurry to name a new defense secretary after Jim Mattis quit over policy differences, and he has praised the acting secretary, Patrick Shanahan. David Bernhardt is acting secretary of the Interior Department while Matthew Whitaker is acting attorney general. Andrew Wheeler is acting head of the Environmental Protection Agency while Mick Mulvaney is the acting White House chief of staff. Jonathan Cohen is acting ambassador to the United Nations. In the first two years of Trump's presidency, there has been a 65 percent turnover rate among senior-level advisers, according to the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank. (Reporting by Amanda Becker; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) Learning unleashed Realising the potential of technologyespecially in the classroomis of vital importance WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump and Democratic leaders failed to strike a deal on Friday to end a partial shutdown of the U.S. government as they fought over Trump's request for $5 billion to fund his signature wall on the border with Mexico, lawmakers said. Trump described a meeting at the White House over the shutdown as productive but Nancy Pelosi, the newly elected speaker of the House of Representatives after the Democrats took control of the chamber on Thursday, said it was sometimes contentious. "We told the president we needed the government open," Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters after the meeting in the White House Situation Room. "He resisted. In fact, he said he'd keep the government closed for a very long period of time, months or even years." Trump, speaking to reporters after the Democrats, confirmed he was prepared for the shutdown to last for months or years but hoped it can reopen in a few days. About 800,000 federal workers have been unpaid due to the closure of about a quarter of the federal government for the past two weeks as Trump withholds his support for a bill that would fully fund the government until he secures the money for the wall. Trump says the wall is needed to stem the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs over the border. When he ran for president in 2016, Trump frequently promised to build the wall and vowed Mexico would pay for it, which it has refused to do. Pelosi said the two sides agreed to continue talking. "But we recognize on the Democratic side that we really cannot resolve this until we open up government and we made that very clear to the president," she said. Democrats took over the House this week after gains in last November's congressional elections. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees have either been furloughed or are working without pay because of the shutdown. It is showing signs of straining the country's immigration system and has been blamed for worsening backlogs in courts and complicating hiring for employers. (Reporting by Richard Cowan Additional reporting by Susan Heavey, Susan Cornwell and Lisa Lambert Writing by Alistair Bell Editing by Bill Trott) Jerusalem (AFP) - US President Donald Trump's national security adviser on Sunday set out conditions for the withdrawal of American troops from Syria, saying the defence of allies must first be assured. The comments by John Bolton during a visit to Israel signalled a far more gradual US withdrawal than initially set out by Trump, whose December 19 announcement concerned allies and led to the resignation of defence secretary Jim Mattis. Trump himself has more recently spoken of "slowly" sending troops home "over a period of time", and Bolton laid out some of the conditions required before it takes place. "We're going to be discussing the president's decision to withdraw, but to do so from northeast Syria in a way that makes sure that ISIS is defeated and is not able to revive itself and become a threat again," Bolton said when meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. "And to make sure that the defence of Israel and our other friends in the region is absolutely assured, and to take care of those who have fought with us against ISIS and other terrorist groups." Israel is especially worried over whether the withdrawal will allow its main enemy Iran to expand its presence in the neighbouring country. Netanyahu has pledged to continue to act against Iran in Syria. Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes in Syria against what it says are Iranian military targets and deliveries of advanced weapons to Hezbollah, a Shiite Lebanese militia backed by Tehran. Earlier in the day, Bolton told journalists travelling with him that conditions such as guarantees on the safety of Kurdish allies must be met before American troops are withdrawn, NBC News reported. Bolton also said all 2,000 US forces may not be pulled out, according to the report. He said the withdrawal would take place in northeastern Syria, while some forces could remain to the south at the al-Tanf garrison as part of efforts to counter Iran's presence. Story continues - 'Condition the withdrawal' - "There are objectives that we want to accomplish that condition the withdrawal," said Bolton, according to NBC. "Timetables or the timing of the withdrawal occurs as a result of the fulfilment of the conditions and the establishment of the circumstances that we want to see. And once that's done, then you talk about a timetable." Kurdish-led forces control a large swathe of Syria's north and northeast, some of it seized from the Islamic State group. Despite backing from the US-led coalition and success in pushing back IS, Kurdish-led forces have at times incurred heavy losses. A US withdrawal could leave them exposed to an attack by neighbouring Turkey -- where Bolton travels on Monday -- and its Syrian proxies. The Kurds have invited Damascus to send troops into some of the territory it controls, to act as a bulwark against pro-Turkish forces. Bolton's visit was part of a US effort to reassure allies after Trump's announcement. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who also met Netanyahu last week, leaves on Tuesday for an eight-day trip to Amman, Cairo, Manama, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh, Muscat, and Kuwait City. Netanyahu used Sunday's meeting to again push for the United States and other countries to recognise Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, the strategic plateau it seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed. He said he planned to take Bolton to visit the Golan before he leaves for Turkey on Monday if weather permits. "The Golan Heights is tremendously important for our security and I think that when you're there you'll be able to understand perfectly why we'll never leave the Golan Heights," Netanyahu said alongside Bolton. "And why it's important that all countries recognise Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. I've discussed this with the president." Jerusalem (AFP) - US President Donald Trump's national security adviser said Sunday that conditions such as guarantees on the safety of Kurdish allies must be met before American troops are withdrawn from Syria, NBC News said. John Bolton told journalists travelling with him on a trip to Israel that the United States wanted a guarantee from Turkey that Kurds in Syria would be protected, the US news outlet said. Trump's announcement on December 19 that the US would immediately withdraw its troops from Syria led to concerns among allies, and he has since spoken of "slowly" sending troops home "over a period of time". "There are objectives that we want to accomplish that condition the withdrawal," said Bolton, who travels to Turkey after Israel, according to NBC. "Timetables or the timing of the withdrawal occurs as a result of the fulfilment of the conditions and the establishment of the circumstances that we want to see. And once that's done, then you talk about a timetable." Kurdish-led forces control a large swathe of Syria's north and northeast, some of it seized from the Islamic State group. Despite backing from the US-led coalition and success in pushing back IS, Kurdish-led forces have at times incurred heavy losses. A US withdrawal could leave them exposed to an attack by neighbouring Turkey and its Syrian proxies. The Kurds have invited Damascus to send troops into some of the territory it controls, to act as a bulwark against pro-Turkish forces. Bolton also said Sunday all 2,000 US forces may not be withdrawn. He said the withdrawal would take place in northern Syria, while some forces could remain to the south at the al-Tanf garrison as part of efforts to counter Iran's presence. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is due to meet Bolton later Sunday, has pledged to continue to act against Iran -- the Jewish state's main enemy -- in Syria. Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes in Syria against what it says are Iranian military targets and deliveries of advanced weapons to Hezbollah, a Shiite Lebanese militia backed by Tehran. Story continues Both Hezbollah and Iran back President Bashar al-Assad's regime. At a meeting on Tuesday in Brazil, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the Israeli premier that the Syria pullout would not affect US support and protection of Israel. "Our position is clear," Netanyahu said on Sunday. "We continue at this time to act against the Iranian military buildup in Syria, and we are acting against anyone who undermines or tries to undermine Israel's security." BEIJING (AP) All systems are go as a Chinese spacecraft and rover power up their observation equipment after making a first-ever landing on the far side of the moon, the Chinese National Space Administration said. The Jade Rabbit 2 rover has succeeded in establishing a digital transmission link with a relay satellite that sends data back to the Beijing control center, the space agency said in a posting late Friday on its website. The rover's radar and panoramic camera have been activated and are working normally, it said. A photo released by the agency showed the rover stopped at a point not far from where the Chang'e 4 spacecraft touched down Thursday. TOKYO (AP) A 612-pound (278-kilogram) bluefin tuna sold for a record 333.6 million yen ($3 million) at the first auction of 2019, after Tokyo's famed Tsukiji market was moved to a new site on the city's waterfront. The winning bid for the prized but threatened species at the predawn auction Saturday was more than double the 2013 annual New Year auction. It was paid by Kiyomura Corp., whose owner, Kiyoshi Kimura, runs the Sushi Zanmai chain. Kimura has often won the annual auction in the past. Japanese broadcaster NHK showed a beaming Kimura saying that he was surprised by the high price of tuna this year. NEW DELHI (AP) Six schoolchildren and their bus driver were killed as the vehicle rolled down a gorge on a hilly road in northern India, police said. Another 12 children were hospitalized with injuries after the school bus skidded off the road in Himachal Pradesh state on Saturday, said police officer Rohit Malpani. Malpani said three students aged 5 to 14 and the driver died on the spot. Three students died later in a hospital. The cause of the accident is being investigated. Around 150,000 people die every year on India's roads, often because of reckless driving, badly maintained roads and vehicles overcrowded with passengers. BANGKOK (AP) Ferry services and airports reopened in southern Thailand on Saturday as a storm moved west into the Andaman Sea after causing disruption and leaving at least one person dead. Tropical Storm Pabuk barreled across the Gulf of Thailand on Friday but spared world famous beach resorts major damage. The storm damaged houses, knocked down power lines and triggered flash floods in several east coast provinces. On the island of Koh Samui, where the suspension of air and ferry services had trapped many visitors, lines were long Saturday for rides back to the mainland. The area's large fishing industry had to stand down, with ships ordered to stay in ports and small boats hauled ashore to keep them from being swept away. Story continues TOKYO (AP) Nissan Chief Performance Officer Jose Munoz, who oversaw the Japanese automaker's global strategies, is taking a leave of absence to work on "special tasks arising from recent events," the company said Saturday, referring to the arrest of former Chairman Carlos Ghosn. Nissan Motor Co. spokesman Nicholas Maxfield did not offer any other details. Munoz is among several executives media have speculated could be a possible successor to Ghosn. Ghosn, a revered figure in the global auto industry, led Nissan for two decades after being sent in by Renault in 1999 when Nissan was near bankruptcy. Renault owns 43 percent of Nissan. BEIJING (AP) American officials are due in Beijing Monday for talks aimed at easing the U.S.-China trade battle that threatens to hobble global economic growth. The talks are going ahead despite tension over the arrest of a Chinese tech executive in Canada on U.S. charges related to possible violations of trade sanctions on Iran. The two governments have expressed interest in a settlement but have given no indication that their stances have shifted. After several tit-for-tat tariff increases last year, Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed Dec. 1 to postpone further hikes. The two countries hope to have "positive and constructive discussions," said a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Lu Kang. TOKYO (AP) A Japanese legislator is drawing criticism for his comment that "a nation would collapse" if everyone became LGBT. Remarks by Katsuei Hirasawa, a veteran lawmaker of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, were carried on Nippon News Network's national broadcast Friday. Outrage has been popping up on social media. Hirasawa told a crowd in Yamanashi Prefecture in central Japan on Thursday: "Criticizing LGBT would create problems, but if everyone became like them then a nation would collapse." He also said he didn't understand moves in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward and other local areas to recognize same-sex marriage. Same-sex marriages are not recognized in Japan nationally. NEW DELHI (AP) An Indian court on Saturday declared tycoon Vijay Mallya a "fugitive economic offender," a ruling that empowers authorities to confiscate his properties and other assets. Judge M.S. Azmi's decision came less than a month after a British Court ruled that the 62-year-old Mallya should be extradited to India to face financial fraud allegations. Mallya remains free on bail in London and can appeal the ruling. Mallya, who left India in 2016, is accused of money laundering and cheating Indian banks out of hundreds of millions of dollars. He has denied wrongdoing. He was declared a fugitive economic offender under a new Indian law that applies to a person accused of financial fraud of over 1 billion rupees ($14.2 million) and who has fled India to avoid prosecution. BEIJING (AP) China has come a long way since the founding of its space program in 1956. Shortly after the former Soviet Union launched Sputnik, Chairman Mao Zedong declared that China too should have an artificial satellite to keep up with the great powers. Now, being recognized as a galactic pioneer is once again part of China's national ambitions. "The space dream is part of the dream to make China stronger," President Xi Jinping said shortly after taking office in 2013. While China still lags behind the United States, which has a much larger space exploration budget, it has come out ahead in at least one arena after becoming the first country to make a landing on the far side of the moon Thursday. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) North Korea's top diplomat to Italy, who South Korea's spy agency says has gone into hiding along with his wife, appears to be the latest member of the North's elite to abandon the secretive totalitarian state. Many of them have expressed frustration over what they described as an oppressive police state in Pyongyang or desires for their families to have new lives in South Korea or the West. The North, which touts itself as a socialist paradise, is extremely sensitive about defections, especially among its elite, and has previously insisted that they are South Korean or U.S. Jan 5 (Reuters) - Three men were killed and four wounded in a shooting at a bowling alley in the Los Angeles suburb of Torrance and police said early on Saturday they were searching for a suspect or suspects. The incident followed a fight at the Gable House Bowl, a bowling alley and arcade that also offers laser tag, according to local media. The Torrance Police Department said officers responded to a shot-fired call at the location found multiple gunshot victims. Two men were taken to hospital, two opted to seek their own medical attention, and three were pronounced dead at the scene. Related: Twitter slams Donald Trump for tweeting condolences about the wrong mass shooting This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. "Investigators are currently conducting a follow-up investigation, and are working to identify the suspect(s) involved," the department said in a statement. Customers described a fight before the gunshots rang out. "We just ran into the bar and we just took cover because after the fight we heard 'pop! pop!'" Gable House Bowl patron Jesus Perez told the Los Angeles Times. Torrance is about 25 miles (40 km) south of Los Angeles. (Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee and Daniel Wallis in New Year; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Alison Williams) Kinshasa (AFP) - A week after crucial elections to replace long-term president Joseph Kabila, the DR Congo was on tenterhooks Sunday with no date for the announcement of delayed results and just over half of ballots counted. On Saturday, just hours before the scheduled announcement of the provisional outcome, electoral officials announced a delay until next week, without specifying a date. Amid fears of tampering and rising calls from world powers for voters' wishes to be respected, commission president Corneille Nangaa said little over half of ballots had been counted since the December 30 polls. "We ask the nation to remain patient for the time it will take to consolidate all our data," he said on Sunday, claiming that "diplomats... are doing their utmost to threaten us," without elaborating. Twenty-one candidates ran in the election to succeed Kabila, who has ruled the vast conflict-ridden country for almost 18 years. Among the frontrunners were Kabila's handpicked successor Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary and two opposition candidates: veteran heavyweight Felix Tshisekedi and newcomer Martin Fayulu. At stake is the political stewardship of a mineral-rich country that has never known a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960. Kabila was due to step down two years ago, but clung on to power, sparking widespread protests which were brutally repressed, killing dozens. The election, preceded by repeated delays, was relatively peaceful. But tensions have built over the lengthy counting process amid fears the results could be manipulated to install Kabila-backed Shadary in the presidency. The electoral commission had undertaken to announce preliminary results on Sunday, followed by a definitive count on January 15. The president was due to be sworn in three days later. The delay could stoke tensions in the unstable African giant of 80 million people. Nangaa has blamed the slow count on massive logistical problems in a country the size of western Europe with poor infrastructure. Story continues - Internet access cut - Since the vote, the authorities have cut internet access and blocked broadcasts by Radio France Internationale, causing widespread frustration. With international concerns growing over the transfer of power in sub-Saharan Africa's largest nation, Western powers have upped the pressure. The United States and European Union urged Kinshasa to ensure a peaceful transfer of power. Donald Trump announced Friday that the United States was sending about 80 troops to Gabon to deploy in the event of election-related unrest in nearby DR Congo. The African Union, which had an 80-member team monitoring the vote, insisted that respecting voters' wishes was "crucial". And Denis Sassou Nguesso, president of the DR Congo's western neighbour the Republic of Congo, urged restraint in uncertain times to "safeguard peace and stability in this brother country". The country's powerful National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO), which represents the country's Catholic bishops, warned of popular anger if the final result were not "true to the verdict of the ballot box." Nangaa on Friday accused the CENCO of seeking to "intoxicate the population in preparing an uprising," while the ruling FCC coalition accused it of "seriously breaching" the constitution and electoral law. The last two elections in 2006 and 2011, both won by Kabila, were marred by bloodshed, and many feared a repeat if the results this time are placed in doubt. Between 1996 and 2003, DR Congo suffered two wars that claimed millions of lives through fighting, starvation and disease. The Russian foreign ministry said Saturday a Russian national was arrested on U.S. territory in December and transferred to Florida at the request of the FBI, but brushed off suggestions of any exchanges for an American being held in Moscow on suspicion of espionage. Deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov told the Russian TASS news agency that Dmitry Makarenko was detained Dec. 29 on Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. commonwealth. He was picked up one day after Paul Whelan, an American who also holds Canadian, British and Irish citizenship, was arrested in Moscow on suspicion of spying. Makarenko, a Russian national who operated a company in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Florida in 2017 on charges of plotting to illegally export to Russia military night vision equipment and thermal imagery devices, as well as of money laundering. He was later listed by the court as a "fugitive from justice." This undated file photo provided by the Whelan family shows Paul Whelan in Iceland. Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov on Saturday Jan. 5, 2019, is brushing back suggestions that an American being held in Moscow on suspicion of spying could be exchanged for a Russian. Paul Whelan, who also holds Canadian, British and Irish citizenship was detained in late December. ORG XMIT: LON806 Ryabkov charged that the American authorities have "failed to timely notify" Russian authorities about the arrest in what he said was a violation of the international convention on consular relations. It was the latest in a series of detentions in both countries following the arrest in the United States in July of Russian national Maria Butina on charges of infiltrating multiple American political organizations, including the National Rifle Association, to gain influence for Russia. Ryabkov said Saturday that any talk of an exchange would be premature because Whelan hasnt been formally charged, according to Russian news agencies. "As to the possibility of exchanges of one sort of another, its impossible and incorrect to consider the question now, when an official charge hasnt even been presented," he was quoted as saying by the state news agency RIA-Novosti. Charges will be presented in the near future, he said, according to the Interfax agency. In light of Makarenko's arrest, Ryabkov warned Russian nationals to "exercise caution" when traveling abroad. Story continues More: Ex-CIA agents: Paul Whelan doesn't fit spy profile, was likely set up by Russians More: American Paul Whelan was in Russia for wedding, not to spy, family says "We urge all fellow citizens who may have grounds to believe that U.S. law enforcement agencies could have an issue with them, to weigh up the consequences of trips abroad, as there are no safe places, in fact, no guarantees," he told TASS. The arrest, which has not been confirmed by U.S. authorities, could further strain relations between Moscow and Washington over recent arrests of the other country's nationals. Some aspects of the Whelan case remain clouded. Russian news reports earlier had cited unnamed sources as saying Whelan had been indicted on charges that could bring 20 years in prison if convicted. Russian officials have not given details of Whelans suspected activities. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said this week Washington had asked Moscow to explain Whelan's arrest. British authorities also weighed in, cautioning that individuals should not be used as diplomatic pawns. U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr. visited Whelan on Wednesday in Moscows Lefortovo Prison. Britain, Canada and Ireland have applied for consular access to him. The 48-year-old Whelan, a former U.S. Marine who left the military with a bad-conduct discharge, is global security director for a U.S. automobile parts manufacturer. The Michigan resident's family rejects the espionage accusations against Whelan, saying he was only in Russia to attend a wedding. Whelan's arrest came five months after Butina, 30, was charged with conspiracy and acting as the agent of a foreign government. Butina, who developed relationships with Republican party figures and the NRA, is accused of engaging in a years-long campaign as a covert agent for the Kremlin in an attempt to "advance the interests of her home country." Butina has since pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors. In Moscow this week, Whelan's Russian lawyer, Vladimir Zherebenkov, raised the possibility that his client would be convicted and exchanged for a Russian purportedly Butina being held in the United States. "The thing is that in this category of cases, exchanges often happen," Zherebenkov told ABC News when asked what were the next stages in the case. Contributing: Associated Press U.S. vs. Vladimir Nevidomy ... by on Scribd This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kremlin says US arrested Russian businessman day after capture of alleged American spy A Japanese sushi entrepreneur paid a record $3.1 million for a giant tuna Saturday as Tokyo's new fish market, which replaced the world-famous Tsukiji late last year, held its first pre-dawn New Year's auction. Bidding stopped at a whopping 333.6 million yen for the enormous 278-kilogramme (612-pound) fish -- an endangered species -- that was caught off Japan's northern coast. Self-styled "Tuna King" Kiyoshi Kimura paid the top price, which doubled the previous record of 155 million yen also paid by him in 2013. "It's the best tuna. I was able to buy a delicious, super fresh tuna," the sushi restaurant chain owner proudly told reporters. "The price was higher than originally thought, but I hope our customers will eat this excellent tuna," Kimura said after the auction. Tsukiji -- the world's biggest fish market and a popular tourist attraction in an area packed with restaurants and shops -- moved in October to Toyosu, a former gas plant a bit further east. Opened in 1935, Tsukiji was best known for its pre-dawn daily auctions of tuna, caught from all corners of the world, for use by everyone from Michelin-star sushi chefs to ordinary grocery stores. Wholesalers and sushi tycoons have been known to pay eye-watering prices for the biggest and best fish, especially at the first auction of the new year Despite the relocation, the auction ritual remained intact: before dawn, buyers in rubber boots were inspecting the quality of the giant fresh and frozen tunas by examining the neatly cut tail end with flashlights and rubbing slices between their fingers. At 5:10 am, handbells rang to signal the auction was underway and the air filled with the sound of auctioneers yelling prices at buyers, who raised fingers to indicate interest. Kimura went head to head with a rival in a thrilling back-and-forth for the prize tuna, with a scrum of spectators giving out a loud roar as the auctioneer's hammer came down after Kimura's winning offer. Story continues - 'Black diamond' - Later in the day sushi chefs sliced up the giant fish with special knives resembling Japanese swords at Kimura's main restaurant just outside Tsukiji, where demolition work is under way. Hundreds of sushi lovers queued for a taste. "I have come here every year to eat New Year sushi but this tuna is tastier than ever," Reiko Yamada, a 71-year-old housewife, told AFP. Japan consumes a large portion of the global bluefin catch, a highly prized sushi ingredient known as "kuro maguro" (black tuna) and dubbed the "black diamond" by sushi connoisseurs because of its scarcity. A single piece of "otoro", or the fish's fatty underbelly, can cost dozens of dollars at high-end Tokyo restaurants. The new market at Toyosu has already opened a balcony allowing visitors to witness the organised pre-dawn chaos in an attempt to attract tourists who previously visited Tsukiji. "I sincerely hope this market will be loved by many people," said Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike, who attended the sale, wearing the white rubber boots favoured by auctioneers. The relocation of the market was a lengthy and controversial process. Few would contest the fact that Tsukiji was past its prime, and there were concerns about outdated fire regulations and hygiene controls. In contrast, the new market, located around two kilometres to the east at Toyosu, boasts state-of-the-art refrigeration facilities and is nearly twice as big as Tsukiji. But Toyosu is located on the site of a former gas plant and the soil was found to be contaminated, forcing local authorities to spend millions of dollars to clean it up and delaying the move. 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. WASHINGTON Amid little progress in talks to end the partial government shutdown, President Donald Trump said Sunday he will continue to insist on billions for a U.S.-Mexico border wall but is willing to settle for a steel structure rather than a concrete one. "I informed my folks to say that we'll build a steel barrier," Trump told reporters after returning from a staff retreat at Camp David, casting the claim as a concession to Democrats. "They don't like concrete, so we'll give them steel." Earlier in the day, as he left for Camp David, Trump described the budget battle as "a very important battle to win," saying national security is at the heart of the shutdown as it passed its 16th day. The shutdown hit a milestone on Sunday, tying for the third longest on record. While Trump huddled with aides at Camp David, Vice President Mike Pence, other administration officials, and congressional staff members met at the White House complex for more negotiations to end the shutdown. There was no sign of a breakthrough. "This shutdown could end tomorrow or it also could go on for a long time," Trump said. Trump also repeated that he is considering some kind of national emergency declaration that would, in theory, allow him to use defense funds to start building a wall. "We're looking at a national emergency because we have a national emergency," he said. Democrats denounced Trump for both his wall demands and his talk of declaring an emergency. "This would be a terrible use of department of defense dollars, said Democratic Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, the new chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, on ABC's "This Week." Smith and other Democrats called on Trump to reopen the government and then negotiate border security, as well "start paying our border patrol agents and the other 800,000 federal employees who are furloughed." Story continues He also told ABC: "The president really doesn't understand the issue." More: The government shutdown is tied for third longest on record with no end in sight More: Government shutdown: Pence, congressional aides leave meeting without agreement on funding With the parties unable to agree on a spending plan to fund about a quarter of the federal government, Trump is insisting on more than $5 billion for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border; Democrats, calling the wall expensive and impractical, want to reopen the government at least temporarily to provide space for more negotiations. In speaking with reporters, Trump said he sympathizes with the hundreds of thousands of federal workers who have been furloughed or are working without pay, but they can "adjust." On other issues, Trump: Confirmed he will give his State of the Union address on Jan. 29, pursuant to an invitation sent Thursday by new House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Said he hopes to meet again soon with North Korea leader Kim Jung Un over his nuclear weapons program; Trump again claimed, with no evidence, that without his diplomacy the U.S. would be at war with Kim's nuclear-armed government. Claimed he is still withdrawing U.S. troops from Syria, but won't necessarily do so "quickly;" earlier in the day, during a trip to Israel, National Security Adviser John Bolton said the U.S. would not withdraw until Turkey pledges that it won't attack Kurdish forces in Syria. Before his departure for Camp David, Trump taunted Democrats over the immigration, noting that luminaries like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have expressed concern about illegal crossings. "The only reason they do not want to build a Wall is that Walls Work!" Trump insisted in one tweet. "99% of our illegal Border crossings will end, crime in our Country will go way down and we will save billions of dollars a year!" Like Trump, acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said the administration is willing to give up plans for a concrete wall and focus instead on a fence composed of steel slats. "What's driving this is the president's desire to change the conditions at the border," Mulvaney told NBC's "Meet The Press." "And if he has to give up a concrete wall, replace it with a steel fence in order to do that so that Democrats can say, 'See? He's not building a wall anymore,' that should help us move in the right direction." Mulvaney, however, suggested the end of the shutdown is not near, telling NBC: I think this is going to drag on a lot longer." Democrats called the idea of a physical barrier across the entire border expensive and ineffective, and said the solution involves more personnel and detection technology. Now in control of the House, Democrats are focused a plan to reopen the government that would include temporary funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which handles border issues. Funding DHS until Feb. 8 would give the parties time to negotiate a new plan for border, said House Speaker Pelosi and other Democrats. While criticizing Trump for saying the shutdown could last months or years if Democrats don't agree to the wall, Pelosi said that "the senseless uncertainty and chaos of the Trump Shutdown must end, now." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: President Trump says border wall fight is 'very important battle to win' By Lesley Wroughton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States does not believe the Saudi version of the October killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi has "hit that threshold of credibility," a senior State Department official said on Friday even as Saudi Arabia prosecutes suspects. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will emphasize the need for accountability and credibility in the investigation of Khashoggi's death during a visit next week to the Middle East, including to Riyadh, the official said. "The Secretary has been very consistent in engagements with Saudis ...to really push the two points of accountability and credibility, which is that the Saudis should have a credible narrative for what happened," said the official, who briefed reporters on Pompeo's trip. "I don't think from our point of view that the narrative emerging from the Saudis or the legal process has yet hit that threshold of credibility and accountability," the official said. Pompeo wants both the perpetrators and the planners of the killing to be identified by the Saudis and appropriate punishments are meted out, the official added. Khashoggi, a U.S.-based Washington Post journalist from Saudi Arabia who had become a critic of the kingdom's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. U.S. intelligence agencies believe the crown prince ordered an operation to kill Khashoggi, whose body was dismembered and removed from the building to a location still publicly unknown. Top Turkish officials have also tied his death to the highest levels of Saudi leadership. Saudi officials have denied accusations that the prince ordered the murder. President Donald Trump, who has cultivated a close relationship with the crown prince, told Reuters last month he stood by the crown prince despite the CIA assessment and pleas from U.S. senators for Trump to condemn the kingdom's de facto ruler. A Saudi court on Thursday held its first hearing on Khashoggi's case in which Saudi Arabian prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for five of the 11 suspects in the case. The United Nations human rights office on Friday called the trial "not sufficient." The State Department official said the United States was not "looking to get into the weeds" of the court case but would emphasize the need for a credible legal process. Pompeo will also visit Jordan, Egypt, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait as part of his Jan. 8 to Jan. 15 trip, the State Department said in a statement. As part of his talks with Middle Eastern leaders, Pompeo will also discuss the war in Yemen as well as Iran, Syria and other regional issues, the department said. (Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed and Susan Heavey; Editing by Mary Milliken and James Dalgleish) Jazmine Barnes was shot dead in what is believed as a result of mistaken identity (Picture: GoFundMe/Chris Cevilla) Police in Texas have charged a man with the murder of a seven-year-old girl who was killed in a drive-by shooting as she and her family went to the supermarket. Jazmine Barnes was shot in Houston, Texas, on December 30 after a suspect opened fire on the car she was in with her family. The seven-year-old died at the scene and her mother was shot in the arm. The shooting prompted widespread outrage, with hundreds of people gathering at a rally to demand Justice for Jazmine. A $100,000 (79,000) reward was also offered for information leading to an arrest in Jazmines case. On Sunday, the Harris County Sheriffs Office announced that it has charged 20-year-old Eric Black Jr with Jazmines murder. In a statement, it said investigators identified Black as a suspect after receiving a tip. The statement added: Investigators do not believe Jazmines family was the intended target of the shooting. They were possibly shot as a result of mistaken identity. MORE: Two British special forces soldiers injured in IS missile attack in Syria MORE: Man calls 999 to demand DNA test after accusing partner of cheating Following Blacks arrest, the sheriffs office said he had admitted to taking part in the shooting. Officials said investigators are also looking into the possibility that others could be charged in the case. DENVER (AP) Investigators believe a 7-year-old boy found dead in a Denver storage unit just before Christmas last attended school in late May, a police spokesman said Friday. Sgt. John White said investigators are focused on what happened to the boy between then and Dec. 23, when police found his body inside the storage facility after getting information from police in neighboring Aurora. A woman believed to be the boy's mother, 43-year-old Elisha Pankey, turned herself in to police on Wednesday. She is being held on investigation of child abuse resulting in death. Related Video: Woman Surrenders After Missing Boy Found Dead "Investigators are working hard to determine exactly what happened and when," White said. "We are very, very concerned about this and any incident when the most vulnerable members of our community become victims. It's just a tragic situation." Online court records do not list an attorney for Pankey, and she has not been formally charged yet. The court document laying out the reasons for her arrest is sealed. Authorities have not confirmed the boy's name or released information about when or how he died. According to 2018 homicide data tracked by Denver's Public Safety Department, a 7-year-old boy named Caden McWilliams was the victim of a homicide in late May at 5005 E. Evans Ave., the same address of the storage facility where Denver Police reported finding the body. White said Friday that he could not confirm the information and said the Denver medical examiner's office will be the agency to release the boy's identification. According to Denver Public Schools, McWilliams attended Ellis Elementary School. In a written statement, the school's principal Nichole Whiteman said Caden McWilliams "was a model student who was not afraid to do the right thing simply because it was the right thing to do." "He stood out from others from the moment he walked through the school doors every morning with a huge smile on his face," Whiteman said. "His smile and eyes showed how kind and sweet he was at the core. Other students wanted to be his friend and looked to Caden for what to do next." Story continues District spokesman Will Jones said student privacy laws prevented him from releasing any information about the boy's school attendance. He also said the district does not want to interfere with the police investigation. Police have not released any information about exactly when the boy was determined to be missing. But Denver Police first became involved when Aurora Police contacted them on Dec. 23 with information about a missing boy. Aurora officers had arrested Elisha Pankey the previous day on suspicion of heroin possession. According to a court record filed by the Aurora Police, officers came into contact with Pankey while investigating a missing child and found the drugs in a hotel room where she had stayed. Aurora Police spokesman Sgt. Bill Hummel said Friday that he could not comment on that missing child case. Pankey's husband, Leland Pankey, appeared in court Friday on charges that he strangled his wife in 2017 after accusing her of spying on him with electronic devices. An arrest affidavit in the assault case was dated November 28, 2017. The 39-year-old was arrested Dec. 21, more than a year later. Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - The Palestinian Authority said Sunday it was withdrawing staff from the Rafah border post with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip to protest against "brutal practices" by rival faction Hamas. "This decision comes in the light of recent developments and brutal practices of the de facto gangs" in the Gaza Strip, said the PA's civil affairs authority in a statement, quoted by official Palestinian news agency WAFA. It accused Hamas of "summoning, arresting and abusing our employees", leading it to conclude that their presence was futile, the statement said. Islamist movement Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007 in a near civil war with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas' Fatah party. But the Palestinian Authority took control of Rafah in November 2017, as part of a deal that saw Egypt reopen a border that had been entirely shut from August that year and largely sealed for years before that. "Since we took over the Rafah crossing, Hamas has been obstructing the work of our crew there," the statement said. It said Egypt had made the reopening of Rafah -- the only land crossing from the Gaza Strip to non-Palestinian territory beyond two posts with Israel -- conditional on the PA being in charge of it. A Hamas spokesman said the PA's decision to withdraw "constitutes a new step by Mahmud Abbas in separating the West Bank from the Gaza Strip". The PA is based in the city of Ramallah and only governs parts of the Israeli occupied West Bank, which is separated from the Gaza Strip by internationally recognised Israeli territory. In late December, a Fatah spokesman accused Hamas of carrying out mass arrests of its members in the Gaza Strip. Hamas denied the allegation. Several attempts to reconcile Fatah and Hamas have failed in recent years. The internationally recognised PA has tightened pressure on Hamas in recent months by reducing the salaries of civil servants in Gaza, which has been squeezed by a long Israeli blockade. We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in BAE Systems plc (LON:BA.). What Is Insider Selling? It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market. We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. As Peter Lynch said, insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise. Check out our latest analysis for BAE Systems BAE Systems Insider Transactions Over The Last Year Elizabeth P. Corley made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for UK57k worth of shares at a price of UK6.34 each. So its clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price. Its very possible they regret the purchase, but its more likely they are bullish about the company. We generally consider it a positive if insiders have been buying on market, even above the current price. Elizabeth P. Corley was the only individual insider to buy shares in the last twelve months. You can see the insider transactions over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction! LSE:BA. Insider Trading January 6th 19 If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. Does BAE Systems Boast High Insider Ownership? I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. I reckon its a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. BAE Systems insiders own 0.03% of the company, currently worth about UK4.8m based on the recent share price. Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders. Story continues So What Do The BAE Systems Insider Transactions Indicate? There havent been any insider transactions in the last three months that doesnt mean much. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. While we have no worries about the insider transactions, wed be more comfortable if they owned more BAE Systems stock. Therefore, you should should definitely take a look at this FREE report showing analyst forecasts for BAE Systems. If you would prefer to check out another company one with potentially superior financials then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. To help readers see past the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements. The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. For errors that warrant correction please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. Lima (AFP) - Foreign ministers from Latin America and Canada were meeting in the Peruvian capital Friday on ways to step up pressure on Venezuela's socialist regime to coincide with the second-term inauguration of President Nicolas Maduro next week. Officials said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will participate in the meeting of the so-called Lima Group by video conference -- even though Washington is not a member of the 14-nation body. "The foreign affairs ministers of the Lima Group are meeting in order to analyze the situation in Venezuela and take action before the start on January 10 of the new presidential term of Nicolas Maduro, the result of illegitimate elections," Peru's Foreign Minister Nestor Popolizio said. Pompeo would also hold bilateral talks with Brazil's new Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo on the sidelines of the meeting, also by video-conference, according to an agenda released by Araujo's office. The arrival in power of a new far-right government in Brazil under President Jair Bolsonaro is likely to harden regional opposition to Maduro. Bolsonaro, who has aligned himself with Washington by expressing hostility towards "authoritarian regimes," said Thursday he was open to discussing his country hosting a US military base "in the future." Peru has previously said it would use the meeting to urge members to cut diplomatic ties with Caracas as Maduro prepares to begin a second term after a controversial May election boycotted by the opposition. Washington has recently stepped up contacts with South American states dealing with the influx of migrants from Venezuela's worsening economic crisis. Pompeo was in Cartagena earlier this week for talks with Colombian President Ivan Duque. Both officials have denounced Maduro's "dictatorship" and agreed to step up efforts to isolate his government diplomatically. The Lima meeting "will consider regional coordination initiatives for the restoration of democracy and respect for human rights in Venezuela, and to tackle the exodus of Venezuelan citizens," the Peruvian government said. The 14-member regional group refuses to recognize Venezuela's May elections in which Maduro won a new six-year term in a vote marred by irregularities and an opposition boycott. BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) The Latest on Ryan Zinke's departure as U.S. Secretary of Interior (all times local): 10:50 a.m. Former U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke says National Park visitors should "grab a trash bag and take some trash out" as garbage bins at some parks overflow during the government shutdown. With many government workers furloughed as the partial shutdown entered its 14th day on Friday, garbage has piled up at sites including California's Joshua Tree National Park. Zinke, who resigned effective Wednesday, told The Associated Press he sought to keep the parks open during the shutdown so that the public wasn't penalized for the political feud centered on President Donald Trump's border wall. Some park advocates have called for all national parks to be closed to protect them from possible harm. But Zinke says visitors can help keep them open if they "pitch in, grab a trash bag and take some trash out." ___ 10:20 p.m. As former U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke exits Washington amid a cloud of unresolved ethics investigations, he says he has lived up to the conservation ideals of Teddy Roosevelt and insists the myriad allegations against him will be proven untrue. The former Montana congressman told The Associated Press that he quit President Donald Trump's Cabinet on his own terms, despite indications he was pressured by the White House to resign. His broad rollbacks of restrictions on oil and gas drilling brought a scathing backlash from environmental groups and Democratic lawmakers. But Zinke says the rollbacks mesh with Roosevelt's view that conservation entails not just protection but also development of public lands House Democrats plan to put Zinke's tenure under the spotlight with oversight hearings beginning next month. U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton - Getty Images North America John Bolton, the US National Security adviser, said on Sunday that American soldiers would not leave Syria until there was an assurance from Turkey that Kurds in the north of the country would be safe. In what appeared to indicate a slowdown of the withdrawal, announced hastily by Donald Trump last month, Mr Bolton said the US leader is seeking a commitment from Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, that the American allies would be protected. Speaking to journalists travelling with him in Israel prior to a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he said that this was one of several conditions that must first be met before troops were brought home. "There are objectives that we want to accomplish that condition the withdrawal, he said. "We don't think the Turks ought to undertake military action that is not fully co-ordinated with and agreed to by the United States at a minimum so they don't endanger our troops, but also so that they meet the president's requirement that the Syrian opposition forces that have fought with us are not endangered." A Turkish-backed Syrian rebel helps his fellow rebel in the town of Tadef in Aleppo Governorate Credit: REUTERS In December, Mr Trump said he was pulling out of Syria, claiming ISIS had been defeated. There were concerns that the Kurds, key partners in the US fight against ISIS, would be in grave danger. Turkey regards them as terrorists. At the time, the American leader, said: Our boys, our young women, our men, they're all coming back and they're coming back now. We won." But yesterday Mr Bolton said there was no timetable for a US withdrawal, and in an apparent volte-face, said some level of US troop presence would remain in the south of the country. This is a cause and effect mission. Timetables or the timing of the withdrawal occurs as a result of the fulfillment of the conditions and the establishment of the circumstances that we want to see. And once thats done, then you talk about a timetable. The primary point is we are going to withdraw from northeastern Syria," he said. So its going to be a different environment after we leave, there is no question about that. But there is no desire to see Irans influence spread thats for sure. Hindutva and the individual Two books look at Hindus who shuttle between two philosophical poles of alterity and ontology Paris (AFP) - France's "yellow vest" protesters were back on the streets again Saturday as a government spokesman denounced those still protesting as hard-liners who wanted only to bring down the government. Around a thousand protesters gathered on the Champs-Elysees in central Paris, where around 15 police wagons were also deployed, an AFP journalist said. Some paused outside the headquarters of Agence France-Presse (AFP) in central Paris to hurl anti-media insults. Police fired tear gas in the capital after protesters threw projectiles at police and AFP journalists saw minor scuffles near the River Seine as up to 4,000 joined the fray in the city by the afternoon, according to police. Some protesters set bins ablaze and material damage included several burned out motorcycles strewn across streets. "I am here to defend the right of my children to work that enables them to eat. My daughter earns 800 euros ($911) a month. She works 25 hours a week in a baker's. For her, it's about surviving," said one protester, 58-year-old Ghislaine. Several other cities across France also saw small marches -- including up to 2,000 in Rouen northwest of Paris, where at least two arrests were made and one protester was hurt by a projectile after demonstrators set fire to a barricade. - Scaled down protests - The scale and intensity of the protests has shrivelled in recent weeks, however, and authorities put Saturday's nationwide turnout at around 12,000, compared with 282,000 for the initial rally on November 17. Public anger has on occasion been directed at the media, seen by some as too close to the government. Several journalists have been assaulted since the protests called by the grass-roots movement started in November. Last Saturday saw scuffles in Paris between some demonstrators denouncing media "collaborators" and police outside the headquarters of broadcasters BFMTV and France Televisions. Story continues Police made four arrests Friday evening in the northeastern city of Nancy after some 50 demonstrators tried to block the entrance of newspaper L'Est Republicain. On Friday, government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux denounced those still protesting as "agitators who want insurrection and, basically, to overthrow the government". The midweek Paris arrest of Eric Drouet, one the movement's spokesman, sparked anger among his supporters. Drouet already faces trial for carrying a weapon at a previous demonstration. - Wider revolt against Macron - The latest opinion poll, published on Thursday by Odoxa Dentsu, indicated 55 percent public support for the "yellow vest" protests. The government has deployed police around France to deal with the protests, backed up by specialist response units, sources told AFP. The "yellow vest" demonstrations -- named after the high-visibility jackets worn by the protesters -- began in rural France over increased fuel taxes. The movement ballooned into a wider revolt against President Emmanuel Macron's pro-market policies and governing style. Macron initially refused to make any concessions, but in mid-December, after weeks of violence, he scrapped the planned fuel tax rises and promised extra cash for minimum wage earners and tax cuts for pensioners. The protests have caused the biggest political crisis of his 20-month presidency. Much smaller copycat "yellow vest" protests took place in neighbouring Belgium on Saturday. Demonstrations in Liege, Namur and the capital Brussels brought little more than a hundred people onto Belgian streets in total. There were no reports of trouble. burs-jt-lp/pvh/cw By Richard Lough and Caroline Pailliez PARIS (Reuters) - Emmanuel Macron intended to start the new year on the offensive against the 'yellow vest' protesters. Instead, the French president is reeling from more violent street demonstrations. What began as a grassroots rebellion against diesel taxes and the high cost of living has morphed into something more perilous for Macron - an assault on his presidency and French institutions. The anti-government protesters on Saturday used a forklift truck to force their way into a government ministry compound, torched cars near the Champs Elysees and in one violent skirmish on a bridge over the Seine punched and kicked riot police officers to the ground. The French authorities' struggle to maintain order during the weekend protests raises questions not just over policing tactics but also over how Macron responds, as he prepares to bring in stricter rules for unemployment benefits and cut thousands of public sector jobs. On Sunday evening, Macron wrote on Twitter: "Once again, the Republic was attacked with extreme violence - its guardians, its representatives, its symbols." His administration had hardened its stance against the yellow vests after the protest movement appeared to have lost momentum over the Christmas holidays. The government would not relent in its pursuit of reforms to reshape the economy, government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said on Friday, branding the remaining protesters agitators seeking to overthrow the government. Twenty-four hours later, he was fleeing his office out of a back door as protesters invaded the courtyard and smashed up several cars. "It wasn't me who was attacked," he later said. "It was the Republic." Driving the unrest is anger, particularly among low-paid workers, over a squeeze on household incomes and a belief that Macron is indifferent to citizens' needs as he enacts reforms seen as pro-business and favoring the wealthy. Macron's government has been shaken by the unrest, caught off-guard when in November the yellow vests began blocking roads, occupying highway tollbooths and staging violent invasions of Paris and other cities on weekends. Two months on, it has not found a way to soothe the yellow vests' anger and meet their demands, which include a higher minimum wage, a more participative democracy and Macron's resignation. With no clear leader, negotiating with the group is hard. "IMPASSE" Macron sought to head off the rebellion in December with a promise of tax cuts for pensioners, wage rises for the poorest workers and a reversal of planned fuel tax hikes, while pledging a national debate on key policy issues. He fell short. The price tag for those concessions: 10 billion euros ($11.39 billion), enough to send French borrowing costs higher as investors fretted about debt levels and Macron's ability to reform the euro zone's second largest economy. Laurent Berger, head of the reform-minded CFDT trade union, France's largest by members, on Sunday accused Macron's government of going it alone at a time it needed to reach out. "We're at an impasse. We have on the one side a violent movement ... and on the other a government which thinks it can find the answers all on its own," Berger told France Inter. Some 50,000 protesters marched through cities and towns across France, including Paris, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Rennes and Marseille. In Paris, the street marches began peacefully but degenerated when some protesters threw punches at baton-wielding officers, torched electric scooters and garbage bins along the Left Bank's upscale Boulevard Saint Germain and set cars ablaze near the Champs Elysees. Clashes erupted in other cities too. Both yellow vests and "casseurs", hooded youths from anti-capitalist or anarchist groups, appeared to be involved. Labour Minister Muriel Penicaud said the prolonged unrest was hurting foreign investment. Opposition lawmakers demanded the government put forward concrete proposals to address the yellow vests' demands, but government ministers dismissed caving in to a minority of troublemakers. "We need to stop being a country that listens to those who cry the loudest," Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer told LCI news channel. (Reporting by Richard Lough and Caroline Pailliez; Editing by Janet Lawrence) U.S. President Donald Trump speaks while House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, a Republican from Louisiana, right, listens - Bloomberg Donald Trump remained resolute in his demand for funding for a border wall on Sunday as negotiations between Democrats and Republicans, to strike a deal and reopen the US government, stalled. Apparently content to let the shutdown continue indefinitely, he left for meetings at Camp David as determined as ever to secure the $5.6 billion requested to finance his key campaign pledge. In Washington Mike Pence, the vice president, restarted talks with key Democrat representatives in an attempt to break the deadlock with the looming threat that Mr Trump may invoke emergency powers in order to get the wall built. Meanwhile, Mick Mulvaney, his acting chief of staff, said the US president was prepared to take the notion of a concrete wall permanently "off the table" replacing it with a "steel fence" as a concession to Democrats. Moments before boarding Marine One, the presidential helicopter, Mr Trump said: "We have to build the wall or we have to build a barrier. "It (the shutdown) is a very important battle to win. This wall will pay for itself many times over the course of this year. Most importantly it's about safety. It's not just illegals. It's criminals, it's drugs, it's human trafficking, where they grab women and sell them." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. He added: "Human trafficking is a big business, is a big deal. Dealing in children is a big deal. Children are probably the most harmed by not having a wall or its equivalent. "Everybody's playing games but I can say this: I think the Democrats want to make a deal. I really do. This shutdown could end tomorrow or it also could go on for a long time." As the shutdown was set to enter its 17th day Mr Trump again raised the prospect of using presidential powers to declare a national emergency on the southern border with Mexico as a way to bypass Congress and secure the money. The president is able to act unilaterally in times of national crisis under the provisions of the National Emergencies Act, although some legal scholars are sceptical about his chance of success. Story continues Mr Trump said:"I may decide a national emergency depending on what happens over the next few days." House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi speaks with reporters during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington Credit: Aaron Bernstein Adam Schiff, a Democrat congressman from California, said: "Look, if Harry Truman couldn't nationalise the steel industry during wartime, this president doesn't have the power to declare an emergency and build a multi-billion dollar wall on the border. So that's a non-starter." Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat speaker in the House of Representatives, has indicated her party would introduce bills in an attempt to reopen certain areas of the government, starting with the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service. Last week Miss Pelosi said she was willing to give Mr Trump only $1 toward his wall. The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, taken in late December, had 47 per cent of the public blaming Mr Trump for the shutdown, while 33 per cent blamed Democrats Separately, Mr Trump, confirmed on Sunday that Jamal al-Badawi, the al-Qaeda militant behind the attack on the USS Cole in 2000, in which 17 sailors died, was killed in a US airstrike on New Year's Day. Mr Trump wrote on Twitter: "Our GREAT MILITARY has delivered justice for the heroes lost and wounded in the cowardly attack on the USS Cole. We have just killed the leader of that attack, Jamal al-Badawi. Our work against al Qaeda continues. We will never stop in our fight against Radical Islamic Terrorism!" It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So well take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Elmo Software Limited (ASX:ELO). What Is Insider Buying? Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock on the market. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market. Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. For example, a Colombia University study found that insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own companys stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers. See our latest analysis for Elmo Software Elmo Software Insider Transactions Over The Last Year While there werent any large insider transactions in the last twelve months, its still worth looking at the trading. Happily, we note that in the last year insiders bought 18.24k shares for a total of AU$110k. In total, Elmo Software insiders bought more than they sold over the last year. The average buy price was around AU$6.04. Id consider this a positive as it suggests insiders see value at around the current price, which is AU$5.37. You can see the insider transactions over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction! ASX:ELO Insider Trading January 5th 19 If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them). Insiders at Elmo Software Have Bought Stock Recently We saw some Elmo Software insider buying shares in the last three months. Barry Lewin bought AU$60k worth of shares in that time. We like it when there are only buyers, and no sellers. However, in this case the amount invested recently is quite small. Story continues Does Elmo Software Boast High Insider Ownership? I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. I reckon its a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Elmo Software insiders own about AU$76m worth of shares (which is 22% of the company). Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders. So What Do The Elmo Software Insider Transactions Indicate? The recent insider purchase is heartening. We also take confidence from the longer term picture of insider transactions. However, we note that the company didnt make a profit over the last twelve months, which makes us cautious. When combined with notable insider ownership, these factors suggest Elmo Software insiders are well aligned, and that they may think the share price is too low. Of course, the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in Elmo Software, you should check out this free report on analyst forecasts for the company. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies. To help readers see past the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements. The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. For errors that warrant correction please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. Washington (AFP) - The family of Paul Whelan, the American arrested last week in Moscow as an alleged spy, called Friday for Congress as well as the State Department to secure his release. Two days after Whelan, 48, was officially charged by Russian authorities with espionage, his family said it was "pleased" that the US ambassador to Moscow, Jon Hunstman, has been given access to him and has committed to assuring Whelan's rights will be respected. "Our focus remains on ensuring that Paul is safe, well treated, has a good lawyer, and is coming home," they said in a statement. "We urge the US Congress and the State Department to help on Paul's behalf to secure his release and return him home soon." Whelan, a security official at a US auto parts company and a former US Marine, was arrested on December 28 "while carrying out an act of espionage," the FSB security service announced on December 31. His family said he was visiting Moscow for a friend's wedding and US security experts raised doubts that he was a spy, given a reportedly chequered history in the US military. But some believed the arrest was retaliation for the US arrest last year of a Russian woman, Maria Butina, who was charged and pleaded guilty to acting as an unregistered agent of the Russian government -- a legal charge sometimes used against foreign intelligence agents. Analysts speculate Moscow could be hoping to swap Whelan for Butina or another Russian held by the United States. It is not clear how Congress could intervene, though the US legislature has used its sanctions powers to penalize Russia in the past. Whelan was deeply interested in Russia and had visited the country a number of times in a personal capacity. He had a page on Vkontakte, a Facebook-like Russian social media site, and through that made contact with a number of Russians, some of whom had military ties. Born in Canada to British parents, he had citizenship in four countries: the United States, Canada, Britain and Ireland, according to the New York Times. Story continues Eariler Friday, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt suggested Moscow was using Whelan as a pawn in a political game with its Western rivals. Hunt told the BBC that Britain had been offered consular access to Whelan, but had not been able to visit him yet. "We are giving him every support that we can, but we don't agree with individuals being used in diplomatic chess games," Hunt said. A bit of snow on the beach never hurt anyone - istock From sandy windswept strands to pebble-strewn coves and mud-slicked bays, we have a fantastic range of beachcomber beaches along our nibbled coast. And winter is the perfect time for scavenging, with post-stormy days yielding plenty of washed-up wonders. Everything natural on the beach tells a story so this is a great way to entertain children on a winter weekend, helping them to uncover the secrets of these botanical playgrounds, and understand more about our islands marine heritage. Tangled rubbery strands of bladderwrack and green slimy sea lettuce drape rocks and pool-beds. Look out too, for tiny life forms from worms, crabs and shrimp to small starfish lurking along the tide line. Or search for fossils, frequently found on our cliff-backed beaches. Beautiful shells, fragments of sea-worn glass in jewel-bright colours, twists of old driftwood and sea sponges are all fun to collect. Or, if youre feeling adventurous, consider investing in a metal detector: a useful aid to uncovering man-made objects beneath the sands and pebbles. Walking with dinosaurs on the Isle of Wight Best for: dinosaur remains Hope for: a piece of iguanodon rib Beneath the grassy downs of the Isle of Wights south-west coast lies a string of magnificent surf-pounded beaches that are arguably the best place in Britain to hunt for dinosaur remains. Compton Bay and neighbouring Brook Bay are backed by cliffs that constantly slip, slide and crumble, to reveal dinosaur bones on an impressive scale. The remains of over 120 dinosaur species have been found here over the years, and crocodile and turtle fossils also emerge from time to time. Go dino hunting Credit: Getty For the best chance of finding a 120 million-year-old dinosaur vertebra, or seeing the huge dino footprint casts on the foreshore here, book a guided beach tour with an expert from Dinosaur Expeditions, which has a field centre just above the beach displaying a great selection of fossils and dinosaur bones, with dino activities for children. Story continues Access to the beaches from the clifftop car parks (National Trust) is by steep wooden steps, although theres an easier route to the sand at Brook Chine. Find out more at Visit Isle of Wight. Anglesey treasure trove Best for: rock pooling; small marine creatures Hope for: ancient coins Remote Llanddona may look like any other windswept Welsh beach but this broad expanse of dune-backed sand hides a thrilling mystery. Two lucky beachcombing detectorists uncovered a hoard of more than 900 medieval silver pennies here a few years ago, packed among layers of sand and shells. The coins were collected over a six-year period, and experts from the National Museum of Wales confirmed they were silver pennies mostly from England, but also from Ireland, Scotland and Europe and made between 1272 and 1307. Pop over to nearby Llanddwyn Island Credit: istock It is quite possible there are more to be dug out from this lovely Blue Flag beach. And winter is the best time to search, since storms tend to disrupt the billiard-table flatness of Llanddonas sands. But should your mission prove impossible, Llanddona offers rock pools filled with peeler crabs and delicate sea anenomes, and sands pock-marked by pig-tailed lugworms, all set within a gloriously quiet spot for families. Buried in Bournemouth Best for: unusual marine creatures Hope for: Victorian or Celtic coins Treasure hunters often congregate around the base of Bournemouth pier, for this is where jewellery has been found by the fortunate few, alongside coins that were probably dropped by Edwardian and Victorian holidaymakers. The resorts seven-mile, mainly sandy sweep, stretching from Alum Chine in the west to the scenic headland of Hengistbury Head, has sheltered some interesting flotsam and jetsam over the years. In 1897, a 40-ton dead whale was washed ashore. More recent finds have included unexploded Second-World-War munitions, prehistoric tree stumps, and bronze and silver Celtic coins from Hengistbury Head. That said, you have probably more chance of finding marine detritus than man-made treasures. Past autumn gales have washed unusual pelagic animals onto the shore here, from goose barnacles to columbus crabs; both rare finds for British beaches. Scarista Shells Best for: shells Hope for: sightings of unusual jellyfish Scarista, on the Isle of Harris, is paradise served chilled: a gloriously deserted three-mile beach of pristine sand, fronted by the never-ending Atlantic. This is a wonderful place to while away the daylight hours, bending heads to the wind, and searching through the soft sand for colourful shells and interesting twists of driftwood. At certain times of the year, large groups of jellyfish get washed ashore by the tide. Youve also got the benefit of beautiful views to the Hills of Harris, and the Castaway island of Taransay. Scarista House, facing the beach, is the perfect stay-over option a handsome Georgian manse house with just five bedrooms, a library, no television, good food and open fires. They also have two self-catering cottages. Toothsome Herne Bay Best for: sharks teeth fossils Hope for: ancient coins From prehistoric sharks teeth and mammoth tusks to weathered Victorian coins, Herne Bay in Kent is a dream for amateur beachcombers. Start your day with a poke around the Herne Bay Museum and Gallery at 12 William Street, where finds from the towns beach, and hands-on sifting boxes filled with fossils, should inspire your children to go sifting for their own treasure. Herne Bay started life as a smugglers haunt, but became fashionable as an alternative bathing resort to nearby Margate. The North Sea-facing bay is muddy, but then mud generally means good fossil-hunting. After periods of scouring tides, you are pretty much guaranteed to find sharks teeth fossils. Try searching around the foreshore: the teeth are jet-black, average an inch in length, and are easily differentiated from the shingle. And if there is dissent among the troops, take a break along the eastern end of the bay, which at low tide offers great opportunities for shrimping. Top of the bill in North Yorkshire Best for: shells and fossils Hope for: jet Runswick Bay on the rugged coast of North Yorkshire has been named in the past as the countrys top beachcombing beach by Miranda Krestovnikoff, former presenter of the BBC series, Coast, and this isn't surprising. The setting is certainly idyllic: a sweeping cliff-backed sand-and-shingle bay, pock-marked with fossil-filled pools and encircled by brightly painted fishermens cottages. Runswick Bay is encircled by brightly painted fishermens cottages Credit: istock Keen-eyed beachcombers scour the shingle for iron stone, or shiny pieces of jet, polished to a glimmer by the sea. You are more likely to find ammonite fossils, however, with their wonderful patterning resembling tiny headless coiled snakes as well as interestingly shaped shells. Heavy rains tend to reveal fossils hidden in the cliff-face, so keep an eye on the scree slopes at the base of the cliffs. The foreshore among the shingle, rocks and boulders is also a good hunting ground for these. Prehistoric Essex Best for: fossils Hope for: unusual specimens such as prehistoric turtle fossils Famed for its cleanliness, and for having the second-longest pier in Britain, low-key Walton-on-the-Naze also boasts plenty of beachcombing attractions. And if you prefer something more edgy than pretty leaf fossils and coiled molluscs, then this is your place. The eroding red crag clay cliffs here are thought to be two million years old. Together with Walton-on-the-Nazes gently shelving sandy beach, they have yielded some dramatic prehistoric finds. Discoveries include some of the best bird fossils in the world, alongside extra-large sharks teeth specimens, and unfathomably ancient turtle fossils. Though hammering is forbidden, you can usually find good stuff at the base of the cliffs or along the foreshore, particularly in the days following a storm. Be warned, though this can be a frustrating, on-your-knees experience, and dont even attempt to get to the fossil cliffs around the time of a high tide, as you can quickly become cut off. If you fail at fossil-finding, look out for sea holly, which should prove an unusual souvenir. A local industry grew up around the harvesting of this plant during the Victorian period. Its roots were candied and thought to have aphrodisiac powers. Spider crabs and Cornish smugglers Best for: spider-crab spotting and shell-collecting Hope for: sightings of by-the-wind sailor jellyfish Cornwalls Talland Bay is a gem of a beach, and carries an interesting history that is closely bound to wrecks and wreckers so it might pay to bring along a metal detector. Cornwalls Talland Bay is a gem of a beach Credit: Getty This secluded sand-and-shingle strip, halfway between Looe and Polperro, benefits from sand both at high and low tide on its main stretch, making it ideal for family beachcombing. There are fascinating things to discover like the boiler from a French trawler that came aground in the bay in 1922. And low tide exposes briny crab-filled rock pools, while the strandline offers seashore debris ranging from fine shells, pieces of sea-sculpted driftwood, to colourful shards of old glass, polished to a softness by the waves. The delightfully named by-the-wind sailor, a jellyfish-type creature of ethereal blue-tinged transparency, has occasionally been stranded here in vast numbers. Cumbrian coastline Best for: semi-precious stones, fish skeletons Hope for: sightings of ancient graffiti Cumbrias softly curved coastline extends into a small, nipple-shaped promontory known as St Bees Head. Dramatic red sandstone cliffs rise to over 300 feet here, and provide shelter for numerous rare sea birds, including breeding black guillemots. Inevitably, the promontory attracts birdwatchers, but beachcombers will find the coastal strand below full of interest too. Keep a keen eye out for semi-precious gems, ranging from prettily striped agate stones to ruby-coloured jasper, and reddish-brown carnelian. St Bees low-tide strandline is also worth exploring. You can find jellyfish, fish skeletons, remnants of ancient petrified trees, as well as sightings of an Edwardian boiler from a steamship that ran aground here. Over by the rocks, you may be lucky enough to spot patches of ancient adolescent graffiti, thought to date back to the beginnings of the towns 17th-century grammar school. Treasure-hunting tips Sustained south-westerly winds are the best for blowing in treasures from the sea. Poke around groynes, rocks and seaweed, since this is where interesting stuff comes to rest. Many beaches have a harder surface below the shingle and sand. Old coins and other man-made artefacts tend to sink down to this level through the upper layers of a beach. Familiarise yourself with different tides. Ebb tides, for instance, expose reefs and rock pools; but always keep an eye on incoming tides. Check tide tables before hunting. Beachcombing requires patience and a keen eye. A small trowel and some collecting bags are useful. Leave living organisms in their natural habitat, and if you upturn a rock to look for something, make sure you replace it. Stay clear of unstable cliffs when fossil-hunting. Fossil- and shell-collecting may carry restrictions. Read the beach regulations beforehand. The cannabis industry took off with explosive gains in 2018, and even a late-year slump wasn't enough to dampen enthusiasm in marijuana stocks. Among the relatively few stocks that trade directly on major stock exchanges in the U.S., Aphria (NYSE: APHA) and Canopy Growth (NYSE: CGC) have emerged as potentially large players in the cannabis space. When it comes to investing, it's important to have a framework for evaluating stocks that works for companies in different industries. Even with the specific challenges that face companies in the marijuana sector, it's still smart to look at some key indicators of future success. Let's do that to see whether Aphria or Canopy looks like a better buy right now. Person wearing hairnet and Tweed uniform with blue gloves working with a cannabis plant. Image source: Canopy Growth. Valuation and stock performance Choosing marijuana stocks on the basis of valuation is challenging right now, because the fast-growing players in this up-and-coming space are still plowing all available money back into business expansion. You won't find profits on which to base a price-to-earnings ratio. Looking at sales can give a hint as to relative valuations, though. Canopy trades at a premium valuation of more than 100 times its revenue over the past 12 months, which is truly staggering regardless of the growth potential in cannabis. Aphria reports about half the sales that Canopy does, but its market capitalization is much smaller, resulting in a price-to-sales ratio of about 45. That gives Aphria the nominal nod, but both stocks are extremely pricey by this metric. From a stock-price perspective, Canopy has done far better than Aphria, with the former seeing its stock gain 18% over the past year compared to Aphria's 59% drop since January 2018. Yet both stocks have seen big declines in just the past three months, following the overall industry's downward trend in the aftermath of Canada's legalization of recreational cannabis. Partnerships One of the most essential strategies for up-and-coming companies in the cannabis industry is finding a partner that can help grow their business. Canopy Growth has been the role model that many other marijuana growers have tried to emulate, with the company's massive $4 billion investment from spirits giant Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ) having opened the door to global distribution capabilities as well as the opportunity to combine forces with marketing, governance, and financing. Story continues So far, Aphria has missed the boat on major partnerships, instead choosing to make acquisitions of its own to try to grow while staying independent. That's been a controversial strategy, especially in light of allegations that conflicts of interest have led to poor decisions from Aphria management. Aphria is large enough to draw the attention of several major players in the consumer goods space, but instead, it's currently weighing a possible buyout from a company that's even smaller than it is. For now, Canopy has the advantage of a deep-pocketed partner with clear incentives to help the cannabis business succeed. Growth prospects and risks At this point, both Canopy Growth and Aphria have plenty of potential, but success is far from a sure thing. For Canopy, the combination of Constellation's support, the popularity of its Tweed brand, and big expansion in production capacity should give the cannabis company an edge over much of its competition. As the Canadian retail market for recreational marijuana matures, Canopy should share in the ramp-up in demand, and efforts to expand globally are also showing early signs of promise. With aspirations to get the company involved in everything from cannabis-infused beverages to treatments for sleep disorders, pain relief, and even veterinary products, Canopy CEO Bruce Linton has plenty of ambition -- and has the backing to pursue all his goals. Meanwhile, Aphria finds itself embroiled in controversy right now. The company got a buyout bid from Green Growth Brands, but it's contingent on a number of conditions that raise some red flags. Short-sellers have noted that some of the people involved with Green Growth and its recent merger partner, Xanthic Biopharma, also have relationships with Aphria. It seems odd that a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange is seriously weighing a purchase offer from a buyer that's listed only on a Canadian stock market -- and that lacks the sort of strategic value a company like Constellation gives to Canopy. That by itself raises the risk factor precipitously. Even at a higher valuation, Canopy Growth looks like a better marijuana stock buy compared to Aphria. With too many questions about what's going on with it strategically, Aphria needs to find greater certainty about its future before investors can feel comfortable predicting where it's likely to end up. More From The Motley Fool Dan Caplinger has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Constellation Brands. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Bern (Switzerland) (AFP) - When Georges F. Keller began donating paintings by masters like Henri Matisse and Salvador Dali to the Kunstmuseum in Bern his reputation was not in doubt. The Swiss-Brazilian national had been a respected art dealer who gifted 116 works to the museum from the 1950s until his death in 1981. But last year, the Kunstmuseum's provenance researcher came across an archival document linking Keller to Etienne Bignou, a Frenchman now considered a "red-flag" dealer because he traded art with Germans in Nazi-occupied Paris. For the Bern museum, the potential fallout of gifts with possible Nazi ties was not new. The museum was the sole heir of hundreds of major pieces left behind by Cornelius Gurlitt, who died in 2014 and whose father, Hildebrand, was tasked by the Nazis with selling art stolen from Jews or confiscated as "degenerate" works. The case captured huge global attention and the arduous process of trying to restore the Gurlitt treasures to their rightful owners is ongoing. But there are signs that the Gurlitt ordeal, with the heavy legal and historical responsibility accompanying the artworks, has changed attitudes across Switzerland about an institution's duty concerning suspect art. "I clearly see a before and after the Gurlitt case," Kunstmuseum director Nina Zimmer told AFP. "The climate has changed, the tone has changed, the questions have changed and I think we all agree that it is part of the museum's task to look at where the collections come from and to deliver answers," she said. - Who was Georges F. Keller? - Keller and Bignou worked together in Paris at the Gallerie Georges Petit, which specialised in Impressionist works, until it closed in 1933, according to archives published by the Frick Art Reference Library. Bignou then set up his own eponymous gallery in the French capital with Keller, who also had French nationality, as his partner. Story continues Keller later became the director of the New York branch of the Bignou gallery, the archives show. Amelie Ebbinghaus, a provenance researcher at the firm Art Loss Register, said that documents from both the French state and the Allied powers indicate that Bignou traded with German buyers in Paris and was identified at the time as a "collaborator." "That obviously doesn't mean that the works came from problematic sources, but it can't be ruled out," she said. It is not clear what Bignou's potentially dubious connections mean for the works Keller gave to the Kunstmuseum, including Matisse's "The Blue Blouse" (1936), which depicts a young woman in bold, primary colours. Zimmer told AFP that she had her own questions about Keller before the Bignou connection was established, since none of his donations to various Swiss museums had come with documentation. "I was always curious," she said. "We have almost zero knowledge of where these works came from before he gave them to us." But once the Keller-Bignou link was confirmed, it was "immediately clear that we need to know more about these works," she said. - Changing attitudes - The Bern museum has applied for federal funding to conduct a full audit of Keller's legacy. That approach -- and new Swiss government grants for provenance research -- point to changing practices in a country with a mixed record on Nazi-looted art. "Switzerland had the position that it was a neutral, free country and that any trade that happened in Switzerland in the period of 1933 to 1945 was not affected by the Nazis," Ebbinghaus said. But that view was not necessarily shared by other countries, who pointed to artworks sold in Switzerland at cut-rate prices by Jews fleeing the Nazis, she said. In the late 1990s, Switzerland and others came under pressure to probe their World War II-era history, not only in looted art but also bank accounts and gold deposits. A 1998 landmark international agreement on returning art stolen by the Nazis known as the Washington Declaration was drawn up. The question of what constitutes looted art, as well as research suggesting that possibly thousands of works held in Switzerland were sold by Jews under threat, continue to provoke debate. However, Swiss museums and auction houses are increasingly showing caution in handling problematic pieces, Ebbinghaus told AFP. - Hitting a brick wall - Establishing ownership of a looted piece, let alone identifying a rightful heir, is notoriously tricky. This has been highlighted in prominent cases such as the battle between an American descendant of Jewish Holocaust victims and Austria's Belvedere Museum over masterpieces by Gustav Klimt which featured in the 2015 film "Woman in Gold" starring Helen Mirren. Zimmer said the challenges for Switzerland were a lack of qualified provenance researchers and limited funding. But she identified private archives as a roadblock that threatens all provenance investigations. "Sometimes you make great progress and then you find out that the exact next document you need is in a family archive and you need to convince them to open it for you," she said. And that can be quite a tall order, she added. She stressed that the Bern museum would continue to push for more provenance research by building ties with universities and creating programmes to cultivate a new generation of specialists. "We need to dive deeper in there, and we will," she said. High-level team from Italy visiting Nepal for Melamchi negotiations The ongoing dispute between the government and the Melamchi water supply project contractor seems to be headed for a resolution with a high-level team of the Italian contractor scheduled to arrive on Monday. WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump's comments about Afghanistan this week devolved into a history lesson gone awry and an embrace of the former Soviet Union's decision to invade the country in the 1970s. Trump argued that the Soviets' foray into Afghanistan was the right thing to do, even though he said it "bankrupted" Moscow and led to the demise of the Soviet Union. He said the invasion targeted terrorists who were flowing into the Soviet Union. Actually, the Soviets were trying to bolster communists in Afghanistan and possibly expand their influence against the United States and the West. A look at some of his statements Wednesday during a Cabinet meeting: SOVIET INVASION OF AFGHANISTAN TRUMP: "The reason Russia was in Afghanistan was because terrorists were going into Russia. They were right to be there." THE FACTS: His assertion that the Soviets were experiencing a terrorist influx from Afghanistan is out of step with history. While Trump might personally agree with Russia's decision to invade Afghanistan in 1979, the United States at the time did not. The U.S. boycotted the 1980 Olympics in Moscow in protest and the U.N. General Assembly voted 104-18 to deplore the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan. At the time the U.S. supported the anti-communist rebels, known as mujahedeen, whom President Ronald Reagan called freedom fighters. The U.S. believed that the Soviet Union wanted to strengthen the communists but also that it wanted access to a warm water port through Afghanistan to the Arabian Sea. Maybe the "terrorists" Trump was talking about were the Afghan insurgents who were rebelling against a communist-led party that staged a coup inside Afghanistan in 1978. The Soviet Union was trying to bolster that party and subsequently sent in 100,000 troops to occupy the country and fight insurgents. The United States actually took the side of Afghans fighting against Soviet forces, providing them with shoulder-fired rockets that allowed them to shoot down Soviet helicopters and planes. That further burdened the Soviets and increased their human and military losses. The Soviets pulled out of Afghanistan in 1989, the same year that the Berlin Wall fell. The Soviet Union crumbled in 1991. Story continues "Praising Soviet invasion of #Afghanistan is an insult to the anti-communist struggle," tweeted Husain Haqqani, a former Pakistani ambassador to the United States. Trumps comments come as Russian lawmakers weigh historical revisionism on Afghanistan. Before Feb. 15, the 30th anniversary of the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, Russia's legislature is to vote on a resolution stating that the invasion was conducted according to the "norms of international law." This would nullify a resolution passed in 1989 that condemned the invasion. ___ TRUMP: "Russia used to be the Soviet Union. Afghanistan made it Russia, because they went bankrupt fighting in Afghanistan." "The problem is it was a tough fight. And literally, they went bankrupt. They went into being called Russia again, as opposed to the Soviet Union. You know, a lot these places you're reading about now are no longer a part of Russia because of Afghanistan." THE FACTS: That's an oversimplification. It's true that the money the former Soviet Union spent on military and weapons in its competition with the West to wield influence around the world, including in Afghanistan, accelerated its demise. But Russia's intervention in Afghanistan was far from the sole reason for the breakup. The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 occurred in a time of ethnic and political troubles, economic woes and a series of revolutions that led Soviet republics to seek their independence. ___ ISLAMIC STATE GROUP IN AFGHANISTAN TRUMP: "You do have terrorists, mostly Taliban, but ISIS. I mean, I'll give you an example. So, Taliban is our enemy. ISIS is our enemy. ... Taliban is here, ISIS is here, and they're fighting each other. I said, 'Why don't you let them fight?' Why are we getting in the middle of it? I said, 'Let them fight. They're both our enemies. Let them fight.'" "It's the craziest thing I've ever seen. I think I would've been a good general, but who knows. But you know what? These are two enemies that are fighting against each other, and we end up going in and fighting. And what are we doing?" THE FACTS: It's true that IS militants are fighting the Taliban for influence in some parts of Afghanistan, but keeping Afghanistan from becoming a safe place for extremists was the very reason the U.S. intervened in the country. The U.S. intervention was a response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The Afghan Taliban had given al-Qaida militants a place to train and embolden its forces to launch attacks on the United States and other targets. The U.S. continues to keep 14,000 American servicemen and women in Afghanistan to execute counterterrorism missions against extremists to prevent a repeat of 9/11 and train and advise Afghan security forces, which are leading the fight against the Taliban. ___ Associated Press writer Kathy Gannon in Islamabad contributed to this report. ___ Find AP Fact Checks at http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck EDITOR'S NOTE _ A look at the veracity of claims by political figures By Lesley Wroughton and Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has no timeline for the withdrawal of American troops from Syria but does not plan to stay indefinitely, a senior State Department official said on Friday, sending a strong signal that U.S. forces could stay until the fight against Islamic State militants is over. U.S.-backed forces are still retaking territory from Islamic State in Syria, Pentagon officials said on Friday, two weeks after Washington said it would withdraw the roughly 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria. President Donald Trump said at the time that the troops had succeeded in their mission and were no longer needed there. The administration's abrupt announcement last month, which took officials in Washington and allies by surprise, contributed to Jim Mattis' decision to resign as U.S. defense secretary and prompted concern that Islamic State could stage a comeback. The State Department official, briefing reporters before a visit to the Middle East next week by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, apparently sought to allay that concern. "We have no timeline for our military forces to withdraw from Syria," said the official, who asked not to be identified. "It will be done in such a way that we and our allies and partners maintain pressure on ISIS throughout and we do not open up any vacuums for terrorists." The United States did not intend to have an indefinite military presence in Syria, the official added. U.S. officials have told Reuters it could take several months to carry out a withdrawal, potentially giving time for U.S.-backed forces to deal parting blows to the militant group that once held broad swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria. Trump said on Wednesday that the United States would get out of Syria slowly "over a period of time" and would protect U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters in the country as Washington draws down troops. White House national security adviser John Bolton will also travel to Israel and Turkey in the coming days. "Bolton will travel to Israel and Turkey to discuss the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria, and how the U.S. will work with allies and partners to prevent the resurgence of ISIS, stand fast with those who fought with us against ISIS, and counter Iranian malign behavior in the region," Garrett Marquis, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said. Marquis said Bolton would be joined in Turkey by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford and U.S. special Syria envoy James Jeffrey. Separately, the State Department said Jeffrey would be taking on the additional role of the special envoy for the coalition to defeat Islamic State. Jeffrey will be involved in negotiations on a political process and also assumes the diplomatic role of coordinating with allies and partners on the fight against Islamic State. Brett McGurk, the previous special envoy for the global coalition to defeat Islamic State, quit last month over Trump's decision to pull U.S. troops out of Syria. 'FINAL BLOWS' The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which include Kurdish fighters, captured the Syrian town of Kashmah on Jan. 2 after retaking the town of Hajin on Dec. 25, Pentagon spokesman Navy Commander Sean Robertson told Reuters. The day the SDF took Kashmah was the same day that Trump stated during a cabinet meeting his strong desire to gradually withdraw from Syria, calling it a place of "sand and death." Trump also said it was up to other countries to fight Islamic State, including Russia and Iran, and said that Islamic State was down to its last remaining bits of territory in Syria. "We're hitting the hell out of them, the ISIS people," Trump said, using an acronym to refer to Islamic State, adding "we're down to final blows." Separately on Friday, the U.S.-led coalition said it carried out 469 strikes in Syria between Dec. 16 and Dec. 29 which destroyed nearly 300 fighting positions, more than 150 staging areas, and a number of supply routes, oil lubricant storage facilities and equipment. Aaron Stein, the Middle East program director at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, said Islamic State retained control of just a "sprinkle of villages" near the Euphrates river. "(ISIS) will simply revert to a diffused rural insurgency where it could use just the tyranny of space - the desert is very big - to sort of hide out and be able to launch raiding attacks," Stein said. The Pentagon spokesman said coalition forces, which Washington coordinates, were continuing to assist the SDF with close air support and artillery strikes in the Middle Euphrates River Valley. "We will continue to work with the coalition and regional partners toward an enduring defeat of ISIS," Robertson said. He called the capture of Hajin significant. "This was a milestone, since it was among the largest of the last remaining ISIS strongholds in the Middle Euphrates River Valley," he said. Islamic State declared its "caliphate" in 2014 after seizing large swathes of Syria and Iraq. The hardline Islamist group established its de facto capital in the Syrian city of Raqqa, using it as a base to plot attacks in Europe. Much of the U.S. campaign in Syria has been waged by warplanes flying out of Qatar and other locations in the Middle East. (Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed in Washington; Writing by Idrees Ali; Editing by Mary Milliken, Frances Kerry and Daniel Wallis) Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has slammed Republicans for criticizing fellow freshman Representative Rashida Tlaib over her language while downplaying President Trumps controversial comments about women in an apparent reference to the Hollywood Access tape. Republican hypocrisy at its finest: saying that Trump admitting to sexual assault on tape is just locker room talk, but scandalizing themselves into faux-outrage when my sis says a curse word in a bar, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted Saturday. GOP lost entitlement to policing womens behavior a long time ago. Next. She added in a separate post: I got your back @RashidaTlaib the Bronx and Detroit ride together. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Related Video: Tlaib Uses Expletive Calling For Trump Impeachment This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Ocasio-Cortez spoke out after the president and other Republicans reacted negatively to a video in which Tlaib tells supporters: Were gonna go in there and were gonna impeach the motherf-er. Reacting to the remarks, Trump stated: I thought her comments were disgraceful. I think she dishonored herself and her family. I thought it was highly disrespectful to the United States of America. In response to the criticism, the Michigan-based lawmakers office issued a statement. Congresswoman Tlaib was elected to shake up Washington, not continue the status quo, the statement noted. Donald Trump is completely unfit to serve as President. The Congresswoman absolutely believes he needs to be impeached and will not stay silent. Reuters A 76-year-old man who had 39 wives and 94 children and was said to be the head of the world's largest family has died in north east India, the chief minister of his home state said. Ziona Chana, the head of a local Christian sect that allows polygamy, died on Sunday, Zoramthanga, the chief minister of Mizoram and who goes by one name, said in a tweet. With a total of 167 members, the family is the world's largest, according to local media, although this depends on whether you count the grandchildren, of whom Ziona has 33. The parents of Karen Ghazaryan, who is in captivity in Azerbaijan, have sent food and clothing to him. Smbat Mughdusyan, the prefect of Berdavan border village in Armenias Tavush Province, told the abovementioned to Armenian News-NEWS.am. I visited Karens parents on January 1; they had no news yet [from him], the village mayor said. They only said that they sent food and clothing to Karen through the Red Cross, but they dont know whether or not it has reached there. Mughdusyan noted that Ghazaryans parents and fellow villagers could stage protests again after the New Year and Armenian Christmas holidays, and demand from Armenian authorities to take steps toward having Ghazaryan returned to Armenia. Karen Ghazaryan (born in 1984), a resident of Berdavan village, had ended up in Azerbaijan for unknown reasons, and was captured on July 15, 2018. Azerbaijan attempted to present this incident as the prevention of a reconnaissance group of the Armenian Armed Forces on the border. The incident allegedly had occurred in the direction of Azerbaijans Gazakh Region. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry had said an Armenian military serviceman was taken captive. The Armenian Defense Ministry, however, formally declared that Ghazaryan had never served in the Armed Forces of Armenia. And on November 16, 2018 the Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan, announced that he had petitioned to the UN and the Council of Europe commissioners, in connection with having Karen Ghazaryan returned to Armenia, and that relevant work was being done also in close cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross. Farmers urge authorities to control animal menace Farmers of Mangalsain Municipality in Achham district have urged the concerned authorities to control the menace of wild animals in the settlements. Erdogan says he didn't discuss Biden's recognition of Armenian genocide during their meeting Macron on talks with Erdogan First Biden-Erdogan meeting lasts 45 minutes France welcomes release of 15 Armenian POWs "I Have the Honor" bloc ends campaign meetings in Armenia's Lori Province with meeting in Spitak (PHOTOS) Anonymous group approaching citizens and asking about their votes on behalf of Armenia Ombudsman Armenia acting PM's son campaigns in Yerevan Israel FM intends to repair ties with US Democratic Party Democratic Party of Armenia candidate for PM Tigran Arzakantsyan to continue election campaign "Armenia" bloc: Acting PM instructed to launch criminal prosecution against Avshar village head after campaign meeting Past.am: Why are administrative resources of Armenia Police being misused in such a way? Policemen dressed in civilian clothes brought to march held by Armenia acting PM Nikol Pashinyan's supporters and representatives of Prosperous Armenia Party headquarters get into brawl Armenia acting PM: First case of detention for electoral fraud attempt recorded in Yerevan's Malatia-Sebastia district Artsakh 2nd President: Armenian side dodged negotiations over Nagorno-Karabakh, but didn't explain why Karabakh ex-President: Baku and Ankara aren't hiding the fact that they plan to continue their land-grabbing policy Robert Kocharyan: "Armenia" bloc needs to free the country of apartheids "Armenia" bloc representative: Pashinyan's supporters don't want to share his responsibility and fate Iran FM describes end of rule of Netanyahu as the fall of an oppressor Putin on his successor Robert Kocharyan: We're coming to shape the future "Armenia" bloc representative: If we win the elections, 5 reservoirs will be built in Armavir Province Armenia 2nd President: You shouldn't expect victory when a deserter becomes Commander-in-Chief "Armenia" bloc holding campaign meeting in Yerevan Azerbaijan MOD releases list of 2,904 soldiers killed during aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh Biden says Queen Elizabeth II reminded him of his mother Azerbaijan swaps 15 Armenian POWs for maps, another captive gets 20-year in prison, Jun 14 digest Armenia acting PM: Preliminary investigation into case of events of October 27, 1999 has been reopened Azeri MPs to get tested for COVID-19 ahead of Erdogan's visit to Milli Majlis "I Have the Honor" bloc's campaign meeting in Armenia's Vanadzor ends with march Karabakh State Minister receives International Committee of the Red Cross delegation Robert Kocharyan: Armenia has capacities to export electricity Armenia MP: Nikol Pashinyan is lying, he has already handed over main map of mine fields to Azerbaijan Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: I have sufficient grounds to believe that there is chance to re-establish Artsakh Armenia acting PM: I will personally lay down on asphalt those in Avshar village who try to oppress people's will Ex-President Kocharyan: Armenia nuclear plants life should be extended Armenia 2nd President promises to disclose data on number of servicemen who fell in the war Armenia local self-government bodies' representatives visit combat positions along with army colonel One dollar falls below AMD 517 in Armenia Armen Ashotyan: Centrist Democrat International expresses its support to Republican Party of Armenia Armenia former President Kocharyan: At all meetings we are told "Defend the country!" Armenia Parliament Speaker: National Security Service asked for my support, and I expressed my willingness CoE report: 1% of Turkey's population is in prisons Stoltenberg says Georgia will become NATO member, but no specific date has been set EU calls on Armenia, Azerbaijan to reengage in substantiate negotiations under auspices of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs His Holiness Karekin II, Italy Ambassador discuss Azerbaijani army's encroachments on Armenia's borders Bright Armenia Party leader: All phenomena then criticized by current authorities have had even greater setbacks New York Times: As Biden meeting nears, Erdogan softens his stance Armenia 2nd President gives interview to Russia Today, Sputnik Armenia and RIA Novosti Armenia ombudsman: There are armed Azerbaijan soldiers on Syunik Province roads PACE Rapporteur welcomes release of 15 Armenian POWs Journalist asks Armenia acting PM if members of his team also think he has a mental health problem Russian-Armenian entrepreneur Sergey Hambardzumyan says he supports Armenia 2nd President Armenia official's spokesperson has no comment on controversial phone talk Armenia acting premier on snap parliamentary election day: June 20 is the day for God to speak Armenia acting PM tells children at campaign meeting to chant along with the crowd Stoltenberg says NATO does not intend to start a cold war against China "I have the honor" bloc representative considers coalition with "Armenia" bloc real Tesla to resume selling cars for bitcoins when the cryptocurrency goes green Biden's visit and NATO summit will cause inconveniences to residents of Brussels 8 people hospitalized in Texas after car hitting race spectators Armenia acting PM continues making unjust accusations against Armenian Church, says Holy Etchmiadzin Interior minister: We thank Russia for mediation efforts to stabilize situation in Artsakh (PHOTOS) Etchmiadzin residents greet Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan with chants, doves being released into sky Armenia acting PM: Times of "velvet" are coming to an end Another captive Armenian gets 20-year prison sentence in Azerbaijan Ombudsman: Armenia government should urgently apply to ECHR with interstate complaint Armenia Ararat Province governor mobilizes everyone to attend acting PM's campaign meeting Red Cross chief responds to Armenia Presidents letter Armenia ex-PM supports 2nd President Robert Kocharyan in snap parliamentary election Electoral Rights Watch: Armenia ruling party engages kids in its election campaign (PHOTOS) 41 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia SIPRI reports growth in global nuclear arsenals Bitcoin goes up 10% Biden has been preparing for meeting with Putin for 50 years, Psaki says Coronavirus general symptoms change over time Experts calculate wealth of Queen Elizabeth II Armenia ombudsman: Necessary to stop myopic development of agenda of mutual insult, swearing in public sphere US teen kills 4-year-old child Armenia acting official, city mayors controversial phone talk going viral on Internet Turkey announces, on eve of Biden-Erdogan meeting, possibility of "resolving" S-400 issue Armenia Central Electoral Commission makes decisions on registration of acting PM and ruling party Armenia acting PM holds march in Yerevan district, warns those involved in electoral fraud about consequences "I Have the Honor" bloc leader on Armenia acting PM posting photo of returned POWs Biden says US-Russia relations at low point but were not looking for conflict Armenia 2nd President: I'm certain about opportunities for retrieval of Karabakh's Hadrut Serzh Sargsyan: It's impossible to live normally and be protected in this region without a combat-ready army OSCE/ODIHR presents report on pre-election period in Armenia Armenia ruling Civil Contract Party being campaigned on official page of Vedi Medical Center Armenia 2nd President: We need to punish the authorities, but not with a hammer Who is ripping posters of "Armenia" bloc? Armenia 2nd President states time limits for increasing combat-readiness and recovery of losses "I Have the Honor" bloc: Armenian Public Television's actions show that bloc's rating is growing Erdogan to raise White House's recognition of Armenian Genocide during meeting with Biden Armenia 3rd President visits St. Mary's Church in Gavar after campaign meetings (PHOTOS) Fire breaks out in village of Armenia's Ararat Province Court rules to allow "Armenia" bloc's rally to end at 9 p.m. Armenia 3rd President holds meetings in Gegharkunik Province Armenia Elections Oversight Committee member addresses letter to OSCE/ODIHR regarding Pashinyan's statements Armenia acting PM receives steel hammer as a gift, refers to it as a 'steel mandate' Dilli Adhikari appointed Nepal Telecom Managing Director The government has appointed Dilli Adhikari as Managing Director of Nepal Telecom. We have heard many concerns about the environment and how our country stands since President Trump withdrew the United States from the Paris Climate Accord. According to the latest world climate report from the BP Statistical Review of World Energy, states that the United States has reduced its carbon emissions by 0.5 percent the most of all major countries. Nearly every nation that signed on to the Paris Accord and has admonished America for not staying in has already broken its promises. In fact, all EU countries are failing to increase their climate action in line with the Paris Agreement goal, according to Climate Action Network Europe. Our countrys development of shale oil and natural gas is transitioning us to cheap and clean development for electrical power generation. We must thank President Trump for taking the action to release our country form funding the expensive and ineffective bureaucracy of the Paris Accord. Kenneth Larsen Calistoga As a system, we are focused on a common set of goals and objectives to provide the very best outcomes for our students, NVUSD Superintendent Dr. Rosanna Mucetti said in a release announcing the grant. This grant supports our strategic efforts by ensuring students have access to the arts so they can thrive academically, socially and emotionally. I am also thrilled that the grant provides professional development for teachers and strengthens our partnerships that directly align to our strategic plan goals. In 2016, the districts trustees approved a five-year arts education master plan, overseen by longtime principal and teacher Chuck Neidhoefer. It was clear at the time that the district had good arts programs, but they were scattered around at different schools and were highly dependent on the skill or passion of a particular teacher or a site-specific commitment by an alumni group, non-profit organization, or benefactor. That meant that access to arts education was uneven across the district, with some students getting very little. We met with Neidhoefer and the sponsoring arts organizations back in 2016 and we were impressed with their vision. We met again with them this week and it was clear our optimism was not misplaced. U.S. allies: Trump strained relations by withdrawing from trade agreements and climate-control treaties, continually criticizing their financial support of NATO and defense spending, and placing tariffs on their exports of steel, aluminum and other products to the United States. Middle East: Trump fulfilled campaign pledges to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement, building closer ties with Israel and Saudi Arabia. His refusal to blame Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman for his role in the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi drew worldwide criticism, and he has yet to propose his promised Mideast peace plan. Making a questionable claim of victory over Islamic State, he said he would remove U.S. troops from Syria and threatened similar action in Afghanistan. POLITICAL Job approval: Elected with 3 million fewer votes than his opponent, Trump failed to expand his base and is the first modern president whose job approval never reached 50 percent, averaging between the upper 30s and lower 40s. Midterm elections: He helped Republicans keep the Senate but his party lost the House, as Democrats achieved the biggest popular vote margin of any recent midterm election. The bottom line: "No one has ever done so much in the first two years of an administration," Trump said Nov. 29 in Biloxi, Miss. Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal in 1933-34 and Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society in 1964-66 hold the historic standard for first-term achievements. Like Trump, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barrack Obama all had significant successes. Carl P. Leubsdorf is the former Washington bureau chief of the Dallas Morning News. The focus of the campaign is to shift the media focus from the suspects who commit these acts to the victims, survivors, and heroes who stop them, they argue. The Poynter Institute, a widely respected journalism ethics think tank, and owner of the Tampa Bay Times newspaper, meanwhile, argues strongly that the media must name the shooter. They argue that it is important for the public to know who committed the crime in the interest of accuracy and to understand if there are deeper factors behind the persons actions. They also argue that it is important to look at the methods and motivations in order to discern trends or identify the need for action: were the weapons obtained legally? Were there gaps in the mental health or law enforcement systems that could be fixed? Were other people in some way culpable by failing to stop the attack? But Poynter says something important as well in its argument: Instead of vowing to avoid the name of the shooter, journalists would be better off promising to use the name responsibly, to tell the stories of the victims completely and to refrain from publishing poorly-sourced information that has a higher likelihood of being wrong. Senator, we run ads, Zuckerberg replied, smiling cherubically, and video of this exchange instantly became a viral emblem for a doddering Congress. This irritated Hatchs communication director, Matt Whitlock, who pointed out that the senator had spoken at length about Facebooks advertiser-based business model minutes earlier, and asked his infamous question semi-rhetorically, to have Zuckerberg confirm it. Senator Hatch has some of the most tech-literate staff on Capitol Hill and has authored more tech legislation than anyone, Whitlock wrote to The Washington Post. But he became a meme of tech illiteracy because so many reporters only saw a 12-second video in their Twitter feeds, not the three minutes preceding it. Perhaps one part of the problem is Congress-illiteracy among tech reporters. Maybe so. And if an elderly Congress is a problem, its one the United States has managed throughout its history. Most Americans (at least the white male ones) had not yet seen their 15th birthday before the first census in 1790, but were governed by a 1st Congress in which the average senator was a methuselean 47 years old, according to the U.S. Senate Historical Office. RICHMOND For the first time in seven years, the Bay Area will inaugurate a new ferry route part of an ambitious effort to harness one of the regions most underutilized assets when it comes to getting people out of their cars: The San Francisco Bay. Promising an alternative to the harrowing Interstate 80 grind from Hercules all the way down to the Bay Bridge, a new Richmond terminal will on Thursday begin offering weekday commuter service to San Francisco. Its the latest upgrade in a series of expansions for the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), also known as the San Francisco Bay Ferry, which runs routes from Vallejo, Oakland, Alameda and South San Francisco. For commuters braving whats been dubbed one of the Bay Areas worst commutes, it cant come soon enough, said Richmond resident Sharon Butticci. Ive been dreaming about this for years, she said. Since moving to Richmond seven years ago, the former Sausalito resident has longed for the ease of access to San Francisco the Sausalito ferry offered. Ive been missing it. I just dont want to drive across the bridge and deal with all that traffic. After comparing two planned makeovers in Napas core, the city has chosen to refresh sidewalks first and save rebuilding a downtown square for later. An overhaul of Dwight Murray Plaza on First Street will be shelved until early 2020, staff members at the Public Works department told the City Council. The delay will ensure that a project to widen and improve Main Streets sidewalks between Second and Third streets will be the only construction in the city center during the early months of 2019, reducing closures and disruption for local businesses and visitors. Main Street will receive a $1.73 million rebuilding and widening of its walkways along with curb improvements and shifting of utility lines, senior civil engineer John Ferons reported to the council Dec. 18. Construction will start this month and is expected to wrap up by the middle of May, less than two weeks before the seventh annual BottleRock music festival opens at the nearby Napa Valley Expo on May 24. Weve heard loud and clear from businesses that theres no good season for construction, but if you have to build, then please do it from January to May before BottleRock hits, said senior civil engineer John Ferons, referring to the tens of thousands converging on Napa for the annual three-day festival. Imola Avenue is a decades-old city of Napa main drag that in coming years could see changes to fit the less car-centric notions of the 21st century. The Napa Valley Transportation Authority and city are studying Imola Avenue. The goal is to create better walking and biking links with the areas shops, homes, trails and schools, as well as to simply make a gateway street look better. Resident Shawn Stephenson has some suggestions. He recently walked along a section of Imola Avenue east of Highway 29 where dirt meets bike lane, with cars whizzing by. He wants a sidewalk there. We need to be further off the street, Stephenson said. Hes also cycled this section of Imola Avenue. Bike lanes should be colored green or blue to stand out to passing motorists, he said. Stephenson was walking between his house west of Highway 29 and the River Park Shopping Center, a distance of less than a mile with no convenient alternative route. He doesnt feel completely safe on Imola Avenue. Oh, no, he said. People dont pay attention. A street of contrasts Imola Avenue is three miles of complexity and contrast. It is in various sections a city residential neighborhood street, state Highway 121 with shopping centers, a graceful, arching bridge over the Napa River near the Napa Valley Vine Trail and a rural county road leading to Skyline Wilderness Park. Some places have sidewalks. Some dont or have sporadic sidewalks. Some places have bike lanes. Some dont. Some places have landscaping. Some dont or have only minimal landscaping. When the NVTA did its Napa Countywide Pedestrian Plan three years ago, it asked residents to submit online comments on needed improvements. A number of people had issues with Imola Avenue. Imola needs more crosswalks, one resident wrote about the west residential section. High speed traffic here very dangerous! another wrote about the Highway 121 section. I see families with small children walking in the street here everyday because there are no sidewalks or crosswalks, wrote another about the eastern residential section near the Napa County Office of Education schools. Would like a biking/walking path to Skyline Park, another wrote about the rural county section. Imola Avenue from 2006 to 2016 had three pedestrians injured in three separate accidents, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Commissions Vital Signs report. Vital Signs reported no cyclist or pedestrian fatalities. The city of Napa has other streets where cyclists and walkers face challenges. Lincoln Avenue during the same period had seven pedestrian injuries and one cyclist injury. Jefferson Street had seven pedestrian injuries and seven cyclist injuries, according to Vital Signs. Imola Avenue poses a unique challenge. Its various sections are under various jurisdictions the city of Napa, Caltrans and Napa Countyeach of which must be involved in any corridor-length transformation. Looking for solutions The city of Napa is tackling the aesthetic piece of the planned Imola Avenue renewal with a plan to make the stretch between Highway 29 and Coombs Street more appealing. Yellow, red and purple flowers, new trees and artistically arranged rocks could add some dash to the medians. I want someone to go down the street and say, Wow, somebody lives here and cares about this part of town, Mayor Jill Techel said during a November 2017 City Council hearing. Because this stretch is a state highway, the city had to receive an encroachment permit and maintenance agreement from Caltrans. That has just happened. Were now poised to put that project out to bid and award it and have it constructed in springtime, city Design Division Senior Civil Engineer John Ferons said last month. Now the Napa Valley Transportation Authority launching a $255,000 study by GHD engineering firm to create a better Imola Avenue experience for non-auto travelers going to the areas homes, shops and schools. The agency among other things is looking at safety issues. Its not comfortable for bicyclists and pedestrians, NVTA Executive Director Kate Miller said. Community members will be able to attend public meetings in 2019 to give their Imola Avenue improvement ideas to the NVTA. The study is to be completed by June 30, 2020. The NVTA wants to do more than describe the Imola Avenue of peoples dreams with no constraints such as money. It also wants to describe a future for Imola Avenue thats realistic. That has been articulated by the jurisdictions, that we need to be able to do a plan we can implement, Miller said. One way to do that is to do near-term projects, mid-term projects and long-term projects. The price tag for improvements-to-be-identified by a study-to-be is, of course, unknown. But the NVTAs 2016 Napa Countywide Pedestrian Plan said adding sidewalks and bike facilities along Imola Avenue from Foster Road to the eastern city limits would cost $6.5 million. Miller said the Imola Avenue plan will list possible funding sources for the various projects. All of this means Imola Avenue should be in the news during coming months. Decades after its birth, the thoroughfare is targeted for rebirth. Imolaa place and a street The name Imola once applied not to a road, but to a place. Napa State Hospital in early 1900 newspaper stories is often referred to not as being near the city of Napa, but in Imola. A post office called Imola opened at the hospital in 1920. Promoters of what was then called the Napa State Asylum for the Insane saw similarities between California and Italy. They took Imola from the name of the Italian city, a 2009 city of Napa history said. One of the first mentions of Imola Avenue in the Napa Register came in Feb. 27, 1931, when PG&E laid a gas line to serve 17 customers along the stretch near Napa State Hospital. Imola Avenue became a local transportation force on Oct. 1, 1949. Thats when former Napa County Board of Supervisors Chair Thomas Maxwell cut the ribbon for a new Erector-set style Napa River metal drawbridge that was named after him. This $468,000 bridge allowed Imola Avenue to serve as the areas main east-west highway crossing the valley. The highway had previously run along Third Street in downtown Napa, so choking the road with cars and trucks that traveling a half-mile could take a half-hour. The people of Napa County are to be congratulated on their sound thinking, planning and excellent execution of this project, state Highway Engineer George McCoy said when the bridge opened. About this time, the city of Napa went on a building boom in the Imola Avenue area. New development such as the 230-home subdivision between Coombs Street and South Jefferson Street began sprouting. Imola Avenues days as Highway 29 ended in the early 1980s, when Highway 29 moved to the south to the new Butler Bridge over the Napa River. But a stretch of the road retained its Highway 121 status as a state route between Sonoma County and Lake Berryessa. Imola Avenues old, green Maxwell Bridge became a local landmark, with cars rumbling over its metal drawbridge section until 2005. Then the bridge came down after todays high-arching concrete bridge went up as part of the Napa flood control project to leave more room for Napa River floodwaters. The metal Maxwell Bridge seems to symbolize the Imola Avenue of the past utilitarian and auto-orientated. And the new bridge just might symbolize the Imola Avenue of the future more graceful with consideration given to walking and biking, as well as driving. At least, thats the goal. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. My brother Joe in Indiana visited Napa just once. The year was 1973. When he died in October, he had gone 45 years without making a return trip. On some level I took it personally. Then again, Joe had a lot going on in his life. He was a self-employed home builder. He fathered triplets. How many dads hit the road with triplets? And then the crusher: a diagnosis of multiple myeloma a decade ago. If Joe wouldnt/couldnt come west, I would trek east. We would see each other at least once a decade at family reunions in Memphis or at Joes lair in Bloomington. There was often tension between us, which I attributed to my being the older brother, yet Joe was a good host. I felt his love. Yet somehow he couldnt be convinced to make a reciprocating visit. I took it hard when Joe died abruptly three months ago. I lost the person with whom I could process all things Courtney. I feared my ties to his Bloomington family might fade away. And there went my dream of someday hosting Joe again on my turf. Fortunately, life is full of surprises. Joes widow, Ellen, called in November. She described a household awash in grief. The upcoming holidays held no promise of joy. "This is the most epic Christmas ever," my fourth-grade daughter proclaimed from behind the new laptop we gifted her. After three years of her begging for a phone, tablet or computer, we capitulated with a basic laptop, complete with parental controls. We envisioned it primarily as a tool for schoolwork and learning how to use a keyboard. Based on her enthusiasm level, she envisioned it as a tool for binge-watching her favorite shows and keeping up with Zac Efron's love life. After enduring years of laments about how she was "the only kid" without her own device, it felt novel to soak in her gratitude and unalloyed joy. That lasted almost 14 hours. The day after Christmas, she hunkered down to explore her laptop. First stop: an internet-wide search on my name. Second stop: a furious march to my room, where she thrust the shiny new device in my face. "What's all this?" she said. The screen was covered with thumbnail sketches of her as a baby, a toddler and preschooler - each paired with an essay or blog post I'd written on the subject of parenting. "Why are all of these pictures of me on the Internet?" She wanted to know, and she had a right to know. Larry Brisbon, 78, died after a valiant battle with cancer on Thursday, December 6, 2018 in his home in Carmel Valley, CA. Larry was born to Doyle O. and Beulah A. (Steers) Edwards, in Klamath Falls, OR, where he was later raised by Ralph E. and Beulah A. Brisbon and graduated from Klamath Union High School in 1958. After graduation, Larry joined the United States Air Force, where he became a Technical Sergeant in which he proudly served for 15 years. He was married to Margaret Aguirre of Hollister, CA, and together they had three children. On May 13, 1973, while overseas in Okinawa, Japan, Larry was injured and became permanently disabled in a diving accident. Larry and his family were transferred back to the United States, and later moved to Napa, CA where he raised his children as a single parent with the loving support of his parents. South Africas official 2018 matric pass rate of 78.2% does not tell the full story, as it ignores the large percentage of students who drop. Methods have therefore been proposed to measure a true matric pass rate for 2018. One way is to compare the matric pass rate to the number of children who entered grade 1 in 2007. This gives a pass rate of 40% when taking into account all the students who dropped out over time. Equal Education has said that it measures the pass rate by looking at how many grade 2 students from 2008 eventually passed matric in 2018. The number of children who repeat grade 1 tends to be higher than for grade 2, the organisation said. The DA prefers to compare the number of matrics who passed to students who enter the FET band in grade 10. You may elect to leave school after grade 9 in South Africa. All these calculations produce a pass mark well below the 78.2% mark. Enrolments Another concerning measure is the number of students who pass matric compared to those who enrolled for grade 12. The official pass rate is calculated by dividing the number of passes by the number of matrics who wrote exams. However, a huge gap has started to develop in the number of students who enrol for matric compared to those who sit the exams. To see how the DA and Equal Educations measures compare, we plotted them against one another, and the official pass rate. We also showed a recalculated pass rate for all students who enrolled for matric. The graphs below are drawn from data provided in the annual Education Statistics in South Africa reports prepared by the Department of Basic Education, along with its yearly NSC Examinations Technical reports. Cohort pass rates The graph below shows how the grade 2 and grade 10 cohort pass rates compare to the official pass rate from 2010 to 2018. It also shows the pass rate of all grade 12 learners who registered to take the matric finals, and not only those who wrote the exams. Official pass rates The graph below shows how the official pass rates, including degree and diploma passes, have changed since 2010. MyBroadband has released its Q4 2018 fixed-broadband report which shows that Supersonic, CipherWave, Cool Ideas, and Cybersmart are the top-ranked ISPs in South Africa. The report is based on 629,000 broadband speed tests which were conducted on the MyBroadband speed test platform between 1 October and 31 December 2018. MyBroadbands HTML5 speed test servers are hosted in Teracos vendor-neutral data centres to ensure a neutral testing environment. Through NAPAfrica, all network operators present at its peering points are provided with a free 10Gbps connection to the MyBroadband speed test platform. As part of their speed test, users are also given the opportunity to rate their Internet service provider (ISP). These ratings are then used to rank South African ISPs based on their subscribers overall satisfaction. MyBroadband Q4 2018 fixed-broadband results The results for the last quarter show that the average fixed-broadband download speed in South Africa was 16.67Mbps. The average upload speed was 11.06Mbps, while the average latency to the Johannesburg and Cape Town test servers was 47ms. Supersonic was the top-rated ISP with an average rating of 4.75, followed by CipherWave with 4.68, and Cool Ideas on 4.46. The table below provides an overview of the ratings of prominent fibre, ADSL, and fixed-LTE service providers in South Africa. The average download speed, upload speed, and latency are also provided for these ISPs. These speeds should not be interpreted as a direct reflection of network quality, but rather as an indication of the typical subscriber base of these ISPs. From the average speeds it is clear that the top ISPs have mainly fibre-to-the-home subscribers, with high average speeds and similar download and upload speeds (symmetrical connections). It further shows a close relationship between fibre connectivity and overall customer satisfaction. Much of the area is within the 100-year floodplain, and during last springs flooding, county officials were worried about a potentially catastrophic failure of the berms that divide the sites industrial waste from the Clark Fork River. During a tense meeting in May 2018, representatives from Missoula County, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, the Clark Fork Coalition and a Community Advisory Group complained that the EPA was dragging its feet, and hadnt listened to their concerns. After that meeting, Commissioner Dave Strohmaier said he was cautiously optimistic that the EPA heard their concerns and understood the level of their frustration. He noted that looking forward, the groups will watch closely to see how the EPA addresses the issues, and noted Thursday that the letter is a good way to keep the pressure on. Ross reiterated their concerns in the letter signed by the commission. One of those includes review of the supplemental sampling that was collected in late 2018. We would like to talk about perspectives and timing of the different types of data that may be collected to support a feasibility study or, better yet, support removal of buried wastes, the letter states. The shutdown has furloughed about 13,000 federal workers in Montana, including Interior staff at Yellowstone and Glacier national parks as well as Forest Service and other Department of Agriculture agencies. The federal government is the second-largest employer in the state. Since the shutdown, visitors have been able to enter Yellowstone and Glacier, but depend on private businesses and residents for local services. In his letter, Daines noted that while the Antideficiency Act prohibited continued government operations during a shutdown, an exemption existed for emergencies to protect life and property. He suggested that volunteers in Gardiner and Cooke City picking up trash and maintaining bathrooms posed a significant risk to property and public health. I urge you to reconsider a lapse in these services and any other eligible under this exemption of the Act and provide additional support to our gateway communities and national parks, Daines wrote. Daines said in a statement Sunday afternoon that he was pleased with Interior's decision. "Our communities should not be in danger as a result of political games going on in Washington, D.C.,'' he said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 I'll readily admit; my posts are mostly stream of consciousness. And sometimes; it's just better to just post photos. I needed to get my car serviced today. Instead of waiting around; I decided to catch the Trolley, something I used to enjoy, but haven't done in ages.....and just head out and take in San Diego. So; I headed off to the Little Italy Mercato, then walked down to the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market. Instead of some long-winded post; here are some photos of an overcast, yet fun day. Because of some delays on the Green Line West; I decided to take a round about way; doing the Orange Line to Downtown; getting off at Civic Center and walking to Little Italy. Where I passed an iconic "name" in San Diego....whose commercials you couldn't miss if you lived here in the 90's and "aughts". I'd heard that Mexican Fiesta; whose existence always reminded me of the Children's book, The Little House had closed. And yes, it has.... I think pooches outnumber children here...... I then walked on over to Seaport Village..... Man, I haven't been around here in at least a decade.... Things looked a bit depressed; many closed businesses. Though it's always fun to "pooch watch"...... The Dockside Market was close by; so I headed on over. A somewhat interesting mix of folks..... I decided to grab an Americano from here..... And guess who I saw??? And even coming back around again while I finished my coffee. Since it was close by; I decided to check out Unconditional Surrender by Seward Johnson. It was an overcast day; with not too many tourists. Just like I don't visit Waikiki when I'm back "home"; I really don't get down here to often. I was glad to have some time on my hands to just reacquaint myself with this area. And then of course.....it was time for lunch! Incoming Sen. Mitt Romney's timely opinion in the Washington Post critiquing the divisive and destructive practices of the current president demonstrate that there is at least one adult member of the Republican Party in the U.S. Senate. Unfortunately, not from Montana. It should be a relatively easy job to simply maintain whats already proven to be working well. According to the Montana Department of Health and Human Services, nearly 95,000 adults are enrolled in Medicaid Expansion, more than 11,000 of them in Missoula County. Nearly 800 of those Missoula County enrollees have received breast cancer screenings, resulting in 12 breast cancer diagnoses. Nearly 600 enrollees in Missoula received colon cancer screenings, averting an estimated 220 possible colon cancer diagnoses. The list continues for hypertension, diabetes, mental illness and addiction. The benefits of Medicaid Expansion are significant and lasting. The uninsured rate has plummeted from 20 percent to just 7 percent. The economy has seen a boost of some $500 million, with more than 5,000 new jobs in health care and related industries supported by Medicaid expansion. The states larger return on investment is obvious. In terms of taxpayer dollars, if Medicaid expansion continues as-is, it is projected to cost the state $57.4 million in fiscal year 2020. Meanwhile, Montana will also see a savings of more than $28 million though the program. There are many other ways than transfer to sell out our public lands. One is by allowing special interests to call the shots on public land management decisions, and thats what Zinke allowed to happen. As he said in a keynote note to the Louisiana Oil and Gas Associations fall meeting, Our government should work for you. As shocking as that statement is, it was, at least, an honest admission of how Zinke has conducted himself throughout his tenure as secretary of the Interior. He has limited, eliminated or just plain ignored public input on public land management decisions in favor of what special interests want. Case in point: the Bureau of Land Management, which Zinke has overseen, announced last month that it would move ahead on a sale of oil, gas and fracking leases on 10,000 acres of public land in southwest Montana, including parcels along two of Montanas most revered blue-ribbon streams the Big Hole and Beaverhead rivers. Unbelievably, the BLM made this decision after receiving thousands of comments against the lease sale and only one comment in support of it. Bir Hospital and National Trauma Centre likely to have a single director The Health Ministry is currently holding discussions for the possible merger oftwo government hospitalsBir Hospital and National Trauma Centreunder the National Academy of Health Sciences (NAMS). Ministry officials say that the finaldecision is yet to be taken. Regulations have tightened at fraternities and sororities across the country in the last couple of years after reports of troubling events, including deaths and sexual assaults. In some cases, national headquarters wanting to avoid smeared reputations are putting pressure on local chapters. Adrianne Donald, director of the University Center at the University of Montana and supervisor of Fraternity and Sorority Involvement, said the headquarters for Sigma Alpha Epsilon recommended last year that chapters go "dry" for finals, for instance. Some campuses are exerting their own authority over fraternities and sororities and shoring up supervision or even closing problematic chapters. At UM, Donald and Fraternity and Sorority Involvement Director Lacey Zinke are in the process of redrafting the agreement between the university and the outside councils that govern sororities and fraternities, the College Panhellenic Council and Interfraternity Council. Donald said many changes will clean up the language to remove redundancies, and she said the agreement must be negotiated with the private organizations. However, she shared one substantive item in particular that she plans to add to the draft agreement. In a written response to Hood's report, Donald said "the document is not a true assessment as it is not quantified by data," but she noted the observations presented "were known and have been and continue to be addressed." Some issues, such as alcohol use, are not specific to Greek life but to "Montana culture," and she said UM "continually" addresses it in numerous ways, including mandated alcohol education. Doe's experiences reflect some of the observations in the assessment. When Doe suggested she might take her concerns outside the sorority, she reported being called "unsisterly," and she said she received pushback when she voiced plans to meet with SARC and UM officials. She said chapter adviser Trisha Searcy told her "that's just really concerning that you would go to the university over it. I promise you we're dealing with it in house." Searcy declined an interview with the Missoulian and said she would "not speak to private conversations." However, she said "our chapter would never pretend to undertake a sexual assault investigation internally, and we would encourage any member to report such an incident to the appropriate authorities." *** I was upside down on everything, Beck said. I was hanging by my foot, by my knee, by one hand. I was holding other people. Beck also loved hauling equipment up to her various tree houses, which later manifested into a job when she worked at a high ropes obstacle course for people with disabilities in Park City, Utah, which she said was similar to the course at McCormick Park by the river. My love comes from the setup and equipment, Beck said. I absolutely love that part of it and that's where my focus came from. After spending some time in Utah, Beck returned to Missoula and began dabbling in flow arts. She came together with some friends to practice fire-spinning, poi and other disciplines and in the late 90s, she was invited to perform in her first paid gig at Big Sky Brewerys Pray for Snow party. Beck grew a community as she continued to invite other flow artists to practice with her in a building off Wyoming and Russell streets. In 2012, she traveled to Colorado and became certified in aerial yoga. This book is full of burning questions that have been troubling mankind since the beginning of time. For instance, why do cats purr? How can dolphins sleep in the ocean without drowning? Why do we yawn, and why does yawning seem to be so contagious? Scientific American magazine has compiled a team of top ranked scientists and professors to provide the answers to these and many more questions in this accessible, reader-friendly volume. Dont worry if you dont have a PhD in biology or astronomy. You wont need one to understand the answers in this book. Whether you have a preschooler at home who is forever asking you why, or you just want to find out all the answers for yourself, this book will fit the bill. Read it and you will be smarter than you were when before you started it. For some, less snow is great news. With no or little snow, driving is less hazardous, you dont have to shovel the sidewalk and moving anywhere outdoors is easier with flip-flops than snow boots. Our ski resorts though, need snow, and I, for one, find the white wispy stuff almost comforting. It feels as if weather-wise, all is as it should be. Sometimes Ive wondered if, in a hundred years, wed call this time period were living in the early 2000s the in-between time of climate change when winters in Idaho were comparatively mild but snow still happened most of the time. The full effects of a warming planet had not yet hit us. I think about this every time I read that NASA has issued another warning about our average global temperatures climbing. But wet snow, the kind it seems were more likely to get this winter, is great for snowman-building. I found this out a few weeks ago when we had that four-six inch snowfall, enough for the grandkids to play in. Then I bent over, hamstrings screaming, and tried rolling a syrupy little snowman ball along the ground. It was no easy task. The ball kept breaking apart because the snow was almost too wet. Were making a snowman, huh Gan-ma? my granddaughter Cora asked as she watched me push my snowball around the backyard leaving a ribbon of frozen green grass in its wake. WASHINGTON I dont think it was a coincidence that staff who worked for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sometimes ended up standing in front of me when I attended press events she held in San Francisco, when I worked for a local paper. Pelosi didnt seem to like it when Id pepper her with questions about, say, her ill-considered 2007 visit to Syria, during which she proclaimed, The road to Damascus is the road to peace. She was, after all, used to a press corps that considered her a political moderate in spite of her very progressive voting record and positions. I was not among that group. It was a San Francisco-based misinterpretation due to Pelosis old-school style. A Democratic fundraiser and organizer while she raised her five children, Pelosi resisted entreaties that she run for office until her youngest was in high school. The daughter of Baltimore mayor Thomas DAlesandro, Pelosi was raised in the ways of the back room. She knows how to cut deals when many Bay Area pols prefer to flaunt their precious sensibilities. Shes pragmatic to the point that she tried to rein in Democrats who wanted to impeach President George W. Bush because of the war in Iraq. Last June, the state of Arkansas enacted work requirements for Medicaid recipients in an effort to incentivize people to work. It was a failed experiment. Recent studies by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that between June and November 2018, nearly 17,000 people lost Medicaid coverageand so the Medicaid gap continues to exist in Arkansas in spite of Medicaid expansion. And heres the thing: It is estimated that the majority who lost coverage were working; they merely failed to file the correct paperwork. They were victims of red tape. Here in Idaho, where citizens recently voted by a landslide to enact Medicaid expansion, we have a chance to learn from Arkansas mistakes. Newly elected Gov. Brad Little recently suggested that Idaho lawmakers should honor the will of the voters, but that Medicaid Expansion should be implemented in an Idaho manner. Many interpreted Little as suggesting that Idaho should follow Arkansas and enact work requirements for Medicaid recipients. The truth is that so-called work requirements are not the Idaho way; they are the Arkansas way. They failed in Arkansas and they would surely fail in Idaho. For a state that prides itself on its citizen legislature, working in the peoples house, and openness and accessibility to the government, these reforms are a no-brainer. The bottom line for us is that if someone or a group of interested parties is giving money to a candidate, we want to know about it. If someone or a group is spending money on electioneering communications, we want to know whos behind it and why. We understand some concerns among a couple of the legislators on the committee about quelling free speech because donors might be scared to donate if they knew they would be identified in campaign finance reports. We understand it, but we just dont buy it. This argument concerns us, and it will concern us if some of our legislators this session start trying to make the free speech argument in an effort to kill this legislation. By saying that someone wont give money to a campaign because the public might find out and get angry with them for it or that they might not produce electioneering communications for fear of reprisals, you are indeed advocating for secrecy in campaign financing. In other words, you want individuals or organizations to donate to campaigns and do electioneering without anyone finding out whos behind it all. TWIN FALLS Do your New Years resolutions include painting or drawing or trying something new? The Idaho Watercolor Society will host a painting session from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Twin Falls Center for the Arts, 195 River Vista Place. Before the Medicare rule was handed down, North Canyon had already been talking about improving pricing transparency a topic that has been discussed for more than a year. The consumer out there is getting to be pretty knowledgeable and is doing a much better job of shopping, Powers said, and the cost for patients is a huge component of their decision about where to seek care. Quality is obviously a huge element of it, but in this day and age, economics is playing a huge role in patients making the determination of where they want to get their health care at. St. Lukes has a robust cost estimator tool on its website, Powers said, North Canyon is trying to replicate. North Canyon has the cost of some of its most common services including x-rays, lab work, imaging tests and family medicine visits pulled out on its website to try to make it as early as possible for patients to find, hospital spokeswoman Shellie Amundson said. Information has been available since last August and the new CMS list of standard charges was posted Dec. 31. North Canyon receives a lot of phone calls from patients wanting to know exactly what they owe, Amundson said. Hospitals cant post what every insurance company will cover, she said, since there are so many plans and it would be impossible to do. Bihaha Panchami costs State 2 Rs 7.3 million Province 2 spent Rs7.3 million during the Bibaha Panchami, a special Hindu religious event observed on December 12. March 4, 1961January 1, 2019 Evan Earl Carpenter, 57, of Jerome, Idaho went to be with his Lord on January 1st, 2019 at his home after a brief battle with cancer. Evan was born on March 4th, 1961 in Canyon City, Colorado to Floyd and Janet Carpenter. He was raised and educated in both Colorado and Jerome, Idaho, and graduated from Jerome High School in 1979. Evan married Karen Kay Kersey of Jerome, Idaho on August 14, 1982. She was his best friend and the love of his life. Together they raised six children. He owned and operated Assist Auto Brokerage in Wendell, Idaho. He enjoyed studying scripture, riding his ATVs in the South Hills with his family, spending time with his children and grandchildren, working on cars, and spending time on projects in his shop. Evan was a born-again Christian and his relationship with the Lord was a motivating factor in his life. INJURY TO A CHILD, LEAVING THE SCENE OF AN INJURY ACCIDENT, BURGLARY, GRAND THEFT, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, BATTERY, ELUDING and RESISTING AND/OR OBSTRUCTING The Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office is asking that anyone having information, please call CRIME STOPPERS AT 208-343-COPS WHERE YOU CAN REMAIN ANONYMOUS AND MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CASH REWARD The Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office is asking that anyone having information, please call 735-1911 or Crime Stoppers at 732-5387 where you can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward. Web tips can be made at www.343cops.com Or download P3 Tips on your mobile phone. The first residents are expected to move in this spring, Woodward said. Said IndieDwells Flynn: Its these kinds of groups that we want to work with, to provide affordable housing for. A 2015 housing study by the city of Boise found a deficit of more than 8,000 housing units for residents with incomes classified as very low and extremely low. The study said 9,500 housing units were needed during the following decade to maintain current housing conditions. Flynn, a Boise native, also builds custom, high-end homes using green building concepts. He said he is dismayed by the large number of Treasure Valley residents who cant afford to buy their own homes. The goal of IndieDwell is to allow everyone to own a sturdy, well-built home, he said. The company is building two homes for families in Cascade and has other projects lined up across the state. Interest has also come from as far away as Denver. IndieDwell expects $3 million in sales for 2018 and $30 million or more for 2019, said Pete Gombert, Flynns cofounder, at the Idaho Statesmans Professional Development Day in November. BOISE If youve ever hiked a Ridge to Rivers trail, wandered Harrison Hollow or admired the beauty of the Foothills, you can extend some thanks to one Boisean who had a hand in making it all happen. Tim Breuer, 58, was the first official orchestrator of the Ridge to Rivers trail system that now traverses the Foothills. And until the past couple of weeks, he was the executive director of the Land Trust of the Treasure Valley, a group dedicated to conserving natural spaces in the Boise area. He played an integral role in what are now some of Boises favorite outdoor recreation options, and hes quick to acknowledge the group effort it took to achieve them. The successes often attributed to me took place because so many people were involved and helping, Breuer told the Statesman days before his Dec. 21 retirement. From business to Boise trails In the 1980s, Breuer was working in business and on the verge of wearing out a pinstriped suit, he joked. Originally from South Dakota, he grew up riding his bike as a free-range kid on the Great Plains. In Boise, he had the opportunity to mountain bike and quickly found a community of Idahoans biking and hiking on impromptu trails in the Foothills. After learning through past reporting that Wisconsin technical colleges had long waiting lists to get into their various fields of study, I flew around the state with Doyle as he linked tech colleges to financial self-reliance for graduates. Media consultants loved it, and in his first budget as governor a budget filled with spending cuts tech colleges were spared. Fourteen years of talk radio followed on conservative WIBA-AM (1310) and progressive WXXM-FM (92.1 The Mic). I learned that political tribalism has been around long before Donald Trump. The difference is that President Trump fires back at his critics far more savagely than past Republicans. He calls them out and smears them on Twitter. President Richard Nixon would curse them in private. What my progressive fans dont understand is that Trump loyalists hate his critics as much as his critics hate Trump. That has made holiday gatherings less peaceful. Im grateful to Brandon Scholz for gathering financial support for me after my stroke through the Friends of Mitch Campaign. Insurance didnt cover acupuncture, and Dr. Zhou brought back my speech. I also thank friends in the business community for keeping the show on the internet after WIBA, and then after 92.1 FM switched to music in 2016. UW-Oshkosh records custodian Kathleen McQuillan informed Roth sometime in the fall that the university would release records to the State Journal. Culp filed a complaint in Winnebago Circuit Court on Nov. 26 to block release of the records, writing that the law favors nondisclosure of the records and overrides the publics interest in the documents. Court records do not indicate the university and Regents have been served with the suit. Such harm will be irreparable and for which there will be no adequate remedy at law, especially where information in records is factually inaccurate and cause unfair damage to the employees reputation, Culp wrote in the complaint. Culp argued that releasing the records may potentially lead to a loss of morale among public employees, could pose difficulty in attracting future quality candidates to public employment, could lead to an increased level of embarrassment and may have a chilling effect on future personnel investigations and employee assessments. Releasing the records, particularly settlement agreements, would discourage settlements from being struck in the future, which Culp said is a cost-effective and efficient avenue for public agencies to resolve disputes. The Madison School District is mulling changes to admissions requirements at one of its two alternative high schools as the student body continues to be disproportionately white and middle class, and as some parents raise concerns that the school is improperly denying entry to students with disabilities. About 68 percent of the 114 students at Malcolm Shabazz City High School named for slain black nationalist and civil rights leader Malcolm X were white last school year, and about 33 percent were classified as economically disadvantaged, according to data from the state Department of Public Instruction. Thats in contrast to the districts enrollment generally, and to its high school population specifically. Both have grown more economically and racially diverse, with about 43 percent to 45 percent of students identifying as white and 43 percent to 46 percent as economically disadvantaged, according to DPI. The trends at Shabazz persist despite the districts increased emphasis in recent years on bringing academic achievement among students of color up to that of whites, and on reducing the disproportionate number of black students suspended or expelled for behavior problems. In July, the district announced black excellence as a new goal in its strategic framework a kind of big-picture policy document thats supposed to guide the districts decisions. Meanwhile, a complaint has been filed with the district on behalf of a student who reportedly was denied entry to Shabazz because of the students disability something that, if true, could run afoul of nondiscrimination law. A group of families in the district believe that the admission criteria at Shabazz HS are discriminatory and have led to the exclusion of students with significant disabilities, and other marginalized student groups, from this public high school, former school board member Anna Moffit said in an email. Moffit works for a nonprofit that advocates for students with special need and has three children with disabilities in Madison schools. Charter or alternative? Public charter and alternative schools are both defined in state statute, but only charters are specifically allowed to set requirements for admission to the school. Under a range of federal and state laws, all public schools are barred from discriminating against students on the basis of race, gender, disability and other factors. Alternative schools are supposed to serve at-risk students, said DPI spokesman Tom McCarthy, while charter schools can require prospective students to meet certain eligibility requirements that an alternative school could not require. Among the things that can make a student at-risk are failing grades, drug or alcohol use, and serious behavior problems, according to a 2009 DPI document that lays out guidance for alternative education. Shabazzs five eligibility requirements, however, would appear to preclude many at-risk students from enrolling. They include demonstrating an ability to succeed academically, attend school at least 60 percent of the time, and graduate within five years. The school will not accept students with a recent history of serious behavior problems, especially if theyve been aggressive with other students or staff or been in trouble for violating rules against alcohol or drug use. Someone might have questions about whether those kinds of requirements are legal, said Julie Mead, a UW-Madison education professor and expert in education law. Key is how Shabazzs requirements are applied in real-life situations, she said. But in public schools generally, rules that state if this is true you are not eligible thats when we get concerned. The concern would be that the rule creates a categorical exclusion that makes a person ineligible based on a particular characteristic, she said, such as race, gender, disability, the students proficiency with English or other characteristics. Shabazz Principal Aric Soderbloom said the school doesnt have the resources some students need such as a bilingual resource teacher and were not set up to deal with students whose main issue is behavioral regulation. Its difficult for a school to be open to students with serious behavior problems while not acquiring a reputation as a place for the at risk, he said, and once that labels acquired, that is not a successful program. Criteria really restrictive Madison chief of secondary schools Alex Fralin said work to revise Shabazzs eligibility requirements will be inclusive. The goal is to work collaboratively with the school, he said. Weve asked the principal to identify a few members of his school community as well as members of the central office to kind of review the criteria for students to determine their own eligibility. The criteria now seem to be really restrictive, he said. Soderbloom said the school is taking steps to diversity its student body and our goal would be to match district averages, and more specifically, the demographics of West High School. A diversity task force was formed at the end of last year, he said, and while the school has traditionally eschewed marketing itself and relied on word of mouth to drive enrollment, its started reaching out to middle schools and took an ad out in The Capital City Hues, a Madison newspaper aimed at people of color. He acknowledged that the perception of Shabazz is as a white school, and perception ends up driving reality. Shabazzs student demographics are in even sharper contrast to the demographics of the districts other alternative high school, Capital High, and the smattering of other alternative programs the district offers. With sites on the Near East and Far West sides, Capital High has about 180 students. There are about 70 more spread out among the other programs. According to data reported to DPI, about 16 percent of students at Capital High and the other alternative programs last year were white, while about 70 percent of students were economically disadvantaged. Capital High and other alternative programs and the district as a whole also had much higher percentages of English-language learners last year about 20 percent of enrollment. Shabazzs ELL enrollment was 2.6 percent, or just three students. Prospective Capital High students need a referral from a district employee, but there are otherwise no specific admissions criteria. Rejection prompts complaint Citing student privacy, the district in November denied a State Journal request for a copy of the complaint against Shabazz, but Moffit, the former school board member, said it has to do with a student with a significant disability who was rejected by Shabazz ... due to not meeting the admission criteria. Moffit said the family is not interested in going public at this time. Madison parent Suzanne Buchko said that when she applied to enroll her 17-year-old daughter in the school in April, she got conflicting information. She said she initially got an email from the school saying her daughter met the admissions requirements and asking her in for an interview, but before the interview Buchko said she got a letter saying her daughter didnt meet the requirements. According to them, they dont offer a full range of accommodations for kids with IEPs, she said, referring to students with disabilities who have individualized education programs, or IEPs. I dont think you can say that in a public school, but they did, she said. The district declined to comment on Buchkos description of the episode. Buchko said her daughter, who is on the autism spectrum, gets good grades at West High, but with accommodations such as classroom support, modified testing and an allowance to take test material home to study. Still, she said she wasnt trying to be overly critical of Shabazz and knows students who have benefited from its approach. In June, after shed lost her bid for a second term on the board, Moffit emailed district general counsel Matthew Bell and executive director of student services John Harper a copy of a letter sent to a prospective Shabazz student letting the students family know that the student hadnt met the criteria for getting into Shabazz. She said its not the same student as the one whose family filed the formal complaint. I am surprised that this is legal, since Shabazz is a public school, Moffit wrote Bell on June 6. Are you aware that their Principal is sending out this information? Moffit never received a response. DPI data show the percentage of students with disabilities at Shabazz last year, about 19 percent, was higher than in the district as a whole (about 14 percent). Twenty-four percent of students at Capital High, however, had disabilities. Fralin said hes hoping changes to Shabazzs eligibility requirements will be in place by the start of the next school year. Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Possible scenarios Based on witness accounts, detectives said they were looking for a man with blond or light hair who reportedly was seen driving away from the scene in a gold or yellow 1968 or 1969 Chevrolet. But Tod Speer said Hull told him that detectives later believed there were three people in the car two men and a woman. They also believed the shooter was the driver, and a woman with blond hair was in the passenger seat next to him. The second man would have been in the back seat. Detectives identified the three suspects but charges were never filed because none of their stories could be corroborated, according to Hull. From what I could tell, there was a lot of finger pointing at the other persons and the statements didnt necessarily add up or make sense given the other witness statements we had, he said. Hull wasnt surprised that interviews with some of the old suspects last year yielded no new clues. Their memories are different and so youre trying to work through what was said at the time compared to what they remember now, Hull said. Rankings for hard-cover books sold in Southern California, as reported by selected book stores: ___ Nonfiction 1. "Becoming," by Michelle Obama (Crown: $32.35) The former first lady recounts her childhood in Chicago, meeting Barack and their years in the White House. 2. "Educated," by Tara Westover (Random House: $28) A young woman raised without schooling by survivalists describes her path to Cambridge University. 3. "The Library Book," by Susan Orlean (Simon & Schuster: $15) The story of the 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Public Library. 4. "Leadership: In Turbulent Times," by Doris Kearns Goodwin (Simon & Schuster: $30) Lessons learned from four presidents dealing with major crises in private and in the life of the country. 5. "How to Change Your Mind," by Michael Pollan (Penguin Press: $28) A personal account of how psychedelics may help the mentally ill. 6. "Brief Answers to the Big Questions," by Stephen Hawking (Bantam: $25) Final thoughts on the biggest questions facing humankind from the late scientist and mathematician. Tika R Pradhan is a senior political correspondent for the Post, covering politics, parliament, judiciary and social affairs. Pradhan joined the Post in 2016 after working at The Himalayan Times for more than a decade. Dear Editor: Badger State residents may be surprised to learn that killing wild animals in contests to win prizes is still legal, including in the "Moondog Madness" coyote-killing contests that will be held in January and February in Sparta, Sauk City and Cambria. In this event participants will compete for cash prizes for killing the most coyotes. What an insult to Wisconsin's hunting tradition of sportsmanship, fair chase and respect for wildlife and their environment. In 2018 an undercover investigation of wildlife-killing contests by the Humane Society of the United States showed participants piling up coyotes and foxes they had killed to be judged for prizes, laughing and posing for photos in front of the dead animals. In many contests, children are encouraged to participate, and hunting equipment and high-powered rifles including AR-15s are awarded as raffle prizes. But with the new year, there's the possibility some of these questions will finally be answered. There are already scheduled hearings and deadlines in former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort's criminal cases and a growing expectation of the wind-down of Mueller's work and use of a federal grand jury, which was extended on Friday. Here are 16 questions about what's to come in the Russia probe: How does the Mueller investigation end? When he concludes his work, Mueller must provide a confidential report to the attorney general. But before that happens, he could seek additional indictments. So far, Mueller's team has secured guilty pleas from seven people, including President Donald Trump's top two campaign leaders, his formerpersonal attorney and his first national security adviser. Twenty-six others, who are all Russian, have been indicted by Mueller. In theory, the special counsel will answer a cascade of questions raised in the investigation, including whether he believes Trump obstructed justice, and will release findings on the allegations of coordination between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. Mueller will likely assess whether Trump knew in advance about the Trump Tower meeting with Russians in June 2016, whether campaign contacts sought stolen Democratic Party emails, whether foreign money illegally came into the election and what gave rise to the Republican Party changing its platform on Russian intervention in Ukraine. Will the public see Mueller's findings? Whether Mueller's findings will become public and how is another question entirely one that could lead to a fight of its own. If Mueller and the Justice Department do not make the report public and if the White House wants to keep it largely secret Congress could issue a subpoena to try to force its release. Some details may be held back, because of assertions of executive privilege, grand jury secrecy and other confidentiality considerations. Congress and public interest groups could go to court over what should be released. Will Trump fire Mueller? From almost the beginning, the threat that Trump or the attorney general could fire Mueller has hung over the probe. But Trump hasn't done it yet. Speculation about Mueller's impending dismissal reached a fever pitch last April, after multiple news organizations, including CNN, reported that Trump was furious over the probe and previously directed his White House counsel to fire the special counsel. Don McGahn, who was then the White House counsel, refused. Now McGahn has left the West Wing, as has chief of staff John Kelly, who presided during much of the time Trump railed against Mueller. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who recused himself from overseeing the investigation, left the Justice Department in the hands of now-acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, who disregarded the advice of a Justice Department ethics official and did not recuse from the probe. The next boss in line to oversee Mueller is Bill Barr, who was attorney general during the George H.W. Bush administration and is again nominated to be attorney general. Barr's approach to Mueller is yet to be seen. Previously, he wasn't completely supportive of the investigation. He wrote a memo to Justice Department officials in June arguing that an obstruction of justice inquiry into Trump's decision to fire FBI Director James Comey was "fatally misconceived." Will Mueller interview Trump? It's unclear if Mueller has more questions for Trump. The President's team has signaled for months that it would fight if he were asked to testify under subpoena or sit for an interview with Mueller, two situations where lying can be prosecuted as a federal crime. Instead, the President's defense team held off a court fight by responding in writing to a set of questions from Mueller just before Thanksgiving. They dealt largely with the allegations of Russian collusion and the time period before the inauguration. But Mueller's team has always been interested in interviewing the President, and the two sides have been in communication as of last month. If Mueller did send Trump a subpoena for grand jury testimony, historical legal precedent suggests Trump would have to answer questions under oath. Trump was the chief critic of Mueller in the second half of 2018, calling the investigation a politically motivated witch hunt repeatedly and at a frantic pace. "The Russian Collusion fabrication is the greatest Hoax in the history of American politics," Trump tweeted on December 29. How long will Mueller's grand jury continue to meet? The grand jury used by Mueller to indict Manafort, his deputy Rick Gates and 26 Russians over the past year and a half first assembled in the Washington federal courthouse in the summer of 2017. Its initial 18-month term was extended by up to six months on Friday. The grand jury has convened on most Fridays, receiving scores of witnesses who gave testimony and hours of findings from prosecutors about the intricacies of Russian attempts to infiltrate US politics. This secret body of no more than 23 citizens is a powerful tool Mueller can use to compel evidence collection and bring in witnesses. It's also the panel of peers that ultimately votes to approve criminal indictments. Apparently, it's still doing its work. The grand jury last gathered on December 21, according to CNN reporting. Mueller also has the option to present evidence to other established grand juries, such as the one in Virginia he used to open a second case against Manafort. What about House Democrats? Beyond Mueller, a new class of investigators was sworn in this week: House Democrats. Democrats now control the key House committees that can investigate Trump's campaign ties to Russia, his personal finances, obstruction of justice and just about everything in between. These committees have subpoena power and can force key witnesses to turn over sensitive documents, and can demand that Trump's closest allies appear for public hearings to face blistering questions in front of the cameras. Senior Democrats have said they won't wait for Mueller to complete his probe before launching their own investigations. Though some staunch liberals are clamoring for impeachment, Democratic leaders including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi say that won't be on the table until Mueller closes shop. Even if Mueller does wrap up his work in 2019, Democrats are sure to keep up the pressure with their aggressive moves on the Hill. Will Roger Stone's associate be forced to testify? The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has not yet ruled on Stone associate Andrew Miller's attempt to dodge a subpoena and his challenge of Mueller's authority. Miller lost his case before a trial-level judge and was held in contempt of court, then appealed. If he wins, the court could undercut Mueller's appointment within the Justice Department. But if the appeals court sticks with the trial judge's findings and Miller still refuses to testify, he could go to jail. Miller is one of 13 known Stone associates who've been approached by investigators. What mystery foreign-state-owned company is trying to hold off a subpoena? A second grand jury subpoena challenge related to the Mueller investigation has worked its way to the Supreme Court in recent weeks. That challenge, from an unnamed foreign-government-owned company, is fending off mounting fees for failing to turn over information to the grand jury. As of Friday afternoon, the Supreme Court was still considering whether to freeze the fine. What are the 'several ongoing investigations' Gates is still helping team Mueller with? Last we heard from Gates, he had testified for three days against Manafort at trial and "continues to cooperate with respect to several ongoing investigations," his defense lawyer and Mueller's prosecutors said in November. It's notable that prosecutors' status report on Gates hasn't hinted at a coming sentencing, given prosecutors' successful convictions of Manafort. What else could the top Trump campaign and inaugural official be helping Mueller and the Justice Department with? The next status report from prosecutors and Gates' legal team is scheduled to be submitted to the court on Jan. 15. Will powerful Russians get access to national security investigation secrets? The Russian company Concord Managementand Consulting is fighting this battle in court, as it fends off a criminal indictment for allegedly funding a social media conspiracy to disrupt the 2016 presidential election. Concord has taken a scrappy, antagonistic approach to Mueller's allegations in court. Concord was the only Russian company or person out of 15 total to fight the propaganda charges -- it pleaded not guilty and the oligarch who owns the company has lambasted the allegations as a joke. The company previously lost in its requests for the court to invalidate Mueller's indictment and authority. Now, its request to access and to share "sensitive" evidence in the case among Russians gets to what prosecutors believe is the heart of its strategy. Prosecutors say it's particularly risky for Concord to get evidence in the case because of its ties to indicted and sanctioned Russian oligarch Yevgeniy Prigozhin. The judge has yet to decide. How important is Konstantin Kilimnik? Over and over again, one name Konstantin Kilimnik has been connected to several parts of the Mueller investigation. Could Kilimnik be at the heart of Mueller's pursuit? Kilimnik surfaced first last year in the case against Dutch lawyer Alex van der Zwaan, when Mueller's team admitted it cared about how van der Zwaan had connected with Kilimnik and Gates in fall 2016. They also said Gates knew Kilimnik worked for the Russian military intelligence agency, GRU, which Mueller alleges hacked the Democrats in 2016. Most recently, Mueller's team acknowledged it had asked Manafort several things about Kilimnik and their meetings, and it said Manafort had lied to the prosecutors about his contact with his longtime foreign colleague. Though the Justice Department has not said it yet publicly, Kilimnik met with Manafort twice during the Trump campaign and helped Manafort offer a Russian oligarch briefings on the election, according to reports from other news organizations and Manafort's and Kilimnik's public statements. Another cooperator in the Mueller investigation, lobbyist W. Samuel Patten, also had contact with Kilimnik through 2017, as they secured tickets to the Trump inauguration for a paying Ukrainian oligarch client. Like Gates, Patten's cooperation with the special counsel's office has stayed under wraps and apparently continues. Mueller indicted Kilimnik last year for attempting to tamper with potential witnesses in Manafort's case, and said he had worked with Manafort and Gates to "carry out the criminal schemes" to which Manafort has admitted. The question remains: What else have they learned about him? Because he lives in Russia, Kilimnik has not yet appeared in US court to enter a plea. He has not publicly responded to the obstruction charges. In interviews, he has denied working for Russian intelligence. How many years will Manafort serve in prison? A prison sentence is a near certainty. The former Trump campaign chairman and lobbyist will go before federal Judge T.S. Ellis on February 8 for his first sentencing on eight tax and bank fraud convictions. And, following a broken plea deal, Manafort is scheduled to be sentenced by a second judge about a month later for additional crimes, though this date may be pushed back. Before then, the public may learn more about Manafort's lies to prosecutors during his nine cooperation sessions with Mueller's office, which began after he pleaded guilty to avoid a second trial. Manafort has lived in jail since June, when prosecutors accused him of attempted witness tampering. The possibility that prosecutors would ask for leniency for Manafort has evaporated. The mounting convictions set Manafort up for a decade or more of prison time. His prospects look bleak. However, Manafort has one Hail Mary he can still pray for: a pardon from the President. What did Michael Cohen tell prosecutors? This is what special counsel office prosecutor Jeannie Rhee said at Michael Cohen's criminal sentencing in December: "He has provided our office with credible and reliable information about core Russia-related issues under investigation and within the purview of the special counsel's office." What could those "core Russia-related issues" be? It's not yet clear whether Cohen's assistance will boost other threads of the investigation. Mueller's team said in an earlier court filing that Cohen spoke to investigators about communication efforts between the Trump campaign and the Russian government in 2016 and about his contact with White House officials in 2017 and 2018. They also indicated that Cohen was in touch with White House staff and Trump's lawyers while he prepared a written false statement to Congress, for which he was criminally charged. The Justice Department instructions for Mueller's investigation put the Russian government's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election at its core. Will Julian Assange ever leave the Ecuadorian Embassy? The Ecuadorian government has signaled unhappiness with its guest of almost seven years at its London embassy setting up a will-it-or-won't-it scenario that could force Assange into US authorities' custody. Assange originally stepped inside the embassy in 2012 while wanted for questions over sexual assault allegations in Sweden. He's maintained his innocence, and since then has become a focus in Mueller's investigation of the Russian hack and public distribution of the Hillary Clinton campaign emails and information from Democratic Party computers in 2016. Justice Department investigations of Assange and his outlet WikiLeaks date to at least 2010, when the site posted files from former US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning. Recently, US prosecutors in an apparent slip-up mentioned in a court document that Assange has been charged in a still-secret federal court case. It's not yet known what he's been charged with, or if the case relates to Mueller's investigation at all. What do prosecutors intend for Roger Stone? Several signs for months now have pointed toward a grand jury investigation into Roger Stone's alleged pursuit of stolen Clinton and Democratic documents and his alleged communications with WikiLeaks. That Mueller has called upon Stone associates for information, documents and grand jury testimony is the most obvious part. The Mueller team also mentioned an unnamed person -- believed to be Stone -- in describing Russian hackers' contacts with Americans around the time they were releasing damaging Democratic emails in 2016. Stone bragged about close ties with Assange during the 2016 campaign but then revised his story and said he was just repeating publicly available information. The fullest account of Stone's actions in 2016 came in draft court filings and text messages Stone associate Jerome Corsi shared with CNN in November. Corsi says Mueller presented him with the option to plead guilty to a lying charge, but he rejected the deal. The draft filings from November describe how Stone allegedly pushed his associates to get stolen Democratic documents from WikiLeaks before they went public. Two weeks ago, the House Intelligence Committee agreed to send Mueller transcripts of a 2017 closed-door interview with Stone, indicating his statements to Congress about the Russia investigations are at the heart of the special counsel's interest. Stone has not been publicly charged with a crime. He has said he believes he will be indicted, and he has asked his online supporters to help his legal defense. What's next for Michael Flynn? In one of the more dramatic courtroom moments of 2018, Michael Flynn was encouraged by a federal judge to delay his sentencing and cooperate further with the government. Mueller's office had asked for no jail time for the former national security adviser after he provided the Justice Department with "substantial assistance" in investigations, yet federal Judge Emmet Sullivan was clearly incensed that the former high-ranking military and intelligence leader had lied to the FBI in his first days in the Trump administration. Will Flynn ultimately go to prison, like the four Mueller defendants who have already been sentenced? And is there more he can do to help the Justice Department and Mueller's team before he appears before Sullivan again? His next in-court update is due on paper in mid-March. For all of the above topics, the special counsel's office declined to comment. BELLE FOURCHE, S.D. Officials in a South Dakota county are preparing for the possibility of protests over the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline by securing more jail cells. The Butte County Commission approved an agreement last month to use Faulk County jails for $85 per day per inmate, should the need arise, the Black Hills Pioneer reported. The move comes as TransCanada plans to start construction on the oil pipeline this year, a timeline that could be delayed after a federal judge in November blocked the $8 million project to allow more time to study its potential environmental impact. Many environmental groups and Native American tribes view the 1,184-mile pipeline as a threat to the environment. Part of the pipeline is slated to be built through the northeastern corner of Butte County. The county currently holds its inmates at the Meade County Jail in Sturgis. The pipeline will also run through that county. Butte County Sheriff Fred Lamphere said he's concerned that the jail would fill up quickly should civil disturbances occur. He expects other nearby areas to also have limited space, so officials struck an agreement with a county nearly 270 miles east. 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. Building the Future Today is a column by the Lompoc Economic Development Committee. The column runs on the first and third Sundays of each month. To contact the committee, email lompocedc@gmail.com. A matter of change Small amounts of money and intentional development approaches can transform societies Lewiston, ID (83501) Today Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. Low 62F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. Low 62F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Sunday, January 6, 2019 From CBS News: Attending an elite college such as Harvard or Yale is viewed as a path to success, but a new study finds that women enjoy the financial dividends more than men. Female graduates of the most competitive schools earn 14 percent more than women with comparable entrance-exam scores who went to less selective colleges, researchers at the University of Virginia and Tulane University found. Men, on the other hand, earned about the same regardless of their college decision, according to the working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Women who attended elite institutions -- defined as having average entrance-exam scores 100 points higher than less selective schools -- were more likely to remain in the workforce compared with women who attended the less competitive schools, the researchers found. But when it comes to their personal lives, women grads of elite colleges were 3.9 percentage points less likely to be married two decades later, and those that did marry tended to do so later in in life. They also delayed having children, a trend with financial implications. Read more here. https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/family_law/2019/01/elite-college-women-earn-more-marry-less.html With Lancaster County's bucolic backdrop and proximity to Washington, D.C., it's little wonder that this region has been a frequent stop for traveling presidents through the years. Today we take a second look at 10 of those presidential visits -- including one by a soon-to-be president - through the coverage each received in the local newspapers. This story is part of LNP's 225th anniversary in 2019. Today's newspaper can be traced back to its start as the Lancaster Journal in 1794. In that year, George Washington was president and the United States of America was still in its early years. Below, you'll find a look at some of the historic stops and front pages. As part of our 225th anniversary coverage, LNP | LancasterOnline will be looking at other presidential visits throughout the years. A full list of presidential visits can be found at the bottom of this story. PRESIDENTIAL VISITS TO LANCASTER These presidents visited while they were in office George Washington: July 4, 1791; November 14, 1793; October 26, 1794; September 20, 1796 John Adams: May 28, 1800 Zachary Taylor: August 9, 1849 James Buchanan: He was in office from 1857 through 1861 and lived here throughout his term. Ulysses S. Grant: June 24, 1876 William Howard Taft: September 25, 1912 Woodrow Wilson: July 4, 1913 Franklin D. Roosevelt: May 30, 1934 (from the rear of the train) Harry S. Truman: November 14, 1953 (from train) Richard D. Nixon: October 17, 1970 Ronald Reagan: October 29, 1984 George H. W. Bush: March 22, 1989 George W. Bush: June 6, 2001, July 9 and October 27, 2004; August 16, 2006, October 3, 2007 Prior to taking office George Washington: June 4, 1773 Andrew Jackson: February 15, 1819 William Henry Harrison: October 10, 1836 Abraham Lincoln: February 22, 1861; April 22, 1865 (train carrying his body) Theodore Roosevelt: 1895 and other times not documented Woodrow Wilson: November 21, December 5 and 12, 1895; January 2,9,15, 1896; January 7, 1910; fall, 1912 Dwight D. Eisenhower March 2, 1950, and October 27, 1952 John F. Kennedy: September 16, 1960 Richard Nixon: November 1, 1960 Gerald Ford: June 22, 1967, October 3, 1968 George H.W. Bush: April 1988 (GOP Banquet) others as VP October 31, 1986, April 13/14 1984 Barack Obama: April 1, 2008; September 4, 2008 Donald Trump: October 1, 2016 After leaving office Theodore Roosevelt: Memorial Day, 1909; 1911, April 12, 1912; Fall, 1912. William Howard Taft: November 14, 1917 Herbert Hoover: November 14-15, 1942; October 12, 1945 Dwight D. Eisenhower: June 3, 1963; June 17, 1964; May 27, 1967 Gerald Ford: April 27-28, 1978; May 5, 1982 Bill Clinton: May 4, 2005; April 24, 2016 Barack Obama: September 21, 2018 For more on LNP's 225th anniversary coverage, click here. For more Lancaster County history, click here. Its been less than two years since Johnny Semaganis said yes to a journalists request for an interview about his late sister. That yes, and the Lancaster mans willingness to share his own story, put him at the center of Missing and Murdered: Finding Cleo, a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation podcast that wrapped up 2018 with a long list of best-of honors, an international podcasting award and the stirrings of a more lasting impact. Investigative journalist I work with reporter Connie Walker on stories about unsolved missing & murdered Indigenous women & girls, read a February 2017 Facebook message from investigative journalist Marnie Luke. We are really interested in speaking with you about your sister, Cleo. Cleo Semaganis Nicotine was just one of the siblings Johnny was the oldest brother, along with Mark, Annette, April and Christine who grew up in an indigenous Cree community in Canada. Finding Cleo: Canadian podcast brings answers to Columbia man who wondered for decades how sister died A Lancaster man, adopted from a Canadian First Nations family, spent decades wondering how his younger sister died. Then, an investigative journalist and podcast reporter came calling. In the early 1970s, as part of a Canadian child welfare program, the siblings had been taken from their mothers custody and divided up between different non-indigenous foster and adoptive families in Canada and the United States. Cleo was placed with a family in New Jersey. Johnny Semaganis, after an adoption in Lancaster that didnt work out, ended up with Lancaster foster parents Bill and Kay Henry. He struggled for years with feeling responsible for his siblings safety, and with wondering where theyd ended up. Cleo, too, struggled with the separation. She died by suicide in 1978, at age 13. Brought to light The end result of Walkers research, Finding Cleo began airing as a podcast in spring of 2018. It detailed what had happened to individual Semaganis siblings, their attempts to learn how their sister had died and how their lives paralleled those of thousands of other indigenous children who had been separated by from their birth families by Canadas governmental policies. Last summer, when the episode that focused on Semaganis experience aired, he told LNP that listening to the podcast was teaching him stories about his own childhood, and about his own family, that hed never heard. Ive listened to several parts again, thinking, did I hear that right? Ive still got to stop it sometimes, he told LNP last July. (Finding Cleo is) a history lesson about the trifecta, as I call it, Semaganis said recently about a trio of issues raised in the series residential schools for indigenous children, Canadas Sixties Scoop policy that removed native children from their families and put them up for fostering and adoption, and the continuing incidents of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. Its just sad that her story brought everything to light. Lasting influence In the new year, the impact of Finding Cleo continues to expand. A new history curriculum in Canada uses the Semaganis familys experience, especially Cleos, and the podcast itself, to teach about Canadian policies such as separating children from their indigenous families and residential schools for Native children that extended through most of the 20th century. The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board in Ontario has formally adopted that curriculum. The third lesson in the series focuses on Semaganis and his own experiences. Other Canadian schools are working with the podcast as well, and Semaganis has agreed to Skype or FaceTime with students to answer their questions. Legislation is in the very early stages that, if adopted, would guarantee Canadian siblings who have been adopted by different families the right to maintain contact. The legislation is tentatively named for Cleo. Teen Vogue recently published an article about Dawnland, a documentary about Americas own residential schools for Native American children, and the practice of taking those children from their families and placing them with white families. Finding Cleo journalist Walker is interviewed about parallels between the Canadian and American governments programs and policies. Meanwhile, podcast journalists Walker and Luke, the Finding Cleo crew and the CBC have been named to several best of 2018 lists, including those compiled by Rolling Stone, Apple Podcasts, Vulture.com, AudibleFeast.com and crimereads.com. Earlier this year, Finding Cleo was named Best Serialized Audio Story at the 2018 Third Coast International Audio Festival one of the biggest honors in podcasting and radio. Should religion affect politics? If so, how? If not, why not? Beginning at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, a conversation about the relationship between religion and politics will be held at Unitarian Universalist Church of Lancaster, 538 W. Chestnut St. The discussion is part of what is being billed as First Saturday, to be held the first Saturday of each month. The idea, said retired Unitarian Universalist pastor Garry Lefevre, grew out of the churchs Open Table Class, which typically takes place Sunday mornings prior to the worship service. Those discussions, Lefevre said, focus on religious matters of some sort but recently political matters keep creeping in. He noted that in todays climate, it is difficult to broach some political subjects. We are consciously saying what should the relationship between politics and religion be? he said. The gatherings are designed to have a civil conversation and to broach topics that too ofter have become flash points among people. Were not intent on changing each others views, he said. We want to address each other with respect and to get people thinking. Lefevre said the purpose is not to presume there is one correct answer, but to engage openly on this topic while respecting one anothers views. The evening is open to the public and a potluck meal will follow the program. As a new governor prepares to enter office, improving health care in Wisconsin should be a top priority. Gov.-elect Tony Evers, a cancer survivor, has publicly stated that assuring access to affordable health care will be a top priority. Patients with asthma need access to quality and affordable health care to obtain the medications and treatments necessary to manage this disease and live a healthy life. Medicaid is an especially important program for asthma patients, as half of all kids with asthma in the United States get their health insurance coverage through Medicaid or the Childrens Health Insurance Program. However, Wisconsins Medicaid program, which provides medical coverage for 42,000 Wisconsin children with asthma, needs to improve its coverage so that they can breathe easier and avoid asthma emergencies. Wisconsin doesnt fully cover all the treatments doctors recommend, including patient self-management education in a variety of settings. These preventive services can keep people with asthma out of the emergency department and reduce health-care costs. Gov.-elect Evers should work to close these gaps during the upcoming legislative session. Todd A. Mahr, Onalaska Dr. Todd A. Mahr is a volunteer for the American Lung Association. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Last month, as we watched a disgraceful partisan spectacle in Madison that put the desires of politicians ahead of the electoral directives of the people of Wisconsin, it was great to see our Vernon County Board of Supervisors step up and take action. At its December meeting, the board unanimously approved a motion to put an advisory referendum on our April ballot. The referendum simply asks: Should the Wisconsin Legislature create a nonpartisan procedure for preparing legislative and congressional redistricting plans? Nonpartisan is the key word. Finally, voters will have the opportunity to send a message that we expect fairness and transparency in the way voting maps are drawn. That didnt happen during the last redistricting in 2011, and with every election since then weve seen the dire results. Legislators dont listen to constituents because they dont have to when districts arent competitive and they face zero consequences at election time. Time for some comfort news: Seeking to improve passenger safety, Delta tightened the rules for support animals. Now, the customer must sign a document confirming the animal will behave in the cabin or risk being barred from boarding or removed from the plane. Better rule: The support animal cannot exceed six inches in height and must be battery operated. Elsewhere in the news, New Jersey is the last state to bar drivers from pumping their own gas. In 2012, 63 percent of voters supported the law. New Jerseyans know a scam when they see one. If the price of gas is the same if you pump it or they pump it, why would you pump it for free just to get less service? Which brings our discussion to one of the most durable life forms ever discovered the American cockroach. Scientists are decoding the genome of the cockroach for the benefit of mankind. They want to understand the cockroachs ability to regenerate lost limbs. Human studies could pose a problem. Guaranteed, every test subject will volunteer for the control group. No one wants to risk growing a leg a cockroach leg is really ugly. Caution: Cockroaches are insects, not support animals. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 They say whats good for the goose is good for the gander, but when it comes to public records, the Legislature doesnt seem to believe in this principle. In Wisconsin, cities, police and fire departments, state agencies, and even the governors office are required to retain public records and make these available to the public. For example, emails generated by staff in the Department of Justice must be retained for three years from the date of creation and then transferred to the Wisconsin Historical Society or UW-Madison archives. For most of our states history, these rules also applied to those who wrote the laws. But decades ago, when it wrote the law, the Legislature decided to exempt itself from having to retain most records. This exemption means the states 99 representatives and 33 senators can simply destroy or delete records in their possession that they would like to shield from public scrutiny. This quirk in the law has been used by some legislators to protect constituents personal information, and by others to hide their communications with corporate interest groups such as the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC. And I know that some of my colleagues in the Senate make it a point to delete their calendars daily. 2 held for rape charge in Bardiya Police have arrested two persons on charge of raping a woman in Geruwa Rural Municipality of Bardiya district. This year is the 50th anniversary of the National Flood Insurance Program, and this federally subsidized program has not aged well. In 2017, it had the second-highest claim loss year in its history. Hurricanes Harvey, Florence and Michael have exposed fundamental flaws in the NFIP. These storms may portend a wetter future, and when combined with sea-level rise, devastate large parts of the country unless our leadership takes a critical look at the risk of flooding. Floods are the most common and destructive natural disaster in the United States and have affected all 50 states in the past five years. Flooding has left the NFIP with a reported $20.525 billion debt to the U.S. Treasury for 2017, and a diminished borrowing authority of $9.9 billion. And these numbers dont include the 2018 flood damage. Since 2004, the program has borrowed $39.4 billion from the federal government and is expected to continue to lose $1.4 billion a year. While its easy to call the NFIP program a disaster, it should be noted that in 1968, when the NFIP was formed, its goal was to provide a viable market that would be supported by the premiums paid by the people who were insured. At the time, private insurers had little interest in the market. Its refreshing to move away from some of the more partisan and political appointees weve seen in the past toward a cabinet focused on being problem-solvers that can work together, Shilling said. Liberal activists looking for staunchly left-wing pedigrees in Evers Cabinet wont find many. But Grace Wagner, a spokeswoman for the group Our Wisconsin Revolution, which formed out of Sen. Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign in the state, said her group is nonetheless pleased by what it has seen so far. She said they point to Evers hope for cooperation and a bipartisan era for the state of Wisconsin. Were certainly encouraged by the diversity and the experience level of the people he has appointed, Wagner said. Six of Evers Cabinet picks so far are women and three are people of color four if you add his choice to succeed him as state superintendent, Carolyn Stanford Taylor. That compares to Walkers first-term Cabinet picks, of whom three were women and two were people of color. Most utilities have already complied with the 2012 mercury rule by installing costly pollution controls that limit emissions of mercury and other pollutants. The agency proposed retaining current mercury emissions standards. Dairylands Genoa station emitted an average of 65.4 pounds of mercury each year between 2011 and 2015, according to emissions reports submitted to the state. The plant began injecting activated carbon to absorb mercury and catching waste emissions using a dust collection filter in 2015 in compliance with the EPAs mercury rule, said Erik Hoven, who manages Dairylands air quality program. This reduced the amount of mercury emission by 90 percent since 2016, below the state mercury emissions reporting threshold of 5.88 pounds per year, Hoven said. Compared with other pollutants, which are emitted by the ton, mercury emissions in pounds may not seem like a lot, McCabe said, but mercury is so toxic that a small amount is enough to poison a huge lake. Approximately one gram of mercury accumulates in a 20-acre lake each year, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Over the time, this amount is enough to contaminate the fish so they are unfit to eat on a regular basis. And unlike ozone, which is here today, gone tomorrow, mercury emissions arent bound by their geography, McCabe said. Its not just the mercury from your local power plant thats causing contamination. Its mercury contamination from all the coal-fired power plants. Jennifer Lu is the La Crosse Tribune environmental reporter. You can reach her by phone at 608-791-8217 and by email jennifer.lu@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 International students are turning away from La Crosse-area colleges over concerns the U.S. is no longer safe for them, concerns stoked by the Trump administrations hard-line stance on immigration. School leaders in La Crosse and Winona say theyre working to repair the geopolitical damage inflicted by the White House, but that its increasingly difficult to compete with Canada, Australia and other countries that appear more immigrant-friendly. These accounts echo a national trend, according to the Institute of International Education, which reports that the United States roster of new international students fell by nearly 7 percent from last school year to this one. They still ask the same questions: Is it a safe place? Is it a friendly place? But those questions are asked in a different context because of what theyre seeing at a national level, said Emelee Volden, director of international education and engagement at UW-La Crosse. We can still say, without a doubt, that international students are safe and welcome here. But that needs to be a stronger message now because of the news around the world, whats happening in D.C. Immigrants have been a favorite target of President Donald Trumps campaign rhetoric and administrative policies. More than 100 musical acts have been lined up for the 10th anniversary edition of Mid West Music Fest, which will take place over two weekends May 3-4 in Winona and May 17-18 in La Crosse. The festival, which started in Winona and expanded to include La Crosse three years ago, was pushed into May after 2018s La Crosse festival weekend in April was hit by a blizzard. The change in festival dates allows for use of outdoor venues, such as the newly refurbished Levee Park in Winona and the Oktoberfest grounds in La Crosse. New headliners for 2019 in La Crosse include honky-tonk rockers Banditos, Americana/indie rocker Ruby Boots, and funk band Luthi (all from Nashville), Denver-based Great American Taxi (which includes La Crosses Chad Staehly), La Crosse native Reed Grimm, and Midwest-based The Last Revel, a nationally touring act. New headliners for 2019 in Winona include Twin Cities soulsters Nooky Jones, Doomtree hip hop artists Longshot and Lazerbeak, funk band Alex Rossi and indie-synth act Graveyard Club. The increasing interest and support for the hemp industry brings Opportunities with HempScience as the topic at the next Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club meeting. The meeting will be held at the Food Enterprise Center, 1201 N. Main St., Viroqua, Wednesday, Jan. 9, with networking starting at 5:30 p.m. and the program at 6 p.m. Speaker Luke Zigovits, CEO of North American Organic Trade Solutions, will talk about developing a local hemp grower pool for a nationally distributed brand producing the worlds first certified organic, fair trade, small producer and premium hemp phytonutrient products. Local growers of CBD hemp flowers are needed to supply a local processor for the 2019 season. In the state Assembly, we have a history of working in a bipartisan fashion. Last session, more than 90 percent of the new laws had bipartisan support. The juvenile justice reform bill and nearly all of the H.O.P.E. Agenda bills to fight the opioid epidemic received unanimous votes. Our bipartisan speaker task forces have tackled issues pertaining to education, workforce development, mental health, Alzheimers and dementia, and foster care. Soon there will be a new task force on water quality. We can and will do more through a collaborative and open process that uses essential public input. While often overshadowed but just as important, two other ceremonies take place on Inauguration Day. The newly elected representatives of the state Assembly and senators of the state Senate will have their own separate inaugural ceremonies with their families and friends inside their respective chambers. With a military band and patriotic songs, we will usher in the 104th Wisconsin State Legislature. The 132 legislators in both chambers will pledge to carry out the duties of their office and to be a voice of their constituents back home. In the Assembly, representatives will each sign their names in a book that includes signatures from every representative in Wisconsin history. RACINE The jury trial of Brinelle Nabors the Racine Police officer accused of using excessive force against a Park High School student in 2015 is set to begin Tuesday. In the more than three years since the incident, Nabors has been on paid administrative leave. The Racine Police and Fire Commission could have held a hearing deciding Nabors fate years ago, but it allowed him to remain on paid leave. The reason for this, Police Chief Art Howell said in June, was to prevent separate investigations from overlapping a recommendation by the U.S. Department of Justice. In a separate case, a Kenosha Police sergeant, Gregory Munnelly, was charged with his first OWI causing injury after he reportedly crashed into the back of a car while drunk in 2017. According to Kenosha Police, Munnelly worked as a patrol sergeant up until he was sentenced to 40 days in prison on Wednesday. After he was sentenced, Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis released a statement confirming Munnelly was placed on administrative leave. He also said he was seeking Munnellys termination, which is scheduled to be decided by the Kenosha Police and Fire Commission on Jan. 15 13 days after being placed on leave. Civil suit In scientific English, today we often distinguish between monkeys and apes in a meaningful way. Apes are the tail-less primates of the Old World that are close relatives of humans within the superfamily Hominoidea. Monkeys are (mostly) tail-bearing primates that are more distant relatives of ours. The monkeys are categorized into two different superfamilies: Ceboidea in the Americas and Cercopithecoidea in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Ive written before about how this distinction in English between ape and monkey can be confusing to anyone not deeply immersed in the taxonomy of primates. Humans are not phylogenetically separate from living great apes; the same common ancestors that connect those apes also are our ancestors. In other words, apes in English are not a proper monophyletic group, unless humans are also included. The same is true of monkeys no way of grouping the ceboid and cercopithecoid monkeys is monophyletic unless the apes and humans are also included. (The branch that includes all of these primates is known as the Anthropoidea). One of the most irritating aspects of talking with people about this is their lack of awareness of common terms in other languages. A certain chauvinistic type of scientist thinks that English words are the only ones that matter. Just as most English speakers do not make the ape-monkey distinction the same way that taxonomists do, most other languages do not make an ape-monkey distinction in the way that English does. This raises the question of exactly how English ended up with two distinct words for anthropoid primates, when England has no native non-human primates. It turns out that etymologists really dont have a very good understanding of this. A recent post on the Oxford English Dictionary blog looks into the history of the words ape and monkey in English: Wrenching an etymology out of a monkey. The author, Anatoly Liberman, suggests that monkey has its origin in Dutch or Low German, and relates several stories that provide possible origins for the English word. But he also notes that these ideas do not satisfactorily explain superficially similar words in many other languages. He offers the possibility that these words might have been borrowed from common sources as the primates themselves were traded as captive animals into different populations. One might suggest that in French and Spanish we are dealing with the Germanic noun that lost its suffix, but this would hardly be a convincing solution. Also, Italian mona was recorded a hundred years before monkey surfaced in English, and a loan from German or Dutch is probably out of the question. I would risk the hypothesis that the Romance names of the monkey have nothing to do with their Germanic look-alikes. In Kanarese, a Dravidian language, the male monkey is called manga; a related Tamil noun sounds mandi. One may perhaps ask whether a migratory culture word for the monkey, known from India to northern Germany, enjoyed some popularity in the past. It may not be for nothing that so many similar simian forms have been found. If some such word traveled with the animal, in every country speakers would adapt it slightly under the influence of folk etymology. Whatever the answer, I believe that, as regards the etymology of Engl. monkey, both monks and the medieval animal epic should be left in peace. The word ape comes down from Old English, and has cognate forms in German and other Germanic languages. In English until the twentieth century, ape could refer to any monkey or primate. The word may have been borrowed into Proto-Germanic, or possibly into Proto-Indo-European, and its origin at that point is not known. The Romans and Greeks had different words that are not cognates of ape or monkey. Latin simius originally signified snub-nosed, and applied to monkeys, and could also be used to refer to humans who were imitators, similar to the English verb ape. The Greek pithekos, which referred to monkeys but also could mean dwarf, has an unknown origin. It is entirely possible that some or all of these different words in European languages were originally borrowed from other peoples who had greater familiarity with wild primates. The kind of mental gymnastics that etymologists sometimes do to relate the sound of a word to other words in different languages are not very compelling in these cases, because these European languages were spoken by people who were unfamiliar with wild primates. The words for gorilla, chimpanzee, and orangutan were all ultimately borrowed from other languages, with tenuous relationships to the meanings of the words in their source languages. The history of gorilla is especially indirect. The OED relates that a version of the word was used in ancient Greek to describe a tribe of people encountered by the Carthaginians. Thomas Savage, trained as a physician, who was a missionary in Liberia, acquired bones of wild gorillas and brought them to the U.S. He sent the bones to a Harvard anatomist, Jeffries Wyman, who provided the first description of the primate. It was Wyman who connected the bones with the story of gorillas, which bore no similarity at all to the name of the ape that Savage had learned in Africa. Indeed, both men referred to the gorilla as a form of the by-then more familiar orang. All these changing meanings remind us that common language is not well-suited to making phylogenetic distinctions. People retrofit the meanings of words to suit their cultures current knowledge and biases. MADISON Sometimes, theres nothing better than sipping a hot drink on a cold winter day. Thankfully, Wisconsinites have no shortage of tasty, warm beverages to choose from. Whether youre looking for a classic take on a cold-weather staple or something with a more modern twist, these destinations are serving up some deliciously toasty drinks. Hot chocolate in Hayward For many, hot chocolate is the quintessential winter drink. In Hayward, they take their hot chocolate pretty seriously. For seven years, the community-focused organization A Lure of Lights has hosted an annual Hot Chocolate Crawl, during which participants visit businesses like Hayward Coffee Co. to try a sample of their tasty cocoa. For this years crawl, the Hayward Coffee Co. showcased their festive Gingerbread Hot Chocolate just one of their signature cocoas available throughout the winter season. Apple cider from Apple Holler Ludwig said about 30 human clinical trials already are in progress or have been completed, and more are poised to start this year. Macular degeneration, Parkinsons, heart disease, spinal cord damage and diabetes are the most common targets those that will take a single type of cell to affect, she said. WiCell has collaborated with FCDI to test the quality of cells it produces for clients and to distribute those cell lines, she said. Ludwig also has worked in Thomsons lab. What Jamie did was amazing. What people are learning from him, and what they will go on to do, will be amazing, too, she said. Ludwig said two of Thomsons original cell lines are still the most in demand in the world. Kamp said FCDIs iPScs are master stem cells that can be coaxed into virtually any cell type in the body. He said, though, FCDI is not the only company that will be manufacturing iPS cells for disease treatment. Companies in Japan are working toward potential products as is BlueRock Therapeutics in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Kamp said repairing damaged organs using stem cell-derived cells of that type of organ typically requires precise targeting and specialized approaches. We always focus on our military veterans. Deservedly so. However, according to the Office of Personnel Management, 2.9 million patriotic Americans serve in federal government jobs. More often than not making less than their civilian counterparts. We should start focusing on them, also deservedly so. It is time that we stop holding them hostage to presidential, congressional and senatorial politics. No employee of a civilian-based company would tolerate their pay being denied, nor would the government allow such behavior to continue -- but more and more often, we are subjecting our civil servants to the same treatment. One of the arguments I have heard is that they will get paid. Does getting paid eventually stop bills from coming in? Does it stop interest or late payment fees from coming in? Does the government, when reinstating their pay, take late payment fees or interest into account? No, the government does not. No, it is not acceptable. It is time for a law granting protection to our civil servants from pay disruption due to political machinations by our two branches of government. The executive branch and the congressional branch. It is not acceptable civilian side, and it is not acceptable governmental side. Jonathan Potter, De Witt Love 6 Funny 4 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 With their industrys economy mired in years of struggle, Americas farmers and ranchers need nothing more than to be left out of political battles that arent about them. Yet, thats exactly what keeps happening, with the partial government shutdown merely the latest example. Tantrums over other topics, unrelated to the business of feeding and fueling the world that is so vital to Nebraska, continue to rope in ag producers as collateral damage. Our elected officials must turn to productive governance rather than spiteful tactics that imperil the livelihoods and economies of those in Nebraska and elsewhere. Whats most frustrating is that this string of proxy wars follows significant successes in recent months. After months of uncertainty, the North American Free Trade Agreement will be replaced, pending congressional approval, by the remarkably similar United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, while a new farm bill was overwhelmingly passed last month. That farm bill, though, was beset by an insurrection over immigration by a small cohort of Republicans that led its first version to an unexpected defeat. Yes, immigration policy has long been broken. But jeopardizing the farm bill to trumpet ones political purity is as indefensible as it was irrelevant to the vital legislation at hand. But what is even more dangerous is the fact Trump believes he is a genius. He thinks he can make brilliant deals without advice from seasoned advisers (whom he fires almost as often as if he were still running The Apprentice). With the mentality of a Manhattan real estate dealer, he views foreign policy as a series of disconnected transactions measured by whether America makes a financial profit (or whether his brand is burnished). The concept of an interconnected world, and a bigger strategic picture, seems to elude him. Newly fired Defense Secretary James Mattis perfectly described the risk of this kind of transactional mentality, in July 2017: If you dont know where youre going, good luck when you take off on your journey. A look back at some of Trumps key foreign-policy moves in 2018 shows the security threat he poses in the coming two years. * The Singapore summit with Kim Jong Un in June made clear how easily a dictator can play this ill-informed president. The president trumpeted that he had ended the North Korean nuclear threat, but in reality he got no promises from Kim to destroy his arsenal. Negotiations have stalled. But Trumps seal of approval to Kim gave Russia and China the green light to loosen sanctions, and the dangerous Kim is on his way to becoming an accepted nuclear power. 1879: The County Agricultural Society again was faced with whether to put up $3,500 to buy the State Fairgrounds. The University of Nebraska Board of Regents had sold the land to the Exposition Co. on the condition that it be transferred to the society when it raised the $3,500. The society had the money, but some people felt that a horse breeder who was a major stockholder in the Exposition Co. could develop the land more quickly. 1889: The Nebraska House of Representatives got off to a fast start, passing 24 bills. 1999: The foundation of A.N. Wycoff's store at 27th and O streets was completed, and work on the building was progressing rapidly. 1909: C.W. Pool of Tecumseh was selected by the Democratic caucus to be the speaker of the Nebraska House. W.H. Smith of Seward was chosen secretary of the Senate. 1919: British author and playwright George Bernard Shaw said in Lincoln that a new world war eventually would break out in the absence of the League of Nations. 1929: Bern R. Coulter of Bridgeport was elected speaker of the Nebraska House. As usual, the Republicans controlled the Legislature. The Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum is offering a new lecture series that includes an opportunity to view the interiors of historic aircraft. The Aircraft Adventure series is focused on the museums collection, highlighting historic events from World War II through the Cold War. The curator-led speaker series will include the opportunity to view artifacts that are not on display and learn about historic events from a subject matter expert. Each event begins at 10 a.m. with a presentation near each featured aircraft. Aircraft tours will end at 2 p.m. The series begins Feb. 9 with a presentation on the C-54 Skymasters role in World War II and later the Berlin Airlift with an opportunity to get inside the aircraft. The presentation focuses on Capt. Norm Stevens and his experiences with the C-54 Skymaster. Stevens was a Nebraska resident with a 10-year United States Air Force career. He flew the C-54 military transport around the world. He evacuated prisoner of war nurses from the Philippines in the latter days of World War II, hauled food and fuel into besieged Berlin during the airlift of 1948-49 and ferried wounded troops from Korea to Japan during the Korean War. Its new business, Beacon Care Services, takes a different tack by opening practices where anyone can walk in or schedule an appointment. The Carrollton location opened with one clinician, but the company will add other clinicians and longer hours based on need, Petrella said. Therapy sessions cost $25 for a 45-minute session with an individual or family. Starting February 1, they will cost $110 for an individual and $125 for a family. The Carrollton clinic is applying with insurers to become an in-network provider. Lower prices are available for people who demonstrate a financial need. A statewide challenge Petrella said the company chose Texas as the first place for its new concept because it has so many residents without mental health care. It found a vacancy at a Walmart store in Carrollton, a suburb thats about 20 miles northwest of Dallas. One in five adults in the U.S. about 43.8 million people experience some form of mental illness in a given year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. In Texas, that need is compounded by a shortage of mental health professionals and a fast-growing population. The state ranks 49th in the country for access to mental health care, according to the 2018 report by Mental Health America. This has been the case since the elections last May, leaving the government in a stalemate, with many politicians seeing the proposed appointment of al-Fayadh as Mahdi breaking his pledge to appoint a cabinet of independent technocrats. In fact, blocs like Saairun, which is supported by firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, have actually walked out of the Parliament each time Mahdi has tabled al-Fayadhs nomination, leaving the Parliament unable to hold a vote. Now, opposition to al-Fayadh is not surprising. His human rights abuses while serving as security advisor to former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki earned him an indictment by the Spanish Courts for crimes against humanity that limits his ability to travel in Europe and his loyalty to the Iranian Regime above the Iraqi people lead many to question exactly what his priorities will be if allowed to serve. These human rights abuses include the military assaults on the Peoples Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI) refugees in Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty in Iraq, which killed 168 defenceless people and wounded a further 1,700. He also used the Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces to commit genocidal ethnic cleansing of the Sunni population in Fallujah, Ramadi, and Mosul on the pretext of defeating ISIS. Of course, Maliki, who is an Iranian puppet like al-Fayadh, has rejected the Iraqi parliaments refusal to accept al-Fayadh and has thrown himself behind the pro-Iranian blocs, who support the interests of the Iranian Regime. While the Iranian mullahs have sent General Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, to Iraq to advocate for al-Fayadhs appointment and order Parliament Speaker, Mohamed al-Halbousi to ensure the vote in favour of Fayadh was passed. Some British security officials even report that Soleimani is directing Iranian hit squads to assassinate critics of the mullahs regime and opponents of al-Fayadh. Struan Stevenson, coordinator of the Campaign for Iran Change and former member of the European Parliament representing Scotland, wrote: The Iranian mullahs malign interference in the internal affairs of Iraq has added to the growing crisis in the country, where there have been on-going public protests against the corruption of the political elite and the resulting unemployment and lack of public services. Stevenson, who is also president of the European Iraqi Freedom Association (EIFA), continued: The international community must persuade Mahdi to dump the terrorist Fayadh and revert to the plan of appointing a cabinet composed on independent technocrats. Iranian interference in Iraq has cost the country dear. The blood-soaked sectarian legacy of Nouri al-Maliki and his henchman al-Fayadh should be a stark reminder that the mullahs influence in Iraq has only ever been malevolent These protests are no doubt the very thing that will bring down the Iranian Regime, so the Regime will likely step up its abuse of the MEK and its supporters inside and outside of Iran. One of the Regimes typical methods for attacking the MEK are demonization campaigns run by the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), whereby the Regime hopes to undercut the MEKs domestic and international support by smearing them with false allegations, proven lies, and anything that might stick long enough to deter the protests and allow the mullahs to repress them. How does the Regime do this? The Regime does this through a mixture of Regime-operated disinformation outlets that exist solely to discredit the MEK and push the Regimes agenda, but also through specially selected disinformation agents sometimes even former MEK activists who are bribed or coerced who spread these lies across the West with barely any pushback from politicians, reputable media outlets, non-governmental organisations, or the public. Thats why its important that you know about it, so that you can spot the lies and call them out. What are the most common lies? Here, we will tell you the most common lies of the Regime about the MEK and the truth behind them. The MEK has limited support within Iran: We can tell this is a lie because over 120,000 MEK members have died fighting for a free Iran, hundreds of thousands more have been arrested for MEK membership. At no point does this sound like a group with limited support. Besides, why would the Iranian Regime spend so much money and time to discredit a group with limited support? The MEK is violent: The MEK is not even armed, having laid down their weapons in 2004 in order to be declared protected persons under the Geneva Convention and remain neutral during the 2003 Gulf War. The MEK killed American Service Personnel: This has been discredited many times and is in fact merely an example of the Regime blaming their attacks on a convenient scapegoat. The MEK is Marxist: The MEK in their 10-point plan for a Free Iran outline their support for the Free Market and Capitalism. This disinformation comes from a period when all of the MEKs leadership were imprisoned by the Shah in the late 1970s and a Marxist subset of the group took over and tried to transform the MEK into something it was not. When former MEK leader Massoud Rajavi was released from prison, he righted the MEK and moved it away from Marxist ideologies. Hopefully, this has provided you with a good starting point to challenge the lies spread by the Regime against the MEK and to recognise disinformation campaigns when you see them. Introduction In just 50 years, almost a million Jews, whose communities stretch back up to 3,000 years, have been 'ethnically cleansed' from 10 Arab countries. These refugees outnumber the Palestinian refugees two to one, but their narrative has all but been ignored. Unlike Palestinian refugees, they fled not war, but systematic persecution. Seen in this light, Israel, where some 50 percent of the Jewish population descend from these refugees and are now full citizens, is the legitimate expression of the self-determination of an oppressed indigenous, Middle Eastern people. This website is dedicated to preserving the memory of the near-extinct Jewish communities, which can never return to what and where they once were - even if they wanted to. It will attempt to pass on the stories of the Jewish refugees and their current struggle for recognition and restitution. Awareness of the injustice done to these Jews can only advance the cause of peace and reconciliation. (Iran: once an ally of Israel, the Islamic Republic of Iran is now an implacable enemy and numbers of Iranian Jews have fallen drastically from 80,000 to 20,000 since the 1979 Islamic revolution. Their plight - and that of all other communities threatened by Islamism - does therefore fall within the scope of this blog.) In fact, even though former regimes Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini publically accepted defeat in the Iran-Iraq War on television in 1988 something that he compared to drinking poison the war is now celebrated by Iran regimes leadership. In 2018, on the 38th anniversary of the start of the war, one Iran-funded television station, Alitijah, quoted Iranian General Yahya Safavi as saying that Donald Trump would never dare pick a fight with Iran if he knew how badly it ended for Saddam Hussein. While two Lebanese stations, Almanar and Almayadeen, covered in detail Iranian President Hassan Rouhanis speech where he said that the US should learn a lesson from Irans victory over Iraq. The idea that Iran must always win means that pro-Iran pundits must claim that US sanctions on Iran will be ineffective, even if all evidence points to the contrary. The Iranian rial has lost over half its value against the US dollar since Trump reinstated sanctions last May, but pundits claim that we are living in a post-dollar era. While others try to claim that the liberal West is a failed experiment and that Iran is somehow a world leader in technology, manufacturing and agriculture. If that were true, then why does it not have the money to back it up? Why does it have to slash prices to keep countries buying its oil? Iran also ignores news that is harmful to it, such as the December decision by the UN Human Rights Council to denounce Irans severe rights violations, meaning that no one watching their programmes will ever get the full story. Hussain Abdu-Hussain wrote: Like Iran itself, Iran-funded Arabic media live in a parallel universe, often disregarding rules of journalism, disseminating propaganda and offering contradictory reports. The pro-Iran Arabic media outlets might be shinier than their state-run predecessors, but in terms of content, they offer the same controlled message that Tehran wants to spread, not only in Iran but throughout the Arabic-speaking region. If the international community wants to get serious on tackling the problem of Iran, as it should, then it needs to tackle their use of fake news. Rebel Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Punjab Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Sunday, 6 January resigned from the party's primary membership, alleging that the party had "totally deviated" from the ideology and principles on which it was formed post the Anna Hazare movement. Khaira, who was suspended from the party in November last year for indulging in anti-party activities, sent his resignation letter to AAPs National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal. The "current political culture of traditional parties of the country stands badly decayed, due to which immense hope was generated by the formation of AAP," the Bolath MLA said in his resignation letter, copies of which have been released to the media. Also Read: Kejriwal to head AAP's campaign in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab "..unfortunately after joining the party I realised that the hierarchy of AAP was no different from the traditional centralised political parties..." - Sukhpal KhairaIf Khaira Wants to Work for His Interests, He Can Go Anywhere: Manish Sisodia Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi and Senior AAP leader, Manish Sisodia told ANI, If he wants to work for the nation, he should stay with us, if he wants to work for his own interests and post, then he can go anywhere, how does it concern us? Khaira Has Often Been Critical of AAP Khaira had been a vocal critic of AAP's leadership since he was removed as leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly in July, last year. Following his removal, Khaira, along with seven supporters, formed a rebel group which sought autonomy for AAP's Punjab unit. On 3 January, HS Phoolka, 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims lawyer and senior advocate, resigned from the AAP citing disapproval of Arvind Kejriwals move to convert the Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption movement from 2012 into a party. (With inputs from PTI.) . Read more on India by The Quint.RSS & BJPs Nehru-Netaji Cosplay: Irony Dies a Thousand DeathsLatest News: Malaysias King Sultan Muhammad Abdicates Throne . Read more on India by The Quint. IceViking strongly condemns physical attacks and harassment directed towards them. They are also often victims of the Islamic idea. This is true when it comes to the cruel and tragic treatment of Muslim women and children when it is in accord with the Koran, the example of Mohammed and Islamic law, Sharia, which may be applied regardless of where a Muslim male may find himself in the world, whether in a Muslim or non-Muslim country. However, in no way, shape or form should one judge all Muslim men because of what is in Islamic scripture and what constitutes the Islamic law, Sharia. "Race", ethnicity or basically anything that you are "merely" born with should never be a basis for bigotry and discrimination. Apostates from Islam have been executed for 1400 years in accord with the Koran and the words and actions of the Islamic prophet Mohammed and Islamic law, Sharia. They should be lovingly helped. Furthermore, approximately as many as 11,000,000 Muslims may have been killed by other Muslims since 1948. To quote the website The Religion of Peace (TROP), edited by Glen Roberts: While it may be safe to say that a true Muslim would not intentionally kill another true Muslim ( 4:92-93 ), the Quran places no such value on the life of a Muslim who is not true. Consider verse 9:73 : Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them, their abode is Hell. The Arabic for strive hard uses the same root as Jihad - and the context in this sura is holy war (see v. 86 and 91). Thus, there are two distinct classes of people that a true Muslim is to target with harshness: disbelievers and hypocrites. A disbeliever obviously refers to a non-Muslim, so a "hypocrite" must be a Muslim of some sort. In fact, hypocrites are those who say they believe, but do not act as they should. In other words, they are "Muslims", but not true Muslims. They will go to hell just as unbelievers do, and so, according to the verse, their lives matter for naught. The same sura says that a hypocrite can be recognized not just by lack of piety (reluctance to follow Sharia), but by fear of death ( 9:56 ), reluctance to fight ( 9:44-45 ) and even friendliness toward non-believers ( 9:67 ). A true Muslim would thus be a pious person who relishes martyrdom, is eager to fight, and shuns non-believers. Even the Quranic passage that warns against killing "believers" ( 4:88-94 ) is more complicated than it first appears. It never says that a true Muslim is incapable of killing another Muslim, just that it should not be done. In fact, it makes exceptions for the unintentional killing of "believers" in war and mandates the killing of "hypocrites." Verse 17:33 says, "Do not kill anyone which Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause" . The greatest cause of all is that Islam be superior ( 9:33 ), which is exactly what Islamic terrorists say is their goal. Thus believing Muslims are allowed to be collateral damage in the war on unbelievers. There is sadly a phenomena that I`ve noticed in Sweden and elsewhere of people using true facts about Islamic doctrine and history as a cover for all sorts of irrational targeting of Muslims, ranging from xenophobia and racism to verbal abuse and physical attacks. This is strongly condemned by this website and does not in any way serve serious criticism of orthodox Islam and other important work. It`s also important that one tries to express oneself in a civilized way. Words matter. In this bloggers humble opinion the root cause of the problem is the ancient doctrine of orthodox Islam. In simple terms a non-Muslim is a Kafir. " The Koran defines the kafir and kafir is not a neutral word. A kafir is not merely someone who does not agree with Islam, but a kafir is evil, disgusting, the lowest form of life." An exact quote, as stated in the writings of Dr. Bill Warner in the article "Kafir" at http://www.politicalislam.com/kafir . In the perfect Koran (Allah`s direct and literal word as revealed to Mohammed through the angel Jibril), Muslims are told 89 times to emulate Mohammed in all ways (see Koran 33:21 for instance). Mohammed`s example, the Sunna, is found in the Hadith (stories of what Mohammed said and did) and the Sira (biographies of Mohammed). Islamic law, Sharia , is directly derived from these unchanging scriptures. It is based on the Koran`s numerous commands to obey Allah and obey the Messenger, that is Mohammed (see Koran 4:59 for instance). Islam is Sharia. Sharia is Islam. It is a capital crime for Muslims to deny Sharia in any way. A Muslim is someone who submits to Islam and submitting to Islam means obeying the Sharia of Allah. Sharia law includes pronouncements for both Muslims and non-Muslims (Kafirs). Islam is a "complete way of life", a "complete code of life", a "complete system of life". Islam is not just a religion but also a comprehensive ideology. Islam is a supremacist ideology. Islam is a totalitarian and imperialistic ideology akin to Communism and Nazism. Islam is a civilization. Islamic law, Sharia, is a manual for a civilization. Islamic law, Sharia, governs every aspect of life. It has a say about every conceivable human act . Non-Muslims are morally and legally inferior in Islam. Women are morally and legally inferior in Islam. The History of Jihad: From Muhammad to ISIS by Robert Spencer is the first one-volume history of jihad in the English language and a great book on the topic. Allah guarantees Paradise to those who "kill and are killed" for him (Koran 9:111). A hadith depicts a Muslim asking Muhammad: "Instruct me as to such a deed as equals Jihad (in reward)." Muhammad replied, "I do not find such a deed." (Bukhari 4.52.44) Muhammad himself said: I have been commanded to fight against people so long as they do not declare that there is no god but Allah, and he who professed it was guaranteed the protection of his property and life on my behalf except for the right affairs rest with Allah. (Sahih Muslim 30) Freedom of speech, human rights, democracy, science and human lives are all at stake in the fight against the Islamic Jihad. I nearly choked recently when the state Republican Party chairman said the GOP must take back the mantle of the party of working people. Does he really want to return to the tenure of Abraham Lincoln? Thats when the GOP last identified with ordinary Americans. A frequent editorial writer and loyal Trumpmeister called the Democrats a mob. Lets examine the real GOP role in America. Republicans attacked Roosevelt, calling him a socialist for lifting the American people out of poverty during the depression. Republicans fought against Social Security, the right to join a union, and Medicare. Republicans led the commie witch hunt against trade unionists in the 50s (McCarthyism). It was a Republican forced to resign to avoid impeachment. A Republican that fired 44,000 air traffic controllers and banned their union while committing criminal acts in the Iran-Contra scandal. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Republicans that authored the NAFTA treaty, destroying 5 million American jobs. Republicans that lied about weapons of mass destruction as a pretext to a war that has claimed thousands of American lives and drained our economy for decades. Republicans, led by Mitch McConnell, carried out eight years of obstructionism against a president overwhelming voted in by the American majority. Republicans refused to represent the American electorate. Republicans refused a sitting president the right to a hearing on a candidate for the Supreme Court. Republicans made numerous attempts to strip healthcare away from 30 million Americans. Republicans have committed blatant voter suppression, denying Americans the right to vote. Supported stripping immigrant babies from the arms of their mothers. Rodney Davis supports gutting Social Security and Medicare. Rodney Davis supports stripping food stamps from needy families. Rodney Davis Republicans unashamedly support the narcissist sociopath who has brought shame and criminality to Americas highest office. Whos the mob? Mike Griffin, Decatur Love 5 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 It began when Debbie McDermott allowed her daughter Jamie to raise two sheep for a 4-H project. Eventually, her 165-year-old farm was transformed into a successful, family-run, custom fiber processing mill. McDermott's Stonehedge Fiber Mill, which opened in 1999 in East Jordan, Michigan, now produces more than 700 pounds of yarn monthly for customers in 38 states and Canada. It produces an additional 15,000 pounds monthly for its personal lines of yarn, including Shepherd's Wool, which is milled and dyed in-house before it's shipped and sold in about 300 shops. "I really think the appeal is our yarn's made in the U.S., and people are more and more going toward U.S.-made products as a support for U.S. companies," McDermott said. Most garments worn in the United States in the first half of the 20th century were American-made, but the decline of the American textile industry began after World War II, according to knitting and wool industries expert Clara Parkes. She's a member of the American Sheep Industry an industry trade group and author of several books on knitting. In recent years, however, there's been a slow-growing demand for wool yarn that's completely produced in the United States, from sheep to skein, Parkes said. One reason, she thinks, could be that consumers are turning back to wool because of the environmental risks of microplastics in garments made from synthetics like acrylic, nylon and polyester. The microplastics are released into waterways when the synthetic garments are washed. Locally sourced yarn helps not only the environment but local businesses too, Parkes said. "There's the environmental impact of shipping goods all the way across the world and bringing it back, but now people are asking themselves, 'What if I can get the wool here and just keep it here?'" McDermott echoed that sentiment: "Shopping local is allowing farmers to raise and keep their animals on the farm." Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Consumer interest in locally sourced yarn inspired the Michigan Fiber Cooperative to produce a line, Fresh Water Fiber, which uses wool and alpaca from Michigan farms. It's processed by Stonehedge Fiber Mill and dyed by Why Knot Fibers in Traverse City. One store that stocks Fresh Water Fiber is Wool & Honey in Cedar, Michigan. Owner Melissa Kelenske said she buys from Michigan-based fiber artists and companies that focus on producing high-quality, ethically sourced yarn with attention to their environmental impact. "I think the farm-to-table movement of eating local, shopping local basically the major slow food movement laid the ground work for the knitting industry," Kelenske said. Another yarn company that supplies Wool & Honey is Brooklyn Tweed, of Portland, Oregon. Knitwear designer Jared Flood founded the company in 2010 to "preserve, support and sustain" American textile production by doing business with sheep farmers, fiber mills and dyers across the United States. The business concept "was not so much about patriotism as supporting local economies," said Christina Rondepierre, Brooklyn Tweed's marketing manager. "It was also the revitalization of East Coast mills and dyeing houses and the whole U.S. textile industry so they could sustain income and make sure towns and business were able to stay afoot," Rondepierre said. For example, the Harrisville, New Hampshire, Historic District mill village spins some of Brooklyn Tweed's yarns. The village was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977. But patriotism, too, is helping to revive the American wool industry. After Ralph Lauren drew flak for making its Team USA apparel for the 2012 Summer Olympics in China, the fashion company had all Team USA apparel for the 2014 Winter Olympics made in the United States. The yarn used for the closing ceremony sweaters was 4,000 pounds of Shepherd's Wool from Stonehedge Fiber Mill. McDermott was shocked when a Ralph Lauren representative asked her to supply the yarn. "It was a mouth-dropped-open moment when I realized who I was talking to on the phone," she said. "It was a neat experience." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DECATUR A Decatur man was injured and treated at hospital after he told police he was accosted by a stranger who threw a brick at him. Detective Sgt. Chris Copeland said the 56-year-old victim said he was attacked about noon Wednesday but did not report the incident until Friday, when he was interviewed by police in HSHS St. Marys Hospital. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} He was struck in the right clavicle area, the collar bone, and had a very large contusion in that area, said Copeland. The victim said he had been walking in the 700 block of West Macon Street when a broad-shouldered man he estimated to be 45 years old threw the brick. Copeland said the victim described the attack as unprovoked and he did not recognize his assailant. Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. DECATUR An initial autopsy report says a man found shot inside a Decatur restaurant on Friday night died from multiple gunshot wounds to the abdomen and groin. The Macon County coroner's office identified the victim as 18-year-old Decatur resident Curtis T. Hairston. Hairston was pronounced dead at 7:06 p.m. Friday night at Decatur Memorial Hospital, less than two hours after police arrived at Long John Silver's, 701 W. Eldorado St., in response to a report of a shooting. Officers found Hairston inside the restaurant. Police on Saturday said they would not provide the identity or update the condition of a second male shooting victim, who was transported to HSHS St. Mary's Hospital from the scene of the shooting, and later airlifted to HSHS St. John's Hospital in Springfield with life-threatening injuries. A day after the incident, nearby residents were shaken by the news of a shooting so close to their doorsteps. "That's the first time we've known about any kind of shooting or anything around here, it's kind of scary," said Roseanne Sherrerd, who lives on North Mercer Street. Sherrerd said her son believes he heard shots Friday night while he was at home, but wasn't sure what the sounds were. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} "He couldn't figure out at first, he thought it might've been a car backfiring," she said. "I saw lights shining through the front window" at the time of the incident, "and there were emergency vehicles everywhere." Daniel Decesaro, who moved with his wife to a home on West North Street near the Long John Silver's just last year, said news of the shooting was shocking. "This area really hasn't been too bad." Hairston's death is the second Decatur homicide of 2019. Police arrested 22-year-old Billiejo L. Soyster on New Year's Day in the fatal stabbing of her 38-year-old boyfriend, David W. Murray. Police said Murray died after Soyster thrust a broken piece of glass into his chest following an argument that she said had "turned physical." She faces a preliminary charge of first-degree murder; preliminary charges are subject to review by the Macon County State's Attorney's Office. Seven people were shot to death in Decatur last year, and two died of stab wounds, according to previous police reports. Police said in November that 12-year-old Marqueius N. Gray was shot accidentally. In another of the shooting deaths, murder charges were dropped against Alexander L. Boey after prosecutors said they found evidence that the victim, Bernard Norvell, shot first. Contact Tom Lisi at (217) 421-6949. Follow him on Twitter: @tommylisi Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 12 Angry 2 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Donnette Beckett "Together Decatur" Columnist and Food/Drink Reporter Together Decatur columnist and food and drink reporter for Lee Enterprises Central Illinois. Follow Donnette Beckett 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 DECATUR Vietnam veteran Danny Dean adopted his dog, a rat terrier mix named Buddy, from the Macon County Animal Control and Care Center more than a year ago. Inviting the new addition to his family was difficult for Dean. He had lost Brady, a rat terrier chihuahua mix, from diabetes complications shortly before he met Buddy. The veteran was in no hurry to adopt another dog. They just break your heart, Dean said. The process of adopting another dog was made a little easier by Pets for Patriots, a national organization available through Macon County Animal Control and Care Center. Pets for Patriots provides assistance for veterans, helping them to adopt a pet in need of a loving home. They receive discounted animal care from a local veterinarian, a gift card from a pet store and waived adoption fees from the participating shelter. Not every pet is eligible for Pets for Patriots. To be part of the program, the animal must be special, such as 2 years old or older, 40 pounds or heavier (regardless of age), have special care needs or being homeless for six months or more. We try to pair them with some who have been here awhile or have an issue, said Amanda Fisher, shelter manager with Macon County Animal Control. The benefits only apply to these adoptions. Dean met Buddy at the Macon County center after coaxing from his wife. The 4-year-old dog was injured, homeless and malnourished. He had a bad leg and just looked bad, Dean said. I thought it would take a lot of wear and tear to get him back into shape. Dean discussed Buddys adoption with his wife, who knew the dog would eventually find his forever home at their Bement residence. Dean completed the Pets for Patriots application shortly after the he met Buddy. A veteran must be approved before he or she can adopt the pet. The process can take a few days. The veterans have few requirements to adopt an animal. The application asks for basic proof of military service and their experience with animals. Fisher recommends the veteran fills out the forms before visiting the shelter. Then start looking for your adoptive pet, she said. People come in, and they fall in love with a pet. There is a gamble on whether that dog will still be here when they get approved and come back. Pets for Patriots has requirements for shelters partnering with the program as well. First, a veterinarian must agree to offer care discounts. In partnering with the program, Fisher found Northgate Pet Clinic to offer a 25 percent discount on services and Fairview Hospital for Animals to give a 10 percent discount. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Pets for Patriots also requires the shelter to provide a gift to the veterans. Most choose to waive or offer discount adoption fees. Fisher said the Decatur-Macon County Animal Shelter Foundation has sponsored veteran adoption fees for years, through which veterans can adopt a pet for free. According to Beth Zimmerman, Pets for Patriots executive director, 39 pets have been adopted from the Macon County shelter since it partnered with the organization in 2013. Everyone from World War II veterans to those currently serving can apply. Then we direct them with other programs in their area, Zimmerman said. The organization encourages adoptions for pets that are often overlooked. Animals with chronic medical problems and larger dogs seem to linger in shelters longer, Zimmerman said. Since the nearly 10 years since Pets for Patriots was founded, Zimmerman has witnessed positive results from the adoptions made around the country. The pet needs healing, too, she said. Both the person and pet come with a past. Together, they find a way to overcome their problems. Zimmerman sees a reflection of the vets in their pets. She said the animals are social bridge with others by providing a topic for conversation, such as a simple, What a cute dog. The physical benefits of caring for a pet have also been positive for the veterans. They have challenges getting back to civilian life, Zimmerman said. The animal has to be attended to. Veterans are suited for this lifestyle. Dean served four years in the Navy as a cook, with two tours in Vietnam. I saw our aircraft come back with holes in them, he said. You can see all the bombs going off. Its like fireworks. Buddy has been a comfort to Dean, not only through companionship after the loss of Brady, but also because of his own health problems. The two sleep together in a recliner due to Deans chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. Buddy is now a cherished member of the family and often gets a hamburger as a special treat. At 6 years old, he is healthy and active, except for an occasional limp on rainy days. Every once in a while he favors it, Dean said. But once he gets going, he likes to chase squirrels and rabbits. Information in the original article has been corrected or clarified. Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Bankers in some parts of the Midwest are tightening the screws on farmers in the new year. Fifty-two percent of bankers in a 10-state area said theyve boosted collateral requirements for farm loans, according to the Rural Mainstreet Index, a survey of business conditions conducted by Creighton University in Omaha. Weak farm income driven by depressed corn, soybean, beef, pork and milk prices was the reason bankers are asking farmers to put up more land or machinery as collateral. The survey covers Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Colorado and Wyoming. That level of banks seeking more collateral would be yet another sign of economic trouble in the rural Midwest. The basic reason you would increase collateral requirements is that youre worried that the borrower may not be able to repay the loan, said Joe Mahon, an analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. The 52 percent figure may be too high for Minnesota, however. The latest survey from the Minneapolis Fed, from October, showed about a fifth of bankers said they had increased collateral requirements. Bankers in Minnesota and Iowa said that while 2018 was a year of struggle for many farmers with low prices driven lower by a trade war with China the year-end financial picture is better than expected. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Well know more in two or three months when we get through the renewal process. Right now its certainly better than we expected, said Jeff Plagge, president and CEO of Northwest Financial Corp., a bank based in Spirit Lake, Iowa, 15 miles south of Jackson, Minn. The second half of President Donald Trumps aid package to farmers, which gives soybean farmers a total of $1.65 per bushel for their harvest, also helped. Plagge said the 52-percent figure sounds really high, and he said farmers have been more proactive this year than they were in the farm crisis of the 1980s. Theyre selling more crops ahead on the futures market and taking action to sell land or machinery without being forced to by their banker. Ken Oraskovich, a vice president at First National Bank of Bagley, 30 miles west of Bemidji, said the majority of his clientele cattle and grain farmers are struggling to make their payments. But he added he expects corn and beef prices to rise in 2019, and hes working with farmers. Ive never had to sell anybody out in all my years of banking and I dont plan to now, he said. We arent pushing guys for any more collateral by any means. Ernie Goss, the Creighton economist who has published the Rural Mainstreet Index for 12 years, said bankers in the more southern states he surveys are perhaps more likely to be boosting collateral requirements than those in the northern states. But he also said hes not surprised by the overall results, and senses bankers are more cheery than the farmers with whom theyre doing business. Im doing some work with farmers in Nebraska and Iowa, and they all say the bankers are too optimistic, Goss said. Farmers are always real negative. Theyre like economists. They see the glass half-empty. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The National Park Service said Sunday it is taking the extraordinary step of dipping into entrance fees to pay for staffing at its highly visited parks in the wake of the partial government shutdown. P. Daniel Smith, deputy director of the service, said in a statement that the money would be used to bring in staff to maintain restrooms, clean up trash and patrol the parks. He acknowledged that the Trump administration's decision to keep the parks open during the weekslong budget impasse was no longer workable and so more extreme measures were warranted. Sen. Steve Daines had asked the Interior Department to use a legal exemption to help out gateway community volunteers who are keeping national park bathrooms clean and roads cleared in Montana. Volunteers cleaned rest areas from Tower Junction to Pebble Creek Saturday. They'll go from Tower Junction to Gardiner Sunday, eating pizza courtesy of K-Bar Pizza afterward. Conoco also donated gas cards to volunteers, and Yellowstone Forever donated some garbage bags. Many volunteers also paid for supplies out of pocket. Jan. 5 As of Saturday morning, the county jail held 105 inmates (95 for felonies and 10 for misdemeanors). In total, the county has 128 inmates at various detention facilities. There are 111 clients serviced by the 24/7 sobriety program. Of these, 48 are on Personal Breath Test, 45 are on Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor bracelet, 12 are on GPS and six are on house arrest. Pretrial Services is currently working with 271 clients. When looking for nationwide trends and patterns, the association reported a heavy craft brewery presence in the Midwest as well as the Pacific Northwest. The South seems to have the lowest amount of craft breweries, which could be due to restrictive liquor laws that give brewers a lot of hoops to jump through to open. As with any industry, there is a measurable economic impact. When it comes to craft breweries, money is generated back into the economy through wholesale distribution, and through individual retail sales as well as sales at breweries. According to data from the Brewers Association, Colorado and Vermont top the nations list in terms of craft beers impact on state economies. Per capita for 21 and older adults, Colorado comes in at No. 1 with an economic impact of $764 per person and Vermont at No. 2 with an economic impact of $681 per person. These numbers represent the overall output of the craft beer industry in each state based on the 21 and older population. Montana has an economic impact of $549 per person Although craft beer is certainly nothing new, the amount of interest and money in craft breweries has certainly grown exponentially in the last decade. In 2007 there were just 1,511 craft brewery facilities and as of July 2018 that number has grown to 6,655, according to the Brewers Association. Grand Old Partisan commemorates statehood for New Mexico. This day of 1912, President William Howard Taft issued a proclamation admitting the 47th state to the Union. He said: "Well, it is all over. I am glad to give you life. I hope you will be healthy." The enabling act had been passed by the GOP-controlled 61st Congress. Residents approved a constitution seven months later. In general, Republicans favored statehood and Democrats opposed it. Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube: https://youtu.be/BtdJcikmrtA Michael Zak is author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, a history of GOP civil rights achievement. Each day, his grandoldpartisan YouTube channel and Grand Old Partisan blog celebrate more than sixteen decades of Republican heritage. And, see Speech Raves for audience feedback from his presentations in thirty-one states so far. He also wrote the 2005 Republican Freedom Calendar. Clarence Thomas cited Back to Basics for the Republican Party in a Supreme Court decision. Buy the book at Amazon See www.youtube.com/q?v=IzxKCiXc5Qc for a brief video of a Texas Republican praising Back to Basics for the Republican Party. "This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!" "Michael Zak wrote the definitive history of the GOP." "Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan." "Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before." and "one of the best books I ever read" Re: The Dean claimed that, as a result of continued cutbacks in [ #permalink 3 Kudos 1 Bookmarks ziyuenlau wrote: For how many integer values of x, is \(|3x-3|+|2x+8|<15\)? A. 2 B. 3 C. 4 D. 5 E. 6 Veritas Prep GMAT Instructor Learn more about how Veritas Prep can help you achieve a great GMAT score by checking out their KarishmaVeritas Prep GMAT InstructorLearn more about how Veritas Prep can help you achieve a great GMAT score by checking out their GMAT Prep Options > Signature Read More \(|3x-3|+|2x+8|<15\)\(3*|x-1|+2*|x+4|<15\)We want the values of x such that the sum of "thrice their distance from 1" and "twice their distance from -4" is less than 15.Let's try to find the point where this distance is equal to 15......................... (-4) ...................................... (0) ........... (1) ..........................The distance between -4 and 1 is 5. Thrice this distance is 15. So at the point x = -4, the sum will be 15. As we move to the right of -4, the sum will reduce (since the twice component will keep increasing). At x = 1, the sum becomes 0 + 2*5 = 10.What happens when you go to the right of 1? Now the sum starts increasing since the thrice components increasing now.At x = 2, the sum becomes 3*1 + 2*6 = 15.To the right of 2, the sum will keep increasing.So the sum will be less than 15 between -4 and 2. This gives us 5 integer values (-3, -2, -1, 0, 1).Answer (D)_________________ EMPOWERgmatRichC wrote: Hi arincovic, Assuming that you took this CAT/mock in the last day or two, then you should NOT take another CAT so soon. A CAT is really a 'measuring device' - when used correctly, it will give you a realistic score and help define your strengths and weaknesses, but it will NOT help you to fix any of those weaknesses. To raise your scores, you have to learn the necessary Tactics and put in the proper practice and repetitions. The CAT will show you whether your studies are helping you to improve or not. As such, you really shouldn't take more than 1 FULL CAT per week. If you panicked during the Verbal section, then you need more Verbal practice (so that you can become more familiar/comfortable with the content, Tactics and necessary 'work' needed to answer Verbal questions) before you take your next CAT. Before I can offer you the specific advice that youre looking for, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals: Studies: 1) How long have you studied? 2) What study materials have you used so far? Goals: 3) What is your goal score? 4) When are you planning to take the GMAT? 5) When are you planning to apply to Business School? 6) What Schools are you planning to apply to? GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made, Rich Q49 with 10 WRONGS Hi there guys,Since this one is the most comprehensive one I will directly respond the "EMPOWERgmatRichC"'s questions.Studies:1) I have been preparing for maybe 4 months, But at the same time I am a senior student(Bachelor's Degree) and I am an intern at a corporate company, so I studied after work. (after 5 PM usually) And sometimes during my prep I had to pause for midterms, finals and some occasional events.2) At the beginning I had Official One I completed it totally, then I used (around 250 questions), afterwards I finished 800's verbal part. Moreover finally I completed the 19 Verbal Review. I also have GMAT-Club CAT's and Quizzes, I took around 5 or 6 CAT's each Q and V.Goals:3)My goal is to have something more than 650 actually, I would be surprised If I can make it up to 700.4)I already took an appointment for 17th of January,5)After I finish the exam I will be collecting documents for application right away. Then I will apply.6)I am planning to apply MIM programs in UK and USA (Mostly UK) one of my highest target is LSE.I forgot to mention, that Prep test that I took 640 from was almost 2.5 weeks ago, so I took the second one and got worse 600 (2 days ago Q49 V24)Anyway my finals are over and I took 3 weeks of from work. And I will be full time working for GMAT until the exam. So I will keep it high until the big day.About Quant part I have no problem I guess, at the 2nd prep I had again(Silly Mistakes again if I can be a little bit more carefull I can easily hit to Q50-51)What I feel is now I started to understand the logic of the verbal questions, and I will spend the rest of my time to improve my verbal score to 32 or higher.And my question is; is there any kind of study to boost verbal? What is the hardest but the fastest technique that can be applied in my case?Throughout my all life I've been a hardworking one, therefore I think that I can make it, if I am shown the right way.Thanks in advance. According to the Iowa DOT, the intersection will be re-designed and will feature an added overpass. However work may not start until 2022 and the project is expected to take several years after that. We call again for the immediate reduction of speed and the placement of a warning signs (sic), the family said in a release. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The family cited the Highway 330/65 intersection in Jasper County which is similar to the Floyd intersection. In Jasper County, there is an orange sign that reads Intersection ahead/Multiple fatalities/Use caution. The Houdeks believe the speed on Highway 27 should be reduced to 45 mph or less along with more road surface marks, like paint, altering drivers of the speed limit and preventing drivers from changing lanes. No one needs to face a tragedy over this trap and everyone needs to be warned about this dangerous intersection, the release said. The Houdeks attorney, David Skilton, stated that the DOT failed to design an intersection that was safe and free of design defects. New Horizons is now North 49. Its more than a name change. The new owners of the north Colorado Springs apartment complex, Denver-based Slipstream Properties, are looking for a complete break with the past. Slipstream bought the property and six other complexes in southeast Colorado Springs from Terry Ragan in May for $102 million. While other investors are snapping up old apartment complexes to refurbish and make a profit in Colorado Springs' hot real estate market, Slipstream is looked upon as something of a savior. Under Ragan's ownership, New Horizons and his six apartment complexes in southeast Colorado Springs South Pointe Apartments, Pine Creek Village, Cedar Creek Club, El Vecino, Shannon Glen and Timbers Apartments were notorious slums. Crime and code violations were rampant. Apartments were often uninhabitable due to mold, cockroaches, leaks and broken furnaces, windows, kitchen appliances and locks. In the seven months since Slipstream took over, that's been slowly changing. Building by building, the company plans to replace nearly everything. Its a big ship to turn 180 degrees in the other direction, said Anthony Loeffler, a partner in Slipstream. For anyone familiar with gentrification in other cities, improvements come with a predictable trade-off. Nicer apartments will attract tenants able to afford higher rents, enabling Slipstream to recoup not only the purchase price, but also the millions it is investing in renovations. But Colorado Springs, which already has a huge deficit in affordable housing units that advocates say contributes to homelessness, will lose what city officials have admitted were among the few apartments the working poor, single parents and the disabled could afford. Mayor John Suthers has rejected any suggestion that the city should mandate that a portion of new developments be set aside for lower-income tenants. Instead, he advocates increased competition to push out unsavory landlords, such as Ragan, or force them to improve their properties to remain competitive. Complaints down dramatically Earlier this year, 3 percent of rental property owners in the city accounted for 50 percent of code enforcement's cases and follow-up inspections, said Code Enforcement Manager Mitch Hammes. No. 1 on that list was Ragan, whose properties accounted for 198 housing cases between June 27 and Oct. 31 last year. The property owner who was second on the list was responsible for 17 cases. Since Slipstream came in, code enforcement complaints are down substantially, Hammes said. In September 2017, when Ragan was still the landlord, his seven complexes were responsible for 26 housing cases, Hammes said. This September, there were seven. Less people are turning to code enforcement, which would tell me that the management is responding to tenant concerns much more, Hammes said. It certainly is encouraging to know that now there is an owner of these buildings thats taking responsibility and doing the right thing. The most tangible change is that complaints about crime or requests for repairs aren't simply ignored. Tenants, knowing Ragan's property managers wouldn't fix or replace anything, had grown accustomed to going directly to the city, said Nick Lazarra, president of Urban Phenix, Slipstreams rental property management company. It's taken awhile to gain their trust, he said, but complaints to the city have dwindled. That benefits the entire city by freeing a full-time inspector to handle other code violations, such as overgrown weeds, junk vehicles and trash, Hammes said. Broken windows In law enforcement circles, there's a concept known as "broken windows policing." It's been long overdue at the former Ragan apartment complexes, according to Sand Creek Division officers who patrol southeast Colorado Springs. If you show that you care about a property and take care of it, if a window gets broken and you immediately repair it, or if you make sure a broken light bulb is fixed, it makes it a less-desirable environment for those looking to do stuff in the shadows, police Lt. Steve Noblitt said. The percentage of police calls to Ragans properties more than doubled between 2003 and 2016. Its too soon to have crime statistics for the seven months the apartments have had new owners, Noblitt said, but Sand Creek officers are seeing a turnaround. Apartment managers communicate with police, do background checks on prospective tenants and take action when residents cause problems, he said. (Management) made a point of telling us that if we had issues with specific apartments, they would give them the appropriate due process, but they would not be invited back, Noblitt said. When youve got people that care, they care about the quality of the place, then other people are going to notice that and want to live there." Not all of Ragan's tenants welcomed the changes under Slipstream, though, Loeffler and Lazarra said. Some were reluctant to abide by new rules. Others didn't pay their rent. When Slipstream took over, there were numerous evictions,which have continued each month, Lazarra said. This is necessary, Lazarra said. We have to have people accountable for making payments, accountable for their behavior. 'An unfortunate price' Single bedrooms once rented at New Horizons for as low as $630 a month, Lazarra said. In North 49, theyll go for about $1,050. Studios will rent for about $975, and two-bedroom apartments for about $1,225, he said. Rents in Colorado Springs have been rising in recent years, with the current average at nearly $1,160. Ragans apartments had rented for as little as $510. Already, city officials anticipate a deficit of 26,000 affordable housing units this year, and rent increases at Slipstreams nearly 1,200 units could further diminish the supply. The loss could take years to undo. The city gained nearly 500 affordable units last year, and Suthers challenged the community to double that over the next five years. Even if that goal is met, Suthers conceded, its unclear whether that progress can outpace the citys exploding population and need for affordable housing. The reality is the days of a $500 apartment are long gone, Lazarra said. I dont think youll find anything (at that price) on the Front Range, he said. Despite the higher rents, Lazarra and Loeffler said their renovated apartments still are an affordable option for Colorado Springs renters. If you have a job at a restaurant or a bar, you can probably afford to live in one of our units, Loeffler said. Loeffler and Lazarra said they would discuss voucher programs on yet-to-be-renovated apartments and would consider other options to minimize the effect of the rent increases. Were not heartless, Loeffler said. We want to help people out in every way that we can that makes sense for us, the community and everybody else. City Councilwoman Yolanda Avila, whose southeast district is home to most of the complexes, said she was disappointed that rents would essentially double in some complexes, but she understands the companys need to recoup its investment. Its a very sad consequence of something thats good, Avila said. Its an unfortunate price to pay for some people that arent going to be able to manage that rent payment. She said the apartments might have been inexpensive when Ragan was the landlord, but Slipstreams renovations are much needed and long overdue. Suthers agreed, adding that as the supply of new apartments increases to meet demand, rents will stabilize. The fact of the matter is that we dont want affordable housing that doesnt meet basic housing codes, he said. Im a marketplace guy. And the marketplace is going to determine what the rents are and what the various levels of affordability are. Avila disagreed with Suthers that rents should be determined solely by what the market will bear. If it were up to me, wed have some sort of rent control, she said. Despite the shortage and impending increases, Suthers said Colorado Springs remains relatively affordable nationally. But for someone who cant afford to live here, thats little consolation, he acknowledged. Suthers and Avila hinted that there are housing projects on the drawing board that could alleviate some of Colorado Springs' pressing need for affordable housing. They declined to disclose locations and timetables. There is a plan for three different locations for affordable housing in my district, Avila said. Were talking about it right now. The city isnt about to get into the housing business, but it can help facilitate new projects, Suthers said. Weve had a lot of inquiries from folks who invest in affordable housing who think that Colorado Springs looks like a pretty good marketplace for the future. The problem is what to do in the meantime, Avila said. Those short on rent need to rely on each other for support and take advantage of available community resources to help save money, she said. Suthers said, Youve got to look at what the job opportunities are, where theyre available what the price of housing is in various parts of the country and things like that and make decisions that are good for you and your family. "If you cant afford to live in Colorado Springs, you might check and see if theres another place thats more affordable. Nearly eight months after Terry Ragan sold his seven apartment complexes to a Denver-area real estate company, life is gradually improving for tenants at the decrepit, bug-infested apartments primarily in southeast Colorado Springs. New stoves, air conditioners and dishwashers are replacing appliances that stopped working long ago. Requests to fix them were ignored while Ragan was the landlord. Laundry machines that didn't work or left oil stains on tenants clothes have been replaced. Security cameras are being installed, and security guards now patrol parking lots previously ceded to drug dealers and other criminals. The legions of cockroaches, a ubiquitous part of life at Ragan apartments, are being eradicated. Under the new owners, Slipstream Properties, tenants have to meet and abide by stricter leasing requirements. The New Horizons complex has been rebuilt from the studs out and rechristened North 49 in the first phase of $35 million in planned renovations and upgrades. Those renovations are expected to kick into high gear in 2019, with at least two more complexes slated for overhauls. By mid-2021, every apartment complex formerly owned by Ragan will have undergone the same makeover, including landscaping upgrades, the new owners say. For all the problems Ragan caused that have been documented by police and code inspectors over the years giving gang members free rein, fire and other violations that endangered tenants' health and safety city officials acknowledge that the 1,200 apartments he formerly owned accounted for a large percentage of the affordable housing in Colorado Springs. Slipstream's plans will admittedly exacerbate that problem by gentrifying portions of the city's southeast. Repairing and rebuilding the deteriorating complex will attract middle-class or affluent people who displace the poorer, longtime residents who no longer can afford to live there. Everyone living in the Pine Creek Village, Shannon Glen, South Pointe, Cedar Creek Club, El Vecino and Timbers apartments will be told to leave at some point over the next few years. Some tenants are being offered a chance to move into an old apartment outfitted with new appliances, or a newly-renovated unit costing hundreds of dollars more a month. Eventually, every unit will have higher, market-level rents. And in a few years, 1,178 apartments that were affordable but unhealthy and unsafe will become livable, yet possibly unattainable, for many of the working-class tenants. For a city with an affordable housing deficit already numbering in the tens of thousands of apartments, the gentrification of some southeast areas while improving living conditions for a fortunate few who can afford to remain will worsen the problem. ***** Ask almost any current or former tenant, and the horror stories of neglect and mismanagement at the Ragan properties repeat themselves over and over. For Danny Stone, the problems started almost immediately after he moved into the El Vecino Apartments about three years ago. Only one of the stove burners worked. His air conditioner went on the fritz. Requests for repairs went unanswered. Washing machines and dryers down the hall ruined his clothes. After a while, he gave up and just schlepped his clothes to laundromats or washed them in his bathtub. Walls were pocked with holes. Hallways and basements were dark because lights were out or broken. Windows were shattered. Ceilings in many second-floor apartments leaked, and mold flourished in many units. Dozens of gang members known to police lived in Ragan's apartments; drug deals, knifings and shootings were commonplace. But it was tolerable for what Stone paid for his two-bedroom, ground-floor apartment: $625 a month, plus utilities. Apartments elsewhere in southeast Colorado Springs average $1,000 a month, and even that typically is $60 to $230 a month cheaper than the rest of the city. Ragan's reputation as the city's worst landlord dates to at least 2003. That's when The Gazette ran a weeklong series on the rampant crime, code violations and the mold, bugs and broken appliances. Ragan began to feel the pressure to fix up or sell his complexes after the newspaper's follow-up report in late 2017 found that little had changed at the complexes over the past 15 years. Tenants found an advocate in newly elected District 4 City Councilwoman Yolanda Avila, and the council passed new code enforcement regulations in April that toughened fines against repeat offenders, of whom Ragan was the worst. A month after those regulations were passed, Ragan sold all of his properties to Slipstream, a Denver redeveloper of distressed apartment complexes, for $102 million. Within weeks, the cockroaches no longer owned the night. A functioning stove from an empty unit down the hall was brought into Stone's apartment. Washing machines and dryers were replaced, protected by a newly installed door with an electronic lock. Once that got under control, and the bug problem was gone, it was like a ton of weight was lifted off of me, Stone said. His El Vecino neighbors, Stephen and Jolene Bolin, also got a new stove, air conditioner and refrigerator. A security guard patrols the parking lots at night a relief for tenants accustomed to witnessing crimes or being victims. One stopped Stephen Bolin, 47, while he walked his dog at night, to ask what he was up to something that might be resented elsewhere, but was a welcome sign of change at a former Ragan complex. For Bolin's wife, Jolene Bolin, 52, the security patrols have been a godsend. While she praised the new company, a man walked by carrying a 100-foot-long hose down the hallway. Hes a carpet cleaner, getting to work on the hallway floors. This is a first, Jolene said, smiling. Seven months hasn't been long enough to fix all the problems, however. Four months ago, a maintenance worker was killed at Pine Creek Village. Another maintenance worker was arrested in his death. ***** Everything comes at a cost; that's just how gentrification works, whether in Denver or southeast Colorado Springs. To recoup what it paid for the apartments and the renovations, Slipstream will have to raise rents. Instead of $625 a month, Stone's two-bedroom apartment likely will be several hundred dollars a month higher. Slipstream's owners have said rents will be higher, at "market rate" for similar apartments in the southeast. In southeast Colorado Springs, that's about $900 a month for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,000 for a two-bedroom, one-bathroom unit. A two bedroom, two-bathroom unit there costs about $1,130 a month. Anthony Loeffler, a Slipstream partner, acknowledged that some tenants who've endured years of Ragan's neglect, won't be able to afford to stay. "Its a really tough thing, right?" Loeffler said. "You dont want to have housing in your city that doesnt provide basic quality-of-life standards. But the problem with these specific units is, its taken a ton of investment to get it to the point where we could offer a product that were willing to put out there to the market. "We have high standards for the way we want the residents in our communities to live. We dont want to let somebody live with a broken appliance for any amount of time. He stressed that the city's affordable housing shortage isn't something Slipstream can fix by itself nor should it. "That requires a larger plan, and it requires a lot of investment, and it requires the whole city to come together and figure out how to account for the people who cant afford market-rate apartments," Loeffler said. Jenaree Coughlin, 27, was among the first tenants who had to leave when the remodeling began at New Horizons. She said Slipstream gave her the option of taking compensation for having to move or moving into an apartment that hadn't been renovated. She ended up at the far more decrepit Shannon Glen apartments when she couldn't find another place she could afford. The first unit she moved into flooded within a month, forcing her to move again into an apartment across the hall. There, a pipe next to the kitchen is leaking, and the furnace went out for a week. "Slowly, they're starting to get a little bit better," Coughlin said. "It's just kind of pulling teeth to get what needs to be done to make things livable." Especially compared with the now-renovated apartment she left at New Horizons, where the carpeting has been replaced and marble countertops have been installed. The rent for her old apartment at New Horizons is hundreds of dollars more a month than she had been paying. ***** In the meantime, Ragan's old apartments continue to be islands of affordable housing in a sea of rising rents. Across Colorado Springs, rents have been breaking records for several years. With housing in the Denver metro area much more expensive, many people have slid down to Colorado Springs in search of affordable options. That, in turn, has driven up housing costs cross the Pikes Peak region. Many new tenants have scooped up cheap, short-term leases for three or six months that Slipstream has offered to keep the complexes as full as possible before renovations. Her credit in tatters after a divorce two years ago, Sissy Moore moved to Colorado Springs in October and quickly found a unit at Shannon Glen. Even before she moved in, Slipstream replaced the kitchen appliances and repainted the walls. Her deposit was $400 low in this market and the managers knocked $200 off her first months rent. She pays $760 a month, plus utilities, for a two-bedroom apartment plus $10 a month for her dog. I looked at apartments all over the place in Colorado Springs. Theyre the price of a house, said Moore, 36. And as a single mom, ... its tough to find something that you can afford and get on your feet. And this gave me that opportunity. And I think its wonderful. My kids love it. Also, for the first time in years at these apartment complexes, homeless veterans have been able to use housing vouchers supplied by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Few landlords have been willing to accept those vouchers, because they are worth less than current market rates. Units not yet renovated by Slipstream fall perfectly within the vouchers' price range. But there's a catch. Those veterans could be back on the streets once renovations take place, said Bridget Edmondson, whose job with the VA is to help homeless veterans find apartments that accept the vouchers. "They were talking about doing granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances," said Edmondson, while speaking to a property manager at a recent luncheon for veterans at the Cedar Creek Club. "I'm worried about the prices. If some of our veterans are going to be living in here, they might not have anywhere to go once everything gets remodeled." ***** Stone, 58, knows the clock is ticking. So do his neighbors. He's banking on time being on his side. He still needs time for his family to get out of debt and onto solid financial footing. But he said he doesn't think Slipstream will fully renovate his apartments anytime soon. It is a concern especially with the way the market is right now, Stone said. But I also know how long it takes to make conversions like this. Were talking two to three years. And within two to three years, we should be doing a lot better to where we can upgrade our living conditions. As long as the bottom doesnt fall out on us, we should be doing good. Tenants across Slipstream's properties are making the same calculations. Residents say they're either preparing to leave or budgeting for higher rents. Some say they'll stay, an acknowledgement that rents could never remain so cheap in this city's record-breaking rental market. Upstairs from Stone, the Bolins say any rent increase will be devastating. They pay about $700 a month, plus utilities, for a two-bedroom apartment. For now, they live solely on his Social Security disability checks due to their ailments. Id be out on the streets, Stephen Bolin said. Considering it takes about $500 on average to lay down a deposit, and then the background checks on top of that, and then you have to pay first month's rent thats way over my income. Jona Maldonado, 26, and his wife already started looking for apartments in Fountain and Pueblo. "Rent's just cheaper" in those cities, he said. The BLM has broad authority to inspect drill sites, but the agency has no right to put its own locks on gates or force landowners to turn over their keys, the Denver-based U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling says. City Editor Tom Roeder is the Gazette's City Editor. In Colorado Springs since 2003, Tom has covered the military at home and overseas and has cover statehouses in Denver and Olympia, Wash. His main job, though, is being dad to two great kids. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Chinese tourists visiting the Acropolis in Athens in 2017. Booking Holdings, formerly known as Priceline.com, is making a large bet on Chinese travel. Tweaking any part of the state aid formula -- several bills will likely be introduced offering changes to various components -- may add more cost to the state, which is already facing a budget crunch. Medicaid expansion Expanded Medicaid coverage approved by Nebraska voters in November is likely to spark sharp legislative division over the terms, and perhaps the timing, of state implementation and funding. Ricketts already has signaled his intention to fund the state's share of costs for expansion of coverage to an estimated 90,000 Nebraskans, primarily identified as the working poor, out of the current state budget. Medicaid expansion supporters have pointed to the new revenue that will be flowing into the state from collection of state sales taxes already owed for online purchases as one potential source of funding. The governor Ricketts will be fully engaged with issues in what appears likely to be a conservative Legislature that contains perhaps one or two more moderate, or progressive, voices following results from the 2018 election. If you're headed to the Capitol to talk to your state senator during this legislative session, you might want to call ahead. And if you think you know your way around, be warned there have been changes. An eight-year, $106 million heating, air-conditioning and renovation project kicked off last summer, sealing off the southwest quadrant of the Capitol behind temporary walls where first phase work is taking place. While the south and west doors remain open, the work has pushed some senators into the tower on floors not accessible to the general public. Anyone wanting to meet with a senator in the tower should call ahead to schedule an appointment, said Roxanne Smith, the Capitol's tourism supervisor and public-information officer. Or, visitors can stop at the information desk on the ground floor to request a legislative staff member come down to meet them. Some shuffling may still happen, however, after the Legislature convenes and committee assignments are doled out, moving some senators into the tower or others back onto the lower floors. Smith said the final roster and office locations should be published on the Legislature's website nebraskalegislature.gov by mid-January. * Viettel seeks to double Myanmar subscriber base to 10 mln by year-end - CEO * Military-run firm seeks to expand investment in Asia, including North Korea * Company in talks to buy telecoms stakes in Malaysia, Indonesia; Stop further investment in Africa * Viettel plans to develop Vietnam's first 5G network By Khanh Vu and Kham Nguyen HANOI, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Vietnam's largest telecommunication company, Viettel, is seeking to double its five million subscribers in Myanmar by the end of the year, its president and chief executive officer Le Dang Dung told Reuters an in interview on Friday. Viettel, whose $1.22 billion unit Viettel Global Investment is trading on the Unlisted Public Company Market, has also shown interest in investing in North Korea and Cuba. "The growth seen in Myanmar is rare in the telecom market," Dung told Reuters at his office in Hanoi. "We still have room to grow there". Myanmar, where Viettel and its local partners launched a $1.5 billion 4G network in June last year has emerged as one of the most promising markets for the company, Dung said. The Mytel network, jointly developed by Myanmar National Holding Public Ltd and Star High Public Co Ltd, has amassed around five million subscribers, a figure which Dung said he expects to double by the end of this year. Viettel is also in talks to buy stakes in existing telecommunication firms in Malaysia and Indonesia, Dung said, without giving further details due to the sensitivity of the deals. The company will be the first to develop a 5G network in Vietnam, Dung said, in anticipation of rapid development of data services. He said Viettel had earmarked $40 million for the development of its own 5G chipset, but was also considering using technology from Ericsson and Nokia. The military-run firm, formally known as Viettel Group, has around 60 million subscribers in Vietnam and over 30 million users across 10 other countries - predominantly in Asia and Africa. The company is also in talks to buy a 20 percent stake in a European mobile carrier, Dung said, without elaborating. Story continues Dung said Viettel plans to stop expanding its investment in the African market, however, where the company has struggled to make a profit due to poor economic growth. Closer to home, Viettel is looking to invest in North Korea, said Dung, where Koryolink - a joint venture between the North Korean state and Egypt's Orascom Investment Holdings - has amassed millions of subscribers since its 2008 launch. "We first sought permission from North Korea to build a mobile network there in 2010," he said. "But we're still waiting for sanctions to be lifted and for the country to open its market to foreign investors". (Reporting by Khanh Vu and Kham Nguyen Editing by James Pearson, editing by Louise Heavens) The U.S. hasnt done enough to counter the use of technology transfers and supply chain infiltration from countries like China, leading to a grave national security risk, according to two U.S. senators. To guard against state-sponsored technology theft and risks to supply chains that provide technology to U.S. consumers, Senators Mark Warner and Marco Rubio are proposing legislation that would require the White House to establish the Office of Critical Technologies and Security. It is clear that China is determined to use every tool in its arsenal to surpass the United States technologically and dominate us economically, said Warner, a Virginia Democrat, in a statement Friday. We need a whole-of-government technology strategy to protect U.S. competitiveness in emerging and dual-use technologies and address the Chinese threat. The bill would add to a broader effort by the Trump administration to clamp down on what it says is Chinas aggressive strategy to boost its technological know-how, often at the expense of U.S. companies. Last year Trump signed a measure to heighten scrutiny of Chinese investment in the U.S. and is considering tighter controls on exports of American technology. Chinas technology transfers are a significant national security risk, the senators said in the statement, adding that the U.S. is also facing major challenges to the integrity of key supply chains as a result of reliance on foreign products. China continues to conduct a coordinated assault on U.S. intellectual property, U.S. businesses, and our government networks and information with the full backing of the Chinese Communist Party, Rubio, a Republican from Florida, said in the statement. The United States needs a more coordinated approach to directly counter this critical threat and ensure we better protect U.S. technology. The statement also warns about acquiring foreign products, such as those manufactured by Chinese telecommunications companies ZTE Corp. and Huawei Technologies Co., which have come under fire in the U.S. as threats to national security. Both companies are barred from U.S. government procurement contracts and Huaweis Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Canada in December on allegations she defrauded banks to violate Iranian sanctions. The daughter of Huaweis billionaire founder Ren Zhengfei, she now faces extradition to the U.S. in a case thats heightened tensions between the U.S. and China as the two countries face off in a trade war. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he departs for Camp David from the White House in Washington U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he departs for Camp David from the White House in Washington, U.S., January 6, 2019. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that trade talks with China were going very well and that weakness in the Chinese economy gave Beijing a reason to work toward a deal. U.S. officials are meeting with their counterparts in Beijing this week for the first face-to-face talks since Trump and China's President Xi Jinping in December agreed to a 90-day truce in a trade war that has roiled international markets. Trump imposed import tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese goods to pressure Beijing to change its practices on issues ranging from industrial subsidies to hacking. China retaliated with tariffs of its own. Trump said the U.S. tariffs had hurt China. "I think China wants to get it resolved. Their economy's not doing well," Trump told reporters at the White House before boarding the Marine One presidential helicopter. "I think that gives them a great incentive to negotiate." Beijing on Friday cut bank reserve requirements amid slowing growth at home and pressure from the U.S. tariffs. Asked what he expected to come out of this week's talks in Beijing, Trump sounded a positive note. "The China talks are going very well," he said. "I really believe they want to make a deal." (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) Sebastien Roblin Security, Europe Back to the drawing board? Russia's Uran-9 Robot Tank Went to War in Syria (It Didn't Go Very Well) In May 2018, the Russian military revealed it had combat-tested its Uran-9 robot tank in Syria. The diminutive remote-control tank is noted for its formidable gun and missile armament. However, just a month later Defense Blog reported that Senior Research Officer Andrei Anisimov told a conference at the Kuznetsov Naval Academy in St. Petersburg that the Uran-9s performance in Syria revealed that modern Russian combat Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) are not able to perform the assigned tasks in the classical types of combat operations. He concluded it would be ten to fifteen more years before UGVs were ready for such complex tasks. This stands in contrast to a source which told Janes that the system had demonstrated high performance in an operational environment. Robotic armored vehicles are in development across the world, with the U.S. Army planning for its Bradley fighting vehicle replacement to be optionally-manned. However, Russia arguably has more aggressively moved towards combat-deploying UGVs. In 2015 Russias Military Industry Committee announced its objective of deploying 30 percent of Russias kinetic weapons on remote-control platforms by 2025. Current projects include the MARS six-seat infantry carrier, the robotic BMP-3 Vihr (Hurricane) fighting vehicle, robotized T-72 tanks, and tiny Nerekhta UGVs that can evacuate wounded soldiers, fire a machine gun or kamikaze charge enemy positions. The Russian Army reportedly procured twenty-two Uran-9s in 2016 from the JSC 766 UPTK company. The robo-tanks are apparently attached to support infantry and engineer units by engaging in reconnaissance and fire support missions, rather than being concentrated in independent maneuver formations. The Uran-9 is also being offered for export by the state-owned Rostec Corporation, and was photographed being inspected by General Min Aung Hlaing, commander of Myanmars armed forces. Story continues The first UGVs were developed a century ago during World War I. By the 1930s the Soviet Union deployed two battalions of remote-controlled Teletanks armed with flamethrowers and demolition charges which saw action during the 1939-1940 invasion of Finland. Today, UGVs such as Russias Uran-6 have are being successfully employed to clear mines and IEDs in the Middle East and Central Asia. However, few UGVs have been operationally deployed for such complex tasks as detecting and engaging enemy forces. The rhombus-shaped Uran-9 weighs twelve tons and measures five meters long, one-fifth the weight and just over half the length of a T-90 tank. A diesel engine allows the vehicle to accelerate to twenty-two miles per hour on highways, or six to fifteen mph off-road. The robots steel armor plates reportedly protect it from shell splinters and small-armsthough implicitly it may remain vulnerable to other relatively common weapons such as RPGs or heavy machine guns. Two Uran-9s are transported to the battlefield by a large truck, and then radio-controlled by an operator and commander in an armored 6x6 Kamaz truck. Thermal and electro-optical sights and sensors mounted atop the turret allow the operators to see through the tank. There is also a hand-held control unit option. A Skynet Unified Tactical Management system allows up to four Uran-9s to network together, either spread out up to four miles apart or strung together in a column formation. The robo-tanks do have some limited autonomous capabilities if they lose their signalparticularly for maneuvering around obstacles when moving along pre-programmed paths. Some sources claim the Uran-9 may also be able to detect, identify and engage enemy forces without manual human direction. The robo-tanks turret mounts a rapid-firing 2A72 30-millimeter autocannon that can blast light-armored vehicles and infantry to deadly effect, as well as a 7.62-millimeter machine gun. Furthermore, a firing rack can extend from the turret to launch two or four 9M120-1 Ataka anti-tank missiles which can spin away to bust tanks up to 3.7 miles away while guided by a laser. And top that off, a further six to twelve Shmel flamethrower rockets with air-combusting thermobaric warheads can be mounted on two rotating launchers on top of the turret to flush out entrenched infantry up to a mile away. If theres a threat from low-flying aircraft, those rockets can be swapped out for Strela or Igla short-range anti-aircraft missiles. You can see the Uran-9s moving about and shooting in one of several music videos. However, all that impressive firepower is only useful if the Uran-9 and its operators can actually detect enemy forces and fire accurately at themand that turned out to be a problem when field-tested in Syria. To start with, according to Anisimov, they Uran-9s thermal and electro-optical sensors proved incapable of spotting enemies beyond 1.25 milesone-third of the 3.75-mile range in daytime or half that at night officially claimed. He also stated, The OCH-4 optical station does not allow detecting optical observation and targeting devices of the enemy and gives out multiple interferences on the ground and in the airspace in the surveillance sector. Furthermore, the sensors, and the weapons they guided, were useless while the Uran-9 was moving due to a lack of stabilization. When fire commands were issued, on six occasions there were significant delays. In one case, the command simply didnt go through. The Uran-9s tracked suspension also was reportedly frequently bedeviled by unreliable rollers and suspension springs, requiring frequent repairs that effectively limited the duration of any deployment. Arguably most problematic of all, however, was the discovery that the remote-control system, which officially had a range of 1.8 miles, only proved effective up to 300 to 400 meters in a lightly urbanized environment. Over such short distances, the control vehicle is likely to become exposed to enemy fire. Unlike high-flying drones, remote-controlled vehicles are susceptible to having their control signals disrupted by hills, buildings and other terrain features. During field-testing in Syria, this caused Uran-9s to suffer seventeen lapses of remote control lasting up to one minute, and two events in which they lost contact for as long as an hour-and-a-half. The problem grows more acute when considering that modern war zones like Syria already experience extraordinary electromagnetic activity from communication signals and drone-linksas well as extensive jamming, spying and other forms of electronic warfare. The bandwidth consumed by the Uran-9s might not only limit how many can be deployed in a given sector but may make them a conspicuous target for hostile electronic attacks, despite manufacturers claims that the data-links are hardened against such interference. According to Janes, Rostec is still working to improve the Uran-9s range, response-time and data-bandwidth. During the huge Vostok 2018 military exercise, the robot-tanks were reportedly deployed to provide overwatch fire support for Uran-6 de-mining UGVs and combat engineers while they cleared simulated defensive obstacles. Theoretically, the Uran-9 could be useful at reducing the risk of losing human lives in high-risk operations such as scouting out the location of concealed enemies or providing covering fire for assaults on well-defended positions. However, unless reliability can be improved and the tether distance between the robo-tanks and their command vehicles can be extended, the Uran-9s would be of limited military use except in static, set-piece scenarios. In a sense, the underwhelming combat test in Syria highlights why robot tanks havent shown up on the battlefield sooner, despite the component technologies having been available for decades. Developing reliable long-distance communication links, sophisticated autonomous operation algorithms, and well-integrated sensors and targeting systems to allow a distant operator to identify and engage targets all pose significant practical challenges. Thus, the Uran-9s unflattering debut will serve as a valuable, if cautionary, learning experience for engineers working to perfect forthcoming robotic ground warfare systems. Sebastien Roblin holds a masters degree in conflict resolution from Georgetown University and served as a university instructor for the Peace Corps in China. He has also worked in education, editing, and refugee resettlement in France and the United States. He currently writes on security and military history for War Is Boring. Image: Wikipedia. Read full article Last year, Microsoft Corp.s Azure security team detected suspicious activity in the cloud computing usage of a large retailer: One of the companys administrators, who usually logs on from New York, was trying to gain entry from Romania. And no, the admin wasnt on vacation. A hacker had broken in. Microsoft quickly alerted its customer, and the attack was foiled before the intruder got too far. Chalk one up to a new generation of artificially intelligent software that adapts to hackers constantly evolving tactics. Microsoft, Alphabet Inc.s Google, Amazon.com Inc. and various startups are moving away from solely using older rules-based technology designed to respond to specific kinds of intrusion and deploying machine-learning algorithms that crunch massive amounts of data on logins, behavior and previous attacks to ferret out and stop hackers. Machine learning is a very powerful technique for securityits dynamic, while rules-based systems are very rigid, says Dawn Song, a professor at the University of California at Berkeleys Artificial Intelligence Research Lab. Its a very manual intensive process to change them, whereas machine learning is automated, dynamic and you can retrain it easily. Hackers are themselves famously adaptable, of course, so they too could harness machine learning to create fresh mischief and overwhelm the new defenses. For example, they could figure out how companies train their systems and use the data to evade or corrupt the algorithms. The big cloud services companies are painfully aware that the foe is a moving target but argue that the new technology will help tilt the balance in favor of the good guys. We will see an improved ability to identify threats earlier in the attack cycle and thereby reduce the total amount of damage and more quickly restore systems to a desirable state, says Amazon Chief Information Security Officer Stephen Schmidt. He acknowledges that its impossible to stop all intrusions but says his industry will get incrementally better at protecting systems and make it incrementally harder for attackers. Story continues Before machine learning, security teams used blunter instruments. For example, if someone based at headquarters tried to log in from an unfamiliar locale, they were barred entry. Or spam emails featuring various misspellings of the word Viagra were blocked. Such systems often work. But they also flag lots of legitimate usersas anyone prevented from using their credit card while on vacation knows. A Microsoft system designed to protect customers from fake logins had a 2.8 percent rate of false positives, according to Azure Chief Technology Officer Mark Russinovich. That might not sound like much but was deemed unacceptable since Microsofts larger customers can generate billions of logins. To do a better job of figuring out who is legit and who isnt, Microsoft technology learns from the data of each company using it, customizing security to that clients typical online behavior and history. Since rolling out the service, the company has managed to bring down the false positive rate to .001 percent. This is the system that outed the intruder in Romania. Training these security algorithms falls to people like Ram Shankar Siva Kumar, a Microsoft manager who goes by the title of Data Cowboy. Siva Kumar joined Microsoft six years ago from Carnegie Mellon after accepting a second-round interview because his sister was a fan of Greys Anatomy, the medical drama set in Seattle. He manages a team of about 18 engineers who develop the machine learning algorithms and then make sure theyre smart and fast enough to thwart hackers and work seamlessly with the software systems of companies paying big bucks for Microsoft cloud services. Siva Kumar is one of the people who gets the call when the algorithms detect an attack. He has been woken in the middle of the night, only to discover that Microsofts in-house red team of hackers were responsible. (They bought him cake to compensate for lost sleep. The challenge is daunting. Millions of people log into Googles Gmail each day alone. The amount of data we need to look at to make sure whether this is you or an impostor keeps growing at a rate that is too large for humans to write rules one by one, says Mark Risher, a product management director who helps prevent attacks on Googles customers. Google now checks for security breaches even after a user has logged in, which comes in handy to nab hackers who initially look like real users. With machine learning able to analyze many different pieces of data, catching unauthorized logins is no longer a matter of a single yes or no. Rather, Google monitors various aspects of behavior throughout a users session. Someone who looks legit initially may later exhibit signs they are not who they say they are, letting Googles software boot them out with enough time to prevent further damage. Besides using machine learning to secure their own networks and cloud services, Amazon and Microsoft are providing the technology to customers. Amazons Macie service uses machine learning to find sensitive data amid corporate info from customers like Netflix and then watches who is accessing it and when, alerting the company to suspicious activity. Amazons GuardDuty monitors customers systems for malicious or unauthorized activity. Many times the service discovers employees doing things they shouldntsuch as mining Bitcoin at work. Dutch insurance company NN Group NV uses Microsofts Advanced Threat Protection to manage access to its 27,000 workers and close partners, while keeping everyone else out. Earlier this year, Wilco Jansen, the companys manager of workplace services, showed employees a new feature in Microsofts Office cloud software that blocks so-called CxO spamming, whereby spammers pose as a senior executive and instruct the receiver to transfer funds or share personal information. Ninety minutes after the demonstration, the security operations center called to report that someone had tried that exact attack on NN Groups CEO. We were like oh, this feature could already have prevented this from happening, Jansen says. We need to be on constant alert, and these tools help us see things that we cannot manually follow. Machine learning security systems dont work in all instances, particularly when there is insufficient data to train them. And researchers and companies worry constantly that they can be exploited by hackers. For example, they could mimic users activity to foil algorithms that screen for typical behavior. Or hackers could tamper with the data used to train the algorithms and warp it for their own endsso-called poisoning. Thats why its so important for companies to keep their algorithmic criteria secret and change the formulas regularly, says Battista Biggio, a professor at the University of Cagliaris Pattern Recognition and Applications Lab in Sardinia, Italy. So far, these threats feature more in research papers than real life. But thats likely to change As Biggio wrote in a paper last year: Security is an arms race, and the security of machine learning and pattern recognition systems is not an exception. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, President of Mexico. Photo: Alejandro Cegarra/Bloomberg Attorneys who handle commercial deals for clients investing in Mexico have made a killing in recent years, thanks in part to recent deregulation in key Mexican industries such as energy and telecommunications. But attorneys in Miami are concerned that a change in the leadership of Mexico, combined with uncertainties created by an as-yet-unratified trade agreement between Mexico, Canada, and the U.S, and by protectionism rearing its head around the world, could mean the good times are over. Mexico's new president,Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, frequently referred to by his initialsAMLOwas elected in a landslide. He is sometimes described as a leftist populist politician, although he is different from the typical Latin American populist and won the presidency by cobbling together support from leftists, unions, far-right conservatives and religious groups. Still, his predecessor, Pena Nieto, was behind the massive deregulation of Mexican industries and lawyers whose practices who have reaped the rewards of the last few booming years of investment are concerned that AMLO will reverse course. "As a general rule, Nieto was a friend to international business and investment and certainly AMLO has given initial signals that he plans to be much less of a friend to investors and business," said Christopher Tillson, a K&L Gates partner whose practice specializes in commercial transactions with Mexican clients. And in some ways, AMLO has delivered on the fears. In October, he scrapped a $13 billion airport project, one of the biggest infrastructure ventures in Mexico. The move was seen as part of his promise to cut waste and corruption. But it incensed investors, and economists worried that more policy shifts could dampen investor confidence in the country. The shutdown of the project is now on hold, but commercial property sales volumes have dropped, and borrowing costs are climbing. Tillson has seen some signs that change in Mexico has dampened investment appetite, with some clients and investors "waiting on the sidelines." "Were seeing less of the on-the-ground investment into infrastructure," Tillson said. "Were sort of in a cautionary wait and see." Less investment means less commercial work, and later down the road, less arbitration work a staple for Miami's blossoming international arbitration legal community. Attorneys have racked up millions advising on infrastructure deals since the overhaul and deregulation of Mexico's previously untapped energy sector in 2015. Foreign direct investment in the first half of 2018 was up 14 percent over the same period in 2017, according to Mexico's Economy Ministry. U.S. clients represented a third of all the investment. However, Jose Sariego, a corporate partner at Bilzin Sumberg, is still bullish on Mexico. Investors should be cautious for a few months to see where AMLO takes the country, but unless Mexico "goes the way of Venezuela," he doesn't see a derailment of investment into Mexicoa point of view shared by many in Miami's international commercial practices. "I don't think there's been the slowdown that people would have thought," said Yosbel Ibarra, co-managing partner of Greenberg Traurig's Miami office and co-chair of the firm's Latin America and Iberia practice. Mexico is the most open economy in Latin America and an important trade partner with the United States, he said. Even when some U.S. investors get cold feet, investors from other countries in Latin America are more willing to stomach some uncertainty. The firm advised a Colombian client who recently invested in Mexico. Conversely, the changes that sidelined some U.S. investors have begun to drive more inbound investment into the U.S., as wealthy Mexicans look to diversify their portfolios and get money out of the country. Both Tillson and Sariego have seen an uptick of Mexican investment into Miami. While South American clients have long invested in South Florida (Sariego points specifically to the Brazilian aircraft company Embraer), Mexico has preferred border states such as California and Texas. "It's a very good sign for South Florida and the attorneys that advise them on their inbound work," Sariego said. "Florida is always the beneficiary of any nervousness in Latin America, particularly Mexico." Regarding NAFTA renegotiation, experts say the newly proposed deal known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement or USMCA will not have too noticeable an effect as the agreement differs little from NAFTA. In fact, a provision in the deal may force parties looking to resolve a dispute to go through either the U.S. or Mexican court system before seeking arbitration, said Jennifer Smith, a partner at Hogan Lovells' Houston office. If so, the new system would drive even more legal work. "This will provide a lot of work for attorneys because change always does and the new deal is more complicated," Smith said. Story continues Related Stories: Life afta NAFTA: USMCA Protects U.S. Investors in Mexican Energy Sector Mexico's Energy Reforms Mean Billions in Investment and More Work for Lawyers Southwest (LUV) founder and former CEO Herb Kelleher died on Thursday, leaving behind the airline he created and many others whose business models he pioneered. Kelleher ran his company with colorful personality and panache, but his rivals took him seriously. For decades, one of them was Robert L. Crandall, who ran American (AAL) in the 80s and 90s. Herb had a unique and appropriate philosophy, Crandall told Yahoo Finance in a phone interview Friday. He invented a model and the model was: Let's do it in the simplest possible way. And at the same time: Let's not do anything that's unpleasant. Southwest Airlines Chairman Herb Kelleher (R) greets Southwest Airlines employees at a parade during a welcoming ceremony at Philadelphia International Airport on May 10, 2004 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo: William Thomas Cain/Getty Images) He was always a man of absolute integrity Crandall echoed what floods of voices who said that Kelleher persuaded employees that they should have fun and that Southwest was a pleasant way to spend their work life. Herb was the leader of the tribe in terms of low-cost carriers, said Crandall. Im not sure anyone has ever done it as well as he did it in terms of keeping employees on board and dedicated to the idea and persuaded that they were getting a fair deal. Avoiding layoffs, making money, keeping it simple these were Southwests hallmarks that Kelleher made. But as a rival, Crandall remembers a great man of integrity. He never varied. He was always a man of absolute integrity. Ive never heard anyone say Herb cheated on this or that or broke his word on anything, said Crandall. To me he was a nice guy, a fun guy to be with, and a vigorous competitor. He and I had a lot of fun going back and forth when we were both growing in Dallas. Crandall said that he and Kelleher both flew on each others carriers regularly, and would tell his employees to do the same. Id tell my employees, You think youre reinventing the world here? Go stand in the terminal at Love Field [in Dallas] and watch how they do it, he said. They were running a different kind of operation, but we certainly took some lessons from it. And I think they took some lessons from us. Story continues A Southwest Airlines plane taxis on the runway at airline's hub at Dallas Love Field March 12, 2008, in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Rick Gershon/Getty Images) Not everyone knew that the two CEOs used to fly each others carrier, however. He's traveling on American and he's sitting next to my wife, theyre flying from Dallas or to New York or whatever, they're having fun and the flight attendants were offended. They called my wife over when she went to the john, and said, Mrs. Crandall who is that man? Mr. Crandall isn't on the airplane and you shouldnt be carrying on with that guy! She says, Do you know who that is? That's Herb Kelleher! We tore up the old model and built a new one Kellehers passing is another reminder that a golden age of air travel with big-personality executives is gone, while legacies like lower and lower prices remain. The personalities are not the same as they used to be, but of course you have to keep in mind in those years when Herb and I were active, we were remaking the industry, said Crandall. Deregulation occurred in 78, but all of us were considerably less constrained than today. We tore up the old model and built a new one. Herb had an opportunity to do what he wanted to do. Crandall noted that Southwest may not be particularly low-cost anymore compared to Spirit or Frontier, or even some of the point-and-spoke legacy carriers like Crandalls American, but Southwests goodwill has remained by not straying from Kellehers strategy. Theyve hung on to some things that are very sensible, Crandall said. Theyre not always a low-cost carrier, but if you take into account they dont charge for one or two checked bags, and that you can keep money for the next trip when you cancel, theyve avoided a lot of the unpleasant things that have irritated the customer base. In Crandalls view, Southwest wasn't willing to offer an inferior product and those people referring to the next generation of low-cost carriers that took Kellehers vision a step further into the bargain bin offer an inferior product. - Ethan Wolff-Mann is a writer at Yahoo Finance focusing on consumer issues, retail, personal finance, and more. Follow him on Twitter @ewolffmann. Read more: FILE PHOTO: The logo of Carige bank is seen in Rome, Italy, April 9 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi/File Photo MILAN (Reuters) - The Italian government has had preliminary contacts with Banca Carige (CRGI.MI) over potentially buying the troubled bank's bad loans to try to revive its fortunes, a source close to the matter told Reuters on Friday. A state-backed bailout of the Genoa-based lender could prove difficult for the populist ruling parties that came to power last year campaigning against taxpayer funded rescues of banks. "It's just a preliminary approach, nothing formal, there is not yet any negotiation," the source said, adding any purchase of bad loans would be done through the Treasury's "bad bank". Under previous centre-left governments, Italy bailed out Monte dei Paschi di Siena (BMPS.MI) in 2016 and bankrolled the rescue of two smaller lenders based in the Veneto region by Intesa Sanpaolo (ISP.MI) in 2017. Daily Il Messaggero reported on Friday the Treasury was in talks with Carige to buy soured loans and help clean up its balance sheet as a way of making the lender more attractive to a potential merger partner.. Soured loans at Italy's 10th largest bank amounted to 3.5 billion euros (3.1 billion) at the end of the third quarter. On Wednesday, the European Central Bank picked three administrators to take charge of Carige and try to save the bank after it failed to raise new capital. The lender said the administrators would continue working on ways to strengthen its capital, shed soured loans and find a merger partner. Fabio Innocenzi, one of the administrators and until recently chief executive of the bank, said on Thursday Carige was in an exploratory phase with regards to a merger. Newspapers have spoken about interest in Carige from a series of Italian banks including Monte dei Paschi. But a source who was involved in the rescue of Monte dei Paschi said the Tuscan lender, currently 68 percent owned by the Treasury, could not buy another bank because of a commitment made to European Union regulators not to do merger deals. It would also amount to state aid, the source said. (Reporting by Andrea Mandala; Additional reporting by Paola Arosio; Writing by Giulio Piovaccari; Editing by Silvia Aloisi and Mark Potter) TEL AVIV, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Elbit Systems said on Sunday it won a contract worth about $333 million from the Israeli Ministry of Defence for the supply of ammunitions to the Israeli Defence Forces. Work on the five-year contract will begin in 2026 and it will be a continuation of a multi-year contract, the Israeli defence firm said. (Reporting by Tova Cohen) BEIJING (Reuters) - China will cut banks' reserve requirement ratios (RRRs), taxes and fees, Premier Li Keqiang said on Friday, as the world's second-largest economy shows further signs of cooling. The measures will also included targeted RRR cuts aimed at supporting small and private companies, Li was quoted as saying in a statement on the website of the Chinese government. China slashed reserve requirements four times in 2018 to free up more funds for banks to lend and analysts expect three to four more cuts this year starting in the current quarter. Beijing will also step up "countercyclical adjustments" of macro policies and further cut taxes and fees, Li said, largely reiterating previous policy pledges. Li made the comments at a meeting with officials of the country's banking and insurance regulator after visiting Bank of China <601988.SS>, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China <601398.SS> and China Construction Bank <601939.SS>. China reported on Monday that factory activity shrank in December for the first time in over two years, highlighting the challenges facing Beijing as it seeks to end a bruising trade war with Washington and reduce the risk of a sharper economic slowdown in 2019. New factory orders - an indicator of future activity - continued to soften, suggesting business conditions in China will likely get worse before they get better. In addition to the central bank's numerous support measures, the government has also ramped up spending on infrastructure to rekindle sluggish demand and investment, but the moves will take some time to kick in. The government maintains 2018 economic growth will still come in on target at around 6.5 percent this year, slowing from 6.9 percent in 2017. But analysts see a further deceleration this year, with growth cooling to the low 6-percent range even if a trade deal with the United States is reached. "The economy is weak and stimulus needs to arrive quickly," economists at ING said in a note earlier this week. (Reporting by Judy Hua and Ryan Woo; Editing by Kim Coghill) German entrepreneurs in the communication is not always easy between Germans and Americans, also or sometimes straight, United States intercultural because cultural differences such as those between Germany and Asian countries such as China or India are not so obvious. And so people like Max Karagoz, the German with his company ALTON LLC business owners in the United States have supported, sometimes in addition to the formalities for the formation of an LLC or corporation other tasks. As a German who lives in Florida for many years, he knows the mentalities here as. Sometimes, Germans are too direct. "That feeling at least many American way and sometimes respond to a direct, harsh for them klingendes no" the Germans something snubbed. Intercultural communication is not always easy, even, or sometimes straight, between Germans and Americans because the cultural differences such as those between Germany and Asian countries such as China or India are not so obvious. And so people like Max Karagoz, the entrepreneur German with his company ALTON LLC (www.us-corporation.org) supports in the United States, sometimes in addition to the formalities for the formation of an LLC or corporation other tasks. As a German who lives in Florida for many years, he knows the mentalities here as. And tips from him can help to avoid the occasional irritation of aspiring young entrepreneurs in the land of opportunity. How are"actually Americans? Communication training is not part of the portfolio of services offered by Max Karagoz with his company Alton LLC. Rather, he accompanied business start-ups. ALTON LLC adjusts all of the applicable formalities so when customers set up an American limited liability company (LLC) or a corporation. The company also supports its customers on request on visa issues, in finding appropriate staff and real estate for commercial or private use. In addition, there are time and again that my customers ask me also like Americans supposed to tick", says Max Karagoz. The Pakistani government has approached China to make the JF-17 (Block 3) Jet fighter plane available for the Pakistani Air Force (PAF). As per reports, Pakistan has asked Chengdu Aircraft Corporation of China to deliver 13 JF-17 (Block 2) to Pakistani Air Force by July 2019. As per Indian Air Force (IAF) intelligence, the Pakistani Air Force is in the process of including 62 JF-17 jets before India gets the 36 Rafale jets. As per the agreement with Dassault Aviation of France, the delivery of Rafale jets will commence from 2020. Talking about Pakistan's JF-17, it is a Multi Combat Aircraft which is developed by Pakistan's Aeronautical Complex and China's Chengdu Aircraft Corporation. JF-17 (Block-3) has feature of avionics advancement such as helmet display and sight system, a new single panel multi-functional display, an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar paired with an infrared search and track system. It cockpit comes with a flight control stick on the side and a two seater cockpit option with a top speed of 2.00 plus mach. They have also demanded more advanced two seater- JF-17 Block-2 jets by 2020. Pakistani Air Force plans to induct 22 JF-17 (Block-2) jets before 2020. After suffering for 18 long years after being married off at a tender age of 10 months, 19-year-old Urma Bishnoi has finally ended the shackles of child marriage. Urma, who is from Kaparda village in Jodhpur, was married off to a boy from the same village in 1999 when she was just 10-month-old. The boy was allegedly involved in criminal activities. After Urma became an adult, she refused to accept the child marriage. But her in-laws started putting pressure on her and her family and allegedly threatened her with physical harm. Certain caste 'panchs' also threatened to impose penalty and a social boycott of the girl's family if the child marriage was called off. This is when Urma came to know about the child marriage annulment campaign of Dr Kriti Bharti of Saarthi Trust. She contacted Bharti and with her support filed a case to cancel her child marriage in a Family Court in Jodhpur. Bharti appeared on behalf of Urma and submitted documents related to her age. On Friday, judge P K Jain passed orders to axe Urma's child marriage. "With the help of Kriti didi, my child marriage is over which was done at the age of 10 months. Now I will study and determine my future," Urma said. Bharti told IANS: "Urma was under tremendous mental pressure due to this child marriage. Now best efforts are being made for her better rehabilitation." Bharti's Trust has annulled 38 child marriages in India and also prevented thousands of child marriages from taking place. New Delhi: The BJP Saturday claimed that it was in possession of a letter allegedly written by middleman Christian Michel in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal, which reveals the "saga of Rome and RaGa". BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra in a press conference read out the "letter" from Michel to AgustaWestland in which he wrote that "all the hurdles in the way of the deal have been dealt with". "Christian Michel had written thousands of letters in the form of dispatches that were sent despite he living in India. When he was in India as a 'dalal' and middleman, he used to write letters to AgustaWestland's CEO. "Our agencies have managed to procure some of these letters. We have accessed one such letter through the media. The letter will reveal the story behind the saga of Rome and RaGa," he said. Patra said Michel stressed that no publicity about the deal be done in Italy. "Can Rome be asked to cooperate? By any cost, by any cost, pressure must be built on Rome's government to not create any publicity in Italy with regard to this. Not many people in Italy should be aware of this deal. Hurdles in the way of clearing the files have been removed," the BJP spokesperson quoted Michel saying in the letter, dated July 31, 2009. Patra wondered why Michel did not want to publicise the deal in Italy after it was finalised. "So that the bribe givers are not harassed in Italy," he reasoned. Patra alleged that Michel had even access to cabinet meetings. "Cabinet meetings on security are closed door meetings and this man knew exactly what was going on in there," he alleged. He also alleged that in the letter Michel had written that a Congress leader would talk to the then Finance minister if he created any further issues with the clearance of the deal. Pathanamthitta: The state minister in charge of temples says the Sabarimala tantri or chief priest can be sacked if necessary. It's the Travancore Dewasom Board (TDB) which appointed the tantri. He can be removed if the board decides so, said Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran. The minister asserted that action will be taken after the TDB submits its report on the tantri's act of closing the temple to conduct a 'purification' ceremony after two young women entered there. The RSS used the tantri as a tool, Surendran alleged. The minister's statement comes after the TDB had decided to seek an explanation from the tantri for the closure. TDB president A. Padmakumar had set a 15-day deadline for the tantri to respond. The tantri, Kandararu Rajeevaru, closed the temple as soon as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan confirmed that two women of child-bearing age had worshipped at the temple of eternally celibate deity Lord Ayyappa. The tantri had called Padmakumar, but only to tell him that he has decided on a purification ritual on his own. The TDB reached the conclusion that the tantri's act violated the Supreme Court order, and hence decided to seek explanation from him. The board had reviewed a report filed by Devaswom Commissioner N Vasu. Works Minister G Sudhakaran had wondered whether the tantri who conducted a purification ritual because the women entered the temple is a human being after all. The tantri is not a Brahmin, he is a Brahmin monster, he said Saturday, and asked what authority the tantri has to warn that the temple would have to be closed. The entry of two women into the hill shrine on Wednesday, the first time since the Supreme Court in September last year lifted the age-linked ban on the entry of women devotees, has triggered massive protests in Kerala. Kerala has been rocked by violent protests by BJP-RSS and right wing outfits after after the entry of two women, Kanakadurga, 44, and Bindu, 42. Kochi: Tamil actor Sathyaraj. who slammed the entry of film personalities into the Tamil Nadu's political field, hailed Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as an excellent politician with strong ideals. The veteran actor, in an interview with Manorama News, said that the actors who are set to try their hands in politics just aim to become chief ministers and are not interested in serving people. In this context, he called Keralas CM Pinarayi Vijayan an ideal leader. Sathyaraj added that there are many people, in Tamil Nadu, who are exactly like Pinarayi, and that they are all great human beings than the film personalities. Criticising the tendency of actors becoming politicians, Sathyaraj revealed that he never wished to drift into politics in the last 41 years as an actor. He predicted that an actor wouldnt be the chief minister of Tamil Nadu anymore, when asked about Kamal Haasans entry into politics. He remarked that the film personalities become politicians just to become chief ministers and do not care for the welfare of the people. The busy actor of the 1980s said that he wants a Communist government to gain power in Tamil Nadu as well. He added that Tamil Communist leaders like Nallakannayya, who is 95, are greater than the actors who are into politics. Sathyaraj was in Kochi for the promotion of his latest movie 'Kana'. Changanassery: The Nair Service Society (NSS) has squarely blamed the state government for the ongoing violence in the state. The government is making a planned bid to do away with customs and traditions in the name of renaissance with the idea of enforcing atheism, said NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair. The government is responsible for all the riots taking place. It is the government which complicated this issue which could have been solved peacefully, he said. They seem to be in a bid to enforce party policy abusing the power entrusted to them by the people." Sukumaran Nair said the government action is detrimental to the interests of Hindus and flayed political opportunism over the Sabarimala issue. "The government is mocking Hindu leaders and devotees. It is the demand of majority of the devotees that the customs and traditions of Sabarimala be protected so that faith in God prevails. The government has the duty to protect it. Devotees can't be blamed for coming out for such protection if the government fails to provide it. The attempt to offer a defence by giving it a political colour is not correct, the NSS chief said. Sabarimala issue is linked to all religions and communities. Nobody should be allowed to violate the faith in Sabarimala. It's high time that devotees from all religions and related organisations respond peacefully to the violation of faith, Nair asserted in his statement. Meanwhile, Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran said that the NSS's stand could ignite violence. "Everyone knows who was behind the violence. NSS stand supports these vandals," he said. Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, virtually daring the BJP to carry out its veiled threat of dismissal, said that the Sangh Parivar's attempts to stoke communal riots in the state would be mercilessly dealt with. This was a strategy the BJP had successfully implemented in North India. This will not work in Kerala. We will put such attempts down with all our might, the chief minister said in a Facebook post on Sunday. Pinarayi Vijayan said that it was weird that the very same people who were trying to subvert the Supreme Court verdict were now threatening the state government with constitutional consequences for carrying out its constitutional duty. What is unconstitutional is the attempt to threaten a state government that has done nothing but strictly adhered to the Constitution, the chief minister said in his post. If the BJP has some respect for the Constitution, and feels some semblance of concern for the people, it should direct its own cadres to end the violence, he said. BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao had on January 5 issued a not-so-subtle threat. We advise, warn and caution the chief minister to stop this violence, failing which the CPI(M) government will have to face constitutional consequences, he had said. Soon after Rao's threat came NSS general secretary Sukumaran Nair's statement roundly blaming the state government for the violence that erupted in the state in the wake of the entry of two women into Sabarimala. Though the chief minister did not mention Nair by name, his post was clearly intended to chastise the NSS supremo, too. You just have to probe the politics of the 700-odd who had been put in jail in various cases to know who the real culprits are, the chief minister said. The photograph of an RSS leader throwing a bomb at Nedumangad police station has been published in all major newspapers, he added. Pinarayi said that there was no law and order issue in the state except the violence unleashed by the BJP and the RSS against the Supreme Court verdict. As part for this, there were also plans to instigate communal riots in various parts of the state including Kozhikode, he said in the post. The media was also subjected to violence that it was forced to boycott the press conferences of BJP leaders. It was for the first time that the media was boycotting the press conference of the state president of a political party, Pinarayi said. The police have registered over 1,800 cases across the state. Kozhikode: Women's group Manithi that tried in vain to visit the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple is not ready to withdraw after one unsuccessful attempt, but waiting for the protests to subside. Manithi, an NGO based in Chennai, was formed in the backdrop of the brutal rape and murder of law student Jisha at Perumbavoor in Ernakulam. On December 23, 11 members from the group tried to visit the temple. This was after repeated communication with the chief minister's office. However, they could not make it to the temple and were chased away by the violent crowd. This failed attempt is not going to distract them from making attempts in future, but they do not want to further aggravate the situation, said Selvi, one of the coordinators of Manithi. The situation in Kerala (over this issue) is bad now, so we do not want to provoke them (those who have been protesting the entry of women in the child-bearing group despite the Supreme Court order). Moreover, we are going to ask for an appointment with the Kerala CM (Pinarayi Vijayan). On January 8 or 9, we are planning to write to the chief minister regarding our wish to visit the temple. After the meeting only, we will decide on the next visit, said Selvi, a lawyer. The group had first written to the chief minister's office on November 21 expressing its wish to visit the temple with 15 members. It also sought guidance and the best dates to travel. The deputy secretary (chief minster's computer cell) on December 12 acknowledged the email, but the group could not meet the chief minister. Even after the failed attempt to enter the hill shrine, the women could not meet the chief minister in Thiruvananthapuram as he was away. Adivasi Vanitha Prasthanam president Ammini K from Wayanad, who also travelled along with the group on December 23, said they were stopped by the police citing security issues. We decided to go together after attending the Janadhipathya Avakasa Samrakshana Convention in Kottayam on December 14. After that a Whatsapp group, Sabarimalai, was formed with women who were willing to go to the temple. Around 25 women were in that group and all communications were made through that group. Meanwhile, Manithi communicated with office of the chief minister. I did not retract from my plan to visit Sabarimala temple, but the problem is that we can not publicise the date of visit since it is dangerous. Even after the failed attempt, I faced several threats, and my sister's house at Ambalavayal was attacked. There are talks that the chief minister facilitated the women's entry to Sabarimala. They are baseless and every woman who expressed wish to visit the shrine is planning on her own and not out of any compulsion, Ammini said. On December 23, 11 members from the group tried to visit the temple. Makaravilakku is on January 14 and police expect that more women would visit the temple in the coming days. Several media persons were attacked in Kerala during protests during the recent hartal called over the entry of two women into the Sabarimala temple on January 2. Similar attacks on journalists have been reported from across India in the recent years. The country ranked a lowly 136 among 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index in 2017. In any democratic country, the media plays a vital role in creating, moulding and reflecting public opinion. Over the years, media has become so powerful that it soon acquired the status of "Fourth Estate" as it was aptly described by the British Politician Edmund Burke. Media serves as a bridge between the government and the people. The government's policies and actions are conveyed to the people, and the latter's views are forcefully expressed to make the authorities aware of the public feelings. Media as the watchdog steers nation building. By addressing itself to the needs of the people, media strengthens the very root of democracy. The Indian media has exposed thousands of corrupt practices, social evils and hidden deals. It has had a distinctive role to play in bringing communal harmony to preserve the secular fabric of our nation. However, the current situation is such that media faces several challenges as the powerful with money and muscle power try to impose their ideologies and beliefs. Unfortunately, many journalists have lost their lives for not favouring the mighty. The violence carried out against journalists amount to gross violation of human rights and the fundamental rights of both media personnel and the common citizens. Media needs to be protected as it is a bulwark against forces that may wreak havoc on nation's integrity. It is well known that communalism and chauvinism of all shades are fiercely intolerant of criticism and dissent. Fortunately, stringent action is being taken to catch culprits who targeted the media in Kerala earlier this week. The Director General of Police, Loknath Behera, has initiated a special drive "Broken Window" to nab people who unleashed the violence. The intelligence wing has been asked to collect details regarding attacks on media persons. This can be considered as a positive and appreciable step towards ensuring freedom of media. Any attempt to destroy the freedom of the media must be strongly condemned. The citizens should also raise their protests in such situations because media is not separate from the people. Let us never forget that media is the mirror of our society. After hatchbacks, the segment that has most takers in India is SUVs. They range from compact SUVs that are below four-metres to large SUVs. Along with the updates of existing models, several cars are set to make their debut next year. Here is a list of SUVs that are set to hit the roads soon. Tata Harrier One of the highly anticipated launches next year is Tata Harrier. Tata's entry into the premium SUV segment is expected to create waves in the market. Code named as H5X, Harrier was displayed first at the previous auto expo in New Delhi. Built on Tata's new Omega platform, the car is powered by a 140 bhp, 2-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine. Though Tata is yet to announce the price, Harrier prices could start from Rs 15 lakh. Renault Duster Renault Duster came to India as the star of the SUV segment. Unknown in India, French car maker Renault became popular in the country riding on the success of Duster. Sold since 2012 without much changes, the new Duster will come with major changes. The new Duster, however, could continue with its 1.5-litre diesel and 1.6-litre petrol engines that have been doing duty since their launch. The price could range from Rs 9 lakh to Rs 15 lakh. Nissan Kicks Nissan aims to gain a bigger pie of the Indian car market with the launch of Kicks. Positioned in the compact SUV segment, Kicks will be launched in the beginning of next year. It will share its platform with Renault Duster, Lodgy and Captur. The concept model of the compact SUV was first displayed at the Sao Paulo International Motor Show in 2014. The production model was launched in Brazil in 2016. The car sold in Brazil features premium interiors, a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system and automatic climate control. In India, Kicks could be powered by a 1.5-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engines and cost anywhere between Rs 8 lakh and 15 lakh. Kia SP Korean car maker Kia will enter the Indian market with its SP. The production model of SP that was displayed at New Delhi Auto Expo as a concept will hit the roads by the end of next year. SP could have a 1.5-litre diesel and 1.6-litre petrol engines. To be built at Kia's Andhra factory, SP will have a price tag of Rs 8 lakh to Rs 15 lakh. XUV 300 Code named as S 201, the small SUV from Mahindra will be under four meters. S 201 uses the modified platform of Mahindra's South Korean subsidiary SsangYong's small SUV Tivoli. S 201 will not only share the platform with Tivoli but it could have similar design elements too. This could be the first vehicle in the segment that will have a panoramic sunroof. The SUV could share the recently launched Marazzo's 1.5-litre diesel engine. The engine is good enough for 123 bhp of power and 300 Nm of torque. The car could be priced between Rs 7 lakh and Rs 12 lakh. MG HS British car maker Morris Garages', known as MG Motor, first vehicle for India will be launched by the middle of next year. Featuring a cheaper price tag and superb styling, the vehicle could be named HS. It is 4655 mm long, 1835 mm wide and 1760 mm tall. The company could make India-specific changes to the car. A bold design that suits SUVs, big grille, high-mounted daytime running light, LED headlamps and muscular bodylines are some of the features. The LED taillamp is inspired by Audi. The grille and bumpers could be changed for the Indian market. The vehicle could also be available in dual colours and graphics. In China, the vehicle is sold with a 1.8-litre and 1.5-litre petrol engines. In India, the car could get a Fiat-sourced 2-litre MultiJet diesel engine. The car will be built at the Halol plant in Gujarat that China's largest automaker SAIC Motor Corp, which owns the MG brand, bought from General Motors. Hyundai Stikes Stikes was first displayed at the 2016 auto expo in New Delhi under the name of Carlino. Though Hyundai is yet to announce the name, the production version could be called Stikes. Codenamed QXI, the vehicle is likely to be launched early next year. Likely to be positioned under Hyundai's best-seller Creta, Stikes could be powered by Hyundai's existing engines in India - 1.4-litre petrol and CRDI diesel units. It could share the design elements of the company's second-generation fluidic concept. The five-seater is likely to be sold under Rs 10 lakh. To share with friends and brethren The Gospel of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (the Everlasting Gospel), and to prepare a people to stand when He returns to redeem His remnant. Also, to share relevant information of current events, and to show how they relate to prophecy; By means of articles, editorials, opinions, scripture readings, and poetry. 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Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior general interest in receiving similar information for research and educational purposes. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that negotiations are under way on the location for the second summit between the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Xinhua reports. "We are negotiating a location for a summit with North Korea's Kim," he told reporters before leaving for Camp David, where he would discuss border security and other issues. Trump also said Washington and Pyongyang "have a very good dialogue", but adding sanctions on the DPRK remain in place. The Trump administration has sent scouting teams to multiple locations in different regions, including Asia, for the much-discussed second meeting between Trump and Kim Jong Un, the top leader of the DPRK, according to a CNN report. For logistical reasons, Switzerland, which was among the sites proposed by the U.S. side, has been excluded, CNN cited one administration official as saying. Trump said earlier this week that he expected his second encounter with Kim in the "not-too-distant future." He also said he had received a "great" letter from the DPRK top leader. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said at a daily briefing on Jan. 3 that China always believes that more positive interactions and productive dialogues between the United States and the DPRK will contribute to the settlement of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue as well as peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula. The relations between the United States and the DPRK improved last year. Trump and Kim had their first summit in Singapore in June. Meanwhile, differences between the two sides remained over key issues including the scale of denuclearization, U.S. sanctions and whether to issue a war-ending declaration. Department of Defence chief of staff Kevin Sweeney has resigned, a month after the Defence Secretary James Mattis announced his departure, Trend reports citing BBC News. Rear Admiral Sweeney said in a statement that "the time is right to return to the private sector". He is now the third senior Pentagon official to announce his resignation since President Donald Trump announced US forces would leave Syria. Officials have said there is no timetable for the troop departure. Rear Adm Sweeney held his post for two years from January 2017. In a terse resignation letter, he said it had been an "an honour to serve" alongside his colleagues in the department, but made no mention of Mr Trump. His announcement comes days after General Mattis left his post early, after initially planning to stay in his role until February. His departure adds to a sense of uncertainty surrounding the Trump administration's defence and foreign policies since the surprise announcement of the planned withdrawal from Syria, analysts say. On Tuesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will embark on a week-long tour of the Middle East designed to reassure allies in the region. The former defence secretary hinted at policy differences with President Trump in his resignation letter. Addressed to Mr Trump directly, Gen Mattis's letter described his views on "treating allies with respect" and using "all the tools of American power to provide for the common defence". "Because you have the right to have a secretary of defence whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position," he wrote. Department spokeswoman Dana White also left her post after the president's surprise announcement on Syria, as did Brett McGurk, the presidential special envoy to the global coalition fighting so-called Islamic State. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said he had rescinded an invitation to Dmitry Rogozin, the head of the Russian State Space Corporation Roscosmos, to visit the United States because he wanted to accommodate the interests of senators, Trend reports with the reference to Sputnik. "We had heard from numerous senators suggesting that this was not a good idea. And I wanted to be accommodating to the interests of the senators, and so I have rescinded the invitation", Bridenstine said in a phone interview with The Washington Post. NASA's press secretary told Sputnik late on 4 January that the planned visit of Rogozin to the United States, initially scheduled for February, would be postponed and a new date would be set later. Earlier the same day, a space industry source told Sputnik that the visit could be cancelled. The statement comes after US Senator Jeanne Shaheen urged NASA on 2 January to withdraw the invitation to Rogozin because he had been sanctioned by the US government over the Ukraine crisis. Bridenstine previously said that NASA was working on obtaining a sanctions waiver for Rogozin, who has been subject to US restrictions since 2014. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 6 Trend: Presidents of Turkey and Russia Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin will hold a meeting in Russia in January, Trend reports Jan. 6 citing Turkish media. According to the report, the heads of state will discuss a wide range of issues, including the situation in Syria. The parties will also discuss the contract for the purchase by Turkey of anti-aircraft missile systems S-400 from Russia. Libya's UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez Serraj on Sunday called on Russian companies to return to Libya, Xinhua reports. Serraj made his remarks during a meeting with the Russian ambassador to Libya Ivan Molotkov in the capital Tripoli. According to a statement issued by the PM's information office, the two officials discussed political developments in Libya, bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries. "The Russian ambassador reiterated his country's support for the Government of National Accord, and expressed his country's keenness to enhance mutual cooperation and activate agreements signed between the two countries," the statement said. "The prime minister gave a brief overview on the government's economic reform that was launched in September, expressing hope for the return of Russian companies and investments to Libya," the statement added. Most foreign companies in Libya have left since 2014 when violent clashes between rival armed groups broke out in the capital Tripoli, leading to lingering political division across the country. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 6 Trend: A minibus with Azerbaijani citizens turned over in Russias Stavropol region, six people were injured, Trend reports referring to the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the region. "The information was obtained at 10:45 (GMT+3), the ministry said. According to the information, a Mercedes minibus transporting Azerbaijani citizens and running along the Azerbaijan-Moscow route overturned at the distance of one kilometer from the Levokum village. There were 13 people in the minibus. "According to the preliminary information, six people were injured. The injured were taken to the hospital of the Levokum district. There was no ignition, the road was not blocked," the ministry added. Eleven pilgrims who were returning from Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple on Sunday (January 6) lost their lives after the van they were travelling in collided with a truck, Trend reports citing India Today. The accident took place near Thirumayam in Pudukkottai district of Tamil Nadu. While seven pilgrims died on the spot, four others succumbed to their injuries at the hospital. According to the police, the pilgrims, who were yet to be identified, hailed from Andhra Pradesh. At least 30 people were killed and another 15 injured after a gold mine collapsed in Afghanistans northeastern province of Badakhshan on Sunday, Trend reports citing Sputnik. Badakhshan governors spokesman Nek Mohammad Nazari said that the incident took place in Kohistan district, the TOLONews broadcaster reported citing local officials. "The villagers have been involved in this business for decades with no government control over them," Nazari said. "We have sent a rescue team to the area, but villagers have already started removing bodies from the site." Nazari added that those injured were in critical condition. At least three Afghan security forces were wounded in a bomb attack in eastern side of Kabul on Sunday, an Interior Ministry spokesman said, Trend reports citing Xinhua. "A sticky bomb struck a military vehicle in surrounding areas of Police District 16 at 07:30 a.m. local time. The blast caused three security forces injured," spokesman Najib Danish said. The injured were shifted to a hospital as they did not receive life-threatening wounds, he added. No group has yet to claim responsibility for the attack. Over the past a few months, Afghanistan, especially Kabul, has witnessed waves of terror attacks by the Islamic State (IS) and Taliban insurgents. Last month, 47 people were killed and 27 others wounded after five gunmen attacked two government offices near a diplomatic district in central Kabul. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. A double-decker bus overturned Sunday in Khlong Luang district in central Thailand as it was heading from Phanom Phrai district to Bangkok, Trend reported citing Sputnik. Those injured were sent to a local hospital but police were still looking for a driver who could be among those admitted to a hospital, the Bangkok Post newspaper reported. The eyewitnesses told the Bangkok Post that the driver has made a sudden brake to avoid hitting a car in front of the bus, causing the vehicle to overturn. An explosive device in a bag was discovered by police close to a church in Cairo, Trend reported citing Sputnik. The device reportedly detonated as officers checked the suspicious item. One Egyptian police officer was killed while another was injured in the explosion, Sky News Arabia said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. The incident occurred less than two days ahead of the 7 January Coptic Christmas celebrations in Egypt. Christians reportedly account for some 10 percent of Egypt's largely Muslim population. The Egyptian television reported that the country's prosecutor's office had launched an investigation into the incident. Police cordoned off the area near the church and are searching the neighborhood. Thousands marched through Budapests city center on Saturday to protest against a new law that allows employers to ask staff to work up to 400 hours per year of overtime, Trend reported citing Reuters. Opposition groups have staged several rallies in the past weeks in the Hungarian capital and other cities against what they said was an authoritarian rule of conservative nationalist Viktor Orban. Saturdays rally, organized by opposition parties, trade unions and civic groups, mainly targeted the new labor law dubbed by critics as slave law. Some of the protesters posted on social media or carried banners calling for a national strike. The modification to the labor code passed by parliament last month has faced intense criticism and sparked the biggest street protest in over a year. Potentially, it could add two extra hours to an average work day, or the equivalent of an extra workday per week. Zoltan Mucsi, the head of steelmaker Dunaferrs Vasas trade union, said it was undemocratic that the government did not discuss the labor code changes with the unions. Some of the main trade union groups may resort to a strike if the government does not sit down with them to negotiate, he told Reuters. Trade union membership in Hungary is estimated at below a tenth of the workforce, about half the level in Germany, according to data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The past weeks anti-government rallies were also against a law that sets up new courts which critics say could be politically manipulated, and against bias in state-controlled media. The earlier protests have been mostly peaceful, though there were some clashes with police who used tear gas. Israel met its budget deficit target of 2.9 percent of gross domestic product last year, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon said on Sunday, Reuters reports. Kahlon had consistently said the government would not exceed the target, despite data in recent months indicating it could be breached. The finance ministry met the target, Kahlon, who has clashed with the central bank over fiscal policies for nearly four years, said in a speech. Israels economy is strong. The government has set the same 2.9 percent deficit target for 2019. Data issued in October had shown the deficit over the prior 12 months jumping to 3.6 percent of GDP, raising concerns of a loosening of fiscal policy. Official data issued after Kahlon spoke showed that the deficit was 38.9 billion shekels ($10.5 billion) in 2018, or 2.9 percent of GDP. Of the total deficit, 14.1 billion shekels came in December, the ministry said, on a surge in state spending that more than offset a 35 percent year-on-year gain in tax income. For all of 2018, tax revenue slipped 0.9 percent. In 2017 the deficit had stood at 1.9 percent of GDP, in part owing to one-off tax income. German automaker BMW has announced a recall of 279 vehicles due to defects with drive shafts, Trend reports citing Xinhua. According to China's top market regulator, the recall, which started on March 29, involves a portion of imported vehicles including M3 and M4 models made from June 29 to Sept. 30 in 2016, according to a statement on the website of the State Administration for Market Regulation. The defects with drive shaft may bring abnormal noise from the chassis or keep the vehicle from being able to accelerate, resulting in safety risks, the regulator said. The automaker will check all recalled vehicles and replace defective parts free of charge. Comments from Brazils new right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro that he would be open to the United States operating a military base on Brazilian soil have not been well received by the countrys armed forces, a senior army officer told Reuters on Saturday, Trend reported. Bolsonaro, who took office on Jan. 1, said in a television interview on Thursday he might be willing to allow a U.S. base in Brazil as a way to counter Russian influence in Venezuela, a move that would mark a sharp shift in direction for Brazilian foreign policy. Brazils military would be against a U.S. base in the country, the officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he has not been authorized to discuss the matter publicly. He added that the possibility of ceding territory for a base took officers by surprise in the Brazilian military, which has traditionally been a zealous guardian of national sovereignty. The Ministry of Defense said on Saturday it has not been informed of such a proposal by Bolsonaro, a former Army officer turned politician who has appointed retired generals to his cabinet. The president has not discussed this with the defense minister, said Major Sylvia Martins, a spokeswoman for the ministry. Bolsonaro, an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump, has quickly moved to align Brazil more closely with the Trump administration, which was represented by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at his swearing in on Tuesday. Pompeo told reporters on Wednesday that the United States and Brazil had an opportunity to work alongside each other against authoritarian regimes in the region, naming Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua. Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo confirmed Bolsonaros willingness to allow a U.S. base in comments to reporters in Lima on Friday during a meeting of the Lima Group of 13 countries monitoring Venezuelas political and economic crisis. Araujo said Bolsonaro would discuss the base offer with Trump during an expected visit to Washington in March, the Estado de S. Paulo newspaper reported. The Lima Group of Latin American nations plus Canada said on Friday that last years elections in Venezuela were not democratic and they would not recognize the legitimacy of leftist President Nicolas Maduros new term starting Jan. 10. Bolsonaro said in the television interview that he is worried about Russias closeness with Maduro, the most significant U.S. foe in Latin America. A visit to Venezuela by two Russian nuclear-capable strategic bombers in December angered the U.S. government. The Iranian Foreign Ministry has criticized the European Union for delaying the establishment of a so-called Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) which aims to facilitate non-dollar trade with Iran and bypass unilateral US sanctions, Trend reported citing Sputnik. Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said the European Union was responsible for not implementing the SVP, and called on the block to think about possible consequences, according to the IRNA news agency. "The Europeans as the main beneficiary should think about the consequences of the decision, as Iran has so far fulfilled all its commitments under the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action]," Qasemi said as quoted by IRNA. Following a September ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, China, Russia and Iran announced that the EU would establish a financial mechanism to enable trade with Iran after a decision of the United States to reimpose sanctions on Tehran. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in early December that she expected the instrument to be established before the end of 2018. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 6 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: Some 450,000 tons of agricultural products are expected to be exported from Dezful county of Iran's Khuzestan province this Iranian year (started on March 21, 2018), head of the Agricultural Organization of Dezful county of Khuzestan province Ahmad Zarei said. Every year agricultural products are exported from Dezful county to different countries, Zarei added, Trend reports referring to IRNA. Dill, celery, parsley, various cabbages, garlic, onions, carrots, tomatoes, lettuce, mushrooms, citrus fruits are grown in Dezful county and are exported to neighboring countries, the Persian Gulf countries, Iraq, Azerbaijan and Russia, he said. Flowers and plants are also exported from this county. More than two million tons of fruits and vegetables are produced in Dezful county annually, Zarei said. One of the problems is that there is no guaranteed and reliable payment. The work is underway to eliminate this problem, he said. Despite the necessary infrastructure was created in Dezful county, some exporters still continue to export their products through the Astara border customs, Zarei added. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 6 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: This Iranian year (started on March 21, 2018), 2,000 tons of flour were exported from Darashahr town of Irans Ilam province to Iraq, Hassan Mohammadpour, chairman of the Industry, Mine and Trade Organization of Ilam province, said. Darashahr Un Company produces five types of flour and started to export them. The flour production volume in the company is 1,600 tons monthly. Thus, 500 tons are exported, Mohammadpour added, Trend reports referring to IRNA. The company also intends to export flour to other countries, he said. Besides export to Iraq, the company provides Ilam province, as well as Lorestan and Khuzestan provinces with flour, he said. By the end of the year more than 3,500 tons of flour will be exported by the company to Iraq, Mohammadpour said. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 6 Trend: Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 25 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Jan. 6, Trend reports. The Armenian armed forces were using heavy machine guns. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. The complaint of a labor activist that he was tortured in prison have led to members of parliament pursuing the case and student groups demanding a debate with Iran's intelligence minister. Esmail Bakhshi a labor leader in the largest Iranian sugar mill at Haft Tapeh in southwestern Iran was arrested November 18, 2018 during weeks-long labor protests at the sugar mill and released in December. At the time, labor rights groups raised alarm that Bakhshi had been badly tortured in detention. On January 4, Bakhshi wrote a post on his Instagram page accusing the authorities of torture, asking Irans intelligence minister to debate him as to why torture takes place in the Islamic Republic. The reformist Omid (Hope) faction in parliament is planning to have a meeting with officials of the intelligence minister and ask for a report about Bakhsi's complaint, according to its spokesperson, Fatemeh Saeedi. Mohammad Kazemi, a member of parliaments judicial commission, also demanded that Bakhshis claim about torture should be investigated by parliament. Meanwhile, 34 student organizations from various Iranian universities in a letter to the intelligence minister have asked for a debate and have voiced readiness to host the event. The governor of the Khuzestan province where Bakhshi was arrested has denied the torture accusation and said the authorities have documents proving otherwise. Outspoken MP and deputy speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Ali Motahari has called on Iran's intelligence Minister to order an investigation into the allegations of ministry agents torturing a labor activist. In a commentary in reformist daily newspaper Etemad on Sunday January 6, Motahari asked Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi to probe into the complaints made by labor activist Esmail Bakhshi and to declare if there was a legal basis for what has allegedly been done to him by intelligence ministry agents. In recent days Bakhshi had complained that he was subjected to violent physical and psychological torture and Intelligence Ministry agents illicitly listened to his conversation with his wife while he was in jail. In another development, former reformist MP and prominent academic Fatemeh Koolai addressed President Hassan Rouhani in a tweet: "Mr Rouhani! The people of Iran voted for a lawyer. Tell people they have voted for the right man by attending to Bakhshi's complaints. Otherwise, the people could have voted for a colonel." Koolai was referring to Rouhani's election campaign in 2013 against an ex-military candidate. He had said: "I am a lawyer. Not a colonel." Days earlier, prominent Iranian labor activist Esmail Bakhshi on his Instagram page had called on the intelligence minister for a debate concerning torture, persecution, and maltreatment at the country's prisons. Bakhshi, spokesman for the labor union of the Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Mill, was arrested on November 18, 2018, during ongoing demonstrations by workers demanding unpaid wages. Some 80 labor unions across the world protested against Bakhshi's imprisonment. Bakhshi, who was released from jail on December 12, wrote that he was beaten and tortured while in prison. He said that the agents broke his ribs, and did beat him while swearing at him. The activist says he went unconscious as a result of torture, and that he still feels pain in his chest and testicles some two months after what happened to him in jail. "I wasn't able to move or sleep for some 72 hours after torture," said Bakhshi. Motahari called on the Intelligence Minister to give a convincing response to Bakhshi's complaint, adding that "If what Bakhshi is saying is true, it means there are still elements within the ministry that believe they can use any means against the inmates. This is a shameful record for an administration that took office with the slogan of hope, freedom and defending human rights." Motahari asked: "News of torture does not look good on the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Republic while chapter 3 of its Constitutional Law bans any form of physical and psychological torture in order to force people to make confession." Meanwhile, Bakhsi's complaint that he was tortured in prison have led to other members of parliament pursuing the case and student groups demanding a debate with Iran's intelligence minister. MP Alireza Rahimi says the case is to be referred to the Majles national security committee which is going to investigate the case with the Intelligence Minister present at the parliament. The reformist Omid (Hope) faction in the parliament is planning to have a meeting with officials of the intelligence ministry and ask for a report about Bakhsi's complaint, according to its spokesperson, Fatemeh Saeedi. Mohammad Kazemi, a member of parliaments judicial commission, also demanded that Bakhshis complaints about torture should be investigated by the parliament. Meanwhile, 34 student organizations from various Iranian universities in a letter to the intelligence minister have asked for a televised debate and have voiced readiness to host the event. In the meantime, some local officials tried to push Bakhshi's complaint under the carpet by categorically denying his claims. At the same time, calls for explanations by some MPs indicate that Iranian officials may have learned a lesson from the fate of politicians such as former Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi and former Majles Speaker Mehdi Karroubi (who have been under house arrest since 2011), and former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani who when in power failed to condemn violation of human rights. They failed to protest against the house arrest of clerics such as Hossein Ali Montazeri and Ahmad Azari Qomi, and kept silent in the face of unfair trials and imprisonments of their former allies, and ended up being treated unfairly by hardliners. Now other officials may have realized that respect for human rights could prevent similar fates for them in the future. Another reason could be the prospect of possible rise to power of a new Judiciary chief, Ebrahim Raisi, who has an ill reputation for miscarriage of justice in terms of unfair trials and administering disproportionate sentences. Numerous reports have recently spoken about Supreme Leader Ali Khameneis intention to appoint the hardline cleric as head of Irans Judiciary. Raisi was part of a group of judges and officials who were responsible for a mass killing of political prisoners in the late 1980s. Politicians and activists protesting against torture may be trying to establish respect for law and citizenship rights before somebody like Raisi takes office, by naming and shaming In visual arts, cartoons, ceramics, graphic design, drawing fabric arts, painting, photography, jewelry or sculpture will be accepted. There are hopes that despite someones level of experience, everyone will try their hand at the theme, Andrepont said. There are many incredibly talented community members that we hope [submit work], Andrepont said, but new writers and artists often feel like they cant compete with someone who has 25 years of experience, for example. Applying this kind of twist on entries could spur artists to look at the 1940s through the eyes of a millennial, Andrepont explained, providing some suggestions for some possible entries. A photographer might look at the 1940s for cosplay ideas, she said. A writer could consider that one historical detail that leads to a what-if story, and an artist may want to look at futuristic art of the era. The theme will carry through in the magazines 1940s layout with much of it printed in black and white. It will be published at the end of the spring semester. We truly hope that the contributors have fun with this theme, Andrepont said. For submissions forms and guidelines, visit https://www.gbcnv.edu/argentum. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The owner is a descendant of the Han Chinese people who sought asylum in Vietnam when the Ming Dynasty (13681644) fell. In an alley on Le Van Sy Street in Ho Chi Minh Citys Tan Binh District stands Say's family noodle shop. It has been standing there since 1975. The owner, 70 plus years old, tends to the stall himself, putting wonton pieces into the broth. "The house has been renovated several times, but the noodle stall remains the same. This is exactly the same stall that was first used," he said. Say said that his family were descendants of the Minh Huong people, a group of Chinese nationals who took refugee in southern Vietnam back in the 17th-18th century. While the dish they cook is similar to Vietnamese ways of cooking, it still retains its original, authentic flavor. Before opening for business, the family prepares all the ingredients - noodles, wonton, vegetables and meat. The shop stays open throughout the day. Every noodle soup bowl is served with a crispy shrimp puff on top. The freshly made noodles should be served as soon as it is prepared to prevent it from becoming soggy. The aromatic and seasoned filling of the wonton has been satisfying taste buds for more than four decades. Each bowl of the wonton noodle soup costs around VND30,000 ($1.30). Tran Van Chung, 37, is held at police station for stealing cell phone from South Korean diplomat. Photo by VnExpress/Quoc Thang Saigon police are investigating an alleged robbery wherein a taxi driver stole a phone from a South Korean diplomat. District 1 police on Friday detained taxi driver Tran Van Chung after receiving a complaint from Cha Hyun Jin, a senior officer of South Korean consulate general in Ho Chi Minh City, that her cell phone has been stolen in a taxi ride in the downtown area. Preliminary investigations found that the South Korean diplomat and her friend had taken Chungs taxi on Pham Ngu Lao Street near the famous backpacker precinct on December 29. After running for just a few minutes, she spotted the meter jumping to nearly VND200,000 ($8.62); and the driver said the meter was broken. Immediately, Jin and her friend asked the driver to stop the car to get off. He charged them VND25,000 ($1.07) for the ride. While she was trying to pay, Chung allegedly reached into her handbag and grabbed the cell phone. How he managed to do so has not been explained, After getting off the car, she discovered her phone has been lost and filed complaint with the police. The driver has told police that the customer had left her phone in the car. Petty theft and taxi scams are among the problems that nag Ho Chi Minh City's growing tourism sector, which received more than seven million foreign visitors last year, a 20 percent year-on-year increase. Back at the end of 1971 or early 1972, a friend and I walked the half-mile or so to the Twilight movie theater in Great Falls, Montana, a two-screen affair. I told my parents that we were going to see "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" or some other harmless fare that had been released around then, but our goal was to check out the movie playing in the other theater: "Diamonds are Forever," the latest James Bond flick. That movie was rated GP, which meant that parental guidance was suggested before an impressionable teenager such as myself should be allowed to see the flick. (That particular rating started life as M for Mature, I guess and then was switched to PG, for no apparent reason other than it's a better fit with the phrase "parental guidance.") These thoughts about early encounters with racy movies were triggered by a recent anniversary: November 2018 was the 50th anniversary of the Motion Picture Association of America's rating system, billed as a way for parents to assess whether a certain movie is suitable for their children. It also was intended as a way for the movie industry to keep government censorship at bay. Other experts, such as Jon Lewis, the distinguished professor of film studies at Oregon State University, have argued that the system was meant from the start as a business proposition. This item is available in full to subscribers. Attention subscribers We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription. If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site. If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account by clicking here. Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing. During the interview conducted on Thursday, Ricketts also erased speculation that he might be a potential candidate for the Senate seat now held by Republican Sen. Ben Sasse two years from now. Asked what he would do if President Donald Trump called him and said he wanted Ricketts to be a candidate for the Senate in 2020, the governor said: "The answer would be no. Even if that Senate seat would be open, I will not be running for it." Sasse has not yet decided whether to seek re-election to a second six-year term. Ricketts' initial venture as a political candidate was in pursuit of a Senate seat in 2006 when he was defeated by Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson, and the governor said he wouldn't rule out the possibility of a future Senate bid after he completes his second gubernatorial term. The governor outlined his second-term goals as "connecting Nebraskans with great-paying jobs," cutting regulatory red tape, controlling state spending and promoting the state nationally and internationally with a continuing commitment to trade missions. Tax relief remains a fundamental priority, he said, "and the only way to have sustainable tax relief is by controlling spending." The Performance Rankings were introduced in 2012 as a statistical analysis based on the average numerical score of all cigars assessed on Cigar Coop. It is meant to serve as a barometer in terms of how the cigars were assessed Today we slice this data by Factory a new category introduced for 2017. This is not meant to be necessarily an award, but a look at how scoring went, and what can we learn from it. For 2018, a total of 199 (down from 205 in 2017) cigars were considered for this analysis. The average score for the entire set of 199 cigars was 90.74. (Statistically, this was down 0.10 points from 2017 when the average was 90.84) We used the following criteria to implement this: The cigar must have its score published during the 2018 Cigar Coop Cigar Year that ran from November 24, 2017, to November 22, 2018. All cigars scored were eligible regardless of release date. The goal here is to see how the factory performed during the Cigar Coop Cigar Year. Ties were broken with the factory with more cigars assessed breaking the tie (there were no ties this year). A minimum of five cigars assessed made in a particular factory were required to make this ranking. While for the upcoming Prime Time Awards we separated by small and large factories, this distinction was not made for the Performance Rating. The Prime Time Awards factored in other intangible factors other than score. Performance Ratings are purely based on average score. The Prime Time Awards were voted on by all three members of the Prime Time team while this author assessed all of the cigars scored on Cigar Coop. The following are the 14 factories and their average scores that met the criteria above to qualify for this list. The number of cigars from the factory is listed in parentheses. Rank Brand Score 1 Fabrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua SA (7) 91.86 2 De Los Reyes SA (8) 91.75 3 Tabacos de Costa Rica (7) 91.57 4 Tabacalera La Alianza (8) 91.38 5 La Zona (9) 91.33 6 Plasencia Cigars SA. (16) 91.19 7 Tabacalera Fernandez (13) 90.85 8 My Father Cigars SA. (10) 90.80 9 Cigars Davidoff (12) 90.67 10 OK Cigars (6) 90.50 11 La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate (7) 90.43 12 Fabrica Oveja Negra (6) 90.17 13 Diadema Cigars de Honduras SA (5) 89.50 14 El Paraiso (5) 89.00 Best Factory Performance 2018: Fabrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua SA If you are following a lot of the online media lists, it has been a huge year for Fabrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua SA. The Coop ratings and end of year rankings have been reflective of this. There were some high scoring cigars from the Joya de Nicaragua brand, but also significant contributions from Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust, Fratello Cigars, and Villiger. Possibly one of the underrated factories that havent gotten its due has been De Los Reyes S.A. This Dominican factory is owned by the Reyes family. The Saga brand (owned by the Reyes) family played a key role in landing at #2, but Debonaire and Cattle Baron also had significant entries as well. Led by Bombay Tobak, LH Cigars, and Selected Tobacco, Tabacos de Costa Rica posts a top three performance rating for the second year in a row. Tabacos de Costa Ricas average was slightly down (91.57 for 2018 as opposed to 91.75 last year). Other Observations There were 14 factories that met the minimum five cigar rule. A 14th place doesnt mean worst factory, it just is the lowest average of those factories that met the minimum criteria. Nicaragua led factory entries that qualified with 7. The Dominican Republic had 4, but those four all made the top ten of the performance ratings. Honduras had two, which were the last two spots of factories that made the ratings. Costa Rica had the final spot with Tabacos de Costa Rica. Fabrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua SA, De Los Reyes S.A., and El Paraiso were not on the 2017 list. Ironically, Joya de Nicaragua and De Los Reyes had the top two performance ratings. There were seven cigars from undisclosed factories. These cigars averaged a score of 89.71. It might seem unfair that there are not factories represented owned by the larger companies specifically General and Altadis. These get tricky because these have multiple owners and in both of these companies cases, some production has been outsourced to other partners. While an argument can be made we were more Davidoff heavy with what we reviewed, Davidoff handles all of its own production. Photo Credit: Cigar Coop Two weeks into a federal government shutdown, Wisconsin has not seen a significant uptick in unemployment claims from government workers. The Department of Workforce Development reported just 30 initial claims from federal employees in the week ending Dec. 29, the first full week of the shutdown. There were 104 ongoing unemployment claims from federal workers, a number that has been virtually unchanged throughout the month. That does not include federal workers who hold a second job in the private sector, so the total number is likely higher. Overall new claims jumped by nearly 3,500, although seasonal bumps are not uncommon, according to DWD. Because workers would have to repay unemployment benefits if Congress authorizes back pay, a DWD spokeswoman said some employees may have held off filing until it became clear the shutdown would last longer than a few days. But the prospect of back pay is not a guarantee, said Matt Muchowski, District 7 office manager for AFGE, the union representing about 18,000 federal employees from Wisconsin. Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh. blogspot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. . ..Algemeiner..05 January '19..Like most pro-Israel commentators, Im appalled by US President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw American forces from Syria. Nevertheless, this is the wrong issue for pro-Israel activists to pick a fight over. Criticizing the decision on grounds unrelated to Israel of which there are many is fine. But to imply that US troops should remain in Syria for Israels sake is to betray the fundamental tenet of the American-Israeli alliance: Israel will defend itself by itself; it will never ask America to put soldiers in harms way for its sake.Its worth underscoring just how unique this makes Israel among American allies. America has fought to defend Europe repeatedly. It fought for South Korea in the 1950s, South Vietnam in the 1960s, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia in 1991. And theres an understanding, often anchored in bilateral or multilateral treaties (such as NATO), that America would fight for many other allies if necessary, like Japan, Canada or Australia.But with Israel, the agreement has always been that Israel would see to its own defense, while America would provide it with the means to do so. That arrangement suited both sides. For America, it was much less costly in terms of both lives and money than having to defend Israeli militarily (a point I explained in detail here ). And for Israel, it satisfied a deeply ingrained lesson of Jewish history: Relying on others for protection always ends badly for the Jews. The Florida Highway Patrol has confirmed the names of the seven victims including five children, none older than 14 who were killed Thursday in a fiery five-vehicle crash involving a church van on its way to Walt Disney World. The five children aboard the van were identified as Joel Cloud, 14, Jeremiah Warren, 14, Cierra Bordelan, 9, Cara Descant, 13, and 10-year-old Brieana Descant. Three adults and nine children were in the van in total, heading to Orlando from Marksville, Louisiana. Its unknown if they were wearing seat belts at the time of the collision, the highway patrol said in a news release. The vans driver, Amy Joffiron, 45, was seriously injured. Two of the four other drivers in the crash were killed: Douglas Bolkema, 49, and Steve Holland, 59. Bolkema, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was wearing a seat belt. But its unknown if Holland, who was from West Palm Beach, was restrained at the time of wreck. Driver Robyn Rattray, 41, of Gainesville, Florida, was seriously injured. She was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Only the last driver, 61-year-old Mark Houghtaling, also of Gainesville, was physically spared. He was wearing a seat belt. RELATED: Sister of 14-Year-Old Boy Killed in Florida Church Van Crash Speaks Out: Were Heartbroken Jeremiah Warren In addition to the seven slain victims, eight others were injured either critically or seriously, including two of the drivers. The van was owned by Avoyelles House of Mercy in Marksville. On Friday afternoon, the United Pentecostal Church organization spoke out on behalf of the church. In a Facebook post, they confirmed that Sister Karen Descant, the wife of the churchs pastor, Eric Descant, was among the injured, as was a pregnant woman. While Descant was pretty banged up, the pregnant woman and her baby had been stabilized, the church said. The other lady is not as severely injured, but is still in the hospital, they wrote on Facebook. The four children all have injuries, but the medical staff feel that all of them will heal and recover. Story continues Writing on his own page, the pastor mourned the deaths of the five children. My Lord JesusThough we have lost these precious little babiesHeaven has just been beautified immensely with these little Jesus Name Babies, he wrote. We know Lord they were always Yours! Though its hard to fathom that they are back in the Loving Hands of their creator, we will always love them. RELATED: 5 Children Killed in Church Van Crash on Way to Disney Saved Their Money to Make Trip, Says Friend The highway patrol described the crash as a chain-reaction set off by Hollands semi-truck about 3:40 p.m. Thursday in Alachua County. Thats when, for an unknown reason, Holland crossed into the lane to his left, hitting Rattrays Honda and sending them both through the center median where Hollands truck then hit the church van, which flipped several times. An unknown number of people in the van were ejected, the highway patrol said. Finally, Hollands truck hit Bolkemas semi-truck. Both trucks as well as Rattrays vehicle caught fire. Houghtalings pickup hit at least one of the victims who were ejected from the church van. The investigation into the crash continues. However, alcohol was not involved, according to the highway patrol. On Friday, Jeremy Warrens older sister spoke to PEOPLE of her heartbreak. It was his first time going to Disney, she said. He never got to go on vacation. He grew up in a single-parent home. Candice Lemoine, a friend of the family, told PEOPLE: Its just tragic when the kids saved their money to make this special trip and never made it there. The family of a 34-year-old Quebec woman travelling in West Africa fears for her safety after not hearing from her for three weeks. Edith Blais left her home of Sherbrooke, Que., last year, most recently travelling to Burkina Faso. She is travelling with an Italian man she met in Canada. Blais and Luca Tacchetto, 30, were last heard from in the Burkina Faso city of Bobo-Dioulasso on Dec. 15. They were planning on driving to the capital, Ouagadougou, where they intended to stay for a few days and possibly sell their car before heading to neighbouring Togo. Blais's mother, Jocelyne Bergeron, last spoke with her daughter on Dec. 13 when she was in Mali. She said Luca's father spoke with them after they had arrived in Burkina Faso two days later. Expected in Togo They were expected in Togo, where they were going to work on a reforestation project for a month, before Christmas. "In the last 24 hours we have practically gotten no sleep," Bergeron said. She has set up a Facebook page to help find her daughter. While many have reached out with messages of support and possible leads, she says it's difficult to know what is worth pursuing. One person who contacted the family on Facebook reported seeing the couple on Dec. 21. "That's what's difficult, there is nothing tangible," she said. Bergeron described her daughter as a visual artist whose "lifelong dream" was travelling to Africa. She said Blais lives a bohemian life, travelling often since she was 18 years old. Edith Blais/Facebook After hearing of the couple's disappearance, Patrick Gagnon drove along the country's border with Togo and Ghana to look for any sign of them. "When we have a situation like this happen, we must give a helping hand," said the Canadian who has been living in Burkina Faso for seven years. He says that, while it's safer in large cities, it can be very dangerous elsewhere in the country. Bergeron has contacted Global Affairs Canada, but says that the federal department has no new information about the couple's disappearance. Story continues Global Affairs Canada confirmed to CBC News that they are in contact with local authorities to learn more about the situation and that they are providing assistance to the family. Travel advisory for Burkina Faso "We're holding out hope that we will find her quickly," Bergeron said. Canada has an active travel advisory for Burkina Faso, recommending all non-essential travel be avoided due to the threat of terrorism. Canada also advises to avoid all travel in the area bordering Togo due to the risk of banditry and kidnapping. Authorities in the country declared a state of emergency earlier this week following terrorist attacks in northern Burkina Faso. In its travel advisory, Canada notes this means an increase of security checkpoints and the imposition of curfews. Myron Thompson, who served in municipal and federal politics in Alberta for decades, has died. The 82-year-old, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer late last year according to his hometown paper the Sundre Roundup. He was an MP for 14 years, first for the now-defunct Reform Party and later the Conservative Party in the riding of Wild Rose. In the 1970s, he was the Mayor of Sundre and a town councillor, a job he returned to after his stint in parliament until his retirement in 2017. Politicians shared condolences with Thompson's family, and wife Dot, on social media. "It was a privilege to serve with Myron in Parliament. A true character, Myron will be deeply missed," wrote Alberta UCP Leader Jason Kenney. From Yankees tryouts, to the House of Commons Jeremy Thompson said his grandfather lived a full life. He was born in Colorado and tried out to be a catcher for the New York Yankees before serving in the U.S. military. He was also a wrestler, who worked with Stu Hart. "Hearing these stories was one of my favourite things to do with my grandfather. Just sit down and listen to him talk about life and talk about all the exciting things he did and set out to do," his grandson said. "He always jokingly had a disdain for Yogi Berra, because Yogi Berra was the reason he didn't make it." Once he moved to Canada in 1968, he was a high school teacher, principal and counsellor in Sundre before his career in politics. Jeremy said he learned a lot from his grandfather about how to have civil discussions and how to be a man. "Even though we agreed on hardly anything, the fact that he would sit down and have these conversations with me, and not only tell me and teach me but to learn from me and give me the opportunity to voice things I was trying to get across," he said. "Not only was he driven by his desire to help people, but he was driven by his religious, he was driven by his love for god. He used that as his guiding force." Story continues Sundre Mayor Terry Leslie said Thompson had an immense impact on the town. "He was an inspiration," said Leslie. "It's a remarkable story and an inspiration to all of us his legacy is a remarkable legacy, from his time as a teacher and principal he affected a generation of families in the community. "He believed and was able to see some of the best in people that they hadn't yet seen in themselves." Leslie said he considered Thompson a mentor, and one who will be greatly missed. Controversial politics Thompson was known for his cowboy hat and his tough and sometimes controversial stances on political issues. He lobbied for tougher child pornography laws, less government spending, and was one of the strongest voices against same-sex marriage. "I want the whole world to know that I do not condone homosexuals. I do not condone their activity. I do not condemn homosexuals. I do not like what they do. I think it is wrong. I think it is unnatural and I think it is totally immoral," Thompson infamously said during a debate in the House of Commons in 1995. In 2001, he told question period that he felt too many RCMP officers were patrolling national parks searching for poachers instead of hunting in cities for terrorists. At the start of the U.S. war in Iraq, Thompson, whose son Dennis was a U.S. combat soldier in Iraq, told a pro-American demonstration in Calgary that Canada should be supporting the war. And when controversy erupted in 2006 over a decision to bar media from the base where the bodies of Canadian soldiers were arriving from Afghanistan, Thompson declared he would shoot any media if they tried to come on site. "I do speak my mind and that's never changed," Thompson said in a 2006 interview for a story about whether Conservative MPs felt muzzled by their party. In 2004, when U.S. president George W. Bush visited Ottawa, Thompson met with him to tell him there were Canadians who supported the war in Iraq. According to Thompson, the president thanked him and also wanted to know if Thompson was from Bush's home state. "Bush said, 'I really like you. You are a straight-shooter. Are you sure you're not from Texas?'" Thompson recalled after the meeting. In 2007, Thompson presented a petition to Parliament with 110,000 signatures calling for tougher laws against animal cruelty. The names had been collected by Tamara Chaney of Didsbury, Alta., who was outraged after a horrific case of animal abuse involving a family dog. "He was passionate about animals. He was one of the most gentle people that I've ever seen when you watched him interact with animals ... so that's something he fought for," Nixon said. Street named after him a 'play on words' In December, the town of Sundre named a street after him Myron Thompson's Way, a name Leslie said was a bit of a "play on words" to honour the strong-willed man. Dozens of members of the community gathered on his front lawn. "He was a humble man," said Leslie. "It was a very informal but very heartfelt down-to-earth honouring of a gentleman who just gave so much for 50 years of his life to others." Love, but not the kind you see in movies His grandson said Myron and his wife Dot's relationship was an inspiration, and the kind of marriage he hopes to have when he's in his 60s and 70s. "They were together forever. I had never known them to be anything but in love, not the kind of love you'll see in movies, but it was certainly there," Jeremy said. "It was an unspoken thing that you couldn't help but see it when they were together." Jeremy said his grandfather did so much for his family and community. "He was a bright light, about as bright of a light as I've ever seen he had a lot of struggles in his life but he latched on to the things that drove his positivity," he said. He said one memory of his grandfather was that he never missed a holiday, always calling to check in. The last day the two spoke was on Christmas. A few years ago, Jeremy had brought his wife up to Alberta to meet Myron for the first time. They hadn't seen snow in some time, so his wife built a small snowman on the patio table something that Myron got a serious kick out of it. During their last phone call, while Myron was in and out of consciousness, he told his grandson that his table was missing a snowman and his wife had to come up to Alberta to fix that. Thompson leaves behind his wife Dot, two sons, Myron D. and Dennis, and grandchildren. News of Thompson's death came the same day as the loss of another long-time Alberta politician. Former MLA and Speaker Gene Zwozdesky died Sunday at age 70. UPDATE Jan. 8, 2019: The New Westminster Police Department has confirmed Chief Const. Dave Jones has been designated as the disciplinary authority for the investigation. He will make decisions on the operational status of Const. Jordan Long and Const. Mark Simms once the probe is underway. UPDATE Jan. 7, 2019: The Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner has confirmed both officers previously detained in Cuba are now subject to an internal investigation at home. The Vancouver Police Department is the external agency for Port Moody Police Const. Jordan Long, according to a statement. The investigation must be finished in six months, unless an extension is granted. Earlier story: A pair of Metro Vancouver police officers who were held in Cuba for nearly a year on sexual assault allegations have returned to Canada. The Vancouver Police Department confirmed that Const. Mark Simms, 29, is back in Canada after he and Port Moody Const. Jordan Long, 31, were barred from leaving Cuba following their arrest last spring while on vacation in Varadero. Port Moody police confirmed that Long has returned to British Columbia. The families of the officers confirmed on a Facebook post that Long is home as well. Simms was accused of engaging in sexual activity with a 17-year-old girl from Ontario. In April, the mayor of Port Moody said Simms was accused of the sexual assault, while Long was being held as a material witness. The officers were acquitted in November. Cuban prosecutors appealed that ruling, meaning they couldn't return home. Port Moody police said the Supreme Court of Cuba rejected the prosecutor's appeal. Both men and their families have maintained the pair are innocent. It's not clear if the pair will still face an investigation in Canada. Heavy rain hammered the eastern part of Newfoundland Sunday, reducing snow left behind by a two-day blizzard to a slushy mess. "Some dog's breakfast out there this morning no matter where you are on the island," said Mike Vandenberg, a meteorologist at the Environment Canada weather office in Gander. As of 11:30 a.m., the Avalon and Burin Peninsulas were bearing the brunt of the rain. Vandenberg said Winterland, on the Burin Pensinsula, was holding the day's rainfall record at 50 mm since early Sunday morning. The western part of St. John's, near Mount Pearl, was reporting 30 mm since the early morning hours. Those totalS are expected to increase, he said, before the heavy rain tapers off Sunday evening. All that water caused a lot of pooling on roads, he said. "Take care if you're having to drive anywhere right now." Will it all freeze? Vandenberg said that though temperatures are expected to drop below zero overnight, it will be a gradual cool-off, which should give all the water and melted snow a chance to drain away before it freezes. "It won't be a hard and fast freeze." Blizzard, winter storm warnings elsewhere in the province The west coast and the Northern Peninsula were pelted by snow and high winds, while parts of Labrador were under blizzard warnings. "It's a whole different kind of dirty out there," he said. Winter storm warnings for the Northern Peninsula and the west coast of Newfoundland are expected to continue into Monday, with strong winds and heavy snow on tap, Vandenberg said. "It's not a fun day regardless of where you are," he said. But there's hope, he said: after all this dies down, there are two nice days ahead for the province. That is, until a new system settles in likely Wednesday night or Thursday morning. "As always, stay tuned," he said. Read more stories from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador News / National by newzimbabwe.com Detectives from the Metropolitan Police have appealed for information after a Zimbabwean couple was found dead Friday morning at their East London home.The deceased have been identified as Simbiso Aretha Moula, 39, and husband Garikayi Moula, 51.A Met Police spokeswoman confirmed that officers were called to couple's home Rainham home by London Ambulance Service paramedics at 07.50am on Friday after the two were found unresponsive.Both were pronounced dead at the scene with the Met saying the deaths were, "at this early stage", being treated as unexplained.Lead investigator Det. Ch. Insp. Paul Considine said: "At this very early stage we are piecing together our understanding of how the man and woman died, and we would like to thank those members of the public who we have spoken to us as part of our enquiries thus far."We are ensuring that their next of kin are being fully supported at his most difficult of times."If you heard or saw anything that seemed out of place or of concern between the hours of 10.30pm on Thursday and 8.00am on Friday please don't hesitate to contact us."Friends and colleagues immediately expressed shock and sadness over the tragedy in posts sent to social media groups Simbiso belonged to.Read one post' "She left an adult daughter and 2 younger sons and we kindly request you to be sensitive and considerate to the family at this difficult time."Aretha had community spirit, joined Ladies of UK in 2016 and was very active LUKer and would come ega to post feya feya."We have lost one of us She was a brave woman who would share advice with others."Another added; "I'm grateful that we had been chatting for a while in the last 2yrs and you shared with me info about your family in Zim that was not privy to anyone in UK."I feel honoured to have put the final pieces of the puzzle together."Death oh death you have no shame! Aretha you did not deserve to be snatched from us in such a ruthless manner." News / National by Staff reporter MUSICIAN-cum-comedian Madlela S'khobokhobo says he is back and will focus more on film with the first movie set to be shot in South Africa soon.In an interview with The Standard Style, Madlela said he took heed of fans who felt he had abandoned his main focus story-telling through film."Fans said during the past year I had put more focus on music and this year, I need to go back to film. Usually, I do a Madlela film every year, but last year I could not as I was a bit busy on the music side," he said."I will do a full Madlela movie in South Africa this year and do a Madlela series here in Zimbabwe that I hope will be aired on ZTV."The SamaMoe hit-maker said he had no intention to leave music, but would try to juggle the two."I won't leave music, I just need to find a way of balancing the two," he said."You will remember that people came to know me through film first before music. I am pretty much sure that they are those who still feel short-changed because they fell in love with Madlela the actor, not Madlela the musician. So I need to cater for them as well. I need to try and juggle them both so that I can satisfy both camps of Madlela followers."He said he had started shooting the Madlela series and was in negotiations with ZBC."I hope soon they will air the series, but as for the movie that will be shot in Jozi [Johannesburg]. I am sure it will be out by mid-year. I also have a series Umbango which we are looking for a broadcaster to license or commission it," he said."I also want to resuscitate the Madlela stage play Dlozi Lolaka which was done in 2017 in South Africa and I want to bring it to Zimbabwe." News / National by newzimbabwe.com Striking junior medical doctors who were scheduled to appear before disciplinary hearings at their respective workplaces on Friday have disregarded the process, insisting they will turn up only once their demands have been addressed.Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors' Association (ZHDA) secretary general Mthabisi Bhebhe told African News Agency (ANA) that despite calls for them to appear before the hearing they remained resolute, as their employer was failing to address critical issues."None of our members attended the hearings [on Friday]. They were all in the comfort of their homes because they are on industrial action. They cannot go to work when their issues are not met."The problem is that the government is failing to attend to our most critical demands, which range from improved working conditions where we need adequate supplies of medication," he said."We need our salaries to be paid in United States dollars and until that has been addressed you will not see us at work. We demand that the health and child care ministry pays our salaries in full and in foreign currency."Contrary to state media reports that the doctors had met President Emmerson Mnangagwa's wife Auxillia and committed to going back to work, Bhebhe said it was a "lie"."We have seen state media reports which are insinuating that the doctors will go back to work after meeting the first lady. That is all lies. Of course, some of our members met the first lady, but there was no consensus. The position remains the same. We are not going back to work."The first lady promised to take our grievances to the relevant authorities because information was being distorted, so we will see how it goes," he said. News / National by Staff reporter Former police officer commanding Matabeleland South and North Provinces, Senior Assistant Commissioner Boyathi Ngwenya who died on New Year's Day, was laid to rest at Umvutsha Cemetery Park in Bulawayo, yesterday.Ngwenya aged 65, who was now working at the High Court in Bulawayo as a court assessor passed on at Mater Dei Hospital after a short illness.His burial was preceded by a moving and emotional funeral service at the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) City Centre Branch where he was the head deacon. The service was led by Reverend Lot Mpofu while former Zifa vice-president and Highlanders chairman, Ndumiso Gumede was the director of ceremonies.In a graveside speech read on his behalf by the newly deployed officer commanding Bulawayo Province, Senior Assistant Commissioner Happymore Sigauke, the police Commissioner-General, Godwin Matanga, described Ngwenya as a dedicated police officer who served the force with aplomb. Comm-Gen Matanga said Ngwenya's illustrious career and success in the police force was evidenced by the promotions he enjoyed during his period of service."Yet he remained polite, meek and humble. You fought a good fight, you finished your race and you kept our faith," said Comm-Gen Matanga.Comm-Gen Matanga said Ngwenya sharpened his skills by attaining high qualifications in the fields of public relations, business management and marketing among others. Ngwenya was born on 3 May 1954 in Nkayi District, Matabeleland North Province. He did his early education at Sivalo, Dakamela and Mbuma Mission schools and later on enrolled at Kana Secondary School for his secondary education where he sat for Junior Certificate in 1970, which he passed well. He was attested into the British South African Police (BSAP) in 1972 and he did his police training at Tomlinson Depot in the then Salisbury, now Harare.Upon acquiring his O-level qualification he was upgraded and promoted to the rank of Patrol Officer in 1978. In 1981 he was promoted to the rank of Inspector and was subsequently transferred to Police General Headquarters (Finance Section).In 1982 he was promoted to the rank of Superintendent thus appointed Justice of Peace for Zimbabwe and was subsequently transferred to the Police General Headquarters as secretary for the Board of Trustees (BOT). He was further promoted to be the Chief Superintendent and became Staff Officer Finance in 1986.He continued to work even harder than before and in recognition of his hard work he was promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner in 1991. In 1994 he was further uplifted to the rank of Senior Assistant Commissioner. He was deployed to command Matabeleland South. In 1999 he was transferred to head Matabeleland North. In 2001 he was transferred to Police General Headquarters as Chief of Staff. Ngwenya retired in 2002.He is survived by his wife, Constance, seven children and five grandchildren. News / National by Staff reporter Eight suspected money-changers yesterday appeared before the Harare Magistrates' Courts for illegally dealing in foreign currency.Nigel Mangozho, 32, and seven others were caught in the act by police and arrested.Allegations are that Mangozho on January 3, 2019 was at CopaCabana rank and in violation of the Exchange Control Act was unlawfully dealing in currency "that is exposing currency for sale to passersby" without the approval of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.According to State papers, on January 3, detectives Chirandata and one Sibanda were deployed for surveillance to detect and arrest illegal foreign currency dealers in Harare Central Business District.While they were at CopaCabana, the accused was soliciting to change foreign currency to passersby.The accused was arrested upon being searched, the detectives recovered foreign currency amounting to R350.00 and $133.00 Zimbabwean bond notes.Mangozho pleaded not guilty and was remanded out of custody pending trial.The other seven accused were also remanded out of custody. News / National by Staff reporter Senators have called on central government to expeditiously provide financial resources for construction of a new airport in Kariba and upgrade its tourist facilities to international standards.They said given the strategic role of tourism to the country's economic development, both as a major foreign currency earner and source of employment, the decline of Kariba Town as a tourist destination has concomitantly led to unacceptable high unemployment levels in the resort.Senator Sikelela Gumpo raised the motion, expressing concern at delays in the construction of a new airport in Kariba, which is critical for revival of the tourism industry in the town. He said he was further concerned by the decline in the wild animal population which is a major tourist attraction to the resort town.He called upon the government to expeditiously provide financial resources for construction of a new airport in Kariba and upgrading of tourist facilities to international standards and control the movement of wild animals into Kariba Town and poaching activities.He proposed the designation of Kariba Town as a Special Economic Zone in order to unlock its great economic potential."Tourism was a major foreign currency earner for Kariba and Zimbabwe at large but now tourism and fishing industries are facing major challenges in Kariba," Gumpo said."Madam President, Kariba is grossly underutilised as a tourism destination and a major fishing industry in Zimbabwe. In the past, Kariba used to earn very substantial foreign currency earnings for the country. The fishing industry was booming at one stage and all that has become a thing of the past."One of the reasons being that the two industries have not been given adequate attention that is required, to make them continue to play an important role in the support of the economy of the country."The senator claimed the imposition of the "economic sanctions over Zimbabwe in the early year 2000 resulted in the immediate decline in tourism in the area, driving the industry to a standstill.""There was a very rapid decline in the tourist arrivals. The situation forced a good number of hotels, lodges and other facilities to close shop, thus rendering thousands of employees out of employment," Gumpo said."The closure of the Kariba airport that followed made the already bad situation worse. Dialogue on the matter was initiated between government and stakeholders on these two industries but it did not succeed because of poor communication and funding."He said at one stage, Kariba was above the Buffalo Range proposed airport re-development on the government's priority list, "this position has since changed without giving reasons for the U-turn.""How could Buffalo Range be prioritised over Kariba?" he asked rhetorically.He said the animal population around Kariba is slowly but surely disappearing."These animals are the source of tourism and something needs to be done to arrest this decline sooner or later. The two industries fall under one ministry which is a very ideal position in that things can be done under one roof," he said."Mahombekombe, which is the oldest township in the tourist town has shanty housing schemes which were built by an Italian company called the Impresit during the initial dam construction. They were built as temporary shelters to accommodate the short-term hired company workforce," he said.He said the residential structures are located under the main powersupply lines that carry the high voltage energy from the power station."A disaster could easily occur if one of the voltage lines breaks and falls over the inhabitants. The ministries of Local Government, Energy and Power Development and Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry need to avoid this pending disaster.The said housing scheme is located in the tourist boat harbour zones and such a situation paints a bad image of the country and the tourism industry in Kariba," he said."The Energy and Power Development ministry that owns the high voltage infrastructure needs to assure the residents that they are not being affected by radiation from the overhead transmission lines."He said Victoria Falls has been allowed to overshadow the potential of Kariba as a tourist destination, yet the two destinations should be complementary as it was in the past."Airlines from Victoria Falls should fly via Kariba. They are currently by-passing Kariba and this is exactly what has partly killed Kariba as a tourist destination. Victoria Falls and Kariba are already connected by the lake and the Zambezi River, thus forming one tourist region."Would it not make it more economically feasible to treat Victoria Falls and Kariba as one and give the two a one economic zone status?Madam President, Kariba used to receive 150 000 tourists annually in 1998. The numbers have declined drastically."Senator Joseph Chirongoma rose to support the motion."Kariba is a large water body; it is among the three biggest man-made lakes in Zimbabwe. A lot of visitors used to come to visit Kariba.They were coming to visit the lake and to conduct boating activities on the water. They were quite merry and that shows that Zimbabwe has its own tourist attractions," he said."If you want to see all the types of animals come to Kariba, they are there. People would fly into Zimbabwe merely to see animals. The animals would even go as far as the hotels where the visitors would have easy access to them. This area should be propped up and it should remain viable. It also has fisheries."He said in Nyaminyami, a lot of professional game hunting was done."Professionals would come as far afield as England, Germany, Canada, France and other parts of the world to come and hunt," he said. "After they would have hunted in the Nyaminyami, they would come to Kariba, stay there and they would visit around Kariba and see a lot of wild life. Besides its water body, there is also the mystic Nyaminyami fish."In conclusion, I would want to say that those that are into the kapenta' industry would also come and catch matemba and the matemba would be distributed throughout the country, as a result of that, it calls that Kariba should be protected." News / National by Staff reporter A Harare man yesterday appeared before the courts facing fraud charges after he fleeced his employer of $54 000.The accused, Willmore Tirivacho Chigodora, 27, is being charged of fraud as defined in section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.Chigodora was employed by Gatehill Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd and responsible for all company operations which included drawing contracts on behalf of the complainant and sourcing clients for the complainant.The court heard the stolen money was transferred directly into the accused's EcoCash account and the accused along with his accomplice were responsible for the movement of funds into and from the company account.It is alleged that during the period extending from August 2017 to September 2018, the accused, acting in connivance with Talent Mudzongachiso, McDonald Gumi, Kudakwashe Munodawafa and Farai Soko hatched a plan to steal from the complainant.In pursuant to their plan, they approached various shops, including Transerve, Zimgold and other individuals where they would obtain credit notes of goods with inflated prices."They would receive money for the job they would have done for customers using complainant's motor vehicles and thereafter submit part of the money to the company and took the remainder for personal use," read the State papers.The State added that once in possession of the credit notes and in connivance with cashiers of respective shops, the accused would misrepresent to the complainant that they had bought those goods at those inflated prices while in actual fact they would have paid less and transfer the difference into their personal EcoCash accounts using the swipe into EcoCash platform.The offence came to light when the company chief executive officer Naboth Gaza received a tip-off from an anonymous caller about the accused actions.As a result, an internal audit was conducted and it was discovered that the accused prejudiced the company of $54 000 and nothing was recovered.Harare magistrate Francis Mapfumo granted the accused $200 bail and remanded the matter to January 18. News / National by Staff reporter President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has reportedly been forced to cut his vacation short due to the worsening health crisis, needs to address the doctors' grievances immediately.Zimbabweans are dying and suffering because of the continuing unavailability of doctors and for that reason Mnangagwa and his government need to bring to finality the crisis that is threatening to bring the country's health system to its knees.On-and-off talks over the past years have failed to produce a binding agreement between government and the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association which is representing the striking junior doctors.The point of departure is for Mnangagwa's government to genuinely demonstrate that it is committed to addressing their grievances.The manner in which Acting President Constantino Chiwenga has handled the matter left a lot to be desired. The grievances by junior doctors such as sub-standard conditions, including poor working conditions, low salaries and shortages of basic medicines and equipment are valid.It is important to restate that the doctors' grievances have not suddenly been brought to attention of government.They have been on the table for several decades and most Zimbabweans were hopeful that Mnangagwa's so-called new dispensation would make our health situation a priority.For instance, the lack of drugs, medicines and appropriate equipment has been a recurrent problem over the past 20 years but no solution has been put in place.While Mnangagwa's immediate return from his vacation to deal with the crisis is, on the surface, laudable, it is disturbing that the government is now employing dirty tactics to solve this impasse.The ban of demonstrations at hospitals does not in any way solve this crisis; all it does is to further complicate matters.The government's desperate attempt to link the doctors' grievances and industrial action to oppositional politics should be treated with the contempt it deserves.They must also realise that the doctors' industrial action is a tip of the iceberg. The rest of the civil service is equally disgruntled by poor working conditions andeconomic challenges that have rendered their salaries worthless.Admittedly, at this point in time the government might not have the capacity to pay in US dollars but we are sure that if the government genuinely demonstrates to the doctors its commitment to resolve the impasse and puts on the table reasonable alternatives, the doctors can return to their work stations.Government must also realise that the health workforce is one of the building blocks of a functioning public health system and prosperous economy. News / National by Staff reporter Zanu-PF youths have called for the government to come up with a statutory instrument mandating business operators including foreigners to open local bank accounts and ensure that tax evasion and currency leakages are curbed.The ruling party's Youth League national executive met in Harare yesterday and concurred that the opening of local bank accounts by businesses operating in the country will ensure transparency among operators and plug cash leakages and tax evasion.Zanu-PF Secretary for Youth Affairs, Pupurai Togarepi appealed to the government to revoke licences for those business people operating without bank accounts."These business operators are refusing to take any form of transaction except cash in bonds notes which use in foreign currency dealing," he said.Zanu-PF National Youth League Secretary for Administration, Tendai Chirau expressed concern that with schools opening on Tuesday, there has been unjustified prices for school accessories, a factor that has worsened the lives of most parents."We are appealing to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to intervene and make sure that no child is sent back home because they don't have a school uniform," he said.The government is losing a lot of money from business operators who are not remitting tax as most of them are not registered and operate with foreign accounts. News / National by Staff reporter ZIMBABWE'S restive civil servants have managed to nudge government into negotiations after they threatened to embark on a nationwide strike starting next week in protest over their poor salaries and the deteriorating economic situation in the country.President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government, in a bid to avert a crippling strike, yesterday invited all heads of civil servants' unions to a crisis meeting in Harare on Monday to address their welfare, amid threats by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions and the opposition MDC to join the industrial action.Labour and Social Welfare acting minister July Moyo said all union leaders must attend without fail."The meeting is part of the commitment of government to engage with all its employees in pursuit of developing common positions in relation to the improvement of employee salaries and generally resolve any matters that impact their conditions of service," he said in a statement.Government workers, particularly teachers, had threatened to down tools on schools' opening day on Tuesday if government failed to pay them in hard currency or increase their salaries to at least $3 000.Moyo said besides union leaders, the meeting would also be attended by Labour, Finance, Primary and Secondary Education, Higher and Tertiary Education ministers and the chairperson of the Public Service Commission.The meeting comes at a time government has failed to resolve the doctors' month-long strike over similar grievances.Zimbabwe Teachers' Association chief executive officer Sifiso Ndlovu said his union was already consulting structures to come up with a common position ahead of the Monday meeting."We are consulting and ready to talk with the employer on issues that affect our membership. We are ready for that important meeting," he said.Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe president Takavafira Zhou said although they had not yet been officially invited to the meeting, they viewed it as an attempt to stop the imminent strike."We wonder why the employer had to wait until the 11th hour to attend to our issues, when it is very clear that we raised these issues long back?" Zhou said."It is an attempt to stop the strike or any industrial action. But we will see how the issue pans out. If they invite us under Apex Council, we will not attend the meeting. That Apex thing is a useless thing, which has a tendency to massage the employer. But if we are called as independent teacher unions, we will attend."Apex Council chairperson, Cecilia Alexander was not reachable for comment last night. News / National by Staff reporter ECONET founder and executive chairman Mr Strive Masiyiwa yesterday vowed to stand by the people of Zimbabwe, reiterating his call for the removal of illegal sanctions imposed by Western nations in 2001 over the land reform programme.The sanctions are strangling Government efforts to turn around the economy and better the lives of its citizenry.Mr Masiyiwa blasted New York-based Human Rights Watch executive director Mr Kenneth Roth, after he criticised him for supporting calls for the removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe. In a long Facebook post responding to Mr Roth, Mr Masiyiwa challenged the American, who has been at the helm of Human Right Watch since 1993, to retire."Maybe it's time to retire and let a new generation take up the fight, otherwise you will soon become the thing you fought against!" wrote Mr Masiyiwa.Mr Roth and his local representative, Mr Dewa Mavhinga, have been attacking Mr Masiyiwa and his wife, Tsitsi for calling for the removal of sanctions.Mr Mavhinga is a career MDC activist and rabid critic of anything good the Zanu-PF Government does. The attacks saw Mr Masiyiwa and his wife deleting their Twitter accounts citing cyberbullying.Local businesspeople have jumped to Mr Masiyiwa's defence, saying sanctions are hurting ordinary Zimbabweans.In November, Mr Masiyiwa joined the anti-sanctions lobby, stating that the embargo was no longer justified and should be removed as no country could prosper with "its hands tied at the back". He said the changes which had taken place in Zimbabwe since November 2017 were real and that President Mnangagwa was sincere about reforms and deserved a chance to turn around the economy.Mr Masiyiwa said focus should be on economics than politics. The comments drew diatribes from regime change merchants who have, without success, tried to use the sanctions-induced suffering as an instrument to turn Zimbabweans against Government. The billionaire also revealed his past links with MDC and its late leader Morgan Tsvangirai but indicated the people of Zimbabwe come first.He described as "pathetic" statements that self-exiled politician Professor Jonathan Moyo was "a champion of democracy"."I am with the people of Zimbabwe and my record is there for over 30 years of real activism, in which I put life and property at risk," said Mr Masiyiwa."Time and time again, not the twitter stuff of the Dewas of the world. Clearly you never saw the WikiLeaks cables."He said he would continue supporting President Mnangagwa's administration. "Is that ($10 million donated to fight cholera) what angered you? I did that to save lives and I will do it again, so long as I have breath in me. I am with the people of Zimbabwe and their suffering must end and end now. Sanctions must end and name-calling will not intimidate me."Alpha Media Holdings chairperson Mr Trevor Ncube backed Mr Masiyiwa saying the illegal sanctions were a hindrance to economic growth. "I am 100% with @StriveMasiyiwa on this," he posted on his twitter handle."For decades some of us supported the opposition MDC financially and otherwise. The opposition has disappointed many times. We have democratic right to change our minds. Sanctions are hurting all Zimbabweans."Industrialist and former president of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) Mr Busisa Moyo weighed in: "I am yet to meet a single businessman worth his salt who is pro-sanctions. We have spoken out against this & so has @steve_hanke . Sanctions should also be a crime against humanity in the near future at ICC because they are equally brutal to issues they purport to address." News / National by Staff rpeorter A HIGH-powered ministerial delegation will on Monday meet civil servants' representatives in Harare to discuss the prevailing challenges faced by Government workers.Acting Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare July Moyo yesterday said the meeting was part of the Government's commitment to resolve matters concerning its workers."Following the commitment made towards the close of 2018, the Government has scheduled a meeting with all registered Public Service Staff Associations on January 7, 2019 at 10AM at the NSSA building in Harare."This meeting is part of Government's commitment to engage with all its employees in pursuit of developing common positions in relation to the improvement of employee salaries and generally resolve any matters that impact their conditions of service," said acting Minister Moyo in a statement.He said invitations have been extended to members of the Apex Council and all registered public service staff associations to attend the meeting. He added that in attendance representing the Government will be the Ministers of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Finance and Economic Development, Primary and Secondary Education, Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development and the chairman of the Public Service Commission.Teachers had yesterday said they would not report for duty when schools open for the 2019 first term, if their grievances, which include getting paid in foreign currency are not addressed. Zimta president Mr Richard Gundane yesterday said it was impossible for teachers to report for duty due to financial incapacities."Just as we warned Government in the last quarter of 2018, Government must address issues raised in the declarations urgently. Teachers must be adequately remunerated and supported."Teachers across the country are raising genuine evidence of how incapacitated they are as a result of the prevailing economic crisis."Province by province, our Zimta structures are forwarding their declarations as evidence,'' said Mr Gundane.He said it was sad that the Government has ignored the association's calls for specific allowances to be introduced to cushion educators from poor salary levels."We therefore implore the Government to intercede with the relevant ministries and the Office of the President to resolve to act now and make sure that teachers' grievances are addressed," said Mr Gundane.Zimta Matabeleland North provincial secretary Mr Tafadzwa Munodawafa said members in the province will not be reporting for duty until government agrees to pay them in US dollars."As Matabeleland North, we have declared that members will not report for duty until salaries are paid in US dollars. We're concerned about the abrupt changes in the prevailing economic challenges that are being left unchecked by the employer."Salaries have been eroded averagely to US$2,50 per day, which is far below the bread basket needs for a family of six," said Mr Munodawafa.He said in Matabeleland North, transport costs have quadrupled beyond the reach of teachers, making it impossible to report for duty."For example, transport from Bulawayo to Tshongogwe in Lupane rose from $13 to $50. From Bulawayo to Pelandaba in Tsholotsho the transport cost rose from $10 to $40."From Bulawayo to Binga, members are forced to pay $80, up from $20."In terms of cost of living, prices have gone up while medication has three tier pricing system. Building materials are beyond the reach of all while the cost of sending our children to school is proving to be impossible as uniforms are no longer affordable to a simple teacher. Some have been forced to withdraw their children from boarding schools," said Mr Munodawafa.Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has, however, said Government would not remunerate any of its workers in US dollars because the Government does not print United States dollars. News / National by Staff reporter The Zanu-PF Youth League yesterday urged Government officials to fully support President Mnangagwa's vision or face the chop.The youth league national executive management committee met in Harare for its strategic planning workshop where it also vowed it will not allow anyone to interfere with the constitutionally elected Government of President Mnangagwa."All Cabinet Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Principal Directors and other civil servants who are not supporting the vision of His Excellency President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa should be relieved of their duties with immediate effect," it said in a statement released by its secretary for administration, Tendai Chirau.The league said it had lined up programmes to support President Mnangagwa's vision."To ensure that these programmes are fully implemented, we call upon the leadership to avail the necessary funding, failure of which will be interpreted as sabotaging the President's vision," said Chirau.The youths also want representation in provincial and district land committees. They also spoke on prices of uniforms, which have skyrocketed."In the wake of unjustified and wanton price hikes by retailers, the Youth League calls upon the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to allow children whose parents cannot afford to buy school uniforms to attend school without uniforms. No child should be chased away from school for not wearing a school uniform," said Mr Chirau."We note with concern that there are people who are planning to fan chaos and anarchy in the country, we encourage them to desist from such acts," he said. News / National by Staff reporter The bond note is increasingly suffering rejection from the corporate sector after Delta Corporation Limited went public on Wednesday saying it will be selling its products in hard currency.Delta said the move was aimed at sustaining its operations in the wake of serious shortages of foreign currency.Analysts told the Daily News yesterday that the move by Delta has far-reaching implications on the country's tottering economy.More companies are seen demanding greenbacks for their products, thus pushing the broader workforce to agitate for hard currency salaries.Already, doctors, nurses and teachers have put their employer on the spot, saying their remuneration should be in foreign currency.Writing on his blog The Big Saturday Read, United Kingdom-based Kent University law lecturer Alex Magaisa, said it is clear that both capital and labour have rejected bond notes."More companies will follow and more workers will take the doctors' route. There is, it seems, an inexorable march towards re-dollarisation and the demise of the surrogate currency," said Magaisa."It's going to be a hard year but one in which, I think, the country will be forced to new settings. Because current settings have, quite frankly, become moribund," he added.It, however, remains to be seen how government will deal with the situation, as it has asked for a round-table meeting with Delta to address the matter.Industry and Commerce minister Mangaliso Ndlovu has described the move as illegal, despite the fact that Zimbabwe allowed the use of multi-currencies in February 2009.It was in 2016 when the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) introduced the bond note as an export incentive.Its functions were subsequently expanded to ease the liquidity crisis which saw long queues developing in banking halls.The bond note has been on a free-fall since the introduction of a new fiscal policy framework in October last year which saw the introduction of separate accounts for foreign currency and the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) balances.This created uncertainty over the future of bond notes, with the surrogate currency suffering heavy losses on the black market.Yesterday, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) said all companies selling their products in US dollars must also pay their workers in that currency.ZCTU president Peter Mutasa told the Daily News that the main labour union has as far back as 2016 been campaigning against the bond note."While Delta has taken a unilateral decision, we understand that it has taken a fair stance which will enable it to sustain its operations. Salaries should be pegged in US dollars."If we are to follow Gresham's Law, there are no two currencies that can operate at par. Delta is communicating the message that labour has always been communicating since 2016. It's very unfortunate that all along business has been siding with government," Mutasa said.President of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers Denford Mutashu, said re-dollarisation will result in price increases for those paying through electronic means.Mutashu said businesses are now faced with a situation whereby they must consider viability and sustainability of their operations."As long as the foreign currency situation remains dire, the problem may persist. Delta has simply been bold to come out, otherwise most suppliers and manufacturers are doing it, including some that receive foreign currency from the Reserve Bank."Fuel dealers, schools, school uniform dealers, raw material suppliers etc are all demanding payment in foreign currency. If you look at the Delta model, they have many other suppliers along their value chain and most have been demanding payment in foreign currency both domestic and foreign. It makes the situation dire," Mutashu said.MDC official David Coltart, said Delta was bringing reality to the fore and that President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his team were out of touch with reality."The Mnangagwa regime and its sycophants are increasingly out of touch with the reality of the current economic situation. Fortunately, businesses have to confront this harsh reality and some have to guts to confront the absurd policies of this government. Amhlophe Delta," he said in a Twitter post. News / National by Staff reporter The National Clean-up Day has been welcomed by members of the public as a noble idea meant to promote a clean and health nation.Scores of volunteers from various stakeholders heeded the call by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to inculcate a sense of cleanliness and clean environments by undertaking the campaign.In a snap survey by the ZBC News in the capital city revealed that as early as 8am scores of volunteers supported by several stakeholders were already cleaning the streets of Harare.Simon Vengai Muzenda bus terminus popularly known as 'kuna fourth' was the centre of main activities as Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) and TelOne employees were clearing garbage.Relations manager Mr Author Choga underscored the need to keep clean environments as it promotes good health.The same message was echoed by TelOne acting corporate communications head, Hazel Ndebele.Commander Air Force of Zimbabwe Air Marshall Elson Moyo also weighed in by encouraging soldiers to keep their surroundings clean.Stakeholders hailed the initiative and pledged to continue supporting the programme.Among them was National Director of Shungu Dzevanhu Children's Home Reverend Sister Mercy Mutyambizi who urged youths to jealously guard the environment as they are the leaders of tomorrow."Today we here at Hatfield Shopping Centre cleaning and the message to these youths is to keep the environment clean as they are the leaders of tomorrow," she said.It is hoped the programme which was launched by President Mnangagwa on the 5th of December 2018 will continue to gain popularity until a time when every citizen is cognisant of the need to keep environments clean.In Bindura, clean-p campaign recorded a considerable turn out amid calls for council to put more efforts in collecting garbage as residents described lack of refuse collection in the town as a major challenge.Bindura residents, companies and government agencies turned out to clean-up the environment in keeping with the tradition that began last December.People who spoke to the ZBC News once more reiterated calls for council to regularly collect garbage as uncollected refuse has become the major cause of dirt."The clean-up is good but council should collect garbage, outside the clean-up they don't even come," said some of the residents.Minister of State for Provincial Affairs in Mashonaland Central Senator Monica Mavhunga commended people in the province for maintaining the momentum of the clean-up drive."Today we saw the people of Bindura eager to support the programme, civil servants came out we reached out to this place outside Bindura Primary School which was littered with dirt," she said.The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has since created a database of key persons in all institutions to lead in cleaning their respective areas."We are happy, through this we have managed to keep the interest rising," said EMA Mashonaland Central provincial manager Mr Robert Rwafa.Solid waste management is one of the key environmental challenges that is confronting many developing countries including Zimbabwe.As part of its social responsibility drive, Chitungwiza Municipality joined the rest of the nation in a clean-up campaign and tree planting project in line with the pronouncement to observe the national day of service by President Mnangagwa.Residents of Chitungwiza embarked on a clean-up campaign and tree planting project at Unit J shops this afternoon.The campaign which was spearheaded by Chitungwiza Municipality, is meant at keeping premises and surroundings clean, thereby preventing diseases like cholera and typhoid.Since every friday is reserved for community work, after cleaning up, Chitungwiza residents also took the opportunity to plant trees in a bid to protect the environment.Speaking to this news crew, the Director of Housing and Community Services for Chitungwiza, Hazel Sithole highlighted that since the country is battling with effects of climate change, tree planting is a significant intervention to the challenges.Plans are afoot by Chitungwiza Municipality to establish a solid waste management utility to ensure that there is better public health for Chitungwiza.The National Clean-up Campaign was launched by the President, who in November 2018 declared the first Friday of every month a day for national cleaning. News / National by Staff reporter BEITBRIDGE East legislator Albert Nguluvhe (Zanu PF) has called on authorities to install closed circuit television gadgets and public lighting system on the two bridges across the Limpopo River to help curb crimes committed at night.Nguluvhe also urged the government to consider the removal of road access fees and reduce toll fees for Beitbridge residents, whose visits to South Africa are more need-driven than anything else.In an interview with the Southern Eye yesterday, Nguluvhe said Beitbridge residents visit South Africa for medical purposes and other services that are only available in towns at least 300 kilometres from the border town inland of Zimbabwe."To get specialist medical attention, service cars and other essential services, one has to go to Bulawayo or Masvingo; 300km away. Musina, in South Africa, is just 15km away and offers the same, but toll and road access fees are prohibitive. We appeal that some considerations be made for locals," Nguluvhe said."It is not a crime that people are geographically here. The people must enjoy the privilege of where they are resident and for Beitbridge, access to nearby South Africa is one of them," he said.The government charges $18 for a round trip to and from South Africa and an additional carbon tax and road access fees of $10 on return.Asked how the selection of local beneficiaries would be done, considering it could be open to abuse, Nguluvhe said the voters' roll could be handy.Nguluvhe also challenged authorities to maintain the old Beit Bridge and its successor the New Limpopo Bridge by installing efficient lighting in the wake of the two structures having become crime hot spots.It is suspected that some rogue government employees from both South Africa and Zimbabwe, who benefit from human trafficking and smuggling, tamper with the lights to make good their illicit business deals.The two bridges are guarded by members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe National Army, who maintain a 24-hour presence.He said he would also lobby the government for the Beitbridge Municipality to be allocated a percentage of what is raised by Customs and Excise at Beitbridge for developmental purposes.Nguluvhe feels that rates paid by local residents were inadequate to improve the border town, which caters for large volumes of its transient population.A Zimbabwe National Road Authority official who collects tolls at Beitbridge said maintenance of the two bridges was the responsibility of the Roads Department under the Transport ministry. News / National by Mandla Ndlovu MDC leader Nelson Chamisa will survive threats upon his life which include arrest and death from his detractors who want to stop him from being President of Zimbabwe. This was revealed by Eagle Life Assembly Founder Prophets Chiza during his end of year service."Demons will try many things to stop his presidency, trying to change presidential age limit to arrest and death but finally he shall be inaugurated." Chiza revealed."Demons can sense his favour and moment hence they will panic. President Mnangagwa has his time and we honour them and their dispensation with his Vice-Presidents but this N.C's time is coming just as their time came."Chiza also preempted that his critics will criticize his prophecies because of his proximity to Chamisa."I have been criticised before, but people still see my prophecies coming regardless of their criticism. The same way we were shocked how Mugabe left power is the same way some will be shocked how he got into power."On Thursday there were reports that the MDC leader is on a spiritual Sabbatical to fight against spiritual threats that seek to stop him from being the President of the country and to intercede for the revival of the economy of the country.Chamisa has been calling for dialogue with President Mnangagwa but ZANU PF has said that dialogue can only happen if Chamisa recognizes Mnangagwa as the legitimate President of the country. News / National by Staff reporter GOVERNMENT will not allow any demonstrations at hospitals by the striking junior doctors, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has said.In a statement he released when he was Acting President on Tuesday, VP Chiwenga said the Government had met the majority of demands by the junior doctors.President Mnangagwa has cut short his leave to address the strike by the junior doctors which started on December 1 last year. They are demanding salaries in US dollars, a request Government has turned down."Government will not allow any demonstrations at medical facilities whose purpose is to treat patients and ensure their full recovery. For the avoidance of doubt, Government will not remunerate any of its work-force in US dollars. Government does not print US dollars," said VP Chiwenga.He said foreign currency would be used to import drugs and to facilitate economic recovery in line with the Transitional Stabilisation Programme."In particular, Government is disturbed by the fact that in spite of many concessions it made to the striking doctors, and the broad agreement reached on all but two issues, the striking health personnel continue to withhold their labour and negotiate in bad faith even though they are designated as an essential service under the Labour Act, and even though Government has bent over backwards to accommodate them," added VP Chiwenga.He said Government noted with concern that the labour issue had also assumed political overtones, including attempts by the striking health workers to appeal to constituencies with nothing to do with health delivery or their employment contracts.Government is now exploring other ways to ensure stability in the health sector as lasting measures are being worked out to normalise the situation.It also directed the Health Services Board (HSB) to take appropriate action against the striking health workers. News / National by Staff reporter Teachers have raised concern over indiscipline in schools evidenced by an increased number of students assaulting teachers in classrooms.This comes after High Court judge David Mangota granted an order in 2017 outlawing corporal punishment in schools and at home following an application filed by a parent and a minors rights organisation - Justice for Children Trust.The order is awaiting confirmation at the Constitutional Court.Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general Raymond Majongwe said in 2018 alone, his union received a record 18 cases of teachers getting assaulted by learners compared to just two recorded the previous year.Writing on his Twitter page recently, Majongwe said: "Say whatever you want to say, I will not agree with the populist position of outlawing corporal punishment."Let it be put on record that we are turning our schools into chaotic jungles."In 2018, we recorded 18 cases of teachers being assaulted by learners. This spells disaster."In an interview with the Daily News, Majongwe attributed the assaults to "lack of discipline and reckless statements demeaning teachers made by politicians.""We recorded most assaults from Masvingo and Midlands provinces. This is so worrying considering that we recorded two incidents in 2017," Majongwe said.He added: "Teachers are now letting pupils do as they please because they are incapacitated to discipline them."Majongwe said corporal punishment must remain in full force to bring back sanity into classrooms and ensure that teachers get the respect they deserve execute their duties without fear.When PTUZ recently met President Emmerson Mnangagwa to table their grievances, they cited the issue of discipline in schools as one of their concerns.In the discussion points with Mnangagwa, PTUZ warned that some statements by government officials in relation to indiscipline by learners in schools are having the effect of promoting that scourge."We do not advocate for corporal punishment but if we are not careful, we will soon face the same problem of South Africa.""Cases that come to mind are the case in which in Zaka District, a teacher was attacked by a learner at Mutonhori High School."The same happened in Lupane district and Ihlati Secondary School in Bulawayo."Mangota handed down the ruling after Linah-PFungwa told the court that her daughter was heavily assaulted by her school teacher at Belvedere Junior Primary School where she was doing her Grade One.According to court papers, the teacher kept a thick rubber pipe in her office, which she used to assault-PFungwa's daughter.This was after-PFungwa failed to sign her daughter's homework book as she was attending to her diabetic mother.Following the assault, her daughter sustained major bruises and could hardly sleep properly."On the following Monday, my child was so traumatised that she refused to go to school. She was crying and I had to force her to go to school,"-PFungwa said.In his ruling, Mangota said parents and teachers must not lay their hands on children even if they misbehave, and declared section 69 (2) c of the Education Act which allows corporal punishment unlawful. Last year saw a wave of teachers' strikes across America, but mostly in red states where public education has been starved of funds, putting teachers on starvation wages, subjecting kids to dangerous conditions, and stripping schools of resources and even putting schools on four-day weeks. But on January 10th, the teachers who educate the 694,000 students of the LA Unified School District (comparable to the entire student population of the state of Oklahoma) are heading on strike, in a deep blue city in a deep blue state. Their cause reveals the true, underlying issue of the national teachers' strikes: privatization. The project to use public funds to pay for private schools has been a darling of racists and religious cultists since Brown v Board of Education, when the idea of "charter schools" was floated as a way to legally exclude black children from publicly funded education. The racist project found allies in among the grifters of Christian fundamentalism, who perceived a way to merge state and church and receive public funding for parochial schools where evolution could be denied in favor of Bibilical superstition and the 5,000-year-old Earth (this force also drove the British "academy" school movement). It was the same devastating alliance that put Reagan in the White House: rich crooks exploiting the fears of religious fundamentalists to seize power and funnel millions in public funds into their own pockets. The Democratic Party establishment fucking loves Ronald Reagan and firmly embraces the doctrine that says that state functions should be shifted to for-profit private hands the main difference being that Democrats want a diverse oligarchy where the makeup of the 150 people who own the world is representative of the global population's genders, skin colors, and origins (Republicans want those 150 people to be white, Christian men). Handing public money to underperforming, for-profit charter schools with unqualified and underpaid teachers is the one issue that Democrats and Betsy DeVos agree on. Why not? Merill-Lynch, speaking for the bipartisan donor class has spent decades trumpeting the investment possibilities in an education sector "that views families as customers, schools as 'retail outlets' where educational services are received, and the school board as a customer service department that hears and addresses parental concerns." The philanthropic money laundry has allowed billionaire ideologues to style their anti-public-education crusade as an act of charity, turning poor, predominantly black areas (Detroit, Louisiana) into laboratories where junk-science experiments are carried out on racialized children, creating a wave of segregated, underperforming schools. For grifters, these separate-but-equal schools represent a major improvement over the Jim Crow of old: they produce shareholder dividends. The new leadership of the LA teachers union campaigned explicitly on pushing back against the privatization of public education, helped by money laundering/election fraud scandals where dark money networks were caught hijacking control over the massive LA Unified School District. Red state or blue, the issues that have galvanized LA teachers are the same ones that sent teachers out last year from West Virginia to Arizona and beyond. Truesee's Daily Wonder Saturday, January 5, 2019 Archives Truesee presents the weird, wild, wacky and world news of the day. 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Tim Walz to both protect wild rice and support continued economic development and job creation across the state, including developing better relations between state and tribal interests; instructing the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to improve its variance process; and declaring the first week of September Wild Rice Week to build awareness of the value of wild rice in Minnesota. Kathryn Hoffman, who heads the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy and was a member of the task force, said effort made significant progress toward finding common ground on solutions to protect wild rice despite the limited timeframe. An industry representative on the task force did not immediately respond to a request to comment on the report Friday afternoon. The task force didnt answer the question of potential sulfate pollution of wild rice beds from industrial pollution, especially mining, and from sewage treatment plants. Scientists who have studied the issue say sulfates can convert to sulfides in some waters and harm development of wild rice. But there is disagreement between industry scientists and others on how much impact those sulfides have, especially in waters with different iron contents and chemistry. ST. PAUL Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson is asking the U.S. Department of Education to forgive the federal loans of 1,000 students who attended a for-profit college chain when it was found to have committed fraud. In a letter to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Swanson wrote the department should forgive, under the closed school discharge program, the loans of students enrolled at Globe University and the Minnesota School of Business in September 2016, when a Hennepin County District Court found the school defrauded students. A judge found the schools misled students about its criminal justice program, saying it would lead to careers in law enforcement when it didnt meet the state requirements. The fraud ruling led the state to revoke the schools ability to operate in Minnesota and the federal government to halts its access to financial aid. Despite those rulings, the two schools tried to remain open for months, working to place some students in other programs. The delay in closure made it more difficult for students to have their loans forgiven, Swanson said. North Dakota legislators, law enforcement officers and safety advocates reopened a familiar debate over whether to tighten enforcement of the state's seat belt law Friday, Jan. 4. Sen. Curt Kreun, R-Grand Forks, pushed a bill allowing police officers to pull over unbuckled drivers in most vehicles. North Dakota is currently one of 15 states with a secondary seat belt law for adults in a vehicle's front seats, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association, meaning officers must have another reason to pull over somebody before giving them a ticket for being unbuckled. North Dakota law allows for primary enforcement of seat belt use for minors throughout the vehicle, however. Kreun's bill would impose a $50 fine and require that seat belts be worn in both the front and back seats. Proponents told the Senate Transportation Committee Friday the legislation would boost seat belt use, save lives and provide insurance savings. North Dakota became one of the last states to require motorists to wear a seat belt in 1993, the Associated Press reported at the time, and the law survived challenges at the ballot box from those who saw it as an infringement on personal freedoms. Efforts to tighten seat belt enforcement have failed in more recent legislative sessions, with some calling it a "nanny state" proposal. GRAND FORKS The North Dakota Student Association has identified grants, funding for a free online textbook program and overall system support as its three legislative priorities for the 2019-21 biennium, NDSA President Jared Melville said. Students from across the state unanimously approved NDSAs positions during its general assembly meeting in November, said Melville, who attends North Dakota State University. The NDSA adamantly supports the Challenge Fund Grant program, he said. Gov. Doug Burgum proposed in his budget address last month utilizing $40 million in earnings from the Legacy Fund to support the program this biennium. Whether funding stems from the Legacy Fund or the general fund, we hope to see the Legislature return the grant's appropriation to those equal to or exceeding appropriations, Melville said. Since 2013, challenge funds have raised $90 million in student scholarships and $70 million in combined educational infrastructure, research and technology for North Dakota campuses, according to Melville. The program matches $1 for every $2 that a school is able to raise from the private sector. The money is used for scholarships and endowed faculty and received just $2 million in funding during the last biennium. Gov. Doug Burgums budget proposal was largely met positively by Wardner, though with some exceptions most notably, the contentious proposal to relocate the womens prison in New England to Bismarck. I am on the side for keeping it in New England. Ill be supporting leaving it where it is, he said. The only complaint I think has any merit is the fact that for some people its a long way to get their families down there to visit prisoners. But other than that, I think New England has done a good job. Where he did agree with the governor was the want for more support to education spending. He spoke to the importance education plays in workforce development, another goal for the coming session. The governor has in his budget career and tech schools. Thats an important thing to me we keep talking about how we dont have enough workforce in the state and we dont, he said. But I think, after this session, were going to be able to say you know what? Were going to start promoting these career academies. Instead of everybody going to four years of college, were going to have people go out to one or two years and getting a trade or skill that is needed in our workforce. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 GRAND FORKS A new federal regulation requires U.S. hospitals to post a list of prices on their websites, and North Dakota hospitals are following that rule. According to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the new regulation requires hospitals to list the charge for everything from medications to supplies and cost of procedures. The list must also be in a computer-readable format, such as an Excel spreadsheet or CSV text file. Altru Health System in Grand Forks lists prices under the charges and prices section of the website. The page notes that these charges do not reflect insurance adjustments. Due to contractual obligations and individual situations, the prices paid are most often less than the amounts charged, the hospitals website says. The website also says that charges will be adjusted periodically with the goal to be priced at or near the Upper Midwest median, as well as competitive with other providers in the region. Stan Salwei, Altrus Director of Revenue Cycle, said in a statement that the company is excited about this important step forward in providing consumer-friendly health care. Gov. Doug Burgums announcement that his office would display the flags of North Dakotas five tribal nations was one of the more warmly received parts of his State of the State address Thursday. It was also somewhat of a spur-of-the-moment declaration that wasn't included in his prepared remarks provided to reporters. Burgum, a first-term Republican who has emphasized improving the states relationships with the tribes, has thought about displaying the flags for more than a year, his spokesman Mike Nowatzki said. But it was only until he was inspired by the State-Tribal Relationship address Thursday morning that the governor decided to announce the decision in his speech that afternoon, which received a standing ovation in the House chambers. The five flags are now standing just outside the public entrance to Burgums office in the state Capitol. Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Chairman Jamie Azure called the decision "monumental" in a Twitter post. Democratic Sen. Richard Marcellais, a former Turtle Mountain chairman, welcomed Burgums surprise announcement. He has unsuccessfully pushed legislation to display the tribal flags in the state Capitol, and he said he may cancel another effort in light of Burgums decision. "As a legislator, it's difficult to make suggestions in terms of where we should be targeting our resources to improve the quality of life for people across the state when we aren't able to know where these folks are coming from," she said. Poolman said she doesn't plan to introduce any legislation specific to the LSTC this session, but, as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, she intends to push the Department of Human Services for a plan to improve crisis level care across the state. In addition to supporting the CARES program expansion, Poolman said she also would like the LSTC to reduce the amount of time people spend there. LSTC residents spend, on average, about two years on a list the institution uses to deem them community-ready. "We need to provide community-based crisis care for people with disabilities so they can live near their families and live in their hometowns," she said. LSTC's budget also includes $2.1 million in renovation projects at the institution. Foerster said the funding would be used to renovate two newer buildings and move staff and residents elsewhere on campus into these two buildings. This would result in a "smaller footprint" at LSTC, according to Eide and Foerster. Grants announced The Consensus Council awarded $142,096 to 15 organizations in the third round of its Community Innovation Grant program in North Dakota in partnership with the Bush Foundation. Areas recipients include Bismarck Global Neighbors, $10,000; Mountain Plains Youth Services, Bismarck, $10,000; Charles Hall Youth Services, Bismarck, $10,000; Western Wellness, Dickinson, $10,000; Domestic Violence Crisis Center, Minot, $9,996; Custer Health, Mandan, $3,100; Dakota Resource Council, Bismarck, $10,000; and Consumer and Family Network, Bismarck, $10,000. Art kits for BECEP Employees from the North Dakota Child Support Enforcement Office donated 119 art kits for every child in BECEP's Head Start Program for Christmas. The gift-wrapped kits were valued at over $2,200. Teachers graduate Fifteen Mandan Public School teachers graduated from the Teacher Leadership Academy and shared their Action Research results in a Gallery Walk to complete requirements for their masters degrees. They are Susan Janko, Stephanie Williams, Lisha Christopherson, Kim Schleicher, Arin Casavant, Brianna Johnson, Shawna Huber, Britlyn Peterson, Kris Vogel, Megan Rosten, Steven Lau, Matthew Weber, Kevin Swan, Chrystopher Bitz and Alex Mains. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 In this review, I have excerpted thoughts written by Eric Sevareid that continue to bear relevance to today. To Raymond Schroth, the voice of Sevareid on the CBS Evening News came close to representing a kind of national conscience . He regards Sevareids most significant achievement as his ability to explain to Americans day after day who they really were. Sevareid discussed why American troops fought and endured in Korea, just as they had in World War II. "[I]t lies very deep in the heart and tissues of American life, and none among us can unravel all the threads of it. It has to do with their parents and their teachers and their ministers; it has to do with their 4-H clubs, their sense of belonging to a team, with the honor of upholding it, the shame of letting it down. But it also has to do with their implicit, unreasoned belief in their country, and their natural belief in themselves as individual men upon earth. Elements of Das Reich fought a pitched battle with the partisans when they attacked the village where George Starr had his headquarters. Though the village was destroyed, the Germans suffered heavy losses. George Starrs service was a success and he was promoted and decorated. John Starr, on the other hand, got along with his captors and was held in Paris. He never gave up any agents identity nor did he reveal any secrets, but he learned the Germans had captured quite a few agents and their radio sets, which they were able to use to order airdrops. He tried to escape to get that information to SOE, but he was recaptured. The SOE never admitted this happened, but John Starr and other agents knew otherwise. John Starr submitted a report after the war which disappeared. As the war was going against the Germans, it was going from bad to worse for John Starr and other prisoners. They were starved and moved from one prison to another before finally being evacuated with French prisoners to Switzerland. There needs to be more attention giving to the speech problems faced by children in terms of media coverage and funding for research. Kudos to the Scottish Rite Masons for their philanthropic work in this area. I also would like to mention to readers of The Gazette that although this is not well-known by the public, every child has the right to free speech therapy in the U.S. Free therapy can begin as early as age three and run through senior year in high school. It covers all speech problems. A worthwhile source that explains to parents this benefit of free speech therapy is the brochure "Special Education Law and Children Who Stutter" on the website of the nonprofit Stuttering Foundation (stutteringhelp.org), which also offers free resources for children who stutter. Letter to the editor: "These differences can be explained not by race but by the differences in the specific cultures." Note: The views expressed by letter writers do not necessarily reflect those of The Gazette. To submit a letter visit https://billingsgazette.com/forms/contact/letter_to_the_editor COOL is an acronym for Country Of Origin Labeling. Most of the items that enter the United States are labeled. However, two of our most important items - beef and pork - are not labeled for country of origin. The product that you buy may originate in a foreign country where standards are not as strict as those in the United States. Surveys indicate that an overwhelming percentage of American consumers prefer labeling of their beef and pork. Nevertheless, there remains substantial opposition to country of origin labeling of these two items. This oversight can be rectified in the 2019 Montana state legislature. It would be beneficial for both beef producers and consumers to learn more about COOL. Toward that end, the Central Montana Resource Council is hosting a free seminar concerning COOL at 6:00 P.M. on January 17 at the Community Center located at 307 West Watson in Lewistown. Clay Dunlap, chairman Central Montana Resource Council Lewistown Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A group of citizens are now preparing to ask the City Council to re-establish that commission with a new game plan and we are asking for community support at Monday's City Council work session. The revived commission will undertake and oversee the process of creating and implementing a comprehensive energy conservation plan that includes creation of: The City of Billings should be applauded for some projects that already reduce municipal energy consumption while promoting a healthy environment. One example is the methane capture happening at our city landfill along with methane fueled garbage trucks. Another project is the methane capture from the water treatment plant that is used to power that plant. We are also seeing LED lighting at city-managed facilities on a regular basis. All projects are a win for the city budget as well as a win for those of us concerned about maintaining a clean environment for future generations. LIVINGSTON The owners of a horse shot to death in southwestern Montana are offering a reward for information leading to an arrest. Owner Tracy Gubler says she found the body of the 14-year-old horse named Wyatt around 10 a.m. on New Year's Day in its pasture just outside Livingston. Gubler told The Livingston Enterprise that he must have been shot late on New Year's Eve or early on Jan. 1. Friends and family members have pooled a reward of more than $1,000 for information leading to an arrest. Park County Sheriff Brad Bichler says his office is investigating. Gubler says a veterinarian found a bullet had shattered the horse's femur. Two other horses in the pasture were unharmed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 4 The shutdown has furloughed about 13,000 federal workers in Montana, including Interior staff at Yellowstone and Glacier national parks as well as Forest Service and other Department of Agriculture agencies. The federal government is the second-largest employer in the state. Since the shutdown, visitors have been able to enter Yellowstone and Glacier, but depend on private businesses and residents for local services. In his letter, Daines noted that while the Antideficiency Act prohibited continued government operations during a shutdown, an exemption existed for emergencies to protect life and property. He suggested that volunteers in Gardiner and Cooke City picking up trash and maintaining bathrooms posed a significant risk to property and public health. I urge you to reconsider a lapse in these services and any other eligible under this exemption of the Act and provide additional support to our gateway communities and national parks, Daines wrote. Daines said in a statement Sunday afternoon that he was pleased with Interior's decision. "Our communities should not be in danger as a result of political games going on in Washington, D.C.,'' he said. Love 5 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 8 A group of about 14 lawmakers has been identified as supportive of the rules change, as first reported by Montana Free Press. That includes Republican Rep. Nancy Ballance of Hamilton. In November, Ballance said in a bid to be speaker she told the House GOP caucus she wouldn't support a rule change, but said she did a "terrible job of explaining." At the end of last month, she wrote an opinion piece in support of the change. If she was elected speaker, she said, a small group of lawmakers she is working with called the Solutions Caucus, which aims to stay above the fray of GOP division, would have had enough trust in her to not need the rules change. But she wasn't picked for speaker. We try to keep the partisan politics, or the Republican infighting, or whatever it happens to be, we try to keep that at bay while trying to craft real solutions for Montana, Ballance said. Budget people sort of have to do that or you cant go home (at the end of the session). Speaker of the House Greg Hertz, a Republican from Polson, does not support the rules change. The rules that we have in place, they look like they are adequate and theyve done the job for decades here in the Montana House, Hertz said. Ethnic populations in Billings have been relatively small, he said, and among the majority population there hadn't been a lot of exposure to foods or goods from other cultures. "I grew up here," Moua said. "Being Asian and being here so long you wonder, when is there going to be an impact?" Things started to change a few years ago when Amaya Oriental Market opened at 520 Wicks Lane in the Heights. The store specializes in food items and gifts from a number of Asian countries overlooked by Billings' chain grocery stores. For years, it was the only game in town. And then last summer Moua decided to launch his own store. Moua owns Samurai Japanese Steak House at 3429 Central Avenue one of the few places in town that serves authentic pho and in June he and his wife opened Samurai Asian Market next door. Moua has slowly grown his clientele during the past last six months while road work on Central limited traffic through the area. But on a recent sunny Wednesday afternoon, a small but steady stream of customers made their way through the door. "Now that (the road construction) is all done, we're in the thick of it," he said, smiling. December 15 marks a very special day in our founding history - On that date in 1791, the first 14 states (Vermont had just been admitted to the Union as the 14th state), ratified the first 10 amendments to the US Constitution, known collectively as our Bill of Rights. We often take it for granted that these first ten amendments, our Bill of Rights, are included in our Constitution, but if we want to point to one reason the colonies went to war for their independence from Great Britain, it was to permanently secure the rights embodied in our Bill of Rights from all reaches of government. Without the Bill of Rights, the revolution would have been in vein. Thomas Jefferson, probably the Founder who exerted the most pressure on James Madison for a Bill of Rights, advised:He wrote this to Madison on December 20, 1787, almost three months after the Constitution had been signed by its drafters in Philadelphia.On Bill of Rights Day, we reflect upon those rights guaranteed in the first nine amendments (the tenth being a restatement of federalism - the strict separation of power between the federal government and the States) but more importantly, we should come to appreciate the efforts of certain particularly liberty-minded Founders who fought against great odds to make sure that our Constitution in fact included a Bill of Rights. After all, James Madison, considered the Constitution's author, and most of the other Federalists did not see the need for a Bill of Rights and thought the Constitution wholly sufficient without it. That was the status of the Constitution when it went to the states for ratification.What is a "Bill of Rights"? A bill of rights, sometimes called a Declaration of Rights or a Charter of Rights, is a list of the most important rights belonging to the citizens of a country - rights that the King or other form of government must respect. The purpose is to protect those rights against infringement either by law or by conduct from public officials. The US Bill of Rights is the Declaration and enumeration is the individual rights memorialized in the Constitution intended to protect the individual against violations and abuses of power by the government. In that respect, our Bill of Rights is like most other bill of rights (including the English Bill of Rights is 1689 and the great Magna Carta of 1215). This history of England, including the movement of groups of people (like the Puritans and Pilgrims), to the New World, is a history continually seeking for the recognition and security of fundamental human liberties. And early colonial history continued that tradition of setting out the rights and privileges of the individual in their government charters.The Preamble to the Bill of Rights explains its clear purpose. It reads:In other words, the Bill of Rights is a further limitation on the power of government, above and beyond those limitations already imposed by its very design and delegation of limited powers.Again, a Bill of Rights (or Declaration of Rights, or Charter of Rights), is a list of the most important rights belonging to the citizens of a country that the King or other form of government must respect. Bills of rights may be "entrenched" or "unentrenched." A bill of rights that is "entrenched" cannot be amended or repealed by the governing legislature through regular procedure, but rather, it would require a supermajority or referendum. Bills of rights that are "entrenched" are often those which are part of a country's constitution, and therefore subject to special procedures applicable to constitutional amendments. A bill of rights that is not entrenched ("unentrenched") is merely statutory in form and as such can be modified or repealed by the legislature at will.The history of the world shows that there have been limited instances where the rights of the people have been enumerated and/or protected by a Bill of Rights. This history includes the following charters, documents, or bills of right:Magna Carta (1215; England) rights for baronsGreat Charter of Ireland (1216; Ireland) rights for barons - Ireland became independent of Great Britain in 1937Golden Bull of 1222 (1222; Hungary) rights for nobles - which interestingly, included the right of NullificationCharter of Kortenberg (1312; Belgium) rights for all citizens "rich and poor"Twelve Articles (1525; Germany) - considered the first draft of human rights and civil liberties in continental Europe after the Roman Empire.Petition of Right (1628; England)English Bill of Rights 1689Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789; France) - inspired by Thomas JeffersonThe US Bill of Rights (1791)The roots of our modern-day liberty originated in England, as far back as 1100, culminating there with the English Bill of Rights in 1689 and ultimately providing the blueprint for our very own US Bill of Rights in 1791. The roots of liberty, including the roots of our very own American liberty rights, can be found in the selection of charters and documents listed below:The 1100 Charter of Liberties (also called the Coronation Charter) - The 1100 Charter of Liberties was a written proclamation offered by Henry I of England and issued upon his accession to the throne in 1100. It sought to bind the King to certain laws regarding the treatment of nobles, church officials, and individuals - most notably, certain marriage rights, rights of inheritance, amnesty rights, rights for the criminally-accused, and environmental protection (forests). It is considered to be the precursor to the Magna Carta.The Magna Carta of 1215 ("the Great Charter") - The barons at the time, frustrated by ten years of excessive taxation by King John in order to finance a campaign to regain lands in France only to watch the King return home in defeat, consolidated their power and threatened to renounce him. Over the next eight months, they made repeated demands to the King, requesting that he give them a guarantee that he would observe their rights. But these negotiations amounted to nothing. And so, on May 5, 1215, the barons gathered and agreed to declare war on him. On May 17, the barons captured London, the largest town in England, without a fight, and finally, King John took notice. With London lost and ever more supporters flocking to the side of the barons, he sent word that he would meet with them to discuss terms of peace.. Over the next few days, the barons assembled in great numbers on the fields of Runnymede, a relatively obscure meadow that lies between the town of Staines and Windsor castle, where King John was based. Negotiations took place over the next several days and finally, on June 15, King John affixed his seal to the document that would become known as the Magna Carta (or "The Great Charter"). The Magna Carta enumerated an expansive list (63 "chapters") of rights for barons, and also provided the remedy of Nullification. The principles extended beyond the often-recognized origin of the "No Taxation Without Representation" doctrine in chapter 12 (and hence the creation of a "people's body" which addressed matters of taxation and spending) and the Due Process clause of chapter 39. The concepts of "Trial by Jury" and "No Cruel Punishments" are present in chapter 21; and the forerunner of the "Confrontation Clause" of our 6th Amendment addressed in chapters 38, 40, and 44. But the most important contribution of the Magna Carta is the claim that there is a fundamental set of principles which even the King must respect. Above all else, Magna Carta makes the case that the people have a "right" to expect boundaries from the King in their lives and with respect to their property. They have a right to expect "reasonable" conduct. [King John would go on to ignore the promises he made in signing the Magna Carta]The Petition of Right of 1628 - In 1628, under the leadership of Sir Edward Coke, a legal scholar-turned-practical politician, Parliament petitioned Charles I, son of the recently deceased King James I, to uphold the traditional rights of Englishmen, as set forth in the Magna Carta. It was an appeal to his sense of being a just King. Charles was already on his way to being a notorious tyrant. Parliament was not only fed up with is participation in the Thirty Years War (a highly destructive European war) against its consent, but when it refused to provide Charles the revenue to fight the war, he dissolved the body (several times, actually). That would lead Charles to raise revenue other ways - by gathering "forced loans" and "ship money" without Parliamentary approval (hence, taxation without representation in violation of the Magna Carta) and arbitrarily imprisoning those who refused to pay. Among the customary "diverse rights and liberties of the subjects" listed in the Petition of Right were no taxation without consent (as mentioned), "due process of law," the right to habeas corpus, no quartering of troops, the respect for private property, and the imposition of no cruel punishment. King Charles did not consider himself bound by the Petition and so, he simply disregarded it. He would later be officially tried for high treason by a rump Parliament and beheaded in 1649. [The Petition of Right would have a profound effect on our US Bill of Rights: The Due Process clause of the 5th Amendment, the "Criminal Trials" clause of the 6th Amendment, and the "Civil Jury Trial" clause of the 7th Amendment all are influenced by the Petition of Right. Furthermore, during the 1760s, the American colonists articulated their grievances against King George in terms similar to those used by Lord Coke in the Petition of Right to uphold the rights of Englishmen].The English Bill of Rights of 1689 - After the Bloodless Revolution or "Glorious Revolution" (in which the English Parliament instigated a bloodless coup, replacing King James II with his daughter, Mary II and her husband, William III), Parliament set to right the abuses of its previous kings - Charles I, Charles II, and James II. It drafted and adopted a bill of rights, known as the English Bill of Rights, as which set out certain basic civil rights and clarified the right of secession for the British Crown. It was presented to William and Mary in February 1689 as a condition to the offer to become joint ruling sovereigns of England. It was contractual in nature so that the acceptance of the throne was tied to their express promise to recognize the rights set forth in the Bill of Rights. A violation of that agreement would terminate the right of William and Mary to rule. The Bill of Rights lays down limits on the powers of the monarch and sets out the rights of Parliament. It further, and most importantly for this discussion, sets out certain rights of the individual, including: the right to bear arms for self-defense, the right of Due Process, the right to petition government, such criminal defense rights as the right to be free from excessive bail, the right to a jury trial for the crime of high treason, and the right against any cruel and/or unusual punishment, the guarantee that there would be no taxation without representation, the right to be free of a standing army in times of peace, and the right to be free of any quartering of troops. [Great Britain is unlike the United States in that it has no formal Constitution; rather, the English Bill of Rights, taken together with the Magna Carta, the Petition of Right, the Habeas Corpus Act 1679 and the Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949 are considered, in total, as the uncodified British constitution].The colonies being organized under grants and agreements from England, it was assumed that English traditions applied. The colonists considered themselves British subjects and as such, they believed they were entitled to all the rights and privileges of Englishmen. That is why they reacted as they did to the taxes imposed by Parliament, why one protest theme was "No Taxation Without Representation," why the Sons of Liberty formed, why they harassed the colonial stamp collectors and stamp masters until they resigned, why they engaged in acts of civil disobedience (such as preventing the British from unloading their ships at colonial ports) or hanging colonial governors in effigy, why they tossed crates of tea into the Boston Harbor, why men like Patrick Henry called for the raising and training of colonial militias, and why they were willing to confront the Redcoats with their muskets when they sought to destroy the stockpiles of colonial ammunition. It seemed that once again, as English history has shown true, Englishmen would have to exert their rights and demand that the King to respect them. Proper boundaries would once again have to be established.King John's rejection of the Magna Carta (1215) and King Charles's rejection of the Petition of Right (1628) proved to our Founding Fathers that the system established in Great Britain provided only arbitrary security for individual rights. They would need to come up with a different system of government, grounded on more "enlightened" principles and "enlightened" government philosophy. And that is exactly what they did in the Declaration of Independence - announcing that the American states were united on the concept of Individual Sovereignty, that government power originated from the People, to serve the People, and not from kings ("the Divine Right of Kings") to serve kings.With what many believe to be divine guidance and protection, the thirteen original colonies fought and won their independence from Great Britain in 1781. Lord Cornwallis surrendered his British troops to General George Washington, Commander of the Continental Army, on October 19, 1781 and the Treaty of Paris, signed in September 1783, marked the official end of the struggle. Since the colonies worked together in a collaborative effort to communicate grievances and concerns to King George and Parliament and to engage in a concerted effort to prevent war, but then once war came, to fight and manage the war effort, it seemed only natural to continue to collaborate in their independence. The first attempt at a loose union of states, under the Articles of Confederation, was not very successful. The government lacked the enforcement power needed to effectively act on behalf of the states, such as the power to collect revenue to pay the war debt. Last week the News & Observer reported that Wake County Public Schools (WCPSS) grew by a mere 42 students. "Surprised" is the best way I can describe the reaction I have gleaned from readers, most of whom have heard nothing but a steady stream of messages about the thousands of people who move to Wake County each year. In December, the US Census Bureau estimated North Carolina gained about 113,000 new residents, about 87,000 of new residents were a result of net in-migration from other states.WCPSS officials say slowing population growth, a lower birth rate and expanded school choice options help explain the figures. The real question is does figure represent the start of a new trend in less demand for classrooms and schools in general?Figures don't lie. Last year, WCPSS saw an increase of only 880 students, the smallest increase in 34 years. District planners had predicted 2,200 new students for WCPSS and approximately 1,900 more this year. Regrettably, WCPSS planners have had a history of over-estimating WCPSS enrollment. See here and here Newspapers reported that enrollment in public charter schools in Wake County increased 1,532 students. When you add the two groups together (e.g. traditional public and public charter) 1,574 new students enrolled in public schools in Wake County in 2017-18, 42 of these students chose to enroll in WCPSS. On a percentage basis, 2.6 percent of new students chose traditional public schools; while 97.4 percent of new public school students chose to enroll in public charter schools in Wake County.What does it all mean? Is it the start of a new trend and lessening demand for more classrooms and schools?We do know the numbers reflect the growing preference of parents for school choice options. Although enrollment numbers for private, online or homeschooling are not yet available, recent trendlines confirm these preferences. Enrollment in Wake County home schools is up 48 percent since 2009-10. Likewise, enrollment in Wake County private school is up 14 percent over the same time.That only 42 new students enrolled last year in the largest school district in North Carolina is news worthy. Is slowing enrollment bad for WCPSS? If you read the press coverage, the answer seems to be yes. Most stories on the topic talk about possible reductions in funding, since most funding is based on enrollment estimates. In school choice is blamed for siphoning students and dollars from the public schools. I'm always surprised how the enrollment dips are always viewed negatively. Fewer students can help alleviate overcrowding and boost per pupil funding. Moreover, school choice represents the opportunity for parents to choose a school that best fits the individual needs of their son or daughter.Conspicuously absent from most of this discussion on enrollment and enrollment changes, is an obvious question: What is the optimum size for a school district? Unfortunately, the research doesn't provide a clear answer. Large districts may gain economies of scale which may hold down costs, while some research suggests districts around 10,000-15,000 are the sweet spot for both cost and student achievement. WCPSS officials have operated on the assumption that bigger is better. It's an assertion without substantiation. And parents and taxpayers deserve an answer.Last November Wake County voters approved a $548 million bond for school building and renovations. The bond won approval. However, it's more than a little interesting that there were no stories to be found about slowing enrollment in WCPSS before the election.Enrollment figures tell a story, but not the whole story. They tell you numbers are down but that school choice has allowed parents to opt for better educational opportunities. Numbers are based on assumptions like bigger is better but they fail to substantiate why it must be so.It's time to expand the conversation. Counties in 9th Congressional District (screenshot from State Board of Elections website) Republican Rep-elect Mark Harris will get his day in court. Thursday, Jan. 3, he filed a petition in Wake County Superior Court seeking to declare him the victor in the 9th U.S. Congressional District election . Harris cites a recent precedent by the same court to support his demand.Late Thursday afternoon, Superior Court Administrator Kellie Myers said the court would hold a hearing on Harris' request. A date for the hearing wasn't set. But the parties were asked to submit briefs to the court no later than Monday, Jan. 14.Libertarian Jeff Scott, who ran against Harris in the Nov. 6 election, came out in support of his GOP opponent. He chided Democratic runner-up Dan McCready for refusing to demand a recount of his 905-vote loss and then casting doubt on the integrity of the outcome.Scott questioned the state Board of Elections' statutory authority to investigate results of the congressional race even though a formal protest wasn't filed, and he accused Democrats of orchestrating a circus-like spectacle.The 9th District election is the nation's last undecided race. The now-defunct Bipartisan State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement refused to certify the results, launched an investigation, and scheduled an evidentiary hearing Jan. 11. A court order dissolved the unconstitutionally structured board and the hearing was scuttled when Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper abandoned plans to convene an interim board.The elections board's refusal to certify Harris cited suspicious absentee ballot activity heavily favoring Harris in Bladen and Robeson counties. Leslie McRae Dowless, who Harris hired, was named a person of interest in the investigation. Dowless and people he employed deny helping voters fill out absentee ballots, or collecting them; either violate the law.Harris asked the Wake County Superior Court for a writ of mandamus - a court order requiring a government agency, which has refused to perform its statutory duties, to carry them out.Harris' filing cited a similar petition from December 2017. In it, Wake County Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway required the Watauga County Board of Elections to certify the victories of three Boone Town Council candidates.The former chairwoman of the county Republican Party protested certification, but the state elections board was vacant due to a court battle between Cooper and the Republican-led General Assembly.Harris says his case parallels the Watauga County ruling. The state elections board now has no members, legislation passed to create a new elections board won't take effect until Jan. 31, and board terms won't begin until May 1.the petition says. The 116th Congress was seated Thursday without Harris.The state elections board's refusal to certify floutsthe petition says.Harris and two attorneys representing him met with elections board Executive Director Kim Strach and Chief Investigator Joan Fleming for nearly two hours Thursday morning, an elections board news release says.Strach said Harris was cooperative.Harris said in a separate news release. He said he supports the elections investigation.Scott said he agrees with the legal arguments Harris made in his petition. Scott may also file a petition. He has not been contacted by elections board investigators despite having standing in the case.McCreadyafter spending $6.1 million and losing, Scott said. Demanding a recount might have resolved the issue.While he didn't begrudge McCready rescinding his initial concession to Harris, Scott said the flip-flopScott said he was reluctant to jump into what may be a long and expensive legal battle.But he doesn't believe Harris, a Baptist preacher, would take part in a conspiracy to rig absentee ballots.at an evidentiary hearing because they don't know what penalties they might face, Scott said.Scott said.Instead, Scott suggested a plan offering immunity to people who provide evidence of ballot fraud - which reportedly spans a number of elections - if doing so would clean up future campaigns. Republicans and Democrats should be interested in such an approach if it would end alleged ballot harvesting, he said.But McCready attorney Mark Elias of the Washington, D.C.-based Perkins Coie has different ideas, Scott said, referring to a letter Elias wrote to the state elections board.Elias said McCready doesn't want to compel testimony from witnesses because it may prevent them from being prosecuted later. McCready wants to allow witnesses to invoke their Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination instead of granting them immunity, Elias wrote.Scott worries the elections board might use Fifth Amendment claims as evidence enough election fraud occurred to justify a new election.Scott said. Marriage Licenses Transfers Stackhouse rentals LLC to New Voyage Enterprise LLC. Lot 3 in block 1, Roots subdivision of Beatrice, part of lot 5, Wheeler Place of Beatrice, lot 1 in block 30 and lot 3 in block 1, original town of Beatrice, part of lots 8-9 in block 18, Paddocks addition of Beatrice, part of block 19, lambs subdivision of Beatrice, lot 12 and part of lot 11 in block 13, Cropseys A.J. addition of Beatrice, lot 6 in block 3, Penners addition of Beatrice, lot 6 in block 3, original town of Beatrice, part of lot 5 in block 54, original town of Beatrice, part of lots 4-6 in block 11, Yule and Sons Park addition of Beatrice, part of block park, Yule and Sons Park addition of Beatrice, part of lots 7-8 in block 9, Cropseys A.J. addition of Beatrice, Part of lot 17 in block 20, Riverside Park addition of Beatrice, lot 4 in block 4, Kyle and Wright subdivision of Beatrice. $349,000-$350,000. Faculty members were asked to identify colleagues throughout the county who might be able to join them at NAU. This strategic hiring process -- completed with successful research groups across the university, not just those in astronomy -- led to a larger, more competitive group of faculty and the creation of the graduate program in which Oldroyd is now involved. When I was hired, I knew that, strategically, we could hire some really quality people, support them and allow them to do the work that we are now seeing them accomplish, Cheng said. Oldroyd said, even in the short time he has been at NAU, research opportunities have been abundant. Recently, several new professors have been hired to help increase the depth and to broaden the research topics of the department, he said. Ive already had lots of opportunities in the last several months to join several different projects to learn more about the solar system. Coding the stars We have employees who care for our veterans and their families every day and have done so consistently for years. Our patient experience quality scores offered by the veterans we serve are extremely high. Our veterans are confident in the care they receive here and are comforted that the clinic is actually part of the hospital and therefore, if additional care or complications arise, our veterans will be able to be cared for by doctors and nurses and specialists located just steps from the VA clinic. We care for everyone who enters the facility regardless of their ability to pay. We are prepared to expand our services as needed and offer enhanced space to care for our veterans. We understand this process, but frankly our concern is not about a bureaucratic proposal, it is about doing what President Lincoln stated over 150 years ago: To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan. We simply ask our congressional representatives and our veterans to tell the Veterans Administration that this is all about caring for our community, our neighbors and our heroes. We urge the administration to rethink this decision, and take the time to ask our local veterans what they want. Remember this ... at the end of the day, its not about a new building or bigger rooms, it is all about the immeasurable debt we owe to our veterans, to the fallen and to the families who love them. This is nothing more than making sure we are taking care of our servicemen and women who have taken care of us thats our mission at Auburn Community Hospital and we simply request that we continue to be able to do this. AURELIUS The crowd went silent as all eyes converged on judge Steven Buell at the Rochester Rabbit Show at the Fingerlakes Mall in Aurelius Saturday. Out of all of the Havana breed rabbits Buell had just judged, he declared one of Elizabeth Frey's animals the competition's winner. People congratulated Frey as a small smile crept on her face. Frey, 18, of Sodus, has been in rabbit shows for 14 years and has competed nationally before. Perseverance is key to being a rabbit breeder, she said. "In my opinion, what makes a good rabbit breeder is to never give up," Frey said. Frey's boyfriend, Zach Farver, said he has been getting into the rabbit scene through Frey. He said it's not uncommon for curious people to come to rabbit shows and then get involved shortly after. Show secretary Suzette Rundle said the event has been held annually at the mall, but had formerly been held in Rochester. Around 120 exhibitors were at the event, with over 700 rabbits present and over 30 breeds represented. Judges evaluated the animals in competitions throughout the day, evaluating factors such as a rabbit's coat and the arch of its back based on the standards of the American Rabbit Breeders Association. The show also held guinea pig competitions at the same time. Please log in to keep reading. Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Jan. 6, 2004 She's done serious, hard-hitting journalism. She's traveled to Guam, Greece, California and Oregon to to get the whole story. But Auburn native Meghan Stapleton will probably be best known as the reporter who got run over by a reindeer, and then saw her mishap become national news. The evening reporter and late edition anchor at KTUU Channel 2 News in Anchorage, Alaska, was filming a story about Santa Claus and his reindeer in the North Pole before Christmas when Blitzen knocked her over. Stapleton had knelt down to be at eye level with the reindeer, thinking that would make him more comfortable. But she did notice he kept staring at her, and then he put his head in a bucket. When he lifted it up, the nervous reindeer ran right at and over her, and would have kept going if not for her quick thinking in holding on to his leash. "I thought, 'Oh my gosh, I'm going to be stomped by a reindeer!" Stapleton said. The eight-month-old Blitzen did not hurt Stapleton. Compiled by David Wilcox Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 LEDYARD You're going to see many more beers from Aurora Ale & Lager in 2019. And if you're a fan of '90s hip-hop, you're going to recognize their names. In November, owners and brewers Joe Shelton and Mark Grimaldi began making beer on a new system that's significantly bigger than Aurora's previous one. It not only takes them from producing two to five barrels at a time, it also gives them 30 barrels of fermenter space compared to six previously. They'll get another two fermenters this winter, they said at the brewery Thursday. So Shelton and Grimaldi can now brew more Aurora beer, and more frequently. They estimate their annual output will rise from about 100 barrels to as much as 1,000. And it couldn't come at a better time for the brewery, whose New England-style India pale ales in particular have caught on with regional beer fans at taprooms like Thirsty Pug Craft Beer Market in Auburn. "They're selling out faster than some of the bigger brands," Thirsty Pug owner Mike Sigona said. "I feel like they're one of the best breweries in the Finger Lakes." If you go WHAT: Aurora Ale & Lager Co. WHEN: Open 3 to 9 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, noon to 9 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays WHERE: 1891 Route 90, Ledyard INFO: Visit brewaurora.com, facebook.com/auroraaleandlagerco or instagram.com/auroraaleandlagerco Shelton and Grimaldi have focused on the popular style lately to build momentum and penetrate the market, they said. Beers like Fresh to Death and Off the Hazy use different hop bills; others, like So Damn Thirsty and Party at the Moontower, use fruit, tartness and lactose to deliver a sort of creamsicle taste. Aurora will soon debut two more New England-style IPAs, including one with Cashmere, a newer hop that can give a beer tropical aromas and be grown in New York state "which is unheard of," Grimaldi said. The brewery sourced it from Chimney Bluffs Hoppery in Wolcott. But hazy and hoppy beers are far from the only ones Shelton and Grimaldi plan to make on their bigger system. On deck are a sour with blueberries, vanilla, lactose and cinnamon, as well as a brett (souring yeast) saison aged in red wine barrels. They also recently acquired both rum and Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels. An upcoming Belgian quad will be aged in each type of barrel, as well as with black currants, and Shelton and Grimaldi will also make a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout. Further down the line, they're excited to brew with Voss Kveik, a Norwegian strain from a Canadian yeast bank they recently began working with. And the new fermenter space will give Aurora the room to brew more lagers and pilsners, which take twice the amount of time it takes to make ales. "We're trying to make cool-ass beer," Grimaldi said. "People want to try something new and unique, and follow a brewery that's really creative." Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The brewery's expansion was made possible by a $130,000 low-interest small business loan from Cayuga County secured through the Cayuga Economic Development Agency, said Tracy Verrier, its executive director. Among the conditions of the loan is job creation, Shelton and Grimaldi said, which they don't expect to be a problem. All that beer means distribution, which means hiring a full-time driver sometime soon. Overall, Aurora will add two full-time jobs to its current three part-time ones, which don't include the owners and brewers themselves. The bars asking for those Aurora kegs span as far as Buffalo, Syracuse and Ithaca, Shelton and Grimaldi said. Meanwhile, the brewery has begun working with Revolution Canning to can its beers and wholesale them to area retailers. But wholesaling may decrease in the summer, they said, when Aurora will need to keep its tasting room stocked with more beer for its increased visitors. Shelton and Grimaldi said Aurora gets good traffic at its Route 90 location. Those on wine tours appreciate having a brewery to stop at, they said. But it's still not as much traffic as the owners would like, particularly in the winter. That's why they're considering opening a satellite tasting room which they can do through their farm brewery license as soon as later this year. For now, Shelton and Grimaldi are working to make their hilltop barn brewery more scenic and homey. Those who haven't visited since the months after it opened in summer 2015 would barely recognize what it's become. The old tasting room, with its naked drywall and rough edges, now houses all the new brewing equipment. The new tasting room is located elsewhere in the barn. And it's far more inviting, with strings of warm light, wooden finishes and a fireplace. It also boasts a view of Cayuga Lake through large windows, and a pair of leather chairs to enjoy it. Shelton and Grimaldi said they plan to add seating to the tasting room and, eventually, expand it. Saturdays can get especially crowded: That's when Aurora books live music every other week, and also brings in Grimaldi's mother- and father-in-law, Janet and Jim Shea, to make wood-fired pizza in an oven they built this summer in a new kitchen area opposite the bar. The outdoor area will get overhauled with new seating and a nicer patio in time for summer, Shelton and Grimaldi said. The brewery also has a second barn an older, wooden one that will be available to rent in the warmer months. With lights dangling from the ceiling, a second bar and space for live bands, it's a rustic option for weddings and other events. Aurora's pastoral location and look may put it at odds with the names of its beers, which often come from '90s hip-hop lyrics. The Wu-Tang Clan alone is well-represented, with K.R.E.A.M. (Kolsch Rules Everything Around Me), Goseface Killah and The STZA imperial stout. Grimaldi joked that he and Shelton haven't gotten a cease-and-desist letter yet, but one from Ghostface Killah would tell him that they've officially made it. Until then, the references on Aurora's tap list and cans will continue helping to add buzz to the Cayuga County brewery's name. "People are so happy when they look at the board. You see people smirk at the bar, or mention something to the person they're with," Shelton said. "It's a connection." Lake Life Editor David Wilcox can be reached at (315) 282-2245 or david.wilcox@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @drwilcox. Love 5 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Last month, I wrote about the memories shared with me by Richard Hale, of Owasco village, about his grandparents, Charles Edward and Elizabeth Norman Bishop. His grandmother was called Maghi, and taught him about his heritage and ties to the Bishop family, who were some of the early founders of New Haven and Guildford, Connecticut, in the 1600s. Their story is a typical American success story filled with drama and disaster. Their history told how the successive generations of Bishops prospered and then faced adversity with resilience and courage. Elizabeth N. Bishop, whose picture is shown with this column, would tell this to her grandson Richard Hale. Two brothers, Charles Edward and Frederick Bishop, were destined to inherit over $3 million, which included the family mansion and foundry in New Haven, Connecticut. Many of the wealthy families there intermarried and had high hopes for the sons in the family to marry "well." Here, Charles Edward Bishop in 1905 chose the future path of his life, which subsequently placed him as an outcast in the family. Charles had met a farm girl by the last name of Norman who lived in Jordan, New York. Not accepted by the Bishops because of her social standing in society, the couple eloped and were ostracized and banned by his rich, aristocratic family. The couple were an embarrassment and on their own. The UN Security Council on Saturday expressed regret after Somalia expelled a UN envoy but added that it expected "full cooperation" between Somalia and the United Nations. The council released the unanimous statement after UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Friday agreed to appoint a new UN envoy to replace Nicholas Haysom, who was declared persona non grata by the Mogadishu government on January 1. Haysom, a South African lawyer and experienced diplomat, was ordered to leave after he questioned the government's arrest of an Al-Shabaab defector who ran for election. The British-drafted statement expressed "regret" for the decision and expressed full support for the UN mission to Somalia. Council members reiterated "their expectation of full cooperation between Somalia and the United Nations", it added. The council met behind closed doors on Friday to discuss a response to Somalia's decision but China asked for more time to consider the text, diplomats said. China presented amendments on Saturday to stress that the council respects Somalia's "sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and unity," diplomats said. The council statement said 2019 will be a "critical year for Somalia" and called on its leaders "to work together to advance political and security reforms." On Friday, Guterres' spokesman said the UN chief "deeply regrets" the decision to expel Haysom but that he nevertheless intends to appoint a new envoy. Guterres spoke twice by phone with President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed to urge him to reverse the decision but the Somali president told him on Friday that Haysom would not be welcomed back, diplomats said. Haysom, who took up the post of UN envoy in October, warned the council during a meeting on Thursday of a risk of conflict during elections in Somalia's federal states due to tensions with the central authorities. The arrest of Muktar Robow could discourage other Al-Shabaab militants "who may be considering exchanging violence for a political path," said Haysom. Robow, who defected from the Islamist Al-Shabaab group in 2017, was arrested last month and flown to the capital Mogadishu after announcing his bid for the state presidency in South West State. The arrest sparked protests in the southwestern town of Baidoa on December 13-15 that were violently suppressed by Somalia's security forces, leaving at least 15 dead. In a letter sent to the government, Haysom requested an investigation of the protest violence and information on the legal basis for arresting Robow. The UN mission in Somalia is tasked with supporting peace efforts and the strengthening of government institutions in the Horn of Africa nation, which were ruined by decades of civil war. Somalia's President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo -- seen in a file image -- has sent a UN envoy packing President Donald Trump stood firm Sunday on his demand for billions of dollars to fund a border wall with Mexico, claiming "tremendous" support inside his camp on the contentious issue which has forced a government shutdown now entering its third week. "We have to build the wall," Trump told reporters as he left the White House for the Camp David presidential retreat. "It's about safety, it's about security for our country. The US president warned once more that he may invoke emergency powers to get a wall built without congressional approval. "I may declare a national emergency, dependent on what's going to happen over the next few days," he said. One prominent House Democrat, Adam Schiff, immediately rejected the talk of a national emergency. He noted that when former president Harry Truman used such language in an attempt to nationalize the steel industry and end a labor strike during the Korean War, he was rebuffed by the Supreme Court. "So that's a nonstarter," Schiff said on CNN. He said Trump had painted himself into a corner and needs to "figure out how he unpaints himself from that corner." An impasse with lawmakers over funding for the border wall -- Trump is demanding $5.6 billion, while Senate Democrats have offered $1.3 billion -- has partially shut down the federal government since December 22. Trump said Friday that the standoff could last "months or even years." The shutdown has left some 800,000 federal workers sent home or working without pay. Large numbers of federal contractors are also losing pay in what is already one of the longest shutdowns in US history. Talks aimed at ending the shutdown were to resume Sunday afternoon in Vice President Mike Pence's office, a day after a meeting involving him and representatives of Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, the top two Democrats in Congress, made little headway. Trump indicated, however, that he was not expecting a weekend breakthrough, saying there would be "very serious talks come Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday." - Accusation of 'stalling' - Trump repeated his claim that many furloughed federal workers "agree 100 percent" with his demands, while asserting he also had "tremendous support within the Republican Party." But Democrats, who now control the House of Representatives, seem in no mood to make concessions on a border wall Pelosi has described as an "immorality." Pelosi said in an interview that aired Sunday if the president "doesn't care whether people's needs are met, or that public employees are paid or that we can have a legitimate discussion, then we have a problem." Reflecting the depth of the divide, she added on CBS's "Sunday Morning" that Trump sometimes gave the impression that "he would like to not only close government, build a wall, but also abolish Congress, so the only voice that mattered was his own." Trump's acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney told CNN on Sunday that Democratic negotiators seemed to have come to the talks Saturday "to stall." Both Democrats and Republicans have attempted to pin the blame the other side for the shutdown -- a disruptive political ritual almost unique to the American system. "This shutdown could end tomorrow and it could also go on for a long time," Trump said. "It really depends on the Democrats." Trump's fellow Republicans control the US Senate but are short of the 60 votes needed to pass budget laws, so some Democratic support will be needed for any move to end the impasse. - Trump 'doesn't care' - Building a wall along the 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) US-Mexico border was a central plank in the 2016 election campaign of Trump, who has sought to equate immigrants with crime, drugs and gangs. Mulvaney said he had concluded that Democrats "think they are winning this battle politically and they're vehement because they think the president is paying a price politically. That's unfortunate." But a leading Democrat involved in the negotiations, Senator Dick Durbin, pushed back. "I can't say that we're close (to a solution)," he told CBS, "because the president's made it clear he doesn't care." As the impact of the shutdown spreads -- with reports that it may affect food subsidies for the poor and the tax refunds many people depend on each year -- Trump insisted that Americans, even those directly affected, understood his stance. "I can relate and I'm sure that the people that are on the receiving end will make adjustments -- they always do -- and people understand." The shutdown has left transportation security agents and FBI employees, among many others, working without pay. The popular Smithsonian museums, just blocks from the White House, have been forced to close, while national parks have seen trash pile up and bathrooms go uncleaned. US President Donald Trump says his demands for a border wall with Mexico are a matter of national security The US-Mexico border Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, seen here in a recent cabinet meeting, has accused Democrats of 'stalling' in the talks to end a partial government shutdown Democratic leaders (L to R) Steny Hoyer, Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi and Dick Durbin are seen leaving White House talks over the partial government shutdown with President Donald Trump on January 4, 2019 A sign outside the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery posted on January 2, 2019 notes that the Smithsonian museums were forced to close by the partial shutdown of the US government US President Donald Trump's national security adviser said Sunday that conditions such as guarantees on the safety of Kurdish allies must be met before American troops are withdrawn from Syria, NBC News said. John Bolton told journalists travelling with him on a trip to Israel that the United States wanted a guarantee from Turkey that Kurds in Syria would be protected, the US news outlet said. Trump's announcement on December 19 that the US would immediately withdraw its troops from Syria led to concerns among allies, and he has since spoken of "slowly" sending troops home "over a period of time". "There are objectives that we want to accomplish that condition the withdrawal," said Bolton, who travels to Turkey after Israel, according to NBC. "Timetables or the timing of the withdrawal occurs as a result of the fulfilment of the conditions and the establishment of the circumstances that we want to see. And once that's done, then you talk about a timetable." Kurdish-led forces control a large swathe of Syria's north and northeast, some of it seized from the Islamic State group. Despite backing from the US-led coalition and success in pushing back IS, Kurdish-led forces have at times incurred heavy losses. A US withdrawal could leave them exposed to an attack by neighbouring Turkey and its Syrian proxies. The Kurds have invited Damascus to send troops into some of the territory it controls, to act as a bulwark against pro-Turkish forces. Bolton also said Sunday all 2,000 US forces may not be withdrawn. He said the withdrawal would take place in northern Syria, while some forces could remain to the south at the al-Tanf garrison as part of efforts to counter Iran's presence. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is due to meet Bolton later Sunday, has pledged to continue to act against Iran -- the Jewish state's main enemy -- in Syria. Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes in Syria against what it says are Iranian military targets and deliveries of advanced weapons to Hezbollah, a Shiite Lebanese militia backed by Tehran. Both Hezbollah and Iran back President Bashar al-Assad's regime. At a meeting on Tuesday in Brazil, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the Israeli premier that the Syria pullout would not affect US support and protection of Israel. "Our position is clear," Netanyahu said on Sunday. "We continue at this time to act against the Iranian military buildup in Syria, and we are acting against anyone who undermines or tries to undermine Israel's security." In this file photo from December 13, 2018, US National Security Advisor John Bolton speaks at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC Syria's opposition chief on Sunday urged Arab leaders not to rebuild relations with President Bashar al-Assad's government, voicing frustration amid apparent efforts to bring the Damascus regime back into the Arab fold. After years of frosty ties, the United Arab Emirates last month reopened its embassy in the Syrian capital, and fellow Gulf state Bahrain has followed suit. "We are surprised that our brothers are reaching out and building relations with this regime," opposition leader Nasr al-Hariri told reporters in Riyadh, where he lives in exile. "We hope that our brothers, the leaders of Arab nations, will not abandon the Syrian people," he added, urging them to reconsider their decisions. Almost eight years into Syria's devastating war, opponents of Assad's regime are watching in dismay as his government looks set to secure a comeback at home and abroad. With backing from Russia and Iran, the government has expelled rebels and jihadists from large parts of Syria, and now controls almost two-thirds of the country. The Arab League suspended Syria's membership in November 2011 as the death toll mounted and several regional powers bet on the demise of the Assad regime. Most Gulf states closed their embassies in 2012. But several Arab states are seeking to restore ties with Assad after his forces made decisive gains in the war, in a bid to expand their influence in the war-torn country. Just days before the UAE reopened its embassy, Sudan's president made the first visit by an Arab leader to Damascus since the start of the conflict. Efforts to bring Assad's regime back in from the cold are likely to intensify in the run up to the next Arab League summit to be held in Tunis in March. Sparked by the brutal repression of anti-Assad protests in 2011, the conflict has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions. But fighting has failed to topple Assad, endless diplomatic efforts have been unable to reach a peaceful transition, and the regime now appears stronger than ever. Nasr al-Hariri is the Syrian opposition's chief negotiator A Saudi woman held at Bangkok airport said she would be killed if she was repatriated by Thai immigration officials, who confirmed the 18-year-old was denied entry to the country Sunday. Rahaf Mohammed M Alqunun told AFP she was stopped by Saudi and Kuwaiti officials when she arrived in Suvarnabhumi airport and her travel document was forcibly taken from her, a claim backed by Human Rights Watch. "They took my passport," she told AFP, adding that her male guardian had reported her for traveling "without his permission". Rahaf said she was trying to flee her family, who subjected her to physical and psychological abuse. "My family is strict and locked me in a room for six months just for cutting my hair," she said, adding that she is certain she will be imprisoned if she is sent back. "I'm sure 100 percent they will kill me as soon as I get out of the Saudi jail," she said, adding that she was "scared" and "losing hope". Rahaf was stopped from entering Thailand when she flew in from Kuwait on Sunday, Thailand's immigration chief Surachate Hakparn told AFP. "She had no further documents such as return ticket or money," he said, adding that Rahaf was currently in an airport hotel. "She ran away from her family to avoid marriage and she is concerned she may be in trouble returning to Saudi Arabia. We sent officials to take care of her now," he said. He added that Thai authorities had contacted the "Saudi Arabia embassy to coordinate". But Rahaf disputed his account, saying that she was in transit to seek asylum in Australia, where she claimed to have a visa, and was accosted by Saudi and Kuwaiti embassy representatives when she deplaned in Suvarnabhumi airport. Human Rights Watch Asia deputy director Phil Robertson decried the actions of the Thai authorities. "What country allows diplomats to wander around the closed section of the airport and seize the passports of the passengers?" he said, adding that there is "impunity" within the family unit in Saudi Arabia to abuse women. Immigration head Surachate said Rahaf would be sent back to Saudi Arabia by Monday morning. "It's a family problem," he said of the case. Another Saudi woman, Dina Ali Lasloom, was stopped in transit in the Philippines in April 2017 when she attempted to flee her family. An airline security official told activists that Lasloom was heard "screaming and begging for help" as men carried her "with duct tape on her mouth, feet and hands" at the airport. The Saudi embassy in Thailand and officials in Riyadh could not be reached for immediate comment. Rahaf told AFP she was stopped by Saudi and Kuwaiti officials when she arrived in Suvarnabhumi airport Dressed in bright colours and lunging at each other with long, looping whips, martial arts fighters in Indonesia were cheered by spectators as they dueled during a traditional festival on Sunday. A martial art practised by the Manggarai people from southern Indonesia, Caci bouts typically involve two men wearing masks while wielding shields and whips made out of rattan. A fighter wins by hitting his opponent in the face or the head. The duels are full of symbolism -- the leather-handled whips represent masculinity and the sky, while the round shields stand for femininity, the womb and the earth. The festival -- which took place in Subaya, Indonesia's second largest city -- aims to preserve and promote Caci and the Manggarai culture, the organiser said. It is held so "the tradition won't be eroded by time and the modern life", said organiser Tarius, who like many Indonesians goes by one name. In ancient times, the fighters -- in the Manggarai peoples' province of East Nusa Tenggara province -- were men from different villages who competed against each other to celebrate the harvest season. Bouts of Caci typically involve two men wearing shields, masks and whips made out of rattan A fighter wins a duel by hitting his opponent in the face or head In Caci, the whips symbolise masculinity and the sky, while the round shields represent femininity, the womb and the earth With its imposing columned facade, hunting trophies and oil portraits, the Rand Club in Johannesburg's city centre is a relic of South Africa's colonial and apartheid past. Founded in 1887 by British mining magnate Cecil Rhodes, it was the favoured venue for white businessmen and free-wheeling gold prospectors to strike deals and socialise in the hushed library or at the 31-metre-long (102-feet) teak bar, reputedly the longest in Africa. But Alicia Thompson, a black woman born in Johannesburg, is seeking to reposition the club, which has struggled to stay open in recent years, by attracting the city's "young hustlers" of today while preserving its heritage. Thompson, a 46-year-old beauty business owner who is the club's deputy chairman, said that she had faced "not one iota of resistance" in her efforts to haul the club into the modern era. "I grew up in Johannesburg, I frequented the city and I used to see this building that I was not allowed to enter," said Thompson. "It was this hallowed, ivory tower and I didn't know what happened inside. Then I attended a wedding here in 2010, and I couldn't believe that this gem was withheld from us for all our life." Thompson has seen the number of full-time members -- paying $720 (632 euros) a year -- grow recently to nearly 500 after years of decline, while the numbers of student and absentee members are also up. "My attitude to members is just to make it your space," she said. A life-sized portrait of Rhodes, an imperialist businessman and politician inextricably linked with racism and colonial exploitation, still hangs in a second-floor room. But the room itself, which previously bore his name, has been renamed the Founders' Room following an initiative by younger members. - 'Our history is our history' - Books from another era bearing the words "kaffir" (an offensive racial slur) and "native" still line the shelves of the library, alongside a fireplace, wingback leather armchairs and a typewriter. "Some of our history is very unimpressive -- but I'm not a 'fallist'," said member Lucky Dinake, 24, a black councillor from the main opposition Democratic Alliance party. "Fallist" refers to supporters of the "Rhodes Must Fall" movement sparked in South Africa in 2015 by students seeking the removal of statues of Rhodes and other colonial symbols from university campuses. "Our history is our history. Our responsibility is to learn from it, move forward, not to tear it down," Dinake told AFP. Outside the library's tall windows, workers hurried along the roads of the Marshalltown district while minibuses packed with commuters sped past. Over the years, the club's fortunes have reflected the mixed fortunes of the surrounding inner-city streets. Unlike "clublands" in cities like London and New York in upscale neighbourhoods, Johannesburg's city centre has grappled with businesses fleeing, rampant crime as well as derelict and illegally occupied buildings. But work is under way to rehabilitate the area with high-end booksellers opening nearby in recent years as well as investment in public transport and policing. "The club is becoming a lot more relevant and a lot more accessible to more people, taking advantage of our location. In Joburg, there's a lot of renewal," said Dinake. - 'Now members are hustlers' - Alongside efforts to modernise the club and appeal to millennials, including the launch of a business networking club, some rules still honour tradition with phones and tablets banned in the club's upstairs communal areas. "The idea is to enjoy each others' company. It's good for the 'personal' -- that's what's lacking on places like LinkedIn," said Thompson. "It's not just stuffy businessmen and bullish miners anymore." Jane Germaner, the 33-year-old wife of a member, praised the club's transformation policy. "One of the beautiful things about it is you get to network with all these people you wouldn't necessarily meet in your day-to-day life. You meet all kinds of characters," she said. Women were not admitted until 1993 but Germaner said she has never felt unwelcome. Vestiges of the past like hunting trophies are also displayed less prominently than they once were. A portrait of Nelson Mandela, a member in his lifetime, takes pride of place above the sweeping staircase at the heart of the club. Conventions like the dress code have been quietly relaxed over time as the club pushes to grow its membership base. It has also begun hosting weddings, parties and functions which, along with a loan from three members, have put the club on a surer financial footing. It came close to the brink of closure following a fire in 2005 and it went into "hibernation" in 2015 when its fate again hung in the balance. "Now members are hustlers, they're the entrepreneurs," said Sello Chauke, a 34-year-old Soweto resident who tends the club bar. A musician plays at the bar of the Rand Club, the imposing Edwardian-style club in Johannesburg's vibrant centre Alicia Thompson (R) -- pictured with club member John Clark -- is seeking to reposition the club, attracting the city's young executives The Rand Club in Johannesburg was founded in 1887 by British mining magnate Cecil Rhodes The club is located in Johannesburg's city centre, which is undergoing a lot of renewal The club's 31-metre-long teak bar is reputedly the longest in Africa An oil painting of former South African president and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela is featured on the first floor of the Rand Club Egypt inaugurated a massive cathedral under heavy security on Coptic Christmas Eve Sunday, a day after a deadly bomb blast near a church in the country where jihadists have repeatedly targeted Christians. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi observed a moment of silence after Saturday's explosion on the eastern edge of Cairo killed a policeman who was trying to defuse the device and wounded two others. Security was tight as Sisi officially opened the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ in Egypt's New Administrative Capital, 45 kilometres (28 miles) east of Cairo, ahead of Christmas mass. Worshippers had to pass through three sets of metal detectors to access the event, while armoured vehicles and dozens of ambulances were stationed nearby. Sisi gave a brief speech saying the simultaneous opening of the cathedral and the major Al-Fattah Al-Alim mosque nearby carried a message of unity. "We are one and we will continue to be one," he said. "This moment is very important in our history." Egypt's top Muslim cleric Ahmed al-Tayeb told those gathered that "if Islamic law requires Muslims to protect mosques, it equally requires Muslims to protect churches". The cathedral's inauguration was hailed by US President Donald Trump, who wrote on Twitter that he was "excited to see our friends in Egypt opening the biggest Cathedral in the Middle East". "Sisi is moving his country to a more inclusive future," Trump said. Pope Francis extended greetings to Coptic Pope Tawadros II, saying in a video message that he "was able to give a true testimony of faith and charity, also in times of difficulties". Coptic Christians, who account for around 10 percent of Egypt's population, have been hit by a string of attacks by the Islamic State group in recent years. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast on Saturday. The bomb was hidden inside a bag that was placed on the rooftop of Al-Haq mosque near the Virgin Mary church in the Nasr City district of Cairo, religious officials and witnesses said. The incident occurred amid heightened security around churches ahead of Coptic Christmas which is celebrated on January 7. - 'Flagrant criminal act' - Massad Saad, the son of the prayer leader at Al-Haq mosque, told AFP he was inside the building when other worshippers noticed "a man going up to the roof carrying a bag" but when they followed him they found "two bags". "We informed the police," Saad, a 35-year-old baker, said in a phone interview. There was no immediate confirmation from officials. Government newspaper Al-Ahram reported Sunday that a bomb had been placed in a bag on the roof of a building in Ezzbat al-Haggan, but it did not mention the church or the mosque. On Sunday morning security forces were deployed around the neighbourhood keeping journalists at bay. The Grand Mufti of Egypt, Shawki Allam, denounced "the terrorist operation that targeted... the church", on his official Facebook page. He said "extremists" had planted "an explosive device on the roof of Al-Haq mosque... near the Virgin Mary church". Similarly, Al-Azhar, Egypt's highest institution of Sunni Islam, condemned the attack. "The targeting of worship places and killing of innocents is a flagrant criminal act that violates teachings of all religions," it said in a statement. It also voiced its solidarity with state institutions against "terrorism" which it said sought to spoil Coptic celebrations. - String of attacks - Sisi often presents himself as a defender of Christians against extremists but activists and some analysts accuse the state of discriminating against them and not providing enough protection. More than 100 Copts have been killed in jihadist attacks since December 2016. IS claimed an assault in early November in which six Copts and one Anglican died in the central province of Minya. The jihadists killed more than 40 people in twin church bombings in April 2017, and an IS gunman in December that year killed nine people in an attack on a church in a south Cairo suburb. Hundreds of police and soldiers have also been killed in attacks. In late December, three Vietnamese tourists and their Egyptian guide died when a roadside bomb hit their bus on the outskirts of Cairo. The country has been under a state of emergency since April 2017. In February the army launched a large-scale operation dubbed "Sinai 2018" to rid the Sinai Peninsula of jihadists after an attack on a mosque that killed more than 300 people. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) speaks next to Coptic Pope Tawadros II during the inauguration of a massive cathedral in the New Administrative Capital of Egypt on January 6, 2019 Christian worshippers attend the inauguration of a massive cathedral in Egypt's New Administrative Capital on January 6, 2019 Egyptian security forces guard a street leading to the church were an expolosion ocurred leaving one casualty, in Cairo on January 5, 2019 A picture taken on January 3, 2019, shows a general view of the newly-built al-Fattah al-Alim mosque in Egypt's new administrative capital, 45 kilometres east of Cairo A thief has tried to steal a diamond ring from a jewellery store by swallowing it at the counter. The woman was caught on CCTV swallowing the ring with water at a jewellery shop in Istanbul, Turkey. The alleged thief, named by police by her initials of M.A., had asked jeweller Mehmet Erdogan to show her a five-stone diamond ring. M.A. allegedly first tried slipping the ring in her pocket but Mr Erdogan noticed it was missing and asked if she had taken it. The woman was seen on CCTV allegedly washing the ring down with water. Source: CEN/Australscope She then took out a bottle of water from her bag, allegedly slipped the ring into her mouth and then washed it down with a drink. However, Mr Erdogan, realising the ring was still missing, checked the CCTV footage and called the police when he saw what had happened. Police quickly arrived on the scene and took the woman to hospital where an x-ray confirmed the ring was in her stomach. The woman allegedly tried to put the ring in her pocket before she swallowed it. Source: CEN/Australscope M.A. was later taken to a police station where she was charged with theft. She was released on bail even though the ring was still inside her. Cops say the woman will either have to return the ring to the shop, once nature takes its course, or pay for it. She will also face a fine or jail sentence. In October, Irish tourist Ian Campbell, 54, was arrested after he allegedly swallowed a $50,000 diamond ring in a shop in the south-western Turkish resort of Marmaris. The case continues. Australscope When Georges F. Keller began donating paintings by masters like Henri Matisse and Salvador Dali to the Kunstmuseum in Bern his reputation was not in doubt. The Swiss-Brazilian national had been a respected art dealer who gifted 116 works to the museum from the 1950s until his death in 1981. But last year, the Kunstmuseum's provenance researcher came across an archival document linking Keller to Etienne Bignou, a Frenchman now considered a "red-flag" dealer because he traded art with Germans in Nazi-occupied Paris. For the Bern museum, the potential fallout of gifts with possible Nazi ties was not new. The museum was the sole heir of hundreds of major pieces left behind by Cornelius Gurlitt, who died in 2014 and whose father, Hildebrand, was tasked by the Nazis with selling art stolen from Jews or confiscated as "degenerate" works. The case captured huge global attention and the arduous process of trying to restore the Gurlitt treasures to their rightful owners is ongoing. But there are signs that the Gurlitt ordeal, with the heavy legal and historical responsibility accompanying the artworks, has changed attitudes across Switzerland about an institution's duty concerning suspect art. "I clearly see a before and after the Gurlitt case," Kunstmuseum director Nina Zimmer told AFP. "The climate has changed, the tone has changed, the questions have changed and I think we all agree that it is part of the museum's task to look at where the collections come from and to deliver answers," she said. - Who was Georges F. Keller? - Keller and Bignou worked together in Paris at the Gallerie Georges Petit, which specialised in Impressionist works, until it closed in 1933, according to archives published by the Frick Art Reference Library. Bignou then set up his own eponymous gallery in the French capital with Keller, who also had French nationality, as his partner. Keller later became the director of the New York branch of the Bignou gallery, the archives show. Amelie Ebbinghaus, a provenance researcher at the firm Art Loss Register, said that documents from both the French state and the Allied powers indicate that Bignou traded with German buyers in Paris and was identified at the time as a "collaborator." "That obviously doesn't mean that the works came from problematic sources, but it can't be ruled out," she said. It is not clear what Bignou's potentially dubious connections mean for the works Keller gave to the Kunstmuseum, including Matisse's "The Blue Blouse" (1936), which depicts a young woman in bold, primary colours. Zimmer told AFP that she had her own questions about Keller before the Bignou connection was established, since none of his donations to various Swiss museums had come with documentation. "I was always curious," she said. "We have almost zero knowledge of where these works came from before he gave them to us." But once the Keller-Bignou link was confirmed, it was "immediately clear that we need to know more about these works," she said. - Changing attitudes - The Bern museum has applied for federal funding to conduct a full audit of Keller's legacy. That approach -- and new Swiss government grants for provenance research -- point to changing practices in a country with a mixed record on Nazi-looted art. "Switzerland had the position that it was a neutral, free country and that any trade that happened in Switzerland in the period of 1933 to 1945 was not affected by the Nazis," Ebbinghaus said. But that view was not necessarily shared by other countries, who pointed to artworks sold in Switzerland at cut-rate prices by Jews fleeing the Nazis, she said. In the late 1990s, Switzerland and others came under pressure to probe their World War II-era history, not only in looted art but also bank accounts and gold deposits. A 1998 landmark international agreement on returning art stolen by the Nazis known as the Washington Declaration was drawn up. The question of what constitutes looted art, as well as research suggesting that possibly thousands of works held in Switzerland were sold by Jews under threat, continue to provoke debate. However, Swiss museums and auction houses are increasingly showing caution in handling problematic pieces, Ebbinghaus told AFP. - Hitting a brick wall - Establishing ownership of a looted piece, let alone identifying a rightful heir, is notoriously tricky. This has been highlighted in prominent cases such as the battle between an American descendant of Jewish Holocaust victims and Austria's Belvedere Museum over masterpieces by Gustav Klimt which featured in the 2015 film "Woman in Gold" starring Helen Mirren. Zimmer said the challenges for Switzerland were a lack of qualified provenance researchers and limited funding. But she identified private archives as a roadblock that threatens all provenance investigations. "Sometimes you make great progress and then you find out that the exact next document you need is in a family archive and you need to convince them to open it for you," she said. And that can be quite a tall order, she added. She stressed that the Bern museum would continue to push for more provenance research by building ties with universities and creating programmes to cultivate a new generation of specialists. "We need to dive deeper in there, and we will," she said. A painting by Henri Matisse entitled 'The Blue Blouse' at the Kunstmuseum Bern was donated by Georges F. Keller, who had ties to a Frenchman who traded art with Germans in Nazi-occupied Paris Kunstmuseum Bern director Nina Zimmer says she had questions about Keller to begin with because none of his donations had come with documentation The Bern museum has applied for federal funding to conduct a full audit of Keller's legacy Kunstmuseum Bern director Nina Zimmer said the challenges for Switzerland were a lack of qualified provenance researchers and limited funding Over the next few days the Bulolo miners were organised into units of the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles, rechristened as Kanga Force. Together these aeroplanes began a clinical destruction of Bulolo. It took them just 15 minutes. A short while later they returned to Bulolo, joined by two more fighters and two Aichi D3A bombers from the Japanese aircraft carrier Shokaku lying off Salamaua. As Bertie made an uncomfortable landing at Bulolo the three fighters peeled off and continued up the river to Wau in the next valley. TUMBY BAY - When Bertie Heath flew his Junkers G31 transport plane from Port Moresby to Bulolo on 21 January 1942 he was tailed by three Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter planes scrambled from Madang. The Bulldog Track: A grandsons story of an ordinary mans war and survival on the other Kokoda trail by Peter Phelps, Hatchette Australia, 2018, 276 pages. My copy from Kmart for $A15 Expecting the arrival of Japanese airborne troops at any moment, the men set about systematically destroying any remaining infrastructure that could be useful to the Japanese invaders. While this was happening there was a problem about what to do with the 230 miners too old or unfit for military service. Among them was the authors grandfather, Tom Phelps, aged 45 and with a crook leg. The plan involved these miners walking the 30 kilometres from Bulolo to Wau where they could board aeroplanes for evacuation. Unfortunately, when the men got to Wau, it had also been bombed and the airfield damaged and aircraft destroyed. There would be no escape by air. The only option now for these men was to walk south towards the Papuan coast. They set off in small groups, Tom Phelps being in the first batch to leave accompanied by carriers, including Toms highland friend, Una Beel. The military also had it in mind that the old trade track the men took might also be a useful supply route for Kanga Force based in Wau to harass the Japanese on the coast. The walk south over extremely rugged terrain was largely uneventful. The men had an uneasy contact with the aggressive Kukukuku people at one point but nothing came of it. When they reached the old mining settlement at Bulldog on the Lakekamu River they built rafts and floated downstream, eventually meeting canoes sent for them by the Catholic missionaries at Terapo. From there they travelled to the coast and trekked east 100 kilometres along the black sand beach until they were opposite Yule Island. It was there that Una Beel and the other carriers said goodbye. The miners were taken to Yule Island by lakatoi and spent a few weeks there before being picked up and put aboard the MV Malaita for the trip to Australia. Tom Phelps recorded his Bulldog Track experiences in indelible pencil on the pith helmet he wore. He also made a rough map on greaseproof paper. It is these inscriptions that his grandson, Peter, used to reconstruct Toms experience. The Bulldog Track did prove to be a viable supple route for Kanga Force as it made its deadly raids on Japanese coastal positions. The supplies were originally carried by boat and then on foot. Because of the difficult terrain and high altitudes, the carriers on this supply line had much harder going than the carriers on the Kokoda Trail. However, in an unparalleled feat of engineering, a vehicle road was cut from the river port at Bulldog 114 kilometres through to the Wau Valley. Over this road, three-ton trucks transported vital supplies to the fighting forces at Wau. There was none of the fierce fighting along the Bulldog Track that characterised Kokoda to the east, but according to soldier and writer Peter Ryan, who walked the track, it was longer, higher, steeper, wetter, colder and rougher than Kokoda. Peter Phelps tells two parallel stories in this book. The first is about his grandfather Tom and the second is about his family and especially his father, George, who remained at home not knowing what had happened to the men from Bulolo and Wau. Peter spent a couple of years as a young boy in Port Moresby with his family in the late 1960s. Because there was no fighting along the Bulldog Track and because the only other source of potential aggression from the Kukukuku people was subdued, the drama in Toms story is not great. Hard as it may have been, slogging through the mud, cold and rain tends not to lend itself to great spectacle. To balance this out the author has interspersed the narrative with scenes from the home front and the anxiety his family was experiencing. While I can see the authors intent of combining his grandfather and fathers accounts, this method of creating suspense in the narrative tends to be a bit overplayed and ultimately becomes distracting. Its almost as if more detail has been extracted from the home front because the detail on the trek was necessarily thin. Perhaps a broader historical context would have been more useful, especially the design and construction of what became the Bulldog Road. You can trek the Bulldog Track nowadays, although theres a kink in the middle around some mining operations at Hidden Valley. If you are really enthusiastic you can also add the Black Cat Track from Wau to Salamaua. The author, who is an Australian actor, has done a good job given what he has had to work with but just for the record theres no Eli Beach in Port Moresby, its Ela Beach. There are some interesting photographs but a map would be a useful addition to any reprint. A majority of people here identify strongly with the ancestral cultures of their mothers, fathers and grandparents, but they simultaneously see themselves as Papua New Guineans. However, having being in amongst the people of Port Moresby as they celebrated 43 years of Independence last September, it is not difficult to understand PNG as a country . Papua New Guineas infrastructural challenges have changed shape, but remain present, as do the complex and tense issues of land ownership, tribalism and ethnicity. There is still an element of truth to Gay Davidsons words from The Canberra Times of 16 September 1975. PORT MORESBY - Even the word country is difficult to grasp in a group of islands where there are hundreds of different languages and thousands of dialects, and where communication and trade through transport are difficult, inaccessible to much of the population. Leilani and schoolmates - all bilased up to celebrate Papua New Guinea culture Diversity, though sometimes divisive, is often a great source of pride. The Papua New Guineans Ive met are immensely proud that their country has in excess of 800 languages, more than any other nation in the world. They are inquisitive and excited about sharing different ideas about culture, food, dress and customs with their compatriots and with visitors too. The celebrations at Paga Hill and the recently reopened Ela Beach were vibrant, open and safe three words not usually associated with Port Moresby. At the Paga festival I was approached by a man selling flour-battered prawns who thanked me for bringing my family down to join in the occasion. I told him that it was us who were thankful for being welcomed and apologised for the shellfish allergy that prevented me from sampling his wares. In the two weeks around Independence Day, my daughter Leilani has been constantly singing PNGs national anthem O Arise, All You Sons. She even sang it before falling asleep at night. The last verse is: Shout again for the whole world to hear - Papua New Guinea / We're independent and we're free - Papua New Guinea. In 1975, Papua New Guinea became independent and free, however, its easy to forget that in order to gain Independence, the people of Papua New Guinea had to first be deprived of their sovereignty most recently under the colonial administration of Australia. Australians shy away from viewing our country as a colonial ruler. We prefer to think of ourselves as being on the other end of that stick. The territories of Papua and New Guinea seem to exist in a place and time period that is not considered by many as part of our broader national identity. I would wager that future Australians will similarly reject the detention and inhumane treatment of innocent people as an element of Australian-ness but nonetheless these past actions will remain forever as historical fact. But despite all the baggage of the past and the present segregation that exists, I am continually amazed and overwhelmed by the way Papua New Guineans embrace Australian expatriates as members of their family like cousins that have come to visit for summer holidays. In the lead-up to Independence Day, Leilani learned a traditional dance for a class performance at their pre-schools celebration. My colleague and good friend Maggie, who has girls aged a year either side of her, was delighted when I asked if they had any customary outfits bilas that she could borrow for the big day. We were duly provided with a bilas-for-dummies package which included a grass skirt, headdress, armbands and detailed instructions for the Motuan tattoo designs of Papua New Guineas Central Province. Maggie only demanded one thing in return: take lots of photos! This was not just a loan of items it was Maggie and her family delighting in the opportunity to share their culture with our family. When I showed Maggie the video of Leilani and her class performing, she immediately recognised the song and choreography from Bougainville, the autonomous island region closer to the Solomon Islands than mainland PNG. Wow! Thats awesome, she said, unperturbed and with a typically big smile on her face, a Hanuabada girl doing a Bougainvillean dance it shows our unity! In PNG we are reminded frequently of the challenges that come with cultural differences and the strength that can be found in diversity theyre two sides of the same coin. Whether the positivity we see on Independence Day can be eventually extended to the rest of the year remains to be seen, but I am certain that PNG is better together. The Ariz. author and cultural anthropologist talks about and signs her latest non-fiction effort, Navajo Weavers of the American Southwest, co-written with educator Peter Hiller. ANTHROPOLOGIST EXAMINES NAVAJO WEAVING 3:00 PM SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, AT PAGE ONE Arizona author Anne Lane Hedlund, cultural anthropologist, will be at Page One Books 3:00 pm Sunday, January 6 (2019), to talk about and sign her latest non-fiction effort, "Navajo Weavers of the American Southwest." The book was co-written with educator Peter Hiller, and features art from Ramona Sakiestewa. The book is described as such: "From the mid-17th century to the present day, herding sheep, carding wool, spinning yarn, dyeing with native plants, and weaving on iconic upright looms have all been steps in the intricate process of Navajo blanket and rug making in the American Southwest. Beginning in the late 1800s, amateur and professional photographers documented the Dine (Navajo) weavers and their artwork, and the images they captured tell the stories of the artists, their homes, and the materials, techniques, and designs they used. Many postcards illustrate popular interest surrounding weaving as an indigenous art form, even as economic, social, and political realities influenced the craft. These historical pictures illuminate perceived traditional weaving practices. The authors' accompanying narratives deepen the perspective and relate imagery to modern life." Hedlund is a cultural anthropologist who collaborates with native weavers and other visual artists. She retired from the University of Arizona in 2013, but remains active in writing, publishing, and consulting with many museums and cultural centers. From 1997 to 2013, she served as a professor of anthropology and curator of ethnology at the Arizona State Museum. She also directed the Gloria F. Ross Tapestry Program. As a cultural anthropologist, she has conducted fieldwork among Native American weavers and other artists since the mid-1970s, and has interest in worldwide textile producers. The author of many publications, she has curated museum exhibitions throughout the country. Her 2004 book, "Navajo Weaving in the Late Twentieth Century: Kin, Community, and Collectors" received the Arizona Highways/Arizona Library Association Award for Non-Fiction. Page One Books is located at 5850 Eubank Blvd NE, Suite B-41, in Albuquerque's Mountain Run Shopping Center (southeast corner of Eubank and Juan Tabo). The Hedlund event is free and open to the public. For more information, please call 294-2026 or visit www.page1book.com. ------------------------- Hedlund website: https://anthropology.arizona.edu/user/ann-lane-hedlund Walt Disney Pictures Movie The company is accused of cultural appropriation for trademarking the Swahili phrase, which means 'no worries' and was made popular by the 1994 animated movie. Dec 19, 2018 AceShowbiz - "Hakuna Matata", which means "no problem" or "no worries," has brought problem for Disney. The company has been accused of cultural appropriation for trademarking the Swahili phrase, which was made popular by the 1994 film "The Lion King". Disney first applied to trademark the catchphrase in 1994, the same year the animated movie was released. The patent was approved in 2003. Due to the movie's widespread acclaims, the iconic phrase has become popular worldwide. The phrase is once again brought into attention as Disney is going to release a live-action remake "The Lion King (2019)". Shelton Mpala, an activist from Zimbabwe, has launched an online petition on Change.org, calling on Disney to drop the patent. " 'Hakuna matata' is a Swahili language phrase from East Africa," reads the petition. "Hakuna Matata has been used by most Kiswahili-speaking countries such as Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo." Likening the trademarking to "colonialism" and "robbery," Mpala argues that Disney or other companies "can't be allowed to trademark languages, terms or phrases they didn't invent." "A lot of Swahili speakers have been utterly shocked, they had no idea this was happening," Mpala told the BBC. While he's not a Swahili speaker, he said, "Growing up in Zimbabwe, I always had an understanding that a culture's language was its richness." He further argued that this is an example of Africa being "exploited in some shape, fashion or form." Some Twitter users have weighed in on the issue. "this is blatant robbery that should not be allowed to stand. you don't have to speak the language to know that this is an egregious theft, one that recalls the way that africa's precious treasures were looted. please sign this petition!" one wrote. this is blatant robbery that should not be allowed to stand. you don't have to speak the language to know that this is an egregious theft, one that recalls the way that africa's precious treasures were looted. please sign this petition! dele jegede (@iji_araba) December 17, 2018 Another agreed, adding, "How can they trade mark a phrase that has been used as part of language." How can they trade mark a phrase that has been used as part of language flo agwu (@floagwu) December 17, 2018 Someone else, however, thinks "it's not even colonial, it's a lack of self assertion and belief in our own as a people. Disney saw an opportunity we didn't." It's not even colonial, it's a lack of self assertion and belief in our own as a people. Disney saw an opportunity we didn't. Bonaventure MUTALE (@BonaventureBVM) December 17, 2018 The petition has quickly gained support. After reaching its initial goal of 50,000 signatures, it now increases its goal to 75,000. Disney has not commented on the petition. In the evening of January 6, the plane with Tomos about the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) landed in Kyiv. Priamyi TV channel reported that. We reliably know that Tomos is already in Ukraine. It will be delivered to Sofia Kyivska with motorcade, the report says. Earlier, President Petro Poroshenko called on fellow citizens to gather tomorrow, January 7, in the Sofiivska Square for a common prayer for the establishment of the United Local Orthodox Church of Ukraine. This is stated in the message of the president on Facebook. I urge all concerned Ukrainians to gather on Sofiyska Square on January 7 at 10 a.m., to pray together to the Lord for having revived and established the United Local Orthodox Church, Poroshenko said. Yesterday, January 5, the ceremony of signing the Tomos of autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine took place in Istanbul. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko took part in the ceremony of the Tomos delivery and the divine liturgy said by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople and the primate of the OCU. The festive service took place in St. George's Cathedral in Istanbul. This Orthodox cathedral in the Phanar district of Istanbul has been the residence of the Patriarch of Constantinople since 1601. President Petro Poroshenko called on fellow citizens to gather tomorrow, January 7, in the Sofiyska Square for a common prayer for the establishment of the United Local Orthodox Church of Ukraine. This is stated in the message of the president on Facebook. I urge all concerned Ukrainians to gather on January 7 at 10 a.m. on Sofiivska Square to pray together to the Lord for having revived and established the United Local Orthodox Church, Poroshenko said. Yesterday, January 5, the ceremony of signing the Tomos of autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine took place in Istanbul. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko took part in the ceremony of the Tomos delivery and the divine liturgy said by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople and the primate of the OCU. The festive service took place in St. George's Cathedral in Istanbul. This Orthodox cathedral in the Phanar district of Istanbul has been the residence of the Patriarch of Constantinople since 1601. The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine also asked for God's intercession for all those who are now suffering from military actions on the territory of our state The head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, Epifaniy thanked the Ecumenical Patriarchate for providing Tomos and urged them to pray for the just peace for Ukraine and those who are in captivity. In particular, he said this after the solemn ceremony of presenting Tomos in the Cathedral of St. George in Istanbul, Interfax-Ukraine reports. "Together with the prayers of gratitude, we also today make a request to God for our Ukrainian people, who have suffered for five years from the war brought from outside to our peaceful home. We ask your All-Saints, All Mother-Church and all local Churches to pray for a just peace for Ukraine ", said Epifaniy. Earlier, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew passed the Tomos of autocephaly and bishops crosier to primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine Epifaniy. The event happened during the festive service in St. George's Cathedral, 112 Ukraine broadcasted the event. Yesterday, January 5, the ceremony of signing the Tomos of autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine took place in Istanbul. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko took part in the ceremony of the Tomos delivery and the divine liturgy said by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople and the primate of the UOC. The festive service took place in St. George's Cathedral in Istanbul. This Orthodox cathedral in the Phanar district of Istanbul has been the residence of the Patriarch of Constantinople since 1601. On January 7, the Christmas day, a divine liturgy will take place at Saint Sophia's Cathedral, where Tomos will be demonstrated on the granting of autocephaly to the newly established Orthodox Church of Ukraine. In 2019, a number of medical services, in particular, 54 diagnostic and therapeutic procedures will become free in Ukraine. They will be available free of charge from July 1, but only if you have a referral from a family doctor, general practitioner or pediatrician. Deputy Minister of Health Pavlo Kovtonyuk reported this. Starting July 1, 2019, using the referral from your family doctor you will be able to receive a package of diagnostic and treatment services that will be paid by the National Health Service on the principle of money goes for the patient. Certainly, you dont have to pay for it. Having the referral, you will be able to choose where to pass tests or get the diagnosis. It can be a public institution, or a private one, the Deputy Minister said. The service package covers testing for the most common diseases of internal organs, heart, lungs, skeleton, and the 10 most common types of oncology among men and women. In 90 percent of cases, this will be enough for the family and a specialist to determine the diagnosis and the plan treatment. According to the head of state, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine will bring spiritual freedom to Ukraine and will become the guarantee of public consent President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko guarantees the states respect for the religious choice of every citizen of the country. He said this in a statement broadcasted by 112 Ukraine after the ceremony of granting Tomos about the autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. "As president, on behalf of the state I guarantee that Ukraine will respect the religious choice, freedom of religion of every citizen," he said, and then congratulated all Ukrainians on a historic event. "Congratulations to all those who are not indifferent with the creation of the autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine! Thanks to everyone who worked tirelessly on its development, created unity and restored justice. We have fulfilled our duty to past and future generations. Thank God! Glory to Ukraine!" he said. Earlier Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew passed the Tomos of autocephaly and bishops crosier to primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine Epifaniy. The event happened during the festive service in St. George's Cathedral, 112 Ukraine broadcasted the event. Yesterday, January 5, the ceremony of signing the Tomos of autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine took place in Istanbul. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko took part in the ceremony of the Tomos delivery and the divine liturgy said by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople and the primate of the UOC. The festive service took place in St. George's Cathedral in Istanbul. This Orthodox cathedral in the Phanar district of Istanbul has been the residence of the Patriarch of Constantinople since 1601. On January 7, the Christmas day, a divine liturgy will take place at Saint Sophia's Cathedral, where Tomos will be demonstrated on the granting of autocephaly to the newly established Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Nigerians will go to the polls in February 2019 to elect a president and new federal legislature, and again in March to choose state governors and lawmakers. Nigerian elections are traditionally violent affairs, and conditions this time around are particularly combustible. The presidential contest between incumbent Muhammadu Buhari and his main rival, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, will be hard fought. Relations between Buharis ruling All Progressives Congress and Abubakars Peoples Democratic Partywhich governed for 16 years until Buhari came to powerare as acrimonious in the capital as they are in hot spots across the country. Disputes between Buhari and the leaders of parliaments two chambers, both of whom defected from the ruling party in July, delayed funding for the electoral commission and security agencies, hindering election preparations. The oppositions distrust of both the commission and security forces heightens risks of protests during and after the vote. Such protests have a troubled precedent: Demonstrations after the 2011 polls morphed into attacks on minorities across northern Nigeria, in which more than 800 people died. The election comes atop other challenges. Levels of violent crime and general insecurity remain high across much of the country. Civilians in parts of the northeast bear the brunt of the brutal conflict between government troops and a resilient Islamist Boko Haram insurgency. One militant faction, known as Islamic State West Africa Province, appears to be gaining ground. Violence in Nigerias Middle Belt this past year between predominantly Muslim herders and mostly Christian farmers escalated to unprecedented levels, killing approximately 1,500 people. Though that bloodshed has calmed over past months, it has frayed intercommunal relationsespecially between Muslims and Christiansin those areas, which are likely to see fiercely fought elections, as ballots from there could swing the national presidential vote. Already, politicians are stoking divisions for political ends, including by using inflammatory, identity-based language against rivals. In the oil-rich Niger Delta, too, tensions between locals and the federal government could boil over this year, given simmering anger at the latters failure to fulfill pledges to clean up oil pollution, build infrastructure, and increase social investment over the past few years. The immediate priority for the government must be to avert an election crisis by beefing up security in vulnerable states and taking steps to ensure that security forces act impartially, while all parties pledge to campaign peacefully and handle disputes lawfully. That in itself will not resolve Nigerias many problems. But it would be a necessary start. *** In a world with fewer rules, the only truly effective one is knowing what you can get away with. The answer today, it turns out, is: quite a lot. As the era of largely uncontested U.S. primacy fades, the international order has been thrown into turmoil. More leaders are tempted more often to test limits, jostle for power, and seek to bolster their influenceor diminish that of their rivalsby meddling in foreign conflicts. Multilateralism and its constraints are under siege, challenged by more transactional, zero-sum politics. Instruments of collective action, such as the United Nations Security Council, are paralyzed; those of collective accountability, including the International Criminal Court, are ignored and disparaged. Nostalgia can be deceptive. Too fond a portrayal of the era of Western hegemony would be misleading. Iraqs chemical weapons use against Iran in the 1980s; the 1990s bloodletting in Bosnia, Rwanda, and Somalia; the post-9/11 wars in Afghanistan and Iraq; Sri Lankas brutal 2009 campaign against the Tamils; and the collapse of Libya and South Sudan: all these happened at a time ofin some cases because ofU.S. dominance and a reasonably coherent West. A liberal and nominally rules-based order hardly stopped those setting the rules from discarding them when they saw fit. The erosion of Western influence, in short, looks different from Moscow, Beijing, and the developing world than it does from Brussels, London, or Washington. Still, for better and for worse, U.S. power and alliances have for years shaped international affairs, set limits, and structured regional orders. As the Wests influence declines, accelerated by U.S. President Donald Trumps contempt for traditional allies and Europes struggles with Brexit and nativism, leaders across the world are probing and prodding to see how far they can go. In their domestic policies, many of those leaders embrace a noxious brew of nationalism and authoritarianism. The mix varies from place to place but typically entails rejection of international institutions and rules. There is little new in the critique of an unjust global order. But if once that critique tended to be rooted in international solidarity, today it stems chiefly from an inward-looking populism that celebrates narrow social and political identity, vilifies minorities and migrants, assails the rule of law and independence of the press, and elevates national sovereignty above all else. Trump may be the most visible of the genre, but he is far from the most extreme. The wind is in the sails of strongmen worldwide. They realize, at times perhaps to their surprise, that constraints are crumbling, and the behavior that results often fuels violence or crises. Myanmars mass expulsion of 700,000 Rohingya, the Syrian regimes brutal suppression of a popular uprising, the Cameroonian governments apparent determination to crush an Anglophone insurgency rather than tackle the grievances fueling it, the Venezuelan governments economic warfare against its own people, and the silencing of dissent in Turkey, Egypt, and elsewhere are but a few examples. All are motivated in part by what leaders perceive as a yellow light where they used to see solid red. Beyond their borders, these leaders test norms, too. Having annexed parts of Georgia and Crimea and stoked separatist violence in Ukraines Donbass region, Russia is now throwing its weight around in the Sea of Azov, poisoning dissidents in the United Kingdom, and subverting Western democracies with cyberwarfare. China obstructs freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and arbitrarily detains Canadian citizensincluding the International Crisis Groups Michael Kovrig. Saudi Arabia has pushed the envelope with the war in Yemen, the kidnapping of a Lebanese prime minister, and the gruesome murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in its consulate in Istanbul. Iran plots attacks against dissidents on European soil. Israel feels emboldened to undermine ever more systematically the foundations of a possible two-state solution. Such actions are hardly new or equal in magnitude. But they are more brazen and overt. They have this much in common: They start with the assumption that there will be few consequences for breaches of international norms. The U.S. government has hardly been an innocent bystander. Trumps disdain for human rights and penchant for transactional diplomacy have set a strikingly negative tone. So too has his flouting of Americas international commitments: tearing up the Iran nuclear deal and, worse, threatening to impose economic punishment on those who choose to abide by it; hinting he will leave the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty if U.S. demands are not met rather than working within it to press Russia to comply; and signaling, through attacks on the International Criminal Court and chest-thumping speeches about U.S. sovereignty, that Washington regards its actions and those of its friends as beyond accountability. The danger of todays free-for-all goes beyond the violence already generated. The larger risk is of miscalculation. Overreach by one leader convinced of his immunity may prompt an unexpected reaction by another; the ensuing tit for tat easily could escalate without the presence of a credible, willing outside power able to play the role of arbiter. True, not everyone gets away with everything all the time. Bangladesh seemed poised to forcibly return some Rohingya refugees to Myanmar but stopped, almost certainly in response to international pressure. The feared Russian-backed reconquest of Idlib, the last rebel stronghold in Syria, has, for now, been averted, in no small measure due to Turkish, European, and U.S. objections. The same is true (again: for the time being) when it comes to a potential Saudi-led offensive on the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, with Riyadh and Abu Dhabi largely deterred by warnings about the humanitarian impact and cost to their international standing. Elsewhere, leaders anticipating impunity have been taken aback by the severity of the response: Russian President Vladimir Putin, for example, by the stiff sanctions and show of united resolve that Western powers have maintained since Moscows annexation of Crimea and the killing of its former agent on British soil; Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman by the outrage that followed Khashoggis murder. Overall, though, it is hard to escape the sense that these are exceptions that prove the absence of rules. The international order as we know it is unraveling, with no clear sense of what will come in its wake. The danger may well lie less in the ultimate destination than in the process of getting there. As the following list of 10 Conflicts to Watch in 2019 amply illustrates, that road will be bumpy, and it will be perilous. Read the original text at Foreign Policy. Washington: An elementary school teacher in the US has allegedly been sent on paid administrative leave after she compared her students to monkeys in a Facebook post, the media reported. "The monkeys to my zoo came back today," the teacher from the Watson Elementary School wrote on Facebook after school resumed after the winter break, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported. "I`m tired! It`s difficult to train monkeys again," she added. The post has since been deleted. Pamela Smith, a spokeswoman for the Little Rock district in Arkansas, confirmed that was the post that prompted a teacher to be placed on leave pending further investigation, the report said. In a statement, the district said it "takes these matters very seriously". As soon as we were made aware of the incident, the district immediately began taking appropriate action, the statement said, calling it a "personnel matter". LONDON: Prime Minister Theresa May said on Sunday that Britain would be in uncharted territory if her Brexit deal is rejected by parliament later this month, despite little sign that she has won over sceptical lawmakers. Britain is due to leave the European Union on March 29 but May`s inability so far to get her deal for a managed exit through parliament has alarmed business leaders and investors who fear the country is heading for a damaging no-deal Brexit. May said the vote in parliament would be around Jan. 15, as expected, contrary to reports she could delay it. May has already delayed the vote once, in December, when it became clear she would lose unless extra reassurances from the EU were agreed. Describing what would happen if she was defeated, May told the BBC: "We`re going to be in uncharted territory. I don`t think anybody can say exactly what will happen in terms of the reaction we`ll see in parliament." Amid the uncertainty over Britain`s next steps - which range from leaving without a deal to not leaving at all - a poll showed more Britons want to remain a member of the EU than leave, and voters want to make the final decision themselves. May`s party itself is divided over her deal, with many fearing that an insurance policy designed to avoid the re-emergence of a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland could leave Britain subject to EU rules indefinitely. One of those leading that opposition, lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg, said in a newspaper article that it was "wishful thinking" that time away from parliament over the Christmas holiday could persuade him to change his mind and back the deal. The Northern Irish party that props up May`s minority government called on her to stand firm in demanding that the EU changes its "poison" backstop provision on Ireland`s post-Brexit border. WORK TO DO With the parliamentary debate on her deal due to begin on Jan. 9, May said there was still work to do to get reassurances over the backstop from the EU. She also promised parliament would have a greater say in the rest of the Brexit process and warned that rejecting her deal could prevent Britain`s exit. "Don`t let the search for the perfect become the enemy of the good, because the danger there is actually we end up with no Brexit at all," May said. She did not answer whether she would, if defeated, make a second attempt to get the deal passed by parliament. May also did not directly respond, when asked, if she was leading the country toward a no-deal Brexit. On Tuesday, her government could face a bid to block an unmanaged exit when a group of lawmakers try to amend budget legislation to deny funding for some no-deal preparations unless they are approved by parliament. It is unclear yet whether the amendment has enough support to pass. May repeated her objections to holding a fresh public vote on the deal. She said a second referendum would be divisive, and also highlighted the lack of time available to hold a new referendum. "Practically, actually you couldn`t get a referendum in time before the 29th of March - you`d be talking about extending Article 50," she said, referring to the two-year exit notice Britain sent to the EU in March 2017. While the opposition is targeting the NDA government on the Rafal fighter plane deal, neighbouring Pakistan is engaged in taking full advantage of the opportunity. The Pakistani government has approached China to make the JF-17 (Block 3) Jet fighter plane available for the Pakistani Air Force (PAF) as soon as possible. According to the Indian Air Force (IAF) intelligence report accessed by Zee News, the Pakistani Air Force is in the process of adding 62 JF-17 jets before India gets the 36 Rafale jets . As per the agreement with Dassault Aviation of France, the delivery of Rafale jets will commence from 2020. Pakistan's JF-17 is a Multi Combat Aircraft which is jointly developed by Pakistan's Aeronautical Complex and China's Chengdu Aircraft Corporation. The Pakistani government is keen to induct most advanced version of JF-17 series -- the new JF-17 Block-3 -- to make its air force match its Indian counterpart. According to the report, Pakistan has asked Chengdu Aircraft Corporation of China to deliver 13 JF-17 (Block 2) to Pakistani Air Force by July 2019. They have also asked the Chinese firm to deliver the more advanced two seater- JF-17 Block-2 jets by 2020. Pakistani Air Force plans to induct 22 JF-17 (Block-2) jets before 2020. According to intelligence reports, Pakistan and China are also jointly developing JF-17 (Block-3) jets which is a fourth generation fighter jet. Pakistani Air Force is expecting the new variants of JF-17 (Block-3) to be delivered from 2020 which will be more powerful than the already existing JF-17 series. Pakistan plans to induct 28 new JF-17 (Block-3) till 2022. As per the intelligence report, two JF-17 (Block-3) jets would be delivered by China's Chengdu Aircraft Corporation and the remaining 26 will be made in Pakistan. JF-17 (Block-3) has feature of avionics advancement such as helmet display and sight system, a new single panel multi-functional display, an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar paired with an infrared search and track system. JF-17 (Block-3) will have cockpit with a flight control stick on the side and a two seater cockpit option with a top speed of 2.00 plus mach. While the Indian Air Force requires a total of 126 new Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) plane, it will only be getting 36 Rafale jets by 2020. With Pakistan upping its efforts in getting the 62 new jets for its air force, the Indian Air Force seems to be looking at a tough challenge ahead. The IAF has been upset over the lack of fighter planes. During an interaction between Indo-Russia Air Force Exercise Avendra in Jodhpur in December last month, IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa had said that there should be no politics in matters of security. The country needs a powerful fighter jet like Rafale. The IAF, which currently has 31 Squadron, is in an immediate need of 45 Squadrons. The Indian Air Force has around 1700 aircraft while Pakistan has 890 and China has 3000 planes. In such a situation, India may have to face the massive challenges with Pakistan and China in case of war. Kolkata: West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh ruffled a few feathers within his party on Saturday when he said TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has the best chance to become the first Bengali prime minister of the country. Extending birthday wishes to her, Ghosh said he prayed her good health and success in life "because the fate of our state depends on her success". "We want her to be fit so that she can work well. She needs to remain fit because if there is any Bengali who has the chance to be the PM from this Bengal, then she is the one," he said. Asked if anyone from his own party's Bengal unit had the chance to be the PM, Ghosh said that Mamata Banerjee was ahead in the race among Bengalis who can become Prime Minister. "We can surely have one from Bengal after her. But she has the first chance. We couldn't have Jyoti Basu as the first Bengali prime minister as his party did not allow him to be," Ghosh said. "We had Pranab Mukherjee from the state as the first Bengali to become President so now it's time to have a Bengali as PM," he added. The statement came as a shocker for the state BJP as it is engaged in a bitter fight against the TMC in the state. Lucknow: Amid reports that the CBI is likely to quiz Akhilesh Yadav in the illegal mining case, the Samajwadi Party chief Sunday said he is ready to face the probe agency, but people are also ready to answer the BJP. Talking to reporters in Lucknow, he said the BJP is leaving a "culture", which may be used against it in the future. "Samajwadi Party is making efforts to win maximum Lok Sabha seats. Those who want to stop us, have the CBI with them. Once the Congress did CBI probe, and I was questioned. If the BJP is doing all this, the CBI will question me, I will answer (them). But, the people are ready to give an answer to the BJP," Yadav said. "Why is the CBI conducting raids. Whatever they want to ask, they can ask me. However, the BJP should remember that the culture it is leaving behind, it may have to face it in the future," he said. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister may face a probe by the CBI, according to the agency FIR made public on Saturday, the day arch rivals SP and BSP indicated their intent to join hands to counter the BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Taking a swipe, Yadav said, "Now we have to tell the CBI as to how many seats we have distributed in the gathbandhan. I am happy that at least the BJP has shown its colours. Earlier, the Congress gave us the chance to meet the CBI, and this time it is the BJP, which has given us this opportunity." The SP chief also accused the BJP of ending 'political etiquette'. "The BJP wants that other political parties should behave in the same manner as it behaves. But, we will not change our political etiquette," he said. The CBI carried out searches at 14 locations Saturday in connection with its FIR against 11 persons including IAS officer B Chandrakala, Samajwadi Party MLC Ramesh Kumar Mishra and Sanjay Dixit (who unsuccessfully contested the 2017 assembly election on a BSP ticket) to probe alleged illegal mining of minor minerals in Hamirpur district during 2012-16. Yadav, who was the chief minister of the state between 2012 and 2017, held the mining portfolio during 2012-13 apparently bringing his role under scanner, according to the FIR. He was succeeded by Gayatri Prajapati, who took charge as mining minister in 2013 and was arrested in 2017 following a complaint of rape by a woman residing in Chitrakoot. This is a third FIR pertaining to illegal mining cases which were registered by the agency on January 2, 2019, nearly two-and-a-half year after it was directed by the Allahabad High Court to probe the issue. Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Police have arrested personal secretaries of three state ministers after they were caught in a sting taking a bribe. Three of them have been sent to judicial custody. Police said that the matter is being investigated. "The personal secretaries of three UP ministers who were caught in a sting taking a bribe have now been arrested and sent to judicial custody. All angles are being probed," Rajiv Krishna, ADG Lucknow Zone said. By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. You can find out more by clicking this link New Delhi: The 2016 social drama 'Pink' created a storm when it released two years back simply for its hard-hitting narrative, author-backed roles and impeccable performances of the lead actors. The movie by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury was widely appreciated for its content and treatment of a sensitive issue. The movie was written by Ritesh Shah. It was produced by Rashmi Sharma Telefilms, Sheel Kumar and Shoojit Sircar. The film featuring Taapsee Pannu, Amitabh Bachchan, Kirti Kulhari, Andrea Tariang, Angad Bedi, Piyush Mishra, and Dhritiman Chatterjee in pivotal parts is now being made in Tamil. The Tamil remake of 'Pink' will have none other than power-pack actress Vidya Balan in a pivotal role. South superstar Thala Ajith will be seen playing an important part in the movie. Talking about the Tamil remake, producer Boney Kapoor told Mid-Day.com, I wouldn't call it a special appearance. There are certain changes that the director has incorporated to suit the Tamil market, and Vidya's character has been accordingly written. Ajith suggested remaking Pink in Tamil to Sridevi, and she immediately agreed, he added. The film will be directed by H Vinoth. NEW DELHI: Over two months after the Aam Aadmi Party suspended rebel leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira for allegedly indulging in "anti-party" activities, the MLA on Sunday resigned from the primary membership of the party. Khaira in his resignation alleged that the AAP has 'totally deviated' from the ideology and principles on which it was formed. "Unfortunately after joining the party I realised that the hierarchy of AAP was no different from the traditional centralised political parties. The turn of events into the run up of 2017 Punjab elections further confirmed my belief, that there was no inner party democracy. If you remember I had strongly objected to the distribution of tickets for the Punjab assembly, as we had received reports of money exchange, favouritism and nepotism. You also failed to understand the psyche of Punjabis due to your overconfidence. You only listened to the two Subedars you had appointed to run Punjab and never bothered about the sentiments of AAP volunteers on the ground," he claimed in his resignation letter. He also said that despite the party's loss in the state elections, the AAP leadership never bothered to hold any person accountable for the 'shameful' defeat. Hitting out at AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, he said that the Delhi CM's 'dictatorial attitude has shattered the dreams of Indians and the Punjabis for a clean alternative to the decayed and rotten system'. Along with Khaira, the AAP had also suspended Kanwar Sandhu from the party. AAP claimed the two had been indulging in "anti-party" activities and continuously attacked the central and state party leadership. Earlier, he was removed from the post of Leader of Opposition. Even during Kejriwal's visit to Chandigarh, he had snubbed Khaira by saying: "My politics is not Sukhpal Khaira. My politics is towards the people of this country. My politics is for a corruption-free India. My politics is for providing good education, setting up hospitals." Khaira had been leading a group of eight dissident legislators who had revolted against the party after he was removed from the post of the Leader of Opposition in July. Thereafter, they had set up a parallel adhoc political affairs committee. The rebel group has been seeking autonomy for the state unit, which they say was being controlled by the Delhi leadership. Talks between the rebel group and other AAP leaders of Punjab unit were also held in the past with a view to iron out the differences ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls. But the talks "failed" after the rebel group charged the party for unilaterally announcing five candidates for Lok Sabha polls and appointing some district presidents. Here is the full text of his resignation letter: Subject :- My resignation from the primary membership of AAP. Dear Kejriwal ji, I am constrained to forward my resignation from the primary membership of AAP, as the party has totally deviated from the ideology and principles on which it was formed post Anna Hazare movement. Needless to mention, the current political culture of traditional parties of the country stands badly decayed, due to which immense hope was generated by the formation of AAP. Like many other people across the globe even I was highly impressed by the emergence of AAP on the political spectrum of India, to cleanse the rampantly corrupt system. Punjabis worldwide motivated me to join your party so that we could improve the plight of our country and Punjab. But unfortunately after joining the party I realised that the hierarchy of AAP was no different from the traditional centralised political parties. The turn of events into the run up of 2017 Punjab elections further confirmed my belief, that there was no inner party democracy. If you remember I had strongly objected to the distribution of tickets for the Punjab assembly, as we had received reports of money exchange, favouritism and nepotism. You also failed to understand the psyche of Punjabis due to your overconfidence. You only listened to the two Subedars you had appointed to run Punjab and never bothered about the sentiments of AAP volunteers on the ground. By failing to project a Chief Ministerial face in Punjab, you further confounded the oft repeated allegations that an outsider will take over the reins in case of victory. A close perusal of the state history clearly indicates that the Punjabis have never accepted the authority of outsiders. As expected the party crashed to only 20 seats in the Vidhan Sabha from the often boasted 100 seats victory by your Subedars. The saddest part is that a party which vouched of transparency and accountability never bothered to hold any person or persons accountable for the shameful defeat. It is a matter of fact, that one of the arrogant Subedars is still running Punjab from behind the curtain despite a huge hue and cry against him. Your meek apology to the drug tainted former Minister Bikram Singh Majithia further revealed your double standards in politics. Your duplicity on the vital issue of Punjab river waters also puts you on the same pedestal of cunning leaders of India. You have blatantly gone back on the most important promise of Swaraj, by centralising all powers with yourself. You have also thrown to winds the constitution of the party merely to remain Convenor and continue your grip on the party. Your hobnobbing and flirting with the Congress is yet another example of sheer political opportunism, that has left the people of India bewildered. I am saddened to state that your dictatorial attitude has shattered the dreams of Indians and the Punjabis for a clean alternative to the decayed and rotten system. As a result of which almost all prominent leaders of the party beginning from Prashant Bhushan to Mr. H.S.Phoolka have either quit the party or you have thrown them out. We in Punjab aspire to turn the dream of a clean political alternative into a reality, which is impossible as long as I am a part of your highly centralised high command culture. Although you have already rewarded our good work by humiliatingly suspending me and Mr. Kanwar Sandhu from the party but still I want to formalise the disconnection with you and AAP, by quitting its primary membership. Thanking you New Delhi: Bollywood's power couple Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan recently visited good friend Sonali Bendre at her residence in Mumbai. Bachchan junior and Sonali's hubby Goldie Behl happen to be childhood friends and share a great bond. Last night, shutterbugs caught Ash and Abhi in their new car as they came to meet Sonali. The stunning actress wore an all-black attire with heavy-kohled eyes while hubby Abhishek drove the car himself wearing a comfortable military green colour sweatshirt and denim. Check out the pics: (Pic Courtesy: Yogen Shah) Actress Sonali Bendre returned to Mumbai from New York City where she was undergoing treatment for high-grade metastasised cancer. The actress had announced about her illness on social media, leaving fans, friends and family in a state of shock. The actress, however, put up a brave front all through and kept sharing inspiring notes and her pictures sporting a bald look. Sonali, who is also a voracious reader even runs a book club on her name. The avid reader that she is, the actress started off Sonalis Book Club on social media propagating the idea of reading amongst people. And this year in March it completed a year. Even while in NYC, Sonali regularly updated about her condition on social media and often shared pictures and videos. She documented each phase of braving the disease and has emerged as a really strong person. Here's wishing her great health! Bhubaneswar: Odisha Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy on Sunday resigned amid a row over his controversial remarks in connection with the Pipili gangrape and murder case. There had been growing clamour over demands for his resignation from Opposition Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state. After a Bhubaneswar court acquitted two persons arrested in connection with the rape and murder case, Maharathy had said "My sympathies are with the victim but I honour the court's judgement. I had said that truth will prevail." Maharathy represents Pipli in the assembly. Denouncing Maharathy's comment, senior BJP leader and Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had said his statement indicated the "flawed policies" of the state government on women and scheduled castes. Congress activists also staged a demonstration before the minister's official residence and hurled eggs and tomatoes at it, while the BJP Mahila Morcha demanded Maharathy's exclusion from the ministry and handing over the case to CBI. Following protests, he had apologised for remarks. "I am sorry if anyone is hurt over my statement. I have no intention to hurt anyone. I am an open-minded person," he said. A 19-year-old girl was found unconscious and semi-naked in a paddy field in Pipli on November 28, 2011. She succumbed on June 21, 2012, after remaining semi-comatose in SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. NEW DELHI: The BJP on Sunday attacked the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government in Kerala over the declining law and order situation in the state, a day after widespread violence over women's entry in the reverted Sabarimala temple here. ''The law and order situation in Kerala is very alarming. Just two days ago there was an attack on the house of BJP MP V Muralidharan Ji. When the CM of Kerala gives a one-sided statement, it flares up the situation,'' Union Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said. Union Minister RS Rathore: The law&order situation in Kerala is very alarming, just 2 days ago there was an attack on the house of BJP MP V Muralidharan Ji, when the CM of Kerala gives a one-sided statement it flares up the situation. #SabarimalaTemple pic.twitter.com/W5mC3O3qaO ANI (@ANI) January 6, 2019 The statement from the Union Minister came after his party alleged that the violence around the Sabarimala temple in Kerala was unleashed by the LDF government in the state, which, instead of dealing with it in a sensible way, wreaked havoc, resulting in devotees being hurt and even killed. The saffron party also said the Sabarimala issue was about Hindus and not about the ruling party. BJP national spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao, in a press conference, claimed that Kannur, from where Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan hails, had become the "epicentre" of the violence and this revealed the state government's complicity in it. Violence involving BJP-RSS and ruling CPM workers rocked politically volatile Kannur district in north Kerala on Saturday with a number of houses and shops of rival leaders and workers being attacked. Bombs were hurled at several places, including at the houses of CPI(M) MLA A N Shamseer in Madapeedikayil, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member V Muraleedharan at Vadiyil Peedikia and former Kannur district secretary of CPI(M) P Sasi at Thalassery past midnight, police said. No one was injured in the attacks. "All this has been done by the CPI(M) goons with the full authority and support of the state government. The CPI(M) has a history of unleashing violence against the RSS-BJP cadre, but today, they are not even sparing the devotees," Rao alleged. He alleged that the Kerala CM himself was responsible for the violence in the state, where so far, over 1,700 people have been arrested. "Pinarayi Vijayan's conspiracy in this matter is clearly visible. We condemn the fact that he has politicised the issue and is using it for political gains," he alleged. Rao appealed to the media to not see this issue from only a gender perspective. He said gender equality was an issue close to the BJP, however, this was a matter of tradition, culture, emotions and beliefs. "Any government trying to thrust any actions on the devotees will only have negative reactions. The Supreme Court is likely to hear review petitions and I appeal to the media to see it in its complete perspective and not to get swayed by the Leftist narrative. Their narrative is for their vote bank politics," he said. He also said the Sabarimala issue, the triple talaq case and the Ram Mandir issue were three separate issues and should not be seen from a similar perspective. BENGALURU: Popular actor Prakash Raj has confirmed that he will contest the 2019 general elections as an independent candidate from Bengaluru Central constituency. Raj, who has been extremely vocal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government, had announced on January 1 that he will enter politics stating "abki baar janata ki sarkar (this time, it will be the people's government)". Raj took to Twitter to make the announcement. The actor also thanked people for their warm wishes and encouraging him to enter into politics. "2019 PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS. Thank you for the warm and encouraging response to my new journey.. I will be contesting from BENGALURU CENTRAL constituency KARNATAKA as an INDEPENDENT..will share the Details with the media in few days (sic)," he tweeted. #2019 PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS.Thank you for the warm n encouraging response to my new journey.. I will be contesting from BENGALURU CENTRAL constituency #KARNATAKA as an INDEPENDENT..will share the Details with the media in few days..#citizensvoice #justasking in parliament too... pic.twitter.com/wJN4WaHlZP Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) January 5, 2019 In the tweet, Raj also posted an image showing the eight assembly constituencies that fall under the Bangalore Central parliamentary constituency. The eight assembly constituencies under Bengaluru Central are Gandhi Nagar, Charajpet, Sarvagnanagar, Shanti Nagar, Rajaji Nagar, CV Raman Nagar, Shivajinagar and Mahadevapura. The actor-cum-politician is likely to contest against BJP's PC Mohan, who has held the Bengaluru Central seat since 2009. Raj is the third prominent actor after Rajnikanth and Kamal Haasan to enter politics in the last one year. He is known for his anti-BJP stance and has been vocal in seeking justice for his friend and journalist Gauri Lankesh, who was shot outside her residence in September 2017. Raj had earlier claimed that Bollywood stopped offering him roles as he has been critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre. The 2019 general elections are due to be held between April or May to constitute the seventeenth Lok Sabha. Bengaluru: Harsh weather conditions, zero visibility and dense fog forced two flights to abort the landing at the Bengaluru airport while delaying several others for over two-to-three hours on Sunday. According to news agency ANI, two flights - a Singapore-Bengaluru flight and a Goa-Bengaluru flight were diverted to Chennai due to dense fog at the Bengaluru airport this morning. Nearly 50 flights scheduled between 6 AM -9 AM were also delayed, said ANI. A Singapore-Bengaluru flight and a Goa-Bengaluru flight diverted to Chennai due to fog at Bengaluru airport. 50 flights scheduled between 6 am-9 am were also delayed pic.twitter.com/4n1PW4Yrui ANI (@ANI) January 6, 2019 Hundreds of passengers were left stranded after fog delayed operations of nearly 54 flights, said reports. Earlier on Thursday, dense fog had caused delays in flight departure. According to airport authorities, as many as 36 flights scheduled for departure were delayed on Thursday and 17 flights due for arrival, were also delayed. BlueDart airlines from Mumbai was diverted to Chennai. Several passengers had taken to the social media to complain about the situation. Some others too took to several platforms to express their displeasure at being stranded for hours on board a flight. A day ago, on Wednesday, a system failure resulted in several airlines being forced to issue passengers handwritten boarding passes. Several air travellers had no option but to stand in long queues for over two hours as a result. The system failure was later restored. SRINAGAR: A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper shot himself dead after firing at two colleagues in a camp in the outskirts of Srinagar on Saturday. The trooper has been identified as Mukesh Babu. The incident took place after he got into a heated argument with his colleagues at the Pantha Chowk camp and thereafter opened fire on them. "After injuring his colleagues, the CRPF jawan locked himself in a bathroom where he shot himself dead with his service rifle," police said. The injured troopers have been hospitalised. In another incident in November, a CRPF jawan had allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with the service rifle of a colleague in Chhattisgarhs Raipur district. Identified as 37-year-old Rajiv Kumar Singh, the constable belonged to the 148th battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force. He allegedly shot himself with his colleague's AK-47 rifle at around 12:20 pm in the premises of Kabir Nagar police station. Singh was a native of Jamunipur village of Uttar Pradeshs Chandauli district and was on poll duty in the state when he shot himself. A similar incident was reported from Tezpur in Sonitpur district of Assam in October where a CRPF jawan allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself. He killed himself with his INSAS rifle at a camp in Tezpur. The deceased jawan was identified as 40-year-old Digambar Madhab from Mumbai. New Delhi: After absconding liquor baron Vijay Mallya was declared fugitive economic offender by a Mumbai court, Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday hit out at Congress saying that it has been a constant endeavour of the latter to falsify the positive development happening in any area. Speaking on the Mallya development, Singh questioned the grand old party saying, "Congress which had been accusing Modi govt of trying to shield Vijay Mallya, where are they now? It's been a constant endeavour of Congress to falsify the positive development happening in any area." On Saturday, the BJP said that Mallya being declared a fugitive economic offender by a Mumbai court had come as a feather in the ruling party's cap in its fight against corruption. Mallya, accused of defaulting on loan repayments and money laundering, is the first businessman to be declared an FEO under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act which came into existence in August last year. The ED had requested the Prevention of Money Laundering Act court in Mumbai that Mallya, who is currently in the UK, be declared a fugitive and his properties be confiscated and brought under the control of the Union government. Special judge MS Azmi declared Mallya an FEO under Section 12 of the Act after hearing extensive arguments from Mallya's lawyer and the ED counsel. Mallya had left India in March 2016. (With inputs from agencies) PATNA: As the time for Lok Sabha election nears, the debate over the prime ministerial faces has also increased. While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has maintained that Narendra Modi will be the PM face in the upcoming elections, murmurs of other names are also being heard in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). BJP's ally in Bihar Janata Dal United has maintained that Modi will be the PM face of the NDA but asserted that its party chief and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar can also be a PM face. JDU spokesman Rajiv Ranjan on Sunday said that Nitish's career in politics is an inspiration for the country and that Bihar has seen unprecedented growth under his leadership. Though PM Modi is the face of the NDA, but if there is a discussion over the prime contenders for the top post, he (Nitish) is also one of them, Ranjan said. However, dismissing JDU's claim, BJP said there is no scope of debate on the issue. "Narendra Modi is PM's face in Bihar. Nitish Kumar himself had forwarded the name of Narendra Modi as PM candidate. The people of Bihar have made Narendra Modi PM candidate. So there is no scope for debate in this post in Bihar," BJP MP CP Thakur said. Meanwhile, Congress mocked JDU's claim stating that Nitish dialled the 'wrong number' by opting out of the Mahagatbandhan. Congress leader Premchandra Mishra said, "there was a time when Nitish Kumar was being considered a PM candidate of the Mahagatbandhan. But Nitish Kumar dialled the wrong number." Mishra added that the only PM candidate from Bihar is Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. "The statements being made by the BJP leaders on the PM's face show that Narendra Modi is not going to become PM again," he added. The debate over the PM face snowballed after West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh ruffled a few feathers within his party by claiming that TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has the best chance to become the first Bengali PM of the country. "We want her to be fit so that she can work well. She needs to remain fit because if there is any Bengali who has the chance to be the PM from this Bengal, then she is the one," he said on Saturday. NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya has said that the proposed alliance between Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will not affect the electoral prospects of BJP as the country is firmly standing behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The senior BJP politician from UP further expressed confidence that his party will get a huge mandate in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister again. ''Whether SP-BSP ally or not, we have nothing to say on it nor BJP will we be affected. The country is firmly with Modi ji and people want to see him as the PM again,'' Maurya said. KP Maurya,UP Deputy Chief Minister: Whether SP-BSP ally or not, we have nothing to say on it nor will we be affected. Country is firmly with Modi ji and people want to see him as the PM again pic.twitter.com/qSU9QytKxq ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 6, 2019 Attacking the two parties, the ruling BJP has termed the development as ''opportunistic and anti-people.'' The remarks from the UP Deputy CM came in the wake of reports that Akhilesh Yadav-led SP and BSP have agreed to form an alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and the final announcement is expected to be made later this month Highly-placed political sources claimed on Saturday that the seat-sharing formula between the one-time arch-rivals has been sealed after a meeting of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati in New Delhi late on Friday. The sources said that so far the Congress had not figured in the discussions for an alliance and that on the table for now were BSP, SP and Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in the alliance. It is also not clear whether the Congress party will be a part of the proposed SP-BSP alliance However, there was no official word from both the parties on the alliance talks. While SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav said reports of keeping the Congress out of the alliance were "fictional", Congress leader PL Punia said the party was preparing for elections in Uttar Pradesh saying "coalition is not important". The two leaders are said to have decided to equally share 74 of the 80 seats while two seats will be left for the RLD headed by Ajit Singh and two kept "in reserve for last-minute political grasshoppers". The alliance will also keep out of the contest in Rae Bareilly and Amethi, seats held by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi. In 2014 too, the two parties had not fielded any candidates on these two seats. With the Congress setting eyes on a large "share of the pie", especially after tasting recent electoral successes in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh, the SP-BSP combine, sources say, was "not too excited about the assimilation of the Congress in the opposition space". Moreover, with a large chunk of their vote banks being common, the two regional payers don't seem to be too enthused with the Congress being under the 'gathbandhan' umbrella, a senior leader of the SP said. He added that the Congress too was not okay with the idea of settling for anything less than 20 seats, something which seems impossible. Congress leaders like Punia (who delivered Chhattisgarh to the Congress as its state in-charge) and UPCC chief Raj Babbar are reportedly of the view that the Congress should not "be sheepish in alliance negotiations any more" and should seek its pound of flesh. They cite the example of 2009 when the Congress romped home with 22 Lok Sabha seats in UP, surprising many prophets of doom. They also say that with Rahul Gandhi getting more "combative, direct and effective" in taking on the Narendra Modi juggernaut, the Congress stood better chances in going alone! Not surprisingly, both the SP and BSP have given enough indications of not continuing their dalliance with the grand old party any longer. Mayawati, known for her mercurial temperament, had put the Congress recently on notice by threatening to pull the rug from under the newly formed Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan governments if the cases slapped on Dalits last year were not withdrawn. She had also admitted earlier that she had reluctantly supported the Congress in both states, just to keep BJP at bay. Akhilesh Yadav has also recently red-flagged the relations with Congress after the latter did not consider its lone legislator in MP for a ministerial berth. Yadav, in fact, went to the extent of saying that by doing so, the Congress had cleared his way in UP. New Delhi: Amid an increasing bickering between the BJP and its ally Shiv Sena, the latter said Sunday it would oppose the Citizenship Amendment Bill in Parliament. The decision has been taken after the Asom Gana Parishad appealed to the Shiv Sena to oppose the legislation, party leader Sanjay Raut said in a statement. "We are determined to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 in Parliament," Raut said. The people of Assam, irrespective of their caste, religion and creed, oppose the proposed legislation, he said. The bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act to make illegal migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan eligible for citizenship on the basis of religion. The Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the bill is slated to table it in Parliament on January 7. The Shiv Sena noted that the proposed legislation would "frustrate" the efforts made under the Assam Accord for safeguarding cultural, social and linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people. Secondly, the entire process of the National Register of Citizens monitored by the Supreme Court will be meaningless if the bill is passed, he added. With the Lok Sabha polls around the corner, the Shiv Sena has adopted a more aggressive posture against the BJP, with whom it has shared an uneasy relationship over the past four years. London: The UK government has updated its travel advisory to India, warning British citizens to remain vigilant and avoid large public gatherings, following violent protests in Kerala over the issue of women entering the Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), which regularly updates its advice for travel to different parts of the world, said on Friday that any British citizens planning to travel to Kerala should monitor media reports. "There have been violent protests in some towns and cities in Kerala over the issue of women accessing the Sabarimala temple. Some public services have been disrupted in the wake of clashes between police and protesters," the FCO advisory said. "If you are in Kerala or due to travel there, you should monitor media reports closely, remain vigilant and avoid large public gatherings," it noted. The rest of the travel advisory remains broadly unchanged, advising visitors to India to "avoid protests or large gatherings", follow the advice of the local authorities and monitor the local media and any curfew restrictions that may be in place. It added, "Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in India. Recent attacks have targeted public places including those visited by foreigners. "There have been recent media reports suggesting Daesh (Islamic State) may have an interest in attacking targets in India. There may be an increased threat to places visited by British nationals such as religious sites, markets, festival venues and beaches. You should be vigilant at this time, monitor local media and take all precautions for your safety." Kerala has been rocked by protests by right-wing groups after two women of "menstruating age" offered prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala on January 2. Hundreds of people have been arrested so far in connection with the violence over the last few days. In the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement to pass the Citizenship Bill, the All Assam Students Union (AASU), the North East Students Organization (NESO) and 30 other groups have announced a series of protests in Assam on Monday and Tuesday. PM Modi told an election rally near Silchar in Assam's Barak Valley on Friday that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, would be passed soon in the Parliament as a "penance against the injustice and many wrongs done in the past". The organisations have decided to observe Monday as a black day in Assam. ASSU president Dipanka Nath said that on Monday, the day the JPC tables it report on the bill in Parliament, copies of the report will be burnt across the state Nath alleged that "PM has no respect for democracy and its principles. He has undemocratically imposed the bill on the people here. He has no respect for the sentiments of the indigenous people of the region. It is a conspiracy to silence the democratic voice of the indigenous people ..." "Assam is ours and not a dustbin for Bangladeshis. The Central and Assam government have pushed us to the agitational path. The Modi government at the Centre by imposing the bill and the Sarbananda Sonowal government by not opposing ... Have inflicted mental torture on the indigenous people of Assam threatening their existence, identity, language, culture and heritage," he said. Major students' bodies, social and other organisations have called a 'bandh' in the Northeast on January 8 against the bill which is expected to be discussed in Lok Sabha on Monday. The NESO and the AASU have also called for a north-east and Assam bandh on January 8 to protest. Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharyya, the chief advisor of the North East Students Union (NESO) and All Assam Students Union (AASU) said the 11-hour bandh was called by the two organisations along with allied 30 ethnic organisations in Assam to oppose the bill and condemn the PM's statement. "We have called for a bandh in the entire northeast on January 8 in protest against the BJP-led government`s move to pass the controversial Bill. Total dawn to dusk bandh will be observed in all the states," said Bhattacharyya. Bhattacharyya said they decided to intensify their movement against "forceful imposition of the bill on the people of Assam and the North East region and to call the bandh was against our will. We are calling a bandh after 10-years". The bandh will be in force from 5 am to 4 pm, he said. All scheduled examinations, All Bodo Students Union, Gorkha cultural meet, Kesab Mahanta National Theatre Festival and essential services were exempted from the purview of the bandh, he added. On January 23, mass protest marches will be held in Assam followed by public meetings. AASU General Secretary Lurin Jyoti Gogoi called Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal a "puppet" and said the government in the state had failed to respect the sentiments of the people of Assam. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, was introduced in the Lok Sabha to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians, who fled religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan and entered India before December 31, 2014. Union Minister of Textiles Smriti Irani on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Kerala government accusing it of detaining Sabarimala temple devotees as they raised voices against the state government. Kerala witnessed fresh violence over the Sabarimala issue after two women of menstruating age entered the Lord Ayyappa shrine to offer their prayers earlier this week. Speaking on the violence followed by detentions and arrests of the devotees who are protesting against the entry of female devotees of menstruating age, Irani said that the social, political and law and order situation in the state has deteriorated and neither the people nor the lawmakers are safe. She blamed that the state government has filed close to 1286 cases, 37,000 people have been made accused and more than 3,170 people were detained only for speaking against the misdeeds of the Kerala government. "BJP condemns the dastardly attack on V Muraleedharan's residence. We will give a befitting reply but staying within the ambit of the constitution," added Irani. Violence involving BJP-RSS and ruling CPI(M) rocked parts of Kerala, particularly Kannur district, on Saturday with several houses and shops of rival leaders and workers being attacked. Amid incidents of vandalism, Governor P Sathasivam briefed Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the law and order situation in the southern state. Besides Kannur, Perambra in neighbouring Kozhikode, Malappuram and Adoor in Pathanamthitta, where the Ayyappa shrine is located, also witnessed a series of similar attacks and vandalism Friday night and in the early hours Saturday. Bombs were hurled at several places, including at the houses of CPI(M) MLA A N Shamseer in Madapeedikayil, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member V Muraleedharan at Vadiyil Peedikia and former Kannur district secretary of CPI(M) P Sasi at Thalassery in Kannur district past midnight, police said. No one was injured in the attacks. As police struggled to control the situation, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan lashed out at the RSS, saying the Sangh Parivar was trying to create fear in people's minds. The Opposition Congress hit out, asking why the left government failed to stop the RSS from creating trouble. In another development, a peace meeting called by the Revenue Divisional Officer at Adoor in Pathanamthitta district was boycotted by the Bharatiya Janata Party. BJP claimed that they decided to stay away as the police failed to arrest the accused in connection with the death of Chandran Unnithan, a 'Sabarimala Karma Samiti' member who, they alleged, was killed in stone-pelting on January 3. Talking tough, Vijayan said "State will deal with the RSS violence sternly. They are trying to destroy the peace and tranquillity of the state. We will take strong action against it. It's the RSS agenda to create fear in the minds of the people," Vijayan told reporters here, adding that it will not be allowed. He said people of the state have shown restraint. "The RSS workers were attacking houses of MLAs, and other leaders. Their only aim and route is violence. The law and order system of the state will take care of it," he said. Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged the state police had failed to maintain law and order. "DGP himself has accepted this. Why has the government failed to stop the BJP from creating violence?" Chennithala asked. State minister and CPI(M) leader G Sudhakaran courted controversy calling Sabarimala temple's Tantri (chief priest), a "Brahmin monster" for conducting a 'purification' ceremony after two women in the menstrual age group entered the shrine. Two women, Kanakadurga (44) and Bindu (42), entered the shrine and offered prayers on Wednesday, breaking a centuries-old tradition. Following this, the tantri, Kandaru Rajeevaru, closed the sanctum sanctorum to perform the 'purification' ceremony. In Delhi, BJP national spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao hit out at the CPI(M) state leadership and said the violence around the hill shrine was unleashed by the LDF government, which, instead of dealing with it in a sensible way, wreaked havoc, resulting in devotees being hurt and even killed. Meanwhile, Pathanamthitta district collector has extended prohibitory orders at Sabarimala till 'Makaravilakku' festival on January 14. As violence erupted, V Muraleedharan's ancestral home was attacked hours after bombs were thrown at the homes of Shamseer and Sasi when leaders of the Marxist party and BJP-RSS were attending a peace meeting. The attacks, which disrupted normal life, marked the return of political violence on large-scale after a gap of over a year in the sensitive district. Kerala has been rocked by violent protests by BJP-RSS and right-wing outfits after two women of menstruating age offered prayers at the Ayyappa temple on January 2. As violence continued to disrupt life in Kannur and other places, state police chief Loknath Behera sounded a state-wide alert and gave direction to take stern action against those responsible for attacks on houses of party leaders. According to Behara, 1286 cases have been registered till tonight and 3282 people arrested in connection with the violent incidents since the January 3 hartal called against the entry of two women into the hill temple. Of the arrested, 487 have been remanded and 2,795 granted bail. A police release said patrolling and raids had been intensified across Kannur. Police said stone pelting incidents were reported against a march taken out by DYFI and BJP office in Kannur district this evening, but none was injured. It has been decided that no marches would be allowed to be taken out tonight and tomorrow, according to police. In another incident, miscreants set fire to an office of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Pariyaram area in the morning, police told PTI. A CPI(M) worker was attacked at Perumbara in Iritty in the district last night while RSS leader K Chandrasekharan was assaulted in Thalassery and his house ransacked allegedly by around 25 Marxist workers. With the tension continuing, the CPI(M) and BJP-RSS leaderships blamed each other for the violent attacks. CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram that the RSS was trying to trigger riot in the state and sabotage peace talks. The RSS-BJP combine was turning temples and educational institutions managed by them as "armoury", he alleged, adding the ruling party would take the initiative to restore peace in violence-hit areas. Countering the charges, V Muraleedharan said the incidents of violence were the tactics of the ruling CPI(M) to divert attention from the controversies and protests over the violation of the traditional customs at the Sabarimala temple. The entry of two women into the hill shrine on Wednesday, the first time since the Supreme Court in September last year lifted the age-linked ban on the entry of women devotees, has triggered massive protests in Kerala. Located in north Kerala, Kannur has been the hotbed of political violence especially between the CPI(M) and BJP and witnessed bloody clashes and killings over the years. In Kannur district, 169 cases have been registered and 230 people arrested, while in Palakkad 166 cases have been registered and 298 people held, police said. LUCKNOW: At a time when the BJP top brass is trying to keep its flock together, a senior leader of the party has demanded that Union Minister Nitin Gadkari should be made the Deputy Prime Minister while Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh be assigned the charge of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. The demand has been made by veteran BJP leader Sanghpriya Gautam on Saturday. Gautam also demanded that the incumbent party chief, Amit Shah, should work hard in the Rajya Sabha where the party lacks a majority and pave way for former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan's appointment as the party president. Gautam made these demands in a letter, which was released to the media. In his letter, the former Union Minister also said that the incumbent Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, should be sent to do religious work. Admitting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the tallest leaders the country had produced, Gautam appeared doubtful whether there would be a repeat of the 'Modi wave' in 2019 polls. "The Modi Magic is unlikely to work again in the forthcoming general elections and the party workers admit this in private and are suffering in silence," he said. Alleging that there was widespread anger against the policies of the Union government, the 88-year-old leader said that the situation was so grim that if elections were to be held right now, the BJP will be routed in all states barring a few. Citing the instances of changing the name of the Planning Commission and the alleged interference in the working of the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Reserve Bank of India, the BJP leader also slammed his party for attempting to topple an elected government in Uttarakhand. The decision of his party to anyhow form governments in Goa and Manipur was not in the right spirit, he added. The 88-year-old leader had served as a Minister of State in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. (With IANS inputs) In another coal mine mishap in Meghalaya, two miners were killed on Sunday in East Jaintia Hills district. This incident comes in less than a month after 15 miners were trapped inside a flooded coal pit at Ksan village of the district since December 13. The latest accident took place at Mooknor, Jalyiah village, about 5 km from the district headquarters in East Jaintia Hills. It came to the fore after one Philip Bareh filed a report that his nephew Elad Bareh (26) had been missing from his home since Friday. "A search was conducted and his body was found in front of a `rat-hole` coal mine. When we further checked inside the narrow mine, another body was found. The second man was identified as Monoj Basumatry," Sylvester Nongtnger, district police chief, told IANS. "It is suspected that boulders hit them when they tried to extract coal," Nongtnger said, adding that efforts are on to find out the owner of the illegal mine. An inquiry in the matter has been initiated and the dead bodies were sent for autopsy. Meanwhile, rescue operations to evacuate the 15 trapped coal miners at Ksan village were partially affected after the high-capacity specialized dewatering pumps of Kirloskar Brothers Limited and Coal India Limited encountered technical snags on Sunday, an official said. "Pumping machines of Kirloskar and CIL have been stopped for the time being because of some technical problem. The pumps will be restored soon," said rescue operations spokesperson, Reginald Susngi. However, he said Odisha firefighters continued to drain out water from the two abandoned coal mines. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had ordered an interim ban on "rat-hole" coal mining in the state in April 2014. On Friday, the Green Court imposed a fine of Rs 100 crore on the Meghalaya government for its failure to curb illegal mining in the state. The Supreme Court also expressed dissatisfaction over the outcome of the rescue operations at Ksan coal mine. The accident has evoked sharp reactions. Former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has said illegal mining activities in Jaintia Hills were carried out due to the greed of the people in power. "This is the outcome of the extreme greed of the people in power. The image of the state built over the years has suffered badly," Sangma told journalists. On penalty imposed by the NGT, the leader of Opposition said, "The people of the state cannot pay for the greed of some power-hungry people. I am afraid the state is going to pay a heavy price because of the greed of these people." He also lashed out at Chief Secretary Y Tsering and other senior government officers for being "silent spectators" to illegal mining. "They are succumbing to their political bosses, though it is their job to protect the interest of the people and the state," Sangma said. with IANS inputs Shimla: Eight people, including seven children, were killed on Saturday when a private school bus rolled down a gorge in Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur district, police said. As per the reports received at the state headquarters, the bus of Dadahu Aadarsh Vidya Niketan School, carrying 18 children, skidded off the road near Khadkoli on Dadahu-Sangrah Road at around 8 am. Three students and the bus driver died on the spot and another three children were reported brought dead at Nahan Civil Hospital, officials said. Later in the evening, officials said a girl who was referred to the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh succumbed to her injuries. Sirmaur Superintendent of Police Rohit Malpani said Samir (5), Adarsh (7), Kartik (14) and driver Ram Swaroop (40) died on the spot. "Abhishek, his sister Sanjana and Naitik Chauhan succumbed to their injuries on their way to Nahan Medical College," the SP said. Five seriously injured children were referred to PGIMER, Chandigarh whereas seven are getting treatment at Nahan Hospital. Ten of the 12 injured schoolchildren were identified as Sandhaya, Rakshita, Anjali, Rajiv, Aayush, Vaishanvi, Dhruv, Mannat, Aarushi and Sunder Singh. Sirmaur Deputy Commissioner Sirmour Lalit Jain ordered a magisterial inquiry into the accident. The DC asked Sub-divisional Magistrate, Sangrah,?Rajesh Dhiman to hold a detailed inquiry into the accident and submit a report within fifteen days, a district spokesperson said. Meanwhile, the district administration provided immediate relief of Rs 20,000 each to the family of the deceased and Rs 10,000 to the injured. Besides, the deputy commissioner also provided Rs 50,000 from the Red Cross Fund to the injured, who have been referred to the PGIMER, Chandigarh. Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur have expressed grief over the tragedy, an official state spokesperson said. Wishing speedy recovery to the injured children, Devvrat and Thakur prayed for the souls of the deceased and strength to the bereaved family. Transport Minister Govind Singh Thakur and Himachal Congress chief Sukhvinder Sukhu mourned the death of school children and the bus driver in this accident. Speaker of HP Vidhan Sabha Rajiv Bindal along with the DC immediately rushed to the hospital to meet the injured children and made arrangements for the immediate shifting of the seriously injured. Patna: Lalu Prasad's elder son Tej Pratap Yadav on Saturday had a "political" meeting with his younger brother Tejashwi Yadav and reiterated that he saw the latter as "Arjuna", whom he would assist like Lord Krishna, in winning the electoral battle in Bihar. Donning a 'Kurta-pyjama' and a waistcoat with a muffler wrapped around his neck, Tej Pratap Yadav drove to Tejashwi's bungalow at 5, Desh Ratna Marg. Tejashwi Yadav greeted his elder brother by touching his feet and Tej Pratap responded by placing a hand on his younger brother's head. Saturday's meeting took place four days after Tej Pratap met their mother Rabri Devi. Tejashwi was in Delhi at that time. The elder brother had remained estranged from his family members for a long time since they refused to back him in his decision to seek divorce from his wife, just six months after their marriage. Emerging after the nearly 45-minute long meeting, Tej Pratap Yadav told reporters, "We held only political discussions. Things like how to make our party stronger and take Lalu's dream forward. Tejashwi is my Arjuna and I will see to it that he occupies the throne." Speculations have been rife that the elder brother has been uneasy over the growing clout of the younger one within the party, who was named as the RJD's chief ministerial candidate, more than a year ago. On Thursday, Tej Pratap Yadav had also announced, out of turn, the candidature of his sister Misa Bharti from Pataliputra Lok Sabha constituency. However, on Friday Tejashwi made it clear that any party candidate would be finalized by the party's parliamentary board after due approval from Lalu Prasad the national president, who is at present in Ranchi serving sentences in a number of fodder scam cases. The point made by the younger brother was, later, grudgingly acknowledged by Tej Pratap Yadav. Dhaka: A Hindu temple was vandalised in clashes between two groups in Bangladesh's central Tangail district, a media report said Sunday. The family of the temple's owner was also attacked by a group of eight to nine people in Batra village of the district Friday, Dhaka Tribune reported. Chitta Ranjan acquired the land and built a temple of Lord Shiva over 20 years ago, it said. The group of miscreants, led by a local resident of the same village, tried to forcefully seize the land where the temple is situated by vandalising Ranjan's home and attacking his family members, the report said. Ranjan said people have been performing religious activities at the temple for more than 20 years. The accused had attempted to forcefully seize the land several times before as well, he claimed. Nagarpur police station Officer-in-Charge Alam Chand said that police visited the spot and ordered a probe. No one has been arrested in the case. SJU Targu Jiu a inceput angajarile pe baza de concurs Spitalul Judetean de Urgenta din Targu Jiu a oprit angajarile fara concurs, din pandemie si a trecut la angajari pe baza de concurs. Astfel, au fost scoase la concurs opt posturi pentru angajarea de personal pe perioada nedeterminata. Este vorba de: doua posturi de asistent medical debutant [citeste mai departe] Foreign Ministry on workers in Austria's non-resident children's allowance: Decision contravenes EU legislation The Romanian Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) and Romania's Government stated on Saturday that they took note "with concern" of the coming into force starting 1 January 2019 of the legislation regarding the adjustment of the allowances for non-resident children of workers in this member state depending on the average living cost in the residence country of the child, and say that such a decision contravenes the principles laying at the foundation of the European project and the legislation of the European Union. "It is worth mentioning that the area of enforcing the new legislation is represented Citeste articolul mai departe pe stiripesurse.ro Sursa articol: stiripesurse.ro Stiri pe aceeasi tema - The Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) rejected today several constitutional challenges to Law No. 304/2004 on judicial organization and also unanimously quashed challenges to several articles in OUG No. 90/2018 on specific measures for rendering operational the Section for the Investigation of - Fundasul croat Stipe Vucur a incasat niste bani la semnatura, desi Becali a sustinut ca nu i-a platit nimic. Iar salariul lunar va fi de 8.000 de euro, nu de 10.000 de euro, cum pretindea patronul. FCSB si-a completat lotul cu un jucator ieftin, in comparatie cu nivelul salarial din club. Stipe Vucur, - PSD strongly condemns the decision of Prime Minister Florin Citu not to grant the second tranche of increase in child allowances, scheduled for July 1, and announces that next week he will submit a bill to Parliament for the immediate rise in allowances to the level set by law as of January 2020. - Prime Minister Florin Citu said on Saturday evening that a decision on whether or not to wear a protective mask at work, where there are only vaccinated people, would be taken from June 1, reports agerpres. The Prime Minister also said that from June 1, the Government would amend the normative acts - The amendment by the Government of the labour legislation by eliminating the obligation of micro-enterprises to draw up in writing the job description for employees changes the status of millions of citizens from employees to slaves, it is mentioned in a release issued on Thursday by the National - Lucrarile de constructii in Romania au inregistrat o crestere de 2,3%, in luna februarie 2021 comparativ cu luna ianuarie 2021, in randul statelor membre UE cresteri mai mari fiind inregistrate doar in Suedia (9,2%) si Austria (8,8%), arata datele publicate, luni, de Eurostat. - Chairman of the National Liberal Party (PNL) Ludovic Orban voiced on Saturday his appreciation and support for Prime Minister Florin Citu, pointing out that the latter's decision to sack Health Minister Vlad Voiculescu was "indispensable and appropriate, laying the groundwork for an enhanced performance - Prime Minister Florin Citu announced on Wednesday that he presented to the Government the decision on the establishment of the Interministerial Committee for Romania's return to normalcy on June 1, 2021, mentioning that it will be published in the Official Journal, agerpres.ro confirms. "I Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 23:08:36|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close LONDON, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May ended speculation Sunday that a vote on her under-fire Brexit deal may be deferred again, insisting that the vote would go-ahead in the House of Commons as planned next week. In an interview on the BBC's main weekly political program, May said "I want to see this deal go through. If the deal is not voted on, then actually we are going to be in uncharted territory." The vote should have taken place last month, but it was deferred with May saying it was clear it would be defeated. Opposition MPs and politicians from her own Conservative Party have threatened to oppose her Brexit Withdrawal bill when they finally vote next week. If that happens it makes the prospect of a no-deal Brexit more likely than ever. She said Sunday she would set out new measures on the Northern Ireland border issue, and also look at giving MPs more say in shaping negotiations over future trade relations. Asked in the interview what had changed since last month, May said the European Union had agreed to some changes, and she was continuing to talk to European leaders as she tried to give MPs the confidence to support her deal. One of the stumbling blocks remains concerns over the so-called backstop arrangement aimed at averting a hard border between Northern Ireland and the neighboring Irish Republic. Many MPs, and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) which shores up May's minority government, have demanded guarantees that the backstop will never be used. May said: "The deal is on the table. We've got people who want to see their perfect Brexit. And I would say don't let the search for the perfect be the enemy of the good. The danger there is that we end up with no Brexit at all." She said she truly believed what she had negotiated with Brussels was a good deal for Britain, and that it was up to its opponents to spell out the alternatives to it. May has refused to rule out bringing her deal back to Parliament if it is voted down next week. On the same program Jonathan Ashworth, shadow health secretary with the main opposition Labour Party, said Labour was committed to voting against May's deal. "If that is voted down, it is incumbent upon the government to come forward with alternative proposals and try to renegotiate," Ashworth said. MPs return to Westminster Monday after the festive and new year break, and will resume debate on the Brexit bill on Wednesday, with the crucial vote expected in the early part of the following week. Britain is scheduled to end its member of the EU on March 29, with government planning for a no-deal scenario already being stepped up. A major exercise is planned Monday involving 1,500 heavy goods vehicles taking part in a No Deal rehearsal. The aim is to test government plans to use a disused airport close to English coast seaports as a holding area to avoid gridlock on motorways serving the port of Dover. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-07 04:24:32|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Sunday on the White House to recognize "Israeli sovereignty" over the Golan Heights in a joint statements with U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton in Jerusalem. The statements were part of Bolton's trip to Israel which started on Saturday. Netanyahu said that he had raised the issue with the U.S. President Donald Trump. "Tomorrow (On Monday), if weather permits, we'll go up to the Golan Heights," Netanyahu said, adding that the territory is "tremendously important for our security." "I think that when you're there, you will be able to understand perfectly why we will never leave the Golan Heights," he added. Israel occupied the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed the territory in 1981. Bolton arrived in Israel for talks with officials that focus on the Iranian military presence in Syria in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump's announced plan to withdraw from the war-torn country. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-07 03:29:20|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KIGALI, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda Development Board (RDB) on Sunday met with a delegation of China's e-commerce giant Alibaba in Rwandan capital Kigali, discussing more agro-products exports to China. RDB and Alibaba seek to support Rwandan entrepreneurs to export more agro-products such as beef, crayfish, avocado, chili pepper, French bean, tree tomato, and other fruits and vegetables to China, by providing necessary infrastructure to boost agro-processing, lowering the cost of air-freight transport, providing more trainings to Rwandan entrepreneurs to enable them trade more product volumes and other ways, said a statement released by RDB. China presents a huge market for Rwanda, with its big population and increasing spending power, RDB CEO Claire Akamanzi said in the statement. RDB is exploring "unique and big" opportunities" of the Chinese market, she added. The delegation was in the central African country for the past week, meeting different government officials and private sector people, according to RDB. The visit was the follow-up of an Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP) agreement signed in October between the Rwandan government and Alibaba. The signing makes Rwanda the first African country that launches eWTP, proposed by Alibaba's Jack Ma with aims to promote public-private dialogue to foster a more effective and efficient policy and business environment to enable small and medium-sized enterprises to participate in cross-border electronic trade. Palestinian protesters carry a wounded man during clashes with Israeli troops on the Gaza-Israel border, east of the southern Gaza Strip City of Khan Younis. (Xinhua/Khaled Omar) GAZA, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Israeli army helicopters attacked on Sunday afternoon two military facilities that belong to Islamic Hamas movement's military wing in eastern Gaza Strip with no injuries reported, medics said. Palestinian security sources in Gaza told reporters that Israeli army helicopters fired four missiles at two Hamas lookout posts in east of the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis close to the border with Israel, causing severe damage to the posts. Medical sources said that ambulances rushed to the two targeted posts, but no injuries were reported. Israeli media reports, which quoted Israeli military sources, confirmed the airstrike. Earlier on Sunday, Israeli Radio reported that a booby-trapped plane carried by balloons, which was launched from the Gaza Strip, landed into southern Israel field close to the fence of the border with the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave. The radio said that the plane didn't explode and it was detonated by Israeli police's explosives experts without reporting about injuries. Since the start of the "Great March of Return" on March 30 last year, Palestinian activists have released thousands of arson kites and balloons into southern Israel, causing large fires and huge loss to Israeli agriculture. A clam understanding brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations last September stopped such activities. Meanwhile, dozens of Palestinian children demonstrated in Gaza city earlier on Sunday to protest against Israel's recent crackdown on hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned in Israeli jails. The demonstration took place outside the Israeli-controlled Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip close to the border with Israel. The participants waved Palestinian flags and signs, calling for an end to anti-prisoners policies and demanding an immediate release of all prisoners. Abdullah Qandil, the protest's organizer, told Xinhua that "this event of Palestinian children is meant to protest against the measures taken by political, security and army institutions in Israel against the Palestinian prisoners." Mahmoud al-Deheny, a former prisoner, told Xinhua that the new tightened measures against Palestinian prisoners are "part of a political battle in Israel between political parties." "The Likud party, Israel Our Home party and the Jewish Home party want to show that they can increase the sufferings of Palestinian prisoners to achieve political gains," he said. On Jan. 3, Israeli government's officials announced that a new plan has been created to tighten measures against Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. The measures include reducing the number of family visiting hours, barring prisoners from preparing food inside their rooms, and reducing the number of hours of watching television. Israel is currently holding more than 6,000 Palestinian and Arab prisoners in its jails, including 250 children, 54 women and 27 prisoners who have been imprisoned for more than three decades. The Palestinian Prisoner Society, a prisoners' advocacy group, accused Israeli politicians of using Palestinian prisoners for elections purposes. A joint Palestinian committee comprising various Palestinian factions also denounced the new Israeli measures, describing them as "a declaration of war." The committee called on international rights groups to act as immediately as possible to stop all these measures, "which contradict the international laws and the principles of human rights." Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-07 01:14:01|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ARUSHA, Tanzania, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian government on Sunday announced to conduct a six-month operation to remove invaders from the forests and reserved areas across the east African nation. Suleiman Jafo, Tanzania's Minister of State in the President's Office (Regional Administration and Local Government), made the announcement soon after visiting one of the highly deforested Makere Forest Reserve, which is located in western Tanzania's region of Kigoma. The minister stressed the importance of local communities to request for permits before getting into the protected forests for whatever reason. He said that the six-month operation will involve all protected forest across the country. He said that time has come for Tanzania to act on wantonly tree felling, which is threatening the country's forest cover and people's livelihoods. Tanzania has some 33 million hectares of forests and woodland, but the country has been losing forest for two decades, according to Tanzania Forest Service (TFS)'s recent report. Commenting on the Makere Forest Reserve, Jafo said Tanzanian government has set aside a total of 10,012 hectares of land outside the forest reserve that could be used for agricultural activities by the villagers. The forest is reported to be on the verge of extinction due to invasions since villagers are now conducting agricultural activities in the forest, which is one of the water sources for Kasulu and Uvinza district. Valentine Msusa, Tanzania Forest Service (TFS) Western Zone Manager, described deforestation as a thorn to the protected area, which measures some 62,000 hectares. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 23:23:41|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KATHMANDU, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said on Sunday that the Himalayan country has been working on developing cross-border railways linking China and India in cooperation with the two neighboring countries. Addressing the House of Representatives, the lower house of parliamentNepal, Oli said the Nepali government was preparing to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China for preparing Detailed Project Report (DPR) of a proposed cross-border railway connecting Chinese border town of Kerung (Geelong port) and Nepal's capital Kathmandu. "Its pre-feasibility study has already been conducted with Chinese assistance," he said. Officials of Nepal's Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport and the National Railway Administration of China have held discussion on the development of the proposed project in Kathmandu during the second of week of December. According to Oli, the Nepali government is also preparing to sign an MoU with China to conduct pre-feasibility study of two other railway lines -- one connecting Kathmandu and Pokhara, a tourism city in western Nepal and another linking Kathmandu and Lumbini, southwestern city of Nepal. Likewise, the Nepali premier also said that Nepal has signed an MoU with India to conduct detailed study on a cross-border railway linking Kathmandu and Indian border town Raxual with India's assistance. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 23:13:38|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close HANOI, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Lao counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith co-chaired the 41st session of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee in Hanoi on Sunday, reaching consensus on cooperation orientations for 2019. Regarding economic ties, the two countries will exchange experiences in devising policies to stabilize the macro-economy, and work together to reach a 10-percent growth in two-way trade this year, Vietnam News Agency reported on Sunday. Meanwhile, improving the quality of education-training cooperation will be prioritized. In addition, ministries, sectors and localities will foster the practical and effective cooperation in culture, science, society, communications, sports, healthcare and legislation, among others. Following the session, the two prime ministers witnessed the signing of six documents, including three agreements on the cooperation plan between the two governments in 2019, the Vietnamese government's provision of 300 tons of rice seeds to Laos, and the educational cooperation plan for 2019. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 22:58:34|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIRUT, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian Presidential Advisor Lazhar Al-Qorawi Al-Chabi said Sunday that the Arab League is currently studying the possibility of restoring Syria's membership in the organization, the National News Agency reported. "There are some positive signs with regard to restoring Syria's membership in the Arab League especially after the latest move by some Arab countries to re-open their embassies in Syria," he said. Al-Chabi's remarks came upon his arrival at Beirut's airport in an official visit to Lebanon to deliver to President Michel Aoun the invitation to the Arab summit which will take place in March in Tunisia. Al-Chabi said that this is the right time for Syria to be back to the Arab League. "Syria cannot remain outside the Arab League anymore. This is its normal place," he said. The Arab League suspended Syria's membership because its government failed to stop violence against civilian protesters back in 2011. If Syria succeeds in joining the Arab League again, the country will then be invited to the Arab economic summit which will take place in Beirut later this month. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 22:53:33|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ATHENS, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of Greek swimmers braved the cold and plunged into the sea, rivers and pools across the country on Sunday celebrating Epiphany Day, an important festival of Orthodox Christians. Although the thermometer in the Greek capital showed 8 degrees Celsius and in other parts of the country was close to zero, people of all ages and professions took the plunge to retrieve wooden crucifixes cast by priests. Greeks believe that the swimmers who retrieve the crosses from the waters are blessed with good luck throughout the new year. Nikos Mylonas was among swimmers at the Athens' southern suburb of Faliro on Sunday. It was the first time he took part in the festival, he told Xinhua. "I just wanted to do it for the experience. We were lucky the weather was better today. It was not as cold as yesterday or the day before," he said. "It is a nice experience. Yes, as long as I will be able to do it, I will be taking the plunge," Manos Violakis, another swimmer, who participated for the fourth time, told Xinhua. Babis Stefanos and Elias Sanidas, two friends who are winter swimmers, were also among those who tried to retrieve the crucifix at Faliro. "For us today it felt like summer," Stefanos said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 22:48:29|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close NICOSIA, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Russia is watching the United States' moves in the eastern Mediterranean region and will react to any move that undermines its interests, the country's Ambassador to Cyprus Stanislav Osadchiy said on Sunday. Any efforts in the direction of undermining the interests of Russia will not remain without an answer, Osadchiy warned in an interview with the local newspaper "Phileleftheros." Among the U.S. moves against Russia, Osadchiy mentioned "blatant pressure on Nicosia with the aim of removing Russian businesses and capital which have helped the island out of the crisis." Osadchiy was referring to Russian firms operating in Cyprus and to Russian deposits in Cypriot banks amounting to tens of billions of euros, during and after the economic crisis that forced Cyprus into a 10-billion-euro (11.4-billion-U.S.-dollar) bailout in 2013. It is estimated that Russian depositors lost close to 4 billion euros (4.56 billion dollars) when deposits with the Bank of Cyprus were impaired by 37.5 percent to recapitalize the lender. Another bank with a large amount of Russian deposits, Cyprus Popular Bank, commonly known as "Laiki" ("People's") Bank, was wound down and its assets taken over by Bank of Cyprus. Osadchiy also criticized what he called negative outside factors "and more specifically anti-Russian sanctions by the European Union and the United States." However, he said that despite these negative factors, conditions still exist not only for maintaining, but also further expanding relations between Russia and Cyprus in many sectors. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 22:33:26|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian police said on Sunday they have arrested a group of suspects in connection with the attempted smuggling of 323.6 kilograms of gold out of the country. On Saturday, police in collaboration with Mwanza regional safety and security committee seized the gold at the city's Kigongo Ferry on the shores of Lake Victoria. At the same time, Mwanza Acting Regional Police Commander Advera Bulimba, said the police have launched a manhunt for other suspected smugglers, adding they need to eliminate the syndicate of gold smuggling. Bulimba said the arrested suspects whose number and names were withheld on investigative reasons were also found in possession of some 300 million Tanzanian shillings (about 130,000 U.S. dollars) which were hidden in the boot of a car. "We are determined to end mineral smuggling as well as to control all types of crimes. We are going to arrest all the culprits involved in this scam," Bulimba told a news conference in the lake side city of Mwanza. The senior police officer appealed to Mwanza residents to collaborate with the police in the hunt for the remaining suspects. Mwanza Regional Commissioner John Mongella said the gold smuggling ring was smashed after the police were tipped-off. Mongella said security has been enhanced to control minerals smuggling in the region. In December 2017, police in Zanzibar arrested a prominent businessman as he allegedly attempted to smuggle out eight kilograms of gold. In August 2017, police seized 14 kilograms of diamonds at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam as they were about to be smuggled out. The diamonds were valued at about 29.5 million U.S. dollars. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 22:28:24|Editor: zh Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Israel's Shin Bet security service said Sunday that several "Jewish terrorists" have been arrested on suspicion of killing a Palestinian woman in the West Bank. The incident took place Oct. 12, 2018 outside the settlement of Rahelim in the northern West Bank. Aisha Rabi, 47, was driving with her husbands and two of her daughters when she was struck in the head by a stone allegedly hurled by settlers. Rabi was a mother of nine and a resident of the village of Badia in the northern West Bank. The suspects were arrested on Dec. 30. Their identities were not disclosed because they are minors. The Shin Bet said in a statement that they are all students in a Yeshiva (Jewish seminary). "The suspects were arrested for serious terror offenses, including murder," the statement read. The Shin Bet said the attack was "Jewish terrorism." Over the past year, the Shin Bet foiled "hundreds of terrorist attacks" throughout the West Bank, including Jewish terror attacks, the statement said. Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right activist and the suspects' lawyer, said they kept their right to remain silent during their questioning. He accused the Shin Bet of employing "harsh manipulations" against the suspects during the investigation. According to a report on Sunday in Israel's Ha'aretz newspaper, the number of Jewish attacks against Palestinians has been on the rise in 2018. These attacks, carried out by ultra-nationalist settlers, included violence against Palestinians and vandalism against their properties. By mid-December 2018, 482 such incidents had been reported to Israeli authorities, compared with 140 for 2017, Ha'aretz reported. Israel occupied the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war and has controlled it ever since despite international criticism. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 22:21:44|Editor: zh Video Player Close Residents return to their charred homes to look for their belongings after a fire at a slum area in Quezon City, the Philippines, Jan. 6, 2019. More than 100 shanties were razed in the fire, leaving 200 families homeless and 5 people injured. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali) Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 21:33:10|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close CHONGQING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- A total of 1,442 freight trains traveled between Chongqing and European countries last year, an increase of 117 percent compared with the previous year, the YUXINOU (Chongqing) Logistics Co., Ltd announced on Saturday. The number of trains traveling from Europe back to Chongqing reached 728, surpassing the number of outbound trains for the first time, according to the company. Chongqing launched more cargo train routes last year, connecting the city with Belarus, Vietnam and Iran, said Qi Dan, general manager of the company. Currently, the outbound train reaches over 30 European countries, and the goods brought back can be transferred to other Chinese cities and Southeast Asia, Qi said. In May 2011, a rail route was opened between Chongqing and Duisburg in Germany, marking the start of the China-Europe cargo train service. The varieties of goods transported via the trains have expanded to electronic products, cars, mechanical products, coffee beans and clothes, Qi added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 21:23:08|Editor: mmm Video Player Close TAIYUAN, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- A total of 681 Australian alpacas have arrived in Yangqu county in northern China's Shanxi Province, local authorities said. With the new batch of alpacas, there are now a total of 1,800 alpacas at the local breeding base, county officials said. The local alpaca breeding base has profited from breeding, byproducts of alpaca wool and tourism related to alpacas in recent years. The alpaca economy has created job opportunities and helped local people rise out of poverty, according to authorities. Alpacas are one of the major domestic animals of South America. In the 1980s, Australia introduced the alpacas to improve their breeding and fiber quality. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 21:18:06|Editor: zh Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Allegations and counter-allegations continue to fly between India's main opposition Indian National Congress (INC) and the centre government over the ongoing raging controversy involving "Rafale" fighter jets deal with France. Taking cognizance of a media report published in English daily The Times of India saying that the government-owned Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL) awaited defence ministry's orders worth 100,000 crores Indian rupees (14.3 billion U.S. dollars) contradicting claims made by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in parliament, INC President and lawmaker Rahul Gandhi demanded the minister's resignation on Sunday. Gandhi said Sitharaman had "lied" while speaking in the parliament, when she said her ministry's orders worth 100,000 crores Indian rupees were already in the pipeline with the HAL, a more than five-decades old aerospace and defence equipment manufacturing company. Gandhi also asked the defence minister to place documents before the parliament showing the orders placed with the HAL, or resign. "When you tell one lie, you need to keep spinning out more lies, to cover up the first one. In her eagerness to defend the PM's Rafale lie, the RM lied to Parliament. Tomorrow, RM must place before Parliament documents showing 100,000 crore Indian rupees of government orders to HAL. Or resign," he tweeted. Barely a couple of hours after Gandhi's tweet, Defence Minister Sitharaman placed the concerned documents showing the orders which her ministry had placed with the HAL for manufacturing different kinds of aircraft, helicopters and other defence equipment. Along with the documents, the minister also tweeted - "It's a shame that the president of INC is misleading the nation. HAL has signed contracts worth 26,570 crore Indian rupees (between 2014 and 2018) and contracts worth 73,000 crore Indian rupees are in the pipeline. Will Rahul Gandhi apologise to the country from the floor of the house?" Earlier in the day, a front page report published in The Times of India, with the headline - HAL awaits orders for projects of 100,000 crore Indian rupees mentioned by Nirmala, had claimed that grappling with finances the HAL is keenly awaiting formalization of orders adding up to 100,000 crore Indian rupees mentioned by defence minister during the discussion on the Rafale fighter jets deal in the parliament on Friday. It quoted HAL as saying - "Not a single Indian rupee of the said 100,000 crore Indian Rupees has come to HAL, since not a single order, as claimed, has been signed till now. "We have a responsibility to stakeholders who cannot be led to believe that we have orders when we don't," the paper quoted HAL as saying. The newspaper further stated that though the acceptance of necessity (AoN) and clearance by 'Defence Acquisition Council (DAC)' has been completed for some of the orders, no actual order has been placed yet. Another report carried by the same newspaper on Friday had claimed that the cash-strapped aerospace and defence company was forced to borrow close to 1,000 crore Indian rupees to pay salaries to its employees. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 21:03:03|Editor: zh Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi President Barham Salih took part in celebrations of the Iraqi Army Day on Sunday and stressed the need to strengthen the army as a "national and professional institution" for all Iraqis. On the occasion of 98th anniversary for the establishment of the Iraqi army, Salih said in a tweet on his official account that "we recall the achievements of the army in the defense of the homeland, and the latest of which is to defeat terrorism." Salih asserted "the need to strengthen the capabilities of the army as a national and professional institution for all Iraqis and to protect the homeland and its constitutional, democratic and federal system." Earlier in the day, Salih attended a ceremony at the monument of the Unknown Soldier in Baghdad Green Zone, where he laid a wreath of flowers on the monument. The televised marking of the Army Day was attended by top military commanders as well as heads and members of the diplomatic mission in Baghdad. Separately, a statement by the media office of Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, who is the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, said that Abdul Mahdi attended a military parade and graduation ceremony of 167 officers of the Joint Staff College in Rustamiyah area in southeastern Baghdad and awarded them for graduation. "The brave Iraqi army will remain for all Iraqis and be aware that it is the protector of diversity and coexistence under the roof of the constitution and our great home, Iraq," Abdul Mahdi told the ceremony. Also in the day, Mohammed al-Halbousi, speaker of the Iraqi Council of Representatives (parliament), expressed in a congratulatory message the "keenness of the legislative authority to support the independence of the military institution to be far from political tendencies." Al-Halbousi pledged to "work with the government to have a strong army, and we will support the conclusion of relevant agreements in the interest of enhancing its (army) capabilities." On Jan. 6, 1921, Iraq established its first battalion of the modern army by the British during their mandate over the country after World War I. During the past years, the Iraqi army with other security forces have fought fiercely against the Islamic State group and liberated all the Iraqi lands in late 2017, after the extremist group seized large swathes of Iraqi territories in mid-2014 in northern and western Iraq. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 20:53:01|Editor: zh Video Player Close LONDON, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May on Sunday warned that her country would be in the "uncharted" territory if MPs veto the Brexit deal in the coming week. Making the comments in a BBC program, May said the Commons vote on her Brexit deal will "definitely" go ahead. She vowed to redouble her efforts to win MPs' support but declined to rule out holding more than one vote. The prime minister pledged that she would set out new measures on Northern Ireland and look at giving MPs more say in shaping negotiations over future trade relations. She added that the European Union (EU) had agreed to some "changes" and she was continuing to talk to European leaders as she tried to give MPs the "confidence" to support the deal. The UK is due to leave the EU on 29 March. British media reported that a poll carried out for the People's Vote campaign suggests fewer than one in four voters support the prime minister's Brexit deal. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 20:48:00|Editor: zh Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- United States National Security Adviser John Bolton started his visit to Israel on Sunday, saying the U.S. will withdraw from Syria only after Turkey will provide assurance to safeguard Kurds. Bolton made the remark during a briefing for reporters in Jerusalem, where he arrived on Saturday for the first American official visit since the White House announced its withdrawal plan from Syria. Bolton said the White House expects Turkey to provide measures to ensure the safety of the Kurds, who were America's allies in their fight against the Islamic State in Syria. Earlier, Bolton paid a visit to East Jerusalem's Western Wall, the most sacred site to Jews. He toured archaeological excavations there, accompanied by the head of Israel's National Security Council, Meir Ben Shabat, and the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman. In the evening, Bolton is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before traveling to Turkey. During Israel's weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday morning, Netanyahu referred to Bolton as his "old friend." He told the cabinet that the meeting will focus on Iran's presence in Syria, which the U.S. and Israel see as a threat to Israel. "I will discuss with him the efforts to stop the Iranian aggression in our region (and) the situation in Syria," Netanyahu said, according to a statement released by his office. He added that the meeting comes as Israel and the U.S. are "deepening' their "intelligence and operative cooperation." "Our position is clear - we continue to act against the Iranian military buildup in Syria, including in these days, and we are acting against anyone who undermines or tries to undermine Israel's security," Netanyahu said. Bolton arrived in Israeli on a mission to calm Israeli concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to pull U.S.'s 2,000 troops out of Syria. Israeli officials said an abrupt withdrawal could enable Iran to gain a wider presence in the war-torn country. On Friday, Netanyahu held a phone talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin, for the first time since the U.S. withdrawal announcement. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement that the two leaders "discussed the situation in Syria and recent developments and agreed on continued coordination between the [Israeli and Russian] militaries." The prime minister reiterated Israel's stance against Iranian foothold in Syria, saying the Jewish state is "determined to continue its efforts to prevent Iran from entrenching itself militarily in Syria." While the U.S. announced in December its intentions to pull out of Syria, Russia has been directly involved in the eight-year war with its forces fighting alongside Bashar al-Assad's army since 2015. Israel says it is not part of the ongoing war but the Israeli military has carried out dozens of air attacks in recent years against Iranian and Syrian army positions in Syria, in addition to weapons convoyed for Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shiite militia. The military coordination between Israel and Russia over their moves in Syria met difficulties after Syria mistakenly shot down a Russian reconnaissance plane following an Israeli airstrike in September. The plane's 15 aircrew soldiers were killed and Russia said Israel should be held accountable. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 20:42:58|Editor: mmm Video Player Close KUNMING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Seven suspects were caught, with 183 kg of drugs seized, in the city of Pu'er in southwest China's Yunnan Province, according to local police. Some drug dealers at the China-Myanmar border caught the attention of police. On Dec. 30, police stopped three cars in Zhenyuan county and found about 172 kg of methamphetamine as well as 11 kg of heroin hidden in the vehicles. The suspects were detained, and the case is under further investigation. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 20:22:56|Editor: mmm Video Player Close TAIPEI, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The number of babies born in 2018 in Taiwan is estimated to have dropped to 185,000, the lowest in five years, according to the island's authority in charge of development. Only around 164,000 babies were born by the end of November in 2018, data released by the island's statistical authority showed. The number of newborns on the island has been trending down since 2014 when 213,800 babies were born. The decline in births will continue if local authorities do not take practical measures, warned Hsueh Cherng-tay, a professor with Taiwan University, citing fewer marriages, more divorces and weak economic growth and social welfare as factors behind the birth rate drop. A low birth rate may further lead to the fall of the working population and exert more burden on society, according to experts. Long challenged by an aging population and a low birth rate, Taiwan has introduced new policies to encourage its citizens to have more children. A family will be offered a monthly allowance of at least 2,500 new Taiwan dollars (82 U.S. dollars) for each of their children. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 20:17:54|Editor: zh Video Player Close KABUL, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- At least 24 fighters from warring sides have been killed in the conflict-hit Afghanistan since Saturday, officials said Sunday. Both government security forces and Taliban militants have stepped up operations to gain more grounds and consolidate positions ahead of any possible talks between the two sides to find negotiated settlement for Afghanistan's lingering crisis, local observers believe. In the latest waves of violent crackdown on militants, the government forces stormed Taliban hideouts in Almar district of the northern Faryab province from the ground and air killing at least 10 insurgents including local Taliban leader Mawlawi Hayatullah on Sunday, said an army statement. On the other hand, Taliban militants attacked security checkpoints in Zargaran area outside Ghazni city, the capital of eastern Ghazni province late Saturday, killing three security personnel and injuring another, provincial government spokesman Aref Nuri said Sunday. The armed insurgents, however, targeted a government employee named Qari Hashimi in the southern Kandahar province on Sunday, killing him on the spot. Meantime, the government forces, in crackdown against militants, targeted Taliban hideouts in Miwand district of the southern Kandahar province on Saturday and killed at least 10 militants, said an army statement released Sunday. The Taliban outfit has yet to make comment on the government's claims. Security officials say that military operations would increase against armed militants in Afghanistan. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 20:07:50|Editor: zh Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Foreign ministers of Australia and Japan, Marise Payne and Taro Kono, will arrive in India on Monday for three-day visits respectively. Both are bilateral visits, said official sources in India's external affairs ministry. The key highlight of Payne's visit would be her participation in the annual event of "Raisina Dialogue" in the Indian capital, which is a multilateral conference committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community. Every year, global leaders in policy, business, media and civil society are hosted in New Delhi for the dialogue to discuss cooperation on a wide range of pertinent international policy matters. The conference is hosted by India's think tank "Observer Research Foundation (ORF)" in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs. Besides, Payne would hold bilateral meetings with her Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The Japanese foreign minister too would arrive in the Indian capital on Monday evening and soon hold talks with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj. On Tuesday, he is slated to participate in a meeting of "India-Japan Friendship Forum," said a communication official from India's Ministry of External Affairs. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 20:02:48|Editor: zh Video Player Close File photo taken on July 17, 2018 shows Malaysia's King Sultan Muhammad V (C) attending a parliament meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Malaysia's King Sultan Muhammad V resigned on Sunday, after over two years serving as the country's ceremonial supreme head of state. (Xinhua/Chong Voon Chung) KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's King Sultan Muhammad V resigned on Sunday, after over two years serving as the country's ceremonial supreme head of state. The resignation was announced by the national palace, saying Muhammad V has informed this matter officially to the Malay Rulers through a letter issued to the secretary of the Conference of Rulers. Under the special rotational monarchy system in Malaysia, the king as the head of state, is selected every five years from the nine hereditary sultans or state rulers, called the Conference of Rulers. Muhammad V had tried to fulfill his responsibilities as the head of state, and was an anchor of stability, source of justice, basis of unity and uniting factor among the country's diverse people, the palace said in a statement. He has also expressed his highest appreciation to the prime minister and the government for their cooperation, the statement said. The palace made no mention of the reason for his resignation, saying Muhammad V has prepared to return to his home state of where he remains as sultan. Muhammad V took the throne in December 2016. Prior to his resignation, the 49-year-old had been on a two-month medical leave from November last year before announcing his resignation. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 19:22:42|Editor: zh Video Player Close DHAKA, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's 47-member new cabinet line-up has been announced. Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam announced the names of the cabinet members at a press conference here Sunday. The cabinet included 25 ministers including PM Hasina, 19 ministers of state and three deputy ministers. According to the cabinet secretary, Hasina has inducted 31 new faces into her new cabinet. Members of the next cabinet, including the prime minister, are slated to take the oath at 3:30 p.m. local time on Monday at the President's Office. The announcement was made days after the 288 newly elected members of Bangladesh's parliament from Hasina's ruling coalition were sworn in amid an opposition boycott on Thursday. Seven MPs from ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led major opposition alliance skipped the oath-taking ceremony. Hasina's Awami League now forms its third five-year term government straight in a row since January 2009 after ruling the country in 1996-2001. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 19:02:39|Editor: zh Video Player Close FAIZABAD, Afghanistan, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- At least 20 people were killed and seven injured as a landslide hit Kohistan district in the northern Badakhshan province on Sunday, provincial head of Natural Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Sayed Abdullah Hamayon Dehqan said. "The tragic incident happened at around 10:30 a.m. local time in Shipo area of Kohistan district when more than 50 people were busy in illegal digging of a gold mine there and almost all of them were buried alive and so far 20 dead bodies and seven injured persons have been discovered," Dehqan told Xinhua. Rescue operation for discovering the remaining people was going on, the official said, adding the number of casualties might go up. In the insurgency-plagued Afghanistan where the central government's control is poor especially in the rural areas and countryside, powerful people particularly illegal armed men are often involved in illegal digging of natural treasures including gold, coal and lapis lazuli. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-06 18:57:38|Editor: zh Video Player Close TEHRAN, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Russia are planning to hold naval drills in the Caspian Sea, the commander of the Iranian navy said on Sunday. "Tactical, rescue and anti-piracy war games between Iranian and Russian naval forces are being planned and will be implemented in the near future," Iranian news agency Mehr quoted Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi as saying. Khanzadi said the joint exercise is part of an expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two countries and will "lead us eventually to strategic and tactical cooperation at a very high level at sea." "We have established a very good and lasting relationship with the countries in the Caspian Sea region, which today has taken a traditional form, and the countries in the region understand each other well. The Caspian Sea is entirely enclosed by land and its security is provided by the countries bordering the region," Khanzadi added. It is not the first time for the two countries to hold naval drills in the Caspian Sea together. They have held two joint naval exercises in 2015 and 2017. News 24-year-old Emirati fish seller vows to preserve ancestral occupation He said his official job did not prevent him from fulfilling his desire to stand on the fish display table, stressing that he is proud to sell fish to contribute to preserving a profession practised by his ancestors who were very fond of the sea and seafood. Are you looking for a Social Media Agency in Manchester? Social Media Marketing is about making your brand image known... So, it s not new for Google to update its ranking signals. Near the end of October 2020, they introduced... CBD, also known as cannabidiol, is a chemical compound found in cannabis plants, which is commonly used in the medicinal... In the past 20 years, weve seen a total revolution in information transparency. We have the option to research and... I Agree This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call(WASHINGTON) -- House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Smith, D-Washington, said President Donald Trump does have the authority to call a national emergency over border security, but is wide open to facing a court challenge. Unfortunately, the short answer is yes. There is a provision in law that says the president can declare an emergency. It's been done a number of times. But primarily it's been done to build facilities in Afghanistan and Iraq," Smith told George Stephanopoulos on This Week on Sunday. "In this case, I think the president would be wide open to a court challenge saying, where is the emergency?' You have to establish that in order to do this. But beyond that, this would be a terrible use of Department of Defense dollars." Smith also said he will use his position as the new chair of the Armed Services Committee to examine whether President Trump has politicized the military on the issue of border security. I don't think you should use the military to advance your agenda, Smith said. The main thing that I want to focus on in the hearings that we have coming up once we get our committee set is transparency and oversight. You know, why did the president send 5,600 troops active duty troops to the border? What was the purpose of it? The president said Sunday morning he will declare a national emergency depending on the outcome of the shutdown in the coming days to help pay for his long-desired border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. He did not elaborate on the details of such a process. Sixteen days into a partial government shutdown, the White House and Congress have yet to reach a deal to fund the construction of a wall. Trump has previously said that he would not sign a bill that did not include $5 billion for the construction. He is shutting down the government to break his signature campaign promise, Smith said on This Week. His signature campaign promise was that the taxpayers werent going to have to pay for it. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyoming, who spoke with Stephanopoulos later on This Week, pointed to the difficulty in negotiations, claiming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is completely captive to the far left of her party. This is not an issue of, you know, whos doing what and who has the upper hand. The border has got to be secure, thats what the American people want to see and they want the partisanship to end, Cheney said Sunday. The presidents acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said Saturday that Trump has shown willingness to compromise by being willing to give up a concrete wall and replace it with a steel fence. The president really doesn't understand the issue, Smith said when asked whether this change in the construction of the border wall is something he could accept, adding that all border security experts that I talk to say, where a wall makes sense, it's already been built. The wall is not in itself a bad idea, it's just -- it's been done, Smith said. And what the president has not done is he has not made the case that on the portions of the border where a wall has not been built, how is a wall going to actually enhance border security? There is no evidence whatsoever that that's necessary, and yet he is willing to shut down the government and stop paying border patrol agents. Tens of thousands of Customs and Border Protection agents and customs officers with the Department of Homeland Security are working without pay due to the shutdown. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.